In alkaline soda lakes, concentrated dissolved carbonates establish productive phototrophic microbial mats. Here we show how microbial phototrophs and autotrophs contribute to this exceptional ...productivity. Amplicon and shotgun DNA sequencing data of microbial mats from four Canadian soda lakes indicate the presence of > 2,000 species of Bacteria and Eukaryotes. We recover metagenome-assembled-genomes for a core microbiome of < 100 abundant bacteria, present in all four lakes. Most of these are related to microbes previously detected in sediments of Asian alkaline lakes, showing that common selection principles drive community assembly from a globally distributed reservoir of alkaliphile biodiversity. Detection of > 7,000 proteins show how phototrophic populations allocate resources to specific processes and occupy complementary niches. Carbon fixation proceeds by the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, in Cyanobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and, surprisingly, Gemmatimonadetes. Our study provides insight into soda lake ecology, as well as a template to guide efforts to engineer biotechnology for carbon dioxide conversion.
Abstract
Our aim was to describe the research practices of doctoral students facing a dilemma to research integrity and to assess the impact of inappropriate research environments, i.e. exposure to ...(a) a post-doctoral researcher who committed a Detrimental Research Practice (DRP) in a similar situation and (b) a supervisor who did not oppose the DRP. We conducted two 2-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trials. We created 10 vignettes describing a realistic dilemma with two alternative courses of action (good practice versus DRP). 630 PhD students were randomized through an online system to a vignette (a) with (n = 151) or without (n = 164) exposure to a post-doctoral researcher; (b) with (n = 155) or without (n = 160) exposure to a supervisor. The primary outcome was a score from − 5 to + 5, where positive scores indicated the choice of DRP and negative scores indicated good practice. Overall, 37% of unexposed participants chose to commit DRP with important variation across vignettes (minimum 10%; maximum 66%). The mean difference 95%CI was 0.17 − 0.65 to 0.99;, p = 0.65 when exposed to the post-doctoral researcher, and 0.79 − 0.38; 1.94, p = 0.16, when exposed to the supervisor. In conclusion, we did not find evidence of an impact of postdoctoral researchers and supervisors on student research practices.
Trial registration:
NCT04263805, NCT04263506 (registration date 11 February 2020).
Postnatal depression affects about 10-15% of women in the year after giving birth. Many women and healthcare professionals would like an effective and accessible non-pharmacological treatment for ...postnatal depression.
Women who fulfilled the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria for major depression in the first 6 months postnatally were randomized to receive usual care plus a facilitated exercise intervention or usual care only. The intervention involved two face-to-face consultations and two telephone support calls with a physical activity facilitator over 6 months to support participants to engage in regular exercise. The primary outcome was symptoms of depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 6 months post-randomization. Secondary outcomes included EPDS score as a binary variable (recovered and improved) at 6 and 12 months post-randomization.
A total of 146 women were potentially eligible and 94 were randomized. Of these, 34% reported thoughts of self-harming at baseline. After adjusting for baseline EPDS, analyses revealed a -2.04 mean difference in EPDS score, favouring the exercise group 95% confidence interval (CI) -4.11 to 0.03, p = 0.05. When also adjusting for pre-specified demographic variables the effect was larger and statistically significant (mean difference = -2.26, 95% CI -4.36 to -0.16, p = 0.03). Based on EPDS score a larger proportion of the intervention group was recovered (46.5% v. 23.8%, p = 0.03) compared with usual care at 6 months follow-up.
This trial shows that an exercise intervention that involved encouragement to exercise and to seek out social support to exercise may be an effective treatment for women with postnatal depression, including those with thoughts of self-harming.
Background
Atipamezole, an α‐2 adrenergic receptor antagonist, reverses the α‐2 agonist anesthetic effects. There is a dearth of information on the physiological effects of these drugs in cynomolgus ...macaques (Macaca fascicularis). We assessed atipamezole's physiologic effects. We hypothesized atipamezole administration would alter anesthetic parameters.
Methods
Five cynomolgus macaques were sedated with ketamine/dexmedetomidine intramuscularly, followed 45 min later with atipamezole (0.5 mg/kg). Anesthetic parameters (heart rate, blood pressure systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP), and mean (MAP) blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, and %SpO2) were monitored prior to and every 10 min (through 60 min) post atipamezole injection.
Results
While heart rate was significantly increased for 60 min; SAP, DAP, MAP, and temperature were significantly decreased at 10 min.
Conclusions
This study indicates subcutaneous atipamezole results in increased heart rate and transient blood pressure decrease. These findings are clinically important to ensure anesthetist awareness to properly support and treat patients as needed.
Highly siderophile elements (HSEs) can be used to understand accretion and core formation in differentiated bodies, due to their strong affinity for FeNi metal and sulfides. Coupling experimental ...studies of metal–silicate partitioning with analyses of HSE contents of Martian meteorites can thus offer important constraints on the early history of Mars. Here, we report new metal–silicate partitioning data for the PGEs and Au and Re across a wide range of pressure and temperature space, with three series designed to complement existing experimental data sets for HSE. The first series examines temperature effects for D(HSE) in two metallic liquid compositions—C‐bearing and C‐free. The second series examines temperature effects for D(Re) in FeO‐bearing silicate melts and FeNi‐rich alloys. The third series presents the first systematic study of high pressure and temperature effects for D(Au). We then combine our data with previously published partitioning data to derive predictive expressions for metal–silicate partitioning of the HSE, which are subsequently used to calculate HSE concentrations of the Martian mantle during continuous accretion of Mars. Our results show that at midmantle depths in an early magma ocean (equivalent to approximately 14 GPa, 2100 °C), the HSE contents of the silicate fraction are similar to those observed in the Martian meteorite suite. This is in concert with previous studies on moderately siderophile elements. We then consider model calculations that examine the role of melting, fractional crystallization, and sulfide saturation/undersaturation in establishing the range of HSE contents in Martian meteorites derived from melting of the postcore formation mantle. The core formation modeling indicates that the HSE contents can be established by metal–silicate equilibrium early in the history of Mars, thus obviating the need for a late veneer for HSE, and by extension volatile siderophile elements, or volatiles in general.
Evidence of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection has been reported for 26 different species of African nonhuman primates. Two of these viruses, SIVcpz from chimpanzees and SIVsm from sooty ...mangabeys, are the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans. Together, they have been transmitted to humans on at least seven occasions. The implications of human infection by a diverse set of SIVs and of exposure to a plethora of additional human immunodeficiency virus-related viruses are discussed.
The TREAting Depression with physical activity (TREAD) study investigated the cost-effectiveness of a physical activity intervention, in addition to usual general practitioner care, as a treatment ...for people with depression.
An individually randomised, pragmatic, multicentre randomised controlled trial with follow-up at 4, 8 and 12 months. A subset of participants took part in a qualitative study that investigated the acceptability and perceived benefits of the intervention.
General practices in the Bristol and Exeter areas.
Aged 18-69 years with an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Edition (ICD-10) diagnosis of depression and scoring ≥ 14 on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Those who were unable to complete self-administered questionnaires in English, with medical contraindications to physical activity or with psychosis, bipolar disorder or serious drug abuse were excluded.
We devised an intervention designed to encourage choice and autonomy in the adoption of physical activity. It consisted of up to three face-to-face and ten telephone contacts delivered by a trained physical activity facilitator over an 8-month period.
The primary outcome was the BDI score measured at 4 months. Secondary outcomes included depressive symptoms over the 12 months and quality of life, antidepressant use and level of physical activity.
The study recruited 361 patients, with 182 randomised to the intervention arm and 179 to the usual care arm; there was 80% retention at the 4-month follow-up. The intervention group had a slightly lower BDI score at 4 months -0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) -3.06 to 1.99 but there was no evidence that the intervention improved outcome for depression. Neither was there any evidence to suggest a difference in the prescription of or self-reported use of antidepressants. However, the amount of physical activity undertaken by those who had received the intervention was increased (odds ratio 2.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.9) and was sustained beyond the end of the intervention. From a health-care perspective, the intervention group was more costly than the usual care group, with the cost of the intervention £220 per person on average. It is therefore extremely unlikely that the intervention is cost-effective as a treatment for depression using current willingness-to-pay thresholds.
This physical activity intervention is very unlikely to lead to any clinical benefit in terms of depressive symptoms or to be a cost-effective treatment for depression. Previous research has reported some benefit and there are three possible reasons for this discrepancy: first, even though the intervention increased self-reported physical activity, the increase in activity was not sufficiently large to lead to a measurable influence; second, only more vigorous activity might be of benefit; and third, previous studies had recruited individuals with a pre-existing commitment to physical activity. Future research is needed to identify and explain the mechanisms by which depression might be effectively treated, including, in particular, specific guidance on the optimum type, intensity and duration of physical activity required to produce a therapeutic effect.
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN16900744.
This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 16, No. 10. See the HTA programme website for further project information.
Background Pre‐eclampsia is one of the largest causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Hyperuricemia is often associated with pre‐eclampsia.
Objective To determine the accuracy with ...which serum uric acid predicts maternal and fetal complications in women with pre‐eclampsia.
Study design Systematic quantitative review of test accuracy studies.
Search strategy We conducted electronic searches in MEDLINE (1951–2004), EMBASE (1980–2004), the Cochrane Library (2004:4) and the MEDION database to identify relevant articles. A hand‐search of selected specialist journals and reference lists of articles obtained was then carried out. There were no language restrictions for any of these searches.
Selection criteria Two reviewers independently selected the articles in which the accuracy of serum uric acid was evaluated to predict maternal and fetal complications of pre‐eclampsia.
Data collection and analysis Data were extracted on study characteristics, quality and accuracy to construct 2 × 2 tables with maternal and fetal complications as reference standard. Summary likelihood ratios for positive (LR+) and negative LR(−) test results are generated for various threshold levels of uric acid.
Main results There were 18 primary articles that met the selection criteria, including a total of 3913 women and forty‐one 2 × 2 tables. In women with pre‐eclampsia, a positive test result of uric acid greater than or equal to a 350‐μmol/l threshold predicted eclampsia with a pooled likelihood ratio (LR) of 2.1 (95% CI 1.4–3.5), while a negative test result had a pooled LR of 0.38 (95% CI 0.18–0.81). For severe hypertension as the outcome measure, the LRs were 1.7 (95% CI 1.3–2.2) and 0.49 (95% CI 0.38–0.64) for positive and negative test results, respectively, and for caesarean section the LRs were 2.4 (95% CI 1.3–4.7) and 0.39 (95% CI 0.20–0.76). For stillbirths and neonatal deaths the respective LRs were 1.5 (95% CI 0.91–2.6) and 0.51 (95% CI 0.20–1.3). For the prediction of small‐for‐gestational‐age fetus, the pooled LRs were 1.3 (95% CI 1.1–1.7) and 0.60 (95% CI 0.43–0.83) for positive and negative results, respectively.
Author's conclusion Serum uric acid is a poor predictor of maternal and fetal complications in women with pre‐eclampsia.
To evaluate clinical effectiveness at 4 weeks of antidepressant therapy for mothers with postnatal depression (PND) compared with general supportive care; to compare outcome at 18 weeks of those ...randomised to antidepressant therapy with those randomised to listening visits as the first intervention (both groups were to be allowed to receive the alternative intervention after 4 weeks if the woman or her doctor so decided); and to assess acceptability of antidepressants and listening visits to users and health professionals.
A pragmatic two-arm individually randomised controlled trial.
Participants were recruited from 77 general practices: 21 in Bristol, 21 in south London and 35 in Manchester.
A total of 254 women who fulfilled International Classification of Diseases version 10 criteria for major depression in the first 6 postnatal months were recruited and randomised.
Women were randomised to receive either an antidepressant, usually a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescribed by their general practitioner (GP), or non-directive counselling (listening visits) from a specially trained research health visitor (HV). The trial was designed to compare antidepressants with general supportive care for the first 4 weeks, after which women allocated to listening visits commenced their sessions. It allowed for women to receive the alternative intervention if they had not responded to their allocated intervention or wished to change to, or add in, the alternative intervention at any time after 4 weeks.
The duration of the trial was 18 weeks. Primary outcome, measured at 4 weeks and 18 weeks post randomisation, was the proportion of women improved on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), that is scoring < 13. Secondary outcomes were the EPDS measured as a continuous variable at 4 and 18 weeks, and scores on various other questionnaires.
At 4 weeks, women were more than twice as likely to have improved if they had been randomised to antidepressants compared with listening visits, which started after the 4-week follow-up, i.e. after 4 weeks of general supportive care primary intention-to-treat (ITT), 45% versus 20%; odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8 to 6.5, p < 0.001. Explanatory analyses emphasised these findings. At 18 weeks, ITT analysis revealed that the proportion of women improving was 11% greater in the antidepressant group, but logistic regression analysis showed no clear benefit for one group over the other 62% versus 51%, OR 1.5 (95% CI 0.8 to 2.6), p = 0.19. Overall, there was a difference between the groups in favour of the antidepressant group of about 25 percentage points at 4 weeks, which reduced at 18 weeks. No statistical support existed for a benefit of antidepressants at 18 weeks, but 95% CIs could not rule out a clinically important benefit. It was difficult for GPs not to prescribe antidepressants to women randomised to listening visits after the initial 4 weeks, so many women received both interventions in both groups by 18 weeks and consequently power was reduced. Qualitative interviews with women revealed a preference for listening visits but an acceptance that antidepressants might be necessary. They wished to be reassured that their GP and HV were offering continuity of care focusing on their particular set of circumstances. Interviews with GPs and HVs revealed lack of collaboration in managing care for women with PND; neither professional group was willing to assume responsibility.
At 4 weeks, antidepressants were significantly superior to general supportive care. Trial design meant that by 18 weeks many of the women initially randomised to listening visits were also receiving antidepressants, and more vice versa. The lack of evidence for differences at 18 weeks is likely to reflect a combination of reduced power and the considerable degree of switching across the two interventions. Qualitative study revealed that women found both antidepressants and listening visits effective depending on their circumstances and preferences. The trial indicates that early treatment with antidepressants leads to clinical benefit for women with PND.
Proteinuria is one of the essential criteria for the clinical diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. Increasing levels of proteinuria is considered to be associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. We ...aim to determine the accuracy with which the amount of proteinuria predicts maternal and fetal complications in women with pre-eclampsia by systematic quantitative review of test accuracy studies.
We conducted electronic searches in MEDLINE (1951 to 2007), EMBASE (1980 to 2007), the Cochrane Library (2007) and the MEDION database to identify relevant articles and hand-search of selected specialist journals and reference lists of articles. There were no language restrictions for any of these searches. Two reviewers independently selected those articles in which the accuracy of proteinuria estimate was evaluated to predict maternal and fetal complications of pre-eclampsia. Data were extracted on study characteristics, quality and accuracy to construct 2 x 2 tables with maternal and fetal complications as reference standards.
Sixteen primary articles with a total of 6749 women met the selection criteria with levels of proteinuria estimated by urine dipstick, 24-hour urine proteinuria or urine protein:creatinine ratio as a predictor of complications of pre-eclampsia. All 10 studies predicting maternal outcomes showed that proteinuria is a poor predictor of maternal complications in women with pre-eclampsia. Seventeen studies used laboratory analysis and eight studies bedside analysis to assess the accuracy of proteinuria in predicting fetal and neonatal complications. Summary likelihood ratios of positive and negative tests for the threshold level of 5 g/24 h were 2.0 (95% CI 1.5, 2.7) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.27, 1) for stillbirths, 1.5 (95% CI 0.94, 2.4) and 0.73 (95% CI 0.39, 1.4) for neonatal deaths and 1.5 (95% 1, 2) and 0.78 (95% 0.64, 0.95) for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission.
Measure of proteinuria is a poor predictor of either maternal or fetal complications in women with pre-eclampsia.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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