bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health gradients in emergency visits and hospitalisations for paediatric respiratory diseases: A population‐based retrospective cohort study
Authors: Belon Ana Paula , Serrano‐Lomelin Jesus , Nykiforuk Candace I.J. , Hicks Anne , Crawford Susan , Bakal Jeffrey , Ospina Maria B.
Published: February 2020

Background

Socio‐economically deprived children face a disproportionate burden of respiratory diseases. The association between area‐level material and social deprivation and emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations for paediatric respiratory diseases has not been explored.

Objectives

We evaluated health inequalities in emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations for paediatric respiratory diseases according to material and social deprivation indexes.

Methods

This population‐based retrospective cohort study deterministically linked birth, ED visits and hospitalisation data, and census‐based, area‐level deprivation indexes for all singleton children born in the province of Alberta, Canada, between 2005 and 2010 who had at least one recorded ED visit or hospitalisation for respiratory diseases in their first five years of life. We classified ED visits and hospitalisations for seven respiratory diseases by deprivation indexes. Concentration indexes (CInd) and area‐level concentration curves measured health gradients across deprivation groups. Rate ratios (RR) evaluated associations between deprivation indexes and respiratory episodes of care.

Results

The study cohort included 198 572 newborns. The highest CInd were found in ED visits for other acute lower respiratory tract infections (oLRTI; CInd −0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.32, −0.12) and bronchiolitis (CInd −0.21, 95% CI −0.29, −0.12), and for pneumonia hospitalisations (CInd −0.23, 95% CI −0.33, −0.13). Croup ED visits had a low inequality degree. Compared to social deprivation, the material deprivation index presented a more consistent health gradient of increased episodes of care with increasing deprivation. oLRTI ED visits (RR 2.60, 95% CI 2.34, 2.92) and pneumonia hospitalisations (RR 2.57, 95% CI 2.31, 2.86) presented the largest inequalities between the least and most materially deprived groups.

Conclusions

We found a concentration of ED visits and hospitalisations for paediatric respiratory diseases in the most deprived groups. However, health inequalities are present across the material and social deprivation spectrum. Compared to the social deprivation index, the material index presented clearer paediatric respiratory health gradients.
A national population‐based cohort study to investigate inequalities in maternal mortality in the United Kingdom, 2009‐17
Authors: Knight Marian , Bunch Kathryn , Kenyon Sara , Tuffnell Derek , Kurinczuk Jennifer J.
Published: February 2020

Background

Disparities have been documented in maternal mortality rates between women from different ethnic, age and socio‐economic groups in the UK. It is unclear whether there are differential changes in these rates amongst women from different groups over time. The objectives of this analysis were to describe UK maternal mortality rates in different age, ethnic and socio‐economic groups between 2009 and 2017, and to identify whether there were changes in the observed inequalities, or different trends amongst population subgroups.

Methods

Maternal mortality rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in specific age, deprivation and ethnic groups were calculated using numbers of maternal deaths as numerator and total maternities as denominator. Relative risks (RR) with 95% CI were calculated and compared using ratios of relative risk. Change over time was investigated using non‐parametric tests for trend across ordered groups.

Results

Women from black and Asian groups had a higher mortality rate than white women in most time periods, as did women aged 35 and over and women from the most deprived quintile areas of residence. There was evidence of an increasing trend in maternal mortality amongst black women and a decrease in mortality amongst women from the least deprived areas, but no trends over time in any of the other ethnic, age or IMD groups were seen. There was a widening of the disparity between black and white women (RR 2.59 in 2009‐11 compared with 5.27 in 2015‐17, ratio of the relative risks 2.03, 95% CI 1.11, 3.72).

Conclusions

The clear differences in the patterns of maternal mortality amongst different ethnic, age and socio‐economic groups emphasise the importance of research and policies focussed specifically on women from black and minority ethnic groups, together with other disadvantaged groups, to begin to reduce maternal mortality in the UK.
Common circuit or paradigm shift? The functional brain in emotional scene perception and emotional imagery
Authors: Sambuco Nicola , Bradley Margaret M. , Herring David R. , Lang Peter J.
Published: February 2020

Meta‐analytic and experimental studies investigating the neural basis of emotion often compare functional activation in different emotional induction contexts, assessing evidence for a “core affect” or “salience” network. Meta‐analyses necessarily aggregate effects across diverse paradigms and different samples, which ignore potential neural differences specific to the method of affect induction. Data from repeated measures designs are few, reporting contradictory results with a small N. In the current study, functional brain activity is assessed in a large (N = 61) group of healthy participants during two common emotion inductions—scene perception and narrative imagery—to evaluate cross‐paradigm consistency. Results indicate that limbic and paralimbic regions, together with visual and parietal cortex, are reliably engaged during emotional scene perception. For emotional imagery, in contrast, enhanced functional activity is found in several cerebellar regions, hippocampus, caudate, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, consistent with the conception that imagery is an action disposition. Taken together, the data suggest that a common emotion network is not engaged across paradigms, but that the specific neural regions activated during emotional processing can vary significantly with the context of the emotional induction.
The Role of Reason for Firearm Ownership in Beliefs about Firearms and Suicide, Openness to Means Safety, and Current Firearm Storage
Authors: Butterworth Sarah E. , Daruwala Samantha E. , Anestis Michael D.
Published: February 2020

Objective

Firearm means safety strategies, such as safe storage, are effective in reducing suicide rates but are not widely implemented in the United States. This study examined the association between reason for firearm ownership, beliefs about firearm ownership and storage and suicide risk, willingness to engage in means safety, and current firearm storage practices.

Method

A sample of 300 American firearm owners (53.0% male; 82.3% White; Mage = 36.11, age range = 20–69) completed an online survey via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (mTurk) program.

Results

Firearm owners who own a firearm for protection, compared to owning a firearm for other reasons, (1) endorsed decreased belief in the relationship between firearm ownership and storage and suicide risk, (2) were less willing to engage in the means safety measures of storing firearms safely and allowing a trusted individual to temporarily remove firearms from the home, and (3) were more likely to store their firearms loaded.

Conclusions

Reason for firearm ownership influences views regarding firearms and suicide, willingness to engage in firearm means safety, and firearm storage practices. It is essential to understand how differences in reason for firearm ownership impact these outcomes so appropriate, efficacious messaging can be developed and implemented.
Molecular and histological studies of bladder wound healing in a rodent model
Authors: Chamorro Clara I. , Reinfeldt Engberg Gisela , Fossum Magdalena
Published: February 2020

The field of regenerative medicine encounters different challenges. The success of tissue‐engineered implants is dependent on proper wound healing. Today, the process of normal urinary bladder wound healing is poorly characterized. We aspired to explore and elucidate the natural response to injury in an in vivo model in order to further optimize tissue regeneration in future studies. In this study, we aimed to characterize histological and molecular changes during normal healing in a rat model by performing a standardized incisional wound followed by surgical closure. We used a rodent model (n = 40) to follow the healing process in the urinary bladder for 28 days. Surgical exposure of the bladder without incision (n = 40) was performed in controls. Histological characterization and western blot analyses of proteins was carried out using specific staining and markers for inflammation, proliferation, angiogenesis, and tissue maturation. For the molecular characterization of gene expression total RNA was collected for RT2‐PCR in wound healing pathway arrays. Analysis of histology revealed distinct, but overlapping, phases of healing with a local inflammatory response (days 1‐8) simultaneous with a rapid formation of granulation tissue and proliferation (days 2‐8). We also identified significant changes in gene expression related to inflammation, proliferation, and extracellular matrix formation. Healing of an incisional wound in a rodent urinary bladder demonstrated that all the classical phases of wound healing: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation followed by tissue maturation were present. Our data suggest that the bladder and the skin share similar molecular signaling during wound healing, although we noted differences in the duration of each phase compared to previous studies in rat skin. Further studies will address whether our findings can be extrapolated to the human bladder.
Guiding synaptic plasticity: Novel roles for netrin‐1 in synaptic plasticity and memory formation in the adult brain
Authors: Glasgow Stephen D. , Ruthazer Edward S. , Kennedy Timothy E.
Published: February 2020

Adult neural plasticity engages mechanisms that change synapse structure and function, yet many of the underlying events bear a striking similarity to processes that occur during the initial establishment of neural circuits during development. It is a long‐standing hypothesis that the molecular mechanisms critical for neural development may also regulate synaptic plasticity related to learning and memory in adults. Netrins were initially described as chemoattractant guidance cues that direct cell and axon migration during embryonic development, yet they continue to be expressed by neurons in the adult brain. Recent findings have identified roles for netrin‐1 in synaptogenesis during postnatal maturation, and in synaptic plasticity in the adult mammalian brain, regulating AMPA glutamate receptor trafficking at excitatory synapses. These findings provide an example of a conserved developmental guidance cue that is expressed by neurons in the adult brain and functions as a key regulator of activity‐dependent synaptic plasticity. Notably, in humans, genetic polymorphisms in netrin‐1 and its receptors have been linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. The molecular mechanisms associated with the synaptic function of netrin‐1 therefore present new therapeutic targets for neuropathologies associated with memory dysfunction. Here, we summarize recent findings that link netrin‐1 signalling to synaptic plasticity, and discuss the implications of these discoveries for the neurobiological basis of memory consolidation.

image
Improved neural control of body temperature following heat acclimation in humans
Authors: Barry Hadiatou , Chaseling Georgia K , Moreault Samuel , Sauvageau Claudia , Behzadi Parya , Gravel Hugo , Ravanelli Nicholas , Gagnon Daniel
Published: February 2020

Key points

With the advent of more frequent extreme heat events, adaptability to hot environments will be crucial for the survival of many species, including humans. However, the mechanisms that mediate human heat adaptation have remained elusive.

We tested the hypothesis that heat acclimation improves the neural control of body temperature. Skin sympathetic nerve activity, comprising the efferent neural signal that activates heat loss thermoeffectors, was measured in healthy adults exposed to passive heat stress before and after a 7 day heat acclimation protocol.

Heat acclimation reduced the activation threshold for skin sympathetic nerve activity, leading to an earlier activation of cutaneous vasodilatation and sweat production. These findings demonstrate that heat acclimation improves the neural control of body temperature in humans.

Heat acclimation improves autonomic temperature regulation in humans. However, the mechanisms that mediate human heat adaptation remain poorly understood. The present study tested the hypothesis that heat acclimation improves the neural control of body temperature. Body temperatures, skin sympathetic nerve activity, cutaneous vasodilatation, and sweat production were measured in 14 healthy adults (nine men and five women, aged 27 ± 5 years) during passive heat stress performed before and after a 7 day heat acclimation protocol. Heat acclimation increased whole‐body sweat rate [+0.54 L h–1 (0.32, 0.75), P < 0.01] and reduced resting core temperature [–0.29°C (–0.40, –0.18), P < 0.01]. During passive heat stress, the change in mean body temperature required to activate skin sympathetic nerve activity was reduced [–0.21°C (–0.34, –0.08), P < 0.01] following heat acclimation. The earlier activation of skin sympathetic nerve activity resulted in lower activation thresholds for cutaneous vasodilatation [–0.18°C (–0.35, –0.01), P = 0.04] and local sweat rate [–0.13°C (–0.24, –0.01), P = 0.03]. These results demonstrate that heat acclimation leads to an earlier activation of the neural efferent outflow that activates the heat loss thermoeffectors of cutaneous vasodilatation and sweating.
Arrhythmia mutations in calmodulin can disrupt cooperativity of Ca2+ binding and cause misfolding
Authors: Wang Kaiqian , Brohus Malene , Holt Christian , Overgaard Michael Toft , Wimmer Reinhard , Van Petegem Filip
Published: February 2020

Key points

Mutations in the calmodulin protein (CaM) are associated with arrhythmia syndromes.

This study focuses on understanding the structural characteristics of CaM disease mutants and their interactions with the voltage‐gated calcium channel CaV1.2.

Arrhythmia mutations in CaM can lead to loss of Ca2+ binding, uncoupling of Ca2+ binding cooperativity, misfolding of the EF‐hands and altered affinity for the calcium channel.

These results help us to understand how different CaM mutants have distinct effects on structure and interactions with protein targets to cause disease.

Calmodulinopathies are life‐threatening arrhythmia syndromes that arise from mutations in calmodulin (CaM), a calcium sensing protein whose sequence is completely conserved across all vertebrates. These mutations have been shown to interfere with the function of cardiac ion channels, including the voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel CaV1.2 and the ryanodine receptor (RyR2), in a mutation‐specific manner. The ability of different CaM disease mutations to discriminate between these channels has been enigmatic. We present crystal structures of several C‐terminal lobe mutants and an N‐terminal lobe mutant in complex with the CaV1.2 IQ domain, in conjunction with binding assays and complementary structural biology techniques. One mutation (D130G) causes a pathological conformation, with complete separation of EF‐hands within the C‐lobe and loss of Ca2+ binding in EF‐hand 4. Another variant (Q136P) has severely reduced affinity for the IQ domain, and shows changes in the CD spectra under Ca2+‐saturating conditions when unbound to the IQ domain. Ca2+ binding to a pair of EF‐hands normally proceeds with very high cooperativity, but we found that N98S CaM can adopt different conformations with either one or two Ca2+ ions bound to the C‐lobe, possibly disrupting the cooperativity. An N‐lobe variant (N54I), which causes severe stress‐induced arrhythmia, does not show any major changes in complex with the IQ domain, providing a structural basis for why this mutant does not affect function of CaV1.2. These findings show that different CaM mutants have distinct effects on both the CaM structure and interactions with protein targets, and act via distinct pathological mechanisms to cause disease.
Laringoplastia de relajación o tiroplastia de tipo III
Authors: Jiménez Luis Humberto , Barreto Tatiana
Published: February 2020

La tiroplastia de relajación está indicada en pacientes con alteraciones de la muda vocal (cambio de voz en la pubertad) resistentes al tratamiento con fonoterapia. El acortamiento de los pliegues vocales tiene como objetivo reducir la frecuencia de vibración, con lo cual el tono adquiere un carácter masculino.Presentamos el caso de un paciente masculino con puberfonía que alteraba su calidad de vida. Se revisan la técnica quirúrgica y los resultados.
Cirugía abierta versus cirugía endovascular en el tratamiento de la patología de la aorta torácica descendente
Authors: Peláez Mauricio , Roa José Luis , Montes Félix , Umaña Juan Pablo , Sandoval Néstor , Camacho Mackenzie Jaime
Published: February 2020

Introducción: El reparo endovascular de la aorta torácica (REVAT) se ha incrementado en el mundo en los últimos años con relación al abierto.Objetivo: Comparar los resultados clínicos del REVAT frente al reparo abierto en la Fundación Cardio Infantil (Bogotá, Colombia) entre 2002 y 2011.Metodología: Análisis retrospectivo de la cohorte de pacientes sometidos a reparo abierto (grupo 1) en comparación de REVAT (grupo 2). En cada uno de los grupos se evaluó tiempo quirúrgico, tasa de morbilidad, mortalidad, reintervención y estancia hospitalaria. Resultados: Se incluyeron 57 pacientes en el análisis (26 % reparo abierto; 74 % REVAT). Se reintervinieron dos pacientes por endofugas tipo 1 en el grupo 2 y un caso por sangrado en el grupo 1. La mortalidad operatoria fue para el grupo 1 de 20 %, y para el grupo 2, de 2,3 %. El tiempo quirúrgico fue de 398 ± 180 min (grupo 1) versus 85,5 ± 35 min (grupo 2 (p = 0,0001) y el tiempo de estancia hospitalaria promedio fue de 9,8 días (grupo 1) y 5,3 días (grupo 2) [p = 0,01]). El tiempo promedio de seguimiento fue 4,8 ± 3,1 años.Conclusiones: El REVAT parece ofrecer menor morbilidad, mortalidad, tiempo quirúrgico y estancia hospitalaria respecto al reparo abierto, aunque las poblaciones de pacientes incluidos no fueron estrictamente comparables. Se requieren nuevos análisis en un diseño prospectivo, idealmente aleatorizado para documentar los beneficios a largo plazo de este tipo de reparo.
Íleo biliar: reporte de dos casos
Authors: Mosquera Manuel Santiago , Adolfo Villarreal Ricardo , Medina Rosana , Kadamani Akram , Sánchez Gabriel
Published: February 2020

El íleo biliar es una patología poco común y de difícil diagnóstico prequirúgico, pues en la mayoría de los casos se presenta como obstrucción intestinal sin síntomas biliares asociados. En el artículo se presentan dos casos del 2010, cada uno con características diferentes respecto a la localización de la fístula y la evolución postoperatoria: una fístula colecistogástrica con obstrucción del íleon terminal y una fístula colecistoduodenal con obstrucción del yeyuno medio. En el primero se hizo una resolución del íleo biliar y en el mismo tiempo quirúrgico la colecistectomía y cierre de la fístula; mientras que en el otro se trató únicamente el cuadro obstructivo. Dado que en la literatura no existe una amplia revisión de esta situación clínica, no hay consenso en cuanto a la resolución de la patología biliar en el mismo tiempo quirúrgico. Por la evolución clínica de los pacientes tan diversa, se evaluó el problema.
Angina pectoris
Authors: Aldana B. Jairo , Suárez N. Alberto
Published: February 2020

Se cumplen 200 años de la descripción de la angina de pecho, publicada en el New England Journal of Medicine. En este articulo se ha traducido el artículo original “Remarks on Angina Pectoris”, publicado en 1812, por el dr. John Warren.
Percepciones del personal hospitalario sobre la preparación institucional para la implementación de innovaciones en el sector salud, específicamente grupos relacionados con el diagnóstico (GRD)
Authors: Gorbanev Iouri , Cortés Ariel , Agudelo Sandra , Torres Sergio , Yepes Francisco J.
Published: February 2020

Objetivos: Caracterizar el estado de la cultura innovadora y la actitud del personal hospitalario frente a los grupos relacionados de diagnóstico (GRD) como innovación para el sector de la salud en Colombia.Métodos: Estudio de caso mediante una muestra por conveniencia realizada entre el personal clínico y administrativo de quienes depende el éxito del proyecto de los GRD. El análisis estadístico se realiza por medio de la estadística descriptiva, la regresión y el análisis de correspondencia.Resultados: El estado de la cultura innovadora en el hospital es favorable para la innovación. No se observan diferencias significativas entre las perspectivas a la innovación que tienen el personal clínico y el administrativo. El personal administrativo y los médicos jóvenes desconocen los GRD. En cambio, los médicos con experiencia y los que ocupan puestos de mando, conocen los GRD. Se encontró una correlación significativa entre la cultura innovadora y la actitud frente a los GRD.Conclusiones: La homogeneidad de la cultura innovadora en el hospital augura un ambiente favorable para implementar los GRD.
Radioterapia externa parcial acelerada en pacientes con cáncer de seno en estado temprano
Authors: Zea Llanos Delma Lucía , Robledo Abad José Fernando , Caicedo Mallarino José Joaquín , Quintero Arango Elias , Barreto Olmos Gustavo , Marín Jiménez Alejandro
Published: February 2020

Objetivo: Demostrar la eficacia y efectividad de la radioterapia parcial acelerada en cáncer temprano de mama en pacientes tratadas con cirugía conservativa.Método: Se trataron cien mujeres con radioterapia externa parcial acelerada, con dosis en un rango de 35 a 38,5 Gy, en 10 fracciones en 5 días dos veces al día con un intervalo de 6 horas. Todas se trataron con 4 campos no cooplanares. El volumen tumoral clínico estuvo cubierto de forma homogénea con la isodosis del 100 %; así mismo el volumen de planeación del blanco, incluido en la isodosis del 95 %.Resultados: El seguimiento promedio fue de 54,3 meses. La tolerancia al tratamiento fue buena y ninguna mujer presentó toxicidad grado 2 o 3. Hasta el momento una paciente presentó recaída ganglionar, local y a distancia.Conclusión: El tratamiento fue bien tolerado, con toxicidad baja y con buenos resultados, en un tiempo corto, con posibles beneficios económicos especialmente en la población de países en vías de desarrollo.
New Sails for Old Ships
Authors: Zeldovich Lina
Published: February 2020

The world’s 100,000 cargo ships produce about as much carbon emissions as Germany. One of the ways to reduce those emissions (and slash fuel costs) is to borrow a technology from the past and harness wind power. By harnessing advanced simulation tools, engineers have developed promising fuel-saving technologies that do not necessarily resemble the tall masted ships of the past. This article shows how Europe is leading the way.
Offline and online processing of acoustic cues to word stress in Papuan Malay
Authors: Kaland Constantijn
Published: February 2020

The present study investigates to what extent acoustic cues to word stress facilitate both offline and online word processing in Papuan Malay. Previous production research has shown acoustic evidence for word-stress patterns in this language, counter to earlier predictions. A discussion of the literature on word stress perception and word stress in Papuan Malay is provided and complemented with reports of three word recognition tasks. The first two presented sequences of acoustically manipulated syllable dyads to native listeners in an offline word recognition task. This was done in order to investigate the individual contribution of each of the acoustic cues (F0, duration, intensity, spectral tilt) to the perception of word stress. F0 appeared a relevant cue when stimuli were embedded in a phrase, not in isolation. A follow-up reaction time experiment (online processing) investigated to what extent word recognition was facilitated when either an acoustically weak or an acoustically strong syllable was the cue to identify a word. Reaction times were shorter for strong syllables than for weak syllables. The outcomes suggest that Papuan Malay has a form of perceptually relevant word stress, which is particularly salient for irregular (ultimate) stress rather than for regular (penultimate) stress.
Effects of multiple exposures to pile driving noise on harbor porpoise hearing during simulated flights—An evaluation tool
Authors: Schaffeld Tobias , Schnitzler Joseph G. , Ruser Andreas , Woelfing Benno , Baltzer Johannes , Siebert Ursula
Published: February 2020

Exploitation of renewable energy from offshore wind farms is substantially increasing worldwide. The majority of wind turbines are bottom mounted, causing high levels of impulsive noise during construction. To prevent temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in harbor porpoise hearing, single strike sound exposure levels (SELSS) are restricted in Germany by law to a maximum of 160 dB re 1 μPa2s at a distance of 750 m from the sound source. Underwater recordings of pile driving strikes, recorded during the construction of an offshore wind farm in the German North Sea, were analyzed. Using a simulation approach, it was tested whether a TTS can still be induced under current protective regulations by multiple exposures. The evaluation tool presented here can be easily adjusted for different sound propagation, acoustic signals, or species and enables one to calculate a minimum deterrence distance. Based on this simulation approach, only the combination of SELSS regulation, previous deterrence, and soft start allow harbor porpoises to avoid a TTS from multiple exposures. However, deterrence efficiency has to be monitored.
Enhanced amplitude modulations contribute to the Lombard intelligibility benefit: Evidence from the Nijmegen Corpus of Lombard Speech
Authors: Bosker Hans Rutger , Cooke Martin
Published: February 2020

Speakers adjust their voice when talking in noise, which is known as Lombard speech. These acoustic adjustments facilitate speech comprehension in noise relative to plain speech (i.e., speech produced in quiet). However, exactly which characteristics of Lombard speech drive this intelligibility benefit in noise remains unclear. This study assessed the contribution of enhanced amplitude modulations to the Lombard speech intelligibility benefit by demonstrating that (1) native speakers of Dutch in the Nijmegen Corpus of Lombard Speech produce more pronounced amplitude modulations in noise vs in quiet; (2) more enhanced amplitude modulations correlate positively with intelligibility in a speech-in-noise perception experiment; (3) transplanting the amplitude modulations from Lombard speech onto plain speech leads to an intelligibility improvement, suggesting that enhanced amplitude modulations in Lombard speech contribute towards intelligibility in noise. Results are discussed in light of recent neurobiological models of speech perception with reference to neural oscillators phase-locking to the amplitude modulations in speech, guiding the processing of speech.
The Impact of Training Load on Sleep During a 14-Day Training Camp in Elite, Adolescent, Female Basketball Players
Authors: Lastella Michele , Roach Gregory D. , Vincent Grace E. , Scanlan Aaron T. , Halson Shona L. , Sargent Charli
Published: February 2020

Purpose: To quantify the sleep/wake behaviors of adolescent, female basketball players and to examine the impact of daily training load on sleep/wake behaviors during a 14-day training camp. Methods: Elite, adolescent, female basketball players (N = 11) had their sleep/wake behaviors monitored using self-report sleep diaries and wrist-worn activity monitors during a 14-day training camp. Each day, players completed 1 to 5 training sessions (session duration: 114 [54] min). Training load was determined using the session rating of perceived exertion model in arbitrary units. Daily training loads were summated across sessions on each day and split into tertiles corresponding to low, moderate, and high training load categories, with rest days included as a separate category. Separate linear mixed models and effect size analyses were conducted to assess differences in sleep/wake behaviors among daily training load categories. Results: Sleep onset and offset times were delayed (P < .05) on rest days compared with training days. Time in bed and total sleep time were longer (P < .05) on rest days compared with training days. Players did not obtain the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night on training days. A moderate increase in sleep efficiency was evident during days with high training loads compared with low. Conclusions: Elite, adolescent, female basketball players did not consistently meet the sleep duration recommendations of 8 to 10 hours per night during a 14-day training camp. Rest days delayed sleep onset and offset times, resulting in longer sleep durations compared with training days. Sleep/wake behaviors were not impacted by variations in the training load administered to players.
A Novel Mixed Methods Approach to Assess Children’s Sedentary Behaviors
Authors: Hurter Liezel , Cooper-Ryan Anna M. , Knowles Zoe R. , Porcellato Lorna A. , Fairclough Stuart J. , Boddy Lynne M.
Published: February 2020

Purpose: Accurately measuring sedentary behavior (SB) in children is challenging by virtue of its complex nature. While self-report questionnaires are susceptible to recall errors, accelerometer data lacks contextual information. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of using accelerometry combined with the Digitising Children’s Data Collection (DCDC) for Health application (app), to capture SB comprehensively. Methods: 74 children (9–10 years old) wore ActiGraph GT9X accelerometers for 7 days. Each received a SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab4 (SM-T230) tablet, with the DCDC app installed and a specially designed sedentary behavior study downloaded. The app uses four data collection tools: 1) Questionnaire, 2) Take a photograph, 3) Draw a picture, and 4) Record my voice. Children self-reported their SB daily. Accelerometer data were analyzed using R-package GGIR. App data were downloaded and individual participant profiles created. SBs reported were grouped into categories and reported as frequencies. Results: Participants spent, on average, 629 min (i.e., 73% of their waking time) sedentary. App data revealed most of their out-of-school SB consisted of screen time (112 photos, 114 drawings, and screen time mentioned 135 times during voice recordings). Playing with toys, reading, arts and crafts, and homework were also reported across all four data capturing tools on the app. On an individual level, data from the app often explained irregular patterns in physical activity and SB observed in accelerometer data. Conclusion: This mixed methods approach to assessing SB adds context to accelerometer data, providing researchers with information needed for intervention design.
Australia's vulnerable species hit hard by fires
Authors: Pickrell John
Published: February 2020

Endangered plants and animals with small ranges and few individuals are at high risk.
‘Polygenic’ analyses may sharpen disease risk predictions
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: February 2020

Genetic background modifies impact of single disease genes.
Potassium channel dysfunction in human neuronal models of Angelman syndrome
Authors: Sun Alfred Xuyang , Yuan Qiang , Fukuda Masahiro , Yu Weonjin , Yan Haidun , Lim Grace Gui Yin , Nai Mui Hoon , D’Agostino Giuseppe Alessandro , Tran Hoang-Dai , Itahana Yoko , Wang Danlei , Lokman Hidayat , Itahana Koji , Lim Stephanie Wai Lin , Tang Jiong , Chang Ya Yin , Zhang Menglan , Cook Stuart A. , Rackham Owen J. L. , Lim Chwee Teck , Tan Eng King , Ng Huck Hui , Lim Kah Leong , Jiang Yong-Hui , Je Hyunsoo Shawn
Published: February 2020

Hyperexcitable neurons in brain organoids

Individuals with Angelman syndrome experience intellectual disability and seizures throughout their lives. In this condition, ubiquitin-mediated degradation of a key potassium channel is disrupted, allowing for the neuronal excitability and network synchronization that leads to seizure. Sun
et al.
used brain organoid technology to study what happens in human neurons with a mutation in a ubiquitin ligase that is implicated in Angelman syndrome. In these in vitro models and in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome, antagonists for the potassium channel normalized neuronal excitability.

Science
, this issue p.
1486
Bypassing the blood-brain barrier
Authors: Rustenhoven Justin , Kipnis Jonathan
Published: February 2020

The meninges membranes surrounding the brain are an immune-blood-brain interface in homeostasis and disease
Comment on “Demographic dynamics of the smallest marine vertebrates fuel coral reef ecosystem functioning”
Authors: Allgeier Jacob E. , Cline Timothy J.
Published: February 2020

Brandl
et al
. (Reports, 21 June 2019, p. 1189) report that cryptobenthic fishes underpin coral reef ecosystem function by contributing ~60% of “consumed fish” biomass and ~20% of production. These results are artifacts of their simulation. Using their data and model, we show that cryptobenthic species contribute less than 4% to fish production, calling into question the extent to which they contribute to the high productivity of coral reefs.
Mapping words reveals emotional diversity
Authors: Majid Asifa
Published: February 2020

Semantic networks reveal cultural variability in emotion
Considerations in the Selection of Renal Dosage Adjustments for Patients with Serious Infections and Lessons Learned from the Development of Ceftazidime-Avibactam
Authors: Li Jianguo , Lovern Mark , Riccobene Todd , Carrothers Timothy J. , Newell Paul , Das Shampa , Talley Angela K. , Tawadrous Margaret
Published: February 2020

An extensive clinical development program (comprising two phase 2 and five phase 3 trials) has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ceftazidime-avibactam in the treatment of adults with complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI), complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). During the phase 3 clinical program, updated population pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling and Monte Carlo simulations using clinical PK data supported modified ceftazidime-avibactam dosage adjustments for patients with moderate or severe renal impairment (comprising a 50% increase in total daily dose compared with the original dosage adjustments) to reduce the risk of subtherapeutic drug exposures in the event of rapidly improving renal function.
Efficacy of Early Oral Switch with β-Lactams for Low-Risk
Staphylococcus aureus
Bacteremia
Authors: Bupha-Intr Olivia , Blackmore Tim , Bloomfield Max
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the safety of early oral switch (EOS) prior to 14 days for low-risk
Staphylococcus aureus
bacteremia (LR-SAB), which is the primary treatment strategy used at our institution. The usual recommended therapy is 14 days of intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics. All patients with SAB at our hospital were identified between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018. Those meeting low-risk criteria (health care-associated, no evidence of deep infection or demonstrated involvement of prosthetic material, and no further positive blood cultures after 72 h) were included in the study.
Competitive Exclusion Is a Major Bioprotective Mechanism of Lactobacilli against Fungal Spoilage in Fermented Milk Products
Authors: Siedler Solvej , Rau Martin Holm , Bidstrup Susanne , Vento Justin M. , Aunsbjerg Stina Dissing , Bosma Elleke F. , McNair Laura M. , Beisel Chase L. , Neves Ana Rute
Published: February 2020

In societies that have food choices, conscious consumers demand natural solutions to keep their food healthy and fresh during storage, simultaneously reducing food waste. The use of “good bacteria” to protect food against spoilage organisms has a long, successful history, even though the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we show that the depletion of free manganese is a major bioprotective mechanism of lactobacilli in dairy products. High manganese uptake and intracellular storage provide a link to the distinct, nonenzymatic, manganese-catalyzed oxidative stress defense mechanism, previously described for certain lactobacilli. The evaluation of representative
Lactobacillus
species in our study identifies multiple relevant species groups for fungal growth inhibition via manganese depletion. Hence, through the natural mechanism of nutrient depletion, the use of dedicated bioprotective lactobacilli constitutes an attractive alternative to artificial preservation.
Machine Learning Takes Laboratory Automation to the Next Level
Authors: Ford Bradley A. , McElvania Erin
Published: February 2020

Clinical microbiology laboratories face challenges with workload and understaffing that other clinical laboratory sections have addressed with automation. In this issue of the
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
, M. L. Faron, B. W. Buchan, R. F. Relich, J. Clark, and N. A. Ledeboer (J Clin Microbiol 58:e01683-19, 2020,
https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01683-19
) evaluate the performance of automated image analysis software to screen urine cultures for further workup according to their total number of CFU.
Deciphering the Rules Underlying Xenogeneic Silencing and Counter-Silencing of Lsr2-like Proteins Using CgpS of Corynebacterium glutamicum as a Model
Authors: Wiechert Johanna , Filipchyk Andrei , Hünnefeld Max , Gätgens Cornelia , Brehm Jannis , Heermann Ralf , Frunzke Julia
Published: February 2020

In actinobacteria, Lsr2-like nucleoid-associated proteins function as xenogeneic silencers (XS) of horizontally acquired genomic regions, including viral elements, virulence gene clusters in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, and genes involved in cryptic specialized metabolism in
Streptomyces
species. Consequently, a detailed mechanistic understanding of Lsr2 binding
in vivo
is relevant as a potential drug target and for the identification of novel bioactive compounds. Here, we followed an
in vivo
approach to investigate the rules underlying xenogeneic silencing and counter-silencing of the Lsr2-like XS CgpS from
Corynebacterium glutamicum
. Our results demonstrated that CgpS distinguishes between self and foreign by recognizing a distinct drop in GC profile in combination with a short, sequence-specific motif at the nucleation site. Following a synthetic counter-silencer approach, we studied the potential and constraints of transcription factors to counteract CgpS silencing, thereby facilitating the integration of new genetic traits into host regulatory networks.
Reducing Aspergillus fumigatus Virulence through Targeted Dysregulation of the Conidiation Pathway
Authors: Stewart James I. P. , Fava Vinicius M. , Kerkaert Joshua D. , Subramanian Adithya S. , Gravelat Fabrice N. , Lehoux Melanie , Howell P. Lynne , Cramer Robert A. , Sheppard Donald C.
Published: February 2020

The mold
Aspergillus fumigatus
reproduces by the production of airborne spores (conidia), a process termed conidiation. In immunocompromised individuals, inhaled
A. fumigatus
conidia can germinate and form filaments that penetrate and damage lung tissues; however, conidiation does not occur during invasive infection. In this study, we demonstrate that forced activation of conidiation in filaments of
A. fumigatus
can arrest their growth and impair the ability of this fungus to cause disease in both an insect and a mouse model of invasive infection. Activation of conidiation was linked to profound changes in
A. fumigatus
metabolism, including a shift away from the synthesis of polysaccharides required for cell wall structure and virulence in favor of carbohydrates used for energy storage and stress resistance. Collectively, these findings suggest that activation of the conidiation pathway may be a promising approach for the development of new agents to prevent or treat
A. fumigatus
infection.
Identification of Clostridioides difficile-Inhibiting Gut Commensals Using Culturomics, Phenotyping, and Combinatorial Community Assembly
Authors: Ghimire Sudeep , Roy Chayan , Wongkuna Supapit , Antony Linto , Maji Abhijit , Keena Mitchel Chan , Foley Andrew , Scaria Joy
Published: February 2020

Antibiotic treatment causes instability of gut microbiota and the loss of colonization resistance, thus allowing pathogens such as
Clostridioides difficile
to colonize and causing recurrent infection and mortality. Although fecal microbiome transplantation has been shown to be an effective treatment for
C. difficile
infection (CDI), a more desirable approach would be the use of a defined mix of inhibitory gut bacteria. The
C. difficile
-inhibiting species and bacterial combinations identified herein improve the understanding of the ecological interactions controlling colonization resistance against
C. difficile
and could aid in the design of defined bacteriotherapy as a nonantibiotic alternative against CDI.
Detrital zircon U-Pb-Hf isotope signatures of Old Red Sandstone strata constrain the Silurian to Devonian paleogeography, tectonics, and crustal evolution of the Svalbard Caledonides
Authors: Beranek Luke P. , Gee David G. , Fisher Christopher M.
Published: February 2020

Detrital zircon provenance studies of Mesoproterozoic basement and overlying Old Red Sandstone strata in northwestern Svalbard, Arctic Norway, were conducted to test competing models for Caledonian paleogeography and tectonics and constrain the magnitude of orogen-parallel, Silurian to Devonian strike-slip faulting following the Laurentia-Baltica collision. Mesoproterozoic basement strata, cut by earliest Tonian orthogneiss units, mostly yielded 1640–1050 Ma detrital zircon populations that are consistent with pre-Caledonian locations near northeast Greenland. Basal Old Red Sandstone deposits that filled pull-apart basins showed basement-derived signatures but also contained 530–450 Ma and 670–570 Ma populations with slightly subchondritic (ε Hf[t] = –4 to –2) Hf isotope compositions. These results are consistent with late Silurian–Early Devonian proximity to the northeast Greenland Caledonides and Pearya, which indicates limited (<200 km) strike-slip displacement of Svalbard’s Caledonian allochthons after the Laurentia-Baltica collision. Previously interpreted connections between the Svalbard Old Red Sandstone and British Caledonides are incompatible with these detrital zircon results. Lochkovian Old Red Sandstone strata were deposited after a second episode of strike-slip faulting and show recycled basement signatures. The lack of 530–450 Ma and 670–570 Ma populations suggests that the second deformation episode reorganized local drainages. Pragian–Givetian strata have provenance from local Old Red Sandstone sources that were uplifted during a third and final episode of strike-slip deformation. The results indicate that northern Caledonian (Svalbard, Pearya) crustal evolution was characterized by the reworking of Mesoproterozoic–Paleoproterozoic sources and mostly <600 m.y. crustal residence times, whereas the southern Caledonides (UK, Ireland) show evidence for the reworking of older basement and mostly >600 m.y. crustal residence times.
Unusual presentation of left ventricular rupture
Authors: Bhullar Amarbir S , Sandhu Charnjeet Singh , Bhullar Manminder S , Rathod Ankit
Published: February 2020

We describe a case of 49-year-old man who presented with chest pain and was diagnosed with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed severe global hypokinesis of left ventricle with ejection fraction of 25%–30%. Left heart catheterisation showed severe right coronary stenosis and focal 60%–70% distal left anterior descending artery stenosis. Cardiac MRI (CMR) was done for evaluation of viability which showed a large pseudoaneurysm which was missed on TTE and left ventriculogram. Our case demonstrates the increasing importance of cardiac MRI in the diagnosis of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. In our case left ventricular pseudoaneurysm was missed on TTE and left ventriculogram. It was diagnosed on CMR which was ordered for evaluation of myocardium viability.
#SoMe4Surgery: from inception to impact
Authors: Grossman Rebecca C , Mackenzie Douglas Graham , Keller Deborah S , Dames Nicola , Grewal Perbinder , Maldonado Andrés A , Ioannidis Argyrios , AlHasan Ameera , Søreide Kjetil , Teoh Jeremy Yuen-Chun , Wexner Steven D , Mayol Julio
Published: February 2020

Objectives and setting

The aim of this study was to create a hashtag #SoMe4Surgery on the social network application Twitter, and to examine the natural history of the resulting online community.

Design and outcome measures

A prospective, four-stage framework was proposed and used: (1) inception phase (connection): users were actively invited to participate; (2) dissemination phase (contagion): several tweetchats were designed, scheduled and run; (3) adherence phase (feedback): Twitonomy and NodeXL summaries were regularly posted on Twitter; and (4) impact phase (outcomes): abstracts and manuscripts, and related projects on Twitter. Tweets, influencers and interactions were analysed, and a brief survey was shared with participants to assess demographics and motivations of social media use.

Participants

Users engaging with the #SoMe4Surgery hashtag.

Results

Users of the hashtag came from a wide variety of specialties and geographical locations, as well as varying in age and stage of training. The inception of #SoMe4Surgery was followed by an increase in the follower count and impressions of users. A total of 675 tweeters posted 11 855 tweets with 30 122 retweets between 28 July and 27 December inclusive. There were new contributors and activity throughout the period. There were many more retweeters than accounts posting original content. Over a 10-day period ending on 31 December 2018, the number of followers of the 10 most influential accounts was higher than the number of followers of the 10 most engaging accounts (p=0.002). The mean (SD) number of tweetchat participants was 121 (64), who posted 719 (365) tweets and had a potential reach of 3 825 155 (1 887 205) accounts. Spin-off projects included surveys from low and medium-income countries, subspecialised hashtags, presentations and one publication.

Conclusions

The creation of a cohesive online surgical community may allow a flattened hierarchy, with increased engagement between surgeons, other healthcare professionals, researchers and patients.