Discharge Disposition and Loss of Independence Among Survivors of COVID-19 Admitted to Intensive Care: Results From the SCCM Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS).

OBJECTIVES: To describe incidence and risk factors of loss of previous independent living through nonhome discharge or discharge home with health assistance in survivors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). DESIGN: Multicenter observational study including patients admitted to the ICU from January 2020 till June 30, 2021. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that there is a high risk of nonhome discharge in patients surviving ICU admission due to COVID-19. SETTING: Data were included from 306 hospitals in 28 countries participating in the SCCM Discovery Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study COVID-19 registry. PATIENTS: Previously independently living adult ICU survivors of COVID-19. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was nonhome discharge. Secondary outcome was the requirement of health assistance among patients who were discharged home. Out of 10 820 patients, 7101 (66%) were discharged alive; 3791 (53%) of these survivors lost their previous independent living status, out of those 2071 (29%) through nonhome discharge, and 1720 (24%) through discharge home requiring health assistance. In adjusted analyses, loss of independence on discharge among survivors was predicted by patient age ≥ 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.47-3.14, P < .0001), former and current smoking status (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.08-1.46, P = .003 and 1.60 (95% CI 1.18-2.16), P = .003, respectively), substance use disorder (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.12-2.06, P = .007), requirement for mechanical ventilation (aOR 4.17, 95% CI 3.69-4.71, P < .0001), prone positioning (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03-1.38, P = .02), and requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.55-3.34, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of ICU survivors hospitalized for COVID-19 are unable to return to independent living status, thereby imposing a significant secondary strain on health care systems worldwide.

Residence times of groundwater along a flow path in the Great Artesian Basin determined by 81Kr, 36Cl and 4He: Implications for palaeo hydrogeology.

Understanding the age distribution of groundwater can provide information on both the recharge history as well as the geochemical evolution of groundwater flow systems. Of the few candidates available that can be used to date old groundwater, 81Kr shows the most promise because its input function is constant through time and there are less sources and sinks to complicate the dating procedure in comparison to traditional tracers such as 36Cl and 4He. In this paper we use 81Kr in a large groundwater basin to obtain a better understanding of the residence time distribution of an unconfined-confined aquifer system. A suite of environmental tracers along a groundwater flow path in the south-west Great Artesian Basin of Australia have been sampled. All age tracers (85Kr, 39Ar 14C, 81Kr, 36Cl and 4He) display a consistent increase in groundwater age with distance from the recharge area indicating the presence of a connected flow path. Assuming that 81Kr is the most accurate dating technique the 36Cl/Cl systematics was unravelled to reveal information on recharge mechanism and chloride concentration at the time of recharge. Current-day recharge occurs via ephemeral river recharge beneath the Finke River, while diffuse recharge is minor in the young groundwaters. Towards the end of the transect the influence of ephemeral recharge is less while diffuse recharge and the initial chloride concentration at recharge were higher.

The Mortality After Release from Incarceration Consortium (MARIC): Protocol for a multi-national, individual participant data meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: More than 30 million adults are released from incarceration globally each year. Many experience complex physical and mental health problems, and are at markedly increased risk of preventable mortality. Despite this, evidence regarding the global epidemiology of mortality following release from incarceration is insufficient to inform the development of targeted, evidence-based responses. Many previous studies have suffered from inadequate power and poor precision, and even large studies have limited capacity to disaggregate data by specific causes of death, sub-populations or time since release to answer questions of clinical and public health relevance. OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively document the incidence, timing, causes and risk factors for mortality in adults released from prison. METHODS: We created the Mortality After Release from Incarceration Consortium (MARIC), a multi-disciplinary collaboration representing 29 cohorts of adults who have experienced incarceration from 11 countries. Findings across cohorts will be analysed using a two-step, individual participant data meta-analysis methodology. RESULTS: The combined sample includes 1,337,993 individuals (89% male), with 75,795 deaths recorded over 9,191,393 person-years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The consortium represents an important advancement in the field, bringing international attention to this problem. It will provide internationally relevant evidence to guide policymakers and clinicians in reducing preventable deaths in this marginalized population. KEY WORDS: Mortality; incarceration; prison; release; individual participant data meta-analysis; consortium; cohort.

Evaluation of the self-directed format of Walk With Ease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the Walk-SLE Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a proof-of-concept pilot evaluation of the self-directed format of Walk With Ease (WWE), a 6-week walking program developed for adults with arthritis, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: This was a single arm, 6-week pre- and post-evaluation of the self-directed WWE program to assess feasibility, tolerability, safety, acceptability, and effectiveness. Adult patients with physician-diagnosed SLE were recruited to participate during regularly scheduled visits to an academic rheumatology clinic. Self-reported outcomes of pain, stiffness, and fatigue were assessed by visual analog scales (VAS) and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-fatigue) scale at baseline and at completion of the 6-week program. Patients also completed a satisfaction survey at the end of the program. Multivariate linear regression models were used to calculate mean changes between baseline and 6-week follow-up scores, adjusting for covariates. Mean change scores were used to estimate effect sizes (ES). RESULTS: At 6 weeks, 48 of the 75 recruited participants completed the WWE program. Participants experienced modest improvements in stiffness and fatigue (ES = 0.12 and ES = 0.23, respectively, for VAS scores; ES = 0.16 for FACIT-fatigue score) following the intervention. The majority of participants reported satisfaction with the program (98%) and benefitted from the workbook (96%). CONCLUSIONS: The self-directed format of WWE appears to reduce stiffness and fatigue in patients with SLE. It also seems to be a feasible and acceptable exercise program to patients with SLE. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Treatment as Prevention for Hepatitis C (TraP Hep C) - a nationwide elimination programme in Iceland using direct-acting antiviral agents.

A nationwide programme for the treatment of all patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) was launched in Iceland in January 2016. By providing universal access to direct-acting antiviral agents to the entire patient population, the two key aims of the project were to (i) offer a cure to patients and thus reduce the long-term sequelae of chronic hepatitis C, and (ii) to reduce domestic incidence of HCV in the population by 80% prior to the WHO goal of HCV elimination by the year 2030. An important part of the programme is that vast majority of cases will be treated within 36 months from the launch of the project, during 2016-2018. Emphasis is placed on early case finding and treatment of patients at high risk for transmitting HCV, that is people who inject drugs (PWID), as well as patients with advanced liver disease. In addition to treatment scale-up, the project also entails intensification of harm reduction efforts, improved access to diagnostic tests, as well as educational campaigns to curtail spread, facilitate early detection and improve linkage to care. With these efforts, Iceland is anticipated to achieve the WHO hepatitis C elimination goals well before 2030. This article describes the background and organization of this project. Clinical trial number: NCT02647879.

"Green" nanotechnologies: synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plants.

While metal nanoparticles are being increasingly used in many sectors of the economy, there is growing interest in the biological and environmental safety of their production. The main methods for nanoparticle production are chemical and physical approaches that are often costly and potentially harmful to the environment. The present review is devoted to the possibility of metal nanoparticle synthesis using plant extracts. This approach has been actively pursued in recent years as an alternative, efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally safe method for producing nanoparticles with specified properties. This review provides a detailed analysis of the various factors affecting the morphology, size, and yield of metal nanoparticles. The main focus is on the role of the natural plant biomolecules involved in the bioreduction of metal salts during the nanoparticle synthesis. Examples of effective use of exogenous biomatrices (peptides, proteins, and viral particles) to obtain nanoparticles in plant extracts are discussed.

Six iterative reconstruction algorithms in brain CT: a phantom study on image quality at different radiation dose levels.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the image quality produced by six different iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms in four CT systems in the setting of brain CT, using different radiation dose levels and iterative image optimisation levels. METHODS: An image quality phantom, supplied with a bone mimicking annulus, was examined using four CT systems from different vendors and four radiation dose levels. Acquisitions were reconstructed using conventional filtered back-projection (FBP), three levels of statistical IR and, when available, a model-based IR algorithm. The evaluated image quality parameters were CT numbers, uniformity, noise, noise-power spectra, low-contrast resolution and spatial resolution. RESULTS: Compared with FBP, noise reduction was achieved by all six IR algorithms at all radiation dose levels, with further improvement seen at higher IR levels. Noise-power spectra revealed changes in noise distribution relative to the FBP for most statistical IR algorithms, especially the two model-based IR algorithms. Compared with FBP, variable degrees of improvements were seen in both objective and subjective low-contrast resolutions for all IR algorithms. Spatial resolution was improved with both model-based IR algorithms and one of the statistical IR algorithms. CONCLUSION: The four statistical IR algorithms evaluated in the study all improved the general image quality compared with FBP, with improvement seen for most or all evaluated quality criteria. Further improvement was achieved with one of the model-based IR algorithms. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: The six evaluated IR algorithms all improve the image quality in brain CT but show different strengths and weaknesses.

Radiation dose reduction in CT of the brain: can advanced noise filtering compensate for loss of image quality?

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) of the brain is performed with high local doses due to high demands on low contrast resolution. Advanced algorithms for noise reduction might be able to preserve critical image information when reducing radiation dose. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of advanced noise filtering on image quality in brain CT acquired with reduced radiation dose. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty patients referred for non-enhanced CT of the brain were examined with two helical protocols: normal dose (ND, CTDI(vol) 57 mGy) and low dose (LD, CTDI(vol) 40 mGy) implying a 30% radiation dose reduction. Images from the LD examinations were also postprocessed with a noise reduction software with non-linear filters (SharpView CT), creating filtered low dose images (FLD) for each patient. The three image stacks for each patient were presented side by side in randomized order. Five radiologists, blinded for dose level and filtering, ranked these three axial image stacks (ND, LD, FLD) as best to poorest (1 to 3) regarding three image quality criteria. Measurements of mean Hounsfield units (HU) and standard deviation (SD) of the HU were calculated for large region of interest in the centrum semiovale as a measure for noise. RESULTS: Ranking results in pooled data showed that the advanced noise filtering significantly improved the image quality in FLD as compared to LD images for all tested criteria. No significant differences in image quality were found between ND examinations and FLD. However, there was a notable inter-reader spread of the ranking. SD values were 15% higher for LD as compared to ND and FLD. CONCLUSION: The advanced noise filtering clearly improves image quality of CT examinations of the brain. This effect can be used to significantly lower radiation dose.

Suppression of Zeeman splitting of the energy levels of exciton-polariton condensates in semiconductor microcavities in an external magnetic field.

A key property of equilibrium exciton-polariton condensates in semiconductor microcavities is the suppression of the Zeeman splitting under a magnetic field. By studying magnetophotoluminescence spectra from a GaAs microcavity, we show experimentally that a similar effect occurs in a nonequilibrium polariton condensate arising from polariton parametric scattering. In this case, the quenching of Zeeman splitting is related to a phase synchronization of spin-up and spin-down polarized polariton condensates caused by a nonlinear coupling via the coherent pump state.

Surveillance of influenza in Iceland during the 2009 pandemic.

In a pandemic setting, surveillance is essential to monitor the spread of the disease and assess its impact. Appropriate mitigation and healthcare preparedness strategies depend on fast and accurate epidemic surveillance data. During the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, rapid improvements in influenza surveillance were made in Iceland. Here, we describe the improvements made in influenza surveillance during the pandemic , which could also be of great value in outbreaks caused by other pathogens. Following the raised level of pandemic influenza alert in April 2009, influenza surveillance was intensified. A comprehensive automatic surveillance system for influenza-like illness was developed, surveillance of influenza-related deaths was established and laboratory surveillance for influenza was strengthened. School absenteeism reports were also collected and compared with results from the automatic surveillance system. The first case of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) was diagnosed in Iceland in May 2009, but sustained community transmission was not confirmed until mid-August. The pandemic virus circulated during the summer and early autumn before an abrupt increase in the number of cases was observed in October. There were large outbreaks in elementary schools for children aged 6­15 years throughout the country that peaked in late October. School absenteeism reports from all elementary schools in Iceland gave a similar epidemiological curve as that from data from the healthcare system. Estimates of the proportion of the population infected with the pandemic virus ranged from 10% to 22%. This study shows how the sudden need for improved surveillance in the pandemic led to rapid improvements in data collection in Iceland. This reporting system will be improved upon and expanded to include other notifiable diseases, to ensure accurate and timely collection of epidemiological data.

Psychosocial adaptation in female partners of men with prostate cancer.

The objective was to explore the psychosocial adaptation of female partners living with men with a diagnosis of either localized or metastatic prostate cancer. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 50 women at two time points (baseline and 6 months later). The interviews examined emotions, experiences, attitudes to sexual and continence issues and treatment decision making. As part of a larger prospective observational study, demographic data and scores for depression and anxiety were collected. Initial analysis demonstrated that the group of 11 women assessed as distressed on the anxiety and depression measures described reduced coping skills and poorer adaptation after 6 months. In contrast, the 39 women in the non-distressed group reported emotional adaptation that fitted the Lazarus and Folkman pattern of coping through appraisal of the impact of the diagnosis on their partner and themselves, appraisal of coping strategies and reappraisal of the situation. A surprise finding was the high level of resilience displayed by majority of these women. Results suggest that a psychosocial intervention could strengthen healthy adaptation and provide better coping skills for distressed couples.

Intrinsic decoherence mechanisms in the microcavity polariton condensate.

The fundamental mechanisms which control the phase coherence of the polariton Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) are determined. It is shown that the combination of number fluctuations and interactions leads to decoherence with a characteristic Gaussian decay of the first-order correlation function. This line shape, and the long decay times ( approximately 150 ps) of both first- and second-order correlation functions, are explained quantitatively by a quantum-optical model which takes into account interactions, fluctuations, and gain and loss in the system. Interaction limited coherence times of this type have been predicted for atomic BECs, but are yet to be observed experimentally.

Diet and nutrition in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): pointers for nutritional management.

PCOS patients are not always markedly overweight but PCOS is strongly associated with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Effective approaches to nutrition and exercise improve endocrine features, reproductive function and cardiometabolic risk profile--even without marked weight loss. Recent studies allow us to make recommendations on macronutrient intake. Fat should be restricted to < or =30% of total calories with a low proportion of saturated fat. High intake of low GI carbohydrate contributes to dyslipidaemia and weight gain and also stimulates hunger and carbohydrate craving. Diet and exercise need to be tailored to the individual's needs and preferences. Calorie intake should be distributed between several meals per day with low intake from snacks and drinks. Use of drugs to either improve insulin sensitivity or to promote weight loss are justified as a short-term measure, and are most likely to be beneficial when used early in combination with diet and exercise.

Dominant effect of polariton-polariton interactions on the coherence of the microcavity optical parametric oscillator.

The importance of interaction effects in determining the temporal coherence of spectrally and spatially isolated single modes of the microcavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is demonstrated. As a function of macroscopic occupancy, the coherence time (tau c) first increases linearly and then exhibits saturation behavior, reaching maximum values of up to 500 ps. Good agreement is found with a model including fluctuations in polariton number and polariton-polariton interactions between the OPO states. tau c is a property of the coupled OPO system, a result confirmed by the finding of equal coherence times for signal and idler, even though the idler is subject to strong additional scattering.

Randomized double-blind trial of sotalol versus lignocaine in out-of-hospital refractory cardiac arrest due to ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

AIM: We aimed to compare the efficacy of sotalol versus lignocaine for the treatment of patients with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation refractory to > or = 4 defibrillatory shocks. BACKGROUND: The outcome of patients in ventricular fibrillation refractory to > or = 4 defibrillatory shocks is poor. In a previous randomized trial, sotalol was superior to lignocaine for acute termination of ventricular tachycardia not causing loss of consciousness. METHODS: Patients of the Ambulance Service of New South Wales treated by paramedics with continued ventricular fibrillation despite standard resuscitation and > or = 4 defibrillatory monophasic shocks were eligible. Drug doses were sotalol 100 mg or lignocaine 100 mg, given as i.v. boluses. A further 2 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was given and then defibrillation was repeated twice. If this failed, half the initial dose of the trial drug was repeated and a further > or = 2 shocks were given. RESULTS: Sixty patients were randomized to sotalol and 69 randomized to lignocaine. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the clinical characteristics of the patients or in the number of shocks received. Outcomes in the sotalol and lignocaine groups were survival to hospital admission in 7 (12%) and 16 (23%), respectively (P = 0.09), and survival to hospital discharge in 2 (3%) and 5 (7%), respectively (P = 0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Sotalol is not superior to lignocaine for treatment of ventricular fibrillation refractory to multiple shocks. The overall outcome of this group of patients is poor regardless of the pharmacological intervention (lignocaine or sotalol).

Improving tritium exposure reconstructions using accelerator mass spectrometry.

Direct measurement of tritium atoms by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) enables rapid low-activity tritium measurements from milligram-sized samples and permits greater ease of sample collection, faster throughput, and increased spatial and/or temporal resolution. Because existing methodologies for quantifying tritium have some significant limitations, the development of tritium AMS has allowed improvements in reconstructing tritium exposure concentrations from environmental measurements and provides an important additional tool in assessing the temporal and spatial distribution of chronic exposure. Tritium exposure reconstructions using AMS were previously demonstrated for a tree growing on known levels of tritiated water and for trees exposed to atmospheric releases of tritiated water vapor. In these analyses, tritium levels were measured from milligram-sized samples with sample preparation times of a few days. Hundreds of samples were analyzed within a few months of sample collection and resulted in the reconstruction of spatial and temporal exposure from tritium releases. Although the current quantification limit of tritium AMS is not adequate to determine natural environmental variations in tritium concentrations, it is expected to be sufficient for studies assessing possible health effects from chronic environmental tritium exposure.

Measuring in-stream productivity: the potential of continuous chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen monitoring for assessing the ecological status of surface waters.

Continuous (hourly) measurements of dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll (determined by fluorimetry) were made for an inter-linked lowland river and canal system. The dissolved oxygen data were used to estimate daily rates of re-aeration, photosynthesis and respiration, using a process-based analytical technique (the Delta method). In-situ fluorimeter measurements of chlorophyll were ground-truthed on a fortnightly basis using laboratory methanol extraction of chlorophyll and spectrophotometric analysis. Water samples were also analysed for algal species on a fortnightly basis. The river and canal exhibited very similar rates of photosynthesis and respiration during the summer of 2001, despite much higher chlorophyll concentrations and total algal counts, indicating that benthic algae and/or aquatic macrophytes may be making an important contribution to photosynthesis rates in the river. Suspended algal populations in the canal are dominated by planktonic species, whereas the river has a higher proportion of species which are predominantly benthic in habitat. The river exhibited higher rates of respiration, reflecting a higher organic loading from external (e.g. sewage effluent) sources.