Lipid and fatty acid turnover of the pteropods Limacina helicina, L. retroversa and Clione limacina from Svalbard waters

This study aimed at a better understanding of the fatty acid (FA) turnover in Arctic pteropods. Thecosome pteropods, i.e. Limacina helicina (juveniles and adults) and L. retroversa (adults), were collected in summer/autumn in Kongsfjorden and Isfjorden (Svalbard, 78° N) and, for the first time, successfully fed with 13 C-labeled algae for 6 d. The gymnosome pteropod Clione limacina was sampled in summer in northern Svalbard and fed with 13 C-labeled L. retroversa for 23 d. FA compositions were determined by gas chromatography, and 13 C enrichment of FAs was analyzed by compound-specific isotope analysis. Among the thecosomes, maximum lipid turnover occurred in L. retroversa adults (1.3% d −1 ). L. helicina adults and juveniles showed lower lipid turnover rates (0.1 and 0.2% d −1 , respectively). The thecosomes exhibited the ability to assimilate omega-3 FAs (up to 8.0% d −1 ). The lipid turnover rate of C. limacina averaged at only 0.07% d −1 . However, C. limacina clearly showed the unusual capacity of de novo synthesis of odd-chain FAs (up to 1.2% d −1 ). Lipid turnover rates of pteropods were lower than those reported for Arctic copepods. However, pteropods may play a substantial role in the transfer of lipids to higher trophic levels, especially in autumn, when copepods have descended from the upper layers of the water column. The pteropods also showed the capacity to channel particular compounds such as omega-3 and odd-chain FAs, and therefore could be important for the functional diversity of the Arctic zooplankton community

Association between blood pressure measures and recurrent headache in adolescents: cross-sectional data from the HUNT-Youth study

The relationship between blood pressure and headache in youth has not been explored and the objective of the present study was to provide data on this association in an adolescent population. Cross-sectional data from a large population-based survey, the Young-HUNT study, on 5,847 adolescents were used to evaluate the association between blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, mean arterial and pulse pressure) and recurrent headache, including migraine and tension-type headache. Increasing pulse pressure was inversely related to recurrent headache prevalence, and both tension-type headache and migraine. For systolic blood pressure such an inverse relationship was present for recurrent headache and tension-type headache prevalence. For migraine, the results were not significant, although there was a tendency in the same direction (p = 0.05). High-pulse pressure has previously been found to be inversely related to the prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache in an adult population. This inverse relationship has now been demonstrated to be present among adolescents also, supporting the results from a previous study in adults, that blood pressure regulation may be linked to the pathophysiology of headache

Harmonic Allocation of Authorship Credit: Source-Level Correction of Bibliometric Bias Assures Accurate Publication and Citation Analysis

Authorship credit for multi-authored scientific publications is routinely allocated either by issuing full publication credit repeatedly to all coauthors, or by dividing one credit equally among all coauthors. The ensuing inflationary and equalizing biases distort derived bibliometric measures of merit by systematically benefiting secondary authors at the expense of primary authors. Here I show how harmonic counting, which allocates credit according to authorship rank and the number of coauthors, provides simultaneous source-level correction for both biases as well as accommodating further decoding of byline information. I also demonstrate large and erratic effects of counting bias on the original h-index, and show how the harmonic version of the h-index provides unbiased bibliometric ranking of scientific merit while retaining the original's essential simplicity, transparency and intended fairness. Harmonic decoding of byline information resolves the conundrum of authorship credit allocation by providing a simple recipe for source-level correction of inflationary and equalizing bias. Harmonic counting could also offer unrivalled accuracy in automated assessments of scientific productivity, impact and achievement

Potential Antiviral Options against SARS-CoV-2 Infection

As of June 2020, the number of people infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to skyrocket, with more than 6.7 million cases worldwide. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) has highlighted the need for better control of SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, developing novel virus-specific vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 can be time-consuming and costly. Convalescent sera and safe-in-man broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAAs) are readily available treatment options. Here, we developed a neutralization assay using SARS-CoV-2 strain and Vero-E6 cells. We identified the most potent sera from recovered patients for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. We also screened 136 safe-in-man broad-spectrum antivirals against the SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero-E6 cells and identified nelfinavir, salinomycin, amodiaquine, obatoclax, emetine and homoharringtonine. We found that a combination of orally available virus-directed nelfinavir and host-directed amodiaquine exhibited the highest synergy. Finally, we developed a website to disseminate the knowledge on available and emerging treatments of COVID-19

Multidisciplinary and multifaceted outpatient management of patients with osteoarthritis: protocol for a randomised, controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder with a need for efficient and evidence-based management strategies.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>The primary purpose of this study is to compare the effects of a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic, including a brief group-based educational programme, with a traditional individual outpatient clinic for patients with hip, knee, hand or generalized OA. A secondary purpose is to investigate the effects of a telephone follow-up call.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a pragmatic randomised single-blind controlled study with a total of 400 patients with hip, knee, hand or generalized OA between 40 and 80 years referred to an outpatient rheumatology hospital clinic. The randomisation is stratified according to the diagnostic subgroups. The experimental group is exposed to a multidisciplinary and multifaceted intervention, including a 3.5 hour group-based patient education programme about OA in addition to individual consultations with members of a multidisciplinary team. The control intervention is based on regular care with an individual outpatient consultation with a rheumatologist (treatment as usual). Primary outcomes are patient satisfaction measured at 4 months and cost-effectiveness measured at 12 months. Secondary outcomes are pain and global disease activity measured on a numeric rating scales (NRS), generic and disease specific functioning and disability using Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index 3 (WOMAC), the Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN), and a patient-generated measure of disability (Patient-Specific Functional scale, PSFS). Global perceived effect of change in health status during the study period is also reported. At 4-month follow-up, patients in both groups will be randomly allocated to a 10-minute telephone call or no follow-up ("treatment as usual"). After additional 8 months (12-month follow-up) the four groups will be compared in a secondary analysis with regard to health outcomes and health care costs.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This trial will provide results on how multidisciplinary and multifaceted management of patients with OA affects health outcomes and health care costs.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25778426</p

Health status of adults with Short Stature: A comparison with the normal population and one well-known chronic disease (Rheumatoid Arthritis)

BACKGROUND: To examine the subjective health status of adults with short stature (ShSt) and compare with the general population (GP) and one well-known chronic disease, rheumatoid artritis (RA). In addition, to explore the association between age, gender, height, educational level and different aspects of health status of adults with short stature. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to 72 subjects with short stature registered in the database of a Norwegian resource centre for rare disorders, response rate 61% (n = 44, age 16–61). Health status was assessed with SF-36 version 2. Comparison was done with age and gender matched samples from the general population in Norway (n = 264) and from subjects with RA (n = 88). RESULTS: The ShSt sample reported statistically significant impaired health status in all SF-36 subscales compared with the GP sample, most in the physical functioning, Mean Difference (MD) 34 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 25–44). The ShSt reported poorer health status in mental health, MD 11 (95% CI 4–18) and social functioning, MD 11 (95% CI 2–20) but better in role physical MD 13 (95% CI 1–25) than the RA sample. On the other subscales there were minor difference between the ShSt and the RA sample. Within the short stature group there was a significant association between age and all SF-36 physical subcales, height was significantly associated with physical functioning while level of education was significantly associated with mental health. CONCLUSION: People with short stature reported impaired health status in all SF-36 subscales indicating that they have health problems that influence their daily living. Health status seems to decline with increasing age, and earlier than in the general population

Improving the robustness to input errors on touch-based self-service kiosks and transportation apps

acceptedVersio

Some Like It Fat: Comparative Ultrastructure of the Embryo in Two Demosponges of the Genus Mycale (Order Poecilosclerida) from Antarctica and the Caribbean

0000-0002-7993-1523© 2015 Riesgo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License [4.0], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article

Studying the association between musculoskeletal disorders, quality of life and mental health. A primary care pilot study in rural Crete, Greece

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on the general health and well-being of the population has been documented in various studies. The objective of this study was to explore the association between MSD and the quality of life and mental health of patients and to discuss issues concerning care seeking patterns in rural Greece.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients registered at one rural Primary Care Centre (PCC) in Crete were invited to complete the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms, together with validated instruments for measuring health related quality of life (SF-36) and mental distress (GHQ-28).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence rate of MSD was found to be 71.2%, with low back and knee pain being the most common symptoms. Most conditions significantly impaired the quality of life, especially the physical dimensions of SF-36. Depression was strongly correlated to most MSD (<it>p </it>< 0.001). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that patients who consulted the PCC due to MSD were likely to have more mental distress or impaired physical functioning compared to those who did not.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Musculoskeletal disorders were common in patients attending the rural PCC of this study and were associated with a poor quality of life and mental distress that affected their consultation behaviour.</p

Delayed intracardial shunting and hypoxemia after massive pulmonary embolism in a patient with a biventricular assist device

We describe the interdisciplinary management of a 34-year-old woman with dilated cardiomyopathy three months postpartum on a cardiac biventricular assist device (BVAD) as bridge to heart transplantation with delayed onset of intracardial shunting and subsequent hypoxemia due to massive pulmonary embolism. After emergency surgical embolectomy pulmonary function was highly compromised (PaO2/FiO2 54) requiring bifemoral veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Transesophageal echocardiography detected atrial level hypoxemic right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Percutaneous closure of the PFO was achieved with a PFO occluder device. After placing the PFO occluder device oxygenation increased significantly (Δ paO2 119 Torr). The patient received heart transplantation 20 weeks after BVAD implantation and was discharged from ICU 3 weeks after transplantation