Tetracycline, sulfadimethoxine, and antibiotic resistance gene dynamics during anaerobic digestion of dairy manure.

Antibiotic use in animal husbandry is a potential entryway for antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to enter the environment through manure fertilizer application. The potential of anaerobic digestion (AD) to remove antibiotics and ARGs was investigated through tetracycline (TC) and sulfadimethoxine (SDM) additions into dairy manure digested for 44 d. This was the first study to evaluate antibiotics at concentrations quantified on-farm and relevant to field applications of manure.

Development of an electronic health records datamart to support clinical and population health research.

Introduction: Electronic health record (EHR) data have emerged as an important resource for population health and clinical research. There have been significant efforts to leverage EHR data for research; however, given data security concerns and the complexity of the data, EHR data are frequently difficult to access and use for clinical studies. We describe the development of a Clinical Research Datamart (CRDM) that was developed to provide well-curated and easily accessible EHR data to Duke University investigators.

Treatment Strategies for GLILD in Common Variable Immunodeficiency: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Besides recurrent infections, a proportion of patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disorders (CVID) may suffer from immune dysregulation such as granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD). The optimal treatment of this complication is currently unknown. Experienced-based expert opinions have been produced, but a systematic review of published treatment studies is lacking.

Reduced Retinal Degeneration in an Oxidative Stress Organ Culture Model through an iNOS-Inhibitor.

In retinal organ cultures, HO can be used to simulate oxidative stress, which plays a role in the development of several retinal diseases including glaucoma. We investigated whether processes underlying oxidative stress can be prevented in retinal organ cultures by an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-inhibitor. To this end, porcine retinal explants were cultivated for four and eight days.

Effects of On-Farm Dairy Manure Composting on Tetracycline Content and Nutrient Composition.

This study quantified the potential of farm-scale composting to degrade antibiotics in dairy manure. The compost windrow, consisting of sick cow bedding from a 1000-cow US dairy farm, was managed using the dairy farm's typical practices and monitored for tetracycline and nutrient composition. Samples were collected over 33 days, which was the time from compost pile formation to land application as fertilizer, and analyzed for solids, antibiotics, and nutrient content.

Asymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits durable neutralizing antibody responses in children and adolescents.

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread globally, questions have emerged regarding the strength and durability of immune responses in specific populations. In this study, we evaluated humoral immune responses in 69 children and adolescents with asymptomatic or mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. We detected robust IgM, IgG, and IgA antibody responses to a broad array of SARS-CoV-2 antigens at the time of acute infection and 2 and 4 months after acute infection in all participants.

BronchUK: protocol for an observational cohort study and biobank in bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis has been a largely overlooked disease area in respiratory medicine. This is reflected by a shortage of large-scale studies and lack of approved therapies, in turn leading to a variation of treatment across centres. BronchUK (Bronchiectasis Observational Cohort and Biobank UK) is a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study working collaboratively with the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration project.

Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes and Survivorship of a Second-Generation Modular Revision Knee System.

Introduction: Revision knee systems have adapted to the challenges of revision knee arthroplasty with offset stems, augments, cones, and various levels of constraint. The purpose of this study is to review the mid-term outcomes of a second-generation modular knee revision system.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was conducted from 2011 through 2014 on all patients who underwent knee arthroplasty with the Vanguard® 360 revision knee system (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, Indiana).

A double-blind randomised controlled trial of protein supplementation to enhance exercise capacity in COPD during pulmonary rehabilitation: a pilot study.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation is a cost-effective management strategy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which improves exercise performance and health-related quality of life. Nutritional supplementation may counter malnutrition and enhance pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes but rigorous evidence is absent. We aimed to investigate the effect of high-protein supplementation (Fortisip Compact Protein (FCP)) during pulmonary rehabilitation on exercise capacity.

The high mental health burden of "Long COVID" and its association with on-going physical and respiratory symptoms in all adults discharged from hospital.

https://bit.ly/3d22SJM

Age-related changes in the upper respiratory microbiome are associated with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and illness severity.

Unlabelled: Children are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and typically have milder illness courses than adults. We studied the nasopharyngeal microbiomes of 274 children, adolescents, and young adults with SARS-CoV-2 exposure using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We find that higher abundances of species are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory symptoms, while higher abundances of are present in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals respiratory symptoms.

Educational aspects of rare and orphan lung diseases.

People with rare lung diseases often suffer the burden of delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options, and difficulties in finding expert physicians. One of the reasons for the delay in diagnosis is the limited training for healthcare practitioners on rare diseases. This review explores the main concerns and needs for education on rare lung diseases from the perspectives of both patients and professionals.

Operational Modeling with Health Economics to Support Decision Making for COPD Patients.

Objective: To assess the impact of interventions for improving the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), specifically increased use of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on patient outcomes and cost-benefit analysis.

Data Sources: We used the national Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) datasets in England, local data and experts from the hospital setting, National Prices and National Tariffs, reports and the literature around the effectiveness of PR programs.

Study Design: The COPD pathway was modeled using discrete event simulation (DES) to capture the patient pathway to an adequate level of detail as well as randomness in the real world.

Effects on running speed of changes in sexual size dimorphism at maturity on in the cursorial huntsman spider, Delena cancerides (Sparassidae).

Running speed is a measure of whole-organism performance reflecting relative fitness. For spiders, increased speed translates into enhanced prey capture, mating success and reduced predation risk. In male spiders, leg length increases dramatically with the molt to sexual maturity.

Impact of Polyethylene Thickness on Clinical Outcomes and Survivorship in Medial Mobile-Bearing Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: The thickness of the polyethylene bearing in medial unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) is determined by the depth of the tibial resection, degree of correctable deformity, and balance of the knee. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether polyethylene thickness in medial mobile-bearing UKA impacts clinical outcomes and survivorship.

Methods: A retrospective review from 2004 to 2017 identified patients who underwent a primary mobile-bearing medial UKA with 2-year minimum follow-up or revision.

Effectiveness of low-dose theophylline for the management of biomass-associated COPD (LODOT-BCOPD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: COPD is a leading cause of death globally, with the majority of morbidity and mortality occurring in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. While tobacco-smoke exposure is the most important risk factor for COPD in high-income settings, household air pollution from biomass smoke combustion is a leading risk factor for COPD in LMICs. Despite the high burden of biomass smoke-related COPD, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in this context.

Clinical delineation, sex differences, and genotype-phenotype correlation in pathogenic KDM6A variants causing X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2.

Purpose: The variant spectrum and the phenotype of X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2 (KS2) are poorly understood.

Methods: Genetic and clinical details of new and published individuals with pathogenic KDM6A variants were compiled and analyzed.

Results: Sixty-one distinct pathogenic KDM6A variants (50 truncating, 11 missense) from 80 patients (34 males, 46 females) were identified.

Hepatobiliary phenotypes of adults with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Objective: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a common, potentially lethal inborn disorder caused by mutations in alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). Homozygosity for the 'Pi*Z' variant of AAT (Pi*ZZ genotype) causes lung and liver disease, whereas heterozygous 'Pi*Z' carriage (Pi*MZ genotype) predisposes to gallstones and liver fibrosis. The clinical significance of the more common 'Pi*S' variant remains largely undefined and no robust data exist on the prevalence of liver tumours in AATD.

Improving lung health in low-income and middle-income countries: from challenges to solutions.

Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionately high burden of the global morbidity and mortality caused by chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, and post-tuberculosis lung disease. CRDs are strongly associated with poverty, infectious diseases, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and contribute to complex multi-morbidity, with major consequences for the lives and livelihoods of those affected. The relevance of CRDs to health and socioeconomic wellbeing is expected to increase in the decades ahead, as life expectancies rise and the competing risks of early childhood mortality and infectious diseases plateau.

Improved Treatment Options for Glaucoma with Brimonidine-Loaded Lipid DNA Nanoparticles.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Among others, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of the hallmarks of the disease. Antiglaucoma drugs such as brimonidine can lower the IOP but their adherence to the ocular surface is low, leading to a low drug uptake.

The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes.

Domestic cats and other felids rub their faces and heads against catnip () and silver vine () and roll on the ground as a characteristic response. While this response is well known, its biological function and underlying mechanism remain undetermined. Here, we uncover the neurophysiological mechanism and functional outcome of this feline response.

No change in neurodevelopment at 11 years after extremely preterm birth.

Objective: To determine whether improvements in school age outcomes had occurred between two cohorts of births at 22-25 weeks of gestation to women residents in England in 1995 and 2006.

Design: Longitudinal national cohort studies.

Setting: School-based or home-based assessments at 11 years of age.