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Vietnamese Ukrainians are a largely unstudied identity group that has recently attracted attention due to the impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Our study examines Vietnamese-Ukrainian bicultural identity as experienced by 10 university student refugees of the war in 2022–23. Researchers conducted semi-structured ethnographic interviews in which each participant examined identity formation experiences as second-generation Vietnamese Ukrainians. Participants also reflected upon the impacts to ethnic identity self-awareness that resulted from their unexpected return migration to Vietnam as student refugees of war. The cohort of study participants created a tight-knit Vietnamese-Ukrainian return diaspora in an environment conducive to self-reflection and exploration of their ongoing ethnic identity journeys. In our study, we argue that the ethnic identity formation of young Vietnamese Ukrainians relies on the active construction of intercultural personhood as an adaptation to transnational mobility and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore Bahnar perspectives on the agency of plants and forest, and human–forest relations in Vietnam. The Bahnar are among Vietnam's 54 recognized ethnic minority peoples 1 , many of whom live in proximity to the forest, gather its resources, and regard it as a spiritual abode in their cosmology. The Bahnar (Ba Na) people who inhabit the Central Highlands and are the main focus of this article have traditionally relied on the forest for subsistence, practising swidden cultivation, hunting birds and mammals, and gathering plants. Their forest knowledge is transmitted primarily orally; through the lexicon, everyday discourses, stories, and songs. It is acquired through participation in forest-related activities and informal learning of arts such as vernacular architecture, basketry, canoe-building, and textiles. The Bahnar see spirits in things in nature with which they have a connection or routine interactions (stones, streams, and trees) but not in everything. The Bahnar spiritual connection with the forest also guides their husbandry of increasingly scarce forest resources, such as rattan used in basketry, and large trees needed to make canoes. Certain plants and trees are protected by taboos, and certain parts of the forest are considered sacred, inhabited by gods and spirits, and not to be touched. Forests possess animacy for the Bahnar in that they are sensitive and responsive to a wide range of human behaviours, and must be treated with respect and care. This human–forest–spirit relationship is the primary lens through which the Bahnar perceive nature, and guides their daily interactions with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural river diversion, or avulsion, controls the distribution of channels on a floodplain and channel sandstone bodies within fluvial stratigraphic architecture. Avulsions establish new flow paths and create channels through several recognized processes, or styles. These include reoccupying existing channels, or annexation, downcutting into the floodplain, or incision, and constructing new channels from crevasse‐splay distributary networks, or progradation. Recent remote sensing observations show that avulsion style changes systematically moving downstream along modern fluvial fans but, to date, no studies have assessed the significance of these trends on fluvial fan stratigraphy. Here, spatiotemporal changes in avulsion stratigraphy are investigated within the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation, deposited in the Cordilleran foreland basin during the Late Jurassic epoch. Measured sections and photographic panels were analysed from 23 locations across the Salt Wash extent. Avulsion style was identified in the stratigraphic record by the basal contact of a channel storey with underlying strata: channel–channel contacts indicate annexation, channel–floodplain contacts indicate incision and channel–heterolithic contacts indicate progradation. Contact types change downstream, such that channel–channel and channel–floodplain contacts dominate proximal locations, while channel–heterolithic contacts become increasingly prevalent downstream. Outcrop results were compared to a numerical model of fluvial fan formation and remote‐sensing analysis of avulsions on modern fans. In both additional datasets, channels in proximal fan positions tend to avulse via annexation, reoccupying abandoned channels, while channels in more distal positions tend to avulse via increasingly significant progradation. These findings suggest a relationship between newly recognized downstream changes in avulsion style and well‐established downstream changes in fluvial fan architecture. Furthermore, this suggests that fan architecture can inform interpretations of ancient fluvial dynamics, including avulsion behaviour, and that avulsions can cause stratigraphically significant and measurable changes to fan architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on original ethnographic and ethnobotanical research, we share how in the cosmology of Tanna, an island in Vanuatu's southernmost province of Tafea, the Sun is viewed as a living, interactive being. Our initial interviews explored knowledge and beliefs concerning individual plant species, then subsequent follow-up interviews further explored topics that emerged therefrom. The results of these interviews are a series of oral narratives of the mytho-historical past involving the Sun, and the description of contemporary practices which are influenced by the Sun. In traditional narratives, the Sun is both a creative and destructive force which is sometimes viewed as an active, personified character, and in other circumstances appears as an instrument created and utilized by greater powers. People from Tanna recount—and we adopt as a hypothesis—that the Sun's physical manifestation and role in the world has changed since the earliest days of its mythological creation, and that it remains an active player in Tanna's biocultural landscape within practices including time-reckoning, agriculture, and architecture. Through its relationships with humans and non-humans alike, the Sun ultimately shapes the cultural practices and even the landscape of Tanna. The nature of these relationships is changing as linguistic and cultural practices shift alongside people's relationship with the land, but the Sun remains a critical factor in lives and livelihoods of Tanna today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-resolved x-ray crystallography (TR-X) at synchrotrons and free electron lasers is a promising technique for recording dynamics of molecules at atomic resolution. While experimental methods for TR-X have proliferated and matured, data analysis is often difficult. Extracting small, time-dependent changes in signal is frequently a bottleneck for practitioners. Recent work demonstrated this challenge can be addressed when merging redundant observations by a statistical technique known as variational inference (VI). However, the variational approach to time-resolved data analysis requires identification of successful hyperparameters in order to optimally extract signal. In this case study, we present a successful application of VI to time-resolved changes in an enzyme, DJ-1, upon mixing with a substrate molecule, methylglyoxal. We present a strategy to extract high signal-to-noise changes in electron density from these data. Furthermore, we conduct an ablation study, in which we systematically remove one hyperparameter at a time to demonstrate the impact of each hyperparameter choice on the success of our model. We expect this case study will serve as a practical example for how others may deploy VI in order to analyze their time-resolved diffraction data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avulsing rivers create new pathways on the floodplain and the associated flooding can profoundly affect society1–4. River avulsions are thought to occur when the water column becomes perched above the floodplain5 or when the slope down the flanks of the channel provides a steeper descent than the existing river channel6,7. We test these classical ideas by quantifying the topography around avulsing rivers and show that these mechanisms, historically invoked separately, work together. Near coasts, rivers avulse when the slope away from the channel is steeper, not because they are perched. The opposite is true near mountain fronts; on fans, the alternative paths are similarly steep to the downstream path, so rivers avulse when they are perched above the surrounding landscape. We reconcile these findings and present a new theoretical framework that identifies which rivers are vulnerable to avulsion and predicts the path of an avulsing river. These first-order rules of avulsion suggest that avulsion risks are underestimated in many coastal environments8 and that probabilistic predictions of avulsion pathfinding can efficiently map hazards with minimal information. Applying these principles for risk assessment could particularly benefit the Global South, which is disproportionately affected by avulsions.A novel theoretical framework reveals how topography surrounding rivers causes dramatic changes in their courses, with implications for natural hazard prediction, particularly in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is a crucial mitochondrial protein that facilitates ion and metabolite exchange between mitochondria and the cytosol. Initially characterized over three decades ago, the structure of VDAC-1 was resolved in 2008, revealing a novel β-barrel protein architecture. This study presents the first room-temperature crystal structure of mouse VDAC-1 (mVDAC-1), which is a significant step toward understanding the channel's gating mechanism. The new structure, obtained at a 3.3 Å resolution, demonstrates notable differences from the previously determined cryogenic structure, particularly in the loop regions, which may be critical for the transition between the 'open' and 'closed' states of VDAC-1. Comparative analysis of the root-mean-square deviation (R.M.S.D.) and B-factors between the cryogenic and room-temperature structures suggests that these conformational differences, although subtle, are important for VDAC's functional transitions. The application of electric field-stimulated X-ray crystallography (EF-X) is proposed as a future direction to resolve the 'closed' state of VDAC-1 by inducing voltage-driven conformational changes in order to elucidate the dynamic gating mechanism of VDAC-1. Our findings have profound implications for understanding the molecular basis of VDAC's role in mitochondrial function and its regulation under physiological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most x-ray sources are inherently polychromatic. Polychromatic ("pink") x-rays provide an efficient way to conduct diffraction experiments as many more photons can be used and large regions of reciprocal space can be probed without sample rotation during exposure—ideal conditions for time-resolved applications. Analysis of such data is complicated, however, causing most x-ray facilities to discard >99% of x-ray photons to obtain monochromatic data. Key challenges in analyzing polychromatic diffraction data include lattice searching, indexing and wavelength assignment, correction of measured intensities for wavelength-dependent effects, and deconvolution of harmonics. We recently described an algorithm, Careless, that can perform harmonic deconvolution and correct measured intensities for variation in wavelength when presented with integrated diffraction intensities and assigned wavelengths. Here, we present Laue-DIALS, an open-source software pipeline that indexes and integrates polychromatic diffraction data. Laue-DIALS is based on the dxtbx toolbox, which supports the DIALS software commonly used to process monochromatic data. As such, Laue-DIALS provides many of the same advantages: an open-source, modular, and extensible architecture, providing a robust basis for future development. We present benchmark results showing that Laue-DIALS, together with Careless, provides a suitable approach to the analysis of polychromatic diffraction data, including for time-resolved applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports performance is relatively robust under high levels of binocular blur. However, the limited research studies investigating monocular impairments has shown it has a larger impact on sport performance. This research study is relevant for classification in sports for athletes with vision impairment (VI), where visual acuity (VA) from the better eye is used during classification. Across two experiments, we aimed to establish the point at which binocular and monocular impairments affected performance in a football penalty kick (PK) through simulating varying severities of degraded VA and contrast sensitivity (CS) in active football players. In experiment one, 25 footballers performed PKs as VA and CS were systematically decreased in both eyes, and in one condition, visual field (VF) was reduced. The most severe VA/CS condition and reduced VF significantly impacted outcome, ball velocity and placement (ball kicked closer to the centre of the goal) (p < 0.05). In experiment two, 29 different footballers performed PKs as VA and CS of only the dominant eye were systematically decreased and in one condition the dominant eye was occluded, and participants viewed their environment through the non‐dominant eye (monocular viewing). No differences were observed when assessing monocular impairments influence on outcome, velocity and ball placement. PKs have a high resilience to VI, but binocular impairment has a more immediate effect, suggesting binocular measures should be used in classification processes in football. Highlights: Penalty kick (PK) performance was relatively robust to severe artificial binocular visual impairment. Performance reduced at 1.96 logMAR, causing the ball to be kicked slower (lower velocity) and closer to the centre of the goal.Monocular viewing or impairment did not influence the velocity at which the ball was kicked or where the ball was placed. Therefore, PK performance was maintained at the habitual level.The evidence suggests that PK performance is more sensitive to binocular impairments than monocular impairments. Therefore, it may be beneficial for footballers with vision impairment to be classified using binocular assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) show great promise for both outdoor and indoor applications. However, there remains a lack of understanding around the stability of OPVs, particularly for indoor applications. In this work, the photostability of the poly[(thiophene)‐alt‐(6,7‐difluoro‐2‐(2‐hexyldecyloxy)quinoxaline)]:2,2′‐((2Z,2′Z)‐((4,4,9,9‐tetrahexyl‐4,9‐dihydro‐s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′]dithiophene‐2,7‐diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(3‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indene‐2,1‐diylidene))dimalononitrile blend is investigated for both outdoor and indoor applications. Photostability is found to vary drastically with illumination intensity. Devices under high‐intensity white light‐emitting diode (LED) illumination, with their short‐circuit current density (JSC) matching JSC–EQE for AM1.5 G illumination, lose 42% of their initial performance after 30 days of illumination. Contrastingly, after almost 47 days of illumination devices under 1000 lux white LED illumination show no loss in performance. The poor photostability under 1 sun illumination is linked to the poor photostability of IDIC. Through Raman spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, IDIC is found to suffer from photoisomerization, which detrimentally impacts light absorption and carrier extraction. In this work, it is highlighted that under low light levels, the requirement of intrinsic material photostability may be less stringent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dam failures due to changing hydroclimate and ageing infrastructure pose a significant threat to downstream river systems and communities. The detailed geomorphic effects of catastrophic dam failures are not well known because of a lack of high‐resolution topographic data before and after failures. On 19 May 2020, the 17‐m‐tall Edenville and 11‐m‐tall Sanford dams near Midland, Michigan, USA, failed as a result of significant rainfall over the preceding 2 days. We analysed the geomorphic impacts of these failures using a pre‐failure airborne lidar dataset and three uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)‐based lidar surveys collected 2 weeks, 3 months and 11 months after failure. Our survey following the dam failure revealed 47 100 ± 11 900 m3 of net floodplain erosion and 17 300 ± 4200 m3 of net deposition downstream of the Edenville and Sanford dam breaches, respectively. Over the year following failure, most geomorphic change was confined to new knickpoints migrating slowly through underlying glacial till substrate, with little change to riverbanks or surrounding floodplains. A lack of impounded reservoir sediment and antecedent downstream topography, including valley width and the location of the breaches relative to the river below the dams, contributed to relatively modest geomorphic changes despite the magnitude of water released. We provide insight into how landscapes are shaped by catastrophic floods, which are likely to become more common with ageing dams and a changing hydroclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People in the southern Vanuatu islands of Aneityum and Tanna use plants as communication devices, a function which we call 'message plants'. Certain species of plants are held, worn, or placed in specific locations with the intention of delivering messages with varied semantic content. In the cultural context of southern Vanuatu, message plants serve as an important parallel channel of communication, alongside spoken languages, and in some cases are considered more appropriate or effective means of conveying a message. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are pleased to present this special edition of Sociolinguistic Studies devoted to the triadic relation among people, the plants they rely upon and nurture, and the languages they speak. Given the current global recognition of threats to biodiversity, and of the language extinction crisis, it is fitting that a leading sociolinguistics journal should explore how languages reflect human adaptation and coexistence with plants. Renewed attention to the nexus of these two diversities, and a way of working that includes and centers Indigenous and local authors and perspectives will be key tools in addressing the intertwined threats to the diversity of both plants and languages. The articles in this issue invite us to visit locations as diverse as Mexico, Mongolia, Siberia, Vietnam, and Vanuatu. In all these places, and many more, we can witness the ways in which people talk about, perceive, use, and foster plant biodiversity to the benefit of the entire planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differential diagnosis for oncocytic renal tumors spans the spectrum from benign entities to more aggressive renal cell carcinomas (RCC). Recent work has characterized a provisional renal oncocytic neoplasm, namely the low-grade oncocytic tumor (LOT), which demonstrates overlapping morphologic features with oncocytoma and chromophobe RCC, but also has a unique immunoprofile (ie, diffusely positive for KRT7, negative for KIT) and a high rate (80% to 100%) of mTOR pathway gene alterations. Given the diagnostic overlap among oncocytic tumors, we looked for concordance between mTOR pathway mutations and LOT. Thirty low-grade renal oncocytic neoplasms underwent histologic review and immunohistochemistry for KRT7 and KIT. Tumors were classified as "determinate" (eg, LOT) for tumors with solid, nested or vaguely tubular growth and diffuse KRT7 staining and negative KIT, or "indeterminate" if the morphology and/or immunostains did not fully support a definitive LOT diagnosis. Next-generation sequencing was performed without any knowledge of the diagnoses, and identified mTOR pathway mutations in 80% (12/15) of the determinate tumors, compared with 7% (1/15) in the indeterminate group. One determinate tumor was reclassified as papillary RCC (MTOR mutation negative) and 6 indeterminate tumors were confirmed to be oncocytoma (N = 4), clear cell RCC or papillary RCC with reverse polarity, respectively. Overall, integration of morphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular data enabled a final definitive diagnosis for 70% of tumors (21 of the total 30), with a high concordance (93%) for LOT specifically in the determinate group; the remaining 9 tumors (30%) were classified as renal oncocytic neoplasm, not otherwise specified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IKZF1 encodes the transcription factor IKAROS, a zinc finger DNA-binding protein with a key role in lymphoid lineage development. IKAROS plays a critical role in the development of lineage-restricted mature lymphocytes. Deletions within IKZF1 in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) lead to a loss of normal IKAROS function, conferring leukemic stem cell properties, including self-renewal and subsequent uncontrolled growth. IKZF1 deletions are associated with treatment resistance and inferior outcomes. Early identification of IKZF1 deletions in B-ALL may inform the intensification of therapy and other potential treatment strategies to improve outcomes in this high-risk leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific peoples maintain strong traditional ties to their local environments. One noteworthy example of these is the use of "ecological calendars," in which natural cycles are observed as guides in time-reckoning. In southern Vanuatu, what we here call "calendar plants" represent the majority of signals used in these systems. We recorded 111 distinct scientific species of calendar plants, which correspond to 159 folk species drawn from eight linguistically and culturally distinct communities in the area (on Aneityum, Futuna, and Tanna, the three southernmost islands of Tafea, the southernmost province of Vanuatu). These plants are indicators for various temporal events, including when to harvest certain sea creatures, the best time to plant various crops, and when to conduct garden rituals. By describing, comparing, and contrasting calendar plants among these different cultures, we suggest that these systems are fine-tuned to particular ecological, cultural, and personal contexts. Rather than being rigid, formalized calendars, ecological calendars are flexible frameworks for a particular kind of time-reckoning. This quality allows them to be adaptable to changes to the local climate or biota. There is evidence that knowledge of traditional calendars is eroding. Because of their role in supporting resilience among diverse populations (e.g., in maintaining productive gardens and anticipating cyclones), it is critical that they are recorded, and revitalized, before Indigenous knowledge systems are lost across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ship present‐weather reports from 1950 to 2019 are used to assess trends in the reporting of precipitation occurrence over the global oceans. Annual reported precipitation frequency shows statistically significant positive trends of up to ∼15% per decade throughout most ocean areas equatorward of 45°. However, latitudes poleward of 45° are dominated by negative trends, some areas of which meet the 95% confidence threshold. Nine smaller regions were subjectively selected for further investigation, revealing that the observed trends, both positive and negative, are often but not always nearly linear, with the amplitude of interannual fluctuations usually being much larger than that expected from random sampling error alone. The annual time series reveal that four comparatively dry areas are associated with the largest overall positive trends, ranging from 8.3% to 12.8% (relative) per decade. Trends were also computed separately for each season, revealing remarkable overall consistency in trends across seasons. Plain Language Summary: Starting with 70 years (1950–2019) of archived ship weather reports from around the world's oceans, we tabulated the frequencies of reports of precipitation as a fraction of the total weather reports on a 1° latitude/longitude grid for each season and year. We then composited these to coarser resolution where necessary to have an adequate sample size. Finally, we computed trends in reported precipitation frequency over the seven‐decade period and tested the trends for statistical significance at the 95% confidence level. We found that statistically significant trends in apparent precipitation frequency affect large areas of the oceans, with positive trends dominating in the warmer and especially drier areas and negative trends dominating at higher latitudes. Key Points: Significant long‐term trends are found in ship reports of precipitation occurrenceTrends are mostly positive equatorward of 45° and negative at higher latitudesReporting biases that could explain the trends cannot be ruled out but have not been identified [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous knowledge systems that uniquely encode environmental knowledge are vanishing globally in tandem with environmental changes and globalization. In this paper we explore knowledge and uses of the palolo polychaete worms (Palola spp.) in time-reckoning, as documented in the anthropological literature on Polynesia and Melanesia. We then introduce preliminary findings from three contemporary cultures, the Raga-, Vureas-, and Netwar-speaking peoples of Vanuatu. Use of the palolo worm as an element in traditional time-reckoning is well-attested in both historical and contemporary literature, and our original research reinforces the notion that it is still a crucial part of ni-Vanuatu ecological calendars. Within the cultures discussed, the annual appearance of the palolo worm is an important temporal event within very complex systems that incorporate plants, animals, agriculture, celestial bodies, the ocean, and human health for the purposes of organizing human activities. These systems, and the place of the palolo worm within them, must be given proper attention in ongoing efforts towards environmental conservation and the documentation and revitalization of traditional knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral migration of river channels is an important control on the evolution of alluvial fans, deltas, and floodplains. Lateral migration consists of both gradual riverbank migration and abrupt shifts in location due to avulsions or cutoffs. Methods exist to measure bank migration, but abrupt shifts in position are rarely considered or are not emphasized. Here we describe a new method using Landsat‐derived water occurrence images that primarily focuses on detecting when a channel has abruptly shifted position, either from avulsion or cutoff. The method does not assume any a priori model of channel geometry or evolution. Within a given area of interest, binary channel images created from the fluvial water occurrence record are stacked through time. Then a channel shift intensity, Ai, is created by estimating the number of possible ending times for fluvial water voxels (a point in three‐dimensional space) in the stacked occurrence record. The number of possible end‐times for fluvial water voxels within a given region of the occurrence record reveals the likelihood that a reach of a river underwent an abrupt channel shift during the observation period. We present the results of this analysis for a 194 481 km2 region of the Amazonian basin. Follow‐up validation found three avulsions and 270 cutoffs within regions identified by this method. We show that areas above a threshold Ai contain an avulsion or cutoff with high probability. This highlights the method's potential to detect and quantify abrupt channel shifts at the basin scale. The method also successfully distinguishes between abrupt channel movement and complex braiding behaviour. As this method is applicable to any binary water‐masked time series images, future applications of this method have the potential to provide insight into the controls and spatial variance of avulsions and cutoffs across a variety of scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Guidelines recommend somatic and germline testing for men with advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Barriers to widespread implementation result in underutilization of germline testing. Somatic testing alone risks missing pathogenic germline variants (PGVs). We sought to determine whether the addition of germline testing to tumor-only sequencing improves detection of PGVs in men with advanced PCa. Secondarily, we sought to define the added value of combining somatic and germline testing to optimize detection of clinically actionable alterations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed results of independent germline testing and tumor-only sequencing from 100 men with advanced PCa from a prospective clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03328091). The primary outcome was the proportion of PGVs not reported with tumor-only sequencing. The secondary outcome was the association of locus-specific loss of heterozygosity for PGVs in homologous recombination genes with clinical-genomic features. RESULTS: In the 100 men who underwent germline testing and tumor-only sequencing, 24 PGVs were identified, 17 of which were clinically actionable, in 23 patients. Tumor-only sequencing failed to report four (17%) of the PGVs. One additional PGV (4.2%) had variant allele frequency on tumor-sequencing below the threshold for follow-up germline testing. When integrating tumor-only sequencing with germling testing results, 33% of patients harbored clinically actionable alterations. Rates of locus-specific loss of heterozygosity were higher for BRCA2 PGVs in castration-resistant PCa than PGVs in other homologous recombination genes in hormone-sensitive PCa (P =.029). CONCLUSION: Tumor-only sequencing failed to report more than 20% of PGVs in men with advanced PCa. These findings strongly support guideline recommendations for universal germline and somatic testing in this population. Combining tumor and germline sequencing doubled the chance of detecting a clinically actionable alteration. Tumor-only sequencing misses more than 20% of germline variants in men with advanced prostate cancer affirming guideline recommendations for universal germline testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Fumarate hydratase (FH)-deficient renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare aggressive renal malignancy associated with hereditary leiomyomatosis and RCC syndrome (HLRCC). Tumors exhibiting heterogeneous (ie, patchy) FH loss by immunohistochemistry have rarely been described, may be diagnostically challenging, and have never been the focus of a study. We aimed to investigate the FH mutational status of FH-deficient RCC with heterogeneous versus complete FH loss, to characterize additional genetic drivers, and to evaluate 2SC immunohistochemistry in this setting. Methods and Results. We studied FH-deficient RCC with heterogeneous (n = 3) and complete (n = 4) FH loss. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on all tumors. No patients had a known history of HLRCC. All tumors had histological features within the morphologic spectrum described for FH-deficient RCC. All 7 tumors were immunoreactive for 2SC. Molecularly, all 7 tumors revealed multiple hits involving the FH locus resulting in complete loss of wild-type alleles. All tumors with heterogeneous FH loss harbored FH missense variants within domain 2 of the protein, and each had concomitant copy neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH). In complete FH loss tumors, FH alterations included splice variants with concomitant loss of heterozygosity (n = 2) and homozygous gene deletions (n = 2). Other non-recurrent alterations included biallelic alterations of TP53, NF2, SMAD4 and activation of PIK3CA. Conclusions. Our series highlights how heterogeneous FH loss (patchy positive staining) is an important staining pattern to recognize since it is compatible with a diagnosis of FH-deficient RCC and should prompt additional ancillary studies (confirmatory 2SC immunohistochemistry and/or molecular testing) and genetic evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted extensive fieldwork in the Tafea Province of Vanuatu from 2014 to 2021 as part of a long-term floristic study of plants and fungi as well as analyses of changes in forest structure and plant diversity in response to the category 5 cyclone Pam. As part of this work, we documented the vernacular names and/or uses of 10 species of lycophytes and 88 species of ferns. Vernacular plant names were documented in the languages endemic to the islands of Aneityum, Futuna, and Tanna, including Anejom, ∼ Futuna-Aniwa, Kwamara, Nafe, Naka, Netwar, Nahuai, and Whitesands. The uses reported by indigenous, Ni-Vanuatu, experts included: body decoration, cultural/spiritual, ornamental, clothing, food/food preparation, handicrafts, medicine, and fiber/construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River avulsions are an important mechanism by which sediment is routed and emplaced in foreland basins. However, because avulsions occur infrequently, we lack observational data that might inform where, when, and why avulsions occur and these issues are instead often investigated by rule-based numerical models. These models have historically simplified or neglected the effects of abandoned channels on avulsion dynamics, even though fluvial megafans in foreland basins are characteristically covered in abandoned channels. Here, we investigate the pervasiveness of abandoned channels on modern fluvial megafan surfaces. Then, we present a physically based cellular model that parameterizes interactions between a single avulsing river and abandoned channels in a foreland basin setting. We investigate how abandoned channels affect avulsion setup, pathfinding, and landscape evolution. We demonstrate and discuss how the processes of abandoned channel inheritance and transient knickpoint propagation post-avulsion serve to shortcut the time necessary to set up successive avulsions. Then, we address the idea that abandoned channels can both repel and attract future pathfinding flows under different conditions. By measuring the distance between the mountain front and each avulsion over long (10 6 to 10 7 years) timescales, we show that increasing abandoned channel repulsion serves to push avulsions farther from the mountain front, while increasing attraction pulls avulsions proximally. Abandoned channels do not persist forever, and we test possible channel healing scenarios (deposition-only, erosion-only, and far-field-directed) and show that only the final scenario achieves dynamic equilibrium without completely filling accommodation space. We also observe megafan growth occurring via ∼100000 -year cycles of lobe switching but only in our runs that employ deposition-only or erosion-only healing modes. Finally, we highlight opportunities for future field work and remote sensing efforts to inform our understanding of the role that floodplain topography, including abandoned channels, plays on avulsion dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency is commonly caused by functional inactivation of MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 or MSH6. The morphological and molecular correlates of MMR deficiency have been extensively characterized in certain tumour types such as colorectal and endometrial adenocarcinoma. In contrast, the histological and molecular features of MMR‐deficient prostate cancer remain incompletely described. In this study, we evaluated 19 MMR‐deficient prostate cancers, including 11 cases without prior systemic treatment. Methods and results: All treatment‐naive cases (11 of 11, 100%) were grade group 4–5 and had predominant cribriform and/or solid growth patterns. Solid components (any amount) and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes were 7 cases each (7 of 11, 64%). In 68 MMR‐proficient grade group 5 prostate cancers, predominant cribriform or solid growth patterns, solid components (any amount) and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes were seen at significantly lower frequencies (31 of 68, 46%; 9 of 68, 13% and 6 of 62, 9%, respectively; P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Molecular evaluation of 19 cases demonstrated that MMR‐deficiency was secondary to functional loss of MSH2/MSH6 and MLH1/PMS2 in 15 (79%) and 4 cases (21%), respectively. Definite or probable germline mutations were present in 4 cases (4 of 19, 21%). TMPRSS2::ERG rearrangements were identified in 2 cases (2 of 19, 11%). Recurrent cancer‐relevant somatic mutations included (but were not limited to) ATM, TP53, FOXA1, RB1, BRCA2 and PTEN. Conclusions: MMR deficiency was most commonly secondary to inactivation of MSH2/MSH6 in this study. Importantly, MMR‐deficient high‐grade prostatic adenocarcinomas had morphological features that might be useful to identify selected cases for MMR immunohistochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibitors have improved the prognosis of Philadelphia-chromosome-positive (Ph+)-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Ph-like (or BCR-ABL1 -like) ALL does not express BCR-ABL1 but commonly harbors other genomic alterations of signaling molecules that may be amenable to therapy. Here, we report a case with a NUP214-ABL1 fusion detected at relapse by multiplexed, targeted RNA sequencing. It had escaped conventional molecular work-up at diagnosis, including cytogenetic analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization for ABL1 rearrangements. The patient had responded poorly to initial multi-agent chemotherapy and inotuzumab immunotherapy at relapse before the fusion was revealed. The addition of dasatinib targeting NUP214-ABL1 to inotuzumab resulted in complete molecular remission, but recurrence occurred rapidly with dasatinib alone. However, deep molecular remission was recaptured with a combination of blinatumomab and ponatinib, so he could proceed to allotransplantation. This case illustrates that next-generation sequencing approaches designed to discover cryptic gene fusions can benefit patients with Ph-like ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When designing spacefaring vehicles and orbital instrumentation, the onboard systems such as microelectronics and solar cells require shielding to protect them from degradation brought on by collisions with high‐energy particles. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been shown to be much more radiation stable than Si and GaAs devices, while also providing the ability to be fabricated on flexible substrates. However, even PSCs have their limits, with higher fluences being a cause of degradation. Herein, a novel solution utilizing a screen‐printed, mesoporous carbon electrode to act bi‐functionally as an encapsulate and the electrode is presented. It is demonstrated that the carbon electrode PSCs can withstand proton irradiation up to 1 × 1015 protons cm−2 at 150 KeV with negligible losses (<0.07%) in power conversion efficiency. The 12 μm thick electrode acts as efficient shielding for the perovskite embedded in the mesoporous TiO2. Through Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy, results suggest that the structural properties of the perovskite and carbon remain intact. Simulations of the device structure show that superior radiation protection comes in conjunction with good device performance. This work highlights the potential of using a carbon electrode for future space electronics which is not limited to only solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determine the reflexivity index of some closed set lattices by constructing maps relative to irrational rotations. For example, various nests of closed balls and some topological spaces, such as even-dimensional spheres and a wedge of two circles, have reflexivity index 2. We also show that a connected double of spheres has reflexivity index at most 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a rare but aggressive histologic variant of prostate cancer that responds poorly to androgen deprivation therapy. Hybrid NEPC‐adenocarcinoma (AdCa) tumors are common, often eluding accurate pathologic diagnosis and requiring ancillary markers for classification. We recently performed an outlier‐based meta‐analysis across a number of independent gene expression microarray datasets to identify novel markers that differentiate NEPC from AdCa, including up‐regulation of insulinoma‐associated protein 1 (INSM1) and loss of Yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1). Here, using diverse cancer gene expression datasets, we show that Hippo pathway‐related genes, including YAP1, are among the top down‐regulated gene sets with expression of the neuroendocrine transcription factors, including INSM1. In prostate cancer cell lines, transgenic mouse models, and human prostate tumor cohorts, we confirm that YAP1 RNA and YAP1 protein expression are silenced in NEPC and demonstrate that the inverse correlation of INSM1 and YAP1 expression helps to distinguish AdCa from NEPC. Mechanistically, we find that YAP1 loss in NEPC may help to maintain INSM1 expression in prostate cancer cell lines and we further demonstrate that YAP1 silencing likely occurs epigenetically, via CpG hypermethylation near its transcriptional start site. Taken together, these data nominate two additional markers to distinguish NEPC from AdCa and add to data from other tumor types suggesting that Hippo signaling is tightly reciprocally regulated with neuroendocrine transcription factor expression. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debates help students to view topics from multiple perspectives.Debates can be conducted in various formats.Debates engage students in social learning.Debates require students to use critical thinking and oral communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SC/NE) is well studied in metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer; however, it is not well characterized in the primary setting. Herein, we used gene expression profiling of SC/NE prostate cancer (PCa) to develop a 212 gene signature to identify treatment‐naïve primary prostatic tumors that are molecularly analogous to SC/NE (SC/NE‐like PCa). The 212 gene signature was tested in several cohorts confirming similar molecular profile between prostatic SC/NE and small cell lung carcinoma. The signature was then translated into a genomic score (SCGScore) using modularized logistic regression modeling and validated in four independent cohorts achieving an average AUC >0.95. The signature was evaluated in more than 25,000 primary adenocarcinomas to characterize the biology, prognosis and potential therapeutic response of predicted SC/NE‐like tumors. Assessing SCGScore in a prospective cohort of 17,967 RP and 6,697 biopsy treatment‐naïve primary tumors from the Decipher Genomic Resource Information Database registry, approximately 1% of the patients were found to have a SC/NE‐like transcriptional profile, whereas 0.5 and 3% of GG1 and GG5 patients respectively showed to be SC/NE‐like. More than 80% of these patients are genomically high‐risk based on Decipher score. Interrogating in vitro drug sensitivity analyses, SC/NE‐like prostatic tumors showed higher response to PARP and HDAC inhibitors. What's new? While genomic/transcriptomic data analysis has revolutionized cancer biology, this analysis is frequently only available late in the cancer history, often after years of therapy. Here the authors built a single sample genomic classifier to predict primary prostate cancer tumors with early small cell neuroendocrine differentiation. They show in three independent cohorts that small cell neuroendocrine tumors of the prostate are similar to small cell tumors of the lung and predict the specific prostate tumors to be responsive to inhibitors of poly ADP ribose polymerase and histone deacetylases, underscoring the use of these drugs in this subtype of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misfolding of the microtubule-binding protein tau into filamentous aggregates is characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Determining the structures and dynamics of these tau fibrils is important for designing inhibitors against tau aggregation. Tau fibrils obtained from patient brains have been found by cryo-electron microscopy to adopt disease-specific molecular conformations. However, in vitro heparin-fibrillized 2N4R tau, which contains all four microtubule-binding repeats (4R), was recently found to adopt polymorphic structures. Here we use solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate the global fold and dynamics of heparin-fibrillized 0N4R tau. A single set of 13C and 15N chemical shifts was observed for residues in the four repeats, indicating a single β-sheet conformation for the fibril core. This rigid core spans the R2 and R3 repeats and adopts a hairpin-like fold that has similarities to but also clear differences from any of the polymorphic 2N4R folds. Obtaining a homogeneous fibril sample required careful purification of the protein and removal of any proteolytic fragments. A variety of experiments and polarization transfer from water and mobile side chains indicate that 0N4R tau fibrils exhibit heterogeneous dynamics: Outside the rigid R2-R3 core, the R1 and R4 repeats are semirigid even though they exhibit β-strand character and the proline-rich domains undergo large-amplitude anisotropic motions, whereas the two termini are nearly isotropically flexible. These results have significant implications for the structure and dynamics of 4R tau fibrils in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐frequency incised valley systems and subaerial exposure surfaces are prevalent in Aptian‐aged units, having been documented in numerous basins around the world. In light of a growing body of palynological, geochemical and sedimentological evidence, a glacio‐eustatic mechanism for their generation has been suggested, driven by the waxing and waning of polar ice caps. The densely‐penetrated McMurray Formation of north‐eastern Alberta, Canada, provides a unique opportunity to test for an Aptian glacio‐eustatic signal within the Western Canadian Foreland Basin. This study combines detailed drill core description with wireline log‐based stratigraphic analysis to map and evaluate a series of drainage networks located along the cratonic edge of the Western Canadian Foreland Basin. Four stratigraphically distinct composite channel‐form bodies are documented across an area >14 000 km2. Composite channel‐form bodies are up to 50 km wide and locally exceed 70 m thick, subtending from upward‐coarsening parasequence sets 2 to 12 m thick; bounding marine flooding surfaces are mappable over distances exceeding 280 km along the north–south trending basin. Detailed internal fill characterization of the four composite channel‐form bodies suggests that three represent tidal–fluvial incised valley networks, and one represents a deltaic distributary system. At least six cycles of transgression and regression are apparent within the McMurray Formation stratigraphy. Recent biostratigraphic assessment has constrained deposition of the McMurray Formation between ca 125 Ma and 118 Ma, and periods on the order of 0·7 to 1·7 Ma are estimated for the mapped transgressive–regressive cycles. The high frequency nature of these Aptian sequences suggests that the sea‐level oscillations recorded in McMurray Formation strata are consistent with a glacio‐eustatic driver. Linking the internal stratigraphic architecture of the McMurray Formation with interpreted global cooling events and sea‐level drops provides the first evidence of glacio‐eustasy within Early Cretaceous strata of western Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solar cells have attractive potential for space applications as they have very high specific power (power generated per weight) and ultra-high flexibility (to reduce stowed volume). However, one critical issue is whether they are stable under the harsh space environment, particularly their stability under high energy, high flux, electron and proton bombardment. In this paper, the stability of benchmark organic photovoltaic layers under proton bombardment (150 keV with a fluence of 1 × 1012/cm2) and electron bombardment (1 MeV with a fluence of 1 × 1013/cm2) under vacuum is investigated. Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and optical reflectance spectroscopy are applied to study their chemical/structural, photo-chemical/morphological, and optical stability after the bombardments. The results show that all the benchmark organic photovoltaic films are stable under the radiation, implying that organic solar cells could be feasible for space applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are currently attracting significant interest owing to their promising outdoor performance. However, the ability of indoor light harvesting of the perovskites and corresponding device performance are rarely reported. Here, the potential of planar PSCs in harvesting indoor light for low‐power consumption devices is investigated. Ionic liquid of 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4) is employed as a modification layer of [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester) (PCBM) in the inverted PSCs. The incorporation of [BMIM]BF4 not only paves the interface contact between PCBM and electrode, but also facilitates the electron transport and extraction owing to the efficient passivation of the surface trap states. Moreover, [BMIM]BF4 with excellent thermal stability can act as a protective layer by preventing the erosion of moisture and oxygen into the perovskite layer. The resulting devices present a record indoor power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 35.20% under fluorescent lamps of 1000 lux, and an impressive PCE of 19.30% under 1 sun illumination. The finding in this work verifies the excellent indoor performance of PSCs to meet the requirements of eco‐friendly economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solar lamps are a clean and potentially cost‐effective alternative to polluting kerosene lamps used by millions of families in developing countries. By how much solar lamps actually reduce exposure to pollutants, however, has not been examined. Twenty households using mainly kerosene for lighting were enrolled through a secondary school in Busia County, Kenya. Personal PM2.5 and CO concentrations were measured on a school pupil and an adult in each household, before and after provision of 3 solar lamps. PM2.5 concentrations were measured in main living areas, pupils' bedrooms, and kitchens. Usage sensors measured use of kerosene and solar lighting devices. Ninety percent of baseline kerosene lamp use was displaced at 1‐month follow‐up, corresponding to average PM2.5 reductions of 61% and 79% in main living areas and pupils' bedrooms, respectively. Average 48‐h exposure to PM2.5 fell from 210 to 104 μg/m3 (−50%) among adults, and from 132 to 35 μg/m3 (−73%) among pupils. Solar lamps displaced most kerosene lamp use in at least the short term. If sustained, this could mitigate health impacts of household air pollution in some contexts. Achieving safe levels of exposure for all family members would likely require also addressing use of solid‐fuel stoves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) may be rising in prevalence as patients with advanced prostate cancer potentially develop resistance to contemporary anti-androgen treatment through a neuroendocrine phenotype. While prior studies comparing NEPC and prostatic adenocarcinoma have identified important candidates for targeted therapy, most have relied on few NEPC patients due to disease rarity, resulting in thousands of differentially expressed genes collectively and offering an opportunity for meta-analysis. Moreover, past studies have focused on prototypical NEPC samples with classic immunohistochemistry profiles, whereas there is increasing recognition of atypical phenotypes. In the primary setting, small cell prostatic carcinoma (SCPC) is frequently admixed with adenocarcinomas that may be clonally related, and a minority of SCPCs express markers typical of prostatic adenocarcinoma while rare cases do not express neuroendocrine markers. We derived a meta-signature of prototypical high-grade NEPC, then applied it to develop a classifier of primary SCPC incorporating disease heterogeneity.Methods: Prototypical NEPC samples from 15 patients across 6 frozen tissue microarray datasets were assessed for genes with consistent outlier expression relative to adenocarcinomas. Resulting genes were used to determine subgroups of primary SCPCs (N=16) and high-grade adenocarcinomas (N=16) profiled by exon arrays using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material from our institutional archives. A subgroup classifier was developed using differential expression for feature selection, and applied to radical prostatectomy cohorts.Results: Sixty nine and 375 genes demonstrated consistent outlier expression in at least 80% and 60% of NEPC patients, with close resemblance in expression between NEPC and small cell lung cancer. Clustering by these genes generated 3 subgroups among primary samples from our institution. Nearest centroid classification based on the predominant phenotype from each subgroup (9 prototypical SCPCs, 9 prototypical adenocarcinomas, and 4 atypical SCPCs) achieved a 4.5% error rate by leave-one-out cross-validation. The classifier identified SCPC-like expression in 40% (2/5) of mixed adenocarcinomas and 0.3-0.6% of adenocarcinomas from prospective (4/2293) and retrospective (2/355) radical prostatectomy cohorts, where both SCPC-like retrospective cases subsequently developed metastases.Conclusions: Meta-analysis generates a robust signature of prototypical high-grade NEPC, and may facilitate development of a primary SCPC classifier based on FFPE material with potential prognostic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]