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Crown rot (CR; Fusarium pseudograminearum) is a serious disease in winter cereals. Soil type, temperature, nutrients, water availability and stubble‐borne inoculum levels play major roles in determining disease severity. This paper reports the impact of two different watering regimes on the disease severity and gas exchange of F. pseudograminearum infected bread wheat for the first time. Fusarium pseudograminearum inoculated and noninoculated genotypes with different susceptibility to CR were watered to either field capacity or a reduced watering regime in three controlled environment experiments. Rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concentration and transpiration rate were measured using a portable photosynthesis system, together with disease severity of leaf sheaths at 28 days after planting. Significant differences in disease severity were reported between watering treatments with reduction in CR symptoms in the partially resistant genotypes in the reduced water treatment. Photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were significantly decreased across most genotypes when inoculated with F. pseudograminearum. Differences in gas exchange between inoculum treatments were more evident in plants watered to field capacity. Water availability has been reported to be one of the crucial factors for initiating F. pseudograminearum infection and subsequent development of CR disease. This research demonstrates significant variation in genotype‐related responses to the complex interactions of F. pseudograminearum infection and water treatment, with a negative impact of both limited soil water availability and CR disease severity on plant gas exchange in bread wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the significance of how Christians relate to issues of knowledge, expertise, and authority in the public sphere, particularly in the context of the events of 2020. The symposium explored the historical crises behind the present situation, examining themes such as racial justice, the authority of science, and decolonization in the US and Australian contexts. The symposium aimed to widen and build on previous work by including the Australian context and exploring the racialization of intellectual authority in Christianity. Keynotes and papers discussed the role of popular culture, creationism, and Indigenous religion in shaping intellectual authority. The symposium also considered the ongoing imperative to decolonize knowledge production. Two papers from the symposium, one on the history of missions and colonial theologies in Australia and one on the history of theological education, have been published in the Journal of Religious History. [Extracted from the article]

I argue in this paper for a critical social ontology, or an approach to theorizing social reality and social institutions that is more than descriptive of social reality, but is also able to provide practical reasoning with an ontological dimension for judgment. At the heart of this idea is a different take on social metaphysics from most standard current accounts in that it begins with empirical, phylogenetic capacities of human beings for social practices (realizing abstract thought in the world) as well as relationality (the need for attachments to others). The combination of these two essential human capacities, what I call the practical‐relational nexus, is generative of more complex social reality. The ontogeny of any social reality is the result of the ways that this practical‐relational nexus has been organized and shaped by external social structures and systems, themselves the product of certain kinds of social power. I then explore the metaphysics of social power before considering the ways that this approach to social metaphysics can inform practical reasoning with the capacity for social and political criticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effect of zoledronic acid (ZA) on the risk of total knee replacement (TKR) in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and without severe joint space narrowing (JSN). Methods: We included 222 participants (mean age 62 years, 52% female) from the two‐year Zoledronic Acid for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain trial (113 received 5 mg of ZA annually and 109 received placebo) conducted between November 2013 and October 2017. Primary TKR were identified until February 22, 2022. The effect of ZA on TKR risk was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression models. Because the treatment effect failed the proportional hazards assumption, a time‐varying coefficients analysis for treatment was conducted by splitting the study into two periods (ie, within and after two years of randomization). Results: Over a mean follow‐up of seven years, 39% and 30% of participants had any TKR in the ZA and placebo groups, and 28% and 18% had TKR in the study knee, respectively. Use of ZA was associated with a higher risk of TKR in any knee (hazard ratio [HR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–14.7) and showed a trend in the study knee (HR 6.8, 95%CI 0.9–53.9) during the trial. In the posttrial period, the risk of TKR was similar in the ZA and the placebo groups for any knee (HR 1.2, 95%CI 0.5–1.8) and the study knee (HR 1.4, 95%CI 0.5–2.2). Conclusion: These results suggest that ZA is not protective against TKR in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and without severe JSN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early involvement of palliative care and advance care planning improves quality‐of‐life outcomes and survival for patients with advanced lung cancer; however, there are barriers to implementation. Aims: A single‐centre prospective audit reviewing 'Goals of Care' (GOC) form completion and palliative care referrals in an oncology clinic was undertaken with the aim of increasing GOC completion and palliative care referrals for patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods: Involved physicians attended a communication skills course and then received a communication‐priming intervention. Clinicopathological factors associated with GOC completion and palliative care referral were explored. Results: A total of 84 patients receiving palliative treatment for advanced lung cancer was enrolled. Clinicopathological factors, such as poorer performance status, were associated with higher likelihood of GOC completion (P = 0.018) prior to the intervention. Male sex (P = 0.023), absence of sensitising epidermal growth factor receptor mutation or anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement (P = 0.017), type of systemic therapy (P = 0.031) and poorer performance status (P < 0.001) were associated with higher likelihood of palliative care referral. The intervention improved GOC completion (relative risk (RR) 1.29, P = 0.004); however, this was not sustained in a follow‐up audit (RR 0.98, P = 0.92) and there was no change in palliative care referral rate (RR 2.5, P = 0.16). Predictors of palliative referral following clinical review included age (RR 1.16, P = 0.001), male sex (RR 14.2, P = 0.02) and poorer performance status (RR 1.76, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Communication‐priming interventions can improve GOC completion for patients with advanced lung cancer. Further investigation is needed to pursue sustainable options for managing this complex patient group and improve guideline‐adherence and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) is characterized by multisystem neoplasia including primary hyperparathyroidism and pituitary adenoma. Despite the adolescent onset of endocrinopathies, information regarding the impact of maternal MEN 1 on pregnancy is limited to case reports. Objective: To explore pregnancy outcomes in MEN 1 positive women. Methods: Retrospective case series of maternofoetal outcomes MEN 1 positive mothers managed at the Royal Hobart Hospital between 1967 and 2018. Data were retrieved from medical records and Australian averages calculated based on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data. Results: Twenty‐six women with MEN 1 were identified accounting for 96 pregnancies and 76 live born infants. Hyperparathyroidism was evident in 16 pregnancies. A significant increase in serum calcium in the second trimester (β = 0.14, P <.001) occurred that was not mediated by parathyroid hormone. Hypercalcaemia was mild‐moderate with parathyroidectomy or medical management required in one and four pregnancies, respectively. Compared to the Australian average, women with MEN 1 were more likely to develop gestational diabetes (56% vs 8.9%, P =.001), hypertensive disorders (25.9% vs 7.6, P =.018), have shorter gestations (38.1 vs 38.7 weeks, P =.015) and have low birthweight infants (30.1% vs 6.5%, P =.001). However, emergency caesarean deliveries (63.2% vs 52.3%) and miscarriage rate (20.8% vs 20%) were not significantly different. Conclusion: Maternal MEN 1 is associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders and low neonatal birthweight, but not with an increased miscarriage rate. Whilst hypercalcaemia worsens during the second trimester, most pregnancies progressed without overt complications or requirement for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad geographical distributions that include marked climatic variation may expose populations to distinct selective pressures. Local adaptation to differences in developmental conditions may lead to divergence in embryonic and hatchling traits for populations of oviparous reptiles. Among‐population differences in hatchling size and the duration of development are often observed in lizards with wide and climatically diverse distributions. Variation in hatchling phenotypes can arise from variation in maternal allocation, developmental plasticity or selection acting on embryonic traits. We studied variation in hatchlings of the Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), comparing traits related to growth and patterns of developmental plasticity. We recorded marked differences in hatchling sizes among populations from different climate types, which did not result from differences in maternal investment or from a plastic response to incubation temperatures. Embryos from southern, temperate populations exhibited shorter incubation times when incubated at cold temperatures but utilized less yolk during development and hatched smaller, with more residual yolk, regardless of incubation treatment. We suggest that these findings represent the first example of among‐population variation in patterns of embryonic resource allocation and a novel mechanism mediating offspring size in reptiles. We further suggest that variation in embryonic resource allocation in I. lesueurii, together with evolutionary changes in reaction norms for developmental rate, evolved as adaptations to seasonal length and conditions associated with a tropical‐temperate gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our understanding of the evolution of complex biological traits is greatly advanced by examining taxa with intermediate phenotypes. The transition from oviparity (egg‐laying) to viviparity (live‐bearing) has occurred independently in many animal lineages, but there are few phenotypic intermediates. The lizard Saiphos equalis exhibits bimodal reproduction, with some viviparous populations, and other oviparous populations with long egg‐retention, a rare trait where most of embryonic development occurs inside the mother prior to late ovipositioning. We posit that oviparous S. equalis represent an intermediate form between "true" oviparity and viviparity. We used transcriptomics to compare uterine gene expression in these two phenotypes, and provide a molecular model for the genetic control and evolution of reproductive mode. Many genes are differentially expressed throughout the reproductive cycle of both phenotypes, which have clearly different gene expression profiles overall. The differentially expressed genes within oviparous and viviparous individuals have broadly similar biological functions putatively important for sustaining embryos, including uterine remodelling, respiratory gas and water exchange, and immune regulation. These functional similarities indicate either that long egg‐retention is an exaptation for viviparity, or might reflect parallel evolution of similar gravidity‐related changes in gene expression in long egg‐retention oviparity. In contrast, gene expression changes across the reproductive cycle of long egg‐retaining oviparous S. equalis are dramatically different from those of "true" oviparous skinks (such as Lampropholis guichenoti), supporting our assertion that oviparous S. equalis exhibit an intermediate phenotype between "true" oviparity and viviparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: Literature concerning the impact of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) on fertility is limited to case reports despite the early onset of endocrinopathies, such as primary hyperparathyroidism and prolactinoma, that may impact fertility. This study describes the impact of unrecognized and untreated MEN 1 on fertility and pregnancy outcomes in a multigenerational cohort of the Tasman 1 MEN 1 kindred. Methods: All MEN 1 positive (MEN 1+, n = 63) and MEN 1 negative (MEN 1−, n = 75) descendants born between 1825 and 1951 of a common founder. Review of birth, death, marriage and medical records provided data on date of birth and death, gender, MEN 1 status and the number of pregnancies and children per parent. Results: Compared to MEN 1− parents, MEN 1+ parents had more children (RR 1.30, 1.02‐1.66) and live births (RR 1.31, 1.02‐1.67) with no excess of stillbirths (RR 1.24, 0.24‐6.36). Compared to the era‐matched Tasmanian fertility rate, MEN 1+ parents had more children (4.87 ± 4.11 vs 3.40 ± 0.61, P = 0.048), whereas MEN 1− parents had similar numbers of children (3.67 ± 3.27 vs 3.36 ± 0.62, P = 0.55). MEN 1+ parents had a similar number of MEN 1+ and MEN 1− offspring (2.1 ± 1.9 vs 2.5 ± 2.3, P = 0.31). Indirectly assessed miscarriage rate was similar between MEN 1+ and MEN 1− mothers (P = 0.77). Clinically overt pituitary disease reduced MEN 1+ kindred member likelihood of parenthood (33% vs 97%). Conclusions: There was no adverse impact of MEN 1 on patient fertility overall; however, MEN 1‐related pathology may have impaired the reproductive potential of a subset of individuals with pituitary disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have demonstrated an effect of neurotrophins, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), on airway contractility [via increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i] and remodeling (ASM proliferation and extracellular matrix formation) in the context of airway disease. In the present study, we examined the role of BDNF in allergen-induced airway inflammation using 2 transgenic models: 1) tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) conditional knockin (TrkBKI) mice allowing for inducible, reversible disruption of BDNF receptor kinase activity by administration of 1NMPP1, a PP1 derivative, and 2) smooth muscle-specific BDNF knockout (BDNFfl/fl/SMMHC11Cre/0) mice. Adult mice were intranasally challenged with PBS or mixed allergen (Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigatus, house dust mite, and ovalbumin) for 4 wk. Our data show that administration of 1NMPP1 in TrkBKI mice during the 4-wk allergen challenge blunted airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and reduced fibronectin mRNA expression in ASM layers but did not reduce inflammation per se. Smooth muscle-specific deletion of BDNF reduced AHR and blunted airway fibrosis but did not significantly alter airway inflammation. Together, our novel data indicate that TrkB signaling is a key modulator of AHR and that smooth muscle-derived BDNF mediates these effects during allergic airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is a useful tool for increasing awareness and disseminating information about clinical trials. However, risks include issues with confidentiality, privacy, and integrity of clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine relationships between penalties assessed by Medicare's Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program and hospital financial condition.Data Sources/study Setting: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, and Area Health Resource File data for 4,824 hospital-year observations.Study Design: Bivariate and multivariate analysis of pooled cross-sectional data.Principal Findings: Safety net hospitals have significantly higher HRRP/VBP penalties, but, unlike nonsafety net hospitals, increases in their penalty rate did not significantly affect their total margins.Conclusions: Safety net hospitals appear to rely on nonpatient care revenues to offset higher penalties for the years studied. While reassuring, these funding streams are volatile and may not be able to compensate for cumulative losses over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Environmentally cued hatching allows embryos to alter the time of hatching in relation to environment through phenotypic plasticity. Spatially variable temperatures within shallow nests of many freshwater turtles cause asynchronous development of embryos within clutches, yet neonates still hatch synchronously either by hatching early or via metabolic compensation. Metabolic compensation and changes in circadian rhythms presumably enable embryos to adjust their developmental rates to catch up to more advanced embryos within the nest. Hatchlings of the North American freshwater turtle Chrysemys picta usually overwinter within the nest and emerge the following spring, but still hatch synchronously via hatching early. Here, we used rates of oxygen consumption and heart rate profiles to investigate the metabolic rates of clutches of C. picta developing in conditions that result in asynchronous development to determine if compensatory changes in metabolism occur during incubation. Embryos hatched synchronously and displayed circadian rhythms throughout incubation, but exhibited no evidence of metabolic compensation. Phenotypic traits of hatchlings, including body size and righting performance, were also not affected by asynchronous development. We conclude that less developed embryos of C. picta hatch synchronously with their clutch‐mates by hatching early, which does not appear to inflict a fitness cost to individuals. The ultimate mechanism for synchronous hatching in C. picta could be for hatchlings to ensure an optimal overwintering position within the center of the nest. Consequently, immediate fitness costs will not hinder hatchling survival. The geographic location, as well as environmental and genetic factors unique to populations, can all influence hatching behavior in turtles through phenotypic plasticity. Hence, synchronous hatching is an adaptive bet‐hedging strategy in turtles, but the mechanisms to achieve it are diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) significantly influences plant growth, development, and biomass. Increased photosynthesis rate, together with lower stomatal conductance, has been identified as the key factors that stimulate plant growth at elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]). However, variations in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance alone cannot fully explain the dynamic changes in plant growth. Stimulation of photosynthesis at e[CO2] is always associated with post-photosynthetic secondary metabolic processes that include carbon and nitrogen metabolism, cell cycle functions, and hormonal regulation. Most studies have focused on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in response to e[CO2], despite the emerging evidence of e[CO2]'s role in moderating secondary metabolism in plants. In this review, we briefly discuss the effects of e[CO2] on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and then focus on the changes in other cellular mechanisms and growth processes at e[CO2] in relation to plant growth and development. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding plant growth responses to e[CO2] have been identified with the aim of improving crop productivity under a CO2 rich atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real macromolecular crystals can be non‐ideal in a myriad of ways. This often creates challenges for structure determination, while also offering opportunities for greater insight into the crystalline state and the dynamic behavior of macromolecules. To evaluate whether different parts of a single crystal of a dynamic protein, EutL, might be informative about crystal and protein polymorphism, a microfocus X‐ray synchrotron beam was used to collect a series of 18 separate data sets from non‐overlapping regions of the same crystal specimen. A principal component analysis (PCA) approach was employed to compare the structure factors and unit cells across the data sets, and it was found that the 18 data sets separated into two distinct groups, with large R values (in the 40% range) and significant unit‐cell variations between the members of the two groups. This categorization mapped the different data‐set types to distinct regions of the crystal specimen. Atomic models of EutL were then refined against two different data sets obtained by separately merging data from the two distinct groups. A comparison of the two resulting models revealed minor but discernable differences in certain segments of the protein structure, and regions of higher deviation were found to correlate with regions where larger dynamic motions were predicted to occur by normal‐mode molecular‐dynamics simulations. The findings emphasize that large spatially dependent variations may be present across individual macromolecular crystals. This information can be uncovered by simultaneous analysis of multiple partial data sets and can be exploited to reveal new insights about protein dynamics, while also improving the accuracy of the structure‐factor data ultimately obtained in X‐ray diffraction experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A properly developed consensus from a proficiency test is, for all practical purposes, interchangeable with a certified value derived from an interlaboratory comparison. But some scientists have doubts about the metrological status of such values. In particular, the materials are not regarded as equivalent to certified reference materials (CRM) because of a lack of traceability of the consensus value. However, the detailed considerations in this study show that such a distinction is without foundation. The following issues are addressed. (a) Misgivings about the traceability of an interlaboratory consensus are found to be insubstantial because chemical measurements are hardly ever fully traceable. (b) Reproducibility (i.e., interlaboratory) conditions account for all sources of variation in results other than long‐term stability, so lead to a valid estimate of uncertainty. (c) Certification of a reference material according to ISO procedures is homologous with a proficiency test and no more secure against bias in the characterised value and its standard error. In particular, residual (common) bias cannot be fully addressed in either approach. (d) A consensus in itself attests to a valid outcome. (e) Proficiency test providers have access to a powerful method of monitoring long‐term stability that is denied to CRM producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) triggers airway hyperreactivity and remodeling, effects that involve airway smooth muscle (ASM). We previously showed that CS destabilizes the networked morphology of mitochondria in human ASM by regulating the expression of mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins via multiple signaling mechanisms. Emerging data link regulation of mitochondrial morphology to cellular structure and function. We hypothesized that CS-induced changes in ASM mitochondrial morphology detrimentally affect mitochondrial function, leading to CS effects on contractility and remodeling. Here, ASM cells were exposed to 1% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 48 h to alter mitochondrial fission/fusion, or by inhibiting the fission protein Drp1 or the fusion protein Mfn2. Mitochondrial function was assessed via changes in bioenergetics or altered rates of proliferation and apoptosis. Our results indicate that both exposure to CS and inhibition of mitochondrial fission/fusion proteins affect mitochondrial function (i.e., energy metabolism, proliferation, and apoptosis) in ASM cells. In vivo, the airways in mice chronically exposed to CS are thickened and fibrotic, and the expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial function is dramatically altered in the ASM of these mice. We conclude that CS-induced changes in mitochondrial morphology (fission/fusion balance) correlate with mitochondrial function, and thus may control ASM proliferation, which plays a central role in airway health. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 1053-1068, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across a range of taxa, individuals within a species differ in suites of correlated traits. These trait complexes, known as syndromes, can have dramatic evolutionary consequences as they do not evolve independently but rather as a unit. Current research focuses primarily on syndromes relating to aspects of behavior and life history. What is less clear is whether physiological traits also form a syndrome. We measured 10 thermal traits in the delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata, to test this idea. Repeatability was calculated and their across-context correlations evaluated. Our results were in alignment with our predictions in that individual thermal traits varied consistently and were structured into a physiological syndrome, which we are referring to as the thermal behavior syndrome ( TBS). Within this syndrome, lizards exhibited a 'thermal type' with each being ranked along a cold-hot continuum. Hot types had faster sprint speeds and higher preferred body temperatures, whereas the opposite was true for cold types. We conclude that physiological traits may evolve as a single unit driven by the need to maintain optimal temperatures that enable fitness-related behaviors to be maximized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the reliability of risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRRs) for medical conditions and surgical procedures used in the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP).Data Sources: State Inpatient Databases for six states from 2011 to 2013 were used to identify patient cohorts for the six conditions used in the HRRP, which was augmented with hospital characteristic and HRRP penalty data.Study Design: Hierarchical logistic regression models estimated hospital-level RSRRs for each condition, the reliability of each RSRR, and the extent to which socioeconomic and hospital factors further explain RSRR variation. We used publicly available data to estimate payments for excess readmissions in hospitals with reliable and unreliable RSRRs.Principal Findings: Only RSRRs for surgical procedures exceeded the reliability benchmark for most hospitals, whereas RSRRs for medical conditions were typically below the benchmark. Additional adjustment for socioeconomic and hospital factors modestly explained variation in RSRRs. Approximately 25 percent of payments for excess readmissions were tied to unreliable RSRRs.Conclusions: Many of the RSRRs employed by the HRRP are unreliable, and one quarter of payments for excess readmissions are associated with unreliable RSRRs. Unreliable measures blur the connection between hospital performance and incentives, and threaten the success of the HRRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we investigated how the reductive activation of CO2 with an atomic bismuth model catalyst changes under aprotic solvation. IR photodissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected [Bi(CO2) n]− cluster ions was used to follow the structural evolution of the core ion with increasing cluster size. We interpreted the IR spectra by comparison with density-functional-theory calculations. The results show that CO2 binds to a bismuth atom in the presence of an excess electron to form a metalloformate ion, BiCOO−. Solvation with additional CO2 molecules leads to the stabilization of a bismuth(I) oxalate complex and results in a core ion switch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Es wurde untersucht, wie sich die reduktive Aktivierung von CO2 durch einen atomaren Bi ‐ Modellkatalysator unter aprotischer Solvatisierung verändert. Infrarot ‐ Photodissoziationsspektroskopie massenselektierter [Bi(CO2)n]− ‐ Clusterionen wurde genutzt, um die Strukturveränderung der molekularen ionischen Kerne dieser Cluster bei wachsender Clustergröße zu verfolgen. Die Interpretation der Infrarotspektren erfolgte durch Vergleich mit Ergebnissen auf der Basis von Dichtefunktionaltheorie. Die Resultate zeigen, dass CO2 mit Bi in Gegenwart eines Zusatzelektrons ein Metalloformiat ‐ Ion (BiCOO−) bildet. Solvatisierung durch zusätzliche CO2 ‐ Moleküle führt zur Stabilisierung eines BiI ‐ Oxalat ‐ Komplexes und damit zur Änderung des Kernions. Solvatisierung macht den Unterschied: Zunehmende Clustergröße in [Bi(CO2)n]− ‐ Clusteranionen bewirkt eine Strukturänderung des molekularen ionischen Kerns (siehe Bild; schwarz C, rot O, blau Metall). Dieses Verhalten liefert wichtige Rückschlüsse zum Verständnis der molekularen Mechanismen bei der heterogenen elektrochemischen CO2 ‐ Reduktionskatalyse unter aprotischen Bedingungen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of realized niche shifts in alien species typically ignore the potential effects of intraspecific niche variation and different invaded-range environments on niche lability. We incorporate our detailed knowledge of the native-range source populations and global introduction history of the delicate skink Lampropholis delicata to examine intraspecific variation in realized niche expansion and unfilling, and investigate how alternative niche modelling approaches are affected by that variation. We analyzed the realized niche dynamics of L. delicata using an ordination method, ecological niche models (ENMs), and occurrence records from 1) Australia (native range), 2) New Zealand, 3) Hawaii, 4) the two distinct native-range clades that were the sources for the New Zealand and Hawaii introductions, and 5) the species' global range (including Lord Howe Island, Australia). We found a gradient of realized niche change across the invaded ranges of L. delicata: niche stasis on Lord Howe Island, niche unfilling in New Zealand (16%), and niche unfilling (87%) and expansion (14%) in Hawaii. ENMs fitted to native-range data generally identified suitable climatic conditions at sites where the species has established non-native populations, whereas ENMs based on native-range source clades and non-native populations had lower spatial transferability. Our results suggest that the extent to which realized niches are maintained during invasion does not depend on species-level traits. When realized niche shifts are predominately due to niche unfilling, fully capturing species' responses along climatic gradients by basing ENMs on native distributions may be more important for accurate invasion forecasts than incorporating phylogenetic differentiation, or integrating niche changes in the invaded range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assigned values derived from the GeoPT proficiency testing programme were compared with certified values for six certified reference materials that have been used as test materials in the GeoPT programme. Statistical analysis showed that there were few significant differences between these sets of data and that these differences had no significant impact on the GeoPT assessment when fitness-for-purpose criteria were taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GeoPT proficiency testing programme for geochemical laboratories has been operating for nearly 20 years. This review, based on an analysis of accumulated data and extensive experience, examines whether the protocol followed during this period continues to be appropriate. Possible changes that might be considered for future implementation are examined, in particular the procedures for calculating assigned values, target values, z-scores and the applicability of dual fitness-for-purpose criteria. We conclude that the existing protocol remains largely appropriate and effective, but propose that a single fitness-for-purpose criterion be adopted, with an option for laboratories to recalculate their z-scores if the criterion is inappropriate for their requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a novel, noncovalent hydrogel system crosslinked solely by receptor-ligand interactions between biotin and avidin. The simple hydrogel synthesis and functionalization together with the widespread use of biotinylated ligands in biosciences make this versatile system suitable for many applications. The gels possess a range of tunable physical properties, including stiffness, lifetime, and swelling. The erosion rates, unexpectedly fast compared to the kinetic parameters for biotin-avidin, are explored in terms of stretching tensions on the polymers, a concept well-known on the single-molecule level, but largely unexplored in supramolecular systems. As proof of utility, the gels were functionalized with different peptide sequences to control human mesenchymal stromal cell morphology in 3D culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EutL shell protein is a key component of the ethanolamine-utilization microcompartment, which serves to compartmentalize ethanolamine degradation in diverse bacteria. The apparent function of this shell protein is to facilitate the selective diffusion of large cofactor molecules between the cytoplasm and the lumen of the microcompartment. While EutL is implicated in molecular-transport phenomena, the details of its function, including the identity of its transport substrate, remain unknown. Here, the 2.1 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of a EutL shell protein bound to cobalamin (vitamin B12) is presented and the potential relevance of the observed protein-ligand interaction is briefly discussed. This work represents the first structure of a bacterial microcompartment shell protein bound to a potentially relevant cofactor molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosthetic arteriovenous grafts ( AVGs) are associated with greater morbidity than autogenous arteriovenous fistulas ( AVFs), but their use is indicated when AVF formation is not possible. This report adds to the literature a case of lower limb gigantism, painful varicosities, and lymphedema following long-term use of AVG in the upper thigh. The patient's past medical history included renal transplantation on the same side well before the AVG was inserted and right leg deep vein thrombosis. Suspicion of AVG thrombosis was excluded by Doppler ultrasound, which demonstrated an access flow of 1700 mL/min. A computed tomography ( CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis did not identify the cause of her symptoms. Whereas functional incompetence of the iliac vein valve might be responsible for the varicosities, the extent of hypertrophy in this case raises the suspicion of lymphatic blockage possibly secondary to groin dissection undertaken at the time of graft insertion, in addition to the previous dissection at the time of transplantation. This case highlights the need for minimal groin dissection during AVG insertion, particularly in patients with a history of previous abdominopelvic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carboxysome is a giant protein complex that acts as a metabolic organelle in cyanobacteria and some chemoautotrophs. Its outer structure is formed by the assembly of thousands of copies of hexameric shell protein subunits into a molecular layer. The structure determination of a CcmK1 shell protein mutant (L11K) from the β-carboxysome of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 led to challenges in structure determination. Twinning, noncrystallographic symmetry and packing of hexameric units in a special arrangement led to initial difficulties in space-group assignment. The correct space group was clarified after initial model refinement revealed additional symmetry. This study provides an instructive example in which broken symmetry requires a new choice of unitcell origin in order to identify the highest symmetry space group. An additional observation related to the packing arrangement of molecules in this crystal suggests that these hexameric shell proteins might have lower internal symmetry than previously believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carboxysome is a giant protein complex that acts as a metabolic organelle in cyanobacteria and some chemoautotrophs. Its outer structure is formed by the assembly of thousands of copies of hexameric shell protein subunits into a molecular layer. The structure determination of a CcmK1 shell protein mutant (L11K) from the β-carboxysome of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 led to challenges in structure determination. Twinning, noncrystallographic symmetry and packing of hexameric units in a special arrangement led to initial difficulties in space-group assignment. The correct space group was clarified after initial model refinement revealed additional symmetry. This study provides an instructive example in which broken symmetry requires a new choice of unitcell origin in order to identify the highest symmetry space group. An additional observation related to the packing arrangement of molecules in this crystal suggests that these hexameric shell proteins might have lower internal symmetry than previously believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present a theory of alienation that accounts for the cognitive processes involved with moral thinking and political behavior in modern societies. On my account, alienation can be understood as a particular kind of atrophy of moral concepts and moral thinking that affect the ways individuals cognize and legitimate the social world and their place within it. Central to my argument is the thesis that modern forms of social integration-shaped by highly institutionalized, rationalized and hierarchical forms of social life-serve to constrain the moral- cognitive powers of subjects leading to a condition of alienation as moral atrophy. This state results from the withering of the subject's internal powers of moral reflection and an overriding predisposition to rely on external value schemas to make sense of moral and political problems. I then present an analysis of alienated moral consciousness and its implications for modern social theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effectiveness of di-functional versus multi-functional glycidyl ether chain extenders (CE) for improving the foamability of a commercial blend of hydrolyzed potato starch and polylactic acid, Solanyl® 30R (Solanyl Biopolymers Inc.). The blend was reactively modified in bulk using CEs at concentrations ranging from 0.5-2.5 wt% within a twin-screw extruder operating at 170°C and 150 RPM. Thermal and rheological analysis of the modified blends found that only one multi-functional polymeric CE was effective for altering the molecular structure of the blend while both significantly improved the foamability of the material. The two di-functional CEs did not produce detectable changes in melt elasticity for the blend but again had a notable influence on improved foamability. Foamability was evaluated based on improvements to the material that increased foam stability (i.e. higher cell densities and smaller bubbles), and the results in this study suggested that these CEs influenced bubble expansion in ways other than simply causing rheological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and accurate identification of organisms is crucial to many research and applied outcomes. Diagnostics is a critical first step in determining the significance of suspected biosecurity threats posed by emergency plant pests and other invasive pests and pathogens. Traditionally, the biological specimens needing identification are physically mailed to a dispersed community of taxonomic experts for determination. While effective, this is an expensive, labour-intensive and slow process, often taking days to receive a confirmed identification. Remote microscopy creates virtual, real-time networks of experts using web-based cameras mounted on microscopes that allow interactive access to real-time images of scientific specimens from anywhere in the world via the Internet. Trials conducted by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand to test the efficacy of remote microscopy in plant quarantine settings showed that in Australia a diagnosis to a level at which realistic biosecurity decisions could be made occurred on 77% of occasions, while in New Zealand high impact exotic pest status was determined during 92% of the diagnostic events, and regulatory status was determined during 96% of events. These positive results are leading towards the expansion of remote microscopy throughout Australia, New Zealand and into South-East Asia, as well as widening its role as part of online diagnostic frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orb web spiders face a dilemma: forage in open habitats and risk predation or forage in closed habitats to minimize risk but at reduced foraging profitability. We tested whether Argiope keyserlingi opts for safer habitats at the expense of foraging success by (i) determining habitat selection indices in open and closed habitats; (ii) marking and releasing individual juvenile, subadult and adults over two 4-week periods to determine if life-history stage influences habitat selection; and (iii) determining the biotic and abiotic environmental parameters that relate to A. keyserlingi abundance. We found that A. keyserlingi selected closed habitats. Sedge and anthropogenic structures were selected and trees were avoided. Juveniles were never found in open habitats, most likely because of high postdispersal mortality. Subadults and adults may shift from closed to open habitats while juveniles never shifted habitat. Foliage density, plant height, potential prey abundance, and mantid and bird abundance were correlated with A. keyserlingi abundance, with only bird abundance explaining habitat selection. We measured web capture area, spiral distance (distance between spiral threads) and the number of decoration arms (0, 1, 2, 3 or 4) in the field and did laboratory experiments to test the influence of (i) space and vegetation; (ii) prey abundance; and (iii) web damage, on web architecture. Argiope keyserlingi webs exhibited geometric plasticity by having larger prey capture areas and spiral distances in open habitats. Decoration design did not differ between habitats however. Variation in space availability, air temperature, prey abundance and web damage explained the variations in web architecture. Potential prey size and diversity differed between habitats but prey abundance did not. As large prey may be important for spider survivorship, foraging success appears to be compromised by occupying closed habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common demographic parameters such as survival and fecundity are regularly estimated in freshwater turtles, but large-scale manipulative and comparative experiments are rare. The resilience of a population to stage-specific predation is dependent on density-dependent inversity or compensation. Some species are also more susceptible to predation because of their life-history strategies. Nest predation by introduced red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) on Australian freshwater turtles is a major source of mortality, but its full impact has yet to be evaluated. Freshwater turtles are long lived, and a population decline resulting from nest predation by foxes may take a long time to become evident. We evaluated the impact of foxes on the population growth and patterns of survival of two widely distributed Australian freshwater turtles in the Murray River, where nest predation rates have previously been reported at above 95%. We estimated densities and survivorship ofEmydura macquariiandChelodina expansafrom the nest to adult stage. We then conducted a fox removal program (before-after control-impact design) to determine the impact of foxes on populations of these species. We found a contrast in life-history strategies between the two sympatric species.C. expansawas five times less abundant thanE. macquarii. A type III survivorship curve described the life history ofE. macquariibecause nest predation and adult survival rates were>0.9. Densities ofC. expansanests were low and situated away from shore. Consequently, nest predation rates were half those ofE. macquarii.Projection matrices predicted thatE. macquariipopulations may be declining slowly but are likely to respond to changes in adult survival, which has the greatest elasticity value. Foxes destroyed a proportion of nesting adult females each year; however, there appears to be no density-dependent compensation in adult survival, and foxes potentially regulate these populations.E. macquariipopulations had low productivity and relied on a standing crop of turtles for population maintenance, whereasC. expansahad relatively more juveniles in the population and was less reliant on adult survival. Despite its vulnerable status, C. expansais relatively more stable thanE. macquarii, primarily because there were proportionally more juveniles in the population. Management options focusing on reducing adult mortality in both species will be most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied marrow angiogenesis and plasma levels of angiogenic cytokines in 38 patients receiving thalidomide therapy for previously untreated myeloma. The effect of therapy and the relationship of cytokine levels to myeloma cell proliferation, bone marrow microvessel density and progression-free survival (PFS) were studied. High pretreatment tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) levels (> 11 pg/ml) and increased interleukin (IL)-6 of > 2 pg/ml predicted for poorer PFS (TNFα, 48% versus 74% at 2 years, P = 0·01; IL-6, 24% versus 70% at 2 years, P = 0·01). None of the other parameters predicted response or PFS, and no significant changes in cytokine levels occurred with therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest selection has important consequences for fitness in freshwater turtles, as nest predation is extremely high in most populations. However, nest predation has rarely been considered a major factor affecting nest site selection. Thermal qualities of a nest are often suggested as a factor influencing maternal choice of nest site because incubation temperature affects offspring performance and growth, as well as the sex ratio of the clutch in species with temperature dependent sex determination (TSD). Yet experimental manipulations of the nesting environment (habitat and threat) to test factors influencing maternal nest site selection in turtles are uncommon. In this paper, we show that nest site selection in an Australian turtle (Emydura macquarii ) with genetically determined sex determination (GSD) exists at two spatial scales, with predation as the major factor affecting the location of a nest. Females prefer to nest in areas where nest predation is minimal but when the risk of direct predation is increased, they trade-off minimising nest predation with survival by locating their nests closer to shore. However, experimentally reducing cover demonstrated that females prefer to nest in open areas, which are more common closer to shore. Hence females are forgoing preferred microhabitat to locate their nests away from shore to minimise nest predation. Despite a preference for open nesting areas, females exhibit similar repeatability of microenvironment selection to a North American species with TSD. Repeatability of nesting overstory vegetation in the North American turtle, Chrysemys picta, suggests that females may exert some control over the thermal qualities of the nests; a key assumption in theoretical models of the microevolution and adaptive significance of TSD in reptiles. Incubation temperature is one factor that may affect microhabitat preferences in both turtles but other factors (e.g. predation and soil moisture) affected by microhabitat may be... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals often form groups to reduce the risk of predation through the per capita dilution of their individual predation risk. The advantages of grouping also influence the timing of reproduction in many species. In particular, synchrony in the timing of births may have evolved as a predator-avoidance strategy as it dilutes the risk of predation upon vulnerable newborn and naive young. Eggs of an Australian freshwater turtle, Emydura macquarii , can hatch synchronously despite developmental asynchrony among eggs of a clutch and hatchlings have a reduced predation risk by emerging from the nest as a group. Developmental asynchrony within clutches was induced to reflect natural nests by dividing clutches and incubating them at either 25°C or 30°C. Some eggs were then reunited with their clutch-mates and hatching occurred synchronously in some of these groups. In groups where synchronous hatching did not occur, less advanced eggs still hatched earlier than the normal incubation period. Synchrony occurred because the less advanced eggs hatched up to five days earlier than the control embryos. We conclude that the less advanced embryos within a clutch either accelerate their development or hatch prematurely to ensure synchrony of hatching and hatchling group formation may facilitate emergence from the nest and dilute predation risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the impact of biosolids amendments to soil on the sorption, desorption and buffering capacity of phosphorus. Phosphorus sorption isotherms; Calculated sorption parameters; Exchange of phosphorus and soluble organic carbon.

Objective: Understanding factors driving variation in status epilepticus outcomes would be critical to improve care. We evaluated the degree to which patient and hospital characteristics explained hospital‐to‐hospital variability in intubation and postacute outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries admitted with status epilepticus between 2009 and 2019. Outcomes included intubation, discharge to a facility, and 30‐ and 90‐day readmissions and mortality. Multilevel models calculated percent variation in each outcome due to hospital‐to‐hospital differences. Results: We included 29 150 beneficiaries. The median age was 68 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 57–78), and 18 084 (62%) were eligible for Medicare due to disability. The median (IQR) percentages of each outcome across hospitals were: 30‐day mortality 25% (0%–38%), any 30‐day readmission 14% (0%–25%), 30‐day status epilepticus readmission 0% (0%–3%), 30‐day facility stay 40% (25%–53%), and intubation 46% (20%–61%). However, after accounting for many hospitals with small sample size, hospital‐to‐hospital differences accounted for 2%–6% of variation in all unadjusted outcomes, and approximately 1%–5% (maximally 8% for 30‐day readmission for status epilepticus) after adjusting for patient, hospitalization, and/or hospital characteristics. Although many characteristics significantly predicted outcomes, the largest effect size was cardiac arrest predicting death (odds ratio = 10.1, 95% confidence interval = 8.8–11.7), whereas hospital characteristics (e.g., staffing, accreditation, volume, setting, services) all had lesser effects. Significance: Hospital‐to‐hospital variation explained little variation in studied outcomes. Rather, certain patient characteristics (e.g., cardiac arrest) had greater effects. Interventions to improve outcomes after status epilepticus may be better focused on individual or prehospital factors, rather than at the inpatient systems level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that examined habituation as an adaptive behavioral strategy for maximizing reproductive fitness and predicts the population of habituated elk across the Rocky Mountain west in the 21st century. How managers should consider options to reduce habituation risk; Relationship between increasing levels of habituation in elk and environmental factors within management control; Managing elk in addressing habituation.

Identifies the types of phosphorus in a Mollisol amended at the soil surface with biosolids. Usage of a sequential fractionation procedure to identify phosphorus types; Increase of inorganic phosphorus concentration as a result of biosolids amendments; Transformation of hydrogen chloride-phosphorus applied with biosolids into labile forms.

Uptake and metabolism of [U-14C]-mannitol by suspension cultures of Daucus carota L. cv. Kirodagosun and Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38, and by cotyledon cultures of Pinus radiata D. Don have been studied. Uptake of label ranged from 138 to 906 nmol (g FW)-1 h-1, resulting in absorption of 3 to 22% of the mannitol supplied to the cultures, over a 14 h incubation period. Of the absorbed mannitol 33 to 75% was metabolized, with label appearing in lipid, insoluble, acidic, basic, neutral and CO2 fractions, No adaptation to culture with mannitol prior to the experiments was observed, but tobacco showed a decreased ability to metabolize the compound after 8 days in its presence. Because of the rates of uptake observed, and the metabolism of this compound, it is concluded that mannitol is not an ideal osmoticum for long-term studies with any of these species, though its use in the short-term remains valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argues that responsiveness is shaped by the various forms of social solidarity of which micro-level actors are the components. Details on hypotheses made on the issue; Justification for arguments made on the issue; Problems which evolve when handling matters related to sustainable development.