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Insights related to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) have informed rehabilitative treatments that aim to mitigate the influence of several known impairments and risk factors for OA, with the goal to improve pain, function, and quality of life. The purpose of this invited narrative review is to provide fundamental knowledge to non-specialists about exercise and education, diet, biomechanical interventions, and other physical therapist-delivered treatments. In addition to summarizing the rationale for common rehabilitative therapies, we provide a synthesis of current core recommendations. Robust evidence based on randomized clinical trials supports exercise with education and diet as core treatments for OA. Structured, supervised exercise therapy is advised. The mode of exercise may vary but should be individualized. The dose should be based on an initial assessment, the desired physiological changes, and progressed when appropriate. Diet combined with exercise is strongly recommended and studies demonstrate a dose–response relationship between the magnitude of weight loss and symptom improvement. Recent evidence suggests the use of technology to remotely deliver exercise, diet and education interventions is cost-effective. Although several studies support the mechanisms for biomechanical interventions (e.g., bracing, shoe inserts) and physical therapist-delivered (passive) treatments (e.g., manual therapy, electrotherapeutic modalities) fewer rigorous randomized trials support their clinical use; these therapies are sometimes recommended as adjuncts to core treatments. The mechanisms of action for all rehabilitative interventions include contextual factors such as attention and placebo effects. These effects can challenge our interpretation of treatment efficacy from clinical trials, yet also provide opportunities to maximize patient outcomes in clinical practice. When evaluating rehabilitative interventions, the field may benefit from increased emphasis on research that considers contextual factors while evaluating mechanistic, longer-term, clinically-important and policy-relevant outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) have become the de facto measure of success in orthopaedic publications. It has been established that preoperatively collected patient reported outcomes correlate with post-operative outcome. The aim of our research is to identify which factors predict poor pre-operative scores using the most commonly used PROMs. MOXFQ and EQ-5D scores were collected for all patients presenting for elective foot and ankle surgery over a four-year period from June 2018 to February 2022. Multivariate linear regression calculated associations between PROMs and demographics, diagnosis, pre-operative appointments and comorbidities. 1217 patients had PROMs taken, 1102 of these underwent a surgical procedure. Ankle and hindfoot arthritis predicted worse pre-operative scores. Total comorbidity number, depression/anxiety, younger patients, female gender and preoperative appointments with orthotist predicted a worse outcome score. Underlying patient characteristics can influence pre-operative PROMs in foot and ankle surgery. • Patient diagnosis and characteristics can influence scores on pre-operative MOxFQ and EQ5D. • Diagnoses of ankle and hindfoot arthritis score worst on these instruments. • Total number of comorbidities, female gender, younger patients and depression/anxiety predict lower pre-operative scores [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various facets of spirituality are associated with well-being. Given the current urgency to promote nurse well-being, nurse spirituality merits exploration. To investigate how spiritual distress and growth (i.e., spiritual/religious struggle, moral injury, and post-traumatic growth) contributed to nurse outcomes (i.e., burnout, job satisfaction, and intent to leave). Registered nurse (RNs) providing direct patient care in three Southern California hospitals completed an online survey that included psychometrically robust measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test spiritual variables as predictors of nurse outcomes after accounting for demographic and work-related factors. In this sample of 531 demographically diverse RNs, spiritual struggle contributed to burnout and turnover intention; post-traumatic growth and employer respect for nurse well-being contributed to all three nurse outcomes. Spiritual distress and growth are understudied but potentially important influences on job outcomes for nurses. The results here suggest that continued development of interventions to address spiritual health is worth investment. • Religious/spiritual struggle explained 10% of the variance in turnover intent. • Religious/spiritual struggle explained nurse outcomes more than moral injury. • Post-traumatic growth contributed to burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intent. • Work environments supporting nurse spirituality are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Benefit of resistance exercise in knee and hip OA depends on comparator intervention. • Greater pain and function benefits for resistance exercise versus no intervention. • Less pain benefit for resistance exercise versus exercise + non-exercise in knee OA. • Less pain benefit for resistance exercise versus non-exercise in hip OA. • Dose-response between strength gains and pain/function improvements in knee OA. In knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA), the mechanism for resistance exercise improving clinical outcomes and the dose-response between strength and clinical outcomes are unknown; in part due to inconsistent trial designs across studies. To determine whether the effects of resistance exercise interventions on pain and function differ based on comparator group; and whether there is an association between improvements in lower extremity strength with improvements in pain and function in knee and hip OA. We searched 6 databases (inception to January 28 2023,) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing land-based, resistance exercise-only interventions with no intervention or any other intervention. There were four subgroups for comparator intervention: NONE (none/placebo/sham/usual care), EXE (other exercise interventions alone), NONEXE (non-exercise interventions alone), COMBO (combined exercise + non-exercise interventions). The between-group effect (ES) was calculated for immediate post-intervention pain and function (activities of daily living (ADL) and sports/recreation (SPORT)). Meta-regression analyses were completed to evaluate the association between improvements in lower extremity strength (independent variable) and improvements in pain, ADL and SPORT (dependent variables), irrespective of comparator intervention. For knee OA (257 studies), there were large benefits for pain [ES (95 % CI) = -0.92 (-1.15, -0.69)], ADL [-0.79 (-1.01, -0.56)] and SPORT [-0.79 (-1.02, -0.56)] favouring resistance exercise interventions compared to NONE. For knee pain, there was also a moderate benefit favouring COMBO interventions compared to resistance exercise interventions [0.44 (0.23, 0.65)]. For hip OA (15 studies), there were moderate benefits for pain [-0.51 (-0.68, -0.33)], ADL [-0.57 (-0.78, -0.36)] and SPORT [-0.52 (-0.70, -0.35)] favouring exercise interventions compared to NONE. For hip pain, there was also a moderate benefit favouring NONEXE interventions compared to resistance exercise interventions [0.57 (0.17, 0.97)]. For knee OA, greater strength gains were associated with larger improvements in pain [β (95 % CI) = -0.24 (-0.38, -0.09)], ADL [-0.43 (-0.73, -0.12)] and SPORT [-0.37 (-0.73, -0.00)]. In knee and hip OA, the effects of resistance exercise on pain and function improvements depend on the comparator intervention. For knee OA, a dose-response relationship was observed between lower extremity strength gains with pain and function improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the all-time high of female sports participation, there has been increasing scientific discourse and media interest in women's sporting injuries in recent years. In gender comparable sports the rate of foot and ankle injury for women is higher than for men. There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors which may explain this difference. A systematic literature search was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines of PubMed, Ovid EMBASE and OVID MEDLINE. Relevant key terms were used to narrow the scope of the search prior to screening. Case reports, review articles, paediatric patients, non foot and ankle injuries and combat sports were excluded. We used dual author, two pass screening to arrive at final included studies. 2510 articles were screened after duplicate exclusion. 104 were included in this literature review. We identified lack of reporting gender difference in the literature.We identified that females have higher frequency and severity of injury. We provide an overview of our current understanding of ankle ligament complex injuries, stress fractures, ostochondral lesions of the talus and Achilles tendon rupture. We expand on the evidence of two codes of football, soccer and Australian rules, as a "case study" of how injury patterns differ between genders in the same sport. We identify gender specific characteristics including severity, types of injury, predisposing risk factors, anatomy, endocrinology and biomechanics associated with injuries. Finally, we examine the effect of level of competition on female injury patterns. There is a lack of scientific reporting of gender differences of foot and ankle injuries. Female athletes suffer foot and ankle injuries at higher rates and with greater severity compared to males. This is an under-reported, yet important area of orthopaedics and sports medicine to understand, and hence reduce the injury burden for female athletes. • There is under-reporting of gender differences in sporting injuries in the academic literature. • Female athletes have higher frequency and severity of injuries of the foot and ankle. • Ankle ligament, stress fractures, osteochondral lesions of the talus and achilles tendon injuries are the most frequently reported. • There are intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors such as ligamentous laxity, which may account for these differences in injury patterns between genders. • Female professional athletes are injured with greater frequency than their semi-professional or amateur counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures is associated with higher union rates and earlier functional recovery. However, ORIF with plate fixation is associated with complications including implant irritation and implant failure. Dual plate fixation provides fixation in orthogonal planes, and uses a lower profile fixation technique in comparison to pre-contoured and surgeon-contoured small-fragment locking plates, which may be more prominent. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to summarize outcomes and complications associated with surgical fixation of displaced acute midshaft clavicle fractures with dual plate fixation. Using a predetermined study protocol in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to 2020 to identify studies reporting outcomes in acute midshaft clavicle fractures treated with dual plate fixation. All clinical studies which reported on outcomes of dual plating in patients with acute midshaft clavicle fractures were included. Baseline demographics, plate fixation constructs, fracture union rates, implant removal rates, maintenance of reduction, symptomatic implant rates, wound complications, and functional outcomes were extracted. All extracted data were recorded, and descriptive statistics were summarized. Meta-analysis was performed on fracture union rates and implant removal rates using random-effects modeling using Mantel-Haenszel weighting. Our literature search identified 2226 unique abstracts, of which eight studies met our study inclusion criteria following review. A total of 278 patients made up of 79.8% male with an average age of 36.0 years were included. The overall dual plate implant removal rate was 4.2% with excellent rates of union reported. Moreover, single plate fixation was associated with a 3.9-fold increased implant removal rate compared to dual plate fixation. Results from this systematic review demonstrate that ORIF of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures using a dual plate fixation technique is a viable option to reduce the incidence of implant removal, without negatively impacting the rate of fracture union. Therapeutic Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this project was to retrospectively analyze medical records to determine the relationship between surgical patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk factors and the occurrence of a critical respiratory event (CRE) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and to subsequently develop a protocol for postoperative care. Although OSA is prevalent among the surgical population, research has primarily focused on preoperative identification and tailored perioperative care with limited application of standardized postoperative OSA management. Surgical charts were retrospectively reviewed between April 1, 2019 and June 31, 2019. Medical records were reviewed to identify surgical patients who had a diagnosis of OSA or two or more OSA risk factors. For patients who met initial inclusion, PACU charts were reviewed for the occurrence of a CRE while in PACU. Data analysis involved use of both Microsoft Excel 2011 and IBM SPSS Statistics Base, version 26. Medical records were reviewed to identify patients in PACU who had two or more documented OSA risk factors (body mass index >35, snoring, alcohol use, diabetes mellitus [DM], hypertension [HTN], or male) or a diagnosis of OSA (n = 1,361). This sample was further refined to determine the patients who had a CRE (oxygen saturation less than 92%; respiratory rate less than 10, Modified Aldrete Respiratory Score of 1 and/or lesser) while in the PACU (n = 200). There was a statistically significant relationship between one CRE in the PACU and a pre-existing diagnosis of HTN, DM, snoring, alcohol use, and male gender (P <.001 for each variable). There was a statistically significant difference in body mass index between patients who experienced a CRE and those who did not (P =.004). HTN and DM (n = 16) were associated with the highest occurrence of a CRE. The University Postoperative Obstructive Sleep Apnea Protocol was designed based on results and current evidence-based practice. Development of a postoperative OSA protocol will positively impact patient outcomes and may reduce health care expenditures. Next steps include protocol implementation and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Placental dysfunction is an underlying cause of many major obstetric diseases and treatment options for complications like fetal growth restriction (FGR) are limited .We previously demonstrated nanoparticle delivery of the human insulin-like growth factor 1 (hIGF1) transgene under control of the trophoblast-specific PLAC1 promoter maintains normal fetal growth in a surgically-induced FGR mouse model. However, uptake by human placental syncytiotrophoblast has yet to be determined.Methods: An ex vivo human placenta perfusion model, term placenta villous fragments, and other in vitro syncytiotrophoblast models were used to determine nanoparticle uptake, transgene expression, and functional responses under oxidative stress conditions.Results: In the ex vivo perfusion, fluorescence from a Texas-Red conjugated nanoparticle increased in maternal perfusate upon nanoparticle addition and declined by the conclusion of the experiment (P < 0.001. Fluorescent histology confirmed localization in the syncytiotrophoblasts. No Texas-Red fluorescence was detected in the fetal perfusate. Transgene expression of hIGF1 in differentiated BeWo cells, isolated primary trophoblasts and fragments was increased compared to untreated (55,000-fold, P = 0.0003; 95-fold, P = 0.003; 400-fold, P < 0.001, respectively). Functionally, increased hIGF1 expression in villous fragments resulted in translocation of glucose transporter 1 to the syncytiotrophoblast cell membrane and under conditions of oxidative stress in BeWo cells, protected against increased cell death (P < 0.01) and decreased mitochondrial activity (P < 0.01).Conclusion: The current study confirms that our nanoparticle is capable of uptake in human placental syncytium which results in enhanced transgene expression, functional changes to cellular activity and protection against increased oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An understanding of urban forest governance from the perspective of municipal managers is limited. • Interview data was collected from urban forest managers in local governments in Melbourne, Australia. • Challenges for managers' decisions: inter-departmental coordination, community views, culture of risk aversion. • Some other challenges varied across urban centres. • Challenges of inner centres: lack of space, public consultation, and new developments • Challenges of outer/regional centres: urban expansion, active use of greenspace, and lack of data. Awareness of the benefits of urban trees has led many cities to develop ambitious targets to increase tree numbers and canopy cover. Policy instruments that guide the planning of cities recognize the need for new governance arrangements to implement this agenda. Urban forests are greatly influenced by the decisions of municipal managers, but there is currently no clear understanding of how municipal managers find support to implement their decisions via new governance arrangements. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected empirical data through interviews with 23 urban forest municipal managers in 12 local governments in Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria, Australia, and analysed these data using qualitative interpretative methods through a governance lens. The goal of this was to understand the issues and challenges, stakeholders, resources, processes, and rules behind the decision-making of municipal managers. Municipal managers said that urban densification and expansion were making it difficult for them to implement their strategies to increase tree numbers and canopy cover. The coordination of stakeholders was more important for managers to find support to implement their decisions than having a bigger budget. The views of the public or wider community and a municipal government culture of risk aversion were also making it difficult for municipal managers to implement their strategies. Decision-making priorities and processes were not the same across urban centres. Lack of space to grow trees in new developments, excessive tree removal, and public consultation, were ideas more frequently raised in inner urban centres, while urban expansion, increased active use of greenspaces, and lack of data/information about tree assets were concerns for outer and regional centres. Nonetheless, inter-departmental coordination was a common theme shared among all cities. Strengthening coordination processes is an important way for local governments to overcome these barriers and effectively implement their urban forest strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• US studies dominate the empirical literature on the views of municipal managers. • Most studies focus on the operational aspects (e.g., budgets) of urban forestry. • Management processes (e.g., coordination of actors) are mentioned, but not in depth. • The studies provide a limited understanding of how municipal managers see governance. • Future research could focus more on management processes. Empirical research on the views of municipal managers can provide insights into urban forest governance and decision-making. However, current research is fragmented across a diversity of case studies using a variety of methods. To address this issue, we undertook a systematic review and synthesis of empirical studies based on the views of municipal managers. We extracted information on the concerns, priorities, factors, and actors that influence municipal manager decision-making using a governance framework to extract ideas on the discourses, actors, rules, and resources that influence their decision-making. Out of >1400 articles found in searches, only 60 were relevant empirical studies, with 32 of them based in the US. Most studies elicited views from managers using pre-determined surveys/questionnaires. This literature is focused heavily on themes of resources, such as budgets and personnel, as important influences in program performance and urban forest success. Themes related to coordination of actors, such as the coordination of departmental units, were also frequently mentioned but were not explicitly associated with program performance or urban forest success. Future research aimed at gaining insights on urban forest governance and decision-making from the perspective of municipal managers will benefit from distinguishing operational capacities (i.e., budgets, personnel) from management processes (i.e., coordination), and focus on how municipal managers understand, facilitate, and find support in management processes. This will reveal how they implement co-governance and collaborative decision-making. Future research could better extend the knowledge base of existing studies by establishing clear governance frameworks and methods based on the views of managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose To explore how parents and health professionals view the concept and practice of collaboration in the management of childhood long-term conditions. Designs and Methods A qualitative research approach was adopted; sixteen parents and six health professionals participated in either individual or group interviews. Data analysis was underpinned by the Framework approach and involved an iterative process of reading the transcribed data, identifying and refining key themes until a coherent picture emerged. Results Two main concepts were identified: expectations of collaboration and mechanisms for collaboration. Health professionals' expectations of collaborative practice were influenced by their knowledge, experience and relative objectivity. They used relationship building with families as a key strategy for collaboration. Parents' expectations of collaboration varied and appeared to be influenced by their experience of living with their child's condition. Parents' needs were often unmet, particularly in relation to support with coordinating or accessing care on behalf of their child. Parents' strategies included resilience, assertiveness, determination and battling for what they needed. Conclusion Parents and professionals valued collaboration as a concept but differed in their expectations of collaborative practice and adopted different mechanisms to foster meaningful collaboration. A better understanding of the unique needs and experiences of parents of a child with a long-term condition is key to developing positive collaborative practice. Practice Implications Collaborative practice could be enhanced by health professionals' being more responsive to the full range of parent support needs, and being more pro-active about helping them work with the complexities of care systems. Highlights • Patient-centered and family-centered care are poorly defined concepts and not routinely embedded into every day practice; • Effective parent-health professional collaboration may result in improved outcomes for children and their families; • The nature of the parent-health professional relationship is key to developing positive collaborative practice; • Families and health professionals differ in their expectations of strategies to work collaboratively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationship between cultural complexity and population size in a non-technological cultural domain for which we have suitable quantitative records: folktales. We define three levels of complexity for folk narratives: the number of tale types, the number of narrative motifs, and, finally, the number of traits in variants of the same type, for two well-known tales for which we have data from previous studies. We found a positive relationship between number of tale types and population size, a negative relationship for the number of narrative motifs, and no relationship for the number of traits. The absence of a consistent relationship between population size and complexity in folktales provides a novel perspective on the current debates in cultural evolution. We propose that the link between cultural complexity and demography could be domain dependent: in some domains (e.g. technology) this link is important, whereas in others, such as folktales, complex traditions can be easily maintained in small populations as well as large ones, as they may appeal to universal cognitive biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sustainability science calls are increasing for humanity to (re-)connect with nature, yet no systematic synthesis of the empirical literature on human–nature connection (HNC) exists. We reviewed 475 publications on HNC and found that most research has concentrated on individuals at local scales, often leaving ‘nature’ undefined. Cluster analysis identified three subgroups of publications: first, HNC as mind , dominated by the use of psychometric scales, second, HNC as experience , characterised by observation and qualitative analysis; and third, HNC as place , emphasising place attachment and reserve visitation. To address the challenge of connecting humanity with nature, future HNC scholarship must pursue cross-fertilization of methods and approaches, extend research beyond individuals, local scales, and Western societies, and increase guidance for sustainability transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban tree canopy cover (UTC) is a simple, and common, measure of urban forest resource. Urban infill development is likely to lead to losses in UTC under private tenure, at a time when local governments are setting ambitious targets to increase UTC overall. Simple, statistically rigorous methods are required to benchmark and track change in UTC, whilst identifying which land-use types or tenures experience change. We estimated UTC in six Melbourne suburbs in 2010 and 2015 by randomly sampling 2000 points across public land, public streetscapes and private land. We were able to detect a net change in UTC of <2% over five years to a 95% level of confidence. A significant net decrease in UTC (−2.4%) was only detected in one of the six suburbs. Two suburbs had a net increase in UTC by +2.7% over five years. On private land, there was often areas of UTC loss, but this was generally offset by canopy gain in other areas of the private realm as well as in streetscapes and public land. Losses in UTC on private land were mainly due to tree removal, with or without subsequent construction works. This study describes a simple, but statistically rigorous, method to quantify UTC change and the drivers of change in different land-use types and tenure. Despite studying two suburbs will high rates of infill development, only one suburb showed evidence of net UTC decrease. The ‘dynamic equilibrium’ in UTC, whereby canopy losses area approximately offset by concurrent canopy gain, means that ambitious targets being set by local governments to increase UTC may be difficult to achieve without changes in tree protection and infill development policy and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study compared reoperation rates associated with open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (OR) outcomes vs endovascular AAA repair (EVAR). Methods A retrospective review of the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Project data was performed with inclusion criteria defined as all patients who underwent AAA repair from October 1, 2007, to October 1, 2013. The primary outcome was the incidence of reoperations. Reoperations included subsequent OR or EVAR procedures performed on the abdominal aorta or iliac arteries, surgical treatment of temporally related bowel obstruction, as well as treatment of abdominal or groin wound complications ≤6 months and treatment of bowel or lower limb ischemia ≤10 days. Results Of 6677 patients who underwent AAA repair, 476 (7.1%) required reoperations. OR was associated with a higher rate of reoperations overall (10.0% vs 6.3%; P < .01), with most being intra-abdominal and wound complications. OR also had higher rates of bowel ischemia requiring operation (0.7% vs 0.3%; P = .01) and lower extremity ischemia (0.5% and 0.06%; P < .01). Significantly more endovascular stents were placed during EVAR (2.8% vs 0.5%; P < .01). Logistic regression showed EVAR is a negative predictor for reoperation after controlling for comorbidities ( P < .001). Conclusions The long-term burden of reoperations after OR may actually be more significant than current understanding when including all possible abdominal complications in an extended analysis. Future prospective trials should include all potential reoperations extended >30 days with associated cost analysis. As surgical innovation in EVAR technology advances, complication comparisons with OR should undergo frequent re-evaluation given that endovascular indications and outcomes continue to expand and improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid efflux across the region of the amnion overlying the placenta is an essential component of the intramembranous absorption pathway that maintains amniotic fluid volume homeostasis. Dysregulation of this pathway may result in adverse pregnancy outcomes, however the factors controlling amnion permeability are unknown. Here, we report a novel mechanism that increases placental amnion permeability. Pre-B Cell Colony Enhancing Factor (PBEF) is a stress-responsive cytokine expressed by the human amnion, and is known to induce Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) production by other cell types. Interestingly, VEGF is up-regulated in the ovine amnion when intramembranous absorption is augmented. In this study, we show that PBEF induced VEGF secretion by primary human amniotic epithelial cells (AEC) derived from the placental amnion, as well as from the reflected amnion that lines the remainder of the gestational sac. Further, PBEF treatment led to the increased expression of VEGFR2 in placental AEC, but not reflected AEC. To test the hypothesis that PBEF and VEGF increase placental amnion permeability, we monitored the transfer of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) from the fetal to the maternal side of human amnion explants. A treatment regimen including both PBEF and VEGF increased the rate of DCF transfer across the placental amnion, but not the reflected amnion. In summary, our results suggest that by augmenting VEGFR2 expression in the placental amnion, PBEF primes the tissue for a VEGF-mediated increase in permeability. This mechanism may have important implications in amniotic fluid volume control throughout gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Functional status is a simple and rapidly assessable metric that may be used as a predictor for surgical outcomes. This study examined the association of functional status with short-term mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in octogenarians to characterize the utility of functional status as a means of preoperative risk assessment. Methods All patients who underwent endovascular and open AAA repair from 2002 to 2010 within the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database were identified. Functional status, defined as an ordinal scale from 1 to 3 (1, independent; 2, partially dependent; 3, totally dependent), was examined using multivariate regression models with 30-day mortality as the primary outcome. For the purpose of analysis, this 3-point scale was converted into a binomial scale of function, with “normal” including 1 (completely independent) and “abnormal” including 2 or 3 (partially to totally dependent). Results We identified 9030 patients who underwent AAA repair (46.6% open and 53.4% endovascular). Mortality at 30 days was 2.8% for the entire cohort (4.2% open, 1.7% endovascular; P < .001). There were 1340 patients aged ≥80 years, of which 67.3% underwent endovascular AAA repair. Among all age groups, functional status was a significant predictor of 30-day mortality (<80 years, P < .001; ≥80 years, P < .001). The ≥80 cohort with abnormal function status also demonstrated increased operative mortality ( P = .002), length of stay ( P = .001), and incidence of pulmonary complications ( P = .025) compared with the cohort with normal functional status. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that within the ≥80-year-old cohort, only functional status remained a significant predictor of mortality ( P < .001). In addition, the strength of the association between functional status and mortality was greater in the older cohort than in the younger one (Cox regression hazard ratio: 3.13 vs 2.18). Conclusions Functional status is a simple and rapidly applicable predictor of mortality within AAA patients and may be a useful tool to help preoperatively risk-stratify elderly patients presenting with AAA in need of repair. Further studies are needed to understand how best to apply these data to the clinical setting to guide preoperative decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infection accounts for over 40% of preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM), a major cause of preterm birth. Toll-like receptors (TLR) play key roles in pathogen surveillance but their expression and function in amnion mesenchymal cells (AMC) is unclear. The aims of this study were to determine the expression of all TLR isoforms and the effect of macrophage-activating lipoprotein-2 (MALP-2), derived from a common pathogen involved in PPROM, on human AMC.Methods: AMC were isolated from normal, term amnion from repeat cesarean section. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to detect TLR isoform expression. Immunocytochemistry of NF-κB p65, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion (ELISA), MTT assay, LDH assay, immunoblotting of cytosolic cytochrome c and cleaved caspase-3, and expression of 84 microRNAs by Qiagen miRNA PCR array were used to determine the functional effect of MALP-2 on AMC.Results: TLR1-10 was detected in AMC, and protein expression of TLR2, 4, and 6 were confirmed. MALP-2 induced nuclear translocation of p65, reaching significance after 45 min (ANOVA, P < 0.05). MALP-2 did not cause apoptosis but did lead to significant secretion of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001, respectively) and significant changes in miRNA-320a and miRNA-18a (P < 0.05).Discussion: These results suggest that AMC elicit a pro-inflammatory response following stimulation with the known TLR2/6 ligand MALP-2. This data supports the idea that AMC express the innate immune system receptors that could help with immune surveillance during infection and contribute to inflammatory responses that lead to PPROM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aspirin as a venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylactic agent has been shown to have antistaphylococcal and antibiofilm roles. Optimal acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) dosage would facilitate antimicrobial effects while avoiding over-aggressive inhibition of platelet antimicrobial function. Our purpose was to determine the periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) rate after total joint arthroplasty in patients receiving low-dose ASA (81 mg twice a day), in comparison to high-dose ASA (325 mg twice a day).Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study between 2008 and 2020. Eligible patients were older than 18 years, underwent primary total joint arthroplasty, both total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty, had a minimum 30-day follow-up, and received a full course ASA as VTE prophylaxis. Patients' records were reviewed for PJI, according to Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Patients were excluded if they underwent revision arthroplasty, had a history of coagulopathy, or had an ASA regimen that was not completed. In total 15,825 patients were identified, 8,761 patients received low-dose ASA and 7,064 received high-dose ASA.Results: The high-dose cohort had a higher PJI rate (0.35 versus 0.10%, P = .001). This relationship was maintained when comparing subgroups comprising total knee arthroplasty (0.32 versus 0.06%, P = .019) or total hip arthroplasty (0.38 versus 0.14%, P = .035) and accounting for potentially confounding demographic and surgical variables (odds ratio = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.15-6.40, P = .028).Conclusion: Comparing low-dose to high-dose ASA as a VTE prophylactic agent, low-dose ASA had a lower PJI rate. This may be attributable to a balance of anti-infective properties of ASA and antiplatelet effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We reviewed the research on people's perceptions of urban forests and trees. • We analyse the diversity of places, methods, people, and perception responses. • Of the 178 studies, most focused on single cities and general populations. • Also, most studies used predetermined answers focused on perceptions of benefits. • What is perceived, how is it perceived, and who is perceiving it, should be clearer. Across the world, planning and decision-making for urban forests increasingly seeks to include diverse perspectives. Yet, research on people's perceptions of urban forests and urban trees is fragmented. To integrate and critically analyse this body of research, we conducted a review of empirical studies about people's perceptions of urban forests and urban trees. We analysed 178 relevant studies with a focus on the diversity of places, methods, people, and perception response, using text analysis algorithms in Leximancer and established epistemological and methodological content assessment frameworks. The mixed-methods-assessment-tool (MMAT) was also used to assess method quality. Findings show current literature inadequately considers diversity of places, methods, people, and perception responses. Although multiple countries are represented, studies are usually limited to a single city and address perceptions of urban trees generally or trees in parks. Convenience sampling dominates, through predetermined, survey- and intercept-based data collection techniques. Few studies have investigated the perceptions of demographically, ethnically, or culturally diverse people. Most studies focused on the positive perceptions people hold (i.e., perceptions of benefits; beliefs about the positive consequences of urban trees), rather than the diversity of perceptions that may exist. The exception is studies that focused on values, which do report more diverse perception responses. Studies often lack conceptual clarity about the specific type of perception response being investigated. Future research must consider what is being perceived, how is it being perceived, and who is perceiving it, with more clarity. There should be more emphasis on incorporating diversity in study design to better inform urban forest sustainability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity of urban forests in cities is critical for biodiversity conservation and human health, and is known to be distributed unequally. Increasingly, the quality of urban forests are also being recognised as shaping the benefits they provide. Previous studies and reviews have demonstrated that the quality of urban green spaces is associated with patterns of inequality as measured by socio-economic status and race (in the U.S). This study extends this body of knowledge to urban forests by systematically reviewing the urban forest literature (that explicitly study the urban forest) exploring the relationship between urban forest quality and both socio-economic status and race. Two academic databases (SCOPUS and Web of Science) were systematically searched. A total of 2012 papers were screened and 21 articles were included in this study. Almost all studies (20/21) found evidence of inequality, with at least one significant association between measures of urban forest quality and socio-economic status or race. However, 6 studies found contrasting patterns, with lower socioeconomic status areas having higher urban forest quality. There was variation in the type of 'urban forest' studied, and variation in the ways both urban forest quality and socio-economic status were measured, making inter-study comparisons difficult. Interestingly, the literature was geographically diverse, and future research could continue to focus on countries in Africa, South America and Asia with diverse needs for and uses of urban forests. In conclusion, this review finds evidence for inequity in the distribution of urban forest quality. Future research that more clearly describes the urban forests being studied and that explores sociocultural variation in perceived quality would allow better generalisation and understanding of forest quality patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity in the urban forest is important as it reduces risks from pests and diseases and from climate change and improves resilience in the supply of ecosystem services. To manage and improve diversity, there has been wide-spread acceptance of the 10/20/30 'rule of thumb' proposed by Santamour, which states that municipal forests should comprise no more than 10% of any particular species, 20% of any one genus or 30% of any single family. While the implementation of targets based on Santamour's rule has contributed to a more diverse and resilient urban forest in many cities, there has been little empirical investigation of actual patterns of diversity occurring globally in different climates and land uses. In this study, we explored diversity and the relative abundance of the most common species, genus and family in 151 urban forest inventories from 108 different cities around the world. Observed patterns showed that relative abundance of the most common taxon was a good predictor of diversity and could be a useful measure of diversity for urban forest managers. Relative abundance of the most common taxon was much higher than the proposed benchmark at the species level, but comparable with proposed benchmarks at the genus and family level. Patterns varied by both climate and land use. Diversity was consistently lower in Continental climates and in streetscapes, and higher in Temperate climates and in urban forests that spanned multiple land uses. Further considerations in setting diversity benchmarks are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of urban forest management strategies is dependent on public support for and engagement with urban trees. Satisfaction with urban trees and their management, and the level of trust people have in urban tree managers, are useful for understanding public opinions. Yet these concepts, and the mechanisms leading to the formation of public opinions remain poorly explored in the literature. Here we explore how satisfaction with urban trees and with urban tree management, and trust in the agencies responsible for urban tree management, are explained by cognitive factors (values, beliefs, and knowledge) and socio-ecological contextual factors (tree presence/canopy cover, cultural diversity, and socioeconomic status) using an online survey of 16 local government areas in south-eastern Australia. Analyses of 2367 responses revealed that people's opinions about trees in general (values and beliefs) were overwhelmingly positive, while their opinions about more contextualised measures such as satisfaction and trust were more mixed. Two distinct pathways that influence satisfaction were identified: one linked to beliefs about having trees in cities, and another one linked to trust in urban tree management. At the local government level, satisfaction was negatively associated with a measure of cultural diversity and very low levels of tree canopy cover, but not with socioeconomic disadvantage. Satisfaction with local trees could be improved by increasing the quality of ecological function of trees, such as habitat provision and tree diversity. Community engagement could also improve satisfaction and trust, particularly perceived procedural fairness of decision-making, reinforce positive beliefs about the outcomes of having trees in cities, and dispel negative beliefs. Engagement processes should recognise that people hold complex and diverse opinions about urban trees, and by incorporating these opinions into decision-making we can meet the increasingly complex and diverse expectations being placed on urban forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The urban forest provides valuable ecosystem services for enhancing human well-being. Its structure and composition determine the quantity and quality of these services. There has been little research on the heterogeneity in structure and composition of urban forests in the Australasian region, especially in the centre of a highly dynamic and rapidly urbanizing city. This paper quantifies the structure and the composition of the urban forest of Melbourne, Australia's city centre. The effects of land tenure and land use on the heterogeneity of canopy cover, tree density and canopy size were explored. Species and family composition by land use, land ownership and street type were also analysed using the Shannon–Wiener and Jaccard similarity indices. Most of the canopy cover in the city centre is located on public land and is unevenly distributed across the municipality. The mean canopy cover (12.3%) is similar to that found for whole city studies around the world, which often include peri-urban forests. Similarly to other cities, structure varied across different land uses, and tree size, density and cover varied with land tenure and street type. The diversity index shows that the urban forest is rich in species (H′=2.9) and is dominated by native species. Improving the distribution, and increasing tree cover and variety of species will result in a more resilient urban centre, able to provide multiple ecosystem services to their residents and its large population of visitors and workers. The study of the urban centre provides further understanding of compact city morphologies, and allows inter-city comparison independent of the size. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Peri-urban agricultural landscapes around the world are undergoing rapid transformation due to urban expansion. While some landscape values are being protected by current land-use planning frameworks, we know little about the broader values and attitudes of the urban public shaping this transformation. The structure of the values assigned to peri-urban agricultural landscapes by residents of Melbourne, Australia was explored and related to stated landscape preferences and people's underlying values. Exploratory factor analysis was used to categorise assigned values in multifunctional, food and native biota groups, and stated preferences for photographs into four landscape categories: intensive landscapes, extensive landscapes, high tree cover and plantations. The structure of underlying personal values closely resembled other studies of environmental value orientations. Multiple regression analysis revealed that preferences for all landscape categories were predicted strongly by multifunctional assigned values. Significant relationships were also evident between all assigned value groups and the biospheric underlying value orientation. Attitudes towards residential development approaches were also related significantly to assigned but not underlying values. Assigned values appear therefore to mediate between underlying values and attitudes towards peri-urban landscapes. This research demonstrates that peri-urban agricultural landscapes are perceived as multifunctional systems by the urban public and are valued for a range of functions not typically included in land use policies. This study also suggests that in the context of rapid land use change, a variety of landscape types should be retained on the urban fringe for their benefit to the urban public, and synergies promoted between landscape functions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Epidemiological studies have indicated smoking to be a risk factor for the progression of liver diseases. Nicotine is the chief addictive substance in cigarette smoke and has powerful biological properties throughout the body. Nicotine has been implicated in a number of disease processes, including increased cell proliferation and fibrosis in several organ systems. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic administration of nicotine on biliary proliferation and fibrosis in normal rats. Methods: In vivo, rats were treated with nicotine by osmotic minipumps for two weeks. Proliferation, α7-nicotinic receptor and profibrotic expression were evaluated in liver tissue, cholangiocytes and a polarized cholangiocyte cell line (normal rat intrahepatic cholangiocyte). Nicotine-dependent activation of the Ca2+/IP3/ERK 1/2 intracellular signalling pathway was also evaluated in normal rat intrahepatic cholangiocyte. Results: Cholangiocytes express α7-nicotinic receptor. Chronic administration of nicotine to normal rats stimulated biliary proliferation and profibrotic gene and protein expression such as alpha-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin 1. Activation of α7-nicotinic receptor stimulated Ca2+/ERK1/2-dependent cholangiocyte proliferation. Conclusion: Chronic exposure to nicotine contributes to biliary fibrosis by activation of cholangiocyte proliferation and expression of profibrotic genes. Modulation of α7-nicotinic receptor signalling axis may be useful for the management of biliary proliferation and fibrosis during cholangiopathies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Internalization is a risk factor for maladaptive body change behaviors. [•] Previous research supports internalization as both a moderator and mediator. [•] No single theory incorporates both roles, despite substantial research support. [•] A moderated mediation model integrates internalization as a state and a trait. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The performance of the modified laminar flamelet probability density function (MLF-PDF) is studied as a presumed PDF for the PCM-FPI combustion model in LES. PCM-FPI is a low-cost flamelet model for turbulence–chemistry interactions in premixed and partially-premixed flames. The MLF-PDF couples the FPI tabulated detailed chemistry model with large eddy simulation. The performance of this PDF was examined before in an a priori analysis with DNS data [13] and in RANS simulations of laboratory-scale burners [14]. In this work, this PDF is first compared to the actual experimental PDF. Then it is demonstrated that the MLF-PDF recovers the filtered laminar flame speed which is an important factor when turbulence scales are larger than the flame thickness and are mostly resolved in the grid scale. Finally, this PDF is used in LES of a turbulent premixed bunsen flame. The mean radial distributions of temperature, a few major species and two radical species mass fractions are compared with experimental data. The results show that this new PDF is a viable option for the statistics of sub-grid scale progress variable fluctuations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many animals, including humans, acquire information through social learning. Although such information can be acquired easily, its potential unreliability means it should not be used indiscriminately. Cultural ‘transmission biases’ may allow individuals to weigh their reliance on social information according to a model''s characteristics. In one of the first studies to juxtapose two model-based biases, we investigated whether the age and knowledge state of a model affected the fidelity of children''s copying. Eighty-five 5-year-old children watched a video demonstration of either an adult or child, who had professed either knowledge or ignorance regarding a tool-use task, extracting a reward from that task using both causally relevant and irrelevant actions. Relevant actions were imitated faithfully by children regardless of the model''s characteristics, but children who observed an adult reproduced more irrelevant actions than those who observed a child. The professed knowledge state of the model showed a weaker effect on imitation of irrelevant actions. Overall, children favored the use of a ‘copy adults’ bias over a ‘copy task-knowledgeable individual’ bias, even though the latter could potentially have provided more reliable information. The use of such social learning strategies has significant implications for understanding the phenomenon of imitation of irrelevant actions (overimitation), instances of maladaptive information cascades, and cumulative culture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gardens are ubiquitous in western cities, comprising up to a third of the total urban area and often containing a majority of the vegetation present. Gardens are the cumulative result of many individual plant choices, yet we know relatively little about the role of preference in these choices. We investigated peoples’ preference for different garden plants and reasons for plant choices using a postal questionnaire (n =224) containing 30 colour photos of garden plants and questions about gardening behaviour. Preferences were compared with the plants growing in the gardens of 48 randomly selected respondents. Objectively measured plant traits were used to relate preferences to the plants growing in people''s gardens. Significant relationships were found between survey responses and both the traits and taxonomy of plants growing in respondent gardens. The results also show that people''s preferences are very diverse, and that these preferences were related both to aesthetic traits such as flower size, leaf width and foliage colour, and non-visual traits such as nativeness and drought tolerance. Together these findings provide evidence that garden floras have responded to their social environment, and suggests that the very high levels of diversity observed in gardens can in part be attributed to the heterogeneity observed in this social environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Preterm birth continues to be a growing problem in the USA. Although approximately half of preterm births are caused by intrauterine infection, uterine over-distension is also a cause. In this study we have compared the effects of static stretch, cyclic stretch/release and an inflammatory stimulus alone and in combination on the expression of Pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) and IL-8 in primary amniotic epithelial cells (AEC). We then sought to identify some of the mechanism(s) by which these cells respond to stretching stimuli. We show that cyclic stretch/release is a more robust stimulus for both PBEF and IL-8 than static stretch. Cyclic stretch/release increased both intracellular and secreted PBEF and a combination of both types of stretch was a more robust stimulus to PBEF that IL-8. However, when an inflammatory stimulus (IL-1β) was added to either kind of stretch, the effect on IL-8 was much greater than that on PBEF. Thus, different kinds of stretch affect the expression of these two cytokines from AEC, but inflammation is a much stronger stimulus of IL-8 than PBEF, agreeing with its primary role as a chemokine. Although the AEC showed morphological signs of increased cellular stress during stretching, blocking reactive oxygen species (ROS) had little effect. However, blocking integrin binding to fibronectin significantly reduced the responses of both PBEF and IL-8 to cyclic stretch/release. The increased PBEF, both intracellularly and secreted, suggests that it functions both to increase the metabolism of the cells, at the same time as stimulating further the cytokine cascade leading to parturition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Individual and structural processes can explain inequality in the distribution of street trees. • Education is a more important driver of inequality than income. • Structural processes lead to urban forest inequity. • Improved awareness of structural processes by urban forest planners can redress inequity. Urban trees are increasingly being used to help cities adapt to climate change, improve health and wellbeing, and promote biodiversity. Yet these benefits are distributed unequally, mirroring the uneven distribution of the urban forest in many cities. Contrasting theories have been proposed to explain these observed patterns that focus either on the economic wherewithal of individuals (the 'luxury effect'), or the outcome of structural factors such as municipal decision-making processes. Here, we explore patterns across 10 municipal authorities in greater Melbourne, Australia to compare the relative importance of these competing mechanisms. We show that both individual and structural processes are both major determinants of the density and diversity of trees in this large Australian city. Interestingly, education level was strongly related to tree density, while household income was negatively related to tree density and diversity in some municipalities. The luxury effect was not able to adequately explain the patterns observed in Melbourne. This finding has important implications for the planning and management of urban forests and the equitable distribution of the benefits they provide, in the context of the rapid expansion of urban populations across the globe. To counteract inequity, local municipalities must acknowledge and deliberately overcome internal biases that favour the provision of street trees to more advantaged sections of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) was first described as a mechanism for protein degradation more than three decades ago, but the critical roles of the UPS in regulating neuronal synapses have only recently begun to be revealed. Targeted ubiquitination of synaptic proteins affects multiple facets of the synapse throughout its life cycle; from synaptogenesis and synapse elimination to activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and remodeling. The recent identification of specific UPS molecular pathways that act locally at the synapse illustrates the exquisite specificity of ubiquitination in regulating synaptic protein trafficking and degradation events. Synaptic activity has also been shown to determine the subcellular distribution and composition of the proteasome, providing additional mechanisms for locally regulating synaptic protein degradation. Together these advances reveal that tight control of protein turnover plays a conserved, central role in establishing and modulating synapses in neural circuits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Indigenous and other native plants are commonly restricted to informal or naturalistic designed landscapes. This research project investigates the use of native plants as a formal landscape element – the hedge. A multidisciplinary approach was used with distinct horticultural and social science components. The first study explored the response of 14 native and one exotic species to hedging every 4 months. Digital imaging techniques were used to measure changes in growth, density and canopy distribution. All species responded well to hedging, greatly increasing in density. Significant differences in growth rates and shoot regrowth patterns were recorded between the species. Some hedges grown from genetically diverse plant material had noticeable morphological variations and would be more suited to use as informal hedges, however growth rates were found to be a much better predictor of hedging performance than genetic uniformity. A second study explored gardeners’ (n=162) preference for these native hedges. Photomontages were created of the hedges grown in the horticultural experiment and a photo-questionnaire distributed to several groups of gardeners. The preference results showed that many gardeners did like some Australian plants used as hedges. Significant differences in preference were found between species. A principal components analysis found that factors positively affecting preference for hedges included neatness, foliage colour (green and grey), presence of flowers and the absence of visible woody stems. In general, genetically diverse hedges were slightly less preferred than genetically uniform hedges, but some genetically diverse hedges were highly preferred. Personal style preferences based on gardeners’ expressed gardening behaviour were also observed, with grey and softer hedges preferred by those participants with low-maintenance, drought tolerant or native gardens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In normal pregnancy, the fetal membranes become increasingly distended towards term and in multifetal gestations they become over-distended. Apoptosis of the amniotic epithelium increases with advancing gestation and may contribute to fetal membrane weakening and rupture. The effects of chronic static stretching for 36h have been investigated using primary amniotic epithelial cells. Pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) is a stretch-responsive cytokine and expression of its gene, intracellular and secreted protein were all significantly increased by 4h and its secretion sustained over 36h, contrasting with the rapid increase and decline in expression of IL-8. Increased expression of SIRT1 and decreased p53 paralleled the changes in PBEF, are known to be responsive to PBEF, and contribute to cell survival. Distension had no effects on proliferation or necrosis but protected the cells from apoptosis, knocking-down PBEF with antisense probes abrogated this protective effect. There was increased immunostaining of PBEF in the compact layer of the amnion in multifetal tissues and significantly fewer apoptotic amniotic epithelial cells. These results show that chronic stretching of the amniotic epithelial cells increases PBEF expression, which protects them from apoptosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A localized intrauterine inflammatory response is often associated with the initiation of normal human parturition, whereas infection causes a similar but more florid response initiating preterm labor. Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) is expressed in the human fetal membranes and is up-regulated by labor, severe infection and inflammatory stimuli. The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of the transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1 in the response of PBEF to an inflammatory stimulus and compare it with IL-8. The results showed that this treatment of amniotic epithelial-like cells (WISH) and primary amniotic epithelial cells increased expression of PBEF and IL-8, but IL-8 responded 100-fold more than PBEF. IL-1β treatment together with a panel of NF-κB and AP-1 inhibitors demonstrated the involvement of these transcription factors in the up-regulation of PBEF. These data show that an inflammatory stimulus in the fetal membranes inducing NF-κB and AP-1 would up-regulate PBEF as well as IL-8. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A power function relationship between the variance and the mean number of organisms per quadrat of habitat is commonly called Taylor’s power law. Taylor’s law also manifests with other seemingly disparate processes such as the transmission of infectious diseases, human sexual behavior, childhood leukemia, cancer metastases, blood flow heterogeneity, as well as with the genomic distributions of single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene structures. The theory of errors provides, through the scale invariant exponential dispersion models, a number of statistical distributions that are characterized by Taylor’s law. One of these models, the scale invariant Poisson gamma (PG) distribution, has its power function exponent constrained to range between 1 and 2, as observed with many ecological systems. The PG model can be interpreted such that each quadrat would contain a random (Poisson-distributed) number of clusters that, on average, would themselves contain gamma-distributed number of individuals presumably determined by stochastic birth, death and immigration processes. Scale invariant exponential dispersion models also serve as limiting distributions for a wide range of other general linearized models, a property which could explain the manifestation of the variance to mean power function in so many diverse and complex natural processes and simulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report the case of a 40-year-old woman, who had extensive hepatic necrosis, multiple liver infarctions, subcapsular liver hematoma, acute renal failure, and massive ascites in the setting of hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and a low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome in the post-partum period. Our purpose was to describe the effects of serious obstetric complications on maternal and perinatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by HELLP syndrome and the role of radiological findings in the diagnosis and course of the patient.We describe a patient who had abnormal sonographic findings of the liver immediately post-partum before signs and symptoms of severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. The abnormal sonographic appearance of the liver prompted further investigation and was instrumental in the management of this case. These serious hepatic complications can be initially detected by ultrasonography. In addition, computed tomography of the abdomen confirmes the diagnosis and delineates the lesions more precisely. Moreover, ultrasonography can be used as a screening imaging modality compare to computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Major developments in the City of Melbourne, Australia result in an elevated rate of loss of street trees. • Canopy loss associated with major development is significant but forms only a fraction of total losses. • Losses of young trees are high. • Canopy loss to mature tree succession and removal in parks is substantial. Many cities face a struggle to reconcile ambitious tree canopy cover targets with urban development pressures. Canopy cover in The City of Melbourne, Australia, which has a target of 40 % canopy cover on public land by 2040, was analysed together with individual tree removal data, with particular focus on how many street trees were removed near major development sites between 2008 and 2017. We observed major gains and losses of canopy, resulting in small net changes. Our analyses showed a net gain in tree canopy cover in public streets and a net loss of canopy cover in public parks and private properties. The most frequently removed trees in both public parks and streets were small (<15 cm stem diameter). In contrast, more large, exotic trees were removed from public parks than public streetscapes. These large park trees represented a small proportion of total tree removals, but had larger stem basal areas and therefore large canopies. From 2008 to 2017, almost 2000 street trees were removed within 10 m of major development sites, equivalent to almost 20 % of all street trees removed in that time period, but this constituted only 8% of streetscape tree canopy cover losses. These findings suggest that in The City of Melbourne, mature tree succession and removal in parks has the greatest potential to hinder the achievement of canopy cover targets. Canopy cover gains could be maximised through improvements in the establishment and survival of replacement trees in both parks and streetscapes. The protection of the existing urban forest, through policy and practice, will also be critical for the retention and enhancement of tree canopy cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities across the world increasingly reflect the ethno-cultural diversity of a globalized society. How people interact with, and experience urban nature varies with the form, structure, and function of the space, but also with peoples' ethno-cultural identity. In this study, we investigated the values that gardeners and park users of different ethno-cultural identities associate with urban community gardens, parks and trees and the well-being benefits that they derive from them in Melbourne, Australia. We collected data from park users, and gardeners using intercept questionnaires with open-ended questions about motivations to garden and the importance of parks and trees to understand values, and standardized metrics on personal well-being to understand well-being benefits. The results show that gardeners and park users of different ethno-cultural identities than Australian and European, derived from the country of birth, language spoken, and region of origin, associate different motivations, importance, and well-being benefits to these different urban nature spaces. Community gardens provide food and a strong sense of community and security, particularly for gardeners that speak English as a second language. For these ethno-culturally diverse people, urban parks, like community gardens, are associated with sociocultural and psychological importance, but also with aesthetic importance. Finally, and also for these diverse people, urban trees are associated with aesthetic, naturalness and biodiversity importance rather than sociocultural importance. The results highlight that people involved in the planning and design of urban nature spaces should consider the many values associated with and benefits derived from different types of spaces for multicultural cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]