Preclinical characterization of the Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine.

As SARS-CoV-2 evolves, increasing in potential for greater transmissibility and immune escape, updated vaccines are needed to boost adaptive immunity to protect against COVID-19 caused by circulating strains. Here, we report features of the monovalent Omicron XBB.1.

Deep Learning-based Segmentation of Computed Tomography Scans Predicts Disease Progression and Mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Despite evidence demonstrating a prognostic role for computed tomography (CT) scans in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), image-based biomarkers are not routinely used in clinical practice or trials. To develop automated imaging biomarkers using deep learning-based segmentation of CT scans. We developed segmentation processes for four anatomical biomarkers, which were applied to a unique cohort of treatment-naive patients with IPF enrolled in the PROFILE (Prospective Observation of Fibrosis in the Lung Clinical Endpoints) study and tested against a further United Kingdom cohort.

Delayed identification of compound heterozygous (Phe508del/Arg117His) cystic fibrosis variants in a patient awaiting liver transplantation.

A man in his 60s undergoing liver transplant assessment was referred to the respiratory team after a thoracic CT scan revealed diffuse tree-in-bud changes. He had a history of infertility, chronic pancreatitis and liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension. Broncho-alveolar lavage was positive for Genetic screening found two cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator variants: Phe508del and Arg117His-7T.

How Academic Medicine Can Help Confront the Opioid Crisis.

The United States is in the midst of a devastating overdose and addiction crisis involving opioids as well as other drugs. Yet, despite the existence of effective treatments for opioid use disorder, only a minority of people who need treatment for this or other substance use disorders receive it. Besides the terrible human and economic costs of overdose deaths and the other health consequences of addiction, untreated substance use has wide-ranging impacts across health care.

The burden of progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease across the UK.

https://bit.ly/3uPhClN

Functional respiratory imaging identifies redistribution of pulmonary blood flow in patients with COVID-19.

An increasing observation is that some patients with COVID-19 have normal lung compliance but significant hypoxaemia different from typical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We hypothesised that changes in pulmonary blood distribution may be partially responsible and used functional respiratory imaging on CT scans to calculate pulmonary blood volume. We found that patients with COVID-19 had significantly reduced blood volume in the smaller calibre blood vessels (here defined as <5 mm cross-sectional area) compared with matched ARDS patients and healthy controls.

Impact, theory of change, and the horizons of scientific practice.

Demands for research to generate , along with proliferating institutional regimes for evaluating impact, are a ubiquitous aspect of contemporary scientific practice. Based on participant observation at an agro-environmental research institute in southwest China, this article explores three iterations of a tool for planning and evaluating impactful science called 'theory of change' (TOC). Despite their ostensible common grounding in TOC, I show how an impact scientist's framework, a donor's monitoring and evaluation regime, and a communication consultant's branding strategy each suggest very different normative structures for scientific practice.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: airway volume measurement identifies progressive disease on computed tomography scans.

http://bit.ly/2M8KVLl.

An International Exploration of the Effect of Media Portrayals of Postconcussion Management on Concussion Identification in the General Public.

Background: Concussion portrayal in media broadcasts of sporting events may contribute to lack of public understanding regarding concussion.

Methods: In total, 828 participants from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom completed a questionnaire assessing concussion knowledge. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive sports return-to-play (RTP) guideline information (RTP group) or not (no-RTP group).

Cryo-EM structures of the human glutamine transporter SLC1A5 (ASCT2) in the outward-facing conformation.

Alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2, SLC1A5) is the primary transporter of glutamine in cancer cells and regulates the mTORC1 signaling pathway. The SLC1A5 function involves finely tuned orchestration of two domain movements that include the substrate-binding transport domain and the scaffold domain. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of human SLC1A5 and its complex with the substrate, L-glutamine in an outward-facing conformation.

Caffeine and energy drink use by combat arms soldiers in Afghanistan as a countermeasure for sleep loss and high operational demands.

Objectives: Combat deployments are characterized by high operational demands with limited opportunities for sleep leading to fatigue and degraded cognitive and operational performance. Caffeine in moderate doses is recognized as an effective intervention for physical and cognitive decrements associated with sleep loss.

Methods: This report is based on data collected by two separate, independently conducted surveys administered in Afghanistan in 2011-2012.

Applied Mycology Can Contribute to Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Building upon China's Matsutake Management Initiatives.

Matsutake mushrooms are an important part of rural livelihoods and forest ecosystems across large parts of China, as well as elsewhere in East Asia, Northern Europe and North America. Mushroom harvesters have developed sophisticated understandings of matsutake ecology and production, and are applying this knowledge in various innovative management strategies. At the same time, Chinese government agencies and scientists are promoting matsutake-based livelihoods to support development and conservation goals.

Longitudinal trends in use of dietary supplements by U.S. Army personnel differ from those of civilians.

Prevalence and patterns of dietary supplement (DS) use by U.S. Army soldiers differ from the civilian population.

A review of caffeine's effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance.

Caffeine is consumed by over 80% of U.S. adults.

Protective clothing ensembles and physical employment standards.

Physical employment standards (PESs) exist for certain occupational groups that also require the use of protective clothing ensembles (PCEs) during their normal work. This review addresses whether these current PESs appropriately incorporate the physiological burden associated with wearing PCEs during respective tasks. Metabolic heat production increases because of wearing PCE; this increase is greater than that because of simply the weight of the clothing and can vary 2-fold among individuals.

Conundrum in an asthma exacerbation.

A 66-year-old man, an asthmatic, presented with symptoms suggestive of an acute exacerbation of asthma. His arterial blood gas revealed type 1 respiratory failure (PaO2 <8 kPa or 60 mm Hg with normal or low PaCO2) with a compensated lactic acidosis. He was treated for an asthma exacerbation and sepsis.

Soldier use of dietary supplements, including protein and body building supplements, in a combat zone is different than use in garrison.

United States Army personnel in garrison who are not deployed to combat theater report using dietary supplements (DSs) to promote health, increase physical and mental strength, and improve energy levels. Given the substantial physical and cognitive demands of combat, DS use may increase during deployment. This study compared DS use by garrison soldiers with DS use by personnel deployed to a combat theater in Afghanistan.

Traumatic brain injury and adverse life events: Group differences in young adults injured as children.

Objectives: To investigate whether individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience a greater number of adverse life events (ALE) compared to controls, to identify significant predictors of experiencing ALE and whether the severity of childhood TBI negatively influences adult life outcomes.

Design: A total of 167 individuals, injured prior to age 18, 5 or more years post-injury and 18 or more years of age, were recruited in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, with 124 having sustained childhood TBI (62 mild, 62 moderate/severe) and 43 orthopaedic injury controls. Participants were asked about ALE they had experienced and other adult life outcomes.

Engineered stabilization and structural analysis of the autoinhibited conformation of PDE4.

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) is an essential contributor to intracellular signaling and an important drug target. The four members of this enzyme family (PDE4A to -D) are functional dimers in which each subunit contains two upstream conserved regions (UCR), UCR1 and -2, which precede the C-terminal catalytic domain. Alternative promoters, transcriptional start sites, and mRNA splicing lead to the existence of over 25 variants of PDE4, broadly classified as long, short, and supershort forms.

Caffeine improves reaction time, vigilance and logical reasoning during extended periods with restricted opportunities for sleep.

Rationale: Various occupational groups are required to maintain optimal physical and cognitive function during overnight periods of wakefulness, often with less than optimal sleep. Strategies are required to help mitigate the impairments in cognitive function to help sustain workplace safety and productivity.

Objectives: To test the effectiveness of repeated 200 mg doses of caffeine on cognitive function and live-fire marksmanship with soldiers during three successive nights of sustained wakefulness followed by 4-h afternoon sleep periods.

A comparison of adult outcomes for males compared to females following pediatric traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To identify the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors and determine if these apply equally to males and females.

Method: The association between adult psychosocial functioning and childhood TBI for males and females was examined using groups with a history of childhood TBI (mild or moderate/severe) or orthopedic injury (injury age, 1-17, assessed 18-31 at >5 years postinjury), including rates of depression and anxiety disorders, substance abuse/dependence and offending behavior. Repeated-measures logistic regression was used to determine if the rates of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors varied by group and sex.

The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review.

Background: Protein supplements are frequently consumed by athletes and recreationally active adults to achieve greater gains in muscle mass and strength and improve physical performance.

Objective: This review provides a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the literature that tested the hypothesis that protein supplements accelerate gains in muscle mass and strength resulting in improvements in aerobic and anaerobic power. Evidence statements were created based on an accepted strength of recommendation taxonomy.

Selectively targeting an inactive conformation of interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase by allosteric inhibitors.

ITK (interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase) is a critical component of signal transduction in T-cells and has a well-validated role in their proliferation, cytokine release and chemotaxis. ITK is an attractive target for the treatment of T-cell-mediated inflammatory diseases. In the present study we describe the discovery of kinase inhibitors that preferentially bind to an allosteric pocket of ITK.