Roadmap Towards Communitywide Intercalibration and Standardization of Ocean Nucleic Acids ‘Omics Measurements

In January 2020, the US Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office funded the Ocean Nucleic Acids 'omics Intercalibration and Standardization workshop held at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Thirty-two participants from across the US, along with guests from Canada and France, met to develop a framework for standardization and intercalibration (S&I) of ocean nucleic acid ‘omics (na’omics) approaches (i.e., amplicon sequencing, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics). During the three-day workshop, participants discussed numerous topics, including: a) sample biomass collection and nucleic acid preservation for downstream analysis, b) extraction protocols for nucleic acids, c) addition of standard reference material to nucleic acid isolation protocols, d) isolation methods unique to RNA, e) sequence library construction, and f ) integration of bioinformatic considerations. This report provides a summary of these and other topics covered during the workshop and a series of recommendations for future S&I activities for na’omics approaches.The Ocean Nucleic Acids ‘Omics Intercalibration and Standardization Workshop was supported by grants from the Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry Program (OCB) – funding provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – and the Simons Foundation. This report was developed with federal support of NSF (OCE-1558412) and NASA (NNX17AB17G)

Rethinking property in c\a\n\a\d\a

32 pages, 8 imagesIndigenous and settler architects and urbanists reimagine Canadian cities and discuss property division as the hinge between settler colonialism and architecture/urban form. The conversation is informed by the issue 12-13 of the journal Scapegoat: Architecture / Landscape / Political Economy titled c\a\n\a\d\a: delineating nation state capitalism edited by David Fortin and Adrian Blackwell. Rethinking property in c\a\n\a\d\a transcribes a virtual round table conversation co-hosted by the Research Centre in Interdisciplinary Arts and Creative Culture (Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University) and the Salon für Kunstbuch (Vienna, Austria) on 10 November 2021.This publication draws on research supported and generously funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Office of the Vice-President, Research at Brock University. We further acknowledge the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts for its support

Gain and loss of function of P2X7 receptors: Mechanisms, pharmacology and relevance to diabetic neuropathic pain

Background: Genetic causes of exaggerated or reduced pain sensitivity in humans are well known. Recently, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene P2RX7, coding for the ATP-gated ion channel P2X7, have been described that cause gain-of-function (GOF) and loss-of-function (LOF), respectively of this channel. Importantly, P2RX7 SNPs have been associated with more or less severe pain scores in patient suffering of post-mastectomy pain and osteoarthritis. Results: The functional consequences of some P2RX7 SNPs (rs208294 (His155Tyr), rs1718119 (Ala348Thr) and rs3751143 (Glu496Ala)) were studied in recombinant cells in vitro. Our findings suggest a correlation between GOF and LOF of P2X7 and actual channel protein expression. Both channel and pore function for these mutant P2X7 receptors changed in parallel to protein levels. On the other hand, the mutant receptors did not differ in their sensitivity to known P2X7 agonists and antagonists. We further demonstrated that in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP), the presence of the GOF SNPs rs208294 (His155Tyr) and rs1718119 (Ala348Thr) is associated, in females, with higher pain intensity scores. Conclusions: Our present results confirm the physiological relevance of some of the SNPs in the P2RX7 gene and show that the presence of these genetic variants correlates with pain sensitivity also in a diabetic neuropathic pain patient population

The Vehicle, 1967, Vol. 9 no. 2

Table of Contents Commentarypage 3 SketchAnn Butlerpage 4 I Take A Long-Out-of-Use BookAnthony Griggspage 5 The Leaf StemDianne Cochranpage 6 The Four MusketeersJim Courterpage 7 Status QuoAdrian Beardpage 7 SketchAnn Butlerpage 8 NocturneMike Baldwinpage 9 Oh Impatient HeartK. H. Shariffpage 9 Letter to a FianceeMaurice Snivelypage 10 Listen!Bonnie Blackpage 11 The Water\u27s EdgeStephen W. Gibbspage 12 TogetherDavid Reifpage 13 SketchAnn Butlerpage 14 Evening TimeSharon Nelsonpage 15 Japanese HaikuBev Hensonpage 15 Of Love and WarBruce Czeluscinskipage 16 Always AloneKib Voorheespage 17 the end of loveJackie Bratcherpage 18 1-20-66Sharon Nelsonpage 19 Blessed Are WeBonnie Marie Beckpage 19 The Time To LiveNeil Tracypage 20 Imminent AwakeningHelen Coxpage 21 The Dead Panther LairMolly J. Evanspage 21 Good SheepMike Tilfordpage 22 The Flame of LifeJacki Jacquespage 23 Then Arrives The Day Of DarkMolly J. Evanspage 23 Sketch: To love is to rememberAnn Butlerpage 24 Hidden RiversCharles J. Mertzpage 25 SilenceLinda G. Phillipspage 26 December - 1964Bonnie Blackpage 26 LoveHazel Thomaspage 27 To Praise A Good Man Neil Tracypage 28 Definitions \u2767Sharon Nelsonpage 29 To Wish Is a CrimeBonnie Marie Beckpage 30 College MadhatterMaurice Snivelypage 31 No. 8Sharon Nelsonpage 32 The Open FireSusan Williamspage 32https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1017/thumbnail.jp

Real-Time Electronic Health Record Mortality Prediction During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected millions of people, overwhelming critical care resources in some regions. Many plans for rationing critical care resources during crises are based on the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. The COVID-19 pandemic created an emergent need to develop and validate a novel electronic health record (EHR)-computable tool to predict mortality. Research Questions: To rapidly develop, validate, and implement a novel real-time mortality score for the COVID-19 pandemic that improves upon SOFA. Study Design and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of a regional health system with 12 hospitals in Colorado between March 2020 and July 2020. All patients >14 years old hospitalized during the study period without a do not resuscitate order were included. Patients were stratified by the diagnosis of COVID-19. From this cohort, we developed and validated a model using stacked generalization to predict mortality using data widely available in the EHR by combining five previously validated scores and additional novel variables reported to be associated with COVID-19-specific mortality. We compared the area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) for the new model to the SOFA score and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: We prospectively analyzed 27,296 encounters, of which 1,358 (5.0%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, 4,494 (16.5%) included intensive care unit (ICU)-level care, 1,480 (5.4%) included invasive mechanical ventilation, and 717 (2.6%) ended in death. The Charlson Comorbidity Index and SOFA scores predicted overall mortality with an AUROC of 0.72 and 0.90, respectively. Our novel score predicted overall mortality with AUROC 0.94. In the subset of patients with COVID-19, we predicted mortality with AUROC 0.90, whereas SOFA had AUROC of 0.85. Interpretation: We developed and validated an accurate, in-hospital mortality prediction score in a live EHR for automatic and continuous calculation using a novel model, that improved upon SOFA. Study Question: Can we improve upon the SOFA score for real-time mortality prediction during the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging electronic health record (EHR) data? Results: We rapidly developed and implemented a novel yet SOFA-anchored mortality model across 12 hospitals and conducted a prospective cohort study of 27,296 adult hospitalizations, 1,358 (5.0%) of which were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The Charlson Comorbidity Index and SOFA scores predicted all-cause mortality with AUROCs of 0.72 and 0.90, respectively. Our novel score predicted mortality with AUROC 0.94. Interpretation: A novel EHR-based mortality score can be rapidly implemented to better predict patient outcomes during an evolving pandemic

Assessing the Predictive Validity of Simple Dementia Risk Models in Harmonized Stroke Cohorts

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is associated with an increased risk of dementia. To assist in the early identification of individuals at high risk of future dementia, numerous prediction models have been developed for use in the general population. However, it is not known whether such models also provide accurate predictions among stroke patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether existing dementia risk prediction models that were developed for use in the general population can also be applied to individuals with a history of stroke to predict poststroke dementia with equivalent predictive validity. METHODS: Data were harmonized from 4 stroke studies (follow-up range, ≈12–18 months poststroke) from Hong Kong, the United States, the Netherlands, and France. Regression analysis was used to test 3 risk prediction models: the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia score, the Australian National University Alzheimer Disease Risk Index, and the Brief Dementia Screening Indicator. Model performance or discrimination accuracy was assessed using the C statistic or area under the curve. Calibration was tested using the Grønnesby and Borgan and the goodness-of-fit tests. RESULTS: The predictive accuracy of the models varied but was generally low compared with the original development cohorts, with the Australian National University Alzheimer Disease Risk Index (C-statistic, 0.66) and the Brief Dementia Screening Indicator (C-statistic, 0.61) both performing better than the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia score (area under the curve, 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: Dementia risk prediction models developed for the general population do not perform well in individuals with stroke. Their poor performance could have been due to the need for additional or different predictors related to stroke and vascular risk factors or methodological differences across studies (eg, length of follow-up, age distribution)

C-N-P interactions control climate driven changes in regional patterns of C storage on the North Slope of Alaska

Context: As climate warms, changes in the carbon (C) balance of arctic tundra will play an important role in the global C balance. The C balance of tundra is tightly coupled to the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles because soil organic matter is the principal source of plant-available nutrients and determines the spatial variation of vegetation biomass across the North Slope of Alaska. Warming will accelerate these nutrient cycles, which should stimulate plant growth. Objectives and methods: We applied the multiple element limitation model to investigate the spatial distribution of soil organic matter and vegetation on the North Slope of Alaska and examine the effects of changes in N and P cycles on tundra C budgets under climate warming. Results: The spatial variation of vegetation biomass on the North Slope is mainly determined by nutrient mineralization, rather than air temperature. Our simulations show substantial increases in N and P mineralization with climate warming and consequent increases in nutrient availability to plants. There are distinctly different changes in N versus P cycles in response to warming. N is lost from the region because the warming-induced increase in N mineralization is in excess of plant uptake. However, P is more tightly cycled than N and the small loss of P under warming can be compensated by entrainment of recently weathered P into the ecosystem cycle. The increase in nutrient availability results in larger C gains in vegetation than C losses from soils and hence a net accumulation of C in the ecosystems. Conclusions: The ongoing climate warming in Arctic enhances mineralization and leads to a net transfer of nutrient from soil organic matter to vegetation, thereby stimulating tundra plant growth and increased C sequestration in the tundra ecosystems. The C balance of the region is predominantly controlled by the internal nutrient cycles, and the external nutrient supply only exerts a minor effect on C budget.Keywords: Climate warming, C balance, Nutrient budget, C-nutrient interaction, Nutrient limitatio

Brief communication Social and clinical predictors of drug-resistant tuberculosis in a public hospital, Monterrey, Mexico

a b s t r a c t Purpose: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) is steadily increasing in Mexico, but little is known of patient risk factors in the MexicoeUnited States border region. This preliminary case-control study included 95 patients with active pulmonary TB with drug susceptibility results attending the José E. González University Hospital in the urban hub of Nuevo Leóndthe Monterrey Metropolitan Area. We report potential social and clinical risk factors of DRTB among this hospital-based sample. Methods: We collected data through face-to-face interviews and medical record reviews from 25 cases with DRTB and 70 drug-sensitive controls. DNA was collected to assess an effect of genetic ancestry on DRTB by using a panel of 291,917 genomic markers. We calculated crude and multivariate logistic regression. Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that prior TB treatment (odds ratio, 4.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.9e21.1) and use of crack cocaine (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1e18.7) were associated with DRTB. No other variables, including genetic ancestry and comorbidities, were predictive. Conclusions: Health care providers may benefit from recognizing predictors of DRTB in regions where routine drug susceptibility testing is limited. Prior TB treatment and illicit drug use, specifically crack cocaine, may be important risk factors for DRTB in this region