bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early detection of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure reduces the risk of subsequent hospitalization: a subanalysis of the randomized TIM-HF2 trial
Authors: Stegmann Tina , Koehler Kerstin , Schulze Marie , Laufs Ulrich , Koehler Friedrich , Wachter Rolf
Published: May 2022

Aims

To evaluate the rate of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and the potential improved outcome in heart failure (HF) patients using non-invasive remote patient management (RPM) compared with usual care (UC).

Methods and results

This analysis assessed a subgroup of 1538 patients of the TIM-HF2 trial with chronic HF, New York Heart Association Class II or III, admission to hospital for HF within 12 months before randomization, and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 45% or lower. Patients with AF in the baseline electrocardiogram (ECG), with an implanted cardiac device, a history of ablation therapy, and recent anticoagulation were excluded, leaving 347 patients for final analysis (RPM = 175; UC = 172). The percentage of days lost due to unplanned cardiovascular hospitalization or death of any cause (primary endpoint of TIM-HF2), the rate of newly detected AF, and the hospitalization rate due to AF were analysed. For patients with new AF, there was a significant reduction for the primary endpoint in the RPM group [5.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0–11.6 vs. UC: 14.6%, 95% CI 8.0–21.2; P < 0.001]. Within the first 3 months, the detection rate of new AF was significantly higher in the RPM group (5.1%) compared with UC (1.2%), P = 0.035. After 1 year, 23 patients (13.1%) assigned to RPM and 12 patients (7.0%) assigned to UC had newly detected AF, P = 0.056. Unplanned hospitalizations related to AF were significantly lower in the RPM group (2 out of 23 patients vs. UC: 10 out of 12 patients; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In this subgroup of HF patients in the TIM-HF2 trial, non-invasive daily ECG transmission leads to a four times higher detection rate of new AF compared with UC. This was associated with a significant reduction of days lost due to unplanned cardiovascular hospitalizations, especially hospitalizations related to AF.
A comprehensive analysis of the intramural segment in interarterial anomalous coronary arteries using computed tomography angiography
Authors: Koppel Claire J , Verheijen Diederick B H , Kiès Philippine , Egorova Anastasia D , Lamb Hildo J , Voskuil Michiel , Jukema J Wouter , Koolbergen Dave R , Hazekamp Mark G , Schalij Martin J , Jongbloed Monique R M , Vliegen Hubert W
Published: May 2022

Aims

An anomalous coronary artery originating from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) with an interarterial course can be assessed using computed tomography angiography (CTA) for the presence of high-risk characteristics associated with sudden cardiac death. These features include a slit-like ostium, acute angle take-off, proximal luminal narrowing, and an intramural segment. To date, no robust CTA criteria exist to determine the presence of an intramural segment. We aimed to deduct new CTA parameters to distinguish an intramural course of interarterial ACAOS.

Methods and results

Twenty-five patients with an interarterial ACAOS (64% female, mean age 46 years, 88% right ACAOS) from two academic hospitals were evaluated. Inclusion criteria were the availability of a preoperative CTA scan (0.51 mm slice thickness) and peroperative confirmation of the intramural segment. Using multiplanar reconstruction of the CTA, the distance between the lumen of the aorta and the lumen of the ACAOS [defined as ‘interluminal space’ (ILS)] was assessed at 2 mm intervals along the intramural segment. Analysis showed a mean ILS of 0.69 ± 0.15 mm at 2 mm from the ostium. At the end of the intramural segment where the ACAOS becomes non-intramural, the mean ILS was significantly larger (1.27 ± 0.29 mm, P < 0.001). Interobserver agreement evaluation showed good reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.77, P < 0.001). Receiver operator characteristic analysis demonstrated that at a cut-off ILS of <0.95 mm, an intramural segment can be diagnosed with 100% sensitivity and 84% specificity.

Conclusion

The ILS is introduced as a novel and robust CTA parameter to identify an intramural course of interarterial ACAOS. An ILS of <0.95 mm is indicative of an intramural segment.
Protist feeding patterns and growth rate are related to their predatory impacts on soil bacterial communities
Authors: Amacker Nathalie , Gao Zhilei , Hu Jie , Jousset Alexandre L C , Kowalchuk George A , Geisen Stefan
Published: May 2022

Predatory protists are major consumers of soil micro-organisms. By selectively feeding on their prey, they can shape soil microbiome composition and functions. While different protists are known to show diverging impacts, it remains impossible to predict a priori the effect of a given species. Various protist traits including phylogenetic distance, growth rate and volume have been previously linked to the predatory impact of protists. Closely related protists, however, also showed distinct prey choices which could mirror specificity in their dietary niche. We, therefore, aimed to estimate the dietary niche breadth and overlap of eight protist isolates on 20 bacterial species in plate assays. To assess the informative value of previously suggested and newly proposed (feeding-related) protist traits, we related them to the impacts of predation of each protist on a protist-free soil bacterial community in a soil microcosm via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We could demonstrate that each protist showed a distinct feeding pattern in vitro. Further, the assayed protist feeding patterns and growth rates correlated well with the observed predatory impacts on the structure of soil bacterial communities. We thus conclude that in vitro screening has the potential to inform on the specific predatory impact of selected protists.
Combined effect of Bacillus siamensis and chlorogenic acid on maintenance of quality and control of disease in stored wax apple fruit
Authors: Cheng Ziyu , Li Rui , Jiang Zecheng , Tang Yue , Li Wen , Shao Yuanzhi
Published: May 2022

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined postharvest use of Bacillus siamensis strain and chlorogenic acid on quality maintenance and disease control in wax apple fruit.

Materials and Methods

Wax apple fruit were treated with Bacillus siamensis strain (N1), chlorogenic acid (CHA) and N1+CHA and preserved at 25 °C for 12 d. The appearance and quality parameters were evaluated, along with the disease index, content of total soluble solids (TSS), total acid (TA), vitamin C (Vc), total phenolic, and flavonoids during cold storage. Meanwhile, the activities of β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) were determined. Furthermore, the transcriptome and the expression level of key defense enzyme genes were analyzed by RNA-seq and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

N1+CHA treatment significantly lowered DI and delayed fruit quality deterioration by slowing TSS and TA loss and enhancing antioxidant capacity, including Vc, total phenolic, and flavonoids content. Meanwhile, the activities of GLU, PAL, PPO, and POD were dramatically increased by N1+CHA treatment. Additionally, N1+CHA treatment modulated several metabolic pathways, including those involved in plant–hormone signal transduction and plant–pathogen interaction. The expression levels of key defense enzyme genes were significantly upregulated in stored wax apple fruit by the N1+CHA treatment, which were well coincided with the transcriptome data.

Conclusions

The combined use of N1+CHA significantly prevents disease and maintains fruit quality of wax apple during storage. These findings indicate that it could serve as a promising biological technique for preserving wax apple fruit.
The First Genome of the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) Provides a Valuable Resource for Conservation Genomics and Sheds Light on Adaptation to a Pelagic lifestyle
Authors: Cuevas-Caballé Cristian , Ferrer Obiol Joan , Vizueta Joel , Genovart Meritxell , Gonzalez-Solís Jacob , Riutort Marta , Rozas Julio
Published: May 2022

The Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is the most threatened seabird in Europe and a member of the most speciose group of pelagic seabirds, the order Procellariiformes, which exhibit extreme adaptations to a pelagic lifestyle. The fossil record suggests that human colonisation of the Balearic Islands resulted in a sharp decrease of the Balearic shearwater population size. Currently, populations of the species continue to be decimated mainly due to predation by introduced mammals and bycatch in longline fisheries, with some studies predicting its extinction by 2070. Here, using a combination of short and long reads, we generate the first high-quality reference genome for the Balearic shearwater, with a completeness amongst the highest across available avian species. We used this reference genome to study critical aspects relevant to the conservation status of the species and to gain insights into the adaptation to a pelagic lifestyle of the order Procellariiformes. We detected relatively high levels of genome-wide heterozygosity in the Balearic shearwater despite its reduced population size. However, the reconstruction of its historical demography uncovered an abrupt population decline potentially linked to a reduction of the neritic zone during the Penultimate Glacial Period (∼194–135 ka). Comparative genomics analyses uncover a set of candidate genes that may have played an important role into the adaptation to a pelagic lifestyle of Procellariiformes, including those for the enhancement of fishing capabilities, night vision, and the development of natriuresis. The reference genome obtained will be the crucial in the future development of genetic tools in conservation efforts for this Critically Endangered species.
Seed banks alter the molecular evolutionary dynamics ofBacillus subtilis
Authors: Shoemaker William R , Polezhaeva Evgeniya , Givens Kenzie B , Lennon Jay T
Published: May 2022

Fluctuations in the availability of resources constrain the growth and reproduction of individuals, which subsequently affects the evolution of their respective populations. Many organisms contend with such fluctuations by entering a reversible state of reduced metabolic activity, a phenomenon known as dormancy. This pool of dormant individuals (i.e. a seed bank) does not reproduce and is expected to act as an evolutionary buffer, though it is difficult to observe this effect directly over an extended evolutionary timescale. Through genetic manipulation, we analyze the molecular evolutionary dynamics of Bacillus subtilis populations in the presence and absence of a seed bank over 700 days. The ability of these bacteria to enter a dormant state increased the accumulation of genetic diversity over time and altered the trajectory of mutations, findings that were recapitulated using simulations based on a mathematical model of evolutionary dynamics. While the ability to form a seed bank did not alter the degree of negative selection, we found that it consistently altered the direction of molecular evolution across genes. Together, these results show that the ability to form a seed bank can affect the direction and rate of molecular evolution over an extended evolutionary timescale.
Association of Pulmonary Function With Motor Function Trajectories and Disability Progression Among Older Adults: A Long-Term Community-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Jingya , Wang Jiao , Li Xuerui , Wang Zhangyu , Qi Xiuying , Dove Abigail , Bennett David A , Xu Weili
Published: May 2022

Background

The association of pulmonary function (PF) with motor function and disability remains unclear. We investigate the association of PF with motor function trajectories and disability progression, and explore the role of social activity, cognitive function, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in this relationship.

Methods

Within the Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1 403 disability-free participants (mean age: 79.28 years) were followed for up to 22 years. PF was measured with a composite score based on peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and forced vital capacity at baseline. Global motor function including dexterity, gait, and hand strength was assessed annually using 10 motor tests. Disability was evaluated according to the basic activities of daily living. Social activity was defined as the frequency of common types of social interaction. Global cognitive function was assessed using a battery of 19 cognitive performance tests. CVDs (including stroke, congestive heart failure, and heart diseases) were ascertained at baseline. Linear mixed-effects models were used.

Results

Compared to high PF, low PF was related to faster decline in global motor function (β = −0.005, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.008 to −0.001) and all 3 specific motor abilities (p < .05), as well as faster progression of disability (β = 0.012, 95% CI: 0.009 to 0.014). There was a statistically significant interaction between PF and social activity/cognitive function on disability progression (β = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.009, p = .010/β = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.009, p = .025).

Conclusion

Poor PF accelerates motor function decline and the progression of disability. A high level of social activity and cognitive function appear to decelerate disability progression related to poor PF.
The Inflammatory Potential of Diet and Pain Incidence: A Cohort Study in Older Adults
Authors: Carballo-Casla Adrián , García-Esquinas Esther , Lopez-Garcia Esther , Donat-Vargas Carolina , Banegas José R , Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando , Ortolá Rosario
Published: May 2022

Background

Despite its importance, evidence regarding pain prevention is inadequate. Leveraging the growing knowledge on how diet regulates inflammation, we examined the association of 3-year changes in the inflammatory potential of diet with pain incidence over the subsequent 3 years.

Methods

We used data from 819 individuals aged ≥60 years and free of pain in 2012, drawn from the Spanish Seniors-ENRICA-1 cohort. The inflammatory potential of diet was estimated via a validated diet history and 2 indices: the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the empirical dietary inflammatory index (EDII). The frequency, severity, and number of locations of incident pain were combined into a scale that classified participants as suffering from no pain, intermediate pain, or highest pain.

Results

Shifting the diet toward a higher inflammatory potential was associated with subsequent increased risk of highest pain (fully-adjusted relative risk ratio [95% confidence interval] per 1-standard deviation increment in the DII and the EDII = 1.45 [1.16,1.80] and 1.21 [0.98,1.49], respectively) and intermediate pain (0.99 [0.75,1.31] and 1.37 [1.05,1.79]). The 3 components of the pain scale followed similar trends, the most consistent one being pain severity (moderate-to-severe pain: DII = 1.39 [1.11,1.74]; EDII = 1.35 [1.08,1.70]). The association of increasing DII with highest incident pain was only apparent among the less physically active participants (2.08 [1.53,2.83] vs 1.02 [0.76,1.37]; p-interaction = .002).

Conclusion

An increase in the inflammatory potential of diet was associated with higher pain incidence over the following years, especially among the less physically active participants. Future studies in older adults should assess the efficacy of pain prevention interventions targeting the inflammatory potential of diet.
Sleep Mediates the Association Between Stress at Work and Incident Dementia: Study From the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe
Authors: Tan Xiao , Lebedeva Aleksandra , Åkerstedt Torbjörn , Wang Hui-Xin
Published: May 2022

Background

Both psychosocial stress at work and sleep disturbance may predispose impaired cognitive function and dementia in later life. However, whether sleep plays a mediating role for the link between stress at work and subsequent dementia has yet to be investigated.

Methods

Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe were used for the study. A cohort of 7 799 dementia-free individuals (aged 71.1 ± 0.2 years) were followed up for a median of 4.1 years for incident dementia. Job demand and control were estimated using questions derived from the Karasek’s Job Content Questionnaire. Sleep disturbance was ascertained by a question in the EURO-Depression scale. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, sex, education, cognitive test score, and other potential covariates were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of dementia in relation to different job strain levels.

Results

An interaction between job demand and sleep disturbance regarding the risk of dementia was detected. Data suggested a protective role of high-level job demand for dementia in individuals with sleep disturbance (HR [95% CI]: 0.69 [0.47, 1.00]) compared with low job demand. A 4-category job strain model based on the combination of job demand and job control levels suggested that among individuals with sleep disturbance, passive job (low demand, low control) was associated with a higher risk of dementia (1.54 [1.01, 2.34]), compared to active job (high demand, high control).

Conclusion

The link between work-related stress and risk of dementia is limited to individuals suffering sleep disturbance.
Person-Centered and Task-Centered Care and Mealtime Behaviors in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: Impact on Food Intake
Authors: Liu Wen , Perkhounkova Yelena , Hein Maria
Published: May 2022

Background and Objectives

Nursing home (NH) staff mealtime care approaches are associated with behaviors of residents with dementia, but their impact on food intake remains unexplored. This study examined the role of staff person-centered and task-centered approaches and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors on food intake.

Research Design and Methods

Videotaped mealtime observations (N = 160) involving 36 staff and 27 residents (53 unique staff–resident dyads) in 9 NHs were coded using the refined Cue Utilization and Engagement in Dementia mealtime video-coding scheme. The dependent variable was resident food intake. The independent variables were staff person-centered approaches that support resident abilities, staff–resident (dyadic) interactions, and dining environments, staff task-centered approaches, and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors. Resident challenging behaviors included mealtime functional impairments and resistive behaviors. Linear mixed modeling was used. Moderating effects of staff approaches, food type, and length of dyadic mealtime interactions (ie, video duration) were examined.

Results

The relationship between food intake and resident mealtime functional impairments was moderated by food type (p < .001). The relationship between food intake and resident resistive behaviors was moderated by food type (p = .002) and staff person-centered verbal approaches (p = .001). The relationships between food intake and staff person-centered nonverbal approaches (p = .003) and resident positive/neutral nonverbal behaviors (p = .004) were moderated by the length of dyadic mealtime interactions.

Discussion and Implications

Food intake was associated with staff person-centered approaches and resident positive/neutral and challenging behaviors. Findings emphasize the importance of facilitating positive dyadic interactions using individualized, context-based, multifaceted, person-centered care. Future research on temporal and causal relationships is warranted in larger diverse samples.
Developing and Testing Remote Implementation for the Changing Talk Online (CHATO) Communication Intervention for Nursing Home Staff: A Pilot Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: K. Coleman Carissa , Hein Maria , Shaw Clarissa A , Beachy Tim , Perkhounkova Yelena , Berkley Amy , Williams Kristine N
Published: May 2022

Background and Objectives

The Changing Talk (CHAT) communication training effectively reduces elderspeak and subsequent behavioral challenges in residents with dementia in nursing homes (NHs). As part of the pilot pragmatic clinical trial testing Changing Talk: Online Training (CHATO), a new online version, a remote implementation design, and process evaluation were developed to capture contextual factors, ensure fidelity, and determine effective implementation strategies.

Research Design and Methods

The Expert Recommendation for Implementing Change compilation informed this 2-phase approach to develop and test remote implementation. An Advisory Board guided the developmental phase while pilot testing used a cluster-randomized design. Data were analyzed to evaluate NH characteristics; implementation strategies used; CHATO participation, completion, and passing rates; and leadership evaluation.

Results

Five out of 7 NHs were nonprofit with above average quality ratings (M = 4.3 of 5). Staff participants (N = 237) were mostly female (90%), non-Hispanic White (91%), and nursing assistants (46%). Implementation time ranged from 54 to 86 days (M = 70.3, standard deviation [SD] = 9.3), with planning phase ranging from 11 to 29 days (M = 20.1, SD = 6.7), and training phase ranging from 35 to 58 days (M = 50.0, SD = 7.6). A range from 3 to 11 implementation strategies were used by each NH. Assigning champions, including the social worker on the implementation team, utilizing multiple mediums for reminders, giving rewards or public recognition, supporting onsite discussions, and other tailoring strategies were associated with improved outcomes. Participation ranged from 20% to 76%. Over 63% of participants completed training (N = 150) and 87% passed the posttest (N = 130). Leadership evaluations noted staff used CHATO concepts in practice and improved communication culture.

Discussion and Implications

Leadership who took an active role, engaged multiple team members, and varied strategies had better outcomes. Effectiveness of the strategies will be evaluated in a national pragmatic clinical trial testing CHATO’s effects on reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia care.
Developmental disruption to the cortical transcriptome and synaptosome in a model of SETD1A loss-of-function
Authors: Clifton Nicholas E , Bosworth Matthew L , Haan Niels , Rees Elliott , Holmans Peter A , Wilkinson Lawrence S , Isles Anthony R , Collins Mark O , Hall Jeremy
Published: May 2022

Large-scale genomic studies of schizophrenia implicate genes involved in the epigenetic regulation of transcription by histone methylation and genes encoding components of the synapse. However, the interactions between these pathways in conferring risk to psychiatric illness are unknown. Loss-of-function (LoF) mutations in the gene encoding histone methyltransferase, SETD1A, confer substantial risk to schizophrenia. Among several roles, SETD1A is thought to be involved in the development and function of neuronal circuits. Here, we employed a multi-omics approach to study the effects of heterozygous Setd1a LoF on gene expression and synaptic composition in mouse cortex across five developmental timepoints from embryonic day 14 to postnatal day 70. Using RNA sequencing, we observed that Setd1a LoF resulted in the consistent downregulation of genes enriched for mitochondrial pathways. This effect extended to the synaptosome, in which we found age-specific disruption to both mitochondrial and synaptic proteins. Using large-scale patient genomics data, we observed no enrichment for genetic association with schizophrenia within differentially expressed transcripts or proteins, suggesting they derive from a distinct mechanism of risk from that implicated by genomic studies. This study highlights biological pathways through which SETD1A LOF may confer risk to schizophrenia. Further work is required to determine whether the effects observed in this model reflect human pathology.
NAC-mediated membrane lipid remodeling negatively regulates fruit cold tolerance
Authors: Song Chunbo , Wu Mengbo , Zhou Ying , Gong Zehao , Yu Weiwei , Zhang Yi , Yang Zhenfeng
Published: May 2022

Low temperatures are known to destroy cell membranes’ structural integrity by affecting the remodeling of their phospholipids. Fruits stored at low temperature are prone to chilling injury, characterized by discoloration, absence of ripening, surface pitting, growth inhibition, flavor loss, decay, and wilting. Phosphatidic acid, a vital second-messenger lipid in plants, is known to accumulate in response to different kinds of stress stimuli. However, the regulatory mechanism of its production from the degradation of phospholipids remains poorly understood. We identified two cold-responsive NAC (NAM/ATAF1/CUC2) transcription factors from bananas, namely, MaNAC25 and MaNAC28, which negatively regulated cold tolerance in banana fruits by upregulating the expression of phospholipid degradation genes in banana fruits. Furthermore, MaNAC25 and MaNAC28 formed a positive feedback loop to induce phospholipid degradation and produce phosphatidic acid. In contrast, ethylene directly inhibited the degradation of phospholipids in banana and transgenic tomato fruits. In addition, ethylene reduced the activity of MaNAC25 and MaNAC28, thereby inhibiting phospholipid degradation. To conclude, NAC-mediated membrane lipid remodeling negatively regulates the cold tolerance of banana and transgenic tomato fruits.
Lower Vitamin C Levels Are Associated With Less Improvement in Negative Symptoms in Initially Antipsychotic-Naïve Patients With First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Myken Anders N , Ebdrup Bjørn H , Sørensen Mikkel E , Broberg Brian V , Skjerbæk Martin W , Glenthøj Birte Y , Lykkesfeldt Jens , Nielsen Mette Ø
Published: May 2022

Low levels of vitamin C have been observed in patients with schizophrenia and psychosis, and vitamin C may affect the dopaminergic system. Likewise, antipsychotic medication modulates striatal dopamine D2 receptors. We measured vitamin C levels in 52 patients with first-episode psychoses (24 females, age 23.1 ± 5.2 years) and 57 matched HCs (20 females, age 22.7 ± 4.3 years) before and after 6 weeks where patients received aripiprazole monotherapy (mean dose 10.4 mg ± 4.8 mg). At baseline, patients displayed lower levels of vitamin C (57.4 ± 25.9 µM) than controls (72.7 ± 21.4 µM) (t = 3.4, P = .001). Baseline symptoms and vitamin C levels were not correlated. Higher baseline vitamin C levels were associated with more improvement in negative symptoms (n = 39, R2 = 0.20, F = 8.2, P = .007), but not with age, sex, or p-aripiprazole. Because negative symptoms are generally considered challenging to alleviate, a potential adjunctive effect of vitamin C on treatment response should be tested in future randomized clinical trials.
The Use of Death Certificate Data to Characterize Mortality Associated With Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Unspecified Bronchiolitis, and Influenza in the United States, 1999–2018
Authors: Hansen Chelsea L , Viboud Cécile , Chaves Sandra S
Published: May 2022

Background

Death certificate data can improve our understanding of the mortality burden associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.

Methods

We used International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes listed on death certificates to characterize deaths from 1999 to 2018 as RSV, influenza, and unspecified bronchiolitis. We described the distribution of each cause of death by age, sex, race/ethnicity, place of death, and contributing causes of death.

Results

Over the 20-year study period, RSV, bronchiolitis, and influenza were listed as the underlying causes of death on 932, 1046, and 52 293 death certificates, respectively. Children <1 year of age accounted for 39% of RSV and bronchiolitis deaths, while 72% of influenza deaths were in adults ≥65 years. Children <1 year were more likely to die outside of the hospital from RSV, bronchiolitis, or influenza compared to all causes (P < .01), and black infants had the highest mortality rate for all 3 causes. Most infants dying from RSV did not have a high-risk condition listed on the death certificate. Death certificates captured 20%–60% of estimated excess RSV-attributable mortality in infants and <1% in seniors.

Conclusions

Thorough reporting on death certificates is an important public health goal, especially as new therapeutics become available. Infants had higher odds of dying out of hospital from respiratory pathogens compared to other causes, and race/ethnicity alone did not explain this disparity.
New EHR certification requirements and their association with duplicate tests and images
Authors: Pylypchuk Yuriy , Johnson Christian
Published: May 2022

Background

Certified electronic health record (EHR) technology has been adopted by most hospitals and health care providers. In 2015, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published new EHR certification requirements, known as the 2015 Edition. To date, no research has examined the impact of hospitals’ adoption of the 2015 Edition on health care delivery.

Methods

We analyzed aggregated, longitudinal data drawn from a repository of deidentified health insurance claims collected by FAIR Health, the repository was estimated to represent about 75% of the privately insured in the United States. These data were linked with the American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology Supplement Survey to obtain hospitals’ health information technology characteristics. A fixed effects specification was used to assess the incidence of duplicate testing and imaging in both inpatient and outpatient settings before and after the hospitals’ adoption of the 2015 Edition.

Results

Hospitals with the 2015 Edition were less likely to perform duplicate imaging for inpatients by 5 percentage points (or 50% from baseline). Hospitals that adopted the 2015 Edition and actively engaged in interoperable data exchange were even less likely to perform duplicate lab tests.

Conclusions

Adoption of the 2015 Edition certified EHR was negatively associated with the incidence of lab and imaging test duplication in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. However, the results were not robust across specifications. Given that multiple factors influence care delivery decisions, improvements in certification standards alone are unlikely to eliminate unneeded duplicate lab and imaging tests.
ASAS–NANP Symposium: Mathematical Modeling in Animal Nutrition: Opportunities and challenges of confined and extensive precision livestock production
Authors: Menendez Hector M , Brennan Jameson R , Gaillard Charlotte , Ehlert Krista , Quintana Jaelyn , Neethirajan Suresh , Remus Aline , Jacobs Marc , Teixeira Izabelle A M A , Turner Benjamin L , Tedeschi Luis O
Published: May 2022

Modern animal scientists, industry, and managers have never faced a more complex world. Precision livestock technologies have altered management in confined operations to meet production, environmental, and consumer goals. Applications of precision technologies have been limited in extensive systems such as rangelands due to lack of infrastructure, electrical power, communication, and durability. However, advancements in technology have helped to overcome many of these challenges. Investment in precision technologies is growing within the livestock sector, requiring the need to assess opportunities and challenges associated with implementation to enhance livestock production systems. In this review, precision livestock farming and digital livestock farming are explained in the context of a logical and iterative five-step process to successfully integrate precision livestock measurement and management tools, emphasizing the need for precision system models (PSMs). This five-step process acts as a guide to realize anticipated benefits from precision technologies and avoid unintended consequences. Consequently, the synthesis of precision livestock and modeling examples and key case studies help highlight past challenges and current opportunities within confined and extensive systems. Successfully developing PSM requires appropriate model(s) selection that aligns with desired management goals and precision technology capabilities. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the entire system to ensure that precision technology integration achieves desired goals while remaining economically and managerially sustainable. Achieving long-term success using precision technology requires the next generation of animal scientists to obtain additional skills to keep up with the rapid pace of technology innovation. Building workforce capacity and synergistic relationships between research, industry, and managers will be critical. As the process of precision technology adoption continues in more challenging and harsh, extensive systems, it is likely that confined operations will benefit from required advances in precision technology and PSMs, ultimately strengthening the benefits from precision technology to achieve short- and long-term goals.
Species Composition and Succession of Necrophagous Insects on Small Buried Baits in China
Authors: Zou Tian-Lu , Feng Dian-Xing , Huang Guo-Yao , Sun Da-Peng , Dai Shu-Tong
Published: May 2022

The postburial interval (PBI) can be inferred by using necrophagous insects colonizing the buried corpse. In different seasons, the species composition and succession of necrophagous insects on swine carrion (0.5–0.75 kg) buried at the depths of 30 cm and 60 cm in a Populus alba var. pyramidalis (Bunge, 1854) (Salicales: Salicaceae) grove of Shenyang, China from 2017 to 2019 were investigated. A total of 21 species of necrophagous insects belonging to 5 orders, 17 families were collected. Among them, the species of Phoridae and Platystomatidae were dominant at burial depth of 30 cm and 60 cm in summer and autumn. The species composition and time of colonization of necrophagous insects on the buried baits varied with seasons. Platystoma mandschuricum (Enderlein, 1937) (Diptera: Platystomatidae) and Aleochara puberula (Klug, 1833) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), the first arriving insects in spring, occurred on the baits for the longest time, from early June to early December. This work could provide reference data for the PBI estimation in Shenyang and similar geographical areas.
Disparities in Risk of Advanced-Stage Liver Cancer and Mortality by Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Li Delfino Y , VoPham Trang , Tang Mei-Tzu C , Li Christopher I
Published: May 2022

Background

In the United States, liver cancer is the fifth and seventh most common cause of cancer-related death among men and women, respectively. Compared with other racial or ethnic groups in the United States, Asian and Pacific Islander populations experience the highest incidence rates of liver cancer, but little is known about disparities in risk of advanced-stage disease or risk of liver cancer mortality across these heterogenous populations.

Methods

In a population-based cohort of 60 146 patients aged 20-79 years diagnosed with liver cancer from 2004 to 2018 identified through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we examined associations between race or ethnicity, including specific Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups, and risk of advanced-stage liver cancer and liver cancer–specific mortality.

Results

Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, non-Hispanic Black, Filipino, and Laotian patients had 30%-85% elevated odds of being diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer, whereas Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Chinese patients had 7%-33% lower odds of being diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer (all P <.05). Additionally, non-Hispanic Black, Kampuchean, and Laotian patients had 6%-22% elevated hazards of liver cancer–specific mortality, and Hispanic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean patients had 3%-27% lower hazards of liver cancer–specific mortality (all P <.05). All statistical tests were 2-sided.

Conclusions

Substantial variations in risk of advanced-stage liver cancer and risk of liver cancer mortality were observed by race and ethnicity, including considerable heterogeneity across individuals broadly defined as Asians and Pacific Islanders. Further efforts to understand the contributors to these disparities are needed to inform potential targeted screening and treatment interventions.
Resilience and Diabetes Distress at 3 Months Following Diagnosis Predict A1C Trajectories in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes: An Argument for Early Intervention
Authors: Scott Samantha R , O’Donnell Maeve , Manczak Erika M , Fladeboe Kaitlyn , Ellisor Britney , Rosenberg Abby R , Malik Faisal S , Yi-Frazier Joyce P
Published: May 2022

Objective

Youth and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at risk for poor health outcomes. Understanding if psychological factors shortly following diagnosis, such as diabetes distress and resilience, predict glycated hemoglobin (A1C) trajectories may help inform both optimal timing and content of psychosocial interventions for youth with T1D.

Methods

Youth and adolescents (N = 34) with newly diagnosed T1D completed distress and resilience measures at baseline and 3 months following diagnosis. Using multilevel modeling, we predicted A1C trajectories up to 3 years following diagnosis.

Results

We found that in separate models, higher 3-month diabetes distress and lower 3-month resilience predicted larger increases in A1C years 1–3 following diagnosis.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that targeting resilience and diabetes distress within 3 months following diagnosis has implications for the yearly rate of A1C increase up to 3 years later.
The Surveillance of Subcultures: Gay Spies, Everyday Life, and Cold War Intelligence in Divided Berlin
Authors: Huneke Samuel Clowes
Published: May 2022

Although gay espionage is a well-established Cold War trope, this article analyzes new evidence that intelligence agencies in divided Berlin actively sought to recruit gay men. They did so because they believed that gay men’s contacts in the opaque and class-crossing queer subculture made them ideally suited for the purposes of intelligence work. Using files from the archives of the East German secret police, this article sheds light on these practices through the experiences of a gay agent recruited in 1960. It analyzes his experiences in order to question the relationship between sexuality and the modern security state. In so doing, the article highlights a gap in the Foucauldian model of surveillance, revealing not only how surveillance could play a permissive, rather than a disciplinary, role in queer lives, but also how the paranoias of the security state could reinforce themselves through the surveillance of subcultures.
Reprogramming rice leaves: another layer of senescence regulation
Authors: Rogers Hilary Joan
Published: May 2022

This article comments on:

Zhang Y, Li Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Zhang D, Wang X, Lai B, Huang D, Gu L, Xie Y, Miao Y. 2022. Genome-wide H3K9 acetylation level increases with age-dependent senescence of flag leaf in rice (Oryza sativa). Journal of Experimental Botany 73,4696–4715.
The transcription factor GNC optimizes nitrogen use efficiency and growth by up-regulating the expression of nitrate uptake and assimilation genes in poplar
Authors: Shen Chao , Li Qing , An Yi , Zhou Yangyan , Zhang Yue , He Fang , Chen Lingyun , Liu Chao , Mao Wei , Wang Xiaofei , Liang Haiying , Yin Weilun , Xia Xinli
Published: May 2022

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to cope with the fluctuating environmental availability of nitrogen. However, potential genes modulating plant responses to nitrate are yet to be characterized. Here, a poplar GATA transcription factor gene PdGNC (GATA nitrate-inducible carbon-metabolism-involved) was found to be strongly induced by low nitrate. Overexpressing PdGNC in poplar clone 717-1B4 (P. tremula × alba) significantly improved nitrate uptake, remobilization, and assimilation with higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and faster growth, particularly under low nitrate conditions. Conversely, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated poplar mutant gnc exhibited decreased nitrate uptake, relocation, and assimilation, combined with lower NUE and slower growth. Assays with yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift, and a dual-luciferase reporter showed that PdGNC directly activated the promoters of nitrogen pathway genes PdNRT2.4b, PdNR, PdNiR, and PdGS2, leading to a significant increase in nitrate utilization in poplar. As expected, the enhanced NUE promoted growth under low nitrate availability. Taken together, our data show that PdGNC plays an important role in the regulation of NUE and growth in poplar by improving nitrate acquisition, remobilization, and assimilation, and provide a promising strategy for molecular breeding to improve productivity under nitrogen limitation in trees.
Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol synthase 3 affects phosphate utilization and acquisition in rice
Authors: Verma Lokesh , Bhadouria Jyoti , Bhunia Rupam Kumar , Singh Shweta , Panchal Poonam , Bhatia Chitra , Eastmond Peter J , Giri Jitender
Published: May 2022

Galactolipids are essential to compensate for the loss of phospholipids by ‘membrane lipid remodelling’ in plants under phosphorus (P) deficiency conditions. Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG) synthases catalyse the synthesis of MGDG which is further converted into digalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG), later replacing phospholipids in the extraplastidial membranes. However, the roles of these enzymes are not well explored in rice. In this study, the rice MGDG synthase 3 gene (OsMGD3) was identified and functionally characterized. We showed that the plant phosphate (Pi) status and the transcription factor PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE 2 (OsPHR2) are involved in the transcriptional regulation of OsMGD3. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout and overexpression lines of OsMGD3 were generated to explore its potential role in rice adaptation to Pi deficiency. Compared with the wild type, OsMGD3 knockout lines displayed a reduced Pi acquisition and utilization while overexpression lines showed an enhancement of the same. Further, OsMGD3 showed a predominant role in roots, altering lateral root growth. Our comprehensive lipidomic analysis revealed a role of OsMGD3 in membrane lipid remodelling, in addition to a role in regulating diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid contents that affected the expression of Pi transporters. Our study highlights the role of OsMGD3 in affecting both internal P utilization and P acquisition in rice.
Priming of Arabidopsis resistance to herbivory by insect egg deposition depends on the plant’s developmental stage
Authors: Valsamakis Georgios , Bittner Norbert , Kunze Reinhard , Hilker Monika , Lortzing Vivien
Published: May 2022

While traits of plant resistance to herbivory often change during ontogeny, it is unknown whether the primability of this resistance depends on the plant’s developmental stage. Resistance in non-flowering Arabidopsis thaliana against Pieris brassicae larvae is known to be primable by prior egg deposition on leaves. We investigated whether this priming effect is maintained in plants at the flowering stage. Larval performance assays revealed that flowering plants’ resistance to herbivory was not primable by egg deposition. Accordingly, transcriptomes of flowering plants showed almost no response to eggs. In contrast, egg deposition on non-flowering plants enhanced the expression of genes induced by subsequent larval feeding. Strikingly, flowering plants showed constitutively high expression levels of these genes. Larvae performed generally worse on flowering than on non-flowering plants, indicating that flowering plants constitutively resist herbivory. Furthermore, we determined the seed weight in regrown plants that had been exposed to eggs and larvae during the non-flowering or flowering stage. Non-flowering plants benefitted from egg priming with a smaller loss in seed yield. The seed yield of flowering plants was unaffected by the treatments, indicating tolerance towards the larvae. Our results show that the primability of anti-herbivore defences in Arabidopsis depends on the plant’s developmental stage.
Utilizing the Army Physical Fitness Test as a Primary Outcome in Surgical Clinical Research
Authors: Kaplan Adam J , Bozzay Joseph D , Ritchie John D , Brown Shaun R
Published: May 2022

Functional data as part of clinical outcomes such as Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life (QOL) frequently depend on surveys and are thus inherently limited by self-reporting and patient subjectivity. Specifically, the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and Carolinas Comfort Scale are validated instruments for assessing medical and surgical QOL outcomes. However, performance-based measures of disability are lacking. We propose the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) as a novel clinical measure of function following surgical intervention. We believe that studies using the APFT as a surgical outcome can potentially provide novel, relevant insights that may guide the utilization of specific surgical interventions and that the use of APFT data in surgical research will meet contemporary ethical standards.
Reconciling cosmic ray transport theory with phenomenological models motivated by Milky-Way data
Authors: Kempski Philipp , Quataert Eliot
Published: May 2022

Phenomenological models of cosmic ray (CR) transport in the Milky Way can reproduce a wide range of observations assuming that CRs scatter off of magnetic-field fluctuations with spectrum ∝ k−δ and δ ∼ [1.4, 1.67]. We study the extent to which such models can be reconciled with current microphysical theories of CR transport, specifically self-confinement due to the streaming instability and/or extrinsic turbulence due to a cascade of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fast modes. We first review why it is that on their own neither theory is compatible with observations. We then highlight that CR transport is a strong function of local plasma conditions in the multiphase interstellar medium, and may be diffusive due to turbulence in some regions and streaming due to self-confinement in others. A multiphase combination of scattering mechanisms can in principle reproduce the main trends in the proton spectrum and the boron-to-carbon ratio. However, models with a combination of scattering by self-excited waves and fast-mode turbulence require significant fine-tuning due to fast-mode damping, unlike phenomenological models that assume undamped Kolmogorov turbulence. The assumption that fast modes follow a weak cascade is also not well justified theoretically, as the weak cascade is suppressed by wave steepening and weak-shock dissipation even in subsonic turbulence. These issues suggest that there may be a significant theoretical gap in our understanding of MHD turbulence. We discuss a few topics at the frontier of MHD turbulence theory that bear on this (possible) gap and that may be relevant for CR scattering.
NLTE effects on kilonova expansion opacities
Authors: Pognan Quentin , Jerkstrand Anders , Grumer Jon
Published: May 2022

A binary neutron star merger produces a rapidly evolving transient known as a kilonova (KN), which peaks a few days after merger. Modelling of KNe has often been approached assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions in the ejecta. We present the first analysis of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) level populations, using the spectral synthesis code sumo, and compare these to LTE values. We investigate the importance of the radiation field by conducting NLTE excitation calculations with and without radiative transfer. Level populations, in particular higher lying ones, start to show deviations from LTE several days after merger. Excitation is lower in NLTE for the majority of ions and states, and this tends to give lower expansion opacities. While the difference is small for the first few days, it grows to factors 2–10 after this. Our results are important both for demonstrating validity of LTE expansion opacities for an initial phase (less than a week), while highlighting the need for NLTE modelling during later phases. Considering also NLTE ionization, our results indicate that NLTE can give both higher or lower opacities, depending on composition and wavelength, sometimes by orders of magnitudes.