bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations between residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy: a difference-in-differences analysis in Texas, 1996–2009
Authors: Willis Mary D , Hill Elaine L , Kile Molly L , Carozza Susan , Hystad Perry
Published: November 2021

Background

Oil and gas extraction produces air pollutants that are associated with increased risks of hypertension. To date, no study has examined residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy. This study quantifies associations between residential proximity to oil and gas development on gestational hypertension and eclampsia.

Methods

We utilized a population-based retrospective birth cohort in Texas (1996–2009), where mothers reside <10 km from an active or future drilling site (n = 2 845 144.) Using full-address data, we linked each maternal residence at delivery to assign exposure and evaluate this exposure with respect to gestational hypertension and eclampsia. In a difference-in-differences framework, we model the interaction between maternal health before (unexposed) or after (exposed) the start of drilling activity (exposed) and residential proximity near (0–1, >1–2 or >2–3 km) or far (≥3–10 km) from an active or future drilling site.

Results

Among pregnant women residing 0–1 km from an active oil or gas extraction site, we estimate 5% increased odds of gestational hypertension [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.10] and 26% increased odds of eclampsia (95% CI: 1.05, 1.51) in adjusted models. This association dissipates in the 1- to 3-km buffer zones. In restricted models, we find elevated odds ratios among maternal ages ≤35 years at delivery, maternal non-Hispanic White race, ≥30 lbs gained during pregnancy, nulliparous mothers and maternal educational attainment beyond high school.

Conclusions

Living within 1 km of an oil or gas extraction site during pregnancy is associated with increased odds of hypertensive conditions during pregnancy.
Hedonic adaptation and conscious consumption in the civil engineering market: corporate reputation and user behavior strategies for sustainable development
Authors: Su Haiyang , Ahmadov Miragha , Tkachenko Daria , Danshina Svetlana
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study is to identify changes in consumption strategies in the civil engineering market in a hedonic context. To assess the attitude of consumers to a certain type of civil engineering technology, a multicomponent methodological approach to the characterization of goods based on a survey of consumers was used. The key trends in the development of the European Union, Chinese and Russian civil engineering market for 2010–19 are analyzed. The designation of four ‘green’ strategies for the behavior of end consumers regarding hedonic adaptation in the civil engineering market is proposed: eco-efficient, environmentally friendly, energy-saving and intellectual-content one.
The Permutahedral Variety, Mixed Eulerian Numbers, and Principal Specializations of Schubert Polynomials
Authors: Nadeau Philippe , Tewari Vasu
Published: November 2021

We compute the expansion of the cohomology class of the permutahedral variety in the basis of Schubert classes. The resulting structure constants $a_w$ are expressed as a sum of normalized mixed Eulerian numbers indexed naturally by reduced words of $w$. The description implies that the $a_w$ are positive for all permutations $w\in S_n$ of length $n-1$, thereby answering a question of Harada, Horiguchi, Masuda, and Park. We use the same expression to establish the invariance of $a_w$ under taking inverses and conjugation by the longest word and subsequently establish an intriguing cyclic sum rule for the numbers. We then move toward a deeper combinatorial understanding for the $a_w$ by exploiting in addition the relation to Postnikov’s divided symmetrization. Finally, we are able to give a combinatorial interpretation for $a_w$ when $w$ is vexillary, in terms of certain tableau descents. It is based in part on a relation between the $a_w$ and principal specializations of Schubert polynomials. Along the way, we prove results and raise questions of independent interest about the combinatorics of permutations, Schubert polynomials, and related objects. We also sketch how to extend our approach to other Lie types, highlighting an identity of Klyachko in particular.
Asylum, Borders, and the Politics of Violence: From Suspicion to Cruelty
Authors: Aradau Claudia , Canzutti Lucrezia
Published: November 2021

Critical scholarship in international relations, border, and migration studies has analyzed the cultures of suspicion that underpin border practices and have increasingly reshaped the politics of asylum globally. They have highlighted either the generalization of suspicion through the securitization of asylum or racialized and gendered continuities of colonial violence. We propose to understand the entanglements of continuity and discontinuity in the politics of asylum through “technologies of cruelty.” To conceptualize technologies of cruelty, we draw on Etienne Balibar's “topographies of cruelty” and Rita Laura Segato's “pedagogies of cruelty.” Empirically, the article argues that technologies of cruelty minimize, erase, undo, splinter, and devalue asylum seekers’ claims for protection in ways that objectify and dehumanize them. Methodologically, the argument is developed through an analysis of a corpus of asylum appeal decisions in the United Kingdom. Asylum appeals are a particularly important archive for the diagnosis of cruelty internationally, as they are both inscriptions of dominant knowledge and contestations over knowledge and claims to protection. They also allow us to trace how the politics of asylum is situated within global topographies of cruelty, shaped by technologies of cruelty and the deactivation of empathy.
Biotinylation-based proximity labelling proteomics: basics, applications and technical considerations
Authors: Niinae Tomoya , Ishihama Yasushi , Imami Koshi
Published: November 2021

Recent advances in biotinylation-based proximity labelling (PL) have opened up new avenues for mapping the protein composition of cellular compartments and protein complexes in living cells at high spatiotemporal resolution. In particular, PL combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics has been successfully applied to defining protein–protein interactions, protein–nucleic acid interactions, (membraneless) organelle proteomes and secretomes in various systems ranging from cultured cells to whole animals. In this review, we first summarize the basics and recent biological applications of PL proteomics and then highlight recent developments in enrichment techniques for biotinylated proteins and peptides, focusing on the advantages of PL and technical considerations.
The effect of salinity on osmotic regulation and respiratory rate of the prawn Macrobrachium tenellum Smith, 1871 (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae)
Authors: Hernández-Sandoval Pedro , Díaz Fernando , García-Guerrero Marcelo U
Published: November 2021

The effect of salinity on oxygen consumption rate and hemolymph osmolarity of the palaemonid prawn Macrobrachium tenellum (Smith, 1871) maintained at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 psu was analyzed. Oxygen consumption rate was measured in respiratory chambers and osmolality from samples of hemolymph. Oxygen consumption rose significantly beyond 15 psu, with individuals showing hyper regulatory behavior from 0 to 10 psu, being able to maintain its internal solutes concentration (426–504 mmol kg–1) higher than that of the water (153–348 mmol kg–1). They acted as hypo-regulators from 15 to 25 psu as their internal solute concentration (454–562 mmol kg–1) was lower than that of the water (459–744 mmol kg–1). The isosmotic point was 505 mmol kg–1 at 16 psu, and survival was high in all salinities. The osmotic behavior of M. tenellum allows it to successfully invade fresh water by keeping constant the ionic and osmotic concentrations of both extra- and intra-cellular solute concentrations, always above fresh water, but varying its O2 consumption as salinity changes. The implications of such adaptations for the dispersal of the species into freshwater habitats is discussed.
The STL Still Struggles with the Method for Interpreting its Statute
Authors: Di Gianfrancesco Laura
Published: November 2021

This article investigates the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Trial Chamber’s Ayyash et al. judgment of 2020, focusing on the STL’s novel, domestic-centred solution to the interpretive problems raised by Articles 2 and 3 of its Statute concerning the applicable law. The analysis demonstrates that the Trial Chamber significantly departed from the STL Appeals Chamber’s Interlocutory Decision of 2011. Such divergence derived from a more complete application of the interpretive framework already endorsed in 2011 based on the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) (VCLT). The article shows that, by more comprehensively engaging with the VCLT interpretive method, the Trial Chamber was eventually able to adopt a fair trial-oriented approach to the identification of the applicable law, which led it to exclude the relevance of international criminal law rules. The Ayyash et al. Trial Judgment contributes, in turn, to the broader discussion concerning the ability of the VCLT method to accommodate the interpretive challenges of statutes of criminal tribunals created by virtue of a UN Security Council resolution.
Assessment of spatiotemporal variability of giant clam populations (Cardiidae:Tridacna) from 11 years of monitoring at Koh Tao, Thailand
Authors: Mehrotra Rahul , Allchurch Alyssa , Monchanin Coline , Scott Chad M
Published: November 2021

Giant clams (Tridacninae) are an ecologically important species in coral reef habitats across the Indo-Pacific. Numerous examples of giant clam population declines of varying degrees of severity have been documented since the 1970s. These have been attributed to several reasons, such as overexploitation in regional fisheries and ornamental trades, extreme weather events and anomalous marine warming events leading to bleaching. In Thailand, this has led to extensive conservation efforts, such as legal protections and population restocking. Despite these strong measures, to date no long-term studies have been conducted on giant clam populations in Thai waters. We provide results from 11 years (2009–2019) of giant clam population monitoring, at Koh Tao, an island with a well-documented history of coral reef-associated stressors as well as conservation efforts. Surveys were conducted across two depth ranges at 18 reef sites around the island, revealing contrasting trends. Our findings indicate a significant population decline of Tridacna crocea from coral reefs in the 6–8 m depth range, from 1.41 (±0.47) individuals/100 m2 in 2010 to 0.59 (±0.17) individuals/100 m2 in 2019, with, however, no significant change in T. squamosa populations at this depth range. Data from the 3–5 m depth range indicate no significant change in the T. crocea population over the years, but a population increase of T. squamosa from 0.78 (±0.18) individuals/100 m2 in 2009 to 2.07 (±0.38) individuals/100 m2 in 2019. Abundance estimates from these sites indicate extensive heterogeneity in giant clam populations around the island, and highlight the importance of sufficient spatial resolution in identifying population trends.
Elongating RNA polymerase II and RNA:DNA hybrids hinder fork progression and gene expression at sites of head-on replication-transcription collisions
Authors: Zardoni Luca , Nardini Eleonora , Brambati Alessandra , Lucca Chiara , Choudhary Ramveer , Loperfido Federica , Sabbioneda Simone , Liberi Giordano
Published: November 2021

Uncoordinated clashes between replication forks and transcription cause replication stress and genome instability, which are hallmarks of cancer and neurodegeneration. Here, we investigate the outcomes of head-on replication-transcription collisions, using as a model system budding yeast mutants for the helicase Sen1, the ortholog of human Senataxin. We found that RNA Polymerase II accumulates together with RNA:DNA hybrids at sites of head-on collisions. The replication fork and RNA Polymerase II are both arrested during the clash, leading to DNA damage and, in the long run, the inhibition of gene expression. The inactivation of RNA Polymerase II elongation factors, such as the HMG-like protein Spt2 and the DISF and PAF complexes, but not alterations in chromatin structure, allows replication fork progression through transcribed regions. Attenuation of RNA Polymerase II elongation rescues RNA:DNA hybrid accumulation and DNA damage sensitivity caused by the absence of Sen1, but not of RNase H proteins, suggesting that such enzymes counteract toxic RNA:DNA hybrids at different stages of the cell cycle with Sen1 mainly acting in replication. We suggest that the main obstacle to replication fork progression is the elongating RNA Polymerase II engaged in an R-loop, rather than RNA:DNA hybrids per se or hybrid-associated chromatin modifications.
An update on the use of tolvaptan for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: consensus statement on behalf of the ERA Working Group on Inherited Kidney Disorders, the European Rare Kidney Disease Reference Network and Polycystic Kidney Disease International
Authors: Müller Roman-Ulrich , Messchendorp A Lianne , Birn Henrik , Capasso Giovambattista , Cornec-Le Gall Emilie , Devuyst Olivier , van Eerde Albertien , Guirchoun Patrick , Harris Tess , Hoorn Ewout J , Knoers Nine V A M , Korst Uwe , Mekahli Djalila , Le Meur Yannick , Nijenhuis Tom , Ong Albert C M , Sayer John A , Schaefer Franz , Servais Aude , Tesar Vladimir , Torra Roser , Walsh Stephen B , Gansevoort Ron T
Published: November 2021

Approval of the vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist tolvaptan—based on the landmark TEMPO 3:4 trial—marked a transformation in the management of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This development has advanced patient care in ADPKD from general measures to prevent progression of chronic kidney disease to targeting disease-specific mechanisms. However, considering the long-term nature of this treatment, as well as potential side effects, evidence-based approaches to initiate treatment only in patients with rapidly progressing disease are crucial. In 2016, the position statement issued by the European Renal Association (ERA) was the first society-based recommendation on the use of tolvaptan and has served as a widely used decision-making tool for nephrologists. Since then, considerable practical experience regarding the use of tolvaptan in ADPKD has accumulated. More importantly, additional data from REPRISE, a second randomized clinical trial (RCT) examining the use of tolvaptan in later-stage disease, have added important evidence to the field, as have post hoc studies of these RCTs. To incorporate this new knowledge, we provide an updated algorithm to guide patient selection for treatment with tolvaptan and add practical advice for its use.
Metabarcoding of stomach contents and fecal samples provide similar insights about Seaside Sparrow diet
Authors: Snider Allison M , Bonisoli-Alquati Andrea , Pérez-Umphrey Anna A , Stouffer Philip C , Taylor Sabrina S
Published: November 2021

DNA metabarcoding is a popular tool for animal diet studies to address a variety of research topics across disciplines and taxa. Despite its widespread use, there has been relatively little focus on how digestion influences prey DNA detection and the description of a predator’s diet. Fecal samples are a compelling source of dietary DNA because they are collected non-invasively. However, these samples may provide incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of diet because of differential digestion and DNA degradation across prey taxa during gut passage. This is especially pertinent for avian diet studies, which have widely adopted the use of fecal samples as a proxy for overall diet. To explore how digestion affects the recovery and detection of prey DNA in passerines, we used DNA metabarcoding to compare the recovery of prey DNA from paired stomach contents and fecal samples in Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima). Stomach contents produced ~2.5 times greater DNA concentrations than fecal samples and—while this difference in DNA concentration was not statistically significant—stomach contents produced significantly more read identifications than fecal samples. However, these differences did not influence the description of diet, as similar measures of richness and diversity were found in both sample types. The relative read abundance of common prey families remained consistent between sample types, suggesting that while less DNA may survive digestion, the proportions of prey remain largely unaffected. We found no difference in the description of diet based on sample type at the population level, but our results show that comparing stomach and fecal samples from the same individual can reveal distinct foraging bouts. With no clear benefit to using stomach contents, we conclude that fecal samples are the preferred sample type for avian metabarcoding diet studies, unless research goals necessitate otherwise.
Public attitude towards militant protest in Hong Kong: An investigation based on the elaborated social identity model
Authors: Zhu Alex Yue Feng , Chou Kee Lee
Published: November 2021

Group-based norms regarding political participation are not static; they are malleable attributes affected by police–protest dynamics in the social movement context. This study used a comprehensive and authoritative sampling framework to collect the views of Hong Kong residents at the end of the anti-extradition bill movement (n = 1,000; 53.6% female; mean age = 46.4, range 18–86) and evaluated them using the Elaborated Social Identity Model. The results revealed a full mediational pathway from police action perceived as indiscriminate that facilitated the public’s identification with the militant protesters and bolstered public support for the militant protest. Our findings provide an in-depth understanding of why the public supported violent protest and criminal vandalism in the movement by adopting the interactive arena between police and protesters as the entry point and the development of shared identity as the process. Our findings highlight crowd management as a complex issue in relational dynamics rather than a purely logistical challenge.
Biographical representation, from narrative to list: The evolution of curricula vitae in the humanities, 1950 to 2010
Authors: Hamann Julian , Kaltenbrunner Wolfgang
Published: November 2021

Curricula vitae (CVs) are a crucial device for the evaluation of academic personae and biographies. They play a key role in the competitive assessments that underpin the reproduction of the academic workforce. Drawing on 80 CVs which have been part of candidates’ applications for vacant professorships, our article provides a longitudinal study of the development of CVs used by German scholars in professorial appointment procedures in the disciplines of German studies and history between 1950 and the late 2010s. The analysis reveals the evolution of CVs by tracing their various morphological shifts. We distinguish four formats throughout the period of study: CVs initially had a (1) narrative format that develops into an (2) intermediary segmented form before CVs take on a (3) list form in which biographical information congeals into distinct categories. In the 2010s, the list form develops into a (4) hyper-differentiated list form in which coherent biographical representations are finally dissolved into almost eclectic accumulations of finely grained performance categories. Against the backdrop of this finding, the contribution concludes with three general observations: First, the evolution of CVs reflects changes in the institutional environment, not least the increased competitive pressures in academic careers. Second, the evolution of biographical representations also conveys a transformation of the academic persona throughout which boundaries between personal and professional biographies are established. Third, we propose a reactivity of current list form CVs through which academics are disciplined to live up to the categories that wait to be realized in their CVs.
During development of rheumatoid arthritis, intermetatarsal bursitis may occur before clinical joint swelling: a large imaging study in patients with clinically suspect arthralgia
Authors: van Dijk Bastiaan T , Wouters Fenne , van Mulligen Elise , Reijnierse Monique , van der Helm-van Mil Annette H M
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Intermetatarsal bursitis (IMB) represents juxta-articular synovial inflammation of the intermetatarsal bursae. Recent MRI studies identified IMB as feature of early RA, but whether IMB already occurs in the pre-arthritic phase is unknown. We performed a large MRI study in clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA) to assess the occurrence and prognostic value of IMB.

Methods

A total of 577 consecutive CSA patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI of the forefoot, metacarpophalangeal joints and wrist. MRIs were evaluated for subclinical synovitis/tenosynovitis/osteitis in line with the RA MRI scoring system (summed as RAMRIS inflammation) and for IMB. IMB was considered present if uncommon in the general population at the same location (i.e. size scored above the 95th percentile in age-matched symptom-free controls). The relation of IMB with other MRI-detected subclinical inflammation (synovitis/tenosynovitis/osteitis) was studied. Cox-regression assessed the association with clinical arthritis development during median 25 months follow-up. ACPA stratification was performed.

Results

At presentation with CSA, 23% had IMB. IMB was more frequent in ACPA-positive than ACPA-negative CSA (47% vs 19%, P < 0.001). Patients with IMB were more likely to also have subclinical synovitis [OR 3.4 (95% CI 1.8, 6.5)] and tenosynovitis [5.9(2.8, 12.6)]. IMB conferred higher risk of developing arthritis [HR 1.6(1.0–2.7) adjusted for other subclinical inflammation]. IMB-presence predicted arthritis development in ACPA-positive CSA [adjusted HR 2.2(1.0–4.7)], but not in ACPA-negative CSA-patients [0.8(0.4–1.7)].

Conclusion

Approximately a quarter of CSA patients have IMB, which is frequently accompanied by subclinical synovitis and tenosynovitis. IMB precedes development of clinical arthritis, particularly in ACPA-positive CSA. These results reinforce the notion that juxta-articular synovial inflammation is involved in the earliest phases of RA development.
Labor Taxation and the Uneven Growth of Wage Inequality
Authors: Thompson Daniel
Published: November 2021

Wage inequality has risen in some rich countries but not others, and where it has risen, the divergence has been mainly between middle and high earners. I argue that taxation is an important factor driving this uneven growth of pretax wage inequality. In some countries, marginal tax rates on upper-middle incomes are high and stable, reducing the income that workers receive relative to the costs borne by employers. In others, marginal taxes on upper-middle incomes have been reduced, in some instances considerably, which incentivizes pretax income growth. I show that marginal tax rates are strongly correlated with pretax 90/10 and 90/50 wage ratios. The results are robust to alternative estimators that control for unobserved heterogeneity and other statistical issues. The findings suggest that, in an era of liberalized wage bargaining and decreased economic coordination, taxation may have taken on a greater role as an inequality-reducing institution.
Diaporthe sapindicola sp. nov. Causes Leaf Spots of Sapindus mukorossi in China
Authors: Si Yuan-Zhi , Li De-Wei , Zhong Jing , Huang Lin , Zhu Li-Hua
Published: November 2021

Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn. (Sapindaceae), or soapberry, is an important biodiesel tree in southern China. In recent years, leaf spot disease on soapberry has been observed frequently in a soapberry germplasm repository in Jianning County, Sanming City, Fujian province, China. The symptoms initially appeared as irregular, small, yellow spots, and the centers of the lesions became dark brown with time. Three fungal isolates from lesions were collected. Koch’s postulates were performed, and their pathogenicity was confirmed. Morphologically, α-conidia from diseased tissues were single-celled, hyaline, smooth, clavate or ellipsoidal, and biguttulate, measuring 6.2 to 7.2 × 2.3 to 2.7 μm. In addition, the three isolates in this study developed three types (α, β, and γ) of conidia on potato dextrose agar, and their morphological characteristics matched those of Diaporthe. A phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer, TEF, TUB, HIS, and CAL sequence data determined that the three isolates are a new species of Diaporthe. Based on both morphological and phylogenetic analyses, the causal fungus, Diaporthe sapindicola sp. nov., was described and illustrated.
Effect of Low Temperature on the Aggressiveness of Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 Isolates on Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris) Seedlings
Authors: Minier Douglas H. , Hanson Linda E.
Published: November 2021

Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group (AG) 2-2 can cause seedling damping-off in sugar beets and substantial losses may occur in all regions where beets are grown. Sugar beets are planted early in the season when soil temperatures are low in order to maximize the length of the growing season and minimize the risk of damping-off. However, predictive models that indicate there is little to no risk of Rhizoctonia damping-off at temperatures <15°C may not be entirely reliable. We tested this possibility by inoculating sugar beet seedlings in a growth chamber at 11°C with 35 R. solani AG 2-2 isolates that were representative of the genetic diversity present in AG 2-2. Although disease progress and growth rate were greatly reduced at 11°C, considerable disease symptoms did develop in inoculated plants. Three weeks after inoculation, 16% of the plants were dead and 77% of the isolates tested had average disease severity scores that were significantly greater than those of the mock inoculated control. This confirms our concern about the possibility for low-temperature infection of sugar beets and indicates that waiting until the soil warms up to above 15°C to apply fungicide could leave the crop at risk. Aggressiveness does not appear to be related to subgroup or growth rate but rather depends on the response of the specific isolate to low temperature.
Does the use of ultrasound guidance during percutaneous Achilles tendon tenotomy improve outcomes of clubfoot management? A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kumar Pardeep , Baburaj Vishnu , Bist Omkar , Belludi Prashasth S. , Sudesh Pebam
Published: November 2021

Achilles tenotomy is a crucial aspect in the non-operative management of clubfoot as per Ponseti’s casting protocol. Achilles tenotomy is routinely carried out percutaneously in a blind manner without any image guidance. This study aimed to determine the role of ultrasound-guided percutaneous Achilles tenotomy (PAT) in improving outcomes in clubfoot management. There are no previous studies that have explored the role of image guidance in PAT. This prospective, single-center randomized control trial included 50 clubfoot cases (74 feet) planned for PAT at a mean age of 30.2 months. A single experienced senior surgeon performed tenotomies. Patients were randomized to two groups, with the tenotomies performed under ultrasound guidance in one group (test group) and PAT carried out without image guidance in the other (control) group. Outcome measures assessed included rate of complications, immediate postoperative FLACC score for pain severity and Pirani score at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. There were no significant differences in the complication rates between the test and control groups regarding bleeding, nerve injury and incomplete tenotomies. The mean pain FLACC score was significantly higher in the control group (PAT without image guidance) (P = 0.03), suggesting that the child would better tolerate the ultrasound-guided procedure. All patients in both groups had a Pirani score of zero and plantigrade feet at final follow up, with no relapses. Ultrasound-guided PAT does not have any added advantage over PAT with clinical examination without image guidance in terms of long-term outcomes. Level of evidence: Therapeutic level II.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antibiotics in the Elderly: A Narrative Review
Authors: Cattaneo Dario , Falcone Marco , Gervasoni Cristina , Marriott Deborah J. E.
Published: November 2021

Background:

Antibiotic dosing adaptation in elderly patients is frequently complicated by age-related changes affecting the processes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and/or elimination. These events eventually result in treatment failure and/or development of drug-related toxicity. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can prevent suboptimal antibiotic exposure in adult patients regardless of age. However, little data are available concerning the specific role of TDM in the elderly patients.

Methods:

This review is based on a PubMed search of the literature published in the English language. The search involved TDM studies of antibiotics in the elderly patients performed between 1990 and 2021. Additional studies were identified from the reference lists of the retrieved articles. Studies dealing with population pharmacokinetic modeling were not considered.

Results:

Only a few studies, mainly retrospective and with observational design, have specifically dealt with appropriate antibiotic dosing in the elderly patients based on TDM. Nevertheless, some clinical situations in which the selection of optimal antibiotic dosing in the elderly patients was successfully guided by TDM were identified.

Conclusions:

Elderly patients are at an increased risk of bacterial infections and inadequate drug dosing compared with younger patients. Therefore, the availability of TDM services can improve the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions in this population.
Association between vasomotor symptoms and sarcopenia assessed by L3 skeletal muscle index among Korean menopausal women
Authors: Ryu Ki-Jin , Kim Hyun Kyun , Lee Yeon Ju , Park Hyuntae , Kim Tak
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the association between vasomotor symptoms (VMS), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and sarcopenia in menopausal women.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 295 Korean menopausal women 40 to 65 years old who underwent abdominal computed tomography during routine health checkups between January 2014 and May 2016. The cross-sectional areas of adipose and skeletal muscles were measured at the L3 level using computed tomography. The SMI is defined as the sum of the skeletal muscle area (cm2)/height2 (m2). Sarcopenia was identified by an SMI of <34.9 cm2/m2. VMS were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale.

Results:

The mean age of the participants was 54.93 ± 6.20 years. VMS were reported in 160 women (54.2%). Sarcopenia was more prevalent in women without VMS (18.5%) than in those with (6.9%). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the prevalence of sarcopenia was inversely associated with the prevalence of VMS (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15-0.67). Moreover, the paraspinal muscle index was positively associated with the prevalence of VMS (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11) after adjusting for age, body mass index, waist circumference, adipose tissue area, history of hormone therapy, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, insulin resistance, alcohol intake, and exercise.

Conclusions:

VMS are less common in women with sarcopenia than in those without and are positively associated with paraspinal muscle mass in Korean menopausal women. Further longitudinal studies are required to investigate the causal relationships and underlying mechanisms.
Nutritional and dietary interventions to prolong renal allograft survival after kidney transplantation
Authors: Tantisattamo Ekamol , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar , Molnar Miklos Z.
Published: November 2021

Purpose of review

Diet plays an important role in slowing progression of chronic kidney disease in native and transplanted kidneys. There is limited evidence on the association on dietary intake with renal allograft function. Mechanisms of major nutrients and dietary patterns with focusing on a plant-based diet related to kidney transplant health and longevity are reviewed.

Recent findings

High dietary protein intake may adversely affect renal allograft. Low protein plant-focused diets such as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, plant-dominant low-protein diet and Mediterranean diets appear associated with favorable outcomes in slowing renal allograft function decline. The mechanism may be related to a change in renal hemodynamic by decreasing glomerular hyperfiltration from low dietary protein intake and plant-based ingredients. Recent observational studies of association between dietary protein intake and kidney allograft outcomes are conflicting. Although strong evidence is still lacking, a low protein diet of 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day with at least 50% of the protein source from plant-based components in kidney transplant recipients with stable kidney allograft function should be considered as the dietary target.

Dietary intervention with low-protein plant-focused meals may improve outcomes in kidney transplant recipients, but the evidence remains limited and further studies are warranted.
Polygenic contribution for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)
Authors: Medeiros Ana Margarida , Bourbon Mafalda
Published: November 2021

Purpose of review

The present review summarizes different polygenic risk scores associated with hypercholesterolemia applied to cohorts with a genetic diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

Recent findings

Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with increased levels of LDL-C or Lp(a) have been genotyped in population cohorts with FH phenotype, to identify the cause of hypercholesterolemia in mutation negative individuals. In different studies, a large proportion of individuals without a monogenic causative variant (in low density lipoprotein receptor gene (LDLR), apolipoprotein B gene (APOB) or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 gene (PCSK9 genes) was considered to have a hypercholesterolemia with a polygenic basis. The heterogeneity in the phenotype of monogenic FH may also be explained by polygenic contributions to LDL-C. The elevated LDL-C genetic risk score (GRS) has been associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in individuals with monogenic FH. Moreover, a poorer response to lipid lowering therapy has been associated with monogenic FH when compared to a polygenic basis. The reason why Lp(a) concentrations are raised in individuals with clinical FH is unclear, but it could be caused by a genetic variation in Lipoprotein(A) gene as a polygenic contribution.

Polygenic risk scores have revealed to be important tools to define the cause of hypercholesterolemia in FH mutation-negative individuals and should be included in FH diagnosis strategies, although there is still space for more specific LDL-C GRS to be developed. The use of GRS may be used to refine cardiovascular risk prediction in FH patients and could lead to a personalized approach to therapy. The identification of the genetic status of an individual with FH phenotype (monogenic or polygenic) may have implications on their risk stratification, cascade screening of relatives, disease management and therapeutic measures.
Disparities in Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Incursions Among New York City Families During Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Zajac Lauren , Gallate Xanthe , Gu Gregory , Liu Bian , Elaiho Cordelia , Lin Elaine , Mogilner Leora , Oliver Kristin , Vangeepuram Nita , Wilson Karen
Published: November 2021

Objectives:

Once the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in New York City (NYC), stay-at-home orders led to more time spent indoors, potentially increasing exposure to secondhand marijuana and tobacco smoke via incursions from common areas or neighbors. The objective of this study was to characterize housing-based disparities in marijuana and tobacco incursions in NYC housing during the pandemic.

Design:

We surveyed a random sample of families from May to July 2020 and collected sociodemographic data, housing characteristics, and the presence, frequency, and pandemic-related change in incursions.

Setting:

Five pediatric practices affiliated with a large NYC health care system.

Participants:

In total, 230 caregivers of children attending the practices.

Main Outcome Measures:

Prevalence and change in tobacco and marijuana smoke incursions.

Results:

Tobacco and marijuana smoke incursions were reported by 22.9% and 30.7%, respectively. Twenty-two percent of families received financial housing support (public housing, Section-8). Compared with families in private housing, families with financial housing support had 3.8 times the odds of tobacco incursions (95% CI, 1.4-10.1) and 3.7 times the odds of worsening incursions during pandemic (95% CI, 1.1-12.5). Families with financially supported housing had 6.9 times the odds of marijuana incursions (95% CI, 2.4-19.5) and 5 times the odds of worsening incursions during pandemic (95% CI, 1.9-12.8). Children in financially supported housing spent more time inside the home during pandemic (median 24 hours vs 21.6 hours, P = .02) and were more likely to have asthma (37% vs 12.9%, P = .001) than children in private housing.

Conclusions:

Incursions were higher among families with financially supported housing. Better enforcement of existing regulations (eg, Smoke-Free Public Housing Rule) and implementation of additional policies to limit secondhand tobacco and marijuana exposure in children are needed. Such actions should prioritize equitable access to cessation and mental health services and consider structural systems leading to poverty and health disparities.
Assessing Local Public Health Agency Alignment With Public Health 3.0: A Content Analysis of Illinois Community Health Improvement Plans
Authors: Welter Christina R. , Herrera Yadira , Uskali Amber L. , Seweryn Steve , Call Laurie , Lasky Samantha , Agbodo Nelson , Ezike Ngozi O.
Published: November 2021

Context:

Public Health 3.0 described the need for public health agencies and the public health workforce to transform and obtain new skills and approaches to address the social determinants of health (SDOH) through cross-sectoral partnerships and collective action.

Objective:

To assess the current state of local health departments' Public Health 3.0 alignment through interventions and initiatives documented in community health improvement plans (CHIPs).

Method:

We conducted a content analysis of Illinois CHIPs from July to November 2020. A coding framework aligned with Public Health 3.0 concepts was developed on the basis of constructs from the literature, faculty expertise, and preliminary reviews of the CHIPs. Two researchers deductively coded for health priorities and interventions in Microsoft Excel 2016 and calculated the number of CHIPs in which each code appeared.

Results:

Ninety CHIPs representing 98 counties across the state were analyzed; 2 CHIPs were excluded because of a lack of strategies. Our content analysis found that 13% (n = 12) of CHIPs had explicit priorities related to SDOH and 12% (n = 11) included interventions that addressed socioeconomic factors. Ten percent (n = 9) of CHIPs proposed multilevel multicomponent interventions. Eighty-nine percent (n = 80) of CHIPs included community-level interventions, and 53% (n = 48) of CHIPs included policy, systems, and environmental strategies focused on specific health content. The majority of CHIPs (96%; n = 86) had at least 1 partnership strategy. Thirty-two percent (n = 29) of CHIPs mentioned the use of an evidence-based strategy.

Conclusions:

Our content analysis found opportunities to improve Illinois public health agencies' Public Health 3.0 capacities and capability. Findings are limited to this data source and definitions of the Public Health 3.0 attributes, leaving room for practice and research opportunities to develop operational definitions of Public Health 3.0; capacity building to improve the public health workforce readiness; and research and evaluation to measure improvements.
Reaching Consensus on Politicized Topics: A Convening of Public Health Professionals to Discuss Appropriate Abortion Activities for US Health Departments
Authors: Zaugg Claudia , Berglas Nancy F. , Johnson Regan , Roberts Sarah C. M.
Published: November 2021

Context:

Public health professionals, particularly those in state and local health departments, do not always have clear understandings of their roles related to politically controversial public health topics. A process of consensus development among public health professionals that considers the best available evidence may be able to guide decision making and lay out an appropriate course of action.

Approach:

In May 2020, a group of maternal and child health and family planning professionals working in health departments, representatives of schools of public health, and members of affiliated organizations convened to explore values and principles relevant to health departments' engagement in abortion and delineate activities related to abortion that are appropriate for health departments. The convening followed a structured consensus process that included multiple rounds of input and opportunities for feedback and revisions.

Outcomes:

Convening participants came to consensus on principles to guide engagement in activities related to abortion, a set of activities related to abortion that are appropriate for health departments, and next steps to support implementation of such activities.

Lessons Learned:

The experience of the convening indicates that consensus processes can be feasible for politically controversial public health topics such as abortion.
The shifting age distribution of people with HIV using antiretroviral therapy in the United States
Authors: Althoff Keri N. , Stewart Cameron N. , Humes Elizabeth , Zhang Jinbing , Gerace Lucas , Boyd Cynthia M. , Wong Cherise , Justice Amy C. , Gebo Kelly A. , Thorne Jennifer E. , Rubtsova Anna A. , Horberg Michael A. , Silverberg Michael J. , Leng Sean X. , Rebeiro Peter F. , Moore Richard D. , Buchacz Kate , Kasaie Parastu
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To project the future age distribution of people with HIV using antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the United States, under expected trends in HIV diagnosis and survival (baseline scenario) and achieving the ending the HIV epidemic (EHE) goals of a 75% reduction in HIV diagnoses from 2020 to 2025 and sustaining levels to 2030 (EHE75% scenario).

Design:

An agent-based simulation model with mathematical functions estimated from North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design data and parameters from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's annual HIV surveillance reports.

Methods:

The PEARL (ProjEcting Age, MultimoRbidity, and PoLypharmacy in adults with HIV) model simulated individuals in 15 subgroups of sex-and-HIV acquisition risk and race/ethnicity. Simulation outcomes from the baseline scenario are compared with outcomes from the EHE75% scenario.

Results:

Under the baseline scenario, PEARL projects a substantial increase in number of ART-users over time, reaching a population of 909 638 [95% uncertainty range (UR): 878 449–946 513] by 2030. The overall median age increased from 50 years in 2020 to 52 years in 2030, with 23% of ART-users age ≥65 years in 2030. Under the EHE75% scenario, the projected number of ART-users was 718 348 [703 044–737 817] (median age = 56 years) in 2030, with a 70% relative reduction in ART-users <30 years and a 4% relative reduction in ART-users age ≥65 years compared to baseline, and persistent heterogeneities in projected numbers by sex-and-HIV acquisition risk group and race/ethnicity.

Conclusions:

It is critical to prepare healthcare systems to meet the impending demand of the US population aging with HIV.
Association Between State Limits on Opioid Prescribing and the Incidence of Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use Among Surgical Patients
Authors: Sun Eric C. , Rishel Chris A. , Waljee Jennifer F. , Brummett Chad M. , Jena Anupam B.
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To examine whether laws limiting opioid prescribing have been associated with reductions in the incidence of persistent postoperative opioid use.

Summary of Background Data:

In an effort to address the opioid epidemic, 26 states (as of 2018) have passed laws limiting opioid prescribing for acute pain. However, it is unknown whether these laws have achieved their reduced the risk of persistent postoperative opioid use.

Methods:

We identified 957,639 privately insured patients undergoing one of 10 procedures between January 1, 2004 and September 30, 2018. We then estimated the association between persistent postoperative opioid use, defined as having filled ≥10 prescriptions or ≥120 days supply of opioids during postoperative days 91–365, and whether opioid prescribing limits were in effect on the day of surgery. States were classified as having: no limits, a limit of ≤7 days supply, or a limit of >7 days supply. The regression models adjusted for observable confounders such as patient comorbidities and also utilized a difference-in-differences approach, which relied on variation in state laws over time, to further minimize confounding.

Results:

The adjusted incidence of persistent postoperative opioid use was 3.5% (95%CI 3.3%-3.7%) for patients facing a limit of ≤7 days supply, compared with 3.3% (95%CI 3.3%-3.3%) for patients facing no prescribing limits (P = 0.13 for difference compared to no prescribing limits) and 3.4%, (95%CI 3.2%–3.6%) for patients facing a limit of >7 days supply (P = 0.43 for difference compared to no prescribing limits).

Conclusions:

Laws limiting opioid prescriptions were not associated with subsequent reductions in persistent postoperative opioid use.
Anti-membrane and anti-spike antibodies are long-lasting and together discriminate between past COVID-19 infection and vaccination
Authors: Amjadi Maya F. , Adyniec Ryan R. , Gupta Srishti , Bashar S. Janna , Mergaert Aisha M. , Braun Katarina M. , Moreno Gage K. , O’Connor David H. , Friedrich Thomas C. , Safdar Nasia , McCoy Sara S. , Shelef Miriam A.
Published: November 2021

The consequences of past COVID-19 infection for personal health and long-term population immunity are only starting to be revealed. Unfortunately, detecting past infection is currently a challenge, limiting clinical and research endeavors. Widely available anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests cannot differentiate between past infection and vaccination given vaccine-induced anti-spike antibodies and the rapid loss of infection-induced anti-nucleocapsid antibodies. Anti-membrane antibodies develop after COVID-19, but their long-term persistence is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that anti-membrane IgG is a sensitive and specific marker of past COVID-19 infection and persists at least one year. We also confirm that anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) Ig is a long-lasting, sensitive, and specific marker of past infection and vaccination, while anti-nucleocapsid IgG lacks specificity and quickly declines after COVID-19. Thus, a combination of anti-membrane and anti-RBD antibodies can accurately differentiate between distant COVID-19 infection, vaccination, and naïve states to advance public health, individual healthcare, and research goals.