bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuberculosis Infection in Women of Reproductive Age: A Cross-sectional Study at Antenatal Care Clinics in an Ethiopian City
Authors: Walles John , Tesfaye Fregenet , Jansson Marianne , Balcha Taye Tolera , Sturegård Erik , Kefeni Mestawet , Merga Gadissa , Hansson Stefan R , Winqvist Niclas , Björkman Per
Published: May 2020

Background

Knowledge on tuberculosis (TB) infection epidemiology in women of reproductive age living in TB-endemic areas is limited. We used a composite definition of TB infection in a cohort of pregnant women recruited in an Ethiopian city as a model for TB exposure patterns, and to identify factors associated with TB infection.

Methods

Women seeking antenatal care at public health facilities underwent structured interviews, physical examination, and QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus (QFT) testing. Women with symptoms compatible with TB disease, and all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–positive women, were investigated for active TB by sputum bacteriological testing. TB infection (TB+) was defined as either positive QFT (≥ 0.35 IU/mL), self-reported previous active TB, or current active TB. Associations between TB infection and clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics were tested in multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Among 1834 participants, 679 (37.0%) met criteria for TB+ (80 [4.4%] previous active TB, 5 [0.3%] current active TB, and 594 [32.4%] QFT-positive without previous or current active TB). Age (annual adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.069 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.045–1.093]) and HIV infection (AOR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.033–1.988]) were independently associated with TB+. The relationship with increasing age was only observed in HIV-negative women, and translated to an estimated annual risk of TB infection of 2.1% in HIV-negative women.

Conclusions

TB infection in women of reproductive age in Ethiopia was independently associated with HIV infection and increasing age, suggesting exposure to contagious TB and continuous acquisition of TB infection in this population.
Risk Factors for Severe Disease and Efficacy of Treatment in Patients Infected With COVID-19: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression Analysis
Authors: Zhang John J Y , Lee Keng Siang , Ang Li Wei , Leo Yee Sin , Young Barnaby Edward
Published: May 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread globally in the beginning of 2020. At present, predictors of severe disease and the efficacy of different treatments are not well understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all published studies up to 15 March 2020, which reported COVID-19 clinical features and/or treatment outcomes. Forty-five studies reporting 4203 patients were included. Pooled rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were 10.9%, 4.3%, and 18.4%, respectively. On meta-regression, ICU admission was predicted by increased leukocyte count (P < .0001), alanine aminotransferase (P = .024), and aspartate transaminase (P = .0040); elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P < .0001); and increased procalcitonin (P < .0001). ARDS was predicted by elevated LDH (P < .0001), while mortality was predicted by increased leukocyte count (P = .0005) and elevated LDH (P < .0001). Treatment with lopinavir-ritonavir showed no significant benefit in mortality and ARDS rates. Corticosteroids were associated with a higher rate of ARDS (P = .0003).
Opportunities in the cloud or pie in the sky? Current status and future perspectives of telemedicine in nephrology
Authors: Stauss Madelena , Floyd Lauren , Becker Stefan , Ponnusamy Arvind , Woywodt Alexander
Published: May 2020

The use of telehealth to support, enhance or substitute traditional methods of delivering healthcare is becoming increasingly common in many specialties, such as stroke care, radiology and oncology. There is reason to believe that this approach remains underutilized within nephrology, which is somewhat surprising given the fact that nephrologists have always driven technological change in developing dialysis technology. Despite the obvious benefits that telehealth may provide, robust evidence remains lacking and many of the studies are anecdotal, limited to small numbers or without conclusive proof of benefit. More worryingly, quite a few studies report unexpected obstacles, pitfalls or patient dissatisfaction. However, with increasing global threats such as climate change and infectious disease, a change in approach to delivery of healthcare is needed. The current pandemic with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has prompted the renal community to embrace telehealth to an unprecedented extent and at speed. In that sense the pandemic has already served as a disruptor, changed clinical practice and shown immense transformative potential. Here, we provide an update on current evidence and use of telehealth within various areas of nephrology globally, including the fields of dialysis, inpatient care, virtual consultation and patient empowerment. We also provide a brief primer on the use of artificial intelligence in this context and speculate about future implications. We also highlight legal aspects and pitfalls and discuss the ‘digital divide’ as a key concept that healthcare providers need to be mindful of when providing telemedicine-based approaches. Finally, we briefly discuss the immediate use of telenephrology at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to provide clinical nephrologists with an overview of what is currently available, as well as a glimpse into what may be expected in the future.
Basal tolerance but not plasticity gives invasive springtails the advantage in an assemblage setting
Authors: Phillips Laura M , Aitkenhead Ian , Janion-Scheepers Charlene , King Catherine K , McGeoch Melodie A , Nielsen Uffe N , Terauds Aleks , Liu W P Amy , Chown Steven L
Published: May 2020

As global climates change, alien species are anticipated to have a growing advantage relative to their indigenous counterparts, mediated through consistent trait differences between the groups. These insights have largely been developed based on interspecific comparisons using multiple species examined from different locations. Whether such consistent physiological trait differences are present within assemblages is not well understood, especially for animals. Yet, it is at the assemblage level that interactions play out. Here, we examine whether physiological trait differences observed at the interspecific level are also applicable to assemblages. We focus on the Collembola, an important component of the soil fauna characterized by invasions globally, and five traits related to fitness: critical thermal maximum, minimum and range, desiccation resistance and egg development rate. We test the predictions that the alien component of a local assemblage has greater basal physiological tolerances or higher rates, and more pronounced phenotypic plasticity than the indigenous component. Basal critical thermal maximum, thermal tolerance range, desiccation resistance, optimum temperature for egg development, the rate of development at that optimum and the upper temperature limiting egg hatching success are all significantly higher, on average, for the alien than the indigenous components of the assemblage. Outcomes for critical thermal minimum are variable. No significant differences in phenotypic plasticity exist between the alien and indigenous components of the assemblage. These results are consistent with previous interspecific studies investigating basal thermal tolerance limits and development rates and their phenotypic plasticity, in arthropods, but are inconsistent with results from previous work on desiccation resistance. Thus, for the Collembola, the anticipated advantage of alien over indigenous species under warming and drying is likely to be manifest in local assemblages, globally.
The Health Toll of Import Competition
Authors: Adda Jérôme , Fawaz Yarine
Published: May 2020

This paper assesses the effect of import competition on the labour market and health outcomes of US workers. We first show that import shocks affect employment and income, but only in areas where jobs are more intense in routine tasks. Exploiting over 40 million individual observations on health and mortality, we find that import had a detrimental effect on physical and mental health that is concentrated in those areas and exhibits strong persistence. It decreased healthcare utilisation and increased hospitalisation for a large set of conditions, more difficult to treat. The mortality hazard of workers in manufacturing increased by up to 6% per billion-dollar import increase.
Elucidating the child’s perspective in health promotion: children’s experiences of child-centred health dialogue in Sweden
Authors: Derwig Mariette , Tiberg Irén , Hallström Inger
Published: May 2020

Promoting young children’s health through health promotion activities is an investment for the future. In the Child Health Services in the south of Sweden a structured Child-Centred Health Dialogue (CCHD) directed to all 4-year-old children was developed using illustrations based on the most important health messages associated with the promotion of healthy lifestyle in preschool children. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of children participating in CCHD using 21 non-participant observations during their 4-year health visit and additionally 16 individual interviews 0–7 days after their visit, conducted in the child’s home in the presence of a caregiver. Children participated as social actors when guided to express their views based upon their own understanding was the overall main category generated from the qualitative content analysis. The children showed that they liked to participate actively but could influence their choice to participate. They expressed their views based on their daily life and wanted to understand the meaning of the information with which they interacted. The study revealed that 4-year-old children given the opportunity to speak for themselves—elucidating the child’s perspective—interpreted the health messages in a different way than the intended meaning of the illustrations developed by adults. These findings are important for the improvement of CCHD and underline the utmost importance of including children in research on health promotion. This study supports the view that 4-year-old children can take an active role in their health and are capable of making health information meaningful.
Fold-stratified cross-validation for unbiased and privacy-preserving federated learning
Authors: Bey Romain , Goussault Romain , Grolleau François , Benchoufi Mehdi , Porcher Raphaël
Published: May 2020

Objective

We introduce fold-stratified cross-validation, a validation methodology that is compatible with privacy-preserving federated learning and that prevents data leakage caused by duplicates of electronic health records (EHRs).

Materials and Methods

Fold-stratified cross-validation complements cross-validation with an initial stratification of EHRs in folds containing patients with similar characteristics, thus ensuring that duplicates of a record are jointly present either in training or in validation folds. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to investigate the properties of fold-stratified cross-validation in the case of a model data analysis using both synthetic data and MIMIC-III (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III) medical records.

Results

In situations in which duplicated EHRs could induce overoptimistic estimations of accuracy, applying fold-stratified cross-validation prevented this bias, while not requiring full deduplication. However, a pessimistic bias might appear if the covariate used for the stratification was strongly associated with the outcome.

Discussion

Although fold-stratified cross-validation presents low computational overhead, to be efficient it requires the preliminary identification of a covariate that is both shared by duplicated records and weakly associated with the outcome. When available, the hash of a personal identifier or a patient’s date of birth provides such a covariate. On the contrary, pseudonymization interferes with fold-stratified cross-validation, as it may break the equality of the stratifying covariate among duplicates.

Conclusion

Fold-stratified cross-validation is an easy-to-implement methodology that prevents data leakage when a model is trained on distributed EHRs that contain duplicates, while preserving privacy.
BRCA1Promoter Methylation and Clinical Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kalachand Roshni D , Stordal Britta , Madden Stephen , Chandler Benjamin , Cunningham Julie , Goode Ellen L , Ruscito Ilary , Braicu Elena I , Sehouli Jalid , Ignatov Atanas , Yu Herbert , Katsaros Dionyssios , Mills Gordon B , Lu Karen H , Carey Mark S , Timms Kirsten M , Kupryjanczyk Jolanta , Rzepecka Iwona K , Podgorska Agnieszka , McAlpine Jessica N , Swisher Elizabeth M , Bernards Sarah S , O’Riain Ciaran , O’Toole Sharon , O’Leary John J , Bowtell David D , Thomas David M , Prieske Katharina , Joosse Simon A , Woelber Linn , Chaudhry Parvesh , Häfner Norman , Runnebaum Ingo B , Hennessy Bryan T
Published: May 2020

Background

BRCA1 methylation has been associated with homologous recombination deficiency, a biomarker of platinum sensitivity. Studies evaluating BRCA1-methylated tubal and ovarian cancer (OC) do not consistently support improved survival following platinum chemotherapy. We examine the characteristics of BRCA1-methylated OC in a meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Methods

Data of 2636 participants across 15 studies were analyzed. BRCA1-methylated tumors were defined according to their original study. Associations between BRCA1 methylation and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated. The effects of methylation on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were examined using mixed-effects models. All statistical tests were 2-sided.

Results

430 (16.3%) tumors were BRCA1-methylated. BRCA1 methylation was associated with younger age and advanced-stage, high-grade serous OC. There were no survival differences between BRCA1-methylated and non–BRCA1-methylated OC (median PFS = 20.0 vs 18.5 months, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.16; P = .98; median OS = 46.6 vs 48.0 months, HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.18; P = .96). Where BRCA1/2 mutations were evaluated (n = 1248), BRCA1 methylation displayed no survival advantage over BRCA1/2-intact (BRCA1/2 wild-type non–BRCA1-methylated) OC. Studies used different methods to define BRCA1 methylation. Where BRCA1 methylation was determined using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis (n = 834), it was associated with improved survival (PFS: HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.97; P = .02; OS: HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.00; P = .05) on mixed-effects modeling.

Conclusion

BRCA1-methylated OC displays similar clinicopathological features to BRCA1-mutated OC but is not associated with survival. Heterogeneity within BRCA1 methylation assays influences associations. Refining these assays may better identify cases with silenced BRCA1 function and improved patient outcomes.
Plantation Loblolly Pine Seedling Counts with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery: A Case Study
Authors: Green P Corey , Burkhart Harold E
Published: May 2020

Abstract An unmanned aircraft system was evaluated for its potential to capture imagery for use in plantation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) regeneration surveys. Five stands located in the Virginia Piedmont were evaluated. Imagery was collected using a recreational grade unmanned aerial vehicle at three flight heights above ground with a camera capable of capturing red–green–blue imagery. Two computer vision approaches were evaluated for their potential to automatically detect seedlings. The results of the study indicated that the proposed methods were limited in capability of generating reliable counts of seedlings in the locations evaluated. In conditions with low numbers of natural seedlings and sufficiently large planted seedlings, the detection methods performed with higher levels of accuracy. Challenges including global positioning system errors and image distortion made comparisons between ground samples and imagery difficult. In summary, unmanned aircraft systems have potential for use in plantation pine regeneration surveys if the challenges encountered can be addressed.

Study Implications: Following the establishment of a pine plantation, it is important to estimate survival and possible recruitment of natural conifers. As the popularity of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has increased, forest managers have begun to explore their use for resource assessment. This study investigated using imagery captured with a recreational grade UAS, in conjunction with automated computer vision counting techniques, for use in regeneration surveys. The results of this research indicate that significant challenges must be addressed before UAS can become an integral component of survival assessments. Aircraft constraints, legal restrictions, low image quality, and high levels of natural pine regeneration limited the success of the proposed methods. In selected cases, however, favorable conditions led to accurate detection. Additionally, UAS imagery has the potential for assessing other stand characteristics such as competing vegetation and drainage patterns. Going forward, UAS imagery and automated counting approaches have the potential to supplement, but not fully replace, ground regeneration surveys if the challenges encountered in this study can be addressed.
Phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C2 regulates pattern-triggered immunity in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Kiba Akinori , Nakano Masahito , Hosokawa Miki , Galis Ivan , Nakatani Hiroko , Shinya Tomonori , Ohnishi Kouhei , Hikichi Yasufumi
Published: May 2020

Phospholipid signaling plays an important role in plant immune responses against phytopathogenic bacteria in Nicotiana benthamiana. Here, we isolated two phospholipase C2 (PLC2) orthologs in the N. benthamiana genome, designated as PLC2-1 and 2-2. Both NbPLC2-1 and NbPLC2-2 were expressed in most tissues and were induced by infiltration with bacteria and flg22. NbPLC2-1 and NbPLC2-2 (NbPLC2s) double-silenced plants showed a moderately reduced growth phenotype. The induction of the hypersensitive response was not affected, but bacterial growth and the appearance of bacterial wilt were accelerated in NbPLC2s-silenced plants when they were challenged with a virulent strain of Ralstonia solanacearum that was compatible with N. benthamiana. NbPLC2s-silenced plants showed reduced expression levels of NbPR-4, a marker gene for jasmonic acid signaling, and decreased jasmonic acid and jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine contents after inoculation with R. solanacearum. The induction of pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) marker genes was reduced in NbPLC2s-silenced plants after infiltration with R. solanacearum or Pseudomonas fluorescens. Accordingly, the resistance induced by flg22 was compromised in NbPLC2s-silenced plants. In addition, the expression of flg22-induced PTI marker genes, the oxidative burst, stomatal closure, and callose deposition were all reduced in the silenced plants. Thus, NbPLC2s might have important roles in pre- and post-invasive defenses, namely in the induction of PTI.
QSO obscuration at high redshift (z ≳ 7): predictions from the bluetides simulation
Authors: Ni Yueying , Di Matteo Tiziana , Gilli Roberto , Croft Rupert A C , Feng Yu , Norman Colin
Published: May 2020

High-$z$ AGNs hosted in gas-rich galaxies are expected to grow through significantly obscured accretion phases. This may limit or bias their observability. In this work, we use bluetides, a large volume cosmological simulation of galaxy formation to examine quasar obscuration for the highest redshift ($z$ ≥ 7) supermassive black holes residing in the centre of galaxies. We find that for the bright quasars, most of the high-column density gas ($\rm {\gt} 90 {\rm {per\ cent}}$) resides in the innermost regions of the host galaxy (typically within <10 ckpc), while the gas in the outskirts is a minor contributor to the NH. The brightest quasars can have large angular variations in galactic obscuration, over 2 orders of magnitude (ranging from column density $N_\mathrm{H} \sim 10^{21.5 \!-\! 24}\, \rm {cm}^{-2}$), where the lines of sight with the lowest obscuration are those formed via strong gas outflows driven by AGN feedback. The obscured fraction P(NH > 1023 cm−2) typically ranges from 0.6 to 1.0 for increasing LX (with $L_\mathrm{ X} \gt 10^{43} \, \rm {erg\, s}^{-1}$), with no clear trend of redshift evolution. Due to the angular variation in NH, all relations between NH and LX, MBH, and galaxy host properties (global M*, $M_{\rm H_2}$, and star formation rate) show appreciable scatter. The dust optical depth in the UV band τUV has tight positive correlation with NH. Our dust-extincted UV luminosity function (UVLF) is about 1.5 dex lower than the intrinsic UVLF, implying that more than 99 per cent of the $z$ ∼ 7 AGNs are heavily dust extincted and therefore would be missed by the UV-band observation.
ALMACAL VII: first interferometric number counts at 650 μm
Authors: Klitsch A , Zwaan M A , Smail Ian , Péroux C , Biggs A D , Chen Chian-Chou , Ivison R J , Popping G , Lagos C , Béthermin M , Swinbank A M , Hamanowicz A , Dutta R
Published: May 2020

Measurements of the cosmic far-infrared background (CIB) indicate that emission from many extragalactic phenomena, including star formation and black hole accretion, in the Universe can be obscured by dust. Resolving the CIB to study the population of galaxies in which this activity takes place is a major goal of submillimetre astronomy. Here, we present interferometric 650 μm submillimetre number counts. Using the Band 8 data from the ALMACAL survey, we have analysed 81 ALMA calibrator fields together covering a total area of 5.5 arcmin2. The typical central rms in these fields is ∼100 μJy beam−1 with the deepest maps reaching σ = 47 μJy beam−1 at sub-arcsec resolution. Multiwavelength coverage from ALMACAL allows us to exclude contamination from jets associated with the calibrators. However, residual contamination by jets and lensing remain a possibility. Using a signal-to-noise threshold of 4.5σ, we find 21 dusty, star-forming galaxies with 650 μm flux densities of ≥0.7mJy. At the detection limit we resolve ≃100 per cent of the CIB at 650 μm, a significant improvement compared to low-resolution studies at similar wavelength. We have therefore identified all the sources contributing to the EBL at 650 μm and predict that the contribution from objects with flux 0.7 mJy will be small.
Impact of cardiovascular risk stratification strategies in kidney transplantation over time
Authors: Deak Andras T , Ionita Francesca , Kirsch Alexander H , Odler Balazs , Rainer Peter P , Kramar Reinhard , Kubatzki Michael P , Eberhard Katharina , Berghold Andrea , Rosenkranz Alexander R
Published: May 2020

Background

Kidney transplant recipients exhibit a dramatically increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. In 2007, Austrian centres implemented a consensus of comprehensive CV screening programme prior to kidney transplantation (KT). The consensus placed a particular emphasis on screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) with cardiac computed tomography (CT) or coronary angiography (CAG) in patients with diabetes mellitus, known CAD or those having multiple conventional CV risk factors. Here, we investigate if this affected risk stratification and post-transplant CV outcomes.

Methods

In a retrospective chart review, we evaluated 551 KTs performed from 2003 to 2015 in our centre. Patients were categorized into three groups: KT before (2003–07), directly after (2008–11) and 5 years after (2012–15) implementation of the consensus. We analysed clinical characteristics, the rate of cardiac CTs and CAGs prior to KT as well as major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during a 2-year follow-up after KT.

Results

The three study groups showed a homogeneous distribution of comorbidities and age. Significantly more cardiac CTs (13.6% versus 10.2% versus 44.8%; P = 0.002) and CAGs (39.6% versus 43.9% versus 56.2%; P = 0.003) were performed after the consensus. Coronary interventions were performed during 42 out of 260 CAGs (16.2%), the cumulative 2-year MACE incidence was 8.7%. Regarding MACE occurrence, no significant difference between the three groups was found.

Conclusion

CV risk stratification has become more rigorous and invasive after the implementation of the consensus; however, this was not associated with an improvement in CV outcome.
Shadow glass transition as a thermodynamic signature of β relaxation in hyper-quenched metallic glasses
Authors: Yang Qun , Peng Si-Xu , Wang Zheng , Yu Hai-Bin
Published: May 2020

One puzzling phenomenon in glass physics is the so-called ‘shadow glass transition’ which is an anomalous heat-absorbing process below the real glass transition and influences glass properties. However, it has yet to be entirely characterized, let alone fundamentally understood. Conventional calorimetry detects it in limited heating rates. Here, with the chip-based fast scanning calorimetry, we study the dynamics of the shadow glass transition over four orders of magnitude in heating rates for 24 different hyper-quenched metallic glasses. We present evidence that the shadow glass transition correlates with the secondary (β) relaxation: (i) The shadow glass transition and the β relaxation follow the same temperature–time dependence, and both merge with the primary relaxation at high temperature. (ii) The shadow glass transition is more obvious in glasses with pronounced β relaxation, and vice versa; their magnitudes are proportional to each other. Our findings suggest that the shadow glass transition signals the thermodynamics of β relaxation in hyper-quenched metallic glasses.
Influence of the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) superoxide dismutase homologue on host transcriptional activity, apoptosis and histopathology
Authors: Munyanduki Henry , Douglass Nicola , Offerman Kristy , Carulei Olivia , Williamson Anna-Lise
Published: May 2020

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a Capripoxvirus, is of economic importance in the cattle industry and is controlled by vaccination. A comparison was made of the host response to the two LSDV vaccines Neethling and Herbivac LS, with reference to the well-studied Orthopoxvirus, modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA), in a mouse model. Because the vaccines differ at the superoxide dismutase homologue (SOD) gene locus, recombinant SOD knock-out and knock-in nLSDV vaccines were constructed and all four vaccines were tested for the induction and inhibition of apoptosis. The SOD homologue was associated both with induction of apoptosis as well as inhibition of camptothecin-induced apoptosis. Histological analysis of chorioallantoic membranes of fertilized hens’ eggs infected with the four different vaccines indicated marked mesodermal proliferation associated with vaccines containing the full-length SOD homologue as well as increased immune cell infiltration. Our findings suggest that the SOD homologue may influence vaccine immunogenicity.
Celebrex adjuvant therapy on COVID-19: An experimental study
Authors: Hong Wenxin , Chen Yan , You Kai , Tan Shenglin , Wu Feima , Tao Jiawang , Chen Xudan , Zhang Jiaye , Xiong Yue , Yuan Fang , Yang Zhen , Chen Tingting , Chen Xinwen , Peng Ping , Tai Qiang , Wang Jian , Zhang Fuchun , Li Yinxiong
Published: May 2020

Background

The world is under serious threat with the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there is no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Based on analyses of available data, we deduced that the excessive prostaglandins E2(PGE2) accumulation mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was the key pathological basis of COVID-19.

Methods

The urine PGE2levels were measured by mass spectrometry. An experimental study about Celebrex to treat COVID-19 was conducted based on routine treatment. A total of 44 confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled (Experimental group n=37, Control group n=7). Patients in experimental group were given Celebrex once or twice a day (0.2 g/time) for 7–14 days. The dosage or duration was modified for individuals. Clinical outcomes of Celebrex adjuvant therapy were evaluated by vital signs, laboratory tests, and computed tomography upon the discontinuance of Celebrex.

Results

We found that the concentrations of PGE2in urine samples of COVID-19 patients were significantly higher than that of healthy individuals (mean value is 170 ng/mlvs18.8 ng/ml,p<0.01) and positively correlated with the progression of COVID-19. Among the experimental group (ordinary n=29, severe n=7, critical n=1), 25 cases were treated with full dose and 11 cases with half dose of Celebrex, and 1 case with Ibuprofen. The remission rate were 100%, 82% and 57% in full dose, half dose and control group respectively. Celebrex significantly reduced the PGE2levels and promoted recovery of ordinary or severe COVID-19.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that Celebrex adjuvant treatment may be helpful for the therapy of COVID-19.
Screening of SARS-CoV-2 among homeless people, asylum-seekers and other people living in precarious conditions in Marseille, France, March–April 2020
Authors: Ly Tran Duc Anh , Hoang Van Thuan , Goumballa Ndiaw , Louni Meriem , Canard Naomie , Dao Thi Loi , Medkour Hacene , Borg Audrey , Bardy Kevin , Esteves-Vieira Véra , Filosa Véronique , Davoust Bernard , Mediannikov Oleg , Fournier Pierre-Edouard , Raoult Didier , Gautret Philippe
Published: May 2020

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection among sheltered homeless and other vulnerable people might provide the information needed to prevent its spread within accommodation centres. In March-April, we enrolled 411 homeless individuals, 77 asylum-seekers, 58 people living in precarious conditions, and 152 employees working in these accommodation centres and collected nasal samples. SARS-CoV-2 carriage was assessed by quantitative PCR. Overall, 49 (7.0%) people were positive for SARS-CoV-2, including 37 homeless individuals (of 411, 9.0%), 12 employees (of 152, 7.9%). SARS-CoV-2 positivity correlated with symptoms, although 51% of positive patients did not report respiratory symptoms or fever. Among homeless people, being young (18-34 years) (OR: 3.83 [1.47-10.0], p=0.006) and being housed in one specific shelter (OR: 9.13 [4.09-20.37], p<0.0001) were independent factors associated with the SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates (11.4% and 20.6%, respectively). The survey reveals the role of collective housing in relation to viral transmission within centres.
TB Prevalence Influence on Covid-19 Mortality
Authors: Raham Tareef Fadhil
Published: May 2020

Background

TB latent infection reflected as TB prevalence might give heterogeneous immunity for infection in mechanism like what happen in BCG This study the first to our knowledge, addressing TB prevalence influence and possibly an important predictor for Covid-19 mortality and its findings may help to satisfy world inquiries about diversities dilemma. This study also will address disparities raised before about variances in mortalities among countries with same BCG protocols.

Methods

This study was set to look out for impact of TB prevalence on Covid-19 mortality on the context of countries vaccination status. Countries were divided into five groups according to BCG status. Covid-19 deaths are tested against TB prevalence through using (Non Linear Regression Modules) of predicted shapes behavior for each group.

Results

Slopes values have highly significant influences between TB prevalence and Covid-19 deaths for overall studied group, and among countries currently given 1 BGG (2 groups) and ones with previous history of vaccinations, being significant in currently given more than 1 BCG and in countries without vaccination. There are meaningful nonlinear regression shapes which are logarithmic in whole countries and in countries with current just 1 vaccine setting. It is inverse in other 2 groups currently given vaccine. It is power and cubic in countries never given and with previously given vaccines respectively. All groups and whole sample shows either perfect or extremely perfect R-square (Determination Coefficient) values with significant in at least at P-values<0.05. Study denotes possibility of factor/s other than BCG prevalence (i.e. The intercept) were operating in different ranges within groups.

Conclusion

High TB prevalence together with continuing BCG programs decrease COVID-19 Mortalities in different countries.

Strengths and limitations of this study

To our knowledge, this study will be the first addressing TB Prevalence influence and possibly an important predictor for Covid-19 mortality and its findings may help to satisfy world inquiries about diversities dilemma.

This study also will address disparities raised before about variances in mortalities among countries with same BCG protocols.

Potential confounding factors still exist.
Dopaminergic stimulants and risk of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Wainberg Michael , Gill Dipender , Su Bowen , Nalls Mike A. , Graham Robert R. , Das Sudeshna , Tzoulaki Ioanna , Sinnott-Armstrong Nasa , Rivas Manuel A.
Published: May 2020

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra. Although dopaminergic drugs are the mainstay of Parkinson’s treatment, their putative disease-modifying properties remain controversial. We explored whether prescription of dopaminergic stimulants for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might affect Parkinson’s incidence. We performed Cox survival analyses for outpatient Parkinson’s diagnosis among ADHD-diagnosed seniors in the Optum Clinformatics™ Data Mart de-identified administrative claims database, correcting for diverse demographic and socio-economic status covariates. We compared 5,683 sustained users (≥ 90 days) of dopaminergic stimulants to 252 sustained users of atomoxetine, a noradrenergic first-line ADHD medication. Parkinson’s incidence was reduced among sustained dopaminergic stimulant users compared to atomoxetine users (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.56, p = 0.005). Effect sizes were comparable between derivatives of amphetamine (adjusted HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03-0.48, p = 0.003) and methylphenidate (adjusted HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.04-1.76, p = 0.2). In sensitivity analyses, similar trends were observed when other psychotropics (SSRIs, gabapentin) were used as comparators instead of atomoxetine, or when the threshold for sustained use was defined as 45, 180 or 360 days instead of 90. Thus, sustained dopaminergic stimulant use was associated with lower Parkinson’s incidence among seniors with ADHD. Our results are consistent with a protective effect of dopaminergic stimulants on the development of Parkinson’s, and support a re-examination of certain dopaminergics, particularly rasagiline and other selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitors, as potential disease-modifying agents.
Studying the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 – a protocol for the Berlin prospective COVID-19 patient cohort (Pa-COVID-19)
Authors: Kurth Florian , Roennefarth Maria , Thibeault Charlotte , Corman Victor M. , Müller-Redetzky Holger , Mittermaier Mirja , Ruwwe-Glösenkamp Christoph , Krannich Alexander , Schmidt Sein , Kretzler Lucie , Dang-Heine Chantip , Rose Matthias , Hummel Michael , Hocke Andreas , Hübner Ralf H. , Mall Marcus A. , Röhmel Jobst , Landmesser Ulf , Pieske Burkert , Knauss Samuel , Endres Matthias , Spranger Joachim , Mockenhaupt Frank P. , Tacke Frank , Treskatsch Sascha , Angermair Stefan , Siegmund Britta , Spies Claudia , Weber-Carstens Steffen , Eckardt Kai-Uwe , Uhrig Alexander , Zoller Thomas , Drosten Christian , Suttorp Norbert , Witzenrath Martin , Hippenstiel Stefan , Kalle Christof von , Sander Leif Erik
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide causing a global health emergency. Pa-COVID-19 aims to provide comprehensive data on clinical course, pathophysiology, immunology and outcome of COVID-19, in order to identify prognostic biomarkers, clinical scores, and therapeutic targets for improved clinical management and preventive interventions.

Methods

Pa-COVID-19 is a prospective observational cohort study of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection treated at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. We collect data on epidemiology, demography, medical history, symptoms, clinical course, pathogen testing and treatment. Systematic, serial blood sampling will allow deep molecular and immunological phenotyping, transcriptomic profiling, and comprehensive biobanking. Longitudinal data and sample collection during hospitalization will be supplemented by long-term follow-up.

Results

Outcome measures include the WHO clinical ordinal scale on day 15 and clinical, functional and health-related quality of life assessments at discharge and during follow-up. We developed a scalable dataset to (i) suit national standards of care (ii) facilitate comprehensive data collection in medical care facilities with varying resources and (iii) allow for rapid implementation of interventional trials based on the standardized study design and data collection. We propose this scalable protocol as blueprint for harmonized data collection and deep phenotyping in COVID-19 in Germany.

Conclusion

We established a basic platform for harmonized, scalable data collection, pathophysiological analysis, and deep phenotyping of COVID-19, which enables rapid generation of evidence for improved medical care and identification of candidate therapeutic and preventive strategies. The electronic database accredited for interventional trials allows fast trial implementation for candidate therapeutic agents.
Health and Demographic Impact on COVID-19 Infection and Mortality in US Counties
Authors: Xie Zidian , Li Dongmei
Published: May 2020

Introduction

With the pandemic of COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases and related deaths are increasing in the US. We aimed to understand the potential impact of health and demographic factors on the infection and mortality rates of COVID-19 at the population level.

Methods

We collected total number of confirmed cases and deaths related to COVID-19 at the county level in the US from January 21, 2020 to April 23, 2020. We extracted health and demographic measures for each US county. Multivariable linear mixed effects models were used to investigate potential correlations of health and demographic characteristics with the infection and mortality rates of COVID-19 in US counties.

Results

Our models showed that several health and demographic factors were positively correlated with the infection rate of COVID-19, such as low education level and percentage of Black. In contrast, several factors, including percentage of smokers and percentage of food insecure, were negatively correlated with the infection rate of COVID-19. While the number of days since first confirmed case and the infection rate of COVID-19 were negatively correlated with the mortality rate of COVID-19, percentage of elders (65 and above) and percentage of rural were positively correlated with the mortality rate of COVID-19.

Conclusions

At the population level, health and demographic factors could impact the infection and mortality rates of COVID-19 in US counties.
Environmental DNA metabarcoding for biodiversity monitoring of a highly-diverse tropical fish community in a coral-reef lagoon: Estimation of species richness and detection of habitat segregation
Authors: Oka Shin-ichiro , Doi Hideyuki , Miyamoto Kei , Hanahara Nozomi , Sado Tetsuya , Miya Masaki
Published: May 2020

An environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach has been widely used for biodiversity monitoring of fishes, although it has rarely been applied to tropical and subtropical aquatic ecosystems, where species diversity is remarkably high. This study examined the extent to which species richness can be estimated in a small coral reef lagoon (1500 × 900 m) near Okinawa Island, southern Japan, where the surrounding waters are likely to harbor more than 1500 species of fish. During 2015–2017, a total of 16 capture-based surveys were conducted to create a faunal list of fish species, followed by eDNA metabarcoding based on seawater samples taken from 11 sites in the lagoon on a day in May 2019. We also tested whether eDNA metabarcoding could detect differences between adjacent fish communities inhabiting the offshore reef edge and shore-side seagrass beds within the lagoon. A total of 217 fish species were confirmed by the capture-based samplings, while 291 fish species were detected by eDNA metabarcoding, identifying a total of 410 species distributed across 119 families and 193 genera. Of these 410 species, only 96 (24% of the total) were commonly identified by both methods, indicating that capture-based surveys failed to collect a number of species detected by eDNA metabarcoding. Interestingly, two different approaches to estimate species richness based on eDNA data yielded values close to the 410 species, including one that suggested an additional three or more eDNA surveys from 11 sites (36 samples) would detect 90% of the 410 species. In addition, non-metric multi-dimensional scaling for fish assemblages clearly distinguished between the fish communities of the offshore reef edge and those of the shore-side seagrass beds.
CellExplorer: a graphical user interface and a standardized pipeline for visualizing and characterizing single neurons
Authors: Petersen Peter C. , Siegle Joshua H. , Steinmetz Nicholas A. , Mahallati Sara , Buzsáki György
Published: May 2020

The large diversity of neuron types of the brain, characterized by a unique set of electrophysiological characteristics, provides the means by which cortical circuits perform complex operations. To quantify, compare, and visualize the functional features of single neurons, we have developed the open-source framework, CellExplorer. It consists of three components: a processing module that calculates standardized physiological metrics, performs neuron type classification and detects putative monosynaptic connections, a flexible data structure, and a powerful graphical interface. The graphical interface makes it possible to explore any combination of pre-computed features at the speed of a mouse click. The CellExplorer framework allows users to process and relate their data to a growing collection of “ground truth” neurons from different genetic lines, as well as to tens of thousands of single neurons collected across our labs. We believe CellExplorer will accelerate the linking of physiological properties of single neurons in the intact brain to genetically identified types.
Pharyngeal pouches provide a niche microenvironment for arch artery progenitor specification
Authors: Mao Aihua , Li Linwei , Liu Jie , Zhang Mingming , Ning Guozhu , Cao Yu , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2020

The paired pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) are transient blood vessels connecting the heart with the dorsal aorta during embryogenesis. Although PAA malformations often occur along with pharyngeal pouch defects, the functional interaction between these adjacent tissues remains largely unclear. Here we report that the ablation of pouches in zebrafish embryos impairs PAA progenitor specification and leads to the absence of PAA structures. Through time-lapse imaging studies, we reveal that the segmentation of pharyngeal pouches coincides spatiotemporally with the emergence of PAA progenitor clusters. These pouches physically associate with pharyngeal mesoderm in discrete regions and provide a niche microenvironment for PAA progenitor commitment by expressing BMP proteins. Specifically, tissue specific knockdown experiments demonstrate that pouch-derived BMP2a and BMP5 are the primary niche cues responsible for activating the BMP/Smad pathway in pharyngeal mesoderm, thereby promoting progenitor specification. In addition, BMP2a and BMP5 play a primary inductive function in the expression of theclochegenenpas4lin PAA progenitors. Mutation of theclochelocus represses the specification of PAA progenitors and generates ectopic muscle precursors in the pharyngeal mesoderm. Therefore, our results support a critical role of pharyngeal pouches in establishing a progenitor niche for PAA morphogenesis via BMP2a/5 expression.
Decreased Stroke, Acute Coronary Syndrome, and Corresponding Interventions at 65 US Hospitals Following COVID-19
Authors: de Havenon Adam , Ney John P. , Callaghan Brian , Delic Alen , Hohmann Samuel , Shippey Ernie , Yaghi Shadi , Anadani Mohammad , Esper Gregory J. , Majersik Jennifer J.
Published: May 2020

Background

Following the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), early reports suggested a decrease in stroke and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We sought to provide descriptive statistics for stroke and ACS from a sample of hospitals throughout the United States, comparing data from March 2020 to similar months pre-COVID.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 academic and community hospitals in the Vizient Clinical Data Base. The primary outcome is monthly count of stroke and ACS, and acute procedures for both, from February and March in 2020 compared to the same months in 2018 and 2019. Results are aggregated for all hospitals and reported by Census Region.

Results

We identified 51,246 strokes (42,780 ischemic, 8,466 hemorrhagic), 1,043 mechanical thrombectomies (MT), 836 tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administrations, 36,551 ACS, and 3,925 percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for ACS. In February 2020, relative to February 2018 and 2019, hospitalizations with any discharge diagnosis of stroke and ACS increased by 9.8% and 12.1%, respectively, while in March 2020 they decreased 18.5% and 7.5%, relative to March 2018 and 2019. When only including hospitalizations with the primary discharge diagnosis of stroke or ACS, in March 2020 they decreased 17.6% and 25.7%, respectively. In March 2020, tPA decreased 3.3%, MT increased 18.8%, although in February 2020 it had increased 36.8%, and PCI decreased 14.7%. These decreases were observed in all Census regions.

Conclusions

Following greater recognition of the risks of COVID-19, hospitalizations with stroke and ACS were markedly diminished in a geographically diverse sample of United States hospitals. Because the most likely explanation is that some patients with stroke and ACS did not seek medical care, the underlying reasons for this decrease warrant additional study to inform public health efforts and clinical care during this and future pandemics.