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Recruitment of the catadromous and critically endangered European eel Anguilla anguilla in Europe has declined substantially since the 1980s, with considerable knowledge gaps remaining in many aspects of their life cycle. The aim was to assess eel migration phenology in three regulated rivers in England between 2009 and 2019 through analyses of eel numbers using passes at their tidal limits, with calculation of the annual timings of migration initiation (10% of all eels passed, T10), peak (50%, T50) and conclusion (90%, T90). Across the three rivers, T10 varied between Julian Day ('Day') 94 and 173. Years of earlier T10 had significantly earlier T50, where T50 varied between Day 105 and 200. The considerable inter-annual variability in migration timings was associated with environmental variables; earlier T10 and T50 occurred in years of warmer river temperatures (RTs) and cooler sea surface temperatures (SST), and in years where RTs were higher than SSTs. No environmental variables were significant predictors of T90. These results indicate that whilst there is annual variability in the timing of eel migration initiation and peak into freshwaters, this variability is predictable according to differences in environmental conditions. As many of these conditions associated with annual variability in temperature and precipitation then climate change has the potential to shift these migration timings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States with rates increasing over the past two decades. The rate of suicide is higher in rural areas, but a greater number of people in urban areas die by suicide; understanding risk factors for suicide in this context is critically important to public health. Additionally, while many studies have focused on individual-level risk factors, few studies have identified social or structural features associated with suicide or firearm suicide, especially among young people. Methods: Study outcomes included total firearm suicide, total youth (age 10–29) firearm suicide, total suicide, and total youth suicide in Detroit, Michigan from 2012 through 2019. The predictors in this study included 58 census-tract level variables characterizing the physical features, residential stability, socioeconomic status, and demographics of neighborhoods in Detroit over the study period. We used random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and generalized linear mixed models to predict the four outcomes. Results: We found that the tract-level variables used in all three modeling approaches performed poorly at predicting the suicide outcomes, with area under the curve values at times exceeding 0.60 but with extremely low sensitivity (ranging from 0.05 to 0.45). However, the percentage of parcels sold in arms-length transfers in the previous 5 years, the count of vacant lots per square mile, and the percentage of children aged three and older who were enrolled in preschool each demonstrated associations with at least two of the outcomes studied. Conclusions: Our findings suggest place-based factors at the tract level do not provide meaningful insight into the risk of suicide or firearm suicide among youth or the general population in Detroit, Michigan. Future practice and study should consider focusing on both larger and smaller areas, including city and individual-level factors. For example, studies might benefit from the use of both neighborhood and individual-level measures and their interactions to improve our understanding of place-based risk factors and suicide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the taxonomic and functional patterns of the microbiome associated with Barbour's seahorse (Hippocampus barbouri) using a combination of shotgun metagenomics and bioinformatics. The analyses revealed that Pseudomonadota and Bacillota were the dominant phyla in the seahorse skin microbiome, whereas Pseudomonadota and, to a lesser extent, Bacillota and Bacteroidota were the dominant phyla in the seahorse gut microbiome. Several metabolic pathway categories were found to be enriched in the skin microbiome, including amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolism, energy metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, as well as membrane transport, signal transduction, and cellular community-prokaryotes. In contrast, the gut microbiome exhibited enrichment in metabolic pathways associated with the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides, biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, and quorum sensing. Additionally, although the relative abundance of bacteriocins in the skin and gut was slightly similar, notable differences were observed at the class level. Specifically, class I bacteriocins were found to be more abundant in the skin microbiome, whereas class III bacteriocins were more abundant in the gut microbiome. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first comprehensive examination of the taxonomic and functional patterns of the skin and gut microbiome in Barbour's seahorse. These findings can greatly contribute to a deeper understanding of the seahorse-associated microbiome, which can play a pivotal role in predicting and controlling bacterial infections, thereby contributing to the success of aquaculture and health-promoting initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian Dayé provides an important history of RAND and its scientists/experts during the Cold War period. He lifts the veil off of a Cold War effort whose history is not well known. Given the cultural insecurities in America in the aftermath of dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war and the developed nuclear capacities of the Soviet Union, he takes us into the 1950s and the terrain of RAND. We receive a deep, quite granular analysis of a select group of natural and social scientists who contend with the issue of Cold War cultural insecurity and the future. What does the future portend? The answers become bound up in a methodological journey articulated by Dayé that has implications for today. Given this, I pivot from Dayé's groundings in a generalized cultural insecurity in America about the Bomb to a grounding that situates white male expert knowledge as not innocent of the U.S. racial order and racism. This narrative centering racism and the Cold War is fueled by radical Black Peace activists W.E.B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, Claudia Jones and others who struggled intensely against the racialized realities of the Cold War. Their interrogations and activism shed light on the nature of knowledge production in a race based society. Indeed, the epistemological issues embedded in white expert knowledge production have implications for today. Claudia Jones provides a theory and practice during the Cold War period centering Black women and peace. Her triple jeopardy framework makes explicit the plight of Black women under racial capitalism. Contemporary Black feminists continue to pose hard questions about what it means to deploy a critical epistemological stance and the nature of expert knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing concern surrounding the pervasive impacts of microplastic pollution, but despite increasing interest in this area there remains limited understanding of its disruption to biological communities and the ecosystem services they provide. One such service is the breakdown of leaf litter in freshwaters by invertebrate shredders, such as Gammarus spp., that directly and indirectly provides resources for many other species. This study investigates the effect of microplastic exposure on leaf consumption by two Gammarus species in Ireland, the native Gammarus duebeni celticus, and the invasive Gammarus pulex. Individuals were exposed to 40–48 μm polyethylene particles for 24 h at a range of concentrations (20–200,000 MP/L), with the amount of leaf consumption in that time frame recorded. Microplastics did not affect the feeding rate of either species at environmentally relevant concentrations, indicating that ecosystem services currently provided by our study species are sustainable. However, at higher microplastic concentrations the feeding rate of G. d. celticus was significantly reduced, whereas G. pulex remained unaffected, drawing attention to species-specific and native-invader differences in microplastic impacts. The results of our study further contribute to the observed pattern that invasive species, including various amphipod species, often display a higher tolerance to environmental stressors compared to their native counterparts. This research highlights the need for mitigation of ongoing and increasing microplastic pollution that could differentially influence key ecosystem services and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) is a critically endangered catadromous fish. Their inshore and in-river arrival as glass eel and elvers is an important stage of their life cycle, marking the transition from marine to freshwater habitats. Considerable knowledge gaps remain on the temporal and spatial patterns of this transition period to freshwater residency. Stable isotope (SI) analysis (δ13C, δ15N) was used to assess the timing and duration of the marine to freshwater transition among glass eels and elvers migrating upstream of the weirs at, or just upstream of, the tidal limit of four English rivers. (Parrett, Frome, Piddle, Chelmer). Variability in SI was low in the Parrett and Frome, resulting in narrow isotopic niches, but was high in the Piddle and Chelmer, resulting in wider niches. The Parrett and Frome data were then used to train a discriminant function analysis (DFA) model to classify eels as ‘marine’, ‘freshwater-established’ and ‘transitioning’. When applied to the Piddle and Chelmer eel SI data, only a small proportion of eels were classified as marine and transitioning, with most being freshwater established. These results suggest that most eels present in the lower reaches rivers have been present for sufficient time for their SI values to represent feeding on local prey resources, with relatively few eels being newly arrived from the marine environment. The transition of eels from marine to freshwater in this species can therefore be prolonged, with many ascending rivers at least one winter after their initial arrival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prohibiting the purchase and possession of firearms by those at risk of violence is an established approach to preventing firearm violence. Prior studies of legal purchasers have focused on convictions for specific crimes, such as violent misdemeanors and driving under the influence (DUI). We broaden that line of inquiry by investigating and comparing the associations between prior arrests for most categories of crime and subsequent arrest for violent offenses among legal handgun purchasers in California. Methods: In this longitudinal cohort study of 79,678 legal handgun purchasers in California in 2001, we group arrest charges prior to their first purchases in 2001 according to categories defined by the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Handbook. We use a gradient boosting machine to identify categories of offenses that are most important for predicting arrest for violent crime following firearm purchase. For each category identified, we then estimate the difference in risk of subsequent arrest for a violent offense using survival regression models. Results: We identified eight crime categories with high predictive importance: simple assaults, aggravated assaults, vehicle violations, weapon, other crimes, theft, drug abuse, and DUI. Compared to purchasers with no prior arrests, those with a prior arrest for any one of the eight important categories and no other categories were found to be at increased risk of arrest for a Crime Index-listed violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault), with the greatest estimated risk corresponding to the simple assault UCR category (adjusted hazard ratio 4.0; 95% CI 2.8–5.9). Simple assault was also associated with the greatest risk for subsequent arrest for firearm violence (adjusted hazard ratio 4.6; 95% CI 2.4–9.0) and any violent offense (adjusted hazard ratio 3.7; 95% CI 2.7–5.0). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that prior arrests for a broad array of crimes, both violent and non-violent, are associated with risk of subsequent violent crimes, including Crime Index-listed violent crimes and firearm violence, among legal purchasers of firearms. Current policies aimed at restricting access to firearms for individuals at increased risk of violence should be re-examined considering these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, taxonomic classification of intestinal microbiota from healthy Barbour's seahorses (Hippocampus barbouri) was determined as it plays an important role in host nutrition and immunity. Genomic DNA was extracted from the intestinal mucus samples of eleven Barbour's seahorses, which were subjected to high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16 S rRNA genes targeting V3-V4 regions. The results showed that there were 302,891 amplicon sequence reads representing all samples, with 46 total operational taxonomic units (OTU). Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the most predominant phyla observed, with 13 classes, 22 orders, 28 families, and 35 genera, respectively. The results also revealed that the most abundant OTUs were affiliated with the genus Shewanella. Findings in this study may shed light on further studies in exploring the potential implications of intestinal microbiota to seahorses in terms of health status, development, growth, and survival. This could also be used as baseline data for preliminary screening of bacterial species as potential probiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land subsidence due to the over drafting of groundwater has been a major environmental crisis for decades in Kolkata, one of the most populous and largest cities in India. In this study, we map spatio-temporal evolution of the land subsidence of Kolkata region using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) analysis of ENVISAT (2003–2010), ALOS (2007–2011) and Sentinel-1 (2017–2021) data sets along with GPS position time series (2012–2015) and Piezometric level measurements. During 2003–2011, the eastern part of the Kolkata City (east of Hooghly River) experienced ~ − 4 to − 12 mm/yr subsidence. Between 2017 and 2021, several new subsidence zones were evolved towards west of the Hooghly River as a response to the rapid decrease in groundwater level in this region (~ − 0.3 m/yr). However, during 2017–2021, the widespread subsidence pattern in the eastern part of the city became segmented into 5–20 km2 patches of low (~ − 2 to − 3 mm/yr) and significant deformation (> − 10 mm/yr). This local deceleration in the subsidence is reflected as a reduction in groundwater decline rate, probably associated with the improved artificial recharge scenario. The correlation of the decadal-scale land subsidence with groundwater level changes suggests an inelastic mechanism for the confined aquifer system of Kolkata. The present results and published seismic micro-zonation results together suggest that the areas having significant subsidence in Kolkata are associated with large Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) values and thus are more vulnerable to seismic hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic material 4-hydroxybenzophenone single crystal was grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique. The lattice parameter, space group, and crystal structure of the grown crystal were confirmed using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The presence of various functional groups were identified using FTIR and FT-Raman spectra studies. The optical properties of the grown crystal were analyzed by using UV–Vis studies. The cut-off wavelength was observed around 357 nm. The dielectric studies of the grown 4-hydroxybenzophenone crystal were analyzed using the parallel plate capacitor method. The electronic properties such as the Plasma energy, Penn gap, Fermi energy, and the electronic polarizability were calculated. The laser damage threshold value of the grown 4-hydroxybenzophenone crystal has been determined using an Nd:YAG laser operating at 532 nm. The nonlinear optical properties of the grown 4-hydroxybenzophenone crystal was analyzed by the Z-scan technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone single crystal was grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique. The single crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that the grown 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone crystal belongs to the monoclinic crystal system with the centrosymmetric space group of C2/c. The grown crystals’ functional groups have been identified by the FTIR and FT-Raman spectral studies. The UV–Visible studies show that the cut-off wavelength was observed around 401 nm and the grown crystal has good transmittance in the visible regions. The optical parameters such as optical band gap (Eg), extinction coefficient (K), Urbach energy (EU), and skin depth (δ) were calculated. The TG/DTA analyses were used to find the thermal stability of the grown crystal. The dielectric properties of the grown 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone single crystal were analyzed by using the parallel plate capacitor method. The nonlinear optical properties of the grown 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone crystal was measured using the Z-scan technique. The grown 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone single crystals optical limiting threshold values were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to rapidly recognize words and link them to referents is central to children's early language development. This ability, often called word recognition in the developmental literature, is typically studied in the looking-while-listening paradigm, which measures infants' fixation on a target object (vs. a distractor) after hearing a target label. We present a large-scale, open database of infant and toddler eye-tracking data from looking-while-listening tasks. The goal of this effort is to address theoretical and methodological challenges in measuring vocabulary development. We first present how we created the database, its features and structure, and associated tools for processing and accessing infant eye-tracking datasets. Using these tools, we then work through two illustrative examples to show how researchers can use Peekbank to interrogate theoretical and methodological questions about children's developing word recognition ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging alters the amplitude and phase of centrally regulated circadian rhythms. Here we evaluate whether peripheral circadian rhythmicity in the plasma lipidome is altered by aging through retrospective lipidomics analysis on plasma samples collected in 24 healthy individuals (9 females; mean ± SD age: 40.9 ± 18.2 years) including 12 younger (4 females, 23.5 ± 3.9 years) and 12 middle-aged older, (5 females, 58.3 ± 4.2 years) individuals every 3 h throughout a 27-h constant routine (CR) protocol, which allows separating evoked changes from endogenously generated oscillations in physiology. Cosinor regression shows circadian rhythmicity in 25% of lipids in both groups. On average, the older group has a ~14% lower amplitude and a ~2.1 h earlier acrophase of the lipid circadian rhythms (both, p ≤ 0.001). Additionally, more rhythmic circadian lipids have a significant linear component in addition to the sinusoidal across the 27-h CR in the older group (44/56) compared to the younger group (18/58, p < 0.0001). Results from individual-level data are consistent with group-average results. Results indicate that prevalence of endogenous circadian rhythms of the human plasma lipidome is preserved with healthy aging into middle-age, but significant changes in rhythmicity include a reduction in amplitude, earlier acrophase, and an altered temporal relationship between central and lipid rhythms. Intrinsic circadian rhythm in the human plasma lipidome is preserved during healthy aging, but there is a significant advance in the phase and a reduction in the amplitude of circadian lipid profiles in older compared to younger adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone single crystals were grown by the slow evaporation solution growth technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) and powder XRD studies show that the grown 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone crystal belongs to the monoclinic crystal system with the centrosymmetric space group P21/c. The FTIR and FT-Raman spectral studies were used to identify functional groups in the grown crystal. The UV–Vis studies show that the cut-off wavelength is observed around 398 nm, and the various linear optical parameters were calculated. Thermal analyses were used to identify the melting and decomposition points of the grown 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone crystal. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The dielectric properties were analyzed using the parallel plate capacitor method, and the electrical parameters were calculated. Nonlinear optical properties were investigated using the Z-scan technique with two different laser sources nano pulse Nd:YAG laser and continuous wave diode laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is a pressing public health problem, and firearm owners are at especially elevated risk. Certain health conditions are markers of suicide risk, but more research is needed on clinical risk markers for suicide among firearm owners specifically. Our goal was to examine associations of emergency department and inpatient hospital visits for behavioral and physical health conditions with firearm suicide among handgun purchasers. Methods: This was a case–control study of 5415 legal handgun purchasers in California who died between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2013. Cases were firearm suicide decedents; controls were motor vehicle crash decedents. Exposures were emergency department and hospital visits for six categories of health diagnoses in the 3 years prior to death. To account for selection bias due to deceased controls, we used probabilistic quantitative bias analysis to generate bias-adjusted estimates. Results: There were 3862 firearm suicide decedents and 1553 motor vehicle crash decedents. In multivariable models, suicidal ideation/attempt (OR 4.92; 95% CI 3.27–7.40), mental illness (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.60–2.43), drug use disorder (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.05–1.88), pain (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.07–1.69), and alcohol use disorder (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.01–1.65) were associated with higher odds of firearm suicide. When adjusting for all conditions simultaneously, only the associations for suicidal ideation/attempt and mental illness remained significant. Quantitative bias analysis indicated that observed associations were generally biased downward. For example, the bias-adjusted OR for suicidal ideation/attempt was 8.39 (95% simulation interval 5.46–13.04), almost twice that of the observed OR. Conclusions: Diagnoses for behavioral health conditions were markers for firearm suicide risk among handgun purchasers, even for conservative estimates that did not adjust for selection bias. Encounters with the healthcare system may provide opportunities to identify firearm owners at high risk of suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Die Urologie is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Conventional hydrological modeling is highly tedious for a data-sparse tropical river basin heavily loaded by hydraulic structures. The application of promising machine learning algorithms in this context is not explored much. This study investigates the suitability of two machine learning approaches—random forest regression model (RF) and gradient boosting regression model (GBM) in predicting the hydrological drought indices—standardized streamflow index (SSI) and streamflow drought index (SDI) based on the predicted meteorological drought indices—standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index under the future climate Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. The study predicts long-term hydrological drought indices SSI and SDI from 2006 to 2099 based on global climate models projections. The future drought years were extracted using the run theory. The study reveals that the river basin was prone to hydrological drought occurrences 50–65% of the time during the historic period (1988–2005) and 32–70% during the future period (2006–2099). It is evident from the results that both RF and GBM models follow a similar pattern of dry events in the future, which implies the prediction to be accurate. The study recommends the RF model for the study area, considering the model performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Precipitable Water Vapour (PWV) content associated with heavy precipitations can be estimated using the temporal variation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) derived Zenith Total Delay (ZTD). The ZTD and PWV were calculated using continuously observed GPS data for nine months (1 April to 31 December of 2018) that include the August 2018 catastrophic rainfall events in the state of Kerala, which is the gateway to the Indian summer monsoon located at southwest coast of India. The results show a precursory increment of ZTD followed by a decreasing phase before 5:45 h to 6:45 h of each heavy precipitation event. Further, the analysis of Radiosonde-derived ZTD for the past 45 years from 1973–2018 and GPS-derived ZTD from 2012–2018 reveal that during the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala, the majority of the ZTD values converges within the range 2.55–2.70 m. The study exhibits that the GPS-derived ZTD could be effectively used for the real-time/short-term early detection of heavy precipitation events and to aid info on the onset time of southwest Indian summer monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hunga-Tonga volcanic eruption occurred on 15 January 2022 generated different modes of atmospheric and ionospheric waves. Using the Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite-17 (GOES-17), Aqua and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite observations, an atmospheric and ionospheric multi-layer study of the Tonga volcano induced signatures over the New Zealand region is performed. The visible and infrared channel data of GOES-17 and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) data from NASA Aqua satellite confirm the presence of a highly convective zone and occurrence of concentric Lamb and gravity waves at lower atmospheric altitudes. The Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from 175 GPS stations covering the entire New Zealand region brings out two dominant modes of Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs) having periodicity between 30 and 50 min. These two different modes having the phase speeds of 542 m/s and 354 m/s are allied to atmospheric gravity waves and Lamb wave triggered gravity waves respectively and are observed to propagate towards the south-west direction over the New Zealand region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of bone and mineral metabolism on skeletal formation, as well as vascular and soft tissue calcifications, define chronic kidney disease–metabolic bone disease (CKD-MBD). Treatment recommendations center on establishing adequate vitamin D status, phosphate control through diet restriction and phosphate binders, and the use of vitamin D analogs for specific indications. Several emerging bone-promoting therapies have now been studied in adults with CKD, including bisphosphonates and denosumab. These approaches are associated with improved bone mass and, in some cases, decreased fracture rates in adults with CKD-MBD and are of potential interest for some children with CKD-MBD. In children with CKD and immobilization and/or muscle weakness, bisphosphonates appear to be an effective treatment to increase bone mass; baseline assessment and careful monitoring of bone density and/or bone biopsy findings are important in consideration of any new bone therapies for children with CKD-MBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Environmental influences on the phenology of immigrating juvenile eels over weirs at the tidal limit of regulated rivers" published in the journal Hydrobiologia. The correction addresses an incomplete in-text citation and a missing reference in the original publication. The correct reference is provided in this correction notice. The publisher, Springer Nature, maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Rose M. Boardman, Adrian C. Pinder, Adam T. Piper, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Rosalind M. Wright, and J. Robert Britton. [Extracted from the article]

The availability of three COVID-19 vaccines in the United States provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine how vaccine platforms and timing of vaccination in pregnancy impact maternal and neonatal immunity. Here, we characterize the antibody profile after Ad26.COV2.S, mRNA-1273 or BNT162b2 vaccination in 158 pregnant individuals and evaluate transplacental antibody transfer by profiling maternal and umbilical cord blood in 175 maternal-neonatal dyads. These analyses reveal lower vaccine-induced functions and Fc receptor-binding after Ad26.COV2.S compared to mRNA vaccination and subtle advantages in titer and function with mRNA-1273 versus BN162b2. mRNA vaccines have higher titers and functions against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. First and third trimester vaccination results in enhanced maternal antibody-dependent NK-cell activation, cellular and neutrophil phagocytosis, and complement deposition relative to second trimester. Higher transplacental transfer ratios following first and second trimester vaccination may reflect placental compensation for waning maternal titers. These results provide novel insight into the impact of platform and trimester of vaccination on maternal humoral immune response and transplacental antibody transfer. Pregnant individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at high risk of morbidity and mortality, in addition to adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet little is known regarding trimester-specific immunity and maternal protection from COVID-19 vaccine platforms. Authors utilise a systems serology approach to characterise the material antibody response and the transplacental antibody transfer, dependent on vaccine platform and trimester of vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status predicts the quantity and nature of child-directed speech that parents produce. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. This study investigated whether the cognitive load imposed by resource scarcity suppresses parent talk by examining time-dependent variation in child-directed speech in a socioeconomically diverse sample. We predicted that child-directed speech would be lowest at the end of the month when Americans report the greatest financial strain. 166 parents and their 2.5 to 3-year-old children (80 female) participated in a picture-book activity; the number of utterances, word tokens, and word types used by parents were calculated. All three parent language measures were negatively correlated with the date of the month the activity took place, and this relationship did not vary with parental education. These findings suggest that above and beyond individual properties of parents, contextual factors such as financial concerns exert influence on how parents interact with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure and dependence on coastal aquifers are on the rise in many parts of the globe. These lead to overexploitation, aggravated levels of groundwater pollution, and seawater intrusion. Integrated analyses can create holistic insights into the quality and the vulnerability of aquifers to seawater intrusion. In this study, Mombasa North coast's coastal aquifer was characterized by integrating multiple approaches—GALDIT overlay index, seawater intrusion groundwater quality index GQISWI, total hardness, water quality index (WQI)—and the results were further explored and interpreted with geospatial analysis techniques. The study suggests that the predominant water type in areas under moderate or high vulnerabilities to seawater intrusion is the Na-Cl water type. However, similar Na-Cl water types can produce a range of total hardness from soft to hard. GQISWI classification can be used to narrow down the observations from Stuyfzand's TH-based classification system. In the aquifer studied, the results of the GALDIT overlay index, a weighted aggregation of intrinsic parameters contributing to seawater intrusion, show that 29%, 59%, and 12% of the aquifer have low, moderate, and high vulnerabilities, respectively. The GQISWI analysis indicates that the groundwater is largely brackish (68%) but saline towards the southern end of the aquifer at 32%. Total hardness values indicate that 67% of the aquifer's coverage falls under the "moderately hard" category. The geodatabase creation introduced in the study provides a template for similar studies and a baseline for future WQI and water quality monitoring. However, temporal studies on chronological timescales are recommended for sustainable management of the aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Home visiting (HV) programs aim to promote child and family health through perinatal intervention. HV may benefit second children through improving subsequent pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, HV impacts on birth outcomes of second children have not been examined in a naturalistic setting. Methods: Using data from Connecticut Nurturing Families Network (NFN) home visiting program of families enrolled from 2005 to 2015, we compared birth-related outcomes (birthweight, preterm birth, Cesarean section delivery, prenatal care utilization) of second children (n = 1758) to demographically similar propensity-score-matched families that were not enrolled in NFN (n = 5200). We examined whether the effects of NFN differed by maternal age, race and ethnicity, or visit attendance pattern. Results: There was no program effect for the full sample. The effect of NFN did not differ by maternal age or visit attendance pattern but did differ by maternal race and ethnicity. Black women in NFN were more likely to receive adequate prenatal care during their second pregnancy (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01, 1.09) and Hispanic women in NFN were less likely to deliver by Cesarean section for their second birth (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94, 0.99), compared to Black and Hispanic women in the comparison group respectively. There was a protective program effect on prematurity of the second child (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.85, 0.996) for women with a preterm first birth. Discussion: These findings suggest that benefits of HV extend to subsequent birth-related outcomes for women from marginalized racial/ethnic groups. HV may help buffer some harmful social determinants of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of HNO is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Background: Firearms are the most lethal method of suicide and account for approximately half of all suicide deaths nationwide. We describe associations between firearm purchasing characteristics and firearm suicide. Methods: Data on all legal handgun transactions in California from 1996 to 2015 were obtained from the California Department of Justice Dealer's Record of Sale database. Handgun purchasers were linked to mortality data to identify those who died between 1996 and 2015. To account for variation in timing and duration of observation time, analyses were stratified by birth cohort. The primary analysis focused on those aged 21–25 in 1996. A secondary analysis tested associations among those aged 50–54 in 1996. Using incidence density sampling, purchasers who died by firearm suicide (cases) were each gender-matched to 5 purchasers (controls) who remained at risk at the case's time of death. We examined the characteristics of purchasers and transactions, focusing on the transaction closest in time to the case's death. Data were analyzed with conditional logistic regression. Results: There were 390 firearm suicides among the younger cohort and 512 firearm suicides among the older cohort. Across both cohorts, older age at first purchase and the purchase of a revolver were associated with greater risk of firearm suicide. For example, among the younger cohort, those who purchased a revolver versus semiautomatic pistol had 1.78 times the risk of firearm suicide (95% CI 1.32, 2.40) in multivariable models. Other associations varied across cohorts, suggesting cohort or age effects in purchasing patterns. Conclusions: Findings add to the evidence on firearm suicide risk and may help inform prevention strategies and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heightened attention towards negative information is characteristic of depression. Evidence is emerging for a negative attentional bias in Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), perhaps driven by the high comorbidity between ASD and depression. We investigated whether ASD is characterised by a negative attentional bias and whether this can be explained by comorbid (sub) clinical depression. Participants (n = 116) with current (CD) or remitted depression (RD) and/or ASD, and 64 controls viewed positively and negatively valenced (non-)social pictures. Groups were compared on three components of visual attention using linear mixed models. Both CD individuals with and without ASD, but not remitted depressed and never-depressed ASD individuals showed a negative bias, suggesting that negative attentional bias might be a depressive state-specific marker for depression in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is strong evidence that engaging with music can improve our health and well-being. Music-based interventions, approaches and practices, such as group music-making (singing or playing musical instruments), listening to music and music therapy, have all been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Although the existing literature needs expanding, mounting evidence suggests that music-based interventions, approaches and practices may help support maternal mental health prenatally and postnatally. The purpose of this descriptive overview is to provide a broad view of this area by bringing together examples of research across different practices and research disciplines. Selected evidence is examined, showing how music-based interventions, approaches and practices can reduce labour anxiety and pain, anxiety symptoms in pregnancy, postnatal depression symptoms and support maternal-infant bonding. The examined research includes single studies and reviews that use both qualitative and quantitative methods. Drawing on animal and human models, the effect of music on foetal behaviour and various possible biological, psychological and social mechanisms are discussed. The potential preventive effect of music-based interventions, approaches and practices and their possible use across different cultures are also considered. Overall, we highlight how music, employed in a variety of ways, may support perinatal mental health with the aim of stimulating more interest and research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unstably housed women experience high levels of violence. While previous studies have investigated psychological, physical, and sexual violence, weapon and gun violence are rarely delineated. We examined factors associated with experiencing violence as an adult among unhoused and unstably housed women, with a focus on gun violence. Methods: We recruited women with a history of housing instability from San Francisco homeless shelters, street encampments, free meal programs, low-income hotels, and health clinics. Participants completed interviews including questions regarding both childhood and adult violence. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations of specific types of childhood violence (i.e., physical, sexual, gun, other weapon-involved violence), age, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, and sexual orientation, with risk of experiencing specific types of violence as an adult (i.e., gun, other weapon-involved, physical violence). Because the violence outcomes were not rare, odds ratios were transformed to approximate risk ratios. Results: Nearly half of women (n = 110, 45%) had been attacked with a gun as an adult. Violent victimization in adulthood was common, with 33% having experienced all three forms of violence. The probability of being attacked with a gun as an adult was almost 70% higher among women who had been hit or kicked hard enough to cause injury as a child (RR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.24, 2.11), and this association was present for all three violence outcomes. No other risk factors explored, including other types of violence experienced as a child, met the statistical threshold to be considered significant. Conclusions: The high prevalence of gun violence reported here is consistent with prior studies of violence conducted in similar populations. Considered in combination with prior research, findings suggest multi-generational violence prevention interventions for low-income women and girls are needed. They also emphasize the need to more actively include people who experience unstable housing in statewide and national violence surveys to better understand the extent of the problem and address on a broader scale the high rates of violence experienced by unstably housed populations, which have been consistently documented in local research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we investigated the possible linkages among geophagy, soil characteristics, and gut mycobiome of indri (Indri indri), an endangered lemur species able to survive only in wild conditions. The soil eaten by indri resulted in enriched secondary oxide-hydroxides and clays, together with a high concentration of specific essential micronutrients. This could partially explain the role of the soil in detoxification and as a nutrient supply. Besides, we found that soil subject to geophagy and indris' faeces shared about 8.9% of the fungal OTUs. Also, several genera (e.g. Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium) commonly associated with soil and plant material were found in both geophagic soil and indri samples. On the contrary, some taxa with pathogenic potentials, such as Cryptococcus, were only found in indri samples. Further, many saprotrophs and plant-associated fungal taxa were detected in the indri faeces. These fungal species may be involved in the digestion processes of leaves and could have a beneficial role in their health. In conclusion, we found an intimate connection between gut mycobiome and soil, highlighting, once again, the potential consequent impacts on the wider habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence and characteristics of handgun purchasers' criminal charge histories have never been described for a large population of firearm owners, but such information is critical to understanding risk factors for subsequent violence in this population. We sought to characterize legal handgun purchasers in California and compare this group to the state population, to quantify the proportion with a criminal charge history at purchase, and to identify modifiable factors associated with of having such a history. Methods: This cross-sectional study of all 79,927 legal handgun purchasers aged 21–49 years in California in 2001 used log-linear generalized additive models to identify factors associated with having a criminal charge history at purchase. Subjects are from a longitudinal study of incident criminal activity among handgun purchasers. Results: The majority (91.03%) of purchasers were male; whites were overrepresented and Hispanics were underrepresented relative to their population size. At the time of purchase, 16.68% had a criminal charge history and 10.71% had a criminal conviction. Among men with such a history, 31.28% had been charged with a violent crime and 16.54% had been charged with a firearm-related crime. The strongest factor associated with having a criminal charge history was redeeming a pawned handgun (prevalence ratio: 1.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.71, 1.93). Conclusions: Despite California's stringent firearm purchase laws, more than 1-in-6 handgun purchasers had a criminal charge history at purchase. This proportion may be higher in states with less restrictive firearm purchasing eligibility criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify and characterize a new β-agarase from Cellulophaga omnivescoria W5C capable of producing biologically-active neoagarooligosaccharides from agar. Results: The β-agarase, Aga1, has signal peptides on both N- and C-terminals, which are involved in the type IX secretion system. It shares 75% protein sequence identity with AgaD from Zobellia galactanivorans and has a molecular weight of 54 kDa. Biochemical characterization reveals optimum agarolytic activities at pH 7–8 and temperature 30–45 °C. Aga1 retains at least 33% activity at temperatures lower than the sol–gel transition state of agarose. Metal ions are generally not essential, but calcium and potassium enhance its activity whereas iron and zinc are inhibitory. Finally, hydrolysis of agarose with Aga1 yields neoagarotetraose, neoagarohexaose, and neoagarooctaose. Conclusions: Aga1 displays unique traits such as moderate psychrophilicity, stability, and synergy with other agarases, which makes it an excellent candidate for biosynthetic production of neoagarooligosaccharides from agar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although high-dose vitamin D supplementation is common, effects on arterial calcification remain unexplored. Tibial artery calcification was identified and quantified over 3 years in participants randomized to 400, 4000, or 10,000 IU vitamin D3 daily. High-dose vitamin D supplementation did not affect the development or progression of arterial calcification. Introduction: To determine whether vitamin D supplementation has a dose-dependent effect on development and progression of arterial calcification. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Calgary Vitamin D Study, a 3-year, double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted at a single-center in Calgary, Canada. Participants were community-dwelling adults aged 55–70 years with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 30–125 nmol/L. Participants were randomized 1:1:1 to receive vitamin D3 400, 4000, or 10,000 IU/day for 3 years. Tibial artery calcification was identified and quantified (in milligrams of hydroxyapatite, mgHA) using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Changes in calcification over time and treatment group interaction were evaluated using a constrained linear mixed effects model. Results: Of 311 randomized participants, 302 (400: 105, 4000: 96, 10,000: 101) were eligible for analysis of arterial calcification (54% male, mean (SD) age 62 (4) years, mean (SD) 25-hydroxyvitamin D 78.9 (19.9) nmol/L). At baseline, 85 (28%) had tibial artery calcification, and mean (95% CI) calcification quantity was 2.8 mgHA (95% CI 1.7–3.9). In these 85 participants, calcification quantity increased linearly by 0.020 mgHA/month (95% CI 0.012–0.029) throughout the study, with no evidence of a treatment-group effect (p = 0.645 for interaction). No participants developed new arterial calcifications during the study. Conclusions: In this population of community-dwelling adults who were vitamin D replete at baseline, supplementation with vitamin D 400, 4000, or 10,000 IU/day did not have differential effects on the development or progression of arterial calcification over 3 years. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01900860) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves are known to sequester carbon at rates exceeding even those of other tropical forests; however, to understand carbon cycling in these systems, soil-atmosphere fluxes and gas exchanges in mangrove-adjacent shallow waters need to be quantified. Further, despite the ever-increasing impact of development on mangrove systems, there is even less data on how subtropical, greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes are affected by urbanization. We quantified carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from mangrove soils and adjacent, coastal waters along a gradient of urbanization in the densely-populated, subtropical San Juan Bay Estuary (PR). Edaphic (salinity, pH, surface temperature) factors among sites significantly covaried with GHG fluxes. We found that mangrove systems in more highly-urbanized reaches of the estuary were characterized by relatively lower porewater salinities and substantially larger GHG emissions, particularly CH4, which has a high global warming potential. The magnitude of the CO2 emissions was similar in the mangrove soils and adjacent waters, but the CH4 emissions in the adjacent waters were an order of magnitude higher than in the soils and showed a marked response to urbanization. This study underscores the importance of considering GHG emissions of adjacent waters in carbon cycling dynamics in urbanized, tropical mangrove systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the genetic diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains currently circulating in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), the ORF5 gene from 17 field strains originating from four vaccinating commercial herds was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. High genetic variability was observed between farms at the nucleotide (86.3-95.2%) and amino acid (85.5-96%) levels. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that all field strains belonged to the European species (type 1) and clustered into three separate groups within the subtype 1 subgroup. This variation may pose challenges for diagnosis and prophylactic control of PRRSV through vaccination in the ROI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type I interferon (IFN-I) and T helper 17 (TH17) drive pathology in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and in TH17-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (TH17-EAE). This is paradoxical because the prevalent theory is that IFN-I inhibits TH17 function. Here we report that a cascade involving IFN-I, IL-6 and B cells promotes TH17-mediated neuro-autoimmunity. In NMOSD, elevated IFN-I signatures, IL-6 and IL-17 are associated with severe disability. Furthermore, IL-6 and IL-17 levels are lower in patients on anti-CD20 therapy. In mice, IFN-I elevates IL-6 and exacerbates TH17-EAE. Strikingly, IL-6 blockade attenuates disease only in mice treated with IFN-I. By contrast, B-cell-deficiency attenuates TH17-EAE in the presence or absence of IFN-I treatment. Finally, IFN-I stimulates B cells to produce IL-6 to drive pathogenic TH17 differentiation in vitro. Our data thus provide an explanation for the paradox surrounding IFN-I and TH17 in neuro-autoimmunity, and may have utility in predicting therapeutic response in NMOSD. Type I IFN has apposing effects in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Here the authors perform molecular profiling of NMOSD patients and mouse mechanistic experiments of neuro-inflammation to show that IFN-I stimulates pathogenic Th17 via IL-6 production by B cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparing teachers to teach science consistent with current reforms in science education is a daunting enterprise given a lack of high-quality science professional development (PD) adaptable across various contexts (Wilson 2013). This study examines the impact of a comprehensive professional development program on middle school teachers' disciplinary content knowledge and instructional practices. In this mixed methods investigation, data sources included classroom observations, content knowledge assessments, surveys, and a range of interviews. The teachers in the program showed significant improvements in their disciplinary content knowledge and demonstrated through their enactment of a reform-based curriculum, a range of ability levels to translate their knowledge into instructional practices consistent with the principles espoused in the PD. We conclude that programs that attend to elements of effective PD identified in the literature can positively impact middle school science teachers' enactment of reform-based science teaching. Our findings extend these elements to include the strategic engagement of school and district leadership and the provision of a safe learning space for teachers to collectively engage in reciprocal learning and critical practice. This study has worldwide implications for designing PD for science teachers and for extending our understanding of the impact of each element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The xylose oxidative pathway (XOP) is continuously gaining prominence as an alternative for the traditional pentose assimilative pathways in prokaryotes. It begins with the oxidation of D-xylose to D-xylonic acid, which is further converted to α-ketoglutarate or pyruvate + glycolaldehyde through a series of enzyme reactions. The persistent drawback of XOP is the accumulation of D-xylonic acid intermediate that causes culture media acidification. This study addresses this issue through the development of a novel pH-responsive synthetic genetic controller that uses a modified transmembrane transcription factor called CadCΔ. This genetic circuit was tested for its ability to detect extracellular pH and to control the buildup of D-xylonic acid in the culture media. Results showed that the pH-responsive genetic sensor confers dynamic regulation of D-xylonic acid accumulation, which adjusts with the perturbation of culture media pH. This is the first report demonstrating the use of a pH-responsive transmembrane transcription factor as a transducer in a synthetic genetic circuit that was designed for XOP. This may serve as a benchmark for the development of other genetic controllers for similar pathways that involve acidic intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]