Influence of length of day (photoperiod) on development of the soybean plant, var. Biloxi

Publication authorized July 1, 1936.Digitized 2007 AES.Includes bibliographical references (page 28)

Policy Point-Counterpoint: Are the Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies Just or Unjust for Immigrant Children in Particular and the Country in General?

In this policy point-counterpoint, the current administration\u27s immigration policy is examined through the lens of justness

Osteoprotegerin in Exosome-Like Vesicles from Human Cultured Tubular Cells and Urine

Urinary exosomes have been proposed as potential diagnostic tools. TNF superfamily cytokines and receptors may be present in exosomes and are expressed by proximal tubular cells. We have now studied the expression of selected TNF superfamily proteins in exosome-like vesicles from cultured human proximal tubular cells and human urine and have identified additional proteins in these vesicles by LC-MS/MS proteomics. Human proximal tubular cells constitutively released exosome-like vesicles that did not contain the TNF superfamily cytokines TRAIL or TWEAK. However, exosome-like vesicles contained osteoprotegerin (OPG), a TNF receptor superfamily protein, as assessed by Western blot, ELISA or selected reaction monitoring by nLC-(QQQ)MS/MS. Twenty-one additional proteins were identified in tubular cell exosomelike vesicles, including one (vitamin D binding protein) that had not been previously reported in exosome-like vesicles. Twelve were extracellular matrix proteins, including the basement membrane proteins type IV collagen, nidogen-1, agrin and fibulin-1. Urine from chronic kidney disease patients contained a higher amount of exosomal protein and exosomal OPG than urine from healthy volunteers. Specifically OPG was increased in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease urinary exosome-like vesicles and expressed by cystic epithelium in vivo. In conclusion, OPG is present in exosome-like vesicles secreted by proximal tubular epithelial cells and isolated from Chronic Kidney Disease urine.This work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIIIRETIC REDINREN RD06/0016, RD12/0021, PI11/01854, PI10/00072 PI09/ 00641 and PS09/00447); Comunidad de Madrid (Fibroteam S2010/BMD-2321, S2010/BMD-2378); Sociedad Española de NefrologÍa; European Network (HEALTH F2-2008-200647); DIALOK European project LSHB-CT-2007-036644; Fundacion Lilly and IRSIN/FRIAT to JE; Programa Intensificación Actividad Investigadora (ISCIII/ Agencia Laín-Entralgo/CM) to AO; Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI11/01401, CP09/00229); and Fundación Conchita Rábago de Jiménez DÍaz to GAL. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip

How Trade Liberalization and Labor Development Could Coincide in the Philippines

As the world adapts to the rapid pace of globalization in the 21st century, countries ease trade restrictions by gradually removing tariffs and non-tariff barriers to incentivize the free flow of goods across nations. This prevalence of trade liberalization policies propelled policymakers and economists to investigate the relationship between trade reforms and economic outcomes including wage inequality around the world. They found that trade liberalization, on average, has had a positive impact on economic growth, but prior studies that examine the effects of trade liberalization on wage inequality in developing countries have found mixed results. Recently, Murakami (2021) examined the impact of trade liberalization on wage inequality in Chile through the reduction in effective tariffs brought about by the regional trade agreements of the country. Following his empirical strategy, we examine the impact of trade liberalization on wage inequality in the Philippines. In this policy brief, we provide insights on our findings and policy recommendations that the Philippines can undertak

Determinants and Outcomes of Vasoplegia Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Background Vasoplegia is associated with adverse outcomes following cardiac surgery; however, its impact following left ventricular assist device implantation is largely unexplored. Methods and Results In 252 consecutive patients receiving a left ventricular assist device, vasoplegia was defined as the occurrence of normal cardiac function and index but with the need for intravenous vasopressors within 48 hours following surgery for &gt;24 hours to maintain a mean arterial pressure &gt;70 mm Hg. We further categorized vasoplegia as none ; mild , requiring 1 vasopressor (vasopressin, norepinephrine, or high‐dose epinephrine [&gt;5 μg/min]); or moderate to severe , requiring ≥2 vasopressors. Predictors of vasoplegia severity were determined using a cumulative logit (ordinal logistic regression) model, and 1‐year mortality was evaluated using competing‐risks survival analysis. In total, 67 (26.6%) patients developed mild vasoplegia and 57 (22.6%) developed moderate to severe vasoplegia. The multivariable model for vasoplegia severity utilized preoperative Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) profile, central venous pressure, systolic blood pressure, and intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass time, which yielded an area under the curve of 0.76. Although no significant differences were noted in stroke or pump thrombosis rates ( P =0.87 and P =0.66, respectively), respiratory failure and major bleeding increased with vasoplegia severity ( P &lt;0.01). Those with moderate to severe vasoplegia had a significantly higher risk of mortality than those without vasoplegia (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–4.18; P =0.03). Conclusions Vasoplegia is predictive of unfavorable outcomes, including mortality. Risk factors for future research include preoperative INTERMACS profile, central venous pressure, systolic blood pressure, and intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass time. </jats:sec

Interpretation of positive troponin results among patients with and without myocardial infarction.

Measuring cardiac troponins is integral to diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, troponins may be elevated without AMI, and the use of multiple different assays confounds comparisons. We considered characteristics and serial troponin values in emergency department chest pain patients with and without AMI to interpret troponin excursions. We compared serial troponin in 124 AMI and non-AMI patients from the observational Performance of Triage Cardiac Markers in the Clinical Setting (PEARL) study who presented with chest pain and had at least one troponin value exceeding the 99th percentile of normal. Because 8 assays were used during data collection, we employed a method of scaling the troponin value to the corresponding assay\u27s 99th percentile upper reference limit to standardize the results. In 81 AMI patients, 96% had elevated troponin at the first test following initial elevation, compared to 73% of the 43 non-AMI patients

Antecedent administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin ii receptor antagonists and survival after hospitalization for COVID-19 syndrome

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor to enter human cells. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARB) are associated with ACE-2 upregulation. We hypothesized that antecedent use of ACEI/ARB may be associated with mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods and Results We used the Coracle registry, which contains data of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 4 regions of Italy, and restricted analyses to those ≥50&nbsp;years of age. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Among these 781 patients, 133 (17.0%) used an ARB and 171 (21.9%) used an ACEI. While neither sex nor smoking status differed by user groups, patients on ACEI/ARB were older and more likely to have hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure. The overall mortality rate was 15.1% (118/781) and increased with age (PTrend&lt;0.0001). The crude odds ratios (ORs) for death for ACEI users and ARB users were 0.98, 95% CI, 0.60-1.60, P=0.9333, and 1.13, 95% CI, 0.67-1.91, P=0.6385, respectively. After adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure, antecedent ACEI administration was associated with reduced mortality (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.98, P=0.0436); a similar, but weaker trend was observed for ARB administration (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.32-1.07, P=0.0796). Conclusions In those aged ≥50&nbsp;years hospitalized with COVID-19, antecedent use of ACEI was independently associated with reduced risk of inpatient death. Our findings suggest a protective role of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition in patients with high cardiovascular risk affected by COVID-19

Factors associated with family carers’ fall concern: Prospective study protocol

Background: Family carers are important in preventing community-dwelling older people from falling. Family carers’ concerns about older people's risk of falling could affect their own physical and psychological health, lifestyle, and burden of care. While there are many studies exploring factors associated with fear of falling among older people, there is no research on family carers’ fall concern of older people (care recipients) who are hospitalised. Aim: This paper describes a prospective study protocol exploring the relationship of fall concern, psychological distress, and quality of life of family carers when their care recipient is hospitalised and after discharge. Methods: The study will recruit 180 family carers and older people. Family carers providing support for an older person without cognitive impairment who has been admitted to a private metropolitan hospital in Western Australia and assessed to have a risk of falling will be included. Data will be collected using an interviewer-administered survey. All participants will complete the survey within 48 h before the patient's discharge, follow-up one week later (only for family carers), and again 30 days after the patient is discharged. Data related to falls, fall concern, psychological distress, and quality of life will be obtained from family carers and care recipients. Discussion: This study will provide deeper understanding about the factors affecting fall concern among family carers of older people during hospitalisation and after discharge. This will help healthcare professionals better support family carers to implement fall prevention strategies for older people whilst in hospital and in the community

Antecedent Administration of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists and Survival After Hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Background SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) utilizes the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor to enter human cells. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARB) are associated with ACE-2 upregulation. We hypothesized that antecedent use of ACEI/ARB may be associated with mortality in COVID-19. Methods and Results We used the Coracle registry, which contains data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 4 regions of Italy, and restricted analyses to those ≥ 50 years of age. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Among these 781 acutely ill patients, 133 (17.0%) used an ARB and 171 (21.9%) used an ACEI. While neither sex nor smoking status differed by user groups, patients on ACEI/ARB tended to be older and more likely to have hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure. The overall mortality rate was 15.1% (118/781) and increased with age (PTrend &lt; 0.0001). The crude odds ratios (ORs) for death for ACEI users and ARB users were 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-1.60, p=0.9333, and 1.13, 95% CI: 0.67-1.91, p=0.6385, respectively. After adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure, antecedent ACEI administration was associated with reduced mortality (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31-0.98, p=0.0436); a similar, but weaker trend was observed for ARB administration (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.32-1.07, p=0.0796). Conclusions In those aged ≥50 years hospitalized with COVID-19, antecedent use of ACEI was independently associated with reduced risk of inpatient death. Our findings suggest the protective role of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition in patients with high cardiovascular risk affected by COVID-19