Comparative Population Genomics of Arctic Sled Dogs Reveals a Deep and Complex History.

Recent evidence demonstrates genomic and morphological continuity in the Arctic ancestral lineage of dogs. Here, we use the Siberian Husky to investigate the genomic legacy of the northeast Eurasian Arctic lineage and model the deep population history using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Utilizing ancient dog-calibrated molecular clocks, we found that at least two distinct lineages of Arctic dogs existed in ancient Eurasia at the end of the Pleistocene.

Palliative Care and Noninvasive Ventilation.

Palliative care is important for many patients who require noninvasive ventilation. The particular needs of patients with neuromuscular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are explored. Advance care planning is explored with tips for undertaking this important communication task.

Hand-held fans: Physical Properties and Perceptions of Patients with COPD.

Rationale: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may remain breathless despite optimal medical treatment. Hand-held fans (HHFs) are recommended to relieve breathlessness, but little is known about physical properties of different fans and the impact HHF properties may have on patient perceptions of fans.

Objective: To describe the physical properties of HHFs and investigate the relationship of these properties to patient fan preference.

Protocol for a Single-Blind, Randomized, Parallel-Group Study of a Nonpharmacological Integrated Care Intervention to Reduce the Impact of Breathlessness in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently experience breathlessness despite maximal medical therapy. Nonpharmacological management is effective in studies enrolling patients with a variety of respiratory diseases; however, the impact on patients with COPD is unclear. A protocol for a mixed-methods, single-center, observer-blinded, fast-track randomized-controlled, parallel-group trial comparing an immediate eight-week nonpharmacological Westmead Breathlessness Service (WBS) to a standard care control group is described.

Respiratory Failure, Noninvasive Ventilation, and Symptom Burden: An Observational Study.

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is commonly used to manage acute respiratory failure due to decompensated cardiorespiratory disease. We describe symptom burden in this population.

Measures: Fifty consecutive, consenting, English-speaking, cognitively intact patients, admitted to wards other than the intensive care unit in a tertiary teaching hospital and treated with NIV for hypercapnic respiratory failure, were recruited.

Perspectives on advance care planning among patients recently requiring non-invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure: A qualitative study using thematic analysis.

Background: Patients requiring non-invasive ventilation for acute-on-chronic respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart failure exacerbations may have a poor prognosis underscoring the importance of advance care planning.

Aim: We aimed to describe attitudes to, and experiences of, discussing the future among patients recently treated with non-invasive ventilation.

Design: Qualitative research using thematic analysis.

Experience of acute noninvasive ventilation-insights from 'Behind the Mask': a qualitative study.

Objective: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is widely used in the management of acute and acute-on-chronic respiratory failure. Understanding the experiences of patients treated with NIV is critical to person-centred care. We describe the subjective experiences of individuals treated with NIV for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Epigenetic divergence as a potential first step in darter speciation.

Recent studies show that epigenetic variation in the form of DNA methylation may serve as a substrate for selection. Theory suggests that heritable epigenetic marks that increase fitness should increase in frequency in a population, and these changes may result in novel morphology, behaviour, or physiology, and ultimately reproductive isolation. Therefore, epigenetic variation might provide the first substrate for selection during the course of evolutionary divergence.

Specialist respiratory physicians' attitudes to and practice of advance care planning in COPD. A pilot study.

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) is increasingly recognised as important in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Specialist respiratory physicians (RPs) are crucial in enabling ACP in patients with COPD. Accordingly, understanding their practice and attitudes regarding ACP is important.

The use of non-invasive ventilation for the relief of dyspnoea in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; a systematic review.

Background And Objective: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) improves outcomes in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD); however, the efficacy in relieving dyspnoea is uncertain. The objective of this systematic review was to identify, synthesize and interpret the data regarding the relief of dyspnoea afforded by NIV in patients admitted with acute respiratory failure occurring during AECOPD.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing usual medical care (UMC) to UMC plus NIV and reporting dyspnoea as a patient-reported outcome were identified by searching relevant databases and manual searching.

Development of a clinical prediction rule to identify patients with neck pain likely to benefit from cervical traction and exercise.

The objective of the study was to develop a clinical prediction rule (CPR) to identify patients with neck pain likely to improve with cervical traction. The study design included prospective cohort of patients with neck pain referred to physical therapy. Development of a CPR will assist clinicians in classifying patients with neck pain likely to benefit from cervical traction.

The incidence of injury in light infantry soldiers.

U.S. Army soldiers lose substantial training hours as a result of musculoskeletal injuries.