National Repository Research Articles

Characterization of entomotoxic and nematotoxic genes from indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains and their biocontrol potential

BackgroundThe gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner), Bihar hairy caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua Walker), tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) and root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood) are the major insect pest and nematodes infesting mungbean, urdbean and other legumes. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a promising biocontrol agent that helps in managing the above pest. Deploying Bt biopesticides instead of chemical pesticides in legume cultivation enhances the soil health substantially. The present study envisages morphological, molecular cum biochemical characterization, entomotoxicity and nematotoxicity potential of four indigenous Bt strains (Ak2.IIPR, F8.IIPR, F5.IIPR and F6.IIPR) along with HD1 (standard check from BGSC).ResultsThe SEM micrograph analysis of above four Bt strains along with F1.IIPR revealed the presence of different combinations of insecticidal crystal proteins, viz. cuboidal crystal (CC), bipyramidal crystal (BC), spherical crystal (SC) and irregularly pointed crystal (IC). This was further confirmed by PCR amplification of Cry1, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ac, VIP3A and chi36 gene-specific primers and their phylogenetic analysis. F8.IIPR and Ak2.IIPR recorded the highest toxicity index against second-instar S. obliqua larvae (292.56 and 174.55), H. armigera (150.00 and 113.65) and S. litura (210.71 and 114.19) based on probit analysis. F5.IIPR (91.67%) and F8.IIPR (89.00%) recorded the highest juvenile mortality against M. incognita, followed by Ak2.IIPR (70.33%). The protein profiling of supernatant of terrific broth inoculated with F8.IIPR indicated the presence of VIP3A and Cry1I.ConclusionThe present study concluded that F8.IIPR and Ak2.IIPR were potential Bt strains isolated from Indo-Gangetic plains which is having both entomocidal and nematicidal properties. Further, these strains were deposited at national repository, ICAR-NBAIM with the following accession no.: NAIMCC-SB-065 and NAIMCC-SB-066, respectively. These strains can be formulated as microbial biopesticide.

Best practices for measuring community resources across Canada: A comparison of coding classifications

AbstractSocial scientists, geographers, criminologists, and health scientists are often tasked with finding data to best capture the impact of “community context” on individual outcomes, including residential services, physical resources, and social institutions. One outlet for such data in Canada is Digital Map Technologies Inc. (DMTI) Spatial, which offers a national repository of over one million businesses and recreational points of interest. The database is generated through CanMap Streetfiles, which includes geocodes of each point's precise location. These data are available to researchers from their university data library and Esri Canada, but primarily available to private sector and government markets. That said, the goal of the current paper is to encourage researchers to access this rich yet under‐utilized data source. Each service, business, or resource in the DMTI Spatial database is assigned to a respective category using Standard Industrial Classification codes and North American Industrial Classification System codes. It is not clear, however, which is the more reliable coding criteria. We provide an overview of our review of DMTI Spatial data and take‐away suggestions for using this valuable resource for future research on meso‐level residential markers.

Global Ireland and the Digital Footprint: The Abbey Theatre Archives in the Digital Repository of Ireland

While digital technologies were initially seen as harbingers of globalization, scholars increasingly acknowledge their role in the rise of nationalism. This paper argues that the policies and practices of the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) simultaneously resonate with national as well as global opportunities in light of the vision of Global Ireland 2025. As a trusted national digital repository for Ireland’s humanities, the DRI can be a celebration of the Abbey Theater collection as a prototype of these national and global opportunities. This paper outlines the earlier attempt of the Abbey Theater Digitizing Archive Project at the National University of Ireland, Galway’s library (NUIG) and its limitations, as well as the policies and Practices of open access, collaboration, and metadata management in the Digital Repository of Ireland. In doing so, the paper draws on the conceptual framework in light of Global Ireland's objectives and the publications of some of the stakeholders and directors of the DRI, such as Sha- ron Webb and Aileen O’Carroll. The outcomes of this paper are that the DRI globally contributes to representing the national position of Abbey Theatre by ingesting and visualizing the scenes that express the Irish struggle for freedom and identity, illuminating the importance of Irish literary discourse over time and place. Also, the use of the interdisciplinary approach uncovers how the use of digital tools highlights the opportunities that the DRI can offer to disseminate, discover, and visualize the dramatic performances of Abbey Theatre as an Irish literary heritage and as an essential part of the Irish national canon.

An Overview of the French eDNA Data Landscape: Focus on a national technical repository of reference genetic sequences

Environmental DNA (eDNA) data enables biodiversity to be monitored at unprecedented resolution and scale. There is great potential in combining knowledge from traditional and innovative methods such as eDNA for biodiversity assessment. eDNA use cases are increasing in aquatic and marine environments, and studies on soils have been developed in recent years. PatriNat*1 (under the guardianship of the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), and Research Institute for Development (IRD)) is a French data and expertise center working with environmental and research stakeholders to develop data exchanges at all levels. We discuss what eDNA data is (Fig. 1), the different types of data, and the importance of their storage and accessibility. As the amount of eDNA data increases, public agencies need to propose FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) tools and methods to facilitate their use and foster the development of relevant scientific expertise. We give an overview of the French eDNA data landscape and links with existing standards SINP*2 (National Heritage Inventory Information System), Darwin Core*3(Wieczorek et al. 2012) and workflows (Fig. 2). A priority of eDNA data is to have reliable reference bases and FAIR metadata. PatriNat's new tool will provide access to expertly validated genetic sequence data on species present in France, and is urgently needed for research but also knowledge, monitoring, public policies, and potential law enforcement purposes. We therefore present this technical database built in conjunction with, among other initiatives, DiSSCo*4, iBOL*5 and TaxRef*6 (Gargominy et al. 2022). It will manage 3 data types: Intrinsic sequence data (marker, sequencing methods, etc.). Sequence management (organization, identifiers, URLs, etc.). Voucher data Intrinsic sequence data (marker, sequencing methods, etc.). Sequence management (organization, identifiers, URLs, etc.). Voucher data It will use the nomenclature of Chakrabarty et al. (2013) as well as: The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) standard*7 (Droege et al. 2016) The Minimum information about any sequence (MIxS) standard (Yilmaz et al. 2011) The Biological Collection Data (ABCD) standard*8 (Holetschek et al. 2012) The Collections Descriptions terms*9 (Woodburn et al. 2021) The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) standard*7 (Droege et al. 2016) The Minimum information about any sequence (MIxS) standard (Yilmaz et al. 2011) The Biological Collection Data (ABCD) standard*8 (Holetschek et al. 2012) The Collections Descriptions terms*9 (Woodburn et al. 2021) The DwC DNA extension*10 can be used for sharing parts of its contents to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, but referencing sequences associated with specimens/vouchers will require other standards.

Retrospective analysis of spring barley cultivars developed by Omsk breeders (1936–2021)

Plant breeding is an endless conveyor belt: cultivars developed earlier are included in hybridization plans and become the sources for new ones. The main tasks in barley improvement through breeding include raising the productivity of cultivars, improving their quality, and strengthening disease resistance. Correct selection, use, and studying of the source material – that is the key to successful breeding efforts. The first and most important step in constructing a cultivar is the process of hybridization. A valuable source of aid, and often the basis for newly developed cultivars, is the global collection of VIR, whose importance can hardly be overestimated. From 1936 to 2021, 27 barley cultivars were released: they are widely cultivated in Russia and Kazakhstan. Of these, 19 cultivars were obtained by pair hybridization; 4 cultivars by the complex stepwise hybridization technique; 4 cultivars through individual selection using the population approach. Despite the high importance of germplasm collection materials, 21 cultivars were produced by hybridization using a genotype selected at Omsk as one of the parental forms: in 16 cultivars, a local genotype was used as a maternal parent; in 12, as a paternal one; and in 8 cultivars, both parent forms were bred at Omsk Agricultural Scientific Center. Our retrospective analysis of a number of Omsk spring barley cultivars, on the one hand, confirms the earlier conclusions of Siberian scientists about a limited number of base crop cultivars, and on the other, attests to very rich pedigrees of spring barley cultivars in terms of the number of parent forms from the VIR global collection. Siberian barley ecotypes, characterized by increased adaptability to local harsh climate factors, should be further preserved in the national crop germplasm repository at VIR.

Open science and data sharing in trauma research: Developing a trauma-informed protocol for archiving sensitive qualitative data.

The open science movement seeks to make research more transparent, and to that end, researchers are increasingly expected or required to archive their data in national repositories. In qualitative trauma research, data sharing could compromise participants' safety, privacy, and confidentiality because narrative data can be more difficult to de-identify fully. There is little guidance in the traumatology literature regarding how to discuss data-sharing requirements with participants during the informed consent process. Within a larger research project in which we interviewed assault survivors, we developed and evaluated a protocol for informed consent for qualitative data sharing and engaging participants in data de-identification. We conducted qualitative interviews with N = 32 adult sexual assault survivors regarding (a) how to conduct informed consent for data sharing, (b) whether participants should have input on sharing their data, and (c) whether they wanted to redact information from their transcripts prior to archiving. No potential participants declined participation after learning about the archiving mandate. Survivors indicated that they wanted input on archiving because the interview is their story of trauma and abuse and it would be disempowering not to have control over how this information was shared and disseminated. Survivors also wanted input on this process to help guard their privacy, confidentiality, and safety. None of the participants elected to redact substantive data prior to archiving. Engaging participants in the archiving process is a feasible practice that is important and empowering for trauma survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Multinational repositories (MNRs) highlight the need for transnational information management in geological disposal

Multinational geological repositories (Multinational repositories: MNRs) will inevitably be features of the international radioactive waste management landscape in future decades. They will involve more complex requirements for long-term information management than national deep geological repositories (DGRs) but the considerations involved in managing these requirements also point to wider needs for transnational information management for any country with a national deep geological repository. This article looks at what information needs to be propagated into the future for both DGRs and MNRs, and for how long. It is argued that the critical requirements are quite limited and are readily achievable, with the most important period being the coming few hundred years. The transience of organisations and national boundaries, issues being addressed for MNRs, also affect any national programme, but are generally overlooked. It is concluded that there is a need to move towards international oversight of all geological disposal facilities, including a common system of regulations and information archiving, and that providing these is a potential role for the IAEA.

Foreign Dissertations on Digital Law: Statistical and literature review.

Modern domestic dissertations in law are often criticized for insufficient reliance on previous research. Society’s demand for the study of digital aspects of law, the frequent use of the comparative legal method, and, to a certain extent, the current limited access to foreign sources, necessitate a review of foreign dissertations on digital law. We chose to use qualitative and quantitative methods to select the dissertations examined in this study. Firstly, we selected dissertations defended at universities from the QS World University Ranking. Then, we refined our search by using accessible national and university research repositories. Based on comparative legal and statistical methods, we consolidated the dissertations into a single list and divided them according to different criteria. While doing this, we also defined the main trends in preparing Ph.D. dissertations on digital law. The main results of our study include a subject-thematic index of Ph.D. dissertations in the field of digital law, which is designed to facilitate searches for relevant sources, help researchers determine topics for study, and outline the main aspects of the study of digital issues from the standpoint of various branches of law.

Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study.

A repository of retinal images for research is being established in Scotland. It will permit researchers to validate, tune, and refine artificial intelligence (AI) decision-support algorithms to accelerate safe deployment in Scottish optometry and beyond. Research demonstrates the potential of AI systems in optometry and ophthalmology, though they are not yet widely adopted. In this study, 18 optometrists were interviewed to (1) identify their expectations and concerns about the national image research repository and their use of AI decision support and (2) gather their suggestions for improving eye health care. The goal was to clarify attitudes among optometrists delivering primary eye care with respect to contributing their patients' images and to using AI assistance. These attitudes are less well studied in primary care contexts. Five ophthalmologists were interviewed to discover their interactions with optometrists. Between March and August 2021, 23 semistructured interviews were conducted online lasting for 30-60 minutes. Transcribed and pseudonymized recordings were analyzed using thematic analysis. All optometrists supported contributing retinal images to form an extensive and long-running research repository. Our main findings are summarized as follows. Optometrists were willing to share images of their patients' eyes but expressed concern about technical difficulties, lack of standardization, and the effort involved. Those interviewed thought that sharing digital images would improve collaboration between optometrists and ophthalmologists, for example, during referral to secondary health care. Optometrists welcomed an expanded primary care role in diagnosis and management of diseases by exploiting new technologies and anticipated significant health benefits. Optometrists welcomed AI assistance but insisted that it should not reduce their role and responsibilities. Our investigation focusing on optometrists is novel because most similar studies on AI assistance were performed in hospital settings. Our findings are consistent with those of studies with professionals in ophthalmology and other medical disciplines: showing near universal willingness to use AI to improve health care, alongside concerns over training, costs, responsibilities, skill retention, data sharing, and disruptions to professional practices. Our study on optometrists' willingness to contribute images to a research repository introduces a new aspect; they hope that a digital image sharing infrastructure will facilitate service integration.

Importance of missingness in baseline variables: A case study of the All of Us Research Program.

The All of Us Research Program collects data from multiple information sources, including health surveys, to build a national longitudinal research repository that researchers can use to advance precision medicine. Missing survey responses pose challenges to study conclusions. We describe missingness in All of Us baseline surveys. We extracted survey responses between May 31, 2017, to September 30, 2020. Missing percentages for groups historically underrepresented in biomedical research were compared to represented groups. Associations of missing percentages with age, health literacy score, and survey completion date were evaluated. We used negative binomial regression to evaluate participant characteristics on the number of missed questions out of the total eligible questions for each participant. The dataset analyzed contained data for 334,183 participants who submitted at least one baseline survey. Almost all (97.0%) of the participants completed all baseline surveys, and only 541 (0.2%) participants skipped all questions in at least one of the baseline surveys. The median skip rate was 5.0% of the questions, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 2.5% to 7.9%. Historically underrepresented groups were associated with higher missingness (incidence rate ratio (IRR) [95% CI]: 1.26 [1.25, 1.27] for Black/African American compared to White). Missing percentages were similar by survey completion date, participant age, and health literacy score. Skipping specific questions were associated with higher missingness (IRRs [95% CI]: 1.39 [1.38, 1.40] for skipping income, 1.92 [1.89, 1.95] for skipping education, 2.19 [2.09-2.30] for skipping sexual and gender questions). Surveys in the All of Us Research Program will form an essential component of the data researchers can use to perform their analyses. Missingness was low in All of Us baseline surveys, but group differences exist. Additional statistical methods and careful analysis of surveys could help mitigate challenges to the validity of conclusions.

The role of the Mental Health Act 1983 in safeguarding adults at risk of abuse and neglect: a thematic analysis of safeguarding adults reviews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the role of the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 in safeguarding adults at risk of abuse and neglect. The author has undertaken a thematic review of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) commissioned in England and Adult Practice Reviews (APRs) commissioned in Wales where the MHA 1983 was a central aspect to the review.Design/methodology/approachReviews were included based on specific determinants, following analysis of SARs, APRs and executive summaries. This should not affect the credibility of the research, as themes were identified in conjunction with analysis of literature regarding use of the MHA in the context of adult safeguarding. Consequently, this review has been underpinned by evidence-based research in the area of study.FindingsThe interaction between statutes, such as the MHA 1983 and Care Act 2014, signify challenges to professionals, with variable application of mental health legislation in practice.Research limitations/implicationsLack of a complete national repository for review reports means that it is likely that the data set analysis is incomplete. It was noted that limitations to this research include the fact that Safeguarding Adults Boards in England may not publish SAR reports or may choose to publish an executive summary or practice brief instead of the full SAR report, therefore limiting the scope of disseminating learning from SARs, as this is difficult to achieve where the full report has not been published. The author aimed to mitigate this by undertaking comprehensive searches of Local Authority and SAB websites, in addition to submitting Information requests to ensure that this research encompassed as many relevant review reports as possible.Originality/valueThis is an important and timely topic for debate, given that the UK Government is proposing reform of the MHA 1983. In addition, existing thematic reviews of SARS tend to be generalised, rather than specifically focused on the MHA.

Genetic Risk Factors for End-Stage Hip Osteoarthritis Treated With Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Genome-wide Association Study

BackgroundAlthough a genetic component to hip osteoarthritis (OA) has been described, focused evaluation of the genetic components of end-stage disease is limited. We present a genomewide association study for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) to characterize the genetic risk factors associated with end-stage hip osteoarthritis (ESHO), defined as utilization of the procedure. MethodsPatients who underwent primary THA for hip OA were identified in a national patient data repository using administrative codes. Fifteen thousand three hundred and fifty-five patients with ESHO and 374,193 control patients were identified. Whole genome regression of genotypic data for patients who underwent primary THA for hip OA corrected for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) was performed. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the composite genetic risk from the identified genetic variants. ResultsThere were 13 significant genes identified. Composite genetic factors resulted in an odds ratio 1.04 for ESHO (P < .001). The effect of genetics was lower than that of age (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.38; P < .001) and BMI (1.81; P < .001). ConclusionMultiple genetic variants, including 5 novel loci, were associated with end-stage hip OA treated with primary THA. Age and BMI were associated with greater odds of developing end-stage disease when compared to genetic factors.

The Subjective Need for Social Interaction

Introduction: With regard to emotional phenomena, the aim of this thematic review is to provide a synthesis of the most recent and highest-quality psychological and psychobiopathological information, endorsed by the scientific community. Material and Method: A relevant electronic and manual search of several major national and international repositories, directories and bibliographic databases has been carried out until the end of March 2023. Results and Discussion: Well-known strategies of predictive regulation or allostasis are discussed in relation to human emotions, feelings and interactions. Emotions will be able to induce feelings, which will influence personal actions mutually. Psychobiologically, the default or default-operating neural network is important in any interactions. Distinct networks of the so-called social brain display volumetric changes in the presence or absence of social support groups. Social connection and interaction are a strong preventive factor for psychopathologies such as anxiety, depressive and personality disorders. On the other hand, interoceptive awareness, linked to empathy, is key to social interaction. Understanding of personal interrelationships is shaped in the brain regions that are considered social cognitive. Dysfunctional social behaviours may be strongly conditioned by genetic as well as environmental factors. Furthermore, one should consider both individual cognitive reserve and cognitive performance. Conclusions: The known relationships between emotions, feelings and personality with respect to human interactions have been made succinctly explicit. Also, where relevant, the psychobiopathological influence on personal relationships and communication skills.

Harassment and slurs or epistemic injustice? Interrogating discriminatory abuse through safeguarding adult review analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to interrogate and develop the conceptualisation of discriminatory abuse in safeguarding adults policy and practice beyond the current interpersonal definition. The paper draws on Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) that refer to discriminatory abuse or safeguarding practice with adults who have care and support needs and protected characteristics.Design/methodology/approachA search of the national network repository of SARs identified 27 published reviews for inclusion. The contents were thematically analysed to understand how discrimination was experienced in these cases. Fricker’s “Epistemic Injustice” theory was adopted as a conceptual framework, informing the analysis of findings.FindingsEvidence from SARs provides a challenge to the interpersonal emphasis on language and behaviour in national policy. Although the reviews acknowledge that interpersonal abuse occurs, a close reading spotlights practitioner and institutional bias, and inattention to social, structural and contextual factors. The silence on these matters in policy provides a narrow frame for interpreting such abuse. This suggests significant potential for epistemic injustice and signals a need to acknowledge these social, structural and contextual factors in safeguarding practice.Originality/valueDiscriminatory abuse is an under-researched and under-utilised category of abuse in safeguarding adults practice. The paper adopts Fricker’s theory of “Epistemic Injustice” to highlight the silencing potential of current policy approaches to discriminatory abuse to suggest a more inclusive and structural framing for safeguarding practice with those targeted due to their protected characteristics.

Abstract 40: NCI patient derived models repository: PDX, organoid and cell lines from the same patient - bridging the translational pipeline

Abstract The National Cancer Institute’s Patient-Derived Models Repository (NCI PDMR; https://pdmr.cancer.gov) has developed a national repository of Patient-Derived Models (PDMs) comprised of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), in vitro patient-derived tumor cell cultures (PDCs) and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as well as patient-derived organoids (PDOrg). These PDMs are clinically annotated with molecular information available in an easily accessible database for the extramural community. A key effort in developing these models is to develop matched models sets allowing for larger scale screening efforts using 2D or 3D models to prioritize selection of PDX models for preclinical translational research. To date, over 220 model sets with a PDX, PDOrg, and PDC from a single patient have been developed; 40 of these have matched CAF models allowing for exploration of research questions focused on tumor microenvironment. The largest model sets are in colorectal cancer (COADREAD, n=76), gynecologic cancers (n=33), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD, n=29), melanoma (MEL, n=19), and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC, n=17). Every model undergoes several quality control assessments that serve as go/no-go criteria including pathology assessment, STR validation, NGS concordance assessment and for PDXs, human:mouse DNA content assessment. It should be noted that not every model is successful in the development or QC phase so additional model sets with only one or two of the model types are also available for researcher requests, for example there are over 125 PDX/PDOrg matched model sets. The NCI is currently performing parallel preclinical screening of PDXs and PDCs or PDOrgs to determine the ability of the in vitro lines to predict in vivo activity. Genetic and histopathologic assessment of these matched model sets have demonstrated a high degree of stability by somatic mutation, copy number alteration (CNA) and gene expression data. Gene expression correlation analysis shows that mean of Spearman r between PDXs 0.89, between matched PDC/PDXs 0.79, and between matched PDOrg/PDXs 0.82. As expected, some variation at the gene expression level when comparing PDX to in vitro cultures by t-SNE can be observed, likely due to the differences in culture conditions. Funded by NCI Contract No. HHSN261200800001E Citation Format: Yvonne A. Evrard, Li Chen, Sergio Alcoser, Gareth Bliss, Carrie Bonomi, Suzanne Borgel, John Carter, Ting-Chia Chang, Alice Chen, Kevin Cooper, Biswajit Das, Kelly Dougherty, Lindsay Dutko, Marion Gibson, Michelle M. Ahalt-Gottholm, Tara Grinnage-Pulley, Keegan Kalmbach, Chris Karlovich, Kimberly Klarmann, Shahanawaz Jiwani, Tiffanie Miner, Michael Mullendore, Matthew Murphy, Kevin Plater, Gloryvee Rivera, Jessica Steed, Luke Stockwin, Cindy R. Timme, Dianne L. Newton, Paul Mickey Williams, Melinda G. Hollingshead, James H. Doroshow. NCI patient derived models repository: PDX, organoid and cell lines from the same patient - bridging the translational pipeline [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 40.

A Lexicon for Positioning ‘The Idea Photography’ in Our Nation’s Art Museum

Between the 1930s and the 1990s, as art museums across the USA began contending with what place photography might hold within their programmes, key individuals framed photography’s value in language that itself deserves consideration. Amid this museological reckoning with the medium, at the National Gallery of Art, which was established in the 1930s as a national public repository for Western art of the highest standards, the question of whether and how photography might fit into that lineage presented new questions. How would the greatness of photography be defined? What would its presentation look like? Sarah Greenough joined the National Gallery of Art in 1978 with a PhD in Art History and an expertise in the work of Alfred Stieglitz. I argue that as she aimed to integrate photography seamlessly into the set of values established by Andrew W. Mellon at the founding of the Gallery, she drew upon Stieglitz’s own terminology for valuing the medium, modelling her own philosophy of its import on his notion of ‘the idea photography’.

Constitutional Violations by the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA) and the Reporting by the National Practitioner Databank (NPDB): Focusing on the Preservation of the Civil Rights of Physicians

In 1986, the US Congress passed the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. (HCQIA) was designed to protect the health and safety of the public by 1) enhancing the Peer Review process through protection for peer review members from lawsuits, and 2) providing a national repository for reported information regarding medical malpractice payments and adverse actions involving physicians, which among other things, would monitor the movement of incompetent or unprofessional physicians. The framers of HCQIA did not foresee that in 2023, hospitals and employers will invariably deny employment and/or hospital privileges based on an NPDB report outlining loss of hospital privileges or relinquishment of hospital privileges under investigation. Such an adverse report by NPDB results in the inability of the physician to obtain employment or practice in a hospital. Therefore, in 2023, the unintended consequence of the reporting of adverse peer review actions by NPDB, an agency of the Federal Government, can violate the constitutional and civil rights of the said physicians.

Unlocking national treasures: the core scanning approach

Abstract Drill core is a vital resource for subsurface characterization and informs process understanding. However, it is expensive to collect and, as a result, the geoscience community increasingly relies on data from legacy core to address today's energy challenges. Many countries store geological materials collected over decades in national archives. In the UK, over 600 km of drill core is currently stored at the UK national core repository, which covers a breadth of the UK's geology, including those targeted for resources, energy and waste storage. The challenge is to maximize the value of these analogue archives and new core when deposited – improving access to materials and associated data, whilst simultaneously maximizing preservation to ensure optimized use, now and in the future. This paper summarizes the BGS approach to characterize drill core more efficiently and consistently using a multiple-technique core scanning approach set within a project-specific core scanning workflow to increase core data acquisition and complement traditional core characterization practices. Thus, creating a digital record of the core, preserving it beyond its physical lifetime and improving accessibility. This paper highlights the benefits and challenges of this long-term endeavour, especially in making the data open access and discoverable.

Length and associated characteristics of short-term detentions: an analysis of detentions under the Mental Health Act in Scotland, 2006-2018.

The Mental Health Act in Scotland is under review. Previous iterations increased patients' rights but the maximum time for short-term detentions remains unchanged, despite evolving psychiatric treatment models. We explored length, mode of ending and factors of influence on the application of short-term detention certificates (STDCs), which can last up to 28days, across Scotland between 2006 and 2018. Data on age, gender, ethnicity, date of commencement and ending of the STDC and detention site from all 42,493 STDCs issued to 30,464 patients over 12years were extracted from the national repository for detentions under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and analysed using mixed models. One in five STDCs lapsed on day 28. Two in five were revoked and the remainder extended to a treatment order. STDCs that were not extended averaged 19days, and revoked STDCs 14days. The probability of a detention lapsing varied across hospitals and increased with patient age. The odds of a detention lapsing on day 28 were 62% lower and revoked detentions 10% shorter in 2018 relative to 2006. The odds of a detention extending decreased significantly from 2012 to 2018. Extended STDCs were associated with increased patient age, male gender, and ethnicity other than White Scottish. There was little initiation of or active revocation of STDCs on weekend days. The length of STDCs reduced over time, fewer detentions lapsed, and weekday patterning was evident in each year. These data can inform legislative and service reviews.

Reviewing Introduction Histories, Pathways, Invasiveness, and Impact of Non-Indigenous Species in Danish Marine Waters

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are of concern for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning. We present an updated list of NIS, including cryptogenic species, from Danish marine waters containing 123 species. Benthic invertebrates (36%) and phytoplankton (28%) dominate the list, but fish (15%) and macroalgae (13%) are also important. The Limfjord in Northern Jutland emerges as a hotspot for the introduction of NIS. Data from multiple sources were included, i.e., the National Monitoring Program (NOVANA), the National Fish Atlas project, the citizen science project Arter.dk, research articles, and annual national reports of the ICES working group ITMO. Forty-six NIS species were subject to expert judging using a modified Harmonia protocol; 19 were found to fulfil the four selected criteria identifying a species as being ‘invasive’. Additionally, 38 species, not yet recorded in Danish waters, were evaluated using the same method, and 31 were found to fulfil the ‘invasive’ criteria. For nine selected species, introduction history, distribution maps, and time-series diagrams are presented. Our data document that the national monitoring efforts should be expanded to record macrozooplankton, coastal fish, and mobile epibenthic species. Furthermore, the national data repository, Arter.dk, should be expanded to enable more detailed documentation of new NIS records.