bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Work and Social Justice: A Conceptual Review
Authors: Atteberry-Ash Brittanie E
Published: November 2022

As a profession, social work has codified within its ethical guidance and educational policies a commitment to social justice. While a commitment to social justice is asserted in several of our profession’s guiding documents, social work continues to lack consensus on both the meaning and merit of social justice, resulting is disparate and sometimes discriminatory practice even under a “social justice” label. This study examines how social justice has been operationalized in social work via a conceptual review of the literature. Findings show that social work leans heavily on John Rawls’s definition of social justice, Martha Nussbaum’s and Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach, and the definition of social justice included in The Social Work Dictionary. Unfortunately, none of these adequately align with the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics, which drives the profession. This conceptual review is a call to social workers to join together in defining the guiding principle of the profession.
Respiratory syncytial virus: host genetic susceptibility and factors associated with disease severity in a cohort of pediatric patients
Authors: I. G. Giamberardino Heloisa , O. Pacheco Ana P , Pereira Luciane A , Debur Maria do Carmo , Genehold Gustavo , Raboni Sonia M
Published: November 2022

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are the leading cause of hospitalization in young children. We assessed the epidemiology, severity, clinical characteristics, molecular profile and genetic factors of RSV infections compared to acute respiratory illness (ARI) caused by other respiratory viruses.

Methods

Prospective cohort study was conducted from 2017 to 2018 with children under 2 years old hospitalized with ARI. Detection of respiratory viruses was carried out using RT-PCR. RSVs were genotyped via nucleotide sequencing, and host interleukin 28B (IL28B) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined using SNP TaqMan® Genotyping Assays.

Results

A total of 468 children were included; 288 (61.5%) had an infection by a single virus: 202 (70.1%) cases by RSV followed by rhinovirus 36 (12.5%) and influenza 16 (5.6%). Of the RSV cases, 36% were genotyped with a higher prevalence of RSV B (62.1%). The RSV group presented median age of 2.7 months (1.6–6.8), higher frequency in: intensive care unit admission (p = 0.004), mechanical ventilation use (p = 0.018), wheezing (p < 0.001), antimicrobial use (p < 0.001) and low oxygen saturation (p < 0.001). Prematurity (27.2%) was the most frequent comorbidity. RSV patients without comorbidities demonstrated a higher frequency in the combination of IL28B rs12979860 CT/IL28B rs8099917 TG and IL28B rs12979860 TT/IL28B rs8099917 TT genotypes. Viral coinfection was detected in 27 (5.7%) children, with the most frequent being RSV and rhinovirus (14.2%).

Conclusions

This study highlighted the burden of RSV infection in children under 2 years of age, without comorbidities, with a higher need for pediatric ICU admission. Some IL28B allele combinations had a significant association with RSV frequency of infections.
Phylogeography and evolutionary lineage diversity in the small-eared greater galago, Otolemur garnettii (Primates: Galagidae)
Authors: Penna Anna , Dillon Rosemarie , Bearder Simon K , Karlsson Johan , Perkin Andrew , Pozzi Luca
Published: November 2022

Assessing the true lineage diversity in elusive nocturnal organisms is particularly challenging due to their subtle phenotypic variation in diagnostic traits. The cryptic small-eared greater galago (Otolemur garnettii) offers a great opportunity to test if currently recognized subspecies, suggested by discontinuities in coat colour pattern and geographic barriers, represent distinct evolutionary lineages. To answer this question, we conducted the first population-level phylogeographic study of the species, sampling wild specimens from across almost its entire latitudinal range, including the Zanzibar Archipelago. We applied five species-delimitation algorithms to investigate the genetic diversity and distribution pattern of mitochondrial DNA across the geographic range of three out of four subspecies. Our results suggest that far-northern populations of O. g. lasiotis potentially represent an independently evolving lineage, but populations assigned to O. g. garnettii from Zanzibar Island and of O. g panganiensis from mainland Tanzania do not constitute two independent lineages. A dated phylogeny suggests that this northern clade diverged from all remaining samples approximately 4 Mya. Such old divergence age is in line with the split between many galagid species. This northern lineage could potentially represent an incipient species; however, there is not yet enough evidence to support a new taxonomic status for this unique mitochondrial group.
Encouraging Our NICU to “Read-a-Latte”
Authors: Latif Marina , Duarte Ribeiro Ana Paula , Blatz Mary Ann , Burkett Kathleen , Dragon Mary Ann , Craver Traci , Cogan Stacie , Ricciardi Sheri , Weber Ashley
Published: November 2022

Background:

Preterm infants have known impairments in language development relative to infants born at full term, and the language-poor environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a contributing factor. Adapting outpatient literacy programs for the NICU is a potential evidence-based intervention to encourage adult speech exposure to infants through reading sessions during NICU hospitalization.

Purpose:

To evaluate implementation of a 10-day NICU Read-a-Thon and potential barriers and facilitators of a year-round program aimed at increasing reading sessions for NICU patients.

Methods:

We established an implementation team to execute a Read-a-Thon and evaluated its impact utilizing quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative methodology was used to report number of donated books and infant reading sessions. Qualitative methodology inclusive of interviews, surveys, and source document reviews was used to evaluate the Read-a-Thon.

Results:

We received approximately 1300 donated books and logged 663 reading sessions over the 10-day Read-a-Thon. Qualitative evaluation of the Read-a-Thon identified 6 main themes: motivation, emotional response to the program, benefits and outcomes, barriers, facilitators, and future of literacy promotion in our NICU. Our evaluation informed specific aims for improvement (eg, maintaining book accessibility) for a quality improvement initiative to sustain a year-round reading program.

Implications for Practice and Research:

Neonatal units can leverage Read-a-Thons as small tests of change to evaluate barriers, facilitators, and change processes needed to implement reading programs. Process maps of book inventory and conducting a 5 W's, 2 H's (who, what, when, where, why, how, how much) assessment can aid in program planning.
The Ponseti Method for the Treatment of Clubfeet Associated With Down Syndrome: A Single-institution 18-year Experience
Authors: Portalatin Perez Edwin , Parenti Sarah , Polk Jordan , Jo Chanhee , Riccio Anthony I.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Although the Ponseti method has been used with great success in a variety of nonidiopathic clubfoot deformities, the efficacy of this treatment in clubfeet associated with Down syndrome remains unreported. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to compare treatment characteristics and outcomes of clubfoot patients with Down syndrome to those with idiopathic clubfoot treated with the Ponseti method.

Methods:

An Institutional Review Board–approved, retrospective review of prospectively gathered data were performed at a single pediatric hospital over an 18-year period. Patients with either idiopathic clubfeet or clubfeet associated with Down syndrome who were less than 1 year of age at the outset of treatment were treated by the Ponseti method, and had a minimum of 2 year’s follow-up were included. Initial Dimeglio score, number of casts, need for heel cord tenotomy, recurrence, and need for further surgery were recorded. Outcomes were classified using the Richards classification system: “good” (plantigrade foot +/− heel cord tenotomy), “fair” (need for a limited procedure), or “poor” (need for a full posteromedial release).

Results:

Twenty clubfeet in 13 patients with Down syndrome and 320 idiopathic clubfeet in 215 patients were identified. Average follow-up was 73 months for the Down syndrome cohort and 62 months for the idiopathic cohort. Down syndrome patients presented for treatment at a significantly older age (61 vs. 16 d, P=0.00) and with significantly lower average initial Dimeglio scores than the idiopathic cohort (11.3 vs. 13.4, P=0.02). Heel cord tenotomy was performed in 80% of the Down syndrome cohort and 79% of the idiopathic cohort (P=1.00). Recurrence rates were higher in the Down syndrome cohort (60%) compared with the idiopathic group (37%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.06). Need for later surgical procedures was similar between the 2 cohorts, though recurrences in the Down syndrome group were significantly less likely to require intra-articular surgery (8.3% vs. 65.5%, P=0.00). Clinical outcomes were 95% “good,” 0% “fair,” and 5% “poor” in the Down syndrome cohort and 69% “good,” 27% “fair,” and 4% “poor” in the idiopathic cohort (P=0.01).

Conclusions:

Despite the milder deformity and an older age at presentation, clubfeet associated with Down syndrome have similar rates of recurrence and may have better clinical outcomes when compared with their idiopathic counterparts. When deformities do relapse in Down syndrome patients, significantly less intra-articular surgery is required than for idiopathic clubfeet.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Progress in diagnosis and treatment of checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis
Authors: Yu Xin , Wu Jing , Su Chunxia
Published: November 2022

Purpose of review

In this article, we summarized the current knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of the checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP), and provide an outlook on the current issues and future prospects.

Recent findings

Pulmonary toxicity of immunotherapy covers a broad range of pulmonary manifestations and is often referred to as pneumonitis. It is a severe and potentially life-threatening immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that requires early identification and management. The diagnosis of CIP should be carefully distinguished from other forms of pulmonary diseases. Recognizing risk factors and typical symptoms helps to raise suspicion of CIP. Further characterization of the unique radiographic and pathological features is warranted to expedite diagnosis. The identification of potential biomarkers for CIP is emerging and has great relevance in the clinic. Multidisciplinary collaborations involving oncologists, radiologists and pulmonologists may facilitate uniform management strategies. Treatment discontinuation is the mainstay for treating CIP of all grades. Systemic steroids are considered for pneumonitis at least grade 2 and immunosuppressive drugs are recommended for CIP patients refractory to steroids. In the future, more diagnosis and management strategies are needed to provide new insights and treatment options.

There are achievements and shortcomings in the current status of the diagnosis and treatment for CIP. In the future, the research on this topic should be further demonstrated.
Hydroxychloroquine reduces hypertension and soluble fms-like kinase-1 in a N ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model
Authors: Choi Minji , Hwang Jae Ryoung , Sung Ji-Hee , Byun Nagyeong , Seok Ye Seon , Cho Geum Joon , Choi Suk-Joo , Kim Jung-Sun , Oh Soo-young , Roh Cheong-Rae
Published: November 2022

Objective:

Hydroxychloroquine, a drug used for malaria and autoimmune diseases reportedly has beneficial effects against preeclampsia in pregnant women with lupus. However, its mechanism against preeclampsia remains unclear. We investigated the effect of hydroxychloroquine on an N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model.

Methods:

Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups based on treatment (administered on gestational days 7–18): control, N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, hydroxychloroquine, and N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester plus hydroxychloroquine. All animals were sacrificed on gestational day 19. We assayed tube formation and determined reactive oxygen species levels using human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Results:

Results showed that hydroxychloroquine significantly lowered mean systolic blood pressure (P 
< 0.05) in N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-treated rats. Hydroxychloroquine did not affect their fetal and placental weights. Hydroxychloroquine mitigated N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-associated changes in proteinuria (P 
< 0.05). It normalized plasma soluble fms-like kinase-1 (P 
< 0.05) and endothelin-1 (P 
< 0.01) levels. In the tube formation assay, hydroxychloroquine increased the total meshes area (P 
< 0.05) and mitigated N
ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester–induced reactive oxygen species formation (P 
< 0.05) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Conclusion:

We conclude that hydroxychloroquine alleviated hypertension, proteinuria, and normalized soluble fms-like kinase-1 and endothelin-1 levels in our preeclampsia model and that these changes may involve the restoration of endothelial dysfunction; thus, hydroxychloroquine could potentially be used for preventing preeclampsia, even in the absence of lupus.
Reduction of Infusion Time Using a 10% Intravenous Immunoglobulin Formulation With a 15-Minute Rate Escalation Protocol During Staffing Shortages Due to COVID-19
Authors: Prosser Barbara , Walton Timothy P. , Miller Christine
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic changed home infusion nursing dramatically by increasing demand for home infusion nurses while decreasing their availability. Home infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is an option for treatment of numerous conditions and requires considerable infusion time. Use of a higher-concentration IVIg product and shorter escalation increments may decrease required infusion time. The authors conducted a retrospective database analysis that identified 23 patients receiving IVIg before transitioning to a 10% IVIg product with a 15-minute rate escalation protocol (Gammaplex 10% IVIg) and evaluated the total infusion time before and after the transition. Among the 23 who received IVIg, the mean ± SD IVIg dose per dosing cycle before transitioning was 1.2 ± 0.7 g/kg given in 1 to 5 infusions per cycle. The mean ± SD time per infusion was 2.8 ± 0.8 hours before the transition and 2.6 ± 0.7 hours per infusion after the transition. The infusion time decreased after transition in 13 patients (56.5%), did not change in 5 patients (21.7%), and increased in 5 patients (21.7%). Nurse education on IVIg rate escalation may facilitate faster achievement of the maximum safe infusion rate and reduce infusion times. A trial transition to this 10% IVIg product with a 15-minute rate escalation protocol may also reduce infusion times.
Addressing Compassion Fatigue in Family Caregivers using a Mindfulness-based Smartphone Application
Authors: Burks Nicholas , Turner Barbara S. , Cadavero Allen , McGugan Lynn , Thompson Julie
Published: November 2022

The number of Americans receiving some level of healthcare at home is rapidly increasing, often leaving family members responsible for providing care for their loved ones. The impact on these unpaid caregivers, who must also balance the stressors of work and other daily responsibilities, can lead to compassion fatigue (CF). A growing body of evidence suggests that the practice of mindfulness meditation can reduce the symptoms of CF, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. This quality improvement project sought to determine if using a mindfulness-based smartphone app daily for 6 weeks would have any impact on CF in family caregivers. The project sought to determine whether it was feasible for caregivers to use the app and examined the impact on stress, depression, and anxiety. Participants completed two validated instruments before and after the 6-week intervention and results were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results indicated a significant reduction in stress (p = .043) and a marginal reduction, though not significant, in depression (p = .075) and anxiety (p = .149). The caregivers found the app to be useful. Future projects should investigate the patterns of use by family members and use of the app as an adjunct to other interventions.
Optimizing Older Adults' Medication Use Nurses can partner with caregivers to promote safe medication administration.
Authors: Zonsius Mary C. , Myftari Klodiana , Newman Michelle , Emery-Tiburcio Erin E.
Published: November 2022

This article is the third in a series, Supporting Family Caregivers in the 4Ms of an Age-Friendly Health System, published in collaboration with the AARP Public Policy Institute as part of the ongoing Supporting Family Caregivers: No Longer Home Alone series. The 4Ms of an Age-Friendly Health System (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) is an evidence-based framework for assessing and acting on critical issues in the care of older adults across settings and transitions of care. Engaging the health care team, including older adults and their family caregivers, with the 4Ms framework can help to ensure that every older adult gets the best care possible, is not harmed by health care, and is satisfied with the care they receive.

The articles in this series present considerations for implementing the 4Ms framework in the inpatient hospital setting and incorporating family caregivers in doing so. Resources for both nurses and family caregivers, including a series of accompanying videos developed by AARP and the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging and funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, are also provided. Nurses should read the articles first, so they understand how best to help family caregivers. Then they can refer caregivers to the informational tear sheet—Information for Family Caregivers—and instructional videos, encouraging them to ask questions. For additional information, see Resources for Nurses. Cite this article as: Zonsius, M.C., et al. Optimizing Older Adults' Medication Use. Am J Nurs 2022; 122(3): 38-43.
Textbook Outcomes After Open Live Donor Right Hepatectomy and Open Right Hepatic Lobectomy for Cancer in 686 patients
Authors: Dogeas Epameinondas , Geller David A. , Tohme Samer , Steel Jennifer , Lo Winifred , Morocco Brittany , Tevar Amit , Molinari Michele , Hughes Christopher , Humar Abhinav
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To compare textbook outcomes (TO) of open live donor right hepatectomy (RH) versus open right hepatic lobectomy for cancer in a single Western center and to identify clinical factors associated with failure to achieve a TO.

Background:

TO, a composite quality measure that captures multiple aspects of perioperative care, has not been thoroughly studied in open RH. We hypothesized that TO rates after RH for live donor transplant could represent the “best-achievable” results of this operation and could serve as the benchmark for RH performed for an oncologic indication.

Methods:

A prospective database was reviewed to compare TO rates after RH for live donor purposes versus RH for cancer at a single center from 2010 to 2020. A TO was defined as achieving 7 metrics: no perioperative transfusion, no major postoperative complications, no significant bile leak, no unplanned transfer to the ICU, no 30-day mortality, no 30-day readmission, and no R1 margins for cancer cases.

Results:

Among 686 RH patients (371 live donor and 315 cancer cases), a TO was achieved in 92.2% of RH donors and 53.7% of RH cancer cases. Live donor patients tended to be younger, healthier, and thinner. Among donors, increased intraoperative blood loss, and in cancer cases, male sex, tumor size, and increased intraoperative blood loss were associated with TO failure.

Conclusions:

A TO can be achieved in over 90% of patients undergoing living donor RH and in approximately half of RH cancer cases. These metrics represent a new benchmark for “real-world” TO after open RH.
Examining the Relationship Between Race and Ethnicity and Depression in Older Adults With Low Vision
Authors: Do Anna Ngoc , Smith Diane , Schoessow Kim
Published: November 2022

Older adults from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds and with low vision have independently been found to be at an increased risk of depression. This retrospective cross-sectional pilot study found that non-White older adults with low vision reported significantly more depressive symptoms than White older adults with low vision (P = .005). When controlling for diagnosis and functional impairment, the relationship was no longer significant. Older adults with low vision from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups may be more at risk for depression than White older adults with low vision, with comorbid visual conditions potentially contributing to this relationship.
Investigation of the Effects of COVID-19 on Perception, Attention, Memory, Balance, and Quality of Life in the Elderly
Authors: Aydoğan Zehra , Baş Banu , Aksoy Songül
Published: November 2022

Objective:

This study was conducted with elderly individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on balance, perception, attention, memory, and quality of life and produce rehabilitative solutions for these problems.

Material and Method:

A total of 45 volunteers older than 65 years who had not had COVID-19 were included in group 1. A total of 45 volunteers older than 65 years who had recovered from COVID-19 were included in group 2 (elderly people who have had COVID-19 at least 6 months ago). After obtaining the individuals' demographic data, we conducted vestibular assessment for balance and administered the Stroop test for attention, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the digit span test for short-term memory, and a quality-of-life test.

Results:

Mean age of the individuals who had had COVID-19 was 68.24 ± 3.32 years, and the mean age of the individuals who had not had COVID-19 was 68.55 ± 3.34 years. There were statistically significant correlations between the two groups for the Stroop test (P < .05), MMSE (P < .05), the digit span test for perception and attention (P < .05), and the vestibular assessment quality-of-life test (P < .01). Sensory (P < .001), past, present, and future activities (P < .05), social participation (P < .001), and death (P < .05) were found to be significant in the total score (P < .001). The covariance analysis of elderly individuals who had had COVID-19 revealed that they performed significantly worse on the balance, perception, attention, memory, and quality-of-life tests than elderly individuals who had not had COVID-19.

Conclusion:

The negative effects of COVID-19 were found among elderly individuals older than 65 years. We suggest that telerehabilitation should be developed for elderly people who have recovered from COVID-19 and that its effects investigated.
Activities of Daily Living in Parkinson Disease
Authors: Fernández-Baizán Cristina , García M. Paula Fernández , Díaz-Cáceres Elena , Menéndez-González Manuel , Arias Jorge L. , Méndez Marta
Published: November 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to assess activities of daily living (ADLs) through questionnaires and performance-based tasks in Parkinson disease (PD) and to relate their execution with memory and visuospatial abilities.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 85 participants (55 PD and 30 controls).

Results:

Parkinson disease achieved a significant lower performance in Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) tasks. Those with PD spent less time in ADLS. In PD with lower cognitive level, visuospatial functions were significantly related with performance-based ADLs.

Conclusion:

Our results underline the clinical value of using performance-based task for the assessment of cognitive deficits associated with neurological disease in the elderly.
Anthony G. Evans. 4 December 1942—9 September 2009
Authors: Hutchinson FRS John W.
Published: November 2022

Anthony G. Evans was one of the leading scientists of his generation in the field of materials. He worked during a period in which materials development and application emerged as being central to many technological advances, and materials science came into its own as an area of research and application. This memoir describes Evans’ remarkable influence and contribution to materials science and more broadly to engineering science. Evans had no rival when it came to the grasp of the underlying fundamentals of material behaviour, coupled with an extraordinary ability to focus his attention and to inspire and lead collaborative efforts. Evans brought people together, and he brought out the best in people. Evans’ productivity was prodigious, with well over 600 technical papers to his credit. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with over 400 individual co-authors. At the time of his death, Evans was the most highly cited materials scientist, and he continues to be one of the most cited more than 10 years later. A short list of subjects to which Evans made major contributions includes the exploration of virtually all aspects of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of advanced ceramics, ceramic matrix and metal matrix composites, thin film mechanics, interface fracture, thermal barrier coatings, metallic foams, morphing structures, aerospace materials for high temperature applications, lightweight lattice materials, and the design of materials and structures for resistance to blast and ballistic impact.
Polar bear paw pad surface roughness and its relevance to contact mechanics on snow
Authors: Orndorf Nathaniel , Garner Austin M. , Dhinojwala Ali
Published: November 2022

Microscopic papillae on polar bear paw pads are considered adaptations for increased friction on ice/snow, yet this assertion is based on a single study of one species. The lack of comparative data from species that exploit different habitats renders the ecomorphological associations of papillae unclear. Here, we quantify the surface roughness of the paw pads of four species of bear over five orders of magnitude by calculating their surface roughness power spectral density. We find that interspecific variation in papillae base diameter can be explained by paw pad width, but that polar bear paw pads have 1.5 times taller papillae and 1.3 times more true surface area than paw pads of the American black bear and brown bear. Based on friction experiments with three-dimensional printed model surfaces and snow, we conclude that these factors increase the frictional shear stress of the polar bear paw pad on snow by a factor of 1.3–1.5 compared with the other species. Absolute frictional forces, however, are estimated to be similar among species once paw pad area is accounted for, suggesting that taller papillae may compensate for frictional losses resulting from the relatively smaller paw pads of polar bears compared with their close relatives.
Microbial communities in freshwater used for hydraulic fracturing are unable to withstand the high temperatures and pressures characteristic of fractured shales
Authors: Nixon Sophie L , Plominsky Alvaro M , Hernandez-Becerra Natali , Boothman Christopher , Bartlett Douglas H
Published: November 2022

Natural gas is recovered from shale formations by hydraulic fracturing, a process known to create microbial ecosystems in the deep subsurface. Microbial communities that emerge in fractured shales include organisms known to degrade fracturing fluid additives and contribute to corrosion of well infrastructure. In order to limit these negative microbial processes, it is essential to constrain the source of the microorganisms responsible. Previous studies have identified a number of potential sources, including fracturing fluids and drilling muds, yet these sources remain largely untested. Here, we apply high pressure experimental approaches to assess whether the microbial community in synthetic fracturing fluid made from freshwater reservoir water can withstand the temperature and pressure conditions of hydraulic fracturing and the fractured shale environment. Using cell enumerations, DNA extraction and culturing, we show that the community can withstand high pressure or high temperature alone, but the combination of both is fatal. These results suggest that initial freshwater-based fracturing fluids are an unlikely source of microorganisms in fractured shales. These findings indicate that potentially problematic lineages, such as sulfidogenic strains of Halanaerobium that have been found to dominate fractured shale microbial communities, likely derive from other input sources into the down well environment, such as drilling muds.
Description of Streptomyces griseiscabiei sp. nov. and reassignment of Streptomyces sp. strain NRRL B-16521 to Streptomyces acidiscabies
Authors: Nguyen Hien P. , Shelley Brett A. , Mowery Joseph , Clarke Christopher R.
Published: November 2022

Streptomyces

strain NRRL B-2795T (DSM 112329T=NRRL B-2795T) is described as the type strain of Streptomyces griseiscabiei sp. nov. using whole-genome average nucleotide identity and multilocus sequence analyses in addition to phenotypic characterization of carbon source utilization, spore chain morphology, melanin production, salt tolerance, pH tolerance, plant pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance. This strain was previously classified as

Streptomyces scabiei

but suggested as a potential novel species. A second

Streptomyces

strain, NRRL B-16521, previously named

Streptomyces scabiei

, and also previously suggested as a potential novel species, is assigned to

Streptomyces acidiscabies

based on whole-genome average nucleotide identity. Morphological and biochemical characterizations also support this designation for NRRL B-16521. Both

Streptomyces

sp. strain NRRL B-2795T and NRRL B-16521 cause common scab on multiple cultivars of potato.
Estimation of free water-corrected microscopic fractional anisotropy
Authors: Arezza Nico J. J. , Omer Mohammad , Baron Corey A.
Published: November 2022

Water diffusion anisotropy MRI is sensitive to microstructural changes in the brain that are hallmarks of various neurological conditions. However, conventional metrics like fractional anisotropy are confounded by neuron fiber orientation dispersion, and the relatively low resolution of diffusion-weighted MRI gives rise to significant free water partial volume effects in many brain regions. Microscopic fractional anisotropy is a recent metric that can report water diffusion anisotropy independent of neuron fiber orientation dispersion but is still susceptible to free water contamination. In this paper, we present a free water elimination (FWE) technique to estimate microscopic fractional anisotropy and other related diffusion indices by implementing a model in which the MRI signal within a voxel is assumed to come from two distinct sources: a tissue compartment and a free water compartment. A two-part algorithm is proposed to rapidly fit a set of diffusion-weighted MRI volumes containing both linear- and spherical-tensor encoding acquisitions to the model. Simulations andin vivoacquisitions with four healthy volunteers indicated that the FWE method may be a feasible technique for measuring microscopic fractional anisotropy and other indices with greater specificity to neural tissue characteristics than conventional methods.
Tissue-specific enhancer-gene maps from multimodal single-cell data identify causal disease alleles
Authors: Sakaue Saori , Weinand Kathryn , Isaac Shakson , Dey Kushal K. , Jagadeesh Karthik , Kanai Masahiro , Watts Gerald F. M. , Zhu Zhu ,   Accelerating Medicines Partnership® RA/SLE Program and Network, Brenner Michael B. , McDavid Andrew , Donlin Laura T. , Wei Kevin , Price Alkes L. , Raychaudhuri Soumya
Published: November 2022

Translating genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci into causal variants and genes requires accurate cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps from disease-relevant tissues. Building enhancer-gene maps is essential but challenging with current experimental methods in primary human tissues. We developed a new non-parametric statistical method, SCENT (Single-Cell ENhancer Target gene mapping) which models association between enhancer chromatin accessibility and gene expression in single-cell multimodal RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data. We applied SCENT to 9 multimodal datasets including > 120,000 single cells and created 23 cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps. These maps were highly enriched for causal variants in eQTLs and GWAS for 1,143 diseases and traits. We identified likely causal genes for both common and rare diseases. In addition, we were able to link somatic mutation hotspots to target genes. We demonstrate that application of SCENT to multimodal data from disease-relevant human tissue enables the scalable construction of accurate cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps, essential for defining non-coding variant function.
inMTSCCA: An Integrated Multi-task Sparse Canonical Correlation Analysis for Multi-omics Brain Imaging Genetics
Authors: Du Lei , Zhang Jin , Zhao Ying , Shang Muheng , Guo Lei , Han Junwei ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: November 2022

Identifying genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an important research topic. To date, different endophenotypes such as imaging-derived endophenotypes and proteomic expression-derived endophenotypes have shown the great value in uncovering risk genes compared to case-control studies. Biologically, a co-varying pattern of these different omics derived endophenotypes could result from the shared genetic basis. However, existing methods mainly focus on the effect of endophenotypes, and that of cross-endophenotype associations remains largely unexploited. In this paper, we used both endophenotypes and their cross-associations of multi-omics to identify genetic risk factors, and proposed two integrated multi-task sparse canonical correlation analysis (MTSCCA) methods, i.e., pairwise endophenotype correlation guided MTSCCA (pcMTSCCA) and high-order endophenotype correlation guided MTSCCA (hocMTSCCA).pcMTSCCA employed pairwise correlations between MRI-derived, plasma-derived, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) derived endophenotypes as an additional penalty.hocMTSCCA used high-order correlations among these multi-omics for regularization. To figure out genetic risk factors at individual and group levels, as well as altered endophenotypic markers, we introduced sparsity-inducing penalties in both models. We comparedpcMTSCCA andhocMTSCCA with three related methods on both simulation data and real neuroimaging, proteomic analytes, and genetic data. The results showed that our methods obtained better or comparable canonical correlation coefficients (CCCs) and feature subsets than benchmarks. Most importantly, the identified genetic loci and heterogeneous endophenotypic markers showed high relevance. Therefore, jointly using multi-omics endophenotypes and their cross-endophenotype associations are promising to reveal genetic risk factors, and both methods are qualified for this complicated task. The source code and manual of inMTSCCA is available at:https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/biocode/tools/BT007330.
Psilocybin induces acute and persisting alterations in immune status and the stress response in healthy volunteers
Authors: Mason N.L. , Szabo A. , Kuypers K.P.C. , Mallaroni P.A. , de la Torre Fornell R. , Reckweg J.T. , Tse D.H.Y. , Hutten N.R.P.W. , Feilding A. , Ramaekers J.G.
Published: November 2022

Patients characterized by stress-related disorders such as depression display elevated circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a hyperactive HPA axis. Psychedelics are demonstrating promising results in treatment of such disorders, however the mechanisms of their therapeutic effects are still unknown. To date the evidence of acute and persisting effects of psychedelics on immune functioning, HPA axis activity in response to stress, and associated psychological outcomes is preliminary. To address this, we conducted a placebo-controlled, parallel group design comprising of 60 healthy participants who received either placebo (n=30) or 0.17 mg/kg psilocybin (n=30). Blood samples were taken to assess acute changes in immune status, and 7 days after drug administration. Seven days’ post-administration, participants in each treatment group were further subdivided: 15 underwent a stress induction protocol, and 15 underwent a control protocol. Ultra-high field magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to assess whether acute changes in glutamate or glial activity were associated with changes in immune functioning. Finally, questionnaires assessed persisting self-report changes in mood and social behavior. Psilocybin immediately reduced concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), while other inflammatory markers (interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP)) remained unchanged. Seven days later, TNF-α concentrations returned to baseline, while IL-6 and CRP concentrations were persistently reduced in the psilocybin group. Changes in the immune profile were related to acute neurometabolic activity as acute reductions in TNF-α were linked to lower concentrations of glutamate in the hippocampus. Additionally, the more of a reduction in IL-6 and CRP seven days after psilocybin, the more persisting positive mood and social effects participants reported. Regarding the stress response, after a psychosocial stressor, psilocybin blunted the cortisol response compared to placebo. Such acute and persisting changes may contribute to the psychological and therapeutic effects of psilocybin demonstrated in ongoing patient trials.
Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster doses against Omicron severe outcomes
Authors: Grewal Ramandip , Nguyen Lena , Buchan Sarah A , Wilson Sarah E , Nasreen Sharifa , Austin Peter C. , Brown Kevin A. , Fell Deshayne B. , Gubbay Jonathan , Schwartz Kevin L. , Tadrous Mina , Wilson Kumanan , Kwong Jeffrey C
Published: November 2022

Background

To inform planning for further booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines, we estimated the effectiveness of monovalent mRNA vaccines against Omicron-associated severe outcomes in adults over time.

Methods

We used a test-negative design and multivariable logistic regression to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE; 2, 3, or 4 doses compared to unvaccinated individuals) and marginal effectiveness (3 or 4 doses compared to 2 doses) against Omicron-associated hospitalization or death among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between January 2, 2022 and October 1, 2022 in Ontario, Canada, stratified by age group and time since vaccination. We also compared VE during periods of Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 sublineage predominance.

Results

We included 11,160 cases of Omicron-associated severe outcomes and 62,880 test-negative symptomatic controls. Depending on the age group, compared to unvaccinated individuals, VE was 91-98% 7-59 days after a third dose, waned to 76-87% after ≥240 days, was restored to 92-97% 7-59 days after a fourth dose, and waned to 86-89% after ≥120 days. Trends in marginal effectiveness were consistent with VE estimates. VE was lower during the BA.4/BA.5-predominant period compared to the BA.1/BA.2-predominant period based on the same intervals since vaccination.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that 1 or 2 booster doses of monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines initially restored very strong protection against Omicron-associated severe outcomes in all age groups, but VE subsequently declined over time with some age-related differences, and particularly so during a period of BA.4/BA.5 predominance.
Cortical microstructural gradients capture memory network reorganization in temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Royer Jessica , Larivière Sara , Rodriguez-Cruces Raul , Cabalo Donna Gift , Tavakol Shahin , Auer Hans , Park Bo-yong , Paquola Casey , Smallwood Jonathan , Jefferies Elizabeth , Caciagli Lorenzo , Bernasconi Andrea , Bernasconi Neda , Frauscher Birgit , Bernhardt Boris C.
Published: November 2022

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), one of the most common pharmaco-resistant epilepsies, is associated with pathology of paralimbic brain regions, particularly in the mesiotemporal lobe. Cognitive dysfunction in TLE is frequent, and particularly affects episodic memory. Crucially, these difficulties challenge the quality of life of patients, sometimes more than seizures, underscoring the need to assess neural processes of cognitive dysfunction in TLE to improve patient management. Our work harnessed a novel conceptual and analytical approach to assess spatial gradients of microstructural differentiation between cortical areas based on high-resolution MRI analysis. Gradients track region-to-region variations in intracortical lamination and myeloarchitecture, serving as a system-level measure of structural and functional reorganization. Comparing cortex-wide microstructural gradients between 21 patients and 35 healthy controls, we observed a contracted gradient in TLE driven by reduced microstructural differentiation between paralimbic cortices and the remaining cortex with marked abnormalities in ipsilateral temporopolar and dorsolateral prefrontal regions. Findings were replicated in an independent cohort. Using an independentpost mortemdataset, we observed thatin vivofindings reflected topographical variations in cortical lamination patterns, confirming that TLE-related changes in the microstructural gradient reflected increased proximity of regions with more dissimilar laminar structure. Disease-related transcriptomics could furthermore show specificity of our findings to TLE over other common epilepsy syndromes. Finally, microstructural dedifferentiation was associated with cognitive network reorganization seen during an episodic memory functional MRI paradigm, and correlated with inter-individual differences in task accuracy. Collectively, our findings showing a pattern of reduced microarchitectural differentiation between paralimbic regions and the remaining cortex provide a parsimonious explanation for functional network reorganization and cognitive dysfunction characteristic of TLE.
A low-cost recombinant glycoconjugate vaccine confers immunogenicity and protection against enterotoxigenicEscherichia coliinfections in mice
Authors: Williams Asher J. , Warfel Katherine F. , Desai Primit , Li Jie , Lee Jen-Jie , Wong Derek A. , Sobol Sarah E. , Jewett Michael C. , Chang Yung-Fu , DeLisa Matthew P.
Published: November 2022

EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC) is the primary etiologic agent of traveler’s diarrhea and a major cause of diarrheal disease and death worldwide, especially in infants and young children. Despite significant efforts over the past several decades, an affordable vaccine that significantly reduces mortality and morbidity associated with moderate to severe diarrhea among children under the age of 5 years remains an unmet aspirational goal. Here, we describe robust, cost-effective biosynthetic routes that leverage glycoengineered strains of non-pathogenicEscherichia colior their cell-free extracts for producing conjugate vaccine candidates against two of the most prevalent O serogroups of ETEC, O148 and O78. Specifically, we demonstrate site-specific installation of O-antigen polysaccharides (O-PS) corresponding to these serogroups onto licensed carrier proteins using the oligosaccharyltransferase PglB fromCampylobacter jejuni. The resulting conjugates stimulate strong O-PS-specific humoral responses in mice and elicit IgG antibodies that possess bactericidal activity against the cognate pathogens. We also show that one of the prototype conjugates decorated with serogroup O148 O-PS confers protection against ETEC infection in mice. We anticipate that our bacterial cell-based and cell-free platforms will enable creation of multivalent formulations with the potential for broad ETEC serogroup protection and increased access through low-cost biomanufacturing.
A fluorescent reporter for FtsA is functional as the sole FtsA inEscherichia coliand has hypermorphic properties
Authors: Cameron Todd A. , Margolin William
Published: November 2022

FtsA, a homolog of actin, is essential for cell division ofEscherichia coliand is widely conserved among many bacteria. FtsA helps to tether polymers of the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ to the cytoplasmic membrane as part of the cytokinetic Z ring. GFP fusions to FtsA have illuminated FtsA’s localization in liveE. coli, but these fusions have not been fully functional and required the presence of the native FtsA. Here, we characterize “sandwich” fusions ofE. coliFtsA to either mCherry or msfGFP that are fully functional for cell division and exhibit fluorescent rings at midcell that persist throughout constriction until cell separation. FtsA within the Z ring moved circumferentially like FtsZ, and FtsA outside the rings formed highly dynamic patches at the membrane. Notably, both FtsA-mCherry and FtsA-msfGFP acted as mild hypermorphs, as they were not toxic when overproduced, bypassed the essential cell division protein ZipA, and suppressed several thermosensitiveftsalleles, although not as effectively as the prototypical hypermorph FtsA*. Overall, our results indicate that fluorescent FtsA sandwich fusions can be used as the sole FtsA inE. coliand thus should shed new light on FtsA dynamics during the cell division cycle in this model system.

Importance

FtsA is a key conserved cell division protein, andE. coliis the most well studied model system for bacterial cell division. One obstacle to full understanding of this process is the lack of a fully functional fluorescent reporter for FtsAin vivo. Here, we describe a fluorescent fusion toE. coliFtsA that divides cells efficiently in the absence of the native FtsA and can be used to monitor FtsA dynamics during cell division.