Understanding the temporal dynamics of invasive late blight populations in India for improved management practices.

The microbial oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora infestans causes severe epidemics of potato late blight in crops globally. Disease management benefits from an understanding of the diversity of pathogen populations. In this study, we explore the dynamics of P. infestans populations in the late blight-potato agro-ecosystem across the Indian subcontinent. Investigations of the macroecological observations at the field level and microbial ecological principles provided insights into future pathogen behaviour. We use a comprehensive simple sequence repeat allele dataset to demonstrate that an invasive clonal lineage called EU_13_A2 has dominated populations over 14 years across India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Increasing levels of sub-clonal variation were tracked over time and space and, for the first time, populations in Asia were also compared to the source populations from Europe. Within India, a regional pathogen population structure was observed with evidence for local migration, cross-border movement between surrounding countries, and introductions via imports. There was also evidence of genetic drift and between-season transmission of more strongly pathogenic sub-clones with a complete displacement of some sub-clonal types. The limited introduction of novel genotypes and the use of resistant potato cultivars could contribute to the dominance of the 13_A2 lineage. The insights will contribute to the management of the pathogen in these key global potato production regions.

A Report of Salaries of Academic Cardiothoracic Surgeons Based on Race and Ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: Diversity in the physician workforce improves patient care, physician well-being, and innovation. Workforce diversity is dependent on fair compensation that is unbiased by race or ethnicity. The purpose of our study was to determine if a disparity of representation and salary based on race/ethnicity exists in academic cardiothoracic surgery. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data collected by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Data for U.S. Medical School Faculty 2021 and 2022. Salary data was not available if an academic rank and race/ethnicity had fewer than 6 cardiothoracic surgeons. We performed a descriptive analysis of the number of faculty and compared median and mean salaries according to academic rank using paired t-test. RESULTS: Of the 758 academic cardiothoracic surgeons, 64.9% were white, 25.2% Asian, 3.3% Black/African American, 4.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 1.7% other race/ethnicity. Cardiothoracic surgeons at the academic rank of professor were 74.6% White, 17.7% Asian, 3.4% Black/African American, 3.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.4% other races. Asian faculty earned 89-171%, Black/African American faculty earned 59-94%, and Hispanic/Latino earned 84-165% of the median salary earned by White faculty. Black/African American faculty consistently and significantly (p = .002) earned lower median salaries compared to White faculty at each academic rank measured. CONCLUSIONS: The academic cardiothoracic surgery workforce lacks diversity, especially at the highest academic ranks. Salary equity among races/ethnicities is complex, requiring additional study. However, Black/African American cardiothoracic surgeons experience low representation and salary disparity at every academic rank measured.

Goals, Structure and Financing of Surgical Residency Training: A Subcommittee Report of the Blue Ribbon Committee II.

OBJECTIVE: As part of the Blue Ribbon Committee II, review current goals, structure and financing of surgical training in Graduate Medical Education (GME) and recommend needed changes. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Surgical training has continually undergone major transitions with the 80-hour work week, earlier specialization (vascular, plastics and cardiovascular) and now entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as part of competency based medical education (CBME). Changes are needed to ensure the efficiencies of CBME are utilized, that stable graduate medical education funding is secured, and that support for surgeons who teach is made available. METHODS: Convened subcommittee discussions to determine needed focus for recommendations. RESULTS: Five recommendations are offered for changes to GME financing, incorporation of CBME, and support for educators, students and residents in training. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in surgical training related to CBME offer opportunity for change and innovation. Our subcommittee has laid out a potential path forward for improvements in GME funding, training structure, compensation of surgical educators, and support of students and residents in training.

Composition-dependent morphologies of CeO2 nanoparticles in the presence of Co-adsorbed H2O and CO2: a density functional theory study.

Catalytic activity is affected by surface morphology, and specific surfaces display greater activity than others. A key challenge is to define synthetic strategies to enhance the expression of more active surfaces and to maintain their stability during the lifespan of the catalyst. In this work, we outline an ab initio approach, based on density functional theory, to predict surface composition and particle morphology as a function of environmental conditions, and we apply this to CeO2 nanoparticles in the presence of co-adsorbed H2O and CO2 as an industrially relevant test case. We find that dissociative adsorption of both molecules is generally the most favourable, and that the presence of H2O can stabilise co-adsorbed CO2. We show that changes in adsorption strength with temperature and adsorbate partial pressure lead to significant changes in surface stability, and in particular that co-adsorption of H2O and CO2 stabilizes the {100} and {110} surfaces over the {111} surface. Based on the changes in surface free energy induced by the adsorbed species, we predict that cuboidal nanoparticles are favoured in the presence of co-adsorbed H2O and CO2, suggesting that cuboidal particles should experience a lower thermodynamic driving force to reconstruct and thus be more stable as catalysts for processes involving these species.

Ultrafast Photoinduced Phase Change in SnSe.

Time-resolved multiterahertz (THz) spectroscopy is used to observe an ultrafast, nonthermal electronic phase change in SnSe driven by interband photoexcitation with 1.55 eV pump photons. The transient THz photoconductivity spectrum is found to be Lorentzian-like, indicating charge localization and phase segregation. The rise of photoconductivity is bimodal in nature, with both a fast and slow component due to excitation into multiple bands and subsequent intervalley scattering. The THz conductivity magnitude, dynamics, and spectra show a drastic change in character at a critical excitation fluence of approximately 6 mJ/cm^{2} due to a photoinduced phase segregation and a macroscopic collapse of the band gap.

Comparison of Legacy and New No-History IOL Power Calculation Formulas in Postmyopic Laser Vision Correction Eyes.

PURPOSE: To compare the refractive accuracy of legacy and new no-history formulas in eyes with previous myopic laser vision correction (M-LVC). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Setting: Two academic centers Study Population: 576 eyes (400 patients) with previous M-LVC that underwent cataract surgery between 2019-2023. A SS-OCT biometer was used to obtain biometric measurements, including standard (K), posterior (PK), and total keratometry values (TK). OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: Refractive prediction errors were calculated for 11 no-history formulas: two legacy M-LVC formulas, four new M-LVC formulas using K values only, and five new M-LVC formulas using K with PK or TK. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heteroscedastic testing was used to evaluate relative formula performance, and formulas were ranked by root mean square error (RMSE). RESULTS: New M-LVC formulas performed better than legacy M-LVC formulas. New M-LVC formulas with PK/TK values performed better than versions without PK/TK values. Among new M-LVC formulas with PK/TK values, EVO 2.0-PK was superior to Hoffer QST-PK (P < 0.005). Among new M-LVC formulas using K only, Pearl DGS-K and EVO 2.0-K were both superior to Hoffer QST-K and Barrett True K NH-K formulas (all P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should favor using new no-history post M-LVC formulas over legacy post M-LVC formulas whenever possible. The top-performing M-LVC formulas (EVO 2.0-PK, Pearl DGS-PK, and Barrett True K-TK) utilized posterior corneal power values. Among formulas utilizing K alone, the EVO 2.0-K and Pearl DGS-K performed best.

Change in refractive errors with changes in IOL parameters.

This study considered two questions associated with intraocular lens (IOL) power and refraction: (1) Given a refraction with a particular IOL in the eye, what will be the refraction for the IOL or another IOL if located differently with regard to tilt or anterior-posterior position? (2) For a target refraction, what is the power of another IOL if located differently with regard to tilt or position? A thin lens technique was developed to address these questions. For the first question, light was traced through the initial correcting spectacle lens to the cornea, refracted at the cornea, transferred to the position of the initial IOL, refracted at this IOL, transferred to the position of a new IOL (which may be the same IOL but with a different position and/or tilt), refracted backwards through the new IOL, transferred to the cornea and refracted out of the eye to give a new correcting spectacle lens power. For the second question, light was traced through the initial correcting spectacle lens to the cornea, refracted at the cornea, transferred to the position of the initial IOL, refracted at the initial IOL and transferred to the position of a new IOL. Light was also traced through the second correcting spectacle lens, refracted at the cornea and transferred to the position of the second IOL. The difference between the reduced image vergence for the first raytrace and the reduced object vergence for the second raytrace gave the effective power of the second IOL, and from this, the power of the second IOL was determined. Examples are presented for different situations, including a case report.

Leaving trusted paths: Estimating corneal keratometric index in cataract surgery eyes with zero-power implants.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to estimate the corneal keratometric index in the eyes of cataract surgery patients who received zero-power intraocular lenses (IOLs). METHODOLOGY: This retrospective study analyzed postoperative equivalent spherical refraction and axial length, mean anterior curvature radius and aqueous humor refractive index to calculate the theoretical corneal keratometric index value (nk). Data was collected from 2 centers located in France and Germany. RESULTS: Thirty-six eyes were analyzed. The results revealed a mean corneal keratometric index of 1.329 ± 0.005 for traditional axial length (AL) and 1.331 ± 0.005 for Cooke modified axial length (CMAL). Results ranged from minimum values of 1.318/1.320 to maximum values of 1.340/1.340. CONCLUSION: The corneal keratometric index is a crucial parameter for ophthalmic procedures and calculations, particularly for IOL power calculation. Notably, the estimated corneal keratometric index value of 1.329/1.331 in this study is lower than the commonly used 1.3375 index. These findings align with recent research demonstrating that the theoretical corneal keratometric index should be approximately 1.329 using traditional AL and 1.331 using CMAL, based on the ratio between the mean anterior and posterior corneal curvature radii (1.22).

Efficacy and Safety of Low Dose Naltrexone for Chronic Pain.

Naltrexone is a mu-opioid receptor antagonist increasingly used as an analgesic for chronic pain at low doses. This retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted at an academic medical center to evaluate low-dose naltrexone (LDN) efficacy and describe its use in routine clinical practice. Adults receiving LDN, doses <10 mg for ≥1 month, seen at an outpatient pain clinic from January 1, 2014 to April 1, 2022 were included. The primary outcome was change in the Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity (PEG) score after LDN. Thirty-one patients were included. Median age was 50 years and 71% were female. Median duration of pain at baseline was 5 years. Mean PEG scores were 7.27 ± 1.39 and 6.62 ± 2.04 at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Mean difference was 0.66 (95% CI [0.10-1.21], p = 0.022). Eighty-seven percent (27) of patients discontinued LDN, 52% (16) for lack of benefit, 23% (7) for loss of benefit, 10% (3) for side effects, and 3% (1) for other reasons. Seven (23%) reported side effects. LDN was associated with a statistically significant reduction in PEG in adult chronic pain patients, however the clinical significance is unclear as over 75% of patients discontinued LDN due to lack of benefit.

Modified intraocular lens power selection method according to biometric subgroups Eom IOL power calculator.

This study evaluates the accuracy of a newly developed intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation method that applies four different IOL power calculation formulas according to 768 biometric subgroups based on keratometry, anterior chamber depth, and axial length. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in at Korea University Ansan Hospital. A total of 1600 eyes from 1600 patients who underwent phacoemulsification and a ZCB00 IOL in-the-bag implantation were divided into two datasets: a reference dataset (1200 eyes) and a validation dataset (400 eyes). Using the reference dataset and the results of previous studies, the Eom IOL power calculator was developed using 768 biometric subgroups. The median absolute errors (MedAEs) and IOL Formula Performance Indexes (FPIs) of the Barrett Universal II, Haigis, Hoffer Q, Holladay 1, Ladas Super, SRK/T, and Eom formulas using the 400-eye validation dataset were compared. The MedAE of the Eom formula (0.22 D) was significantly smaller than that of the other four formulas, except for the Barrett Universal II and Ladas Super formulas (0.24 D and 0.23 D, respectively). The IOL FPI of the Eom formula was 0.553, which ranked first, followed by the Ladas Super (0.474), Barrett Universal II (0.470), Holladay 1 (0.444), Hoffer Q (0.396), Haigis (0.392), and SRK/T (0.361) formulas. In conclusion, the Eom IOL power calculator developed in this study demonstrated similar or slightly better accuracy than the Barrett Universal II and Ladas Super formulas and was superior to the four traditional IOL power calculation formulas.

Repeatability of biometric measures from the IOLMaster 700 in a cataractous population.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the repeatability of biometric measures and also to assess the interactions between the uncertainties in these measures for use in an error propagation model, using data from a large patient cohort. METHODS: In this cross-sectional non-randomised study we evaluated a dataset containing 3379 IOLMaster 700 biometric measurements taken prior to cataract surgery. Only complete scans with at least 3 successful measurements for each eye performed on the same day were considered. The mean (Mean) and standard deviations (SD) for each sequence of measurements were derived and analysed. Correlations between the uncertainties were assessed using Spearman rank correlations. RESULTS: In the dataset with 677 eyes matching the inclusion criteria, the within subject standard deviation and repeatability for all parameters match previously published data. The SD of the axial length (AL) increased with the Mean AL, but there was no noticeable dependency of the SD of any of the other parameters on their corresponding Mean value. The SDs of the parameters are not independent of one another, and in particular we observe correlations between those for AL, anterior chamber depth, aqueous depth, lens thickness and corneal thickness. CONCLUSIONS: The SD change over Mean for AL measurement and the correlations between the uncertainties of several biometric parameters mean that a simple Gaussian error propagation model cannot be used to derive the effect of biometric uncertainties on the predicted intraocular lens power and refraction after cataract surgery.

Comparison of Pre- and Post-DMEK Keratometry and Total Keratometry Values for IOL Power Calculations in Eyes Undergoing Triple DMEK.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prediction accuracy of pre- and post-DMEK keratometry (K) and total keratometry (TK) values for IOL power calculations in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) eyes undergoing DMEK with cataract surgery (triple DMEK). METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study of 55 FECD eyes (44 patients) that underwent triple DMEK between 2019 and 2022 between two centers in USA and Europe. Swept-source optical coherence tomography biometry (IOLMaster 700) was used for pre- and post-DMEK measurements. K and TK values were used for power calculations with ten formulae (Barrett Universal II (BUII), Castrop, Cooke K6, EVO 2.0, Haigis, Hoffer Q, Hoffer QST, Holladay I, Kane, and SRK/T). Mean error, mean absolute error (MAE), standard deviation, and percentage of eyes within ±0.50/±1.00 diopters (D) were calculated. Studied formulae were additionally adjusted using a method published previously (IOLup1D Method), which increases the IOL power by 1D. While both eyes from the same patient were considered for descriptive statistics, we restricted to one eye per individual (44 eyes for statistical comparisons. RESULTS: MAEs for all formulae were lower for post-DMEK K and TK than pre-DMEK K and TK by an average of 0.24 and 0.47 D, respectively. The lowest MAE was 0.49 D for Kane using post-DMEK TK, and the highest MAE was 1.05 D for BUII using pre-DMEK TK. Most IOLup1D formulae had lower MAEs than pre-DMEK K and TK formulae. CONCLUSIONS: The IOLup1D Method should be used instead of pre-DMEK K and TK values for triple DMEK in FECD eyes. Using post-DMEK TK values for cataract surgery after DMEK provides better refractive accuracy than any of the three studied methods used for triple DMEK procedures.

A Review of Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Formulas Based on Artificial Intelligence.

PURPOSE: The proper selection of an intraocular lens power calculation formula is an essential aspect of cataract surgery. This study evaluated the accuracy of artificial intelligence-based formulas. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: This review comprises articles evaluating the exactness of artificial intelligence-based formulas published from 2017 to July 2023. The papers were identified by a literature search of various databases (Pubmed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Crossref, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and SciELO) using the terms "IOL formulas", "FullMonte", "Ladas", "Hill-RBF", "PEARL-DGS", "Kane", "Karmona", "Hoffer QST", and "Nallasamy". In total, 25 peer-reviewed articles in English with the maximum sample and the largest number of compared formulas were examined. RESULTS: The scores of the mean absolute error and percentage of patients within ±0.5 D and ±1.0 D were used to estimate the exactness of the formulas. In most studies the Kane formula obtained the smallest mean absolute error and the highest percentage of patients within ±0.5 D and ±1.0 D. Second place was typically achieved by the PEARL DGS formula. The limitations of the studies were also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Kane seems to be the most accurate artificial intelligence-based formula. PEARL DGS also gives very good results. Hoffer QST, Karmona, and Nallasamy are the newest, and need further evaluation.

Differences Between Keratometry and Total Keratometry Measurements in a Large Dataset Obtained With a Modern Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography Biometer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the concept of total keratometry (TK) by analyzing extensive international datasets representing diverse ethnic backgrounds. The primary objective was to quantify the disparities between traditional keratometry (K) and TK values in normal eyes and assess their impact on intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations using various formulas. DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter intra-instrument reliability analysis. METHODS: The study involved the analysis of biometry data collected from ten international centers across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Corneal power was expressed as equivalent power and astigmatic vector components for both K and TK values. The study assessed the influence of these differences on IOL power calculations using different formulas. The results were analyzed and plotted using Bland-Altman and double angle plots. RESULTS: The study encompassed a total of 116,982 measurements from 57,862 right eyes and 59,120 left eyes. The analysis revealed a high level of agreement between K and TK values, with 93.98% of eyes exhibiting an absolute difference of 0.25 D or less. Astigmatism vector differences exceeding 0.25 D and 0.50 D were observed in 39.43% and 1.08% of eyes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale study underscores the similarity between mean K and TK values in healthy eyes, with rare clinical implications for IOL power calculation. Noteworthy differences were observed in astigmatism values between K and TK. Future investigations should delve into the practicality of TK values for astigmatism correction and their implications for surgical outcomes.

The Cost of Being a Woman in Academic Cardiothoracic Surgery: Joint Collaboration of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforces on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Cardiothoracic Surgery Practice Models.

BACKGROUND: Gender disparity in the cardiothoracic surgery workforce is challenging to enumerate and quantify. The purpose of our work is to use the most current data to quantify the percentage of women in academic cardiothoracic surgery and salary disparity between women and men. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data collected by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Data Resource Book 2021 and Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Data for U.S. Medical School Faculty 2019, 2020, and 2021. We used descriptive analysis of the number of faculty and mean salaries of academic cardiothoracic surgeons according to academic rank and gender. Salary disparity in cardiothoracic surgery was compared with salary disparities seen among surgical specialties and academic clinicians. RESULTS: Over the past 3 years, women comprised 11.5% of the cardiothoracic workforce. In 2021, cardiothoracic surgeons who were women earned $0.71 to $0.86 for every $1.00 earned by cardiothoracic surgeons who were men. Ascending academic rank correlated with greater gender salary disparity; women professors earned less than men of equal and lower academic rank. From 2019 to 2021, women of the academic ranks of associate professor, professor, and chief of cardiothoracic surgery experienced a decrease in mean salaries, whereas men of equivalent academic ranks experienced an increase in mean salaries. CONCLUSIONS: Gender disparity in cardiothoracic surgery persists, with low representation of women and salary disparity at every academic rank.

Refractive errors occurring with tilt of intraocular lenses.

A thin lens technique was developed to determine how the effective powers of toric monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) are influenced by tilt and the refractive errors associated with the tilt. A series of steps determined the effective power of the cornea at the IOL, the IOL power, the effective power of the tilted IOL, the correction required at the front of the eye and the power of an IOL that would compensate for the tilt. The correction was determined by starting at the ideal reduced image vergence at the IOL, backwards raytracing to obtain a reduced image vergence at the cornea, and subtracting the cornea power from this reduced image vergence. Examples are presented for different situations where the IOL is either tilted about the vertical or an oblique axis. Raytracing with a thick lens verified the accuracy of the technique.

Assessment of the well-being of significant others of cardiothoracic surgeons.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate how the current working climate of cardiothoracic surgery and burnout experienced by cardiothoracic surgeons influences their spouses and significant others (SOs). METHODS: A 33-question well-being survey was developed by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Wellness Committee and distributed by e-mail to the SOs of cardiothoracic surgeons and to all surgeon registrants of the 2020 and 2021 American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meetings with a request to share it with their SO. The 5-item Likert-scale survey questions were dichotomized, and associations were determined by χ2 or independent samples t tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: Responses from 238 SOs were analyzed. Sixty-six percent reported that the stress on their cardiothoracic surgeon partner had a moderate to severe influence on their family, and 63% reported that their partner's work demands didn't leave enough time for family. Fifty-one percent reported that their partner rarely had time for intimacy, 27% reported poor work-life balance, and 23% reported that interactions at home were usually or always not good-natured. SOs were most affected when their partner was <5 years out from training, worked in private vs academic practice, and worked longer hours. Having children, particularly younger than age 19 years, and a lack of workplace support resources further diminished well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The current work culture of cardiothoracic surgeons adversely affects their SOs, and the risk for families is concerning. These data present a major area for exploration as we strive to understand and mitigate the factors that lead to burnout among cardiothoracic surgeons.

The variability of Phytophthora infestans isolates collected from Estonian islands in the Baltic Sea.

Knowledge of a pathogen's genetic variability and population structure is of benefit to effective disease management. In this study, 193 isolates of Phytophthora infestans collected from three Estonian islands, were characterized over three years using SSRs marker data complemented by information on their mating type and resistance to metalaxyl. In combination with SSR marker data from samples in the neighbouring Pskov region of north west Russia, the impact of regional and landscape structure on the level of genetic exchange was also examined. Among the Estonian islands 111 P. infestans isolates, forty-nine alleles were detected among twelve SSR loci, and 59 SSR multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were found, of which 64% were unique. The genetic variation was higher among years than that among islands, as revealed by AMOVA. The frequency of metalaxyl-resistant isolates increased from 9% in 2012 to 30% in 2014, and metalaxyl resistant was most frequent among A1 isolates. The test for isolation by distance among the studied regions was not significant, and coupled with the absence of genetic differentiation revealed gene flow, and the absence of local adaptation. The data are consistent with a sexual population in which diversity is driven by an annual germination of soil-borne oospores. The absence of shared genotypes over the years has important implications when it comes to the management of disease. Such population diversity can make it difficult to predict the nature of the outbreak in the coming year as the genetic makeup are different for each year.