The generation of the first chromosome-level de novo genome assembly and the development and validation of a 50K SNP array for the St. John River aquaculture strain of North American Atlantic salmon.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Northeastern US and Eastern Canada has high economic value for the sport fishing and aquaculture industries. Large differences exist between the genomes of Atlantic salmon of European origin and North American (N.A.) origin. Given the genetic and genomic differences between the 2 lineages, it is crucial to develop unique genomic resources for N.A. Atlantic salmon. Here, we describe the resources that we recently developed for genomic and genetic research in N.A. Atlantic salmon aquaculture. Firstly, a new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) database for N.A. Atlantic salmon consisting of 3.1 million putative SNPs was generated using data from whole-genome resequencing of 80 N.A. Atlantic salmon individuals. Secondly, a high-density 50K SNP array enriched for the genic regions of the genome and containing 3 sex determination and 61 putative continent of origin markers was developed and validated. Thirdly, a genetic map composed of 27 linkage groups with 36K SNP markers was generated from 2,512 individuals in 141 full-sib families. Finally, a chromosome-level de novo genome assembly from a male N.A. Atlantic salmon from the St. John River aquaculture strain was generated using PacBio long reads. Information from Hi-C proximity ligation sequences and Bionano optical mapping was used to concatenate the contigs into scaffolds. The assembly contains 1,755 scaffolds and only 1,253 gaps, with a total length of 2.83 Gb and N50 of 17.2 Mb. A BUSCO analysis detected 96.2% of the conserved Actinopterygii genes in the assembly, and the genetic linkage information was used to guide the formation of 27 chromosome sequences. Comparative analysis with the reference genome assembly of the European Atlantic salmon confirmed that the karyotype differences between the 2 lineages are caused by a fission in chromosome Ssa01 and 3 chromosome fusions including the p arm of chromosome Ssa01 with Ssa23, Ssa08 with Ssa29, and Ssa26 with Ssa28. The genomic resources we have generated for Atlantic salmon provide a crucial boost for genetic research and for management of farmed and wild populations in this highly valued species.

Spatiotemporal Parameters of Gait Among Adolescent Athletes with Concussion When Performing a Visuospatial Cognitive Task.

Background: Adolescent athletes aged 10 to 19 years are at the highest risk of experiencing sport-related concussions (SRCs). Despite the known deficits and battery of assessments following concussion, postural stability during dual-task gait remains understudied in this population. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dual-task cost (DTC) in adolescents with an acute or chronic SRC compared to reference values from healthy athlete peers for spatiotemporal parameters of gait during walking with and without a concurrent visuospatial memory task presented on a hand-held tablet. Researchers hypothesized that adolescents during the acute phase of concussion would be likely to experience a greater DTC compared to healthy peers in at least one spatiotemporal parameter of gait when walking within the dual-task paradigm. Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational cohort design. Methods: Adolescents with concussion were recruited to participate. Subjects were divided into acute and chronic categories based on significant differences in the neuropsychological function after a period of 28 days. They walked at a self-selected speed along the 5.186-meter GAITRite® Walkway System with and without a concurrent visuospatial cognitive task presented on a hand-held tablet. Outcomes included normalized velocity (m/s), step length (m), and double limb (DLS) and single limb support (SLS) (defined as the percent of a gait cycle [%GC]). The data were then compared to the previously published reference values established using the same methods in the healthy athlete participants for all spatiotemporal parameters of gait. Results: Data was collected on 29 adolescent athletes with SRC. Among males (15.53+/-1.12 years) with SRC, 20% of acute and 10% of chronic cases experienced a greater DTC compared to healthy athlete reference values. A similarly increased DTC was experienced by 83% of acute and 29% of chronic SRC cases for females (15.58+/-1.16 years). Conclusions: Adolescent athletes with concussion may continue demonstrating deficits in gait capabilities even in the chronic phase, and compensatory gait strategies were not the same between males and females. Dual-task cost assessment using the GAITRite® may be a valuable adjunct to comprehensive analysis of gait following SRC. Level of Evidence: 2.

Longitudinal Analysis of Mental Health in Autistic University Students Across an Academic Year.

BACKGROUND: Autistic people have worse mental health (MH) than non-autistic people. This proof-of-concept study explored feasibility of longitudinal research with autistic university students, focusing on their MH and coping styles across an academic year. METHODS: Twenty-two students took part at all timepoints. They completed four rounds of online MH questionnaires. RESULTS: Over 80% of students were retained. They started the year with high levels of all MH issues, which remained stable across the year. Network Change analysis showed the connections between MH and coping style changed over time. CONCLUSIONS: Autistic students are engaged participants who are likely to take part in longitudinal research. While MH levels were stable, it may be that coping styles are a useful target for intervention.

The Effects of Wearing a Portable Media Armband on Muscle Activation of the Biceps Brachii.

Portable media armbands are commonly used among the physically active population. Their effect on muscle function has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle activation of the biceps brachii is influenced by wearing a portable media armband during an elbow flexion exercise. Eighteen participants (11 males: age = 22.5 ± 2.1 years, height = 178.3 ± 5.2 cm, mass = 85.0 ± 6.5 kg; 7 females: age = 22.9 ± 2.5 years, height = 168.3 ± 5.7 cm, mass = 72.3 ± 12.2 kg) with no history of upper extremity injury volunteered for the study. Participants performed elbow flexion trials with a hand-held dumbbell with and without wearing a portable media armband. Dumbbell weight was determined by an 8-10 repetition maximum, and the condition was counterbalanced. The average concentric and eccentric phases for five trials for each condition were normalized to a maximum voluntary isometric contraction using electromyography. The independent variable was condition (with-PMAB and without-PMAB). The dependent variable was the muscle activation of the biceps brachii. Mean data for each condition were analyzed using separate paired-samples t-tests for the concentric and eccentric phases (p < 0.05). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference for the concentric phase (t17 = 2.905; p = 0.010). The with-PMAB condition elicited greater muscle activation (72.57 ± 36.31%) compared to the without-PMAB (63.67 ± 26.2%), with a medium effect size (d = 0.69). There was no statistical difference for the eccentric phase (t17 = 1.964; p = 0.066), and a small effect size (d = 0.46). The increase in muscle activation during the concentric phase is likely due to a change in the muscle properties due to the compressive force applied to the muscle fibers by the portable media armband.

Risk factors for early symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement following in situ fixation of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

In situ fixation of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) results in residual deformity that can cause femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). It is unknown what factors could help differentiate patients who are more likely to become symptomatic. We performed a retrospective review of 55 hips treated with in situ pinning for SCFE and subsequent secondary deformity correction procedure for symptomatic FAI and compared them to 39 asymptomatic hips with SCFE deformity using multivariable analysis. Case patients were slightly older than controls (12.6 vs 11.3 years, p = 0.0002) but had similar BMI. The mean epiphyseal-diaphyseal angle was 56° in cases versus 44° in controls (p = 0.0019). Cases were significantly more likely to have obligate external rotation with hip flexion, external foot progression, flexion <90°, antalgic limp, and Trendelenburg lurch. On radiographs, most cases had a head-neck offset ≤0 mm, a distinct metaphyseal corner prominence, acetabular retroversion, and an alpha angle ≥60°. Most controls also had head-neck offset ≤0 mm. Pre-pinning, older age (OR = 1.98 per year, p = 0.0016) and initial epiphyseal-diaphyseal angle (OR = 1.04 per degree, p = 0.018) significantly increased the odds of having symptomatic FAI. Post-pinning, external foot progression increased the odds of symptomatic FAI by 10.48 (p = 0.017), and an alpha angle ≥60° resulted in 11.4 times higher odds of symptomatic FAI (p = 0.011). The linear correlation between epiphyseal-diaphyseal and alpha angle was poor (r = 0.28). Older age and initial epiphyseal-diaphyseal pre-pinning mildly increased the odds of eventual symptomatic FAI. This information can help the surgeon to predict which patients may develop symptomatic FAI.

Beyond literal depiction: Children's flexible understanding of pictures.

Pictures can represent more than one entity, and they can also represent literal or nonliteral concepts associated with a referent. In two studies, we examined whether 4-year-olds, 6-year-olds, and adults can view pictures as both literal and nonliteral when they are presented with different contextual cues, which would indicate representational flexibility. In Study 1, children and adults were asked to name iconic pictures after hearing a story explaining how a fictional character had created or used a picture in, for instance, a literal context (e.g., a girl used a picture of a crown to represent what she wanted for Christmas) and a second story on how the same artist produced or used an identical picture in a nonliteral context (e.g., the same girl used the picture of a crown to represent what she wanted to be when she grew up). After each story, the picture was shown and participants were asked "What does this mean?" The 6-year-olds and adults, but not the 4-year-olds, showed representational flexibility in their interpretations of pictures across contexts. Study 2 provided evidence of flexible pictorial interpretations, even for the younger age group, when children were presented with a game in which they were asked to select a suitable picture to represent a nonliteral referent. Taken together, our results suggest that the conditions under which representational flexibility is elicited influence the developmental progression observed.

Determinants of High Psychiatric Utilization at a Large Urban Safety-Net Hospital.

Research indicates that high utilizers of the health care system are more likely to have mental illness, to be from socially disadvantaged groups, and to have limited access to community-based services. In this retrospective study, three definitions of high utilization were examined: (1) across time: non-high utilization versus high-utilization, (2) single year versus multi-year, and (3) year-to-year. Univariate logistic regression models were fit to a set of 20 theory-selected predictors of high utilization. An optimal multiple predictor model was then derived via penalized multiple logistic regression (via elastic net, a machine learning algorithm). Three factors were identified in the optimized model as increasing the likelihood of high utilization: having a diagnosis of schizophrenia, having a co-occurring personality disorder diagnosis, and having less than a high school education. Given the complex needs of psychiatric high utilizers, innovative approaches should be considered to improve patient outcomes and reduce costly psychiatric hospitalizations.

On How Psychophysical Thresholds are Altered by Unilateral Brain Injury Due to Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether and how the absolute thresholds and the just noticeable difference thresholds for eleven, sensory/perceptual continua are altered by unilateral left and right hemisphere lesions due to stroke relative to healthy subjects. METHODS: The three subject groups were those with unilateral right hemisphere lesions (n=21), with unilateral left hemisphere lesions (n=13), and age-matched control subjects (n=76). Absolute thresholds of sensory detection and just noticeable difference thresholds were assessed for perceptual continua spanning the visual, tactile, proprioceptive, thermal, and gustatory sensory modalities. For stroke subjects, brain lesions were analyzed using subtraction techniques and volume analysis with the MRIcro and MRIcroN software programs. Stroke subjects also complete tests for spatial neglect, stroke severity and functional independence. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among subject groups regarding gender, race, hand dominance, age, or educational composition. There was no significant difference between subjects with right and left hemisphere lesions on measures of function, stroke severity, or lesion volume except for those with spatial neglect. The RHL group had a higher percentage of impaired perceptual continua (16%) than both normal controls (4%) and the LHL group (9%). If a stoke subject had an impaired threshold on one side of the body, they were ~5 times more likely to have an impaired threshold on the other side of the body. This result was more consistent and even exaggerated (~8 times more likely) in the small percentage of normal control subjects who demonstrated "impaired" sensory thresholds. Lesion volume was positively correlated with stroke severity and sensory threshold impairment, and it was negatively correlated with functional independence. CONCLUSIONS: When subjects, have difficulty detecting and discriminating sensory experiences, they tend to do so on both sides of the body. Unilateral right hemisphere stroke appeared to increase the relative frequency of altered thresholds occurring on the contralesional side of the body even though they made errors on both sides.

Transcriptome Analysis of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Skin in Response to Sea Lice and Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus Co-Infection Under Different Experimental Functional Diets.

Sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) are ectoparasitic copepods that cause significant economic loss in marine salmoniculture. In commercial salmon farms, infestation with sea lice can enhance susceptibility to other significant pathogens, such as the highly contagious infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAv). In this study, transcriptomic analysis was used to evaluate the impact of four experimental functional feeds (i.e. 0.3% EPA/DHA+high-ω6, 0.3% EPA/DHA+high-ω6+immunostimulant (IS), 1% EPA/DHA+high-ω6, and 1% EPA/DHA+high-ω3) on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) during a single infection with sea lice (L. salmonis) and a co-infection with sea lice and ISAv. The overall objectives were to compare the transcriptomic profiles of skin between lice infection alone with co-infection groups and assess differences in gene expression response among animals with different experimental diets. Atlantic salmon smolts were challenged with L. salmonis following a 28-day feeding trial. Fish were then challenged with ISAv at 18 days post-sea lice infection (dpi), and maintained on individual diets, to establish a co-infection model. Skin tissues sampled at 33 dpi were subjected to RNA-seq analysis. The co-infection's overall survival rates were between 37%-50%, while no mortality was observed in the single infection with lice. With regard to the infection status, 756 and 1303 consensus differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the four diets were identified in "lice infection vs. pre-infection" and "co-infection vs. pre-infection" groups, respectively, that were shared between the four experimental diets. The co-infection groups (co-infection vs. pre-infection) included up-regulated genes associated with glycolysis, the interferon pathway, complement cascade activity, and heat shock protein family, while the down-regulated genes were related to antigen presentation and processing, T-cell activation, collagen formation, and extracellular matrix. Pathway enrichment analysis conducted between infected groups (lice infection vs. co-infection) resulted in several immune-related significant GO terms and pathways unique to this group, such as "autophagosome", "cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway" and "response to type I interferons". Understanding how experimental functional feeds can impact the host response and the trajectory of co-infections will be an essential step in identifying efficacious intervention strategies that account for the complexities of disease in open cage culture.

Can drawings facilitate symbolic understanding of figurative language in children?

Understanding figurative language develops during middle childhood. Drawing can facilitate recall and may aid other aspects of linguistic expression. We examined whether children provide more symbolic interpretations of figurative statements in drawings relative to verbal explanations, and whether drawing facilitates overall symbolic interpretation. Ninety-six children were split into three age groups (5-6, 7-8, and 9-10 years) in a between-subjects design. In the 'draw-first' condition, they were asked to depict then explain figurative statements (e.g., raining like cats and dogs), and in the 'explain-first' condition, children were asked to explain before drawing. We coded for symbolic or literal content. Overall, children provided more symbolic responses for verbal explanations compared to drawings, with a developmental increase. More symbolic responses occurred in the 'draw-first' condition compared to other task by condition combinations, suggesting drawing can facilitate subsequent symbolic verbal explanation. We discuss the links between drawings, figurative language, and development. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Understanding figurative language such as metaphor develops during childhood. Drawing has been shown to aid recall and may aid other aspects of linguistic expression. What the present study adds? Drawing figurative expressions facilitates subsequent symbolic verbal explanations. Children provide more symbolic interpretations in verbal explanations compared to drawings. There is a developmental progression in these abilities.

Symbolic Understanding and Word-Picture-Referent Mapping from iPads in Autism Spectrum Condition: The Roles of Iconicity and Engagement.

We investigated symbolic understanding, word-picture-referent mapping, and engagement in children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) and ability-matched typically developing children. Participants viewed coloured pictorial symbols of a novel object (given a novel name) on an iPad in one of three conditions: static 2D images and either automatically or manually rotating images (providing a three-dimensional context). We found no significant difference in word-picture-referent mapping between groups and conditions, however, children who manually rotated the picture had greater on-screen looking time compared to other conditions. Greater visual attention related to more successful word-picture-referent mapping only for the children with ASC. Interactive iPad tasks may increase visual attention in both typical and atypical populations and greater visual attention may benefit word-picture-referent mapping in ASC.

Narrative comprehension and engagement with e-books vs. paper-books in autism spectrum condition.

Background and aims: Children with autism spectrum condition often have specific difficulties with narrative comprehension, a skill which has a strong association with both concurrent and longitudinal reading comprehension. A better understanding of narrative comprehension skills in autism spectrum condition has the potential to provide insight into potential later reading comprehension difficulties and inform early targeted intervention. In the current study, the main objective was to investigate how differences in the medium of story presentation (paper-book vs. e-book) and differences in story narration (adult narration vs. in-app narration) would influence narrative comprehension in general, and between groups (autism spectrum condition and a receptive language-matched control group). We were also interested in how task engagement (visual attention and communication) differed between group and conditions and whether task engagement was related to narrative comprehension. Method: Forty-two children with autism spectrum condition and 42 typically developing children were read a story either via a paper-book or an e-book with interactive and multimedia features. The e-book was either narrated by the experimenter (adult narrated iPad condition) or narrated by an in-app voiceover (e-book narrated iPad condition). Children's behaviour during storybook reading was video recorded and coded for engagement (visual attention and communication). They then completed two measures of narrative comprehension: multiple-choice questions (measuring recall of literal information) and a picture ordering task (measuring global story structure). Results: Contrary to predictions, we did not find any significant group or condition differences on either measure of narrative comprehension, and both groups demonstrated a similar level of narrative comprehension across the three conditions. We found differences in engagement between conditions for both groups, with greater visual attention in the e-book conditions compared to the paper-book condition. However, visual attention only significantly correlated with narrative comprehension for the typically developing group. Conclusion: Overall, this study suggests that children with autism spectrum condition are just as able as language-matched peers to comprehend a narrative from storybooks. Presenting a story on an iPad e-book compared to a paper-book does not influence narrative comprehension, nor does adult narration of the story compared to in-app narration. However, on-task engagement is linked to narrative comprehension in typically developing children.Implications: Taken together, our findings suggest that e-books may be more successful than paper-based mediums at encouraging visual attention towards the story, but no better at supporting narrative comprehension and eliciting communication.

The influence of labelling on symbolic understanding and dual representation in autism spectrum condition.

Background and aims: Children with autism spectrum condition often have specific difficulties understanding that pictorial symbols refer to real-world objects in the environment. We investigated the influence of labelling on the symbolic understanding and dual representation of children with autism spectrum condition. Methods: Children with autism spectrum condition and typically developing children were shown four coloured photographs of objects that had different functions across four separate trials. The participants were given either a novel label alongside a description of the object's function or a description of the object's function without a label. Children were then given 30 seconds to interact with an array of stimuli (pictures and objects) in a mapping test and in a generalisation test for each trial. This exploration phase allowed for spontaneous word-picture-referent mapping through free-play, providing an implicit measure of symbolic understanding. Results: We found no significant difference in word-picture-referent mapping between groups and conditions. Both groups more often performed the described action on the target object in the exploration phase regardless of condition. Conclusions and implications: Our results suggest that a spontaneous measure of symbolic understanding (such as free-play) may reveal competencies in word-picture-referent mapping in autism spectrum condition.

Treatment for Post-Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis Deformity.

In situ pinning of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a safe and effective treatment modality, but often results in residual deformity leading to femoroacetabular impingement, which may limit patient activities and predispose to early onset arthritis. Enhanced understanding of the implications of femoroacetabular impingement and new surgical techniques have prompted interest in treating post-slipped capital femoral epiphysis deformity to both improve current symptoms and delay or prevent hip arthrosis.

Referent selection in children with Autism Spectrum Condition and intellectual disabilities: Do social cues affect word-to-object or word-to-location mappings?

BACKGROUND: There is conflicting evidence regarding whether children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and intellectual disabilities (ID) follow social pragmatic cues such as a speaker's eye gaze or pointing towards a novel object to assist mapping a new word onto a new object (e.g. fast mapping). AIMS: We test fast mapping from a speaker's gaze and pointing towards objects in children with ASC and ID with varying chronological and receptive language ages compared with receptive language matched groups of typically developing (TD) children. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: Across eight trials, a speaker gazed and/or pointed towards one out of two objects while saying a new word. Pointing was either 'referential' (with intention), or 'incidental' (without obvious intention). To investigate whether children formed more robust word-to-object links rather than associative word-to-location ones, we reversed the original location of the objects in half of the test trials. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Children with ASC were as successful as TD children using social cues to form word-to-object mappings. Surprisingly, children with ID did not fast map from referential pointing, or when objects changed location. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Children with ID may use different processes to facilitate word learning compared to TD children and even children with ASC.

Geographical access to electroconvulsive therapy services in Texas.

AIMS: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a well-established and effective treatment in mood disorders but the use of ECT in Texas is much lower than the general average among the United States. Our goal is to explore the geographical accessibility of Electroconvulsive Services in Texas. METHODS: 22 ECT Centers in Texas listed in State's 2016 annual ECT report were enrolled and georeferenced. We used Esri's StreetMap Premium Network release 1 network dataset to generate 1-hour drive time service areas for these ECTs. We estimated populations within these service areas based on US Census Tract level population-weighted centroids; generated from the 2015, American Community Survey (ACS) estimates at the US Census Block Group level. RESULTS: About 75% (19,851,802 of 26,538,614) of Texas total population is within a 1-hour drive time to any ECT Services location. When focusing on population below the poverty level from 2015 Block Group level ACS data: 68% (3,046,141 of 4,472,451) are within a 1-hour drive time. CONCLUSIONS: ECT services are geographically accessible in Texas. Other barriers may contribute to lower use of ECT.