Variant Forms Research Articles

Full length title: Stellate Nonhereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis and Central Anomalous Retinoschisis with mid-PEripheral Traction (CARPET).

To report the clinical and multimodal imaging (MMI) findings and long-term follow-up of stellate nonhereditary idiopathic foveomacular retinoschisis (SNIFR) contiguous with midperipheral retinoschisis (MPRS) and to describe a severe SNIFR variant termed CARPET (Central Anomalous Retinoschisis with mid-PEripheral Traction). Retrospective case series. Eleven patients (15 eyes) with SNIFR contiguous with MPRS in at least one eye at baseline or final follow-up. MMI features, including cross-sectional and en face macular and peripheral spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography, were reviewed in all cases at baseline and at the final follow-up visit. Various courses (including progression, regression, or stability) of MPRS or SNIFR over time were evaluated. MPRS exhibited centripetal progression to SNIFR in 5 eyes of 3 patients with follow up of 67, 60, and 27 months, respectively, with maintenance of excellent visual acuity (range: 20/25-20/20) in 4 of these 5 eyes. In 2 eyes of 2 patients (including 1 eye with initial centripetal progression of MPRS to SNIFR), MPRS contiguous with SNIFR spontaneously resolved with long-term follow-up (77 and 48 months, respectively). SNIFR contiguous with MPRS partially regressed after 48 months in one patient, and was stable after 54 months in another. A distinctive midperipheral microvasculopathy, associated with MPRS that was contiguous with SNIFR, was identified in 7 eyes of 4 patients. Finally, 3 eyes of 3 patients exhibited additional unique features, including central neurosensory detachment and outer lamellar macular hole, which were associated with significant midperipheral traction, representing a severe variant subtype of SNIFR that we refer to as CARPET. Two of these 3 eyes progressed with short-term follow-up of 6 and 2 months, respectively, while the schisis resolved and vision improved after pars plana vitrectomy in the third case. MPRS can progress to SNIFR over multiple years of follow-up. SNIFR with MPRS can also spontaneously resolve or remain stable. MPRS can additionally be complicated by a midperipheral inner retinal microvasculopathy. Finally, CARPET may represent a unique and severe variant form of SNIFR driven by midperipheral vitreoretinal traction and associated with significant vision loss.

The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9-Short Form: longitudinal measurement invariance across a three-year interval

ABSTRACT Objective Internet gaming disorder (IGD) refers to persistent, recurrent, and excessive involvement with computer or video games that cannot be controlled, despite associated problems. Given that it has been relatively stable for several years, questionnaires measuring IGD need to demonstrate measurement invariance (i.e. consistency in its measurement properties when administrated repeatedly over time), to ensure accurate measurement over time. This longitudinal study examined invariance of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9-Short Form (IGDS9-SF5), which measures Internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptoms, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 criteria. Method Participants were recruited from English speaking countries (e.g. Australia, USA, UK and Canada). A total of 276 adults (mean age = 31.86 years; SD = 9.94; males = 71%) provided responses to an online survey (including demographic questions and the IGDS9-SF) at three time points one year apart (2020/21/22). Results When the chi-square difference (∆χ2) test was applied, the results supported configural invariance, full metric invariance, error variances, and invariance for all structural components (latent variances and covariances). However, scalar invariance was not observed for three item intercepts (tolerance, preoccupation, and giving up other activities). For all three items, the scores were higher at time 1 than time 2 and time 3. Conclusion The findings indicate that IGDS9-SF observed scores across yearly intervals are generally free from scaling and measurement biases, making them reliable for monitoring the progression of IGD symptoms and evaluating clinical treatment effects over time.

Factor Structure of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form in African American Older Adults With Osteoarthritis.

To evaluate the factor structure of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) and measurement invariance across two age groups for African American (AA) older adults with osteoarthritis (OA). Participants were AA older adults aged 50 to 94 years with self-reported OA and chronic pain (N = 110). Cross-sectional data from the BPI-SF were obtained from all participants, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the factor structure. Measurement invariance across young-old (aged 50 to 69 years) and old-old (aged 70 to 94 years) participants was examined at configural, full metric, and full scalar levels. CFA revealed that a three-factor model (i.e., pain intensity, activity interference, and affective interference) demonstrated the best fit (χ2/df = 1.595, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.949, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.074). The change of CFI between configural and metric invariance was below the cutoff point of 0.01, supporting full metric (i.e., factor loadings) invariance across the two age groups. However, full scalar (i.e., item intercepts) invariance was not demonstrated. Results support a three-factor structure of the BPI-SF, which is consistent across two age groups for AA older adults with OA. This study provides evidence that the BPI-SF can reliably measure pain intensity and two distinct dimensions of pain interference in this population. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 51(2), 13-22.].

Geometry from geodesics: fine-tuning Ehlers, Pirani, and Schild

Ehlers, Pirani, and Schild argued that measurements of null and timelike geodesics yield Weyl and projective connections, respectively, with compatibility in the lightlike limit giving an integrable Weyl connection. Their conclusions hold only for a 4-dim representation of the conformal connection on the null cone, and by restricting reparameterizations of timelike geodesics to yield a torsion-free, affine connection. An arbitrary connection gives greater freedom. A linear connection for the conformal symmetry of null geodesics requires the SO(4,2) representation. The enlarged class of projective transformations of timelike geodesics changes Weyl’s projective curvature, and we find invariant forms of the torsion and nonmetricity, along with a new, invariant, second rank tensor field generalizing the dilatational curvature without requiring a metric. We show that either projective or conformal connections require a monotonic, twice differentiable function on a spacetime region foliated by order isomorphic, totally ordered, twice differentiable timelike curves in a necessarily Lorentzian geometry. We prove that the conditions for projective and conformal Ricci flatness imply each other and gauge choices within either can reduce the geometry to the original Riemannian form. Thus, measurements of null and timelike geodesics lead to an SO(4,2) connection, with no requirement for a lightlike limit. Reduction to integrable Weyl symmetry can only follow from the field equations of a gravity theory. We show that the simplest quadratic spacetime action leads to this reduction.

Quick Self-Compassion: Italian Validation, Network Analysis, Item Response Theory Analysis, and Correlates of the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to test the factorial structure and gender invariance of the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) in the Italian context (Aim 1), underlying relationships among SCS-SF items (Aim 2), questionnaire performance of SCS-SF (Aim 3), and correlations of SCS-SF (and its subscales) with cognitive, affective, and well-being variables (Aim 4). Method Six questionnaires including the SCS-SF and different correlates were respectively administered to six Italian convenience samples (total n = 2068). We performed confirmatory (ULS estimator) factor analysis (Aim 1), exploratory graph analysis and network analysis (Aim 2), multidimensional item response theory (IRT) analyses (Aim 3), and correlational analyses (Aim 4). We tested Aims 1–3 on the global sample and Aim 4 on the six samples separately. Results We found a two-factor (hierarchical) solution — which also had strict gender invariance — identifying Compassionate and Uncompassionate Self-Responding (CSR and USR), respectively composed of positive and negative items, while three- and six-factor structures did not hold (Aim 1). The SCS-SF network was structured into the CSR and USR clusters (Aim 2). CSR and — especially — USR had a satisfactory performance in terms of IRT discrimination and information (Aim 3). Correlational analyses supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the scales, showing the cognitive and emotion-regulation strategies associated with self-compassion and confirming that CSR and USR have slightly different correlates (Aim 4). Conclusions The Italian SCS-SF and its CSR and USR subscales are valid instruments. Future research and interventions can employ CSR and USR to assess different nuances of self-kindness and self-criticism.

Evaluation of the Dose of African Swine Fever Virus Required to Establish Infection in Pigs Following Oral Uptake

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is known to be very stable within a protein-rich environment and indirect virus transmission can be mediated via oral uptake of different materials. However, experimental studies in pigs have shown that infection by ASFV via the oral route can be difficult to establish. Currently, there is a lack of studies using strict oral inoculations of pigs with different doses of ASFV. Therefore, we aimed to determine the dose of a European genotype II ASFV that is required to establish infection of pigs by the oral route. In this study, 24 pigs were divided into four groups of six. Three of the groups were fed with a low, medium or high dose of the ASFV POL/2015/Podlaskie virus. The pigs in the fourth group served as positive controls and were inoculated intranasally, just once, using the low dose of the virus. All the pigs inoculated intranasally with ASFV succumbed to the infection, while only three of the six pigs that were fed the high dose of the virus became infected. None of the 12 pigs that were fed with either the medium or low dose of the virus became infected, despite receiving up to thirteen doses each. In two of the pigs infected by intranasal inoculation, the presence of a variant form of the ASFV genome was detected. The results obtained in this study underline that ASFV infection is more difficult to establish via the oral route when compared to the intranasal route. The high dose needed in order to establish oral infection could have implications for future strategies using baited vaccines containing infectious live-attenuated ASFV.

Psychometric properties of the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report Chinese Translation when delivered online

This study explored the psychometric properties of the “Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report Chinese Translation (SDI:SR Chinese). The SDI:SR Chinese was administered online to 551 students with intellectual disability and without disabilities in China, building on a previous pilot study. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure, measurement invariance, and structural invariance of the SDI:SR Chinese. Findings suggest that the single-factor structure best fits the data. The SDI:SR Chinese, when delivered online, demonstrates form and metric invariance across students with intellectual disability and students without disabilities; however, it exhibits only partial scalar invariance. Students with intellectual disability showed greater variability in scores and lower average scores than those without disabilities. The findings highlight the applicability of the SDI:SR in the Chinese context. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed.

Девиантная и стратагемно-тактическая репрезентации языковой личности синхронного переводчика (в языковой паре «английский язык – русский язык»)

Representatives of the linguistic personality of a simultaneous interpreter may be individual combinations of stratagem-tactical decisions, deviations from the existing translation norm, primarily translation errors and unsuccessful translation decisions. The definition of units representing the linguistic personality of a simultaneous interpreter generates ambiguity of interpretations and a multitude of terminological derivatives. The study aims to determine the range of deviant and stratagem-tactical techniques that represent the linguistic personality of a simultaneous interpreter. The scientific novelty of the research consists in a new theoretical understanding of the problem of verbal representatives of the linguistic personality of a simultaneous interpreter, standing at the junction of linguopersonology, erratology and translatology. The author distinguishes between the concepts of a “translation error” and an “unsuccessful translation decision” from the perspective of the pragmatic content of the verbal translation. As a result of the research, a theoretical justification and empirical confirmation of the variety of stratagem-tactical manifestations are proposed, which are realized through the individual choice of a tactical network of techniques, as well as through the forms of deviant variants of the language portrait of a simultaneous interpreter.

Unmasking High-Output Heart Failure: Beyond Conventional Paradigms.

Heart failure (HF) poses a significant medical challenge, affecting millions of adults in the United States. High-output heart failure (HOHF) is a distinct subtype characterized by elevated cardiac output exceeding 8 L/min or a cardiac index >4 L/min/m². Patients with HOHF often present similarly to those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. However, the underlying pathophysiology differs; triggered by a progressive decline in systemic vascular resistance, the ensuing elevation of cardiac output eventually leads to left ventricular remodeling and HF. Failure to differentiate HOHF from other variant forms of HF has implications for management, particularly relating to the use of vasodilator medications with potentially deleterious consequences, ensuing from the unrestrained adoption of societal guideline-directed medical therapy recommendations. Despite its clinical importance, HOHF remains under-examined in literature, with limited recognition and understanding among clinicians. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of knowledge surrounding HOHF, exploring its definition, etiopathology, and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Recognizing the challenges in diagnosing HOHF, we propose a novel diagnostic algorithm tailored to address the subtleties of this often-misdiagnosed variant of HF.

Semileptonic decay of the triply heavy Ωccb to the observed Ξcc++ state

We investigate the weak semileptonic decay of the Ωccb+→Ξcc++ℓν¯ℓ, where a triply heavy baryon with spin 1/2 decays into the observed doubly heavy baryon with spin 1/2, using quantum chromodynamics (QCD) sum rule method in all lepton channels. We compute the six relevant vector and axial vector form factors entering the low energy matrix elements in full theory. The invariant form factors are building blocks, using the fit faction of which in terms of q2 in whole physical region, we calculate the exclusive widths in three lepton channels. Our predictions may help the present and future experiments in the course of their search for doubly and triply heavy baryons. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Factor structure and measurement invariance of social dominance orientation scale-short form (SDO 7(S)) in India

Factor structure and measurement invariance of social dominance orientation scale-short form (SDO 7(S)) in India

Guaranteed Bounds on Posterior Distributions of Discrete Probabilistic Programs with Loops

We study the problem of bounding the posterior distribution of discrete probabilistic programs with unbounded support, loops, and conditioning. Loops pose the main difficulty in this setting: even if exact Bayesian inference is possible, the state of the art requires user-provided loop invariant templates. By contrast, we aim to find guaranteed bounds , which sandwich the true distribution. They are fully automated, applicable to more programs and provide more provable guarantees than approximate sampling-based inference. Since lower bounds can be obtained by unrolling loops, the main challenge is upper bounds, and we attack it in two ways. The first is called residual mass semantics , which is a flat bound based on the residual probability mass of a loop. The approach is simple, efficient, and has provable guarantees. The main novelty of our work is the second approach, called geometric bound semantics . It operates on a novel family of distributions, called eventually geometric distributions (EGDs), and can bound the distribution of loops with a new form of loop invariants called contraction invariants . The invariant synthesis problem reduces to a system of polynomial inequality constraints, which is a decidable problem with automated solvers. If a solution exists, it yields an exponentially decreasing bound on the whole distribution, and can therefore bound moments and tail asymptotics as well, not just probabilities as in the first approach. Both semantics enjoy desirable theoretical properties. In particular, we prove soundness and convergence, i.e. the bounds converge to the exact posterior as loops are unrolled further. We also investigate sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of geometric bounds. On the practical side, we describe Diabolo , a fully-automated implementation of both semantics, and evaluate them on a variety of benchmarks from the literature, demonstrating their general applicability and the utility of the resulting bounds.

De novo variants in RYBP are associated with a severe neurodevelopmental disorder and congenital anomalies.

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are key epigenetic regulators of gene transcription. Multiple neurodevelopmental disorders have been associated with pathogenic variants in genes encoding PcG proteins. RYBP is a core component of the non-canonical Polycomb Repressor Complex 1; however, its role in disease is unclear. Functional consequences of RYBP variants were assessed through in vitro cellular studies and in vivo Drosophila melanogaster studies. We describe seven individuals with heterozygous de novo variants in RYBP and clinical findings including severe developmental delay, dysmorphisms and multiple congenital anomalies. We show that all the single nucleotide variants in RYBP localize to the N-terminal domain of the gene, which encodes the zinc finger domain and ubiquitin binding moiety. In vitro studies demonstrate that the RYBP c.132C>G p.(Cys44Trp) variant causes reduced protein expression but does not affect binding of YY1, RING1B or ubiquitin. In vivo overexpression studies in Drosophila melanogaster show a dramatic functional difference from human RYBP and variant forms affecting the C44 amino acid residue. DNA methylation studies suggest a possible episignature that may be associated with RYBP-related disorder. Heterozygous de novo variants in RYBP are associated with an identifiable syndromic neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple congenital anomalies.

Determinants and Outcomes of COVID-19 during the Third Wave: A Cross sectional Study

Aim: The threat of COVID-19 has since been continuing as a recurring wave with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus changing it’s variant form frequently. This study was conducted with the aim to study the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, complications, and other outcomes of patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 infection during the third wave in a tertiary care hospital in Manipur, India. Materials and methods: This is a single-centre retrospective study, and the necessary data were collected from the medical record department of RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences) Hospital, Imphal. In this study, the case records of COVID-19 positive patients who were hospitalized in the RIMS Hospital from 1st January 2022 to 31st March 2022 has been collected. Corresponding data on demographic profile, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, complications, and clinical outcome has been collected and compared between patients deemed as non-severe and severe cases. Results and Conclusions: The analysis included 275 confirmed COVID-19 patients, and median age was 37 years and IQR (Inter quartile range) was (27-62) years; 41.5% (n = 114) were male, and 14% (n=16) deaths. Vaccination was significantly associated with the severity of disease among the older population. Aging, duration of hospitalization and d-dimer were independent factors increasing the risk of death due to COVID-19 (p < 0.001).

CREATING A MODERATION VILLAGE BASED ON RECOGNITIVE LEARNING IN LEMBAR DISTRICT

The existence of an international port in Lembar District, West Lombok Regency, confirms the global village where all forms of foreign culture and variants will be easy to access.influenceattitudes and behavior of society that reflect a multicultural society. In addition, identity politics during general elections always threatens divisions between religious communities and diverse cultures in Lembar District. Borrowing the theory and concept of the encounter school to see the phenomenon of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the post-conflict social system in Mareje Village, Lembar District. This research was conducted because of the uniqueness of the existence of various tribes and religions in Lembar District, which are immigrant communities. There are three religions (Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism) that inhabit 10 villages, and there are Sasak, Javanese, Samawa, Mbojo and Balinese tribes in Lembar District.

Precedent Phenomena as a Means of Event Representation in the English Language Media Discourse

Precedent phenomena act as a tool of informing and influencing the addressee in the media space. The aim of the article is to examine the functioning of precedent phenomena as a means of representing current events in media discourse. The relevance of the research is determined by the widespread use of precedent phenomena in mass media. Concepts of precedent phenomena represent a mental image of a stereotypical situation, which reflects the results of human cognition of the surrounding reality. In modern media texts, the peripheral layer is transformed under the influence of the extralinguistic context, while the nuclear layer of the conceptual component of the concept remains unchanged. The value and figurative (metaphorical) components of precedent phenomena related to associations at the diachronic level contribute to the expansion of the notional component of the concept when representing current events at the synchronic level. The article proposes an algorithm for the study of the verbalized concepts “fifth column”, “great game”, “iron curtain”, “cold war”, “road map”, “Pearl Harbor”, which, in the form of perception invariants, are included in the cognitive base of most linguistic and cultural communities. The sources of the research material were the texts of the quality English language press in the period of 2022-2023. To accomplish the task, the following methods are applied: discourse analysis, cognitive analysis, and diachronic analysis. The discourse analysis explicates the meaning of the precedent phenomenon at the synchronic level, taking into account nonlinguistic factors (political and socio-cultural context). Cognitive analysis defines the value component of the concept, which includes subjective modalities (axiological, emotive, deontic). An axiological modality is a rational (positive or negative) assessment of an event. Emotional evaluation is the result of a sensual reaction to a fragment of the world around. The deontic modality is connected with the normative worldview of the society that regulates the behavior of people in the community and the interaction of states in the global world. Diachronic analysis reveals the origin of the precedent phenomenon and defines its value and figurative (metaphorical) aspects, as well as the core layer of the concept. The proposed algorithm of analyzing verbalized concepts can be helpful for professionals in the field of cognitive linguistics, media linguistics, and political linguistics. The investigated precedent phenomena as dynamically evolving and transforming concepts may be of interest for further detailed study.

Exclusive rare semileptonic decays of B and Bc mesons in the relativistic independent quark model

We investigate the exclusive rare semileptonic decays B(Bc)→K(D(s))ll¯/νlνl¯ (l=μ, τ) in the framework of relativistic independent quark model based on an average flavor independent confining potential in equally mixed scalar-vector harmonic form. The invariant weak form factors, parametrizing the matrix elements between participating meson states, are calculated in the parent meson rest frame. The momentum transfer dependence of the form factors is reliably determined in the whole accessible kinematical range qmin2≤0≤qmax2. Our predicted branching fractions for B→Kμ+μ−/τ+τ−(νlνl¯), Bc→D(Ds)μ+μ−, Bc→D(Ds)τ+τ−, and Bc→D(Ds)νlνl¯, obtained in order of 10−7(10−6), 10−9(10−7), 10−9(10−8), and 10−8(10−7), respectively, are in reasonable agreement with other Standard Model predictions and Lattice QCD results. The averaged values of the lepton polarization asymmetries for decay modes are obtained as ⟨PL(B→Kμ+μ−)⟩=−0.97, ⟨PL(Bc→D(s)μ+μ−)⟩=−0.972, ⟨PL(B→Kτ+τ−)⟩=−0.224, ⟨PL(Bc→Dτ+τ−)⟩=−0.275, and ⟨PL(Bc→Dsτ+τ−)⟩=−0.194. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Updates on hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and HCL-like disorders

Hairy cell proliferations represent very different entities. They include hairy cell leukemia in its classic form (HCL), a well-defined entity, but also the variant form of HCL (LT-V ou HCL-V), whose presentation is far from HCL and whose prognosis is poorer. Other hairy cell proliferations include splenic red pulp lymphoma (SDRPL) and splenic marginal zone lymphomas (SMZL) with circulating villous cells. In this article, we emphasize the novelties concerning the different recent biological aspects of HCL, including the unusual clinical presentations but also the importance for the diagnosis of the detection of the BRAFV600E mutation, a molecular marker of the disease, and the presence of other non-canonical mutations that should be identified because of the contraindication to the use of BRAF inhibitors. Finally, the presence of a non-mutated profile of immunoglobulin heavy chains (IGHV), observed in 20% of cases, is associated with a poor prognosis. We also provide guidance in characterizing other hairy cell proliferations when examining the blood smear. The first-line treatment of HCL has recently changed and immunochemotherapy combining cladribine plus rituximab has become the gold standard. In relapsed or refractory forms, other treatments should be discussed in a multidisciplinary consultation meeting and combine BRAF inhibitors with anti-CD20 antibodies, BTK inhibitors or Bcl-2 inhibitors. The choices should be discussed according to the patient's profile but also their biological profile.

Medieval names of churchyards in Korelsky county: On the border of states and languages

The article comprehensively analyzes the origin and history of the names of medieval Novgorod churchyards (pogosts) adjacent to the northern shores of Lake Ladoga. The churchyard names are considered in geographical sequence — from north to south: Il’inskij Ilomanskij, Nikol’skij Serdovol’skij, Voskresenskij Solomjanskij, Bogorodickij Kir’jažskij, Voskresenskij Gorodenskij, Mixajlovskij Sakul’skij and Vasil’evskij Rovdužskij. The authors focus primarily on the analysis of the second adjectives in the given pairs. These are mainly derivatives of the Karelian names of those villages that the Novgorodians made the centers of their churchyards and church parishes. The name of the Gorodenskij pogost differs from the others in its vernacular, ancient Russian origin ( gorodъ, gorodъkъ ‘fortified place’), it referred only to the territorial district. In medieval documentation (Russian, Swedish, Finnish), place names have many variant forms due to the peculiarities of language adaptation and writing systems. Most of the first written mentions of churchyards date back to 1500, except for the Kir’jažskij and Serdovol’skij pogosts, evidence of which goes back to the 14th–15th centuries. Some churchyard names (Kir’jažskij, Rovdužskij, Serdovol’skij) in their phonetic development went very far from the reconstructed Karelian prototype place names: *Kurgijogi, *Raudu, *Sordavala. The Old Russian adaptation of these Karelian toponyms, in addition to regular phonetic correspondences, included a secondary convergence with assonant lexemes and anthroponyms. This thesis can also be applied to the name Solomjanskij pogost, which arose by replacing the Karelian *Salmi with the equivalent Old Novgorod Solomja (= solomja ‘strait’). The originally Karelian place names are interpreted differently. Some reproduce the designation of a natural site near which a Karelian village that became a territorial center was located. These are the churchyard names: Kir’jažskij ( *Kurgijogi ‘crane river’), Solomjanskij ( Salmi ‘strait’) and Ilomanskij churchyards (Ilomantsi Proto-Saami *e̬lēmäηće ‘topmost’). Others — Sakul’skij (Sakkula), Rovdužskij (*Raudu), Serdovol’skij (*Sordavala) — contain an anthroponym which should qualify as a patronymic, personal name, or nickname of the first settler.

Contribution of ingestive/dietary uptake to bioaccumulation of organics in worms

Ingestive uptake is critical for understanding the accumulation and trophic transfer of chemicals and synthesized particles in general. This study explored the contribution of ingestion in the bioaccumulation of chemicals focusing on worms. Novel theory and equations were developed to derive fractional ingestive contribution, fs, from a broad range of dietary uptake and accumulation studies, and to build a small dataset of fs (n = 43) from relevant toxicokinetic and bioaccumulation measurements. Worm fs could be fitted to log KOW-based sigmoidal models with small errors (RSE < 0.15, RMSE<0.15). The basis and limitations of the applied fs equations were elaborated. These included the assumption that aqueous-based and dietary-based elimination rate constants (kTw and kTS) may be statistically equivalent, as demonstrated using fish and worm data. Bioaccumulation and toxicokinetic parameters obtained at under-exposed conditions can also result in non-sensical, negative fs. The developed fs theory suggested a novel way to model bioaccumulation in the presence of aqueous and solid sources, and the potential to consolidate bioaccumulation data in their variant forms and definitions for assessment, modeling, and benchmarking purposes. While the presented fs-log KOW dependence remained to be explored in other species, the importance of ingestive uptake for high-log KOW chemicals questioned the validity of characterizing and regulating bioaccumulation potential of hydrophobic organics – for which dietary uptake matters – using aqueous-only bioconcentration factor (BCF). This question, along with other less important ones, is yet to be explored in future works.