Characterization of Coffee ringspot virus-Lavras: A model for an emerging threat to coffee production and quality

AbstractThe emergence of viruses in Coffee (Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora), the most widely traded agricultural commodity in the world, is of critical concern. The RNA1 (6552nt) of Coffee ringspot virus is organized into five open reading frames (ORFs) capable of encoding the viral nucleocapsid (ORF1p), phosphoprotein (ORF2p), putative cell-to-cell movement protein (ORF3p), matrix protein (ORF4p) and glycoprotein (ORF5p). Each ORF is separated by a conserved intergenic junction. RNA2 (5945nt), which completes the bipartite genome, encodes a single protein (ORF6p) with homology to RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Phylogenetic analysis of L protein sequences firmly establishes CoRSV as a member of the recently proposed Dichorhavirus genus. Predictive algorithms, in planta protein expression, and a yeast-based nuclear import assay were used to determine the nucleophillic character of five CoRSV proteins. Finally, the temperature-dependent ability of CoRSV to establish systemic infections in an initially local lesion host was quantified

Co-utilization of opioids and nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic drugs in U.S. ambulatory care visits, 2006–2016

Objective(s): This study aimed to characterize the co-utilization of non-benzodiazepine sedative ‘Z’-drugs with opioids at ambulatory care visits in the United States. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) from 2006 to 2016 was completed. Setting and participants: Ambulatory care visits in the United States involving adult patients with an opioid prescription were included in the analysis. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was initiation or continuation of a Z-drug (zolpidem, eszopiclone, or zaleplon) in a patient visit in conjunction with an opioid medication. Results: The authors analyzed 564,090,296 visits (weighted from a sample of 28,773) with a reported opioid prescription. Co-utilization of opioids with Z-drugs fluctuated during the study period beginning at 4.0% in 2006 (95% CI 2.2%–5.7%), 6.3% in 2012 (3.7%–8.9%), and 4.7% in 2016 (2.8%–6.5%). Among all opioid visits in the study period, co-utilization with a Z-drug was not significantly different among female patients compared with male patients (5.26% vs. 4.63%, P = 0.26). Among visits with concomitant opioid and Z-drugs, 7.0% reported new initiation of both medications in the same visit. Conclusion: At ambulatory care visits between 2006 and 2016, co-utilization of opioids and Z-drugs fluctuated with some differences by sex. Major regulatory advisories and policy changes during this period may have contributed to these varying rates of utilization. Additional work is needed to identify predictors of co-utilization and downstream consequences more widely

Changes in Prescribing by Provider Type Following a State Prescription Opioid Restriction Law

Background: Many states have implemented opioid days’ supply restriction policies, leading to reductions in opioid prescribing. Although research within certain provider types exist, no study has evaluated a restriction policy by various provider types. Objective: To evaluate changes in opioid utilization following a days’ supply restriction policy stratified by provider type: surgery, emergency medicine, primary care, specialty care, and dentistry. Design: Interrupted time series (ITS) Participants: Opioid prescription claims of patients in a private health plan serving a large Florida employer from 1/1/2015 to 3/31/2019. Provider types were determined using the Healthcare Provider Taxonomy Code associated with the national provider identifier (NPI). Interventions: Florida’s opioid restriction policy implemented on July 1, 2018. Main Measures: Changes in mean morphine milligram equivalent (MMEs), mean days’ supply, and mean number of units dispensed per opioid prescription before and after policy implementation. Key Results: There were 10,583 opioid initial prescriptions dispensed. Treating providers were classified as surgery (16.4%; n = 1732), emergency care (14.3%; n = 1516), primary care (21.2%; n = 2241), specialty care (11.4%; n = 1207), and dentistry providers (23.7%; n = 2511). Significant reductions in mean days’ supply were observed across most provider types ranging from 14% reduction for dentistry providers to 41% reduction for specialty care providers. Significant changes were observed for emergency care and specialty care providers with a 30% (p = 0.001)and 29% (p < 0.001) reduction in mean MME, respectively, and a 27% (p = 0.040) reduction in mean number of units dispensed in emergency care providers, after implementation. Pre-implementation trends in opioid prescribing varied by provider type impacting the effects of the opioid days’ supply restriction policy. Conclusions: Pre-policy opioid prescribing varied by provider type with a differential impact on mean MMEs, mean days’ supply, and mean number of units dispensed per prescription following implementation

Taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales: update 2016

In 2016, the order Mononegavirales was emended through the addition of two new families (Mymonaviridae and Sunviridae), the elevation of the paramyxoviral subfamily Pneumovirinae to family status (Pneumoviridae), the addition of five free-floating genera (Anphevirus, Arlivirus, Chengtivirus, Crustavirus, and Wastrivirus), and several other changes at the genus and species levels. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales as now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)