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This paper explores Erich Fromm's concept of humanism, arguing that it provides us with a unified theory for both clinical work as well as social criticism. Fromm's humanistic ideas are rooted in a structure of thought that sees our existence, our ontology as human beings, as constituted by our inherent capacities for both relatedness as well as positing ends and purposes in the world. By cultivating a self-awareness of these dual capacities, we can achieve a state of freedom, a self-consciousness of our capacity to shape our reality as opposed to conforming ourselves to it. In this way, Fromm's ideas constitute a critical humanism that can be realized in the world via self- and social transformation and not merely an abstract set of principles or concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

With continued smoking of tobacco products and expanded use of nicotine delivery devices worldwide, understanding the impact of smoking and vaping on respiratory health remains a major global unmet need. Although multiple studies have shown a strong association between smoking and asthma, there is a relative paucity of mechanistic understanding of how elements in cigarette smoke impact the airway. Recognizing that nicotine is a major component in both smoking and vaping products, it is critical to understand the mechanisms by which nicotine impacts airways and promotes lung diseases such as asthma. There is now increasing evidence that α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) are critical players in nicotine effects on airways, but the mechanisms by which α7nAChR influences different airway cell types have not been widely explored. In this review, we highlight and integrate the current state of knowledge regarding nicotine and α7nAChR in the context of asthma and identify potential approaches to alleviate the impact of smoking and vaping on the lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to cigarette smoke and e-cigarettes, with nicotine as the active constituent, contributes to increased health risks associated with asthma. Nicotine exerts its functional activity via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and the alpha7 subtype (α7nAChR) has recently been shown to adversely affect airway dynamics. The mechanisms of α7nAChR action in airways, particularly in the context of airway smooth muscle (ASM), a key cell type in asthma, are still under investigation. Mitochondria have garnered increasing interest for their role in regulating airway tone and adaptations to cellular stress. Here mitochondrial dynamics such as fusion versus fission, and mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]m), play an important role in mitochondrial homeostasis. There is currently no information on effects and mechanisms by which nicotine regulates mitochondrial structure and function in ASM in the context of asthma. We hypothesized that nicotine disrupts mitochondrial morphology, fission-fusion balance, and [Ca2+]m regulation, with altered mitochondrial respiration and bioenergetics in the context of asthmatic ASM. Using human ASM (hASM) cells from nonasthmatics, asthmatics, and smokers, we examined the effects of nicotine on mitochondrial dynamics and [Ca2+]m. Fluorescence [Ca2+]m imaging of hASM cells with rhod-2 showed robust responses to 10 μM nicotine, particularly in asthmatics and smokers. In both asthmatics and smokers, nicotine increased the expression of fission proteins while decreasing fusion proteins. Seahorse analysis showed blunted oxidative phosphorylation parameters in response to nicotine in these groups. α7nAChR siRNA blunted nicotine effects, rescuing [Ca2+]m, changes in mitochondrial structural proteins, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These data highlight mitochondria as a target of nicotine effects on ASM, where mitochondrial disruption and impaired buffering could permit downstream effects of nicotine in the context of asthma. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Asthma is a major healthcare burden, which is further exacerbated by smoking. Recognizing the smoking risk of asthma, understanding the effects of nicotine on asthmatic airways becomes critical. Surprisingly, the mechanisms of nicotine action, even in normal and especially asthmatic airways, are understudied. Accordingly, the goal of this research is to investigate how nicotine influences asthmatic airways in terms of mitochondrial structure and function, via the a7nAChR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate hospital performance and behaviors in the first 2 years of a statewide commercial insurance episode-based incentive pay-for-performance (P4P) program. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of price- and risk-standardized episode-of-care spending from the Michigan Value Collaborative claims data registry. METHODS: Changes in hospital-level episode spending between baseline and performance years were estimated during the program years (PYs) 2018 and 2019. The distribution and hospital characteristics associated with P4P points earned were described for both PYs. A difference-indifferences (DID) analysis compared changes in patient-level episode spending associated with program implementation. RESULTS: Hospital-level episode spending for all conditions declined significantly from the baseline year to the performance year in PY 2018 (-$671; 95% CI, -$1113 to -$230) but was not significantly different for PY 2019 ($177; 95% CI, -$412 to $767). Hospitals earned a mean (SD) total of 6.3 (3.1) of 10 points in PY 2018 and 4.5 (2.9) of 10 points in PY 2019, with few significant differences in P4P points across hospital characteristics. The highest-scoring hospitals were more likely to have changes in case mix index and decreases in spending across the entire episode of care compared with the lowest-scoring hospitals. DID analysis revealed no significant changes in patient-level episode spending associated with program implementation. CONCLUSIONS: There was little evidence for overall reductions in spending associated with the program, but the performance of the hospitals that achieved greatest savings and incentives provides insights into the ongoing design of hospital P4P metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assess whether implementation of the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act was associated with an increase in the percentage of opioid prescriptions written for 7 days or fewer among patients with acute or postsurgical musculoskeletal conditions. Design An interrupted time-series study was conducted to determine the change in duration of opioid prescriptions associated with the STOP Act. Setting Data were extracted from the electronic health record of a large health care system in North Carolina. Subjects Patients presenting from 2016 to 2020 with an acute musculoskeletal injury and the clinicians treating them were included in an interrupted time-series study (n  = 12 839). Methods Trends were assessed over time, including the change in trend associated with implementation of the STOP Act, for the percentage of prescriptions written for ≤7 days. Results Among patients with acute musculoskeletal injury, less than 30% of prescriptions were written for ≤7 days in January of 2016; by December of 2020, almost 90% of prescriptions were written for ≤7 days. Prescriptions written for ≤7 days increased 17.7% after the STOP Act was implemented (P  < .001), after adjustment for the existing trend. Conclusions These results demonstrate significant potential for legislation to influence opioid prescribing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental question of the 21st century centers around the role and place of humans in their environment. Given the great acceleration of consumptive practices engaged in the 20th century, humans stand on the brink of a 6th extinction event. In order to determine our place and role in our global environment, we need to reflect on where we are and what the future will be—we need to focus on the habits of our "co-inhabitation" of the planet. Given the positive and negative impacts of international and global activities, intercultural dialogues are necessary for the care of the ecology of the planet, and one of the most prescient dialogues is between Eastern and Western world views. While much comparative research has been conducted regarding the connection between American Transcendentalism and Chinese ancient philosophy, relatively little philosophical work has been conducted to demonstrate the connectivity between Henry David Thoreau and Taoism. Yet there are, in fact, profound similarities between the American naturalist and Chinese philosophy, in particular Taoism. This paper aimed to discover and manifest the connection and similarities between the philosophy of Thoreau and the ancient worldview of Taoism. Through this comparative study and intercultural dialogue, we seek to trace historical precedents and intercultural dialogue between American Transcendentalism and ancient Chinese philosophy in order to explore the groundwork for a new vision of environmental awareness in order to promote a better future with a community of co-inhabitants and emphasis on the well-being of all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Domain experts prefer interactive and targeted control-point tone mapping operations (TMOs) to enhance underwater image quality and feature visibility; though this comes at the expense of time and training. In this paper, we provide end-users with a simpler and faster interactive tone-mapping approach. This is built upon Weibull Tone Mapping (WTM) theory; introduced in previous work as a preferred tool to describe and improve domain expert TMOs. We allow end-users to easily shape brightness distributions according to the Weibull distribution, using two parameter sliders which modify the distribution peak and spread. Our experiments showed that 10 domain experts found the two-slider Weibull manipulation sufficed to make a desired adjustment in >80% of images in a large dataset. For the remaining ∼20%, observers opted for a control-point TMO which can, broadly, encompass many global tone mapping algorithms. Importantly, 91% of these control-point TMOs can actually be visually well-approximated by our Weibull slider manipulation, despite users not identifying slider parameters themselves. Our work stresses the benefit of the Weibull distribution and significance of image purpose in underwater image enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide resistance is an important weed management issue. Glyphosate is the most dominant herbicide, which controls a broad spectrum of weeds, including grasses such as Lolium rigidum. Lolium rigidum is a major weed of winter crops in Australia that is developing glyphosate resistance in increasing numbers of populations and has been observed growing throughout summer in recent years. Three L. rigidum populations, one summer-emerging glyphosate-resistant (GR), one winter-emerging glyphosate-susceptible (GS), and one winter-emerging population with unknown resistance status (CC04), were analyzed for target-site resistance to glyphosate after confirming their resistance or susceptibility to glyphosate in a dose–response experiment. Population GR was obtained from plants that emerged in summer and contained plants that survived all rates of glyphosate applied (0 to 4560 g a.e. ha−1). It was found to be 6.1 and 4.4 times more resistant than population GS across two experiments. Population CC04 was identified as susceptible. Plants from each population were analyzed for the presence of target-site mutations in the conserved region of the EPSPS gene; however, no mutations were identified that could cause resistance, suggesting non-target-site resistance in population GR. The effectiveness of alternative herbicides was also analyzed for each population. Paraquat was the most effective herbicide, with 0% survival across all populations. The ACCase-inhibiting herbicide clethodim was also highly effective (0 to 8% survival across populations). Other ACCase-inhibiting herbicides, propaquizafop, haloxyfop, and pinoxaden, were effective at controlling the two susceptible populations, CC04 and GS (0 to 36% and 0 to 20% survival, respectively), but were only moderately effective for controlling GR (28 to 51% survival). Paraquat and clethodim may be alternative options for controlling GR populations of L. rigidum and could be effective for use in management programs to slow the development of GR populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The objective of this study is to explore the characteristics of the subset of patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs) who had little to no change in SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody index value levels after a third mRNA vaccine dose (3V) and to compare the cohort of patients who did and did not seroconvert post-3V to get a better understanding of the demographics and potential drivers of serostatus. Study design This retrospective cohort study analyzed SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody index values pre and post the 3V data on 625 patients diagnosed with HM across a large Midwestern United States healthcare system between 31 October 2019 and 31 January 2022. Methods To assess the association between individual characteristics and seroconversion status, patients were placed into two groups based on IgG antibody status pre and post the 3V dose, (−/+) and (−/−). Odds ratios were used as measures of association for all categorical variables. Logistic regressions were used to measure the association between HM condition and seroconversion. Results HM diagnosis was significantly associated with seroconversion status (P = 0.0003) with patients non-Hodgkin lymphoma six times the odds of not seroconverting compared with multiple myeloma patients (P = 0.0010). Among the participants who were seronegative prior to 3V, 149 (55.6%) seroconverted after the 3V dose and 119 (44.4%) did not. Conclusion This study focuses on an important subset of patients with HM who are not seroconverting after the COVID mRNA 3V. This gain in scientific knowledge is needed for clinicians to target and counsel these vulnerable patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regeneration potential of the mammalian heart is incredibly limited, as cardiomyocyte proliferation ceases shortly after birth. β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blockade has been shown to improve heart functions in response to injury; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we inhibited β-AR signaling in the heart using metoprolol, a cardio-selective β blocker for β1-adrenergic receptor (β1-AR) to examine its role in heart maturation and regeneration in postnatal mice. We found that metoprolol enhanced cardiomyocyte proliferation and promoted cardiac regeneration post myocardial infarction, resulting in reduced scar formation and improved cardiac function. Moreover, the increased cardiomyocyte proliferation was also induced by the genetic deletion of Gnas, the gene encoding G protein alpha subunit (Gαs), a downstream effector of β-AR. Genome wide transcriptome analysis revealed that the Hippo-effector YAP, which is associated with immature cardiomyocyte proliferation, was upregulated in the cardiomyocytes of β-blocker treated and Gnas cKO hearts. Moreover, the increased YAP activity is modulated by RhoA signaling. Our pharmacological and genetic studies reveal that β1-AR-Gαs-YAP signaling axis is involved in regulating postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. These results suggest that inhibiting β-AR-Gαs signaling promotes the regenerative capacity and extends the cardiac regenerative window in juvenile mice by activating YAP-mediated transcriptional programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictions for wheat grown under future climate conditions indicate a decline in grain protein concentration accompanied with an increase in yield due to increasing carbon dioxide concentrations. Currently, there is a lack of understanding as to the complete mechanism that governs the response of grain protein concentration (GPC) to elevated carbon dioxide (e[CO 2 ]). We investigated the GPC of 18 wheat genotypes from a doubled haploid wheat population and the two parental genotypes, Kukri and RAC0875. In addition, other nitrogen and biomass related traits were analysed to further elucidate which traits are connected with the decline in GPC. Wheat was grown under ambient and elevated [CO 2 ] in an environmentally controlled glasshouse. Plant nitrogen and biomass accumulation were measured at anthesis and maturity. We found that GPC declined under e[CO 2 ] and that the response of GPC to e[CO 2 ] was negatively correlated with nitrogen utilisation efficiency and harvest index. The extent that total biomass (anthesis), harvest index, photosynthesis, nitrogen utilisation and remobilisation efficiency, total nitrogen remobilisation and post-anthesis nitrogen uptake impacted GPC in response to e[CO 2 ] varied across genotype, suggesting that multiple mechanisms are responsible for GPC decline at e[CO 2 ] and that these mechanisms are effected differentially across genotypes. • GPC declines in some wheat genotypes under e[CO 2 ], but not all. • GPC response correlated negatively with both NUtE and HI response. • Nitrogen remobilisation contributes to maintaining GPC. • No single trait was involved in preventing GPC decline under e[CO 2 ]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mice exposed in gestation to maternal high-fat/high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet develop altered bile acid (BA) homeostasis. We hypothesized that these reflect an altered microbiome and asked if microbiota transplanted from HF/HS offspring change hepatic BA and lipid metabolism to determine the directionality of effect. Female mice were fed HF/HS or chow (CON) for 6 wk and bred with lean males. 16S sequencing was performed to compare taxa in offspring. Cecal microbiome transplantation (CMT) was performed from HF/HS or CON offspring into antibiotic-treated mice fed chow or high fructose. BA, lipid metabolic, and gene expression analyses were performed in recipient mice. Gut microbiomes from HF/HS offspring segregated from CON offspring, with increased Firmicutes to Bacteriodetes ratios and Verrucomicrobial abundance. After CMT was performed, HF/HS-recipient mice had larger BA pools, increased intrahepatic muricholic acid, and decreased deoxycholic acid species. HF/HS-recipient mice exhibited downregulated hepatic Mrp2, increased hepatic Oatp1b2, and decreased ileal Asbt mRNA expression. HF/HS-recipient mice exhibited decreased cecal butyrate and increased hepatic expression of Il6. HF/HS-recipient mice had larger livers and increased intrahepatic triglyceride versus CON-recipient mice after fructose feeding, with increased hepatic mRNA expression of lipogenic genes including Srebf1, Fabp1, Mogat1, and Mogat2. CMT from HF/HS offspring increased BA pool and shifted the composition of the intrahepatic BA pool. CMT from HF/HS donor offspring increased fructose-induced liver triglyceride accumulation. These findings support a causal role for vertical transfer of an altered microbiome in hepatic BA and lipid metabolism in HF/HS offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytical chemists in the food sector are well acquainted with the empirically observed Horwitz function. It relates reproducibility (interlaboratory) standard deviations estimated by collaborative trial with the mass fraction of the analyte. No compelling theory accounts for the power-law form of the function or its parameters. The equation of Zitter and God, ostensibly covering the same ground, is less well known but, in spite of its secure foundation in theory and practice, seems at first sight to be incompatible with the Horwitz function. In this paper, we see that because of the limited range of mass fractions in which a single collaborative trial is usually conducted, collections of statistics from collaborative trials exhibit the Horwitz function over the mass fraction range from about 10−7 (100 ppb) to about 10−1 (10%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between reproducibility standard deviation and mass fraction in food analysis has been studied in compilations of statistics from collaborative trials and from proficiency tests. There was a broad tendency for both categories of statistics to follow the Horwitz function although systematic deviations from it were easily detected at both extremes of the mass fraction range (below 10−7 and above 10−2). The two compilations were found to have very similar properties over the whole range of mass fractions, that is from about 10−10 (0.1 ppb) upwards. This similarity has implications for the determination of detection limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hadrosaurids are a diverse and widely distributed group of ornithischian dinosaurs that are particularly well represented in the upper Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation of the Belly River Group of Alberta. However, the origin of this hadrosaurid diversity in Alberta is poorly understood, as the lower Campanian terrestrial deposits of the underlying Oldman and Foremost formations of the group have produced comparatively few body fossils. Here we provide the first description of a partially articulated hadrosaurid and hadrosaurid material from a bonebed from the Foremost Formation and refer it to the brachylophosaurin Probrachylophosaurus sp. indet. The material represents the oldest occurrence of Brachylophosaurini in Alberta and the oldest known hadrosaurid diagnostic to the genus level from Canada. In Alberta, Hadrosaurinae display a distinct pattern of replacement with the tribes Brachylophosaurini and Kritosaurini being confined to the lower to middle Campanian strata (below the marine Bearpaw Formation) and replaced above the Bearpaw Formation by members of Saurolophini (Prosaurolophus, Saurolophus) and Edmontosaurini (Edmontosaurus), with the latter clade persisting to the end of the Maastrichtian. Although the worldwide stratigraphic distribution of the Hadrosaurinae is complex, this pattern generally holds true for northern Laramidian hadrosaurine tribes, suggesting that their pattern of evolution and replacement may be driven by some common underlying factor such as an environmental response to fluctuations in the margins of the Western Interior Seaway due to sea level change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work forms a background to the recent discussion about normal and log-normal distributions in the results of proficiency tests for GMO analysis. In order to clear up some common confusions, the paper first covers some basic principles, viz., a comparison of normally and log-normally distributed samples of results at various precisions, and a background to the determination of assigned values and scoring in proficiency tests. Then follows brief discussions on the identification of outliers and the use of 'tests for normality'. In conclusion, there is a broad outline of the steps that may assist a proficiency testing scheme in deciding on a suitable model of dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

Submerged nearshore structure designs are commonly tested and optimised in scale model wave basins prior to construction in the field. Depending on the purpose of the structure, different measurement methods are used. In this paper, a camera-based measurement method called Wave Peel Tracking (WPT) was adapted and evaluated for quantifying wave breaking over submerged structures purposed for surf amenity. The WPT algorithm was successfully applied to the wave basin through controlled artificial lighting at night, precise image rectification, and modification to a classifier model. The WPT results were verified using overhead footage and had similar accuracy to the WPT algorithm previously applied in the field (Thompson et al., 2021a). Results from wave basin testing of two rock reef structures and three sand mound structures are presented for both regular and irregular waves and were analysed to show the effectiveness of the WPT algorithm in quantifying surf amenity for informing design optimisation. The algorithm applied to the wave basin is open-source, enabling further use and adoption by other laboratories. • Open-source software tracks surfable rides in a wave basin. • 2 rock reef and 3 sand mound physical models were assessed for surf amenity. • WPT results revealed how surf amenity was created in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submerged nearshore structure designs are commonly tested and optimised in scale model wave basins prior to construction in the field. Depending on the purpose of the structure, different measurement methods are used. In this paper, a camera-based measurement method called Wave Peel Tracking (WPT) was adapted and evaluated for quantifying wave breaking over submerged structures purposed for surf amenity. The WPT algorithm was successfully applied to the wave basin through controlled artificial lighting at night, precise image rectification, and modification to a classifier model. The WPT results were verified using overhead footage and had similar accuracy to the WPT algorithm previously applied in the field (Thompson et al., 2021a). Results from wave basin testing of two rock reef structures and three sand mound structures are presented for both regular and irregular waves and were analysed to show the effectiveness of the WPT algorithm in quantifying surf amenity for informing design optimisation. The algorithm applied to the wave basin is open-source, enabling further use and adoption by other laboratories. • Open-source software tracks surfable rides in a wave basin. • 2 rock reef and 3 sand mound physical models were assessed for surf amenity. • WPT results revealed how surf amenity was created in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing thermal anneals of Si-implanted β-Ga2O3 is critical for low resistance contacts and selective area doping. We report the impact of annealing ambient, temperature, and time on the activation of room temperature ion-implanted Si in β-Ga2O3 at concentrations from 5 × 1018 to 1 × 1020 cm−3, demonstrating full activation (>80% activation, mobilities >70 cm2/V s) with contact resistances below 0.29 Ω mm. Homoepitaxial β-Ga2O3 films, grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Fe-doped (010) substrates, were implanted at multiple energies to yield 100 nm box profiles of 5 × 1018, 5 × 1019, and 1 × 1020 cm−3. Anneals were performed in an ultra-high vacuum-compatible quartz furnace at 1 bar with well-controlled gas compositions. To maintain β-Ga2O3 stability, pO2 must be greater than 10−9 bar. Anneals up to pO2 = 1 bar achieve full activation at 5 × 1018 cm−3, while 5 × 1019 cm−3 must be annealed with pO2 ≤ 10−4 bar, and 1 × 1020 cm−3 requires pO2 < 10−6 bar. Water vapor prevents activation and must be maintained below 10−8 bar. Activation is achieved for anneal temperatures as low as 850 °C with mobility increasing with anneal temperatures up to 1050 °C, though Si diffusion has been reported above 950 °C. At 950 °C, activation is maximized between 5 and 20 min with longer times resulting in decreased carrier activation (over-annealing). This over-annealing is significant for concentrations above 5 × 1019 cm−3 and occurs rapidly at 1 × 1020 cm−3. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (channeling) suggests that damage recovery is seeded from remnant aligned β-Ga2O3 that remains after implantation; this conclusion is also supported by scanning transmission electron microscopy showing retention of the β-phase with inclusions that resemble the γ-phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reflection of light off a rippled water surface often produces glare for an observer at the beach. For applications such as coastal video monitoring, surf lifesaving and coastal research it is useful to know when glare will be present and how strong it will be. Open-source software was developed to predict the proportion and intensity of glare from the water surface visible in a field of view at any time and day of the year. The algorithm for estimating glare links together physics, geometry and the software library "Astropy", which provides the positioning of the Sun relative to the Earth. The algorithm was verified with still images taken at different latitudes and bearings around the world with an average glare region overlap accuracy of 40% and average glare region size similarity accuracy of 60%. Glare graphs produced by the software were verified with yearlong camera footage with an average time period overlap accuracy of 60%. The algorithm was particularly accurate for times of strongest glare. This new tool can be used for automating glare avoidance for continuous coastal monitoring systems, informing lifeguards when glare will be obstructive to surveillance and optimising the timing and positioning of coastal research experiments requiring video capture. • Open-source software estimates when coastal observations are affected by glare. • Verified with phone images globally and for a full year in Australia. • Can be used to improve lifeguard surveillance, coastal monitoring systems and field experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation and protection of surfing breaks along populated coastlines have become a consideration for many councils and governments as surfing breaks are a major driver of tourism. To assess the surf amenity of surfing breaks, a quantitative and objective assessment method is required. A new wave peel tracking (WPT) method has been developed using a shore-based camera to assess surf amenity by measuring and quantifying potential surfing ride rate, length, duration, speed and direction on a wave-by-wave basis. The wave peel (or "curl" below the wave peak) is the optimal surfing region on a wave, and each wave peel track represents a surfable ride. Wave peel regions are identified, classified and tracked using traditional and machine learning-based computer vision techniques. The methodology is validated by comparing the rectified wave peel tracks with GPS-measured tracks from surfers in the wave peel regions. The WPT methodology is evaluated with data from a reef and adjacent natural beach at the Gold Coast, Australia. The reef produced longer ride lengths than the nearshore region and showed a consistent breaking location along the reef crest. Spatial maps of the wave peel tracks show the influence of tides on the wave breaking patterns and intensity. The WPT algorithm provides a robust, automated method for quantifying surf amenity to provide baseline data for surf break conservation. The methodology has potential uses to verify numerical modelling of surf breaks and to assess the impact of coastal development on surf breaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thickness shear mode acoustic wave device is of interest for the sensing of biomarkers for diseases in various biological fluids, but suffers from the issue of non-specific adsorption of compounds other than those of interest to the electrode surface, thus affecting the device's output. The aim of this present study was to determine the level of non-specific adsorption on gold electrodes from serum samples with added ovarian cancer biomarker lysophosphatidic acid in the presence of a surface anti-fouling layer. The latter was an oligoethylene molecule with thiol group for attachment to the electrode surface. It was found that the anti-fouling layer had a minimal effect on the level of both adsorption of components from serum and the marker. This result stands in sharp contrast to the analogous monolayer employed for anti-fouling reduction on silica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet intervention forms the cornerstone for cardiovascular disease (CVD) management. The objective was to measure the frequency of dietary counseling documentation for patients recently hospitalized with CVD. This was an observational study. Patients were included from the Michigan Value Collaborative Multipayer Claims Registry from October 2015 to February 2020. The study measured the frequency of medical claims that document dietary counseling ≤90 days after hospitalization (ie, an episode of care) for CVD events (coronary artery bypass grafting, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and percutaneous coronary intervention). Dietary counseling documentation was defined as having an encounter-level International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision code for dietary counseling or current procedural terminology code for medical nutrition therapy or cardiac rehabilitation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure variation in documentation across gender, age, comorbidities, hospital geography, CVD event, and insurer. There were 175,631 episodes of care (congesitve heart failure 47.1%, acute myocardial infarction 28.7%, percutaneous coronary intervention 17.0%, and coronary artery bypass grafting 7.3%) among 146,185 individuals. Most episodes occurred among men (55.8%) and those older than age 65 years (71.9%). Dietary counseling was documented for 22.8% of episodes and was more common as cardiac rehabilitation (18.6%) than other encounter types (5.1%). In multivariable analysis, there was lower odds for dietary counseling documentation among those older than age 65 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.77; P <.001), women (OR 0.83; P <.001), with chronic kidney disease (OR 0.74; P <.001), or diabetes (OR 0.95; P <.001), but greater odds for those with obesity (OR 1.28; P <.001) and nonmetropolitan hospitals (OR 1.31; P <.001). Compared with coronary artery bypass grafting, acute myocardial infarction (OR 0.29; P <.001), confestive heart failure (OR 0.12; P <.001), and percutaneous coronary intervention (OR 0.36; P <.001) episodes had lower odds to have dietary counseling coded. Compared with Traditional Medicare, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization plans had lower odds, whereas Commercial or Medicare Advantage preferred provider organization and Commercial health maintenance organization plans had higher odds to have dietary counseling documented. Results were mostly similar when evaluated by race. Dietary counseling was infrequently documented after hospitalization for CVD episodes in medical claims in a Michigan-based multipayer claims database with large variation by reason for hospitalization and patient factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin is an abundant biopolymer and pathogen-associated molecular pattern that stimulates a host innate immune response. Mammals express chitin-binding and chitin-degrading proteins to remove chitin from the body. One of these proteins, Acidic Mammalian Chitinase (AMCase), is an enzyme known for its ability to function under acidic conditions in the stomach but is also active in tissues with more neutral pHs, such as the lung. Here, we used a combination of biochemical, structural, and computational modeling approaches to examine how the mouse homolog (mAMCase) can act in both acidic and neutral environments. We measured kinetic properties of mAMCase activity across a broad pH range, quantifying its unusual dual activity optima at pH 2 and 7. We also solved high-resolution crystal structures of mAMCase in complex with oligomeric GlcNAcn, the building block of chitin, where we identified extensive conformational ligand heterogeneity. Leveraging these data, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations that suggest how a key catalytic residue could be protonated via distinct mechanisms in each of the two environmental pH ranges. These results integrate structural, biochemical, and computational approaches to deliver a more complete understanding of the catalytic mechanism governing mAMCase activity at different pH. Engineering proteins with tunable pH optima may provide new opportunities to develop improved enzyme variants, including AMCase, for therapeutic purposes in chitin degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study investigated differences in the plasma metabolome in two groups of adults that were of similar age but varied markedly in body composition and dietary and physical activity patterns. Study participants included 52 adults in the lifestyle group (LIFE) (28 males, 24 females) and 52 in the control group (CON) (27 males, 25 females). The results using an extensive untargeted ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) metabolomics analysis with 10,535 metabolite peaks identified 486 important metabolites (variable influence on projections scores of VIP ≥ 1) and 16 significantly enriched metabolic pathways that differentiated LIFE and CON groups. A novel metabolite signature of positive lifestyle habits emerged from this analysis highlighted by lower plasma levels of numerous bile acids, an amino acid profile characterized by higher histidine and lower glutamic acid, glutamine, β-alanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and proline, an elevated vitamin D status, higher levels of beneficial fatty acids and gut microbiome catabolism metabolites from plant substrates, and reduced levels of N-glycan degradation metabolites and environmental contaminants. This study established that the plasma metabolome is strongly associated with body composition and lifestyle habits. The robust lifestyle metabolite signature identified in this study is consistent with an improved life expectancy and a reduced risk for chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To understand hospitals' approaches to spending reduction in commercial episode-based payment programs and inform incentive design. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative arm of an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study involving semistructured interviews with hospital leaders participating in a statewide quality improvement collaborative with novel episode-based incentive payments introduced by the state's largest commercial payer. METHODS: We recruited 21 leaders from 8 purposively selected, diverse hospitals with both high and low performance. Video teleconference--based interviews followed a standardized protocol and addressed 4 domains: choice of clinical condition for evaluation, strategies for episode spending reduction, best practices for success in earning incentives, and barriers to achievement. Rapid qualitative analysis with purposeful data reduction was employed to generate a matrix of key themes within the study domains. RESULTS: Strategies were similar between high- and low-performing hospitals. When selecting conditions, some hospitals focused on areas of underperformance, aiming for improvement opportunities, whereas others chose conditions already achieving highest efficiency. Many tried to synergize with other ongoing improvement initiatives and clinical areas with established leaders and champions. Key strategies included data-driven improvement, care standardization, and protocol dissemination. Best practices for success included readmission prevention and postacute care spending containment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted hospitals' most common strategies and approaches, providing several insights into optimal design of commercial episode-based incentives: They must be lucrative enough to earn attention or consistent with larger federal programs; hospitals need opportunities to succeed through both improved performance and sustained excellence; and programs may incur malalignment between hospitals and credentialed physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Shark placentae are derived from modifications to the fetal yolk sac and the maternal uterine mucosa. In almost all placental sharks, embryonic development occurs in an egg capsule that remains intact for the entire pregnancy, separating the fetal tissues from the maternal tissues at the placental interface. Here, we investigate the structure and permeability of the egg capsules that surround developing embryos of the placental Australian sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon taylori) during late pregnancy. The egg capsule is an acellular fibrous structure that is 0.42 ± 0.04 μm thick at the placental interface between the yolk sac and uterine tissues, and 0.67 ± 0.08 μm thick in the paraplacental regions. This is the thinnest egg capsule of any placental shark measured so far, which may increase the diffusion rate of respiratory gases, fetal wastes, water and nutrients between maternal and fetal tissues. Molecules smaller than or equal to ~ 1000 Da can diffuse through the egg capsule, but larger proteins (~ 3000–26,000 Da) cannot. Similar permeability characteristics between the egg capsule of R. taylori and other placental sharks suggest that molecular size is an important determinant of the molecules that can be exchanged between the mother and her embryos during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report that a source of Si impurities commonly observed on (010) β-Ga2O3 is from exposure of the surface to air. Moreover, we find that a 15 min hydrofluoric acid (HF) (49%) treatment reduces the Si density by approximately 1 order of magnitude on (010) β-Ga2O3 surfaces. This reduction in Si is critical for the elimination of the often observed parasitic conducting channel, which negatively affects transport properties and lateral transistor performance. After the HF treatment, the sample must be immediately put under vacuum, for the Si fully returns within 10 min of additional air exposure. Finally, we demonstrate that performing a 30 min HF (49%) treatment on the substrate before growth has no deleterious effect on the structure or on the epitaxy surface after subsequent Ga2O3 growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined correlations among religious commitment, perceived religious oppression, self-esteem, depression, and satisfaction with life for 159 women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Results showed a negative association between religious commitment and religious oppression, while religious commitment was positively correlated with satisfaction with life. Perceived religious oppression was negatively correlated with satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with life was negatively correlated with depression. Satisfaction with life did not significantly mediate the relationship between religious commitment and perceived religious oppression. Additional results are provided. Implications related to Latter-day Saint women's well-being are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's freshwater turtles have high endemicity and many are threatened by extinction. Following a symposium held at the 2022 conference of the Australian Society of Herpetologists, we summarized the current status of research and conservation for Australian freshwater turtles and identified opportunities for future research. Eight species (32%) of Australia's 25 native freshwater turtles are listed as threatened by Australia's Federal Government. Symposium discussions on the primary gaps in research identified the lack of baseline data to inform population modelling as a key deficiency. Knowledge of the most effective conservation actions, the effectiveness of attempts to aid population recovery, and whether these actions are required at all, remains lacking for many species. A heavy bias exists between some well‐studied species compared with others for which little or no information is published. Community science, engagement with First Nations people, advances in technology, and recognition of the importance of turtles are contributing to better knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Liming is widely known as a cost-efficient agricultural practice to reduce cadmium (Cd) concentration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain (CdR) in the short term. However, the effect of long-term continuous liming on CdR-reduction in the context of other environmental controls remains unknown. Methods: We quantified the temporal stability of CdR-reduction in response to biannually continuous liming and its correlations with dynamic soil properties and weather conditions based on a 7-year field experiment in a subtropical double-cropping rice ecosystem in a moderately Cd-contaminated acidic soil. Results: The CdR value declined by 51–90% with liming without compromising the rice yield. The degree of CdR-reduction was similar between early and late rice seasons. However, the between-year CdR-reduction was variable, remaining relatively stable in the first three years and fluctuating in the last four years. Soil pH and Olsen-P concentration at the ripening stage rose significantly, while the concentrations of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd, Mn, and Zn in soil remained unaffected. The soil pH did not further increase after the second year of liming. The soil pH and Olsen-P concentration were positively correlated with cumulative liming, but the CdR and CdR-reduction exhibited no correlations with cumulative liming. The CdR was correlated negatively with precipitation but positively with temperature and sunshine duration. Conclusions: The effect of 7-year continuous liming on CdR-reduction was temporally unstable and had no significant cumulative effect on CdR. The between-year CdR-reduction was not controlled by accumulative liming but primarily by dynamic soil properties and weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]