Thermal tolerance for the tropical clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis with comments on comparative methods for amphibian studies.

Thermal tolerance data are important for identifying the potential range of non-native species following introduction and establishment. Such data are particularly important for understanding invasion risks of tropical species introduced to temperate climates and identifying whether they can survive outside tropical regions. A breeding population of the tropical clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis) was recently discovered in west-central Florida, U.S.A. This fully aquatic species is native to the rainforest belt of west Africa and has not been documented outside its native range. Because of the lack of invasion history, data are sparse on the thermal limits for this species. We used chronic lethal and critical thermal methodologies to investigate thermal tolerance on adult stages and critical thermal methods on tadpoles. Because of our use of both chronic and critical methodologies, we also examined the literature to reveal common methods used to investigate thermal minimum and maximum temperature in amphibians, which were found to be dominated by the critical maximum. Chronic lethal temperatures for adult X. tropicalis were 9.73 °C and 36.68 °C. Critical temperatures were affected by acclimation temperature and life stage; adults were more tolerant of extreme temperatures. Based on these critical thermal data and the fact that breeding tends to occur when temperatures are suitable for survival, tadpole stages are unlikely to be affected by extreme temperatures. Instead, range expansion in Florida will likely be limited by the adult stages. Our findings indicate that the tropical clawed frog could occupy much of southern Peninsular Florida and other tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.

Clinical Knowledge Model for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Venous Thromboembolism.

Knowledge models inform organizational behavior through the logical association of documentation processes, definitions, data elements, and value sets. The development of a well-designed knowledge model allows for the reuse of electronic health record data to promote efficiency in practice, data interoperability, and the extensibility of data to new capabilities or functionality such as clinical decision support, quality improvement, and research. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and validation of a knowledge model for healthcare-associated venous thromboembolism prevention. The team used FloMap, an Internet-based survey resource, to compare metadata from six healthcare organizations to an initial draft model. The team used consensus decision-making over time to compare survey results. The resulting model included seven panels, 41 questions, and 231 values. A second validation step included completion of an Internet-based survey with 26 staff nurse respondents representing 15 healthcare organizations, two electronic health record vendors, and one academic institution. The final knowledge model contained nine Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes panels, 32 concepts, and 195 values representing an additional six panels (groupings), 15 concepts (questions), and the specification of 195 values (answers). The final model is useful for consistent documentation to demonstrate the contribution of nursing practice to the prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Experimental evaluation of how biological invasions and climate change interact to alter the vertical assembly of an amphibian community.

While biotic-abiotic interactions are increasingly documented in nature, a process-based understanding of how such interactions influence community assembly is lacking in the ecological literature. Perhaps the most emblematic and pervasive example of such interactions is the synergistic threat to biodiversity posed by climate change and invasive species. Invasive species often out-compete or prey on native species. Despite this long-standing and widespread issue, little is known about how abiotic conditions, such as climate change, will influence the frequency and severity of negative biotic interactions that threaten the persistence of native fauna. Treefrogs are a globally diverse group of amphibians that climb to complete life-cycle processes, such as foraging and reproduction, as well as to evade predators and competitors, resulting in frog communities that are vertically partitioned. Furthermore, treefrogs adjust their vertical position to maintain optimal body temperature and hydration in response to environmental change. Here, utilizing this model group, we designed a novel experiment to determine how extrinsic abiotic and biotic factors (changes to water availability and an introduced predator, respectively) interact with intrinsic biological traits, such as individual physiology and behaviour, to influence treefrogs' vertical niche. Our study found that treefrogs adjusted their vertical niche through displacement behaviours in accordance with abiotic resources. However, biotic interactions resulted in native treefrogs distancing themselves from abiotic resources to avoid the non-native species. Importantly, under altered abiotic conditions, both native species avoided the non-native species 33 %- 70 % more than they avoided their native counterpart. Additionally, exposure to the non-native species resulted in native species altering their tree climbing behaviours by 56 % - 78 % and becoming more vertically dynamic to avoid the non-native antagonist. Our experiment determined that vertical niche selection and community interactions were most accurately represented by a biotic-abiotic interaction model, rather than a model that considers these factors to operate in an isolated (singular) or even additive manner. Our study provides evidence that native species may be resilient to interacting disturbances via physiological adaptations to local climate and plasticity in space-use behaviours that mediate the impact of the introduced predator.

Effects of semi-constant temperature on embryonic and hatchling phenotypes of six-tubercled Amazon River turtles, Podocnemis sextuberculata.

PURPOSE: We evaluated how constant incubation temperatures affect life-history traits pre-hatching and post-hatching of the six-tubercled Amazon River turtle, Podocnemis sextuberculata. METHODS: We incubated eggs from natural nests at ten semi-constant temperatures between 22.26 ± 1.01 °C and 37.37 ± 0.38°C (2013) and at six temperatures between 25.75 ± 0.22 °C and 36.17 ± 0.15°C (2016). In 2013, we raised hatchling for 90 days to evaluate effects of temperature on early hatchling growth. We evaluated maternal effects in 2016. RESULTS: P. sextuberculata displays temperature-dependent sex determination and produces males at colder and females at warmer temperatures (TSD Ia). The estimated pivotal temperature was 33.73 ± 0.15 °C and the transitional range of temperatures (TRT) 1.16 ± 0.59 °C. Semi-constant temperatures below 26 °C and above 38 °C were lethal. Intermediate temperatures (32.25 °C and 31.5 °C, respectively) were optimal for hatching success and produced larger hatchlings that grew slower early in life compared to colder or warmer conditions, which produced smaller hatchlings. Warmer incubation temperatures within the optimal range (28°C-37 °C) accelerated embryonic development. In contrast, comparisons of 30, 60 and 90 days-old suggests that warmer incubation temperatures reduced growth and mass gain rates post-hatching, such that incubation temperature effects on body size at emergence disappeared by 3 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: Six-tubercled Amazon River turtles showed the highest pivotal temperature reported for any turtle. The relatively narrow TRT may limit the evolutionary potential of this vulnerable turtle in the face of global warming. Future incubation experiments at a finer scale (33°C-36 °C) are warranted to refine the sex-ratio reaction norm. Field studies that monitor natural nests are imperative to evaluate conservation measures and the effect of female-biased illegal hunting and climate change. By providing data about the thermal biology of an understudied lineage of non-model species, our study helps fill gaps in our understanding of the evolution of vertebrate sex determination and its potential adaptive value.

Pain Information Model and Its Potential for Predictive Analytics: Applicability of a Big Data Science Framework.

PURPOSE: To describe the application of a big data science framework to develop a pain information model and to discuss the potential for its use in predictive modeling. DESIGN AND METHOD: This is an application of a cross-industry standard process for a data mining adapted framework (the Applied Healthcare Data Science Framework) to build an information model on pain management and its potential for predictive modeling. Data were derived from electronic health records and were composed of approximately 51,000 records of unique adult patients admitted to clinical and surgical units between July 2015 and June 2019. FINDINGS: The application of the Applied Healthcare Data Science Framework steps allowed the development of an information model on pain management, considering pain assessment, interventions, goals, and outcomes. The developed model has the potential to be used for predicting which patients are most likely to be discharged with self-reported pain. CONCLUSIONS: Through the application of the framework, it is possible to support health professionals' decision making on the use of data to improve the effectiveness of pain management. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In the long term, the framework is intended to guide data science methodologies to personalize treatments, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes.

Macacine Herpesvirus 1 Antibody Prevalence and DNA Shedding among Invasive Rhesus Macaques, Silver Springs State Park, Florida, USA.

We compiled records on macacine herpesvirus 1 (McHV-1) seroprevalence and, during 2015-2016, collected saliva and fecal samples from the free-ranging rhesus macaques of Silver Springs State Park, a popular public park in central Florida, USA, to determine viral DNA shedding and perform sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of the US5 and US5-US6 intragenic sequence from free-ranging and laboratory McHV-1 variants did not reveal genomic differences. In animals captured during 2000-2012, average annual seroprevalence was 25% ± 9 (mean ± SD). We found 4%-14% (95% CI 2%-29%) of macaques passively sampled during the fall 2015 mating season shed McHV-1 DNA orally. We did not observe viral shedding during the spring or summer or from fecal samples. We conclude that these macaques can shed McHV-1, putting humans at risk for exposure to this potentially fatal pathogen. Management plans should be put in place to limit transmission of McHV-1 from these macaques.

'Climate change is the greatest public health threat we have'.

The Obama administration's public health efforts focused on acknowledging that social factors such as poverty and food insecurity affect the health outcomes of communities. The election of Donald Trump worries public health experts such as Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, who sat down with Modern Healthcare reporter Steven Ross Johnson to discuss what's next for public health under a Trump administration and where he sees opportunities for collaboration in a potential post-ACA world. The following is an edited transcript.

Hb Feilding [ß12(A9)Thr → Pro; HBB: c.37A>C]: a novel unstable ß-globin chain variant.

We report here a patient heterozygous for a previously unreported ß chain variant. A 72-year-old Caucasian female was found to have an abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) as an incidental finding following Hb A1C analysis. There was no family history of anemia or hemoglobinopathy. Her full blood count revealed a mild normochromic anemia with Hb 11.1 g/dL (range 11.5-15.0), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 93.0 fL (range 80.0-100.0) and mean corpuscular Hb (MCH) 30.0 pg (range 27.0-32.0). Isopropanol stability tests and a variant Hb on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) comprizing 37.0% of the total Hb suggested an unstable Hb variant. Sanger sequencing of the ß-globin gene revealed a single base substitution, HBB: c.37A>C, causing the missense mutation ß12(A9)Thr → Pro in exon 1 of the HBB gene. This mutation changes the threonine residue at position 12(A9) to a proline in the ß-globin chain. We propose that this variant be called Hb Feilding after the town where the proband lived. Three dimensional modeling suggested that the disruption of the Hb structure was due to the introduction of a proline at helix A9 which caused distortion of the helical structure and resulted in reduced solubility.

Community ecology theory predicts the effects of agrochemical mixtures on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem properties.

Ecosystems are often exposed to mixtures of chemical contaminants, but the scientific community lacks a theoretical framework to predict the effects of mixtures on biodiversity and ecosystem properties. We conducted a freshwater mesocosm experiment to examine the effects of pairwise agrochemical mixtures [fertiliser, herbicide (atrazine), insecticide (malathion) and fungicide (chlorothalonil)] on 24 species- and seven ecosystem-level responses. As postulated, the responses of biodiversity and ecosystem properties to agrochemicals alone and in mixtures was predictable by integrating information on each functional group's (1) sensitivity to the chemicals (direct effects), (2) reproductive rates (recovery rates), (3) interaction strength with other functional groups (indirect effects) and (4) links to ecosystem properties. These results show that community ecology theory holds promise for predicting the effects of contaminant mixtures on biodiversity and ecosystem services and yields recommendations on which types of agrochemicals to apply together and separately to reduce their impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

Pterygodermatites (Mesopectines) whartoni (Nematoda: Rictulariidae) encysted larvae in invasive Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) from Florida, United States.

Species of Pterygodermatites are spirurid nematodes that have expanded their geographic distribution worldwide. They infect a variety of mammalian definitive hosts with few reports of potential paratenic infections in amphibian and reptile hosts. In this study, we report Pterygodermatites sp. larvae identified in free-ranging, invasive Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis), from central Florida, United States. Encysted larvae were recovered from the skeletal muscle and/or the coelomic cavity of three frogs; molecular characterization of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase I genes of the parasites matched reported sequences of Pterygodermatites (Mesopectines) whartoni (Tubangui, 1931). This is a parasite native to Southeastern Asia and to the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first report of the species in the New World. The recovery of invasive Pterygodermatites from invasive Cuban treefrogs in North America highlights the growing concern regarding the potential impact non-native parasites and invasive species may have on native wildlife populations.

Early-life exposure to a herbicide has enduring effects on pathogen-induced mortality.

Exposure to stressors at formative stages in the development of wildlife and humans can have enduring effects on health. Understanding which, when and how stressors cause enduring health effects is crucial because these stressors might then be avoided or mitigated during formative stages to prevent lasting increases in disease susceptibility. Nevertheless, the impact of early-life exposure to stressors on the ability of hosts to resist and tolerate infections has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Here, we show that early-life, 6-day exposure to the herbicide atrazine (mean ± s.e.: 65.9±3.48 µg l(-1)) increased frog mortality 46 days after atrazine exposure (post-metamorphosis), but only when frogs were challenged with a chytrid fungus implicated in global amphibian declines. Previous atrazine exposure did not affect resistance of infection (fungal load). Rather, early-life exposure to atrazine altered growth and development, which resulted in exposure to chytrid at more susceptible developmental stages and sizes, and reduced tolerance of infection, elevating mortality risk at an equivalent fungal burden to frogs unexposed to atrazine. Moreover, there was no evidence of recovery from atrazine exposure. Hence, reducing early-life exposure of amphibians to atrazine could reduce lasting increases in the risk of mortality from a disease associated with worldwide amphibian declines. More generally, these findings highlight that a better understanding of how stressors cause enduring effects on disease susceptibility could facilitate disease prevention in wildlife and humans, an approach that is often more cost-effective and efficient than reactive medicine.

Phylogenetic relationships of Hamadryas (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) based on the combined analysis of morphological and molecular data.

A new phylogenetic hypothesis for the Neotropical butterfly genus Hamadryas, based on the combination of a morphological matrix, one mitochondrial (COI) and four nuclear markers (CAD, RpS5, EF1a, and Wingless), is presented. Results from analyses of the molecular evidence are compared with a previously published morphological phylogeny. Molecular data and the analysis of the complete dataset support the monophyly of Hamadryas and most sister groups suggested by morphological data alone. The addition of DNA sequences to the morphological matrix helped define species groups for which no morphological synapomorphies were found. Partitioned Bremer support indicates that COI, CAD, and morphology were consistently in agreement with the combined evidence tree. In contrast, signal from the nuclear markers Rps5, EF1a, and Wingless showed indifference at most levels of the tree, and minor conflict at nodes solving the relationships between species groups. Though resolved, the combined evidence tree shows low resample values, particularly among species groups whose relationships were characterized by short internodes. A reassessment about the pattern of character change for sound production is presented and discussed.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of a Web-Based Intervention on Perceived Stress and Diet Quality Among First-Year University Students.

Background: e-Health interventions can potentially improve health care. My Viva Plan® (MVP) is a web-based program that focuses on mindfulness, nutrition, and physical fitness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of this platform on stress indicators and diet quality among first-year university students. Methods: Ninety-seven university students were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomized into control (n = 49) and MVP (n = 48) groups. Perceived stress was measured using the self-report Stress Indicator Questionnaire. Diet quality was assessed by the nutrient-rich foods index, and body composition was assessed by a hand-to-foot, multifrequency, bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: There were no differences in physical, sleep, behavioral, emotional, and personal habit indicators between groups. Diet quality and body composition were similar between groups, except among women in the MVP group with decreased body fat (-1.2 ± 2.6 kg, p < 0.05). Participant engagement was low: 50% of the MVP group did not access the platform. Conclusions: The MVP web-based intervention was not associated with improvements in stress indicators, diet quality, and body composition, likely due to the characteristics of our cohort of healthy young individuals. Future studies should focus on enhancing motivational approaches to explore the potential of e-health interventions that improve health behavior.Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT03579264A.

Data Science Implementation Trends in Nursing Practice: A Review of the 2021 Literature.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this work was to provide a review of the implementation of data science-driven applications focused on structural or outcome-related nurse-sensitive indicators in the literature in 2021. By conducting this review, we aim to inform readers of trends in the nursing indicators being addressed, the patient populations and settings of focus, and lessons and challenges identified during the implementation of these tools. METHODS: We conducted a rigorous descriptive review of the literature to identify relevant research published in 2021. We extracted data on model development, implementation-related strategies and measures, lessons learned, and challenges and stakeholder involvement. We also assessed whether reports of data science application implementations currently follow the guidelines of the Developmental and Exploratory Clinical Investigations of DEcision support systems driven by AI (DECIDE-AI) framework. RESULTS: Of 4,943 articles found in PubMed (NLM) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost), 11 were included in the final review and data extraction. Systems leveraging data science were developed for adult patient populations and were primarily deployed in hospital settings. The clinical domains targeted included mortality/deterioration, utilization/resource allocation, and hospital-acquired infections/COVID-19. The composition of development teams and types of stakeholders involved varied. Research teams more frequently reported on implementation methods than implementation results. Most studies provided lessons learned that could help inform future implementations of data science systems in health care. CONCLUSION: In 2021, very few studies report on the implementation of data science-driven applications focused on structural- or outcome-related nurse-sensitive indicators. This gap in the sharing of implementation strategies needs to be addressed in order for these systems to be successfully adopted in health care settings.

Baltimore City Health Department's Use of Public-Private Partnerships to Create a Continuum of COVID-19 Services for Special Populations.

The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) has developed a COVID-19 continuum of services to protect special populations at high risk of COVID-19 made possible through inter-agency and public-private partnerships. We present descriptions of each element along with descriptive data. Lessons are discussed to inform future public health frameworks.

Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in the Invasive Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Central Florida, USA.

Cuban treefrogs, Osteopilus septentrionalis, were grossly examined for parasites and parasite species confirmed by PCR. Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae were recovered from the hind leg muscle of O. septentrionalis. This is the first report of the zoonotic rat lungworm in the Cuban treefrog and new geographic location (Volusia County) in Florida, US.

COVID-19 Vaccination Of People Experiencing Homelessness And Incarceration In Minnesota.

We used data from a statewide public health-health system collaboration to describe trends in COVID-19 vaccination rates by racial and ethnic groups among people experiencing homelessness or incarceration in Minnesota. Vaccination completion rates among the general population and people incarcerated in state prisons were substantially higher than those among people experiencing homelessness or jail incarceration.

Probing the transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic solvation with atomic scale resolution.

Picosecond and femtosecond X-ray absorption spectroscopy is used to probe the changes of the solvent shell structure upon electron abstraction of aqueous iodide using an ultrashort laser pulse. The transient L(1,3) edge EXAFS at 50 ps time delay points to the formation of an expanded water cavity around the iodine atom, in good agreement with classical and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. These also show that while the hydrogen atoms pointed toward iodide, they predominantly point toward the bulk solvent in the case of iodine, suggesting a hydrophobic behavior. This is further confirmed by quantum chemical (QC) calculations of I(-)/I(0)(H(2)O)(n=1-4) clusters. The L(1) edge sub-picosecond spectra point to the existence of a transient species that is not present at 50 ps. The QC calculations and the QM/MM MD simulations identify this transient species as an I(0)(OH(2)) complex inside the cavity. The simulations show that upon electron abstraction most of the water molecules move away from iodine, while one comes closer to form the complex that lives for 3-4 ps. This time is governed by the reorganization of the main solvation shell, basically the time it takes for the water molecules to reform an H-bond network. Only then is the interaction with the solvation shell strong enough to pull the water molecule of the complex toward the bulk solvent. Overall, much of the behavior at early times is determined by the reorientational dynamics of water molecules and the formation of a complete network of hydrogen bonded molecules in the first solvation shell.

Primary Care Concerns for the Aging Population With HIV.

Because individuals with HIV are living longer, comorbidities are moving to the forefront of HIV patient care. People with HIV have a higher risk for HIV-related and non-HIV-related cancers than the general population, making cancer screening vital for this population. Immunizations are another important element of primary care for older adults with HIV, including a COVID-19 vaccine, about which data continue to evolve. This article summarizes a presentation by Steven C. Johnson, MD, at the International Antiviral Society-USA (IAS-USA) virtual HIV course Aging and HIV: Issues, Screening, and Management in Individuals with HIV as They Age in June 2021.

Successful use of generic direct acting antiviral medications to treat hepatitis C-a New Zealand-wide study.

AIMS: Direct acting antiviral (DAA) hepatitis C (HCV) medications are funded in New Zealand since 2016 for some and since 2019 for all genotypes. The purpose of this study was to review New Zealand-wide data of the use of generic HCV DAA medications imported through Tasmanian FixHepC Buyer's Club and the associated side effect profiles. METHODS: This is a retrospective data audit on the use of generic DAAs to treat HCV; outcomes from consecutive hepatitis C patients (naïve and pre-treated) treated with generic DAAs (sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, sofosbuvir/daclatasvir, sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, ribavirin) collected from all known sites that used Buyer's club medications in eight New Zealand district health board regions were summarised. Demographic, disease characteristics, FibroScan and blood markers' (platelets, ALT, GGT, AFP) data were collected. RESULTS: Study sample was 81.8% New Zealand European, 64.8% male of median 56.0 (IQR: 48.0-60.0) years old. Three participants (4.5%) were HIV positive. 74.7% of the participants had signs of fibrosis (F1-F4); 40.5% had cirrhosis/scaring (F4). 61.7% of the patients were naïve to treatment. 42.0%, 40.1% and 12.0% received sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, sofosbuvir/daclatasvir, sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, respectively; 32.1% also received ribavirin. 80.2% of patients received treatment for 12 weeks. 95.1% (154/162) of the sample achieved sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment, 2.5% relapsed, 1.2% were lost to follow-up. The main minor side effects included fatigue, headache, difficulty sleeping, experienced by 21.7%, 7.0%, 7.0%, respectively. An average total cost for medication and monitoring was 2,027 to 2,659 NZD (12 weeks), and 3,054 to 4,260 NZD (24 weeks) per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Generic DAAs to treat hepatitis C are safe, efficient and a cheaper than branded medications option.