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Context: Understanding Paralympic athletes' perspectives on the importance of sleep is the first step toward developing effective sleep hygiene (SH) strategies. We aim to describe and compare the knowledge about SH and sleep behaviors practiced by medalists and nonmedalists Paralympic athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and between sexes (female vs male), identify whether the coaching staff encourages SH, and the perspective of these athletes on the importance of SH. Methods: 98 Paralympic athletes responded to the Sleep Beliefs Scale and the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire-BR. Results: Medalists (68%) and nonmedalists (78%) Paralympic athletes had low knowledge about SH (60% vs 55%; P =.20), with no difference between groups. The Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire-BR score (48.7 [5.9]) for all Paralympic athletes (n = 98) indicated high practice of maladaptive sleep behaviors. Male athletes had significantly worse sleep behaviors than female athletes (49.1 [6.0] vs 39.5 [7.2]; P <.01) and less knowledge about behaviors that can affect sleep (64% vs 72%; P <.05), 26% of Paralympic athletes considered SH practices necessary, and the frequency of coaching staff encouraging SH was higher among medalists Paralympic athletes compared to nonmedalists athletes (29% vs 13%, P =.04). Conclusions: Most Paralympic athletes have inadequate sleep behaviors and knowledge about SH. There was no difference between knowledge about SH and sleep behaviors between medalists and nonmedalists Paralympic athletes, although medalists athletes were more encouraged to practice SH. Male Paralympic athletes had worse sleep behaviors and worse knowledge about SH than female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific assessments are tools used to look across a broad body of knowledge and draw overarching conclusions about the state of the science. They allow experts to synthesize technical knowledge and develop broad understanding of observed and future trends, risks, and opportunities. The National Climate Assessment (NCA), a major climate report of the United States (U.S.) Government, is one such assessment report. The NCA was created by Congressional statute and is classified as a Highly Influential Scientific Assessment, which results in a wide range of obligations, as well as required compliance with various statutes and other federal policies and procedures. The NCA also represents a unique effort to bring together federal agencies, the scientific community, and users of climate science throughout the U.S. to empower decision-making, build consensus, and drive climate actions. Innovations in the NCA development process over multiple cycles of the report’s development were implemented to meet both evolving legal requirements and user needs are described in this paper to share institutional knowledge and best practices with those assessment developers who might be navigating similarly complex constraints. This paper seeks to summarize that history and draw out some valuable lessons for future interagency assessment development teams. A discussion of critical innovations, including expansion of technical resources, knowledge bases, and communication tools, is included to inform the development process of future scientific assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chirurgie (2731-6971) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Context: Sleep serves many important functions for athletes, particularly in the processes of learning, memory, recovery, and cognition. Objectives: Define the sleep parameters of Paralympic athletes and identify the instruments used to assess and monitor sleep Paralympic athletes. Evidence Acquisition: This systematic review was carried out based on the PRISMA guidelines. The survey was conducted in April 2020, the searches were carried out again in September 2021 to check whether there were new scientific publications in the area of sleep and Paralympic sport, searches were performed in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Virtual Health Library (BIREME), and SciELO. This systematic review has included studies that investigated at least one of the following sleep parameters: total sleep time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, quality of sleep, daytime sleepiness, and chronotype; the participants were comprised of athletes with disabilities. Studies published at any time in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, were included. Evidence Synthesis: Data extraction and study selection were performed by 2 researchers independently, and a third author was consulted as necessary. The search returned a total of 407 studies. Following the screening based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, a total of 13 studies were considered. Paralympic athletes have a low amount (7.06 h) of sleep with poor quality and sleep latency (28.05 min), and 57.2% have daytime sleepiness, with the majority belonging to the indifferent chronotype (53, 5%). Moreover, 11 studies assess sleep using subjective instruments (questionnaires), and 2 studies used an objective instrument (actigraphy). Conclusions: Sleep disorders are common among Paralympic athletes, poor sleep quality and quantity, and high rates of daytime sleepiness. Subjective methods are most commonly used to assess sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aims to identify the sleep parameters of Olympic athletes and the instruments used to assess and monitor the sleep of these athletes. The search was conducted until February 2023 and was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. This systematic review has included studies that investigated at least one of the following sleep parameters: total sleep time (TST), sleep onset latency (SOL), sleep efficiency (SE), awakenings after sleep onset (WASO), quality of sleep, daytime sleepiness, and chronotype; the participants were Olympic athletes. The search returned a total of 280 studies. After screening based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, 11 studies were included. The main results demonstrate that Olympic athletes have TST of 06:10 h, SE of 84%, SOL of 28 min, and WASO of 49 min. The most predominant chronotype is indifferent; over half of the athletes have poor sleep quality and complaints. Furthermore, actigraphy was the most used method to assess sleep. It is concluded that Olympic athletes have TST, SE, and WASO poor than the recommended values. In addition, sleep complaints and poor sleep quality were also observed. Among the objective sleep assessment methods, actigraphy was the method most frequently used in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing frequency and duration of marine heatwaves (MHWs) due to climate change pose severe threats to aquaculture, causing drastic physiological and growth impairments in farmed fish, undermining their resilience against additional environmental pressures. To ensure sustainable production that meets the global seafood demand and animal welfare standards, cost-effective and eco-friendly strategies are urgently needed. This study explored the efficacy of the red macroalga Asparagopsis taxiformis on juvenile white seabream Diplodus sargus reared under optimal conditions and upon exposure to a MHW. Fish were fed with four experimental diets (0%, 1.5%, 3% or 6% of dried powdered A. taxiformis) for a prophylactic period of 30 days (T30) and subsequently exposed to a Mediterranean category II MHW for 15 days (T53). Biometric data and samples were collected at T30, T53 and T61 (8 days post-MHW recovery), to assess performance indicators, biomarker responses and histopathological alterations. Results showed that A. taxiformis supplementation improved catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities and reduced lipid peroxidation promoted by the MHW, particularly in fish biofortified with 1.5% inclusion level. No histopathological alterations were observed after 30 days. Additionally, fish biofortified with 1.5% A. taxiformis exhibited increased citrate synthase activity and fish supplemented with 1.5% and 3% showed improved digestive enzyme activities (e.g., pepsin and trypsin activities). Overall, the present findings pointed to 1.5% inclusion as the optimal dosage for aquafeeds biofortification with A. taxiformis, and confirmed that this seaweed species is a promising cost-effective ingredient with functional properties and great potential for usage in a climate-smart context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infants and toddlers with kidney failure are susceptible to neurodevelopmental delays due to medical comorbidities and rapid brain development in early childhood. However, research on the neuropsychological development of this patient population has been limited over the past 10 years. Methods: We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the neurodevelopmental functioning of infants/toddlers with kidney failure who completed the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd and 4th Edition) as part of a pretransplant evaluation between 2010 and 2022 (n = 23; Mage = 18 months, SD = 8.53; 16 males) using t-tests, linear model, and Pearson correlations. Results: Mean Bayley scores of participants were below normative means for cognition (M = 86.74, 95% CI = 80.53–92.94, p < 0.001), language (M = 79.20, 95% CI = 73.32–85.08, p < 0.001), and motor (M = 78.00, 95% CI = 70.15–85.85, p < 0.001) domains. After adjusting for prematurity and epilepsy, patients on dialysis had significantly lower cognitive (78.7 vs. 93.8; p = 0.001) and motor scores (67.1 vs. 85.5; p = 0.01) compared to no dialysis. Pretransplant cognitive scores were positively correlated with posttransplant Full-Scale IQ (r(8) = 0.65 p = 0.04), verbal comprehension (r(8) = 0.75 p = 0.02), and fluid reasoning (r(7) = 0.68 p = 0.045). Similarly, pretransplant language scores were positively correlated with posttransplant Full-Scale IQ (r(7) = 0.74 p = 0.03) and verbal comprehension (r(7) = 0.73 p = 0.03). Of the 16 participants who reached age > 5 years during the study period, seven were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, including three with autism spectrum disorder. Conclusions: Infants and toddlers with kidney failure are at risk of developmental delays and later neurodevelopmental disorders. Dialysis is associated with cognitive and motor delays independent of prematurity and epilepsy. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Business & Economics (JABE) is the property of Universitas Indraprasta PGRI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article discusses challenges arising from the implementation of the communal intellectual property registration system based on Regulation No. 13 of 2017 by the Minister of Law and Human Rights on Communal Intellectual Property Data. The urgency to conduct this research lies on the fact that Indonesian is rich in cultural heritage that acts as a basis for communal intellectual property but there are limitations in the existing communal intellectual property protection system. The purpose of this research aims to identify obstacles and challenges faced by relevant stakeholders in complying with the regulation. Research methods include normative legal research through secondary data that includes regulations, official documents, book reports and journals. The results reveal discrepancies between existing registration practices and the requirements stipulated in the regulation. Identified issues include negligence in data collection, a lack of understanding of the regulation, and resource limitations. The implications of these issues create barriers to the effectiveness of Communal Intellectual Property registration system.The article explores alternative solutions to enhance the performance of the registration system, including improvements in implementation guidelines, capacity-building for industry players, and strengthening collaboration among communal intellectual property stakeholders [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrioventricular block (AVB) secondary to transient causes can recover with its correction. However, studies assessing predictors of recovery and long‐term recurrence are lacking. Methods: Patients with advanced or complete AVB who had a reversible cause admitted in a single expert center were retrospectively studied. Patients with AVB secondary to acute coronary syndromes were excluded from analysis. Results: In a population of 162 patients, the main factors associated with recovery of rhythm without a permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation were the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis (OR 7.6; CI 95% 1.2–47.5 (p =.03)); greater serum potassium levels (OR 2.3; CI 95% 1.28–4.0 (p <.01)), higher dosage of bradycardic drugs (OR 2.2; CI 95% 1.13–4.4 (p =.02)), the association between different bradycardic drugs (OR 9.0; CI 95% 2.02–40.3 (p <.01)) and between drug therapy and hyperkaliemia (OR 5.2; CI 95% 1.8–15.1 (p <.01)). There was an overall high burden of conductions abnormalities which did not correlate with recovery of rhythm (OR 0.5; CI 95% 0.19–1.5 (p =.23)). In 29 patients (17.9%) there was a correction of the AVB. During a maximum follow‐up of 130 months, 24 patients (82.8%) had a recurrence which warranted a PPM. In the overall cohort only five patients (3%) had sustained recovery of rhythm. Conclusions: Recovery of AVB was mainly observed with higher doses of drug therapy, higher serum potassium levels or a combination of factors and regardless of baseline conduction abnormalities. The high rate of recurrence during follow‐up warrants a close follow‐up or PPM implantation at index admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights the significance of including noncontiguous regions of the United States in climate research. It argues that excluding these areas leads to inaccurate national climate risk assessments and hampers policy decisions. The article acknowledges the challenges of data collection in these regions but suggests that advancements in modeling and regional climate models can help address this issue. Collaboration between the research community, funders, project managers, and local experts is emphasized as crucial. The article also discusses the need to improve climate data coverage in areas outside of the continental United States to ensure equitable access to climate information and address historical exclusion and social injustices. Incorporating local and traditional climate knowledge, improving monitoring and observations, and building partnerships with underrepresented communities are suggested as ways to supplement limited datasets. The article underscores the importance of including all states and territories in research efforts to better serve communities and make informed choices. [Extracted from the article]

The increasing demand for healthy aquatic products has contributed to the rapid growth of aquaculture. Despite the many progresses, over the years, in aquaculture production, animal welfare and reduction of the stress induced by captivity remain a challenge in this sector, and overcoming it is fundamental to improve animal growth performance and resilience to environmental threats (e.g., disease outbreaks and/or climate change impacts). To address this challenge, aquafeeds biofortified with natural ingredients with functional properties, such as macroalgae, have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance fish immunity. The present study aimed at evaluating the potential of Laminaria digitata to improve juvenile gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) physiological status and resilience, through the modulation of immunomodulatory and antioxidant responses. To explore this hypothesis, four independent treatments were carried out in which fish were fed with different experimental aquafeeds: control feed and biofortified feeds with 1.5%, 3% and 6% of whole L. digitata (incorporated as a dried and powdered ingredient). Fish (n=9) were collected from each treatment upon 30 and 60 days of biofortification in order to assess animal growth and condition indexes, haematological parameters, innate humoral parameters (antiprotease (AP) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity and immunoglobulin M (IgM)) and oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC)). Significant differences (α = 0.05) between treatments in biomarker responses were tested through a nested-design ANOVA, followed by Tukey HSD multiple comparisons. Pearson correlations between the different endpoints were also explored. Results indicate that a dietary inclusion of 1.5% L. digitata is the most effective biofortification dose, significantly improving antioxidant responses of S. aurata, by increasing levels of CAT, GST and T-AOC, along with the reduction in LPO levels. Additionally, the inclusion of 1.5% L. digitata enhances immunity by increasing the levels of IgM and POD, while maintaining the growth performance and condition indices of the fish. These findings underscore the potential utilization of L. digitata as a functional feed ingredient in aquaculture with relevant immune and antioxidant attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the molecular underpinnings of phenotypic variations is critical for enhancing poultry breeding programs. The Brazilian broiler (TT) and laying hen (CC) lines exhibit striking differences in body weight, growth potential, and muscle mass. Our work aimed to compare the global transcriptome of wing and pectoral tissues during the early development (days 2.5 to 3.5) of these chicken lines, unveiling disparities in gene expression and regulation. Results: Different and bona-fide transcriptomic profiles were identified for the compared lines. A similar number of up- and downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, considering the broiler line as a reference. Upregulated DEGs displayed an enrichment of protease-encoding genes, whereas downregulated DEGs exhibited a prevalence of receptors and ligands. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that upregulated DEGs were mainly associated with hormone response, mitotic cell cycle, and different metabolic and biosynthetic processes. In contrast, downregulated DEGs were primarily linked to communication, signal transduction, cell differentiation, and nervous system development. Regulatory networks were constructed for the mitotic cell cycle and cell differentiation biological processes, as their contrasting roles may impact the development of distinct postnatal traits. Within the mitotic cell cycle network, key upregulated DEGs included CCND1 and HSP90, with central regulators being NF-κB subunits (RELA and REL) and NFATC2. The cell differentiation network comprises numerous DEGs encoding transcription factors (e.g., HOX genes), receptors, ligands, and histones, while the main regulatory hubs are CREB, AR and epigenetic modifiers. Clustering analyses highlighted PIK3CD as a central player within the differentiation network. Conclusions: Our study revealed distinct developmental transcriptomes between Brazilian broiler and layer lines. The gene expression profile of broiler embryos seems to favour increased cell proliferation and delayed differentiation, which may contribute to the subsequent enlargement of pectoral tissues during foetal and postnatal development. Our findings pave the way for future functional studies and improvement of targeted traits of economic interest in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative liver failure (PLF) is a severe complication after major liver resection (MLR). To increase the safety of patients, clinical bedside tests are of great importance. However, limitations of their applicability and validity impair their value. Methods: Preoperative measurements of the liver maximum capacity (LiMAx) were performed in n = 40 patients, who underwent MLR (≥3 segments). Matched postoperative LiMAx was measured in n = 21 patients. Liver function was compared between pretreated patients (n = 11 with portal vein embolisation (PVE) and n = 19 patients with preoperative chemotherapy) and therapy naïve patients. The LiMAx values were compared with liver-specific blood parameters and volumetric analysis. Results: In total, n = 40 patients were enrolled in this study. The majority of patients (n = 33; 82.5%) had high preoperative LiMAx values (>315 µg/kg/h), while only seven patients (17.5%) had medium values (140–315 µg/kg/h), and none of the patients had low values (<140 µg/kg/h). A comparison of pretreated patients (with PVE and/or chemotherapy) and therapy naïve patients showed no significant difference in the preoperative LiMAx values (p > 0.05). The preoperative LiMAx values were significantly higher than the matched postoperative values on postoperative day 1 (p < 0.0001). A comparison between the expected and measured postoperative LiMAx showed a difference (≥10%) in 7 out of 13 patients (53.8%). After an initial postoperative decrease in the LiMAx, the patients without complications (n = 12) showed a continuous increase until 14 days after surgery. In the patients with postoperative complications, a decrease in the LiMAx was associated with a prolonged recovery. Conclusions: For patients undergoing MLR within the 0.5% rule, which is the clinical gold standard, the LiMAx values do not offer any additional information. Additionally, the LiMAx may have reflected liver function, but it did not deliver additional information regarding postoperative liver recovery. The clinical use of LiMAx might be relevant in selected patients beyond the 0.5% rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to ascertain the causal correlation between government expenditure, household consumption, and labor force engagement on the economic advancement of districts/cities in East Java Province during the period from 2014 to 2020. The employed analytical technique is panel data regression utilizing a Fixed Effect methodology. The research reveals that the economic growth of East Java Province is influenced by three independent variables: government expenditure, household expenditure, and labor force participation rate of 98.7%. The high and low values of these variables correspond to the high and low economic growth of the province. Future research recommendations should aim to exert a direct or indirect impact on the economic growth of the city districts in East Java province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding robotic surgery to bionic reconstruction might open a new dimension. The objective was to evaluate if a robotically harvested rectus abdominis (RA) transplant is a feasible procedure to improve soft-tissue coverage at the residual limb (RL) and serve as a recipient for up to three nerves due to its unique architecture and to allow the generation of additional signals for advanced myoelectric prosthesis control. A transradial amputee with insufficient soft-tissue coverage and painful neuromas underwent the interventions and was observed for 18 months. RA muscle was harvested using robotic-assisted surgery and transplanted to the RL, followed by end-to-end neurroraphy to the recipient nerves of the three muscle segments to reanimate radial, median, and ulnar nerve function. The transplanted muscle healed with partial necrosis of the skin mesh graft. Twelve months later, reliable, and spatially well-defined Hoffmann–Tinel signs were detectable at three segments of the RA muscle flap. No donor-site morbidities were present, and EMG activity could be detected in all three muscle segments. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier could reliably distinguish three classes within 1% error tolerance using only the three electrodes on the muscle transplant and up to five classes outside the muscle transplant. The combination of these surgical procedure advances with emerging (myo-)control technologies can easily be extended to different amputation levels to reduce RL complications and augment control sites with a limited surface area, thus facilitating the usability of advanced myoelectric prostheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oncological impact of portal vein resection (PVR) in pancreatic cancer surgery remains contradictory. Different variables might have an impact on the outcome. The aim of the present study is the retrospective assessment of the frequency of PVR, histological confirmation of tumor infiltration, and comparison of oncological outcomes in PVR patients. We retrieved n = 90 patients from a prospectively collected data bank who underwent pancreas surgery between 2012 and 2019 at the University Medical Centre Göttingen (Germany) and showed a histologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). While 50 patients (55.6%) underwent pancreatic resection combined with PVR, 40 patients (44.4%) received standard pancreatic surgery. Patients with distal pancreatectomy or a tumor other than PDAC were excluded. PVR was performed either as local excision or circular resection of the portal vein. Clinical/patient data and follow-ups were retrieved. The median follow-up period was 20.5 months. Regarding the oncological outcome, a statistically poorer CSS (p = 0.04) was observed in PVR patients. There was no difference (p = 0.18) in patients' outcomes between tangential and complete PVR, while n = 21 (42% of PVR patients) showed portal vein infiltration. The correlation between performed PVR and resection status was statistically significant: 48.6% of PVR patients achieved R0 resections compared to 75% in non-PVR patients (p = 0.03). Patients who underwent PDAC surgery with PVR show a significantly poorer outcome regardless of PVR type. Tumor size and R-status remain two important variables significantly associated with outcome. Since there is a lack of standardization for the indication of PVR, it remains unknown if the need for resection of vein structures during pancreatic resection represents the biological aggressiveness of the tumor or is biased by the experience of the surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non‐invasive technology that estimates regional oxygen saturation. Literature demonstrates that NIRS can provide valuable data for clinical staff. However, little research has addressed the nursing care and management of NIRS in the critical care environment. Aims: To assess nurses' perception around the use of NIRS and current NIRS practice within paediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICUs). Study Design: A 53‐item cross‐sectional electronic survey was developed to assess indications for NIRS, critical value thresholds and interventions, barriers to use, policies and procedures, and nursing perceptions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize and aggregate data. Results: Among the 28 responding sites (63.6% response rate), usage of NIRS was variable and patient‐dependent. Most nurses reported using NIRS in patients with unstable physiology such as post‐operative single ventricle (n = 25, 89.3%) and concern for shock (n = 21, 75.0%). Critically low cerebral values varied among respondents from less than 40 (n = 3, 10.7%) to less than 60 (n = 4, 14.3%), with lower critical values permitted for single ventricle physiology: less than 40 (n = 8, 28.6%) to less than 50 (n = 6, 21.4%). Reported barriers to using NIRS included skin breakdown (n = 9, 32.1%), lack of consistency in decision‐making among physicians (n = 13, 46.4%), and not using NIRS data when developing a plan of care (n = 11, 39.3%). Most (n = 24, 85.7%) nurses reported that NIRS provided valuable information and was perceived to be beneficial for patients. Conclusions: NIRS monitoring is a common technology in the care of complex congenital heart disease patients. Most nurses valued this technology, but inconsistencies and practicalities around its use in guiding patient management were found to be problematic. Relevance to Clinical Practice: NIRS is commonly used in the PCICU and although nurses perceived NIRS to be useful for their practice, the variability in the interpretation of values and inconsistent protocols and decision‐making by physicians was challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it was passed, NVRA sought to address inequities and standardize national voter registration, but it has instead siloed voter registration into DMV locations. Section 5 of the NVRA requires voter registration at all state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations, and since its passing, DMV voter registration has become central to registration nationally. VOTER REGISTRATION AS A BARRIER TO HEALTH EQUITY Voter registration is a particularly important barrier to achieving political equity, and by extension, health equity. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Business & Economics (JABE) is the property of Universitas Indraprasta PGRI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Access to voting is increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health. Health equity could be improved if healthcare workers (HCWs) routinely assessed the voter registration status of patients during clinical encounters and helped direct them towards appropriate resources. However, little consensus exists on how to achieve these tasks efficiently and effectively in healthcare settings. Intuitive and scalable tools that minimize workflow disruptions are needed. The Healthy Democracy Kit (HDK) is a novel voter registration toolkit for healthcare settings, featuring a wearable badge and posters that display quick response (QR) and text codes directing patients to an online hub for voter registration and mail-in ballot requests. The objective of this study was to assess national uptake and impact of the HDK prior to the 2020 United States (US) elections. Methods: Between 19 May and 3 November 2020, HCWs and institutions could order and use HDKs to help direct patients to resources, free of cost. A descriptive analysis was conducted to summarize the characteristics of participating HCWs and institutions as well as the resultant total persons helped prepare to vote. Results: During the study period, 13,192 HCWs (including 7,554 physicians, 2,209 medical students, and 983 nurses) from 2,407 affiliated institutions across the US ordered 24,031 individual HDKs. Representatives from 604 institutions (including 269 academic medical centers, 111 medical schools, and 141 Federally Qualified Health Centers) ordered 960 institutional HDKs. Collectively, HCWs and institutions from all 50 US states and the District of Columbia used HDKs to help initiate 27,317 voter registrations and 17,216 mail-in ballot requests. Conclusions: A novel voter registration toolkit had widespread organic uptake and enabled HCWs and institutions to successfully conduct point-of-care civic health advocacy during clinical encounters. This methodology holds promise for future implementation of other types of public health initiatives. Further study is needed to assess downstream voting behaviors from healthcare-based voter registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting KRAS downstream signaling remains an important therapeutic approach in pancreatic cancer. We used primary pancreatic ductal epithelial cells and mouse models allowing the conditional expression of oncogenic KrasG12D, to investigate KRAS signaling integrators. We observed that the AP1 family member FRA1 is tightly linked to the KRAS signal and expressed in pre-malignant lesions and the basal-like subtype of pancreatic cancer. However, genetic-loss-of-function experiments revealed that FRA1 is dispensable for KrasG12D-induced pancreatic cancer development in mice. Using FRA1 gain- and loss-of-function models in an unbiased drug screen, we observed that FRA1 is a modulator of the responsiveness of pancreatic cancer to inhibitors of the RAF–MEK–ERK cascade. Mechanistically, context-dependent FRA1-associated adaptive rewiring of oncogenic ERK signaling was observed and correlated with sensitivity to inhibitors of canonical KRAS signaling. Furthermore, pharmacological-induced degradation of FRA1 synergizes with MEK inhibitors. Our studies establish FRA1 as a part of the molecular machinery controlling sensitivity to MAPK cascade inhibition allowing the development of mechanism-based therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the most suited analog-to-digital (A/D) converters (ADCs) for Internet of Things (IoT) applications are compared in terms of complexity, dynamic performance, and energy efficiency. Among them, an innovative hybrid topology, a digital–delta (Δ) modulator (ΔM) ADC employing noise shaping (NS), is proposed. To implement the active building blocks, several standard-cell-based synthesizable comparators and amplifiers are examined and compared in terms of their key performance parameters. The simulation results of a fully synthesizable Digital-ΔM with NS using passive and standard-cell-based circuitry show a peak of 72.5 dB in the signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) for a 113 kHz input signal and 1 MHz bandwidth (BW). The estimated FoM Walden is close to 16.2 fJ/conv.-step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credibly estimating social-ecological relationships requires data with broad coverage and fine geographic resolutions that are not typically available from standard ecological surveys. Open and unstructured data from crowdsourced platforms offer an opportunity for collecting large quantities of user-submitted ecological data. However, the representativeness of the areas sampled by these data portals is not well known. We investigate how data availability in eBird, one of the largest and most popular crowdsourced science platforms, correlates with race and income of census tracts in two cities: Boston, MA and Phoenix, AZ. We find that checklist submissions vary greatly across census tracts, with similar patterns within both metropolitan regions. In particular, census tracts with high income and high proportions of white residents are most likely to be represented in the data in both cities, which indicates selection bias in eBird coverage. Our results illustrate the non-representativeness of eBird data, and they also raise deeper questions about the validity of statistical inferences regarding disparities that can be drawn from such datasets. We discuss these challenges and illustrate how sample selection problems in unstructured or semi-structured crowdsourced data can lead to spurious conclusions regarding the relationships between race, income, and access to urban bird biodiversity. While crowdsourced data are indispensable and complementary to more traditional approaches for collecting ecological data, we conclude that unstructured or semi-structured data may not be well-suited for all lines of inquiry, particularly those requiring consistent data coverage, and should thus be handled with appropriate care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memristor crossbar arrays can compose the efficient hardware for artificial intelligent applications. However, the requirements for a linear and symmetric synaptic weight update and low cycle‐to‐cycle (C2C) and device‐to‐device variability as well as the sneak‐path current issue have been delaying its further development. This study reports on a thin‐film amorphous oxide‐based 4×4 1‐transistor 1‐memristor (1T1M) crossbar. The a‐IGZO crossbar is built on a flexible polyimide substrate, enabling IoT and wearable applications. In the novel framework, the thin‐film transistor and memristor are fabricated at the same level, with the same processing steps and sharing the same materials for all layers. The 1T1M cells show linear and symmetrical plasticity characteristic with low C2C variability. The memristor performs like an analog dot product engine and vector–matrix multiplications in the 4×4 crossbars is demonstrated experimentally, in which the sneak‐path current issue is successfully suppressed, resulting in a proof‐of‐concept for a cost‐effective, flexible artificial neural networks hardware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N‐terminal sequences are important sites for post‐translational modifications that alter protein localization, activity, and stability. Dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9) is a serine aminopeptidase with the rare ability to cleave off N‐terminal dipeptides with imino acid proline in the second position. Here, we identify the tumor‐suppressor BRCA2 as a DPP9 substrate and show this interaction to be induced by DNA damage. We present crystallographic structures documenting intracrystalline enzymatic activity of DPP9, with the N‐terminal Met1‐Pro2 of a BRCA21‐40 peptide captured in its active site. Intriguingly, DPP9‐depleted cells are hypersensitive to genotoxic agents and are impaired in the repair of DNA double‐strand breaks by homologous recombination. Mechanistically, DPP9 targets BRCA2 for degradation and promotes the formation of RAD51 foci, the downstream function of BRCA2. N‐terminal truncation mutants of BRCA2 that mimic a DPP9 product phenocopy reduced BRCA2 stability and rescue RAD51 foci formation in DPP9‐deficient cells. Taken together, we present DPP9 as a regulator of BRCA2 stability and propose that by fine‐tuning the cellular concentrations of BRCA2, DPP9 alters the BRCA2 interactome, providing a possible explanation for DPP9's role in cancer. Synopsis: Dipeptidyl peptidase 9 triggers BRCA2 degradation and promotes repair of DNA double strand breaks by homologous recombination. The amino dipeptidase DPP9 cleaves BRCA2 and removes the N‐terminal dipeptide Met‐Pro.In response to DNA damage, DPP9 targets BRCA2 for proteasomal degradation.DPP9 limits BRCA2‐PALB2 interactions and promotes RAD51 foci formation.Depletion of DPP9 leads to hypersensitivity to genotoxic stress, accumulation of γH2AX, and defects in repair of DNA double strand breaks by homologous recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for cognitive impairment. We examined the relation of glycemia, lipids, blood pressure (BP), hypertension history, and statin use with cognition in the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study (GRADE).Research Design and Methods: Cross-sectional analyses from GRADE at baseline examined the association of glycemia (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]), LDL, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), hypertension history, and statin use with cognition assessed by the Spanish English Verbal Learning Test, letter and animal fluency tests, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST).Results: Among 5,047 GRADE participants, 5,018 (99.4%) completed cognitive assessments. Their mean age was 56.7 ± 10.0 years, and 36.4% were women. Mean diabetes duration was 4.0 ± 2.7 years. HbA1c was not related to cognition. Higher LDL was related to modestly worse DSST scores, whereas statin use was related to modestly better DSST scores. SBP between 120 and 139 mmHg and DBP between 80 and 89 mmHg were related to modestly better DSST scores. Hypertension history was not related to cognition.Conclusions: In people with type 2 diabetes of a mean duration of <5 years, lower LDL and statin use were related to modestly better executive cognitive function. SBP levels in the range of 120-139 mmHg and DBP levels in the range of 80-89 mmHg, but not lower levels, were related to modestly better executive function. These differences may not be clinically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Diclidophora (Monogenea) species are gill parasites with a stenoxenic specificity occurring only in Gadiformes. Epidemiological, morphological, molecular and phylogenetic studies were performed on 594 Diclidophora specimens collected from 213 Trisopterus luscus captured in the northeast Atlantic off the Portuguese coast during 2012, 2013 and 2020. Prevalence, parasite abundance and infection intensity were determined. Positive correlation between fish weight and length and infection intensity was observed. The effects of preservation on the parasite morphological features were studied, highlighting that specimen's identification should be reinforced by molecular studies. A sequence of D. luscae capelanii from T. capelanus captured in the Mediterranean Sea included in the 28S rDNA molecular analysis was nested within a robust D. luscae clade. Data analysis suggested that this species is in fact D. luscae, which is compatible with T. luscus and T. capelanus. The identity of fish hosts was confirmed by barcoding. For the first time, data on the infection parameters is shown, highlighting the importance of including this parasite in the monitoring plans for a holistic approach with possible effects for the management of pouting resources aiming of attaining sustainable development and biodiversity conservation measures, according to the 14th objective of the 2030 agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many patients have unaddressed social needs that significantly impact their health, yet navigating the landscape of available resources and eligibility requirements is complex for both patients and clinicians. Methods: Using an iterative design-thinking approach, our multidisciplinary team built, tested, and deployed a digital decision tool called "Discharge Navigator" (edrive.ucsf.edu/dcnav) that helps emergency clinicians identify targeted social resources for patients upon discharge from the acute care setting. The tool uses each patient's clinical and demographic information to tailor recommended community resources, providing the clinician with action items, pandemic restrictions, and patient handouts for relevant resources in five languages. We implemented two modules at our urban, academic, Level I trauma center. Results: Over the 10-week period following product launch, between 4-81 on-shift emergency clinicians used our tool each week. Anonymously surveyed clinicians (n = 53) reported a significant increase in awareness of homelessness resources (33% pre to 70% post, P<0.0001) and substance use resources (17% to 65%, P<0.0001); confidence in accessing resources (22% to 74%, P<0.0001); knowledge of eligibility criteria (13% to 75%, P<0.0001); and ability to refer patients always or most of the time (11% to 43%, P<0.0001). The average likelihood to recommend the tool was 7.8 of 10. Conclusion: Our design process and low-cost tool may be replicated at other institutions to improve knowledge and referrals to local community resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and total mesorectal excision is the standard treatment for rectal cancer patients (UICC stage II/III). Up to one-third of patients treated with CRT achieve a pathological complete response (pCR). These patients could be spared from surgery and its associated morbidity and mortality, and assigned to a "watch and wait" strategy. However, reliably identifying pCR based on clinical or imaging parameters remains challenging.Experimental Design: We generated gene-expression profiles of 175 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer enrolled in the CAO/ARO/AIO-94 and -04 trials. One hundred and sixty-one samples were used for building, training and validating a predictor of pCR using a machine learning algorithm. The performance of the classifier was validated in three independent cohorts, comprising 76 patients from (i) the CAO/ARO/AIO-94 and -04 trials (n = 14), (ii) a publicly available dataset (n = 38) and (iii) in 24 prospectively collected samples from the TransValid A trial.Results: A 21-transcript signature yielded the best classification of pCR in 161 patients (Sensitivity: 0.31; AUC: 0.81), when not allowing misclassification of non-complete-responders (False-positive rate = 0). The classifier remained robust when applied to three independent datasets (n = 76).Conclusion: The classifier can identify >1/3 of rectal cancer patients with a pCR while never classifying patients with an incomplete response as having pCR. Importantly, we could validate this finding in three independent datasets, including a prospectively collected cohort. Therefore, this classifier could help select rectal cancer patients for a "watch and wait" strategy.Translational Relevance: Forgoing surgery with its associated side effects could be an option for rectal cancer patients if the prediction of a pathological complete response (pCR) after preoperative chemoradiotherapy would be possible. Based on gene-expression profiles of 161 patients a classifier was developed and validated in three independent datasets (n = 76), identifying over 1/3 of patients with pCR, while never misclassifying a non-complete-responder. Therefore, the classifier can identify patients suited for "watch and wait". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the three most common types of cancer in Germany. Approximately 30% of these cancers are located in the rectum, corresponding to about 18 000 new cases per year. Methods: This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective search in the PubMed database, including current guidelines and recommendations. Results: Specialized imaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, is essential for treatment planning. In very early stages of this disease, tumors without risk factors can be excised locally. Otherwise, radical surgical resection with lymphadenectomy remains the standard treatment, and can be performed either minimally invasive or open. At present, neoadjuvant treatment plans are evolving in the direction of total neoadjuvant therapy. In addition, recent studies investigate whether the improved efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy might now enable patients with a complete clinical remission to be spared from surgical resection (organ-preserving watch-and-wait strategy). Conclusion: The treatment of rectal cancer is a prime example of an interdisciplinary, multimodal approach. In the past, the focus was mainly on improving oncologic outcomes; at present, increasing attention is being devoted to the patients' quality of life as well and the functional aspects of the various modes of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite clear links between affective processes in many areas of cognition and perception, the influence of affective valence and arousal on low-level perceptual learning have remained largely unexplored. Such influences could have the potential to disrupt or enhance learning that would have long-term consequences for young learners. The current study manipulated 8- to 11-year-old children's and young adults' mood using video clips (to induce a positive mood) or a psychosocial stressor (to induce a negative mood). Each participant then completed one session of a low-level visual learning task (visual texture paradigm). Using novel computational methods, we did not observe evidence for the modulation of visual perceptual learning by manipulations of emotional arousal or valence in either children or adults. The majority of results supported a model of perceptual learning that is overwhelmingly constrained to the task itself and independent from external factors such as variations in learners' affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postnatal maternal anxiety is common (estimates as high as 40% prevalence) and is associated with altered mother–infant interactions (e.g., reduced maternal emotional expression and engagement). Neural circuitry supporting infants' face and emotion processing develops in their first year. Thus, early exposure to maternal anxiety may impact infants' developing understanding of emotional displays. We examine whether maternal anxiety is associated with individual differences in typically developing infants' neural responses to emotional faces. Methods: One hundred and forty two mother–infant dyads were assessed when infants were 5, 7, or 12 months old. Infants' electroencephalographic (EEG) data were recorded while passively viewing female happy, fearful, and angry faces. Three event‐related potential (ERP) components, each linked to face and emotion processing, were evaluated: NC, N290, and P400. Infant ERP amplitude was related to concurrent maternal‐report anxiety assessed with the Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (Trait form). Results: Greater maternal anxiety predicted more negative NC amplitude for happy and fearful faces in left and mid‐central scalp regions, beyond covarying influences of maternal depression symptoms, infant negative emotionality, and infant age. Conclusions: Postnatal maternal anxiety is related to infants' neural processing of emotional expressions. Infants of mothers endorsing high trait anxiety may need additional attentional resources to process happy and fearful faces (expressions less likely experienced in mother–infant interactions). Future research should investigate mechanisms underlying this association, given possibilities include experiential, genetic, and prenatal factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rovral® is a fungicide used to control pests that affect various crops and little is known regarding its effects on embryonic development of amniotes. Thus, this study aimed to determine the influence of Rovral® during chicken organogenesis using acute in ovo contamination. Fertilized eggs were inoculated with different concentrations of Rovral® (100, 300, 500 or 750 µl/ml), injected into the egg's air chamber. After 7 days, embryos were examined for possible malformations, staging, weight and mortality. Subsequently, head, trunk, limbs and eyes were measured for morphometry and asymmetry. For blood analysis, eggs were treated with 300 µl/ml Rovral® and glucose, presence of micronuclei and erythrocyte nuclei abnormalities determined. Treatments with Rovral® affected the mortality rate in a concentration-dependent manner. LC50 value was found to be 596 µl/ml which represents 397-fold higher than the recommended concentration for use. Rovral® produced several malformations including hemorrhagic, ocular and cephalic abnormalities. No significant changes were observed in body weight, staging, body measurements, symmetry and glucose levels of live embryos, which indicates this fungicide presents low toxicity under the analyzed conditions. Changes in erythrocyte nuclei were noted; however significant difference was observed only for presence of binucleated erythrocytes. It is important to point out that possibly more significant changes may have occurred at lower concentrations through chronic contamination. Therefore, caution is needed in the use of this fungicide, since it presents teratogenic and mutagenic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator fear effects influence reproductive outcomes in many species. In non‐urban systems, passerines often respond to predator cues by reducing parental investment, resulting in smaller and lighter nestlings. Since trophic interactions in urban areas are highly altered, it is unclear how passerines respond to fear effects in human‐altered landscapes. Nestlings of passerines in urban areas also tend to be smaller and lighter than their rural counterparts and are often exposed to high densities of potential predators yet experience lower per capita predation—the predation paradox. We suggest fear effects in urban habitats could be a significant mechanism influencing nestling condition in birds, despite lowered predation rates. We manipulated exposure of nesting birds to adult‐consuming predator risk in residential yards across a gradient of urbanization to determine the relative influence of urbanization and fear on nestling condition. We found nestlings had reduced mass in nests exposed to predator playbacks as well as in more urban areas. Despite lower per capita predation rates in urban areas, fear effects from increased predator densities may influence passerine fitness through reduced nestling condition. As urban development expands, biodiversity conservation hinges on a deeper mechanistic understanding of how urbanization affects reproductive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many carcinomas have recurrent chromosomal aneuploidies specific to the tissue of tumor origin. The reason for this specificity is not completely understood. Methods: In this study, we looked at the frequency of chromosomal arm gains and losses in different cancer types from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and compared them to the mean gene expression of each chromosome arm in corresponding normal tissues of origin from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database, in addition to the distribution of tissue-specific oncogenes and tumor suppressors on different chromosome arms. Results: This analysis revealed a complex picture of factors driving tumor karyotype evolution in which some recurrent chromosomal copy number reflect the chromosome arm-wide gene expression levels of the their normal tissue of tumor origin. Conclusions: We conclude that the cancer type-specific distribution of chromosomal arm gains and losses is potentially "hardwiring" gene expression levels characteristic of the normal tissue of tumor origin, in addition to broadly modulating the expression of tissue-specific tumor driver genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A female patient in her early 30s, with a medical history of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease, lost to follow-up, was referred to a pulmonary hypertension reference centre. The patient presented at a WHO functional class of II in a low-risk category. A transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated severe pulmonary hypertension with right ventricular dysfunction. A cardiac MRI demonstrated a right aortic arch with anomalous origin of the left pulmonary artery from the ascending thoracic aorta and a patent ductus arteriosus. A right heart catheterisation confirmed the presence of severe pulmonary hypertension. The patient was started on combined vasodilator therapy with an improvement in symptoms and remaining in a low-risk category. This represents one of the oldest described cases of such an anomaly and the first description of response to vasodilator therapy, highlighting the importance of a structured approach in a reference centre for achieving optimal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Chirurg is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Oncogenic mutation within the KRAS gene represents a negative predictor for treatment response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in patients with colorectal cancer. Recently, we have shown no relevant heterogeneity for KRAS mutation status within and between pre- and posttherapeutic samples from the primary tumor in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intertumoral heterogeneity of KRAS mutation status between the primary tumor and the corresponding metastasis or local recurrence in the similar cohort and to evaluate the ideal representative tissue for KRAS mutation testing. Materials and methods: KRAS mutation status was analyzed from 47 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, which were enrolled in the CAO/ARO/AIO-94 or CAO/ARO/AIO-04 trial. Mutations in KRAS codons 12, 13, and 61 were analyzed by using the KRAS RGQ PCR Kit (therascreen® KRAS test). Six patients needed to be excluded due to incomplete follow up data. 11 patients showed a relapse of the disease during the follow up presented by distant metastases or local recurrence. DNA from representative areas of metastatic tissue was obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. Results: The mean patient age was 64.13 ± 10.64 years. In total, 19 patients showed a KRAS mutation (46.34%) in the primary tumor. Of the eleven patients with a metastatic disease or local recurrence, five patients showed a KRAS mutation whereas six patients had a KRAS wildtype status. Metastatic localizations included the liver (n = 2), lung (n = 4), local recurrence (n = 1), liver + lung (n = 3), lung + local recurrence (n = 1). For these eleven patients with paired data available for the primary tumor and metastatic tissue, a significant KRAS mutation status concordance was detected in 81.18% (9/11) of the patients (p = 0.03271). Only two patients showed intertumoral heterogeneity, which harbored in one patient a KRAS G12C mutation status in the primary tumor, but a G12V KRAS mutation status in the corresponding lung lesion, and in the other patient a G12A mutation in the primary lesion and a WT in the lung metastasis. Conclusions: We show a significant concordance of the KRAS mutation status between tumor samples obtained from the primary tumor and the corresponding metastasis and/ or local recurrence in patients with rectal cancer indicating no relevant intertumoral heterogeneity. Our data suggest that sampling either the primary (pre- or posttherapeutical tumor tissue) or metastatic lesion may be valid for the initial evaluation of KRAS mutation status predicting the response to anti-EGFR treatment and guiding clinical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multifunctional router IC to be included in the nodes of a wearable body sensor network is described and evaluated. The router targets different application scenarios, especially those including tens of sensors, embedded into textile materials and with high data-rate communication demands. The router IC supports two different functionality sets, one for sensor nodes and another for the base node, both based on the same circuit module. The nodes are connected to each other by means of woven thick conductive yarns forming a mesh topology with the base node at the center. From the standpoint of the network, each sensor node is a four port router capable of handling packets from destination nodes to the base node, with sufficient redundant paths. The adopted hybrid circuit and packet switching scheme significantly improve network performance in terms of end-to-end delay, throughput and power consumption. The IC also implements a highly precise, sub-microsecond one-way time synchronization protocol which is used for time stamping the acquired data. The communication module was implemented in a 4-metal, $0.35~\mu \text{m}$ CMOS technology. The maximum data rate of the system is 35 Mbps while supporting up to 250 sensors, which exceeds current BAN applications scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past studies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicate atypical peripheral physiological arousal. However, the conditions under which these atypicalities arise and their link with behavioral emotional expressions and core ASD symptoms remain uncertain. Given the importance of physiological arousal in affective, learning, and cognitive processes, the current study examined changes in skin conductance level (ΔSCL) in 41 toddlers with ASD (mean age: 22.7 months, SD: 2.9) and 32 age‐matched toddlers with typical development (TD) (mean age: 21.6 months, SD: 3.6) in response to probes designed to induce anger, joy, and fear emotions. The magnitude of ΔSCL was comparable during anger (P = 0.206, d = 0.30) and joy (P = 0.996, d = 0.01) conditions, but significantly lower during the fear condition (P = 0.001, d = 0.83) in toddlers with ASD compared to TD peers. In the combined samples, ΔSCL positively correlated with intensity of behavioral emotional expressivity during the anger (r[71] = 0.36, P = 0.002) and fear (r[68] = 0.32, P = 0.007) conditions, but not in the joy (r[69] = −0.15, P = 0.226) condition. Finally, ΔSCL did not associate with autism symptom severity in any emotion‐eliciting condition in the ASD group. Toddlers with ASD displayed attenuated ΔSCL to situations aimed at eliciting fear, which may forecast the emergence of highly prevalent internalizing and externalizing problems in this population. The study putatively identifies ΔSCL as a dimension not associated with severity of autism but with behavioral responses in negatively emotionally challenging events and provides support for the feasibility, validity, and incipient utility of examining ΔSCL in response to emotional challenges in very young children. Lay Summary: Physiological arousal was measured in toddlers with autism exposed to frustrating, pleasant, and threatening tasks. Compared to typically developing peers, toddlers with autism showed comparable arousal responses to frustrating and pleasant events, but lower responses to threatening events. Importantly, physiological arousal and behavioral expressions were aligned during frustrating and threatening events, inviting exploration of physiological arousal to measure responses to emotional challenges. Furthermore, this study advances the understanding of precursors to emotional and behavioral problems common in older children with autism. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1476–1488. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]