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We describe a community-engaged research process to co-create and implement an evidence-informed, diversity-focused body image program for early adolescents. Our team included middle school staff, students, and teachers, and university faculty and students. Team members had a diverse range of intersecting cis- and transgender, racial, sexuality, and disability identities. Specific steps to the research process included: (1) establishing team leads at each site to maintain a collaborative and non-hierarchical team structure; (2) bi-weekly advisory team meetings to establish program needs and discuss curriculum and implementation options; (3) a year-long youth co-design process to generate content ideas, pilot pieces of programming, and incorporate youth leadership through an equity lens; (4) inclusive program writing from members of socially marginalized groups; (5) program piloting to solicit feedback from teachers, facilitators, and students; and (6) collaboratively incorporating feedback. The resulting 8-session (6 hours total) Body Justice Project has both dissonance-based and media literacy foundations, with topics related to cultural appearance ideals, diet culture and non-diet nutrition, media and appearance pressure, and body autonomy. It is designed for in-class delivery to middle school students by trained college and youth co-facilitator teams. We emphasize guiding principles and lessons learned, along with next steps in implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current paper, we examined the dimensional structure of parenting using a bifactor model of observed parenting domains during infancy. We validated our parenting dimensions by examining correlations with indicators of family well‐being and child development. Data come from a longitudinal cohort that recruited a diverse sample of mothers (56.5% White) and their newborn child (50.7% males). Parenting was assessed using multiple indicators at an average of 18 months (N = 397). Bifactor modelling revealed a general latent dimension of sensitivity and two unique dimensions indexing emotional input and cognitive input. We found a pattern of shared and unique correlations of the three parenting dimensions with family and child well‐being. The most robust correlations were with the general sensitivity dimension, which we argue cuts across parentings behaviors and is fundamental to development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stepwise approach is currently considered the best choice to manage gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in preterm infants. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different tube feeding techniques on GER frequency and features in symptomatic tube-fed preterm neonates. Tube-fed infants < 34 weeks' gestation were eligible for this prospective, bicentric, cross-over study if, due to GER symptoms, they underwent a diagnostic 24-h combined pH and multiple intraluminal impedance (pH-MII) monitoring. During the monitoring period, each infant received the same feeding cycle, repeated twice: continuous tube feeding, bolus feeding followed by tube feeding permanence and by tube feeding removal. The impact of these three feeding modalities on pH-MII GER features was assessed. Thirty-one infants were enrolled. Despite a low number of reflux episodes, a significant decrease in total GERs (P < 0.001), in GERs detected by pH monitoring (P < 0.001), and in both acid and non-acid GERs detected by MII (P < 0.001 and P = 0.009, respectively) was observed in association with continuous feeding compared to bolus feeds, followed or not by tube feeding removal. Compared to continuous feeding, both bolus feeding modalities were associated with a significantly higher number of proximal GERs (P < 0.001). No difference in any pH-MII parameter was observed in relation to tube feeding persistence after bolus feeding administration. Conclusions: Continuous feeding and boluses may have a different impact on pH-MII GER features in symptomatic tube-fed preterm infants, whereas the permanence of the feeding tube across LES did not seem to worsen GER indexes. What is Known: • Due to the functional and anatomical immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is common in preterm infants. • A stepwise therapeutical approach which firstly undertakes conservative strategies is the most advisable choice to avoid potentially harmful pharmacological overtreatments in the preterm population. What is New: • Continuous feeding and boluses may have a different impact on GER features assessed by pH-MII monitoring in tube-fed preterm infants. • The permanence of the feeding tube during or after the feeding period did not seem to worsen GER occurrence. • By reducing GER features, especially acid GER, continuous feeding may potentially contribute to limit the need for antiacid medications in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bladder cancer with divergent differentiation (BCDD) comprises a heterogenous group of tumors with a poor prognosis, and differential expression of nectin‐4 and programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) has been reported in BCDD. Importantly, nectin‐4 expression in bladder cancer is associated with response to enfortumab vedotin, and PD‐L1 expression is associated with responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review identifying 117 patients with advanced or metastatic BCDD who were treated at Winship Cancer Institute from 2011 to 2021. They performed immunohistochemistry staining for nectin‐4 and PD‐L1 expression by histologic subtype as well as genomic analysis of these patients, including RNA sequencing, whole‐exome sequencing, and fusion detection analysis as well as a subgroup genomic analysis of patients with BCDD who received ICIs. Results: The results indicated that nectin‐4 expression was highest in the groups who had the squamous and plasmacytoid subtypes, whereas the group that had the sarcomatoid subtype (70.8%) had the highest proportion of PD‐L1–positive patients. Genomic analysis yielded several key findings, including a 50% RB1 mutation rate in patients who had small cell BCDD, targetable PIK3CA mutations across multiple subtypes of BCDD, and significantly higher expression of TEC in responders to ICIs. Conclusions: In this study, the authors identified clinically relevant data on nectin‐4 and PD‐L1 expression in patients with rare bladder tumors. They also identified several novel findings in the genomic analysis that highlight the role of precision medicine in this population of patients. Larger, prospective studies are needed to validate these hypothesis‐generating data. In this study, the authors performed a retrospective analysis focused on the histologic and genomic characterization of bladder cancer with divergent differentiation. The results indicated that nectin‐4 expression was highest in patients with squamous and plasmacytoid differentiation, whereas patients who had sarcomatoid differentiation (70.8%) had the highest proportion of programmed death ligand‐1–positive disease, and several novel findings were identified in the genomic analysis that have potential clinical implications for these patients with rare tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion To summarise existing evidence on bonding and parent‐child quality of interaction in parents with eating disorder (ED).A scoping review was conducted. Seven databases (PsycInfo, Embase, Medline, Pubmed, OpenGrey, ProQuest and Google Scholar) were examined and studies exploring research into bonding and quality of interaction in parents with ED were included.Seventeen quantitative studies were included in the review. Reviewed literature suggests that parents with ED tend to be more intrusive, may exhibit more negative expressed emotions and may be involved in higher levels of mealtime conflicts during mealtimes. Additionally, they may be less sensitive and may offer less structured in non‐feeding interactions. Children of parents with ED may have a more difficult temperament, may display greater internalisation and externalisation problems, may be less responsive to their parents and exhibit more behavioural difficulties.Overall, we found that parents with ED are more likely to have difficulties during interactions with children, compared with controls, both in feeding and non‐feeding contexts which might impact children's mental health. Proposals for future research are suggested to enhance our understanding of the intergenerational transmission of ED, holding the potential to pinpoint therapeutic and preventative targets for both parents with ED and their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rheic Ocean closure stratigraphic record in southern Mexico is largely exposed in the Paleozoic Acatlán Complex. One of the most distinctive characteristics of the Acatlán Complex is the presence of high-pressure rocks, interpreted as remnants of the Rheic Ocean and the adjacent continental margin of Gondwana, which were subducted and then exhumed to the surface. Despite its importance in reconstructing the dynamics of the westernmost Rheic Ocean closure, the timing and mechanisms of exhumation of these high-pressure rocks remain debated. Some authors have tentatively interpreted the late Paleozoic, fluvial to marine succession of the Patlanoaya Group in southern Mexico as the sedimentary response to the exhumation of high-pressure rocks of the Acatlán Complex. Therefore, these sedimentary rocks may be particularly helpful in understanding the timing and evolution of high-pressure rocks exhumation during the Rheic Ocean closure. In this work, the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the continental deposits of the Patlanoaya Group was reconstructed, integrating sedimentologic, petrographic, and U-Pb detrital geochronological data to test the different scenarios proposed for the exhumation of the Acatlán Complex high-pressure rocks. Our data suggest that the lower Patlanoaya Group was deposited in an Early Mississippian basin with a two-stage evolution: a phase characterized by debris flow deposits derived from small-scale reliefs composed of low-grade metamorphic rocks and a subsequent phase marked by an NNE-trending fluvial system deposits sourced from low-metamorphic grade rocks of a mylonitic zone. Therefore, the lower Patlanoaya Group deposition was controlled by a major NNE-trending mylonitic shear zone associated with the development of a supradetachment basin linked to the progressive exhumation of high-pressure rocks during an Early Mississippian major extensional event. This work highlights the importance of sedimentary deposits in reconstructing the late Paleozoic history of the Acatlán Complex during the Rheic Ocean closure and the final stage of the Pangea assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence is an established cause of cell and tissue aging. Senescent cells have been shown to increase in multiple organs during aging, including the skin. Here we hypothesized that senescent cells residing in the skin can spread senescence to distant organs, thereby accelerating systemic aging processes. To explore this hypothesis, we initially observed an increase in several markers of senescence in the skin of aging mice. Subsequently, we conducted experiments wherein senescent fibroblasts were transplanted into the dermis of young mice and assessed various age‐associated parameters. Our findings reveal that the presence of senescent cells in the dermal layer of young mice leads to increased senescence in both proximal and distal host tissues, alongside increased frailty, and impaired musculoskeletal function. Additionally, there was a significant decline in cognitive function, concomitant with increased expression of senescence‐associated markers within the hippocampus brain area. These results support the concept that the accumulation of senescent cells in the skin can exert remote effects on other organs including the brain, potentially explaining links between skin and brain disorders and diseases and, contributing to physical and cognitive decline associated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We interpret the recent MicroBooNE data on neutral-current single π 0 production on argon with the hypothesis that this process occurs via Delta excitation. We calculate the flux-integrated total cross section with our RPA-based model which allows for a simultaneous description of Delta-mediated resonant and coherent pion production. We also discuss the ratio between the two exclusive measurements with one proton and zero protons in the final state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present LinStab2D, an easy-to-use linear stability analysis MATLAB tool capable of handling complex domains, performing temporal and spatial linear stability, and resolvent analysis. We present the theoretical foundations of the code, including the linear stability and resolvent analysis frameworks, finite differences discretization schemes, and the Floquet ansatz. These concepts are explored in five different examples, highlighting and illustrating the different code capabilities, including mesh masking, mapping, imposition of boundary constraints, and the analysis of periodic flows using Cartesian or axisymmetric coordinates. These examples were constructed to be a departure point for studying other flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the impact of the agricultural sector on the environment, human health and resource depletion, several steps should be taken to develop innovative powertrain systems. The agricultural sector must be involved in this innovation, since diesel-powered tractors are an important source in terms of pollution. In this context, fuel-cell systems have gained importance, making them one of the possible substitutes due to their characteristics featuring almost zero local emissions, low refueling time and high efficiency. However, to effectively assess the sustainability of a fuel-cell tractor, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment, comprising production, use phase and end of life, must be performed. This article presents a comparative analysis, according to different impact categories, of the life cycle impacts of a traditional diesel-powered tractor and a fuel-cell hybrid tractor, designed considering operative requirements and functional constraints. The study was conducted according to the LCA technique (defined by ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards), combining secondary data, mainly derived from studies and reports available in the literature, with the use of the Ecoinvent 3.0 database. The results are presented according to ten different impact categories defined by ReCiPe 2016 v 1.03 at the midpoint level. The findings obtained showed that the fuel-cell tractor allows for a relevant reduction in all the considered categories. The highest-impact reduction, more than 92%, was obtained in the human toxicity non-carcinogenic category, while the lowest reduction, around 4.55%, was observed for the fossil fuel scarcity category, mainly due to the adoption of gray hydrogen which is produced from fossil fuels. As for the climate change category, the fuel-cell tractor showed a reduction of more than 34% in the life cycle impact. Finally, the authors also considered the case of green hydrogen produced using solar energy. In this case, further reductions in the impact on climate change and fossil fuel resource depletion were obtained. However, for the other impact categories, the results were worse compared to using gray hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Making entrustment decisions (granting more responsibility, advancement and graduation) are important actions in medical training that pose risks to trainees and patients if not done well. A previous realist synthesis of the existing literature revealed that clinical competency committees (CCCs) do not typically make deliberate entrustment decisions, instead defaulting to the promotion and graduation of trainees in the absence of red flags. This study sought further understanding of these areas through empirical data.The authors conducted a realist inquiry to better understand how CCC prospective entrustment decision‐making is carried out in paediatric residency programs. They conducted four CCC meeting observations and 18 interviews with CCC members at eight sites in an effort to confirm, disconfirm, and elaborate an existing theory that was based on a literature synthesis.The literature‐based theory held up well against the empiric data collected in this study. Therefore, the authors did not modify that theory and instead developed three new demi‐regularities (recurring patterns in data when conducting realist work) that add detail and nuance to their previous understanding of this model. These new demi‐regularities focus on (i) expounding on how deliberate actions of CCCs focus more on resident development than on resident entrustment; (ii) elucidating that effortful work is not only about reconciling a paucity of data or incongruent data but also working hard to ‘do the right thing’ for residents; and (iii) describing how programs consider bias, equity and fairness, with a wide range of intentionality from being reactive to being proactive.This study offers evidence of deliberate CCC efforts to support resident development. Moving forward, a similar focus should be more consistently placed on equitable entrustment and advancement decisions to balance both of these foundational goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Method Results Discussion Motivation to change is an important predictor for treatment outcomes in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), however, the existence and clinical relevance of distinct motivational dimensions are understudied. This study aimed to structurally validate the AN Stage of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ) in the Italian adult AN population to identify separate motivational dimensions and their association with clinical variables and outcomes.Inpatients and outpatients with AN (N = 300) completed the ANSOCQ and measures assessing eating and depressive psychopathology. Unique Variable Analysis and Exploratory Graph Analysis were employed to identify dimensions in the network structure of ANSOCQ. Cross‐sectional associations with clinical variables were assessed in the whole sample. Predictive value on weight and psychopathology was assessed in inpatients.Two dimensions were identified, one comprising items relative to weight gain, and the second items regarding attitudes towards eating, body, and emotional problems. Feelings associated with eating resulted as most central in the network. Higher scores in the first dimension and ANSOCQ total predicted weight gain during hospitalisation. No significant predictors emerged for changes in eating psychopathology.These findings confirm the robust psychometric properties of ANSOCQ and provide support for the use of its subdimensions in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the association among sun exposure time, vitamin D intake, dietary patterns, and socioeconomic status in Portuguese children. Methods: Participants aged 3–11 years (50.1% females) were recruited from public and private schools (n = 118) in the districts of Coimbra (n = 2980), Lisbon (n = 3066), and Porto (n = 2426). Parents reported their children's daily sun exposure time during the summer season and reported children's food consumption, including vitamin D food sources, using standardized questionnaires. Parents' education level was used as a proxy measure to the socioeconomic status (SES). The principal component factor analysis (PCA) method was used to identify dietary patterns. The eight dietary patterns identified were labeled in: "fast food", "rich in vitamin D", "sugary drinks", "vitamin D", "candies", "supplements", "rich in calcium" and "vegetables/healthy". Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between sun exposure time and dietary patterns according to SES. Results: A total of 4755 children were included. Children from high SES had significantly longer sun exposure time (p <.001) and more frequently consumed vitamin D supplements (p <.001). "Fast food" pattern showed a negative association with sun exposure time in medium and high SES (p =.014 and p <.001, respectively). Conclusion: Children with lower SES spend less time exposed to the sun, consume fewer dietary sources of vitamin D, and consume more foods rich in fat and sugar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the available evidence from the literature on the efficacy and safety of integrase inhibitor-based two drug regimens compared to triple drug regimens in virosuppressed people living with HIV (PLWH) in a long-term follow-up (at 96 weeks). Materials and Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and adverse drug reactions leading to discontinuation of two drug regimens compared to triple drug regimens in virosuppressed PLWH patients at 96 weeks of follow-up. We searched MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library up to March 15, 2024, and studies were selected for eligibility based on predefined criteria. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers, and risk ratios (RRs) were calculated as the measure of association between therapy and incidence of events. Results Six studies were included in the analysis, both clinical trials and observational studies. The two drug regimens included cabotegravir/rilpivirine, dolutegravir/lamivudine, and dolutegravir/rilpivirine. No significant differences were observed in treatment failure (RR, 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–1.13; P=0.182), virological failure (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.48–1.29; P=0.341), adverse drug reactions leading to discontinuation (RR, 1.74; 95% CI, 0.73–4.17; P=0.215), or appearance of mutation (RR, 2.48; 95% CI, 0.33–18.68; P=0.379) between two drug regimen and triple drug regimen groups at 96 weeks of follow up. Conclusion The meta-analysis provide an overview of the available evidence and supports the use of two drug regimens as an option for simplifying treatment and improving clinical outcomes in virosuppressed PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the meaning that refugee solidarity activists supporting people on the move across the Western Balkans migratory route and at the Italian–French border attribute to the notion of 'care', which they use to define their solidarity practices, particularly in the aftermath of the global pandemic. By means of a content analysis of in-depth interviews with representatives of grassroots solidarity groups, the article demonstrates that 'care' is conceived of as having a political character, as it responds to both the crisis of health care and the restrictions on freedom of movement; a non-hierarchical connotation, which informs in- and out-group relationships; and a transformative orientation, as acts of care prefigure a society in which freedom of movement and health rights are granted to all, in contrast to the existing model of migration governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Lombok has emerged as a leading halal tourist destination in Indonesia and globally, supported by halal policies aimed at attracting Muslim and local tourists. These policies, including the Regional Regulation of West Nusa Tenggara Province Number 2 of 2016 on Halal Tourism and Law Number 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Guarantee, have positively impacted the tourism industry. This study addresses three main questions: (1) How are halal industry policies implemented to support halal tourism in Lombok? (2) How has the halal industry developed to support this tourism? (3) What are the supporting and inhibiting factors in implementing these policies?. The research is descriptive with a qualitative approach, using primary data from interviews and secondary data from relevant documents. Purposive sampling was employed, targeting officials from the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Tourism and Industry Offices, the Indonesian Ulema Council of West Nusa Tenggara, tourism business actors, MSMEs, foreign and domestic tourists, and local communities. Data collection involved interviews, observation, and documentation, with data analysis through reduction, collection, and summarization. The study finds that implementing halal industrial policies has increased Muslim tourist numbers and strengthened Lombok's image as a halal destination. However, challenges remain, such as developing specialized halal tourism areas according to regional regulations without disrupting conventional tourism, improving services, providing halal facilities, and offering education and training for industry players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a biography of Anders Johan Lexell, a Swedish astronomer and mathematician, and discusses his contributions to the fields of comets, astronomy, and mathematics. It also presents seven proofs of Lexell's theorem on spherical triangles, exploring the locus of vertices of spherical triangles with fixed side length and area. The theorem states that for a spherical triangle ABC on a sphere, the locus of points X in a hemisphere H satisfying [ABC] = [ABX] is a circular arc. The article discusses different proofs of this theorem, providing mathematical equations and diagrams to support them. [Extracted from the article]

This study examined the metrics of the macroparasite community in fishes from the Jaguaribe River basin, state of Ceará, before and after receiving water from the São Francisco River in Northeastern Brazil. This research assessed the association of environmental factors (water parameters) and the traits of 30 fish species on the parasite richness and abundance across space (river course) and time (seasons, pre- and post-transposition periods). Generalized linear models reveal associations between parasite metrics and host traits, water parameters, and river sub-basin. Host size and body condition positively correlated with parasite richness and abundance, while reproductive phase was negatively related. Water quality impacted ecto- and endoparasites differently, with seasonal and sub-basins variations and differences among sub-basins. The general models also indicate that the period is a significant variable, where parasite richness decreases while abundance increases in the post-transposition period. This study underscores the importance of considering diverse environmental and host variables for understanding parasite dynamics in river ecosystems. These findings could lead to valuable insights for ecosystem management and conservation, elucidating the potential consequences of environmental alterations on parasite-host interactions and ecosystem health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism and autistic traits onset in childhood but persist into adulthood. Little is known about how genetic and environmental factors influence autism and autistic traits into adulthood. We aimed to determine age effects on the heritability of clinically diagnosed autism and the etiological stability of autistic traits from childhood to adulthood using twin methods. Methods: From 23,849 twin pairs in the Swedish Twin Register born between 1959 and 2010, we identified 485 individuals (1.01%, 31.5% female) with a clinical autism diagnosis. We estimated and compared the relative contribution of genetic, shared, and nonshared environmental influences to autism in childhood and adulthood. We further used multivariate twin analysis with four measurement points among 1,348 twin pairs in the longitudinal Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development to assess the phenotypic and etiological stability of autistic traits – measured with three scales from the Child Behavior Checklist – from childhood to adulthood. Results: Autism heritability was comparable from childhood, (96% [95% CI, 76–99%]) to adulthood (87% [67–96%]). Autistic traits were moderately stable (phenotypic correlation = 0.35–0.61) from childhood to adulthood, and their heritability varied between 52 and 71%. We observed stable as well as newly emerging genetic influences on autistic traits from ages 8–9 to 19–20, and unique nonshared environmental influences at each age. Conclusions: Genetic factors are important for autism and autistic traits in adulthood and separate genetic studies in adults are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS) represents a main clinical issue, associated with worse psychopathological outcomes, a more disrupted neurobiological substrate, and poorer neurocognitive performance across several domains, especially in verbal abilities. If cognitive impairment is a major determinant of patients' functional outcomes and quality of life, targeting cognitive dysfunction becomes even more crucial in TRS patients in order to minimize cognitive and functional deterioration. However, although Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) represents the best available tool to treat cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, specific evidence of its efficacy in TRS is lacking. Based on these premises, our study aimed at investigating possible differences in CRT outcomes in a sample of 150 patients with schizophrenia, stratified according to antipsychotic response (TRS vs. non-TRS). Subjects were assessed for neurocognition through Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) at baseline and after CRT. As expected, we observed greater baseline impairment among TRS patients in BACS-Verbal Memory and WCST-Executive Functions. Repeated measures ANCOVAs showed significant within-group pre-/post-CRT differences in the above-mentioned domains, both among non-TRS and TRS subjects. However, after CRT, no differences were observed between groups. This is the first study to indicate that CRT represents a highly valuable resource for TRS patients, since it may be able to fill the cognitive gap between treatment response groups. Our finding further highlights the importance of early implementation of CRT in addition to pharmacotherapy to reduce the cognitive and functional burden associated with the disease, especially for TRS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several cuneiform tablets from the Old Babylonian period (2004–1595 BCE) deal with blended families in Mesopotamia. This family situation resulted from various causes, such as death, divorce, or polygyny. It often created a cohabitation between step-children, leading to a significant challenge for the parents, regarding inheritance. This issue has not yet been studied from a legal perspective. This paper, based on the study of contracts, lawsuits, and letters, analyzes some of the legal solutions found by Mesopotamian parents, who anticipated situations of competition between heirs and protected their children, showing the value they attached to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is the energy characterisation and evaluation of the energy efficiency potential of the rubber manufacturing industry in Italy, exploiting the detailed data included in energy audits by large and energy-intensive companies. This sector is divided into two sub-activities: the manufacture of rubber products and the production of tyres. Existing studies are focused mainly on tyre production, and there is a lack of quantitative evaluation of energy indicators that can provide guidance for improving process efficiency. In this work, updated global and specific energy performance indicators (EnPIs) related to the production process and to the auxiliary and general services are defined and evaluated. At the same time, targeted actions and interventions to improve the energy efficiency of the sector are analysed, showing the role of different intervention areas and their cost-effectiveness. The analysis is based on 100 Italian mandatory energy audits of the sector collected according to Art.8 EU Directive 27/2012. The applied methodology made it possible to calculate specific energy performance indicators by considering the overall and sub-process energy consumption of different production sites. Based on a detailed database containing real data from recent energy audits, this study provides an up-to-date and reliable benchmark for the rubber industry sector. In addition, the analysis of energy audits allows the identification of the most effective energy efficiency interventions for the rubber industry in terms of cost-effectiveness and payback time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review explores the impact of COVID-19 upon the residential aged care (RAC) workforce during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the workforce from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It also considers COVID-19 related interventions for the RAC workforce. The databases ProQuest, PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar and Cochrane Central were searched in April and May 2022. Twenty-six studies were identified which were related to the impact of COVID-19 on the RAC workforce, including four studies on the CALD workforce. Many studies highlighted the impact of COVID-19 upon workforce shortages, workplace demands, worker wellbeing, and intention to quit the profession. The importance of workplace communication and support strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic were also underlined. Issues pertinent to the CALD workforce included understanding dementia, vaccine hesitancy and the impact of aged care, migration and labour market policies on the workforce. Workforce factors, including poor working conditions (and lack of paid leave) had a significant impact upon COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Conversely, responding to COVID-19 impacted workforce mental health. There is a need for workforce support policies and research which consider organisational communication, work-life balance, and specific training and support needs of workers from CALD backgrounds, who comprise a significant proportion of the aged care workforce in Australia and many other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different transition to turbulence routes for the flow around blunt bodies are possible. Non-modal amplification of perturbations via the lift-up effect has recently been explored to explain transition near the stagnation point in axisymmetric bodies. However, only perturbations already present in the boundary layer can be amplified, and the mechanisms by which free-stream perturbations enter the boundary layer have not yet been fully explored. In this study, we present an investigation of how disturbances enter the boundary layer via the stagnation point. This linear mechanism is expected to dominate over non-linear mechanisms previously identified on the formation of boundary layer perturbations at low turbulence intensity levels. A parametric investigation is presented, revealing trends with Reynolds and Mach numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad absorption line (BAL) quasars are characterized by gas clouds that absorb flux at the wavelength of common quasar spectral features, although blueshifted by velocities that can exceed |$0.1c$|⁠. BAL features are interesting as signatures of significant feedback, yet they can also compromise cosmological studies with quasars by distorting the shape of the most prominent quasar emission lines, impacting redshift accuracy and measurements of the matter density distribution traced by the Lyman |$\alpha$| forest. We present a catalogue of BAL quasars discovered in the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey Early Data Release, which were observed as part of DESI Survey Validation, as well as the first two months of the main survey. We describe our method to automatically identify BAL quasars in DESI data, the quantities we measure for each BAL, and investigate the completeness and purity of this method with mock DESI observations. We mask the wavelengths of the BAL features and re-evaluate each BAL quasar redshift, finding new redshifts which are |$243\, {\rm km}\, {\rm s}^{-1}$| smaller on average for the BAL quasar sample. These new, more accurate redshifts are important to obtain the best measurements of quasar clustering, especially at small scales. Finally, we present some spectra of rarer classes of BALs that illustrate the potential of DESI data to identify such populations for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this scoping review is to identify and evaluate studies that examine the effectiveness and implementation strategies of Electronic Health Record (EHR)-integrated digital technologies aimed at improving medication-related outcomes and promoting health equity among hospitalised adults. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the implementation methods and outcomes of the studies were evaluated, as was the assessment of methodological quality and risk of bias. Searches through Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus yielded 23 relevant studies from 1,232 abstracts, spanning 11 countries and from 2008 to 2022, with varied research designs. Integrated digital tools such as alert systems, clinical decision support systems, predictive analytics, risk assessment, and real-time screening and surveillance within EHRs demonstrated potential in reducing medication errors, adverse events, and inappropriate medication use, particularly in older patients. Challenges include alert fatigue, clinician acceptance, workflow integration, cost, data integrity, interoperability, and the potential for algorithmic bias, with a call for long-term and ongoing monitoring of patient safety and health equity outcomes. This review, guided by the CFIR framework, highlights the importance of designing health technology based on evidence and user-centred practices. Quality assessments identified eligibility and representativeness issues that affected the reliability and generalisability of the findings. This review also highlights a critical research gap on whether EHR-integrated digital tools can address or worsen health inequities among hospitalised patients. Recognising the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), this review calls for further research on its influence on medication management and health equity through integration of EHR and digital technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this scoping review is to identify and evaluate studies that examine the effectiveness and implementation strategies of Electronic Health Record (EHR)-integrated digital technologies aimed at improving medication-related outcomes and promoting health equity among hospitalised adults. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the implementation methods and outcomes of the studies were evaluated, as was the assessment of methodological quality and risk of bias. Searches through Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus yielded 23 relevant studies from 1,232 abstracts, spanning 11 countries and from 2008 to 2022, with varied research designs. Integrated digital tools such as alert systems, clinical decision support systems, predictive analytics, risk assessment, and real-time screening and surveillance within EHRs demonstrated potential in reducing medication errors, adverse events, and inappropriate medication use, particularly in older patients. Challenges include alert fatigue, clinician acceptance, workflow integration, cost, data integrity, interoperability, and the potential for algorithmic bias, with a call for long-term and ongoing monitoring of patient safety and health equity outcomes. This review, guided by the CFIR framework, highlights the importance of designing health technology based on evidence and user-centred practices. Quality assessments identified eligibility and representativeness issues that affected the reliability and generalisability of the findings. This review also highlights a critical research gap on whether EHR-integrated digital tools can address or worsen health inequities among hospitalised patients. Recognising the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), this review calls for further research on its influence on medication management and health equity through integration of EHR and digital technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Leaks after sleeve gastrectomy remain a deadly complication significantly affecting outcomes and medical costs. The aim of the present review is to provide an updated decalogue on leak prevention. Methods: Risk factors of leakage after LSG were examined based on an extensive review of literature (in period time 2016–2024) and summary of evidence was provided using Oxford levels of evidence scale. Results: Pathogenesis of leakage after LSG still remain related to ischemic and mechanical factors and, therefore, no new evidence has been reported. Conversely, some technical aspect of the procedure has changed: bougie size, antrum resection, staple line reinforcement, and intraoperative leak testing. Conclusions: Bougie size 36 F is effective and safe achieving similar leakage rate compared to larger bougie sizes (EL:2) 2024 UPDATE; There is no significant difference in the leak rate between restrictive (< 6 cm) and conservative (6 cm) antrum resection (EL: 1) 2024 UPDATE; Surgical experience and case volume affect the leak rate more consistently than every kind of SLR (EL: 2) 2024 UPDATE; Intraoperative leak test after LSG represents a decision based on surgeon preference in absence of standardization (endoscopy, bubble test, methylene blue, indocyanine green.) and strong detection/prevention rate (EL: 3) 2024 UPDATE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of primary hip arthroplasty has led to a parallel rise in revision cases. Femoral revision often entails compromised bone integrity, requiring consideration of various solutions for optimal reconstructive options. Despite technological advancements, there is limited evidence on the clinical outcomes of the latest modular revision stems. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and survival rates of next generation uncemented modular revision stem in patients undergoing hip revision surgery. Materials and methods: This retrospective single-center study assessed the survival and failure causes of a specific uncemented modular stem in 48 patients undergoing hip revision surgery between 2012 and 2022. Data included preoperative parameters, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes measured through clinical and radiographic assessments. Forty-eight patients (25 males, 23 females; mean age 72 years) were included, with a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 5. Preoperative diagnoses varied, with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) being the most common (45.8%), followed by periprosthetic fractures (27.1%). Partial revisions occurred in 60.4%, total revisions in 39.6%. According to Paprosky classification of femoral bone loss, type II and III were the most represented, respectively 35.4% and 50%. Results: At a mean follow-up of 4.6 years, stem survival was 92.5%. Complications (20%) included dislocation, PJI, fracture, and loosening; the overall reoperation rate was 12.5%. The SF-12 physical score was 43.6, while the mental score was 51.1. The HOOS score was 71.8, and the HHS score was 71.4. Radiographic analysis identified nonprogressive osteolysis in 15.1% of patients. Conclusions: This study on this uncemented modular revision stem demonstrated favorable outcomes in an elder fragile population with moderate to severe femoral bone loss. The implant's modularity provides versatility in addressing various defects, without any implant breakage observed during the study period. Literature comparison highlighted similar outcomes despite sample size differences. The promising results warrant continued investigation into the long-term survivorship of this modular stem system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric power system must supply energy with quality, security, and reliability. However, the system can operate close to its critical limits due to environmental or economic reasons. Under these circumstances, voltage instability problems, which have been the cause of several significant blackouts worldwide in the last two decades, are prone to happen due to increasing power demand. For this reason, guaranteeing an acceptable voltage security margin is crucial for a safe and reliable power system operation. Over the years, many studies have been made to identify and control voltage instability problems, where voltage stability margin is a parameter used to identify these problems, calculated through continuation power flow. Besides that, to prevent or correct these problems, preventive or corrective controls may be used, such as capacitor switching, for example. Within this context, this paper proposes a method capable of defining a list of capacitor sets that mitigate the criticality of a set of contingencies and maximize the voltage stability margin of the power system under analysis as its main contribution. A continuation power flow embedded in a binary differential evolution algorithm calculates the voltage stability margin. This margin is optimized by selecting capacitor banks to be switched on/off after the contingency. The output of the method can be presented in a suitable format to the system operator, enabling fast choices of corrective control actions after detecting a contingency in real-time operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) and T Cell Receptor (TCR) engineered T cells represents an innovative therapeutic approach for the treatment of hematological malignancies, yet its application for solid tumors is still suboptimal. The tumor microenvironment (TME) places several challenges to overcome for a satisfactory therapeutic effect, such as physical barriers (fibrotic capsule and stroma), and inhibitory signals impeding T cell function. Some of these obstacles can be faced by combining ACT with other anti-tumor approaches, such as chemo/radiotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors. On the other hand, cutting edge technological tools offer the opportunity to overcome and, in some cases, take advantage of TME intrinsic characteristics to boost ACT efficacy. These include: the exploitation of chemokine gradients and integrin expression for preferential T-cell homing and extravasation; metabolic changes that have direct or indirect effects on TCR-T and CAR-T cells by increasing antigen presentation and reshaping T cell phenotype; introduction of additional synthetic receptors on TCR-T and CAR-T cells with the aim of increasing T cells survival and fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of 3D-printed models in simulation-based training and planning for vascular surgery is gaining interest. This study aims to provide an overview of the current applications of 3D-printing technologies in vascular surgery. We performed a systematic review by searching four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library (last search: 1 March 2024). We included studies considering the treatment of vascular stenotic/occlusive or aneurysmal diseases. We included papers that reported the outcome of applications of 3D-printed models, excluding case reports or very limited case series (≤5 printed models or tests/simulations). Finally, 22 studies were included and analyzed. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was the primary diagnostic method used to obtain the images serving as the basis for generating the 3D-printed models. Processing the CTA data involved the use of medical imaging software; 3DSlicer (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA), ITK-Snap, and Mimics (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium) were the most frequently used. Autodesk Meshmixer (San Francisco, CA, USA) and 3-matic (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium) were the most frequently employed mesh-editing software during the post-processing phase. PolyJet™, fused deposition modeling (FDM), and stereolithography (SLA) were the most frequently employed 3D-printing technologies. Planning and training with 3D-printed models seem to enhance physicians' confidence and performance levels by up to 40% and lead to a reduction in the procedure time and contrast volume usage to varying extents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health professions education (HPE) has adopted the conceptualization of validity as an argument. However, the theoretical and practical aspects of how validity arguments should be developed, used and evaluated in HPE have not been deeply explored. Articulating the argumentation theory undergirding validity and validation can help HPE better operationalise validity as an argument. To better understand this, the authors explored how HPE validity scholars conceptualise assessment validity arguments and argumentation, seeking to understand potential consequences of these views on validation practices. Methods: The authors used critical case sampling to identify HPE assessment validity experts in three ways: (1) participation in a prominent validity research group, (2) appearing in a bibliometric study of HPE validity publications and (3) authorship of recent HPE validity literature. Qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 experts in HPE assessment validity from four different countries. The authors used reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes relevant to their research question. Results: The authors developed three themes grounded in participants' responses: (1) In theory, HPE validity is a social and situated argument. (2) In practice, the absence of audience and evaluation stymies the social nature of HPE validity. (3) Lack of validity argumentation creates and maintains power differentials within HPE. Participants articulated that current HPE validation practices are rooted in post‐positivist epistemology when they should be situated (i.e. context‐dependent), audience‐centric and inclusive. Discussion: When discussing validity argumentation in theory, participants' descriptions reflect an interpretivist lens for evaluation that is misaligned with real‐world validity practices. This misalignment likely arises from HPE's adoption of "validity as an argument" as a slogan, without integrating theoretical and practical principles of argumentation theory. How do HPE experts conceptualize the argumentation aspect of validity? @Midwest_MedPeds @ab_martini @LaraVarpio @erikdriessen @DrDanSchumacher explore the gap between theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care is currently showing a fall in heart failure (HF) incidence and prevalence, particularly in developed countries, but with only a subset receiving appropriate therapy to protect the heart against maladaptive processes such as fibrosis and hypertrophy. Appropriate markers of advanced HF remain unidentified, which would help in choosing the most suitable therapy and avoid major compliance problems. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a good choice, being a non-invasive imaging technique which is able to assess cardiac deformation in a variety of conditions. Several multicenter studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated the clinical application and accuracy of STE in early and late stages of HF, as well as its association with both left ventricular (LV) filling pressures and myocardial oxygen consumption. Furthermore, STE assists in assessing right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS), which is a solid predictor of right ventricle failure (RVF) following LV assist device (LVAD) implantation. However, STE is known for its limitations; despite these, it has been shown to explain symptoms and signs and also to be an accurate prognosticator. The aim of this review is to examine the advantages of STE in the early evaluation of myocardial dysfunction and its correlation with right heart catheterization (RHC) parameters, which should have significant clinical relevance in the management of HF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) benefits patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but the underlying biological processes are unclear. We conducted an epigenome-wide association study in 32 TRD patients undergoing ECT to depict ECT-associated methylation changes. Illness severity and ECT outcomes were assessed with the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale at baseline (T0) and 1 month after its end (T1). Methylation was profiled at T0 and T1 with the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip array. Results: Longitudinal T0–T1 analyses showed 3 differentially methylated probes (DMPs) with nominal p values ≤ 10−5, with 2 annotated in the genes CYB5B and PVRL4. Including covariates, we found 4 DMPs for symptoms variation, annotated in FAM20C, EPB41, OTUB1 and ADARB1, and 3 DMPs for response status, with 2 annotated in IQCE and FAM20C. Regional analysis revealed 54 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with nominal p value area ≤ 0.05, with 9 presenting adjusted p-value area ≤ 0.10, annotated in MCF2L, SLC25A24, RUNX3, MIR637, FOXK2, FAM180B, POU6F1, ALS2CL and CCRL2. Considering covariates, we found 21 DMRs for symptoms variation and 26 DMRs for response (nominal p value area ≤ 0.05), with 4 presenting adjusted p-value area ≤ 0.10 for response, annotated in SNORD34, NLRP6, GALNT2 and SFT2D3. None remained significant after false discovery rate correction. Notably, ADARB1 variants are associated with suicide attempt in patients with psychiatric disorders, and SLC25A24 relates to conduct disorder. Several DMPs and DMRs are annotated in genes associated with inflammatory/immune processes. Longitudinal analyses on females (n = 22) revealed statistically significant DMRs (adjusted p value area ≤ 0.05) and trend-significant DMRs (adjusted p value area ≤ 0.07) for symptoms variation and response status, annotated in genes related to psychiatric disorders (ZFP57, POLD4, TRIM10, GAS7, ADORA2A, TOLLIP), trauma exposure (RIPOR2) and inflammatory/immune responses (LAT, DLX4, POLD4, FAM30A, H19). Pathway analysis on females revealed enrichment for transcriptional activity, growth factors, DNA maintenance, and immune pathways including IRF7 and IRF2. Conclusion: Although no significant results were found for the whole cohort, the study provides insights into ECT-associated methylation changes, highlighting DMPs and DMRs related to ECT outcomes. Analyses on females revealed significant DMRs and pathways related to psychiatric disorders and inflammatory/immune processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the possible use of manganese (Mn)-based liposomal formulations for diagnostic applications in imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with the aim of overcoming the toxicity limitations associated with the use of free Mn2+. Specifically, anionic liposomes carrying two model Mn(II)-based compounds, MnCl2 (MC) and Mn(HMTA) (MH), were prepared and characterised in terms of morphology, size, loading capacity, and in vitro activity. Homogeneous dispersions characterised mainly by unilamellar vesicles were obtained; furthermore, no differences in size and morphology were detected between unloaded and Mn-loaded vesicles. The encapsulation efficiency of MC and MH was evaluated on extruded liposomes by means of ICP-OES analysis. The obtained results showed that both MC and MH are almost completely retained by the lipid portion of liposomes (LPs), with encapsulation efficiencies of 99.7% for MC and 98.8% for MH. The magnetic imaging properties of the produced liposomal formulations were investigated for application in a potential preclinical scenario by collecting magnetic resonance images of a phantom designed to compare the paramagnetic contrast properties of free MC and MH compounds and the corresponding manganese-containing liposome dispersions. It was found that both LP-MC and LP-MH at low concentrations (0.5 mM) show better contrast (contrast-to-noise ratios of 194 and 209, respectively) than solutions containing free Mn at the same concentrations (117 and 134, respectively) and are safe to use on human cells at the selected dose. Taken together, the results of this comparative analysis suggest that these liposome-containing Mn compounds might be suitable for diagnostic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design. Retrospective cohort study. Objective. Hounsfield units (HUs) are known to correlate with clinical outcomes, but no study has evaluated how they correlate with biomechanical computed tomography (BCT) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements. Summary of Background. Low bone mineral density (BMD) represents a major risk factor for fracture and poor outcomes following spine surgery. DXA can provide regional BMD measurements but has limitations. Opportunistic HUs provide targeted BMD estimates; however, they are not formally accepted for diagnosing osteoporosis in current guidelines. More recently, BCT analysis has emerged as a new modality endorsed by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry for assessing bone strength. Methods. Consecutive cases from 2017 to 2022 at a single institution were reviewed for patients who underwent BCT in the thoracolumbar spine. BCT-measured vertebral strength, trabecular BMD, and the corresponding American College of Radiology Classification were recorded. DXA studies within three months of the BCT were reviewed. Pearson Correlation Coefficients were calculated, and receiver-operating characteristic curves were constructed to assess the predictive capacity of HUs. Threshold analysis was performed to identify optimal HU values for identifying osteoporosis and low BMD. Results. Correlation analysis of 114 cases revealed a strong relationship between HUs and BCT vertebral strength (r= 0.69; P<0.0001; R²=0.47) and trabecular BMD (r =0.76; P<0.0001; R2=0.58). However, DXA poorly correlated with opportunistic HUs and BCT measurements. HUs accurately predicted osteoporosis and low BMD (Osteoporosis: C= 0.95, 95% CI 0.89--1.00; Low BMD: C=0.87, 95% CI 0.79--0.96). Threshold analysis revealed that 106 and 122 HUs represent optimal thresholds for detecting osteoporosis and low BMD. Conclusion. Opportunistic HUs strongly correlated with BCTbased measures, while neither correlated strongly with DXA-based BMD measures in the thoracolumbar spine. HUs are easy to perform at no additional cost and provide accurate BMD estimates at noninstrumented vertebral levels across all American College of Radiology-designated BMD categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlighting the Distinguished Speakers Symposium on "The Future of Human Genetics and Genomics," this collection of articles is based on presentations at the ASHG 2023 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, in celebration of all our field has accomplished in the past 75 years, since the founding of ASHG in 1948. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article analyses the UN Security Council’s Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE) as a Foucauldian dispositif of liberal government. Centred on early-detection, P/CVE tasks civil society with the prevention of extremism at a social level. In this sense, as the article illustrates, P/CVE displays features of liberal governmentality as it relies on civil society’s liberty and self-regulation mechanisms. Furthermore, as the article shows, P/CVE also works as a liberal mechanism of subjectification as it sketches the ‘(undesirable) extremists’ and the ‘(desirable) moderates’. These subjectivities emerge at the intersection of various global power structures (re)assembled by the same dispositif. Therefore, analysing P/CVE as a Foucauldian dispositif of liberal government allows us to grasp how power circulates in society in heterarchical, subtle ways. Moreover, it also uncovers how liberal government works through the (re)production of hierarchical, racialised, and gendered social structures in its differentiations of the (governed) freedom produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition‐metal nitrogen‐doped carbons (TM‐N‐C) are emerging as a highly promising catalyst class for several important electrocatalytic processes, including the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). The unique local environment around the singly dispersed metal site in TM‐N‐C catalysts is likely to be responsible for their catalytic properties, which differ significantly from those of bulk or nanostructured catalysts. However, the identification of the actual working structure of the main active units in TM‐N‐C remains a challenging task due to the fluctional, dynamic nature of these catalysts, and scarcity of experimental techniques that could probe the structure of these materials under realistic working conditions. This issue is addressed in this work and the local atomistic and electronic structure of the metal site in a Co–N–C catalyst for CO2RR is investigated by employing time‐resolved operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) combined with advanced data analysis techniques. This multi‐step approach, based on principal component analysis, spectral decomposition and supervised machine learning methods, allows the contributions of several co‐existing species in the working Co–N–C catalysts to be decoupled, and their XAS spectra deciphered, paving the way for understanding the CO2RR mechanisms in the Co–N–C catalysts, and further optimization of this class of electrocatalytic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article concludes the Special Issue by exploring the role that international criminal law (ICL) could play in the protection of the environment in light of the three core issues covered in the Special Issue: the right to a healthy environment, climate change litigation and Indigenous peoples' Earth-Centric vision. First, the paper argues that fora applying ICL, including the International Criminal Court, could offer legal avenues to prosecute serious violations of the right to a healthy environment. Second, it alleges that whilst cases involving conducts leading to environmental degradation and destruction could be brought under ICL, ICL could not address the broader impact of such conducts, including on climate change. Third, it discusses the extent to which ICL could incorporate Indigenous peoples' Earth-centric approach to enhance the protection of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The symmetric information bottleneck (SIB), an extension of the more familiar information bottleneck, is a dimensionality-reduction technique that simultaneously compresses two random variables to preserve information between their compressed versions. We introduce the generalized symmetric information bottleneck (GSIB), which explores different functional forms of the cost of such simultaneous reduction. We then explore the data set size requirements of such simultaneous compression. We do this by deriving bounds and root-mean-squared estimates of statistical fluctuations of the involved loss functions. We show that in typical situations, the simultaneous GSIB compression requires qualitatively less data to achieve the same errors compared to compressing variables one at a time. We suggest that this is an example of a more general principle that simultaneous compression is more data efficient than independent compression of each of the input variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Regional lymph nodes are frequently sampled in cats with suspected intestinal lymphoma; however, their diagnostic value has not been explored. Objectives: To investigate whether histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of mesenteric lymph nodes correlates with the diagnosis of intestinal lymphoma in cats. Animals: One hundred 2 client‐owned cats diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma. Methods: Retrospective study. The inclusion criteria required a full‐thickness biopsy of the small intestine and concurrent excision of mesenteric lymph nodes. Histologic and immunophenotypic analyses were performed on intestinal biopsies and corresponding lymph nodes. Selected nodal samples diagnosed with reactive lymph nodes underwent clonality testing. Results: Transmural T‐cell lymphomas, encompassing small and large cell types, were predominant (64 cases, 62.7%), with large B‐cell lymphomas being more frequently transmural (68.8%) than mucosal (31.2%). Among all lymph nodes examined, 44 (43.1%; 95% CI: 33.9%‐52.8%) exhibited neoplastic infiltration. Among cases of small cell lymphoma, 51 out of 72 (70.8%; 95% CI: 59.4%‐80.1%) showed no nodal involvement. Clonality results correctly identified 19/30 (63.3%; 95% CI: 45.5%‐78.2%) reactive lymph nodes. Concerns were raised regarding clonal identification in the remaining cases and potential misdiagnoses based on phenotypic characteristics. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The study underscores the potential drawbacks of relying solely on mesenteric lymph nodes for diagnosing intestinal lymphomas in cats, particularly small cell subtypes. It emphasizes the importance of full‐thickness biopsies for assessing transmural infiltration and recommends caution when utilizing mesenteric lymph nodes for histologic, immunohistochemical and clonality evaluations in mucosal lymphomas. Despite limitations, this research highlights the need for comprehensive diagnostic strategies in cats with intestinal lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The minority stress model posits an effect of sexual orientation identity on social support and coping among sexual orientation minorities. This assertion compliments the idea that discussion networks are functionally specific (i.e., we talk to the people who can best help with a stressor). This research collects ego-centric discussion networks data from gay and bisexual men to determine (1) whether there are functionally specific networks to address sexuality-related stress, (2) whether those networks buffer the impact of sexuality-related stress on psychological distress, and (3) whether sexual orientation homophily in a functionally specific network moderates the impact of sexuality-related stress or social support on psychological distress. Results indicate the existence of functionally specific networks for both gay and bisexual men. However, increasing homophily in the functional networks only moderated the effects of sexuality-related stress and perceived social support on psychological distress for gay men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study substructures of the Weyl group of conformal transformations of the metric of (pseudo)Riemannian manifolds. These substructures are identified by differential constraints on the conformal factors of the transformations which are chosen such that their composition is associative. Mathematically, apart from rare exceptions, they are partial associative groupoids, not groups, so they do not have an algebra of infinitesimal transformations, but this limitation can be partially circumvented using some of their properties cleverly. We classify and discuss the substructures with two-derivatives differential constraints, the most famous of which being known as the harmonic or restricted Weyl group in the physics literature, but we also show the existence of a lightcone constraint which realizes a proper subgroup of the Weyl group. We then show the physical implications that come from invariance under the two most important substructures, concentrating on classical properties of the energy-momentum tensor and a generalization of the quantum trace anomaly. We also elaborate further on the harmonic substructure, which can be interpreted as partial gauge fixing of full Weyl invariance using BRST methods. Finally, we discuss how to construct differential constraints of arbitrary higher-derivative order and present, as examples, generalizations involving scalar constraints with four and six derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic condition characterized by multisystem symptoms that still affect up to one-third of veterans who engaged in combat in the Gulf War three decades ago. The aetiology of GWI is mainly explained by exposure to multiple toxic agents, vaccines, and medications. As there is a significant overlap in symptoms between GWI and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), the objective of this study was to investigate a biomarker widely reported in Natural Killer (NK) cells from ME/CFS patients, the Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 3 (TRPM3) ion channel. NK cells from 6 healthy controls (HC) and 6 GWI participants were isolated, and TRPM3 function was assessed through whole-cell patch-clamp. As demonstrated by prior studies, NK cells from HC expressed typical TRPM3 function after pharmacomodulation. In contrast, this pilot investigation demonstrates a dysfunctional TRPM3 in NK cells from GWI participants through application of a TRPM3 agonist and confirmed by a TRPM3 antagonist. There was a significant reduction in TRPM3 function from GWI than results measured in HC. This study provides an unprecedented research field to investigate the involvement of TRP ion channels in the pathomechanism and potential medical interventions to improve GWI quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the patient experience and satisfaction after the implementation in routine of a personalized, digital programme before and after same-day discharge (SDD) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Methods: The study is a pre/post-interventional, multi-surgeon, unicentre, prospective study. All consecutive patients undergoing SDD RARP were included during a 6-month period. After a pre-interventional assessment of the satisfaction rate (n = 26), all patients (n = 46) were introduced to the Betty. Care platform and followed the BETTY COACHING programme which included a specific radical prostatectomy module. The primary endpoint was patient satisfaction 6 weeks after SDD RARP. Secondary endpoints were hospital stay, readmission and complications rates, unplanned visits, and remote monitoring data. Results: Median age and PSA were 66 years and 7.0 ng/ml. Lymph node-dissection and nerve-sparing procedures were performed in 41.3 and 87.0% of patients, respectively. Median operative time and blood loss were 80 min and 150 ml, respectively. The 90-day rates of unplanned visits, readmission and complications were improved after the digital tool implementation (2.2, 2.2, and 8.7%, respectively). Mean satisfaction score was 9.6 out of 10 (8.0 before implementation). Median duration of pain was 2 days after discharge, with median pain intensity of 2/10. Median duration of daily active use of remote monitoring was 34 days. The urinary continence rate was 91.3% 6 weeks after surgery in the postinterventional cohort. Conclusions: The implementation of a personalized, surgery-specific, digital programme combining prehabilitation, patient education, rehabilitation, patient-reported outcome measurement and remote monitoring, improves patient experience and satisfaction and could help promoting early discharge even after a major surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in women and is a major public health problem worldwide. Despite the lower incidence rates of breast cancer in resource-limited settings, especially sub-Saharan Africa, there is a higher mortality rate compared to high-resource countries where the disease has a higher incidence. This makes breast cancer the second deadliest cancer in African women. These poor results reflect the weakness in public health policies. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the effective control of breast cancer by designing a framework for a comprehensive and systemic analysis of these policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This research is based on a literature review that adopted a systematic approach followed by a modified policy Delphi involving breast cancer experts in Sub-Saharan Africa. We included narrative reviews and systematic reviews/meta-analyses published between 2015 and 2022 as well as official documents in the analysis. We integrated the World Health Organization's health system building blocks with Walt and Gilson's policy analysis triangle to analyse the information collected and develop our analytical framework. Results: A total of 22 reviews and documents were included in the study. Sixteen breast cancer experts from Sub-Saharan Africa participated in the first Delphi round, and nine participated in the second round. The different components identified for a comprehensive and systemic analysis of effective breast cancer policies can be classified into policy content divided according to the health system building blocks and related policy processes; individual, organized national and international policy stakeholders; and policy contexts. Conclusion: This study enabled the design of a framework suitable for the comprehensive and systemic analysis of breast cancer control policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. This framework can be used as a checklist for stakeholders to guide the planning, implementation and evaluation of policies and specific breast cancer control programmes at the national and facility levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of heart failure (HF) and heart transplantation (HTx), with genetic factors playing a significant role. In recent years, the RNA-binding protein motif 20 (RBM20), which affects the gene splicing of various proteins with different cellular functions, was identified as the first DCM gene with regulatory properties. Variants of RBM20 have been associated with severe forms of DCM. The aim of this critical systematic review was to analyse RBM20 cardiomyopathy clinical features and outcomes. According to PRISMA guidelines, a search was run in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science electronic databases using the following keywords: "RBM20"; "cardiomyopathy"; "arrhythmias"; "heart failure". A total of 181 records were screened, of which 27 studies were potentially relevant to the topic. Through the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight papers reporting 398 patients with RBM20 pathogenic variants were analysed. The mean age at presentation was 41 years. Familiarity with cardiomyopathy was available in 59% of cases, with 55% of probands reporting a positive family history. Imaging data indicated a mild reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (mean LVEF 40%), while tissue characterization was reported in 24.3% of cases, showing late gadolinium enhancement in 33% of patients. Composite outcomes of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation occurred in 19.4% of patients, with 12% undergoing HTx. There were no gender differences in arrhythmic outcomes, while 96.4% of patients who underwent HTx were male. In conclusion, RBM20 cardiomyopathy exhibits a severe phenotypic expression, both in terms of arrhythmic burden and HF progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study published in BJU International examined the complications associated with robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intracorporeal neobladder reconstruction. The study analyzed data from 858 patients who underwent the procedure at 16 European centers between 2003 and 2022. The results showed a high overall rate of complications, with urinary tract infection (UTI) being the most common complication. The study highlighted the need for improvements in surgical technique and peri-operative management to reduce complications. The findings also suggested the importance of careful management of the urinary device and consideration of neoadjuvant therapy in patient care. [Extracted from the article]