Dysphagia Is an Underrecognized Risk Factor for Viral Pneumonia Severity.

The aim of this study was to examine the role of pre-existing dysphagia as a risk factor for COVID-19 severity among adults ≥50 years of age presenting to the emergency department (ED). This was a retrospective cohort study that used electronic health record data from two Midwestern EDs in the same health care system. The sample included patients ≥50 years of age who tested positive for SARS-COV-2 during an ED visit between March 15, 2020 and November 19, 2020.

Community-wide genome sequencing reveals 30 years of Darwin's finch evolution.

A fundamental goal in evolutionary biology is to understand the genetic architecture of adaptive traits. Using whole-genome data of 3955 of Darwin's finches on the Galápagos Island of Daphne Major, we identified six loci of large effect that explain 45% of the variation in the highly heritable beak size of a key ecological trait. The major locus is a supergene comprising four genes.

Phenotypic divergence of traits that mediate antagonistic and mutualistic interactions between island and continental populations of the tropical plant, (Zygophyllaceae).

Island systems have long served as a model for evolutionary processes due to their unique species interactions. Many studies of the evolution of species interactions on islands have focused on endemic taxa. Fewer studies have focused on how antagonistic and mutualistic interactions shape the phenotypic divergence of widespread nonendemic species living on islands.

Spatiotemporal variations in retrovirus-host interactions among Darwin's finches.

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are inherited remnants of retroviruses that colonized host germline over millions of years, providing a sampling of retroviral diversity across time. Here, we utilize the strength of Darwin's finches, a system synonymous with evolutionary studies, for investigating ERV history, revealing recent retrovirus-host interactions in natural populations. By mapping ERV variation across all species of Darwin's finches and comparing with outgroup species, we highlight geographical and historical patterns of retrovirus-host occurrence, utilizing the system for evaluating the extent and timing of retroviral activity in hosts undergoing adaptive radiation and colonization of new environments.

Rapid adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches depends on ancestral genetic modules.

Recent adaptive radiations are models for investigating mechanisms contributing to the evolution of biodiversity. An unresolved question is the relative importance of new mutations, ancestral variants, and introgressive hybridization for phenotypic evolution and speciation. Here, we address this issue using Darwin's finches and investigate the genomic architecture underlying their phenotypic diversity.

A multispecies BCO2 beak color polymorphism in the Darwin's finch radiation.

Carotenoid-based polymorphisms are widespread in populations of birds, fish, and reptiles, but generally little is known about the factors affecting their maintenance in populations. We report a combined field and molecular-genetic investigation of a nestling beak color polymorphism in Darwin's finches. Beaks are pink or yellow, and yellow is recessive.

The experiences and perceptions of mental health service provision at a primary health centre in the Eastern Cape.

Background: Since 1994, the South African healthcare system has undergone several changes to meet the needs of contemporary South Africa. Yet the state of mental healthcare, especially in low-resource areas, remains in a precarious state.

Aim: This study aimed to explore how persons diagnosed with a mental disorder experience and perceive mental health services in a low-resource community in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Morphological ghosts of introgression in Darwin's finch populations.

Many species of plants, animals, and microorganisms exchange genes well after the point of evolutionary divergence at which taxonomists recognize them as species. Genomes contain signatures of past gene exchange and, in some cases, they reveal a legacy of lineages that no longer exist. But genomic data are not available for many organisms, and particularly problematic for reconstructing and interpreting evolutionary history are communities that have been depleted by extinctions.

Female-biased gene flow between two species of Darwin's finches.

The mosaic nature of hybrid genomes is well recognized, but little is known of how they are shaped initially by patterns of breeding, selection, recombination and differential incompatibilities. On the small Galápagos island of Daphne Major, two species of Darwin's finches, Geospiza fortis and G. scandens, hybridize rarely and back-cross bidirectionally with little or no loss of fitness under conditions of plentiful food.

Triad hybridization via a conduit species.

Introgressive hybridization can affect the evolution of populations in several important ways. It may retard or reverse divergence of species, enable the development of novel traits, enhance the potential for future evolution by elevating levels of standing variation, create new species, and alleviate inbreeding depression in small populations. Most of what is known of contemporary hybridization in nature comes from the study of pairs of species, either coexisting in the same habitat or distributed parapatrically and separated by a hybrid zone.

John Tyler Bonner: Remembering a scientific pioneer.

Throughout his life, John Tyler Bonner contributed to major transformations in the fields of developmental and evolutionary biology. He pondered the evolution of complexity and the significance of randomness in evolution, and was instrumental in the formation of evolutionary developmental biology. His contributions were vast, ranging from highly technical scientific articles to numerous books written for a broad audience.

Correction: Comparative prognostic accuracy of sepsis scores for hospital mortality in adults with suspected infection in non-ICU and ICU at an academic public hospital.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Hybridization increases population variation during adaptive radiation.

Adaptive radiations are prominent components of the world's biodiversity. They comprise many species derived from one or a small number of ancestral species in a geologically short time that have diversified into a variety of ecological niches. Several authors have proposed that introgressive hybridization has been important in the generation of new morphologies and even new species, but how that happens throughout evolutionary history is not known.

Comparative prognostic accuracy of sepsis scores for hospital mortality in adults with suspected infection in non-ICU and ICU at an academic public hospital.

Background: Sepsis is a global healthcare challenge and reliable tools are needed to identify patients and stratify their risk. Here we compare the prognostic accuracy of the sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA), quick SOFA (qSOFA), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and national early warning system (NEWS) scores for hospital mortality and other outcomes amongst patients with suspected infection at an academic public hospital.

Measurements And Main Results: 10,981 adult patients with suspected infection hospitalized at a U.

Hybridization in human evolution: Insights from other organisms.

During the late Pleistocene, isolated lineages of hominins exchanged genes thus influencing genomic variation in humans in both the past and present. However, the dynamics of this genetic exchange and associated phenotypic consequences through time remain poorly understood. Gene exchange across divergent lineages can result in myriad outcomes arising from these dynamics and the environmental conditions under which it occurs.

Adult sex ratio influences mate choice in Darwin's finches.

The adult sex ratio (ASR) is an important property of populations. Comparative phylogenetic analyses have shown that unequal sex ratios are associated with the frequency of changing mates, extrapair mating (EPM), mating system and parental care, sex-specific survival, and population dynamics. Comparative demographic analyses are needed to validate the inferences, and to identify the causes and consequences of sex ratio inequalities in changing environments.

The Use of Telemedicine for the Postoperative Urological Care of Children: Results of a Pilot Program.

Purpose: For postoperative visits, which are often brief interactions between family and clinician, patients may prefer the convenience of receiving postoperative care from home. We evaluated the feasibility of telemedicine for postoperative encounters in pediatric urology.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective telemedicine pilot study during an implementation period from November 10, 2017 to March 22, 2018.

Feasibility and indicator outcomes using computerized clinical decision support in pediatric traumatic brain injury anesthesia care.

Background: Traumatic brain injury anesthesia care is complex. The use of clinical decision support to improve pediatric trauma care has not been examined.

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine feasibility, reliability, and key performance indicators for traumatic brain injury anesthesia care using clinical decision support.

The Pediatric Guideline Adherence and Outcomes (PEGASUS) programme in severe traumatic brain injury: a single-centre hybrid implementation and effectiveness study.

Background: As far as we know, there are no tested in-hospital care programmes for paediatric traumatic brain injury. We aimed to assess implementation and effectiveness of the Pediatric Guideline Adherence and Outcomes (PEGASUS) programme in children with severe traumatic brain injury.

Methods: We did a prospective hybrid implementation and effectiveness study at the Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, WA, USA).

Role of sexual imprinting in assortative mating and premating isolation in Darwin's finches.

Global biodiversity is being degraded at an unprecedented rate, so it is important to preserve the potential for future speciation. Providing for the future requires understanding speciation as a contemporary ecological process. Phylogenetically young adaptive radiations are a good choice for detailed study because diversification is ongoing.

Rapid hybrid speciation in Darwin's finches.

Homoploid hybrid speciation in animals has been inferred frequently from patterns of variation, but few examples have withstood critical scrutiny. Here we report a directly documented example, from its origin to reproductive isolation. An immigrant Darwin's finch to Daphne Major in the Galápagos archipelago initiated a new genetic lineage by breeding with a resident finch ().

Evolution caused by extreme events.

Extreme events can be a major driver of evolutionary change over geological and contemporary timescales. Outstanding examples are evolutionary diversification following mass extinctions caused by extreme volcanism or asteroid impact. The evolution of organisms in contemporary time is typically viewed as a gradual and incremental process that results from genetic change, environmental perturbation or both.

Gene flow, ancient polymorphism, and ecological adaptation shape the genomic landscape of divergence among Darwin's finches.

Genomic comparisons of closely related species have identified "islands" of locally elevated sequence divergence. Genomic islands may contain functional variants involved in local adaptation or reproductive isolation and may therefore play an important role in the speciation process. However, genomic islands can also arise through evolutionary processes unrelated to speciation, and examination of their properties can illuminate how new species evolve.

Development and Feasibility of a Real-Time Clinical Decision Support System for Traumatic Brain Injury Anesthesia Care.

Background: Real-time clinical decision support (CDS) integrated with anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) can generate point of care reminders to improve quality of care.

Objective: To develop, implement and evaluate a real-time clinical decision support system for anesthetic management of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients undergoing urgent neurosurgery.

Methods: We iteratively developed a CDS system for pediatric TBI patients undergoing urgent neurosurgery.