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Purpose: Our goal was to quantify the ability of various PSA values in predicting the likelihood of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer in older men., Materials and Methods: We used a random sample of patients in the US Veterans Health Administration to identify 80,706 men who had received PSA testing between ages 70 to 75. Our primary end point was time to development of either metastatic prostate cancer or death from prostate cancer. We used cumulative/dynamic modeling to account for competing events (death from non-prostate cancer causes) in studying both the discriminative ability of PSA as well as for positive predictive value and negative predictive value at 3 time points., Results: PSA demonstrated time-dependent predictive discrimination, with receiver operating characteristic area under the curve at 5, 10, and 14 years decreasing from 0.83 to 0.77 to 0.73, respectively, but without statistically significant difference when stratified by race. At PSA thresholds between 1 and 8 ng/mL, the positive predictive value of developing advanced prostate cancer was significantly greater in Black than White patients. For instance, at a PSA > 3, at 5, 10, and 14 years, White patients had 2.4%, 2.9%, and 3.7% risk of an event, whereas Black patients had 4.3%, 6.5%, and 8.3% risk., Conclusions: In men aged 70 to 75 deciding whether to cease PSA testing with borderline-elevated PSA values, the risk of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer is quantifiable and relatively low. Risk assessment in this setting must account for the higher incidence of prostate cancer in Black men.

Background: Some studies in both children and adults have shown a mortality benefit for the use of low titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) compared with component therapy for traumatic resuscitation. Although LTOWB is not widely available at pediatric trauma centers, its use is increasing. We hypothesized that in children who received whole blood after injury, the proportion of whole blood in relation to the total blood product resuscitation volume would impact survival., Methods: The trauma database from a single academic pediatric Level I trauma center was queried for pediatric (age <18 years) recipients of LTOWB after injury (years 2015-2022). Weight-based blood product (LTOWB, red blood cells, plasma, and platelet) transfusion volumes during the first 24 hours of admission were recorded. The ratio of LTOWB to total transfusion volume was calculated. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for the following variables: age, sex, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score, shock index, and Glasgow Coma Scale score. Adjusted odds ratio representing the change in the odds of mortality by a 10% increase in the LTOWB/total transfusion volume ratio was reported., Results: There were 95 pediatric LTOWB recipients included in the analysis, with median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 10 years (5-14 years), 58% male, median (IQR) Injury Severity Score of 26 (17-35), 25% penetrating mechanism. The median (IQR) volume of LTOWB transfused was 17 mL/kg (15-35 mL/kg). Low titer group O whole blood comprised a median (IQR) of 59% (33-100%) of the total blood product resuscitation. Among patients who received LTOWB, there was a 38% decrease in in-hospital mortality for each 10% increase in the proportion of WB within total transfusion volume ( p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score, shock index, and Glasgow Coma Scale score., Conclusion: Increased proportions of LTOWB within the total blood product resuscitation was independently associated with survival in injured children. Based on existing data that suggests safety and improved outcomes with whole blood, consideration may be given to increasing the use of LTOWB over CT resuscitation in pediatric trauma resuscitation., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The effects of gender-affirming hormone therapy on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate cancer incidence in transgender or nonbinary individuals (TGNB) born with prostate glands remain uncharacterized., Methods and Materials: The cohort included 1024 self-identified TGNB individuals assigned male at birth who received PSA testing in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, matched by birth year to cisgender men. PSA changes were measured using linear-mixed effects modeling accounting for repeated measures and matching., Results: Non-gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist or antagonist therapy was associated with 1.30 ng/mL lower PSA (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-1.46; P < .001) and GnRH therapy was associated with 1.08 ng/mL lower PSA (95% CI, 0.60-1.55; P < .001) compared with cisgender men. Among 450 TGNB individuals who had undergone PSA testing before and after initiation of hormone therapy, non-GnRH and GnRH therapies resulted in 0.49 ng/mL decrease (95% CI, 0.35-0.62; P < .001) and 0.73 ng/mL decrease (95% CI, 0.43-1.02; P < .001), respectively, from a median baseline of 0.70 ng/mL. From time of age 50 years, TGNB prostate cancer incidence was 1.79 per 1000 patient-years versus 4.02 per 1000 patient-years in cisgender men., Conclusions: Gender-affirming hormone therapies are associated with significant decreases in PSA, and TGNB individuals assigned male at birth remain at risk of prostate cancer. Future work should establish if a lower threshold for biopsy should be used in these contexts and if the decreased incidence is a result of ascertainment bias or hormone therapy resulting in a true decrease in the incidence of prostate cancer., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Relatives of probands diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) should undergo cascade testing for FH., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate probands' choices of innovative strategies to communicate their FH result with relatives and facilitate cascade testing uptake., Methods: Probands with an FH genetic result from the MyCode Community Health Initiative could choose to share their FH result with adult blood relatives via the Family and Healthcare Professional Packet (packet), family sharing and cascade chatbots (chatbot), and/or FH Outreach and Support Program (direct contact). Cascade testing uptake was measured as reported completion of genetic or cholesterol testing. Generalized estimating equations models were used to identify factors associated with testing., Results: One hundred seventy five probands received an FH result, median age was 58.9 (IQR: 44.9-69.3), and 58.9% were female. Probands shared information about 1,915 adult and 163 minor relatives (11.9 relatives per proband). Seventy percent of probands (121/175) selected at least one strategy for at least one adult relative. An average of 1.2 strategies was selected per adult relative. Cascade testing was completed for 26.6% (144/541) of adults with at least one strategy selected, 2.4% (33/1,374) of adults without a strategy selected, and 25.2% (41/163) of minor relatives. Factors associated with increased cascade testing uptake were selection of at least one strategy (6.32 higher odds), specifically, selection of direct contact (16.78 higher odds)., Conclusions: Strategies implemented improved FH cascade testing uptake compared to previous estimates and in families where no strategy was selected. Overall uptake remains insufficient, which can be attributed to probands reluctance to select a strategy for many relatives., Competing Interests: Dr Jones is a consultant for Novartis. Dr McGowan is on the advisory board for Novartis. Dr Gidding is a consultant for Esperion. Dr Sturm is an employee and stockholder in 23andMe; and on the advisory board for Nest Genomics. Research reported in this publication was supported by the 10.13039/100000050National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the 10.13039/100000002National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01HL148246. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The IMPACT-FH study implemented strategies (packet, chatbot, direct contact) to promote family member cascade testing for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We evaluated the impact of genetic counseling (GC) on medical outcomes, strategy selection, and cascade testing. Probands (i.e., patients with FH) were recommended to complete GC and select sharing strategies. Comparisons were performed for both medical outcomes and strategy selection between probands with or without GC. GEE models for Poisson regression were used to examine the relationship between proband GC completion and first-degree relative (FDR) cascade testing. Overall, 46.3% (81/175) of probands completed GC. Probands with GC had a median LDL-C reduction of -13.0 mg/dL (-61.0, 4.0) versus -1.0 mg/dL (-16.0, 17.0) in probands without GC ( p = 0.0054). Probands with and without GC selected sharing strategies for 65.3% and 40.3% of FDRs, respectively ( p < 0.0001). Similarly, 27.1% of FDRs of probands with GC completed cascade testing, while 12.0% of FDRs of probands without GC completed testing ( p = 0.0043). Direct contact was selected for 47 relatives in total and completed for 39, leading to the detection of 18 relatives with FH. Proband GC was associated with improved medical outcomes and increased FDR cascade testing. Direct contact effectively identified FH cases for the subset who participated.

Background: Admission hypocalcemia has been associated with poor outcomes in injured adults. The impact of hypocalcemia on mortality has not been widely studied in pediatric trauma., Methods: A pediatric trauma center database was queried retrospectively (2013-2022) for children younger than 18 years who received blood transfusion within 24 hours of injury and had ionized calcium (iCal) level on admission. Children who received massive transfusion (>40 mL/kg) prior to hospital arrival or calcium prior to laboratory testing were excluded. Hypocalcemia was defined by the laboratory lower limit (iCal <1.00). Main outcomes were in-hospital mortality and 24-hour blood product requirements. Logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for Injury Severity Score (ISS), admission shock index, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and weight-adjusted total transfusion volume., Results: In total, 331 children with median (IQR) age of 7 years (2-3 years) and median (IQR) ISS 25 (14-33) were included, 32 (10%) of whom were hypocalcemic on arrival to the hospital. The hypocalcemic cohort had higher ISS (median (IQR) 30(24-36) vs. 22 (13-30)) and lower admission GCS score (median (IQR) 3 (3-12) vs. 8 (3-15)). Age, sex, race, and mechanism were not significantly different between groups. On univariate analysis, hypocalcemia was associated with increased in-hospital (56% vs. 18%; p < 0.001) and 24-hour (28% vs. 5%; p < 0.001) mortality. Children who were hypocalcemic received a median (IQR) of 22 mL/kg (7-38) more in total weight-adjusted 24-hour blood product transfusion following admission compared to the normocalcemic cohort ( p = 0.005). After adjusting for ISS, shock index, GCS score, and total transfusion volume, hypocalcemia remained independently associated with increased 24-hour (odds ratio, 4.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.77-13.77; p = 0.002) and in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 3.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-9.51; p = 0.019)., Conclusion: Hypocalcemia is independently associated with mortality and receipt of greater weight-adjusted volumes of blood product transfusion after injury in children. The benefit of timely calcium administration in pediatric trauma needs further exploration., Level of Evidence: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cascade testing can be highly effective in identifying individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and help prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The IMPACT-FH cascade testing program offered multiple optimized implementation strategies to improve FH cascade testing uptake., Objective: Guided by the Conceptual Model of Implementation Research, this study assessed the IMPACT-FH cascade testing program's implementation outcomes., Methods: Implementation outcomes were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. Interviews were conducted with 33 IMPACT-FH program participants including 15 probands, 12 relatives, and 6 healthcare professionals (HCPs). Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis to investigate implementation outcomes. Descriptive statistics were analyzed for scaled implementation outcome measures asked after interviews., Results: Participants described adopting strategies offered in the IMPACT-FH program because they presented an opportunity to pursue low-cost FH cascade testing. Participants identified barriers to feasibility including: the complexity of disclosing an FH result and offering strategies on, inherent limitations of probands choosing strategies, confusion over testing costs, limitations sharing with relatives' clinicians, discomfort with chatbot technology, and concerns about the workload for HCPs. Participants evaluated the program positively regarding its appropriateness (Mean (M) = 4.70, Standard Deviation (SD) = 0.41), acceptability (M = 4.79, SD = 0.40), and feasibility (M = 4.24, SD = 0.53)., Conclusion: The IMPACT-FH cascade testing program and its strategies were evaluated as valuable to adopt and highly appropriate, acceptable, and feasible by participants. Participants identified areas to enhance the program that could improve FH cascade testing uptake., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: To assess if transfusion with low-titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) is associated with improved early and/or late survival compared with component blood product therapy (CT) in bleeding trauma patients., Data Sources: A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science was performed from their inception through December 1, 2023. Key terms included injury, hemorrhage, bleeding, blood transfusion, and whole blood., Study Selection: All studies comparing outcomes in injured civilian adults and children who received LTOWB versus CT were included., Data Extraction: Data including author, publication year, sample size, total blood volumes, and clinical outcomes were extracted from each article and reported following the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Main outcomes were 24-hour (early) and combined 28-day, 30-day, and in-hospital (late) mortality rates between recipients of LTOWB versus CT, which were pooled using random-effects models., Data Synthesis: Of 1297 studies reviewed, 24 were appropriate for analysis. Total subjects numbered 58,717 of whom 5,164 received LTOWB. Eleven studies included adults-only, seven included both adults and adolescents, and six only included children. The median (interquartile range) age for patients who received LTOWB and CT was 35 years (24-39) and 35.5 years (23-39), respectively. Overall, 14 studies reported early mortality and 22 studies reported late mortality. LTOWB was associated with improved 24-hour survival (risk ratios [RRs] [95% CI] = 1.07 [1.03-1.12]) and late (RR [95% CI] = 1.05 [1.01-1.09]) survival compared with component therapy. There was no evidence of small study bias and all studies were graded as a moderate level of bias., Conclusions: These data suggest hemostatic resuscitation with LTOWB compared with CT improves early and late survival outcomes in bleeding civilian trauma patients. The majority of subjects were injured adults; multicenter randomized controlled studies in injured adults and children are underway to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: Dr. Spinella is a consultant for Cerus and Hemanext, on the advisory board for Haima and Octapharma, and is a Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Kalocyte. He also has funding from Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to perform a trial examining the safety and efficacy of whole blood. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Introduction: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) Americans have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and worse survival than non-Hispanic white (NHW) Americans, but the relative contributions of biological versus access to care remain poorly characterized. This study used two nationwide cohorts in different healthcare contexts to study health system effects on this disparity., Methods: We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry as well as the United States Veterans Health Administration (VA) to identify adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2020 who identified as non-Hispanic Black (NHB) or non-Hispanic white (NHW). Stratified survival analyses were performed using a primary endpoint of overall survival, and sensitivity analyses were performed using cancer-specific survival., Results: We identified 263,893 CRC patients in the SEER registry (36,662 (14%) NHB; 226,271 (86%) NHW) and 24,375 VA patients (4,860 (20%) NHB; 19,515 (80%) NHW). In the SEER registry, NHB patients had worse OS than NHW patients: median OS of 57 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 55-58) versus 72 months (95% CI 71-73) (hazard ratio (HR) 1.14, 95% CI 1.12-1.15, p  = 0.001). In contrast, VA NHB median OS was 65 months (95% CI 62-69) versus NHW 69 months (95% CI 97-71) (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.98-1.07, p  = 0.375). There was significant interaction in the SEER registry between race and Medicare age eligibility ( p  < 0.001); NHB race had more effect in patients <65 years old (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.39-1.49, p < 0.001) than in those ≥65 (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.11-1.15, p < 0.001). In the VA, age stratification was not significant ( p  = 0.21)., Discussion: Racial disparities in CRC survival in the general US population are significantly attenuated in Medicare-aged patients. This pattern is not present in the VA, suggesting that access to care may be an important component of racial disparities in this disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Riviere, Morgan, Deshler, Demb, Mehtsun, Martinez, Gupta, Banegas, Murphy and Rose.)

Importance: Prostate cancer in Black men compared with White men may be more sensitive to radiation therapy resulting in better outcomes in equal-access settings. The outcomes of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) vs radiation therapy itself remains uncharacterized., Objectives: To quantify any outcome modification by receipt of ADT on the association between Black race and prostate cancer outcomes following radiation therapy., Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective, nationwide cohort study of Black and White patients treated in the US Veterans Healthcare system between 2000 and 2020 receiving definitive radiation for localized prostate cancer. Data were analyzed from January 2000 to December 2020., Exposure: Patient self-identified race and use of ADT defined as any gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist or antagonist prescription within 6 months of radiation., Main Outcomes and Measures: Biochemical recurrence (BCR) from time of completion of radiation therapy (prostate-specific antigen nadir plus 2 ng/mL) and development of metastatic disease or prostate cancer mortality (PCSM) from time of recurrence., Results: A total of 26 542 patients (8716 Black men with median [IQR] age of 64 [59-69] years and 17 826 White men with median [IQR] age of 67 [62-72] years) received definitive radiation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer and had complete staging and follow-up data. A total of 5144 patients experienced BCR (3384 White and 1760 Black patients). The cumulative incidence of BCR at 10 years was not significantly different between Black and White men (1602 [22.14%] vs 3099 [20.13%], respectively) with multivariable hazard ratio (HR) of 1.03 (95% CI, 0.97-1.09; P = .33). In men receiving ADT, Black men had an HR for BCR of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.82-0.99; P = .03) compared with White men, and in men not receiving ADT, Black men had an HR of 1.13 (95% CI, 1.05-1.22; P = .002). Black race was associated with a decreased risk of developing metastatic disease (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98; P = .02) or PCSM (subdistribution HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.63-0.82; P < .001) from time of biochemical recurrence., Conclusions and Relevance: Black patients treated with radiation appear to specifically benefit from the addition of ADT with regard to biochemical control. Additionally, BCR in Black men results in a lower rate of metastatic disease and death from prostate cancer. Future analyses of radiosensitivity in Black men should evaluate for the possibility of outcome modification by ADT.

Introduction: The role of local definitive therapy in addition to systemic treatment in clinically positive regional lymph node (cN+) bladder cancer is yet to be determined. Herein, we sought to investigate the role of radical cystectomy (RC) in management of patients with cN+ bladder cancer at US Veterans Health Administration Facilities., Methods: We identified patients diagnosed with cN+ bladder cancer between 2000-2017 using the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI). We employed a combination of database/registry coded values and chart review for data collection. To minimize mortality bias, we excluded patients who died within 90 days of diagnosis. We divided the patients into cystectomy (C) versus "no cystectomy" (NOC) cohorts. Propensity score matching was performed based on predictors of undergoing RC. Multivariable Cox models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CCS)., Result: After matching, 158 patients were included in the C and NOC groups. In the C-group, 85(54%) patients received pre-cystectomy chemotherapy, and 73(46%) patients underwent post-cystectomy chemotherapy. In the C-group, 65(41%) patients and in the NOC-group, 66(42%) patients had clinical N1 disease (P = .77). In multivariable Cox model, undergoing RC was associated with improved OS (HR0.62; 95%CI 0.47-0.81), P < .001) and CSS (HR0.58; 95%CI 0.42-0.80; P < .001)., Conclusion: As part of multimodal treatment, undergoing RC was associated with improved OS and CSS in subset of patients with cN+ bladder cancer. Prospective randomized trials are warranted to further investigate the role of local definitive therapy in this specific patient population., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Medication safety incidents have been identified as an important target to improve patient safety in mental healthcare. Despite this, the causes of preventable medication safety incidents affecting patients with mental illness have historically been poorly understood, with research now addressing this knowledge gap through a healthcare professional lens. However, patients and carers can also provide complimentary insight into safety issues, and as key stakeholders in healthcare, it is vital to consider their needs when designing effective interventions., Methods: A two-stage approach was adopted by (i) conducting three focus groups (FG) comprising 13 patients with mental illness and their carers to develop a holistic picture of medication safety in primary care with extraction of themes guided by the P-MEDS framework; (ii) conducting two separate nominal group consensus workshops with seven patients with mental illness/carers and seven healthcare professionals to identify priority areas for targeted interventions., Results: Seven themes were identified in the FGs: communication; trust, involvement and respect; continuity and support; access; the healthcare professional; the patient and carer; and the organisation. Priority areas identified for intervention by key stakeholders included improving communication within and between clinical services, enhancing patient support with holistic continuity of care, maximising shared decision-making and empowerment, ensuring timely access to medicines and services, strengthening healthcare professional knowledge regarding mental illnesses and associated medications, and increasing patient dignity and respect., Conclusion: This study has developed a holistic picture of contributors to medication safety incidents affecting patients with mental illness in primary care. This theory was then used by key stakeholders to inform and generate priority recommendations for targeted interventions. These findings can be used to inform future intervention research, as they consider the needs of those who access or work within primary care services., Patient or Public Contribution: An advisory group consisting of three expert patients with lived experience of mental illness was consulted on the design of both stages of this study. Patients with mental illness and/or their carers were recruited and participated in both stages of this study. Patients/carers aided with data analysis and interpretation during the patient/carer nominal group consensus workshop., (© 2024 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

X-ray nanotomography is a powerful tool for the characterization of nanoscale materials and structures, but it is difficult to implement due to the competing requirements of X-ray flux and spot size. Due to this constraint, state-of-the-art nanotomography is predominantly performed at large synchrotron facilities. We present a laboratory-scale nanotomography instrument that achieves nanoscale spatial resolution while addressing the limitations of conventional tomography tools. The instrument combines the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with the precise, broadband X-ray detection of a superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter. The electron beam generates a highly focused X-ray spot on a metal target held micrometers away from the sample of interest, while the TES spectrometer isolates target photons with a high signal-to-noise ratio. This combination of a focused X-ray spot, energy-resolved X-ray detection, and unique system geometry enables nanoscale, element-specific X-ray imaging in a compact footprint. The proof of concept for this approach to X-ray nanotomography is demonstrated by imaging 160 nm features in three dimensions in six layers of a Cu-SiO 2 integrated circuit, and a path toward finer resolution and enhanced imaging capabilities is discussed.

Background: Opioid tapering in the general population is linked to increases in hospitalizations or emergency department visits related to psychiatric or drug-related diagnoses. Cancer survivors represent a unique population with different opioid indications, prescription patterns, and more frequent follow-up care. This study sought to describe patterns of opioid tapering among older cancer survivors and to test the hypothesis of whether older cancer survivors face increased risks of adverse events with opioid tapering., Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Medicare-linked database, we identified 15 002 Medicare-beneficiary cancer survivors diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 prescribed opioids consistently for at least 6 months after their cancer diagnosis. Tapering was defined as a binary time-varying event occurring with any monthly oral morphine equivalent reduction of 15% or more from the previous month. Primary diagnostic billing codes associated with emergency room or hospital admissions were used for the composite endpoint of psychiatric- or drug-related event(s)., Results: There were 3.86 events per 100 patient-months, with 97.8% events being mental health emergencies, 1.91% events being overdose emergencies, and 0.25% involving both. Using a generalized estimating equation for repeated measure time-based analysis, opioid tapering was not statistically associated with acute events in the 3-month posttaper period (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; P = .62) or at any point in the future (OR = 0.96; P = .46)., Conclusions: Opioid tapering in older cancer survivors does not appear to be linked to a higher risk of acute psychiatric- or drug-related events, in contrast to prior research in the general population., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The contribution of the endothelium to trauma-induced coagulopathy has not been thoroughly investigated in injured children., Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of children (younger than 18 years) who presented with a potentially severe injury to an academic pediatric trauma center. Syndecan-1 level was collected on arrival and 24 hours following hospital arrival. Children were categorized as injured versus uninjured based on results of trauma evaluation. Demographics, injury characteristics, vital signs, and clinical laboratories were recorded. A composite clinical outcome was defined as death or blood product transfusion within 24 hours of hospital arrival. Statistical tests determined the impact of injury characteristics and therapeutics on syndecan-1 levels and assessed for associations between syndecan-1 level and outcomes., Results: A total of 121 subjects were included in the analysis: 96 injured (79%) and 25 uninjured (21%). There were no differences between groups in age (median [interquartile range (IQR)], 11 [4-14] years), sex, or race. The injured cohort had a median (IQR) Injury Severity Score of 16 (9-21), 75% had blunt mechanism, 26% were transfused within 6 hours, 3% had 24-hour mortality, and 6% had in-hospital mortality. Median (IQR) syndecan-1 level on admission was significantly higher in injured versus uninjured cohort (44 [21-75] vs. 25 [17-42]; p = 0.04). Admission base deficit was significantly correlated with syndecan-1 level ( r = 0.8, p < 0.001); no association with traumatic brain injury or injury mechanism was seen. Children with elevated syndecan-1 on admission had significantly increased odds of poor outcome; every 10 ng/mL increase in syndecan-1 was associated with 10% increased odds of death or transfusion ( p < 0.001). Transfusion with any blood product was associated with a significant decrease in syndecan-1 from arrival to 24 hours (Δ syndecan-1, -17 [-64 to -5] vs. -8 [-19 to +2]; p < 0001)., Conclusion: Elevated admission syndecan-1 level, suggestive of endotheliopathy, was associated with shock and poor outcomes in pediatric trauma. Larger cohort studies are required to fully describe the complexities of trauma-induced coagulopathy and investigate the benefit of therapies targeting endotheliopathy in children., Level of Evidence: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III., (Copyright © 2023 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma.)

Despite their prevalence in biomass and importance in biochemistry, there is still much to be learned about simple carbohydrates. Gas-phase calculations are reported here on two trioses and three tetroses. For aldotetroses, both the open-chain and furanose forms are considered. Enthalpies of reduction to polyols are calculated at the CBS-APNO level of theory, and comparisons to simple aldehydes and ketones are made. Heats of formation are calculated in two ways with overall good agreement. The heat of formation of glyceraldehyde obtained from modified HEAT calculations is also reported. Finally, calculated bond energies are presented, and the influence of the structure on the bond energies is discussed.

Soybean ( Glycine max [L.] Merr.) samples from commercial fields in Decatur and Spencer counties, Indiana were submitted to the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab in August to October 2022. Plants exhibited whole-leaf to interveinal chlorosis of the foliage, red to dark brown external lesions on the crown spreading from the soil-line upward, and severe root rot. In the fields, patches of diseased plants were observed, with greater than 50% of the plants affected and yield loss up to 50%. Orange to red perithecia were present on the exterior of symptomatic stem tissue and ranged in size from 329 to 433 × 232 to 306 µm (n = 10). Stems were surface sterilized in 10% Clorox (0.825% NaOCl) for 1 min, then rinsed with sterile distilled water and dried. In a laminar flow hood, sections of symptomatic stem tissue were plated on using quarter-strength potato dextrose agar (QPDA) and incubated under fluorescent lights on a 12-hr light/dark cycle at 20°C. After 6 days, fungal colonies with fluffy aerial hyphae, which were white near the colony margins and orange to burnt-red near their center, grew uniformly from the stem tissue plated. Elongate, cylindrical hyaline conidia with zero to three septations measuring 45.5 to 73.8 × 4.4 to 6.7 µm (n = 22) grew in clusters from symptomatic stem tissue within the plate. Perithecia developed after 14 days. Falcate, hyaline ascospores with one to two septa measuring 29.4 to 54.7 × 4.6 to 6.8 (n = 23) µm developed within the perithecia. Calonectria ilicicola Boedijn & Reitsma was confirmed based on morphological characteristics (Padgett et al. 2015). Isolate PPDL 22-01457B was used for DNA extraction using the ZR Fungal/Bacterial DNA Miniprep kit (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA). The internal transcriber region (ITS), actin (ACT) and β-tubulin (TUB2) genes were amplified (Carbone and Kohn 1999; Glass and Donaldson 1995; O'Donnell and Cigelnik 1997; White et al. 1990). Amplicons were sent for Sanger sequencing (Genewiz, Inc., South Plainfield, NJ), submitted to Genbank, and assigned accession numbers ITS: OQ932995, Actin: OR484986, and β-tubulin: OR546281. Sequences were analyzed using the NCBI BLASTn tool with results showing 99.5 to 100% identical to C. ilicicola (GenBank accessions LC500063, OQ303403, CP085825, respectively). To perform Koch's Postulates, 90 soybean seeds (CP3620E) were planted in potting media (Berger, Saint-Modeste, Quebec, Canada) in a seed flat with 45 of the plants used as controls and grown under grow lights for 16hr light/8hr dark at 20℃. Individual seedling crowns were inoculated 3 days post-emergence with a 5 to 10 ml spore and hyphal suspension that was scraped from the surface of a 14-day old QPDA culture after adding 300 mL deionized (DI) to each plate grown at 20 to 22°C. The control plants received sterile-DI water. Plants were covered in a plastic bag for 72 h. Plant stems were sprayed with sterile-DI water once a day for seven days. Symptoms were observed after four days, but significant crown rot and lesions developed after two weeks before wilting and dying. Calonectria iliciola was isolated uniformly from symptomatic plants and identified morphologically. Control plants showed no symptoms. Inoculations were repeated 3 times with similar results. As of fall 2023, red crown rot has been confirmed in Adams and Rush counties in Indiana. Red crown rot has been confirmed in several Midwest states (Kleczewski et al. 2019, Neves et al. 2023), but the extent of its distribution and disease management strategies are still limited.

Balanced hemostatic resuscitation has been associated with improved outcomes in patients with both pediatric and adult trauma. Cold-stored, low-titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) has been increasingly used as a primary resuscitation product in trauma in recent years. Benefits of LTOWB include rapid, balanced resuscitation in one product, platelets stored at 4°C, fewer additives and fewer donor exposures. The major theoretical risk of LTOWB transfusion is hemolysis, however this has not been shown in the literature. LTOWB use in injured pediatric populations is increasing but is not yet widespread. Seven studies to date have described the use of LTOWB in pediatric trauma cohorts. Safety of LTOWB use in both group O and non-group O pediatric patients has been shown in several studies, as indicated by the absence of hemolysis and acute transfusion reactions, and comparable risk of organ failure. Reported benefits of LTOWB included faster resolution of shock and coagulopathy, lower volumes of transfused blood products, and an independent association with increased survival in massively transfused patients. Overall, pediatric data are limited by small sample sizes and mostly single center cohorts. Multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed., Competing Interests: Competing interests: PS is a cofounder and chief medical officer with equity for Kalocyte, consultant for Cerus and Hemanext, and on the scientific advisory board with equity for Haima., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

In 2001 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued precautionary advice to pregnant women to limit fish consumption over concern that the methylmercury content might harm their children's neurodevelopment. This concern was based largely on results from an epidemiological study of mothers primarily exposed to methylmercury from consuming pilot whale. Subsequently, FDA and the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO) undertook independent assessments of fish consumption that considered net effects from both fish nutrients, primarily omega-3 fatty acids, as beneficial and methylmercury as harmful. Both assessments estimated that when mothers regularly consume fish during pregnancy, their children are likely to have improved neurodevelopment compared to children of non-fish eaters despite their exposure to methylmercury. These estimated improvements included gains of two to over five full scale IQ points from levels of maternal consumption that are achievable in most of the world. Consistent with those estimates, human research on fish consumption and child neurodevelopment from more than 200,000 mother-child pairs now collectively reports 51 beneficial associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes and three adverse associations, the latter with no discernable pattern. These associations include full scale IQ gains similar to, or somewhat higher than, those estimated by FDA and FAO/WHO. Also consistent with the FDA and FAO/WHO estimates, research has reported beneficial associations with fish consumption when pregnant women are exposed to methylmercury from fish in excess of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Reference Dose (RfD). Our analysis evaluates how the net effects approach as utilized by FDA and FAO/WHO provides a holistic explanation for these results with implications for public health policy. This concordance of net effects modeling and empirical scientific evidence supports a clarification of current public health recommendations to focus on greater fish consumption by pregnant women for their children's neurodevelopment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Author Nicholas R.V. Ralston received funding from the Seafood Industry Research Fund in 2019 to publish research findings from a study performed for the EPA National Center for Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant RD834792–01: Fish Selenium Health Benefit Values in Mercury Risk Management. Costs to present findings of these EPA studies at meetings were provided by Conxemar in 2020, and InterFish Espana in 2021. No funding agency has had any input in the decision to submit this article for publication. All remaining authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The role of age in mediating coagulation characteristics in injured children is not well defined. We hypothesize thromboelastography (TEG) profiles are unique across pediatric age groups., Methods: Consecutive trauma patients younger than 18 years from a Level I pediatric trauma center database from 2016 to 2020 with TEG obtained on arrival to the trauma bay were identified. Children were categorized by age according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development categories (infant, ≤1 year; toddler, 1-2 years; early childhood, 3-5 years; older childhood, 6-11 years; adolescent, 12-17 years). Thromboelastography values were compared across age groups using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. Analysis of covariance was performed controlling for sex, Injury Severity Score (ISS), arrival Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, shock, and mechanism of injury., Results: In total, 726 subjects were identified; 69% male, median (interquartile range [IQR]) ISS = 12 (5-25), and 83% had a blunt mechanism. On univariate analysis, there were significant differences in TEG α-angle ( p < 0.001), MA ( p = 0.004), and fibrinolysis 30 minutes after MA (LY30) ( p = 0.01) between groups. In post hoc tests, the infant group had significantly greater α-angle (median, 77; IQR, 71-79) and MA (median, 64; IQR, 59-70) compared with other groups, while the adolescent group had significantly lower α-angle (median, 71; IQR, 67-74), MA (median, 60; IQR, 56-64), and LY30 (median, 0.8; IQR, 0.2-1.9) compared with other groups. There were no significant differences between toddler, early childhood, and middle childhood groups. On multivariate analysis, the relationship between age group and TEG values (α-angle, MA, and LY30) persisted after controlling for sex, ISS, GCS, shock, and mechanism of injury., Conclusion: Age-associated differences in TEG profiles across pediatric age groups exist. Further pediatric-specific research is required to assess whether the unique profiles at extremes of childhood translate to differential clinical outcomes or responses to therapies in injured children., Level of Evidence: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A broad understanding of community member food safety priorities in the fresh produce supply chain does not currently exist. This information is essential to improve food safety knowledge and practices effectively and efficiently throughout the fresh produce industry; therefore, the goal of this study was to identify and rank community produce safety priorities in the United States. Survey questions were designed and approved by food safety experts for participants to rank 24 fresh produce safety priorities. The anonymous survey was distributed online via Qualtrics™ to fresh produce community members from November 2020 to May 2021. A score was calculated for each priority by summing weighted ranking scores across responses. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to determine frequencies and distribution of response and identify factors (e.g., role in produce safety, size/location of organization/operation) that influenced rankings. A total of 281 respondents represented fourteen different roles in the fresh produce industry, with most identified as growers (39.5%). Produce operations were distributed across the U.S. and annual produce sales ranged from below $25,000 to over $5,000,000. Health and hygiene, training, postharvest sanitation, traceability, and harvest sanitation were ranked as the top five food safety priorities. These findings provide insight into community member priorities in fresh produce safety and can be used to inform intervention efforts, ranging from specialized training for produce growers and packers, industry-driven research projects, and gaps in risk communication strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The current manuscript has two aims. First, we examined whether race and ethnicity, perceived discrimination, medical mistrust, and other demographic factors were predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccine behavior. Second, we sought to assess whether medical mistrust and perceived discrimination mediate the relationship between race and ethnicity and vaccine behavior. Specifically, we hypothesized that individuals of color had increased COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as compared to White individuals and perceived discrimination and medical mistrust mediated this relationship. Results revealed that when accounting for sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19-related variables those with greater medical mistrust were more likely to have vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, after accounting for medical mistrust, Black non-Hispanic/Black Hispanic/White Hispanic individuals had lower odds of having the COVID-19 vaccine compared to White non-Hispanic individuals. Furthermore, combined perceived discrimination and medical mistrust indirectly mediated the relationship between race and ethnicity and having the COVID-19 vaccine. The findings of this study indicate the need for public health efforts to address sentiments of medical mistrust and experiences of perceived discrimination when combating COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, especially within communities of color., (© 2022. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

Background Data mining of electronic health records to identify patients suspected of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) has been limited by absence of both phenotypic and genomic data in the same cohort. Methods and Results Using the Geisinger MyCode Community Health Initiative cohort (n=130 257), we ran 2 screening algorithms (Mayo Clinic [Mayo] and flag, identify, network, deliver [FIND] FH) to determine FH genetic and phenotypic diagnostic yields. With 29 243 excluded by Mayo (for secondary causes of hypercholesterolemia, no lipid value in electronic health records), 52 034 excluded by FIND FH (insufficient data to run the model), and 187 excluded for prior FH diagnosis, a final cohort of 59 729 participants was created. Genetic diagnosis was based on presence of a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in FH genes. Charts from 180 variant-negative participants (60 controls, 120 identified by FIND FH and Mayo) were reviewed to calculate Dutch Lipid Clinic Network scores; a score ≥5 defined probable phenotypic FH. Mayo flagged 10 415 subjects; 194 (1.9%) had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic FH variant. FIND FH flagged 573; 34 (5.9%) had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant, giving a net yield from both of 197 out of 280 (70%). Confirmation of a phenotypic diagnosis was constrained by lack of electronic health record data on physical findings or family history. Phenotypic FH by chart review was present by Mayo and/or FIND FH in 13 out of 120 versus 2 out of 60 not flagged by either ( P <0.09). Conclusions Applying 2 recognized FH screening algorithms to the Geisinger MyCode Community Health Initiative identified 70% of those with a pathogenic or likely pathogenic FH variant. Phenotypic diagnosis was rarely achievable due to missing data.

Importance: Optimal hemostatic resuscitation in pediatric trauma is not well defined., Objective: To assess the association of prehospital blood transfusion (PHT) with outcomes in injured children., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation database included children aged 0 to 17 years old who received a PHT or emergency department blood transfusion (EDT) from January 2009 and December 2019. Interfacility transfers and isolated burn mechanism were excluded. Analysis took place between November 2022 and January 2023., Exposure: Receipt of a blood product transfusion in the prehospital setting compared with the emergency department., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was 24-hour mortality. A 3:1 propensity score match was developed balancing for age, injury mechanism, shock index, and prehospital Glasgow Comma Scale score. A mixed-effects logistic regression was performed in the matched cohort further accounting for patient sex, Injury Severity Score, insurance status, and potential center-level heterogeneity. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality and complications., Results: Of 559 children included, 70 (13%) received prehospital transfusions. In the unmatched cohort, the PHT and EDT groups had comparable age (median [IQR], 47 [9-16] vs 14 [9-17] years), sex (46 [66%] vs 337 [69%] were male), and insurance status (42 [60%] vs 245 [50%]). The PHT group had higher rates of shock (39 [55%] vs 204 [42%]) and blunt trauma mechanism (57 [81%] vs 277 [57%]) and lower median (IQR) Injury Severity Score (14 [5-29] vs 25 [16-36]). Propensity matching resulted in a weighted cohort of 207 children, including 68 of 70 recipients of PHT, and produced well-balanced groups. Both 24-hour (11 [16%] vs 38 [27%]) and in-hospital mortality (14 [21%] vs 44 [32%]) were lower in the PHT cohort compared with the EDT cohort, respectively; there was no difference in in-hospital complications. Mixed-effects logistic regression in the postmatched group adjusting for the confounders listed above found PHT was associated with a significant reduction in 24-hour (adjusted odds ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.23-0.91) and in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.97) compared with EDT. The number needed to transfuse in the prehospital setting to save 1 child's life was 5 (95% CI, 3-10)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, prehospital transfusion was associated with lower rates of mortality compared with transfusion on arrival to the emergency department, suggesting bleeding pediatric patients may benefit from early hemostatic resuscitation. Further prospective studies are warranted. Although the logistics of prehospital blood product programs are complex, strategies to shift hemostatic resuscitation toward the immediate postinjury period should be pursued.

Charcoal rot, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina , is abundantly present in the soil and has been reported as pathogenic to both soybean and corn, as well as numerous other hosts, including hemp grown for fiber, grain, and cannabinoids (Casano et al. 2018; Su et al. 2001). Hemp ( Cannabis sativa ) production in Missouri was a relatively new addition to the 2021 growing season. Charcoal rot was reported in Reynolds, Knox, and Boone counties in Missouri from commercial and experimental fields. One of the fields in question experienced heavy disease pressure and had an uneven stand loss, but the total loss was estimated at approximately 60% of the field and was attributed to charcoal rot. Charcoal rot signs and symptoms, microsclerotia on the lower stem and root tissue, wilting and stem discoloration, were observed on a majority of the hemp plants received at the University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic in July and late Fall of 2021, including samples from Bradford Research Farm in Boone County and Greenley Research Center in Knox County. Root and crown tissue from the hemp plants from the Greenley Research Center were cultured onto acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA). Macrophomina phaseolina and other fungi grew from the plated tissue after about three days of incubation at room temperature. Macrophomina phaseolina was confirmed based on the presence of melanized hyphae and microsclerotia (Siddique et al. 2021). The microsclerotia were black, round to ovoid shaped and ranged from about 34-87 µm (average 64 µm) in length and 32-134 µm (average 65 µm) in width (n = 44). A single-hyphae isolation from a putative M. phaseolina isolate was conducted to obtain a pure culture. The M. phaseolina culture from the Greenley Research Center was used to complete Koch's postulates of charcoal rot on four hemp cultivars. Sterilized toothpicks were added to pure cultures of M. phaseolina on APDA and incubated at room temperature for one week to allow for colonization and for use in greenhouse inoculation. Four hemp cultivars (Katani, Grandi, CFX-2, and CRS-1) were grown in a sterilized silt loam for three weeks in a greenhouse. About four plants per cultivar were grown for inoculation and one plant per cultivar was used as a control. The plants were inoculated with the M. phaseolina colonized toothpicks that were gently rubbed onto stem tissue and subsequently inserted into the soil at the stem. For six weeks, the plants were kept in greenhouse conditions of 25°C with a 12-hour light and dark cycle and were watered when soil appeared dry. Plants were kept in a loosely sealed container constructed from wood and vinyl sheeting to minimize cross contamination with other plants grown in the same greenhouse. Plants were monitored weekly for charcoal rot symptoms. Symptoms that resembled charcoal rot, wilting and microsclerotia on the lower stem, were present on inoculated plants after about four weeks and symptoms were not present on the control plants. Isolates resembling M. phaseolina in culture were recovered from symptomatic plants; therefore, Koch's postulates were successfully fulfilled and the fungus was recovered from the inoculated plants. DNA was extracted from the pure cultures of both the initial isolate and the isolate obtained from Koch's postulates using GeneJet Plant Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Thermo Scientific, California, USA) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA including ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS4 regions were amplified using universal primers ITS1 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The ITS region was sequenced and compared to reference sequences in GenBank by BLAST analysis. Recovered isolates (GenBank accession no. OQ455934.1) showed closest sequence similarity (100%) to M. phaseolina accession number GU046909.1. Little is known about the life cycle, growth conditions, and possible inoculum buildup in the soil in hemp in Missouri. In addition, M. phaseolina is a known pathogen of corn and soybean and effective management strategies are challenging for these crops as well due to the broad host range of the pathogen. Cultural management practices, such as crop rotations to reduce inoculum in the soil and closely monitoring for symptoms, may help reduce the severity of this disease.

Background: RhD-negative blood products are in chronic short supply leading to renewed interest in utilizing RhD-positive blood products for emergency transfusions. This study assessed parental perceptions of emergency RhD-positive blood use in children., Methods: A survey of parents/guardians was conducted on their tolerance of transfusing RhD-positive blood to RhD-negative female children ≤17 years old at four level 1 pediatric hospitals., Results: In total, 621 parents/guardians were approached of whom 378/621 (61%) completed the survey in its entirety and were included in the analysis. Respondents were mostly females [295/378 (78%)], White [242/378 (64%)], had some college education [217/378 (57%)] and less than $60,000 annual income [193/378 (51%)]. Respondents had a total of 547 female children. Most children's ABO [320/547 (59%)] and RhD type [348/547 (64%)] were not known by their parents; of children with known RhD type, 58/186 (31%) were RhD-negative. When the risk of harm to a future fetus was given as 0-6%, more than 80% of respondents indicated that they were likely to accept RhD-positive blood transfusions on behalf of RhD-negative female children in a life-threatening situation. The rate of willingness to accept emergent RhD-incompatible blood transfusions significantly increased as the potential survival benefit of the transfusion increased., Conclusion: Most parents were willing to accept RhD-positive blood products on behalf of RhD-negative female children in an emergency situation. Further discussions and evidence-based guidelines on transfusing RhD-positive blood products to RhD-unknown females in emergency settings are needed., (© 2023 AABB.)

Purpose of Review: Genetic testing has proven utility in identifying and diagnosing individuals with FH. Here we outline the current landscape of genetic testing for FH, recommendations for testing practices and the efforts underway to improve access, availability, and uptake., Recent Findings: Alternatives to the traditional genetic testing and counseling paradigm for FH are being explored including expanding screening programs, testing in primary care and/or cardiology clinics, leveraging electronic communication tools like chatbots, and implementing direct contact approaches to facilitate genetic testing of both probands and at-risk relatives. There is no consensus on if, when, and how genetic testing or accompanying genetic counseling should be provided for FH, though traditional genetic counseling and/or testing in specialty lipid clinics is often recommended in expert statements and professional guidelines. More evidence is needed to determine whether alternative approaches to the implementation of genetic testing for FH may be more effective., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: The safety of Low Titer Group O Whole Blood (LTOWB) transfusion has not been well-studied in small children., Methods: This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of pediatric recipients of RhD-LTOWB (June 2016-October 2022) who weigh less than 20 kilograms. Biochemical markers of hemolysis (lactate dehydrogenase, total bilirubin, haptoglobin, and reticulocyte count) and renal function (creatinine and potassium) were recorded on the day of LTOWB transfusion and post-transfusion days 1 and 2. Group O and non-Group O recipients were compared., Results: Twenty-one children were included. Their median (interquartile range [IQR]) weight was 12 kg (12-18) with minimum 2.8 kg, and median (IQR) age was 3 years (1.75-5.00) with minimum 0.08 years (29 days old). The most common indication for transfusion was trauma (17/21; 81%). The median (IQR) volume of LTOWB transfused was 30 mL/kg (20-42). There were 9 non-group O and 12 group O recipients. There were no statistically significant differences in the median concentrations of any of the biochemical markers of hemolysis or the renal function markers between the non-group O and the group O recipients at any of the three time points (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). There were also no statistically significant differences in demographic parameters or clinical outcomes including 28-day mortality, length of stay, ventilator days, and venous thromboembolism between the groups. No transfusion reactions were reported in either group., Conclusion: These data suggest LTOWB use is safe in children weighing less than 20 kg. Further multi-center studies and larger cohorts are needed to confirm these results., (© 2023 AABB.)

To test bound-state quantum electrodynamics (BSQED) in the strong-field regime, we have performed high precision x-ray spectroscopy of the 5g-4f and 5f- 4d transitions (BSQED contribution of 2.4 and 5.2 eV, respectively) of muonic neon atoms in the low-pressure gas phase without bound electrons. Muonic atoms have been recently proposed as an alternative to few-electron high-Z ions for BSQED tests by focusing on circular Rydberg states where nuclear contributions are negligibly small. We determined the 5g&#95;{9/2}- 4f&#95;{7/2} transition energy to be 6297.08±0.04(stat)±0.13(syst)  eV using superconducting transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters (5.2-5.5 eV FWHM resolution), which agrees well with the most advanced BSQED theoretical prediction of 6297.26 eV.

Introduction: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited cholesterol disorder that, without early intervention, leads to premature cardiovascular disease. Multilevel strategies that target all components of FH care including identification, cascade testing, and management are needed to address gaps that exist in FH care. We utilized intervention mapping, a systematic implementation science approach, to identify and match strategies to existing barriers and develop programs to improve FH care., Methods: Data were collected utilizing two methods: a scoping review of published literature, related to any component of FH care, and a parallel mixed method study using interviews and surveys. The scientific literature was searched using key words including "barriers" or "facilitators" and "familial hypercholesterolemia" from inception to December 1, 2021. The parallel mixed method study recruited individuals and families with FH to participate in either dyadic interviews ( N  = 11 dyads/22 individuals) or online surveys ( N  = 98 respondents). Data generated from the scoping review, dyadic interviews, and online surveys were used in the 6-step intervention mapping process. Steps 1-3 included a needs assessment, development of program outcomes and creation of evidence-based implementation strategies. Steps 4-6 included program development, implementation, and evaluation of implementation strategies., Results: In steps 1-3, a needs assessment found barriers to FH care included underdiagnosis of the condition which led to suboptimal management due to a myriad of determinants including knowledge gaps, negative attitudes, and risk misperceptions by individuals with FH and clinicians. Literature review highlighted barriers to FH care at the health system level, notably the relative lack of genetic testing resources and infrastructure needed to support FH diagnosis and treatment. Examples of strategies to overcome identified barriers included development of multidisciplinary care teams and educational programs. In steps 4-6, an NHLBI-funded study, the Collaborative Approach to Reach Everyone with FH (CARE-FH), deployed strategies that focused on improving identification of FH in primary care settings. The CARE-FH study is used as an example to describe program development, implementation, and evaluation techniques of implementation strategies., Conclusion: The development and deployment of evidence-based implementation strategies that address barriers to FH care are important next steps to improve identification, cascade testing, and management., Competing Interests: LJ is a consultant for Novartis Corporation. SG is a consultant for Esperion. AG has received research funding from Amgen, Sanofi, Novartis, Arrowhead, IONIS, Regeneron, New Amsterdam, Esperion, and Pfizer and is a consultant for IONIS, New Amsterdam, and Regeneron. AS is an employee and has stockholder in 23andMe and an Advisor to Nest Genomics. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Jones, Calvo, Campbell-Salome, Walters, Brangan, Rodriguez, Ahmed, Morgan, Gidding, Williams, Brownson, Seaton, Goldberg, Mcgowan, Rahm and Sturm.)

Background: This project aimed to optimize communication strategies to support family communication about familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and improve cascade testing uptake among at-risk relatives. Individuals and families with FH provided feedback on multiple strategies including: a family letter, digital tools, and direct contact., Methods: Feedback from participants was collected via dyadic interviews (n = 11) and surveys (n = 98) on communication strategies and their proposed implementation to improve cascade testing uptake. We conducted a thematic analysis to identify how to optimize each strategy. We categorized optimizations and their implementation within the project's healthcare system using a Traffic Light approach., Results: Thematic analysis resulted in four distinct suggested optimizations for each communication strategy and seven suggested optimizations that were suitable across all strategies. Four suggestions for developing a comprehensive cascade testing program, which would offer all optimized communication strategies also emerged. All optimized suggestions coded green (n = 21) were incorporated. Suggestions coded yellow (n = 12) were partially incorporated. Only two suggestions were coded red and could not be incorporated., Conclusions: This project demonstrates how to collect and analyze stakeholder feedback for program design. We identified feasible suggested optimizations, resulting in communication strategies that are patient-informed and patient-centered. Optimized strategies were implemented in a comprehensive cascade testing program., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Remote infant viewing (RIV) uses a bedside camera to allow families to view a livestream video of their neonate 24/7 from anywhere with internet access. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate family use of RIV for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether RIV use varied by patient room type. Study Design: Use of RIV was evaluated for NICU patients between October 1, 2019, and March 31, 2021. The date, time, and duration of every RIV were exported from the RIV database and linked to the patient's room type. Results: Among 980 patients, 721 (73.6%) were viewed using RIV. The median (interquartile range) number of views per patient-days was 12.5 (5.4-26.0). Based on monthly aggregate data, the proportion of patients with at least one RIV increased during the pandemic from 71.6% in April 2020 to 94.3% in March 2021 ( p < 0.001). The monthly number of views and view duration per patient-days also increased ( p  = 0.003; p  = 0.029, respectively). When evaluating patient-level data by room type, the median number of views per patient-days was higher for open-bay than single-family rooms (13.5 vs. 10.5; p < 0.001) and median view duration (minutes) per patient-days was longer (21.8 vs. 12.1; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Use of RIV in the NICU increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. RIV was used more frequently and for longer duration by families with newborns in an open-bay room. RIV allows families to observe their newborn when visitor restrictions are in place or when in-person visits may be less private or do not allow for physical distancing.

Introduction: Progression of hemorrhagic injury (PHI) in children with traumatic brain injury portends poor outcomes. The association between thromboelastography (TEG), functional coagulation assays, and PHI is not well characterized in children., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of children presenting with PHI at a pediatric level I academic trauma center from 2015 to 2020. Inclusion criteria were as follows: age less than 18 years, intracranial hemorrhage on admission head computed tomography scan, and admission rapid TEG assay and conventional coagulation tests. PHI was defined by the following radiographic criteria: any expansion of or new intracranial hemorrhage on subsequent head computed tomography scan. Rapid TEG values included Activated Clotting Time (ACT), alpha angle, maximum amplitude, and lysis at 30 min. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to assess baseline differences between groups with PHI and without PHI, including laboratory assays. Univariate analysis was performed to examine the association between variables of interest and PHI. Patients were dichotomized on the basis of this cut point to generate a "low ACT" group and a "high ACT" group. These variables were included in a multivariable logistic regression model to determine independent association with traumatic brain injury progression., Results: In total, 219 patients met criteria for analysis. In this cohort, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age = 6 (2-12) years, median (IQR) Injury Severity Score = 21 (11-27), 68% were boys, and 69% sustained blunt injury. The rate of PHI was 25% (54). Median (IQR) time to PHI was 1 (0-4) days. Children with PHI had a higher Injury Severity Score (p < 0.001), lower Glasgow Coma Scale (p < 0.001), greater incidence of shock (p = 0.04), and lower admission hemoglobin (p = 0.02) compared with those without PHI. Children with PHI had a higher International Normalized Ratio (INR) and longer TEG-ACT; other TEG values (alpha angle, maximum amplitude, and lysis at 30 min) were not associated with PHI. In the logistic regression model accounting for other covariates associated with PHI, elevated ACT remained an independent predictor of progression (odds ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval 1.09-4.66; p = 0.03; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.76). After adjusting for confounders, INR fell out of the model and was not an independent predictor of progression (odds ratio = 1.32, 95% confidence interval 0.60-2.93; p = 0.49)., Conclusions: Although INR was elevated in children with PHI and has been associated with poor clinical outcomes, only admission TEG-ACT was independently associated with PHI. Further study is warranted to determine whether TEG-ACT reflects an actionable therapeutic target., (© 2022. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.)

In September 2021, signs of black circular to oval shaped fungal structures (stromata) were observed on corn (Zea mays L.) leaves on a non-commercial inbred line in Todd County, Kentucky. Signs were only observed in a small pocket within the larger field, with disease levels ranging from 1- 5% incidence and 1-25% severity on individual leaves affected in the field. Corn leaves had senesced and only fungal structures were available to aid in diagnosis. Microscopic examination of stromata uncovered ascomata within the clypei/stromata. Further examination of ascomata revealed multiple asci containing eight hyaline, uniseriate, aseptate, oval to ovoid ascospores ranging in size from 8 to 12 µm x 5 to 7 µm. Observed signs were consistent with published reports of tar spot caused by Phyllachora maydis (Parbery 1967; Valle-Torres et al. 2020). For molecular confirmation of the causal agent, corn leaves were surface sterilized in diluted bleach (10%) for 30 seconds and stromata were excised from the leaves using a sterile scalpel. Five to seven stromata were placed into each microcentrifuge tube. Liquid nitrogen was added to the microcentrifuge tubes and the frozen stromata were ground using a sterilized pestle. The ground stromata tissue was used for DNA extraction using a Synergy 2.0 plant DNA extraction kit (OPS Diagnostics, Lebanon, NJ). A portion of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by PCR utilizing ITS-4 and ITS-5 primers. Amplicons were subjected to Sanger sequencing to obtain a consensus sequence. Using the BLASTn algorithm the consensus sequence shared 100% similarity to three P. maydis Genbank accessions: MG881848.1, MG8814847.1, MG881846.1. A representative sequence was deposited in GenBank (accession no. OQ034699.1). Due to P. maydis being an obligate parasite, Koch's postulates were not attempted.

Objective: We aimed to determine whether the use of remote infant viewing (RIV) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) differed based on maternal sociodemographic factors., Methods: The number of RIV camera views and view duration were obtained for NICU patients between 10/01/2019 and 3/31/2021 and standardized relative to patient days. Maternal sociodemographic and neonatal characteristics were obtained from institutional databases., Results: Families in which mothers were unmarried (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03-1.95), did not require an interpreter (aOR 2.86, 95% CI 1.54-5.32), were multiparous (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.16-2.10), delivered prior to 37 weeks' gestation (aOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.17-2.12), or resided ≥50 miles from the NICU (aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.02-1.87) were significantly more likely to use RIV., Conclusion: Family use of RIV in the NICU varied by multiple sociodemographic factors. Further investigation to understand and to address potential equity gaps revealed or created by RIV are warranted., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Objective: To assess use of two web-based conversational agents, the Family Sharing Chatbot (FSC) and One Month Chatbot (OMC), by individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)., Methods: FSC and OMC were sent using an opt-out methodology to a cohort of individuals receiving a FH genetic result. Data from 7/1/2021 through 5/12/2022 was obtained from the electronic health record and the chatbots' HIPAA-secure web portal., Results: Of 175 subjects, 21 (12%) opted out of the chatbots. Older individuals were more likely to opt out. Most (91/154, 59%) preferred receiving chatbots via the patient EHR portal. Seventy-five individuals (49%) clicked the FSC link, 62 (40%) interacted, and 36 (23%) shared a chatbot about their FH result with at least one relative. Ninety-two of the subjects received OMC, 22 (23%) clicked the link and 20 (21%) interacted. Individuals who shared were majority female and younger on average than the overall cohort. Reminders tended to increase engagement., Conclusion: Results demonstrate characteristics relevant to chatbot engagement. Individuals may be more inclined to receive chatbots if integrated within the patient EHR portal. Frequent reminders can potentially improve chatbot utilization., Innovation: FSC and OMC employ innovative digital health technology that can facilitate family communication about hereditary conditions., Competing Interests: The following authors have conflicts of interest to report: Tara J. Schmidlen and Sarah K. Savage are employees and shareholders of Invitae. Amy C. Sturm is an employee and shareholder of 23andMe. Laney K. Jones is a consultant for Novartis., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Introduction: Thromboelastography (TEG)-derived maximum amplitude-reaction time (MA-R) ratio that accounts for both hypocoagulable and hypercoagulable changes in coagulation is associated with poor outcomes in adults. The relationship between these TEG values and outcomes has not been studied in children., Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, a level I pediatric trauma center database was queried for children younger than 18 years who had a TEG assay on admission between 2016 and 2020. Demographics, injury characteristics, and admission TEG values were recorded. The MA-R ratio was calculated and divided into quartiles. Main outcomes included mortality, transfusion within 24 hours of admission, and thromboembolism. A logistic regression model was generated adjusting for age, Injury Severity Score, injury mechanism, admission shock, and Glasgow Coma Scale., Results: In total, 657 children were included, of which 70% were male and 75% had blunt mechanism injury. The median (interquartile range) age was 11 (4-14) years, the median (interquartile range) Injury Severity Score was10 (5-22), and in-hospital mortality was 7% (n = 45). Of these patients, 17% (n = 112) required transfusion. Most R and MA values were within normal limits. On unadjusted analysis, the lowest MA-R ratio quartile was associated with increased mortality (15% vs. 4%, 5%, and 4%, respectively; p < 0.001) and increased transfusion need (26% vs. 12%, 16%, and 13%, respectively; p = 0.002) compared with higher quartiles. In the logistic regression models, a low MA-R ratio was independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 4.4 [1.9-10.2]) and increased need for transfusion within 24 hours of admission (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.0 [1.2-3.4]) compared with higher MA-R ratio. There was no association between MA-R ratio and venous thromboembolic events (venous thromboembolic event rate by quartile: 4%, 2%, 1%, and 3%)., Conclusion: Although individual admission TEG values are not commonly substantially deranged in injured children, the MA-R ratio is an independent predictor of poor outcome. Maximum amplitude-reaction time ratio may be a useful prognostic tool in pediatric trauma; validation is necessary., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III., (Copyright © 2022 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma.)

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) have demonstrated massive potentials for use in regenerative and personalized medicine due to their ability to expand in culture and differentiate into specialized cells with therapeutic benefits. However, in order to industrialize iPSC-derived therapies, it is necessary to address the existing challenges surrounding the analytics implemented in the manufacturing process to evaluate and monitor cell expansion, differentiation, and quality of the final products. Here, we review some of the key analytical methods used as part of identity, potency, or safety for in-process or final product release testing and highlighted the challenges and potential solutions for consideration in the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) strategy for iPSC-based therapies. Some of the challenges associated with characterization and testing of iPSC-based products are related to the choice of analytical technology (to ensure fit-for-purpose), assay reliability and robustness. Automation of analytical methods may be required to reduce hands on time, and improve reliability of the methods through reducing assay variability. Indeed, we have shown that automation of analytical methods is feasible (evaluated using an ELISA based assay) and would result in more precise measurements (demonstrated by lower co-efficient of Variation and standard deviation), less hands-on time, and swift compared to a manually run assay. Therefore, in order to support commercialization of iPSC-based therapies we suggest a well-designed testing strategy to be established in the development phase while incorporating robust, reproducible, reliable, and potentially automated analytics in the manufacturing process., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no competing interests. The authors (Sahana Suresh Babu, Haritha Duvvuru, Jillian Baker, Stephanie Switalski, Mehdi Shafa, Krishna Morgan Panchalingam, Saedeh Dadgar, Justin Beller and Behnam Ahmadian Baghbaderani) are full time employees of Lonza. The results described do not describe or endorse any commercial product., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Abstract: Increasing rates of penetrating trauma in the United States makes rapid identification of hemorrhagic shock, coagulopathy, and early initiation of balanced resuscitation in injured children of critical importance. Hemorrhagic shock begins early after injury and can be challenging to identify in children, as hypotension is a late sign that a child is on the verge of circulatory collapse and should be aggressively resuscitated. Recent data support shifting away from crystalloid and toward early resuscitation with blood products because of worse coagulopathy and clinical outcomes in injured patients resuscitated with crystalloid. Multicenter studies have found improved survival in injured children who receive balanced resuscitation with higher fresh frozen plasma: red blood cell ratios. Whole blood is an efficient way to achieve balanced resuscitation in critically injured children with limited intravenous access and decreased exposure to multiple donors. Administration of cold-stored, low-titer O-negative whole blood (LTOWB) appears to be safe in adults and children and may be associated with improved survival in children with life-threatening hemorrhage. Many pediatric centers use RhD-negative LTOWB for all female children because of the risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (0-6%); however. there is a scarcity of LTOWB compared with the demand. Low risks of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn affecting a future pregnancy must be weighed against high mortality rates in delayed blood product administration in children in hemorrhagic shock. Survey studies involving key stakeholder's opinions on pediatric blood transfusion practices are underway. Existing pediatric-specific literature on trauma resuscitation is often limited and underpowered; multicenter prospective studies are urgently needed to define optimal resuscitation products and practices in injured children in an era of increasing penetrating trauma., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Traumatic hemorrhage is the most common cause of preventable death in civilian and military trauma. Early identification of pediatric life-threatening hemorrhage is challenging. There is no accepted clinical critical administration threshold (CAT) in children for activating massive transfusion protocols., Methods: Children 0 to 17 years old who received any transfusion in the first 24 hours after injury between 2010 and 2019 were included. The type, volume, and time of administration for each product were recorded. The greatest volume of weight-adjusted products transfused within 1 hour was calculated. The cut point for the number of products that maximized sensitivity and specificity to predict in-hospital mortality, need for urgent surgery, and second life-threatening bleeding episode was determined using Youden's index. A binary variable (CAT+) was generated using this threshold for inclusion in a multivariable logistic regression model., Results: In total, 287 patients were included. The median (interquartile range) age was 6 (2-14) years, 60% were males, 83% sustained blunt trauma, and the median (interquartile range) Injury Severity Score was 26 (17-35). The optimal cutoff to define CAT+ was >20 mL/kg of product; this optimized test characteristics for mortality (sensitivity, 70%; specificity, 77%), need for urgent hemorrhage control procedure (sensitivity, 65%; specificity, 74%). and second bleeding episode (sensitivity, 77%; specificity, 74%). There were 93 children (32%) who were CAT+. On multivariate regression, being CAT+ was associated with 3.4 increased odds of mortality (95% confidence interval, 1.67-6.89; p = 0.001) after controlling for age, hypotension, Injury Severity Score, and Glasgow Coma Scale. For every unit of product administered, there was a 10% increased risk of mortality (odds ratio, 1.1; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Transfusion of more than 20 mL/kg of any blood product within an hour should be used as a threshold for activating massive transfusion protocols in children. Children who meet this CAT are at high risk of mortality and need for interventions; this population may benefit from targeted, timely, and aggressive hemostatic resuscitation., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are rare and often asymptomatic vascular anomalies that can be associated with serious neurological consequences due to right-to-left shunting. We report a case of a woman in her 80s without substantial medical history who presented with a headache, weakness and personality changes, and was found to have a pyogenic brain abscess requiring emergent neurosurgical evacuation. The abscess grew oral flora, suspected to have reached the brain via an incidentally discovered PAVM. With drainage and antibiotics, the patient achieved a full recovery and the PAVM was embolised. To our knowledge, this is the oldest presentation of a PAVM-associated brain abscess in the published literature. Older patients may present without the typical signs and symptoms of a given illness, which complicates accurate diagnosis and treatment. Primary care physicians can help facilitate timely care and positive clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared.

Risk-based decision making (RBDM) is a term that is used frequently as an aspirational goal in many fields, including health, engineering, environmental science, regulatory and, more recently, food safety. When RBDM is used in the literature, many different types of criteria are used to characterize a decision process as being "risk-based." Like the parable about the blind men and the elephant, everyone is confident they know what RBDM means even though there is no universal definition. The use of RBDM is gaining wide acceptance and implies a level of rigor and focus that many decisionmakers and stakeholders are interested in adopting. However, without one clear definition, there are questions about what a RBDM approach really means. This study summarizes peer-reviewed and gray literature that uses the term "RBDM" from the last 50 years in the agricultural, environmental, and medical areas. The criteria discussed were identified and organized into themes. A foundational definition is proposed to represent the most fundamental use of RBDM in the literature, and three themes covering the additional concepts presented in some of the literature were identified and added as themes within the definition. Results from this research will inform practitioners interested in following the principles of RBDM, and will help guide researchers who are interested in advancing this approach. The most immediate use will be to guide the development of a roadmap for a risk-based food safety system for low- and middle-income countries and to aid the global food safety community in moving toward RBDM., (© 2021 The Authors. Risk Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Risk Analysis.)