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Abstract Breastfeeding provides many health benefits, but its impact on respiratory health remains unclear. This study addresses the complex and dynamic nature of the mother-milk-infant triad by investigating maternal genomic factors regulating human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and their associations with respiratory health among human milk-fed infants. Nineteen HMOs are quantified from 980 mothers of the CHILD Cohort Study. Genome-wide association studies identify HMO-associated loci on chromosome 19p13.3 and 19q13.33 (lowest P = 2.4e–118), spanning several fucosyltransferase (FUT) genes. We identify novel associations on chromosome 3q27.3 for 6′-sialyllactose (P = 2.2e–9) in the sialyltransferase (ST6GAL1) gene. These, plus additional associations on chromosomes 7q21.32, 7q31.32 and 13q33.3, are replicated in the independent INSPIRE Cohort. Moreover, gene-environment interaction analyses suggest that fucosylated HMOs may modulate overall risk of recurrent wheeze among preschoolers with variable genetic risk scores (P

Introduction: Perioperative gastric aspiration poses risks such as aspiration pneumonia, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. Fasting guidelines may not adequately address the needs of diabetic patients due to the delayed gastric emptying often observed in this population. Aim: To assess residual gastric volume in diabetic patients who fasted overnight versus those who ingested water preoperatively using ultrasound. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical trial enrolled 50 diabetic patients undergoing elective surgery. Patients were randomised into two groups: fasting overnight or receiving water preoperatively. Gastric ultrasound was used to measure antral dimensions and calculate gastric volume. The parameters studied included residual gastric volume in diabetic patients in the Right Lateral Decubitus (RLD) position, antral Cross-Sectional Area (CSA) in the semi-sitting position among diabetic patients, and antral CSA in the RLD position among diabetic patients. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables, with significance set at p-value

The Indian Association for Radiation Protection (IARP) Young Professionals Group (YPG) is a national initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and communication among young researchers in radiation protection (RP) and related fields. Established in March 2023, following the Asian and Oceanic Congress for Radiation Protection (AOCRP6), IARP YPG addresses the need for a cohesive network to enhance professional growth and knowledge sharing among emerging professionals in India. IARP YPG's objectives include keeping members informed about recent developments in RP, conducting study sessions, facilitating interdisciplinary discussions etc. The group also emphasizes improving communication skills through group discussions and presentations. Since its inception, IARP YPG has organized key events, including three lecture series. To support ongoing collaboration, IARP YPG has established a Microsoft Teams platform with various channels for discussions, assignments, and sharing research. This platform enables interactive engagement, allowing members to connect and support each other's professional development. In summary, IARP YPG aims to enhance the professional growth of young RP researchers in India, promoting continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation in the field of radiation protection.

Abstract As spaceflight becomes more common with commercial crews, blood-based measures of crew health can guide both astronaut biomedicine and countermeasures. By profiling plasma proteins, metabolites, and extracellular vesicles/particles (EVPs) from the SpaceX Inspiration4 crew, we generated “spaceflight secretome profiles,” which showed significant differences in coagulation, oxidative stress, and brain-enriched proteins. While >93% of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in vesicles and metabolites recovered within six months, the majority (73%) of plasma DAPs were still perturbed post-flight. Moreover, these proteomic alterations correlated better with peripheral blood mononuclear cells than whole blood, suggesting that immune cells contribute more DAPs than erythrocytes. Finally, to discern possible mechanisms leading to brain-enriched protein detection and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, we examined protein changes in dissected brains of spaceflight mice, which showed increases in PECAM-1, a marker of BBB integrity. These data highlight how even short-duration spaceflight can disrupt human and murine physiology and identify spaceflight biomarkers that can guide countermeasure development.

Abstract Spaceflight can change metabolic, immunological, and biological homeostasis and cause skin rashes and irritation, yet the molecular basis remains unclear. To investigate the impact of short-duration spaceflight on the skin, we conducted skin biopsies on the Inspiration4 crew members before (L-44) and after (R + 1) flight. Leveraging multi-omics assays including GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler, single-cell RNA/ATAC-seq, and metagenomics/metatranscriptomics, we assessed spatial gene expressions and associated microbial and immune changes across 95 skin regions in four compartments: outer epidermis, inner epidermis, outer dermis, and vasculature. Post-flight samples showed significant up-regulation of genes related to inflammation and KRAS signaling across all skin regions. These spaceflight-associated changes mapped to specific cellular responses, including altered interferon responses, DNA damage, epithelial barrier disruptions, T-cell migration, and hindered regeneration were located primarily in outer tissue compartments. We also linked epithelial disruption to microbial shifts in skin swab and immune cell activity to PBMC single-cell data from the same crew and timepoints. Our findings present the inaugural collection and examination of astronaut skin, offering insights for future space missions and response countermeasures.

Abstract Spaceflight induces an immune response in astronauts. To better characterize this effect, we generated single-cell, multi-ome, cell-free RNA (cfRNA), biochemical, and hematology data for the SpaceX Inspiration4 (I4) mission crew. We found that 18 cytokines/chemokines related to inflammation, aging, and muscle homeostasis changed after spaceflight. In I4 single-cell multi-omics data, we identified a “spaceflight signature” of gene expression characterized by enrichment in oxidative phosphorylation, UV response, immune function, and TCF21 pathways. We confirmed the presence of this signature in independent datasets, including the NASA Twins Study, the I4 skin spatial transcriptomics, and 817 NASA GeneLab mouse transcriptomes. Finally, we observed that (1) T cells showed an up-regulation of FOXP3, (2) MHC class I genes exhibited long-term suppression, and (3) infection-related immune pathways were associated with microbiome shifts. In summary, this study reveals conserved and distinct immune disruptions occurring and details a roadmap for potential countermeasures to preserve astronaut health.

Abstract The SpaceX Inspiration4 mission provided a unique opportunity to study the impact of spaceflight on the human body. Biospecimen samples were collected from four crew members longitudinally before (Launch: L-92, L-44, L-3 days), during (Flight Day: FD1, FD2, FD3), and after (Return: R + 1, R + 45, R + 82, R + 194 days) spaceflight, spanning a total of 289 days across 2021-2022. The collection process included venous whole blood, capillary dried blood spot cards, saliva, urine, stool, body swabs, capsule swabs, SpaceX Dragon capsule HEPA filter, and skin biopsies. Venous whole blood was further processed to obtain aliquots of serum, plasma, extracellular vesicles and particles, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In total, 2,911 sample aliquots were shipped to our central lab at Weill Cornell Medicine for downstream assays and biobanking. This paper provides an overview of the extensive biospecimen collection and highlights their processing procedures and long-term biobanking techniques, facilitating future molecular tests and evaluations.As such, this study details a robust framework for obtaining and preserving high-quality human, microbial, and environmental samples for aerospace medicine in the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) initiative, which can aid future human spaceflight and space biology experiments.

Abstract Background Epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm) in cord blood, are an important biological marker of how external exposures during gestation can influence the in-utero environment and subsequent offspring development. Despite the recognized importance of DNAm during gestation, comparative studies to determine the consistency of these epigenetic signals across different ethnic groups are largely absent. To address this gap, we first performed epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of gestational age (GA) using newborn cord blood DNAm comparatively in a white European (n = 342) and a South Asian (n = 490) birth cohort living in Canada. Then, we capitalized on established cord blood epigenetic GA clocks to examine the associations between maternal exposures, offspring characteristics and epigenetic GA, as well as GA acceleration, defined as the residual difference between epigenetic and chronological GA at birth. Results Individual EWASs confirmed 1,211 and 1,543 differentially methylated CpGs previously reported to be associated with GA, in white European and South Asian cohorts, respectively, with a similar distribution of effects. We confirmed that Bohlin’s cord blood GA clock was robustly correlated with GA in white Europeans (r = 0.71; p = 6.0 × 10–54) and South Asians (r = 0.66; p = 6.9 × 10–64). In both cohorts, Bohlin’s clock was positively associated with newborn weight and length and negatively associated with parity, newborn female sex, and gestational diabetes. Exclusive to South Asians, the GA clock was positively associated with the newborn ponderal index, while pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain were strongly predictive of increased epigenetic GA in white Europeans. Important predictors of GA acceleration included gestational diabetes mellitus, newborn sex, and parity in both cohorts. Conclusions These results demonstrate the consistent DNAm signatures of GA and the utility of Bohlin’s GA clock across the two populations. Although the overall pattern of DNAm is similar, its connections with the mother's environment and the baby's anthropometrics can differ between the two groups. Further research is needed to understand these unique relationships.

Background: Maternal smoking has been linked to adverse health outcomes in newborns but the extent to which it impacts newborn health has not been quantified through an aggregated cord blood DNA methylation (DNAm) score. Here, we examine the feasibility of using cord blood DNAm scores leveraging large external studies as discovery samples to capture the epigenetic signature of maternal smoking and its influence on newborns in White European and South Asian populations. Methods: We first examined the association between individual CpGs and cigarette smoking during pregnancy, and smoking exposure in two White European birth cohorts (n=744). Leveraging established CpGs for maternal smoking, we constructed a cord blood epigenetic score of maternal smoking that was validated in one of the European-origin cohorts (n=347). This score was then tested for association with smoking status, secondary smoking exposure during pregnancy, and health outcomes in offspring measured after birth in an independent White European (n=397) and a South Asian birth cohort (n=504). Results: Several previously reported genes for maternal smoking were supported, with the strongest and most consistent association signal from the GFI1 gene (6 CpGs with p0.05) among South Asians, likely due to a lack of smoking in this group. The same score was consistently associated with a smaller birth size (–0.37±0.12 cm, p=0.0023) in the South Asian cohort and a lower birth weight (–0.043±0.013 kg, p=0.0011) in the combined cohorts. Conclusions: This cord blood epigenetic score can help identify babies exposed to maternal smoking and assess its long-term impact on growth. Notably, these results indicate a consistent association between the DNAm signature of maternal smoking and a small body size and low birth weight in newborns, in both White European mothers who exhibited some amount of smoking and in South Asian mothers who themselves were not active smokers. Funding: This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Metabolomics Team Grant: MWG-146332.

Background. Early childhood experiences have long-lasting effects on subsequent mental and physical health, education, and employment. The measurement of these effects relies on insensitive behavioral signs, subjective assessments by adult observers, neuroimaging or neurophysiological studies, or retrospective epidemiologic outcomes. Despite intensive research, the underlying mechanisms of these long-term changes in development and health status remain unknown. Methods. We analyzed scalp hair from healthy children and their mothers using an unbiased proteomics platform combining tandem mass spectrometry, ultra-performance liquid chromatography, and collision-induced dissociation to reveal commonly observed hair proteins with a spectral count of 3 or higher. Results. We observed 1368 non-structural hair proteins in children and 1438 non-structural hair proteins in mothers, with 1288 proteins showing individual variability. Mothers showed higher numbers of peptide spectral matches and hair proteins compared to children, with important age-related differences between mothers and children. Age-related differences were also observed in children, with differential protein expression patterns between younger (2 years and below) and older children (3–5 years). We observed greater similarity in hair protein patterns between mothers and their biological children compared with mothers and unrelated children. The top 5% of proteins driving population variability represented biological pathways associated with brain development, immune signaling, and stress response regulation. Conclusions. Non-structural proteins observed in scalp hair include promising biomarkers to investigate the long-term developmental changes and health status associated with early childhood experiences.

Due to the success of adeno associated viruses (AAVs) in treating single-gene diseases, improved manufacturing technology is now needed to meet their demand. The largest challenge is creating a process to separate empty and full capsids. Patients received larger capsid doses than necessary due to the presence of empty capsids. By enabling the better separation of empty and full capsids, patients would receive the greatest therapeutic benefit with the least amount of virus capsids, thus limiting potential side effects from empty capsids. The two most common empty/full separation methods used in downstream processing are ultracentrifugation and anion exchange chromatography. Both processes have limitations, leading to a need for the identification of other structural differences that can be exploited to separate empty and full capsids. Here, we describe four possible theories of the structural changes that occur when AAV capsids envelop a genome. These theories include conformational changes occurring due to either the expansion or contraction of the capsid in the presence of nucleic acids, the constraining of the N-terminus into the five-fold pore when the genome is present, and the increased number of VP3 proteins in full capsids. These theories may reveal structural differences that can be exploited to separate full and empty capsids during manufacturing.

The spaceflight environment affects the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, including fluid redistribution, alterations in blood pressure, and changes in cardiac output. The goal of this project is to quantitatively synthesize the data on the effects of actual or simulated microgravity on the cardiovascular system. In collaboration with the Ames Life Science Data Archive (ALSDA) Analysis Working Group we developed a list of relevant cardiovascular search terms, based on which medical librarians generated the search strategy in Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and NASA repositories, yielding 18,837 articles. In parallel, we recruited ~100 young professionals through space industry–affiliated organizations. These individuals completed a virtual training course on the nature and methodologies of the project. They initially screened at a rate of 5,000 articles/month; however, individualized training from project supervisors increased this rate to 60,000 articles/month. Following title/abstract screening, 3,539 included articles were labelled and grouped according to population (human, rodent) and experimental methods (simulated microgravity, actual spaceflight) for full-text screening. Full-text screening of ~900 articles in a humans and actual microgravity subgroup is currently underway, with 200 articles now completed. We anticipate that teams will be extracting and curating and submitting data into the new ALSDA submission portal and repository. Our approach reduces the time to complete screening from years to several months, and will enrich publicly accessible datasets for reuse, modeling, and machine learning. Our project provides a unique, open-access educational experience to space research and training in knowledge synthesis tools.

Introduction Given the widespread prevalence of ADHD and Axniety Disorders, and their obvious impact on mood, cognitions, individual productivity, interpersonal relationships and self-esteem, accurate diagnosis and treatment of these disorders should rightly be considered paramount. ADHD shares several co-morbidities (including and especially the anxiety disorders). With the decades-long rise in the number of stimulant prescriptions, the increasing number of self-report measures, and ‘confusing’ DSM-5 criteria, concerns remain as to how accurately ADHD and/or anxiety disorders are actually being diagnosed and treated, especially when comorbid with one another. This presentation seeks to highlight the downstream consequences of overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis and missed diagnoses when it comes to both Anxiety disorders and ADHD. Its overarching aim is to offer clinicians a ‘roadmap’ through the ADHD and Anxiety Disorders diagnostic and treatment ‘maze’. A pragmatic, guided evaluation of symptoms and functionality is outlined, striving for improved clinical understanding of how ADHD and Anxiety Disorders (when co-morbid) actually affect each other and whether they are, in fact, related disorders. Objectives Particpants will be expected to have a more solid understanding of: The extent and ramifications of underdiagnosis, missed diagnoses and overdiagnosis with respect to Anxiety Disorders and ADHD, as result of current DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, common clinical pitfalls and assumptions, as well as clinician biases. How ADHD and Anxiety disorders can affect the presentation and prognosis of the corresponding comorbid disorder. How clinicians should approach these two disorders (whether comorbid or not) in order to facilitate effective individualized treatment. The hypotheses and evidence that ADHD and anxiety are different or that they are related subtypes of the same endophenotype. The circuitry of. and inputs to, the Prefrontal Cortex and how this can be usefully applied in clinical practice. Methods 1. Literature Review of electronic research databases to include: PubMed, Google Scholar, and PSYCHINFO 2. Review of statistics of prevalence, incidence of the above two disorders, and number.type of prescriptions for ADHD and anxiety worldwide derived from the above as well as the CDC and NIMH 3. Review of existing North American, European and Australasian treatment guidelines as well as expert consensus recommendations for ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, as well as both disorders when comorbid with one another. Results To be provided by the presenters via Powerpoint slides at the open panel discussion Conclusions To be provided and discussed at the open panel discussion Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Aerosol size distributions near biomass-burning sources undergo rapid evolution, primarily due to coagulation, which significantly alters the particle number size distribution. Existing long-range aerosol transport and climate prediction models often overlook near-source dynamics involving simultaneous coagulation and dispersion. To bridge this gap, the present study introduces a coagulation-dispersion model and provides semi-analytical solutions for the effective size distribution parameters. The precise solution for a diffusion-less coagulating plume with spatially varying particle concentration supports the conceptual accuracy of the semi-analytical parameterization for dispersion-coagulation model. These solutions form the basis for a parameterization scheme that considers input parameters such as source dimensions, particle mass flux, particle size, and atmospheric conditions. Utilizing this parameterization for case-specific biomass burning emissions shows a decrease in number emission rate by approximately a factor of 600, while the count median diameter of the initial size distribution increases by around 7 times. Additionally, we estimate the optical properties of aerosols both before and after the introduction of the near-source parameterization scheme. Results indicate an increase by a factor of 4 in the aerosol extinction coefficient and by a factor of ∼20 in the scattering coefficient, which will significantly influence the calculation of aerosol optical properties in global models. These changes in optical properties primarily stem from modifications in aerosol size distribution resulting from near-source aerosol dynamics. The results are further discussed.

Background The sodium glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors are guideline‐recommended to treat heart failure across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction; however, economic evaluations of adding sodium glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors to standard of care in chronic heart failure across a broad left ventricular ejection fraction range are lacking. Methods and Results We conducted a US‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis of dapagliflozin added to standard of care in a chronic heart failure population using pooled, participant data from the DAPA‐HF (Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure) and DELIVER (Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the Lives of Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure) trials. The 3‐state Markov model used estimates of transitional probabilities, effectiveness of dapagliflozin, and utilities from the pooled trials. Costs estimates were obtained from published sources, including published rebates in dapagliflozin cost. Adding dapagliflozin to standard of care was estimated to produce an additional 0.53 quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) compared with standard of care alone. Incremental cost effectiveness ratios were $85 554/QALY when using the publicly reported full (undiscounted) Medicare cost ($515/month) and $40 081/QALY, at a published nearly 50% rebate ($263/month). The addition of dapagliflozin to standard of care would be of at least intermediate value (

IntroductionDespite increasing survival of children following hospitalization, hospitalization may increase iatrogenic risk for mental health (MH) disorders, including acute stress, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression. Using a population-based retrospective cohort study, we assessed the rates of new MH diagnoses during the 12 months after hospitalization, including the moderating effects of ICU exposure.Study design/methodsThis was a retrospective case control study using the Truven Health Analytics insurance database. Inclusion criteria included children aged 3–21 years, insurance enrollment for >12 months before and after hospital admission. We excluded children with hospitalization 2 years prior to index hospitalization and those with prior MH diagnoses. We extracted admission type, ICD-10 codes, demographic, clinical, and service coordination variables from the database. We established age- and sex-matched cohorts of non-hospitalized children. The primary outcome was a new MH diagnosis. Multivariable regression methods examined the risk of incident MH disorder(s) between hospitalized and non-hospitalized children. Among hospitalized children, we further assessed effect modification from ICU (vs. non-ICU) stay, admission year, length of stay, medical complexity, and geographic region.ResultsNew MH diagnoses occurred among 19,418 (7%) hospitalized children, 3,336 (8%) ICU-hospitalized children and 28,209 (5%) matched healthy controls. The most common MH diagnoses were anxiety (2.5%), depression (1.9%), and stress/trauma (2.2%) disorders. Hospitalization increased the odds of new MH diagnoses by 12.3% (OR: 1.123, 95% CI: 1.079–1.17) and ICU-hospitalization increased these odds by 63% (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.483–1.79) as compared to matched, non-hospitalized children. Children with non-complex chronic diseases (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 2.84–2.977) and complex chronic diseases (OR: 5.16, 95% CI: 5.032–5.289) had a substantially higher risk for new MH diagnoses after hospitalization compared to patients with acute illnesses.ConclusionPediatric hospitalization is associated with higher, long-term risk of new mental health diagnoses, and ICU hospitalization further increases that risk within 12 months of the acute episode. Acute care hospitalization confers iatrogenic risks that warrant long-term mental and behavioral health follow-up.

A three-dimensional (spatial and vertical) gridded data set of black carbon (BC) aerosols has been developed for the first time over the Indian mainland using data from a dense ground-based network, aircraft- and balloon-based measurements from multiple campaigns, and multi-satellite observations, following statistical assimilation techniques. The assimilated data reveal that the satellite products tend to underestimate (overestimate) the aerosol absorption at lower (higher) altitudes with possible climate implications. The regional maps of BC-induced atmospheric heating derived using this data set capture the elevated aerosol heating layers over the Indian region along with the spatial high over the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It is shown that, over most of the Indian region, the incorporation of realistic profiles of aerosol absorption/extinction coefficients and single scattering albedo into the radiative transfer calculations leads to enhanced high-altitude warming. This could strongly influence the upper-tropospheric and lower-stratospheric processes, including the vertical transport of BC to higher altitudes, and thus have larger implications for atmospheric stability than what would be predicted using satellite observations alone. This will have larger implications for atmospheric stability than what would be predicted using satellite observations alone and could strongly influence the upper-tropospheric and lower-stratospheric processes, including increased vertical transport of BC to higher altitudes. The 3D assimilated BC data set will be helpful in reducing the uncertainty in aerosol radiative effects in climate model simulations over the Indian region.

Abstract Background Childhood obesity is a global health concern and can lead to lifetime cardiometabolic disease. New advances in metabolomics can provide biochemical insights into the early development of obesity, so we aimed to characterize serum metabolites associated with overweight and adiposity in early childhood and to stratify associations by sex. Methods Nontargeted metabolite profiling was conducted in the Canadian CHILD birth cohort (discovery cohort) at age 5 years (n = 900) by multisegment injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. Clinical outcome was defined using novel combined measures of overweight (WHO-standardized body mass index ≥ 85th percentile) and/or adiposity (waist circumference ≥ 90th percentile). Associations between circulating metabolites and child overweight/adiposity (binary and continuous outcomes) were determined by multivariable linear and logistic regression, adjusting for covariates and false discovery rate, and by subsequent sex-stratified analysis. Replication was assessed in an independent replication cohort called FAMILY at age 5 years (n = 456). Results In the discovery cohort, each standard deviation (SD) increment of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, glutamic acid, threonine, and oxoproline was associated with 20–28% increased odds of overweight/adiposity, whereas each SD increment of the glutamine/glutamic acid ratio was associated with 20% decreased odds. All associations were significant in females but not in males in sex-stratified analyses, except for oxoproline that was not significant in either subgroup. Similar outcomes were confirmed in the replication cohort, where associations of aromatic amino acids, leucine, glutamic acid, and the glutamine/glutamic acid ratio with childhood overweight/adiposity were independently replicated. Conclusions Our findings show the utility of combining measures of both overweight and adiposity in young children. Childhood overweight/adiposity at age 5 years has a specific serum metabolic phenotype, with the profile being more prominent in females compared to males.

We evaluated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among South Asians living in Ontario, Canada compared to non-South Asians and compared the odds of symptomatic COVID-19 infection and related hospitalizations and deaths among non-vaccinated South Asians and non-South Asians. This was a test negative design study conducted in Ontario, Canada between December 14, 2020 and November 15, 2021. All eligible individuals >18 years with symptoms of COVID-19 were subdivided by ethnicity (South Asian vs other) and vaccination status (vaccinated versus not). The primary outcome was vaccine effectiveness as defined by COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, and secondary outcome was the odds of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and death comparing non-vaccinated South Asians to non-vaccinated non-South Asians. 883,155 individuals were included. Among South Asians, two doses of COVID-19 vaccine prevented 93.8% (95% CI 93.2, 94.4) of COVID-19 infections and 97.5% (95% CI 95.2, 98.6) of hospitalizations and deaths. Among non-South Asians, vaccines prevented 86.6% (CI 86.3, 86.9) of COVID-19 infections and 93.1% (CI 92.2, 93.8) of hospitalizations and deaths. Non-vaccinated South Asians had higher odds of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-vaccinated non-South Asians (OR 2.35, 95% CI 2.3, 2.4), regardless of their immigration status. COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing infections, hospitalizations and deaths among South Asians living in Canada. The observation that non-vaccinated South Asians have higher odds of symptomatic COVID-19 infection warrants further investigation.

ObjectiveRed and processed meat is considered risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the evidence is inconclusive. We aimed to examine the association between red and processed meat intake and odds of GDM among South Asian and White European women living in Canada.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis of pregnant women from two birth cohorts: SouTh Asian biRth cohorT (START; n = 976) and Family Atherosclerosis Monitoring In earLY life (FAMILY; n = 581). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 169-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between gestational diabetes and: 1) total red and processed meat; 2) unprocessed red meat; 3) processed meat and GDM after adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsThere were 241 GDM cases in START and 91 in FAMILY. The median total red and processed meat intake were 1.5 g/d (START) and 52.8 g/d (FAMILY). In START, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) showed neither lower nor higher intakes of unprocessed red meat (p-trend = 0.68), processed meat (p-trend = 0.90), or total red and processed meat (p-trend = 0.44), were associated with increased odds of GDM, when compared with medium intake. Similar results were observed in FAMILY except for processed meat intake [OR = 0.94 (95% CI 0.47-1.91), for medium versus low and OR = 1.51 (95% CI 0.77-2.29) for medium versus high; p-trend = 0.18] after adjusting for additional dietary factors such as the diet quality score, total fiber, saturated fat and glycemic load.ConclusionMedium compared with low or high red and processed meat intake is not associated with GDM in White Europeans and South Asians living in Canada.

We present high-definition observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of >1000 Cepheids in a geometric anchor of the distance ladder, NGC 4258, and in five hosts of eight Type Ia supernovae, a far greater sample than previous studies with JWST. These galaxies individually contain the largest samples of Cepheids, an average of >150 each, producing the strongest statistical comparison to those previously measured with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in the near-infrared (NIR). They also span the distance range of those used to determine the Hubble constant with HST, allowing us to search for a distance-dependent bias in HST measurements. The superior resolution of JWST negates crowding noise, the largest source of variance in the NIR Cepheid period–luminosity relations (Leavitt laws) measured with HST. Together with the use of two epochs to constrain Cepheid phases and three filters to remove reddening, we reduce the dispersion in the Cepheid P – L relations by a factor of 2.5. We find no significant difference in the mean distance measurements determined from HST and JWST, with a formal difference of −0.01 ± 0.03 mag. This result is independent of zero-points and analysis variants including metallicity dependence, local crowding, choice of filters, and slope of the relations. We can reject the hypothesis of unrecognized crowding of Cepheid photometry from HST that grows with distance as the cause of the “Hubble tension” at 8.2 σ , i.e., greater confidence than that of the Hubble tension itself. We conclude that errors in photometric measurements of Cepheids across the distance ladder do not significantly contribute to the tension.