Publications by authors named "Strand A"

Within competency-based medical education (CBME) residency programs, Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) assessments endeavor to both bolster learning and inform promotion decisions. Recent implementation studies describe successes but also adverse effects, including residents and preceptors drifting towards bureaucratic / purely administrative behaviors and attitudes, although the drivers behind this tendency are not adequately understood. This study sought to examine resident and faculty experiences with implemented EPA processes to elucidate what leads them toward a 'tick-box' approach that has been described in the literature.

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We present a genome assembly from an individual female (the white-tailed eagle; Chordata; Aves; Accipitriformes; Accipitridae). The genome sequence has a total length of 1,320.30 megabases.

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  • Ostrea edulis, the European flat oyster, has experienced significant population declines over the past 200 years, prompting restoration efforts focused on restocking and conservation.
  • This study utilized whole-genome sequencing to identify seven distinct genetic clusters of the oyster, revealing complex population structures and signs of genetic mixing in Scandinavian regions.
  • The findings emphasize the need to understand genetic diversity and local adaptation for effective conservation strategies to restore native European flat oyster populations.
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  • The European flat oyster, a vital part of marine ecosystems and a key economic resource, has seen its habitats drastically decline, leading to functional extinction.
  • Recent studies compiled data from 1524 to 2022 to reveal past locations and extents of flat oyster fisheries and reefs, highlighting where these ecosystems once thrived.
  • These datasets aim to support flat oyster restoration efforts and improve adaptive management strategies while helping recover overlooked histories of ocean ecosystem changes caused by human activities.
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  • Infections after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) can lead to serious health issues, prompting a study to evaluate the impact of different types of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) before surgery.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 320 OHT patients at Tufts Medical Center between 2014 and 2022, focusing on the risk of various infections within a year post-transplant based on whether patients received temporary or durable MCS pre-surgery.
  • The findings showed that there was no significant difference in the time to first infection between those who received temporary MCS and those with durable MCS, suggesting that the type of MCS used before OHT may not influence post-operative infection rates.
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We study the lifetime effects of the first and largest American youth employment and training program in the United States-the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), 1933-1942. We match newly digitized enrollee records to census, World War II enlistment, Social Security, and death records. We find that longer service in the CCC led to improvements in height, health status, longevity, geographic mobility, and lifetime earnings but did not improve short-term labor market outcomes, including employment and wages.

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A 24-year-old Ecuadorian female, previously diagnosed with acute fatty liver (AFL) during pregnancy, developed constitutional symptoms, jaundice, and abdominal pain in a subsequent pregnancy, prompting investigations that suggested a recurrence of AFL. She underwent an elective abortion, which resulted in the resolution of her abdominal pain, and a liver biopsy, which showed granulomatous inflammation and lymphocytic infiltration. She later presented with abdominal distention, productive cough, and persistent constitutional symptoms and jaundice.

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The components of the mediator kinase module are highly conserved across all eukaryotic lineages, and cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) is essential for correct cell proliferation and differentiation in diverse eukaryotic systems. We show that CDK8 couples leaf development with the establishment of correct stomata patterning for prevailing CO conditions. In Arabidopsis, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor SPEECHLESS (SPCH) controls cellular entry into the stomatal cell lineage, and CDK8 interacts with and phosphorylates SPCH, controlling SPCH protein levels and thereby also expression of the SPCH target genes encoding key regulators of cell fate and asymmetric cell divisions.

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Knowledge of functional dispersal barriers in the marine environment can be used to inform a wide variety of management actions, such as marine spatial planning, restoration efforts, fisheries regulations, and invasive species management. Locations and causes of dispersal barriers can be studied through various methods, including movement tracking, biophysical modeling, demographic models, and genetics. Combining methods illustrating potential dispersal, such as biophysical modeling, with realized dispersal through, e.

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With the increasing affordability of next-generation sequencing technologies, genotype-by-sequencing has become a cost-effective tool for ecologists and conservation biologists to describe a species' evolutionary history. For host–parasite interactions, genotype-by-sequencing can allow the simultaneous examination of host and parasite genomes and can yield insight into co-evolutionary processes. The eastern oyster, , is among the most important aquacultured species in the United States.

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At the end of 2022 and most notably during the first half of 2023, the number of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) notifications increased in Norway, largely affecting children younger than 10 years, as observed in several other countries. Following this atypical season, a new surge in the number of iGAS notifications began in December 2023 and peaked between January and February 2024, now particularly affecting both children younger than 10 years and older adults (70 years and above).

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The study examines the governance of low trophic species mariculture (LTM) using Sweden as a case study. LTM, involving species such as seaweeds and mollusks, offers ecosystem services and nutritious foods. Despite its potential to contribute to blue growth and Sustainable Development Goals, LTM development in the EU and OECD countries has stagnated.

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Rapid metabolic responses to pathogens are essential for plant survival and depend on numerous transcription factors. Mediator is the major transcriptional co-regulator for integration and transmission of signals from transcriptional regulators to RNA polymerase II. Using four Arabidopsis Mediator mutants, med16, med18, med25 and cdk8, we studied how differences in regulation of their transcript and metabolite levels correlate to their responses to Pseudomonas syringae infection.

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Comprehensive but interpretable assessment of the environmental performance of diets involves choosing a set of appropriate indicators. Current knowledge and data gaps on the origin of dietary foodstuffs restrict use of indicators relying on site-specific information. This Personal View summarises commonly used indicators for assessing the environmental performance of diets, briefly outlines their benefits and drawbacks, and provides recommendations on indicator choices for actors across multiple fields involved in activities that include the environmental assessment of diets.

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Avian migration has fascinated humans for centuries. Insights into the lives of migrant birds are often elusive; however, recent, standalone technological innovations have revolutionized our understanding of this complex biological phenomenon. A future challenge for following these highly mobile animals is the necessity of bringing multiple technologies together to capture a more complete understanding of their movements.

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  • The transition from seedling to photosynthetic plant involves complex regulatory mechanisms, particularly in establishing functional chloroplasts.
  • New research identifies three bZIP transcription factors—bZIP16, bZIP68, and GBF1—that play significant roles in this process by regulating key components necessary for photosynthesis.
  • These bZIP factors interact with blue light-responsive cryptochrome (CRY) photoreceptors, suggesting a coordinated pathway where light signals affect gene expression critical for the greening of Arabidopsis.
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Increasing plants' photosynthetic efficiency is a major challenge that must be addressed in order to cover the food demands of the growing population in the changing climate. Photosynthesis is greatly limited at the initial carboxylation reaction, where CO is converted to the organic acid 3-PGA, catalyzed by the RuBisCO enzyme. RuBisCO has poor affinity for CO, but also the CO concentration at the RuBisCO site is limited by the diffusion of atmospheric CO through the various leaf compartments to the reaction site.

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The aim of the present study was to explore Norwegian consumers' attitudes toward smoke-flavoring of cold smoked salmon (CSS), by conducting a digital survey and focus group discussions. Some of the smoke-flavoring techniques, like atomized purified condensed smoke, is considered healthier than conventional smoking. Manufacturers of CSS are, however, hesitant to use all kinds of smoke-flavoring due to expected consumer skepticism.

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Background And Objectives: Patients undergoing induction/reinduction chemotherapy for haematologic malignancies (HM) are at risk for invasive fungal infections (IFIs). In 2015, Duke University Hospital (DUH) implemented a new standardised fungal prophylaxis protocol for adult patients undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukaemia, acute myelocytic leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. This study assessed the impact of protocol implementation on (1) use of antifungal prophylaxis, throughout the at-risk period and (2) patient outcomes such as IFI and mortality.

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Aims: Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a progressive condition caused by deposition of transthyretin amyloid fibrils in the heart and is associated with poor quality of life and a shortened lifespan. This study aimed to describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and mortality of patients with ATTR-CM, using multiple national health registers in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

Methods And Results: Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy patients were identified during 2008-2018 using a combination of diagnosis codes for amyloidosis and heart disease and were matched to patients with non-ATTR heart failure (HF).

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  • - The study aims to compare healthcare resource use for patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) to those with heart failure (HF) in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden between 2008 and 2018.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from nationwide health registers, finding that ATTR-CM patients had significantly higher hospital visits and admissions both before and after diagnosis compared to HF patients.
  • - Results indicate that ATTR-CM results in a greater healthcare burden, with about double the outpatient visits and 50% more hospitalizations in the year following diagnosis compared to HF patients, highlighting the need for studies on earlier diagnosis and treatment to potentially reduce these healthcare demands.
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  • ATTRwt CM is more prevalent than previously recognized, but its diagnosis is complicated due to vague symptoms and invasive testing methods.
  • Recent advancements in non-invasive diagnostic techniques and treatments have heightened interest in the disease, leading to an increase in relevant publications.
  • A systematic review of 50 articles outlined critical criteria for suspicion, diagnosis, and screening methods for identifying at-risk populations for ATTRwt CM.
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One of the most dramatic challenges in the life of a plant occurs when the seedling emerges from the soil and exposure to light triggers expression of genes required for establishment of photosynthesis. This process needs to be tightly regulated, as premature accumulation of light-harvesting proteins and photoreactive Chl precursors causes oxidative damage when the seedling is first exposed to light. Photosynthesis genes are encoded by both nuclear and plastid genomes, and to establish the required level of control, plastid-to-nucleus (retrograde) signalling is necessary to ensure correct gene expression.

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Insect monitoring is critical to improve our understanding and ability to preserve and restore biodiversity, sustainably produce crops, and reduce vectors of human and livestock disease. Conventional monitoring methods of trapping and identification are time consuming and thus expensive. Automation would significantly improve the state of the art.

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Spike-specific antibodies are central to effective COVID19 immunity. Research efforts have focused on antibodies that neutralize the ACE2-Spike interaction but not on non-neutralizing antibodies. Antibody-dependent phagocytosis is an immune mechanism enhanced by opsonization, where typically, more bound antibodies trigger a stronger phagocyte response.

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