Bacteria-Produced Algicide for Field Control of Toxic Dinoflagellates Does Not Cause a Cortisol Stress Response in Two Estuarine Fish Species.

Application of algicides produced by naturally occurring bacteria is considered an environmentally friendly approach to control harmful algal blooms. However, few studies assess the effects of bacterial algicides on non-target species, either independently or with other stressors. Here, we measured sub-lethal effects of dinoflagellate-specific algicide IRI-160AA on the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus and Menidia menidia in laboratory experiments.

Resilience and Well-Being Over the Course of an National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Gymnastics Season.

Context: Awareness regarding the importance of mental health in athletes has been increasing in recent years. Mental health has been investigated in relation to injury recovery and performance; however, less evidence has examined changes in mental health throughout a competitive season.

Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) evaluate the psychological factors of resilience and well-being over a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I gymnastics season and examine changes over 4 time points: preseason, start of the competitive season, midseason, and postseason and (2) examine the relationships between these psychological measures at these 4 time points.

Pediatric Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire: Rationale and development of a composite control tool.

Background: Asthma in children is a leading cause of missed school days, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. Approximately 40% of children with asthma experience uncontrolled disease and annual exacerbations. There is a need for a validated composite tool for children, such as the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ), which was developed to assess current control and predict exacerbations in adolescents and adults with asthma.

The American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index-Daily Diary (ANMS GCSI-DD): Psychometric validation and meaningful change threshold in patients with idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis.

Introduction: The American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index-Daily Diary (ANMS GCSI-DD) is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument for gastroparesis. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ANMS GCSI-DD and determined a meaningful change threshold using the data from a phase 2b trial in adults with moderate-to-severe idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis (DG).

Methods: The psychometric properties of ANMS GCSI-DD were analyzed using other clinician- and patient-reported outcomes from 242 patients during the 12-week trial.

Observational study of the Amaze™ asthma disease management platform.

Objective: Asthma is often inadequately controlled, which can result in exacerbations that lead to unplanned healthcare visits. Mobile application (app) use could help manage asthma exacerbations. We implemented the Amaze™ asthma disease management platform in clinical practice and assessed user satisfaction, usage, and usability.

Psychometric Properties and Meaningful Change Thresholds of the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index.

Importance: Defining meaningful improvement using the Total Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (T-VASI) and the Facial VASI (F-VASI) aids interpretation of findings from clinical trials evaluating vitiligo treatments; however, clear and clinically meaningful thresholds have not yet been established.

Objective: To assess concept validity and measurement performance of the T-VASI and F-VASI in patients with nonsegmental vitiligo and to identify meaningful change thresholds.

Design, Settings, And Participants: This mixed-methods study consisted of a secondary analysis of a phase 2 multicenter double-blind dose-ranging randomized clinical trial and embedded qualitative interviews conducted at 35 sites in Canada, France, Japan, and the US.

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation for Fertility Preservation in Patients with Hemoglobin Disorders: A Comprehensive Review.

Hemoglobin diseases like sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia (BT) present fertility challenges for affected patients. SCD and BT result from abnormal hemoglobin production or structure and pose numerous health concerns. Despite medical advancements improving the quality of life or even providing cures, SCD and BT pose unique fertility concerns for women.

Impact of Clinical Characteristics and Biomarkers on Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire Exacerbation Prediction Ability.

Background: Complex models combining impairment-based control assessments with clinical characteristics and biomarkers have been developed to predict asthma exacerbations. The composite Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ) with adjustments for demographics (age, sex, race, and body mass index) predicts 12-month exacerbation occurrence similarly to these more complex models.

Objective: To examine whether AIRQ exacerbation prediction is enhanced when models are adjusted for a wider range of clinical characteristics and biomarkers.

Advancing assessment of asthma control with a composite tool: The Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire.

Background: National and international asthma guidelines and reports do not include control tools that combine impairment assessment with exacerbation history in one instrument.

Objective: To analyze the performance of the composite Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ) in assessing both domains of control and predicting exacerbation risk compared with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 4-question symptom control tool (GINA SCT), Asthma Control Test (ACT), and physician expert opinion (EO) informed by GINA SCT responses and appraisal of GINA-identified risk factors for poor asthma outcomes.

Methods: Multivariable logistic regressions evaluated AIRQ and GINA SCT as predictors of ACT.

Assessing meaningful change in the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire.

Background: The Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ) is a 10-item, yes/no, equally weighted control tool. Lower scores indicate better control. Moreover, 7 impairment items reflect previous 2-week symptoms, and 3 risk items assess previous 12-month exacerbations.

Molecular Insights into the Synergistic Effects of Putrescine and Ammonium on Dinoflagellates.

Ammonium and polyamines are essential nitrogen metabolites in all living organisms. Crosstalk between ammonium and polyamines through their metabolic pathways has been demonstrated in plants and animals, while no research has been directed to explore this relationship in algae or to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Previous research demonstrated that high concentrations of ammonium and putrescine were among the active substances in bacteria-derived algicide targeting dinoflagellates, suggesting that the biochemical inter-connection and/or interaction of these nitrogen compounds play an essential role in controlling these ecologically important algal species.

Risk of hysterectomy at the time of myomectomy: an underestimated surgical risk.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of hysterectomy at the time of myomectomy and the associated 30-day postoperative morbidity.

Design: Cohort study.

Patients: Patients who underwent myomectomies identified from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2010 to 2021.

Racial disparities in telehealth use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Objective: To investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on initial infertility consultations.

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Fertility practice in an academic medical center.

Beyond A1C: exploring continuous glucose monitoring metrics in managing diabetes.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has long been considered a cornerstone of diabetes mellitus (DM) management, as both an indicator of average glycemia and a predictor of long-term complications among people with DM. However, HbA1c is subject to non-glycemic influences which confound interpretation and as a measure of average glycemia does not provide information regarding glucose trends or about the occurrence of hypoglycemia and/or hyperglycemia episodes. As such, solitary use of HbA1c, without accompanying glucose data, does not confer actionable information that can be harnessed to guide targeted therapy in many patients with DM.

Nitrate reductase enzymes in alga are regulated by environmental cues at the translational and post-translational levels.

Nitrate reductase (NR) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in nitrate assimilation. Plant and algal NRs have a highly conserved domain architecture but differ in regulation. In plants, NR activity is regulated by reversible phosphorylation and subsequent binding of 14-3-3 proteins at a conserved serine residue.

Qualitative interviews to evaluate content validity of the ACTIV-2 COVID-19 Symptom Diary (ACSD).

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures are needed to assess the impact of treatments for COVID-19 on symptoms. The ACTIV-2 COVID-19 Symptom Diary (ACSD) is being used in the ongoing Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines-2 (ACTIV-2) platform clinical trial. The purpose of the current study was to conduct qualitative interviews to assess content validity of the ACSD.

Identification of prescription opioid misuse and abuse behaviors and risk factors in chronic pain patients using the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire (POMAQ).

Objectives: To identify patient risk factors associated with prescription opioid misuse and abuse as well as groupings of misuse and abuse behaviors as measured by the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire (POMAQ).

Methods: Adults with chronic pain requiring long-term treatment with opioids completed the POMAQ and other study questionnaires. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to examine underlying subgroups exhibiting particular risk profiles.

Nocturnal polyuria in women: results from the EpiNP study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Data from a large US population-based, cross-sectional, epidemiological study (the EpiNP Study) were used to assess the symptoms and bother experienced by women with nocturnal polyuria (NP).

Methods: Consenting participants recruited from an online panel completed the baseline EpiNP survey online (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Tool and urological comorbidities). All reporting ≥2 voids/night and a random sample of 100 respondents, each reporting 0 or 1 void/night were asked to complete a 3-day web-based bladder diary recording time, volume, and urgency rating of each void.

The patient burden of nocturnal polyuria in the United States: Results from the epidemiology of nocturnal polyuria (EpiNP) study.

Objectives: To explore the impact of nocturnal polyuria (NP) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work productivity, mental health, fatigue, bother, and daytime sleepiness.

Materials And Methods: This large-scale, US population-representative epidemiologic study was conducted in two parts: a web-based survey and 3-day bladder diary. Consenting participants completed the baseline Epidemiology of NP (EpiNP) survey online (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms [LUTS] Tool, comorbidities, burden, and multiple HRQoL measures).