Screening of Feral and Wood Pigeons for Viruses Harbouring a Conserved Mobile Viral Element: Characterization of Novel Astroviruses and Picornaviruses

A highly conserved RNA-motif of yet unknown function, called stem-loop-2-like motif (s2m), has been identified in the 3′ end of the genomes of viruses belonging to different RNA virus families which infect a broad range of mammal and bird species, including Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, Coronaviridae and Caliciviridae. Since s2m is such an extremely conserved motif, it is an ideal target for screening for viruses harbouring it. In this study, we have detected and characterized novel viruses harbouring this motif in pigeons by using a s2m-specific amplification. 84% and 67% of the samples from feral pigeons and wood pigeons, respectively, were found to contain a virus harbouring s2m. Four novel viruses were identified and characterized. Two of the new viruses belong to the genus Avastrovirus in the Astroviridae family. We propose two novel species to be included in this genus, Feral pigeon astrovirus and Wood pigeon astrovirus. Two other novel viruses, Pigeon picornavirus A and Pigeon picornavirus B, belong to the Picornaviridae family, presumably to the genus Sapelovirus. Both of the novel picornaviruses harboured two adjacent s2m, called (s2m)2, suggesting a possible increased functional effect of s2m when present in two copies

Eating self-efficacy as predictor of long-term weight loss and obesity-specific quality of life after sleeve gastrectomy: A prospective cohort study

Under embargo until: 15.12.2019Background: A person's confidence to control eating, eating self-efficacy (ESE), has been identified as a target for long-term weight management in nonsurgical weight loss interventions, but has to a limited extent been studied after bariatric surgery. Objective: We investigated the association between ESE, weight loss, and obesity-specific quality of life (QOL) after sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Setting: A single-center longitudinal study. Methods: Data from adult patients were collected before SG, and at mean 16 months (±standard deviation 4 mo) and 55 (±4) months postoperatively. ESE was measured by the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire Short-Form. Multiple regression analyses were performed with excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL) and obesity-specific QOL as dependent variables. Age, sex, and other preoperative values were covariates in all models. Results: Of 114 preoperative patients, 91 (80%) and 84 (74%) were available for follow-up 16 and 55 months after SG, respectively. Mean %EBMIL from baseline to 16 and 55 months was 76% (95% confidence interval: 71.9, 79.6) and 67% (95% confidence interval: 61.9, 72.2), respectively. Preoperative ESE scores improved significantly at both 16 and 55 months (P = .002) but did not predict postoperative %EBMIL or QOL at 55 months (β = −.08, P = .485). Greater change in ESE from 0 to 16 months predicted higher %EBMIL (β = .34, P = .013) at 55 months, and improvements in ESE from 0 to 55 months were significantly associated with higher %EBMIL (β = .46, P = .001) and obesity-specific QOL (β = .50, P < .001) 55 months after SG. Conclusion: Significant improvements in ESE were seen at 16 months, and remained high at 55 months after SG in this cohort. Patients who improved their ESE the most also experienced the highest weight loss and obesity-specific QOL 5 years postoperatively. Future research should address whether enhancement of ESE corresponds to sustained improvements in eating behavior after bariatric surgery.acceptedVersio

The Relationships between Mood Disturbances and Pain, Hope, and Quality of Life in Hospitalized Cancer Patients with Pain on Regularly Scheduled Opioid Analgesic

Objective: The study purposes were to describe the percentage of patients in one of four mood groups (i.e., neither anxiety nor depression [NEITHER], only anxiety [ANX], only depression [DEP], both anxiety and depression [BOTH]) and to evaluate how differences in mood states are related to pain, hope, and quality of life (QOL). Methods: Oncology inpatients (n=225) completed Brief Pain Inventory, Herth Hope Index (HHI), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core QOL Questionnaire-C30. Research nurses completed Symptom Severity Checklist, Karnofsky Performance Status score, and medical record reviews. Data were analyzed using x^2, Kruskal-Wallis, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs), and analyses of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Thirty-two percent of patients were categorized in the NEITHER group, 12% in the ANX group, 12% in the DEP group, and 44% in the BOTH group. Younger patients and women were more likely to be in the BOTH group. While only minimal differences were found among the mood groups on pain intensity scores, patients in the NEITHER group in general, reported lower pain interference scores than those in the other three groups. Significant differences were found in HHI scores between the patients in the NEITHER group and the BOTH group. In addition, patients with both mood disorders reported significantly poorer QOL scores. Conclusions: Because 44% of the patients had both anxiety and depression, clinicians need to evaluate patients for the co-occurrence of these two symptoms, evaluate its impact on pain management, hope, and QOL, and develop appropriate interventions to manage these symptoms

Length Structure of Deep-Pelagic Fishes Sheds New Light to their Life Histories

Here we use a new technique to study life history variation in deep-pelagic fishes from a mid-ocean ridge system. Shape of length distribution in a population is to a significant extent determined by the degree to which an average individual approaches its asymptotic maximum size. Analysing the material from the pelagic trawl hauls taken during the 2004 Mar-Eco expedition along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, we show that length distributions in many deep-pelagic fish species are characterised by negative skew (the left tail of the distribution is longer). In other words, a large proportion of individuals had a size close to species-specific maximum size. Provided that our sampling can be considered representative, this finding suggests that deep-pelagic fishes have a low mortality rate relative to the rate at which they grow towards their asymptotic size

The relationship between chronic pain and health-related quality of life in long-term social assistance recipients in Norway

PurposeThe purposes of this study were to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of long-term social assistance recipients (LTRs) with and without chronic pain and determine the effect of select demographic, social, pain, alcohol, and illicit drug use characteristics on the physical and mental components of their HRQOL.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, which is part of a larger study that evaluated the health and functional abilities of LTRs in Norway, 405 LTRs of which 178 had chronic pain were recruited from 14 of 433 municipalities.ResultsLTRs with chronic pain were older (P &lt; .001), more often married (P = .002), feeling more lonely, (P = .048), and had more problems with alcohol (P = .035). The final regression model explained 41.2% (P &lt; .001) of the variance in PCS scores and 32.2% (P &lt; .001) of the variance in MCS scores. Being in chronic pain (29.7%), being older (4.7%), and never married (2%) predicted worse PCS scores. Feeling lonely (11.9%), having problems with illicit drug use (5.9%), and being in chronic pain (2.9%) predicted worse MCS scores.ConclusionLTRs with chronic pain rated both the physical and mental components of HRQOL lower than LTRs without chronic pain. The MCS score in both groups was negatively effected

An examination of the factorial structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire–Brief (SPQ-B) among undergraduate students

Cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized subscales of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire–Brief (SPQ-B), reflecting the three commonly used subscales of the full-version SPQ, have been used in a number of studies. However, the factorial validity of SPQB subscales remains to be clarified. Utilizing data from 825 undergraduate students, confirmatory factor analyses involving the 22 items of the SPQ-B were conducted. A significant χ2 difference test favored the 3-factor over the 1-factor model and fit indices for the 3-factor model were generally satisfactory. However, several of the items may index more than one of the hypothesized factors, so the item-factor separation is not sharp. Thus, more research is needed on the factorial validity of the increasingly used SPQ-B subscales

Confirmation of a Four-Factor Structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire among Undergraduate Students

Objective Although several exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have supported the initially proposed factor structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in which its nine subscales are grouped into cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized domains, others have revealed different latent structures. This study determined the best-fitting factor structure from among five models that have been proposed in the literature, as well as five additional hierarchically related models. Method Undergraduate college students (n=825) completed the SPQ as well as the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS) and the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (SAS). Confirmatory factor analyses involving the nine SPQ subscales were conducted using the Linear Structural Relations Program (LISREL 8.72). Results The best fitting model was a previously described 4-factor model including cognitiveperceptual, paranoid, negative, and disorganized domains. Correlations between the derived SPQ domains and the PAS score ranged r=.26–.39, and correlations between the SPQ domains and the SAS ranged r=.07–.41. Conclusions The present findings support a 4-factor model over the standard 3-factor model that is typically used to derive SPQ subscale scores. The four derived domains are minimally to moderately correlated with other measures of psychosis-proneness

Interleukin-8 is the single most up-regulated gene in whole genome profiling of H. pylori exposed gastric epithelial cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The association between <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>infection and upper gastrointestinal disease is well established. However, only a small fraction of <it>H. pylori </it>carriers develop disease, and there are great geographical differences in disease penetrance. The explanation to this enigma lies in the interaction between the bacterium and the host. <it>H. pylori </it>Outer Membrane Phospholipase A (OMPLA) has been suggested to play a role in the virulence of this bacterium. The aim of this study was to profile the most significant cellular pathways and biological processes affected in gastric epithelial cells during 24 h of <it>H. pylori </it>exposure, and to study the inflammatory response to OMPLA⁺and OMPLA^-<it>H. pylori </it>variants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Interleukin-8 was the most significantly up-regulated gene and appears to play a paramount role in the epithelial cell response to <it>H. pylori </it>infection and in the pathological processes leading to gastric disease. MAPK and NF-kappaB cellular pathways were powerfully activated, but did not seem to explain the impressive <it>IL-8 </it>response. There was marked up-regulation of <it>TP53BP2</it>, whose corresponding protein ASPP2 may interact with <it>H. pylori </it>CagA and cause marked p53 suppression of apoptosis. Other regulators of apoptosis also showed abberant regulation. We also identified up-regulation of several oncogenes and down-regulation of tumor suppressor genes as early as during the first 24 h of infection. <it>H. pylori </it>OMPLA phase variation did not seem to influence the inflammatory epithelial cell gene response in this experiment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In whole genome analysis of the epithelial response to <it>H. pylori </it>exposure, <it>IL-8 </it>demonstrated the most marked up-regulation, and was involved in many of the most important cellular response processes to the infection. There was dysregulation of apoptosis, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes as early as in the first 24 h of <it>H. pylori </it>infection, which may represent early signs of gastric tumorigenesis. OMPLA^+/-did not affect the acute inflammatory response to <it>H. pylori</it>.</p

Selfreported health status, treatment decision and survival in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis in a Western Norway population undergoing conservative treatment: a cross-sectional study with 18 months follow-up

Objectives: To investigate symptoms and self-reported health of patients conservatively treated for aortic stenosis (AS) and to identify factors associated with treatment decision and patient outcomes. Design: A cross-sectional survey with an 18-month follow-up. Setting: One tertiary university hospital in Western Norway. Participants: In all, 1436 patients were diagnosed with AS between 2000 and 2012, and those 245 still under conservative treatment in 2013 were included in this study. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Primary outcome measures were symptoms and self-reported health status. Secondary outcomes were treatment decision and patient survival after 18 months. Results: A total of 136 patients with mean (SD) age 79 (12) years, 52% men responded. Among conservatively treated patients 77% were symptomatic. The symptom most frequently experienced was dyspnoea. Symptomatic patients reported worse physical and mental health compared with asymptomatic patients (effect size 1.24 and 0.74, respectively). In addition, symptomatic patients reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression compared with asymptomatic patients. However, symptom status did not correlate with haemodynamic severity of AS. After 18 months, 117 (86%) were still alive, 20% had undergone surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) and 7% transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). When adjusting for age, gender, symptomatic status, severity of AS and European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE), patients with severe AS had more than sixfold chance of being scheduled for AVR or TAVI compared with those with moderate AS (HR 6.3, 95% CI 1.9 to 21.2, p=0.003). Patients with EuroSCORE ≥11 had less chance for undergoing AVR or TAVI compared with those with EuroSCORE ≤5 (HR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.46, p=0.007). Conclusions: Symptoms affected both physical and mental health in conservatively treated patients with AS. Many patients with symptomatic severe AS are not scheduled for surgery, despite the recommendations in current guidelines. The referral practice for AVR is a path for further investigation.publishedVersio