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The recent determination of the gravity field of Mercury and new Earth-based radar observations of the planet's spin state afford the opportunity to explore Mercury's internal structure. These observations provide estimates of two measures of the radial mass distribution of Mercury: the normalized polar moment of inertia and the fractional polar moment of inertia of the solid portion of the planet overlying the liquid core. Employing Monte Carlo techniques, we calculate several million models of the radial density structure of Mercury consistent with its radius and bulk density and constrained by these moment of inertia parameters. We estimate that the top of the liquid core is at a radius of 2020 ± 30 km, the mean density above this boundary is 3380 ± 200 kg m-3, and the density below the boundary is 6980 ± 280 kg m-3. We find that these internal structure parameters are robust across a broad range of compositional models for the core and planet as a whole. Geochemical observations of Mercury's surface by MESSENGER indicate a chemically reducing environment that would favor the partitioning of silicon or both silicon and sulfur into the metallic core during core-mantle differentiation. For a core composed of Fe-S-Si materials, the thermodynamic properties at elevated pressures and temperatures suggest that an FeS-rich layer could form at the top of the core and that a portion of it may be presently solid. Key PointsNew MESSENGER and Earth-based radar data provide Mercury's moments of inertiaMercury's core-mantle boundary is 420 +/- 30 km below the planet's surfaceThe core may be compositionally segregated ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

The forearm resistance vessels of men with primary hypertension respond to verapamil with a greater than normal dilatation relative to that induced by sodium nitroprusside. We have examined the effect on this functional abnormality of treatment with chlorthalidone (50 mg daily in 16 patients) and atenolol (100 mg daily in eight patients and 200 mg daily in two). The responsiveness of the forearm resistance vessels to local intra-arterial infusion of verapamil and sodium nitroprusside was assessed before treatment and again after a minimum of 1 month of drug therapy. Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Chlorthalidone induced significant reductions in calculated mean arterial pressure, which fell from 135 +/- 4 to 117 +/- 4 mm Hg, and the dilator response to verapamil at 5 micrograms/min, which was reduced from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 1.5 +/- 0.2 ml min-1 100 ml-1 forearm; the response to sodium nitroprusside at 3.2 micrograms/min was not significantly changed. Atenolol induced significant reductions in mean arterial pressure, which fell from 134 +/- 6 to 123 +/- 6 mm Hg, heart rate which fell from 72 +/- 3 to 55 +/- 2 beats/min, and response to verapamil at 5 micrograms/min which fell from 2.7 +/- 0.2 to 2.1 +/- 0.2 ml min-1 100 ml-1 forearm; the response to sodium nitroprusside was not significantly changed. Both drugs caused reversion towards normal of the relative enhancement of responsiveness to verapamil that was present before treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversification of the cellulose synthase superfamily of glycosyltransferases has provided plants with the ability to synthesize varied cell wall polysaccharides such as xyloglucan, mannans, and the mixed-linkage glucans of cereals. Surprisingly, some but not all members of the cellulose synthase-like M (CslM) gene family have recently been shown to be involved in the glycosylation of the aglycone core of a range of triterpenoid saponins. However, no cell wall activity has yet been attributed to any of the CslM gene family members. Here, evolution of the CslM gene family in eudicots is explored to better understand the differences between the two metabolically distinct classes of CslMs (CslM1 and CslM2) and the very closely related CslGs. To achieve this, a robust tBLASTn approach was developed to identify CslM1, CslM2, and CslG sequences using diagnostic peptides, suitable for complex genomes using unannotated and short-read datasets. To ascertain whether both CslM1 and CslM2 proteins have cell wall functions, in addition to the 'saponin' role of CslM2, tomato CslM1 and CslM2 genes were ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana by stable transformation and in the transient Nicotiana benthamiana system. Transformed plants were analysed with immunofluorescence, immunogold transmission electron microscopy, and cell wall polysaccharides were extracted for monosaccharide linkage analysis. Our results support a role for both CslM1 and CslM2 in the biosynthesis of type II arabinogalactan linkages, generating new insight into how the diverse functions of CslMs can coexist and providing clear targets for future research., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.)

Background: Cross-system interventions that integrate health, behavioral health, and social services can improve client outcomes and expand community impact. Successful implementation of these interventions depends on the extent to which service partners can align frontline services and organizational operations. However, collaboration strategies linking multiple implementation contexts have received limited empirical attention. This study identifies, describes, and specifies multi-level collaboration strategies used during the implementation of Ohio Sobriety Treatment and Reducing Trauma (Ohio START), a cross-system intervention that integrates services across two systems (child welfare and evidence-based behavioral health services) for families that are affected by co-occurring child maltreatment and parental substance use disorders., Methods: In phase 1, we used a multi-site qualitative design with 17 counties that implemented Ohio START. Qualitative data were gathered from 104 staff from child welfare agencies, behavioral health treatment organizations, and regional behavioral health boards involved in implementation via 48 small group interviews about collaborative approaches to implementation. To examine cross-system collaboration strategies, qualitative data were analyzed using an iterative template approach and content analysis. In phase 2, a 16-member expert panel met to validate and specify the cross-system collaboration strategies identified in the interviews. The panel was comprised of key child welfare and behavioral health partners and scholars., Results: In phase 1, we identified seven cross-system collaboration strategies used for implementation. Three strategies were used to staff the program: (1) contract for expertise, (2) provide joint supervision, and (3) co-locate staff. Two strategies were used to promote service access: (4) referral protocols and (5) expedited access agreements. Two strategies were used to align case plans: (6) shared decision-making meetings, and (7) sharing data. In phase 2, expert panelists specified operational details of the cross-system collaboration strategies, and explained the processes by which strategies were perceived to improve implementation and service system outcomes., Conclusions: We identified a range of cross-system collaboration strategies that show promise for improving staffing, service access, and case planning. Leaders, supervisors, and frontline staff used these strategies during all phases of implementation. These findings lay the foundation for future experimental and quasi-experimental studies that test the effectiveness of cross-system collaboration strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Drugs that attenuate hyperactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt and Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways are emerging treatments for children with rare, intractable vascular anomalies or PIK3CA- related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) with an eligible genetic diagnosis. However, access to genetic testing remains a barrier to genetic diagnosis. Here, we implement a targeted molecular diagnostic strategy for vascular anomalies or PROS., Methods: We applied a novel genetic testing strategy to children with vascular anomalies or PROS using a tiered approach of (1) droplet digital PCR, (2) Sanger sequencing, (3) high-depth exome sequencing, and (4) reanalysis of existing clinical exome data., Results: We applied this strategy to 60 individuals detecting pathogenic somatic variants in 33 of 60 (55%). This included 26 individuals with slow-flow lesions with variants in PIK3CA , TEK , GNAQ , GNA11, BRAF , or PIK3R1 , 4 individuals with fast-flow lesions with variants in KRAS or MAP2K1 , 1 individual with a PIK3CA variant and a mixed phenotype, and 2 individuals with PIK3CA variants and PROS without vascular anomalies., Conclusion: We demonstrate an effective genetic diagnostic strategy for children with vascular anomalies or PROS identifying somatic variants in 55% of individuals. Increasing genetic diagnostic yield extends the clinicogenetic spectrum and may provide access for those with intractable disease to therapeutic drug trials., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background: Proctor and colleagues' 2011 paper proposed a taxonomy of eight implementation outcomes and challenged the field to address a research agenda focused on conceptualization, measurement, and theory building. Ten years later, this paper maps the field's progress in implementation outcomes research. This scoping review describes how each implementation outcome has been studied, research designs and methods used, and the contexts and settings represented in the current literature. We also describe the role of implementation outcomes in relation to implementation strategies and other outcomes., Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's framework for conducting scoping reviews guided our methods. Using forward citation tracing, we identified all literature citing the 2011 paper. We conducted our search in the Web of Science (WOS) database and added citation alerts sent to the first author from the publisher for a 6-month period coinciding with the WOS citation search. This produced 1346 titles and abstracts. Initial abstract screening yielded 480 manuscripts, and full-text review yielded 400 manuscripts that met inclusion criteria (empirical assessment of at least one implementation outcome)., Results: Slightly more than half (52.1%) of included manuscripts examined acceptability. Fidelity (39.3%), feasibility (38.6%), adoption (26.5%), and appropriateness (21.8%) were also commonly examined. Penetration (16.0%), sustainability (15.8%), and cost (7.8%) were less frequently examined. Thirty-two manuscripts examined implementation outcomes not included in the original taxonomy. Most studies took place in healthcare (45.8%) or behavioral health (22.5%) organizations. Two-thirds used observational designs. We found little evidence of progress in testing the relationships between implementation strategies and implementation outcomes, leaving us ill-prepared to know how to achieve implementation success. Moreover, few studies tested the impact of implementation outcomes on other important outcome types, such as service systems and improved individual or population health., Conclusions: Our review presents a comprehensive snapshot of the research questions being addressed by existing implementation outcomes literature and reveals the need for rigorous, analytic research and tests of strategies for attaining implementation outcomes in the next 10 years of outcomes research., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Capillary lymphatic venous malformations (CLVM) and associated syndromes, including Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) and congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular malformation, epidermal nevi, skeletal, and spinal syndrome (CLOVES), are underrecognized disorders associated with high morbidity from chronic pain, recurrent infections, bleeding, and clotting complications. The rarity of these disorders and heterogeneity of clinical presentations make large-scale randomized clinical drug trials challenging. Identification of PIK3CA (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha [gene]) mutations in CLVM has made targeted medications, such as sirolimus, attractive treatment options. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of sirolimus therapy in CLVM., Procedure: A combined prospective and retrospective cohort of pediatric and young adult patients with CLVM treated with sirolimus was evaluated for disease response, including symptom improvement, quality of life (QOL), and radiologic response. Sirolimus dosing regimens and toxicities were also assessed., Results: Twenty-nine patients with CLVM, including KTS and CLOVES, were included. Ninety-three percent of patients reported improved QOL, and 86% had improvement in at least one symptom. Most significantly, improvement was noted in 100% of patients with bleeding and 89% with thrombotic complications with corresponding decreases in mean D-dimer (p = .008) and increases in mean fibrinogen (p = .016). No patients had progressive disease on sirolimus. Most common side effects included neutropenia, lymphopenia, infection, and aphthous ulcers/stomatitis. No toxicities were life-threatening, and none required long-term discontinuation of sirolimus., Conclusion: Sirolimus appears to be effective at reducing complications and improving QOL in patients with CLVM and associated syndromes. In this patient cohort, sirolimus was well tolerated and resulted in few treatment-related toxicities., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Model equations for the Rayleigh ratio and the electric field autocorrelation function are derived using thermodynamic fluctuation theory applied to crowded solute-containing micellar solutions and microemulsions with negligible molecular species and polydispersity. This theory invokes non-equilibrium thermodynamics and enforces local equilibrium between molecular solute, surfactant, and the various micellar species, in order to elucidate the influence of self-assembly on light scattering correlation functions. We find that self-assembly driven variations in the average micelle radius and aggregation number along gradients in concentration, which were previously shown to drive strong multicomponent diffusion effects expressed via the ternary diffusivity matrix [ D ], do not affect the scattering functions in the limit of zero local polydispersity. Hence, theoretical predictions for the Rayleigh ratio and the field autocorrelation function for ternary mixtures of solute-containing, locally monodisperse micellar solutions are identical to those developed for binary mixtures of monodisperse, colloidal hard spheres. However, self-assembly driven multicomponent diffusion phenomena are predicted to influence the thermodynamic driving forces for diffusion in these mixtures. In support of our theoretical results, measurements for the Rayleigh ratio and the field autocorrelation function for ternary aqueous solutions of decaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C 12 E 10 ) with either decane or limonene solute were performed for several molar ratios and volume fractions up to ϕ ≈ 0.25, and for binary mixtures of C 12 E 10 /water up to ϕ ≈ 0.5. Excellent agreement between our light scattering theory and experimental data is achieved for low to moderate volume fractions ( ϕ < 0.3), and at higher concentrations when our theoretical results are corrected to account for micelle dehydration.

Background: Implementation outcomes research spans an exciting mix of fields, disciplines, and geographical space. Although the number of studies that cite the 2011 taxonomy has expanded considerably, the problem of harmony in describing outcomes persists. This paper revisits that problem by focusing on the clarity of reporting outcomes in studies that examine them. Published recommendations for improved reporting and specification have proven to be an important step in enhancing the rigor of implementation research. We articulate reporting problems in the current implementation outcomes literature and describe six practical recommendations that address them., Recommendations: Our first recommendation is to clearly state each implementation outcome and provide a definition that the study will consistently use. This includes providing an explanation if using the taxonomy in a new way or merging terms. Our second recommendation is to specify how each implementation outcome will be analyzed relative to other constructs. Our third recommendation is to specify "the thing" that each implementation outcome will be measured in relation to. This is especially important if you are concurrently studying interventions and strategies, or if you are studying interventions and strategies that have multiple components. Our fourth recommendation is to report who will provide data and the level at which data will be collected for each implementation outcome, and to report what kind of data will be collected and used to assess each implementation outcome. Our fifth recommendation is to state the number of time points and frequency at which each outcome will be measured. Our sixth recommendation is to state the unit of observation and the level of analysis for each implementation outcome., Conclusion: This paper advances implementation outcomes research in two ways. First, we illustrate elements of the 2011 research agenda with concrete examples drawn from a wide swath of current literature. Second, we provide six pragmatic recommendations for improved reporting. These recommendations are accompanied by an audit worksheet and a list of exemplar articles that researchers can use when designing, conducting, and assessing implementation outcomes studies., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Arabinoxylans are cell wall polysaccharides whose re-modelling and degradation during plant development are mediated by several classes of xylanolytic enzymes. Here, we present the identification and new annotation of twelve putative (1,4)-β-xylanase and six β-xylosidase genes, and their spatio-temporal expression patterns during vegetative and reproductive growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Navigator). The encoded xylanase proteins are all predicted to contain a conserved carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and a catalytic glycoside hydrolase (GH) 10 domain. Additional domains in some xylanases define three discrete phylogenetic clades: one clade contains proteins with an additional N-terminal signal sequence, while another clade contains proteins with multiple CBMs. Homology modelling revealed that all fifteen xylanases likely contain a third domain, a β-sandwich folded from two non-contiguous sequence segments that bracket the catalytic GH domain, which may explain why the full length protein is required for correct folding of the active enzyme. Similarly, predicted xylosidase proteins share a highly conserved domain structure, each with an N-terminal signal peptide, a split GH 3 domain, and a C-terminal fibronectin-like domain. Several genes appear to be ubiquitously expressed during barley growth and development, while four newly annotated xylanase and xylosidase genes are expressed at extremely high levels, which may be of broader interest for industrial applications where cell wall degradation is necessary., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Human behavior profoundly affects the natural world. Migratory birds are particularly susceptible to adverse effects of human activities because the global networks of ecosystems on which birds rely are undergoing rapid change. In spite of these challenges, the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) is a thriving migratory species. Its recent establishment of high-latitude wintering areas in Britain and Ireland has been linked to climate change and backyard bird feeding, exemplifying the interaction between human activity and migrant ecology. To understand how anthropogenic influences shape avian movements and ecology, we marked 623 wintering blackcaps at 59 sites across Britain and Ireland and compiled a dataset of 9929 encounters. We investigated visitation behavior at garden feeding sites, inter-annual site fidelity, and movements within and across seasons. We analyzed migration tracks from 25 geolocators fitted to a subset of individuals to understand how garden behavior may impact subsequent migration and breeding. We found that blackcaps wintering in Britain and Ireland showed high site fidelity and low transience among wintering sites, in contrast to the itinerant movements characteristic of blackcaps wintering in their traditional winter range. First-winter birds showed lower site fidelity and a greater likelihood of transience than adults. Adults that frequented gardens had better body condition, smaller fat stores, longer bills, and rounder wingtips. However, blackcaps did not exclusively feed in gardens; visits were linked to harsher weather. Individuals generally stayed at garden sites until immediately before spring departure. Our results suggest that supplementary feeding is modifying blackcap winter ecology and driving morphological evolution. Supplemental feeding may have multifaceted benefits on winter survival, and these positive effects may carry over to migration and subsequent breeding. Overall, the high individual variability in blackcap movement and foraging ecology, and the flexibility it imparts, may have allowed this species to flourish during rapid environmental change., (© 2021 The Authors. Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Xylem networks are vulnerable to the formation and spread of gas embolisms that reduce water transport. Embolisms spread through interconduit pits, but the three-dimensional (3D) complexity and scale of xylem networks means that the functional implications of intervessel connections are not well understood. Here, xylem networks of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) were reconstructed from 3D high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) images. Xylem network performance was then modeled to simulate loss of hydraulic conductivity under increasingly negative xylem sap pressure simulating drought stress conditions. We also considered the sensitivity of xylem network performance to changes in key network parameters. We found that the mean pit area per intervessel connection was constant across 10 networks from three, 1.5-m stem segments, but short (0.5 cm) segments fail to capture complete network connectivity. Simulations showed that network organization imparted additional resistance to embolism spread beyond the air-seeding threshold of pit membranes. Xylem network vulnerability to embolism spread was most sensitive to variation in the number and location of vessels that were initially embolized and pit membrane vulnerability. Our results show that xylem network organization can increase stem resistance to embolism spread by 40% (0.66 MPa) and challenge the notion that a single embolism can spread rapidly throughout an entire xylem network., (© American Society of Plant Biologists 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is used clinically to promote proximal GI emptying and motility. In acute experiments, we measured duodenal motor responses elicited by GES applied at 141 randomly chosen electrode sites on the stomach serosal surface. Overnight-fasted (H 2 O available) anesthetized male rats ( n = 81) received intermittent biphasic GES for 5 min (20-s-on/40-s-off cycles; I = 0.3 mA; pw = 0.2 ms; 10 Hz). A strain gauge on the serosal surface of the proximal duodenum of each animal was used to evaluate baseline motor activity and the effect of GES. Using ratios of time blocks compared with a 15-min prestimulation baseline, we evaluated the effects of the 5-min stimulation on concurrent activity, on the 10 min immediately after the stimulation, and on the 15-min period beginning with the onset of stimulation. We mapped the magnitude of the duodenal response (three different motility indices) elicited from the 141 stomach sites. Post hoc electrode site maps associated with duodenal responses suggested three zones similar to the classic regions of forestomach, corpus, and antrum. Maximal excitatory duodenal motor responses were elicited from forestomach sites, whereas inhibitory responses occurred with stimulation of the corpus. Moderate excitatory duodenal responses occurred with stimulation of the antrum. Complex, weak inhibitory/excitatory responses were produced by stimulation at boundaries between stomach regions. Patterns of GES efficacies coincided with distributions of previously mapped vagal afferents, suggesting that excitation of the duodenum is strongest when GES electrodes are situated over stomach concentrations of vagal intramuscular arrays, putative stretch receptors in the muscle wall.

Ternary diffusion coefficient matrices [D] were measured using the Taylor dispersion method, for crowded aqueous solutions of decaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C 12 E 10 ) with either decane or limonene solute. The matrix [D], for both systems, was found to be highly non-diagonal, and concentration dependent, over a broad domain of solute to surfactant molar ratios and micelle volume fractions. A recently developed theoretical model, based on Batchelor's theory for gradient diffusion in dilute, polydisperse mixtures of interacting spheres, was simplified by neglecting local polydispersity, and effectively used to predict [D] with no adjustable parameters. Even though the model originates from dilute theory, the theoretical results were in surprisingly good agreement with experimental data for concentrated mixtures, with volume fractions up to φ≈ 0.47. In addition, the theory predicts eigenvalues D - and D + that correspond to long-time self and gradient diffusion coefficients, respectively, for monodisperse spheres, in reasonable agreement with experimental data.

Seasonal migration is a complex and variable behaviour with the potential to promote reproductive isolation. In Eurasian blackcaps ( Sylvia atricapilla ), a migratory divide in central Europe separating populations with southwest (SW) and southeast (SE) autumn routes may facilitate isolation, and individuals using new wintering areas in Britain show divergence from Mediterranean winterers. We tracked 100 blackcaps in the wild to characterize these strategies. Blackcaps to the west and east of the divide used predominantly SW and SE directions, respectively, but close to the contact zone many individuals took intermediate (S) routes. At 14.0° E, we documented a sharp transition from SW to SE migratory directions across only 27 (10-86) km, implying a strong selection gradient across the divide. Blackcaps wintering in Britain took northwesterly migration routes from continental European breeding grounds. They originated from a surprisingly extensive area, spanning 2000 km of the breeding range. British winterers bred in sympatry with SW-bound migrants but arrived 9.8 days earlier on the breeding grounds, suggesting some potential for assortative mating by timing. Overall, our data reveal complex variation in songbird migration and suggest that selection can maintain variation in migration direction across short distances while enabling the spread of a novel strategy across a wide range.

Introduction: Warzone participation is associated with increased risk of stress-related psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Prior research suggests that the mental health of spouses of warzone veterans (WZVs) is linked to that of their partners. Additionally, PTSD among WZVs has been associated with marital dysfunction. Less is known about the effects of depression among WZVs on partner mental health and family relationships. We sought in this study to examine associations between WZV PTSD and depression and partner mental health and relationship outcomes., Methods: Using a nationally dispersed sample of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their married and unmarried intimate partners, 245 dyads completed structured psychiatric interviews and psychometric surveys assessing family functioning and relationship aggression., Results: Adjusted regression analyses indicated that depression among WZVs was associated with partner depression and anxiety disorders. WZV PTSD and depression were also associated with partner-reported relationship dysfunction, dissatisfaction, and communication issues, and higher rates of intimate partner aggression victimization and perpetration., Conclusions: Mental health consequences of war extend beyond WZVs to the mental health of their intimate partners and their relationships with intimate partners., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

We sought to determine whether design of carbohydrate-based microspheres to have different digestion rates, while retaining the same material properties, could modulate gastric emptying through the ileal brake. Microspheres made to have three slow digestion rates and a rapidly digested starch analogue (maltodextrin) were administrated to rats by gavage and starch contents in the stomach, proximal and distal small intestine, and caecum were measured 2 h post-gavage. A stepwise increase in the amount of starch retained in the stomach was found for microspheres with incrementally slower rates of digestion. Postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses were incrementally lower for the different microspheres than for the rapidly digestible control. A second-meal effect was observed for slowly digestible starch (SDS) microspheres compared to glucose. Thus, dietary slowly digestible carbohydrates were designed to elicit incremental significant changes in gastric emptying, glycaemic and insulinaemic responses, and they may be a means to trigger the ileal brake.

The absence of crustal magnetic fields above the martian basins Hellas, Argyre, and Isidis is often interpreted as proof of an early, before 4.1 billion years (Ga) ago, or late, after 3.9 Ga ago, dynamo. We revisit these interpretations using new MAVEN magnetic field data. Weak fields are present over the 4.5-Ga old Borealis basin, with the transition to strong fields correlated with the basin edge. Magnetic fields, confined to a near-surface layer, are also detected above the 3.7-Ga old Lucus Planum. We conclude that a dynamo was present both before and after the formation of the basins Hellas, Utopia, Argyre, and Isidis. A long-lived, Earth-like dynamo is consistent with the absence of magnetization within large basins if the impacts excavated large portions of strongly magnetic crust and exposed deeper material with lower concentrations of magnetic minerals., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

Taylor dispersion and dynamic light scattering techniques were used to measure the ternary diffusivity matrix [ D ] and the micelle gradient diffusion coefficient, respectively, in crowded aqueous solutions of decaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C 12 E 10 ) and decane. The results indicate that C 12 E 10 diffused down its own gradient with the micelle gradient diffusivity while decane diffused down a decane gradient at a much slower rate. Furthermore, strong diffusion coupling, comprising decane diffusion down a surfactant gradient and surfactant diffusion up a decane gradient, was also observed with cross diffusivities that were on the order of or larger than the main diffusivities. Measurements of the micelle aggregation number, hydration index, and the hydrodynamic radius, obtained using both static and dynamic light scattering methods, indicate that decane-containing micelles interacted as hard spheres and had radii and aggregation numbers that increased linearly with the molar ratio of solute to surfactant. A theoretical model, developed using Batchelor's theory for gradient diffusion in a polydisperse system of interacting hard spheres, was effectively used to predict [ D ] with no adjustable parameters. A comparison with the theory indicates that decane diffused down its own gradient by micelle self -diffusion while surfactant diffused down a surfactant gradient by micelle gradient diffusion. It is also shown that intermicellar interactions drove decane diffusion down a C 12 E 10 gradient by a volume exclusion effect while an increase in the micelle aggregation number and hydrodynamic radius with decane was necessary to drive surfactant diffusion up a decane gradient.

Brain-gut neural communications have long been considered limited because of conspicuous numerical mismatches. The vagus, the parasympathetic nerve connecting brain and gut, contains thousands of axons, whereas the gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains millions of intrinsic neurons in local plexuses. The numerical paradox was initially recognized in terms of efferent projections, but the number of afferents, which comprise the majority (≈ 80%) of neurites in the vagus, is also relatively small. The present survey of recent morphological observations suggests that vagal terminals, and more generally autonomic and visceral afferent arbors in the stomach as well as throughout the gut, elaborate arbors that are extensive, regionally specialized, polymorphic, polytopic, and polymodal, commonly with multiplicities of receptors and binding sites-smart terminals. The morphological specializations and dynamic tuning of one-to-many efferent projections and many-to-one convergences of contacts onto afferents create a complex architecture capable of extensive peripheral integration in the brain-gut connectome and offset many of the disparities between axon and target numbers. Appreciating this complex architecture can help in the design of therapies for GI disorders., (© 2019 New York Academy of Sciences.)

Objective: To examine the association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures and blood cultures in patients with suspected bacterial or fungal meningitis., Methods: A 5-year retrospective chart review, conducted from April 2012 to January 2017 of consecutive patient encounters with bacterial or fungal organism growth in CSF culture, when a blood culture was also obtained. Patients were excluded if they received antibiotics prior to either lumbar puncture (LP) or blood culture acquisition, or if CSF cultures were positive for common bacterial skin contaminants. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the dataset., Results: 21 patient encounters met study inclusion criteria. 13 (61.9%; 95% CI 40.2-80.5%) had blood culture growth of the same organism as the CSF culture. 1 patient had a different organism in the blood culture compared to the CSF culture. 6 patients (33.3%, 95% CI 14.8%-56.9%) with positive CSF cultures had negative blood cultures., Conclusions: Our results suggest an insufficient degree of agreement between CSF and blood culture results. PCR may be a prudent approach in patients requiring immediate antibiotics and delayed LP., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is commonly thought to be too slow to capture any neural dynamics faster than 0.1 Hz. However, recent findings demonstrate the feasibility of detecting fMRI activity at higher frequencies beyond 0.2 Hz. The origin, reliability, and generalizability of fast fMRI responses are still under debate and await confirmation through animal experiments with fMRI and invasive electrophysiology. Here, we acquired single-echo and multi-echo fMRI, as well as local field potentials, from anesthetized rat brains given gastric electrical stimulation modulated at 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 Hz. Such gastric stimuli could drive widespread fMRI responses at corresponding frequencies from the somatosensory and cingulate cortices. Such fast fMRI responses were linearly dependent on echo times and thus indicative of blood oxygenation level dependent nature (BOLD). Local field potentials recorded during the same gastric stimuli revealed transient and phase-locked broadband neural responses, preceding the fMRI responses by as short as 0.5 s. Taken together, these results suggest that gastric stimulation can drive widespread and rapid fMRI responses of BOLD and neural origin, lending support to the feasibility of using fMRI to detect rapid changes in neural activity up to 0.8 Hz under visceral stimulation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The proliferative phase of infantile hemangiomas (IHs) is usually complete by 9 months of life. Late growth beyond age 3 years is rarely reported., Objective: To describe the demographic and clinic characteristics of a cohort of patients with late growth of IH, defined as growth in a patient >3 years of age., Methods: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study., Results: In total, 59 patients, 85% of which were female, met the inclusion criteria. The mean first episode of late growth was 4.3 (range 3-8.5) years. Head and neck location (55/59; 93%) and presence of deep hemangioma (52/59; 88%) were common characteristics. Posterior fossa malformations, hemangiomas, arterial anomalies, cardiac defects, eye abnormalities (PHACE) syndrome was noted in 20 of 38 (53%) children with segmental facial IH. Systemic therapy (corticosteroid or β-blocker) was given during infancy in 58 of 59 (98%) and 24 of 59 (41%) received systemic therapy (β-blockers) for late IH growth., Limitations: The retrospective nature and ascertainment by investigator recall are limitations of the study., Conclusion: Late IH growth can occur in children after 3 years of age. Risk factors include head and neck location, segmental morphology, and involvement of deep dermal/subcutaneous tissues., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an emerging electroceutical therapy for remedying gastric disorders that are poorly managed by pharmacological treatments and/or dietary changes. Such therapy seems promising as the vagovagal neurocircuitry modulates the enteric nervous system to influence gastric functions., Methods: Here, the modulatory effects of left cervical VNS on gastric emptying in rats were quantified using a (i) feeding protocol in which the animal voluntarily consumed a postfast, gadolinium-labeled meal and (ii) a non-invasive imaging method to measure antral motility, pyloric activity and gastric emptying based on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer-assisted image processing pipelines., Key Results: Vagus nerve stimulation significantly accelerated gastric emptying (sham vs VNS: 29.1% ± 1.5% vs 40.7% ± 3.9% of meal emptied per 4 hours), caused a greater relaxation of the pyloric sphincter (sham vs VNS: 1.5 ± 0.1 vs 2.6 ± 0.4 mm 2 cross-sectional area of lumen), and increased antral contraction amplitude (sham vs VNS: 23.3% ± 3.0% vs 32.5% ± 3.0% occlusion), peristaltic velocity (sham vs VNS: 0.50 ± 0.02 vs 0.67 ± 0.03 mm s -1 ), but not its contraction frequency (sham vs VNS: 6.1 ± 0.2 vs 6.4 ± 0.2 contractions per minute, P = .22). The degree to which VNS relaxed the pylorus was positively correlated with gastric emptying rate (r = .5887, P < .001)., Conclusions & Inferences: The MRI protocol employed in this study is expected to enable advanced preclinical studies to understand stomach pathophysiology and its therapeutics. Results from this study suggest an electroceutical treatment approach for gastric emptying disorders using cervical VNS to control the degree of pyloric sphincter relaxation., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Over the last decade, observations acquired by the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) sounder on individual passes of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed the internal structure of the Martian polar caps and provided new insights into the formation of the icy layers within and their relationship to climate. However, a complete picture of the cap interiors has been hampered by interfering reflections from off-nadir surface features and signal losses associated with sloping structures and scattering. Foss et al. (2017) addressed these limitations by assembling three-dimensional data volumes of SHARAD observations from thousands of orbital passes over each polar region and applying geometric corrections simultaneously. The radar volumes provide unprecedented views of subsurface features, readily imaging structures previously inferred from time-intensive manual analysis of single-orbit data (e.g., trough-bounding surfaces, a buried chasma, and a basal unit in the north, massive carbon-dioxide ice deposits and discontinuous layered sequences in the south). Our new mapping of the carbon-dioxide deposits yields a volume of 16,500 km 3 , 11% larger than the prior estimate. In addition, the radar volumes newly reveal other structures, including what appear to be buried impact craters with no surface expression. Our first assessment of 21 apparent craters at the base of the north polar layered deposits suggests a Hesperian age for the substrate, consistent with that of the surrounding plains as determined from statistics of surface cratering rates. Planned mapping of similar features throughout both polar volumes may provide new constraints on the age of the icy layered deposits. The radar volumes also provide new topographic data between the highest latitudes observed by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter and those observed by SHARAD. In general, mapping of features in these radar volumes is placing new constraints on the nature and evolution of the polar deposits and associated climate changes.

Scope: Slowly digestible starch (SDS), as a functional carbohydrate providing a slow and sustained glucose release, may be able to modulate food intake through activation of the gut-brain axis., Methods and Results: Diet-induced obese rats were used to test the effect on feeding behavior of high-fat (HF) diets containing an SDS, fabricated to digest into the ileum, as compared to rapidly digestible starch (RDS). Ingestion of the HF-SDS diet over an 11-week period reduced daily food intake, through smaller meal size, to the same level as a lean body control group, while the group consuming the HF-RDS diet remained at a high food intake. Expression levels (mRNA) of the hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) were significantly reduced, and the anorexigenic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) was increased, in the HF-SDS fed group compared to the HF-RDS group, and to the level of the lean control group., Conclusion: SDS with digestion into the ileum reduced daily food intake and paralleled suppressed expression of appetite-stimulating neuropeptide genes associated with the gut-brain axis. This novel finding suggests further exploration involving a clinical study and potential development of SDS-based functional foods as an approach to obesity control., (© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Haemangioma of infancy, a benign tumour of blood vessels, is the most common tumour of infancy. Ulceration, the most common complication, presents a unique wound care challenge. A retrospective audit of medical records of children with haemangioma of infancy who presented to the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, between January 2000 and December 2014 was undertaken with an aim to examine wound management of ulcerated haemangioma of infancy. In total, 535 hospital medical records were identified as suitable, of which 352 were randomly selected and audited, of which 84 patients had ulcerated haemangioma of infancy, and 62 were subject to wound management. Of these, 35 were successfully managed by wound dressings, 9 were not fully healed at the time of last review, and 18 were referred for surgical excision. Patients attended an average of five outpatient visits, and the average time from presentation to documented healing was 105 days. There were a total of 225 episodes of wound dressing, for which there was a documented follow-up appointment at which healing could be assessed. Although a wide range of dressings were used, there was no clear pattern of benefit of one dressing over another. Wounds were less likely to be healed after the use of a silver-impregnated dressing. Pain was poorly documented. Clinical assessment of whether wounds were infected was of no help in planning treatment. There is considerable variability in the management of this difficult wound group, and further prospective studies are required., (© 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Many areas of the Earth's crust deform by distributed extensional faulting and complex fault interactions are often observed. Geodetic data generally indicate a simpler picture of continuum deformation over decades but relating this behaviour to earthquake occurrence over centuries, given numerous potentially active faults, remains a global problem in hazard assessment. We address this challenge for an array of seismogenic faults in the central Italian Apennines, where crustal extension and devastating earthquakes occur in response to regional surface uplift. We constrain fault slip-rates since ~18 ka using variations in cosmogenic 36 Cl measured on bedrock scarps, mapped using LiDAR and ground penetrating radar, and compare these rates to those inferred from geodesy. The 36 Cl data reveal that individual faults typically accumulate meters of displacement relatively rapidly over several thousand years, separated by similar length time intervals when slip-rates are much lower, and activity shifts between faults across strike. Our rates agree with continuum deformation rates when averaged over long spatial or temporal scales (10 4  yr; 10 2  km) but over shorter timescales most of the deformation may be accommodated by <30% of the across-strike fault array. We attribute the shifts in activity to temporal variations in the mechanical work of faulting.

Detection of α-synuclein lesions in peripheral tissues is a feature of human synucleinopathies of likely pathogenetic relevance and bearing important clinical implications. Experiments were carried out to elucidate the relationship between α-synuclein accumulation in the brain and in peripheral organs, and to identify potential pathways involved in long-distance protein transfer. Results of this in vivo study revealed a route-specific transmission of α-synuclein from the rat brain to the stomach. Following targeted midbrain overexpression of human α-synuclein, the exogenous protein was capable of reaching the gastric wall where it was accumulated into preganglionic vagal terminals. This brain-to-stomach connection likely involved intra- and inter-neuronal transfer of non-fibrillar α-synuclein that first reached the medulla oblongata, then gained access into cholinergic neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve and finally traveled via efferent fibers of these neurons contained within the vagus nerve. Data also showed a particular propensity of vagal motor neurons and efferents to accrue α-synuclein and deliver it to peripheral tissues; indeed, following its midbrain overexpression, human α-synuclein was detected within gastric nerve endings of visceromotor but not viscerosensory vagal projections. Thus, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve represents a key relay center for central-to-peripheral α-synuclein transmission, and efferent vagal fibers may act as unique conduits for protein transfer. The presence of α-synuclein in peripheral tissues could reflect, at least in some synucleinopathy patients, an ongoing pathological process that originates within the brain and, from there, reaches distant organs innervated by motor vagal projections.