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Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
No full textThis article was originally published in Journal of Advancement, Communication, and Development in Academic Libraries. The version of record is available at: https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jacdal/article/view/2521.
Copyright © 2025 Lori Birrell.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Forming relationships with donors can lead to many positive and beneficial outcomes for academic libraries. New collections and funds raised help to support institutional priorities and ultimately benefit our faculty and students. However, sometimes these negotiations necessitate that the practitioner walk away, if the donor’s interests do not align with the library’s. A productive partnership between the practitioner and their development officer becomes key to navigating such situations successfully. This article presents three case studies that highlight how practitioners can leverage this important partnership in support of their work
Effects of imaging angle and field of view on detection and tracking of bareroot loblolly pine seedlings using computer vision
No full textBao, YinAn efficient, accurate inventory of bareroot loblolly pine seedlings is critical for effective nursery management and large-scale reforestation efforts. Traditional sampling-based counting can be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors, highlighting the need for an automated solution. This study developed an automated spring inventory system using a tracking-by-detection framework to detect, track, and count loblolly pine seedlings in RGB imagery. You Only Look Once (YOLO): YOLOv8, YOLOv9, and YOLOv10 detection models were employed and trained on 480 images captured at a commercial forest nursery and evaluated on eight unique videos (480 frames total). The YOLOv10-balanced model achieved a high mean Average Precision (mAP) of 95.5%, while the BoT-SORT tracking algorithm reached a Multi-Object Tracking Accuracy (MOTA) of 85.33%. Results revealed that seedlings closer to the image periphery exhibited lower detection accuracy, underscoring the impact of imaging angles and field of view. Detection accuracy peaked at a nadir (top-down) perspective and declined as the camera’s horizontal and vertical viewing angles became more oblique. Increasing the vertical field of view improved counting accuracy up to a certain threshold, after which it plateaued, whereas a wider horizontal angle negatively influenced accuracy due to factors such as overlapping and occlusion. These findings provide practical insights into optimizing camera placement and the number of cameras for accurate automated seedling counts during spring inventory in forest nurseries.M.S.University of Delaware, Data Science Progra
PGLYRP1-mediated intracellular peptidoglycan detection promotes intestinal mucosal protection
No full textThis article was originally published in Nature Communications. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57126-9.
© The Author(s) 2025.
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGLYRPs) are implicated in the control of the intestinal microbiota; however, molecular requirements for peptidoglycan (PGN) binding and receptor signaling mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that PGLYRP1 is a receptor for the disaccharide motif of lysine N-acetylglucosamine N-acetylmuramic tripeptide (GMTriP-K). PGLYRP1 is required for innate immune activation by GMTriP-K but not muramyl dipeptide (MDP). In macrophages, intracellular PGLYRP1 complexes with NOD2 and GEF-H1, both of which are required for GMTriP-K-regulated gene expression. PGLYRP1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and interacts at the Golgi with NOD2 upon GMTriP-K stimulation. PGLYRP1 and dependent gene expression signatures are induced in both mouse intestinal inflammation and human ulcerative colitis. Importantly, PGLYRP1 activation by GMTriP-K can result in the protection of mice from TNBS-induced colitis. Mammalian PGLYRPs can function as intracellular pattern recognition receptors for the control of host defense responses in the intestine.H.C.R. was supported by NIH/NIAID R01AI113333 and NIH/GM R01GM138599, C.L.G. was supported by NIH/GM R01GM138599 and NIH/NIAID 1P01AI172525. R.P. and S.H. were supported by T32GM133395. We thank Neal Silverman for critically reading the manuscript
A global dataset of nitrogen fixation rates across inland and coastal waters
No full textThis article was originally published in Limnology and Oceanography Letters. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10459.
© 2025 The Author(s). Limnology and Oceanography Letters published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Biological nitrogen fixation is the conversion of dinitrogen (N2) gas into bioavailable nitrogen by microorganisms with consequences for primary production, ecosystem function, and global climate. Here we present a compiled dataset of 4793 nitrogen fixation (N2-fixation) rates measured in the water column and benthos of inland and coastal systems via the acetylene reduction assay, 15N2 labeling, or N2/Ar technique. While the data are distributed across seven continents, most observations (88%) are from the northern hemisphere. 15N2 labeling accounted for 67% of water column measurements, while the acetylene reduction assay accounted for 81% of benthic N2-fixation observations. Dataset median area-, volume-, and mass-normalized N2-fixation rates are 7.1 μmol N2-N m−2 h−1, 2.3 × 10−4 μmol N2-N L−1 h−1, and 4.8 × 10−4 μmol N2-N g−1 h−1, respectively. This dataset will facilitate future efforts to study and scale N2-fixation contributions across inland and coastal aquatic environments.
Scientific Significance Statement
Here we provide and describe a dataset of global nitrogen fixation rates for the water column and benthos of inland and coastal waters. This dataset is useful for understanding how nitrogen fixation varies across these ecosystems and is a resource for focusing future research questions. We anticipate this is the first version of this dataset that will continue to develop with newly published rates and expanded data on environmental drivers.We thank all the scientists whose data are included in this dataset; without them, this project would not be possible. We thank Lance Simpson at The University of Alabama Libraries for providing resources and methodological advice. We thank the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University for enabling us to host our first RCN workshop. Special thanks to Fred George and Lauren Consalvo who helped us with workshop logistics. We thank Emily Stanley for helpful and assuring guidance throughout this process. We thank Vera Farcus for her unfailing support. We thank Nia Bartolucci, Lena Champlin, Sophia Glastein, and Melissa Hagy in the Fulweiler Lab at Boston University for helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (award number 2015825 to J. Thad Scott, Amy Marcarelli, and Robinson W. Fulweiler). This work was also partially supported by a grant from Rhode Island Sea Grant to RWF
"Truth fighters with no vestments": religion, Fúnmiláyọ̀ Ransome-Kuti and women's resistance in Ẹ̀gbá land, 1930-1950
No full textMaloba, Wunyabari O.This study examines the religio-historical dimension of Ẹ̀gbá women's resistance to colonialism from 1930 to 1950. Studies have considered the Ẹ̀gbá women's resistance led by Fúnmiláyọ̀ Ransome-Kuti. However, little consideration has been given to the religious dimension of the Ẹ̀gbá women’s resistance. Primary and secondary sources confirm that women were actively involved in Yorùbá public spaces during the pre-colonial period. However, during the colonial period, women were relegated, made passive, and unrepresented, and their welfare was neglected and oppressed by the colonizer and traditional ruler in Ẹ̀gbá land. This thesis employs Terence Ranger's theory of the invention of traditions to examine how colonial, exploitative, and rigid traditions were invented, the impact of these invented traditions on Ẹ̀gbá women, and Ẹ̀gbá women's resistance against the imposition of taxes and discrimination. Theory of African womanism by Chiwenye Okonjo Ogunyemi and concept of prophethood by Pious Abioje were also employed to argue that African Traditional Religion and culture were potent agencies in the Ẹ̀gbá women's resistance, and women were active agitators against colonialism in Nigeria. This study contributes to research on African Traditional Religion and women's roles in resisting colonialism.University of Delaware, Department of Africana StudiesM.A
THE IMPACT OF SLEEP QUALITY ON HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
No full textenterPregnancy is a vulnerable time marked by many physical and emotional
challenges. During pregnancy, women face a lot of added stressors and may deal with
mental and emotional hardships. Pregnancy can also be difficult as the pregnant
women envisions how their life will change once they are responsible for a child that
is dependent upon them. Fluctuations in hormones can disrupt many other biological
processes that happen in the body. This can impact energy levels, emotional states,
and mental health. Pregnant women are often considered to be a vulnerable
population due to the health risk to both the mother and the developing fetus.
Pregnant women also tend to experience worsened health outcomes and may
develop conditions during pregnancy that effect long-term health outcomes. For
example, preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure and often high protein found in
the urine after pregnancy. Poor health during pregnancy may also lead to poor
outcomes for the child, including preterm birth or even stillbirth. Cardiovascular
disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally and is estimated to account for
over 17 million deaths annually. Cardiovascular disease encompasses many different
conditions that relate to the heart and the blood vessels. Some of the diseases that
are classified as cardiovascular disease include heart disease, heart attack, stroke,
heart failure, and arrhythmia. During pregnancy, many women develop high blood
pressure which often leads to cardiovascular disease later in life. These complications
of pregnancy are important and should be prioritized as a point of public health
importance.
Sleep habits are an important factor that impacts health in a variety of ways.
Good quality sleep is also something that many pregnant women struggle with due to
the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. It is important that sleep habits
such as sleep duration, frequency of sleep disturbances, and prevalence of sleep
disorders is investigated to understand how pregnant women are affected by their
sleep. Sleep habits and increased blood pressure are highly correlated however, not
many studies have explored pregnant women as the population of interest in relation
to sleep and the intersection with high blood pressure. Additionally, much of the
existing literature has examined the relationship cardiovascular disease and
obstructive sleep apnea but have not examined other sleep habits.
The purpose of this systematic review is to examine how sleep habits, which
includes other than just sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, impacts on blood
pressure in pregnant women. To examine this relationship, a systematic review was
conducted using three databases. Originally, 404 articles were screened and at the
end, twelve studies were left to be reviewed and used for data analysis to compare
findings. Overall, across the twelve studies, results showed similar findings;
specifically, that poor sleep increases the risk of hypertension among pregnant
women. These results are consistent across findings. Future studies can explore other
aspects of cardiovascular health as well as use consistent measures across studies in
order to draw larger and more complex comparisons across studies or explore this
topic as a meta-analysis. The findings of this research can help guide future
interventions or programs tailored to educate pregnant women on the importance of
working with this population to improve their heart health and sleep quality.ente
Prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in North American raptors
No full textEllis, VincenzoAvian haemosporidians are common vector-transmitted parasites that infect birds. Although avian haemosporidians have been studied extensively in songbirds, less is known about haemosporidian prevalence in raptors, particularly in the United States. We used molecular methods to test blood samples collected from raptors at five wildlife rehabilitation centers across the United States for avian haemosporidians. We identified parasites from the genera Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium using a multiplex PCR and determined prevalence by raptor host species and site. Almost half of the raptors tested (47%) were infected with at least one parasite, with Plasmodium detected at the highest frequency (28%) followed by Haemoproteus (21%), and Leucocytozoon (12%). Prevalence of each parasite genus varied among host species. For example, Haemoproteus prevalence was higher in American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), Barred Owls (Strix varia), Great-Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) than in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) or Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus). Prevalence also varied among sites for all three parasite genera. However, we did not detect a species by site interaction effect for prevalence, suggesting that variation in prevalence among raptor species is relatively constant across the region we investigated. This work adds to our understanding of raptor disease ecology at a regional geographic scale. Future analyses will focus on the diversity and distribution of parasite genetic lineages among these host species and sites.University of Delaware, Department of Entomology and Wildlife EcologyM.S
Customizing your rewards: how avatar customization levels influence video game engagement
No full textEllithorpe, Morgan E.Research on avatar customization lacks insight into how the quantity and quality of options impact the player experience. This study examines how increasing customization options and using those options affects players’ engagement with video games. It proposes that customization can directly be related to avatar perception, by way of the avatar matching a type of player’s self, based on self-discrepancy theory (actual, ought, and ideal self), and avatar embodiment. It proposes that those two types of avatar perception are interrelated and mediate the link between customization and engagement: hypothesizing that using more customization options will boost transportation, enjoyment, boundary expansion, and psychological need satisfaction, directly and indirectly. To test these relationships, 71 undergraduate participants at the University of Delaware were assigned to one of four conditions, each varying in avatar customization level. Using Mass Effect 3, participants created an avatar based on their assigned condition, played the game, and completed a survey assessing their experience. Path analysis included two models: one controlling for customization time and one without, due to collinearity. Results showed that customization did not affect other variables under study. Actual self-matched avatars predicted embodiment. Embodiment and actual self-matched avatars predicted psychological need satisfaction, and there was an indirect relationship between actual self-matched avatars and psychological need satisfaction through embodiment. Ideal self-matched avatars increased transportation, enjoyment, and psychological need satisfaction in model one. Enjoyment was not predicted by ideal self-matched avatars in model 2, but ought self-matched avatars increase enjoyment in both models. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how self-representation and embodiment shape player experiences and contributes to the scant literature on avatar customization. University of Delaware, Department of CommunicationPh.D
Research priorities for physical activity and exercise management of people with knee and hip osteoarthritis: A multi-stage international priority-setting study from the OARSI Rehabilitation Discussion Group
No full textThis article was originally published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage . The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2025.07.006
© 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Osteoarthritis Research Society International
Under a Creative Commons license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Objective: To identify research priorities for physical activity and exercise management of knee and hip
osteoarthritis (OA).
Design: We used a multi-stage process involving an international multi-disciplinary panel of 276 experts
(150 consumers, 69 clinicians spanning 5 disciplines, 54 researchers, and 3 funder/consumer organisation
Results: A list of 61 research questions was compiled from the literature and the panel generated an additional 346 questions. Following consolidation, 178 questions remained and were scored by 150 of the original panelists (54%), with mean priority scores from 5.0 to 8.4. 153 (55%) panelists completed the discrete choice experiment. The top three research priorities were: 1) investigating the impact of physical activity and exercise on delaying/avoiding joint replacement, 2) developing effective interventions to promote long-term exercise adherence, and 3) stratifying people to the most appropriate form of exercise support.
Conclusion: We identified research priorities about physical activity and exercise management of knee and hip OA. These will guide the international research agenda with the aim of improving outcomes for people with OA.KLB has grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Futures Fund and Medibank Private for exercise-related OA research. She consults for Sword Health and receives royalties from Wolters Kluwer. RSH has grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Futures Fund and Medibank Private for exercise-related OA research. STS has received personal fees from Munksgaard, TrustMe-Ed, and Nestlé Health Science, outside the submitted work, and is co-founder of GLA:D®, a not- for profit initiative hosted at University of Southern Denmark aimed at implementing clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis in clinical practice. EW has grant funding from the following: National Institutes of Health (NIH; R01AR080346; R15AG085105; R34AR083077); Arthritis Foundation Osteoarthritis Clinical Trials Network (OACTN) Clinical Trial Unit. NJC is a GLA:D® Australia trainer, and receives payment for her time to train GLA:D® practitioners. LMT has grant funding from the NIH (K23AR079037)
Regional Cooling and Peak-Load Performance of Naturally Ventilated Cavity Walls in Representative U.S. Climate Zones
No full textThis article was originally published in Architecture. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture6010002
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Naturally ventilated cavity walls (VCWs) retrofit conventional cavity walls with vents that enable buoyancy- or wind-driven airflow and reduce cooling loads during summer. When closed, they retain the thermal performance of traditional walls. Previous studies evaluated VCWs under steady-state conditions but did not capture regional, transient solar heating effects. This study assesses VCW performance across major U.S. climate types using a transient 3D solar heating model for east-, south-, and west-facing façades in four representative cities. Simulated façade temperatures were validated using published measurements and then applied to a regression-based energy model to estimate cooling load reductions. Results show 30–40% savings for east/west façades and 10–20% for south façades, with monthly reductions exceeding 1.0 kWh/m2 in all regions. On-peak savings (3–7 PM) were at least 1.5× off-peak values, indicating strong peak-shaving capability. Overall, VCWs offer a low-cost, climate-adaptive retrofit strategy that improves façade energy performance and reduces peak cooling demand.This research received no external funding