bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extensive gene rearrangements in the mitogenomes of congeneric annelid species and insights on the evolutionary history of the genus Ophryotrocha
Authors: Tempestini Astrid , Massamba-N’Siala Gloria , Vermandele Fanny , Beaudreau Nicholas , Mortz Mathieu , Dufresne France , Calosi Piero
Published: November 2020

Background

Annelids are one the most speciose and ecologically diverse groups of metazoans. Although a significant effort has been recently invested in sequencing genomes of a wide array of metazoans, many orders and families within the phylum Annelida are still represented by a single specimen of a single species. The genus of interstitial annelidsOphryotrocha(Dorvilleidae, Errantia, Annelida) is among these neglected groups, despite its extensive use as model organism in numerous studies on the evolution of life history, physiological and ecological traits. To compensate for the paucity of genomic information in this genus, we here obtained novel complete mitochondrial genomes of sixOphryotrochaspecies using next generation sequencing. In addition, we investigated the evolution of the reproductive mode in theOphryotrochagenus using a phylogeny based on two mitochondrial markers (COXI and 16S rDNA) and one nuclear fragment (Histone H3).

Results

Surprisingly, gene order was not conserved among the sixOphryotrochaspecies investigated, and varied greatly as compared to those found in other annelid species within the class Errantia. The mitogenome phylogeny for the sixOphryotrochaspecies displayed a separation of gonochoric and hermaphroditic species. However, this separation was not observed in the phylogeny based on the COX1, 16S rDNA, and H3 genes. Parsimony and Bayesian ancestral trait reconstruction indicated that gonochorism was the most parsimonious ancestral reproductive mode inOphryotrochaspp.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the remarkably high level of gene order variation among congeneric species, even in annelids. This encourages the need for additional mitogenome sequencing of annelid taxa in order to properly understand its mtDNA evolution, high biodiversity and phylogenetic relationships.
Immune challenge reduces gut microbial diversity and triggers fertility-dependent gene expression changes in a social insect
Authors: Negroni Matteo Antoine , Segers Francisca H. I. D. , Vogelweith Fanny , Foitzik Susanne
Published: November 2020

Background

The gut microbiome can influence life history traits associated with host fitness such as fecundity and longevity. In most organisms, these two life history traits are traded-off, while they are positively linked in social insects. In ants, highly fecund queens can live for decades, while their non-reproducing workers exhibit much shorter lifespans. Yet, when fertility is induced in workers by death or removal of the queen, worker lifespan can increase. It is unclear how this positive link between fecundity and longevity is achieved and what role the gut microbiome and the immune system play in this. To gain insights into the molecular regulation of lifespan in social insects, we investigated fat body gene expression and gut microbiome composition in workers of the antTemnothorax rugatulusin response to an experimental induction of fertility and an immune challenge.

Results

Fertile workers upregulated several molecular repair mechanisms, which could explain their extended lifespan. The immune challenge altered the expression of several thousand genes in the fat body, including many immune genes, and, interestingly, this transcriptomic response depended on worker fertility. For example, only fertile, immune-challenged workers upregulated genes involved in the synthesis ofalpha-ketoglutarate, an immune system regulator, which extends the lifespan inCaenorhabditis elegansby down-regulating the TOR pathway and reducing oxidant production. Additionally, we observed a dramatic loss in bacterial diversity in the guts of the ants within a day of the immune challenge. Yet, bacterial density did not change, so that the gut microbiomes of many immune challenged workers consisted of only a single or a few bacterial strains. Moreover, the expression of immune genes was linked to the gut microbiome composition, suggesting that the ant host can regulate the microbiome in its gut.

Conclusions

Immune system flare-ups can have negative consequence on gut microbiome diversity, pointing to a previously underrated cost of immunity. Moreover, our results provide important insights into shifts in the molecular regulation of fertility and longevity associated with insect sociality.
The expression of the acarbose biosynthesis gene cluster in Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 is dependent on the growth phase
Authors: Droste Julian , Ortseifen Vera , Schaffert Lena , Persicke Marcus , Schneiker-Bekel Susanne , Pühler Alfred , Kalinowski Jörn
Published: November 2020

Background

Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 is the natural producer of the diabetes mellitus drug acarbose, which is highly produced during the growth phase and ceases during the stationary phase. In previous works, the growth-dependency of acarbose formation was assumed to be caused by a decreasing transcription of the acarbose biosynthesis genes during transition and stationary growth phase.

Results

In this study, transcriptomic data using RNA-seq and state-of-the-art proteomic data from seven time points of controlled bioreactor cultivations were used to analyze expression dynamics during growth of Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110. A hierarchical cluster analysis revealed co-regulated genes, which display similar transcription dynamics over the cultivation time. Aside from an expected metabolic switch from primary to secondary metabolism during transition phase, we observed a continuously decreasing transcript abundance of all acarbose biosynthetic genes from the early growth phase until stationary phase, with the strongest decrease for the monocistronically transcribed genes acbA, acbB, acbD and acbE. Our data confirm a similar trend for acb gene transcription and acarbose formation rate.

Surprisingly, the proteome dynamics does not follow the respective transcription for all acb genes. This suggests different protein stabilities or post-transcriptional regulation of the Acb proteins, which in turn could indicate bottlenecks in the acarbose biosynthesis. Furthermore, several genes are co-expressed with the acb gene cluster over the course of the cultivation, including eleven transcriptional regulators (e.g. ACSP50_0424), two sigma factors (ACSP50_0644, ACSP50_6006) and further genes, which have not previously been in focus of acarbose research in Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have demonstrated, that a genome wide transcriptome and proteome analysis in a high temporal resolution is well suited to study the acarbose biosynthesis and the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation thereof.
In silico identification of effector proteins from generalist herbivore Spodoptera litura
Authors: Prajapati Vinod Kumar , Varma Mahendra , Vadassery Jyothilakshmi
Published: November 2020

Background

The common cutworm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius is a leaf and fruit feeding generalist insect of the order Lepidoptera and a destructive agriculture pest. The broad host range of the herbivore is due to its ability to downregulate plant defense across different plants. The identity of Spodoptera litura released effectors that downregulate plant defense are largely unknown. The current study aims to identify genes encoding effector proteins from salivary glands of S. litura (Fab.).

Results

Head and salivary glands of Spodoptera litura were used for de-novo transcriptome analysis and effector prediction. Eight hundred ninety-nine proteins from the head and 330 from salivary gland were identified as secretory proteins. Eight hundred eight proteins from the head and 267 from salivary gland proteins were predicted to be potential effector proteins.

Conclusions

This study is the first report on identification of potential effectors from Spodoptera litura salivary glands.
jouvence, a new human snoRNA involved in the control of cell proliferation
Authors: El-Khoury Flaria , Bignon Jérôme , Martin Jean-René
Published: November 2020

Background

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that are conserved from archaebacteria to mammals. They are associated in the nucleolus, with proteins to form small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein (snoRNPs). They modify ribosomal RNAs, for example, the H/ACA box that converts uridine to pseudouridine. In humans, various pathologies have been associated with snoRNAs, and several snoRNAs have been reported to participate in many cancer processes. Recently, a new H/ACA box snoRNA named jouvence has been identified in Drosophila and has been shown to be involved in lifespan determination in relation to gut homeostasis. Because snoRNAs are conserved through evolution, both structurally and functionally, a jouvence orthologue has been identified in humans. RT-PCR has revealed that jouvence is expressed, suggesting that it might be functional. These results suggest the hypothesis that jouvence may display similar functions, including increasing the healthy lifespan in humans.

Results

Here, we report the characterization of the human snoRNA jouvence, which has not yet been annotated in the genome. We show that its overexpression significantly stimulates cell proliferation, both in various stable cancerous cell lines as well as in primary cells. By contrast, its knockdown by siRNA leads to the opposite phenotype, a rapid decrease in cell proliferation. Transcriptomic analysis (RNA-Seq) revealed that the overexpression of jouvence leads to a dedifferentiation signature of the cells. Conversely, the knockdown of jouvence led to a striking decrease in the expression levels of genes involved in ribosome biogenesis and the spliceosome.

Conclusion

The overexpression of a single and short non-coding RNA of 159 nucleotides, the snoRNA-jouvence, seems to be sufficient to reorient cells toward stemness, while its depletion blocks cell proliferation. In this context, we speculate that the overexpression of jouvence, which appears to be a non-canonical H/ACA snoRNA, could represent a new tool to fight against the deleterious effects of aging, while inversely, its knockdown by siRNA could represent a new approach in cancer therapy.
Distinct microbial assemblages associated with genetic selection for high- and low- muscle yield in rainbow trout
Authors: Chapagain Pratima , Walker Donald , Leeds Tim , Cleveland Beth M. , Salem Mohamed
Published: November 2020

Background

Fish gut microbial assemblages play a crucial role in the growth rate, metabolism, and immunity of the host. We hypothesized that the gut microbiota of rainbow trout was correlated with breeding program based genetic selection for muscle yield. To test this hypothesis, fecal samples from 19 fish representing an F2 high-muscle genetic line (ARS-FY-H) and 20 fish representing an F1 low-muscle yield genetic line (ARS-FY-L) were chosen for microbiota profiling using the 16S rRNA gene. Significant differences in microbial assemblages between these two genetic lines might represent the effect of host genetic selection in structuring the gut microbiota of the host.

Results

Tukey’s transformed inverse Simpson indices indicated that high muscle yield genetic line (ARS-FY-H) samples have higher microbial diversity compared to those of the low muscle yield genetic line (ARS-FY-L) (LMM, χ2(1) =14.11,p < 0.05). The fecal samples showed statistically distinct structure in microbial assemblages between the genetic lines (F1,36 = 4.7, p < 0.05, R2 = 11.9%). Functional profiling of bacterial operational taxonomic units predicted characteristic functional capabilities of the microbial communities in the high (ARS-FY-H) and low (ARS-FY-L) muscle yield genetic line samples.

Conclusion

The significant differences of the microbial assemblages between high (ARS-FY-H) and low (ARS-FY-L) muscle yield genetic lines indicate a possible effect of genetic selection on the microbial diversity of the host. The functional composition of taxa demonstrates a correlation between bacteria and improving the muscle accretion in the host, probably, by producing various metabolites and enzymes that might aid in digestion. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanisms involved in shaping the microbial community through host genetic selection.
GCViT: a method for interactive, genome-wide visualization of resequencing and SNP array data
Authors: Wilkey Andrew P. , Brown Anne V. , Cannon Steven B. , Cannon Ethalinda K. S.
Published: November 2020

Background

Large genotyping datasets have become commonplace due to efficient, cheap methods for SNP identification. Typical genotyping datasets may have thousands to millions of data points per accession, across tens to thousands of accessions. There is a need for tools to help rapidly explore such datasets, to assess characteristics such as overall differences between accessions and regional anomalies across the genome.

Results

We present GCViT (Genotype Comparison Visualization Tool), for visualizing and exploring large genotyping datasets. GCViT can be used to identify introgressions, conserved or divergent genomic regions, pedigrees, and other features for more detailed exploration. The program can be used online or as a local instance for whole genome visualization of resequencing or SNP array data. The program performs comparisons of variants among user-selected accessions to identify allele differences and similarities between accessions and a user-selected reference, providing visualizations through histogram, heatmap, or haplotype views. The resulting analyses and images can be exported in various formats.

Conclusions

GCViT provides methods for interactively visualizing SNP data on a whole genome scale, and can produce publication-ready figures. It can be used in online or local installations. GCViT enables users to confirm or identify genomics regions of interest associated with particular traits.

GCViT is freely available at https://github.com/LegumeFederation/gcvit. The 1.0 version described here is available at 10.5281/zenodo.4008713.
Genomic analysis of Helicobacter himalayensis sp. nov. isolated from Marmota himalayana
Authors: Hu Shoukui , Niu Lina , Wu Lei , Zhu Xiaoxue , Cai Yu , Jin Dong , Yan Linlin , Zhao Fan
Published: November 2020

Background

Helicobacter himalayensis was isolated from Marmota himalayana in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, and is a new non-H. pylori species, with unclear taxonomy, phylogeny, and pathogenicity.

Results

A comparative genomic analysis was performed between the H. himalayensis type strain 80(YS1)T and other the genomes of Helicobacter species present in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database to explore the molecular evolution and potential pathogenicity of H. himalayensis. H. himalayensis 80(YS1)T formed a clade with H. cinaedi and H. hepaticus that was phylogenetically distant from H. pylori. The H. himalayensis genome showed extensive collinearity with H. hepaticus and H. cinaedi. However, it also revealed a low degree of genome collinearity with H. pylori. The genome of 80(YS1)T comprised 1,829,936 bp, with a 39.89% GC content, a predicted genomic island, and 1769 genes. Comparatively, H. himalayensis has more genes for functions in “cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis” and “coenzyme transport and metabolism” sub-branches than the other compared helicobacters, and its genome contained 42 virulence factors genes, including that encoding cytolethal distending toxin (CDT).

Conclusions

We characterized the H. himalayensis 80(YS1)T genome, its phylogenetic position, and its potential pathogenicity. However, further understanding of the pathogenesis of this potentially pathogenic bacterium is required, which might help to manage H. himalayensis-induced diseases.
Rhamnolipids and surfactin inhibit the growth or formation of oral bacterial biofilm
Authors: Yamasaki Ryota , Kawano Aki , Yoshioka Yoshie , Ariyoshi Wataru
Published: November 2020

Background

Bacteria survive in various environments by forming biofilms. Bacterial biofilms often cause significant problems to medical instruments and industrial processes. Techniques to inhibit biofilm formation are essential and have wide applications. In this study, we evaluated the ability of two types of biosurfactants (rhamnolipids and surfactin) to inhibit growth and biofilm formation ability of oral pathogenic bacteria such asAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans,Streptococcus mutans, andStreptococcus sanguinis.

Results

Rhamnolipids inhibited the growth and biofilm formation ability of all examined oral bacteria. Surfactin showed effective inhibition againstS. sanguinisATCC10556, but lower effects towardA. actinomycetemcomitansY4 andS. mutansUA159. To corroborate these results, biofilms were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy. The observations were largely in concordance with the biofilm assay results. We also attempted to determine the step in the biofilm formation process that was inhibited by biosurfactants. The results clearly demonstrated that rhamnolipids inhibit biofilm formation after the initiation process, however, they do not affect attachment or maturation.

Conclusions

Rhamnolipids inhibit oral bacterial growth and biofilm formation byA. actinomycetemcomitansY4, and may serve as novel oral drug against localized invasive periodontitis.
Enriched environment ameliorates adult hippocampal neurogenesis deficits in Tcf4 haploinsufficient mice
Authors: Braun Katharina , Häberle Benjamin M. , Wittmann Marie-Theres , Lie D. Chichung
Published: November 2020

Background

Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS), autism, and schizophrenia. Recent work demonstrated that TCF4 participates in the control of a wide range of neurodevelopmental processes in mammalian nervous system development including neural precursor proliferation, timing of differentiation, migration, dendritogenesis and synapse formation. TCF4 is highly expressed in the adult hippocampal dentate gyrus – one of the few brain regions where neural stem / progenitor cells generate new functional neurons throughout life.

Results

We here investigated whether TCF4 haploinsufficiency, which in humans causes non-syndromic forms of intellectual disability and PTHS, affects adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a process that is essential for hippocampal plasticity in rodents and potentially in humans. Young adult Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice showed a major reduction in the level of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which was at least in part caused by lower stem/progenitor cell numbers and impaired maturation and survival of adult-generated neurons. Interestingly, housing in an enriched environment was sufficient to enhance maturation and survival of new neurons and to substantially augment neurogenesis levels in Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice.

Conclusion

The present findings indicate that haploinsufficiency for the intellectual disability- and PTHS-linked transcription factor TCF4 not only affects embryonic neurodevelopment but impedes neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult mice. These findings suggest that TCF4 haploinsufficiency may have a negative impact on hippocampal function throughout adulthood by impeding hippocampal neurogenesis.
Autistic traits are associated with the functional connectivity of between—but not within—attention systems in the general population
Authors: Yoshimura Sayaka , Kobayashi Kei , Ueno Tsukasa , Miyagi Takashi , Oishi Naoya , Murai Toshiya , Fujiwara Hironobu
Published: November 2020

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit dysfunction in the three attention systems (i.e., alerting, orienting, and executive control) as well as atypical relationships among these systems. Additionally, other studies have reported that individuals with subclinical but high levels of autistic traits show similar attentional tendencies to those observed in ASD. Based on these findings, it was hypothesized that autistic traits would affect the functions and relationships of the three attention systems in a general population. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in 119 healthy adults to investigate relationships between autistic traits and within- and between-system functional connectivity (FC) among the three attention systems. Twenty-six regions of interest that were defined as components of the three attention systems by a previous task-based fMRI study were examined in terms of within- and between-system FC. We assessed autistic traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient.

Results

Correlational analyses revealed that autistic traits were significantly correlated with between-system FC, but not with within-system FC.

Conclusions

Our results imply that a high autistic trait level, even when subclinical, is associated with the way the three attention systems interact.
Identification and validation of quantitative trait loci for kernel traits in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Liu Hong , Zhang Xiaotao , Xu Yunfeng , Ma Feifei , Zhang Jinpeng , Cao Yanwei , Li Lihui , An Diaoguo
Published: November 2020

Background

Kernel weight and morphology are important traits affecting cereal yields and quality. Dissecting the genetic basis of thousand kernel weight (TKW) and its related traits is an effective method to improve wheat yield.

Results

In this study, we performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis using recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross ‘PuBing3228 × Gao8901’ (PG-RIL) to dissect the genetic basis of kernel traits. A total of 17 stable QTLs related to kernel traits were identified, notably, two stable QTLsQTkw.cas-1A.2andQTkw.cas-4Aexplained the largest portion of the phenotypic variance for TKW and kernel length (KL), and the other two stable QTLsQTkw.cas-6A.1andQTkw.cas-7D.2contributed more effects on kernel width (KW). Conditional QTL analysis revealed that the stable QTLs for TKW were mainly affected by KW. The QTLsQTkw.cas-7D.2andQKw.cas-7D.1associated with TKW and KW were delimited to the physical interval of approximately 3.82 Mb harboring 47 candidate genes. Among them, the candidate geneTaFT-D1had a 1 bp insertions/deletion (InDel) within the third exon, which might be the reason for diversity in TKW and KW between the two parents. A Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) marker ofTaFT-D1allele was developed and verified by PG-RIL and a natural population consisted of 141 cultivar/lines. It was found that the favorableTaFT-D1 (G)-allelehas been positively selected during Chinese wheat breeding. Thus, these results can be used for further positional cloning and marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs.

Conclusions

Seventeen stable QTLs related to kernel traits were identified. The stable QTLs for thousand kernel weight were mainly affected by kernel width.TaFT-D1could be the candidate gene for QTLsQTkw.cas-7D.2andQKw.cas-7D.1.
What is the role of locoregional anesthesia in breast surgery? A systematic literature review focused on pain intensity, opioid consumption, adverse events, and patient satisfaction
Authors: Sansone Pasquale , Giaccari Luca Gregorio , Faenza Mario , Di Costanzo Pasquale , Izzo Sara , Aurilio Caterina , Coppolino Francesco , Passavanti Maria Beatrice , Pota Vincenzo , Pace Maria Caterina
Published: November 2020

Background

Breast surgery in the United States is common. Pain affects up to 50% of women undergoing breast surgery and can interfere with postoperative outcomes. General anesthesia is the conventional, most frequently used anaesthetic technique. Various locoregional anesthetic techniques are also used for breast surgeries. A systematic review of the use of locoregional anesthesia for postoperative pain in breast surgery is needed to clarify its role in pain management.

Objectives

To systematically review literature to establish the efficacy and the safety of locoregional anesthesia used in the treatment of pain after breast surgery.

Methods

Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Cochrane Central Trials Register were systematically searched in Mars 2020 for studies examining locoregional anesthesia for management of pain in adults after breast surgery. The methodological quality of the studies and their results were appraised using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist and specific measurement properties criteria, respectively.

Results

Nineteen studies evaluating locoregional anesthesia were included: 1058 patients underwent lumpectomy/mastectomy, 142 breast augmentation and 79 breast reduction. Locoregional anesthesia provides effective anesthesia and analgesia in the perioperative setting, however no statistically significant difference emerged if compared to other techniques. For mastectomy only, the use of locoregional techniques reduces pain in the first hour after the end of the surgery if compared to other procedures (p = 0.02). Other potentially beneficial effects of locoregional anesthesia include decreased need for opioids, decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting, fewer complications and increased patient satisfaction. All this improves postoperative recovery and shortens hospitalization stay. In none of these cases, locoregional anesthesia was statistically superior to other techniques.

Conclusion

The results of our review showed no differences between locoregional anesthesia and other techniques in the management of breast surgery. Locoregional techniques are superior in reducing pain in the first hour after mastectomy.
C-reactive protein concentration as a risk predictor of mortality in intensive care unit: a multicenter, prospective, observational study
Authors: Qu Rong , Hu Linhui , Ling Yun , Hou Yating , Fang Heng , Zhang Huidan , Liang Silin , He Zhimei , Fang Miaoxian , Li Jiaxin , Li Xu , Chen Chunbo
Published: November 2020

Background

It is not clear whether there are valuable inflammatory markers for prognosis judgment in the intensive care unit (ICU). We therefore conducted a multicenter, prospective, observational study to evaluate the prognostic role of inflammatory markers.

Methods

The clinical and laboratory data of patients at admission, including C-reactive protein (CRP), were collected in four general ICUs from September 1, 2018, to August 1, 2019. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with nonsurvival. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to evaluate the effect size of different factors in predicting mortality during ICU stay. 3 -knots were used to assess whether alternative cut points for these biomarkers were more appropriate.

Results

A total of 813 patients were recruited, among whom 121 patients (14.88%) died during the ICU stay. The AUC-ROC values of PCT and CRP for discriminating ICU mortality were 0.696 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.650–0.743) and 0.684 (95% CI, 0.633–0.735), respectively. In the multivariable analysis, only APACHE II score (odds ratio, 1.166; 95% CI, 1.129–1.203;P = 0.000) and CRP concentration > 62.8 mg/L (odds ratio, 2.145; 95% CI, 1.343–3.427;P = 0.001), were significantly associated with an increased risk of ICU mortality. Moreover, the combination of APACHE II score and CRP > 62.8 mg/L significantly improved risk reclassification over the APACHE II score alone, with NRI (0.556) and IDI (0.013). Restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed that CRP concentration > 62.8 mg/L was the optimal cut-off value for differentiating between surviving and nonsurviving patients.

Conclusion

CRP markedly improved risk reclassification for prognosis prediction.
Diagnostic performance of clinic and home blood pressure measurements compared with ambulatory blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Karnjanapiboonwong Auttakiat , Anothaisintawee Thunyarat , Chaikledkaew Usa , Dejthevaporn Charungthai , Attia John , Thakkinstian Ammarin
Published: November 2020

Background

Clinic blood pressure measurement (CBPM) is currently the most commonly used form of screening for hypertension, however it might have a problem detecting white coat hypertension (WCHT) and masked hypertension (MHT). Home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) may be an alternative, but its diagnostic performance is inconclusive relative to CBPM. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to estimate the performance of CBPM and HBPM compared with ambulatory blood pressure measurement(ABPM) and to pool prevalence of WCHT and MHT.

Methods

Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform databases were searched up to 23rd January 2020. Studies having diagnostic tests as CBPM or HBPM with reference standard as ABPM, reporting sensitivity and specificity of both tests and/or proportion of WCHT or MHT were eligible. Diagnostic performance of CBPM and HBPM were pooled using bivariate mixed-effect regression model. Random effect model was applied to pool prevalence of WCHT and MHT.

Results

Fifty-eight studies were eligible. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of CBPM, when using 24-h ABPM as the reference standard, were 74% (95% CI: 65–82%), 79% (95% CI: 69%, 87%), and 11.11 (95% CI: 6.82, 14.20), respectively. Pooled prevalence of WCHT and MHT were 0.24 (95% CI 0.19, 0.29) and 0.29 (95% CI 0.20, 0.38). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of HBPM were 71% (95% CI 61%, 80%), 82% (95% CI 77%, 87%), and 11.60 (95% CI 8.98, 15.13), respectively.

Conclusions

Diagnostic performances of HBPM were slightly higher than CBPM. However, the prevalence of MHT was high in negative CBPM and some persons with normal HBPM had elevated BP from 24-h ABPM. Therefore, ABPM is still necessary for confirming the diagnosis of HT.
Factors related to fear of movement after acute cardiac hospitalization
Authors: Keessen P. , Latour C. H. M. , van Duijvenbode I. C. D. , Visser B. , Proosdij A. , Reen D. , Scholte op Reimer W. J. M.
Published: November 2020

Background

Fear of movement (kinesiophobia) after an acute cardiac hospitalization (ACH) is associated with reduced physical activity (PA) and non-adherence to cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Purpose

To investigate which factors are related to kinesiophobia after an ACH, and to investigate the support needs of patients in relation to PA and the uptake of CR.

Methods

Patients were included 2–3 weeks after hospital discharge for ACH. The level of kinesiophobia was assessed with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-NL Heart). A score of > 28 points is defined as ‘high levels of kinesiophobia’ (HighKin) and ≤ 28 as ‘low levels of kinesiophobia’ (LowKin). Patients were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview with the fear avoidance model (FAM) as theoretical framework. Interviews continued until data-saturation was reached. All interviews were analyzed with an inductive content analysis.

Results

Data-saturation was reached after 16 participants (median age 65) were included in this study after an ACH. HighKin were diagnosed in seven patients. HighKin were related to: (1) disrupted healthcare process, (2) negative beliefs and attitudes concerning PA. LowKin were related to: (1) understanding the necessity of PA, (2) experiencing social support. Patients formulated ‘tailored information and support from a health care provider’ as most important need after hospital discharge.

Conclusion

This study adds to the knowledge of factors related to kinesiophobia and its influence on PA and the uptake of CR. These findings should be further validated in future studies and can be used to develop early interventions to prevent or treat kinesiophobia and stimulate the uptake of CR.
Assessment of a novel method to detect clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori using a stool antigen test reagent
Authors: Kakiuchi Toshihiko , Hashiguchi Kazutoshi , Imamura Ichiro , Nakayama Aiko , Takamori Ayako , Okuda Masumi , Matsuo Muneaki
Published: November 2020

Background

The resistance rate of Helicobacter pylori to clarithromycin (CAM) is high among infected children in Japan. Therefore, a new method for detecting CAM-resistant H. pylori using a minimally invasive technique is strongly desired. We aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of our newly developed nested polymerase chain reaction-quenching probe (Nested PCR-QP) method using stool specimens.

Methods

We first evaluated our method using a residual solution of the H. pylori stool antigen test for adolescents. Then, we evaluated our method using culture testing for adults.

Results

Among 57 middle school students with H. pylori, the Nested PCR-QP test results of 53 (90.3%) were able to be analyzed. A total of 28 students had CAM resistance mutations. We found a genetic mutation in 28 students and no mutation in 23 students, and these results were consistent with those of PCR-direct sequencing. In the 23 adults who were diagnosed with H. pylori infection using the rapid urease test and culture testing, we were able to use Nested PCR-QP for analyzing 21 adults who tested positive in the stool H. pylori antigen test. The results obtained for all 21 adults were consistent with those obtained via the drug susceptibility test.

Conclusions

Our novel method could be useful for non-invasively detecting CAM resistance mutations in H. pylori. This may help select a drug to reduce eradication failure rates against H. pylori.

Trial registration This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (no. UMIN000030632, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000034977) on 29 December 2017.
A balance between meaningfulness and risk of harm – frail elderly patients’ perceptions of physical activity and exercise – an interview study
Authors: Åhlund Kristina , Öberg Birgitta , Ekerstad Niklas , Bäck Maria
Published: November 2020

Background

There is growing evidence of the benefits of physical activity and exercise for frail elderly patients with comorbidity. In order to improve participation in physical activity and exercise interventions, there is a need to increase our understanding of the patient’s perspective.

Aim

The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of physical activity and exercise among frail elderly patients with a severe comorbidity burden.

Method

Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen frail elderly patients with a severe comorbidity burden, median age 85.5 years (min-max 75–94). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to content analysis inspired by Krippendorf.

Results

An overall theme, defined as “Meaningfulness and risk of harm in an aging body” was identified, followed by three main categories, labeled physical activity in daily life, goals of physical activity and exercise and prerequisites for physical activity and exercise, and eight sub-categories.

Conclusion

This study suggests that, in frail elderly patients with severe multimorbidity, physical activity and exercise is a balance between what is perceived as meaningful and the risk of harm. Patients perceived aging as an inevitable process that they needed to accept and gradually adapt their physical activities in daily life to match. As patients said they were unclear about the benefits and risks of exercise and referred to their previous life and experiences when describing physical activity and exercise, it is likely that the communication relating to this within the healthcare system needs to be further developed To promote physical activity and exercise to maintain or improve physical fitness in this frail population, healthcare providers need to use extended, personalized information to tailor the type of physical activities, goals and prerequisites for each patient.
Measuring global functioning in older adults with cognitive impairments using the Rasch model
Authors: Palumbo Rocco , Di Domenico Alberto , Piras Federica , Bazzano Salvatore , Zerilli Mario , Lorico Fabio , Borella Erika
Published: November 2020

Background

Cognitive and functional measures are often measured and interpreted separately during the clinical evaluation of patients with cognitive impairment. This can sometimes lead to a challenging interpretation when measures do not show concordance, especially after a clinical intervention. In this study, the development and evaluation of a new approach, using the Rasch model, that combines cognitive and functional measures in one single and more powerful measure (compared to stand-alone tests) to assess global functioning in older adults with cognitive impairment (including dementia) was presented.

Methods

Clinical data from 265 older adults’ subjects diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, or dementia, included: The Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the Esame Neuropsicologico Breve (ENB) – a neuropsychological battery used in Italy–, the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) questionnaires.

Results

Patients with severe cognitive impairment showed lower global functioning score compared to patients with moderate impairment. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine sensitivity and specificity of the global functioning score resulting from the combined measure. Results showed that the global functioning score discriminates better between patients with severe and moderate cognitive impairment compared to the ENB, ADL, and IADL when considered separately.

Conclusions

The Rasch model was able to combine cognitive and functional measures into a single score (global functioning score). All together, these results suggest that the diverse cognitive and functional measures can be considered part of one single dimension (global functioning) and that this dimension can be measured as a single construct and score. This study offers an alternative perspective for future development of instruments that would help clinicians in measuring global functioning in older adults’ patients at different stages of cognitive impairments and different baseline level of performance.
Mental wellbeing in the German old age population largely unaltered during COVID-19 lockdown: results of a representative survey
Authors: Röhr Susanne , Reininghaus Ulrich , Riedel-Heller Steffi G.
Published: November 2020

Background

Older individuals are at increased risk of a severe and lethal course of COVID-19. They have typically been advised to practice particularly restrictive social distancing (‘cocooning’), which has sparked much debate on the consequences for their mental wellbeing. We aimed to provide evidence by conducting a representative survey among the German old population during COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods

A computer-assisted standardized telephone interview was conducted in a randomly selected and representative sample of the German old age population (n = 1005; age ≥ 65 years) during the first lockdown in April 2020. Assessments included sociodemographic factors, aspects of the personal life situation during lockdown, attitudes towards COVID-19, and standardized screening measures on depression, anxiety, somatization, overall psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory/BSI-18) and loneliness (UCLA 3-item loneliness scale). Sampling-weighted descriptive statistics and multiple multivariable regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Participants were M = 75.5 (SD = 7.1) years old; 56.3% were women. At data collection, COVID-19 lockdown had been in force for M = 28.0 (SD = 4.8) days. Overall, older individuals were worried about COVID-19, but supportive of the lockdown. Mean BSI-18 scores were 1.4 for depression, 1.6 for anxiety and 2.2 for somatization as well as 5.1 for global psychological distress. These figures did not indicate worse mental wellbeing, given normative values established by studies before the pandemic (2.0, 1.6, 2.4, 6.0, respectively). The prevalence of loneliness was 13.1%, which also fell within a range of estimates reported by studies before the pandemic. There were only few significant associations of aspects of the personal life situation during lockdown and attitudes towards COVID-19 with mental wellbeing. Resilience explained a large amount of variance.

Conclusions

In the short-term, the mental wellbeing of the German old age population was largely unaltered during COVID-19 lockdown, suggesting resilience against the challenging pandemic situation. Our results refute common ageist stereotypes of “the weak and vulnerable older adults” that were present during the pandemic. Long-term observations are needed to provide robust evidence.
Effects of texture properties of semi-solid food on the sensory test for pharyngeal swallowing effort in the older adults
Authors: Park Jin-Woo , Lee Seul , Yoo Byoungseung , Nam Kiyeon
Published: November 2020

Background

Increasing viscosity can reduce the risk of aspiration into the airway, but excessively thickened food may require more force and effort. We assumed that semi-solid foods with similar viscosities will behave differently in the oropharynx and there might exist the possibility that properties other than viscosity may have clinical relevance. This study aimed to find out the texture of semi-solid foods that affects the effort of pharyngeal swallow in the older adults.

Methods

Nine kinds of semi-solid foods not requiring mastication were selected for texture profile analysis (TPA), and included whipped cream, mayonnaise, soft tofu, mango pudding, boiled mashed pumpkin, boiled mashed potatoes, boiled mashed sweet potatoes, red bean paste, and peanut butter. Hardness, adhesiveness and cohesiveness of each food were measured three times by using the rheometer. A blinded sensory test using a 9-point hedonic scale was also conducted in eighteen older adults people to investigate how much effort was required to swallow food, and how much of the food remained in the pharynx after swallowing. The correlation between texture and sensory outcome was statistically analyzed.

Results

Foods that belonged to the same viscosity category showed different texture values, and the participants also rated different scores respectively. Only adhesiveness among three properties was significantly correlated with the sensory test. (r = 0.882,p = 0.002 for difficult to swallow,r = 0.879,p = 0.002 for sense of residue).

Conclusions

Adhesiveness was the most important property of the semi-solid foods, requiring most efforts in pharyngeal swallow in the older adults. If we select and provide food having low adhesiveness value in the same viscosity category, there might be the possibility to make it easier to swallow in older adults.
Healthcare utilisation in the last year of life in internal medicine, young-old versus old-old
Authors: Ho Vanda , Chen Cynthia , Ho Sara , Hooi Benjamin , Chin Loo Swee , Merchant Reshma Aziz
Published: November 2020

Background

With increasing cost of healthcare in our aging society, a consistent pain point is that of end-of-life care. It is particularly difficult to prognosticate in non-cancer patients, leading to more healthcare utilisation without improving quality of life. Additionally, older adults do not age homogenously. Hence, we seek to characterise healthcare utilisation in young-old and old-old at the end-of-life.

Methods

We conducted a single-site retrospective review of decedents under department of Advanced Internal Medicine (AIM) over a year. Young-old is defined as 65–79 years; old-old as 80 years and above. Data collected was demographic characteristics; clinical data including Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), FRAIL-NH and advance care planning (ACP); healthcare utilisation including days spent in hospital, hospital admissions, length of stay of terminal admission and clinic visits; and quality of end-of-life care including investigations and symptomatic control. Documentation was individually reviewed for quality of communication.

Results

One hundred eighty-nine older adult decedents. Old-old decedents were mostly females (63% vs. 42%, p = 0.004), higher CCI scores (7.7 vs 6.6, p = 0.007), similarly frail with lower polypharmacy (62.9% vs 71.9%, p = 0.01). ACP uptake was low in both, old-old 15.9% vs. young-old 17.5%. Poor prognosis was conveyed to family, though conversation did not result in moderating extent of care.

Old-old had less healthcare utilisation. Adjusting for sex, multimorbidity and frailty, old-old decedents had 7.3 ± 3.5 less hospital days in their final year. Further adjusting for cognition and residence, old-old had 0.5 ± 0.3 less hospital admissions. When accounted for home care services, old-old spent 2.7 ± 0.8 less hospital days in their last admission.

Conclusion

There was high healthcare utilisation in older adults, but especially young-old. Enhanced education and goal-setting are needed in the acute care setting. ACP needs to be reinforced in acute care with further research to evaluate if it reduces unnecessary utilisation at end-of-life.
Insufficient tuberculosis treatment leads to earlier and higher mortality in individuals co-infected with HIV in southern China: a cohort study
Authors: Zheng Zhigang , Nehl Eric J. , Zhou Chongxing , Li Jianjun , Xie Zhouhua , Zhou Zijun , Liang Hao
Published: November 2020

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are leading causes of death globally. However, little is known about the long-term mortality risk and the timeline of death in those co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) andMycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB). This study sought to understand the long-term mortality risk, factors, and the timeline of death in those with HIV-Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) coinfection, particularly in those with insufficient TB treatment.

Methods

TB-cause specific deaths were classified using a modified ‘Coding of Cause of Death in HIV’ protocol. A longitudinal cross-registration-system checking approach was used to confirm HIV/MTB co-infection between two observational cohorts. Mortality from the end of TB treatment (6 months) to post-treatment year (PTY) 5 (60 months) was investigated by different TB treatment outcomes. General linear models were used to estimate the mean mortality at each time-point and change between time-points. Cox’s proportional hazard regressions measured the mortality hazard risk (HR) at each time-point. The Mantel-Haenszel stratification was used to identify mortality risk factors. Mortality density was calculated by person year of follow-up.

Results

At the end point, mortality among patients with HIV/MTB coinfection was 34.7%. From the end of TB treatment to PTY5, mortality and loss of person years among individuals with TB treatment failure, missing, and adverse events (TBFMA) were significantly higher than those who had TB cure (TBC) and TB complete regimen (TBCR). Compared to individuals with TBC and with TBCR, individuals with TBFMA tended to die earlier and their mortality was significantly higher (HRTBFMA-TBC = 3.0, 95% confidence interval: 2.5–3.6, HRTBFMA-TBCR = 2.9, 95% CI: 2.5–3.4,P < 0.0001). Those who were naïve to antiretroviral therapy, were farmers, had lower CD4 counts (≤200 cells/μL) and were ≥ 50 years of age were at the highest risk of mortality. Mortality risk for participants with TBFMA was significantly higher across all stratifications except those with a CD4 count of ≤200 cells/μL.

Conclusions

Earlier and long-term mortality among those with HIV/MTB co-infection is a significant problem when TB treatment fails or is inadequate.