bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reliability of Pain Measurements Using Computerized Cuff Algometry: A DoloCuff Reliability and Agreement Study
Authors: Kvistgaard Olsen Jack , Fener Dilay Kesgin , Wæhrens Eva Elisabet , Wulf Christensen Anton , Jespersen Anders , Danneskiold‐Samsøe Bente , Bartels Else Marie
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Computerized pneumatic cuff pressure algometry (CPA) using the DoloCuff is a new method for pain assessment. Intra‐ and inter‐rater reliabilities have not yet been established. Our aim was to examine the inter‐ and intrarater reliabilities of DoloCuff measures in healthy subjects.

Methods

Twenty healthy subjects (ages 20 to 29 years) were assessed three times at 24‐hour intervals by two trained raters. Inter‐rater reliability was established based on the first and second assessments, whereas intrarater reliability was based on the second and third assessments. Subjects were randomized 1:1 to first assessment at either rater 1 or rater 2. The variables of interest were pressure pain threshold (PT), pressure pain tolerance (PTol), and temporal summation index (TSI). Reliability was estimated by a two‐way mixed intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) absolute agreement analysis. Reliability was considered excellent if ICC > 0.75, fair to good if 0.4 < ICC < 0.75, and poor if ICC < 0.4. Bias and random errors between raters and assessments were evaluated using 95% confidence interval (CI) and Bland–Altman plots.

Results

Inter‐rater reliability for PT, PTol, and TSI was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.69 to 0.95), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.65 to 0.95), and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.42 to 0.94), respectively. The intrarater reliability for PT, PTol, and TSI was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.92), 0.89 (95% CI: 0.74 to 0.96), and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.28 to 0.91), respectively.

Conclusion

Inter‐rater reliability was excellent for PT, PTol, and TSI. Similarly, the intrarater reliability for PT and PTol was excellent, while borderline excellent/good for TSI. Therefore, the DoloCuff can be used to obtain reliable measures of pressure pain parameters in healthy subjects.
Pain, Itch, Quality of Life, and Costs after Herpes Zoster
Authors: van Wijck Albert J.M. , Aerssens Yannick R.
Published: September 2016

Background

Herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia are known to have a profound effect on the patient's quality of life, but the incidence and severity of itch and its relation with pain and quality of life in the long term are still relatively unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to measure the presence and severity of pain and itch and impact on quality of life in patients over 50 years old with HZ.

Methods

We enrolled 661 patients with HZ in this 12‐month observational study. Patient data were collected via a web‐based questionnaire. Outcomes were pain, itch, burden of illness, impact on patient's daily life, impact on quality of life, and healthcare costs.

Results

At inclusion, 94% of patients reported any pain, 74.3% significant pain, and 26% severe pain. After 3 months, 18.8% of patients suffered from postherpetic neuralgia. At inclusion, 70.8% of patients had any itch, 39.2% significant itch, and 7.3% severe itch. The occurrence of pain increases costs and has a high impact on the quality of life, lowering EQ‐5D scores by an average of 18%. In contrast, itch has little effect on the quality of life.

Conclusions

Pain and itch are highly prevalent months after HZ. Pain caused by HZ has a large impact on quality of life, burden of illness, impact on daily life, and health care costs for these patients. The impact of itch on quality of life is relatively small.
Comparison between group and personal rehabilitation for dementia in a geriatric health service facility: single‐blinded randomized controlled study
Authors: Tanaka Shigeya , Honda Shin , Nakano Hajime , Sato Yuko , Araya Kazufumi , Yamaguchi Haruyasu
Published: September 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of rehabilitation involving group and personal sessions on demented participants.

Methods

This single‐blinded randomized controlled trial included 60 elderly participants with dementia in a geriatric health service facility, or R
oken. Staff members, who did not participate in the intervention, examined cognitive function, mood, communication ability, severity of dementia, objective quality of life, vitality, and daily behaviour. After a baseline assessment, participants were randomly divided into three groups: (i) group intervention; (ii) personal intervention; and (iii) control. The 1‐h group intervention (3–5 subjects) and 20‐min personal intervention (one staff member per participant) were performed twice a week for 12 weeks (24 total sessions). The cognitive rehabilitation programme consisted of reminiscence, reality orientation, and physical exercise, and it was based on five principles of brain‐activating rehabilitation; (i) pleasant atmosphere; (ii) communication; (iii) social roles; (iv) praising; and (v) errorless support. Data were analyzed after the second assessment.

Results

Outcome measures were analyzed in 43 participants—14 in the control group, 13 in group intervention, and 16 in personal intervention. Repeated measure ancova showed a significant interaction for cognitive function score (Mini‐Mental State Examination) between group intervention and controls (
F
 = 5.535, P = 0.029). In the post‐hoc analysis, group intervention showed significant improvement (P = 0.016). Global severity of dementia tended to improve (P = 0.094) in group intervention compared to control (Mann–Whitney
U
‐test). There were no significant interactions or improvements for other measurements.

Conclusions

Group rehabilitation for dementia is more effective for improving cognitive function and global severity of dementia than personal rehabilitation in Roken.
Ernest S. Griffith: A Renaissance Man, a Pioneering Public Administrator
Authors: Stathis Stephen W.
Published: September 2016

In the 1940s and 1950s, Ernest Stacey Griffith was well known on Capitol Hill and frequently featured in major newspaper and magazine articles about the work of Congress. He was also recognized as an influential scholar. Today, few members of Congress and only a handful of the thousands employed by the legislative branch have ever heard of him. Even at the Congressional Research Service—Congress's think tank—which he headed for 18 years, Griffith is mostly an unfamiliar name. During his century‐long life, this Rhodes Scholar left an indelible legacy in several arenas. Griffith was not only a pioneering advisor to the nation's legislators and an astute observer of American democracy, he also achieved acclaim as a public administrator, an innovative teacher and educator, an early supporter of the conservation movement, a prominent community and religious leader, and a record‐setting mountain climber.
Interstate Spillovers, Fiscal Decentralization, and Public Spending on Medicaid Home‐ and Community‐Based Services
Authors: Oyun Gerel
Published: September 2016

This article examines the interstate spillover effect of Medicaid expenditures for home‐ and community‐based services (HCBS) and tests the relationship between fiscal decentralization and public spending. Based on the theory of interstate strategic interaction, an empirical model is specified that explicitly accounts for interdependence in states’ spending decisions. The model is estimated by applying spatial econometric methods to panel data for the 50 U.S. states for 2000–2010. Findings show a positive interdependence in state HCBS expenditures that is contingent on similarity in citizen ideology between states. Fiscal decentralization, measured by transfer dependence and revenue autonomy, is positively related to Medicaid HCBS spending.
Impact of grasshoppers and an invasive grass on establishment and initial growth of restoration plant species
Authors: Cumberland Catherine , Jonas Jayne L. , Paschke Mark W.
Published: September 2016

Exotic plant invasion can have dramatic impacts on native plants making restoration of native vegetation at invaded sites challenging. Though invasives may be superior competitors, it is possible their dominance could be enhanced by insect herbivores if native plants are preferred food sources. Insect herbivory can regulate plant populations, but little is known of its effects in restoration settings. There is a need to better understand relationships between insect herbivores and invasive plants with regard to their combined potential for impacting native plant establishment and restoration success. The objective of this study was to assess impacts of grasshopper herbivory and the invasive grass Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) on mortality and growth of 17 native plant species used in restoration of critical sagebrush steppe ecosystems. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted using moderate densities of a common, generalist pest grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus). Grasshoppers had stronger and more consistent impacts on native restoration plants in field and greenhouse studies than cheatgrass. After 6 weeks in the greenhouse, grasshoppers were associated with 36% mortality over all native restoration species compared to 2% when grasshoppers were absent. Herbivory was also associated with an approximately 50% decrease in native plant biomass. However, effects varied among species. Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, and Coreopsis tinctoria were among the most negatively impacted, while Oenothera pallida, Pascopyrum smithii, and Leymus cinerus were unaffected. These findings suggest restoration species could be selected to more effectively establish and persist within cheatgrass infestations, particularly when grasshopper populations are forecasted to be high.
Probabilistic, Multivariable Flood Loss Modeling on the Mesoscale with BT‐FLEMO
Authors: Kreibich Heidi , Botto Anna , Merz Bruno , Schröter Kai
Published: September 2016

Flood loss modeling is an important component for risk analyses and decision support in flood risk management. Commonly, flood loss models describe complex damaging processes by simple, deterministic approaches like depth‐damage functions and are associated with large uncertainty. To improve flood loss estimation and to provide quantitative information about the uncertainty associated with loss modeling, a probabilistic, multivariable Bagging decision Tree Flood Loss Estimation MOdel (BT‐FLEMO) for residential buildings was developed. The application of BT‐FLEMO provides a probability distribution of estimated losses to residential buildings per municipality. BT‐FLEMO was applied and validated at the mesoscale in 19 municipalities that were affected during the 2002 flood by the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany. Validation was undertaken on the one hand via a comparison with six deterministic loss models, including both depth‐damage functions and multivariable models. On the other hand, the results were compared with official loss data. BT‐FLEMO outperforms deterministic, univariable, and multivariable models with regard to model accuracy, although the prediction uncertainty remains high. An important advantage of BT‐FLEMO is the quantification of prediction uncertainty. The probability distribution of loss estimates by BT‐FLEMO well represents the variation range of loss estimates of the other models in the case study.
Does the Degree of Development Matter in the Impact of Banking Crises on International Trade?
Authors: Gil‐Pareja Salvador , Llorca‐Vivero Rafael , Martínez‐Serrano José Antonio
Published: September 2016

This paper analyzes how a country's degree of economic development affects the impact of banking crises on international trade. To this end, we estimate a gravity model of trade using a sample of 139 countries over the period 1975–2012. Our results show that middle income countries are generally the most negatively affected. In contrast, financial turmoil appears to have less impact on bilateral trade flows among high income countries and, more specially, among low income nations. The level of financial development, contract enforcement, as well as the extent of the use of banking credit within international trade all help to explain our findings.
Racial Resentment and Attitudes Toward the Use of Force by Police: An Over‐Time Trend Analysis
Authors: Carter J. Scott , Corra Mamadi
Published: September 2016

On the heels of recent police shootings of an unarmed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina, and the death of Freddy Gray in Baltimore, Maryland, that stoked racial tensions, this article examines how beliefs about race and racial inequality influence whites’ attitudes toward the use of force by the police since the mid‐1980s. Our main dependent measure is a composite index (“Police Force Index”) constructed from four survey items from the 1986–2012 National Opinion Research Center's General Social Survey (GSS). Results show that (1) beliefs about race do indeed significantly predict whites’ attitudes toward police use of force, and more importantly, (2) this effect has remained constant since the mid‐1980s. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings and suggestions for future research.
Organizing Volkswagen: A Critical Assessment
Authors: Brooks Chris
Published: September 2016

The union organizing drive in Chattanooga has a number of unique features that make the campaign deserving of close examination: an employer on whose board labor holds half the seats and maintains a formal corporate commitment to worker voice and participation, a degree of employer neutrality that cannot be expected at any other foreign automaker, and what was likely the largest and most expensive anti‐union campaign ever waged by third‐party groups. This article highlights those lessons from the UAW's organizing campaign at Volkswagen that are likely to be prescient to future organizing drives. In doing so, I provide an overview of Volkswagen as a company, the UAW's organizing campaign from its beginning in 2013 to the present day, and a detailed discussion of the UAW's strategic mistakes. Most importantly, I detail the actual concerns, interests, thoughts, and reflections of rank‐and‐file workers at Volkswagen.
Efficient production of biallelic GGTA1 knockout pigs by cytoplasmic microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 into zygotes
Authors: Petersen Bjoern , Frenzel Antje , Lucas‐Hahn Andrea , Herrmann Doris , Hassel Petra , Klein Sabine , Ziegler Maren , Hadeler Klaus‐Gerd , Niemann Heiner
Published: September 2016

Background

Xenotransplantation is considered to be a promising solution to the growing demand for suitable donor organs for transplantation. Despite tremendous progress in the generation of pigs with multiple genetic modifications thought to be necessary to overcoming the severe rejection responses after pig‐to‐non‐human primate xenotransplantation, the production of knockout pigs by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is still an inefficient process. Producing genetically modified pigs by intracytoplasmic microinjection of porcine zygotes is an alluring alternative. The porcine GGTA1 gene encodes for the α1,3‐galactosyltransferase that synthesizes the Gal epitopes on porcine cells which constitute the major antigen in a xenotransplantation setting. GGTA1‐KO pigs have successfully been produced by transfecting somatic cells with zinc‐finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator‐like effector nucleases (TALENs), or CRISPR/Cas targeting GGTA1, followed by SCNT.

Methods

Here, we microinjected a CRISPR/Cas9 vector coding for a single‐guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting exon 8 of the GGTA1 gene into the cytoplasm of 97 in vivo‐derived porcine zygotes and transferred 86 of the microinjected embryos into three hormonally synchronized recipients. Fetuses and piglets were analyzed by flow cytometry for remaining Gal epitopes. DNA was sequenced to detect mutations at the GGTA1 locus.

Results

Two of the recipients remained pregnant as determined by ultrasound scanning on day 25 of gestation. One pregnancy was terminated on day 26, and six healthy fetuses were recovered. The second pregnancy was allowed to go to term and resulted in the birth of six healthy piglets. Flow cytometry analysis revealed the absence of Gal epitopes in four of six fetuses (66%), indicating a biallelic KO of GGTA1. Additionally, three of the six live‐born piglets (50%) did not express Gal epitopes on their cell surface. Two fetuses and two piglets showed a mosaicism with a mixed population of Gal‐free and Gal‐expressing cells. Only a single piglet did not have any genomic modifications. Genomic sequencing revealed indel formation at the GGTA1 locus ranging from +17 bp to −20 bp.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas to generate genetic modifications in pigs by simplified technology, such as intracytoplasmic microinjection into zygotes, which would significantly facilitate the production of genetically modified pigs suitable for xenotransplantation. Importantly, this simplified injection protocol avoids the penetration of the vulnerable pronuclear membrane, and is thus compatible with higher survival rates of microinjected embryos, which in turn facilitates production of genetically modified piglets.
Stable isotope tracers and exercise physiology: past, present and future
Authors: Wilkinson Daniel J. , Brook Matthew S. , Smith Kenneth , Atherton Philip J.
Published: September 2016

Stable isotope tracers have been invaluable assets in physiological research for over 80 years. The application of substrate‐specific stable isotope tracers has permitted exquisite insight into amino acid, fatty‐acid and carbohydrate metabolic regulation (i.e. incorporation, flux, and oxidation, in a tissue‐specific and whole‐body fashion) in health, disease and response to acute and chronic exercise. Yet, despite many breakthroughs, there are limitations to ‘substrate‐specific’ stable isotope tracers, which limit physiological insight, e.g. the need for intravenous infusions and restriction to short‐term studies (hours) in controlled laboratory settings. In recent years significant interest has developed in alternative stable isotope tracer techniques that overcome these limitations, in particular deuterium oxide (D2O or heavy water). The unique properties of this tracer mean that through oral administration, the turnover and flux through a number of different substrates (muscle proteins, lipids, glucose, DNA (satellite cells)) can be monitored simultaneously and flexibly (hours/weeks/months) without the need for restrictive experimental control. This makes it uniquely suited for the study of ‘real world’ human exercise physiology (amongst many other applications). Moreover, using D2O permits evaluation of turnover of plasma and muscle proteins (e.g. dynamic proteomics) in addition to metabolomics (e.g. fluxomics) to seek molecular underpinnings, e.g. of exercise adaptation. Here, we provide insight into the role of stable isotope tracers, from substrate‐specific to novel D2O approaches, in facilitating our understanding of metabolism. Further novel potential applications of stable isotope tracers are also discussed in the context of integration with the snowballing field of ‘omic’ technologies.

image
Predicting Flashback Limits of a Gas Turbine Model Combustor Based on Velocity and Fuel Concentration for H2–Air Mixtures
Authors: Utschick Matthias , Eiringhaus Daniel , Köhler Christian , Sattelmayer Thomas
Published: September 2016

This study investigates the influence of the fuel injection strategy on safety against flashback in a gas turbine model combustor with premixing of H2–air mixtures. The flashback propensity is quantified and the flashback mechanism is identified experimentally. The A2EV swirler concept exhibits a hollow, thick-walled conical structure with four tangential slots. Four fuel injector geometries were tested. One of them injects the fuel orthogonal to the air flow in the slots (jet-in-crossflow injector (JICI)). Three injector types introduce the fuel almost isokinetic to the air flow at the trailing edge of the swirler slots (trailing edge injector (TEI)). Velocity and mixing fields in mixing zone and combustion chamber in isothermal water flow were measured with high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and high-speed laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The flashback limit was determined under atmospheric pressure for three air mass flows and 673 K preheat temperature for H2–air mixtures. Flashback mechanism and trajectory of the flame tip during flashback were identified with two stereoscopically oriented intensified high-speed cameras observing the OH* radiation. We notice flashback in the core flow due to combustion-induced vortex breakdown (CIVB) and turbulent flame propagation (TFP) near the wall dependent on the injector type. The flashback resistance (FBR) defined as the ratio between a characteristic flow speed and a characteristic flame speed measures the direction of propagation of a turbulent flame in the flow field. Although CIVB cannot be predicted solely based on the FBR, its distribution gives evidence for CIVB-prone states. The fuel should be injected preferably isokinetic to the air flow along the entire trailing edge in order to reduce the RMS fluctuation of velocity and fuel concentration. The characteristic velocity in the entire cross section of the combustion chamber inlet should be at least twice the characteristic flame speed. The position of the stagnation point should be tuned to be located in the combustion chamber by adjusting the axial momentum. Those measures lead to safe operation with highly reactive fuels at high equivalence ratios.
Coastal sound-field change due to typhoon-induced sediment warming
Authors: Yang Guang-Bing , Lü Lian-Gang , Wang Guan-Suo , Jiang Ying , Liu Zong-Wei , Yang Chun-Mei , Chen Zhao , Zhang Chao
Published: September 2016

Typhoon induced sediment warming has been proven important to coastal sound-field change in this study. It was observed that the temperature of the bottom waters off the coast of Qingdao increased by 5 °C after the passage of typhoon Damrey in 2012. Sediment warming due to bottom-water temperature increase was calculated and the change in sediment sound speed was estimated. Transmission loss (TL) was simulated both with and without consideration of the change in sediment sound speed induced by temperature variation and results showed TL change could be >10 dB within a distance of 16 km.
Amplitude modulation detection with concurrent frequency modulation
Authors: Nagaraj Naveen K.
Published: September 2016

Human speech consists of concomitant temporal modulations in amplitude and frequency that are crucial for speech perception. In this study, amplitude modulation (AM) detection thresholds were measured for 550 and 5000 Hz carriers with and without concurrent frequency modulation (FM), at AM rates crucial for speech perception. Results indicate that adding 40 Hz FM interferes with AM detection, more so for 5000 Hz carrier and for frequency deviations exceeding the critical bandwidth of the carrier frequency. These findings suggest that future cochlear implant processors, encoding speech fine-structures may consider limiting the FM to narrow bandwidth and to low frequencies.
A “Trojan horse” bispecific-antibody strategy for broad protection against ebolaviruses
Authors: Wec Anna Z. , Nyakatura Elisabeth K. , Herbert Andrew S. , Howell Katie A. , Holtsberg Frederick W. , Bakken Russell R. , Mittler Eva , Christin John R. , Shulenin Sergey , Jangra Rohit K. , Bharrhan Sushma , Kuehne Ana I. , Bornholdt Zachary A. , Flyak Andrew I. , Saphire Erica Ollmann , Crowe James E. , Aman M. Javad , Dye John M. , Lai Jonathan R. , Chandran Kartik
Published: September 2016

Treating Ebola with a Trojan horse

The recent major Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa high-lighted the need for effective therapeutics against this and other filoviruses. Neutralizing ebolaviruses with antibodies is a challenge because the viruses bind their entry receptor, NPC1, inside the cell within endosomes rather than on the cell surface. Furthermore, enzymes in endosomes cleave the Ebola virus surface glycoprotein (GP) to reveal its receptor binding site. Wec
et al.
now report a bispecific antibody strategy targeting all known ebolaviruses that overcomes this problem (see the Perspective by Labrijn and Parren). They coupled an antibody specific for a conserved, surface-exposed epitope of GP to antibodies that recognize either NPC1 or the NPC1 binding site on GP. Treating mice therapeutically with these antibodies allowed them to survive otherwise lethal ebolavirus infection.

Science
, this issue p.
350
; see also p.
284
An unexpected disruption of the atmospheric quasi-biennial oscillation
Authors: Osprey Scott M. , Butchart Neal , Knight Jeff R. , Scaife Adam A. , Hamilton Kevin , Anstey James A. , Schenzinger Verena , Zhang Chunxi
Published: September 2016

One of the most repeatable phenomena seen in the atmosphere, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) between prevailing eastward and westward wind jets in the equatorial stratosphere (approximately 16 to 50 kilometers altitude), was unexpectedly disrupted in February 2016. An unprecedented westward jet formed within the eastward phase in the lower stratosphere and cannot be accounted for by the standard QBO paradigm based on vertical momentum transport. Instead, the primary cause was waves transporting momentum from the Northern Hemisphere. Seasonal forecasts did not predict the disruption, but analogous QBO disruptions are seen very occasionally in some climate simulations. A return to more typical QBO behavior within the next year is forecast, although the possibility of more frequent occurrences of similar disruptions is projected for a warming climate.
Deterministic generation of a cluster state of entangled photons
Authors: Schwartz I. , Cogan D. , Schmidgall E. R. , Don Y. , Gantz L. , Kenneth O. , Lindner N. H. , Gershoni D.
Published: September 2016

Weaving an entangled cluster

Entanglement is a powerful resource for quantum computation and information processing. One requirement is the ability to entangle multiple particles reliably. Schwartz
et al.
created an on-demand entangled cluster state of several photons by addressing a quantum dot with a sequence of laser pulses (see the Perspective by Briegel). They used an internal state of the quantum dot, a dark exciton, and its association with another internal state, a biexciton, to weave successive photons into an entangled cluster, generating entanglement between up to five photons.

Science
, this issue p.
434
; see also p.
416
Complete Genome Sequence of a GII.17 Norovirus Isolated from a Rhesus Monkey in China
Authors: Liu Bo , Tao Yufen , Li Chao , Li Xintong , Liu Jiansheng , He Zhanlong , Xia Ming , Jiang Xi , Tan Ming , Liu Hongqi
Published: September 2016

The previously silent GII.17 norovirus was found to be the predominant genotype causing major epidemics in China in the 2014–2015 winter epidemic season. We report here the complete genomic sequence of a GII.17 norovirus (mky/GII.17/KM1509/CHN/2015) that infected rhesus monkeys at a monkey farm in southwestern China.
Complete Genome Sequence of Clostridium septicum Strain CSUR P1044, Isolated from the Human Gut Microbiota
Authors: Benamar Samia , Cassir Nadim , Caputo Aurélia , Cadoret Frédéric , La Scola Bernard
Published: September 2016

Clostridium septicum
is one of the first pathogenic anaerobes to be identified. Here, we announce the genome draft sequence of
C. septicum
strain CSUR P1044 isolated from the gut of a healthy adult. Its chromosome genome consists of 3.2 Mbp with a plasmid of 32 Kbp.
C. septicum
strain CSUR P1044 has a G+C content of 27.5%, and is composed of 3,125 protein-coding genes together with 103 RNA genes, including 22 rRNA genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of Two Rift Valley Fever Virus Strains Isolated from Outbreaks in Saudi Arabia (2000) and Kenya (2006 to 2007)
Authors: Shivanna Vinay , McDowell Chester , Wilson William C. , Richt Juergen A.
Published: September 2016

The complete genome sequence, including the untranslated regions, of two Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) strains isolated from mosquitoes that were collected from disease outbreaks in Saudi Arabia (2001) and Kenya (2006 to 2007) were sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology.
Draft Genome Sequence of Helicobacter suis Strain SNTW101, Isolated from a Japanese Patient with Nodular Gastritis
Authors: Matsui Hidenori , Takahashi Tetsufumi , Murayama Somay Y. , Uchiyama Ikuo , Yamaguchi Katsushi , Shigenobu Shuji , Suzuki Masato , Rimbara Emiko , Shibayama Keigo , Øverby Anders , Nakamura Masahiko
Published: September 2016

We present here the draft whole-genome shotgun sequence of an uncultivated strain SNTW101 of
Helicobacter suis
, which has been maintained in the stomachs of mice. This strain was originally isolated from gastric biopsy specimens of a urea breath test-negative Japanese patient suffering from nodular gastritis.
Draft Genome Sequences of Three Northern German Epidemic Staphylococcus aureus (ST247) Strains Containing Multiple Copies of IS
256
Authors: Kleinert Franziska , Kallies René , Zweynert Annegret , Bierbaum Gabriele
Published: September 2016

We report the draft genome sequences of three multiresistant
Staphylococcus aureus
strains of sequence type 247 (ST247). The methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) SA1450/94 is vancomycin susceptible, while the clinical MRSA isolate
S. aureus
SA137/93A and its spontaneous laboratory mutant SA137/93G are characterized by intermediate vancomycin susceptibility.
Draft Genome Sequence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Strain NB8
Authors: Weng Xing-bei , Mi Zu-huang , Wang Chun-xin , Zhu Jian-ming
Published: September 2016

Escherichia coli
NB8 is a clinical pyelonephritis isolate. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of uropathogenic
E. coli
NB8, which contains drug resistance genes encoding resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, quinolones, macrolides, colistin, sulfonamide-trimethoprim, and tetracycline. NB8 infects the kidney and bladder, making it an important tool for studying
E. coli
pathogenesis.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Attenuated Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strain T1
Authors: Almeida Sintia , Loureiro Dan , Portela Ricardo W. , Mariano Diego C. B. , Sousa Thiago J. , Pereira Felipe L. , Dorella Fernanda A. , Carvalho Alex F. , Moura-Costa Lilia F. , Leal Carlos A. G. , Figueiredo Henrique C. , Meyer Roberto , Azevedo Vasco
Published: September 2016

We present here the genome sequence of the attenuated
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
strain T1. The sequencing was performed with an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine platform. The genome is a circular chromosome of 2,337,201 bp, with a G+C content of 52.85% and a total of 2,125 coding sequences (CDSs), 12 rRNAs, 49 tRNAs, and 24 pseudogenes.
Draft Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica
Serovar Blockley Strain CRJJGF_00147 (Phylum
Gammaproteobacteria
)
Authors: Gupta Sushim K. , McMillan Elizabeth A. , Jackson Charlene R. , Desai Prerak T. , Porwollik Steffen , McClelland Michael , Hiott Lari M. , Humayoun Shaheen B. , Frye Jonathan G.
Published: September 2016

Here, we report a 4.72-Mbp draft genome sequence of
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Blockley strain CRJJGF_00147, isolated from chicken rinse in 2009.
Prevalence of obesity and affecting factors in physically disabled adults living in the city centre of Malatya
Authors: Bozkir Çiğdem , Özer Ali , Pehlivan Erkan
Published: September 2016

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of obesity, and the risk factors associated with it, in physically disabled adults living in the city centre of Malatya, Turkey.

Method

This research was designed as a cross-sectional study conducted on physically disabled people aged 20–65 years living in the city centre of Malatya. The prevalence of obesity in disabled people was within 95% CIs, the power was calculated as 80%, and the sample size of our population was calculated as 258 individuals.

Results

The prevalence of obesity was found to be 13.2%. The relationship between disability type and obesity status was found to be significant. The prevalence of obesity was 21.3% in visually impaired people, 17.9% in speech-impaired people, 17.8% in hearing-impaired people and 6.5% in orthopaedically disabled people.

Conclusions

Educational interventions on nutrition and lifestyle can be effective considering the high prevalence of obesity in visually impaired people, the prevalence of weakness in orthopaedically disabled people and the risk related to the area in which body fat is localised even when body mass index is within the normal range. Training disabled people in sports appropriate to their disability type and building appropriate facilities for those sports might have a positive effect.
Multivariable fractional polynomial interaction to investigate continuous effect modifiers in a meta-analysis on higher versus lower PEEP for patients with ARDS
Authors: Kasenda Benjamin , Sauerbrei Willi , Royston Patrick , Mercat Alain , Slutsky Arthur S , Cook Deborah , Guyatt Gordon H , Brochard Laurent , Richard Jean-Christophe M , Stewart Thomas E , Meade Maureen , Briel Matthias
Published: September 2016

Objectives

A recent individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis suggested that patients with moderate or severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) benefit from higher positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation strategies. However, thresholds for continuous variables (eg, hypoxaemia) are often arbitrary and linearity assumptions in regression approaches may not hold; the multivariable fractional polynomial interaction (MFPI) approach can address both problems. The objective of this study was to apply the MFPI approach to investigate interactions between four continuous patient baseline variables and higher versus lower PEEP on clinical outcomes.

Setting

Pooled data from three randomised trials in intensive care identified by a systematic review.

Participants

2299 patients with acute lung injury requiring mechanical ventilation.

Interventions

Higher (N=1136) versus lower PEEP (N=1163) ventilation strategy.

Outcome measures

Prespecified outcomes included mortality, time to death and time-to-unassisted breathing. We examined the following continuous baseline characteristics as potential effect modifiers using MFPI: PaO2/FiO2(arterial partial oxygen pressure/ fraction of inspired oxygen), oxygenation index, respiratory system compliance (tidal volume/(inspiratory plateau pressure−PEEP)) and body mass index (BMI).

Results

We found that for patients with PaO2/FiO2below 150 mm Hg, but above 100 mm Hg or an oxygenation index above 12 (moderate ARDS), higher PEEP reduces hospital mortality, but the beneficial effect appears to level off for patients with very severe ARDS. Patients with mild ARDS (PaO2/FiO2above 200 mm Hg or an oxygenation index below 10) do not seem to benefit from higher PEEP and might even be harmed. For patients with a respiratory system compliance above 40 mL/cm H2O or patients with a BMI above 35 kg/m2, we found a trend towards reduced mortality with higher PEEP, but there is very weak statistical confidence in these findings.

Conclusions

MFPI analyses suggest a nonlinear effect modification of higher PEEP ventilation by PaO2/FiO2and oxygenation index with reduced mortality for some patients suffering from moderate ARDS.

Study registration number

CRD42012003129.
Understanding negative feedback from South Asian patients: an experimental vignette study
Authors: Burt Jenni , Abel Gary , Elmore Natasha , Lloyd Cathy , Benson John , Sarson Lara , Carluccio Anna , Campbell John , Elliott Marc N , Roland Martin
Published: September 2016

Objectives

In many countries, minority ethnic groups report poorer care in patient surveys. This could be because they get worse care or because they respond differently to such surveys. We conducted an experiment to determine whether South Asian people in England rate simulated GP consultations the same or differently from White British people. If these groups rate consultations similarly when viewing identical simulated consultations, it would be more likely that the lower scores reported by minority ethnic groups in real surveys reflect real differences in quality of care.

Design

Experimental vignette study. Trained fieldworkers completed computer-assisted personal interviews during which participants rated 3 video recordings of simulated GP–patient consultations, using 5 communication items from the English GP Patient Survey. Consultations were shown in a random order, selected from a pool of 16.

Setting

Geographically confined areas of ∼130 households (output areas) in England, selected using proportional systematic sampling.

Participants

564 White British and 564 Pakistani adults recruited using an in-home face-to-face approach.

Main outcome measure

Mean differences in communication score (on a scale of 0–100) between White British and Pakistani participants, estimated from linear regression.

Results

Pakistani participants, on average, scored consultations 9.8 points higher than White British participants (95% CI 8.0 to 11.7, p<0.001) when viewing the same consultations. When adjusted for age, gender, deprivation, self-rated health and video, the difference increased to 11.0 points (95% CI 8.5 to 13.6, p<0.001). The largest differences were seen when participants were older (>55) and where communication was scripted to be poor.

Conclusions

Substantial differences in ratings were found between groups, with Pakistani respondents giving higher scores than White British respondents to videos showing the same care. Our findings suggest that the lower scores reported by Pakistani patients in national surveys represent genuinely worse experiences of communication compared to the White British majority.
Long-term health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption: a prospective cohort study in 2010 and 2013
Authors: Hlodversdottir Heidrun , Petursdottir Gudrun , Carlsen Hanne Krage , Gislason Thorarinn , Hauksdottir Arna
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To examine the long-term development of physical and mental health following exposure to a volcanic eruption.

Design

Population-based prospective cohort study.

Setting

In spring 2010, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted. Data were collected at 2 time points: in 2010 and 2013.

Participants

Adult residents in areas close to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (N=1096), divided according to exposure levels, and a non-exposed sample (n=475), with 80% participation rate in 2013.

Main outcome measures

Physical symptoms in the previous year (chronic) and previous month (recent), and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12-item version, GHQ-12), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-4) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (Primary Care PTSD, PC-PTSD).

Results

In the exposed group, certain symptoms were higher in 2013 than in 2010, for example, morning phlegm during winter (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.49 to 3.06), skin rash/eczema (OR 2.86; 95% CI 1.76 to 4.65), back pain (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.05) and insomnia (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.30), in addition to a higher prevalence of regular use of certain medications (eg, for asthma (OR 2.80; 95% CI 1.01 to 7.77)). PTSD symptoms decreased between 2010 and 2013 (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.61), while the prevalence of psychological distress and perceived stress remained similar. In 2013, the exposed group showed a higher prevalence of various respiratory symptoms than did the non-exposed group, such as wheezing without a cold (high exposure OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.27 to 4.47) and phlegm (high exposure OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.48 to 5.55), some symptoms reflecting the degree of exposure (eg, nocturnal chest tightness (medium exposed OR 3.09; 95% CI 1.21 to 10.46; high exposed OR 3.42; 95% CI 1.30 to 11.79)).

Conclusions

The findings indicate that people exposed to a volcanic eruption, especially those most exposed, exhibit increased risk of certain symptoms 3–4 years after the eruption.
Efficacy and safety ofPostoperativeIntravenousParecoxib sodiumFollowed byORalCElecoxib (PIPFORCE) post-total knee arthroplasty in patients with osteoarthritis: a study protocol for a multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group trial
Authors: Zhuang Qianyu , Bian Yanyan , Wang Wei , Jiang Jingmei , Feng Bin , Sun Tiezheng , Lin Jianhao , Zhang Miaofeng , Yan Shigui , Shen Bin , Pei Fuxing , Weng Xisheng
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been regarded as a most painful orthopaedic surgery. Although many surgeons sequentially use parecoxib and celecoxib as a routine strategy for postoperative pain control after TKA, high quality evidence is still lacking to prove the effect of this sequential regimen, especially at the medium-term follow-up. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to evaluate efficacy and safety of postoperative intravenous parecoxib sodium followed by oral celecoxib in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing TKA. The hypothesis is that compared to placebo with opioids as rescue treatment, sequential use of parecoxib and celecoxib can achieve less morphine consumption over the postoperative 2 weeks, as well as better pain control, quicker functional recovery in the postoperative 6 weeks and less opioid-related adverse events during the 12-week recovery phase.

Methods and analysis

This study is designed as a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group and placebo-controlled trial. The target sample size is 246. All participants who meet the study inclusion and exclusion criteria will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the parecoxib/celecoxib group or placebo group. The randomisation and allocation will be study site based. The study will consist of three phases: an initial screening phase; a 6-week double-blind treatment phase; and a 6-week follow-up phase. The primary end point is cumulative opioid consumption during 2 weeks postoperation. Secondary end points consist of the postoperative visual analogue scale score, knee joint function, quality of life, local skin temperature, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, cytokines and blood coagulation parameters. Safety end points will be monitored too.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval for this study has been obtained from the Ethics Committee, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China (Protocol number: S-572) Study results will be available as published manuscripts and presentations at national and international meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT02198924.
Associations between sitting time and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases in Chinese male workers: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wei Huili , Qu Hua , Wang Hang , Deng Huacong
Published: September 2016

Objectives

Various studies have revealed a close association between sedentary behaviour and metabolic diseases, yet the association between sedentary time and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between sitting time and NAFLD in a Chinese male population and explored its underlying mechanism.

Study design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Chongqing, China.

Participants

Our study included 2054 male participants; all of the participants were of Han nationality.

Primary outcome measures

Sitting time was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire concerning the time devoted to sitting behaviour. Various clinical and demographic biomarkers were measured. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the ORs and the 95% CIs between sitting time and NAFLD.

Results

We found a higher proportion of NAFLD across the tertiles of sitting time (p trend=0.003). Multivariate linear regression analyses showed sitting time independently correlated with homoeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, body mass index, triglyceride and the high-sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP) (all p<0.05). Further logistic regression analyses showed that longer sitting time (>7.1 hours/day) was associated with a higher prevalence of NAFLD (OR 1.09; 95% CI (1.04 to 1.67)) after adjusting for confounders. However, this association was insignificant after further adjusting for hsCRP (OR 1.03; 95% CI (0.92 to 1.84)).

Conclusions

Sitting time was positively associated with the prevalence of NAFLD, and this association might be affected by inflammation.
Cost-efficiency of specialist hyperacute in-patient rehabilitation services for medically unstable patients with complex rehabilitation needs: a prospective cohort analysis
Authors: Turner-Stokes Lynne , Bavikatte Ganesh , Williams Heather , Bill Alan , Sephton Keith
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To evaluate functional outcomes, care needs and cost-efficiency of hyperacute (HA) rehabilitation for a cohort of in-patients with complex neurological disability and unstable medical/surgical conditions.

Design

A multicentre cohort analysis of prospectively collected clinical data from the UK Rehabilitation Outcomes Collaborative (UKROC) national clinical database, 2012–2015.

Setting

Two HA specialist rehabilitation services in England, providing different service models for HA rehabilitation.

Participants

All patients admitted to each of the units with an admission rehabilitation complexity M score of ≥3 (N=190; mean age 46 (SD16) years; males:females 63:37%). Diagnoses were acquired brain injury (n=166; 87%), spinal cord injury (n=9; 5%), peripheral neurological conditions (n=9; 5%) and other (n=6; 3%).

Intervention

Specialist in-patient multidisciplinary rehabilitation combined with management and stabilisation of intercurrent medical and surgical problems.

Outcome measures

Rehabilitation complexity and medical acuity: Rehabilitation Complexity Scale—version 13. Dependency and care costs: Northwick Park Dependency Scale/Care Needs Assessment (NPDS/NPCNA). Functional independence: UK Functional Assessment Measure (UK FIM+FAM). Primary outcomes: (1) reduction in dependency and (2) cost-efficiency, measured as the time taken to offset rehabilitation costs by savings in NPCNA-estimated costs of on-going care in the community.

Results

The mean length of stay was 103 (SD66) days. Some differences were observed between the two units, which were in keeping with the different service models. However, both units showed a significant reduction in dependency and acuity between admission and discharge on all measures (Wilcoxon: p<0.001). For the 180 (95%) patients with complete NPCNA data, the mean episode cost was £77 119 (bootstrapped 95% CI £70 614 to £83 894) and the mean reduction in ‘weekly care costs’ was £462/week (95% CI 349 to 582). The mean time to offset the cost of rehabilitation was 27.6 months (95% CI 13.2 to 43.8).

Conclusions

Despite its relatively high initial cost, specialist HA rehabilitation can be highly cost-efficient, producing substantial savings in on-going care costs, and relieving pressure in the acute care services.