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Active population-based surveillance determined clinical factors, susceptibility patterns, incidence rates (IR), and genomics among Enterobacter cloacae complex (n = 154) causing blood stream infections in a centralized Canadian region (2015–2017). The annual population IR was 1.2/100,000 (95% CI 0.9–16) in 2015, 1.4/100,000 (95% CI 1.1–1.9) in 2016, and 1.5/100,000 (95% CI 1.2–2.0) in 2017, affecting mainly elderly males with underlying comorbid conditions in the hospital setting. E. cloacae complex was dominated by polyclonal subspecies (i.e., E. hormaechei subsp. steigerwaltii, subsp. hoffmanni and subsp. xiangfangesis). Antimicrobial resistant determinants were rare. This study provided novel information about Enterobacter genomics in a well-defined human population.

Inflation forecasting has been and continues to be an important issue for the world’s economies. Governments, through their central banks, watch closely inflation indicators to make national decisions and policies. This study proposes to forecast the inflation rate in five Latin American emerging economies based on the commonly used seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) approach combined with long short-term memory (LSTM). Additionally, we run forecasts based on fuzzy inference systems (FISs), artificial neural networks (ANNs), artificial neuro-FIS, and SARIMA ANN as benchmarks to compare the performance of the combines SARIMA–LSTM. The combined SARIMA–LSTM captures the linear aspects of the time series as well as the nonlinear aspects. The results indicate that the proposed model based on the combination of SARIMA and LSTM has higher accuracy in inflation forecasts over the SARIMA and LSTM separately.

BackgroundFew studies have evaluated nutritive effects of prebiotics on infant behavior state, physiology, or metabolic status.MethodsIn this double-blind randomized study, infants (n = 161) received cow’s milk-based infant formula (Control) or similar formula with an added prebiotic blend (polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides [PDX/GOS]) from 14–35 to 112 days of age. Infant wake behavior (crying/fussing, awake/content) and 24-h sleep–wake actograms were analyzed (Baseline, Days 70 and 112). Salivary cortisol was immunoassayed (Days 70 and 112). In a subset, exploratory stool 16S ribosomal RNA-sequencing was analyzed (Baseline, Day 112).ResultsOne hundred and thirty-one infants completed the study. Average duration of crying/fussing episodes was similar at Baseline, significantly shorter for PDX/GOS vs. Control at Day 70, and the trajectory continued at Day 112. Latency to first and second nap was significantly longer for PDX/GOS vs. Control at Day 112. Cortisol awakening response was demonstrated at Days 70 and 112. Significant stool microbiome beta-diversity and individual taxa abundance differences were observed in the PDX/GOS group.ConclusionsResults indicate faster consolidation of daytime waking state in infants receiving prebiotics and support home-based actigraphy to assess early sleep–wake patterns. A prebiotic effect on wake organization is consistent with influence on the gut–brain axis and warrants further investigation.ImpactFew studies have evaluated nutritive effects of prebiotics on infant behavior state, cortisol awakening response, sleep–wake entrainment, and gut microbiome.Faster consolidation of daytime waking state was demonstrated in infants receiving a prebiotic blend in infant formula through ~4 months of age.Shorter episodes of crying were demonstrated at ~2 months of age (time point corresponding to age/developmental range associated with peak crying) in infants receiving formula with added prebiotics.Results support home-based actigraphy as a suitable method to assess early sleep–wake patterns.Prebiotic effect on wake organization is consistent with influence on the gut–brain axis and warrants further investigation.

To assess the diagnostic value of retrospectively fused PET/MRI by comparing the detection rates (DRs) of fused 64CuCl2 PET/MRI vs. fused 18F-Choline PET/MRI in patients with suspected prostatic cancer (PCa) recurrence. The secondary objective was to compare the DRs of fused PET/MRI vs. those of the separate imaging modalities. We retrospectively evaluated 50 PCa patients with biochemical relapse after radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiotherapy (RT). All patients underwent 64CuCl2 PET/CT, 18F-Choline PET/CT, and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) within 15 days. Fused 64CuCl2-PET/MRI and fused 18F-Choline PET/MRI images were obtained by retrospective co-registration of MRI and PET images. Experienced readers interpreted the images, and the DRs of each imaging modality were assessed. In the patient-based analysis, overall DRs of fused 64CuCl2 PET/MRI, fused 18F-Choline PET/MRI, 64CuCl2 PET/CT, 18F-Choline PET/CT, and mpMRI were 88%, 68%, 82%, 56%, and 74%, respectively. In the lesion-based analysis, overall DRs of fused 64CuCl2 PET/MRI, fused 18F-Choline PET/MRI, 64CuCl2 PET/CT, 18 F-Choline PET/CT, and mpMRI were 95%, 66%, 87%, 58%, and 71%, respectively. Retrospectively fused PET/MRI is able to overcome the limitations of the separate interpretation of the individual imaging modalities. Fused 64CuCl2 PET/MRI provided the highest diagnostic performance in the detection of PCa local relapse.

This study was designed to characterize extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (E.coli) (ExPEC) associated with urinary tract infections in nine different geographic regions of Zimbabwe over a 2-year period (2017-2019). A total of 48 ESBL-positive isolates from urine specimen were selected for whole-genome sequencing from 1246 Escherichia coli isolates biobanked at the National Microbiology Reference laboratory using phenotypic susceptibility testing results from the National Escherichia coli Surveillance Programme to provide representation of different geographical regions and year of isolation. The majority of ESBL E. coli isolates produced cefotaximase-Munich (CTX-M)-15, CTX-M-27, and CTX-M-14. In this study, sequence types (ST) 131 and ST410 were the most predominant antimicrobial-resistant clones and responsible for the increase in ESBL-producing E. coli strains since 2017. Novel ST131 complex strains were recorded during the period 2017 to 2018, thus showing the establishment and evolution of this antimicrobial-resistant ESBL clone in Zimbabwe posing an important public health threat. Incompatibility group F plasmids were predominant among ST131 and ST410 isolates with the following replicons recorded most frequently: F1:A2:B20 (9/19, 47%), F2:A1: B (5/19, 26%), and F1:A1:B49 (8/13, 62%). The results indicate the need for continuous tracking of different ESBL ExPEC clones on a global scale, while targeting specific STs (e.g. ST131 and ST410) through control programs will substantially decrease the spread of ESBLs among ExPEC.

Escherichia coli ST1193 is an emerging global clone associated with fluoroquinolone resistance. A population-based study described genomics, clinical factors, susceptibility patterns, and incidence rates of ST1193 (n = 69) causing incident blood stream infections in a centralized Canadian region 2016-18. ST1193 was responsible for community-acquired upper urinary tract infections among the elderly. The incidence rate (IR) per 100,000 person-years among Calgary residents increased from 1.0 (95%confidence interval [95%CI] 0.7-1.5) in 2016, to 1.7 (95%CI 1.3-2.3) in 2018 (p = 0.05). This was mainly due to the significant increase of ST1193 blood stream infections among female long-term care (LTC) residents. ST1193 IR with blaCTX-Ms was 3.18 times higher in 2018 than in 2016 (CI 95% 0.98-13.49). We identified a ST1193 isolate with only a parC S80I mutation that is different from previously published data. The population-based study identified a significant increase over a 2-year period of E. coli ST1193 blood stream infections among elderly females residing in LTC centers. There was also a notable increase of ST1193 with bla CTX-Ms in 2018. The rapid emergence of ST1193 is concerning and adding to the public health burden of multidrug resistant E. coli blood stream infections in Calgary.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are a major global public health concern. Presently, Escherichia coli with CTX-Ms are the most common species associated with global ESBLs; CTX-M-15 is the most frequent CTX-M worldwide and is followed by CTX-M-14, which is often found in South-East Asia. Recent surveillance studies showed that CTX-M-27 is emerging in certain parts of the world especially in Japan and Europe. The population structure of ESBL-producing E. coli is dominated globally by an high-risk clone named ST131. Escherichia coli ST131 belongs to three clades (A, B, and C) and three different subclades (C1, C1-M27, and C2). Clade C1-M27 is associated with blaCTX-M-27, and C2 with blaCTX-M-15. Recent whole genome sequencing studies have shown that clade C has evolved from clade B in a stepwise fashion, resulting in one of the most influential global antimicrobial resistance clones that has emerged during the 2000's. Other important E. coli clones that have been detected among ESBL producers include ST405, ST38, ST648, ST410, and ST1193. The INCREMENT project has shown that ertapenem is as effective as other carbapenems for treating serious infections due to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The results of the MERINO open-label randomized controlled study has provided clear evidence that piperacillin-tazobactam should be avoided for targeted therapy of blood-stream infections due to ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae, regardless of the patient population, source of infection, bacterial species, and susceptibility result of piperacillin-tazobactam. Research is still warranted to define the optimal therapy of less severe infections due to ESBL-producing Enterobactericeae.

The objective of this study was to characterize antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of WHO priority 1 critical pathogen (extrapathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), sequence types (STs), and ST131 clades from patients in Tanzania so as to guide specific antimicrobial therapies and preventive measures. A total of 143 ExPEC strains (128 from pregnant women with urinary tract infections and 15 from children with blood stream infections) were collected between March 2016 and October 2017. These were characterized into ST-fimH clones by a 7-single nucleotide polymorphism quantitative polymerase chain reaction (7-SNP qPCR) and gene sequencing, and to ST131 clades by multiplex PCR. The extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) production was 16.1% (23/143), and was predominantly due to the blaCTX-M-15 (91.3%, n=21). ESBL production was significantly more among strains from children (53.3%) than pregnant women (11.7%) (OR (95%CI): 8.61 (2.73-27.15); p-value

Populations of key benthic habitat-forming octocoral species have declined significantly in the Mediterranean Sea due to mass mortality events caused by microbial disease outbreaks linked to high summer seawater temperatures. Recently, we showed that the microbial communities of these octocorals are relatively structured; however, our knowledge on the seasonal dynamics of these microbiomes is still limited. To investigate their seasonal stability, we collected four soft gorgonian species (Eunicella singularis, Eunicella cavolini, Eunicella verrucosa and Leptogorgia sarmentosa) and the precious red coral (Corallium rubrum) from two coastal locations with different terrestrial impact levels in the Mediterranean Sea, and used next-generation amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbiomes of all soft gorgonian species were dominated by the same 'core microbiome' bacteria belonging to the Endozoicomonas and the Cellvibrionales clade BD1-7, whereas the red coral microbiome was primarily composed of 'core' Spirochaetes, Oceanospirillales ME2 and Parcubacteria. The associations with these bacterial taxa were relatively consistent over time at each location for each octocoral species. However, differences in microbiome composition and seasonal dynamics were observed between locations and could primarily be attributed to locally variant bacteria. Overall, our data provide further evidence of the intricate symbiotic relationships that exist between Mediterranean octocorals and their associated microbes, which are ancient and highly conserved over both space and time, and suggest regulation of the microbiome composition by the host, depending on local conditions. published

Modern differential mobility spectrometers (DMS) produce complex and multi-dimensional data streams that allow for near-real-time or post-hoc chemical detection for a variety of applications. An active area of interest for this technology is metabolite monitoring for biological applications, and these data sets regularly have unique technical and data analysis end user requirements. While there are initial publications on how investigators have individually processed and analyzed their DMS metabolomic data, there are no user-ready commercial or open source software packages that are easily used for this purpose. We have created custom software uniquely suited to analyze gas chromatograph / differential mobility spectrometry (GC/DMS) data from biological sources. Here we explain the implementation of the software, describe the user features that are available, and provide an example of how this software functions using a previously-published data set. The software is compatible with many commercial or home-made DMS systems. Because the software is versatile, it can also potentially be used for other similarly structured data sets, such as GC/GC and other IMS modalities.

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) (genus Closterovirus) is a plant pathogen which infects economically important citrus crops such as sweet oranges, mandarins, limes and grapefruit varietals. Within the last 70 years, an estimated 100 million citrus trees have been destroyed due to CTV infection worldwide. Present measures to contain CTV infection include scouts for visual assessment, and molecular analysis methods such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling may offer an alternative method of disease detection. In this study, we used a “Twister™” sorbent system for in-field VOC sampling. Chemical analysis was performed with thermal desorption gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and data were subjected to unsupervised and supervised analysis. Samples were collected from healthy trees, those with asymptomatic CTV, and those with CTV that were coinfected with a secondary unrelated bacterial infection of Spiroplasma citri, the causal agent of citrus stubborn disease (Stubborn). A total of 383 VOCs were detected across three classes: healthy control trees, CTV infected, and CTV coinfected with Stubborn. Mathematical models of this data were built to successfully differentiate: (a) healthy trees from CTV infected trees; (b) healthy trees from both CTV and CTV coinfected with Stubborn; and (c) to effectively differentiate between healthy trees and CTV infected trees, without consideration of Stubborn coinfection (the model would work on both singly or coinfected trees). The putative CTV biomarkers observed were terpenoid based (myrcene, carene, ocimene, bulnesene), two alcohols (n-undecanol, surfynol) and two acetones (geranyl acetone and neryl acetate).

Reward system and inhibitory control are brain functions that exert an influence on eating behavior regulation. We studied the differences in inhibitory control and sensitivity to reward and loss avoidance between overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents. We assessed 51 overweight/obese and 52 normal-weight 15-y-old Chilean adolescents. The groups were similar regarding sex and intelligence quotient. Using Antisaccade and Incentive tasks, we evaluated inhibitory control and the effect of incentive trials (neutral, loss avoidance, and reward) on generating correct and incorrect responses (latency and error rate). Compared to normal-weight group participants, overweight/obese adolescents showed shorter latency for incorrect antisaccade responses (186.0 (95% CI: 176.8–195.2) vs. 201.3 ms (95% CI: 191.2–211.5), P < 0.05) and better performance reflected by lower error rate in incentive trials (43.6 (95% CI: 37.8–49.4) vs. 53.4% (95% CI: 46.8–60.0), P < 0.05). Overweight/obese adolescents were more accurate on loss avoidance (40.9 (95% CI: 33.5–47.7) vs. 49.8% (95% CI: 43.0–55.1), P < 0.05) and reward (41.0 (95% CI: 34.5–47.5) vs. 49.8% (95% CI: 43.0–55.1), P < 0.05) compared to neutral trials. Overweight/obese adolescents showed shorter latency for incorrect responses and greater accuracy in reward and loss avoidance trials. These findings could suggest that an imbalance of inhibition and reward systems influence their eating behavior.

Preventing obesity is a worldwide public health priority. In vulnerable children living in obesogenic environments, with easy access to high-caloric food, alterations in inhibitory control functions might favor excessive food intake and affect energy regulation. We hypothesized that overweight/obese children would present lower inhibitory control in comparison to normal weight children. We measured inhibitory control functions in 93 otherwise healthy overweight/obese and 92 normal weight 10-year-old children using the Stroop test and the Go/No-Go task. Event-related potentials were recorded during the Go/No-Go task. Overweight/obese children showed slower reaction times (1248.6 ms (95% confidence interval (CI): 1182.9–1314.3) vs 1149.0 ms (95% CI: 1083.0–1215.1)) on the Stroop test, higher reaction time variability (0.25 (95% CI: 0.22–0.27) vs 0.21 (95% CI: 0.19–0.24)) on the Go/No-Go task and decreased P300 amplitude (4.1 μV (95% CI: 3.0–5.2) vs 6.4 μV (95% CI: 5.2–7.6)) on event-related potentials compared with normal weight children. Our results indicate altered inhibitory control functions in otherwise healthy overweight/obese children, which might contribute to their excessive food consumption.

Genetic differences in the Posidonia oceanica meadow of Monterosso al Mare (NW Mediterranean, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) "Cinque Terre") were compared in three stations, at an increasing distance from a source of impact (beach nourishment) in the recent decade. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis showed a higher genetic variability (20 %) in the area directly subjected to the stress, increasing with time. Clone integration, confirmed by phenotypic analysis, showed increases both in shoot density and leaf length connected to genetic differences observed in DNA fingerprints of new shoots. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 45 % individual differences within populations and 54 % among the populations. The fixation index (F (ST) = 0.54), of the genetic differentiation, showed a marked difference between the populations at different temporal scales. Over a decade AMOVA indicated genetic variations from 28 % (1998) to 54 % (2009). These results make it clear that in the P. oceanica population examined the environment had, in ten years, selected those clones which were more resistant to the anthropogenic impact, despite being subjected to the effects of the resuspension of fine sediments. These findings could help to explain both the survival of the regressed Mediterranean P. oceanica meadows in areas subjected to moderate impacts and the extreme variability in success of revegetation experiments. Management of the ecological disturbance here described indicates also the timescale in population response to stress and its increased resilience in MPAs.

A sclerochronological analysis was performed on Cladocora caespitosa corals from Late Pleistocene terraces near Taranto (Apulia, Italy) to reconstruct the main palaeoenvironmental conditions at the time of their growth. The fossil corallites were sampled in the Santa Teresiola uplifted bank or ‘ open frame reef’ attributed to the Last Interglacial Period. The typical, annual growth pattern of the temperate coral with two alternate high- and low-density bands allowed the reconstruction of two multidecadal growth curves of 61 and 95 years. Trend analysis showed oscillations in annual growth rates similar to those observed in recent, living colonies sampled along a north– south latitudinal transect around the Italian and Croatian coasts as far as Tunisia. The mean growth rate of the fossil reef (4.2 § 2 mm year¡ ; 1) is comparable to those measured on colonies living in the coldest part of the Mediterranean Sea. The comparison with data from living Croatian banks shows how fossil C. caespitosa lived in a semi-enclosed environment characterized by seasonal inputs of fresh, cold water. The greatest variations in decadal growth rates of the fossil colonies support the hypothesis of larger amplitude of the seasonal cycles in the past. The death of the fossil bank was probably due to a sudden alluvial input that suVocated the reef with a great amount of mud. Another possible cause of the death of the bank was a prolonged increase in summer temperatures that caused colony mortality and enhanced algal colonization.

Recent investigations have shown the temperate scleractinian coral Cladocora caespitosa to be a new potential climate archive for the Mediterranean Sea. Whilst earlier studies have demonstrated a seasonal variation in growth rates, they were unable to distinguish which environmental parameter (light, temperature, or food) was influencing growth. In this study, the effect of these three factors on the coral physiology and calcification rate was characterized to aid the correct interpretation of skeletal trace element variations. Two temperatures (13 and 23°C), irradiances (50 and 120 μmol m−2 s−1), and feeding regimes (unfed and fed with nauplii of Artemia salina) were tested under controlled laboratory conditions on the growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll (chl) content, and asexual reproduction (budding) of C. caespitosa during a 7-week factorial experiment. Unlike irradiance, which had no effect, high temperature and food supply increased the growth rates of C. caespitosa. The effect of feeding was however higher for corals maintained at low temperature, suggesting that heterotrophy is especially important during the cold season, and that temperature is the predominant factor affecting the coral’s growth. At low temperature, fed samples had higher zooxanthellae density and chl content, possibly for maximizing photosynthetic efficiency. Sexual reproduction investment of C. caespitosa was higher during favourable conditions characterised by high temperatures and zooplankton availability.

To determine the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on the development of non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep stages, as indexed by sleep spindles.Patterns of sleep spindles during NREM sleep stages 2 and 3-4 (slow-wave-sleep, SWS) were compared in 26 otherwise healthy 6-month-old Chilean infants with iron-deficiency anemia and 18 non-anemic control infants. From polygraphic recordings, EEG activity was analyzed for sleep spindles to assess their number (density), duration, frequency, and inter-spindle interval.Iron-deficient anemic infants differed from the control group by having sleep spindles with reduced density, lower frequency, and longer inter-spindle intervals in NREM sleep stage 2 and SWS.These results provide evidence of delayed sleep spindle patterns in iron-deficient anemic infants, suggesting that iron is an essential micronutrient for the normal progression of NREM sleep pattern development in the human.

Monthly skeletal growth of the scleractinian, temperate coral Cladocora caespitosa (L.) from the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean) was analysed for a period of 1 year and compared with seawater parameters. Measurements on corallite sections and on X-ray images showed that the formation of the high-density (HD) band and two dissepiments are favoured by fall–winter conditions, characterised by high quantities of rain, rough seas, and cold seawater. In summer, when the low-density (LD) band is formed, the corallites stretch upward and form one new dissepiment and one deep calix, where the polyps recede almost completely in August. These findings confirmed the adaptation of the temperate coral to winter environmental conditions, characterised by low irradiance and high availability of nutrients and food particles resuspended from bottom sediments. On the contrary, the high seawater temperature, irradiance, and ammonia contents stressed the coral in August and, when they persist in September, may cause the onset of mortality events.

The Mediterranean coralCladocora caespitosa often occurs in large beds, i.e. populations of hemispherical clonies with stock densities varying between 1.9 and 4 coloneis ·m−2. Laboratory measurements of volume, skeleton weight, surface and number of corallites per colony, coupled with mean annual growth rates evaluated through sclerochronology, allowed for the estimation of biomass, skeleton bulk density, calcimass (carbonate standing stock) and secondary production (both organic and inorganic) of twoC. caespitosa beds at 4 and 9 m depth. The mean colony biomass varied between 0.73 and 0.99 kg dw ·m−2, corresponding to a calcimass between 2 and 5 kg CaCO3·m−2. Organic secondary production was 215.5–305.4 g dw of polyps ·m−2·y−1, while the potential (mineral) production was 1.1–1.7 kg CaCO3·m−2·y−1, for the year 1996–1997. These values show thatC. caespitosa is one of the major carbonate producers within the Mediterranean and one of the major epibenthic species originating stable carbonate frameworks both in recent and past times.

The tropical green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean has spread steadily since its introduction in 1984. At the end of 2000, approximately 131 km2 of benthos had been colonized in 103 independent areas along 191 km of coastline in six countries (Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Croatia and Tunisia). Large regions neighboring the invaded areas appear favorable to further colonization, and there is thus no reason to believe that spreading will slow down in the years to come.

To assess the influence of intrauterine growth retardation on heart rate (HR) and HR variability during sleep, we performed polygraphic recordings in 10 small-for-gestational age (SGA) and 16 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) newborns. Both groups were clinically and neurologically normal and were at 37 to 41 wk conceptional age. RR intervals were analyzed using the short-time Fourier transform in three frequency bands: 1) high frequency, with a period 3-8 heartbeat; 2) mid frequency, with a period 10-25 heartbeat; and 3) low frequency, with a period 30-100 heartbeat. In both active and quiet sleep, SGA newborns significantly differed from AGA newborns by having a shorter RR interval (p < 0.01) and lower amplitude of HR variability in all bands (p < 0.05) except low frequency in quiet sleep. Quiet sleep differed from active sleep by having a longer RR interval (p < 0.05), higher high-frequency variability (p < 0.02) in both SGA and AGA newborns, and lower low-frequency variability (p < 0.005 for AGA newborns). Our data give evidence of clear modifications of both sympathetic and parasympathetic HR control in the at-risk SGA population. Similarity of between-state characteristics suggests maintained CNS control of HR in SGA as well as in AGA newborns. We speculate that between-group HR and HR variability differences may be related to augmented metabolic rate in SGA compared with AGA newborns.