Population structure and cultural geography of a folktale in Europe.

Despite a burgeoning science of cultural evolution, relatively little work has focused on the population structure of human cultural variation. By contrast, studies in human population genetics use a suite of tools to quantify and analyse spatial and temporal patterns of genetic variation within and between populations. Human genetic diversity can be explained largely as a result of migration and drift giving rise to gradual genetic clines, together with some discontinuities arising from geographical and cultural barriers to gene flow. Here, we adapt theory and methods from population genetics to quantify the influence of geography and ethnolinguistic boundaries on the distribution of 700 variants of a folktale in 31 European ethnolinguistic populations. We find that geographical distance and ethnolinguistic affiliation exert significant independent effects on folktale diversity and that variation between populations supports a clustering concordant with European geography. This pattern of geographical clines and clusters parallels the pattern of human genetic diversity in Europe, although the effects of geographical distance and ethnolinguistic boundaries are stronger for folktales than genes. Our findings highlight the importance of geography and population boundaries in models of human cultural variation and point to key similarities and differences between evolutionary processes operating on human genes and culture

The management and cost of surgical site infection in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis

Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious potential complication of spinal surgery. SSI can impact significantly on in-patient hospitalisation and the costs associated with extra care. Aim To investigate the management of patients experiencing SSI following surgery for spinal metastatic tumours, and to estimate the costs associated with SSI in this context. Methods Patients experiencing SSI following spinal tumour surgery at a large spinal surgery centre between January 2009 and December 2012 were identified. Existing case notes were reviewed and patient and procedural data, details of the infection and treatment interventions were collected. A bottom-up approach to calculating costs associated with infection was used for patients experiencing SSI and compared with a quasi-random sample of similar patients without SSI. Findings The mean cost of treating patients with SSI was significantly greater than costs associated with those without SSI (p=0.019). Mean cost of in-patient hospital stay was 60% higher in patients with SSI compared to those without SSI (p=0.004). In-patient hospital stay alone accounted for 59% of total costs. Return to theatre was the second most costly intervention overall, accounting for 38% of costs, and was the most expensive single intervention involved in the treatment of SSI. Conclusion SSI significantly increases healthcare costs for patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis, with prolonged in-patient hospitalisation and return to theatre for wound management being major contributors. The actual total cost to society derived from SSI in this patient group is likely to be far beyond just the direct costs to healthcare providers

Survival of patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spinal tumours and the impact of surgical site infection

Background Patients with metastatic spinal tumours have a limited prognosis. Surgical complications which may result in prolonged hospitalisation or readmission are highly undesirable. Surgical site infection (SSI) is one such complication which can, in extreme cases, lead to death. Aim To assess the impact of SSI on patient survival after surgery for spinal metastases. Methods Demographic, operative and survival data were collected on 152 patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and the Revised To kuhashi Score (RTS) were obtained as measures of health status at baseline. A semi-parametric Cox proportional hazards survival analysis was used to assess the relationships between covariates and survival. Results Mean age at operation was 60.5 years (standard deviation 12.9 years). Seventeen patients (11.2%) experienced SSI. At the time of last follow up, 117 patients had died. RTS score (p<0.001; hazard ratio 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.87) and ASA grade (p=0.022; hazard ratio 1.40; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.87) were significantly associated with survival, with better survival found in patients with higher RTS and lower ASA scores. Infection status was of substantive importance, with better survival in those without SSI (p=0.075). Age was not substantively related to survival (p=0.299). Overall, median survival time from operation was 262 days (95% confidence interval: 190-334 days). Conclusions Five-year survival in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases is approximately 23%. Either or both of RTS or ASA scores can be used as indicators of patient survival. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that the presence of SSI retards survival

Survival of patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spinal tumours and the impact of surgical site 2 infection

Summary Background Patients with metastatic spinal tumours have a limited prognosis. Surgical complications that may result in prolonged hospitalization or readmission are highly undesirable. Surgical site infection (SSI) is one such complication, which can, in extreme cases, lead to death. Aim To assess the impact of SSI on patient survival after surgery for spinal metastases. Methods Demographic, operative, and survival data were collected on 152 patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis at a large UK tertiary referral centre. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and the Revised Tokuhashi Score (RTS) were determined as measures of health status and prognosis, respectively, at baseline. A semi-parametric Cox proportional hazards survival analysis was used to assess the relationships between covariates and survival. Findings Seventeen patients (11.2%) experienced SSI. Overall, median survival time from operation was 262 days (95% confidence interval: 190–334 days) and 12-month survival was 42.1%. RTS (hazard ratio: 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.76–0.89; P < 0.001) and ASA grade (1.37; 1.03–1.82; P = 0.028) were significantly associated with survival, with better survival found in patients with higher RTS and lower ASA scores. Infection status was of substantive importance, with better survival in those without SSI (P = 0.075). Conclusion Twelve-month survival in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis is ∼42%. RTS and ASA scores may be used as indicators of patient survival either in combination or individually. Whereas SSI has some negative impact on survival, a larger study sample would be needed to confirm whether this is statistically significan

Options for basing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) on chronic disease endpoints: report from a joint US-/Canadian-sponsored working group.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are used in Canada and the United States in planning and assessing diets of apparently healthy individuals and population groups. The approaches used to establish DRIs on the basis of classical nutrient deficiencies and/or toxicities have worked well. However, it has proved to be more challenging to base DRI values on chronic disease endpoints; deviations from the traditional framework were often required, and in some cases, DRI values were not established for intakes that affected chronic disease outcomes despite evidence that supported a relation. The increasing proportions of elderly citizens, the growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and the persistently high prevalence of overweight and obesity, which predispose to chronic disease, highlight the importance of understanding the impact of nutrition on chronic disease prevention and control. A multidisciplinary working group sponsored by the Canadian and US government DRI steering committees met from November 2014 to April 2016 to identify options for addressing key scientific challenges encountered in the use of chronic disease endpoints to establish reference values. The working group focused on 3 key questions: 1) What are the important evidentiary challenges for selecting and using chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews, 2) what intake-response models can future DRI committees consider when using chronic disease endpoints, and 3) what are the arguments for and against continuing to include chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews? This report outlines the range of options identified by the working group for answering these key questions, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each option

Manipulation of flavour and aroma compound sequestration and release using a glycosyltransferase with specificity for terpene alcohols.

Glycosides are an important potential source of aroma and flavour compounds for release as volatiles in flowers and fruit. The production of glycosides is catalysed by UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) that mediate the transfer of an activated nucleotide sugar to acceptor aglycones. A screen of UGTs expressed in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) identified the gene AdGT4 which was highly expressed in floral tissues and whose expression increased during fruit ripening. Recombinant AdGT4 enzyme glycosylated a range of terpenes and primary alcohols found as glycosides in ripe kiwifruit. Two of the enzyme's preferred alcohol aglycones, hexanol and (Z)-hex-3-enol, contribute strongly to the 'grassy-green' aroma notes of ripe kiwifruit and other fruit including tomato and olive. Transient over-expression of AdGT4 in tobacco leaves showed that enzyme was able to glycosylate geraniol and octan-3-ol in planta whilst transient expression of an RNAi construct in Actinidia eriantha fruit reduced accumulation of a range of terpene glycosides. Stable over-expression of AdGT4 in transgenic petunia resulted in increased sequestration of hexanol and other alcohols in the flowers. Transgenic tomato fruit stably over-expressing AdGT4 showed changes in both the sequestration and release of a range of alcohols including 3-methylbutanol, hexanol and geraniol. Sequestration occurred at all stages of fruit ripening. Ripe fruit sequestering high levels of glycosides were identified as having a less intense, earthier aroma in a sensory trial. These results demonstrate the importance of UGTs in sequestering key volatile compounds in planta and suggest a future approach to enhancing aromas and flavours in flowers and during fruit ripening. Yauk YK1, Ged C, Wang MY, Matich AJ, Tessarotto L, Cooney JM, Chervin C, Atkinson RG

A tale of two cities: Effects of air pollution on hospital admissions in Hong Kong and London compared

The causal interpretation of reported associations between daily air pollution and daily admissions requires consideration of residual confounding, correlation between pollutants, and effect modification. If results obtained in Hong Kong and London-which differ in climate, lifestyle, and many other respects-were similar, a causal association would be supported. We used identical statistical methods for the analysis in each city. Associations between daily admissions and pollutant levels were estimated using Poisson regression. Nonparametric smoothing methods were used to model seasonality and the nonlinear dependence of admissions on temperature, humidity, and influenza admissions. For respiratory admissions (≥ 65 years of age), significant positive associations were observed with particulate matter < 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone in both cities. These associations tended to be stronger at shorter lags in Hong Kong and at longer lags in London. Associations were stronger in the cool season in Hong Kong and in the warm season in London, periods during which levels of humidity are at their lowest in each city. For cardiac admissions (all ages) in both cities, significant positive associations were observed for PM10, NO2, and SO2 with similar lag patterns. Associations tended to be stronger in the cool season. The associations with NO2 and SO2 were the most robust in two-pollutant models. Patterns of association for pollutants with ischemic heart disease were similar in the two cities. The associations between O3 and cardiac admissions were negative in London but positive in Hong Kong. We conclude that air pollution has remarkably similar associations with daily cardiorespiratory admissions in both cities, in spite of considerable differences between cities in social, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The results strengthen the argument that air pollution causes detrimental short-term health effects.published_or_final_versio

Expanding simulation models of emotional understanding: The case for different modalities, body-state simulation prominence and developmental trajectories

Recent models of emotion recognition suggest that when people perceive an emotional expression, they partially activate the respective emotion in themselves, providing a basis for the recognition of that emotion. Much of the focus of these models and of their evidential basis has been on sensorimotor simulation as a basis for facial expression recognition – the idea, in short, that coming to know what another feels involves simulating in your brain the motor plans and associated sensory representations engaged by the other person’s brain in producing the facial expression that you see. In this review article, we argue that simulation accounts of emotion recognition would benefit from three key extensions. First, that fuller consideration be given to simulation of bodily and vocal expressions, given that the body and voice are also important expressive channels for providing cues to another’s emotional state. Second, that simulation of other aspects of the perceived emotional state, such as changes in the autonomic nervous system and viscera, might have a more prominent role in underpinning emotion recognition than is typically proposed. Sensorimotor simulation models tend to relegate such body-state simulation to a subsidiary role, despite the plausibility of body-state simulation being able to underpin emotion recognition in the absence of typical sensorimotor simulation. Third, that simulation models of emotion recognition be extended to address how embodied processes and emotion recognition abilities develop through the lifespan. It is not currently clear how this system of sensorimotor and body-state simulation develops and in particular how this affects the development of emotion recognition ability. We review recent findings from the emotional body recognition literature and integrate recent evidence regarding the development of mimicry and interoception to significantly expand simulation models of emotion recognition

The Allen Telescope Array: The First Widefield, Panchromatic, Snapshot Radio Camera for Radio Astronomy and SETI

The first 42 elements of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA-42) are beginning to deliver data at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Northern California. Scientists and engineers are actively exploiting all of the flexibility designed into this innovative instrument for simultaneously conducting surveys of the astrophysical sky and conducting searches for distant technological civilizations. This paper summarizes the design elements of the ATA, the cost savings made possible by the use of COTS components, and the cost/performance trades that eventually enabled this first snapshot radio camera. The fundamental scientific program of this new telescope is varied and exciting; some of the first astronomical results will be discussed.Comment: Special Issue of Proceedings of the IEEE: "Advances in Radio Telescopes", Baars,J. Thompson,R., D'Addario, L., eds, 2009, in pres