Search Results (8)

Healthcare systems worldwide are burdened significantly due to glaucoma, which is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. A total of 76 million are currently affected, and it is estimated that by the year 2040, 112 million will be affected by glaucoma. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) is a recent innovation that plays a key role in glaucoma management. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the safety and efficacy of MIGS devices and procedures and their use in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) to lower intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods: A comprehensive electronic search of the PubMed database was conducted, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing MIGS devices and techniques with cataract surgery or other glaucoma procedures that had been published by 1 May 2025 were included. Results: Thirty RCTs were included in the systematic review. Studies show that MIGSs are as safe and effective as other procedures, including phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy, at lowering IOP. Conclusions: Short-term trials indicate that MIGSs are a safe and effective treatment option for primary open-angle glaucoma. MIGS procedures lead to favorable outcomes, including decreases in mean IOP and medication use, compared with other glaucoma procedures or standalone phacoemulsification. Independent long-term follow-up studies are needed further to elucidate the efficacy and long-term safety of MIGS. Full article

Arceuthobium—the dwarf mistletoes—is a clearly defined genus of hemi-parasitic plants in the family Viscaceae. The genus occurs throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere; however, the greatest concentration of species and subspecies occurs within coniferous forests of western North America, where considerable research was executed in the mid-to-late 20th century to determine their geographic distributions, host specializations, and taxonomic boundaries. However, the last monograph of Arceuthobium presenting morphological, phenological, phylogenetic, and physiological information for N. American dwarf mistletoes was published in 1996, and since that time, no subsequent publications have presented taxonomic information for the present classification of N. American Arceuthobium. Thus, herein, we provide updated phylogenetic and taxonomic data for 44 taxa of Arceuthobium indigenous to N. America while simultaneously addressing knowledge gaps and suggesting future research to improve our understanding of these ecologically and economically important forest tree parasites. The present classification systems for and recent treatments of N. American Arceuthobium are also discussed. Full article

Karst caves, formed by the erosion of soluble carbonate rocks, provide unique ecosystems characterized by stable temperatures and high humidity. These conditions support diverse microbial communities, including wall microbial fouling, aquatic biofilms, and planktonic communities. This study discloses the taxonomic diversity of protists in aquatic biotopes of Shulgan-Tash Cave, a culturally significant site and popular tourist destination, by 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Our findings reveal the rich protist communities in the cave’s aquatic biotopes, with the highest diversity observed in Blue Lake at the cave entrance. In contrast, Distant Lake in the depth of the cave was inhabited by specific communities of plankton, mats, and pool fingers, which exhibited lower richness and evenness, and were adapted to extreme conditions (cold, darkness, and limited nutrients). High-rank taxa including Opisthokonta, Stramenopiles, and Rhizaria dominated all biotopes, aligning with observations from other subterranean environments. Specific communities of biotopes inside the cave featured distinct dominant taxa: amoeboid stramenopile (Synchromophyceae) and flagellates (Choanoflagellatea and Sandona) in mats; flagellates (Choanoflagellatea, Bicoecaceae, Ancyromonadida) and amoeboid protists (Filasterea) in pool fingers; flagellates (Ochromonadales, Glissomonadida, Synchromophyceae), fungi-like protists (Peronosporomycetes), and fungi (Ustilaginomycotina) in plankton. The specificity of the communities was supported by LEfSe analysis, which revealed enriched or differentially abundant protist taxa in each type of biotope. The predominance of Choanoflagellatea in the communities of cave mats and pool fingers, as well as the predominance of Synchromophyceae in the cave mats, appears to be a unique feature of Shulgan-Tash Cave. The cold-tolerant yeast Malassezia recorded in other caves was present in both plankton and biofilm communities, suggesting its resilience to low temperatures. However, no potentially harmful fungi were detected, positioning this research as a baseline for future monitoring. Our results emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance and conservation efforts to protect the fragile ecosystems of Shulgan-Tash Cave from human-induced disturbances and microbial invasions. Full article

Meteorological and water quality data were collected in offshore and nearshore settings over 4 years in the oligotrophic–mesotrophic Owasco and Seneca Lakes in order to assess cyanobacteria bloom (CyanoHABs) spatial and temporal variability and precursor meteorological and water quality conditions. CyanoHABs were detected from August through mid-October in both lakes. Blooms were temporally and spatially isolated, i.e., rarely concurrently detected at 3 (4.2%) or more of the 12 sites, and blooms (75.6%) were more frequently detected at only 1 of the 12 sites in the 10 min interval photologs. Both lakes lacked consistent meteorological and water quality precursor conditions. CyanoHABs were detected during the expected calm (<1 kph), sunny (600–900 W/m²), and warm water (>23 °C) episodes. However, more CyanoHABs were detected during overcast/shady (<250 W/m²) and windier (1 to 20 kph) and/or in cooler water (16 to 21 °C). More importantly, the majority of the sunny, calm, and/or warm water episodes did not experience a bloom. This suggests that nutrient availability was essential to trigger blooms in these two lakes, and we speculate that the nutrients originate from the decomposition of nearshore organic matter and runoff from the largest precipitation events. Full article

Inequities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake by racialized groups have been persistent throughout the vaccine rollout, leading to disparate burdens of COVID-19 outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine COVID-19 vaccine uptake across racialized groups within the nine-county Finger Lakes region of New York State in December 2021. Cross-matching and validation were performed across multiple health information systems for the region to reduce the percentage of vaccine records with missing race information. Additionally, imputation techniques were applied to address the remaining missing values. Uptake of ≥1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by race was then examined. By December 2021, 828,551 individuals in our study region had received ≥1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with ~25% having missing race values. Cross-matching and validation within existing records reduced this to ~7%. Uptake of ≥1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was greatest among individuals identifying as White, followed by those identifying as Black. The application of imputation techniques reduced the percent of missing race values to <1%; however, this reduction did not significantly change the distribution of vaccine uptake across race groups. Utilization of relevant health information systems, accompanied by imputation techniques, stands to greatly reduce the burden of missing race data within vaccine registries, facilitating accurate targeted interventions to mitigate inequities in COVID-19 vaccination. Full article

Visitation to parks and protected areas (PPAs) has become increasingly widespread in the United States. This increased visitation is especially concerning within congressionally designated wilderness areas where federal agencies are tasked with the dual mandate of preserving wilderness character while simultaneously providing high-quality outdoor recreation experiences. This study investigated the influence of social, situational, and ecological factors on outdoor recreation visitor behaviors and decision making within the Lye Brook Congressionally Designated Wilderness (LBW) area in Vermont, USA. An on-site intercept survey (n = 576) was employed to collect data from LBW visitors in the summer of 2021. Descriptive and multi-variate statistics (e.g., binary logistic regression, structural equation modeling) indicated that visitor behaviors (e.g., coping, substitution) and decision-making (e.g., intention-to-return) were significantly influenced by social (e.g., conflict), situational (e.g., litter, access), and ecological (e.g., trail conditions, weather) impacts. Moreover, the presence of various weather conditions was found to significantly influence the severity of perceived social, situational, and ecological impacts. Study results indicated that outdoor recreation experiences are multifaceted, necessitating a suite of social, situational, and ecological considerations, especially when examining the relationship between visitor coping behaviors and intention-to-return. This research advances the coping framework, provides empirical support for future examination of social–ecological system (SES) theory, and emphasizes the utility of employing an adaptive systems approach for sustainable PPA management. Full article

Few genomes of the HF1-group of viruses are currently available, and further examples would enhance the understanding of their evolution, improve their gene annotation, and assist in understanding gene function and regulation. Two novel HF1-group haloviruses, Serpecor1 and Hardycor2, were recovered from widely separated hypersaline lakes in Australia. Both are myoviruses with linear dsDNA genomes and infect the haloarchaeon Halorubrum coriense. Both genomes possess long, terminal direct repeat (TDR) sequences (320 bp for Serpecor1 and 306 bp for Hardycor2). The Serpecor1 genome is 74,196 bp in length, 57.0% G+C, and has 126 annotated coding sequences (CDS). Hardycor2 has a genome of 77,342 bp, 55.6% G+C, and 125 annotated CDS. They show high nucleotide sequence similarity to each other (78%) and with HF1 (>75%), and carry similar intergenic repeat (IR) sequences to those originally described in HF1 and HF2. Hardycor2 carries a DNA methyltransferase gene in the same genomic neighborhood as the methyltransferase genes of HF1, HF2 and HRTV-5, but is in the opposite orientation, and the inferred proteins are only distantly related. Comparative genomics allowed us to identify the candidate genes mediating cell attachment. The genomes of Serpecor1 and Hardycor2 encode numerous small proteins carrying one or more CxxC motifs, a signature feature of zinc-finger domain proteins that are known to participate in diverse biomolecular interactions. Full article

The goal of this study was to evaluate the cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions of Finger Lakes wine using life cycle assessment. It was hypothesized that the carbon footprint of Finger Lakes wines would be lower than that of wines from other regions, based on winery practices and climate conditions. Primary data was collected from three wineries representing a range of production volumes, and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Bottle production contributed the most to the impacts of the wine. Impacts associated with cultivation were highest for the winery with the smallest production volume. The cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions for the three case studies ranged from 0.617 to 1.03 kg CO_2eq bottle⁻¹. These results suggest that wines from these three Finger Lakes wineries have among the lowest carbon footprints of wines globally (which range from 0.68 to 2.68 kg CO_2eq bottle⁻¹), promoting the need to assess the impacts of other wineries in this wine region. Full article