The involvement of PacIRA system of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in the uptake of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyochelin and intraspecies competition for iron acquisition

BackgroundStenotrophomonas maltophilia, a species of highly genetic diversity, has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. S. maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are often co-isolated from pneumonia patients. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that the pacIRA cluster present in some but not all clinical S. maltophilia isolates. Proteins encoded by pacIRA operon are an extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factor, a transmembrane anti-sigma regulator, and a TonB-dependent receptor. This study aimed to elucidate PacIRA system function and its significance to S. maltophilia.MethodsThe pacI, pacR, and pacA genes were individually or totally deleted from the chromosome of KJΔEnt, a pacIRA-positive and siderophore-null strain. Growth promotion assay was performed to examine the implication of pacIRA system in iron utilization. Gene expression was quantified by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Growth competition assay was executed to investigate the significance of pacIRA operon to S. maltophilia.ResultsPacIRA system contributed to utilize ferri-pyochelin of P. aeruginosa as iron sources for growth in an iron-depleted condition, but hardly utilized ferric citrate, hemin, ferri-stenobactin, and ferri-pyoverdine. PacIRA was founded to belong to Fur regulon and upregulated in response to iron-depleted stress. Growth competition assay demonstrated that pacIRA-positive S. maltophilia had a superiority over pacIRA-negative S. maltophilia in iron acquisition when they were co-cultured in P. aeruginosa ferri-pyochelin-supplemented medium.ConclusionsPacIRA system of S. maltophilia is a xenosiderophore uptake implement, involving in the acquisition of pyochelin of P. aeruginosa.     

基于合作对象探讨我国学术期刊专题/专栏建设

【目的】 了解学术期刊专题/专栏建设的现状,以切实发挥学术期刊专题/专栏建设的作用,为期刊的品牌建设、学术创新、影响力提升和办刊质量提高提供策略。【方法】 采用问卷调查法,对全国范围内397名专题/专栏合作对象(包括期刊主编、编委、审稿人、作者)进行调查,了解他们对期刊专题/专栏建设的态度和意见,从合作对象视角探讨影响学术期刊专题/专栏建设成功率和有效性的因素。【结果】 合作对象态度上,表示支持专题/专栏建设工作的比例较高(71.28%),但供稿率不高(43.37%),存在态度和行为分离的现象。排名前5的供稿率影响因素是期刊被本专业领域研究者认可、期刊被数据库收录情况、期刊影响力、期刊品牌、期刊的处理速度。最优的约稿方式是行业内的学术带头人联系约稿,其次是熟识的专家委托和期刊主编亲自联系进行约稿。合作对象最希望获得的帮助是稿件快速审理发表和确定选题方向。【结论】 为提高学术期刊专题/专栏建设质量,应进一步挖掘重要合作对象的作用,有针对性地选择高供稿率的合作对象;努力挖掘和利用影响合作对象供稿的因素,在期刊品牌建设、扩大影响力方面下功夫;优化约稿方式方法,重视行业学术带头人的作用;同时通过稿件快速审理发表、帮助确定选题并提供发表后推广等服务,提高合作对象对专题/专栏建设工作的认可度和参与度。     

Simulação de manejo de via aérea difícil para residentes: estudo comparativo prospectivo

Background and objectivesProcedural simulation training for difficult airway management offers acquisition opportunities. The hypothesis was that 3 hours of procedural simulation training for difficult airway management improves: acquisition, behavior, and patient outcomes as reported 6 months later.MethodsThis prospective comparative study took place in two medical universities. Second‐year residents of anesthesiology and intensive care from one region participated in 3 h procedural simulation (intervention group). No intervention was scheduled for their peers from the other region (control). Prior to simulation and 6 months later, residents filled‐out the same self‐assessment form collecting experience with different devices. The control group filled‐out the same forms simultaneously. The primary endpoint was the frequency of use of each difficult airway management device within groups at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included modifications of knowledge, skills, and patient outcomes with each device at 6 months. Intervention cost assessment was provided.Results44 residents were included in the intervention group and 16 in the control group. No significant difference was observed for the primary endpoint. In the intervention group, improvement of knowledge and skills was observed at 6 months for each device, and improvement of patient outcomes was observed with the use of malleable intubation stylet and Eschmann introducer. No such improvement was observed in the control group. Estimated intervention cost was 406€ per resident.ConclusionsA 3 h procedural simulation training for difficult airway management did not improve the frequency of use of devices at 6 months by residents. However, other positive effects suggest exploring the best ratio of time/acquisition efficiency with difficult airway management simulation.ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT02470195.     

Findings from an OMFS journal club: is COVID-19 the catalyst we have needed to embrace technology?

The COVID-19 outbreak has rapidly progressed into a worldwide pandemic, and the need for social distancing has changed the way we learn and work. Our monthly OMFS journal club has been no different, and is currently meeting on the video conferencing application Microsoft Teams. The use of a virtual setting for training in medicine and dentistry is not new and, as in the case of our recent move to a virtual medium, it may be that COVID-19 has fast-tracked this digital transformation. There are of course disadvantages to online teaching that traditional face-to-face teaching overcomes. We conducted a survey to examine how trainees' attitudes and experiences have altered with this change, and to understand whether some elements of this new style of training may be advantageous in the post-pandemic world. We aimed to assess trainees’ attitudes towards online teaching, and which elements, if any, would be beneficial once face-to-face teaching becomes possible again. A survey was created for all trainees taking part in journal club meetings at Bradford Teaching Hospitals. Multiple-choice and Likert scale questions were designed to ascertain the differences in experience between online and face-to-face settings. A Wilcoxon matched pairs signed test was used to analyse the results. Responses were kept anonymous. Results showed that the majority of trainees found it easier to attend the online journal club, and also indicated that the most found Microsoft Teams easy to use, though we did not have another online application for comparison. There was no significant difference in participation comfort between the two settings, though trainees felt that the online setting considerably improved learning effectiveness. Furthermore, 79% (11/14) thought that online tutorials and meetings should replace traditional face-to-face meetings in the future. The use of internet technology such as video conferencing is not new, and although journal clubs are typically held in academic institutions, online and virtual clubs are flourishing. With an array of advantages, there is no shying away from the trend to move our teaching to a virtual medium. COVID-19 may have just provided the stimulus that has forced this transformation to accelerate.     

Trochanteric bursitis information on the internet; can we trust the information presented?

Trochanteric bursitis is one of the most common causes of lateral hip pain in adults. The prevalence of unilateral trochanteric bursitis is 15.0% in women and 8.5% in men. Access to internet based information has increased dramatically and health related information is now one of the most popular searches in online activity, despite this the quality of information can vary. The objective of this paper is to examine the quality and readability of internet based information of trochanteric bursitis. Overall, we have found a high variability among not only the quality but also the readability of information published. Websites that appeared first on each search engine for trochanteric bursitis did not necessarily score better, demonstrating the importance of providing patients with high quality resources. Future articles should use more critical appraisal tools in order to provide the reader with more high quality and readable information.     

我国科研人员和期刊编辑对学术期刊开放科学数据的认知调查分析

【目的】 从各个角度呈现我国科研人员和期刊编辑关于期刊开放科学数据的认知现状,为期刊科学数据开放政策的制订提供数据支持。【方法】 基于文献调研和现场调研确定调查内容,利用问卷星平台对我国期刊编辑和自然科学与工程技术领域的科研人员关于学术期刊开放科学数据的发展前景、担忧的问题,以及所需保障等问题进行调查,共获得950份自然科学与工程技术领域科研人员有效问卷和205份期刊编辑有效问卷。【结果】 我国科研人员在向国内外期刊投稿时遇到期刊要求提供原始数据的情况并不是非常普遍,很多期刊编辑对于期刊开放科学数据并不是非常了解;期刊编辑和科研人员基本都认为期刊开放科学数据有利于科研发展,双方均认为中文期刊开放科学数据是必然之势,但是需要一定的保障措施;国家的鼓励性措施、强制性措施均是促使期刊实施开放科学数据政策的可行方式。【结论】 科技期刊需加强开放科学数据的宣传,加深期刊编辑和科研人员对开放科学数据的认识;加强对原始数据的重视,提升期刊编辑对于文章原始数据的理解,并有意识地加强与作者关于原始数据的沟通,为原始数据全面开放提供参考。     

《中国科技期刊研究》创刊30年文献统计分析

【目的】 探讨《中国科技期刊研究》(Chinese Journal of Scientific and Technical Periodicals,CJSTP)创刊30年来发表论文的文献计量学特征。【方法】 基于CNKI数据库检索CJSTP发表的全部论文,对简讯、更正等非论文条目进行手工清洗,导出每篇论文标题、作者(手工添加通信作者)、机构、基金项目、出版年、被引频次和下载量,对其进行统计分析。采用VOSviewer软件进行作者合作和关键词共现分析,采用CiteSpace软件进行突现词探测。【结果】 30年间CJSTP共发表学术论文6240篇,总被引频次为44627次,篇均被引频次为7.2次,总下载量为845562次,篇均下载量为135.5次,基金项目资助论文共1437篇,基金论文比为23.0%,年度发文量呈现近似M型分布,形成相对稳定的高影响力作者、团队和机构,研究主题的变化体现出从微观到宏观、从定性的思辨式研究到定量的实证研究的演进特征。【结论】 30年来,CJSTP的科学性、实用性不断增强,学术质量和影响力持续提升,为我国科技期刊人才队伍建设作出了重要贡献,为培育世界一流科技期刊提供了必要的人才保障。