bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The development and typology of number suppletion in adjectives
Authors: Nurmio Silva
Published: July 2017

This paper looks at the cross-linguistically rare phenomenon of number suppletion in adjectives. I consider how such suppletion arises by looking at six known examples with a special focus on the Brittonic languages (Breton, Cornish and Welsh), which are discussed as an extended case study. Three generalisations are suggested on the basis of the typological study. First, adjectives denoting size (“small” and “big”) are at the centre of this phenomenon. Second, where the etymology of the adjectives is known, the plural member of the suppletive pair for “small” develops from a lexeme denoting something having been divided into or consisting of small parts. These lexemes can also be used with some singular nouns and in such cases they denote the component structure of the referent. Finally, adjectives with number suppletion tend to mark plural number consistently in environments in which plural marking is otherwise optional or rare.
Where do antipassive constructions come from?
Authors: Sansò Andrea
Published: July 2017

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the main sources of antipassive constructions based on a 120-language sample. The sample includes the 48 languages with an antipassive in the WALS (Polinsky 2013) + 72 further languages in which an antipassive or a functionally equivalent construction is attested (e.g., deobjective constructions, unspecified object constructions, etc.). The diachronic sources of antipassives are identified drawing on two kinds of evidence: (i) etymological reconstructions based on the comparative method; (ii) synchronic resemblance between (some features of) the source construction and (some features of) the target construction. Four main diachronic sources are recurrent in the sample: (i) agent nominalizations; (ii) generic/indefinite items filling the object position (e.g., “person” for animate objects, “(some)thing” for inanimate objects); (iii) action nominalizations, sometimes accompanied by a light verb like “do”; and (iv) morphemes encoding reflexive/reciprocal actions. For each of these sources, a diachronic scenario is proposed through which the antipassive construction might have come into existence. The article also explores the hypothesis that at least some of the functional and structural differences among antipassive constructions across languages may be explained by taking into account the diachronic sources of these constructions.
Questions d’adaptation culturelle au niveau des stratégies de communication des entreprises
Authors: Rentel Nadine
Published: July 2017

L’ouverture des entreprises sur l’international dans un monde globalisé peut être considérée comme un défi en termes de conception de stratégies de communication. Dans ce contexte, les entreprises doivent tenir compte de la question du degré d’adaptation de leurs messages aux préférences, voire aux habitudes de réception de la cible. Il est donc question de savoir si, dans la sphère numérique, nous avons affaire à une manifestation de différentes traditions esthétiques, cognitives et rhétoriques s’adressant à une cible nationale ou si, dans le contexte de la mondialisation des discours numériques, l’on peut parler d’un nivellement des différences culturelles et linguistiques. Dans cette contribution, nous étudierons la représentation sur Internet de banques (et d’assureurs) en France et en Allemagne, destinée à une clientèle cible française d’un côté et à une clientèle allemande de l’autre. Notre objectif est de décrire les particularités des sites web au niveau de leur structure, des thématiques abordées ainsi que de l’usage de stratégies linguistiques visant à convaincre les récepteurs. Vu le caractère multimodal des sites web, un accent sera mis sur la conception des éléments visuels. Nos réflexions se basent sur un corpus de cinq sites web de banques (et d’assureurs) dans les deux pays. Les données ont été collectées en septembre 2016.
Subtitling for a global audience
Authors: Candel-Mora Miguel Ángel , González-Pastor Diana M.
Published: July 2017

TED.com is a platform to share ideas through influential talks in video format on topics that range from science and technology to business that engages volunteers from all over the world to help transcribe, subtitle and translate their scripts in more than 100 languages. The justification to engage volunteer transcribers is that transcribed talks can reach a wider audience because they are accessible for hearing impaired individuals, can be indexed in search engines and can achieve TED’s mission of spreading ideas by making transcripts available for translation through TED’s Open Translation Project.

Therefore, talks transcribers play a crucial role in the overall translation workflow and dissemination process as they are responsible for transcribing the contents and foundations of what will be later on translated into different languages. The objective of this paper is to analyse a corpus of talks originally delivered in different variants of Spanish to identify the most common strategies used by volunteer transcribers to handle local or idiomatic expressions and culturally biased items to reach the maximum audience possible and facilitate translation.
A case for clustering speakers and linguistic variables
Authors: Meyerhoff Miriam , Klaere Steffen
Published: July 2017

We undertake a detailed analysis of a sample of over 10,000 utterances from 18 speakers in a corpus of Bequia English and apply constrained cluster analysis to discern patterns that identify the linguistic signatures for different villages and to see how individuals pattern in relation to the rest of their village. The analysis of multiple variables provides a richer picture of both group and individual than any one variable does and holds promise for better understanding the mysterious mechanisms by which variation between individuals scales up to variation between groups.
Inter-individual variation among young children growing up in a bidialectal community
Authors: Francot R. J. , den Heuij K. Van , Blom E. , Heeringa W. , Cornips L.
Published: July 2017

This study focuses on the relationship between dialect use and the acquisition of standard Dutch vocabulary by young children in the Dutch province of Limburg.1 The results of a newly-developed dialect expressive vocabulary task show extensive inter-individual variation that does not support a dichotomous distinction between monolingual and bidialectal children. The children’s dialect vocabulary scores are neither positively nor negatively associated with their results on a standardized receptive Dutch vocabulary task. Thus, the acquisition of a dialect does not hinder or facilitate the acquisition of standard Dutch vocabulary.
Syntactic doubling and variation
Authors: Tirard Aurore
Published: July 2017

This paper analyses a case of syntactic doubling in Romani: the full doubling of the definite article in NPs including an adjective. This structure (dnda) is similar to the Greek polydefiniteness and displays the same grammatical optionality. A task was designed to trigger its use and submitted to Albanian Romani native speakers. The results show that an evolution in the nominal constituent order has taken place in contrastive contexts, whereby the community is still split into subgroups experiencing different patterns of language change. This doubling (dnda) has been used as a kind of bridge from the canonical word order (dan) to a new one (dna). Social factors show that this process has been favoured by contact with Albanian and/or Greek.
PD-L1 up-regulation restrains Th17 cell differentiation in STAT3 loss- and STAT1 gain-of-function patients
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Ma Chi A. , Lawrence Monica G. , Break Timothy J. , O’Connell Michael P. , Lyons Jonathan J. , López Diego B. , Barber John S. , Zhao Yongge , Barber Daniel L. , Freeman Alexandra F. , Holland Steven M. , Lionakis Michail S. , Milner Joshua D.
Published: July 2017

Patients with hypomorphic mutations in STAT3 and patients with hypermorphic mutations in STAT1 share several clinical and cellular phenotypes suggesting overlapping pathophysiologic mechanisms. We, therefore, examined cytokine signaling and CD4+ T cell differentiation in these cohorts to characterize common pathways. As expected, differentiation of Th17 cells was impaired in both cohorts. We found that STAT1 was hyperphosphorylated in response to cytokine stimulation in both cohorts and that STAT1-dependent PD-L1 up-regulation—known to inhibit Th17 differentiation in mouse models—was markedly enhanced as well. Overexpression of SOCS3 strongly inhibited phosphorylation of STAT1 and PD-L1 up-regulation, suggesting that diminished SOCS3 expression may lead to the observed effects. Defects in Th17 differentiation could be partially overcome in vitro via PD-L1 inhibition and in a mouse model of STAT3 loss-of-function by crossing them with PD-1 knockout mice. PD-L1 may be a potential therapeutic target in several genetic diseases of immune deficiency affecting cytokine signaling.
The Concept of ‘Worker’ in European Labour Law: Fragmentation, Autonomy and Scope
Authors: Kountouris Nicola
Published: July 2017

This article offers a critical analysis of the concept of ‘worker’ in European Labour Law as predominantly shaped by the CJEU on the basis of its jurisprudence in the area of free movement of workers. It suggests that, while nominally broad, this concept suffers from many of the strictures arising from the traditional binary divide between employment and self-employment on which it is essentially premised. Having analysed the residual fragmentation and legitimacy problems arising from a rather incomplete development of this area of EU law, the article advocates a broader concept of ‘worker’ shaped by reference to the fundamental rights language embraced by various regional and international labour and human rights mechanisms, including the Social Charter, the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation. The article concludes by identifying a number of possible reform options that may serve the purpose of establishing a suitably broad and autonomous concept of ‘worker’ for the purposes of EU labour law, and by offering a cursory analysis of some recent EU Pillar of Social Rights initiatives.
Meaningful Mediation Analysis: Plausible Causal Inference and Informative Communication
Authors: Pieters Rik
Published: July 2017

Statistical mediation analysis has become the technique of choice in consumer research to make causal inferences about the influence of a treatment on an outcome via one or more mediators. This tutorial aims to strengthen two weak links that impede statistical mediation analysis from reaching its full potential. The first weak link is the path from mediator to outcome, which is a correlation. Six conditions are described that this correlation needs to meet in order to make plausible causal inferences: directionality, reliability, unconfoundedness, distinctiveness, power, and mediation. Recommendations are made to increase the plausibility of causal inferences based on statistical mediation analysis. Sweetspot analysis is proposed to establish whether an observed mediator-outcome correlation falls within the region of statistically meaningful correlations. The second weak link is the communication of mediation results. Four components of informative communication of mediation analysis are described: effect decomposition, effect size, difference testing, and data sharing. Recommendations are made to improve the communication of mediation analysis. A review of 166 recently published mediation analyses in the Journal of Consumer Research, a reanalysis of two published datasets, and Monte Carlo simulations support the conclusions and recommendations.
Novel Method of Measuring Canal Dehiscence and Evaluation of its Potential as a Predictor of Symptom Outcomes After Middle Fossa Craniotomy
Authors: Lagman Carlito , Beckett Joel S , Chung Lawrance K , Chen Cheng Hao Jacky , Voth Brittany L , Gaonkar Bilwaj , Gopen Quinton , Yang Isaac
Published: July 2017

BACKGROUND

Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) is an osseous defect of the arcuate eminence of the petrous temporal bone. Strategies for measuring dehiscence size are variable, and the usefulness of such parameters remains in clinical equipoise.

OBJECTIVE

To present a novel method of measuring dehiscence volume and to evaluate its potential as a predictor of symptom outcomes after surgical repair of SSCD.

METHODS

High-resolution computed tomographic temporal bone images were imported into a freely available segmentation software. Dehiscence lengths and volumes were ascertained by independent authors. Inter-rater observer reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to evaluate for relationships between dehiscence size and symptoms (pre- and post-operative).

RESULTS

Thirty-seven dehiscences were segmented using the novel volumetric assessment. Cronbach's alpha for dehiscence lengths and volumes were 0.97 and 0.95, respectively. Dehiscence lengths were more variable as compared to dehiscence volumes (σ2 8.92 vs σ2 0.55, F = 1.74). The mean dehiscence volume was 2.22 mm3 (0.74, 0.64-0.53 mm3). Dehiscence volume and headache at presentation were positively correlated (R
pb = 0.67, P = .03). Dehiscence volume and vertigo improvement after surgery were positively correlated, although this did not reach statistical significance (R
pb = 0.46, P = .21).

CONCLUSION

SSCD volumetry is a novel method of measuring dehiscence size that has excellent inter-rater reliability and is less variable compared to dehiscence length, but its potential as a predictor of symptom outcomes is not substantiated. However, the study is limited by low power.
Primary Drivers of Adult Cervical Deformity: Prevalence, Variations in Presentation, and Effect of Surgical Treatment Strategies on Early Postoperative Alignment
Authors: Passias Peter G , Jalai Cyrus M , Lafage Virginie , Lafage Renaud , Protopsaltis Themistocles , Ramchandran Subaraman , Horn Samantha R , Poorman Gregory W , Gupta Munish , Hart Robert A , Deviren Vedat , Soroceanu Alexandra , Smith Justin S , Schwab Frank , Shaffrey Christopher I , Ames Christopher P ,   International Spine Study Group (Littleton, Colorado)
Published: July 2017

BACKGROUND

Primary drivers (PDs) of adult cervical deformity (ACD) have not been described in relation to pre- and early postoperative alignment or degree of correction.

OBJECTIVE

To define the PDs of ACD to understand the impact of driver region on global postoperative compensatory mechanisms.

METHODS

Primary cervical deformity driver/vertebral apex level were determined: CS = cervical; CTJ = cervicothoracic junction; TH = thoracic; SP = spinopelvic. Patients were evaluated if surgery included PD apex, based on the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV): CS: LIV ≤ C7, CTJ: LIV ≤ T3, TH: LIV ≤ T12. Cervical and thoracolumbar alignment was measured preoperatively and 3 mo (3M) postoperatively. PD groups were compared with analysis of variance/Pearson χ2, paired t-tests.

RESULTS

Eighty-four ACD patients met inclusion criteria. Thoracic drivers (n = 26) showed greatest preoperative cervical and global malalignment against other PD: higher thoracic kyphosis, pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL), T1 slope C2-T3 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and C0-2 angle (P < .05). Differences in baseline-3M alignment changes were observed between surgical PD groups, in PI-LL, LL, T1 slope minus cervical lordosis (TS-CL), cervical SVA, C2-T3 SVA (P < .05). Main changes were between TH and CS driver groups: TH patients had greater PI-LL (4.47° vs −0.87°, P = .049), TS-CL (−19.12° vs −4.30, P = .050), C2-C7 SVA (−18.12 vs −4.30 mm, P = .007), and C2-T3 SVA (−24.76 vs 8.50 mm, P = .002) baseline-3M correction. CTJ drivers trended toward greater LL correction compared to CS drivers (−6.00° vs 0.88°, P = .050). Patients operated at CS driver level had a difference in the prevalence of 3M TS-CL modifier grades (0 = 35.7%, 1 = 0.0%, 2 = 13.3%, P = .030). There was a significant difference in 3M chin-brow vertical angle modifier grade distribution in TH drivers (0 = 0.0%, 1 = 35.9%, 2 = 14.3%, P = .049).

CONCLUSION

Characterizing ACD patients by PD type reveals differences in pre- and postoperative alignment. Evaluating surgical alignment outcomes based on PD inclusion is important in understanding alignment goals for ACD correction.
Sparse recovery: from vectors to tensors
Authors: Wang Yao , Meng Deyu , Yuan Ming
Published: July 2017

Recent advances in various fields such as telecommunications, biomedicine and economics, among others, have created enormous amount of data that are often characterized by their huge size and high dimensionality. It has become evident, from research in the past couple of decades, that sparsity is a flexible and powerful notion when dealing with these data, both from empirical and theoretical viewpoints. In this survey, we review some of the most popular techniques to exploit sparsity, for analyzing high-dimensional vectors, matrices and higher-order tensors.
Anatomic Reconstruction of Distal Radioulnar Ligaments With Tendon Graft for Treating Distal Radioulnar Joint Instability: Surgical Technique and Outcome
Authors: Meyer Daniela , Schweizer Andreas , Nagy Ladislav
Published: July 2017

Among the various reasons for chronic posttraumatic ulnar-sided wrist pain, instability of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) has recently received major attention and finally achieved fundamental progress in understanding thanks to anatomic and biomechanical studies. This has resulted in more physiological and successful treatment methods compared with the historic options. One and the most dramatic surgical technique consists in the replacement of the main ligamentous stabilizer of the DRUJ, the so-called triangular fibrocartilage, with a tendon graft. On the basis of our experience, the refined surgical technique is presented as well as the results obtained in a retrospective consecutive case series of 48 patients with 48 wrists followed-up for 16 months in average (6 to 43) clinically and radiographically. Out of 48 unstable DRUJ’s stability was restored in 44 patients associated with a significant pain relief by 1.44 points (on a scale 0 to 4). There was however a loss of forearm rotation of 20 degrees in average (pronation—8 degrees; supination—12 degrees), whereas the range of motion of the wrist and grip strength remained unchanged. We did not find any influence on the result by performing simultaneous ulnar shortening osteotomy, the duration of cast immobilization or the positioning in the cast. There were no postoperative complications, 4 failed cases needed secondary procedures (2× rereconstruction, 2× Sauvé-Kapandji-operation).
Extended Second Window of Protection of Sevoflurane-induced Preconditioning
Authors: Behmenburg Friederike , Boekholt Yvonne , van Caster Patrick , Dorsch Marianne , Heinen André , Hollmann Markus W. , Huhn Ragnar
Published: July 2017

Late preconditioning (LPC) can be induced by volatile anesthetics and initiates cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury for 3–4 days. We investigated the possibility to extend the time window of sevoflurane-induced LPC by repeated sevoflurane administration. An in vivo rat model of regional myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was used. Myocardial infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining at the end of the experiment. In the first series of experiments, male Wistar rats were randomized to 5 groups (each n = 8). Control animals were not treated further. Animals in the preconditioning groups inhaled sevoflurane for 60 minutes (1 MAC) 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours, respectively, before myocardial ischemia. Based on the findings of the first experimental series, another 6 groups of animals were investigated. Again, control animals were left untreated; all other animals received a second sevoflurane stimulus 72 hours after the first sevoflurane treatment, and myocardial ischemia was induced 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours, respectively, after the second sevoflurane treatment to investigate, whether the cardioprotective effect could be extended. Sevoflurane reduced infarct size after 24, 48, and 72 hours (each P < 0.05 vs. control) but not after 96 hours. The repeated administration of sevoflurane 72 hours after the first stimulus extended the time window of protection for additional 72 hours (each P < 0.05 vs. control). There was no myocardial protection 4 days after the second preconditioning stimulus. The time window of sevoflurane-induced LPC can be extended by an additional sevoflurane stimulus up to 72 hours after the initial sevoflurane exposure.
Lightheadedness After Concussion: Not All Dizziness is Vertigo
Authors: Heyer Geoffrey L. , Young Julie A. , Fischer Anastasia N.
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To characterize the presence and degree of postconcussion lightheadedness in relation to postconcussion vertigo and dizziness, and to determine whether lightheadedness influences overall symptom duration.

Design:

Prospective, cohort design.

Setting:

Nationwide Children's Hospital, Sports Concussion Clinic.

Participants:

Five hundred ten patients (9-19 years of age) within 30 days of concussion injury.

Main Outcome Measures:

Patient ratings (scale 0-6) of multiple postconcussion symptoms including lightheadedness, vertigo, and dizziness, reported from the day of clinic evaluation and recalled from the day of concussion.

Results:

Postconcussion lightheadedness occurred commonly relative to vertigo. Lightheadedness was recalled more than vertigo (70.8% vs 48.6%, P < 0.001) on concussion day and reported more than vertigo (47.1% vs 24.1%, P < 0.001) on the day of clinic evaluation. Principal component analysis demonstrated strong correlations among lightheadedness, vertigo, balance difficulties, difficulty concentrating, mental fogginess, and difficulty remembering, relative to other postconcussion symptoms. When present on the day of clinic evaluation, these highly correlated symptoms predicted prolonged concussion recovery [P = 0.028; Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.2]. Female sex (P = 0.04; HR = 1.23), emotional symptoms recalled from the day of concussion (P = 0.007; HR = 1.23), and cephalalgic symptoms (P < 0.001; HR = 1.34) reported on the day of clinic evaluation also predicted prolonged concussion recovery.

Conclusions:

Not all postconcussion dizziness is vertigo. Postconcussion lightheadedness is common and, when present at the time of clinic evaluation, can influence concussion recovery.

Clinical Relevance:

Distinguishing postconcussion lightheadedness from vertigo may help to inform clinical treatment and concussion research design. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that supports an association between concussion and autonomic dysfunction.
Preparticipation Sports Physicals: A Comparison of Single Provider and Station-Based Models
Authors: Lick David , Abdel-Aty Karim , Diaz Daniel , Dulku Jaspaul , Lochub Sandeep , Mir Kamran , Ricketts Robert
Published: July 2017

Background:

Preparticipation physical examinations (PPEs) are required for children and adolescents before sports participation to identify at-risk athletes. These evaluations can be completed in a traditional office-based setting or in a station-based format. It is unclear if one format is superior to the other in identifying at-risk athletes.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective chart review of children and adolescents between the ages 10 and 18 years who received their PPE in our office or in a station-based setting in a local high school between the years 2009 and 2015.

Results:

We reviewed 2934 PPEs total, 1136 in the office-based format and 1798 in the station-based setting. A similar proportion of athletes were excluded or required further evaluation before participation in the office compared with the station-based setting (4.84% vs 5.67%). No statistically significant associations were seen between site of PPE or athlete sex and rate of clearance. There was, however, a statistically significant association between PPE site and reason for exclusion (P = 0.0456) with higher rates of exclusion for vision-related issues in the station-based setting and higher rates of exclusion for musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary reasons in the office-based setting.

Conclusion:

When conducted by the same examiners, the office-based and team-based PPE excluded or referred equal number of athletes, although the reason for further evaluation does differ based on setting.
Human Papillomavirus Prevalence Is Associated With Socioeconomic Gradients Within a Medically Underserved Appalachian Region
Authors: Ware S. Lee , Crosby Richard , Fisher Rebecca , Hagensee Michael E.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

To assess type-specific prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a medically underserved Appalachian area and to determine whether gradients in poverty are associated with prevalence.

Methods

Among 398 women, a validated assay tested self-collected cervicovaginal samples for 37 HPV types. Three economic strata were created based on household income: below the federal poverty level for 1 person, between the FPLs for families of 1 to 4 persons, and above the FPL for a family of 4.

Results

Prevalence was 55.6%, with 33% having at least 1 high-risk infection. Prevalence was 27.8% for 9-valent HPV vaccine–preventable types and 39.2% for multiple types. Compared with FPL for a family of 4, women with federal poverty level for 1 person had 3 times greater prevalence, 2.3 times greater prevalence of high-risk types, and 2.5 times greater prevalence of multiple types.

Conclusion

Human papillomavirus prevalence was high, with one-third of the sample having at least 1 high-risk type and those in the lowest-income category being disproportionately infected.
Simultaneous Physical and Mental Effort Alters Visual Function
Authors: Vera Jesús , Jiménez Raimundo , García José Antonio , Cárdenas David
Published: July 2017

PURPOSE

Perceptual processing is sensitive to physiological changes. Thus, the homeostatic disturbances during and after exercise may alter the visual function. Here, we investigated the effect of simultaneous physical effort and two levels of cognitive demand on skills related to the visuoperceptual and motor processing.

METHODS

Eighteen male regular exercisers performed 60 minutes of simultaneous physical exercise (cycling at 60 ± 5% of reserve heart rate) and cognitive effort (mental workload). The same protocol was performed with a mental workload and an oddball condition of this task on different days in a counterbalanced manner. We assessed the near point of convergence, near stereoacuity, accommodative facility (Hart Charts), and eye-hand coordination before and after the two dual-tasking sessions. Also, we calculated cognitive-performance scores and subjective measures of mental load.

RESULTS

We found that the near point of convergence (break and recovery) is significantly (P ≤ .05) reduced after physical and mental effort independently of the mental level administered. Only the condition of mental workload with simultaneous constant-intensity cycling promoted a significant impairment in the near stereoacuity and the eye-hand coordination (P = .006 and P = .018, respectively); however, these two parameters did not significantly change under the oddball condition. The accommodative facility showed an improvement in the oddball and mental workload conditions (P < .001 and P = .006, respectively). Confirming a successful experimental manipulation, participants experienced higher mental demand and arousal and achieved lower scores on cognitive performance during the mental workload task (both P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The visual function is affected by simultaneous physical and mental effort, the manipulation of mental-task complexity being an important modulator of this effect. Both dual tasks, physical with or without mental workload demands, may enhance or impair visual and motor processing depending on the visual parameter tested, and those changes could be related to the activation state of the nervous system.
Development of Systemic Inflammatory Polyarthritis After Zygapophyseal Joint Injection With Hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc-One)
Authors: Kocak Denizen , Annaswamy Thiru , Chong Sharon , Arora Rashmi
Published: July 2017

Hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc-One) is a hyaluronic acid derivative used for viscosupplementation of synovial fluid in osteoarthritic joints. Injection of hylan G-F 20 is Federal Drug Administration approved for use in knee osteoarthritis and is generally well tolerated with few reported adverse effects, the most common being local pain or swelling. We present the case of a 72-year-old man with bilateral, diffuse, joint pain and swelling with elevated inflammatory markers suggestive of a systemic inflammatory polyarthropathy that developed acutely 2 days after lumbar zygapophyseal joint injection with hylan G-F 20. Systemic effects after hylan G-F 20 injection have not been well documented, and this is the first reported case of systemic inflammatory polyarthritis after injection, to our knowledge. Further research is needed to better establish the safety and efficacy of lumbar zygapophyseal joint injections with hylan G-F 20.
Challenges in Translating PrEP Interest Into Uptake in an Observational Study of Young Black MSM
Authors: Rolle Charlotte-Paige , Rosenberg Eli S. , Siegler Aaron J. , Sanchez Travis H. , Luisi Nicole , Weiss Kevin , Cutro Scott , del Rio Carlos , Sullivan Patrick S. , Kelley Colleen F.
Published: July 2017

Background:

HIV incidence among US young, black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) is high, and structural barriers (eg lack of health insurance) may limit access to Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Research studies conducted with YBMSM must ensure access to the best available HIV prevention methods, including PrEP.

Methods:

We implemented an optional, nonincentivized PrEP program in addition to the standard HIV prevention services in a prospective, observational cohort of HIV-negative YBMSM in Atlanta, GA. Provider visits and laboratory costs were covered; participant insurance plans and/or the manufacturer assistance program were used to obtain drugs. Factors associated with PrEP initiation were assessed with prevalence ratios and time to PrEP initiation with Kaplan–Meier methods.

Results:

Of 192 enrolled YBMSM, 4% were taking PrEP at study entry. Of 184 eligible men, 63% indicated interest in initiating PrEP, 10% reported no PrEP interest, and 27% wanted to discuss PrEP again at a future study visit. Of 116 interested men, 46% have not attended a PrEP initiation appointment. Sixty-three men (63/184; 34%) initiated PrEP; 11/63 (17%) subsequently discontinued PrEP. The only factor associated with PrEP initiation was reported sexually transmitted infection in the previous year (prevalence ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.002 to 2.25). Among interested men, median time to PrEP initiation was 16 weeks (95% confidence interval: 7 to 36).

Conclusions:

Despite high levels of interest, PrEP uptake may be suboptimal among YBMSM in our cohort even with amelioration of structural barriers that can limit use. PrEP implementation as the standard of HIV prevention care in observational studies is feasible; however, further research is needed to optimize uptake for YBMSM.
Secondary Palatal Elongation: Improvement in Speech Quality
Authors: Çelik Muzaffer
Published: July 2017

Cleft palate is one of the challenging problems in the field of craniofacial surgery. In particular, the conventional methods of bilateral and severe cleft palate repairs have failed to achieve normal speech. In most instances, secondary procedures such as pharyngoplasty and pharyngeal flap surgery are performed to improve speech.

This study introduces secondary palatal elongation (SPE) as a new approach to cleft palate repair. The patients included usually had a short palate and unrepaired palatal muscles. The authors’ procedure involved dissecting the previously repaired palatal mucosa and pushing back and cutting the nasal mucosa of the palate horizontally and further pushing it back. Then, 1 or 2 buccal mucosal flaps were used to repair the nasal mucosal defect of the palate. In case of unrepaired veloplasty from the primary surgery, the levator muscles were dissected and sutured together to perform veloplasty. The range of palatal elongation was 15 to 25 mm.

Secondary palatal elongation has been performed on 17 patients since 2007 with a high rate of speech improvement. Based on this 9-year experience with performing SPE, SPE is a radical anatomic technique of palatal elongation as compared with pharyngoplasty and pharyngeal flap surgery. All 17 patients who underwent SPE showed improvement in speech, from very poor to poor speech and from normal to good speech.
Rare Complication in Third Maxillary Molar Extraction: Dislocation in Infratemporal Fossa
Authors: Battisti Andrea , Priore Paolo , Giovannetti Filippo , Barbera Giorgio , D’Alessandro Francesco , Valentini Valentino
Published: July 2017

Aim:

Removal of impacted third maxillary molar is frequently carried out without difficulties and low rate of intraoperative complications. The rare and particularly challenger to manage it is the third molar dislocation into the infratemporal fossa (IF). In this clinical report, the authors present their solution to manage and resolve this particular complication.

Methods:

A 28-year-old woman was referred to the emergency rescue unit of the authors’ hospital by her dentistry, after the attempt to extract the left impacted maxillary third molar. During the procedure the tooth accidentally dislodged and was lost sight of it. The patient had significant mouth-opening limitation, omolateral mid face swelling and pain. Computer tomography was immediately performed to determine the exact position of the tooth, showing the dental element dislocated into the IF.

Results:

Considering all of possible complications the best surgical option must guarantee a direct approach and a constant eye contact of the tooth, even in case of further displacement during the procedure, and allow early surgery. The authors used an endoscopic transoral approach through the preexisted access and solved all the issues reducing morbidity.

Conclusion:

Removing tooth from the IF could be burdened by serious risk of bleeding and/or nerve injury. The endoscopic approach provides direct view of the IF reducing morbidity.
Transcranial Cerebral Oxymetric Monitoring Reduces Brain Hypoxia in Obese and Elderly Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Ružman Tomislav , Mraović Boris , Šimurina Tatjana , Gulam Danijela , Ružman Nataša , Miškulin Maja
Published: July 2017

The aims of this prospective, observational study were to evaluate the changes of the regional cerebral saturation (rSO2) measured by near-infrared spectroscopy during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under total intravenous anesthesia and the association between patient’s characteristics and critical decline of rSO2. Hemodynamics, rSO2, and oxygen saturation were recorded in different time points: before the anesthesia (Tbas), 2 minutes after the induction (supine position) (Tind), 2 minutes after CO2 insufflation (supine) (TCO2), 10 minutes after CO2 insufflation (reverse Trendelenburg) (TrevT), and 2 minutes after deflation (supine) (Tpost). Average age was 53±13 (range: 22 to 79 y). In 12 of a total of 62 patients (19.4%) the rSO2 decreased >20% (20.5% to 28.4%) in TCO2 or TrevT times. Significantly higher decrease of the rSO2 was found in patients older than 65 years and those with body mass index >30 kg/m2 (P<0.05). Noninvasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation could be an important part of perioperative care in obese and older patients.
A National Survey on Peri-interventional Management of Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage
Authors: Pek Chulja J. , van Dijk Monique , Groot Koerkamp Bas , Moelker Adriaan , van Eijck Casper H.J.
Published: July 2017

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate knowledge about management of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) catheters among nurses taking care of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) patients.

Methods:

Six HPB nurses from the Dutch national HPB association created a questionnaire that was complemented by 2 HPB surgeons, 3 HPB interventional radiologists, and a methodologist. Registered nurses working at the department of gastroenterology or gastrointestinal surgery and familiar with the care for HPB patients were invited to complete the questionnaire.

Results:

In total 120 completed questionnaires from Dutch nurses were returned. The responders were working in 38 of 64 different hospitals. About half of the respondents considered their own knowledge insufficient, which was reflected in the response to the specific questions concerning the PTBD procedure, and 70% rated the knowledge of their immediate nursing colleagues as insufficient. Less than 50% of the respondents knew whether antibiotic-prophylaxis or “pain medication” was required before PTBD procedure. Only a few respondents were aware of the existence of a hospital protocol for PTBD management and its content.

Conclusions:

Nursing care for biliary catheters is not standardized nationwide, and consensus on management is lacking. An evidence-based guideline for PTBD management is advised for nursing care of patients with HPB diseases.
A mental number line in human newborns
Authors: Rugani Rosa , Lunghi Marco , Di Giorgio Elisa , Regolin Lucia , Dalla Barba Beatrice , Vallortigara Giorgio , Simion Francesca
Published: July 2017

In the 19thcentury Francis Galton first reported that humans represent numbers on a mental number line with smaller numbers on the left and larger numbers on the right. It has been suggested that this orientation emerges as a result of reading/writing habits for both words or numbers. Recent evidence in animals and infants in the first months of life has challenged the primary role of language in determining the left-to-right direction of spatial-numerical association, SNA. However, the possibility that SNA is learnt by early exposure to caregivers’ directional biases is still open. Here we show that 55-hour-old newborns, once habituated to a number (i.e., 12), spontaneously associated a smaller number (i.e., 4) with the left side and a larger number (i.e., 36) with the right side of space. Moreover, SNA in neonates was not absolute but relative. The same number (i.e., 12) was associated with the left side whenever the previously experienced number was larger (i.e., 36), but with the right side whenever the number was smaller (i.e., 4). Control on continuous physical variables showed that the effect was specific of discrete magnitudes. Hence, soon after birth humans associate smaller numbers with the left space and larger numbers with the right space. These results constitute strong evidence that in our species SNA originates from pre-linguistic and biologically precursors in the brain.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

For human adults, the representation of number and space is profoundly intertwined. Humans represent numbers on a left to right oriented Mental Number Line (MNL), with small numbers located on the left and larger ones on the right. How do these connections arise? Do we learn to associate numbers with space throughout cultural learning and social interactions or is this association rooted in the biology of the human brain? We showed that neonates spontaneously associate numbers with space. After being habituated to a certain number, neonates associated a smaller number with the left and a larger number with the right side. This evidence demonstrates that a predisposition to map numbers onto space is rooted in human neural systems.
Aether: Leveraging Linear Programming for Optimal Cloud Computing In Genomics
Authors: Luber Jacob M. , Tierney Braden T. , Cofer Evan M. , Patel Chirag J. , Kostic Aleksandar D.
Published: July 2017

Across biology we are seeing rapid developments in scale of data production without a corresponding increase in data analysis capabilities. Here, we present Aether (http://aether.kosticlab.org), an intuitive, easy-to-use, cost-effective, and scalable framework that uses linear programming (LP) to optimally bid on and deploy combinations of underutilized cloud computing resources. Our approach simultaneously minimizes the cost of data analysis while maximizing its efficiency and speed. As a test, we used Aether tode novoassemble 1572 metagenomic samples, a task it completed in merely 13 hours with cost savings of approximately 80% relative to comparable methods.
Principal Metabolic Flux Mode Analysis
Authors: Bhadra Sahely , Blomberg Peter , Castillo Sandra , Rousu Juho
Published: July 2017

Motivation

In the analysis of metabolism using omics data, two distinct and complementary approaches are frequently used: Principal component analysis (PCA) and Stoichiometric flux analysis. PCA is able to capture the main modes of variability in a set of experiments and does not make many prior assumptions about the data, but does not inherently take into account the flux mode structure of metabolism. Stoichiometric flux analysis methods, such as Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) and Elementary Mode Analysis, on the other hand, produce results that are readily interpretable in terms of metabolic flux modes, however, they are not best suited for exploratory analysis on a large set of samples.

Results

We propose a new methodology for the analysis of metabolism, called Principal Metabolic Flux Mode Analysis (PMFA), which marries the PCA and Stoichiometric flux analysis approaches in an elegant regularized optimization framework. In short, the method incorporates a variance maximization objective form PCA coupled with a Stoichiometric regularizer, which penalizes projections that are far from any flux modes of the network. For interpretability, we also introduce a sparse variant of PMFA that favours flux modes that contain a small number of reactions. Our experiments demonstrate the versatility and capabilities of our methodology.

Availability

Matlab software for PMFA and SPMFA is available inhttps://github.com/aalto-ics-kepaco/PMFA.

Contact

sahely@iitpkd.ac.in,juho.rousu@aalto.fi,Peter.Blomberg@vtt.fi,Sandra.Castillo@vtt.fi

Supplementary information

Detailed results are in Supplementary files. Supplementary data are available athttps://github.com/aalto-ics-kepaco/PMFA/blob/master/Results.zip.
Thrombopoietin signaling to chromatin elicits rapid and pervasive epigenome remodeling within poised chromatin architectures
Authors: Comoglio Federico , Park Hyun Jung , Schoenfelder Stefan , Barozzi Iros , Bode Daniel , Fraser Peter , Green Anthony R.
Published: July 2017

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a critical cytokine regulating hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and differentiation into the megakaryocytic lineage. However, the transcriptional and chromatin dynamics elicited by TPO signaling are poorly understood. Here, we study the immediate early transcriptional and cis-regulatory responses to TPO in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and use this paradigm of cytokine signaling to chromatin to dissect the relation between cis-regulatory activity and chromatin architecture. We show that TPO profoundly alters the transcriptome of HSPCs, with key hematopoietic regulators being transcriptionally repressed within 30 minutes of TPO. By examining cis-regulatory dynamics and chromatin architectures, we demonstrate that these changes are accompanied by rapid and extensive epigenome remodeling of cis-regulatory landscapes that is spatially coordinated within topologically associating domains (TADs). Moreover, TPO-responsive enhancers are spatially clustered and engage in preferential homotypic intra‐ and inter-TAD interactions that are largely refractory to TPO signaling. By further examining the link between cis-regulatory dynamics and chromatin looping, we show that rapid modulation of cis-regulatory activity is largely independent of chromatin looping dynamics. Finally, we show that, although activated and repressed cis-regulatory elements share remarkably similar DNA sequence compositions, transcription factor binding patterns accurately predict rapid cis-regulatory responses to TPO.
Mixtures are more salient stimuli in olfaction
Authors: Chan Ho Ka , Nowotny Thomas
Published: July 2017

In their natural environment, animals often encounter complex mixtures of odours. It is an open question whether and how responses to complex mixtures of multi-component odours differ from those to simpler mixtures or single components. To approach this question, we built a full-size model of the early olfactory system of honeybees, which predicts responses to both single odorants and mixtures. The model is designed so that olfactory response patterns conform to the statistics derived from experimental data for a variety of their properties. It also takes into account several biophysical processes at a minimal level, including processes of chemical binding and activation in receptors, and spike generation and transmission in the antennal lobe network. We verify that key findings from other experimental data, not used in building the model, are reproduced in it. In particular, we replicate the strong correlation among receptor neurons and the weaker correlation among projection neurons observed in experimental data and show that this decorrelation is predominantly due to inhibition by interneurons. By simulation and mathematical analysis of our model, we demonstrate that the chemical processes of receptor binding and activation already lead to significant differences between the responses to mixtures and those to single component stimuli. On average, the response latency of olfactory receptor neurons at low stimulus concentrations is reduced and the response patterns become less variable across concentrations as the number of odour components in the stimulus increases. These effects are preserved in the projection neurons. Our results suggest that the early olfactory system of insects may be particularly efficient in processing mixtures, which corresponds well to the observation that chemical signalling in nature predominantly involves mixtures.
External mentoring for new teachers: mentor learning for a change agenda
Authors: Daly Caroline , Milton Emmajane
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative study of the learning and development of 70 external mentors during the first year of their deployment to support early career teachers’ professional learning as part of a national initiative aimed at school improvement in Wales.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a narrative methodology that elicited accounts of external mentors’ learning experiences that were captured as textual data and analysed using an inductive approach to identify: first, the manifest themes that appeared at declarative level, and second, the latent (sub-textual) themes of external mentor learning and development.

Findings

Four key themes emerged that indicate the complexity of transition to the role of external mentor in high-stakes contexts. From these, eight theoretically-informed principles were derived which support mentors to embrace uncertainty as essential to their learning and development, and to harness the potential they bring as boundary-crossers to support the development of new teachers.

Research limitations/implications

The study investigated the first year of a three-year programme and worked with one form of qualitative data collection. The research results may lack generalisability and a longitudinal study is necessary to further explore the validity of the findings.

Practical implications

The eight principles provide a foundation for mentor development programmes that can support ambitious goals for mentoring early career teachers.

Originality/value

The study addresses the under-researched area of the learning and development of external mentors at a national scale.