Climate change and ecological assessment in Europe under the WFD - Hitting moving targets with shifting baselines?

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) sets the fundamental structure for assessing the status of water bodies in the European Union. Its implementation is currently entering its fourth six-year cycle assisted by a total of 38 guidance documents. The principal objective is to ensure good status for surface and ground waters.

A customized scaffolds approach for the detection and phasing of complex variants by next-generation sequencing.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is widely used in genetic testing for the highly sensitive detection of single nucleotide changes and small insertions or deletions. However, detection and phasing of structural variants, especially in repetitive or homologous regions, can be problematic due to uneven read coverage or genome reference bias, resulting in false calls. To circumvent this challenge, a computational approach utilizing customized scaffolds as supplementary reference sequences for read alignment was developed, and its effectiveness demonstrated with two CBS gene variants: NM_000071.

FXR1 splicing is important for muscle development and biomolecular condensates in muscle cells.

Fragile-X mental retardation autosomal homologue-1 (FXR1) is a muscle-enriched RNA-binding protein. FXR1 depletion is perinatally lethal in mice, Xenopus, and zebrafish; however, the mechanisms driving these phenotypes remain unclear. The FXR1 gene undergoes alternative splicing, producing multiple protein isoforms and mis-splicing has been implicated in disease.

Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration During Emergent Birth Center Transfers: A Quality Improvement Project.

Introduction: Midwifery care in the birth center setting has proven to be a safe and ideal option for some low-risk women. Although rare, perinatal complications that require emergent transfer to a higher level of care can occur in community birth settings. Optimal perinatal outcomes during emergent transfers depend on excellent interprofessional communication and collaboration.

Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Category B ACIP Recommendations Among Primary Care Providers for Children.

Objective: In 2015, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made a category B recommendation for use of serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines, meaning individual clinical decision-making should guide recommendations. This was the first use of a category B recommendation pertaining to a large population and the first such recommendation for adolescents. As part of a survey regarding MenB vaccine, our objectives were to assess among pediatricians (Peds) and family physicians (FPs) nationally: 1) knowledge of the meaning of category A versus B recommendations and insurance coverage implications, and 2) attitudes about category A and B recommendations.

mRNA structure determines specificity of a polyQ-driven phase separation.

RNA promotes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to build membraneless compartments in cells. How distinct molecular compositions are established and maintained in these liquid compartments is unknown. Here, we report that secondary structure allows messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to self-associate and determines whether an mRNA is recruited to or excluded from liquid compartments.

A double whammy! New baccalaureate registered nurses' transitions into rural acute care.

Introduction: Transitioning into the Canadian rural acute care environment can be challenging for new RNs, and so retention is of concern. Currently, few seasoned registered nurses (RNs) are available to support new RNs during transition because (a) the Canadian RN workforce countrywide is aging and significant numbers are retiring, and (b) the number of Canadian RNs working rurally has plummeted in the past 10 years. Investigations into the phenomenon of new RNs\' transitions into the workforce have been conducted, but little is known about this phenomenon as it relates to Canadian rural acute care hospitals.

Membrane curvature directs the localization of Cdc42p to novel foci required for cell-cell fusion.

Cell fusion is ubiquitous in eukaryotic fertilization and development. The highly conserved Rho-GTPase Cdc42p promotes yeast fusion through interaction with Fus2p, a pheromone-induced amphiphysin-like protein. We show that in prezygotes, Cdc42p forms a novel Fus2p-dependent focus at the center of the zone of cell fusion (ZCF) and remains associated with remnant cell walls after initial fusion.

Lessons from Yeast on How to Avoid Stress Eating.

Cellular survival during periods of acute environmental stress is essential for single-celled organisms. Reporting in Nature Cell Biology, Saad et al. (2017) identify reversible aggregation of the metabolic enzyme pyruvate kinase under environmental stress and propose a method to protect and store proteins for immediate use post-stress.

Continuous Non-invasive finger cuff CareTaker® comparable to invasive intra-arterial pressure in patients undergoing major intra-abdominal surgery.

Background: Despite increased interest in non-invasive arterial pressure monitoring, the majority of commercially available technologies have failed to satisfy the limits established for the validation of automatic arterial pressure monitoring by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). According to the ANSI/AAMI/ISO 81060-2:2013 standards, the group-average accuracy and precision are defined as acceptable if bias is not greater than 5 mmHg and standard deviation is not greater than 8 mmHg. In this study, these standards are used to evaluate the CareTaker® (CT) device, a device measuring continuous non-invasive blood pressure via a pulse contour algorithm called Pulse Decomposition Analysis.

Kel1p Mediates Yeast Cell Fusion Through a Fus2p- and Cdc42p-Dependent Mechanism.

Cell fusion is ubiquitous among eukaryotes. Although little is known about the molecular mechanism, several proteins required for cell fusion in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been identified. Fus2p, a key regulator of cell fusion, localizes to the shmoo tip in a highly regulated manner.

An Amphiphysin-Like Domain in Fus2p Is Required for Rvs161p Interaction and Cortical Localization.

Cell-cell fusion fulfils essential roles in fertilization, development and tissue repair. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, fusion between two haploid cells of opposite mating type generates the diploid zygote. Fus2p is a pheromone-induced protein that regulates cell wall removal during mating.

Peramivir pharmacokinetics in a patient receiving continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration during the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic.

Objective: Peramivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor having activity against various influenza A and B subtypes. The main route of elimination is the kidney and a dose reduction is justified for multiple-day therapy when the creatinine clearance is < 50 mL/min. Before the 2009 influenza pandemic, dosing guidelines did not exist for patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

History and evolution of the advisory committee on immunization practices--United States, 1964-2014.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is chartered as a federal advisory committee to provide expert external advice to CDC and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on the use of vaccines in the civilian population of the United States.

An Examination of the Efficacy of a Multitiered Intervention on Early Reading Outcomes for First Grade Students at Risk for Reading Difficulties.

This article presents findings of an efficacy trial examining the effect of a multitiered instruction and intervention model on first grade at-risk students' reading outcomes. Schools (N = 16) were randomly assigned to the treatment or control condition. In the fall of Grade 1, students were assigned to an instructional tier on the basis of Stanford Achievement Test-10th Edition scores (31st percentile and above = Tier 1; from the 10th to the 30th percentile = Tier 2).

Early clinical observations in prospectively followed patients with fungal meningitis related to contaminated epidural steroid injections.

Unlabelled: Chinese translation

Background: Administration of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) with contaminated methylprednisolone resulted in an outbreak of fungal meningitis in many locations in the United States.

Objective: To characterize early clinical findings and initial response to treatment.

Design: Case series with standardized observation studied from 4 October to 31 October 2012.

The structure, role, and procedures of the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

The National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) in the United States is the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP was established in 1964 by the US Surgeon General to assist in the prevention and control of communicable diseases, and includes a chair, an executive secretary, 15 voting members, 8 ex officio members and liaison representatives from 26 health-related professional organizations. Meetings are regularly convened at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are open to the public.

Respiratory sound energy and its distribution patterns following clinical improvement of congestive heart failure: a pilot study.

Background: Although congestive heart failure (CHF) patients typically present with abnormal auscultatory findings on lung examination, respiratory sounds are not normally subjected to additional analysis. The aim of this pilot study was to examine respiratory sound patterns of CHF patients using acoustic-based imaging technology. Lung vibration energy was examined during acute exacerbation and after clinical improvement.

Using evidence to improve care for the vulnerable neonatal population.

The facilitation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the clinical setting is important to ensure patients receive the best care possible. This article highlights changes in open visitation and feeding readiness practices that occurred in a Magnet-designated facility neonatal ICU. The examples demonstrate ways to bring evidence to the bedside within an environment that supports EBP at all levels of nursing leadership.

Immunization policy development in the United States: the role of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) consists of 15 experts in immunization and related fields, selected by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to provide advice and guidance on control of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Lung sound analysis in the diagnosis of obstructive airway disease.

Background: Dyspnea is prevalent and has a broad differential diagnosis. Difficulty in determining the correct etiology can delay proper treatment. Non-invasively obtained acoustic signals may offer benefit in identifying patients with dyspnea due to obstructive airway disease (OAD).

Assessment of asymmetric lung disease in intensive care unit patients using vibration response imaging.

Background: Vibration response imaging (VRI) is a computer-based technology that creates a visual dynamic two-dimensional image of distribution of vibration within the lung during the respiratory process. The acoustic signals, recorded from 36 posteriorly positioned surface skin sensors, are transferred to a hardware board where several stages of filtering are applied to select a specific frequency band. The filtered output signal frequencies are presented as a gray-scale coded dynamic image, consisting of a series of 0.

Asynchrony between left and right lungs in acute asthma.

Background: Asthma is a disease of air flow obstruction. Transmitted sounds can be analyzed in detail and may shed light upon the physiology of asthma and how it changes over time. The goals of this study were to use a computerized analytic acoustic tool to evaluate respiratory sound patterns in asthmatic patients during acute attacks and after clinical improvement and to compare asthmatic profiles with those of normal individuals.

An electrophoretic capture method for efficient recovery of rare sequences from heterogeneous DNA.

It is difficult to isolate rare, PCR-quality DNA from specimens containing large quantities of nonspecific DNA from multiple sources (heterogeneous DNA). Extracting human DNA from stool for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests exemplifies this technically challenging sample preparation problem. The stool matrix is complex, the DNA composition heterogeneous, and CRC-associated mutated DNA is rare.

Case report: vibration response imaging findings following inadvertent esophageal intubation.

Purpose: We describe the effect that inadvertent esophageal intubation has on the images and on the vibration distribution of vibration response imaging (VRI).

Clinical Features: Vibration response imaging (VRI) is a novel, non-invasive, computer-based technology that measures vibration energy of lung sounds during respiration and displays regional intensity, in both visual and graphic format. Vibration response images, obtained prior to tracheal intubation (spontaneous breathing) and during endotracheal ventilation using a controlled mode, resulted in evenly distributed vibrations throughout the patient's lungs.