Probable Pangolin Origin of SARS-CoV-2 Associated with the COVID-19 Outbreak

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Changes in Peroxidase Activity Associated with Cell Walls During Pine Hypocotyl Growth

Peroxidase active against 2,2'-azino-bis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonicacid] (ABTS) and guaiacol were found in the apoplastic fluid,as well as ionically and covalently associated with pine cellwalls. The highest activity was found covalently bound to cellwalls, while the lowest activity was in the apoplastic fluid.Both ABTS and guaiacol peroxidases increased with the hypocotylage in the three fractions, apoplastic, ionically and covalentlybound. Furthermore, the changes in both peroxidases along thehypocotyl were also studied. Both apoplastic ABTS- and guaiacol-peroxidasesincreased from the apical towards the basal region of the hypocotylsof 10-d-old seedlings. A relation between peroxidase activityin the apoplastic fluid and the cell wall stiffening in pinehypocotyls is proposed.Copyright 1995, 1999 Academic Press Cell wall, growth, hypocotyl, peroxidase, pine, Pinus pinaster Aiton     

BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Is Associated with Self-Reported Empathy

Empathy is an important driver of human social behaviors and presents genetic roots that have been studied in neuroimaging using the intermediate phenotype approach. Notably, the Val66Met polymorphism of the Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene has been identified as a potential target in neuroimaging studies based on its influence on emotion perception and social cognition, but its impact on self-reported empathy has never been documented. Using a neurogenetic approach, we investigated the association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and self-reported empathy (Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index; IRI) in a sample of 110 young adults. Our results indicate that the BDNF genotype is significantly associated with the linear combination of the four facets of the IRI, one of the most widely used self-reported empathy questionnaire. Crucially, the effect of BDNF Val66Met goes beyond the variance explained by two polymorphisms of the oxytocin transporter gene previously associated with empathy and its neural underpinnings (OXTR rs53576 and rs2254298). These results represent the first evidence suggesting a link between the BDNF gene and self-reported empathy and warrant further studies of this polymorphism due to its potential clinical significance.     

Insulin Treatment Is Associated with Increased Mortality in Patients with COVID-19 and Type 2 Diabetes

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Increased Feeding Speed Is Associated with Higher Subsequent Sympathetic Activity in Dogs

Although the domestication process has altered the feeding behavior of dogs, some breeds still demonstrate a remarkable ability to gorge, and will eat exceptionally large quantities of food whenever it is available. Lesions in the ventromedial hypothalamus increase appetite and lead to obesity, suggesting that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in feeding. Focusing on the autonomic activities closely involved in food intake, we investigated sympathetic activities before and after feeding in dogs. The subjects were 56 healthy dogs of 21 different breeds (29 males and 27 females). Based on feeding habits, the 56 dogs were divided into three groups: Fast (n = 19), Slow (n = 24) and Leftover (n = 13). The feeding speed and the amount of food per mouthful of the Fast dogs were significantly greater than those of the Slow and the Leftover dogs. The plasma norepinephrine level in dogs of the Fast group was significantly increased after feeding, while those in the Slow and Leftover groups were significantly decreased after feeding, compared with the pre-feeding concentrations. The low frequency/high frequency ratio of heart rate variability is a good indicator of sympathetic activity and was also significantly higher in the Fast group than in the other groups. Delayed feeding using automatic feeding equipment decreased the plasma norepinephrine concentration and low frequency/high frequency ratio observed after feeding in dogs of the Fast group. In conclusion, dogs eating rapidly with less chewing, which indicates increased sympathetic activity during feeding, may benefit from delayed feeding. The slow eating may activate the parasympathetic nervous system after feeding, which could enhance the activity of the digestive system.     

Reduced Amygdala and Ventral Striatal Activity to Happy Faces in PTSD Is Associated with Emotional Numbing

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of reward processing in PTSD, yet little is known of the underlying neural networks. This study tested the predictions that (1) individuals with PTSD would display reduced responses to happy facial expressions in ventral striatal reward networks, and (2) that this reduction would be associated with emotional numbing symptoms. 23 treatment-seeking patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were recruited from the treatment clinic at the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, Westmead Hospital, and 20 trauma-exposed controls were recruited from a community sample. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging responses during the presentation of happy and neutral facial expressions in a passive viewing task. PTSD participants rated happy facial expression as less intense than trauma-exposed controls. Relative to controls, PTSD participants revealed lower activation to happy (-neutral) faces in ventral striatum and and a trend for reduced activation in left amygdala. A significant negative correlation was found between emotional numbing symptoms in PTSD and right ventral striatal regions after controlling for depression, anxiety and PTSD severity. This study provides initial evidence that individuals with PTSD have lower reactivity to happy facial expressions, and that lower activation in ventral striatal-limbic reward networks may be associated with symptoms of emotional numbing.     

Fungal Co-infections Associated with Global COVID-19 Pandemic: A Clinical and Diagnostic Perspective from China

Mycopathologia - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been sweeping across the globe. Based on a retrospective analysis...     

Hyperglycemia is Associated With Increased Mortality in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between hyperglycemia in the presence and absence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and adverse outcomes in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsThe study included 133 patients with COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at an urban academic quaternary-care center between March 10 and April 8, 2020. Patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of DM and early-onset hyperglycemia (EHG), defined as a blood glucose >180 mg/dL during the first 2 days after ICU admission. The primary outcome was 14-day all-cause in-hospital mortality; also examined were 60-day all-cause in-hospital mortality and the levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, procalcitonin, and lactate.ResultsCompared to non-DM patients without EHG, non-DM patients with EHG exhibited higher adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality at 14 days (HR 7.51, CI 1.70-33.24) and 60 days (HR 6.97, CI 1.86-26.13). Non-DM patients with EHG also featured higher levels of median C-reactive protein (306.3 mg/L, P = .036), procalcitonin (1.26 ng/mL, P = .028), and lactate (2.2 mmol/L, P = .023).ConclusionAmong critically ill COVID-19 patients, those without DM with EHG were at greatest risk of 14-day and 60-day in-hospital mortality. Our study was limited by its retrospective design and relatively small cohort. However, our results suggest the combination of elevated glucose and lactate may identify a specific cohort of individuals at high risk for mortality from COVID-19. Glucose testing and control are important in individuals with COVID-19, even those without preexisting diabetes.     

Higher Calorie Content Preserves Myocardial Electrical Activity During Very-Low-Calorie Dieting

We investigated the effect of calorie and protein content of very-low-calorie diets for weight loss upon myocardial electrical activity. Patients were followed on very low calorie diets for up to 20 weeks. Study No. 1 had 16 obese patients (4 men and 12 women). Study No. 2 had 113 obese women. Both study groups were consecutive samples with patients who had BMI >30. In Study No. 1 patients were given 400 kcaVd with 50 gm of protein and 45 gm of carbohydrates over 12 weeks. In Study No. 2 patients were given either Metabolic Nutrition Program? (MNP?) which contained 600 kcal/d with 70 gm protein and 70 gm carbohydrates, or Optifast-70® which contained 420 kcaVd with 70 gm protein and 32 gm carbohydrates, for up to 20 weeks. Electrocardiograms were obtained at baseline and during the third month in Study No. 1, and monthly in Study No. 2. The sum of the voltage in leads I+II+III and the length of the QT interval were derived from the electrocardiograms. In Study No. 1 the QRS voltage decreased from 2.77 ± .18 mv to 2.45 ± .17 mv (p<.02). Patients lost 18.1 kg ± 4 kg and the QT interval remained unchanged. In Study No. 2 at 20 weeks the QRS voltage decreased on Optifast-70® (p<001) in comparison to MNP?, in which the QRS voltage remained unchanged. Patients on Optifast-70® lost 17.5 ± .53 kg, patients on MNP? lost 18.5 ± .66 kg and the QT interval in both groups remained unchanged. The formula diets tested of less than 600 kcaVd were associated with a decrease in electrocardiographic voltage>.     

Bioactive Molecules Derived from Snake Venoms with Therapeutic Potential for the Treatment of Thrombo-Cardiovascular Disorders Associated with COVID-19

The Protein Journal - As expected, several new variants of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged and have been detected around the world throughout this Coronavirus...     

Higher Media Multi-Tasking Activity Is Associated with Smaller Gray-Matter Density in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Media multitasking, or the concurrent consumption of multiple media forms, is increasingly prevalent in today’s society and has been associated with negative psychosocial and cognitive impacts. Individuals who engage in heavier media-multitasking are found to perform worse on cognitive control tasks and exhibit more socio-emotional difficulties. However, the neural processes associated with media multi-tasking remain unexplored. The present study investigated relationships between media multitasking activity and brain structure. Research has demonstrated that brain structure can be altered upon prolonged exposure to novel environments and experience. Thus, we expected differential engagements in media multitasking to correlate with brain structure variability. This was confirmed via Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) analyses: Individuals with higher Media Multitasking Index (MMI) scores had smaller gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Functional connectivity between this ACC region and the precuneus was negatively associated with MMI. Our findings suggest a possible structural correlate for the observed decreased cognitive control performance and socio-emotional regulation in heavy media-multitaskers. While the cross-sectional nature of our study does not allow us to specify the direction of causality, our results brought to light novel associations between individual media multitasking behaviors and ACC structure differences.     

Higher Landing Accuracy in Expert Pilots is Associated with Lower Activity in the Caudate Nucleus

The most common lethal accidents in General Aviation are caused by improperly executed landing approaches in which a pilot descends below the minimum safe altitude without proper visual references. To understand how expertise might reduce such erroneous decision-making, we examined relevant neural processes in pilots performing a simulated landing approach inside a functional MRI scanner. Pilots (aged 20–66) were asked to “fly” a series of simulated “cockpit view” instrument landing scenarios in an MRI scanner. The scenarios were either high risk (heavy fog–legally unsafe to land) or low risk (medium fog–legally safe to land). Pilots with one of two levels of expertise participated: Moderate Expertise (Instrument Flight Rules pilots, n = 8) or High Expertise (Certified Instrument Flight Instructors or Air-Transport Pilots, n = 12). High Expertise pilots were more accurate than Moderate Expertise pilots in making a “land” versus “do not land” decision (CFII: d′ = 3.62±2.52; IFR: d′ = 0.98±1.04; p<.01). Brain activity in bilateral caudate nucleus was examined for main effects of expertise during a “land” versus “do not land” decision with the no-decision control condition modeled as baseline. In making landing decisions, High Expertise pilots showed lower activation in the bilateral caudate nucleus (0.97±0.80) compared to Moderate Expertise pilots (1.91±1.16) (p<.05). These findings provide evidence for increased “neural efficiency” in High Expertise pilots relative to Moderate Expertise pilots. During an instrument approach the pilot is engaged in detailed examination of flight instruments while monitoring certain visual references for making landing decisions. The caudate nucleus regulates saccade eye control of gaze, the brain area where the “expertise” effect was observed. These data provide evidence that performing “real world” aviation tasks in an fMRI provide objective data regarding the relative expertise of pilots and brain regions involved in it.     

Peroxidase Associated with Higher Plant Mitochondria

The presence of peroxidase in mitochondria from etiolated mung bean hypocotyls and skunk cabbage spadices, suggested by carbon monoxide difference spectra and the spectral response to methyl hydroperoxide, was shown to result from contamination of the isolated mitochondria by a denser particle fraction with high peroxidase activity. The mitochondria themselves have no peroxidatic activity. Analysis of the homogenate of mung bean hypocotyls revealed that over 90% of the peroxidase was soluble, as expected. Sonication of the isolated mitochondria, however, did not remove all the peroxidase from the particulate fraction, indicating that some of this enzyme is tightly bound to a membrane. These results suggest that the peroxidase in plant cells is localized in lysosomes or microbodies, most of which are ruptured on tissue homogenization to give soluble peroxidase, but some of which survive and appear as membrane bound peroxidase.