bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Levels in Physical Education, School Recess, and After-School Time: Influence of Gender, Age, and Weight Status
Authors: Viciana Jesús , Mayorga-Vega Daniel , Martínez-Baena Alejandro 
Published: June 2016

Background:Primary and secondary school ages have been considered key moments to address the decrease of moderate-tovigorous physical activity (MVPA). Individual (eg, age, gender, and weight status) and contextual factors (moments of the day) need to be considered for a better explanation of the phenomenon. The quantity and quality of physical activity in Physical Education (PE), school recess (SR), and after school (AS) time need to be taken into account to solve the low levels of MVPA in youth.Methods:A sample of adolescents (N = 231, 14.6 ± 1.2 years old) was studied using accelerometry to determine the objective MVPA level in PE, SR, and AS.Results:Results indicated statistically significant differences on MVPA between contexts (AS > PE > SR, P < .001) as well as regarding the individual factors: age (older > younger in PE and younger > older in SR time; P < .001), gender (boys > girls in all contexts, P < .001), and weight status (overweight > nonoverweight in AS, P < .01).Conclusions:Because students did not meet the daily MVPA recommendations, some strategies have been provided in each of the contexts analyzed.
Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Is Conserved among Diverse Hospital Respiratory Isolates Collected from a Global Surveillance Study and Is Neutralized by Monoclonal Antibody MEDI4893
Authors: Tabor David E. , Yu Li , Mok Hoyin , Tkaczyk Christine , Sellman Bret R. , Wu Yuling , Oganesyan Vaheh , Slidel Tim , Jafri Hasan , McCarthy Michael , Bradford Patricia , Esser Mark T. 
Published: June 2016

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus
infections lead to an array of illnesses ranging from mild skin infections to serious diseases, such endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and pneumonia. Alpha-toxin (Hla) is a pore-forming toxin, encoded by the
hla
gene, that is thought to play a key role in
S. aureus
pathogenesis. A monoclonal antibody targeting Hla, MEDI4893, is in clinical development for the prevention of
S. aureus
ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The presence of the
hla
gene and Hla protein in 994 respiratory isolates collected from patients in 34 countries in Asia, Europe, the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia was determined. Hla levels were correlated with the geographic location, age of the subject, and length of stay in the hospital.
hla
gene sequence analysis was performed, and mutations were mapped to the Hla crystal structure.
S. aureus
supernatants containing Hla variants were tested for susceptibility or resistance to MEDI4893. The
hla
gene was present and Hla was expressed in 99.0% and 83.2% of the isolates, respectively, regardless of geographic region, hospital locale, or age of the subject. More methicillin-susceptible than methicillin-resistant isolates expressed Hla (86.9% versus 78.8%;
P
= 0.0007), and
S. aureus
isolates from pediatric patients expressed the largest amounts of Hla. Fifty-seven different Hla subtypes were identified, and 91% of the isolates encoded an Hla subtype that was neutralized by MED4893. This study demonstrates that Hla is conserved in diverse
S. aureus
isolates from around the world and is an attractive target for prophylactic monoclonal antibody (MAb) or vaccine development.
Posaconazole Plasma Concentrations on Days Three to Five Predict Steady-State Levels
Authors: Prattes Jürgen , Duettmann Wiebke , Hoenigl Martin 
Published: June 2016

ABSTRACT

Low posaconazole plasma concentrations (PPCs) have been associated with breakthrough invasive fungal infections. We assessed the correlation between pre-steady-state PPCs (obtained between days 3 and 5) and PPCs obtained during steady state in 48 patients with underlying hematological malignancies receiving posaconazole oral-solution prophylaxis. Pre-steady-state PPCs correlated significantly with PPCs obtained at steady state (Spearman
r
= 0.754;
P
< 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of pre-steady-state PPCs revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.884 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.790 to 0.977) for predicting satisfactory PPCs at steady state.
Antifungal Activity of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells against Cryptococcus neoformans
In Vitro
Requires Expression of Dectin-3 (CLEC4D) and Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Hole Camaron R. , Leopold Wager Chrissy M. , Mendiola Andrew S. , Wozniak Karen L. , Campuzano Althea , Lin Xin , Wormley Floyd L. 
Published: June 2016

ABSTRACT

Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) are critical for protection against pulmonary infection with the opportunistic fungal pathogen
Cryptococcus neoformans
; however, the role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) is unknown. We show for the first time that murine pDCs have direct activity against
C. neoformans
via reactive oxygen species (ROS), a mechanism different from that employed to control
Aspergillus fumigatus
infections. The anticryptococcal activity of murine pDCs is independent of opsonization but appears to require the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-3, a receptor not previously evaluated during cryptococcal infections. Human pDCs can also inhibit cryptococcal growth by a mechanism similar to that of murine pDCs. Experimental pulmonary infection of mice with a
C. neoformans
strain that induces protective immunity demonstrated that recruitment of pDCs to the lungs is CXCR3 dependent. Taken together, our results show that pDCs inhibit
C. neoformans
growth
in vitro
via the production of ROS and that Dectin-3 is required for optimal growth-inhibitory activity.
Evidence that BosR (BB0647) Is a Positive Autoregulator in Borrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Ouyang Zhiming , Zhou Jianli , Norgard Michael V. 
Published: June 2016

ABSTRACT

Borrelia burgdorferi
survives in nature through a complex tick-mammalian life cycle. During its transit between ticks and mammalian hosts,
B. burgdorferi
must dramatically alter its outer surface profile in order to interact with and adapt to these two diverse niches. It has been established that the regulator BosR (BB0647) in
B. burgdorferi
plays important roles in modulating borrelial host adaptation. However, to date, how
bosR
expression itself is controlled in
B. burgdorferi
remains largely unknown. Previously, it has been shown that DNA sequences upstream of BosR harbor multiple sites for the binding of recombinant BosR, suggesting that BosR may influence its own expression in
B. burgdorferi
. However, direct experimental evidence supporting this putative autoregulation of BosR has been lacking. Here, we investigated the expression of
bosR
throughout the tick-mammal life cycle of
B. burgdorferi
via quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses. Our data indicated that
bosR
is expressed not only during mouse infection, but also during the tick acquisition, intermolt, and transmission phases. Further investigation revealed that
bosR
expression in
B. burgdorferi
is influenced by environmental stimuli, such as temperature shift and pH change. By employing luciferase reporter assays, we also identified two promoters potentially driving
bosR
transcription. Our study offers strong support for the long-postulated function of BosR as an autoregulator in
B. burgdorferi
.
Study protocol—investigation of the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS) for the routine detection of delirium in the care home setting: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Teale Elizabeth , Young John , Siddiqi Najma , Munyombwe Theresa , Harrison Jennifer , Schuurmanns Marieke 
Published: June 2016

IntroductionDelirium is a common and distressing condition associated with frailty, dementia and comorbidity. These are common in long-term care settings. Residents in care homes are therefore at particular risk of delirium. Despite this, methods to detect delirium in care homes are lacking, with existing diagnostic tools taking too long, or requiring specific training to deliver. This limits their feasibility for use for the routine detection of delirium by care home staff. Routine screening for delirium in care homes would allow timely attention to exacerbating factors to attenuate the episode, and facilitate future research into delirium in the care home environment.MethodsResidents from 4 large care homes will be asked to consent (or their consultees asked to provide a declaration of agreement) to participate in the study. Care home staff will administer the 25-item Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS)—a delirium screening tool based on observed behaviours—and this will be tested against the research standard Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) administered by trained research assistants performed two times per week for all participating residents.AnalysisSensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, likelihood ratios and a diagnostic OR will be calculated for the detection of delirium with the 25-item DOSS. The feasibility of routine delirium screening and the scaling properties of the 25-item DOSS will also be explored.Ethics and DisseminationFor residents lacking capacity to participate, a consultee will be approached for a declaration of agreement for inclusion in the study. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated in written format to clinical commissioning groups, general practitioners and relevant third parties.Trial registration numberISRCTN14608554.
Reducing time to angiography and hospital stay for patients with high-risk non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome: retrospective analysis of a paramedic-activated direct access pathway
Authors: Koganti S , Patel N , Seraphim A , Kotecha T , Whitbread M , Rakhit R D 
Published: June 2016

ObjectiveTo assess whether a novel ‘direct access pathway’ (DAP) for the management of high-risk non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTEACS) is safe, results in ‘shorter time to intervention and shorter admission times’. This pathway was developed locally to enable London Ambulance Service to rapidly transfer suspected high-risk NSTEACS from the community to our regional heart attack centre for consideration of early angiography.MethodsThis is a retrospective case–control analysis of 289 patients comparing patients with high-risk NSTEACS admitted via DAP with age-matched controls from the standard pan-London high-risk ACS pathway (PLP) and the conventional pathway (CP). The primary end point of the study was time from admission to coronary angiography/intervention. Secondary end point was total length of hospital stay.ResultsOver a period of 43 months, 101 patients were admitted by DAP, 109 matched patients by PLP and 79 matched patients through CP. Median times from admission to coronary angiography for DAP, PLP and CP were 2.8 (1.5–9), 16.6 (6–50) and 60 (33–116) hours, respectively (p<0.001). Median length of hospital stay for DAP and PLP was similar at 3.0 (2.0–5.0) days in comparison to 5 (3–7) days for CP (p<0.001).ConclusionsDAP resulted in a significant reduction in time to angiography for patients with high-risk NSTEACS when compared to existing pathways.
A pharmacoeconomic approach to assessing the costs and benefits of air quality interventions that improve health: a case study
Authors: Lomas James , Schmitt Laetitia , Jones Sally , McGeorge Maureen , Bates Elizabeth , Holland Mike , Cooper Duncan , Crowther Richard , Ashmore Mike , Rojas-Rueda David , Weatherly Helen , Richardson Gerry , Bojke Laura 
Published: June 2016

ObjectiveThis paper explores the use of pharmacoeconomic methods of valuation to health impacts resulting from exposure to poor air quality. In using such methods, interventions that reduce exposure to poor air quality can be directly compared, in terms of value for money (or cost-effectiveness), with competing demands for finite resources, including other public health interventions.DesignUsing results estimated as part of a health impact assessment regarding a West Yorkshire Low Emission Zone strategy, this paper quantifies cost-saving and health-improving implications of transport policy through its impact on air quality.Data sourceEstimates of health-related quality of life and the National Health Service (NHS)/Personal Social Services (PSS) costs for identified health events were based on data from Leeds and Bradford using peer-reviewed publications or Office for National Statistics releases.PopulationInhabitants of the area within the outer ring roads of Leeds and Bradford.Main outcomes measuresNHS and PSS costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).ResultsAverting an all-cause mortality death generates 8.4 QALYs. Each coronary event avoided saves £28 000 in NHS/PSS costs and generates 1.1 QALYs. For every fewer case of childhood asthma, there will be NHS/PSS cost saving of £3000 and a health benefit of 0.9 QALYs. A single term, low birthweight birth avoided saves £2000 in NHS/PSS costs. Preventing a preterm birth saves £24 000 in NHS/PSS costs and generates 1.3 QALYs. A scenario modelled in the West Yorkshire Low Emission Zone Feasibility Study, where pre-EURO 4 buses and HGVs are upgraded to EURO 6 by 2016 generates an annual benefit of £2.08 million and a one-off benefit of £3.3 million compared with a net present value cost of implementation of £6.3 million.ConclusionsInterventions to improve air quality and health should be evaluated and where improvement of population health is the primary objective, cost-effectiveness analysis using a NHS/PSS costs and QALYs framework is an appropriate methodology.
Electronic capture of patient-reported and clinician-reported outcome measures in an elective orthopaedic setting: a retrospective cohort analysis
Authors: Malhotra Karan , Buraimoh Olatunbosun , Thornton James , Cullen Nicholas , Singh Dishan , Goldberg Andrew J 
Published: June 2016

ObjectivesTo determine whether an entirely electronic system can be used to capture both patient-reported outcomes (electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, ePROMs) as well as clinician-validated diagnostic and complexity data in an elective surgical orthopaedic outpatient setting. To examine patients' experience of this system and factors impacting their experience.DesignRetrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.SettingSingle centre series. Outpatient clinics at an elective foot and ankle unit in the UK.ParticipantsAll new adult patients attending elective orthopaedic outpatient clinics over a 32-month period.InterventionsAll patients were invited to complete ePROMs prior to attending their outpatient appointment. At their appointment, those patients who had not completed ePROMs were offered the opportunity to complete it on a tablet device with technical support. Matched diagnostic and complexity data were captured by the treating consultant during the appointment.Outcome measuresCapture rates of patient-reported and clinician-reported data. All information and technology (IT) failures, language and disability barriers were captured. Patients were asked to rate their experience of using ePROMs. The scoring systems used included EQ-5D-5L, the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOxFQ) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain score.ResultsOut of 2534 new patients, 2176 (85.9%) completed ePROMs, of whom 1090 (50.09%) completed ePROMs at home/work prior to their appointment. 31.5% used a mobile (smartphone/tablet) device. Clinician-reported data were captured on 2491 patients (98.3%). The mean patient experience score of using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) was 8.55±1.85 out of 10 and 666 patients (30.61%) left comments. Of patients leaving comments, 214 (32.13%) felt ePROMs did not adequately capture their symptoms and these patients had significantly lower patient experience scores (p<0.001).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the successful implementation of technology into a service improvement programme. Excellent capture rates of ePROMs and clinician-validated diagnostic data can be achieved within a National Health Service setting.
Loss of histone variant macroH2A2 expression associates with progression of anal neoplasm
Authors: Hu Wan-Hsiang , Miyai Katsumi , Sporn Judith C , Luo Linda , Wang Jean Y J , Cosman Bard , Ramamoorthy Sonia 
Published: June 2016

AimsThe macroH2A histone variants are epigenetic marks for inactivated chromatin. In this study, we examined the expression of macroH2A2 in anal neoplasm from anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) to anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).MethodsAIN and anal SCC samples were analysed for macroH2A2 expression, HIV and human papilloma virus (HPV). The association of macroH2A2 expression with clinical grade, disease recurrence, overall survival and viral involvement was determined.ResultsmacroH2A2 was expressed in normal squamous tissue and lower grade AIN (I and II). Expression was lost in 38% of high-grade AIN (III) and 71% of anal SCC (p=0.002). Patients with AIN with macroH2A2-negative lesions showed earlier recurrence than those with macroH2A2-positive neoplasm (p=0.017). With anal SCC, macroH2A2 loss was more prevalent in the HPV-negative tumours.ConclusionsLoss of histone variant macroH2A2 expression is associated with the progression of anal neoplasm and can be used as a prognostic biomarker for high-grade AIN and SCC.
Counteracting Implicit Conflicts by Electrical Inhibition of the Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Schroeder Philipp Alexander , Pfister Roland , Kunde Wilfried , Nuerk Hans-Christoph , Plewnia Christian 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Cognitive conflicts and distractions by task-irrelevant information often counteract effective and goal-directed behaviors. In some cases, conflicting information can even emerge implicitly, without an overt distractor, by the automatic activation of mental representations. For instance, during number processing, magnitude information automatically elicits spatial associations resembling a mental number line. This spatial–numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect can modulate cognitive-behavioral performance but is also highly flexible and context-dependent, which points toward a critical involvement of working memory functions. Transcranial direct current stimulation to the PFC, in turn, has been effective in modulating working memory-related cognitive performance. In a series of experiments, we here demonstrate that decreasing activity of the left PFC by cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation consistently and specifically eliminates implicit cognitive conflicts based on the SNARC effect, but explicit conflicts based on visuospatial distraction remain unaffected. This dissociation is polarity-specific and appears unrelated to functional magnitude processing as classified by regular numerical distance effects. These data demonstrate a causal involvement of the left PFC in implicit cognitive conflicts based on the automatic activation of spatial–numerical processing. Corroborating the critical interaction of brain stimulation and neurocognitive functions, our findings suggest that distraction from goal-directed behavior by automatic activation of implicit, task-irrelevant information can be blocked by the inhibition of prefrontal activity.
The Subseasonal to Seasonal (S2S) Prediction Project Database
Authors: Vitart F. , Ardilouze C. , Bonet A. , Brookshaw A. , Chen M. , Codorean C. , Déqué M. , Ferranti L. , Fucile E. , Fuentes M. , Hendon H. , Hodgson J. , Kang H.-S. , Kumar A. , Lin H. , Liu G. , Liu X. , Malguzzi P. , Mallas I. , Manoussakis M. , Mastrangelo D. , MacLachlan C. , McLean P. , Minami A. , Mladek R. , Nakazawa T. , Najm S. , Nie Y. , Rixen M. , Robertson A. W. , Ruti P. , Sun C. , Takaya Y. , Tolstykh M. , Venuti F. , Waliser D. , Woolnough S. , Wu T. , Won D.-J. , Xiao H. , Zaripov R. , Zhang L. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Demands are growing rapidly in the operational prediction and applications communities for forecasts that fill the gap between medium-range weather and long-range or seasonal forecasts. Based on the potential for improved forecast skill at the subseasonal to seasonal time range, the Subseasonal to Seasonal (S2S) Prediction research project has been established by the World Weather Research Programme/World Climate Research Programme. A main deliverable of this project is the establishment of an extensive database containing subseasonal (up to 60 days) forecasts, 3 weeks behind real time, and reforecasts from 11 operational centers, modeled in part on the The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) database for medium-range forecasts (up to 15 days).
The S2S database, available to the research community since May 2015, represents an important tool to advance our understanding of the subseasonal to seasonal time range that has been considered for a long time as a “desert of predictability.” In particular, this database will help identify common successes and shortcomings in the model simulation and prediction of sources of subseasonal to seasonal predictability. For instance, a preliminary study suggests that the S2S models significantly underestimate the amplitude of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) teleconnections over the Euro-Atlantic sector. The S2S database also represents an important tool for case studies of extreme events. For instance, a multimodel combination of S2S models displays higher probability of a landfall over the islands of Vanuatu 2–3 weeks before Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated the islands in March 2015.
Calibration of Noah Soil Hydraulic Property Parameters Using Surface Soil Moisture from SMOS and Basinwide In Situ Observations
Authors: Shellito Peter J. , Small Eric E. , Cosh Michael H. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractSoil hydraulic properties (SHPs) control infiltration and redistribution of moisture in a soil column. The Noah land surface model (LSM) default simulation selects SHPs according to a location’s mapped soil texture class. SHPs are instead estimated at seven sites in North America through calibration. A single-objective algorithm minimizes the root-mean-square difference (RMSD) between simulated surface soil moisture and observations from 1) a dense network of in situ probes, 2) Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite retrievals, and 3) SMOS retrievals adjusted such that their mean equals that of the in situ network. Parameters are optimized in 2012 and validated in 2013 against the in situ network. RMSD and unbiased RMSD (ubRMSD) assess resulting surface soil moisture behavior. At all sites, assigning SHP parameters from a different soil texture than the one that is mapped decreases the RMSD by an average of 0.029 cm3 cm−3. Similar improvements result from calibrating parameters using in situ network data (0.031 cm3 cm−3). Calibrations using remotely sensed data show comparable success (0.029 cm3 cm−3) if the SMOS product has no bias. Calibrated simulations are superior to texture-based simulations in their ability to decrease ubRMSD at times of year when the default simulation is worst. Changes to both RMSD and ubRMSD are small when the default simulation is already good. Most calibrated simulations have higher runoff ratios than do texture-based simulations, a change that warrants further evaluation. Overall, parameter selection using SMOS data shows good potential where biases are low.