bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial Attention in Serial Order Working Memory: An EEG Study
Authors: Rasoulzadeh Vesal , Sahan Muhammet Ikbal , van Dijck Jean-Philippe , Abrahamse Elger , Marzecova Anna , Verguts Tom , Fias Wim
Published: November 2020

Theoretical models explaining serial order processing link order information to specified position markers. However, the precise characteristics of position marking have remained largely elusive. Recent studies have shown that space is involved in marking serial position of items in verbal working memory (WM). Furthermore, it has been suggested, but not proven, that accessing these items involves horizontal shifts of spatial attention. We used continuous electroencephalography recordings to show that memory search in serial order verbal WM involves spatial attention processes that share the same electrophysiological signatures as those operating on the visuospatial WM and external space. Accessing an item from a sequence in verbal WM induced posterior “early directing attention negativity” and “anterior directing attention negativity” contralateral to the position of the item in mental space (i.e., begin items on the left; end items on the right). In the frequency domain, we observed posterior alpha suppression contralateral to the position of the item. Our results provide clear evidence for the involvement of spatial attention in retrieving serial information from verbal WM. Implications for WM models are discussed.
Staphylococcus aureusSkin and Soft Tissue Infection Recurrence Rates in Outpatients: A Retrospective Database Study at 3 US Medical Centers
Authors: Vella Venanzio , Galgani Ilaria , Polito Letizia , Arora Ashwani Kumar , Creech C Buddy , David Michael Z , Lowy Franklin D , Macesic Nenad , Ridgway Jessica P , Uhlemann Anne-Catrin , Bagnoli Fabio
Published: November 2020

Background

Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections (SA-SSTIs) are common in healthcare and community settings, and recurrences occur at variable frequency, even after successful initial treatment. Knowing the exact burden and timing of recurrent disease is critical to planning and evaluating interventions to prevent recurrent SSTIs.

Methods

In this retrospective study, SSTI cases in patients aged ≥18 years at 3 US medical centers (Columbia, Chicago, Vanderbilt) between 2006 and 2016 were analyzed according to a biennial cohort design. Index SSTIs (with or without key comorbidities), either microbiologically confirmed to be SA-SSTI or not microbiologically tested (NMT-SSTI), were recorded within 1 calendar year and followed up for 12 months for recurrent infections. The number of index cases, proportion of index cases with ≥1 recurrence(s), time to first recurrence, and number of recurrences were collected for both SA-SSTI and NMT-SSTI events.

Results

In the most recent cohorts, 4755 SSTI cases were reported at Columbia, 2873 at Chicago, and 6433 at Vanderbilt. Of these, 452, 153, and 354 cases were confirmed to be due to S. aureus. Most cases were reported in patients without key comorbidities. Across centers, 16.4%–19.0% (SA-SSTI) and 11.0%–19.2% (NMT-SSTI) of index cases had ≥1 recurrence(s). In patients without key comorbidities, more than 60% of index SSTIs with recurrences had only 1 recurrence, half of which occurred in the first 3 months following primary infection.

Conclusions

SA-SSTI recurrences are common among healthy adults and occur in at least 1 in 6 individuals during the 1 year following the primary event.
Cost-Consequence Analysis of Single-Dose Dalbavancin Versus Standard of Care for the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections in a Multisite Healthcare System
Authors: Gonzalez Julia , Andrade Diana Carolina , Niu JianLi
Published: November 2020

Background

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) are common infectious diseases that cause a significant economic burden on the healthcare system. This study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of dalbavancin vs standard of care (SoC) in the treatment of ABSSSI in a community-based healthcare system.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of adult patients with ABSSSI treated with dalbavancin or SoC during a 27-month period. Patients were matched based on age and body mass index. The primary outcome was average net cost of care to the healthcare system per patient, calculated as the difference between reimbursement payments and the total cost to provide care to the patient. The secondary outcome was proportion of cases successfully treated, defined as no ABSSSI-related readmission within 30 days after the initiation of treatment.

Results

Of the 418 matched patients, 209 received SoC and 209 received dalbavancin. The average total cost of care per patient was greater with dalbavancin vs SoC ($4770 vs $2709, P < .0001). The average reimbursement per patient was $3084 with dalbavancin vs $2633 SoC (P = .527). The net cost, calculated as revenue minus total cost, was $1685 with dalbavancin vs $75 with SoC (P = .013). The overall treatment success rate was 74% with dalbavancin vs 85% with SoC (P = .004).

Conclusions

Dalbavancin was more costly than SoC for the treatment of ABSSSI, with a higher 30-day readmission rate. Dalbavancin does not offer an economic or efficacy advantage.
Myocardial Injury and the Release of Troponins I and T in the Blood of Patients
Authors: Katrukha Ivan A , Katrukha Alexey G
Published: November 2020

Background

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cTnT are the established biomarkers of cardiomyocyte damage and the recommended biomarkers for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI). High-sensitivity immunochemical diagnostic systems are able to measure the cTn concentrations in the blood of a majority of healthy people. At the same time, the concentration of cTn may be increased not only after MI but also because of other pathologies that might affect myocardium. This effect reduces the clinical specificity of cTn for MI and may complicate the diagnosis.

Content

This review summarizes the existing information regarding the causes and mechanisms that lead to the increase of cTn concentration in blood and the forms of cTn that are present in circulation after MI or other types of myocardial injury.

Different etiologies of disease associated with increases of cTn above the 99th percentile and various mechanisms of troponin release from myocardium could result in the appearance of different forms of cTn in blood and provide the first clinical evidence of injury. Additional research is needed for the careful characterization of cTn forms that are present in the blood in different clinical settings. That knowledge may lead to the development of immunochemical systems that would differentiate certain forms of troponins and possibly certain types of cardiac disease.
Networks with degree–degree correlations are special cases of the edge-coloured random graph
Authors: Balogh Sámuel G , Palla Gergely , Kryven Ivan
Published: November 2020

In complex networks, the degrees of adjacent nodes may often appear dependent—which presents a modelling challenge. We present a working framework for studying networks with an arbitrary joint distribution for the degrees of adjacent nodes by showing that such networks are a special case of edge-coloured random graphs. We use this mapping to study bond percolation in networks with assortative mixing and show that, unlike in networks with independent degrees, the sizes of connected components may feature unexpected sensitivity to perturbations in the degree distribution. The results also indicate that degree–degree dependencies may feature a vanishing percolation threshold even when the second moment of the degree distribution is finite. These results may be used to design artificial networks that efficiently withstand link failures and indicate the possibility of super spreading in networks without clearly distinct hubs.
Limited Scope Risk Assessment for Nontarget Ground-Dwelling Arthropods From Systemic Insecticide Applications to Young Pines
Authors: Cassidy V C , McCarty E P , Asaro C
Published: November 2020

The Nantucket pine tip moth (NPTM) [Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock)], a native regeneration pest on young loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.), negatively impacts pine growth. An emerging management approach is to apply systemic insecticides to seedlings to reduce NPTM damage. These systemic insecticide applications generally occur once, perhaps twice, during the first few years of loblolly pine growth. However, these applications could lead to unintended environmental consequences to nontarget organisms. The purpose of this study was to assess potential nontarget effects from four systemic insecticide applications by assessing ground-dwelling arthropod trap catch, with a focus on collembolan trap catch and genera richness. Loblolly seedlings (24 seedlings per plot) at three sites in southeast Georgia were treated with either chlorantraniliprole, dinotefuran, fipronil, or imidacloprid or left untreated as a control. Arthropods were collected with pitfall traps that were deployed for 5 d in July, August, and September 2019, 7–9 mo after treatment. Ground-dwelling arthropod trap catch, arthropod order trap catch, collembolan trap catch, and collembolan genera richness did not vary among insecticide treatments and the untreated control in this mid-term insecticide risk assessment. While no significant effects of insecticide treatment were observed, ground-dwelling arthropod trap catch, collembolan trap catch, and collembolan genera richness differed among collection times. This study was the first of its kind in a young pine stand setting and is an important first step to understanding risk in these settings. Information on nontarget risks of management practices informs growers of the level of environmental risk associated with systemic insecticides.
Socio-Economic Family Background and Adult Children’s Health in Germany: The Role of Intergenerational Transmission of Education
Authors: Arránz Becker Oliver , Loter Katharina
Published: November 2020

This study examines consequences of parental education for adult children’s physical and mental health using panel data from the German Socio-Economic Panel study. Based on random-effects growth curve models (N = 15,144 West German respondents born between 1925 and 1998 aged 18–80), we estimate gender-, age-, and cohort-specific trajectories of physical and mental health components of the SF-12 questionnaire for low and high parental education measured biennially from 2002 to 2018. Findings suggest more persistent effects of parental education on physical than mental health. In particular, both daughters and sons of the lower educated group of parents (with neither parent qualified for university) exhibit markedly poorer physical health over the whole life course and worse mental health in mid-life and later life than those of higher educated parents. Thus, children’s health gradients conditional on parental education tend to widen with increasing age. Once children’s educational attainment is held constant, effects of parental education on children’s health mostly vanish. This suggests that in the strongly stratified West German context with its rather low social mobility, intergenerational transmission of education, which, according to our analyses, has been declining among younger cohorts, contributes to cementing long-term health inequalities across the life course.
Risk of arrhythmias after myocardial infarction in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction according to mode of revascularization: a Cardiac Arrhythmias and RIsk Stratification after Myocardial infArction (CARISMA) substudy
Authors: Thomsen Anna F , Jacobsen Peter Karl , Køber Lars , Joergensen Rikke Moerch , Huikuri Heikki V , Bloch Thomsen Poul Erik , Jacobsen Uffe G , Jøns Christian
Published: November 2020

Aims

The Cardiac Arrhythmias and RIsk Stratification after Myocardial infArction (CARISMA) study was an observational trial including 312 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%. Primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) was introduced 2 years after start of the enrolment, dividing the population into two groups: pre- and post-pPCI. This substudy sought to describe the influence of the mode of revascularization on long-term risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), bradyarrhythmia, and ventricular tachycardia and the subsequent risk of relevant major cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods and results

The study included the 268 patients without a history of AF. All patients received an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) and were followed for 2 years. The choice of revascularization was made by the treating team independently of the trial and retrospectively divided into pPCI, subacute PCI, primary thrombolysis, or no revascularization. Endpoints were new-onset arrhythmia and MACE.

A total of 77 patients received no revascularization, whereas 49 received thrombolysis only and 142 received any PCI. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for developing any arrhythmia and the subsequently risk of MACE were increased in non-revascularized or thrombolysed patients compared with PCI-patients (any arrhythmia, non-revascularization: HR = 1.7, P = 0.01 and thrombolysis: HR = 1.6, P = 0.05; MACE, non-revascularization: HR = 3.1, P = 0.05 and thrombolysis: HR = 3.1, P = 0.08). All HRs were adjusted for significant baseline and clinically considered covariates and stratified for calendar year.

Conclusion

This study is the first to demonstrate that the long-term risk of arrhythmia documented by an ICM and the subsequent risk of MACE were increased in non-revascularized or thrombolysed patients compared with PCI-patients in a post-MI population with LVEF <40%.
Whole-Genome Transcriptome Analyses of Native Symbionts Reveal Host Coral Genomic Novelties for Establishing Coral–Algae Symbioses
Authors: Yoshioka Yuki , Yamashita Hiroshi , Suzuki Go , Zayasu Yuna , Tada Ipputa , Kanda Miyuki , Satoh Noriyuki , Shoguchi Eiichi , Shinzato Chuya
Published: November 2020

Reef-building corals and photosynthetic, endosymbiotic algae of the family Symbiodiniaceae establish mutualistic relationships that are fundamental to coral biology, enabling coral reefs to support a vast diversity of marine species. Although numerous types of Symbiodiniaceae occur in coral reef environments, Acropora corals select specific types in early life stages. In order to study molecular mechanisms of coral–algal symbioses occurring in nature, we performed whole-genome transcriptomic analyses of Acropora tenuis larvae inoculated with Symbiodinium microadriaticum strains isolated from an Acropora recruit. In order to identify genes specifically involved in symbioses with native symbionts in early life stages, we also investigated transcriptomic responses of Acropora larvae exposed to closely related, nonsymbiotic, and occasionally symbiotic Symbiodinium strains. We found that the number of differentially expressed genes was largest when larvae acquired native symbionts. Repertoires of differentially expressed genes indicated that corals reduced amino acid, sugar, and lipid metabolism, such that metabolic enzymes performing these functions were derived primarily from S. microadriaticum rather than from A. tenuis. Upregulated gene expression of transporters for those metabolites occurred only when coral larvae acquired their natural symbionts, suggesting active utilization of native symbionts by host corals. We also discovered that in Acropora, genes for sugar and amino acid transporters, prosaposin-like, and Notch ligand-like, were upregulated only in response to native symbionts, and included tandemly duplicated genes. Gene duplications in coral genomes may have been essential to establish genomic novelties for coral–algae symbiosis.
Long-Term Residential Care Policy Guidance for Staff to Support Resident Quality of Life
Authors: Hande Mary Jean , Keefe Janice , Taylor Deanne
Published: November 2020

Background and Objectives

Amidst a complex policy landscape, long-term residential care (LTRC) staff must navigate directives to provide safe care while also considering resident-preferred quality of life (QoL) supports, which are sometimes at odds with policy expectations. These tensions are often examined using a deficit-based approach to policy analysis, which highlights policy gaps or demonstrates how what is written creates problems in practice.

Research Design and Methods

This study used an asset-based approach by scanning existing LTRC regulations in 4 Canadian jurisdictions for promising staff-related policy guidance for enhancing resident QoL. A modified objective hermeneutics method was used to determine how 63 existing policy documents might be interpreted to support Kane’s 11 QoL domains.

Results

Analysis revealed regulations that covered all 11 resident QoL domains, albeit with an overemphasis on safety, security, and order. Texts that mentioned other QoL domains often outlined passive or vague roles for staff. However, policy texts were found in all 4 jurisdictions that provided clear language to support staff discretion and flexibility to navigate regulatory tensions and enhance resident QoL.

Discussion and Implications

The existing policy landscape includes promising staff-related LTRC regulation in every jurisdiction under investigation. Newer policies tend to reflect more interpretive approaches to staff flexibility and broader QoL concepts. If interpreted through a resident QoL lens and with the right structural supports, these promising texts offer important counters to the rigidity of LTRC policy landscape and can be leveraged to broaden and enhance QoL effectively for residents in LTRC.
Adaptive venom evolution and toxicity in octopods is driven by extensive novel gene formation, expansion, and loss
Authors: Whitelaw Brooke L , Cooke Ira R , Finn Julian , da Fonseca Rute R , Ritschard Elena A , Gilbert M T P , Simakov Oleg , Strugnell Jan M
Published: November 2020

Background

Cephalopods represent a rich system for investigating the genetic basis underlying organismal novelties. This diverse group of specialized predators has evolved many adaptations including proteinaceous venom. Of particular interest is the blue-ringed octopus genus (Hapalochlaena), which are the only octopods known to store large quantities of the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, within their tissues and venom gland.

Findings

To reveal genomic correlates of organismal novelties, we conducted a comparative study of 3 octopod genomes, including the Southern blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa). We present the genome of this species and reveal highly dynamic evolutionary patterns at both non-coding and coding organizational levels. Gene family expansions previously reported in Octopus bimaculoides (e.g., zinc finger and cadherins, both associated with neural functions), as well as formation of novel gene families, dominate the genomic landscape in all octopods. Examination of tissue-specific genes in the posterior salivary gland revealed that expression was dominated by serine proteases in non–tetrodotoxin-bearing octopods, while this family was a minor component in H. maculosa. Moreover, voltage-gated sodium channels in H. maculosa contain a resistance mutation found in pufferfish and garter snakes, which is exclusive to the genus. Analysis of the posterior salivary gland microbiome revealed a diverse array of bacterial species, including genera that can produce tetrodotoxin, suggestive of a possible production source.

Conclusions

We present the first tetrodotoxin-bearing octopod genome H. maculosa, which displays lineage-specific adaptations to tetrodotoxin acquisition. This genome, along with other recently published cephalopod genomes, represents a valuable resource from which future work could advance our understanding of the evolution of genomic novelty in this family.
Stagnant lid convection with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and the thermal evolution of icy worlds
Authors: Deschamps Frédéric
Published: November 2020

Convection is an efficient process to release heat from planetary interiors, but its efficiency depends on the detailed properties of planetary mantles and materials. A property whose impact has not yet been studied extensively is the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity. Because thermal conductivity controls heat fluxes, its variations with temperature may alter heat transfer. Here, I assess qualitatively and quantitatively the influence of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity on stagnant lid convection. Assuming that thermal conductivity varies as the inverse of temperature $(k \propto 1/T)$, which is the case for ice Ih, the main component of outer shells of solar System large icy bodies, I performed numerical simulations of convection in 3-D-Cartesian geometry with top-to-bottom viscosity and conductivity ratios in the ranges 105 ≤ Δη ≤ 108 and 1 ≤ Rk ≤ 10, respectively. These simulations indicate that with increasing Rk, and for given values of the Rayleigh number and Δη, heat flux is reduced by a factor Rk0.82, while the stagnant lid is thickening. These results have implications for the structures and thermal evolutions of large icy bodies, the impact of temperature-dependent conductivity being more important with decreasing surface temperature, Tsurf. The heat fluxes and thermal evolutions obtained with temperature-dependent conductivity are comparable to those obtained with constant conductivity, provided that the conductivity is fixed to its value at the bottom or in the interior of the ice shell, that is, around 2.0–3.0 W m−1 K−1, depending on the body. By contrast, temperature-dependent conductivity leads to thicker stagnant lids, by about a factor 1.6–1.8 at Pluto (Tsurf = 40 K) and a factor 1.2–1.4 at Europa (Tsurf = 100 K), and smaller interior temperatures. Overall, temperature-dependent thermal conductivity therefore provides more accurate descriptions of the thermal evolutions of icy bodies.
Thoraflex hybrid as frozen elephant trunk in chronic, residual type A and chronic type B aortic dissection
Authors: Fiorentino Mariafrancesca , de Beaufort Hector W L , Sonker Uday , Heijmen Robin H
Published: November 2020

OBJECTIVES

The frozen elephant trunk technique is an increasingly common treatment for extensive disease of the thoracic aorta. The objective of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of frozen elephant trunk specifically in chronic (residual) aortic dissections, focusing on downstream aortic remodelling.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2019, a total of 28 patients were treated using the Vascutek Thoraflex hybrid graft at our institution for chronic dissections/post-dissection aneurysms. Immediate and follow-up outcomes were studied, as well as the changes in total aortic diameter, true lumen and false lumen diameter and the status of the false lumen at 3 different levels of the thoraco-abdominal aorta.

RESULTS

No in-hospital or 30-day mortality was observed, temporary paraparesis rate was 7% and disabling stroke incidence was 14.3%. Freedom from all-cause mortality at 2 years was 91.6 ± 5.7%, while freedom from reintervention on the downstream aorta at 2 years was 59.1 ± 10.8%. Positive aortic remodelling was achieved in 50.0%, with an enlargement in the true lumen and a reduction of the false lumen not only at the level of the proximal descending aorta with 73.1% of complete thrombosis but also at the level of the distal descending thoracic aorta, with 41.7% of complete thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The frozen elephant trunk is a good solution in chronic (residual) downstream aortic dissections inducing positive aortic remodelling and preventing from II stage operations or allowing an endovascular approach.
Analytic Twists of GL3 × GL2 Automorphic Forms
Authors: Lin Yongxiao , Sun Qingfeng
Published: November 2020

Let $\pi $ be a Hecke–Maass cusp form for $\textrm{SL}_3(\mathbb{Z})$ with normalized Hecke eigenvalues $\lambda _{\pi }(n,r)$. Let $f$ be a holomorphic or Maass cusp form for $\textrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ with normalized Hecke eigenvalues $\lambda _f(n)$. In this paper, we are concerned with obtaining nontrivial estimates for the sum $$\begin{align*}& \sum_{r,n\geq 1}\lambda_{\pi}(n,r)\lambda_f(n)e\left(t\,\varphi(r^2n/N)\right)V\left(r^2n/N\right), \end{align*}$$where $e(x)=e^{2\pi ix}$, $V(x)\in \mathcal{C}_c^{\infty }(0,\infty )$, $t\geq 1$ is a large parameter and $\varphi (x)$ is some real-valued smooth function. As applications, we give an improved subconvexity bound for $\textrm{GL}_3\times \textrm{GL}_2$  $L$-functions in the $t$-aspect and under the Ramanujan--Petersson conjecture we derive the following bound for sums of $\textrm{GL}_3\times \textrm{GL}_2$ Fourier coefficients $$\begin{align*}& \sum_{r^2n\leq x}\lambda_{\pi}(r,n)\lambda_f(n)\ll_{\pi, f, \varepsilon} x^{5/7-1/364+\varepsilon} \end{align*}$$for any $\varepsilon>0$, which breaks for the 1st time the barrier $O(x^{5/7+\varepsilon })$ in a work by Friedlander–Iwaniec.
Harmful Effects of Granulocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells on Tuberculosis Caused by Hypervirulent Mycobacteria
Authors: Barbosa Bomfim Caio César , Pinheiro Amaral Eduardo , Santiago-Carvalho Igor , Almeida Santos Gislane , Machado Salles Érika , Hastreiter Araceli Aparecida , Silva do Nascimento Rogério , Almeida Fabrício M , Lopes Biá Ventura Simão Thatiana , Linhares Rezende Andreza , Hiroyuki Hirata Mario , Ambrósio Fock Ricardo , Álvarez José Maria , Lasunskaia Elena B , D’Império Lima Maria Regina
Published: November 2020

Background

The role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in patients with severe tuberculosis who suffer from uncontrolled pulmonary inflammation caused by hypervirulent mycobacterial infection remains unclear.

Methods

This issue was addressed using C57BL/6 mice infected with highly virulent Mycobacterium bovis strain MP287/03.

Results

CD11b+GR1int population increased in the bone marrow, blood and lungs during advanced disease. Pulmonary CD11b+GR1int (Ly6GintLy6Cint) cells showed granularity similar to neutrophils and expressed immature myeloid cell markers. These immature neutrophils harbored intracellular bacilli and were preferentially located in the alveoli. T-cell suppression occurred concomitantly with CD11b+GR1int cell accumulation in the lungs. Furthermore, lung and bone marrow GR1+ cells suppressed both T-cell proliferation and interferon γ production in vitro. Anti-GR1 therapy given when MDSCs infiltrated the lungs prevented expansion and fusion of primary pulmonary lesions and the development of intragranulomatous caseous necrosis, along with increased mouse survival and partial recovery of T-cell function. Lung bacterial load was reduced by anti-GR1 treatment, but mycobacteria released from the depleted cells proliferated extracellularly in the alveoli, forming cords and clumps.

Conclusions

Granulocytic MDSCs massively infiltrate the lungs during infection with hypervirulent mycobacteria, promoting bacterial growth and the development of inflammatory and necrotic lesions, and are promising targets for host-directed therapies.
Concurrent Infection With Multiple Human Papillomavirus Types Among Unvaccinated and Vaccinated 17-Year-Old Norwegian Girls
Authors: Laake Ida , Feiring Berit , Jonassen Christine Monceyron , Pettersson John H O , Frengen Torstein Gjølgali , Kirkeleite Ingerid Ørjansen , Trogstad Lill
Published: November 2020

Background

Whether type-specific human papillomavirus (HPV) infection influences the risk of acquiring infections with other HPV types is unclear. We studied concurrent HPV infections in 17-year-old girls from 2 birth cohorts; the first vaccine-eligible cohort in Norway and a prevaccination cohort.

Methods

Urine samples were collected and tested for 37 HPV genotypes. This study was restricted to unvaccinated girls from the prevaccination cohort (n = 5245) and vaccinated girls from the vaccine-eligible cohort (n = 4904). Risk of HPV infection was modelled using mixed-effect logistic regression. Expected frequencies of concurrent infection with each pairwise combination of the vaccine types and high-risk types (6/11/16/18/31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59) were compared to observed frequencies.

Results

Infection with multiple HPV types was more common among unvaccinated girls than vaccinated girls (9.2% vs 3.7%). HPV33 and HPV51 was the only HPV pair that was detected together more often than expected among both unvaccinated (P = .002) and vaccinated girls (P < .001). No HPV pairs were observed significantly less often than expected.

Conclusions

HPV33 and HPV51 tended to be involved in coinfection among both unvaccinated and vaccinated girls. The introduction of HPV vaccination does not seem to have had an effect on the tendency of specific HPV types to cluster together.
Artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening: primary care provider preferences
Authors: Hendrix Nathaniel , Hauber Brett , Lee Christoph I , Bansal Aasthaa , Veenstra David L
Published: November 2020

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being proposed for use in medicine, including breast cancer screening (BCS). Little is known, however, about referring primary care providers’ (PCPs’) preferences for this technology.

Methods

We identified the most important attributes of AI BCS for ordering PCPs using qualitative interviews: sensitivity, specificity, radiologist involvement, understandability of AI decision-making, supporting evidence, and diversity of training data. We invited US-based PCPs to participate in an internet-based experiment designed to force participants to trade off among the attributes of hypothetical AI BCS products. Responses were analyzed with random parameters logit and latent class models to assess how different attributes affect the choice to recommend AI-enhanced screening.

Results

Ninety-one PCPs participated. Sensitivity was most important, and most PCPs viewed radiologist participation in mammography interpretation as important. Other important attributes were specificity, understandability of AI decision-making, and diversity of data. We identified 3 classes of respondents: “Sensitivity First” (41%) found sensitivity to be more than twice as important as other attributes; “Against AI Autonomy” (24%) wanted radiologists to confirm every image; “Uncertain Trade-Offs” (35%) viewed most attributes as having similar importance. A majority (76%) accepted the use of AI in a “triage” role that would allow it to filter out likely negatives without radiologist confirmation.

Conclusions and Relevance

Sensitivity was the most important attribute overall, but other key attributes should be addressed to produce clinically acceptable products. We also found that most PCPs accept the use of AI to make determinations about likely negative mammograms without radiologist confirmation.
The Yin and Yang of tumour-derived extracellular vesicles in tumour immunity
Authors: Yamauchi Takayoshi , Moroishi Toshiro
Published: November 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small particles that are naturally released from various types of cells. EVs contain a wide variety of cellular components, such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and metabolites, which facilitate intercellular communication in diverse biological processes. In the tumour microenvironment, EVs have been shown to play important roles in tumour progression, including immune system–tumour interactions. Although previous studies have convincingly demonstrated the immunosuppressive functions of tumour-derived EVs, some studies have suggested that tumour-derived EVs can also stimulate host immunity, especially in therapeutic conditions. Recent studies have revealed the heterogeneous nature of EVs with different structural and biological characteristics that may account for the divergent functions of EVs in tumour immunity. In this review article, we provide a brief summary of our current understanding of tumour-derived EVs in immune activation and inhibition. We also highlight the emerging utility of EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers and discuss the potential clinical applications of tumour-derived EVs.
LncRNA HEIH promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion by suppressing miR-214-3p in gastric carcinoma
Authors: Jiang Lei , Zhang Luyao , Chen Qian , Qiao Shigang , Zhou Feng , Han Min
Published: November 2020

The present study aimed to investigate the function of long non-coding RNA HEIH in gastric carcinoma (GC). Adjacent normal tissues and GC tissues were obtained from 72 patients. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was utilized to measure the expression of HEIH in cancer tissues and cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell assays were employed to evaluate cell proliferation, migration and invasion. An Annexin V-fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) Apoptosis Detection Kit was used to evaluate the apoptosis ratio. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-214-3p. The expression of HEIH in GC tissues was higher than in adjacent normal tissues. The expression of HEIH was upregulated in MKN-45, NCL-N87, KATO III cell lines compared within normal gastric epithelial cells. Knockdown of lncRNA HEIH significantly decreased the number of migrated and invaded cells. Additionally, downregulation of HEIH could increase GC cell apoptosis compared with the non-specific control (NC) group. We also proved that miR-214-3p was the direct target of lncRNA HEIH, and that overexpression of miR-214-3p could reverse the effects of HEIH. Silencing of HEIH could suppress Gastric Carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion by inhibiting miR-214-3p. Thus, HEIH might represent a novel biomarker and therapeutic target.
Approach and application to transfer heterogeneous simulation data from finite element analysis to neural networks
Authors: Spruegel Tobias C , Bickel Sebastian , Schleich Benjamin , Wartzack Sandro
Published: November 2020

The simulation of product behavior is a vital part of current virtual product development. It can be expected that soon there will be more product simulations due to the availability of easy-to-use finite element analysis software and computational power. Consequently, the amount of accessible new simulation data adds up to the already existing amount. However, even when using easy-to-use finite element software tools, errors can occur during the setup of finite element simulations, and users should be warned about certain mistakes by automatic algorithms. To use the vast amount of available finite element simulations for a data-driven finite element support tool, in this paper, a methodology will be presented to transform different finite element simulations to unified matrices. The procedure is based on the projection of nodes onto a detector sphere, which is converted into a matrix in the next step. The generated matrices represent the simulation and can be described as the DNA of a finite element simulation. They can be used as an input for any machine learning model, such as convolutional neural networks. The essential steps of preprocessing the data and an application with a large dataset are part of this contribution. The trained network can then be used for an automatic plausibility check for new simulations, based on the previous simulation data from the past. This can result in a tool for automatic plausibility checks and can be the backbone for a feedback system for less experienced users.
Immunological Assessment of Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Grazioli Serge , Tavaglione Fedora , Torriani Giulia , Wagner Noemie , Rohr Marie , L’Huillier Arnaud G , Leclercq Charlotte , Perrin Anne , Bordessoule Alice , Beghetti Maurice , Schmid Jana Pachlopnik , Vavassori Stefano , Perreau Matthieu , Eberhardt Christiane , Didierlaurent Arnaud , Kaiser Laurent , Eckerle Isabella , Roux-Lombard Pascale , Blanchard-Rohner Geraldine
Published: November 2020

Background

Recently, cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported worldwide. Negative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing associated with positive serology in most of the cases suggests a postinfectious syndrome. Because the pathophysiology of this syndrome is still poorly understood, extensive virological and immunological investigations are needed.

Methods

We report a series of 4 pediatric patients admitted to Geneva University Hospitals with persistent fever and laboratory evidence of inflammation meeting the published definition of MIS-C related to COVID-19, to whom an extensive virological and immunological workup was performed.

Results

RT-PCRs on multiple anatomical compartments were negative, whereas anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were strongly positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence. Both pseudoneutralization and full virus neutralization assays showed the presence of neutralizing antibodies in all children, confirming a recent infection with SARS-CoV-2. The analyses of cytokine profiles revealed an elevation in all cytokines, as reported in adults with severe COVID-19. Although differing in clinical presentation, some features of MIS-C show phenotypic overlap with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). In contrast to patients with primary HLH, our patients showed normal perforin expression and natural killer (NK) cell degranulation. The levels of soluble interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (sIL-2R) correlated with the severity of disease, reflecting recent T-cell activation.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that MIS-C related to COVID-19 is caused by a postinfectious inflammatory syndrome associated with an elevation in all cytokines, and markers of recent T-cell activation (sIL-2R) occurring despite a strong and specific humoral response to SARS-CoV-2. Further functional and genetic analyses are essential to better understand the mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions.
Oxygen in the air and oxygen dissolved in the floodwater both sustain growth of aquatic adventitious roots in rice
Authors: Lin Chen , Ogorek Lucas León Peralta , Pedersen Ole , Sauter Margret
Published: November 2020

Flooding is an environmental stress that leads to a shortage of O2 that can be detrimental for plants. When flooded, deepwater rice grow floating adventitious roots to replace the dysfunctional soil-borne root system, but the features that ensure O2 supply and hence growth of aquatic roots have not been explored. We investigate the sources of O2 in aquatic adventitious roots and relate aerenchyma and barriers for gas diffusion to local O2 gradients, as measured by microsensor technology, to link O2 distribution in distinct root zones to their anatomical features. The mature root part receives O2 exclusively from the stem. It has aerenchyma that, together with suberin and lignin depositions at the water–root and cortex–stele interfaces, provides a path for longitudinal O2 movement toward the tip. The root tip has no diffusion barriers and receives O2 from the stem and floodwater, resulting in improved aeration of the root tip over mature tissues. Local formation of aerenchyma and diffusion barriers in the mature root channel O2 towards the tip which also obtains O2 from the floodwater. These features explain aeration of floating roots and their ability to grow under water.
Polarization simulations of stellar wind bow shock nebulae – II. The case of dust scattering
Authors: Shrestha Manisha , Neilson Hilding R , Hoffman Jennifer L , Ignace Richard , Fullard Andrew G
Published: November 2020

We study the polarization produced by scattering from dust in a bow shock-shaped region of enhanced density surrounding a stellar source, using the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code SLIP. Bow shocks are structures formed by the interaction of the winds of fast-moving stars with the interstellar medium. Our previous study focused on the polarization produced in these structures by electron scattering; we showed that polarization is highly dependent on inclination angle and that multiple scattering changes the shape and degree of polarization. In contrast to electron scattering, dust scattering is wavelength-dependent, which changes the polarization behaviour. Here, we explore different dust particle sizes and compositions and generate polarized spectral energy distributions for each case. We find that the polarization spectral energy distribution behaviour depends on the dust composition and grain size. Including dust emission leads to polarization changes with temperature at higher optical depth in ways that are sensitive to the orientation of the bow shock. In various scenarios and under certain assumptions, our simulations can constrain the optical depth and dust properties of resolved and unresolved bow shock-shaped scattering regions. Constraints on optical depth can provide estimates of local interstellar medium density for observed bow shocks. We also study the impact of dust grains filling the region between the star and bow shock. We see that as the density of dust between the star and bow shock increases, the resulting polarization is suppressed for all the optical depth regimes.
MAXI J1820+070 with NuSTAR – II. Flaring during the hard to soft state transition with a long soft lag
Authors: Buisson D J K , Fabian A C , Gandhi P , Kara E , Parker M L , Shaw A W , Tomsick J A , Walton D J , Wang J
Published: November 2020

We continue the analysis of NuSTAR data from the recent discovery outburst of MAXI J1820+070 (optical counterpart ASASSN-18ey), focussing on an observation including unusual flaring behaviour during the hard to soft state transition, which is a short phase of outbursts and so comparatively rarely observed. Two plateaus in flux are separated by a variable interval lasting ∼10 ks, which shows dipping then flaring stages. The variability is strongest (with fractional variability up to $F_{\rm Var}\sim 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) at high energies and reduces as the contribution from disc emission becomes stronger. Flux-resolved spectra show that the variability is primarily due to the power-law flux changing. We also find a long soft lag of the thermal behind the power-law emission, which is $20_{-1.2}^{+1.6}$ s during the flaring phase. The lag during the dipping stage has a different lag–energy spectrum, which may be due to a wave passing outwards through the disc. Time-resolved spectral fitting suggests that the lag during the flaring stage may be due to the disc re-filling after being disrupted to produce the power-law flare, perhaps related to the system settling after the jet ejection which occurred around 1 d before. The time-scales of these phenomena imply a low viscosity parameter, α ∼ 10−3, for the inner region of the disc.
Centrally concentrated molecular gas driving galactic-scale ionized gas outflows in star-forming galaxies
Authors: Hogarth L M , Saintonge A , Cortese L , Davis T A , Croom S M , Bland-Hawthorn J , Brough S , Bryant J J , Catinella B , Fletcher T J , Groves B , Lawrence J S , López-Sánchez Á R , Owers M S , Richards S N , Roberts-Borsani G W , Taylor E N , van de Sande J , Scott N
Published: November 2020

We perform a joint analysis of high spatial resolution molecular gas and star-formation rate (SFR) maps in main-sequence star-forming galaxies experiencing galactic-scale outflows of ionized gas. Our aim is to understand the mechanism that determines which galaxies are able to launch these intense winds. We observed CO(1→0) at 1-arcsec resolution with ALMA in 16 edge-on galaxies, which also have 2-arcsec spatial-resolution optical integral field observations from the SAMI Galaxy Survey. Half the galaxies in the sample were previously identified as harbouring intense and large-scale outflows of ionized gas (‘outflow types’) and the rest serve as control galaxies. The data set is complemented by integrated CO(1→0) observations from the IRAM 30-m telescope to probe the total molecular gas reservoirs. We find that the galaxies powering outflows do not possess significantly different global gas fractions or star-formation efficiencies when compared with a control sample. However, the ALMA maps reveal that the molecular gas in the outflow-type galaxies is distributed more centrally than in the control galaxies. For our outflow-type objects, molecular gas and star-formation are largely confined within their inner effective radius (reff), whereas in the control sample, the distribution is more diffuse, extending far beyond reff. We infer that outflows in normal star-forming galaxies may be caused by dynamical mechanisms that drive molecular gas into their central regions, which can result in locally enhanced gas surface density and star-formation.
The impact of pre-main sequence stellar evolution on mid-plane snowline locations and C/O in planet forming discs
Authors: Miley James M , Panić Olja , Booth Richard A , Ilee John D , Ida Shigeru , Kunitomo Masanobu
Published: November 2020

We investigate the impact of pre-main sequence stellar luminosity evolution on the thermal and chemical properties of disc mid-planes. We create template disc models exemplifying initial conditions for giant planet formation for a variety of stellar masses and ages. These models include the 2D physical structure of gas as well as 1D chemical structure in the disc mid-plane. The disc temperature profiles are calculated using fully physically consistent radiative transfer models for stars between 0.5 and 3 M⊙ and ages up to 10 Myr. The resulting temperature profiles are used to determine how the chemical conditions in the mid-plane change over time. We therefore obtain gas and ice-phase abundances of the main carbon and oxygen carrier species. While the temperature profiles produced are not markedly different for the stars of different masses at early stages (≤1 Myr), they start to diverge significantly beyond 2 Myr. Discs around stars with mass ≥1.5 M⊙ become warmer over time as the stellar luminosity increases, whereas low-mass stars decrease in luminosity leading to cooler discs. This has an observable effect on the location of the CO snowline, which is located >200 au in most models for a 3 M⊙ star, but is always within 80 au for 0.5 M⊙ star. The chemical compositions calculated show that a well-defined stellar mass and age range exists in which high C/O gas giants can form. In the case of the exoplanet HR8799b, our models show that it must have formed before the star was 1 Myr old.
Pulsar glitches in a strangeon star model. II. The activity
Authors: Wang W H , Lai X Y , Zhou E P , Lu J G , Zheng X P , Xu R X
Published: November 2020

Glitch is supposed to be a useful probe into pulsar’s interior, but the underlying physics remains puzzling. The glitch activity may reflect a lower limit of the crustal moment of inertia in conventional neutron star models. Nevertheless, its statistical feature could also be reproduced in the strangeon star model, which is focused here. We formulate the glitch activity of normal radio pulsars under the framework of starquake of solid strangeon star model, the shear modulus of strangeon matter is constrained to be $\mu \simeq 3\times 10^{34}~\rm erg\,cm^{-3}$, consistent with previous work. Nevertheless, about ten times the shift in oblateness accumulated during glitch interval is needed to fulfill the statistical observations. The fact that typical glitch sizes of two rapidly evolving pulsars (the Crab pulsar and PSR B0540-69) are about two orders of magnitude lower than that of the Vela pulsar, significantly lower than the oblateness change they can supply, indicates probably that only a part of oblateness change is relieved when a pulsar is young. The unreleased oblateness and stress may relax as compensation in the following evolution. The small glitch sizes and low glitch activity of the Crab pulsar can be explained simultaneously in this phenomenological model. Finally, we obtain energy release to be $\Delta E\sim 2.4\times 10^{40}~\rm erg$ and $\Delta E\sim 4.2\times 10^{41}~\rm erg$ for typical glitch size of Δν/ν ∼ 10−6 (Vela-like) and ∼10−8 (Crab-like). The upcoming SKA may test this model through the energy release and the power-law relation between the reduced recovery coefficient $Q/|\dot{\nu }|^{1/2}$ and Δν/ν.