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Objective Method Results Conclusions Despite an increase in eating disorder (ED) cases during the COVID‐19 pandemic, there are limited longitudinal studies exploring treatment outcomes. The aims of the present study were: (1) to compare the clinical features of patients with EDs whose onset was during the COVID‐19 lockdown (pandemic cohort) against patients with EDs whose onset was prior to the pandemic (pre‐pandemic cohort) and, (2) to compare therapy responses between the cohorts.The sample consisted of 115 adult women with an ED. N = 37 new ED cases (pandemic cohort) were diagnosed and included in the study during the pandemic (May 2020–May 2021); these patients did not have any previous history of an ED. We also included N = 78 ED cases (pre‐pandemic cohort) diagnosed prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic breakout (prior to March 2020). All ED subtypes were considered in both groups and several clinical variables were assessed.At baseline, pandemic cohort reported lower levels of impulsivity and higher emotional regulation capacities than the pre‐pandemic cohort; however, no differences were found in aspects of general psychopathology and ED related severity. Following treatment, the pandemic cohort showed higher rates of good outcome and lower rates of dropouts than the pre‐pandemic cohort.Although both cohorts showed similar ED‐related symptoms and general psychopathology scores, treatment outcomes were more favourable in the pandemic cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Maternal care plays a fundamental role in early life, and the alteration of its patterns can negatively affect the developmental course of the offspring in a myriad of domains in both rats and humans. The limited bedding and nesting (LBN) protocol is an extensively used paradigm in rodents to address the impact of altered maternal behavior patterns on infants' neurodevelopment. Here, we explore the altered patterns of maternal care in rats in LBN conditions by describing sequences of transition between maternal behavior components using network analysis. Using this technique, we capture how often maternal behavior transitions take place during the LBN period and which behaviors play central roles in those transitions over time. Materials and Methods: Female rats and their pups were placed in standard and LBN housing conditions from Postpartum Days 2 to 9, during which maternal behavior was observed during the light and dark phases. We used inferential statistical analysis to compare the maternal behavior profiles of control and LBN dams, and network analysis was used to capture the altered sequence of maternal behavior transitions during the period of LBN. Results: Compared to control dams, LBN dams significantly increased their high crouch nursing posture during light/dark phases (p = 0.018), and the number of behavioral transitions increased only during the dark phase (p = 0.0004). Network analysis revealed specific altered patterns of behavioral transitions in LBN dams, characterized by the predominance of switches between active nursing postures during the first five days of the LBN protocol. Conclusion: Nursing behavior was the most disrupted component of maternal behavior under the LBN protocol, mainly during the dark phase. Network analysis can complement and extend traditional methods to gain a more thorough understanding of maternal care strategies and behavioral patterns in LBN conditions and potential consequences for the offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMaterial and MethodsResultsConclusions\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONTo evaluate the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in pain management in subjects with oncologic process.Several databases were searched in December 2023. Randomized Controlled Trials that evaluated the application of tDCS on pain in adults with oncologic process were selected. Random-effects meta-analysis with 95%CI were used to quantify the change scores in pain between tDCS and control groups.Six trials with 482 participants were included. There were significant differences in favor of tDCS in pain intensity in surgical oncology patients compared to sham stimulation (p < 0.001). Non-surgical patients showed no significant effect. Meta-regression analysis in this group of patients showed that the timing of the evaluation moderated the effect of tDCS on pain (p= .042), with longer time after tDCS being associated with greater pain reduction.The application of a-tDCS for at least 20 min, with a current density higher than 0.057 mA/cm2, applied over M1, left DLPFC, or the insula area, between 2–5 sessions appears to be an effective and safe treatment of pain in surgical oncology patients compared to sham. The tDCS appears to be more effective for high-intensity pain, and in the long term.Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) appears to significantly reduce pain in surgical oncology patients.The efficacy of tDCS on pain appears to be greater over a longer period of time.tDCS appears to be more effective for high-intensity pain.Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) appears to significantly reduce pain in surgical oncology patients.The efficacy of tDCS on pain appears to be greater over a longer period of time.tDCS appears to be more effective for high-intensity pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating pasture biomass has emerged as a promising avenue to assist farmers in identifying the best cutting times for maximizing biomass yield using satellite data. This study aims to develop an innovative framework integrating field and satellite data to estimate aboveground biomass in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) at farm scale. For this purpose, samples were collected throughout the 2022 growing season on different mowing dates at three fields in Kansas, USA. The satellite data employed comprised four sources: Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, Planet Fusion, and Biomass Proxy. A grid of hyperparameters was created to establish different combinations and select the best coefficients. The permutation feature importance technique revealed that the Planet's PlanetScope near-infrared (NIR) band and the Biomass Proxy product were the predictive features with the highest contribution to the biomass prediction model's. A Bayesian Additive Regression Tree (BART) was applied to explore its ability to build a predictive model. Its performance was assessed via statistical metrics (r2: 0.61; RMSE: 0.29 kg.m−2). Additionally, uncertainty quantifications were proposed with this framework to assess the range of error in the predictions. In conclusion, this integration in a nonparametric approach achieved a useful predicting tool with the potential to optimize farmers' management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing functional brain activity through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is commonly done using tools from graph theory for the analysis of the correlation matrices. A drawback of these methods is that the networks must be restricted to values of the weights of the edges within certain thresholds and there is no consensus about the best choice of such thresholds. Topological data analysis (TDA) is a recently-developed tool in algebraic topology which allows us to analyze networks through combinatorial spaces obtained from them, with the advantage that all the possible thresholds can be considered at once. In this paper we applied TDA, in particular persistent homology, to study correlation matrices from rs-fMRI, and through statistical analysis, we detected significant differences between the topological structures of adolescents with inhaled substance abuse disorder (ISAD) and healthy controls. We interpreted the topological differences as indicative of a loss of robustness in the functional brain networks of the ISAD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which archery technology affected social organization in the Andes region of South America remains understudied. To identify the timing and consequences of archery technology in the Lake Titicaca Basin, this analysis examines metric data from 1179 projectile points from the region, 11–1.0 cal. ka. We find that the greatest decrease in projectile point size occurred across the Late/Terminal Archaic and Formative/Tiwanaku period boundaries, 5.0 and 1.5 cal. ka, respectively. We do not find a statistically significant decrease in size during any other transition, including the Terminal Archaic/Formative boundary, which was previously hypothesized to have been the time when archery technology first appeared in the region. These results instead favor the hypothesis that archery technology first entered the region during the Terminal Archaic Period, 5.0–3.5 cal ka. We furthermore observe that this technological transition coincided with the growth of settlements, a surge in the use of exotic goods such as obsidian, a low level of inter-group violence, and incipient agropastoralism—a pattern that intensified during the subsequent Formative period when monumental ceremonial centers emerged. These findings lead us to propose a model for South American archery technology in which its appearance after 5000 years ago contributed to the emergence of new cooperative dynamics that expanded regional exchange networks and community aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Discussion The number of older adults struggling to maintain adequate housing is growing. Prior studies have used various criteria to measure housing insecurity; however, no standardized definition exists to date. Using a multidimensional approach, our study sought to calculate population‐based estimates of various forms of housing insecurity among community‐living older Americans and determine how these estimates differ across key characteristics.This study utilized data from the 2011 round of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a prospective longitudinal study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older. Three key forms of housing insecurity were operationalized: poor housing affordability (PHA), poor housing quality (PHQ), and poor neighborhood quality (PNQ). Population‐based estimates of these forms of housing insecurity were calculated using analytic sampling weights and stratified by age, gender, race and ethnicity, frailty status, and dementia status.Totally 6466 participants were included in the analysis, representing 29,848,119 community‐living older Americans. The mean (standard deviation) age was 77.3 (7.7) years; by weighted percentages, 56.0% identified as female, 81.3% as White, 8.2% Black, and 7.1% Hispanic. At least one form of housing insecurity was identified in 38.5% of older Americans. Individually, the prevalence of PHA was 14.8%, PHQ 24%, and PNQ 12.5%. The prevalence of at least one form of housing insecurity was higher among persons of color (62.9% Black and 66% Hispanic vs White; p < 0.001), those with frailty (40.9% pre‐frail and 49.4% frail vs robust; p < 0.001), and those with cognitive impairment (48.1% possible and 51% probable dementia vs no dementia; p < 0.001).Nearly one in three community‐living older Americans experience at least one form of housing insecurity. This was most common among vulnerable subgroups. Our multidimensional approach to defining various forms of housing insecurity can be used for future studies focused on improving social determinants of health among high‐risk older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies have suggested a link between peripheral inflammation and cognitive outcomes in the general population and individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). We sought to test the association between peripheral inflammation, measured by the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), cognitive performance, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) status in individuals with PD. Methods: A retrospective, longitudinal analysis was carried out using data from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), including 422 participants with PD followed over 5 years. Cognitive performance was assessed using a neuropsychological battery including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and tests of verbal learning, visuospatial function, processing speed, and executive function. Mixed‐effect regression models were used to analyze the association between NLR, cognitive performance, and MCI status, controlling for age, sex, education, APOE genotype, and motor severity. Results: There was a negative association between NLR and MoCA, even after adjusting for covariates (b = −0.12, p = 0.033). MoCA scores for individuals in the high NLR category exhibited a more rapid decline over time compared to the low NLR group (b = −0.16, p = 0.012). Increased NLR was associated with decreased performance across all cognitive domains. However, NLR was not associated with MCI status over 5 years of follow‐up. Interpretation: This study demonstrates a link between elevated NLR and cognitive performance in PD, but not with MCI status over 5 years. This suggests that NLR is more strongly associated with day‐to‐day cognitive performance than with incident MCI, but this requires further study in more heterogeneous cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harmful effects of chemicals in conventional agriculture and the growing demand for food free of toxic residues has developed environmentally sustainable strategies. An effective alternative for integrated pest management in agricultural crops are biopesticides formulated with microorganic structures or from the production of active compounds. This paper describes the production processes of Beauveria bassiana for formulating biopesticides for agricultural use. The information was collected through a systematic search in Research Gate, Google Scholar, Science Direct and PubMed, using keywords such as production, Beauveria bassiana, solid fermentation, liquid fermentation and metabolites. The results affirm that B. bassiana is one of the microorganisms with great potential to produce biopesticides, due to the entomopathogenic mechanism of action and secondary metabolites, which can be used for the biological control of phytophagous insects. Likewise, for the formulation of B. bassiana it should be considered a profitable culture medium for large-scale production, also the control of environmental variables such as temperature at 25 °C, relative humidity 65-70%, pH of 5.4, propagation time between 4 to 8 days, and for the liquid fermentation process, a constant agitation between 200 to 400 rpm must be maintained. Biological products represent an alternative to minimize the use of synthetic pesticides, reduce environmental pollution and ensure food safety and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry cultivation holds significant economic and social promise within Peruvian fruit production. However, conventional management practices have led to the excessive use of agrochemicals in this crop. This study proposes an organic approach to strawberry production, integrating less environmentally harmful technologies. The aim was to assess microbial inoculation by using Trichoderma sp. and Pseudomonas putida and the application of organic amendments on strawberry seedlings of the commercial cultivar "San Andreas". A field experiment was established with evaluations in the vegetative and productive stages. Results indicate that the co-inoculation of Trichoderma sp. and Pseudomonas putida increased leaf area by 7%, and enhanced the aerial part's fresh and dry biomass by 13% and 28%, respectively, compared to treatment without microbial inoculation. Concurrently, compost application increased the leaf number and aerial dry biomass by 22% and 19% at the end of the vegetative stage, respectively, compared to treatment without organic amendment. In addition, it reduced the days for flowering, maintaining the fruit's physicochemical attributes. Regarding yield, the amendments application significantly enhanced fruit weight per plant by 40%, especially when applied together with Trichoderma sp., and co-inoculation increased the number of fruits per meter square by 22%. These findings highlight the potential of technologies such as microbial inoculation and organic amendments to enhance strawberry yields and to gradually reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical thinking is essential for facing the demands of a complex world, as it enables us to discern between truthful and biased information and to build knowledge autonomously. This fosters better citizenship and a critical analysis of reality, including controversial issues. Since it is an important educational goal, the aim of this study was to analyze the perceptions of a group of secondary school teachers from a public school in Lima regarding the teaching of critical thinking in the context of controversial issues. A semi-structured interview was conducted, and the participants joined virtually. The results indicate that teachers are motivated to teach critical thinking, but they lack sufficient theoretical and practical tools to do so effectively. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for educational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When can we expect multiple racial groups to find common ground in the face of potentially unequal distributive urban policies? While we understand a great deal about the role of elites in inter-ethnic coalition building, we know less about the conditions under which cooperative behavior among their co-ethnic voters is more likely. Research has found that multiracial coalitions are critical to the political incorporation of racial/ethnic minority group interests at the local level but conflict between minority groups persists due to both real and perceived competition for resources. In this paper, we argue that elite co-ethnic endorsements can increase co-ethnic voters' support for urban distributive policies that disproportionately benefit outgroups over one's own ingroup. We test our theory using a survey experiment from a representative sample of more than 1800 Los Angeles County voters. We find that respondents are less likely to support policy proposals that exclusively target benefits toward ethnic outgroups compared to when their ethnic ingroup exclusively benefits from an identical proposal. But we also find that the presence of co-ethnic endorsements can increase support for proposals that benefit an ethnic outgroup. We find this effect among Black, Latino, and Asian Americans in our sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blind adults display language‐specificity in their packaging and ordering of events in speech. These differences affect the representation of events in co‐speech gesture–gesturing with speech–but not in silent gesture–gesturing without speech. Here we examine when in development blind children begin to show adult‐like patterns in co‐speech and silent gesture. We studied speech and gestures produced by 30 blind and 30 sighted children learning Turkish, equally divided into 3 age groups: 5–6, 7–8, 9–10 years. The children were asked to describe three‐dimensional spatial event scenes (e.g., running out of a house) first with speech, and then without speech using only their hands. We focused on physical motion events, which, in blind adults, elicit cross‐linguistic differences in speech and co‐speech gesture, but cross‐linguistic similarities in silent gesture. Our results showed an effect of language on gesture when it was accompanied by speech (co‐speech gesture), but not when it was used without speech (silent gesture) across both blind and sighted learners. The language‐specific co‐speech gesture pattern for both packaging and ordering semantic elements was present at the earliest ages we tested the blind and sighted children. The silent gesture pattern appeared later for blind children than sighted children for both packaging and ordering. Our findings highlight gesture as a robust and integral aspect of the language acquisition process at the early ages and provide insight into when language does and does not have an effect on gesture, even in blind children who lack visual access to gesture. Research Highlights: Gestures, when produced with speech (i.e., co‐speech gesture), follow language‐specific patterns in event representation in both blind and sighted children.Gestures, when produced without speech (i.e., silent gesture), do not follow the language‐specific patterns in event representation in both blind and sighted children.Language‐specific patterns in speech and co‐speech gestures are observable at the same time in blind and sighted children.The cross‐linguistic similarities in silent gestures begin slightly later in blind children than in sighted children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory diseases in ruminants are responsible for enormous economic losses for the dairy and meat industry. The main causative bacterial agent of pneumonia in ovine is Mannheimia haemolytica A2. Due to the impact of this disease, the effect of the antimicrobial protein, bovine lactoferrin (bLf), against virulence factors of this bacterium has been studied. However, its effect on biofilm formation has not been reported. In this work, we evaluated the effect on different stages of the biofilm. Our results reveal a decrease in biofilm formation when bacteria were pre-incubated with bLf. However, when bLf was added at the start of biofilm formation and on mature biofilm, an increase was observed, which was visualized by greater bacterial aggregation and secretion of biofilm matrix components. Additionally, through SDS-PAGE, a remarkable band of ~80 kDa was observed when bLf was added to biofilms. Therefore, the presence of bLf on the biofilm was determined through the Western blot and Microscopy techniques. Finally, by using Live/Dead staining, we observed that most of the bacteria in a biofilm with bLf were not viable. In addition, bLf affects the formation of a new biofilm cycle. In conclusion, bLf binds to the biofilm of M. haemolytica A2 and affects the viability of bacteria and the formation a new biofilm cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannheimia haemolytica is the main etiological bacterial agent in ruminant respiratory disease. M. haemolytica secretes leukotoxin, lipopolysaccharides, and proteases, which may be targeted to treat infections. We recently reported the purification and in vivo detection of a 110 kDa Zn metalloprotease with collagenase activity (110-Mh metalloprotease) in a sheep with mannheimiosis, and this protease may be an important virulence factor. Due to the increase in the number of multidrug-resistant strains of M. haemolytica, new alternatives to antibiotics are being explored; one option is lactoferrin (Lf), which is a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein from the innate immune system of mammals. Bovine apo-lactoferrin (apo-bLf) possesses many properties, and its bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects have been highlighted. The present study was conducted to investigate whether apo-bLf inhibits the secretion and proteolytic activity of the 110-Mh metalloprotease. This enzyme was purified and sublethal doses of apo-bLf were added to cultures of M. haemolytica or co-incubated with the 110-Mh metalloprotease. The collagenase activity was evaluated using zymography and azocoll assays. Our results showed that apo-bLf inhibited the secretion and activity of the 110-Mh metalloprotease. Molecular docking and overlay assays showed that apo-bLf bound near the active site of the 110-Mh metalloprotease, which affected its enzymatic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication is pivotal for the emergence of coordination and cooperation within teams. As a result, communication plays an important role in team dynamics as better communication between teammates can lead to more efficient and successful teams. To better understand communication dynamics and their impact on team performance, we develop a modelling framework of two-agent interaction dynamics in a discrete-time fashion. Our proposed model considers the communications between two agents based on each agent's personality and their individual impact on any received communication. Combined with data, we perform mathematical analysis and bifurcation diagrams to study how agents' personality and training may impact the quality of the team's communications and therefore their performance in task completion. The validations and parameter estimations of our model from data could potentially help us to select team members that could work together efficiently, and train members in the established team to collaborate better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Ranunculus from Elko County, Nevada, R. legerae, is described and illustrated. It is related to R. triternatus, R. glaberimmus, and R. adoneus. The earliest known collection was made in 1937. Poor label information prevented rediscovery, which did not happen until 2017. The second author discovered a large population in 2022 which led to this study and article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how digital platforms have changed working conditions and labor relations in domestic and care work in recent years. The study focuses on Hogarú, a digital platform in Colombia. Through a qualitative study involving interviews and focus groups, we analyze Hogarú's business model, along with the changes in working conditions for domestic workers compared to traditional employment methods. The study highlights two main findings. First, digital platforms can enhance domestic workers' bargaining power by raising awareness of their rights, professionalizing their work, promoting physical meeting spaces with other workers, providing ongoing training, and ensuring fundamental rights. Second, while digital platforms can shift the traditional labor relationship from one where the domestic worker directly offers care services to one managed by the company, power imbalances and low recognition of this work persist. This article offers insights into digital labor platforms from the perspective of the workers involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the unifying and explanatory power of the selective realism defended by Anjan Chakravartty. Our main aim is twofold. First, we critically analyse the purported synthesis between entity realism and structural realism offered by the author. We give reasons to think that this unification is an inconvenient marriage. In the second step, we deal with certain controversial aspects of the intended unification among three metaphysical concepts: causation, laws of nature and natural kinds. After pointing out that Chakravartty's conception of laws is a plausible view that a scientific realist might endorse, we contend, on the contrary, that the concept of natural kind is dispensable in the framework of Chakravartty's realism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of calculi inside the uterine cavity is an uncommon finding, with few cases described in the literature. Here, we present a clinical case of a 30‐year‐old patient with uterine lithiasis. The patient presented with 3 months of evolution, characterized by abdominal pain in the hypogastrium, with a report of transvaginal ultrasound of hematometra with suggestive images of endometrial polyps. For this reason, she was scheduled for hysteroscopy, where three lesions of hard consistency were found, with the largest 1.5 cm. Currently, due to the few cases of uterine lithiasis described, there is no explanation of how the stones are formed in the uterine cavity. The age of the patient in this case report and the absence of predisposing factors for uterine calcifications reported in the literature is striking, which leads us to propose a hypothesis of the origin of uterine lithiasis, which is related to the history of cesarean section and the presence of hematometra, such hematic retention could have predisposed to the development of calculi in this patient. Uterine lithiasis is an extremely rare entity with few published cases; therefore, further studies are necessary. Synopsis: We present an extremely rare case of uterine lithiasis, a disease for which only three cases have been previously reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We report on a 13‐year‐old boy diagnosed with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) due to a pathogenic variant in ectodysplasin A (EDA). He exhibited multiple whitish, millimetric papules clustered on the nasal ala, forehead, temporal, and zygomatic arch areas. Histological examination revealed numerous hyperplastic sebaceous lobules within the upper dermis. The occurrence of sebaceous papules in this distribution among HED patients has rarely been reported. An association with the blockage of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway due to EDA malfunction has been speculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration of nib Cd to the testa during fermentation can be achieved with high temperatures (> 45 °C) and low nib pH values (< 5.0) using spontaneous fermentation. However, this low pH can lead to low flavor quality. This study used three controlled temperature fermentation treatments on three cacao genotypes (CCN 51, ICS 95, and TCS 01) to test its effects on the nib pH, the migration of nib Cd to the testa, and the liquor flavor quality. All treatments were effective in reducing the total nib Cd concentration. Nevertheless, the treatment with the higher mean temperature (44.25 °C) and acidification (pH 4.66) reached the highest mean nib Cd reductions throughout fermentation, a 1.37 factor in TCS 01, promoting the development of fine-flavor cocoa sensorial notes. In unfermented beans, the Cd concentration of nibs was higher than that of the testa, and the Cd migration proceeded down the total concentration gradient. However, Cd migration was observed against the concentration gradient (testa Cd > nib Cd) from the fourth day. Cd migration could increase by extensive fermentation until the sixth day in high temperatures and probably by the adsorbent capacity of the testa. Genotype-by-treatment interactions were present for the nib Cd reduction, and a universal percentage of decrease of Cd for each genotype with fermentation cannot be expected. Selecting genotypes with highly adsorbent testa combined with controlled temperatures would help reduce the Cd concentration in the cacao raw material, improving its safety and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the applicability and popularity of theta burst stimulation (TBS) paradigms remain, current knowledge of their neurobiological effects is still limited, especially with respect to their impact on glial cells and neuroinflammatory processes. We used a multimodal imaging approach to assess the effects of a clinical course of TBS on markers for microglia activation and tissue injury as an indirect assessment of neuroinflammatory processes. Healthy non-human primates received continuous TBS (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), or sham stimulation over the motor cortex at 90% of resting motor threshold. Stimulation was delivered to the awake subjects 5 times a week for 3–4 weeks. Translocator protein (TSPO) expression was evaluated using Positron Emission Tomography and [11C]PBR28, and myo-inositol (mI) and N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) concentrations were assessed with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Animals were then euthanized, and immunofluorescence staining was performed using antibodies against TSPO. Paired t-tests showed no significant changes in [11C]PBR28 measurements after stimulation. Similarly, no significant changes in mI and NAA concentrations were found. Post-mortem TSPO evaluation showed comparable mean immunofluorescence intensity after active TBS and sham delivery. The current study suggests that in healthy brains a clinical course of TBS, as evaluated with in-vivo imaging techniques (PET and MRS), did not measurably modulate the expression of glia related markers and metabolite associated with neural viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Determine the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients with ulcers in the lower extremities, which leads to adequate initial orientation of their etiology and management in primary health care, as it is a frequent pathology and with great economic, social, and environmental impact. general condition of the patient. Methodology. A descriptive, crosssectional study was carried out, which included 30 patients, evaluating various clinical and epidemiological variables statistically analyzed and the results presented in graphs and tables. Results. 60% were female and 40% male, the average age was 63.33 years; 36.66% had previous ulcers. In 60% the etiology of the ulcer was venous and in 23.33% it was neuropathic; 43.33% had grade I ulcers, and 36.67% had grade II ulcers. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension, venous insufficiency, and diabetes mellitus. The correct initial etiological diagnosis based on the anamnesis and clinical assessment is crucial to install the appropriate treatment measures and avoid chronicity and recurrence of the ulcer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of May 2022, 42 state legislatures had introduced bills that would limit how (and whether) teachers can address inequities based on race, gender, and other marginalized identities. At the same time, book bans are becoming increasingly common across the country. Given the importance of providing children opportunities to critically engage with texts from a variety of perspectives and representing a diversity of experiences, teachers should use picturebooks to facilitate critical discussions with children as young as kindergarten. This study reports findings from an activity in which K‐8 in‐service teachers used an equity‐focused text analysis tool to critically analyze the picturebook Marisol McDonald doesn't match/Marisol McDonald no combina. I conducted thematic analysis on a key component of critical literacy teachers addressed—identifying stereotypes the author and illustrator both disrupt and perpetuate in this book. This work helps us understand how teachers themselves learn to engage in critical analysis of picturebooks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In May 2022, mpox cases were reported in nonendemic countries, including the United States. We examined mpox infections in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Methods Mpox diagnostic and whole genome sequencing (WGS) results, demographics, risk factors, hospitalizations, exposures, deaths, and pharmacy and immunization data were obtained from VHA data sources (23 May 2022–31 May 2023). Results Of 1144 Veterans tested, 251 (21.9%) were presumptive positive for nonvariola orthopoxvirus (NVO) or confirmed positive for NVO and Monkeypox virus (MPXV). Incidence rate was 7.5 per 100 000 Veterans in care, with the highest rate observed in Veterans aged 25–34 years (13.83 cases per 100 000). Higher odds of NVO or NVO/MPXV positivity was associated with male sex; non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity; syphilis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity; or genital/rectal sample site, whereas older age and vaccination with JYNNEOS or vaccinia (smallpox) had lower odds. Among 209 with confirmatory testing, 90.4% reported intimate contact and/or an epidemiological link, 84.5% were men who have sex with men (MSM), 24.2% received tecovirimat, and 8.1% were hospitalized with 1 death. Eighty-six sequenced samples had evaluable WGS results. All were clade IIb, representing 10 different lineages from 20 states and the District of Columbia. Conclusions Mpox affected younger, MSM, non-Hispanic Black, and HIV/syphilis-positive men among US Veterans. Viral diversity was noted across geographic regions. At-risk Veterans would benefit from vaccination and risk reduction strategies for mpox and other sexually transmitted infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a bioresorbable and biodegradable polymer extensively used in various biomedical and engineering applications. In this study, we investigated the mass loss and thermal properties of PLA-multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites under simulated physiological conditions. The composites were prepared by melting PLA with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 wt% MWCNTs using an ultrasonic agitator, and FTIR analysis confirmed composite formation. Subsequently, the composites were subjected to hydrolysis under simulated physiological conditions (pH 7.4 and 37 °C) for up to 60 days. The results revealed that the mass loss of the composites decreased with increasing MWCNT content, suggesting that the presence of MWCNTs decelerated the hydrolysis process. On day 58, the mass loss of pure PLA was 12.5%, decreasing to 8.34% with 0.1% MWCNT, 5.94% with 0.5% MWCNT, 4.59% with 1% MWCNT, and 3.54% with 5.0% MWCNT. This study offers valuable insights into the behavior of PLA-MWCNT composites under physiologically simulated conditions, facilitating the development of new polymer composites with enhanced thermal stability and degradation resistance for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Research Question: This practitioner-scholar study investigated perceptions and experiences of community college students who transferred upon completion of their associate degree programs in Colorado, a state with multiple state-level transfer policies. Each student participated in a cohort-based transfer support program offered at their community college. The research questions were: 1. Do community college students who participated in transfer programing while earning their associate degree perceive that it helped prepare them for successful transfer? 2. Do community college students perceive that their courses prepared them to be successful at a university? 3. What are the perceptions and experiences of community college students who transferred upon completion of their associate degree programs within a context of a state with multiple transfer policy initiatives? Methods: This study used a phenomenological approach and qualitative data collection methods. Results: While students believed their community colleges prepared them academically, and their transfer preparation programing was beneficial, their reflections highlight that regardless of support provided, academic preparation, or policy context, transfer from community college to university is challenging, problematic, and bureaucratic. Often community college students are viewed with a deficit lens by university staff. Conclusions/Contributions: Regardless of state policy context, transfer preparation, and support, obstacles encountered in the transfer process from community college to university must be negotiated through relationships and advocacy both on the part of college staff and the students themselves. However, students who transfer from a college with dedicated transfer support and preparation demonstrate resilience to complete the process successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several recent studies concerning men's pornography use have challenged past research conclusions that male pornography use negatively impacts relational outcomes in heterosexual relationships. While extant literature has explored the intersection of religion and men's experience with pornography consumption, the impact on religious wives has primarily been understudied. Purpose: The present study examined the impact of a husband's problematic pornography use on a religious woman's spirituality and religiosity. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 women who self-identified as religious women. Faith traditions of the participants include Catholic, Jewish, Latter-day Saint, Native American Spiritual, non-denominational Christians, Protestant Christians, and Spiritual. The data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenology, a qualitative methodology. Results: Using a feminist hermeneutics theoretical lens to analyze the data in a way that gives preference for the woman's experience, three primary themes emerged: Wrestle with Religion, Relationships that Facilitate Healing, and Spiritual Growth. Nine subthemes were identified, including Influence of Religious Culture, Unmet Expectations of Religious Leaders, Challenges to Faith, Support from Inside the Religion, Recognizing the Need for Support Outside the Religion, Women Need Women for Healing, Divine Assistance, Relationship with God, and A Journey of Growth and Transformation. Conclusions & Implications: These primary themes and subthemes provide a rich description of the religious context, means to healing, and resilience that characterize religious women's experiences after discovering a husband's problematic pornography use. Most importantly, the authors discuss significant implications for religious leaders and clinicians seeking to provide culturally sensitive care to distressed women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is used to identify protein presence, absence, or overexpression and usually, their interpretation is visual. Some published methods can localize the position of proteins using image analysis on images of SDS-PAGE gels. However, they cannot automatically determine a particular protein band's concentration or molecular weight. In this article, a new methodology to identify the number of samples present in an SDS-PAGE gel and the molecular weight of the recombinant protein is developed. SDS-PAGE images of different concentrations of pure GPN protein were created to produce homogeneous gels. Then, these images were analyzed using the developed methodology called Image Profile Based on Binarized Image Segmentation (IPBBIS). It is based on detecting the maximum intensity values of the analyzed bands and produces the segmentation of images filtered by a binary mask. The IPBBIS was developed to identify the number of samples in an SDS-PAGE gel and the molecular weight of the recombinant protein of interest, with a margin of error of 3.35%. An accuracy of 0.9850521 was achieved for homogeneous gels and 0.91736 for heterogeneous gels of low quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuing education (CE) activities may affect clinicians' knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and/or performance. Studies have suggested that self-efficacy may moderate or mediate the relationship between knowledge/competence and performance. Some results have shown that increases in knowledge/competence contributed to increases in self-efficacy. However, clinicians do not always learn something "new" when they participate in CE activities; rather, their knowledge or skills may be reinforced. This study examined whether self-efficacy was greater when clinicians reinforced what they already knew compared with when they learned something new. Hierarchical linear modeling was conducted to examine the moderating role of status of knowledge/competence post-CE (reinforced/improved) in the relationship between post-CE knowledge/competence score and self-efficacy across 153 online continuing medical education- and/or CE-certified activities. The hierarchical linear modeling showed that learners with higher post-CE scores have higher post–self-efficacy ratings. Reinforced learners had higher post-CE–self-efficacy ratings than improved learners, controlling for post-CE score. This study contributes to an expanded understanding of the path from CE to practice. There was benefit to self-efficacy for learners who reinforced but did not improve their knowledge/competence. This study also suggests that pre-post questions can be considered part of the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through interviews, participant observation, and a collective dialogue meeting among women, the results of an investigation into the challenges, difficulties, and forms of violence faced by young rural women who are studying or have graduated from the Sustainable Agricultural Innovation Engineering program in Cuquío, Jalisco, are gathered and presented. Since their early years, these young women have confronted various forms of violence within the agro-industrial context in which they are situated. Some of these forms of violence are linked to sexist dynamics surrounding monoculture maize production, compounded by others associated with their rural youth and gender condition. These challenges are interdependently reproduced, accumulated, and intensified within their university experiences, leading to psychosocial distress, academic dropout, and hindrances in accessing career-related opportunities. This article aims to shed light on these situations -prior to, during, and after their university studiesanalyzing them through a feminist lens to enable the recognition, focus, and analysis of the patriarchal facet within the agro-industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a historical account of autism in Peru. Currently, the term "autism spectrum conditions", from the neurodiversity paradigm, is used to describe neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by persistent difficulties in communication, social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. In Peru, the scientific study of nervous and mental diseases began around 1920 and despite the fact that the diagnosis of "childhood autism" was proposed in 1959, it only began to spread in the 1980s. Although significant advances were made in the 21st century, Peru still faces many challenges in addressing autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring independently predicts long-term outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Of the various modalities available, multiparameter flow cytometry–based MRD analysis is widely used and relevant for patients without molecular targets. In the transplant (HCT) setting, the presence of MRD pre-HCT is associated with adverse outcomes. MRD-negative remission status pre-HCT was also associated with longer overall (OS) and progression-free survival and a lower risk of relapse. We hypothesize that the combination of disease risk and MRD at the time of first complete remission (CR1) could identify patients according to the benefit gained from HCT, especially for intermediate-risk patients. We performed a retrospective analysis comparing the outcomes of HCT versus non-HCT therapies based on MRD status in AML patients who achieved CR1. Time-dependent analysis was applied considering time-to-HCT as a time-dependent covariate and compared HCT versus non-HCT outcomes according to MRD status at CR1. Among 336 patients assessed at CR1, 35.1% were MRD positive (MRDpos) post-induction. MRDpos patients benefitted from HCT with improved OS and relapse-free survival (RFS), while no benefit was observed in MRDneg patients. In adverse-risk patients, HCT improved OS (HR for OS 0.55; p = 0.05). In intermediate-risk patients, HCT benefit was not significant for OS and RFS. Intermediate-risk MRDpos patients were found to have benefit from HCT with improved OS (HR 0.45, p = 0.04), RFS (HR 0.46, p = 0.02), and CIR (HR 0.41, p = 0.02). Our data underscore the benefit of HCT in adverse risk and MRDpos intermediate-risk AML patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins from the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family are frequently associated with horizontally transferred multidrug resistance gene arrays found in bacteria from wastewater and the human-adjacent biosphere. Recent studies suggest that a subset of SMR transporters might participate in the metabolism of the common pharmaceutical metformin by bacterial consortia. Here, we show that both genomic and plasmid-associated transporters of the SMRGdx functional subtype export byproducts of microbial metformin metabolism, with particularly high export efficiency for guanylurea. We use solid-supported membrane electrophysiology to evaluate the transport kinetics for guanylurea and native substrate guanidinium by four representative SMRGdx homologs. Using an internal reference to normalize independent electrophysiology experiments, we show that transport rates are comparable for genomic and plasmid-associated SMRGdx homologs, and using a proteoliposomebased transport assay, we show that 2 proton:1 substrate transport stoichiometry is maintained. Additional characterization of guanidinium and guanylurea export properties focuses on the structurally characterized homolog, Gdx-Clo, for which we examined the pH dependence and thermodynamics of substrate binding and solved an x-ray crystal structure with guanylurea bound. Together, these experiments contribute in two main ways. By providing the first detailed kinetic examination of the structurally characterized SMRGdx homolog Gdx-Clo, they provide a functional framework that will inform future mechanistic studies of this model transport protein. Second, this study casts light on a potential role for SMRGdx transporters in microbial handling of metformin and its microbial metabolic byproducts, providing insight into how native transport physiologies are co-opted to contend with new selective pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current development model is structured around the intensive exploitation of natural resources, which implies the expansion of extractive activities as a source of capital accumulation. In this sense, and given the centrality of the environment-development binomial, the objective of this paper is to analyze the multiple dimensions (narrative, symbolic, cultural, political, economic, territorial, etc.) involved in the extractivist model. The proposed methodology consists of compiling bibliographic sources and carrying out a referential sampling in order to give a schematic account of the main approaches, points in common and the different ways of approaching the problem from the social sciences, as well as their contributions and limitations. The main findings show the importance of respecting the peculiarities of the case studies and the relevance of researching alternative literatures that allow a better understanding of the phenomena under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the importance of interdisciplinary approaches is increasingly recognised in conservation, bridging knowledge systems across scales remains a fundamental challenge. Focusing on the Important Plant Areas (IPA) approach, we evaluate how complementing scientific and local knowledge can better inform the conservation of useful plants in Colombia. We worked in three municipalities to investigate knowledge on useful plant richness, species composition and use types, as well as perceptions on area-based plant conservation approaches. Participatory focus groups and ethnobotanical walks-in-the-woods were undertaken with local communities, while scientific data were represented by occurrence records from global data aggregators and digitised collections. A total of 1190 species with human uses were reported. Combining knowledge systems provided the richest understanding of useful plants but the relative contribution of each system varied between study areas, influenced by the history of scientific studies, socio-ecological context and study design. Meanwhile, local perceptions of how conservation areas should be selected differed from global IPA criteria. These results show that working with local communities can improve biological understanding for spatial conservation planning. Additionally, participatory approaches must move beyond community-based conservation and data collection, to inform the design of global conservation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valganciclovir (VGC) was used in a randomized clinical trial in patients with disseminated Kaposi Sarcoma/human immunodeficiency virus (DKS/HIV) as add-on therapy to evaluate the proinflammatory axis tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and its receptors (TNFRs) in T cells. Two treatment schedules were used: an experimental regime (ER) and a conventional treatment (CT). Mononuclear cells from patients with DKS/HIV were obtained at baseline (W0), 4 (W4), and 12 weeks (W12). Ten DKS/HIV patients received CT (antiretroviral therapy [cART]) and 10 ER (valganciclovir [VGC] initially, plus cART at the fourth week). HIV+ without KS and HIV− patient groups were included as controls. Correlation between T-cell subsets and HHV-8 viral load (VL) and a multivariate linear regression was performed. Data showed that DKS/HIV patients have an increased frequency of CD8+ T cells, which display a high density of CD8 expression. The ER scheme increases naïve and central memory CD4+ T cells at W4 and W12 of follow-up and induces a balanced distribution of activated CD4+ T-cell subsets. Moreover, ER decreases solTNFR2 since W4 and CT decreased the transmembrane forms of TNF axis molecules. Although CT induces a positive correlation between HHV-8 VL and TNFRs, the use of ER positively correlates with TNF and TNFRs levels through follow-up and a moderate correlation with HHV-8 VL and TNF soluble levels. In conclusion, VGC, as an add-on therapy in DKS/HIV patients, gradually modulates the activation of CD4+ T-cell subsets and the TNF/TNFRs axis, suggesting a better regulation of the inflammatory status. Experimental regiment includes 4 weeks of valganciclovir before starting the antiretroviral therapy in DKS/HIV patients. Experimental regime (ER) induces a homogeneous distribution of activated CD4+ T cells and modulates efficiently the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors (TNFR1 and TNFR2) levels. ER can provide a clinical benefit because an exacerbated inflammatory process could be avoided. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a series of articles, Mauricio Suárez defends the neutrality of fictionalism with respect to the scientific realism-anti-realism debate. Suárez understands fictionalism from a strictly methodological point of view, linked to the practice of model building in the context of the philosophy of science. He moves away from the type of fictionalism analysed in other areas of philosophy such as metaphysics, the philosophy of language, aesthetics or the philosophy of mathematics. Following Vaihinger's position, he emphasizes the inferential role of fiction in scientific modelling and argues that scientific fictionalism is not incompatible with scientific realism, as is often believed. We argue against Suárez's position and reject the ubiquitous character assigned to fictions in scientific discourse, as well as the deflationary view of scientific realism defended by Suárez. We conclude that when the semantic, epistemic, and metaphysical aspects at stake in the realism-antirealism debate are taken into account, the alleged compatibility between scientific realism and fictionalism starts to generate some tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borders are sites of violence and technologies of colonial control. They are also crucibles for the creation of new subjectivities. In this essay, I provide three glances on border violence and the challenges and perhaps unexpected opportunities they represent for Indigenous agency. The first glance is autoethnographic and focuses on my early life in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. The second one considers some episodes from the history of Amazonian borderlands, and the third reflects on a long-term collaboration with Mike Wilson, a Tohono O'odham activist. Juxtaposing the violence of bordertowns with the dialectic possibilities of borderlands, I make a case for understanding the destruction and productive power of boundaries. Following scholars in Indigenous and Borderlands Studies, I bring an autoethnographic sensibility to this analytical reflection on borders as zones of death and ethnogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is recognized as a very important public health problem given its high prevalence and elevated morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in patients with DM2, a list headlined by ischemic events; however, arrhythmias, also contribute notoriously to the mortality attributable to DM2. In general, the risk of developing an arrhythmia is much greater in the diabetic population in comparison with the general population. Although the most prevalent arrhythmia in diabetics is sinus tachycardia, it should be noted that blocks and atrial fibrillation are also frequent in this population. This is a key point, as having any kind of arrhythmia significantly increases the risk of sudden death, which has been demonstrated to be much more frequent in diabetics. Although the origin of arrhythmias in the context of DM2 has many pathophysiologic components, fluctuations in glycemia and oxidative stress appear to play the most important role. In order to reduce the incidence of arrhythmias through therapeutic measures, further research is needed to selectively approach these arrhythmogenic mechanisms. The objective of this review is to evaluate the pathophysiologic mechanisms related to DM2 that originate cardiac rhythm disorders; and to analyze their epidemiology in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age impairs cognitive functions and antioxidant defenses, for example, by increasing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. However, to date, there are no reports on the consequences of aging on temporal patterns of lipid and protein oxidation, antioxidant enzymes activity, the endogenous clock, and proinflammatory cytokines in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Therefore, our objectives were 1) to investigate the endogenous nature of 24-h rhythms of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl levels, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity as well as retinoic acid-related orphan receptor a (RORa) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels, in the rat PFC, and 2) to study the consequences of aging on the circadian organization of these factors in this area. To do that, we used male Holtzman rats, maintained under constant darkness conditions for 15 days before reaching 3- and 22-mo-old, respectively. PFC samples were isolated every 4 h under dim-red light for a 24 h period. Our results revealed circadian patterns of antioxidant enzymes activity, oxidative stress, RORa and TNF-α protein levels in the PFC of young rats. The circadian distribution of the rhythms’ acrophases suggests reciprocal communication among antioxidant defenses, endogenous clock, and inflammation. Such circadian organization disappears in the PFC of aged rats. Increased oxidative stress modifies the cellular redox environment and, consequently, alters the endogenous clock activity and disrupts the circadian organization of antioxidant defenses and TNF-α in the PFC. These results might highlight novel chronobiological targets for the design of therapeutic strategies for healthy aging patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript presents an efficient solver for the linear system that arises from the hierarchical Poincar\'e--Steklov (HPS) discretization of three dimensional variable coefficient Helmholtz problems. Previous work on the HPS method has tied it with a direct solver. This work is the first efficient iterative solver for the linear system that results from the HPS discretization. The solution technique utilizes GMRES coupled with a locally homogenized block-Jacobi preconditioner. The local nature of the discretization and preconditioner naturally yield the matrix-free application of the linear system. Numerical results illustrate the performance of the solution technique. This includes an experiment where a problem approximately 100 wavelengths in each direction that requires more than a billion unknowns to achieve approximately 4 digits of accuracy takes less than 20 minutes to solve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short stems are designed with a bone preservation philosophy in mind. This study aims to compare the outcomes/complications and survival of a collarless fully hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated conventional tapered stem and a HA-coated partial neck-retaining uncemented short stem in patients ⩽55 years old at medium-term follow-up. Methods: We retrospectively studied 247 uncemented THAs operated between 2010 and 2014, comparing 146 patients treated with the fully HA-coated collarless stem (Group A) with 101 patients treated with a partial neck preserving, HA-coated short stem (Group B). 87 and 62 males were in groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.11). The mean age of the series was 46 years (17–55) (p = 0.16). The mean follow-up of groups A and B were 9.9 (7–12) years and 9.7 (7–12) years, respectively (p = 0.21). Results: Mean Harris Hip Score improved from 55 to 92 in group A (p < 0.001) and from 54 to 95 in group B (p < 0.001), without differences between groups. Mean femoral neck length preservation in groups A and B was 13.6 (0–28) mm and 26 (11–38) mm, respectively (p = 0.001). 13 (8.9%) and 1 (1%) patients in groups A and B presented postoperative complications, respectively (p = 0.008). The conventional stem group had more aseptic loosening (Group A 3.4% vs. Group B 0%, p = 0.06) along with more Symptomatic radiolucent lines (Group A 3.4% vs. Group B 0%, p = 0.06). Conclusions: Both conventional and short stems showed excellent implant survival rates and functional outcomes at a mean follow-up of 9.8 years. However, complications and radiolucent lines were more frequent with a collarless conventional-length stem. Bone preservation of the femoral neck and diaphysis may be preferred in active young patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to qualitatively evaluate the experience of patients with multiple sclerosis (PEM) and family caregivers (CFPEM) linked to the multiple sclerosis program of the National University Hospital of Colombia (PrEM-HUNC), during the formation and consolidation of a compassionate community (CC), for social inclusion and promotion of quality of life. Materials and Method: qualitative interpretative study, with in-depth interviews to nine collaborators. With Creswell and Poth's spiral analysis method, four categories and one topic emerged. Results: the theme "A Community Nest of Growth and Transformation" points out the process of shaping the CC as an experience that made possible changes in the meanings surrounding the disease and the personal and family situation; reveals a process of discovery and learning of shaping different relationships and roles. Conclusions: The CC is an option for building support networks, strengthening personal and family capacities, a way to address the different impacts and challenges of living with multiple sclerosis; it is an alternative to the promotion of quality of life and social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) is a highly valued engineering, research, and development resource to the federal government, largely within the US Department of Defense (DoD). Only 15 exist, all under special authority of the US Code. The Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), established in 2008, was the first UARC established as a networked research center, gradually growing to include more than two dozen university members, each offering systems engineering research capabilities. This networked model for a UARC has found support within the DoD—exemplified by the newest UARC established recently by the US Air Force. A large diverse pool of faculty and student researchers arguably delivers the most consequential academic research in systems engineering anywhere in the world. In its first few years, the SERC had to overcome challenges that single‐university UARCs did not face in exchange for the advantages that such a sizable network of universities offers. This review paper explores those challenges, offering lessons for new network‐based UARCs and other network‐based university research centers. Systems engineering communities, globally, are exploring such constructs, and this reflective paper may offer useful insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global initiatives to restore habitats aim to improve ecosystem health; however, restoration programs are challenged with balancing human needs with ecological restoration objectives. To advise programs that aim to restore forest in farmlands and complement other analyses on ecologically‐based reference sites, we (1) identified species with sociocultural importance, termed as "priority species"; (2) developed an integrative index to find habitats where priority species coincide with healthy ecological conditions (i.e. relatively high diversity, specific plant composition, etc.); and (3) evaluated whether sociodemographic profiles of landowners influenced their plant knowledge and ecological condition of habitats. Our approach was applied to riparian forests in farmlands of the Toltén watershed in southern Chile. We conducted structured interviews to gather information on traditional uses and management of trees in riparian habitats from 45 landowners. We developed an integrative index by combining sociocultural information from interviews with existing vegetation data. From the list of 65 trees provided by landowners, we selected five priority species based on their high saliency, multiple uses, and known management. Only 6 out of 98 sites had high integrative index scores, with the majority showing low values for sociocultural and ecological conditions. Except for a difference in ecological criteria and gender, the evaluation of landowners' knowledge level with sociodemographic profiles did not show significant relationships. These findings suggest that our integrative index can guide the design of restoration objectives, emphasizing on species that are important to local communities by providing information on the ecological conditions in which these plants co‐occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Ranunculus from Elko County, Nevada, R. legerae, is described and illustrated. It is related to R. triternatus, R. glaberimmus, and R. adoneus. The earliest known collection was made in 1937. Poor label information prevented rediscovery, which did not happen until 2017. The second author discovered a large population in 2022 which led to this study and article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two predominant methods for understanding and studying bioaerosol aging: capture on microfibers, and Goldberg rotating drums. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach depending on the experimental needs, cost, and timeline, but they have rarely been compared in parallel to determine the similarity of results. Experiments that use Goldberg drums have the advantage of studying aerosol particles in suspension, but due time resolution of aging processes is limited by chamber volume, sample volumes, and aerosol loss mechanisms. For microfiber experiments, particles are adhered to the fiber, and so only simulate natural aerosols, but there are significant advantages since particles are not lost during aging and the time resolution is not limited by sampling. In this study, we compared outdoor UV-transmitting Goldberg rotating drums with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) synthetic spider web material in a complex real-world environment during a summer near Houston, Texas. Bacillus thuringiensis al hakam spores were aerosolized into UV-transmitting, gas-permeable chambers that allowed relevant exposure to real-world atmospheric conditions while isolating particles of interest. Aging was compared for up to 4 h in both sunlight exposed and protected environments to compare and quantify relative degradation rates. The two disparate methodologies yielded similar results, with no statistical difference found in three out of four combinations of carbon-filtered air vs. ambient air, and protection from sunlight vs. exposure to sunlight, but this could vary for other particle sizes or organisms. Copyright © 2023 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]