Search

Before 1859, the right of any member of the public to abate a public nuisance existed unchallenged in American law as a judicially recognized form of popular justice. In that year, the decision in Brown v. Perkins, authored by Massachusetts Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw, restricted the right to those who had suffered particular injury. The decision grew out of a suit for damages by the owner of an illegal saloon, which had been sacked by a local mob. Reversing what Shaw himself had said in his charge to the jury in the same suit in the preceding year, it had little grounding in earlier American case law. Shaw's prestige and the apparent demands of public policy, however, helped win courts over to the new doctrine in relatively short order. The change was most enthusiastically promoted by judges and scholars of conservative leanings disturbed by the threat of popular excess and most resisted by those of more radical inclinations. It paralleled American law's broader shift in the same period toward centralized regulation and the constitutionalization of rights and powers.

ImportanceIndividuals at increased risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, due to compromised immunity or other risk factors, would benefit from objective measures of vulnerability to infection based on prior infection and/or vaccination. We reviewed published data to identify a specific role and interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 spike-targeted serology testing for such individuals. We also provide real-world evidence of spike-targeted antibody test results, identifying the seronegativity rate across the United States from March 2021 through June 2022. Analysis of antibody test results were compared between post-transplant (ie, immunocompromised) and all other patients tested in the first half of 2022. Finally, specific recommendations are provided for an evidence-based and clinically useful interpretation of spike-targeted serology to identify vulnerability to infection and potential subsequent adverse outcomes.ObservationsDecreased vaccine effectiveness among immunocompromised individuals is linked to correspondingly high rates of breakthrough infections. Evidence indicates that negative results on SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests are associated with increased risk for subsequent infection. Results from widely available, laboratory-based tests do not provide a direct measure of protection but appear to correlate well with the presence of surrogate pseudovirus-neutralizing antibodies. The results of SARS-CoV-2 semiquantitative tests have also been associated with vaccine effectiveness and the likelihood of breakthrough infection. The data suggest that “low-positive” results on semiquantitative SARS-CoV-2 spike-targeted antibody tests may help identify persons at increased relative risk for breakthrough infection leading to adverse outcomes. In an analysis of data from large national laboratories during the COVID-19 Omicron-related surge in 2022, results from SARS-CoV-2 spike-targeted antibody tests were negative in 16.6% (742/4459) of solid organ transplant recipients tested compared to only 11.0% (47,552/432,481) of the remaining tested population.Conclusions and RelevanceStandardized semiquantitative and quantitative SARS-CoV-2 spike-targeted antibody tests may provide objective information on risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated adverse outcomes. This holds especially for high-risk populations, including transplant recipients, who demonstrate a relatively higher rate of seronegativity. The widespread availability of such tests presents an opportunity to refine risk assessment for individuals with suboptimal SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels and to promote effective interventions. Interim federal guidance would support physicians and patients while additional investigations are pursued.

Anthracnose, caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum cereale Manns sensu lato Crouch, Clarke & Hillman, can be a damaging disease on many cool-season turfgrasses; however, it has not been reported as an aggressive pathogen on fine fescue species (Festuca spp.). Symptoms and signs associated with anthracnose disease were observed in fine fescues on the Rutgers University Plant Science Research and Extension Farm in Adelphia, NJ, in Jun 2014. The objectives of this study were to identify the causal agent, determine if the isolate of C. cereale (FF1A) obtained from symptomatic Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin) plants was pathogenic to Chewings fescue and hard fescue (F. brevipila Tracey) turfs, and whether cultivars and accessions collected from Europe varied in disease susceptibility. Pathogenicity of this fine fescue isolate was evaluated using four Chewings fescue and four hard fescue cultivars or accessions in a growth chamber. Disease symptoms were first observed at 5 days post-inoculation, and evaluations continued to 17 days post-inoculation. Infection was confirmed by morphological evaluations, re-isolation from symptomatic tissues, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three noncommercial accessions (two Chewings fescues and one hard fescue) were very susceptible to the fine fescue C. cereale FF1A isolate, whereas ‘Sword’ and ‘Beacon’ hard fescues exhibited low susceptibility. In addition, an isolate of C. cereale (HF217CS) from annual bluegrass [Poa annua L. f. reptans (Hausskn) T. Koyama] was included, and our data demonstrated that this isolate was also able to infect Chewings fescue and hard fescue. This study confirmed that C. cereale can be a damaging pathogen of fine fescues, and that breeding for resistance to anthracnose should be considered when developing new cultivars.

The leading police power case of Lawton v. Steele, decided by the US Supreme Court in 1894, offers insight into the question of judicial class bias during the decades following the Civil War. Conflict arose in rural northern New York State over restrictions on livelihood fishing by nets imposed to protect sport angling by affluent tourists. Opposition to the restrictions was grounded in a producerist worldview and class consciousness. The matter reached the courts in a challenge to state laws permitting the summary destruction, without legal process, of nets placed illegally. Seemingly prohibited by the Fourteenth Amendment and previous case law, such destruction was upheld by a Supreme Court divided along ideological lines, correlating with the justices’ Whig or Jacksonian antecedents. The dissenters, those of Jacksonian sympathies, argued unsuccessfully against the challenged laws.

Underlying chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection increases the risk of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) when receiving tuberculosis therapies. Prevalence of HBV and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) coinfection is not well reported and no studies have evaluated testing patterns for and prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection in the United States.To evaluate patterns of HBV and LTBI testing and prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection in the United States.Retrospective cohort study.Quest Diagnostics clinical laboratory data, 2014-2020.Chronic HBV infection was defined as any combination of 2 positive HBV surface antigen, HBV e antigen, or detectable HBV DNA tests at least 6 months apart. LTBI was defined as a positive QuantiFERON-TB or T-SPOT.TB test without evidence of active tuberculosis infection.Testing patterns for chronic HBV infection and LTBI and prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection were evaluated from 2016 through 2020 and stratified by age, sex, and race and ethnicity.Among 89 259 patients with chronic HBV infection, 9508 (10.7%) were tested for LTBI, among whom prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection was 19.6%, more than twice the observed prevalence of LTBI in patients with no chronic HBV infection in our cohort. Among 394 817 LTBI patients, 127 414 (32.3%) were tested for HBV, among whom prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection was 1.5%, approximately 3 times higher than prevalence of HBV infection in patients with no LTBI. The HBV-LTBI coinfection prevalence was highest among Asian Americans and older individuals.The HBV-LTBI coinfection prevalence was likely underestimated because of suboptimal awareness and testing among at-risk populations.Among US individuals with chronic HBV infection or LTBI, prevalence of HBV-LTBI coinfection is substantial and highlights the need of testing for HBV-LTBI coinfection to mitigate risk of DILI associated with tuberculosis medications in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Fine fescues (Festuca sp.) are a group of species that require fewer inputs, such as fertilizer, than other cool-season species managed for turf. They are adapted to infertile, acidic soils; shade; and drought. One area that poses additional challenges is the lack of weed control options for fine fescues during establishment from seed. Mesotrione is a herbicide that provides preemergence control of many broadleaf and grassy weeds, such as annual bluegrass (Poa annua), but is currently not labeled for use in fine fescues at seeding. The objectives of this research were 1) to use a recurrent selection technique to develop mesotrione-tolerant chewings fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. commutata), hard fescue (Festuca brevipila), and strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra spp. rubra); and 2) to conduct field trials to compare the new selections to commercially available cultivars and experimental lines not selected for tolerance to mesotrione. Progress was made after each of the three generations of recurrent selection. The top statistical grouping of entries for injury following application of mesotrione at the 8-oz/acre rate included all the third-generation (G3) hard fescues, all the G3 chewings fescues, and the G3 strong creeping red fescue STB1 Composite. After three generations, selections of hard, chewings, and strong creeping red fescues had equivalent or better tolerance to mesotrione than tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) cultivars, which are on the label for safe use at seeding. These new selections would provide turf managers an option to control weeds using mesotrione during seedling establishment of fine fescues.

BACKGROUND The reported incidence of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is increasing among reproductive age persons in the United States. Infants born to pregnant persons with HCV infection are at risk for perinatal HCV acquisition. Hepatitis C testing during pregnancy was evaluated during 2015 –2019. OBJECTIVE We estimated hepatitis C testing rates in a large sample of patients with Medicaid and commercial insurance who gave birth during 2015–2019 and described demographic and risk-based factors associated with testing. METHODS Medicaid and commercial insurance claims for patients ages 15–44 years who gave birth between 2015 and 2019 were included. Birth claims were identified using procedure and diagnosis codes for vaginal or cesarean delivery. Hepatitis C testing was defined as an insurance claim during the 42 weeks before delivery. Testing rates were calculated among patients who delivered and among the subset of patients who were continuously enrolled for 42 weeks before delivery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with testing. RESULTS Among 1,142,770 Medicaid patients and 1,207,132 commercially insured patients, 15.3% and 18.3% were tested for hepatitis C during pregnancy, respectively. Testing rates were 21.8% and 21.9% among continuously enrolled Medicaid and commercially insured patients, respectively. Rates increased from 2015 through 2019 among Medicaid (from 19.2% to 26.8%) and commercially insured patients (from 18.1% to 28.0%), respectively. Among Medicaid patients, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic race/ethnicity were associated with lower odds of testing. Opioid use disorder, HIV infection, and high-risk pregnancy were associated with higher odds of testing in both Medicaid and commercially insured patients. CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis C testing during pregnancy increased from 2015 through 2019 among patients with Medicaid and commercial insurances although tremendous opportunity for improvement remains.

The study evaluates the effect of the 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening among pregnant persons nationally and by health insurance type. The study included 5,048,428 pregnant persons aged 15-44 years with either Medicaid or commercial health insurance who had obstetric panel testing performed by Quest Diagnostics, January 2011-June 2021. Antibody screening for HCV infection increased before and accelerated after the updated recommendations in early 2020. Disparities in HCV testing by health insurance status were substantial over the entire study period. Despite substantial progress in the proportion of pregnant persons screened for HCV infection, current testing rates fall short of universal recommendations. ispartof: OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY vol:140 issue:1 pages:99-101 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Background Strategies to optimize management in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) include risk stratification to assign therapy aiming to minimize treatment morbidity yet improve outcomes. This analysis evaluated the relationship between complete metabolic response (CMR) as assessed by 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography‐computed tomography (FDG‐PET) imaging and event‐free survival (EFS) in intermediate‐risk (IR) and high‐risk (HR) RMS patients. Methods FDG‐PET imaging characteristics, including assessment of CMR and maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) of the primary tumor, were evaluated by central review. Institutional reports of SUVmax were used when SUVmax values could not be determined by central review. One hundred and thirty IR and 105 HR patients had FDG‐PET scans submitted for central review or had SUVmax data available from institutional report at any time point. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between these parameters and EFS. Results SUVmax at study entry did not correlate with EFS for IR (p = 0.32) or HR (p = 0.86) patients. Compared to patients who did not achieve a CMR, EFS was not superior for IR patients who achieved a CMR at weeks 4 (p = 0.66) or 15 (p = 0.46), nor for HR patients who achieved CMR at week 6 (p = 0.75) or 19 (p = 0.28). Change in SUVmax at week 4 (p = 0.21) or 15 (p = 0.91) for IR patients or at week 6 (p = 0.75) or 19 (p = 0.61) for HR patients did not correlate with EFS. Conclusion Based on these data, FDG‐PET does not appear to predict EFS in IR or HR‐RMS. It remains to be determined whether FDG‐PET has a role in predicting survival outcomes in other RMS subpopulations.

Funding Information: This work was supported by US DOE under contract nos. DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-AC52-07NA27344, and DE-AC05-00OR22725. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland under grant no. 13330050. This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Funding Information: This work was supported by US DOE under contract nos. DE-FC02-04ER54698 , DE-AC52-07NA27344 , and DE-AC05-00OR22725 . This work was supported by the Academy of Finland under grant no. 13330050 . Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors UEDGE-CRUMPET simulations indicate the impact of the molecular hydrogenic isotopologue effect under high-recycling LFS divertor conditions in DIII-D to be negligible for electron density and temperature profiles at the LFS target plate. A 30% decrease in molecular content, accompanied by a 10% increase in atomic content, is predicted for deuterium compared to hydrogen. The predicted isotopologue effect on the radiative power balance, validated with calibrated spectroscopy, is found to be small despite a 20% increase in LFS divertor molecular band emission for deuterium compared to hydrogen. The predictions and measurements show a negligible contribution of molecularly-induced atomic and direct molecular emission to the total radiative power balance under high-recycling conditions, consistent with previous EDGE2D-EIRENE investigations. The UEDGE-CRUMPET simulations were performed using effective hydrogen and deuterium rates considering molecular breakup and excitation processes for H2 and D2, calculated by theCRUMPET collisional-radiative model.

Sero-surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can reveal trends and differences in subgroups and capture undetected or unreported infections that are not included in case-based surveillance systems.Cross-sectional, convenience samples of remnant sera from clinical laboratories from 51 U.S. jurisdictions were assayed for infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies biweekly from October 25, 2020, to July 11, 2021, and monthly from September 6, 2021, to February 26, 2022. Test results were analyzed for trends in infection-induced, nucleocapsid-protein seroprevalence using mixed effects models that adjusted for demographic variables and assay type.Analyses of 1,469,792 serum specimens revealed U.S. infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence increased from 8.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.9%-8.1%) in November 2020 to 58.2% (CI: 57.4%-58.9%) in February 2022. The U.S. ratio of the change in estimated seroprevalence to the change in reported case prevalence was 2.8 (CI: 2.8-2.9) during winter 2020-2021, 2.3 (CI: 2.0-2.5) during summer 2021, and 3.1 (CI: 3.0-3.3) during winter 2021-2022. Change in seroprevalence to change in case prevalence ratios ranged from 2.6 (CI: 2.3-2.8) to 3.5 (CI: 3.3-3.7) by region in winter 2021-2022.Ratios of the change in seroprevalence to the change in case prevalence suggest a high proportion of infections were not detected by case-based surveillance during periods of increased transmission. The largest increases in the seroprevalence to case prevalence ratios coincided with the spread of the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant and with increased accessibility of home testing. Ratios varied by region and season with the highest ratios in the midwestern and southern United States during winter 2021-2022. Our results demonstrate that reported case counts did not fully capture differing underlying infection rates and demonstrate the value of sero-surveillance in understanding the full burden of infection. Levels of infection-induced antibody seroprevalence, particularly spikes during periods of increased transmission, are important to contextualize vaccine effectiveness data as the susceptibility to infection of the U.S. population changes.This work was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Background Strategies to optimize management in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) include risk stratification to assign therapy aiming to minimize treatment morbidity yet improve outcomes. This analysis evaluated the relationship between complete metabolic response (CMR) as assessed by 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET) imaging and event-free survival (EFS) in intermediate-risk (IR) and high-risk (HR) RMS patients. Methods FDG-PET imaging characteristics, including assessment of CMR and maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) of the primary tumor, were evaluated by central review. Institutional reports of SUVmax were used when SUVmax values could not be determined by central review. One hundred and thirty IR and 105 HR patients had FDG-PET scans submitted for central review or had SUVmax data available from institutional report at any time point. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between these parameters and EFS. Results SUVmax at study entry did not correlate with EFS for IR (p = 0.32) or HR (p = 0.86) patients. Compared to patients who did not achieve a CMR, EFS was not superior for IR patients who achieved a CMR at weeks 4 (p = 0.66) or 15 (p = 0.46), nor for HR patients who achieved CMR at week 6 (p = 0.75) or 19 (p = 0.28). Change in SUVmax at week 4 (p = 0.21) or 15 (p = 0.91) for IR patients or at week 6 (p = 0.75) or 19 (p = 0.61) for HR patients did not correlate with EFS. Conclusion Based on these data, FDG-PET does not appear to predict EFS in IR or HR-RMS. It remains to be determined whether FDG-PET has a role in predicting survival outcomes in other RMS subpopulations.

The Children's Oncology Group (COG) uses Clinical Group (CG) and modified Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage to classify rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). CG is based on surgicopathologic findings and is determined after the completion of initial surgical procedure(s) but prior to chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The modified TNM stage is based on clinical and radiographic findings and is assigned prior to any treatment. These systems have evolved over several decades. We review the history, evolution, and rationale behind the current CG and modified TNM classification systems used by COG for RMS. Data from the seven most recently completed and reported frontline COG trials (D9602, D9802, D9803, ARST0331, ARST0431, ARST0531, ARST08P1) were analyzed, and confirm that CG and modified TNM stage remain relevant and useful for predicting prognosis in RMS. We propose updates based on recent data and discuss factors warranting future study to further optimize these classification systems.

ImportanceBetter understanding of the protective duration of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection against reinfection is needed.ObjectivePrimary: To assess the durability of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among initially unvaccinated individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Secondary: Evaluate the crude SARS-CoV-2 reinfection rate and associated characteristics.Design and SettingRetrospective observational study of HealthVerity data among 144,678,382 individuals, during the pandemic era through April 2021.ParticipantsIndividuals studied had SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic or antibody index test results from February 29 through December 9, 2020, with ≥365 days of pre-index continuous closed medical enrollment, claims, or electronic health record activity.Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s)Rates of reinfection among index-positive individuals were compared to rates of infection among index-negative individuals. Factors associated with reinfection were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. For both objectives, the outcome was a subsequent positive molecular diagnostic test result.ResultsAmong 22,786,982 individuals with index SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test data (2,023,341 index positive), the crude rate of reinfection during follow-up was significantly lower (9.89/1,000-person years) than that of primary infection (78.39/1,000 person years). Consistent with prior findings, the risk of reinfection among index-positive individuals was 87% lower than the risk of infection among index-negative individuals (hazard ratio, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.13, 0.13). The cumulative incidence of reinfection among index-positive individuals and infection among index-negative individuals was 0.85% (95% CI: 0.82%, 0.88%) and 6.2% (95% CI: 6.1%, 6.3%), respectively, over follow-up of 375 days. The duration of protection against reinfection was stable over the median 5 months and up to 1-year follow-up interval. Factors associated with an increased reinfection risk included older age, comorbid immunologic conditions, and living in congregate care settings; healthcare workers had a decreased reinfection risk.Conclusions and RelevanceThis large US population-based study demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 reinfection is uncommon among individuals with laboratory evidence of a previous infection. Protection from SARS-CoV-2 reinfection is stable up to one year. Reinfection risk was primarily associated with age 85+ years, comorbid immunologic conditions and living in congregate care settings; healthcare workers demonstrated a decreased reinfection risk. These findings suggest that infection induced immunity is durable for variants circulating prior to Delta.Key PointsQuestionHow long does prior SARS-CoV-2 infection provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection?FindingAmong >22 million individuals tested February 2020 through April 2021, the relative risk of reinfection among those with prior infection was 87% lower than the risk of infection among individuals without prior infection. This protection was durable for up to a year. Factors associated with increased likelihood of reinfection included older age (85+ years), comorbid immunologic conditions, and living in congregate care settings; healthcare workers had lower risk.MeaningPrior SARS-CoV-2 infection provides a durable, high relative degree of protection against reinfection.