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Background and Aims Hybridization is increasingly recognized as an integral part of the dynamics of species range expansion and contraction. Thus, it is important to understand the reproductive barriers between co-occurring species. Extending previous studies that argued that the rare Eucalyptus risdonii was expanding into the range of the surrounding E. amygdalina by both seed and pollen dispersal, we here investigate the long-term fitness of both species and their hybrids and whether expansion is continuing. Methods We assessed the survival of phenotypes representing a continuum between the two pure species in a natural hybrid swarm after 29 years, along with seedling recruitment. The performance of pure species as well as of artificial and natural hybrids was also assessed over 28 years in a common garden trial. Key Results In the hybrid zone, E. amygdalina adults showed greater mortality than E. risdonii , and the current seedling cohort is still dominated by E. risdonii phenotypes. Morphologically intermediate individuals appeared to be the least fit. Similar results were observed after growing artificial first-generation and natural hybrids alongside pure species families in a common garden trial. Here, the survival, reproduction, health and growth of the intermediate hybrids were significantly less than those of either pure species, consistent with hybrid inferiority, although this did not manifest until later reproductive ages. Among the variable progeny of natural intermediate hybrids, the most E. risdonii -like phenotypes were the most fit. Conclusions This study contributes to the increasing number of reports of hybrid inferiority in Eucalyptus , suggesting that post-zygotic barriers contribute to the maintenance of species integrity even between closely related species. However, with fitness rapidly recovered following backcrossing, it is argued that hybridization can still be an important evolutionary process, in the present case appearing to contribute to the range expansion of the rare E. risdonii in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Resistance of Eucalyptus globulus juvenile foliage to Teratosphaeria leaf disease (TLD) damage has been shown to be under genetic control. Constitutive traits of juvenile leaves such as stomatal density (counted with wax on and with wax removed), total phenolics, total leaf wax, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf anatomical features were assessed to determine differences between pairs of resistant and susceptible families. Anatomic features assessed included cuticle, epidermis, palisade spongy mesophyll and total leaf thickness, as well as palisade cell size, shape and intercellular airspace. One interprovenance, one intraprovenance and two within‐family contrasts were used to compare resistant and susceptible pairs of families of Australian origin. The more resistant families had a significantly higher LMA and smaller percentage airspace compared with susceptible families. It is argued that one of the mechanisms by which E. globulus resists TLD involves the closely packed palisade mesophyll cells that increases LMA and reduces airspace, thereby restricting pathogen spread once infection has occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potentially Preventable Hospitalisations (PPH) is a widely used indicator of the effectiveness of non-hospital care. Specified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding, PPH comprises a suite of health conditions that could have potentially been prevented with appropriate care. The most recent edition of the National Guide to a Preventative Health Assessment for First Nations People documents the health conditions of interest to providers of primary care, many of which are not represented in PPH. Given the National Guide has been developed specifically with First Nations in mind, the aim of this research is twofold. The first aim is to formally posit the question of whether a summative measure of hospitalisations aligned diagnostically to the National Guide has value either as an alternative or complement to PPH in the context of First Nations primary health information. The second aim is to develop and present a prototype ICD-10 data specification for such a measure, referred to as the First Nations primary healthcare (FNPHC) data specification, and examine the age-standardised hospitalisation rates for FNPHC and PPH for correlations and/or differences. Age-standardised hospitalisation rates from 2016-17 to 2019-20 using both classifications were examined to assess the usefulness and relevance of summative measures of hospitalisations for informing primary care. Rates of FNPHC for principal diagnoses were between 1.5 and 2.5 times higher than those of PPH and approximately between 6 and 12 times higher for additional diagnoses. There was a strong correlation with PPH when rates were compared across all observations: jurisdictions with higher rates of PPH tended to have higher rates of hospitalisations according to the custom specification. Findings support its application as a summary measure for First Nations primary care providers. Given the policy landscape in Australia that aims to close the gap, it is imperative that measures of primary health take advantage of the concepts and application of First Nations data sovereignty and governance. The validity and cultural appropriateness of the First Nations primary health data specification needs to be further researched.

Since 2006, the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework (HPF) reports have provided information about Indigenous Australians' health outcomes. The HPF was designed, in consultation with Indigenous stakeholder groups, to promote accountability and inform policy and research. This paper explores bridging the HPF as a theoretical construct and the publicly available data provided against its measures. A whole-of-framework, whole-of-system monitoring perspective was taken to summarise 289 eligible indicators at the state/territory level, organised by the HPF's tier and group hierarchy. Data accompanying the 2017 and 2020 reports were used to compute improvement over time. Unit change and confidence indicators were developed to create an abstract but interpretable improvement score suitable for aggregation and visualisation at scale. The result is an exploratory methodology that summarises changes over time. An example dashboard visualisation is presented. The use of secondary data inevitably invites acknowledgments of what analysis cannot say, owing to methods of collection, sampling bias, or unobserved variables and the standard mantra regarding correlation not being causation (though no attempt has been made here to infer relationships between indicators, groups, or tiers). The analysis presented questions the utility of the HPF to inform healthcare reform.

Background: Autistic individuals encounter numerous barriers in accessing healthcare, including communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, and a lack of appropriate adjustments. These issues are particularly acute during MRI scans, which involve confined spaces, loud noises, and the necessity to remain still. There remains no unified approach to preparing autistic individuals for MRI procedures., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with parents and carers of autistic individuals in the UK to explore their experiences, barriers, and recommendations concerning MRI scans. The survey collected demographic information and experiential accounts of previous MRI procedures. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, while key themes were identified within the qualitative data through inductive thematic analysis., Results: Sixteen parents/carers participated. The majority reported difficulties with communication, inadequate pre-scan preparation, and insufficient adjustments during MRI scans for their autistic children. Key barriers included an overwhelming sensory environment, radiographers' limited understanding of autism, and anxiety stemming from uncertainties about the procedure. Recommended improvements encompassed accessible communication, pre-visit familiarisation, noise-reduction and sensory adaptations, staff training on autism, and greater flexibility to meet individual needs., Conclusions: There is an urgent need to enhance MRI experiences for autistic individuals. This can be achieved through improved staff knowledge, effective communication strategies, thorough pre-scan preparation, and tailored reasonable adjustments. Co-producing clear MRI guidelines with the autism community could standardise sensitive practices. An individualised approach is crucial for reducing anxiety and facilitating participation. Empowering radiographers through autism-specific education and incorporating insights from autistic individuals and their families could transform MRI experiences and outcomes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

During embryonic development, all blood progenitors are initially generated from endothelial cells that acquire a hemogenic potential. Blood progenitors emerge through an endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition regulated by the transcription factor RUNX1. To date, we still know very little about the molecular characteristics of hemogenic endothelium and the molecular changes underlying the transition from endothelium to hematopoiesis. Here, we analyzed at the single cell level a human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial population containing hemogenic potential. RUNX1-expressing endothelial cells, which harbor enriched hemogenic potential, show very little molecular differences to their endothelial counterpart suggesting priming toward hemogenic potential rather than commitment. Additionally, we identify CD82 as a marker of the endothelium-to-hematopoietic transition. CD82 expression is rapidly upregulated in newly specified blood progenitors then rapidly downregulated as further differentiation occurs. Together our data suggest that endothelial cells are first primed toward hematopoietic fate, and then rapidly undergo the transition from endothelium to blood., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Objectives: Identify the number, type, scope and quality of economic evaluations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health programs., Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted for articles published from 2010 to 2020 that reported a full economic evaluation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health programs. Data extraction included: type of economic evaluation, comparators, data sources and concerns, and outcome measures. Methodological quality was assessed using the Drummond checklist., Results: Thirteen publications met inclusion criteria: two cost-consequence analyses, two cost-effectiveness analyses, five cost-utility analyses, and four cost-benefit/return on investment analyses. Most studies (n=10) adopted a health system perspective and used a range of key data sources for economic analyses. Ten studies identified data access limitations that restricted analyses and two studies identified data quality concerns. Twelve studies were of good methodological quality and one was of average quality., Conclusions: Despite significant investment in strategies to close the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, there is limited evidence about what constitutes a cost-effective investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare., Implications for Public Health: More economic evaluation is required to justify the significant investment in health programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The transcription factor RUNX1 is a master regulator of blood cell specification. During embryogenesis, hematopoietic progenitors are initially generated from hemogenic endothelium through an endothelium-to-hematopoietic transition controlled by RUNX1. Several studies have dissected the expression pattern and role of RUNX1 isoforms at the onset of mouse hematopoiesis, however the precise pattern of RUNX1 isoform expression and biological output of RUNX1-expressing cells at the onset of human hematopoiesis is still not fully understood. Here, we investigated these questions using a RUNX1b:VENUS RUNX1c:TOMATO human embryonic stem cell line which allows multi-parameter single cell resolution via flow cytometry and isolation of RUNX1b-expressing cells for further analysis. Our data reveal the sequential expression of the two RUNX1 isoforms with RUNX1b expressed first in a subset of endothelial cells and during the endothelial to hematopoietic transition while RUNX1c only becomes expressed in fully specified blood cells. Furthermore, our data show that RUNX1b marks endothelial cells endowed with hemogenic potential and that RUNX1b expression level determines hemogenic competency in a dose-dependent manner. Together our data reveal the dynamic of RUNX1 isoforms expression at the onset of human blood specification and establish RUNX1b isoform as the earliest known marker for hemogenic competency., Competing Interests: SM was employed by the company CytoSeek Ltd. and EG-A was employed by the company Adaptimmune Ltd. 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 © 2021 Menegatti, Potts, Garcia-Alegria, Paredes, Lie-A-Ling, Lacaud and Kouskoff.)

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant burden of disease for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a population that continues to experience a lower life expectancy than other Australians. The aim of the Better Cardiac Care Data Linkage project is to describe patient care pathways and to identify disparities in care and health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Queensland residents diagnosed with CVD in the state of Queensland., Methods: This is a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked regional, state and national health and administrative data collections to describe disparities in CVD healthcare in primary and secondary prevention settings and during hospitalisation. The CVD cohort will be identified from the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection for admissions that occurred between 1 July 2010 and 31 June 2016 and will include relevant International Classification of Disease codes for ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. Person-level data will be linked by Data Linkage Queensland and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in accordance with ethical and public health approvals to describe the patient journey prior to, during and post the hospital admission., Analysis: This project will focus largely on descriptive epidemiological measures and multivariate analysis of clinical care standards and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with other Queenslanders, including identification of risk factors for suboptimal care and change over time. Variation in care pathways and patient outcomes will be compared by Indigenous status, sex, age group, remoteness of residence, year of index hospitalisation and socioeconomic status. Cox models for time-to-event data and mixed models or generalised estimating equations for longitudinal data will be used to measure change over time where temporal effects exist., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been granted by Human Research Ethics Committees of the Prince Charles Hospital (HREC/15/QPCH/289) and the AIHW (EO2016-1-233). The Northern Territory Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research have also provided reciprocal ethical approval of the project (HREC 2019-3490). The deidentified results will be summarised in a report and shared with investigators, advisory groups, Queensland Health and key stakeholders. Findings will be disseminated through workshops, conferences and will be published in peer-reviewed journals., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Little is known about the emergence of blood progenitors during human embryogenesis due to ethical reasons and restricted embryo access. The use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a model system offers unique opportunities to dissect human blood cell formation. Here, we describe a protocol allowing the differentiation of hESCs via embryoid bodies toward hemogenic endothelium and its subsequent differentiation to blood progenitors. This protocol relies on the formation of embryoid bodies, which is tricky if not carefully performed. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Garcia-Alegria et al. (2018)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Objective: Few studies have reported blood lead levels (BLLs) in Haitian children, despite the known presence of lead from environmental factors such as soil, water, leaded paint and gasoline, improperly discarded batteries, and earthquakes. We sought to determine the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) among healthy Haitian children., Methods: We enrolled children aged 9 months to 6 years from 3 geographic areas in Haiti (coastal, urban, and mountain) from March 1 through June 30, 2015. We obtained anthropometric measurements, household income, potential sources of lead exposure, and fingerstick BLLs from 273 children at 6 churches in Haiti. We considered a BLL ≥5 μg/dL to be elevated., Results: Of 273 children enrolled in the study, 95 were from the coastal area, 78 from the urban area, and 100 from the mountain area. The median BLL was 5.8 μg/dL, with higher levels in the mountain area than in the other areas ( P < .001). BLLs were elevated in 180 (65.9%) children. The prevalence of EBLL was significantly higher in the mountain area (82 of 100, 82.0%; P < .001) than in the urban area (42 of 78, 53.8%) and the coastal area (56 of 95, 58.9%; P < .001). Twenty-eight (10.3%) children had EBLLs ≥10 μg/dL and 3 (1.1%) children had EBLLs ≥20 μg/dL. Exposure to improperly discarded batteries ( P = .006) and living in the mountain area ( P < .001) were significant risk factors for EBLLs., Conclusions: More than half of Haitian children in our study had EBLLs. Public health interventions are warranted to protect children in Haiti against lead poisoning.

Daguerreotypes are valued artifacts that constitute a unique historical photographic memory of the 19th century. Understanding their surface chemistry is important in order to conserve and, when necessary, to restore them. Colored highlights were often added by hand to emphasize different features on the daguerreotype's subjects. In the present work, we report on a daguerreotype that was hand-colored with a red pigment that was added to the cheeks of the two individuals. A series of experiments using micro-Raman and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and absorption spectroscopy are used to analyze the surface and to determine the nature of the pigment used as well as the common elements present in the fabrication of the daguerreotypes.

Genetic variation in foundation trees can influence dependent communities, but little is known about the mechanisms driving these extended genetic effects. We studied the potential chemical drivers of genetic variation in the dependent foliar community of the focal tree Eucalyptus globulus. We focus on the role of cuticular waxes and compare the effects to that of the terpenes, a well-studied group of secondary compounds known to be bioactive in eucalypts. The canopy community was quantified based on the abundance of thirty-nine distinctive arthropod and fungal symptoms on foliar samples collected from canopies of 246 progeny from 13 E. globulus sub-races grown in a common garden trial. Cuticular waxes and foliar terpenes were quantified using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MC). A total of 4 of the 13 quantified waxes and 7 of the 16 quantified terpenes were significantly associated with the dependent foliar community. Variation in waxes explained 22.9% of the community variation among sub-races, which was equivalent to that explained by terpenes. In combination, waxes and terpenes explained 35% of the genetic variation among sub-races. Only a small proportion of wax and terpene compounds showing statistically significant differences among sub-races were implicated in community level effects. The few significant waxes have previously shown evidence of divergent selection in E. globulus, which signals that adaptive variation in phenotypic traits may have extended effects. While highlighting the role of the understudied cuticular waxes, this study demonstrates the complexity of factors likely to lead to community genetic effects in foundation trees.

Background: With the exception of the United States, in recent years suicide rates have been declining in most western countries. Notoriously, suicide rates fluctuate - especially in males - in response to a range of socio-political and environmental factors, some of them difficult to identify. Our aim was to obtain an updated profile of main commonalities in suicide cases of Queensland residents between 2002 and 2011 to inform prevention strategies., Methods: Data were obtained from the Queensland Suicide Register (QSR), including police and toxicology reports, post-mortem autopsy and Coroner's findings. Data are crosschecked with records from the National Coronial Information System. Age-standardised rates (ASR) of suicide, Poisson regression and Chi(2) tests are presented., Results: A total of 5752 suicides by Queensland residents was registered between 2002 and 2011; 76.9% by males and 23.1% by females. The average ASR was 14.3 per 100,000, with a significant decrease between 2002 and 2011. Rates declined significantly in males, not in females. On average, rates were 3.41-times higher in males. ASR for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was significantly higher than for other Australians. Overall, male suicide rates were particularly high in remote areas, as well as in the most disadvantaged ones. One third of suicide cases presented history of previous suicidal behaviour, and half a detected and treated mental disorder. Hanging was the most common method., Conclusions: Suicide rates have declined in Queensland, Australia. It is problematic to say if this was due to suicide prevention programs or other factors., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)