bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The stellar population of metal-poor galaxies at z ≈ 0.8 and the evolution of the mass–metallicity relation
Authors: Weldon Andrew , Ly Chun , Cooper Michael
Published: October 2019

We present results from deep Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) observations of 28 metal-poor, strongly star-forming galaxies selected from the DEEP2 Galaxy Survey. By modelling infrared and optical photometry, we derive stellar masses and other stellar properties. We determine that these metal-poor galaxies have low stellar masses, M⋆ ≈ 108.1–109.5 M⊙. Combined with the Balmer-derived star formation rates (SFRs), these galaxies have average inverse SFR/M⋆ of ≈100 Myr. The evolution of stellar mass–gas metallicity relation to z ≈ 0.8 is measured by combining the modelled masses with previously obtained spectroscopic measurements of metallicity from [O iii] λ4363 detections. Here, we include measurements for 79 galaxies from the Metal Abundances across Cosmic Time Survey. Our mass–metallicity relation is lower at a given stellar mass than at z = 0.1 by 0.27 dex. This demonstrates a strong evolution in the mass–metallicity relation, $(1+z)^{-1.45^{+0.61}_{-0.76}}$. We find that the shape of the z ≈ 0.8 mass-metallicity relation, a steep rise in metallicity at low stellar masses, transitioning to a plateau at higher masses, is consistent with z ∼ 0.1 studies. We also compare the evolution in metallicity between z ≈ 0.8 and z ∼ 0.1 against recent strong-line diagnostic studies at intermediate redshifts and find good agreement. Specifically, we find that lower mass galaxies (4 × 108 M⊙) built up their metal content 1.6 times more rapidly than higher mass galaxies (1010 M⊙). Finally, we examine whether the mass–metallicity relation has a secondary dependence on SFR, and statistically concluded that there is no strong secondary dependence for z ≈ 0.8 low-mass galaxies.
Susceptibility of planetary atmospheres to mass loss and growth by planetesimal impacts: the impact shoreline
Authors: Wyatt M C , Kral Q , Sinclair C A
Published: October 2019

This paper considers how planetesimal impacts affect planetary atmospheres. Atmosphere evolution depends on the ratio of gain from volatiles to loss from atmosphere stripping fv; for constant bombardment, atmospheres with fv < 1 are destroyed in finite time, but grow linearly with time for fv > 1. An impact outcome prescription is used to characterise how fv depends on planetesimal impact velocities, size distribution and composition. Planets that are low mass and/or close to the star have atmospheres that deplete in impacts, while high mass and/or distant planets grow secondary atmospheres. Dividing these outcomes is an fv = 1 impact shoreline analogous to Zahnle & Catling’s cosmic shoreline. The impact shoreline’s location depends on assumed impacting planetesimal properties, so conclusions for the atmospheric evolution of a planet like Earth with fv ≈ 1 are only as strong as those assumptions. Application to the exoplanet population shows the gap in the planet radius distribution at ∼1.5R⊕ is coincident with the impact shoreline, which has a similar dependence on orbital period and stellar mass to the observed gap. Given sufficient bombardment, planets below the gap would be expected to lose their atmospheres, while those above could have atmospheres enhanced in volatiles. The level of atmosphere alteration depends on the total bombardment a planet experiences, and so on the system’s (usually unknown) other planets and planetesimals, though massive distant planets would have low accretion efficiency. Habitable zone planets around lower luminosity stars are more susceptible to atmosphere stripping, disfavouring M stars as hosts of life-bearing planets if Earth-like bombardment is conducive to the development of life.
MUSE Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) – I: Survey design and the environment of a near pristine gas cloud at z ≈ 3.5
Authors: Lofthouse Emma K , Fumagalli Michele , Fossati Matteo , O’Meara John M , Murphy Michael T , Christensen Lise , Prochaska J Xavier , Cantalupo Sebastiano , Bielby Richard M , Cooke Ryan J , Lusso Elisabeta , Morris Simon L
Published: October 2019

We present the design, methods, and first results of the MUSE Analysis of Gas around Galaxies (MAGG) survey, a large programme on the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), which targets 28 z > 3.2 quasars to investigate the connection between optically thick gas and galaxies at z ∼ 3–4. MAGG maps the environment of 52 strong absorption line systems at z ≳ 3, providing the first statistical sample of galaxies associated with gas-rich structures in the early Universe. In this paper, we study the galaxy population around a very metal poor gas cloud at z ≈ 3.53 towards the quasar J124957.23−015928.8. We detect three Lyα emitters within $\lesssim 200~\rm km~s^{-1}$ of the cloud redshift, at projected separations $\lesssim 185~\rm ~kpc$ (physical). The presence of star-forming galaxies near a very metal-poor cloud indicates that metal enrichment is still spatially inhomogeneous at this redshift. Based on its very low metallicity and the presence of nearby galaxies, we propose that the most likely scenario for this Lyman Limit System (LLS) is that it lies within a filament which may be accreting on to a nearby galaxy. Taken together with the small number of other LLSs studied with MUSE, the observations to date show a range of different environments near strong absorption systems. The full MAGG survey will significantly expand this sample and enable a statistical analysis of the link between gas and galaxies to pin down the origin of these diverse environments at z ≈ 3–4.
Unveiling the cause of hybrid morphology radio sources (HyMoRS)
Authors: Harwood Jeremy J , Vernstrom Tessa , Stroe Andra
Published: October 2019

Hybrid morphology radio sources (HyMoRS) are a rare group of radio galaxies in which differing Fanaroff & Riley morphologies (FR I/II) are observed for each of the two lobes. While they potentially provide insights into the formation of lobe structure, particle acceleration, and the FR dichotomy, previous work on HyMoRS has mainly been limited to low-resolution studies, searches for new candidates, and milliarcsecond-scale VLBI observations of the core region. In this paper, we use new multi-array configuration Very Large Array (VLA) observations between 1 and 8 GHz to determine the morphology of HyMoRS on arcsecond scales and perform the first well-resolved spectral study of these unusual sources. We find that while the apparent FR I lobe is centre brightened, this is the result of a compact acceleration region resembling a hotspot with a spectrum more consistent with an FR II (‘strong-flavour’) jet. We find that the spectra of the apparent FR I lobes are not similar to their classical counterparts and are likely the result of line-of-sight mixing of plasma across a range of spectral ages. We consider possible mechanisms that could lead to the formation of HyMoRS under such conditions, including environment asymmetry and restarted sources, concluding through the use of simple modelling that HyMoRS are the result of orientation effects on intrinsically FR II sources with lobes non-parallel to the inner jet.
Efficacy of early stellar feedback in low gas surface density environments
Authors: Kannan Rahul , Marinacci Federico , Simpson Christine M , Glover Simon C O , Hernquist Lars
Published: October 2019

We present a suite of high-resolution radiation hydrodynamic simulations of a small patch (1 kpc2) of the interstellar medium (ISM) performed with arepo-rt, with the aim to quantify the efficacy of various feedback processes like supernova (SN) explosions, photoheating, and radiation pressure in low gas surface density galaxies (Σgas ≃ 10 M⊙ pc−2). We show that radiative feedback decrease the star formation rate and therefore the total stellar mass formed by a factor of approximately two. This increases the gas depletion time-scale and brings the simulated Kennicutt–Schmidt relation closer to the observational estimates. Radiation feedback coupled with SN is more efficient at driving outflows with the mass and energy loading increasing by a factor of ∼10. This increase is mainly driven by the additional entrainment of medium-density (10−2  cm−3 ≤ n < 1 cm−3) warm (300 K ≤ T < 8000 K) material. Therefore, including radiative feedback tends to launch colder, denser, and more mass- and energy-loaded outflows. This is because photoheating of the high-density gas around a newly formed star overpressurizes the region, causing it to expand. This reduces the ambient density in which the SN explode by a factor of 10–100 which in turn increases their momentum output by a factor of ∼1.5–2.5. Finally, we note that in these low gas surface density environments, radiative feedback primarily impact the ISM via photoheating and radiation pressure has only a minimal role in regulating star formation.
The SCOP database in 2020: expanded classification of representative family and superfamily domains of known protein structures
Authors: Andreeva Antonina , Kulesha Eugene , Gough Julian , Murzin Alexey G
Published: October 2019

The Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) database is a classification of protein domains organised according to their evolutionary and structural relationships. We report a major effort to increase the coverage of structural data, aiming to provide classification of almost all domain superfamilies with representatives in the PDB. We have also improved the database schema, provided a new API and modernised the web interface. This is by far the most significant update in coverage since SCOP 1.75 and builds on the advances in schema from the SCOP 2 prototype. The database is accessible from http://scop.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk.
Nuclear Ccr4-Not mediates the degradation of telomeric and transposon transcripts at chromatin in the Drosophila germline
Authors: Kordyukova Maria , Sokolova Olesya , Morgunova Valeriya , Ryazansky Sergei , Akulenko Natalia , Glukhov Sergey , Kalmykova Alla
Published: October 2019

Ccr4-Not is a highly conserved complex involved in cotranscriptional RNA surveillance pathways in yeast. In Drosophila, Ccr4-Not is linked to the translational repression of miRNA targets and the posttranscriptional control of maternal mRNAs during oogenesis and embryonic development. Here, we describe a new role for the Ccr4-Not complex in nuclear RNA metabolism in the Drosophila germline. Ccr4 depletion results in the accumulation of transposable and telomeric repeat transcripts in the fraction of chromatin-associated RNA; however, it does not affect small RNA levels or the heterochromatin state of the target loci. Nuclear targets of Ccr4 mainly comprise active full-length transposable elements (TEs) and telomeric and subtelomeric repeats. Moreover, Ccr4-Not foci localize at telomeres in a Piwi-dependent manner, suggesting a functional relationship between these pathways. Indeed, we detected interactions between the components of the Ccr4-Not complex and piRNA machinery, which indicates that these pathways cooperate in the nucleus to recognize and degrade TE transcripts at transcription sites. These data reveal a new layer of transposon control in the germline, which is critical for the maintenance of genome integrity.
John Stuart Mill
Authors: Riley Jonathan
Published: October 2019

John Stuart Mill (b. 1806–d. 1873) was a brilliant philosopher who also displayed a passion for justice and equal rights. He represents the British empiricist “school of experience” at its finest, a school that includes luminaries such as John Locke, David Hume, David Hartley, Jeremy Bentham, James Mill, and Alexander Bain. He was a naturalist who held that humans are to be understood as belonging to the natural order. He was also a phenomenalist, which has epistemological and metaphysical aspects. For him, human knowledge is confined to appearances; that is, occurrences, memories, and expectations of sensations: we have no means of knowing the real essence of things in themselves, which we may believe produce our sensations but lie hidden behind them. He was neither a metaphysical idealist nor a materialist: he makes the epistemic claim that humans cannot know whether a fundamental substrate is matter or spirit or both, but he never denies that it exists. Remaining agnostic about fundamental ontology, he endorses a “psychological” approach to metaphysics, according to which we can analyze how the human mind constructs complex mental states, including ideas, desires, emotions, and volitions, out of sensations on an a posteriori basis in accord with psychological laws, with the caveat that some mental phenomena may remain inexplicable. This psychological approach is admittedly compatible with George Berkeley’s idealism, but it is also compatible with a belief in the existence of matter defined as “permanent possibility of sensation,” where the permanent possibility exists independently of whether we are actually experiencing the sensations. We cannot know that the possibility necessarily exists, but we observe that it always does, and this supports an enumerative induction that a fundamental substrate lies behind our sensations, although we have no idea of its real nature. Mill goes on to construct a pluralistic liberal version of hedonistic utilitarianism in accord with his naturalism and phenomenalism. His argument that utilitarianism can support a system of strong liberal rights, including a distinctive right of absolute liberty for self-regarding conduct that does not cause any nonconsensual harm to others, which he considered a suitable extension of the right of religious liberty, continues to inspire interest, although most scholars are not convinced. He was also a prominent political economist, theorist of representative democracy, and radical feminist. But his defense of the British Empire and of despotic government for barbarian populations now provokes outrage from modern critics, even if he had in mind a “tolerant imperialism” and a “self-abolishing” despotism designed to prepare the natives for self-government.
Conflict Formations in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Jolobe Zwelethu
Published: October 2019

Much of the scholarship on conflict formations in sub-Saharan Africa involves the use of case studies to examine intrastate conflict, as well as the way these conflicts spill into neighboring territories. These conflicts are understood as violent struggles among different political formations, such as national governments, warlords, rebel or insurgent groups, and various armed private interests, pursuing multiple agendas, where the systematic predation of civilians is an instrument of war. The scholarly literature identifies two major turning points in African conflicts. The first was the collapse of the Soviet Union, where the weakening of proxy states created political vacuums leading to major contestations. This major global event changed the nature and forms of Africa’s conflicts, as new insurgent organizations (and old ones with transformed agendas) caused immeasurable harm to the continent’s citizens, leading many observers to claim that Africa was the most endemically violent region in the world. These conflicts replaced Cold War conflict formations, where large wars pitted major fighting forces against each other, in which rebel groups threatened to capture a capital or to secede. After the Cold War, the rebel became a mercenary and “blood diamond trader”—a “warlord” motivated by financial incentives. In some cases, however, the rebel was motivated to capture the state by revolutionary reasons—to argue for more equitably structured political entities, for example. The second turning point occurred in the late 2000s and early 2010s, in the first decade of the new African Union where conflicts were less about the capture of state power. The forms of these conflicts were significant: they were fought on the periphery of states where insurgents and armed groups had strong transnational features, were capable of sowing terror and destabilization, but tended to be small, internally divided, and poorly structured and trained. In many parts of the continent, these conflicts were interconnected, and characterized by social networks that connected a wide range of actors across territorial boundaries. Environmental and natural resource issues took center stage, altering the dynamics of African conflicts. Access to water, disputes over land, and the availability of minerals have altered the dynamics of African conflicts, changing the incentive structure of combatants, further complicating the nature of conflicts. While transitions to democracy were welcome, many were incomplete, transforming the nature of competition toward zero-sum.
Minority Governments
Authors: Field Bonnie N. , Martin Shane
Published: October 2019

A minority government is one that comprises ministers from one or more political parties where the party or parties represented in the cabinet do not simultaneously hold an absolute majority (50 percent plus one) of the seats in the parliament or legislature. Minority governments are particularly interesting in parliamentary systems, where the government is responsible to parliament, meaning that the parliament can remove the government with a vote of no confidence. Minority governments are puzzling in this environment because, presumably, the political composition of the parliament determines who will govern, and the parliament can remove a sitting government that it does not support. This bibliography focuses primarily on parliamentary systems and national governments (we acknowledge, however, a growing literature on minority governments at the subnational level). Minority governments are common, representing approximately one-third of all governments in parliamentary systems. In the European context, minority governments have been particularly common in the Scandinavian democracies of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and in Spain, Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Ireland. They have also occurred in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and India, which historically were more accustomed to single-party majority governments. Minority governments also frequently occur at the regional and local level. Several questions drive research on minority governments. The first is why minority governments form. Are they an illogical outcome or one that a troubled political environment produces, or are they the consequences of rational decisions by political parties? Are there certain political or institutional characteristics that favor the formation of minority governments? A second line of research delves into how minority governments govern. This includes whether they govern with formal agreements with other parties in parliament, and through their alliance-building strategies within parliament. It also includes investigations into parties that provide support to minority governments within parliament—what scholars term “support parties.” A third line of research investigates the performance of minority governments. In particular, how does minority status affect the duration of the government and its ability to accomplish its policy goals and generate public support? While the research on minority governments varies, in general it has moved from viewing minority governments as peculiar and potentially problematic toward seeing them as rational cabinet solutions capable of effective governance.
Reliability in Educational Assessments
Authors: Miller M. David
Published: October 2019

There are three foundations identified by professional standards for examining the psychometric quality of assessments: validity, reliability, and fairness. Thus, reliability is a primary concern for all assessments. Reliability is defined as the consistency of scores across replications. In education, the sources of measurement error and the basis for replications include items, forms, raters, or occasions. The source of the measurement error will determine the type of reliability and ultimately the generalizations about the measurement. Thus, inconsistency in scores is potentially due to multiple sources of random error, and this definition can be applied to multiple types of replications depending on the generalization that is to be made (e.g., items, forms, raters, or occasions). There are also multiple indices for reporting reliability, including reliability coefficients, generalizability coefficients, standard errors of measurement, and information functions, to name a few. The indices are defined differently with different test theories. For example, classical test theory emphasizes reliability coefficients and standard errors of measurement; item response theory emphasizes information functions; generalizability theory emphasizes generalizability coefficients, dependability indices, and relative and absolute standard errors; and classification consistency emphasizes proportion agreement unadjusted or adjusted for chance agreement. The importance of reliability varies depending on the uses made of the assessment. Reliability is considered to be increasingly important when the consequences of test use are more high stakes. Thus, reliability is expected to be more rigorously adhered to when tests are used to make high-stakes decisions about individuals, such as employment or certification decisions and decisions about clinical placement. While validity, or the interpretations and uses of test scores, is considered the most important characteristic of a test, reliability provides a strong foundation for validity, providing a necessary condition for most test uses or interpretations. When scores are not consistent within a testing procedure, the scores are considered to be influenced instead by random errors of measurement. Thus, the scores will not have strong relationships to other variables, will not have strong internal structure, and will not accurately reflect score uses and interpretations that are necessary for validity. Consequently, reliability is often considered necessary to the valid use and interpretations of scores. On the other hand, the test could have high reliability and still not be valid for a particular use or interpretation, since validity would be dependent on measuring consistently and measuring the right construct.
Computational Phonology
Authors: Chandlee Jane
Published: October 2019

Much like the term “computational linguistics”, the term “computational phonology” has come to mean different things to different people. Research grounded in a variety of methodologies and formalisms can be included in its scope. The common thread of the research that falls under this umbrella term is the use of computational methods to investigate questions of interest in phonology, primarily how to delimit the set of possible phonological patterns from the larger set of “logically possible” patterns and how those patterns are learned. Computational phonology arguably began with the foundational result that Sound Pattern of English (SPE) rules are regular relations (provided they can’t recursively apply to their own structural change), which means they can be modeled with finite-state transducers (FSTs) and that a system of ordered rules can be composed into a single FST. The significance of this result can be seen in the prominence of finite-state models both in theoretical phonology research and in more applied areas like natural language processing and human language technology. The shift in the field of phonology from rule-based grammars to constraint-based frameworks like Optimality Theory (OT) initially sparked interest in the question of how to model OT with FSTs and thereby preserve the noted restriction of phonology to the complexity level of regular. But an additional point of interest for computational work on OT stemmed from the ways in which its architecture readily lends itself to the development of learning algorithms and models, including statistical approaches that address recognized challenges such as gradient acceptability, process optionality, and the learning of underlying forms and hidden structure. Another line of research has taken on the question of to what extent phonology is not just regular, but subregular, meaning describable with proper subclasses of the regular languages and relations. The advantages of subregular modeling of phonological phenomena are argued to be stronger typological explanations, in that the computational properties that establish the subclasses as properly subregular restrict the kinds of phenomena that can be described in desirable ways. Also, these same restrictions lead directly to provably correct learning algorithms. Once again this work has made extensive use of the finite-state formalism, but it has also employed logical characterizations that more readily extend from strings to non-linear phenomena such as autosegmental representations and syllable structure.
Linguistic Landscapes
Authors: Carr Jhonni Rochelle Charisse
Published: October 2019

Linguistic landscape studies is the investigation of displayed language in a particular space, generally through the analysis of advertisements, billboards, and other signs. A common definition used in the field is the one posited in the canonical 1997 article “Linguistic Landscape and Ethnolinguistic Vitality: An Empirical Study” (Journal of Language and Social Psychology 16(1): 23–49) by Rodrigue Landry and Richard Y. Bourhis: “The language of public road signs, advertising billboards, street names, place names, commercial shop signs, and public signs on government buildings combines to form the linguistic landscape of a given territory, region, or urban agglomeration” (p. 25). (See Landry and Bourhis 1997, cited under Origins of the Field.) The study of the linguistic landscape (LL) is a fairly new area of investigation, with the establishment of its first international conference in 2008 and first international journal in 2015. An especially interdisciplinary field, it incorporates work from camps such as anthropology, linguistics, political science, education, geography, and urban planning. While the majority of research focuses on particular geographical places, the area of study has expanded to include the linguistic landscape of the Internet. This article highlights diverse works from male and female scholars, researchers of color, and scholarship on minority languages by scholars from all over the globe. Key texts include research presented in various forms including books, articles, conferences, conference presentations, and dissertations. The first half of the article is organized by contribution type. It begins with Key Works and then turns to Edited Collections. It then moves on to journals that commonly feature linguistic landscape work or special issues and then some of the latest dissertations that have been published. Finally, the article turns to conferences dedicated to the subject and important conference papers that have been discussed recently among scholars in the field. The second half of the article is organized topically in the following order: Origins of the Field, Innovative Methodologies, Applications and Approaches in the Field (including subsections Multilingualism, Global English, Minority Languages, Anthropology, Language Policy and Planning, and Education). In the subsection Anthropology, three central themes are considered: Language Attitudes and Ideologies, Identity, and Ethnography. Finally, the article reviews important works from a newer subcamp: The Linguistic Landscape of the Internet.
Loneliness and Health
Authors: Shankar Aparna
Published: October 2019

In January 2018, the UK became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister for Loneliness. This highlights growing concerns about loneliness in societies, and its deleterious effects on individual health and well-being. Loneliness or perceived social isolation is a subjective experience relating to dissatisfaction with one’s social relationships. Most research has focused on the experience of loneliness in old age, but levels of loneliness are also known to be high among teenagers and young adults. While poor health may be associated with increased feelings of loneliness, there is now considerable evidence on the role of loneliness as a risk factor for poor mental and physical health. Studies suggest that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and chronic diseases, and also with a higher rate of Mortality. Risky Health Behaviors, a poor cardiovascular profile, and compromised immune functioning have all been proposed as potential pathways through which loneliness may affect health. However, much still remains to be understood about these Mechanisms. This bibliography starts with a section on chapters and reviews that provide a theoretical basis for understanding the associations between social relationships and health, as well as some reviews of the Health Effects of loneliness. This is followed by sections that focus on specific outcomes, health effects (mortality, general health and physical function, cognitive function and Mental Health), and Healthcare Utilization. The subsequent section examines research into the pathways through which loneliness affects health. The final section examines interventions to reduce loneliness and the associated effects on health outcomes.
Workplace Aggression and Violence
Authors: Min Hanyi , Shoss Mindy
Published: October 2019

Workplace aggression is an umbrella construct that describes behaviors from insiders or outsiders of an organization that harm or intend to harm individuals in the organization. Workplace aggression involves both nonphysical and physical acts, with the latter labeled workplace violence. Organizational researchers have identified many constructs that fall under the label of workplace aggression, including counterproductive work behaviors, deviance, abusive supervision, incivility, and bullying, all of which refer to nonphysical acts of aggression. There is some debate, however, about the appropriateness of putting all of these constructs under the umbrella of workplace aggression and about the distinctiveness of the constructs, both conceptually and in their measurement. Given the wide variety of behaviors falling under the label of workplace aggression, previous research has sought to develop various methods to measure workplace aggression and violence, and some studies have attempted to examine the prevalence of these experiences. Research on workplace aggression has broadly proceeded along several streams. First, research from the actor perspective aims to understand the personal and situational characteristics that predict acts of aggression as well as potential explanatory mechanisms for these effects. Second, research from the target or victim perspective investigates consequences of being a victim of workplace aggression, including those impacting the individual, group, and organization. Third, research from the observer perspective examines the consequences of observing acts of aggression at work. Finally, a newer stream of research seeks to develop and test interventions to prevent and help employees cope with acts of workplace aggression.
Progressing the Conceptualization of Value Co-creation in Public Service Organizations
Authors: Cluley Victoria , Radnor Zoe
Published: October 2019

Value and how it is produced/created in public service organizations (PSOs) represents a current and significant issue for those researching and working in public sector management as well as public service users. Recently it has been suggested that value in PSOs is created rather than co-produced through a relationship between the service user and the service provider based on the service user’s wider life experience. Importantly, this definition shifts the emphasis from the PSO (the focus of value co-production) to the PSO service user and their wider life experience. This is by no means an agreed conceptualization; there are many and varied definitions of value and its creation process. In this article, we develop a philosophical foundation for the value creation process in PSOs, something we argue is fundamentally missing from current conceptualizations. To do this, we draw on the work of Deleuze and Guattari, repositioning the basis of value co-creation from a service logic to a logic of assemblage. We then apply this framework to a practical example of public service use to show how it can be used to make sense of reality.
Hospitalization in fibromyalgia: a cohort-level observational study of in-patient procedures, costs and geographical variation in England
Authors: Soni Anushka , Santos-Paulo Stephanie , Segerdahl Andrew , Javaid M Kassim , Pinedo-Villanueva Rafael , Tracey Irene
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Fibromyalgia is a complex, debilitating, multifactorial condition that can be difficult to manage. Recommended treatments are usually delivered in outpatient settings; evidence suggests that significant inpatient care occurs. We describe the scale and cost of inpatient care with a primary diagnostic code of fibromyalgia within the English National Health Service.

Methods

We conducted a cohort-level observational study of all patients admitted to hospital due to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2018 inclusive, in the National Health Service in England. We used data from Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care to study: the age and sex of patients admitted, number and costs of admissions, length of stay, procedures undertaken, class and type of admission, and distribution of admissions across clinical commissioning groups.

Results

A total of 24 295 inpatient admissions, costing £20 220 576, occurred during the 4-year study period. Most patients were women (89%) with peak age of admission of between 45 and 55 years. Most admissions were elective (92%). A number of invasive therapeutic procedures took place, including a continuous i.v. infusion (35%). There was marked geographical variation in the prevalence and cost of inpatient fibromyalgia care delivered across the country, even after accounting for clinical commissioning group size.

Conclusions

Many patients are admitted for treatment of their fibromyalgia and given invasive procedures for which there is weak evidence, with significant variation in practice and cost across the country. This highlights the need to identify areas of resource use that can be rationalized and diverted to provide more effective, evidence-based treatment.
Anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies: warning lights of a tumour autoantigen
Authors: De Vooght Julie , Vulsteke Jean-Baptiste , De Haes Petra , Bossuyt Xavier , Lories Rik , De Langhe Ellen
Published: October 2019

Anti-transcription intermediary factor 1 (TIF1)-γ autoantibodies are robustly linked with cancer-associated DM in adults. This review aims to give an overview of the physiological context of TIF1-γ and to determine whether there is a pathophysiological link between anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies and the occurrence of cancer. Detection of anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies has a high sensitivity and specificity for cancer-associated DM in adults and is therefore useful for both diagnosis and cancer risk stratification. The function of the autoantigen, TIF1-γ, may provide insight into the mechanism behind this association. TIF1-γ is a ubiquitously present protein involved in various biological pathways, including TGF-β signalling. In cancer, it can act either as a tumour suppressor or promoter, depending on the cellular context and cancer stage. Evolving data provide pathophysiological insights, linking anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies to both the anti-tumour response and to muscle and skin damage. TIF1-γ expression is increased in muscle and skin tissue of patients with DM. Mutations or loss-of-heterozygosity in TIF1-γ alleles in malignant tissue may result in the expression of tumour-specific neo-antigens stimulating autoantibody production. The newly formed autoantibodies are hypothesized to cross-react with antigens in muscle and skin, driving the development of DM. Based on the current evidence, anti-TIF1-γ autoantibodies should be considered warning lights of a potential tumour autoantigen and should alert the physician to the possibility of an underlying cancer.
Filling in the Gaps of Scleroderma Ulcer Care: A Review
Authors: Wagner Keith D. , Woolridge Kate , Group Ashley
Published: October 2019

Digital ulcers are a serious complication in 50% of patients with scleroderma. These ulcers have the potential to resist conventional therapies. There have been several reviews of scleroderma care over the last 5 years, but there are new developments in this field that advance clinician knowledge. This review provides an overview of previous digital ulcer management and a concise summary of new peer-reviewed literature on the topic since 2015 to provide guidance to practitioners and researchers seeking well-supported and novel/off-label therapies to consider.
Twelve weeks of resistance band exercise training improves age-associated hormonal decline, blood pressure, and body composition in postmenopausal women with stage 1 hypertension: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Son Won-Mok , Pekas Elizabeth J. , Park Song-Young
Published: October 2019

Objective:

Menopause is often accompanied by an age-associated hormonal decline, increased blood pressure (BP), and poor body composition, which may collectively increase risks for cardiovascular disease. It is important to combat the negative effects on age-associated hormonal decline, BP, and body composition by incorporating appropriate lifestyle interventions, such as exercise. We sought to examine the effects of a 12-week resistance band exercise training program on aging-related hormones including estradiol, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), BP, and body composition in postmenopausal women with stage 1 hypertension.

Methods:

Postmenopausal women with stage 1 hypertension (n = 20) were recruited and randomly assigned to a 12-week resistance band exercise training group (EX, n = 10) or control group (CON, n = 10). The EX group performed a total-body resistance band exercise training program. Levels of estradiol, GH, IGF-1, DHEA-S, as well as BP and body composition were assessed before and after 12 weeks.

Results:

There were significant group by time interactions (P < 0.05) for estradiol, GH, IGF-1, DHEA-S, and lean body mass, which significantly increased (P < 0.05), and systolic BP, total body mass, body mass index, and body fat percentage, which significantly decreased (P < 0.05) after EX compared to no changes in CON. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in diastolic BP after 12 weeks.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that 12 weeks of resistance band exercise may be an effective, easily accessible, and cost-efficient intervention for improving age-associated hormonal decline, high BP, and poor body composition in postmenopausal women with stage 1 hypertension.

Video Summary:

http://links.lww.com/MENO/A494.
Plasma levels of miR-30d-5p are decreased in regularly exercising postmenopausal women
Authors: Kranjc Tilen , Milojević Marko , Kocjan Tomaž , Jensterle Mojca , Marc Janja , Ostanek Barbara
Published: October 2019

Objective:

Plasma/serum microRNAs (miRNAs) are proposed to have a role in the development of osteoporosis, and their levels can be affected by physical activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze differences in plasma miRNAs levels in postmenopausal women and to simultaneously find novel extracellular miRNAs that are associated with variations in physical activities.

Methods:

We measured hsa-miR-148a-3p, hsa-miR-125b, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-93-5p, and hsa-miR-30d-5p in a cohort of 149 postmenopausal women divided into subgroups based on the amount of physical activity by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Further, the correlation of plasma microRNAs with sit-to-stand performance was examined. DIANA web server was used to find which Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways (P < 0.05) were regulated by miRNAs associated with physical activity and sit-to-stand performance.

Results:

Plasma levels of hsa-miR-30d-5p were significantly (P = 0.015) lower in participants with higher physical activity, and a borderline trend for hsa-miR-21-5p (P = 0.06) was noticed. Higher plasma levels of hsa-miR-21-5p (P = 0.01) and hsa-miR-93-5p (P = 0.04) were observed in the group with reduced sit-to-stand performance. The two miRNAs seem to primarily regulate fatty acid metabolism-related processes.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that levels of selected cell-free miRNAs in postmenopausal women are associated with different physical activity regimes.
Communication Mode and Speech and Language Outcomes of Young Cochlear Implant Recipients: A Comparison of Auditory-Verbal, Oral Communication, and Total Communication
Authors: Thomas Ellen S. , Zwolan Teresa A.
Published: October 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of communication mode on the spoken language outcomes of children who received a cochlear implant.

Study Design:

Retrospective analysis of postoperative speech and language and reading scores for children who received a cochlear implant and used three different modes of communication: auditory-verbal (AV) (n = 39), oral communication (OC) (n = 107), and total communication (TC) (n = 57).

Setting:

A single tertiary cochlear implant clinic.

Patients:

All children received their cochlear implant before the age of 5 years, had no known cochlear anomaly or cognitive delay that would affect their outcome with the CI, and had established consistent use of their respective communication methodology.

Intervention:

Rehabilitation varied depending on the selected communication methodology. Data were collected during routine postoperative speech and language evaluations.

Main Outcome Measures:

Receptive and expressive language, reading comprehension, and speech intelligibility scores obtained up to 7 years post-activation of a cochlear implant.

Results:

All groups showed improvements over time. Linear mixed model analyses indicated scores obtained by children in the AV group were significantly higher than mean scores obtained by children in the other groups on most test measures at most post-implant intervals. Significantly greater numbers of children in the AV group obtained standard scores within normal limits than children in the OC and TC groups.

Conclusions:

These findings support the use of the auditory-verbal communication approach to facilitate development of age-appropriate speech and language and literacy skills in profoundly deaf children.
Evaluation of Artificial Fixation of the Incus and Malleus With Minimally Invasive Intraoperative Laser Vibrometry (MIVIB) in a Temporal Bone Model
Authors: Gladiné Kilian , Wales Jeremy , Silvola Juha , Muyshondt Pieter G. G. , Topsakal Vedat , Van De Heyning Paul , Dirckx Joris J. J. , von Unge Magnus
Published: October 2019

Background:

A significant number of adults suffer from conductive hearing loss due to chronic otitis media, otosclerosis, or other pathologies. An objective measurement of ossicular mobility is needed to avoid unnecessarily invasive middle ear surgery and to improve hearing outcomes.

Methods:

Minimally invasive intraoperative laser vibrometry provides a method that is compatible with middle ear surgery, where the tympanic membrane is elevated. The ossicles were driven by a floating mass transducer and their mobility was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer. Utilising this method, we assessed both the absolute velocities of the umbo and incus long process as well as the incus-to-umbo velocity ratio during artificial fixation of the incus alone or incus and malleus together.

Results:

The reduction of absolute velocities was 8 dB greater at the umbo and 17 dB at the incus long process for incus-malleus fixations when compared with incus fixation alone. Incus fixation alone resulted in no change to the incus-to-umbo velocity ratio where incus-malleus fixations reduced this ratio (−11 dB). The change in incus velocity was shown to be the most suitable parameter to distinguish between incus fixation and incus-malleus fixation. When the whole frequency range was analyzed, one could also differentiate these two fixations from previously published stapes fixation, where the higher frequencies were less affected.

Conclusion:

Minimally invasive intraoperative laser vibrometry provides a promising objective analysis of ossicular mobility that would be useful intraoperatively.
The Management of Tympanic Membrane Perforation With Endoscopic Type I Tympanoplasty
Authors: Marchioni Daniele , Gazzini Luca , De Rossi Stefano , Di Maro Flavia , Sacchetto Luca , Carner Marco , Bianconi Luca
Published: October 2019

Objective:

The objective of this study is to describe what we consider to be the state-of-the-art procedure for the treatment of tympanic membrane perforations, and to present the results attained in our institution.

Study Design:

A retrospective cohort study, using data of Verona University Hospital, Italy. This medical record includes the data of 98 patients who underwent 100 transcanal endoscopic type I tympanoplasties from November 2014 to October 2017.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center University Hospital of Verona, Italy.

Patients:

Were enrolled 109 patients, that underwent endoscopic type I tympanoplasty in the period considered. Out of the selected patients, 11 (10.1%) were lost to long-term follow-up, and were therefore excluded from our study. Other exclusion criteria were surgical approaches that included other procedures. Patients whose follow-up was shorter than 6 months were excluded from this study.

Intervention:

The technique is based on an endoscopic placement of underlay graft of temporal fascia or tragal cartilage. We consider the data of four surgeons from Verona University ENT department.

Main Outcome Measure:

In the study we considered the reduction of the Air Bone Gap as functional outcome and the integrity of the reconstruction as anatomical outcome of success.

Results:

No major intraoperative complications were observed. The closure rate was 86%. The mean surgery time was 48.6 minutes. The air bone gap was improved within 20 DB HL in 89% of patient. Only 8% of patients needed revision surgery, and none needed a third surgical evaluation.

Conclusion:

Endoscopic ear surgery is by now a reality that has replaced in many cases exclusive microscopic ear surgery. Transcanal endoscopic type I tympanoplasty can be considered nowadays as an alternative technique for tympanic membrane perforations.