bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medication errors in prescription and administration in critically ill patients
Authors: Suclupe Stefanie , Martinez‐Zapata Maria Jose , Mancebo Jordi , Font‐Vaquer Assumpta , Castillo‐Masa Ana María , Viñolas Iris , Morán Indalecio , Robleda Gemma
Published: February 2020

Aim

To determine the prevalence and magnitude of medication errors and their association with patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and nurses' work conditions.

Design

An observational, analytical, cross‐sectional and ambispective study was conducted in critically ill adult patients.

Methods

Data concerning prescription errors were collected retrospectively from medical records and administration errors were identified through direct observation of nurses during drug administration. Those data were collected between April and July 2015.

Results

A total of 650 prescription errors were identified for 961 drugs in 90 patients (mean error 7[SD 4.1] per patient) and prevalence of 47.1% (95% CI 44–50). The most frequent error was omission of the prescribed medication. Intensive care unit stay was a risk factor associated with omission error (OR 2.14; 1.46–3.14: p < .01). A total of 294 administration errors were identified for 249 drugs in 52 patients (mean error 6 [SD 6.7] per patient) and prevalence of 73.5% (95% CI 68–79). The most frequent error was interruption during drug administration. Admission to the intensive care unit (OR 0.37; 0.21–0.66: p < .01), nurses’ morning shift (OR 2.15; 1.10–4.18: p = .02) and workload perception (OR 3.64; 2.09–6.35: p < .01) were risk factors associated with interruption.

Conclusions

Medication errors in prescription and administration were frequent. Timely detection of errors and promotion of a medication safety culture are necessary to reduce them and ensure the quality of care in critically ill patients.

Impact

Medication errors occur frequently in the intensive care unit but are not always identified. Due to the vulnerability of seriously ill patients and the specialized care they require, an error can result in serious adverse events. The study shows that medication errors in prescription and administration are recurrent but preventable. These findings contribute to promote awareness in the proper use of medications and guarantee the quality of nursing care.
Nusinersen treatment and cerebrospinal fluid neurofilaments: An explorative study on Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 3 patients
Authors: Faravelli Irene , Meneri Megi , Saccomanno Domenica , Velardo Daniele , Abati Elena , Gagliardi Delia , Parente Valeria , Petrozzi Lucia , Ronchi Dario , Stocchetti Nino , Calderini Edoardo , D’Angelo Grazia , Chidini Giovanna , Prandi Edi , Ricci Giulia , Siciliano Gabriele , Bresolin Nereo , Comi Giacomo Pietro , Corti Stefania , Magri Francesca , Govoni Alessandra
Published: February 2020

The antisense oligonucleotide Nusinersen has been recently licensed to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Since SMA type 3 is characterized by variable phenotype and milder progression, biomarkers of early treatment response are urgently needed. We investigated the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of neurofilaments in SMA type 3 patients treated with Nusinersen as a potential biomarker of treatment efficacy. The concentration of phosphorylated neurofilaments heavy chain (pNfH) and light chain (NfL) in the CSF of SMA type 3 patients was evaluated before and after six months since the first Nusinersen administration, performed with commercially available enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Clinical evaluation of SMA patients was performed with standardized motor function scales. Baseline neurofilament levels in patients were comparable to controls, but significantly decreased after six months of treatment, while motor functions were only marginally ameliorated. No significant correlation was observed between the change in motor functions and that of neurofilaments over time. The reduction of neurofilament levels suggests a possible early biochemical effect of treatment on axonal degeneration, which may precede changes in motor performance. Our study mandates further investigations to assess neurofilaments as a marker of treatment response.
miR24‐2 accelerates progression of liver cancer cells by activating Pim1 through tri‐methylation of Histone H3 on the ninth lysine
Authors: Yang Yuxin , Song Shuting , Meng Qiuyu , Wang Liyan , Li Xiaonan , Xie Sijie , Chen Yingjie , Jiang Xiaoxue , Wang Chen , Lu Yanan , Xin Xiaoru , Pu Hu , Gui Xin , Li Tianming , Xu Jie , Li Jiao , Jia Song , Lu Dongdong
Published: February 2020

Several microRNAs are associated with carcinogenesis and tumour progression. Herein, our observations suggest both miR24‐2 and Pim1 are up‐regulated in human liver cancers, and miR24‐2 accelerates growth of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, miR24‐2 increases the expression of N6‐adenosine‐methyltransferase METTL3 and thereafter promotes the expression of miR6079 via RNA methylation modification. Furthermore, miR6079 targets JMJD2A and then increased the tri‐methylation of histone H3 on the ninth lysine (H3K9me3). Therefore, miR24‐2 inhibits JMJD2A by increasing miR6079 and then increases H3K9me3. Strikingly, miR24‐2 increases the expression of Pim1 dependent on H3K9me3 and METTL3. Notably, our findings suggest that miR24‐2 alters several related genes (pHistone H3, SUZ12, SUV39H1, Nanog, MEKK4, pTyr) and accelerates progression of liver cancer cells through Pim1 activation. In particular, Pim1 is required for the oncogenic action of miR24‐2 in liver cancer. This study elucidates a novel mechanism for miR24‐2 in liver cancer and suggests that miR24‐2 may be used as novel therapeutic targets of liver cancer.
Treatment of keratinocyte carcinoma in elderly patients – a review of the current literature
Authors: Leus A.J.G. , Frie M. , Haisma M.S. , Terra J.B. , Plaat B.E.C. , Steenbakkers R.J.H.M. , Halmos G.B. , Rácz E.
Published: February 2020

A large percentage of the patients with keratinocyte carcinoma (KC, formerly known as non‐melanoma skin cancer) is of advanced age and often too frail for standard therapies. However, no specific treatment recommendations are given for this population. This review aimed to give an overview of the current literature on the best practice for the treatment of elderly patients with KC. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, using ‘keratinocyte carcinoma’, ‘elderly’, ‘treatment’ and various synonyms. Case reports, reviews, comments, non‐English literature and studies with a sample size <15 were excluded. After selection, a total of 47 studies were reviewed. Two types of studies were identified, focusing on (I) the effect of age on treatment outcomes and (II) alternative treatment schedules for elderly patients. Studies on surgery, the gold standard, describe larger lesions and defect size in the elderly population. Recurrence rate, complication rate and disease‐specific survival were not affected by age. Depending on the expected morbidity of a suggested (re‐)excision and patient preferences, a conservative watchful waiting policy can be agreed upon as a shared decision. Other common treatment modalities, such as adjuvant radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy and systemic therapy for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), show comparable results in the elderly and younger population. Alternative treatment schedules for elderly patients include primary hypofractionated radiotherapy, which seems effective and well‐tolerated, although research is limited to case series. Additionally, localized and topical treatments seem safe and effective especially for low‐risk tumours. Data are lacking on the efficacy of systemic therapies of metastatic KC in elderly patients. Efficacy of most treatments (with the exception of photodynamic therapy) is not dependent on age. There is need for more research on the efficacy of adjusted treatment modalities, such as hypofractionated radiotherapy and palliative or curative systemic treatment.
Aging exacerbates high‐fat diet‐induced steatohepatitis through alteration in hepatic lipid metabolism in mice
Authors: Ishizuka Kei , Kon Kazuyoshi , Lee‐Okada Hyeon‐Cheol , Arai Kumiko , Uchiyama Akira , Yamashina Shunhei , Yokomizo Takehiko , Ikejima Kenichi
Published: February 2020

Background and Aim

Aging is an independent risk factor for the progression of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis. Here, we investigated the role of age‐related alterations in fatty acid metabolism in dietary steatohepatitis using lipidomics analysis.

Methods

Male 8‐week and 55‐week‐old C57BL/6 J mice were fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The quality and quantity of lipid molecular species in the liver were evaluated using the lipidomics approach.

Results

Elder mice fed an HFD developed more severe steatohepatitis than young mice. Oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in the liver were exacerbated following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice. In elder mice, de novo fatty acid synthesis was promoted, whereas β oxidation was blunted following HFD feeding, and lipid secretion from the liver was reduced. The expression of sirtuin 1 was not only reduced with age as expected but also significantly decreased due to intake of HFD. In the lipidomics analysis, the concentrations of diacylglycerol and TAG molecular species containing monounsaturated fatty acids were markedly increased following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice. In contrast, the concentration of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine molecular species containing polyunsaturated fatty acids were remarkably decreased following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice, and the expression of fatty acid desaturase was blunted.

Conclusions

Aging‐dependent alterations in lipid metabolism under excessive lipid supply most likely enhance hepatic lipotoxicity, thereby exacerbating metabolic steatohepatitis in elderly.
Hurricane exposure and personality development
Authors: Damian Rodica Ioana , Serrano Surizaday , Hill Patrick L.
Published: February 2020

Objective

We evaluated the role of natural disaster adversity on personality development in the wake of a hurricane, and the moderating role of previous hurricane exposure.

Method

We used a two‐wave longitudinal design and a diverse sample of emerging adults (n = 691; mean age = 22 years; 72% females, 27% European American, 29% Latino, 23% Asian American, 15% African American, 6% Multiracial/Other) who were exposed to one of the most damaging hurricanes on record, though to differing degrees. Immediately after the hurricane, we assessed objective individual‐level hurricane exposure, previous exposure to hurricanes, demographics, socioeconomic status, and Big Five personality traits. One year later, we re‐assessed Big Five personality traits.

Results

Using latent change models, we found significant individual differences both in participants’ initial levels of personality traits at baseline, as well as in their developmental patterns of change in the year following the hurricane. However, there was no evidence of mean‐level change. Moreover, neither hurricane exposure level, nor its interaction with previous exposure showed statistically significant associations with the rates of change in any personality trait.

Conclusions

The present findings support a stability account, whereby individuals largely maintain their personality dispositions following an adverse life event, in this case a hurricane.
Associations between materials used and work‐related musculoskeletal hand complaints among haemodialysis nurses
Authors: Westergren Eva , Ludvigsen Mette Spliid , Lindberg Magnus
Published: February 2020

Background

One in every two haemodialysis nurses has reported musculoskeletal complaints concerning their hands, which is twice that reported for hospital nurses in general. It is possible that there is an association between the materials used by haemodialysis nurses and the occurrence of hand complaints.

Objectives

To examine the association between the type of dialysis machine and disposables used with the occurrence of hand complaints among haemodialysis nurses. To compare occupational risks of developing work‐related musculoskeletal disorders based on the materials used for haemodialysis.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Participants

Two hundred and eighty‐two nurses working in 27 haemodialysis centres in Sweden participated in a survey, and 19 nurses at five centres were observed during priming procedures.

Measurements

Nurses supplied demographic data and answered the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Centre level data regarding machines and disposables used for haemodialysis during the past year were also collected.

Results

There were no differences in the prevalence of hand complaints based on the type of haemodialysis machines, dialysers or tubing used. There were no differences found in physical exposure to the hands during priming, based on machine type used.

Conclusion

The results of this study could not reveal any association between disposable materials used and the occurrence of hand complaints among haemodialysis nurses. Additionally, there were no occupational risks detected based on the types of machines used. Hence, the results of the present study strongly indicate that a deeper ergonomic analysis of the work environment is needed to understand the prevalence of hand complaints among nurses working in haemodialysis settings.
Cell-based, animal and H1 receptor binding studies relative to the sedative effects of ketotifen and norketotifen atropisomers
Authors: Feng Feifei , Fawcett J Paul , Zhang Hu , Tucker Ian G
Published: February 2020

Objectives

Ketotifen (K) and its active metabolite norketotifen (N) exist as optically active atropisomers. They both have antihistaminic and anti-inflammatory properties but the S-atropisomer of N (SN) causes less sedation than K and RN in rodents. This study investigated whether this could be related to a lower concentration of SN in brain or a lower affinity of SN for rat brain H1 receptors.

Methods

Ketotifen and norketotifen atropisomers were quantified using a validated chiral HPLC assay. RBE4 and Caco-2 cell monolayers were used in uptake and permeability studies, respectively. Free and total brain-to-plasma (B/P) ratios were determined after injecting racemic K and N into rat tail veins. Affinity for rat brain H1 receptors (KI) was determined using the [3H]mepyramine binding assay.

Key findings

Uptake and permeation studies indicate no stereoselective transport for K or N. B/P ratios reveal the brain concentration of N is lower than K with no stereoselective transport into brain. Finally, the [3H]mepyramine binding assay shows SN has the lowest affinity for rat brain H1 receptors.

Conclusion

The lower sedative effect of SN in rodents is probably due to a combination of a lower uptake of N than K into the brain and less affinity of SN for CNS H1 receptors.
Effect of replacing fish meal protein by crystalline amino acid and soy protein concentrate on growth, feed utilization, and metabolism of tambaqui Colossoma macropomum juveniles
Authors: Martins Graciela P. , Mazini Bruno S. M. , Campos Milena A. F. , Oliveira Denise S. , Guimarães Igo G.
Published: February 2020

This research aimed to determine the upper limit level of crystalline amino acid (CAAs) inclusion in tambaqui nutrition. Additionally, we investigated the possibility of total replacement of fish meal (FM) by soy protein concentrate (SPC). An FM‐based control diet was formulated to meet the known nutrient requirements of tambaqui, and three additional diets were prepared by replacing FM protein with 250, 500, and 750 g/kg nitrogen of CAA mixture. The fifth diet was formulated to completely replace the FM by SPC. A growth and a digestibility trial were performed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and three and four replicates, respectively. The optimum replacement level of FM protein by CAA was 280 g/kg based on daily weight gain (DWG). The apparent digestibility coefficients of the nutrients were higher in fish fed the SPC diet than the fish fed the FM diet. The whole‐body lipid and adiposity significantly declined with the increase of CAA in tambaqui diets. Protein and amino acid retention of tambaqui linearly declined with the increase of CAA. Blood chemistry metabolites were not affected by CAA inclusion. We concluded that the SPC could replace FM in tambaqui diets without affecting growth and nutrient digestibility. CAAs could replace FM intact protein up to 250 g/kg (or 97 g/kg inclusion level) without showing any adverse effect on growth and metabolism of tambaqui.
Local adaptation across a complex bioclimatic landscape in two montane bumble bee species
Authors: Jackson Jason M. , Pimsler Meaghan L. , Oyen Kennan J. , Strange James P. , Dillon Michael E. , Lozier Jeffrey D.
Published: February 2020

Understanding evolutionary responses to variation in temperature and precipitation across species ranges is of fundamental interest given ongoing climate change. The importance of temperature and precipitation for multiple aspects of bumble bee (Bombus) biology, combined with large geographic ranges that expose populations to diverse environmental pressures, make these insects well‐suited for studying local adaptation. Here, we analyzed genome‐wide sequence data from two widespread bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii and Bombus vancouverensis, using multiple environmental association analysis methods to investigate climate adaptation across latitude and altitude. The strongest signatures of selection were observed in B. vancouverensis, but despite unique responses between species for most loci, we detected several shared responses. Genes relating to neural and neuromuscular function and ion transport were especially evident with respect to temperature variables, while genes relating to cuticle formation, tracheal and respiratory system development, and homeostasis were associated with precipitation variables. Our data thus suggest that adaptive responses for tolerating abiotic variation are likely to be complex, but that several parallels among species can emerge even for these complex traits and landscapes. Results provide the framework for future work into mechanisms of thermal and desiccation tolerance in bumble bees and a set of genomic targets that might be monitored for future conservation efforts.
Selective transmission of the seedling yellows‐type genotypic variants of Citrus tristeza virus by Aphis gossypii in northern Iran
Authors: Pourhamedi Saeedeh , Barzegar Ali , Rahimian Heshmatollah
Published: February 2020

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) has existed in northern Iran for more than five decades. The long‐time interaction of different virus genotypes with Aphis gossypii, as the only aphid vector of CTV in northern Iran, has led to the emergence of highly virulent subpopulations, among others, in the established foci. Here, we studied the population structure of the originally established CTV isolates present in Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) trees imported from Japan, and subisolates thereof, formed following experimental transmission by A. gossypii, as well as those evolved through natural transmission by this aphid species in the groves. Symptoms of the naturally spread and the experimentally aphid‐transmitted isolates were similar to those of the Satsuma CTV source isolates for all indicator plants except for sour orange (Citrus aurantium) and grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), with the aphid‐transmitted isolates additionally inducing severe seedling yellows and stunting in these two indicators. Studies on the population heterogeneity of these isolates through comparison of their single‐strand conformational polymorphism profiles and nucleotide sequences of the 25 kDa capsid protein gene from the predominant haplotypes, and dot‐blot hybridization signals, revealed the presence of two major T36‐ and SY568‐ (or NUagA‐) like genotypes along with a minor poorly characterized one in the originally infected Satsuma trees; in contrast, only a certain genomic variant having the highest similarity to the isolate SY568 (and NUagA) was predominant both in the naturally infected trees and in those infected experimentally by A. gossypii. It seems that transmission by A. gossypii to sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) has led to the preponderance of the CTV genomic variants inducing severe seedling yellows in northern Iran.
Prevalence of hepatitis E viraemia among blood donors: a systematic review
Authors: Goel Amit , Vijay Halkurike Jayadevappa , Katiyar Harshita , Aggarwal Rakesh
Published: February 2020

Background

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is usually transmitted by faecal–oral route. Recent reports have documented HEV viraemia in donated blood units and HEV transmission through blood transfusion. This systematic review summarizes the available data on prevalence of HEV viraemia in blood donors.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched on 17 December 2018 to identify full‐text English papers reporting original data on prevalence of HEV RNA in donated blood units. Two authors independently extracted the relevant data, which were pooled using simple aggregation as well as a random‐effects meta‐analysis; heterogeneity was assessed using theI2method.

Results

In all, 59 data sets from 28 countries were identified. The available data showed marked heterogeneity. Of a total of 2 127 832 units studied, 561 (263·6 [95% confidence intervals = 242·7–286·4] per million units) tested positive for HEV RNA. On random‐effects meta‐analysis, the pooled prevalence was 60·9 [6·7–155·4] per million units. In the viraemic units, HEV RNA titre varied by nearly one million‐fold, and most had genotype 3 HEV. The prevalence was higher in blood units with anti‐HEV antibodies or elevated alanine aminotransferase. Only nearly one‐fourth of viraemic units had anti‐HEV antibodies.

Conclusions

The prevalence of HEV viraemia among healthy blood donors is low, though the available data had limited geographical representation and marked heterogeneity. There is a need for further data on HEV viraemia in blood donors from areas with non‐3 HEV genotype preponderance.
A Review of Circulating Voids and Gaseous Fission Product Behavior in Molten Salt Reactors
Authors: Price Terry , Taylor Zack , Chvala Ondrej
Published: February 2020

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are a family of advanced, generation-IV, nuclear reactors that use a circulating molten alkali fluoride fuel salt as both a primary working fluid and a fuel matrix. Since the fuel salt is liquid, gases become entrained in the fuel salt flow, and these entrained gases are called circulating voids. This paper reviews some aspects of circulating voids on reactor behavior. A formal definition of the circulating void fraction is given. A time-line of Oak Ridge reports on circulating void behavior is presented. Methods to measure the circulating void fraction are described. Foam induced by gas entrained in the fuel salt is discussed. The discovery of circulating voids in the molten salt reactor experiment (MSRE) is detailed. Aspects related to bubble size and interfacial area are reviewed. The Laplace pressure is examined. The void and pressure coefficients of reactivity are examined. Some requirements for a bubble model for xenon behavior analysis are proposed. The effects of bubble surface mobility are examined. Finally, sources of gas production in the fuel salt are investigated.
Classification-Based Fuel Injection Fault Detection of a Trainset Diesel Engine Using Vibration Signature Analysis
Authors: Ayati Moosa , Shirazi Farzad A. , Ansari-Rad Saeed , Zabihihesari Alireza
Published: February 2020

Diesel engines are crucial components of trainsets. Automated fault detection of diesel engines can play an important role for increasing reliability of passenger trains. In this research, vibration-based fuel injection fault detection of a high-power 12-cylinder trainset diesel engine is studied. Vibration signals are analyzed in frequency and time-frequency domains to obtain possible patterns of faults. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) and wavelet packet transform (WPT) of vibration signals are used to extract several uncorrelated features. These features are chosen to increase the ability of classifiers to separate healthy and faulty engine sides, automatically. Different classification methods including multilayer perception (MLP), support vector machines (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), and local linear model tree (LOLIMOT) are used to process captured features; these methods are utilized in both “Single-sensor condition monitoring” and “Classification and fault detection” sections. It is shown that KNN networks are practical tools in the proposed fault detection procedure. The main novelty of this work comes from introducing a rich feature-extraction method based on a combination of FFT and db4 features. In addition, the complexity of computations and average running-time decrease while classification accuracy in the fuel injection fault detection procedure increases.
Valence and patterning of aromatic residues determine the phase behavior of prion-like domains
Authors: Martin Erik W. , Holehouse Alex S. , Peran Ivan , Farag Mina , Incicco J. Jeremias , Bremer Anne , Grace Christy R. , Soranno Andrea , Pappu Rohit V. , Mittag Tanja
Published: February 2020

Not too sticky

There is increasing evidence for a role of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in many cellular processes. Many proteins that undergo LLPS include prionlike domains (PLDs), which are enriched in polar amino acids and often interspersed with aromatic residues. Combining experimental data with simulations, Martin
et al.
quantified concentrations of PLDs in coexisting dilute and dense phases as a function of temperature and show that the phase behavior is determined by the number of aromatic residues and their patterning, with uniform patterning of aromatic residues promoting LLPS and inhibiting aggregation. They developed a sticker-and-spacers model that can predict the phase behavior of PLDs on the basis of their sequence.

Science
, this issue p.
694
Deregulation of ribosomal protein expression and translation promotes breast cancer metastasis
Authors: Ebright Richard Y. , Lee Sooncheol , Wittner Ben S. , Niederhoffer Kira L. , Nicholson Benjamin T. , Bardia Aditya , Truesdell Samuel , Wiley Devon F. , Wesley Benjamin , Li Selena , Mai Andy , Aceto Nicola , Vincent-Jordan Nicole , Szabolcs Annamaria , Chirn Brian , Kreuzer Johannes , Comaills Valentine , Kalinich Mark , Haas Wilhelm , Ting David T. , Toner Mehmet , Vasudevan Shobha , Haber Daniel A. , Maheswaran Shyamala , Micalizzi Douglas S.
Published: February 2020

Metastasis: A matter of translation?

Solid tumors shed a small number of cancer cells into the bloodstream, some of which are believed to contribute to metastasis. The molecular features that confer these circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with metastatic potential are poorly understood. Ebright
et al.
studied CTCs from breast cancer patients and found that cells with increased expression levels of certain ribosomal proteins and regulators of translation had greater metastatic capacity in a mouse model (see the Perspective by Ma and Jeffrey). Consistent with this finding, patients with higher levels of this subset of CTCs tended to have a poorer prognosis.

Science
, this issue p.
1468
; see also p.
1424
Using sewage for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Aarestrup Frank M. , Woolhouse Mark E. J.
Published: February 2020

A global system would exploit metagenomic sequencing
Blakeslea trispora Photoreceptors: Identification and Functional Analysis
Authors: Luo Wei , Xue Chao , Zhao Yuzheng , Zhang Huili , Rao Zhiming , Yu Xiaobin
Published: February 2020

Studies have confirmed that light-regulated carotenogenesis is prevalent in filamentous fungi, especially in mucorales. However, few investigations have been done to understand photoinduced synthesis of carotenoids and related mechanisms in
B. trispora
, a well-known industrial microbial strains. In the present study, three photoreceptor genes in
B. trispora
were cloned, expressed, and characterized by bioinformatics and photoreception analyses, and then
in vivo
functional analyses of these genes were constructed in
M. circinelloides
. The results of this study will lead to a better understanding of photoreception and light-regulated carotenoid synthesis and other physiological responses in
B. trispora
.
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever presenting with acute compartment syndrome of the extremities (think beyond normal infections)
Authors: Aijazi Ishma , Al Shama Fadhil Mustafa Abdulla , Shandala Yaseen , Varghese Rupa Murthy
Published: February 2020

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral zoonosis transmitted to humans and animals (which act as a reservoir) through the bite of a ‘Hyalomma’ tick. CCHF virus belongs to the genusNairovirus. Humans are infected when they come in direct contact with the blood or secretions of infected livestock or other infected humans. This disease initially presents with non-specific febrile symptoms common to many viral illnesses and later progresses to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with haemorrhagic manifestations.

We present the case of a middle-aged man with CCHF. He presented to the hospital with DIC and acute compartment syndrome in the right forearm, requiring urgent orthopaedic intervention. The diagnosis was delayed because there was no clear history of contact. The patient was started taking ribavirin on the fifth day of hospital admission. He recovered fully.
Effect of post-Newtonian-like self-energy, quantum gravity and exchange correlations on Schwarzschild black hole: Application of uncertainty principle
Authors: Lotte Baljeet Kaur , Mishra Subodha
Published: February 2020

The expressions for the corrected radius and the Hawking temperature of a Schwarzschild black hole are derived by calculating the total energy of a self-gravitating system of N fermions when the corrections to gravitational interaction due to post-Newtonian-like self-energy due to two graviton exchange- and one-loop contribution of quantum gravity effect are included. Since the particles are fermions, the exchange-correlation energy is also included consistently. It is found that though the three corrections are small, the correction due to the exchange-correlation is much more than the other two. The configuration of the many-particle system that we study is possible since it has no Buchdahl limit in the post-Newtonian approximation.
3PXNet
Authors: Romaszkan Wojciech , Li Tianmu , Gupta Puneet
Published: February 2020

As the adoption of Neural Networks continues to proliferate different classes of applications and systems, edge devices have been left behind. Their strict energy and storage limitations make them unable to cope with the sizes of common network models. While many compression methods such as precision reduction and sparsity have been proposed to alleviate this, they don’t go quite far enough. To push size reduction to its absolute limits, we combine binarization with sparsity in Pruned-Permuted-Packed XNOR Networks (3PXNet), which can be efficiently implemented on even the smallest of embedded microcontrollers. 3PXNets can reduce model sizes by up to 38X and reduce runtime by up to 3X compared with already compact conventional binarized implementations with less than 3% accuracy reduction. We have created the first software implementation of sparse-binarized Neural Networks, released as open source library targeting edge devices. Our library is complete with training methodology and model generating scripts, making it easy and fast to deploy.
Mobile Pervasive Augmented Reality Systems—MPARS
Authors: Pascoal Rui , Almeida Ana De , Sofia Rute C.
Published: February 2020

After briefly introducing aspects concerning Mobile Augmented Reality Systems, this article delves into the evolution of these systems as pervasive technology. The work debates also on acceptance of this technology in the context of outdoor applications. The need to develop context-aware, close-to-real-time feedback mechanisms that take into consideration a continuous measurement of Quality of Experience is also discussed. For this purpose, the work goes over how to integrate user preferences into context-aware feedback systems, proposing a theoretical model for measuring Quality of Experience. The model is derived from an analysis of previous technology adoption models and incorporates the knowledge of user preferences. This knowledge has been gathered via a public questionnaire.
Assessment of Pathogenic Potential, Virulent Genes Profile, and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Proteus mirabilis from Urinary Tract Infection
Authors: Hussein Emad I. , Al-Batayneh Khalid , Masadeh Majed M. , Dahadhah Fatina W. , Al Zoubi Mazhar Salim , Aljabali Alaa A. , Alzoubi Karem H.
Published: February 2020

Proteus mirabilis is the third most common bacterium that can cause complicated UTI, especially in catheterized patients. Urovirulence genes of P. mirabilis strains are poorly identified among UTI patients. The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of the uropathogenic P. mirabilis strains isolated from UTI patients by the detection of several P. mirabilis virulence genes and to characterize the antibiotic susceptibility profile of P. mirabilis isolates. P. mirabilis isolates were collected from urine specimens of patients suffering from UTI. Virulence genes in P. mirabilis, namely, hpmA, hpmB, rsbA, luxS, ureC1, hlyA, rpoA, atfA, atfC, mrpA, and pm1 were detected in the isolates via PCR detection method. All P. mirabilis virulence genes were detected in more than 90% of the isolates except hlyA gene, which was detected in only 23.8% of the isolates. The rate of susceptibility for ceftriaxone was 96.8%, followed by norfloxacin (82.5%), gentamicin (71.4%), ciprofloxacin (69.8%), cephalexin (52.4%), nalidixic acid (42.9%), sulfamethoxazole (39.7%), ampicillin (36.5%), and nitrofurantoin (3.2%). Significant associations (P<0.05) were detected between antimicrobial susceptibility of each of the following antibiotics and the presence virulence genes. Cephalexin antimicrobial susceptibility was significantly associated with the presence each of ureC1 and atfC. Sulfamethoxazole antimicrobial susceptibility was significantly associated with the presence atfA. Ceftriaxone antimicrobial susceptibility was significantly associated with the presence each of hpmA, ureC1, rpoA, atfC, mrpA, and pm1. Nitrofurantoin antimicrobial susceptibility was significantly associated with the presence each of hpmA, ureC1, rpoA, atfA, atfC, mrpA, and pm1. In conclusion, an association between the presence of urovirulence genes of P. mirabilis and increasing P. mirabilis resistance to antimicrobials has been demonstrated.
Identification and Analysis of Novel Biomarkers Involved in Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma by Integrated Bioinformatics Analyses
Authors: Zhang Wei , Xu Yin , Zhang Jinghan , Wu Jun
Published: February 2020

In renal cell carcinoma, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) is a distinct subtype, whose clinical manifestations often lack specificity, and the molecular mechanisms of ChRCC tumorigenesis remain generally vague. The target of this study was to discover novel biomarkers involved in ChRCC by integrated bioinformatics analyses. We found 2608 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 1518 were upregulated and 1090 were downregulated. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of DEGs uncovered significant functional enrichment in three aspects: biological process (BP), molecular function (MF), and cellular component (CC). The results of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated DEGs were largely enriched in retinol metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and pentose and glucuronate interconversions. Then, the protein–protein interactions (PPI) network was constructed and top three hub genes were identified by the Cytoscape plugin cytoHubba. Through calculating the degree, betweenness centrality, and Stress of mRNAs, CENPA was upregulated and KNG1 and AGT were downregulated. A survival assay performed according to Oncomine data showed only CENPA high expression exhibited a worse prognosis. This study identified crucial genes and pathways for the progress of ChRCC, and CENPA might be a novel biomarker for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ChRCC.
Group Guided Fused Laplacian Sparse Group Lasso for Modeling Alzheimer’s Disease Progression
Authors: Liu Xiaoli , Wang Jianzhong , Ren Fulong , Kong Jun
Published: February 2020

As the largest cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has brought serious burdens to patients and their families, mostly in the financial, psychological, and emotional aspects. In order to assess the progression of AD and develop new treatment methods for the disease, it is essential to infer the trajectories of patients’ cognitive performance over time to identify biomarkers that connect the patterns of brain atrophy and AD progression. In this article, a structured regularized regression approach termed group guided fused Laplacian sparse group Lasso (GFL-SGL) is proposed to infer disease progression by considering multiple prediction of the same cognitive scores at different time points (longitudinal analysis). The proposed GFL-SGL simultaneously exploits the interrelated structures within the MRI features and among the tasks with sparse group Lasso (SGL) norm and presents a novel group guided fused Laplacian (GFL) regularization. This combination effectively incorporates both the relatedness among multiple longitudinal time points with a general weighted (undirected) dependency graphs and useful inherent group structure in features. Furthermore, an alternating direction method of multipliers- (ADMM-) based algorithm is also derived to optimize the nonsmooth objective function of the proposed approach. Experiments on the dataset from Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) show that the proposed GFL-SGL outperformed some other state-of-the-art algorithms and effectively fused the multimodality data. The compact sets of cognition-relevant imaging biomarkers identified by our approach are consistent with the results of clinical studies.
Ruptured Obturator Internus Muscle Abscess Causing Extensive Retroperitoneal Necrosis
Authors: Bett Zablon
Published: February 2020

Obturator internus muscle (OIM) abscess occurs rarely in adults. Accurate diagnosis is often hindered and delayed due to the deep location of the abscess and the nonspecific clinical features. Even of rarer occurrence is rupture of the obturator internus muscle abscess into the perirectal space and retroperitoneum causing extensive retroperitoneal necrotizing soft tissue infection. We present a case of ruptured left OIM abscess, which initially presented with clinical features, which were suspected as acute pancreatitis. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the abdomen and pelvis revealed ruptured left OIM abscess with extensive fat stranding, fluid collections, and pockets of gas throughout the perirectal space, perisigmoid space, and bilateral posterior pararenal and anterior pararenal spaces as well as thickening of bilateral anterior renal fascia, posterior renal fascia, and lateral conal fascia. These CT findings were consistent with extensive retroperitoneal necrotizing soft tissue infection secondary to ruptured left obturator internus muscle abscess. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were instituted immediately, and the patient was urgently worked up for drainage of the abscess and debridement of the necrotic material. However, the patient’s condition deteriorated quickly before the surgical interventions were performed and slipped into septic shock. Emergency resuscitative measures were unsuccessful, and unfortunately, the patient died. The case represents a rare pathology with an unusual presentation, which can be fatal if diagnosis and treatment is delayed.
Prognostic Effects of Treatment Strategies for Left Main Versus Non-Left Main Bifurcation Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Current-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent
Authors: Choi Ki Hong , Song Young Bin , Lee Joo Myung , Park Taek Kyu , Yang Jeong Hoon , Hahn Joo-Yong , Choi Jin-Ho , Choi Seung-Hyuk , Kim Hyo-Soo , Chun Woo Jung , Hur Seung-Ho , Han Seung Hwan , Rha Seung-Woon , Chae In-Ho , Jeong Jin-Ok , Heo Jung Ho , Yoon Junghan , Lim Do-Sun , Park Jong-Seon , Hong Myeong-Ki , Doh Joon-Hyung , Cha Kwang Soo , Kim Doo-Il , Lee Sang Yeub , Chang Kiyuk , Hwang Byung-Hee , Choi So-Yeon , Jeong Myung Ho , Hong Soon-Jun , Nam Chang-Wook , Koo Bon-Kwon , Gwon Hyeon-Cheol
Published: February 2020

Background:

Although 1-stent with provisional approach is the preferred strategy for the treatment of bifurcation lesions, the optimal treatment strategy according to lesion location is still debatable. This study aimed to identify whether clinical outcomes according to treatment strategy differed between left main (LM) and non-LM bifurcation lesions in the second-generation drug-eluting stent era.

Methods:

The Coronary Bifurcation Stenting registry III is a retrospective multicenter registry of 2648 patients with bifurcation lesions who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stent. Among the study population, 935 (35.3%) patients had an LM bifurcation lesion. The primary outcome was target lesion failure, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization.

Results:

Median follow-up duration was 53 months. LM bifurcation was associated with a higher risk of target lesion failure (HR
adj
, 1.846 [95% CI, 1.317–2.588];
P
<0.001) than non-LM bifurcation. Two-stent strategy was more frequently applied in patients with LM bifurcation than in patients with non-LM bifurcation (27.1% versus 11.7%;
P
<0.001). In the LM bifurcation group, compared with the 1-stent strategy, the 2-stent strategy showed a significantly higher risk of target lesion failure (2-stent versus 1-stent, 17.4% versus 10.6%; HR
adj
, 1.848 [95% CI, 1.045–3.266];
P
=0.035), mainly driven by the higher rate of target lesion revascularization (15.3% versus 5.5%; HR
adj
, 2.698 [95% CI, 1.276–5.706];
P
=0.009). However, the risk of cardiac death or myocardial infarction did not differ between the 2 groups (4.4% versus 6.6%; HR
adj
, 0.694 [95% CI, 0.306–1.572];
P
=0.381). For patients with non-LM-bifurcation, there was no significant difference in the rate of target lesion failure between 1-stent and 2-stent strategies (5.6% versus 6.3%; HR
adj
, 0.925 [95% CI, 0.428–2.001];
P
=0.843).

Conclusions:

Even in the second-generation drug-eluting stent era, the 1-stent strategy, if possible, should initially be considered the preferred approach for the treatment of LM bifurcation lesions.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT03068494.
A new species of Entomobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from the Northeast China and first record of Entomobryoides sotoadamesi
Authors: CHANG YAN , PAN ZHIXIANG , MA YITONG
Published: February 2020

A new species of Entomobrya Rondani: E. tristriata sp. nov., from Jilin, one province of the Northeast China and first record of Entomobryoides sotoadamesi Jordana, Potapov & Baquero, 2011, are herein described. Entomobrya tristriata sp. nov. is characterised by three longitudinal dark blue stripes from Th. II to Abd. III, prelabral smooth chaetae and larger subapical tooth on mucro. However, in most species of Entomobrya, prelabral chaetae are ciliated and subapical tooth is subequal to the apical one. Entomobryoides sotoadamesi was first described from Far East of Russia and Chinese specimens agree with the original description.
Value of CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Prediction and Ruling Out of Acute Stent Thrombosis After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Açikgöz Sadık Kadri , Açikgöz Eser , Çiçek Gökhan
Published: February 2020

Acute stent thrombosis is an important complication of stent implantation. The CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke, vascular disease, age between 65 and 74 years, female gender) score incorporates important cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and predicts prognosis in various CV conditions. We evaluated the value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting acute stent thrombosis (ie, thrombosis during 24 hours after stent placement) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention for ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction. Patients with intraprocedural stent thrombosis and complications were excluded; 48 (2.1%) of 2732 patients had acute stent thrombosis according to our definition. Median CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in this stent thrombosis group. Cumulative acute stent thrombosis rates were 0.51% for CHA2DS2-VASc score ≤1, 1.55% for ≤2, 1.80% for ≤3, 2.00% for ≤4, 2.17% for ≤5, and 2.19% for ≤6. The CHA2DS2-VASc score (odds ratio = 1.390, 95% confidence interval = 1.118-1.728; P = .003) was an independent predictor of acute stent thrombosis. The CHA2DS2-VASc score ≤1 predicted the absence of the acute stent thrombosis with 91% specificity and 36% sensitivity. Further studies are needed to establish the value of this finding in the context of current clinical practice.
Bitter Taste Perception of the Human Tongue Mediated by Quinine and Caffeine Impregnated Taste Strips
Authors: Liu David T. , Besser Gerold , Oeller Florian , Mueller Christian A. , Renner Bertold
Published: February 2020

Objectives:

Tests for gustatory function have become increasingly important in diagnosis and treatment of patients with taste disorders. While caffeine and quinine hydrochloride solutions have been used for global testing of bitter perception, only quinine has been used to test regional bitter perception by means of taste strips. The aim of the present study was to validate caffeine impregnated taste strips as an alternative to quinine taste strips for assessment of regional bitter perception.

Methods:

A total of 46 healthy volunteers (mean age/range, 23/19-27 years) were included in this study. Quinine and caffeine impregnated taste strips were pairwise presented at different parts of the tongue. Perceived intensity and hedonic dislike were evaluated using labeled magnitude scales. Additionally, gustatory function was assessed using the taste strips test and overall sense of taste was rated using visual analog scales.

Results:

Assessment of gustatory function demonstrated scores within the normogeusic range in most included subjects (mean/SD, 13.1/2.5). Notably, equally concentrated quinine and caffeine impregnated taste strips placed on different regions of the tongue did not lead to significant differences in perceived intensity or hedonic dislike, whereas quinine and caffeine impregnated taste strips of different concentrations placed on the same region on the tongue led to significant differences of perceived intensity and hedonic dislike. Furthermore, no correlation was found between self-assessment of gustatory function and taste strips scores.

Conclusion:

Caffeine seems to be a valid bitter compound for regional testing using taste strips and may be used alternatively to quinine.