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Simultaneous achievement of lightweight, ultrahigh strength, large fracture strain, and high damping capability is challenging because some of these mechanical properties are mutually exclusive. Here, we utilize self-assembled polymeric carbon precursor materials in combination with scalable nano-imprinting lithography to produce nanoporous carbon nanopillars. Remarkably, nanoporosity induced via sacrificial template significantly reduces the mass density of amorphous carbon to 0.66 ~ 0.82 g cm -3 while the yield and fracture strengths of nanoporous carbon nanopillars are higher than those of most engineering materials with the similar mass density. Moreover, these nanopillars display both elastic and plastic behavior with large fracture strain. A reversible part of the sp 2 -to-sp 3 transition produces large elastic strain and a high loss factor (up to 0.033) comparable to Ni-Ti shape memory alloys. The irreversible part of the sp 2 -to-sp 3 transition enables plastic deformation, leading to a large fracture strain of up to 35%. These findings are substantiated using simulation studies. None of the existing structural materials exhibit a comparable combination of mass density, strength, deformability, and damping capability. Hence, the results of this study illustrate the potential of both dense and nanoporous amorphous carbon materials as superior structural nanomaterials., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Sarcomas are diverse neoplasms with highly variable histological appearances in which diagnosis is often challenging and management options for metastatic/unresectable disease limited. Many sarcomas have distinctive molecular alterations, but the range of alterations is large, variable in type and rapidly increasing, meaning that testing by limited panels is unable to capture the broad spectrum of clinically pertinent genomic drivers required. Paired whole genome sequencing (WGS) in contrast allows comprehensive assessment of small variants, copy number and structural variants along with mutational signature analysis and germline testing., Methods: Introduction of WGS as a diagnostic standard for all eligible patients with known or suspected soft tissue sarcoma over a 2-year period at a soft tissue sarcoma treatment centre., Results: WGS resulted in a refinement in the diagnosis in 37% of cases, identification of a target for personalised therapy in 33% of cases, and a germline alteration in 4% of cases., Conclusion: Introduction of WGS poses logistical and training challenges, but offers significant benefits to this group of patients., (© 2024. Crown.)

Cutaneous spindle cell neoplasms can be challenging to diagnose using routine histopathological techniques alone, and the growing repertoire of molecular studies can assist in diagnosis. We describe a cutaneous spindle cell neoplasm characterized by a COL3A1::PDGFRA rearrangement predicted to lead to constitutive activation of the PDGFRA kinase domain. The lesion shows some similarities to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and also benign and epithelioid fibrous histiocytomas but is distinct from these entities histopathologically and molecularly. This tumor is considered to represent an entity in the spectrum of PDGFR-driven cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The development of low-cost and active electrocatalysts signifies an important effort toward accelerating economical water electrolysis and overcoming the sluggish hydrogen or oxygen evolution reaction (HER or OER) kinetics. Herein, we report a scalable and rapid synthesis of inexpensive Ni and MoS 2 electrocatalysts on N-doped graphene/carbon cloth substrate to address these challenges. Mesoporous N-doped graphene is synthesized by using electrochemical polymerization of polyaniline (PANI), followed by a rapid one-step photothermal pyrolysis process. The N-doped graphene/carbon cloth substrate improves the interconnection between the electrocatalyst and substrate. Consequently, Ni species deposited on an N-doped graphene OER electrocatalyst shows a low Tafel slope value of 35 mV/decade at an overpotential of 130 mV at 10 mA/cm 2 current density in 1 M KOH electrolytes. In addition, Ni-doped MoS 2 on N-doped graphene HER electrocatalyst shows Tafel slopes of 37 and 42 mV/decade and overpotentials of 159 and 175 mV, respectively, in acidic and alkaline electrolytes at 10 mA/cm 2 current density. Both these values are lower than recently reported nonplatinum-group-metal-based OER and HER electrocatalysts. These excellent electrochemical performances are due to the high electrochemical surface area, a porous structure that improves the charge transfer between electrode and electrolytes, and the synergistic effect between the substrate and electrocatalyst. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the Ni hydroxide species and Ni-doped MoS 2 edge sites serve as active sites for OER and HER, respectively. Finally, we also evaluate the performance of the HER electrocatalyst in commercial alkaline electrolyzers.

Supercapacitors demonstrate promising potential for flexible, multi-functional energy storage devices; however, their widespread adoption is confronted by fabrication challenges. To access a combination of desirable device qualities such as flexibility, lightweight, structural stability, and enhanced electrochemical performance, carbon fiber (CF) can be utilized as a current collector, alongside graphene as an electrochemically active material. Yet achieving a cost-effective, large-scale graphene production, particularly on CF, remains challenging. Here, a rapid (<1 min) photothermal approach is developed for the large-scale production of graphene directly onto CF, utilizing polyaniline (PANI) as a polymer precursor. The in situ electropolymerization of PANI on CF facilitates its rapid synthesis on large areas, followed by conversion into graphene networks, enabling the binder-free fabrication of supercapacitor devices. These devices exhibit an areal capacitance of 180 mF cm -2 (at 2 mA cm -2 in 1 m H 2 SO 4 ), an order of magnitude higher than other fabric-based devices. Moreover, the devised photothermal strategy allows for one-step preparation of supercapacitor devices on areas exceeding 100 cm -2 , yielding an absolute areal capacitance of 4.5 F. The proportional increase in capacitance with device area facilitates scaling and indicates the commercial viability of this approach for low-cost, energy-efficient, and high-throughput production of lightweight, high-performance graphene-based multi-functional supercapacitor devices., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Climate change is rapidly altering natural habitats and generating complex patterns of environmental stress. Ferns are major components of many forest understories and, given their independent gametophyte generation, may experience unique pressures in emerging temperature and drought regimes. Polyploidy is widespread in ferns and may provide a selective advantage in these rapidly changing environments. This work aimed to understand whether the gametophytes of allopolyploid ferns respond differently to climate-related physiological stress than their diploid parents. The experimental approach involved a multifactorial design with 27 treatment combinations including exposure to multiple levels of drought and temperature over three treatment durations, with recovery measured at multiple timepoints. We measured Chl fluorescence from over 2000 gametophytes to evaluate stress avoidance and tolerance in diploid and polyploid species. Polyploids generally showed a greater ability to avoid and/or tolerate a range of stress conditions compared with their diploid counterparts, suggesting that polyploidy may confer enhanced flexibility and resilience under climate stress. Overall, these results suggest that polyploidy may provide some resilience to climate change in mixed ploidy populations. However, all species remain susceptible to the impacts of extreme drought and heat stress., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Clinical whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been shown to deliver potential benefits to children with cancer and to alter treatment in high-risk patient groups. It remains unknown whether offering WGS to every child with suspected cancer can change patient management. We collected WGS variant calls and clinical and diagnostic information from 281 children (282 tumors) across two English units (n = 152 from a hematology center, n = 130 from a solid tumor center) where WGS had become a routine test. Our key finding was that variants uniquely attributable to WGS changed the management in ~7% (20 out of 282) of cases while providing additional disease-relevant findings, beyond standard-of-care molecular tests, in 108 instances for 83 (29%) cases. Furthermore, WGS faithfully reproduced every standard-of-care molecular test (n = 738) and revealed several previously unknown genomic features of childhood tumors. We show that WGS can be delivered as part of routine clinical care to children with suspected cancer and can change clinical management by delivering unexpected genomic insights. Our experience portrays WGS as a clinically impactful assay for routine practice, providing opportunities for assay consolidation and for delivery of molecularly informed patient care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Resource allocation theory posits that organisms distribute limited resources across functions to maximize their overall fitness. In plants, the allocation of resources among maintenance, reproduction, and growth influences short-term economics and long-term evolutionary processes, especially during resource scarcity. The evolution of specialized structures to divide labor between reproduction and growth can create a feedback loop where selection can act on individual organs, further increasing specializaton and  resource allocation. Ferns exhibit diverse reproductive strategies, including dimorphism, where leaves can either be sterile (only for photosynthesis) or fertile (for spore dispersal). This dimorphism is similar to processes in seed plants (e.g., the production of fertile flowers and sterile leaves), and presents an opportunity to investigate divergent resource allocation between reproductive and vegetative functions in specialized organs. Here, we conducted anatomical and hydraulic analyses on Onoclea sensibilis L. , a widespread dimorphic fern species, to reveal significant structural and hydraulic divergences between fertile and sterile leaves. Fertile fronds invest less in hydraulic architecture, with nearly 1.5 times fewer water-conducting cells and a nearly 0.5 times less drought-resistant xylem compared to sterile fronds. This comes at the increased relative investment in structural support, which may help facilitate spore dispersal. These findings suggest that specialization in ferns-in the form of reproductive dimorphism-can enable independent selection pressures on each leaf type, potentially optimizing spore dispersal in fertile fronds and photosynthetic efficiency in sterile fronds. Overall, our study sheds light on the evolutionary implications of functional specialization and highlights the importance of reproductive strategies in shaping plant fitness and evolution., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Bottlebrush networks (BBNs) are an exciting new class of materials with interesting physical properties derived from their unique architecture. While great strides have been made in our fundamental understanding of bottlebrush polymers and networks, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary for the field to accelerate advancements. This review aims to act as a primer to BBN chemistry and physics for both new and current members of the community. In addition to providing an overview of contemporary BBN synthetic methods, we developed a workflow and desktop application (LengthScale), enabling bottlebrush physics to be more approachable. We conclude by addressing several topical issues and asking a series of pointed questions to stimulate conversation within the community., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Current electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are either expensive (such as IrO 2 , RuO 2 ) or/and exhibit high overpotential as well as sluggish kinetics. This article reports mesoporous earth-abundant iron (Fe)-nitrogen (N) doped carbon electrocatalysts with iron clusters and closely surrounding Fe-N 4 active sites. Unique to this work is that the mechanically stable mesoporous carbon-matrix structure (79 nm in pore size) with well-dispersed nitrogen-coordinated Fe single atom-cluster is synthesized via rapid thermal annealing (RTA) within only minutes using a self-assembled bottlebrush block copolymer (BBCP) melamine-formaldehyde resin composite template. The resulting porous structure and domain size can be tuned with the degree of polymerization of the BBCP backbone, which increases the electrochemically active surface area and improves electron transfer and mass transport for an effective OER process. The optimized electrocatalyst shows a required potential of 1.48 V (versus RHE) to obtain the current density of 10 mA/cm 2 in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte and a small Tafel slope of 55 mV/decade at a given overpotential of 250 mV, which is significantly lower than recently reported earth-abundant electrocatalysts. Importantly, the Fe single-atom nitrogen coordination environment facilitates the surface reconstruction into a highly active oxyhydroxide under OER conditions, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy, while the atomic clusters boost the single atoms reactive sites to prevent demetalation during the OER process. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations support that the iron nitrogen environment and reconstructed oxyhydroxides are electrocatalytically active sites as the kinetics barrier is largely reduced. This work has opened a new avenue for simple, rapid synthesis of inexpensive, earth-abundant, tailorable, mechanically stable, mesoporous carbon-coordinated single-atom electrocatalysts that can be used for renewable energy production.

Background: Radiation-induced angiosarcoma (RIA) is an uncommon but morbid complication after radiotherapy for breast cancer., Methods: Retrospective analysis of breast RIA patients at Cambridge University Hospital (CUH), a regional treatment centre in the East of England., Results: 22 patients were identified between 2010 and 2022. Median age of diagnosis was 65 years (range 41-78). Median time from breast radiotherapy to RIA diagnosis was 6.5 years (range 2.4-16.0)-this interval has decreased over the last 24 years (r 2  = 0.6601). 9% had metastasis at presentation. All patients underwent surgery (55% at CUH, 45% at local hospitals). 27% received peri-operative pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in the first-line setting. 62% relapsed following their primary curative-intent treatments after a median of 28 months. Metastases occurred in 36%, the commonest sites being lung (100%) and lymph node (50%). 2-year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 73% and 60%, respectively. No correlation between progression-free survival (PFS) and OS was found with tumour size, margin, peri-operative chemotherapy, and whether surgery was performed at CUH. Patients with multifocal disease on their breasts had shorter PFS following surgery compared to single-lesion disease (median 10 vs 65 months; HR = 4.359 [95% CI 1.342-14.16]; P = 0.0143). Patients aged > 72 years had a median OS of 45 months vs 102 months for those ≤ 72 years (HR = 7.129 [95% CI 1.646-30.88]; P = 0.0086)., Conclusion: RIA has high rates of recurrence and mortality and appears to be occurring sooner after breast radiotherapy. Further studies on its pathogenesis and effective treatment are warranted., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Breast Cancer Society.)

Introduction: Acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) complicates 15 % of acute pancreatitis cases and is associated with prolonged length of stay (LOS). There are limited studies exploring potential predictors., Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of all consecutive patients presenting to a large referral healthcare system with ANP. Patients younger than 18 years of age, without confirmed glandular necrosis and with in-hospital mortality were excluded. Poisson regression was carried out to identify potential predictors of prolonged hospital stay., Results: One hundred and sixty-two patients hospitalized between December 2016 and June 2020 were included. The median LOS was 12 days (range: 1-155 days). On multivariate analysis, organ dysfunction at presentation (Incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.21, p = 0.01) or during admission (IRR 1.32, p = 0.001), Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (IRR 1.1 per CCI point, p < 0.001), known chronic pancreatitis (IRR 1.19, p = 0.03), concurrent (non-pancreas related) infections (IRR 1.13, p = 0.04), need for enteral tube placement (IRR 3.42, p < 0.001) and in-hospital interventions (IRR 1.48-2.85 depending on intervention, p < 0.001) were associated with increased LOS. For patients in the cohort to whom this applied, delayed hospital transfers (IRR 1.02, p < 0.001) and delayed start of enteral feeds (IRR 1.01, p = 0.017) contributed to increased overall LOS., Conclusion: We demonstrate that multiple factors including delayed transfers to hospitals with pancreaticobiliary expertise lead to increased length of hospitalization. We suggest various strategies that can be considered to target those gaps and may have a favorable effect on LOS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the contributing authors have any conflict of interest, including specific financial interests or relationships and affiliations relevant to the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is performed to fragment large main pancreatic duct (MPD) stones in symptomatic patients. Subsequent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is often performed to clear the stone fragments. Edema of surrounding tissue after ESWL theoretically affects the ability to perform ERCP. However, the optimal timing of ERCP after ESWL is not clearly defined. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of same-day ERCP after ESWL and to determine if the timing of ERCP after ESWL affects outcomes., Methods: This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients from January, 2013 to September, 2019 who received ESWL for MPD stones at our center. Included patients received subsequent same-day ERCP under the same general anesthesia session or later session ERCP (1-30 days after ESWL). Demographics, anatomical findings, history, and outcomes were collected. Success was defined as complete or near complete (> 80%) stone fragmentation with clearance., Results: 218 patients were treated with ESWL and subsequent ERCP. 133 (61.0%) received ERCP on the same day immediately after ESWL, while 85 (39.0%) returned for ERCP at a later day (median 3.0 days after ESWL). Baseline characteristics demonstrated patients who received same-day ERCP had a higher rate of pain at baseline (94.7% vs 87.1%, p = 0.045). Main outcomes demonstrated an overall successful MPD stone clearance rate of 90.4%, with similar rates between same-day ERCP and later session ERCP (91.7% vs 88.2%, p = 0.394). Additionally, successful cannulation at ERCP, adverse events, and post-procedure admission rates were similar., Conclusions: Delaying ERCP to allow peripancreatic tissue recovery after ESWL does not affect outcomes. Same-day ERCP after ESWL is safe and effective., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Many modern anti-icing and anti-fouling coatings rely on soft, low surface energy elastomeric materials such as polydimethylsiloxane for their functionality. While the low surface energy is desirable for reducing adhesion, very little work considers the larger contribution to adhesive failure caused by the viscoelastic nature of elastomers. Here we examine several different siloxane elastomers using a JKR adhesion test, which was operated over a range of different speeds and temperatures. Additionally, we characterize the dynamic mechanical modulus over a large range of frequencies for each material. We note that surface energies of the materials are all similar, but variation in adhesion strength is clear in the data. The variation at low speeds is related to elastomer architecture but the speed dependence itself is independent of architecture. Qualitative correlations are noted between the JKR adhesion measurements and the dynamic moduli. Finally, an attempt is made to directly compare moduli and adhesion through the recent Persson-Brener model. Approximations of the model are shown to be inaccurate. The full model is found to be accurate at low speeds, although it fails to precisely capture higher speed behaviour., (© 2023 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Quantifying the relationship between phytoplankton and zooplankton may offer insight into zooplankton sensitivity to shifting phytoplankton assemblages and the potential impacts of producer-consumer decoupling on the rest of the food web. We analyzed 18 years (2001-2018) of paired phytoplankton and zooplankton samples collected as part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program to examine both the long-term and seasonal relationships between zooplankton and phytoplankton across all five Laurentian Great Lakes. We also analyzed effects of phytoplankton diversity on zooplankton biomass, diversity, and predator-prey (zooplanktivore/grazer) ratios. Across the Great Lakes, there was a weak positive correlation between total algal biovolume and zooplankton biomass in both spring and summer. The relationship was weaker and not consistently positive within individual lakes. These trends were consistent over time, providing no evidence of increasing decoupling over the study period. Zooplankton biomass was weakly negatively correlated with algal diversity across lakes, whereas zooplankton diversity was unaffected. These relationships did not change when we considered only the edible phytoplankton fraction, possibly due to the high correlation between total and edible phytoplankton biovolume in most of these lakes. Lack of strong coupling between these producer and consumer assemblages may be related to lagging responses by the consumers, top-down effects from higher-level consumers, or other confounding factors. These results underscore the difficulty in predicting higher trophic level responses, including zooplankton, from changes in phytoplankton assemblages., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) bottlebrush elastomers (BBEs) are attractive soft materials with well-controlled bulk mechanical properties. However, their surface and interfacial properties have not been studied in depth. We report a detailed study of the adhesion of PDMS BBEs to glass using a contact adhesion test to determine the critical energy release rates, G c , as a function of interfacial separation velocity. For BBEs, G c for initiating separation, G 0 , was found to be independent of the crosslink density. We hypothesize that the monomer chemistry of side chains plays a primary role in defining surface properties for this materials system. After crack initiation, BBEs showed a significantly lower G c and less velocity dependence than linear chain networks. Scaling analysis attributes these properties to the faster dissipative relaxation mechanisms within the BBEs. These findings demonstrate that the adhesion properties of BBEs can be finely tuned through the monomer chemistry and side chain length for potential applications.

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is a global health threat undermining control of many vaccine-preventable diseases. Patient-level education has largely been ineffective in reducing vaccine concerns and increasing vaccine uptake. We built and evaluated a personalized vaccine risk communication website called LetsTalkShots in English, Spanish and French (Canadian) for vaccines across the lifespan. LetsTalkShots tailors lived experiences, credible sources and informational animations to disseminate the right message from the right messenger to the right person, applying a broad range of behavioral theories., Methods: We used mixed-methods research to test our animation and some aspects of credible sources and personal narratives. We conducted 67 discussion groups ( n = 325 persons), stratified by race/ethnicity (African American, Hispanic, and White people) and population (e.g., parents, pregnant women, adolescents, younger adults, and older adults). Using a large Ipsos survey among English-speaking respondents ( n = 2,272), we tested animations aligned with vaccine concerns and specific to population (e.g., parents of children, parents of adolescents, younger adults, older adults)., Results: Discussion groups provided robust feedback specific to each animation as well as areas for improvements across animations. Most respondents indicated that the information presented was interesting (85.5%), clear (96.0%), helpful (87.0%), and trustworthy (82.2%)., Discussion: Tailored vaccine risk communication can assist decision makers as they consider vaccination for themselves, their families, and their communities. LetsTalkShots presents a model for personalized communication in other areas of medicine and public health., Competing Interests: DS has received research support from Merck and serves on advisory boards for Merck, Janssen Moderna, and Sanofi. MD has received research support from Merck. KT was employed by Bonnemaison. LB was employed by Bucci-Hepworth Health Services Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Salmon, Dudley, Brewer, Shaw, Schuh, Proveaux, Jamison, Forr, Goryn, Breiman, Orenstein, Kao, Josiah Willcock, Cantu, Decea, Mowson, Tsubata, Bucci, Lawler, Watkins, Moore, Fugett, Fugal, Tovar, Gay, Cary, Vann, Smith, Kan, Mankel, Beekun, Smith, Adams, Harvey and Orton.)

Background: Spindle cell tumours in the sinonasal area are diagnostically challenging. We identified a neoplasm that defied histopathological classification using current criteria., Methods: The case was subjected to histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis using a large small variant DNA panel., Results: The tumour comprised cytologically bland epithelioid spindle cells with a rich vasculature, which lack expression of actin and other smooth muscle markers, CD34 and beta-catenin. An activating insertion/deletion in exon 12 of the PDGFRA gene was detected. This alteration has previously been described in gastrointestinal stromal tumours and inflammatory fibroid polyps of the GI tract, but the site, histological, and immunophenotypic features in this tumour are distinct., Conclusion: We describe a novel sinonasal spindle cell tumour characterised by an activating insertion/deletion in exon 12 of PDGFRA. The diagnosis of PDGFRA-activated sinonasal spindle cell tumour should be considered in difficult to classify mesenchymal lesions at this site., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aims: Post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) is the most frequent adverse event of ERCP. Various prophylactic measures are endorsed by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy to both lower the incidence of PEP and to decrease its severity. The extent to which these interventions are practiced throughout the United States is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the utilization pattern of various PEP measures and determine factors that affect utilization of these measures., Methods: A 27-question electronic survey was distributed using a cloud-based program (Qualtrics). The questions assessed ERCP training, practice setting, experience, practice patterns, and perceptions for PEP prophylaxis interventions. Endoscopists with practices based in the United States listed in the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy member directory received a survey invitation via e-mail. The invitation outlined the study and contained a link with instructions to complete the voluntary survey if they had an active ERCP practice. Data were de-identified for the purposes of analysis., Results: Of survey respondents (N = 319), 46% reported therapeutic endoscopy fellowship training and 37% practiced in teaching programs. Annualized ERCP volume of >100 cases per year were reported by 47%, with pancreatic ERCP comprising ≤5% of procedure volume reported by the majority of respondents (61%). The majority of respondents used prophylactic pancreatic stent (PPS), and 54% reported frequent use during high-risk ERCP. The most common indications for PPS were difficult cannulation, to assist biliary access, and multiple pancreatic duct injections. Most respondents reported frequent use of indomethacin (89%). Of physicians who did not use PPS, use of indomethacin was the most common reason (80%). Variables associated with frequent use of PPS were ERCP fellowship training (P ≤ .001), practice at a teaching program (P ≤ .001), <10 years in practice (P = .005), higher procedure volume (P ≤ .001), and higher proportion of pancreatic cases (P ≤ .001)., Conclusions: Physicians with higher annual ERCP volume, who teach at hospital-based ERCP practices, and who regularly perform pancreatic ERCP are more likely to use PPS. Therapeutic ERCP fellowship training and recent entry into practice were also associated with PPS utilization. Indomethacin use seems to be more frequent than PPS. Our findings suggest that indomethacin is supplanting PPS as the preferred method of PEP prophylaxis., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cycadales is highly endangered and one of the oldest dioecious gymnosperm lineages, making their reproductive biology highly relevant to conservation efforts and our understanding of the impact of dioecy, yet cycad reproductive ecophysiology is poorly understood. We examined how the costs associated with reproduction may impact basic physiological variation in cycad species. Specifically, we measured traits related to functional morphology and photosynthetic physiology in sterile and fertile staminate plants ('males') of Zamia portoricensis . Light response curves showed that sterile plants had greater light-use efficiency and maximum photosynthetic capacity per area compared with fertile plants. However, fertile and sterile plants exhibited similar respiration rates. We found significantly more nitrogen in leaves of fertile individuals, but similar nitrogen isotope composition and no differences in carbon content between sterile and fertile individuals. Despite having lower leaf-level photosynthetic rates, fertile plants had greater canopy-level photosynthesis than sterile plants, which was achieved by increasing leaf number and total leaf area. Our data suggest that sterile individuals may have greater light demands relative to fertile individuals, and fertile individuals may have greater nitrogen demands, which may be critical for successful reproductive events in staminate plants of the endangered cycad, Z. portoricensis ., Competing Interests: None declared., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press and the Society for Experimental Biology.)

Premise: Plant ecological strategies are often defined by the integration of underlying traits related to resource acquisition, allocation, and growth. Correlations between key traits across diverse plants suggest that variation in plant ecological strategies is largely driven by a fast-slow continuum of plant economics. However, trait correlations may not be constant through the life of a leaf, and it is still poorly understood how trait function varies over time in long-lived leaves., Methods: Here, we compared trait correlations related to resource acquisition and allocation across three different mature frond age cohorts in a tropical fern species, Saccoloma inaequale., Results: Fronds exhibited high initial investments of nitrogen and carbon, but with declining return in photosynthetic capacity after the first year. In the youngest fronds, we found water-use efficiency to be significantly lower than in the oldest mature fronds due to increased transpiration rates. Our data suggest that middle-aged fronds are more efficient relative to younger, less water-use efficient fronds and that older fronds exhibit greater nitrogen investments without higher photosynthetic return. In addition, several trait correlations expected under the leaf economics spectrum (LES) do not hold within this species, and some trait correlations only appear in fronds of a specific developmental age., Conclusions: These findings contextualize the relationship between traits and leaf developmental age with those predicted to underlie plant ecological strategy and the LES and are among the first pieces of evidence for when relative physiological trait efficiency is maximized in a tropical fern species., (© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Botany published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Botanical Society of America.)

We report a method for fast, efficient, and scalable preparation of high-quality, large area, few-layer graphene films on arbitrary substrates via high-intensity pulsed xenon flash lamp photothermal pyrolysis of thin precursor films at ambient conditions in millisecond time frames. The precursors comprised poly(2,2-bis(3,4-dihydro-3-phenyl-1,3-benzoxazine)), and cyclized polyacrylonitrile and possess significant absorption cross section within the bandwidth of the emission spectrum of a xenon flash lamp. By localizing light absorption to the precursor films, the process enabled the preparation of few-layer graphene films on any substrate, including thermally sensitive substrates without the need for any catalytic substrate as in chemical vapor deposition-based approaches or conductive electrodes as in electrochemical method-based approaches. The extent of conversion of the precursor films to graphene was strongly dependent on pulse energy and the local temperature achieved due to photothermal effect, which were controlled via pulse power modulation; it also depended on structural properties of the precursor and to a lesser extent on the substrate. The cPAN showed a higher efficiency for conversion to graphene, as confirmed by Raman spectra ( I D / I G ∼ 0.3), and sheet resistance of 0.1 Ω cm. To demonstrate the utility of the process, graphene film electrodes prepared photothermally on carbon fiber current collector were used for the fabrication of micro-supercapacitors with a very high areal supercapacitance of 3.5 mF/cm 2 . Subsequent deposition of manganese oxide onto the fabricated electrodes significantly increased the energy storage capability of the supercapacitor, yielding a device with exceptionally high capacitance of 80 F/g at 1 mA current, good rate capability, and long cycle life.

The Cretaceous-Cenozoic expansion of tropical forests created canopy space that was subsequently occupied by diverse epiphytic communities including Eupolypod ferns. Eupolypods proliferated in this more stressful niche, where lower competition enabled the adaptive radiation of thousands of species. Here, we examine whether xylem traits helped shape the Cenozoic radiation of Eupolypod ferns. We characterized the petiole xylem anatomy of 39 species belonging to the Eupolypod I and Eupolypod II clades occupying the epiphytic, hemiepiphytic, and terrestrial niche, and we assessed vulnerability to embolism in a subset of species. The transition to the canopy was associated with reduced xylem content and smaller tracheid diameters, but no differences were found in species vulnerability to embolism and pit membrane thickness. Phylogenetic analyses support selection for traits associated with reduced water transport in Eupolypod 1 species. We posit that in Eupolypod epiphytes, selection favored water retention via thicker leaves and lower stomatal density over higher rates of water transport. Consequently, lower leaf water loss was coupled with smaller quantities of xylem and narrower tracheid diameters. Traits associated with water conservation were evident in terrestrial Eupolypod 1 ferns and may have predisposed this clade toward radiation in the canopy., (© 2022 The Authors New Phytologist © 2022 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Background and Aims: Fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMSs) may offer a treatment option for pain associated with a dilated pancreatic duct (PD) in chronic pancreatitis (CP), but optimal patient selection and FCSEMS design, efficacy, and safety remain uncertain. We studied an investigational pancreatic FCSEMS for treatment of CP-associated pain., Methods: Patients with painful CP, a dominant distal PD stricture, and PD dilation upstream were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, single-arm trial studying 6-month indwell of a 4- to 6-cm-long soft pancreatic FCSEMS. Primary efficacy and safety endpoints were pain reduction 6 months after FCSEMS indwell (performance goal ≥53%) and PD stenting-related serious adverse events (SAEs), respectively (performance goal <32%). The primary efficacy endpoint was assessed in patients with sufficiently severe and frequent pain at FCSEMS placement as a first stent or in exchange of a plastic stent., Results: Among 67 patients (mean age, 52.7 ± 12.5 years; mean time since CP diagnosis, 6.4 ± 6.4 years), 34 (50.7%) had plastic stent placement within 90 days of FCSEMS placement, and 46 patients were eligible for the primary efficacy endpoint analysis. Technical success was 97.0% (65/67). The observed primary efficacy (26.1%, 12/46) and safety endpoints (31.3%, 21/67) failed to meet the a priori study hypotheses. Study stent migration occurred in 47.7% of patients (31/65)., Conclusions: Six-month treatment with an FCSEMS did not lead to an expected degree of pain reduction, and migrations and SAEs were common. Further study is needed to clarify optimal decompressive strategy, FCSEMS design, and patient selection. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02802020.)., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. All rights reserved.)

The FOS gene family has been implicated in tumourigenesis across several tumour types, particularly mesenchymal tumours. The rare fibrous tumour desmoplastic fibroblastoma is characterised by overexpression of FOSL1. However, previous studies using cytogenetic and molecular techniques did not identify an underlying somatic change involving the FOSL1 gene to explain this finding. Prompted by an unusual index case, we report the discovery of a novel FOSL1 rearrangement in desmoplastic fibroblastoma using whole-genome and targeted RNA sequencing. We investigated 15 desmoplastic fibroblastomas and 15 fibromas of tendon sheath using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation and targeted RNA sequencing. Rearrangements in FOSL1 and FOS were identified in 10/15 and 2/15 desmoplastic fibroblastomas respectively, which mirrors the pattern of FOS rearrangements observed in benign bone and vascular tumours. Fibroma of tendon sheath, which shares histological features with desmoplastic fibroblastoma, harboured USP6 rearrangements in 9/15 cases and did not demonstrate rearrangements in any of the four FOS genes. The overall concordance between FOSL1 immunohistochemistry and RNA sequencing results was 90%. These findings illustrate that FOSL1 and FOS rearrangements are a recurrent event in desmoplastic fibroblastoma, establishing this finding as a useful diagnostic adjunct and expanding the spectrum of tumours driven by FOS gene family alterations. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland., (© 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.)

We compare the low-strain mechanical properties of bottlebrush elastomers (BBEs) synthesized using ring-opening metathesis and free radical polymerization. Through comparison of experimentally measured elastic moduli and those predicted by an ideal, affine model, we evaluate the efficiency of our networks in forming stress-supporting strands. This comparison allowed us to develop a structural efficiency ratio that facilitates the prediction of mechanical properties relative to polymerization chemistry ( e.g ., softer BBEs when polymerizing under dilute conditions). This work highlights the impact that polymerization chemistry has on the structural efficiency ratio and the resultant mechanical properties of BBEs with identical side chains, providing another "knob" by which to control polymer network properties., Competing Interests: Notes The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Background: The cornerstone of treatment for acute cholangitis is source control with biliary drainage and early antibiotics. The primary aim of this study was to describe the microbiology of bile aspirate pathogens obtained at the time of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients suspected of having acute cholangitis., Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, patients were included if a bile aspirate was collected at ERCP for suspicion of acute cholangitis, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2016., Results: There were 721 ERCP procedures for suspected acute cholangitis with bile culture results, with 662 positive bile cultures (91.8 %). Pathogens included: Enterococcus species (spp.) 448 (67.7 %); Klebsiella spp. 295 (44.6 %); Escherichia coli 269 (40.6 %); Pseudomonas spp. 52 (7.9 %); and anaerobes 64 (9.7 %). Susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae and E.coli isolates to ciprofloxacin was 88 % and 64 %, respectively. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenem resistance were found in 7.9 % and 3.6 % of Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. There were 437 concurrent blood cultures, of which 174 were positive (39.8 % of cultures drawn). Prior biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) was evident in 459 ERCP cases (63.7 %), and was associated with increased frequency of Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Enterobacter spp., and Enterococcus spp. Prior biliary ES significantly increased the probability of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)., Conclusions: The vast majority of bile cultures (91.8 %) were positive. The susceptibilities of E.coli and K.pneumoniae to ciprofloxacin are lower than historically noted. A notable portion of cultures contained pathogenic drug-resistant organisms. Prior biliary ES is associated with a higher frequency of certain organisms and higher frequency of VRE., Competing Interests: M.A. Gromski serves as a consultant for Boston Scientific. S. Sherman serves as a consultant for Boston Scientific, Cook Medical, and Olympus. G. Lehman serves as a consultant for Cook Endoscopy. J. Easler serves as a consultant for Boston Scientific. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Large cyclopoid copepods of the genus Cyclops Mller, 1776 are seldom collected in the Laurentian Great Lakes, with only Cyclops scutifer Sars, 1863 and Cyclops strenuus Fischer, 1851 reported from the region. Rare reports of the species C. strenuus date back to 1972 within the Great Lakes basin. The first specimens reported as C. strenuus were collected from the St. Marys River, and additional specimens have been collected from western Lake Erie since 2013. We examined all available archived materials of C. strenuus from the Great Lakes and determined that specimens from the two localities belong to two separate species, neither of which refer to C. strenuus. Archived specimens collected from the St. Marys River in 1972 and 1995 were reidentified as Cyclops sibiricus Lindberg, 1949, a Holarctic species known from Siberia, Russian Federation, Alaska, USA, and northern regions of Canada. The occurrences of C. sibiricus from the St. Marys River extend the known distribution of the species southward some 1,688 km in the Nearctic region. Cyclops specimens collected from the western basin of Lake Erie in 2013, 2014, and 2019 were identified as the Palearctic species Cyclops divergens Lindberg, 1936 using both conventional taxonomy and genetic barcoding. C. divergens is known from localities across much of Europe and eastward into Central Asia. The occurrences of the species from western Lake Erie constitute the first detection of C. divergens in the Great Lakes and the Nearctic region. Therefore, we expect C. strenuus does not occur in the Great Lakes basin and is likely restricted to the Palearctic region.

Premise: Antheridiogen systems are a set of pheromonal mechanisms that control sex expression in fern gametophytes. However, antheridiogen has rarely been studied outside of the laboratory, and little is known about its function in natural settings. Combining predictions based on field and laboratory study, we tested whether the sexual structure of gametophytic colonies of a tree fern were attributable to antheridiogen., Methods: Gametophytic colonies of the antheridiogen-producing tree fern Cyathea multiflora were collected at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica in January 2019. The sex of each gametophyte was determined, mapped, and spatial statistic approaches were used to examine the distribution of sex in each colony., Results: In all gametophytic colonies, males were most common, representing 62-68% of individuals. No hermaphroditic gametophytes were identified in any colony. A quadrat-based method showed female gametophytes were not clustered in each colony, while male gametophytes were clustered. In two of the colonies, the K(r) test statistic for males was greater than expected compared to random simulations of sex expression, indicating male sex expression was spatially associated with females., Conclusions: This study provides the first documentation of spatial sex expression in natural settings of gametophytes of an antheridiogen-producing tree fern species. The profound impact of antheridiogen on gametophytic sex expression in field settings suggests this system is intimately tied to mating system, fitness, and genetic diversity in Cyathea multiflora., (© 2022 The Authors. American Journal of Botany published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Botanical Society of America.)

Background: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of cancers is becoming an accepted component of oncological care, and NHS England is currently rolling out WGS for all children with cancer. This approach was piloted during the 100,000 genomes (100 K) project. Here we share the experience of the East of England Genomic Medicine Centre (East-GMC), reporting the feasibility and clinical utility of centralised WGS for individual children locally., Methods: Non-consecutive children with solid tumours were recruited into the pilot 100 K project at our Genomic Medicine Centre. Variant catalogues were returned for local scrutiny and appraisal at dedicated genomic tumour advisory boards with an emphasis on a detailed exploration of potential clinical value., Results: Thirty-six children, representing one-sixth of the national 100 K cohort, were recruited through our Genomic Medicine Centre. The diagnoses encompassed 23 different solid tumour types and WGS provided clinical utility, beyond standard-of-care assays, by refining (2/36) or changing (4/36) diagnoses, providing prognostic information (8/36), defining pathogenic germline mutations (1/36) or revealing novel therapeutic opportunities (8/36)., Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and clinical value of centralised WGS for children with cancer. WGS offered additional clinical value, especially in diagnostic terms. However, our experience highlights the need for local expertise in scrutinising and clinically interpreting centrally derived variant calls for individual children., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background and Aims: Endoscopic management of large main pancreatic ductal (MPD) stones often require treatment with lithotripsy. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has been the mainstay therapy, and single-operator pancreatoscopy with intraductal (intracorporeal) lithotripsy (SOPIL) is an emerging technique. However, no comparative studies between these techniques exist. We therefore aimed to compare ESWL to SOPIL for the treatment of large MPD stones., Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study comparing patients who were treated with ESWL or SOPIL from September 2013 to September 2019 at a single tertiary center. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with technical success and efficient stone clearance (≤ 2 procedures to clear stones)., Results: There were 240 patients who were treated with ESWL and 18 treated with SOPIL. The overall technical success rate of stone clearance was 224/258 (86.8%), which was similar between the ESWL and SOPIL groups (86.7% vs 88.9%, p = 1.000). A SOPIL approach required fewer total procedures (1.6 ± 0.6 vs 3.1 ± 1.5, p < 0.001) and less aggregate procedure time (101.6 ± 68.2 vs 191.8 ± 111.6 min, p = 0.001). Adverse event rates were similar between the groups (6.3% vs 5.6%, p = 1.000). The use of SOPIL was independently associated with greater efficiency compared to ESWL (OR 5.241 [1.348-20.369], p = 0.017). Stone size > 10 mm was associated with less efficient stone clearance (OR 0.484 [0.256-0.912], p = 0.025)., Conclusion: Both ESWL and SOPIL are safe and effective endoscopic adjunct modalities for treating large pancreatic duct stones. SOPIL is an emerging alternative to ESWL that is potentially more efficient for lithotripsy and MPD stone clearance., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We examined three decades of changes in dreissenid populations in Lake Ontario and predation by round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus ). Dreissenids (almost exclusively quagga mussels, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis ) peaked in 2003, 13 years after arrival, and then declined at depths <90 m but continued to increase deeper through 2018. Lake-wide density also increased from 2008 to 2018 along with average mussel lengths and lake-wide biomass, which reached an all-time high in 2018 (25.2 ± 3.3 g AFTDW/m 2 ). Round goby densities were estimated at 4.2 fish/m 2 using videography at 10 to 35 m depth range in 2018. This density should impact mussel populations based on feeding rates, as indicated in the literature. While the abundance of 0-5 mm mussels appears to be high in all three years with measured length distributions (2008, 2013, 2018), the abundance of 5 to 12 mm dreissenids, the size range most commonly consumed by round goby, was low except at >90 m depths. Although the size distributions indicate that round goby is affecting mussel recruitment, we did not find a decline in dreissenid density in the nearshore and mid-depth ranges where goby have been abundant since 2005. The lake-wide densities and biomass of quagga mussels have increased over time, due to both the growth of individual mussels in the shallower depths, and a continuing increase in density at >90 m. Thus, the ecological effects of quagga mussels in Lake Ontario are likely to continue into the foreseeable future.

The Laurentian Great Lakes have experienced multiple anthropogenic changes in the past century, including cultural eutrophication, phosphorus abatement initiatives, and the introduction of invasive species. Lake Ontario, the most downstream lake in the system, is considered to be among the most impaired. The benthos of Lake Ontario has been studied intensively in the last six decades and can provide insights into the impact of environmental changes over time. We used multivariate community analyses to examine temporal changes in community composition over the last 54 years, and to assess the major drivers of long-term changes in benthos. The benthic community of Lake Ontario underwent significant transformations that correspond with three major periods. The first period, termed the pre/early Dreissena period (1964-1990), was characterized by high densities of Diporeia , Sphaeriidae, and Tubificidae. During the next period defined by zebra mussel dominance (the 1990s) the same groups were still prevalent, but at altered densities. In the most recent period (2000s to present), which is characterized by the dominance and proliferation of quagga mussels deeper into the lake, the community has changed dramatically: Diporeia almost completely disappeared, Sphaeriidae have greatly declined, and densities of quagga mussels, Oligochaeta and Chironomidae have increased. The introduction of invasive dreissenids has changed the Lake Ontario benthic community, historically dominated by Diporeia , Oligochaeta and Sphaeriidae, to a community dominated by quagga mussels and Oligochaeta. Dreissenids, especially the quagga mussel, were the major drivers of these changes over the last half century.

Carbonization by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of precursor films structured by a brush block copolymer-mediated self-assembly enabled the preparation of large-pore (40 nm) ordered mesoporous carbon (MPC)-based micro-supercapacitors within minutes. The large pore size of the fabricated films facilitates both rapid electrolyte diffusion for carbon-based electric double-layer capacitors and conformal deposition of V 2 O 5 without pore blockage for pseudocapacitors. The pores were templated using bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs) via cooperative assembly of phenol-formaldehyde resin to produce microphase-segregated carbon precursor films on a variety of substrates. Ultrafast RTA processing (∼50 °C/s) at elevated temperatures (up to 1000 °C) then generated stable, conductive, turbostratic MPC films, resolving a significant bottleneck in rapid fabrication. MPC prepared on stainless steel at 900 °C demonstrated exceptionally high areal and volumetric capacitances of 6.3 mF/cm 2 and 126 F/cm 3 (at 0.8 mA/cm 2 using 6 M KOH as the electrolyte), respectively, and 91% capacitance retention after 10,000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles. Post-RTA conformal V 2 O 5 deposition yielded pseudocapacitors with 10-fold increase in energy density (20 μW h cm -2 μm -1 ) without adversely affecting the high power density (450 μW cm -2 μm -1 ). The use of RTA coupled with BBCP templating opens avenues for scalable, rapid fabrication of high-performance carbon-based micro-pseudocapacitors.

Wearable sweat biosensors offer compelling opportunities for improved personal health monitoring and non-invasive measurements of key biomarkers. Inexpensive device fabrication methods are necessary for scalable manufacturing of portable, disposable, and flexible sweat sensors. Furthermore, real-time sweat assessment must be analyzed to validate measurement reliability at various sweating rates. Here, we demonstrate a "smart bandage" microfluidic platform for cortisol detection and continuous glucose monitoring integrated with a synthetic skin. The low-cost, laser-cut microfluidic device is composed of an adhesive-based microchannel and solution-processed electrochemical sensors fabricated from inkjet-printed graphene and silver solutions. An antibody-derived cortisol sensor achieved a limit of detection of 10 pM and included a low-voltage electrowetting valve, validating the microfluidic sensor design under typical physiological conditions. To understand effects of perspiration rate on sensor performance, a synthetic skin was developed using soft lithography to mimic human sweat pores and sweating rates. The enzymatic glucose sensor exhibited a range of 0.2 to 1.0 mM, a limit of detection of 10 μM, and reproducible response curves at flow rates of 2.0 μL min -1 and higher when integrated with the synthetic skin, validating its relevance for human health monitoring. These results demonstrate the potential of using printed microfluidic sweat sensors as a low-cost, real-time, multi-diagnostic device for human health monitoring.

Benthic invertebrates are important trophic links in aquatic food webs and serve as useful bioindicators of environmental conditions because their responses integrate the effects of both water and sediment qualities. However, long-term data sets for benthic invertebrate assemblages across broad geographic areas are rare and, even if collected, historic data sets are often not readily accessible. This data set provides densities of benthic macroinvertebrates for all taxa collected during lake-wide surveys in Lake Ontario, a Laurentian Great Lake, from 1964 to 2018. This information resulted from surveys funded by the governments of the United States and Canada to investigate the status and changes of Lake Ontario benthic community. Of the 13 lake-wide benthic surveys conducted in Lake Ontario over the course of 54 yr, we were able to acquire taxonomic data to the species level for 11 of the surveys and data to the group level for the other two surveys. Density data are provided for taxa representing the Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Cnidaria, Nemertea, and Platyhelminthes phyla. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the compositional structure of Lake Ontario invertebrate assemblages differed markedly by depth and were also significantly altered by the Dreissena spp. invasion in early 1990s. The introduction of invasive dreissenids has changed the community historically dominated by Diporeia, Oligochaeta, and Sphaeriidae, to a community dominated by quagga mussels and Oligochaeta. Considering the rarity of long-term benthic data of high taxonomic resolution in lake ecosystems, this data set could be useful to explore broader aspects of ecological theory, including effects of different environmental factors and invasive species on community organization, functional and phylogenetic diversity, and spatial scale of variation in community structure. The data set could also be useful for studies on individual species including abundance and distribution, species co-occurrence, and how the patterns of dominance and rarity change over space and time. Use of this data set for academic or educational purposes is encouraged as long as the data source is properly cited using the title of this Data Paper, the names of the authors, the year of publication, the journal name, and the article number., (© 2021 The Authors Ecology © 2021 Ecological Society of America. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Objectives: Select patients with anatomically favorable walled off pancreatic necrosis may be treated by endoscopic (Endo-TGD) or operative (OR-TGD) transgastric debridement (TGD). We compared our experience with these 2 approaches., Summary Background Data: Select necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) patients are suitable for TGD which may be accomplished endoscopically or surgically. Limited experience exists contrasting these techniques exists., Methods: Patients undergoing Endo-TGD and OR-TGD at a single, high-volume pancreatic center between 2008 and 2019 were identified from a prospective database. Patient characteristics, procedural details, and outcomes of these 2 groups were compared., Results: Among 498 NP patients undergoing necrosis intervention, 160 (32%) had TGD: 59 Endo-TGD and 101 OR-TGD. The groups were statistically similar in age, comorbidity, pancreatitis etiology, necrosis anatomy, pancreatitis severity, and timing of TGD from pancreatitis insult. OR-TGD required 1.1 ± 0.5 and Endo-TGD 3.0 ± 2.0 debridements/patient. Fewer hospital readmissions and repeat necrosis interventions, and shorter total inpatient length of stay were observed in OR-TGD patients. New-onset organ failure [Endo-TGD (13%); OR-TGD (13%); P = 1.0] was similar between groups. Hospital length of stay after TGD was significantly longer in patients undergoing Endo-TGD (13.8 ± 20.8 days) compared to OR-TGD (9.4 ± 6.1 days; P = 0.047). Mortality was 7% in Endo-TGD and 1% in OR-TGD (P = 0.04)., Conclusions: Operative and endoscopic transgastric debridement achieve necrosis resolution with different temporal and procedural profiles. Clear multidisciplinary communication is essential to determine appropriate approach to individual necrotizing pancreatitis patients., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interests., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Desiccation tolerance was a key trait that allowed plants to colonize land. However, little is known about the transition from desiccation tolerant non-vascular plants to desiccation sensitive vascular ones. Filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae) represent a useful system to investigate how water-stress strategies differ between non-vascular and vascular stages within a single organism because they have vascularized sporophytes and nonvascular gametophytes that are each capable of varying degrees of desiccation tolerance. To explore this, we surveyed sporophytes and gametophytes of 19 species (22 taxa including varieties) of filmy ferns on Moorea (French Polynesia) and used chlorophyll fluorescence to measure desiccation tolerance and light responses. We conducted phylogenetically informed analyses to identify differences in physiology between life stages and growth habits. Gametophytes had similar or less desiccation tolerance (ability to recover from 2 days desiccation at - 86 MPa) and lower photosynthetic optima (maximum electron transport rate of photosystem II and light level at 95% of that rate) than sporophytes. Epiphytes were more tolerant of desiccation than terrestrial species in both life stages. Despite their lack of greater physiological tolerances, gametophytes of several species occurred over a wider elevational range than conspecific sporophytes. Our results demonstrate that filmy fern gametophytes and sporophytes differ in their physiology and niche requirements, and point to the importance of microhabitat in shaping the evolution of water-use strategies in vascular plants., (© 2021. The Botanical Society of Japan.)

Background: A single-procedure session combining EUS and ERCP (EUS/ERCP) for tissue diagnosis and biliary decompression for pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is technically feasible. While EUS/ERCP may offer expedience and convenience over an approach of separate procedures sessions, the technical success and risk for complications of a combined approach is unclear., Aims: Compare the effectiveness and safety of EUS/ERCP versus separate session approaches for PDAC., Methods: Study patients (2010-2015) were identified within our ERCP database. Patients were analyzed in three groups based on approach: Group A: Single-session EUS-FNA and ERCP (EUS/ERCP), Group B: EUS-FNA followed by separate, subsequent ERCP (EUS then ERCP), and Group C: ERCP with/without separate EUS (ERCP ± EUS). Rates of technical success, number of procedures, complications, and time to initiation of PDAC therapies were compared between groups., Results: Two hundred patients met study criteria. EUS/ERCP approach (Group A) had a longer index procedure duration (median 66 min, p = 0.023). No differences were observed between Group A versus sequential procedure approaches (Groups B and C) for complications (p = 0.109) and success of EUS-FNA (p = 0.711) and ERCP (p = 0.109). Subgroup analysis (> 2 months of follow-up, not referred to hospice, n = 126) was performed. No differences were observed for stent failure (p = 0.307) or need for subsequent procedures (p = 0.220). EUS/ERCP (Group A) was associated with a shorter time to initiation of PDAC therapies (mean, 25.2 vs 42.7 days, p = 0.046)., Conclusions: EUS/ERCP approach has comparable rates of success and complications compared to separate, sequential approaches. An EUS/ERCP approach equates to shorter time interval to initiation of PDAC therapies., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Opportunistic diversification has allowed ferns to radiate into epiphytic niches in angiosperm dominated landscapes. However, our understanding of how ecophysiological function allowed establishment in the canopy and the potential transitionary role of the hemi-epiphytic life form remain unclear. Here, we surveyed 39 fern species in Costa Rican tropical forests to explore epiphytic trait divergence in a phylogenetic context. We examined leaf responses to water deficits in terrestrial, hemi-epiphytic and epiphytic ferns and related these findings to functional traits that regulate leaf water status. Epiphytic ferns had reduced xylem area (-63%), shorter stipe lengths (-56%), thicker laminae (+41%) and reduced stomatal density (-46%) compared to terrestrial ferns. Epiphytic ferns exhibited similar turgor loss points, higher osmotic potential at saturation and lower tissue capacitance after turgor loss than terrestrial ferns. Overall, hemi-epiphytic ferns exhibited traits that share characteristics of both terrestrial and epiphytic species. Our findings clearly demonstrate the prevalence of water conservatism in both epiphytic and hemi-epiphytic ferns, via selection for anatomical and structural traits that avoid leaf water stress. Even with likely evolutionarily constrained physiological function, adaptations for drought avoidance have allowed epiphytic ferns to successfully endure the stresses of the canopy habitat., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Disagreement exists between rheumatology and primary care societies regarding gout management. This paper describes a formal process for gathering input from stakeholders in the planning of a trial to compare gout management strategies., Methods: We recruited patients, nurses, physician assistants, primary care clinicians, and rheumatologists to participate in a modified Delphi panel (mDP) to provide input on design of a trial focused on optimal management for primary care patients with gout. The 16 panelists received a plain-language briefing document that discussed the rationale for the trial, key clinical issues in gout, and aspects of trial design. The panelists also received information and considerations on nine voting questions (VQs), judged to be the key design questions. Cognitive interviews with panelists ensured that the VQs were understood by the range of panelists involved in the mDP. Panelists were asked to score all VQs from 1 (definitely no) to 9 (definitely yes). Two voting rounds were conducted-round 1 by email and round 2 by video conference., Results: The VQs were modified through the cognitive interviews. The round 1 voting resulted in consensus on eight items, with consensus defined as median voting score in the same tercile (1-3, 4-6 or 7-9). Re-voting at the meeting (round 2) reached consensus on the remaining item., Conclusion: An mDP with various stakeholders facilitated consensus on the design of a trial of different management strategies for chronic gout. This method may be useful for designing trials of clinical questions with substantial disagreement across stakeholders., (© 2021 The Authors. ACR Open Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.)

The advanced optical and wetting properties of metamaterials, plasmonic structures, and nanostructured surfaces have been repeatedly demonstrated in lab-scale experiments. Extending these exciting discoveries to large-area surfaces can transform technologies ranging from solar energy and virtual reality to biosensors and anti-microbial surfaces. Although photolithography is ideal for nanopatterning of small, expensive items such as computer chips, nanopatterning of large-area surfaces is virtually impossible with traditional lithographic techniques due to their exceptionally slow patterning rates and high costs. This article presents a high-throughput process that achieves large-area nanopatterning by combining roll-to-roll (R2R) nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and nanocoining, a process that can seamlessly nanopattern around a cylinder hundreds of times faster than electron-beam lithography. Here, nanocoining is used to fabricate a cylindrical mold with nanofeatures spaced by 600 nm and microfeatures spaced by 2 μm. This cylindrical drum mold is then used on a R2R NIL setup to pattern over 60 feet of polymer film. Microscopy is used to compare the feature shapes throughout the process. This scalable process offers the potential to transfer exciting lab-scale demonstrations to industrial-scale manufacturing without the prohibitively high cost usually associated with the fabrication of a master mold.

Purpose: Reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging policy issue that requires mitigation strategies, such as mask-wearing and social distancing. Whether youth will conform to these strategies is unclear., Methods: We leverage data on 1,152 youth's mask-wearing and social-distancing behaviors from observations of five in-person live-streamed high school graduations from one U.S. public school district in July 2020. Multiple researchers took ethnographic field notes and systematically recorded public health behaviors for each graduation. We also use data from the local public health department, school district, newspapers, community observations, and the National Center for Education Statistics. We then conducted a descriptive quantitative analysis of mask-wearing status by gender, ethnicity, and school, along with a qualitative thematic analysis., Results: Nearly 70% of students wore their masks properly while receiving their diploma, although 9.6% wore no mask and 18.7% struggled with mask fit. Almost all students removed masks for graduation photos after adults suggested they should, although 80% of them were wearing their mask properly before the photo. We found significant school variation, but no gender or ethnic variation in student mask-wearing. School variation aligned with political themes of student speeches and in adult commitment to safety measures. Student speakers at all schools mentioned altruistic concern about COVID-19. All schools struggled with social distancing throughout the ceremony, except when students were seated in socially distanced chairs., Conclusions: This study provides important insights into youth conformity to COVID-19 guidelines and strategies to protect public health during in-person schooling., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sex expression of homosporous ferns is controlled by multiple factors, one being the antheridiogen system. Antheridiogens are pheromones released by sexually mature female fern gametophytes, turning nearby asexual gametophytes precociously male. Nevertheless, not all species respond. It is still unknown how many fern species use antheridiogens, how the antheridiogen system evolved, and whether it is affected by polyploidy and/or apomixis. We tested the response of 68 fern species to antheridiogens in cultivation. These results were combined with a comprehensive review of literature to form the largest dataset of antheridiogen interactions to date. Analyzed species also were coded as apomictic or sexual and diploid or polyploid. Our final dataset contains a total of 498 interactions involving 208 species (c. 2% of all ferns). About 65% of studied species respond to antheridiogen. Multiple antheridiogen types were delimited and their evolution is discussed. Antheridiogen responsiveness was not significantly affected by apomixis or polyploidy. Antheridiogens are widely used by ferns to direct sex expression. The antheridiogen system likely evolved multiple times and provides homosporous ferns with the benefits often associated with heterospory, such as increased rates of outcrossing. Despite expectations, antheridiogens may be beneficial to polyploids and apomicts., (© 2020 The Authors New Phytologist © 2020 New Phytologist Trust.)

We report the self-assembly of amphiphilic polystyrene- block -poly(ethylene oxide) (PS- b -PEO) brush block copolymers (BBCPs) into spherical micelles in an ethanol/water mixture as an efficient templating approach to fabricate mesoporous carbon spheres using polydopamine as a carbon source. Mesopore sizes of up to 25 nm are well controlled and are dependent on the molecular weight ( M w ) of the BBCP. Such large pores are difficult to obtain using traditional linear block copolymers templates. Furthermore, bimodal mesoporous carbon spheres with two populations of pore sizes (24.5 and 6.5 nm) are obtained using a BBCP coassembled with a small molecule surfactant (Pluronic F127). An oxygen reduction reaction is used to demonstrate that electrocatalytic performance can be tuned by controlling the carbon sphere morphologies. This work provides a novel and versatile method to fabricate carbon spheres with broadly tunable bimodal pore sizes for potential applications in catalysis, separations, and energy storage.

Background: Enteral nutrition plays a central role in managing necrotizing pancreatitis (NP). Although the nasojejunal (NJ) route is widely used, percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG-J) is an alternative technique that is also applied commonly. We hypothesized that NJ and PEG-J had similar morbidity in the setting of NP., Methods: All patients receiving preoperative enteral nutrition before surgical debridement for NP (2005-2015) were segregated into NJ or PEG-J., Results: A total of 242 patients had complete data for analysis (155 men/87 women; median age 54 years; 47% biliary and 16% alcohol-related pancreatitis). NJ was used exclusively in 187 patients (77%); 25 patients (10%) were fed exclusively by PEG-J; the remaining 30 patients (13%) had NJ first, followed by PEG-J. Equal proportions of NJ and PEG-J patients reached enteral feeding goal (67% vs. 68%, p ≈ 1) and increased serum albumin (39% vs. 36%, p = 0.87). No difference was seen in rate of pancreatic necrosis infection (NJ 53% vs. PEG-J 49%, p = 0.64). NJ patients had significantly more complications compared to PEG-J (51%vs.27%,p = 0.0015). However, NJ patients had more grade I/II complication, compared to PEG-J patients, who had more grade III/IV complication (Grade I/II: NJ 51%vs. PEG-J 16%; Grade III/IV NJ 0%vs. PEG-J 11%, p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: In necrotizing pancreatitis, NJ and PEG-J both delivered enteral nutrition effectively. Patients with NJ feeding had significantly more complications than those with PEG-J; however, NJ complications were less severe.