bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on the Reported Pain Levels of Chronic Patients in a Clinical Setting
Authors: Cremata Edward J. , Cremata Edward E , Bidkaram Ulyss , Brown Bryce , Radman Allan 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundA review of literature for in-office, low to medium energy (.04mj/mm2 to .4mj/mm2) Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) shows a substantial body of evidence suggesting strong efficacy and safety for the use of this form of Acoustic Compression Therapy. Much of this evidence is focused on the treatment of a specific region of the body, such as lateral epicondylitis, plantar fasciitis, and shoulder tendinopathies. This evaluation is designed to address the clinical utility of low to medium energy ESWT in an outpatient health care office setting, including delivery to multiple regions of the body, and for patients considered good candidates based on the failure of at least six months of prior conservative care.MethodsOrdinary least squares (OLS) models with errors clustered at the patient level estimate the association between shockwave treatments and patient-reported pain levels. Additional models utilizing polynomial treatment indicators test for a non-linear relationship between treatment number and reported pain level.ResultsFor the sixty-one patients represented in this analysis, the mean reduction in pain was 2.3 points on a 10 point scale, representing a 47% reduction in average reported pain levels. Results suggest that each treatment is associated with a 0.33 point reduction in reported pain levels (on a 10 point scale), controlling for patient demographics and treatment intensity. Additional models utilizing polynomial treatment indicators suggest a non-linear relationship between treatment number and reported pain level, indicating that the initial benefit of treatment is a 0.67 point reduction in pain for the first treatment, and falling slightly with each subsequent treatment. A subset of patients responded to follow up requests to ascertain reported pain levels at least three months after the final treatment. All patients were contacted, out of which 24 responded, reporting average pain levels of 2.9 out of 10, a substantial improvement from initial reported pain levels following final treatment (4.0), representing a decrease of 28%.ConclusionThe results suggest the use of Acoustic Compression at these doses on properly selected cases can improve clinical outcomes for conservatively treated patients who may otherwise end up requiring more aggressive measures in the absence of ESWT. Evidence reviewed suggests that continued healing time leads to further improvement.
Effect of COVID-19 response policies on walking behavior in US cities
Authors: Hunter Ruth F. , Garcia Leandro , de Sa Thiago Herick , Zapata-Diomedi Belen , Millet Christopher , Woodcock James , Pentland Alex ’Sandy’ , Moro Esteban 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused mass disruption to our daily lives. Mobility restrictions implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have impacted walking behavior, but the magnitude and spatio-temporal aspects of these changes have yet to be explored. Walking is the most common form of physical activity and non-motorized transport, and so has an important role in our health and economy. Understanding how COVID-19 response measures have affected walking behavior of populations and distinct subgroups is paramount to help devise strategies to prevent the potential health and societal impacts of declining walking levels. In this study, we integrated mobility data from mobile devices and area-level data to study the walking patterns of 1.62 million anonymous users in 10 metropolitan areas in the United States (US). The data covers the period from mid-February 2020 (pre-lockdown) to late June 2020 (easing of lockdown restrictions). We detected when users were walking, measured distance walked and time of the walk, and classified each walk as recreational or utilitarian. Our results revealed dramatic declines in walking, especially utilitarian walking, while recreational walking has recovered and even surpassed the levels before the pandemic. However, our findings demonstrated important social patterns, widening existing inequalities in walking behavior across socio-demographic groups. COVID-19 response measures had a larger impact on walking behavior for those from low-income areas, of low education, and high use of public transportation. Provision of equal opportunities to support walking could be key to opening up our society and the economy.
Gut microbiome profiles and associated metabolic pathways in HIV-infected treatment-naïve patients
Authors: do Nascimento Wellinton M. , Machiavelli Aline , Ferreira Luiz G. E. , Silveira Luisa Cruz , de Azevedo Suwellen S. D. , Bello Gonzalo , Smith Daniel P. , Mezzari Melissa P. , Petrosino Joseph , Duarte Rubens Tadeu Delgado , Zaráte-Bládes Carlos R. , Pinto Aguinaldo R. 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTThe normal composition of the intestinal microbiota is a key factor for maintaining health homeostasis and, accordingly, dysbiosis is well known to be present in HIV-1 patients. Here, we investigate the gut microbiota profile of HIV-1 positive patients without antiretroviral therapy and healthy donors living in Latin America. We enrolled 13 HIV positive patients (six elite controllers, EC and seven non-controllers, NC) and nine healthy donors (HD). Microbiota compositions in stool samples were determined by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA and functional prediction was inferred using PICRUSt. Several taxa were enriched in EC compared to NC or HD groups, including Acidaminococcus, Clostridium methylpentosum, Barnesiella, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes and Lachnospiraceae UCG-004. Importantly, we confirmed that the route of infection is a strong factor associated with changes in gut microbiome composition and we extended these results by identifying several metabolic pathways associated with each route of infection. Moreover, we observed several bacterial taxa associated with different viral subtypes such as Succinivibrio which were more abundant in patients infected by HIV subtype B, and Streptococcus enrichment in patients infected by subtype C. In conclusion, our data brings a significant contribution to our understanding of dysbiosis-associated changes in HIV infection and describes, for the first time, differences in microbiota composition according to HIV subtypes.
Spinal cord associative plasticity improves forelimb sensorimotor function after cervical injury
Authors: Pal Ajay , Park HongGeun , Ramamurthy Aditya , Asan Ahmet S. , Bethea Thelma , Johnkutty Meenu , Carmel Jason B. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractAssociative plasticity occurs when two stimuli converge on a common neural target. Previous efforts to promote associative plasticity have targeted cortex, with variable and moderate effects. In addition, the targeted circuits are inferred, rather than tested directly. In contrast, we sought to target the strong convergence between motor and sensory systems in the spinal cord.We developed spinal cord associative plasticity (SCAP), precisely timed pairing of motor cortex and dorsal spinal cord stimulations, to target this interaction. We tested the hypothesis that properly timed paired stimulation would strengthen the sensorimotor connections in the spinal cord and improve recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). We tested physiological effects of paired stimulation, the pathways that mediate it, and its function in a preclinical trial.Subthreshold spinal cord stimulation strongly augmented motor cortex evoked muscle potentials at the time they were paired, but only when they arrived synchronously in the spinal cord. This paired stimulation effect depended on both cortical descending motor and spinal cord proprioceptive afferents; selective inactivation of either of these pathways fully abrogated the paired stimulation effect. SCAP, repetitive pairing of these pathways for 5 or 30 minutes in awake rats, increased spinal excitability for hours after pairing ended. To apply SCAP as therapy, we optimized the parameters to promote strong and long-lasting effects. This effect was just as strong in rats with cervical SCI as in uninjured rats, demonstrating that spared connections after moderate SCI were sufficient to support plasticity. In a blinded trial, rats received a moderate C4 contusive SCI. Ten days after injury, they were randomized to 30 minutes of SCAP each day for 10 days or sham stimulation. Rats with SCAP had significantly improved function on the primary outcome measure, a test of dexterity during manipulation of food, at 50 days after SCI. In addition, rats with SCAP had persistently stronger responses to cortical and spinal stimulation than sham stimulation rats, indicating a spinal locus of plasticity. SCAP rats had lasting improvements in H-reflex modulation. The groups had no difference in the rat grimace scale, a measure of pain.We conclude that SCAP strengthens sensorimotor connections within the spinal cord, resulting in improved reflex modulation and forelimb function after moderate SCI. Since both motor cortex and spinal cord stimulation are performed routinely in humans, this approach can be trialed in people with SCI or other disorders that damage sensorimotor connections and impair dexterity.
Improvements to strip-based digital image registration for robust eye-tracking and to minimize distortions in images from scanned ophthalmic imaging systems
Authors: Zhang Min , Gofas-Salas Elena , Leonard Bianca T. , Rui Yuhua , Snyder Valerie , Reecher Hope , Mecê Pedro , Rossi Ethan A. 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTRetinal image-based eye tracking from scanned ophthalmic imaging systems, such as scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, has allowed for precise real-time eye tracking at sub-micron resolution. To achieve real-time processing rates, strip-based image registration methods for real-time applications have several constraints that limit their performance. This trade-off is acceptable for many imaging and psychophysical applications but when the objective is precise eye motion measurement over time, a high error tolerance can be consequential. Dropped strips in these applications can complicate FEMs quantification. Some light starved imaging applications, such as autofluorescence retinal imaging, also require the retention and registration of as much of the data as possible to increase the signal to noise ratio in the final integrated or averaged image. We show here that eye motion can be extracted from image sequences from scanned imaging systems more consistently when the constraints of real-time processing are lifted, and all data is available at the time of registration. This is enabled with additional image processing steps to achieve a more robust solution. Our iterative approach identifies and discards distorted frames, detects coarse motion to generate a synthetic reference frame and then uses it for fine scale motion tracking with improved sensitivity over a larger area. We demonstrate its application here to tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (TSLO) and adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO). We show that it can successfully capture most of the eye motion across each image sequence, leaving only between 0.04-3.39% of non-blink frames untracked, even with low quality images, while simultaneously minimizing image distortions induced from eye motion. These improvements will facilitate precise FEMs measurement in TSLO and longitudinal tracking of individual cells in AOSLO.
Applications of the indole-alkaloid gramine modulate the assembly of individual members of the barley rhizosphere microbiota
Authors: Maver Mauro , Escudero-Martinez Carmen , Abbott James , Morris Jenny , Hedley Pete E. , Mimmo Tanja , Bulgarelli Davide 
Published: December 2020

AbstractMicrobial communities proliferating at the root-soil interface, collectively referred to as the rhizosphere microbiota, represent an untapped beneficial resource for plant growth, development and health. Integral to a rational manipulation of the microbiota for sustainable agriculture is the identification of the molecular determinants of these communities. In plants, biosynthesis of allelochemicals is centre stage in defining inter-organismal relationships in the environment. Intriguingly, this process has been moulded by domestication and breeding selection. The indole-alkaloid gramine, whose occurrence in barley (Hordeum vulgareL.) is widespread among wild genotypes but has been counter selected in several modern varieties, is a paradigmatic example of this phenomenon. This prompted us to investigate how exogenous applications of gramine impacted on the rhizosphere microbiota of two, gramine-free, elite barley varieties grown in a reference agricultural soil. High throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that applications of gramine interfere with the proliferation of a subset of soil microbes with a relatively broad phylogenetic assignment. Strikingly, growth of these bacteria appeared to be rescued by barley plants in a genotype- and dosage-independent manner. In parallel, we discovered that host recruitment cues can interfere with the impact of gramine application in a host genotype-dependent manner. Interestingly, this latter effect displayed a bias for members of the phyla Proteobacteria. These initial observations indicate that gramine can act as a determinant of the prokaryotic communities inhabiting the root-soil interface.
A holobiont view of island biogeography: unraveling patterns driving the nascent diversification of a Hawaiian spider and its microbial associates
Authors: Armstrong Ellie E. , Perez-Lamarque Benoît , Bi Ke , Chen Cerise , Becking Leontine E. , Lim Jun Ying , Linderoth Tyler , Krehenwinkel Henrik , Gillespie Rosemary 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe diversification of a host lineage can be influenced by both the external environment and its assemblage of microbes. Here, we use a young lineage of spiders, distributed along a chronologically arranged series of volcanic mountains, to determine the parallels between the evolutionary histories of the host spiders and their associated microbial communities, together forming the “holobiont”. Using the stick spiderAriamnes waikula(Araneae, Theridiidae) on the island of Hawaiʻi, and outgroup taxa on older islands, we tested whether each component of the holobiont (the spider hosts, the intracellular endosymbionts, and the gut microbial communities) showed correlated signatures of diversity due to sequential colonization from older to younger volcanoes. In order to investigate this, we generated ddRAD data for the host spiders and 16S rRNA gene amplicon data from their microbiota. We expected sequential colonizations to result in a (phylo)genetic structuring of the host spiders and in a diversity gradient in microbial communities. Results showed that the hostA. waikulais indeed structured by geographic isolation, suggesting sequential colonization from older to younger volcanoes. Similarly, the endosymbiont communities were markedly different betweenAriamnesspecies on different islands, but more homogeneous amongA. waikulapopulations on the island of Hawaiʻi. Conversely, the gut microbiota was largely conserved across all populations and species, which we suspect are generally environmentally derived. Our results highlight that the different components of the holobiont have responded in distinct ways to the dynamic environment of the volcanic archipelago, showing the necessity of understanding the interplay between components to better characterize holobiont evolution.
Rapid selection response to ethanol inS. eubayanusemulates the domestication process under brewing conditions
Authors: Mardones Wladimir , Villarroel Carlos A. , Abarca Valentina , Urbina Kamila , Peña Tomás A. , Molinet Jennifer , Nespolo Roberto F. , Cubillos Francisco A. 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTAlthough the typical genomic and phenotypic changes that characterize the evolution of organisms under the human domestication syndrome represent textbook examples of rapid evolution, the molecular processes that underpin such changes are still poorly understood. Domesticated yeasts for brewing, where short generation times and large phenotypic and genomic plasticity were attained in a few generations under selection, are prime examples. To experimentally emulate the lager yeast domestication process, we created a genetically complex (panmictic) artificial population of multipleSaccharomyces eubayanusgenotypes, one of the parents of lager yeast. Then we imposed a constant selection regime under a high ethanol concentration in 10 replicated populations during 260 generations (six months) and compared them with evolved controls exposed solely to glucose. Evolved populations exhibited a selection differential of 60% in growth rate in ethanol, mostly explained by the proliferation of a single lineage (CL248.1) that competitively displaced all other clones. Interestingly, the outcome does not require the entire time course of adaptation, as four lineages monopolized the culture at generation 120. Sequencing demonstrated thatde novogenetic variants were produced in all evolved lines, including SNPs, aneuploidies, INDELs, and translocations. In addition, the evolved populations showed correlated responses resembling the domestication syndrome: genomic rearrangements, faster fermentation rates, lower production of phenolic-off flavors and lower volatile compound complexity. Expression profiling in beer wort revealed altered expression levels of genes related to methionine metabolism, flocculation, stress tolerance and diauxic shift, likely contributing to higher ethanol and fermentation stress tolerance in the evolved populations. Our study shows that experimental evolution can rebuild the brewing domestication process in “fast motion” in wild yeast, and also provides a powerful tool for studying the genetics of the adaptation process in complex populations.
Genetic Encoding of Three Distinct Noncanonical Amino Acids Using Reprogrammed Initiator and Nonsense Codons
Authors: Tharp Jeffery M. , Vargas-Rodriguez Oscar , Schepartz Alanna , Söll Dieter 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTWe recently described an orthogonal initiator tRNA (itRNATy2) that can initiate protein synthesis with noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) in response to the UAG nonsense codon. Here we report that a mutant ofitRNATy2(itRNATy2AUA) can efficiently initiate translation in response to the UAU tyrosine codon, giving rise to proteins with an ncAA at their N-terminus. We show that, in cells expressingitRNATy2AUA, UAU can function as a dual-use codon that selectively encodes ncAAs at the initiating position and tyrosine at elongating positions. UsingitRNATy2AUA, in conjunction with its cognate tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and two mutually orthogonal pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases, we demonstrate that UAU can be reassigned along with UAG or UAA to encode two distinct ncAAs in the same protein. Furthermore, by engineering the substrate specificity of one of the pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases, we developed a triply orthogonal system that enables simultaneous reassignment of UAU, UAG, and UAA to produce proteins containing three distinct ncAAs at precisely defined sites. To showcase the utility of this system, we produced proteins containing two or three ncAAs, with unique bioorthogonal functional groups, and demonstrate that these proteins can be separately modified with multiple fluorescent probes.TOC Image
Evaluating Specimen Quality and Results from a Community-Wide, Home-Based Respiratory Surveillance Study
Authors: Kim Ashley E. , Brandstetter Elisabeth , Wilcox Naomi , Heimonen Jessica , Graham Chelsey , Han Peter D. , Starita Lea M. , McCulloch Denise J. , Casto Amanda M. , Nickerson Deborah A. , Van de Loo Margaret M. , Mooney Jennifer , Ilcisin Misja , Fay Kairsten A. , Lee Jover , Sibley Thomas R. , Lyon Victoria , Geyer Rachel E. , Thompson Matthew , Lutz Barry R. , Rieder Mark J. , Bedford Trevor , Boeckh Michael , Englund Janet A. , Chu Helen Y. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIntroductionWhile influenza and other respiratory pathogens cause significant morbidity and mortality, the community-based burden of these infections remains incompletely understood. The development of novel methods to detect respiratory infections is essential for mitigating epidemics and developing pandemic-preparedness infrastructure.MethodsFrom October 2019 to March 2020, we conducted a home-based cross-sectional study in the greater Seattle area, utilizing electronic consent and data collection instruments. Participants received nasal swab collection kits via rapid delivery within 24 hours of self-reporting respiratory symptoms. Samples were returned to the laboratory and were screened for 26 respiratory pathogens and a human marker. Participant data were recorded via online survey at the time of sample collection and one week later.ResultsOf the 4,572 consented participants, 4,359 (95.3%) received a home swab kit, and 3,648 (83.7%) returned a nasal specimen for respiratory pathogen screening. The 3,638 testable samples had a mean RNase P CRT value of 19.0 (SD: 3.4) and 1,232 (33.9%) samples had positive results for one or more pathogens, including 645 (17.7%) influenza-positive specimens. Among the testable samples, the median time between shipment of the home swab kit and completion of laboratory testing was 8 days [IQR: 7.0-14.0].DiscussionHome-based surveillance using online participant enrollment and specimen self-collection is a feasible method for community-level monitoring of influenza and other respiratory pathogens, which can readily be adapted for use during pandemics.
Extendedin vitroinactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by titanium dioxide surface coating
Authors: Mlcochova P , Chadha A , Hesselhoj T , Fraternali F , Ramsden JJ , Gupta RK 
Published: December 2020

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs via airborne droplets and surface contamination. We show tiles coated with TiO2120 days previously can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 under ambient indoor lighting with 87% reduction in titres at 1h and complete loss by 5h exposure. TiO2coatings could be an important tool in containing SARS-CoV-2.