bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CDC's 6|18 Initiative: A Cross-Sector Approach to Translating Evidence Into Practice
Authors: Seeff Laura C. , McGinnis Tricia , Heishman Hilary 
Published: February 2018

Context:
As the US health care system continues to undergo dynamic change, the increased alignment between health care quality and payment has provided new opportunities for public health and health care sectors to work together.

Program:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 6|18 Initiative accelerates cross-sector collaboration between public health and health care purchasers, payers, and providers and highlights 6 high-burden conditions and 18 associated interventions with evidence of cost reduction/neutrality and improved health outcomes. This evidence can inform payment, utilization, and quality of prevention and control interventions.

Implementation:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused initially on public payer health insurance interventions for asthma control, unintended pregnancy prevention, and tobacco cessation. Nine state Medicaid and public health agency teams—in Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina—participated in the initiative because they had previously prioritized the health condition(s) and specific intervention(s) and had secured state-level leadership support for state agency collaboration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Center for Health Care Strategies, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and other partners supported state implementation and dissemination of early lessons learned.

Evaluation:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted exploratory interviews to guide improvement of the 6|18 Initiative and to understand facilitators, barriers, and complementary roles played by each sector. Monthly technical assistance calls conducted with state teams documented collaborative activities between state Medicaid agencies and health departments and state processes to increase coverage and utilization.

Discussion:
The 6|18 Initiative is strengthening partnerships between state health departments and Medicaid agencies and contributing to state progress in helping improve Medicaid coverage and utilization of effective prevention and control interventions. This initiative highlights early successes for others interested in strengthening collaboration between state agencies and between public and private sectors to improve payment, utilization, and quality of evidence-based interventions.
Finding Hidden HIV Clusters to Support Geographic-Oriented HIV Interventions in Kenya
Authors: Waruru Anthony , Achia Thomas N. O. , Tobias James L. , Ng'ang'a James , Mwangi Mary , Wamicwe Joyce , Zielinski-Gutierrez Emily , Oluoch Tom , Muthama Evelyn , Tylleskär Thorkild 
Published: February 2018

Background:
In a spatially well known and dispersed HIV epidemic, identifying geographic clusters with significantly higher HIV prevalence is important for focusing interventions for people living with HIV (PLHIV).

Methods:
We used Kulldorff spatial-scan Poisson model to identify clusters with high numbers of HIV-infected persons 15–64 years old. We classified PLHIV as belonging to either higher prevalence or lower prevalence (HP/LP) clusters, then assessed distributions of sociodemographic and biobehavioral HIV risk factors and associations with clustering.

Results:
About half of survey locations, 112/238 (47%) had high rates of HIV (HP clusters), with 1.1–4.6 times greater PLHIV adults observed than expected. Richer persons compared with respondents in lowest wealth index had higher odds of belonging to a HP cluster, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.61 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13 to 2.3], aOR 1.66 (95% CI: 1.09 to 2.53), aOR 3.2 (95% CI: 1.82 to 5.65), and aOR 2.28 (95% CI: 1.09 to 4.78) in second, middle, fourth, and highest quintiles, respectively. Respondents who perceived themselves to have greater HIV risk or were already HIV-infected had higher odds of belonging to a HP cluster, aOR 1.96 (95% CI: 1.13 to 3.4) and aOR 5.51 (95% CI: 2.42 to 12.55), respectively; compared with perceived low risk. Men who had ever been clients of female sex worker had higher odds of belonging to a HP cluster than those who had never been, aOR 1.47 (95% CI: 1.04 to 2.08); and uncircumcised men vs circumcised, aOR 3.2 (95% CI: 1.74 to 5.8).

Conclusions:
HIV infection in Kenya exhibits localized geographic clustering associated with sociodemographic and behavioral factors, suggesting disproportionate exposure to higher HIV risk. Identification of these clusters reveals the right places for targeting priority-tailored HIV interventions.
Perspectives on Integrated HIV and Hepatitis C Virus Testing Among Persons Entering a Northern California Jail: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ly Wilson , Cocohoba Jennifer , Chyorny Alexander , Halpern Jodi , Auerswald Colette , Myers Janet 
Published: February 2018

Background:
Providing HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing on an “opt-out” basis is often considered the “gold standard” because it contributes to higher testing rates when compared with “opt-in” strategies. Although rates are crucial, an individual's testing preferences are also important, especially in correctional settings where legal and social factors influence a person's capacity to freely decide whether or not to test. Our study explored factors influencing HIV and HCV testing decisions and individuals' preferences and concerns regarding opt-in vs. opt-out testing at the time of jail entry.

Methods:
We conducted semistructured interviews to explore individuals' previous testing experiences, reasons to test, understanding of their health care rights, HIV and HCV knowledge, and preferences for an opt-out vs. an opt-in testing script.

Results:
We interviewed 30 individuals detained in the Santa Clara County Jail at intake. Participants reported that their testing decisions were influenced by their level of HIV and HCV knowledge, self-perceived risk of infection and stigma associated with infection and testing, the degree to which they felt coerced, and understanding of testing rights in a correctional setting. Most preferred the opt-in script because they valued the choice of whether or not to be tested. Participants who did prefer the opt-out script did so because they felt that the script was less likely to make people feel “singled out” for testing.

Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate that people care about how testing is offered and suggest a need for further research to see how much this influences their decision about whether to test.
Utilizing ExAC to Assess the Hidden Contribution of Variants of Unknown Significance to Sanfilippo Type B Incidence
Authors: Clark Wyatt T. , Yu G. Karen , Aoyagi-Scharber Mika , LeBowitz Jonathan H. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractGiven the large and expanding quantity of publicly available sequencing data, it should be possible to extract incidence information for monogenic diseases from allele frequencies, provided one knows which mutations are causal. We tested this idea on a rare, monogenic, lysosomal storage disorder, Sanfilippo Type B (Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB).Sanfilippo Type B is caused by mutations in the gene encoding α-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU). There were 189 NAGLU missense variants found in the ExAC dataset that comprises roughly 60,000 individual exomes. Only 24 of the 189 missense variants were known to be pathogenic; the remaining 165 variants were of unknown significance (VUS), and their potential contribution to disease is unknown.To address this problem, we measured enzymatic activities of 164 NAGLU missense VUS in the ExAC dataset and developed a statistical framework for estimating disease incidence with associated confidence intervals. We found that 25% of VUS decreased the activity of NAGLU to levels consistent with Sanfilippo Type B pathogenic alleles. We found that a substantial fraction of Sanfilippo Type B incidence (67%) could be accounted for by novel mutations not previously identified in patients, illustrating the utility of combining functional activity data for VUS with population-wide allele frequency data in estimating disease incidence.
hRBPome: a central repository of all known human RNA-binding proteins
Authors: Ghosh Pritha , Murugavel Pavalam , Sowdhamini Ramanathan 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundRNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been extensively studied in humans over the past few years. Multiple reports have been made in the literature for genome-wide survey for this class of proteins in the human genome using different tools and techniques. Due to the inherent difference in the nature of the methods used in identifying human RBPs, as well as the diverse sources for data collection in each of these studies, there exists immense heterogeneity (including diversity in data formats) and poor intersection among the datasets available from the different studies.DescriptionhRBPome is a comprehensive database of human RBPs known from six different studies. We have introduced considerable uniformity in the data, by mapping the various data formats reported by the different studies to gene names. This makes comparison across studies (datasets) easier than was possible before. We also provide confidence scores to each of these known RBPs, on the basis of their presence across studies.ConclusionThis database presents a set of 837 high confidence RBP genes, identified in three or more resources, out of the six studies considered. Hence, it forms a “gold standard” for RBPs in the human genome. It also provides information for all the human RBPs from multiple resources, known to the best of our knowledge, on a common platform. The database can be accessed from the following URL: http://caps.ncbs.res.in/hrbpome
Leg force interference in poly-pedal locomotion
Authors: Weihmann Tom 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe examination of gaits and gait-changes have been the focus of movement physiology and legged robot engineering since the first emergence of the fields. While most examinations focussed on bipedal and quadrupedal designs many robotic implementations rely on the higher static stability of three or more pairs of legs. Nevertheless, examinations of gait-changes in the biological models, i.e. poly-pedal arthropods such as insects or arachnids, are rare. Except for the well-known change from slow feedback controlled walking to a fast, feedforward controlled running gait, no changes are known or are deemed to be of low significance.However, recent studies in fast moving spiders, mites and cockroaches have revealed an additional gait change also for the transition from intermediate to high running speeds. This change is similar to gait transitions as found in quadrupedal vertebrates.Accordingly, the present approach aims to extend available theory to poly-pedal designs and examines how the number of active walking legs affects body dynamics when combined with changing duty factors and phase relations. The model shows that higher numbers of active leg pairs can prevent effective use of bouncing gaits such as trot and their associated advantages because significantly higher degrees of leg synchronisation are required. It also shows that small changes in the leg coordination pattern have a much higher impact onto the COM dynamics than in locomotor systems with fewer legs. In this way, the model reveals coordinative constraints for specific gaits facilitating the assessment of animal locomotion and economization of robotic locomotion.Significance StatementThe present model approach enables to assess the impact of different numbers of walking legs onto movement dynamics and gait choice in terrestrial legged locomotion. The model’s results are indicatory for research in legged locomotion regardless whether biological examples or legged walking machines are considered. The approach is suitable for all numbers of pairs of walking legs larger than two and is focussed on symmetrical gaits as found in straight and continuous locomotion. The model fills a gaping gap as the impact of phase shifts among the legs in the coordinated sets of legs typical for poly-pedal animals and robots on overall body dynamics are not considered sufficiently in existing dynamic model approaches.
On the importance of time scales when studying adaptive evolution
Authors: Perrier Charles , Charmantier Anne 
Published: February 2018

AbstractLong-term field studies coupled with quantitative genomics offer a powerful means to understand the genetic bases underlying quantitative traits and their evolutionary changes. However, analyzing and interpreting the time scales at which adaptive evolution occurs is challenging. First, while evolution is predictable in the short term, with strikingly rapid phenotypic changes in data series, it remains unpredictable in the long term. Second, while the temporal dynamics of some loci with large effect on phenotypic variation and fitness have been characterized, this task can be complicated in cases of highly polygenic trait architecture implicating numerous small effect size loci, or when statistical tests are sensitive to the heterogeneity of some key characteristics of the genome, like recombination rate variations. After introducing these aforementioned challenges, we discuss a recent investigation of the genomic architecture and spatio-temporal variation in great tit bill length, which was related to the recent use of bird feeders. We discuss how this case study illustrates the importance of considering different temporal scales and evolutionary mechanisms both while analyzing trait temporal trends and when searching for and interpreting the signals of putative genomic footprints of selection. More generally this commentary discusses interesting challenges for unraveling the time scale at which adaptive traits evolve and their genomic bases.Impact summaryAn important goal in evolutionary biology is to understand how individual traits evolve, leading to fascinating variations in time and space. Long-term field studies have been crucial in trying to understand the timing, extent, and ecological determinants of such trait variation in wild populations. In this context, recent genomic tools can be used to look for the genetic bases underlying such trait variation and can provide clues on the nature and timing of their evolution. However, the analysis and the interpretation of the time scales at which evolution occurs remain challenging. First, analyzing long-term data series can be tricky; short-term changes are highly predictable whereas long-term evolution is much less predictable. A second difficult task is to study the architecture of complex quantitative traits and to decipher the timing and roles of the several genomic mechanisms involved in their evolution. This commentary introduces these challenges and discusses a recent investigation of the nature and timing of ecological and genomic factors responsible for variation in great tit bill length. Overall, we raise cautionary warnings regarding several conceptual and technical features and limitations when coupling analyses of long-term and genomic data to study trait evolution in wild populations.
Cellular Migration May Exhibit Intrinsic Left-Right Asymmetries: A meta-analysis
Authors: Sullivan Kelly G. , Vandenberg Laura N. , Levin Michael 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe intracellular model of embryonic left-right (LR) asymmetry proposes that body laterality originates from intrinsic chiral properties of individual cells, and several recent studies identified consistent chirality in the behavior of cells in vitro. Here, we explored one prediction of the intrinsic asymmetry model: that LR asymmetries would be present in a wide range of mammalian cells, manifesting in the form of LR-biased migration toward an attractant. We mined data from published papers on galvanotaxis and chemotaxis and quantitatively analyzed the migration trajectories of adult somatic cells, stem cells, and cancer cells to determine whether they display significant consistent LR biases in their movements toward migration targets. We found that several cell types exhibited LR biases during galvanotaxis and chemotaxis, and that treatments inhibiting cytoskeletal remodeling or targeting ion channel activity both abolished these LR biases. While we cannot conclusively rule out the existence of subtle biasing cues in the apparatus of some of the studies, the analysis of this dataset suggests specific assays and cell types for further investigation into the chiral aspects of intrinsic cell behavior.FundingThis work was funded by the American Heart Association Established Investigator grant 0740088N and NIH grants R01-GM077425 (to ML) and NRSA grant 1F32GM087107 (to LNV). M.L. is also supported by the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation.
Value-based decisions involve sequential sampling from memory
Authors: Bakkour Akram , Zylberberg Ariel , Shadlen Michael N. , Shohamy Daphna 
Published: February 2018

AbstractDeciding between two equally appealing options can take considerable time. This observation has puzzled economists and philosophers, because more deliberation only delays the reward. Here we show that this seemingly irrational behavior is explained by the constructive use of memory. Using functional brain imaging in humans, we show that how long it takes to decide between two familiar food items is related to activity in the hippocampus, within specific regions shown to be associated with the retrieval of long-term memories. Moreover, we show that value is partially constructed during deliberation to resolve preference, and this constructive process changes behavior and brain responses. These results render memory as a supplier of evidence in value-based decisions, resolving a central paradox of choice.
Emergence of oscillations via spike timing dependent plasticity
Authors: Soloduchin Sarit , Shamir Maoz 
Published: February 2018

AbstractNeuronal oscillatory activity has been reported in relation to a wide range of cognitive processes. In certain cases changes in oscillatory activity has been associated with pathological states. Although the specific role of these oscillations has yet to be determined, it is clear that neuronal oscillations are abundant in the central nervous system. These observations raise the question of the origin of these oscillations; and specifically whether the mechanisms responsible for the generation and stabilization of these oscillations are genetically hard-wired or whether they can be acquired via a learning process.Here we focus on spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) to investigate whether oscillatory activity can emerge in a neuronal network via an unsupervised learning process of STDP dynamics, and if so, what features of the STDP learning rule govern and stabilize the resultant oscillatory activity?Here, the STDP dynamics of the effective coupling between two competing neuronal populations with reciprocal inhibitory connections was analyzed using the phase-diagram of the system that depicts the possible dynamical states of the network as a function of the effective inhibitory couplings. This phase diagram yields a rich repertoire of possible dynamical behaviors including regions of different fixed point solutions, bi-stability and a region in which the system exhibits oscillatory activity. STDP introduces dynamics for the inhibitory couplings themselves and hence induces a flow in the phase diagram. We investigate the conditions for the flow to converge to an oscillatory state of the neuronal network and then characterize how the features of the STDP rule govern and stabilize these oscillations.
The development of gut microbiota in ostriches and its association with juvenile growth
Authors: Videvall Elin , Song Se Jin , Bensch Hanna M. , Strandh Maria , Engelbrecht Anel , Serfontein Naomi , Hellgren Olof , Olivier Adriaan , Cloete Schalk , Knight Rob , Cornwallis Charlie K. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe development of gut microbiota during ontogeny in vertebrates is emerging as an important process influencing physiology, immune system, health, and adult fitness. However, we have little knowledge of how the gut microbiome is colonised and develops in non-model organisms, and to what extent microbial diversity and specific taxa influence changes in fitness-related traits. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the successional development of the faecal microbiota in juvenile ostriches (Struthio camelus; n = 71) over their first three months of life, during which time a five-fold difference in weight was observed. We found a gradual increase in microbial diversity with age, an overall convergence in community composition among individuals, multiple colonisation and extinction events, and major taxonomic shifts coinciding with the cessation of yolk absorption. In addition, we discovered significant but complex associations between juvenile growth and microbial diversity, and identified distinct bacterial groups that had positive (Bacteroidaceae) and negative (Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae) correlations with the growth of individuals at specific ages. These results have broad implications for our understanding of the development of gut microbiota and its association with juvenile growth.
A framework for disaster resilience education with homeless communities
Authors: Every Danielle , Richardson John 
Published: February 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a practice framework for disaster resilience education (DRE) with homeless communities.

Design/methodology/approach
A survey with 163 homeless service providers together with 45 interviews with people with a lived experience of homelessness, homeless service providers and emergency services.

Findings
Key principles for DRE with the homeless community were: safe relationships, collaboration, strengths-based, empowerment, providing essential resources, and inclusivity. Recommendations for the design of DRE foregrounded partnerships and knowledge sharing between the homeless community and emergency services. Locally relevant risk information and material supports, together with sharing stories and eliciting values were important considerations for developing DRE content. Preferred delivery methods were outreach to build on trusted relationships and existing services, together with written material in large font emphasising images for distribution through drop in centres, food vans and new tenancy packages.

Practical implications
The key principles, together with the detailed suggestions outlining ways to translate the principles into actions, can be used by emergency and homeless services to develop effective DRE materials and programmes.

Social implications
The proposed DRE framework aims to not only enhance disaster risk knowledge, but also address the exclusion, isolation and disempowerment experienced by people who are homeless. By building on an effective intervention models within homeless services (Trauma-Informed Care) DRE can enhance the social connection, self-confidence and well-being goals of homeless services and clients.

Originality/value
The DRE framework is based on the first comprehensive Australian research with homeless services, clients and emergency managers on best practice for improving extreme weather preparedness in the homeless community.