bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Prospective Association Between Socioeconomic Status and Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Men
Authors: Khalatbari-Soltani Saman , Stanaway Fiona , Sherrington Cathie , Blyth Fiona M , Naganathan Vasi , Handelsman David J , Seibel Markus J , Waite Louise M , Le Couteur David G , Cumming Robert G
Published: February 2021

Background

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been suggested as a risk factor for falls but the few prospective studies to test this have had mixed results. We evaluated the prospective association between SES and falls in the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP).

Methods

CHAMP is a population-based prospective cohort study of men aged ≥70 years in Sydney, Australia. Incident falls were ascertained by triannual telephone calls for up to 4 years. SES was assessed with 4 indicators (education, occupation, source of income, home ownership) and cumulative SES score. We tested for interaction between SES indicators and country of birth and conducted stratified analyses.

Results

We evaluated 1624 men (mean age: 77.3 ± 5.4 years). During a mean ± SD follow-up of 42.6 ± 8.7 months, 766 (47%) participants reported ≥1 incident falls. In nonstratified analyses, there were no associations between SES indicators and falls. In stratified analyses, falls rates were higher among Australian-born men with less formal education (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16–2.37, compared with those with more education) and those with low occupational position (1.45; 1.09–1.93). However, among men born in non-main English-speaking countries the rate of falls was lower among those with low educational level and no associations were evident for occupational position.

Conclusions

Lower educational level and occupational position predicted a higher falls rate in Australian-born men; the opposite relationship was evident for educational level among migrants born in non-main English-speaking countries. Further studies should test these relationships in different populations and settings and evaluate targeted interventions.
Sediment mobilization by bottom trawls: a model approach applied to the Dutch North Sea beam trawl fishery
Authors: Rijnsdorp A D , Depestele J , Molenaar P , Eigaard O R , Ivanović A , O’Neill F G
Published: February 2021

Bottom trawls impact the seafloor and benthic ecosystem. One of the direct physical impacts is the mobilization of sediment in the wake of trawl gear components that are in contact with or are close to the seabed. The quantity of sediment mobilized is related to the hydrodynamic drag of the gear components and the type of sediment over which they are trawled. Here we present a methodology to estimate the sediment mobilization from hydrodynamic drag. The hydrodynamic drag of individual gear components is estimated using empirical measurements of similarly shaped objects, including cylinders, cubes, and nets. The method is applied to beam trawls used in the Dutch North Sea flatfish fishery and validated using measurements of beam trawl drag from the literature. Netting contributes most to the hydrodynamic drag of pulse trawls, while the tickler chains and chain mat comprise most of the hydrodynamic drag of conventional beam trawls. Taking account of the silt content of the areas trawled and the number of different beam trawl types used by the fleet, sediment mobilization is estimated as 9.2 and 5.3 kg m−2 for conventional 12 m beam and pulse trawls, respectively, and 4.2 and 4.3 kg m−2 for conventional 4.5 m beam and pulse trawls.
Automatic rational approximation and linearization of nonlinear eigenvalue problems
Authors: Lietaert Pieter , Meerbergen Karl , Pérez Javier , Vandereycken Bart
Published: February 2021

We present a method for solving nonlinear eigenvalue problems (NEPs) using rational approximation. The method uses the Antoulas–Anderson algorithm (AAA) of Nakatsukasa, Sète and Trefethen to approximate the NEP via a rational eigenvalue problem. A set-valued variant of the AAA algorithm is also presented for building low-degree rational approximations of NEPs with a large number of nonlinear functions. The rational approximation is embedded in the state-space representation of a rational polynomial by Su and Bai. This procedure perfectly fits the framework of the compact rational Krylov methods (CORK and TS-CORK), allowing solve large-scale NEPs to be efficiently solved. One advantage of our method, compared to related techniques such as NLEIGS and infinite Arnoldi, is that it automatically selects the poles and zeros of the rational approximations. Numerical examples show that the presented framework is competitive with NLEIGS and usually produces smaller linearizations with the same accuracy but with less effort for the user.
Review of Issues on Residual Malaria Transmission
Authors: Carnevale Pierre , Manguin Sylvie
Published: February 2021

Residual malaria transmission is the actual maintained inoculation of Plasmodium, in spite of a well-designed and implemented vector control programs, and is of great concern for malaria elimination. Residual malaria transmission occurs under several possible circumstances, among which the presence of exophilic vector species, such as Anopheles dirus, or indoor- and outdoor-biting vectors, such as Anopheles nili, or specific behavior, such as feeding on humans indoors, then resting or leaving the house the same night (such as Anopheles moucheti) or also changes in behavior induced by insecticides applied inside houses, such as the well-known deterrent effect of permethrin-treated nets or the irritant effect of DDT. The use of insecticides may change the composition of local Anopheles populations, such as A. arabiensis taking up the place of A. gambiae in Senegal, A. aquasalis replacing A. darlingi in Guyana, or A. harrisoni superseding A. minimus in Vietnam. The change in behavior, such as biting activity earlier than usually reported—for example, Anopheles funestus after a large-scale distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets—or insecticide resistance, in particular the current spread of pyrethroid resistance, could hamper the efficacy of classic pyrethroid-treated long-lasting insecticidal nets and maintained transmission. These issues must be well documented in every situation to elaborate, implement, monitor, and evaluate tailored vector control programs, keeping in mind that they must be conceived as integrated programs with several well and appropriately coordinated approaches, combining entomological but also parasitological, clinical, and social methods and analyses. A successful integrated vector control program must then be designed to reduce transmission and incidence rates of malaria morbidity and overall mortality.
Psychosocial determinants of healthcare personnel’s willingness to carry real-time locating system tags during daily inpatient care in hospital managing COVID-19 patients: insights from a mixed-methods analysis
Authors: Guo Huiling , Huang Zhilian , Yeo Jeanette Y P , Wang Yinchu , Chow Angela
Published: February 2021

Objective

Real-time locating systems (RTLS) enable contact tracing and hand hygiene reminders, to improve hospital safety. Successful implementation requires healthcare personnel (HCP) to carry RTLS tags continuously. We assessed for determinants of HCP’s willingness to use RTLS tags during routine inpatient care, and evaluated concerns using mixed-methods analysis.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in the 330-bed purpose-built National Centre for Infectious Diseases in Singapore, from January 15 through February 4, 2020. The anonymous survey comprised 24 questions based on constructs from behavioral models and an open-ended question. Principal component analysis was performed to derive the latent factor structure applied in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Concerns were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Of 260 HCP (nurses [40.8%], ancillary and administrative staff [23.1%], allied health professionals [18.5%], and physicians [17.7%]), 75% were willing to use the RTLS tag. After adjusting for age, gender, healthcare professional group, and duration of practice, the acceptance of the use of the RTLS tag (adjusted OR 11.28 [95% CI 4.39–29.00], P < .001) was highly associated with the willingness to use the RTLS tag. HCP who perceived the tag to be easy to use (adjusted OR 2.80 [95% CI 1.37–5.72], P = .005), were also more willing to use the tag. HCP were willing to carry the RTLS tag for the purpose of contact tracing despite privacy concerns.

Conclusion

More communications on the intentions and data protection standards of the RTLS, and accessory enhancements for HCP’s convenient and sustained use of the RTLS tag are crucial, to optimize RTLS’s usefulness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effects of dietary oregano essential oil supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidative capacity, immunity, and intestinal microbiota in yellow-feathered chickens
Authors: Ruan Dong , Fan Qiuli , Fouad Ahmed Mohamed , Sun Yunyun , Huang Shengshu , Wu Aiji , Lin Chuxiao , Kuang Zhixiang , Zhang Chang , Jiang Shouqun
Published: February 2021

Essential oils are plant-derived aromatic volatile oils, and they contain bioactive compounds that have been shown to improve poultry nutrition. In this study, we investigated the effects of oregano essential oil (OEO) on intestinal antioxidative capacity, immunity, and gut microbiota of young yellow-feathered chickens. A total of nine hundred and sixty 1-d-old female Qingyuan partridge chickens were randomly allocated to four treatment groups with six replicates of 40 birds each, and the feeding trial was lasted for 30 d. The controls were fed on a basal diet without in-feed antibiotics; the birds in the antibiotic group were fed the basal diet supplemented with 20 mg/kg virginiamycin; the remaining birds were fed the basal diet containing 150 or 300 mg/kg OEO, respectively. Dietary supplementation with 150 or 300 mg/kg OEO increased average daily feed intake (P = 0.057) and average daily gain (P < 0.05). The activities of glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidative capacity in plasma, jejuna, and ileal mucosa were increased by OEO supplementation (P < 0.05), with a trend of lower jejunal content of malonaldehyde (P = 0.062). Moreover, dietary OEO increased the content of secretory immunoglobulin A (P = 0.078) and the relative expression of Claudin 1, Mucin 2, and Avain beta-defensin 1 in ileum (P < 0.05). Sequencing data of 16S rRNA indicated that dietary OEO increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes phylum, and Clostridium and Lactobacillus genera, and decreasing that of Romboutsia. Functional analyses indicated that microbial amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, replication, and repair systems were higher in OEO groups than those of controls and antibiotic treatment. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with OEO enhanced growth performance, alleviated local oxidative stress in intestine, improved production of natural antibodies, and favorably modulated intestinal microbiota composition.
Radiologic and Pathologic Correlation for Lactating Adenomas
Authors: Cheung Hoiwan , Parker Elizabeth U , Kilgore Mark R , Scheel John R
Published: February 2021

Lactating adenomas are benign breast lesions that occur in pregnant, lactating, and postpartum women. These lesions have no associated malignant potential; their origin is disputed with no consensus on whether they represent hyperplastic or neoplastic processes. On ultrasound, lactating adenomas are classically described as solid, circumscribed, parallel masses with iso/hypoechoic internal echotexture and posterior enhancement. Histologically, lactating adenomas appear as circumscribed nodules of tightly packed lobular acini with extensive lactational change during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Masses in pregnant and lactating women with probably benign imaging characteristics—oval, circumscribed, parallel, iso/hypoechoic—can be managed with short interval follow-up (BI-RADS 3) rather than biopsy. However, lactating adenomas can also demonstrate characteristics that overlap with pregnancy-associated breast cancer, such as margins that are not circumscribed, prompting biopsy to exclude pregnancy-associated carcinoma. Breast imaging radiologists must be aware of the variable appearances of lactating adenomas to appropriately manage pregnant and lactating women presenting with palpable lumps.
Thermal Impacts of Apicultural Practice and Products on the Honey Bee Colony
Authors: Cook Daniel , Blackler Alethea , McGree James , Hauxwell Caroline
Published: February 2021

Hive design and apicultural processes have not been fundamentally changed since the design and commercialization of the Langstroth moveable frame hive in 1854. Colonies of Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymentoptera: Apidae) (the honey bee) maintain a brood nest temperature within the narrow range of 34.5–35.5°C, critical for brood development. Apis mellifera invest considerable energy to maintain hive homeostasis through behavioral modification of the hive environment. Human honey-harvesting processes and removal of the honey-filled comb (a source of thermal mass) have a detrimental impact on hive temperature that requires an increased investment of energy to rectify. This additional energy demand on the bees is a form of stress to the colony and diverts workers away from other essential tasks to that of environmental management. We investigated the thermal energy loss resulting from the removal and extraction of honey, the rate of thermal loss of an Australian standard Langstroth 10 frame hive, and the effect of honey and wax as a thermal mass in unoccupied bee hive. The results demonstrate that considerable energy expenditure would be required to rectify the hive thermal environment after honey harvesting or honeycomb frame addition. Honey provides thermal mass in the beehive, acting as a thermal buffer to external temperature change, which may mediate part of the thermal losses from the simplistic design of the Langstroth hive. Identification of these impacts in current apicultural practice and hive design allows for the improvement in the design of beehives and associated practices. These improvements may reduce stress to the bee colony, increasing colony efficiency for pollination and nectar foraging.
The Use of Multiple Unmanned Aircraft Systems as a Swarm to Release Sterile Mexican Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Into South Texas Citrus Groves
Authors: Moses-Gonzales Nathan , Conway Hugh , Krompetz Dustin , Rodriguez Roberto , Adams Christopher G , Baez Ignacio , Milam Michael
Published: February 2021

Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key economic pest of citrus and represents a quarantine issue along the United States and Mexico Border. In order to respond to this threat, the United States Department of Agriculture produces approximately 175 million sterile Mexican fruit fly pupae per week and releases approximately 150 million adult flies per week via conventional fixed wing aircraft. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) offer a novel means of releasing sterile insects aerially, can be deployed on short notice in rapid response scenarios, require a small footprint to operate, and offer an alternative means to releasing sterile insects to traditional manned aircraft. UAS, however, are currently limited in two key areas, range and payload capacity. Swarm technology, flying multiple UAS at once, may increase the utility of UAS by distributing payloads and release patterns across multiple UAS. In order to test the viability of swarm technology in the release of sterile insects we conducted multiple mark release recapture experiments over south Texas citrus groves during 2017, 2018, and 2019. The results of this study demonstrate improved release rates from 89.9% (n = 5) of flies released with ca. 0.64% recapture during 2018, to 98.2% (n = 6) released with ca. 0.74% recapture during 2019. These results demonstrate that swarm technology is a viable technique for increasing aerial release capacity and flexibility of sterile insect technique (SIT) programs.
Pelvic osteotomies for acetabular dysplasia: Are there outcomes, survivorship and complication differences between different osteotomy techniques?
Authors: Beck Edward C , Gowd Anirudh K , Paul Katlynn , Chahla Jorge , Marquez-Lara Alejandro J , Rasio Jonathan , Irie Torhu , Williams Joel , Nho Shane J
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO), and eccentric rotational acetabular osteotomy (ERAO) for treating hip dysplasia by comparing complication rates, survivorship, and functional outcomes after treatment. A systematic review in the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases was performed, and studies reporting outcomes after pelvic osteotomy for hip dysplasia with a minimum of 1-year follow-up or reported postoperative complications was included. Patient demographics, radiographic measurements, patient reported outcomes including the modified Harris hip score (mHHS), complications using the modified Clavien-Dindo classification, and reoperations were extracted from each study. A meta-analysis of outcome scores, complications, change in acetabular coverage, and revision rates for the 3 pelvic osteotomies was performed. A total of 47 articles detailing outcomes of 6,107 patients undergoing pelvic osteotomies were included in the final analysis. When stratified by procedure, RAO had a statistically greater change in LCEA when compared to PAO (33.9° vs 18.0°; P <0.001). The average pooled mHHS improvement was 15.6 (95% CI: 8.3–22.8, I2= 99.4%). Although ERAO had higher mean score improvements when compared to RAO and PAO, the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05). Lastly, patients undergoing PAO had a statistically greater complication rate than those undergoing ERAO and RAO (P <0.001 for both), while revision rate was not statistically different between the 3 techniques. In summary, there are many more publications on PAO surgery with a wide range of reported complications. Complications after ERAO and RAO surgery are lower than PAO surgery in the literature, but it is unclear whether this represents an actual difference or a reporting bias. Lastly, there are no significant differences between revisions, or postoperative reported outcomes between the 3 techniques.
Ashes to ashes for cheese featuring the ‘Morbier’ visual appearance?
Authors: Günzel Ortrun
Published: February 2021

Court of Justice of the European Union, Judgment of 17 December 2020, Syndicat interprofessionel de defense du fromage Morbier, C-490/19, EU:C:2020:1043
Quasi-Market Competition in Public Service Provision: User Sorting and Cream-Skimming
Authors: Guul Thorbjørn Sejr , Hvidman Ulrik , Sievertsen Hans Henrik
Published: February 2021

Quasi-markets that introduce choice and competition between public service providers are intended to improve quality and efficiency. This article demonstrates that quasi-market competition may also affect the distribution of users. First, we develop a simple theoretical framework that distinguishes between user sorting and cream-skimming as mechanisms through which quasi-markets may lead to high-ability users becoming more concentrated among one group of providers and low-ability users among a different group. Second, we empirically examine the impact of a nationwide quasi-market policy that introduced choice and activity-based budgeting into Danish public high schools. We exploit variation in the degree of competition that schools were exposed to, based on the concentration of providers within a geographical area. Using a differences-in-differences design—and register data containing the full population of students over a 9-year period (N = 207,394)—we show that the composition of students became more concentrated in terms of intake grade point average after the reform in high-competition areas relative to low-competition areas. These responses in high-competition regions appear to be driven both by changes in user sorting on the demand side and by cream-skimming behavior among public providers on the supply side.
Effects of elevated temperature on chemistry of an invasive plant, its native congener and their herbivores
Authors: Liu Zhen , Yu Hongwei , Sun Xiao , Ding Jianqing
Published: February 2021

Climatic warming affects plant growth and physiology, yet how warming alters chemistry in invasive plants and indirectly affects herbivorous insects remains largely unknown. Here, we explored warming-induced changes in leaf chemistry of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides and its native congener Alternanthera sessilis, and further examined how these changes affected the performance of the herbivores, Cassida piperata and Spodoptera litura. We conducted a simulated warming experiment to address its effects on 13 leaf chemical traits of A. philoxeroides and A. sessilis. We measured growth and development time of two herbivores reared on plants from warming or ambient controls. Warming significantly affected leaf chemistry composition for both the invasive and native Alternanthera. Warming decreased nitrogen concentration in A. philoxeroides and increased total flavonoid and total phenol concentration in A. sessilis. The effects of warming on nutrients (i.e. fructose, sucrose, total soluble sugar and starch) varied with individual chemicals and plant species. Weight of C. piperata pupal and S. litura larval reared on warming-treated A. sessilis significantly decreased compared with non-warmed control, and a similar pattern was observed for weight of S. litura larval feeding on warming-treated A. philoxeroides. In addition, warming-treated A. sessilis significantly prolonged larval development time of S. litura. These results indicate that warming can directly affect the leaf chemistry in both invasive plant and its native congener, but these effects vary by species. Such differences in warming-induced changes in plant chemistry could indirectly affect herbivorous insects associated with the invasive and native plants.
Environmental constraints on the inter-genus variation in the scaling relationship between leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations
Authors: Guo Yanpei , Yan Zhengbing , Zhang Yi-Wei , Zhou Guoyi , Xie Zongqiang , Tang Zhiyao
Published: February 2021

Aims

The scaling relationship between nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations ([N] and [P], respectively) in leaves manifests plants’ relative investment between the two nutrients. However, the variation in this relationship among taxa as well as its causes was seldom described.

Methods

The analysis was based on a dataset including 2483 leaf samples from 46 genera of angiosperm woody plants from 1733 sites across China. We calculated the leaf N–P scaling exponent (βL) with an allometric equation ([N] = α[P]β), for each genus, respectively. We then performed phylogenetic path analyses to test how the climate and soil niche conditions of these genera contributed to the inter-genus variation in βL.

Important Findings

The genera living with lower soil P availability presented a more favoured P uptake relative to N, as shown by the higher βL, suggesting a resistant trend to P limitation. Additionally, genus-wise βL was positively correlated with soil N–P scaling exponents (βS), implying that the variation in leaf nutrients is constrained by the variability in their sources from soil. Finally, climatic factors including temperature and moisture did not affect βL directly, but could have an indirect influence by mediating soil nutrients. Phylogeny did not affect the inter-genus variation in βL along environmental gradients. These results reveal that the trade-off between N and P uptake is remarkably shaped by genus niches, especially soil nutrient conditions, suggesting that the βL could be considered as a functional trait reflecting characteristics of nutrient utilization of plant taxa in response to niche differentiation.
Parental Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Pediatric Food Allergy
Authors: Roberts Kate , Meiser-Stedman Richard , Brightwell Alex , Young Judith
Published: February 2021

Objective 

The purpose of this study was to explore anxiety, worry, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in parents of children with food allergies, and to evaluate whether these three psychological outcomes could be predicted by allergy severity, intolerance of uncertainty, and food allergy self-efficacy.

Methods 

Participants were 105 parents who reported their children to have medically diagnosed food allergies. Participants were recruited to a study on parent wellbeing through an allergy clinic and social media advertisements. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing anxiety, worry, PTSS, intolerance of uncertainty, food allergy self-efficacy, and demographic and allergy information.

Results 

In this sample, 81.0% of parents reported clinically significant worry, 42.3% met the clinical cut-off for PTSS, and 39.1% reported moderate-extremely severe anxiety. Greater intolerance of uncertainty and lower food allergy self-efficacy were associated with poorer psychological outcomes, with mixed results for allergy severity. However, intolerance of uncertainty was the only variable to consistently account for unique variance within regression models.

Conclusions 

This study highlights the need for greater awareness of mental health in parents of children with food allergy. The study also indicates that factors impacting on parents’ perception of threat may be most strongly predictive of psychological outcomes, warranting further research. Finally, the study indicates that intolerance of uncertainty may be a promising target for psychological interventions within this population.
‘I Have No Clue About My Future (…) (if) I Stay Here or Not’: Participatory Research With Unaccompanied Minors in the German Reception System
Authors: Gebhardt Mareike , Rocchi Matilde
Published: February 2021

Against the backdrop of the concepts of vulnerability, liminality, agency, and resilience, this article presents findings from a participatory study with unaccompanied minors (UMs) who have been processed through the German reception system. Methodologically and epistemologically informed by both participatory research designs and postcolonial studies, the voices of eight UMs echo through this article, pushing these interlocutors beyond objectivation and victimization. As participants, not research objects, they played a vital role in this study’s knowledge production and provided categories and critiques to scrutinize Germany’s forced migration management. The study demonstrates the need for critical literature and research in refugee studies that empower the putative ‘Others’ to speak. It, thus, contributes to the growing field and literature of critical refugee studies with an innovative gaze seeking to define the limitations, challenges, and experiences of UMs in Germany’s reception system.
Allograft Deltoid Reconstruction for Chronic Deltoid Disruption in a High-Level Military Operator: A Case Report
Authors: Shazadeh Safavi Kiya , Rezvani Aryan , Janney Cory F
Published: February 2021

We present a unique case of chronic deltoid ligament disruption in a 34-year-old high-level military operator with a 12-month history of acute-onset medial ankle pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an isolated chronic disruption of the superficial and deep deltoid ligament. The patient was managed operatively with a semitendinosus allograft. No complications were observed during the intra- or perioperative periods. At 12-month follow-up, the patient reported near-complete pain resolution and was able to return to unrestricted active duty. Use of allograft ligamentous reconstruction of the deltoid ligament in a highly active soldier was successful, allowing return to unrestricted active duty.
Health Outcomes Used to Determine Facets of Health-related Quality of Life for Post-9/11 Veterans Using Assistive Technology for A Combat-related Mobility Impairment: A Literature Review
Authors: Greenhalgh Mark , Kulich Hailee , Blaauw Eline , Turner Rose , Peterson Sara , Cooper Rory A , Songer Thomas
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Novel rehabilitation methods, including distribution and adoption of assistive technology for lower extremity impairments, are becoming crucial to ensure positive quality of life in all individuals. The quality of life of post-9/11 combat veterans is not well understood, in comparison to research on other populations. The following essay describes a review on health outcomes used to determine health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) among combat-injured service members who require mobility-related assistive technology.

Materials and Methods

Reviews pooled data from research on PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO published after September 11, 2001, and included service members who sustained a mobility impairment because of involvement in a post-9/11 combat operation. Basic descriptors were extracted in addition to health outcomes used, which were then categorized and summarized by six domains for HR-QoL as defined by the World Health Organization.

Results

This review found health outcomes that fit in the pain and discomfort, negative emotions, mobility, social relations, access to and quality of healthcare services, and religious/spiritual/personal beliefs subdomains. The categorized results detailed their application to track and model HR-QoL health states in those with mobility impairments using mobility-based assistive technology.

Conclusions

The research on combat-induced mobility impairments indicates assistive technology improves otherwise poor health states. The results model these domains and subdomains to determine overall HR-QoL and the quality of a healthcare intervention, though additional research is needed as only one study was identified to be experimental in design.
The French Pre-Deployment Advanced Course in Anesthesia and Resuscitation: Development and Future Prospects
Authors: Py Nicolas , Martinez Thibault , Boyé Matthieu , Tourtier Jean-Pierre , Meaudre Eric , Benbrika Widad , Ausset Sylvain , Pasquier Pierre
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Military anesthesiologists from the French Military Medical Service (FMMS) are part of the Forward Surgical Teams deployed in overseas military operations. The practice of anesthesia in combat zones requires specific skills that are not taught during the initial curriculum for French civilian anesthesiologist. The Pre-Deployment Advanced Course in Anesthesia and Resuscitation (DACAR) program was developed to prepare military anesthesiologist from the FMMS before their deployment in overseas military operations.

Methods

Created in 2013 by the French Military Medical Academy, the DACAR program is divided into two modules and carried out once a year. The DACAR program trains all military anesthesiologist residents at the end of their curricula. Since 2019, a number of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists have completed the DACAR program. The DACAR program is organized around the main axes of experience feedback from previous deployments in combat zones as well as didactic learning and practical training using high-fidelity simulation.

Results

Since 2013, a total of 99 trainees completed the DACAR program during six complete cycles of two modules. The DACAR program has gradually been enriched from 14 courses in 2013 to 28 in 2019. Participants’ reported satisfaction rates have increased steadily since 2016, when 88% of courses were rated as “interesting” or “very interesting,” and only 4% as “not very interesting.” By 2019, those figures had improved to 96% and 2%, respectively.

Conclusion

The DACAR program is a structured and adapted military medical course aimed at completing the curriculum of military anesthesiologists from the FMMS before deployment in overseas military operations. Regular audits and updates ensure that the DACAR training program maintains the highest standards of quality and rigor.
The phenomenology of dynamical neutron star tides
Authors: Andersson N , Pnigouras P
Published: February 2021

We introduce a phenomenological, physically motivated, model for the effective tidal deformability of a neutron star, adding the frequency dependence (associated with the star’s fundamental mode of oscillation) that comes into play during the late stages of the binary inspiral. Testing the model against alternative descriptions, we demonstrate that it provides an accurate representation of the dynamical tide up to close to merger. The simplicity of the prescription makes it an attractive alternative for a gravitational-wave data analysis implementation, facilitating an inexpensive construction of a large number of templates covering the relevant parameter space.
Observational insights on the origin of giant low surface brightness galaxies
Authors: Saburova Anna S , Chilingarian Igor V , Kasparova Anastasia V , Sil’chenko Olga K , Grishin Kirill A , Katkov Ivan Yu , Uklein Roman I
Published: February 2021

Giant low surface brightness galaxies (gLSBGs) with dynamically cold stellar discs reaching the radius of 130 kpc challenge currently considered galaxy formation mechanisms. We analyse new deep long-slit optical spectroscopic observations, archival optical images, and published Hi and optical spectroscopic data for a sample of seven gLSBGs, for which we performed mass modelling and estimated the parameters of dark matter haloes assuming the Burkert dark matter density profile. Our sample is not homogeneous by morphology, parameters of stellar populations, and total mass, however, six of seven galaxies sit on the high-mass extension of the baryonic Tully–Fisher relation. In UGC 1382, we detected a global counterrotation of the stellar high surface brightness (HSB) disc with respect to the extended LSB disc. In UGC 1922 with signatures of a possible merger, the gas counterrotation is seen in the inner disc. Six galaxies host active galactic nuclei, three of which have the estimated black hole masses substantially below those expected for their (pseudo-)bulge properties suggesting poor merger histories. Overall, the morphology, internal dynamics, and low star formation efficiency in the outer discs indicate that the three formation scenarios shape gLSBGs: (i) a two-stage formation when an HSB galaxy is formed first and then grows an LSB disc by accreting gas from an external supply; (ii) an unusual shallow and extended dark matter halo; (iii) a major merger with fine-tuned orbital parameters and morphologies of the merging galaxies.
Evolution of Conserved Noncoding Sequences inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Yocca Alan E. , Lu Zefu , Schmitz Robert J. , Freeling Michael , Edger Patrick P.
Published: February 2021

Recent pangenome studies have revealed a large fraction of the gene content within a species exhibits presence–absence variation (PAV). However, coding regions alone provide an incomplete assessment of functional genomic sequence variation at the species level. Little to no attention has been paid to noncoding regulatory regions in pangenome studies, though these sequences directly modulate gene expression and phenotype. To uncover regulatory genetic variation, we generated chromosome-scale genome assemblies for thirty Arabidopsis thaliana accessions from multiple distinct habitats and characterized species level variation in Conserved Noncoding Sequences (CNS). Our analyses uncovered not only PAV and positional variation (PosV) but that diversity in CNS is nonrandom, with variants shared across different accessions. Using evolutionary analyses and chromatin accessibility data, we provide further evidence supporting roles for conserved and variable CNS in gene regulation. Additionally, our data suggests that transposable elements contribute to CNS variation. Characterizing species-level diversity in all functional genomic sequences may later uncover previously unknown mechanistic links between genotype and phenotype.
Long-term outcomes of kidney donors with fibromuscular dysplasia
Authors: Adrogue Horacio E , Evans Andrew , Murad Dina N , Nguyen Hana , Hebert Sean A , Nguyen Duc T , Graviss Edward A , Ibrahim Hassan N
Published: February 2021

Background

Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a non-atherosclerotic systemic arterial disease that is not infrequently discovered during kidney donor evaluation. Current guidelines do not provide recommendations regarding the use of kidneys from donors with FMD and there is a paucity of data on the outcomes of these donors.

Methods

The Renal and Lung Living Donor Evaluation (RELIVE) study addressed long-term outcomes of 8922 kidney donors who donated between 1963 and 2007. We compared the development of hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), proteinuria and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in 113 kidney donors with FMD discovered during donor evaluation versus 452 propensity score matched donors without FMD. Outcomes modeling with logistic and Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier statistics were performed.

Results

Donors with FMD were older (51 versus 39 years), were more likely to be women (80% versus 56%) and had a higher systolic blood pressure at donation (124.7 versus 121.3 mmHg) (P < 0.05 for all). After a mean ± standard deviation follow-up of 15.5 ± 8.9 years, a similar proportion of donors with and without FMD were alive, and developed hypertension (22.2% versus 19.8%), proteinuria (20.6% versus 13.7%) and CVD (13.3% versus 13.5%). No donor with FMD developed an eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 or end-stage kidney disease. The multivariable risk of mortality, CVD and renal outcomes in donors with FMD was not elevated.

Conclusions

Kidney donors with FMD appear to do well, do not appear to incur increased risks of hypertension, proteinuria, CVD or reduced eGFR, and perhaps carefully selected candidates with FMD can safely donate as long as involvement of other vascular beds is ruled out.
Integrated molecular analysis of adult sonic hedgehog (SHH)-activated medulloblastomas reveals two clinically relevant tumor subsets with VEGFA as potent prognostic indicator
Authors: Korshunov Andrey , Okonechnikov Konstantin , Stichel Damian , Ryzhova Marina , Schrimpf Daniel , Sahm Felix , Sievers Philipp , Absalyamova Oksana , Zheludkova Olga , Golanov Andrey , Jones David T W , Pfister Stefan M , von Deimling Andreas , Kool Marcel
Published: February 2021

Background

Up to now, adult medulloblastoma (MB) patients are treated according to the protocols elaborated for pediatric MB although these tumors are different in terms of clinical outcomes and biology. Approximately 70% of adult MB disclose a sonic hedgehog (SHH) molecular signature in contrast to about 30% in pediatric cohorts. In addition, adult SHH-MB (aSHH-MB) are clinically heterogeneous but there is consensus neither on their optimal treatment nor on risk stratification. Thus, the identification of clinically relevant molecular subsets of aSHH-MB and identification of potential treatment targets remains inconclusive.

Methods

We analyzed 96 samples of institutionally diagnosed aSHH-MB through genome-wide DNA methylation profiling, targeted DNA sequencing, and RNA sequencing to identify molecular subcategories of these tumors and assess their prognostic significance.

Results

We defined two aSHH-MB numerically comparable epigenetic subsets with clinical and molecular variability. The subset “aSHH-MBI” (46%/48%) was associated with PTCH1/SMO (54%/46%) mutations, “neuronal” transcriptional signatures, and favorable outcomes after combined radio-chemotherapy (5-year PFS = 80% and OS = 92%). The clinically unfavorable “aSHH-MBII” subset (50%/52%; 5-year PFS = 24% and OS = 45%) disclosed GLI2 amplifications (8%), loss of 10q (22%), and gene expression signatures associated with angiogenesis and embryonal development. aSHH-MBII tumors revealed strong and ubiquitous expression of VEGFA both at transcript and protein levels that was correlated with unfavorable outcome.

Conclusions

(1) The histologically uniform aSHH-MB cohort exhibits clear molecular heterogeneity separating these tumors into two molecular subsets (aSHH-MBI and aSHH-MBII), which are associated with different cytogenetics, mutational landscapes, gene expression signatures, and clinical course. (2) VEGFA appears to be a promising biomarker to predict clinical course, which needs further prospective validation as its potential role in the pathogenesis of this subset.
Pseudoaneurysm Trapping and Reanastomosis of the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery After Prior Microvascular Decompressions for Hemifacial Spasm
Authors: Catapano Joshua S , Jonzzon Soren , Frisoli Fabio A , Nguyen Candice L , Labib Mohamed A , Baranoski Jacob F , Cole Tyler S , Lang Michael J , Zhou James J , Lawton Michael T
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms are uncommon, and PICA pseudoaneurysms are even rarer. Endovascular treatment options exist for such lesions but usually require arterial sacrifice. This case report describes the successful treatment of a PICA pseudoaneurysm by trapping and end-to-end PICA reanastomosis.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 70-yr-old woman with a history of multiple microvascular decompressions for hemifacial spasm presented with new-onset facial droop caused by an enlarging, unruptured left PICA pseudoaneurysm. It was treated with trapping and end-to-end PICA reanastomosis, which is the first reported case of this technique for a PICA pseudoaneurysm. The bypass was patent, the pseudoaneurysm occluded, and the patient recovered well from her surgery.

CONCLUSION

Pseudoaneurysm formation and growth after microvascular decompression is unusual. Albeit a deep and challenging bypass, trapping and an end-to-end PICA reanastomosis excluded the pseudoaneurysm, prevented further growth and/or rupture, and alleviated the patient's compressive symptoms.
Electrocorticography During Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery: Safety Experience From 4 Centers Within the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Research Opportunities in Human Consortium
Authors: Sisterson Nathaniel D , Carlson April A , Rutishauser Ueli , Mamelak Adam N , Flagg Mitchell , Pouratian Nader , Salimpour Yousef , Anderson William S , Richardson R Mark
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative research during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery has enabled major advances in understanding movement disorders pathophysiology and potential mechanisms for therapeutic benefit. In particular, over the last decade, recording electrocorticography (ECoG) from the cortical surface, simultaneously with subcortical recordings, has become an important research tool for assessing basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit physiology.

OBJECTIVE

To provide confirmation of the safety of performing ECoG during DBS surgery, using data from centers involved in 2 BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative-funded basic human neuroscience projects.

METHODS

Data were collected separately at 4 centers. The primary endpoint was complication rate, defined as any intraoperative event, infection, or postoperative magnetic resonance imaging abnormality requiring clinical follow-up. Complication rates for explanatory variables were compared using point biserial correlations and Fisher exact tests.

RESULTS

A total of 367 DBS surgeries involving ECoG were reviewed. No cortical hemorrhages were observed. Seven complications occurred: 4 intraparenchymal hemorrhages and 3 infections (complication rate of 1.91%; CI = 0.77%-3.89%). The placement of 2 separate ECoG research electrodes through a single burr hole (84 cases) did not result in a significantly different rate of complications, compared to placement of a single electrode (3.6% vs 1.5%; P = .4). Research data were obtained successfully in 350 surgeries (95.4%).

CONCLUSION

Combined with the single report previously available, which described no ECoG-related complications in a single-center cohort of 200 cases, these findings suggest that research ECOG during DBS surgery did not significantly alter complication rates.
Fungal Burden and Raised Intracranial Pressure Are Independently Associated With Visual Loss in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis
Authors: Molloy Síle F , Ross Brad , Kanyama Cecilia , Mfinanga Sayoki , Lesikari Sokoine , Heyderman Robert S , Kalata Newton , Ellis Jayne , Kouanfack Charles , Chanda Duncan , Temfack Elvis , Lakhi Shabir , Moodley Anand , Chan Adrienne K , van Oosterhout Joep J , Mapoure Yacouba , Mwaba Peter , Lalloo David G , Wang Duolao , Lortholary Olivier , Jaffar Shabbar , Hosseinipour Mina C , Loyse Angela , Harrison Thomas S , Bicanic Tihana
Published: February 2021

Among 472 patients with human immunodeficiency virus-associated cryptococcal meningitis, 16% had severe visual loss at presentation, and 46% of these were 4-week survivors and remained severely impaired. Baseline cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure ≥40 cmH2O (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36–4.83; P = .02) and fungal burden >6.0 log10 colonies/mL (aOR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.58–5.7; P = .003) were independently associated with severe visual loss.
Decline in Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness With Vaccination Program Maturation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Okoli George N , Racovitan Florentin , Abdulwahid Tiba , Hyder Syed K , Lansbury Louise , Righolt Christiaan H , Mahmud Salaheddin M , Nguyen-Van-Tam Jonathan S
Published: February 2021

Background

Evidence suggests that repeated influenza vaccination may reduce vaccine effectiveness (VE). Using influenza vaccination program maturation (PM; number of years since program inception) as a proxy for population-level repeated vaccination, we assessed the impact on pooled adjusted end-season VE estimates from outpatient test-negative design studies.

Methods

We systematically searched and selected full-text publications from January 2011 to February 2020 (PROSPERO: CRD42017064595). We obtained influenza vaccination program inception year for each country and calculated PM as the difference between the year of deployment and year of program inception. We categorized PM into halves (cut at the median), tertiles, and quartiles and calculated pooled VE using an inverse-variance random-effects model. The primary outcome was pooled VE against all influenza.

Results

We included 72 articles from 11 931 citations. Across the 3 categorizations of PM, a lower pooled VE against all influenza for all patients was observed with PM. Substantially higher reductions were observed in older adults (≥65 years). We observed similar results for A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), and influenza B.

Conclusions

The evidence suggests that influenza VE declines with vaccination PM. This study forms the basis for further discussions and examinations of the potential impact of vaccination PM on seasonal VE.