bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Efficacy of a Special Education Advocacy Training Program
Authors: Burke Meghan M. , Goldman Samantha E. , Hart Melanie S. , Hodapp Robert M.
Published: October 2016

Increasingly, parents are relying on advocates to ensure that children with disabilities receive appropriate educational services. As agencies begin to train advocates to work with families, it is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of such advocacy training programs. This study evaluated the efficacy of the Volunteer Advocacy Project (VAP), a 40‐h training workshop that has been delivered since 2008 to six cohorts live and via webcasts. The aim of the study was to determine whether the VAP increased the knowledge and advocacy skills of its trainees and how trainee and training characteristics related to the effectiveness of the training. This study examined changes from pretest to posttest knowledge and advocacy skills of 90 trainees of the VAP. We also examined interactions between pre/post change and trainee and training characteristics. Participants demonstrated significant gains from pre‐ to posttests in their knowledge of special education and in their advocacy skills. Those participants who partook of the training in latter cohorts and at distance sites showed more progress in special education knowledge. Increases in advocacy skills differed by type of participant: compared to parent participants, professionals demonstrated significantly greater pre/post test increases in advocacy skills. This study has important implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
The Pulse Nightclub Shooting: Connecting Militarism, Neoliberalism, and Multiculturalism to Understand Violence
Authors: Kalish Blair Zachary Shane
Published: October 2016

The shooting that left 49 people dead and 53 people injured at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida shined an international spotlight on the violent oppression ofLGBTQ+ people. The significant loss of human life, the complex intersections of identity, and the horrific details of the crime brought numerous issues affecting the lives ofLGBTQ+ people into public discourse. This essay contextualizes the narratives surrounding Pulse with a political economic analysis of the massacre, its antecedents, and its aftermaths. Advancing an anthropological perspective, I position the Pulse massacre at the nexus of militarism, neoliberalism, and multiculturalism and offer a critical lens for understanding the policies, practices, and processes imbricated in shooting. Broadly, this involves addressing issues of U.S. capitalist imperialism in the Middle East, neocolonialism in Puerto Rico, and diversity/inclusion in gay space.
Risk of acute coronary syndrome after parathyroidectomy in patients with end‐stage renal disease: A population‐based cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Ma Tsung Liang , Chang Rei Yeuh , Chen Hsuan Ju , Liu Chun Yi , Hsu Chih Cheng , Hsu Yueh Han
Published: October 2016

Aim

Patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) who received parathyroidectomy (PTX) had persistently reduced levels of parathyroid hormone. This study investigated the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with ESRD who underwent PTX using a nationwide health insurance claims database.

Methods

Of all ESRD patients, we selected 1047 individuals who had undergone PTX between 2000 and 2008 as the PTX group and 4188 patients who did not undergo PTX (non‐PTX group) matched by propensity score. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted for assessing the excess ACS risk for the PTX group compared to the non‐PTX group.

Results

The mean follow‐up periods were 4.63 and 4.04 years for the PTX and non‐PTX groups, respectively. A significant reduction in the risk of ACS (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.57–0.96) was observed for the ESRD patients after PTX.

Conclusions

Parathyroidectomy is associated with reduced risk of ACS in patients with ESRD.
A comprehensive analysis identifies BRAF hotspot mutations associated with gliomas with peculiar epithelial morphology
Authors: Hatae Ryusuke , Hata Nobuhiro , Suzuki Satoshi O. , Yoshimoto Koji , Kuga Daisuke , Murata Hideki , Akagi Yojiro , Sangatsuda Yuhei , Iwaki Toru , Mizoguchi Masahiro , Iihara Koji
Published: October 2016

Brain tumors harbor various BRAF alterations, the vast majority of which are the BRAF kinase‐activating V600E mutation. BRAF mutations are most frequently detected in certain subtypes of low‐grade glioma, such as pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA), ganglioglioma (GG) and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT). However, it is unclear whether gliomas harboring BRAF mutations can be invariably regarded as these glioma subtypes or their derivatives. To address this question, we analyzed 274 gliomas in our institutional case series. We performed high‐resolution melting analyses and subsequent direct Sanger sequencing on DNA isolated from snap‐frozen tumor tissues. As expected, BRAF mutations were detected in the aforementioned low‐grade gliomas: in 4/27 PAs, 2/3 PXAs, 4/8 GGs, and 1/6 DNTs. In addition to these gliomas, 1/2 astroblastomas (ABs) and 2/122 glioblastomas (GBs) harbored BRAF mutations. Pathological investigation of the two GBs revealed that one was a GB displaying epithelial features that presumably arose from a precedent GG, whereas the other GB, which harbored a rare G596 A mutation, showed marked epithelial features, including astroblastic rosettes. Our results indicate that in addition to being present in established BRAF‐associated gliomas, BRAF mutations might be associated with epithelial features in high‐grade gliomas, including sheet‐like arrangement of polygonal tumor cells with a plump cytoplasm and astroblastic rosettes, and thus could potentially serve as a genetic marker for these features.
A very human being: Sister Marie Simone Roach, 1922–2016
Authors: Villeneuve Michael J , Tschudin Verena , Storch Janet , Fowler Marsha D M , Peter Elizabeth
Published: October 2016

Sister (Sr.) Marie Simone Roach, of the Sisters of St. Martha of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, died at the Motherhouse on 2 July 2016 at the age of 93, leaving behind a rich legacy of theoretical and practical work in the areas of care, caring and nursing ethics. She was a humble soul whose deep and scholarly thinking thrust her onto the global nursing stage where she will forever be tied to a central concept in nursing, caring, through her Six Cs of Caring model. In Canada, she was the lead architect of the Canadian Nurses Association's first code of ethics, and her influence on revisions to it is still profound more than 35 years later. In this paper, four global scholars in nursing and ethics are invited to reflect on Sr. Simone's contribution to nursing and health‐care, and we link her work to nursing and health‐care going forward.
Simulated human patients and patient‐centredness: The uncanny hybridity of nursing education, technology, and learning to care
Authors: Ireland Aileen V.
Published: October 2016

Positioned within a hybrid of the human and technology, professional nursing practice has always occupied a space that is more than human. In nursing education, technology is central in providing tools with which practice knowledge is mobilized so that students can safely engage with simulated human patients without causing harm to real people. However, while there is an increased emphasis on deploying these simulated humans as emissaries from person‐centred care to demonstrate what it is like to care for real humans, the nature of what is really going on in simulation—what is real and what is simulated—is very rarely discussed and poorly understood. This paper explores how elements of postcolonial critical thought can aid in understanding the challenges of educating nurses to provide person‐centred care within a healthcare culture that is increasingly reliant on technology. Because nursing education is itself a hybrid of real and simulated practice, it provides an appropriate case study to explore the philosophical question of technology in healthcare discourse, particularly as it relates to the relationship between the human patient and its uncanny simulated double. Drawing on postcolonial elements such as the uncanny, diaspora, hybridity, and créolité, the hybrid conditions of nursing education are examined in order to open up new possibilities of thinking about how learning to care is entangled with this technological space to assist in shaping professional knowledge of person‐centred care. Considering these issues through a postcolonial lens opens up questions about the nature of the difficulty in using simulated human technologies in clinical education, particularly with the paradoxical aim of providing person‐centred care within a climate that increasingly characterized as posthuman.
The effect of longitudinal chromatic aberration on the lag of accommodation and depth of field
Authors: Jaskulski Mateusz , Marín‐Franch Iván , Bernal‐Molina Paula , López‐Gil Norberto
Published: October 2016

Purpose

Longitudinal chromatic aberration is present in all states of accommodation and may play a role in the accommodation response and the emmetropisation process. We study the change of the depth of field (DOFi) with the state of accommodation, taking into account the longitudinal chromatic aberration.

Methods

Subjective DOFi was defined as the range of defocus beyond which the blur of the target (one line of optotypes of 0.1 logMAR shown on a black‐and‐white microdisplay, seen through different colour filters) was perceived as objectionable. The subject's eye was paralysed and different, previously‐measured accommodative states (corresponding to the accommodative demands of 0D, 2D and 4D) were simulated with a deformable mirror. Different colour conditions (monochromatic red, green and blue and polychromatic (white) were tested. The DOFi was measured subjectively, using a motorised Badal system.

Results

Taking as reference the average accommodative response for the white stimulus, the blue response exhibits on average a lead of 0.45 ± 0.09D, the green a negligible lead of 0.07 ± 0.02D and red a lag of 0.49 ± 0.10D. The monochromatic DOFi, calculated by averaging DOFi over the red, green and blue colour conditions for each accommodative demand was 1.10 ± 0.10D for 0D, 1.20 ± 0.08D for 2D, and 1.26 ± 0.40D for 4D. The polychromatic white DOFi were greater than the average monochromatic DOFi by 19%, 9% and 14% for 0D, 2D, and 4D of accommodative demand, respectively.

Conclusion

The longitudinal chromatic aberration causes a dioptric shift of the monochromatic accommodation response. The study did not reveal this shift to depend on the accommodative demand or to have an effect on the DOFi.
Collaborative care of non‐urgent macular disease: a study of inter‐optometric referrals
Authors: Ly Angelica , Nivison‐Smith Lisa , Hennessy Michael P. , Kalloniatis Michael
Published: October 2016

Purpose

Diseases involving the macula and posterior pole are leading causes of visual impairment and blindness worldwide and may require prompt ophthalmological care. However, access to eye‐care and timely patient management may be limited due to inefficient and inappropriate referrals between primary eye‐care providers and ophthalmology. Optometrists with a special interest in macular disease may be useful as a community aid to better stratify and recommend best‐practice management plans for suitable patients. This study assesses such a notion by appraising the optometric referral patterns of patients with suspected macular disease to an intermediate‐tier optometric imaging clinic.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of patient records and referrals using patients examined at Centre for Eye Health (CFEH) for an initial or follow up macular assessment between the 1/7/2013 and 30/6/2014 (n = 291). The following data were analysed: patient demographic characteristics, primary reason for referral, diagnosed/suspected condition, CFEH diagnosis and recommended management plan.

Results

The number of referrals stipulating a diagnosis, confirmed after evaluation at CFEH was 121 of 291 (42%). After evaluation at CFEH, the number of cases without a specific diagnosis was approximately halved (reduced from 47% to 23%), while the number of cases with no apparent defect or normal aging changes rose from 1% to 15%. Overall diagnostic congruency for specified macular conditions was high (58–94%); cases were seldom (30/291, 10%) found to have a completely different macular condition. 244 of 291 (84%) patients seen at CFEH were recommended ongoing optometric care: either with the referring optometrist or through recall to CFEH. Referral to an ophthalmologist was recommended in 47 instances (16%).

Conclusions

More widespread adoption of intermediate‐tier optometric eye‐care referral pathways in macular disease (following opportunistic primary care screening) has the potential to reduce the number of cases with non‐specific diagnoses and to increase those with a diagnosis of normal aging changes or no apparent disease. The majority of cases seen under this intermediate‐tier model required ongoing optometric care only and did not require face‐to‐face consultation with an ophthalmologist.
Imaging the Propagation of the Electromechanical Wave in Heart Failure Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: BUNTING ETHAN , LAMBRAKOS LITSA , KEMPER PAUL , WHANG WILLIAM , GARAN HASAN , KONOFAGOU ELISA
Published: October 2016

Background

Current electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measurements in heart failure (HF) do not take into account the complex interplay between electrical activation and local wall motion. The utilization of novel technologies to better characterize cardiac electromechanical behavior may lead to improved response rates with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Electromechanical wave imaging (EWI) is a noninvasive ultrasound‐based technique that uses the transient deformations of the myocardium to track the intrinsic EW that precedes myocardial contraction. In this paper, we investigate the performance and reproducibility of EWI in the assessment of HF patients and CRT.

Methods

EWI acquisitions were obtained in five healthy controls and 16 HF patients with and without CRT pacing. Responders (n = 8) and nonresponders (n = 8) to CRT were identified retrospectively on the basis of left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling. Electromechanical activation maps were obtained in all patients and used to compute a quantitative parameter describing the mean LV lateral wall activation time (LWAT).

Results

Mean LWAT was increased by 52.1 ms in HF patients in native rhythm compared to controls (P < 0.01). For all HF patients, CRT pacing initiated a different electromechanical activation sequence. Responders exhibited a 56.4‐ms ± 28.9‐ms reduction in LWAT with CRT pacing (P < 0.01), while nonresponders showed no significant change.

Conclusion

In this initial feasibility study, EWI was capable of characterizing local cardiac electromechanical behavior as it pertains to HF and CRT response. Activation sequences obtained with EWI allow for quantification of LV lateral wall electromechanical activation, thus providing a novel method for CRT assessment.
Agronomic and genetic diversity in intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium)
Authors: Jensen Kevin B. , Yan Xuebing , Larson Steve R. , Wang Richard R.‐C. , Robins Joseph G.
Published: October 2016

Intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D. R. Dewey] plant introductions (PI) have played a critical role in the development of improved intermediate wheatgrass cultivars. The objective of this study was to characterize a large number of intermediate wheatgrass populations over its native range for dry matter yield (DMY), crude protein (CP), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and rhizome development and genetic diversity and structure to identify superior populations and possible geographical regions in which to collect. Analysis of molecular variance using 643 AFLP bands partitioned 31% of the total genetic variation among these populations with 69% variance detected within populations. Bayesian cluster analysis identified two large groups designated as Asian and European under K = 2. In general, European accessions had greater DMY than did Asian accessions. Observed trends were towards greater CP values in populations with Asian ancestry. Selection index values above zero were observed in populations with European ancestry, and the exception was the late‐maturing (208 days to bloom) populations with Asian ancestry. Plant populations 383 551, 383 561, 401 161, 401 173, 440 021, 578 692 (cv. Tegmar) and 598 740 had rhizome scores greater than 7.0. Despite significant differences detected between populations (ΦST = 0.3136; P < 0.001), there was strong indication of admixed co‐ancestry or possible gene flow between K = 2–9 models.
Ecosystem carbon pools, fluxes, and balances within mature tallgrass prairie restorations
Authors: von Haden Adam C. , Dornbush Mathew E.
Published: October 2016

Tallgrass prairie restorations can quickly accrue organic C in soil and biomass, but the rate of C accumulation diminishes through time and is highly variable among more mature prairies. Long‐term soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in prairies has been linked to edaphic factors such as soil texture, soil moisture, and SOC content, but it is unclear how these factors affect the ecosystem processes that are responsible for observed differences in C accumulation rates in older prairies. We measured belowground plant and SOC pools and fluxes within 27–36‐year‐old restored tallgrass prairies in order to quantify total C storage, determine the net ecosystem production of C (NEP‐C), and explore which edaphic factors influence the ecosystem processes responsible for divergent NEP‐C. We found that 11% of organic C was stored in biomass, and we estimate that one‐third of post‐restoration C sequestration has occurred in biomass, thereby highlighting biomass as a large but often overlooked C pool. Belowground biomass and soil C pools were notably smaller than those reported for remnant prairie, suggesting that future belowground C accumulation could still occur. During this study, the prairies appeared to be a net source of C, although the range of NEP‐C values encompassed zero. Sand content positively affected NEP‐C via increased belowground biomass production‐C inputs, and SOC negatively affected NEP‐C due to increased soil respiration C outputs. However, soil moisture had a smaller negative effect on soil respiration, indicating that both SOC and soil moisture play important roles in determining prairie C balance.
Revisiting the Olympic Effect
Authors: Bista Rishav
Published: October 2016

By utilizing the log‐linear gravity model, other authors have found statistically robust, permanent and large effects of hosting mega‐events (e.g. Olympics) on international exports. Surprisingly, they found that the unsuccessful bidders to host the Olympics experienced a similar impact on exports. Utilizing alternate specification such as the Poisson pseudo‐maximum likelihood (PPML) estimation that allows for heteroskedasticity prevalent in trade data, the this paper fails to find a robust positive effect of hosting and bidding for a mega‐event on total aggregate exports. Under heteroskedasticity, the parameters of log‐linearized models estimated by ordinary least squares (OLS) lead to biased estimates of the true elasticities.
Gene‐environment correlations in the cross‐generational transmission of parenting: Grandparenting moderates the effect of child 5‐HTTLPR genotype on mothers' parenting
Authors: Kopala‐Sibley Daniel C. , Hayden Elizabeth P. , Singh Shiva M. , Sheikh Haroon I. , Kryski Katie R. , Klein Daniel N.
Published: October 2016

Evidence suggests that parenting is associated cross‐generationally and that children's genes may elicit specific parenting styles (evocative gene‐environment correlation). This study examined whether the effect of children's genotype, specifically 5‐HTTLPR, on mothers' parenting behaviors was moderated by her own parenting experiences from her mother. Two independent samples of three‐year‐olds (N = 476 and 405) were genotyped for the serotonin transporter gene, and observational measures of parenting were collected. Mothers completed measures of the parenting they received as children. The child having a short allele on 5‐HTTLPR was associated with more maternal hostility (Samples 1 and 2) and with less maternal support (Sample 1), but only if the mother reported lower quality grandmothers' parenting (abuse and indifference in Sample 1 and lower levels of grandmother care in Sample 2). Results support the possibility of a moderated evocative gene‐environment correlation.
Electoral Linkages in Federal Systems: Barometer Voting and Economic Voting in the German Länder
Authors: Thorlakson Lori
Published: October 2016

Federal systems create political competition at multiple territorial levels. While models of vertical bargaining conceptualise federal‐subnational relations as occurring between parties with exogenously defined interests, federalism also structures forms of interdependence between the federal and subnational levels. Political competition in multi‐level systems is marked by interdependence between the federal and subnational levels through barometer and second order voting effects. Findings of a more ‘autonomous’ form of political competition at the subnational level, through state‐level economic voting, are less common. This article examines Germany, a highly interdependent federation, to assess the extent to which voting in Land elections responds to Land level economic performance and whether political and institutional factors affect this. I find evidence that in Land level elections, voting for the federally incumbent party is responsive to federal economic performance. Alongside this, there is evidence of ‘uncoupled’ electoral behaviour at the Land level, with Land level economic voting. This is enhanced by single party government.
Performance Improvement of Capacitive Deionization for Water Desalination Using a Multistep Buffered Approach
Authors: Salamat Yasamin , Rios Perez Carlos A. , Hidrovo Carlos
Published: October 2016

Due to the increasing demand for clean and potable water stemming from population growth and exacerbated by the scarcity of fresh water resources, more attention has been drawn to innovative methods for water desalination. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a low maintenance and energy efficient technique for desalinating brackish water, which employs an electrical field to adsorb ions into a high-porous media. After the saturation of the porous electrodes, their adsorption capacity can be restored through a regeneration process. Herein, based on a physical model previously developed, we conjecture that for a given amount of time and volume of water, multiple desalination cycles in a high flow rate regime will outperform desalinating in a single cycle at a low flow rate. Moreover, splitting a CDI unit into two subunits, with the same total length, will lead to higher desalination. Based on these premises, we introduce a new approach aimed at enhancing the overall performance of CDI. An array of CDI cells are sequentially connected to each other with intermediate solutions placed in between them. Desalination tests were conducted to compare the performance of the proposed system, consisting of two CDI units and one intermediate solution buffer, with a two-cascaded-CDI unit system with no intermediate solution. Experimental data demonstrated the improved performance of the buffered system over the nonbuffered system, in terms of desalination percentage and energy consumption. The new proposed method can lead to lower amount of energy consumed per unit volume of the desalinated water.
Air-Side Heat Transfer Enhancement Utilizing Design Optimization and an Additive Manufacturing Technique
Authors: Arie Martinus A. , Shooshtari Amir H. , Rao Veena V. , Dessiatoun Serguei V. , Ohadi Michael M.
Published: October 2016

This paper focuses on the study of an innovative manifold microchannel design for air-side heat transfer enhancement that uses additive manufacturing (AM) technology. A numerical-based multi-objective optimization was performed to maximize the coefficient of performance and gravimetric heat transfer density (Q/MΔT) of air–water heat exchanger designs that incorporate either manifold-microchannel or conventional surfaces for air-side heat transfer enhancement. Performance comparisons between the manifold-microchannel and conventional heat exchangers studied under the current work show that the design based on the manifold-microchannel in conjunction with additive manufacturing promises to push the performance substantially beyond that of conventional technologies. Different scenarios based on manufacturing constraints were considered to study the effect of such constraints on the heat exchanger performance. The results clearly demonstrate that the AM-enabled complex design of the fins and manifolds can significantly improve the overall performance, based on the criteria described in this paper. Based on the current manufacturing limit, up to nearly 60% increase in gravimetric heat transfer density is possible for the manifold-microchannel heat exchanger compared to a wavy-fin heat exchanger. If the manufacturing limit (fin thickness and manifold width) can be reduced even further, an even larger improvement is possible.
Epigenetic stability of exhausted T cells limits durability of reinvigoration by PD-1 blockade
Authors: Pauken Kristen E. , Sammons Morgan A. , Odorizzi Pamela M. , Manne Sasikanth , Godec Jernej , Khan Omar , Drake Adam M. , Chen Zeyu , Sen Debattama R. , Kurachi Makoto , Barnitz R. Anthony , Bartman Caroline , Bengsch Bertram , Huang Alexander C. , Schenkel Jason M. , Vahedi Golnaz , Haining W. Nicholas , Berger Shelley L. , Wherry E. John
Published: October 2016

Epigenetic profiling suggests that exhausted T cells are a distinct cell linage.
Phytochromes function as thermosensors inArabidopsis
Authors: Jung Jae-Hoon , Domijan Mirela , Klose Cornelia , Biswas Surojit , Ezer Daphne , Gao Mingjun , Khattak Asif Khan , Box Mathew S. , Charoensawan Varodom , Cortijo Sandra , Kumar Manoj , Grant Alastair , Locke James C. W. , Schäfer Eberhard , Jaeger Katja E. , Wigge Philip A.
Published: October 2016

Combining heat and light responses

Plants integrate a variety of environmental signals to regulate growth patterns. Legriset al.and Junget al.analyzed how the quality of light is interpreted through ambient temperature to regulate transcription and growth (see the Perspective by Halliday and Davis). The phytochromes responsible for reading the ratio of red to far-red light were also responsive to the small shifts in temperature that occur when dusk falls or when shade from neighboring plants cools the soil.

Science, this issue p.897, p.886; see also p.832
Complete Genome Sequence of IME207, a Novel Bacteriophage Which Can Lyse Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and
Salmonella
Authors: Liu Yannan , Mi Liyuan , Mi Zhiqing , Huang Yong , Li Puyuan , Zhang Xianglilan , Tong Yigang , Bai Changqing
Published: October 2016

A novel lytic
Salmonella
bacteriophage was isolated by using
Klebsiella pneumoniae
as host cells. The phage's genome was determined to be 47,564 bp and has the highest similarity to
Salmonella
phage E1 and
Salmonella
phage 64795_sal3, with coverages of 61% and 56%, respectively. Here, we announce the phage's complete genome.
Complete Genome Sequences of Two Marine Vibrio cholerae Strains Isolated from the South Coast of Sweden
Authors: Thorell Kaisa , Collin Betty , Hernroth Bodil , Sjöling Åsa
Published: October 2016

Vibrio cholerae
serogroups O1 and O139 are commonly associated with diarrhea, while non-O1-O139 strains may cause wound infections. Here, we present the genome sequences of two
V. cholerae
strains isolated from blue mussels (
Mytilus edulis
) collected in coastal waters of southern Sweden.
Complete Genome Sequence of Brucella abortus SKN 13 Isolated from Placenta of Aborted Cattle in Gujarat, India
Authors: Chauhan H. C. , Patel Bharat K. , Chandel B. S. , Patel Kirit B. , Patel A. C. , Shrimali M. D. , Patel S. S. , Bhagat A. G. , Rajgor Manish , Patel Mitul A. , Patel Maulik , Kala Jitendra , Patel Bhumika
Published: October 2016

Brucella abortus
is generally known to cause brucellosis in cattle and buffalo. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Brucella abortus
SKN 13, isolated from aborted cattle placenta in the area of Gujarat, India, providing precious resources for comparative genomic analyses of
Brucella
field strains.
Genome Sequence of
Bluetongue virus
Serotype 17 Isolated in Brazil in 2014
Authors: Matos Ana Carolina Diniz , Rosa Júlio César Câmara , Nomikou Kyriaki , Guimarães Lorena Lima Barbosa , Costa Érica Azevedo , Guedes Maria Isabel Maldonado Coelho , Driemeier David , Lobato Zélia Inês Portela , Mertens Peter Paul Clement
Published: October 2016

The complete genome sequence of
Bluetongue virus
(BTV) serotype 17 strain 17/BRA/2014/73, isolated from a sheep in Brazil in 2014, is reported here. All segments clustered with western topotype strains and indicated reassortment events with other BTV from the Americas. The strain 17/BRA/2014/73 represents a novel reference strain for BTV-17 from South America.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Cellulolytic Strain
Clostridium
sp. Bc-iso-3 Isolated from an Industrial-Scale Anaerobic Digester
Authors: Sun Li , Schnürer Anna
Published: October 2016

Clostridium
sp. Bc-iso-3 is a cellulolytic strain isolated from a Swedish industrial-scale biogas digester. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of this strain, which consists of four contigs with a total length of 4,327,139 bp and an average coverage of 312.97×.
Draft Genome Sequence of Methyloligella halotolerans С2
T
, a New Halotolerant Methylotroph, Accumulating Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate and Ectoine
Authors: Vasilenko Oleg V. , Doronina Nina V. , Shmareva Maria N. , Tarlachkov Sergey V. , Trotsenko Yuri A.
Published: October 2016

Methyloligella halotolerans
С2
T
is a moderate halophilic obligate methylotroph, accumulating ultra-high-molecular-weight poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (up to 8 to 10 MDa) from methanol. Here we report a draft genome and annotation of
Methyloligella halotolerans
C2
T
(VKM B-2706
T
= CCUG 61687
T
= DSM 25045
T
).
Genome Sequence of the Multiple-Protease-Producing Strain Geobacillus thermoleovorans N7
,
a Thermophilic Bacterium Isolated from Paniphala Hot Spring, West Bengal, India
Authors: Bose Sucharita , Mukherjee Trinetra , Sen Urmimala , Roy Chayan , Rameez Moidu Jameela , Ghosh Wriddhiman , Mukhopadhyay Subhra Kanti
Published: October 2016

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Geobacillus thermoleovorans
strain N7 (MCC 3175), isolated from Paniphala Hot Spring, West Bengal, India, which contains genes that encode several industrially and medically important thermostable enzymes like neutral protease, xylose isomerase, rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase, nitrate and nitrite reductase,
l
-asparaginase, glutaminase, and RNase P
.
Complete Genome Sequence of Pigmentation-Negative Yersinia pestis Strain Cadman
Authors: Lovett Sean , Chase Kitty , Koroleva Galina , Palacios Gustavo , Rozak David , Ladner Jason T.
Published: October 2016

Here, we report the genome sequence of
Yersinia pestis
strain Cadman, an attenuated strain lacking the
pgm
locus.
Y. pestis
is the causative agent of plague and generally must be worked with under biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) conditions. However, strains lacking the
pgm
locus are considered safe to work with under BSL-2 conditions.
Hypopituitarism in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Uday Suma , Shaw Nick , Krone Ruth , Kirk Jeremy
Published: October 2016

Poor growth and delayed puberty in children with cerebral palsy is frequently felt to be related to malnutrition. Although growth hormone deficiency is commonly described in these children, multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD) has not been previously reported. We present a series of four children with cerebral palsy who were born before 29 weeks gestation who were referred to the regional endocrinology service, three for delayed puberty and one for short stature, in whom investigations identified MPHD. All patients had a height well below −2 standard deviation score (2nd centile) at presentation and three who had MRI scans had an ectopic posterior pituitary gland. We therefore recommend that the possibility of MPHD should be considered in all children with cerebral palsy and poor growth or delayed puberty. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to maximise growth and prevent associated morbidity and mortality.
Metastatic lung cancer presenting as gastric outlet obstruction: diagnosis and management with laparoscopic gastric bypass: a novel technique
Authors: Gilbert Richard W D , Bird Brian R Healey , O'Boyle Colm J
Published: October 2016

Metastatic tumours of the duodenum are relatively rare. Here we present a case of a 64-year-old Caucasian male who presented with a 3-week history of postprandial vomiting, weight-loss and epigastric discomfort. Imaging and biopsy revealed that the patient had a primary lung tumour in his right upper lung lobe as well as a duodenal metastasis leading to gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). The patient was stabilised and subsequently underwent a laparoscopic gastric bypass to palliate the gastric outlet obstruction. Appropriate management of metastatic GOO involves accurate diagnosis and treatment with either enteral stenting or laparoscopic gastric bypass. It is suggested that the decision whether to stent or surgically bypass the obstruction can be based on the patient's life expectancy and performance status. Regardless of the approach, palliating metastatic GOO can improve the quality of life of carefully chosen symptomatic patients. We describe a technique of laparoscopic palliative gastric bypass which has not been reported previously in the literature.
A unique presentation of a complex haemorrhagic adrenal pseudocyst
Authors: Geleit Ryan James , Bhardwaj Rakesh , Fish David , Sriprasad Seshadri
Published: October 2016

A man aged 33 years presented with a 3-day history of left-sided testicular discomfort. Clinical examination revealed a large left-sided varicocele. He was referred for a testicular ultrasound, which demonstrated a moderate left-sided varicocele and an associated large suprarenal mass. An urgent (CT) scan was arranged which confirmed this, with associated compression of adjacent structures, including the left kidney and left renal vessels. The patient was admitted 1 week following the CT scan with features of sepsis. An inpatient adrenal MRI scan suggested the presence of a large left-sided haemorrhagic adrenal cyst. This was removed surgically through a left subcostal incision. Histology confirmed there was no malignancy. The patient was discharged and a follow-up CT scan at 6 months showed complete resolution of the cyst with no further testicular discomfort. This is the first known case of an adrenal cyst presenting with a varicocele.
True brachial artery aneurysm in a child aged 2 years
Authors: Ghazanfar Aamir , Asghar Afifa , Khan Naqeeb Ullah , Abdullah Sidra
Published: October 2016

Congenital brachial artery true aneurysms are exceedingly rare. Most are pseudoaneurysms secondary to trauma or infection. We report a boy aged 2 years who presented with painless, pulsatile swelling on the medial aspect of the right arm, 4 cm above the elbow joint that had been present since birth. Spiral CT angiography showed a fusiform aneurysm of the distal right brachial artery with a peripheral crescent-shaped thrombus. Distal arteries were normally opacified. There was no evidence of abnormal dilation or stenosis in any other artery. The aneurysm was surgically resected, with vascularisation re-established using a reversed great saphenous vein graft. His postoperative course was uneventful. Early surgery should be performed for moderately sized to large aneurysms that recently increased in size, exhibited luminal thrombus formation or caused neurovascular distal limb compromise. Early surgery could prevent complications such as a ruptured aneurysm, thromboembolism or limb ischaemia or loss.
Unilateral macrostomia in the newborn: a rare congenital anomaly of the oral commissure
Authors: Simonse Eva , Panis Bianca , Busari Jamiu O
Published: October 2016

Macrostomia is a rare medical condition, defined as an enlargement of the mouth at the oral commissure. The incidence varies between 1 in 60 000 to 1 in 300 000 live births. Macrostomia is a form of a facial cleft. Macrostomia can present as a unilateral or bilateral anomaly with a partial or complete cleft. Associated anomalies of the surrounding bone, muscle and soft tissue can also be present with or without the presence of a syndrome. Macrostomia results in aesthetic disharmony and also in functional problems. In both cases surgery is the treatment of choice. In cases of macrostomia, additional investigations should be performed to rule out accompanying cardiac and renal anomalies and associated syndromes. A multidisciplinary approach and good collaboration between healthcare providers is essential for optimal care of these patients.
Sequential adjuvant chemoradiotherapy-induced diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in a patient with breast cancer successfully treated with corticosteroid plus recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin
Authors: Kitajima Takamasa , Marumo Satoshi , Maeshima Yurina , Fukui Motonari
Published: October 2016

The effective treatment for corticosteroid (CS)-refractory sequential chemoradiotherapy (CRT)-induced lung injury has not been established. We report a case of sequential CRT-induced diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) successfully treated with CS therapy plus recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM). A 69-year-old woman was treated with sequential adjuvant CRT for early-stage breast cancer. After sequential CRT, she suffered from progressive dyspnoea. Chest CT scan showed consolidations in the irradiation field and diffuse ground-glass attenuations in the non-irradiation regions. We suspected sequential CRT-induced DAH because of increased haemosiderin-laden macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Her clinical conditions did not improve with high-dose CS therapy. Therefore, rhTM was added, and her disease and serum high-mobility group box-1 levels improved rapidly. Therefore, rhTM plus CS might be a safe and effective treatment for sequential CRT-induced lung injury, although further study is necessary to validate these findings.
Example of the drug interaction between ciclosporin and orlistat, resulting in relapse of Evan's syndrome
Authors: Earnshaw Irina , Thachil Jecko
Published: October 2016

A man aged 35 years with a history of Evan's syndrome presented to the clinic with jaundice and shortness of breath, with further testing indicating a relapse of his previously well-controlled condition, for which he was taking ciclosporin. This followed shortly after he had started taking orlistat to prevent weight gain from a course of steroids, and once the orlistat was stopped, his platelets began to rise. The patient required 4 months of steroid treatment before his platelet levels finally stabilised and he could be put back on his regular medicine regime.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with use of salbutamol nebulisation and aminophylline infusion in a patient with acute asthma exacerbation
Authors: Khwaja Yousuf Hasan , Tai Javed Majid
Published: October 2016

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome or stress-induced cardiomyopathy is characterised by transient left ventricular dysfunction, mimicking myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease or acute plaque rupture on coronary angiography. The exact mechanism of myocardial dysfunction in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is unknown; however, due to its association with physical and emotional stress, it is postulated that catecholamines play a central role in its pathogenesis. We present a case of a patient who was admitted with acute asthma exacerbation and was treated with β-2 agonist nebulisation and intravenous aminophylline. During her hospital stay she developed Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
WHO and national lists of essential medicines in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean: are they adequate to promote paediatric endocrinology and diabetes care?
Authors: Rowlands Amanda , Acosta-Gualandri Alejandra , Guevara-Aguirre Jaime , Chanoine Jean-Pierre
Published: October 2016

Paediatric endocrinology and diabetes is a paediatric specialty with less common conditions and higher cost medicines. Access to medicines for our specialty in low and middle income countries remains limited. We analysed the content of the WHO (children and adults) and of all available national Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EMLs) for Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America from a paediatric endocrinology and diabetes standpoint. A master list of medicines deemed necessary in paediatric endocrinology and diabetes was established and compared with the WHO and national EMLs, taking into account the gross national income. The WHO EMLs, which are largely recognised as an international benchmark and drive the content of the national EMLs, included many but not all medicines present on our master list. Interestingly, several national EMLs from richer countries included medicines that were not present in the WHO EMLs. Our analysis suggests that these medicines could be considered by the WHO for inclusion in their EMLs, which may promote the adoption of more medicines by individual countries. We also propose several changes to the WHO and national EMLs that could facilitate access to medicines in our specialty: age cut-off for a child using physical maturity rather than a set age limit; greater standardisation of the formatting of the national EMLs for easier comparison and collaborations between countries; greater emphasis on age-specificity and population-specificity for some medicines; and formatting of the EMLs in a disease-focused manner rather than as individual medicines.
Effectiveness of alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids for adults with hearing loss: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Maidment David W , Barker Alex B , Xia Jun , Ferguson Melanie A
Published: October 2016

Introduction

Hearing loss is a major public health concern, affecting over 11 million people in the UK. While hearing aids are the most common clinical intervention for hearing loss, the majority of people that would benefit from using hearing aids do not take them up. Recent technological advances have led to a rapid increase of alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids. These include hearing aids that can be customised using a smartphone, smartphone-based ‘hearing aid’ apps, personal sound amplification products and wireless hearing products. However, no systematic review has been published evaluating whether alternative listening devices are an effective management strategy for people with hearing loss.

Methods and analysis

The objective of this systematic review is to assess whether alternative listening devices are an effective intervention for adults with hearing loss. Methods are reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 checklist. Retrospective or prospective studies, randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, and before-after comparison studies will be eligible for inclusion. We will include studies with adult participants (≥18 years) with a mild or moderate hearing loss. The intervention should be an alternative listening device to a conventional hearing aid (comparison). Studies will be restricted to outcomes associated with the consequences of hearing loss. We will search relevant databases to identify published, completed but unpublished and ongoing trials. The overall quality of included evidence will be evaluated using the GRADE system, and meta-analysis performed if appropriate.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical issues are foreseen. The findings will be reported at national and international conferences, primarily audiology, and ear, nose and throat, and in a peer-reviewed journal using the PRISMA guidelines.

Review registration number

PROSPERO CRD4201502958.
Alcohol advertising and public health: systems perspectives versus narrow perspectives
Authors: Petticrew M , Shemilt I , Lorenc T , Marteau T M , Melendez-Torres G J , O'Mara-Eves A , Stautz K , Thomas J
Published: October 2016

Background

Alcohol consumption is influenced by a complex causal system of interconnected psychological, behavioural, social, economic, legal and environmental factors. These factors are shaped by governments (eg, licensing laws and taxation), by consumers (eg, patterns of alcohol consumption drive demand) and by alcohol industry practices, such as advertising. The marketing and advertising of alcoholic products contributes to an ‘alcogenic environment’ and is a modifiable influence on alcohol consumption and harm. The public health perspective is that there is sufficient evidence that alcohol advertising influences consumption. The alcohol industry disputes this, asserting that advertising only aims to help consumers choose between brands.

Methods

We review the evidence from recent systematic reviews, including their theoretical and methodological assumptions, to help understand what conclusions can be drawn about the relationships between alcohol advertising, advertising restrictions and alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

A wide evidence base needs to be drawn on to provide a system-level overview of the relationship between alcohol advertising, advertising restrictions and consumption. Advertising aims to influence not just consumption, but also to influence awareness, attitudes and social norms; this is because advertising is a system-level intervention with multiple objectives. Given this, assessments of the effects of advertising restrictions which focus only on sales or consumption are insufficient and may be misleading. For this reason, previous systematic reviews, such as the 2014 Cochrane review on advertising restrictions (Siegfriedet al) contribute important, but incomplete representations of ‘the evidence’ needed to inform the public health case for policy decisions on alcohol advertising. We conclude that an unintended consequence of narrow, linear framings of complex system-level issues is that they can produce misleading answers. Systems problems require systems perspectives.