bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The single-use rhinolaryngoscope: an evaluation and cost comparison
Authors: Mistry R , Russell R V , Walker N , Ofo E
Published: September 2020

Background

This study investigated whether the single-use rhinolaryngoscope is clinically and economically comparable to the conventional reusable rhinolaryngoscope within a tertiary otolaryngology centre in the UK.

Methods

A non-blinded, prospective and single-arm evaluation was carried out over a 5-day period, in which micro-costing was used to compare single-use rhinolaryngoscopes with reusable rhinolaryngoscopes.

Results

Overall, 68 per cent of the investigators perceived the single-use rhinolaryngoscope to be ‘good’ or ‘very good’, while 85 per cent believed the single-use rhinolaryngoscope could replace the reusable rhinolaryngoscope (n = 59). The incremental costs of reusable rhinolaryngoscope eyepieces and videoscopes in the out-patient clinic, when compared to single-use rhinolaryngoscopes, were £30 and £11, respectively. The incremental costs of reusable rhinolaryngoscope eyepieces and videoscopes in the acute surgical assessment unit, when compared to single-use rhinolaryngoscopes, were −£4 and −£73, respectively.

Conclusion

The single-use rhinolaryngoscope provides a clinically comparable, and potentially cost-minimising, alternative to the reusable rhinolaryngoscope for use in the acute surgical assessment unit of our hospital.
The effects of N95 mask and face shield on speech perception among healthcare workers in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic scenario
Authors: Bandaru S V , Augustine A M , Lepcha A , Sebastian S , Gowri M , Philip A , Mammen M D
Published: September 2020

Objective

The current circumstances of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitate the use of personal protective equipment in hospitals. N95 masks and face shields are being used as personal protective equipment to protect from aerosol-related spread of infection. Personal protective equipment, however, hampers communication. This study aimed to assess the effect of using an N95 mask and face shield on speech perception among healthcare workers with normal hearing.

Methods

Twenty healthcare workers were recruited for the study. Pure tone audiometry was conducted to ensure normal hearing. Speech reception threshold and speech discrimination score were obtained, first without using personal protective equipment and then repeated with the audiologist wearing an N95 mask and face shield.

Results

A statistically significant increase in speech reception threshold (mean of 12.4 dB) and decrease in speech discrimination score (mean of 7 per cent) was found while using the personal protective equipment.

Conclusion

Use of personal protective equipment significantly impairs speech perception. Alternate communication strategies should be developed for effective communication.
Detection of enteric parasites and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Blastocystis sp. in patients admitted to hospital in Ankara, Turkey
Authors: Sarzhanov Fakhriddin , Köster Pamela Carolina , Dogruman-Al Funda , Bailo Begoña , Dashti Alejandro , Demirel-Kaya Filiz , Carmena David
Published: September 2020

This epidemiological study assesses the occurrence of enteric parasites in 4303 patients attended at two public hospitals in Ankara (Turkey) during 2018–2019. Microscopy was used as a screening test. Giardia duodenalis was also identified using a commercial ELISA for the detection of parasite-specific coproantigens. Giardia-positive samples by microscopy/ELISA were confirmed by real-time PCR and characterized using a multilocus genotyping scheme. Blastocystis sp. was genotyped in a sample subset. Blastocystis sp. (11.1%, 95% CI 11.4‒14.8%) and G. duodenalis (1.56%, 95% CI 1.22‒1.96) were the most prevalent pathogens found. Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica and intestinal helminths were only sporadically (<0.5%) found. For G. duodenalis, sequence (n = 30) analyses revealed the presence of sub-assemblages AII (23.3%), discordant AII/AIII (23.3%) and mixed AII + AIII (6.7%) within assemblage A, and BIII (10.0%), BIV (3.3%) and discordant BIII/BIV (23.3%) within assemblage B. Two additional sequences (6.7%) were assigned to the latter assemblage but sub-assemblage information was unknown. No associations between G. duodenalis assemblages/sub-assemblages and sociodemographic and clinical variables could be demonstrated. For Blastocystis sp., sequence (n = 6) analyses identified subtypes ST1, ST2 and ST3 at equal proportions. This is the first molecular characterization of G. duodenalis based on MLG conducted in Turkey to date.
Serotonin and early life stress interact to shape brain architecture and anxious avoidant behavior – a TPH2 imaging genetics approach
Authors: Liu Congcong , Xu Lei , Li Jialin , Zhou Feng , Yang Xi , Zheng Xiaoxiao , Fu Meina , Li Keshuang , Sindermann Cornelia , Montag Christian , Ma Yina , Scheele Dirk , Ebstein Richard P. , Yao Shuxia , Kendrick Keith M. , Becker Benjamin
Published: September 2020

Background

Early life stress has been associated with emotional dysregulations and altered architecture of limbic-prefrontal brain systems engaged in emotional processing. Serotonin regulates both, developmental and experience-dependent neuroplasticity in these circuits. Central serotonergic biosynthesis rates are regulated by Tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) and transgenic animal models suggest that TPH2-gene associated differences in serotonergic signaling mediate the impact of aversive early life experiences on a phenotype characterized by anxious avoidance.

Methods

The present study employed an imaging genetics approach that capitalized on individual differences in a TPH2 polymorphism (703G/T; rs4570625) to determine whether differences in serotonergic signaling modulate the effects of early life stress on brain structure and function and punishment sensitivity in humans (n = 252).

Results

Higher maltreatment exposure before the age of 16 was associated with increased gray matter volumes in a circuitry spanning thalamic-limbic-prefrontal regions and decreased intrinsic communication in limbic-prefrontal circuits selectively in TT carriers. In an independent replication sample, associations between higher early life stress and increased frontal volumes in TT carriers were confirmed. On the phenotype level, the genotype moderated the association between higher early life stress exposure and higher punishment sensitivity. In TT carriers, the association between higher early life stress exposure and punishment sensitivity was critically mediated by increased thalamic-limbic-prefrontal volumes.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that early life stress shapes the neural organization of the limbic-prefrontal circuits in interaction with individual variations in the TPH2 gene to promote a phenotype characterized by facilitated threat avoidance, thus promoting early adaptation to an adverse environment.
The estimation of health state utility values in rare diseases: overview of existing techniques
Authors: Meregaglia Michela , Nicod Elena , Drummond Michael
Published: September 2020

There are several techniques for estimating health state utility values, each of which presents pros and cons in the context of rare diseases (RDs). Direct approaches (e.g. standard gamble and time trade-off) may be too demanding for patients with RDs, since most of them affect young children or cause cognitive impairment. The alternatives are using “vignettes” that describe hypothetical health states for the general public, which may not reflect the heterogeneous manifestations of RDs, or multi-attribute utility instruments (i.e. indirect techniques), such as EQ-5D, which may be less sensitive in capturing the specificities of RDs. The “rule of rescue” approach is a promising alternative in RDs, since it prioritizes identifiable patients with life-threatening or disabling conditions. However, it raises measurement challenges and ethical issues. Furthermore, the literature reports on relevant implications of choosing a technique over others for health technology assessment, which should be considered in relation to individual RDs.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: can PrEP prevent COVID-19-related symptoms?
Authors: Fernandes Danilo Euclides , Ferreira Paulo Roberto Abrão , Mastroianni Kirsztajn Gianna
Published: September 2020

It has been speculated that some drugs can be used against SARS-CoV-2. As for antiretrovirals, the follow-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak may help to understand the potential protective effect of PrEP against SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to identify associations between oral PrEP use and COVID-19-related symptoms self-reporting. Phone call interviews or digital investigation (through WhatsApp® or e-mail) about oral PrEP regular use, social distancing, exposure to suspected or confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related symptoms. Among 108 individuals, the majority were cisgender, white and gay men. Although most of the individuals engaged in social distancing (68.52%), they kept on taking PrEP (75.93%). Few people have had contact with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 (12.04%), but some had COVID-19-related symptoms the month before the interview (27.78%) including rhinorrheoa (56.67%), cough (53.33%), asthaenia (50.00%) and headache (43.33%). Also, oral PrEP was associated with lower self-reporting COVID-19-symptoms (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.07–0.96, P = 0.04; h = 0.92) even after controlling confounders as social distancing, age, body-mass index and morbidities . In our sample, the regular use of oral PrEP was associated with lower self-reporting of COVID-19-related symptoms during the outbreak in São Paulo, Brazil.
Subclinical thiamine deficiency: What is the most appropriate method of diagnosis and treatment?
Authors: Onishi Hideki , Uchida Nozomu , Itami Kumi , Sato Masakazu , Tamura Saki , Kurosaki Akira , Ishida Mayumi
Published: September 2020

Objectives

The symptoms of thiamine deficiency vary considerably and asymptomatic cases; i.e., subclinical thiamine deficiency (SCTD), are known to exist. However, there is no information available on the treatment of SCTD.

Methods

We report a patient who underwent intravenous thiamine replacement therapy for about a month after being diagnosed with SCTD, but who developed SCTD again about three weeks after finishing the treatment.

Results

The patient was a 64-year-old woman who, after starting treatment for cervical cancer, complained of anxiety and underwent an initial psychiatric examination. The psychiatric diagnosis was an adjustment disorder. Based on the possibility of SCTD complications due to her decreased appetite and weight loss, her serum thiamine concentration was measured and found to be low. Therefore, thiamine was administered intravenously for 29 days. At the end of treatment, thiamine administration was discontinued as there were no apparent neuropsychiatric symptoms or problems with appetite. Twenty-three days later, there were still no problems with appetite or neuropsychiatric symptoms, but a follow-up blood sample revealed that her serum thiamine was again below the normal range.

Significance of results

Currently, there is no information available regarding the diagnosis and treatment of SCTD in cancer patients. In some cases, such as this case, the deficiency recurs without any symptoms indicative of SCTD; therefore, further examination for diagnosis and treatment is necessary.
Addressing the needs of parents with advanced cancer: Attitudes, practice behaviors, and training experiences of oncology social workers
Authors: Quillen Laura J. , Borstelmann Nancy A. , Stanton Kate E. , Nelson Courtney A. , Chien Stephanie A. , Bowers Savannah M. , Swift Catherine L. , Gonzalez Yulissa , Yi Samantha M. , Park Eliza M.
Published: September 2020

Objective

Advanced cancer patients who are parents of minor children experience heightened psychosocial distress. Oncology social workers (OSWs) are essential providers of psychosocial support to parents with advanced cancer. Yet, little is known about the experiences and approaches of OSWs in addressing these patients’ unique needs. The purpose of this study was to characterize the attitudes, practice behaviors, and training experiences of OSWs who provide psychosocial care for advanced cancer patients with minor children.

Method

Forty-one OSWs participated in a cross-sectional survey addressing multiple facets of their psychosocial care for parents with advanced cancer. The five assessed domains of psychosocial support were communication support, emotional support, household support, illness and treatment decision-making support, and end-of-life planning.

Results

Participants reported greatest confidence in counseling patients on communication with children about illness and providing support to co-parents about parenting concerns. OSWs reported less confidence in counseling parents on end-of-life issues and assisting families with non-traditional household structures. The majority of participants reported needing more time in their clinical practice to sufficiently address parents’ psychosocial needs. Nearly 90% of participants were interested in receiving further training on the care of parents with advanced cancer.

Significance of results

To improve the care of parents with advanced cancer, it is critical to understand how the psychosocial oncology workforce perceives its clinical practice needs. Study findings suggest an opportunity for enhanced training, particularly with respect to end-of-life needs and in response to the changing household structure of American families.
Robustness of CMIP6 Historical Global Mean Temperature Simulations: Trends, Long‐Term Persistence, Autocorrelation, and Distributional Shape
Authors: Papalexiou Simon Michael , Rajulapati Chandra Rupa , Clark Martyn P. , Lehner Flavio
Published: September 2020

Multi‐model climate experiments carried out as part of different phases of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) are crucial to evaluate past and future climate change. The reliability of models' simulations is often gauged by their ability to reproduce the historical climate across many time scales. This study compares the global mean surface air temperature from 29 CMIP6 models with observations from three datasets. We examine (1) warming and cooling rates in five subperiods from 1880 to 2014, (2) autocorrelation and long‐term persistence, (3) models' performance based on probabilistic and entropy metrics, and (4) the distributional shape of temperature. All models simulate the observed long‐term warming trend from 1880 to 2014. The late twentieth century warming (1975–2014) and the hiatus (1942–1975) are replicated by most models. The post‐1998 warming is overestimated in 90% of the simulations. Only six out of 29 models reproduce the observed long‐term persistence. All models show differences in distributional shape when compared with observations. Varying performance across metrics reveals the challenge to determine the “best” model. Thus, we argue that models should be selected, based on case‐specific metrics, depending on the intended use. Metrics proposed here facilitate a comprehensive assessment for various applications.
Diversity of North Pacific Meridional Mode and Its Distinct Impacts on El Niño‐Southern Oscillation
Authors: Zhao Jiuwei , Kug Jong‐Seong , Park Jae‐Heung , An Soon‐Il
Published: September 2020

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the North Pacific Meridional Mode (NPMM) plays an important role in determining El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events in the following winter season. However, little attention has been given to significant differences among its spatial patterns. Here we show that the NPMM exhibits a large diversity in spatial patterns, leading to distinct impacts on ENSO. Based on objective clustering analysis, two distinct spatial patterns of NPMM are detected. Cluster 1 (C1) NPMM exhibits a strong sea surface temperature dipole over the subtropical eastern Pacific and midlatitude central Pacific whereas Cluster 2 (C2) features a dipole over the subtropical eastern Pacific and equatorial cold tongue region. We find that the C1 NPMM is strongly linked to following ENSO events while the C2 NPMM has no statistically significant relation. This gives new implications for ENSO dynamics and predictions.
Squeezing Water From a Stone: H2O In Nominally Anhydrous Minerals From Granulite Xenoliths and Deep, Hydrous Fractional Crystallization
Authors: Chin Emily J. , Curran Sean T. , Farmer G. Lang
Published: September 2020

Water is key to plate tectonics on Earth, which, in turn, is vital to the production of continental crust. Although arc lavas erupt in a volatile‐rich state and calc‐alkaline arc plutons are distinguished by the presence of hydrous minerals such as hornblende and biotite, the water content of arc magmas earlier in their evolution—in the deep crust—remains poorly constrained. Here, we report H2O contents in nominally anhydrous minerals measured in situ on petrographic thin sections by secondary ion mass spectrometry of Proterozoic deep crustal xenoliths from Colorado, USA. Clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and garnet contain average H2O contents ranging from 75–760, 233–410, and 42–139 ppm, respectively. Reconstructed bulk rock H2O contents range from ~60 to ~650 ppm. Intermineral H2O ratios overlap experimental mineral/melt D values and are used to calculate H2O of melts last in equilibrium with the xenoliths. We propose that these xenoliths represent cumulates fractionated from a primitive, hydrous (≥1 wt.% H2O) melt at high (~1 GPa) pressures, similar to conditions in modern subduction zones and potentially associated with widespread arc accretion that formed the core of North America in the Precambrian.
Predicting Vertical Concentration Profiles in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer With a Markov Chain Random Walk Model
Authors: Park Hyungwon John , Sherman Thomas , Freire Livia S. , Wang Guiquan , Bolster Diogo , Xian Peng , Sorooshian Armin , Reid Jeffrey S. , Richter David H.
Published: September 2020

In an effort to better represent aerosol transport in mesoscale and global‐scale models, large eddy simulations (LES) from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Turbulence with Particles (NTLP) code are used to develop a Markov chain random walk model that predicts aerosol particle profiles in a cloud‐free marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL). The evolution of vertical concentration profiles are simulated for a range of aerosol particle sizes and in a neutral and an unstable boundary layer. For the neutral boundary layer we find, based on the LES statistics and a specific model time step, that there exist significant correlation for particle positions, meaning that particles near the bottom of the boundary are more likely to remain near the bottom of the boundary layer than being abruptly transported to the top, and vice versa. For the unstable boundary layer, a similar time interval exhibits a weaker tendency for an aerosol particle to remain close to its current location compared to the neutral case due to the strong nonlocal convective motions. In the limit of a large time interval, particles have been mixed throughout the MABL and virtually no temporal correlation exists. We leverage this information to parameterize a Markov chain random walk model that accurately predicts the evolution of vertical concentration profiles. The new methodology has significant potential to be applied at the subgrid level for coarser‐scale weather and climate models, the utility of which is shown by comparison to airborne field data and global aerosol models.
The Effects of Canopy Morphology on Flow Over a Two‐Dimensional Isolated Ridge
Authors: Ma Yulong , Liu Heping , Banerjee Tirtha , Katul Gabriel G. , Yi Chuixiang , Pardyjak Eric R.
Published: September 2020

Momentum and mass exchanges between the atmosphere and forests situated on complex terrain continue to draw significant research attention primarily because of their significance to a plethora of applications. In this paper, we investigated flows behavior on the leeward side of a two‐dimensional forested ridge under neutrally stratified conditions using large‐eddy simulations (LESs). The goal is to understand how variations in leaf area index (LAI), vertical canopy foliage distributions, and forest edge positions affect mean/turbulent flow statistics, momentum fluxes, and onset of recirculation patterns. Although pressure perturbations are dominated by the hill shape, it is demonstrated here that changes in canopy foliage distribution modulate intensities and patterns of the leeward adverse pressure gradients. Such changes in the adverse pressure gradients alter the mean velocity streamlines including the patterns and magnitudes of the leeward downward mean vertical velocity and the velocity variances and momentum flux in the wake region. While a downwind recirculation zone develops in all cases, the details regarding the incipient location and recirculation zone size vary including positions of the separation and reattachment points. Furthermore, changes in the strength and depth of the zone occur due to canopy‐induced changes in adverse pressure gradients, advection, and canopy drag. Because the recirculation zone impacts the local mean advective terms in momentum and scalar exchanges, the simulations here indicate that canopy morphology‐induced changes in the leeward flows have significant implications to both measurements and models of biosphere‐atmosphere exchange over complex terrain.
Salt Marsh Pond Biogeochemistry Changes Hourly‐to‐Yearly but Does Not Scale With Dimensions or Geospatial Position
Authors: Spivak Amanda C. , Denmark Alexander , Gosselin Kelsey M. , Sylva Sean P.
Published: September 2020

Shallow ponds are expanding in many salt marshes with potential impacts on ecosystem functioning. Determining how pond characteristics change over time and scale with physical dimensions and other spatial predictors could facilitate incorporation of ponds into projections of ecosystem change. We evaluated scaling relationships across six differently sized ponds in three regions of the high marshes within the Plum Island Ecosystems‐Long Term Ecological Research site (MA, USA). We further characterized diel fluctuations in surface water chemistry in two ponds to understand short‐term processes that affect emergent properties (e.g., habitat suitability). Primary producers drove oxygen levels to supersaturation during the day, while nighttime respiration resulted in hypoxic to anoxic conditions. Diel swings in oxygen were mirrored by pH and resulted in successive shifts in redox‐sensitive metabolisms, as indicated by nitrate consumption at dusk followed by peaks in ammonium and then sulfide overnight. Abundances of macroalgae and Ruppia maritima correlated with whole‐pond oxygen metabolism rates, but not with surface area (SA), volume (V), or SA:V. Moreover, there were no clear patterns in primary producer abundances, surface water chemistry, or pond metabolism rates across marsh regions supplied by different tidal creeks or that differed in distance to upland borders or creekbanks. Comparisons with data from 2 years prior demonstrate that plant communities and biogeochemical processes are not in steady state. Factors contributing to variability between ponds and years are unclear but likely include infrequent tidal exchange. Temporal and spatial variability and the absence of scaling relationships complicate the integration of high marsh ponds into ecosystem biogeochemical models.
Conductance Model for Extreme Events: Impact of Auroral Conductance on Space Weather Forecasts
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Agnit , Welling Daniel T. , Liemohn Michael W. , Ridley Aaron J. , Chakraborty Shibaji , Anderson Brian J.
Published: September 2020

Ionospheric conductance is a crucial factor in regulating the closure of magnetospheric field‐aligned currents through the ionosphere as Hall and Pedersen currents. Despite its importance in predictive investigations of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling, the estimation of ionospheric conductance in the auroral region is precarious in most global first‐principles‐based models. This impreciseness in estimating the auroral conductance impedes both our understanding and predictive capabilities of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system during extreme space weather events. In this article, we address this concern, with the development of an advanced Conductance Model for Extreme Events (CMEE) that estimates the auroral conductance from field‐aligned current values. CMEE has been developed using nonlinear regression over a year's worth of 1‐min resolution output from assimilative maps, specifically including times of extreme driving of the solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. The model also includes provisions to enhance the conductance in the aurora using additional adjustments to refine the auroral oval. CMEE has been incorporated within the Ridley Ionosphere Model (RIM) of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) for usage in space weather simulations. This paper compares performance of CMEE against the existing conductance model in RIM, through a validation process for six space weather events. The performance analysis indicates overall improvement in the ionospheric feedback to ground‐based space weather forecasts. Specifically, the model is able to improve the prediction of ionospheric currents, which impact the simulated dB/dt and ΔB, resulting in substantial improvements in dB/dt predictive skill.
N,N-dimethyltryptamine compound found in the hallucinogenic tea ayahuasca, regulates adult neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Morales-Garcia Jose A. , Calleja-Conde Javier , Lopez-Moreno Jose A. , Alonso-Gil Sandra , Sanz-SanCristobal Marina , Riba Jordi , Perez-Castillo Ana
Published: September 2020

N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a component of the ayahuasca brew traditionally used for ritual and therapeutic purposes across several South American countries. Here, we have examined, in vitro and vivo, the potential neurogenic effect of DMT. Our results demonstrate that DMT administration activates the main adult neurogenic niche, the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, promoting newly generated neurons in the granular zone. Moreover, these mice performed better, compared to control non-treated animals, in memory tests, which suggest a functional relevance for the DMT-induced new production of neurons in the hippocampus. Interestingly, the neurogenic effect of DMT appears to involve signaling via sigma-1 receptor (S1R) activation since S1R antagonist blocked the neurogenic effect. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DMT treatment activates the subgranular neurogenic niche regulating the proliferation of neural stem cells, the migration of neuroblasts, and promoting the generation of new neurons in the hippocampus, therefore enhancing adult neurogenesis and improving spatial learning and memory tasks.
Efficacy of probiotics on digestive disorders and acute respiratory infections: a controlled clinical trial in young Vietnamese children
Authors: Mai Truong Tuyet , Thi Thu Pham , Thi Hang Hoang , Trang Tran Thi Thu , Yui Shintaro , Shigehisa Akira , Tien Vu Thuy , Dung Truong Viet , Nga Phan Bich , Hung Nguyen Trong , Tuyen Le Danh
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) on the incidence of constipation, diarrhea, acute respiratory infections (ARI), and nutritional status of young Vietnamese children.

Methods

A controlled field trial was conducted with 1003 children (3–5 years old) in Thanh Hoa province in Vietnam. The probiotic group (n = 510) consumed fermented milk 65 mL/day containing 108 CFU/mL of LcS for the 12-week intervention period, whereas the control group (n = 493) was not given any. The incidence of constipation, diarrhea, ARI, and anthropometry in children was determined at baseline, after 4, 8, and 12-week intervention, and after the 4-week follow-up period.

Results

Probiotic drink decreased the incidence of constipation after the 12-week intervention period (12.0% vs. 32.0%, OR = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.21–0.40), p < 0.001), tended to decrease the incidence of diarrhea (4.9% vs. 7.9%, OR = 0.60 (95% CI: 0.35–1.01), p = 0.068), and prevented the occurrence of ARI (15.9% vs. 24.5%, OR = 0.58 (95% CI: 0.42–0.79), p < 0.001), when compared with the control group. In contrast, no probiotic effects were observed for the duration of diarrhea or ARI. Weight gain was higher in the probiotic group than in the control group after 4, 8, and 12-week intervention and after the 4-week follow-up period (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Daily intake of fermented milk containing LcS strongly prevented the incidence of constipation and ARI in Vietnamese children. This study also revealed the potential effects of the use of a probiotic drink on diarrhea prevention as well as nutritional status improvement.
Realizing a deterministic source of multipartite-entangled photonic qubits
Authors: Besse Jean-Claude , Reuer Kevin , Collodo Michele C. , Wulff Arne , Wernli Lucien , Copetudo Adrian , Malz Daniel , Magnard Paul , Akin Abdulkadir , Gabureac Mihai , Norris Graham J. , Cirac J. Ignacio , Wallraff Andreas , Eichler Christopher
Published: September 2020

Sources of entangled electromagnetic radiation are a cornerstone in quantum information processing and offer unique opportunities for the study of quantum many-body physics in a controlled experimental setting. Generation of multi-mode entangled states of radiation with a large entanglement length, that is neither probabilistic nor restricted to generate specific types of states, remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the fully deterministic generation of purely photonic entangled states such as the cluster, GHZ, and W state by sequentially emitting microwave photons from a controlled auxiliary system into a waveguide. We tomographically reconstruct the entire quantum many-body state for up to N = 4 photonic modes and infer the quantum state for even larger N from process tomography. We estimate that localizable entanglement persists over a distance of approximately ten photonic qubits.
Modeling lung perfusion abnormalities to explain early COVID-19 hypoxemia
Authors: Herrmann Jacob , Mori Vitor , Bates Jason H. T. , Suki Béla
Published: September 2020

Early stages of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are associated with silent hypoxia and poor oxygenation despite relatively minor parenchymal involvement. Although speculated that such paradoxical findings may be explained by impaired hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in infected lung regions, no studies have determined whether such extreme degrees of perfusion redistribution are physiologically plausible, and increasing attention is directed towards thrombotic microembolism as the underlying cause of hypoxemia. Herein, a mathematical model demonstrates that the large amount of pulmonary venous admixture observed in patients with early COVID-19 can be reasonably explained by a combination of pulmonary embolism, ventilation-perfusion mismatching in the noninjured lung, and normal perfusion of the relatively small fraction of injured lung. Although underlying perfusion heterogeneity exacerbates existing shunt and ventilation-perfusion mismatch in the model, the reported hypoxemia severity in early COVID-19 patients is not replicated without either extensive perfusion defects, severe ventilation-perfusion mismatch, or hyperperfusion of nonoxygenated regions.
Viral gene drive in herpesviruses
Authors: Walter Marius , Verdin Eric
Published: September 2020

Gene drives are genetic modifications designed to propagate in a population with high efficiency. Current gene drive strategies rely on sexual reproduction and are thought to be restricted to sexual organisms. Here, we report on a gene drive system that allows the spread of an engineered trait in populations of DNA viruses and, in particular, herpesviruses. We describe the successful transmission of a gene drive sequence between distinct strains of human cytomegalovirus (human herpesvirus 5) and show that gene drive viruses can efficiently target and replace wildtype populations in cell culture experiments. Moreover, by targeting sequences necessary for viral replication, our results indicate that a viral gene drive can be used as a strategy to suppress a viral infection. Taken together, this work offers a proof of principle for the design of a gene drive in viruses.
Mapping the bacterial metabolic niche space
Authors: Fahimipour Ashkaan K. , Gross Thilo
Published: September 2020

The rise in the availability of bacterial genomes defines a need for synthesis: abstracting from individual taxa, to see larger patterns of bacterial lifestyles across systems. A key concept for such synthesis in ecology is the niche, the set of capabilities that enables a population’s persistence and defines its impact on the environment. The set of possible niches forms the niche space, a conceptual space delineating ways in which persistence in a system is possible. Here we use manifold learning to map the space of metabolic networks representing thousands of bacterial genera. The results suggest a metabolic niche space comprising a collection of discrete clusters and branching manifolds, which constitute strategies spanning life in different habitats and hosts. We further demonstrate that communities from similar ecosystem types map to characteristic regions of this functional coordinate system, permitting coarse-graining of microbiomes in terms of ecological niches that may be filled.
Ubiquitin and TFIIH-stimulated DDB2 dissociation drives DNA damage handover in nucleotide excision repair
Authors: Ribeiro-Silva Cristina , Sabatella Mariangela , Helfricht Angela , Marteijn Jurgen A. , Theil Arjan F. , Vermeulen Wim , Lans Hannes
Published: September 2020

DNA damage sensors DDB2 and XPC initiate global genome nucleotide excision repair (NER) to protect DNA from mutagenesis caused by helix-distorting lesions. XPC recognizes helical distortions by binding to unpaired ssDNA opposite DNA lesions. DDB2 binds to UV-induced lesions directly and facilitates efficient recognition by XPC. We show that not only lesion-binding but also timely DDB2 dissociation is required for DNA damage handover to XPC and swift progression of the multistep repair reaction. DNA-binding-induced DDB2 ubiquitylation and ensuing degradation regulate its homeostasis to prevent excessive lesion (re)binding. Additionally, damage handover from DDB2 to XPC coincides with the arrival of the TFIIH complex, which further promotes DDB2 dissociation and formation of a stable XPC-TFIIH damage verification complex. Our results reveal a reciprocal coordination between DNA damage recognition and verification within NER and illustrate that timely repair factor dissociation is vital for correct spatiotemporal control of a multistep repair process.
Author Correction: YAP1/TAZ drives ependymoma-like tumour formation in mice
Authors: Eder Noreen , Roncaroli Federico , Domart Marie-Charlotte , Horswell Stuart , Andreiuolo Felipe , Flynn Helen R. , Lopes Andre T. , Claxton Suzanne , Kilday John-Paul , Collinson Lucy , Mao Jun-Hao , Pietsch Torsten , Thompson Barry , Snijders Ambrosius P. , Ultanir Sila K.
Published: September 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Extradural Motor Cortex Stimulation might improve episodic and working memory in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Piano Carla , Ciavarro Marco , Bove Francesco , Di Giuda Daniela , Cocciolillo Fabrizio , Bentivoglio Anna Rita , Cioni Beatrice , Tufo Tommaso , Calabresi Paolo , Daniele Antonio
Published: September 2020

Electric Extradural Motor Cortex Stimulation (EMCS) is a neurosurgical procedure suggested for treatment of patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). We report two PD patients treated by EMCS, who experienced worsening of motor symptoms and cognition 5 years after surgery, when EMCS batteries became discharged. One month after EMCS restoration, they experienced a subjective improvement of motor symptoms and cognition. Neuropsychological assessments were carried out before replacement of batteries (off-EMCS condition) and 6 months afterward (on-EMCS condition). As compared to off-EMCS condition, in on-EMCS condition both patients showed an improvement on tasks of verbal episodic memory and backward spatial short-term/working memory task, and a decline on tasks of selective visual attention and forward spatial short-term memory. These findings suggest that in PD patients EMCS may induce slight beneficial effects on motor symptoms and cognitive processes involved in verbal episodic memory and in active manipulation of information stored in working memory.
Author Correction: Pivotal role of CD103 in the development of psoriasiform dermatitis
Authors: Fukui Takehito , Fukaya Tomohiro , Uto Tomofumi , Takagi Hideaki , Nasu Junta , Miyanaga Noriaki , Nishikawa Yotaro , Koseki Haruhiko , Choijookhuu Narantsog , Hishikawa Yoshitaka , Yamashita Yoshihiro , Sato Katsuaki
Published: September 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Polyphyletic origin, intracellular invasion, and meiotic genes in the putatively asexual agamococcidians (Apicomplexa incertae sedis)
Authors: Miroliubova Tatiana S. , Simdyanov Timur G. , Mikhailov Kirill V. , Aleoshin Vladimir V. , Janouškovec Jan , Belova Polina A. , Paskerova Gita G.
Published: September 2020

Agamococcidians are enigmatic and poorly studied parasites of marine invertebrates with unexplored diversity and unclear relationships to other sporozoans such as the human pathogens Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. It is believed that agamococcidians are not capable of sexual reproduction, which is essential for life cycle completion in all well studied parasitic apicomplexans. Here, we describe three new species of agamococcidians belonging to the genus Rhytidocystis. We examined their cell morphology and ultrastructure, resolved their phylogenetic position by using near-complete rRNA operon sequences, and searched for genes associated with meiosis and oocyst wall formation in two rhytidocystid transcriptomes. Phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered rhytidocystids as basal coccidiomorphs and away from the corallicolids, demonstrating that the order Agamococcidiorida Levine, 1979 is polyphyletic. Light and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the development of rhytidocystids begins inside the gut epithelial cells, a characteristic which links them specifically with other coccidiomorphs to the exclusion of gregarines and suggests that intracellular invasion evolved early in the coccidiomorphs. We propose a new superorder Eococcidia for early coccidiomorphs. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that both the meiotic machinery and oocyst wall proteins are preserved in rhytidocystids. The conservation of meiotic genes and ultrastructural similarity of rhytidocystid trophozoites to macrogamonts of true coccidians point to an undescribed, cryptic sexual process in the group.
Author Correction: Genomic evidence of recent hybridization between sea turtles at Abrolhos Archipelago and its association to low reproductive output
Authors: Arantes Larissa Souza , Ferreira Lucas Cabral Lage , Driller Maximilian , Repinaldo Filho Fernando Pedro Marinho , Mazzoni Camila Junqueira , Santos Fabrício Rodrigues
Published: September 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Sex differences of inflammatory and immune response in pups of Wistar rats with SIRS
Authors: Kosyreva Anna M. , Dzhalilova Dzhuliia Sh. , Makarova Olga V. , Tsvetkov Ivan S. , Zolotova Natalia A. , Diatroptova Marina A. , Ponomarenko Elena A. , Mkhitarov Vladimir A. , Khochanskiy Dmitriy N. , Mikhailova Liliya P.
Published: September 2020

It is a common fact, that the content of sex hormones in humans and animals varies in different age periods. The functional state of the immune system also changes with age. However, sex differences studies of inflammatory and immune responses during puberty prevail in literature. Investigation of immune responses to LPS peculiarities in prepubertal females and males may contribute to the development of more effective immunotherapy and minimize side effects of children vaccination. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the LPS-induced SIRS sex differences in prepubertal Wistar rats. Despite the absence of sex differences in estradiol and testosterone levels, LPS-induced inflammatory changes in liver and lungs are more pronounced among males. Males demonstrate the increasing neopterin, corticosterone levels and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Not less important is that in females, demonstrating less morphological changes in liver and lungs, endotoxin level is tenfold higher, and corticosterone level decreases. Thus, endotoxin cannot be used as a marker of the severity of multiple organ failure in prepubertal period. The LPS-induced immune reactions in females and males are similar and are characterized by immunosuppression. Both females and males have decreased production of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α, TGF-β) and the absolute number of CD3 + and CD3 + CD8 + lymphocytes in blood. The acute atrophy of thymus and apoptosis of thymic cells are revealed in animals of both sexes. However, the number of CD3 + CD4 + T-helpers and CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + T-cells decreases only in females with SIRS, and in males there was a decrease of CD45R + B-cells. The least expressed sex differences in immune responses in the prepubertal period can be determined by the low levels of sex steroids and the absence of their immunomodulatory effect. Further studies require the identification of mechanisms, determining the sex differences in the inflammatory and immune responses in prepubertal animals.
Alcohol abrogates human norovirus infectivity in a pH-dependent manner
Authors: Sato Shintaro , Matsumoto Naomi , Hisaie Kota , Uematsu Satoshi
Published: September 2020

Alcohol-based disinfectants are widely used for the sanitization of microorganisms, especially those that cause infectious diseases, including viruses. However, since the germicidal mechanism of alcohol is lipolysis, alcohol-based disinfectants appear to have a minimal effect on non-enveloped viruses, such as noroviruses. Because there is no cultivation method for human norovirus (HuNoV) in vitro, murine norovirus and feline calicivirus have been used as surrogates for HuNoV to analyze the efficacy of disinfectant regents. Therefore, whether these disinfectants and their conditions are effective against HuNoVs remain unknown. In this study, we report that ethanol or isopropanol alone can sufficiently suppress GII.4 genotype HuNoV replication in human iPSC-derived intestinal epithelial cells. Additionally, pH adjustments and salting-out may contribute toward the virucidal effect of alcohol against other HuNoV genotypes and cancel the impediment of organic substance contamination, respectively. Therefore, similar to sodium hypochlorite, alcohol-based disinfectants containing electrolytes can be used for HuNoV inactivation.
The clinical effect of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide on asymptomatic peri-procedural myocardial injury after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
Authors: Liang Ling , Tang Rong , Xie Qiang , Han Junyu , Li Weihua
Published: September 2020

To determine the effect of intravenous injection of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) on lowering the incidence of asymptomatic peri-procedural myocardial injury (PMI) in patients who underwent coronary stent implantation. In this retrospective observational study, data pooled from a tertiary hospital electronic medical records were used to quantify the troponin enzyme change after patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were pretreated with rhBNP infusion one day prior to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The primary end point was to analyze the incidence of the elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I serum levels above the upper normal limit after PCI. A total of 156 CAD patients were enrolled into rhBNP group (n = 76) and control group (n = 80). The incidence of asymptomatic PMI was 33% in the rhBNP group versus 51% in the control group (P = 0.02) after PCI. At eight months, the incidences of composite endpoints were 25.3% in the control group and 13% in the rhBNP group (difference, 12.3 percentage points; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.197 to 1.048; P = 0.061). There were 7 visits in the rhBNP group and 15 visits in the control group for recurrent angina (difference, 10 percentage points; 95% CI 0.168–1.147; P = 0.087). A time-to-event analysis of the composite clinical endpoints and the recurrent angina between the control group and rhBNP group showed that the hazard ratios were 2.566 (95% CI 1.187–5.551; P = 0.017) and 2.607 (95% CI 1.089–6.244; P = 0.032) respectively. The decreased incidence of asymptomatic PMI after PCI and the reduced episodes of recurrent angina at eight months follow-up were associated with the administration of rhBNP infusion prior to PCI.
Sequence polymorphism of the waxy gene in waxy maize accessions and characterization of a new waxy allele
Authors: Luo Meijie , Shi Yaxing , Yang Yang , Zhao Yanxin , Zhang Yunxia , Shi Yamin , Kong Mengsi , Li Chunhui , Feng Zhen , Fan Yanli , Xu Li , Xi Shengli , Lu Baishan , Zhao Jiuran
Published: September 2020

Waxy maize has many excellent characteristics in terms of its nutritional and economic value. In recent decades, the waxy maize germplasm has increased dramatically as a result of different selection methods. We collected 200 waxy maize inbred accessions from different origins to study their genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships, and to identify newwaxymutations. A simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis revealed wide genetic diversity among the 200 waxy maize accessions. The maize accessions were clustered into three groups. We sequenced thewaxygene from the first to the 14th exon. Nucleotide variation analysis of 167 waxy maize and 14 flint maize lines revealed some nucleotide differences in thewaxygene among different waxy maize groups, and much narrower nucleotide diversity in waxy maize than in flint maize. In a phylogenetic analysis, waxy maize carrying the same mutation allele clustered together, and waxy maize carrying different mutation alleles distributed in different groups; waxy maize was intermixed with flint maize in each branch, andwx-D7waxy maize separated significantly from waxy maize lines carryingwx-D10, wx-124andwx-hATmutant alleles. Thewx-hATwas a newwaxymutation identified in this study. It consisted of a 2286-bp transposon inserted into the middle of exon three of thewaxygene. A PCR marker specific for thewx-hATallele was developed. These results will be useful for the utilization and preservation of the waxy maize germplasm, and the PCR marker has potential uses in waxy maize breeding programs.