Recent Time Frame Research Articles

What do we know about key influences on police attrition and retention rates? A literature review 2019–2023

PurposeLiterature and research are emerging in an effort to contribute to strategy development and implementation to address these challenges. Currently, there is no readily identified study that combines examination of both academic and grey (i.e. media, government, and non-government reports) literature in a recent time frame (2019–2023) focused specifically on identification of the factors that influence attrition and retention rates; or detailed studies that have evaluated the implementation of strategies to address these challenges within the law enforcement and policing employment field. The study presented in this article seeks to add to the body of knowledge informed by recent (2019–2023) literature and in parallel offer insight into the critical areas of influence to be considered by police and law enforcement decision-makers.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilised the PRISMA-P concept for systematic reviews as a general guide for identifying appropriate literature which revealed a total of 37 academic peer-reviewed articles and 21 grey literature documents contributing to identification of five overarching areas influencing attrition and retention.FindingsThe study identified the following factors contributing to attrition and retention: Job satisfaction and organisational factors; Supervision; Work-life balance; Recruitment, Training and Officer expectations; Financial compensation and job alternatives. There are differences in factors between this study and previous studies, i.e. recruitment strategies related to officer expectations was identified as a contributing factor. These additional factors offer a further contribution to future policy and strategy deliberations and implementations to address the workforce levels within police agencies.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research endeavours may include examining the outcomes of strategic endeavours addressing the five core influencing factors for retention of law enforcement and police officers.Practical implicationsThe identification of these five factors drawn from the literature review offers potential direction/areas of concentration for law enforcement and policing agencies to direct their efforts in addressing retention and attrition of staff.Originality/valueCurrently, there is no readily identified study that (a) combines examination of both academic and grey (i.e. media, government and non-government reports) literature in a recent time frame (2019–2023) focused specifically on identification of the factors that influence attrition and retention rates; or detailed studies for addressing these challenges within the law enforcement and policing employment field. The study presented in this article seeks to address this gap in the literature and in parallel offer insight into the critical areas of influence to be considered by police and law enforcement decision-makers.

How is climate change altering the precipitation pattern over Northwestern India?

AbstractClimate change in India is causing devastating downpour events and shifts in spatial characterization, with apparent regional differences. The Northwest India (NWI), which is in the Aravalli rain shadow zone and was formerly drier, has attracted great attention in recent years due to its changing rainfall patterns. This study throws light on the astonishing behaviour of ISMR over NWI with the advent of intensified rainfall over the region in the recent time frame. The Pettitt test of change point (CP) detection is utilized in this analysis to measure the change in rainfall patterns over a period of 70 years, from 1950 to 2019. This analysis suggests significant variation in the CP's time frame for different months of ISMR. The earliest change was noticed in July, while the latest was for September for the mean as well as for the intense precipitation. Moreover, we found a maximum change in the precipitation during the peak monsoon month (i.e., July and August). The difference in the precipitation of different percentile values before and after CP indicates a decrease (increase) in low (high) intensity precipitation for all the months and seasons as a whole with varying magnitude. The highest reduction of low‐intensity precipitation is noticed for the months of July and August, while the highest increase of high‐intensity precipitation (>95th percentile) is noticed for June and September. The heavier precipitation contributes largely to the mean increase of precipitation, expecting to receive more mean and precipitation extremes in the future. Unlike the increasing precipitation trend, potential evapotranspiration (source of local moisture) shows a declining trend, revealing the negative association among them and the possibility of enhanced advection of remote moisture responsible for enhanced precipitation over NWI. The enhanced vertically integrated moisture transport of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and its strengthening relationship with precipitation further confirm the contribution of remote moisture to intensified precipitation over NWI, though the in‐depth dynamical cause remains unclear. The increased Convective Available Potential Energy for entire monsoon seasons as a whole and individual months facilitates a favourable condition for enhanced convective activity over the region, resulting in strengthening the precipitation.

The impact of decision tools during oncological consultation with lung cancer patients: A systematic review within the I3LUNG project.

To date, lung cancer is one of the most lethal diagnoses worldwide. A variety of lung cancer treatments and modalities are available, which are generally presented during the patient and doctor consultation. The implementation of decision tools to facilitate patient's decision-making and the management of their healthcare process during medical consultation is fundamental. Studies have demonstrated that decision tools are helpful to promote health management and decision-making of lung cancer patients during consultations. The main aim of the present work within the I3LUNG project is to systematically review the implementation of decision tools to facilitate medical consultation about oncological treatments for lung cancer patients. In the present study, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. We used an electronic computer-based search involving three databases, as follows: Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. 10 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included. They explicitly refer to decision tools in the oncological context, with lung cancer patients. The discussion highlights the most encouraging results about the positive role of decision aids during medical consultations about oncological treatments, especially regarding anxiety, decision-making, and patient knowledge. However, no one main decision aid tool emerged as essential. Opting for a more recent timeframe to select eligible articles might shed light on the current array of decision aid tools available. Future review efforts could utilize alternative search strategies to explore other lung cancer-specific outcomes during medical consultations for treatment decisions and the implementation of decision aid tools. Engaging with experts in the fields of oncology, patient decision-making, or health communication could provide valuable insights and recommendations for relevant literature or research directions that may not be readily accessible through traditional search methods. The development of guidelines for future research were provided with the aim to promote decision aids focused on patients' needs.

ALIGNING CURRICULUM WITH THE PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESSIVISM: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS

The pedagogical principles of progressivism, characterized by a dedicated emphasis on the cultivation of critical thinking societal improvement, and interactive pedagogy, hold substantial potential for the augmentation of Pakistan's educational framework. Thus, this expository article undertakes thorough and all-encompassing inquiry into the prospective alignment of the Pakistani curriculum with the foundational principles of progressivism. 10-year research studies were selected for analysis so as to capture relevant research within a recent time frame. The thematic technique was used for data analysis. Findings show that using hands-on learning methods that are interactive and engaging. It involves connecting vital societal problems to what students learn, making education more relevant. The progressivism approach focuses upon students and their interests, and it values different viewpoints to create welcoming and open-minded environment. Besides, it creates ways for the students to pursue career goals. By combining these vital ideas into way, we teach, Pakistan has a great opportunity to create a learning environment that effectively readies students to be responsible and involved citizens.

Survey of New Zealand Arthroplasty Surgeons on Surgeon-Level Outcome Reporting

BackgroundSurgeon-specific outcome monitoring has become increasingly prevalent over the last 3 decades. The New Zealand Orthopaedic Association monitors individual surgeon performance through 2 mechanisms: arthroplasty revision rates derived from the New Zealand Joint Registry and a practice visit program. Despite remaining confidential, surgeon-level outcome reporting remains contentious. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the opinions of hip and knee arthroplasty surgeons in New Zealand on the perceived importance of outcome monitoring, current methods used to evaluate surgeon-specific outcomes, and potential improvements identified through literature review and discussion with other registries. MethodsThe survey consisted of 9 questions on surgeon-specific outcome reporting, using a five-point Likert scale, and 5 demographic questions. It was distributed to all current hip and knee arthroplasty surgeons. There were 151 hip and knee arthroplasty surgeons who completed the survey, a response rate of 50%. ResultsRespondents agreed that monitoring arthroplasty outcomes is important and that revision rates are an acceptable measure of performance. Reporting risk-adjusted revision rates and more recent timeframes were supported, as was including patient-reported outcomes when monitoring performance. Surgeons did not support public reporting of surgeon-level or hospital-level outcomes. ConclusionThe findings of this survey support the use of revision rates to confidentially monitor surgeon-level arthroplasty outcomes and suggest that concurrent use of patient-reported outcome measures would be acceptable.

A molecular perspective on the systematics and distribution of Loxopholis lizards in South and Central America, with advances on the biogeography of the tribe Ecpleopodini (Gymnophthalmidae: Squamata)

Knowledge about the biological diversification of vertebrates in the Amazonia has previously relied on taxa that diversified in relatively recent timeframes (i.e. Plio-Pleistocene). Dating of evolutionary events in small lizards and frogs, on the other hand, has progressively demonstrated that the major phylogenetic events in these organisms occurred earlier in time, from the Eocene to the Miocene, opening a window to reveal the Amazonia’s landscape dynamics throughout ancient periods. Here we investigate the phylogenetic relationships, diversification times, and biogeography of Loxopholis, a diverse genus of small leaf-litter ecpleopodin lizards endemic to the Amazonia. In order to place Loxopholis diversity into a larger taxonomic perspective, we used statistical biogeographic methods (BioGeoBEARS) to reconstruct the biogeography of the Ecpleopodini tribe. We found that the evolution of the Ecpleopodini occurred mostly in the Amazonia’s north region. Additionally, we found evidence that contacts between the Amazonia and the Atlantic Forest took place multiple times during the Cenozoic (earlier than previously proposed) and that these events influenced species colonization of open environments in South America via the Vanishing Refuge model. Our hypothesis on the evolution of Loxopholis, in contrast, suggests that multiple processes acted on the current species distribution, including three main dispersal events: the emergence of Lake Pebas, the rising of the Iquitos arch, the Andean orogeny and the emergence of the Panama Isthmus.

Modelling and Seismic Response Analysis of Existing URM Structures. Part 1: Archetypes of Italian Modern Buildings

ABSTRACT Five existing unreinforced masonry buildings, built in different Italian cities in a relatively recent time frame, were selected to study the seismic behaviour of modern existing structures, not designed to withstand seismic actions. The buildings were modelled using an equivalent-frame approach, adopting, and comparing two nonlinear constitutive laws and introducing specific modelling strategies to represent the distinctive features of modern existing URM structures. Nonlinear static analyses were performed to determine capacity and multi-stripe time history analyses to evaluate displacement demand at increasing return periods. Although non-exhaustive, the results show a trend of generally decreasing seismic vulnerability for more recent buildings.

How sensitive are self-reports of offending?: the impact of recall periods on question sensitivity

ABSTRACT Although research on sensitive topics has produced a large body of knowledge on how to improve the quality of self-reported data, little is known regarding the sensitivity of offending questions, and much less is known regarding how topic sensitivity is affected by recall periods. In this study, we developed a multi-dimensional assessment of item sensitivity in order to assess and rank the sensitivity of offending and drug use items. Second, to explore the impact of recall period on respondents’ perceptions of question sensitivity, we have experimentally compared questions with different time frames (i.e. lifetime, past-year, and past-month). Our results provided a ranking of sensitivity of offending and drug use questions. Furthermore, the experimental manipulation showed that questions about recent time frames were rated as more sensitive than questions covering a longer period of time. The present findings allow future methodological research on offending behavior to control for question sensitivity. Also, this study shows that recall periods impact respondents’ perceptions of question sensitivity.

The satirical map is a medium for criticism of the contemporary Arab Maghreb reality among Moroccan artists: الخريطة الساخرة وسيط تشكيلي لنقد الواقع العربي المغاربي المعاصر لدى الفنانين المغاربة

During the recent timeframe, what has become the Arab Maghreb plastic artist’s goal during the recent period is foregrounding, through cartographic works that mimic the reality of the Maghreb Arab world, the plethora of the latter’s matters. This is to be done either via critical artwork that may reach a level of sarcasm in certain stances, or via criticizing reality in which the Arab world witnesses ideological and socio-cultural conflicts. That image is nothing more than a multi-faceted area of research that defines the Maghreb identity and represents the intellectual, cultural and social features of the corresponding society. Ergo, various artists tried to transmit the Maghreb reality through different images in such a manner that they entered the realm of social critique and satire. Yet, the intensity of criticism varies from an artist to another, for it is gauged according to his/her cultural and social backgrounds; adding to that his/her national sense of belonging. Indeed, the plastic artist has ventured in the game of geographic leveling of countries, and even of the map as a whole. Thus, they rendered the general makeup of the image a mimesis of his/her design which was both critical and awareness-oriented. Satirical maps, then, saw the light and waxed a plastic medium that transmits and critiques the modern Maghreb world.

Future Climate Change Impacts on European Viticulture: A Review on Recent Scientific Advances

Climate change is a continuous spatiotemporal reality, possibly endangering the viability of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) in the future. Europe emerges as an especially responsive area where the grapevine is largely recognised as one of the most important crops, playing a key environmental and socio-economic role. The mounting evidence on significant impacts of climate change on viticulture urges the scientific community in investigating the potential evolution of these impacts in the upcoming decades. In this review work, a first attempt for the compilation of selected scientific research on this subject, during a relatively recent time frame (2010–2020), is implemented. For this purpose, a thorough investigation through multiple search queries was conducted and further screened by focusing exclusively on the predicted productivity parameters (phenology timing, product quality and yield) and cultivation area alteration. Main findings on the potential impacts of future climate change are described as changes in grapevine phenological timing, alterations in grape and wine composition, heterogeneous effects on grapevine yield, the expansion into areas that were previously unsuitable for grapevine cultivation and significant geographical displacements in traditional growing areas. These compiled findings may facilitate and delineate the implementation of effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, ultimately potentiating the future sustainability of European viticulture.

Application of Automated Throw Backstripping Method to Characterize Recent Faulting Activity Migration in the Al Hoceima Bay (Northeast Morocco): Geodynamic Implications

Automation of the throw backstripping method has proven to be an effective tool for the determination of the evolution of tectonic activity in wide fault zones. This method has been applied to the Al Hoceima Bay (southwesternmost Mediterranean, Alboran Sea) for a time period covering the last 280 kyr on 672 faults imaged on 265 high-resolution seismic reflection profiles. This area was affected by major earthquakes and corresponds to a transtensional basin deformed by growth faults. The automated application of throw backstripping allowed for a faster deciphering of the migration of tectonic activity. Results show a westward migration of the deformation with quickly increasing deformation rates in the most recent time frames near Al Hoceima, one of the most populated cities. This migration is in agreement with the current seismicity, the GPS data, and recent brittle deformation data. Vertical throw rates of up to 0.47 mm/year have been calculated, for the most recent time periods, in segments of the Bokkoya fault zone. The westward migration of the deformation fits with the reconstruction suggested by the westernmost Mediterranean geodynamic models during the Pleistocene epoch, and it might be the consequence of the interaction between the northwest (NW) movement of the South Alboran indenter and the back Rif south-westward displacement. The highly accurate constraints of the evolution of the tectonic activity offered by this automation will substantially improve the seismic hazard assessment.

Settling taxonomic and nomenclatural problems in brine shrimps, Artemia (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anostraca), by integrating mitogenomics, marker discordances and nomenclature rules.

High morphological plasticity in populations of brine shrimp subjected to different environmental conditions, mainly salinity, hindered for centuries the identification of the taxonomic entities encompassed within Artemia. In addition, the mismatch between molecular and morphological evolution rates complicates the characterization of evolutionary lineages, generating taxonomic problems. Here, we propose a phylogenetic hypothesis for Artemia based on two new complete mitogenomes, and determine levels of congruence in the definition of evolutionary units using nuclear and mtDNA data. We used a fossil of Artemia to calibrate the molecular clock and discuss divergence times within the genus. The hypothesis proposed herein suggests a more recent time frame for lineage splitting than previously considered. Phylogeographic analyses were performed using GenBank available mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Evidence of gen e flow, identified through discordances between nuclear and mtDNA markers, was used to reconsider the specific status of some taxa. As a result, we consider Artemia to be represented by five evolutionary units: Southern Cone, Mediterranean—South African, New World, Western Asian, and Eastern Asian Lineages. After an exhaustive bibliographical revision, unavailable names for nomenclatural purposes were discarded. The remaining available names have been assigned to their respective evolutionary lineage. The proper names for the evolutionary units in which brine shrimps are structured remain as follows: Artemia persimilis Piccinelli & Prosdocimi, 1968 for the Southern Cone Lineage, Artemia salina (Linnaeus, 1758) for the Mediterranean-SouthAfrican Lineage, Artemia urmiana Günther, 1899 for the Western Asian Lineage, and Artemia sinica Cai, 1989 for the Eastern Asian Lineage. The name Artemia monica Verrill, 1869 has nomenclatural priority over A. franciscana Kellogg, 1906 for naming the New World Lineage. New synonymies are proposed for A. salina (= C. dybowskii Grochowski, 1896 n. syn., and A. tunisiana Bowen & Sterling, 1978 n. syn.), A. monica (= A. franciscana Kellogg, 1906 n. syn., and A. salina var. pacifica Sars, 1904 n. syn.); A. urmiana (= B. milhausenii Fischer de Waldheim, 1834 n. syn., A. koeppeniana Fischer, 1851 n. syn., A. proxima King, 1855 n. syn., A. s. var. biloba Entz, 1886 n. syn., A. s. var. furcata Entz, 1886 n. syn., A. asiatica Walter, 1887 n. syn., A. parthenogenetica Bowen & Sterling, 1978 n. syn., A. ebinurica Qian & Wang, 1992 n. syn., A. murae Naganawa, 2017 n. syn., and A. frameshifta Naganawa & Mura, 2017 n. syn.). Internal deep nuclear structuring within the A. monica and A. salina clades, might suggest the existence of additional evolutionary units within these taxa.

Recent Demographic History Inferred by High-Resolution Analysis of Linkage Disequilibrium.

Inferring changes in effective population size (Ne) in the recent past is of special interest for conservation of endangered species and for human history research. Current methods for estimating the very recent historical Ne are unable to detect complex demographic trajectories involving multiple episodes of bottlenecks, drops, and expansions. We develop a theoretical and computational framework to infer the demographic history of a population within the past 100 generations from the observed spectrum of linkage disequilibrium (LD) of pairs of loci over a wide range of recombination rates in a sample of contemporary individuals. The cumulative contributions of all of the previous generations to the observed LD are included in our model, and a genetic algorithm is used to search for the sequence of historical Ne values that best explains the observed LD spectrum. The method can be applied from large samples to samples of fewer than ten individuals using a variety of genotyping and DNA sequencing data: haploid, diploid with phased or unphased genotypes and pseudohaploid data from low-coverage sequencing. The method was tested by computer simulation for sensitivity to genotyping errors, temporal heterogeneity of samples, population admixture, and structural division into subpopulations, showing high tolerance to deviations from the assumptions of the model. Computer simulations also show that the proposed method outperforms other leading approaches when the inference concerns recent timeframes. Analysis of data from a variety of human and animal populations gave results in agreement with previous estimations by other methods or with records of historical events.

Spine Infections Reduced at Dedicated Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital.

Previous studies stratified postoperative infection risk by patient comorbidities. However, it is unclear whether the incidence varies by surgical approach in a specialized orthopaedic setting. This study aims to compare infection rates and microbiologic characteristics of postoperative spine infections requiring return to the operating room for debridement by hospital setting: a dedicated orthopaedic and spine hospital versus a general hospital serving multiple surgical specialties. The study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. Procedures performed between March 2006 and August 2008 at the multispecialty university hospital were compared with cases at an orthopaedic specialty hospital from September 2008 through August 2016. The surgeons, residents, and patients were similar, but the operative venue changed in 2008. The overall general university hospital infection rate was 2.03%, higher than the overall infection rate at the dedicated orthopaedic and spine hospital of 1.31% (P < .0104). The general university infection rate was 2.27% in the final years of practice, compared with 0.91% at the dedicated orthopaedic and spine hospital (P < .0001) during a recent 2-year time frame. Demographic variables did not significantly differ between the 2 settings. The overall proportion of Gram-negative infection rates was not statistically different (21.7% vs 18.6%), despite an increased proportion of Gram-negative infections at the general university hospital following surgery from an anterior approach. Most of the organisms isolated in both facilities were Staphylococcus species. There was no difference in the seasonality of postoperative spine infections in either setting. In transitioning from a multispecialty university hospital to a dedicated orthopaedic hospital, the incidence of postoperative spine infections was significantly reduced to 0.91%. Despite the change in venue, the proportion of Gram-negative infections (∼20%) following spine surgery did not significantly change. These results suggest improved infection rates during the course of the last 10 years with consistent proportions of Gram-negative infections. 3.

The top 100 classic papers on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the past 25 years: a bibliometric analysis of the orthopaedic literature.

Bibliometric analysis. To identify the 100 most cited orthopedic papers in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) over the past 25years and characterize them by study type, topic, and country and assess study quality (design, level of evidence, and impact factor) to provide an updated account of the most impactful AIS evidence. AIS represents a three-dimensional deformity that drives a significant number of investigations. Although available evidence continues to grow, recent impactful studies pertaining to AIS have not been identified; their quality has not been thoroughly assessed. Web of Science was reviewed to identify the top 1000 cited AIS studies published from 1992 to 2017. Articles were organized by number of citations. Titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion/relevance, and the top 100 articles by citation count were identified, and study and publication characteristics were extracted. Among the top 100 articles, 42 were cited ≥ 100 times. Mean number of authors and citations of these studies was 5.6 and 118.3, respectively. Study types were predominantly retrospective (n = 53), followed by prospective (n = 18), cross-sectional (n = 13), and systematic review/meta-analysis (n = 7). Topics covered in these studies included clinical/patient outcomes (n = 47), methodology/validation (n = 22), basic science (n = 15), radiographic analyses (n = 12), and gait/biomechanics (n = 4). Most studies originated in the United States of America (n = 65) and were published in Spine (n = 76), with 8266 total citations. Most studies were of Level III (n = 55) or Level II (n = 23) evidence. Mean impact factor was 3.47. Despite recent studies' shorter time frames for impact, citations of AIS research have progressively increased during the past 25years. The top 100 cited orthopedic studies were predominantly Level III, retrospective, nonrandomized studies, and therefore, were subject to biases. The low proportion of prospective studies (18%) reflects an area of future improvement, underscoring the need for higher-quality studies to support our practice. N/A.

The integration of mortgage and capital markets: a tale of two administrations

PurposeThis study aims to extend the literature by exploring the degrees of integration of both fixed and adjustable mortgage rates and diverse riskless (Treasury) and risky (corporate) interest rates in the capital markets from January 1, 2010, until November 7, 2018. This period is uniquely characterized by a sharp conversion on January 20, 2017, from enhanced financial regulation during the Obama administration to major deregulatory ambitions during the first 22 months of the Trump administration.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the augmented Dickey and Fuller and the Phillips and Perron unit root tests to examine time series stationarity and the Johansen cointegration rank and the Stock-Watson common trends tests to inspect various cointegrations and regressions of time series pairs to explore different effects. The authors deploy these techniques over the entire time frame, as well as for distinct sub-periods of similar length.FindingsThe authors conclude that a deregulatory setting favors cointegration between mortgage and non-corporate capital markets. However, an enriched regulatory environment supports cointegration between mortgage and corporate capital markets. In addition, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer protection Act from July 21, 2010, created a unique though short-term effect on the relationships between Treasury and corporate bonds and fixed-rate mortgages.Practical implicationsThe journey contributes to the overall understanding of the interactions among US financial markets. They are considered efficient, competitive and fully developed if their prices quickly adjust to economic changes and regulatory transformations.Originality/valueThe authors study the degrees of integration of various conventional and adjustable mortgage rates and different fixed and floating interest rates in the US capital markets from January 1, 2010, until November 7, 2018. This recent time frame has yet to be examined in the economic literature. This period is also characterized by a sharp transformation on January 20, 2017, from enhanced financial regulation during the Obama administration to major deregulatory drives during the first 22 months of the Trump administration.

Hepatitis B Testing Rates in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia before and during Administration of Anti-CD20 Therapy

IntroductionFront-line treatment for patients with active chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) often includes an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. However, treatment with anti-CD20 therapy has the potential to reactivate latent hepatitis B virus (HBV). Thus, in 2015 an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel advised screening all patients for HBV infection before starting anti-CD20 therapies. Both Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) testing are required for proper screening. In addition, the ASCO panel recommended testing for both IgM and IgG isotypes of HBcAb, as patients with remote HBV infection may have undetectable levels of HBcAb IgM. We evaluated guideline adherence for HBV testing in a large, real-world cohort of patients with CLL.MethodsThis retrospective analysis leveraged data derived from electronic health records (EHRs) in the Flatiron Health database. The database included 7,795 patients with CLL who received at least one order for an antineoplastic treatment between January 1, 2011 and May 31, 2018. We included only patients who received an anti-CD20 therapy (rituximab, ofatumumab, obinutuzumab) and excluded patients whose start of CLL treatment (as captured through chart abstraction) was >30 days before the start of structured EHR data (N=4,288). Using structured EHR data (based on Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes [LOINC]), we evaluated the frequency of HBsAg and HBcAb testing, including a separate analysis of HBcAb IgM and IgG testing.ResultsOf 4,288 patients in the cohort treated with anti-CD20, 2,034 (47%) had evidence of HBV testing at any point during their care, and 1,765 (41%) had evidence of HBV testing at any point prior to and up to 90 days following anti-CD20 therapy initiation. Over time, the proportion of HBV infection testing up to 90 days following anti-CD20 treatment initiation increased steadily, from <15% in early 2011, reaching as high as 70% in 2017 (Figure). Following the ASCO guideline publication in 2015, the proportion of patients tested for both HBsAg and HBcAb increased by 33%, while the proportion of HBsAg-only tested patients dropped by 35% (Table). However, even if unspecified HBcAb tests are assumed to represent testing for both IgG and IgM isotypes, in the most recent timeframe nearly half (46%) of the patients who were tested did not receive the requisite screening tests (i.e., for both isotypes). Additionally, nearly 20% received only one test (HBsAg or HBcAb) and another 25% received both tests but the HBcAb test was for the IgM isotype alone (Table).DiscussionIn this real-world cohort of patients with CLL treated with anti-CD20 therapies, overall HBV testing increased throughout the study period, in accordance with ASCO guidelines. Although the most recent data points may not yet capture testing up to 90 days following treatment initiation, and HBV testing information for some patients may not be captured in the EHR, our findings suggest that a sizable proportion of patients are not receiving appropriate screening for HBV. In addition, a significant proportion (25%) of patients were tested for both HBsAg and HBcAb, but the HBcAb test was for the IgM isotype alone, which could result in a false negative test and missed cases of latent HBV. These findings suggest a need for additional quality improvement efforts. Further research is needed to determine demographic and clinical characteristics of tested versus untested patients, and whether testing is associated with reduced risk of liver failure in patients undergoing anti-CD20 therapy. [Display omitted] DisclosuresHooley:Flatiron Health: Employment. Chen:MedCyclops LLC: Equity Ownership; Nootrobox: Consultancy; Flatiron Health: Employment. Maignan:Flatiron Health: Employment. Carson:Roche: Consultancy; Washington University in St. Louis: Employment; Flatiron Health: Employment.

Times to Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer in New South Wales, Australia: A Multicenter, Medicare Data Linkage Study.

Earlier access to lung cancer specialist (LCS) care improves survival. We examined times to diagnosis and treatment of patients with lung cancer in rural and metropolitan New South Wales (NSW) Australia, benchmarked against recent timeframe recommendations. Semistructured interviews of recently diagnosed patients with lung cancer from five NSW cancer centers were used to determine standardized time intervals to diagnosis and treatment, triangulated with Medicare data linkage and medical records. We used descriptive statistics to evaluate the primary end points of median time intervals from general practitioner (GP) referral to first LCS visit (GP-LCS interval) and to treatment start (Secondary Care interval). Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to study associations with delays in end points. Post hoc survival analyses were performed. Data linkage was performed for 125 patients (68% stage IV; 69% metropolitan), with 108 interviewed. The median GP-LCS interval was 4 days, with 83% of patients seeing an LCS within the recommended 14 days. The median Secondary Care interval was 42 days (52% within 42 days). There were no significant differences between time intervals faced by rural and metropolitan patients overall, although metropolitan patients took 18 days less than rural counterparts to commence radiation/chemoradiation (95% CI, -33.2 to -2.54; P = .02). One third of patients perceived delays. Delays did not affect survival. Rural and metropolitan NSW patients face comparable time lines to diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Most patients are seen by an LCS within recommended timeframes, but transition through Secondary Care and addressing patient expectations could be improved.

Smoking cessation patterns by socioeconomic status in Alaska.

The ongoing disparity in smoking prevalence across levels of socioeconomic status (SES) is a significant concern in the tobacco control field, and surveillance of cessation-related activity is key to understanding progress. Historically, lower SES smokers have had much lower quit ratios but this measure can be insensitive to recent quit-related behavior. It is therefore important to examine recent quit-related behavior to assess progress toward addressing this disparity, especially in states with tobacco control programs that focus on this priority population.We compared recent quit attempts and successes among non-Native lower SES Alaska smokers to those of higher SES using data from the 2012–2013 Alaska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We assessed quit ratios, one-year and five-year quit rates, and six-month abstinence between the two groups.Cessation-related measures restricted to those who smoked in the previous one year did not significantly vary by SES. However, five year quit rates were significantly lower for persons of lower SES vs. higher SES (14% vs. 32% respectively, p < .001). Results were consistent after adjustment for age, sex, and other factors.Results showed that in the previous year, smokers of lower SES in Alaska were trying to quit and succeeding at similar rates as their higher SES counterparts. However, the equivalent pattern of quit success was not reflected in the five-year time frame. Tobacco control programs should monitor cessation trends using both recent and longer-term time frames for this population. More research is needed on reasons for fewer long-term quits among lower SES smokers.

Phylogeographic analysis of the East Asian goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea complex, Asteraceae) reveals hidden ecological diversification with recurrent formation of ecotypes.

The processes and mechanisms underlying lineage diversification are major topics in evolutionary biology. Eurasian goldenrod species of the Solidago virgaurea complex show remarkable morphological and ecological diversity in the Japanese Archipelago, with ecotypic taxa well adapted to specific environments (climate, edaphic conditions and disturbance regimes). The species complex is a suitable model to investigate the evolutionary processes of actively speciating plant groups, due to its ability to evolve in relation to environmental adaptation and its historical population dynamics. Two chloroplast markers, 18 nuclear microsatellite markers and ddRAD-sequencing were used to infer population genetic demography of S. virgaurea complex with its related species/genera. Our analysis showed that populations in Japan form an evolutionary unit, which was genetically diverged from adjacent continental populations. The phylogenetic structure within the archipelago strongly corresponds to the geography, but interestingly there is no concordance between genetic structure and ecotypic boundaries; neighbouring populations of distinct ecotypes share a genetic background. We propose that the traits specific to the ecotypic entities are maintained by natural selection or are very recently generated and have little effect on the genomes, making genome-wide genetic markers unsuitable for detecting ecotypic differentiation. Furthermore, some sporadically distributed taxa (found as rheophytes and alpine plants) were repeatedly generated from a more widespread taxon in geographically distant areas by means of selection. Overall, this study showed that the goldenrod complex has a high ability to evolve, enabling rapid ecological diversification over a recent timeframe.