Disentangling outbreaks using whole-genome sequencing: concurrent multistate outbreaks of Salmonella Kottbus in Germany, 2017

In June 2017, an outbreak of Salmonella Kottbus infection was suspected in Germany. We investigated the outbreak with whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and a case–control study. Forty-six isolates from 69 cases were subtyped. Three WGS clusters were identified: cluster 1 (n = 36), cluster 2 (n = 5) and cluster 3 (n = 3). Compared to controls, cluster 1 cases more frequently consumed raw smoked ham (odds ratio (OR) 10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–88) bought at supermarket chain X (OR 36, 95% CI 4–356; 9/10 consumed ham Y). All four cluster 2 cases interviewed had consumed quail eggs. Timely WGS was invaluable in distinguishing concurrent outbreaks of a rare Salmonella serotype.

Microbial Community Composition of Mine Wastes in Cornwall and West Devon (UK)

Mine wastes and control soils from twelve sites around Cornwall and West Devon (UK) were analysed for microbial community structure, pH and readily extractible metals (an indication of mobility). About 70% of total diversity observed was constituted by six phyla (Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and candidate division AD3). Microbial community structure revealed patterns of distribution that mostly differed between waste samples and controls. Cluster analysis of the geochemical data (pH and readily extractible metals) indicated the presence of four groups; two groups of controls and two of samples defined by similar features. pH appeared to correlate with the portion of shared community.

Heuristic possibilistic clustering for detecting optimal number of elements in fuzzy clusters

The paper deals with the problem of discovering fuzzy clusters with optimal number of elements in heuristic possibilistic clustering. The relational clustering procedure using a parameter that controls cluster sizes is considered and a technique for detecting the optimal number of elements in fuzzy clusters is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is illustrated through numerical examples. Experimental results are discussed and some preliminary conclusions are formulated.

Fatty Acid Composition Indicates Two Types of Metabolic Syndrome Independent of Clinical and Laboratory Parameters

Dietary composition and metabolism of fatty acids (FA) influence insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia and other components of the metabolic syndrome (MS). It is known that patients with MS exhibit a heterogeneous phenotype; however, the relationships of individual FA to MS components have not yet been consistently studied. We examined the plasma phosphatidylcholine FA composition of 166 individuals (68F/98M) with MS and of 188 (87F/101M) controls. Cluster analysis of FA divided the groups into two clusters. In cluster 1, there were 65.7 % of MS patients and 37.8 % of controls, cluster 2 contained 34.3 % of patients and 62.2 % of controls (P<0.001). Those with MS within cluster 1 (MS1) differed from individuals with MS in cluster 2 (MS2) by concentrations of glucose (P<0.05), NEFA (P<0.001), HOMA-IR (P<0.05), and levels of conjugated dienes in LDL (P<0.05). The FA composition in MS1 group differed from MS2 by higher contents of palmitoleic (+30 %), g-linolenic (+22 %), dihomo-g-linolenic (+9 %) acids and by a lower content of linoleic acid (–25 %) (all P<0.01). These FA patterns are supposed to be connected with the progression and/or impaired biochemical measures of MS (lipolysis, oxidative stress, dysglycidemia, and insulin resistance).

The Experience of Music in Congenital Amusia

individuals with congenital amusia have difficulty recognizing and discriminating melodies. While much research has focused on the perceptual deficits of congenital amusics, the extent to which these deficits have an impact on the ability to engage with and appreciate music remains unexplored. The current study used experience sampling methodology to identify distinct patterns of music-related behavior in individuals with amusia and matched controls. Cluster analysis was used to group individuals according to the similarity of their behavior, regardless of their status as amusic or control. This yielded a two-cluster solution: one cluster comprising 59% of the amusic sample and 6% of controls and the other comprising 41% of the amusic sample and 94% of controls. Comparisons of the two clusters in terms of specific aspects of music listening behavior revealed differences in levels of music engagement and appreciation. Further comparisons provided support for the existence of amusic subgroups showing distinct attitudes toward music. The findings are discussed in relation to social, contextual, and demographic factors.

MMPI-2 clusters of alcohol-dependent patients and the relation to Cloninger’s temperament-character inventory

Objective:Psychometric research in the field of alcohol dependence has concentrated on identifying certain (personality) characteristics (i.e. typologies). This paper is aimed to identify such typologies and studies the relation of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and Cloninger’s temperament-character inventory (TCI).Method:To find MMPI-2 scales associated with maximization of group differences between 222 DSM-IV alcohol dependent inpatients and a control group of 222 normal subjects, discriminant analysis was used. In addition, a cluster analysis was performed with these scales, and the MMPI-2 mean scale values of the resulting patient clusters were examined for their TCI-correlates.Results:The discriminant analyses showed several MMPI-2 scales that could clearly distinguish between alcohol-dependent patients and the normal controls. Cluster analysis resulted in semantically different MMPI-2 profiles implying qualitatively different groups of patients. When related to TCI scales, these differences revealed harm avoidance, self-directedness, and persistence, amongst others, as important elements in the description of the clusters.Conclusion:Evidence for the validity of MMPI-2 constructs as well as those of the TCI in the assessment of alcohol-dependent patients was provided.

Category fluency in first-episode schizophrenia

Animal word list generation (ANWLG) was administered to 47 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) participants and 31 controls. Fifty-nine left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE) participants were included as a comparison group with known temporal lobe damage and expected semantic deficits. Semantic knowledge was assessed with the Association Index (AI), a measure of the semantic relatedness of all consecutive ANWLG responses. Neuropsychological tests of language and executive functioning were also administered. Results showed that both FES and LTLE groups generated fewer ANWLG responses than controls, but only the LTLE participants obtained a lower AI relative to controls. FES participants did not differ from controls on the AI. FES and LTLE groups produced fewer semantic subcategories (clusters), however, only the LTLE group produced fewer words per subcategory compared to controls (cluster size). FES participants produced a higher rate of perseverative responses compared to the other groups. Finally, correlation analyses showed that for FES participants both executive and language tests significantly correlated with ANWLG total responses, while the correlation between ANWLG and only 1 language test was significant for LTLE participants. Taken together, the results suggest that reduced ANWLG output in FES participants may be best conceptualized as a deficit in the executive component of word list generation (i.e., semantic search/access, response monitoring) or global cognitive impairment. (JINS, 2003, 9, 384–393.)

Low Plasma Testosterone Levels in Cluster Headache*

Serum levels of various hormones have been estimated in cluster headache and non-cluster headache controls. Cluster headache patients were studied prior to, during, and after attack. During the cluster phase, plasma testosterone levels were low, whereas levels were within the reference limits in the remission period of episodic cluster headache. LH levels were within reference limits. Normal values were also found in control patients with non-cluster headache. It is suggested that a decrease of plasma testosterone levels in episodic cluster headache should be viewed in context with disordered REM sleep in cluster headache.