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This document is an editorial from the Journal of International Marketing, titled "Brands and Branding around the World." It discusses the challenges and opportunities that brands and their managers face in the global market due to various trends and disruptions, such as the climate crisis, the pandemic, and deglobalization. The competitive landscape is also changing, with emerging market firms becoming formidable competitors with their own brands. Consumer attitudes toward brands are evolving, with expectations for brands to act responsibly. The editorial introduces a special issue of the journal that focuses on brands and branding in a global context, featuring six articles that explore different branding topics and perspectives. The articles cover areas such as pricing strategies, brand sponsorship, terroir branding, consumer reactions to product-harm crises, and consumer preferences for masstige brands. The editorial concludes by highlighting the need for further research in areas such as glocal branding, brand purpose and activism, and the use of AI in brand management. [Extracted from the article]

Background/Objectives: Social isolation (SI) and loneliness (L) are the long-standing critical concerns impacting the mental well-being of older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, leading to a notable rise in perceived social isolation (PSI) and its associated risks among an aging population. Reportedly, nearly 35% of older Americans felt lonely before the pandemic, with the pandemic further intensifying these feelings. This commentary examines the multifaceted factors contributing to PSI, including demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Methods: We outline the health risks associated with PSI, including cardiovascular diseases and mental health conditions. Results: This commentary addresses the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) to alleviate loneliness, despite significant barriers such as the digital divide and technological anxiety among older adults. Conclusions: This commentary advocates targeted digital literacy interventions and theoretical frameworks to enhance technology adoption and mitigate PSI, ultimately aiming to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether and when humble CEOs lead firms that behave more entrepreneurially. Guided by upper-echelons theory, we link CEO humility with corporate entrepreneurship, considering two specific discretionary sources in the firm's task environment—market turbulence and market complexity—as moderators. We test our hypotheses using multi-source data from small Indian firms. We find that the association between CEO humility and corporate entrepreneurship is positive and significant, strengthening at higher levels of humility. Systematic post hoc analyses yield evidence for the moderating influence of market turbulence and complexity. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analytically study finite torsional and extensional deformations of rubberlike material circular cylinders with the two material moduli in the Mooney–Rivlin relation assumed to be continuous functions of the undeformed radius. It is shown that under null resultant axial load on the end faces the cylinder length increases upon twisting. Furthermore, when the two moduli are affine functions of the radius the inhomogeneity parameters can be found to have the maximum shear stress occur at a pre-determined interior point. Whereas the radial stress is finite at the center of a cross-section of a homogeneous material cylinder, it may have large values for an inhomogeneous material cylinder. The closed-form solutions provided herein for the two moduli having affine, power-law and exponential functions of the radius should benefit numerical analysts verify their algorithms and engineers design soft material robots for improving their performance under torsional loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termite life cycle optimizer (TLCO) is a recently introduced swarm intelligence metaheuristic algorithm inspired by the intricate behaviors exhibited by termite colonies, demonstrating competitive performance compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms. However, the original TLCO encounters challenges related to unbalanced exploration and exploitation, low convergence accuracy, and premature stagnation of iterations in high-dimensional complex applications. To address these issues, this study introduces an enhanced variant of the termite life cycle optimizer, referred to as the modified termite life cycle optimizer (MTLCO). The MTLCO introduces multiple novel phases for optimizing complex computational problems. Key among these are the Best Agent Guide Phase and the transition factor (TF) phase, which aim to steer the optimization in a more directed manner. Additionally, the Control Randomization Value and Direction serve to introduce randomness with precision, ensuring diversity in the solution space. The Phasor Operator Phase, an innovative mechanism, aids in further improving the convergence rate. Taking cues from other meta-heuristic paradigms, a new phase rooted in the Whale optimization algorithm (WOA) strategy has been incorporated, providing a more adaptive search mechanism. To counter stagnation and premature convergence, a Restart Strategy has been devised, facilitating a fresh search whenever required. For comprehensive validation, the enhanced MTLCO has been integrated into the Bonobo Optimizer and evaluated using the CEC’20 benchmark functions. Furthermore, its effectiveness is underscored by promising outcomes in five intricate engineering problems and 15 data clustering challenges. Comparative analyses with conventional methods affirm the superior performance, robustness, and versatility of the proposed MTLCO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termite life cycle optimizer (TLCO) is a recently introduced swarm intelligence metaheuristic algorithm inspired by the intricate behaviors exhibited by termite colonies, demonstrating competitive performance compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms. However, the original TLCO encounters challenges related to unbalanced exploration and exploitation, low convergence accuracy, and premature stagnation of iterations in high-dimensional complex applications. To address these issues, this study introduces an enhanced variant of the termite life cycle optimizer, referred to as the modified termite life cycle optimizer (MTLCO). The MTLCO introduces multiple novel phases for optimizing complex computational problems. Key among these are the Best Agent Guide Phase and the transition factor (TF) phase, which aim to steer the optimization in a more directed manner. Additionally, the Control Randomization Value and Direction serve to introduce randomness with precision, ensuring diversity in the solution space. The Phasor Operator Phase, an innovative mechanism, aids in further improving the convergence rate. Taking cues from other meta-heuristic paradigms, a new phase rooted in the Whale optimization algorithm (WOA) strategy has been incorporated, providing a more adaptive search mechanism. To counter stagnation and premature convergence, a Restart Strategy has been devised, facilitating a fresh search whenever required. For comprehensive validation, the enhanced MTLCO has been integrated into the Bonobo Optimizer and evaluated using the CEC’20 benchmark functions. Furthermore, its effectiveness is underscored by promising outcomes in five intricate engineering problems and 15 data clustering challenges. Comparative analyses with conventional methods affirm the superior performance, robustness, and versatility of the proposed MTLCO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is a method for retrieving images based on their content rather than relying on textual descriptions or tags. Over the last decade, Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (D-CNN) based architectures have gained popularity in image retrieval. One major issue with D-CNN is that they are complex, heavy networks with high dimensional features. To overcome this bottleneck, a separable convolutional neural networks based framework has been proposed, which will reduce the complexity of the network. The proposed framework minimizes the length of the final feature vector by extracting the detailed features from the intermediate layers. This step facilitates the avoidance of abstraction of features obtained from the last layer only. The proposed technique has achieved recall and accuracy of the order of 1, indicating a high degree of relevant retrieval. For indexing and similarity matching, the approximate Nearest Neighbour Search (ANNOY) technique has been applied and optimal retrieval has been achieved when compared with the existing techniques, indicating the better performance of the proposed technique. Experimental results indicate that the proposed framework performs exceptionally well compared to the existing state-of-the-art techniques and can be easily employed in various image-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To explore the perceived utility and effect of simplified radiology reports on oncology patients' knowledge and feasibility of large language models (LLMs) to generate such reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee. In phase I, five state-of-the-art LLMs (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer-4o [GPT-4o], Google Gemini, Claude Opus, Llama-3.1-8B, and Phi-3.5-mini) were tested to simplify 50 oncology computed tomography (CT) report impressions using five distinct prompts with each LLM. The outputs were evaluated quantitatively using readability indices. Five LLM-prompt combinations with best average readability scores were also assessed qualitatively, and the best LLM-prompt combination was selected. In phase II, 100 consecutive oncology patients were randomly assigned into two groups: original report (received original report impression) and simplified report (received LLM-generated simplified versions of their CT report impressions under the supervision of a radiologist). A questionnaire assessed the impact of these reports on patients' knowledge and perceived utility. RESULTS: In phase I, Claude Opus-Prompt 3 (explain to a 15-year-old) performed slightly better than other LLMs, although scores for GPT-4o, Gemini, Claude Opus, and Llama-3.1 were not significantly different (P >.0033 on Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction). In phase II, simplified report group patients demonstrated significantly better knowledge of primary site and extent of their disease as well as showed significantly higher confidence and understanding of the report (P <.05 for all). Only three (of 50) simplified reports required corrections by the radiologist. CONCLUSION: Simplified radiology reports significantly enhanced patients' understanding and confidence in comprehending their medical condition. LLMs performed very well at this simplification task; therefore, they can be potentially used for this purpose, although there remains a need for human oversight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between a Power Leg Press test (PLP) with walking capacity and self-reported performance and participation in individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP), and to compare the strength of the associations between two power tests (PLP and isokinetic (IsoK)) with walking capacity. Methods: Ambulatory individuals with CP (n = 33; age 17.89 ± 7.52 years) performed five inclined power leg presses at 40%–50% of their 1-repetition maximum "as fast as possible". A linear position transducer was attached to the weight bar, and the displacement, total load, and angle of the sled were used to calculate peak power for each trial. Isokinetic knee extensor power was measured at 60 deg/sec. Walking capacity was measured using the 10-m walk test fast (FS) and self-selected (SS) speeds and the 1-min walk test (1MWT). Self-reported performance and participation measures were the Activities Scale for Kids-performance (ASKp), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®), and the Gait Outcomes Assessment List (GOAL). Pearson's correlation coefficients determined relationships between power measures with walking capacity and self-report measures (α < 0.05). Results: PLP and IsoK power were significantly correlated to SS (r = 0.361, r = 0.376), FS (r = 0.511, r = 0.485), and 1MWT (r = 0.583. r = 0.443), respectively (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the strength of the associations between walking capacity and each test of power (PLP and Isok) (p > 0.05). PLP power was significantly correlated to composite scores on the ASKp (r = 0.690) and GOAL (r = 0.577) and to four components of the PROMIS, including physical function (r = 0.588) (p < 0.01). The Gait and Mobility subscale of the GOAL (r = 0.705) and the Locomotion (r = 0.636), Transfers (r = 0.547), and Standing (r = 0.521) subscales of the ASKp had strong relationships to peak power produced during the PLP test (p < 0.01). Discussion: PLP power was significantly correlated with walking capacity and self-reported walking performance and mobility-based participation in ambulatory individuals with CP. Higher movement velocities associated with the PLP test may explain the significant associations of power with faster gait speeds. Self-reported mobility performance and physical activity also showed moderate to strong relationships with lower extremity power. Overall, these results suggest a strong link between decreased muscle power generation and walking limitations in individuals with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is inexpensive and widely available. Whether conditions across the human disease landscape can be detected using the ECG is unclear. We developed a deep learning denoising autoencoder and systematically evaluated associations between ECG encodings and ~1,600 Phecode-based diseases in three datasets separate from model development, and meta-analyzed the results. The latent space ECG model identified associations with 645 prevalent and 606 incident Phecodes. Associations were most enriched in the circulatory (n = 140, 82% of category-specific Phecodes), respiratory (n = 53, 62%) and endocrine/metabolic (n = 73, 45%) categories, with additional associations across the phenome. The strongest ECG association was with hypertension (p < 2.2×10-308). The ECG latent space model demonstrated more associations than models using standard ECG intervals, and offered favorable discrimination of prevalent disease compared to models comprising age, sex, and race. We further demonstrate how latent space models can be used to generate disease-specific ECG waveforms and facilitate individual disease profiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is inexpensive and widely available. Whether conditions across the human disease landscape can be detected using the ECG is unclear. We developed a deep learning denoising autoencoder and systematically evaluated associations between ECG encodings and ~1,600 Phecode-based diseases in three datasets separate from model development, and meta-analyzed the results. The latent space ECG model identified associations with 645 prevalent and 606 incident Phecodes. Associations were most enriched in the circulatory (n = 140, 82% of category-specific Phecodes), respiratory (n = 53, 62%) and endocrine/metabolic (n = 73, 45%) categories, with additional associations across the phenome. The strongest ECG association was with hypertension (p < 2.2×10-308). The ECG latent space model demonstrated more associations than models using standard ECG intervals, and offered favorable discrimination of prevalent disease compared to models comprising age, sex, and race. We further demonstrate how latent space models can be used to generate disease-specific ECG waveforms and facilitate individual disease profiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excitons, Coulomb-driven bound states of electrons and holes, are typically composed of integer charges1,2. However, in bilayer systems influenced by charge fractionalization3,4, a more interesting form of interlayer exciton can emerge, in which pairing occurs between constituents that carry fractional charges. Despite numerous theoretical predictions for these fractional excitons5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15–16, their experimental observation has remained unexplored. Here we report transport signatures of excitonic pairing in fractional quantum Hall effect states. By probing the composition of these excitons and their impact on the underlying wavefunction, we discover two new types of quantum phases of matter. One of these can be viewed as the fractional counterpart of the exciton condensate at a total filling of 1, whereas the other involves a more unusual type of exciton that obeys non-bosonic quantum statistics, challenging the standard model of bosonic excitons.Excitonic pairing in fractional quantum Hall states shows two new quantum phases, including a fractional exciton condensate and an unusual type of exciton that obeys fermionic or anyonic quantum statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurodegenerative tauopathies may progress based on seeding by pathological tau assemblies, whereby an aggregate is released from one cell, gains entry to an adjacent or connected cell, and serves as a specific template for its own replication in the cytoplasm. Seeding into the complex cytoplasmic milieu happens within hours, implying the existence of unknown factors that regulate this process. Methods: We used proximity labeling to identify proteins that control seed amplification within 5 h of seed exposure. We fused split-APEX2 to the C-terminus of tau repeat domain (RD) to reconstitute peroxidase activity 5 h after seeded intracellular tau aggregation. Valosin containing protein (VCP/p97) was the top hit. VCP harbors dominant mutations that underlie two neurodegenerative diseases, multisystem proteinopathy and vacuolar tauopathy, but its mechanistic role is unclear. We used immortalized cells and human neurons to study the effects of VCP on tau seeding. We exposed cells to fibrils or brain homogenates in cell culture media and measured effects on uptake and induction of intracellular tau aggregation following various genetic and pharmacological manipulations of VCP. Results: VCP knockdown reduced tau seeding. Chemical inhibitors had opposing effects on seeding in HEK293T tau biosensor cells and human neurons: ML-240 increased seeding efficiency, whereas NMS-873 decreased it. The inhibitors only functioned when administered within 8 h of seed exposure, indicating a role for VCP early in seed processing. We screened 30 VCP co-factors in HEK293T biosensor cells by genetic knockout or knockdown. Reduction of ATXN3, NSFL1C, UBE4B, NGLY1, and OTUB1 decreased tau seeding, as did NPLOC4, which also uniquely increased soluble tau levels. By contrast, reduction of FAF2 increased tau seeding. Conclusions: Divergent effects on tau seeding of chemical inhibitors and cofactor reduction indicate that VCP regulates this process. This is consistent with a cytoplasmic processing complex centered on VCP that directs seeds acutely towards degradation vs. amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Standardized definitions for outcome measures in randomized clinical trials and observational studies are essential for robust and valid evaluation of medical products, interventions, care, and outcomes. The European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomised Trials (EuroHeart) project of the European Society of Cardiology aimed to create international data standards for cardiovascular clinical study outcome measures. Methods The EuroHeart methods for data standard development were used. From a Global Cardiovascular Outcomes Consortium of 82 experts, five Working Groups were formed to identify and define key outcome measures for: cardiovascular disease (generic outcomes), acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary intervention (ACS/PCI), atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A systematic review of the literature informed a modified Delphi method to reach consensus on a final set of variables. For each variable, the Working Group provided a definition and categorized the variable as mandatory (Level 1) or optional (Level 2) based on its clinical importance and feasibility. Results Across the five domains, 24 Level 1 (generic: 5, ACS/PCI: 8, AF: 2; HF: 5, TAVI: 4) and 48 Level 2 (generic: 18, ACS-PCI: 7, AF: 6, HF: 2, TAVI: 15) outcome measures were defined. Conclusions Internationally derived and endorsed definitions for outcome measures for a range of common cardiovascular diseases and interventions are presented. These may be used for data alignment to enable high-quality observational and randomized clinical research, audit, and quality improvement for patient benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to test whether organic food consumers' perception of organisations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) matters by examining the specific attributes that consumers prioritise in gauging the corporate CSR of organisations manufacturing organic food products in Malaysia. A structured Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data from a total of 313 consumers utilising the survey method. Findings suggest that organisations should prioritise stakeholders' interest through positive health benefits of organic food products, environmental commitment, product knowledge, trustworthy information and affordable prices rather than using CSR as a growth factor to promote quality and sustainability only. The study emphasises the role of the Malaysian government in enhancing the standards of organic food production and processing, which will motivate many companies to venture into organic farming and lead towards less reliance on imports of organic food. This will build up consumer trust and satisfaction towards organic produce. Lastly, there will be an increase in consumer trust and satisfaction towards organic produce as demand increases after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study is suitable for organic food manufacturers who intend to improve social image, stakeholder experience and value creation, which will help brand their products. The implications of this study are generalisable not only in Malaysia but worldwide since the world is moving towards the new normal, and precautionary measures to combat health issues are prioritised. JEL Classification: I18, M31, M14 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The optimal treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER +) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) after progression on cyclin-dependent 4/6 kinase inhibitors (CDK4/6i) is unknown. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of phase-II/-III randomized trials of ER + MBC post CDK4/6i + ET progression. We calculated the hazard ratio (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using generic inverse variance and odds ratios (ORs) using the Mantel–Haenszel method for adverse events (AEs) with Review-Manager version-5.4. NMA was executed using WINBUGS (Microsoft Excel). Three molecular subgroups were analyzed: HER2-low, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and the ESR1 mutation subgroup for selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD). Results: A total of 14 studies were included. In the HER2-low group, Sacituzumab govitecan and trastuzumab deruxtecan had a similar efficacy (HR, 95% CI): PFS (0.98; 0.63–1.43) and OS (1.08; 0.76–1.55). In PI3K/AKT/mTOR-altered cases, capivasertib was superior to alpelisib PFS (0.77; 0.53–1.12), and OS (0.80; 0.48–1.35). SERDs had worse PFS and OS versus ongoing CDK 4/6i (ribociclib). Conclusion: No therapy emerged as the unequivocal choice in the post-CDK 4/6i domain in unselected subgroups. In the HER2-low population, a similar efficacy and different toxicity spectrum was seen. In AKT-altered tumors, capivasertib was less toxic than alpelisib. PROSPERO ID: CRD4202236412. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Facial Expression Recognition, occlusion and position change that may drastically alter facial expressions are two important challenges (FER). Due to advances in automated FER over the last several decades, it has received less attention in the real world, where occlusion‐ and pose‐invariant aspects of FER are critical. Online education learners' cognitive states may be assessed using this paper's focus on real‐world stance and occlusion robust FER. The human visual system's attention mechanism inspired us to develop a new kind of spatial attention network (SAN‐CNN). Saliency characteristics and spatial importance between adjacent pixels are emphasized in the SAN‐CNN model. Preprocessing an input picture using a median contour filter is used here initially, followed by mask‐based ROI for segmentation. Using CNNs for facial recognition, landmark localization, and head position estimation based on spatial attention networks, it is possible to do emotional categorization. Using the Kaggle public video‐based facial expression datasets, we were able to demonstrate that our proposed approach is more accurate and faster than the usual techniques. In addition, we evaluated the suggested method's performance metrics with those of the already used approaches. FER with occlusion and variant posture performs better than standard approaches using our suggested method, as shown by the results of the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the factors influencing the type and timing of Alveolar Bone Grafting (ABG) among cleft centers throughout India. To examine the decision-making criteria for orthodontic treatment and the timing of ABG. Design: Cross sectional survey Method: This survey was based on a convenience-based sample selected from cleft teams across India. The survey was formulated using the SurveyMonkey platform and emailed to 40 cleft teams. The survey included questions on demographics, timing, surgical protocol, orthodontic protocol, radiograph prescription rate, assessment methods for the success of ABG and three scenarios for evaluating the timing of the bone graft. The Chi-squared test was performed to evaluate the difference in opinion between specialists. The inter-examiner reliability was assessed using Kappa statistics. Results: Thirty-five units completed the questionnaire. Most units operate with 1-2 surgeons, with 42.9% of them treating cleft patients for under 5 years. Only 11.4% of centres routinely advised oblique occlusal radiographs for post-surgery evaluation, and 31.4% prescribed CBCT. However, 40% of cleft teams did not perform audits to evaluate the success of ABG, and less than 50% advised radiographs six months post-surgery. Around 26% of centres do not routinely provide orthodontic treatment pre-ABG. The inter-examiner reliability for case scenarios showed poor agreement between the clinicians. Conclusion: The survey showed a serious lack of consensus in the ABG treatment among cleft teams in India and emphasises the need for standardised protocols for the treatment of children with cleft palate. There is an urgent need to develop core outcome set in cleft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paneth cell, a secretory cell of the small intestine, expresses numerous host defense proteins, and is hypothesized to play an important role in host defense against infection. However, studying gene expression in this cell requires invasive procedures. To test the hypothesis that we could observe Paneth cell-specific gene regulation from exfoliated cells in infectious conditions, we obtained stool samples from patients with COVID-19 and uninfected controls. Total mRNA was isolated, and Paneth cell-specific and non-specific gene expression was quantified by RT-PCR. Results revealed a significant decrease in mRNA levels from Paneth cell-specific genes, including DEFA5, DEFA6, PLA2G2A, PRSS2 and ITLN2 in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients compared with controls. Other gut markers, not specific to Paneth cells were unchanged. To validate this experimentally, we infected mice with SARS-CoV-2 and collected fecal pellets over the course of 7 days. We observed a similar time-dependent reduction in Paneth cell-specific transcripts, which correlates with histological changes in the gut. This is the first demonstration of quantification of Paneth cell-specific transcripts without invasive sampling. It also shows the coordinate regulation of these genes as a response to infection with SARS-CoV-2, possibly through viral pathogenesis, to increase infectivity in the gut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim is to compare the role of giving carbohydrate drink preoperatively to a group of patients undergoing elective surgeries under general anaesthesia in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting, return of gut motility and duration of hospital stay with a group of patients not receiving the carbohydrate drink. With objectives of:- 1. To study the efficacy of carbohydrate drink given preoperatively in prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting, return of gut motility and number of days of stay in hospital of the patient. 2. To study that the carbohydrate drink does or does not have any side effects postoperatively. 3. To compare the effects of the carbohydrate drink on the group of patients undergoing elective surgeries under general anaesthesia receiving it to the group of patients undergoing elective surgeries under general anesthesia not receiving it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its notoriously mild phenotype, the dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse is the most common model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). By mimicking a human DMD-associated metabolic comorbidity, hyperlipidemia, in mdx mice by inactivating the apolipoprotein E gene (mdx-ApoE) we previously reported severe myofiber damage exacerbation via histology with large fibro-fatty infiltrates and phenotype humanization with ambulation dysfunction when fed a cholesterol- and triglyceride-rich Western diet (mdx-ApoEW). Herein, we performed comparative lipidomic and metabolomic analyses of muscle, liver and serum samples from mdx and mdx-ApoEW mice using solution and high-resolution-magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Compared to mdx and regular chow-fed mdx-ApoE mice, we observed an order of magnitude increase in lipid deposition in gastrocnemius muscle of mdx-ApoEW mice including 11-fold elevations in -CH3 and -CH2 lipids, along with pronounced elevations in serum cholesterol, fatty acid, triglyceride and phospholipids. Hepatic lipids were also elevated but did not correlate with the extent of muscle lipid infiltration or differences in serum lipids. This study provides the first lipometabolomic signature of severe mdx lesions exacerbated by high circulating lipids and lends credence to claims that the liver, the main regulator of whole-body lipoprotein metabolism, may play only a minor role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults are at an increased risk for suicide and suicidal ideation compared with cisgender/heterosexual adults. Due to the complexity of suicidal ideation, individual, social, and systemic factors must be considered. The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of suicidal ideation among SGM adults using constructs from the Social–Ecological Model (SEM). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of data collected from 1034 SGM adults between 27 January and 7 February 2022, and variables reflected the four constructs of the SEM, including individual, family, community, and societal levels. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to enter the variables in blocks. Results: The final model explained 55% of the variance in suicidal ideation, and determinants of suicidal ideation were identified at all four levels. At the individual level, factors were depression (p < 0.001, β = 0.231), anxiety (p < 0.001, β = 0.279), vigilance distress (p = 0.036, β = 0.157), not being out/open (p = 0.046, β = 1.136), having some college education (p = 0.002, β = −1.875), and personal strength (p = 0.012, β = −0.131). Family of origin discrimination distress was significant at the family level (p = 0.016, β = 0.174). Social resources (p < 0.001, β = −0.113), victimization distress (p < 0.001, β = 0.795), and harassment/discrimination distress (p = 0.035, β = 0.179) were significant at the community level. At the social level, SGM protective state law score (p = 0.43, β = −0.35) and having a proposed or enacted transgender sports ban (p = 0.027, β = 1.480) were significant. Conclusions: Understanding the factors across the various levels of the SEM that influence suicidal ideation allows for the development of multi-level, social-ecological suicide prevention programs. Such programs can address the unique needs of SGM individuals and help mitigate suicidal ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Quadrilateral Group for Security Dialogues (QUAD), comprising Japan, Australia, India, and the USA, has experienced a noteworthy escalation in both environmental depletion and economic performance over the preceding 2 decades. Consequently, it becomes crucial to outline strategies through which the QUAD can attain a harmonious equilibrium between sustainable economic growth and ecological well-being. This research endeavors to dissect the intricate relationships among trade globalization, regulatory quality, and environmental sustainability within the QUAD for the period 1990–2021. The study checks for the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH), and Pollution Halo Effect Hypothesis (PHEH). Design/methodology/approach: The long-run association is based on the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and bounds test approach to cointegration while divergence or convergence is studied with the help of decoupling index (DI). Results have been verified by applying serial correlation LM test, autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH), and cumulative sum of recursive residuals (CUSUM) tests to ensure the robustness and stability of the model. Findings: The empirical results of this study affirm the applicability of the PHEH in the contexts of India, Japan, and the USA, whereas the PHH is validated in the case of Australia. Furthermore, the analysis reveals the existence of relative decoupling solely in the case of India. This testifies that the rate of growth of the Indian economy surpasses the rate of growth in ecological footprint (EF), indicating a relative reduction in the intensity of environmental impact per unit of economic growth. Research limitations/implications: The empirical findings of our study suggest that countries with effective regulatory systems are better positioned to control and mitigate the potential adverse environmental effects resulting from increased global trade. Thus, policymakers are prompted to reassess the development policies for sustainable economic growth that will minimize adverse environmental repercussions. The implication of the negative relation between urbanization and EF is paramount for policymakers in developing countries seeking strategies for balanced urban development that aligns with environmental sustainability. Originality/value: The present study is a unique exploration of the impact of trade globalization and regulatory quality on EF, specifically on PHH/PHEH in the context of QUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cancer presents a significant health challenge, particularly within culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations. Religious, spiritual, and personal beliefs regarding illness may mitigate its psychological and physical impacts, varying with CALD status. This study aims to assess illness perceptions in Australian cancer patients from both CALD and Anglo-Australian backgrounds and to explore the associations between spiritual wellbeing and illness perceptions within these groups. Design: Cross-sectional study, involving 119 cancer patients from CALD backgrounds (Arabic, Chinese, and Greek) and 50 Anglo-Australians. Spiritual wellbeing and cancer perception were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life—Spirituality, Religiousness, and Personal Beliefs questionnaire and the revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, respectively. Linear regression models analyzed associations. Results: CALD patients perceived their cancer as less enduring (β − 4.74, 95%CI − 6.16, − 3.31) and symptoms as less predictable (− 4.96, 95%CI − 6.12, − 3.86) compared to Anglo-Australians. They had lower confidence in medical interventions (− 2.96, 95%CI − 3.36, − 1.22) and poorer illness understanding (− 4.66, 95%CI − 5.83, − 3.49). In Greek-speaking patients, an increase in spiritual wellbeing was associated with less favourable perceptions of treatment controllability (β − 2.25, 95%CI − 4.39, − 0.09). Conversely, for Chinese-speaking patients, an increase in spiritual wellbeing was associated with improved illness perception across all domains except for consequences and emotional representation. However, no significant association was observed for Arabic patients. Conclusion: Differences in illness perceptions exist among CALD and Anglo-Australians. Spiritual wellbeing appears linked to more favourable perceptions; however, differential effects emerged among groups, emphasizing the need for culturally tailored interventions to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pouchitis is a common complication after ileal-pouch anal anastomosis in patients with medically refractory ulcerative colitis. There has been a lack of high-level evidence focusing on the safety and efficacy outcomes of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). We aim to evaluate outcomes and complications of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for chronic pouchitis. Databases were systematically searched to retrieve English-only, original studies, published from inception to 31 March 2024, investigating chronic pouchitis only. Primary outcomes included overall remission, clinical response, remission, relapse, and complications. Seven studies with 94 patients were included. The pooled overall remission rate was 15% (95% CI: 0–29%, p < 0.001), the clinical response rate was 33% (95% CI: 19–46%, p = 0.14), the clinical remission rate was 14% (95% CI: 19–46%, p < 0.001), and the clinical relapse rate was 36% (95% CI: 16–55%, p = 0.11). The pooled proportion of patients with mild adverse events after FMT treatment was 39% (95% CI: 6–71%, p < 0.001). No severe adverse events or deaths were reported. Although FMT is an effective treatment for chronic pouchitis, there is still a high rate of mild adverse events. High-level evidence for FMT is still sparse, limiting recommendations for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of theft as a catalyst of communal cohesion and a practice of citizenship in the everyday lives of enslaved African Americans. Historical scholars of Atlantic slavery largely have portrayed theft as a strategic adaptation that enslaved subjects made in order to survive the material deprivation and other brutal constraints of enslavement. In dialogue with this scholarship, this article proposes a different view of theft as a method not simply of surviving on unfavorable terms but of redefining the art of living. In particular, it suggests that collective practices of theft opened space for the enslaved to forge reciprocal social and economic relationships that diverged radically from normative customs related to subsistence, creating a state of affairs in which their survival would depend upon their ability not to endure racialized exploitation as human property, but, rather, to tend to each other's basic needs as associates, neighbors, and friends. Through analysis of an empirical case grounded in nineteenth-century Louisiana, this article ultimately develops the concept of improper fellowship to describe the bonds of communal reciprocity that theft could encompass, bonds that prefigured alternatives to dominant, liberal ideals of freedom and models of citizenship founded in the sanctity of property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Compassion is recognized as a key component of high-quality healthcare. The literature shows that compassion is essential to improving patient-reported outcomes and fostering health care professionals' (HCPs) response and resilience to burnout. However, compassion is inherently difficult to define, and a validated tool to reliably quantify and measure patients' experience of compassion in healthcare settings did not exist until recently. The Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire (SCQ) was compared to six similar tools in 2022 and emerged as the most reliable tool to assess compassion. The purpose of our study was to validate the SCQ in an English-speaking U.S. population. Methods: A total of 272 patients completed our survey, which included the SCQ and 17 demographic-related questions. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to establish the construct validity of the SCQ and also the five-item version, the SCQ Short Form (SCQ-SF). Results: The CFA confirmed a good model fit, with factor loadings ranging from 0.81 to 0.93. Further analysis showed strong reliability, ranging from 0.866 to 0.957, and with an overall Cronbach's alpha = 0.96. Conclusions: This study validates the SCQ and SCQ-SF in an English-speaking U.S. population and provides researchers and HCPs with a reliable psychometric tool to measure compassion across healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients with Germ cell tumours (GCT) are at risk of long-term toxicities due to multimodality therapy. It is debatable whether there is an impact on the quality of life(QoL) of GCT survivors. Methods: A case–control study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in India, using the EORTC QLQ C30 questionnaire, to compare the QoL between GCT survivors(disease free > 2 years) and healthy matched controls. A multivariate regression model was used to identify factors affecting QoL. Results: A total of 55 cases and 100 controls were recruited. Cases had a median age of 32 years (interquartile range, IQR 28–40 years), ECOG PS of 0–1(75%), advanced stage III (58%), chemotherapy (94%) and 66% were > 5 years from diagnosis. The median age of controls: 35 years (IQR 28–43 years). A statistically significant difference was seen for emotional (85.8 ± 14.2 vs 91.7 ± 10.4, p 0.005), social(83.0 ± 22.0 vs 95.2 ± 9.6, p < 0.001) and global scales (80.4 ± 21.1 vs 91.3 ± 9.7, p < 0.001). Cases had more nausea and vomiting(3.3 ± 7.4 vs 1.0 ± 3.9, p 0.015), pain(13.9 ± 13.9 vs 4.8 ± 9.8, p < 0.001), dyspnea(7.9 + 14.3 vs 2.7 ± 9.1, p 0.007), and appetite loss(6.7 ± 14.9 vs 1.9 ± 7.9, p 0.016) and greater financial toxicity(31.5 ± 32.3 vs 9.0 ± 16.3, p < 0.001). Adjusting for age, performance status, BMI, stage, chemotherapy, RPLND, recurrent disease, and time since diagnosis, no predictive variables were significant. Conclusion: There is a detrimental impact of history of GCT in long term survivors of GCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) are rare congenital vascular anomalies characterized by abnormal connections between the portal vein and systemic circulation, bypassing the liver. They can lead to complications such as recurrent encephalopathy, liver nodules, portopulmonary hypertension, and neurocognitive issues due to hyperammonemia and rarely kidney involvement. Hepatic hemodynamic changes can lead to liver nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in extrahepatic shunts. We describe here an 11-year-old girl with type 1 intrahepatic portosystemic shunt with focal nodular hyperplasia in the liver, presenting with nephrotic syndrome that was diagnosed as membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis on kidney biopsy and that responded partially to therapy with immunosuppressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates are significantly impacted by racial disparities. Despite innovative therapeutic approaches and advancements in prevention, men of African American (AA) ancestry are at a higher risk of developing PCa and have a more aggressive and metastatic form of the disease at the time of initial PCa diagnosis than other races. Research on PCa has underlined the biological and molecular basis of racial disparity and emphasized the genetic aspect as the fundamental component of racial inequality. Furthermore, the lower enrollment rate, limited access to national-level cancer facilities, and deferred treatment of AA men and other minorities are hurdles in improving the outcomes of PCa patients. This review provides the most up-to-date information on various biological and molecular contributing factors, such as the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), mutational spectrum, altered chromosomal loci, differential gene expression, transcriptome analysis, epigenetic factors, tumor microenvironment (TME), and immune modulation of PCa racial disparities. This review also highlights future research avenues to explore the underlying biological factors contributing to PCa disparities, particularly in men of African ancestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global overpopulation necessitates increased crop yields, yet available arable land is limited. The study compares and evaluates the performance of three machine learning algorithms—Random Forest (RF), Extra Trees (ET), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)—in crop yield prediction. Using 28,242 samples with seven features from 101 countries, we evaluated these models based on Mean Absolute Error (MAE), R-squared (R^2), and Mean Squared Error (MSE). The ET regression model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an MAE of 5249.03, the lowest among the models tested. Despite having the highest R^2 value of 0.9873, the ANN exhibited higher MAE and MSE values, indicating less reliability. The RF model showed intermediate results. With a prediction accuracy of 97.5%, the ET model proved to be the most effective for crop yield prediction, achieving the highest accuracy reported to date. Future research should explore more advanced algorithms and larger datasets to validate these findings further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even as the great resignation unfolds, turnover among early-career employees is well documented in research. Compared to their mid- and late-career counterparts, early-career professionals are more likely to need support from supervisors and opportunities for intra-organisational growth. Similarly, early career professionals are more likely to prefer mobility and exploration of career opportunities. Therefore, mechanisms to enhance affective commitment of early-career professionals become salient. Accordingly, using a sample of 206 early-career construction professionals from India, this research examined the relationship between authentic leadership and affective commitment. Further, future prospects were tested as a mediating mechanism between these two variables. PLS-SEM was employed for analysis. Our hypotheses were supported. Specifically, it was found that authentic leadership has a positive influence on future prospects and affective commitment. Further, future prospects are positively associated with affective commitment. Finally, future prospects fully mediate the relationship between authentic leadership and affective commitment. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and limitations are acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medical students, residents and faculty are all capable of holding biases towards stigmatised groups like people experiencing homelessness. This study sought to investigate how the level of training may influence perceptions of homelessness among medical students, residents and faculty. Additionally, we sought to understand how different specialities perceive people experiencing homelessness and whether this changes at various points in a career. Methods: The Health Professionals' Attitudes Towards the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI) was administered to medical students, residents and faculty at one institution in the United States. Basic demographics as well as length of time spent in practice were collected in addition to HPATHI responses. Results: A total of 1,141 individuals were invited to complete the survey, including 736 medical students, 214 residents and 191 faculty. Two hundred and ninety individuals participated in the survey and 238 recorded complete responses were analysed for a sample response rate of 238/1141 (20.9%.) Overall perceptions of homelessness across the entire sample were positive and not greatly influenced by the level of training during a medical career. Medical students across classes were largely in agreement and there was a noticeable increase in positive perceptions for students engaged in clinical rotations. However, clinical specialties demonstrated wide variation in perceptions, with the most prominent differences amongst individuals from surgical subspecialties of General Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the largely favourable attitudes physicians, residents and students have towards people experiencing homelessness with implications for future work to support greater exposure to underserved populations during training. Specialty choice appears to play a larger role in the formation of attitudes towards underserved populations rather than the length of time spent in a particular specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The increasing incidence of chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers, often compounded by bacterial infections and biofilm formation, presents significant challenges in wound management. Despite advancements in wound care products and a better understanding of molecular wound repair mechanisms, the treatment of chronic ulcerating conditions remains incomplete. VG111, a novel natural product formulation, emerges as a promising therapeutic candidate addressing the need for an effective wound healing agent with antimicrobial and tissue regenerative properties. Materials and Methods: A thorough evaluation of VG111 included antimicrobial assays to determine its minimum inhibitory concentration against an array of pathogens, assessment of its biofilm disruption capabilities, investigation into its profibrogenic activity through scratch assays, and analysis of its immunomodulatory effects on macrophage-derived cytokines. Quality consistency was ensured by high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting, while clinical applicability was assessed through observations in canine and human wound healing cases. Statistical Analysis: The cytotoxic effects of VG111 were assessed using a Two-way ANOVA, indicating no significant cytotoxicity at the tested concentration (Column factor p<0.0001). Results: VG111 demonstrated potent antimicrobial action with effective concentrations ranging from 2.5% to 5.0% v/v, targeting resistant strains of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , colistin-resistant Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii , and other priority pathogens. It showed biofilm clearance, enhanced fibroblast migration, and a favorable immunomodulatory profile by reducing inflammatory cytokines in vitro. In vivo applications corroborated these findings, with significant wound healing observed in both veterinary and clinical settings, negating the need for additional antibiotics. Conclusions: The study emphasized on VG111 as a robust wound healing agent with significant antimicrobial and biofilm-disrupting properties. Its broad-spectrum efficacy against critical pathogens and ability to promote tissue regeneration mark it as a promising avenue in the management of complex chronic wounds, meriting further clinical exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum adiabatic method, which maintains populations in their instantaneous eigenstates throughout the state evolution, is an established and often a preferred choice for state preparation and manipulation. Although it minimizes the driving cost significantly, its slow speed is a severe limitation in noisy intermediate-scale quantum era technologies. Since adiabatic paths are extensive in many physical processes, it is of broader interest to achieve adiabaticity at a much faster rate. Shortcuts to adiabaticity techniques, which overcome the slow adiabatic process by driving the system faster through non-adiabatic paths, have seen increased attention recently. The extraordinarily long lifetime of the long-lived singlet states (LLS) in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), established over the past decade, has opened several important applications ranging from spectroscopy to biomedical imaging. Various methods, including adiabatic methods, are already being used to prepare LLS. In this article, we report the use of counterdiabatic driving (CD) to speed up LLS preparation with faster drives. Using NMR experiments, we show that CD can give stronger LLS order in shorter durations than conventional adiabatic driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pulsar's pulse profile gets broadened at low frequencies due to dispersion along the line of sight or due to multipath propagation. The dynamic nature of the interstellar medium makes both of these effects time-dependent and introduces slowly varying time delays in the measured times-of-arrival similar to those introduced by passing gravitational waves. In this article, we present an improved method to correct for such delays by obtaining unbiased dispersion measure (DM) measurements by using low-frequency estimates of the scattering parameters. We evaluate this method by comparing the obtained DM estimates with those, where scatter-broadening is ignored using simulated data. A bias is seen in the estimated DMs for simulated data with pulse-broadening with a larger variability for a data set with a variable frequency scaling index, |$\alpha$|⁠ , as compared to that assuming a Kolmogorov turbulence. Application of the proposed method removes this bias robustly for data with band averaged signal-to-noise ratio larger than 100. We report the measurements of the scatter-broadening time and |$\alpha$| from analysis of PSR J1643 |$-$| 1224, observed with upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope as part of the Indian Pulsar Timing Array experiment. These scattering parameters were found to vary with epoch and |$\alpha$| was different from that expected for Kolmogorov turbulence. Finally, we present the DM time-series after application of this technique to PSR J1643 |$-$| 1224. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weekly Steroids in Muscular Dystrophy (WSiMD) was a pilot study to evaluate once weekly prednisone in patients with Limb Girdle and Becker muscular dystrophy (LGMD and BMD, respectively). At study endpoint, there were trends towards increased lean mass, reduced fat mass, reduced creatine kinase and improved motor function. The investigation was motivated by studies in mouse muscular dystrophy models in which once weekly glucocorticoid exposure enhanced muscle strength and reduced fibrosis. WSiMD participants provided blood samples for aptamer serum profiling at baseline and after 6 months of weekly steroids. A subset completed magnetic resonance (MR) evaluation of muscle at study onset and endpoint. At baseline compared to age and sex-matched healthy controls, the aggregate serum protein profile in the WSiMD cohort was dominated by muscle proteins, reflecting leak of muscle proteins into serum. Disease status produced more proteins differentially present in serum compared to steroid-treatment effect. Nonetheless, a response to prednisone was discernable in the WSiMD cohort, even at this low dose. Glucocorticoids decreased muscle proteins and increased certain immune process- and matrix-associated proteins. Muscle MR fat fraction showed trends with functional status. The prednisone-responsive markers could be used in larger trial of prednisone efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Individuals are turning increasingly towards online resources, such as TikTok, to educate themselves on their medical conditions. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prominent example, as women report dissatisfaction with the diagnosis process and treatment options. This study aims to provide a content analysis of the quality of PCOS health information on TikTok. Methods: A total of 325 TikTok videos were screened. Pertinent data, including likes, comments, shares, and views, along with video content concerning symptoms, interventions, and provider interactions were analyzed. Two reviewers independently used a modified DISCERN criteria to assess the quality of information for each video. A logistic regression was also utilized to model the probability of healthcare professionals creating educational videos. Results: A total of 238 videos met the eligibility criteria for analysis. Videos had a median of 468,400 views (Q1 = 146,400, Q3 = 1,100,000) and 18,000 likes (Q1 = 5631, Q3 = 65,100). The mean modified DISCERN scores were 3.6 ± 0.9 for physicians (n = 23), 2.0 ± 1.1 for non-physician healthcare providers (n = 52), and 1.0 ± 0.2 for non-healthcare professionals (n = 141) (p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals were 10.9 times more likely to create educational videos in comparison to non-healthcare professionals (p < 0.001). Conclusions: TikTok videos related to PCOS attract considerable engagement but provide low-quality information. Most videos were made by non-healthcare professionals, who discussed treatment options with limited or no research. Healthcare providers should be aware of the impacts on patients' preconceived notions and help to improve patient education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objeectives: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality in the United States (U.S.), with rates varying by disease severity, comorbidities, and sociodemographic factors. Cognitive impairment has been independently associated with increased mortality, but has not been well studied in relation to COPD despite being a frequently overlooked comorbidity in COPD patients. The purpose of this nationwide study was to assess the relationship between low cognitive performance and the risk of mortality among older adults with COPD while adjusting for major sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Methods: This study utilized the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the respiratory mortality data of noninstitutionalized US adults aged over 65 years. Survival curves showing the combined effect of cognitive decline and COPD using the Kaplan–Meier product-limit method to estimate the percent survival of the subject at each point in time were used. Results: The final sample included 2013 older adults, with 39.1% showing low cognitive performance and 12.7% having COPD. Those with low cognitive performance were older, less educated, had lower income, were more likely to be racial/ethnic minorities, and had a history of cardiovascular diseases (CVD); they were also more likely to have COPD or chronic kidney disease (CKD). The adjusted hazard ratio for respiratory-related mortality risk was highest for individuals with both COPD and low cognitive performance (hazards ratio = 8.53), people with COPD alone also had a higher respiratory-related mortality risk (hazards ratio = 4.92), but low cognitive performance alone did not significantly increase respiratory-related mortality risk. Conclusions: These findings provide clearer insights into how cognitive impairment affects mortality risk in older adults with COPD and we discuss potential strategies to address this dual chronic health challenge effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Research studies with porcine acellular bladder matrix (PABM) showed integration of only small sized stamps in recipient bladders, however for clinical use in bladder augmentation significantly larger patches are needed. We hypothesised pre-vascularisation with omentum may be a step towards clinical translation. Method: Eight domestic pigs were operated three times 8–10 weeks apart: 1–Implantation; PABM with recorded dimensions were sutured around a tissue expanding device, wrapped in omentum and sutured to the anterior abdominal wall. 2–Augmentation; hemi-cystectomy and bladder augmentation was performed with the pre-vascularized PABM using non-absorbable suture 3–Sacrifice; The dimensions of the PABMs were measured macroscopically, the in-vivo microcirculation of the PABMs were assessed using laser speckle contrast imaging. HE staining, uroplakin 3 and CK7 immunohistochemistry was performed. Results: In seven animals, the bladder augmentation was successful without complication. One animal was lost in bowel obstruction and in two animals enteric fistula was found after the first intervention. The rectangular shape of the initial tissue expander was subsequently changed. All the seven patches were strong, compliant and had integrated with the surrounding native bladder and were 83% (48–100%) of the original patch size. Laser speckle contrast imaging already showed microcirculation at the patch edges at augmentation and this further improved towards the centre of the patches by the end of the study. Histology demonstrated acute inflammatory response with fibroblast infiltration after implantation and full coverage by urothelium was seen with positive staining for CK7 antibodies. Conclusion: Pre-vascularization of PABM in the omentum of healthy porcine models allows larger PABM patches to integrate this may be a step towards clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The steep increase in knee arthroplasties in lower- and middle-income countries has increased demand for personalised rehabilitation care. Technology-based rehabilitation programs offer potential to replace or augment conventional face-to-face rehabilitation for providing continuum of care. We aimed to systematically develop a theory, evidence-driven, contextualised, and user-centred mobile health platform for people undergoing knee arthroplasty to facilitate monitoring progress during rehabilitation. Methods: We followed the UK Medical Research Council's framework and adopted a behaviour design thinking approach, consisting of five steps; (1) conduct multiple literature reviews and cross-sectional surveys to determine the needs and problems experienced during the rehabilitation phase by healthcare professionals and individuals with replaced knees, (2) identify target behaviours along with barriers and facilitators, integrated within the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) framework, (3) identify intervention functions and components, behaviour change techniques, and features for the mobile application, selected after discussions with orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and behavioural experts, (4) develop a prototype application for end-users, and a web-based platform for healthcare professionals, and (5) pilot test the intervention for end-users' feedback on usability of the application and to identify possible strategies for implementing the intervention package. Results: Using the COM-B model, education, training, persuasion, enablement, and modelling were chosen as intervention functions for improving adherence to exercise protocol during early-phase of rehabilitation. The application featured five interlinked components; education, training, goal setting and self-management, communication, and a personalized therapy plan utilising 13 behaviour change techniques. An education booklet, exercise videos, text messaging, video consultation, and a digital tool for measuring range of motion were incorporated into the application. Feedback on the interactive prototype and education material was sought from ten patient volunteers and a physiotherapist. Pilot testing in a convenient sample with broad eligibility criteria (n = 30) indicated importance of digital literacy and dedicated time for remote consultation by healthcare provider within the existing clinical work. Overall, the intervention was well received and valued by the end users. Conclusion: This paper demonstrates the development of a contextualised digital behavioural intervention grounded in behavioural theory and evidence from literature to improve end-user's engagement with rehabilitation protocols after knee arthroplasty in lower- and middle-income country context. Trial registration: Study registered prospectively (on 16 February 2023) at Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2023/02/049792). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The focus of this review is to assess the mechanical characteristics of using nanoparticles (NPs) in dental composites (DCs) to enhance strength and toughness. Materials and Methods: The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO with registration ID: CRD42024573647. A systematic search for relevant articles published between 2018 and July 2024 was conducted across electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, WoS, and EBSCOhost. Studies meeting pre-defined eligibility criteria were included and assessed for methodological quality. Data on the mechanical properties of NPs on DCs were extracted from included studies. Metaanalysis was performed to assess the mechanical flexure strength associated with NPs in DCs. Results: A range of NPs including silicon dioxide, zirconium dioxide, titanium dioxide, graphene oxide, core-shell chlorhexidine/amorphous calcium phosphate, zincdoped mesoporous silica NPs, silver NPs, farnesol-loaded halloysite nanotube, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, niobium pentoxide, and chitosan were examined for incorporation into DCs. The use of organic and inorganic NPs has shown a significant boost in the mechanical characteristics of DCs. The forest plot demonstrated a significant increase in mechanical characteristics in DCs infused with NPs. Conclusion: It can be concluded that incorporating NPs in restorative dentistry holds promise for enhancing their mechanical properties and increasing strength and toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to rising demand for energy-efficient buildings, advanced predictive models are needed to evaluate heating and cooling load requirements. This research presents a unified strategy that blends LSTM networks and GBM to improve building energy load estimates' precision and reliability. Data on energy usage, weather conditions, occupancy trends, and building features is collected and prepared to start the process. GBM model attributes are created using sequential relationships and initial load projections using LSTM networks. Combining LSTM with GBM takes advantage of each model's strengths: LSTM's sequential data processing and GBM's complex nonlinear connection capture. Performance measures like RMSE and MAE are used to evaluate the hybrid model's validity. Compared to individual models, the integrated LSTM-GBM method improves prediction accuracy. This higher predictive capacity allows real-time energy management systems, improving building operations and reducing energy use. Implementing this integrated model in Building Management Systems (BMS) shows its practicality in achieving sustainable building energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]