Plant trait and vegetation data along a 1314 m elevation gradient with fire history in Puna grasslands, Perú

Alpine grassland vegetation supports globally important biodiversity and ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by climate warming and other environmental changes. Trait-based approaches can support understanding of vegetation responses to global change drivers and consequences for ecosystem functioning. In six sites along a 1314 m elevational gradient in Puna grasslands in the Peruvian Andes, we collected datasets on vascular plant composition, plant functional traits, biomass, ecosystem fluxes, and climate data over three years. The data were collected in the wet and dry season and from plots with different fire histories. We selected traits associated with plant resource use, growth, and life history strategies (leaf area, leaf dry/wet mass, leaf thickness, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf C, N, P content, C and N isotopes). The trait dataset contains 3,665 plant records from 145 taxa, 54,036 trait measurements (increasing the trait data coverage of the regional flora by 420%) covering 14 traits and 121 plant taxa (ca. 40% of which have no previous publicly available trait data) across 33 families

Radiation dose reduction in chest dual-energy computed tomography: effect on image quality and diagnostic information

Abstract Objective: To determine whether dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) of the chest can be performed at a reduced radiation dose, with an emphasis on images generated with post-processing techniques. Materials and Methods: In 21 patients undergoing DECT of the chest in a dual-source scanner, an additional image series was acquired at a reduced radiation dose. Four thoracic radiologists assessed both image series for image quality, normal thoracic structures, as well as pulmonary and mediastinal abnormalities, on virtual monochromatic images at 40 keV and 60 keV. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test, kappa statistics, analysis of variance, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The overall image quality of 60 keV virtual monochromatic images at a reduced radiation dose was considered optimal in all patients, and no abnormalities were missed. Contrast enhancement and lesion detection performance were comparable between reduced-dose images at 40 keV and standard-of-care images at 60 keV. The intraobserver and interobserver agreement were both good. The mean volumetric CT dose index (CTDIvol), size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), dose-length product (DLP), and effective dose (ED) for reduced-dose DECT were 3.0 ± 0.6 mGy, 4.0 ± 0.6 mGy, 107 ± 30 mGy.cm, and 1.5 ± 0.4 mSv, respectively. Conclusion: DECT of the chest can be performed at a reduced radiation dose (CTDIvol < 3 mGy) without loss of diagnostic information

Assessing the Relationship Between Race, Language, and Surgical Admissions in the Emergency Department

Introduction: English proficiency and race are both independently known to affect surgical access and quality, but relatively little is known about the impact of race and limited English proficiency (LEP) on admission for emergency surgery from the emergency department (ED). Our objective was to examine the influence of race and English proficiency on admission for emergency surgery from the ED.Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study from January 1–December 31, 2019 at a large, quaternary-care urban, academic medical center with a 66-bed ED Level I trauma and burn center. We included ED patients of all self-reported races reporting a preferred language other than English and requiring an interpreter or declaring English as their preferred language (control group). A multivariable logistic regression was fit to assess the association of LEP status, race, age, gender, method of arrival to the ED, insurance status, and the interaction between LEP status and race with admission for surgery from the ED.Results: A total of 85,899 patients (48.1% female) were included in this analysis, of whom 3,179 (3.7%) were admitted for emergent surgery. Regardless of LEP status, patients identifying as Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.456, 95% CI 0.388-0.533; P&lt;0.005), Asian [OR 0.759, 95% CI 0.612-0.929]; P=0.009), or female [OR 0.926, 95% CI 0.862-0.996]; P=0.04) had significantly lower odds for admission for surgery from the ED compared to White patients. Compared to individuals on Medicare, those with private insurance [OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13-1.39; P &lt;0.005) were significantly more likely to be admitted for emergent surgery, whereas those without insurance [OR 0.581, 95% CI 0.323-0.958; P=0.05) were significantly less likely to be admitted for emergent surgery. There was no significant difference in odds of admission for surgery between LEP vs non-LEP patients.Conclusion: Individuals without health insurance and those identifying as female, Black, or Asian had significantly lower odds of admission for surgery from the ED compared to those with health insurance, males, and those self-identifying as White, respectively. Future studies should assess the reasons underpinning this finding to elucidate impact on patient outcomes.&nbsp