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The subscapularis (SSC) is the largest rotator cuff muscle and is involved in the medial rotation, abduction, adduction, and anterior stabilization of the shoulder. It is anatomically variable, as is the morphology and prevalence of the accessory SSC (aSSC), a rare muscle slip attached to the SSC. There is no current review investigating the prevalence and morphometrics of the SSC and aSSC.To investigate the prevalence of the morphological variants of the SSC and aSSC via meta-analysis and review the relevant literature involving cadaveric, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonographic studies.Meta-analysis.Literature data reporting the prevalence rates and morphometrics of the SSC and aSSC and their variants were pooled. Literature searches and data analyses were performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Anatomical Quality Assurance guidelines.Forty-six studies, totaling 2,166 shoulders, were assessed. The SSC showed an overall length, thickness, cross-sectional area, and volume of 152.2 mm (95% confidence interval, CI, 103.8-200.5 mm), 5.6 mm (95% CI, 4.6-6.6 mm), 18.1 cmThe SSC and aSSC have been implicated in multiple shoulder pathologies, including muscle and tendon ruptures and neurovascular compromise. A better understanding of SSC and aSSC variants when diagnosing and treating their related pathologies will reduce patient morbidity and improve treatment regimens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The dynamics of the outer zone radiation belt has received a lot of attention mainly due to the correlation between the occurrence of enhancing relativistic electron flux and spacecraft operation anomalies or even failures (e.g., Baker et al. 1994). Relativistic electron events are often observed during great storms associated with ultra low frequency (ULF) waves. For example, a large buildup of relativistic electrons was observed during the great storm of March 24, 1991 (e.g., Li et al. 1993; Hudson et al. 1995; Mann et al. 2013). However, the dominant processes which accelerate magnetospheric radiation belt electrons to MeV energies are not well understood. In this paper, we present observations of Pc5 ULF waves in the recovery phase of the Bastille day storm of July 16, 2000 and electron and proton flux simultaneously oscillating with the same frequencies as the waves. The mechanism for the observed electron and proton flux modulations is examined using groundbased and satellite observations. During this storm time, multiple packets of discrete frequency Pc5 ULF waves appeared associated with energetic particle flux oscillations. We model the drift paths of electrons and protons to determine if the particles drift through the ULF wave to understand why some particle fluxes are modulated by the ULF waves and others are not. We also analyze the flux oscillations of electrons and protons as a function of energy to determine if the particle modulations are caused by a ULF wave drift resonance or advection of a particle density gradient. We suggest that the energetic electron and proton modulations by Pc5 ULF waves provide further evidence in support of the important role that ULF waves play in outer radiation belt dyanamics during storm times.

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are important because of their essential role in reducing the amount of radiation in the Earth's radiation belts under geomagnetic storm conditions. In this presentation, we show results from a new simulation model of EMIC waves and compare them with SWARM satellite data and ground-based observations [I. P. Pakhotin et al., Geophys. Res. Lett., 2022, doi:10.1029/2022GL098249]. The EMIC wave model is a first-of-a-kind in accounting for wave propagation in the magnetosphere and a realistic ionosphere specified using the IRI and MSIS empirical models. The inclusion of a realistic ionosphere in the model enables new pathways to the upper atmosphere to be identified, which is crucial for understanding the waves detected on the ground. We show using a model-data comparison that EMIC wave energy is reflected at different locations in the ionosphere toward the equator to form standing waves. This is a new resonance phenomenoncreated by interference of waves that produces an amplitude peak in the upper atmosphere at lower latitudes, far from the location of the initial source. Understanding such pathways is crucial for correctly diagnosing the location of EMIC wave populations in space, and assessing their role in radiation belt loss.

Fungi and invertebrates comprise a major part of biodiversity in dead wood ecosystems and invertebrates depend on fungi to utilise the dead wood resource. Many invertebrates also visit the long-lived fruit bodies of wood-decay fungi to feed on spores, the hymenium or other invertebrates. However, as traditional sampling methods are labour-intensive, we know little of these interactions. In this study, we use time-lapse cameras to monitor invertebrates visiting the hymenium of a common wood-decay fungus, Fomitopsis pinicola, and explain their activity in terms of temporal variation, temperature and presence of Gyrophaena boleti, a highly abundant fungivorous beetle living primarily in fruit bodies of F. pinicola. The most common invertebrates on F. pinicola fruit bodies were Coleoptera, Araneae, Diptera, Gastropoda and Chilopoda. The invertebrate activity exhibited strong temporal variation with higher abundance during night and, for Coleoptera, earlier in the season. We discuss how this might correlate with the sporulation period of F. pinicola. The presence of G. boleti had a positive impact on the predatory Lordithon lunulatus and Ipidia binotata, and a negative impact on the fungivorous Thymalus limbatus and Peltis ferruginea. Chilopoda and L. lunulatus were ephemeral visitors, while the fungivorous Coleoptera and Araneae stayed the longest. We estimated the invertebrates' visitation frequency and duration, which would be time-consuming to obtain with traditional methods. We offer improvements to our method and urge future research on invertebrate–fungus interactions to quantify invertebrate visits to fungal fruit bodies.

The DExD/H-box RNA helicase DHX34 is a Nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) factor that together with core NMD factors co-regulates NMD targets in nematodes and in vertebrates. Here, we show that DHX34 is also associated with the human spliceosomal catalytic C complex. Mapping of DHX34 endogenous binding sites using Cross-Linking Immunoprecipitation (CLIP) revealed that DHX34 is preferentially associated with pre-mRNAs and locates at exon-intron boundaries. Accordingly, we observed that DHX34 regulates a large number of alternative splicing (AS) events in mammalian cells in culture, establishing a dual role for DHX34 in both NMD and pre-mRNA splicing. We previously showed that germline DHX34 mutations associated to familial Myelodysplasia (MDS)/Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) predisposition abrogate its activity in NMD. Interestingly, we observe now that DHX34 regulates the splicing of pre-mRNAs that have been linked to AML/MDS predisposition. This is consistent with silencing experiments in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) showing that loss of DHX34 results in differentiation blockade of both erythroid and myeloid lineages, which is a hallmark of AML development. Altogether, these data unveil new cellular functions of DHX34 and suggests that alterations in the levels and/or activity of DHX34 could contribute to human disease.

We reviewed the operational aspects of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)—the income support program for people with disabilities in the United Kingdom—and its potential policy lessons for the United States’ Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. ESA has a five-step eligibility determination process, and eligible beneficiaries receive either an unconditional cash benefit or payments conditional on participating in return-to-work activities. The United Kingdom has reformed ESA to better meet policy objectives. Both ESA and SSDI collect medical documentation, but ESA also requires face-to-face eligibility assessments for almost all claimants. ESA eligibility is based on functional limitations exclusively, whereas SSDI assesses the ability to perform substantial work. With its focus on helping some beneficiaries return to work, ESA differs from SSDI, which requires no return-to-work efforts to receive benefits. ESA might offer policy lessons for SSDI with regard to pilot testing, program reform, and accurate decision making.

Supplementary Table 1 from Repression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Involves Histone Deacetylase 2 and Snail in Colorectal Cancer

Supplementary Figure Legends 1-2 from Repression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Involves Histone Deacetylase 2 and Snail in Colorectal Cancer

Supplementary Figure 2 from Repression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Involves Histone Deacetylase 2 and Snail in Colorectal Cancer

Supplementary Figure 1 from Repression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Involves Histone Deacetylase 2 and Snail in Colorectal Cancer

Positive impacts on human health can occasionally arise from adopting techniques and approaches developed for entirely different purposes. Mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), also referred to as mitochondrial donation, is an example. Its origins date back to the development of embryo micromanipulation techniques in the 1980s. These techniques, originally designed to investigate how the nucleus and cytoplasm interact to instruct the process of embryonic development, are now on the cusp of being introduced into the clinic as the only realistic hope for preventing the propagation of a debilitating set of genetic diseases. While there is little doubt that the risk associated with carrying out these long-established techniques is far outweighed by the clinical impact of preventing genetic disease, their adoption represents an unprecedented level of intervention in early human development. The authors reassess development of the technologies using a lens which may inform and improve their adoption into clinical practice.

With current and anticipated disease-modifying treatments, including gene therapy, an early diagnosis for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is crucial to assure maximum benefit. In 2009, a study from the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network (MD STARnet) showed an average diagnosis age of 5 years among males with DMD born from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 2000. Initiatives were implemented by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and patient organizations to reduce time to diagnosis. We conducted a follow-up study in a surveillance cohort born after January 1, 2000 to determine whether there has been an improvement in time to diagnosis.We assessed the age of diagnosis among males with DMD born from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2015 using data collected by six US MD STARnet surveillance sites (Colorado, Iowa, western New York State, the Piedmont region of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Utah). The analytic cohort included 221 males with definite or probable DMD diagnosis without a documented family history. We computed frequency count and percentage for categorical variables, and mean, median, and standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables.The mean [median] ages in years of diagnostic milestones were: first signs, 2.7 [2.0]; first creatine kinase (CK), 4.6 [4.6]; DNA/muscle biopsy testing, 4.9 [4.8]; and time from first signs to diagnostic confirmation, 2.2 [1.4].The time interval between first signs of DMD and diagnosis remains unchanged at 2.2 years. This results in lost opportunities for timely genetic counseling, implementation of standards of care, initiation of glucocorticoids, and participation in clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program provides support and services to people with disabilities who want to work. OBJECTIVE: Approximately one-third of eligible VR customers are employed when they exit the program. The remainder either exit without ever receiving services or without employment after receiving services. In this study, we explore how customer characteristics and VR services predict these outcomes. METHODS: We examined VR case level data from the RSA-911 files. Machine learning techniques allowed us to explore a large number of potential predictors of VR outcomes while requiring fewer assumptions than traditional regression methods. RESULTS: Consistent with existing literature, customers who are employed at application are more likely to exit with employment, and those with mental health conditions or low socioeconomic status are less likely to exit with employment. Some customers with low or no earnings at application who are not identified in prior studies are more likely than others to have poor program outcomes, including those with developmental disability who are under 18, customers without developmental or learning disabilities, and customers who do not receive employment or restoration services. CONCLUSIONS: VR counselors and administrators should consider implementing early, targeted interventions for newly identified at-risk groups of VR customers.

Physiologically, feline platelets are more reactive and prone to aggregation, which interferes with platelet counts using automated counters and manual methods. The use of aminoglycoside amikacin in association with EDTA has proven to be efficient in preventing platelet aggregates in cases of pseudo thrombocytopenia (PTP) in people.This study evaluated the efficacy of amikacin in preventing platelet aggregation in EDTA-containing feline blood samples and investigated the possible effects on hematologic measurands.Blood samples (1.0 mL) collected from 100 healthy cats were stored in two EDTA tubes: 0.5 mL in a microtube containing 10 μL of 250 mg/mL amikacin (EDTA-AMK group) and 0.5 mL in a microtube containing only K2 EDTA 10% (EDTA group). A CBC was executed with an automated impedance blood analyzer, and a microscopic examination of the blood smears was performed.Platelet clumps were observed in 56% of samples from the EDTA group and 5% of samples from the EDTA-AMK group. Platelet counts (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), and WBC counts were significantly higher (P .001) in the EDTA-AMK group compared withi the EDTA group.Amikacin prevents platelet aggregation in feline venous blood samples and does not cause clinically relevant changes in other hematologic measurands. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the use of amikacin in preventing platelet aggregation in feline blood samples. Based on this study, amikacin could be added to EDTA collection tubes for complete blood counts in cats.

The early Omicron lineage variants evolved and gave rise to diverging lineages that fueled the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Bivalent mRNA vaccines, designed to broaden protection against circulating and future variants, were authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2022 and recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in September 2022. The impact of bivalent vaccination on eliciting neutralizing antibodies against homologous BA.4/BA.5 viruses as well as emerging heterologous viruses needs to be analyzed. In this study, we analyze the neutralizing activity of sera collected after a third dose of vaccination (2-6 weeks post monovalent booster) or a fourth dose of vaccination (2-7 weeks post bivalent booster) against 10 predominant/recent Omicron lineage viruses including BA.1, BA.2, BA.5, BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2, BN.1, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB, and XBB.1. The bivalent booster vaccination enhanced neutralizing antibody titers against all Omicron lineage viruses tested, including a 10-fold increase in neutralization of BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 viruses that predominated in the U.S. during the last two months of 2022. Overall, the data indicate the bivalent vaccine booster strengthens protection against Omicron lineage variants that evolved from BA.5 and BA.2 progenitors.

Introduction: Racial/ethnic differences in diagnostic and treatment services have been identified for a range of health conditions and outcomes. The current study aimed to analyze whether there are racial/ethnic differences in the timing of diagnostic testing and treatments for males with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Methods: Diagnostic and clinical data for male individuals with DMD born during 1990-2010 were analyzed from eight sites (Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Piedmont Region of North Carolina, western New York, South Carolina, Utah) of the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet). Seven milestones related to diagnosis/treatment experiences were selected as outcomes. Times to each milestone were estimated and compared by four racial/ethnic groups using Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazard models. Times between initial evaluation or diagnostic testing and later milestones were also compared by race/ethnicity. Results: We identified 682 males with definite or probable DMD of whom 61.7% were non-Hispanic White, 20.5% Hispanic, 10.6% other, and 7.2% non-Hispanic Black. Seven milestone events were studied (initial evaluation, first neurology/neuromuscular visit, diagnosis, corticosteroid treatment first offered, corticosteroid treatment started, first electrocardiogram or echocardiogram, and first pulmonary function testing). The first five milestone events occurred at an older age for non-Hispanic Black individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. Time from diagnosis to first offering of corticosteroids and initiation of corticosteroid therapy was later for Hispanic individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. When accounting for timing of initial evaluation/diagnosis, offering of corticosteroids continued to occur later, but first pulmonary testing occurred earlier, among Hispanic individuals compared to non-Hispanic Whites. No significant delays remained for non-Hispanic Black individuals after accounting for later initial evaluation/diagnosis. Conclusion: We described racial/ethnic differences in ages at selected diagnostic and treatment milestones. The most notable differences were significant delays for five of seven milestones in non-Hispanic Black individuals, which appeared to be attributable to later initial evaluation/diagnosis. Findings for Hispanic individuals were less consistent. Efforts to address barriers to early evaluation and diagnosis for non-Hispanic Black children with DMD may promote more timely initiation of recommended disease monitoring and interventions.

Objective Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is an increasingly important tool in managing hypertension (HTN); however, its efficacy depends on its accuracy. This study aimed to explore the differences between blood pressure (BP) measurements conducted by patients and medical professionals and the patient demographic factors correlating with inaccurate self-measured BP levels. Methods One hundred hypertensive patients completed a questionnaire inquiring about their health status and HBPM procedures and were filmed while measuring their BP using their own devices. A researcher then measured the patients' BP using a calibrated sphygmomanometer to assess the accuracy of patient-performed readings. This cross-sectional study was conducted in five primary healthcare centers in Kraków, Poland. Results The mean differences in systolic and diastolic BP readings by patients and researchers were 8.36 mmHg (SD = 10.90 mmHg) and 2.16 mmHg (SD = 9.12 mmHg), respectively. Inaccuracies in patient BP measurements were associated with a less than high school education level, patients’ age, and a family history of HTN. Conclusion Patient self-measured BP levels were higher than researcher values, likely due to a higher patient error rate. Healthcare providers must increase training regarding correct HBPM techniques offered to patients; such efforts should be directed at all hypertensive patients, emphasizing the most error-prone demographics.

Immune imprinting is a driver known to shape the anti-hemagglutinin (HA) antibody landscape of individuals born within the same birth cohort. With the HA and neuraminidase (NA) proteins evolving at different rates under immune selection pressures, anti-HA and anti-NA antibody responses since childhood influenza infections have not been evaluated in parallel at the individual level. This is partly due to the limited knowledge of changes in NA antigenicity, as seasonal influenza vaccines have focused on generating neutralising anti-HA antibodies against HA antigenic variants. Here we systematically characterised the NA antigenic variants of seasonal A(H1N1) viruses from 1977 to 1991 and completed the antigenic profile of N1 NAs from 1977 to 2015. We identified that NA proteins of A/USSR/90/77, A/Singapore/06/86, and A/Texas/36/91 were antigenically distinct and mapped N386K as a key determinant of the NA antigenic change from A/USSR/90/77 to A/Singapore/06/86. With comprehensive panels of HA and NA antigenic variants of A(H1N1) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, we determined hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) antibodies from 130 subjects born between 1950-2015. Age-dependent imprinting was observed for both anti-HA and anti-NA antibodies, with the peak HI and NI titers predominantly detected from subjects at 4-12 years old during the year of initial virus isolation, except the age-independent anti-HA antibody response against A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. More participants possessed antibodies that reacted to multiple antigenically distinct NA proteins than those with antibodies that reacted to multiple antigenically distinct HA proteins. Our results support the need to include NA proteins in seasonal influenza vaccine preparations.IMPORTANCESeasonal influenza vaccines have aimed to generate neutralizing anti-HA antibodies for protection since licensure. More recently, anti-NA antibodies have been established as an additional correlate of protection. While HA and NA antigenic changes occurred discordantly, the anti-HA and anti-NA antibody profiles have rarely been analysed in parallel at the individual level, due to the limited knowledge on NA antigenic changes. By characterizing NA antigenic changes of A(H1N1) viruses, we determined the anti-HA and anti-NA antibody landscape against antigenically distinct A(H1N1) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses using sera of 130 subjects born between 1950-2015. We observed age-dependent imprinting of both anti-HA and anti-NA antibodies against strains circulated during the first decade of life. 67.7% (88/130) and 90% (117/130) of participants developed cross-reactive antibodies to multiple HA and NA antigens at titers ≥1:40. With slower NA antigenic changes and cross-reactive anti-NA antibody responses, including NA protein in influenza vaccine preparation may enhance vaccine efficacy. (150 words)

Background The accurate and independent measurement of blood pressure (BP) by patients is essential for home BP monitoring (HBPM) and determining the quality of hypertension (HTN) control. This study aimed to evaluate the BP self-measurement techniques of hypertensive patients and their accuracy in accordance with established guidelines. We sought to identify the common errors that patients make and suggest improvements that can be implemented in the primary healthcare setting to increase the reliability of HBPM conducted by hypertensive patients. Methods One hundred patients diagnosed with HTN completed a questionnaire inquiring about their health and demographic data and BP monitoring practices. Patients were then observed and filmed while measuring their BP on their own devices in five primary healthcare centres in Kraków, Poland. The correctness of their techniques was assessed in accordance with the European Society of Hypertension guidelines on HBPM. Results Only 3% of patients measured their BP without error; 60% made three or more errors. The most frequent error, made by 76% of subjects, was incorrect sphygmomanometer cuff placement (above or below heart level, or/and the indicator mark was not aligned with the brachial artery). Regarding patients’ previous instruction for the correct use of their devices, 36% of patients referred to their monitor’s user manual, 22% did not receive any prior assistance, and only 29% were adequately counselled by physicians on how to measure their BP correctly. Conclusions Our findings suggest that primary healthcare physicians and their personnel often do not adequately instruct patients on how to measure their BP correctly. Therefore, healthcare systems must provide patients with more adequate training and reference materials on the best practices of BP monitoring.

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis (AP) represents a significant disease burden in the pediatric population. The management of AP includes fluid resuscitation, pain management, and early enteral feeds. Contrary to old dogma, early enteral feeding has been shown to improve outcomes and reduce hospital length of stay (LOS), yet uptake of this approach has not been standardized. Our aim was to standardize the management of AP, increasing the percentage of patients receiving early enteral nutrition from 40% to 65% within 12 months. METHODS Between January 2013 and September 2021, we conducted a quality improvement initiative among patients hospitalized with AP. Interventions included the development of a clinical care pathway, integration of an AP order set, and physician education. Our primary outcome was the percentage of patients receiving enteral nutrition within 48 hours of admission, and our secondary outcome was hospital LOS. Balancing measures included hospital readmission rates. RESULTS A total of 652 patients were admitted for AP during the project, of which 322 (49%) were included after pathway implementation. Before pathway development, the percentage of patients receiving early enteral nutrition was 40%, which increased significantly to 84% after our interventions. This improvement remained stable. Median LOS decreased significantly from 5.5 to 4 days during this timeframe. Our balancing measure of readmission rates did not change during the project period. CONCLUSIONS Through multiple interventions, including the implementation of an AP clinical pathway, we significantly increased the proportion of patients receiving early enteral nutrition and decreased hospital LOS without increasing hospital readmission rates.

High-resolution monitoring is fundamental to understand ecosystems dynamics in an era of global change and biodiversity declines. While real-time and automated monitoring of abiotic components has been possible for some time, monitoring biotic components—for example, individual behaviours and traits, and species abundance and distribution—is far more challenging. Recent technological advancements offer potential solutions to achieve this through: (i) increasingly affordable high-throughput recording hardware, which can collect rich multidimensional data, and (ii) increasingly accessible artificial intelligence approaches, which can extract ecological knowledge from large datasets. However, automating the monitoring of facets of ecological communities via such technologies has primarily been achieved at low spatiotemporal resolutions within limited steps of the monitoring workflow. Here, we review existing technologies for data recording and processing that enable automated monitoring of ecological communities. We then present novel frameworks that combine such technologies, forming fully automated pipelines to detect, track, classify and count multiple species, and record behavioural and morphological traits, at resolutions which have previously been impossible to achieve. Based on these rapidly developing technologies, we illustrate a solution to one of the greatest challenges in ecology: the ability to rapidly generate high-resolution, multidimensional and standardised data across complex ecologies.

Most paediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas carry a lysine- to methionine-27 (K27M) mutation in the histone variant H3.3 encoded by the ‘H3.3 histone A’ (H3F3A) gene. To establish a pre-clinical model of the disease we made a Cre/loxPconditional H3.3K27M mutation at the orthologousH3f3alocus in mice. Importantly, expression of the mutant transcript is under endogenousH3f3aregulatory control. This system is distinct from others in which H3.3M27 is ectopically expressed, thereby providing a resource for the development of pDIPG models with orthologous regulation of mutant H3.3. Mice in which expression of the mutant transcript was induced with a nestin-cretransgene developed as dwarfs in the presence of intact growth hormone signaling.

The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages mandates a better understanding of viral replication and cross-neutralization among these sublineages. Here we used K18-hACE2 mice and primary human airway cultures to examine the viral fitness and antigenic relationship among Omicron sublineages. In both K18-hACE2 mice and human airway cultures, Omicron sublineages exhibited a replication order of BA.5 ≥ BA.2 ≥ BA.2.12.1 > BA.1; no difference in body weight loss was observed among different sublineage-infected mice. The BA.1-, BA.2-, BA.2.12.1-, and BA.5-infected mice developed distinguisable cross-neutralizations against Omicron sublineages, but exhibited little neutralizations against the index virus (i.e., USA-WA1/2020) or the Delta variant. Surprisingly, the BA.5-infected mice developed higher neutralization activity against heterologous BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 than that against homologous BA.5; serum neutralizing titers did not always correlate with viral replication levels in infected animals. Our results revealed a distinct antigenic cartography of Omicron sublineages and support the bivalent vaccine approach.

In this retrospective cohort study, we characterize the health profile of preterm males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Major clinical milestones (ambulation cessation, assisted ventilation use, and onset of left ventricular dysfunction) and corticosteroids use in males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy identified through a population-based surveillance system were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards modeling. The adjusted risk of receiving any respiratory intervention among preterm males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy was 87% higher than among the corresponding full-term males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The adjusted risks for ambulation cessation and left ventricular dysfunction were modestly elevated among preterm compared to full-term males, but the 95% confidence intervals contained the null. No difference in the start of corticosteroid use between preterm and full-term Duchenne muscular dystrophy males was observed. Overall, the disease course seems to be similar between preterm and full-term males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; however, pulmonary function seems to be affected earlier among preterm males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Chorus waves play a key role in outer Van Allen electron belt dynamics through cyclotron resonance. Here, we use Van Allen Probes data to reveal a new and distinct population of intense chorus waves excited in the heart of the radiation belt during the main phase of geomagnetic storms. The power of the waves is typically ~ 2–3 orders of magnitude greater than pre-storm levels, and are generated when fluxes of ~ 10–100 keV electrons approach or exceed the Kennel–Petschek limit. These intense chorus waves rapidly scatter electrons into the loss cone, capping the electron flux to a value close to the limit predicted by Kennel and Petschek over 50 years ago. Our results are crucial for understanding the limits to radiation belt fluxes, with accurate models likely requiring the inclusion of this chorus wave-driven flux-limiting process, that is independent of the acceleration mechanism or source responsible for enhancing the flux.

An analytic model for calculating the instantaneous and average orbital power available to a satellite in a circular low Earth orbit is presented. By accounting for the effects of angle of solar incidence and eclipsing, for both stabilized and tumbling satellites, this model allows for fast, simple, accurate calculations of available power without the use of complex, often expensive, numerical simulation software. In addition, this method provides the value of maximum and minimum solar power available.

Cyst nematodes of the genus Heterodera are a major group of sedentary plant parasites causing a significant economic impact, restricting production and market access globally (Moens et al. 2018). The ryegrass cyst nematode Heterodera mani is in the Avenae group and is found predominantly in pastures and grasslands in Europe, California, and South Africa. It was first described by Mathews (1971) from Northern Ireland. Known hosts are grasses (family Poaceae), principally Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass), but also Dactylis glomerata (cat grass) and Festuca pratensis (meadow fescue) (Subbotin et al. 2010). Mowat (1974) reported that H. mani causes negligible damage to the yield of L. perenne in pot trials; however, MaasBrinkman (1982) determined that it may cause significant damage to spring and autumn-sown perennial ryegrass in field conditions. During a routine examination for potato cyst nematode from a farm near Mawbanna in north-west Tasmania, Australia, several pale to dark brown Heterodera cysts were extracted that were lemon shaped with the presence of a small vulval cone at the posterior end and a distinct neck. The J2 (n=20) stylet length ranged from 24-26 µm with round knobs deeply concave anteriorly, hyaline tail length was 37-42 µm, true tail length ranged from 59-68 µm and total body length varied from 526-559 µm. All the above characters match those described for H. mani (Subbotin et al. 2010). To verify this identification, DNA was extracted from five individual J2 juveniles from a single cyst using QIAamp DNA micro kit (Qiagen®), and two gene regions amplified: internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal RNA (ITS-rRNA) with primer pair AB28 and TW81 and cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) with primer pair JB3 and JB5 (Bowles et al. 1992; Curran et al. 1994; Derycke et al. 2005). One PCR reaction contained 10 µM (1 µl each) of each primer, 12.5 µl of OneTaq® DNA Polymerase and 5 µl of DNA template with a final volume of 25 µl. PCR products were sent for purification and Sanger sequencing at Macrogen (Seoul, Rep. of Korea). All resulting sequences were trimmed, aligned, and analysed using Geneious Prime® 2022.0.1 (www.geneious.com). Five ITS sequences (accessions ON402852-ON402856) and five CO1 sequences (accessions ON402857-ON402861) were submitted to GenBank. These ITS sequences were very similar to each other and exhibited 99.16-100% similarity with that of H. mani isolate from Hamminkeln, Germany (AY148377) (Subbotin et al. 2018). The CO1 sequences exhibited 98.96-100% similarity with that of H. mani isolate from Washington, USA (MG523097) (Subbotin et al. 2003). Obtained sequences were mapped to reference sequences downloaded from NCBI GenBank and maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees were calculated. Due to the lack of further living nematode material, pot experiments were not performed. Such experiments are not feasible in Tasmania currently and transfer of live nematode material to the Australian mainland presents logistic and legal issues. However, morphological and molecular evidence for species determination of H. mani was unequivocal and contributes to the list of cyst nematode species present in Australia. This is the first detection of H. mani in Australia and is a range extension of the species from North America, Africa, and Europe to Australia. The nematode may cause damage to perennial ryegrass in Australia, however, impact on yield still needs to be investigated.

Charged particle precipitation from Earth’s magnetosphere results in stunning displays of the aurora and energy transfer into the atmosphere. Some of this precipitation is caused by wave-particle interactions. In this study, we present an example of a wave-particle interaction between Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron waves, and magnetospheric protons and electrons. This interaction resulted in a co-located isolated proton aurora and relativistic electron microbursts. While isolated proton aurora is widely believed to be caused by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron waves, this unique observation suggests that these waves can also scatter relativistic electron microbursts. Theoretically, nonlinear interactions between Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron waves and electrons are necessary to produce the intense sub-second microburst precipitation. Lastly, detailed analysis of the auroral emissions suggests that no chorus waves were present during the event. This is in contrast to the most commonly associated driver of microbursts, whistler mode chorus waves, and supports other less commonly considered driving mechanisms.

The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in the emergence of new variant lineages that have exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of those variants were designated as variants of concern/interest (VOC/VOI) by national or international authorities based on many factors including their potential impact on vaccine-mediated protection from disease. To ascertain and rank the risk of VOCs and VOIs, we analyze the ability of 14 variants (614G, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, and Omicron) to escape from mRNA vaccine-induced antibodies. The variants show differential reductions in neutralization and replication by post-vaccination sera. Although the Omicron variant (BA.1, BA.1.1, and BA.2) shows the most escape from neutralization, sera collected after a third dose of vaccine (booster sera) retain moderate neutralizing activity against that variant. Therefore, vaccination remains an effective strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent decades have seen a surge in awareness about insect pollinator declines. Social bees receive the most attention, but most flower-visiting species are lesser known, non-bee insects. Nocturnal flower visitors, e.g. moths, are especially difficult to observe and largely ignored in pollination studies. Clearly, achieving balanced monitoring of all pollinator taxa represents a major scientific challenge. Here, we use time-lapse cameras for season-wide, day-And-night pollinator surveillance of Trifolium pratense (L.; red clover) in an alpine grassland. We reveal the first evidence to suggest that moths, mainly Noctua pronuba (L.; large yellow underwing), pollinate this important wildflower and forage crop, providing 34% of visits (bumblebees: 61%). This is a remarkable finding; moths have received no recognition throughout a century of T. pratense pollinator research. We conclude that despite a non-negligible frequency and duration of nocturnal flower visits, nocturnal pollinators of T. pratense have been systematically overlooked. We further show how the relationship between visitation and seed set may only become clear after accounting for moth visits. As such, population trends in moths, as well as bees, could profoundly affect T. pratense seed yield. Ultimately, camera surveillance gives fair representation to non-bee pollinators and lays a foundation for automated monitoring of species interactions in future., Biology Letters, 18 (7), ISSN:1744-9561, ISSN:1744-957X

Pancreatic ducts function to deliver digestive enzymes into the intestines. Upon injury, ducts can become proliferative and contribute to tissue regeneration; however, the identity of the ductal cells that contribute to these processes is unknown. We combined fluorescence-activated cell sorting, a methylcellulose-containing 3-dimensional culture, droplet RNA-sequencing, and a clonal lineage tracing tool to identify and isolate a distinct subpopulation of pancreatic ductal cells that exhibit progenitor cell properties. These ductal cells are unique in that they form tightly-bound clusters (termed FSCmid-high), with an average of 8 cells per cluster. FSCmid-high clusters comprise only about 0.1% of the total pancreas, are tri-potent for duct, acinar and endocrine lineages, and self-renew robustly in vitro. Transcriptomic analysis of FSCmid-high clusters reveals enrichment for genes involved in cell-cell interactions, organ development, and cancer pathways. FSCmid-high clusters express embryonic pancreatic progenitor markers Sox9, Pdx1, and Nkx6-1 at both transcription and protein levels. FSCmid-high clusters are resistant to enzymatic dissociation and survive severe in vivo acinar injury, which induces formation of ductal rosettes that become proliferative within 14 days. Thus, FSCmid-high clusters represent a small subset of ductal cells with progenitor cell properties. These rare progenitor-like duct cell clusters have implications in pancreas regeneration and tumor initiation/progression.