Tracking Changes Research Articles

Dynamic assessment, more than a diagnostic tool? Uses for goals, teaching moments, and procedural issues during intervention of speech sound disorder

ABSTRACT Dynamic assessment is typically used for diagnostic and baseline purposes; however, the current study explored expanding the use of dynamic assessment as a curriculum-based measure to additionally capture teaching moments and observe intervention elements during treatment of speech sound disorder (NCT06075303). Teaching moments occur when an SLT presents an antecedent, the child produces a behaviour, and the SLT responds with a consequence related to accuracy; yet, little is known about the characteristics of these elements that are the most essential for improving treatment outcomes. To address this gap, we used the Glaspey Dynamic Assessment of Phonology’s scoring system to establish the goal, code teaching moments, describe procedural issues, and evaluate children’s skill development. The participants included two English-speaking boys, ages three and six, with speech sound disorder. A modified cycles approach was administered by an SLT and a student clinician with two blocks of targets (minimally and moderately adaptable). Results indicated that coding with dynamic assessment was successfully used for tracking changes within the teaching moments and provided a more complete perspective of treatment efficacy when combined with outcome measures, yet more research is needed to establish goals with dynamic assessment. Both children demonstrated progress in a short period of time, though Participant 1 made more significant gains, which may be attributed to many elements including treatment intensity, target selection, clinician variables, or client variables. Overall, this preliminary research supports that dynamic assessment may lead to dynamic intervention, thus bridging assessment and treatment practices.

Substantial invasion of Antarctic Intermediate Water into the Arabian Sea during Younger Dryas and Heinrich Stadials

Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) is an important component of the global thermohaline circulation and an essential limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which redistributes heat, oxygen, and nutrients in the global ocean. Understanding the dynamics of intermediate water circulation over a millennial timeframe is essential to determine the impact of AMOC changes on ocean heat transport during abrupt climatic events. However, the precise relationship between global ocean intermediate water circulation and abrupt climate events, such as the Younger Dryas (YD) and Heinrich Stadials (HS), is not yet fully understood, particularly in tropical regions. Here, we present a ∼29 ka high-resolution record of Neodymium isotope (ƐNd) in authigenic phases, a water mass tracer, of a sediment core collected from the intermediate depth (840 m) in the eastern Arabian Sea (off Goa) to understand the past variability in AAIW circulation in the northern Indian Ocean on a millennial time scale. Our new ƐNd record reveals the pronounced temporal variation (−9.5 to −6.1) throughout the core, marked with enhanced radiogenic Nd signature during the YD, HS1, and HS2. These episodes of enhanced radiogenic Nd signatures signify an increased northward penetration of Antarctic Intermediate Water into the Northern Indian Ocean. The intervals of northward progression of AAIW coincide with the Northern Hemisphere cold events which could have resulted from the enhanced formation of AAIW in the Southern Ocean that occurred due to the warming-induced deceleration of the AMOC. This correlation underscores a robust connection between the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and Southern Ocean climate dynamics through the "bipolar seesaw" mechanism. Our study emphasizes that tracking changes in AAIW in the Arabian Sea can provide insights into the past and future variations in AMOC.

Obsolescence and Innovation in the Middle English Religious Lexicon

AbstractLexical loss has long been of interest to scholars of the history of English, even though it is difficult to measure and has therefore received less attention than related processes, such as lexical innovation. Recently, the topic has received renewed interest, especially concerning the idea of French replacing large swathes of native vocabulary after the Norman Conquest. Using data from the Historical Thesaurus of English (HT), the present article tracks changes in the Middle English (ME) religious lexis, focusing on nouns and the influence of French and Latin, and investigates patterns of lexical obsolescence and innovation in conjunction with language of origin and semantic specificity. Following Sylvester et al. (2020), semantic specificity is measured by utilising the HT's structure, and etymological information is extracted from the OED and MED. Overall, most lexical items are found at the hypernymic level of the semantic hierarchy. Already in the early ME period, about 30% of the religious lexicon is of Romance origin and this proportion only continues to grow. The proportion of English‐origin items decreases accordingly, although the absolute number stays relatively stable. Peaks in first and last attestations are shown to coincide, likely due to the nature of the available data.

Writing as Deletion, Erasure as Inscription: Life, Death, and Afterlife in Sayed Kashua's Track Changes

Abstract Stepping beyond prior analyses of Sayed Kashua's work, this article examines his most recent novel Track Changes (2017) as a turning point in his career. It reveals a shift in his relationship with Hebrew and his engagement with Palestinian memory, both personal and collective. Read from the perspective of contemporary Palestinian literature, Track Changes emerges as a powerful indictment of Jewish-Israeli indifference to the Palestinian fear of erasure and discontinuity.

Data-Science-Informed Operation, Maintenance Practices Reduce Emissions

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper URTeC 3866061, “Reducing Methane Emissions: Implementing Data-Science-Informed Operation and Maintenance Work Practices Using Continuous Monitoring Technology,” by Kathleen Jenkins, Carol A. Brereton, and Alex MacGregor, Qube Technologies, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ Diverse methods are used by oil and gas operators for methane leak detection and repair (LDAR). Deploying continuous monitoring (CM) point-sensor technologies to an oil and gas facility allows operators to implement novel operation and maintenance work practices to respond efficiently to methane emissions. The authors examine how data-science-driven work practices can result in substantial reduction in methane emissions compared with other LDAR methods. CM Technology CM point sensors track changes in parts per million of methane in the air. When several fixed sensors are deployed at a site, a large area can be surveilled. Using proprietary algorithms based on a plume-dispersion model, the volume and site rate of the methane emission are calculated. The probable location of the emission is estimated and, together with the volume, is shown on a Web-based dashboard that displays the changes in site rate through time. Alerts generated by the CM system allow the operator to respond to leaks more quickly than when waiting for data from an intermittent inspection to provide emission data. CM was deployed by a Permian Basin operator with a desire to operate cleanly, with transparency. The devices were installed with the operator beginning in March 2022 and continue to be active at the time of writing. Alerts generated by the system are delivered to operations personnel, including control-room operators, and investigated by field operators. When the source is identified, repairs are scheduled or completed on the spot and recorded for review. The operator has expanded the deployments throughout the field and uses the data to identify and repair leaks. Theory and Methods The CM devices were deployed around the fence line at several production facilities in the Permian Basin. The optimal number and placement of sensors was determined by analyzing publicly available wind data and sources of emissions at the facility. The CM devices have an inlet port that allows the ambient air to enter the device and flow across a metal oxide sensor. Metal oxide sensors measure the change in conductivity as the air flows across them as a result of the methane adhering to the metal. The change in conductivity, directly correlated with the parts per million of methane in the air, is recorded. Also measured are temperature and wind data, read by temperature sensors and anemometers on each device. This data is sent through a mobile telecommunications network to cloud-based servers that apply an emission-estimation model based on a plume dispersion and a localization algorithm to the data. Cloud services facilitate the transfer of information from devices to Web-based software. Each methane sensor is calibrated in the laboratory before installation by exposing it to known levels of methane. In this process, the temperature and humidity are systematically varied while the methane concentrations are changed and the reported conductivity is recorded. The resulting coefficients of conductivity are stored with the serial number of the device and sent to the device through the mobile network when it is deployed in the field.

High one-hour plasma glucose is an intermediate risk state and an early predictor of type 2 diabetes in a longitudinal Korean cohort

AimsBecause one-hour post-load plasma glucose (1 h-PG) ≥ 155 mg/dL (8.6 mmol/L) has been proposed as an early marker for future diabetes but lacks sufficient longitudinal confirmation of its risk, we aimed to evaluate the risk of T2D based on 1 h-PG and track changes of insulin sensitivity and β-cell function over time by 1 h-PG in a longitudinal cohort. MethodsOGTTs were conducted every 2 years in the 10-year longitudinal Korean Genome Epidemiology study (n = 6144) with three groups characterized at baseline: Low 1 h-PG (< 155 mg/dL) with Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT), High 1 h-PG (≥155 mg/dL) with NGT, and prediabetes (PreDM). ResultsT2D risk was higher in people with High 1 h-PG with NGT and PreDM than those with Low 1 h-PG with NGT. Baseline insulin sensitivity in Low 1 h-PG as measured by the insulin sensitivity and secretion (ISS) model and Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was higher than in High 1 h-PG, which was comparable to PreDM. β-cell function as assessed by ISS and the insulinogenic index decreased from Low 1 h-PG to High 1 h-PG to PreDM. Over time, insulin sensitivity decreased in the three groups. Time from High 1 h-PG to T2D was 0.9 years shorter than from Low 1 h-PG. All participants passed the 1 h-PG threshold for T2D (209 mg/dL, 11.6 mmol/L) first, and 74 % passed the 1 h-PG threshold for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; 155 mg/dL) first. ConclusionsHigh 1 h-PG NGT is an intermediate risk category between Low 1 h-PG NGT and PreDM and may provide an opportunity for early intervention to prese rve ß-cell function.

Characteristics of Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes in Different Ecological Plant Groups and Sediments Collected from 14 Softwater Lakes in Poland

Softwater lakes with specific, rare, and protected aquatic plant vegetation are very sensitive to increased trophic and water chemical changes, especially alkalization. These changes might be reflected in the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes of the organic matter (OM) of those plants (δ13CORG and δ15NORG) and sediments (δ13CORG and δ15NTN) which they cocreated. To recognize the relationship between OM in the aquatic plants of softwater lakes and the cocreated sediments, we analyzed the plants δ13CORG and δ15NORG in light of four ecological groups (as well as the sediments δ13CORG and δ15NTN in which these plants thrived). Studies were performed in July 2020 on 14 softwater lakes in northern Poland with varying pH gradients from 4.86 to 9.20. For each lake, a single stand was examined for each species detected. The goal was to investigate each species at 10 sites, but this target was not reached for several species. Among the investigated ecological groups, isoetids and mosses showed the least variation in obtained values. In contrast, elodeids exhibited the highest variation in δ13C results due to their diverse carbon uptake strategies, involving both CO2 and HCO3− forms. Moreover, the δ13C values of charophytes and elodeids were highly related to the increasing pH of water. The slight differences between the δ13C results of plants and sediments in isoetid stands further support this finding. Furthermore, we noticed an increase in sediment δ13CORG values along the alkalization gradient, suggesting that macrophytes were the primary source of OM for the sediments. The positive correlation between the δ13C values of plants and sediments (r = 0.69, p &lt; 0.05) might also confirm that the macrophytes were a significant source of OM in sediments. Regarding δ15N values, we did not find significant differentiation between plants and sediments across ecological groups. However, sediment consistently exhibited 15N-enrichment compared to plant material. This enrichment is likely attributed to the accumulation of 15N during the decomposition of the deposited material. This study confirms the possibility of tracking changes in the aquatic vegetation of softwater lakes based primarily on the sediment δ13CORG values along the alkalization gradient.

Indigenous youth aspiration, community, and Kichwa futures in Ecuador

AbstractThis article challenges a narrative of “decomunalization” and the loss of native culture and identity in the Andes. We ask in what way have formal community jurisdictions supported development and individual aspirations beyond the boundaries of rural places and economies? This research draws primarily on interviews conducted in 2023 with elected community council officials. In tracking changing aspirations of three generations of indigenous activists, we demonstrate how early leaders of the indigenous communities always looked beyond local circumstances in their plans, even as they consolidated immediate zones of relative organizational autonomy. We then show that while young people have moved from rural places, communities themselves are evolving and incorporating youth leadership. This paper seeks to contribute to emerging discussion on global indigeneity for the way it addresses a hemispheric issue of young people's exodus from rural places and the concerns that emigration raises about inter‐generational connectivity.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) for Arabic-Speaking Patients.

The original English Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is widely adopted to track changes in foot and ankle function. The aim of this study is to translate it to an Arabic version of FAAM (FAAM-A), and then to assess the validity and reliability of the FAAM-A version. One hundred five consecutive Arabic-speaking participants with different foot and ankle pathologies completed the FAAM-A. Fifty-six males and 49 females with a mean age of 39.8 years; 78.1% respondents have completed high school or higher. Convergent and divergent validities were assessed using correlation coefficients between the FAAM-A subscales and the short form-36 (SF-36), physical function (PF), physical component summary (PCS), mental health (MH), and mental component summary (MCS). Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess internal consistency. A subgroup of 20 participants filled the FAAM-A twice to test for test-retest reliability, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and minimal detectable changes (MDCs). The average FAAM-A was 55.32 and 43.23 for the activity of daily life (ADL) and Sports subscales, respectively. FAAM-A ADL subscale had a moderate correlation with the PF, 0.565; PCS, 0.546; and MCS, 0.447; and a low correlation with MH, 0.34. The sports subscale had a moderate correlation with the PF (0.529), PCS (0.513), and a low correlation with MCS (0. 395) and MH (0. 297). Cronbach's alpha was 0.97 and 0.95 for ADL and sports subscales, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.99 for both subscales. Minimal detectable change at a 95% confidence level was 6.81 and 8.19 for the ADL and sports subscales, respectively. The FAAM-A is proven to be valid and reliable instrument for assessing foot and ankle disability. It is an effective tool for clinical assessment and research within Arabic-speaking populations. Level II, Prospective cohort study.

Methodology for the Monitoring and Control of the Alterations Related to Biodeterioration and Physical-Chemical Processes Produced on the Paintings on the Ceiling of the Polychrome Hall at Altamira

On the surface of the Cave of Altamira’s prehistoric paintings, a series of active deterioration processes are evident, leading to significant alterations of this invaluable heritage. This study proposes a comprehensive methodology for the systematic recording and management of these alterations. To achieve this, advanced microphotogrammetric monitoring techniques are employed, allowing for the acquisition of very high-resolution images that provide objective and quantifiable data that let us determine the evolution of the alterations. By comparing these images with those from earlier campaigns, the study tracks changes. The data collected through this protocol has helped with the development of new research avenues to understand, among the many alteration processes that impact paintings, the dynamics of water and fluid mechanics affecting the conservation of Cave of Altamira. These investigations help clarify how, why, and at what rate degradation processes such as pigment migration, washing, and bacterial colonization occur. The insights gained from these techniques inform indirect conservation measures aimed at reducing the deterioration of the cave art, located both on the Polychrome ceiling and throughout the rest of the Cave of Altamira. The results underline the importance of regular monitoring and the application of precise, non-invasive techniques to protect rock art from continued degradation. This research provides a model for similar conservation initiatives at other vulnerable heritage sites.

Challenging A Contentious Discourse and Dismantling the False Divide through Multicultural Literature

Objectives: This study examines ways through which the discourse of the European centrality can be challenged to combat inequality and discrimination against “the other.” The study also aims to demonstrate the positive impact that literature and cinema, with their diverse cultures, can have in teaching students how to question European central thought by understanding the lifestyle and worldview of “the Other,” highlighting their counter-narrative, and fostering empathy and tolerance toward “the other.” Methods: To achieve this purpose, Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy was employed to equip English language students with critical thinking skills to critique facts. Works of multicultural literature and corresponding activities were chosen to enhance the ability to disrupt the discourse of European centrality. Students' responses were recorded and analyzed to track changes in empathy levels. Additionally, through critical and analytical readings of literary texts, the study sheds light on social disparities and criticizes oppressive structures that reinforce discrimination. Results: The study revealed ways to challenge the discourse of European centrality and resist discrimination against “the Other.” It also showed the positive role played by multicultural literary texts and cinema in training students to question European central discourse by exposing them to counter-narratives and the lifestyle of "the Other." The study further confirmed that increased awareness of injustice led to improved levels of empathy and tolerance towards others, inspiring a desire to contribute to social change. Conclusions: The study contributes to expanding knowledge about using multicultural literature and cinema in educating students about discrimination and combating Islamophobia and “the Other.” This is achieved by involving students in the process of liberating their minds through questioning European central discourse and the prevailing narrative of oppression, thereby enhancing their sense of empowerment, empathy, and tolerance.

Further perceptions of probability: Accurate, stepwise updating is contingent on prior information about the task and the response mode.

To adapt to an uncertain world, humans must learn event probabilities. These probabilities may be stationary, such as that of rolling a 6 on a die, or changing over time, like the probability of rainfall over the year. Research on how people estimate and track changing probabilities has recently reopened an old epistemological issue. A small, mostly recent literature finds that people accurately track the probability and change their estimates only occasionally, resulting in staircase-shaped response patterns. This has been taken as evidence that people entertain beliefs about unknown, distal states of the world, which are tested against observations to produce discrete shifts between hypotheses. That idea stands in contrast to the claim that people learn by continuously updating associations between observed events. The purpose of this article is to investigate the generality and robustness of the accurate, staircase-shaped pattern. In two experiments, we find that the response pattern is contingent on the response mode and prior information about the generative process. Participants exist on continua of accuracy and staircase-ness and we only reproduce previous results when changing estimates is effortful and prior information is provided-the specific conditions of previous experiments. We conclude that explaining this solely through either hypotheses or associations is untenable. A complete theory of probability estimation requires the interaction of three components: (i) online tracking of observed data, (ii) beliefs about the unobserved "generative process," and (iii) a response updating process. Participants' overt estimates depend on how the specific task conditions jointly determine all three.

Abstract IA021: Plasma-only ultrasensitive liquid biopsy to monitor tumor burden and clonal evolution

Abstract Individual bulk tumor biopsies are invasive and may fail to capture clonal heterogeneity within primary tumors and metastatic sites of disease. Further, analyses of subclonal variants are often hindered by background error rates related to tissue preservation methods (e.g. FFPE) and sequencing artifact. Use of plasma-only ultrasensitive liquid biopsy approaches may allow for noninvasive inference of clonality and dynamically track changes in tumor burden. We previously developed MRD-EDGE, a tumor-informed machine learning classifier for ultrasensitive liquid biopsy monitoring of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy number variants (CNVs) using standard plasma whole genome sequencing. For SNVs, MRD- EDGE uses a novel machine learning framework to classify individual cell free DNA (cfDNA) fragments as circulating tumor DNA or cfDNA sequencing artifact. We demonstrated the potential of plasma-only MRD-EDGE to identify SNVs in advanced melanoma and monitor tumor burden throughout treatment with immune checkpoint inhibiton. In tumor-informed settings, MRD-EDGE was used to identify minimal residual disease at tumor fractions (TFs) of 1:100,000 and below. Accurate SNV classification is a function of classifier performance and background error rate. To reduce error rates, we combined MRD-EDGE SNV with paired plus- minus sequencing (ppmSeq) from Ultima Genomics. ppmSeq is a PCR-free approach that leverages the hydrogen bonds of complementary DNA to carry matched native strands directly into sequencing, enabling scalable duplex sequencing. Use of MRD-EDGE SNV together with ppmSeq enables ultrasensitive tracking of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer throughout neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Plasma-only MRD-EDGE is therefore poised to enable dynamic monitoring of tumor burden and clonal composition outside the scope of tumor-informed approaches, including the comparison of SNV composition in cancer recurrence with preoperative disease. Citation Format: Adam Widman, Alexandre P. Cheng, John Zinno, Srinivas Rajagopalan, Ashish Saxena, Nasser Altorki, Dan A. Landau. Plasma-only ultrasensitive liquid biopsy to monitor tumor burden and clonal evolution [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Liquid Biopsy: From Discovery to Clinical Implementation; 2024 Nov 13-16; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2024;30(21_Suppl):Abstract nr IA021.

Aperiodic (1/f) neural activity robustly tracks symptom severity changes in treatment-resistant depression.

A reliable physiological biomarker for Major Depressive Disorder is essential for developing and optimizing neuromodulatory treatment paradigms. This study investigates a passive electrophysiologic biomarker that tracks changes in depressive symptom severity on the order of minutes to hours. We analyze brief recordings from intracranial electrodes implanted deep in the brain during a clinical trial of deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in 5 human subjects (nfemale= 3, nmale = 2). This surgical setting allows for precise temporal and spatial sensitivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a challenging area to measure. We focused on the aperiodic slope of the power spectral density, a metric reflecting the balance of activity across all frequency bands and serving as a proxy for excitatory/inhibitory balance in the brain. Our findings demonstrate that shifts in aperiodic slope correlate with depression severity, with flatter (less negative) slopes indicating reduced depression severity. This significant correlation was observed in all N=5 subjects, particularly in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This biomarker offers a new way to track patient responses to Major Depressive Disorder treatment, paving the way for individualized therapies in both intracranial and non-invasive monitoring contexts.

Residual cholesteatoma of the temporal bone in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis

A case of residual temporal bone cholesteatoma in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener) (GPA) is presented. At the onset of the disease, the patient developed a symptom complex, which included, along with sinonasal manifestations, left-sided purulent otitis media, refractory to traditional therapy. A separate atticoanthrotomy on the left temporal bone, performed in the active phase, before the diagnosis of vasculitis, did not lead to a clinical improvement in the condition of the middle ear. Despite the subsequent implementation of adequate immunosuppressive therapy and drug remission of GPA, the continuously recurrent course of purulent otitis media of the operated ear contributed to the development of residual cholesteatoma of the temporal bone with the spread of the process to surrounding structures. The presence of cholesteatoma was confirmed by MRI of the temporal bones in the non-EPI DWI mode. During the period of drug remission of GPA, repeated sanitizing surgery was performed on the middle ear with tympanoplasty and obliteration of the parathympanic spaces, which made it possible to achieve remission of purulent otitis media. The development of residual middle ear cholesteatoma in a patient with GPA could be due to the untimely initial diagnosis, the late onset of specific immunotherapy, the rapidly progressive and recurrent nature of the course of the disease, and surgical treatment in the phase of high disease activity. The insufficient volume of primary surgical treatment contributed to the formation of laced cavities and the development of residual cholesteatoma of the temporal bone. The use of MRI in the non-EPI DWI mode for diagnosis made it possible to identify the development of cholesteatoma of the left temporal bone in a patient with GPA and track the results of surgical treatment in the postoperative period. The non-EPI DWI MRI method proved effective both for detecting temporal bone cholesteatoma and tracking changes in the postoperative period of a patient with GPA. Tympanoplasty with surgical obliteration of the parathympanic spaces allowed to stop the inflammation of the middle ear in a patient with a systemic autoimmune disease.

Association of daily physical activity with pulmonary artery pressure in HFpEF and HFmrEF NYHA class III patients: a pilot trial-feasibility and first results.

Supervised physical exercise has been shown to benefit patients with heart failure with preserved/mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF/HfmrEF) by improving symptoms and diastolic function. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between unsupervised daily physical activity and changes in daily pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in patients with stable NYHA class III heart failure (HF) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 45% or higher. Daily physical activity was monitored over a 3-month period using a Holter-ECG with an accelerometer that calculated an activity-associated, heart rate-derived metabolic equivalent of task (MET) score. PAP was measured using an implanted sensor in 17 patients. During 3months of PAP monitoring in parallel with Holter ECG in our HF patients (median age 77 [IQR 72-79.5] years, LVEF 55 [49-56] %, mean cardiac index 1.9 ± 0.3), mean, diastolic, and systolic PAP remained unchanged. Patients engaged in unsupervised daily activity with a mean MET score of 5.0 ± 1.2 and a median daily duration of 41 [13-123] minutes. Intensity of daily activity was associated with a higher diastolic PAP on the following day (R2 = 0.017, p = 0.003), particularly in female patients and those with pulmonary hypertension (PH) (female: R2 = 0.044, p = 0.002; PH: R2 = 0.024, p = 0.004). Patients with longer daily activity durations had lower systolic and mean PAP (p = 0.038 and p = 0.048) and a similar diastolic PAP (p = 0.053) after 3months. Tracking changes in daily PAP based on intensity and duration of unsupervised daily activity using implanted sensors and a PocketECG® is feasible. While daily activity duration was not directly linked to diastolic PAP on the first day after daily activity, intensity, especially in female and PH patients, was associated with increased diastolic PAP. In addition, longer daily activity, rather than higher intensity, might be more important for lowering PAP in the long term. Further research in larger trials is warranted to confirm these findings.

A quantitative classification method of land uses and assessment of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurrence in freshwater environments

We developed a quantitative method for classifying land uses for PFAS-related investigations in freshwater environments and determined PFAS ambient concentrations associated with specific land-use classes. Furthermore, our study presents a comprehensive assessment of the ambient occurrence and risks of PFAS mixtures beyond the usually studied PFOS-PFOA mixtures. Eighty-five inland (freshwater only) sites were sampled for water, sediment, and riparian soil in Victoria, south-east Australia, and analyzed for 33 PFAS. PFAS were detected in 91% of water samples, 34% of sediment samples, and 28% of riparian soil samples. Four land-use classes were defined: remote, agricultural, mixed, and urban. In the remote land-use class, only PFOS was detected at a low ambient concentration (0.0002 μg/L) in one water sample. Short-chain PFCA were frequently detected in the agricultural and mixed water samples. PFBA had the highest median ambient concentration in both land uses (ca. 0.01 μg/L), contributing to both ΣPFAS (40%) and ΣPFCA (50%) concentrations. In the urban land-use class, several congeners (PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFOS) had median ambient concentrations at or close to 0.01 μg/L and contributed similarly to ΣPFAS (10–20%). Elevated risk to the aquatic environment was found only for PFOS in two mixed and eight urban sites. This pattern was consistent with the finding for PFAS mixtures, where the elevated risk was driven by PFOS at those same sites. Our study provides critical information about environmentally relevant ambient concentrations and PFAS mixtures. This information, together with the land-use classification approach presented herein, can be used as reference levels for several critical purposes, including identifying PFAS-contaminated sites, informing land use planning and development decisions, setting standards and guidelines, and tracking changes over time.

Estimating Primary Magmas From Mars With PRIMARSMELT: Implications for the Petrogenesis of Some Martian Rocks and the Thermal Evolution of Mars

AbstractPrimary magmas form by partial melting in the mantle of a terrestrial planet and represent the starting material for building its crust. The compositions of primary magmas are critical for understanding the thermal history of planetary interiors, as they can be used to estimate mantle potential temperatures (TP) and track changes in the conditions of mantle partial melting over time. Here, we introduce PRIMARSMELT, a new member of the PRIMELT software family, calibrated to estimate the composition of Martian primary magmas and their formation conditions. We applied PRIMARSMELT to a comprehensive database of basaltic compositions from Mars. Our results are consistent with their petrology, requiring olivine addition to restore fractionated compositions to their primary parents and olivine subtraction from cumulate rocks. Individual primary magma solutions provide insights into the petrogenesis of specific Martian meteorites, with implications for the near‐primary nature of some primitive meteorites and the relationship between lithologies A and B in meteorite EETA 79001. Taken together, our results suggest nearly constant or potentially increasing mantle potential temperatures throughout the geological history of Mars. The average TP for young shergottite meteorites is ∼1,442 ± 40°C, similar to ambient mantle temperatures inferred from geophysical models. In contrast, older basaltic rocks record potential temperatures as low as ∼1,320 ± 48°C for igneous clasts in meteorites NWA 7034/7533. We suggest that, rather than plume‐related magmatism, shergottite meteorites record ambient mantle temperatures, with the thermal evolution trend possibly resulting from inefficient heat loss, as expected for a planet in stagnant‐lid mode.

AMEP and the Burden of Compliance

This article explores the ‘burden of compliance’ experienced by providers and teachers in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), a large national English as an Additional Language (EAL) program in Australia. It shows how compliance requirements have been shaped by the relationship between two groups, those who make and operationalise relevant policies (mainly politicians and public servants) and those engaged in the practice of developing and teaching English courses (mainly teachers, program providers, and academics). These two groups are engaged in a struggle for the control of a metaphoric ‘pedagogic device’ (Bernstein, 2000) which shapes curriculum documents such as the frameworks, scales and teaching resources used in the AMEP. The article examines three key teaching and assessment documents and shows how the compliance requirements attached to each have been shaped by the relationship between these two groups over time. A crucial dynamic governing this relationship is the level of trust between and within them. The article argues that changes in levels and types of trust account for many of the tensions within the AMEP. It begins by describing how compliance was raised as an issue and introduces the key concepts that inform the discussion. The second part of the article tracks changes in approaches to compliance as manifested in three AMEP curriculum documents over 75 years. The third part identifies three policy trends that contributed to compliance becoming the burden currently experienced by providers and teachers. The article concludes that there are signs that trust between stakeholders may be changing, with a potential reduction in the burden of compliance.

Explaining Public Demands for Border Militarization

The militarization of border control is a defining feature of contemporary international politics. Why do states flock toward these policies despite their questionable efficacy? We theorize that border militarization stems in part from public reactions to the threat of international and domestic decline. We test this argument with two conjoint experiments that randomize the implementing agency, strategy, costs, and effectiveness of different policies. First, we evaluate whether the public has a baseline preference for militarization, holding constant the material costs and consequences of the border policy. Second, we prime threats of decline—in terms of either America’s dominant status in the world or the majority position of white-identifying Americans within the U.S.—and track changes in preferences for militarized border policies. The results indicate that both threats of decline can increase support for border militarization, with important partisan differences. Border militarization plausibly stems from the reactionary politics of domestic audiences.