Participant Modeling: The Use of a Guided Master in the Modern World of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Targeting Fear of Heights

With the percentage of mental health disorders on the rise and the cost for their treatment reaching astounding proportions, research in their treatment has also become quite extensive. Individuals suffering from the effects of their disorder constituting them incapable at various levels to lead a normal life, the need for a more effective treatment has been well established. We have focused on anxiety disorders specifically, which have mainly fear as their common denominator, and using this we decided to look into the role of the clinician in live ET sessions so as to examine whether this role can be replicated in a VRET simulation with similar or better outcomes for the patient, i.e. a more effective treatment. Our hypothesis was tested in an outpatient setting with patients being separated into two groups. We examined whether the presence of a virtual guided master using participant modeling in a virtual environment was as effective or more effective than the Standard ET method. Our VR system is based on the Full Body Immersive Virtual Reality System with Motion Recognition Camera created by Jacob Kritikos. The outcomes were gathered via the Session Rating Scale by Miller which led to the conclusion that participant modeling within a VRET approach can lead to a better treatment quality. © 2021, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

Correction: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae genomes to investigate underlying population structure and type-specific determinants.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174701.]

Correction: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae genomes to investigate underlying population structure and type-specific determinants.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174701.]

Phototransduction and clock gene expression in the troglobiont beetle Ptomaphagus hirtus of Mammoth cave

Obligatory cave species exhibit dramatic trait modifications such as eye reduction, loss of pigmentation and an increase in touch receptors. As molecular studies of cave adaptation have largely concentrated on vertebrate models, it is not yet possible to probe for genetic universalities underlying cave adaptation. We have therefore begun to study the strongly cave-adapted small carrion beetle Ptomaphagus hirtus. For over 100 years, this flightless signature inhabitant of Mammoth Cave, the world's largest known cave system, has been considered blind despite the presence of residual lens structures. By deep sequencing of the adult head transcriptome, we discovered the transcripts of all core members of the phototransduction protein machinery. Combined with the absence of transcripts of select structural photoreceptor and eye pigmentation genes, these data suggest a reduced but functional visual system in P. hirtus. This conclusion was corroborated by a negative phototactic response of P. hirtus in light/dark choice tests. We further detected the expression of the complete circadian clock gene network in P. hirtus, raising the possibility of a role of light sensation in the regulation of oscillating processes. We speculate that P. hirtus is representative of a large number of animal species with highly reduced but persisting visual capacities in the twilight zone of the subterranean realm. These can now be studied on a broad comparative scale given the efficiency of transcript discovery by next-generation sequencing

Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> genomes to investigate underlying population structure and type-specific determinants

<div><p><i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> is a significant cause of respiratory illness worldwide. Despite a minimal and highly conserved genome, genetic diversity within the species may impact disease. We performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of 107 <i>M</i>. <i>pneumoniae</i> isolates, including 67 newly sequenced using the Pacific BioSciences RS II and/or Illumina MiSeq sequencing platforms. Comparative genomic analysis of 107 genomes revealed >3,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in total, including 520 type-specific SNPs. Population structure analysis supported the existence of six distinct subgroups, three within each type. We developed a predictive model to classify an isolate based on whole genome SNPs called against the reference genome into the identified subtypes, obviating the need for genome assembly. This study is the most comprehensive WGS analysis for <i>M</i>. <i>pneumoniae</i> to date, underscoring the power of combining complementary sequencing technologies to overcome difficult-to-sequence regions and highlighting potential differential genomic signatures in <i>M</i>. <i>pneumoniae</i>.</p></div

Correction: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> genomes to investigate underlying population structure and type-specific determinants

Correction: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> genomes to investigate underlying population structure and type-specific determinant