Concert recording 2022-11-11

[Track 1]: Sonata in C minor, HWV 366. I. Adagio ; [Track 2]: II. Bourrée / Georg Frideric Handel -- [Track 3]: Sonata in G Major. I. Andante / Giovanni Sammartini -- [Track 4 and 5]: Sonata in E minor Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762) -- [Track 6]: Sonata in A minor. I. Siciliana ; II. Sprirtuoso / Georg Phillipp Telemann -- [Track 7]: Trois pieces, Op. 31. II. Mélodie / Arthur Foote -- [Track 8]: Souvenir de Madrid / Pedro Soler -- [Track 9]: Concerto for oboe and strings. I. Pastorale / Ralph Vaughan Williams

Concert recording 2022-11-11

[Track 1]: Sonata in C minor, HWV 366. I. Adagio ; [Track 2]: II. Bourrée / Georg Frideric Handel -- [Track 3]: Sonata in G Major. I. Andante / Giovanni Sammartini -- [Track 4 and 5]: Sonata in E minor Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762) -- [Track 6]: Sonata in A minor. I. Siciliana ; II. Sprirtuoso / Georg Phillipp Telemann -- [Track 7]: Trois pieces, Op. 31. II. Mélodie / Arthur Foote -- [Track 8]: Souvenir de Madrid / Pedro Soler -- [Track 9]: Concerto for oboe and strings. I. Pastorale / Ralph Vaughan Williams

Loss-of-Function Variants in Cytoskeletal Genes Are Associated with Early-Onset Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and it is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, stroke, dementia, and death. Recently, titin-truncating variants (TTNtv), which are predominantly associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), were associated with early-onset AF. Furthermore, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) associated AF with other structural genes. In this study, we investigated whether early-onset AF was associated with loss-of-function variants in DCM-associated genes encoding cytoskeletal proteins. Using targeted sequencing, we examined a cohort of 527 Scandinavian individuals with early-onset AF and a control group of individuals free of AF (n = 383). The patients had onset of AF before 50 years of age, normal echocardiogram, and no other cardiovascular disease at onset of AF. We identified six individuals with rare loss-of-function variants in three different genes (dystrophin (DMD), actin-associated LIM protein (PDLIM3), and fukutin (FKTN)), of which two variants were novel. Loss-of-function variants in cytoskeletal genes were significantly associated with early-onset AF when patients were compared with controls (p = 0.044). Using publicly available GWAS data, we performed genetic correlation analyses between AF and 13 other traits, e.g., showing genetic correlation between AF and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (p = 0.0003). Our data suggest that rare loss-of-function variants in cytoskeletal genes previously associated with DCM may have a role in early-onset AF, perhaps through the development of an atrial cardiomyopathy

A pilot and feasibility study to assess children’s consumption in quick-service restaurants using plate waste methodology

Background: Children regularly consume foods from quick-service restaurants (QSR), but little is known about the foods that children order, the calories and nutrients consumed, the accuracy of stated calorie information, or the ability to assess food orders and consumption in QSRs. This study evaluated the feasibility of plate waste collection in QSRs and examined children’s orders and consumption of meals from the standard and children’s menus. Additional aims were to examine if the meals ordered met healthier standards for children’s menu items and determine the accuracy of the QSR-stated energy content of foods. Methods: Fifteen QSRs, two malls, and 116 eligible parents were approached to participate in the study in 2015. Among the families recruited, children’s meal orders and consumption were analyzed using plate waste methodology, and a subsample of foods was analyzed using bomb calorimetry in 2015. Results: Two individual QSRs and one mall food court with two QSRs agreed to participate, and n = 50 participants (parents with children between the ages of 5-10 years) were recruited. Children consumed on average 519 calories, 5.7 g saturated fat, 957 mg sodium, 3.7 g fiber, and 22.7 g sugar. Children ordered and consumed significantly fewer calories and less sodium and sugar with meals ordered exclusively from the children’s menu compared with the standard menu. Overall there were no significant differences between the measured and stated energy contents of the QSR foods. Conclusions: Conducting plate waste research in QSRs is feasible and there is concordance with stated calorie information. Consuming foods exclusively from the children’s menu may help limit overconsumption in QSRs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4171-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

PTX3 Polymorphisms and Invasive Mold Infections After Solid Organ Transplant

Donor PTX3 polymorphisms were shown to influence the risk of invasive aspergillosis among hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Here, we show that PTX3 polymorphisms are independent risk factors for invasive mold infections among 1101 solid organ transplant recipients, thereby strengthening their role in mold infection pathogenesis and patients' risk stratificatio

Improving the cost-effectiveness of IRS with climate informed health surveillance systems

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This paper examines how the cost-effectiveness of IRS varies depending on the severity of transmission and level of programme coverage and how efficiency could be improved by incorporating climate information into decision making for malaria control programmes as part of an integrated Malaria Early Warning and Response System (MEWS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A climate driven model of malaria transmission was used to simulate cost-effectiveness of alternative IRS coverage levels over six epidemic and non-epidemic years. Decision rules for a potential MEWS system that triggers different IRS coverage are described. The average and marginal cost per case averted with baseline IRS coverage (24%) and under varying IRS coverage levels (50%, 75% and 100%) were calculated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average cost-effectiveness of 24% coverage varies dramatically between years, from US$108 per case prevented in low transmission to US$0.42 in epidemic years. Similarly for higher coverage (24–100%) cost per case prevented is far higher in low than high transmission years ($108–$267 to $0.88–$2.26).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Efficiency and health benefit gains could be achieved by implementing MEWS that provides timely, accurate information. Evidence from southern Africa, (especially Botswana) supports this.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Advance knowledge of transmission severity can help managers make coverage decisions which optimise resource use and exploit efficiency gains if a fully integrated MEWS is in place alongside a health system with sufficient flexibility to modify control plans in response to information. More countries and programmes should be supported to use the best available evidence and science to integrate climate informed MEWS into decision making within malaria control programmes.</p

EurOP2E – the European Open Platform for Prescribing Education, a consensus study among clinical pharmacology and therapeutics teachers

Purpose Sharing and developing digital educational resources and open educational resources has been proposed as a way to harmonize and improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education in European medical schools. Previous research, however, has shown that there are barriers to the adoption and implementation of open educational resources. The aim of this study was to determine perceived opportunities and barriers to the use and creation of open educational resources among European CPT teachers and possible solutions for these barriers. Methods CPT teachers of British and EU medical schools completed an online survey. Opportunities and challenges were identified by thematic analyses and subsequently discussed in an international consensus meeting. Results Data from 99 CPT teachers from 95 medical schools were analysed. Thirty teachers (30.3%) shared or collaboratively produced digital educational resources. All teachers foresaw opportunities in the more active use of open educational resources, including improving the quality of their teaching. The challenges reported were language barriers, local differences, lack of time, technological issues, difficulties with quality management, and copyright restrictions. Practical solutions for these challenges were discussed and include a peer review system, clear indexing, and use of copyright licenses that permit adaptation of resources. Conclusion Key challenges to making greater use of CPT open educational resources are a limited applicability of such resources due to language and local differences and quality concerns. These challenges may be resolved by relatively simple measures, such as allowing adaptation and translation of resources and a peer review system

The constitutional dilemma of European integration

The paper analyzes European integration from a constitutional economics perspective. It is argued that the use of the Prisoners' Dilemma as a description of the advantages of European integration is fallacious. If the situation is a PD, the solution is impossible; if it is not, it is unnecessary