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ABSTRACT: Background: It is documented that COVID-19 survivors have prolonged morbidity and functional impairment for many years. Data regarding post-COVID-19 lung functions is lacking from the Indian population. We aim to evaluate the lung functions in such patients after 3–6 months of hospital discharge. Methods: In this prospective observational study, patients were assessed 3 to 6 months post-discharge and underwent standardized pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and CT Thorax if required. The following parameters were measured and correlated with the disease severity: Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the First Second (FEV1), Forced Expiratory Flows at 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF25%-75%), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and FEV1/FVC. Results: A total of 52 post-COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the study, with a median age of 43 years (78.8% males). 44.2% of patients had mild disease, 26.9% had moderate disease and 23.1% had severe disease at hospital admission. A restrictive pattern was seen in 20.8% of patients. The mean value of FEV1 and FVC decreased as the disease severity increased. FEV1: mild-3.21 ± 0.71, moderate-2.62 ± 0.61 and severe- 2.51 ± 0.72, P = 0.02; FVC: mild-3.69 ± 0.81, moderate-3.04 ± 0.71 and severe- 2.93 ± 0.87, P = 0.02. After adjusting the confounding factors, the mean pulmonary function values were lower in the patients who required oxygen support, with a significant difference in FEV1, FVC, PEF and FEF 25–75% with P values of 0.025, 0.046, 0.028 and 0.007, respectively. 66.67% had abnormal HRCT findings. Age and high LDH were correlated with HRCT abnormality with P values of 0.015 and 0.024. Age >50 years was found to be an independent predictor of the subsequent development of abnormality on the HRCT thorax. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, which required oxygen, especially severe disease at the time of hospitalization, had a higher rate of abnormal spirometry than patients with mild symptoms. Follow-up CT scans obtained within six months of disease onset showed abnormalities in more than half of patients, particularly elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, there has been a growing interest in exploring AI-driven chatbots, such as ChatGPT, as a resource for disease management and education. Objective: The study aims to evaluate ChatGPT's accuracy and quality/clarity in providing nutritional management for Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), the Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, in accordance with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' guidelines. Methods: Three nutrition management-related domains were considered: (1) Dietary management, (2) Nutrition care process (NCP) and (3) Menu planning (1500 kcal). A total of 63 prompts were used. Two experienced dietitians evaluated the chatbot output's concordance with the guidelines. Results: Both dietitians provided similar assessments for most conditions examined in the study. Gaps in the ChatGPT-derived outputs were identified and included weight loss recommendations, energy deficit, anthropometric assessment, specific nutrients of concern and the adoption of specific dietary interventions. Gaps in physical activity recommendations were also observed, highlighting ChatGPT's limitations in providing holistic lifestyle interventions. Within the NCP, the generated output provided incomplete examples of diagnostic documentation statements and had significant gaps in the monitoring and evaluation step. In the 1500 kcal one-day menus, the amounts of carbohydrates, fat, vitamin D and calcium were discordant with dietary recommendations. Regarding clarity, dietitians rated the output as either good or excellent. Conclusion: Although ChatGPT is an increasingly available resource for practitioners, users are encouraged to consider the gaps identified in this study in the dietary management of T2DM and the MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Young people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) or at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis often have lower vocational engagement than their peers. This study examines the effect of treatment in early intervention for psychosis services in Australia on engagement in education and employment. Methods: This is a naturalistic sample of young people aged 12–25 with FEP (n = 1574) and UHR (n = 1515), accessing treatment in the headspace Early Psychosis (hEP) programme. Engagement in education and employment was assessed at baseline and every 90 days in treatment. Mixed effects logistic regression were used to analyse changes over time. Results: On entering the hEP programme, approximately 49% of the young people with FEP and 28% of the young people at UHR status identified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). The odds of being NEET were reduced by 27% (95% confidence interval = [14, 39]) for every 6 months treatment for the FEP group, but no change in NEET status was observed in the UHR group. In both groups, absence from daily activities was significantly reduced during time in treatment. Conclusion: While there are methodological challenges analysing real-world non-control group cohort data, the findings indicate positive effects of the hEP programme on vocational and daily activity engagement for young people with FEP and at UHR status. A large proportion of the young people still identified as NEET after receiving treatment services, suggesting further refinement to ensure targeted and consistent vocational support throughout care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daylong recordings provide an ecologically valid option for analyzing language input, and have become a central method for studying child language development. However, the vast majority of this work has been conducted in North America. We harnessed a unique collection of daylong recordings from Slovenian infants (age: 16–30 months, N = 40, 18 girls), and focus our attention on manually annotated measures of parentese (infant‐directed speech with a higher pitch, slower tempo, and exaggerated intonation), conversational turns, infant words, and word combinations. Measures from daylong recordings showed large variation, but were comparable to previous studies with North American samples. Infants heard almost twice as much speech and parentese from mothers compared to fathers, but there were no differences in language input to boys and girls. Positive associations were found between the social‐interactional features of language input (parentese, turn‐taking) and infants' concurrent language production. Measures of child speech from daylong recordings were positively correlated with measures obtained through the Slovenian MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventory. These results support the notion that the social‐interactional features of parental language input are the foundation of infants' language skills, even in an environment where infants spend much of their waking hours in childcare settings, as they do in Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connected components in automobiles face cybersecurity threats if not adequately protected. The Controller Area Network (CAN), the primary communication protocol in vehicular systems, lacks essential security mechanisms, necessitating heightened cybersecurity awareness in the automotive industry. This paper presents a methodology to enhance cybersecurity within the CAN network, including a comparative study with benchmark results. Our research focuses on improving multiclass Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) for the CAN network. We introduce a hybrid deep learning model tailored for precise multiclass classification of attacks, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) IDS that incorporates a comprehensive set of features. The evaluation on diverse cyber-attacks from the Car-Hacking dataset demonstrates the model's effectiveness. This study contributes to the field by offering a brief assessment of current state-of-the-art methods and presenting a novel approach to bolster cybersecurity. The proposed IDS serves as a valuable reference for ensuring the cybersecurity of automotive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The growth and development of infants during the first 1000 days of life are crucial for their health. Objectives: This study aims to assess the impact of maternal characteristics and infant feeding patterns on infant growth from birth to 18 months. Methods: Data were derived from the 2‐year perspective Mother Infant Study Cohort (MISC) study which included six visits from the third trimester of pregnancy until 18 months postpartum. A convenient sample of 256 pregnant women aged 19–40 years was recruited from Sharjah, Dubai and Ajman in the United Arab Emirates. Results: Amongst mothers' characteristics, Arab nationality, pre‐pregnancy overweight/obesity, higher gestational weight gain and lower physical activity were found to increase the likelihood of infants being overweight at 6, 12 and 18 months. Exclusive breastfeeding was positively correlated with reduced odds of the infant being overweight at 18 months (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.12–0.81). Breastfeeding for up to 6 months and the introduction of solid foods after 6 months was associated with reduced odds of the infant being overweight at 12 months old (aOR = 4, 95% CI: 1.1–14.6; aOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.09–8.08, respectively). Conclusion: The findings spotlight the influence of maternal characteristics and infant feeding on infant growth. This asserts the need for evidence‐based programmes targeting mothers to promote optimal feeding practices and foster healthy child growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the association of prepregnancy dietary patterns with postpartum weight retention at 6 months (PPWR6) among Lebanese and Qatari women. Methods: Data for this study were derived from the Mother and Infant Nutrition Assessment (MINA) prospective cohort study conducted in Lebanon and Qatar. Pregnant women were recruited during their first trimester and were followed up for three years. For the purpose of this study, data belonging to sociodemographic characteristics of participants, prepregnancy dietary intake, prepregnancy BMI as well as weight retention at 6 months were used. Dietary intake was examined using a 98-item food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used for the derivation of dietary patterns. The associations of dietary patterns with PPWR6 were examined using simple and multiple linear regressions. Results: Data was available for 177 participants (Lebanon: 93; Qatar: 84). Mean PPWR6 was 4.05 ± 5.29 kg. Significantly higher PPWR6 was observed among participants with pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and among those with excessive gestational weight gain. Two dietary patterns were identified: the "Western" and the "Varied" patterns. After adjustment for confounders, a positive association was observed between the 'Western' pattern scores and PPWR6 (ß = 1.27; 95% CI 0.68–1.86; p value: < 0.0001). Conclusion: Higher adherence to the Western pattern was associated with higher PPWR6 amongst women, hence underscoring the importance of public health interventions aimed at fostering healthier dietary habits during this crucial stage of the lifecycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical training is a key element in maintaining and improving today's healthcare standards. Given the nature of medical work, students must master not only theory but also develop their hands-on abilities and skills in clinical practice. Medical simulators play an increasing role in supporting the active learning of these students due to their ability to present a large variety of tasks allowing students to train and experiment indefinitely without causing any patient harm. While the criticality of explainable AI systems has been extensively discussed in the literature, the medical training context presents unique user needs for explanations. In this paper, we explore the potential gap of current limitations within simulation-based training, and the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds in supporting the needs of medical students in training. Through contextual inquiries and interviews with clinicians in training (N = 9) and subsequent validation with medical experts (N = 4), we obtain an understanding of the shortcomings in current simulation-based training and offer recommendations for future AI-driven training. Our results stress the need for continuous and actionable feedback that resembles the interaction between clinical supervisor and resident in real-world training scenarios while adjusting training material to the residents' skills and prior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Language ENvironment Analysis system (LENA) records children's language environment and provides an automatic estimate of adult–child conversational turn count (CTC) by automatically identifying adult and child speech in close temporal proximity. To assess the reliability of this measure, we examine correlation and agreement between LENA's CTC estimates and manual measurement of adult–child turn-taking in two corpora collected in the USA: a bilingual corpus of Spanish–English-speaking families with infants between 4 and 22 months (n = 37), and a corpus of monolingual families with English-speaking 5-year-olds (n = 56). In each corpus for each child, 100 30-second segments were extracted from daylong recordings in two ways, yielding a total of 9300 minutes of manually annotated audio. LENA's CTC estimate for the same segments was obtained through the LENA software. The two measures of CTC had low correlations for the segments from the monolingual 5-year-olds sampled in both ways, and somewhat higher correlations for the bilingual samples. LENA substantially overestimated CTC on average, relative to manual measurement, for three out of four analysis conditions, and limits of agreement were wide in all cases. Segment-level analyses demonstrated that accidental contiguity had the largest individual impact on LENA's average CTC error, affecting 12–17% of analyzed segments. Other factors significantly contributing to CTC error were speech from other children, presence of multiple adults, and presence of electronic media. These results indicate wide discrepancies between LENA's CTC estimates and manual CTCs, and call into question the comparability of LENA's CTC measure across participants, conditions, and developmental time points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated increased workload, stress, and burnout on healthcare providers on the frontlines of the pandemic, dieticians were no exception. Such unprecedented occupational risks and stressors contributed to a higher intention to quit, potentially leading to workforce shortages, and hindering the delivery of quality care, especially for patients with chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians in the United Arab Emirates during a public health emergency. Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional design with an online survey sent to dieticians between January and May 2021. The final version of the questionnaire included four sections: A sociodemographic section, intention to quit, work-related practices and challenges, as well as the resilience scale using the 25 items- Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale© (CD-RISC). Descriptive statistics as well as simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to explore factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians. Results: Study results revealed that a quarter of dieticians intend to quit their jobs. Higher odds of intention to quit among dieticians were significantly associated with male gender, younger age, having a chronic condition, being non-resilient, feeling unappreciated, using online platforms for dietary counseling, reporting increased workload, and working from home or in a blended format during the pandemic. Conclusion: This study revealed a high intention to quit among dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified a few correlates for the intention to quit that could support the development of evidence-based interventions. Such interventions should address through targeted programs the challenges faced by male dieticians, younger dieticians, as well as dieticians with Chronic health conditions. Furthermore, the findings of this study showed that promoting resilience among dieticians is crucial in reducing their intention to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knee arthroplasty for knee arthritis is a commonly performed surgery yielding excellent functional results and good pain relief. It is associated with post-surgical complications according to the type of anesthesia and BMI class.Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database for the years 2005-2012 for patients >18 years of age who underwent knee arthroplasty, condyle and plateau, medial and/or lateral compartment. The surgical site complications, bleeding occurrences necessitating transfusion, unplanned readmissions, and mortality stratified according to anesthesia type and BMI class over a period of 30-days were examined.Results: A total of 78,275 patients were included for analysis; regional anesthesia showed a consistent protective effect from surgical site complications more prominent with increasing obesity class with respective ORs and their corresponding 95% CI for pre-obesity, class I, II, and III obesity being 0.95 [0.89-1.09], 0.75 [0.68-0.83], 0.64 [0.57-0.72], and 0.61 [0.54-0.7].Conclusions: Higher BMI values are a protective factor for the risk of bleeding requiring transfusion in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Moreover, regional anesthesia is the preferred choice of anesthesia as well if postoperative complications are considered. A significant decrease in the rate of post-operative blood transfusions was seen in patients with high BMI and regional anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present bottleneck in biosimilar bioprocess development has become evaluation of analytical results, due to recent advances in analytics, such as automated sample preparation and development of high‐throughput methods. Currently automated chromatogram integration and annotation is only efficient for simple chromatograms. In an ever more competitive field of biosimilars, this represents a serious drawback because chromatographic analytical methods that provide some of the most valuable physicochemical quality attributes of the product also require careful chromatogram integration and annotation. This work focuses on the glycan mapping analytical method as utilized in development of monoclonal antibody biosimilars, evaluating more than 2000 chromatograms spanning the life cycle of multiple biosimilar development projects. It proposes a modified workflow by implementing automatic machine learning algorithms to determine the proportion of specific relevant glycan species in a sample directly from the chromatogram. Data preparation and analysis is performed using a pipeline approach. Pipeline is a modular design of data processing where signal "travels" through various active modules in a series. Each module performs a specific function or transformation on the signal and propagates the transformed signal to the next module. The pipeline is designed in a way that modules can be independently improved and exchanged. Module functions currently implemented are chromatogram resampling by spline interpolation, baseline removal by asymmetric least squares, peak alignment using parametric time warping, and quantification of the relative proportion of a glycan species using partial least squares regression. Hyper‐parameters of the pipeline are then optimized using the Nelder–Mead method. The approach stands out for its ability to accommodate a broad landscape of samples, covering multiple different proteins in different stages of biosimilar development, analyzed using different adaptations of the glycan map analytical method. The pipeline presents an intuitive, flexible, and creatively simple method design capable of providing reliable results for a wide range of glycan species essential for biosimilar development. It enables transparent, faster, and less subjective evaluation of analytic raw data (from sample to result). Furthermore, our automated approach maintained an accuracy comparable with manual integration thus demonstrating its readiness for implementation in the conservative and highly regulated environment. The presented methodology reduces the cost and time of biosimilar development and should be applicable for any chromatogram‐based analytical method. The current analytical workflow for biosimilar development is modified by implementing automatic machine learning algorithms that can determine the proportion of specific relevant glycan species in a sample directly from the chromatogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study aimed to compare safety and long-term prognosis of patients with chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO) stratified for remaining CTOs after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Design: The study cohort consisted of patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CTO PCI in a high volume tertiary center from 2009 to 2019 and were registered in Danish high-quality registers. Patients with successful PCI of all CTOs were compared to patients with ≥1 remaining CTO post-procedural. Primary endpoints were analysed using Cox-regression and Kaplan-Meier estimates, and included all-cause mortality, major adverse cardio- and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and a 30-day safety endpoint.Results: Procedural success rate was 87.7%, and 76.5% of patients had all CTO(s) opened post-PCI. Safety endpoint occurred in 4.6% of patients, and more frequently in patients with remaining CTO(s) (RD 4.9, 95%CI 0.1, 9.8). All-cause mortality was higher in patients with remaining CTO(s) (Unadjusted HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.03, 2.47, p = .015. Adjusted HR 1.32, 95%CI 0.88-1.99, p = .18) after eight years of follow-up. Risk of MACCE was significantly higher in patients with remaining CTO(s) (Unadjusted HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.34-2.41, p < .001. Adjusted HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.11-2.05, p = .009).Conclusions: In our centre, CTO PCI was associated with high success rate and low risk of 30-days complications. Presence of remaining CTO(s) after final revascularization attempt was associated with higher but statistically insignificant long-term mortality but was an independent predictor of MACCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventions focused on the home language environment have been shown to improve a number of child language outcomes in the first years of life. However, data on the longer‐term effects of the intervention are still somewhat limited. The current study examines child vocabulary and complex speech outcomes (N = 59) during the year following completion of a parent‐coaching intervention, which was previously found to increase the quantity of parent‐child conversational turns and to improve child language outcomes through 18 months of age. Measures of parental language input, child speech output, and parent‐child conversational turn‐taking were manually coded from naturalistic home recordings (Language Environment Analysis System, LENA) at regular 4‐month intervals when children were 6‐ to 24‐months old. Child language skills were assessed using the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) at four time‐points following the final intervention session (at 18, 24, 27, and 30 months). Vocabulary size and growth from 18 to 30 months was greater in the intervention group, even after accounting for differences in child language ability during the intervention period. The intervention group also scored higher on measures of speech length and grammatical complexity, and these effects were mediated by 18‐month vocabulary. Intervention was associated with increased parent‐child conversational turn‐taking in home recordings at 14 months, and mediation analysis suggested that 14‐month conversational turn‐taking accounted for intervention‐related differences in subsequent vocabulary. Together, the results suggest enduring, positive effects of parental language intervention and underscore the importance of interactive, conversational language experience during the first 2 years of life. Research Highlights: Parent coaching was provided as part of a home language intervention when children were 6–18 months of age.Naturalistic home language recordings showed increased parent‐child conversational turn‐taking in the intervention group at 14 months of age.Measures of productive vocabulary and complex speech indicated more advanced expressive language skills in the intervention group through 30 months of age, a full year after the final intervention session.Conversational turn‐taking at 14 months predicted subsequent child vocabulary and accounted for differences in vocabulary size across the intervention and control groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2011, it was decided to implement chromosomal microarray in prenatal testing in the Central Denmark Region, mainly due to the expected higher diagnostic yield. Chromosomal microarray was introduced gradually for an increasing number of pregnancies and without a transition period where both karyotyping and chromosomal microarray were performed: first malformations (2011), then large nuchal translucency (2013), then high risk at combined first trimester risk screening (2016) and finally for all indications (2018). This retrospective study summarizes 11 years of using chromosomal microarray in invasive prenatal testing and presents the effect on diagnostic yield and turnaround time. Furthermore, the concerns when introducing chromosomal microarray are presented and discussed. Material and methods: Registry data from the Danish Fetal Medicine Database, the regional fetal medicine database, the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register and the local laboratory database at Department of Clinical Genetics were all combined, and a cohort of 147 158 singleton pregnancies with at least one ultrasound examination was established Results: Of the 147 158 pregnancies, invasive sampling was performed (chorionic villi or amniocytes) in 8456, corresponding to an overall invasive rate of 5.8%. Between 2016 and 2018, 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.8–4.2%; n = 86) of the invasive samples (n = 2533) had a disease causing copy number variant and 5.3% (95% CI 4.4–6.2%; n = 133) had trisomies and other aneuploidies. The turnaround time more than halved from 14 days to an average of 5.5 days for chorionic villus sampling. Conclusions: Chromosomal microarray identified 5.3% trisomies and 3.4% copy number variants, thereby increased the diagnostic yield by more than 64% compared with karyotype only and it also more than halved the turnaround time. Some preliminary concerns proved real, eg prenatal counseling complexity, but these have been resolved over time in a clinical path with expert consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The short-term incidence of ischemic stroke after a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is high. However, data on the long-term incidence are not well known but are needed to guide preventive strategies. METHODS: Patients with first-time TIA (index date) in the Danish Stroke Registry (January 2014-December 2020) were included and matched 1:4 with individuals from the background population and 1:1 with patients with a first-time ischemic stroke on the basis of age, sex, and calendar year. The incidences of ischemic stroke and mortality from index date were estimated by Aalen-Johansen and Kaplan-Meier estimators, respectively, and compared between groups using multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: We included 21 500 patients with TIA, 86 000 patients from the background population, and 21 500 patients with ischemic stroke (median age, 70.8 years [25th-75th percentile, 60.8-78.7]; 53.1% males). Patients with TIA had more comorbidities than the background population, yet less than the control stroke population. The 5-year incidence of ischemic stroke after TIA (6.1% [95% CI, 5.7-6.5]) was higher than the background population (1.5% [95% CI, 1.4-1.6], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 5.14 [95% CI, 4.65-5.69]) but lower than the control stroke population (8.9% [95% CI, 8.4-9.4], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.53-0.64]). The 5-year mortality for patients with TIA (18.6% [95% CI, 17.9-19.3]) was higher than the background population (14.8% [95% CI, 14.5-15.1], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.20-1.32]) but lower than the control stroke population (30.1% [95% CI, 29.3-30.9], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.39-0.44]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with first-time TIA had an ischemic stroke incidence of 6.1% during the 5-year follow-up period. After adjustment for relevant comorbidities, this incidence was approximately 5-fold higher than what was found for controls in the background population and 40% lower than for patients with recurrent ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has led to an increase in incidental findings in the central nervous system. Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) is a condition where imaging reveals lesions suggestive of demyelinating disease without any clinical episodes consistent with multiple sclerosis (MS). The prognosis for RIS patients is uncertain, with some remaining asymptomatic while others progress to MS. Several risk factors for disease progression have been identified, including male sex, younger age at diagnosis, and spinal cord lesions. This article reviews two promising biomarkers, the central vein sign (CVS) and the paramagnetic rim sign (PRS), and their potential role in the diagnosis and prognosis of MS and RIS. Both CVS and PRS have been shown to be accurate diagnostic markers in MS, with high sensitivity and specificity, and have been useful in distinguishing MS from other disorders. Further research is needed to validate these findings and determine the clinical utility of these biomarkers in routine practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal Sabkhas are mudflats found in arid coastal regions that are located within the supratidal zone when high rates of evaporation lead to high salinity. While evaporitic minerals often accumulate underneath the surface, the microbial mats are present on the surface of Sabkhas. Coastal Sabkha, an under-studied ecosystem in Qatar, has the potential to store blue carbon. In the present study, we investigated the carbon storage capacity of two Sabkhas from contrasting geological backgrounds. The spatial and temporal variabilities of the carbon stocks were examined. The results showed that both studied Sabkhas exhibit a considerable potential for soil carbon storage with carbon stocks of 109.11 ± 7.07 Mg C ha−1 and 67.77 ± 18.10 Mg C ha−1 in Dohat Faishakh and Khor al Adaid Sabkha respectively. These values fall within the reported range for carbon stocks in coastal Sabkhas in the region (51–194 Mg C ha−1). Interestingly, the carbon stocks in the sediments of the Sabkhas were higher than those in the sediments of Qatari mangroves (50.17 ± 6.27 Mg C ha−1). These finding suggest that coastal Sabkhas can serve as blue carbon ecosystems in arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We present a case illustrating evolution of symptoms and brain magnetic resonance imaging in cortical superficial siderosis. Case presentation: A 74-year-old man with no prior medical history presented with transient focal neurological episodes with subtle imaging changes. There was no evidence of cortical superficial siderosis. Two weeks later, the patient was readmitted with new episodes, and had developed cortical superficial siderosis adjacent to a cerebral microbleed. Transient focal neurological episode secondary to cortical superficial siderosis was diagnosed together with probable cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Conclusion: Clinical symptoms may precede the development of cortical superficial siderosis prior to being detectable on brain MRI. This case highlights the temporal development of cortical superficial siderosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the world, large swaths of society closed in response to the COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic, transforming the provision of government services, including welfare. The shift to remote work afforded a glimpse of what a future digitized public sector might look like. In Denmark, employment assistance went fully remote in spring 2020 to prevent the spread of C-19. Caseworkers assessed unemployed individuals' needs for welfare benefits over the phone instead of at the physical job center. With this change, caseworkers could no longer rely on nonverbal communication, such as physical cues (e.g., the appearance of an unemployed individual), in their assessment practice. Although they are not explicitly described in the formal work process, caseworkers report that such cues influence their assessment of an individual's challenges related to their unemployment. Taking a qualitative approach, we conducted 60 telephone interviews with 6 caseworkers across 3 Danish job centers during the first wave of the pandemic. Later, during the second wave of the pandemic (August 2020-June 2021), we conducted observational studies (22.5 h) including on-site interviews in two job centers where caseworkers had returned to work having consultations with unemployed individuals both remotely and co-located. During this second-wave period we also conducted new interviews (n = 18) with the caseworkers from the first part of the study. The contribution of this paper is an empirical description of how casework changes when it shifts from co-located to remote consultations, focused on two factors: (1) the role of physical cues and how caseworkers rely on these cues to communicate with and assess the individual, and (2) documentation practices, and how earlier documentation became more important when caseworkers lacked access to physical cues. We contribute to CSCW research by showing that although implicit information about the individual is valuable for caseworkers, it is not problem-free, and therefore we argue that there is a need to find new ways to assess individuals, in particular interpreting implicit or un-spoken information, as the complicated use of physical cues can tip over to become a matter of bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Influenza epidemics cause around 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness worldwide every year. Estimates are needed for a better understanding of the burden of disease especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The objective of this study is to estimate the number and rate of influenza‐associated respiratory hospitalizations in Lebanon during five influenza seasons (2015–2016 to 2019–2020) by age and province of residence in addition to estimating the influenza burden by level of severity. Methods: The severe acute respiratory infection sentinel surveillance system was used to compute influenza positivity from the influenza laboratory confirmed cases. The total of respiratory hospitalizations under the influenza and pneumonia diagnosis was retrieved from the Ministry of Public Health hospital billing database. Age‐specific and province‐specific frequencies and rates were estimated for each season. Rates per 100 000 population were calculated with 95% confidence levels. Results: The estimated seasonal average of influenza‐associated hospital admission was 2866 for a rate of 48.1 (95% CI: 46.4–49.9) per 100 000. As for the distribution by age group, the highest rates were seen in the two age groups ≥65 years and 0–4 years whereas the lowest rate was for the age group 15–49 years. For the distribution by province of residence, the highest influenza‐associated hospitalization rates were reported from the Bekaa‐Baalback/Hermel provinces. Conclusion: This study shows the substantial burden of influenza in Lebanon mainly on high‐risk groups (≥65 years and <5 years). It is crucial to translate these findings into policies and practices to reduce the burden and estimate the illness‐related expenditure and indirect costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from 242 ozonesondes launched from ARIES, Nainital (29.40 ∘ N, 79.50 ∘ E; 1793 m elevation), are used to evaluate the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) version 6 ozone profiles and total column ozone during the period 2011–2017 over the central Himalayas. The AIRS ozone products are analysed in terms of retrieval sensitivity, retrieval biases/errors, and ability to retrieve the natural variability in columnar ozone, which has not been done so far from the Himalayan region, having complex topography. For a direct comparison, averaging kernel information is used to account for the sensitivity difference between the AIRS and ozonesonde data. We show that AIRS has more minor differences from ozonesondes in the lower and middle troposphere and stratosphere with nominal underestimations of less than 20 %. However, in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), we observe a considerable overestimation of the magnitude, as high as 102 %. The weighted statistical error analysis of AIRS ozone shows a higher positive bias and standard deviation in the upper troposphere of about 65 % and 25 %, respectively. Similarly to AIRS, the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) are also able to produce ozone peak altitudes and gradients successfully. However, the statistical errors are again higher in the UTLS region, which are likely related to larger variability in ozone, lower ozone partial pressure, and inadequate retrieval information on the surface parameters. Furthermore, AIRS fails to capture the monthly variation in the total column ozone, with a strong bimodal variation, unlike unimodal variation seen in ozonesondes and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). In contrast, the UTLS and the tropospheric ozone columns are in reasonable agreement. Increases in the ozone values of 5 %–20 % after biomass burning and during events of downward transport are captured well by AIRS. Ozone radiative forcing (RF) derived from total column ozone using ozonesonde data (4.86 mW m -2) matches well with OMI (4.04 mW m -2), while significant RF underestimation is seen in AIRS (2.96 mW m -2). The fragile and complex landscapes of the Himalayas are more sensitive to global climate change, and establishing such biases and error analysis of space-borne sensors will help us study the long-term trends and estimate accurate radiative budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Lebanon and investigate their associations with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Design: A cross-sectional national survey was conducted in 2012–2013. In addition to a socio-demographic and lifestyle questionnaire, a 24-h dietary recall for the children was collected, with mothers as proxies. IYCF practices were assessed based on the 2021 indicators of the WHO. Setting: Lebanon. Participants: Children aged 0–23 months and their mothers (n 469). Results: While the majority of infants were ever breastfed (87·6 %), the prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding (BF) in those under 6 months of age was 11·0 %. Early initiation of BF was 28 %. A greater child's birth order, partner's support for BF, higher parental education, maternal BF knowledge and non-smoking were associated with higher odds of meeting BF recommendations. As for complementary feeding, 92·8 % of children (6–23 months) met the minimum meal frequency indicator, 37·5 % met the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and 34·4 % met the minimum adequate diet (MAD). The consumption of unhealthy food was observed amongst 48·9 % of children, with nearly 37 % consuming sweet beverages. Older maternal age and maternal overweight/obesity were associated with lower odds of meeting MDD and MAD, while child's age and partner's support for BF were associated with higher odds. Conclusions: The results documented suboptimal IYCF practices amongst Lebanese children and identified a number of factors associated with these practices. Findings from this study will help guide the development of culture-specific programmes aimed at improving IYCF practices in Lebanon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Submucous resection (SMR) is performed under general anesthesia, local anesthesia, or a combination of both. The combination was associated with less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stay. The purpose of this clinical trial was to compare the effectiveness of two versus five bilateral local anesthetic injections in terms of postoperative pain relief at 24 h postoperatively. Patients and methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial conducted at a tertiary care center between May 2015 and December 2016. Patients aged between 15 and 63 years scheduled for elective SMR of the nasal septum were included. Eligible patients received general anesthesia and were randomly assigned to receive either two or five bilateral local anesthetic injections. The primary outcome was pain assessed by the Numeric Rating Scale. Other outcomes were hemodynamic stability, analgesic consumption, nausea and vomiting, as well as patient's and surgeon's satisfaction. Results A total of 120 patients were included in the study and were divided equally into the two groups. Both groups were similar in terms of age, height, weight, surgery duration, and hemodynamic characteristics. There was no significant difference for both groups in pain scores at 24 h (1.53±1.25 vs. 2.07±1.82, P=0.069 for two vs. five injections, respectively) and over the 10 postoperative days. Similarly, the number of patients who consumed analgesics was similar between the two groups. Conclusion The present study revealed that two bilateral local anesthetic injections at the suprazygomatic and infraorbital areas could be an alternative to five injections in patients undergoing SMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional air pollution has become one of the utmost environmental concerns in India, especially over economically vibrant and densely populated regions, such as Northern India, including the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Additionally, the Himalayas adjacent to IGP provide conducive conditions to confine pollutants and transport them to greater horizontal and vertical extents. However, in-situ observations are sparse and limited over the Himalayas, where data retrievals from space-based sensors are fraught with difficulties. In light of this, observations of NO 2 , SO 2 , HCHO, and CHOCHO are made from a Himalayan foothills site (Pantnagar, 29.03o N, 79.47o E and 237 AMSL) utilizing remote sensing observation of Multi-AXis-Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS). Data from TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), and Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) satellite instruments are also presented. We investigate the temporal variations in near-surface mixing ratios, vertical profiles, and tropospheric columns of these trace gases from January 2017 to December 2020. The diurnal variation of NO 2 and HCHO at different altitude regions (surface to 3 km) were typically urban-type with morning and evening peaks. At the same time, the CHOCHO diurnal variation peaks in the noon hours. We observed annual mean tropospheric NO 2 vertical column densities (VCDs) of 3.2 × 1015 (unit: molecules/cm2), tropospheric SO 2 VCDs of 1.2 × 1016, tropospheric HCHO VCDs of 1.6 × 1016, and tropospheric CHOCHO VCDs of 0.6 × 1015 from MAX-DOAS observations. MAX-DOAS comparison with the TROPOMI and GOME-2 VCDs shows an underestimation of up to 48% for satellite NO 2 VCDs, while SO 2 and HCHO VCDs show nominal biases in the range of 20–30%. The R gf sensitivity calculation shows prominent biogenic sources of VOCs during noon hours, while R fn calculation mostly shows a NO x -limited ozone production regime over the Himalayan foothill site. The R fn monthly variations match reasonably well between the MAX-DOAS and TROPOMI, while R gf values were higher from satellite observations. This study highlights the factors governing the diurnal and monthly variation of different pollutants over the Himalayan foothill region and asses the space-borne observations for better utilization. • Foothill region showed NO2 diurnal variation of urban type with morning/evening peaks, while CHOCHO showed a noon maximum. • Transport of air-masses significantly altered SO 2 and HCHO surface mixing ratios over the Himalayan foothill site. • TROPOMI and GOME-2 underestimated the tropospheric NO 2 column by upto 48% compared to the MAX-DOAS observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are highly dependent on their vision for orientation and navigation. The avian eye differs from the mammalian eye as the retina is avascular, leaving the inner, highly metabolically active layers with a very long diffusion distance to the oxygen supply. During flight at high altitudes, birds face a decrease in environmental oxygen partial pressure, which leads to a decrease in arterial oxygen levels. Since oxygen perfusion to the retina is already limited in birds, we hypothesize that visual function is impaired by low oxygen availability. However, the visual performance of birds exposed to hypoxia has not been evaluated before. Here, we assess the optomotor response (OMR) in zebra finches under simulated high-altitude hypoxia (10%) and show that the OMR is largely maintained under hypoxia with only a modest reduction in OMR, demonstrating that birds can largely maintain visual function at high altitudes. The method of our study does not provide insight into the mechanisms involved, but our findings suggest that birds have evolved physiological mechanisms for retinal function at low tissue oxygen levels. • New optomotor response test tracks bird vision under simulated high-altitude hypoxia. • Finches do not lose vision when exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. • Birds must possess mechanisms for maintaining retinal function at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteochondromas are the most common benign bone tumors occurring near the end of long bones. In this case report, we demonstrate the successful treatment of a proximal femoral osteochondroma in a pediatric patient excised through a dual medial and anterior approach with no hip dislocation. Case presentation: We present the case of a white Arab 14-year-old boy with chronic hip pain and inability to ambulate. He failed conservative treatment and was referred to us after X-rays revealed two osseous masses. He was diagnosed with an intra-articular hip osteochondroma confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scan. He was treated surgically with excision using two incisions: Smith-Petersen approach and Ferguson approach. Conclusion: This case presents the successful resection of a symptomatic pediatric proximal femoral osteochondroma, using dual medial and anterior approaches without the need for hip dislocation. This was optimal for both the safety and accessibility of this unusual condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical turbulence in the atmosphere is a key factor which governs the sharpness of images produced from ground-based optical telescopes. The intensity of optical turbulence can be conveniently assessed by the estimation of the refractive index structure constant ( C n 2 ). Here, observations from a stratosphere troposphere radar (206.5 MHz) that is co-located with the optical telescope facilities in the central Himalayas, are used for the estimation of C n 2 . The integrated profile of C n 2 and winds over about 2–20 km have been used to estimate seasonal and diurnal variation of "seeing", wavefront coherence time, isoplanatic angle and scintillation rate. The mean C n 2 over the site varies from 10 − 1 5. 7 to 10 − 1 9 m − 2 ∕ 3 with the largest values in the monsoon and post-monsoon season. The best "seeing" conditions are observed in the winter and post-monsoon season with median "seeing" varying from 0.39 ′ ′ to 0.81 ′ ′ . The largest contribution to the diurnal variation of "seeing" comes from turbulences at 2–5 km height region. A weak correlation of diurnal variation of "seeing" has been observed with surface temperature and relative humidity (RH). Among astroclimatic parameters, the largest isoplanatic angle is associated with winter season with median value of 2.57 ′ ′ and wavefront coherence time of ∼4.2 ms. The least scintillation in intensity is observed in the winter season with a rate of ∼10% and most in monsoon season with ∼45% rate. This study is expected to have a positive impact on the optimization of the operation of adaptive optical techniques, observing time and scheduling of scientific programmes for optical telescope facilities in this region of the central Himalayas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a 206.5 MHz Stratosphere Troposphere (ST) Radar system was successfully installed and made operationalized at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) (29.4N, 79.2E, 1793 m amsl), Nainital, India. It is the first such unique observational facility located in the central Himalayan region and will play an important role in understanding the meteorological conditions of the region that has a vital role in atmospheric studies in South Asia. The entire ST radar system is indigenously built and installed in a compact 30 m × 3 0 m two-storey building, making maximum use of the available space in the hilly terrain. A metal fence of 3.5–4 m height was designed and installed along the perimeter of the array to attenuate the clutter returns from the nearby mountains with the shielding efficiency 22–25 dB. Since its operation, the radar has obtained useful data of neutral atmosphere, precipitation, convection, and hailstorm events for scientific research. The technical details of different sub-systems, radar integration and calibration methodology are presented here. A dedicated off-line GUI based data processing tool has been developed and is being used for the data analysis. A comparison of wind components derived from ARIES ST Radar with collocated GPS-radiosonde observations indicates a good agreement with correlation coefficients for zonal (0.92), meridional (0.76), wind speed (0.86), and wind direction (0.7). The change in wind patterns is demonstrated up to a height of about 31 km amsl and the tropopause was marked to be at 16–17 km on 2020 June 20. A dramatic reversal of winds from westerly (below the tropopause) to easterly (above the tropopause) was also observed. ARIES ST Radar could capture the signature of the precipitation in addition to neutral air in the same Doppler spectrum and the height of the starting point of precipitation is identified to be ∼ 6 km. This ability to detect atmospheric scattering from both neutral wind (Bragg) and precipitation (Rayleigh) in the same spectrum makes the 200 MHz band radar a unique instrument in the wind profiler application for atmospheric research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential buildings instigate a vital role in creating a safe and comfortable indoor living environment. The phenomenon of overheating, an impact of climate change, can cause a negative effect on residents' productiveness and heat-related illnesses and can even force high pressure on electricity generation by increasing the risk of power outages due to excessive peak cooling and heating requirements. Various issues on building thermal comfort are being evolved and discussed in review articles. However, there are few articles that review the current condition of adaptive thermal comfort studies and the potential for energy savings in residential buildings. Therefore, the aims for this paper are to: identify comfort temperature ranges in residential buildings, investigate the correlation of comfort temperature with indoor and outdoor temperatures with the aid of 'comfort threads', and clarify the effect of adaptive measures on residential energy saving potential. This study obtained a large variation of residential comfort temperatures, which mostly depend on the climate and operation modes of the building. 'Comfort threads' explains that people are adapting to a large variation of indoor and outdoor temperatures and the wide range of comfort temperature could provide significant energy savings in residential buildings. This review provides insight on and an overview of thermal comfort field studies in residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) may find it difficult to identify and access the wide number of services they need and are entitled to along their complex PD journey. As part of the project OPTIM‐PARK – Optimisation of community resources and systems of support to enhance the process of living with Parkinson's Disease, document analysis was developed to create overviews of existing resources and systems of support in Denmark, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. Documents on community resources, policies, guidelines and professional recommendations were the main sources of information. They were sought systematically at official websites of the public sector (national and regional levels) and websites of non‐governmental organisations and scientific societies; searches were performed in October 2020 and updated in September 2021. A higher‐level cross‐national content analysis integrated all the country‐specific information. Data‐ and concept‐driven coding frames were developed; trial coding and peer review strengthened face validity and reliability. The analysis led to overviews of: (1) Key aims at patient and societal levels. (2) Key elements in form of professional approaches. (3) Community resources. (4) Legally anchored services. In general, clear descriptions of how to implement care pathways and tools to facilitate delivery were missing in the included documents, and pathways and guidelines did not include referral to general social support, social security support or labour and employment support. The results shed light on the complex support systems and resources and can inspire the planning of more comprehensive care pathways for people with PD and other long‐term conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this Lebanese, cross-sectional, multi-centric study is to examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adult patients with substance use disorder and their parents along with the predominant parenting style. A total of 100 patients suffering from a substance use disorder, and their parents (N = 127) were administered the translated Arabic version of the MINI to diagnose lifetime psychiatric disorders. The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) in its translated validated Arabic version was filled by patients to detect the predominant parenting style. The least common parenting style reported was authoritative (25%). The parents' prevalence of nicotine dependence, alcohol abuse and dependence, and illicit substance abuse and dependence were considerably higher than the general population. Mood and anxiety disorders were more prevalent among patients and their parents compared to the Lebanese general population. In the bivariate analysis, no significant association was found between the perceived parenting style (authoritative and non-authoritative) and parents' economic (p = 0.545) and civil status (p = 0.231), patient's gender (p = 0.390), birth order (p = 0.084), and parents' and offspring psychiatric disorder. Hence, an underlying genetic and environmental mechanism could potentially explain our findings rather than a rearing problem; however, further studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the association of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) with Environmental Footprints (EFPs) among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: Data belonging to a nationally representative sample of 482 women (19–50 years) were derived from a previous survey in the UAE. In face-to-face interviews, participants completed questionnaires addressing sociodemographic, physical activity, and dietary intake characteristics; the latter assessed using a multiple pass 24-h recall. The composite Mediterranean (c-MED) index was used to examine the adherence to the MD. Metrics for the EFPs (water use, energy use, and GHG emissions) were calculated using Life Cycle Analyses. Descriptive statistics and linear regressions were used in data analysis. Results: In the study sample, the distribution of the c-MED scores was skewed to the right, indicating a low adherence to the MD. The lowest contributions to the total c-MED score were observed for legumes (2.9%) and olive oil (1.8%). The EFPs associated with food consumption per 1000 kcal were: water use: 1256.89 ± 544.95 L/day; energy use: 18.01 ± 7.85 MJ/day, and GHG: 2.46 ± 1.46 kg CO2 eq/day. After adjustment for age, energy intake, and potential confounders, being adherent to the MD was associated with 540.57 [95% CI (− 726.6; − 354.54)] units decrease in water use and 0.94 units decrease in GHG emissions [95% CI (− 1.45; − 0.43)]. Conclusions: The findings of this study revealed an inverse association between adherence to the MD and EFPs. As such, the MD may represent a promising dietary strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce the environmental impact. Public health programs addressing the low adherence to the MD among women of childbearing age in the UAE are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interior is something that has always been a necessity for the community, but not a few people do not understand the shape and design of the furniture itself, the people themselves can only imagine about the shape of the furniture because they have never seen the model firsthand, so people sometimes don't understand the shape of furniture that they think is normal, it actually looks new and foreign to their eyes, because of that many people are looking for an overview of the shape of furniture through social media to find out more about the shape of the furniture model, by taking advantage of current technological developments, the existence of AR technology is now the form of furniture models not only images, but ordinary images can be a 3D form that can be visualized into the real world through camera projections with special applications. The development method used in making this application is the Prototype method which consists of Listen to Customer, Build and Revise Mock-up, Customer Test Drives Mock-up. The system designer method uses design tools such as Use Case Diagrams, Activity Diagrams, Sequence Diagrams. The results of this study are the AR application for 3D visualization of kitchen furniture using Augmented Reality technology with the markerless method to increase consumer interest and clarify the description of the shape of the furniture model itself, with the markerless method the application can be used with any marker media and anywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from ozonesondes launched at ARIES Nainital (29.40o N, 79.50o E, and 1793 m elevation) are used to evaluate the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) version 6 ozone profiles and total column ozone during the period 2011-2017 over the central Himalaya. The AIRS ozone products are analyzed in terms of retrieval sensitivity, retrieval biases/errors, and ability to retrieve the natural variability of columnar ozone, which has not been done so far from the Himalayan region having complex topography. For a direct comparison, averaging kernels information is used to account for the sensitivity difference between the AIRS and ozonesonde data. We show that AIRS can provide quality data of ozone in the lower and middle troposphere and stratosphere with nominal underestimation (<20%). However, in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), we observe a considerable overestimation of the magnitude as high as 102%. The weighted statistical error analysis of AIRS ozone shows higher positive bias, root mean squared error, and standard deviation in the upper troposphere of about 65%, 65%, and 25%, respectively. Similar to AIRS, Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) are also able to produce ozone peaks and gradients successfully. However, the statistical errors are again higher in the UTLS region that are likely related to larger variability of ozone, lower ozone partial pressure and inadequate retrieval information on the surface parameters. The monthly variations of columnar ozone (total, UTLS, and tropospheric) are captured well by AIRS, except the total columnar ozone, which shows a strong bimodal variation, unlike unimodal variation seen in ozonesonde and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Increases in ozone of 5 - 20% (in 2 - 6 km altitude) after the biomass burning and during events of downward transport (in 2 - 16 km altitude) are captured well by AIRS. Ozone radiative forcing (RF) derived from total column ozone matches well between ozonesonde (4.86 mW/m²) and OMI (4.04 mW/m²), while significant RF underestimation is seen in AIRS (2.96 mW/m²). The fragile and complex landscapes of the Himalayas are more sensitive to global climate change, and establishing such biases and error analysis of space-borne sensors will help study the long-term trends and estimate accurate radiative budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research self-efficacy is one of the crucial predictors of productively engaging in research activities emphasized by the Qatar National Vision 2030. Nevertheless, studies typically focus on research self-efficacy among students, neglecting physicians, despite the importance of research as competency in continuous professional development. Therefore, the objective of our study is to understand the level of research self-efficacy among physicians and its determinants. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional design was employed. We utilized an open survey through DACIMA Software that included questions related to Self-Efficacy in Research Measure (SERM) and possible determinants. One-hundred-twenty-two completed answers, and the response rate was 19.2%. Following descriptive analyses, a chi-square test was used to uncover the associations among variables, with significance set to p ≤ 0.05. Next, a logistic regression model was conducted to identify the predictors of a low research self-efficacy level. Finally, reliability and principal component analysis were applied on the SERM scale. Results: Three-quarters of the sample reported insufficient research self-efficacy. The sociodemographic and professional factors did not significantly associate with insufficient research self-efficacy. However, participation in clinical guidelines proved to be a determinant of sufficient research self-efficacy. Conclusions: Physicians must be encouraged to participate in clinical guidelines to improve their research self-efficacy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The transition from a predominantly milk-based diet to a diverse family diet is a window of opportunity for optimal child growth and development. Objectives The study aims to examine the nutritional status and food-consumption patterns of children under 4 y of age in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their adherence to nutrient and dietary recommendations. Methods A population-based cross-sectional survey of 525 children aged 0–47.9 mo was conducted in 3 major emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. Anthropometric measurements were obtained, and dietary assessment was conducted using the 24-h dietary recall approach. Usual intakes of energy, macronutrient, and micronutrients, including from supplements, were assessed using PC-SIDE software. Adherence to food-group recommendations was evaluated based on the American Heart Association/American Academy of Pediatrics dietary guidelines. Results Among 0–4-y-old children, 10% were stunted, 6% were wasted, 17% were at risk of overweight, 5% were overweight, and 3% were obese. The contribution of sweets and sugar sweetened beverages to energy intake increased from 5% in 6–11.9-mo-old children to 17% in 36–47.9-mo-old children. Compared with dietary guidelines, the lowest adherence was for fruit (13–18%) and vegetables (7–12%), while protein was within the recommendations, and 92% and 89% of children (aged 24 to 35.9 mo and 36 to 47.9 mo, respectively) had high intakes of saturated fat. Almost all toddlers failed to meet the Adequate Intake for fiber. The proportions of children exceeding the free-sugar upper limit increased from 10.6% in infants (0–5.9 mo) to 56.7% in toddlers (12– 23.9 mo). Micronutrient inadequacies were observed, particularly for calcium, zinc, folate, and vitamins A and D. Conclusions This study suggests a triple burden of malnutrition among infants and young children in the UAE. Results call for national nutrition intervention strategies aimed at improving dietary quality in the pediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Animated Triangles Task (AT) is commonly used to measure Theory of Mind (ToM). AT can be scored by clinicians based on participants' verbal responses (AT-verbal) or using a multiple-choice paradigm (AT-MCQ). This study aimed to evaluate the validity of the less time-consuming AT-MCQ. To do this, we examined agreement and correlations between the AT-MCQ and the original AT-verbal scores in 1546 adolescents from a population-based sample. As a supplementary analysis of known-groups validity, we examined if AT-MCQ was as sensitive as AT-verbal in detecting ToM-limitations in 54 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using register-data. The agreement between AT-verbal and AT-MCQ varied markedly across test items. Scores on the two scoring methods were weakly correlated. Both scoring methods weakly detected differences between adolescents with and without ASD in this population-based sample. Most participants had appropriate responses on both AT-MCQ and AT-verbal, which yielded overall acceptable agreement. However, the feasibility of using either scoring methods to measure ToM-limitations in adolescents from the general population is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the language environments of bilingually raised Latinx infants (n = 37) in mother–father families of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, with a focus on paternal parentese, a speaking style distinguished by higher pitch, slower tempo, and exaggerated intonation. Two daylong audio recordings were collected on weekends, when both parents were at home. Paternal, maternal, and infant speech variables were quantified through automatic and manual analyses. Most infants experienced Spanish and English within child‐directed speech, and language mixing was common in mothers and fathers. Adjusting for demographic variables, infants heard 50.4% less talk from men compared to women, and 43.4% less parentese from fathers compared to mothers. However, when controlling for overall speech amount, the rate of parentese use did not differ between mothers and fathers, demonstrating that, contrary to the stereotype, fathers in Latinx families adjust their speech in verbal interactions with their infants. An asymmetry emerged, where paternal parentese was associated with paternal knowledge of language development but not with paternal involvement in childcare responsibilities; the opposite was true for paternal speech amount. Controlling for maternal contributions, paternal parentese was predictive of concurrent parent–infant turn‐taking and infant language vocalizations, demonstrating its important role in infant language development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prenatal knowledge, attitude, and intention related to breastfeeding are postulated as important modulators of feeding practices. Using data from the Mother and Infant Nutritional Assessment (MINA) study, a three year cohort conducted in Lebanon and Qatar, this study aimed to characterize breastfeeding practices during the first six months postnatally and examine their associations with prenatal breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, exposure, and intention. Methods: Pregnant women during their first trimester were recruited from primary healthcare centers in Beirut and Doha. Data collection was conducted in 2015 − 2018. Participants were followed-up until the child was twoyears old. Exposure, knowledge, attitude, and intentions regarding breastfeeding were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy (n = 230), using validated questionnaires and scales. Breastfeeding practices were evaluated at four months (n = 185) and six months (n = 151) postpartum. Early initiation of breastfeeding was defined as putting the infant to the breast within one hour of birth, and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) as feeding exclusively with breast milk. Results: Breastfeeding practices were as follows: ever breastfeeding: 95.8%; early initiation of breastfeeding: 72.8%; breastfeeding at four and six months: 70.3% and 62.3%; EBF at four and six months: 35.7% and 18.5%. Over 95% of participants had high breastfeeding exposure, and 68.8% had strong / very strong intentions to breastfeed. Only 25% had very good knowledge, and 9.2% reported positive/strong positive attitude towards breastfeeding. After adjustment, high exposure was associated with greater odds of breastfeeding initiation (OR 10.1: 95% CI 1.25, 80.65). Both positive attitude towards breastfeeding and strong intention to breastfeed were associated with EBF at four months (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.02, 6.16 and OR 4.0; 95% CI 1.67, 9.6), breastfeeding at four months (OR 2.92: 95% CI 1.29, 6.62 and OR 5.00: 95% CI 2.25, 11.1), and breastfeeding at six months (OR 3.74: 95% CI 1.24, 11.32 and OR 8.29: 95% CI 2.9, 23.68). Conclusions: Findings of this study documented suboptimal knowledge and attitude towards breastfeeding and showed that prior exposure, a positive attitude, and a strong intention to breastfeed prenatally were significant predictors of breastfeeding practices postnatally. This highlights the need to develop specific interventions and policies aimed at improving breastfeeding attitudes and creating an enabling environment that supports women throughout their breastfeeding journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how creative methods may help shed light on how young people with epilepsy navigate their everyday life and practice agency. We have a particular focus on how creative methods can contribute to instigating processes of change for young people with epilepsy. The article is based on a research project involving 12 young people with epilepsy (age 17-25) and 13 of their significant others (e.g. parents, partners, etc.). Inspired by critical and transformative perspectives (Vianna & Stetsenko, 2014; Stetsenko, 2020), we explore how change-focused research in the context of everyday life contributes to making changes in practice. We first explain how we understand epilepsy through the lens of a critical and dynamic concept of functional diversity. The creative methods used in the project include the use of a drawing activity during the interview (Bagnoli, 2009), diary photos from the young participants (Restler & Luttrell, 2018; Rasmussen, 2017), poetic representations (Hølge-Hazelton, 2002; Krøjer, 2002; Rosenberg, 2013; Wulf-Andersen, 2011) and a learning circle (Kildedal, 2014). The article explore on how creative methods may help shed light on the complex everyday lives that the young people lead. One of the central challenges illustrated by the creative methods is that young people with epilepsy navigate between, on the one hand, experiencing being seen only for their epilepsy (hypervisibility), especially in the healthcare system, and on the other hand not being seen in connection with the particular challenges associated with epilepsy (invisibility), e.g., in the educational system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic variants in the MED12 gene located on the X‐chromosome have primarily been reported in males with Lujan‐Fryns syndrome, Ohdo syndrome and the Opits‐Kaveggia syndrome. However, earlier reports of female patients and female mice suggest that MED12 deficiency causes severe malformations. We report a novel example of a MED12 de novo nonsense variant in a female fetus with severe malformations identified by trio‐exome sequencing. This finding further expands the clinical spectrum of MED12‐related disorders, which is vital for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counselling of couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the practices and resilience of most healthcare workers, including dieticians. In addition to offering critical care to COVID-19 patients, dieticians play a major role in preventing and managing conditions known to affect COVID-19, such as obesity and metabolic disorders. The objective of this study was to examine the conditions and changes in the work environment as well as resilience and its correlates among dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Methods: A cross-sectional national survey was conducted among dieticians practicing in the UAE (n = 371), using a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed, in addition to the sociodemographic information, the practice-related characteristics and resilience of participants. For the latter the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale© was used. Descriptive statistics as well as simple and multiple linear regressions were used in the statistical analysis.Results: Of participants, 26.4% reported not having access to personal protective equipment and 50% indicated being concerned for their safety and health. Furthermore, considerable proportions of participants were not satisfied (45%) with the support nor with the appreciation (37.7%) they received during the pandemic. One in four dieticians considered quitting his/her job. While 65.8% of participants reported counseling COVID-19 patients, a third did not use any online platform for counseling. The most cited challenge to dietetic practice during the pandemic was 'maintaining work-life balance' (43.1%). The mean CD-RISC score was 72.0 ± 14.0. After adjustment, working in a hospital or public clinic (as opposed to private clinic), having a condition preventing face-to-face counseling, considering quitting job and feeling neutral or dissatisfied with the appreciation were associated with lower resilience scores, while counseling COVID-19 patients was associated with higher scores.Conclusions: Despite the fairly high resilience among dieticians practicing in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings of this study highlighted a few challenges, mainly related to safe practice environment, support for online counseling, and maintaining work-life balance. Concerted efforts of policy and decision makers ought to develop targeted programs for dieticians to ensure their retention and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis can decrease new cases of HIV by up to 99%, many patients who could benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis never receive prescriptions for it. Because pre-exposure prophylaxis is indicated for patients who do not have an infectious disease, increasing pre-exposure prophylaxis prescribing by primary care and generalist clinicians represents a key element of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. This review provides an overview of academic detailing and how it is currently being used to increase pre-exposure prophylaxis prescribing. Academic detailing is outreach education that engages with clinicians in 1-to-1 or small group interactions focused on identifying and addressing an individual clinician's needs to increase their use of evidence-based practices. Academic detailing has been proven in multiple previous research studies, and the principles required for successful implementation include interactivity, clinical relevance of content, and focus on defined behavior change objectives. Clinician barriers to pre-exposure prophylaxis prescribing may occur in the domains of knowledge, attitudes, or behavior, and academic detailing has the potential to address all of these areas. State and local health departments have developed academic detailing programs focused on pre-exposure prophylaxis prescribing and other elements of HIV prevention-sometimes describing the approach as public health detailing. Few studies of academic detailing for pre-exposure prophylaxis have been published to date; rigorous evaluation of HIV-specific adaptations and innovations of the approach would represent an important contribution. In the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in virtual delivery of academic detailing has grown, which could inform efforts to implement academic detailing in rural communities and other underserved areas. Increasing this capacity could make an important contribution to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. and other HIV prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a number of international diet and lifestyle guidelines during pregnancy (DLGP) exist in the literature, contextualization to low‐ and middle‐income settings is less common. The aim of this study was to present the Lebanese DLGP and to describe the process followed for their development. A mixed‐method approach was used including a review and synthesis of existing international DLGP and a consensus building nominal group technique (NGT) with a multidisciplinary group of experts (n = 11). During the meeting, participants identified the themes of the guidelines, formulated the wording of each themes' guideline and translated the guidelines to the Arabic language. Consensus was defined as an agreement of 80%. Reviewing the literature, a list of 17 main topics were found to be common themes for the DLGP. For the Lebanese DLGP, participants in the NGT meeting selected seven themes from this list: gestational weight gain, diet diversity, hydration, food safety, harmful foods, physical activity and breastfeeding. In addition, the group formulated three themes based on merging/modifying existing themes: supplementation, alcohol and smoking and religious fasting. Two context‐specific new themes emerged: wellbeing and nutrition resilience. For each of the identified themes, the group agreed upon the wording of its guidelines and description. This study is the first from the Eastern Mediterranean Region to develop through consensus building, context and culture‐specific dietary and lifestyle guidelines for pregnant women. Putting maternal nutrition at the heart of tackling malnutrition and its detrimental health outcomes is a core investment for a better maternal and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data are lacking on the psychiatric and psycho-social profiles of Middle-Eastern people living with HIV (PLHIV). Our study aimed to establish the prevalence and correlates of mental illness in a sample of Lebanese PLHIV, and to delineate their socio-cultural reality. PLHIV, either attending a private ID clinic or a non-governmental organization, were interviewed. A total of 94 patients were included. Sixty-nine (73.4%) were found to have at least one psychiatric disorder. Only nine participants were currently receiving psychotropic medications. The most common diagnosis was major depression, occurring in half of the subjects. Homosexual or bisexual orientation predicted the presence of a current depression (p = 0.024), and ART status was negatively associated with current depression (p = 0.028). The rate of psychiatric disorders is clearly higher than that of the general population. PLHIV with a homosexual or bisexual orientation face a double stigma, perhaps making them more vulnerable to depression. Our findings need to be replicated in larger studies with more representative samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social media has become a dominant part of daily lives for many, but excessive use may lead to an experience of stress. Only relatively few studies have investigated social media's influence on mental health. Aims: We aimed to investigate whether social media use is associated with perceived stress and changes in perceived stress over 18 months. Methods: The study population consisted of 25,053 adults (mean age 42.8; 62% women) from the SmartSleep Study. Self-reported frequency of social media use, of 10 specific social media platforms, and of perceived stress (the Perceived Stress Scale 4 item) was obtained at baseline and 18-months follow-up (N = 1745). The associations were evaluated at baseline and follow-up using multiple linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Compared to non-use, high social media use (at least every second hour) was associated with a slightly higher perceived stress level at baseline. No association was found between the frequency of social media use and changes in perceived stress during follow-up. Only small differences in these associations were noted across social media platforms. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to comprehensively explore the relationship between excessive social media use and mental health, recognizing different characteristics across social media platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy (RT) planning for cervical cancer patients entails the acquisition of both Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Further, molecular imaging by Positron Emission Tomography (PET) could contribute to target volume delineation as well as treatment response monitoring. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a PET/MRI-only RT planning workflow of patients with cervical cancer. This includes attenuation correction (AC) of MRI hardware and dedicated positioning equipment as well as evaluating MRI-derived synthetic CT (sCT) of the pelvic region for positioning verification and dose calculation to enable a PET/MRI-only setup. 16 patients underwent PET/MRI using a dedicated RT setup after the routine CT (or PET/CT), including eight pilot patients and eight cervical cancer patients who were subsequently referred for RT. Data from 18 patients with gynecological cancer were added for training a deep convolutional neural network to generate sCT from Dixon MRI. The mean absolute difference between the dose distributions calculated on sCT and a reference CT was measured in the RT target volume and organs at risk. PET AC by sCT and a reference CT were compared in the tumor volume. All patients completed the examination. sCT was inferred for each patient in less than 5 s. The dosimetric analysis of the sCT-based dose planning showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.17 ± 0.12 Gy inside the planning target volumes (PTV). PET images reconstructed with sCT and CT had no significant difference in quantification for all patients. These results suggest that multiparametric PET/MRI can be successfully integrated as a one-stop-shop in the RT workflow of patients with cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]