bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Viral Communities Carried by Male and Female Aedes Mosquitos Collected in Houston
Authors: Brittain David D. 
Published: April 2020

Mosquitos are known vectors of many serious viral diseases, but little is known about the complete collection of viral strains that they might carry. This is because we have historically relied on culturing techniques to study microbial diversity, but the genomic era has shown us that there is much more out there than we initially suspected. In this work, we present a genomic approach to characterizing the viral populations carried by different species of mosquitos found in Houston. Specifically, we are using metagenomics – that is, sequencing the entire genetic material in a sample, followed by analyses by computational tools to identify each sequence obtained from the sample. We collected mosquitos from various locations in Houston and separated them by species and sex using morphological and genetic markers. Total DNA and RNA were purified from pooled samples in order to characterize both DNA and RNA viruses. RNA samples were converted to cDNA to facilitate sequencing and the combined DNA/cDNA libraries were sequenced using 454 technology. We used a modified BLAST workflow developed in‐house to analyze the sequences. Our first analysis shows viral sequences obtained for samples of male and female Aedes aegypti. While thousands of unknown sequences were obtained, our results show that we are also able to detect both DNA and RNA viral sequences in our samples. A total of 51 different species of viruses were identified in the female sample, and 40 different species were found in the male sample. Those of interest include West Nile and Dengue. Interestingly, the female sample carried more RNA viruses than the male sample, although further work will reveal if this finding is significant or an experimental artifact. We plan on further analyzing the sequence libraries obtained, with particular focus on the unknown sequences, many of which may be viral. We are also working on building new libraries from new samples of mosquitos, including other genera typically found in Houston, such as Culex. These analyses will help us better understand the viral collections carried by different mosquitos in our city.Support or Funding InformationU.S. DOE Hispanic‐Serving Institutions STEM Articulation Grant P031C110128, the University of St. Thomas Cullen‐Smith Endowed Chair in Biology, and the University of St. Thomas Committee for Student Research.
Characterizing 17‐β Estradiol as a Precipitating Factor in Heightened Stress Susceptibility in Female Rats
Authors: Calatayud Brittney M , Harrington Evelynn N , Pope Brittany S , Wilson Marlene A , Wood Susan K 
Published: April 2020

Social stress is a common risk factor for anxiety and women are twice as likely as men to develop stress‐related disorders. Mechanisms behind this increased risk remains unclear, thereby limiting targeted therapeutic options. Because females are only at increased risk following puberty until the end of menopause, this suggests that estrogen, the predominant female hormone, might be responsible for sensitizing neural targets involved in stress‐related psychopathology. The current study aimed to characterize the role that estrogen may play in sensitizing behavioral dysfunction produced by social stress exposure in females. First, timecourse studies were conducted to determine the appropriate dose and estradiol formulation to accurately mimic the estrous cycle. These findings led to the following study design: Female rats were either intact or ovariectomized (OVX) and treatment consisted of an injection of 17‐β Estradiol (17βE, 10ug/rat, subcutaneous) or vehicle (sesame oil) administered every 4 days to mimic the rat estrus cycle. Female rats (Intact + vehicle, OVX+vehicle, and OVX+17βE were then subjected to witnessing an aggressive social defeat encounter between a male intruder and a novel male resident for 15 min on 5 consecutive days, or a non‐stress control environment. Stress and anxiety‐like behaviors were quantified on days 1 and 5 including stress‐evoked burying, rearing and freezing. Despite witnessing a comparable number of attacks, intact females were highly sensitive to witness stress as demonstrated by increased anxiety‐like burying compared with OVX rats treated with vehicle. Importantly, cyclic administration of 17βE reinstated burying behavior in OVX females. Rearing and freezing behavior analysis is ongoing. These studies provide evidence of estrogen’s primary role in enhancing stress susceptibility, evidenced by increased anxiety‐like responses to social stress. Moreover, this study lays the foundation for future work to identify the specific neural systems that are sensitized by estradiol to identify neurotherapeutic targets to treat the increased stress susceptibility in females.Support or Funding InformationSupport provided by MH113892‐01A1 (SKW), NARSAD Young Investigator Award 26809 (SKW), South Carolina Honors College Exploration Scholars Research Program (BMC)
Diethyl pyrocarbonate modification of the ligating histidines in the CuA protein from Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Hunsicker-Wang Laura 
Published: April 2020

The CuA protein is subunit II of cytochrome oxidase, the terminal enzyme in the electron transport chain. The binuclear metal center of the CuA protein is ligated by two bridging cysteines, two histidines and two weakly interacting ligands. Diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) is a common chemical modifier that reacts with histidines, lysines, and the N‐terminus of proteins. DEPC was used to probe the reactivity of the ligating histidines of the CuA protein to identify if one or both of them would be susceptible to modification. Visible circular dichroism and UV‐Visible spectroscopies were utilized to show the changes in the spectra upon modification and the data suggest that at least one of the ligating histidines becomes modified. Using fewer equivalents showed that as few as 5 equivalents results in modification of the ligating histidine. Electron paramagnetic resonance indicated that the cluster remains oxidized after modification. These results point to the role of the ligating histidines in modulating the redox properties of this cluster. Mononuclear proteins, including azurin and Sco, were also tested and these proteins do not display ligating histidines reactive toward DEPC. Thus, DEPC reactivity is not a property of all ligating histidines.Support or Funding InformationArnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Beckman Scholars Program
Estimating the effective reproduction number of the 2019-nCoV in China
Authors: Cao Zhidong , Zhang Qingpeng , Lu Xin , Pfeiffer Dirk , Jia Zhongwei , Song Hongbing , Zeng Daniel Dajun 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWe estimate the effective reproduction number for 2019-nCoV based on the daily reported cases from China CDC. The results indicate that 2019-nCoV has a higher effective reproduction number than SARS with a comparable fatality rate.Article Summary LineThis modeling study indicates that 2019-nCoV has a higher effective reproduction number than SARS with a comparable fatality rate.
Arbidol treatment with reduced mortality of adult patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Liu Qibin , Fang Xuemin , Tian Lu , Vankadari Naveen , Chen Xianxiang , Wang Ke , Li Dan , Dai Xiyong , Xu Feng , Shen Lei , Wang Bing , Yao Li , Peng Peng 
Published: April 2020

BACKGROUNDThe worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is increasing exponentially and demands an effective and promising therapy at most emergency.METHODSWe have assembled a cohort consisting 504 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Detailed information on patients’ characteristics and antiviral medication use during their stay at designated hospitals along with their pre and post treatment results were collected. The study objective is to evaluate the treatment efficacy of Arbidol, together with the concurrent drugs Oseltamivir and Lopinavir/Ritonavir on mortality and lesion absorption based on chest CT scan.FINDINGSThe overall mortality rate was 15.67% in the cohort. The older age, lower SpO2 level, larger lesion, early admission date, and the presence of pre-existing conditions were associated with higher mortality. After adjusting for the patients age, sex, pre-existing condition, SpO2, lesion size, admission date, hospital, and concurrent antiviral drug use, Arbidol was found promising and associated with reduced mortality. The OR for Arbidol is 0·183 (95% CI, 0·075 to 0·446; P<0·001). Furthermore, Arbidol is also associated with faster lesion absorption after adjusting for patient’s characteristics and concurrent antiviral drug use (P=0·0203).INTERPRETATIONThe broad-spectrum antiviral drug Arbidol was found to be associated with faster
The Potential role of Particulate Matter in the Spreading of COVID-19 in Northern Italy: First Evidence-based Research Hypotheses
Authors: Setti Leonardo , Passarini Fabrizio , De Gennaro Gianluigi , Barbieri Pierluigi , Perrone Maria Grazia , Piazzalunga Andrea , Borelli Massimo , Palmisani Jolanda , Di Gilio Alessia , Piscitelli Prisco , Miani Alessandro 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundAn epidemic model based only on respiratory droplets and close contact could not fully explain the regional differences in the spread of the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome COVID-19 in Italy, which was fast and dramatic only in Lombardy and Po Valley. On March 16th 2020, we presented a Position Paper proposing a research hypothesis concerning the association between higher mortality rates due to COVID-19 observed in Northern Italy and the peaks of particulate matter concentrations, frequently exceeding the legal limit of 50 µg/m3 as PM10 daily averageMethodsTo assess environmental factors related to the spread of the COVID-19 in Italy from February 24th to March 13th (the date when the lockdown has been imposed over Italy), official daily data relevant to ambient PM10 levels were collected from all Italian Provinces between February 9th and February 29th, taking into account the average time (estimated in 17 days) elapsed between the initial infection and the recorded COVID positivity. In addition to the number of exceedances of PM10 daily limit value, we considered also population data and daily travelling information per each Province.ResultsPM10 daily limit value exceedances appear to be a significant predictor (p < .001) of infection in univariate analyses. Less polluted Provinces had a median of 0.03 infection cases over 1000 residents, while most polluted Provinces had a median of 0.26 cases over 1000 residents. Thirty-nine out of 41 Northern Italian Provinces resulted in the category with highest PM10 levels, while 62 out of 66 Southern Provinces presented low PM10 concentrations (p< 0.001). In Milan, the average growth rate before the lockdown was significantly higher than Rome (0.34 vs. 0.27 per day, with a doubling time of 2.0 days vs. 2.6), suggesting a basic reproductive number R0>6.0, comparable with the highest values estimated for China.
The Estimated Time-Varying Reproduction Numbers during the Ongoing Epidemic of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China
Authors: Hu Fu-Chang , Wen Fang-Yu 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundHow could we anticipate the progression of the ongoing epidemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China? As a measure of transmissibility, we aimed to estimate concurrently the time-varying reproduction number over time during the COVID-19 epidemic in China.MethodsWe extracted the epidemic data from the “Tracking the Epidemic” website of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for the duration of January 19, 2020 and March 14, 2020. Then, we specified two plausible distributions of serial interval to apply the novel estimation method implemented in the incidence and EpiEstim packages to the data of daily new confirmed cases for robustly estimating the time-varying reproduction number in the R software.ResultsThe epidemic curve of daily new confirmed cases in China peaked around February 4–6, 2020, and then declined gradually, except the very high peak on February 12, 2020 owing to the added clinically diagnosed cases of the Hubei Province. Under two specified plausible scenarios for the distribution of serial interval, both curves of the estimated time-varying reproduction numbers fell below 1.0 around February 17–18, 2020. Finally, the COVID-19 epidemic in China abated around March 7–8, 2020, indicating that the prompt and aggressive control measures of China were effective.ConclusionSeeing the estimated time-varying reproduction number going downhill speedily was more informative than looking for the drops in the daily number of new confirmed cases during an ongoing epidemic of infectious disease. We urged public health authorities and scientists to estimate time-varying reproduction numbers routinely during an epidemic of infectious diseases and to report them daily to the public until the end of the epidemic.
Estimating Burden of Disease among blind individuals with Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder
Authors: Van Draanen Lauren , Xiao Derek , Polymeropoulos Mihael H. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractPurposeTo quantify the burden of disease in blind patients with Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (N24HSWD), utilizing longitudinal sleep diary data. N24HSWD is a circadian disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of aberrant circadian and sleep-wake cycles that are associated with increased frequency of sleep episodes during the school/work day hours. Daytime sleep episodes will decrease the opportunity of school/work participation significantly impacting the quality of life of the patient.MethodsWe used the day time sleep diary data from a period of approximately 90 days in blind individuals with a sleep complaint, which were identified from a group of blind individuals with N24HSWD (n=121) and a control group of blind individuals without N24HSWD (n=57).ResultsN24HSWD patients had more frequent and longer episodes of daytime sleep as compared to a control group. N24HSWD patients also had significantly fewer healthy days, defined by daytime sleep free days (DSFD), as compared to the control group.ConclusionDaytime sleep free day (DSFD) is a useful and specific measure of disease burden in patients with N24HSWD and it is predicted to be correlated with the standardized HRQOL-4, Healthy Days measurement.
Nasal microbiota exhibit neither reproducible nor orderly dynamics following rhinoviral infection
Authors: Nimmagadda Sai N. , Midani Firas S. , Durand Heather , Reese Aspen T. , Murdoch Caitlin C. , Nicholson Bradley P. , Veldman Timothy , Burke Thomas W. , Zaas Aimee K. , Woods Christopher W. , Ginsburg Geoffrey S. , David Lawrence A. 
Published: April 2020

ABSTRACTBackgroundHow human-associated microbial communities resist and respond to perturbations remains incompletely understood. Viral challenge provides one opportunity to test how human microbiota respond to disturbance.MethodsUsing an experimental human rhinovirus infection challenge model, we explored how viral infection may alter microbiota of the upper respiratory tract (URT). Healthy human volunteers were inoculated with HRV serotype 39. Samples were collected by lavage before and after inoculation from healthy (sham inoculated, n=7) and infected (n=15) individuals and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing through amplification of the V4 hypervariable region.ResultsNo evidence for differences in community alpha-diversity between cohorts was observed. The composition of microbiota of sham-treated and infected subjects did not appear distinguishable and no taxa were significantly associated with infection status. We did not observe support for a correlation between microbial dynamics and counts of specific monocytes. Subject identity was found to be the strongest determinant of community structure in our dataset.ConclusionsOverall, our findings do not suggest a consistent nasopharyngeal microbiota response to rhinovirus challenge. We support the conclusion that this microbial community is individualized. Broadly, our findings contribute to our understanding of how and when immune responses to viruses affect bacterial communities in the URT.
Coronavirus epidemic: prediction and controlling measures
Authors: Pejman Mohammad Mehdi , Fereidooni Armaghan 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe COVID-19 outbreak has caused over 1.7 million (still increasing) confirmed cases globally as of April 10th, 2020. The levels of spread and severity of the virus lead to a wide-spread political and economic turmoil. We believe that two critical contributing factors need to be taken into account by the authorities to make effective decisions for controlling the spread of the virus: (i) being familiar with the most effective controlling measures and (ii) having a mathematical model to predict the spread of the virus. In this study, we provided information regarding both of these crucial factors. First, we investigated the importance of different measures such as quarantine, isolation, face mask, social distancing, etc. in controlling the virus in various countries. We then present a mathematical model to predict the spread of the virus in different countries. Our prediction shows an excellent match with the actual data up to now.
Ad-hoc Assembly of Lean Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Systems for COVID-19
Authors: Hunziker Patrick , Zenklusen Urs 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID-19 epidemic is overwhelming intensive care units with bilateral pneumonia patients requiring respiratory assistance. Bottlenecks in availability of ventilators and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may contribute to mortality, implying ethically difficult rationing decisions. It is unclear if accelerated equipment production will meet demand, calling for fallback solutions for life support in worst-case scenarios.MethodsVeno-venous extracorporeal gas exchange (VV-ECMO) can provide vital support in bilateral lung failure. VV-ECMO essentially comprises large flow venous accesses, membrane gas exchange, and a blood pump. As thousands of FDA and CE certified Impella blood pumps and consoles are distributed globally for cardiac support, we explored ad-hoc assembly of lean ECMO systems by embedding Impella pumps coaxially in tubes in combination with standard gas exchangers.ResultsAd-hoc integration of Impella blood pumps with gas exchange modules, standard cannulas for large bore venous access, regular ECMO tubing, Y-pieces and connectors led to lean ECMO systems with stable performance over several days. Oxygenation of 2.5-5 L of blood/minute is realistic. Benefit/risk analysis appears favorable if a patient requires respiratory support but cannot be supported because of lack of ventilators or unavailability of a required ECMO system.ConclusionAd-hoc assembly of veno-venous ECMOs using Impella pumps is feasible and results in stable blood flow across gas exchange modules. However, such off-label use of the devices calls for specific ethical and regulatory considerations prior to their use as last resort in patients for whom no other treatment modalities are available.
Steroid-responsive encephalitis in Covid-19 disease
Authors: Pilotto Andrea , Odolini Silvia , Masciocchi S Stefano , Comelli Agnese , Volonghi Irene , Gazzina Stefano , Nocivelli Sara , Pezzini Alessandro , Focà Emanuele , Caruso Arnaldo , Leonardi Matilde , Pasolini Maria Pia , Gasparotti R Roberto , Castelli F Francesco , Ashton Nicholas J. , Blennow Kaj , Zetterberg Henrik , Padovani Alessandro 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCovid-19 infection has the potential for targeting the central nervous system and several neurological symptoms have been described in patients with severe respiratory distress. Here we described the case of a 60-year old subject with SARS-CoV-2 infection but only mild respiratory abnormalities who developed an akinetic mutism due to encephalitis. MRI was negative whereas EEG showed generalized theta slowing. CSF analyses during the acute stage were negative for SARS-CoV-2, positive for pleocytosis and hyperproteinorrachia, and showed increased IL-8 and TNF-α concentrations while other infectious or autoimmune disorders were excluded. A progressive clinical improvement along with a reduction of CSF parameters was observed after high-dose steroid treatment, thus arguing for an inflammatory-mediated brain involvement related to Covid-19.
Shut it down: a cross country panel analysis on the efficacy of lockdown measures
Authors: Alfano Vincenzo , Ercolano Salvatore 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCoronavirus pandemic outbreak from China in the December 2019 and since then has quickly spread all over the world. National governments introduced policies aimed to reduce the probability to contract the virus, such as lockdown measures, in order to limit the outbreak. Lockdown fostered a debate about the effective need and the optimal duration of such measures. Indeed, these policies have a high price, being characterized by the alt of many productive activities. The aim of this note is to provide preliminary evidences about the efficacy of lockdown measures all over the world, by the means of a panel data quantitative analysis. Our results confirm the efficacy of such measures, and that the average time to have effects in terms of a reduction of cases is of about ten days. Furthermore the beneficial effects of a lockdown keep reducing the new cases with a linear trend for at least the ten successive days.
COVID-19 pandemic: A Hill type mathematical model predicts the US death number and the reopening date
Authors: Aboelkassem Yasser 
Published: April 2020

A mathematical model that can be used to estimate the total number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic is presented in this study. The parameters and the associated uncertainty in the model are optimized and quantified using various reported data sets reported from different countries. The results suggest that, by the mid of June or early July 2020, the outbreak will strongly decay and the US will have about 800K confirmed cases and less than 50K deaths.Significance StatementThis study presents a mathematical model that can be used to estimate the total number of cases and deaths in the US due to COVID-19. The model forecasting about < 800K cases and < 50K total numbers of deaths in the United States. The results suggest that late May or early June, 2020 is probably a good time to end the shutdown order and reopen the country for the daily routine business.