Search

Parr and Ghosh [Phys. Rev. A. 51 3564 (1995)] demonstrated that when near-exact electron densities and potentials are used, the exchange–correlation energies of first- and second-row atoms are well-described by a combination of the Fermi–Amaldi functional with a functional that is homogeneous of degree one under density scaling. Insight into this observation is provided by considering their work from the perspective of the effective homogeneity of the overall exchange–correlation functional. By considering a general form that combines the Fermi–Amaldi functional with a functional that is homogeneous of degree k, it is shown that for these atoms, the functional of Parr and Ghosh (k = 1) exhibits essentially optimal effective homogeneities on the electron-deficient side of the integer. Percentage errors in effective homogeneities are close to percentage errors in exchange–correlation energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conical intersections constitute the conceptual bedrock of our working understanding of ultrafast, nonadiabatic processes within photochemistry (and photophysics). Accurate calculation of potential energy surfaces within the vicinity of conical intersections, however, still poses a serious challenge to many popular electronic structure methods. Multiple works have reported on the deficiency of methods like linear-response time-dependent density functional theory within the adiabatic approximation (AA LR-TDDFT) or algebraic diagrammatic construction to second-order [ADC(2)]—approaches often used in excited-state molecular dynamics simulations—to describe conical intersections between the ground and excited electronic states. In the present study, we focus our attention on conical intersections between excited electronic states and probe the ability of AA LR-TDDFT and ADC(2) to describe their topology and topography, using protonated formaldimine and pyrazine as two exemplar molecules. We also take the opportunity to revisit the performance of these methods in describing conical intersections involving the ground electronic state in protonated formaldimine—highlighting in particular how the intersection ring exhibited by AA LR-TDDFT can be perceived either as a (near-to-linear) seam of intersection or two interpenetrating cones, depending on the magnitude of molecular distortions within the branching space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortical cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) are associated with loss of white matter (WM) integrity and cognitive impairment in cross-sectional studies, while further investigation using longitudinal datasets is required. This study aims to establish the association between cortical CMIs and WM integrity assessed by diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) measures and to investigate whether DTI measures mediate the relationship between cortical CMIs and cognitive decline. Cortical CMIs were graded on 3T MRI. DTI measures were derived from histogram analysis of mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA). Cognitive function was assessed using a neuropsychological test battery. Linear mixed-effect models were employed to examine associations of cortical CMIs with longitudinal changes in DTI measures and cognitive function. Final analysis included 231 patients (71.14 ± 7.60 years). Presence of cortical CMIs at baseline was associated with longitudinal changes in MD median and peak height and FA median and peak height, as well as global cognition (β = −0.50, 95%CI: −0.91, −0.09) and executive function (β = −0.77, 95%CI: −1.25, −0.28). MD median mediated the cross-sectional association between cortical CMIs and global cognition. Further studies are required to investigate whether cortical CMIs and loss of WM integrity are causally related or if they are parallel mechanisms that contribute to cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite common background La Niña conditions, Australia was very dry in November 2020 and wet in November 2021. This paper aims to provide an explanation for this difference. Large-scale drivers of Australian rainfall, including El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean dipole, Southern Annular Mode, and Madden–Julian oscillation, were examined but did not provide obvious clues for the differences. We found that the absence (in 2020) or presence (in 2021) of an enhanced thermal wind and subtropical jet over the Australian continent contributed to the rainfall anomalies. In general, La Niña sets up warm sea surface temperatures around northern Australia, which enhances the meridional temperature gradient over the continent and hence thermal wind and subtropical jet. In November 2021, these warm sea surface temperatures, coupled with a persistent midlatitude trough, which advected cold air over the Australian continent, led to an enhanced meridional temperature gradient and subtropical jet over Australia. The enhanced jet provided favorable conditions for the development of rain-bearing weather systems across Australia. In 2020, the continent was warm, displacing the latitude of maximum meridional temperature gradient south of the continent, resulting in fewer instances of the subtropical jet over Australia, and little development of weather systems over the continent. We highlight that although La Niña tilts the odds to wetter conditions for Australia, in any given month, variability in temperatures over the continent can contribute to subtropical jet variability and resulting rainfall in ways which confound the normal expectation from La Niña. Significance Statement: Forecasts of El Niño–Southern Oscillation are eagerly awaited, as the state of this climate driver has profound impacts on the likelihood of rainfall in regions around the world. While El Niño and La Niña do change rainfall likelihoods, the actual outcomes of these events are sometimes counter to expectation. This work explores one of the confounding factors to those expectations in the Australian context—the role of the meridional temperature gradient over the continent in modifying the storm track over Australia, which can disrupt the expected El Niño and La Niña teleconnections. We present case studies for two La Niña springs, highlighting that the Australian continent can help shape its own weather toward wetter or drier outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. It has been suggested that inflammation may play a role. We determined whether central (neuro) inflammation and peripheral inflammation were associated with fatigue in SVD. Methods: Notably, 36 patients with moderate-to-severe SVD underwent neuropsychometric testing, combined positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET–MRI) scan, and blood draw for the analysis of inflammatory blood biomarkers. Microglial signal was taken as a proxy for neuroinflammation, assessed with radioligand 11C-PK11195. Of these, 30 subjects had full PET datasets for analysis. We assessed global 11C-PK11195 binding and hotspots of 11C-PK11195 binding in the normal-appearing white matter, lesioned tissue, and combined total white matter. Peripheral inflammation was assessed with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and using the Olink cardiovascular III proteomic panel comprising 92 biomarkers of cardiovascular inflammation and endothelial activation. Fatigue was assessed using the fatigue severity scale (FSS), the visual analog fatigue scale, and a subscale of the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Mean (SD) age was 68.7 (11.2) years, and 63.9% were male. Of these, 55.6% showed fatigue on the FSS. Fatigued participants had higher disability scores (p = 0.02), higher total GDS scores (p = 0.02), and more commonly reported a history of depression (p = 0.04). 11C-PK11195 ligand binding in the white matter was not associated with any measure of fatigue. Serum CRP was significantly associated with average fatigue score on FSS (ρ = 0.48, p = 0.004); this association persisted when controlling for age, sex, disability score, and depression (β = 0.49, 95% CI (0.17, 2.26), p = 0.03). Blood biomarkers from the Olink panel showed no association with fatigue. Conclusion: In symptomatic SVD patients, neuroinflammation, assessed with microglial marker 11C-PK11195, was not associated with fatigue. We found some evidence for a role of systematic inflammation, evidenced by an association between fatigue severity and raised CRP, but further studies are required to understand this relationship and inform whether it could be therapeutically modified to reduce fatigue severity. Data access statement: Data for this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews nine soil carbon interventions to reduce soil carbon losses or increase stocks in grazing management systems, using their potential application in Aotearoa New Zealand (A‐NZ) as a case study. The interventions are classified into three strategies: (1) increasing carbon inputs through deep‐rooting and diverse species grasslands, reducing forage cropping and deferred grazing management; (2) increasing protection of carbon stocks by water table management on organic soils, reducing cropping on organic soils, full inversion tillage grassland renewal, the addition of clay minerals and enhanced rock weathering and (3) the adoption of integrated systems including establishing tree clusters into grasslands and agroforestry. We estimated the land area where these interventions could realistically be implemented in A‐NZ and assessed their potential impact on mitigating national overall agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. The potential impact of each intervention ranged from <1% to 2.5% of national agricultural greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years. However, confidence in these approaches is hindered by a lack of research data where these approaches have been tested for different soil types and conditions. Notably, water table management, which reduces carbon loss from organic soils, was the only intervention that could achieve moderate, short‐ and long‐term impacts with a confidence level assessed as 'likely'. We conclude that reducing further soil carbon losses and achieving modest increases in soil carbon stocks are possible but will require economic and political incentives that encourage the integration of multiple interventions at the farm scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Data are lacking on the effects of selected endophytes of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) on ryegrass persistence. Aim: We aimed to determine the impact of Epichloë endophyte on the persistence of mid- and late-heading perennial ryegrass cultivars. Method: Two mid-heading (Samson, Bronsyn) and two late-heading (One50, Rohan) cultivars, infected with selected endophytes (AR37, nea2/6) or with standard toxic endophyte, were established in a replicated plot study grazed by cattle in a subtropical environment of the upper North Island of New Zealand. Persistence characteristics were quantified at least five times per annum, over 4 years. Key results: Endophyte strain had an effect on persistence; infection with standard endophyte resulted in higher ryegrass ground cover percentage, ryegrass content in pasture dry matter and autumn yield than infection with nea2/6 on many occasions, and with AR37 on some occasions. There were negligible impacts on ryegrass tiller density or nutritive value. Trends were dominated by the main effect of endophyte; interactions with heading date were inconsistent. Conclusions: Cultivars were more persistent when infected with standard endophyte than with selected endophytes, although persistence declined over 4 years for all cultivars and irrespective of heading date. Implications: Reliance on selected endophyte is unlikely to prevent persistence decline of perennial ryegrass in a subtropical environment. Other strategies will be required to maintain the persistence of high-quality pastures based on perennial ryegrass. We determined the impact of endophyte strain (standard toxic endophyte, selected strains nea2/6 and AR37), on the persistence of four perennial ryegrass cultivars. Standard endophyte resulted in greater persistence than the selected endophytes, with higher ryegrass ground cover percentage and content in pasture dry matter by the end of the study, and higher herbage yields in autumn. Persistence declined over 4 years for all cultivars, regardless of endophyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Data are lacking on the effects of heading date of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) on ryegrass persistence. Aim: We aimed to determine the impact of heading date on perennial ryegrass persistence. Method: Two mid-heading (Samson, Bronsyn) and two late-heading (One50, Rohan) cultivars, infected with Epichloë endophytes (AR37, nea2/6 or standard toxic), were established in a replicated plot study grazed by cattle in a subtropical environment of the upper North Island of New Zealand. Persistence characteristics were quantified at least five times per annum, over 4 years. Key results: Late-heading cultivars had higher yield, nutritive value, perennial ryegrass content in pasture dry matter, ground cover and tiller density than mid-heading cultivars. There were large seasonal impacts on all ryegrass characteristics, with a major decline over summer and recovery during late autumn into early spring, with less recovery in the final year. Overall, there was a strong linear decline in ryegrass content measured during spring (2018–21). Conclusions: The two late-heading cultivars were more persistent than the two mid-heading cultivars, although persistence declined over 4 years for all cultivars. Implications: Results support industry recommendations of choosing late-heading cultivars for improved pasture quality and persistence. We determined the impact of heading date on persistence of perennial ryegrass cultivars infected with a range of endophytes, in a plot study grazed by cattle. The two late-heading cultivars were more persistent than the two mid-heading cultivars, with higher yield, nutritive value, perennial ryegrass content in pasture dry matter, ground cover and tiller density, although persistence declined over 4 years for all cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of biological diversity is frequently enhanced in a heterogenous landscape by some level of disturbance. Thus, when a landscape becomes stabilized and homogenized through the spread of an invasive plant species, there may be consequences for native biodiversity, particularly for those biotas that depend on the pre‐existing, natural disturbance regime of that landscape. At Long Point, Ontario, Canada, a sandspit in Lake Erie, the community of anuran amphibians experienced the co‐incidence of 2 major disturbance events, 1 anthropogenic and 1 natural: an intervention to remove the invasive form of the common reed (Phragmites australis australis) and a spate of extensive dune washouts caused by high water levels and storms. As a result of the unequal distribution of disturbance in the landscape, different areas were affected by only the dune washouts, only the common reed treatment, both disturbances, or neither disturbance. From May to August 2021, we explored how the disturbances affected the resident frog and toad species habitat associations in the 4 different disturbance conditions in the landscape. By means of minnow traps, acoustic surveys, and visual surveys, we determined that the dune washouts had a greater influence on resident anurans than the common reed treatment. Ranid frogs (Ranidae) tended to inhabit non‐washout sites, whereas Fowler's toads (Anaxyrus fowleri) congregated in the newly formed, sand flats and shallow, de‐vegetated pools resulting from the washouts. Neither ranid frogs nor Fowler's toads demonstrated avoidance of the sites affected by the herbicide treatment and mechanical rollover of the common reed. This evidence of species sorting, which enables multiple species to persist in a dynamic and heterogeneous landscape, suggests that wildlife management in aid of threatened species recovery may find success by encouraging natural disturbance regimes in dynamic landscapes. Future management endeavors should consider refraining from complete dune stabilization in these landscapes to allow the natural washouts to occur at a higher frequency, while ensuring the continued effectiveness of the invasive common reed eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) in New Zealand pastures is typically infected with the mutualist Epichloë fungal endophyte. This endophyte assists the plant in resisting biotic and abiotic stresses, but the standard strain of endophyte is toxic to livestock. Elite ryegrasses with selected endophytes have been developed to provide protective properties to the grass plant and lessen or eliminate the negative impacts on livestock. Methods: Using immunology and molecular techniques, the presence of endophyte infection and endophyte strain in ryegrass tillers was determined for 24 dairy pastures sampled for up to 7 years in regions of the North and South Islands. Results: In general, infection levels were high and showed small increases over time. Some pastures failed to reach 70% infection. The sown, selected endophytes were the dominant endophyte strains present and these were stable over time. Standard endophyte was the primary nonsown endophyte, and while generally low and so of little importance, it increased over time and for some pastures, this would have been detrimental to livestock. Pasture establishment technique influenced the level of contamination. Conclusions: Results reinforce the importance of following best practice procedures in the seed industry and on‐farm. Researchers should monitor trials for contaminating nonsown standard endophyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large stretch of the east coast of Australia experienced unprecedented rainfall and flooding over a two‐week period in early 2022. It is difficult to reliably estimate the likelihood of such a rare event from the relatively short observational record, so an alternative is to use data from an ensemble prediction system (e.g., a seasonal or decadal forecast system) to obtain a much larger sample of simulated weather events. This so‐called 'UNSEEN' method has been successfully applied in several scientific studies, but those studies typically rely on a single prediction system. In this study, we use data from the Decadal Climate Prediction Project to explore the model uncertainty associated with the UNSEEN method by assessing 10 different hindcast ensembles. Using the 15‐day rainfall total averaged over the river catchments impacted by the 2022 east coast event, we find that the models produce a wide range of likelihood estimates. Even after excluding a number of models that fail basic fidelity tests, estimates of the event return period ranged from 320 to 1814 years. The vast majority of models suggested the event is rarer than a standard extreme value assessment of the observational record (297 years). Such large model uncertainty suggests that multi‐model analysis should become part of the standard UNSEEN procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America (i.e. lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) provide critical habitat for marsh birds. We used 11 years (2011–2021) of data collected by the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program at 1,962 point-count locations in 792 wetlands to quantify the first-ever annual abundance indices and trends of 18 marsh-breeding bird species in coastal wetlands throughout the entire Great Lakes. Nine species (50%) increased by 8–37% per year across all of the Great Lakes combined, whereas none decreased. Twelve species (67%) increased by 5–50% per year in at least 1 of the 5 Great Lakes, whereas only 3 species (17%) decreased by 2–10% per year in at least 1 of the lakes. There were more positive trends among lakes and species (n  = 34, 48%) than negative trends (n  = 5, 7%). These large increases are welcomed because most of the species are of conservation concern in the Great Lakes. Trends were likely caused by long-term, cyclical fluctuations in Great Lakes water levels. Lake levels increased over most of the study, which inundated vegetation and increased open water-vegetation interspersion and open water extent, all of which are known to positively influence abundance of most of the increasing species and negatively influence abundance of all of the decreasing species. Coastal wetlands may be more important for marsh birds than once thought if they provide high-lake-level-induced population pulses for species of conservation concern. Coastal wetland protection and restoration are of utmost importance to safeguard this process. Future climate projections show increases in lake levels over the coming decades, which will cause "coastal squeeze" of many wetlands if they are unable to migrate landward fast enough to keep pace. If this happens, less habitat will be available to support periodic pulses in marsh bird abundance, which appear to be important for regional population dynamics. Actions that allow landward migration of coastal wetlands during increasing lake levels by removing or preventing barriers to movement, such as shoreline hardening, will be useful for maintaining marsh bird breeding habitat in the Great Lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands in southern Ontario are at risk of degradation and alteration due to human activities. This is a concern because wetlands provide essential habitat for species from a range of taxa, such as birds and anurans (frogs and toads). One wetland-dwelling species whose decline may be linked to loss of wetland wildlife habitat is the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). The decline of muskrats may also be linked to declines of other species because muskrats engage in activities that could support taxa such as birds and anurans by increasing habitat heterogeneity. We investigated whether bird and anuran species richness is related to muskrat density or if it is better predicted by land cover variables that describe the wetland and surrounding area at 30 coastal wetlands on Lake Ontario. We estimated bird and anuran species richness using data from the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program and the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program, and muskrat density based on muskrat house counts. Our results suggest that muskrat activity did not predict richness of anurans or birds overall; however, it did predict richness for the subset of birds that nest in emergent aquatic vegetation. Our results indicate that muskrat abundance in emergent marshes may increase habitat quality for birds that nest in emergent vegetation but may not have a measurable effect on anuran diversity in these same wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Quality of life (QoL) is a crucial and core outcome in assessing the effectiveness of treatments for cryptoglandular anal fistula. Despite its extensive impact, there is a lack of patient‐centred, disease‐specific QoL measurement instruments of adequate quality. The aim of this study is to develop a disease‐specific measurement instrument that can accurately measure QoL for patients with cryptoglandular anal fistula. Method: Semi‐structured qualitative patient interviews and a systematic review of current instruments were used to generate items for the draft instrument. This underwent successive rounds of cognitive interviews to refine its wording and structure. Individual item and overall scale content validity were determined by asking experts to rate the relevance of each item and those deemed irrelevant were removed. The final instrument then underwent psychometric testing and test–retest analysis to determine its sensitivity and stability. Results: A total of 148 patients were involved in item generation, scale development and psychometric testing. A 22‐item measurement instrument has been developed; it is scored on a scale of 0–100, where 0 indicates the worst QoL and 100 demonstrates perfect QoL. The scale demonstrates excellent internal consistency (Cronbach‐α = 0.927), strong content and construct validity [correlation with Perianal Disease Activity Index = −0.713, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Anxiety (−0.659) and Depression (−0.673) subscales and Short Form‐12 physical (0.609) and mental (0.589) component scales] and strong reliability and responsiveness. Conclusion: We have developed a cryptoglandular Anal Fistula Quality of Life scale (AF‐QoL), a comprehensive, disease‐specific patient reported outcome measure assessing QoL in patients with cryptoglandular anal fistula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of a reliable scoring system for quality assessment (QA) is imperative to limit inconsistencies in measuring ultrasound acquisition skills. The current grading scale used for QA endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is non-specific, applies irrespective of the type of study performed, and has not been rigorously validated. Our goal in this study was to determine whether a succinct, organ-specific grading scale designed for lung-specific QA would be more precise with better interobserver agreement. Methods: This was a prospective validation study of an objective QA scale for lung ultrasound (LUS) in the emergency department. We identified the first 100 LUS performed in normal clinical practice in the year 2020. Four reviewers at an urban academic center who were either emergency ultrasound fellowship-trained or current fellows with at least six months of QA experience scored each study, resulting in a total of 400. The primary outcome was the level of agreement between the reviewers. Our secondary outcome was the variability of the scores given to the studies. For the agreement between reviewers, we computed the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) based on a two-way random-effect model with a single rater for each grading scale. We generated 10,000 bootstrapped ICCs to construct 95% confidence intervals (CI) for both grading systems. A two-sided one-sample t-test was used to determine whether there were differences in the bootstrapped ICCs between the two grading systems. Results: The ICC between reviewers was 0.552 (95% CI 0.40-0.68) for the ACEP grading scale and 0.703 (95% CI 0.59-0.79) for the novel grading scale (P < 0.001), indicating significantly more interobserver agreement using the novel scale compared to the ACEP scale. The variance of scores was similar (0.93 and 0.92 for the novel and ACEP scales, respectively). Conclusion: We found an increased interobserver agreement between reviewers when using the novel, organ-specific scale when compared with the ACEP grading scale. Increased consistency in feedback based on objective criteria directed to the specific, targeted organ provides an opportunity to enhance learner education and satisfaction with their ultrasound education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Patient understanding of disease can guide decision‐making in the management of anal fistula. This prospective feasibility study aimed to assess the acceptability and methods of assessing the impact of viewing realistic models on patients with anal fistula. Methods: New referrals to a tertiary clinic participated in this single‐centre, parallel‐group randomized controlled study. Baseline characteristics, Decisional Conflict Scale and understanding of disease were assessed pre‐consultation. Participants were randomized to a standard consultation, where disease and treatment options were explained using magnetic resonance images and drawn diagrams, or a similar consultation supplemented with an appropriate generic three‐dimensional (3D) printed model. Understanding of disease and proposed surgery, Decisional Conflict Scale and ratings of visual aids were assessed post‐consultation, along with 3D model feedback. Results: All 52 patients who were approached agreed to be randomized (25 standard, 27 3D consultation). Understanding of disease increased post‐consultation in both groups. Post‐consultation decisional conflict (0, no; 100, high decisional conflict) was low (median 27 post‐standard vs. 24 post‐3D consultation). Patients scored highly on measures assessing understanding of proposed surgery. 3D models were rated highly, with 96% of patients wanting to see them again in future consultations. Conclusions: Three‐dimensional printed fistula models are a welcome addition to outpatient consultations with results suggesting that understanding of surgery is improved. A future trial should be powered to detect whether 3D models result in a significant improvement in understanding beyond traditional methods of explanation and explore the conditions in which models have their maximal utility. ClinicalTrials.gov Registration ID This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04069728). Registered on 23 August 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples instead of lower respiratory tract specimens for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to diagnose Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) may be better tolerated and improve diagnostic accessibility. In this 2-year Australian retrospective cohort study of patients with clinically suspected PJP, P jirovecii PCR on NP swab samples had perfect specificity but low sensitivity (0.66). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total mercury (THg) analysis of fish tissue requires the samples to be frozen for long-term storage or analyzed immediately after the fish sample has been obtained. Such rigid field sampling protocols do not account for the logistical challenges that can occur if sampling is conducted in remote areas or collaboratively via community-based monitoring initiatives. Here we present a study that examines the loss of THg from Walleye tissue that has thawed for 3 and 5 days, mimicking potential thaw during transport from remote locations. THg concentrations were not significantly influenced (Kruskal–Wallace, p-value > 0.05) by the thaw and refreeze events. The mean THg concentration per day group was 0.67 ug/g, SD = 0.03, 0.65 ug/g, SD = 0.01, and 0.72 ug/g, SD = 0.01 for the control (no thaw), 3-day thaw and 5-day thaw, respectively. Results from this study suggest the analytical integrity of samples may be maintained if freeze–thaw situations arise when conducting community-based mercury monitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The management of anal fissure: ACPGBI position statement was written 15 years ago. [KLR Cross et al., Colorectal Dis, 2008]. Our aim was to update the guideline and provide recommendations on the most effective treatment for patients with anal fissures utilising a multidisciplinary, rigorous guideline methodology. Methods: The development process consisted of six phases. In phase 1 we defined the scope of the guideline. The patient population included patients with acute and chronic anal fissure. The target group was all practitioners (primary and secondary care) treating patients with fissures and, in addition, healthcare workers and patients who desired information regarding fissure management. In phase 2 we formed a guideline development group (GDG) including a methodologist. In phase 3 review questions were formulated, using a reversed PICO process, starting with possible recommendations based on the GDG's knowledge. In phase 4 a comprehensive literature search focused on existing systematic reviews addressing each review question, supplemented by more recent studies if appropriate. In phase 5 data were extracted from the included papers and checked by the GDG. If indicated, meta‐analysis of systematic review data was updated by the GDG. During phase 6 the GDG members decided what recommendations could be made based on the evidence in the literature and strength of the recommendation was assessed using 'grade'. Results: This guideline is divided into two sections: Primary care which includes (i) diagnosis; (ii) basic treatment; (iii) topical treatment; and secondary care which includes (iv) botulinum toxin therapy; (v) surgical intervention and (vi) special situations (including pregnancy and breast‐feeding patients, children, receptive anal intercourse and low‐pressure fissures). A total of 23 recommendations were formulated. A new term clinically healed was described by the GDG. Conclusion: This guideline provides an up‐to‐date evidence‐based summary of the current knowledge of the management of anal fissure and may serve as a useful guide for clinicians as well as a potential reference for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Tagasaste (Cytisus proliferus), a fast-growing leguminous tree, has potential to supplement pasture production in steep-hill country and to increase pasture resilience. Aims: In the companion paper, we quantified tagasaste production characteristics. Here, we determine the effect of proximity of 10-year-old tagasaste trees on productivity of eight pasture species including grasses (perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne ; cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata ; prairie grass, Bromus willdenowii ; microlaena, Microlaena stipoides), perennial legumes (white clover, Trifolium repens ; red clover, T. pratense ; lotus, Lotus pedunculatus), and an annual legume (subterranean clover, T. subterraneum). Methods: A site was established in the East Coast region of the North Island of New Zealand on steep-hill country (>20° slope). Herbage production, nutritive value and survival of pasture species established as spaced transplants were measured over 3 years. Results: Cocksfoot had high survival, herbage production and metabolisable energy content but was negatively affected by proximity to tagasaste. Microlaena was not significantly affected by proximity to tagasaste; however, it was much less productive and had lower nutritive values than the other grasses. Only 40% of perennial ryegrass transplants survived 3 years, and survival of perennial legumes was negligible. Subterranean clover was able to set seed in the open and in shade. Conclusions: Cocksfoot was the most productive grass species, and microlaena was least affected by proximity to tagasaste. Given the poor persistence of perennial clovers, annual clovers may be better suited to a tagasaste silvopasture on steep, dry hillsides. Implications: Mixtures of cocksfoot and subterranean clover may be well suited to summer-dry hillsides, between and under trees in a tagasaste silvopasture. Microlaena may provide some forage and can maintain groundcover despite shade. Growth and survival of eight pasture species in proximity to the forage shrub tagasaste were quantified in drought-prone hill country. Cocksfoot and subterranean clover were highly productive only in lightly shaded areas, whereas microlaena, although less productive than other grasses, was not significantly affected by shade treatment, and perennial legumes showed negligible survival. Cocksfoot and subterranean clover could be established between trees in a tagasaste silvopasture, with naturalised microlaena maintained beneath the canopy to provide groundcover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine multichannel and wide‐angle seismic data constrain the distribution of seamounts, sediment cover sequence and crustal structure along a 460 km margin‐parallel transect of the Hikurangi Plateau. Seismic reflection data reveals five seamount up‐to 4.5 km high and 35–75 km wide, with heterogeneous internal velocity structure. Sediment cover decreases south‐to‐north from ∼4.5 km to ∼1–2 km. The Hikurangi Plateau crust (VP 5.5–7.5 km/s) is 11 ± 1 km thick in the south, but thins by 3–4 km further north (∼7–8 km). Gravity models constructed along two seismic lines show the reduction in crustal thickness persists further east, coinciding with a bathymetric scarp. Gravity data suggest the transition in crustal thickness may reflect spatial variability in deformation and lithospheric extension associated with plateau breakup. Variability in the thickness of subducting crust may contribute to differences in megathrust geometry, upper‐plate stress state and high‐rates of contraction and uplift along the southern Hikurangi margin. Plain Language Summary: The thickness of crust arriving at subduction zones exerts a major influence on the configuration, structure, and distribution of stresses at plate boundaries. A region of thickened oceanic crust, the Hikurangi Plateau, is subducting beneath the North Island of New Zealand. To understand the structure of this Plateau, we analyze seismic data along a 460 km long transect, which reveals five large seamounts, and a 3–4 km reduction crustal thickness between the southern and northern areas of the Plateau. Gravity data show this difference is persistent across the plateau and reveal structures suggesting the crust may have thinned when the Hikurangi plateau separated from a second plateau (Manihiki), which is thought to have formed at the same time. We propose that the subduction of thicker crustal along the southern Hikurangi margin may contribute to the shallow angle of the subducting plate, and high rates of uplift and deformation in the overthrusting plate. Key Points: Crustal thickness of the Hikurangi Plateau reduces by ∼30% between the southern (10–11 km) and northern (7–8 km) PlateauCoincident contrasts in plateau fabric may attribute the thickness contrast to rifting from the Manihiki PlateauThickness contrasts may impact the geometry of the subducting plate and rates of upper‐plate compression and uplift along the Hikurangi margin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering is indispensable in the quest for robust vegetation classification schemes that aim to partition, summarise and communicate patterns. However, clustering solutions are sensitive to methods and data and are therefore unstable, a feature that is usually attributed to noise. Viewed through a central‐tendency lens, noise is defined as the degree of departure from type, which is problematic since vegetation types are abstractions of continua, and so noise can only be quantified relative to the particular solution at hand. Graph theory models the structure of vegetation data based on the interconnectivity of samples. Through a graph‐theoretic lens, the causes of instability can be quantified in absolute terms via the degree of connectivity among objects. We simulated incremental increases in sampling intensity in a dataset over five iterations and assessed classification stability across successive solutions derived using algorithms implementing, respectively, models of central‐tendency and interconnectivity. We used logistic regression to model the likelihood of a sample changing groups between iterations as a function of distance to the centroid and degree of interconnectivity. Our results show that the degree to which samples are interconnected is a more powerful predictor of instability than the degree to which they deviate from their nearest centroid. The removal of weakly interconnected samples resulted in more stable classifications, although solutions with many clusters were apparently inherently less stable than those with few clusters, and improvements in stability flowing from the removal of outliers declined as the number of clusters increased. Our results reinforce the fact that clusters abstracted from continuous data are inherently unstable and that the quest for stable, fine‐scale classifications from large regional datasets is illusory. Nevertheless, our results show that using models better suited to the analysis of continuous data may yield more stable classifications of the available data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical interaction of Sn with H2 by X‐ray diffraction methods at pressures of 180–210 GPa is studied. A previously unknown tetrahydride SnH4 with a cubic structure (fcc) exhibiting superconducting properties below TC = 72 K is obtained; the formation of a high molecular C2/m‐SnH14 superhydride and several lower hydrides, fcc SnH2, and C2‐Sn12H18, is also detected. The temperature dependence of critical current density JC(T) in SnH4 yields the superconducting gap 2Δ(0) = 21.6 meV at 180 GPa. SnH4 has unusual behavior in strong magnetic fields: B,T‐linear dependences of magnetoresistance and the upper critical magnetic field BC2(T) ∝ (TC – T). The latter contradicts the Wertheimer–Helfand–Hohenberg model developed for conventional superconductors. Along with this, the temperature dependence of electrical resistance of fcc SnH4 in non‐superconducting state exhibits a deviation from what is expected for phonon‐mediated scattering described by the Bloch‐Grüneisen model and is beyond the framework of the Fermi liquid theory. Such anomalies occur for many superhydrides, making them much closer to cuprates than previously believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: It has been suggested that white matter hyperintensity lesions (WMHs), which typically progress over time, can also regress, and that this might be associated with favorable cognitive performance. We determined the prevalence of WMH regression in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and examined which demographic, clinical, and radiological markers were associated with this regression. Methods: We used semi-automated lesion marking methods to quantify WMH volume at multiple timepoints in three cohorts with symptomatic SVD; two with moderate-to-severe symptomatic SVD (the SCANS observational cohort and the control arm of the PRESERVE interventional trial) and one with mild-to-moderate SVD (the RUN DMC observational cohort). Mixed-effects ordered logistic regression models were used to test which factors predicted participants to show WMH regression. Results: No participants (0/98) in SCANS, 6/42 (14.3%) participants in PRESERVE, and 6/276 (2.2%) in RUN DMC showed WMH regression. On multivariate analysis, only lower WMH volume (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.23–0.56) and better white matter microstructural integrity assessed by fractional anisotropy using diffusion tensor imaging (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.07–2.24) predicted participant classification as regressor versus stable or progressor. Discussion: Only a small proportion of participants demonstrated WMH regression across the three cohorts, when a blinded standardized assessment method was used. Subjects who showed regression had less severe imaging markers of disease at baseline. Our results show that lesion regression is uncommon in SVD and unlikely to be a major factor affecting the use of WMH quantification as an outcome for clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perianal fistulizing Crohn's Disease (pCD) affects about 25% of patients with Crohn's Disease (CD). It remains a difficult entity to manage with a therapeutic ceiling of treatment success despite improving medical and surgical management. The refractory nature of the disease calls for an imminent need to better understand its immunopathogenesis and classification to better streamline our treatment options. In this article, we overview the current state of pCD management and discuss where the future of its management may lie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron-molecule resonances of anthracene were probed by 2D photoelectron imaging of the corresponding radical anion up to 3.7 eV in the continuum. A number of resonances were observed in both the photoelectron spectra and angular distributions, and most resonances showed clear autodetachment dynamics. The resonances were assigned using density functional theory calculations and are consistent with the available literature. Competition between direct and autodetachment, as well as signatures of internal conversion between resonances, was observed for some resonances. For the 12B2g resonance, a small fraction of population recovers the ground electronic state as evidenced by thermionic emission. Recovery of the ground electronic state offers a route of producing anions in an electron–molecule reaction; however, the energy at which this occurs suggests that anthracene anions cannot be formed in the interstellar medium by electron capture through this resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mott metal-insulator transition represents one of the most fundamental phenomena in condensed matter physics. Yet, basic tenets of the canonical Brinkman-Rice picture of Mott localization remain to be tested experimentally by quantum oscillation measurements that directly probe the quasiparticle Fermi surface and effective mass. By extending this technique to high pressure, we have examined the metallic state on the threshold of Mott localization in clean, undoped crystals of NiS3. We find that i) on approaching Mott localization, the quasiparticle mass is strongly enhanced, whereas the Fermi surface remains essentially unchanged; ii) the quasiparticle mass closely follows the divergent form predicted theoretically, establishing charge carrier slowdown as the driver for the metal-insulator transition; iii) this mass divergence is truncated by the metal-insulator transition, placing the Mott critical point inside the insulating section of the phase diagram. The inaccessibility of the Mott critical point in NiS2 parallels findings at the threshold of ferromagnetism in clean metallic systems, in which criticality at low temperature is almost universally interrupted by first-order transitions or novel emergent phases such as incommensurate magnetic order or unconventional superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Pilonidal disease is a benign condition that affects mainly the young. In existing literature, there is no consensus for best treatment, with multiple operative techniques described, some complex, resulting in a high proportion of failure and/or morbidity. The cleft closure (or cleft lift) described by Bascom and Bascom (Arch Surg, 137, 2002, 1146−50), by comparison, is a simple operation, resulting in healing in the majority and good cosmesis. Method: This is a single surgeon series, with the aim of evaluating outcomes for consecutive patients who underwent cleft closure surgery at two centres (St Mark's Hospital, London, and Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth) between 1995 and 2021 for either extensive, complex or recurrent pilonidal disease. Primary study outcomes that were measured included rate of primary healing, time to complete healing and rate of recurrence. Results: Some 714 patients had a cleft closure of whom 656 had documented follow‐up. Primary healing occurred in 60.7% (n = 398) rising to 88.5% by 12 weeks (n = 562) and 91.8% by 16 weeks. The remaining patients healed over the following weeks with only 19 wounds failing to heal completely (3%), requiring further surgery to achieve healing. After complete healing 5.3% of patients developed recurrent disease at a median of 12 months. Conclusion: Cleft closure is an effective operation for pilonidal disease. Overall, 97% of patients healed without further surgery. A 3% failure rate and 5.3% recurrence rate were observed. This technique could be considered as an alternative procedure to complex flaps or midline excision, in extensive, recurrent and unhealed pilonidal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Tagasaste (Cytisus proliferus) has potential to supplement pasture production in steep-hill country and increase pasture resilience. Aims: To (1) quantify production of edible dry matter (EDM) of pruned 2-year-old tagasaste shrubs and branches from unpruned 10-year-old tagasaste trees, and (2) determine the effect of proximity of the 10-year-old tagasaste trees on selected pasture species established as spaced transplants. Methods: A site was established on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand on steep-hill country (>20° slope). Tagasaste and pasture species production was measured over 3 years. Results: Tagasaste shrubs produced an average of 2.7 kg EDM shrub−1 year−1 and a tree branch produced 129 g EDM year−1. The metabolisable energy content of tagasaste branches averaged 10.0 MJ kg EDM−1, the crude protein content ranged from 18% to 27% and neutral detergent fibre content averaged 39%. Branch diameter and length were poor predictors of EDM branch−1. There was no effect of increasing proximity to tagasaste on DM production of the resident pasture. Effects of increasing proximity to tagasaste on the growth and survival of selected pasture species are reported in a companion paper. Conclusions: Edible-DM production was much greater from shrubs than tree branches and it was not possible to predict branch EDM from branch diameter or length. Implications: A tagasaste silvopasture is likely to be more productive if tagasaste is managed for grazing in situ than if using mature trees for harvesting of branches for browse. The production of edible dry matter (EDM) of 2-year-old tagasaste shrubs averaged 2.7 kg shrub−1 year−1 on one steep, north-facing hillside on the eastern coast of New Zealand. This equated to the production of 2.2 t EDM ha−1 year−1 at spacings of 3.5 m (816 shrubs ha−1), with a metabolisable energy content averaging 10.0 MJ kg EDM−1. In low-producing (<4 t DM ha−1 year−1) pastures on drought-prone, steep-hill country, inclusion of tagasaste could increase edible forage production by 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing links between breeding, stopover, and wintering sites for migratory species is important for their effective conservation and management. Isotopic assignment methods used to create these connections rely on the use of predictable, established relationships between the isotopic composition of environmental hydrogen and that of the non-exchangeable hydrogen in animal tissues, often in the form of a calibration equation relating feather (δ2Hf) values derived from known-origin individuals and amount-weighted long-term precipitation (δ2Hp) data. The efficacy of assigning waterfowl to moult origin using stable isotopes depends on the accuracy of these relationships and their statistical uncertainty. Most current calibrations for terrestrial species in North America are done using amount-weighted mean growing-season δ2Hp values, but the calibration relationship is less clear for aquatic and semi-aquatic species. Our objective was to critically evaluate current methods used to calibrate δ2Hp isoscapes to predicted δ2Hf values for waterfowl. Specifically, we evaluated the strength of the relationships between δ2Hp values from three commonly used isoscapes and known-origin δ2Hf values three published datasets and one collected as part of this study, also grouping these data into foraging guilds (dabbling vs diving ducks). We then evaluated the performance of assignments using these calibrations by applying a cross-validation procedure. It remains unclear if any of the tested δ2Hp isoscapes better predict surface water inputs into food webs for foraging waterfowl. We found only marginal differences in the performance of the tested known-origin datasets, where the combined foraging-guild-specific datasets showed lower assignment precision and model fit compared to data for individual species. We recommend the use of the more conservative combined foraging-guild-specific datasets to assign geographic origin for all dabbling duck species. Refining these relationships is important for improved waterfowl management and contributes to a better understanding of the limitations of assignment methods when using the isotope approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the importance of national governments and national-local relationships for scaling up local climate action to achieve global goals. From the Sustainable Development Goals to the New Urban Agenda to the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the achievement of global sustainability goals will depend on deep changes to national infrastructure and urban systems. Through an analysis of climate action planning and investments in exemplary cases in Africa, the paper highlights the opportunities and challenges that come with integrating national governments into urban-focused priorities and needs, especially for mobilising financial resources. The paper finds that scaling up city climate action in the selected African countries benefits from a constructive multi-level relationship between local and national institutions and stakeholders to shape and improve the legislative, financial and operating frameworks to enable systemic change. Large-scale urban climate action can be enabled by formal multi-level institutional arrangements, links to politically prioritised policy frameworks, and transformative aims that address both climate and socio-economic benefits for communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report a single centre's experience of the feasibility, safety and patient acceptability of same‐day discharge robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Subjects/Patients and Methods: Between June 2015 and December 2021, a total of 180 pre‐selected consecutive patients underwent RALP with the intention to discharge on the same day as surgery. Cases were performed by two surgeons. An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme was used. The feasibility of same‐day discharge was analysed, along with the complication rate, oncological outcomes, and postoperative patient experience. Results: Of 180 patients, 169 (93.8%) were successfully discharged on the same day as surgery. The median (range) age was 63 (44–74) years. The median (range) console time was 97 (61–256) min and blood loss was 200 (20–800) mL. The resection specimen pathology results were: pT2 69.4%, pT3a 24.4% and pT3b 6.5%. With regard to Gleason Grade Group (GGG), 25.9% had GGG 1, 65.7% had GGG 2–3 and 8.4% had GGG 4–5 disease. Positive surgical margins were present in 25 cases (14.7%), 18 (15.5%) of which occurred in pT2 cases, and seven (13.4%) in pT3 cases. There were no early (<90 days) biochemical relapses (defined as prostate‐specific antigen level >0.2 ng/mL). The 30‐day readmission rate was 3%. A total of 13 early (0–30 days) complications were observed, five of which were Clavien–Dindo grade ≥3, however, none of these would have been avoided had the patient remained in hospital on the first postoperative night. Of 121 consecutive patients, 107 (88%) returned a satisfaction questionnaire, and 92% of responders stated they preferred recovery at home, with 94% stating they felt ready to go home. Conclusion: Robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy combined with an ERAS programme allows patients to be safely discharged home on the same day of their surgery. This is a feasible option, well‐liked by patients, with morbidity and oncological outcomes similar to non‐day‐case or 23 h stay RALP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reginald Roper (1875–1950) was the first British schoolmaster to train at the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute in Stockholm. This essay traces his career at Eton College and Bedales School before examining his seminal book, Physical Education in Relation to School Life. Roper was the leading light of the Secondary Schoolmasters' Physical Education Association (SSPEA), founded to match the women's Ling Physical Education Association. The SSPEA worked with the Board of Education to provide courses and conferences, and it published lectures, pamphlets and books. Support for the association was secured from leaders in universities, schools, medicine and government; and regular advocacy in national newspapers brought the need for properly qualified physical education teachers for boys to an influential readership. The repeated call for a men's college to match the women's colleges was answered in 1933 with the opening of Carnegie Physical Training College. The contribution of Roper and the SSPEA to physical education is properly acknowledged by McIntosh (1952/68) and Smith (1974) in their text-books but a search of the literature has revealed neither an extended analysis of their work nor a modern assessment. This essay celebrates the creation of a physical education tradition for boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species often exhibit regionally specific habitat associations, so habitat association models developed in one region might not be accurate or even appropriate for other regions. Three programs to survey wetland‐breeding birds covering (respectively) Great Lakes coastal wetlands, inland Great Lakes wetlands, and the Prairie Pothole Region offer an opportunity to test whether regionally specific models of habitat use by wetland‐obligate breeding birds are transferrable across regions. We first developed independent, regional population density models for four species of wetland‐obligate birds: Pied‐billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), Sora (Porzana carolina), and American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus). We then used adjusted pseudo‐R2 values to compare the amount of variation explained by each model when applied to data collected in each of the three regions. Although certain habitat characteristics, such as emergent vegetation and wetland area, were consistently important across regions, models for each species differed by region—both in variables selected for inclusion and often in the directionality of relationships for common variables—indicating that habitat associations for these species are regionally specific. When we applied a model developed in one region to data collected in another region, we found that explanatory power was reduced in most (71%) models. Therefore, we suggest that ecological analyses should emphasize regionally specific habitat association models whenever possible. Nonetheless, models created from inland Great Lakes wetland data had higher median explanatory power when applied to other regions, and the amount of explanatory power lost by other transferred models was relatively small. Thus, while regionally specific habitat association models are preferable, in the absence of reliable regional data, habitat association models developed in one region may be applied to another region, but the results need to be cautiously interpreted. Additionally, we found that median explanatory power was higher when local‐scale habitat characteristics were included in the models, indicating that regionally specific models should ideally be based on a combination of local‐ and landscape‐scale habitat characteristics. Conservation practitioners can leverage such regionally specific models and associated monitoring data to help prioritize areas for management activities that contribute to regional conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. Australia's changing climate is already impacting the agriculture sector and will continue to do so in the future. To help respond to these impacts, the Climate Services for Agriculture (CSA) platform presents readily accessible climate data, including future climate projections, relevant to specific agricultural commodities. This wine industry example aims to demonstrate the functionality and utility of the CSA for national use across a broad range of commodities. Methods and Results. The platform includes commodity-relevant climate indices designed in consultation with experts to ensure that they are as salient to producers as possible; the wine-grape specific indices include measures of growing season temperature, rainfall, extreme heat, and frost. Here, we describe the research behind the wine-grape specific indices and present sample outputs from the CSA platform for a site within a selected winegrowing region. We note the CSA platform has been developed through an extensive and continuing user engagement initiative, ensuring it meets the needs of the agriculture community as they grapple with how to make decisions based on longer term climate projections. Conclusions. Provision of past, seasonal outlook, and future climate information for Australia and for a range of important agricultural commodities can help improve on-farm planning and decision-making to respond to climate risks. The wine industry provides a leading example of how to use these data for decision-making, noting ongoing adjustments will be needed. Significance of the Study. The CSA platform brings together historical climate data, seasonal climate outlooks, and future climate projections to assist agricultural producers to better manage climate variability and climate change. It aims to nationalise this information for all major agricultural commodities in Australia. We use wine production as a demonstration case here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcending initial efforts to make cities "climate smart" by focusing on the potential of new technologies and infrastructural interventions, various actors are increasingly interested in deploying nature to help achieve urban resilience. In this context, rather than taking resilience as a given property of particular systems or entities, it is important to examine why, how, with what implications, and for whom resilience is being enacted. We examine how and why nature-based solutions are being mobilized as a means for governing the resilience of cities and what this means for the ways in which urban resilience is imagined and enacted by different actors. Recognizing that behind different approaches to resilience are diverse ways of valuing nature, we identify four value positions through which nature comes to be understood, given meaning, form, and purpose. Drawing on systematic document analysis and sixty-six interviews from Cape Town, Mexico City, and Melbourne, we discuss how these four value positions of nature are manifested in nature-based interventions for resilience, as well as the implications both for the politics of resilience interventions and the opportunities for enabling social benefit through nature-based solutions. We find that the integration of intrinsic values for nature opens opportunities for nature-based solutions to enable social benefits through an increased focus on the means through which they are implemented. We conclude that urban-nature-as-resilience interventions serve to embed values and the socionatures they produce within the city, creating fundamentally different consequences for the forms and politics of nature-based interventions designed to realize urban resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Forested wetlands occurring on fluvial sediments are among the most threatened ecosystems in south-east Australia. The first quantitative diagnosis of forested wetland types in NSW was completed in 2005. Since then, there has been a three-fold increase in survey data on coastal floodplains, vegetation classification systems have been developed in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and methods for the assessment of ecosystem conservation risks have been adopted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Aims: To ensure an evidence base that can support conservation decisions and national conservation assessments, there is a need to review and update the classification of forested wetlands and integrate classification schemes across jurisdictions. Methods: We evaluated the efficacy of a multi-stage clustering strategy, applied to data from different sources with largely unknown methodological idiosyncrasies, to retrieve ecologically meaningful clusters. We assessed the veracity and robustness of the 2005 classification of forest wetlands as a framework for national risk assessments over an expanded range. Key results: We derived a quantitative, cross-jurisdictional classification of forested wetlands based on a synthesis of 5173 plot samples drawn from three states and identified the status of our units in relation to IUCN's Global Ecosystem Typology. Conclusions: Our analyses support the retention of the five legacy types which are the basis for threatened ecosystem listings under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Implications: Our results will support revised assessments of current listings and facilitate their integration at state, national and global scales. This paper presents a revised broad-scale classification of forested wetlands occurring on floodplains in temperate subtropical south-east Australia and identifies relationships with vegetation types of finer thematic scale described in sub-regional classifications in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Patterns in the distribution of forested wetland types are described using statistical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectron spectra of para-benzoquinone radical cluster anions, (pBQ)n− (n = 2–4), taken at hv = 4.00 eV are presented and compared with the photoelectron spectrum of the monomer (n = 1). For all clusters, a direct detachment peak can be identified, and the incremental increase in the vertical detachment energy of ∼0.4 eV n−1 predominantly reflects the increase in cohesion energy as the cluster size increases. For all clusters, excitation also leads to low energy electrons that are produced by thermionic emission from ground electronic state anionic species, indicating that resonances are excited at this photon energy. For n = 3 and 4, photoelectron features at lower binding energy are observed which can be assigned to photodetachment from pBQ− for n = 3 and both pBQ− and (pBQ)2− for n = 4. These observations indicate that the cluster dissociates on the time scale of the laser pulse (∼5 ns). The present results are discussed in the context of related quinone cluster anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic composition of mallards in eastern North America has been changed by release of domestically-raised, game-farm mallards to supplement wild populations for hunting. We sampled 296 hatch-year mallards harvested in northwestern Ohio, October–December 2019. The aim was to determine their genetic ancestry and geographic origin to understand the geographic extent of game-farm mallard introgression into wild populations in more westward regions of North America. We used molecular analysis to detect that 35% of samples were pure wild mallard, 12% were early generation hybrids between wild and game-farm mallards (i.e., F1–F3), and the remaining 53% of samples were assigned as part of a hybrid swarm. Percentage of individuals in our study with some form of hybridization with game-farm mallard (65%) was greater than previously detected farther south in the mid-continent (~4%), but less than the Atlantic coast of North America (~ 92%). Stable isotope analysis using δ2Hf suggested that pure wild mallards originated from areas farther north and west than hybrid mallards. More specifically, 17% of all Ohio samples had δ2Hf consistent with more western origins in the prairies, parkland, or boreal regions of the mid-continent of North America, with 55%, 35%, and 10% of these being genetically wild, hybrid swarm, and F3, respectively. We conclude that continued game-farm introgression into wild mallards is not isolated to the eastern population of mallards in North America, and may be increasing and more widespread than previously detected. Mallards in our study had greater incidence of game-farm hybridization than other locales in the mid-continent but less than eastern North American regions suggesting further need to understand game-farm mallard genetic variation and movement across the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the current ongoing nurse faculty shortage, mentorship can aid in career advancement, promotion, and retention for clinical assistant professors (CAPs) when hiring clinical-track faculty. Method: The organization, experiences, and outcomes of a CAP mentorship workgroup within a multi-campus research-intensive college of nursing are described. Results: The CAP mentorship workgroup was guided by senior faculty and met monthly to provide CAPs with a better understanding of the promotion process, motivation to pursue scholarship, and peer support. Through this workgroup, seven CAPs have completed their probationary review process, two CAPs are in the process of being promoted to clinical associate professors, and more than 90% of CAPs have been retained. Conclusion: Mentorship for clinical-track faculty can positively influence faculty productivity and aid in CAP retention, which contributes to the success of nursing programs. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(3):183–186.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]