Publications by authors named "A B Geers"
Objectives: Authorized concealment is a shared decision-making technique in which a clinician asks a patient if they would prefer not to be informed about all possible treatment side effects, so as to minimize nocebo effects. The present research assessed individual difference variables that predict evaluations and receptivity of authorized concealment.
Methods: A demographically diverse national community US sample of 1012 adults (ages ranging from 18 to 94; M=43.
Article Synopsis
- Glacier-fed streams (GFS) are extreme aquatic ecosystems with little nutrients and fluctuating environments, where microorganisms predominantly form biofilms.
- Researchers analyzed 156 metagenomes from various mountain ranges, revealing thousands of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of prokaryotes, algae, fungi, and viruses that demonstrate complex biotic interactions in these biofilms.
- The study found that as glaciers shrink, biofilms transition from using inorganic energy sources to relying more on heterotrophy as algal biomass increases, highlighting the adaptability of microbial life in these unique ecosystems amid climate change.
Unlabelled: Glacier-fed streams are permanently cold, ultra-oligotrophic, and physically unstable environments, yet microbial life thrives in benthic biofilm communities. Within biofilms, microorganisms rely on secondary metabolites for communication and competition. However, the diversity and genetic potential of secondary metabolites in glacier-fed stream biofilms remain poorly understood.
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- The rapid melting of mountain glaciers, a sign of climate change, threatens unique ecosystems known as glacier-fed streams (GFSs), which are primarily dominated by microbial life.
- Using advanced techniques like metabarcoding and metagenomics, researchers conducted a detailed study of the bacterial microbiome in 152 GFSs across major mountain ranges, revealing distinct taxonomic and functional differences compared to other cryospheric microbiomes.
- The findings highlight the importance of geographic isolation and environmental factors in shaping bacterial diversity, underscoring the urgent need for further research due to the risks posed by climate change to this unique ecosystem.
Background: Clinicians are increasingly interested in self-reported hearing-specific quality of life (HQoL) for cochlear implant (CI) recipients, including pediatric CI recipients.
Purpose: (1) To compare HQoL of adolescent CI recipients to those of peers with typical hearing (TH); (2) to examine, longitudinally, HQoL for a set of CI recipients; and (3) to determine the effects of child, demographic, audiological, speech perception, and language variables on adolescent HQoL.
Research Design: Hearing Environments and Reflections on Quality of Life (HEARQL) questionnaires were completed by children with CIs at elementary (HEARQL-26) and adolescent (HEARQL-28) ages.