Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota potentially limit the identification of microbial features associated with health status. Here, we used whole-genome metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing ...to characterize the intra- and inter-individual variations of gut microbiota composition and functional potential of a disease-free Swedish population (n = 75) over one year. We found that 23% of the total compositional variance was explained by intra-individual variation. The degree of intra-individual compositional variability was negatively associated with the abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (a butyrate producer) and two Bifidobacterium species. By contrast, the abundance of facultative anaerobes and aerotolerant bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus varied extensively, independent of compositional stability. The contribution of intra-individual variance to the total variance was greater for functional pathways than for microbial species. Thus, reliable quantification of microbial features requires repeated samples to address the issue of intra-individual variations of the gut microbiota.
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•23% of the total compositional variation in the gut microbiome is intra-individual•Stability markers might be specific to age and geography•Several disease-associated species have large normal intra-individual variation•Repeated measurements are required for reliable assessment of variable features
The intra-individual variation of the gut microbiota and its diagnostic and clinical relevance remain underappreciated. In a disease-free population, using metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, Olsson et al. show that both composition and functional potential vary extensively within individuals. They also show that different species have different variability patterns.
New meningococcal vaccines are undergoing clinical trials, and changes in the epidemiologic features of meningococcal disease will affect their use. Active laboratory-based, population-based US ...surveillance for meningococcal disease during 1992–1996 was used to project that 2400 cases of meningococcal disease occurred annually. Incidence was highest in infants; however, 32% of cases occurred in persons ⩾30 years of age. Serogroup C caused 35% of cases; serogroup B, 32%; and serogroup Y, 26%. Increasing age (relative risk RR, 1.01 per year), having an isolate obtained from blood (RR, 4.5), and serogroup C (RR, 1.6) were associated with increased case fatality. Among serogroup B isolates, the most commonly expressed serosubtype was P1. 15; 68% of isolates expressed 1 of the 6 most common sero-subtypes. Compared with cases occurring in previous years, recent cases are more likely to be caused by serogroup Y and to occur among older age groups. Ongoing surveillance is necessary to determine the stability of serogroup and serosubtype distribution.
Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality in holoendemic transmission areas. Severe malarial anemia SMA, hemoglobin (Hb) < 5.0 g/dL in children is the most ...common clinical manifestation of severe malaria in such regions. Although innate immune response genes are known to influence the development of SMA, the role of natural killer (NK) cells in malaria pathogenesis remains largely undefined. As such, we examined the impact of genetic variation in the gene encoding a primary NK cell receptor, natural cytotoxicity-triggering receptor 3 (NCR3), on the occurrence of malaria and SMA episodes over time.
Susceptibility to malaria, SMA, and all-cause mortality was determined in carriers of NCR3 genetic variants (i.e., rs2736191:C > G and rs11575837:C > T) and their haplotypes. The prospective observational study was conducted over a 36 mos. follow-up period in a cohort of children (n = 1,515, aged 1.9-40 mos.) residing in a holoendemic P. falciparum transmission region, Siaya, Kenya.
Poisson regression modeling, controlling for anemia-promoting covariates, revealed a significantly increased risk of malaria in carriers of the homozygous mutant allele genotype (TT) for rs11575837 after multiple test correction Incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.540, 95% CI = 1.114-2.129, P = 0.009. Increased risk of SMA was observed for rs2736191 in children who inherited the CG genotype (IRR = 1.269, 95% CI = 1.009-1.597, P = 0.041) and in the additive model (presence of 1 or 2 copies) (IRR = 1.198, 95% CI = 1.030-1.393, P = 0.019), but was not significant after multiple test correction. Modeling of the haplotypes revealed that the CC haplotype had a significant additive effect for protection against SMA (i.e., reduced risk for development of SMA) after multiple test correction (IRR = 0.823, 95% CI = 0.711-0.952, P = 0.009). Although increased susceptibility to SMA was present in carriers of the GC haplotype (IRR = 1.276, 95% CI = 1.030-1.581, P = 0.026) with an additive effect (IRR = 1.182, 95% CI = 1.018-1.372, P = 0.029), the results did not remain significant after multiple test correction. None of the NCR3 genotypes or haplotypes were associated with all-cause mortality.
Variation in NCR3 alters susceptibility to malaria and SMA during the acquisition of naturally-acquired malarial immunity. These results highlight the importance of NK cells in the innate immune response to malaria.
Objectives
Traditional mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been applied successfully across many populations. The time commitment for these programs is often a barrier, and while brief MBIs ...have become popular, the impact of these on health-related outcomes is unclear as they have not yet been reviewed.
Methods
A search of databases, including Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO, was conducted with qualitative and case studies being excluded. Findings were summarized using a narrative approach for all studies that met the inclusion criteria.
Results
With one exception, all 85 studies that were included were randomized controlled trials and were relatively robust methodologically. Seventy-nine reported significant positive effects on at least one health-related outcome and over a quarter targeted a clinical population. The majority of studies focused on psychological outcomes, such as anxiety and depression, as well as emotion regulation, stress, and cognitive outcomes.
Conclusions
Despite heterogeneity of outcomes across studies, there is evidence that brief MBIs can impact numerous health-related outcomes, after only one session and with interventions as brief as 5 min. These interventions have the potential to be the initial steps leading to sustainable and positive health outcomes.
Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is critical to the preterm lung at birth, but the optimal PEEP level remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of maximum PEEP ...levels at birth on the physiological and injury response in preterm lambs. Steroid-exposed preterm lambs (124-127 days gestation;
= 65) were randomly assigned from birth to either
) positive pressure ventilation (PPV) at 8 cmH
O PEEP or 3-min dynamic stepwise PEEP strategy (DynPEEP), with either
) 20 cmH
O maximum PEEP (10 PEEP second steps) or
) 14 cmH
O maximum PEEP (20-s steps), all followed by standardized PPV for 90 min. Lung mechanics, gas exchange, regional ventilation and aeration (electrical impedance tomography), and histological and molecular measures of lung injury were compared between groups. Dynamic compliance was greatest using a maximum 20 cmH
O (DynPEEP). There were no differences in gas exchange, end-expiratory volume, and ventilator requirements. Regional ventilation became more uniform with time following all PEEP strategies. For all groups, gene expression of markers of early lung injury was greater in the gravity nondependent lung, and inversely related to the magnitude of PEEP, being lowest in the 20 cmH
O DynPEEP group overall. PEEP levels had no impact on lung injury in the dependent lung. Transient high maximum PEEP levels using dynamic PEEP strategies may confer more lung protection at birth.
The 1.28 GHz MeerKAT DEEP2 Image Cotton, W. D.; Matthews, A. M.; Abbott, T. D. ...
Astrophysical journal/The Astrophysical journal,
01/2020, Letnik:
888, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
We present the confusion-limited 1.28 GHz MeerKAT DEEP2 image covering one primary-beam area with θ = 7 6 FWHM resolution and rms noise. Its J2000 center position = 04h 13m 26 4, δ = −80° 00′ 00″ was ...selected to minimize artifacts caused by bright sources. We introduce the new 64-element MeerKAT array and describe commissioning observations to measure the primary-beam attenuation pattern, estimate telescope pointing errors, and pinpoint (u, v) coordinate errors caused by offsets in frequency or time. We constructed a 1.4 GHz differential source count by combining a power-law count fit to the DEEP2 confusion P(D) distribution from 0.25 to 10 Jy with counts of individual DEEP2 sources between 10 Jy and 2.5 mJy. Most sources fainter than S ∼ 100 Jy are distant star-forming galaxies (SFGs) obeying the far-IR/radio correlation, and sources stronger than 0.25 Jy account for ∼93% of the radio background produced by SFGs. For the first time, the DEEP2 source count has reached the depth needed to reveal the majority of the star formation history of the universe. A pure luminosity evolution of the 1.4 GHz local luminosity function consistent with the Madau & Dickinson model for the evolution of SFGs based on UV and infrared data underpredicts our 1.4 GHz source count in the range .
Highlights • Performance during functional balance tests is quantified using wireless IMUs. • With load, beam traverse time increases and subjects adopt more cautious gait. • Double support time and ...stride duration increase with load. • Torso lateral flexion and lateral acceleration of the sacrum decrease with load.
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