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Determining migratory connectivity is essential to understanding population dynamics and managing and conserving migratory species. Gallinago delicata (Wilson's Snipe) is a widely hunted wetland bird distributed throughout North America and parts of South America with little known regarding migratory strategy, connectivity, or population trends. Here, we used stable hydrogen isotope analysis of feathers to identify breeding areas and determine the degree of migratory mixing of 323 G. delicata harvested in Florida during the nonbreeding season. Our results demonstrate a high degree of migratory mixing between breeding and nonbreeding seasons and provide evidence that breeding birds from throughout Canada and the northwestern United States migrate to Florida. We also found evidence of long-distance migration across both latitudinal and longitudinal bands, with 104 individuals traveling from breeding grounds in western Canada or Alaska to nonbreeding habitat in Florida; the farthest-traveling individual likely migrated at least 4,270 km. Our findings highlight the crucial role of active and coordinated monitoring and management of the widely harvested G. delicata , which as long-distance migrants are disproportionately vulnerable to global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg donation is a procedure that is powerfully advertised as a beneficial experience with limited mention of the associated risks. Egg donor recruitment advertisements target young and financially insecure women and can serve as a catalyst for interest in egg donation. In the absence of explicit egg donation advertisement regulations and without counterbalancing information from other sources, potential donors may not be able to recognize how advertisements can be misleading. In this paper, we enumerate two types of misleading information in egg donor recruitment advertisements that can influence the decision to donate that might not exist otherwise: (1) the focus on financial benefits and (2) the minimization of health risks. We draw upon existing Federal Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission regulations that govern other types of medical advertisements and demonstrate their suitability to govern egg donor recruitment advertisements. We conclude that similar regulations could address the regulatory gap in which egg donation advertisements are situated by ensuring that information is balanced and not overly persuasive, thus better protecting the autonomy of egg donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies is a fatal encephalitic disease affecting all mammals. This report describes identification of raccoon rabies virus variant isolated from a stray kitten in an urban Midwestern city that is nonendemic for this virus variant. The kitten originally presented with nonspecific neurologic abnormalities. Astute veterinary, wildlife, and public health professionals played a critical role in the identification of this fatal zoonotic disease and the extensive public health and wildlife management response that ensued. This case serves as an important reminder of the risk of rabies in unvaccinated animals or those without known vaccination status, including stray animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seriously ill older adults are admitted for post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for curative, rehabilitative treatments, yet experience high rates of re-hospitalization, and death. The primary palliative care in post-acute care (PPC-PAC) intervention is an evidence-based approach designed to help people with serious illness align treatment plans with goals of care, optimize quality of life, and improve satisfaction with their care. Objectives: To conduct a preliminary study and evaluate the feasibility of implementing the PPC-PAC intervention in the post-acute care SNF setting. Design: Two-group, multisite feasibility pilot pragmatic clinical trial with a non-equivalent design. Measurements: Primary outcome measures—eligibility, enrollment, and data collection rates; consultation satisfaction; and fidelity. Effectiveness outcome measure—quality of life using the Palliative Outcomes Scale version 2. Results: Close to 70% of those who were eligible and approached by the study team (45/65) enrolled in the trial throughout 12 SNFs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. Thirty-five were enrolled from intervention sites; 10 were enrolled from control sites (usual care). Most participants (80%) expressed general satisfaction with PPC-PAC, and 90% of clinicians implemented the PPC-PAC intervention as intended. At 21 days follow-up, there were no significant differences in effectiveness outcomes. Conclusion: Implementation of the PPC-PAC intervention proved to be feasible and acceptable among older adults and clinicians. Future research should focus on testing the effectiveness of PPC-PAC and explore strategies for optimal intervention implementation and SNF staff engagement in the post-acute care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide plays a critical role in regulating vascular tone, but excessive nitric oxide release during septic shock results in hypotension due to excessive vasodilation and the formation of toxic free radicals. VBI-S is a phospholipid nanoparticle based fluid composed of lipid bilayers formed primarily by phosphatidylcholine and micelles of soybean oil encapsulated by a monolayer of phosphatidylcholine. These nanoparticles offer a novel solution by absorbing and redistributing nitric oxide and nitrite, potentially mitigating the harmful effects of excessive nitric oxide in sepsis. This paper proposes a mechanism in which VBI-S not only redistributes nitric oxide but also reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury by limiting the production and availability of reactive species. VBI-S captures nitric oxide and nitrite in areas of high concentration and redistributes them in low-nitric oxide environments, primarily within oxygen-deprived tissues. Nitrite then contributes to nitric oxide regeneration in hypoxic microvasculature via various reduction pathways, thereby improving tissue perfusion and minimizing oxidative stress. Preliminary studies suggest that nitrite may also decrease reactive species production, primarily superoxide, through the inhibition of mitochondrial complex I. Additionally, the lipid composition of VBI-S is rich in poly and monounsaturated fatty acids which allows VBI-S to act as a substrate for peroxidation via peroxynitrite. Therefore, VBI-S acts as a decoy target thereby protecting cellular membranes from oxidative damage caused by reactive species. These findings position VBI-S as a promising therapeutic agent, offering both nitric oxide regulation and protection against hypotension and toxic free radicals in septic shock patients. Further research is necessary to fully elucidate the molecular pathways and optimize its clinical application. [Display omitted] • VBI-S is a phospholipid nanoparticle-based fluid that mitigates excessive nitric oxide release and reperfusion injury. • Nitrite, absorbed and redistributed by VBI-S, can inhibit mitochondrial complex I via S-nitrosation. • VBI-S aids in reactive species modulation by providing a substrate for peroxidation through its lipid composition. • Nitrite is transported into hypoxic tissues where nitric oxide is regenerated through various reduction pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Both the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) and the neuropeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), are thought to be involved in food intake. Importantly, PACAP is expressed in cells of the PVT. Objectives: To determine if PACAP in cells of the PVT might mediate some of the involvement of the PVT with palatable food intake. Methods: In male and female C57BL/6 J mice and PACAP-Cre transgenic mice on a C57BL/6 J background, limited access to Milk Chocolate Ensure Plus® was used to establish a model of binge-type eating. Next, using quantitative real-time PCR, gene expression of PACAP in the PVT was measured in relation to this binge-type eating. Finally, using chemogenetics in PACAP-Cre transgenic mice, the effect of activation of PVT PACAP+ cells on binge-type eating was determined. Results: Males and females both engaged in binge-type eating with Ensure, although females engaged in this behavior to a greater degree than males. While females also had a higher baseline level of PVT PACAP mRNA than males, only males showed an increase in levels of PACAP after a history of exposure to Ensure, and only males showed a reduction in levels of PACAP immediately prior to a binge session. Conversely, activation of PACAP+ cells in the PVT reduced binge-type eating of Ensure, specifically in male mice. Conclusions: The present findings indicate that PVT PACAP+ cells influence and are influenced by binge-type eating. Thus, PACAP in the PVT might mediate some of the known involvement of the PVT with palatable food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health has been shown to impact rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outcomes and is associated with self-management behaviors. The extent to which mental health impacts outcomes via different self-management behaviours has not been thoroughly investigated. Adult RA patients who were starting a new medication or dosage were recruited to a prospective cohort with follow-ups at 3 and 12-months covering clinical and patient-reported outcomes. The longitudinal relationships between mental health, self-management behaviors (diet, physical activity, sleep, smoking, alcohol, and medication nonadherence), disease outcome, and function were assessed. Self-management behaviors were considered mediators of mental health at baseline on outcomes at 3 and 12 months. Depression did not worsen the odds of EULAR response for the total PHQ at 3 months (OR = 0.96, p = 0.36) or 12 months (OR = 0.99, p = 0.99) nor for the categorical PHQ at 3 months (OR = 0.64, p = 0.34) or 12 months (OR = 0.67, p = 0.44). Anxiety also did not worsen the odds of EULAR response for the total GAD at 3 months (OR = 0.98, p = 0.76) or 12 months (OR1.04, 0.53) nor for the categorical GAD at 3 months (OR = 0.99, p = 0.99) or 12 months (OR = 0.94, p = 0.75). However, depression was associated with the DAS-28 at 3 months (b = 0.22, p = 0.04). Among the self-management behaviors, insomnia was found to be a significant mediator between depression and the WSAS (b = 0.08, p = 0.03) as well as anxiety and the WSAS (b = 0.07, p = 0.03). Alcohol was also a significant mediator between depression and the DAS-28 (b = 0.21, p = 0.04). Mental health was associated with worse quality of life and disease outcomes, but not EULAR response. Self-management behaviors were associated with disease outcomes and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad-reaching, effective e-cigarette cessation interventions are needed. This remote, randomized clinical trial tested a mHealth program and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for young adult vaping cessation. Social media was used from 2021 to 2022 to recruit 508 young adults (aged 18–24 years) in the U.S. who exclusively and regularly (20+ days of last 30) used e-cigarettes and were interested in quitting. All were offered 2 coaching calls and needed to complete the first call for full study enrollment. Participants were randomized to one of 4 groups in the 2×2 design: mailed NRT (8 weeks versus none) and/or mHealth (yes versus no; stand-alone text program including links to videos and online content). Self-reported 7-day point prevalence vaping abstinence at 3 months. A total of 981 participants were eligible and randomized; 508 (52%) fully enrolled by completing the first call. Enrolled participants were 71% female, 31% non-White, and 78% vaped daily. Overall, 74% completed the 3-month survey. Overall, 83% in the mailed NRT groups and 24% in the no-mailed NRT groups self-reported NRT use. Intent-to-treat 7-day point prevalence abstinence rates (missing assumed vaping) were 41% for calls only, 43% for Calls+mHealth, 48% for Calls+NRT, and 48% for Calls+NRT+mHealth. There were no statistically significant differences for mailed NRT (versus no-mailed NRT; OR=1.3; 95% CI=0.91, 1.84; p =0.14) or mHealth (versus no mHealth; OR=1.04; 95% CI=0.73, 1.47; p =0.84). This quitline-delivered intervention was successful at helping young adults quit vaping, with almost half abstinent after 3 months. Higher than anticipated quit rates reduced power to identify significant group differences. Mailed NRT and mHealth did not significantly improve quit rates, in the context of an active control of a 2-call coaching program. Future research is needed to examine the independent effects of coaching calls, NRT, and mHealth in a fully-powered randomized control trial. clinicaltrials.gov NCT04974580. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of a cranial dissection curriculum (surgical coaching program) for junior neurosurgical residents to enhance their confidence and competence in basic cranial neurosurgery skills. The program involved one-on-one training with faculty members on various procedures using cadaveric specimens. Initial data showed that residents met or exceeded faculty expectations, increased confidence, and gained autonomy in the operating room. The pilot study demonstrated the positive impact of the program on resident confidence and faculty trust, with ongoing work focusing on a comprehensive dissection curriculum for junior residents. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the importance of resecting the medial cavernous sinus wall (MCW) in achieving hormonal remission in patients with functional pituitary adenomas (FPA). A retrospective study evaluated the outcomes of MCW resection in FPA patients, showing higher hormonal remission rates post-surgery. The study found that direct endoscopic inspection is a more accurate predictor of MCW invasion by the tumor compared to the Knosp grading system, which underestimates cavernous sinus invasion. Further research is needed to confirm these results. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionsThere is increasing evidence of ketamine’s therapeutic potential in reducing substance use in individuals with substance use disorders. However, its effects on tobacco use disorder are unknown. We investigated the effect of a subanesthetic dose of ketamine on tobacco use.This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study administered intravenous ketamine to individuals with tobacco use disorder recruited from the local community. Participants were randomized to receive either ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) (n = 6) or saline placebo (n = 4) over 20 min. Primary outcomes included measures of drug safety and tolerability during and within an hour after the infusion. Secondary outcomes included measures of tobacco use, craving, and withdrawal before, and 24-hours after, the drug infusion study day. A follow-up visit occurred eight days after the infusion.Intravenous ketamine was well tolerated with transient side effects. No significant effects were noted on cigarette smoking, craving, or withdrawal symptoms on the post-infusion visit following overnight abstinence or on the follow-up visit (p’s > 0.05).Although limited by the small sample size, this pilot study extends previous research on ketamine for substance use disorders. While ketamine was well tolerated in this sample, additional research testing different ketamine doses and administration routes is necessary to determine whether ketamine has therapeutic potential for tobacco use disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf fossils collected in 1908 from the Arauco–Concepción Coal Measures of Chile (the Lota–Coronel flora) during a Swedish expedition to southern South America are formally assigned to the important Gondwanan family Proteaceae as Proteaceaefolia araucoensis R.J.Carp. & McLoughlin gen. nov., sp. nov. This is the oldest South American record of macrofossils that can be assigned to Proteaceae with confidence due to the likelihood of the age dating to the latest Paleocene. The fossils lack cuticle but the large, lobed and minutely toothed form is consistent only with extant species of the subfamily Grevilleoideae (notably, Orites excelsus R.Br.) that are confined to eastern Australian rainforests. A new assessment of the Swedish Lota–Coronel collection and review of previous palynological and macrofossil studies, also provide evidence of the strong biogeographic connection that existed between southern South America and Australasia during the early Paleogene, and contradict a traditional view that several Chilean floras of this age consist wholly or largely of Neotropical taxa. Notable austral taxa include Casuarinaceae (as abundant pollen), diverse Podocarpaceae (as both foliage and pollen) and likely Cunoniaceae (leaves). No taxa with clearly Neotropical nearest living relatives have been found to date, but previous conclusions for a warm and very wet early Paleogene climate are supported. The Swedish Museum of Natural History houses poorly studied Chilean plant fossils that were collected >100 years ago. Among these we found leaf fossils of the Gondwanan Proteaceae family, whose closest relatives are currently found only in Australasian rainforests. These and other fossils from the same ~55-million-year-old assemblage add to evidence that a similar flora was formerly distributed across a vegetated Antarctica, and contradict a long-held view that Chilean forests of that time exclusively comprised Neotropical genera. (Photograph by R. J. Carpenter.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to identify clinician-perceived barriers and facilitators before the implementation of surface electromyography (sEMG) for swallowing management, implement sEMG biofeedback in swallowing rehabilitation sessions using implementation strategies, and investigate the perceived benefits and drawbacks after the implementation of the sEMG device from the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Method: An initial pre-implementation survey characterized the SLPs' practices in swallowing management regarding the use of biofeedback modalities as well as facilitators and barriers to the implementation of sEMG. In the implementation phase, six SLPs attended educational and training meetings, tested, and used sEMG with patients during their swallowing sessions. Finally, a postimplementation survey and focus group assessed the six SLPs' perceptions and experiences using sEMG and identified areas for improvement in the implementation process. Results: The majority of the 44 SLPs who answered the pre-implementation survey did not use sEMG in swallowing therapy. The most frequently reported barriers to implementation were reduced sEMG knowledge and lack of training (86.4%), lack of equipment access or availability (68.2%), and patient-related barriers (36.6%). The six SLPs who participated in the implementation phase used sEMG with 30 different patients, conducting a total of 105 sessions. They reported that it was easy to use sEMG during sessions and that sEMG helped them to teach swallowing maneuvers. Additionally, they stated that patients were motivated during sEMG sessions. Ongoing training and mentoring were some of the suggestions for implementation improvements. Conclusions: This study exemplifies the collaborative work between researchers and clinicians to facilitate the translation of technologies into clinical practice. Identifying determinants of sEMG implementation and strategies to address barriers was critical to its acceptability and adoption into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines ethical leadership responses and crisis communications at a public institution of higher education in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which occur concurrently with the COVID-19 pandemic and institutional financial crises. The Discourse of Renewal framework requires a focus on what is best for the entirety of the community, rather than simply being a strategic response that only benefits a few. The framework provides a structure for conceptualizing and considering an optimistic discourse in response to crises. A rhetorical analysis of leadership discourse examined four renewal characteristics: overall organizational learning, ethical communication, prospective visioning, and effective organizational rhetoric. Surveys and subsequent analyses of faculty, students, and staff responses provide a feedback mechanism from institutional stakeholders. Subsequent discussions explore issues of navigating stacked crises and how an ethical leadership response can help build beyond crises for the future of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prevalence of violence exposure (VE) among youth and its link to increased risk for anxiety and related psychiatric disorders, few studies have examined potential mediators. The present study investigated the relationships among lifetime VE, perceived safety, threat sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms in adolescents from an urban minority community (Detroit, MI). A sample of 54 adolescents (ages 14–18, 55.6% female) self-reported on VE, safety, threat sensitivity, and anxiety symptoms in an online survey. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations among these variables. Results indicated that perceived safety, but not VE, was significantly associated with lower anxiety and threat sensitivity. Furthermore, threat sensitivity mediated the association between perceived safety and anxiety symptoms. The findings of the present study highlight (1) the potential protective role of perceived safety and (2) threat sensitivity as a potential target for disrupting anxiety-related pathways in adolescents with VE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of Wilson disease is complicated, with neither ceruloplasmin, nor serum or urine copper, being reliable. Two new indices, accurate non-ceruloplasmin copper (ANCC) and relative ANCC were developed and applied to a cohort of 71 patients, as part of a Wilson Disease Registry Study. Elemental copper-protein speciation was developed for holo-ceruloplasmin quantitation using strong anion exchange chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The serum proteins were separated using gradient elution and measured at m/z 63 (63Cu+) and 48 (32S16O+) using oxygen reaction mode and Cu-EDTA as calibration standard. The ANCC was calculated by subtraction of the ceruloplasmin bound copper from the total serum copper and the RelANCC was the percentage of total copper present as the ANCC. The accuracy of the holo-ceruloplasmin measurement was established using two certified reference materials, giving a mean recovery of 94.2 %. Regression analysis between the sum of the copper containing species and total copper concentration in the patient samples was acceptable (slope=0.964, intercept=0, r=0.987) and a difference plot, gave a mean difference for copper of 0.38 μmol/L. Intra-day precision for holo-ceruloplasmin at serum copper concentrations of 0.48 and 3.20 μmol/L were 5.2 and 5.6 % CV and the intermediate precision at concentrations of 0.80 and 5.99 μmol/L were 6.4 and 6.4 % CV, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for holo-ceruloplasmin were 0.08 and 0.27 μmol/L as copper, respectively. ANCC and Relative ANCC are important new diagnostic and monitoring biomarker indices for Wilson disease (WD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recipients of radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) are at significantly increased risk for carotid artery stenosis (CAS) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). We sought to determine (1) cumulative incidences of CAS and CVD among HNC survivors after RT and (2) whether CAS is associated with a RT dose response effect. Methods: This single‐institution retrospective cohort study examined patients with nonmetastatic HNC who completed (chemo)RT from January 2000 through October 2020 and subsequently received carotid imaging surveillance ≤2 years following RT completion and, in the absence of CAS, every 3 years thereafter. Exclusion criteria included history of known CAS/CVD. Asymptomatic CAS was defined as ≥50% reduction of luminal diameter, symptomatic CAS as stroke or transient ischemic attack, and composite CAS as asymptomatic or symptomatic CAS. Results: Of 628 patients undergoing curative intent RT for HNC, median follow‐up was 4.8 years (interquartile range, 2.6–8.3), with 97 patients followed ≥10 years. Median age was 61 years and 69% of patients received concurrent chemotherapy and 28% were treated postoperatively. Actuarial 10‐year incidences of asymptomatic, symptomatic, and composite CAS were 29.6% (95% CI, 23.9–35.5), 10.1% (95% CI, 7.0–13.9), and 27.2% (95% CI, 22.5–32.1), respectively. Multivariable Cox models significant association between asymptomatic CAS and absolute carotid artery volume receiving ≥10 Gy (per mL: hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.16). Conclusions: HNC survivors are at high risk for post‐RT CAS. A dose response effect was observed for asymptomatic CAS at doses as low as 10 Gy. Plain Language Summary: Recipients of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer are at significantly increased risk for carotid artery stenosis and cerebrovascular disease. However, carotid artery screening is not routinely performed among head and neck survivors following radiation therapy.In this single‐institution retrospective cohort study, patients with head and neck cancer were initially screened for carotid artery stenosis ≤2 years following radiation therapy completion, then every 3 years thereafter.The 10‐year actuarial incidence of carotid artery stenosis was >25% and stroke/transient ischemic attack >10%. Multivariable analysis demonstrated significant associations between asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and artery volumes receiving ≥10 Gy. Actuarial 10‐year incidences of carotid artery stenosis and cerebrovascular disease were >25% and >10%, respectively. A dose response effect was observed for carotid artery stenosis and was most pronounced for absolute carotid artery volumes receiving ≥30–50 Gy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma is a central theme in child protection. Responding to and preventing traumatic harm to children is a key function of statutory child protection agencies and systems in Australia. Parents who encounter these systems are also known to be a highly traumatised cohort, often experiencing trauma throughout their own early development and into their adult lives. Despite these being broadly accepted principles amongst practitioners, there are limited pathways for parents to undertake trauma‐processing therapy as an integrated part of current child protection practice. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is a manualised therapy model that has been used successfully to support individuals with life‐threatening trauma to process these experiences and take agency over their lives. The successful use of this model by non‐traditional therapists such as community health workers, in brief timeframes, has made it a valuable approach in settings with a high need for therapeutic support and low resources, such as refugee accommodation. Although these themes also have synergy with the child protection setting, there is relatively little research on the use of NET in this setting. This paper is written by practitioners and for practitioners and examines the real‐world application of NET with parents involved with a non‐statutory reunification service in the South Australian child protection system, grounded in a trauma‐informed model of practice. As such, the paper considers extending the possible value of NET into an area of limited previous use. The paper highlights observational findings suggesting that NET has the potential to be an effective tool for bringing focus to the trauma experiences of the parent, so that they may process these and develop greater capacity to parent safely as well as engage more productively with the demands of the child protection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article utilises three key characteristics of human genetic information—namely, its ubiquitous nature, its familial relationships and its predictive capacity—to explore how such research continues to exacerbate existing health inequalities for Indigenous Australians. By utilising substantive equality as its theoretical framework, this article explores key regulatory issues as follows: first, and regarding genetic information's ubiquity, the article discusses how property laws in Australia fail to adequately protect Indigenous Australians from unauthorised usage of historical DNA samples; second, the familial nature of genetic information can leave Indigenous Australian's liable to hyper-precise genetic definitions of Aboriginality, leading to a potentially adverse impact on claims of Native Title, due to the application of a biological definition to something which has always been more contextual and flexible; finally, the predictive element of genetic information is explored, and it is suggested that without proper regulation, could lead to increased genetic discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) survivorship care includes recommendations for post‐HCT revaccination to restore immunity to vaccine‐preventable diseases (VPDs). However, not all survivors agree to be vaccinated. No existing studies have comprehensively reported barriers and facilitators to adult HCT survivors completing revaccination. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey of 194 adult HCT survivors was analyzed using convergent mixed methods. The analysis used various statistical methods to determine the prevalence of barriers and facilitators and the association between revaccination and the number and specific type of barriers and facilitators. Content analysis was applied to open‐ended item responses. Integrated analysis merged quantitative and qualitative findings. Results: The most frequent barriers included the inability to receive live vaccines because of immunosuppression, identifying a suitable community location for administering childhood vaccines to adults, and delayed immune recovery. The most frequent facilitators were having healthcare insurance and a clear calendar of the revaccination schedule. Complete revaccination rates were lower with each additional reported barrier (OR = 0.58; 95% CI 0.459–0.722) and higher with each additional reported facilitator (OR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.05–1.63). Content analysis suggested that most barriers were practical issues. One significant facilitator highlighted by respondents was for the transplant center to coordinate and serve as the vaccination location for revaccination services. Merged analysis indicated convergence between quantitative and qualitative data. Conclusion: Practical barriers and facilitators played a consequential role in revaccination uptake, and survivors would like to be revaccinated at the transplant center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the subjective experience of medical interventions on intersex bodies to reduce cancer risk. Methods: Twenty-five individuals with intersex variations took part in semi-structured interviews, analysed through thematic discourse analysis. Results: Intersex bodies were positioned as inherently sick and in need of modification, with cancer risk legitimating surgical and hormonal intervention. This resulted in embodied shame, with negative impacts on fertility and sexual wellbeing. However, many participants resisted discourses of bio-pathologisation and embraced intersex status. Some medical interventions, such as HRT, were perceived to have increased the risk of cancer. Absence of informed consent, and lack of information about intersex status and the consequences of medical intervention, was positioned as a human rights violation. This was compounded by ongoing medical mismanagement, including health care professional lack of understanding of intersex variations, and the objectification or stigmatization of intersex people within healthcare. The consequence was non-disclosure of intersex status in health contexts and lack of trust in health care professionals. Conclusions: The legitimacy of poorly-evidenced cancer risk discourses to justify medical intervention on intersex bodies needs to be challenged. Healthcare practitioners need to be provided with education and training about cultural safety practices for working with intersex people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social media platforms have become key elements in many teachers' professional lives. In particular, teacher professional activities on X (formerly Twitter) have received attention from scholars. However, research has rarely explored X/Twitter use with attention to the diverse national contexts in which teachers work. To address this literature gap, this qualitative study collected data via individual and focus group interviews with teachers (N = 29) in three countries: England, Norway and the United States of America. Inductive analysis yielded findings related to purposes for, changes in and benefits and challenges of K‐12 teachers' X/Twitter use. Participants from all three contexts described professional learning activities that included sharing and/or acquiring knowledge and resources, and building professional networks and/or communities via X/Twitter. Multiple participants across contexts also referred to similar challenges such as avoiding negativity from other users. However, differences in X/Twitter use were also noted across teachers from the three national settings, such as only Norwegian participants speaking about using X/Twitter to find collaboration partners for teaching and learning projects. We discuss our findings in relation to literature, theory and practice around teacher professional learning in an era of widespread social media. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Many K‐12 teachers use X/Twitter and other social media platforms for professional learning purposes. Teachers can use X/Twitter for various purposes and in multiple ways. Contextual factors influence teachers' use of X/Twitter. Social media platform use varies to some extent across cultures and nations. What this paper adds Identification of similarities and differences in X/Twitter use among teachers. International comparative analysis based on individual and focus group interviews of participants from England, Norway and the United States of America. Evidence related to the evolving and dynamic nature of teachers' use of X/Twitter. Implications for practice and/or policy Teachers who use social media may benefit from understanding diverse potential uses of platforms. Policies and guidance regarding K‐12 teacher social media use should accommodate various contextual factors, including national context. Diversity and changes in teacher professional social media use warrant more international comparative research in relation to wider policy contexts in education. What is already known about this topic Many K‐12 teachers use X/Twitter and other social media platforms for professional learning purposes. Teachers can use X/Twitter for various purposes and in multiple ways. Contextual factors influence teachers' use of X/Twitter. Social media platform use varies to some extent across cultures and nations. What this paper adds Identification of similarities and differences in X/Twitter use among teachers. International comparative analysis based on individual and focus group interviews of participants from England, Norway and the United States of America. Evidence related to the evolving and dynamic nature of teachers' use of X/Twitter. Implications for practice and/or policy Teachers who use social media may benefit from understanding diverse potential uses of platforms. Policies and guidance regarding K‐12 teacher social media use should accommodate various contextual factors, including national context. Diversity and changes in teacher professional social media use warrant more international comparative research in relation to wider policy contexts in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motile cilia are critical structures that regulate early embryonic development and tissue homeostasis through synchronized ciliary motility. The formation of motile cilia is dependent on precisely controlled sequential processes including the generation, migration, and docking of centrioles/basal bodies as well as ciliary growth. Using the published proteomics data from various organisms, we identified proliferation-associated 2G4 as a novel regulator of ciliogenesis. Loss-of-function studies using Xenopus laevis as a model system reveal that Pa2G4 is essential for proper ciliogenesis and synchronized movement of cilia in multiciliated cells (MCCs) and the gastrocoel roof plate (GRP). Pa2G4 morphant MCCs exhibit defective basal body docking to the surface as a result of compromised Rac1 activity, apical actin network formation, and immature distal appendage generation. Interestingly, the regions that include the RNA-binding domain and the C-terminus of Pa2G4 are necessary for ciliogenesis in both MCCs and GRP cells. Our findings may provide insights into motile cilia-related genetic diseases such as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. The study on the role of Proliferation-associated 2G4 in motile cilia formation and synchronized cilia movement offers valuable insights into research on motile cilia-related genetic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO)—who it is, how it is structured, what it does, how it does it, and who it serves. It also provides information on how NISO members and non-members alike can participate in NISO's many global activities—activities that fill a major role in ensuring that the information community runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schemas allow us to make assumptions about the world based upon previous experiences and aid in memory organisation and retrieval. However, a reliance on schemas may also result in increased false memories to schematically related lures. Prior neuroimaging work has linked schematic processing in memory tasks to activity in prefrontal, visual, and temporal regions. Yet, it is unclear what type of processing in these regions underlies memory errors. The current study examined where schematic lures exhibit greater neural similarity to schematic targets, leading to this memory error, as compared to neural overlap with non-schematic lures, which, like schematic lures, are novel items at retrieval. Results showed that patterns of neural activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, medial frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, hippocampus, and occipital cortices exhibited greater neural pattern similarity for schematic targets and schematic lures than between schematic lures and non-schematic lures. As such, results suggest that schematic membership, and not object history, may be more critical to the neural processes underlying memory retrieval in the context of a strong schema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia symptoms are pervasive and persistent in alcohol use disorder (AUD), though little is known about the mechanisms that underlie this association. We previously found that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I) reduced alcohol‐related problems among veterans by improving insomnia severity (NCT03806491). In this planned secondary analysis of the same clinical trial data, we tested negative emotionality as one potential mechanism to explain this effect. Specifically, we tested the change in negative emotionality as a mediator of the association between change in insomnia symptoms and alcohol‐related outcomes (craving, heavy drinking frequency, and alcohol‐related problems). Methods: Participants were 67 veterans in treatment for AUD who also met the criteria for insomnia disorder (91% male, 84% White, average age = 46.3 years). Participants were randomized to five sessions of CBT‐I or a single‐session sleep hygiene control. Assessments occurred at baseline, immediately posttreatment (~6 weeks after baseline), and at 6‐week follow‐up. Measures included the Insomnia Severity Index, Penn Alcohol Craving Scale, Timeline Followback, and Short Inventory of Problems. We created a latent negative emotionality indicator based on five validated and reliable measures of negative emotionality. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, CBT‐I did not improve negative emotionality relative to sleep hygiene control. However, across both treatment conditions, decreases in insomnia symptoms from baseline to posttreatment were associated with concurrent decreases in negative emotionality, which in turn predicted reductions in alcohol craving and heavy drinking. Conclusion: Negative emotionality may help explain links between insomnia symptoms and alcohol‐related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research shows that minoritized (i.e. Black and Hispanic) older workers are more likely to work in jobs subject to employment disruptions and negative economic outcomes, including job and wage loss. Of the studies that have examined the pandemic-related employment and financial outcomes of minoritized older workers, few studies have accounted for the role that pre-COVID-19 financial precarity (i.e. ongoing financial strain) might play in post-COVID-19 financial precarity. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we evaluate the racial/ethnic differences in post-COVID-19 employment disruption and financial precarities among workers 51 years and older (N = 708 to 2,812 respondents depending on the outcome measure). Ordinary Least Squares regression and moderation analyses show that older Black and Hispanic workers were more likely to experience post-COVID-19 employment disruption and associated financial precarities (e.g. missed rent/mortgage payment). Furthermore, the consequences of preexisting financial precarity differed by race/ethnicity. Non-Hispanic white older workers without pre-COVID-19 financial precarity were uniquely protected from post-COVID-19 financial precarity, whereas Black and Hispanic older workers were more likely to experience post-COVID-19 financial precarity even in the absence of pre-COVID-19 precarity. Findings suggest that multi-level policies and interventions need to address structural inequity contributing to minoritized older workers' financial vulnerability during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acids, lipids, and other cell components can be found within different types of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include apoptotic bodies (ABs), large extracellular vesicles (LEVs), and small extracellular vesicles (SEVs). Release of LEVs from cells can be reduced by genetic or pharmacological inhibition of the enzyme acid sphinogomyelinase (aSMase), and indeed several studies have demonstrated a role for the clinically approved aSMase inhibitor imipramine in blocking LEV release, including in response to UVB exposure. Given that exposure of keratinocytes to UVB radiation results in the generation of UVR photoproducts in DNA that can subsequently be found in association with ABs and SEVs, we examined how imipramine impacts the release of extracellular DNA containing UVR photoproducts at an early time point after UVR exposure. Using several different model systems, including cultured keratinocytes in vitro, discarded human surgical skin ex vivo, and skin biopsies obtained from treated human subjects, these pilot studies suggest that imipramine treatment stimulates the release of CPD‐containing, SEV‐associated DNA. These surprising findings indicate that LEV and SEV generation pathways could be linked in UVB‐irradiated cells and that imipramine may exacerbate the systemic effects of extracellular UVR‐damaged DNA throughout the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Boster et al. (2012) superdiffuser model predicts that a health behavior change can be diffused through a social network by recruiting superdiffusers, a type of opinion leader who possesses 3 key traits, to promote that health behavior change. Yet, that model does not specify how to recruit opinion leaders for applied contexts. This pair of studies sought to demonstrate that the self-schema matching model of persuasion can be used to design recruitment messages for a potential campaign. Study 1 (N = 342) used an online survey to identify the self-schema of health mavens, one of the three superdiffuser traits. Study 2 conducted an online message experiment (N = 393) and demonstrated that targeting the health maven's self-schema increases the persuasiveness of a message designed to recruit them for a word-of-mouth behavior change campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northwest Africa (NWA) 12384 is a lunar polymict breccia composed almost entirely of basaltic components. The clast content includes low‐ to very‐low‐Ti volcanic picritic glass, basaltic vitrophyre, and crystalline pigeonite basalt—an assemblage of volcanic materials that can be tested for petrogenetic relationships. We present the inferred history of select mare components of NWA 12384 as suggested by texture, mineralogy, and petrography, and compare them to Apollo samples and other lunar meteorites. In addition, we used the volcanic glasses in the breccia as a primary composition for crystallization modeling and comparison to the lithic clast compositions. We find that the mafic clasts in NWA 12384 cannot be derived from the picritic glass through a common liquid line of descent because of higher Ti content, though they may have crystallized from a separate, common liquid line of descent. These clasts could represent local source‐region heterogeneity or differential assimilation of more Ti‐rich material. Pb‐Pb SIMS analyses of a large basalt clast in NWA 12384 reveal an age of 3044 ± 41 Ma (2σ), which is used together with the chemical data and 4π cosmic ray exposure age of less than 20 kyr and terrestrial age of between 3.1 and 17.3 kyr to constrain the possible locations of provenance for this meteorite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The approximately 11-year solar cycle has been shown to impact the heavy ion composition of the solar wind, even when accounting for streams of differing speeds; however, the heavy ion composition observed between the same specific phases of a past solar cycle and the current cycle has rarely, if ever, been compared. Here, we compare the heavy ion composition of the solar wind, as measured in situ during the solar cycle 23 and 25 ascending phases. We examine the mean iron and oxygen charge state composition and the O7+/O6+ ratio in multiple ranges of associated bulk wind speeds. Then, we compare the iron and oxygen charge state composition and relative abundance of iron to oxygen in the traditionally defined fast and slow solar wind. Finally, to determine the impact of individual ion contributions on the solar wind iron abundance, we examine individual ratios of iron and oxygen ions. Although the charge state composition remained broadly similar between these two ascending phases, both the O7+/O6+ ratio and iron fractionation in fast-speed streams were higher in the solar cycle 25 ascending phase than they were during the solar cycle 23 ascending phase, suggesting that equatorial coronal hole fields more frequently reconnected with helmet streamers or active regions in the latter of the two ascending phases; however, more work will need to be done to connect these observations back to their coronal origins. The individual ion ratios used in this work provided a spectrum to analyze the aggregate elemental abundances, and this work, as a whole, is an important step in determining how conditions in the corona may vary between solar cycles between the same phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flint Hall Farm in Godstone, Surrey, UK, is situated adjacent to the London Orbital Motorway, or M25, and contains several landslide systems which pose a significant geohazard risk to this critical infrastructure. The site has been routinely monitored by geotechnical engineers following a landslide that encroached onto the hard shoulder in December 2000; current in situ instrumentation includes inclinometers and piezoelectric sensors. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is an active remote sensing technique that can quantify millimetric rates of Earth surface and structural deformation, typically utilising satellite data, and is ideal for monitoring landslide movements. We have developed the hardware and software for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone radar system, for improved operational flexibility and spatial–temporal resolutions in the InSAR data. The hardware payload includes an industrial-grade DJI drone, a high-performance Ettus Software Defined Radar (SDR), and custom Copper Clad Laminate (CCL) radar horn antennas. The software utilises Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar at 5.4 GHz for raw data collection and a Range Migration Algorithm (RMA) for focusing the data into a Single Look Complex (SLC) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image. We present the first SAR image acquired using the drone radar system at Flint Hall Farm, which provides an improved spatial resolution compared to satellite SAR. Discrete targets on the landslide slope, such as corner reflectors and the in situ instrumentation, are visible as bright pixels, with their size and positioning as expected; the surrounding grass and vegetation appear as natural speckles. Drone SAR imaging is an emerging field of research, given the necessary and recent technological advancements in drones and SDR processing power; as such, this is a novel achievement, with few authors demonstrating similar systems. Ongoing and future work includes repeat-pass SAR data collection and developing the InSAR processing chain for drone SAR data to provide meaningful deformation outputs for the landslides and other geotechnical hazards and infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating high magnetic fields requires materials with not only high electric conductivity but also good strength properties in order to withstand the necessarily strong Lorentz forces. A number of bi-metal composites, most notably Cu/Nb, are considered to be good candidates for this purpose. Here, we generalize our previous work on Cu/Nb in order to predict, from theory, the dependence of electric conductivity on the microstructure and volume fraction of the less conductive component for a number of other bi-metal composites. Together with information on strength properties (taken from previous literature), the conductivity information we provide in this work can help to identify new promising candidate materials (such as Cu/Nb, Cu/Ag, Cu/W, ...) for magnet applications with the highest achievable field strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to ionizing radiation induces cellular and molecular damage leading to a cascade of events resulting in tissue and organ injury. Our study strives to characterize and validate metabolomic changes in preterminal stage (immediately prior to death) samples collected from rhesus macaques lethally irradiated with one of two different doses of radiation. Peripheral blood samples were collected pre-exposure, post-exposure, and at the preterminal stage of nonhuman primates (NHPs that did not survive exposure with 7.2 Gy or 7.6 Gy total-body radiation (LD60-80/60)). We analyzed global metabolomic alterations using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS) in serum samples collected at various timepoints in relation to radiation exposure. The goal of this study was to validate the metabolic shifts present in samples collected just prior to death, which were reported earlier in a preliminary study with a limited number of samples and a single dose of radiation. Here, we demonstrate that radiation exposure induced significant time-dependent metabolic alterations compared with pre-exposure samples. We observed significant metabolite dysregulation in animals exposed to 7.6 Gy compared to 7.2 Gy. Greater metabolic disruption was observed in the preterminal groups than all of the other post-irradiation timepoints in both cohorts. Metabolomic shifts in these preterminal groups also revealed consistent disturbances in sphingolipid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Overall, the sphingolipid metabolism pathway appears to be representative of the preterminal phenotype, confirming the results of our preliminary study. These results offer important and novel insights for identification and validation of biomarkers for lethality, and such observations would be valuable for triage during a radiological/nuclear mass casualty scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionsClinical ImplicationsThe study evaluated the feasibility of implementing Dementia Collaborative Coaching (DCC) into the routine workflow of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in nursing homes (NHs). DCC is an intervention delivered by SLPs to train nursing assistants (CNAs) in communication strategies to support people living with dementia (PLWD).We assessed the feasibility of identifying eligible PLWD; estimated intervention fidelity; evaluated suitability of outcome measures; and determined the preliminary impact on behavioral and psychological symptoms of distress (BPSD) among PLWD. SLPs completed a semi-structured interview to collect further acceptability data.Four SLPs in four NHs completed DCC with 10 CNAs and 15 eligible PLWD that they appropriately identified from their caseloads. SLPs conducted 90 DCC sessions with 64% fidelity and billed Medicare for all sessions. The outcome measure of Minimum Data Set item E0200B: Rejection of Care did not vary enough to be useful, but positive changes were noted on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, t(14) = 10.51, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 2.76. Interviews further indicated feasibility.It is feasible to implement DCC into the workflow of SLPs in NHs.Given the feasibility and preliminary positive impacts, SLPs could consider implementing DCC in routine care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear how family factors affect health care utilization among youth with persistent or recurrent pain, despite potential relevance to interventions targeting treatment barriers. Objective: We aimed to examine health care utilization among young adolescents with persistent or recurrent pain and family factor influences toward higher health care utilization. Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and coded pain as none, infrequent (present 1-2 years), or persistent/recurrent pain (present 3-4 years). Higher health care utilization was coded as nonroutine or emergency department visit at ≥2 years. Parent-reported education, pain status, family income, and insurance status were recorded. Logistic regression examined the contributions of the child's pain and family factors toward higher health care utilization. Results: Among 5960 youth, 1908 (32%) had persistent/recurrent pain and 2199 (37%) had infrequent pain. Youth with persistent/recurrent pain were more likely to have higher health care utilization compared to those without pain (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.39) or those with infrequent pain (OR: 1.79). Higher health care utilization was associated with parents' pain (adjusted OR: 1.22) and higher education (adjusted OR: 1.44), and family income below the poverty line (adjusted OR: 1.26), controlling for child characteristics and pain status. Conclusion: Findings show how youths' persistent/recurrent pain, parental, and family socioeconomic factors affect health care utilization among young adolescents, emphasizing a need for family-centered care and economic policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe enhancements to an operational forecast system based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for the prediction of high-impact weather events affecting power utilities, particularly conditions conducive to wildfires. The system was developed for Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation (PG&E) to forecast conditions in Northern and Central California for critical decision-making such as proactively de-energizing selected circuits within the power grid. WRF forecasts are routinely produced on a 2 km grid, and the results are used as input to wildfire fuel moisture, fire probability, wildfire spread, and outage probability models. This forecast system produces skillful real-time forecasts while achieving an optimal blend of model resolution and ensemble size appropriate for today's computational resources afforded to utilities. Numerous experiments were performed with different model settings, grid spacing, and ensemble configuration to develop an operational forecast system optimized for skill and cost. Dry biases were reduced by leveraging a new irrigation scheme, while wind skill was improved through a novel approach involving the selection of Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) members used to drive WRF. We hope that findings in this study can help other utilities (especially those with similar weather impacts) improve their own forecast system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective messages to promote climate action requires an understanding of how these messages are processed by different groups. Though the influence of partisan identity on this processing is well established, much less is known about the role of preexisting climate beliefs. Furthermore, scholars have recently raised the possibility that what appear to be partisan effects on message judgments may simply be byproducts of accuracy-driven differences in perceived source credibility. Three online experiments revealed evidence that speaks to these conversations. The results show that message source, political affiliation, and preexisting climate beliefs combine nonadditively to affect persuasion. Furthermore, their effects are mediated by perceived source credibility. However, the evidence also suggests that this pattern emerged not because accuracy goals drive different perceptions of credibility but because credibility judgments are equally susceptible to directional motivated reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: From 2018 to 2022, mass shooting incidents in the United States increased by 67.7%. Health care–associated shootings also increased. The role of acute and critical care nurses during shootings is not well defined in the literature. Objective: To identify roles of acute and critical care nurses during mass shooting incidents and provide best-practice recommendations for shooting incidents within a hospital. Methods: The methods of Whittemore, Knafl, and Torraco informed this integrative review. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus databases were searched for publications related to acute and critical care nurses, mass shooting incidents, and hospital setting. Results: Of 13 589 articles retrieved, 27 were included; 63% were narrative reviews. The highest level of evidence was an expert consensus panel; next highest was a quasi-experimental study that simulated experiences to test mass casualty incident response. Third highest was a qualitative study that analyzed nurses' experiences during a mass casualty experience. Discussion: The evidence revealed 3 themes: prevention and preparedness, response to incident, and recovery phase. Education and training for acute and critical care nurses about mass shooting incidents are central to defining nurses' roles and best practices for these incidents. Nurses must know Stop the Bleed techniques and run-hide-fight protocols. Additionally, acute and critical care nurses need representation on hospital committees to develop and implement policies and procedures. Conclusions: Hospitals are not immune to mass shooting incidents. Acute and critical care nurses require education including simulations and drills on mass shooting incidents to ensure safety of nurses and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring thermal stability in magnetic random access memory devices is non-trivial. Recently, there has been much discussion on the appropriate model to use: single domain or domain wall nucleation. Of particular challenge is assessing the maximum size at which the single domain model can be assumed. Typically, this is estimated to be in the range of 20–30 nm based on a value of the exchange stiffness (A e x ) that is assumed, estimated using indirect measurements or derived from significantly thicker films. In this work, it is proposed that this maximum size can be measured directly via the "activation volume" (V a c t ) or the "activation diameter" (D a c t ), which originates from the concept of magnetic viscosity. This is conducted by measuring, using the time dependence of magnetization at different applied fields, D a c t in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction pillars of varying effective anisotropy constant (K e f f ) and diameter. It is shown that the trend in D a c t follows 1 / K e f f dependence, in good agreement with the analytic model for the critical diameter of coherent switching. Critically, it is also found that the smallest size for which a single domain, with coherent reversal, occurs is 20 nm. Thus, in devices with technologically relevant values of K e f f , the macrospin model may only be used in 20 nm, or smaller, devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft porous coordination polymers (SPCPs) are materials with exceptional potential because of their ability to incorporate the properties of nominally rigid porous materials like metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and those of soft matter, such as polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs). This combination could offer the gas adsorption properties of MOFs together with the mechanical stability and processability of PIMs, opening up a space of flexible, highly responsive adsorbing materials. In order to understand their structure and behavior, we present a process for the construction of amorphous SPCPs from secondary building blocks. We then use classical molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the resulting structures based on branch functionalities (f), pore size distributions (PSDs), and radial distribution functions and compare them to experimentally synthesized analogs. In the course of this comparison, we demonstrate that the pore structure of SPCPs is due to both pores intrinsic to the secondary building blocks, and intercolloid spacing between colloid particles. We also illustrate the differences in nanoscale structure based on linker length and flexibility, particularly in the PSDs, finding that stiff linkers tend to produce SPCPs with larger maximum pore sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of digital health technologies to measure outcomes in clinical trials opens new opportunities as well as methodological challenges. Digital outcome measures may provide more sensitive and higher-frequency measurements but pose vital statistical challenges around how such outcomes should be defined and validated and how trials incorporating digital outcome measures should be designed and analysed. This article presents eight methodological questions, exploring issues such as the length of measurement period, choice of summary statistic and definition and handling of missing data as well as the potential for new estimands and new analyses to leverage the time series data from digital devices. The impact of key issues highlighted by the eight questions on a primary analysis of a trial are illustrated through a simulation study based on the 2019 Bellerophon INOPulse trial which had time spent in MVPA as a digital outcome measure. These eight questions present broad areas where methodological guidance is needed to enable wider uptake of digital outcome measures in trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigation requires integrating sensory information with a stable schema to create a dynamic map of an animal’s position using egocentric and allocentric coordinate systems. In the hippocampus, place cells encode allocentric space, but their firing rates may also exhibit directional tuning within egocentric or allocentric reference frames. We compared experimental and simulated data to assess the prevalence of tuning to egocentric bearing (EB) among hippocampal cells in rats foraging in an open field. Using established procedures, we confirmed egocentric modulation of place cell activity in recorded data; however, simulated data revealed a high false-positive rate (FPR). When we accounted for false positives by comparing with shuffled data that retain correlations between the animal’s direction and position, only a very low number of hippocampal neurons appeared modulated by EB. Our study highlights biases affecting FPRs and provides insights into the challenges of identifying egocentric modulation in hippocampal neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the Early Agricultural period (4100 to 1900 BP) has been saturated with data from sites spanning Northwestern Mexico and the American Southwest. As our understanding of the role of maize in Early Agricultural populations has grown, our understanding of the behavioral changes has also been affected. As a result, the methodologies of this study requires more than site level analyses, and integration into other crucial sites of the Early Agricultural period such as La Playa, Cerro Juanaqueña, and Casas Grandes. To understand the transition from mixed subsistence to the reliance on maize, multiple variables must be considered: ecology, stable isotope analysis, dietary variability, and behavioral changes. This article seeks to highlight the site of La Playa, in Northern Sonora, Mexico by focusing on the dependence on maize with δ13Ccollagen and δ13Capatite isotopes to evaluate the reduction of variability throughout the Early Agricultural period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes recent work at the site of Las Chachalacas, located in the Municipio of Quiriego, southern Sonora. Set within the western foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Las Chachalacas was adjacent to an arroyo that periodically became impounded, producing a marsh like environment. Stratigraphic associations and a minimal number of 14C dates suggest the site was regularly utilized from the terminal Pleistocene through the Early Agricultural period. Results contribute to several enduring debates in the North American Southwest regarding Pleistocene landscape use, demographic continuity through the Holocene Climatic Optimum (7500–5000 cal BP), the sequence of mobility and subsistence changes in the Archaic/Early Agricultural periods, and the identities of the earliest farmers indexed by material culture such as projectile points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, geopolitical instability across the globe has increased the risk of a large-scale radiological event, when radiation biomarkers would be needed for an effective triage of an irradiated population. Ionizing radiation elicits a complex response in the proteome, genome, and metabolome and hence can be leveraged as rapid and sensitive indicators of irradiation-induced damage. We analyzed the plasma of total-body irradiated (TBI) leukemia patients (n = 24) and nonhuman primates (NHPs; n = 10) before and 24 h after irradiation, and we performed a global metabolomic study aiming to provide plasma metabolites as candidate radiation biomarkers for biological dosimetry. Peripheral blood samples were collected according to the appropriate ethical approvals, and metabolites were extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We identified an array of metabolites significantly altered by irradiation, including bilirubin, cholesterol, and 18-hydroxycorticosterone, which were detected in leukemia patients and NHPs. Pathway analysis showed overlapping perturbations in steroidogenesis, porphyrin metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism. Additionally, we observed dysregulation in bile acid biosynthesis and tyrosine metabolism in the TBI patient cohort. This investigation is, to our best knowledge, among the first to provide valuable insights into a comparison between human and NHP irradiation models. The findings from this study could be leveraged for translational biological dosimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]