bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating (in)experience in congressional elections
Authors: Porter Rachel , Treul Sarah A.
Published: March 2024

From the 1980s to the mid‐2010s, nearly three‐quarters of members newly elected to the US House of Representatives had previous elected experience; however, only half of the freshmen elected from 2016 to 2020 held prior office. In this article, we investigate emergence‐ and success‐driven explanations for the declining proportion of experienced officeholders entering Congress. In our analyses, we find that the advantages traditionally afforded to experienced candidates are waning. First, we show that inexperienced candidates’ emergence patterns have changed; amateurs are increasingly apt to emerge in the same kinds of contests as their experienced counterparts. We then show that experienced candidates have lost their fundraising edge and that—for certain kinds of candidates—the value of elected experience itself has declined. Lastly, we identify other candidate characteristics as strong predictors for success in modern elections. We demonstrate that these electorally advantageous identities overwhelmingly belong to candidates who lack elected experience.
Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors and the risk of lung cancer among patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Shapiro Samantha B. , Yin Hui , Yu Oriana H. Y. , Azoulay Laurent
Published: March 2024

We sought to determine whether the use of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 (SGLT‐2) inhibitors is associated with a decreased risk of incident lung cancers among patients with type 2 diabetes. We assembled a new‐user, active comparator cohort of SGLT‐2 inhibitor and dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) inhibitor users using the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We fit Cox proportional hazards models with propensity score fine stratification weighting to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident lung cancer. Crude incidence rates were 0.94 per 1000 person‐years among 69 675 SGLT‐2 inhibitor users followed for a median of 2.4 years and 1.45 per 1000 person‐years among 151 495 DPP‐4 inhibitor users followed for a median of 3.7 years. No reduced short‐term risk of lung cancer was observed among SGLT‐2 inhibitor users after weighting (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.77–1.21). Further research with a longer follow‐up period may be warranted.
Left ventricular global longitudinal strain and acute myocardial injury in patients with sickle cell disease admitted to the intensive care unit for vaso‐occlusive crisis
Authors: Roger Guillaume , Denormandie Pierre , Gobe Thibaut , Azzolina Danila , Pham Tài , Chantalat Christelle , Cuveillier Daphnée , Bouchachi Amir , Jourdain Patrick , Lai Christopher , Pavot Arthur , Fage Nicolas , Domnariu Paul , Teboul Jean‐Louis , Monnet Xavier
Published: March 2024

In patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), SCD‐related cardiomyopathy may be partly due to repeated ischaemic events related to sickling during vaso‐occlusive crises, but few clinical studies support this hypothesis. We evaluated the incidence of acute myocardial ischaemia during vaso‐occlusive crises as assessed by the left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) and high‐sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT). We included adult patients with SCD admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for vaso‐occlusive crisis. We collected hs‐cTnT and measured LVGLS with echocardiography at admission (day 1), day 2, day 3 and ICU discharge. Among 55 patients included, considering only the first hospitalization of patients admitted several times, 3 (5%) had elevated hs‐cTnT at ≥1 time point of the ICU stay. It was ≤2 times the upper limit of normal in two of these patients. LVGLS was altered at ≥1 time point of the ICU stay in 13 (24%) patients. Both hs‐cTnT and LVGLS were abnormal at ≥1 time point of the hospital stay in 2 (4%) patients. Acute myocardial injury as assessed by troponin elevation and LVGLS impairment was a rare event during vaso‐occlusive crises.
Mexico's Dirty War: A Reassessment
Authors: Aviña Alex , Smith Benjamin T.
Published: March 2024

Recent scholarship has found that Mexico's dirty war was rooted in existing, but also limited, violent practices established during the 1940s and 1950s. During the 1960s, these limits began to disappear. But it was not until the early 1970s when the state had sufficient capacity to launch counterinsurgency tactics throughout the nation. However, contrary to traditional appreciations of Mexico's dirty war, these tactics were not exclusively used on urban and rural insurgents. They were soon employed by soldiers, secret agents and state cops often in alliance with local landowners and their pistoleros. They focused these violent practices on land invaders, groups aiming at indigenous autonomy, drug traffickers and drug producers. La tibieza ya se acabó, esto es una guerra a muerte (The softly‐softly approach is over, this is a war to the death) Durazo Moreno, April 1977.
Intermittent hypoxia preconditioning can attenuate acute hypoxic injury after a sustained normobaric hypoxic exposure: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Wang Yuan , Zhang Qihan , Ma Qingfeng , Wang Qing , Huang Dan , Ji Xunming
Published: March 2024

Background

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is emerging as a cost‐effective nonpharmacological method for vital organ protection. We aimed to assess the effects of a short‐term moderate intermittent hypoxia preconditioning protocol (four cycles of 13% hypoxia lasting for 10 min with 5‐min normoxia intervals) on acute hypoxic injury induced by sustained hypoxic exposure (oxygen concentration of 11.8% for 6 h).

Methods

One hundred healthy volunteers were recruited and randomized to the IH group and the control group to receive IH or sham‐IH preconditioning for 5 days, respectively, and then were sent to a hypoxic chamber for simulated acute high‐altitude exposure (4500 m).

Results

The overall incidence of acute mountain sickness was 27% (27/100), with 14% (7/50) in the IH group and 40% (20/50) in the control group (p = 0.003). After 6‐h simulated high‐altitude exposure, the mean Lake Louise Score was lower in the IH group as compared to controls (1.30 ± 1.27 vs. 2.04 ± 1.89, p = 0.024). Mean peripheral oxygen saturations (SpO2) and intracranial pressure (ICP) measures after acute hypoxic exposure exhibited significant differences, with the IH group showing significantly greater SpO2 values (85.47 ± 5.14 vs. 83.10 ± 5.15%, p = 0.026) and lower ICP levels than the control group (115.59 ± 32.15 vs. 130.36 ± 33.83 mmH2O, p = 0.028). IH preconditioning also showed greater effects on serum protein gene product 9.5 (3.89 vs. 29.16 pg/mL; p = 0.048) and C‐reactive protein (−0.28 vs. 0.41 mg/L; p = 0.023).

Conclusion

The short‐term moderate IH improved the tolerance to hypoxia and exerted protection against acute hypoxic injury induced by exposure to sustained normobaric hypoxia, which provided a novel method and randomized controlled trial evidence to develop treatments for hypoxia‐related disease.
Acetylsalicylic acid use and development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy: A national prospective study using highly automated 3‐D optical coherence tomography analysis
Authors: Mayerova Lucie , Wohlfahrt Peter , Sonka Milan , Chen Zhi , Kautzner Josef , Melenovsky Vojtech , Karmazin Vladimir , Malek Ivan , Bedanova Helena , Tomasek Ales , Ozabalova Eva , Krejci Jan , Kovarnik Tomas , Pazdernik Michal
Published: March 2024

Background

There is conflicting evidence on the role of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) use in the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV).

Methods

A nationwide prospective two‐center study investigated changes in the coronary artery vasculature by highly automated 3‐D optical coherence tomography (OCT) analysis at 1 month and 12 months after heart transplant (HTx). The influence of ASA use on coronary artery microvascular changes was analyzed in the overall study cohort and after propensity score matching for selected clinical CAV risk factors.

Results

In total, 175 patients (mean age 52 ± 12 years, 79% male) were recruited. During the 1‐year follow‐up, both intimal and media thickness progressed, with ASA having no effect on its progression. However, detailed OCT analysis revealed that ASA use was associated with a lower increase in lipid plaque (LP) burden (p = .013), while it did not affect the other observed pathologies. Propensity score matching of 120 patients (60 patient pairs) showed similar results, with ASA use associated with lower progression of LPs (p = .002), while having no impact on layered fibrotic plaque (p = .224), calcification (p = .231), macrophage infiltration (p = .197), or the absolute coronary artery risk score (p = .277). According to Kaplan–Meier analysis, ASA use was not associated with a significant difference in survival (p = .699)

Conclusion

This study showed a benefit of early ASA use after HTx on LP progression. However, ASA use did not have any impact on the progression of other OCT‐observed pathologies or long‐term survival.
The impact of active cytomegalovirus infection on donor‐derived cell‐free DNA testing in heart transplant recipients
Authors: Alam Amit H. , Van Zyl Johanna , Shakoor Hira I. , Farsakh Dana , Abdelrehim Ahmad B. , Maliakkal Neville , Jamil Aayla K. , Patel Raksha , Felius Joost , McKean Staci , Hall Shelley A.
Published: March 2024

Background

Little is known about the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections and donor‐derived cell‐free DNA (dd‐cfDNA) in heart transplant recipients.

Methods

In our study, CMV and dd‐cfDNA results were prospectively collected on single‐organ heart transplant recipients. If the CMV study was positive, a CMV study with dd‐cfDNA was repeated 1‐3 months later. The primary aim was to compare dd‐cfDNA between patients with positive and negative CMV results.

Results

Of 44 patients enrolled between August 2022 and April 2023, 12 tested positive for CMV infections, 25 were included as controls, and seven patients with a viral infection without CMV were excluded. Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between CMV‐positive and CMV‐negative patients with the exception of a later median time post‐transplant in the CMV‐positive group (253 days vs. 120 days, p = .03). Dd‐cfDNA levels were significantly higher in patients with CMV infections compared to those without (p < .001) with more patients in the CMV positive group showing dd‐cfDNA results ≥.12% (75% vs. 8%, p < .001) and ≥.20% (58% vs. 8%, p = .002). Each 1 log10 copy/ml reduction in CMV viral load from visit 1 to visit 2 was associated with a.23% reduction in log10 dd‐cfDNA (p = .002).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that active CMV infections may raise dd‐cfDNA levels in patients following heart transplantation. Larger studies are needed to validate these preliminary findings.
The fish–mangrove link is context dependent: Tidal regime and reef proximity determine the ecological role of tropical mangroves
Authors: Bradley Michael , Dubuc Alexia , Piggott Camilla V. H. , Sambrook Katie , Hoey Andrew S. , Depczynski Martial , Langlois Tim J. , Gagliano Monica , Wilson Shaun K. , Cure Katherine , Holmes Thomas H. , Moore Glenn I. , Travers Michael , Baker Ronald , Nagelkerken Ivan , Sheaves Marcus
Published: March 2024

Tropical mangroves are known to support fish production, but natural variability in the link between mangrove habitats and fish populations undermines our ability to manage, conserve and restore this ecological relationship. This is largely due to undefined context‐dependence in the use of mangroves by fish. We collected a spatially extensive dataset of 494 mangrove fish assemblages using standardised Remote Underwater Video surveys of mangrove edge habitats from five environmentally heterogenous regions in the Indo‐Pacific. We used machine learning methods to define contextual limits of the use of mangroves by reportedly mangrove‐affiliated fish. We found that tidal range and proximity to coral reefs were the most important contextual predictors of the use of mangroves by most taxa. We established data‐driven threshold values for important contextual predictors of the use of mangroves by fish, offering new insights into the variable role played by tropical mangroves in supporting fish life histories. Where mangroves occur as part of reef seascapes in regions with limited tidal range (<1.5 m), they appear to serve an important juvenile habitat function for a wide spectrum of reef fish. In regions with substantially larger tidal ranges, mangroves appear to only support certain reef species with coastal life histories. Coastal and estuary fish were able to use mangroves in a wide variety of non‐reef contexts. We demonstrate that key thresholds in environmental context can govern the functional role of mangroves, with strong implications for the role of other habitats in coastal seascapes.
For critical geo‐histories of population. Engaging geographically with Massimo Livi Bacci's works
Authors: Ferretti Federico
Published: March 2024

This paper aims at calling geographers' attention to the works of Italian historical demographer Massimo Livi Bacci, who authored fundamental texts on the indigenous genocide in the Americas, on the history of world population, on global migrations and on population's environmental ‘sustainability’. In denouncing colonial crimes, critically questioning commonplaces of Malthusian origin and challenging sovereignist prejudices against migrations, Livi Bacci stresses the need for scholars to fully address the complex relations between space and population in both analyses of empirical cases and elaborations of broader theoretical models. He explicitly raises geopolitical matters on the potential political consequences of demographic and migratory dynamics. Yet, Livi Bacci's huge scholarly production is highly influential among historians and demographers, but seems to have been overlooked by most geographers hitherto. For these reasons, I argue that scholars committed to critical, radical and decolonial geographies of population (past and present) should (re)discover Livi Bacci's contributions. Re‐reading Livi Bacci's works through geographical lenses and connecting them with current geographical scholarship, I show how ‘geo‐demography’ can help geographers to address demographic matters at different scales, by providing insights for a new critical geo‐history of population. This interdisciplinary engagement with the relations between geopolitical matters on sustainability and the ongoing changing in global population has the potential to plurally nourish critical geographical agendas, including on global migrations and colonial legacies.
Insect biomass shows a stronger decrease than species richness along urban gradients
Authors: Svenningsen Cecilie S. , Peters Birte , Bowler Diana E. , Dunn Robert R. , Bonn Aletta , Tøttrup Anders P.
Published: March 2024

Anthropogenic land cover change is a major driver of biodiversity loss, with urbanisation and farmland practices responsible for some of the most drastic modifications of natural habitats. The relative importance of different land covers for shaping insect communities, however, is unclear.

This study examines the effect of urban and farmland covers, along with land cover heterogeneity, at a landscape scale on species richness, evenness and biomass of flying insects using citizen science carnet sampling across Denmark.

Increasing urban cover had a negative effect on insect richness but an even stronger negative effect on biomass. Increased land cover heterogeneity did not mitigate the negative effect of urban cover. Insect assemblages also became more even with increased urban cover. Farmland cover had no significant effect on insect richness, evenness or biomass.

Based on our findings, the urban cover has a strong negative impact on insect communities, indicating that urbanisation could contribute to insect declines. Moreover, our findings indicate that insect loss occurs more through loss of biomass than loss of species, which may affect the ecosystem‐level consequences of urbanisation.
The potential of iNaturalist for bee conservation research—A study case in a southern Brazilian metropolis
Authors: Pereira Felipe Walter , Zamoner Maristela , Gonçalves Rodrigo Barbosa
Published: March 2024

Citizen science can expand our knowledge of biodiversity and enhance conservation programs by adding species records and associated data. This is the case for bees—the main group of pollinators—with millions of observations on iNaturalist.

Here we ask if spontaneous observations made by citizen scientists on this platform provide a good picture of bee diversity in terms of taxonomic coverage (i.e., proportion of different subfamilies, tribes, genera and species), identification acuity (i.e., correct identification and at what taxonomic level) and taxonomic diversity. For this purpose, we compare iNaturalist observations with a dataset from a structured local survey for Curitiba, a city of 2 million inhabitants in southern Brazil.

The search on iNaturalist resulted in 496 bee observations of 52 species, a richness similar to the most urbanised sampling site from the local survey. Highly eusocial and large bees are, proportionally, more frequently observed by citizens than sampled by professionals. Three citizen observers were responsible for more than 50% of the observations in iNaturalist. About 45% of species were correctly identified and this number increased up to 85% after our validation.

We perceive that the spontaneous, non‐structured, observations on iNaturalist bring a biased representation of the bee fauna when compared to the structured local survey. However, the platform shows a great potential to monitor large bodied and eusocial bees, including rare and non‐native species; thus, it may be valuable for bee surveying, monitoring and conservation.
Urbanization reduces Orthoptera diversity and changes community structure towards mobile species
Authors: Pernat Nadja , Buchholz Sascha , Schirmel Jens
Published: March 2024

Urban land use is regarded as one major driver for insect declines worldwide. We investigated how Orthoptera diversity and traits respond to the urban matrix and local vegetation parameters.

Orthoptera were collected using a combined method of box‐quadrat sampling and pitfall trapping. We sampled 42 dry grasslands in Berlin, Germany, along gradients of urbanization (measured as proportion of sealed surface in the surrounding of the sites) and connectivity. We further included patch size and local vegetation parameters (plant richness, total vegetation cover, herb cover, neophyte cover) in our models.

Urbanization was the main driver explaining Orthoptera species richness, Simpson diversity and functional diversity (functional dispersion), which all decreased with increasing proportion of sealed surface in the surrounding. Urbanization also influenced the Orthoptera species composition. Thereby, functional trait analyses revealed that the urban matrix acted as a habitat filter sorting towards mobile species. However, responses of the most common species showed that the effects of the urban matrix and vegetation parameters were species specific.

Our results demonstrate predominantly negative effects of urbanization on Orthoptera diversity. Nevertheless, urban environments can provide important habitats, in particular for mobile species. Even small and isolated patches of dry grasslands can contribute to Orthoptera conservation in cities.
The impact of lay elitism on preference and choice inconsistency in consumption across cultures
Authors: Kwan Letty Y.‐Y. , Hung Yu‐Sheng
Published: March 2024

The present study examined the influence of lay elitism on preference and choice inconsistency in consumer choices across cultures. Four studies were conducted to understand this phenomenon. In Study 1, we showed that Mainland Chinese high in the belief in lay elitism displays more preference and choice inconsistency across product categories. In Study 2, we found the reverse effect for Caucasian Americans. In Study 3, Mainland Chinese belief in lay elitism is associated with their preference and choice inconsistency over geometric patterns and, at the same time, increased the consistency between their choice and the anticipated elites' choice of these geometric patterns. Lastly, Study 4 showed that in a cross‐cultural study, Mainland Chinese participants' endorsement of lay elitism is associated with a higher level of preference and choice inconsistency, but the reverse pattern is observed for Caucasian Americans. Furthermore, cultural values (i.e., individualism and collectivism) fail to explain the differences in preference and choice consistency across cultures. The paper offers a new perspective in using lay elitism across cultures to understand preference and choice inconsistency in consumer behavior.
The early history of dengue in Australia
Authors: Aaskov John , Shanks G. Dennis
Published: March 2024

Although reports of outbreaks of dengue‐like diseases in the Asia Pacific region were frequent from about 1870, the disease probably did not become endemic in Australia until about 1885. Several seminal discoveries about this disease were made in Queensland and later in Sydney. These included a refined case definition for dengue, identification of the mosquito vector, demonstration of a viraemia and its duration, quantification of the incubation time, demonstration of immunity after experimental infection and recognition that the virus could cause a fatal haemorrhagic fever, and this was more frequent in second or subsequent infections. Australian research was foundational to the modern understanding of dengue.
Weak phylogenetic effect on specialist plant assemblages and their persistence on habitat islands
Authors: Klimeš Adam , Molina‐Venegas Rafael , Carta Angelino , Chytrý Milan , Conti Luisa , Götzenberger Lars , Hájek Michal , Horsák Michal , Jiménez‐Alfaro Borja , Klimešová Jitka , Méndez‐Castro Francisco E. , Zelený David , Ottaviani Gianluigi
Published: March 2024

Aim

The influence of species phylogenetic relatedness on the formation of insular assemblages remains understudied in functional island biogeography, especially for terrestrial habitat islands (i.e. distinct habitat patches embedded in a matrix that differ in the prevailing environmental conditions). Here, we tested three eco‐evolutionary hypotheses: (1) functional specialization of species (i.e. specialism) is associated with phylogenetic clustering at the habitat archipelago scale, (2) such clustering increases with insularity at the habitat island scale and (3) traits indicative of effective local persistence strategies shape island specialism.

Location

Terrestrial habitat islands, Europe (Fens in the Western Carpathians, Outcrops in Moravia and Mountaintops in the Cantabrian Range).

Taxon

Angiosperms.

Methods

We assessed the phylogenetic relatedness of habitat specialists in three different archipelagos composed of terrestrial habitat islands based on phylogenetic signals and phylogenetic diversity (PD) measures. We estimated the effect of insularity on PD using linear models and the effect of persistence traits on specialism using phylogenetic logistic regressions.

Results

Our hypotheses were largely not supported. Outcrop and mountaintop specialist assemblages did not exhibit any phylogenetic structuring, whereas fen specialists were clustered at the archipelago scale. Therefore, insularity seems not to act as a selective force for phylogenetic structure, and ecologically important persistence traits do not operate as precursors of specialism.

Main Conclusions

Our results show that species phylogenetic relatedness plays a minor role in shaping habitat island specialist assemblages. Furthermore, the effects of phylogenetic relatedness on assemblages of island specialists are system and scale dependent. Finally, accounting for species' phylogenetic relatedness on persistence traits yielded results similar to previous studies, which corroborates the positive relationship between insularity and functional traits (indicative of enhanced plant persistence abilities with increasing within‐archipelago insularity).
The role of serotonin in depression—A historical roundup and future directions
Authors: Bremshey Svenja , Groß Juliana , Renken Kim , Masseck Olivia Andrea
Published: March 2024

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 280 million people, with probably much higher unrecorded cases. Depression is associated with symptoms such as anhedonia, feelings of hopelessness, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts. Tragically, more than 700 000 people commit suicide each year. Although depression has been studied for many decades, the exact mechanisms that lead to depression are still unknown, and available treatments only help a fraction of patients. In the late 1960s, the serotonin hypothesis was published, suggesting that serotonin is the key player in depressive disorders. However, this hypothesis is being increasingly doubted as there is evidence for the influence of other neurotransmitters, such as noradrenaline, glutamate, and dopamine, as well as larger systemic causes such as altered activity in the limbic network or inflammatory processes. In this narrative review, we aim to contribute to the ongoing debate on the involvement of serotonin in depression. We will review the evolution of antidepressant treatments, systemic research on depression over the years, and future research applications that will help to bridge the gap between systemic research and neurotransmitter dynamics using biosensors. These new tools in combination with systemic applications, will in the future provide a deeper understanding of the serotonergic dynamics in depression.

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Phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of Turkish bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici)
Authors: Cat Ahmet
Published: March 2024

Wheat stripe rust, which is caused by the basidiomycetes fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat in Türkiye and worldwide. In this study, a total of 99 bread wheat varieties were assessed at the adult plant stage under natural infection conditions during the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 growing seasons. Additionally, specific molecular markers were used to genotype the stripe rust resistance genes Yr26, Yr32, Yr36, Yr44 and YrSP. Disease severity was determined using the modified Cobb scale and infection reactions of each bread wheat varieties were evaluated, and also coefficient of infection value was calculated based on those parameters. To determine whether the wheat varieties had resistance gene(s), specific molecular markers associated with the resistance genes Yr26, Yr32, Yr36, Yr44 and YrSP were used. In the field trials, the majority of the tested varieties showed moderately susceptible and susceptible reactions in both years. According to the molecular results, they were positive for Yr32 in three varieties, Yr36 in 25 varieties, YrSP in two varieties and none of them had Yr26. Furthermore, some varieties carried combinations of these genes, such as Yr32 + Yr36, Yr32 + Yr44, Yr36 + Yr44, Yr36 + YrSP, Yr32 + Yr36 + Yr44 and Yr32 + Yr36 + Yr44 + YrSP. On the other hand, it was not determined these resistance genes in 16 varieties. In the literature, these resistance genes were first identified in Turkish bread wheat varieties. In addition, these findings are valuable for the development of wheat cultivars with effective and more durable resistance to stripe rust in Türkiye.
Mental age and intellectual disability: Psychologists' perspectives on the use of the term ‘mental age’ as it relates to adults with an intellectual disability
Authors: Rogers Elaine M. , McGuire Brian E.
Published: March 2024

Despite the growing international move away from the term ‘mental age’, the term continues to be used in some settings with adults with an intellectual disability. Arguably, the construct of ‘mental age’ conflicts with current rights‐based approaches yet its continued use suggests that it may have certain utilities. This study aimed to explore the use of the construct of mental age in the context of supporting adults with an intellectual disability in Ireland, and its perceived value and limitations in clinical practice. Forty‐three psychologists in Ireland responded to a 10‐item online survey using a mix of closed and open‐ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used and analysis was informed by reflexive thematic analysis. Twenty of the 43 respondents reported that mental age continues to be used in clinical practice. Analysis was informed by reflexive thematic analysis and identified five main themes: (1) negative connotations, (2) inconsistent with best practice, (3) supporting the person with an intellectual disability, (4) communicating about the person with intellectual disability and (5) moving on from mental age. The findings suggest that this construct is considered problematic and limited in its meaning and while there is a desire for change, there are challenges in finding an alternative method of communicating information about ability in a brief and easily understood way.
Experimental warming has limited impacts on post‐fire succession across a burn severity gradient
Authors: Taber Ethan M. , Mitchell Rachel M.
Published: March 2024

Questions

Anthropogenic climate change is causing increases in the severity of wildland fire in many parts of the world. At the same time, post‐fire succession is occurring under new, warmer temperatures that are projected to continue increasing. Despite this, the combined effects of uncharacteristically high burn severity and increased ambient temperature on post‐fire community composition remain poorly understood. We ask how post‐fire forest understorey community composition and species richness are influenced by (1) burn severity, (2) experimental warming, and (3) years since fire.

Location

Museum Fire Scar, Pinus ponderosa forest, Arizona, United States.

Methods

We established 120 1‐m2 quadrats in unburned, low‐ and high‐severity locations nine months after a mixed‐severity fire. Half of the plots were subject to experimental warming via open‐top warming chambers that elevated daytime temperatures by 1.079°C, simulating near‐term anthropogenic warming. Plant composition data were collected annually for three years. Relationships between community composition, burn severity, and experimental warming were analyzed using repeated‐measures PERMANOVA and linear mixed‐effects models.

Results

Composition differed significantly according to burn severity, time since fire, and their interaction, while experimental warming did not significantly influence composition. Species richness significantly increased in burned areas compared to unburned control within two years of fire.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that near‐term temperature increases, driven by anthropogenic climate change, will have little effect on community composition relative to fire severity. High‐severity fire drove large, rapid changes in plant composition compared to unburned controls, favoring exotic annuals in a historically perennial‐dominated plant community.
Adult Learners Self‐Derive New Knowledge through Integration of Novel Information and Prior Knowledge and Are more Successful with Reactivation
Authors: Chakraborty Jayantika , Esposito Alena G.
Published: March 2024

Self‐derivation through integration is the process of integrating novel facts and producing new knowledge never directly taught. Knowledge integration has been studied with the presentation of two novel facts. However, in educational settings, individuals are required to integrate new information with prior knowledge learned days, months, or years earlier. Prior knowledge robustly predicts learning outcomes, but less is known about self‐derivation through the integration of new information with prior knowledge. Thus, in Study 1, we examined adults' (n = 25) memory integration of new facts with prior knowledge. The participants had 52% accuracy in self‐derivation. In Study 2 (n = 86), we examined whether reactivating prior knowledge before the novel fact presentation facilitated self‐derivation through integration with prior knowledge. Results indicated that performance was significantly higher for those whose prior knowledge was directly reactivated (55% accuracy) in comparison with the control group (42%). Pedagogical implications are discussed.
Tight coupling between leaf δ13C and N content along leaf ageing in the N2‐fixing legume tree black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)
Authors: Ren Wei , Tian Lide , Querejeta José Ignacio
Published: March 2024

N2‐fixing legumes can strongly affect ecosystem functions by supplying nitrogen (N) and improving the carbon‐fixing capacity of vegetation. Still, the question of how their leaf‐level N status and carbon metabolism are coordinated along leaf ageing remains unexplored. Leaf tissue carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) provides a useful indicator of time‐integrated intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi). Here, we quantified the seasonal changes of leaf δ13C, N content on a mass and area basis (Nmass, Narea, respectively), Δ18O (leaf 18O enrichment above source water, a proxy of time‐integrated stomatal conductance) and morphological traits in an emblematic N2‐fixing legume tree, the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), at a subtropical site in Southwest China. We also measured xylem, soil and rainwater isotopes (δ18O, δ2H) to characterize tree water uptake patterns. Xylem water isotopic data reveal that black locust primarily used shallow soil water in this humid habitat. Black locust exhibited a decreasing δ13C along leaf ageing, which was largely driven by decreasing leaf Nmass, despite roughly constant Narea. In contrast, the decreasing δ13C along leaf ageing was largely uncoupled from parallel increases in Δ18O and leaf thickness. Leaf N content is used as a proxy of leaf photosynthetic capacity; thus, it plays a key role in determining the seasonality in δ13C, whereas the roles of stomatal conductance and leaf morphology are minor. Black locust leaves can effectively adjust to changing environmental conditions along leaf ageing through LMA increases and moderate stomatal conductance reduction while maintaining constant Narea to optimize photosynthesis and carbon assimilation, despite declining leaf Nmass and δ13C.
The oral health‐related quality of life of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Authors: Khawer Mohammad Saad , Da Silva Keith
Published: March 2024

Introduction

A child's oral health impacts their development and quality of life. Children who live with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) face barriers to dental care combined with poorer oral health outcomes. However, how this affects their oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) is largely unknown. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the OHRQoL of children living with FASD.

Methods

This cross‐sectional survey used the Child Oral Health Impact Profile‐Short Form‐19 (COHIP‐SF‐19) to evaluate the OHRQoL quality of life of children (aged 8 to 15) living with FASD, compared to healthy controls.

Results

A total of 332 children (or their caregivers) completed the survey. The survey results showed that children living with FASD reported significantly more untreated dental conditions. The majority of children in the control group experienced a low impact across the majority of COHIP‐SF‐19 domains. However, children living with FASD experienced significantly higher impact scores related to oral health, functional well‐being, and social‐emotional well‐being.

Conclusion

The results demonstrated that children who live with FASD have a poorer OHRQoL. Overall, more investigation is necessary to identify the best ways to improve the OHRQoL of children living with FASD.
Review of advanced practice nurse role in infection throughout the hematopoietic stem cell transplant journey
Authors: Gilsenan Maddie , Van Der Linde Sam , Hill Geoff , Lambros Belinda
Published: March 2024

Background

Prolonged periods of immunosuppression during hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) can result in serious infectious complications and contribute to transplant‐related morbidity and mortality. Adherence to standardized pre and postinfection screening guidelines, prescribed medications, and early identification of infectious symptoms through comprehensive patient and family education are crucial to minimizing infectious complications. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are key members of the multidisciplinary care team in the HSCT specialty, maintaining a specialized skillset and scope of practice which includes a holistic based, preventative medicine and risk mitigation approach.

Methods

This review sought to describe the role of the APN in HSCT care and to further examine existing APN led models of care which focus on infection prevention and education throughout the HSCT treatment journey.

Results

No studies specifically examined the APN role in infectious diseases risk assessment, screening, and management throughout the HSCT journey were identified throughout our review, however, there was considerable evidence to demonstrate the benefits of APN led care in the oncology and solid organ transplantation specialty which led to improvements in continuity of care, overall patient outcomes, and multidisciplinary team collaboration.

The key themes identified in our review, were the role of the APN in the delivery of comprehensive patient and family education, the role of the APN in supporting, mentoring, and educating junior medical and nursing teams, the collaboration between the APN and the multidisciplinary care team, and the role of the APN in prompt recognition, triage, and management of treatment related complications, such as infection.
Zeros of modular forms and Faber polynomials
Authors: Rudnick Zeév
Published: March 2024

We study the zeros of cusp forms of large weight for the modular group, which have a very large order of vanishing at infinity, so that they have a fixed number of finite zeros in the fundamental domain. We show that for large weight the zeros of these forms cluster near vertical lines, with the zeros of a weight form lying at height approximately . This is in contrast to previously known cases, such as Eisenstein series, where the zeros lie on the circular part of the boundary of the fundamental domain, or the case of cuspidal Hecke eigenforms where the zeros are uniformly distributed in the fundamental domain. Our method uses the Faber polynomials. We show that for our class of cusp forms, the associated Faber polynomials, suitably renormalized, converge to the truncated exponential polynomial of degree .
Physical inactivity causes exercise resistance of fat metabolism: harbinger or culprit of disease?
Authors: Coyle Edward F.
Published: March 2024

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death in the world. It is associated with myriad diseases and premature death. Two possible contributing factors are postprandial lipidaemia (PPL), which accelerates atherosclerosis, and impaired whole‐body fat oxidation, which contributes to obesity. Acute exercise in physically active people is effective for increasing whole body fat oxidation and lowering PPL the next morning. However, in people who have low physical activity (<8000 steps/day), an acute bout of exercise (1 h at 62% maximal oxygen consumption) has no effect on increasing fat oxidation or reducing PPL (‘exercise resistance’). The acute harms of inactivity are not due to the lack of exercise and are more powerful than the benefits of exercise, at least regarding fat metabolism. The increase in mortality with reduced daily steps is remarkably steep. Low background steps/day also impair the metabolic adaptations to short‐term endurance training, suggesting that the ills of inactivity extend beyond fat metabolism. ‘Exercise resistance’ with inactivity could be a culprit, causing atherosclerosis, or maybe also a harbinger (impaired fat oxidation) of more widespread diseases. Recommendations regarding the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise needed for health should factor in the amount of background activity (i.e. ∼8000 steps/day) necessary to avoid ‘exercise resistance’.

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Determination of Dynamic Characteristics of Lattice Structure Using Dynamic Mode Decomposition
Authors: Savoeurn Nary , Janya-Anurak Chettapong , Uthaisangsuk Vitoon
Published: March 2024

In this work, dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) was applied as an algorithm for determining the natural frequency and damping ratio of viscoelastic lattice structures. The algorithm has been developed based on the Hankel alternative view of Koopman (HAVOK) and DMD . In general, the Hankel matrix is based on time-delay embedding, which is meant for the hidden variable in a time-series data. Vibration properties of a system could be then estimated from the eigenvalues of the approximated Koopman operator. Results of the proposed algorithm were firstly validated with those of the traditional discrete Fourier transform (DFT) approach and half-power bandwidth (HPBW) by using an analytical dataset of multi-modal spring-mass-damper system. Afterward, the algorithm was further used to analyze dynamic responses of viscoelastic lattice structures, in which data from both experimental and numerical finite element (FE) model were considered. It was found that the DMD-based algorithm could accurately estimate the natural frequencies and damping ratios of the examined structures. In particular, it is beneficial to any dataset with limited amounts of data, whereby experiments or data gathering processes are expensive.
Investigation of Gear Meshing Vibration and Meshing Impact Resonance Intensity Assessment
Authors: Tang Ning , Huang Xinyu , Huang Yuanyuan , Tong Shuiguang , Cong Feiyun
Published: March 2024

Gear drive is one of the most widely used transmission forms. Its vibration analysis plays an important role in design and operation. Considering the gear meshing resonance phenomenon (MRP), the paper analyzes the influences of rotating speed and load on meshing resonance intensity (MRI). Based on the gear meshing impact mechanism, meshing force variation during the engagement process were obtained. It was considered as meshing impacts exerted on the gear system. By comparing the maximum meshing force under different circumstances, it was found that rotating speeds and loads were positively related to meshing forces. The vibration signals with different load torques and rotating speeds obtained from the gear pair were analyzed. The experiment results showed that the intensity of meshing impact increased with the increases of both rotating speed and load. It was also observed that due to the MRP, the gear meshing frequency was modulated to the resonance frequency band as meshing impacts. Consequently, the resonance frequency band contained most of the energy of the meshing impact. An indicator called resonance energy ratio (RER) was defined to represent the proportion of resonance energy due to meshing impact. The simulation and experiment result show that the proposed RER indicator can well assess the intensity of the vibration. By comparing the RER values of 20 sets of gear vibration data, the influences of rotating speed and load on MRI were discussed. The result shows that the proposed method is helpful to the vibration assessment and condition monitoring in different operational states.
Legal Issues of Fusion Technologies
Authors: Aksenova Nataliia
Published: March 2024

A comprehensive regulatory framework for fusion must consider the unique characteristics and challenges of fusion technology, including safety, environmental protection, waste management, export/import control, and nuclear liability. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has established safety standards and guidelines related to fusion, but more needs to be done to address the gaps in the existing legal frameworks. The article emphasizes the need for clear and predictable regulations to provide confidence for investors and promote the research, development, and deployment of this promising technology. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, commercial fusion power is still likely many years away from being a reality, but a legal framework is essential for its eventual success.
Exocytic plasma membrane flows remodel endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane tethering for septin collar assembly
Authors: Sugiyama Shinju , Kono Keiko
Published: March 2024

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–plasma membrane (PM) tethering is crucial for the non-vesicular lipid transport between the ER membrane and the PM. However, the PM-associated ER can impede the PM binding of cytoskeletons and other organelles. It is poorly understood how the competition between the ER and cytoskeletons/organelles on the PM is resolved. Here, we show that, upon septin collar assembly, ER-PM tethering proteins are excluded from the yeast bud sites, and the PM-associated ER is locally detached from the PM. Our results suggest that PM flows by polarized exocytosis extrude PM proteins, including ER-PM tethering proteins, from the bud sites. When the reorganization of the ER-PM tethering was inhibited by exocytosis repression, septin localization was restricted to the PM sites poor in ER-PM tethering proteins. This study proposes machinery reconciling ER-septin competition on the PM, providing mechanistic insights into the spatial organization of PM-associated organelles and cytoskeletons.
Lmod2 is necessary for effective skeletal muscle contraction
Authors: Larrinaga Tania M. , Farman Gerrie P. , Mayfield Rachel M. , Yuen Michaela , Ahrens-Nicklas Rebecca C. , Cooper Sandra T. , Pappas Christopher T. , Gregorio Carol C.
Published: March 2024

Muscle contraction is a regulated process driven by the sliding of actin-thin filaments over myosin-thick filaments. Lmod2 is an actin filament length regulator and essential for life since human mutations and complete loss of Lmod2 in mice lead to dilated cardiomyopathy and death. To study the little-known role of Lmod2 in skeletal muscle, we created a mouse model with Lmod2 expressed exclusively in the heart but absent in skeletal muscle. Loss of Lmod2 in skeletal muscle results in decreased force production in fast- and slow-twitch muscles. Soleus muscle from rescued
Lmod2
knockout mice have shorter thin filaments, increased Lmod3 levels, and present with a myosin fiber type switch from fast myosin heavy chain (MHC) IIA to the slower MHC I isoform. Since Lmod2 regulates thin-filament length in slow-twitch but not fast-twitch skeletal muscle and force deficits were observed in both muscle types, this work demonstrates that Lmod2 regulates skeletal muscle contraction, independent of its role in thin-filament length regulation.