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ABSTRACT Genotoxic stress activates the DNA‐damage response (DDR) signalling cascades responsible for maintaining genome integrity. Downstream DNA repair pathways include the tyrosyl‐DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) enzyme that hydrolyses the phosphodiester bond between the tyrosine of topoisomerase I (TopI) and 3′‐phosphate of DNA. The plant TDP1 subfamily contains the canonical TDP1α gene and the TDP1β gene whose functions are not fully elucidated. The current study proposes to investigate the involvement of TDP1 genes in DDR‐related processes by using Arabidopsis thaliana mutants treated with genotoxic agents. The phenotypic and molecular characterization of tdp1α, tdp1β and tdp1α/β mutants treated with cisplatin (CIS), curcumin (CUR), NSC120686 (NSC), zeocin (ZEO), and camptothecin (CPT), evidenced that while tdp1β was highly sensitive to CIS and CPT, tdp1α was more sensitive to NSC. Gene expression analyses showing upregulation of the TDP2 gene in the double mutant indicate the presence of compensatory mechanisms. The downregulation of POL2A gene in the tdp1β mutant along with the upregulation of the TDP1β gene in pol2a mutants, together with its sensitivity to replication inhibitors (CIS, CTP), point towards a function of this gene in the response to replication stress. Therefore, this study brings novel information relative to the activity of TDP1 genes in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most frequent and lethal brain cancer in adults, is characterized by short survival times and high mortality rates. Due to the resistance of GBM cells to conventional therapeutic treatments, scientific interest is focusing on the search for alternative and efficient adjuvant treatments. S-Adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), the well-studied physiological methyl donor, has emerged as a promising anticancer compound and a modulator of multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. We report here for the first time that AdoMet selectively inhibited the viability and proliferation of U87MG, U343MG, and U251MG GBM cells. In these cell lines, AdoMet induced S and G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and downregulated the expression and activation of proteins involved in homologous recombination DNA repair, including RAD51, BRCA1, and Chk1. Furthermore, AdoMet was able to maintain DNA in a damaged state, as indicated by the increased γH2AX/H2AX ratio. AdoMet promoted mitotic catastrophe through inhibiting Aurora B kinase expression, phosphorylation, and localization causing GBM cells to undergo mitotic catastrophe-induced death. Finally, AdoMet inhibited DNA repair and induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and mitotic catastrophe in patient-derived GBM cells. In light of these results, AdoMet could be considered a potential adjuvant in GBM therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of silybin A (SilA) and B (SilB) diastereomers in optically pure compounds is challenging due to their very similar physical and chemical properties. However, such separation is crucial for evaluating the biological activity of the diasteroisomers SilA and SilB, which show very different performance in pharmacological applications like treating prostate cancer, liver diseases, and Alzheimer's disease. The most common isolation method is based on high-performance liquid chromatography, but it is slow and has a yield in pure SilB of hundreds of milligrams per day. An alternative chemo-enzymatic separation method, utilizing an immobilized lipase CALB catalyst to stereoselectively acetylate silybin B (1b), offers advantages in terms of higher productivity, selectivity, and scalability, particularly when applied in flow reactors. This study delves into the kinetics of Sil acetylation catalyzed by Novozym 435 in a continuous flow milli-reactor, investigated at various temperatures, volumetric flow rates, and Sil initial concentrations. It is noteworthy that, at the current state of the art, there is a lack of kinetic studies on this reaction, emphasizing the novelty and significance of this work. The kinetic and fluid dynamic parameters were estimated using a non-linear regression analysis of experimental data. The examined reaction showed a null apparent activation energy, explaining the temperature insensitivity of the final acetylated silybin B (1b) concentration. Furthermore, the decrease in steady-state concentrations of the acetylated products with increasing volumetric flow rates indicated that the reaction was occurring in a kinetic regime. Interestingly, a maximum starting Sil concentration was identified, above which there was no favorable impact on conversion. Highlights: Silybin B was more selectively acetylated compared to silybin A. Reaction rate was insensitive to temperature due to exothermic adsorption. Kinetics and adsorption parameters were obtained by non-linear regression analysis. Good prediction achieved with axial dispersion model and Eley-Rideal mechanism. Flow chemistry boosts silibinin enzymatic resolution over traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document reflects on the 14-year tenure of the authors as editors of the Urban Affairs Review (UAR) journal. The document highlights the journal's focus on various urban issues, including governance, sustainability, environmental justice, race, ethnicity, poverty, economic development, and fiscal architecture. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary and multi-scalar approaches to understanding urban dynamics and acknowledges the challenges posed by the centralization of government authority and the nationalization of politics. The document also discusses the measurement of journal impact and the editorial responsibilities of promoting emergent ideas and responding to disruptive events. Overall, the authors express gratitude for their role as journal editors and the impact they have had on the urban scholarly community. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Healthcare triage policies are vital for allocating limited resources fairly and equitably. Despite extensive studies of healthcare equity, consensus on the applied definition of equity in triage remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate how the principles of equity are operationalised in Australian hospital physiotherapy triage tools to guide resource distribution. Methods: A retrospective, qualitative content analysis of 13 triage policies from 10 hospitals across Australia was conducted. Triage policies from both inpatient and outpatient settings were sourced. Data were coded deductively using the five discrete domains of the multi-faceted operational definition of health equity posited by Lane et al. (2017): 1) point of equalisation in the health service supply/access/outcome chain, 2) need or potential to benefit, 3) groupings of equalisation, 4) caveats to equalisation, 5) close enough is good enough. Descriptive summative statistics were used to analyse and present the frequency of reported equity domains. Results: Within the included triage tools, four out of five domains of equity were evident in the included documents to guide decision making. Allocation based on perceived patient need and overall health outcomes were the central guiding principles across both inpatient and outpatient settings. Equal provision of service relative to patient need and reducing wait times were also prioritised. However, explicit inclusion of certain equity domains such as discrimination, ensuring equal capability to be healthy and other patient factors was limited. Conclusions: Physiotherapy triage policies consider various domains of equity to guide resource allocation decisions. Policymakers and service providers can use the insights gained from this study to review the application and operationalisation of equity principles within their healthcare systems through mechanisms such as patient triage tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modular acetabular components for total hip arthroplasty (THA) provide intraoperative flexibility; however, polyethylene liner dissociation may occur. This study aimed to examine the incidence and causes of liner dissociation associated with a specific acetabular component design at a single centre. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 7027 patients who underwent primary THA was performed to identify isolated liner dislocations. Patient demographics, clinical presentations, surgical and implant details, and both radiographic and computed tomography (CT) findings were analysed. Patients with liner dislocation were matched to a control group via 2:1 propensity score matching, and a logistic regression analysis was employed to identify associated risk factors. Results: A total of 32 patients (0.45%) experienced liner dislocation at a mean 71.47 ± 60.10 months post surgery. Significant factors contributing to dislocations included the use of a conventional compared with a highly crosslinked polyethylene component (p = 0.049) and screw fixation (p = 0.028). Radiographic and CT analysis highlighted the importance of proper component orientation, revealing that patients experiencing dislocations demonstrated significantly lower acetabular cup anteversion angles (p = 0.001) compared with the control group. Impingement and malposition, identified in 41% and 47% of the cases, respectively, further underscored the multifactorial nature of dislocation risks. Conclusions: While the overall rate of polyethylene liner dislocation was low, the findings of this study highlight the importance of appropriate cup placement to decrease the risk of dissociation. It further substantiates the influence of impingement and malposition in liner displacement, with increased mechanical stress exerted on the locking mechanism under adverse conditions and the potential risk increase due to screw placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal cardiovascular assessment of liver transplant (LT) candidates is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the performance of CT‐based coronary tests (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] and coronary CT angiography [CCTA]) and a modification of the CAD‐LT score (mCAD‐LT, excluding family history of CAD) to diagnose significant coronary artery disease (CAD) before LT and predict the incidence of post‐LT cardiovascular events (CVE). Methods: We retrospectively analysed a single‐centre cohort of LT candidates who underwent non‐invasive tests; invasive coronary angiography (ICA) was performed depending on the results of non‐invasive tests. mCAD‐LT was calculated in all patients. Results: Six‐hundred‐and‐thirty‐four LT candidates were assessed and 351 of them underwent LT. CACS, CCTA and ICA were performed in 245, 123 and 120 LT candidates, respectively. Significant CAD was found in 30% of patients undergoing ICA. The AUROCs of mCAD‐LT (.722) and CCTA (.654) were significantly higher than that of CACS (.502) to predict the presence of significant CAD. Specificity of the tests ranged between 31% for CCTA and 53% for CACS. Among patients who underwent LT, CACS ≥ 400 and mCAD‐LT were independently associated with the incidence of CVE; in patients who underwent CCTA before LT, significant CAD at CCTA also predicted post‐LT CVE. Conclusion: In this cohort, mCAD‐LT score and CT‐based tests detect the presence of significant CAD in LT candidates, although they tend to overestimate it. Both mCAD‐LT score and CT‐based tests classify LT recipients according to their risk of post‐LT CVE and can be used to improve post‐LT risk mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDespite those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being at increased risk of malnutrition, there is a notable absence of practical approaches for nutritional assessment in clinical practice. We investigated the usefulness of phase angle (PhA) and Total Psoas Area Index (TPAI) for indicating nutritional risk and HCC prognosis. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT), and handgrip strength (HGS) were assessed. The Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) was calculated. Body composition was assessed using bioimpedance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. The Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score and Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification determined the prognosis. Fifty-one males with HCC were enrolled (CTP C = 11.8%). PhA showed a moderate positive correlation with APMT (r = 0.450; p < 0.001) and HGS (r = 0.418; p = 0.002) and a weak positive correlation with TPAI (r = 0.332; p = 0.021). PhA had a strong positive correlation with NRI (r = 0.614; p < 0.001). Mean PhA values were significantly different according to disease severity (CTP C p = 0.001, and BCLC D p = 0.053). TPAI had no significant correlation with HGS, CTP, or BCLC. PhA was a superior approach for predicting nutritional risk and prognosis in HCC than TPAI. Lower PhA is associated with disease progression, lower muscle mass and function, greater severity of nutritional risk, and increased mortality in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the early aggregation process of the Aβ1‐40 amyloid peptide, elucidating the associated oligomers distribution. Motivated by the acknowledged role of small oligomers in the neurotoxic damage linked to Alzheimer's disease, we present an experimental protocol for preparing 26‐O‐acyl isoAβ1‐40, a modified Aβ1‐40 peptide facilitating rapid isomerization to the native amide form at neutral pH. This ensures seed‐free solutions, minimizing experimental variability. Additionally, we demonstrate the efficacy of coupling NMR diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) with the Inverse Laplace Transform (ILT) reconstruction method, for effective characterization of early aggregation processes. This innovative approach efficiently maps oligomers distributions across a wide spectrum of initial peptide concentrations offering unique insights into the evolution of oligomers relative populations. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the efficacy of our approach assessing the impact of Epigallocathechin gallate, a known remodeling agent of amyloid fibrils, on the oligomeric distributions of aggregated Aβ1‐40. The DOSY‐ILT proposed approach stands as a robust and discriminating asset, providing a powerful strategy for rapidly gaining insight into potential inhibitors' impact on the aggregation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural stem/progenitor cells derived from olfactory neuroepithelium (hereafter olfactory neural stem/progenitor cells, ONSPCs) are emerging as a potential tool in the exploration of psychiatric disorders. The present study intended to assess whether ONSPCs could help discern individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) from non-schizophrenic (NS) subjects by exploring specific cellular and molecular features. ONSPCs were collected from 19 in-patients diagnosed with SZ and 31 NS individuals and propagated in basal medium. Mitochondrial ATP production, expression of β-catenin and cell proliferation, which are described to be altered in SZ, were examined in freshly isolated or newly thawed ONSPCs after a few culture passages. SZ-ONSPCs exhibited a lower mitochondrial ATP production and insensitivity to agents capable of positively or negatively affecting β-catenin expression with respect to NS-ONSPCs. As to proliferation, it declined in SZ-ONSPCs as the number of culture passages increased compared to a steady level of growth shown by NS-ONSPCs. The ease and safety of sample collection as well as the differences observed between NS- and SZ-ONSPCs, may lay the groundwork for a new approach to obtain biological material from a large number of living individuals and gain a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying SZ pathophysiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of x-ray sources generated with different mechanisms from self-modulated laser wakefield acceleration (SM-LWFA) electrons was performed to compare the source size or spatial resolution for use in high energy density science applications. We examine the source size of betatron, inverse Compton scattering, and bremsstrahlung radiation with a Fresnel diffraction based formalism and a modified x-ray ray tracing model. We observe the dependence of source size on the radiation generation process, laser parameters, and compare to what is possible in other regimes of LWFA, as well as current methods. This information is significant as we begin to explore the use of light sources driven by SM-LWFA for use as a diagnostic at large-scale laser facilities where blowout regime LWFA is not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SH2 domains of SHP2 play a crucial role in determining the function of the SHP2 protein. While the folding and binding properties of the isolated NSH2 and CSH2 domains have been extensively studied, there is limited information about the tandem SH2 domains. This study aims to elucidate the folding and binding kinetics of the NSH2-CSH2 tandem domains of SHP2 through rapid kinetic experiments, complementing existing data on the isolated domains. The results indicate that while the domains generally fold and unfold independently, acidic pH conditions induce complex scenarios involving the formation of a misfolded intermediate. Furthermore, a comparison of the binding kinetics of isolated NSH2 and CSH2 domains with the NSH2-CSH2 tandem domains, using peptides that mimic specific portions of Gab2, suggests a dynamic interplay between NSH2 and CSH2 in binding Gab2 that modulate the microscopic association rate constant of the binding reaction. These findings, discussed in the context of previous research on the NSH2 and CSH2 domains, enhance our understanding of the function of the SH2 domain tandem of SHP2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Trial Registration Pathology services represent an ideal setting to integrate absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation when patients attend for routine cholesterol testing. This study aimed to explore the process of implementing CVD risk estimation into point‐of‐care service delivery by pathology staff to inform future implementation and sustainability.A new service for CVD risk estimation via a self‐directed screening station was implemented into 14 pathology service sites across Tasmania, Australia. Before implementation, observations at pathology services (n = 26) and semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 26 pathology staff (88% female, 77% aged 41–60 years) to identify factors that could impact implementation of the service. The process of implementation was then evaluated using participant observations and clinical trial recruitment data. Transcripts and field notes were analysed thematically according to the Medical Research Council Framework and used to develop a programme logic model to understand how the service could be adapted to be successfully integrated into routine workflow at pathology services.Eight key themes were identified during the pre‐implementation phase as important factors that could impact upon integration of CVD risk estimation into pathology services. Themes related to factors within the organisation, including available resources, logistics and workflow, as well as having sufficient time to complete the intervention. Additional factors related to the individual motivations of staff, collaborative leadership and patient characteristics. Success of implementation varied among sites, requiring the trialling of different strategies to support uptake of the service and patient recruitment.Implementing CVD risk estimation into point‐of‐care pathology services required an understanding of the core implementation components specific to each context, and for implementation strategies to be targeted to the individual and organisational contexts. The generated programme logic model may be useful in guiding future implementation endeavours within these services and aiding the selection of apt implementation strategies.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04896021, registered 19/05/2021, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04896021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement adhesion plays a crucial role in driving safety, while traditional test methods exhibit some limitations. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of asphalt pavement texture characterization and adhesion assessments, this paper uses three-dimensional (3D) laser technology to detect the continuous point cloud data of road surface and reconstruct the 3D topography of pavement texture. On this basis, a volume parameter Volume of peak materials (Vmp) is innovatively proposed to comprehensively characterize the 3D spatial characteristics of road surface texture. The correlation analysis between the proposed Vmp and the traditional adhesion evaluation index Transversal Adhesion Coefficient (CAT) is conducted, and then refined graded adhesion prediction models based on the proposed Vmp are proposed. Results show that the proposed volume parameter Vmp can reliably and accurately characterize the asphalt pavement texture by considering more structural properties of the road surface texture. According to the research findings of this paper, it is feasible to achieve rapid and correct assessment of asphalt pavement adhesion using 3D laser detection technology by comprehensively considering the 3D characteristics of the road surface texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When applied in the same concentration to tomato plants, cadmium sulfate (CdSO4) and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) were transported from soil to roots and from roots to shoots more readily than their nano counterparts: cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QD) and zinc sulfide quantum dots (ZnS QD). Compared to the CdS QD, he higher rate of transport of CdSO4 resulted in a greater negative effect on growth, chlorophyll content, antioxidant properties, lipid peroxidation and activation of antioxidant defence systems. Although ZnSO4 was transported more rapidly than ZnS QD, the overall effect of Zn addition was positive (increase in total plant mass, stem length, antioxidant content and decrease in lipid peroxidation). However, these effects were more pronounced in the case of ZnS QD, suggesting that the mechanisms underpinning the activity of ZnS QD and ZnSO4 were different. Thus, the risk of phytotoxicity and food chain transfer of the two elements depended on their form (salt or nanoform), and consequently their effects on plants' growth and physiology were different. This work elucidates the mechanisms underlying the responses of CdS QD and ZnS QD in contrast to those of their corresponding salts on tomato plants. Our results showed that faster transport from roots to leaves in the case of salts in respect to the nanoform augment their detrimental impact on tomato's antioxidant properties and growth and make the nanoform of both a better alternative for crop application either as fertilizers or as pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic field (MF) treatment, as an efficient and pollution-free treatment method, has received extensive attention from researchers and found broad prospects in horticultural and agricultural development. According to relevant studies, mainstream research direction is aimed at utilizing MF treatment to improve the economic traits of horticultural and agricultural crops. MF has positive effects, for example, on seed germination, seedling growth, crop yield and quality and plant tolerance to stress. In recent years, more and more researchers have focused their work on using seed MF or magnetised water (MW) irrigation treatment to improve plant tolerance to salt or heavy metal stresses, to achieve the purpose of soil restoration by plant heavy metal accumulation. In this review, the most commonly utilised MF or MW treatment methods have been described in detail, and the effects of MF treatment on horticultural and agricultural crops have been presented. Furthermore, new prospects for MF treatment and the associated molecular basis have been presented. Since different species or cultivars have different optimal dose requirements for MF treatment, it is still a challenge presently to promote MF treatment use in commercial applications. For successful implementation of MF treatments, it is essential to conduct a large number of screening experiments and more in-depth research on the effects of MF on cultivated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate the survival of patellofemoral joint (PFJ) arthroplasty in a large cohort of patients using data obtained from an Italian regional arthroplasty registry and (2) to collect clinical outcomes of a subgroup of patients, with a minimum follow‐up of 4 years. The hypotheses were that PFJ arthroplasty is a procedure that had good survival and clinical outcomes, not inferior to those reported in the literature for primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: The Register of Orthopaedic Prosthetic Implants (RIPO) of Emilia‐Romagna (ER) (Italy) database was searched for the inclusion of all PFJ arthroplasties implanted between 2003 and 2019. PFJ arthroplasties were excluded if they were implanted in patients who lived outside of the ER. The survival information was extrapolated from the RIPO considering the partial or total revision of the implant as failure; moreover, a subgroup of patients was contacted and interviewed by telephone to collect clinical outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. The survival curve was calculated and plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: A total of 126 arthroplasties in 114 patients were included in the final analysis (mean age at surgery 60.1 ± 11.5 years old). The main causes of patellofemoral arthroplasty were primary osteoarthritis (88%) and posttraumatic arthritis (7%). The survival was 90.4 ± 30.6 and 78.8 ± 51.5 at 5 and 10 years of follow‐up, respectively. At the latest follow‐up, 23 implants failed (18.3%). The main cause of revision was osteoarthrosis progression (34.8%). A total of 44 patients were contacted by telephone to collect clinical outcomes: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, functional Knee Society Score, Forgotten Joint Score and Oxford Knee Score. These patients reported good to excellent scores at a medium follow‐up of 10.3 ± 4.7 years. Conclusions: The PFJ showed good survival and clinical outcomes and could be considered a valuable option for patients affected by isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Level of Evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time‐of‐Flight Positron Emission Tomography (ToF‐PET) is a medical imaging technique, based on the detection of two back‐to‐back γ‐photons generated from radiotracers injected into the body. Its limit is the ability of employed scintillation detectors to discriminate in time the arrival of γ‐pairs, that is, the coincidence time resolution (CTR). A CTR < 50 ps will enable fast imaging with ultralow radiotracer dose. Monolithic materials do not have simultaneously the required high light output and fast emission characteristics, thus the concept of scintillating heterostructure is proposed, where the device is made of a dense scintillator coupled to a fast‐emitting light material. Here a composite polymeric scintillator loaded with hafnium oxide nanoparticles is presented. This enhanced by +300% its scintillation yield, by surpassing commercial plastic scintillators. The nanocomposite is coupled to bismuth germanate oxide (BGO) realizing a multilayer metascintillator. The energy sharing between its components is observed, which activates the nanocomposite's fast emission enabling a net CTR improvement of 25% with respect to monolithic BGO. These results demonstrate that a controlled loading with dense nanomaterials is an excellent strategy to enhance the performance of polymeric scintillators for their use in advanced radiation detection and imaging technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The use of sound wave technology on different plant species has revealed that variations in the Hz, sound pressure intensity, treatment time, and type of setup of the sound source significantly impact the plant performance. For example, a study conducted on cotton plants treated by Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology (PAFT) highlighted improvements across various growth parameters. In particular, the treated samples showed increases in the height, leaf area, and number of boll-bearing branches, as well as other plant anatomical parts. In other cases, such as in transgenic rice plants, GUS expression was upregulated or downregulated concerning the Hz employed. This paper presents a complete, rationalized and updated review of the literature on the effects of sound waves on the physiology and growth parameters of sound-treated plants. The application of sound wave technology to different plant species has revealed that variations in the Hz, sound pressure intensity, treatment duration, and type of setup of the sound source significantly impact the plant performance. A study conducted on cotton plants treated with Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology (PAFT) highlighted improvements across various growth metrics. In particular, the treated samples showed increases in the height, size of the fourth expanded leaf from the final one, count of branches carrying bolls, quantity of bolls, and weight of individual bolls. Another study showed how the impact of a 4 kHz sound stimulus positively promoted plant drought tolerance. In other cases, such as in transgenic rice plants, GUS expression was upregulated at 250 Hz but downregulated at 50 Hz. In the same way, sound frequencies have been found to enhance the osmotic potential, with the highest observed in samples treated with frequencies of 0.5 and 0.8 kHz compared to the control. Furthermore, a sound treatment with a frequency of 0.4 kHz and a sound pressure level (SPL) of 106 dB significantly increased the paddy rice germination index, as evidenced by an increase in the stem height and relative fresh weight. This paper presents a complete, rationalized and updated review of the literature on the effects of sound waves on the physiology and growth parameters of sound-treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SATB1 (MIM #602075) is a relatively new gene reported only in recent years in association with neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by variable facial dysmorphisms, global developmental delay, poor or absent speech, altered electroencephalogram (EEG), and brain abnormalities on imaging. To date about thirty variants in forty-four patients/children have been described, with a heterogeneous spectrum of clinical manifestations. In the present study, we describe a new patient affected by mild intellectual disability, speech disorder, and non-specific abnormalities on EEG and neuroimaging. Family studies identified a new de novo frameshift variant c.1818delG (p.(Gln606Hisfs*101)) in SATB1. To better define genotype–phenotype associations in the different types of reported SATB1 variants, we reviewed clinical data from our patient and from the literature and compared manifestations (epileptic activity, EEG abnormalities and abnormal brain imaging) due to missense variants versus those attributable to loss-of-function/premature termination variants. Our analyses showed that the latter variants are associated with less severe, non-specific clinical features when compared with the more severe phenotypes due to missense variants. These findings provide new insights into SATB1-related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionWe examined perceptual changes in the domains of ease of understanding, naturalness, and speech severity, as well as changes in self-perceptions of voice disability, following an online group speech treatment program for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.Seven speakers with hypokinetic dysarthria associated with PD participated in a university and community-based online group speech program for 10 weeks. Speech recordings occurred remotely 1 week before and 1 week after the online program. Thirty naïve listeners rated ease of understanding, naturalness, and speech severity based on the speech recordings. Speakers’ self-perceptions of voice disability were also obtained at both time points.Individual analysis of the speech data showed that for most speakers with dysarthria, ease of understanding and perceptions of severity were rated the same or better pre- to post-treatment. Naturalness, however, was only perceived to be the same or better post-treatment in three out of seven speakers. Over half of the speakers reported improvements in their self-perception of voice disability.This pilot study highlighted the individual variability among speakers with dysarthria and the potential of online group speech treatment to maintain and/or improve speech function in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A women's chances of getting pregnant decreases in cases of infertility, which may have several clinical etiologies. The prevalence of infertility is estimated as 10–15% worldwide. One of the causes of infertility is endometriosis, defined as the presence of an endometrial gland and/or stroma outside the uterus, inducing a chronic inflammatory reaction. Thus, infertility and endometriosis are diagnoses that significantly affect women's mental health. This study accessed and compared the levels of depression, anxiety, and quality of life in infertile women with and without endometriosis. Methods: was an observational and cross-sectional study which included 201 infertile women, 81 of whom were also diagnosed with endometriosis. The STROBE Guidelines was used. The data were collected using validated scales: Hamilton D Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire; The data were collected at the Ideia Fertil Institute (Santo Andre, Brazil), between February 28 and June 8, 2019. Results: the infertile women with endometriosis reported higher presence of depressive symptoms and a lower quality of life compared to women with infertility only. Similar presence of anxiety symptoms was observed regardless of being diagnosed with endometriosis. Women with infertility and endometriosis presented lower levels in quality-of-life domains when compared to women with infertility only - Mind and Body (58.33 × 79.17, p < 0.001), Relational (75 × 81.25, p = 0.009), Social (66.67 × 77.08, p = 0.001), Emotional (50.62 × 67.43, p < 0.001). Conclusion: the findings indicate the need for increased psychosocial support care for women suffering from infertility and endometriosis to assist them in maintaining and managing their own mental health and achieving their reproductive goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence about feeding practices’ consequences in small for gestational age newborns is not well established because they are less likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding than other newborns. Our aim was to study current knowledge about the benefits of exclusive human milk diet after 2 years of age in small for gestational age newborns. A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline criteria. Pubmed and Scopus were searched for studies published from databases inception until June 2, 2023. Included articles were analysed and synthesised. Risk of bias and level of evidence assessments were performed. They were enrolled small for gestational age newborns fed by breastfeeding, breast milk or donor milk. The systematic review included 9 articles which were related to 4 health domains: neurodevelopment, cardiovascular, somatic growth and bone mineralization and atopy. Extracted data support a beneficial effect of breastfeeding on these outcomes. Better quality of evidence and longer follow-up are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective superconducting diode—that is an element whose critical current depends upon the polarity—is achieved with a special configuration of a long Josephson junction and a control line. The proposed geometry is simple, based on the well-established asymmetric inline long Josephson junction, and can be realized using traditional superconductors without the need of magnetic materials. The performance of the diode, as measured by the efficiency, only depends on the normalized length and the control current intensity. At the optimal working point, the efficiency reaches about 76% and could be further improved at the expenses of the circuit simplicity. Finally, when a sinusoidal current is applied to the device, calculations with realistic fabrication parameters show the rectification of a sinusoidal current with a frequency in the MHz region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The study observed how plants adjust leaf turnover rates and nutrient allocation at the organ level to counter O3 damage. Various O3 treatments (ambient concentration, 1.5 × AA, 2.0 × AA) and fertilization levels (N: 0 and 80 kg N ha−1 y−1; P: 0 and 80 kg N ha−1 y−1) were applied to an O3-sensitive poplar clone in a FACE experiment. The results revealed significant effects of both fertilization and O3 on nutrient content, with increases in foliar C and N (+5.8% and +34.2%) and root Ca and Mg (+46.3% and +70.2%). Accelerated leaf turnover rates due to O3 exposure were observed, indicating its significant role in this physiological parameter. O3 fumigation influenced the overall allocation of primary and secondary elements across plant organs. These findings underscore the ecological implications of altered element allocation in plant leaves in response to elevated O3 levels. An excess of ozone (O3) is currently stressing plant ecosystems and may negatively affect the nutrient use of plants. Plants may modify leaf turnover rates and nutrient allocation at the organ level to counteract O3 damage. We investigated leaf turnover rate and allocation of primary (C, N, P, K) and secondary macronutrients (Ca, S, Mg) under various O3 treatments (ambient concentration, AA, with a daily hourly average of 35 ppb; 1.5 × AA; 2.0 × AA) and fertilization levels (N: 0 and 80 kg N ha−1 y−1; P: 0 and 80 kg N ha−1 y−1) in an O3-sensitive poplar clone (Oxford: Populus maximowiczii Henry × P. berolinensis Dippel) in a Free-Air Controlled Exposure (FACE) experiment. The results indicated that both fertilization and O3 had a significant impact on the nutrient content. Specifically, fertilization and O3 increased foliar C and N contents (+5.8% and +34.2%, respectively) and root Ca and Mg contents (+46.3% and +70.2%, respectively). Plants are known to increase the content of certain elements to mitigate the damage caused by high levels of O3. The leaf turnover rate was accelerated as a result of increased O3 exposure, indicating that O3 plays a main role in influencing this physiological parameter. A PCA result showed that O3 fumigation affected the overall allocation of primary and secondary elements depending on the organ (leaves, stems, roots). As a conclusion, such different patterns of element allocation in plant leaves in response to elevated O3 levels can have significant ecological implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2023 AABB international guidelines for red blood cell transfusions have been published in JAMA. These guidelines are based on the best available evidence from clinical trials and were developed using a systematic approach with support from international organizations. They provide recommendations for transfusion practices for both adults and pediatric patients. The key recommendation for adults is to adopt a restrictive transfusion strategy when the hemoglobin concentration is less than 7 g/dL for stable patients. For pediatric patients, a restrictive strategy is recommended for critically ill children and those at risk of critical illness, with a hemoglobin threshold of less than 7 g/dL. The document highlights the need for further research and the importance of implementing these guidelines in clinical practice. [Extracted from the article]

Background The D3-creatine (D3-Cr) dilution method is of emerging interest for estimating total-body skeletal muscle mass. This review explores the association of muscle mass estimated via D3-Cr with various clinical outcomes and provides a summary of the literature comparing D3-Cr with other body composition techniques. Methods A literature search was conducted on PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science for studies using D3-Cr to measure muscle in adult populations (ie, ≥18 years old) from inception until September 2023. Results Out of the 23 included studies, 15 investigated the correlation between D3-Cr and clinical outcomes. More consistent associations were reported for mortality (100%, n  = 2), mobility disability (100%; n  = 5), falls and fractures (100%; n  = 3), physical performance (63.3%; n  = 11), muscle strength (44.4%; n  = 9), and muscle composition (33.3%; n  = 3). However, conflicting findings were also reported for such correlations. Among the 23 studies, 14 compared D3-Cr-estimated muscle with other body composition techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a reference method. Strong and positive correlations were found between D3-Cr and MRI. Nonetheless, variations in muscle measurements were noted, with differences in D3-Cr values ranging from 0.62 kg lower to 13.47 kg higher compared to MRI. Conclusions D3-Cr-estimated muscle mass may be a valuable predictor of clinical outcomes showing consistent associations with falls and fractures, mobility disability, and mortality. However, less consistent associations were found with muscle strength and composition, and physical performance. Although a strong correlation exists between D3-Cr-estimated muscle mass and MRI measurements, under- or overestimation may occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptor protein Grb2, or growth factor receptor--bound protein 2, possesses a pivotal role in the transmission of fundamental molecular signals in the cell. Despite lacking enzymatic activity, Grb2 functions as a dynamic assembly platform, orchestrating intracellular signals through its modular structure. This study delves into the energetic communication of Grb2 domains, focusing on the folding and binding properties of the C-SH3 domain linked to its neighboring SH2 domain. Surprisingly, while the folding and stability of C-SH3 remain robust and unaffected by SH2 presence, significant differences emerge in the binding properties when considered within the tandem context compared with isolated C-SH3. Through a double mutant cycle analysis, we highlighted a subset of residues, located at the interface with the SH2 domain and far from the binding site, finely regulating the binding of a peptide mimicking a physiological ligand of the CSH3 domain. Our results have mechanistic implications about the mechanisms of specificity of the C-SH3 domain, indicating that the presence of the SH2 domain optimizes binding to its physiological target, and emphasizing the general importance of considering supramodular multidomain protein structures to understand the functional intricacies of protein--protein interaction domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addressed whether combining tinkering with digital storytelling (i.e., narrating and reflecting about experiences to an imagined audience) can engender engineering learning opportunities. Eighty‐four families with 5‐ to 10‐year‐old (M = 7.69) children (48% female children; 57% White, 11% Asian, 6% Black) watched a video introducing a tinkering activity and were randomly assigned either to a digital storytelling condition or a no digital storytelling condition during tinkering. After tinkering, families reflected on their tinkering experience and were randomly assigned to either engage in digital storytelling or not. Children in the digital storytelling condition during tinkering spoke most to an imagined audience during tinkering, talked most about engineering at reflection, and remembered the most information about the experience weeks later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel conditions can involve nearly all organ systems and induce pathological processes through increased oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and disruption of the immune response. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at high risk of having extra-intestinal manifestations, for example, in the hepatobiliary system. In 30% of patients with IBD, the blood values of liver enzymes, such as AST and ALT, are increased. Moreover, treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases may cause liver toxicity. Apple polyphenol extracts are widely acknowledged for their potential antioxidant effects, which help prevent damage from oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, provide protection to the liver, and enhance lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the polyphenol apple extract from Malus domestica cv. 'Limoncella' (LAPE) may be an effective intervention for the treatment of IBD-induced hepatotoxicity. The LAPE was administrated in vivo by oral gavage (3–300 mg/kg) once a day for 3 consecutive days, starting 24 h after the induction of dinitro-benzenesulfonic acid (DNBS) colitis in mice. The results showed that LAPE significantly attenuated histological bowel injury, myeloperoxidase activity, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin (IL-1β) expressions. Furthermore, LAPE significantly improved the serum lipid peroxidation and liver injury in DNBS-induced colitis, as well as reduced the nuclear transcription factor-kappaB activation. In conclusion, these results suggest that LAPE, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could prevent liver damage induced by inflammatory bowel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration is an energetically challenging and risky life history stage for many animals, but could be supported by dietary choices en route, which may create opportunities to improve body and physiological condition. However, proposed benefits of diet shifts, such as between seasonally available invertebrates and fruits, have received limited investigation in free-living animals. We quantified diet composition and magnitude of autumn diet shifts over two time periods in two closely-related species of migratory songbirds on stopover in the northeastern U.S. (Swainson's thrush [Catharus ustulatus], long-distance migrant, N = 83; hermit thrush [C. guttatus], short-distance migrant, N = 79) and used piecewise structural equation models to evaluate the relationships among (1) migration timing, (2) dietary behavior, and (3) morphometric and physiological condition indices. Tissue isotope composition indicated that both species shifted towards greater fruit consumption. Larger shifts in recent weeks corresponded to higher body condition in Swainson's, but not hermit thrushes, and condition was more heavily influenced by capture date in Swainson's thrushes. Presence of "high-antioxidant" fruits in fecal samples was unrelated to condition in Swainson's thrushes and negatively related to multiple condition indices in hermit thrushes, possibly indicating the value of fruits during migration is related more to their energy and/or macronutrient content than antioxidant content. Our results suggest that increased frugivory during autumn migration can support condition, but those benefits might depend on migration strategy: a longer-distance, more capital-dependent migration strategy could require stricter regulation of body condition aided by increased fruit consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic injuries in eyes previously treated with Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) can lead to ruptures in the Descemet Membrane (DM) and damage to the corneal endothelium, a crucial layer for maintaining corneal clarity. Due to cell cycle constraints, the human corneal endothelium cannot proliferate; instead, it compensates for injury through cell enlargement and migration from adjacent areas. Methods: This study examines a notable case of corneal endothelial cell migration following a penetrating eye injury in a patient previously treated with DALK for keratoconus, supplemented by a review of relevant literature to contextualize the regenerative response. Results: A 39-year-old male with a history of DALK suffered a traumatic eye injury, resulting in damage to the Descemet Membrane and loss of the crystalline lens. After primary repair and considerations for further surgery, the patient's cornea cleared remarkably, with an improved visual acuity. This demonstrates the DM's potential for self-repair through endothelial cell migration. Conclusions: The outcomes suggest that delaying corneal transplant surgery for up to 3 months following Descemet Membrane injury due to ocular trauma could be advantageous. Allowing time for natural healing processes might eliminate the need for further invasive surgeries, thereby improving patient recovery outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortoesophageal fistula is rare and typically presents itself to the emergency department as Chiari's Triad of mid-thoracic pain, sentinel arterial hemorrhage, and exsanguination after a symptom-free interval. However, fatal bleeding may be the first and last presentation of an aortoesophageal fistula. When a patient experiences massive hematemesis without witnesses, EMS may assume that bleed is of a traumatic mechanism. We present a case of a 59-year-old male with no previous medical history who was transported to a trauma center unconscious and with massive bleeding of unknown origin. Computed tomography revealed a thoracic aortic aneurysm and an aortoesophageal fistula. Bleeding was not controlled and the patient expired. Trauma bay personnel should follow an algorithm which includes a prompt tamponade of the bleed using a Sengstaken–Blakemore tube or esophageal balloon paralleled by massive transfusion and obtaining an early computed tomography scan to manage patients with massive gastroesophageal bleeding until appropriate surgical interventions can be initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is a paramount issue, influenced by a combination of natural and anthropogenic sources, various diffusion modes, and profound repercussions for the environment and human health. Herein, the power of time series data becomes evident, as it proves indispensable for capturing pollutant concentrations over time. These data unveil critical insights, including trends, seasonal and cyclical patterns, and the crucial property of stationarity. Brescia, a town located in Northern Italy, faces the pressing challenge of air pollution. To enhance its status as a smart city and address this concern effectively, statistical methods employed in time series analysis play a pivotal role. This article is dedicated to examining how ARIMA and LSTM models can empower Brescia as a smart city by fitting and forecasting specific pollution forms. These models have established themselves as effective tools for predicting future pollution levels. Notably, the intricate nature of the phenomena becomes apparent through the high variability of particulate matter. Even during extraordinary events like the COVID-19 lockdown, where substantial reductions in emissions were observed, the analysis revealed that this reduction did not proportionally decrease PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations. This underscores the complex nature of the issue and the need for advanced data-driven solutions to make Brescia a truly smart city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of plankton communities to short-term climatic events was studied in a narrow coral reef lagoon representative of the channel-type lagoons of the high islands of the tropical Pacific. Phyto- and zooplankton data (abundance and taxonomic composition) were sampled at high frequencies for 2 weeks in April–May 2017 under various tidal conditions and combined with environmental and physical measurements and modeling hydrodynamic products. The short-term external events (wind, waves and rain) that occurred caused changes in the circulation patterns and increased nutrient concentrations in the lagoon. The plankton reacted quickly to this enrichment, with an increase in chlorophyll a and the rapid development of a microphytoplankton community dominated by diatoms, and of opportunistic herbivorous zooplankton (tintinnids, appendicularians). Zooplankton composition and distribution were strongly modulated by the circulation patterns through advection and mixing. Our results show that the tidal and diel components of the temporal variability of planktonic groups were blurred by sporadic event components (i.e. wind, wave and rainfall events). Environmental and biological responses to these external physical forcings occurred at lagoon scale in this channel-like lagoon, unlike what is observed in larger lagoons (such as the southern lagoons of New Caledonia) where spatial variability is much higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diets of the eight species of ursids range from carnivory (e.g., polar bears, Ursus maritimus) to insectivory (e.g., sloth bears, Melursus ursinus), omnivory (e.g., brown bears, U. arctos), and herbivory (e.g., giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Dietary energy availability ranges from the high-fat, highly digestible, calorically dense diet of polar bears (~ 6.4 kcal digestible energy/g fresh weight) to the high-fiber, poorly digestible, calorically restricted diet (~ 0.7) of giant pandas. Thus, ursids provide the opportunity to examine the extent to which dietary energy drives evolution of energy metabolism in a closely related group of animals. We measured the daily energy expenditure (DEE) of captive brown bears in a relatively large, zoo-type enclosure and compared those values to previously published results on captive brown bears, captive and free-ranging polar bears, and captive and free-ranging giant pandas. We found that all three species have similar mass-specific DEE when travel distances and energy intake are normalized even though their diets differ dramatically and phylogenetic lineages are separated by millions of years. For giant pandas, the ability to engage in low-cost stationary foraging relative to more wide-ranging bears likely provided the necessary energy savings to become bamboo specialists without greatly altering their metabolic rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthcare triage policies are vital for allocating limited resources fairly and equitably. Despite extensive studies of healthcare equity, consensus on the applied definition of equity in triage remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate how the principles of equity are operationalised in Australian hospital physiotherapy triage tools to guide resource distribution. Methods: A retrospective, qualitative content analysis of 13 triage policies from 10 hospitals across Australia was conducted. Triage policies from both inpatient and outpatient settings were sourced. Data were coded deductively using the five discrete domains of the multi-faceted operational definition of health equity posited by Lane et al. (2017): 1) point of equalisation in the health service supply/access/outcome chain, 2) need or potential to benefit, 3) groupings of equalisation, 4) caveats to equalisation, 5) close enough is good enough. Descriptive summative statistics were used to analyse and present the frequency of reported equity domains. Results: Within the included triage tools, four out of five domains of equity were evident in the included documents to guide decision making. Allocation based on perceived patient need and overall health outcomes were the central guiding principles across both inpatient and outpatient settings. Equal provision of service relative to patient need and reducing wait times were also prioritised. However, explicit inclusion of certain equity domains such as discrimination, ensuring equal capability to be healthy and other patient factors was limited. Conclusions: Physiotherapy triage policies consider various domains of equity to guide resource allocation decisions. Policymakers and service providers can use the insights gained from this study to review the application and operationalisation of equity principles within their healthcare systems through mechanisms such as patient triage tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure is an epidemiologically relevant disease because of the aging population and widespread lifestyles that promote it. In addition to the acute event, it is possible for the disease to become chronic with periodic flare-ups. It is essential to study pathology from a diagnostic and prognostic point of view and to identify parameters for effective monitoring. In addition, heart failure is associated with multiple comorbidities, including cognitive impairment, which is monitored clinically but not through specific biomarkers in these patients. The purpose of this review is to gather the most recent scientific evidence on a few possible biomarkers previously identified for monitoring heart failure and associated cognitive impairment. Methods: We surveyed studies inherent to a set of previously identified markers, evaluating English-language articles from the past five years conducted in adult heart failure patient populations. We used the databases PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Cochrane Library for search studies, and we considered articles published in journals with an impact factor greater than five in the publication year. Results: Among the biomarkers evaluated, a concordant indication for serial measurements for heart failure monitoring emerged only for interleukin-6. For the other markers, there is still little evidence available, which is interesting but sometimes conflicting. Interesting studies have also emerged for biomarkers of cognitive decline assessed in patients with heart failure, confirming the hypotheses of the increasingly studied heart-brain correlation. Conclusion: Certainly, further studies in large populations are needed to identify effective biomarkers for monitoring heart failure and associated cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide neck intracranial aneurysms are often difficult to treat with coiling alone, and sophisticated techniques such as balloon-assisted coiling, stent-assisted coiling, flow-diversion, or intrasaccular flow-disruption are sometimes required. This technical note reports the endovascular treatment of a recurrent middle cerebral bifurcation aneurysm by remodeling technique followed by flow-diverter (Silk Vista Baby) deployment through a remodeling balloon (double lumen balloon Eclipse 2L). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water-processable and low-cost nanocomposite material, based on gelatin and graphene, has been used to fabricate an environmentally friendly temperature sensor. Demonstrating a temperature-dependent open-circuit voltage between 260 and 310 K, the sensor effectively detects subzero ice formation. Notably, it maintains a constant temperature sensitivity of approximately −19 mV/K over two years, showcasing long-term stability. Experimental evidence demonstrates the efficient regeneration of aged sensors by injecting a few drops of water at a temperature higher than the gelation point of the hydrogel nanocomposite. The real-time monitoring of the electrical characteristics during the hydration reveals the initiation of the regeneration process at the gelation point (~306 K), resulting in a more conductive nanocomposite. These findings, together with a fast response and low power consumption in the range of microwatts, underscore the potential of the eco-friendly sensor for diverse practical applications in temperature monitoring and environmental sensing. Furthermore, the successful regeneration process significantly enhances its sustainability and reusability, making a valuable contribution to environmentally conscious technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly diagnosed and managed in primary care but there is evidence that this has been suboptimal, with low confidence expressed in providing interventions requiring behaviour change. The aim of this study was to determine the acceptability of a general practitioner (GP)–physiotherapist partnership in the diagnosis and management of COPD in primary care and to explore the experiences of participants during the implementation of the model. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with physiotherapists (n = 3), GPs (n = 2), practice nurses (PNs) (n = 2) and patients (n = 12) who had participated in the InNovaTivE Gp‐physiotheRapist pArTnErship for copD (INTEGRATED) trial. We sought to explore participants' views about their experiences and perceived benefits, barriers and facilitators to the implementation of this model of care. Interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed. Synthesis of the data was guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework for clinician interviews and the health belief model for patient interviews. Results: All clinicians felt that this integrated model helped to optimise care for patients with COPD by facilitating evidence‐based practice. GPs and PNs valued the physiotherapist's knowledge and skills relating to diagnosis and management, which was reported to complement their own management and improve patient outcomes. Patients reported a sense of empowerment following their appointments and acknowledged improved self‐management skills. However, physiotherapists reported many patients were already engaging in positive health behaviours. Responses were mixed on the effectiveness of the model in facilitating teamwork between clinicians with different perspectives concerning management, communication pathways and logistical issues, such as time and room availability, being cited as barriers. Conclusions: An experienced cardiorespiratory physiotherapist embedded into a small number of primary care practices to work in partnership with GPs for COPD diagnosis and management was acceptable and viewed as beneficial for patients. Barriers relating to logistics and resources remain, which must be addressed to optimise implementation. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient input was obtained from qualitative feedback from a prior study conducted by two authors and was used to refine the model of care to determine the added value of a physiotherapist integrated into the primary care team. This feedback was also used to refine the interview guides utilised in this study determine the acceptability of this model of care. We had health service involvement from the rehabilitation service of the local health district who were directly involved in determining study aims and establishing the project around the priorities for their chronic disease integration service. For example, this project aimed to engage with a less severe patient population in primary care who would benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation. The findings from this study will be used to further tailor the model of care to the needs of the public and patients. Trial Registration: ACTRN12619001127190 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Distal pancreatectomy (DP) represents the best therapeutic option for patients with body-tail pancreatic neoplasms (PNs). The enhanced recovery after surgery protocol is widely used for treating patients with PN to speed up postoperative recovery. This study aims to describe our institute's experience in the application of fast recovery protocol in a cohort of patients treated with DP, identifying predictors facilitating a decrease in the length of hospital stay. Patient and Methods: Were retrospectively enrolled 60 consecutive cases of DP performed from January 2016 to June 2022 in patients treated with enhanced recovery protocol, 25% of them were treated with spleen preserving procedure. Single-variable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the potential association between patient characteristics and the probability of postoperative complications. Standard linear regression models were used for length of stay, number of postoperative days (PODs) from surgery to full bowel function recovery, and PODs to the interruption of intravenous analgesia administration. Results: Thirty-four (57%) patients underwent open surgery and 26 (43%) laparoscopic surgery. Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery and spleen-preserving procedures experienced a lower complication rate (P = .037), shorter length of stay, and time of analgesic requirements. With single-variable logistic regression models patients treated with laparoscopic surgery had statistically significant higher recovery times in terms of nasogastric tube removal (P = .004) and early enteral nutrition (P = .001). Conclusion: Continual refinement with enhanced recovery protocol for treating PN patients based on perioperative counseling and surgical decision-making is crucial to reduce patient morbidity and time for recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of the global 21-cm signal during Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization is made difficult by bright foreground emission which is 2–5 orders of magnitude larger than the expected signal. Fitting for a physics-motivated parametric forward model of the data within a Bayesian framework provides a robust means to separate the signal from the foregrounds, given sufficient information about the instrument and sky. It has previously been demonstrated that, within such a modelling framework, a foreground model of sufficient fidelity can be generated by dividing the sky into N regions and scaling a base map assuming a distinct uniform spectral index in each region. Using the Radio Experiment for the Analysis of Cosmic Hydrogen as our fiducial instrument, we show that, if unaccounted-for, amplitude errors in low-frequency radio maps used for our base map model will prevent recovery of the 21-cm signal within this framework, and that the level of bias in the recovered 21-cm signal is proportional to the amplitude and the correlation length of the base-map errors in the region. We introduce an updated foreground model that is capable of accounting for these measurement errors by fitting for a monopole offset and a set of spatially dependent scale factors describing the ratio of the true and model sky temperatures, with the size of the set determined by Bayesian evidence-based model comparison. We show that our model is flexible enough to account for multiple foreground error scenarios allowing the 21-cm sky-averaged signal to be detected without bias from simulated observations with a smooth conical log spiral antenna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Multiwavelength photometry of the secondary eclipses of extrasolar planets is able to disentangle the reflected and thermally emitted light radiated from the planetary dayside. Based on this, we can measure the planetary geometric albedo Ag, which is an indicator of the presence of clouds in the atmosphere, and the recirculation efficiency ϵ, which quantifies the energy transport within the atmosphere. Aims. We measure Ag and ϵ for the planet WASP-178 b, a highly irradiated giant planet with an estimated equilibrium temperature of 2450 K. Methods. We analyzed archival spectra and the light curves collected by CHEOPS and TESS to characterize the host WASP-178, refine the ephemeris of the system, and measure the eclipse depth in the passbands of the two telescopes. Results. We measured a marginally significant eclipse depth of 70 ± 40 ppm in the TESS passband, and a statistically significant depth of 70 ± 20 ppm in the CHEOPS passband. Conclusions. Combining the eclipse-depth measurement in the CHEOPS (λeff = 6300 Å) and TESS (λeff = 8000 Å) passbands, we constrained the dayside brightness temperature of WASP-178 b in the 2250–2800 K interval. The geometric albedo 0.1< Ag<0.35 generally supports the picture that giant planets are poorly reflective, while the recirculation efficiency ϵ >0.7 makes WASP-178 b an interesting laboratory for testing the current heat-recirculation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the most common causes of death from cardiovascular disease. Although deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the leading cause of PE, its prognostic role is unclear. This study investigated the incidence and prognostic value of DVT in predicting in‐hospital mortality (IHM) in patients admitted from the emergency department (ED) for PE. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the ED of a third‐level university hospital. Patients over 18 years admitted for PE between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022 were included. Results: Five hundred and thirty patients (mean age 73.13 years, 6% IHM) were included. 69.1% of cases had DVT (36.4% unilateral femoral vein, 3.6% bilateral, 39.1% unilateral popliteal vein, 2.8% bilateral, 45.7% distal vein thrombosis and 7.4% iliocaval involvement). Patients who died in hospital had a higher Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) (138.6 vs. 99.65, p < 0.001), European Society of Cardiology risk class (15.6% vs. 1%, intermediate‐high in 50% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.001) and more DVT involving the iliac‐caval vein axis (18.8% vs. 6.6%, p = 0.011). PESI class >II, right ventricular dysfunction, increased blood markers of myocardial damage and involvement of the iliocaval venous axis were independent predictors of IHM on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Although further studies are needed to confirm the prognostic role of DVT at PE, involvement of the iliocaval venous axis should considered to be a sign of a higher risk of IHM and may be a key factor in prognostic stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brian Epstein has argued (in The Ant Trap and 'Anchoring versus grounding') that social kinds 'export' across worlds. Although the conditions for war criminality are not 'fixed' in the Empire, for instance, Darth Vader is a war criminal there. And, according to Epstein, an account of social construction should imply that he is. Ultimately, he argues that 'grounding-only' accounts of social construction – like those proposed by Jonathan Schaffer and Aaron Griffith – imply that social kinds do not export across worlds. As a result, he argues that we need more than grounding; in particular, we need both grounding and what he calls 'anchoring' to account for it. In this paper, I argue that, once we draw a distinction between what I call 'thick' and 'thin' social kinds, Epstein's argument is either invalid or irrelevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To identify barriers and facilitators related to reimbursement processes, device acquisition costs, stocking, and supply of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) from 27 jurisdictions (26 states/1 territory) participating in the Increasing Access to Contraception Learning Community from 2016 to 2018. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study using qualitative data collected through 27 semistructured key informant interviews was conducted during the final year of the learning community among all jurisdictional teams. Excerpts were extracted and coded by theme, then summarized as barriers or facilitators using implementation science methods. Results: Most jurisdictions (89%) identified barriers to reimbursement processes, device acquisition, stocking, and supply of LARC devices, and 85% of jurisdictions identified facilitators for these domains. Payment methodology challenges and lack of billing and coding processes were identified as the most common barriers to reimbursement processes. Device acquisition cost challenges and lack of delivery facility protocols for billing were the most common barriers to device acquisition, stocking, and supply of LARC. The most common facilitator of reimbursement processes was expanded payment methodology options, whereas supplemental funding for acquisition costs and protocol development were identified as the most common facilitators of device acquisition, stocking, and supply. Conclusion: Revised payment methodologies and broader health systems changes including additional funding sources and protocols for billing, stocking, and supply were used by learning community jurisdictions to address identified barriers. The learning community framework offers a forum for information exchange, peer-to-peer learning, and sharing of best practices to support jurisdictions in addressing identified barriers and facilitators affecting contraception access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential role of the COVID-19 vaccine and infection to induce autoimmunity is currently underestimated despite the literature emphasizing arthralgia as a common adverse event. We aimed to study the impact of rheumatological complications post-COVID-19 (PC) and post-COVID-19 vaccine (PCV), comparing undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Horton's Arteritis (PMR-HA) and isolated arthritis to UA with "connective-like" accompanying symptoms. We retrospectively included 109 patients with at least 6 months of follow-up, analyzing serum biomarkers, joint ultrasound (US), lung HRCT, DLCO, and HLA haplotypes. There were 87 UA patients showing increased gastrointestinal and lung involvement (p = 0.021 and p = 0.012), higher anti-spike protein IgG levels (p = 0.003), and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG positivity (p = 0.003). Among them, 66 cases progressed to ACR-EULAR 2010 early arthritis after 3 months, whereas PMR-HA patients were more commonly PCV (81.8%, p = 0.008), demonstrating higher CRP (p = 0.007) and ESR (p = 0.006) levels, a lower rate of ANA positivity (p = 0.005), and a higher remission rate after six months (p = 0.050). In UA patients, the prevalent HLA was DRB1*11 and C*07 (36.8% and 42.1%). Serum calprotectin, interleukin-6, and C*07 (p = 0.021, 0.041, 0.018) seemed more specific for isolated UA. Conversely, "connective-like" arthritis showed poorer DLCO (p = 0.041) and more frequent US synovitis (p = 0.041). In conclusion, UA is a frequent common PC and PCV complication and may persist over time when compared to PMR-HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a challenging condition and it can be caused by variable entities. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is a multifocal seeding of the leptomeninges by malignant cells and it is observed in 1-8% of patients with solid tumors. Diagnosis of intradural metastases of the cauda equina is often delayed due to the non-specific characteristics of this condition but also to the delay of presentation of many patients. Cauda equina metastases usually occur in advanced cancers, but rarely can be the first presentation of disease. Case description: A 63-year-old man presented with 6 months history of low back pain and 20 d history of bilateral sciatica, hypoesthesia of the legs and the saddle, flaccid paraparesis and bowel incontinence determine by multiple nodular small lesions on the entire cauda equina with contrast-enhancement. Total-body CT showed a millimetric lesion at the lung. The patient underwent L2-L5 laminectomy and subtotal removal and histological examination showed a small cell lung carcinoma metastasis. Conclusions: In the literature, 54 cases of CES from non-CNS tumor metastasis are described. The diagnosis is challenging, back pain, with or without irradiation to the lower limbs, is the most frequently reported disturbance. In about 30% of patients there is no known malignancy and CES is the first clinical presentation. Treatment of choice is surgery, followed by radiotherapy and less frequently adjuvant chemotherapy. The surgical removal is almost always incomplete and functional outcome is often not satisfactory. Prognosis is poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]