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Nitrogen isotope analyses of amino acids (δ15N‐AA) are being increasingly used to decipher trophic dynamics. Interpretation of δ15N‐AA in consumers relies on the assumption that consumer physiological status and nutritional status of prey have negligible influences on the trophic discrimination factor (TDF), hence a constant TDF value is used in trophic position (TP) equations. Recent experiments have shown that this is not always the case and there is also a need to validate derived TP estimates in the field. We take advantage of the uniquely long time series of environmental monitoring data and archived (frozen) samples from the species‐poor Baltic Sea. We analyzed δ15N‐AA in similar sized individuals of cod and in its prey herring from four decades, 1980–2018; including time periods where dramatic reduction in condition status of cod has occurred. We expected that TDF in trophic AAs would increase during periods of poor cod condition, resulting in inflated TP estimates. We found that calculated TP and empirical estimates of TDF (difference in δ15N in trophic AAs between cod and herring) for cod increased in recent decades and that this was linked to condition status, herring (prey) lipid content and the hypoxic state of the ecosystem. Statistically adjusting TP for condition and prey lipid content as well as environmental stress (hypoxia) resulted in lower cod TP which better resembled the observed decrease in herring TP in recent decades. TP calculated from stomach analysis data in cod individuals over the same period showed no trend over time and confirmed that adjusted TP estimates mirror the real dietary TP better than unadjusted. By simultaneously measuring condition/nutritional status in both predator and prey it is possible to adjust for them as confounding variables and decipher actual consumer TP, partly overcoming the issues of unknown and variable TDF‐values. Our study also highlights the importance of including environmental stressors (here hypoxia) when interpreting TP and reconstructing food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by debilitating attacks of tissue swelling in various locations. While guidelines recommend the importance of early on-demand treatment, recent data indicate that many patients delay or do not treat their attacks. Objective: This survey aimed to investigate patient behavior and evaluate the key factors that drive on-demand treatment decision-making, as reported by those living with HAE. Methods: People living with HAE were recruited by the US Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA) to complete a 20-minute online survey between September 6, and October 19, 2022. Results: Respondents included 107 people with HAE, 80% female, 98% adults (≥ 18 years). Attack management included on-demand therapy only (50%, n = 53) or prophylaxis with on-demand therapy (50%, n = 54). Most patients (63.6%) reported that they did not carry on-demand treatment at all times when away from home. The most common reason for not carrying on-demand treatment when away from home was 'prefer to treat at home' (72.1%). Overall, 86% of respondents reported delaying on-demand treatment, despite recognizing the initial onset of an HAE attack and despite 97% of patients agreeing that it is important to recover quickly from an HAE attack. Reasons for non-treatment or treatment delay included 'the attack is not severe enough to treat' (91.9% and 88.0%, respectively), 'cost of treatment' (31.1% and 40.2%, respectively), anxiety about refilling the prescription for on-demand treatment quickly (31.1% and 37.0%, respectively), the pain (injection or burning) associated with their on-demand treatment (18.9% and 28.3%, respectively), the lack of a suitable/private area to administer on-demand treatment (17.6% and 27.2%, respectively), lack of time to prepare on-demand treatment (16.2% and 16.3%, respectively), and a 'fear of needles' (13% and 12.2%, respectively). Survey findings from the patient perspective revealed that when on-demand treatment was delayed, 75% experienced HAE attacks that progressed in severity, and 80% reported longer attack recovery. Conclusions: Survey results highlight that decision-making regarding on-demand treatment in HAE is more complicated than expected. The burden associated with current parenteral on-demand therapies is often the cause of treatment delay, despite acknowledgment that delays may result in progression of HAE attacks and longer time to recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southeastern United States Coastal Plain ecosystem contains baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps and grass‐dominated marshes. These ecosystems also occurred on the exposed continental shelf during lower sea levels but are rarely preserved due to the mechanically erosive nature of transgression and regression. Two presently marine sites on the northeastern Gulf of Mexico's continental shelf contain well‐preserved woody terrestrial sediments that were the subject of previous studies. This study continues the investigation using geochemical (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) and palynological characteristics of these formerly terrestrial sediments to determine if swamps and/or marshes existed at the time of deposition. The first site is located ∼20 km southeast of Horn Island, Mississippi (MS) and the core has terrestrial sediments radiocarbon dated to 11,066–10,228 (2σ) calibrated years BP (early Holocene). The second site is the "Alabama Underwater Forest" located ∼13 km south of Gulf Shores, Alabama (AL) and the cores have terrestrial sediments optically stimulated luminescence dated to 63 ka (±10 ka, 2σ) to 72 ka (±16 ka, 2σ) (late Pleistocene). Geochemical results for the MS sediments indicate a swamp‐to‐freshwater marsh transitional series, whereas the AL sediments indicate a swamp‐to‐saltwater marsh transitional series, both supported by palynological results. Further exploration of the geochemical results using linear discriminant analysis, trained with published geochemical data, supports the swamp and marsh interpretations. We conclude that the near‐pristine preservation of these woody deposits is not solely due to physical mechanisms, such as rapid burial, but is also coupled with anoxia‐ and euxinia‐driven biogeochemical reactions promoting wood and woody debris preservation in swamp and marsh environments. Plain Language Summary: Scientists have studied unique sites offshore of Alabama and Mississippi that contain soils, peat, wood, and tree stumps. Scientists have determined that the trees from the Alabama site are between 42,000 and 72,000 years old and were alive during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower than today. The Mississippi site contains woody peat sediments about 11,000 years old and occurred when sea levels were rapidly rising globally. These types of formally land‐based sediments are eroded as the sea level rises at the end of the glacial periods. Furthermore, wood and plant matter decay after the plant dies and become part of the soil. We investigated the chemistry of the preserved soils to understand the conditions that lead to their preservation. Chemical and pollen analyses found that these deposits are past swamp and marsh ecosystems that occurred on land similar to those occurring along the United States Gulf Coast today. Swamps and marshes have still waters with little oxygen that stop decay leading to the preservation of the wood and tree stumps. Swamps occur in depressions where water can collect and over time they fill with sediments. These preserved swamp deposits are time capsules from the past. Key Points: Multiple paleo‐terrestrial deposits containing wood and peat are preserved offshore in the northeastern Gulf of MexicoGeochemical and microfossil analyses find that these deposits are past swamp and marsh ecosystemsSwamps and marshes that are anoxic and/or euxinic promote the biogeochemical preservation of woody and organic matter [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1750 Pierre Poivre donated the holotype of the douc monkey Pygathrix nemaeus to R.-A. F. de Réaumur. Its type locality is here restricted from "Cochinchine" to near Da Nang, Vietnam. In 1757, Buffon appropriated the holotype for the King's collection, wrongly inferring that the species lacks ischial callosities, and conflating it with the sifaka of Madagascar. "D'ouc" is evidently a corruption of Voọc, the Vietnamese word for colobine monkey. In 1819, a French crew shot 100 doucs before breakfast on a mountain near Da Nang. In 2016, the whole mountain population was estimated at 70. By 1831 doucs had learnt to fear gunfire, but locals accepted their proximity, and provided some protection from meat-seeking foreigners. Several doucs were collected for museums in the 19th and 20th century; in 1897 two even lived for a fortnight at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. The douc was observed and collected near Da Nang during its miraculous survival of the Vietnam War; its evergreen forest habitat surprisingly resilient. This situation is rapidly deteriorating, as forests are reduced to isolated pockets, and hunting prohibitions unenforced. The closely-monitored Mount Son Tra douc population was expanding, but tourist development is illegally eroding the Nature Reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common practice for those operating in cold environments includes repetitive glove doffing and donning to perform specific tasks, which creates a repetitive cycle of hand cooling and rewarming. This study aimed to determine the influence of intraday repeated hand cooling on cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD), sympathetic activation, and finger/hand temperature recovery. Eight males and two females (mean ± SD age: 28 ± 5 year; height: 181 ± 9 cm; weight: 79.9 ± 10.4 kg) performed two 30-min hand immersions in cold (4.3 ± 0.92 °C) water in an indoor environment (18 °C). Both immersions (Imm1; Imm2) were performed on the same day and both allowed for a 10-min recovery. CIVD components were calculated for each finger (index, middle, ring) during each immersion. CIVD onset time (index, p = 0.546; middle, p = 0.727; ring, p = 0.873), minimum finger temperature (index, p = 0.634; middle, p = 0.493; ring, p = 0.575), and mean finger temperature (index, p = 0.986; middle, p = 0.953; ring, p = 0.637) were all similar between immersions. Recovery rates generally demonstrated similar responses as well. Findings suggest that two sequential CIVD tests analyzing the effect of prior cold exposure of the hand does not impair the CIVD response or recovery. Such findings appear promising for those venturing into cold environments where hands are likely to be repeatedly exposed to cold temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For citizens in the Middle East, is wasta an accepted traditional practice or a form of corruption that has harmful effects on society? Scholarship remains divided on how exactly to view wasta, with some scholars pointing to its role in fostering in-group ties and providing a problem-solving mechanism, with others charging that wasta promotes poor governance and weak accountability. What citizens think rarely enters the picture. In this article, I argue that Jordanian citizens consider wasta a negative force in society, one that divides them from each other and makes them feel disengaged from the political life of their country. I use evidence from thirty-seven interviews with Jordanian youth, and data from the Jordanian NGO Leaders of Tomorrow's 'FADFED' initiative, a novel qualitative method for gathering opinion data from citizens. This article challenges scholars to take wasta's role in state-society tensions in the Middle East more seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-weather military operations can quickly undermine warfighter readiness and performance. Specifically, accidental cold-water immersion (CWI) contributes to rapid body heat loss and impaired motor function. This study evaluated the prevalence of hypothermia and critical hand temperatures during CWI. One-hundred seventeen (N = 117) military personnel (mean ± SD age: 27 ± 6 yr, height: 176 ± 8 cm, weight: 81.5 ± 11.6 kg) completed CWI and rewarming during cold-weather training, which included a 10-min outdoor CWI (1.3 ± 1.4°C) combined with cold air (−4.2 ± 8.5°C) exposure. Following CWI, students removed wet clothing, donned dry clothing, and entered sleeping systems. Core (Tc) and hand (Thand) temperatures were recorded continuously during the training exercise. Tc for 96 students (mean ± SD lowest Tc = 35.6 ± 0.9°C) revealed that 24 students (25%) experienced Tc below 35.0°C. All of 110 students (100%) experienced Thand below 15.0°C, with 71 students (65%) experiencing Thand at or below 8.0°C. Loss of hand function and hypothermia should be anticipated in warfighters who experience CWI in field settings. Given the high prevalence of low Thand, focus should be directed on quickly rewarming hands to recover function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2010, waves of protest have ebbed and now largely faded across the Arab states of the Middle East, and authoritarian politics there appear to be stronger than ever. Has dissent disappeared, or merely become harder to notice? I argue in this article that clientelism serves as an important locus of latent dissent in the Middle East, one that calls into question the legitimacy of authoritarian regimes, though it often happens away from public view. Employing data from four waves of the Arab Barometer, however, I show that the more citizens perceive clientelism to be prevalent in society, the less likely they are to willingly obey their government when they disagree with it. This finding is most pronounced among those most on the fence about obeying the government in the first place, and during periods in which overt dissent is least apparent. Clientelism beliefs also increase support for democratic alternatives in the most recent data. In addition, while clientelism should increase voting and election-related mobilization, I find inconsistent results across time. This article complicates our current understanding of the role clientelism plays in authoritarian states, and it sheds new light on the "client side" of the patron-client relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the consistency of return to sport and occupation recommendations following EHI provided in published clinical practice guidelines, consensus statements, position statements, and practice alerts. The agreement between medical policies governing the return to duty following EHI between the branches of the United States Armed Forces and published recommendations was assessed. Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases were searched for clinical practice guidelines and position statements published at any time that guided return to activity in individuals with EHI. Methodological quality was assessed, and the specific recommendations for clinical management were extracted. Consistency of recommendations was evaluated. Agreement between published guidelines and the policies governing return to activity in military tactical athletes with heat injury were also evaluated. Guidelines developed by two civilian sports medicine societies in the United States detailing recommendations for return to function following EHI were identified. There was consistency between guidelines regarding recommendations that addressed abstinence from activity; medical follow-up; graded resumption of activity; and return to function. Pertaining military policy, contemporary regulations published in recent years reflected the recommendations provided in the professional guidelines. The greatest incongruence was noted in older military policies. This systematic review highlights the need for consistent recommendations across all branches of the military and medical specialties pertaining to returning servicemembers to duty after EHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After several decades of technological, political, and legal buildup, the United States offshore oil and gas industry broke through shortly after the conclusion of World War II. Under the regulation and administration of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the industry quickly became a significant driver of the U.S. and world economies, and Gulf of Mexico reservoirs remain the largest source of offshore domestic oil and gas supply. Offshore exploration activities also have resulted in a significant majority of underwater archaeological discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal archaeologists began oversight of offshore oil and gas activities in the 1970s, and since that time technological advancements have enabled exploration into ever deeper waters of the Gulf, along with a concurrent broadening of the ability to identify and investigate archaeological resources submerged on the Outer Continental Shelf. To date, hundreds of shipwreck discoveries have occurred, and collaborative projects between government and industry archaeologists have further documented over three dozen wrecks which are considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The interaction between the offshore oil and gas industry and underwater archaeology has significantly deepened our knowledge of Gulf of Mexico and U.S. maritime history, and this relationship should continue to yield significant discoveries well into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, chronic, and debilitating genetic disorder characterized by recurrent and unpredictable swelling episodes that primarily affect the subcutaneous and/or submucosal tissues of the extremities, larynx, face, abdomen, and genitals. Most cases of HAE are caused by mutations in the serpin family G member 1 gene (SERPING1), which encodes C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein. Mutations in SERPING1 lead to deficient (type I HAE-C1-INH) or dysfunctional (type II HAE-C1-INH) C1-INH protein and subsequent dysregulation of the kallikrein–bradykinin cascade. However, some patients present with a third type of HAE (HAE-nI-C1-INH), which was first described in the year 2000 and is characterized by an absence of mutations in SERPING1. Although mutations in the coagulation factor XII, angiopoietin-1, plasminogen, kininogen-1, myoferlin, and heparan sulfate-glucosamine 3-O-sulfotransferase-6 genes have been identified in some patients with HAE-nI-C1-INH, genetic cause is still unknown in many cases, hindering full elucidation of the pathology of this HAE subtype. Diagnosis of HAE-nI-C1-INH is also further complicated by the fact that patients typically demonstrate normal plasma levels of C1-INH and complement component 4 protein and normal C1-INH functionality during laboratory analysis. Therefore, we review the challenges associated with diagnosing, treating, and living with HAE-nI-C1-INH. We conclude that raising awareness of the presenting features of HAE-nI-C1-INH within the clinical setting and among the general public is critical to aid earlier suspicion and diagnosis of the disease. Furthermore, adopting an individualized approach to HAE-nI-C1-INH treatment is essential to help address the current and significant unmet needs in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Following heat illness, a return to activity may require passing a heat tolerance test (HTT). However, there are several logistical limitations to the widespread use of the HTT. Thus, it would be advantageous to develop a test that could be conducted in a thermoneutral (~22°C) environment to predict heat tolerance status. The purpose of the current study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of using the criteria of a heart rate (HR) =130 bpm following 30 min of thermoneutral exercise in detecting heat-intolerant and heat-tolerant individuals. Material and Methods: Sixty-five subjects visited the lab on 3 separate days. The first visit consisted of completing a maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) test to assess cardiovascular fitness. For lab visits 2 and 3, subjects randomly completed a 2-hour walking treadmill test in either a hot (40°C, 40% relative humidity [RH]) or thermoneutral (22°C, 40% RH) environment. Results: Forty-eight subjects were classified as heat-intolerant and 17 subjects as heat-tolerant. Using the criterion of a HR =130 bpm at 30 min of exercise in the thermoneutral environment, specificity (54%) and sensitivity (100%) of passing the HTT was calculated. Secondary analysis using multiple regression revealed 3 significant variables for predicting ending HR during the HTT. They were: 1) absolute VO2 max (l/min), 2) age, and 3) HR at 30 min of exercise during thermoneutral exercise. Conclusions: Exercise in a thermoneutral environment had a positive predictive value of 100%, thus, if a subject has a HR =130 bpm at 30 min of exercise in a thermoneutral environment, they are very likely to fail a subsequent 2-hour HTT in the heat and be classified as heat-intolerant. Therefore, prior screening has the potential to save time and money, along with providing safety to a heat-intolerant subject. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frogs call in acoustically dense choruses to attract conspecific females. Their calls can potentially reveal their location to predators, many of which are mammals. However, frogs and mammals have very different acoustic receivers and mechanisms for determining sound source direction. We argue that frog calls may have been selected so that they are harder to locate with the direction-finding mechanisms of mammals. We focus on interaural time delay (ITD) estimation using delay-line coincidence detection (place code), and a binaural excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) ITD mechanism found in mammals with small heads (population code). We identify four "strategies" which frogs may employ to exploit the weaknesses of either mechanism. The first two strategies used by the frog confound delay estimation to increase direction ambiguity using highly periodic calls or narrowband calls. The third strategy relies on using short pulses. The E/I mechanism is susceptible to noise with sounds being pulled to the medial plane when signal-to-noise ratio is low. Together, these three strategies compromise both ongoing and onset determination of location using either mechanism. Finally, frogs call in dense choruses using various means for controlling synchrony, maintaining chorus tenure, and abruptly switching off calling, all of which serve to confound location finding. Of these strategies, only chorusing adversely impacts the localization performance of frogs' acoustic receivers. We illustrate these strategies with an analysis of calls from three different frog species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity in an inpatient setting is often limited to brief periods of walking. For healthy adults, public health agencies recommend a minimum of 150 min/week of moderate-intensity exercise. The authors sought to determine if meeting this activity threshold, in the absence of incidental activities of daily living, could protect skeletal muscle health during bed rest. Healthy older adults (68 ± 2 years) were randomized to 7-day bed rest with (STEP, n = 7) or without (CON, n = 10) a 2,000 steps/day intervention. Performing 2018 ± 4 steps/day did not prevent the loss of lean leg mass and had no beneficial effect on aerobic capacity, strength, or muscle fiber volume. However, the insulin response to an oral glucose challenge was preserved. Performing a block of 2,000 steps/day, in the absence of incidental activities of daily living, was insufficient to fully counter the catabolic effects of bed rest in healthy older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative correlations in the sequential evolution of interspike intervals (ISIs) are a signature of memory in neuronal spike-trains. They provide coding benefits including firing-rate stabilization, improved detectability of weak sensory signals, and enhanced transmission of information by improving signal-to-noise ratio. Primary electrosensory afferent spike-trains in weakly electric fish fall into two categories based on the pattern of ISI correlations: non-bursting units have negative correlations which remain negative but decay to zero with increasing lags (Type I ISI correlations), and bursting units have oscillatory (alternating sign) correlation which damp to zero with increasing lags (Type II ISI correlations). Here, we predict and match observed ISI correlations in these afferents using a stochastic dynamic threshold model. We determine the ISI correlation function as a function of an arbitrary discrete noise correlation function R k , where k is a multiple of the mean ISI. The function permits forward and inverse calculations of the correlation function. Both types of correlation functions can be generated by adding colored noise to the spike threshold with Type I correlations generated with slow noise and Type II correlations generated with fast noise. A first-order autoregressive (AR) process with a single parameter is sufficient to predict and accurately match both types of afferent ISI correlation functions, with the type being determined by the sign of the AR parameter. The predicted and experimentally observed correlations are in geometric progression. The theory predicts that the limiting sum of ISI correlations is - 0.5 yielding a perfect DC-block in the power spectrum of the spike train. Observed ISI correlations from afferents have a limiting sum that is slightly larger at - 0.475 ± 0.04 ( mean ± s.d. ). We conclude that the underlying process for generating ISIs may be a simple combination of low-order AR and moving average processes and discuss the results from the perspective of optimal coding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Male cattle (bulls) are often castrated as part of routine herd management. The benefits of this practice include the reduction of aggression and the elimination of unwanted pregnancies. However, castration represents an animal welfare concern as bulls are subjected to pain during and after the procedure. Surgical castration, in particular, places animals at increased risk of hemorrhage and infection. Immunocastration, a method involving vaccination against the hormones that regulate reproduction, offers a reduced-pain alternative to traditional castration, but the current products require multiple doses to effectively reduce fertility for extended periods. In an effort to improve upon current multi-dose immunocastration strategies, we evaluated the efficacy of a single-dose implantable immunocastration vaccine. This implant was designed to reduce fertility without the need for multiple doses, thus improving welfare for the animals as well as safety for producers and clinicians. The results presented here are promising and suggest that further refinement of the immunocastration implant could provide a convenient alternative to current immunocastration strategies. Immunocastration relies on the vaccine-mediated stimulation of an immune response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in order to interrupt spermatogenesis. This approach offers a less painful alternative to traditional castration approaches but the current, commercially available options require multiple doses of vaccine to maintain sterility. Thus, a series of pilot studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of a single-dose immunocastration vaccine implant. These five studies utilized a total of 44 Holstein bulls to determine the optimal vaccine composition and validate the ability of a stainless-steel subcutaneous implant to deliver a vaccine. Outcome measures included the duration of implant retention, scrotal dimensions and temperature, implant site temperature, anti-GnRH antibodies, and serum testosterone concentration. Over the course of several studies, anti-GnRH antibodies were successfully stimulated by vaccine implants. No significant treatment effects on scrotal dimensions or testosterone were detected over time, but changes in spermatogenesis were detected across treatment groups. Results indicate that a single-dose implantable immunocastration vaccine elicits a humoral immune response and could impact spermatogenesis in bulls. These findings provide opportunities for the refinement of this technology to improve implant retention over longer periods of time. Taken together, this approach will offer producers and veterinarians an alternative to physical castration methods, to improve animal welfare during routine livestock management procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacing 2D-convolution operations by depth-wise separable time and frequency convolutions greatly reduces the number of parameters while maintaining nearly equivalent performances in the context of acoustic scene classification. In our experiments, the models' sizes can be reduced by 6 to 14 times with similar performances. For a 3-class audio classification, replacing 2D-convolution in a CNN model gives roughly a 2% increase in accuracy. In a 10-class audio classification with multiple recording devices, replacing 2D-convolution in Resnet only reduces around 1.5% of the accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal cigarette smoking is a risk factor for congenital heart defects (CHDs). Nicotine replacement therapies are often offered to pregnant women following failed attempts of smoking cessation. However, the impact of nicotine on embryonic heart development is not well understood. In the present study, the effects of maternal nicotine exposure (MNE) during pregnancy on foetal heart morphogenesis were studied. Adult female mice were treated with nicotine using subcutaneous osmotic pumps at 0.75 or 1.5 mg/kg/day and subsequently bred with male mice. Our results show that MNE dose‐dependently increased CHDs in foetal mice. CHDs included atrial and ventricular septal defects, double outlet right ventricle, unguarded tricuspid orifice, hypoplastic left ventricle, thickened aortic and pulmonary valves, and ventricular hypertrophy. MNE also significantly reduced coronary artery size and vessel abundance in foetal hearts. Moreover, MNE resulted in higher levels of oxidative stress and altered the expression of key cardiogenic regulators in the developing heart. Nicotine exposure reduced epicardial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in foetal hearts. In conclusion, MNE induces CHDs and coronary artery malformation in mice. These findings provide insight into the adverse outcomes of foetuses by MNE during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inpatient populations are at increased risk of hyperglycemia due to factors such as medications, physical inactivity and underlying illness, which increases morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, clinicians have limited tools available to prospectively identify those at greatest risk. We evaluated the ability of 10 common genetic variants associated with development of type 2 diabetes to predict impaired glucose metabolism. Our research model was a simulated inpatient hospital stay (7 day bed rest protocol, standardized diet, and physical inactivity) in a cohort of healthy older adults (n = 31, 65 ± 8 years) with baseline fasting blood glucose < 100 mg/dL. Participants completed a standard 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at baseline and post-bed rest. Bed rest increased 2-h OGTT blood glucose and insulin independent of genetic variant. In multiple regression modeling, the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) rs7903146 T allele predicted increases in 2-h OGTT blood glucose (p = 0.039). We showed that the TCF7L2 rs7903146 T allele confers risk for loss of glucose tolerance in nondiabetic older adults following 7 days of bed rest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Everard appears frequently in studies of English antinomianism. His sermons, printed posthumously in 1653, reveal a startling array of influences, from Maimonides to Nicholas of Cusa, and a propensity for extravagant glosses on scripture. Notably, Everard saw the gospel as an allegory for the spiritual regeneration of the reader. The literal or 'living' sense of scripture played out in the annihilation and resurrection of the individual conscience-as-script. Starting with those few divines who chose to celebrate rather than disparage him, this article considers Everard's work as a particularly colorful, but not altogether unrepresentative, sample in the thorny history of sixteenth and seventeenth century Protestant hermeneutics. Specially, Everard's work constitutes a unique merger of an older spiritual tradition with Protestant discourse on the literal sense which not only addressed long-standing issues in Puritan thought but had a real claim to the mainstream in Cromwell's England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of effort to drive quality improvement, many health care organizations still struggle to optimize their performance on quality metrics. The advent of publicly reported quality rankings and ratings allows for greater visibility of overall organizational performance, but has not provided a roadmap for sustained improvement in these assessments. Most quality training programs have focused on developing knowledge and skills in pursuit of individual and project-level improvements. To date, no training program has been associated with improvements in overall organization-level, publicly reported measures. In 2012, the Institute for Health care Quality, Safety, and Efficiency was launched, which is an integrated set of quality and safety training programs, with a focus on leadership development and support of performance improvement through data analytics and intensive coaching. This effort has trained nearly 2000 individuals and has been associated with significant improvement in organization-level quality rankings and ratings, offering a framework for organizations seeking systematic, long-term improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic shipwrecks function as habitats for benthic organisms by providing food, refuge, and structure. They also form islands of biodiversity on the seabed, shaping microbial ecology and ecosystem processes. This study examined two wooden deep‐sea shipwrecks at 525 and 1800 m water depth and probed their influence on sediment microbiomes and geochemistry. Microbiomes were investigated with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing along 60 m transects extending in four directions from the hulls of the shipwrecks. Distance from shipwrecks and sediment depth both shaped microbiome structure. Archaeal alpha diversity was significantly and positively correlated with proximity to the deeper shipwreck while bacterial diversity was not to either. Archaeal community structure differed at both sites; the deeper site had a higher proportion of Bathyarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia proximate to shipwreck compared to the shallow location. Major bacterial communities were consistent at both sites, however, at the deeper site had higher abundance of Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Desulfofarculales, and Desulfobacteriales. Core microbiome and differential abundance analyses revealed unique taxa nearest the shipwrecks compared to the surrounding seabed including organoheterotrophs, and cellulolytic and sulfur cycling taxa. Sediment carbon content influenced microbiome structure near the shipwrecks (5–10 m). We show that shipwrecks have a distinct sediment microbiome and form unique habitat patches on seabed, resembling those surrounding organic falls. The shipwreck influence was more pronounced at the deeper site, further from terrestrial influences signaling shipwrecks may be a significant source of organic matter in far‐shore oligotrophic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marcus Garvey's petitions to the League of Nations on behalf of the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1922 and 1928 were a central but overlooked component of his anti-colonial politics in the 1920s. In both cases, Garvey's main objective was to have the League of Nations mandate for South-West Africa transferred from South Africa and given to the Universal Negro Improvement Association, particularly in the wake of the Bondelswarts rebellion and what he considered to be South Africa's white supremacist colonial rule following the end of German imperialism in the area. These petitions reflect the significant place of southern African racial and colonial politics in the USA in this period and further reveal the agency of Namibians in political movements beyond Africa and throughout the African diaspora. Far from being ineffectual, these petitions called attention to racial injustice and set a pattern for post-Second World War diasporic politics and decolonisation movements that scholars have not hitherto appreciated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human cognition unfolds in a multitude of environments, including those that are associated with extreme stressors. Successfully measuring and modeling behaviors in such environments is inherently difficult. The current effort aimed to assess variation in stability and flexibility of cognitive performance during cold stress, individual differences in errors, and physiological correlates. Fifty-seven service members completed cold water immersion during winter months. Individuals were required to immerse themselves in an outdoor pond for 10 minutes, reclothe into dry clothing, and attempt to rewarm. Simple reaction time and match-to-sample tasks were completed throughout the 90 minute procedure. To assess response stability, sample entropy was computed for the response time time-series of each task. Hierarchical clustering applied to sample entropy values identified two clusters of individuals. One highly affected group demonstrated low stability and weak flexibility by way of higher autocorrelation and more omission errors, and had lower hand temperature pre- and post-immersion. Results are discussed within the context of cold stress, adaptive behaviors, and cold stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cold environments may deteriorate psychomotor performance due to slowing of neuronal signals, distractions caused by pain and discomfort, and a loss of manual dexterity. The extent to which core temperature (Tc) influences psychomotor performance in the cold has not been established. Therefore, psychomotor performance and Tc were assessed during a cold weather military training exercise to evaluate this relationship. Methods: Thirty-six military personnel (age: 26 ± 4 yr, ht: 175 ± 8 cm, wt: 79.1 ± 11.1 kg) participating in cold weather training volunteered for this study. Participants completed a 10-min immersion in cold (1°C) water, followed by 60 min of rewarming. Physiological, perceptual, and psychomotor assessments were made throughout the training. For analysis, participants were divided into groups based on their lowest achieved core temperature (< 35.0°C = HYP; 35.0-36.0°C = CS-M; > 36.0°C = CS-S). Psychomotor performance was then compared among the groups to determine the influence of Tc on performance. Results: Although cold water immersion deteriorated performance, no differences were observed among the three groups at any time point during the training for simple reaction time (HYP: 298 ± 49 ms; CS-M: 313 ± 55 ms; CS-S: 326 ± 53ms; p = 0.677). Conclusion: Findings suggest that cold water immersion deteriorates psychomotor performance which, even in the presence of mild hypothermia, is not directly influenced by Tc. Additional observations reveal large variations in Tc among a homogenous group in response to cold water immersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing fish stocks for species migrating between freshwater and the sea is challenging when ecological information for life stages at sea is poorly known. Oceans offer increased opportunity for growth but also morbidity and mortality. By improving our understanding of foraging at sea we can better identify factors driving stock health and recruitment. We analysed stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) in scales from tagged Baltic salmon (Salmo salar) caught at sea over four decades. We found consistently divergent patterns in δ13C and δ15N between the two main basins of the Baltic Sea, which can be used to determine foraging area. Isotope analysis of amino acids revealed differences in source δ15N as the main reason for observed differences between basins. We also analysed isotopes in scales and thiamin concentrations in roe (thiamin deficiency can cause substantial fry mortality) from adult female salmon returning to a river to spawn in 2017 and 2018. Individuals with low thiamin levels were associated with offshore feeding in both basins, suggesting the deficiency syndrome is widespread in the Baltic Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous anthropogenic stressors, including river regulation, excess loadings of nutrients and sediment, channelisation, as well as thermal and hydrological stressors driven by climate change impact riverine ecosystems worldwide. In a time when freshwater degradation and the rate of global warming are faster than ever, understanding the potential interactive effects of local and catchment‐scale stressors with large‐scale climatic conditions is essential to enhance our ability to plan effective conservation, restoration, and mitigation measures.In this study we analysed a dataset spanning the whole of Sweden using a space‐for‐time approach to investigate interactive effects of land use, river regulation, and climate on brown trout (Salmo trutta) abundance in streams.We found that in warmer regions trout populations were negatively affected in catchments with more intense river regulation by hydropower dams (i.e. ≥10 m3/km2 total reservoir storage volume). In such catchments, a 7°C warmer mean summer air temperature was associated with an average between 44% and 83% decline in trout abundance. In catchments with less intense river regulation, trout abundance instead increased moderately with increasing temperature.We also found that brown trout abundance declined with increasing areal extent of urban areas when found in combination with ≥20% agricultural land use. When agricultural land use reached maximum values (84%), brown trout abundance decreased from an average of 13 individuals per 100 m2 in catchments with no urban areas to values ≤1 in catchments with ≥5% urban land use. Also, brown trout abundance declined with increasing agricultural land use in catchments with ≥3% urban land use.Our study brings innovative empirical evidence of interactive effects between river regulation, land use and climate on brown trout populations. From a management perspective our findings suggest that: (1) restoring natural flows (e.g. through dam removal) and riparian vegetation could mitigate adverse effects of climate change; and (2) restoration measures that minimise the effects of agriculture and urban land use (e.g. reduction of nutrient levels and restored riparian buffer zones) could help rehabilitate brown trout in catchments with high anthropogenic land use change. However, given the large observed variation between streams, we advise for bespoke management actions stemming from sound knowledge of local habitat conditions and target populations, whenever possible, using an ecosystem management‐based approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Pragmatics of Democracy: A Political Theory of African American Literature before Emancipation" reads scenes of embodied experience in early African American literary culture to theorize how persons come to regard democratic cultures as productive of the most excellent forms of life. The book proposes a typology of these iterative bodily events which dispose persons toward democratic subjectivity: ecstasy, violence, impersonality, respectability, and autonomy. [E]arly African American narratives offer speculations, categories, and hermeneutics concerning democracy grounded in Black life amid new-world chattel slavery that sometimes contradict, sometimes complement those that prevailed in early US political thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucine supplementation attenuates the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function in older adults during bed rest. We sought to determine whether leucine could also preserve and/or restore mitochondrial function and muscle oxidative capacity during periods of disuse and rehabilitation. Healthy, older adults (69.1 ± 1.1 yr) consumed a structured diet with supplemental leucine (LEU: 0.06 g/kg body weight/meal; n = 8) or alanine (CON: 0.06 g/kg body weight/meal; n = 8) during 7 days of bed rest and 5 days of inpatient rehabilitation. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at baseline (PreBR), after bed rest (PostBR), and rehabilitation (PostRehab) and used to calculate an indicator of insulin sensitivity and metabolic clearance rate (MCR). Tissue samples from the m. vastus lateralis were collected at PreBR, PostBR, and PostRehab to assess mitochondrial respiratory capacity and protein markers of the oxidative phosphorylation and a marker of the antioxidant defense systems. During bed rest, leucine tended to preserve insulin sensitivity (change in MCR, CON vs. LEU: -3.5 ± 0.82 vs. LEU: -0.98 ± 0.88, P = 0.054), but had no effect on mitochondrial respiratory capacity (change in state 3+succinate CON vs. LEU -8.7 ± 6.1 vs. 7.3 ± 4.1 pmol O2/s/mg tissue, P = 0.10). Following rehabilitation, leucine increased ATP-linked respiration (CON vs. LEU: -8.9 ± 6.2 vs. 15.5 ± 4.4 pmol O2/s/mg tissue, P = 0.0042). Although the expression of mitochondrial respiratory and antioxidant proteins was not impacted, leucine supplementation preserved specific pathways of mitochondrial respiration, insulin sensitivity, and a marker of oxidative stress during bed rest and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic sleep loss is a potent catabolic stressor, increasing the risk of metabolic dysfunction and loss of muscle mass and function. To provide mechanistic insight into these clinical outcomes, we sought to determine if acute sleep deprivation blunts skeletal muscle protein synthesis and promotes a catabolic environment. Healthy young adults (N = 13; seven male, six female) were subjected to one night of total sleep deprivation (DEP) and normal sleep (CON) in a randomized cross-over design. Anabolic and catabolic hormonal profiles were assessed across the following day. Postprandial muscle protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR) was assessed between 13:00 and 15:00 and gene markers of muscle protein degradation were assessed at 13:00. Acute sleep deprivation reduced muscle protein synthesis by 18% (CON: 0.072 ± 0.015% vs. DEP: 0.059 ± 0.014%·h-1, p = .040). In addition, sleep deprivation increased plasma cortisol by 21% (p = .030) and decreased plasma testosterone by 24% (p = .029). No difference was found in the markers of protein degradation. A single night of total sleep deprivation is sufficient to induce anabolic resistance and a procatabolic environment. These acute changes may represent mechanistic precursors driving the metabolic dysfunction and body composition changes associated with chronic sleep deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are vascular shunts that allow blood to flow from the carotid artery or its branches into the cavernous sinus. Endovascular embolization is the treatment modality of choice. The trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) is a vagally mediated reflex that can lead to hemodynamic instability. It can be activated during embolization procedures due to the proximity of vagal efferent neurovascular structures within the cavernous sinus. This case report describes the intraoperative management of recurrent, profound bradycardia due to TCR during endovascular CCF embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic sleep loss is a potent catabolic stressor, increasing the risk of metabolic dysfunction and loss of muscle mass and function. To provide mechanistic insight into these clinical outcomes, we sought to determine if acute sleep deprivation blunts skeletal muscle protein synthesis and promotes a catabolic environment. Healthy young adults (N = 13; seven male, six female) were subjected to one night of total sleep deprivation (DEP) and normal sleep (CON) in a randomized cross‐over design. Anabolic and catabolic hormonal profiles were assessed across the following day. Postprandial muscle protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR) was assessed between 13:00 and 15:00 and gene markers of muscle protein degradation were assessed at 13:00. Acute sleep deprivation reduced muscle protein synthesis by 18% (CON: 0.072 ± 0.015% vs. DEP: 0.059 ± 0.014%·h‐1, p = .040). In addition, sleep deprivation increased plasma cortisol by 21% (p = .030) and decreased plasma testosterone by 24% (p = .029). No difference was found in the markers of protein degradation. A single night of total sleep deprivation is sufficient to induce anabolic resistance and a procatabolic environment. These acute changes may represent mechanistic precursors driving the metabolic dysfunction and body composition changes associated with chronic sleep deprivation.Acute sleep deprivation decreases muscle protein synthesis in young, healthy males and females. Acute sleep deprivation promotes a catabolic hormonal environment. Future research should investigate sex‐specific differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine anaplasmosis is the most prevalent tick-transmitted disease of cattle worldwide and a major obstacle to profitable beef production. Use of chlortetracycline-medicated feed to control active anaplasmosis infections during the vector season has raised concerns about the potential emergence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria that may pose a risk to human health. Furthermore, the absence of effectiveness data for a commercially available, conditionally licensed anaplasmosis vaccine is a major impediment to implementing anaplasmosis control programs. The primary objective of this study was to develop a single-dose vaccine delivery platform to produce long-lasting protective immunity against anaplasmosis infections. Twelve Holstein steers, aged 11 to 12 wk, were administered a novel 3-stage, single-dose vaccine against Anaplasma marginale , a major surface protein 1a. The vaccine consisted of a soluble vaccine administered subcutaneously (s.c.) for immune priming, a vaccine depot of a biodegradable polyanhydride rod with intermediate slow release of the vaccine for boosting immune response, and an immune-isolated vaccine platform for extended antigen release (VPEAR implant) deposited s.c. in the ear. Six calves were randomly assigned to 2 vaccine constructs (n  = 3) that featured rods and implants containing a combination of 2 different adjuvants, diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-Dextran and Quil-A (Group A). The remaining 6 calves were randomly assigned to 2 vaccine constructs (n  = 3) that featured rods and implants containing the same adjuvant (either DEAE-Dextran or Quil A) (Group B). Twenty-one months post-implantation, calves were challenged intravenously with A. marginale stabilate and were monitored weekly for signs of fever, decreased packed cell volume (PCV) and bacteremia. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effects model and chi-squared tests (SAS v9.04.01, SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Calves in Group A had higher PCV than calves in Group B (P = 0.006) at day 35 post-infection. Calves in Group A were less likely to require antibiotic intervention compared with calves in Group B (P = 0.014). Results indicate that calves exhibited diminished clinical signs of anaplasmosis when antigen was delivered with a combination of adjuvants as opposed to a single adjuvant. This demonstrates the feasibility of providing long-lasting protection against clinical bovine anaplasmosis infections using a subcutaneous ear implant vaccine construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults are at increased risk of being bedridden and experiencing negative health outcomes including the loss of muscle tissue and functional capacity. We hypothesized that supplementing daily meals with a small quantity (3–4 g/meal) of leucine would partially preserve lean leg mass and function of older adults during bed rest. During a 7-day bed rest protocol, followed by 5 days of inpatient rehabilitation, healthy older men and women (67.8 ± 1.1 yr, 14 men; 6 women) were randomized to receive isoenergetic meals supplemented with leucine (LEU, 0.06 g/kg/meal; n = 10) or an alanine control (CON, 0.06 g/kg/meal; n = 10). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, following bed rest, and after rehabilitation. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Functional capacity was assessed by knee extensor isokinetic and isometric dynamometry, peak aerobic capacity, and the short physical performance battery. Muscle fiber type, cross-sectional area, signaling protein expression levels, and single fiber characteristics were determined from biopsies of the vastus lateralis. Leucine supplementation reduced the loss of leg lean mass during bed rest (LEU vs. CON: −423 vs. −1035 ± 143 g; P = 0.008) but had limited impact on strength or endurance-based functional outcomes. Similarly, leucine had no effect on markers of anabolic signaling and protein degradation during bed rest or rehabilitation. In conclusion, providing older adults with supplemental leucine has minimal impact on total energy or protein consumption and has the potential to partially counter some, but not all, of the negative effects of inactivity on muscle health. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Skeletal muscle morphology and function in older adults was significantly compromised by 7 days of disuse. Leucine supplementation partially countered the loss of lean leg mass but did not preserve muscle function or positively impact changes at the muscle fiber level associated with bed rest or rehabilitation. Of note, our data support a relationship between myonuclear content and adaptations to muscle atrophy at the whole limb and single fiber level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prolonged cold-water immersion (CWI) has the potential to cause significant hypothermia and haemoconcentration; both of which have previously been shown to independently increase blood viscosity in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CWI on blood viscosity and examine the relative contribution of decreased blood temperature and haemoconcentration. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers were immersed to mid-sternum in 10°C water for 90 minutes. Gastrointestinal (GI) temperature, haematocrit (Hct), and blood viscosity were measured pre- and post-CWI. Results: CWI caused mean (SD) GI temperature to decrease from 37.5 (0.3)°C to 36.2 (0.7)°C (P < 0.05). CWI also caused mean Hct to increase from 40.0 (3.5)% to 45.0 (2.9)% (P < 0.05). As a result of the haemoconcentration and decreased GI temperature during CWI the mean blood viscosity increased by 19% from 2.80 (0.28) mPa·s-1 to 3.33 (0.42) mPa·s-1 (P < 0.05). However, when the pre-CWI blood sample was measured at the post-CWI GI temperature (36.2°C) there was no significant difference in the blood viscosity when compared to the pre-CWI (37.5°C) blood sample (2.82 (0.20) mPa·s-1 and 2.80 (0.28) mPa·s-1 respectively). Furthermore, the changes in Hct and blood viscosity during CWI were significantly correlated with an r = 0.84. Conclusion: The results of the current study show that prolonged, severe CWI causes a significant 19% increase in blood viscosity. In addition, the results strongly suggest that almost all of the increased blood viscosity seen following CWI is the result of haemoconcentration, not decreased blood temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Collaboration of Practitioners and Researchers Seminar Series is student-led program comprised of seminars delivered jointly by medical and graduate students on a topic in medicine of mutual interest to an audience of both medical and graduate students. Methods: Following its inaugural year in 2016–2017, we evaluated changes in attendees' perceived understanding of translational research through an electronic survey and semi-structured interviews with attendees. Results: Study participants rated their understanding of translational research and comfort with interacting with students from the other program higher following attending seminars. Participants believed that the seminars helped in breaking barriers between medical and graduate students. Conclusions: We conclude that this seminar series positively impacted attendees' understanding of translational research and attitudes towards collaboration between medical and graduate students. We believe that similar initiatives may be of value in fostering new opportunities for collaboration between medical and graduate students at other institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses the issue on topics including the aesthetic, affective, and phenomenological properties of theatrical reinventions of slavery; and the conceptual frameworks formulated to help explain the shifts and tendencies in American theatre culture.

Introduction: Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is associated with poor outcomes across many surgical fields. However, the effects on outcomes after lower extremity bypass (LEB), particularly over the 90-day global surgical period, are unclear. Our goal was to analyze the effect of hypoalbuminemia within 90 days after LE bypass. Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective review of all infrainguinal LEBs from 2007 to 2017. Patients were categorized into 3 preoperative albumin groups: severe hypoalbuminemia (SH; albumin ≤2.8g/dL), mild–moderate hypoalbuminemia (MH; albumin >2.8-3.5g/dL), and normal albumin (albumin >3.5g/dL). Patient and procedural details were recorded. Outcomes analyzed included wound infection, myocardial infarction (MI), pulmonary complications, early graft occlusion (≤30 days), mortality, and emergency department (ED) presentation and readmissions within 30 and 90 days. Multivariable analysis was performed. Results: We identified 313 patients undergoing LEB—45 (14.4%) with SH, 133 (42.5%) with MH, and 135 (43.1%) with normal albumin. Overall, the mean age was 65.7 years, and 63.3% were male. The SH group more frequently had tissue loss, diabetes, hypertension, end-stage renal disease, preoperative hematocrit <30%, and patients admitted preoperatively (all P <.05). There were no significant differences in wound complications, MI, pulmonary complications, early graft occlusion, 30-day or 90-day mortality, and 30-day ED presentation. Severe hypoalbuminemia compared to MH and normal albumin, respectively, had significantly higher rates of 30-day readmission (40% vs 30.8% vs 17.8%, P =.005), 90-day ED presentation (55.6% vs 33.8% vs 29.6%, P =.006), and 90-day readmission (66.7% vs 48.9% vs 35.6%, P =.001). Multivariable analysis showed that SH was independently associated with 90-day ED presentation (odds ratio [OR]: 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-6.36, P =.014) and 90-day readmission (OR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.21-5.71, P =.015). Conclusion: Our study suggests that patients with SH undergoing LEB had similar perioperative complication rates compared to normal albumin and MH groups, and SH was independently associated with 90-day ED presentation and readmission. Further studies are needed to assess other factors associated with ED visits and readmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brief periods of physical inactivity can compromise muscle health. Increasing dietary protein intake is potentially beneficial but complicated by difficulties reconciling anabolic potential with a realistic food volume and energy intake. We sought to determine whether increasing dietary protein quality could reduce the negative effects of physical inactivity.Methods: Twenty healthy, older men and women completed 7 days of bed rest followed by 5 days of rehabilitation. Volunteers consumed a mixed macronutrient diet (MIXED: N = 10; 68 ± 2 years; 1,722 ± 29 kcal/day; 0.97 ± 0.01 g protein/kg/day) or an isoenergetic, whey-augmented, higher protein quality diet (WHEY: N = 10; 69 ± 1 years; 1,706 ± 23 kcal/day; 0.90 ± 0.01 g protein/kg/day). Outcomes included body composition, blood glucose, insulin, and a battery of physical function tests.Results: During bed rest, both groups experienced a 20% reduction in knee extension peak torque (p < .05). The WHEY diet partially protected leg lean mass (-1,035 vs. -680 ± 138 g, MIXED vs. WHEY; p = .08) and contributed to a greater loss of body fat (-90 vs. -233 ± 152 g, MIXED vs. WHEY; p < .05). Following rehabilitation, knee extension peak torque in the WHEY group fully recovered (-10.0 vs. 2.2 ± 4.1 Nm, MIXED vs. WHEY; p = .05). Blood glucose, insulin, aerobic capacity, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) changes were similar in both dietary conditions (p > .05).Conclusions: Improving protein quality without increasing total energy intake has the potential to partially counter some of the negative effects of bed rest in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) population recruitment and structure is related to migratory patterns, which should depend on ease of access to habitats providing increased opportunity for growth. We quantified the number of young of year (YOY) as a proportion of the total number of brown trout at 24 locations on 11 streams within the Taieri catchment, New Zealand, including back calculated growth rates and emergence dates from otoliths. Locations with high absolute and relative abundance of YOY fish were related to elevation and distance from the river mainstem (habitat used by migratory fish), fish density, and the interaction between invertebrate food biomass, distance and elevation. Hatch date and growth were not related to the proportion of YOY fish, though growth was negatively correlated to total fish density. We suggest landscape features play a large role in determining recruitment and population structure. Locations at lower elevations have a high YOY density, high competition and lower growth, likely prompting out‐migration. These conditions could be created by successful return migration and spawning of large fecund fish resulting in YOY densities exceeding the habitat carrying capacity. Environmental factors, such as food availability, also played a role in determining population structure. These results provide an example of how population structure and recruitment might be controlled by local conditions and access to high growth environments in wild populations of introduced brown trout across a catchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Arizona (UA) Libraries are implementing a comprehensive patron-driven acquisition (PDA) system for English-language books. The goal is to increase discovery options and improve delivery of monographic content for users while increasing cost effectiveness. PDA is one part of a multi-pronged monographic acquisition system that includes patron-driven acquisition for both electronic and print books, as well as a highly selective approval plan that is complemented by librarian selection as needed. Rapid changes in technology, supply-chain management, business models, and scholarly communication provide opportunities to redefine how best to meet the needs of the academic community the UA Libraries serve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined the effects of short-term β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on muscle soreness and other symptoms of muscle damage following a bout of muscle contractions. Description of HMB; Function of HMB supplementation in humans; Relative change in concentric and eccentric torque.

Introduction: Catheter‐tissue contact force is a determinant of radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesion effectiveness. However, ablation on a beating heart is subject to force variability, making it difficult to optimally deliver consistently durable and transmural lesions. This work evaluates improvements in contact force stability and lesion reproducibility by using a catheter contact‐force controller (CFC) during lesion delivery in vitro and in vivo. Methods and Results: Using a sheath and force‐sensing catheter, an experienced operator attempted to maintain a constant force of 20 g at targets within the atria and left ventricle of a pig manually and using the CFC; the average force and contact‐force variation (CFV) achieved using each approach were compared. Ablation lesions (20 W, 30 seconds, 17 mL/min irrigation) were created in bovine tissue samples mounted on a platform programmed to reproduce clinically relevant motion. CFC‐assisted lesions were delivered to stationary and moving tissue with forces of 5 to 35  g. Mimicking manual intervention, lesions were also delivered to moving tissue while the CFC was disabled. Resultant lesion volumes were compared using two‐way analysis of variance. When using the CFC, the average force was within 1 g of the set level, with a CFV less than 5 g, during both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Reproducible and statistically identical (P = .82) lesion volumes proportional to the set force were achieved in both stationary and moving tissue when the CFC was used. Conclusions: CFC assistance maintains constant force in vivo and removes effect of motion on lesion volume during RF lesion delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women with pre‐gestational diabetes have a higher risk of producing children with congenital heart defects (CHDs), caused predominantly by hyperglycemia‐induced oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated if exercise during pregnancy could mitigate oxidative stress and reduce the incidence of CHDs in the offspring of diabetic mice. Female mice were treated with streptozotocin to induce pre‐gestational diabetes, then mated with healthy males to produce offspring. They were also given access to running wheels 1 week before mating and allowed to exercise voluntarily until E18.5. Heart morphology, gene expression, and oxidative stress were assessed in foetal hearts. Maternal voluntary exercise results in a significantly lower incidence of CHDs from 59.5% to 25%. Additionally, diabetes‐induced defects in coronary artery and capillary morphogenesis were also lower with exercise. Myocardial cell proliferation and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition at E12.5 was significantly lower with pre‐gestational diabetes which was mitigated with maternal exercise. Cardiac gene expression of Notch1, Snail1, Gata4 and CyclinD1 was significantly higher in the embryos of diabetic mice that exercised compared to the non‐exercised group. Furthermore, maternal exercise produced lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in the foetal heart. In conclusion, maternal exercise mitigates ROS and oxidative damage in the foetal heart, and results in a lower incidence of CHDs in the offspring of pre‐gestational diabetes. Exercise may be an effective intervention to compliment clinical management and further minimize CHD risk in mothers with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]