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Hyperdoped silicon is a promising material for near-infrared light detection, but to date, the device efficiency has been limited. To optimize photodetectors based on this material that operate at room temperature, we present a detailed study on the electrical nature of gold-hyperdoped silicon formed via ion implantation and pulsed-laser melting (PLM). After PLM processing, oxygen-rich and gold-rich surface layers were identified and a wet etch process was developed to remove them. Resistivity and Hall effect measurements were performed at various stages of device processing. The underlying gold-hyperdoped silicon was found to be semi-insulating, regardless of whether the surface gold was removed by etching or not. We propose a Fermi level pinning model to describe the band bending of the transformed surface layer and propose a promising device architecture for efficient Au-hyperdoped Si photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthetic acclimation to both warming and elevated CO2 of boreal trees remains a key uncertainty in modelling the response of photosynthesis to future climates. We investigated the impact of increased growth temperature and elevated CO2 on photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax and Jmax) in mature trees of two North American boreal conifers, tamarack and black spruce. We show that Vcmax and Jmax at a standard temperature of 25°C did not change with warming, while Vcmax and Jmax at their thermal optima (Topt) and growth temperature (Tg) increased. Moreover, Vcmax and Jmax at either 25°C, Topt or Tg decreased with elevated CO2. The Jmax/Vcmax ratio decreased with warming when assessed at both Topt and Tg but did not significantly vary at 25°C. The Jmax/Vcmax increased with elevated CO2 at either reference temperature. We found no significant interaction between warming and elevated CO2 on all traits. If this lack of interaction between warming and elevated CO2 on the Vcmax, Jmax and Jmax/Vcmax ratio is a general trend, it would have significant implications for improving photosynthesis representation in vegetation models. However, future research is required to investigate the widespread nature of this response in a larger number of species and biomes. Summary Statement: Our study demonstrates that there is no interactive effect of warming and elevated CO2 on the photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax and Jmax) of mature trees (~45 years old) of black spruce and tamarack, when grown under realistic field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Trait mindfulness is associated with well-being in college students, yet it is unclear whether these associations are consistent across demographics. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 534; 33% nonwhite; Apr2018–Sep2019). Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was performed. Pearson correlations tested the relationship between specific facets of trait mindfulness and four domains of mind-body health: stress, well-being, cognitive functioning, and health behaviors. Gender, race, and ethnicity were tested as moderators. Results: In general, higher trait mindfulness is consistently associated with better mind-body health across demographics. However, in men, some health behavior variables correlated more strongly with mindfulness. Among Black students, the relationship between Non-Reactivity and some outcome variables was null or counterintuitive. In Asian students, several predicted associations were significantly stronger. Conclusion: Trait mindfulness corresponds to mind-body health in college students, but relationships may not be universal. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to examine possible demographic differences in response to mindfulness training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: An appreciation of infant body composition is helpful to understand the 'quality' of growth in early life. Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) using PEA POD and the deuterium dilution (DD) technique are commonly used body composition approaches in infants. We evaluated the comparability of body composition assessed using both techniques with two-compartment (2C) and three-compartment (3C) models in 6-month-old infants. Subjects/Methods: Infant fat mass (FM) and percent fat mass (%FM) obtained from a 2C model using PEA POD (2C-PP) and a 2C model using the deuterium dilution technique (2C-DD) were compared to those derived from a 3C model, and to each other, using Bland-Altman analysis and Deming regression. Results: Measurements were available from 68 infants (93% Caucasian, 53% male). The mean biases were not significant between any of the method comparisons. However, significant constant and proportional biases were identified in 2C-DD vs 3C and 2C-PP vs 2C-DD, but not in the 2C-PP vs 3C comparison. Furthermore, we observed significant associations between the mean differences and infants' percent total body water (%TBW). Conclusions: While no significant between-method mean differences were found in body composition estimates, some comparisons revealed significant constant and proportional biases and notable associations between the mean differences and %TBW were observed. Our results emphasise the importance of method choice, ensuring methodological uniformity in long-term studies, and carefully considering and regulating multiple pre-analytical variables, such as the hydration status of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Free‐air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments provide essential data on forest responses to increasing atmospheric CO2 for evaluations of climate change impacts on humanity. Understanding and reducing the uncertainty in the experimental results is critical to ensure scientific and public confidence in the models and policy initiatives that derive therefrom. One source of uncertainty is the estimation of tree biomass using mathematical relationships between biomass and easily obtained and non‐destructive measurements (allometry). We evaluated the robustness of the allometric relationships established at the beginning of a FACE experiment and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the new generation of FACE experiments. Summary: Long‐term field experiments to elucidate forest responses to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration require allometric equations to estimate tree biomass from non‐destructive measurements of tree size. We analyzed whether the allometric equations established at the beginning of a free‐air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment in a Liquidambar styraciflua plantation were still valid at the end of the 12 year experiment.Aboveground woody biomass was initially predicted by an equation that included bole diameter, taper, and height, assuming that including taper and height as predictors would accommodate changes in tree structure that might occur over time and in response to elevated CO2. At the conclusion of the FACE experiment, we harvested 23 trees, measured dimensions and dry mass of boles and branches, and extracted and measured the woody root mass of 10 trees.Although 10 of the harvested trees were larger than the trees used to establish the allometric relationship, measured aboveground woody biomass was well predicted by the original allometry. The initial linear equation between bole basal area and woody root biomass underestimated final root biomass by 28%, but root biomass was just 21% of total wood mass, and errors in aboveground and belowground estimates were offsetting.The allometry established at the beginning of the experiment provided valid predictions of tree biomass throughout the experiment. New allometric approaches using terrestrial laser scanning should reduce an important source of uncertainty in decade‐long forest experiments and in assessments of centuries‐long forest biomass accretion used in evaluating carbon offsets and climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract.We study the estimation of nonlinear models with cross-sectional data using two-step generalized estimating equations within the quasi-maximum likelihood estimation framework. To improve efficiency, we propose a grouped estimator that accounts for potential spatial correlation in the underlying innovations of nonlinear models. Under mild weak dependence assumptions, we provide results on estimation consistency and asymptotic normality. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the efficiency gain of our approach compared to various estimation methods. Finally, we apply the proposed approach to examine the role of cultural distance in an extended gravity equation using international trade data from China. Compared to existing methods, our approach yields estimates with smaller standard errors and reinforces the hypothesis that both cultural and geographical distances significantly negatively influence international trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study assessed the safety, feasibility, and acceptability of a novel device to monitor ischaemic stroke patients. The device captured electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) data to compute an ECG-based metric, termed the Electrocardiography Brain Perfusion index (EBPi), which may function as a proxy for cerebral blood flow (CBF). Seventeen ischaemic stroke patients wore the device for nine hours and reported feedback at 1, 3, 6 and 9 h regarding user experience, comfort, and satisfaction (acceptability). Safety was assessed as the number of adverse events reported. Feasibility was assessed as the percentage of uninterrupted EEG/ECG data recorded (data capture efficiency). No adverse events were reported, only minor incidences of discomfort. Overall device comfort (mean ± 1 standard deviation (SD) (range)) (92.5% ± 10.3% (57.0–100%)) and data capture efficiency (mean ± 1 SD (range)) (95.8% ± 6.8% (54.8–100%)) were very high with relatively low variance. The device didn’t restrict participants from receiving clinical care and rarely (n = 6) restricted participants from undertaking routine tasks. This study provides a promising evidence base for the deployment of the device in a clinical setting. If clinically validated, EBPi may be able to detect CBF changes to monitor early neurological deterioration and treatment outcomes, thus filling an important gap in current monitoring options.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622000112763). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute and chronic pain are the most frequent complications of sickle cell disease (SCD), often severely reducing quality of life and requiring management with long-term pharmacological interventions. A biopsychosocial approach conceptualizing pain in SCD as the result of complex biological, psychological, and social factors could facilitate targeted behavioral interventions. Mindfulness is one procedure for management of pain in individuals with chronic pain/illness. The goal of the current project was to design and implement a bedside mindfulness intervention to help patients with SCD enhance self-efficacy of pain management and reduce distress. As part of a quality improvement project in SCD clinics in a large health system, we developed a bedside mindfulness intervention to be provided during infusion sessions for patients presenting for acute vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE). The approach to development and implementation involved engagement of professionals working directly with patients. Concept planning meetings with these professionals along with qualitative patient and provider feedback informed feasibility, design, and intervention application. During a quantitative phase, patients completed validated surveys items on acceptability. Interview data (N = 11) supported patient interest in mindfulness skills and highlighted a need for tailored, person-centered interventions and non-pharmacological treatment strategies. On quantitative items, participants (N = 14) liked the intervention and agreed mindfulness skills would help manage disease-related distress. Following the interventions, participants reported increased mindfulness (p = .005). While preliminary, these results provide support for the continued development of evidence-based, mindfulness-oriented services to help individuals with SCD manage pain and other psychological difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory experiments demonstrate that intragranular water exerts an important control on deformation within quartz, causing weakening and promoting plasticity. The role of water in natural quartz deformation, however, remains unclear, as recent studies find an inverse relationship between water content and the magnitude of plastic strain. Furthermore, little work has investigated the effects, if any, of water on the relative activity of various slip systems in quartz. We focus on a naturally strained quartzite from the Antietam Formation of the Blue Ridge in Virginia, USA. Quartz water content ranges from < 50 to > 2000 ppm H 2 O. Water content and crystallographic data were correlated for 968 grains, enabling us to explore the relationship between water content and quartz crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) patterns. "Dry" (< 150 ppm H 2 O) and "wet" (> 500 ppm H 2 O) subsets show distinct CPOs; c axes of dry grains define a cross girdle oriented perpendicular to the extension direction (x), whereas c axes of wet grains are concentrated along the perimeter of the pole figure. All water content subsets show grains clustered near the direction of maximum shortening (z), consistent with activity of the basal 〈a〉 slip system. The cross girdle in the driest grains suggests activity of prism 〈a〉 and possibly rhomb 〈a〉 , whereas the orientation of the wettest grains implies a contribution from prism [c] slip. These slip system interpretations are supported by analyses of intragranular misorientations. These results indicate that water content impacts the relative activity of various slip systems in natural quartz, potentially affecting application of the quartz opening angle thermometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intertidal groundwater springs provide thermally stable, nutrient‐rich freshwater that causes fine‐scale variability in water temperature and salinity and promotes biodiversity in coastal estuaries and lagoons. In this study, we combined three thermal sensing techniques to elucidate summer water temperature patterns at the mouths of intertidal groundwater springs and the ambient coastal lagoon in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Thermal infrared imagery captured the spatiotemporal variability in relative temperatures of the lagoon channel and cold‐water plumes from the springs. Thermal anomalies due to the springs were detected at the surface throughout a tidal cycle, suggesting that the thermal plumes were buoyant. Fiber‐optic distributed temperature sensing paired with temperature loggers near the spring outlets recorded groundwater temperatures at low tide (~ 7°C) but ambient lagoon temperatures (up to 26°C) at high tide due to the vertical thermal gradient in the stratified water column. Calculated estuarine Richardson numbers throughout the study confirm intertidal spring buoyancy due to salinity differences. The fiber‐optic distributed temperature sensing results revealed pronounced variations in temperature as evidenced by spatial (3.7°C) and temporal (5.5°C) standard deviations over the cable length during the study and lower mean lagoon bed water temperatures at high tide (22.5°C) than low tide (24.3°C) due to heat advection from tidal pumping. Lagoon temperatures fluctuate at diurnal (solar) and semi‐diurnal (tidal) frequencies. The findings emphasize the efficacy of a multi‐technology approach to reveal fine‐scale and dynamic thermal processes that drive temperature patterns and habitat distribution in coastal lagoon ecosystems and highlight the thermal influence of intertidal springs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current options for male contraception are limited to condoms, the withdrawal method, or a vasectomy. Studies indicate that men have expressed growing interest in bearing responsibility for family planning. Objectives: To review prior studies investigating the role of an androgen‐only or androgen with progestin regimen for hormonal male contraception and to provide an update of a promising new hormonal agent, a transdermal gel. Discussion: Thus far, there have been six studies conducted in couples evaluating the contraceptive efficacy of an androgen‐only or androgen co‐administered with a progestin regimen for hormonal male contraception. The only ongoing study is by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in collaboration with the Population Council. They have developed a novel transdermal gel containing testosterone and segesterone acetate (Nestorone), a progestin. An ongoing phase II study enrolling more than 460 couples has shown great potential with respect to the product's efficacy, safety, reversibility, and acceptability. As this agent advances in development, a rapid at‐home test for sperm concentration will provide couples with immediate feedback regarding their potential for pregnancy. Conclusion: There is promise for the first‐of‐its‐kind hormonal male contraceptive, a transdermal gel, to achieve market approval for distribution in the United States and elsewhere. Its safety, efficacy, reversibility, and user‐control are all appealing qualities that make it readily adoptable for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Secondary prevention interventions to reduce post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) can be aided by the early identification of high-risk individuals who would benefit from risk factor modification. Aims: To develop and evaluate a predictive model to identify patients at increased risk of PSCI over 5 years using data easily accessible from electronic health records. Methods: Cohort study that included primary care patients from two academic medical centers. Patients were aged 45 years or older, without prior stroke or prevalent cognitive impairment, with primary care visits and an incident ischemic stroke between 2003 and 2016 (development/internal validation cohort) or 2010 and 2022 (external validation cohort). Predictors of PSCI were ascertained from the electronic health record. The outcome was incident dementia/cognitive impairment within 5 years and beginning 3 months following stroke, ascertained using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth/Tenth Revision (ICD-9/10) codes. For model variable selection, we considered potential predictors of PSCI and constructed 400 bootstrap samples with two-thirds of the model derivation sample. We ran 10-fold cross-validated Cox proportional hazards models using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalty. Variables selected in >25% of samples were included. Results: The analysis included 332 incident diagnoses of PSCI in the development cohort (n = 3741), and 161 and 128 incident diagnoses in the internal (n = 1925) and external (n = 2237) validation cohorts, respectively. The C-statistic for predicting PSCI was 0.731 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.694–0.768) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.724 (95% CI: 0.681–0.766) in the external validation cohort. A risk score based on the beta coefficients of predictors from the development cohort stratified patients into low (0–7 points), intermediate (8–11 points), and high (12–23 points) risk groups. The hazard ratios (HRs) for incident PSCI were significantly different by risk categories in internal (high, HR: 6.2, 95% CI: 4.1–9.3; Intermediate, HR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.8–4.1) and external (high, HR: 6.1, 95% CI: 3.9–9.6; Intermediate, HR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.9–4.3) validation cohorts. Conclusion: Five-year risk of PSCI can be accurately predicted using routinely collected data. Model output can be used to risk stratify and identify individuals at increased risk for PSCI for preventive efforts. Data access statement: Mass General Brigham data contain protected health information and cannot be shared publicly. The data processing scripts used to perform analyses will be made available to interested researchers upon reasonable request to the corresponding author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2024 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award has been given to Joel Habener and Svetlana Mojsov for their discovery of a new hormone GLP-1(7-37) and to Lotte Knudsen for her role in developing sustained acting versions of this hormone as a treatment for obesity. Each of the three had a distinct set of skills that made this advance possible; Habener is an endocrinologist and molecular biologist, Mojsov is a peptide chemist, and Knudsen is a pharmaceutical scientist. Their collective efforts have done what few thought possible--the development of highly effective medicines for reducing weight. Their research has also solved a mystery that began more than a century ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to sexual selection theory, the sexes are faced with opposing evolutionary goals. Male fitness benefits from access to females, whereas female fitness is constrained by food resources and safety for themselves and their offspring. Particularly in large solitary carnivores, such as polar bears (Ursus maritimus), these divergent goals can potentially lead to conflict between the sexes. Outside the mating season, when polar bears are on the move across vast distances, the consequences of such conflict can become apparent when individuals arrive at the same food source. To investigate interrelationships between the sexes, we observed successive polar bears visiting a bird breeding colony to feed on clutches of eggs. We found that males succeeded females more frequently and more closely than expected by chance. Moreover, when males were closer to conspecifics, they walked faster, spent less time in the colony and ingested less food. In contrast, female foraging performance was not associated with proximity to other bears. Irrespective of proximity, females generally spent short periods in the colony and ingested fewer clutches than males. Our results suggest that in polar bears, there is a trade-off between the benefits of food intake and the opportunities (in males) and risks (in females) posed by encountering conspecifics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Often, causal mediation analysis is of interest when both the mediator and the final outcome are repeatedly measured, but limited work has been done for this situation (as opposed to where only the mediator is repeatedly measured). Available methods are primarily based on parametric models and tend to be sensitive to model assumptions. This article presents semiparametric, continuous‐time models to provide a flexible and robust approach to causal mediation analysis for longitudinal data, which allows these data to be unbalanced or irregular. Specifically, the method uses spline linear mixed‐effects models for the mediator and for the final outcome, with a two‐step approach to model‐fitting in which a predicted mediator is used as a covariate in the final outcome model. The models allow flexible functions for both the mean and individual response functions for each outcome. We derive estimated natural direct and indirect effects as a function of time using an extended mediation formula and sequential ignorability assumption. In simulation studies, we compare properties of estimated direct and indirect effects, and a delta method estimate of the standard error of the latter, under alternative approaches for predicting the mediator. The approach is illustrated using harmonised data from two cohort studies to examine attention as a mediator of the effect of prenatal tobacco exposure on externalising behaviour in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong growth of offshore wind energy development is driving demand for better characterizing meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) conditions where physical data are traditionally sparse. Most offshore wind energy structures extend from the seafloor up through the full water column and into the atmosphere to heights approaching 300 m. This requires a comprehensive understanding of anticipated waves, swells, currents, and weather over the life cycle of offshore wind energy projects. This paper describes the relevance of key metocean parameters and analyses to the offshore wind energy field and examines the opportunities and challenges that may be encountered by metocean initiatives, particularly in the United States where offshore wind energy is in the early stages of development. We also suggest ways in which offshore wind energy driven metocean activities can reap spin-off benefits to broader oceanographic interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canines are an important model system for genetics and evolution. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have enabled the creation of large databases of genetic variation in canines, but analyses of allele sharing among canine groups have been limited. We applied GeoVar, an approach originally developed to study the sharing of single nucleotide polymorphisms across human populations, to assess the sharing of genetic variation among groups of wolves, village dogs, and breed dogs. Our analysis shows that wolves differ from each other at an average of approximately 2.3 million sites while dogs from the same breed differ at nearly 1 million sites. We found that 22% of the variants are common across wolves, village dogs, and breed dogs, that ~16% of variable sites are common across breed dogs, and that nearly half of the differences between two dogs of different breeds are due to sites that are common in all clades. These analyses represent a succinct summary of allele sharing across canines and illustrate the effects of canine history on the apportionment of genetic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until the beginning of the 21st century, the Tulsa Race Massacre was omitted mainly from the social studies curriculum and state-mandated standards in the United States. However, the featured lesson provides a valuable springboard to explore the historical perspectives and injustices against the Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 31, 1921. This lesson exemplifies how social studies teachers can effectively explore controversial issues, such as racial discrimination in U.S. history, by investigating the Tulsa Race Massacre. Students are encouraged to engage in a comprehensive analysis and discussion of newspaper articles to investigate the events prior to the Tulsa Race Massacre and the obstacles faced by the inhabitants of Tulsa in the aftermath of the tragedy. Through implementing the case study approach, this pedagogical lesson aims to foster higher-order thinking skills among students by providing an opportunity to analyze, compare, and contrast various reports in a secondary classroom setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in North America has resulted in mass mortalities of hibernating bats and total extirpation of local populations. The need to mitigate this disease has stirred a significant body of research to understand its pathogenesis. Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of WNS, is a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus that resides within the class Leotiomycetes, which contains mainly plant pathogens and is unrelated to other consequential pathogens of animals. In this review, we revisit the unique biology of hibernating bats and P. destructans and provide an updated analysis of the stages and mechanisms of WNS progression. The extreme life history of hibernating bats, the psychrophilic nature of P. destructans, and its evolutionary distance from other well-characterized animal-infecting fungi translate into unique host–pathogen interactions, many of them yet to be discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using ‘working’ assumptions on conditional third and fourth moments of errors, we propose a method of moments estimator that can have improved efficiency over the popular Gaussian quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator (GQMLE). Higher‐order moment assumptions are not needed for consistency – we only require the first two conditional moments to be correctly specified – but the optimal instruments are derived under these assumptions. The working assumptions allow both asymmetry in the distribution of the standardized errors as well as fourth moments that can be smaller or larger than that of the Gaussian distribution. The approach is related to the generalized estimation equations (GEE) approach – which seeks the improvement of estimators of the conditional mean parameters by making working assumptions on the conditional second moments. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the new estimator and show that it does not depend on the estimators of the third and fourth moments. A simulation study shows that the efficiency gains over the GQMLE can be non‐trivial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As lake and reservoir ecosystems transition across major environmental regimes (e.g., mixing regime) resulting from anthropogenic change, setting predictive expectations is imperative. We tested the hypothesis that (dissolved) oxygen is more predictable in monomictic reservoirs that thermally stratify throughout the summer (warm) season compared to polymictic reservoirs that stratify intermittently. Using two‐hourly vertical profiles of oxygen, we compared daily‐aggregated errors of oxygen predictions from random forests across and within two monomictic and two polymictic reservoirs in the south‐central (subtropical) USA. Although one monomictic reservoir was typically more predictable than the polymictic reservoirs, the hypereutrophic, small monomictic reservoir had less predictable oxygen patterns potentially related to rapid oxygen cycling and intrusions of oxygenated waters in the hypolimnion without mixing. Daily mixing did not relate strongly to model errors. Water temperature, depth, and wind were the most important predictors, but were not clearly related to season or mixing. Lastly, we compared multiple model types (regression, neural network, and process‐based) in one polymictic reservoir to test how our interpretations of oxygen predictability were sensitive to model type, finding that the models generally agreed; however, the process‐based model poorly predicted oxygen in the middle of the vertical profiles (5 m) where most models performed poorly due to a temporally unstable, vacillating metalimnion. Our results suggest predicting reservoir oxygen dynamics may be easier in stratified reservoirs, but eutrophication and complex hydrodynamics may cause forecasting surprises especially for those who use or manage water resources in mono‐ or dimictic reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous across the kingdoms of life and serve important roles in regulating physiology and behavior at many levels. These rhythms occur in ~24-hour cycles and are driven by a core molecular oscillator. Circadian timekeeping enables organisms to anticipate daily changes by timing their growth and internal processes. Neurospora crassa is a model organism with a long history in circadian biology, having conserved eukaryotic clock properties and observable circadian phenotypes. A core approach for measuring circadian function in Neurospora is to follow daily oscillations in the direction of growth and spore formation along a thin glass tube (race tube). While leveraging robust phenotypic readouts is useful, interpreting the outputs of large-scale race tube experiments by hand can be time-consuming and prone to human error. To provide the field with an efficient tool for analyzing race tubes, we present Rhythmidia, a graphical user interface (GUI) tool written in Python for calculating circadian periods and growth rates of Neurospora. Rhythmidia is open source, has been benchmarked against the current state-of-the-art, and is easily accessible on GitHub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder of the blood vessels that leads to the formation of telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). HHT affects ∼1/5,000 people, but this varies significantly by geography and ancestry. The Curaçao criteria for HHT consist of four diagnostic criteria: spontaneous epistaxis, first-degree relative with HHT, AVMs in characteristic location (liver, lung, brain), and telangiectasias. Sequelae and major symptomology include recurrent epistaxis, dyspnea, heart failure, and stroke from paradoxical emboli among others. HHT patients are best cared for by a multidisciplinary team, ideally all with HHT-specific experience, but in this review, we will discuss the major aspects of the disease including etiology, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration testing of an integrally bladed rotor (IBR) is often completed through traveling wave excitation (TWE) bench tests composed of multiple, simultaneously excited inputs. Often, each blade has many output locations. For IBRs with many blades, as often found in the high pressure compressor, the total number of outputs can be several orders of magnitude. Formulation of a full output spectral density matrix from all measurements will then contain an exponential number of values at each frequency bin that can be detrimental to computational resources during the spectral density matrix formulation as well as down-stream system identification algorithms. An online algorithm is proposed for collecting and analyzing TWE data to reduce the large, computationally burdensome datasets into a manageable number of subsets for subsequent system identification. Furthermore, a frequency domain decomposition technique is also proposed for system identification that also attempts to reduce the data size through singular value decomposition. Identified system poles can be averaged from each subset, but mode shapes require stitching each subset together to identify the full mode shape at all output locations. The developed approaches are tested on synthetic TWE data and compared to baseline system identification results obtained using the full spectral density matrix. Results indicate the data subsets accurately compare to the baseline without much loss in accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It discusses the limitations of medical treatments for IBS and the need for more effective options. The article explains the biopsychosocial model of IBS and how CBT has evolved to address cognitive rigidity and modify cognitive structures for symptom relief. It highlights the efficacy of CBT, including exposure-based CBT and its integration with mindfulness strategies. A meta-analysis of studies found that CBT is effective in relieving IBS symptoms, with a number needed to treat (NNT) of 4. CBT also showed strong effects on overall symptom severity and emotional and physical functioning. The therapy was effective in real-world clinical settings and had long-term benefits. CBT is considered a "gold standard" psychological treatment for IBS. [Extracted from the article]

Entropy scaling relates dynamic and thermodynamic properties by reducing the viscosity to a function of only the residual entropy. Molecular simulations are used to investigate the entropy scaling of the viscosity of three models of sodium chloride and five monovalent salts. Even though the correlation between the potential energy and the virial is weak, entropy scaling applies at liquid densities for all models and salts investigated. At lower densities, entropy scaling breaks down due to the formation of ion pairs and chains. Entropy scaling can be used to develop more extendable correlations for the dynamic properties of molten salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rich literature has identified a number of important drivers of nuclear proliferation. Most of this work, however, treats the determinants of proliferation as constant over the entire nuclear age—the factors leading to proliferation are assumed to be the same in 2010 as they were in 1945. But there are reasons to suspect that the drivers of proliferation have changed over this time: nuclear technology is easier to come by, the global strategic environment has shifted, and the nuclear nonproliferation regime has come into being. To examine changes in the dynamics of nuclear proliferation, I adapt a cross-validation technique frequently used in the machine learning literature. I create a rolling window of training data with which statistical models of proliferation are built, and I then test the predictive power of these models against data from other time periods. The result of this analysis is a temporal map of how the determinants of proliferation have changed over time. My findings suggest that the underlying dynamics of nuclear proliferation have indeed shifted, with important implications both for the literature on nuclear proliferation and for policymakers interested in limiting the future spread of nuclear weapons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Weight stigma is widespread, but the existing literature on its harmful consequences remains largely limited to lab-based experiments and large-scale longitudinal designs. Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand how weight stigma unfolds in everyday life, and whether it predicts increased eating behavior. Methods In this event-contingent ecological momentary assessment study, 91 participants reported every time they experienced weight stigma and documented whether they ate, how much they ate, and what they ate. These reports were compared against a timepoint when they did not experience stigma. Results Participants reported a wide variety of stigmatizing events from a variety of sources, with the most common ones being the self, strangers, the media, and family. Multilevel models showed that participants were no more likely to eat post-stigma (vs. the comparison point), but if they did eat, they ate more servings of food (on average consuming 1.45 more servings, or 45% more). Moderation analyses indicated that this effect was amplified for men versus women. Conclusion Experiencing weight stigma appears to beget behavioral changes, potentially driving future weight gain, placing individuals at ever more risk for further stigmatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore patterns of emigration of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), we examined movements at a study site in south-central Alabama that consisted of 2 distinct aggregations of burrows located on adjacent north and south sandhills separated by a mesic depression wash. We collected telemetry data from 41 individuals over a complete season of activity (2000–2001) and capture-mark-recapture data of those same individuals during 14 trapping sessions from 1992 to 2020. We observed a bimodal distribution of telemetry fixes, with 1 mode created by individuals with few fixes (n = 9) who also were recaptured infrequently, which we interpreted to represent emigrants. Thus, our data suggest that the proportion of a local population that emigrates each year is on the order of 20%. To characterize the degree to which resident tortoises (those recaptured ≥ 5 times over the 29-yr period) used space across the entire study site, we used 100% minimum convex polygons to examine the proportion of annual home ranges (based on telemetry data) and lifetime home ranges (based on capture-mark-recapture and telemetry data) that involved both sandhills. For annual home ranges, only a single individual (of 14 residents) occupied burrows on both hills over 1 yr. For lifetime home ranges, 9 individual residents used burrows on both hills. Lifetime home ranges were 6 times larger than annual home ranges, with longest distances between vertices of lifetime home ranges approaching distances ascribed to emigration in previous studies. A model generated from the lifetime recapture data indicated a tendency for greater apparent survival of adults compared with juveniles on the study site and for juveniles and adult females to be more likely to move from the south hill to the north hill than the opposite direction. When added to 5 additional sites for which telemetry data were gathered, we argue that emigration rate is strongly and negatively correlated with local tortoise density. We conclude that current individual-based population models correctly separate movements of animals within a local population (residents) from emigration of animals among local populations, such models require addition of density dependence when addressing emigration rate, and dispersal distances are longer than those based on studies of movements within a single season of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Limited research exists that outlines the predictive relevance of the treatment components of prolonged exposure (PE) for post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on PTSD and depression symptom outcomes. The goal of the present study was to investigate relations between participant completion of breathing retraining, in vivo exposure, and imaginal exposure exercises and symptom outcomes. Methods: A total of 58 participants completed a trial of PE as part of a larger trial on peer involvement and treatment adherence. Diagnostic and self‐report measures were completed throughout treatment. Participants also recorded weekly completion of breathing retraining, in vivo exposure, and imaginal exposure exercises. Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analyses were used to investigate relations between average weekly treatment component completion and treatment outcomes, controlling for relevant variables. Results: Although breathing retraining and in vivo exposures were associated with PTSD outcomes in the correlational findings, use of breathing retraining, in vivo exposures, and imaginal exposures were not reliably associated with PTSD symptom outcomes when controlling for other variables in the regression analysis. However, when investigating changes in comorbid symptoms of depression, greater use of breathing retraining was associated with decreased symptoms of depression at posttreatment. Conclusions: Present findings demonstrate the differential relations between participation in various PE treatment components and posttreatment symptom outcomes. The importance of breathing retraining in addressing comorbid depressive symptoms is discussed, with emphasis on potentially increasing relaxation and positive activities more broadly to encourage further treatment benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent recognition of a syndrome of tick‐acquired mammalian meat allergy has transformed the previously held view that mammalian meat is an uncommon allergen. The syndrome, mediated by IgE antibodies against the oligosaccharide galactose‐alpha‐1,3‐galactose (alpha‐gal), can also involve reactions to visceral organs, dairy, gelatin and other products, including medications sourced from non‐primate mammals. Thus, fittingly, this allergic disorder is now called the alpha‐gal syndrome (AGS). The syndrome is strikingly regional, reflecting the important role of tick bites in sensitization, and is more common in demographic groups at risk of tick exposure. Reactions in AGS are delayed, often by 2–6 h after ingestion of mammalian meat. In addition to classic allergic symptomatology such as urticaria and anaphylaxis, AGS is increasingly recognized as a cause of isolated gastrointestinal morbidity and alpha‐gal sensitization has also been linked with cardiovascular disease. The unusual link with tick bites may be explained by the fact that allergic cells and mediators are mobilized to the site of tick bites and play a role in resistance against ticks and tick‐borne infections. IgE directed to alpha‐gal is likely an incidental consequence of what is otherwise an adaptive immune strategy for host defense against endo‐ and ectoparasites, including ticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimensional conceptualizations of psychopathology hold promise for understanding the high rates of comorbidity with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Linking PTSD symptoms to transdiagnostic dimensions of psychopathology may enable researchers and clinicians to understand the patterns and breadth of behavioral sequelae following traumatic experiences that may be shared with other psychiatric disorders. To explore this premise, we recruited a trauma‐exposed online community sample (N = 462) and measured dimensional transdiagnostic traits of psychopathology using parceled facets derived from the Personality Inventory for DSM‐5 Faceted–Short Form. PTSD symptom factors were measured using the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 and derived using confirmatory factor analysis according to the seven‐factor hybrid model (i.e., Intrusions, Avoidance, Negative Affect, Anhedonia, Externalizing Behaviors, Anxious Arousal, And Dysphoric Arousal). We observed hypothesized associations between PTSD factors and transdiagnostic traits indicating that some transdiagnostic dimensions were associated with nearly all PTSD symptom factors (e.g., emotional lability: rmean =.35), whereas others showed more unique relationships (e.g., hostility–Externalizing Behavior: r =.60; hostility with other PTSD factors: rs =.12–.31). All PTSD factors were correlated with traits beyond those that would appear to be construct‐relevant, suggesting the possibility of indirect associations that should be explicated in future research. The results indicate the breadth of trait‐like consequences associated with PTSD symptom exacerbation, with implications for case conceptualization and treatment planning. Although PTSD is not a personality disorder, the findings indicate that increased PTSD factor severity is moderately associated with different patterns of trait‐like disruptions in many areas of functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key effectors of urinary tract innate immunity. Identifying differences in urinary AMP levels between younger and older adults is important in understanding older adults' susceptibility and response to urinary tract infections (UTI) and AMP use as diagnostic biomarkers. We hypothesized that uninfected older adults have higher urinary human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP 1-3), human alpha-defensin-5 (HD-5), and human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2), but lower urinary cathelicidin (LL-37) than younger adults. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients aged ≥18 years completing a family medicine clinic nonacute visit. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed for AMPs. We identified associations between age and AMPs using unadjusted and multivariable linear regression models. Results Of the 308 subjects, 144 (46.8%) were ≥65 years of age. Comparing age ≥65 versus < 65 years, there were no significant differences in HNP 1-3 (p  = .371), HD5 (p  = .834), or LL-37 (p  = .348) levels. Values for hBD-2 were lower in older adults versus younger (p  < .001). In multivariable analyses, older males and females had significantly lower hBD-2 levels (p  < .001 and p  = .004). Models also showed urine leukocyte esterase was associated with increased levels of HNP 1-3 and HD5; hematuria with increased hBD-2; and urine cultures with contamination with increased HNP 1-3 and hBD-2. Conclusions Baseline urinary HNP 1-3, HD-5, and LL-37 did not vary with age. Older adults had lower baseline hBD-2. This finding has implications for the potential use of urinary AMPs as diagnostic markers and will facilitate further investigation into the role of innate immunity in UTI susceptibility in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining the structure of cardiac membranes and membrane organelles is essential for heart function. A critical cardiac membrane organelle is the transverse tubule system (called the t-tubule system) which is an invagination of the surface membrane. A unique structural characteristic of the cardiac muscle t-tubule system is the extension of the extracellular matrix (ECM) from the surface membrane into the t-tubule lumen. However, the importance of the ECM extending into the cardiac t-tubule lumen is not well understood. Dystroglycan (DG) is an ECM receptor in the surface membrane of many cells, and it is also expressed in t-tubules in cardiac muscle. Extensive posttranslational processing and O-glycosylation are required for DG to bind ECM proteins and the binding is mediated by a glycan structure known as matriglycan. Genetic disruption resulting in defective O-glycosylation of DG results in muscular dystrophy with cardiorespiratory pathophysiology. Here, we show that DG is essential for maintaining cardiac t-tubule structural integrity. Mice with defects in O-glycosylation of DG developed normal t-tubules but were susceptible to stress-induced t-tubule loss or severing that contributed to cardiac dysfunction and disease progression. Finally, we observed similar stress-induced cardiac t-tubule disruption in a cohort of mice that solely lacked matriglycan. Collectively, our data indicate that DG in t-tubules anchors the luminal ECM to the t-tubule membrane via the polysaccharide matriglycan, which is critical to transmitting structural strength of the ECM to the t-tubules and provides resistance to mechanical stress, ultimately preventing disruptions in cardiac t-tubule integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe Approach-Avoidance Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ) is a well-established measure assessing heightened sensitivity and reactivity to reward/positive stimuli (approach temperament) and to punishment/negative stimuli (avoidance temperament). These basic dimensions of personality are believed to be important for understanding the etiology and maintenance of anxiety and depressive disorders. Despite the ATQ’s potential utility in clinical psychology research, its psychometric properties and factor structure have yet to be examined in a psychiatric sample. The aims of the present study were to 1) conduct confirmatory factor analysis to replicate the ATQ’s factor structure in individuals diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder (N = 244), 2) assess internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity, and 3) explore differences in approach and avoidance temperaments in individuals with versus without a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Results confirmed the original two-factor structure of the ATQ in a clinical sample, with approach and avoidance temperaments representing orthogonal dimensions. The measure demonstrated strong internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and predictive validity. Individuals with anxiety and depression scored higher on avoidance items and lower on approach items compared to those without clinical diagnoses. This study supports the use of the ATQ in clinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that hormones influence and direct most facets of physiology; however, there is still contention regarding the directions of certain relationships, for example, between gonadal hormones and immunity. Among the many proposed relationships relating to gonadal–immune interactions, support for immunosuppressive effects of androgens remains prominent within physiological literature. Although ample study has been directed toward the immunosuppressive effects of androgens, considerable disagreement remains regarding their influence on immune function. In this study, we test the hypothesis that androgens inhibit immunocompetence in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Developing alligators were incubated at female‐producing temperatures with a subset of individuals being exposed to 17‐α‐methyltestosterone (MT) before sexual determination. 17‐α‐methyltestosterone is a potent androgen, not aromatizable by crocodilians, that has been found to exert masculinizing effects in exposed crocodilian populations in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, a subset of animals was exposed to a novel antigen to quantify innate and acquired immune function. We recovered no significant differences in leukocyte ratios or proportions between groups and found no significant differences in innate immune function as measured by hemolysis‐hemagglutination. However, we did find significant differences in acquired immune function, where masculinized individuals expressed greater antibody titers. Our findings reject the hypothesis that androgens suppress immune function; rather, androgens may be immunoenhancing to acquired humoral responses and neutral to innate humoral immunity in crocodilians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on enhancing undergraduate research engagement through systematic curricular reform across various disciplines. It highlights the benefits of scaffolded research experiences throughout a four-year undergraduate curriculum and outlines strategies for overcoming institutional barriers to broader adoption of such practices.

This study combines 8 years of middle atmospheric wind data observed at 52°N latitude from two radars in different longitudinal sectors to investigate solar tides. The power spectral density of horizontal winds exhibits a −3 power law within the frequency range 2.0 < f < 7.0 cpd (equivalent to periods 3.6 − 12.0 hr). Particularly noteworthy are the 4.8‐ and 4‐hr tides, exhibiting signal‐to‐noise ratios ranging between 13 and 16 dB, surpassing the 0.01 significance level. This challenges their previous oversight in literature, possibly due to inadequacies in prevailing noise models. Cross‐spectra between longitudinal sectors emphasize the dominance of sun‐synchronous components in the six lowest‐frequency tides. Composite spectra indicate that tidal enhancements during SSWs resemble regular seasonal variations. Intriguingly, year‐to‐year spectral variations suggest that these enhancements are more influenced by seasonal dynamics than by SSW, contrasting with established literature. These findings underscore the need to reevaluate tidal harmonics and consider appropriate noise models in future studies. Plain Language Summary: Tides are ubiquitous in celestial systems, influencing celestial objects diversely when one orbits another. Extensive studies have explored the tidal effects on processes such as planetary habitability, climate fluctuations, meteorological patterns, geophysical activities, geological hazards, heat and mass circulation, and certain biological behaviors. However, most existing literature focuses on the lowest‐frequency tidal harmonics, with limited attention given to higher‐frequency ones. In the Earth's atmosphere, the exact count of solar tidal harmonics remains uncertain, and an ongoing debate persists regarding the existence of higher‐frequency harmonics, arising potentially from difficulties in distinguishing them from sporadic regional buoyancy waves. Here, we provide evidence for the statistically significant existence of the first six orders of tidal harmonics, extracted from 8 years of middle atmospheric wind observations. Spectral coherence between two distinct longitudinal sectors signifies that the six harmonics primarily correspond to sun‐synchronous tides synchronized with the Sun. The presence of higher‐frequency tides suggests that tidal effects are characterized by greater complexity than currently understood. Key Points: Wind spectrum reveals 6 tidal harmonics significantly higher than background noise with −3 frequency power lawCoherence between two longitudinal sectors reveals that the harmonics are synchronized with the SunWinter tidal enhancements seem to be influenced by seasonal factors rather than SSW, presenting a contrast to existing literature [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two ∼2‐week Ultra‐Fast Kelvin Wave (UFKW) events centered on days 158(203) during 2021 are investigated using winds, temperatures, plasma drifts and electron densities (Ne) measured by the Ionospheric CONnections (ICON) mission. Eastward‐propagating longitudinal wave‐1 (s = −1) structures with periods 2.5–4.0d, thought to mainly reflect Ultra‐Fast Kelvin waves (UFKWs), reveal ±45 ms−1 zonal winds (U) at 100 km for both events. Height‐latitude structures of the 3.0(3.5)d‐period UFKWs are obtained for the first time for both temperature (T, 94–120 km) and U (94–280 km) between 12°S and 39°N latitude. Maximum values of 36(29) ms−1 for U and 12(15)K for T occur at 102(106) km altitude and within ±3° latitude. The U‐T peak height displacement remains unexplained. Vertical wavelengths are in the range 36–43 km for both U and T during both events. Concurrent with the E‐region dynamo winds, topside (580 km) F‐region field‐aligned (±20–40 ms−1), meridional (±5–10 ms−1) and vertical (±5–10 ms−1) drift and Ne (±20–40%) 2.5–4.0d s = −1 variations are also measured. These key elements of atmosphere‐ionosphere (A‐I) coupling, contemporaneously measured for the first time, are relevant to testing the internal consistency of A‐I models. The mean wind propagation environment of the UFKWs is also quantified, showing no appreciable effects on the UFKW structures, consistent with modeling and theory. Plain Language Summary: Atmospheric Ultra‐Fast Kelvin waves (UFKWs) are eastward‐ and vertically propagating oscillations with periods less than 1 week that are centered on the equator and confined to low latitudes. They are part of a whole spectrum of waves forced by the spatial‐temporal variability of the heat of condensation ("latent heating") that is released when rising moist air forms rain droplets, mainly in the tropics. At high altitudes UFKW reach large amplitudes due to the decrease in ambient density with height. Their growth is curtailed by the viscosity of the atmosphere near 102 km altitude where they reach maximum amplitudes. Here they interact with ionized particles (the ionosphere) and generate electric fields that ultimately drive ionospheric variability at higher altitudes (>200 km), thus presenting an element of "space weather" to navigation and communications systems. In this paper, UFKWs measured in connection with the ICON mission are used to reveal, for the first time, the height and latitudinal structures of temperatures and winds associated with UFKWs in this dissipative regime, and their corresponding effect on the ionosphere. These results can thus serve to assess the internal consistency of models that seek to simulate atmosphere‐ionosphere coupling and related space weather effects induced by the wave spectrum excited in the lower atmosphere. Key Points: First coincident UFKW winds and temperature structures covering 94‐120 km,12°S‐39°N latitude are reportedFirst UFKW wind profiles in the 100‐280 km altitude dissipative regime are reportedFirst contemporaneous measurements of ionosphere response and driving UFKW E‐region dynamo winds are reported [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases are influenced by interactions between host and pathogen, and the number of infected hosts is rarely homogenous across the landscape. Areas with elevated pathogen prevalence can maintain a high force of infection and may indicate areas with disease impacts on host populations. However, isolating the ecological processes that result in increases in infection prevalence and intensity remains a challenge. Here we elucidate the contribution of pathogen clade and host species in disease hotspots caused by Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the pathogen responsible for snake fungal disease, in 21 species of snakes infected with multiple pathogen strains across 10 countries in Europe. We found isolated areas of disease hotspots in a landscape where infections were otherwise low. O. ophidiicola clade had important effects on transmission, and areas with multiple pathogen clades had higher host infection prevalence. Snake species further influenced infection, with most positive detections coming from species within the Natrix genus. Our results suggest that both host and pathogen identity are essential components contributing to increased pathogen prevalence. A large-scale study in Europe elucidating the contribution of pathogen clade and host species in disease hotspots caused by Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the pathogen responsible for snake fungal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]