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Tropospheric ozone (O3) is among the most pervasive and harmful air pollutants known to affect ecosystems. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies are tasked with protecting plants and ecosystems from harmful O3 exposures. Controlled exposure experiments conducted in field open‐top chambers (OTCs) with small tree seedlings have been used to estimate empirical models of tree growth in response to O3 exposure for more than 16 species. While this experimental method makes it possible to obtain detailed exposure‐response data, it remains uncertain whether predictions of empirical models parameterized using those data are sufficiently accurate when applied to trees grown in uncontrolled natural environments for long periods. We used O3 exposure‐response relationships developed from several OTC studies of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) seedlings to predict the growth of the same species in the Aspen FACE "free‐air" O3 exposure experiment in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, over 11 years. We acquired individual tree growth data and hourly O3 exposure from the ambient and elevated O3 plots in the Aspen FACE experiment, computed annual exposure using the same metrics of O3 exposure as were used in the OTC seedling experiments, and generated predictions of growth in the Aspen FACE exposures. A simple empirical model parameterized using the OTC seedling data accurately predicted the percent above‐ground biomass loss due to O3 exposure in the Aspen FACE trees for all 11 years. In the Aspen FACE experiment, the effect of O3 exposure was established in early years and continued to be observed in later years without worsening. Our study suggests that O3 exposure‐response relationships obtained from OTC seedling studies can be used to make inferences about effects on larger trees. These results imply that researchers can use these relationships with confidence when estimating risks of O3 pollution across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lime-based materials are found in archaeological contexts across many world regions. The earliest evidence of lime production was discovered in the Levant dating to about 16,000 cal BP. Methods for transforming limestone, shells, and corals into slaked lime varied depending on region, culture, and period. Similarly, the use of lime had an extensive variation of applications such as hafting, plastering, mortars, flooring, plastering skulls, decorating, and making frescos. Each step of the lime production process—from raw materials sourcing to the mixing of finished materials—results in specific archaeological assemblages, each capable of delivering critical insight into the knowledge of the people who created them. Here, we review approaches and methodologies used to analyze each production step, and, specifically, those targeting raw materials selection and firing conditions. For investigating effectively raw materials selection and firing conditions of archaeological lime-based materials, we propose a methodological approach based on the integration of petrography and Fourier transform infrared microscopy (mFTIR) that uses chemical and mineralogical reference libraries prepared using experimental lime produced with provenienced raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of cancer-driving mutations is important for understanding cancer pathology and therapeutics development. Prediction tools have been created to streamline the computation process. However, most tools available have heterogeneous sensitivity or specificity. We built a machine learning-derived algorithm, DriverDetect that combines the outputs of seven pre-existing tools to improve the prediction of candidate driver cancer mutations. The algorithm was trained with cancer gene-specific mutation datasets of cancer patients to identify cancer drivers. DriverDetect performed better than the individual tools or their combinations in the validation test. It has the potential to incorporate future novel prediction algorithms and can be retrained with new datasets, offering an expanded application to pan-cancer analysis for cross-cancer study. (115 words). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an original 2021 survey of mayors in U.S. mayors in cities of 10,000 in population and above, we explore the individual costs of psychological and physical violence. These costs include emotional distress, diverted attention from the job, and considerations about leaving the job. Overall, we find that 95 percent of mayors faced violence in office. Among those who did, the more violence reported, the more likely they were to have faced such costs. Further, those mayors (mostly women) who faced sexualized violence were more likely to have reported those effects. All told, violence against officeholders has individual effects as well as systemic ones. If violence keeps mayors from being able to do their job fully or causes them to leave it, the political costs may be quite grave in terms of losing experienced representatives—and it may also have disparate effects on particular groups of officeholders, such as women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body size is a trait that shapes many aspects of a species' development and evolution. Larger body size is often beneficial in animals, but it can also be associated with life history costs in natural systems. Similarly, miniaturization, the evolution of extremely small adult body size, is found in every major animal group, yet carries its own life history trade-offs. Given that these effects can depend on an animal's environment and life stage and have mainly been studied in species that are already specialized for their size, the life history changes associated with evolutionary shifts in body size warrant additional investigation. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster populations that had undergone over 400 generations of artificial selection on body size to investigate the changes in life history traits associated with the evolution of extremely large and extremely small body sizes. Populations selected for small body size experienced strong trade-offs in multiple life history traits, including reduced female fecundity and lower juvenile viability. Although we found positively correlated changes in egg size associated with selection for both large and small body size, after adjusting for female body size, females from populations selected for large size had the lowest relative investment per egg and females from populations selected for small size had the highest relative investment per egg. Taken together, our results suggest that egg size may be a key constraint on the evolution of body size in D. melanogaster, providing insight into the broader phenomenon of body size evolution in insects. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Research suggests women are more likely to fail their military physical fitness assessment in the immediate postpartum period than in the prenatal period. In 2015, the United States Air Force physical fitness postpartum testing dwell time increased from 6 months to 12 months postpartum. The primary aim of this study was to assess if Air Force active duty women's physical readiness, as indicated by individual physical fitness test results, was impacted by this change. The secondary aim was to determine the postpartum duration for active duty Air Force women to return to their prenatal anthropometric measurements. Methods All active duty Air Force women who gave birth from 2011–2019 in the military medical system were considered for analysis. A total of 6,726 women meeting inclusion criteria were grouped to 6 month testers (delivery between 2011–February 2015) and 12 month testers (delivery between March 2015 and 2019). Logistic regression and general linear models were used to assess the associations and predictability of the various fitness and anthropometric components of the physical fitness testing requirements (6 vs. 12 month testers), controlling for covariates (age, military rank, marital status, and ethnicity). Results Those testing at 12 months had decreased odds (odds ratio = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.32-0.49, P  < .0001) of failing their initial postpartum fitness test than those testing at 6 months. The prevalence of test failure at the first exam postpartum was 10.4% among 6 month testers and 4% among 12 month testers. Women who tested at 6 months retained relatively more weight (2.7 ± 5.0 kg, 4.2% increase), body mass index (1.0 ± 2.1 kg/m2, 4.5% increase), and abdominal circumference (2.4 ± 4.9 cm, 3.5% increase) than their counterparts testing at 12 months (1.8 ± 5.4 kg, 2.8% increase; 0.7 ± 2.2 kg/m2, 3.0% increase; and 1.8 ± 5.0 cm, 2.7% increase; respectively) (P  < .0001). When comparing those with prenatal fitness status of "excellent," "pass," or "fail," no group attained prenatal weight status in the 24 months monitored. Average weight and abdominal circumference retention for all groups at 24 months postpartum were 2.8 kg and 1.3 cm, respectively. Among initial postpartum fitness testing failures, the component most failed was sit-ups (34.5%), followed by the 1.5-mile run (29.8%). Six month testers were more likely, across all prenatal fitness categories ("fail," "pass" and "excellent") to fail postpartum fitness testing compared to 12 month testers (26.1%, 17.7%, and 5.6% vs.19.4%, 7.3% and 2%, respectively). Conclusions The decision of the Air Force to increase the minimal required time between childbirth and postpartum physical fitness testing for women has positively impacted fitness test failure rates and anthropometric measure changes. Additional policy should be implemented to support postpartum holistic health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texts recounting the careers of saints were foundational to Christian worship and historical construction in medieval Europe. They were also fluid, living works that evolved over time as individual saints' stories were revised, adapted, and retold. These texts changed in response to changing contexts in which they were used and understood. This article undertakes a case study to see how the evolution of one urban saint's legend reflects the history of that saint's city. Specifically, it analyzes the numerous Latin and vernacular texts produced between the mid-fifth and late twelfth centuries that recount the deeds of Saint Trophimus, first bishop of Arles. It argues that shifts in the saint's story reflect broad changes in the political, religious, and social life of Arles. It also demonstrates that the number of parties recounting the legend multiplied over time, and that dissonances within the story arose as these groups adapted the tale to their own interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite concerted efforts, LGBTQ + inclusivity is not fostered across all sporting contexts. Interpersonal relationships with teammates and coaches are particularly significant when it comes to cultivating positive and inclusive LGBTQ + experiences within sport. Using online qualitative data collected from 741 LGBTQ + adults, this study examined how relationships with coaches, teammates and sport-related staff impacted sport experiences and participation. Participant responses were independently coded using reflexive thematic analysis. Data were used to develop a new visual model to understand different types of relationships LGBTQ + individuals experience in sport and how this impacted their sport experiences. Exclusive sport relationships were characterised by experiences of discrimination and were found to greatly influence how participants viewed sport and physical activity contexts as adults. Inert or neutral sport relationships were maintained through protective self-distancing techniques. Inclusive relationships with coaches and teammates were primarily based on acceptance and associated with viewing physical activity positively. Identity-concealment strategies and athletic ability were identified as factors that impacted LGBTQ + adults' relationships within sport. Our overall findings demonstrate how discrimination in the form of overt or subtle sexual and gender prejudice can thwart feelings of relatedness among LGBTQ + athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary explores historical efforts to diagnose the present and project the future through the specific example of medical manpower planning. To situate this, it draws on work within and across geography exploring the concept of anticipation and considers the discipline's failure to adequately engage with healthcare workers, despite the vibrancy of health geography as a subdiscipline. As it explores, ensuring adequate numbers of staff in a healthcare system has been an issue for as long as there have been healthcare systems. Planning for healthcare system needs is thus a particularly fraught form of anticipation that seeks to project future needs from a contested and often incalculable present as a basis for political decision‐making and resource allocation. As this commentary explores, it is a problem that is global in scope, historically deep and thus rich in analytical possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an original dataset, we offer an intersectional exploration of psychological violence, threats, and physical violence against U.S. mayors in 2021 in cities of 10,000+ in population. We also explore violence that is gendered and raced. Overall, we find significant and meaningful differences among gender/race groups. Women of color and non-Hispanic white women faced higher rates of threats, gendered, and sexualized violence than men, and women of color were the only mayors to report heightened levels of gendered and raced violence. Non-Hispanic white women mayors were distinctive in that they reported higher levels of psychological violence, including being criticized for their appearance and perceptions that they were too emotional, but were least likely to be called sexist. These findings suggest that there are race- and gender-based costs of holding office. If so, the effects on democratic representation and the benefits from representational diversity will be forfeited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA damage causes the mutations that are the principal source of genetic variation. DNA damage detection and repair mechanisms therefore play a determining role in generating the genetic diversity on which natural selection acts. Speciation, it is commonly assumed, occurs at a rate set by the level of standing allelic diversity in a population. The process of speciation is driven by a combination of two evolutionary forces: genetic drift and ecological selection. Genetic drift takes place under the conditions of relaxed selection, and results in a balance between the rates of mutation and the rates of genetic substitution. These two processes, drift and selection, are necessarily mediated by a variety of mechanisms guaranteeing genome stability in any given species. One of the outstanding questions in evolutionary biology concerns the origin of the widely varying phylogenetic distribution of biodiversity across the Tree of Life and how the forces of drift and selection contribute to shaping that distribution. The following examines some of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome stability and the adaptive radiations that are associated with biodiversity and the widely varying species richness and evenness in the different eukaryotic lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognized that women, and perhaps Black women in particular, are more likely to vote than men. However, this is based on self-reports of voting, which can be unreliable. The Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) and American National Election Studies (ANES) help with this issue by validating votes. Here, we use the CCES and ANES data to take an intersectional approach to estimate the probability that men and women of different races over-report voting, and how it affects the gender gap in voting. We find that Anglo women are somewhat less likely to over-report voting, but Black men and women and Latinas may be more inclined to over-report. We find evidence that relying on self-reports may underestimate the degree to which women (Anglo, Black and Latina) are likely to vote. However, the CCES data estimate that Anglo men are more likely to vote than Anglo women. We examine the CCES data to better understand this unique finding and suggest there may be sampling issues with the CCES data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Postpartum depression impacts 1 in 8 women in the United States. Research has indicated maternity leave duration, and compensation can have an impact on postpartum depression symptoms. The U.S. military increased their maternity leave provision from 6  to 12 weeks in 2016. The aim of this study was to expand upon current literature on the role of maternity leave on postpartum depression by analyzing objective data from 2011 to 2019 utilizing military health records. Methods All deliveries to active duty women in the Military Health System from 2011 to 2019 were considered for analysis. A total of 60,746 women met inclusion criteria. Active duty women were stratified by year of delivery to identify if they had 6 weeks (2011–2015) or 12 weeks (2016–2019) of maternity leave. International Classification of Disease (ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes were used for the identification of postpartum depression diagnosis. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between maternity leave provision and postpartum depression diagnosis adjusting for covariates. Results Overall, 4.8% of the women were diagnosed with postpartum depression. Active duty women who were allotted 12 weeks (2016–2019) of maternity leave had higher odds of postpartum depression diagnosis than those allotted 6 weeks (2011–2015) (12 weeks vs. 6 weeks of leave: odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20–1.39, P  < 0.0001). However, there was a 50% reduction in odds of postpartum depression during 2016–2017 (the 2 years following the 12-week leave implementation) in comparison to 2011–2015 (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.43–0.57, P  < 0.0001). The trends were similar across military branches. Additionally, between 2011 and 2019, the lowest rates of postpartum depression were observed during 2016–2017, but the rates significantly increased starting 2018. Overall, women with lower military ranks had higher postpartum depression rates than those with higher ranks. Conclusions Our results indicate increasing paid maternity leave in the military from 6  to 12 weeks did initially lower the odds of postpartum depression diagnosis among active duty women from immediately after policy implementation (2016) and prior to the release of the Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines on Pregnancy Management (2018). Later, increased odds of depression (2018–2019) are likely due to increased depression screening protocols at the Military Treatment Facilities in the perinatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the twentieth century, the concept of the natural experiment has become increasingly prominent across a variety of disciplines, albeit most consequentially in epidemiology and public health. Drawing on an analysis of the scientific and medical literature, we explore the social life of the natural experiment, tracing its changing use, meaning and uptake to better understand the work done by the concept. We demonstrate how the natural experiment became central to the identity of post‐war epidemiology as the discipline professionalised, turned its attention to the prevention of chronic disease and took centre stage in the field of public health. We then turn to its growing significance amid the rise of evidence‐based medicine, and the new meanings natural experiments came to take on in the context of concerns about policy and evidence. Finally, we turn to the newest iteration of the natural experiment in the COVID‐19 era, which saw an explosion of studies drawing on the term, albeit in ways that reveal more about the underlying politics of health than the method itself. Throughout, we illustrate that the concept of the natural experiment has always been fundamentally social and political and tied to disciplinary claims‐making about evidence and what should count as such. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the author's nostalgic reflections on artifact hunting in plowed fields and the diminishing opportunities to find artifacts due to changes in farming practices. Topics include the author's memorable finds from plowing demonstrations, the discovery of a Hardin Barbed point and a chipped stone adze, and the connection between these finds and the Early Archaic period.

Locker rooms operate as pivotal access points to physical activity across sports, physical education, and fitness facilities. However, locker rooms are predicated on cis-heterosexual assumptions that can be isolating to LGBTQ+ individuals. Using an online cross-sectional survey, LGBTQ+ adults (N = 1,067) were asked open-response questions about their past and present locker-room experiences. The resulting texts were independently coded by two researchers using thematic analysis and compared. All discrepancies were discussed with and rectified by a third researcher who acted as a critical peer. The results present distinct experiences across three intersecting aspects of embodiment: self-conscious-"I hate(d) being seen," sexual transgression, and gender transgression. The findings provide insight into how harmful LGBTQ+ stereotypes influence locker-room experiences and support the redesign of locker rooms to challenge the binary organization of these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is likely to imperil native biodiversity through the increased frequency of extreme events. Here we address the short-term effects of an extreme flooding event on an unplowed prairie reserve, the Faville Prairie Wisconsin State Natural Area. This 25-ha property is a remnant of the formerly extensive Crawfish Prairie that lay on the east bank of the Crawfish River, Jefferson County, Wisconsin USA. The Faville remnant has historically been subject to late winter to spring flooding in its lower portions. In June of 2008, however, an extreme rainfall event caused flooding unprecedented in the 87-year history of streamflow, inundating the entire site. Data were available from 180 permanently marked plots sampled in 1978–79. We assessed the change by resampling these plots in 2010–2015. At the m2 scale, we found significant losses of species richness, a result of most species having fewer occurrences than in the earlier data. There was near extinction of several important prairie species and a relative increase in wetland tolerant species. Lower elevation plots, subject to the encroachment of woody plants and the invasion of Phalaris arundinacea for decades prior to the flood, had the lowest levels of species richness. However, some prairie species survived the flooding with little change, and recent anecdotal observations show that others are rebuilding their populations. Thus, if extreme floods are infrequent, the prairie should be able to recover to its former state. If, however, the hydrological regime shifts toward more frequent, growing-season floods, we predict further decline in those plant species that were the object of the preservation of this remnant. It is critical that fire management continue along with monitoring to track species' recovery or replacement, so that corrective measures can be identified and tested to sustain the native prairie species diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Processing raw genomic data for downstream applications such as imputation, association studies, and modeling requires numerous third-party bioinformatics software tools. It is highly time-consuming and resource-intensive with computational demands and storage limitations that pose significant challenges that increase cost. The use of software tools independent of one another, in a disjointed stepwise fashion, increases the difficulty and sets forth higher error rates because of fragmented job executions in alignment, variant calling, and/or build conversion complications. As sequencing data availability grows, the ability for biologists to process it using stable, automated, and reproducible workflows is paramount as it significantly reduces the time to generate clean and reliable data. Results: The Iliad suite of genomic data workflows was developed to provide users with seamless file transitions from raw genomic data to a quality-controlled variant call format (VCF) file for downstream applications. Iliad benefits from the efficiency of the Snakemake best practices framework coupled with Singularity and Docker containers for repeatability, portability, and ease of installation. This feat is accomplished from the onset with download acquisitions of any raw data type (FASTQ, CRAM, IDAT) straight through to the generation of a clean merged data file that can combine any user-preferred datasets using robust programs such as BWA, Samtools, and BCFtools. Users can customize and direct their workflow with one straightforward configuration file. Iliad is compatible with Linux, MacOS, and Windows platforms and scalable from a local machine to a high-performance computing cluster. Conclusion: Iliad offers automated workflows with optimized time and resource management that are comparable to other workflows available but generates analysis-ready VCF files from the most common datatypes using a single command. The storage footprint challenge of genomic data is overcome by utilizing temporary intermediate files before the final VCF is generated. This file is ready for use in imputation, genome-wide association study (GWAS) pipelines, high-throughput population genetics studies, select gene candidate studies, and more. Iliad was developed to be portable, compatible, scalable, robust, and repeatable with a simplistic setup, so biologists that are less familiar with programming can manage their own big data with this open-source suite of workflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite shifts towards inclusivity, physical education (PE) is still perceived as unwelcoming towards students who identify as sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+). A systematic scoping review was conducted to garner an enhanced understanding of the empirical literature exploring LGBTQ+ student experiences within PE. Studies were identified by searching eight electronic databases which produced 962 abstracts from which eight articles were eligible for inclusion. Data were then extracted, summarized, and thematically synthesized into a conceptual map. The majority of the articles reviewed relied on samples that were predominantly comprised of able-bodied white cisgender individuals, with only half of the articles involving adolescent participants. Across studies, the omnipresence of cis-heteronormativity in PE adversely influenced LGBTQ+ experiences through homophobic and transphobic practices. The qualitative studies included in this review highlighted the implicit and explicit gendering processes that work to gender students as well as physical activities. Although cis-heteronormativity and its resulting exclusive practices should continue to be challenged in policies, the experiences of current LGBTQ+ students within PE should be prioritized to inform and evaluate inclusive PE policies, curricula, and teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The USA currently does not have a national parental leave policy. In 2016, the Secretary of Defense increased the allotted maternity leave for active duty U.S. military members from 6 to 12 weeks. The purpose of this study was to understand the potential impact of this change on attrition rates of active duty women in the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines from their initial prenatal visit through the first year postpartum. Methods All active duty women who had a confirmed pregnancy in the electronic health record from 2011 to 2019 were included for consideration in the study. A total of 67,281 women met the inclusion criteria. These women were followed from their initial documented prenatal visit for 21 months (9 months gestation and 12 months postpartum) for removal from the Defense Eligibility and Enrollment Reporting System signaling attrition from service presumably related to pregnancy or childbirth. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between maternity leave policy and attrition adjusting for covariates. Results Overall, women who were allotted 6 weeks of maternity leave were associated with higher attrition relative to women provided 12 weeks of maternity leave (odds ratio = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.31-1.42; P  < .0001), representing a 22% decrease in attrition rates of women given 12 weeks vs. 6 weeks of leave. This impact of attrition rate was the greatest among members who were of lower rank (6 weeks vs. 12 weeks of leave: junior enlisted (E1-E3), 29.2% vs. 22.0%, P  < .0001 and non-commissioned officer (E4-E6), 24.3% vs. 19.4%, P  < .0001) and who served in the Army (28.0% vs. 21.2%, P  < .0001) and Navy (20.0% and 14.9%, P  < .0001). Conclusions Family-friendly health policy appears to have the intended outcome of retaining talent in the military workforce. The impact of health policy on this population can provide a glimpse into the influence of similar policies should they be implemented nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this introduction, we contextualize the contribution of this special issue by addressing several key questions that have repeatedly emerged over time. First, what is educational policy? Over time, many educational psychologists have asked us "what is education policy?" and "how can I think about it in my work?" Although this article cannot provide every possible incantation of what this looks like in one's work, we provide some initial thoughts here that we hope will help readers get started. Following these initial thoughts, we consider the question of why educational policy has been largely absent from educational psychology scholarship. This is followed by a brief discussion on why we think the time is ripe for educational psychologists to consider education policy in their work. Next, we provide a few preliminary ideas for how educational psychologists may engage in more policy-oriented aims. And finally, we provide some thoughts on the relevance of educational psychology theories for understanding the role, influence, and effects of policies on educational practices. We end with an overview of the contributions to this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, is an insect pest of greenhousegrown horticultural crops. Citrus mealybug causes plant damage when feeding on plant leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits, resulting in a substantial economic loss. Insecticides are applied to manage citrus mealybug populations in greenhouse production systems. Anecdotal information suggests that mixing entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides with insect growth regulators may be effective for managing citrus mealybug populations under greenhouse conditions. Consequently, we conducted two experiments in a research greenhouse at Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS, USA) in 2023. The experiments were designed to determine the efficacy of three commercially available entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides [Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA (BotaniGard®), B. bassiana strain PPRI 5339 (Velifer™) and Isaria fumosorosea Apopka Strain 97 (Ancora®)] when mixed with three insect growth regulators [azadirachtin (Azatin®O), novaluron (Pedestal®), and pyriproxyfen (Distance®)] on citrus mealybug feeding on coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides, plants. The entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides alone or when mixed with the insect growth regulators were not effective in managing citrus mealybug populations, with <20% mortality during each experiment. In addition, all coleus plants treated with the entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides had a white, powdery residue on the leaves. Our study demonstrates that entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides, even when mixed with insect growth regulators, are not effective in managing citrus mealybug populations in greenhouses, which is likely because the environmental conditions (temperature and relative humidity) are not optimal for conidial germination and hyphal infection to occur. Therefore, entomopathogenic fungal-based insecticides have limited use for managing insect pests in greenhouse production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design. A retrospective cohort study. Objective. To identify the factors associated with readmissions after PLF using machine learning and logistic regression (LR) models. Summary of Background Data. Readmissions after posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) place significant health and financial burden on the patient and overall health care system. Materials and Methods. The Optum Clinformatics Data Mart database was used to identify patients who underwent posterior lumbar laminectomy, fusion, and instrumentation between 2004 and 2017. Four machine learning models and a multivariable LR model were used to assess factors most closely associated with 30-day readmission. These models were also evaluated in terms of ability to predict unplanned 30-day readmissions. The topperforming model (Gradient Boosting Machine; GBM) was then compared with the validated LACE index in terms of potential cost savings associated with the implementation of the model. Results. A total of 18,981 patients were included, of which 3080 (16.2%) were readmitted within 30 days of initial admission. Discharge status, prior admission, and geographic division were most influential for the LR model, whereas discharge status, length of stay, and prior admissions had the greatest relevance for the GBM model. GBM outperformed LR in predicting unplanned 30-day readmission (mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.865 vs. 0.850, P<0.0001). The use of GBM also achieved a projected 80% decrease in readmission-associated costs relative to those achieved by the LACE index model. Conclusions. The factors associated with readmission vary in terms of predictive influence based on standard LR and machine learning models used, highlighting the complementary roles these models have in identifying relevant factors for the prediction of 30-day readmissions. For PLF procedures, GBM yielded the greatest predictive ability and associated cost savings for readmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DnaA protein has long been considered to play the key role in the initiation of chromosome replication in modern bacteria. Many questions about this role, however, remain unanswered. Here, we raise these questions within a framework based on the dynamics of hyperstructures, alias large assemblies of molecules and macromolecules that perform a function. In these dynamics, hyperstructures can (1) emit and receive signals or (2) fuse and separate from one another. We ask whether the DnaA-based initiation hyperstructure acts as a logic gate receiving information from the membrane, the chromosome, and metabolism to trigger replication; we try to phrase some of these questions in terms of DNA supercoiling, strand opening, glycolytic enzymes, SeqA, ribonucleotide reductase, the macromolecular synthesis operon, post-translational modifications, and metabolic pools. Finally, we ask whether, underpinning the regulation of the cell cycle, there is a physico-chemical clock inherited from the first protocells, and whether this clock emits a single signal that triggers both chromosome replication and cell division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal suicide, once overlooked in mortality rates, is now recognized as a major contributor to pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. Recent data highlighting a surge in general population suicides underscores the urgency of addressing maternal suicide. It ranks among the top three causes of pregnancy-related deaths, accounting for up to 20% of maternal fatalities. While data collection challenges persist, state Maternal Mortality Review Committees are enhancing consistency in reviewing and documenting maternal deaths. Mental health conditions, particularly suicide, are identified as a key underlying cause, contributing to nearly 23% of pregnancy-related deaths, with 80% considered preventable. Recognizing the lasting societal impact, preventive efforts for maternal suicides should be prioritized. The effects of maternal mental distress and suicidality on child development emphasize the need for interventions across clinical, systemic, and policy domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Karyotype diversity, or the interspecific variation in the number of chromosomes and their different forms and sizes in a genome, and species richness, or the number of different species in a phylogenetic clade, are correlated and vary substantially across different animal lineages belonging to the same taxonomic groups, such as salamanders or mammals. The reasons why some lineages are species rich and others are species poor, and why karyotype diversity should correlate so closely with species richness, remain unclear. The following examines these two questions in the context of Motoo Kimura's hypothesis of non-adaptive radiation and Peto's paradox. Species richness appears to be inversely correlated with genome stability in mammals and possibly salamanders: lineages with more stable karyotypes tend to be less species rich. Karyotype stability and genome stability, in turn, depend on the cellular DNA damage detection and repair system, suggesting that differences in species richness might be, in part, attributable to lineage specific differences in DNA repair fidelity and efficiency. Karyotype diversity reflects genome integrity and stability. A strong correlation between karyotype diversity and species richness, meaning the number of species in a phylogenetic clade, was first reported in mammals over forty years ago: species richness in mammals was first reported over forty years ago: in mammalian phylogenetic clades, the standard deviation of karyotype diversity (KD) closely corresponded to species richness (SR) at the order level. These initial studies, however, did not control for phylogenetic signal, raising the possibility that the correlation was due to phylogenetic relatedness among species in a clade. Accordingly, karyotype diversity trivially reflects species richness simply as a passive consequence of adaptive radiation. A more recent study in mammals controlled for phylogenetic signals and established the correlation as phylogenetically independent, suggesting that species richness cannot, in itself, explain the observed corresponding karyotype diversity. The correlation is, therefore, remarkable because the molecular mechanisms contributing to karyotype diversity are evolutionarily independent of the ecological mechanisms contributing to species richness. Recently, it was shown in salamanders that the two processes generating genome size diversity and species richness were indeed independent and operate in parallel, suggesting a potential non-adaptive, non-causal but biologically meaningful relationship. KD depends on mutational input generating genetic diversity and reflects genome stability, whereas species richness depends on ecological factors and reflects natural selection acting on phenotypic diversity. As mutation and selection operate independently and involve separate and unrelated evolutionary mechanisms—there is no reason a priori to expect such a strong, let alone any, correlation between KD and SR. That such a correlation exists is more consistent with Kimura's theory of non-adaptive radiation than with ecologically based adaptive theories of macro-evolution, which are not excluded in Kimura's non-adaptive theory. The following reviews recent evidence in support of Kimura's proposal, and other findings that contribute to a wider understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of non-adaptive radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdel Omran's epidemiological transition theory has become a convenient heuristic device for explaining shifts in the global distribution of disease. In turn, the temporal and geographic transition from "pandemics of infection" to "degenerative and man-made diseases" (Omran 1971, 161) as countries develop has become part of the mythology of global health. Such myths are powerful not because they are necessarily clearly true or false, but rather for what they naturalize or oversimplify (Essebro 2018). Drawing on the example of the work undertaken over the past three decades to ensure the prioritization of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as a problem of and for development within global health agendas, I draw on documentary and interview data to examine the origins and residual power of myths. Within this field, geographic myths (see Blaut 2006) about the social, economic, and spatial distribution of morbidity and mortality are a pervasive and persistent challenge for advocates trying to emphasize the threat of NCDs to the Global South. In examining the myth work undertaken by advocates, this article offers novel geographic perspectives to the critical global health field, while also arguing for the centrality of global health to geography as a discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photogeologic principles can be used to suggest possible sequences of events that result in the present planetary surface. The most common method of evaluating the absolute age of a planetary surface remotely is to count the number of impact craters that have occurred after the surface formed, with the assumption that the craters occur in a spatially random fashion over time. Using additional assumptions, craters that have been partially modified by later geologic activity can be used to assess the time frames for an interpreted sequence of events. The total number of craters on Venus is low and the spatial distribution taken by itself is nearly indistinguishable from random. The overall implication is that the Venusian surface is much closer to Earth in its youthfulness than the other, smaller inner solar system bodies. There are differing interpretations of the extent to which volcanism and tectonics have modified the craters and of the regional and global sequences of geologic events. Consequently, a spectrum of global resurfacing views has emerged. These range from a planet that has evolved to have limited current volcanism and tectonics concentrated in a few zones to a planet with Earth-like levels of activity occurring everywhere at similar rates but in different ways. Analyses of the geologic record have provided observations that are challenging to reconcile with either of the endmember views. The interpretation of a global evolution with time in the nature of geologic activity relies on assumptions that have been challenged, but there are other observations of areally extensive short-lived features such as canali that are challenging to reconcile with a view of different regions evolving independently. Future data, especially high-resolution imaging and topography, can provide the details to resolve some of the issues. These different global-evolution viewpoints must tie to assessments of present-day volcanic and tectonic activity levels that can be made with the data from upcoming missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on rancher Cliven D. Bundy was arrested by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and charged with six criminal offenses, including conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S. It mentions place identity in multiple-use land management policy in the Western U.S. It also mentions Bundy had trespassed his cattle on federal public lands having refused to obtain and graze cattle on lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

A photocatalytic hydroalkoxylation reaction enables the coupling of aliphatic alcohols with gem-difluoroalkenes, expanding the scope of accessible α,α-difluorinated ethers, a desirable substructure for medicinal and agricultural chemists. This reaction exploits an uncommon diselenide co-catalyst to facilitate the net hydrofunctionalization process, which contrasts alternate single-electron reactions that deliver dioxidation products. Future use of this co-catalyst might enable other currently unknown photocatalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venus has a geologically young surface, but it is unknown whether it has ongoing active volcanism. From 1990 to 1992, the Magellan spacecraft imaged the planetÕs surface, using synthetic aperture radar. We examined volcanic areas on Venus that were imaged two or three times by Magellan and identified an ~2.2-square-kilometer volcanic vent that changed shape in the 8-month interval between two radar images. Additional volcanic flows downhill from the vent are visible in the second-epoch images, although we cannot rule out that they were present but invisible in the first epoch because of differences in imaging geometry. We interpret these results as evidence of ongoing volcanic activity on Venus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facial ancestry can be described as variation that exists in facial features that are shared amongst members of a population due to environmental and genetic effects. Even within Europe, faces vary among subregions and may lead to confounding in genetic association studies if unaccounted for. Genetic studies use genetic principal components (PCs) to describe facial ancestry to circumvent this issue. Yet the phenotypic effect of these genetic PCs on the face has yet to be described, and phenotype-based alternatives compared. In anthropological studies, consensus faces are utilized as they depict a phenotypic, not genetic, ancestry effect. In this study, we explored the effects of regional differences on facial ancestry in 744 Europeans using genetic and anthropological approaches. Both showed similar ancestry effects between subgroups, localized mainly to the forehead, nose, and chin. Consensus faces explained the variation seen in only the first three genetic PCs, differing more in magnitude than shape change. Here we show only minor differences between the two methods and discuss a combined approach as a possible alternative for facial scan correction that is less cohort dependent, more replicable, non-linear, and can be made open access for use across research groups, enhancing future studies in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK response to Covid-19 has been unusually complex in its ever-shifting classifications of clinical vulnerability. By May 2020, 2.2 million people had been identified as 'clinically extremely vulnerable' (CEV) and were asked to 'shield' at home for over four months. To adhere to this strict guidance, they were enfolded within the patchy infrastructure of the 'shielding programme'. However, membership of the 'shielded list' has changed—often without warning or explanation—through time and across space. Drawing on policy and evidentiary documents, government speeches, reports, press conferences and media analysis of Covid-19 coverage between March 2020 and April 1, 2021, this paper traces the shifting delineations of clinical vulnerability in the UK response across three lockdowns. It argues that the complexities and confusions generated by the transience of the CEV category have fed into forms of biosociality that have been as much about making practical sense of government guidance as a form of mutual support amid crisis. This uncertainty has not eased as restrictions have been relaxed and vaccines rolled out. Instead, tracing individual immune response has become a burgeoning industry as 'the shielded' navigate the uneasy demands of taking 'personal responsibility' rather than being protected by 'the rules'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although there is an emerging literature in the United States about violence against officeholders, to date there is no research examining trends in violence against U.S. politicians. Objectives: To examine whether volence against US mayors increased from 2017 to 2021 and whether social and political factors help account for the rise. Methods: we report the results of two surveys of mayors in the United States: one in 2017 and the other in 2021. We compare the results of the two surveys and report on mayors' perceptions of changes in the rates of violence. Results: We find that psychological and physical violence against mayors have risen between 2017 and 2021 and that several momentous political events of those years are associated with mayors' perceptions of increases in violence. In specific, levels of partisanship, the rise and conduct of the Trump presidency and its aftermath, and public reactions to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic were significantly associated with mayoral perceptions of rises in violence. Conclusion: That violence against US mayors is high and increasing raises concerns about the health of our democracy as it may limit the pool of Americans willing to run for office. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Our main aim was to investigate the effect of a single oral dose of C21, a selective angiotensin II type 2 receptor agonist, on cold-induced vasoconstriction in SSc-related RP. Methods This was a phase IIa, randomized, double-blind, cross-over, single-dose, placebo-controlled, single-centre study. Twelve female patients with SSc (median age 58.5 years, median duration of RP 19.0 years) attended on four occasions: screening, treatment visits 1 and 2 (separated by 3–7 days) and follow-up. At the first treatment visit, patients were randomized to receive either a single oral dose of C21 (200 mg) or placebo, then the opposite treatment on the second visit. Forty min after each treatment, each patient underwent a standard hand cold challenge. The primary end point was the area under the curve (AUC) for rewarming for each finger (eight fingers) over 15 min. Secondary end points included the maximum finger temperature after rewarming (MAX). Statistical analyses were performed by multiplicative ANCOVA models. Results For all eight fingers combined, mean AUC for rewarming was higher after treatment with C21 than after placebo (geometric mean 20 046°C*s vs 19 558°C*s), but not significantly (P  = 0.380) and MAX (at 15 min) was also higher (geometric mean 23.5°C vs 22.5°C; P  = 0.036). C21 was well tolerated. Conclusion Despite the small trial size, a signal emerged suggesting that even in patients with established SSc, C21 may confer benefit for RP and deserves further investigation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov , NCT04388176. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steps in evaluating online scientific claims We drew on the literature examining sources of scientific information and claims, and developed six steps that students can take to evaluate scientific claims. There has never been a more pressing need for students to learn how to evaluate scientific information online than during the COVID-19 outbreak. Step 3: Evaluate evidence and connection to the claim Once students identify a plausible claim, they need to critically evaluate how well different pieces of evidence support that claim. You can support students in developing these habits by hanging the How to Scientifically Evaluate Online Evidence and Claims infographic (Figure 1) in your classroom and reminding students to use these six steps. [Extracted from the article]

LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc.) individuals face an array of challenges to physical activity participation, such as discrimination and exclusion. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences in physical activity. Eight focus groups of LGBTQ+ individuals (N = 42) were conducted using a semistructured interview guide, and broad discussions about personal physical activity experiences were encouraged. All focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subject to thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged with the following considerations: (a) intersectionality-an intersectional approach is required to explore the complexity of LGBTQ+ experiences within physical activity; (b) the contested concept of "athlete"-LGBTQ+ communities have unique conceptions associated with "athlete" that can render sport, and by extension physical activity contexts, elitist and inaccessible; and (c) "a safe space for us"-LGBTQ+-friendly physical activity practices should be explored to provide practical suggestions for inclusive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID‐19 is a multi‐spectral crisis that has added an acute layer over a panoply of complex emergencies across the world. In the process, it has not only exposed actually‐existing emergencies, but also exacerbated them as the global gaze has turned inward. As a crisis, COVID‐19 straddles and challenges the boundaries between humanitarianism, development, and global health—the frames and categories through which emergencies are so often understood and intervened upon. Reflection on these fundamental categories is, we argue, an important geographical endeavour. Drawing on Geoffrey Bowker's analytical lens of the 'infrastructural inversion', we explore how humanitarianism has been upended by COVID‐19 along two axes that are of core concern to geographers: (1) the spatial and (2) the temporal. We first contextualise current debates on the humanitarian endeavour and its future within recent geographical research. We then set out the complex structure by which COVID‐19 has been both imagined and intervened upon as a humanitarian emergency. In so doing, we then pave the way for a deeper empirical analysis of the spatial and temporal inversions that have been brought forth by COVID‐19. The paper concludes by examining the conceptual value of the 'inversion' in developing geographical research agendas better attuned to the increasing porosity of humanitarianism, development, and global health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Objective outcome measures of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) are badly needed. Our objectives were to validate the thermographic response to a standard hand cold challenge as an outcome measure by assessing sensitivity to change, and to explore mobile phone thermography as a feasible, ambulatory tool.Method: Twelve patients with an SSc-spectrum disorder admitted for intravenous iloprost infusions underwent a standard cold challenge before and after one infusion. Thermographic measurements included area under the rewarming curve (AUC) and maximum rewarming temperature (MAX). Before and during another infusion, each patient underwent monitoring of finger skin temperature by two methods: continuous thermocouple recording (standard method) and mobile phone thermography.Results: All cold challenge summary measures, including AUC and MAX, increased after iloprost (most not significantly). However, when the response curves were modelled after averaging across fingers (linear mixed models, three versions), significant change was detected. For example, with Model 1 (no interaction between period and time), temperature was on average 1.67ºC [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49-1.85, p < 0.001] higher post-iloprost. Mobile phone and thermocouple temperature measurements showed a strong estimated latent correlation (0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.92). The estimated increases/hour were 0.25ºC (95% CI 0.05-0.45) for the thermocouple and 0.36ºC (95% CI 0.13-0.60) for mobile phone thermography.Conclusion: Our pilot study suggests that the thermographic response to a cold challenge is sensitive to change and mobile phone thermography could bring feasibility to thermographic parameters as outcome measures in later-phase, large-scale, community-based clinical trials of RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Accessible planning tools tailored for low-and middle-income countries can assist decision makers in comparing implementation of different cervical cancer screening approaches and treatment delivery scenarios in settings with high cervical cancer burden.Methods: The Cervical Precancer Planning Tool (CPPT) was developed by PATH for users to explore and compare the accuracy of screening approaches, what treatment equipment to procure, and how best to deploy treatment equipment in a given country. The CPPT compares four screening approaches: 1) visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), 2) HPV testing, 3) HPV testing followed by a VIA triage, and 4) HPV testing followed by an enhanced triage test. Accuracy of screening outcomes (e.g., true positives, false positives) is based on published sensitivity and specificity of tests to detect cervical precancerous lesions. The CPPT compares five scenarios for deploying ablative treatment equipment: 1) cervical precancer equipment at every location a woman is screened (single visit approach), 2) equipment only at a hospital level, 3) a single unit of equipment in each district, 4) allowing two districts to share a single unit of equipment, and 5) equipment placed at select district hospitals paired with mobile outreach. Users can customize the CPPT by adjusting pre-populated baseline values and assumptions, including population estimates, screening age range, screening frequency, HPV and HIV prevalence, supply costs, and health facility details.Results: The CPPT generates data tables and graphs that compare the results of implementing each of the four screening and five treatment scenarios disaggregated by HIV status. Outputs include the number and outcomes of women screened, cost of each screening approach, provider time and cost saved by implementing self-sampling for HPV testing, number of women treated, treatment equipment needed by type, and the financial and economic costs for each equipment deployment scenario.Conclusion: The CPPT provides practical information and data to compare tradeoffs of patient access and screening accuracy as well as efficient utilization of equipment, skilled personnel, and financial resources. Country decision makers can use outputs from the CPPT to guide the scale-up of cervical cancer screening and treatment while optimizing limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Escherichia coli, translocation of RNA polymerase (RNAP) during transcription introduces supercoiling to DNA, which influences the initiation and elongation behaviors of RNAP. To quantify the role of supercoiling in transcription regulation, we developed a spatially resolved supercoiling model of transcription. The integrated model describes how RNAP activity feeds back with the local DNA supercoiling and how this mechanochemical feedback controls transcription, subject to topoisomerase activities and stochastic topological domain formation. This model establishes that transcription-induced supercoiling mediates the cooperation of co-transcribing RNAP molecules in highly expressed genes, and this cooperation is achieved under moderate supercoiling diffusion and high topoisomerase unbinding rates. It predicts that a topological domain could serve as a transcription regulator, generating substantial transcriptional noise. It also shows the relative orientation of two closely arranged genes plays an important role in regulating their transcription. The model provides a quantitative platform for investigating how genome organization impacts transcription. Author summary: DNA mechanics and transcription dynamics are intimately coupled. During transcription, the translocation of RNA polymerase overwinds the DNA ahead and underwinds the DNA behind, rendering the DNA supercoiled. The supercoiled DNA could, in return, influences the behavior of the RNA polymerase, and consequently the amount of mRNA product it makes. Furthermore, supercoils could propagate on the DNA over thousands of base pairs, impacting RNA polymerase molecules at faraway sites. These complicated interplays between supercoiling and RNA polymerase makes supercoiling an important transcription regulator. To quantitatively investigate the role of supercoiling in transcription, we build a spatially resolved model that links transcription with the generation, propagation, and dissipation of supercoiling. Our model reveals that supercoiling mediates transcription at multiple length scales. At a single-gene scale, we show that supercoiling gives rise to the collective motion of co-transcribing RNA polymerase molecules, supporting recent experimental observations. Additionally, large variations in mRNA production of a gene can arise from the constraints of supercoiling diffusion in a topological domain. At a multi-gene scale, we show that supercoiling dynamics allow two adjacent genes influence each other's transcription kinetics, thus serving as a transcription regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Direct Skills Teaching (DST) is a method for distilling a skill into digestible components for ease of teaching and learning of a new skill. Job retention is a complex phenomenon requiring numerous social competencies that include verbal and non-verbal fluency among others. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with social communication and therefore are at a disadvantage in employment settings; even when otherwise qualified for the position. OBJECTIVE: This preliminary pilot study tested the feasibility of a DST group intervention to assist individuals with ASD with work-related soft skills, with a particular focus on informal conversational skills. METHODS: Eight master's level Rehabilitation Counseling students facilitated groups of adults with autism spectrum disorder seeking employment. Student facilitators followed the Conversing with Others manualized curriculum, designed to teach workplace based informal conversational soft skills. Participant feedback was sought both pre and post intervention, and student facilitators recorded their observations of each group session. RESULTS: The initial findings support the feasibility of soft-skills training for work-related conversational skills teaching for job seekers with ASD. The results also supported the need for significant adjustments to the intervention as well as any future studies of the small group intervention Conversing with Others. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace conversational skills can be facilitated in a small group setting. Master's level counselors-in-training, were able to follow a manualized DST soft-skills small group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crohn's disease (CD) has a wide variety of clinical presentations, ranging from abdominal pain to stricture and fistula. Fistulas involving the genitourinary tract can be severe and often require surgical intervention. Given the array of presenting symptoms, a delay in diagnosis can occur. We present the case of a healthy active duty soldier, with no previous medical history, found to have CD through an initial presentation of isolated umbilical drainage. Imaging workup identified an entero-uracho-cutaneous fistula with involvement of the transverse colon. Urachal anomalies are uncommon, and entero-urachal fistula as an initial presentation of CD is exceedingly rare. This case highlights the need to consider CD in the differential for patients with umbilical drainage despite a lack of concurrent more frequent presenting symptoms (abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and perianal fistula). Maintaining awareness of uncommon initial presentations of CD can minimize delay in diagnosis and thereby mitigate the risk of severe complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]