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Thin-film confinement of self-assembling block polymers results in materials with myriad potential applications—including membranes and optical devices—and provides design parameters for altering phase behavior that are not available in the bulk, namely, film thickness and preferential wetting. However, most research has been limited to lamella- and cylinder-forming polymers; three-dimensional phases, such as double gyroid (DG), have been observed in thin films, but their phase behavior under confinement is not yet well understood. We use self-consistent field theory to predict the equilibrium morphology of bulk-gyroid-forming AB diblock polymers under thin-film confinement. Phase diagrams reveal that the (211) orientation of DG, often observed in experiments, is stable between nonpreferential boundaries at thicknesses as small as 1.2 times the bulk DG lattice parameter. The (001) orientation is stable between modestly B-preferential boundaries, where B is the majority block, while a different (211)-oriented termination plane is stabilized by strongly B-preferential boundaries, neither of which has been observed experimentally. We then describe two particularly important phenomena for explaining the phase behavior of DG thin films at low film thicknesses. The first is "constructive interference," which arises when distortions due to the top and bottom boundaries overlap and is significant for certain DG orientations. The second is a symmetry-dependent, in-plane unit-cell distortion that arises because the distorted morphology near the boundary has a different preferred unit-cell size and shape than the bulk. These results provide a thermodynamic portrait of the phase behavior of DG thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitality is a fundamental virtue across numerous cultural and religious systems. Nevertheless, there is scant empirical research on this topic. The current paper reports the results of a series of studies investigating people’s implicit theories of a good host and good visitor. In Study 1, the participants (n = 304) used a free-listing procedure to generate a list of descriptors for either a good host, visitor, or person. In Study 2, a new sample (n = 313) rated the previously generated descriptors in terms of their respective prototypicality. In Study 3, the participants (n = 151) sorted the descriptors of either a good host or a good visitor into categories, and hierarchical cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling were used to investigate how people mentally organized these respective social roles. By examining these naturalistic conceptualizations, this analysis will help inform future work on how interactions in the home influence impressions, well-being, and relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When individuals receive political messages, they tend to apply partisan filters that bias their evaluations of those messages in ways that are favorable to the interests of the political ingroup and diminish the partisan outgroup. In this study, we draw from three dominant theories of political cognition—motivated reasoning, social identity theory, and intergroup emotion theory—to demonstrate that current norms of journalism facilitate biased information processing. Through two studies, we distinguish between the role of partisan cues versus partisan arguments versus attacks on social standing in generating this biased reasoning. We demonstrate that biased reasoning occurs even with symbolic threats to esteem when there is no realistic threat of tangible political loss. We find that partisan cues and benefit-disadvantage framing increased partisan discrepancies in attitudes about both policy and political entertainment. When faced with a message providing partisan cues or explanation of partisan benefits (disadvantage), partisans reacted emotionally and biased their evaluations accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midbrain dopamine cells encode differences in predictive and expected value to support learning through reward prediction error. Recent findings have questioned whether reward prediction error can fully account for dopamine function and suggest a more complex role for dopamine in encoding detailed features of the reward environment. In this series of studies, we describe a novel role for dopamine in devaluing sensory features of reward. Mesencephalic dopamine cells activated during a mediated devaluation phase were later chemogenetically reactivated. This retrieval of the devalued reward memory elicited a reduction in the hedonic evaluation of sucrose reward. Through optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations, we confirm dopamine cells are both sufficient and necessary for mediated devaluation, and retrieval of these memories reflected dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Consistent with our computational modeling data, our findings indicate a critical role for dopamine in encoding predictive representations of the sensory features of reinforcement. Overall, we elucidate a novel role for dopamine function in mediated devaluation and illuminate a more elaborate framework through which dopamine encodes reinforcement signals. This study reveals that dopamine is necessary for devaluing sensory memories of reward and thus plays a more complex role in reinforcement learning than traditionally considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of Australian gay and bisexual men and nonbinary people found that doxycycline prophylaxis for sexually transmissible infection prevention was highly acceptable, except among those who were concerned about antimicrobial resistance. Background: There is growing interest in novel sexually transmissible infection (STI) prevention strategies, including doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP). We assessed interest in doxy-PEP and other STI prevention strategies among gay and bisexual men and nonbinary people in Australia, as well as prior antibiotic use for STI prevention, and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Methods: We conducted a national, online survey in June to July 2023. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the acceptability of doxy-PEP. Results: Of 2046 participants, 26.9% had been diagnosed with an STI in the previous year. Condoms were rated as an acceptable STI prevention strategy by 45.1% of the sample, STI preexposure prophylaxis by 54.0%, and doxy-PEP by 75.8%. Previous antibiotic use for STI prevention was reported by 7.5% of the sample, and 2.6% were currently using antibiotics for STI prevention. Over half the sample (62.1%) had some knowledge of AMR. Of those who knew something about AMR, 76.2% were concerned about it. Interest in using doxy-PEP was independently associated with previous use of antibiotics for STI prevention (adjusted odds ratio, 3.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.78–5.35; P < 0.001), whereas those who were concerned about AMR were less interested in it (adjusted odds ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.36–0.72; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis was highly acceptable to gay and bisexual men and nonbinary people in Australia, and few factors distinguished between interest in using it or not. We recommend community and professional discussion and education about the effective use of doxy-PEP, AMR, and who would most benefit from doxy-PEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveDesignResultsConclusionReligiosity is a complex construct comprised observance, intrinsic beliefs, meditative practice, and communal elements. Religiosity has been associated with reduced mortality and improved overall health, but understanding the underlying biological associations is evolving. As increased telomere length has been associated with increased longevity, this project presents a systematic review of studies investigating the relationship between religiosity and telomere length.The study protocol was registered prior to the search. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was followed. Seven databases were employed using relevant criteria: PubMed, PSYCHinfo, CINAHL, ATLA, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical.A total of 381 studies were identified and 46 studies met full screening. Eight studies met the final inclusion criteria. Of these eight studies, two showed no relationship between religiosity and telomere length, three showed a positive relationship, and three showed an equivocal or ambivalent relationship. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of the studies.Religiosity may be associated with telomere length, but results vary widely across the diverse studies included. Longitudinal studies with adequate sample size are needed to determine this association more rigorously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reuben Baron's ecological approach to social perception simultaneously emphasized both the perceptual nature of social judgment and the social nature of perception. One novel contribution of this work was an expansion of the concept of attunement, arguing that the detection of affordances could be guided not only by physiological constraints, but also by culture, attitudes, motivation, and social roles. In this paper, I provide an empirical demonstration of this principle by testing how social attitudes (i.e. sexist beliefs) can influence the detection of affordances in objects associated with a particular gender. An online sample of participants (n = 212) was presented with a series of objects and asked to identify which could be used for novel actions. The objects presented were pre-tested to have either masculine, feminine, or neutral associations. A mixed effects logistic regression revealed a three-way interaction between participant gender, the object's association, and the participants' hostile sexism. Specifically, men high in hostile sexism were significantly less likely to identify a functional object when it was feminine. This finding demonstrates that even the individual perception of an inanimate object's affordances is a social psychological process, supporting Baron's argument that all human behavior is a form of groupthink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to nature can improve mental health and cognitive abilities, while creating enhanced engagement with biological course material through interactions with organisms and ecosystems. Remote biology education was suddenly implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic at many universities, and such distance education continues to provide broadened opportunities for active learning through hands-on lab and field activities. Remote science activities require explicit conversations and student training to address novel, off-campus safety issues. Here, we present inclusive approaches to safety instruction for incorporation into any biological undergraduate course. Remote lab learning not only develops students' skills and self-efficacy in performing biology, but it also engages students in course content and stimulates their interest in observation-based research. This emphasis on safety will extend scientific practice into students' lives while reducing risk during laboratory and field activities and afterward The safety considerations outlined here are designed to consider a global and diverse student population and will apply to a multitude of active-learning lab or field activities performed remotely by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent electronic cigarette (e-cigarettes) use is a major public health concern. However, there is a relative dearth of literature on factors that prevent the use of e-cigarettes for adolescents. The purpose of the present study was to focus on five protective factors relevant for the prevention of adolescent e-cigarette use. We tested these factors with a large sample of adolescents within a single anlaytic model that allowed for making comparisons among protective factors as well as replicating findings from prior research. Secondary data analysis was conducted on a large sub-sample (n = 33, 193) of data from students who participated in a school survey in the state of Utah. Results from logistic regression indicated that belief in a moral order (OR = 2.30, p <.001), perceived risk of e-cigarette use (OR = 2.22, p <.001), family management (OR = 1.62, p <.001), and commitment to school (OR = 1.43, p <.001) were significantly associated with abstaining from e-cigarette use in the past 30-days. Implications of the findings are discussed in the context of preventing adolescent e-cigarette use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues for the inclusion of more East Asia-focused content, particularly regarding China and North Korea, in homeland security and emergency preparedness (HSEP) undergraduate curricula. It contends that current programs overemphasize the post-9/11 counterterrorism paradigm while neglecting state-level threats, especially from China as an ascendant geopolitical rival. China poses multifaceted challenges through cyberattacks, intellectual property theft, economic coercion, and potential military contingencies, such as invading Taiwan. North Korea's nuclear program and cyber activities also jeopardize U.S. homeland security. To prepare future professionals, the article recommends adding a "state actor threats" core subject matter area covering the histories, cultures, and political dynamics underlying these nations' antagonistic policies. Cultivating deeper cultural competency about U.S. strategic competitors in East Asia is crucial for bolstering national security. Holistic education reform is needed to align HSEP programs with contemporary global geopolitical realities beyond traditional terrorism subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal azaphilones are a broad class of naturally‐occurring pigments with diverse applications. Among the azaphilone pigments, mitorubrins are well recognized for their antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antidiabetic, and antiaging activities in addition to their well‐known yellow‐orange color. This makes these pigments interesting candidates for use in foods, as cosmetics, and as medicines. In particular, if it is desired to modify the properties of mitorubrin‐based pigments, for example by derivatization, it is essential to have an understanding of the electronic spectra of the parent molecules. We have therefore undertaken a computational study of a series of mitorubrins, comparing our computed results with experimental UV/visible spectra. Both density‐functional theory (DFT) and coupled‐cluster (CC2) methods have been used, and in general, the results are in very good agreement with observation. In order to provide a simple and useful picture of the spectra we analyze the stronger transitions in terms of natural transition orbitals (NTOs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 20 years ago, ecologists were introduced to the site occupancy model (SOM) for estimating occupancy rates from detection‐nondetection data. In the ensuing decades, the SOM and its hierarchical modeling extensions have become mainstays of quantitative ecology, and estimating occupancy rates has become one of the most common applications of ecological field data. Here, we review 364 peer‐reviewed articles published between 2019–2021 that estimated occupancy. We first document broad patterns in study design and statistical methods to provide educators, developers of methodology and software, and ecologists with a clear picture of the landscape of methodologies used to estimate animal occupancy. Second, we conduct a focused review of a subset of 98 papers that applied the hierarchical SOM, drawing from methodological literature to identify discrepancies between SOM applications and methodological best practices. We discuss limits to statistical power, issues with model checking and model selection procedures, potential problems arising from unmodeled non‐independence, and reproducibility. We highlight areas of rapid advancement in interpreting animal occupancy related to animal movement, imperfect detection, and the occupancy–density relationship. We aim to help readers understand the landscape of methods available, motivate shifts toward robust and reproducible science, and inspire new software and methodological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A thorough comprehension of the mechanisms controlling new bone formation and implant osseointegration after maxillary sinus floor elevation is crucial for aligning our treatment choices with biological principles and enhancing clinical outcomes. The goal of bone regeneration in sinus lift procedures is to provide a sufficient amount of newly‐formed tissue to support implant osseointegration. However, it is still unclear whether there is a minimum quantity of vital bone within the newly‐formed tissue required for effective support, though it is generally assumed that vital bone is essential for this process. The source and integration of new bone in maxillary sinus floor elevation procedures remain debated. Most clinical studies suggest a paramount role for sinus floor and bony walls, with a centripetal pattern of new bone formation, while conflicting reports exist regarding the osteogenic role of the Schneiderian membrane. The influence of mechanical input on peri‐implant bone formation, mineralization, and maturation is significant, with bone remodeling regulated by mechanical strains generated during loading. Defining optimal loading for implants, particularly in sinus lift procedures, is challenging, as early loading may damage interfacial tissue, interfering with osteogenesis. Differences in osseointegration dynamics between native and augmented bone may arise from biological and mechanical factors, but also from patient‐specific factors which should be evaluated in treatment planning. Factors to consider include sinus anatomy, patient and site‐specific regenerative potential, and the selection of graft material that matches the osteogenic and mechanical requirements. Tailored approaches integrating patient‐specific considerations and refined implant strategies will enhance predictability and longevity of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipophilic drugs require more advance formulation, especially if the intention is to make solutions or semisolid formulations. This also accounts for most antimalarial drugs. Although some of these antimalarial drugs are soluble in lipid vehicles, few of them, such as lumefantrine (LF), are also poorly soluble in oily vehicles. Trying to dissolve and formulate LF as a liquid formulation together with other antimalarial drugs is, therefore, a major task. When mixed in solution together with artemether (AR), precipitation occurs, sometimes with LF precipitating out on its own, and sometimes with AR precipitating out alongside LF. In this study, it was hypothesized that the use of fatty acids could lead to enhanced solubility in lipid formulation. Addition of the fatty acid solved the dissolution challenges, making LF soluble for over a year at room temperature (21–23 °C); but further research is needed to test the mechanism of action of the fatty acid. In addition, design of experiments (MODDE® 13) revealed that the amount of fatty acid in the formulation was the only significant factor for LF precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of nationally representative survey data reveals the existence of systemic disparities in the mental health experiences and outcomes of U.S. adults living with chronic pain. Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Previous research suggests that individuals with mental health needs and chronic pain may be less likely to use mental health treatment compared with those with mental health needs only. Yet, few studies have investigated the existence of population-level differences in mental health treatment use. We analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey (n = 31,997) to address this question. We found that chronic pain was associated with end-to-end disparities in the mental health journeys of U.S. adults: (1) Those living with chronic pain are overrepresented among U.S. adults with mental health needs; (2) among U.S. adults with mental health needs, those living with chronic pain had a lower prevalence of mental health treatment use; (3) among U.S. adults who used mental health treatment, those living with chronic pain had a higher prevalence of screening positive for unremitted anxiety or depression; (4) among U.S. adults living with both chronic pain and mental health needs, suboptimal mental health experiences were more common than otherwise—just 44.4% of those living with mental health needs and co-occurring chronic pain reported use of mental health treatment and screened negative for unremitted anxiety and depression, compared with 71.5% among those with mental health needs only. Overall, our results suggest that U.S. adults with chronic pain constitute an underrecognized majority of those living with unremitted anxiety/depression symptoms and that the U.S. healthcare system is not yet adequately equipped to educate, screen, navigate to care, and successfully address their unmet mental health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate single-shot standoff hyperspectral Raman imaging of liquid diisopropyl methylphosphonate at a standoff distance of 1 m using two different techniques: multi-bandpass filter imaging (MBFI) and fiber-bundle imaging spectroscopy (FBIS). We find that MBFI has good spatial resolution, but poor spectral resolution, due to the limitations of commercially available bandpass filters. On the other hand, we find FBIS to have excellent spectral resolution, but limited spatial resolution due to the relatively small number of fibers in a bundle. For FBIS, we also determine, for a 1 m standoff distance, a minimum pump fluence of 10 mJ/cm2 to obtain good single-shot spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progress made in aging research using laboratory organisms is undeniable. Yet, with few exceptions, these studies are conducted in a limited number of isogenic strains. The path from laboratory discoveries to treatment in human populations is complicated by the reality of genetic variation in nature. To model the effect of genetic variation on the action of the drug rapamycin, here we use the growth of Drosophila melanogaster larvae. We screened 140 lines from the Drosophila Genetic References Panel for the extent of developmental delay and found wide‐ranging variation in their response, from lines whose development time is nearly doubled by rapamycin, to those that appear to be completely resistant. Sensitivity did not associate with any single genetic marker, nor with any gene. However, variation at the level of genetic pathways was associated with rapamycin sensitivity and might provide insight into sensitivity. In contrast to the genetic analysis, metabolomic analysis showed a strong response of the metabolome to rapamycin, but only among the sensitive larvae. In particular, we found that rapamycin altered levels of amino acids in sensitive larvae, and in a direction strikingly similar to the metabolome response to nutrient deprivation. This work demonstrates the need to evaluate interventions across genetic backgrounds and highlights the potential of omic approaches to reveal biomarkers of drug efficacy and to shed light on mechanisms underlying sensitivity to interventions aimed at increasing lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reuben Baron significantly contributed to both the fields of personality and social psychology. In this paper, we discuss Baron's 'lock and key' metaphor, which emphasizes the mutualism and realism of individual differences, suggesting that personal traits and environmental affordances are interdependent with one another. Building on Baron's theoretical foundations, we introduce the concepts of personal coherence (the perception that our life is meaningful and comprehensible) and place coherence (the perception that an environment has congruent features and characteristics and that it affords behaviors congruent with our true selves). We then propose a hypothesis for how place and personal coherence affect one other, which we call the place resonance hypothesis. If the affordances of a place resonate with meaningful behaviors a person wants to partake in, the place itself has increased coherence based on the synergy with the person's individual needs. Thus, both place and personal coherence are both amplified. This integration not only bridges personality and social psychology but also provides new insights into the mechanisms that foster psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Ayatollah Khomeini decided to release the African American hostages first as a demonstration of solidarity with the world's oppressed peoples. Revolutionary Iran's proclamation that it would support the world's marginalized and disenfranchised peoples resonated with many leftist African American political activists and figures. From holding Black solidarity marches to commemorating Malcolm X on a national postage stamp, the Islamic Republic of Iran was resolute in its expression of solidarity with African Americans. The Third-Worldist revolutionary rhetoric and anti-imperialist statements of Khomeini linked Tehran to the marginalized Black communities of America. Based primarily on Iranian media sources and African American newspapers, this article investigates the unique relationship forged between the Islamic Republic of Iran and radical circles of African Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize the subsurface thermal degradation of an inert analog of high-explosive molecular crystals (Eu:Y(acac)3(DPEPO)) (EYAD) embedded inside of a plastic bonded explosive simulant using feedback-assisted wavefront shaping-based fluorescence and Raman spectroscopies. This technique utilizes wavefront shaping to focus pump light inside a heterogeneous material onto a target particle, which significantly improves its spectroscopic signature. We find that embedding the EYAD crystals in the heterogeneous polymer results in improved thermal stability, relative to bare crystal measurements, with the crystal remaining fluorescent to >612 K inside of the heterogeneous material, while the bare crystal's fluorescence is fully quenched by 500 K. We hypothesize that this improvement is due to the polymer restricting the effects of EYAD melting, which occurs at 400 K and is the primary mechanism for spectroscopic changes in the temperature range explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To develop an accessible ruminant immune challenge model for rapid in vivo assessments of feed additives. ANIMALS 60 hair-breed ram lambs. METHODS Sheep were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: treatment 1, not immunosuppressed, control fed (n = 12); treatment 2, immunosuppressed, supplemented with a yeast and botanical extract (n = 18); treatment 3, immunosuppressed, supplemented with a blend of natural aluminosilicates and yeast components (n = 18); and treatment 4, immunosuppressed, control fed (n = 12). Twice-daily injections of dexamethasone (Dex; 0.1 mg/kg bodyweight, SC) were used to induce immunosuppression throughout the study (from September 25, 2020, to November 2, 2020). All sheep were immunized with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) on days 0 and 14 and injected with heataggregated KLH, ID, to induce a skin induration on day 15. Measurements included body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), CBC, and skin induration diameter. RESULTS Dex treatment resulted in reduced BW and ADG that was not mitigated by either feed additive. Dex reduced lymphocyte percentage, RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and skin induration diameter and increased concentrations of granulocytes and granulocyte percentage. Effects on hematocrit, hemoglobin, RBC, and skin induration diameter were mitigated with the addition of feed additives. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The described model is a tool to evaluate the ability of feed additives to mitigate the immunosuppressive effects of Dex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive abilities are hypothesized to affect survival and life span in nonhuman animals. However, most tests of this hypothesis have relied on interspecific comparisons of indirect measures of cognitive ability, such as brain size. We present direct evidence that individual variation in cognitive abilities is associated with differences in life span in a wild food caching bird. We measured the spatial cognitive abilities and tracked the life span of 227 mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) in their natural environment and found that individuals with better spatial learning and memory abilities involved in food caching lived longer. These results confirm that enhanced cognitive abilities can be associated with longer life in wild animals and that selection on cognitive abilities can lead to increased life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotransmission, meaning the release of multiple neurotransmitters from one synapse, allows for increased diversity of signaling in the brain. Dopamine (DA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are known to coexpress in many regions such as the olfactory bulb and the ventral tegmental area. Tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons (TIDA) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (Arc) project to the median eminence (ME) and regulate prolactin release from the pituitary, and prior work suggests dopaminergic Arc neurons also cotransmit GABA. However, the extent of cotransmission, and the projection patterns of these neurons have not been fully revealed. Here, we used a genetic intersectional reporter expression approach to selectively label cells that express both tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT). Through this approach, we identified cells capable of both DA and GABA cotransmission in the Arc, periventricular (Pe), paraventricular (Pa), ventromedial, and the dorsolateral hypothalamic nuclei, in addition to a novel population in the caudate putamen. The highest density of labeled cells was in the Arc, 6.68% of DAPI-labeled cells at Bregma −2.06 mm, and in the Pe, 2.83% of DAPI-labeled cells at Bregma −1.94 mm. Next, we evaluated the projections of these DA/GABA cells by injecting an mCherry virus that fluoresces in DA/GABA cells. We observed a cotransmitting DA/GABA population, with projections within the Arc, and to the Pa and ME. These data suggest DA/GABA Arc neurons are involved in prolactin release as a subset of TIDA neurons. Further investigation will elucidate the interactions of dopamine and GABA in the hypothalamus. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Cotransmitting dopaminergic (DA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic (DA/GABA) neurons contribute to the complexity of neural circuits. Using a new genetic technique, we characterized the locations, density, and projections of hypothalamic DA/GABA neurons. DA/GABA cells are mostly in the arcuate nucleus (Arc), from which they project locally within the arcuate, to the median eminence (ME), and to the paraventricular (Pa) nucleus. There is also a small and previously unreported group of DA/GABA cells in the caudate putamen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability for cells to localize and activate peripheral membrane-binding proteins is critical for signal transduction. Ubiquitously important in these signaling processes are phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids, which are dynamically phosphorylated by PIP lipid kinases on intracellular membranes. Functioning primarily at the plasma membrane, phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinases (PIP5K) catalyzes the phosphorylation of PI(4)P to generate most of the PI(4,5)P2 lipids found in eukaryotic plasma membranes. Recently, we determined that PIP5K displays a positive feedback loop based on membrane-mediated dimerization and cooperative binding to its product, PI(4,5)P2. Here, we examine how two motifs contribute to PI(4,5)P2 recognition to control membrane association and catalysis of PIP5K. Using a combination of single molecule TIRF microscopy and kinetic analysis of PI(4)P lipid phosphorylation, we map the sequence of steps that allow PIP5K to cooperatively engage PI(4,5)P2. We find that the specificity loop regulates the rate of PIP5K membrane association and helps orient the kinase to more effectively bind PI(4,5)P2 lipids. After correctly orienting on the membrane, PIP5K transitions to binding PI(4,5)P2 lipids near the active site through a motif previously referred to as the substrate or PIP-binding motif (PIPBM). The PIPBM has broad specificity for anionic lipids and serves a role in regulating membrane association in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our data supports a two-step membrane-binding model where the specificity loop and PIPBM act in concert to help PIP5K orient and productively engage anionic lipids to drive the positive feedback during PI(4,5)P2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting new instructional materials is an important way to support reform in science education, but implementation can be challenging and complex. Therefore, we conducted a contrasting case study of two middle schools implementing new curricular materials. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with teachers and leaders and collected instructional artifacts and reflections from teachers. Using an organizational sensemaking framework, we investigated the tensions that came up during implementation, the resources leveraged to address those tensions, and resulting instructional and leadership practices. One school focused on implementing the materials with fidelity, relying on networking and past practices, which led to a more traditionalized teaching approach. The other school centered the curricular materials, prioritizing understanding the instructional model and customizing for their students, resulting in more aligned instructional practices. Looking across the two cases highlights three key takeaways. First, we discuss the dilemma of agency, which is how can leaders balance teachers' professional agency with the push for instructional reform, especially when teachers may not fully understand the reform approach. We propose that a focus on understanding the goals of instructional reform might help resolve this dilemma. Second, we discuss the role of collaboration as potentially supporting or inhibiting teacher learning and propose that when teachers collaborate about high quality instructional materials they may be more likely to learn about the reforms inherent in them. Finally, we highlight the importance of discipline‐specific leadership in helping teachers to understand and implement the complexities inherent in new science instructional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common national identity appeals have been identified as one of the most promising strategies to reduce affective political polarization. However, research on this is concentrated in highly individualistic Western democracies. Because much of the global population lives in more collectivist societies, it is important to conduct comparative tests to see if common national identity appeals operate similarly when considering the increasingly global problem of polarization. In this study, we investigate how the individualism–collectivism dimension of culture interacts with national identity salience as a polarization reduction strategy. Survey experiments were conducted in South Korea and the US. We find that priming national identity increases national pride much more in collectivist societies, but that the depolarizing effect of our national identity prime was only indirect and limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial ultrasonic stimulation (TUS) is rapidly emerging as a promising non-invasive neuromodulation technique. TUS is already well-established in animal models, providing foundations to now optimize neuromodulatory efficacy for human applications. Across multiple studies, one promising protocol, pulsed at 1000 Hz, has consistently resulted in motor cortical inhibition in humans (Fomenko et al., 2020). At the same time, a parallel research line has highlighted the potentially confounding influence of peripheral auditory stimulation arising from TUS pulsing at audible frequencies. In this study, we disentangle direct neuromodulatory and indirect auditory contributions to motor inhibitory effects of TUS. To this end, we include tightly matched control conditions across four experiments, one preregistered, conducted independently at three institutions. We employed a combined transcranial ultrasonic and magnetic stimulation paradigm, where TMS-elicited motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) served as an index of corticospinal excitability. First, we replicated motor inhibitory effects of TUS but showed through both tight controls and manipulation of stimulation intensity, duration, and auditory masking conditions that this inhibition was driven by peripheral auditory stimulation, not direct neuromodulation. Furthermore, we consider neuromodulation beyond driving overall excitation/inhibition and show preliminary evidence of how TUS might interact with ongoing neural dynamics instead. Primarily, this study highlights the substantial shortcomings in accounting for the auditory confound in prior TUS-TMS work where only a flip-over sham and no active control was used. The field must critically reevaluate previous findings given the demonstrated impact of peripheral confounds. Furthermore, rigorous experimental design via (in) active control conditions is required to make substantiated claims in future TUS studies. Only when direct effects are disentangled from those driven by peripheral confounds can TUS fully realize its potential for research and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The packing geometry of macromolecules in complex mesophases is of key importance to self‐organization in synthetic and biological soft materials. While approximate or heuristic models rely on often‐untested assumptions about how flexible molecules "fit in" to distinct locations of complex assemblies, physical assemblies derive from ensembles of fluctuating conformations, obscuring the connection between mesophase geometry and the underlying arrangements. Here, we present an approach to extract and analyze features of molecular packing in diblock block copolymer (BCP) melts, a prototypical soft matter system, based on the statistical description of chain conformations in self‐consistent field (SCF) theory. We show how average BCP chain trajectories in ordered morphologies can be analyzed from the SCF‐derived orientational order parameter of chain segments. We use these extracted trajectories to analyze the features of local packing geometry, including chain bending and tilt, as well as the terminal boundaries that delineate distinct domains in ordered BCP morphologies. We illustrate this analysis by focusing on measurable features of packing frustration in 2D (columnar) and 3D (spherical and bicontinuous) morphologies, notably establishing an explicit link between chain conformations in complex morphologies and their medial geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal communication motivates many decisions related to COVID-19 prevention practices. Previous research shows that the frequency of interpersonal communication is significant. Less is known, however, about who messages interpersonal communication about COVID-19 and what information those messages convey. We sought to understand better these interpersonal communication messages for individuals who are asked to become vaccinated against COVID-19. Using a memorable messages approach, we interviewed 149 adults, mostly young, white, college students, about their vaccination choices as they were influenced by messages about vaccination they had received from respected members of their interpersonal networks. Date was analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from these interviews of primarily young, white, college students: a dialectic of feeling forced to become vaccinated vs. choice to become vaccinated; a tension between protecting oneself vs. protecting others through vaccination; and, finally, perceptions that family members who were also medical experts were particularly influential. The dialectic between feelings of choice versus force may require further study into the longer-term impacts of messages that may prompt feelings of reactance and produce undesired outcomes. The dialectic between messages being remembered for their altruism as compared to their selfishness opens opportunities to consider the relative influence of these two impulses. These findings also provide insight into broader topics about countering vaccine hesitancy for other diseases. These findings may not be generalizable to older, more diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many organisms engage in metabolic tradeoffs to manage costs associated with reproductive output which often leads to these costs carrying over into the future. Compensatory mechanisms vary across life history strategies and are expected to result in near-optimal fitness gains for the investor. Here we investigated whether environmental differences associated with increasing montane elevation and variation in reproductive output of a resident passerine songbird, the Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli), were related to physiological conditions during annual molt. Higher elevations are associated with harsher environmental conditions during the winter, which results in later and shorter breeding seasons than at lower elevations. We sampled the outermost tail feathers from adult birds in the fall after their prebasic molt, which initiates closely after reproduction (e.g. after parental care has ceased, ~1–3 weeks). We measured the hormone corticosterone deposited in feathers (fCORT) and feather growth rates for evidence of physiological effort predicted to be driven by several units of reproductive output (e.g. breeding timing, clutch and brood size, and offspring mass). There were no relationships between any measure of reproductive output and feather characteristics between elevations or across years, despite substantial variation in reproductive output in the wider population across this same time. However, birds at the high-elevation site grew their tail feathers significantly faster and had higher fCORT deposition compared to low-elevation birds. These results suggest that although differences in reproductive output and any related signals of associated physiological effort (e.g. fCORT and feather growth rate) may not extend into individual conditions during annual molt, shorter breeding seasons associated with harsher environmental conditions may favor faster feather growth as required by earlier onset of winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesized that dissimilar mate preferences would augment friendship attraction in zero-acquaintance interactions whereas similar mate preferences would hinder friendship attraction. Heterosexual participants completed an online survey to assess their mate preferences. They also rated the attractiveness of opposite-sex photos. Next, they attended a 3-hr speed-friending session in which they interacted with same-sex others for 3-min each. After each interaction, they completed a 2-min assessment about the person they just met. Two sessions were held, one for women (N = 20) and one for men (N = 18). The social relations model was used to regress unique feelings of friendship attraction on similarity in terms of mate preferences while controlling for perceiver and target variance. Our hypothesis was supported among men: Interactions in which two people differed in mate preferences were rated more positively than those in which participants had similar mate preferences. These results are consistent with Parental Investment Theory and highlight the importance of mate preferences in friendship attraction among men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understory forest plants are often limited by shade from the canopy above them. Many such species therefore make use of a shade avoidance strategy referred to as "phenological escape" to access ephemeral light availability during periods when the canopy above them is open (e.g., in early spring). In this primer, we review past literature on phenological escape and related topics. We discuss (1) the physiological importance of this shade avoidance strategy, (2) the effects that climate change may have on species performance via changes in phenological escape, (3) the potential for climate change to result in phenological mismatch related to shade avoidance, and (4) the potential avenues of future research in this area of study. Phenological escape is an important strategy used by spring-active plant species ranging from spring ephemeral wildflowers to deciduous tree seedlings, allowing them to assimilate 50%–100% of their annual carbon budgets before the canopy closes above them. Access to spring light, and thus success of this shade avoidance strategy, is projected to change in response to climate change. Change in access to light, and therefore change in spring performance, likely depends on functional group (woody vs. nonwoody plants), continent, and other geographic and environmental drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capture and reduction of atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonium can be accomplished through the enzyme nitrogenase in a process known as biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), by a class of microbes known as diazotrophs. The diazotroph Azotobacter vinelandii is a model organism for the study of aerobic nitrogen fixation, and in recent years has been promoted as a potential producer of biofertilizers. Prior reports have demonstrated the potential to partially deregulate BNF in A. vinelandii, resulting in accumulation and extracellular release of ammonium. In many cases, deregulation requires the introduction of transgenic genes or elements to yield the desired phenotype, and the long‐term stability of these strains has been reported to be somewhat problematic. In this work, we constructed two strains of A. vinelandii where regulation can be precisely controlled without the addition of any foreign genes or genetic markers. Regulation is maintained through native promoters found in A. vinelandii that can be induced through the addition of extraneous galactose. These strains result in varied degrees of regulation of BNF, and as a result, the release of extracellular ammonium is controlled in a precise, and galactose concentration‐dependent manner. In addition, these strains yield high biomass levels, similar to the wild‐type A. vinelandii strain and are further able to produce high percentages of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary functions are a generalisation of the cocircuit spaces of binary matroids to arbitrary functions. Every rank function is assigned a binary function, and the deletion and contraction operations of binary functions generalise matroid deletion and contraction. We give excluded minor characterisations for the classes of binary functions with well defined minors, and those with an associated rank function. Within these classes, we also characterise the classes of binary functions corresponding to matroids, binary matroids and polymatroids by their excluded minors. This gives a new proof of Tutte's excluded minor characterisation of binary matroids in the more generalised space of binary functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergraduate students are a high risk population for mental health challenges. Critically, residing in a setting that fails to evoke desired emotions and perceptions may have important implications for psychological wellbeing. Although previous research has investigated the relationship between student satisfaction and architecture/building amenities, little research has investigated how the ambiance of students' residences relates to mental health. Across a pair of studies, we evaluate the relationship between actual-ideal ambiance congruency (A-IAC) and mental health outcomes and mood. In Study 1, participants completed a pair of Q-sort tasks that required them to describe both their ideal room ambiance and their current room's actual ambiance. The discrepancy between these sorts was predictive of depressive symptoms, even when controlling for key covariates (e.g., personality, health, academics). In Study 2, these results were replicated among roommate pairs using dyadic analyses, while also being predictive of anxiety symptoms. Collectively, these studies reveal a novel environmental predictor of student wellbeing that can be of value for university staff. Ultimately, these findings suggest that having the ability to create one's ideal space may prove to be beneficial and possibly protective for the mental health of undergraduate university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, we developed a technique to perform wavefront-shaping-assisted bidirectional focusing in opaque media, which has applications in performing subsurface spectroscopy of heterogeneous materials. In this study, we report in detail the effects of different experimental parameters on the function of this technique. Namely, we consider the effects of target depth, sample positioning, objective spacing, and initial intensity [e.g., signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)]. From these measurements, we find that all four parameters affect the performance of the bidirectional focusing microscope, but the most significant ones are the target depth and the sample/objective spacings. The SNR is found to only be significant for small SNRs as our system functions optimally for initial SNRs > --> 6.7 (intensities 1.042 × larger than the background). The observed importance of the sample/objective spacings demonstrates that the enhancement depends strongly on the incident beams' spot sizes. We also estimate that the bidirectional focusing microscope can improve focusing on subsurface particles up to a depth of ≈ 18 mean free paths (which is 1170 μ m for our samples). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interest in modifiable risk factors (MRFs) for dementia is high, given the personal, social, and economic impact of the disorder, especially in ageing societies such as the United Kingdom. Exploring the population attributable fraction (PAF) of dementia attributable to MRFs and how this may have changed over time remains unclear. Unravelling the temporal dynamics of MRFs is crucial for informing the development of evidence-based and effective public health policies. This investigation examined the temporal trajectories of MRFs for dementia in England. Methods: We used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a panel study over eight waves collected between 2004 and 2019 (76,904 interviews in total). We calculated the PAFs for twelve MRFs (including six early- to mid-life factors and six late-life factors), as recommended by the Lancet Commission, and the individual weighted PAFs (IW-PAFs) for each risk factor. Temporal trends were analysed to understand the changes in the overall PAF and IW-PAF over the study period. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Results: The overall PAF for dementia MRFs changed from 46.73% in 2004/2005 to 36.79% in 2018/2019, though this trend was not statistically significant. During 2004–2019, hypertension, with an average IW-PAF of 8.21%, was the primary modifiable determinant of dementia, followed by obesity (6.16%), social isolation (5.61%), hearing loss (4.81%), depression (4.72%), low education (4.63%), physical inactivity (3.26%), diabetes mellitus (2.49%), smoking (2.0%), excessive alcohol consumption (1.16%), air pollution (0.42%), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (0.26%). During 2004–2019, only IW-PAFs of low education, social isolation, and smoking showed significant decreasing trends, while IW-PAFs of other factors either did not change significantly or increased (including TBI, diabetes mellitus, and air pollution). Upon sex-specific disaggregation, a higher overall PAF for MRFs was found among women, predominantly associated with later-life risk factors, most notably social isolation, depression, and physical inactivity. Additionally, hearing loss, classified as an early- to mid-life factor, played a supplementary role in the identified sex disparity. A comparable discrepancy was evident upon PAF evaluation by SES, with lower income groups experiencing a higher dementia risk, largely tied to later-life factors such as social isolation, physical inactivity, depression, and smoking. Early- to mid-life factors, in particular, low education and obesity, were also observed to contribute to the SES-associated divergence in dementia risk. Temporal PAF and IW-PAF trends, stratified by sex and SES, revealed that MRF PAF gaps across sex or SES categories have persisted or increased. Conclusions: In England, there was little change over time in the proportion of dementia attributable to known modifiable risk factors. The observed trends underscore the continuing relevance of these risk factors and the need for targeted public health strategies to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to determine the relative contribution of hypercapnia and hypoxia to the bradycardic response to apneas. We hypothesized that apneas with hypercapnia would cause greater bradycardia than normoxia, similar to the response seen with hypoxia, and that apneas with hypercapnic hypoxia would induce greater bradycardia than hypoxia or hypercapnia alone. Twenty‐six healthy participants (12 females; 23 ± 2 years; BMI 24 ± 3 kg/m2) underwent three gas challenges: hypercapnia (+5 torr end tidal partial pressure of CO2 [PETCO2]), hypoxia (50 torr end tidal partial pressure of O2 [PETO2]), and hypercapnic hypoxia (combined hypercapnia and hypoxia), with each condition interspersed with normocapnic normoxia. Heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, PETCO2, PETO2, and oxygen saturation were measured continuously. Hypercapnic hypoxic apneas induced larger bradycardia (−19 ± 16 bpm) than normocapnic normoxic apneas (−11 ± 15 bpm; p = 0.002), but had a comparable response to hypoxic (−19 ± 15 bpm; p = 0.999) and hypercapnic apneas (−14 ± 14 bpm; p = 0.059). Hypercapnic apneas were not different from normocapnic normoxic apneas (p = 0.134). After removal of the normocapnic normoxic heart rate response, the change in heart rate during hypercapnic hypoxia (−11 ± 16 bpm) was similar to the summed change during hypercapnia+hypoxia (−9 ± 10 bpm; p = 0.485). Only hypoxia contributed to this bradycardic response. Under apneic conditions, the cardiac response is driven by hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature indicates that mediated learning techniques have specific utility for tapping into reality testing in animal models of neuropsychiatric illness. In particular, recent work has shown that animal models that recapitulate various endophenotypes of schizophrenia are particularly vulnerable to impairments in reality testing when undergoing mediated learning. Multiple studies have indicated that these effects are dopamine receptor 2-dependent and correlated with aberrant insular cortex (IC) activity. However, until now, the connection between dopamine and the IC had not been investigated. Here, we utilized a novel intersectional approach to label mesencephalic dopamine cells that specifically project to the insular cortex in both wild-type controls and transgenic mice expressing the dominant-negative form of the Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia–1 (DISC-1) gene. Using these techniques, we identified a population of cells that project from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the IC. Afterward, we conducted multiple studies to test the necessity of this circuit in behaviors ranging from gustatory detection to the maintenance of effort and, finally, mediated performance. Our results indicate that perturbations of the DISC-1 genetic locus lead to a reduction in the number of cells in the VTA → IC circuit. Behaviorally, VTA → IC circuitry does not influence gustatory detection or motivation to acquire sucrose reward; however, inactivation of this circuit differentially suppresses Pavlovian approach behavior in wild-type and DISC-1 transgenic mice during mediated performance testing. Moreover, under these testing conditions, inactivation of this circuit predisposes wild-type (but not DISC-1) mice to display impaired reality testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We hypothesized that combining biomarkers of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) would improve prediction of ASCVD events in a primary prevention cohort. The study assessed major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous intervention, stroke, and death. Cox proportional hazards models assessed apolipoprotein AI (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), ceramide score, cystatin C, galectin-3 (Gal3), LDL-C, Non-HDL-C, total cholesterol (TC), N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (HscTnI) and soluble interleukin 1 receptor-like 1. In adjusted models, Ceramide score was defined by from N-palmitoyl-sphingosine [Cer(16:0)], N-stearoyl-sphingosine [Cer(18:0)], N-nervonoyl-sphingosine [Cer(24:1)] and N-lignoceroyl-sphingosine [Cer(24:0)]. Multi-biomarker models were compared with C-statistics and Integrated Discrimination Index (IDI). A total of 1131 patients were included. Adjusted NT proBNP per 1 SD resulted in a 31% increased risk of MACE/death (HR = 1.31) and a 31% increased risk for stroke/MI (HR = 1.31). Adjusted Ceramide per 1 SD showed a 13% increased risk of MACE/death (HR = 1.13) and a 29% increased risk for stroke/MI (HR = 1.29). These markers added to clinical factors for both MACE/death (p = 0.003) and stroke/MI (p = 0.034). HscTnI was not a predictor of outcomes when added to the models. Ceramide score and NT proBNP improve the prediction of MACE and stroke/MI in a community primary prevention cohort. In a community cohort, where a wide range of biomarkers were evaluated, Ceramide score provided additive value over traditional cardiac risk factors alone for predicting stroke/MI. NT ProBNP provided additive value in prediction of MACE/death. Other biomarkers failed to improve the discrimination of these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence suggests that community science and herbarium datasets yield similar estimates of species' phenological sensitivities to temperature. Despite this, two recent studies by Alecrim et al. (2023) and Miller et al. (2022) found very different results when using different data sources (community science and herbarium specimens, respectively) to investigate whether warming threatens wildflowers with phenological mismatch in relation to shading by deciduous trees.Here, we investigated whether differences between the two studies' results could be reconciled by testing four hypotheses related to model design, species, spatiotemporal data extent and phenophase.Hybrid model structures brought results from the two datasets closer together but did not fully reconcile the differences between the studies. Neither the species nor the phenophase selected for analysis seemed to be responsible for differences in results. Cropping the datasets to match spatial and temporal extents appeared to reconcile most differences but only at the cost of much higher uncertainty associated with reduced sample size.Synthesis: Our analysis suggests that although species‐level estimates of phenological sensitivity may be similar between community science and herbarium datasets, inherent differences in the types and extent of data may lead to contradictory inference about complex biotic interactions. We conclude that, until community science data repositories expand to match the range of climate conditions present in herbarium collections or until herbarium collections match the spatial extent and temporal frequency of community science repositories, ecological studies should ideally be evaluated using both datasets to test the possibility of biased results from either. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guppy, Poecilia reticulata, is one of the most common cultured ornamental fish species, and a popular pet fish highly desired by hobbyists worldwide due to its availability of many brilliantly coloured fish of many varieties. The susceptibility of guppies to diseases presents a remarkable concern for both breeders and hobbyists. In this study, we report the emergence of disease in fancy guppies caused by a previously uncharacterized virus in the USA. This virus was isolated from moribund guppies in two separate outbreaks in California and Alabama, from December 2021 to June 2023. The infected guppies presented with acute morbidity and mortality shortly after shipping, displaying nonspecific clinical signs and gross changes including lethargy, anorexia, swimming at the water surface, gill pallor, mild to moderate coelomic distension and occasional skin lesions including protruding scales, skin ulcers and hyperaemia. Histological changes in affected fish were mild and nonspecific; however, liver and testes from moribund fish were positive for Tilapia lake virus (TiLV), the single described member in the family Amnoonviridae, using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, although the latter was weak. A virus was successfully recovered following tissue inoculation on epithelioma papulosum cyprini and snakehead fish cell lines. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed nucleotide and amino acid homologies from 78.3%–91.2%, and 78.2%–97.7%, respectively, when comparing the guppy virus genomes to TiLV isolates. Based on the criteria outlined herein, we propose the classification of this new virus, fancy tailed guppy virus (FTGV), as a member of the family Amnoonviridae, with the name Tilapinevirus poikilos (from the Greek 'poikilos', meaning of many colours; various sorts, akin to 'poecilia'). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senegal has long relied on local communities to expand health services and improve health outcomes for citizens and is internationally lauded for its effectiveness in promoting good health and facilitating local trust. Here we examine how community health care emerges in Keur Toma, a rural Wolof town in the Senegal River Valley that relies on a global network of labor migrants to fuel its remittance‐based economy. Largely through its hometown association and the migrant men abroad who fund it, Keur Toma has built and sustained the local health infrastructure and staffing essential to achieving health care accessibility, providing consistent investment and critical stop‐gap funding when government assistance falters. Following Robbins's call for investigating "an anthropology of the good," we highlight the deeply rooted sense of care and obligation to kin and community that fosters the translocal ties that make Keur Toma's health care possible in the state's absence. We highlight what Ngom calls "sanctified suffering"—which valorizes personal fortitude and the ability to endure hardships for family and community, shaped by traditions of solidarity, mutual aid, and Islamic morality—and its role in migrants' hometown commitments to building stronger communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis work develops a depletion perturbation theory methodology coupled with generalized perturbation theory to produce fully coupled nuclide number density sensitivity coefficients for cross sections, initial nuclide number densities, and decay constants. The method is implemented into OpenMC, a high-fidelity Monte Carlo simulation code, utilizing continuous-energy cross sections to produced high resolution sensitivity coefficients over the energy spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cryoanalgesia is a tool being used by interventional radiology to treat chronic pain. Within a certain cold temperature range, peripheral nerve function is interrupted and recovers, without neuroma formation. Cryoanalgesia has most often been applied to the intercostal nerve. Cryoanalgesia has applications to peripheral nerve surgery, yet is poorly understood by reconstructive microsurgeons. Methods Histopathology of nerve injury was reviewed to understand cold applied to peripheral nerve. Literature review was performed utilizing the PubMed and MEDLINE databases to identify comparative studies of the efficacy of intraoperative cryoanalgesia versus thoracic epidural anesthesia following thoracotomy. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact and analysis of variance tests. A similar approach was used for pudendal cryoanalgesia. Results Application of inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in 16 comparative clinical studies of intercostal nerve for this review. For thoracotomy, nine studies compared cryoanalgesia with pharmaceutical analgesia, with seven demonstrating significant reduction in postoperative opioid use or postoperative acute pain scores. In these nine studies, there was no association between the number of nerves treated and the reduction in acute postoperative pain. One study compared cryoanalgesia with local anesthetic and demonstrated a significant reduction in acute pain with cryoanalgesia. Three studies compared cryoanalgesia with epidural analgesia and demonstrated no significant difference in postoperative pain or postoperative opioid use. Interventional radiology targets pudendal nerves using computed tomography imaging with positive outcomes for the patient with pain of pudendal nerve origin. Conclusion Cryoanalgesia is a term used for the treatment of peripheral nerve problems that would benefit from a proverbial reset of peripheral nerve function. It does not ablate the nerve. Intraoperative cryoanalgesia to intercostal nerves is a safe and effective means of postoperative analgesia following thoracotomy. For pudendal nerve injury, where an intrapelvic surgical approach may be difficult, cryoanalgesia may provide sufficient clinical relief, thereby preserving pudendal nerve function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The herbaceous layer accounts for the majority of plant biodiversity in eastern North American forests, encompassing substantial variation in life history strategy and function. One group of early‐season herbaceous understory species, colloquially referred to as spring ephemeral wildflowers, are ecologically and culturally important, but little is known about the prevalence and biogeographic patterns of the spring ephemeral strategy. Methods: We used observations collected by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to quantify the ephemerality of 559 understory forb species across eastern North America and classify them according to a continuous ephemerality index (ranging from 0 = never ephemeral to 1 = always ephemeral). We then used this information to model where ephemeral forbs were most common across the landscape with the goal of identifying geographic and environmental drivers important to their distributions and ranges. Results: Only 3.4% of all understory wildflower species were spring ephemerals in all parts of their range, and 18.4% (103 species) were ephemeral in at least part of their range. Spring ephemerals peaked in absolute species richness and relative proportion at mid latitudes. Conclusions: Spring ephemeral phenology is an important shade‐avoidance strategy for a large segment of the total understory species in temperate deciduous forests. In North America, the strategy is relatively most important for forest understories at mid latitudes. The definitions of spring ephemerality we provide here serve as an important ecological context for conservation priorities and to evaluate responses of this biodiverse group to future environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to overcome mobility limitations related to lower limb musculoskeletal injury. Despite a multitude of AFOs to choose from, there is scant evidence to guide AFO prescription and limited opportunities for AFO users to provide experiential input during the process. To address these limitations in the current prescription process, this study evaluates a novel, user-centered and personalized 'test-drive' strategy using a robotic exoskeleton ('AFO emulator') to emulate commercial AFO mechanical properties (i.e., stiffness). The study will determine if brief, in-lab trials (with emulated or actual AFOs) can predict longer term preference, satisfaction, and mobility outcomes after community trials (with the actual AFOs). Secondarily, it will compare the in-lab experience of walking between actual vs. emulated AFOs. Methods and analysis: In this participant-blinded, randomized crossover study we will recruit up to fifty-eight individuals with lower limb musculoskeletal injuries who currently use an AFO. Participants will walk on a treadmill with three actual AFOs and corresponding emulated AFOs for the "in-lab" assessments. For the community trial assessment, participants will wear each of the actual AFOs for a two-week period during activities of daily living. Performance-based and user-reported measures of preference and mobility will be compared between short- and long-term trials (i.e., in-lab vs. two-week community trials), and between in-lab trials (emulated vs. actual AFOs). Trial registration: The study was prospectively registered at www.clininicaltrials.gov (Clinical Trials Study ID: NCT06113159). Date: November 1st 2023. https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06113159. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: As climate change increases the frequency and severity of droughts in many regions, conservation during drought is becoming a major challenge for ecologists. Droughts are multidimensional climate events whose impacts may be moderated by changes in temperature, water availability or food availability, or some combination of these. Simultaneously, other stressors such as extensive anthropogenic landscape modification may synergize with drought. Useful observational models for guiding conservation decision‐making during drought require multidimensional, dynamic representations to disentangle possible drought impacts, and consequently, they will require large, highly resolved data sets. In this paper, we develop a two‐stage predictive framework for assessing how drought impacts vary with species, habitats and climate pathways. Location: Central Valley, California, USA. Methods: We used a two‐stage counterfactual analysis combining predictive linear mixed models and N‐mixture models to characterize the multidimensional impacts of drought on 66 bird species. We analysed counts from the eBird participatory science data set between 2010 and 2019 and produced species‐ and habitat‐specific estimates of the impact of drought on relative abundance. Results: We found that while fewer than a quarter (16/66) of species experienced abundance declines during drought, nearly half of all species (27/66) changed their habitat associations during drought. Among species that shifted their habitat associations, the use of natural habitats declined during drought while use of developed habitat and perennial agricultural habitat increased. Main Conclusions: Our findings suggest that birds take advantage of agricultural and developed land with artificial irrigation and heat‐buffering microhabitat structure, such as in orchards or parks, to buffer drought impacts. A working lands approach that promotes biodiversity and mitigates stressors across a human‐induced water gradient will be critical for conserving birds during drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between institutional pressures, supply chain integration and supply chain performance in the wooden furniture industry. Cross-sectional survey data collected from 86 registered wooden furniture firms in Uganda were analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. The study revealed that institutional pressures are positively and significantly related with supply chain performance and that supply chain integration plays a partial mediating role in the institutional pressures-supply chain performance relationship. Further, our component level analysis of institutional pressures reveals that whereas coercive pressure has a discernible positive influence on both supply chain integration and supply chain performance, mimetic pressure does not, while normative pressure positively influences only supply chain integration. These results underline the need to understand the role of individual components of institutional pressures and integration requirements in strategic supply chain management practice in order to boost supply chain performance of the wooden furniture firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have demonstrated in canines that somatic nerve transfer to vesical branches of the inferior hypogastric plexus (IHP) can be used for bladder reinnervation after spinal root injury. Yet, the complex anatomy of the IHP hinders the clinical application of this repair strategy. Here, using human cadavers, we clarify the spatial relationships of the vesical branches of the IHP and nearby pelvic ganglia, with the ureteral orifice of the bladder. Forty-four pelvic regions were examined in 30 human cadavers. Gross post-mortem and intra-operative approaches (open anterior abdominal, manual laparoscopic, and robot-assisted) were used. Nerve branch distances and diameters were measured after thorough visual inspection and gentle dissection, so as to not distort tissue. The IHP had between 1 to 4 vesical branches (2.33 ± 0.72, mean ± SD) with average diameters of 0.51 ± 0.06 mm. Vesical branches from the IHP arose from a grossly visible pelvic ganglion in 93% of cases (confirmed histologically). The pelvic ganglion was typically located 7.11 ± 6.11 mm posterolateral to the ureteral orifice in 69% of specimens. With this in-depth characterization, vesical branches from the IHP can be safely located both posterolateral to the ureteral orifice and emanating from a more proximal ganglionic enlargement during surgical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]