bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital Divides
Authors: Hartnett Maggie
Published: August 2019

The term “digital divide” emerged in the 1990s in the United States to describe observed inequalities of access, initially, to computers and later to the Internet, information, and other digital technologies. Originally defined as the gap between those who have physical access to technology and those who do not, over time a more nuanced picture of the digital divide has emerged. Other factors such as motivation to use and technology skills, intention to use, and social support available vary among populations and are collectively referred to as the second-level divide. Recently, a third-level divide related to outcomes of using the Internet has emerged. A variety of sociodemographic factors have been identified across a multitude of national and cross-national studies that determine which groups are more likely to be on the wrong side of the access, use, and outcomes divides. These sociodemographic factors include: age, income, education, employment status, and geographical location (i.e., urban/rural). Other terms such as digital inclusion/exclusion and digital capital are increasingly used to highlight how sociodemographic factors related to digitally disadvantaged groups tend to reflect existing societal inequities. Over the two decades in which research about the digital divide has been undertaken, studies have shown that the divide is narrowing in terms of access but deepening, when considering use and outcomes of use, in countries where availability of digital technologies is near ubiquitous. Research in the last decade or so has identified various user groups whose characteristics sit on a spectrum from non-use to expert use. Digital divide theories are also emerging and large datasets across multiple countries are now being used to test such theories. It is also evident from recent research that the digital divide is not a static entity but is changing as a result of increasing use of digital devices, complexities of use, and socio-contextual factors. Research focused on initiatives that attempt to address digital divide issues demonstrates that there is no “one size fits all” solution and governments, in particular, play a central role in ensuring that technology infrastructure investment and development occurs to ensure the benefits of technological use are spread throughout society.
Metathesis
Authors: Hume Beth , Seyfarth Scott
Published: August 2019

Metathesis is a term used in linguistics to describe a language pattern where a sequence of two sounds occurs in one order in one context and in the opposite order in a related context. For example, a word might have two sounds in one order in its singular form but the opposite order in its plural form; or the relative ordering of two sounds within a word form might change over the history of a language; or a speaker might swap two sounds when speaking quickly. The literature on metathesis dates back at least a century and covers topics concerning its origin, typology, Conditioning Factors, and theoretical status, among others. This bibliography provides a broad overview of the research carried out on the topic. It should be noted, however, that the literature on metathesis is not as expansive as, for example, that of processes such as assimilation or deletion. One reason for this is because metathesis does not occur as pervasively across languages and, as a result, it has been given less attention than other more common processes. This has resulted in the status of metathesis as a regular process being questioned, as discussed in the articles listed under Regularity of Metathesis. While links between metathesis and speech errors have sometimes been assumed (Metathesis and Speech Errors), most work on metathesis focuses on more regular phonological or morphological patterns (Morphological Metathesis), and among these, on metathesis involving a consonant and vowel or two consonants (though see Uncommon Metathesis Patterns). There are several informative works on cross-linguistic patterns of metathesis (see Typological Studies) as well as in-depth studies of metathesis in particular languages (see Language Case Studies). The literature is generally divided as to whether metathesis is analyzed as a synchronic process (see Theoretical Phonology Approaches), or as sound change (see Historical Approaches). In addition to theoretical and descriptive studies, metathesis has been examined to a lesser extent from psycholinguistic and computational perspectives (see Psycholinguistic Approaches, Computational Approaches) and also in terms of first and second language learning (see Language Acquisition). Most articles contain information on the factors conditioning metathesis (see Phonetic and Phonological, Sociolinguistic, and Statistical) which has provided insight into its nature, and has revealed that most of the factors conditioning metathesis are the same as those involved in more common processes (see Conditioning Factors). The authors wish to thank Kylie Fitzgerald for her assistance with this project.
Workplace Coaching
Authors: Passmore Jonathan , van Nieuwerburgh Christian , Barr Margaret
Published: August 2019

Workplace coaching is an organizational intervention that is designed to support and enhance individual and organizational performance. This article deals with workplace coaching, not life coaching, personal coaching, or sports coaching, although some publications cited may also have relevance for life coaching, personal coaching, or sports coaching. Workplace coaching is a relatively new field, with most of the research being conducted since 1995 – although a few earlier studies date as far back as 1937, when C. B. Gorby published “Everyone Gets a Share of the Profits” (Gorby 1937, cited under History and Trends in Workplace Coaching). Coaching is now widely used in organizations in a variety of different ways to achieve a range of different outcomes. The term is increasingly being applied to situations and environments that range from leadership development and career transition to supporting health-care interventions and improving safety outcomes. This diversity has led to confusion about the nature of coaching and its boundaries and, arguably, misunderstanding and misuse. Among academics and practitioners, opinions differ about the definition of coaching. Two definitions are offered to help clarify the terminology. In Coaching for Performance: GROWing People, Performance and Purpose (Whitmore 2017, cited under Coaching Practice and Skills), John Whitmore suggests that: “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them” (p. 8). He notes that “the dual generic goals of coaching are to deepen a person’s self-awareness and to increase the individual’s personal responsibility” (pp. 70–88). Jonathan Passmore and Annette Fillery-Travis in Passmore and Fillery-Travis 2011 (cited under History and Trends in Workplace Coaching) offer a technical definition of coaching: “a Socratic-based, future-focused dialogue between a facilitator (coach) and a participant (coachee/client), where the facilitator uses open questions, summaries and reflections which are aimed at stimulating the self-awareness and personal responsibility of the participant” (p. 74). This article will be of use to academics, researchers, practitioners, and students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in addition to students in high school.
Automobility
Authors: Golub Aaron
Published: August 2019

Automobility is a conceptual framework developed to understand the personal, social, political, cultural, geographical, and technical systems shaping, and shaped by, the automobile. At its core, the automobility system is the hub of numerous interdependencies and relationships between the larger society and the automobile. The automobility literature synthesizes scholarship from a wide range of fields necessary to understand these diverse but interlocking systems, including history, geography, public policy, planning, behavior, psychology, anthropology, culture and communication, and economics and finance, among many others. Automobility contextualizes the role of the automobile as a powerful and central driver of complex and diverse processes, creating new materialities across space and time. Automobility describes a social arrangement where the automobile system dominates and transforms almost everything in its path—one’s personal sense of self, identity, and mobility; relationships between human beings; the boundaries of public and private; and the broader social, cultural, and political forces at larger scales. Systems affected by the automobililty system become malformed by it, each moment then favoring it even more in a vicious cycle, while rejecting or destroying those systems incompatible with it. Automobility explores a society dispersed across space and time, forcing its subjects into a particular mode of being, seemingly free, but now saddled by the various demands of the automobile. For those not able to participate, automobility excludes, as opportunities become even more inaccessible by anything other than an automobile. These forces of inclusion and exclusion exacerbate existing social processes of discrimination, such as gender, racial and class divisions, and segregation. Furthermore, automobility implicates a vast process of urbanization; land conversion for automobile-related uses; and related environmental impacts like resource consumption, pollution, and climate change across a range of scales from the local to the global, from immediate to long-term.
Metabolic Control within the Jasmonate Biochemical Pathway
Authors: Heitz Thierry , Smirnova Ekaterina , Marquis Valentin , Poirier Laure
Published: August 2019

Regulation of defense and developmental responses by jasmonates (JAs) has been intensively investigated at genetic and transcriptional levels. Plasticity in the jasmonic acid (JA) metabolic pathway as a means to control signal output has received less attention. Although the amplitude of JA responses generally follows the accumulation dynamics of the active hormone jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile), emerging evidence has identified cases where this relationship is distorted and that we discuss in this review. JA-Ile is turned over in Arabidopsis by two inducible, intertwined catabolic pathways; one is oxidative and mediated by cytochrome P450 enzymes of the subfamily 94 (CYP94), and the other proceeds via deconjugation by amidohydrolases. Their genetic inactivation has profound effects on JAs homeostasis, including strong JA-Ile overaccumulation, but this correlates with enhanced defense and tolerance to microbial or insect attacks only in the absence of overinduction of negative signaling regulators. By contrast, the impairment of JA oxidation in the jasmonic acid oxidase 2 (jao2) mutant turns on constitutive defense responses without elevating JA-Ile levels in naive leaves and enhances resistance to subsequent biotic stress. This latter and other recent cases of JA signaling are associated with JA-Ile catabolites accumulation rather than more abundant hormone, reflecting increased metabolic flux through the pathway. Therefore, manipulating upstream and downstream JA-Ile homeostatic steps reveals distinct metabolic nodes controlling defense signaling output.
Cardiovascular complications and its relationship with functional outcomes in Guillain–Barré syndrome
Authors: Gupta S , Verma R , Sethi R , Garg R K , Malhotra H S , Sharma P K , Rizvi I , Uniyal R
Published: August 2019

Background

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a monophasic disease characterized by acute polyradiculoneuropathy.

Aim

This study investigated cardiovascular complications in patients with GBS and their relationship with outcomes.

Design and methods

We included 96 patients, who were diagnosed with GBS according to Brighton case definitions. All enrolled patients were evaluated according to a predetermined algorithm, which included nerve conduction studies, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, electrocardiography, 2D echo, cardiac markers and autonomic function testing.

Results

We enrolled a total of 96 patients. The mean age of patients was 35.75 ± 17.66 years. Furthermore, 54.2% of patients developed cardiovascular complications, of which changes in electrocardiography (ECG) findings (50%), hypertension (28.12%), labile hypertension (12.5), tachycardia (26.04), bradycardia (13.54%) and a fluctuating heart rate (HR) (11.46) were common. Other cardiovascular complications seen in GBS patients were increased pro-BNP (26.04%), raised troponin T levels (3.12%), acute coronary syndrome (2.08%), heart failure (2.08%) and abnormal 2D echo findings (8.33%). The results of the univariate analysis revealed that a history of preceding infection, a Medical Research Council sum score, neck muscle weakness, facial nerve involvement, bulbar involvement, respiratory failure, cardiovascular complications, autonomic dysfunction, acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy subtype and baseline Hughes score were significantly (P < 0.005) associated with poor outcomes. However, none of these factors were found to be independently associated with poor outcomes in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

A considerable number of patients with GBS developed cardiovascular complications and it needs attention.
Training and delivery of a novel fatigue intervention: a qualitative study of rheumatology health-care professionals’ experiences
Authors: Dures Emma , Rooke Clive , Hammond Alison , Hewlett Sarah
Published: August 2019

Objectives

Successful, non-pharmacological research interventions are challenging to implement in clinical practice. The aim of the study was to understand the experiences of rheumatology nurses and occupational therapists (tutors) delivering a novel fatigue intervention in a trial setting, and their views on requirements for clinical implementation. After training, tutors delivered courses of a manualized group cognitive-behavioural intervention to patients with RA in a seven-centre randomized controlled trial [Reducing Arthritis Fatigue by clinical Teams using cognitive-behavioural approaches (RAFT)], which demonstrated reduced fatigue impact at 2 years.

Methods

Fourteen tutors participated in interviews, and eight tutors also participated in a focus group. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

The following five main themes were identified: ‘exciting but daunting’ reflected the mixture of excitement and anxiety in intervention training and delivery; ‘skills practice and demonstrations were essential’ captured the value of learning and practising together, even though the process could be uncomfortable; ‘an individual approach to a standardized intervention’ showed how tutors negotiated adherence to the manual with delivery using their own words; ‘becoming a better practitioner’ described how participation enhanced tutors’ wider clinical practice; and ‘pragmatic and flexible’ highlighted practical adaptations to facilitate training and intervention roll out.

Conclusion

These insights inform strategies for clinical implementation of an evidence-based intervention that addresses a patient priority, with implications for other successful research interventions. Tutors believed that the skills acquired during RAFT enhanced their wider clinical practice, which highlights the benefits of upskilling members of clinical teams to provide self-management support to patients.
The Otiose Labour of William Darker: Some Light on Ambiguous Strokes in Fifteenth- to Sixteenth-Century English Manuscripts
Authors: Adair Anya
Published: August 2019

An otiose stroke in scribal practice is a mark whose linguistic signification is obscure—yet such strokes abound as calligraphic additions to certain letters in English manuscripts of the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. This article seeks an explanation for the deployment of certain apparently otiose strokes, whose careful and persistent execution suggests a deliberate purpose in deployment. The vernacular production of the Carthusian scribe William Darker (working c.1481–1512) is chosen as an exemplum, and four common strokes in his work whose function is deemed ambiguous are examined in detail. Statistical and contextual analysis of the deployment of these strokes reveals semantic behaviours and patterns of use that suggest the marks had significant meaning for the scribe: though they do not necessarily function as abbreviations, they appear to bear linguistic meaning, and act with some consistency as signals of vowel length, pronunciation, and morphology. While these ‘otiose’ strokes remain resistant to full explication, the patterns here uncovered suggest a scribal intention to encode linguistic information via the conscious placement of calligraphic marks.
Chronic Hexavalent Chromium Exposure Induces Cancer Stem Cell-Like Property and Tumorigenesis by Increasing c-Myc Expression
Authors: Wang Zhishan , Lin Hsuan-Pei , Li Yunfei , Tao Hua , Yang Ping , Xie Jie , Maddy Drew , Kondo Kazuya , Yang Chengfeng
Published: August 2019

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is one of the most common environmental carcinogen causing lung cancer in humans; however, the mechanism of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis remains elusive. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered as cancer initiating and maintaining cells. Ours and other recent studies showed that chronic Cr(VI) exposure induces CSC-like property representing an important mechanism of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis. However, how Cr(VI) exposure induces CSC-like property remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that stably knocking down the expression of c-Myc, a proto-oncogene and one of key stemness factors playing critical roles in cancer initiation and progression, in Cr(VI)-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells [BEAS-2B-Cr(VI)] significantly decreased their CSC-like property and tumorigenicity in mice. Moreover, stably knocking down c-Myc expression in parental nontransformed BEAS-2B cells significantly impaired the capability of chronic Cr(VI) exposure to induce CSC-like property and cell transformation. It was also found that stably overexpressing c-Myc alone in parental nontransformed BEAS-2B cells is capable of causing CSC-like property and cell transformation. Mechanistic studies showed that chronic Cr(VI) exposure increases c-Myc expression by down-regulating the level of microRNA-494 (miR-494). It was further determined that overexpressing miR-494 significantly reduces Cr(VI)-induced CSC-like property, cell transformation, and tumorigenesis mainly through down-regulating c-Myc expression. Together, these findings indicate that chronic low dose Cr(VI) exposure induces CSC-like property and tumorigenesis by increasing c-Myc expression through down-regulating the level of miR-494, revealing an important role of the proto-oncogene c-Myc in Cr(VI) carcinogenesis.
Hypothenar hammer syndrome
Authors: Finke-Fyffe Sarah , Regan Jeanne , Golan John
Published: August 2019

Hypothenar hammer syndrome affects less than 1% of the population, but if the diagnosis is delayed, digital gangrene and critical ischemia can ensue. The condition is caused by injury to the ulnar artery at the level of the hook of hamate when the palm of the hand is repetitively used as a hammer. Injury includes segmental occlusion of the ulnar artery and aneurysmal formation with or without occlusion. Patients with hypothenar hammer syndrome often present with symptoms of secondary Raynaud syndrome; if Raynaud is unilateral, a vascular origin should be suspected and ruled out. Treatment options for hypothenar hammer syndrome include conservative treatment measures, fibrinolysis, or surgical resection and repair, and depend on the specific injury and timing of diagnosis.
Sports Specialization Is Not Associated With Greater Odds of Previous Injury in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Frome David , Rychlik Karen , Fokas Jennifer , Chiampas George , Jayanthi Neeru , LaBella Cynthia
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To determine the relationship between sport specialization and previous injury in elite male youth soccer players.

Design:

Retrospective survey.

Setting:

U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Participants:

Male youth soccer players (N = 2123).

Assessment of Risk Factors:

Sport specialization, weekly training volume, training ratio, and age.

Main Outcome Measures:

Previous sports-related injury, injury type (traumatic vs overuse), injury severity, and injury location.

Results:

Of 2099 participants (average age 13.2 ± 1.8 years), 61.7% were specialized in soccer (played soccer >8 mo/yr and no other sports) and 38.3% were nonspecialized (played soccer >8 mo/yr and also played other organized sports). Specialized athletes were older than nonspecialized athletes (13.7 ± 1.9 vs 12.5 ± 1.4, P < 0.0001). Thirty-three percent (690/2099) of athletes reported at least one previous sports-related injury for a total of 765 traumatic injuries and 25 overuse injuries. Distribution of injury type was similar for specialized and nonspecialized athletes. Among athletes with overuse injuries, nonspecialized athletes were more likely to report upper-extremity and trunk overuse injuries than specialized athletes. After accounting for age and weekly training volume, specialized athletes had decreased odds of reporting any previous injury compared with nonspecialized athletes [odds ratio (OR), 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.64-0.95], and similar odds of reporting a previous lower-extremity (LE) overuse injury as nonspecialized athletes (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56-1.1). However, specialized athletes missed more practices due to injury than nonspecialized players [median = 3, interquartile range (IQR) 2-4 vs median = 2, IQR 2-4, P = 0.0003].

Conclusions:

In this national sample of elite, male youth soccer players, after accounting for age and weekly training volume, specialized athletes had decreased odds of reporting any previous injury and similar odds of reporting a previous LE overuse injury as nonspecialized athletes. These data suggest the need for further research to determine whether injury risk related to sports specialization depends on sex, chosen sport, and skill/competitive level.
Factors Affecting Recovery Trajectories in Pediatric Female Concussion
Authors: Desai Natasha , Wiebe Douglas J. , Corwin Daniel J. , Lockyer Julia E. , Grady Matthew F. , Master Christina L.
Published: August 2019

Objective:

Up to one-third of children with concussion have persistent postconcussion symptoms lasting beyond 4 weeks. Females have been shown to have prolonged concussion recovery compared with males. This study examined characteristics in pediatric athletes with concussion to investigate the underlying factors that may contribute to this difference and their relation to recovery trajectories in females compared with males.

Design:

A retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients with sports-related concussion (SRC).

Setting:

A subspecialty pediatric concussion program.

Subjects:

One hundred ninety-two records were reviewed, 75 females and 117 males, ages 7 to 18 years old.

Assessment of Risk Factors:

Sex of patient, time to presentation to specialty care after injury, presence of vision, and vestibular deficits on initial clinical examination.

Main Outcome Measures:

The main outcome of interest was time to clinical recovery, defined by resolution of symptoms, recovery of physical examination deficits, including vision and vestibular examination, recovery of neurocognitive function, and return to school, exercise, and sport.

Results:

Pediatric females, on average, presented later to specialty care for evaluation after SRC than males. Females also took longer to recover on 5 markers of recovery: time to return to school without accommodations, time to return to noncontact exercise, time to return to full sport, time to recovery of neurocognitive function on computerized testing, and time to clinical recovery of vision and vestibular deficits on examination including smooth pursuits, saccades, gaze stability, near point of convergence, and balance. These sex-based differences in recovery disappeared when controlling for time to presentation to specialty care.

Conclusions:

In this cohort of pediatric patients, ages 7 to 18 years old with SRC, females took longer to recover than males. Our results indicate, however, that a modifiable extrinsic factor, time to presentation to specialty care, may contribute to this difference in recovery between the sexes.
Implementation of Safety Standards for Youth Sports Leagues: The “Safe Stars” Example in Tennessee
Authors: Diamond Alex B. , Dickinson Rebecca , Fiscus Michelle D. , Heitmann Rachel , Radman Meghan
Published: August 2019

Objective:

Discuss the implementation of the nation's first statewide standardized youth sports safety program and review the current culture and status of youth sports which led to its development.

Design:

Descriptive.

Setting:

State of Tennessee.

Interventions:

The “Safe Stars” Initiative.

Main Outcome Measures:

Provide a summary of the process of devising, developing, and deploying a set of evidence-based and best practice criteria to improve the health, safety, and well-being of youth athletes.

Conclusions:

Safe Stars provides a structured opportunity for every child to play sports and develop successful habits and skills for life while safely doing so. We intend for this to serve as a roadmap for others to adopt and institute a statewide philosophy that emphasizes the importance of a safe, positive, and high-quality experience for children while holding their respective youth sports communities accountable for its achievement. Currently, very few leagues meet the recommended minimum standards of safety. Continued advancement of strategic partnerships as well as research into the program's impact on sports participation, health, and safety will be some of the critical next steps in realizing the full value of this program.
State-of-the-art methods in clinical intracochlear drug delivery
Authors: Chin Oliver Y. , Diaz Rodney C.
Published: August 2019

Purpose of review

Increasing awareness and prevalence of disorders in hearing and balance have placed emphasis on treatment strategies. With the rapid evolution in molecular, gene, and nanotechnology, alternate delivery methods have advanced intracochlear drug delivery. This review aims to raise awareness of recent developments in technologies to augment current clinical practices.

Recent findings

Intracochlear drug delivery research has expanded with the familiarity and accessibility to cochlear implantation. Various therapeutics are closely studied for both safety and efficacy as well as biologic effect. Agents including neurotrophins, antiapoptotics, cell therapy, gene therapy, and anti-inflammatory drugs are on the forefront of preclinical research. Cochlear implant electrode modification and drug administration at the time of implantation is a major focus of research. Improvements in study design have focused on overcoming barriers including elucidating the role of the blood–perilymph barrier.

Inner ear drug delivery methods include systemic, intratympanic, and intracochlear administration. Therapeutic technologies aim to overcome delivery barriers and to improve overall biologic effect while minimizing toxicity. Precision of drug application through intratympanic and intracochlear administration with minimal trauma is the future of inner ear drug development.
Prophylactic Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces to Prevent Postamputation Pain
Authors: Kubiak Carrie A. , Kemp Stephen W. P. , Cederna Paul S. , Kung Theodore A.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Postamputation pain affects a large number of individuals living with major limb loss. Regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces are constructs composed of a transected peripheral nerve implanted into an autologous free muscle graft. The authors have previously shown that regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces can be used to treat symptomatic end neuromas that develop after major limb amputation. In this study, they investigated the potential of prophylactic interfaces to prevent the formation of symptomatic neuromas and mitigate phantom limb pain.

Methods:

Patients who underwent limb amputation with and without prophylactic regenerative peripheral nerve interface implantation were identified. A retrospective review was performed to ascertain patient demographics, level of amputation, and postoperative complications. Documentation of symptomatic neuromas and phantom limb pain was noted.

Results:

Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in a total of 90 patients. Forty-five patients underwent interface implantation at the time of primary amputation, and 45 control patients underwent amputation without interfaces. Six control patients (13.3 percent) developed symptomatic neuromas in the postoperative period compared with zero (0.0 percent) in the prophylactic interface group (p = 0.026). Twenty-three interface patients (51.1 percent) reported phantom limb pain, compared with 41 control patients (91.1 percent; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Prophylactic regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces in major limb amputees resulted in a lower incidence of both symptomatic neuromas and phantom limb pain compared with control patients undergoing amputation without regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces, suggesting that prevention of peripheral neuromas following amputation may diminish the central pain mechanisms that lead to phantom limb pain.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, III.
Outcomes and Complications of Pediatric Cranioplasty: A Systematic Review
Authors: Abu-Ghname Amjed , Banuelos Joseph , Oliver Jeremie D. , Vyas Krishna , Daniels David , Sharaf Basel
Published: August 2019

Background:

Pediatric calvarial reconstruction is challenging because of the unique anatomical and growth considerations in this population. Comparative studies evaluating current cranioplasty materials are lacking. This review addresses the knowledge gap in pediatric cranioplasty outcomes with emphasis on current materials used.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Outcome data comparing fresh bone, banked bone, titanium, poly(methyl methacrylate), and polyetheretherketone were abstracted.

Results:

Twenty studies met the authors’ selection criteria. The mean patient age ranged from 4 to 17.4 years. Autologous cranioplasty was performed in 439 patients, and 201 patients underwent alloplastic reconstruction. Fresh bone grafts and titanium mesh were associated with the lowest infection rates (0.4 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively; p < 0.001), graft failures (2.9 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively; p < 0.001), and surgical-site occurrence rates (8.8 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively; p < 0.001). Banked bone flaps had the highest overall complication rates (51 percent; p < 0.001), bone resorption (39.7 percent; p < 0.001), and failure rates (40.2 percent; p < 0.001), whereas polyetherether ketone had the highest rates of infection (16.1 percent; p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Based on the available evidence to date, fresh bone grafts and titanium mesh demonstrated the lowest surgical-site infection, surgical-site occurrence, and graft failure rates. Banked bone flaps had the highest overall surgical-site complications and graft failures. Pediatric cranioplasty outcomes studies are needed to evaluate current and novel cranioplasty materials.
Where Is the Value in Ambulatory Versus Inpatient Surgery?
Authors: Friedlander David F. , Krimphove Marieke J. , Cole Alexander P. , Marchese Maya , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Weissman Joel S. , Schoenfeld Andrew J. , Ortega Gezzer , Trinh Quoc-Dien
Published: August 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of index surgical care setting on perioperative costs and readmission rates across 4 common elective general surgery procedures.

Summary Background Data:

Facility fees seem to be a driving force behind rising US healthcare costs, and inpatient-based fees are significantly higher than those associated with ambulatory services. Little is known about factors influencing where patients undergo elective surgery.

Methods:

All-payer claims data from the 2014 New York and Florida Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project were used to identify 73,724 individuals undergoing an index hernia repair, primary total or partial thyroidectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or laparoscopic appendectomy in either the inpatient or ambulatory care setting. Inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted gamma generalized linear and logistic regression was employed to compare costs and 30-day readmission between inpatient and ambulatory-based surgery, respectively.

Results:

Approximately 87% of index surgical cases were performed in the ambulatory setting. Adjusted mean index surgical costs were significantly lower among ambulatory versus inpatient cases for all 4 procedures (P < 0.001 for all). Adjusted odds of experiencing a 30-day readmission after thyroidectomy [odds ratio (OR) 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53–0.93; P = 0.03], hernia repair (OR 0.28, 95% CI, 0.20–0.40; P < 0.001), and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (OR 0.37, 95% CI, 0.32–0.43; P < 0.001) were lower in the ambulatory versus inpatient setting. Readmission rates among ambulatory versus inpatient-based laparoscopic appendectomy were comparable (OR 0.63, 95% CI, 0.31–1.26; P = 0.19).

Conclusions:

Ambulatory surgery offers significant costs savings and generally superior 30-day outcomes relative to inpatient-based care for appropriately selected patients across 4 common elective general surgery procedures.
Long seed dispersal distances by an inquisitive flightless rail (Gallirallus australis) are reduced by interaction with humans
Authors: Carpenter Joanna K. , O'Donnell Colin F. J. , Moltchanova Elena , Kelly Dave
Published: August 2019

Human presence is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, but the influence this has on the seed dispersal services performed by frugivorous animals is largely unknown. The New Zealand weka (Gallirallus australis) is an inquisitive flightless rail that frequently congregates in areas of high human use. Weka are important seed dispersers, yet the seed dispersal services they provide are still poorly understood. We estimated seed dispersal distances of weka for two plant species (Prumnopitys ferrugineaandElaeocarpus dentatus) and tested how human interaction affected these dispersal distances. We estimated weka seed dispersal distances by combining GPS data from 39 weka over three sites with weka seed retention time data in a mechanistic model. The mean seed retention times were extremely long (38–125 h). Weka were highly effective dispersers, dispersing 93–96% of seeds away from parent canopies, and 1% of seeds over 1 km. However, we found evidence of a significant human impact on the seed dispersal distances of weka, with birds occupying areas of high human use performing 34.8–40.9% shorter distances than their more remote counterparts. This represents an example of cryptic function loss, where although weka are still present in the ecosystem, their seed dispersal services are impaired by human interaction.
Chitinase genes from
Metarhizium anisopliae
for the control of whitefly in cotton
Authors: Anwar Waheed , Javed Muhammad Asim , Shahid Ahmad Ali , Nawaz Kiran , Akhter Adnan , Ur Rehman Muhammad Zia , Hameed Usman , Iftikhar Sehrish , Haider Muhammad Saleem
Published: August 2019

Entomopathogenic fungi produces endochitianses, involved in the degradation of insect chitin to facilitate the infection process. Endochitinases (
Chit1
) gene of family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses were amplified, cloned and characterized from genomic DNA of two isolates of
Metarhizium anisopliae.
Catalytic motif of family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses was found in
Chit1
of
M. anisopliae
, while no signal peptide was found in any isolate, whereas substrate-binding motif was found in
Chit1
of both isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the evolutionary relationship among the fungal chitinases of
Metarhizium
. The
Chit1
amplified were closely related to the family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses. Transient expressions of
Chit1
in cotton plants using Geminivirus-mediated gene silencing vector of
Cotton Leaf Crumple Virus
(CLCrV) revealed the chitinase activity of
Chit1
genes amplified from both of the isolates of
M. anisopliae
when compared with the control. Transformed cotton plants were virulent against fourth instar nymphal and adult stages of
Bemisia tabaci
which resulted in the mortality of both fourth instar nymphal and adult
B. tabaci.
Thus, the fungal chitinases expressed in cotton plants played a vital role in plant defence against
B. tabaci
. However, further studies are required to explore the comparative effectiveness of chitinases from different fungal strains against economically important insect pests.
Assessing the comparability of different DNA extraction and amplification methods in gut microbial community profiling
Authors: Mallott Elizabeth K. , Malhi Ripan S. , Amato Katherine R.
Published: August 2019

Automated, high-throughput technologies are becoming increasingly common in microbiome studies to decrease costs and increase efficiency. However, in microbiome studies, small differences in methodology – including storage conditions, wet lab methods, sequencing platforms and data analysis – can influence the reproducibility and comparability of data across studies. There has been limited testing of the effects of high-throughput methods, including microfluidic PCR technologies. In this paper, we compare two extraction methods (the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit and the MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation kit), two taq polymerase enzymes (MyTaq HS Red Mix and Accustart II PCR ToughMix), two primer sets (V3–V4 and V4–V5) and two amplification methods (a common two-step PCR protocol and amplicon library preparation on the Fluidigm Access Array system that allows automated multiplexing of primers). Gut microbial community profiles were significantly affected by all variables. While there were no significant differences in alpha diversity measured between the two extraction methods, there was an effect of extraction method on community composition measured by unweighted UniFrac distances. Both amplification method and primers had a significant effect on both alpha diversity and community composition. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly lower when using the MoBio kit or Fluidigm amplification method, and the relative abundance of

Firmicutes

was lower when using the Qiagen kit. Microbial community profiles based on Fluidigm-generated amplicon libraries were not comparable to those generated with more commonly used methods. Researchers should carefully consider the limitations and biases that different extraction and amplification methods can introduce into their results. Additionally, more thorough benchmarking of automated and multiplexing methods is necessary to determine the magnitude of the potential trade-off between the quality and the quantity of data.
Increased serological response against human herpesvirus 6A is associated with risk for multiple sclerosis
Authors: Engdahl Elin , Gustafsson Rasmus , Huang Jesse , Biström Martin , Bomfim Izaura Lima , Stridh Pernilla , Khademi Mohsen , Brenner Nicole , Butt Julia , Michel Angelika , Jons Daniel , Hortlund Maria , Alonso-Magdalena Lucia , Hedström Anna Karin , Flamand Louis , Ihira Masaru , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Andersen Oluf , Hillert Jan A. , Alfredsson Lars , Waterboer Tim , Sundström Peter , Olsson Tomas , Kockum Ingrid , Fogdell-Hahn Anna
Published: August 2019

Human herpesvirus (HHV)-6A or HHV-6B involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS) etiology has remained controversial mainly due to the lack of serological methods that can distinguish the two viruses.

A novel multiplex serological assay measuring IgG reactivity against the immediate-early protein 1 from HHV-6A (IE1A) and HHV-6B (IE1B) was used in a MS cohort (8742 persons with MS and 7215 matched controls), and a pre-MS cohort (478 individuals and 476 matched controls) to investigate this further.

The IgG response against IE1A was positively associated with MS (OR = 1.55, p = 9×10−22), and increased risk of future MS (OR = 2.22, p = 2×10−5). An interaction was observed between IE1A and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody responses for MS risk (attributable proportion = 0.24, p = 6×10−6). In contrast, the IgG response against IE1B was negatively associated with MS (OR = 0.74, p = 6×10−11). The association did not differ between MS subtypes or vary with severity of disease. The genetic control of HHV-6A/B antibody responses were located to the Human Leukocyte Antigen(HLA) region and the strongest association for IE1A was the DRB1*13:01-DQA1*01:03-DQB1*06:03 haplotype while the main association for IE1B was DRB1*13:02-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*06:04.

In conclusion a role for HHV-6A in MS etiology is supported by an increased serological response against HHV-6A IE1 protein, an interaction with EBV, and an association to HLA genes.
Detection of H3N8 influenza A virus with multiple mammalian-adaptive mutations in a rescued Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup
Authors: Venkatesh Divya , Bianco Carlo , Núñez Alejandro , Collins Rachael , Thorpe Darryl , Reid Scott M. , Brookes Sharon M. , Essen Steve , McGinn Natalie , Seekings James , Cooper Jayne , Brown Ian H. , Lewis Nicola S.
Published: August 2019

Avian Influenza A Viruses (IAV) in different species of seals display a spectrum of pathogenicity, from subclinical infection to mass mortality events. Here we present an investigation of avian IAV infection in a 3-4 month old Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup, rescued from St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall in 2017. The pup underwent medical treatment but died after two weeks; post-mortem examination and histology indicated sepsis as the cause of death. IAV NP antigen was detected by immunohistochemistry in the nasal mucosa, and sensitive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays detected trace amounts of viral RNA within the lower respiratory tract, suggesting that the infection may have been cleared naturally. IAV prevalence among Grey seals may therefore be underestimated. Moreover, contact with humans during the rescue raised concerns about potential zoonotic risk. Nucleotide sequencing revealed the virus to be of subtype H3N8. Combining a GISAID database BLAST search and time-scaled phylogenetic analyses, we inferred that the seal virus originated from an unsampled, locally circulating (in Northern Europe) viruses, likely from wild Anseriformes. From examining the protein alignments, we found several residue changes in the seal virus that did not occur in the bird viruses, including D701N in the PB2 segment, a rare mutation, and a hallmark of mammalian adaptation of bird viruses. IAVs of H3N8 subtype have been noted for their particular ability to cross the species barrier and cause productive infections, including historical records suggesting that they may have caused the 1889 pandemic. Therefore, infections such as the one we report here may be of interest to pandemic surveillance and risk and may help us better understand the determinants and drivers of mammalian adaptation in influenza.
Relative growth of invasive and indigenous tilapiine cichlid fishes in Tanzania
Authors: Bradbeer SJ , Ngatunga BP , Turner GF , Genner MJ
Published: August 2019

Non-native species have been widely distributed across Africa for the enhancement of capture fisheries, but it can be unclear what benefits in terms of fisheries production the non-native species bring over native species. Here we compared the relative growth rate of sympatric populations of introducedOreochromis niloticus(Nile tilapia) to indigenousOreochromis jipe(Jipe tilapia) at three impoundments in Northern Tanzania. Using scale increments as a proxy for growth, we found thatO. niloticushad an elevated growth rate relative toO. jipe, with the greatestO. niloticusgrowth rates being evident in the Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir. These results help explain whyO. niloticusmay be a superior competitor to native species in some circumstances. However, further introductions of this non-native species should be undertaken with caution given potential for negative ecological impacts on threatened indigenous tilapia species.
Plasma non-esterified fatty acids contribute to increased coagulability in type-2 diabetes through altered plasma zinc speciation
Authors: Sobczak Amélie I. S. , Katundu Kondwani G. H. , Phoenix Fladia A. , Khazaipoul Siavash , Yu Ruitao , Lampiao Fanuel , Stefanowicz Fiona , Blindauer Claudia A. , Pitt Samantha J. , Smith Terry K. , Ajjan Ramzi A. , Stewart Alan J.
Published: August 2019

Zn2+ is an essential regulator of coagulation and its availability in plasma is fine-tuned through buffering by human serum albumin (HSA). Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) transported by HSA reduce its ability to bind/buffer Zn2+. This is important as plasma NEFA levels are elevated in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other diseases with an increased risk of developing thrombotic complications. The presence of 5 mol. eq. of myristate, palmitate, stearate, palmitoleate and palmitelaidate reduced Zn2+ binding to HSA. Addition of myristate and Zn2+ increased thrombin-induced platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma and increased fibrin clot density and clot time in a purified protein system. The concentrations of key saturated (myristate, palmitate, stearate) and monounsaturated (oleate, vaccinate) NEFAs positively correlated with clot density in subjects with T2DM (and controls). Collectively, these data strongly support the concept that elevated NEFA levels contribute to an increased thrombotic risk in T2DM through dysregulation of plasma zinc speciation.
Neural signatures of disordered multi-talker speech perception in adults with normal hearing
Authors: Parthasarathy Aravindakshan , Hancock Kenneth E , Bennett Kara , DeGruttola Victor , Polley Daniel B
Published: August 2019

In social settings, speech waveforms from nearby speakers mix together in our ear canals. The brain unmixes the attended speech stream from the chorus of background speakers using a combination of fast temporal processing and cognitive active listening mechanisms. Multi-talker speech perception is vulnerable to aging or auditory abuse. We found that ∼10% of adult visitors to our clinic have no measurable hearing loss, yet offer a primary complaint of poor hearing. Multi-talker speech intelligibility in these adults was strongly correlated with neural phase locking to frequency modulation (FM) cues, as determined from ear canal EEG recordings. Combining neural temporal fine structure (TFS) processing with pupil-indexed measures of cognitive listening effort could predict most of the individual variance in speech intelligibility thresholds. These findings identify a confluence of disordered bottom-up and top-down processes that predict poor multi-talker speech perception and could be useful in next-generation tests of hidden hearing disorders.