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Introduction: Children with acquired brain injury (ABI) are at risk for poor therapeutic engagement due to cognitive impairment, affect lability, pain, and fatigue. Animal‐assisted therapy (AAT) has the potential to improve patient engagement in rehabilitation therapies; however, the feasibility of integrating AAT into the rigorous therapy schedule of inpatient clinical care or its reception by patients, families, and staff is unknown. Objective: To examine the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating dogs into physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions with pediatric patients being treated on an inpatient rehabilitation unit for acquired brain injury. Design: A feasibility study of AAT within the context of a within‐subjects crossover study. Setting: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit. Participants: Sixteen patients, aged 7–28 years (mean = 13.6 years, standard deviation [SD] = 5.2 years; 50% male), being treated on the inpatient rehabilitation unit following ABI. Intervention: AAT – the integration of dogs into inpatient physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions. Main Outcome Measures: Feasibility measures: enrollment rate, the proportion of AAT sessions a dog attended, adverse events, instances where therapist or handler ended session early, patient animal closeness, and utilization of dog in session. Satisfaction measures: parent satisfaction questionnaires and therapist feedback. Results: Feasibility was supported by high enrollment rate (88.9%) and dog attendance rate of 93%–95%; 84.3% of sessions used the dog in multiple ways and patients reported a high level of closeness with the dog in session, indicating that the dogs were integrated in meaningful ways. No adverse events were noted, therapists reported that intervention was convenient, and clinical care was not negatively impacted. A high level of satisfaction was reported by families and therapists. Conclusions: Findings suggest that AAT is feasible and acceptable, and it may be a valuable tool for therapists working with patients with ABI on an inpatient rehabilitation unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Multi‐omics studies in Alzheimer's disease (AD) revealed many potential disease pathways and therapeutic targets. Despite their promise of precision medicine, these studies lacked Black Americans (BA) and Latin Americans (LA), who are disproportionately affected by AD. METHODS: To bridge this gap, Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Alzheimer's Disease (AMP‐AD) expanded brain multi‐omics profiling to multi‐ethnic donors. RESULTS: We generated multi‐omics data and curated and harmonized phenotypic data from BA (n = 306), LA (n = 326), or BA and LA (n = 4) brain donors plus non‐Hispanic White (n = 252) and other (n = 20) ethnic groups, to establish a foundational dataset enriched for BA and LA participants. This study describes the data available to the research community, including transcriptome from three brain regions, whole genome sequence, and proteome measures. DISCUSSION: The inclusion of traditionally underrepresented groups in multi‐omics studies is essential to discovering the full spectrum of precision medicine targets that will be pertinent to all populations affected with AD. Highlights: Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Alzheimer's Disease Diversity Initiative led brain tissue profiling in multi‐ethnic populations.Brain multi‐omics data is generated from Black American, Latin American, and non‐Hispanic White donors.RNA, whole genome sequencing and tandem mass tag proteomicsis completed and shared.Multiple brain regions including caudate, temporal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were profiled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of how agricultural management interacts with weed seed banks and emergent weed communities is crucial for proactive weed management. Though studies have detailed how differences in disturbance and nutrient applications between organic and conventional herbicide‐based systems affect weed communities, few have focused on these same factors in contrasting organic systems. This study assessed the seed banks and emergent weed communities from the most recent crop rotation cycle (2017–2022) of a long‐term experiment, which compared four organic grain and forage cropping systems differing in nutrient inputs and soil disturbance. The high fertility (HF) system received high‐rate nutrient applications, low fertility (LF) received low‐rate applications, enhanced weed management (EWM) focused on weed control through frequent soil disturbance, and reduced tillage (RT) prioritized soil health with less intense or frequent soil disturbance. Soil samples for greenhouse germination assays were collected at the beginning (2017) and end (2022) of the rotation to explore how these four systems influenced seed bank dynamics over time. Weed community biomass was also sampled in each crop during this time. Treatment effects on weed abundance, taxonomic diversity, and community‐weighted means and functional dispersion of weed traits were analyzed with generalized mixed‐effect models. The RT system had the highest weed seed bank taxonomic diversity, and EWM had the lowest. RT and LF had higher functional dispersion of traits than HF in the seed bank. Weed seed bank communities in HF and RT were characterized by short, small‐seeded, and early germinating weed species. However, seed banks were also labile: Differences between systems in seed density and all other mean trait values were dependent on the crop, which preceded seed bank sampling. Likewise, differences among emergent weed communities in the four systems depended on an interaction between crop species and their planting year. Results suggest that resource availability and intensity of disturbance act as weed community assembly filters in organic cropping systems. Organic growers seeking to design systems that balance weed management and production goals can use relatively low soil disturbance and nutrient application to increase weed community taxonomic or functional diversity without necessarily increasing weed biomass or seed bank density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous generation of energy, specifically adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is critical for sustaining the engineered functionalities of synthetic cells constructed from the bottom‐up. In this mini‐review, we categorize studies on ATP‐producing synthetic cells into three different approaches: photosynthetic mechanisms, mitochondrial respiration mimicry, and utilization of non‐conventional approaches such as exploiting synthetic metabolic pathways. Within this framework, we evaluate the strengths and limitations of each approach and provide directions for future research endeavors. We also introduce a concept of building ATP‐generating synthetic organelle that will enable us to mimic cellular respiration in a simpler way than current strategies. This review aims to highlight the importance of energy self‐production in synthetic cells, providing suggestions and ideas that may help overcome some longstanding challenges in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of study was to identify environmental factors that influence downstream migration and passage of American Eels Anguilla rostrata in Roanoke Rapids Lake, a reservoir on the Roanoke River formed by the Roanoke Rapids Dam and Power Station. Methods: Yellow‐ and silver‐phase American Eels were outfitted with acoustic transmitters and monitored during four out‐migration periods from October 2019 through March 2023 using acoustic telemetry receivers placed in Roanoke Rapids Lake and the Roanoke River downstream of the power station. The timing of downstream passage through the power station was determined using acoustic detection data. Poisson regression models were used to analyze American Eel detections in the context of environmental variables that were hypothesized to cue out‐migration. Result: Out‐migration probability of American Eels from Roanoke Rapids Lake was influenced by time of day, rainfall, and change in lake level attributable to hydropower operations. Predictive models of out‐migration probability demonstrated that the number of migrating American Eels was widely variable across environmental conditions and was particularly sensitive to changes in lake level. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that management actions, such as scheduled water releases from a dam and the consequent change in lake level (or correlated factors), can influence the onset and timing of American Eel out‐migration. Impact StatementAcoustic telemetry observations over multiple American Eel out‐migration seasons demonstrate that out‐migration patterns are influenced by time of day, rainfall, and lake level. The connection between out‐migration timing and changes in lake level attributable to hydropower operations suggests that water releases may be used to stimulate downstream passage through hydroelectric facilities during turbine outages, when survival is likely to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream drying is increasing globally, with widespread impacts on stream ecosystems. Here, we investigated how the impacts of drying on stream ecosystem connectivity might depend on stream network size and the location of drying within the stream network. Using 11 stream networks from across the United States, we simulated drying scenarios in which we varied the location and spatial extent of drying. We found that the rate of connectivity loss varied with stream network size, such that larger stream networks lost connectivity more rapidly than smaller stream networks. We also found that the rate of connectivity loss varied with the location of drying. When drying occurred in the mainstem, even small amounts of drying resulted in rapid losses in ecosystem connectivity. When drying occurred in headwater reaches, small amounts of drying had little impact on connectivity. Beyond a certain threshold, however, connectivity declined rapidly with further increases in drying. Given the increasing stream drying worldwide, our findings underscore the need for managers to be particularly vigilant about fragmentation when managing at large spatial scales and when stream drying occurs in mainstem reaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires and climate change increasingly are transforming vegetation composition and structure, and postfire management may have long‐lasting effects on ecosystem reorganization. Postfire aerial seeding treatments are commonly used to reduce runoff and soil erosion, but little is known about how seeding treatments affect native vegetation recovery over long periods of time, particularly in type‐converted forests that have been dramatically transformed by the effects of repeated, high‐severity fire. In this study, we analyze and report on a rare long‐term (23‐year) dataset that documents vegetation dynamics following a 1996 post‐fire aerial seeding treatment and a subsequent 2011 high‐severity reburn in a dry conifer landscape of northern New Mexico, USA. Repeated surveys between 1997 and 2019 of 49 permanent transects were analyzed for differences in vegetation cover, richness, and diversity between seeded and unseeded areas, and to characterize the development of seeded and unseeded vegetation communities through time and across gradients of burn severity, elevation, and soil‐available water capacity. Seeded plots showed no significant difference in bare ground cover during the initial years postfire relative to unseeded plots. Postfire seeding led to a clear and sustained divergence in herbaceous community composition. Seeded plots had a much higher cover of non‐native graminoids, primarily Bromus inermis, a likely contaminant in the seed mix. High‐severity reburning of all plots in 2011 reduced native graminoid cover by half at seeded plots compared with both prefire levels and with plots that were unseeded following the initial 1996 fire. In addition, higher fire severity was associated with increased non‐native graminoid cover and reduced native graminoid cover. This study documents fire‐driven ecosystem transformation from conifer forest into a shrub‐and‐grass‐dominated system, reinforced by aerial seeding of grasses and high‐severity reburning. This unique long‐term dataset illustrates that post‐fire seeding carries significant risks of unwanted non‐native species invasions that persist through subsequent fires—thus alternative postfire management actions merit consideration to better support native ecosystem resilience given emergent climate change and increasing disturbance. This study also highlights the importance of long‐term monitoring of postfire vegetation dynamics, as short‐term assessments miss key elements of complex ecosystem responses to fire and postfire management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags are commonly used as a cost‐effective tool for marking small fish, making them valuable in mark–recapture studies. It is crucial to quantify the impact of tagging procedures on fish survival to address inferential bias in mark–recapture studies. We assessed marking‐related mortality and growth in American Eel Anguilla rostrata elvers in a 40‐day laboratory experiment, following VIE tag application. Methods: There were 500 elvers (80–149 mm) that were divided into four treatment groups and one control group. Treatment groups were tagged with two tags in three body locations (anterior, central, posterior on left bilateral side) or with two tags in all three locations, while the control group remained untagged. Eels were retained in experimental tanks, and mortality rates were compared. Result: The VIE tagging did not significantly affect survival, which was 90.9% across all treatment groups and 92% for the untagged control group; nor did it affect growth. Conclusion: The application of VIE tags on various body parts should be a safe and effective method for marking American Eel elvers. Impact statementThe effect of visible implant elastomer tags on juvenile eel survival has only been assessed for European Eel, and tagging was restricted to tail fins. By testing novel tag locations on American Eel elvers, we demonstrated that this species can be tagged multiple times with visible implant elastomer tags without affecting short‐term survival and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objectives: Loupe magnification is a commonly utilized tool within dental education due to its proposed benefits of improving working posture, visual acuity, and procedural quality. Although procedural quality has been researched at the graduate level, literature encompassing the undergraduate level remains scarce. Therefore, this systematic review aims to critically assess the available literature to ascertain the effects of loupe magnification on the performance of undergraduate dental students' cavity preparations. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted across electronic databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE via Ovid, The Cochrane Library for Cochrane Reviews, and Scopus, to identify relevant studies published from inception to February 15, 2023. We included English language studies that evaluated the effect of loupe magnification on the performance of undergraduate dental students in cavity preparations. Results: In total, six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The outcomes assessed encompassed tooth preparation accuracy. Of these six articles, one was conducted on endodontic access cavity preparations, four on restorative cavity preparations, and one on nonstandard cavity preparation designs performed on acrylic blocs. Four articles determined that loupes positively impacted undergraduate students' performance in cavity preparations, while two articles established no significant difference in performance between loupes and naked‐eye cavity preparations. Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that loupe magnification positively impacts undergraduate dental students' performance in cavity preparations. However, the heterogeneity of the studies and the variations in methodologies limit the ability to draw definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been a resurgence in interest among farmers in producing narrow row hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) in the Eastern UnitedStates, agronomic recommendations for modern hybrids are limited. To address this issue, field trials were carried out from 2016 to 2018 in Ohio and Pennsylvania (10 unique site‐year combinations), aiming to answer the following questions: (i) Do modern hybrids differ in their response to narrow (38 cm) and conventional (76 cm) row spacing? (ii) Is there a yield increase for narrow row production? The study was planted in a split‐plot randomized complete block design with four replications. The whole plot factor was row spacing, and the subplot factor was hybrid. Two hybrids (P0506AM and P0604AM) were in an "early"‐season group, and two hybrids (P1197AM and P1443AM) were "full"‐season hybrids. Both P0506AM and P1443AM were identified as AQUAmax hybrids and had superior seed company drought tolerance ratings over their maturity pairing counterpart. Grain and forage yield were 4% and 8% greater, respectively, for the narrow row spacing across hybrids. Hybrid differences in drought tolerance designation did not result in grain or forage yield differences under varied row spacings. There was no hybrid × row spacing interaction. In most site‐years, P1197AM hybrid produced the greatest grain and forage yields, though P1443AM and P0506AM were similar in most cases. Results suggest a minor advantage in yield (≤8%) from narrow rows in Ohio and Pennsylvania, though other considerations that include cost to conversion should be considered prior to adoption. Core Ideas: Narrow row spacing increased maize grain and forage yield by 4% and 8%, respectively, over conventional spacing.Response to row spacing was similar across hybrids, that is, there was not a hybrid × row spacing interaction.Hybrid drought tolerance designation did not affect row spacing response.Full‐season maize hybrids produced greater grain and forage yield than early‐season hybrids, regardless of row spacings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Restoration of many populations of anadromous American Shad Alosa sapidissima and river herring (Alewife A. pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis) has been hampered by the presence of barriers to their spawning migrations and insufficient monitoring of run size. Here, we describe results of a 10‐year (2012–2021) study of American Shad and river herring passage at the Island Farm Weir (IFW), the downstream‐most migration barrier on the Raritan River, New Jersey, United States. Methods: We used passive integrated transponder tags applied to fish that were captured and released downstream of the IFW to estimate passage rates and migration delays associated with upstream movements through an antenna array on a vertical slot fishway within the weir. By combining estimated passage rates with video monitoring of the total numbers of American Shad and river herring transiting the fishway, we estimated the annual run size below the weir. Result: Results suggest that the fishway on the IFW is moderately effective for American Shad (passage rate = 41%; 95% credible interval [CI] = 21–61%) but ineffective for the smaller‐bodied river herring (passage rate = 0.5%, 95% CI = 0–2%; fallback‐adjusted passage rate = 1.1%, 95% CI = 0.0–4.5%). The IFW may have also delayed the spawning migrations of those fish that did pass, with total passage times ranging from 0.4 to 20.9 days (mean ± standard deviation = 8.2 ± 5.3 days) for American Shad and 15.0 days for the one river herring that passed within the same year that it was tagged. Run size estimates during the study period ranged from 103 to 2624 individuals for American Shad and from 1486 to 53,334 for river herring. Conclusion: Restoration of these species in the Raritan River will likely require removal of the IFW or replacement of its current fish passage device with one that increases the passage rates of alosines. Impact statementUsing a combination of electronic tags and video monitoring, we found that a fish passage structure on the Raritan River, New Jersey, works moderately well for the large‐bodied American Shad but passes only a small fraction of the smaller‐bodied river herring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The annual teaching oral‐systemic health (TOSH) virtual clinical simulation and case study activity exposes interprofessional teams of nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery, dental, medical, and pharmacy students to a virtual clinical simulation experience that uses oral‐systemic health as a clinical exemplar for promoting interprofessional core competencies. The present study examines changes in participating students' self‐reported interprofessional competencies following participation in virtual TOSH from 2020 to 2022. These findings are also compared to those from in‐person TOSH (2019) to examine the equivalence of student outcomes of both the in‐person and virtual programs. Methods: A pre‐ and post‐test evaluation design was used to examine the effectiveness of exposure to the TOSH program on self‐reported attainment of interprofessional competencies for participating students using the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment scale. Results: Analysis of pre‐ and post‐surveys demonstrated statistically significant improvement in students' self‐rated interprofessional experience competencies following the virtual TOSH program, which aligns with results from the in‐person cohorts. Similar findings between the in‐person and virtual cohorts indicated no statistically significant difference between the two formats. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the success of TOSH in promoting attainment of interprofessional competencies among future health professionals. We encourage administrators and faculty who lead health professional programs to take advantage of using virtual simulations as an integral component of interprofessional oral health clinical experiences where students from different health professions learn from and about each other in assessing and treating patients across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Clinical understanding of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) has been primarily derived from Indo‐European languages. Generalizing certain linguistic findings across languages is unfitting due to contrasting linguistic structures. While PPA patients showed noun classes impairments, Chinese languages lack noun classes. Instead, Chinese languages are classifier language, and how PPA patients manipulate classifiers is unknown. METHODS: We included 74 native Chinese speakers (22 controls, 52 PPA). For classifier production task, participants were asked to produce the classifiers of high‐frequency items. In a classifier recognition task, participants were asked to choose the correct classifier. RESULTS: Both semantic variant (sv) PPA and logopenic variant (lv) PPA scored significantly lower in classifier production task. In classifier recognition task, lvPPA patients outperformed svPPA patients. The classifier production scores were correlated to cortical volume over left temporal and visual association cortices. DISCUSSION: This study highlights noun classifiers as linguistic markers to discriminate PPA syndromes in Chinese speakers. Highlights: Noun classifier processing varies in the different primary progressive aphasia (PPA) variants. Specifically, semantic variant PPA (svPPA) and logopenic variant PPA (lvPPA) patients showed significantly lower ability in producing specific classifiers. Compared to lvPPA, svPPA patients were less able to choose the accurate classifiers when presented with choices.In svPPA, classifier production score was positively correlated with gray matter volume over bilateral temporal and left visual association cortices in svPPA. Conversely, classifier production performance was correlated with volumetric changes over left ventral temporal and bilateral frontal regions in lvPPA.Comparable performance of mass and count classifier were noted in Chinese PPA patients, suggesting a common cognitive process between mass and count classifiers in Chinese languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an update on the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). CSU is a form of chronic urticaria characterized by the presence of urticarial lesions most days of the week and no identifiable cause. The article presents an algorithm for the diagnosis of CSU and discusses its association with autoimmunity. The recommended treatments for CSU include high-dose antihistamines, omalizumab, and cyclosporine. Other potential treatments are also being studied. The article emphasizes the importance of properly conducted clinical trials and highlights medications that are not recommended due to low success rates or inadequate study design. [Extracted from the article]

INTRODUCTION: The National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site Alzheimer's Genomics Database (GenomicsDB) is a public knowledge base of Alzheimer's disease (AD) genetic datasets and genomic annotations. METHODS: GenomicsDB uses a custom systems architecture to adopt and enforce rigorous standards that facilitate harmonization of AD‐relevant genome‐wide association study summary statistics datasets with functional annotations, including over 230 million annotated variants from the AD Sequencing Project. RESULTS: GenomicsDB generates interactive reports compiled from the harmonized datasets and annotations. These reports contextualize AD‐risk associations in a broader functional genomic setting and summarize them in the context of functionally annotated genes and variants. DISCUSSION: Created to make AD‐genetics knowledge more accessible to AD researchers, the GenomicsDB is designed to guide users unfamiliar with genetic data in not only exploring but also interpreting this ever‐growing volume of data. Scalable and interoperable with other genomics resources using data technology standards, the GenomicsDB can serve as a central hub for research and data analysis on AD and related dementias. Highlights: The National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS) offers to the public a unique, disease‐centric collection of AD‐relevant GWAS summary statistics datasets.Interpreting these data is challenging and requires significant bioinformatics expertise to standardize datasets and harmonize them with functional annotations on genome‐wide scales.The NIAGADS Alzheimer's GenomicsDB helps overcome these challenges by providing a user‐friendly public knowledge base for AD‐relevant genetics that shares harmonized, annotated summary statistics datasets from the NIAGADS repository in an interpretable, easily searchable format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The results of the CLARITY‐AD, GRADUATE I and II, and TRAILBLAZER‐ALZ 2 trials have rekindled discussion on the impact of amyloid‐targeting drugs. We use a Bayesian approach to quantify how rational observers would have updated their prior beliefs based on new trial results. METHODS: We used publicly available data from the CLARITY‐AD, GRADUATE I and II, and TRAILBLAZER‐ALZ 2 trials to estimate the effect of reducing amyloid on the clinical dementia rating scale, sum of boxes (CDR‐SB) score. A range of prior positions were then updated according to Bayes' theorem using these estimates. RESULTS: After updating with new trial data, a wide range of starting positions resulted in credible intervals that did not include no effect of amyloid reduction on CDR‐SB score. DISCUSSION: For a range of starting beliefs and assuming the veracity of the underlying data, rational observers would conclude there is a small benefit of amyloid reductions on cognition. This benefit must be weighed against opportunity cost and side‐effect risk. Highlights: The results of recent trials of amyloid‐targeting drugs have rekindled discussion on the impact of amyloid reductions achieved with amyloid‐targeting drugs on cognition.Prior to the announcement of trial results, beliefs about the effects of altering amyloid levels varied.For a range of starting beliefs, one would conclude there is a small benefit of amyloid reductions due to amyloid‐targeting drugs on cognition.The perceived value of individual drugs must balance the magnitude of this benefit against opportunity cost and risk of side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Passive integrated transponder (PIT) telemetry is commonly used to monitor fish movements and behavior. To reduce inferential bias in PIT telemetry studies, it is important to quantify the effects of tagging procedures on fish survival. To this end, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the hypothesis that intraperitoneal injection of 23‐mm PIT tags would have no effect on the survival of adult Blueback Herring Alosa aestivalis. Methods: We compared mortality rates of tagged and untagged Blueback Herring (n = 174; size range 202–277 cm) that were retained in experimental tanks for 14 days. Result: We observed no difference in the probability of survival between tagged (50% survival) and untagged (42%) groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that intraperitoneal tag injection is a safe and effective method of PIT tagging adult Blueback Herring and supports the use of this technique in field telemetry studies. Impact statementWhile PIT telemetry is frequently used to monitor fish movements and behavior, few studies have evaluated the effect of tagging procedures on fish survival. By comparing the survival of control and treatment groups retained in experimental tanks for 14 days, this study found that intraperitoneal injection of 23‐mm PIT tags had a negligible effect on the survival of Blueback Herring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and incident dementia remains inconclusive. METHODS: In 176,249 dementia‐free UK Biobank participants aged ≥60 years at baseline, Cox proportional‐hazards models were used to investigate the association between MetS and incident dementia. MetS was defined as the presence of ≥3 of the following: elevated waist circumference, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood glucose, and reduced high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. RESULTS: Over 15 years of follow‐up (median = 12.3), 5255 participants developed dementia. MetS was associated with an increased risk of incident dementia (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06, 1.18). The association remained consistent when restricting to longer follow‐up intervals: >5 to 10 years (HR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.27) and >10 years (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.32). Stronger associations were observed in those with ≥4 MetS components and in apolipoprotein‐E (APOE)‐ε4 non‐carriers. DISCUSSION: In this large population‐based prospective cohort, MetS was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Highlights: MetS was associated with a 12% increased risk of incident all‐cause dementia.Associations remained similar after restricting the analysis to those with longer follow‐up.The presence of four or five MetS components was significantly associated with dementia.Stronger associations were observed in those with a low genetic risk for dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are major carbon (C) sinks, but their ability to sequester C and thus mitigate climate change, varies with the environment, disturbance regime, and biotic interactions. Herbivory by invasive, nonnative ungulates can have profound ecosystem effects, yet its consequences for forest C stocks remain poorly understood. We determined the impact of invasive ungulates on C pools, both above‐ and belowground (to 30 cm), and on forest structure and diversity using 26 paired long‐term (>20 years) ungulate exclosures and adjacent unfenced control plots located in native temperate rainforests across New Zealand, spanning 36–41° S. Total ecosystem C was similar between ungulate exclosure (299.93 ± 25.94 Mg C ha−1) and unfenced control (324.60 ± 38.39 Mg C ha−1) plots. Most (60%) variation in total ecosystem C was explained by the biomass of the largest tree (mean diameter at breast height [dbh]: 88 cm) within each plot. Ungulate exclusion increased the abundance and diversity of saplings and small trees (dbh ≥2.5, <10 cm) compared with unfenced controls, but these accounted for ~5% of total ecosystem C, demonstrating that a few, large trees dominate the total forest ecosystem C but are unaffected by invasive ungulates at a timescale of 20–50 years. However, changes in understory C pools, species composition, and functional diversity did occur following long‐term ungulate exclusion. Our findings suggest that, although the removal of invasive herbivores may not affect total forest C at the decadal scale, major shifts in the diversity and composition of regenerating species will have longer term consequences for ecosystem processes and forest C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not just a disease of children In endemic regions where most people are first exposed to JEV at a young age, Japanese encephalitis is largely a disease of childhood. Keywords: Encephalitis, viral; Arbovirus infections; Vaccination; Central nervous system infections EN Encephalitis, viral Arbovirus infections Vaccination Central nervous system infections 344 347 4 05/03/23 20230501 NES 230501 A structured diagnostic approach is required when assessing for JEV in patients with encephalitis The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been a long-standing public health concern in Asia, where it is the most common cause of viral encephalitis in many countries. A prospective assessment of the accuracy of commercial IgM ELISAs in diagnosis of Japanese encephalitis virus infections in patients with suspected central nervous system infections in Laos. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Several risk prediction equations exist for the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD); however, current equations are based on studies of older individuals, with limited follow‐up time and covariates, and have generally not performed well in external validation. The aim of this study is to develop a novel dementia risk prediction equation based on a pooled analysis of population‐based studies that include both middle‐aged and older adults. Methods: We analyzed data from 13 cohorts within the Dementia Risk Prediction Pooling (DRPP) Consortium, which pooled individual participant data from cohorts in the US, France, Iceland, England, and the Netherlands, with baseline exams ranging from 1948 to 2006. Participating cohorts conducted longitudinal in‐person assessments of clinical, genetic, and behavioral risk factors over at least 10 years, and assessed dementia status. We rigorously harmonized demographic, education, lifestyle, and clinical factors as well as dementia status. From these 25 harmonized variables, we used LASSO competing risks regression to identify a parsimonious set of covariates with the best predictive performance for incident dementia based on C statistics obtained from competing risks. Results: Among the 55,614 participants included in this analysis (mean age 62.5y, 48.8% female; see Table 1), 2,523 developed incident dementia within 10 years and 4,072 within 20 years of the index exam. The resulting clinical risk prediction equation included age, gender, education, BMI, presence of depression, physical activity, smoking, and total cholesterol. The top performing equations had C statistics of 0.86‐0.89 at 10 years and 0.88‐0.92 at 20 years. Calibration plots are shown in the Figure 1. Conclusions: Using pooled individual‐level data from a large harmonized consortium of cohorts with detailed clinical and behavioral data, we developed a novel dementia risk prediction equation with excellent discrimination and acceptable calibration across a broad range of predicted risk; these equations have better performance than published risk scores. The ability to accurately identify high‐risk individuals, even as early as middle‐age, will allow healthcare providers to target preventive efforts (e.g., statins) to those at the greatest risk to reduce the future burden of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A goal of many segregated salmonid hatchery programs is to minimize potential interbreeding between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish. Our objective was to assess this on the Klickitat River, Washington, USA. Methods: We used radiotelemetry to evaluate spatiotemporal spawning overlap between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and spring Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha. We estimated percentages of tagged fish that spawned naturally in the Klickitat River subbasin, emigrated from the Klickitat River, or died before spawning. A kernel density analysis was used to estimate probability of spatiotemporal overlap between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin spawners. Result: For steelhead, 12% of hatchery‐origin and 50% of natural‐origin fish spawned naturally. For spring Chinook Salmon, 18% of hatchery‐origin and 44% of natural‐origin fish spawned naturally. Tag loss may result in underestimates in these percentages. Most hatchery‐origin steelhead (90%) spawned downstream of river kilometer (rkm) 32, and 75% spawned from November to mid‐March. The majority of natural‐origin steelhead (64%) spawned upstream of rkm 32, and 75% spawned from mid‐March to late May. Spawn timing of hatchery‐origin Chinook Salmon (early August to mid‐September) overlapped with that of natural‐origin Chinook Salmon (late July to late September), and fish of both origins spawned in the same 30‐km reach of the river. We estimated the percentage of hatchery‐origin spawners (pHOS) on the natural spawning grounds to be 12% for steelhead and 40% for spring Chinook Salmon across all study years. For steelhead, we estimated the overlap probability to be 25% (95% CI = 22.5–28%). For spring Chinook Salmon, tight spatial clustering of hatchery‐origin fish resulted in a lower overlap estimate of 21% (13–31%). Conclusion: We suggest adjusting pHOS estimates using these overlap estimates or similar spatiotemporal data on actual spawner proximity and possible interactions, and that these types of analyses be used in conjunction with gene flow analysis to accurately evaluate effects of individual hatchery programs. Impact statementPacific Salmon and steelhead hatchery programs provide important fishery and conservation benefits. We monitored interactions between hatchery and wild populations by tracking radio‐tagged fish and their degree of actual physical overlap in space and time to better inform management and recovery of this critical resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objectives: This study had a twofold outcome. The first aim was to develop an efficient, machine learning (ML) model using data from a dental school clinic (DSC) electronic health record (EHR). This model identified patients with a high likelihood of failing an appointment and provided a user‐friendly system with a rating score that would alert clinicians and administrators of patients at high risk of no‐show appointments. The second aim was to identify key factors with ML modeling that contributed to patient no‐show appointments. Methods: Using de‐identified data from a DSC EHR, eight ML algorithms were evaluated: simple decision tree, bagging regressor classifier, random forest classifier, gradient boosted regression, AdaBoost regression, XGBoost regression, neural network, and logistic regression classifier. The performance of each model was assessed using a confusion matrix with different threshold level of probability; precision, recall and predicted accuracy on each threshold; receiver‐operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC); as well as F1 score. Results: The ML models agreed on the threshold of probability score at 0.20–0.25 with Bagging classifier as the model that performed best with a F1 score of 0.41 and AUC of 0.76. Results showed a strong correlation between appointment failure and appointment confirmation, patient's age, number of visits before the appointment, total number of prior failed appointments, appointment lead time, as well as the patient's total number of medical alerts. Conclusions: Altogether, the implementation of this user‐friendly ML model can improve DSC workflow, benefiting dental students learning outcomes and optimizing personalized patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimuli‐responsive hydrogels are intriguing biomimetic materials. Previous efforts to develop mechano‐responsive hydrogels have mostly relied on chemical modifications of the hydrogel structures. Here, we present a simple, generalizable strategy that confers mechano‐responsive behavior on hydrogels. Our approach involves embedding hybrid vesicles, composed of phospholipids and amphiphilic block copolymers, within the hydrogel matrix to act as signal transducers. Under mechanical stress, these vesicles undergo deformation and rupture, releasing encapsulated compounds that can control the hydrogel network. To demonstrate this concept, we embedded vesicles containing ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA), a calcium chelator, into a calcium‐crosslinked alginate hydrogel. When compressed, the released EGTA sequesters calcium ions and degrades the hydrogel. This study provides a novel method for engineering mechano‐responsive hydrogels that may be useful in various biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasions by multiple non‐native plant species are common, but management programs often prioritize control of individual species that are expected to have the highest impacts. Multi‐species invasions could have larger or smaller impacts than single‐species invasions depending on how multiple co‐occurring invaders interact to alter their abundance or per capita impacts. Synergistic interactions, such as facilitation, may lead to greater combined impacts. However, if management focuses on a single invader, suppressive interactions could produce unintended consequences, such as the release of a co‐occurring invader with a stronger impact. The mechanisms described here highlight where better evidence is needed to predict the combined impacts of co‐occurring invaders and which mitigation strategies are most effective. Focused research is required to provide such evidence, which can aid managers in prioritizing which plant invaders to target and in determining the best sequence of invader removal – one that minimizes detrimental impacts on communities and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Golf is a moderate‐intensity physical activity that provides positive physical and mental health benefits. However, the inclusiveness of the sport for individuals with disabilities globally is unknown. Objective: To characterize the demographics and disability characteristics of individuals engaging in disability golf globally. It was hypothesized that the majority of participants would be middle‐aged, male, and from countries with higher gross domestic product, similar to the nondisabled population. Design: Descriptive, cross‐sectional analysis using European Disability Golf Association (EDGA) database. Setting Various international golf tournaments. Participants: Golfers (n = 1734) with disability from 44 countries registered with the EDGA (2017–2021). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcomes Descriptive analyses of frequencies, distributions, and means differences of demographic characteristics (age, gender, type of disability, level of handicap, golf cart use, and country of origin) of golfers with disability were performed. Data provided analysis of the association between number of participants and a country's gross domestic product (GDP). Results: Individuals had a mean age of 52.5 (±15.6) years: 1589 (91.6%) male and 145 (8.4%) female. Twenty‐three countries had female participation. The most commonly reported primary disability diagnoses were neurologic (24.8%), orthopedic (21.4%), and amputation below the knee (14.4%). Neurologic impairments (24.7%) were most common in men and orthopedic impairments (29.7%) were most common in women. Individuals with neurological impairments (27.4%) most frequently required golf carts to play. The GDP of a country had a positive correlation (r = 0.68) with the number of registered golfers with disability. Conclusion: Golf is played by individuals with a variety of disabilities and provides numerous benefits. However, there is an underrepresentation of youth, women, and individuals with certain impairments and from lower‐income countries. These are the potential areas of opportunity to improve engagement and inclusiveness of golf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial crops may sequester greater soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) than annual crops due to higher root biomass production, but the potential of long‐term cultivation of perennial bioenergy crops receiving various N fertilization rates in sequestering C and N needs further exploration. Soil samples (0–120 cm) collected from 2009 to 2019 under perennial bioenergy crops receiving various N fertilization rates and an annual crop were analyzed for soil total C (STC) and N (STN) in the US northern Great Plains. Perennial bioenergy crops were intermediate wheatgrass (IW, Thinopyrum intermedium [Host] Barkworth and Dewey), smooth bromegrass (SB, Bromus inermis L.), and switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum L.); N fertilization rates were 0, 28, 56, and 84 kg N ha−1, and annual crop was spring wheat (WH, Triticum aestivum, L.). The STC increased, but STN decreased by soil depth, regardless of treatments and years. At 0–120 cm, IW sequestered C at 10.6 Mg C ha−1 year−1 compared with 5.4–6.8 Mg C ha−1 year−1 for SB and SG from 2009 to 2019. Nitrogen fertilization rate had limited effect on STC and STN. At 0–30 cm, STC was 2.0–5.4 Mg C ha−1 greater and STN 0.10–0.24 Mg N ha−1 greater with perennial bioenergy crops than WH. Long‐term cultivation of IW can sequester more C in the soil to a greater depth than SB and SG and perennial bioenergy crops can sequester more C and N at the surface layer than an annual crop in the semiarid region of the US northern Great Plains. Core Ideas: Intermediate wheatgrass had greater soil total carbon (C) at 15–30 cm and 0–120 cm than smooth bromegrass and switchgrass.Soil total nitrogen (N) at 15–30 cm varied by perennial bioenergy crop and year.N fertilization rate had no effect on soil total C and N.Soil total C and N at 0–120 cm were greater under perennial than annual crops.Intermediate wheatgrass can sequester more C than smooth bromegrass and switchgrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Sleep–wake disturbances are a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Atypical (non‐amnestic) AD syndromes have different patterns of cortical vulnerability to AD. We hypothesized that atypical AD also shows differential vulnerability in subcortical nuclei that will manifest as different patterns of sleep dysfunction. METHODS: Overnight electroencephalography monitoring was performed on 48 subjects, including 15 amnestic, 19 atypical AD, and 14 controls. AD was defined based on neuropathological or biomarker confirmation. We compared sleep architecture by visual scoring and spectral power analysis in each group. RESULTS: Overall, AD cases showed increased sleep fragmentation and N1 sleep compared to controls. Compared to atypical AD groups, typical AD showed worse N3 sleep dysfunction and relatively preserved rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. DISCUSSION: Results suggest differing effects of amnestic and atypical AD variants on slow wave versus REM sleep, respectively, corroborating the hypothesis of differential selective vulnerability patterns of the subcortical nuclei within variants. Optimal symptomatic treatment for sleep dysfunction in clinical phenotypes may differ. Highlights: Alzheimer's disease (AD) variants show distinct patterns of sleep impairment.Amnestic/typical AD has worse N3 slow wave sleep (SWS) impairment compared to atypical AD.Atypical AD shows more rapid eye movement deficits than typical AD.Selective vulnerability patterns in subcortical areas may underlie sleep differences.Relatively preserved SWS may explain better memory scores in atypical versus typical AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological indicators are commonly used to evaluate ecosystem condition. However, their use is often constrained by the availability of information with which to assign species‐specific indicator values, which reflect species' responses to the environmental conditions being evaluated by the indicator. As these responses are driven by underlying traits, and trait data for numerous species are available in publicly accessible databases, one possible approach to approximating missing bioindicator values is through traits. We used the Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) framework and its component indicator of disturbance sensitivity, species‐specific ecological conservatism scores (C‐scores), as a study system to test the potential of this approach. We tested the consistency of relationships between trait values and expert‐assigned C‐scores and the trait‐based predictability of C‐scores across five regions. Furthermore, as a proof‐of‐concept exercise, we used a multi‐trait model to try to reconstruct C‐scores, and compared the model predictions to expert‐assigned scores. Out of 20 traits tested, there was evidence of regional consistency for germination rate, growth rate, propagation type, dispersal unit, and leaf nitrogen. However, the individual traits showed low predictability (R2 = 0.1–0.2) for C‐scores, and a multi‐trait model produced substantial classification errors; in many cases, >50% of species were misclassified. The mismatches may largely be explained by the inability to generalize regionally varying C‐scores from geographically neutral/naive trait data stored in databases, and the synthetic nature of C‐scores. Based on these results, we recommend possible next steps for expanding the availability of species‐based bioindication frameworks such as the FQA. These steps include increasing the availability of geographic and environmental data in trait databases, incorporating data about intraspecific trait variability into these databases, conducting hypothesis‐driven investigations into trait–indicator relationships, and having regional experts review our results to determine if there are patterns in the species that were correctly or incorrectly classified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although organizations say new ideas are desirable, investing in original products rather than the "tried and true" can be unsettling for decision‐makers. This discomfort may be due, in part, to uncertainty surrounding whether a new idea will prove successful. As such, the originality of a creative idea can be paradoxically viewed both as an asset, driving up appeal, as well as a detrimental risk. To help unpack these relationships, we propose that how an original idea is proposed (i.e., pitched) plays a central role in the support it receives. Guided by signaling theory we examined how pitch quality relates to funding for ideas with varying degrees of originality. In a field sample of 245 Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns, pitch quality for ideas high in originality predicted investment in such ideas. In a follow‐up experimental study, we created high‐ and low‐quality pitches for two products, also varying product originality and product quality. Results highlight the importance of high‐quality pitches for highly original ideas that are associated with reductions in uncertainty. Supplemental analyses suggest that high‐quality pitches improve enthusiasm for a product as well, highlighting a potential second path of support influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the vulnerability of Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus to potential climate changes across its range in Oregon, we compiled disparate expert knowledge of the distribution of spawning and rearing and combined these probabilistic statements as data along with documented records of breeding and rearing in a joint occupancy model. Methods: The joint expert knowledge–occupancy model, which was based on discrete patches of cold water (≤13°C) suitable for spawning and rearing, permitted the association of true occupancy with climate and other explanatory variables while accounting for variation in detection probability. We then applied estimated relationships of patch occupancy with explanatory variables to projected coldwater patch configurations in the years 2040 and 2080. Result: Projections of the kilometers of occupied coldwater patch in future decades suggest precipitous declines if current relationships of occupancy with environmental variables are maintained. Impacts of climate changes in future decades manifest directly through the outright loss of coldwater patches and increases in winter high flows but also indirectly by increased isolation. Conclusion: Combining probabilistic statements of species distributions from knowledgeable experts with sparse occupancy data may be a robust and timely alternative when large numbers of repeated occupancy surveys are infeasible. Impact statementThis study provides a novel approach for developing species distribution models using expert knowledge. This approach may be valuable for applications to species that are difficult to otherwise study or survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rarely are sufficient resources available to support the full suite of management actions to promote recovery of a species across its entire distribution. Decision support models are a tool that can inform natural resource management decisions with consideration of the perspectives from a variety of stakeholders who work across large geographic and jurisdictional extents. We offer an example of a decision support model that was developed by several federal and state natural resource agencies to rank Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus core areas for prioritizing conservation investment within Oregon, USA. We engaged state‐level decision makers to identify parameters that were believed to be influential in determining funding allocations for Bull Trout core areas. Parameters were linked in a model framework that was further refined with input from local Bull Trout experts with knowledge specific to the various core areas. The model produces a relative priority value that is a combination of the conservation risk to the species and the management capacity to address threats. A series of sensitivity analyses suggested that Bull Trout persistence and threat score were most influential in determining the relative priority of a core area, whereas life history and genetic diversity were least influential. One of the more powerful products from this work is an interactive Web‐based application (https://das.ecosphere.fws.gov/public/obts/) that anyone can use to explore how their beliefs in parameter values will affect the relative priority of Bull Trout core areas across Oregon. Our modeling effort is an example of engaging stakeholders with different roles in species recovery and across a large geographic area to create a clearer path forward in allocating limited resources for species recovery. This approach can be employed to address a number of natural resource management situations across species and habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slab rollback during subduction plays a key role in controlling continental growth at convergent plate boundaries. The dynamics of currently subducting slabs can be precisely constrained using geophysical techniques. In contrast, ancient episodes of slab rollback can be difficult to constrain, yet are critical to unlocking the tectonic evolution of long‐lived orogens such as the Phanerozoic Australian Tasmanides of eastern Gondwana. Recognition of ancient slab rollback relies on the identification of the progressive migration of magmatic arcs. Here, we investigate the timing and isotopic variation of ∼90 km of the trans‐orogen migration of the Carboniferous Bathurst Batholith as a potential indicator of slab rollback. U–Pb–Hf isotopes, combined with a regional zircon Hf isotope data set, suggest that the eastward migration of the batholith over ∼18 Myr, from 340.1 to 322.4 Ma, records a maximum slab steepening rate of ∼0.6–1.2° Myr−1 in a relatively stable trench setting. These results provide a magmatic record of Carboniferous slab rollback and establish a missing link between the long‐lived Lachlan and New England orogens of the eastern Gondwanan Tasmanides. Plain Language Summary: Slab rollback occurs at convergent plate boundaries, which is key to understanding the evolution of subduction processes. However, for ancient subduction zones where the geometry of long since subducted slabs no longer exists, the evolution of slab dynamics remains unclear. Occasionally though, the progressive migration of magmatic trends is observable and provides constraints on slab rollback, which aid in reconstructing the tectonic evolution of long‐lived orogens, such as the Phanerozoic orogens of eastern Australia. Here, we focus on how the unique magmatism of the Carboniferous Bathurst Batholith progressively migrated in the direction of the trench and analyze and interpret the geochronological and geochemical evolution of the batholith to better constrain subduction dynamics. We find that the Bathurst Batholith records the Carboniferous slab rollback of eastern Gondwana and reveals the relationship between the two key orogens of eastern Australia. Thus, the migration of magmatism in convergent settings can be used to track the slab rollback processes and evolution of the long‐lived orogens. Key Points: The Bathurst Batholith is part of a Carboniferous continental arc formed as a result of westward subduction in eastern GondwanaEastward migration of the batholith over ∼18 Myr recorded a maximum slab steepening rate of ∼0.6–1.2° Myr−1 in a stable trench settingThe batholith as a trans‐orogen "missing link" reveals continental arc magmatism extended across the Lachlan and New England orogens [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The amount of time it takes for bone allograft particles to be replaced with new vital bone during ridge preservation is unclear. The purpose of this article was to compare the wound healing and vital bone formation following ridge preservation using a combination allograft of 70% mineralized and 30% demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft at 4 months (short-term, ST) versus 12 months (long-term, LT). Methods: Fifty-seven patients were enrolled in the study who required extraction of a single tooth (excluding second and third molars) and were planned for replacement with a dental implant. After tooth extraction, all sites were grafted with a combination allograft procured from a single donor, and patients were randomized into the ST or LT healing groups. Patients returned for implant placement and an 8-mm bone core biopsy was harvested using a trephine drill during initial implant osteotomy preparation. The cores were then analyzed histologically to determine the percentages of vital bone formation, residual graft particles, and connective tissue/other. Results: There was significantly greater vital bone formation in the LT group (51.38%) compared with the ST group (31.39%) (p = 0.0025) and significantly fewer residual graft particles in the LT group (18.04%) compared with the ST group (40.38%). Conclusions:Alonger healing time following ridge preservation results in more vital bone formation and less residual graft particles at the time of implant placement. However, residual allograft material still remains at 12 months after ridge preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the inter- and intra-examiner agreement among international experts on the diagnosis of gingival recession defects (GRDs) using the 2018 Classification of Gingival Recession Defects and Gingival Phenotype as proposed in the 2017 World Workshop.Materials and Methods: Standardized intraoral photographs from twenty-eight GRDs were evaluated twice by sixteen expert periodontists. Recession type (RT), recession depth (RD), keratinized tissue width (KTW), gingival thickness (GT), detectability of the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and presence of root steps (RS) were recorded and used for the analysis. Intra- and inter-examiner agreements were calculated for individual variables and for the overall classification. ICC with 95% CI was used for RD and KTW; kappa with 95% CI was used for GT, CEJ and RS; quadratic weighted kappa with 95% CI was used for RT.Results: Overall intra- and inter-examiner agreements were highest for KTW (0.95 and 0.90), lowest for GT (0.75 and 0.41), with the other variables in between (RD: 0.93 and 0.68, RS: 0.87 and 0.65, RT: 0.79 and 0.64, CEJ: 0.75 and 0.57). Overall intra- and inter-examiner agreements for the matrix were 62% and 28%, respectively. Significant effects existed between one variable's measurement and other variables' agreements.Conclusions: The 2018 Classification of GRDs and Gingival Phenotype is clinically reproduceable within the examiners, and when the variables forming the matrix are analyzed individually. The between-examiner agreement for the complete matrix showed lower reproducibility. The agreement was highest for KTW and RD, and least for GT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) cause adverse events and death. We evaluate the Care Ecosystem (CE) collaborative dementia care program on medication use among community‐dwelling persons living with dementia (PLWD). Methods: Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) comparing CE to usual care (UC) on changes in PIMs, over 12 months between March 2015 and May 2020. Secondary outcomes included change in number of medications, clinically relevant PIMs, and anti‐dementia medications. Results: Of 804 PLWD, N = 490 had complete medication data. The CE resulted in significantly fewer PIMs compared to UC (−0.35; 95% CI, −0.49 to −0.20; P < 0.0001). Number needed to prevent an increase in 1 PIM was 3. Total medications, PIMs for dementia or cognitive impairment, CNS‐active PIMs, anticholinergics, benzodiazepines, and opioids were also fewer. Anti‐dementia medication regimens were modified more frequently. Conclusion: The CE medication review intervention embedded in collaborative dementia care optimized medication use among PLWD. Highlights: Compared to usual care (UC), the Care Ecosystem (CE) medication review intervention prevented increases in potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs).Use of anticholinergics, benzodiazepines, and opioids were significantly reduced, with a trend for antipsychotics.Anti‐dementia medications were adjusted more frequently.The CE medication review intervention embedded in collaborative dementia care optimized medication use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of piscivorous colonial waterbird predation on juvenile salmonids (smolts) and to determine what proportion of all sources of smolt mortality was due to predation, we analyzed a data set describing fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha that were marked with PIT tags in the Columbia River, USA. We used a state‐space Bayesian model that incorporated live detections of tagged fish and recoveries of tags from dead fish to jointly estimate predation and survival over multiple river reaches and years (2008–2019). By incorporating recoveries of tags on bird colonies, the model was also able to increase the precision and spatial extent of survival estimates compared with a more traditional capture–recapture model. Results indicated that the avian predation probability (proportion of available fish consumed) varied depending on the predator species, colony location, and the fish's rearing type. Estimates of cumulative predation probability ranged annually from 0.066 (95% credible interval = 0.049–0.089) to 0.283 (0.210–0.419), and predation accounted for 7.3% (4.3–11.9%) to 29.1% (19.7–40.2%) of all sources of smolt mortality during out‐migration to Bonneville Dam. Probabilities of predation on wild smolts were significantly higher than those for hatchery smolts in most river reaches and years. Predation probabilities were the highest for colonies of American white pelicans Pelecanus erythrorhynchos and double‐crested cormorants Nannopterum auritum, which were located near where wild smolts rear and congregate. Estimates of predation by Caspian terns Hydroprogne caspia, California gulls Larus californicus, and ring‐billed gulls L. delawarensis were often <0.03 of available smolts annually. Collectively, results indicated that the cumulative effects of predation on Chinook Salmon smolts were substantial in some but not all river reaches and years. Future models that consider biological and environmental factors influencing smolt susceptibility to avian predation may provide a more holistic understanding of the degree to which predation limits fish survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A nascent body of research suggests that higher adult child educational attainment may have beneficial impacts on older parents' cognitive aging. Children with higher education may offer both financial and non‐financial resources that help support healthy brain aging for older parents. The causality of these relationships is difficult to evaluate; quasi‐experimental approaches are needed to address the confounding bias expected for observational studies. Method: We used data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 6741), a nationally representative cohort of adults aged ≥50 years (2012), with repeated measures of verbal memory and verbal fluency assessed in 2012, 2015, and 2018. We leveraged a 1993 national compulsory schooling law (CSL), which raised minimum schooling from six to nine years, as a source of quasi‐experimental variation in (adult) children's education that is independent of confounders of the relationship between adult child education and parents' cognition. We generated a binary instrumental variable based on the respondents' oldest child's birth cohort and used two‐stage least squares estimation (2SLS). We compared 2SLS estimates to those generated via ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and mixed linear models adjusted for respondent and family‐level characteristics. Result: At baseline, participants (55.3% female) were on average 60.0 years old. OLS models suggested that more schooling among oldest adult children was associated with better baseline verbal memory (ß(95% CI): 0.017(0.012,0.022)) and verbal fluency z‐scores (ß(95% CI): 0.020(0.014,0.026)). Exposure to the CSL was associated with an increase in average educational attainment by 0.612 years (95% CI: 0.384, 0.842). However, estimates from 2SLS suggested no quasi‐experimental association between increased adult child schooling and older respondents' verbal memory (ß(95% CI): ‐0.039(‐0.102,0.023)) or verbal fluency scores (ß(95% CI): ‐0.005(‐0.080,0.071)). In observational analyses, each year of increased schooling among oldest children was associated with slower decline in verbal memory z‐scores (ß(95% CI): 0.010(0.001,0.019)) per decade, but not with verbal fluency. Conclusion: Our findings present promising, but inconclusive evidence that increases in schooling may have a beneficial effect on parents' levels of cognitive performance. This work has important implications globally, given the massive increases in educational attainment achieved by recent generations in these settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multimodal interventions targeting modifiable disease‐associated risk factors may support large‐scale population brain health. The landmark Finnish‐Geriatric‐Intervention‐Study‐to‐Prevent‐Cognitive‐Impairment‐and‐Disability(FINGER) demonstrated improvements in cognition and health outcomes 2‐years post‐intervention. Researchers now seek to adapt and implement this approach internationally, within the World‐Wide FINGERS (WW‐FINGERS) network. Dementia prevalence in Africa is rising; however, scant research examines the impact of lifestyle factor changes on dementia risk in African populations. Furthermore, no interventional studies have assessed the feasibility or efficacy of culturally sensitive risk‐reduction approaches. Overcoming these gaps, our multi‐national collaboration with established rural and urban cohorts in Kenya and Nigeria in the first instance will leverage expertise from WW‐FINGERS, Global‐Brain‐Health‐Institute (GBHI), Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative (DAC) and Global‐Dementia‐Prevention‐Program (GloDePP) partners. Methods: The AFRICA‐FINGERS study will recruit older adults at risk of cognitive impairment based on a well‐validated dementia risk score. The adapted interventions comprise physical/social activity, healthy diet, cognitive stimulation and vascular risk monitoring. Initially, we externally validated six existing dementia risk scores using data from the Ibadan cohort of the Indianapolis‐Ibadan‐Dementia study (1992‐2022, n = 4353). We examined the association between common dementia risk factors, validated risk scores and time to incident dementia or cognitive impairment. Sex‐specific interactions were further investigated. Results: 7% of the cohort developed dementia (mean±SD follow‐up: 7±4 years). Of the risk factors studied, older age (HR:1.09, 95%CI:1.07‐1.10), higher systolic blood pressure (HR:1.01, 95%CI:1.00‐1.02), history of stroke (HR:3.06, 95%CI:1.44‐6.48), smoking (HR:1.41, 95%CI:1.10‐1.99) and lower social engagement (HR:4.11, 95%CI: 1.90‐8.89) were associated with higher dementia risk; while being male (HR:0.49, 95%CI: 0.36 ‐ 0.67) was associated with lower risk. The best predictive models were lifestyle and vascular‐based dementia risk scores that included ethnicity. Sex‐specific diagnostic accuracy for predicting incident dementia and cognitive impairment will be presented. Conclusions: Our preliminary independent validation of Western‐derived dementia risk scores in a rural Nigeria cohort provides a cursory estimation of the proportion of elders who may meet the planned study's eligibility criteria in terms of at‐risk‐for‐dementia status. The next step will explore facilitators/barriers to adherence and sustainability of the intervention in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, Congo and DRC via stakeholder focus‐groups, to inform development of the intervention protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Discordance between the clinical diagnosis of AD by experts after a comprehensive evaluation and AD pathology on autopsy remains common. We sought to identify clinical situations where amyloid‐PET would be most valuable as a diagnostic tool by identifying predictors associated with discordance between initial clinical diagnosis and amyloid‐PET results. Method: IDEAS was a real‐world study that assessed the clinical utility of amyloid‐PET in 11,829 participants (age 76±6, 51% female, MMSE 24.5±5) across 595 US sites. Participants met amyloid‐PET Appropriate Use Criteria and completed pre/post‐PET visits where specialists documented clinical diagnosis. Diagnosis‐PET discordance was defined as either an initial AD diagnosis pre‐PET with a negative amyloid‐PET, or non‐AD diagnosis with positive amyloid‐PET. Univariate logistic regressions were performed to identify predictors and outcomes of discordance in the total sample and in subgroups stratified by pre‐PET diagnosis (AD/non‐AD). Result: Diagnosis‐PET discordance occurred in 40% of total participants, including 36%(n = 3323/9115) with an initial AD diagnosis and negative amyloid‐PET and 52%(n = 1409/2714) with an initial non‐AD diagnosis and positive amyloid‐PET. In the total sample (Figure 1), predictors associated with greater discordance included non‐White race (Black/African American: OR 1.26; 95%CI [1.04‐1.53]; Asian: (1.62[1.23‐2.13]) and more medical comorbidities (each comorbidity: 1.07[1.05‐1.07]). Predictors associated with less discordance included older age (5‐year increase: 0.91[0.89‐0.94]), female sex (0.91[0.85‐0.98]), dementia severity (vs MCI: 0.70[0.65‐0.75]), greater disease duration (≥3yr: 0.83[0.77‐0.90]), greater physician diagnostic confidence (0.89[0.86‐0.89]), AD medication use (0.64[0.59‐0.69]), and family history of dementia (0.89[0.81‐0.97]). Practice features associated with less discordance included using image quantification (0.90[0.81‐0.99]), using multimodal imaging (0.90[0.82‐0.97]), and greater physician time(≥50%) in dementia care (0.92[0.86‐0.99]). Subgroup analyses (Figure 2) identified additional predictors associated with greater discordance in those initially diagnosed with AD included Hispanic ethnicity (1.35[1.10‐1.66]), living alone (1.16[1.04‐1.30]), and non‐English primary language (1.22[1.01‐1.47]). Conclusion: The high frequency of discordance supports the clinical utility of AD biomarkers. Amyloid‐PET may be most valuable to support AD diagnosis in participants who are early in the disease course, younger, from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, live alone, have multiple medical comorbidities, and lack a suggestive family history. The risk of discordance may be reduced by using image quantification, multimodal imaging, and highly specialized providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of aging that is difficult to diagnose. Electronic health records (EHR) are a valuable source of longitudinal data for disease phenotyping and prediction. Knowledge graphs, such as SPOKE (Scalable Precision Medicine Open Knowledge Engine), help derive biological meaning from phenotypic data. Here we utilize machine learning on EHR to predict and better understand AD. Method: AD patients and controls were identified from the UCSF EHR. The index time was identified as the first dementia diagnosis or drug record among the AD patients, and 1 year before the last visit among controls. Controls matched on demographics and visit‐related factors were identified at five time points relative to the index time (‐7years, ‐5years, ‐3years, ‐1year, and ‐1day) at a 1:8 ratio. Random forest (RF) classification models for AD were trained utilizing clinical data (conditions, drugs, abnormal measurements) and evaluated with bootstrapped AUROCs on a 30% held‐out set. Top features mapped to phecodes were ranked based on average impurity decrease. Networks were created from SPOKE knowledge graph by identifying shortest paths between top 25 model features and AD, and associations were validated with genetic colocalization analysis on shared variants in the UK Biobank. Result: From the UCSF EHR, 749 AD patients and 250,545 Controls were identified with clinical concepts 7 years prior to each individual's index time. RF trained on AD and matched control individuals' data performed with AUROC of 0.58 (‐7years) to 0.77 (‐1day). Top phecode features from models include those that are important earlier (osteoarthritis, allergic rhinitis), progress in importance closer to index time (dizziness, vitamin D deficiency, memory loss), and persist in importance throughout time (hyperlipidemia) (Figure 1). Knowledge networks highlight shared biological relationships between top features (e.g., hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis), including identification of relevant genes (e.g., APOE, PSEN 1/2, INS, AKT1, HFE) (Figure 2). Colocalization analysis of LDL cholesterol and AD confirms a commonly associated SNP in APOE. Conclusion: EHR together with knowledge networks provide an opportunity to identify early clinical predictors of AD diagnosis, with utility for early intervention, hypothesis generation and biological insight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some introduced species cause severe damage, although the majority have little impact. Robust predictions of which species are most likely to cause substantial impacts could focus efforts to mitigate those impacts or prevent certain invasions entirely. Introduced herbivorous insects can reduce crop yield, fundamentally alter natural and managed forest ecosystems, and are unique among invasive species in that they require certain host plants to succeed. Recent studies have demonstrated that understanding the evolutionary history of introduced herbivores and their host plants can provide robust predictions of impact. Specifically, divergence times between hosts in the native and introduced ranges of a nonnative insect can be used to predict the potential impact of the insect should it establish in a novel ecosystem. However, divergence time estimates vary among published phylogenetic datasets, making it crucial to understand if and how the choice of phylogeny affects prediction of impact. Here, we tested the robustness of impact prediction to variation in host phylogeny by using insects that feed on conifers and predicting the likelihood of high impact using four different published phylogenies. Our analyses ranked 62 insects that are not established in North America and 47 North American conifer species according to overall risk and vulnerability, respectively. We found that results were robust to the choice of phylogeny. Although published vascular plant phylogenies continue to be refined, our analysis indicates that those differences are not substantial enough to alter the predictions of invader impact. Our results can assist in focusing biosecurity programs for conifer pests and can be more generally applied to nonnative insects and their potential hosts by prioritizing surveillance for those insects most likely to be damaging invaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is accompanied by metabolic alterations both in the periphery and the central nervous system. However, so far, a global view of AD‐associated metabolic changes in the brain has been missing. Methods: We metabolically profiled 500 samples from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Metabolite levels were correlated with eight clinical parameters, covering both late‐life cognitive performance and AD neuropathology measures. Results: We observed widespread metabolic dysregulation associated with AD, spanning 298 metabolites from various AD‐relevant pathways. These included alterations to bioenergetics, cholesterol metabolism, neuroinflammation, and metabolic consequences of neurotransmitter ratio imbalances. Our findings further suggest impaired osmoregulation as a potential pathomechanism in AD. Finally, inspecting the interplay of proteinopathies provided evidence that metabolic associations were largely driven by tau pathology rather than amyloid beta pathology. Discussion: This work provides a comprehensive reference map of metabolic brain changes in AD that lays the foundation for future mechanistic follow‐up studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed studies of piscivorous colonial waterbird predation on juvenile salmonids to synthesize current knowledge of factors affecting fish susceptibility to avian predators. Specifically, we examined peer‐reviewed publications and reports from academic, governmental, and nongovernmental agencies to identify commonalities and differences in susceptibility of salmonids to avian predation, with a focus on mark–recovery studies in the Columbia River basin. Factors hypothesized to influence salmonid susceptibility to avian predation were grouped into four general categories: (1) salmonid species and populations, (2) environmental factors, (3) prey density, predator density, and migration timing, and (4) prey characteristics. Our review focused on predation by Caspian terns Hydroprogne caspia, double‐crested cormorants Nannopterum auritum, and gull species Larus spp. as these are the most well‐studied avian predators of salmonids. Results indicated that predator–prey interactions varied across salmonid species and populations and species of avian predator. Inferences across studies supported multiple hypotheses regarding predator–prey dynamics, including environmental factors that influence prey exposure to predators (e.g., river flows, turbidity, alternative prey), variation in predator and prey abundances, predator characteristics (e.g., foraging behavior, colony location), and prey characteristics (e.g., fish length, condition). Mark–recovery studies of avian predation on fish populations have greatly improved our understanding of the factors affecting fish susceptibility to avian predation, the relative contributions of abiotic and biotic factors to predation susceptibility, and the extent to which avian predation affects fish survival and the viability of prey populations. Future studies that jointly model predation and survival and the factors affecting those processes will further broaden our understanding of predator–prey dynamics and directly evaluate the effects of predation on prey population dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess associations between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and the incidence of hospitalisation with selected respiratory and non‐respiratory conditions in a largely SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine‐naïve population. Design, setting, participants: Self‐control case series; analysis of population‐wide surveillance and administrative data for all laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 cases notified to the Victorian Department of Health (onset, 23 January 2020 – 31 May 2021; ie, prior to widespread vaccination rollout) and linked hospital admissions data (admission dates to 30 September 2021). Main outcome measures: Hospitalisation of people with acute COVID‐19; incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing incidence of hospitalisations with defined conditions (including cardiac, cerebrovascular, venous thrombo‐embolic, coagulative, and renal disorders) from three days before to within 89 days of onset of COVID‐19 with incidence during baseline period (60–365 days prior to COVID‐19 onset). Results: A total of 20 594 COVID‐19 cases were notified; 2992 people (14.5%) were hospitalised with COVID‐19. The incidence of hospitalisation within 89 days of onset of COVID‐19 was higher than during the baseline period for several conditions, including myocarditis and pericarditis (IRR, 14.8; 95% CI, 3.2–68.3), thrombocytopenia (IRR, 7.4; 95% CI, 4.4–12.5), pulmonary embolism (IRR, 6.4; 95% CI, 3.6–11.4), acute myocardial infarction (IRR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.6–5.8), and cerebral infarction (IRR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4–3.9). Conclusion: SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is associated with higher incidence of hospitalisation with several respiratory and non‐respiratory conditions. Our findings reinforce the value of COVID‐19 mitigation measures such as vaccination, and awareness of these associations should assist the clinical management of people with histories of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that predation by piscivorous colonial waterbirds may negatively influence the survival of Lost River Suckers (LRS) Deltistes luxatus and Shortnose Suckers (SNS) Chasmistes brevirostris in the Upper Klamath Basin (UKB), USA. However, estimates of predation from past studies, which were based on suckers with PIT tags, represent minimum estimates of sucker mortality because analyses did not account for the proportion of tags that were consumed by birds and deposited beyond their breeding colony. To address this uncertainty, we fed PIT‐tagged suckers to American white pelicans Pelecanus erythrorhynchos to estimate deposition probabilities. A hierarchical Bayesian model was then used to estimate predation rates (percentage of available tagged fish that were consumed) on juvenile suckers that were released as part of the Sucker Assisted Rearing Program (SARP) and on wild juvenile and adult LRS and SNS during 2009–2020. Pelican deposition probabilities were estimated to be 0.47 (95% credible interval = 0.36–0.60), indicating that for every 100 tags consumed, 47 tags on average were deposited on breeding colonies by birds. Deposition‐corrected estimates of predation rates were approximately two times greater than those previously reported and ranged annually from 4.3% (95% credible interval = 2.9–6.7%) to 8.5% (6.3–12.7%) on SARP juvenile suckers, from 4.3% (0.9–13.2%) to 10.5% (3.8–24.5%) on wild juvenile suckers, and from 0.1% (<0.1–0.3%) to 7.2% (2.8–16.4%) on adult suckers, depending on species and location. Results suggest that predation by colonial waterbirds, although not the original cause of sucker declines, was a substantial source of sucker mortality in some years. Future studies should consider models that jointly estimate both predation and survival and models that include environmental factors that potentially influence sucker susceptibility to avian predators in the UKB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]