Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Essential Papers in Sports and Exercise Physiology.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this survey was to create a list of essential historical and contemporary readings for undergraduate and graduate students in the field of exercise physiology. METHODS: Fifty-two exercise physiologists/sport scientists served as referees, and each nominated ∼25 papers for inclusion in the list. In total, 396 papers were nominated by the referees. This list was then sent back to the referees, with the instructions to nominate the "100 essential papers in sports and exercise physiology." RESULTS: The referees cast 4722 votes. The 100 papers with the highest number of votes received 51% (2406) of the total number of votes. A total of 37 papers in the list of "100 essential papers" were published >50 years ago, and 63 papers were published since 1973. CONCLUSIONS: This list of essential studies will provide a perspective on contemporary studies, the "giant's shoulders" to enable young scholars to "see further" or to understand where they have "come from." This compilation is also meant to impress on students that, given the (lack of) technology available in the past, some of the early science required enormous intuitive leaps on the part of historical scientists.

World Federation of Neurology.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To acknowledge the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the formation of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), the World Federation of Neurology was invited to contribute its perspective on the formation of the EAN and its activities over the past decade. METHODS: This article is based on the experiences of the author in several functions with the European Union of Medical Specialists, the European Federation of Neurology and the European Neurological Society and with the World Federation of Neurology as a trustee since 2009. This article is supported by the author's own archive as well as by several publications. RESULTS: The formation of the EAN was influenced by the activities of the two main predecessor societies, the European Neurological Society and European Federation of Neurology, which left an imprint on the structure of the EAN. The newly formed EAN underwent rigorous structural and organizational changes and has been acting as a successful and independent regional society, expanding increasingly in worldwide activities. CONCLUSION: The EAN, with its 47 member countries, strong democratic leadership and structure, is an excellent example of a regional society with expanding global influence that uses its advocacy skills to influence and improve the structure of neurology in Europe.

Historic dog Furs Unravel the Origin and Artificial Selection of Modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog Breeds.

The origins and extreme morphological evolution of the modern dog breeds are poorly studied because the founder populations are extinct. Here, we analyse eight 100 to 200 years old dog fur samples obtained from traditional North Swedish clothing, to explore the origin and artificial selection of the modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog breeds. Population genomic analysis confirmed the Lapphund and Elkhound breeds to originate from the local dog population, and showed a distinct decrease in genetic diversity in agreement with intense breeding. We identified eleven genes under positive selection during the breed development. In particular, the MSRB3 gene, associated with breed-related ear morphology, was selected in all Lapphund and Elkhound breeds, and functional assays showed that a SNP mutation in the 3'UTR region suppresses its expression through miRNA regulation. Our findings demonstrate analysis of near-modern dog artifacts as an effective tool for interpreting the origin and artificial selection of the modern dog breeds.

Public perception of cultural ecosystem services in historic districts based on biterm topic model.

Historic districts are integral components of urban space, possessing diverse ecosystems that can offer various cultural services to the public. Urbanization and tourism development have led to the degradation of the ecological landscapes within historic districts, impacting sustainable development. Incorporating Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) into the environmental research of historic districts can meet people's spiritual needs, enhance intangible benefits for humanity, and promote the conservation of the ecological environment within historic districts. Therefore, this study conducted perceptual quantification research on CES in four typical historic districts in Fuzhou City, crawling the online comment data through Python, mined its potential themes using Biterm Topic Model (BTM), and extracted and categorized the indicators of CES of historic districts by combining with expert consultation; meanwhile, the satisfaction of CES of historic districts is further explored with the help of two methods, namely, sentiment analysis and Importance-Performance analysis (IPA), and summarized the public perception of CES of historic districts. The results of the study show that: (1) the dimensions of public perception of CES in urban historic districts include Cultural Heritage, Leisure Tourism, Aesthetic Enjoyment, Spiritual Fulfillment, Inspiration, and Science Education six indicators, of which Leisure Tourism is most easily perceived by the public, but its satisfaction is not high; (2) the public's perception of positive emotions towards the CES of historic districts in Fuzhou is greater than negative emotions, with positive emotions accounting for 80.61%; (3) the public's overall satisfaction with the CES of Fuzhou's historic districts is high, and according to the final analysis results of the IPA, the four historic districts of Fuzhou are respectively proposed to improve the opinions. Based on big data, this study explores the public perception characteristics of CES in Fuzhou historic districts to promote its sustainable development and improve public well-being, which is of great significance to protecting the ecological environment of historic districts and improving the quality of cultural services.

Exploring general practice research in Germany: a systematic review of dissertation topics from 1965-2023.

BACKGROUND: Since its academic inception in the 1960s, Germany's general practice has seen numerous dissertations, many of which are housed in the 'Archive of German language General Practice' (ADAM). AIM: This study aims to provide the first comprehensive overview of dissertation topics from the discipline of general- and family medicine in Germany, establishing a foundation for advancing research. METHOD: We employed a systematic review approach, examining 801 dissertations from both ADAM and online sources. Each topic was identified, categorized, and finalized through consensus by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Our analysis encompassed 486 dissertations from ADAM, 176 from the German national library, and 139 from university libraries. A total of 167 unique research topics were identified. The predominant themes included medical education (n = 49), medication orders (n = 39), frequent consultation issues (n = 33), complementary medicine (n = 32), and screening measures (n = 29). The use of qualitative methods was constantly rising, from no qualitative methods used from 1965-1974, up to 22% of dissertations in recent years. CONCLUSION: The diversity of 167 research topics underscores the vastness and complexity of general practice in Germany. This structured overview is pivotal for facilitating focused and interconnected research endeavors in the field.

The sequential direct and indirect effects of mountain uplift, climatic niche and floral trait evolution on diversification dynamics in an Andean plant clade.

Why and how organismal lineages radiate is commonly studied through either assessing abiotic factors (biogeography, geomorphological processes, climate) or biotic factors (traits, interactions). Despite increasing awareness that both abiotic and biotic processes may have important joint effects on diversification dynamics, few attempts have been made to quantify the relative importance and timing of these factors, and their potentially interlinked direct and indirect effects, on lineage diversification. We here combine assessments of historical biogeography, geomorphology, climatic niche, vegetative and floral trait evolution to test whether these factors jointly, or in isolation, explain diversification dynamics of a Neotropical plant clade (Merianieae, Melastomataceae). After estimating ancestral areas and the changes in niche and trait disparity over time, we employ Phylogenetic Path Analyses as a synthesis tool to test eleven hypotheses on the individual direct and indirect effects of these factors on diversification rates. We find strongest support for interlinked effects of colonization of the uplifting Andes during the mid-Miocene and rapid abiotic climatic niche evolution in explaining a burst in diversification rate in Merianieae. Within Andean habitats, later increases in floral disparity allowed for the exploitation of wider pollination niches (i.e., shifts from bee to vertebrate pollinators), but did not affect diversification rates. Our approach of including both vegetative and floral trait evolution, rare in assessments of plant diversification in general, highlights that the evolution of woody habit and larger flowers preceded the colonization of the Andes, but was likely critical in enabling the rapid radiation in montane environments. Overall, and in concert with the idea that ecological opportunity is a key element of evolutionary radiations, our results suggest that a combination of rapid niche evolution and trait shifts were critical for the exploitation of newly available niche space in the Andes in the mid-Miocene. Further, our results emphasize the importance of incorporating both abiotic and biotic factors into the same analytical framework if we aim to quantify the relative and interlinked effects of these processes on diversification.

Using genome-wide data to ascertain taxonomic status and assess population genetic structure for Houston toads (Bufo [= Anaxyrus] houstonensis).

The Houston toad (Bufo [= Anaxyrus] houstonensis) is an endangered amphibian with a small geographic range. Land-use changes have primarily driven decline in B. houstonensis with population supplementation predominant among efforts to reduce its current extinction risk. However, there has been historic uncertainty regarding the evolutionary and conservation significance of B. houstonensis. To this end, we used 1170 genome-wide nuclear DNA markers to examine phylogenetic relationships between our focal taxon, representatives of the Nearctic B. americanus group, and B. nebulifer, a sympatric Middle American species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate B. houstonensis is a taxon that is distinct from B. americanus. We corroborated such genetic distinctiveness with an admixture analysis that provided support for recent reproductive isolation between B. americanus and B. houstonensis. However, ABBA-BABA tests for ancient admixture indicated historic gene flow between Nearctic species while no signal of historic gene flow was detected between Nearctic and Middle-American species. We used an admixture analysis to recognize four Management Units (MU) based on observed genetic differentiation within B. houstonensis and recommend captive propagation, population supplementation, and habitat restoration efforts specific to each MU. Our results re-affirm the evolutionary novelty of an endangered relict.

Long-term monitoring data of hygrothermal conditions of a retrofitted historic building in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy).

This data collection presents a comprehensive five-year monitoring record from a historic building located in Settequerce, South Tyrol (Italy). The 17th-century building, characterized by a stone masonry, was subject to a retrofit in 2017 that introduced a wood fiber insulation panel to the inner side of the building's walls. As part of the renovation process, a monitoring system was installed. This system incorporated internal, external, and in-wall sensors, which were strategically placed at three different points within the wall to evaluate the effects of the insulation on the stratigraphy. This setup ensured the continuous collection of climatic data, both from the exterior and interior environments, as well as from within the renovated wall's stratigraphy. This comprehensive dataset delivers new insights into the long-term performance of retrofit interventions. The significant potential for reuse of this dataset makes it a substantial foundation for future studies on energy-efficient retrofitting and the preservation of historical structures in comparable climate (Climate E Köppen). It is expected to inform data-driven decisions in future renovation and preservation projects of comparable historic buildings.

Historic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: expanding current knowledge using molecular epidemiological characterization of a Swiss legacy collection.

BACKGROUND: Few methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from the early years of its global emergence have been sequenced. Knowledge about evolutionary factors promoting the success of specific MRSA multi-locus sequence types (MLSTs) remains scarce. We aimed to characterize a legacy MRSA collection isolated from 1965 to 1987 and compare it against publicly available international and local genomes. METHODS: We accessed 451 historic (1965-1987) MRSA isolates stored in the Culture Collection of Switzerland, mostly collected from the Zurich region. We determined phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) using Illumina short-read sequencing on all isolates and long-read sequencing on a selection with Oxford Nanopore Technology. For context, we included 103 publicly available international assemblies from 1960 to 1992 and sequenced 1207 modern Swiss MRSA isolates from 2007 to 2022. We analyzed the core genome (cg)MLST and predicted SCCmec cassette types, AMR, and virulence genes. RESULTS: Among the 451 historic Swiss MRSA isolates, we found 17 sequence types (STs) of which 11 have been previously described. Two STs were novel combinations of known loci and six isolates carried previously unsubmitted MLST alleles, representing five new STs (ST7843, ST7844, ST7837, ST7839, and ST7842). Most isolates (83% 376/451) represented ST247-MRSA-I isolated in the 1960s, followed by ST7844 (6% 25/451), a novel single locus variant (SLV) of ST239. Analysis by cgMLST indicated that isolates belonging to ST7844-MRSA-III cluster within the diversity of ST239-MRSA-III. Early MRSA were predominantly from clonal complex (CC)8. From 1980 to the end of the twentieth century, we observed that CC22 and CC5 as well as CC8 were present, both locally and internationally. CONCLUSIONS: The combined analysis of 1761 historic and contemporary MRSA isolates across more than 50 years uncovered novel STs and allowed us a glimpse into the lineage flux between Swiss-German and international MRSA across time.

Standing on shoulder of giants: the incredible legacy of the Judet family in orthopaedic surgery.

In orthopaedic surgery, as well as other areas in medicine, it is common for a surgical technique to carry the original authors' name describing the procedure. The Judet family represents a unique history, since several orthopaedic procedures are known as "Judet's technique". The aim of this historic review is to outline the genealogy of the orthopaedic arm of the Judet family, while crediting each surgical procedure to the specific family member that described the technique.

Diagnostic algorithm allows for a scientifically robust and reliable retrospective diagnosis using textual evidence from mid-19th century Basel, Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: Diagnosing disease from the past using historic textual sources can be controversial as to its accuracy. To overcome these objections, an empirical approach to the historical clinical data was developed. The approach follows a standardised, objective, and systematic evaluation, satisfying the requirements of the philosophy of science. MATERIAL: Physician-managed medical records of mid-19th century patients reported to have suffered from tuberculosis. METHOD: A diagnostic algorithm, quantifying clinical data into a scoring system, was developed based on criteria recorded in the medical sources. The findings were compared to the autopsy results using the Receiver Operating Characteristics method. RESULTS: The generated scoring system correctly predicted the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 86% of patients in the study. 6% false negatives and 8% false positives were predicted. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to retrospectively diagnose in a reliable and scientifically robust manner under certain conditions. It is important to embed the clinical data into the historical context. A general rejection of retrospective diagnosis is unsubstantiated. Well-designed, disease-specific, and source adapted medical scoring systems are new approaches and overcome criticism raised against retrospective diagnosis. SIGNIFICANCE: This new approach utilises diverse historic sources and potentially leads to reliable retrospective diagnosis of most common diseases of the past. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias of the records allocated. Quality of the historic sources utilized. Restricted statistical assessment potential of historic sources. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Development of disease- and epoch-specific medical score systems.

Research on 18th-Century Building Structures in Terms of Static Scheme Changes.

The evaluation of the technical condition of historic buildings that have operated for several hundred years is a complicated issue. Even buildings that are in very poor condition must be checked and assessed in terms of their further repair, strengthening, or compliance with conditions that allow the facility to be safely operated. Most 18th-century buildings have not survived to this day retaining their original arrangements and structural elements. Renovations and repair work in the past were often carried out using materials of uncertain quality, with repair work of different qualities and without detailed analysis or methodology, based only on the experience of the former builders. In historic structures, the character of the work of individual structural elements has often changed due to significant material degradation, the poor quality of repair work, or the loss of adequate support. When load transfers change, internal forces are redistributed, and, as a result, the static scheme changes. This article presents an overview of identified defects affecting the change in static schemes in historical building structures built in the 18th century, using the example of a historic building with a large number of aforementioned defects. The process of assessing the technical condition of the facility is presented, in which non-destructive testing (NDT) methods were used. Detailed computational analyses were carried out for the wooden roof truss structure, which had partially lost its support.

Determinants of subjective outdoor thermal comfort in an urban historic and cultural heritage landscape in Xi'an, China.

In this study, we investigated factors related to subjective outdoor thermal comfort in the Ancient Ming Dynasty Walled City in Xi'an, China. Environmental data were collected from study sites by microclimate monitoring. Survey locations, demographics, psychological characteristics, thermal sensation vote (TSV), and thermal comfort vote (TCV) data were collected from 639 individuals in a questionnaire survey. Generalized linear regression analysis and path analysis were used to understand the associations between the TSV, environmental and psychological factors, and TCV. We found that green space locations, higher age, and greater subjective well-being and environmental satisfaction were associated with increased TCV. The universal thermal climate index was associated with TCV, and this association could have been affected by the individual's psychological state. Our findings suggest that environmental factors and psychological factors had non-negligible effects on the subjective thermal comfort of individuals located in an open urban area with historical and cultural significance.

Survival and longevity of European rulers: geographical influences and exploring potential factors, including the Mediterranean diet - a historical analysis from 1354 to the twentieth century.

Significant regional variability in lifespan in Europe is influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle behaviors, including diet. This study investigates the impact of geographical region on the lifespan of European rulers spanning from the fourteenth century to the present day. By analyzing historical records and literature, we aim to identify region-specific dietary patterns and lifestyle factors that may have contributed to longer lifespans among rulers. The hypothesis to be tested is that rulers from Southern European countries, where the traditional Mediterranean diet is consumed by the local people, may exhibit longer lifespans compared to rulers from other regions, due to the well-documented health benefits associated with this dietary pattern. We extracted comprehensive information for each ruler, encompassing their sex, birth and death dates, age, age of enthronement, duration of rulership, country, and cause of death (natural vs. non-natural). To determine their nationality, we coded rulers based on their hypothetical present-day residence (2023). Utilizing the EuroVoc Geographical classification, we categorized the countries into four regions: Northern, Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe. While Cox regression models did not find significant differences in survival rates among regions, further analysis stratified by time periods revealed intriguing trends. Contrary to our initial predictions, the Northern region displayed better survival rates compared to the Southern region between 1354 and 1499, whereas survival rates were similar across regions from 1500 to 1749. However, after 1750, all regions, except the Southern region, exhibited significantly improved survival rates, suggesting advancements in healthcare and lifestyle factors. These findings underscore the dynamic influence of both region and time period on health and longevity. Interestingly, despite the prevalence of the Mediterranean diet in the Southern region of Europe, rulers from this region did not demonstrate longer lifespans compared to their counterparts in other regions. This suggests that additional lifestyle factors may have played a more prominent role in their longevity. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the intricate relationship between region, time period, and lifespan among European rulers. Although the Mediterranean diet is often associated with health benefits, our findings indicate that it alone may not account for differences in ruler longevity across regions. Further research is warranted to explore the impact of other lifestyle factors on the health and lifespan of European rulers throughout history.

Risk science applied to major risk events in history.

Major risk events in history are often labeled as black swans or as unforeseeable given the risk policies and procedures existing at the time. Hindsight suggests that many of these events could have been foreseeable. This article explores past risk events, (1) analyzes how risk science principles apply to those events, and (2) studies gaps and opportunities for risk science using the lenses of consequences, uncertainty, and knowledge as they relate to evidence used for risk assessment prior to the risk event. New insights are obtained, relating to general foundational risk science issues and a classification system for characterizing the integrity and quality of evidence in risk studies. The analysis results are used to identify how risk science approaches contribute to the overall management of risk and societal safety, and where improvements can be obtained.

Assessment of the ecological role of historic centres based on the relationship between biodiversity and urban composition.

Historic centres provide their inhabitants with identity and well-being. Although studies focus on the conservation of the built environment, in recent years the environmental component of historic centres has also been analysed. Issues such as ecosystem services and biodiversity have become more pressing due to rapid population growth, development and the climate crisis. Green spaces in historic centres often conserve biodiversity, as they tend to be protected spaces. This article presents two case studies in Castellón de la Plana (Spain) with the aim of analysing the relationship between the built environment and avian biodiversity. The study uses a four-phase process. The first phase incorporates a review of recent literature to select biodiversity indicators, while the second focuses on open data analysis and incorporation into GIS software. The third phase consists of field data collection and the mapping of biodiversity indicators. Finally, phase four involves the preparation of thematic maps, which allows us to visualize behavioural patterns connecting bird colonies with the morphology of the built environment in order to draw relevant conclusions that can help improve biodiversity. The analysis allowed the calculation of eight indicators and the identification of building typologies, the percentage of green areas and the inspection of features promoting avian biodiversity. In total, 31 bird species were detected, 27 in the historic centre of Castellón and 26 in the historic centre of the Grao district. Among them, the mapping distribution of three endangered species demonstrates their dependence on these historic built habitats. Apus apus, Passer domesticus and Delichon urbicum are present in 97, 82 and 56% of grids, respectively, with ANOVA correlation confirming these species densities found. The study is somewhat limited in the use of the line transect method due to the potential structural biases intrinsic to the unique nature of the districts assessed.

Substrate Specificity of Biofilms Proximate to Historic Shipwrecks.

The number of built structures on the seabed, such as shipwrecks, energy platforms, and pipelines, is increasing in coastal and offshore regions. These structures, typically composed of steel or wood, are substrates for microbial attachment and biofilm formation. The success of biofilm growth depends on substrate characteristics and local environmental conditions, though it is unclear which feature is dominant in shaping biofilm microbiomes. The goal of this study was to understand the substrate- and site-specific impacts of built structures on short-term biofilm composition and functional potential. Seafloor experiments were conducted wherein steel and wood surfaces were deployed for four months at distances extending up to 115 m away from three historic (>50 years old) shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. DNA from biofilms on the steel and wood was extracted, and metagenomes were sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq. A bioinformatics analysis revealed that the taxonomic composition was significantly different between substrates and sites, with substrate being the primary determining factor. Regardless of site, the steel biofilms had a higher abundance of genes related to biofilm formation, and sulfur, iron, and nitrogen cycling, while the wood biofilms showed a higher abundance of manganese cycling and methanol oxidation genes. This study demonstrates how substrate composition shapes biofilm microbiomes and suggests that marine biofilms may contribute to nutrient cycling at depth. Analyzing the marine biofilm microbiome provides insight into the ecological impact of anthropogenic structures on the seabed.

Paving the Way for Climate Neutral and Resilient Historic Districts.

Climate change is a major global threat to our society's urban areas, with the majority of Europe's population living in cities and their cultural heritage. Historic districts of significant cultural value and the communities connected to these places have an important role to play in fostering location-based identity and economy, social cohesion, innovation, urban regeneration, and climate change adaptation. Thus, it is important to make historic districts climate resilient, by jointly considering climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, heritage management, and sustainable urban development. However, this is often a major challenge for local and regional administrators and relevant stakeholders. This paper constitutes the first major result of the EU R&I Task Force for Climate Neutral and Resilient Historic Urban Districts. It provides an overview of the challenges faced by practitioners and researchers when jointly addressing the needs of resilient historic districts and provides an initial set of recommendations produced by the task force to address these challenges. These challenges cover different issues around five topics (i) data availability, use and its management, (ii) the common responsibility fragmentation in policy and governance, (iii) the challenge on integrating local knowledge and traditions in resilience building, (iv) the difficulties around the co-ownership and co-production in governance and (v) the importance of mainstreaming heritage management in adaptation and resilience policies.

Genomic insights into a tripartite ancestry in the Southern Ryukyu Islands.

A tripartite structure for the genetic origin of Japanese populations states that present-day populations are descended from three main ancestors: (1) the indigenous Jomon hunter-gatherers; (2) a Northeast Asian component that arrived during the agrarian Yayoi period; and (3) a major influx of East Asian ancestry in the imperial Kofun period. However, the genetic heterogeneity observed in different regions of the Japanese archipelago highlights the need to assess the applicability and suitability of this model. Here, we analyse historic genomes from the southern Ryukyu Islands, which have unique cultural and historical backgrounds compared with other parts of Japan. Our analysis supports the tripartite structure as the best fit in this region, with significantly higher estimated proportions of Jomon ancestry than mainland Japanese. Unlike the main islands, where each continental ancestor was directly brought by immigrants from the continent, those who already possessed the tripartite ancestor migrated to the southern Ryukyu Islands and admixed with the prehistoric people around the eleventh century AD, coinciding with the emergence of the Gusuku period. These results reaffirm the tripartite model in the southernmost extremes of the Japanese archipelago and show variability in how the structure emerged in diverse geographic regions.