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Background: Lyme disease (LD), the most common vector‐borne disease in the United States, typically presents with a localised erythema migrans rash (EM). Left untreated, infection can disseminate to cause severe heart, joint or nervous system manifestations. Summaries of LD surveillance data have been published previously but did not include the frequency, demographic or clinical characteristics of LD cases during pregnancy. Methods: We summarised confirmed and probable LD cases by pregnancy status as reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during 1992–2019. We defined an LD case during pregnancy as one with (1) female sex, (2) age 14–49 years and (3) positive pregnancy indication. We evaluated the frequency, seasonality, age distribution, race and ethnicity, geographic distribution and clinical manifestations of LD cases during pregnancy and cases among non‐pregnant females. We compared proportions using chi‐squared tests. Results: Among 698,876 reported LD cases, 112,002 (16%) were confirmed or probable cases among females aged 14–49 years; 32,301 (29%) were specifically reported as non‐pregnant and 643 (0.6%) (568 confirmed and 75 probable cases) reported as pregnant. Illness onset peaked in June among LD cases during pregnancy, but in July for cases among non‐pregnant females. A higher proportion of confirmed LD cases during pregnancy had only EM rash than did cases among non‐pregnant females (66% vs. 60%, p = 0.019). Conclusions: LD cases during pregnancy are rare. Compared to non‐pregnant females, cases among pregnant females more commonly involve early clinical manifestations. These patterns could suggest earlier detection or more complete reporting of LD cases during pregnancy than their non‐pregnant counterparts. Earlier detection could be due to frequent contact with healthcare or increased self‐advocacy during pregnancy. Prompt antimicrobial treatment is critical for preventing severe disease and reducing risk of adverse pregnancy or birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In root nodule symbioses (RNS) between nitrogen (N)‐fixing bacteria and plants, bacterial symbionts cycle between nodule‐inhabiting and soil‐inhabiting niches that exert differential selection pressures on bacterial traits. Little is known about how the resulting evolutionary tension between host plants and symbiotic bacteria structures naturally occurring bacterial assemblages in soils. We used DNA cloning to examine soil‐dwelling assemblages of the actinorhizal symbiont Frankia in sites with long‐term stable assemblages in Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia nodules. We compared: (1) phylogenetic diversity of Frankia in soil versus nodules, (2) change in Frankia assemblages in soil versus nodules in response to environmental variation: both across succession, and in response to long‐term fertilization with N and phosphorus, and (3) soil assemblages in the presence and absence of host plants. Phylogenetic diversity was much greater in soil‐dwelling than nodule‐dwelling assemblages and fell into two large clades not previously observed. The presence of host plants was associated with enhanced representation of genotypes specific to A. tenuifolia, and decreased representation of genotypes specific to a second Alnus species. The relative proportion of symbiotic sequence groups across a primary chronosequence was similar in both soil and nodule assemblages. Contrary to expectations, both N and P enhanced symbiotic genotypes relative to non‐symbiotic ones. Our results provide a rare set of field observations against which predictions from theoretical and experimental work in the evolutionary ecology of RNS can be compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of deposition technique and post deposition treatment can significantly influence the performance of organic electronic devices by altering the complex relationship between film properties and charge transport. Herein, the influence of deposition method and post deposition thermal annealing on the thin‐film properties of an emerging semiconductor, bis(tri‐n‐propylsilyl oxide) SiPc ((3PS)2‐SiPc), is examined by polarized Raman microscopy. Comparing physical vapor deposition (PVD) and spin‐coating, the orientation of (3PS)2‐SiPc molecules in films is determined and further characterized by X‐ray diffraction to assess variations in microstructure and morphology due to thermal annealing. Despite differences in film formation, non‐annealed organic thin‐film transistors (OTFTs) fabricated by PVD and spin‐coating resulted in similar electron mobilities (μe) on the order of 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 and threshold voltages (VT) of 10–20 V. Films fabricated by PVD annealed at 175 °C transition to a new polymorphic form with molecules aligned at a higher angle to the substrate and exhibiting reduced device performance. Conversely, spin‐coated films do not undergo any new polymorph formation or structural reorganization with thermal annealing. PVD fabricated films are thus more readily able to undergo transformations to structure and morphology with post deposition processing, while the microstructure of spin‐coated films is established at the time of deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is a sensitive stage of oral microbial development that often coincides with the initiation and escalation of alcohol use. Thus, adolescents may be particularly susceptible to alcohol‐induced alterations in the oral microbiome, though minimal research has been done in this area. Understanding the connection between the oral microbiome and alcohol use during adolescence is important to understand fully the biological consequences of alcohol use to mitigate potential adverse outcomes. Methods: Saliva samples were collected from adolescents aged 17–19 who used alcohol heavily (n = 21, 52.4% female) and those who did not use alcohol or any other substances (n = 18, 44.4% female). We utilized 16S rRNA sequencing to examine differences in microbial diversity and composition between the groups. Results: For alpha diversity, evenness was significantly lower in the drinking group than the control group as indicated by Pielou's evenness, Shannon, and Simpson indices. There were no statistically significant findings for beta diversity. Differential abundance analyses revealed higher abundances of Rothia and Corynebacterium in the alcohol‐using group using both centered‐log‐ratio and relative abundance normalization. These genera are known for their high capacity to convert alcohol into acetaldehyde, a toxic metabolite reported to play a role in the neurobiological effects of alcohol. An unclassified Clostridia UCG‐014, Streptobacillus, Comamonas, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, and Parvimonas were also identified as significantly different between groups when using only one of the normalization techniques. Conclusions: This is the first study designed specifically to compare the oral microbiome of adolescents who use alcohol with that of control participants. Our findings reveal distinct alcohol‐related differences in microbial composition and taxon abundance, emphasizing the importance of understanding the impact on the oral microbiome of alcohol use during adolescence. Because the oral microbiome is malleable, this study provides foundational work for future prevention and intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Root‐associated fungi (RAF) and root traits regulate plant acquisition of nitrogen (N), which is limiting to growth in Arctic ecosystems. With anthropogenic warming, a new N source from thawing permafrost has the potential to change vegetation composition and increase productivity, influencing climate feedbacks. Yet, the impact of warming on tundra plant root traits, RAF, and access to permafrost N is uncertain.We investigated the relationships between RAF, species‐specific root traits, and uptake of N from the permafrost boundary by tundra plants experimentally warmed for nearly three decades at Toolik Lake, Alaska.Warming increased acquisitive root traits of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal plants. RAF community composition of ericoid (ERM) but not ectomycorrhizal (ECM) shrubs was impacted by warming and correlated with root traits. RAF taxa in the dark septate endophyte, ERM, and ECM guilds strongly correlated with permafrost N uptake for ECM and ERM shrubs. Overall, a greater proportion of variation in permafrost N uptake was related to root traits than RAF.Our findings suggest that warming Arctic ecosystems will result in interactions between roots, RAF, and newly thawed permafrost that may strongly impact feedbacks to the climate system through mechanisms of carbon and N cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research plays a vital role in advancing the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. It is a fundamental skill for learners to develop during their training under guided mentorship. Incorporating learners into research and quality improvement (QI) projects can yield numerous benefits for the learner, mentor, and institution. Despite this, there are barriers to integrating learners into research and QI projects which may stem from institutions and individuals. To ensure success when engaging in the research process, strategies centered around clear communication and illustrating the value should be implemented. Successful research programs require planning strategically, setting clear expectations, providing mentorship, and remaining adaptable to overcome barriers encountered during the process. The purpose of this paper is to discuss barriers to incorporating learners into research and QI projects and provide both mentors and learners strategies, tips and examples for success with perspectives and opinions from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Adult Medicine and Education and Training Practice Research Networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) represent an increasingly popular class of genetically encodable bioprobes and biomarkers that can advance next‐generation breakthroughs across the imaging and life sciences. Since the rational design of RFPs with improved functions or enhanced versatility requires a mechanistic understanding of their working mechanisms, while fluorescence is intrinsically an ultrafast event, a suitable toolset involving steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopic techniques has become powerful in delineating key structural features and dynamic steps which govern irreversible photoconverting or reversible photoswitching RFPs, and large Stokes shift (LSS)RFPs. The pertinent cis‐trans isomerization and protonation state change of RFP chromophores in their local environments, involving key residues in protein matrices, lead to rich and complicated spectral features across multiple timescales. In particular, ultrafast excited‐state proton transfer in various LSSRFPs showcases the resolving power of wavelength‐tunable femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) in mapping a photocycle with crucial knowledge about the red‐emitting species. Moreover, recent progress in noncanonical RFPs with a site‐specifically modified chromophore provides an appealing route for efficient engineering of redder and brighter RFPs, highly desirable for bioimaging. Such an effective feedback loop involving physical chemists, protein engineers, and biomedical microscopists will enable future successes to expand fundamental knowledge and improve human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root‐associated fungi play a critical role in plant ecophysiology, growth and subsequent responses to disturbances, so they are thought to be particularly instrumental in shaping vegetation dynamics after fire in the boreal forest. Despite increasing data on the distribution of fungal taxonomic diversity through space and time in boreal ecosystems, there are knowledge gaps with respect to linking these patterns to ecosystem function and process.Here we explore what is currently known about postfire root‐associated fungi in the boreal forest. We focus on wildfire impacts on mycorrhizal fungi and the relationships between plant–fungal interactions and forest recovery in an effort to explore whether postfire mycorrhizal dynamics underlie plant–soil feedbacks that may influence fire‐facilitated vegetation shifts.We characterize the mechanisms by which wildfire influences root‐associated fungal community assembly. We identify scenarios of postfire plant–fungal interactions that represent putative positive and negative plant–soil feedbacks that may impact successional trajectories. We highlight the need for empirical field observations and experiments to inform our ability to translate patterns of postfire root‐associated fungal diversity to ecological function and application in models.We suggest that understanding postfire interactions between root‐associated fungi and plants is critical to predict fire effects on vegetation patterns, ecosystem function, future landscape flammability and feedbacks to climate. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methionine is a nutritionally limiting amino acid in poultry diets based on maize (Zea mays L.) grain. Synthetic dietary supplements are available but are costly and not preferred by organic poultry producers. The development of high methionine maize varieties would reduce the need for supplementation. Several approaches have been reported for achieving this goal. Here, we report a novel approach that can produce diverse inbred lines with higher content of methionine than other methods. Inbred lines were developed using doubled haploid technology from a broad‐based synthetic population that has undergone mass selection for grain methionine concentration. Out of 18 randomly selected inbred lines, one was significantly higher in methionine concentration than the high methionine check and 11 were not significantly different from it. The inbred lines developed in this way also exhibited useful genetic diversity for several agronomic and kernel quality traits, including flowering date, and orangeness of the kernel. This approach is an excellent complement to other breeding methods for development of varieties for production of poultry feed. Because the approach does not rely on transgenic technology, the resulting lines are suitable for use by organic producers and are well suited to organic production systems. Core Ideas: Methionine is a limiting nutrient in maize‐based poultry diets and few options exist for organic feed.The high‐grain methionine trait from a selected population was transferred to doubled haploid lines.The lines produced in this study have higher methionine than checks and diversity in other traits.This approach addresses the need of organic poultry producers for diverse high methionine maize germplasm.Breeding populations are more valuable when phenotypic extremes can be readily captured in DH lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope measurements in lacustrine ostracodes are widely used as paleolimnological indicators of past climate change. Previous work has used individual ostracode valves to resolve seasonal and subdecadal paleohydrological signals, yet replicated assessments of co‐occurring specimens from modern samples are rare. Here we focus on ostracodes from sediments collected in 1979 from Lake Turkana, an alkaline desert lake in tropical eastern Africa. Sourced from the Ethiopian highlands, the Omo River is the dominant inflow into this lake. We present individual ostracode valve analyses (IOVA) of δ13C and δ18O measurements (n = 329) of the extant benthic ostracode Sclerocypris clavularis from 17 sites spanning the entire lake (navg = ∼19 specimens/site). We demonstrate that the pooled statistics of individual valve measurements at each site are shaped by lake hydrology, superimposed over inter‐individual isotopic variations. Within‐site variance in IOVA‐δ13C is larger (∼60%) than that of IOVA‐δ18O. Yet, site‐based averages exhibit a systematic pattern, with higher δ values toward the southern part of the lake, away from Omo River inflow. We suggest that the latitudinal δ13C gradient may arise from low riverine δ13C and low organic matter δ13C as a productivity response to nutrient‐rich Omo River inflow toward the north. The δ18O pattern may be explained by the diminishing influence of Omo River inflows and more evaporation driving higher IOVA‐δ18O values toward the windier, southern basin. We conclude that pooled IOVA statistics in Omo‐Turkana sediments can aid interpretations of past regional paleohydrology and its variability in this basin. Plain Language Summary: Ostracodes are microscopic, aquatic crustaceans that deposit shells ("valves") made of calcium carbonate. Retrieved from sediment cores, these valves are widely used to estimate past water conditions using their shell chemistry. Here we focus on stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in numerous individual valves in modern sediments taken from multiple sites across Lake Turkana, Kenya. This lake is located in a hot and arid region in tropical eastern Africa. The Omo River, which is sourced from rainfall in the Ethiopian Highlands region, is the major river that flows into Lake Turkana. We find that ostracode stable isotopes are useful recorders of lake hydrology in this basin and reveal a strong fingerprint of Omo River inflow as well as evaporation toward the windier southern part of Lake Turkana. Analyzing numerous individual valves at each site can help produce better estimates of average changes in past lakewater conditions versus changes arising from seasonal variations. Our results provide a modern baseline of ostracode stable isotopes at Lake Turkana. We suggest that both the average of, and variations within individual‐valve measurements of ostracode geochemistry can help characterize past hydrological variability and lake water conditions. Key Points: We present individual ostracode valve analyses (IOVA) of δ18O and δ13C in modern Sclerocypris clavularis specimens from Lake TurkanaPooled averages of IOVA‐δ18O and ‐δ13C at each site steadily increase from the northern to southern basin of the lakeWe suggest that riverine inflows and productivity drive IOVA‐δ13C whereas inflows, their δ18O values, and evaporation drive IOVA‐δ18O [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yeast mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways serve as a model system for understanding how network interactions affect the way in which cells coordinate the response to multiple signals. We have quantitatively compared two yeast strain backgrounds YPH499 and ∑1278b (both of which have previously been used to study these pathways) and found several important differences in how they coordinate the interaction between the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) and mating pathways. In the ∑1278b background, in response to simultaneous stimulus, mating pathway activation is dampened and delayed in a dose‐dependent manner. In the YPH499 background, only dampening is dose‐dependent. Furthermore, leakage from the HOG pathway into the mating pathway (crosstalk) occurs during osmostress alone in the ∑1278b background only. The mitogen‐activated protein kinase Hog1p suppresses crosstalk late in an induction time course in both strains but does not affect the early crosstalk seen in the ∑1278b background. Finally, the kinase Rck2p plays a greater role suppressing late crosstalk in the ∑1278b background than in the YPH499 background. Our results demonstrate that comparisons between laboratory yeast strains provide an important resource for understanding how signalling network interactions are tuned by genetic variation without significant alteration to network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the United States. Previous analyses show that breast cancer incidence increased from 1999 to 2018. The purpose of this article is to examine trends in breast cancer mortality. Methods: Analysis of 1999 to 2020 mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, among women by race/ethnicity, age, and US Census region. Results: It was found that overall breast cancer mortality is decreasing but varies by race/ethnicity, age group, and US Census region. The largest decrease in mortality was observed among non‐Hispanic White women, women aged 45 to 64 years of age, and women living in the Northeast; whereas the smallest decrease in mortality was observed among non‐Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander women, women aged 65 years or older, and women living in the South. Conclusion: This report provides national estimates of breast cancer mortality from 1999 to 2020 by race/ethnicity, age group, and US Census region. The decline in breast cancer mortality varies by demographic group. Disparities in breast cancer mortality have remained consistent over the past two decades. Using high‐quality cancer surveillance data to estimate trends in breast cancer mortality may help health care professionals and public health prevention programs tailor screening and diagnostic interventions to address these disparities. Overall breast cancer mortality is decreasing but varies by race/ethnicity, age group, and US Census region. Using high‐quality cancer surveillance data to estimate trends in breast cancer mortality may help health care professionals and public health prevention programs tailor screening and diagnostic interventions to address these disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on the idea of the 'orders of creation' as developed in Emil Brunner's The Divine Imperative (1932) and shows that Brunner's understanding of the orders provides a fruitful theological foundation for conceptualizing Christian vocation and for framing the process of discernment therein. However, the concept of orders of creation is a mistrusted doctrine with problematic historical baggage. A few attempts have been made to rehabilitate the concept of the orders, but a successful revival requires a more thorough reimagining of the doctrine than has been previously attempted. Examining Christian vocation within the framework of the orders of creation, I undertake to reimagine the doctrine of orders as orders of vocation, supplying a definition of vocation as the unifying principle of those tasks which emerge where the will of God intersects with one's familial, economic, political, cultural and ecclesial responsibilities. The orders of vocation serve as a heuristic device that relativizes vocation in light of the particularities of concrete life. All activity within the orders of vocation is inevitably moral activity. Also, the orders of vocation, as opposed to orders of creation, emphasize the perennial necessity of reformation within the spheres of communal life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green‐to‐red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (FPs) are vital biomimetic tools for powerful techniques such as super‐resolution imaging. A unique Kaede‐type FP named the least evolved ancestor (LEA) enables delineation of the evolutionary step to acquire photoconversion capability from the ancestral green fluorescent protein (GFP). A key residue, Ala69, was identified through several steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopic techniques that allows LEA to effectively photoswitch and enhance the green‐to‐red photoconversion. However, the inner workings of this functional protein have remained elusive due to practical challenges of capturing the photoexcited chromophore motions in real time. Here, we implemented femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy and transient absorption on LEA‐A69T, aided by relevant crystal structures and control FPs, revealing that Thr69 promotes a stronger π–π stacking interaction between the chromophore phenolate (P‐)ring and His193 in FP mutants that cannot photoconvert or photoswitch. Characteristic time constants of ~60–67 ps are attributed to P‐ring twist as the onset for photoswitching in LEA (major) and LEA‐A69T (minor) with photoconversion capability, different from ~16/29 ps in correlation with the Gln62/His62 side‐chain twist in ALL‐GFP/ALL‐Q62H, indicative of the light‐induced conformational relaxation preferences in various local environments. A minor subpopulation of LEA‐A69T capable of positive photoswitching was revealed by time‐resolved electronic spectroscopies with targeted light irradiation wavelengths. The unveiled chromophore structure and dynamics inside engineered FPs in an aqueous buffer solution can be generalized to improve other green‐to‐red photoconvertible FPs from the bottom up for deeper biophysics with molecular biology insights and powerful bioimaging advances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal subsidence induced by ground ice melt can be measured by interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) techniques to infer active layer thickness (ALT) in permafrost regions. The magnitude of subsidence depends on both how deep the soil thawed and how much ice/water content existed in the active layer soil. To provide the later, P‐band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) backscatter is used due to its sensitivity to subsurface soil moisture and freeze/thaw conditions. In this study, which is the second in a two‐part series of Permafrost Dynamics Observatory (PDO), we exploit L‐band InSAR subsidence and P‐band PolSAR backscatter in a joint retrieval scheme to simultaneously estimate ALT and soil moisture profile of permafrost active layer. Both subsidence and backscatter are explicitly characterized by physics‐based models and share a common set of soil parameters including porosity and water saturation profiles. The PDO joint retrieval has been applied to the L‐ and P‐band SAR data acquired by National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar over Alaska and western Canada during the 2017 Arctic‐Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) airborne campaign. This high‐resolution (30 m) regional estimates of ALT and soil moisture profile spanning over the ABoVE study domain can help link the ground‐based field surveys with satellite observations to further understand the permafrost and active layer soil process dynamics to disturbances and climate change occurring across the northern circumpolar region. Key Points: We develop a joint retrieval scheme for estimating active layer thickness (ALT) and soil moisture in permafrost soils from L‐band interferometric synthetic aperture radar and P‐band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar observationsModeling of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observables (surface subsidence and radar backscatter) with respect to active layer soil properties is discussedWe present ALT and soil moisture products retrieved from 63 SAR transects acquired during the 2017 NASA Arctic‐Boreal Vulnerability Experiment airborne campaign [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytes, which grow on other plants for support, make up a large portion of Earth's plant diversity. Like other plants, their surfaces and interiors are colonized by diverse assemblages of fungi that can benefit their hosts by increasing tolerance for abiotic stressors and resistance to disease or harm them as pathogens. Fungal communities associated with epiphytic plants and the processes that structure these communities are poorly known. To address this, we sampled seven epiphytic seedless plant taxa in a Costa Rican rainforest and examined the effects of host identity and microhabitat on external and endophytic fungal communities. We found low host specificity for both external and endophytic fungi and weak differentiation between epiphytic and neighboring epilithic plant hosts. High turnover in fungi within and between hosts and habitats reveals that epiphytic plant-associated fungal communities are highly diverse and suggests that they are structured by stochastic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With age, susceptibility to osteoarthritis (OA) and OA‐related pain and disability increases. Like in OA patients, gait patterns in rodent OA models shift to protect the injured limb during loading. However, unlike in OA patients, it is unknown how age affects gait changes in rodent OA models. In this study, gait compensations following meniscal injury in 3‐, 6‐, and 9‐month‐old rats were evaluated to examine age‐effects of OA‐related joint dysfunction. Rats 3, 6, and 9 months received medial collateral ligament transection plus medial meniscus transection (MCLT + MMT) surgery (n = 8/age group) or a skin incision (n = 8/age group). Postsurgery, rats underwent gait testing at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Postmortem, joints were processed for histology to assess cartilage damage. MCLT + MMT rats walked with reduced vertical loading in their injured limbs immediately after injury and throughout OA progression. Compared to sham‐operated limbs, 6‐ and 9‐month MCLT + MMT animals reduced loading in their injured limbs while 3‐month MCLT + MMT animals did not. MCLT + MMT rats also increased stance time on the injured limb compared to the contralateral limb. Additionally, for the MCLT + MMT animals, 6‐ and 9‐month animals had significantly worse cartilage damage compared to 3‐month animals. These data indicated age at injury onset affects how animals load the OA‐affected joint, with older animals developing gait compensations that more markedly reduce weight on the injured limb during walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish exposed to supersaturated total dissolved gas (TDG) levels can develop gas bubble trauma (GBT) which can lead to sublethal effects or mortality. Access to refugia in areas of high TDG that allows for hydrostatic (depth) compensation can mitigate exposure risk and GBT occurrence. The goals for this study were to examine resident fish habitat and depth use and assess exposure risk to elevated TDG levels related to hydropower operations in the Columbia‐Kootenay system in British Columbia. Modeling was used to predict TDG levels for three operational cases (low, medium, and high spill rates). Acoustic telemetry was used to track rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (RT) and mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni (MW) reach and depth residency. Telemetry results did not differ among operational scenarios and aligned with known biological/life history characteristics for fluvial or fluvial‐adfluvial species. Within‐species MW reach residency appeared to be reflective of seasonal habitat selection for spawning, foraging, and refuge movements. Within‐species RT reach residency appeared to follow habitat association patterns reflective of RT ecology. A risk assessment revealed that RT had a significantly higher TDG exposure risk relative to MW, but sufficient depth refugia habitat was available to mitigate exposure risk and GBT occurrence in both species. The results suggested that TDG exposure risk and actual risk depend on the interplay between species‐specific ecology and TDG patterns generated by hydropower facilities. The ecological and TDG patterns in this study suggested that system‐ and species‐specific studies will be required to generate detailed TDG exposure predictions for management decision‐making. Key Points: Telemetry results aligned with known biological/life history characteristics for fluvial or fluvial‐adfluvial potadromous speciesRainbow trout had a significantly higher total dissolved gas exposure risk relative to mountain whitefishSufficient depth refugia was available to mitigate exposure risk and gas bubble trauma occurrence in both species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large collection of element‐wise planar densities for compounds obtained from the Materials Project is calculated using brute force computational geometry methods, where the planar density is given by the total fractional area of atoms intersecting a supercell's crystallographic plane divided by the area of the supercell's crystallographic plane. It is demonstrated that the element‐wise maximum lattice plane densities can be useful as machine learning features. The methods described here are implemented in an open‐source Mathematica package hosted at https://github.com/sgbaird/LatticePlane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal species have numerous important environmental functions. Where these functions occur will depend on how fungi are spatially distributed, but the spatial structures of fungal communities are largely unknown, especially in understudied hyperdiverse tropical tree canopy systems. Here we explore fungal communities in a Costa Rican tropical rainforest canopy, with a focus on local‐scale spatial structure and substrate specificity of fungi. Samples of ~1 cm3 were collected from 135 points along five adjacent tree branches, with intersample distances from 1 to 800 cm, and dissected into four substrates: outer host tree bark, inner bark, dead bryophytes and living bryophytes. We sequenced the ITS2 region to characterize total fungal communities. Fungal community composition and diversity varied among substrate types, even when multiple substrates were in direct contact. Fungi were most diverse in living bryophytes, with 39% of all operational taxonomic units (OTUs) found exclusively in this substrate, and the least diverse in inner bark. Fungal communities had significant positive spatial autocorrelation and distance decay of similarity only at distances less than 1 m. Similarity among samples declined by half in less than 10 cm, and even at these short distances, similarities were low with few OTUs shared among samples. These results indicate that community turnover is high and occurs at very small spatial scales, with any two locations sharing very few fungi in common. High heterogeneity of fungal communities in space and among substrates may have implications for the distributions, population dynamics and diversity of other tree canopy organisms, including epiphytic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in sustainable optoelectronics including photovoltaics, light‐emitting diodes, transistors, and semiconductors have been enabled by π‐conjugated organic molecules. A fundamental understanding of light‐matter interactions involving these materials can be realized by time‐resolved electronic and vibrational spectroscopies. In this Minireview, the photoinduced mechanisms including charge/energy transfer, electronic (de)localization, and excited‐state proton transfer are correlated with functional properties encompassing optical absorption, fluorescence quantum yield, conductivity, and photostability. Four naturally derived molecules (xylindein, dimethylxylindein, alizarin, indigo) with ultrafast spectral insights showcase efficient energy dissipation involving H‐bonding networks and proton motions, which yield high photostability. Rational design principles derived from such investigations could increase the efficiency for light harvesting, triplet formation, and photosensitivity for improved and versatile optoelectronic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanism of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and identifying potential therapeutics are global imperatives. Using a quantitative systems pharmacology approach, we identified a set of repurposable and investigational drugs as potential therapeutics against COVID‐19. These were deduced from the gene expression signature of SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected A549 cells screened against Connectivity Map and prioritized by network proximity analysis with respect to disease modules in the viral–host interactome. We also identified immuno‐modulating compounds aiming at suppressing hyperinflammatory responses in severe COVID‐19 patients, based on the transcriptome of ACE2‐overexpressing A549 cells. Experiments with Vero‐E6 cells infected by SARS‐CoV‐2, as well as independent syncytia formation assays for probing ACE2/SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐mediated cell fusion using HEK293T and Calu‐3 cells, showed that several predicted compounds had inhibitory activities. Among them, salmeterol, rottlerin, and mTOR inhibitors exhibited antiviral activities in Vero‐E6 cells; imipramine, linsitinib, hexylresorcinol, ezetimibe, and brompheniramine impaired viral entry. These novel findings provide new paths for broadening the repertoire of compounds pursued as therapeutics against COVID‐19. SYNOPSIS: A systems pharmacology approach is proposed to identify small molecules and drugs that target host cells and have anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 effects. Shortlisted drug candidates are experimentally validated. Host‐targeted antiviral and anti‐cytokine compounds are inferred from the transcriptome data of SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected cells.Salmeterol exhibits a strong antiviral effect in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected Vero‐E6 cells.Syncytia formation assays confirm that linsitinib is a potent inhibitor of viral entry.Additional compounds are proposed for adjuvant anti‐inflammatory therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence and magnitude of natural fossil methane (CH4) emissions in the Arctic are poorly known. Emission of geologic CH4, a potent greenhouse gas, originating beneath permafrost is of particular interest due to the potential for positive feedback to climate warming, whereby accelerated permafrost thaw releases permafrost‐trapped CH4 in a future warmer climate. The development of through‐going taliks in Arctic lakes overlying hydrocarbon reservoirs is one mechanism of releasing geologically sourced, subpermafrost CH4. Here we use novel gas flux measurements, geophysical observations of the subsurface, shallow sediment coring, high‐resolution bathymetry measurements, and lake water chemistry measurements to produce a synoptic survey of the gas vent system in Esieh Lake, a northwest Alaska lake with exceedingly large geologic CH4 seep emissions. We find that microbially produced fossil CH4 is being vented though a narrow thaw conduit below Esieh Lake through pockmarks on the lake bottom. This is one of the highest flux geologic CH4 seep fields known in the terrestrial environment and potentially the highest flux single methane seep. The poleward retreat of continuous permafrost may have implications for more subcap CH4 release with increased permafrost thaw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic semiconductor materials have recently gained momentum due to their non‐toxicity, low cost, and sustainability. Xylindein is a remarkably photostable pigment secreted by fungi that grow on decaying wood, and its relatively strong electronic performance is enabled by π–π stacking and hydrogen‐bonding network that promote charge transport. Herein, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy with a near‐IR probe was used to unveil a rapid excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer reaction. Conformational motions potentially lead to a conical intersection that quenches fluorescence in the monomeric state. In concentrated solutions, nascent aggregates exhibit a faster excited state lifetime due to excimer formation, confirmed by the excimer→charge‐transfer excited‐state absorption band of the xylindein thin film, thus limiting its optoelectronic performance. Therefore, extending the xylindein sidechains with branched alkyl groups may hinder the excimer formation and improve optoelectronic properties of naturally derived materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma cell myeloma (also called multiple myeloma), solitary plasmacytoma, and extramedullary plasmacytoma are primarily diseases of the elderly. Evidence suggests an association between excess body weight and multiple myeloma. Few population‐based studies have examined incidence and mortality of each site in one study. We analyzed incidence and death rates by site (solitary plasmacytoma, extramedullary plasmacytoma, and multiple myeloma) by gender, age, race/ethnicity, and rural‐urban status among adult males and females (aged 20 years or older) in the United States during 2003‐2016. Trends were characterized as average annual percentage change (AAPC) in rates. During 2003‐2016, overall incidence rates among adults were 0.45 for solitary plasmacytoma, 0.09 for extramedullary plasmacytoma, and 8.47 for multiple myeloma per 100,000 persons. Incidence rates for multiple myeloma increased during 2003‐2016 among non‐Hispanic whites (AAPC = 1.78%) and non‐Hispanic blacks (2.98%) 20‐49 years of age; non‐Hispanic whites (1.17%) and non‐Hispanic blacks (1.24%) 50‐59 years of age; and whites non‐Hispanic (0.91%), and non‐Hispanic blacks (0.96%). During 2003‐2016 overall myeloma (extramedullary plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma) death rates among adults was 4.77 per 100,00 persons. Myeloma death rates decreased during 2003‐2016 among non‐Hispanic white (AAPC = −1.23%) and Hispanic (−1.34%) women; and non‐Hispanic white (−0.74%), non‐Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (−3.05%) men. The US population is projected to become older and will have a larger proportion of persons who have had an earlier and longer exposure to excess body weight. The potential impact of these population changes on myeloma incidence and mortality can be monitored with high‐quality cancer surveillance data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of volume overload in the setting of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is typically achieved through the use of loop diuretics. While they are highly effective, some patients may develop loop diuretic resistance. One strategy to overcome this scenario includes sequential nephron blockade with a thiazide‐type diuretic; however, it is unknown which thiazide‐type diuretic used in this setting is most effective. A systematic review and meta‐analysis were performed to compare the efficacy and safety of chlorothiazide with metolazone as add‐on therapy in the setting of loop diuretic resistance for the treatment of ADHF. Literature searches were conducted through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct from inception through February 2020 using the following search terms alone or in combination: metolazone, chlorothiazide, acute decompensated heart failure, loop diuretic, and urine output. All English‐language prospective and retrospective trials and abstracts comparing metolazone to chlorothiazide for the treatment of ADHF were evaluated. Studies were included if they analyzed urine output for at least 24 hours in patients with ADHF. Meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate pooled effect size by using a random‐effect model. Primary outcomes included net and total urine output. Secondary outcomes included commonly reported safety outcomes. Four studies comparing the use of metolazone to chlorothiazide as an adjunct to loop diuretics to treat ADHF were included in the evaluation. Metolazone was as effective as chlorothiazide to augment loop diuretic therapy in ADHF in most studies with no pooled difference in net or total urine output. However, there were notable differences in baseline loop diuretic dosing, ejection fraction, renal function, race, and endpoint timing across studies. Adverse effects were commonly observed and included electrolyte abnormalities, change in renal function, and hypotension but were comparable between groups. Metolazone is as effective as chlorothiazide as add‐on to loop diuretics in treating ADHF without an increase in safety concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The efficiency of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in thrombus formation is related to its multimeric size, which is controlled by the protease ADAMTS13. However, it is not clear what regulates ADAMTS13 activity. In this study, we investigated whether PF4 could bind to VWF and inhibit ADAMTS13 activity. We found that PF4 binds to VWF and protects against ADAMTS13 activity. We also found that VWF‐PF4 complexes circulate in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Our data provides the first evidence that PF4 may have a novel role in regulating VWF multimers during primary haemostasis and thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To synthesize the evidence on the impact of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema from the patient perspective. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, EMBASE and AMED. We included articles investigating the impact of the condition on quality of life, symptoms, visual functioning, activities of daily living, well‐being, social functioning, and financial status. The studies evaluated were observational, including cross‐sectional, prospective cohort and retrospective cohort designs. Outcome data were extracted and synthesized. Results: Searches yielded 5114 publications. After screening, 85 studies were included, measuring the following outcomes: visual functioning (n=46); quality of life (n=22); well‐being (n=16); functional status (n=5); work (n=4); and visual task performance (n=2). Diabetic retinopathy has a considerable impact on visual functioning and this is greater in people with greater disease severity. Diabetic retinopathy significantly limits activities including working, driving, walking and reading, and has the potential to have a negative impact on psychological well‐being. Conclusions: Diabetic retinopathy is associated with poor self‐reported visual functioning, well‐being, and health‐related quality of life. Ability to perform basic everyday tasks appears to diminish with disease severity. Some studies suggest impaired mobility and problems with work, but there are gaps in this evidence. What's new?: Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of preventable vision loss and is negatively associated with health‐related quality of life.This review shows that there is considerable impact on visual functioning, which is more impaired in people with greater disease severity. Diabetic eye disease limits activities including working, driving, walking and reading. In addition, vision loss in diabetic retinopathy has the potential to negatively impact psychological well‐being.The review shows the importance in clinical practice of measuring and considering the everyday impacts of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema, which include impacts on psychological well‐being, functional status, quality of life, and work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: As Arctic soils warm, thawed permafrost releases nitrogen (N) that could stimulate plant productivity and thus offset soil carbon losses from tundra ecosystems. Although mycorrhizal fungi could facilitate plant access to permafrost‐derived N, their exploration capacity beyond host plant root systems into deep, cold active layer soils adjacent to the permafrost table is unknown.We characterized root‐associated fungi (RAF) that colonized ericoid (ERM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) shrub roots and occurred below the maximum rooting depth in permafrost thaw‐front soil in tussock and shrub tundra communities. We explored the relationships between root and thaw front fungal composition and plant uptake of a 15N tracer applied at the permafrost boundary.We show that ERM and ECM shrubs associate with RAF at the thaw front providing evidence for potential mycelial connectivity between roots and the permafrost boundary. Among shrubs and tundra communities, RAF connectivity to the thaw boundary was ubiquitous. The occurrence of particular RAF in both roots and thaw front soil was positively correlated with 15N recovered in shrub biomassTaxon‐specific RAF associations could be a mechanism for the vertical redistribution of deep, permafrost‐derived nutrients, which may alleviate N limitation and stimulate productivity in warming tundra. See also the Commentary on this article by Robinson et al., (2020), 226: 8–10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular mechanisms for the photoconversion of fluorescent proteins remain elusive owing to the challenges of monitoring chromophore structural dynamics during the light‐induced processes. We implemented time‐resolved electronic and stimulated Raman spectroscopies to reveal two hidden species of an engineered ancestral GFP‐like protein LEA, involving semi‐trapped protonated and trapped deprotonated chromophores en route to photoconversion in pH 7.9 buffer. A new dual‐illumination approach was examined, using 400 and 505 nm light simultaneously to achieve faster conversion and higher color contrast. Substitution of UV irradiation with visible light benefits bioimaging, while the spectral benchmark of a trapped chromophore with characteristic ring twisting and bridge‐H bending motions enables rational design of functional proteins. With the improved H‐bonding network and structural motions, the photoexcited chromophore could increase the photoswitching‐aided photoconversion while reducing trapped species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway regulates mRNAs that aberrantly terminate translation. This includes aberrant mRNAs and functional natural mRNAs. Natural mRNA degradation by NMD is triggered by mRNA features and environmental cues. Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes multiple proteins with ferric and cupric reductase activity. Here, we examined the regulation by NMD of two mRNAs, FRE1 and FRE2, encoding ferric and cupric reductases in S. cerevisiae. We found that FRE2 mRNAs are regulated by NMD under noninducing conditions and that the FRE2 3′‐UTR contributes to the degradation of the mRNAs by NMD. Conversely, FRE1 mRNAs are not regulated by NMD under comparable conditions. These findings suggest that regulation of functionally related mRNAs by NMD can be differential and conditional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thermal dosimetry during MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) of bone tumors underpredicts ablation zone. Intraprocedural understanding of heat accumulation near bone is needed to prevent undesired treatment of nontargeted tissue.Hypothesis: Temperature decay rates predict prolonged, spatially varying heating during MRgFUS bone treatments.Study Type: Prospective case series.Patients: Nine patients with localized painful bone tumors (five bone metastasis, four osteoid osteomas), were compared with five patients with uterine fibroid tumors treated using MRgFUS.Field Strength/sequence: Proton resonance frequency shift thermometry using 2D-GRE with echo-planar imaging at 3 T.Assessment: Tissue response was derived by fitting data from extended thermometry acquisitions to a decay model. Decay rates and time to peak temperature (TTP) were analyzed in segmented zones between the bone target and skin. Decay rates were used to calculate intersonication cooling times required to return to body temperature; these were compared against conventional system-mandated cooling times.Statistical Tests: Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests for normality, and Student's t-test was used to compare decay rates. Spatial TTP delay and predicted cooling times used Wilcoxon signed rank tests. P < 0.05 was significant.Results: Tissue decay rates in bone tumor patients were 3.5 times slower than those in patients with fibroids (τbone  = 0.037 ± 0.012 vs. τfibroid  = 0.131 ± 0.010, P < 0.05). Spatial analysis showed slow decay rates effecting baseline temperature as far as 12 mm away from the bone surface, τ4  = 0.015 ± 0.026 (median ± interquartile range [IQR]). Tissue within 9 mm of bone experienced delayed TTP (P < 0.01). In the majority of bone tumor treatments, system-predicted intersonication cooling times were insufficient for nearby tissue to return to body temperature (P = 0.03 in zone 4).Data Conclusion: MRgFUS near bone is susceptible to long tissue decay rates, and unwanted cumulative heating up to 1.2 cm from the surface of the bone. Knowledge of decay rates may be used to alter treatment planning and intraprocedural thermal monitoring protocols to account for prolonged heating by bone.Level Of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 4 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1526-1533. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dams represent one of the major forms of river alteration. As these structures reach the end of their lifespan, they often require extensive refurbishments or removal. A small‐scale water supply dam in Banff National Park (Alberta, Canada) was partially removed, creating a breach that allowed water to scour a new passage resembling a nature‐like fishway. We investigated the permeability of the partially removed dam as a means of validating the conservation benefits of the partial dam removal. We quantified the proportion of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), a threatened species in Canada, that approached and passed the fishway using radio telemetry receiver stations. The proportion of bull trout that approached the fishway was low (37.0%; N = 27 of 73), but was consistent with upstream reference sites (33%; N = 20 of 60). For those that did approach, the proportion of bull trout that passed yielded a high passage efficiency (77.8%; N = 21 of 27 that approached). The probability that a fish passed the fishway was related to water depth and time of day. Bull trout were more likely to pass when water depths were high (>0.40 m), and at night. Passage duration ranged from 5‐mins to 13‐days, suggesting that this resident species used the fishway for a variety of purposes (e.g., station holding and foraging) and not just transiting. Some individuals underwent large‐scale movements 2‐km upstream (15.1%; N = 11 of 73), or 2‐km downstream (2.7%; N = 2 of 73) following a successful passage event. This study provides new insight on how, in some instances, a breach in a dam can function as a nature‐like fishway, accommodating year‐round stream flows and providing hydraulic conditions suitable for fish passage without costly engineering or construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of permafrost‐derived nitrogen (N) has the potential to fertilize tundra vegetation, which in turn may stimulate productivity and thus offset carbon (C) losses from thawing permafrost. Below‐ground plant traits may mediate ecosystem response to permafrost thaw and associated feedbacks to the atmosphere by differentially conferring access to deep, newly thawed permafrost N. Yet, identifying roots and quantifying root N uptake from deep, cold soils in complex plant communities has proved challenging to date.We investigated plant acquisition of experimentally added 15N isotope tracer applied at the permafrost boundary in graminoid‐ and shrub‐dominated tundra at Eight Mile Lake, Alaska, when the thaw front was close to its maximum depth, simulating the release of newly thawed permafrost N. We used molecular tools to verify species and estimate biomass, nitrogen, and isotope pools.Root biomass depth distributions follow an asymptotic relationship with depth, typical of other ecosystems. Few species had roots occurring close to the thaw front. Rubus chamaemorus, a short‐statured non‐mycorrhizal forb, and Carex bigelowii, a sedge, consistently had the deepest roots. Twenty‐four hours after isotope addition, we observed that deep‐rooted, non‐mycorrhizal species had the highest 15N enrichment values in their fine root tissue indicating that they access deep N late in the growing season when the thaw front is deepest. Deep‐rooted plants are therefore able to immediately take up newly thawed permafrost‐derived N. During the following growing season, herbaceous, non‐mycorrhizal plants allocated tracer above‐ground before woody, mycorrhizal plants. Ectomycorrhizal deciduous and ericoid mycorrhizal evergreen shrubs, by contrast, did not have immediate access to the deep N tracer and assimilated it into new foliar tissue gradually over the following growing season.Synthesis. Graminoids and forbs that have immediate access to deep N represent a modest C sink compared to C emissions from thawing permafrost. However, the effects of deep N fertilization on shrubs over longer time‐scales may stimulate productivity and account for a more considerable N and C sink, thus constraining the permafrost C‐climate feedback. Graminoids and forbs that have immediate access to deep N represent a modest C sink compared to C emissions from thawing permafrost. However, the effects of deep N fertilization on shrubs over longer time‐scales may stimulate productivity and account for a more considerable N and C sink, thus constraining the permafrost C‐climate feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple consumer species frequently co‐occur in the same landscape and, through effects on surrounding environments, can interact in direct and indirect ways. These interactions can vary in occurrence and importance, and focusing on this variation is critical for understanding the dynamics of interactions among consumers. Large mammalian herbivores are important engineers of ecosystems worldwide, have substantial impacts on vegetation, and can indirectly affect small‐mammal populations. However, the degree to which such indirect effects vary within the same system has received minimal attention. We used a 16‐year‐old exclosure experiment, stratified across a heterogeneous landscape, to evaluate the importance of context‐dependent interactions between tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) and small mammals (deer mice [Peromyscus maniculatus], meadow voles [Microtus californicus], and harvest mice [Reithrodontymys megalotis]) in a coastal grassland in California. Effects of elk on voles varied among habitats and seasons: In open grasslands, elk reduced vole numbers during fall 2013 but not summer 2014; in Lupinus‐dominated grasslands, elk reduced vole numbers during summer 2014 but not fall 2013; and in Baccharis‐dominated grasslands, elk had no effect on vole numbers in either season. Effects of elk on the two mice species also varied among habitats and seasons, but often in different ways from voles and each other. In fall 2013, elk decreased mice abundances in Lupinus‐dominated grasslands, but not in Baccharis‐dominated or open grasslands. In summer 2014, elk decreased the abundance of harvest mice consistently across habitat types. In contrast, elk increased deer‐mice numbers in open grasslands but not other habitats. Within the same heterogenous study system, the influence of elk on small mammals was strongly context‐dependent, varying among habitats, mammal species, and seasons. We hypothesize that such variability is common in nature and that failure to consider it may yield inaccurate findings and limit our understanding of interactions among co‐occurring consumers. We summarize results from a 16‐year‐old exclosure experiment to examine the indirect effects of a large mammalian herbivore on three co‐occurring small‐mammal species during two seasons and across an extremely heterogeneous landscape. Our work clearly demonstrates that the indirect effects of elk on small mammals can be both positive and negative and is strongly context‐dependent, varying among habitat types, mammal species, and seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: red fluorescent proteins; ultrafast molecular spectroscopy; bioimaging; photoconvertible fluorescent proteins; excited state dynamics; reaction mechanisms EN red fluorescent proteins ultrafast molecular spectroscopy bioimaging photoconvertible fluorescent proteins excited state dynamics reaction mechanisms 1 1 1 10/24/23 20231017 NES 231017 B Red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) b have powered bioimaging advances in life sciences due to their long-wavelength emissions and reduced phototoxicity. Red fluorescent proteins, ultrafast molecular spectroscopy, bioimaging, photoconvertible fluorescent proteins, excited state dynamics, reaction mechanisms A critical correlation of the available crystallographic and spectroscopic results can provide ultrafast and functional structural dynamics insights into the redding mechanisms of RFPs, which range from characteristic ring twists, conjugation extension to excited state proton transfer. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: To investigate the association between long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy use and mortality; and determine whether this risk varies by cause of death and antipsychotic dose. Methods: Using data from a large anonymised mental healthcare database, we identified all adult patients with serious mental illness (SMI) who had been prescribed a single antipsychotic or polypharmacy, for six or more months between 2007 and 2014. Multivariable Cox regression models were constructed, adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, clinical factors and smoking, to examine the association between APP use and the risk of death. Results: We identified 10 945 adults with SMI who had been prescribed long-term antipsychotic monotherapy (76.9%) or APP (23.1%). Patients on long-term APP had a small elevated risk of mortality, which was significant in some but not all models. The adjusted hazard ratios for death from natural and unnatural causes associated with APP were 1.2 (0.9-1.4, P = 0.111) and 1.1 (0.7-1.9, P = 0.619) respectively. The strengths of the associations between APP and mortality outcomes were similar after further adjusting for % BNF antipsychotic dose (P = 0.031) or olanzapine equivalence (P = 0.088). Conclusion: The findings suggest that the effect of long-term APP on mortality is not clear-cut, with limited evidence to indicate an association, even after controlling for the effect of dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are commonly applied to ultradwarf hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] putting greens during the growing season. Trinexapac-ethyl (TE) and prohexadione-Ca (PH) are PGRs that inhibit gibberellic acid biosynthesis and are used to reduce clipping yield and improve turfgrass visual quality. Growing degree day (GDD) models have optimized the timing of PGR reapplications to creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) putting greens, but no information is available regarding proper PGR reapplication timing on bermudagrass putting greens. The objective of this research was to develop a GDD model to determine optimal TE and PH application frequencies on bermudagrass putting greens. Field research was conducted on three ultradwarf cultivars at separate locations in the southeastern United States: 'MiniVerde' in Knoxville, TN, 'Champion' in Durham, NC, and 'TifEagle' in Starkville, MS. Peak yield suppression was 49 to 65% after TE application at 0.034 kg a.i. ha-1 and 50 to 54% after 0.154 kg PH ha-1. Peak suppression occurred later for TE (166-177 GDD calculated using 10°C as the base temperature [GDD10C]) than for PH (92-97 GDD10C), which resulted in an estimated PGR reapplication interval of 216 to 230 for TE and 120 to 126 GDD10C for PH. Enhanced clipping yield and rebound did not follow clipping yield suppression. The use of a GDD model to schedule PGR applications on bermudagrass putting greens has the potential to maximize PGR benefits; however, season-long implementation of this GDD model needs comparison with current PGR programs used on ultradwarf putting surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic often complicated by multiple comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Bariatric surgery is an increasingly common and effective weight-loss strategy for obese patients that may result in resolution of metabolic-related disease states, such as T2DM. Although bariatric surgery has many positive outcomes for patients, dietary and pathophysiologic changes can create difficult-to-control blood glucose, especially in the immediate perioperative setting. Depending on oral antidiabetic agent and insulin needs preoperatively, many patients require cessation of oral agents and reduction or cessation of insulin. Unfortunately, despite available perioperative bariatric surgery guidelines, no specific recommendations for perioperative oral antidiabetic agent or insulin management exist. The purpose of this article is to review the current body of evidence for blood glucose management in the setting of bariatric surgery. An English-language PubMed and MEDLINE search was conducted from 1964 through March 2018 using the following search terms alone and in various combinations: bariatric surgery, gastric banding, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), glucose management, insulin, and oral antidiabetic agent. Five articles were identified evaluating insulin management in the perioperative bariatric surgery setting, which were separated into two categories: immediate perioperative insulin management and long-term postoperative insulin management. Overall, various blood glucose management insulin protocols were evaluated. All studies included some type of insulin reduction in the perioperative setting. No studies identified specifically evaluated down-titration or discontinuation of oral antidiabetic agents. Given the lack of specific guideline recommendations, limitations of standardized insulin protocols, and inconsistency of outcomes studied, perioperative insulin at reduced doses compared to previous maintenance doses coupled with frequent blood glucose monitoring is reasonable. An opportunity exists for successful protocols to be addressed in future, larger studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The high‐content interrogation of single cells with platforms optimized for the multiparameter characterization of cells in liquid and solid biopsy samples can enable characterization of heterogeneous populations of cells ex vivo. Doing so will advance the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer and other diseases. However, it is important to understand the unique issues in resolving heterogeneity and variability at the single cell level before navigating the validation and regulatory requirements in order for these technologies to impact patient care. Since 2013, leading experts representing industry, academia, and government have been brought together as part of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium to foster the potential of high‐content data integration for clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recreational catch‐and‐release angling is a popular activity. Anglers often use landing nets to shorten fight times, reduce stress on the line and rod, restrict fish movement to facilitate dehooking of the fish, and protect fish from undue harm caused by handling or dropping. Landing nets are constructed using a variety of netting materials that could have varied consequences when coming in contact with fish. Salmonids are among the most targeted fishes in the world, but little is known about how landing nets contribute to postcapture tissue damage. We compared handling time and instances of fin fraying, scale loss, and mucus loss sustained by Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis landed by four net mesh types (i.e., large, knotless rubber mesh; knotless nylon micromesh; large, knotted polypropylene mesh; and small, knotless rubber‐coated nylon mesh) or by using bare wet hands in a recreational fishery. The knotted polypropylene mesh resulted in the greatest extent of fin fraying, whereas the bare wet hands method, knotless nylon micromesh, and rubber‐coated nylon mesh resulted in the most scale loss. Interestingly, extended handling times were noted for several mesh types (i.e., knotless nylon micromesh and rubber‐coated nylon mesh) relative to bare wet hands because of hook entanglement in the netting material. However, using bare wet hands to land Brook Trout resulted in higher odds of the fish being dropped into the bottom of the boat. We concluded that the large, knotless rubber mesh was the least damaging to Brook Trout. Changes to angler practices, such as using appropriate landing tools, can benefit fish welfare in catch‐and‐release fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-associated fungi, particularly ectomycorrhizal fungi ( EMF), are critical symbionts of all boreal tree species. Although climatically driven increases in wildfire frequency and extent have been hypothesized to increase vegetation transitions from tundra to boreal forest, fire reduces mycorrhizal inoculum. Therefore, changes in mycobiont inoculum may potentially limit tree-seedling establishment beyond current treeline. We investigated whether ectomycorrhizal shrubs that resprout after fire support similar fungal taxa to those that associate with tree seedlings that establish naturally after fire. We then assessed whether mycobiont identity correlates with the biomass or nutrient status of these tree seedlings. The majority of fungal taxa observed on shrub and seedling root systems were EMF, with some dark septate endophytes and ericoid mycorrhizal taxa. Seedlings and adjacent shrubs associated with similar arrays of fungal taxa, and there were strong correlations between the structure of seedling and shrub fungal communities. These results show that resprouting postfire shrubs support fungal taxa compatible with tree seedlings that establish after wildfire. Shrub taxon, distance to the nearest shrub and fire severity influenced the similarity between seedling and shrub fungal communities. Fungal composition was correlated with both foliar C:N ratio and seedling biomass and was one of the strongest explanatory variables predicting seedling biomass. While correlative, these results suggest that mycobionts are important to nutrient acquisition and biomass accrual of naturally establishing tree seedlings at treeline and that mycobiont taxa shared by resprouting postfire vegetation may be a significant source of inoculum for tree-seedling establishment beyond current treeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric fish handling gloves (FHGs) have been developed to immobilize fish during handling, with the potential benefit of reducing the time needed for sedation and recovery of fish relative to chemical anaesthetics. We examined the secondary stress responses (i.e., hematocrit, blood glucose, lactate, and pH) and reflex responses of Largemouth BassMicropterus salmoidesthat were immobilized in water using electric FHGs for multiple durations (0, 30, and 120 s) relative to fish that were handled using only bare hands in water. We also evaluated the efficacy of the immobilization by quantifying the number of volitional movements that were observed during handling. Our findings suggested that when FHGs were used, fish tended to remain still (i.e., to show full reflex impairment) during handling relative to controls. Fish that were held with FHGs showed negligible reflex impairment immediately after the electricity was terminated. After a 30-min posttreatment retention period, blood chemistry and ventilation rates were similar between fish held with FHGs and those held with bare hands. This study supports the notion that electric FHGs are a safe and effective tool for practitioners who need to temporarily immobilize fish for handling, enumeration, or performing various scientific procedures. Received November 15, 2016; accepted February 26, 2017 Published online May 4, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural materials such as bone and insect cuticle are capable of self-repair, a facility that greatly increases their durability and safe working stress. Some engineering materials have also been designed to be self-healing, although currently they cannot match the performance of natural materials as regards the efficiency and longevity of the healing process. In this paper, we review the state of the art regarding these two types of materials. We discuss the role of fracture mechanics in the development of theoretical models of self-healing; we identify certain crucial parameters that make natural materials successful and discuss how these lessons can be applied to improve the performance of self-healing materials for engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western North American landscapes are rapidly being transformed by forest die-off caused by mountain pine beetle ( Dendroctonus ponderosae), with implications for plant and soil communities. The mechanisms that drive changes in soil community structure, particularly for the highly prevalent ectomycorrhizal fungi in pine forests, are complex and intertwined. Critical to enhancing understanding will be disentangling the relative importance of host tree mortality from changes in soil chemistry following tree death., Here, we used a recent bark beetle outbreak in lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta) forests of western Canada to test whether the effects of tree mortality altered the richness and composition of belowground fungal communities, including ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi. We also determined the effects of environmental factors (i.e. soil nutrients, moisture, and phenolics) and geographical distance, both of which can influence the richness and composition of soil fungi., The richness of both groups of soil fungi declined and the overall composition was altered by beetle-induced tree mortality. Soil nutrients, soil phenolics and geographical distance influenced the community structure of soil fungi; however, the relative importance of these factors differed between ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi. The independent effects of tree mortality, soil phenolics and geographical distance influenced the community composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi, while the community composition of saprotrophic fungi was weakly but significantly correlated with the geographical distance of plots., Taken together, our results indicate that both deterministic and stochastic processes structure soil fungal communities following landscape-scale insect outbreaks and reflect the independent roles tree mortality, soil chemistry and geographical distance play in regulating the community composition of soil fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus ( TMEV) in C57Bl/6J mice induces acute seizures and development of spontaneous recurrent seizures and behavioral comorbidities weeks later. The present studies sought to determine whether acute therapeutic intervention with an anti-inflammatory-based approach could prevent or modify development of TMEV-induced long-term behavioral comorbidities. Valproic acid ( VPA), in addition to its prototypical anticonvulsant properties, inhibits histone deacetylase ( HDAC) activity, which may alter expression of the inflammasome. Minocycline ( MIN) has previously demonstrated an antiseizure effect in the TMEV model via direct anti-inflammatory mechanisms, but the long-term effect of MIN treatment on the development of chronic behavioral comorbidities is unknown. Methods Mice infected with TMEV were acutely administered MIN (50 mg/kg, b.i.d. and q.d.) or VPA (100 mg/kg, q.d.) during the 7-day viral infection period. Animals were evaluated for acute seizure severity and subsequent development of chronic behavioral comorbidities and seizure threshold. Results Administration of VPA reduced the proportion of mice with seizures, delayed onset of symptomatic seizures, and reduced seizure burden during the acute infection. This was in contrast to the effects of administration of once-daily MIN, which did not affect the proportion of mice with seizures or delay onset of acute symptomatic seizures. However, VPA-treated mice were no different from vehicle ( VEH)-treated mice in long-term behavioral outcomes, including open field activity and seizure threshold. Once-daily MIN treatment, despite no effect on the maximum observed Racine stage seizure severity, was associated with improved long-term behavioral outcomes and normalized seizure threshold. Significance Acute seizure control alone is insufficient to modify chronic disease comorbidities in the TMEV model. This work further supports the role of an inflammatory response in the development of chronic behavioral comorbidities and further highlights the utility of this platform for the development of mechanistically novel pharmacotherapies for epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When animals compete, hierarchies can emerge. If the outcome of competition under different conditions is dependent upon different sets of attributes, then we may expect to see hierarchies that are domain-specific, rather than domain general. We tested this idea by comparing prey share hierarchies within shoals of sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus as they foraged for patchily distributed or for drifting prey. We found that prey share was correlated across pairs of patch- and pairs of drift-foraging trials, but not between the two conditions, suggesting that separate repeatable but independent prey share hierarchies arise for each type of prey distribution. We discuss possible underlying mechanisms and ecological implications of this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]