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Copyright of Methods in Ecology & Evolution is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The near‐surface boundary layer can mediate the response of mountain glaciers to external climate, cooling the overlying air and promoting a density‐driven glacier wind. The fundamental processes are conceptually well understood, though the magnitudes of cooling and presence of glacier winds are poorly quantified in space and time, increasing the forcing uncertainty for melt models. We utilize a new data set of on‐glacier meteorological measurements on three neighboring glaciers in the Swiss Alps to explore their distinct response to regional climate under the extreme 2022 summer. We find that synoptic wind origins and local terrain modifications, not only glacier size, play an important role in the ability of a glacier to cool the near‐surface air. Warm air intrusions from valley or synoptically‐driven winds onto the glacier can occur between ∼19% and 64% of the time and contribute between 3% and 81% of the total sensible heat flux to the surface during warm afternoon hours, depending on the fetch of the glacier flowline and its susceptibility to boundary layer erosion. In the context of extreme summer warmth, indicative of future conditions, the boundary layer cooling (up to 6.5°C cooler than its surroundings) and resultant katabatic wind flow are highly heterogeneous between the study glaciers, highlighting the complex and likely non‐linear response of glaciers to an uncertain future. Plain Language Summary: The presence of a 0°C ice surface cools the near‐surface air and generates a unique micro‐climate that complicates a glaciers response to future warming. Using a new data series on three glaciers during an extreme summer of 2022, we explore how variable this cooling is in space and time and investigate the factors that can control it. We focus largely on the role of valley and synoptic winds that are found to affect glaciers of varying size and orientation differently, influencing the amount of heat transfer to the ice surface that glaciers receive from outside its own micro‐climate. Moreover, we find that the presence of glacier winds can act to enhance or reduce overall heat transfer to the glacier, depending on the wind strength and degree of boundary layer disruption. We highlight the complexities that are ignored in simpler melt modeling frameworks and demonstrate how, especially under extreme summer heat, indicative of future conditions, static parameters to relate glacier melt to temperature are likely to be inappropriate. Key Points: Glacier size and alignment with valley/synoptic wind gradients control the magnitude of near‐surface coolingValley/synoptic winds can occur between 19% and 64% of the time and contribute between 3% and 81% of total sensible heat to the ice surfaceLocalized cooling and turbulence in the boundary layer increase the complexity and non‐linearity of glacier response to climate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High Mountain Asia (HMA) is among the most vulnerable water towers globally and yet future projections of water availability in and from its high‐mountain catchments remain uncertain, as their hydrologic response to ongoing environmental changes is complex. Mechanistic modeling approaches incorporating cryospheric, hydrological, and vegetation processes in high spatial, temporal, and physical detail have never been applied for high‐elevation catchments of HMA. We use a land surface model at high spatial and temporal resolution (100 m and hourly) to simulate the coupled dynamics of energy, water, and vegetation for the 350 km2 Langtang catchment (Nepal). We compare our model outputs for one hydrological year against a large set of observations to gain insight into the partitioning of the water balance at the subseasonal scale and across elevation bands. During the simulated hydrological year, we find that evapotranspiration is a key component of the total water balance, as it causes about the equivalent of 20% of all the available precipitation or 154% of the water production from glacier melt in the basin to return directly to the atmosphere. The depletion of the cryospheric water budget is dominated by snow melt, but at high elevations is primarily dictated by snow and ice sublimation. Snow sublimation is the dominant vapor flux (49%) at the catchment scale, accounting for the equivalent of 11% of snowfall, 17% of snowmelt, and 75% of ice melt, respectively. We conclude that simulations should consider sublimation and other evaporative fluxes explicitly, as otherwise water balance estimates can be ill‐quantified. Plain Language Summary: The Himalayan mountains are a crucial source of water for local communities and the densely populated lowlands. Snow and glaciers are important for the water cycle in mountains, and many studies have focused on them. However, vegetation can play a central role, too. To better understand the water cycle in a high‐elevation Himalayan basin, we use a computer model that considers physical processes of snow and glaciers, soil, and vegetation in high detail. We simulate the catchment water balance and investigate the importance of single components at different elevations and in different seasons. We find that the transfer of water, in vapor form from the ground, snow and ice and the transpiration of plants are important for the water budget in the study basin, causing more water to return to the atmosphere than ice melt contributing to river runoff. Above 6,500 m above sea level, it is the transformation of snow into water vapor and below 4,000 m the transpiration from vegetation that dominate the water budget. We conclude that models simulating the water cycle in high mountain regions should consider vapor fluxes, as otherwise estimates of the water balance can be misleading. Key Points: Land surface modeling reveals high altitudinal/subseasonal variability in water balance partitioning in a glacierized Himalayan catchmentWater loss through evapotranspiration, dominated by snow sublimation, exceeds water production from glacier melt by 59% at catchment scaleDepletion of cryospheric water budget is dominated by snow melt, but at high elevations is primarily dictated by snow and ice sublimation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the current evidence for universal school‐based (USB) social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions for students in kindergarten through 12th grade available from 2008 through 2020. The sample includes 424 studies from 53 countries, reflecting 252 discrete USB SEL interventions, involving 575,361 students. Results endorsed that, compared to control conditions, students who participate in USB SEL interventions experienced significantly improved skills, attitudes, behaviors, school climate and safety, peer relationships, school functioning, and academic achievement. Significant heterogeneity in USB SEL content, intervention features, context, and implementation quality moderated student experiences and outcomes. Strengths and limitations of this evidence and implications for future USB SEL research, policy, and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models based on ecological processes (process‐explicit models) are often used to predict ecosystem responses to environmental changes or management scenarios. However, models are imperfect and need to be validated, ideally by testing their assumptions and outputs against independent empirical data sets. Examples of validation of process‐explicit models are rare. Recently, stochastic population models have been developed to predict the likely responses (over 10–120 years) of a riverine fish (golden perch, Macquaria ambigua) to flow management in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in eastern Australia, one of the world's most regulated river basins. Declines in golden perch (and other species) are a direct consequence of altered hydrology, and managers require information to predict how fish will respond to possible future hydrological conditions to guide substantial investments in flow management. Here, we use two independent field data sets to validate our population model. We compared model predictions to observed trends to ask: (1) How do predicted population sizes and growth rates compare with observed data? (2) Does the correlation between predicted and observed population sizes and growth rates vary among populations? (3) Does the correlation between predicted and observed population sizes and growth rates vary across observed hydrological conditions? (4) How do modeled and observed fish movement rates compare? We found reasonable correlations between fish population sizes and growth rates as predicted by the model and observed in independent data sets for several populations (Aim 1), but the strength of these correlations varied among populations (Aim 2) and hydrological conditions (Aim 3). Predicted and observed fish movement rates were strongly correlated (Aim 4). Population models are frequently used in conservation decision‐making but are rarely validated. We demonstrate that: (1) validation can identify model strengths and weaknesses; (2) observed data sets often have inherent limitations that can preclude robust validations; (3) validation is likely to be more common if appropriate observed data sets are available; and (4) validation should consider the purpose of modeling. Wider consideration of these messages would contribute to more critical examinations of models, so they can be most appropriately used in conservation decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studying modifiable psychosocial contributors to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) is crucial to inform approaches for ADRD prevention, especially among those with less education, lower neighborhood quality, and heightened discrimination. These three social determinants of health confer increased ADRD risk. Perceived control is an important psychosocial resource for cognitive health. Most prior work, however, focuses exclusively on global aspects of control, ignoring influences of more dynamic aspects of control over specific experiences in daily life, such as daily stressor control. Method: We used data from the Midlife in the United States study and the National Study of Daily Experiences (N = 1,651, Mage = 62.09, SE = 12.11, 56.65% Female) to address this gap and examine the roles of daily stressor control and social determinants of health in cognitive performance. Over 8 consecutive days in the second and third waves of data collection, respondents reported their perceived control over stressors they had experienced. Respondents also completed assessments of education, neighborhood quality, perceived discrimination, and a telephone‐based battery of tests measuring executive function (EF) and episodic memory (EM). We employed multilevel modeling to assess associations of daily stressor control and social determinants of health with cognitive performance. Result: EF was higher among people with more education and those with less perceived discrimination (ps<.001), but was not related to daily stressor control (p>.05). Greater daily stressor control, more education, and better neighborhood quality was related to better EM (ps<.05). A stressor control by discrimination interaction showed that greater stressor control was associated with better EM among those with comparatively less perceived discrimination (p<.01). Conclusion: Daily stressor control may serve as a psychosocial resource for cognitive health, but the strength of its relationship with cognitive performance varied by perceived discrimination. Promoting stressor control may be beneficial for cognitive health among those with comparatively less perceived discrimination, but more research is needed to clarify psychosocial resources that could buffer against the impacts of heightened discrimination on cognitive health disparities in the US. Future work should examine longitudinal relationships to clarify the predictive utility of stressor control for cognitive health and the daily mechanisms that may explain these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of a developed boundary layer decouples a glacier's response from ambient conditions, suggesting that sensitivity to climate change is increased by glacier retreat. To test this hypothesis, we explore six years of distributed meteorological data on a small Swiss glacier in the period 2001–2022. Large glacier fragmentation has occurred since 2001 (−35% area change up to 2022) coinciding with notable frontal retreat, an observed switch from down‐glacier katabatic to up‐glacier valley winds and an increased sensitivity (ratio) of on‐glacier to off‐glacier temperature. As the glacier ceases to develop density‐driven katabatic winds, sensible heat fluxes on the glacier are increasingly determined by the conditions occurring outside the boundary layer of the glacier, sealing the glacier's demise as the climate continues to warm and experience an increased frequency of extreme summers. Plain Language Summary: Down‐glacier winds promote a unique micro‐climate, maintaining relatively lower temperatures over the surface of mountain glaciers. Using six years of meteorological data in the period 2001–2022, we observe increases in the relative changes of above‐ice air temperatures compared to temperatures outside the glacier. As the glacier ceases to develop its own micro‐climate, warmer winds generated by heated valley slopes increasingly control the amount of heat transfer to melt glacier ice. This work offers new observational evidence that suggests that, as glaciers continue to shrink and fragment, they becoming increasingly sensitive to future climate warming. Key Points: On‐glacier air temperatures have become more sensitive to ambient temperatures in a warming climateUp‐valley winds have increased >20% between 2001 and 2021, making sensible heat fluxes more dependent on conditions outside the glacierThe decay of the katabatic system due to glacier retreat indicates a nonlinear sensitivity of the glacier to continued warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice cliff distribution plays a major role in determining the melt of debris‐covered glaciers but its controls are largely unknown. We assembled a data set of 37,537 ice cliffs and determined their characteristics across 86 debris‐covered glaciers within High Mountain Asia (HMA). We find that 38.9% of the cliffs are stream‐influenced, 19.5% pond‐influenced and 19.7% are crevasse‐originated. Surface velocity is the main predictor of cliff distribution at both local and glacier scale, indicating its dependence on the dynamic state and hence evolution stage of debris‐covered glacier tongues. Supraglacial ponds contribute to maintaining cliffs in areas of thicker debris, but this is only possible if water accumulates at the surface. Overall, total cliff density decreases exponentially with debris thickness as soon as the debris layer reaches a thickness of over 10 cm. Plain Language Summary: Debris‐covered glaciers are common throughout the world's mountain ranges and are characterized by the presence of steep ice cliffs among the debris‐covered ice. It is well‐known that the cliffs are responsible for a large portion of the melt of these glaciers but the controls on their formation, development and distribution across glaciers remains poorly understood. Novel mapping approaches combined with high‐resolution satellite and drone products enabled us to disentangle some of these controls and to show that the ice cliffs are generally formed and maintained by the surface hydrology (ponds or streams) or by the opening of crevasses. As a result, they depend both at the local and glacier scale on the dynamic state of the glaciers as well as the evolution stage of their debris cover. This provides a pathway to better represent their contribution to glacier melt in predictive glacier models. Key Points: We derived an unprecedented data set of 37,537 ice cliffs and their characteristics across 86 debris‐covered glaciers in High Mountain AsiaWe find that 38.9% of the cliffs are stream‐influenced, 19.5% pond‐influenced and 19.7% are crevasse‐originatedIce cliff distribution can be predicted by velocity, as an indicator of the dynamics and state of evolution of debris‐covered glaciers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planned burning generates different types of pyrodiversity, however, experimental tests of how alternative spatial patterns of burning influence animal communities remain rare. Field tests are needed to understand the mechanisms through which spatial variation in planned fire affects fauna, and how fire can be applied to benefit biodiversity.We tested five hypotheses of how fire‐driven variation in habitat composition and configuration affects fauna at fine scales. Small mammal, reptile and invasive predator activity was monitored at 12 burnt and eight unburnt sites through the year following a large, planned burn in semi‐arid 'mallee' woodlands of southern Australia. We explored measures of burnt or unburnt habitat ('habitat status'); amount of unburnt vegetation ('habitat amount'); interspersion of burnt and unburnt patches ('habitat complementation'); distance to external or internal unburnt vegetation ('habitat connectivity'); and unburnt patch size and local vegetation cover ('habitat refuge'). Generalized linear models were used to test the influence of each variable on capture rates of three small mammal and 11 reptile species; activity of the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes); and species richness of native animals.We found strong support for the habitat status hypothesis and moderate support for four hypotheses relating to spatial patterns of fire. Reptile assemblages varied between burnt and unburnt sites, and relationships were identified between abundance of one or more reptile species and each measure of spatial variation. Reptile species richness was higher at unburnt sites and at sites with more unburnt vegetation in the surrounding area. Sites that were less connected to unburnt vegetation had fewer reptile species. Mammals did not have clear relationships with fine‐scale fire patterns.Synthesis and applications. Application of planned fire to promote biodiversity is globally important. We show that retaining unburnt areas and well‐connected habitat refuges is important for reptile diversity. We also found that several species of small mammals and reptiles appear resilient to the fine‐scale patterns of planned fire experienced in this study, despite activity of introduced predators. The diversity of animals can remain relatively high in areas subject to planned fire, provided that internal and external habitat refuges are retained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess European Association of Urology (EAU) risk groups for biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer relative to prostate-specific membrane antigen-positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) status and oncological outcomes. Patients and Methods A retrospective analysis of a study that incorporated PSMA-PET for men with BCR after radical prostatectomy (RP) was undertaken. EAU risk groups were considered relative to clinical variables, PSMA-PET findings, and deployment of salvage radiotherapy (SRT). The primary oncological outcome was event-free survival (EFS) and this was analysed relative to clinical and imaging variables. An 'event' occurred if prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level rose >0.2 ng/mL above nadir or additional therapies were introduced. Results A total of 137 patients were included, most of whom had EAU high-risk disease (76%) and/or low PSA levels (80% <0.5 ng/mL) at the time of PSMA-PET. EAU risk group was not associated with regional nodal/distant metastasis on PSMA-PET. Regional nodal/distant metastasis on PSMA PET (compared to negative/local recurrence: hazard ratio [HR] 2.2; P = 0.002) and SRT use (vs no SRT: HR 0.44; P = 0.004) were associated with EFS. EAU high-risk status was not significantly associated with worse EFS (HR 1.7, P = 0.12) compared to EAU low-risk status. Among patients who received SRT, both regional/distant metastasis on PSMA-PET (HR 3.1; P < 0.001) and EAU high-risk status (HR 2.9; P = 0.04) were independently associated with worse EFS, which was driven by patients in the EAU high-risk group with regional/distant metastases (38%; HR 3.1, P = 0.001). Conclusions In patients with post-RP BCR, PSMA-PET findings and receipt of SRT predicted EFS. In patients receiving SRT, PSMA status combined with EAU risk grouping was most predictive of EFS. These findings suggest that the EAU risk groups could be improved with the addition of PSMA-PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by episodes of depression and mania and disrupted circadian rhythms. Lithium is an effective therapy for BD, but only 30%–40% of patients are fully responsive. Preclinical models show that lithium alters circadian rhythms. However, it is unknown if the circadian rhythm effects of lithium are essential to its therapeutic properties. Methods: In secondary analyses of a multi‐center, prospective, trial of lithium for BD, we examined the relationship between circadian rhythms and therapeutic response to lithium. Using standardized instruments, we measured morningness, diurnal changes in mood, sleep, and energy (circadian rhythm disturbances) in a cross‐sectional study of 386 BD subjects with varying lithium exposure histories. Next, we tracked symptoms of depression and mania prospectively over 12 weeks in a subset of 88 BD patients initiating treatment with lithium. Total, circadian, and affective mood symptoms were scored separately and analyzed. Results: Subjects with no prior lithium exposure had the most circadian disruption, while patients stable on lithium monotherapy had the least. Patients who were stable on lithium with another drug or unstable on lithium showed intermediate levels of disruption. Treatment with lithium for 12 weeks yielded significant reductions in total and affective depression symptoms. Lithium responders (Li‐Rs) showed improvement in circadian symptoms of depression, but non‐responders did not. There was no difference between Li‐Rs and nonresponders in affective, circadian, or total symptoms of mania. Conclusions: Exposure to lithium is associated with reduced circadian disruption. Lithium response at 12 weeks was selectively associated with the reduction of circadian depressive symptoms. We conclude that stabilization of circadian rhythms may be an important feature of lithium's therapeutic effects. Clinical Trials Registry: NCT0127253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of dried blood spot (DBS) samples can facilitate the implementation of reflex testing by circumventing the need for centrifugation and freezing of venous blood samples. This systematic review assessed the accuracy of using DBS samples to diagnose chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A comprehensive search was undertaken to identify articles published up to July 2020 evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of anti‐HCV, HCV‐RNA and HCV core antigen tests using DBS. Screening, data extraction, quality appraisal and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations certainty of the evidence assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Meta‐analysis, meta‐regression and sensitivity analyses were conducted. The evidence demonstrates that laboratory‐based anti‐HCV and HCV‐RNA tests using DBS samples have high diagnostic accuracy. All comparisons were between DBS and venous samples. For the detection of anti‐HCV, sensitivity was 95% (95% CI: 92%–97%) and specificity was 99% ([95% CI: 98%–99%]; n = 25; I2 = 81%; moderate certainty). For the detection of HCV‐RNA, the sensitivity was 95% (95% CI: 93%–97%) and specificity was 97% ([95% CI: 94%–98%]; n = 20; I2 = 52%; moderate certainty). The sensitivity of HCV core antigen tests was 86% (95% CI: 79%–91%) and specificity was 98% ([95% CI: 94%–99%]; n = 5; I2 = 37%; low certainty) compared with HCV‐RNA (the gold standard for detecting chronic HCV). DBS samples could facilitate diagnosis of chronic HCV infection as the necessary sequential tests (anti‐HCV and then HCV‐RNA or HCV core antigen) can be undertaken using the same blood sample. This could reduce loss of patient follow‐up and support international efforts towards HCV elimination in both high and low prevalence settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conservation Biology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: Symptoms of bipolar disorder (BD) include changes in mood, activity, energy, sleep, and appetite. Since many of these processes are regulated by circadian function, circadian rhythm disturbance has been examined as a biological feature underlying BD. The International Society for Bipolar Disorders Chronobiology Task Force (CTF) was commissioned to review evidence for neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms pertinent to BD. Method: Drawing upon expertise in animal models, biomarkers, physiology, and behavior, CTF analyzed the relevant cross‐disciplinary literature to precisely frame the discussion around circadian rhythm disruption in BD, highlight key findings, and for the first time integrate findings across levels of analysis to develop an internally consistent, coherent theoretical framework. Results: Evidence from multiple sources implicates the circadian system in mood regulation, with corresponding associations with BD diagnoses and mood‐related traits reported across genetic, cellular, physiological, and behavioral domains. However, circadian disruption does not appear to be specific to BD and is present across a variety of high‐risk, prodromal, and syndromic psychiatric disorders. Substantial variability and ambiguity among the definitions, concepts and assumptions underlying the research have limited replication and the emergence of consensus findings. Conclusions: Future research in circadian rhythms and its role in BD is warranted. Well‐powered studies that carefully define associations between BD‐related and chronobiologically‐related constructs, and integrate across levels of analysis will be most illuminating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation examines the interplay between individual‐level social capital, psychological distress, and the effects of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak on a college campus. Data were collected from students at two colleges in early 2021. Hypotheses were formed based on prior research on social capital and the COVID pandemic. A structural equation model was constructed to allow the modeling of both latent and observed variables. The Kessler‐6 measures were used to create a latent psychological distress variable, which was the dependent variable. Predictor variables include whether the student experienced the outbreak, the student's race and gender, and the level of reported individual social capital (having supportive and rewarding relationships). Our findings suggest that the most robust predictor of reduced psychological distress was individual social capital, which also served as an intermediary between the outbreak and distress. Social capital mediates psychological distress in an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The narrow therapeutic window of lithium medications necessitates frequent serum monitoring, which can be expensive and inconvenient for the patient. Compared to blood, saliva collection is easier, non‐invasive, requires less processing, and can be done without the need for trained personnel. This study investigated the utility of longitudinal salivary lithium level monitoring. Methods: We measured salivary lithium levels using ICP‐OES in n = 169 passive drool samples, collected both as single observations and longitudinally for up to 18 months, from a multi‐center cohort of n = 75 patients with bipolar disorder or other psychiatric conditions. Results: Saliva and serum lithium levels were highly correlated. Adjustment for daily lithium dose, diabetes, and smoking improved this relationship (r = 0.77). Using the adjusted intersubject equation and a patient's salivary lithium value, we observed a strong correlation between the predicted vs. observed serum lithium levels (r = 0.70). Most patients had highly stable saliva/serum ratios across multiple visits, with longitudinal variability significantly greater with age. Use of the intrasubject saliva/serum ratio from a single prior observation had similar predictive power to the use of the adjusted intersubject equation. However, the use of the mean intrasubject ratio from three prior observations could robustly predict serum lithium levels (predicted vs. observed r = 0.90). Conclusions: These findings strongly suggest that saliva could be used for lithium monitoring, and open the door for the development and implementation of a point‐of‐care salivary lithium device for use at home or the clinic. We propose that the use of saliva will dramatically improve treatment opportunities for patients with mood disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about species’ locations can influence what happens to them—from supporting habitat protection to exposing poaching targets. Debate about releasing locations when new species are found highlights the trade‐off between the risk of loss and the benefits of funding and public support. No research so far has collected data on how such decisions are made, and no decision tools easily compare a range of decision‐making scenarios. Here, we present a method to compare the costs and benefits of decisions about the disclosure of information about newly discovered species and populations. We implement our method for seven species where information is completely or partially secret. We ask decision‐makers to estimate the costs and benefits associated with these case studies and apply our method. Results show a range of implications from choices that are always better, to others that depend on risk attitude, and demonstrate that the process of decision‐making can be transparent and easily communicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]