Discrete versus continuous domain models for disease mapping

The main goal of disease mapping is to estimate disease risk and identify high-risk areas. Such analyses are hampered by the limited geographical resolution of the available data. Typically the available data are counts per spatial unit and the common approach is the Besag-York-Mollié (BYM) model. When precise geocodes are available, it is more natural to use Log-Gaussian Cox processes (LGCPs). In a simulation study mimicking childhood leukaemia incidence using actual residential locations of all children in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, we compare the ability of these models to recover risk surfaces and identify high-risk areas. We then apply both approaches to actual data on childhood leukaemia incidence in the canton of Zürich during 1985-2015. We found that LGCPs outperform BYM models in almost all scenarios considered. Our findings suggest that there are important gains to be made from the use of LGCPs in spatial epidemiology.

Polymorphism of BMP4 gene in Indian goat breeds differing in prolificacy

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the TGF-β (transforming growth factor-beta) superfamily, of which BMP4 is the most important due to its crucial role in follicular growth and differentiation, cumulus expansion and ovulation. Reproduction is a crucial trait in goat breeding and based on the important role of BMP4 gene in reproduction it was considered as a possible candidate gene for the prolificacy of goats. The objective of the present study was to detect polymorphism in intronic, exonic and 3' un-translated regions of BMP4 gene in Indian goats. Nine different goat breeds (Barbari, Beetal, Black Bengal, Malabari, Jakhrana (Twinning>40%), Osmanabadi, Sangamneri (Twinning 20-30%), Sirohi and Ganjam (Twinning<10%)) differing in prolificacy and geographic distribution were employed for polymorphism scanning. Cattle sequence (AC_000167.1) was used to design primers for the amplification of a targeted region followed by direct DNA sequencing to identify the genetic variations. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were not detected in exon 3, the intronic region and the 3' flanking region. A SNP (G1534A) was identified in exon 2. It was a non-synonymous mutation resulting in an arginine to lysine change in a corresponding protein sequence. G to A transition at the 1534 locus revealed two genotypes GG and GA in the nine investigated goat breeds. The GG genotype was predominant with a genotype frequency of 0.98. The GA genotype was present in the Black Bengal as well as Jakhrana breed with a genotype frequency of 0.02. A microsatellite was identified in the 3' flanking region, only 20 nucleotides downstream from the termination site of the coding region, as a short sequence with more than nineteen continuous and repeated CA dinucleotides. Since the gene is highly evolutionarily conserved, identification of a non-synonymous SNP (G1534A) in the coding region gains further importance. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a mutation in the coding region of the caprine BMP4 gene. But whether the reproduction trait of goat is associated with the BMP4 polymorphism, needs to be further defined by association studies in more populations so as to delineate an effect on it.

[Prevalence of claw disorders in swiss cattle farms]

INTRODUCTION

The project «Healthy claws - the foundation for the future» aims to establish a Swiss national claw health monitoring based on digital recordings by claw trimmers during claw trimming. To assess claw health on the participating farms, between-herd prevalence, within-herd prevalence and cow prevalence of all claw disorders based on the «ICAR Claw Health Atlas» were calculated during this study. Claw trimmers underwent an intensive training and examination in order to ensure data quality. To guarantee the representativity of the prevalences, only farm claw trimmings were considered, where ≥ 80 % of the cows in a herd were trimmed. The calculations were based on 7108 cows and 403 heifers from 238 farms, during the period from February 2020 to February 2021. At least one claw disorder was present in 99,2 % of the farms, with 49,6 % of the heifers and 77,7 % of the cows having at least one claw disorder. The high prevalence is seen as a result of all ICAR claw disorders being considered, whereas not all of them are painful and consequently not all of them cause lameness. The absence of lameness assessment limits the evaluation of existing herd problems. High between-herd and cow prevalences were observed for the following claw disorders: heel horn erosion (92,9 %/64,7 %), digital dermatitis (55,9 %/20,7 %), white line disease (81,5 %/17,7 %) and sole hemorrhage (66,4 %/11,6 %). Asymmetric claws, corkscrew claws, scissor claws, horn fissure, interdigital phlegmon, swelling of the coronet and/or bulb and toe necrosis had low prevalences. The proportion of cows treated with a hoof block (0,5 %) was comparatively small in regard of the cows suffering from ulcers (5,6 %) and white line abscesses (2,5 %). The median within-herd prevalence of digital dermatitis was 5,6 %, with a maximal within-herd prevalence of 87,5 %. Despite the contagious nature of digital dermatitis, no increase of between-herd and cow prevalence has been observed in the past ten years throughout Switzerland. Based on this data, the Swiss claw health situation can be monitored, compared over time and improved in the future.

The 33rd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR2023)

The 33rd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR2023) was held at Makuhari Messe International Conference Hall in Chiba prefecture from June 5 to 9, 2023. This annual conference, which rotates among hosts in North America, Asia-Oceania, and Europe, covers the full range of plant biology research involving Arabidopsis and other plant species. The conference hosted more than 1200 participants, including approximately 800 international attendees from 42 countries (or regions), and featured about 900 oral and poster presentations. Reflecting the conference theme, "Arabidopsis for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," there were numerous exemplary presentations regarding basic plant science using Arabidopsis and translational research conducted to achieve SDGs by exploiting the knowledge gained from Arabidopsis to improve crop production. The conference concluded on a high note, with more than 99% of survey respondents expressing their general satisfaction with ICAR2023. This report aims to summarize the organization, objectives, and outcomes of the conference.

Meeting report: 34th international conference on antiviral research

As a result of the multiple gathering and travels restrictions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the annual meeting of the International Society for Antiviral Research (ISAR), the International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR), could not be held in person in 2021. Nonetheless, ISAR successfully organized a remote conference, retaining the most critical aspects of all ICARs, a collegiate gathering of researchers in academia, industry, government and non-governmental institutions working to develop, identify, and evaluate effective antiviral therapy for the benefit of all human beings. This article highlights the 2021 remote meeting, which presented the advances and objectives of antiviral and vaccine discovery, research, and development. The meeting resulted in a dynamic and effective exchange of ideas and information, positively impacting the prompt progress towards new and effective prophylaxis and therapeutics.

Search for medical information for chronic rhinosinusitis through an artificial intelligence ChatBot

Objectives

Artificial intelligence is evolving and significantly impacting health care, promising to transform access to medical information. With the rise of medical misinformation and frequent internet searches for health-related advice, there is a growing demand for reliable patient information. This study assesses the effectiveness of ChatGPT in providing information and treatment options for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Methods

Six inputs were entered into ChatGPT regarding the definition, prevalence, causes, symptoms, treatment options, and postoperative complications of CRS. International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology guidelines for Rhinosinusitis was the gold standard for evaluating the answers. The inputs were categorized into three categories and Flesch-Kincaid readability, ANOVA and trend analysis tests were used to assess them.

Results

Although some discrepancies were found regarding CRS, ChatGPT's answers were largely in line with existing literature. Mean Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and passive voice percentage were (40.7%, 12.15%, 22.5%) for basic information and prevalence category, (47.5%, 11.2%, 11.1%) for causes and symptoms category, (33.05%, 13.05%, 22.25%) for treatment and complications, and (40.42%, 12.13%, 18.62%) across all categories. ANOVA indicated no statistically significant differences in readability across the categories (p-values: Flesch Reading Ease = 0.385, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level = 0.555, Passive Sentences = 0.601). Trend analysis revealed readability varied slightly, with a general increase in complexity.

Conclusion

ChatGPT is a developing tool potentially useful for patients and medical professionals to access medical information. However, caution is advised as its answers may not be fully accurate compared to clinical guidelines or suitable for patients with varying educational backgrounds.Level of evidence: 4.

Validation of the Children's International Cognitive Ability Resource (Ch-ICAR)

The International Cognitive Ability Resource, abbreviated ICAR, counters some of the practical problems researchers face when using good, but proprietary, licensed intelligence tests like the Wechsler tests, which include unfeasible administration times and financial costs. So far, ICAR has been validated for adolescents and adults in many countries, offering a viable test alternative for these populations. For use among children, however, the appropriateness of this resource was yet unknown. Therefore, we set out to develop a children's ICAR: an instrument composed of ICAR-items, which provides a measure of cognitive ability in children between 11 and 14 years of age. The present article discusses the compilation process of the Ch-ICAR drawing from a pilot study, and evaluates its validity based on two additional studies. The pilot study involved 99 primary school pupils and aimed to select items for the Ch-ICAR instrument. Study 1 investigated the basic psychometric qualities of the Ch-ICAR in a sample of 820 secondary school pupils. Study 2 examined the construct validity by cross-validating the Ch-ICAR with on the one hand Raven's 2 Progressive Matrices, and on the other hand the Flemish CoVaT-CHC Basic Version, relying on samples of 91 secondary and 96 primary school pupils, respectively. Results support the utility of the Ch-ICAR as a measure of children's cognitive abilities within a research context.