101 Dothideomycetes genomes: A test case for predicting lifestyles and emergence of pathogens.

Dothideomycetes is the largest class of kingdom Fungi and comprises an incredible diversity of lifestyles, many of which have evolved multiple times. Plant pathogens represent a major ecological niche of the class Dothideomycetes and they are known to infect most major food crops and feedstocks for biomass and biofuel production. Studying the ecology and evolution of Dothideomycetes has significant implications for our fundamental understanding of fungal evolution, their adaptation to stress and host specificity, and practical implications with regard to the effects of climate change and on the food, feed, and livestock elements of the agro-economy. In this study, we present the first large-scale, whole-genome comparison of 101 Dothideomycetes introducing 55 newly sequenced species. The availability of whole-genome data produced a high-confidence phylogeny leading to reclassification of 25 organisms, provided a clearer picture of the relationships among the various families, and indicated that pathogenicity evolved multiple times within this class. We also identified gene family expansions and contractions across the Dothideomycetes phylogeny linked to ecological niches providing insights into genome evolution and adaptation across this group. Using machine-learning methods we classified fungi into lifestyle classes with >95 % accuracy and identified a small number of gene families that positively correlated with these distinctions. This can become a valuable tool for genome-based prediction of species lifestyle, especially for rarely seen and poorly studied species.

Mind the gap: temporal discrimination and dystonia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: One of the most widely studied perceptual measures of sensory dysfunction in dystonia is the temporal discrimination threshold (TDT) (the shortest interval at which subjects can perceive that there are two stimuli rather than one). However the elevated thresholds described may be due to a number of potential mechanisms as current paradigms test not only temporal discrimination but also extraneous sensory and decision-making parameters. In this study two paradigms designed to better quantify temporal processing are presented and a decision-making model is used to assess the influence of decision strategy. METHODS: 22 patients with cervical dystonia and 22 age-matched controls completed two tasks (i) temporal resolution (a randomized, automated version of existing TDT paradigms) and (ii) interval discrimination (rating the length of two consecutive intervals). RESULTS: In the temporal resolution task patients had delayed (P = 0.021) and more variable (P = 0.013) response times but equivalent discrimination thresholds. Modelling these effects suggested this was due to an increased perceptual decision boundary in dystonia with patients requiring greater evidence before committing to decisions (P = 0.020). Patient performance on the interval discrimination task was normal. CONCLUSIONS: Our work suggests that previously observed abnormalities in TDT may not be due to a selective sensory deficit of temporal processing as decision-making itself is abnormal in cervical dystonia.

Exercise Interventions for Preserving Physical Function Among Cancer Survivors in Middle to Late Life.

The purpose of this review was to evaluate randomized controlled trials aiming to preserve the functional status, i.e. physical capabilities, of middle-aged and older cancer survivors through a structured, physical exercise intervention. The study team performed a thorough search of the literature using six online databases. This literature search limited included studies to randomized controlled trials which implemented a structured physical activity intervention for middle- and older-aged adults diagnosed with cancer. Studies were also required include at least one objective measure of physical function as a dependent outcome. This literature search yielded thirty-eight studies. The majority of the literature reviewed was successful in improving several functional outcomes including time needed to rise from a chair or distance covered during the six-minute walk test. A large number of published trials also suggest that exercise is effective in decreasing fatigue. However, a lack of trials investigating outcomes in older populations (≥ 65 years) was noted in this review. The results of this review suggest that a structured exercise program may be physically beneficial for middle-aged to older cancer survivors. Particularly, such interventions could preserve the functional status of cancer patients and, consequently, improve their long-term health outcomes. Future implications include further investigation into strictly older cancer patient populations, as outcomes related to exercise might differ between older and middle-aged adults.

Failure to respond to physiologic challenge characterizes esophageal motility in erosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Non-specific esophageal dysmotility with impaired clearance is often present in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), especially those with erosive disease; however the physio-mechanic basis of esophageal dysfunction is not well defined. METHODS: Retrospective assessment of patients with erosive reflux disease (ERD; n=20) and endoscopy negative reflux disease (ENRD; n=20) with pathologic acid exposure on pH studies (>4.2% time/24 h) and also healthy controls (n=20) studied by high resolution manometry. Esophageal motility in response to liquid and solid bolus swallows and multiple water swallows (MWS) was analyzed. Peristaltic dysfunction was defined as failed peristalsis, spasm, weak or poorly coordinated esophageal contraction (>3cm break in 30 mmHg isocontour). KEY RESULTS: Peristaltic dysfunction was present in 33% of water swallows in controls, 56% ENRD and 76% ERD respectively (P<0.023 vs controls, P=0.185 vs ENRD). The proportion of effective peristaltic contractions improved with solid compared to liquid bolus in controls (18%vs 33%, P=0.082) and ENRD (22%vs 54%, P=0.046) but not ERD (62%vs 76%, P=0.438). Similarly, MWS was followed by effective peristalsis in 83% of controls and 70% ENRD but only 30% ERD patients (P<0.017 vs controls and P<0.031 vs ENRD). The association between acid exposure and dysmotility was closer for solid than liquid swallows (r=0.52 vs 0.27). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Peristaltic dysfunction is common in GERD. ERD patients are characterized by a failure to respond to the physiologic challenge of solid bolus and MWS that is likely also to impair clearance following reflux events and increase exposure to gastric refluxate.

Alveolar antioxidant status in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

In the acutely inflamed lung, oxidant stress occurs within the alveolar compartment. Under these conditions, the regulation of low molecular weight antioxidants in the epithelial lining fluid is poorly understood. Therefore, antioxidant levels were measured in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; n=40) and in healthy volunteers (n=20). Reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidised glutathione (GSSG; enzymatic assay), retinol (vitamin A), alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), uric acid (all by HPLC), plasmalogens (1-alkenyl-2-acyl phospholipids), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; both by gas-liquid chromatography), and F2-isoprostanes (ELISA) were quantified. All values are expressed as concentrations in cell-depleted BALF. GSSG (ARDS: 0.13+/-0.02 microM; control: 0.03+/-0.01 microM; mean+/-sem) and F2-isoprostanes (ARDS: 78+/-10 pM; control: 26+/-5 pM) were increased in ARDS, thus indicating oxidant stress. GSH levels in patients did not change significantly, whereas concentrations of vitamins A and C, vitamin E (ARDS: 77+/-15 nM; control: 26+/-3 nM) and uric acid (ARDS: 11.8+/-2.2 microM; control: 0.7+/-0.0 microM) were significantly elevated in ARDS. PUFA of total lipids, which may act as sacrificial antioxidants, increased by a factor of approximately 3 in patients, but plasmalogens showed a significant decrease. In conclusion, low molecular weight antioxidants are elevated in the alveolar compartment of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Further research is warranted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this finding.

Serological survey of Prospect Hill virus infection in indigenous wild rodents in the USA.

We found serological evidence of infection with Prospect Hill virus, a Hantaan-like virus isolated from meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), in microtine and cricetid rodents trapped in Maryland, West Virginia, Minnesota and California, USA. Fluorescent antibodies were detected in sera from M. pennsylvanicus (74/277), M. californicus (39/185), Clethrionomys gapperi (5/51), Peromyscus maniculatus (4/22) and P. truei (1/11). Sera from seropositive P. maniculatus contained neutralizing antibodies against Prospect Hill virus, confirming that infection with Prospect Hill virus or antigenically related viruses is not restricted to microtine rodents in the USA. Despite the widespread distribution of Prospect Hill virus in indigenous rodents, the recent demonstration that American mammalogists are only rarely infected supports the view that the overall risk of Prospect Hill virus infection in man is low.

Periventricular low density as a predictor of neurobehavioral outcome in very low-birthweight infants.

Sixty-four low-birthweight infants (less than 1500 g) were studied prospectively by cranial computerized tomography (CT) and by periodic neurobehavioral assessments. CT scans were obtained at 40 weeks postconceptional age. Neurobehavioral development was assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at seven, 12 and 18 months corrected age. 47 infants (73 per cent) had areas of diffuse periventricular low densities (PVLD). As a group, infants with PVLD had deviant Bayley scores for both mental and motor development at all follow-up ages. Scores for these infants were significantly lower than scores for infants with normal CT scans or scans with only focal low densities. It is concluded that very-low birthweight infants have an unexpectedly high prevalence of diffuse PVLD, and that this CT finding at 40 weeks postconceptional age is associated with abnormal neurobehavioral development throughout the first 18 months of life.

Neurobehavioral performance of low-birthweight infants at 40 weeks conceptional age: comparison with normal fullterm infants.

This study compares the neurobehavioral status of 118 low-birthweight infants tested at 40 weeks conceptional age with that of 76 normal fullterm infants. A neonatal neurobehavioral examination comprising 21 test and four summary items was used. The most striking differences between the groups were found in visual and auditory orienting, with approximately two-thirds of the low-birthweight infants falling below the range of performance of the fullterm group. Items testing motor performance showed a lower incidence of deviant performance among the low-birthweight infants. Of the 21 test items, 19 could be assigned cut-off scores, below which infants can be considered deviant on the specific items.

Environmental characteristics of a neonatal intensive-care unit.

An increasing number of intervention programs are designed to ameliorate the "sensory deprivation" of hospitalized premature infants. However, observation of the premature infant's hospital environment every 15 min for 5 24-hour periods indicated that acoustic stimuli were clearly audible in over 95% of the observations, infants were handled during more than 10% of the times they were observed, and illumination levels were always sufficiently high to permit easy visibility. Analysis of the nature of this stimulation suggests that premature infants may suffer from an inappropriate pattern rather than an inadequate amount of stimulation.

Echoencephalographs of 100 consecutive acute psychiatric admissions.

Echoencephalography (ECHO) on 100 consecutive acute short-term psychiatric admissions showed a high (12 per cent) incidence of abnormalities. Incidence of midline ECHO abnormalities was 2 per cent, comparable to similar studies. Ventricular enlargement accounted for the majority of ECHO abnormalities. This study also confirmed a previous report of a relationship between third ventricular size and response to treatment. Use of the ECHO as a screening test for these patients was safe and rapid. Correlative studies tended to confirm ECHO findings.