Self-Compassion, Self-Injury, and Pain

We conducted an experiment to examine self-compassion and responses to pain among undergraduate women with and without histories of self-injury. After a writing task that has been shown to increase self-compassion in a values-affirming condition relative to a neutral control condition, participants completed a self-report measure of state self-compassion and the cold pressor task. As predicted, participants with a history of self-injury reported lower trait self-compassion than those without such a history, and participants in the values-affirming condition reported significantly higher state self-compassion than those in the control condition. Moreover, participants with a history of self-injury demonstrated significantly less insensitivity to pain in the values-affirming condition than the control condition. Future research should investigate the possibility that interventions involving self-compassion and/or affirmation of values may help correct high-risk responses to pain among those who self-injure

Impulsivity, Rejection Sensitivity, and Reactions to Stressors in Borderline Personality Disorder

This research investigated baseline impulsivity, rejection sensitivity, and reactions to stressors in individuals with borderline personality disorder compared to healthy individuals and those with avoidant personality disorder . The borderline group showed greater impulsivity than the avoidant and healthy groups both in a delay-discounting task with real monetary rewards and in self-reported reactions to stressors; moreover, these findings could not be explained by co-occurring substance use disorders. Distress reactions to stressors were equally elevated in both personality disorder groups (relative to the healthy group). The borderline and avoidant groups also reported more maladaptive reactions to a stressor of an interpersonal versus non-interpersonal nature, whereas the healthy group did not. Finally, self-reported impulsive reactions to stressors were associated with baseline impulsivity in the delay-discounting task, and greater self-reported reactivity to interpersonal than non-interpersonal stressors was associated with rejection sensitivity. This research highlights distinct vulnerabilities contributing to impulsive behavior in borderline personality disorder

Early-onset progressive retinal atrophy associated with an IQCB1 variant in African black-footed cats (Felis nigripes)

African black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) are endangered wild felids. One male and full-sibling female African black-footed cat developed vision deficits and mydriasis as early as 3 months of age. The diagnosis of early-onset progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) was supported by reduced direct and consensual pupillary light reflexes, phenotypic presence of retinal degeneration, and a non-recordable electroretinogram with negligible amplitudes in both eyes. Whole genome sequencing, conducted on two unaffected parents and one affected offspring was compared to a variant database from 51 domestic cats and a Pallas cat, revealed 50 candidate variants that segregated concordantly with the PRA phenotype. Testing in additional affected cats confirmed that cats homozygous for a 2 base pair (bp) deletion within IQ calmodulin-binding motif-containing protein-1 (IQCB1), the gene that encodes for nephrocystin-5 (NPHP5), had vision loss. The variant segregated concordantly in other related individuals within the pedigree supporting the identification of a recessively inherited early-onset feline PRA. Analysis of the black-footed cat studbook suggests additional captive cats are at risk. Genetic testing for IQCB1 and avoidance of matings between carriers should be added to the species survival plan for captive management

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

1109. A multicenter, observational study to compare the effectiveness of C eftazidime- A vibactam versus C eftolozane- T azobactam for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in the U nited S tates (CACTUS)

Abstract Background Ceftolozane-tazobactam (CT) and ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) are front-line agents for treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa; however, real-world comparative-effectiveness data are lacking. Methods CACTUS is a retrospective, matched, multicenter study to compare the efficacy of CT and CZA among patients with bacteremia or pneumonia due to MDR P. aeruginosa. CT and CZA patients were matched 1:1 within each study site by the presence/absence of septic shock/severe sepsis, infection site, and time to treatment initiation. The primary outcome was clinical success at day 30 defined as survival, resolution of signs/symptoms with the intended treatment course, and absence of recurrent infections. Patients with cystic fibrosis or COVID-19 infection within 90 days were excluded. Results 234 patients were included from 20 sites. Patient demographics, severity of illness, infection types, and treatment durations were similar for patients treated with CT or CZA (Table 1). The overall median age was 61 years, 61% were male, and the median Charlson score was 5. At study drug initiation, 77% of patients were in the ICU, 67% received mechanical ventilation and the median SOFA score was 7. 79% of patients were treated for pneumonia; 72% of which occurred in ventilated patients. The median time from index culture to treatment initiation was 72 hours in both groups; CT patients were more likely to receive a prolonged infusion of ≥3 hours (36% vs 19%; P=0.005). Clinical success occurred in 62% and 55% of patients receiving CT and CZA, respectively (P=0.35; Table 1). Corresponding rates of success for pneumonia were 63% and 52%, respectively (P=0.13; Figure 1). All-cause, 30-day mortality rate was 20% and 19%, respectively. Microbiologic failures, recurrent infections, and development of resistance within 90 days were similar between groups. Time to a composite endpoint of recurrent infection or death within 90 days was similar between groups in the overall analysis and the subgroup of patients with pneumonia (Figure 2). Conclusion In this interim analysis of the CACTUS study, patients treated with CT and CZA had similar clinical outcomes. We plan to continue enrollment up to 420 patients to detect if any differences exist in the efficacy of CT and CZA for MDR P. aeruginosa infections. Disclosures Ryan K. Shields, PharmD, MS, Allergan: Advisor/Consultant|Cidara: Advisor/Consultant|Entasis: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|Melinta: Advisor/Consultant|Melinta: Grant/Research Support|Menarini: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Roche: Grant/Research Support|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Grant/Research Support|Utility: Advisor/Consultant|Venatorx: Advisor/Consultant|Venatorx: Grant/Research Support Lilian M. Abbo, MD, MBA, Ferring: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Regeneron: Grant/Research Support|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant Ahmed Babiker, MBBS, Roche: Advisor/Consultant Kimberly C. Claeys, PharmD, Abbvie: Advisor/Consultant|bioMérieux Inc.: Advisor/Consultant|bioMérieux Inc.: Speaker|La Jolla Pharmaceuticals: Advisor/Consultant|Melinta Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant Jason C. Gallagher, PharmD, Entasis: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Qpex: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Spero: Advisor/Consultant Emily L. Heil, PharmD, MS, Wolters Kluwer-LexiComp: Advisor/Consultant Wesley D. Kufel, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, AAHIVP, Merck and Co: Grant/Research Support Amy Mathers, MD, D(ABMM), Merck: Advisor/Consultant Erin K. McCreary, PharmD, Abbvie: Advisor/Consultant|Ferring: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Honoraria|La Jolla (Entasis): Advisor/Consultant|LabSimply: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Honoraria Christopher Polk, MD, ViiVHealthcare: Job change to work for ViiV as Medical Director Michael J. Satlin, MD, AbbVie: IDMC member|Biomerieux: Grant/Research Support|Merck: Grant/Research Support|SNIPRBiome: Grant/Research Support Michael Veve, PharmD, MPH, National Institutes of Health: Grant/Research Support|Paratek Pharmaceuticals: Grant/Research Support jason M. Pogue, PharmD, AbbVie: Advisor/Consultant|Entasis: Advisor/Consultant|Ferring: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Advisor/Consultant|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Qpex: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultan