Accuracy of Genomic EBV Using an Evenly Spaced, Low-density SNP Panel in Broiler Chickens

Whole-genome or genomic selection is based on associations of large number of markers across the genome with phenotype but will require use of small SNP panels to be cost effective in chickens. The potential loss of accuracy of genotyping selection candidates with an evenly-spaced low-density marker panel and imputation of high-density SNP genotypes was evaluated in a commercial broiler chicken line. Several methods were used to estimate marker effects. The loss in accuracy was less than 5% for different methods and traits. Thus, genomic selection using evenly-spaced low-density marker panels is a cost-effective choice for implementation of genomic selection

The genetic history of the Southern Arc: a bridge between West Asia and Europe

By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra–West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Accuracy of Genomic EBV Using an Evenly Spaced, Low-density SNP Panel in Broiler Chickens

Whole-genome or genomic selection is based on associations of large number of markers across the genome with phenotype but will require use of small SNP panels to be cost effective in chickens. The potential loss of accuracy of genotyping selection candidates with an evenly-spaced low-density marker panel and imputation of high-density SNP genotypes was evaluated in a commercial broiler chicken line. Several methods were used to estimate marker effects. The loss in accuracy was less than 5% for different methods and traits. Thus, genomic selection using evenly-spaced low-density marker panels is a cost-effective choice for implementation of genomic selection.</p

The preservation of sarin and O,O’-diisopropyl fluorophosphate inside coordination cage hosts

The host-guest chemistry of O,O-diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), a phosphonofluoridate G-series chemical warfare agent simulant, in the presence of a number of octanuclear cubic coordination cages was investigated. The aim was to demonstrate cage-catalysed hydrolysis of DFP at near neutral pH, however, two octanuclear coordination cages, HPEG (containing water solubilising PEG groups) and HW (containing water solubilising hydroxymethyl groups), were actually found to increase the lifetime of DFP in aqueous buffer solution (pH 8.7). Crystallographic analysis of DFP with a structurally related cage revealed that DFP binds to windows in the cage surface, not the internal cavity, with the phosphorus-fluorine bond directed into the cavity rather than towards the external environment, with the cage/DFP association protecting DFP from hydrolysis. Initial studies with the chemical warfare agent (CWA) sarin (GB) with HPEG cage in a buffered solution also drastically reduced the rate of hydrolysis. The ability of these cages to inhibit the hydrolysis of these P-F bond containing organophosphorus guests, by encapsulation, may have applications in forensic sample preservation and analysis

Application of Genomic Selection Using an Evenly Spaced Low-density Marker Panel in Broiler Chickens

In this study, a commercial broiler chicken line was used to verify the feasibility and accuracy of genomic selection using an evenly spaced low-density marker panel. Body weight and hen house production (the cumulative egg production over the laying period, up to 22 weeks or until culled) were used as example traits. The training population included 2,302 birds, of which 1,259 were genotyped using a high-density marker panel with 36,455 markers across the genome, and the other 1,043 birds were genotyped with a low-density marker panel with 384 markers. The validation population included 3,720 birds genotyped with the lowdensity marker panel. A rule-based method combined with a Gibbs sampler was used to impute missing genotypes for the birds genotyped at low-density. Several methods were employed to predict genomic estimated breeding values for validation birds. Results showed that accuracy of genomic prediction was 7–8% higher compared to estimated breeding values from pedigree for body weight, and 4% higher for hen house production. We conclude that genomic selection can be implemented with low-density marker panels combined with imputation.</p

Electromechanical Cornea Reshaping for Refractive Vision Therapy.

The corneal stroma consists of orthogonally stacked collagen-fibril lamellae that determine the shape of the cornea and provide most of the refractive power of the eye. We have applied electromechanical reshaping (EMR), an electrochemical platform for remodeling cartilage and other semirigid tissues, to change the curvature of the cornea as a potential procedure for nonsurgical vision correction. EMR relies on short electrochemical pulses to electrolyze water, with subsequent diffusion of protons into the extracellular matrix of collagenous tissues; protonation of immobilized anions within this matrix disrupts the ionic-bonding network, leaving the tissue transiently responsive to mechanical remodeling. Re-equilibration to physiological pH restores the ionic matrix, resulting in persistent shape change of the tissue. Using ex vivo rabbit eyes, we demonstrate here the controlled change of corneal curvature over a wide range of refractive powers with no loss of optical transparency. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), combined with second-harmonic generation (SHG) and confocal microscopy, establish that EMR enables extremely fine control of corneal contouring while maintaining the underlying macromolecular collagen structure and stromal cellular viability, positioning electrochemical vision therapy as a potentially simple and ultralow-cost modality for correcting routine refractive errors