Recombination of vibrationally cold N2+ ions with electrons.

Recombination of vibrationally cold N2+ ions with electrons was studied in the temperature range of 140-250 K. A cryogenic stationary afterglow apparatus equipped with cavity ring-down spectrometer and microwave diagnostics was utilized to probe in situ the time evolutions of number densities of particular rotational and vibrational states of N2+ ions and of electrons. The obtained value of the recombination rate coefficient for the recombination of the vibrational ground state of N2+ with electrons is αv=0 = (2.95 ± 0.50) × 10-7(300/T)(0.28±0.07) cm3 s-1, while that for the first vibrationally excited state was inferred as αv=1 = (4 ± 4) × 10-8 cm3 s-1 at 250 K.

Epidemiology of post-COVID conditions beyond 1 year: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of post-COVID conditions beyond 12 months and identify factors associated with the persistence of each condition. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey. METHODS: We conducted the survey among patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and visited our institute between February 2020 and November 2021. Demographic and clinical data and data regarding the presence and duration of post-COVID conditions were obtained. We identified factors associated with the persistence of post-COVID conditions using multivariable linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 1148 surveyed patients, 502 completed the survey (response rate, 43.7%). Of these, 393 patients (86.4%) had mild disease in the acute phase. The proportion of participants with at least one symptom at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after symptom onset or COVID-19 diagnosis was 32.3% (124/384), 30.5% (71/233), 25.8% (24/93), and 33.3% (2/6), respectively. The observed associations were as follows: fatigue persistence with moderate or severe COVID-19 (ß = 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.99); shortness of breath with moderate or severe COVID-19 (ß = 1.39, 95% CI = 0.91-1.87); cough with moderate or severe COVID-19 (ß = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.40-1.29); dysosmia with being female (ß = -0.57, 95% CI = -0.97 to -0.18) and absence of underlying medical conditions (ß = -0.43, 95% CI = -0.82 to -0.05); hair loss with being female (ß = -0.61, 95% CI = -1.00 to -0.22), absence of underlying medical conditions (ß = -0.42, 95% CI = -0.80 to 0.04), and moderate or severe COVID-19 (ß = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.41-1.54); depressed mood with younger age (ß = -0.02, 95% CI = -0.04 to -0.004); and loss of concentration with being female (ß = -0.51, 95% CI = -0.94 to -0.09). CONCLUSIONS: More than one-fourth of patients after recovery from COVID-19, most of whom had had mild disease in the acute phase, had at least one symptom at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after onset of COVID-19, indicating that not a few patients with COVID-19 suffer from long-term residual symptoms, even in mild cases.

Sensitivity of Mucor piriformis to Natamycin and Efficacy of Natamycin Alone and with Salt and Heat Treatments Against Mucor Rot of Stored Mandarin Fruit.

Mucor rot caused by Mucor piriformis is an emerging postharvest disease of mandarin fruit in California. Natamycin is a newly registered biofungicide for postharvest use on citrus and some other fruits. In the study, baseline sensitivity to natamycin in 50 isolates of M. piriformis was determined in vitro. The mean EC50 (effective concentration to inhibit sporangiospore germination by 50%) and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration to inhibit mycelial growth by 100%) values were 0.59 µg/ml and less than 1.0 µg/ml, respectively. Natamycin at the label rate of 920 µg/ml alone or in combination with 3% potassium sorbate (PS) or 3% sodium carbonate (SC) applied at 20 or 50°C was evaluated for control of Mucor rot on inoculated 'Tango' mandarin fruit. Natamycin alone reduced Mucor rot incidence on stored mandarin fruit from 100% among nontreated control fruit to approximately 30%, a reduction of more than 70% compared to the nontreated control, while 3% PS and 3% SC had no to little control. When applied at 50°C, natamycin and 3% PS reduced Mucor rot incidence by 65.0 and 31.2%, respectively; while natamycin in combination with 3% PS reduced disease incidence by 92.5% compared to the nontreated control after 2 weeks of storage at 5°C. This combined treatment remained effective even when the application of the treatment was delayed for 6 and 12 h after inoculation. However, the effectiveness of the treatments declined when storage was extended to 3 or 4 weeks. Natamycin can be an effective tool to control Mucor rot on mandarin fruit, and minimizing the period of extended storage could help maintain the control efficacy of natamycin.

Post COVID-19 condition of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of post coronavirus disease (COVID-19) condition of the Omicron variant in comparison to other strains. STUDY DESIGN: A single-center cross-sectional study. METHODS: Patients who recovered from Omicron COVID-19 infection (Omicron group) were interviewed via telephone, and patients infected with other strains (control group) were surveyed via a self-reporting questionnaire. Data on patients' characteristics, information regarding the acute-phase COVID-19, as well as presence and duration of COVID-19-related symptoms were obtained. Post COVID-19 condition in this study was defined as a symptom that lasted for at least 2 months, within 3 months of COVID-19 onset. We investigated and compared the prevalence of post COVID-19 condition in both groups after performing propensity score matching. RESULTS: We conducted interviews for 53 out of 128 patients with Omicron and obtained 502 responses in the control group. After matching cases with controls, 18 patients from both groups had improved covariate balance of the factors: older adult, female sex, obesity, and vaccination status. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of each post COVID-19 condition between the two groups. The number of patients with at least one post COVID-19 condition in the Omicron and control groups were 1 (5.6%) and 10 (55.6%) (p = 0.003), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of post Omicron COVID-19 conditions was less than that of the other strains. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to investigate the precise epidemiology of post COVID-19 condition of Omicron, and its impact on health-related quality of life and social productivity.

Effects of age at estrogen replacement therapy initiation on trabecular bone score in Japanese adults with Turner syndrome.

The effects of the age at estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) initiation on bone quality in Turner syndrome were evaluated using trabecular bone score. Early puberty ERT positively correlated with increase in bone quality. Early initiation of ERT is necessary for the acquisition of bone quality as well as bone density. INTRODUCTION: Studies have reported associations between bone mineral density and estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in Turner syndrome (TS) patients; however, few studies exist on the effect on bone quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the age at ERT initiation on bone quality of Japanese TS patients, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. METHODS: Cross-sectionally, 95 TS patients were divided into three groups based on their age at initiation of ERT: A (12-14 years, 11 patients), B (15-17 years, 47 patients), and C (over 18 years, 37 patients). To assess bone quality, trabecular bone score (TBS) was used. The effects of age at initiation and duration of ERT on TBS were examined using multiple regression analysis. In the longitudinal study, 48 patients who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry multiple times were divided into three groups: D (12-14 years, 8 patients), E (15-17 years, 18 patients), and F (over 18 years, 22 patients). Each group was analyzed for the rate of change in TBS per year. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, the TBS showed significant differences among the three groups (TBS A, 1.302; B, 1.299; C, 1.245) (p = 0.013); group C was significantly lower than B (p = 0.014); bone quality was degraded. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age at ERT initiation significantly affected the increase in TBS (p = 0.002). Longitudinally, the rate of change of TBS was not significantly different in the three groups (p = 0.73). CONCLUSION: Early initiation of ERT may have positive effects on bone quality in TS. Large prospective studies will be needed.

Fungicide Resistance Profiles of Botrytis cinerea Isolates From Michigan Vineyards and Development of a TaqMan Assay for Detection of Fenhexamid Resistance.

Botrytis cinerea on grapes causes bunch rot at both pre- and postharvest stages, in which losses can reach up to 100%. Chemical control primarily relies on the prophylactic use of site-specific fungicides. Repeated applications of these products raise the risk of fungicide resistance development in B. cinerea populations, which can result in disease control failures. To determine the extent of resistance, B. cinerea isolates were collected from grape clusters in the northwest and southwest grape growing regions of Michigan in 2014 and 2018 (n = 115 and 125, respectively). These isolates were phenotyped using discriminatory doses of eight fungicides to determine the levels of resistance. Fungicide resistance increased from 2014 to 2018, mostly affecting the active ingredients fenhexamid, fluopyram, and iprodione. B. cinerea isolates resistant to multiple fungicides were detected in 2014 and 2018, with a higher frequency of resistance in 2018. TaqMan real-time PCR has been developed to detect B. cinerea fungicide resistance to fenhexamid and to differentiate the erg27 F412S/I/V alleles. The TaqMan assay was tested for sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility on purified DNA and infected grape tissue samples. Our data provide essential information to growers about the efficacy for B. cinerea control using the available botryticides. Furthermore, the developed fenhexamid markers will be transferred to diagnostic clinics to assist growers in the management of bunch rot before resistance-related control failures occur.

Integration of low loss vertical slot waveguides on SOI photonic platforms for high efficiency carrier accumulation modulators.

Silicon accumulation type modulators offer prospects of high power efficiency, large bandwidth and high voltage phase linearity making them promising candidates for a number of advanced electro-optic applications. A significant challenge in the realisation of such a modulator is the fabrication of the passive waveguide structure which requires a thin dielectric layer to be positioned within the waveguide, i.e. slotted waveguides. Simultaneously, the fabricated slotted waveguide should be integrated with conventional rib waveguides with negligible optical transition losses. Here, successful integration of polysilicon and silicon slot waveguides enabling a low propagation loss 0.4-1.2 dB/mm together with an ultra-small optical mode conversion loss 0.04 dB between rib and slot waveguides is demonstrated. These fabricated slot waveguide with dielectric thermal SiO2 layer thicknesses around 6 nm, 8 nm and 10 nm have been characterized under transmission electron microscopy allowing for strong carrier accumulation effects for MOS-capacitor electro-optic modulators.

Oral environment and taste function of Japanese HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the oral environment and the taste function of Japanese HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy. Their median age of 73 patients taking anti-HIV drugs was 46 years. The median period of taking anti-HIV drugs was 30 months. The oral condition was evaluated by measurement of oral moisture, amount of saliva secretion, the number of oral bacteria, presence of oral candida, a taste test, and the number of missing teeth. The levels of oral moisture and secreted saliva were significantly lower in the HIV-infected group than in the healthy volunteer (control) group. The HIV-infected group showed a more robust decrease in taste sensation than the control group. The number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the HIV-infected group than in the control group. Furthermore, all of the evaluated oral conditions were worse in the HIV-infected patients whose CD4+ T lymphocyte counts were less than 500/mm3 than in the control group. It became clear that the patients taking anti-HIV drugs, especially the CD4+ count < 500/mm3 group, had a deteriorated oral environment and dysgeusia, suggesting that the management of oral hygiene is necessary to maintain oral health, which leads to systemic health.

Nightlife clusters of coronavirus disease in Tokyo between March and April 2020.

We analysed associations between exposure to nightlife businesses and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 PCR test results at a tertiary hospital in Tokyo between March and April 2020. A nightlife group was defined as those who had worked at or visited the businesses. We included 1517 individuals; 196 (12.9%) were categorised as the nightlife group. After propensity score matching, the proportion of positive PCR tests in the nightlife group was significantly higher than that in the non-nightlife group (nightlife, 63.8%; non-nightlife, 23.0%; P < 0.001). An inclusive approach to mitigate risks related to the businesses needs to be identified.

First-trimester pre-eclampsia biomarker profiles in Asian population: multicenter cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To (i) evaluate the applicability of the European-derived biomarker multiples of the median (MoM) formulae for risk assessment of preterm pre-eclampsia (PE) in seven Asian populations, spanning the east, southeast and south regions of the continent, (ii) perform quality-assurance (QA) assessment of the biomarker measurements and (iii) establish criteria for prospective ongoing QA assessment of biomarker measurements. METHODS: This was a prospective, non-intervention, multicenter study in 4023 singleton pregnancies, at 11 to 13 + 6 weeks' gestation, in 11 recruiting centers in China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Women were screened for preterm PE between December 2016 and June 2018 and gave written informed consent to participate in the study. Maternal and pregnancy characteristics were recorded and mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) and maternal serum placental growth factor (PlGF) were measured in accordance with The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) standardized measurement protocols. MAP, UtA-PI and PlGF were transformed into MoMs using the published FMF formulae, derived from a largely Caucasian population in Europe, which adjust for gestational age and covariates that affect directly the biomarker levels. Variations in biomarker MoM values and their dispersion (SD) and cumulative sum tests over time were evaluated in order to identify systematic deviations in biomarker measurements from the expected distributions. RESULTS: In the total screened population, the median (95% CI) MoM values of MAP, UtA-PI and PlGF were 0.961 (0.956-0.965), 1.018 (0.996-1.030) and 0.891 (0.861-0.909), respectively. Women in this largely Asian cohort had approximately 4% and 11% lower MAP and PlGF MoM levels, respectively, compared with those expected from normal median formulae, based on a largely Caucasian population, whilst UtA-PI MoM values were similar. UtA-PI and PlGF MoMs were beyond the 0.4 to 2.5 MoM range (truncation limits) in 16 (0.4%) and 256 (6.4%) pregnancies, respectively. QA assessment tools indicated that women in all centers had consistently lower MAP MoM values than expected, but were within 10% of the expected value. UtA-PI MoM values were within 10% of the expected value at all sites except one. Most PlGF MoM values were systematically 10% lower than the expected value, except for those derived from a South Asian population, which were 37% higher. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to the anthropometric differences in Asian compared with Caucasian women, significant differences in biomarker MoM values for PE screening, particularly MAP and PlGF MoMs, were noted in Asian populations compared with the expected values based on European-derived formulae. If reliable and consistent patient-specific risks for preterm PE are to be reported, adjustment for additional factors or development of Asian-specific formulae for the calculation of biomarker MoMs is required. We have also demonstrated the importance and need for regular quality assessment of biomarker values. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

2-mm surgical margins are adequate for most basal cell carcinomas in Japanese: a retrospective multicentre study on 1000 basal cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Surgery is the gold standard for basal cell carcinomas (BCC). Current recommended surgical margins for BCCs are determined from studies in Caucasian populations. However, the appropriate surgical margins for BCCs in non-white races are unclear. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the accuracy of preoperative determination of clinical tumour borders and appropriate surgical margins in Japanese patients with BCC. METHODS: The maximum calculated differences in distance between the preoperatively determined surgical margins and the actual histologic tumour side margins were considered as 'accuracy gaps' of clinical tumour borders. Estimated side margin positivity rates (ESMPRs) with narrower (2 and 3 mm) surgical margins were calculated on the basis of the accuracy gaps. RESULTS: Overall, 1000 surgically excised BCCs from 980 Japanese patients were included. The most frequent histologic subtype was nodular BCC (67%). The median accuracy gap was 0.3 mm [interquartile range (IQR): -0.5 to +1 mm]. The ESMPRs with 2- and 3-mm surgical margins were 3.8% and 1.4%, respectively. Only the ESMPRs between the well-defined (n = 921) and poorly defined clinical tumour border groups (n = 79) showed statistical difference [2-mm margin: 3.1% vs. 11.7%, OR: 3.89, 95% confidential interval (CI): 1.41-10.71, P <0.01; 3-mm margin: 0.97% vs. 6.3%, OR: 6.58, 95% CI: 1.67-25.99, P <0.01]. No significant differences in ESMPRs were noted in other subgroups including risk classifications. CONCLUSIONS: The determined clinical tumour border accuracy gaps in this Japanese cohort were negligible. Dermatologic surgeons may use narrower surgical margins with acceptable margin positivity rates. The clarity of clinical tumour borders could be an appropriate guide for selection of different surgical margins in the Japanese cohort.

Efficacy of Natamycin Against Gray Mold of Stored Mandarin Fruit Caused by Isolates of Botrytis cinerea With Multiple Fungicide Resistance.

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is an emerging postharvest disease of mandarin fruit in California. Management of postharvest diseases of mandarins relies on postharvest fungicides; however, multiple resistance to fungicides of different modes of action is common in B. cinerea populations from mandarin, leading to their failure to control decay. Natamycin is commonly used in the food industry as an additive, and it has been registered as a biofungicide for postharvest use on citrus and some other fruits. Sensitivity to natamycin of 64 isolates of B. cinerea from decayed mandarin fruit with known resistance phenotypes to other citrus postharvest fungicides (azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, and thiabendazole) was tested. Effective concentrations of natamycin to cause a 50% reduction relative to the control for conidial germination were from 0.324 to 0.567 µg/ml (mean of 0.444 µg/ml), and those for mycelial growth were 1.021 to 2.007 µg/ml (mean of 1.578 µg/ml). Minimum inhibitory concentrations where no fungal growth was present were 0.7 to 1.0 µg/ml for conidial germination and 5.0 to 10.0 µg/ml for mycelial growth. No cross-resistance between natamycin and other citrus postharvest fungicides was detected. Decay control efficacy tests with natamycin were conducted on mandarin fruit inoculated with B. cinerea isolates exhibiting five different fungicide resistance phenotypes, and natamycin significantly reduced incidence and lesion size of gray mold on fruit, regardless of fungicide resistance phenotypes. Natamycin has the potential to be an effective tool for integration into postharvest fungicide programs to control gray mold and manage B. cinerea isolates resistant to fungicides with other modes of action.

All-polarization-maintaining Er-doped dual comb fiber laser using single-wall carbon nanotubes.

We demonstrated a bi-directional, Er-doped dual comb fiber laser consisting of all-polarization-maintaining fiber devices. Polyimide films in which single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were dispersed were used as the in-line saturable absorber. In order to avoid synchronization of the two combs and associated damage to the SWNT film, a two-branch configuration with two SWNT films was employed. Soliton pulses with almost the same optical spectra were generated stably in each direction, and dual comb beats were observed simply by overlapping the two outputs. The repetition frequency was 28 MHz, and the frequency difference was 105-140 Hz. Thanks to the small frequency difference, dual comb beats corresponding to the whole optical spectrum were observed without any overlapping. Fourier transform spectroscopy using the developed dual comb source was examined, and the characteristics of an optical filter were successfully obtained.

Inversion of Qubit Energy Levels in Qubit-Oscillator Circuits in the Deep-Strong-Coupling Regime.

We report on experimentally measured light shifts of superconducting flux qubits deep-strongly coupled to LC oscillators, where the coupling constants are comparable to the qubit and oscillator resonance frequencies. By using two-tone spectroscopy, the energies of the six lowest levels of each circuit are determined. We find huge Lamb shifts that exceed 90% of the bare qubit frequencies and inversions of the qubits' ground and excited states when there are a finite number of photons in the oscillator. Our experimental results agree with theoretical predictions based on the quantum Rabi model.

Fungicide Resistance in Botrytis cinerea Populations in California and its Influence on Control of Gray Mold on Stored Mandarin Fruit.

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is an emerging postharvest disease affecting stored mandarin fruit in California. To develop effective control programs, fungicide sensitivities to four citrus postharvest fungicides were determined. One hundred B. cinerea isolates each in 2015 and 2016 were obtained from decayed fruit collected within packinghouses and tested for resistance to the fungicides. Sensitivity to azoxystrobin was examined based on the point mutation in the cyt b gene using PCR, while resistance to fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, and thiabendazole was examined on fungicide-amended media. For azoxystrobin, 83 and 98% of the isolates were resistant in 2015 and 2016, respectively. For pyrimethanil, 71 and 93% were resistant in 2015 and 2016, respectively. For thiabendazole, 63 and 68% were resistant in 2015 and 2016, respectively. No fludioxonil resistance was detected in both years. Five fungicide-resistant phenotypes were detected, and the most common phenotype was triple resistance to azoxystrobin, pyrimethanil, and thiabendazole, accounting for 59 and 65% in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Of the 200 B. cinerea isolates, 5, 23.5, and 62% were resistant to one, two, or three classes of fungicides, respectively. Inoculation tests were conducted to evaluate if the fungicides at label rates controlled various resistant phenotypes on fruit. Most fungicides failed to control gray mold on mandarin fruit inoculated with the respective fungicide resistant phenotypes. Our results suggest that alternative control methods need to be integrated into existing decay control programs to target this emerging disease on mandarin fruit.

Effectiveness of progesterone, cerclage and pessary for preventing preterm birth in singleton pregnancies: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant death, but it is unclear which intervention is best to prevent it. OBJECTIVES: To compare progesterone, cerclage and pessary, determine their relative effects and rank them. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL and Web of Science (to April 2016), without restrictions, and screened references of previous reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised trials of progesterone, cerclage or pessary for preventing PTB in women with singleton pregnancies at risk as defined by each study. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We extracted data by duplicate using a piloted form and performed Bayesian random-effects network meta-analyses and pairwise meta-analyses. We rated evidence quality using GRADE, ranked interventions using SUCRA and calculated numbers needed to treat (NNT). MAIN RESULTS: We included 36 trials (9425 women; 25 low risk of bias trials). Progesterone ranked first or second for most outcomes, reducing PTB < 34 weeks [odds ratio (OR) 0.44; 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.22-0.79; NNT 9; low quality], <37 weeks (OR 0.58; 95% CrI 0.41-0.79; NNT 9; moderate quality), and neonatal death (OR 0.50; 95% CrI 0.28-0.85; NNT 35; high quality), compared with control, in women overall at risk. We found similar results in the subgroup with previous PTB, but only a reduction of PTB < 34 weeks in women with a short cervix. Pessary showed inconsistent benefit and cerclage did not reduce PTB < 37 or <34 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Progesterone was the best intervention for preventing PTB in singleton pregnancies at risk, reducing PTB < 34 weeks, <37 weeks, neonatal demise and other sequelae. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Progesterone was better than cerclage and pessary to prevent preterm birth, neonatal death and more in network meta-analysis.

Preterm birth prevention in twin pregnancies with progesterone, pessary, or cerclage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: About half of twin pregnancies deliver preterm, and it is unclear whether any intervention reduces this risk. OBJECTIVES: To assess the evidence for the effectiveness of progesterone, cerclage, and pessary in twin pregnancies. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ISI Web of Science, without language restrictions, up to 25 January 2016. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials of progesterone, cerclage, or pessary for preventing preterm birth in women with twin pregnancies, without symptoms of threatened preterm labour. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers extracted data using a piloted form. Study quality was appraised with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We performed pairwise inverse variance random-effects meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS: We included 23 trials (all but three were considered to have a low risk of bias) comprising 6626 women with twin pregnancies. None of the interventions significantly reduced the risk of preterm birth overall at <34 or <37 weeks of gestation, or neonatal death, our primary outcomes, compared to a control group. In women receiving vaginal progesterone, the relative risk (RR) of preterm birth <34 weeks of gestation was 0.82 (95% CI 0.64-1.05, seven studies, I2  36%), with a significant reduction in some key secondary outcomes, including very low birthweight (<1500 g, RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.98, four studies, I2  46%) and mechanical ventilation (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45-0.82, four studies, I2  22%). CONCLUSION: In twin gestations, although no overarching intervention was beneficial for the prevention of preterm birth and its sequelae, vaginal progesterone improved some important secondary outcomes. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Vaginal progesterone may be beneficial in twin pregnancies, but not 17-OHPC, cerclage, or pessary.

Comparison of sirolimus eluting stent with bioresorbable polymer to everolimus eluting stent with permanent polymer in bifurcation lesions: Results from CENTURY II trial.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a new sirolimus eluting stent with bioresorbable polymer, Ultimaster, (BP-SES) compared with everolimus-eluting, permanent polymer, Xience stent (PP-EES) in bifurcation lesions with respect to the freedom from Target Lesion Failure at 1-year. METHODS: Within 1,119 patients enrolled in the CENTURY II randomized controlled multicenter trial, 194 patients were treated for bifurcation lesions and randomized to either BP-SES (n = 95) or PP-EES (n = 99). The primary endpoint was freedom from target lesion failure (TLF) composite endpoint [cardiac death, MI not clearly attributable to a non-target vessel, and clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR)] at 1-year. RESULTS: Baseline patient demographic, angiographic, and stenting characteristics were similar in both study arms. A single stent technique with provisional or "cross over" stenting were the most widely used in both arms (93.2% BP-SES vs. 92.4% PP-EES). Freedom from TLF at 1-year was 94.7% for BP-SES and 91.9% for PP-EES (P for noninferiority 0.031). The rate of clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 1-year was 3.2% for BP-SES and 3.0% for PP-EES (P = 0.95). There were no significant differences detected in any of the individual clinical endpoints or other secondary clinical endpoints between the study arms at 1-year follow up. CONCLUSIONS: The new bioresorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent showed safety and efficacy profiles similar to durable polymer everolimus-eluting in the treatment of patients with bifurcation lesions at 1-year follow up. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influenza 2014-2015 among pregnant Japanese women: primiparous vs multiparous women.

This study was performed to determine whether multiparous pregnant women are prone to influenza. A questionnaire survey was conducted at 19 centres located throughout Japan, targeting all 6,694 postpartum women within 7 days after birth before leaving the hospital. All women gave birth during the study period between March 1, 2015, and July 31, 2015. Data regarding vaccination and influenza infection in or after October 2014, age, previous experience of childbirth, and number and ages of cohabitants were collected. Seventy-eight percent (n = 51,97) of women given questionnaires responded. Of these, 2,661 (51 %) and 364 (7.0 %) women reported having been vaccinated and having contracted influenza respectively. Multiparous women had a higher risk of influenza regardless of vaccination status (8.9 % [121/1362] vs 5.7 % [74/1299], relative risk [95 % confidence interval], 1.80 [1.36 to 2.38] for vaccinated and 9.3 % [112/1198] vs 4.3 % [57/1328], 2.18 [1.60 to 2.97] for unvaccinated women) compared to primiparous women. The risk of influenza increased with increasing number of cohabitants: 4.8 % (100/2089), 7.5 %, (121/1618), 9.0 %, (71/785), and 10.4 % (58/557) for women with 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 cohabitants respectively. Family size is a risk factor for influenza infection in pregnancy.