A phylogenetic approach to delimitate species in a probabilistic way.

Different species concepts and their associated criteria have been used to delimit species boundaries, such as the absence of gene flow for the biological species concept and the presence of morphological distinction for the morphological species concept. The need for different delimitation criteria largely reflects the fact that species are generated under various speciation mechanisms. A key question is how to make species delimitation consistent in a species group, especially when we want to delimit the species boundaries over many newly discovered evolutionary lineages and add these new lineages into a comparative analysis.

The endothelial surface layer-glycocalyx - Universal nano-infrastructure is fundamental to physiology, cell traffic and a complementary neural network.

The glycocalyx and its associated endothelial surface layer which lines all cell membranes and most tissues, dwarfs the phospholipid membrane of cells in extent. Its major components are sulphated polymers like heparan and chondroitin sulphates and hyaluronic acid. These form a fuzzy layer of unknown structure and function.

Determining the process components of impact assessment in health and social program implementation: A scoping review of theories, models and frameworks.

Objectives: Health and social service research impact analysis play a pivotal role in demonstrating research value. Impact analysis of programs, interventions, or policies in real-world settings is complex. There are many implementation evaluation theories, models, and frameworks (TMF) and researchers find choosing one challenging.

Revisiting the electrophysiological correlates of valence and expectancy in reward processing - A multi-lab replication.

Two event-related brain potential (ERP) components, the frontocentral feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the posterior P300, are key in feedback processing. The FRN typically exhibits greater amplitude in response to negative and unexpected outcomes, whereas the P300 is generally more pronounced for positive outcomes. In an influential ERP study, Hajcak et al.

Was extinction of New Zealand's avian megafauna an unavoidable consequence of human arrival?

Human overexploitation contributed strongly to the loss of hundreds of bird species across Oceania, including nine giant, flightless birds called moa. The inevitability of anthropogenic moa extinctions in New Zealand has been fiercely debated. However, we can now rigorously evaluate their extinction drivers using spatially explicit demographic models capturing species-specific interactions between moa, natural climates and landscapes, and human colonists.

Outcomes of surgically treated posterior pelvic fractures in an Australian population: A multicenter study.

Background: Unstable posterior pelvic-ring fractures are rare and difficult to manage. There are many injury patterns, they are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and optimal surgical management remains contentions. This study aims to compare outcomes and complications for different surgical management of these injuries.

Each hour injures, the last one kills.

The haemorrhage of psychiatrists from the NSW state-funded mental health system parallels losses throughout Australia, and internationally. The lack of workforce cripples the capacity to provide adequate care. There has been persistently neglectful under-resourcing of the care of people with severe mental illness.

Risk Factors of Standalone and Coexisting Forms of Undernutrition Among Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study Using Data from 26 Country-Based Demographic and Health Surveys.

Introduction: Undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains a leading public health challenge. It accounts for one-third of the under-five mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study applied the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) to assess the prevalence of various standalone and coexisting forms of undernutrition and identify associated risk factors.

Optimizing Soil Stabilization with Chitosan: Investigating Acid Concentration, Temperature, and Long-Term Strength.

Civil and geotechnical researchers are searching for economical alternatives to replace traditional soil stabilizers such as cement, which have negative impacts on the environment. Chitosan biopolymer has shown its capacity to efficiently minimize soil erosion, reduce hydraulic conductivity, and adsorb heavy metals in soil that is contaminated. This research used unconfined compression strength (UCS) to investigate the impact of chitosan content, long-term strength assessment, acid concentration, and temperature on the improvement of soil strength.

Exploring Mosquito Excreta as an Alternative Sample Type for Improving Arbovirus Surveillance in Australia.

Current arbovirus surveillance strategies in Australia involve mosquito collection, species identification, and virus detection. These processes are labour-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming and can lead to delays in reporting. Mosquito excreta has been proposed as an alternative sample type to whole mosquito collection, with potential to streamline the virus surveillance pipeline.

Label-Free Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering for Genomic DNA Cytosine Methylation Reading.

DNA methylation has been widely studied with the goal of correlating the genome profiles of various diseases with epigenetic mechanisms. Multiple approaches have been developed that employ extensive steps, such as bisulfite treatments, polymerase chain reactions (PCR), restriction digestion, sequencing, mass analysis, etc., to identify DNA methylation.

The Role of Polarizability in Isoelectronic Ions: The Case of Pseudohalides.

Specific ion effects are widespread and have been studied for over a century, yet they remain poorly understood. Terms like "kosmotropes" and "chaotropes" are convenient rules of thumb but the frequent reversal of the Hofmeister series implies their limitations. Polarizability is often used to classify ions, with kosmotropes considered low in polarizability and chaotropes high.

Exploring the Potential of Genome-Wide Hybridization Capture Enrichment for Forensic DNA Profiling of Degraded Bones.

Unlabelled: In many human rights and criminal contexts, skeletal remains are often the only available samples, and they present a significant challenge for forensic DNA profiling due to DNA degradation. Ancient DNA methods, particularly capture hybridization enrichment, have been proposed for dealing with severely degraded bones, given their capacity to yield results in ancient remains.

Background/objectives: This paper aims to test the efficacy of genome-wide capture enrichment on degraded forensic human remains compared to autosomal STRs analysis.

The Persistence of Antibiotic Resistance in Observational Studies: Is It Really Due to Differences in Sub-Populations Rather than Antibiotic Use?

: The carriage of resistant bacteria and prior antimicrobial treatment are related, but in an individual, this diminishes over time. To better manage antimicrobial resistance risks, it is crucial that we better untangle any lasting impact of antibiotic use compared to other factors. This understanding is essential for informing antimicrobial stewardship programs and to better manage other important factors that likely contribute to persistently higher rates of antimicrobial resistance in different populations.

The Role of Family Planning in Enhancing Community Resilience: Insights from Drought-Affected Youths and Women in Ethiopia.

This study assesses the role of family planning (FP) in resilience building among youths and women in Ethiopia's drought-affected and food-insecure regions. A mixed-method comparative cross-sectional study design with a total of 1712 study participants with an equal 1:1 ratio of the intervention and control groups was used. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with community resilience.

The Effects of CrossFit Practice on Physical Fitness and Overall Quality of Life.

We have examined the impact of CrossFit workout sessions on physical fitness, comparing the obtained outcomes with the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine. In addition, we provide suggestions to improve training monitoring, as well as practical applications for researchers, coaches and practitioners. CrossFit imposes high cardiorespiratory and metabolic demands, promoting improvements in circulatory capacity, oxidative metabolism and muscular endurance.

A Quantitative Analysis of Internal and External Loads in Aviation Firefighting Using a Simulated Scenario.

Background/objectives: Aviation firefighting is a strenuous occupation that requires individuals to engage in intense physical activity amidst elevated stress levels and extreme environmental conditions. Despite this, there has been limited investigation regarding the internal and external loads associated with aviation firefighting tasks, which include hose dragging, stair climbing, casualty evacuation, and fire extinguishing in airports and aircrafts. The aim of this study was to examine the internal and external loads placed on aviation firefighters.

Ten pressure points in primary care during COVID-19: findings from an international narrative review.

Background: Strong primary care (PC) services are the foundation of high-performing health care systems and can support effective responses to public health emergencies. Primary care practitioners (PCPs) and PC services played crucial roles in supporting global health system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these contributions have come at a cost, impacting on PC services and affecting patient care.

Mapping the regional and remote specialised mental health workforce: Commentary on the AIHW data for 2022-2023.

Objective: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare publishes statistical indicator reports on the specialised mental health workforce. These include data for 2022-2023 on psychiatrists, mental health nurses, mental health occupational therapists, psychologists and mental health social workers. We provide a brief commentary on these reports, reflecting upon the implications of such changes for psychiatric practice and patient care.

Vegetation-climate feedbacks across scales.

Vegetation is often viewed as a consequence of long-term climate conditions. However, vegetation itself plays a fundamental role in shaping Earth's climate by regulating the energy, water, and biogeochemical cycles across terrestrial landscapes. It exerts influence by consuming water resources through transpiration and interception, lowering atmospheric CO concentration, altering surface roughness, and controlling net radiation and its partitioning into sensible and latent heat fluxes.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Uptake Among Australian Healthcare Professionals: An Archetype for Success.

Background/objectives: Qualitative research suggests there may be identifiable characteristics that form a health professional (HCP) archetype associated with habitual seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV). However, the validity of this archetype requires further investigation, ideally within a theoretical framework that can elucidate this association and its generalisability to other vaccines. This study aims to confirm key HCP archetype characteristics associated with SIV, as informed by prior qualitative research findings, and test the generalisability of the association between this archetype and SIV to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

Assembling branched and macrocyclic peptides on proteins.

A two-step, biocompatible strategy enables site-specific generation of branched and macrocyclic peptide-protein conjugates. Solvent-exposed cysteines on proteins are modified by a small bifunctional reagent at near-physiological pH, followed by cyanopyridine-aminothiol click reactions to create branched or macrocyclic peptide architectures. This method offers design strategies for next-generation protein therapeutics.

Acclimation of thermal tolerance in juvenile plants from three biomes is suppressed when extremes co-occur.

Given the rising frequency of thermal extremes (heatwaves and cold snaps) due to climate change, comprehending how a plant's origin affects its thermal tolerance breadth (TTB) becomes vital. We studied juvenile plants from three biomes: temperate coastal rainforest, desert and alpine. In controlled settings, plants underwent hot days and cold nights in a factorial design to examine thermal tolerance acclimation.

SSRI is not associated with the intensity of romantic love, obsessive thinking about a loved one, commitment, or sexual frequency in a sample of young adults experiencing romantic love.

For >15 years, researchers have speculated that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use is associated with negative romantic love outcomes. No one has empirically investigated this, however. Drawing on 810 participants from the Romantic Love Survey 2022, we used binary logistic regression to identify differences between young adults experiencing romantic love who were and were not taking SSRIs.

Genetic, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of the cotton yellow anther trait.

In the fiber industry, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important crop. One of the most important morphology traits of plants is the color of the anthers, is closely related to pollen fertility and stress resistance.