bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) reveal details of polyploid evolution in Dactylorhiza (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Hedrén Mikael , Fay Michael F. , Chase Mark W.
Published: February 2007

The utility of the PCR‐based AFLP technique (polymerase chain reaction; amplified fragment length polymorphisms) was explored in elucidating details of polyploid evolution in the Eurasian orchid genus Dactylorhiza. We emphasized Swedish taxa but also included some material from the British Isles and elsewhere in Europe. Three different sets of primers, amplifying different subsets of restriction fragments, independently revealed similar patterns for relationships among the Dactylorhiza samples investigated. The AFLP data support the general picture of polyploid evolution in Dactylorhiza, i.e., that allotetraploid derivatives have arisen repeatedly as a result of hybridization beween the two parental groups D. incarnata s.l. (sensu lato; diploid marsh orchids) and the D. maculata group (spotted orchids). Within the incarnata s.l. group, morphologically defined varieties were interdigitated. The D. maculata group consisted of two distinct subgroups, one containing autotetraploid D. maculata subsp. maculata and the other containing diploid D. maculata subsp. fuchsii. Allotetraploids showed a high degree of additivity for the putative parental genomes, and relationships among them were partly correlated to morphologically based entities, but also to geographic distribution. Thus, allotetraploid taxa from the British Isles clustered together, rather than with morphologically similar plants from other areas.
Allozyme diversity in endemic flowering plant species of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile: ecological and historical factors with implications for conservation
Authors: Crawford Daniel J. , Ruiz Eduardo , Stuessy Tod F. , Tepe Eric , Aqeveque Pedro , Gonzalez Fedelina , Jensen Richard J. , Anderson Gregory J. , Bernardello Gabriel , Baeza Carlos M. , Swenson Ulf , Silva O Mario
Published: February 2007

The level and apportionment of allozyme diversity were determined for 29 endemic (and 1 native) species from the Juan Fernández Islands, Chile. Mean diversities at the species level (Hes= 0.065) are low but comparable to those measured for other insular endemics in the Pacific. A high mean proportion (0.338) of species‐level diversity resides among populations. Diversity statistics were compared for species in different ecological–life history trait categories and abundance classes. Species occurring in large populations and those present in scattered small populations have higher diversities than species occurring in one or two populations. Although not significant with the conservative statistical test employed, lower diversity was found in highly selfing species as compared to animal‐ or wind‐pollinated species. The apportionment of genetic diversity within and among populations (GSTvalues) is not significantly different for any of the species categories. Of particular interest is the lack of difference between animal‐ and wind‐pollinated species because previous analyses of large data sets showed higher differentiation between populations of animal‐ than wind‐pollinated species. Historical factors, both ecological and phylogenetic in nature, can influence the level and apportionment of diversity within insular endemics, and thus ecological correlates of diversity seen in many continental species may not apply to endemics. The results have several conservation implications. The preservation of large populations or several small populations is important for conserving diversity within species because when species are reduced to one or two populations, allozyme diversity is sharply reduced. High meanGSTvalues for the species examined illustrate the need for conserving as many populations as possible, either in the wild or in the garden, to preserve maximal diversity within species. Effective conservation strategies require empirical knowledge of each species.
Does differential seed siring success change over time or with pollination history in wild radish, Raphanus sativus (Brassicaceae)?
Authors: Marshall Diane L. , Oliveras Diana M.
Published: February 2007

Previous work with wild radish has shown that pollen donors sire different numbers of seeds and that the condition of the maternal tissue affects seed paternity, suggesting that both pollen donor characteristics and maternal tissue affect mating. However, because these results are from the greenhouse, it is difficult to know whether they would hold true in the field. Here, we performed hundreds of crosses on several maternal plants to simulate changes during the flowering season of field plants. During the experiment, maternal resource availability changed due to the costs of producing fruits, and we determined the pollination history of a plant by performing crosses in specific orders. Examination of seed paternity showed that there were small differences in pollen donor success at the beginning of the experiment when maternal resources were abundant. Differential pollen donor success was greatest slightly later in the flowering period, but declined toward the end of the experiment. Thus, maternal plants may distinguish most among pollen donors when they have both abundant resources and experience with the differences in quality of available pollen donors. In contrast, there were few significant effects of the recent pollination history of plants on pollen donor success. Finally, despite the changes in mating performance over time, there were strong overall differences in pollen donor success, suggesting that seasonal changes in the field will not eliminate the potential for nonrandom mating.
Construction cost and invasive potential: comparingLythrum salicaria(Lythraceae) with co‐occurring native species along pond banks
Authors: Nagel Jennifer M. , Griffin Kevin L.
Published: February 2007

Lythrum salicaria(purple loosestrife) is a nonindigenous invasive species characterized by prolific growth and abundance in marshy and riparian habitats across North America. Given its invasive success, we hypothesized this species may require less energy and/or use energy more efficiently for biomass construction than co‐occurring noninvasive plant species. We measured leaf construction cost (CC), leaf mass per unit area (LMA), and leaf organic nitrogen and carbon content ofL. salicariaand the five most abundant co‐occurring species,Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Erigeron philadelphicus, Asclepias syriaca, Spiraea latifolia, andSolidago graminifolia, along dammed ponds in the Black Rock Forest, Cornwall, New York, USA.Lythrum salicaria, which was highly abundant (2.52 individuals/m2), exhibited significantly lower area‐based leaf CC (44.47 ± 4.24 g glucose/m2leaf) than relatively less abundant species, suggesting energetics may influence its invasive success. Conversely, least abundantSolidago graminifolia(0.67 individuals/m2) exhibited the significantly highest leaf CC per unit leaf area (141.87 ± 39.21 g glucose/m2leaf). Overall, a negative correlation between species abundance and area‐based leaf CC (r2= 0.73) indicated low energy requirements and/or high energy efficiency may influence relative abundance in the plant species studied. As it correlates with species abundance in this study, CC may be a useful tool for evaluating invasive potential.
Molecular phylogeny of the Magnoliaceae: the biogeography of tropical and temperate disjunctions
Authors: Azuma Hiroshi , García‐Franco José G. , Rico‐Gray Victor , Thien Leonard B.
Published: February 2007

The boreotropical flora concept suggests that relictual tropical disjunctions between Asia and the Americas are a result of the expansion of the circumboreal tropical flora from the middle to the close of the Eocene. Subsequently, temperate species diverged at high latitudes and migrated to other continents. To test this concept, we conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis (using cpDNA) of the Magnoliaceae, a former boreotropical element that currently contains both tropical and temperate disjuncts. Divergence times of the clades were estimated using sequences ofmatKand two intergenic regions consisting ofpsbA‐trnHandatpB‐rbcL.Results indicate the tropical American sectionTalaumabranched first, followed by the tropical Asian clade and the West Indies clade. Within the remaining taxa, two temperate disjunctions were formed. Assuming the temperate disjunction ofMagnolia acuminataand Asian relatives occurred 25 mya (late Oligocene; based on seed fossil records), sectionTalaumadiverged 42 mya (mid‐Eocene), and tropical Asian and the West Indies clades 36 mya (late Eocene). These events correlate with cooling temperatures during the middle to late Eocene and probably caused the tropical disjunctions.
A filmy fern from the Upper Triassic of North Carolina (USA)
Authors: Axsmith Brian J. , Krings Michael , Taylor Thomas N.
Published: February 2007

Modern cladistic analyses support earlier suggestions that the Hymenophyllaceae (the “filmy ferns”) are basal filicaleans. However, the fossil record of the family is ambiguous. A new fossil fern, Hopetedia praetermissa gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation of North Carolina (USA), is described and interpreted as the oldest unequivocal representative of the Hymenophyllaceae based primarily on general frond morphology, indirect evidence for a filmy (membranaceous) habit, and soral position and morphology. Particularly compelling as evidence for the hymenophyllaceous affinity of H. praetermissa is the funneliform structure of the indusium (involucre), which is similar to that found primarilly in the extant Trichomanes (sensu lato) clade. However, the receptacle in H. praetermissa is relatively short and, thus, more like most representatives of the Hymenophyllum (sensu lato) clade. The Triassic age of this fossil is consistent with the basal or near basal position of the Hymenophyllaceae in all recent phylogenetic analyses of the filicalean ferns. Hopetedia preatermissa is evaluated in relationship to several previous reports of fossil Hymenophyllaceae.
Evolution of Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. barbarae (Brassicaceae), a rare serpentine endemic plant: a molecular phylogenetic perspective
Authors: Pepper Alan E. , Norwood Laura E.
Published: February 2007

Intra‐ and interspecific phylogenetic relationships of the rare serpentine endemic taxon Caulanthus amplexicaulus var. barbarae and related taxa in the “Streptanthoid Complex” of genera (Streptanthus, Caulanthus, Guillenia) were examined using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast trnL intron sequences. Phylogenetic hypotheses generated from 81 variable ITS nucleotide sites and six variable trnL nucleotide sites indicate that Streptanthus and Caulanthus are nonmonophyletic groups. Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. barbarae and its more widespread nonserpentine sister taxon Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. amplexicaulis formed a distinct monophyletic group. Among the taxa in our study, C. amplexicaulis was most closely related to Streptanthus tortuosus. The ITS sequences supported monophyly of subgenus Euclesia, which includes the bulk of the serpentine endemics in the Streptanthoid Complex. The serpentine taxa were nonmonophyletic, occurring in at least three distinct clades, suggesting that tolerance to serpentine may be gained or lost through relatively few genetic changes. Intraspecific ITS1 and ITS2 sequence divergence within C. amplexicaulis (1.3–1.8%) was higher than in comparable species (0.0–0.3%); implications of this genetic differentiation for the conservation status of C. amplexicaulis var. barbarae are discussed. Evidence is presented that supports a “biotype depletion” model for the origin of this rare endemic taxon.
“The Jurisprudence of the Arrêts”: Marital Union, Civil Society, and State Formation in France, 1550–1650
Authors: Hanley Sarah
Published: February 2007

During the 1500s and 1600s when state building in France depended on the government's ability to staff administrative and judicial offices, prime candidates emerged from the famous law schools. Steeped in new research methods favoring a documentary base, Jurists focused legal studies on the French past, rather than a Roman one, and fostered historical and comparative views of society, law, and nation. Searching in archives for customs and laws, they wrote histories tracing the development of French institutions, including the Parlement of Paris, and devised civic rituals to articulate French constitutional precepts in that court. Practicing law as well, they collected “notablearrêts” (judicial decisions) on questions of law, advanced legal theories and legislative projects, and facilitated the circulation of legal knowledge within a general public caught up in judicial activism born of social change and political necessity. By challenging operative facets of two great legal systems in the western world, Roman law and Canon law, and by amending French Customary law, they developed a system of “French jurisprudence” and legally framed a “civil society” that underwrote the claim to political sovereignty as a nation.
Collisions, Prohibitions, and the Admiralty Court in Seventeenth-Century London
Authors: Steckley George F.
Published: February 2007

When Anthonis Van den Wyngaerde executed his sweeping panorama of London in 1543, he drew some two dozen ships in the Thames, but only four of them downstream from St. Katherine's Dock. A century later, however, Wenceslaus Hollar carefully represented well over a hundred seagoing vessels in a ribbon of masts winding down river as far as the eye could see. By the 1650s a mariner noted the difficulty of navigating the Thames at low tide, especially during “mackerel time,” and Admiralty Judges at Doctors' Commons near St. Paul's were hearing complaints that congestion in the river was endangering London's environment. Petitioners alleged in 1658 that Jenkin Ellis, a shoemaker and wharf owner, had so exploited his foothold of just ten yards along the north shore of the river, by selling permission to anchor ships eight-and ten-abreast, that the entire bank from St. Katherine's Stairs to the Dock was ruined. It had once been, said witnesses, a “fair sandy ground” where “people might pass on foot,” where watermen could “wax and tallow their boats.” But after Ellis had arrived in 1640, the bank slowly turned to “mud…ooze and dirt,” and “the current of the Thames near shore” where the ships lay was now so “hindered…that if not timely prevented,” the river would be “choked up.” Fires carelessly tended aboard the ships when they were grounded at low tide threatened houses in the entire precinct. When riding at anchor near the shoemaker's wharf, the vessels forced lightermen to row in midriver “against the strength and current of the tide.”

The rising number of ships in English waterways had apparently reduced everyone's margin for error in the seventeenth century. For collisions in the Thames and elsewhere were providing the civil lawyers of London's Admiralty Court with a stream of cases. Ironically, this litigation, it is argued here, reveals both the resourcefulness of England's maritime judges and the major cause of a decline in their authority during the late Stuart decades.
Tracking the Shifting Racial Identity of Mexican Americans
Authors: Wilson Steven H.
Published: February 2007

Ariela J. Gross is generous in praising research accomplished and helpful in suggesting routes for future investigation. In response to such a model of constructive criticism, I can only plead no contest to the main charge that, while examining changes in legal strategy and judicial rhetoric in school segregation litigation, I neglected to explore important aspects of Mexican Americans' own understanding and actual experiences of “other whiteness.” As a result, the “ordinary” people in my tale seem to lack agency even in their own cases. This is an unfortunate but frequent limitation of historical studies of litigation, not least because—despite the presence in the courtroom of a plaintiff or defendant—trial records most clearly reveal the professional concerns of lawyers and judges. Even transcribed testimony (which is not always available) may tell us more about the lawyer's strategy and the judge's mood than a witness's reality. Gross rightly asks the question directly that I (admittedly) avoided entirely: “did the legal regime of whiteness have any larger cultural significance?” Put another way, I understand this question to be: did the fine legal distinctions hammered out by Mexican American attorneys and Anglo American judges matter at all to the ordinary people—parents, workers, and defendants—whether Mexican or Anglo? I think that the answer is yes, gradations of whiteness mattered even to the lay public. Yet, it seems clear as well that whiteness was experienced differently by members of various economic and social classes of Mexican Texans.
Precedents and the Dissolution of Marriage Agreements in Ming China (1368–1644). Insights from the “Classified Regulations of the Great Ming”, Book 13
Authors: Delporte Dominiek
Published: February 2007

After a period of Mongolian rule during the Yüan Dynasty (1279–1368), the first Ming emperor, T'ai-tsu, tried to build a new empire on a solid footing. From the start, he paid a lot of attention to legislation as a means of guaranteeing stability in the empire. The emperor's concern for stability resulted in an imperial decree stipulating that the Ming Code, established and adapted under his supervision, had to remain unchanged for the remainder of the dynasty. As social and economic evolutions called for modifications in the Ming legislation, a way had to be found to introduce these changes. This article examines how a number of so-called “precedents,” relating to dissolution of marriage and engagement on the initiative of women and their natal families, were proposed and adopted during the mid-Ming period. By looking into the individual proposals, we will try to find the specific problems that threatened a consistent application and enforcement of these precedents.
The Emergence of Professional Law in the Long Twelfth Century
Authors: Reynolds Susan
Published: February 2007

The object of this article is to draw attention to an area of European legal history that I think deserves more investigation. It is the change in legal practice caused by the transition from the diffused, undifferentiated, customary law of the earlier middle ages to the various forms of expert, esoteric, professional law that dominated the higher courts of the later middle ages. The suggestion that this has not been much studied may seem odd but, though much has been written on the new study of Roman law, those who work on it have tended to concentrate on the intellectual achievements of the glossators and post-glossators, rather than on practice. Practice in canon law has received more attention, notably from legal historians trained in the Anglo-American tradition, but this has not focused closely on twelfth-century origins. The beginnings of English common law have also been much studied and, since it started off as largely a matter of procedures, that has indeed meant looking at practice. The traditional teleology of legal history has, however, prevented much cross-fertilization with the history of other legal systems. One example of the consequent detachment of English legal history is the assumption of some English legal historians that Roman law procedures were followed in what they often characterize simply as “the Continent” more generally and earlier than seems to have been the case in most areas north of the Alps. Both in England and elsewhere many legal historians concentrate on the period from the thirteenth century on, when sources become more plentiful. Meanwhile, social historians of early medieval western Europe, including England, have argued—to my mind successfully, though I am hardly unprejudiced—that early medieval law was not just a weak, ritualized, and irrational response to feuds and violence, but their investigations tend to stop before the professionals took over. The result is that, apart from recent pioneering work on twelfth-century Tuscany by Chris Wickham, the transition in court practice outside England has been neglected.
The Winchester Law School, 1824–1831
Authors: Bryson W. Hamilton , Shepard E. Lee
Published: February 2007

On March 5, 1824, Henry St. George Tucker was elected by the General Assembly of Virginia to be the judge of the circuit superior court of chancery to sit in Winchester and Clarksburg. Tucker had built up a very successful law practice in Winchester, where he had settled in 1802 upon his admission to the bar. He had also built up a large family; he had six sons and two daughters as well as three children who died young. The elevation to the bench resulted in an increase in professional status, but it also resulted in a substantial decrease in income. In order to remedy this financial development without ethical prejudice to his professional development, he opened a law school. This solution was, no doubt, an obvious one, as his father, the eminent Judge St. George Tucker, had done the same in 1790, when he became the professor of law and police in the College of William and Mary.
Glacial survival ortabula rasa? The history of North Atlantic biota revisited
Authors: Brochmann Christian , Gabrielsen Tove M. , Nordal Inger , Landvik Jon Y. , Elven Reidar
Published: February 2007

Up to the 1960s, there was nearly complete consensus that disjunctions and endemism in the North Atlantic cannot be explained withoutin situsurvival during the glaciations (the "nunatak hypothesis"). The alternative "tabula rasahypothesis" of postglacial immigration was regarded to be of merely historical interest. Herein we review recent geological, molecular, taxonomic, and biogeographic data to re‐examine this view. There is now strong geological evidence for some ice‐free North Atlantic areas within the maximum limits of the Late Weichselian/Wisconsian ice sheets, but no fossils have been found to prove continuousin situexistence of life in these areas. Molecular data suggest that many plants and animals have migrated recently across the Atlantic, even if they lack mechanisms promoting long‐distance dispersal. In other species, there are deep trans‐oceanic phylogeographic splits suggesting survival in two or more refugia, but these refugia may have been located outside the ice sheets. For vascular plants, we provide an updated list of 77 north boreal, alpine, and arctic taxa accepted as North Atlantic endemics. The degree of endemism is very low (0.0‐1.9% single‐region endemism). Forty endemics occur in more than one of the isolated Atlantic regions, indicating extensive migration and complicating inferences on the location of refugia. Thirty‐four endemics are probably not hardy enough for nunatak survival and are explained by postglacial immigration (orin situevolution). Among the 43 "hardy" endemics, there is not a single outcrossing diploid that could suggest long‐term evolution. Most of the hardy endemics are asexual or self‐fertilizing polyploids, some of postglacial hybrid origin. Others are preglacial polyploids which immigrated postglacially or survivedin situ. Some ice‐free areas, such as the extensive Greenlandic ones, may have supported survival of some hardy organisms. The evidence accumulated since the 1960s suggests, however, that endemism and disjunctions in the North Atlantic can be explained without invokingin situglacial survival.
Collaboration in a “Land without a Quisling”: Patterns of Cooperation with the Nazi German Occupation Regime in Poland during World War II
Authors: Friedrich Klaus-Peter
Published: February 2007

Astonishingly, we still do not have a history of collaboration in Poland during World War II. Klaus-Peter Friedrich shows that the building blocks for such a history already exist, however. They are scattered throughout the contemporary Polish press and studies on the Nazi occupation regime. Examples include institutionalized cooperation (Baudienst, Polish Police), ethnically defined segments of the population (Volksdeutsche), informal support of Nazi projects on ideological common ground (anti- Semitism and anticommunism), and the stance of the Polish peasantry as well as the Roman Catholic Church. Friedrich concludes that collaboration eludes study because of a mental image according to which ethnic Poles were the foremost victims of the occupiers and heroically resisted them. Questionable views of national self-interest keep Polish society from coming to terms with the past. Nevertheless, debates on “Polish collaboration” continue to recur—as they have since 1939.
Modernity, Postcolonialism, and Theatrical Form in Uzbekistan
Authors: Adams Laura L.
Published: February 2007

In this article Laura Adams examines cultural change in Uzbekistan through the evolution of European-style theater during the twentieth century. The adoption of this theatrical form was part of a broader project of cultural modernization undertaken first by the Jadids and then by the Soviets. It was also an example of a colonial hierarchy of cultures, which deemed European forms to be more advanced than indigenous ones. In spite of a pervasive discourse about the renewal of national culture, however, European-style theater continues to be strongly supported in Uzbekistan today. Adams argues that both modernization and colonialism contributed to an internationalist orientation among Uzbekistan's cultural elites. This orientation makes an investment in indigenous cultural forms less desirable, since they are only intelligible on a local level. European-style theater, however, enhances the value of national culture both by marking its modernity and by communicating national content in an internationally understood and valued medium.
Adenylate Nucleotides and 2,3-Biphosphoglycerate Concentration in Erythrocytes of Growing Wielkopolska Stallions
Authors: Suska M. , Skotnicka E. , Dudzińska W. , Orowicz W. , Brzezinska M.
Published: February 2007

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the concentrations of adenylate nucleotides (ATP, ADP, AMP), total nucleotide pool (TAN), adenylate energy charge (AEC) and 2,3-biphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) in the erythrocytes of young horses in the period of their rapid growth and development. The studies were conducted on 10 young Wielkopolska breed stallions for two years; Group A: 1-month-old, Group B: 3-month-old, Group C: 6-month-old, Group D: 1-year-old, and Group E: 2-year-old. ATP, ADP and AMP concentrations in the erythrocytes were determined by HPLC. 2,3-BPG was determined using the Calbiochem USA kit. We observed that erythrocyte ATP, ADP, AMP and TAN concentrations significantly decreased with age (p < 0.001), while 2,3-BPG concentration and AEC values significantly increased with age. A significant correlation between the ATP and TAN concentrations was found within all the examined groups (p < 0.05). A significant correlation was also found between ATP concentration and AEC values (except 12 month-old stallions). Moreover, an age-dependent negative correlation between ATP and 2,3-BPG (r = -0.81) was found. The conclusion is that the adenylate energy charge and erythrocyte 2,3-BPG variables in the Wielkopolska stallions mainly depend on age, thus warranting the use of specific age-related reference values for this breed's foals.
Peer Comparison or Guideline-Based Feedback and Postsurgery Opioid Prescriptions
Authors: Wagner Zachary , Kirkegaard Allison , Mariano Louis T. , Doctor Jason N. , Yan Xiaowei , Persell Stephen D. , Goldstein Noah J. , Fox Craig R. , Brummett Chad M. , Romanelli Robert J. , Bouskill Kathryn , Martinez Meghan , Zanocco Kyle , Meeker Daniella , Mudiganti Satish , Waljee Jennifer , Watkins Katherine E.
Published: March 2024

Importance

Excess opioid prescribing after surgery can result in prolonged use and diversion. Email feedback based on social norms may reduce the number of pills prescribed.

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of 2 social norm-based interventions on reducing guideline-discordant opioid prescribing after surgery.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cluster randomized clinical trial conducted at a large health care delivery system in northern California between October 2021 and October 2022 included general, obstetric/gynecologic, and orthopedic surgeons with patients aged 18 years or older discharged to home with an oral opioid prescription.

Interventions

In 19 hospitals, 3 surgical specialties (general, orthopedic, and obstetric/gynecologic) were randomly assigned to a control group or 1 of 2 interventions. The guidelines intervention provided email feedback to surgeons on opioid prescribing relative to institutionally endorsed guidelines; the peer comparison intervention provided email feedback on opioid prescribing relative to that of peer surgeons. Emails were sent to surgeons with at least 2 guideline-discordant prescriptions in the previous month. The control group had no intervention.

Main Outcome and Measures

The probability that a discharged patient was prescribed a quantity of opioids above the guideline for the respective procedure during the 12 intervention months.

Results

There were 38 235 patients discharged from 640 surgeons during the 12-month intervention period. Control-group surgeons prescribed above guidelines 36.8% of the time during the intervention period compared with 27.5% and 25.4% among surgeons in the peer comparison and guidelines arms, respectively. In adjusted models, the peer comparison intervention reduced guideline-discordant prescribing by 5.8 percentage points (95% CI, −10.5 to −1.1; P = .03) and the guidelines intervention reduced it by 4.7 percentage points (95% CI, −9.4 to −0.1; P = .05). Effects were driven by surgeons who performed more surgeries and had more guideline-discordant prescribing at baseline. There was no significant difference between interventions.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cluster randomized clinical trial, email feedback based on either guidelines or peer comparison reduced opioid prescribing after surgery. Guideline-based feedback was as effective as peer comparison-based feedback. These interventions are simple, low-cost, and scalable, and may reduce downstream opioid misuse.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05070338
Inflammasomes in epithelial innate immunity: front line warriors
Authors: Robinson Kim Samirah , Boucher Dave
Published: March 2024

Our epithelium represents a battle ground against a variety of insults including pathogens and danger signals. It encodes multiple sensors that detect and respond to such insults, playing an essential role in maintaining and defending tissue homeostasis. One key set of defense mechanisms is our inflammasomes which drive innate immune responses including, sensing and responding to pathogen attack, through the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and cell death. Identification of physiologically relevant triggers for inflammasomes has greatly influenced our ability to decipher the mechanisms behind inflammasome activation. Furthermore, identification of patient mutations within inflammasome components implicates their involvement in a range of epithelial diseases. This review will focus on exploring the roles of inflammasomes in epithelial immunity and cover: the diversity and differential expression of inflammasome sensors amongst our epithelial barriers, their ability to sense local infection and damage and the contribution of the inflammasomes to epithelial homeostasis and disease.
Machine Learning Application to Optimize Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) Biochar as Filter Media for Heavy Metal Adsorption in Abandoned Mine Water
Authors: Madzin Zafira , Zahidi Izni , Talei Amin , Raghunandan Mavinakere Eshwaraiah , Kwin Chang Tak
Published: March 2024

The surging global population strains resources, escalating pollution, and exacerbating water scarcity. Sustainable water management necessitates alternative sources such as abandoned mine water. However, these sources often contain hazardous heavy metals, like lead, copper, iron, and manganese, posing grave health and environmental risks. Conventional methods struggle to effectively treat these heavy metals in abandoned mining ponds, urging the search for cost‐efficient and sustainable solutions. Biochar, particularly from spent mushroom compost (SMC), emerges as a potent adsorbent due to its high surface area and binding groups. Yet, the variability in its efficiency remains a challenge. Conventional empirical models fail to capture the dynamic nature of adsorption processes accurately. Adopting machine learning, specifically an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), shows potential in predicting adsorption efficiency. This study aims to employ ANFIS to forecast SMC biochar's performance in a lab‐scale metal retention pond, providing design charts for diverse initial metal concentrations and pH levels. Validation through real cases aims to enhance accuracy and establish a framework for future heavy metal adsorption capacities. This research offers a sustainable approach to removing heavy metals from abandoned mining ponds whereas the computational modeling in optimizing SMC biochar introduces a novel approach for practical applications.
Algorithmic surveillance in the era of the mental health appsphere
Authors: Abdillahi Idil
Published: March 2024

Digital mental health applications, also known as mHealth apps, are designed to help users manage their mental health using technology such as mobile devices and smartphones. However, there has been little critical engagement surrounding their impact on marginalized communities, and Black people in Canada. This article aims to explore how state and private actors conceptualize the digitalization of mental health access, leading to the creation and implementation of these apps. It is important to consider the links and interconnections between the platform and the app, and to be cautious and curious before adopting yet another app that claims to manage and mitigate moods and address mental health needs. We should be considering the implications of what comes with this access and apparent ease of use.
HLA‐haploidentical stem cell transplantation in children with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes: A retrospective analysis on behalf of EBMT severe aplastic Anemia and pediatric diseases working parties
Authors: Giardino Stefano , Eikema Dirk‐Jan , Piepenbroek Brian , Algeri Mattia , Ayas Mouhab , Faraci Maura , Tbakhi Abdelghani , Zecca Marco , Essa Mohammed , Neven Bénédicte , Bertrand Yves , Kharya Gaurav , Bykova Tatiana , Lawson Sarah , Petrini Mario , Mohseny Alexander , Rialland Fanny , James Beki , Colita Anca , Fahd Mony , Cesaro Simone , Schulz Ansgar , Kleinschmidt Katharina , Kałwak Krzysztof , Corbacioglu Selim , Dufour Carlo , Risitano Antonio , de Latour Régis Peffault
Published: March 2024

Haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo‐SCT) represents the main alternative for children with inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (I‐BMF) lacking a matched donor. This retrospective study, conducted on behalf of the EBMT SAAWP and PDWP, aims to report the current outcomes of haplo‐SCT in I‐BMFs, comparing the different in vivo and ex vivo T‐cell depletion approaches. One hundred and sixty‐two I‐BMF patients who underwent haplo‐SCT (median age 7.4 years) have been registered. Fanconi Anemia was the most represented diagnosis (70.1%). Based on different T‐cell depletion (TCD) approaches, four categories were identified: (1) TCRαβ+/CD19+‐depletion (43.8%); (2) T‐repleted with post‐transplant Cyclophosphamide (PTCy, 34.0%); (3) In‐vivo T‐depletion with ATG/alemtuzumab (14.8%); (4) CD34+ positive selection (7.4%). The cumulative incidences (CI) of neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 84% and 76% respectively, while that of primary and secondary graft failure was 10% and 8% respectively. The 100‐day CI of acute GvHD grade III‐IV(95% CI) was 13%, while the 24‐month CI of extensive chronic GvHD was 4%. After a median follow‐up of 43.4 months, the 2‐year overall survival(OS) and GvHD/Rejection‐free Survival (GRFS) probabilities are 67% and 53%, respectively. The TCR CD3+αβ+/CD19+ depletion group showed a significantly lower incidence of both acute and chronic GvHD and higher OS (79%; p0.013) and GRFS (71%; p < .001), while no significant differences in outcomes have been observed by different diagnosis and conditioning regimens. This large retrospective study supports the safety and feasibility of haplo‐SCT in I‐BMF patients. TCRαβ+/CD19+ depletion offers higher chances of patients' survival, with a significantly lower risk of severe a‐ and c‐GvHD in I‐BMFs compared to other platforms.
Synthesis, characterization, thermal, anticancer studies, and density functional theory for potentially active pyrimidine‐based complexes
Authors: Abouzayed Fatma I. , Mostafa Mohamed S. , Hammad Amira M. , Ghazal Basma , Abouel‐Enein Saeyda A.
Published: March 2024

This work aimed to create and characterize some new bioactive chelates of bis azodye ligand, 5‐((2‐hydroxy‐4,6‐dioxo‐1,4,5,6‐tetrahydropyrimidin‐5‐yl)diazenyl)naphthalen‐1‐yl)diazenyl) pyrimidine 2,4,6 (1H,3H,5H)‐trione. Except for the Sm(III) chelate, which exhibited a (3M:1L) molar ratio, all chelates had a (2M:1L) stoichiometry. According to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), azo groups were not included in chelating with all ions except Sm(III), where just one azo group was coordinated. With the Ni(II) and Zn(II) ions, the ligand behaved as OON‐tridentate moiety; with the Co(II) and Cu(II) ions, it behaved as ON‐bidentate moiety. Co(II) and Cu(II) chelates had square planar structure, and Ni(II) and Zn(II) chelates had square pyramidal geometry. The chelates had greater thermal stability than the uncoordinated ligand due to the chelate's structure. [Sm3(H4L)(OH)7(NO3)2.H2O].4.5EtOH exhibited the maximum thermal stability, which may be due to the large number of solvent molecules and the high number of chelate rings. With the exception of the Sm(III) chelate, all of the examined chelates were more cytotoxic against MCF‐7 and Hep‐G2 cells than their parent ligand. With the exception of the Zn(II) chelate, which demonstrated activity on Hep‐G2 rather than MCF‐7, the effects of each metal chelate on the two cells were nearly equivalent. All of the studied chelates, especially Zn(II) and Co(II), were potent as antioxidants more than the native ligand. To support experimental findings, density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed via the CAM‐B3LYP/LanL2DZ method, and the geometry of the ligand and its chelates had been validated.
Risk of Relapse of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody–Associated Vasculitis in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Plasma Exchange and Glucocorticoids
Authors: Junek Mats L. , Merkel Peter A. , Vilayur Eswari , Wald Ron , Khalidi Nader , Jayne David , Walsh Michael ,   for the PEXIVAS Investigators
Published: March 2024

Objective

Relapses of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis are important events that can cause organ dysfunction and reduce quality of life. Understanding the effects of the initial treatments for ANCA‐associated vasculitis on the subsequent risk of relapse may help guide monitoring and treatment.

Methods

We performed a post hoc analysis of participants with severe ANCA‐associated vasculitis enrolled in an international two‐by‐two factorial randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of plasma exchange (PLEX) to no PLEX and a regimen of reduced glucocorticoid exposure to a standard regimen. We estimated the effects of treatments on relapses of any severity using three competing risk time‐to‐event models adjusted for patient and disease characteristics and other treatments. Each model was adjusted for disease manifestations in different ways.

Results

Of 704 participants, 649 (92.2%) achieved remission and 147 (22.7%) experienced 204 relapses. The relapse rate was 10.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.4–12.1) relapses per 100 patient‐years. Neither the use of PLEX (subhazard ratio 0.91–0.94; 95% CIs range from 0.66 to 1.31) nor a glucocorticoid regimen (subhazard ratio 0.93–0.94; 95% CIs range from 0.67 to 1.35) appreciably changed the risk of relapse. Proteinase 3–ANCA and the presence of nonhemorrhagic respiratory manifestations of the disease at trial entry were associated with increased risks of relapse. Receiving dialysis at baseline and administration of oral cyclophosphamide as induction therapy were associated with lower risks of relapse.

Conclusion

In patients with severe ANCA‐associated vasculitis, relapses remain common; neither the use of PLEX nor an initial glucocorticoid tapering regimen impacted relapse risk.
Metaknowledge of Experts Versus Nonexperts: Do Experts Know Better What They Do and Do Not Know?
Authors: Han Yuyan , Dunning David
Published: March 2024

Experts are usually valued for their knowledge. However, do they possess metaknowledge, that is, knowing how much they know as well as the limits of that knowledge? The current research examined expert metaknowledge by comparing experts' and nonexperts' confidence when they made correct versus incorrect choices as well as the difference in‐between (e.g., Murphy's Resolution and Yate's Separation). Across three fields of expertise (climate science, psychological statistics, and investment), we found that experts tended to display better metaknowledge than nonexperts but still showed systematic and important imperfections. They were less overconfident than nonexperts in general and expressed more confidence in their correct answers. However, they tend to exhibit low Murphy's Resolution similar to nonexperts and gave endorsed wrong answers with equal to higher confidence than did their nonexpert peers. Thus, it appears that expertise is associated with knowing with more certainty what one knows but conceals awareness of what one does not know.
An integrated conceptual model for enhancing refugee education
Authors: Miri Mir Abdullah
Published: March 2024

This paper introduces a unified conceptual framework for understanding refugee identity construction within educational contexts, drawing on theories of social justice (Fraser, 2008), affective relations (Lynch, 2012), the resumption of ordinary life (Kohli, 2011) and ecological systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). Addressing a gap in the existing scholarship, the model emphasises the importance of affective relations in shaping refugee identities in education alongside other factors. The study examines the macro constructs of redistribution, recognition, representation and relational affect, highlighting their impact on refugee children's educational experiences. Further, it considers the micro constructs of safety, sense of belonging and success in integration and attainment in educational environments. The constructs are examined across various levels of Bronfenbrenner's ecological system, demonstrating the complexity of refugees’ needs. This model aims to facilitate a holistic, justice‐oriented approach to refugee education, which is crucial given the rise in global displacement. The study has significant implications for refugee education research and policymaking, potentially informing targeted interventions and programmes that foster academic success, overall well‐being, and practice in refugee education.
Recent Progress in the Synthesis of α‐Hydroxy Carbonyl Compounds with ThDP‐dependent Carboligases
Authors: Dobiašová Hana , Jurkaš Valentina , Both Peter , Winkler Margit
Published: March 2024

Thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) dependent carboligases catalyze the formation of carbon‐carbon bonds. These enzymes are prominent biocatalysts for the production of valuable α‐hydroxy carbonyl compounds, which serve as key building blocks in the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Carboligases act in selective manner to afford regio‐ and stereochemically defined products from simple starting materials. This review explores the catalytic prowess of carboligases for synthetic purposes and is aimed at providing a selection tool of enzymes for particular sets of substrates or desired products. The comprehensive overview encompasses structural insights, relationships of the currently known sequence space and practical applications with a focus on recent literature, showcasing carboligases as potent tools for sustainable and efficient synthesis.
Key Role of Water in Copper‐ and Base‐free Sonogashira Coupling in Ethanol with [{Pd(μ‐OH)Cl(IPr)}2] as a Highly Effective Precatalyst
Authors: Ostrowska Sylwia , Rogalski Szymon , Pietraszuk Cezary
Published: March 2024

Aryl bromides and 4‐chlorotoluene as an example aryl chloride in the presence of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladium hydroxo dimers of the type [{Pd(μ‐OH)Cl(NHC)}2] (where NHC=IPr, SIPr, IMes, SIMes) undergo an efficient and selective Sonogashira cross‐coupling with (hetero)arylacetylenes. The procedure allows the high‐throughput and selective synthesis of a broad spectrum of 1,2‐diarylacetylenes using 10 ppm of [{Pd(μ‐OH)Cl(IPr)}2] as precatalyst. For the coupling of 4‐chlorotoluene with phenylacetylene, TON=560000 was achieved. Hydrogen chloride was observed as a product of the Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction. The formation of the active Pd(0) from the Pd(II) complex was found to proceed via ethanol oxidation. Mechanistic studies showed that water plays a key role in the reaction.
Electron Transfer of Cellobiose Dehydrogenase in Polyethyleneimine Films
Authors: Karnpakdee Kwankao , Kracher Daniel , Ludwig Roland
Published: March 2024

Cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) is applied as a bioelectrocatalyst in biosensors because its mobile cytochrome domain is capable of direct electron transfer. This study investigates the electron transfer mechanism of CDH molecules embedded in the polycation polyethyleneimine (PEI), which has been reported as a current‐boosting component of CDH‐based biosensors. By immobilizing different concentrations of CDH and its isolated cytochrome domain in PEI films, we found that increasing concentrations of cytochrome enhanced the film conductivity (up to 251±8 mS cm−1) through improved electron transfer between the protein redox centers. The increased electrical conductivity of the film contacts CDH molecules at a greater distance from the electrode. The cross‐linker poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether improves the packing and contacting of the cytochrome domains, whereas glutaraldehyde reduces the current obtained. Deglycosylation of CDH enhances the conductivity of enzyme‐polymer films by up to 34 %, implying a higher number of productive electron‐hopping events between cytochrome domains due to enhanced mobility or reduced shielding. By balancing negative charges on the CDH surface at neutral and alkaline pH, PEI increases the interdomain electron transfer and the electrical film conductivity. The resulting increased current output is relevant for in vivo bioanalytical applications.
Design and Asymmetric Control of Orientational Chirality by Using the Combination of C(sp2)‐C(sp) Levers and Achiral N‐Protecting Group
Authors: Wang Yu , Xu Ting , Jin Shengzhou , Wang Jia‐Yin , Yuan Qingkai , Liu Hao , Tang Yao , Zhang Sai , Yan Wenxin , Jiao Yinchun , Li Guigen
Published: March 2024

New chiral targets of orientational chirality have been designed and asymmetrically synthesized by taking advantage of N‐sulfinyl imine‐directed nucleophilic addition/oxidation, Suzuki‐Miyaura, and Sonogashira cross‐coupling reactions. Orientation of single isomers has been selectively controlled by using aryl/alkynyl levers [C(sp2)‐C(sp) axis] and tBuSO2‐ protecting group on nitrogen as proven by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The key structural characteristic of resulting orientational products is shown by remote through‐space blocking manner. Seventeen examples of multi‐step synthesis were obtained with modest to good chemical yields and complete orientational selectivity.