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Plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar(Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a key pest in Southeastern peach production by infesting fruit and decreasing yield. In Northeastern apples, plum curculio was found to have an “edge effect,” where more plum curculio are present next to a forested border than in the center of an orchard, and their propensity to fly or walk depended on air temperature. We conducted field studies over 3 seasons (2019–2021) to investigate whether plum curculio in small Southeastern peach plots exhibits the edge effect and to determine its primary mode of movement (flying or walking). Our results revealed that plum curculio did not exhibit the edge effect in Southeastern peaches. Thus, unlike Northeastern apples where plum curculio exhibits the edge effect, the reduced-input application program where insecticide sprays mainly target a few perimeter-row trees instead of the whole orchard for plum curculio management is not recommended for Southeastern peaches. Additionally, we observed that plum curculio in Southeastern peaches did not exhibit a primary mode of movement, and in most of the sampling weeks, the numbers of flying and walking plum curculio were not significantly correlated in the field. These results emphasize that using plum curculio sampling tools that only capture flying or walking plum curculio is not ideal for monitoring plum curculio activity in the Southeast. Overall, our findings indicate that plum curculio in Southeastern small peach plots and Northeastern apples does not exhibit the same behavior (i.e., edge effect and propensity to fly or walk).

The path to long-term care (LTC) may be challenging, especially when transferring from inpatient mental health care. Here, eligibility and placement determinations may not fit within typical decision trees. This article outlines a process to visualize individual barriers to LTC placement. These visualizations facilitate discussion and planning to reduce client-specific barriers.

Postacute sequelae after the coronavirus disease (COVID) of 2019 (PASC) is increasingly recognized, although data on solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (SOTRs) are limited. Using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, we performed 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) of all adult SOTR and nonimmunosuppressed/immunocompromised (ISC) patients with acute COVID infection (August 1, 2021 to January 13, 2023) for a subsequent PASC diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine not only the association of SOT status with PASC, but also other patient factors after stratifying by SOT status. Prior to PSM, there were 8769 SOT and 1 576 769 non-ISC patients with acute COVID infection. After PSM, 8756 SOTR and 8756 non-ISC patients were included; 2.2% of SOTR (n = 192) and 1.4% (n = 122) of non-ISC patients developed PASC (Pvalue < .001). In the overall matched cohort, SOT was independently associated with PASC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.01). Among SOTR, COVID infection severity (aOR, 11.6; 95% CI, 3.93-30.0 for severe vs mild disease), older age (aOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03 per year), and mycophenolate mofetil use (aOR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.38-3.05) were each independently associated with PASC. In non-ISC patients, only depression (aOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.24-3.07) and COVID infection severity were. In conclusion, PASC occurs more commonly in SOTR than in non-ISC patients, with differences in risk profiles based on SOT status.

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) of convecting upper mantle recorded by ridge peridotites varies by more than four orders of magnitude1–3. Although much attention has been given to mechanisms that drive variations in mantle fO2between tectonic settings1,3,4and to comparisons of fO2between modern rocks and ancient-mantle-derived rocks5–10, comparatively little has been done to understand the origins of the high variability in fO2recorded by peridotites from modern mid-ocean ridge settings. Here we report the petrography and geochemistry of peridotites from the Gakkel Ridge and East Pacific Rise (EPR), including 16 new high-precision determinations of fO2. Refractory peridotites from the Gakkel Ridge record fO2more than four orders of magnitude below the mantle average. With thermodynamic and mineral partitioning modelling, we show that excursions to ultralow fO2can be produced by large degrees of melting at high potential temperature (Tp), beginning in the garnet field and continuing into the spinel field—conditions met during the generation of ancient komatiites but not modern basalts. This does not mean that ambient convecting upper mantle had a lower ferric to ferrous ratio in Archaean times than today nor that modern melting in the garnet field at hotspots produce reduced magmas. Instead, it implies that rafts of ancient, refractory, ultrareduced mantle continue to circulate in the modern mantle while contributing little to modern ridge volcanism.

A key barrier to the development of vaccines that induce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other viruses of high antigenic diversity is the design of priming immunogens that induce rare bnAb-precursor B cells. The high neutralization breadth of the HIV bnAb 10E8 makes elicitation of 10E8-class bnAbs desirable; however, the recessed epitope within gp41 makes envelope trimers poor priming immunogens and requires that 10E8-class bnAbs possess a long heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) with a specific binding motif. We developed germline-targeting epitope scaffolds with affinity for 10E8-class precursors and engineered nanoparticles for multivalent display. Scaffolds exhibited epitope structural mimicry and bound bnAb-precursor human naive B cells in ex vivo screens, protein nanoparticles induced bnAb-precursor responses in stringent mouse models and rhesus macaques, and mRNA-encoded nanoparticles triggered similar responses in mice. Thus, germline-targeting epitope scaffold nanoparticles can elicit rare bnAb-precursor B cells with predefined binding specificities and HCDR3 features.

Understanding how basic safety practices can affect the daily work of operators can reduce the chance of harm to personnel and infrastructure.

AbstractIntroduction:Music festivals have become an increasingly popular form of mass-gathering event, drawing an increasing number of attendees across the world each year. While festivals exist to provide guests with an enjoyable experience, there have been instances of serious illness, injury, and in some cases death. Large crowds, prolonged exposure to loud music, and high rates of drug and alcohol consumption can pose a dangerous environment for guests as well as those looking after them.Methods:A retrospective review of electronic patient records (EPRs) at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival was undertaken. All patients who attended medical services on-site during the festival and immediately after were included. Patient demographics, diagnosis, treatment received, and discharge destination were obtained and analyzed.Results:A total of 2,828 patients received on-site medical care. The patient presentation rate (PPR) was 13.47 and the transport-to-hospital rate (TTHR) was 0.30 per 1,000 guests. The most common diagnoses were joint injuries, gastrointestinal conditions, and blisters. Only 164 patients (5.48%) were diagnosed as being intoxicated. Overall, 552 patients (19.52%) were prescribed a medication to take away and 268 (9.48%) had a dressing for a minor wound. One patient (0.04%) underwent a general anesthetic and no patients required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Most patients were discharged back to the festival site (2,563; 90.66%).Discussion:Minor conditions were responsible for many presentations and most patients only required mild or non-invasive interventions, after which they could be safely discharged back to the festival. Older adults were diagnosed with a different frequency of conditions compared to the overall study population, something not reported previously. Intoxicated patients only accounted for a very small amount of the medical workload.

The polyphagous pest, Halyomorpha halys(Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), damages fruit in orchards and field crops and is often found within nearby woodlands. Pheromone-baited traps can be used to monitor H. halys.However, the efficiency of trapping H. halysmay vary depending on trapping strategy (live vs. dead capture), location (ground or canopy), and diel periodicity of captures. We compared H. halyscapture within fruiting hosts for: (i) live and kill traps on the ground vs. traps in the canopy of black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) (Rosales: Rosaceae), sugarberry (Celtis laevigataWilldenow) (Rosales: Cannabaceae), and pecan (Carya illinoinensis(Wangenh.) K. Koch) (Fagales: Juglandaceae) trees, (ii) ground and canopy-live traps in sassafras (Sassafras albidum(Nutt.) Nees) (Laurales: Lauraceae), and (iii) whether diel periodicity was detected for live capture in sassafras and cotton. More H. halysadults and nymphs were captured in kill traps than in live traps. More nymphs were captured in kill traps in black cherry and sugarberry on the ground than in the canopy. Live adult capture was significantly greater in sassafras and pecan canopies than on the ground. In cotton and sassafras, more live adults were captured from 8 PM—noon, with the fewest captured from noon—6 PM. A better understanding of stink bug activity in the field allows for improved trapping and, possibly, improved timing of treatment applications.

Many machine learning techniques are used as drug discovery tools with the intent to speed characterization by determining relationships between compound structure and biological function. However, particularly in anticancer drug discovery, these models often make only binary decisions about the biological activity for a narrow scope of drug targets. We present a feed-forward neural network, PECAN (Prediction Engine for the Cytostatic Activity of Natural product-like compounds), that simultaneously classifies the potential antiproliferative activity of compounds against 59 cancer cell lines. It predicts the activity to be one of six categories, indicating not only if activity is present but the degree of activity. Using an independent subset of NCI data as a test set, we show that PECAN can reach 60.1% accuracy in a six-way classification and present further evidence that it classifies based on useful structural features of compounds using a “within-one” measure that reaches 93.0% accuracy.

Leptoglossus(Hemiptera: Coreidae) are a diverse genus of phytophagous insects. Literature regarding Leptoglossushas increased as species are identified as emerging agricultural pests or reported outside of their native range. Within Leptoglossus, five species dominate the literature and are known pests and vectors of plant pathogenic microbes in several major crops. Despite the increasing profile of Leptoglossus, current monitoring and management methods rely primarily on visual inspection, and semiochemical tools have yet to be developed. This Perspective identifies and discusses gaps in the Leptoglossusliterature as well as areas of research needed for the development of effective tools for monitoring insect populations and enabling informed pest-management practices.

Papillary hemangioma (PH) is a small, primarily dermal lesion occurring predominantly in the head and neck in both children and adults. Its signature characteristics are dilated thin-walled channels containing papillary clusters of mainly capillary-sized vessels and endothelial cytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions. Given certain histopathologic similarities to congenital hemangioma which harbor mutations in GNAQand GNA11, we investigated whether similar mutations are present in PH. Seven PH specimens were studied. All presented in the first 4 years of life, with one being noted at birth. With the exception of one lesion, all were in the head and neck. Lesions were bluish and ranged in size from 0.5 to 2.8 cm. Four samples had GNA11p.Q209L and 3 had GNAQp.Q209L missense mutations. Mutations in GNA11and GNAQare associated with other types of somatic vascular lesions including capillary malformation, congenital hemangioma, anastomosing hemangioma, thrombotic anastomosing hemangioma, and hepatic small cell neoplasm. Shared mutations in GNA11and GNAQmay account for some overlapping clinical and pathologic features in these entities, perhaps explicable by the timing of the mutation or influence of the germline phenotype.

To improve health equity, dental and medical students must have a firm grasp of the proper use of race as a social construct. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which an innovative learning event affected students’ understanding of race as a social construct. It also sought to examine the effects that personally experienced and/or witnessed racism and previous education had on students’ responses to the learning event. In 2022, all incoming first‐year dental (N= 48) and medical (N= 114) students completed an online pre‐matriculation assignment about the use of race in healthcare. Students initially completed an anonymous 14‐item pre‐survey and then read assigned publications, followed by answering questions about a real‐life vignette concerning the topic of race as a social construct. Students finished the assignment by completing an anonymous seven‐item post‐survey. Data from the pre‐ and post‐surveys were collected and analyzed to assess if differences existed among students and between the two surveys. Dental and medical students were significantly more likely to endorse race as a social construct after the learning experience (p< 0.001). Students who had experienced discrimination or obtained training were more likely to define race as a social construct before and after the learning event. Dental and medical schools can increase students’ understanding of race as a social construct, rather than a biological construct, with educational interventions.

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy improves event-free survival (EFS) and pathologic complete response (0% residual viable tumor (RVT) in primary tumor (PT) and lymph nodes (LNs)), and is approved for treatment of resectable lung cancer. Pathologic response assessment after neoadjuvant therapy is the potential analog to radiographic response for advanced disease. However, %RVT thresholds beyond pathologic complete response and major pathologic response (≤10% RVT) have not been explored. Pathologic response was prospectively assessed in the randomized, phase 3 CheckMate 816 trial (NCT02998528), which evaluated neoadjuvant nivolumab (anti-programmed death protein 1) plus chemotherapy in patients with resectable lung cancer. RVT, regression and necrosis were quantified (0–100%) in PT and LNs using a pan-tumor scoring system and tested for association with EFS in a prespecified exploratory analysis. Regardless of LN involvement, EFS improved with 0% versus >0% RVT-PT (hazard ratio = 0.18). RVT-PT predicted EFS for nivolumab plus chemotherapy (area under the curve = 0.74); 2-year EFS rates were 90%, 60%, 57% and 39% for patients with 0–5%, >5–30%, >30–80% and >80% RVT, respectively. Each 1% RVT associated with a 0.017 hazard ratio increase for EFS. Combining pathologic response from PT and LNs helped differentiate outcomes. When compared with radiographic response and circulating tumor DNA clearance, %RVT best approximated EFS. These findings support pathologic response as an emerging survival surrogate. Further assessment of the full spectrum of %RVT in lung cancer and other tumor types is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT02998528.

Abstract: In molecular dynamics, Hamiltonian systems of differential equations are numerically integrated using the Strmer–Verlet method. One feature of these simulations is that there is an unphysical drift in the energy of the system over long integration periods. We study this energy drift, by considering a representative system in which it can be easily observed and studied. We show that if the system is started in a random initial configuration, the error in energy of the numerically computed solution is well modeled as a continuous-time stochastic process: geometric Brownian motion. We discuss what in our model is likely to remain the same or to change if our approach is applied to more realistic molecular dynamics simulations.

Regulatory T (Treg) cell modulation of adaptive immunity and tissue homeostasis is well described; however, less is known about Tregcell-mediated regulation of the innate immune response. Here we show that deletion of ST2, the receptor for interleukin (IL)-33, on Tregcells increased granulocyte influx into the lung and increased cytokine production by innate lymphoid and γδ T cells without alteration of adaptive immunity to influenza. IL-33 induced high levels of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in ST2+Tregcells and deletion of IL-1Ra in Tregcells increased granulocyte influx into the lung. Tregcell-specific deletion of ST2 or IL-1Ra improved survival to influenza, which was dependent on IL-1. Adventitial fibroblasts in the lung expressed high levels of the IL-1 receptor and their chemokine production was suppressed by Tregcell-produced IL-1Ra. Thus, we define a new pathway where IL-33-induced IL-1Ra production by tissue Tregcells suppresses IL-1-mediated innate immune responses to respiratory viral infection.

The effects of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and altered processes of care on nonelective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes remain unknown. We hypothesized that patients with COVID-19 infection would have longer hospital lengths of stay and greater mortality compared with COVID-negative patients, but that these outcomes would not differ between COVID-negative and pre-COVID controls.

Both deer bolted for about 20 yards, at which point the buck slowed to a walk. The deer trailing 10 yards behind the buck was a doe. The first deer silently ambled closer, and I saw it was a buck. [Extracted from the article]

An effective laboratory safety program focuses on preventing harm by reducing risks to staff and the laboratory itself. All laboratory safety programs should include documentation and training, safety data sheets, personal protective equipment, emergency shower/eyewash, fire safety, and first aid. Safety programs should address the specific analysis, such as microbiology or hazardous chemicals present. Operations laboratories should also have safety programs, even if they only perform process control testing.

We investigated environmental variables associated with spawning migration behavior for a dual‐spawning population of endangered Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchusin the Great Pee Dee River, South Carolina. From 2016 to 2021, 147 Atlantic Sturgeon were captured, implanted with acoustic transmitters, and monitored using a stationary array of 40 receivers located every 5–20 km along a 302‐km section of the Great Pee Dee River from the river mouth at Winyah Bay to the first movement barrier at Blewett Falls Dam, North Carolina. We observed 47 Atlantic Sturgeon attempting 74 spring migrations and 39 Atlantic Sturgeon attempting 76 fall migrations across 4 years of telemetry observations (2018–2021). Mixed‐effects models indicated that discharge interacted with water temperature to affect both migration initiation and upriver movement, and these interactions differed between the spring and fall runs. Spring runs were cued by rising temperatures and high river discharge, whereas fall runs were cued by falling temperatures and low discharge. Within migrations, spring‐run fish migrated further upriver when discharge was falling, and fall‐run fish moved further upriver when discharge was rising. Overall, fall‐run sturgeon migrated significantly further upriver than spring‐run sturgeon. Differences in migratory behavior between the two runs suggest potentially unique adaptations to ambient river conditions during the respective spawning seasons. Identifying the environmental factors that drive—and thereby limit—Atlantic Sturgeon migrations in the Great Pee Dee River informs regional recovery efforts and highlights the importance of studying and managing this species at the population level. Impact statementSome populations of Atlantic Sturgeon have uniquely adapted to spawn in both spring and fall. Each seasonal spawning run is cued differently by the interplay between river temperature and flow. Because they are present in rivers for a longer period of time, dual‐spawning sturgeon may be more susceptible to a wider range of threats. Some populations of Atlantic Sturgeon have uniquely adapted to spawn in both spring and fall. Each seasonal spawning run is cued differently by the interplay between river temperature and flow. Because they are present in rivers for a longer period of time, dual‐spawning sturgeon may be more susceptible to a wider range of threats.

Spatiotemporal distribution of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and their natural enemies across farmscapes has been studied in more detail recently. However, the impact of plant height on vertical stratification of stink bugs and their natural enemies is rarely addressed across these diverse habitats. In this study, we examined capture of native stink bugs, the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys(Stål)(Hemiptera:Pentatomidae), and a predaceous wasp, Astata occidentalisCresson (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in pheromone-baited traps, in 2 habitats, woodlands of mostly deciduous trees mixed with some conifers and pecan orchards, in addition to their vertical stratification (0–13.7 m) at increasing heights. Furthermore, the effects of canopy height and habitat on H. halysegg mass predation and parasitism were evaluated. Adult H. halyswere abundant in both habitats, but more nymphs were captured in pecan orchards. The same pattern was found for adult Euschistus servus(Say) (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae), Thyanta custatorMcAtee (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae), and A. occidentalis. In contrast, adult E. tristigmus (Say) (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae)and Chinavia hilaris(Say) (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae) were more abundant in woodlands. More nymphal H. halysand adults of E. servus, T. custator, and A. occidentaliswere captured in ground traps than canopy traps in pecan. More adult and nymphal H. halyswere captured at varying heights in the woodland canopy compared to near the ground as were adult E. tristigmusand C. hilaris. Both parasitism and predation occurred in woodland and pecan canopies. However, in one test we found that parasitism of H. halysegg masses occurred more often in the upper tree canopy, and more parasitism was detected in woodland than orchard habitat. In 2 tests, predation was higher in woodlands than pecan orchards. These results will aid in optimizing conservation biological control tactics in these habitats.

Ask-Advise-Connect (AAC) efficiently links smokers in healthcare settings with evidence-based Quitline-delivered tobacco treatment through training clinic staff to systematically ask patients about smoking status, advise smokers to quit, and connect patients with state Quitlines using the electronic health record. This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, guided by the RE-AIM framework, to evaluate the implementation of AAC in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). AAC was implemented for 18 months at a FQHC serving primarily low-socioeconomic status (SES) Latinos and Latinas. Results are presented within the RE-AIM conceptual framework which includes dimensions of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Quantitative patient-level outcomes of reach, effectiveness, and Impact were calculated. Post-implementation, in-depth interviews were conducted with clinic leadership and staff (N= 9) to gather perceptions and inform future implementation efforts. During the implementation period, 12.0% of GNHC patients who reported current smoking both agreed to have their information sent to the Quitline and were successfully contacted by the Quitline (Reach), 94.8% of patients who spoke with the Quitline enrolled in treatment (Effectiveness), and 11.4% of all identified smokers enrolled in Quitline treatment (Impact). In post-implementation interviews assessing RE-AIM dimensions, clinic staff and leadership identified facilitators and advantages of AAC and reported that AAC was easy to learn and implement, streamlined existing procedures, and had a positive impact on patients. Staff and leadership reported enthusiasm about AAC implementation and believed AAC fit well in the clinic. Staff were interested in AAC becoming the standard of care and made suggestions for future implementation. Clinic staff at a FQHC serving primarily low-SES Latinos and Latinas viewed the ACC implementation process positively. Findings have implications for streamlining clinical smoking cessation procedures and the potential to reduce tobacco-related disparities.This study is the first to evaluate clinic staff and leadership perceptions of Ask-Advise-Connect (AAC), which seamlessly connects smokers in healthcare settings with evidence-based tobacco treatment using the EHR. Clinic staff and leadership reported enthusiasm for AAC implementation, as the procedure streamlined the clinic’s smoking cessation efforts, fit well into clinic flow, and was beneficial to patients.Ask-Advise-Connect (AAC) simplifies and streamlines the process of asking patients about their smoking status, advising smokers to quit, and connecting patients through the electronic health record with free, evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment offered by state Quitlines. This study is the first to evaluate perceptions of AAC among clinic leadership and staff. After an 18-month implementation of AAC at a clinic serving mostly low-income Latinos and Latinas, clinic staff (e.g., medical assistants) and leaders were interviewed. Respondents reported that AAC streamlined their efforts to get patients to quit smoking, was easy to carry out, and fit well into the clinic flow. Staff wanted to keep AAC as the standard of care and made suggestions to improve how AAC works. They reported positive feedback from patients. In addition, a similar proportion of smokers enrolled in Quitline treatment as in other AAC trials. Thus, AAC worked well for patients and clinic staff. Having AAC in other clinics could improve enrollment in evidence-based smoking cessation treatment, facilitate successful smoking cessation among low-income primary care patients, and reduce burden on healthcare providers.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been deemed one of the most contaminated cetacean species in the world. However, concentrations and potential health implications of selected ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ (CECs) and new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in endangered Southern Resident and threatened Bigg’s (Transient) killer whales in the Northeastern Pacific (NEP) have not yet been documented. Here, we quantify CECs [alkylphenols (APs), triclosan, methyl triclosan, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)] and new POPs [hexabromocyclododecane (HBCCD), PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS] in skeletal muscle and liver samples of these sentinel species and investigate in uterotransfer of these contaminants. Samples were collected from necropsied individuals from 2006 to 2018 and analyzed by LC–MS/MS or HRBC/HRMS. AP and PFAS contaminants were the most prevalent compounds; 4-nonylphenol (4NP) was the predominant AP (median 40.84 ng/g ww), and interestingly, 7:3-fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (7:3 FTCA) was the primary PFAS (median 66.35 ng/g ww). Maternal transfer ratios indicated 4NP as the most transferred contaminant from the dam to the fetus, with maternal transfer rates as high as 95.1%. Although too few killer whales have been screened for CECs and new POPs to infer the magnitude of contamination impact, these results raise concerns regarding pathological implications and potential impacts on fetal development and production of a viable neonate. This study outlines CEC and new POP concentrations in killer whales of the NEP and provides scientifically derived evidence to support and inform regulation to mitigate pollutant sources and contamination of Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat and other marine ecosystems.

AbstractA search was conducted for the sources of diastatic enzymes driving the over attenuation and continued fermentation of dry hopped beer known as “hop creep”. Microbial cultivation using starch containing media and assays of amylase enzyme activity were used to isolate and identify microbes from pellet hops that are potential sources of amylases associated with but exogenous to hops (Humulus lupulus). Bacteria and fungi associated with pellet hops produced amylases but did not produce hop creep in assays using finished beer and fermenting wort with added microbes. Cannabis sativaflower produced over attenuation of fermenting wort equivalent to that seen with hops. Comparative bioinformatic analysis of the Cannabis sativaproteome and H. lupulusgenome revealed the genetic potential of H. lupulusto produce endogenous amylase enzymes. Sequence similarity of amylases annotated in the C. sativaproteome to previously unidentified genes in H. lupulusrevealed 13 genes likely encoding amylases. PCR and sequencing confirmed the occurrence of genes that appear to encode α-amylase and β-amylase in the Citra® hop cultivar. Identifying a genetic basis for hop creep contributes knowledge that may lead to new approaches for controlling hop creep produced by endogenous amylases of H. lupulus.

AbstractIdentifying beer spoilage microbes is readily accomplished using PCR analyses targeting specific types of microbes, but the general classification of wild yeast versusbrewing yeast using cultivation independent molecular methods has remained challenging. The approach presented in this study utilized genetic fingerprint matching to determine if an unknown yeast isolate matches the fingerprint of catalogued brewing yeast strains. Interdelta Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) fingerprints were produced using PCR amplification of delta elements, also known as long terminal repeat sequences of transposons of yeast. Fingerprints identifying different yeast strains were generated by processing reads produced by NGS of the interdelta PCR amplicons using open source software. The interdelta NGS fingerprint comprises DNA sequences that can be recorded, compared, and utilized as a fixed reference for yeast strain identification. Interdelta NGS fingerprints were shown to be reproducible and capable of distinguishing between strains of brewing yeast and wild yeast. Experimental yeast contamination demonstrated the utility of the approach for identifying in-house brewing yeast cross contamination versusforeign wild yeast contamination.

Exogenous estrogen is associated with reduced coronavirus disease (COVID) mortality in nonimmunosuppressed/immunocompromised (non-ISC) postmenopausal females. Here, we examined the association of estrogen or testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with COVID outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) compared to non-ISC individuals, given known differences in sex-based risk in these populations. SOTRs ≥45 years old with COVID-19 between April 1, 2020 and July 31, 2022 were identified using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative. The association of HRT use in the last 24 months (exogenous systemic estrogens for females; testosterone for males) with major adverse renal or cardiac events in the 90 days post-COVID diagnosis and other secondary outcomes were examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression. We repeated these analyses in a non-ISC control group for comparison. Our study included 1135 SOTRs and 43 383 immunocompetent patients on HRT with COVID-19. In non-ISC, HRT use was associated with lower risk of major adverse renal or cardiac events (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.65 for females; aHR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.65-0.77 for males) and all secondary outcomes. In SOTR, HRT reduced the risk of acute kidney injury (aHR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98) and mortality (aHR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.85) in males with COVID but not in females. The potentially modifying effects of immunosuppression on the benefits of HRT requires further investigation.

Plate tectonics is a fundamental factor in the sustained habitability of Earth, but its time of onset is unknown, with ages ranging from the Hadaean to Proterozoic eons1–3. Plate motion is a key diagnostic to distinguish between plate and stagnant-lid tectonics, but palaeomagnetic tests have been thwarted because the planet’s oldest extant rocks have been metamorphosed and/or deformed4. Herein, we report palaeointensity data from Hadaean-age to Mesoarchaean-age single detrital zircons bearing primary magnetite inclusions from the Barberton Greenstone Belt of South Africa5. These reveal a pattern of palaeointensities from the Eoarchaean (about 3.9 billion years ago (Ga)) to Mesoarchaean (about 3.3 Ga) eras that is nearly identical to that defined by primary magnetizations from the Jack Hills (JH; Western Australia)6,7, further demonstrating the recording fidelity of select detrital zircons. Moreover, palaeofield values are nearly constant between about 3.9 Ga and about 3.4 Ga. This indicates unvarying latitudes, an observation distinct from plate tectonics of the past 600 million years (Myr) but predicted by stagnant-lid convection. If life originated by the Eoarchaean8, and persisted to the occurrence of stromatolites half a billion years later9, it did so when Earth was in a stagnant-lid regime, without plate-tectonics-driven geochemical cycling.