bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rare genetic variation at transcription factor binding sites modulates local DNA methylation profiles
Authors: Martin-Trujillo Alejandro , Patel Nihir , Richter Felix , Jadhav Bharati , Garg Paras , Morton Sarah U. , McKean David M. , DePalma Steven R. , Goldmuntz Elizabeth , Gruber Dorota , Kim Richard , Newburger Jane W. , Porter George A. , Giardini Alessandro , Bernstein Daniel , Tristani-Firouzi Martin , Seidman Jonathan G. , Seidman Christine E. , Chung Wendy K. , Gelb Bruce D. , Sharp Andrew J.
Published: November 2020

Although DNA methylation is the best characterized epigenetic mark, the mechanism by which it is targeted to specific regions in the genome remains unclear. Recent studies have revealed that local DNA methylation profiles might be dictated by cis-regulatory DNA sequences that mainly operate via DNA-binding factors. Consistent with this finding, we have recently shown that disruption of CTCF-binding sites by rare single nucleotide variants (SNVs) can underlie cis-linked DNA methylation changes in patients with congenital anomalies. These data raise the hypothesis that rare genetic variation at transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) might contribute to local DNA methylation patterning.

In this work, by combining blood genome-wide DNA methylation profiles, whole genome sequencing-derived SNVs from 247 unrelated individuals along with 133 predicted TFBS motifs derived from ENCODE ChIP-Seq data, we observed an association between the disruption of binding sites for multiple TFs by rare SNVs and extreme DNA methylation values at both local and, to a lesser extent, distant CpGs. While the majority of these changes affected only single CpGs, 24% were associated with multiple outlier CpGs within ±1kb of the disrupted TFBS. Interestingly, disruption of functionally constrained sites within TF motifs lead to larger DNA methylation changes at nearby CpG sites. Altogether, these findings suggest that rare SNVs at TFBS negatively influence TF-DNA binding, which can lead to an altered local DNA methylation profile. Furthermore, subsequent integration of DNA methylation and RNA-Seq profiles from cardiac tissues enabled us to observe an association between rare SNV-directed DNA methylation and outlier expression of nearby genes.

In conclusion, our findings not only provide insights into the effect of rare genetic variation at TFBS on shaping local DNA methylation and its consequences on genome regulation, but also provide a rationale to incorporate DNA methylation data to interpret the functional role of rare variants.
The impact of voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling on packaged food reformulation: A difference-in-differences analysis of the Australasian Health Star Rating scheme
Authors: Bablani Laxman , Ni Mhurchu Cliona , Neal Bruce , Skeels Christopher L. , Staub Kevin E. , Blakely Tony
Published: November 2020

Background

Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FoPL) of packaged foods can promote healthier diets. Australia and New Zealand (NZ) adopted the voluntary Health Star Rating (HSR) scheme in 2014. We studied the impact of voluntary adoption of HSR on food reformulation relative to unlabelled foods and examined differential impacts for more-versus-less healthy foods.

Methods and findings

Annual nutrition information panel data were collected for nonseasonal packaged foods sold in major supermarkets in Auckland from 2013 to 2019 and in Sydney from 2014 to 2018. The analysis sample covered 58,905 unique products over 14 major food groups. We used a difference-in-differences design to estimate reformulation associated with HSR adoption.

Healthier products adopted HSR more than unhealthy products: >35% of products that achieved 4 or more stars displayed the label compared to <15% of products that achieved 2 stars or less. Products that adopted HSR were 6.5% and 10.7% more likely to increase their rating by ≥0.5 stars in Australia and NZ, respectively. Labelled products showed a −4.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): −6.4% to −1.7%, p = 0.001] relative decline in sodium content in NZ, and there was a −1.4% [95% CI: −2.7% to −0.0%, p = 0.045] sodium change in Australia. HSR adoption was associated with a −2.3% [−3.7% to −0.9%, p = 0.001] change in sugar content in NZ and a statistically insignificant −1.1% [−2.3% to 0.1%, p = 0.061] difference in Australia. Initially unhealthy products showed larger reformulation effects when adopting HSR than healthier products. No evidence of a change in protein or saturated fat content was observed.

A limitation of our study is that results are not sales weighted. Thus, it is not able to assess changes in overall nutrient consumption that occur because of HSR-caused reformulation. Also, participation into labelling and reformulation is jointly determined by producers in this observational study, impacting its generalisability to settings with mandatory labelling.

Conclusions

In this study, we observed that reformulation changes following voluntary HSR labelling are small, but greater for initially unhealthy products. Initially unhealthy foods were, however, less likely to adopt HSR. Our results, therefore, suggest that mandatory labelling has the greatest potential for improving the healthiness of packaged foods.
Immortalized stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells: An alternative model for studying dengue pathogenesis and therapy
Authors: Kongmanas Kessiri , Punyadee Nuntaya , Wasuworawong Kasima , Songjaeng Adisak , Prommool Tanapan , Pewkliang Yongyut , Manocheewa Siriphan , Thiemmeca Somchai , Sa-ngiamsuntorn Khanit , Puttikhunt Chunya , Faull Kym Francis , Hongeng Suradej , Avirutnan Panisadee
Published: November 2020

Suitable cell models are essential to advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of liver diseases and the development of therapeutic strategies. Primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), the most ideal hepatic model, are commercially available, but they are expensive and vary from lot-to-lot which confounds their utility. We have recently developed an immortalized hepatocyte-like cell line (imHC) from human mesenchymal stem cells, and tested it for use as a substitute model for hepatotropic infectious diseases. With a special interest in liver pathogenesis of viral infection, herein we determined the suitability of imHC as a host cell target for dengue virus (DENV) and as a model for anti-viral drug testing. We characterized the kinetics of DENV production, cellular responses to DENV infection (apoptosis, cytokine production and lipid droplet metabolism), and examined anti-viral drug effects in imHC cells with comparisons to the commonly used hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and Huh-7) and PHHs. Our results showed that imHC cells had higher efficiencies in DENV replication and NS1 secretion as compared to HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. The kinetics of DENV infection in imHC cells showed a slower rate of apoptosis than the hepatoma cell lines and a certain similarity of cytokine profiles to PHHs. In imHC, DENV-induced alterations in levels of lipid droplets and triacylglycerols, a major component of lipid droplets, were more apparent than in hepatoma cell lines, suggesting active lipid metabolism in imHC. Significantly, responses to drugs with DENV inhibitory effects were greater in imHC cells than in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. In conclusion, our findings suggest superior suitability of imHC as a new hepatocyte model for studying mechanisms underlying viral pathogenesis, liver diseases and drug effects.
Prediction of Burkholderia pseudomallei DsbA substrates identifies potential virulence factors and vaccine targets
Authors: Vezina Ben , Petit Guillaume A. , Martin Jennifer L. , Halili Maria A.
Published: November 2020

Identification of bacterial virulence factors is critical for understanding disease pathogenesis, drug discovery and vaccine development. In this study we used two approaches to predict virulence factors ofBurkholderia pseudomallei, the Gram-negative bacterium that causes melioidosis.B.pseudomalleiis naturally antibiotic resistant and there are no clinically available melioidosis vaccines. To identifyB.pseudomalleiprotein targets for drug discovery and vaccine development, we chose to search for substrates of theB.pseudomalleiperiplasmic disulfide bond forming protein A (DsbA). DsbA introduces disulfide bonds into extra-cytoplasmic proteins and is essential for virulence in many Gram-negative organism, includingB.pseudomallei. The first approach to identifyB.pseudomalleiDsbA virulence factor substrates was a large-scale genomic analysis of 511 uniqueB.pseudomalleidisease-associated strains. This yielded 4,496 core gene products, of which we hypothesise 263 are DsbA substrates. Manual curation and database screening of the 263 mature proteins yielded 81 associated with disease pathogenesis or virulence. These were screened for structural homologues to predict potential B-cell epitopes. In the second approach, we searched theB.pseudomalleigenome for homologues of the more than 90 known DsbA substrates in other bacteria. Using this approach, we identified 15 putativeB.pseudomalleiDsbA virulence factor substrates, with two of these previously identified in the genomic approach, bringing the total number of putative DsbA virulence factor substrates to 94. The two putativeB.pseudomalleivirulence factors identified by both methods are homologues of PenI family β-lactamase and a molecular chaperone. These two proteins could serve as high priority targets for futureB.pseudomalleivirulence factor characterization.
Myopia progression varies with age and severity of myopia
Authors: Verkicharla Pavan Kumar , Kammari Priyanka , Das Anthony Vipin
Published: November 2020

Objective

To investigate annual myopia progression in individuals from South Indian states across different age groups, and its association with age of onset and severity of myopia.

Methods

This retrospective study included the data of 6984 myopes (range: 1–30 years), who visited at least twice to LV Prasad Eye Institute and on whom a standard retinoscopy technique was performed to determine refractive error. Based on spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error, individuals were classified into mild, moderate, high and severe myopic groups. Myopia progression was calculated as difference between SE at 1-year follow-up visit and at baseline. To determine the age-specific myopia progression, individuals were further categorized as myopes who are at least 15 years or younger and those who are above 15.

Results

The mean annual progression of myopia was influenced by both the age group (p < 0.001) and severity type of myopia (p < 0.001). The overall mean myopia progression ranged from -0.07 ± 0.02 D (standard error) to -0.51 ± 0.02 D across different age groups with maximum change in refractive error noted in children aged 6–10 years and the least in adults aged 26–30 years. Myopia progression was greater in severe myopes, followed by high, moderate, mild myopes and in individuals aged ≤ 15 years compared to those aged >15 years (-0.45 ± 0.01 vs. 0.14 ± 0.01, p < 0.001). Severe myopes alone had similar annual myopia progression rate irrespective of age (i.e ≤15 and >15 years, p = 0.71). Early onset of myopia was associated with high myopia in adulthood.

Conclusion

The magnitude of myopia progression in children from South Indian states is comparable to that of Caucasians and Chinese. The greater progression in ‘severe myopes’ across different age groups emphasize the need for regular follow-ups, monitoring axial lengths, and anti-myopia strategies to control myopia progression irrespective of the age and degree of myopia.
Epidemiologic and clinical investigations during a chikungunya outbreak in Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil
Authors: Monteiro Joelma D. , Valverde Joanna Gardel , Morais Ingryd Camara , Souza Cassio Ricardo de Medeiros , Fagundes Neto João Ciro , Melo Marília Farias de , Nascimento Yasmin Mesquita , Alves Brenda Elen Bizerra , Medeiros Leandro Gurgel de , Pereira Hannaly W. Bezerra , Paiva Anne Aline Pereira de , Teixeira Diego G. , Moura Márcia Cristina Bernardo de Melo , Tavares Alessandre de Medeiros , Fernandes José Veríssimo , Jeronimo Selma M. B. , Araújo Josélio M. G.
Published: November 2020

The first autochthonous case of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in Brazil was in September 2014 in the State of Amapá, and from there it rapidly spread across the country. The present study was conducted in 2016 in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and the aims were to describe the epidemiological and the clinical aspects of the CHIKV outbreak. Biological samples from 284 chikungunya suspected cases were screened for CHIKV and Flavivirus (FV) RNA using qRT-PCR. Negative PCR samples were also screened for anti-CHIKV and anti-FVIgM by ELISA. CHIKV RNA were detected in 125 samples mostly occurring from January through March (46%), mainly affecting adults and older adults. We found a gradual decrease in viral RNA over the disease time. Anti-CHIKV IgM was found in 47.5% after negative CHIKV qRT-PCR. Interestingly, 45.0% simultaneously had positive results for CHIKV and FV IgM, suggesting the occurrence of virus co-circulation. The most frequent symptom was fever (91%). Women presented more chance to develop nausea and abdominal pain compared to men. Our data described and allows us to better understand the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the 2016 chikungunya outbreak in Rio Grande do Norte and can help in the early clinical diagnosis of the virus.
Ultrasound-guided internal branch of superior laryngeal nerve block on postoperative sore throat: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhipeng Li , Meiyi He , Meirong Wang , Qunmeng Jiang , Zhenhua Jia , Yuezhen He , Jinfang Zhang , Chuiliang Liu
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Ultrasound-guided internal branch of the upper laryngeal nerve block (USG-guided iSLN block) have been used to decrease the perioperative stress response of intubation. It is more likely to be successful than blindly administered superior laryngeal nerve blocks with fewer complications. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of USG-guided iSLN block to treat postoperative sore throat (postoperative sore throat, POST) after extubation.

Methods

100 patients, aged from 18 to 60 years old, ASA I~II who underwent general anesthesia and suffered from the moderate to severe postoperative sore throat after extubation were randomized into two groups(50 cases per group). Patients in group S received USG-guided iSLN block bilaterally (60mg of 2% lidocaine, 1.5ml each side), whereas those in group I received inhalation with 100 mg of 2% lidocaine and 1mg of budesonide suspension diluted with normal saline (oxygen flow 8 L /min, inhalation for 15 minutes). The primary outcome were VAS scores in both groups before treatment (T0), 10 min (T1), 30 min(T2), 1h(T3), 2 h(T4), 4h(T5), 8h(T6), 24h(T7), and 48h(T8) after treatment. The secondary outcome were satisfaction scores after treatment, MAP, HR, and SPO2 fromT0 to T8. The adverse reactions such as postoperative chocking or aspiration, cough, hoarseness, dyspnea were also observed in both groups.

Results

Patients in group S had significantly lower VAS score than that in group I at points of T1 ~ T6 (P < 0.01). HR of group S was lower than that of group I at points of T1 ~ T2and T4 (P < 0.05), and MAP was lower than that of group I at points of T1 ~ T3 (P < 0.05). Satisfaction scores of group S were higher than that of group I (P <0.05), In group S, 2 case (4%) needed to intravenous Flurbiprofen Injection 50 mg to relieve pain; in group I, 13 cases (26%) received Flurbiprofen Injection. 2 case of group S appeared throat numbness after treatment for 3 hours; 2 patients have difficult in expectoration after treatment recovered after 3hour. No serious adverse events were observed in both groups.

Conclusion

Compared with inhalation, USG-guided iSLN block may effectively relieve the postoperative sore throat after extubation under general anesthesia and provided an ideal treatment for POST in clinical work.
Motivations and fears driving participation in collaborative research infrastructure for animal tracking
Authors: Crewe Tara L. , Kendal Dave , Campbell Hamish A.
Published: November 2020

Anthropogenic derived environmental change is challenging earth’s biodiversity. To implement effective management, it is imperative to understand how organisms are responding over broad spatiotemporal scales. Collection of these data is generally beyond the budget of individual researchers and the integration and sharing of ecological data and associated infrastructure is becoming more common. However, user groups differ in their expectations, standards of performance, and desired outputs from research investment, and accommodating the motivations and fears of potential users from the outset may lead to higher levels of participation. Here we report upon a study of the Australian ornithology community, which was instigated to better understand perceptions around participation in nationally coordinated research infrastructure for detecting and tracking the movement of birds. The community was surveyed through a questionnaire and individuals were asked to score their motivations and fears around participation. Principal Components Analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of the data and identify groups of questions where respondents behaved similarly. Linear regressions and model selection were then applied to the principal components to determine how career stage, employment role, and years of biotelemetry experience affected the respondent’s motivations and fears for participation. The analysis showed that across all sectors (academic, government, NGO) there was strong motivation to participate and belief that national shared biotelemetry infrastructure would facilitate bird management and conservation. However, results did show that a cross-sector cohort of the Australian ornithology community were keen and ready to progress collaborative infrastructure for tracking birds, and measures including data-sharing agreements could increase participation. It also informed that securing initial funding would be a significant challenge, and a better option to proceed may be for independent groups to coordinate through existing database infrastructure to form the foundation from which a national network could grow.
Crowdfunding for complementary and alternative medicine: What are cancer patients seeking?
Authors: Snyder Jeremy , Zenone Marco , Caulfield Timothy
Published: November 2020

Background

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly being integrated into conventional medical care for cancer, used to counter the side effects of conventional cancer treatment, and offered as an alternative to conventional cancer care. Our aim is to gain a broader understanding of trends in CAM interventions for cancer and crowdfunding campaigns for these interventions.

Methods

GoFundMe campaigns fundraising for CAM were retrieved through a database of crowdfunding campaign data. Search terms were drawn from two National Institutes of Health lists of CAM cancer interventions and a previous study. Campaigns were excluded that did not match these or related search terms or were initiated outside of June 4th, 2018 to June 4th, 2019.

Results

1,396 campaigns were identified from the US (n = 1,037, 73.9%), Canada (n = 165, 11.8%), and the UK (n = 107, 7.7%). Most common cancer types were breast (n = 344, 24.6%), colorectal (n = 131, 9.4%), and brain (n = 98, 7.0%). CAM interventions sought included supplements (n = 422, 30.2%), better nutrition (n = 293, 21.0%), high dose vitamin C (n = 276, 19.8%), naturopathy (n = 226, 16.2%), and cannabis products (n = 211, 15.1%). Mexico (n = 198, 41.9%), and the US (n = 169, 35.7%) were the most common treatment destinations.

Conclusions

These findings confirm active and ongoing interest in using crowdfunding platforms to finance CAM cancer interventions. They confirm previous findings that CAM users with cancer tend to have late stage cancers, cancers with high mortality rates, and specific diseases such as breast cancer. These findings can inform targeted responses where facilities engage in misleading marketing practices and the efficacy of interventions is unproven.
Health outcomes and experiences of direct-to-consumer high-intensity screening using both whole-body magnetic resonance imaging and cardiological examination
Authors: Hommes Daniel , Klatte Derk , Otten Wilma , Beltman Maaike , Klass Günter , Zand Aria , Sprangers René
Published: November 2020

Background

Alongside a clinical and research setting, whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is increasingly offered as a direct-to-consumer screening service. Data is needed on the clinical relevance of findings and associated psychological impact of such screening. Therefore, we conducted a prospective follow-up study to provide insight in the effectiveness and psychological impact of direct-to-consumer screening using both WB-MRI and cardiological examination.

Methods and findings

The study population consisted of 3603 voluntary, primarily middle-aged participants who underwent commercial WB-MRI and cardiological screening at one of 6 study clinics in Germany or the Netherlands between July 2014 and March 2016. MRI investigation consisted of directed scans of the brain, neck, abdomen and pelvis. Cardiovascular examination included pulmonary function, resting electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiogram and a bicycle exercise stress test. Findings were assessed by experienced radiologists and cardiologists. In addition, participants were inquired about several (psychological) domains, including the expectations and consequences of the screening procedure. Out of 3603 individuals, 402 (11.2%) demonstrated abnormal MRI (n = 381) and/or cardiological findings (n = 79) for which they were advised to undergo further consultation <3 months in regular healthcare. In 59.1% of cases of abnormal MRI findings which were consulted, fully completed consultations were available in 87.1%. After consultation, 77.6% of initial MRI outcomes were adopted. In 40.9% of cases of abnormal MRI findings, recommendations for consultation were not adhered to during the study period. 71.1% of adopted MRI-findings required treatment or monitoring, including 19 malignancies. For abnormal cardiological findings, 70.9% of cases were consulted in regular healthcare. Of these, 91.1% had a completed follow-up procedure of which 72.5% of initial findings were adopted and 83.8% of these findings required treatment or monitoring. The most frequently reported psychological consequences of the screening procedure were getting reassurance (72.0%) and insight into one’s own health status (83.0%). 5.0% reported to feel insecure about their health and 6.2% worried more about their health as a consequence of screening. Main limitations of the study were considered the telephonic follow-up of referred clients and the heterogeneity of screening equipment and assessment of radiologists and cardiologists.

Conclusions

Direct-to-consumer screening using whole-body MRI and cardiological testing is feasible and effective for the detection of clinically relevant and treatable abnormalities. Psychological harm was not frequently reported in study participants.
Implicit associations of teleology and essentialism concepts with genetics concepts among secondary school students
Authors: Stern Florian , Delaval Marine , Kampourakis Kostas , Müller Andreas
Published: November 2020

In this article, we present the development and validation of an implicit association test for measuring secondary school students’ associations between genetics concepts and teleology concepts on the one hand, and between genetics concepts and essentialism concepts on the other hand. In total, 169 students from 16 school classes took part in the study, from January 2018 to May 2018. We investigated the strength of the aforementioned associations and the influence of various covariates such as gender, age, school class, or previous learning of biology on the association of teleology or essentialism concepts with genetics concepts through an analysis of covariance and a multi-level analysis. We found moderate associations between genetics and teleology concepts, as well as between genetics and essentialism concepts. These results might reflect a tendency of students of different ages and with various backgrounds to think about genes in terms of goals (teleology) and stability (essentialism), which should be investigated further in future research.
Mechanistic modeling and numerical simulation of axial flow catalytic reactor for naphtha reforming unit
Authors: Pishnamazi Mahboubeh , Taghvaie Nakhjiri Ali , Rezakazemi Mashallah , Marjani Azam , Shirazian Saeed
Published: November 2020

Naphtha catalytic reforming (NCR) process has been of tremendous attention all over the world owing to the significant requirement for high-quality gasoline. Industrialized naphtha reforming unit at oil refineries applies a series of fixed bed reactors (FBRs) to improve the quality of the low-octane hydrocarbons and convert them to more valuable products. The prominent purpose of this research is to understand the catalytic reactor of naphtha reforming unit. For this aim, an appropriate mechanistic modeling and its related CFD-based computational simulation is presented to predict the behavior of the system when the reactors are of the axial flow type. Also, the triangular meshing technique (TMT) is performed in this paper due to its brilliant ability to analyze the results of model’s predictions along with improving the computational accuracy. Additionally, mesh independence analysis is done to find the optimum number of meshes needed for reaching the results convergence. Moreover, suitable kinetic and thermodynamic equations are derived based on Smith model to describe the NCR process. The results proved that the proceeding of NCR process inside the reactor significantly increased the concentration amount of aromatic materials, lighter ends and hydrogen, while deteriorated the concentration amount of naphthene and paraffin. Moreover, the pressure drop along the reactor length was achieved very low, which can be considered as one of the momentous advantages of NCR process.
C-Reactive protein as a prognostic indicator in hospitalized patients with COVID-19
Authors: Sharifpour Milad , Rangaraju Srikant , Liu Michael , Alabyad Darwish , Nahab Fadi B. , Creel-Bulos Christina M. , Jabaley Craig S. ,   on behalf of the Emory COVID-19 Quality & Clinical Research Collaborative
Published: November 2020

Recent studies have reported that CRP levels are elevated in patients with COVID-19 and may correlate with severity of disease and disease progression. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of the medical records of 268 adult patients, who were admitted to one of the six cohorted COVID ICUs across Emory Healthcare System and had at least two CRP values within the first seven days of admission to study the temporal progression of CRP and its association with all-cause in-hospital mortality. The median CRP during hospitalization for the entire cohort was 130 mg/L (IQR 82–191 mg/L), and the median CRP on ICU admission was 169 (IQR 111–234). The hospitalization-wide median CRP was significantly higher amongst the patients who died, compared to those who survived [206 mg/L (157–288 mg/L) vs 114 mg/L (72–160 mg/L), p<0.001]. CRP levels increased in a linear fashion during the first week of hospitalization and peaked on day 5. Compared to patients who died, those who survived had lower peak CRP levels and earlier declines. CRP levels were significantly higher in patients who died compared to those who survived (p<0.001). Our findings support the utility of daily CRP values in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and provide early thresholds during hospitalization that may facilitate risk stratification and prognostication.
Mathematical modelling and control of African animal trypanosomosis with interacting populations in West Africa—Could biting flies be important in main taining the disease endemicity?
Authors: Odeniran Paul Olalekan , Onifade Akindele Akano , MacLeod Ewan Thomas , Ademola Isaiah Oluwafemi , Alderton Simon , Welburn Susan Christina
Published: November 2020

African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is transmitted cyclically by tsetse flies and mechanically by biting flies (tabanids and stomoxyines) in West Africa. AAT caused byTrypanosoma congolense,T. vivaxandT. brucei bruceiis a major threat to the cattle industry. A mathematical model involving three vertebrate hosts (cattle, small ruminants and wildlife) and three vector flies (Tsetse flies, tabanids and stomoxyines) was described to identify elimination strategies. The basic reproduction number (R0) was obtained with respect to the growth rate of infected wildlife (reservoir hosts) present around the susceptible population using a next generation matrix technique. With the aid of suitable Lyapunov functions, stability analyses of disease-free and endemic equilibria were established. Simulation of the predictive model was presented by solving the system of ordinary differential equations to explore the behaviour of the model. An operational area in southwest Nigeria was simulated using generated pertinent data. TheR0< 1 in the formulated model indicates the elimination of AAT. The comprehensive use of insecticide treated targets and insecticide treated cattle (ITT/ITC) affected the feeding tsetse and other biting flies resulting inR0< 1. The insecticide type, application timing and method, expertise and environmental conditions could affect the model stability. In areas with abundant biting flies and no tsetse flies,T. vivaxshowedR0> 1 when infected wildlife hosts were present. High tsetse populations revealedR0<1 forT. vivaxwhen ITT and ITC were administered, either individually or together. Elimination of the transmitting vectors of AAT could cost a total of US$ 1,056,990 in southwest Nigeria. Hence, AAT in West Africa can only be controlled by strategically applying insecticides targeting all transmitting vectors, appropriate use of trypanocides, and institutionalising an appropriate barrier between the domestic and sylvatic areas.
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy human derived cells retain their ability to increase mitochondrial function
Authors: Basualto-Alarcón Carla , Urra Félix A. , Bozán María Francisca , Jaña Fabián , Trangulao Alejandra , Bevilacqua Jorge A. , Cárdenas J. César
Published: November 2020

Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIMs) have been studied within the framework of autoimmune diseases where skeletal muscle appears to have a passive role in the illness. However, persiting weakness even after resolving inflammation raises questions about the role that skeletal muscle plays by itself in these diseases. "Non-immune mediated" hypotheses have arisen to consider inner skeletal muscle cell processes as trigger factors in the clinical manifestations of IIMs. Alterations in oxidative phosphorylation, ATP production, calcium handling, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, among others, have been proposed as alternative cellular pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study, we used skeletal muscle-derived cells, from healthy controls and IIM patients to determine mitochondrial function and mitochondrial ability to adapt to a metabolic stress when deprived of glucose. We hypothesized that mitochondria would be dysfunctional in IIM samples, which was partially true in normal glucose rich growing medium as determined by oxygen consumption rate. However, in the glucose-free and galactose supplemented condition, a medium that forced mitochondria to function, IIM cells increased their respiration, reaching values matching normal derived cells. Unexpectedly, cell death significantly increased in IIM cells under this condition. Our findings show that mitochondria in IIM is functional and the decrease respiration observed is part of an adaptative response to improve survival. The increased metabolic function obtained after forcing IIM cells to rely on mitochondrial synthesized ATP is detrimental to the cell’s viability. Thus, therapeutic interventions that activate mitochondria, could be detrimental in IIM cell physiology, and must be avoided in patients with IIM.
Exploring options for reprocessing of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (N95-FFRs) amidst COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review
Authors: Paul Diptanu , Gupta Ayush , Maurya Anand Kumar
Published: November 2020

Background

There is global shortage of Personal Protective Equipment due to COVID-19 pandemic. N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (N95-FFRs) provide respiratory protection against respiratory pathogens including SARS-CoV-2. There is scant literature on reprocessing methods which can enable reuse of N95-FFRs.

Aim

We conducted this study to evaluate research done, prior to COVID-19 pandemic, on various decontamination methods for reprocessing of N95-FFRs.

Methods

We searched 5 electronic databases (Pubmed, Google Scholar, Crossref, Ovid, ScienceDirect) and 1 Grey literature database (OpenGrey). We included original studies, published prior to year 2020, which had evaluated any decontamination method on FFRs. Studies had evaluated a reprocessing method against parameters namely physical changes, user acceptability, respirator fit, filter efficiency, microbicidal efficacy and presence of chemical residues post-reprocessing.

Findings and conclusions

Overall, we found 7887 records amongst which 17 original research articles were finally included for qualitative analysis. Overall, 21 different types of decontamination or reprocessing methods for N95-FFRs were evaluated. Most commonly evaluated method for reprocessing of FFRs was Ultraviolet (Type-C) irradiation (UVGI) which was evaluated in 13/17 (76%) studies. We found published literature was scant on this topic despite warning signs of pandemic of a respiratory illness over the years. Promising technologies requiring expeditious evaluation are UVGI, Microwave generated steam (MGS) and based on Hydrogen peroxide vapor. Global presence of technologies, which have been given Emergency use authorisation for N95-FFR reprocessing, is extremely limited. Reprocessing of N95-FFRs by MGS should be considered for emergency implementation in resource limited settings to tackle shortage of N95-FFRs.

Systematic review identifier

PROSPERO, PROSPERO ID: CRD42020189684, (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020189684).
Are papers addressing certain diseases perceived where these diseases are prevalent? The proposal to use Twitter data as social-spatial sensors
Authors: Bornmann Lutz , Haunschild Robin , Patel Vanash M.
Published: November 2020

We propose to use Twitter data as social-spatial sensors. This study deals with the question whether research papers on certain diseases are perceived by people in regions (worldwide) that are especially concerned by these diseases. Since (some) Twitter data contain location information, it is possible to spatially map the activity of Twitter users referring to certain papers (e.g., dealing with tuberculosis). The resulting maps reveal whether heavy activity on Twitter is correlated with large numbers of people having certain diseases. In this study, we focus on tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and malaria, since the World Health Organization ranks these diseases as the top three causes of death worldwide by a single infectious agent. The results of the social-spatial Twitter maps (and additionally performed regression models) reveal the usefulness of the proposed sensor approach. One receives an impression of how research papers on the diseases have been perceived by people in regions that are especially concerned by these diseases. Our study demonstrates a promising approach for using Twitter data for research evaluation purposes beyond simple counting of tweets.
Sugar consumption in schoolchildren from southern Spain and influence on the prevalence of obesity
Authors: Heras-Gonzalez Leticia , Latorre José Antonio , Martinez-Bebia Manuel , Gimenez-Blasi Nuria , Olea-Serrano Fátima , Mariscal-Arcas Miguel
Published: November 2020

Aim

The main cause of childhood overweight/obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. The objective was to determine whether the intake by Spanish schoolchildren of sugars from habitually consumed foods and drinks can be related to overweight/obesity.

Methods

Subjects The study included 657 schoolchildren between 7–10 years from educational centers in Southern Spain. These children live under the influence of the Mediterranean diet. Design Participants completed an encoded questionnaire with three sections: a) data on sex, age, educational center, school year, and life/family habits, among others; b) semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire related to the previous 12 months; and c) information on anthropometrics and physical activities.

Results

Obesity was observed in 10.9% of the children. The daily activity questionnaire showed a mean energy expenditure of 8.73 (1.33) MJ/day. The study considered foods that supply carbohydrates in any form (total carbohydrates, starch, total sugars, added sugars, and free sugars). The likelihood of overweight/obesity was significantly greater with a higher intake/day of total sugars, starch, added sugars, and free sugars. The likelihood of normal weight was significantly greater with lower energy expenditure in sedentary activities (OR = 3.03), higher energy expenditure in sports activities (OR = 1.72), and higher total activity/day measured as METs (OR = 8.31).

Conclusions

In this population, overweight/obesity was influenced by the physical activity of the children and by their intake of energy, total sugars, starch, added sugars, and free sugars. Further studies are warranted to verify this observation and explore the implications for public health policies.
Frequency domain shows: Fall-related concerns and sensorimotor decline explain inability to adjust postural control strategy in older adults
Authors: Pauelsen Mascha , Jafari Hedyeh , Strandkvist Viktor , Nyberg Lars , Gustafsson Thomas , Vikman Irene , Röijezon Ulrik
Published: November 2020

Human postural control is a complex system and changes as we age. Frequency based analyses have been argued to be useful to identify altered postural control strategies in balance tasks. The aim of this study was to explore the frequency domain of the quiet stance centre of pressure of older adults with various degrees of fall-related concerns and sensorimotor functioning. We included 45 community dwelling older adults and used a force plate to register 30 seconds of quiet stance with eyes open and closed respectively. We also measured sensory and motor functions, as well as fall-related concerns and morale. We analysed the centre of pressure power spectrum density and extracted the frequency of 4 of its features for each participant. Orthogonal projection of latent structures–discriminant analysis revealed two groups for each quiet stance trial. Group 1 of each trial showed less sensory and motor decline, low/no fall-related concerns and higher frequencies. Group 2 showed more decline, higher fall-related concerns and lower frequencies. During the closed eyes trial, group 1 and group 2 shifted their features to higher frequencies, but only group 1 did so in any significant way. Higher fall-related concerns, sensory and motor decline, and explorative balancing strategies are highly correlated. The control system of individuals experiencing this seems to be highly dependent on vision. Higher fall-related concerns, and sensory and motor decline are also correlated with the inability to adjust to faster, more reactive balancing strategies, when vision is not available.
Characterizing infectious disease progression through discrete states using hidden Markov models
Authors: Ceres Kristina M. , Schukken Ynte H. , Gröhn Yrjö T.
Published: November 2020

Infectious disease management relies on accurate characterization of disease progression so that transmission can be prevented. Slowly progressing infectious diseases can be difficult to characterize because of a latency period between the time an individual is infected and when they show clinical signs of disease. The introduction of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the cause of Johne’s disease, onto a dairy farm could be undetected by farmers for years before any animal shows clinical signs of disease. In this time period infected animals may shed thousands of colony forming units. Parameterizing trajectories through disease states from infection to clinical disease can help farmers to develop control programs based on targeting individual disease state, potentially reducing both transmission and production losses due to disease. We suspect that there are two distinct progression pathways; one where animals progress to a high-shedding disease state, and another where animals maintain a low-level of shedding without clinical disease. We fit continuous-time hidden Markov models to multi-year longitudinal fecal sampling data from three US dairy farms, and estimated model parameters using a modified Baum-Welch expectation maximization algorithm. Using posterior decoding, we observed two distinct shedding patterns: cows that had observations associated with a high-shedding disease state, and cows that did not. This model framework can be employed prospectively to determine which cows are likely to progress to clinical disease and may be applied to characterize disease progression of other slowly progressing infectious diseases.
Multiple-trait, random regression, and compound symmetry models for analyzing multi-environment trials in maize breeding
Authors: Ferreira Coelho Igor , Peixoto Marco Antônio , Santana Pinto Coelho Evangelista Jeniffer , Silva Alves Rodrigo , Sales Suellen , Resende Marcos Deon Vilela de , Naves Pinto Jefferson Fernando , Fialho dos Reis Edésio , Bhering Leonardo Lopes
Published: November 2020

An efficient and informative statistical method to analyze genotype-by-environment interaction (GxE) is needed in maize breeding programs. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of multiple-trait models (MTM), random regression models (RRM), and compound symmetry models (CSM) in the analysis of multi-environment trials (MET) in maize breeding. For this, a data set with 84 maize hybrids evaluated across four environments for the trait grain yield (GY) was used. Variance components were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML), and genetic values were predicted by best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP). The best fit MTM, RRM, and CSM were identified by the Akaike information criterion (AIC), and the significance of the genetic effects were tested using the likelihood ratio test (LRT). Genetic gains were predicted considering four selection intensities (5, 10, 15, and 20 hybrids). The selected MTM, RRM, and CSM models fit heterogeneous residuals. Moreover, for RRM the genetic effects were modeled by Legendre polynomials of order two. Genetic variability between maize hybrids were assessed for GY. In general, estimates of broad-sense heritability, selective accuracy, and predicted selection gains were slightly higher when obtained using MTM and RRM. Thus, considering the criterion of parsimony and the possibility of predicting genetic values of hybrids for untested environments, RRM is a preferential approach for analyzing MET in maize breeding.
A comparison of penalised regression methods for informing the selection of predictive markers
Authors: Greenwood Christopher J. , Youssef George J. , Letcher Primrose , Macdonald Jacqui A. , Hagg Lauryn J. , Sanson Ann , Mcintosh Jenn , Hutchinson Delyse M. , Toumbourou John W. , Fuller-Tyszkiewicz Matthew , Olsson Craig A.
Published: November 2020

Background

Penalised regression methods are a useful atheoretical approach for both developing predictive models and selecting key indicators within an often substantially larger pool of available indicators. In comparison to traditional methods, penalised regression models improve prediction in new data by shrinking the size of coefficients and retaining those with coefficients greater than zero. However, the performance and selection of indicators depends on the specific algorithm implemented. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive performance and feature (i.e., indicator) selection capability of common penalised logistic regression methods (LASSO, adaptive LASSO, and elastic-net), compared with traditional logistic regression and forward selection methods.

Design

Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project, a multigenerational longitudinal study established in 1983. The analytic sample consisted of 1,292 (707 women) participants. A total of 102 adolescent psychosocial and contextual indicators were available to predict young adult daily smoking.

Findings

Penalised logistic regression methods showed small improvements in predictive performance over logistic regression and forward selection. However, no single penalised logistic regression model outperformed the others. Elastic-net models selected more indicators than either LASSO or adaptive LASSO. Additionally, more regularised models included fewer indicators, yet had comparable predictive performance. Forward selection methods dismissed many indicators identified as important in the penalised logistic regression models.

Conclusions

Although overall predictive accuracy was only marginally better with penalised logistic regression methods, benefits were most clear in their capacity to select a manageable subset of indicators. Preference to competing penalised logistic regression methods may therefore be guided by feature selection capability, and thus interpretative considerations, rather than predictive performance alone.
The holiday carbon footprint in tourism education: Learning from practice and experience
Authors: Amelung Bas , Eijgelaar Eke
Published: November 2020

Tourism is on course to thwart humanity’s efforts to reach a zero carbon economy because of its high growth rates and carbon intensity. To get out of its carbon predicament, the tourism sector needs professionals with carbon literacy and carbon capability. Providing future professionals in the full spectrum of tourism-related study programmes with the necessary knowledge and skills is essential. This article reports on ten years of experience at a BSc tourism programme with a carbon footprint exercise in which students calculate the carbon footprint of their latest holiday, compare their results with others and reflect on options to reduce emissions. Before they start, the students are provided with a handout with emission factors, a brief introduction and a sample calculation. The carbon footprints usually differ by a factor of 20 to 30 between the highest and lowest. Distance, transport mode and length of stay are almost automatically identified as the main causes, and as the main keys for drastically reducing emissions. The link to the students’ own experience makes the exercise effective, the group comparison makes it fun. As the exercise requires no prior knowledge and is suitable for almost any group size, it can be integrated into almost any tourism-related study programme.
BLOCKCHAIN IN DIAMOND SUPPLY CHAIN
Authors: Paul Loveson
Published: November 2020

Blockchain is a distributed database that maintains a continuously-growing list of recordscalledblockssecured from tampering and revision.Trust and ethics is a problem in thediamond industry. The diamond industry has long faced problems with reporting the origin of adiamond and authenticating its ID and grading. Traditionally documented on paper, but sometimes its still difficult to trace the diamonds true origins and providence. People may ask
Where did the diamond come from? Was it blood diamond? Who owns it? Who bought it? Where is it now?

Blockchain can be used in diamond industry for tracking diamonds to secure and trace the diamond provenance. The information is stored securely at every step of the process on blockchain-based platform.