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Background: The post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) brings salivary bicarbonate to neutralize residual distal esophageal mucosal acidification. Aims: To determine if reduced saliva production and esophageal body hypomotility would compromise PSPW-induced pH recovery in the distal esophagus. Methods: In this multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study, patients with confirmed Sjogren's syndrome and scleroderma/mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) who underwent high resolution manometry (HRM) and ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring off antisecretory therapy were retrospectively identified. Patients without these disorders undergoing HRM and pH-impedance monitoring for GERD symptoms were identified from the same time-period. Acid exposure time, numbers of reflux episodes and PSPW, pH recovery with PSPW, and HRM metrics were extracted. Univariate comparisons and multivariable analysis were performed to determine predictors of pH recovery with PSPW. Results: Among Sjogren's syndrome (n = 34), scleroderma/MCTD (n = 14), and comparison patients with reflux symptoms (n = 96), the scleroderma/MCTD group had significantly higher AET, higher prevalence of hypomotility, lower detected reflux episodes, and very low numbers of PSPW (p ≤ 0.004 compared to other groups). There was no difference in pH-impedance metrics between Sjogren's syndrome, and comparison patients (p ≥ 0.481). Proportions with complete pH recovery with PSPW was lower in Sjogren's patients compared to comparison reflux patients (p = 0.009), predominantly in subsets with hypomotility (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma/MCTD or neither (p = 0.014) and esophageal hypomotility (p = 0.024) independently predicted lack of complete pH recovery with PSPW, while higher total reflux episodes trended (p = 0.051). Conclusions: Saliva production and motor function are both important in PSPW related pH recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: (i) To identify peer reviewed publications reporting the mental and/or physical health outcomes of Deaf adults who are sign language users and to synthesise evidence; (ii) If data available, to analyse how the health of the adult Deaf population compares to that of the general population; (iii) to evaluate the quality of evidence in the identified publications; (iv) to identify limitations of the current evidence base and suggest directions for future research. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: The inclusion criteria were Deaf adult populations who used a signed language, all study types, including methods-focused papers which also contain results in relation to health outcomes of Deaf signing populations. Full-text articles, published in peer-review journals were searched up to 13th June 2023, published in English or a signed language such as ASL (American Sign Language). Data extraction: Supported by the Rayyan systematic review software, two authors independently reviewed identified publications at each screening stage (primary and secondary). A third reviewer was consulted to settle any disagreements. Comprehensive data extraction included research design, study sample, methodology, findings, and a quality assessment. Results: Of the 35 included studies, the majority (25 out of 35) concerned mental health outcomes. The findings from this review highlighted the inequalities in health and mental health outcomes for Deaf signing populations in comparison with the general population, gaps in the range of conditions studied in relation to Deaf people, and the poor quality of available data. Conclusions: Population sample definition and consistency of standards of reporting of health outcomes for Deaf people who use sign language should be improved. Further research on health outcomes not previously reported is needed to gain better understanding of Deaf people's state of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualifying exams and thesis committees are crucial components of a PhD candidate's journey. However, many candidates have trouble navigating these milestones and knowing what to expect. This article provides advice on meeting the requirements of the qualifying exam, understanding its format and components, choosing effective preparation strategies, retaking the qualifying exam, if necessary, and selecting a thesis committee, all while maintaining one's mental health. This comprehensive guide addresses components of the graduate school process that are often neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High‐resolution manometry (HRM) is performed for evaluation of esophageal symptoms, but patient outcome is unclear when no actionable motor disorder is identified. We evaluated long‐term symptomatic outcome of patients with nonactionable HRM findings. Methods: Patients who underwent (HRM) studies in 2006–2008 were tracked. Patients with achalasia spectrum disorders, foregut surgery before or after HRM, and incomplete symptom documentation were excluded. Symptom questionnaires assessing dominant symptom intensity (DSI, product of symptom severity and frequency recorded on 5‐point Likert scales) and global symptom severity (GSS, from 10 cm visual analog scale) were repeated. Change in symptom burden was compared against HRM motor findings using Chicago Classification 4.0 (CCv4.0), applied retroactively to 2006–2008 data. Key Results: Overall, 134 patients (median age 68 years, 64.5% female) could be contacted. The majority (73.1%) had normal motility; others had ineffective esophageal motility (8.2%), esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (13.4%), hypercontractile esophagus (3.0%), or absent contractility (2.2%), none managed invasively. Over 15 years of follow‐up, DSI decreased from 8.0 (4.0–16.0) to 1.0 (0.0–6.0) (p < 0.001) and GSS improved from 5.5 (3.3–7.7) to 2.0 (0.0–4.0) (p < 0.001); improvement was consistent across CCv4.0 diagnoses and subgroups. The majority (82.8%) reported improvement over time, and antisecretory medication was the most effective intervention (83.0% improvement). There was no difference in medication efficacy (p = 0.75) or improvement in symptoms (p = 0.20) based on CCv4 diagnosis. Conclusions and Inferences: Esophageal symptoms improve with conservative symptomatic management over long‐term follow‐up when no conclusive obstructive motor disorders or achalasia spectrum disorders are found on HRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of developmental biology has declined in prominence in recent decades, with off-shoots from the field becoming more fashionable and highly funded. This has created inequity in discovery and opportunity, partly due to the perception that the field is antiquated or not cutting edge. A 'think tank' of scientists from multiple developmental biology-related disciplines came together to define specific challenges in the field that may have inhibited innovation, and to provide tangible solutions to some of the issues facing developmental biology. The community suggestions include a call to the community to help 'rebrand' the field, alongside proposals for additional funding apparatuses, frameworks for interdisciplinary innovative collaborations, pedagogical access, improved science communication, increased diversity and inclusion, and equity of resources to provide maximal impact to the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) results in persistent or de novo reflux more often than Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). We investigated pressurization patterns in the proximal stomach on high-resolution manometry (HRM) to determine associations with reflux after SG. METHODS: Patients undergoing HRM and ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring after SG and RYGB over a 2-year period (2019-2020) were included. For each included patient, 2 symptomatic control patients with HRM and pH-impedance monitoring for reflux symptoms were identified within the same time frame; 15 asymptomatic healthy controls with HRM studies were also studied. Concurrent myotomy and preoperative diagnosis of obstructive motor disorders were exclusions. Conventional HRM metrics, esophagogastric junction (EGJ) pressures, contractile integral (EGJ-CI), acid exposure time (AET), and reflux episode numbers were extracted. Intragastric pressure was sampled at baseline, during swallows, and with straight leg raise maneuver, and compared with intraesophageal pressure and reflux burden. RESULTS: Patient cohorts included 36 SG patients, 23 RYGB patients, 113 symptomatic controls, and 15 asymptomatic controls. While both SG and RYGB patients pressurized the stomach during swallows and straight leg raise, SG patients had higher AET (median 6.0% vs 0.2%), reflux episode numbers (median 63.0 vs 37.5), and baseline intragastric pressure (median 17.3 mm Hg vs 13.1 mm Hg) (P < 0.001). SG patients also had lower trans-EGJ pressure gradients when reflux episodes were >80 or AET was >6.0% (P 5 0.018 and 0.08, respectively, compared with no pathologic reflux). On multivariable analysis, SG status and low EGJ-CI independently associated with AET and reflux episode numbers (P £ 0.04). DISCUSSION: Impaired EGJ barrier function and proximal gastric pressurization after SG are associated with gastroesophageal reflux, especially during strain maneuvers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and has been associated with secondary intracranial hypertension. We reviewed 11 pediatric patients with Lyme-associated secondary intracranial hypertension. All patients presented with headache, ten had papilledema, 7 with a rash, and 5 with a cranial nerve palsy. All patients were treated with acetazolamide, and 3 received combination therapy with furosemide. Three patients were considered to have fulminant intracranial hypertension because of the severity in their presenting courses. Two of the fulminant intracranial hypertension patients were treated with a temporary lumbar drain in addition to medications, whereas 1 fulminant intracranial hypertension patient was treated exclusively with medical therapy alone. The addition of a lumbar drain decreased the time to resolution of papilledema compared to medical management alone. Final visual acuity was 20/20 in each eye of all patients, suggesting that a titrated approach to therapy depending on the severity of presentation can result in good visual outcomes in these cases. Additionally, symptoms can recur after medication wean, so patients should be monitored closely with any discontinuation of intracranial pressure lowering medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friedrich Nietzsche and Albert Schweitzer end up defending radically similar, yet critically opposed conclusions about the human animal and its place in nature, particularly with regard to the ethical awareness that does or does not follow from this situatedness. Arthur Schopenhauer's notion of the will accounts for their similar foundational assumptions. But what accounts for the fact that their shared desire to affirm the will to life leads to fundamentally opposed ethical conclusions? What keeps Schweitzer's ascetic ethic of reverence for life from evolving into Nietzsche's anti-ascetic vision of a second innocence beyond good and evil? We argue that situating the notion of reverence for life within an environmental virtue ethics, as one environmental virtue among many, aiming at ecological conversion, better articulates and motivates the disposition demanded by the ethics of reverence for life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There will be common challenges to scaling‐up any ionic liquids separations technologies which require very large volumes of ionic liquid. Some of these challenges are illustrated in this personal account which chronicles the extraction of chitin from shrimp shell from discovery to current commercialization efforts. The road being taken from discovery in an academic laboratory, through attempts to navigate the scaling‐up to commercial scale using the vehicle of a faculty startup company is rewarding, but fraught with roadblocks, detours, and unexpected challenges. The differences in 'technically feasible' and 'commercially viable' are not always evident from the beginning of the journey, however, one wonders what achievements we miss as a Society because it was assumed to not be commercially viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel metrics extracted from pH-impedance monitoring can augment the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Artificial intelligence (AI) is being widely used to improve the diagnostic capabilities of various diseases. In this review, we update the current literature regarding applications of artificial intelligence in measuring novel pH-impedance metrics. AI demonstrates high performance in the measurement of impedance metrics, including numbers of reflux episodes and post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave index and, furthermore, extracts baseline impedance from the entire pH-impedance study. AI is expected to play a reliable role in facilitating measuring novel impedance metrics in patients with GERD in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article showcases the lessons we learned from developing and facilitating a doctoral‐level course on the topic and praxis of positionality in the field of education studies. We contend that positionality is integral to critical consciousness building and leadership development among doctoral students and other higher education leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses characteristics of the normalized compression distance (NCD) technique for building phylogenetic trees from molecular data. We examined results from a mammalian biological data set as well as a collection of simulated data with varying levels of incomplete lineage sorting. The implementation of NCD we analyze is a concatenation-based, distance-based, alignment-free, and model-free phylogeny estimation method, which takes concatenated unaligned sequence data as input and outputs a matrix of distances. We compare the NCD phylogeny estimation method with various other methods, including coalescent- and concatenation-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of analgesics that inhibit the activity of cyclooxygenase isoenzymes, which drive tissue inflammation pathways. Caution should be exercised when taking these drugs during pregnancy as they increase the risk of developmental defects. Due to the high rates of NSAID use by individuals, possibilities for in utero exposure to NSAIDs are high, and it is vital that we define the potential risks these drugs pose during embryonic development. In this review, we characterize the identified roles of the cyclooxygenase signaling pathway components throughout pregnancy and discuss the effects of cyclooxygenase pathway perturbation on developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bennu, the target of the OSIRIS‐REx mission, is an asteroid with compositions analogous to low petrologic type CI, CM, CR, and/or ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites. Asteroids like Bennu provide information about the building blocks of the early Solar System. Analysis of the mid‐infrared remote sensing data informs mineral quantification. We apply a phyllosilicate specific model, developed by Breitenfeld et al. (2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021je007035) that distinguishes between Mg and Fe serpentines, to Baseball Diamond 1 (BBD1), equatorial station 3 (EQ3), and touch‐and‐go OSIRIS‐REx thermal emission spectrometer data. The average total phyllosilicate predictions are 73 (BBD1) and 72 vol% (EQ3). We observe higher Fe‐cronstedtite and lower Mg‐rich serpentine content in the equatorial region of Bennu than average. Mid‐infrared spectral variability may be explained by sorting effects through mass movement. Plain Language Summary: Bennu is an asteroid made of primitive materials that provide information about the early Solar System. Using infrared emission spectra and machine learning modeling, we estimate the amount and composition of phyllosilicate minerals across the surface of Bennu. Our results suggest that Bennu is primarily composed of phyllosilicate minerals as expected from previous studies. Mg‐ and Fe‐rich serpentine abundances are mapped across the asteroid Bennu. Near the equator, our model predicts higher cronstedtite (Fe‐rich serpentine) and lower Mg‐rich serpentine compared to the average composition of the asteroid. The spectral and compositional variability on Bennu can be explained by aqueous processing and sorting effects. Key Points: We estimate Bennu's phyllosilicate content is primarily Mg‐rich serpentine with smaller amounts of cronstedtite and saponiteWe predict higher cronstedtite and lower Mg‐rich serpentine abundances in the equatorial region and vice versa for the middle latitudesWe observe thermal emission spectrometer spectral variability between the equatorial and middle latitude regions of Bennu that may be due to sorting effects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess the current literature on the safety and impact of in-office biopsy on cancer waiting times as well as review evidence regarding cost-efficacy and patient satisfaction. Method: A search of Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Prospero, PubMed and Web of Science was conducted for papers relevant to this study. Included articles were quality assessed and critically appraised. Results: Of 19 741 identified studies, 22 articles were included. Lower costs were consistently reported for in-office biopsy compared with operating room biopsy. Four complications requiring intervention were documented. In-office biopsy is highly tolerated, with a procedure abandonment rate of less than 1 per cent. When compared with operating room biopsy, it is associated with significantly reduced time-to-diagnosis and time-to-treatment initiation. It is linked to improved overall three-year survival. Conclusion: In-office biopsy is a safe procedure that may help certain patients avoid general anaesthetic. It was shown to significantly reduce time-to-diagnosis and time-to-treatment initiation when compared with operating room biopsy. This may have important implications for oncological outcomes. In-office biopsy requires fewer resources and is likely to be cost-saving five-years following introduction. With high rates of sensitivity and specificity, in-office biopsy should be considered as the first-line procedure to achieve tissue diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the current knowledge of the biodiversity of the ocean as well as the levels of decline and threat for species and habitats. The lack of understanding of the distribution of life in the ocean is identified as a significant barrier to restoring its biodiversity and health. We explore why the science of taxonomy has failed to deliver knowledge of what species are present in the ocean, how they are distributed and how they are responding to global and regional to local anthropogenic pressures. This failure prevents nations from meeting their international commitments to conserve marine biodiversity with the results that investment in taxonomy has declined in many countries. We explore a range of new technologies and approaches for discovery of marine species and their detection and monitoring. These include: imaging methods, molecular approaches, active and passive acoustics, the use of interconnected databases and citizen science. Whilst no one method is suitable for discovering or detecting all groups of organisms many are complementary and have been combined to give a more complete picture of biodiversity in marine ecosystems. We conclude that integrated approaches represent the best way forwards for accelerating species discovery, description and biodiversity assessment. Examples of integrated taxonomic approaches are identified from terrestrial ecosystems. Such integrated taxonomic approaches require the adoption of cybertaxonomy approaches and will be boosted by new autonomous sampling platforms and development of machine-speed exchange of digital information between databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective adult social attachments, or 'pair bonds', represent central relationships for individuals in a number of social species, including humans. Loss of a pair mate has emotional consequences that may or may not diminish over time, and that often translate into impaired psychological and physical health. In this paper, we review the literature on the neuroendocrine mechanisms for the emotional consequences of partner loss, with a special focus on hypothesized interactions between oxytocin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and the κ opioid system. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Solid bolus swallows (SBS) assess esophageal peristalsis on high‐resolution manometry (HRM). It remains unknown if increase in contraction vigor (contraction reserve) following SBS (SBS‐CR) provides information similar to that observed following multiple rapid swallows (MRS‐CR). Methods: Clinical and HRM data from adult patients (n = 96, age 58.2 years, 61.5% female) undergoing esophageal testing prior to anti‐reflux surgery (ARS) were analyzed if both MRS and SBS were available, and compared to similar data from healthy asymptomatic volunteers (n = 18, age 27.5 years, 55.6% female). Patients reported esophageal symptoms before and after ARS using 5‐point Likert scales evaluating symptom frequency and severity; scores for each patient were averaged to determine global symptoms. Distal contractile integral (DCI) from single swallows was compared to MRS DCI and SBS DCI; the ratio of single swallow DCI to MRS DCI or SBS DCI ≥1 determined the presence of contraction reserve. Key Results: Multiple rapid swallows CR was concordant with SBS CR in 55.6% of healthy volunteers, 100% of absent contractility, 100% of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) and 56.9% without IEM. Correlation between MRS DCI and SBS DCI was highest when IEM criteria were met (Spearman's rho 0.998). While neither MRS CR nor SBS CR presence differed by presenting symptoms or global symptom score at baseline, post‐ARS global symptom burden was highest in the absence of both MRS CR and SBS CR, especially in patients with esophageal hypomotility using Chicago Classification version 4.0 criteria (p = 0.03). Conclusions & Inferences: Multiple rapid swallows and SBS are complementary in predicting post‐ARS symptom burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural crest cells (NCCs) are a dynamic, multipotent, vertebratespecific population of embryonic stem cells. These ectodermallyderived cells contribute to diverse tissue types in developing embryos including craniofacial bone and cartilage, the peripheral and enteric nervous systems and pigment cells, among a host of other cell types. Due to their contribution to a significant number of adult tissue types, the mechanisms that drive their formation, migration and differentiation are highly studied. NCCs have a unique ability to transition from tightly adherent epithelial cells to mesenchymal and migratory cells by altering their polarity, expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules and gaining invasive abilities. In this Review, we discuss classical and emerging factors driving NCC epithelial-tomesenchymal transition and migration, highlighting the role of signaling and transcription factors, as well as novel modifying factors including chromatin remodelers, small RNAs and posttranslational regulators, which control the availability and longevity of major NCC players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of various pre-treatment prognostic scoring systems for overall survival (OS) in laryngeal cancer, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SIII). Methods: We undertook a retrospective 5-year study of 220 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing active treatment. Results: On multivariate analysis, low NLR (≤ 2.415, p = 0.001, OR 3.851), low PLR (≤ 269.855, p = 0.002, OR 5.520), high LMR (> 2.225, p < 0.001, OR 0.458) and low SIII (≤ 1144.465, p = 0.003, OR 3.673) were significantly associated with improved OS, accounting for confounding factors of tumour subsite, T-stage and performance status. C-reactive protein (CRP) alone (p = 0.264) and mGPS (p = 0.350) were not significantly associated with OS. Conclusions: NLR, PLR, LMR and SIII represent inexpensive, easily obtainable adjuvant decision-making tools which could help tailor individualised treatment regimes. Further investigation into the utility of combination scores and the role of different laryngeal subsites may be of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosing cardiac pauses that could produce syncopal episodes is important to guide appropriate therapy. However, the infrequent nature of these episodes can make detection challenging with conventional monitoring (CM) strategies with short-term ECG monitors. Insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) continuously monitor for arrhythmias but present a higher up-front cost. It is not well understood whether these higher costs are offset by the costs of repeat evaluation in CM strategies. We simulated the likelihood of diagnostic success and cost-per-diagnosis of pause arrhythmias with CM strategies compared to ICM monitoring. ICM device data from syncope patients diagnosed with pause arrhythmias was utilized to simulate patient pathways and diagnostic success with CM. We assumed that detected true pause episodes (≥5 seconds) were symptomatic and prompted a hospital encounter and further evaluation with CM. Subsequent true pause episodes in yet-undiagnosed patients triggered additional rounds of CM. Costs of monitoring were accrued at each encounter and represent the U.S. payer perspective. Cost per diagnosed patient was calculated as the total costs accrued for all patients divided by the number of patients diagnosed, across 1,000 simulations. During a mean 505±333 days of monitoring ICM detected 2.4±2.7 pause events per patient, with an average of 109±94 days until the first event. CM was projected to diagnose between 13.8% (24-hour Holter) and 30.2% (two 30-day monitors) of the ICM-diagnosed patients. Total diagnostic costs per ICM-diagnosed patient averaged $7,847, whereas in the CM strategies average cost-per-diagnosis ranged from $12,950±2,589 with 24-hour Holter to $32,977±14,749 for two 30-day monitors. Relative to patients diagnosed with pause arrhythmias via ICM, CM strategies diagnose fewer patients and incur higher costs per diagnosed patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI) are associated with high symptom burden and poor quality of life. We evaluated the clinical value of multimodal therapy with psycho‐gastroenterological interventions in patients with refractory functional symptoms. Methods: Of 80 DGBI patients managed over a 12‐month period, 26 patients undergoing multimodal therapy (median age 60.0 years, 73.1%F) were compared to 54 patients (median age 56.0 years, 68.5%F) managed using conventional approaches. Psycho‐gastroenterological multimodal therapy was individualized and included relaxation training (diaphragmatic breathing, passive muscle relaxation) and gut‐direct hypnotherapy/guided imagery. All patients completed documentation of symptom frequency and severity using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) and assessment of health‐related quality of life (BEST score) before and following therapy. Data were analyzed to determine comparative change in symptom burden between the two cohorts. Key Results: Baseline demographics and symptom burden were similar between the two treatment subgroups. While patients improved with both multimodal and conventional therapies, BEST score demonstrated greater improvement with multimodal therapy (p = 0.03). Physician perception of symptom burden at baseline and on follow‐up did not correspond to self‐reported questionnaire data. On multivariable analysis, multimodal therapy (OR 7.9, 95% CI 1.8–34.6, p = 0.006) and functional esophageal disorders (OR 17.6, 95% CI 2.6–121.1, p = 0.004) predicted >50% improvement in BEST score, while the presence of psychiatric disease was a negative predictor (OR 0.22, CI 0.05–0.94, p = 0.04). Conclusions & Inferences: Psychological intervention using multimodal therapy provides clinical value to the management of functional esophageal symptoms among patients refractory to conventional therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation system is an important component of the institutional arrangements that may shape the career trajectories of researchers. Using logistic regression and recursive partition models, we analyze the resulting key individual level factors that seem to play an important role in the promotion of researchers through the research evaluation system of the Argentine National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) in two selected fields, namely, the basic and applied sides of the molecular biology and biotechnology fields. The data are from 599 researchers who are members of the scientific and technological "research career" of the Council. We analyze the promotion through the first two stages of the process, namely, promotion from "assistant investigator" to "adjunct investigator" and from the latter to "independent investigator" for the entire cohort of candidates eligible during years 2013 and 2014. We find that time in grade (a strong normative requirement of the system), a moderate number of publications of international quality, evidence of mentoring the future generation of researchers, and registered technological production are the main factors that predict researchers' promotion. Conversely, the specific academic profile, early external funding, gender, time from graduation, and postdocs abroad do not have a significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing demand for full or partial automation of autorotation maneuvers for next-generation helicopters, which may be optionally piloted or capable of fully autonomous flight. A key challenge in the development of autorotation controllers lies in the competing state constraints that often arise during the terminal, or flare, phase of the maneuver. This paper describes the development of a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) scheme for autorotation flare. The NMPC controller uses a nonlinear low-order model of the helicopter in autorotation to optimize the sequence of control inputs over a finite horizon. The proposed control scheme offers benefits over existing methods by balancing the simultaneous control objectives of trajectory tracking and rotor speed regulation while also requiring minimal computation time. Simulation results are presented for a six-degree-of-freedom model of the AH-1G aircraft, highlighting the benefits of the modelbased control algorithm over a simpler proportional-integral-derivative control scheme. Trade studies and Monte Carlo simulations are presented that quantify the robustness of the controller to varying initial conditions, various target landing distances, and parametric error in the internal low-order model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous heatwaves affecting multiple regions (referred to as concurrent heatwaves) pose compounding threats to various natural and societal systems, including global food chains, emergency response systems, and reinsurance industries. While anthropogenic climate change is increasing heatwave risks across most regions, the interactions between warming and circulation changes that yield concurrent heatwaves remain understudied. Here, we quantify historical (1979–2019) trends in concurrent heatwaves during the warm season [May–September (MJJAS)] across the Northern Hemisphere mid- to high latitudes. We find a significant increase of ∼46% in the mean spatial extent of concurrent heatwaves and ∼17% increase in their maximum intensity, and an approximately sixfold increase in their frequency. Using self-organizing maps, we identify large-scale circulation patterns (300 hPa) associated with specific concurrent heatwave configurations across Northern Hemisphere regions. We show that observed changes in the frequency of specific circulation patterns preferentially increase the risk of concurrent heatwaves across particular regions. Patterns linking concurrent heatwaves across eastern North America, eastern and northern Europe, parts of Asia, and the Barents and Kara Seas show the largest increases in frequency (∼5.9 additional days per decade). We also quantify the relative contributions of circulation pattern changes and warming to overall observed concurrent heatwave day frequency trends. While warming has a predominant and positive influence on increasing concurrent heatwave frequency, circulation pattern changes have a varying influence and account for up to 0.8 additional concurrent heatwave days per decade. Identifying regions with an elevated risk of concurrent heatwaves and understanding their drivers is indispensable for evaluating projected climate risks on interconnected societal systems and fostering regional preparedness in a changing climate. Significance Statement: Heatwaves pose a major threat to human health, ecosystems, and human systems. Simultaneous heatwaves affecting multiple regions can exacerbate such threats. For example, multiple food-producing regions simultaneously undergoing heat-related crop damage could drive global food shortages. We assess recent changes in the occurrence of simultaneous large heatwaves. Such simultaneous heatwaves are 7 times more likely now than 40 years ago. They are also hotter and affect a larger area. Their increasing occurrence is mainly driven by warming baseline temperatures due to global heating, but changes in weather patterns contribute to disproportionate increases over parts of Europe, the eastern United States, and Asia. Better understanding the drivers of weather pattern changes is therefore important for understanding future concurrent heatwave characteristics and their impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) patients experience pathogenic valve leaflet stiffening due to excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Numerous microenvironmental cues influence pathogenic expression of ECM remodeling genes in tissue-resident valvular myofibroblasts, and the regulation of complex myofibroblast signaling networks depends on patient-specific extracellular factors. Here, we combined a manually curated myofibroblast signaling network with a data-driven transcription factor network to predict patient-specific myofibroblast gene expression signatures and drug responses. Using transcriptomic data from myofibroblasts cultured with AVS patient sera, we produced a large-scale, logic-gated differential equation model in which 11 biochemical and biomechanical signals were transduced via a network of 334 signaling and transcription reactions to accurately predict the expression of 27 fibrosis-related genes. Correlations were found between personalized model-predicted gene expression and AVS patient echocardiography data, suggesting links between fibrosisrelated signaling and patient-specific AVS severity. Further, global network perturbation analyses revealed signaling molecules with the most influence over network-wide activity, including endothelin 1 (ET1), interleukin 6 (IL6), and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), along with downstream mediators c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Lastly, we performed virtual drug screening to identify patient-specific drug responses, which were experimentally validated via fibrotic gene expression measurements in valvular interstitial cells cultured with AVS patient sera and treated with or without bosentan—a clinically approved ET1 receptor inhibitor. In sum, our work advances the ability of computational approaches to provide a mechanistic basis for clinical decisions including patient stratification and personalized drug screening [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional control of fibrosis after myocardial infarction is critical for maintaining structural integrity in the infarct while preventing collagen accumulation in non-infarcted areas. Cardiac fibroblasts modulate matrix turnover in response to biochemical and biomechanical cues, but the complex interactions between signaling pathways confound efforts to develop therapies for regional scar formation. We employed a logic-based ordinary differential equation model of fibroblast mechano-chemo signal transduction to predict matrix protein expression in response to canonical biochemical stimuli and mechanical tension. Functional analysis of mechano-chemo interactions showed extensive pathway crosstalk with tension amplifying, dampening, or reversing responses to biochemical stimuli. Comprehensive drug target screens identified 13 mechano-adaptive therapies that promote matrix accumulation in regions where it is needed and reduce matrix levels in regions where it is not needed. Our predictions suggest that mechano-chemo interactions likely mediate cell behavior across many tissues and demonstrate the utility of multi-pathway signaling networks in discovering therapies for context-specific disease states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) evaluates esophageal peristalsis and bolus transit. We used esophageal impedance integral (EII), the ratio between bolus presence before and after an expected peristaltic wave, to evaluate predictors of bolus transit. Methods: From HRIM studies performed on 61 healthy volunteers (median age 27 years, 48%F), standard metrics were extracted from each of 10 supine water swallows: distal contractile integral (DCI, mmHg cm s), integrated relaxation pressure (IRP, mmHg), and breaks in peristaltic integrity (cm, using 20 mmHg isobaric contour). Pressure and impedance coordinates for each swallow were exported into a dedicated, python‐based program for EII calculation (EII ratio ≥ 0.3 = abnormal bolus clearance). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess predictors of abnormal bolus clearance. Key Results: Of 591 swallows, 80.9% were intact, 10.5% were weak, and 8.6% failed. Visual analysis overestimated abnormal bolus clearance compared to EII ratio (p ≤ 0.01). Bolus clearance was complete (median EII ratio 0.0, IQR 0–0.12) in 82.0% of intact swallows in contrast to 53.3% of weak swallows (EII ratio 0.29, IQR 0.0–0.57), and 19.6% of failed swallows (EII ratio 0.5, IQR 0.34–0.73, p < 0.001). EII correlated best with break length (ρ = 0.52, p < 0.001), compared to IRP (ρ: −0.17) or DCI (ρ: −0.42). On ROC analysis, breaks predicted abnormal bolus transit better than DCI or IRP (AUC 0.79 vs. 0.25 vs. 0.44, p ≤ 0.03 for each). On logistic regression, breaks remained independently predictive of abnormal bolus transit (p < 0.001). Conclusions & Inferences: Breaks in peristaltic integrity predict abnormal bolus clearance better than DCI or IRP in healthy asymptomatic subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Recess has been shown to increase total daily energy expenditure, which may favorably impact body mass index by decreasing adiposity. This study examines associations between recess participation and adiposity. METHODS: The study sample included male (N = 1434) and female (N = 1409) children 5 to 11 years of age participating in the 2013‐2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Overweight and obesity were defined using age‐ and sex‐specific percentiles. Recess participation interview questions were answered via proxy response. RESULTS: Compared to a referent group participating in recess 5 days/week for >30 minutes/day and independent of demographic and behavioral factors, analysis revealed significantly greater odds of obesity in females reporting no recess participation (odds ratio 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.03‐3.15, p =.03). Furthermore, minority females were consistently found to possess greater odds of overweight and obesity independent of recess participation time. Only Mexican American boys were found to have greater odds of obesity independent of participation recess time. CONCLUSIONS: In a large nationally representative sample of US children, reporting no recess was associated with significantly greater odds of obesity in females. Minority females were also more likely to be overweight and obese and Mexican American boys are more likely to be obese independent of recess participation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme heat research has largely focused on dry‐heat, while humid‐heat that poses a substantial threat to human‐health remains relatively understudied. Using hourly high‐resolution ERA5 reanalysis and HadISD station data, we provide the first spatially comprehensive, global‐scale characterization of the magnitude, seasonal timing, and frequency of dry‐ and wet‐bulb temperature extremes and their trends. While the peak dry‐ and humid‐heat extreme occurrences often coincide, their timing differs in climatologically wet regions. Since 1979, dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes have become more frequent over most land regions, with the greatest increases in the tropics and Arctic. Humid‐heat extremes have increased disproportionately over populated regions (∼5.0 days per‐person per‐decade) relative to global land‐areas (∼3.6 days per‐unit‐land‐area per‐decade) and population exposure to humid‐heat has increased at a faster rate than to dry‐heat. Our study highlights the need for a multivariate approach to understand and mitigate future harm from heat stress in a warming world. Plain Language Summary: Combined high temperature and humidity can be more dangerous to humans and wildlife relative to high temperature alone. There are known physiological limits to humid‐heat and adverse impacts on human‐health and performance can be felt well below those limits. Thus, it is important we understand their climatological characteristics and recent changes. Prior research on heat extremes has largely focused on dry‐heat. Using two high‐spatial resolution datasets, we provide a global‐scale characterization of the magnitude, seasonal timing, and frequency of dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes and their historical trends. While dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes occur at the same time of the year in most regions, their timing differs by multiple months in tropical regions with high rainfall. Over the past four decades, dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes have become more frequent over most land regions, with the greatest increases in the tropics and Arctic. Since 1979, each person, on average, has experienced an increase of approximately five additional extreme humid‐heat days per‐decade. These increases are concentrated over densely populated regions in the tropics and sub‐tropics, where humid‐heat levels are already high. Our results emphasize the increasing risk from dangerous heat stress, particularly in vulnerable regions of the world. Key Points: Global patterns and trends in magnitude, timing, and frequency of dry and humid‐heat extremes in ERA5 compare well with HadISD station dataLargest increases in frequency, intensity, and months of occurrence of dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes in tropical and Arctic regionsStronger trends in population exposure to extreme humid‐heat relative to dry‐heat and greater amplification during recent El Niños [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme heat research has largely focused on dry‐heat, while humid‐heat that poses a substantial threat to human‐health remains relatively understudied. Using hourly high‐resolution ERA5 reanalysis and HadISD station data, we provide the first spatially comprehensive, global‐scale characterization of the magnitude, seasonal timing, and frequency of dry‐ and wet‐bulb temperature extremes and their trends. While the peak dry‐ and humid‐heat extreme occurrences often coincide, their timing differs in climatologically wet regions. Since 1979, dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes have become more frequent over most land regions, with the greatest increases in the tropics and Arctic. Humid‐heat extremes have increased disproportionately over populated regions (∼5.0 days per‐person per‐decade) relative to global land‐areas (∼3.6 days per‐unit‐land‐area per‐decade) and population exposure to humid‐heat has increased at a faster rate than to dry‐heat. Our study highlights the need for a multivariate approach to understand and mitigate future harm from heat stress in a warming world. Plain Language Summary: Combined high temperature and humidity can be more dangerous to humans and wildlife relative to high temperature alone. There are known physiological limits to humid‐heat and adverse impacts on human‐health and performance can be felt well below those limits. Thus, it is important we understand their climatological characteristics and recent changes. Prior research on heat extremes has largely focused on dry‐heat. Using two high‐spatial resolution datasets, we provide a global‐scale characterization of the magnitude, seasonal timing, and frequency of dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes and their historical trends. While dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes occur at the same time of the year in most regions, their timing differs by multiple months in tropical regions with high rainfall. Over the past four decades, dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes have become more frequent over most land regions, with the greatest increases in the tropics and Arctic. Since 1979, each person, on average, has experienced an increase of approximately five additional extreme humid‐heat days per‐decade. These increases are concentrated over densely populated regions in the tropics and sub‐tropics, where humid‐heat levels are already high. Our results emphasize the increasing risk from dangerous heat stress, particularly in vulnerable regions of the world. Key Points: Global patterns and trends in magnitude, timing, and frequency of dry and humid‐heat extremes in ERA5 compare well with HadISD station dataLargest increases in frequency, intensity, and months of occurrence of dry‐ and humid‐heat extremes in tropical and Arctic regionsStronger trends in population exposure to extreme humid‐heat relative to dry‐heat and greater amplification during recent El Niños [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic sensors based upon high‐quality microcavities have found a wide variety of applications ranging from inertial sensing, electro‐ and magnetometry to chemical and biological sensing. These sensors have a dynamic range limited by the linewidth of the cavity mode transducing the input. This dynamic range not only determines the range of the signal strength that can be detected, but also affects the resilience of the sensor against large deteriorating external perturbations and shocks in a practical environment. Unfortunately, there is a general trade‐off between the detection sensitivity and the dynamic range, which undermines the performance of all microcavity‐based sensors. Here, an approach is proposed to extend the dynamic range significantly beyond the cavity linewidth limit by exploiting the periodic nature of the modulation signal, making measurements in the nonlinear transduction regime without degrading the detection sensitivity for weak signals. With a cavity optomechanical system, a dynamic range of over six times larger than the cavity linewidth is experimentally demonstrated, far beyond the conventional linear region of operation for such a sensor. This approach will help design microcavity‐based sensors to achieve high detection sensitivity and a large dynamic range at the same time, a crucial property for their use in a practical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paternal absence can significantly alter bio‐behavioural development in many biparental species. This effect has generally been demonstrated by comparing the development of offspring reared under biparental care with those reared by a single mother. However, studies employing this design conflate two significant modifications to early‐life experience: removal of father‐specific qualities and the general reduction of offspring‐directed care. In the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), the experience of paternal absence without substitution during development inhibits partner preference formation in adulthood, a hallmark of social monogamy, in females and males. Employing alloparents as substitutes for fathers, our previous work demonstrated that paternal absence affects pair‐bond formation in female offspring via reduced quantity of care, although it affects pair‐bond formation in male offspring by means of a missing paternal quality (or qualities). Here, we present evidence that paternal absence (with and without alloparental substitution) may alter the ontogeny of neural oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and/or vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) distribution in male and female prairie voles. Compared to biparentally reared controls (BPC), male offspring reared in mother only (MON) and maternal‐plus‐alloparental (MPA) conditions show lower densities of OXTR in the central amygdala; and MPA males show lower densities of OXTR in the caudate putamen and nucleus accumbens. Early‐life experience was not associated with differences in AVPR1a density in males. However, MON and MPA females show greater densities of AVPR1a in the medial amygdala than BPC; and MPA females show greater densities of AVPR1a in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. We also demonstrate with corticosterone concentrations that MON and MPA offspring are not differentially susceptible to a stressor (ie, social isolation) than BPC offspring. These findings suggest that paternal absence, although likely not a salient early‐life stressor, has neuroendocrine consequences for offspring, some of which may affect partner preference formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining durable coverage of the elbow may be challenging when surrounding tissue as well as standard free flap donor sites are not available for use. Here we describe the application of the radial recurrent artery perforator propeller flap to good effect for the coverage of the elbow joint and ulnar nerve in the context of an extensive flame burn injury of over 80% of the body surface area. Despite few descriptions of its use in the literature, it is a relatively straightforward flap to elevate and inset, the donor area was effectively autografted and there were no postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophagogastric junction contractile integral (EGJ‐CI) and EGJ morphology are high‐resolution manometry (HRM) metrics that assess EGJ barrier function. Normative data standardized across world regions and HRM manufacturers are limited. Methods: Our aim was to determine normative EGJ metrics in a large international cohort of healthy volunteers undergoing HRM (Medtronic, Laborie, and Diversatek software) acquired from 16 countries in four world regions. EGJ‐CI was calculated by the same two investigators using a distal contractile integral‐like measurement across the EGJ for three respiratory cycles and corrected for respiration (mm Hg cm), using manufacturer‐specific software tools. EGJ morphology was designated according to Chicago Classification v3.0. Median EGJ‐CI values were calculated across age, genders, HRM systems, and regions. Results: Of 484 studies (28.0 years, 56.2% F, 60.7% Medtronic studies, 26.0% Laborie, and 13.2% Diversatek), EGJ morphology was type 1 in 97.1%. Median EGJ‐CI was similar between Medtronic (37.0 mm Hg cm, IQR 23.6‐53.7 mm Hg cm) and Diversatek (34.9 mm Hg cm, IQR 22.1‐56.1 mm Hg cm, P = 0.87), but was significantly higher using Laborie equipment (56.5 mm Hg cm, IQR 35.0‐75.3 mm Hg cm, P < 0.001). 5th percentile EGJ‐CI values ranged from 6.9 to 12.1 mm Hg cm. EGJ‐CI values were consistent across world regions, but different between manufacturers even within the same world region (P ≤ 0.001). Within Medtronic studies, EGJ‐CI and basal LESP were similar in younger and older individuals (P ≥ 0.3) but higher in women (P < 0.001). Conclusions: EGJ morphology is predominantly type 1 in healthy adults. EGJ‐CI varies widely in health, with significant gender influence, but is consistent within each HRM system. Manufacturer‐specific normative values should be utilized for clinical HRM interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal strictures commonly cause dysphagia and require treatment with endoscopic dilation using balloons or bougies. We aimed to determine whether biopsy forceps disruption of strictures at time of dilation increases time to repeat intervention or duration of intervention-free follow-up. We performed a retrospective analysis of 289 adults (age 61.0 ± 0.8 years, 66.4% female) who underwent dilation of an esophageal stricture at our tertiary care center between 2014 and 2016. Exclusions consisted of endoscopic intervention within the preceding 6 months, prior foregut neoplasia, achalasia, radiofrequency ablation, endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, or foregut surgery. Demographics, clinical presentation, dilation technique, and follow-up were abstracted from electronic medical records. We compared time to repeat dilation and duration of intervention-free follow-up between treatment subgroups. Balloon dilation was performed more often than bougie dilation (76.8 vs. 17.6%); biopsy forceps disruption was performed in 23.2%. Over a median follow-up of 52.9 months, 135 patients (46.7%) underwent repeat dilation. Age, body mass index, gender, and use of antisecretory medications did not influence need for repeat dilation (P  = ns for each). Bougie dilation with biopsy forceps disruption prolonged time to repeat dilation in all patients (P  ≤ 0.02), particularly in those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (P  ≤ 0.03), compared with bougie dilation alone and balloon dilation with or without disruption. On Kaplan–Meier analysis, bougie dilation with biopsy forceps resulted in longer intervention-free follow-up compared with dilation alone (P  = 0.03). We conclude that stricture disruption with biopsy forceps increases time to repeat intervention with bougie but not balloon dilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postreflux swallow‐induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) on pH‐impedance monitoring and contraction vigor on high‐resolution manometry (HRM) both assess esophageal peristaltic response. We aimed to evaluate relationships between PSPW and esophageal peristalsis on HRM in the context of reflux disease in this multicenter cohort study. Methods: pH‐impedance and HRM studies performed on patients with persisting reflux symptoms were reviewed from 6 centers (5 in Europe and 1 in US). Total, upright and supine acid exposure time (AET) were evaluated from pH‐impedance studies; PSPW index (PSPWI) and mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) were calculated using standard methodology. Esophageal body contraction vigor was analyzed using distal contractile integral (DCI), and DCI ratio > 1 between single swallows and multiple rapid swallows (MRS) defined presence of contraction reserve. Student's t test, ANOVA, and linear regression were utilized to investigate relationships between PSPW, contraction vigor, and contraction reserve. Key Results: Of 296 patients (52.8 ± 0.8 yr, 63% F), median PSPWI was 0.475. Only 24.0% had intact DCI; the remainder had varying degrees of hypomotility. As hypomotility increased, PSPWI and MNBI decreased significantly, while total AET and reflux episodes had an inverse response (P ≤.002 for each). MRS data were available in 167 (56.4%), 72.5% had contraction reserve. MRS cohorts with normal PSPWI had significantly lower reflux burden compared to low PSPWI, regardless of presence or absence of contraction reserve (P ≤.001). Conclusions and Inferences: PSPWI correlates with esophageal hypomotility and reflux burden, and complements clinical reflux evaluation. Intact PSPW is more relevant to esophageal reflux clearance than contraction reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations were made on 73 dams on two ranches in Colorado and one in Wyoming during the spring 2022 calving season to investigate the relationship between temperament and calf protection. The objective was to compare temperament scores to the distances of protective behavior performed by the dam as the observer moved closer to the pair. The protective actions of the cow were: Approach (alerted by raising her head to presence of the observer), Protective (moved between observer and calf), Vocalization (called to calf), and Closest (closest distance the observer reached before the pair moved away). Temperament scores included chute score, exit score, exit velocity, and blood lactate. One hundred percent of the dams alerted to the presence of the observer, twenty-five percent (n = 18) moved between the observer and the calf, and sixtythree percent (n = 46) vocalized to their calf. Thirty-five (47.9%) dams allowed the observer to touch the calf, categorized as Touch, while the other thirty-eight (52.1%) walked away from the observer before contact with the calf, categorized as No Touch. In a linear model using Touch/No Touch as the predictor and the continuous variables of Approach, Protect, Vocalize, Closest, exit velocity, and blood lactate; only closest (P < 0.001) and exit velocity (P = 0.011) had significant differences (P < 0.05) between the means. Dams that allowed the observer to touch the calf, on average, exited the chute with greater velocity (P = 0.01). Blood lactate and exit velocity were predictors in a mixed model with Ranch as a random factor with Touch/No Touch as the outcome; no significant difference was found (P > 0.05). The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed individually on Approach, Protection, Vocalization, and Closest with predictor values of Ranch, date of birth (DOB), and hair whorl. A significant difference (P = 0.04) appeared between the medians of Closest when grouped by hair whorl; dams with abnormal hair whorls moved away from the observer at a greater distance. When divided by Ranch, there were differences (P < 0.001) in the average chute score. This study suggests that dams with a faster exit velocity are approachable in the field. Exit velocity is not a good indicator of how close an observer can get to a calf in the field. Attraction to novelty could have a larger role than previously thought in temperament. No impactful relationships were observed between the temperament of a dam and her maternal protectiveness. Ranchers can continue selecting for docile temperament without fear of decreasing maternal protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty in age estimates from dorsal spines has been a persistent issue in stock assessments of gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus. This study sought to validate the annual deposition of growth zones on dorsal spines, vertebrae, and otoliths of gray triggerfish through chemical marking. Fish (n = 101) were collected from offshore habitats and held in an aquaculture facility. 74 adult fish were chemically marked with a 50 mg/kg body weight injection of calcein, and reared for an average of 527 days post-marking. At intervals, fish were sacrificed and first dorsal spines, vertebrae, and otoliths were extracted and sectioned. Annuli, were enumerated for spines (n = 96), vertebrae (n = 94), and otoliths (n = 48) and ranged from 0 to 11 annuli for spines and vertebrae, and 1–12 annuli for otoliths. Age bias plots showed strong agreement between spine and vertebra annuli counts for all observed ages, while counts from spines and vertebrae appeared to underage beginning at age 5 when compared to otolith annuli counts. Tests of symmetry indicated that the annuli counts between paired age structures were not biased (p > 0.05). Analysis of growth zones observed distal to calcein marks in all of the age structures confirmed that these zones were deposited annually, and the expected number of these zones, or annuli, were observed in 91% of spine, 90% of vertebrae, and 100% of otolith sections. Marginal increment analysis of ageing structures indicated that annuli form during summer months. Percentages of annuli deposited on the margins peaked in June for spines (58%) and otoliths (29%), and August for vertebrae (30%). Results from this study validate the annual deposition of growth zones but further consideration needs to be taken when ageing older than age-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fresh look back at the chemistry of Bi3+ spanning solid state structural studies, aqueous biphasic separations, and a chromatographic purification of 213 Bi in support of its clinical use in targeted radiotherapy reveals the foundational importance of coordination chemistry and understanding the preferences exhibited by both the metal center and the ligand(s). Select structural studies of the nitrate and halide salts of Bi3+ complexes with the cyclic crown ethers and acyclic polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are reviewed, and the structure of [BiCl3(cis-anti-cis-dicyclohexano-18-crown-6)] is reported and compared to related structures. Liquid/liquid distribution studies emphasizing Bi3+ partitioning in PEG-based aqueous biphasic systems are presented and show that the distribution ratios using halide anions as extractants increase in the expected order: F- < Cl- < Br- < I-. Building on an understanding of the Bi-directed coordination chemistry in halide containing systems, the rationale for a chromatographic purification of 213 Bi is discussed, as are the performance data showing a 96% recovery of chemically and radionuclidically pure 213 Bi in just 0.25 mL of a strip solution that is directly compatible with binding to carboxylate-based biolocalization agents. The importance of coordination chemistry and an interdisciplinary scientific approach are highlighted, as are select future opportunities in targeted radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between Schelling's Über Dante in philosophischer Beziehung (1803) and the Dantean drafts of die Weltalter (1811-1815) stand the transitional texts of his middle period, the Philosophie und Religion (1804) and Freiheitsschrift (1809). His short essay on Dante contrasts an ancient conception of the closed cosmos with the modern universe as dynamic and expanding, then claims to extract from the Divine Comedy its eternal, threefold form. This article considers these schemata as they relate to the Philosophie und Religion and the Freiheitsschrift, disclosing an enduring Dantean influence which first predicts, then persists throughout this stage of Schelling's philosophical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Straight leg raise (SLR) is a provocative maneuver that assesses esophagogastric junction (EGJ) barrier function during high‐resolution manometry (HRM). We evaluated the value of SLR in symptomatic reflux patients undergoing ambulatory reflux monitoring. Methods: Adult patients being evaluated for reflux symptoms with esophageal physiologic testing off antisecretory therapy over a 12 month period were studied. Demographics, clinical presentation, HRM studies, and reflux monitoring studies were analyzed. Intra‐abdominal and intra‐esophageal pressures were extracted at baseline and during SLR from HRM studies. Acid exposure time (AET) was derived from reflux monitoring studies, and EGJ morphology and tone from HRM studies. SLR pressure metrics predicting abnormal AET were evaluated. Key Results: Of 122 patients, 70 (57.4%) had ≥50% peak intra‐abdominal pressure increase during SLR (58.0 ± 1.4 years, 75.7% female). Peak intra‐esophageal pressure gradient between baseline and SLR predicted pathologic AET when ≥100% (AUC 0.78, sensitivity 71%, specificity 75%, P <.001), seen in 60.7% with AET > 6%, but only 23.7% with AET < 4% (P =.01). Peak intra‐esophageal pressure gradient ≥100% was most discriminative in identifying abnormal acid burden in type 1 EGJ morphology (P =.005) but trended toward significance in type 2 and type 3 morphology (P =.1). Normal and abnormal EGJ contractile integral did not associate with peak intra‐esophageal pressure gradient either collectively or when subdivided by EGJ morphology (P ≥.2). Conclusions & Inferences: Analysis of intra‐esophageal pressure gradients during SLR, a simple HRM maneuver, may augment evaluation of symptomatic GERD, and provide adjunctive evidence supporting GERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay argues that Schelling's late transition from Negative to Positive Philosophy constitutes a pointed inversion of the path of systematic ascent mapped by Hegel for the first time in the Phenomenology's Preface, which itself establishes Hegel's development out of and beyond Schelling's early philosophy; that a key notion to inspire the Hegelian vision articulated in the Preface returns to cap off the critique implicit in Schelling's late inversion, where this notion emerges from their divergent readings of Aristotle's Metaphysics; and finally, that while Hegel's theorization of the end of all philosophizing represents his innovative enlargement from within the framework he finds in Aristotle, Schelling's vision of this same end facilitates the crisis of reason which opens unto revelation, and so is akin to the vision which carries Aquinas beyond Aristotle, albeit in Schelling's post‐Spinozist mode of thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of the progress of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) towards high-order converged simulations. As a mesh-free Lagrangian method suitable for complex flows with interfaces and multiple phases, SPH has developed considerably in the past decade. While original applications were in astrophysics, early engineering applications showed the versatility and robustness of the method without emphasis on accuracy and convergence. The early method was of weakly compressible form resulting in noisy pressures due to spurious pressure waves. This was effectively removed in the incompressible (divergence-free) form which followed; since then the weakly compressible form has been advanced, reducing pressure noise. Now numerical convergence studies are standard. While the method is computationally demanding on conventional processors, it is well suited to parallel processing on massively parallel computing and graphics processing units. Applications are diverse and encompass wave–structure interaction, geophysical flows due to landslides, nuclear sludge flows, welding, gearbox flows and many others. In the state of the art, convergence is typically between the first- and second-order theoretical limits. Recent advances are improving convergence to fourth order (and higher) and these will also be outlined. This can be necessary to resolve multi-scale aspects of turbulent flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autorotation maneuvers inherently offer little margin for error in execution and induce high pilot workload, particularly as the aircraft nears the ground in an autorotative flare. Control augmentation systems may potentially reduce pilot workload while simultaneously improving the likelihood of a successful landing by offering the pilot appropriate cues. This paper presents an initial investigation of a real-time trajectory generation scheme for autorotative flare based on time-to-contact theory. The algorithm exhibits deterministic runtime performance and provides a speed trajectory that can be tracked by a pilot or inner-loop controller to bring the vehicle to a desired landing point at the time of touchdown. A low-order model of the helicopter dynamics in autorotation is used to evaluate dynamic feasibility of the generated trajectories. By generating and evaluating trajectories to an array of candidate landing points, the set of reachable landing points in front of the aircraft is determined. Simulation results are presented in which the trajectory generator is coupled with a previously derived autorotation controller. Example cases and trade studies are conducted in a six degree-of-freedom simulation environment to demonstrate overall performance as well as robustness of the algorithm to variations in target landing point, helicopter gross weight, and winds. The robustness of the reachability determination portion of the algorithm is likewise evaluated through trade studies examining off-nominal flare entry conditions and the effects of winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term 'smart cities' is contested: its interpretation is becoming ever broader, often to accommodate commercial interests. Since cities are made up of individuals, all of whom are guided by their own world views and attitudes, the residual question is not 'what should we do?' but 'how should we do it and how should we encourage and enable everyone to join in?' By exploring the ways that gamification can be used to understand the effects of 'smart initiatives' on cities and their operation, it was concluded that gaming has considerable potential to affect individual and societal practices by profoundly influencing the gamers themselves, while technology and the game design itself play a central role to how gamification is implemented and used. This paper proposes one way of both creating cities to which citizens aspire and delivering a beneficial change in attitudes and behaviours to make such cities work. We propose that way-finding games should be developed as the most appropriate tools for participation. Designing such serious games with sustainability, resilience and liveability agendas in mind, encouraging widespread citizen participation as gamers, and taking cognisance of the outcomes would lead to both smarter citizens and smarter cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report measurements of the absolute concentration of ground state oxygen atoms produced in a low pressure (≤100 mTorr) inductively coupled oxygen plasma. These experiments have utilised cavity ringdown spectroscopy, allowing line of sight absorption to be measured on the optically forbidden 1D ← 3P transition around 630 nm. Both the translational temperature and the absolute concentrations of the two most populated spin–orbit levels (J = 1 and 2) have been determined as a function of plasma pressure at a fixed operating power of 300 W, allowing accurate determination of dissociation fraction; in all cases, the dissociation fraction is considerable, ≥10%, maximising at 15% for 20 mTorr. Time-resolved measurements of the rate of loss of the oxygen atoms when the plasma is extinguished have allowed the probability for wall-loss in the plasma chamber, γ, to be determined; in this case, for an aluminium surface, γ is determined to be ca. a few ×10−3, with the exact value depending on pressure. In addition, the O− number density is shown to be an inverse function of pressure, showing a maximum of 1.6 × 1010 cm−3 at 10 mTorr, falling to 2 × 109 cm−3 at 100 mTorr, and characteristic of a discharge operating in the detachment regime. The measured number densities are interpreted using calculated electron energy distribution functions and yield physically reasonable values for the electron number density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently great interest in the creation of sustainable and liveable cities, both in the UK and globally. While it can be argued that good progress is being made in thinking about the needs of future cities, meeting these needs and aspirations in practice poses major challenges of understanding and measurement (what is meant by these terms and how can progress towards their achievement be measured?), complexity (cities are complex systems of systems with many interacting parts) and resilience (will interventions made today be relevant and effective in the future?). The Liveable Cities research programme created a systematic decision-making method for improving urban sustainability and liveability: the Liveable Cities Method (LCM). The LCM prioritises four criteria – individual and societal well-being, resource security, resource efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions as a proxy for environmental harm – in an interconnected framework and assesses the need for, and the resilience of, interventions designed to move cities towards improved sustainability and liveability. This paper illustrates the LCM through an example intervention made to the city of Birmingham, UK, and highlights how addressing sustainability and liveability in this way offers unique opportunities for the UK civil engineering profession to lead thinking among urban professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few clinical sub-specialties require the same degree of intense, dedicated interdisciplinary involvement as major burn injury does. There are countless opportunities for quality improvement interventions to optimise the care that is delivered for these patients at each stage of their care. Burn centres do well to maintain a quality improvement focus in the execution of all activities, and to constantly evaluate how local practices can adapt to evidence-based knowledge. This second part of a series on Quality Improvement (QI), relates to QI specifically in the context of the care of patients with major burn injury, with reference to concepts like benchmarking and verification, and describes a single published QI initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]