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Abstract Increases in species richness with habitat area (species–area relationship, or SAR) and increases in ecosystem function with species richness (biodiversity–ecosystem functioning, or BEF) are widely studied ecological patterns. Incorporating functional trait analysis into assemblage datasets may help clarify interpretations of SAR and BEF relationships in natural ecological systems. For example, life history theory can be used to make predictions about what species are most important in generating ecosystem function given a certain set of environmental conditions. We used quantitative assemblage data for freshwater mussels at nine sites in western Alabama, USA, to test for SAR and BEF relationships. At each site, we calculated species richness, mussel assemblage density, and two fundamental metrics of ecosystem function: biomass and secondary production. We also tested whether the proportional biomass and production contributions from species belonging to each of three life history strategies—opportunistic strategists adapted to unstable or frequently disturbed habitats, periodic strategists adapted to habitats subject to predictable large‐scale disturbances, and equilibrium strategists adapted to stable habitats—varied longitudinally with stream drainage area, a proxy for habitat area. Species richness increased with stream size (SAR), and both biomass and production increased with species richness (BEF) and mussel density. There were few longitudinal changes in the proportional contributions of the different life history strategy classifications that we used, but the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea contributed proportionally more biomass and production at sites that had smaller drainage areas. This study provides further evidence for a clear longitudinal SAR in stream‐dwelling taxa. It also suggests BEF relationships for biomass and secondary production in natural assemblages but underscores the importance of assemblage density in BEF studies that use observational field data. Variation in proportional biomass and production contributions by different life history strategies was likely limited by the size of the stream size gradient in our study, as contributions were uniformly high for species with life history traits better adapted to stable and productive habitats such as mid‐sized rivers with low or predictable hydrologic disturbance frequencies. This highlights the need to understand how organisms' functional traits govern their relationships to the environment at different scales.

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) patients with a germline CHEK2 c.1100delC variant have an increased risk of contralateral BC (CBC) and worse BC‐specific survival (BCSS) compared to non‐carriers. Aim To assessed the associations of CHEK2 c.1100delC, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment with CBC risk and BCSS. Methods Analyses were based on 82,701 women diagnosed with a first primary invasive BC including 963 CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers; median follow‐up was 9.1 years. Differential associations with treatment by CHEK2 c.1100delC status were tested by including interaction terms in a multivariable Cox regression model. A multi‐state model was used for further insight into the relation between CHEK2 c.1100delC status, treatment, CBC risk and death. Results There was no evidence for differential associations of therapy with CBC risk by CHEK2 c.1100delC status. The strongest association with reduced CBC risk was observed for the combination of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy [HR (95% CI): 0.66 (0.55–0.78)]. No association was observed with radiotherapy. Results from the multi‐state model showed shorter BCSS for CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers versus non‐carriers also after accounting for CBC occurrence [HR (95% CI): 1.30 (1.09–1.56)]. Conclusion Systemic therapy was associated with reduced CBC risk irrespective of CHEK2 c.1100delC status. Moreover, CHEK2 c.1100delC carriers had shorter BCSS, which appears not to be fully explained by their CBC risk.

Abstract Children with severe Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have an unpredictable response to subcutaneous treprostinil (TRE) therapy, which may be influenced by age, disease severity, or other unknown variables at time of initiation. In this retrospective single‐center cohort study, we hypothesized that younger age at TRE initiation, early hemodynamic response (a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance by ≥30% at follow‐up catheterization), and less severe baseline hemodynamics (Rp:Rs < 1.1) would each be associated with better clinical outcomes. In 40 pediatric patients with Group I PAH aged 17 days−18 years treated with subcutaneous TRE, younger age (cut‐off of 6‐years of age, AUC 0.824) at TRE initiation was associated with superior 5‐year freedom from adverse events (94% vs. 39%, p = 0.002), better WHO functional class (I or II: 88% vs. 39% p = 0.003), and better echocardiographic indices of right ventricular function at most recent follow‐up. Neither early hemodynamic response nor less severe baseline hemodynamics were associated with better outcomes. Patients who did not have a significant early hemodynamic response to TRE by first follow‐up catheterization were unlikely to show subsequent improvement in PVRi (1/8, 13%). These findings may help clinicians counsel families and guide clinical decision making regarding the timing of advanced therapies.

Abstract Background Commonly applied diagnostic criteria for growing pains (GP) have evolved without determination by an authoritative representative body. GP and restless legs syndrome (RLS) share anatomical, distributional, temporal, and other clinical features and are associated in individuals over time, in families, and in population samples. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that GP, diagnosed by widely used criteria, is confounded by cases of painful restless legs syndrome (RLS‐Painful). Methods A twin family study of genetic influence and associations of GP using questionnaires was administered by Twins Research Australia. Twins (3–18 years; monozygous 503, dizygous 513), their oldest siblings, mothers, and fathers were randomly selected from the twin registry. Family members completed the questionnaires assessing lifetime prevalence of GP by commonly applied criteria and covariates including the history of iron deficiency and pediatric pain disorders. A GP‐Specific phenotype was defined as GP without urge to move the legs. We determined similarities in twin pairs for the GP and GP‐Specific phenotypes, family associations, and estimated familial and individual‐specific associations for each phenotype. Results Lifetime prevalence was one‐third lower for GP‐Specific than for GP among the twin and family members. Monozygous twin pairs were more similar than dizygous twin pairs for GP and for the derived GP‐Specific phenotype by three methods, consistent with genetic influence. There were familial associations, but the essential evidence for genetic influence was the twin‐cotwin data. GP was associated, in multivariable analyses, with migraine, headaches, recurrent abdominal pain, and iron deficiency, while GP‐Specific associations were limited to migraine and headaches. Conclusions GP is hybrid, one‐third of cases having symptoms and associations of RLS, necessarily RLS‐Painful. GP‐Specific (without symptoms and associations of RLS) could have a genetic etiology. We propose new criteria to facilitate etiological and therapeutic research.

Abstract Ecological theory posits that higher species richness should be associated with greater exploitation of resources and niche packing resulting from either increasing species niche overlap or specialization of species' niches. Research evaluating niche theory in animals tends to focus on organisms among functional feeding guilds, while resource partitioning might be more critical within functional groups. Freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are a diverse and imperiled group of animals that are ideal models to test niche occupancy due to their functional similarity as filter‐feeders and their occurrence in spatially and temporally stable multispecies aggregations. We evaluated the relationship between species richness and the trophic niche area for 25 mussel species occurring in 22 aggregations in the southeastern United States using stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of soft tissue (n = 1057). Mean species standard ellipse area decreased with species richness, whereas ellipse overlap was not related to richness, indicating increased niche specialization may be the primary mechanism allowing coexistence in species‐rich communities. Total community isotopic area increased with richness, suggesting species‐rich communities also use a broader range of resources and may not be species‐saturated. Overall, our data support the niche‐packing hypothesis by illustrating the importance of niche partitioning within a species‐rich guild of aquatic animals.

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological cancer and causes significant mortality and morbidity. Knowledge regarding modifiable risk factors for MM remains limited. This analysis of an Australian population‐based case–control family study investigates whether smoking or alcohol consumption is associated with risk of MM and related diseases. Incident cases (n = 789) of MM were recruited via cancer registries in Victoria and New South Wales. Controls (n = 1,113) were either family members of cases (n = 696) or controls recruited for a similarly designed study of renal cancers (n = 417). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional multivariable logistic regression. Heavy intake (>20 g ethanol/day) of alcohol had a lower risk of MM compared with nondrinkers (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50–0.93), and there was an inverse dose–response relationship for average daily alcohol intake (OR per 10 g ethanol per day = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.99); there was no evidence of an interaction with sex. There was no evidence of an association with MM risk for smoking‐related exposures (p > 0.18). The associations between smoking and alcohol with MM are similar to those with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Further research into potential underlying mechanisms is warranted.

Abstract Action potential conduction in axons triggers trans‐membrane ion movements, where Na+ enters and K+ leaves axons, leading to disruptions in resting trans‐membrane ion gradients that must be restored for optimal axon conduction, an energy dependent process. The higher the stimulus frequency, the greater the ion movements and the resulting energy demand. In the mouse optic nerve (MON), the stimulus evoked compound action potential (CAP) displays a triple peaked profile, consistent with subpopulations of axons classified by size producing the distinct peaks. The three CAP peaks show differential sensitivity to high‐frequency firing, with the large axons, which contribute to the 1st peak, more resilient than the small axons, which produce the 3rd peak. Modeling studies predict frequency dependent intra‐axonal Na+ accumulation at the nodes of Ranvier, sufficient to attenuate the triple peaked CAP. Short bursts of high‐frequency stimulus evoke transient elevations in interstitial K+ ([K+]o), which peak at about 50 Hz. However, powerful astrocytic buffering limits the [K+]o increase to levels insufficient to cause CAP attenuation. A post‐stimulus [K+]o undershoot below baseline coincides with a transient increase in the amplitudes of all three CAP peaks. The volume specific scaling relating energy expenditure to increasing axon size dictates that large axons are more resilient to high‐frequency firing than small axons.

Abstract Objective Currently there is no parent administered scale for facial nerve function in children. We set out to assess the agreement between a newly developed parent‐administered modified version of the House‐Brackmann (HB) scale and the standard clinician‐administered HB scale in children with Bell's palsy. Study Design Secondary analysis of a triple‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial of corticosteroids to treat idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell's palsy) in children (6 months to

Abstract Risks of postintroduction evolution in insects introduced to control invasive pests have been discussed for some time, but little is known about responses to selection or genetic architectures of host adaptation and thus about the likelihood or rapidity of evolutionary shifts. We report here results on the response to selection and genetic architecture of parasitism of a suboptimal, low‐preference host species by an aphid parasitoid, Aphelinus rhamni, a candidate for introduction against the soy bean aphid, Aphis glycines. We selected A. rhamni for increased parasitism of Rhopalsiphum padi by rearing the parasitoid on this aphid for three generations. We measured parasitism of R. padi at generations 2 and 3, and at generation 3, we crossed and backcrossed parasitoids from the populations reared on R. padi with those from populations reared on Aphis glycines and compared parasitism of both R. padi and Aphis glycines among F1 and backcross females. Aphelinus rhamni responded rapidly to selection for parasitism of R. padi. Selection for R. padi parasitism reduced parasitism of Aphis glycines, the original host of A. rhamni. However, parasitism of R. padi did not increase from generation 2 to generation 3 of selection, suggesting reduced variance available for selection, which was indeed found. We tested the associations between 184 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and increased parasitism of R. padi and found 28 SNP loci, some of which were associated with increased and others with decreased parasitism of R. padi. We assembled and annotated the A. rhamni genome, mapped all SNP loci to contigs and tested whether genes on contigs with SNP loci associated with parasitism were enriched for candidate genes or gene functions. We identified 80 genes on these contigs that mapped to 1.2 Mb of the 483 Mb genome of A. rhamni but found little enrichment of candidate genes or gene functions.

In this issue, Kresovich and colleagues have published a hallmark paper in Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology. By applying artificial intelligence to the Sister Study they created a new methylation‐based breast cancer risk score (mBCRS) based on blood DNA methylation. Using a prospective design and after accounting for age and questionnaire‐based breast cancer risk factors, the Odds PER Adjusted standard deviation (OPERA) for mBCRS and polygenic risk score (PRS) was 1.58 (95% CI: 1.38, 1.81) and 1.58 (95% CI: 1.36, 1.83), respectively, and the corresponding area under the receiver operating curve was 0.63 for both. Therefore, mBCRS could be as powerful as the current best PRS in differentiating women of the same age in terms of their breast cancer risk. These risk scores are among the strongest known breast cancer risk‐stratifiers, shaded only by new mammogram risk scores based on measures other than conventional mammographic density, such as Cirrocumulus and Cirrus, which when combined have an OPERA as high as 2.3. The combination of PRS and mBCRS with the other measured risk factors gave an OPERA of 2.2. OPERA has many advantages over changes in areas under the receiver operator curve because the latter depend on the order in which risk factors are considered. Although more replication is needed using prospective data to protect against reverse causation, there are many novel molecular and analytic aspects to this paper which uncovers a potential mechanism for how genetic and environmental factors combine to cause breast cancer.

Abstract Volcanostratigraphic and igneous province mapping of the Jan Mayen microcontinent (JMMC) and Iceland Plateau Rift (IPR) region have provided new insight into the development of rift systems during breakup processes. The microcontinent's formation involved two breakup events associated with seven distinct tectono‐magmatic phases (∼63–21 Ma), resulting in a fan‐shaped JMMC‐IPR igneous domain. Primary structural trends and anomalous magmatic activity guided initial opening (∼63–56 Ma) along a SE‐NW trend from the European margin and along a WNW‐ESE trend from East Greenland. The eastern margin of the microcontinent formed during the first breakup (∼55–53 Ma), with voluminous subaerial volcanism and emplacement of multiple sets of SSW–NNE‐aligned seaward‐dipping reflector sequences. The more gradual, second breakup (∼52–23 Ma) consisted of four northwestward migrating IPR (I–IV) rift zones along the microcontinent's southern and western margins. IPR I and II (∼52–36 Ma) migrated obliquely into East Greenland, interlinked via segments of the Iceland‐Faroe Fracture Zone, in overlapping sub‐aerial and sub‐surface igneous formations. IPR III and IV (∼35–23 Ma) formed a wide igneous domain south and west of the microcontinent, accompanied by uplift, regional tilting, and erosion as the area moved closer to the Iceland hotspot. The proto‐Kolbeinsey Ridge formed at ∼22–21 Ma and connected to the Reykjanes Ridge via the Northwest Iceland Rift Zone, near the center of the hotspot. Eastward rift transfers, toward the proto‐Iceland hotspot, commenced at ∼15 Ma, marking the initiation of segmented rift zones comparable to present‐day Iceland.

Abstract Plant–animal interactions are diverse and widespread shaping ecology, evolution, and biodiversity of most ecological communities. Carnivorous plants are unusual in that they can be simultaneously engaged with animals in multiple mutualistic and antagonistic interactions including reversed plant–animal interactions where they are the predator. Competition with animals is a potential antagonistic plant–animal interaction unique to carnivorous plants when they and animal predators consume the same prey. The goal of this field study was to test the hypothesis that under natural conditions, sundews and spiders are predators consuming the same prey thus creating an environment where interkingdom competition can occur. Over 12 months, we collected data on 15 dates in the only protected Highland Rim Wet Meadow Ecosystem in Kentucky where sundews, sheet‐web spiders, and ground‐running spiders co‐exist. One each sampling day, we attempted to locate fifteen sites with: (a) both sheet‐web spiders and sundews; (b) sundews only; and (c) where neither occurred. Sticky traps were set at each of these sites to determine prey (springtails) activity–density. Ground‐running spiders were collected on sampling days. DNA extraction was performed on all spiders to determine which individuals had eaten springtails and comparing this to the density of sundews where the spiders were captured. Sundews and spiders consumed springtails. Springtail activity–densities were lower, the higher the density of sundews. Both sheet‐web and ground‐running spiders were found less often where sundew densities were high. Sheet‐web size was smaller where sundew densities were high. The results of this study suggest that asymmetrical exploitative competition occurs between sundews and spiders. Sundews appear to have a greater negative impact on spiders, where spiders probably have little impact on sundews. In this example of interkingdom competition where the asymmetry should be most extreme, amensalism where one competitor experiences no cost of interaction may be occurring.

Abstract The reverse Potts shunt is increasingly used as a palliative measure for end‐stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as a means to offload the right ventricle and improve functional status. This case report describes a child who developed significant hemothorax after reverse Potts shunt that required surgical exploration, blood product administration, and prolonged intensive care hospitalization. Despite lack of preoperative bleeding symptoms, testing revealed acquired von Willebrand disease (aVWD), with subsequent resolution of bleeding. Alterations in von Willebrand factor, including aVWD, have been reported in children with severe PAH but have not previously been associated with bleeding after reverse Potts shunt procedure. As bleeding is a recognized postoperative morbidity in PAH patients undergoing reverse Potts shunt, we highlight a potential role for preoperative testing for aVWD as perioperative factor replacement therapy may improve postoperative outcomes.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of secondary surgery following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair with suture tape augmentation in comparison to conventional hamstring ACL reconstruction. We hypothesised that there would be no differences between the groups. Methods This was a retrospective comparison study of patients undergoing ACL surgery between September 2011 and April 2018. Two hundred and 73 patients underwent ACL reconstruction using hamstring autograft. During the same timeframe, 137 patients with an acute proximal ACL rupture underwent ACL repair with suture tape augmentation. One patient was lost to follow‐up in the ACL reconstruction group leaving 272 patients (99.6%) for the final analysis. In the ACL repair group, three patients were lost to follow‐up leaving 134 patents (97.8%) for the final analysis. Secondary surgery was identified by contacting the patients by email/telephone and reviewing patient notes at the time of this analysis. Results Re‐rupture occurred in 32 patients (11.8%) in the ACL reconstruction group compared to 22 patients (16.4%) in the ACL repair group (p = 0.194). Contralateral ACL rupture occurred in four patients (1.5%) in the ACL reconstruction group compared to three patients (2.2%) in the ACL repair group (p = 0.224). In the ACL reconstruction group, nine patients (3.3%) required secondary meniscal surgery whilst five patients (3.7%) required meniscal surgery in the ACL repair group (p = 0.830). Seven other operations were performed in the ACL reconstruction group (2.6%) compared to three other operations in the ACL repair group (2.2%) (p = 0.374). The overall number of patients undergoing secondary surgery in the ACL reconstruction group was 52 (19.1%) in comparison to 30 (22.4%) in the ACL repair group (p = 0.114). Conclusion ACL repair with suture tape augmentation for acute proximal ruptures demonstrated comparable rates of secondary surgery with hamstring ACL reconstruction.

Abstract Determining patterns of plant diversity on granite inselbergs is an important task for conservation biogeography due to mounting threats. However, beyond the tropics there are relatively few quantitative studies of floristic diversity, or consideration of these patterns and their environmental, biogeographic, and historical correlates for conservation. We sought to contribute broader understanding of global patterns of species diversity on granite inselbergs and inform biodiversity conservation in the globally significant Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). We surveyed floristics from 16 inselbergs (478 plots) across the climate gradient of the SWAFR stratified into three major habitats on each outcrop. We recorded 1,060 species from 92 families. At the plot level, local soil and topographic variables affecting aridity were correlated with species richness in herbaceous (HO) and woody vegetation (WO) of soil‐filled depressions, but not in woody vegetation on deeper soils at the base of outcrops (WOB). At the outcrop level, bioclimatic variables affecting aridity were correlated with species richness in two habitats (WO and WOB) but, contrary to predictions from island biogeography, were not correlated with inselberg area and isolation in any of the three habitats. Species turnover in each of the three habitats was also influenced by aridity, being correlated with bioclimatic variables and with interplot geographic distance, and for HO and WO habitats with local site variables. At the outcrop level, species replacement was the dominant component of species turnover in each of the three habitats, consistent with expectations for long‐term stable landscapes. Our results therefore highlight high species diversity and turnover associated with granite outcrop flora. Hence, effective conservation strategies will need to focus on protecting multiple inselbergs across the entire climate gradient of the region.

AbstractParasitic wasps are among the most species‐rich groups on Earth. A major cause of this diversity may be local adaptation to host species. However, little is known about variation in host specificity among populations within parasitoid species. Not only is such knowledge important for understanding host‐driven speciation, but because parasitoids often control pest insects and narrow host ranges are critical for the safety of biological control introductions, understanding variation in specificity and how it arises are crucial applications in evolutionary biology. Here, we report experiments on variation in host specificity among 16 populations of an aphid parasitoid, Aphelinus certus. We addressed several questions about local adaptation: Do parasitoid populations differ in host ranges or in levels of parasitism of aphid species within their host range? Are differences in parasitism among parasitoid populations related to geographical distance, suggesting clinal variation in abundances of aphid species? Or do nearby parasitoid populations differ in host use, as would be expected if differences in aphid abundances, and thus selection, were mosaic? Are differences in parasitism among parasitoid populations related to genetic distances among them? To answer these questions, we measured parasitism of a taxonomically diverse group of aphid species in laboratory experiments. Host range was the same for all the parasitoid populations, but levels of parasitism varied among aphid species, suggesting adaptation to locally abundant aphids. Differences in host specificity did not correlate with geographical distances among parasitoid populations, suggesting that local adaption is mosaic rather than clinal, with a spatial scale of less than 50 kilometers. We sequenced and assembled the genome of A. certus, made reduced‐representation libraries for each population, analyzed for single nucleotide polymorphisms, and used these polymorphisms to estimate genetic differentiation among populations. Differences in host specificity correlated with genetic distances among the parasitoid populations.

Abstract The intentional introduction of exotic species through classical biological control programs provides unique opportunities to examine the consequences of population movement and ecological processes for the genetic diversity and population structure of introduced species. The weevils Neochetina bruchi and N. eichhorniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) have been introduced globally to control the invasive floating aquatic weed, Eichhornia crassipes, with variable outcomes. Here, we use the importation history and data from polymorphic microsatellite markers to examine the effects of introduction processes on population genetic diversity and structure. We report the first confirmation of hybridization between these species, which could have important consequences for the biological control program. For both species, there were more rare alleles in weevils from the native range than in weevils from the introduced range. N. eichhorniae also had higher allelic richness in the native range than in the introduced range. Neither the number of individuals initially introduced nor the number of introduction steps appeared to consistently affect genetic diversity. We found evidence of genetic drift, inbreeding, and admixture in several populations as well as significant population structure. Analyses estimated two populations and 11 sub‐clusters for N. bruchi and four populations and 23 sub‐clusters for N. eichhorniae, indicating divergence of populations during and after introduction. Genetic differentiation and allocation of introduced populations to source populations generally supported the documented importation history and clarified pathways in cases where multiple introductions occurred. In populations with multiple introductions, genetic admixture may have buffered against the negative effects of serial bottlenecks on genetic diversity. The genetic data combined with the introduction history from this biological control study system provide insight on the accuracy of predicting introduction pathways from genetic data and the consequences of these pathways for the genetic variation and structure of introduced species.

Abstract Introduction Recent three-dimensional (3D) kinematic research has revealed foot abduction is the strongest predictor of standing functional and forced turnout postures. However, it is still unknown how the internal foot joints enable a large degree of foot abduction in turnout. The primary purpose of this study was to use a dance specific multi-segment foot model to determine the lower leg and foot contributions to turnout that female university-level ballets use to accentuate their turnout. Methods Eighteen female dance students (mean age, 18.8 ± 1.6 years) volunteered for this study. Retro-reflective markers were attached to the dancers’ dominant foot. Each dancer performed three repetitions of functional turnout, forced turnout and ten consecutive sautés in first position. Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni adjustments for the multiple comparisons were used to determine the kinematic adjustments, hindfoot eversion, midfoot and forefoot abduction, navicular drop (i.e. lowering of the medial longitudinal arch) and first metatarsophalangeal joint abduction between natural double leg up-right posture and the first position conditions. Results Hindfoot eversion (4.6°, p

Abstract Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease that recently resulted in a large mortality event of salmonids in the Yellowstone River (Montana, USA). Total PKD fish mortalities in the Yellowstone River were estimated in the tens of thousands, which resulted in a multi‐week river closure and an estimated economic loss of US$500,000. This event shocked scientists, managers, and the public, as this was the first occurrence of the disease in the Yellowstone River, the only reported occurrence of the disease in Montana in the past 25 yr, and arguably the largest wild PKD fish kill in the world. To understand why the Yellowstone River fish kill occurred, we used molecular and historical data to evaluate evidence for several hypotheses: Was the causative parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae a novel invader, was the fish kill associated with a unique parasite strain, and/or was the outbreak caused by unprecedented environmental conditions? We found that T. bryosalmonae is widely distributed in Montana and have documented occurrence of this parasite in archived fish collected in the Yellowstone River prior to the fish kill. T. bryosalmonae had minimal phylogeographic population structure, as the DNA of parasites sampled from the Yellowstone River and distant water bodies were very similar. These results suggest that T. bryosalmonae could be endemic in Montana. Due to data limitations, we could not reject the hypothesis that the fish kill was caused by a novel and more virulent genetic strain of the parasite. Finally, we found that single‐year environmental conditions are insufficient to explain the cause of the 2016 Yellowstone River PKD outbreak. Other regional rivers where we documented T. bryosalmonae had similar or even more extreme conditions than the Yellowstone River and similar or more extreme conditions have occurred in the Yellowstone River in the recent past, yet mass PKD mortalities have not been documented in either instance. We conclude by placing these results and unresolved hypotheses into the broader context of international research on T. bryosalmonae and PKD, which strongly suggests that a better understanding of bryozoans, the primary host of T. bryosalmonae, is required for better ecosystem understanding.

Abstract Purpose The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is an important stabilizer of the knee and can be damaged in up to 20% of ligamentous injuries. Numerous techniques for surgical treatment have been described in the literature with none shown to be clearly superior. The aim of this study was to assess the 2‐year outcomes of PCL repair with suture tape augmentation. Methods Seventeen patients undergoing PCL repair with suture tape augmentation were prospectively followed up for a minimum of two years. One patient was lost to follow‐up leaving sixteen patients in the final analysis (94.1%). Indications for this procedure were acute Grade III PCL ruptures, symptomatic chronic tears and PCL tears as part of a multi‐ligament injury. Exclusion criteria were patients with retracted PCL remnants or poor tissue quality. Patient‐reported outcomes were measured using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS‐pain), Veterans RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR‐12) and Marx Activity Scale. Patients with any postoperative complications were identified. Mean differences between the outcomes pre‐operatively and at two years postoperatively were evaluated using paired t‐tests with significance set at p

Abstract To investigate the controls on continental rifting in the western branch of the East Africa Rift System, we conduct shear velocity imaging of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the weakly extended Malawi Rift and the Rungwe Volcanic Province (RVP). We use local‐scale measurements of Rayleigh wave phase velocities between 9‐ and 100‐s periods combined with constraints on basin architecture and crustal thickness to invert for shear velocity from the surface to ~135 km. Our resulting 3‐D model reveals a localized low‐velocity anomaly associated with the RVP extending from the crust and through the upper mantle, which can be explained with modestly elevated temperatures. Away from the RVP, velocities within mantle flanking the rift are fast (>4.6 ± 0.1 km/s), suggesting depleted lithospheric mantle to depths of ~100 and >135 km to the west and east of the rift, respectively. The upper mantle beneath the rift axis is characterized by thinned lithosphere with slower velocities than the surrounding plateau, suggestive of thermal and/or chemical modification by the rifting process. Slowest velocities are mildly asymmetric about the rift axis, with the lowest velocities observed beneath the rift and adjacent footwall escarpments. The underlying asthenosphere is only moderately slow (~4.25 ± 0.1 km/s), including beneath the RVP, precluding the presence of significant volumes of partial melt. The positions of localized lithospheric modification and basin‐bounding border faults correlate with the location of Proterozoic mobile belts, suggesting that these sutures provide lithospheric‐scale weakening mechanisms necessary for localizing strain and allowing extension to occur in the Malawi Rift.

Abstract Juxtaposed terranes of highly varied tectonic history make up the contiguous U.S.: the tectonically active western U.S., the largely quiescent Archean and Proterozoic cratons of the central U.S., and the Phanerozoic orogen and rifted margin of the eastern U.S. The transitions between these regions are clearly observed with Sp converted wave images of the uppermost mantle. We use common conversion point stacked Sp waves recorded by EarthScope's Transportable Array and other permanent and temporary broadband stations to image the transition from a strong velocity decrease at the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary (or LAB) beneath the western U.S. to deeper, less continuous features moving east that largely lie within the lithosphere. Only sparse, localized, weak phases are seen at LAB depths beneath the cratonic interior. Instead, we observe structures within the cratonic lithosphere that are most prominent within the Archean lithosphere of the Superior Craton. The transition from west to east is clearly revealed by cluster analysis, which also shows eastern U.S. mantle velocity gradients as more similar to the western U.S. than the ancient interior, particularly beneath New England and Virginia. In the western U.S., the observed strong LAB indicates a large enough velocity gradient (an average velocity drop of 10 ± 4.5% distributed over 30 ± 15 km) to imply that melt has ponded beneath the lithosphere.

Abstract Epidemiological, biological, and molecular data suggest links between endometriosis and endometrial cancer, with recent epidemiological studies providing evidence for an association between a previous diagnosis of endometriosis and risk of endometrial cancer. We used genetic data as an alternative approach to investigate shared biological etiology of these two diseases. Genetic correlation analysis of summary level statistics from genomewide association studies (GWAS) using LD Score regression revealed moderate but significant genetic correlation (rg = 0.23, P = 9.3 × 10−3), and SNP effect concordance analysis provided evidence for significant SNP pleiotropy (P = 6.0 × 10−3) and concordance in effect direction (P = 2.0 × 10−3) between the two diseases. Cross‐disease GWAS meta‐analysis highlighted 13 distinct loci associated at P ≤ 10−5 with both endometriosis and endometrial cancer, with one locus (SNP rs2475335) located within PTPRD associated at a genomewide significant level (P = 4.9 × 10−8, OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.07–1.15). PTPRD acts in the STAT3 pathway, which has been implicated in both endometriosis and endometrial cancer. This study demonstrates the value of cross‐disease genetic analysis to support epidemiological observations and to identify biological pathways of relevance to multiple diseases.