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IntroductionThe vestibular implant is a neuroprosthesis which offers a potential treatment approach for patients suffering from vestibulopathy. Investigating the influence of electrical stimulation parameters is essential to improve the vestibular implant response. Optimization of the response focuses on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex. It aims to facilitate high peak eye velocities and adequate alignment of the eye movement responses. In this study, the basic stimulation parameters of the vestibular implant were tested for their effect on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex.MethodsFour stimulation parameters, including the stimulation amplitude, phase duration, stimulus rate and speed of change of stimulation, were systematically tested in a cohort of nine subjects with a vestibulo-cochlear implant. These parameters were tested to evaluate their effect on fitting settings (i.e., threshold of activation, upper comfortable limit and dynamic range) as well as on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex (peak eye velocity and alignment).ResultsIt was confirmed that, in addition to current amplitude, the peak eye velocity of the response can be increased by increasing the phase duration and pulse rate. Both parameters have little effect on the alignment of the eye response. However, a longer phase duration decreased the range between the threshold of activation and the upper comfortable limit of the electrical stimulation (i.e., dynamic range). Furthermore, these results show that next to the amplitude of the stimulation, the speed of change in stimulation has a determinative positive effect on the peak eye velocity.ConclusionThe observations in this study imply that the vestibular implant response, in terms of peak eye velocity, can be optimized with a higher pulse rate and longer phase duration. However, this comes at a trade-off between the dynamic range and power consumption. This study provides essential insights for fitting strategies in future vestibular implant care.

Background The modified Short QUestionnaire to ASsess Health-enhancing physical activity (mSQUASH) was originally developed and validated in Dutch patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). To support world-wide distribution, applicability and comparability of measuring physical activity, our aim was to perform translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the mSQUASH into English, field testing in other rheumatic diseases and clinical validation in patients with axSpA.Methods The Dutch mSQUASH was translated into English according to forward–backward Beaton protocol. Semistructured interviews were conducted in representative samples of patients with axSpA (n=13), Sjögren’s disease (n=10), systemic lupus erythematosus (n=10) and giant cell arteritis/polymyalgia rheumatica (n=10) to verify relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility. For construct validity (n=95), Spearman correlations were used with clinical outcome assessments. For test–retest reliability (n=82), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. For responsiveness (n=80), standardised response means (SRM) were calculated stratified by Anchor method.Results Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the mSQUASH into English were successfully carried out, which can serve as basis for other translations. Only minor adaptations and clarifications were implemented. Fair correlations were found between mSQUASH and Axial Spondyloarthritis Disease Activity Score (ρ=−0.31), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (ρ=−0.37) and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society-Health Index (ρ=−0.30). Test–retest reliability was very good (ICC: 0.87). Responsiveness corresponded to the direction of self-reported changes in physical activity (SRM: 0.72 for improved, 0.06 for stable and −0.74 for worsened).Conclusion The mSQUASH showed good linguistic and face validity according to field testing in different rheumatic diseases. Clinical validation confirmed good construct validity, test–retest reliability and responsiveness in patients with axSpA, which supports the use of the mSQUASH in clinical practice and research.

Genetic resources are the foundation of American agriculture’s ongoing success—the diversity, security, health, and genetic integrity of these resources must be safeguarded. However, in contrast to other crops, protecting, managing, and using collections of woody landscape plant genetic resources present significant challenges. These include conservation of at-risk populations that have high genetic diversity, evaluation of taxa with an unknown potential to invade, and management of large specimens that have long generation times and often recalcitrant or difficult-to-store seeds. The wide diversity of taxa and the limited number of specialist curators and scholars present further challenges. Thus, effective collection, preservation, evaluation, and distribution of woody landscape plant germplasm require substantial and specialized resources. The most fundamental challenge is simple: too many built landscapes have low taxonomic diversity and are often dominated by a single taxon, or monoculture. In turn, these taxonomically and genetically depauperate landscapes are vulnerable to a host of biotic and abiotic threats and are less likely to provide ecosystem and societal services for which they were designed. To develop more resilient landscapes, there is an urgent need to expand taxonomic diversity, which requires the horticultural community to effectively acquire, curate, evaluate, distribute, and use diverse woody landscape plant genetic resources. The role of the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Woody Landscape Plant Crop Germplasm Committee (WLPCGC) is to identify vulnerabilities and threats that compromise WLP crops in the United States and make recommendations for prioritization of germplasm acquisition, evaluation, research, and management priorities through regular interaction with stakeholders. Due to the breadth of genera and shifting plant genetic resource needs of the nursery industry, it is impractical to list specific threatened or priority genera in a broadly applicable crop vulnerability statement. Instead, the WLPCGC has identified themes of threats and vulnerabilities providing a foundation upon which to support prioritization as threats to specific genera emerge.

We report on the measurement of the local magnetization dynamics occurring, at units of GHz, in large aspect ratio stripes lithographed from reduced damping amorphous Fe80B20 films. The stripes were submitted to local anisotropy modifications by micrometric beam synchrotron X-ray irradiation. Our results include data on the dispersion relationships and group velocities corresponding to spin waves excited at both the non-irradiated and the irradiated regions. Whereas in the former case we observed standing spin waves with transverse-to-the stripe axis wave vector, in the latter one, for which the wave vector of the spin waves was parallel-to-the stripe axis, propagating spin waves were excited. In both regions, we measured the effective propagation distance of the spin waves, which resulted to be independent of the wave vector orientation. In the spin waves excited at the irradiated region, we also measured the decay time and effective damping coefficient, which was in good agreement with previously reported values obtained from FMR measurements in amorphous Fe80B20 continuous films. We show that the interaction of the non-irradiated and irradiated zones results, at the stripe transverse saturation remanence and under an exciting field frequency of 4 GHz, in the introduction of a π phase shift between the standing spin waves excited at both sides of the irradiated region. This result opens the possibility of using the local, transverse to the stripe axis, magnetic anisotropy easy axis induced by the X-ray irradiation as a crucial constituent of a zero-applied field spin wave phase-shifter.

Abstract Introduction Within the EULAR recommendations, patient education (PE) is stated as the basis of the management of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). However, educational needs are scarcely qualitatively studied in axSpA. Therefore, we aimed to explore experiences and needs of PE in patients with axSpA. Methods A phenomenological approach was used, with semi-structured in-depth interviews with patients with axSpA including broad variation in characteristics. Thematic analysis was applied. To enhance credibility, data saturation, research triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking, theoretical notes, and bracketing were performed. Results Three interrelated themes regarding PE were identified from 20 interviews: illness perception, content, and ‘availability’. Illness perception affects how patients experience and process PE, which consequently influences coping strategies. Prognosis, treatment, and coaching to self-management were identified as the most important content of PE. Regarding ‘availability’, face-to-face PE is preferred for exploring needs, supplemented by self-education, which can be freely applied. Additionally, sufficient time and a comprehensible amount of information were important and participants emphasized the need for axSpA-tailored information for relatives and friends. Participants reported a trusting patient–healthcare provider (HCP) relationship, and multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary attunement between HCPs as prerequisites for effective PE. Conclusions This first qualitative study exploring patients’ experiences and needs of PE in axSpA revealed that prognosis, treatment, and coaching to self-management are important regarding content, and the combination of face-to-face contact and self-education the preferred modalities. It seems essential that patients’ illness perceptions are taken into account for effective PE. These results add relevant insights for future PE guidelines in axSpA.

Constantin Stan,1,2 Doiniţa Vesa,2 Mihai Ionuț Tănase,1 Mara Bulmaci,1 Sever Pop,1 Doinel Gheorghe Rădeanu,1 Marcel Cosgarea,1 Alma Maniu1 1Department of ENT, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, România; 2Department of Surgical Clinical, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Galați, RomâniaCorrespondence: Doinel Gheorghe Rădeanu, Department of ENT, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Migdalului Street No. 6, Cluj-Napoca, 400209, România, Tel +40723025325, Email dr.radeanu@gmail.com; doinel.radeanu@gmail.comAbstract: Simulation in endoscopic sinus surgery allows residents to learn anatomy, to achieve the correct handling of various rhinological instruments, and to practice different surgical procedures. Physically or non-virtual reality models are the main items in endoscopic sinus surgery simulation. The objective of this review is to identify and make a descriptive analysis of non-virtual endoscopic sinus surgery simulators which have been proposed for training. As a new state of the art, surgical simulators are developed continuously, so they can be used to learn basic endoscopic surgery skills by repetitive maneuvers, permitting detection of surgical error and incidents without risk for the patient. Of all training physical models, the ovine model stands out because of the similarities of the sinonasal pathways, the wide availability, and the low costs. Considering the similar nature of the tissues involved, the techniques and surgical instruments can be used almost interchangeably with minimal differences. Every surgical technique studied until now has a degree of risk and the only aspects that consistently reduced the number of complications are training, repetition, and hands-on experience.Keywords: simulator, training, physical, rhinology

BackgroundA combined vestibular (VI) and cochlear implant (CI) device, also known as the vestibulocochlear implant (VCI), was previously developed to restore both vestibular and auditory function. A new refined prototype is currently being investigated. This prototype allows for concurrent multichannel vestibular and cochlear stimulation. Although recent studies showed that VCI stimulation enables compensatory eye, body and neck movements, the constraints in these acute study designs prevent them from creating more general statements over time. Moreover, the clinical relevance of potential VI and CI interactions is not yet studied. The VertiGO! Trial aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of prolonged daily motion modulated stimulation with a multichannel VCI prototype.MethodsA single-center clinical trial will be carried out to evaluate prolonged VCI stimulation, assess general safety and explore interactions between the CI and VI. A single-blind randomized controlled crossover design will be implemented to evaluate the efficacy of three types of stimulation. Furthermore, this study will provide a proof-of-concept for a VI rehabilitation program. A total of minimum eight, with a maximum of 13, participants suffering from bilateral vestibulopathy and severe sensorineural hearing loss in the ear to implant will be included and followed over a five-year period. Efficacy will be evaluated by collecting functional (i.e. image stabilization) and more fundamental (i.e. vestibulo-ocular reflexes, self-motion perception) outcomes. Hearing performance with a VCI and patient-reported outcomes will be included as well.DiscussionThe proposed schedule of fitting, stimulation and outcome testing allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility and long-term safety of a multichannel VCI prototype. This design will give insights into vestibular and hearing performance during VCI stimulation. Results will also provide insights into the expected daily benefit of prolonged VCI stimulation, paving the way for cost-effectiveness analyses and a more comprehensive clinical implementation of vestibulocochlear stimulation in the future.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04918745. Registered 28 April 2021.

Pt(Cu0.67Sn0.33) has recently been found in a natural sample. In order to be able to characterize this new ternary compound, we synthesized it from the elements. Samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal relaxation calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy studies. Density functional theory-based model calculations complemented the experimental studies. Pt(Cu0.67Sn0.33) was already formed at a relatively low temperature of 773 K. Rietveld refinement of Pt(Cu0.67Sn0.33) has been carried out in CuAu-type or L10-type structure, space group P4∕mmm, with Pt on 0,0,0 and disordered Cu and Sn on [Formula presented], [Formula presented], [Formula presented] and Z = 1. The lattice parameters are a = 2.823(1) Å, c = 3.64(1) Å, and V = 29.00(4) Å 3; which are in good agreement with values obtained earlier on the natural sample and with the results of DFT calculations. The vibrational entropy for Pt(Cu0.67Sn0.33) is S298.15vib = 79.9(7) J mol−1 K−1. The pressure dependence up to 36(2) GPa of the unit-cell volume and the lattice parameters and unit-cell volume have been obtained by synchrotron based powder diffraction using a diamond anvil cell. A fit of a 3rd-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state to the Pt(Cu0.67Sn0.33) (p,V)-data results in a bulk modulus of B0 = 215(27) GPa and B′ = 5(2).

Single-crystal architectures in glass, formed by a solid-solid transformation via laser heating, are novel solids with a rotating lattice. To understand the process of lattice formation that proceeds via crystal growth, we have observed in situ Sb2S3 crystal formation under X-ray irradiation with simultaneous Laue micro X-ray diffraction (μXRD) pattern collection. By translating the sample with respect to the beam, we form rotating lattice single (RLS) crystal lines with a consistently linear relationship between the rotation angle and distance from nucleation site. The lines begin with a seed crystal, followed by a transition region comprising of sub-grain or very similarly oriented grains, followed by the presence of a rotating lattice single crystal of unrestricted length. The results demonstrate that the primary cause of lattice rotation within RLS crystals is the densification accompanying the glass → crystal transformation, rather than stresses produced from the difference in thermal expansion coefficient of the two phases or paraelectric → ferroelectric transition during cooling to ambient temperature.

Among many efforts in the research of van der Waals (vdW) magnetic materials, increasing the Curie temperature above room temperature has been at the center of research in developing spintronics technology using vdW materials. Here an effective and reliable method of increasing the Curie temperature of ferromagnetic Fe3GeTe2 vdW materials by Ga implantation is reported. It is found that implanting Ga into Fe3GeTe2 by the amount of 10−3 Ga Å−3 could greatly enhance the Fe3GeTe2 Curie temperature by almost 100%. Spatially resolved microdiffraction and element-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy show little changes in the Fe3GeTe2 crystal structure and Fe valence state. In addition, the Ga implantation changes the Fe3GeTe2 magnetization from out-of-plane direction at low temperature to in-plane direction at high temperature. The result opens a new opportunity for tailoring the magnetic properties of vdW materials beyond room temperature.

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is an understory shrub native to the southeastern United States. The species occupies a relatively small native range, and little is known about its demography, genetic diversity, or needs for conservation. Samples were collected from 188 plants in 73 locations throughout the species range and were genotyped using genotyping by sequencing. A structure analysis identified six genetic clusters that are geographically defined. Although these clusters are weakly differentiated, each has unique alleles. An environmental association analysis revealed that environmental variables explain 11.3% of genetic diversity, and population structure explains 13.5%. Further, 231 putative adaptive alleles were identified, most of which are correlated with precipitation-related variables, indicating that precipitation has an impact on genetic diversity in H. quercifolia. Many historically documented populations were found to be either extirpated or at risk of extirpation. The genetic clusters on the southern extent of the species range are relatively small and contain putative adaptive alleles at relatively high frequencies. These results highlight the importance of preserving representative germplasm from throughout the species range.

Maintenance of the health of our oceans is critical for the survival of the oceanic food chain upon which humanity is dependent. Zooplanktonic copepods are among the most numerous multicellular organisms on earth. As the base of the primary consumer food web, they constitute a major biomass in oceans, being an important food source for fish and functioning in the carbon cycle. The potential impact of climate change on copepod populations is an area of intense study. Omics technologies offer the potential to detect early metabolic alterations induced by the stresses of climate change. One such omics approach is lipidomics, which can accurately quantify changes in lipid pools serving structural, signal transduction, and energy roles. We utilized high-resolution mass spectrometry (≤2 ppm mass error) to characterize the lipidome of three different species of copepods in an effort to identify lipid-based biomarkers of copepod health and viability which are more sensitive than observational tools. With the establishment of such a lipid database, we will have an analytical platform useful for prospectively monitoring the lipidome of copepods in a planned long-term five-year ecological study of climate change on this oceanic sentinel species. The copepods examined in this pilot study included a North Atlantic species (Calanus finmarchicus) and two species from the Gulf of Mexico, one a filter feeder (Acartia tonsa) and one a hunter (Labidocerca aestiva). Our findings clearly indicate that the lipidomes of copepod species can vary greatly, supporting the need to obtain a broad snapshot of each unique lipidome in a long-term multigeneration prospective study of climate change. This is critical, since there may well be species-specific responses to the stressors of climate change and co-stressors such as pollution. While lipid nomenclature and biochemistry are extremely complex, it is not essential for all readers interested in climate change to understand all of the various lipid classes presented in this study. The clear message from this research is that we can monitor key copepod lipid families with high accuracy, and therefore potentially monitor lipid families that respond to environmental perturbations evoked by climate change.

Volcanic eruptions are energetic events driven by the imbalance of magmatic forces. The magnitudes of these forces remain poorly constrained because they operate in regions that are inaccessible, either underground or dangerous to approach. New techniques are needed to quantify the processes that drive eruptions and to probe magma storage conditions. Here we present X-ray microdiffraction measurements of volcanic stress imparted as lattice distortions to the crystal cargo of magma from Yellowstone and Long Valley eruptions. Elevated residual stresses between 100 and 300 MPa are preserved in erupted quartz. Multiple volcanic forces could be culpable for the deformation so we analyzed crystals from pyroclastic falls, pyroclastic density currents, and effusive lavas. Stresses are preserved in all quartz but cannot be attributed to differences in eruption style. Instead, lattice deformation likely preserves an in situ measurement of the deviatoric stresses required for the brittle failure of viscous, crystal-bearing glass during ascent.

Introduction: The vestibular implant is a neuroprosthesis which offers a potential treatment approach for patients suffering from vestibulopathy. Investigating the influence of electrical stimulation parameters is essential to improve the vestibular implant response. Optimization of the response focuses on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex. It aims to facilitate high peak eye velocities and adequate alignment of the eye movement responses. In this study, the basic stimulation parameters of the vestibular implant were tested for their effect on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex. Methods: Four stimulation parameters, including the stimulation amplitude, phase duration, stimulus rate and speed of change of stimulation, were systematically tested in a cohort of nine subjects with a vestibulo-cochlear implant. These parameters were tested to evaluate their effect on fitting settings (i.e., threshold of activation, upper comfortable limit and dynamic range) as well as on the electrically evoked vestibulo-ocular reflex (peak eye velocity and alignment). Results: It was confirmed that, in addition to current amplitude, the peak eye velocity of the response can be increased by increasing the phase duration and pulse rate. Both parameters have little effect on the alignment of the eye response. However, a longer phase duration decreased the range between the threshold of activation and the upper comfortable limit of the electrical stimulation (i.e., dynamic range). Furthermore, these results show that next to the amplitude of the stimulation, the speed of change in stimulation has a determinative positive effect on the peak eye velocity. Conclusion: The observations in this study imply that the vestibular implant response, in terms of peak eye velocity, can be optimized with a higher pulse rate and longer phase duration. However, this comes at a trade-off between the dynamic range and power consumption. This study provides essential insights for fitting strategies in future vestibular implant care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Patients seeking primary care often present with health concerns related to psychological trauma, highlighting the importance of health care providers' (HCPs) comfort discussing trauma in the primary care setting. This study used mixed methods, including qualitative content analysis, to (1) document HCPs' trauma-related comfort levels and factors contributing to discomfort and (2) examine the associations between provider-level factors and comfort. Materials and Methods: Direct patient care providers (74.6% physicians/residents; 68.7% women; 44.8% White; Mage = 36.7 years, SDage = 9.8) were recruited from primary care clinics in an urban public hospital system in the United States to complete a survey assessing trauma-related comfort; responses to open-ended prompts were coded by independent raters. Results: Few HCPs endorsed comfort providing care to patients with known trauma histories (29.8%), most often citing limited knowledge and fear of exacerbating symptoms as contributors to discomfort. HCPs most often endorsed formal education and integrated behavioral health teams as having enhanced their comfort providing trauma-informed care; 59.2% indicated that receiving formal education would further increase comfort. HCPs' comfort was unrelated provider-level factors other than department, F (2,53) =6.56, P = 0.003, and race, F (2,52) =5.69, P = 0.006. Discussion: Findings provide critical context to HCPs' trauma-related discomfort as well as actionable next steps to increase trauma-related comfort during primary care encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-resolved x-ray diffraction platform at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) fields electronic sensors closer to the exploding laser-driven target than any other NIF diagnostic in order to directly detect diffracted x rays from highly compressed materials. We document strategies to characterize and mitigate the unacceptably high background signals observed in this geometry. We specifically assess the possible effects of electromagnetic pulse, x-ray fluorescence, hot electrons, and sensor-specific non-x-ray artifacts. Significant background reduction is achieved by strategic shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Flexible Imaging Diffraction Diagnostic for Laser Experiments (FIDDLE) is a new diagnostic at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) designed to observe in situ solid–solid phase changes at high pressures using time resolved x-ray diffraction. FIDDLE currently incorporates five Icarus ultrafast x-ray imager sensors that take 2 ns snapshots and can be tuned to collect X-rays for tens of ns. The platform utilizes the laser power at NIF for both the laser drive and the generation of 10 keV X-rays for ∼10 ns using a Ge backlighter foil. We aim to use FIDDLE to observe diffraction at different times during compression to probe the kinetics of phase changes. Pb undergoes two solid–solid phase transitions during ramp compression: from face centered cubic (FCC) to hexagonal close packed (HCP) and HCP to body centered cubic (BCC). Results will be reported on some of the first shots using the FIDDLE diagnostic at NIF on ramp compressed Pb to a peak pressure of ∼110 GPa and a single undriven CeO2 calibration shot. A discussion of the uncertainties in the observed diffraction is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background SELENON (SEPN1)-related myopathy (SELENON-RM) is a rare congenital myopathy characterized by slowly progressive proximal muscle weakness, early onset spine rigidity and respiratory insufficiency. A muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the LAMA2 gene (LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy, LAMA2-MD) has a similar clinical phenotype, with either a severe, early-onset due to complete Laminin subunit α2 deficiency (merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A)), or a mild, childhood- or adult-onset due to partial Laminin subunit α2 deficiency. For both muscle diseases, no curative treatment options exist, yet promising preclinical studies are ongoing. Currently, there is a paucity on natural history data and appropriate clinical and functional outcome measures are needed to reach trial readiness. Methods LAST STRONG is a natural history study in Dutch-speaking patients of all ages diagnosed with SELENON-RM or LAMA2-MD, starting August 2020. Patients have four visits at our hospital over a period of 1.5 year. At all visits, they undergo standardized neurological examination, hand-held dynamometry (age ≥ 5 years), functional measurements, questionnaires (patient report and/or parent proxy; age ≥ 2 years), muscle ultrasound including diaphragm, pulmonary function tests (spirometry, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure, sniff nasal inspiratory pressure; age ≥ 5 years), and accelerometry for 8 days (age ≥ 2 years); at visit one and three, they undergo cardiac evaluation (electrocardiogram, echocardiography; age ≥ 2 years), spine X-ray (age ≥ 2 years), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA-)scan (age ≥ 2 years) and full body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (age ≥ 10 years). All examinations are adapted to the patient’s age and functional abilities. Correlation between key parameters within and between subsequent visits will be assessed. Discussion Our study will describe the natural history of patients diagnosed with SELENON-RM or LAMA2-MD, enabling us to select relevant clinical and functional outcome measures for reaching clinical trial-readiness. Moreover, our detailed description (deep phenotyping) of the clinical features will optimize clinical management and will establish a well-characterized baseline cohort for prospective follow-up. Conclusion Our natural history study is an essential step for reaching trial readiness in SELENON-RM and LAMA2-MD. Trial registration This study has been approved by medical ethical reviewing committee Region Arnhem-Nijmegen (NL64269.091.17, 2017–3911) and is registered at ClinicalTrial.gov ( NCT04478981 ).

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia Bartr.) is an understory shrub native to the southeastern United States. Hydrangeas are popular ornamental landscape plants; however, little is known about the diversity in horticulturally important traits for oakleaf hydrangea. Information regarding the variation in important traits could guide future breeding efforts for the species. Seed was collected from 55 populations throughout the range of the species for the purpose of conducting a horticultural characterization of the species compared with select cultivars. Plant architecture was characterized as plant height, number of nodes, internode length, number of branches, and plant width. Plant architecture was measured for container-grown and field-grown plants in two locations (Minnesota and Tennessee). Tolerance to leaf spot (Xanthomonas campestris L.) was characterized for wild-collected seedlings and cultivars by measuring disease severity under exposure to ambient inoculum. Cold hardiness was characterized during two winters with a controlled freezing experiment. During the first winter, seedlings were tested in January; during the second winter, seedlings and cultivars were tested monthly from October through April. Plant architecture varied by environment, with plants growing larger in Tennessee than in Minnesota. The heights of container-grown and field-grown plants were correlated with the collection site latitude (r = −0.66), with populations from the northeastern extent of the range of the species being the most compact, and populations from Florida being the tallest. Leaf spot severity varied significantly among populations and cultivars and was also correlated with latitude for the seedlings (r = 0.70). Two populations in Florida were identified as sources of high tolerance to leaf spot, whereas ‘Flemygea’ and ‘Alice’ were identified as having moderate tolerance to leaf spot. Cold hardiness varied among populations and cultivars and among months of the winter. The overall maximum cold hardiness was observed in February [mean lethal temperature (LT50) = −33.7 °C], and several populations maintained an extreme level of cold hardiness into late winter. Midwinter cold hardiness also varied by latitude (r = −0.65), with northern populations showing higher levels of cold hardiness. These results indicate that certain wild oakleaf hydrangea populations will be useful for introgressing novel variation into breeding programs.

Prairie dropseed [Sporobolus heterolepis (A. Gray) A. Gray] is a critical North American native grass that is often not incorporated into prairie restoration seed mixes due to its low survival and growth rates. This project investigated using hydrogels, landscape plugs, and native field soil to improve the survival and growth of prairie dropseed. At three tallgrass prairie restoration sites at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, we planted prairie dropseed plugs in Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Fall 2020. When grown in the field from 42 to 94 weeks, we found that potting mix–grown plugs had increased growth as measured by dry weight compared with plugs grown in native soils. Soil medium did not influence survival rates. The use of hydrogels did not demonstrate increased survival or growth compared with plugs planted with water. We recommend land managers and restorationists use plugs grown in commercial potting mix rather than grown in native soils, and we found no advantage in using hydrogels over watering at planting.

John E. Copeland, (*) Stan C. Kunigelis, Emily A. Stuart, and Kayleigh A. Hanson Department of Biology. Lincoln Memorial University. Harrogate. TN 37752 Present Address: 324 Bland Road. Clinton. TN [...]

Abstract Residents should take adaptive action to reduce flood risk—this claim increasingly resonates in the academic debate on flood risk management (FRM). Hence, it must be assumed that a change in the division of responsibilities between actors involved is an imperative, that is, beyond the public authorities, residents should become more responsible for their own flood resilience. However, residents' perspectives on their own and other's responsibility for adaptive action has not yet been explored extensively. In this contribution, we distinguish between four notions of responsibility in analysing the perspectives of residents regarding flood risk adaptation measures undertaken by public authorities, insurance companies and residents themselves. A qualitative study in England shows how residents perceive responsibilities for flood risk adaptation across the various notions and actors, including themselves. We found that residents have clear expectations and perceptions on how they think responsibility is divided among stakeholders and how they would like it to be. Additionally, the discourse on responsibility division in FRM raises questions and causes mismatches between the formal legal parameters and residents' perceptions. With the insights into residents' perceptions, opportunities arise to better inform and encourage them to take flood risk adaptation measures and thereby improve flood resilience.

Nearshore sandbars characterize many sandy coasts, and unravelling their dynamics is crucial to understanding nearshore sediment pathways. Sandbar morphologies exhibit complex patterns that can be classified into distinct states. The tremendous progress in data-driven learning in image recognition has recently led to the first automated classification of single-barred beach states from Argus imagery using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Herein, we extend this method for the classification of beach states in a double-barred system. We used transfer learning to fine-tune the pre-trained network of ResNet50. Our data consisted of labelled single-bar time-averaged images from the beaches of Narrabeen (Australia) and Duck (US), complemented by 9+ years of daily averaged low-tide images of the double-barred beach of the Gold Coast (Australia). We assessed seven different CNNs, of which each model was tested on the test data from the location where its training data came from, the self-tests, and on the test data of alternate, unseen locations, the transfer-tests. When the model trained on the single-barred data of both Duck and Narrabeen was tested on unseen data of the double-barred Gold Coast, we achieved relatively low performances as measured by F1 scores. In contrast, models trained with only the double-barred beach data showed comparable skill in the self-tests with that of the single-barred models. We incrementally added data with labels from the inner or outer bar of the Gold Coast to the training data from both single-barred beaches, and trained models with both single- and double-barred data. The tests with these models showed that which bar the labels used for training the model mattered. The training with the outer bar labels led to overall higher performances, except at the inner bar. Furthermore, only 10% of additional data with the outer bar labels was needed for reasonable transferability, compared to the 20% of additional data needed with the inner bar labels. Additionally, when trained with data from multiple locations, more data from a new location did not always positively affect the model’s performance on other locations. However, the larger diversity of images coming from more locations allowed the transferability of the model to the locations from where new training data were added.

In light of several recent large-scale flooding events worldwide, the urgency of involving residents in the flood risk management debate is growing. However, this has so far proven to be problematic, mainly because of lacking or ineffective communication between stakeholders. One way to better involve residents in the flood risk management debate is by developing smart applications, dedicated to facilitate and increase the insights of residents into the flood risk and vulnerability of their private properties. However, what is lacking thus far is a systematic evaluation of the technical aspects and the user experiences of such tools. The goal of this article is to explore and evaluate the technical, analytical, and communicative qualities of smart flood risk assessment tools. To this end, a new smart application named FLOODLABEL is used, aiming to inform residents of flood-prone areas about potential flood risks and associated protection measures of their dwellings. Based on this, the article concludes that a smart application like FLOODLABEL can be beneficial for informing residents about flood risks and potential protection measures. However, it also shows that a one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable for informing residents on flood risks, inter alia because how residents perceive risks is not homogeneous. This research is therefore just the first step towards a more systematic evaluation method of smart applications.

Climate change will affect the way cities work substantially. Flooding and urban heating are among the most tangible consequences in cities around the globe. Extreme hydro-meteorological events will likely increase in the future due to climate change. Making cities climate-resilient is therefore an urgent challenge to sustain urban living. To adapt cities to the consequences of climate change, new ideas and concepts need to be adopted. This oftentimes requires action from different stakeholder groups and citizens. In other words, climate adaptation of cities needs governance. Facilitating such urban governance for climate adaptation is thus a big and increasing challenge of urban planning. Smart tools and its embedding in smart urban governance is promising to help in this respect. To what extent can the use of digital knowledge technologies in a collaborative planning setting be instrumental in facilitating climate adaptation? This question entails visualising effects of climate adaptation interventions and facilitating dialogue between governments, businesses such as engineering companies, and citizens. The aim of this thematic issue is to explore how the application of technologies in urban planning, embedded in smart urban governance, can contribute to provide climate change adaptation. We understand smart urban governance in this context both in terms of disclosing technical expert information to the wider public, and in terms of supporting with the help of technologies the wider governance debates between the stakeholders involved. The contributions reflect this dual focus on socio-technical innovations and planning support, and therefore include various dimensions, from modelling and interacting to new modes of urban governance and political dimensions of using technologies in climate change adaptation in urban areas.

The fungal pathogen, Diplocarpon rosae, infects only roses (Rosa spp.) and leads to rose black spot disease. Rose black spot is the most problematic disease of outdoor-grown roses worldwide due to the potential for rapid leaf chlorosis and defoliation. Eleven races of the pathogen were previously characterized from isolates collected in North America and Europe. Isolates of D. rosae obtained from infected leaves of the roses Brite EyesTM (‘RADbrite’; isolate BEP; collected in West Grove, PA) and Oso Easy® Paprika (‘CHEwmaytime’; isolate PAP; collected in Minneapolis, MN) proved to have unique infection patterns using the established host differential with the addition of Lemon FizzTM (‘KORlem’). The new races are designated race 12 (BEP) and race 13 (PAP), respectively, and Lemon FizzTM should be included in the updated host differential because it distinguishes races 7 and 12. Additionally, inconsistent infections and limited sporulation were found in the host differential Knock Out® (‘RADrazz’) for races 7 and 12. Expanding the collection of D. rosae races supports ongoing research efforts, including host resistance gene discovery and breeding new rose cultivars with increased and potentially durable resistance.

Purpose: to realize a comparative analysis of demographic characteristics and outer diameters of the arteries of the circle of Willis (CW) according to the presence/absence of ischemic stroke. Material and methods: We performed a retrospective study on 166 adult patients, hospitalized in „Prof. dr. N. Oblu" Emergency Clinical Hospital from Iaşi, in the period of 12 years, who died during hospitalization and on whom an autopsy was performed in order to determine the cause of death. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: (1). 48 patients without stroke; (2) 118 patients with ischemic stroke. Demographic data, causes of death, and outer diameters of CW arteries were collected and compared between the two groups of patients. Results: Patients with ischemic stroke were older (67.49±12.96 years) compared to those without stroke (60.33±15.67 years). 61.8% of ischemic stroke patients were male, and non-stroke patients were predominantly female (60.4%). 58.5% of those with ischemic stroke and 64.6% of patients without stroke came from rural areas. The median diameter (mD) of the ACoA was statistically significantly lower in patients with ischemic stroke (1.10 mm) compared to the others (1.40 mm); mD of right ACA was lower in patients with ischemic stroke (1.70 mm) compared to patients without stroke (1.80 mm). mD of right and left PCoAs were statistically significantly smaller in patients with ischemic stroke (0.30 mm, each) compared to those without stroke (0.60 mm, each). mD of right and left PCoAs were similar in both groups of patients (1.90 mm). Conclusions: The present research found that ischemic stroke patients were elderly, predominantly of male gender, and expressed a reduction of the external diameters of the anterior communicating artery, right anterior cerebral artery, right and left posterior communicating arteries, while patients without stroke did not show such vascular morphological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]