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With almost one-quarter of the 21st century behind us, it's a good opportunity to assess how far we personally, the financial industry, and professionals have progressed in coping with and responding to the present, and planning for the future. So far, it certainly has been both a joyride and a roller-coaster ride for most of us. A century ago, our forebears were dealing with world conflict, economic gyrations, cultural upheaval, lifestyle evolution, and technological disruption. Sound familiar? But they also looked forward to the opportunities that a new century offered along with all the challenges noted. Renowned gerontologist Matilda White Riley was uniquely qualified in 1990 to take on the challenge of assessing where the preceding century had been in regard to aging and where the approaching century not only might be but could be if it reached for its full potential if we focus on optimism, opportunities, and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present diamond-like carbon (DLC) conversion surfaces to detect particles with energy below 2 keV. Conversion surfaces have been widely applied in measurements of low-energy particles by instruments onboard planetary and heliophysics missions. Their effectiveness is characterized by the efficiency in changing the charge state of the incident particles while maintaining a narrow angular distribution for the reflected particles. DLC as a conversion surface coating material has high conversion efficiency. We developed a conversion surface production process that provides ultra-smooth and ultra-thin DLC conversion surfaces. The process includes substrate preparation through precision cleaning, plasma immersion ion deposition of the DLC film, and diagnostics of the film parameters. The latter includes the measurement of the coating thickness, surface roughness, and the conversion efficiency for ion beams with energy below 2 keV. The process we developed provides the DLC conversion surface coating of repeatable parameters with a mean surface roughness of 3.4 ± 0.2 Å and a mean film thickness of 46.7 ± 0.8 nm uniform across the sample area. Ion beam measurements showed a negative ion yield of 1%–2% for hydrogen atoms and 8%–15% for oxygen atoms with an angular scatter distribution of 10°–20° at full width of half maximum. These results agree with those of other conversion surface coatings in the literature. The DLC conversion surfaces presented here are implemented in the conversion surface subsystem of the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP)-Lo instrument of the IMAP mission scheduled for launch in 2025. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solo agers--the millions of Americans without a biological child or the traditional family structure that is the foundation of informal long-term services and supports for older adults, particularly those age 80 and older-- have both advantages and challenges from being child-free. The independence and freedom to pursue career, economic, and lifestyle aspirations afforded by the absence of child-rearing responsibilities also result in increased responsibilities for caregiving and related costs for married couples, widows and widowers, and unmarried individuals. Those living alone at advanced age are particularly at risk unless they have done considerable advance planning as well for financial security, caregiving support, and social connectedness. Ideally, this includes adequate guidance and advice from financial professionals aware of and responsive to their long-term needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At some point, every working person will face the decision about whether to retire, and the resulting decision emerges about when to do it. It can always be undone, and a return to work in some form can ensue, but the decision tree must be negotiated in some manner whether once or multiple times. Financial professionals obviously have a significant role in the financial capacity of their clients to do so. All have probably also encountered their clients' attitudes, quandaries, questions, issues, eligibility, and challenges about both the decision and the capacity in some form or another. Aside from finances and related issues, others such as health, age, personal and spousal life expectancy, family care responsibilities, socioeconomic conditions, anxiety, and innumerable others may go into the process. For some, all of these are negotiated quickly and successfully. Others may require additional resources and understanding on the part of the financial professional. Understanding some of the personal and demographic dynamics can assist in making the decision process more successful for both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topographic heterogeneity sets the stage for community assembly, but its effects on ecosystem functioning remain poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that topographic heterogeneity underpins multiple cascading species interactions and functional pathways that indirectly control multifunctionality. To do so, we combined experimental manipulation of a form of topographic heterogeneity on rocky shores (holes of various sizes) with a comprehensive assessment of naturally assembled communities and multifunctionality. Structural equation modeling indicated that heterogeneity: (1) enhanced biodiversity by supporting filter feeder richness; (2) triggered a facilitation cascade via reef‐forming (polychaete) and biomass‐dominant (macroalga) foundation species, which in turn broadly supported functionally diverse epibiotic and understory assemblages; and (3) inhibited a key consumer (limpet). The model supported that these mechanisms exerted complementary positive effects on individual functions (e.g., water filtration, ecosystem metabolism, nutrient uptake) and, in turn, collectively enhanced multifunctionality. Topographic heterogeneity may therefore serve as a cornerstone physical attribute by initiating multiple cascades that propagate through ecological communities via foundation species, ultimately manifesting disproportionate effects on ecosystem multifunctionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are sex differences in the extent, severity, and outcomes of coronary artery disease. We aimed to assess the influence of sex on coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity measured using coronary 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography (PET), and to determine whether 18F-NaF PET has prognostic value in both women and men. Methods: In a post-hoc analysis of observational cohort studies of patients with coronary atherosclerosis who had undergone 18F-NaF PET CT angiography, we compared the coronary microcalcification activity (CMA) in women and men. Results: Baseline 18F-NaF PET CT angiography was available in 999 participants (151 (15%) women) with 4282 patient-years of follow-up. Compared to men, women had lower coronary calcium scores (116 [interquartile range, 27–434] versus 205 [51–571] Agatston units; p = 0.002) and CMA values (0.0 [0.0-1.12] versus 0.53 [0.0-2.54], p = 0.01). Following matching for plaque burden by coronary calcium scores and clinical comorbidities, there was no sex-related difference in CMA values (0.0 [0.0-1.12] versus 0.0 [0.0-1.23], p = 0.21) and similar proportions of women and men had no 18F-NaF uptake (53.0% (n = 80) and 48.3% (n = 73); p = 0.42), or CMA values > 1.56 (21.8% (n = 33) and 21.8% (n = 33); p = 1.00). Over a median follow-up of 4.5 [4.0–6.0] years, myocardial infarction occurred in 6.6% of women (n = 10) and 7.8% of men (n = 66). Coronary microcalcification activity greater than 0 was associated with a similarly increased risk of myocardial infarction in both women (HR: 3.83; 95% CI:1.10-18.49; p = 0.04) and men (HR: 5.29; 95% CI:2.28–12.28; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although men present with more coronary atherosclerotic plaque than women, increased plaque activity is a strong predictor of future myocardial infarction regardless of sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) have considerable impact on disability. High-efficacy disease-modifying treatments (hDMTs) are associated with greater reduction of relapses and new brain lesions compared to low-efficacy treatments (lDMTs). Knowledge on the impact of DMTs on cord lesion formation is limited as these outcome measures were not included in MS treatment trials. This study aims to investigate whether hDMTs reduce the formation of cord lesions more effectively than lDMTs. Methods: Patients with relapse-onset MS, a cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 6 months before/after initiation of their first DMT and ≥1 cord MRI at follow-up (interval > 6 months) were extracted from the MSBase registry (ACTRN12605000455662). Patients treated with hDMTs ≥90% or lDMTs ≥90% of follow-up duration were considered the hDMT and lDMT groups, respectively. Matching was performed using propensity scores. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazards of new cord lesions, brain lesions and relapses. Results: Ninety-four and 783 satisfied hDMT and lDMT group criteria, respectively. Seventy-seven hDMT patients were matched to 184 lDMT patients. In the hDMT group there was no evidence of reduction of new cord lesions (hazard ratio [HR] 0.99 [95% CI 0.51, 1.92], p = 0.97), while there were fewer new brain lesions (HR 0.22 [95% CI 0.10, 0.49], p < 0.001) and fewer relapses (HR 0.45 [95% CI 0.28, 0.72], p = 0.004). Conclusion: A potential discrepancy exists in the effect of hDMTs over lDMTs in preventing spinal cord lesions versus brain lesions and relapses. While hDMTs provided a significant reduction for the latter when compared to lDMTs, there was no significant reduction in new spinal cord lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aichi biodiversity targets were established by the UN convention of biological diversity and consist of 20 specific targets to address and mitigate biodiversity loss across the globe. We consider countries in East and South Asia. Countries in East and South Asia are very different in size and level of economic development. As such Sustainable Development Goal challenges vary greatly across countries. The 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) provides a quantitative basis for comparing, analyzing, and understanding environmental performance for 180 countries. The EPI score and rank these countries on their environmental performance using the most recent year of data available and calculate how these scores have changed over the previous decade. We determine the similarity between the country achievement rankings of the Aichi Targets and the EPI rankings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basal ganglia are involved in motor control and action selection, and their impairment manifests in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and dystonia, among others. The complex neuronal circuitry of the basal ganglia is located deep inside the brain and presents significant treatment challenges. Conventional treatment strategies, such as invasive surgeries and medications, may have limited effectiveness and may result in considerable side effects. Non-invasive ultrasound (US) treatment approaches are becoming increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential for reversibly permeabilizing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), targeting therapeutic delivery deep into the brain, and neuromodulation. Studies conducted on animals and early clinical trials using ultrasound as a therapeutic modality have demonstrated promising outcomes for controlling symptom severity while preserving neural tissue. These results could improve the quality of life for patients living with basal ganglia impairments. This review article explores the therapeutic frontiers of ultrasound technology, describing the brain mechanisms that are triggered and engaged by ultrasound. We demonstrate that this cutting-edge method could transform the way neurological disorders associated with the basal ganglia are managed, opening the door to less invasive and more effective treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several reports, including our previous studies, indicate that hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus exert differential effects on vascular function in males and females. This study examines sex differences in the vascular effects of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in an established monogenic model of obesity-induced T2D, Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. Acetylcholine (ACh) responses were assessed in phenylephrine pre-contracted rings before and after apocynin, a NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor. The mRNA expressions of aortic endothelial NOS (eNOS), and key NOX isoforms were also measured. We demonstrated the following: (1) diabetes had contrasting effects on aortic vasorelaxation in ZDF rats, impairing relaxation to ACh in females while enhancing it in male ZDF rats; (2) inhibition of NOX, a major source of superoxide in vasculature, restored aortic vasorelaxation in female ZDF rats; and (3) eNOS and NOX4 mRNA expressions were elevated in female (but not male) ZDF rat aortas compared to their respective leans. This study highlights sexual dimorphism in ACh-mediated vasorelaxation in the aorta of ZDF rats, suggesting that superoxide may play a role in the impaired vasorelaxation observed in female ZDF rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basal ganglia are involved in motor control and action selection, and their impairment manifests in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dystonia, among others. The complex neuronal circuitry of the basal ganglia is located deep inside the brain and presents significant treatment challenges. Conventional treatment strategies, such as invasive surgeries and medications, may have limited effectiveness and may result in considerable side effects. Non-invasive ultrasound (US) treatment approaches are becoming increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential for reversibly permeabilizing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), targeting therapeutic delivery deep into the brain, and neuromodulation. Studies conducted on animals and early clinical trials using ultrasound as a therapeutic modality have demonstrated promising outcomes for controlling symptom severity while preserving neural tissue. These results could improve the quality of life for patients living with basal ganglia impairments. This review article explores the therapeutic frontiers of ultrasound technology, describing the brain mechanisms that are triggered and engaged by ultrasound. We demonstrate that this cutting-edge method could transform the way neurological disorders associated with the basal ganglia are managed, opening the door to less invasive and more effective treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red macroalgae in the genus Porphyra are widely collected for human consumption and increasingly harvested along the North Atlantic coasts but their ability to withstand repeated harvesting and maintain high cover and abundance on natural shorelines remains poorly explored, raising sustainability concerns. Therefore, we investigated the effect of frequent hand-harvesting on Porphyra dioica in a population in South Wales, UK, where it is commercially harvested. Twelve control and twelve treatment quadrats were installed in spring and six control and treatment plots in autumn. Monthly hand-harvesting of P. dioica individuals larger than 5 cm was performed in the treatment plots, while the control plots remained undisturbed. We monitored P. dioica percentage cover, yield, thallus length and recruit density, as well as benthic flora and fauna. Harvesting only impacted P. dioica thallus length, resulting in 41% smaller thalli compared to unharvested plots during summer, with possible long-term implications (e.g. reproductive output). Strong seasonality of P. dioica cover and yield was observed, peaking during spring and summer. The results suggest high resilience of the opportunistic life strategy of P. dioica under frequent harvesting, but to allow for full recovery, we urge for a recovery period of more than the tested 4 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the learning styles and language learning strategies used by elementary learners and how these two factors are related to their academic achievement in English. It was conducted in the north cluster of elementary schools of the Schools Division of Santiago City in the School Year 2023-2024. The respondents were the 325 learners of Grades 4 to 6 selected using a 95% degree of confidence and 5% allowable error and distributed to schools chosen using a proportionate allocation formula. It used the descriptive-correlational research design wherein data were gathered through the adapted survey questionnaires of 2019 VARK Learning Styles and the Language Strategy Use Survey from Cohen et al. (2019), validated by the panel of experts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and Kendall's tau-b correlation. Results showed that elementary learners were acquiring language learning strategies; they preferred kinesthetic, read/write, and auditory learning styles. There was no significant difference between male and female pupils in their language learning strategies and learning styles. Learning styles had no bearing on the use of language learning strategies; however, language learning strategies made profound contributions to academic achievement. This study concluded that learning styles and language learning strategies can help learners succeed academically. Hence, it is highly recommended that the proposed reading intervention program be used by teachers implementing catch-up Fridays, with consideration of the learning styles and language learning strategies of learners. Future studies will be undertaken with the results of this study as a reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact in the global research production and has also increased research waste. Living evidence syntheses (LESs) seek to regularly update a body of evidence addressing a specific question. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the production and dissemination of LESs emerged as a cornerstone of the evidence infrastructure. This critical interpretive synthesis answers the questions: What constitutes an LES to support decision-making?; when should one be produced, updated, and discontinued?; and how should one be disseminated? Methods: Searches included the Cochrane Library, EMBASE (Ovid), Health Systems Evidence, MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science up to 23 April 2024 and included articles that provide any insights on addressing the compass questions on LESs. Articles were selected and appraised, and their insights extracted. An interpretive and iterative coding process was used to identify relevant thematic categories and create a conceptual framework. Results: Among the 16,630 non-duplicate records identified, 208 publications proved eligible. Most were non-empirical articles, followed by actual LESs. Approximately one in three articles were published in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual framework addresses six thematic categories: (1) what is an LES; (2) what methodological approaches facilitate LESs production; (3) when to produce an LES; (4) when to update an LES; (5) how to make available the findings of an LES; and (6) when to discontinue LES updates. Conclusion: LESs can play a critical role in reducing research waste and ensuring alignment with advisory and decision-making processes. This critical interpretive synthesis provides relevant insights on how to better organize the global evidence architecture to support their production. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration: CRD42021241875. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study assesses the performance of a threshold vector error correction model (TVECM) for the analysis of spatial price transmission. We specifically determine how inference about price regimes and the process of price adjustment to the established long-run equilibrium is affected when the stochastic transaction cost is exogenously or endogenously determined in fixed and flexible threshold models. The study first generates non-stationary but cointegrated price series and transaction costs based on true price transmission parameters: percentage of violations of spatial equilibrium, speed of price adjustment, threshold and inaction band using Monte Carlo simulations. Then, the generated data are used to estimate TVECMs under various assumptions on transaction cost variation and threshold specification. Finally, estimates of price transmission parameters are compared with the true parameters to evaluate the performance of model specifications. Our results indicate that the flexible TVECM accounting for transaction cost variation outperforms the standard fixed TVECM, which is consistent with findings from many previous studies in the literature. Our study also finds that although the flexible TVECM performs better than the fixed TVECM, it may not fully address the limitation of linear models when a real-world data represents a complex nonlinearity in the spatial price transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition linked to the ongoing obesity pandemic, is rapidly increasing worldwide. In turn, its multifactorial etiology is consistently associated with low dietary quality. Changing dietary macronutrient and phytochemical quality via incorporating cooked common bean into an obesogenic diet formulation has measurable health benefits on the occurrence of both obesity and hepatic steatosis in C57BL/6 mice. Methods: A cohort of C57BL/6 mice were randomized into experimental diets containing multiple dietary concentrations of common bean. The primary endpoint of this study was comparing metabolomic analyses from liver and plasma of different treatment groups. Additionally, RNA sequencing and protein expression analysis via nanocapillary immunoelectrophoresis were used to elucidate signaling mediators involved. Results: Herein, global metabolomic profiling of liver and plasma identified sphingolipids as a lipid subcategory on which bean consumption exerted significant effects. Of note, C16 and C18 ceramides were significantly decreased in bean-fed animals. Hepatic RNAseq data revealed patterns of transcript expression of genes involved in sphingolipid metabolism that were consistent with metabolite profiles. Conclusions: Bean incorporation into an otherwise obesogenic diet induces effects on synthesis, biotransformation, and degradation of sphingolipids that inhibit the accumulation of ceramide species that exert pathological activity. These effects are consistent with a mechanistic role for altered sphingolipid metabolism in explaining how bean inhibits the development of MASLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing grain legumes, i.e., pulses, into any food pattern effectively increases dietary fiber and other bioactive food components of public health concern; however, the impact depends on the amount consumed. Given the convergence of preclinical and clinical data indicating that intake of at least 300 g (1.5 cup) of cooked pulse per day has clinically observable benefit, the feasibility for a typical consumer was demonstrated by creation of a fourteen-day menu plan that met this criterion. This menu plan, named Bean Cuisine, was comprised of a combination of five cooked pulses: dry beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, dry peas, and lentils. As reported herein, the impact of each menu day of the fourteen-day plan on gut microbial composition and predicted function was evaluated in female C57BL/6J mice, a strain commonly used in studies of metabolic dysfunction-associated chronic diseases. We report that pulse-related effects were observed across a wide variety of food item combinations. In comparison to a pulse-free human cuisine, all pulse menu days enriched for a gut ecosystem were associated with changes in predicted metabolic pathways involving amino acids (lysine, tryptophan, cysteine), short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate), and vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12, K2) albeit via different combinations of microbiota, according to the PICRUSt2 estimates. The predicted metabolic functions correlating with the various pulses in the menus, indicate the value of a food pattern comprised of all pulse types consumed on a regular basis. This type of multi-pulse food pattern has the potential to enhance the taxonomic and functional diversity of the gut microbiome as a means of strengthening the resilience of the gut ecosystem to the challenges associated with the daily activities of living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato paste is the most consumed tomato product on the Ghanaian market, the majority of which are imported into the country. This food product is easily adulterated, and thus, routine quality checks are necessary. Therefore, the current study is aimed at assessing the quality of eight tomato paste products on the Ghanaian market and checking for the presence of starch and artificial colourant erythrosine as possible adulterants. Routine quality metrics such as the pH, titratable acidity, total solids, and total soluble solids were assessed using standard methods. An HPLC method was employed to detect the presence of the colourant erythrosine, whereas starch content was determined by an enzymatic method using α‐amylase and then amyloglucosidase. Fifty percent of the products did not qualify to be called tomato paste based on total solid estimation. All the sampled products contained some amount of starch, with three having more than 10 g/100 g of this thickener. Additionally, the banned colourant erythrosine was detected in two of the products. All other parameters were consistent with regulatory standards. The present study has shown that some tomato paste products on the Ghanaian market contain additives that are not permitted under any circumstance and fall short of regulatory standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The implementation of evidence-informed policies and practices across systems is a complex, multifaceted endeavor, often requiring the mobilization of multiple organizations from a range of contexts. In order to facilitate this process, policy makers, innovation developers and service deliverers are increasingly calling upon intermediaries to support implementation, yet relatively little is known about precisely how they contribute to implementation. This study examines the role of intermediaries supporting the implementation of evidence-informed policies and practices in the mental health and addictions systems of New Zealand, Ontario, Canada and Sweden. Methods: Using a comparative case study methodology and taking an integrated knowledge translation approach, we drew from established explanatory frameworks and implementation theory to address three questions: (1) Why were the intermediaries established? (2) How are intermediaries structured and what strategies do they use in systems to support the implementation of policy directions? and (3) What explains the lack of use of particular strategies? Data collection included three site visits, 49 key informant interviews and document analysis. Results: In each jurisdiction, a unique set of problems (e.g., negative events involving people with mental illness), policies (e.g., feedback on effectiveness of existing policies) and political events (e.g., changes in government) were coupled by a policy entrepreneur to bring intermediaries onto the decision agenda. While intermediaries varied greatly in their structure and characteristics, both the strategies they used and the strategies they didn't use were surprisingly similar. Specifically it was notable that none of the intermediaries used strategies that directly targeted the public, nor used audit and feedback. This emerged as the principle policy puzzle. Our analysis identified five reasons for these strategies not being employed: (1) their need to build/maintain healthy relationships with policy actors; (2) their need to build/maintain healthy relationships with service delivery system actors; (3) role differentiation with other system actors; (4) perceived lack of "fit" with the role of policy intermediaries; and (5) resource limitations that preclude intensive distributed (program-level) work. Conclusion: Policy makers and implementers must consider capacity to support implementation, and our study identifies how intermediaries can be developed and harnessed to support the implementation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadly bacterial infections such as anthrax continue to pose a significant threat to human health worldwide. This disease is caused by Bacillus anthracis, which the CDC classifies as a Tier 1 biological agent due to its ability to form spores resistant to severe environmental stress conditions, including antibiotics. Identifying new antibiotics against this pathogen is therefore crucial for combatting anthrax infections. In this research, crude extracts from Pennsylvania soil were purified using various chromatography methods, resulting in natural products, which were assessed for their antimicrobial properties. After performing minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration assays, two compounds, AMS002 and AMS003, exhibited growth inhibitory and killing activity against B. anthracis at 0.8 mg/ml and 0.2 mg/ml, respectively. Both compounds inhibited greater than 80% of protein synthesis relative to the control samples in cell-based and in-vitro fluorescent reporter assays, suggesting that these compounds may target the bacterial protein synthesis pathway as their primary mode of action. The novelty of this discovery is vital due to the resistant nature of B. anthracis spores and their use as a potential weapon in bioterrorism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism resembles an indispensable source for financing national development and securing local livelihoods in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with their sun-sea-sand tourism. Related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions counteract sectoral development as climate impacts have begun to severely reduce the attractiveness of destinations. This is valid especially for disaster-prone SIDS where slow and rapid onsetting phenomena and severe, frequent weather events are already experienced, increasingly putting tourist assets, infrastructure, local livelihoods and unique biodiversity under pressure. Against this background, this review synthesizes the recent climate change and tourism literature relating to main SIDS regions, highlighting what is at risk. The authors provide latest evidence of the role tourism plays for these islands and elaborate the peculiar climate risks, impacts and consequences for tourism development. The current state of adaptation is explored and research priorities in SIDS regions are highlighted. Whereas SIDS show high mitigation ambition, the significance of CO2 emissions along the value chain and especially related to the transport to SIDS destinations remains a problem that developed nations must address in their national emission reduction plans. Further research at the interface of climate change and tourism is needed, contributing to the decarbonisation of tourism and successful adaptation in SIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas exchange measurements enable mechanistic insights into the processes that underpin carbon and water fluxes in plant leaves which in turn inform understanding of related processes at a range of scales from individual cells to entire ecosytems. Given the importance of photosynthesis for the global climate discussion it is important to (a) foster a basic understanding of the fundamental principles underpinning the experimental methods used by the broad community, and (b) ensure best practice and correct data interpretation within the research community. In this review, we outline the biochemical and biophysical parameters of photosynthesis that can be investigated with gas exchange measurements and we provide step‐by‐step guidance on how to reliably measure them. We advise on best practices for using gas exchange equipment and highlight potential pitfalls in experimental design and data interpretation. The Supporting Information contains exemplary data sets, experimental protocols and data‐modelling routines. This review is a community effort to equip both the experimental researcher and the data modeller with a solid understanding of the theoretical basis of gas‐exchange measurements, the rationale behind different experimental protocols and the approaches to data interpretation. Summary statement: This review outlines the fundamental principles underpinning photosynthetic gas exchange and gives guidance on best practice for obtaining and correctly interpreting measurements. It is meant to provide a solid foundation in gas exchange techniques to the novice and act as a point of reference for the experienced researcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The causes for delays during the COVID19 pandemic and their impact on head and neck cancer (HNC) diagnosis and staging are not well described. Methods: Two cohorts were defined a priori for review and analysis—a Pre‐Pandemic cohort (June 1 to December 31, 2019) and a Pandemic cohort (June 1 to December 31, 2020). Delays were categorized as COVID‐19 related or not, and as clinician, patient, or policy related. Results: A total of 638 HNC patients were identified including 327 in the Pre‐Pandemic Cohort and 311 in the Pandemic Cohort. Patients in the Pandemic cohort had more N2‐N3 category (41% vs. 33%, p = 0.03), T3‐T4 category (63% vs. 50%, p = 0.002), and stage III‐IV (71% vs. 58%, p < 0.001) disease. Several intervals in the diagnosis to treatment pathway were significantly longer in the pandemic cohort as compared to the Pre‐Pandemic cohort. Among the pandemic cohort, 146 (47%) experienced a delay, with 112 related to the COVID‐19 pandemic; 80 (71%) were clinician related, 15 (13%) were patient related, and 17 (15%) were policy related. Conclusions: Patients in the Pandemic cohort had higher stage disease at diagnosis and longer intervals along the diagnostic pathway, with COVID‐19 related clinician factors being the most common cause of delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine whether (1) healthcare access at onset of the pandemic and (2) age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and pre-existing health status were associated with change in health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study includes a general population sample of five countries. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to respondents from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic between April 22nd and May 5th of 2020, and 1 year later between May 23rd and June 29th of 2021. The questionnaire included questions on demographic background, health status, and HRQoL. The primary outcome was change in HRQoL as measured by the EQ-5D-5L instrument. Specifically, the EQ-5D-5L index and EQ VAS were used. Healthcare access was quantified with regard to the respondent's ease of getting an appointment, waiting time, and opportunity to contact the provider and during analysis dichotomized into "sufficient" versus "insufficient". Linear regression analysis was performed with change in HRQoL as dependent variable and background variables as independent variables. Results: In total, 6,765 respondents completed the second questionnaire. 19.8% of total respondents reported insufficient healthcare access. Respondents with insufficient healthcare had both more improved and deteriorated HRQoL compared to respondents with sufficient healthcare, whose HRQoL remained unchanged. We did not find significant interactions between age, gender, SES and/or chronic disease status with healthcare access at onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Healthcare access was not associated with cumulative differences in change in HRQoL over a 1-year period in strata of age, gender, SES, and chronic disease status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marketing claims of the Library of America (LOA) reveal that this institution functions within the tradition of such middlebrow publishing ventures as The Harvard Classics and the Modern Library. All such ventures assure consumers that cultural cache can be theirs through brand loyalty. LOA's brand identity, however, is fraught with contradictions. While claiming to continue the legacy of highbrow literary critic Edmund Wilson, LOA increasingly publishes volumes devoted to pulp genres that would have been anathema to Wilson. While English departments have been questioning notions of the canon throughout LOA's history, the publisher, founded in 1980, insists that its books define the canon of US literature. The professoriate, however, has largely ignored LOA's claims regarding great literature because the publisher also claims to uphold the standards of great scholarship. These brand contradictions serve as a context for assessing a recent addition to LOA's core collection, William Faulkner: Stories , edited by Theresa M. Towner. I contrast Towner's editorial methods with those of Joseph Blotner and Noel Polk, who edited LOA's five volumes of Faulkner's novels between 1985 and 2003, in order to address what we mean when we say a text is authoritative and corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retirement holds many surprises, including what you can name it. Are you prepared to withdraw from life as well as career and disengage from your pursuits as you get older? Or perhaps you’ll just plan to continue along the same path you have been, but just absent the work part. You might be the type to forge ahead with new pursuits and interests with all that new free time. Regardless of your preference, you may find yourself having more of that retirement time than you anticipated and need to prepare more diligently than you anticipate. And your clients may be in the same circumstances. Getting a better handle on what specific action to take on the multiple aspects of planning that a satisfying retirement will bring under challenging circumstances and risks can be a benefit to both financial professionals and their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking advantage of the resources available on a regular basis from primary sources like the annual U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey and the Survey of Program Income and Program Participation can help both financial planning professionals and organizations work towards more responsive services for clients and an improved environmental scan of potential client financial needs and behaviors. These can provide information and insights about a variety of geographic and demographic perspectives--from the macro to the micro--to the advantage of their individual practice, business opportunities, and clients. And it's free!. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have made notable social, cultural, and economic contributions to the African Diaspora, particularly since their inception in the United States. Being that HBCU athletic programs account for a small proportion of the intercollegiate athletic industry, these unique entities are often examined in the same vein as their Historically White Institution counterparts without a full account of the intergenerational adverse impacts of systemic racism. Since HBCUs are situated within the distinct context of Blackness, the researchers offer a reconceptualization through the theoretical lens of Black Critical Theory. This manuscript illuminates linkages across extant literature, while also presenting a budding theoretical framework in the study of sport, and sport organizations, that have deeply embedded relationships with communities, for example, HBCUs and the Black community, stickball and lacrosse within Indigenous communities, and the relationship between women and womens' sports leagues. Implications of this work are centered on promoting more critical reconceptualizations of sporting spaces that reflect the full diversity of the societies in which they exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by social communication deficits plus repetitive behaviors and restricted interests, currently affects 1/36 children in the general population. Recent advances in functional brain imaging show promise to provide useful biomarkers of ASD diagnostic likelihood, behavioral trait severity, and even response to therapeutic intervention. However, current gold-standard neuroimaging methods (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI) are limited in naturalistic studies of brain function underlying ASD-associated behaviors due to the constrained imaging environment. Compared to fMRI, high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT), a non-invasive and minimally constraining optical neuroimaging modality, can overcome these limitations. Herein, we aimed to establish HD-DOT to evaluate brain function in autistic and non-autistic school-age children as they performed a biological motion perception task previously shown to yield results related to both ASD diagnosis and behavioral traits. Methods: We used HD-DOT to image brain function in 46 ASD school-age participants and 49 non-autistic individuals (NAI) as they viewed dynamic point-light displays of coherent biological and scrambled motion. We assessed group-level cortical brain function with statistical parametric mapping. Additionally, we tested for brain-behavior associations with dimensional metrics of autism traits, as measured with the Social Responsiveness Scale-2, with hierarchical regression models. Results: We found that NAI participants presented stronger brain activity contrast (coherent > scrambled) than ASD children in cortical regions related to visual, motor, and social processing. Additionally, regression models revealed multiple cortical regions in autistic participants where brain function is significantly associated with dimensional measures of ASD traits. Limitations: Optical imaging methods are limited in depth sensitivity and so cannot measure brain activity within deep subcortical regions. However, the field of view of this HD-DOT system includes multiple brain regions previously implicated in both task-based and task-free studies on autism. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that HD-DOT is sensitive to brain function that both differentiates between NAI and ASD groups and correlates with dimensional measures of ASD traits. These findings establish HD-DOT as an effective tool for investigating brain function in autistic and non-autistic children. Moreover, this study established neural correlates related to biological motion perception and its association with dimensional measures of ASD traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD) report negative perceptions of care and significant invalidation from medical professionals. However, the relationship of invalidation to illness severity has not been examined, nor have risk factors for invalidation been identified. This cross-sectional study enrolled 80 patients who met stringent criteria for PTLD. We examined correlations between the Illness Invalidation Inventory and measures of symptom severity, quality of life, and trust in physicians. To study the relationship between invalidation and potential demographic and clinical factors, we generated simple unadjusted and multivariate adjusted linear regression models. We found that higher 'lack of understanding' and 'discounting' subscale scores of the Illness Invalidation Inventory were significantly positively correlated with higher symptom severity, lower quality of life, and lower trust in physicians. In adjusted linear regression models, older age (lack of understanding: β = − 0.17, p = 0.008, discounting: β = − 0.19, p = 0.001, every 10 years) and male gender (lack of understanding: β = − 0.49, p = 0.016, discounting: β = − 0.51, p = 0.006) were associated with less invalidation. We also identified receiving an alternative diagnosis for PTLD as a mediator in the relationship between gender and invalidation. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that reducing invalidation within the clinical encounter could positively affect illness burden and quality of life for patients with PTLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had multiple health and behavioral effects in the general population worldwide, including effects on nutritional and lifestyle behavior such as alcohol consumption. This study aimed to determine the frequency of and predictors for change in alcohol consumption two years after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among participants from the general population of six countries. Methods: Longitudinal study design with 4999 participants (47% male; aged 18–75 years) from a general population cohort from six countries: Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US). Measurements: Three web-based surveys at different time waves: T1 = 22 April–1 June 2020; T2 = 2 May–29 June 2021 and T3 = 29 April–25 June 2022. The surveys included questions on self-reported retrospective alcohol consumption, demographics, health, anxiety and depression symptoms and recent life events. Results: Of 4999 respondents, most (82.3%) reported no change in drinking habits during the pandemic, whereas 12.5% reported drinking less and 5.1% drinking more. Predictive factors for increased alcohol consumption include age 35–54 years, male gender, high educational level, moderate-severe depression symptoms, excessive drinking before the COVID-19 pandemic, no change in general health status and job loss. Predictive factors for decreased alcohol consumption were age 18–34 years, male gender, having chronic disease(s), moderate-severe depression symptoms, excessive drinking before the pandemic and job loss. Conclusion: The proportion of participants who reported a decrease in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic was higher compared to those who reported an increase. Excessive drinking before the pandemic, depression symptoms and job loss were predictors for both drinking more and drinking less alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic with an stronger association for an increase in alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies, a viral disease that causes lethal encephalitis, kills ≈59,000 persons worldwide annually, despite availability of effective countermeasures. Rabies is endemic in Kenya and is mainly transmitted to humans through bites from rabid domestic dogs. We analyzed 164 brain stems collected from rabid animals in western and eastern Kenya and evaluated the phylogenetic relationships of rabies virus (RABV) from the 2 regions. We also analyzed RABV genomes for potential amino acid changes in the vaccine antigenic sites of nucleoprotein and glycoprotein compared with RABV vaccine strains commonly used in Kenya. We found that RABV genomes from eastern Kenya overwhelmingly clustered with the Africa-1b subclade and RABV from western Kenya clustered with Africa-1a. We noted minimal amino acid variances between the wild and vaccine virus strains. These data confirm minimal viral migration between the 2 regions and that rabies endemicity is the result of limited vaccine coverage rather than limited efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract–We present a uniform approach to the construction of the groups of type E 6 over arbitrary fields without using Lie theory. This gives a simple description of the group generators and some of the subgroup structure. In the finite case our approach also permits relatively straightforward computation of the group order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this review is to identify common mood concerns in ICD patients and suggest brief psychological screeners essential for early detection and monitoring in patient care. Areas covered: Reliable and valid psychological assessment tools are reviewed, including those specifically designed for ICD patient populations. Expert opinion: Psychological assessment, in combination with cardiologic standard of care, can help overcome many barriers associated with poor implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) management and related cardiovascular outcomes. Earlier identification and treatment of mood concerns in ICD patients has been shown to improve quality of life (QOL) and patient outcomes. At this time, however, logistical challenges and time restraints, in addition to knowledge of appropriate treatment plans or referral options, remain central barriers to providing integrated, patient-centered care. Ultimately, all cardiology clinics would benefit from a collaborative care team that includes a mental health consultant or in-house psychologists who can provide consultations or referral services. Additionally, all patients that come to the clinics should complete proactive screening measures as routine component of care to assess the presence of mood concerns to improve patient outcomes and aid in treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic efficacy of contrast-enhanced CT scans for small bowel bleeding. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated patients diagnosed with non-neoplastic small intestinal bleeding (including duodenum) who underwent abdominal CT at our institution from December 2013 to March 2023. Patients were categorized into diverticulum and non-diverticulum groups based on the cause of bleeding. Active bleeding was defined on the CT images as extravasation of contrast material in the intestinal lumen during the arterial phase and/or progressive accumulation of contrast material during the venous phase. We have documented the original report (extracted from the medical record system and additional consultation opinions from senior radiologists), including the presence of active bleeding and its potential bleeding location. Furthermore, two radiologists reassessed the CT images, seeking consensus on the diagnosis between them. Results: The study included 165 patients, predominantly male, with a median age of 30 years. Active bleeding was identified in 48.3% of patients. Notably, all identified bleeding diverticula in the diverticulum group exhibited cul-de-sac termination. Among the identified causes of bleeding, Crohn's disease was most prevalent (46.7%, N of causes = 64). Significant differences were observed in the diagnostic methods between the diverticulum and non-diverticulum groups, with surgery predominantly applied in the diverticulum group, and endoscopy in the non-diverticulum group (n = 49 vs n = 15, p = 0.001). Contrast agent extravasation was significantly higher in the diverticulum group (n = 54 vs n = 16, p = 0.001), and Meckel's diverticulum cases appearing tubular were significantly higher than in other diverticulum cases (n = 25 vs n = 3, p < 0.001). Conclusion: CT allows for a higher detection rate of diverticular bleeding, even if asymptomatic, guiding classification into multiple potentially clinically relevant categories. Critical relevance statement: Contrast-enhanced CT imaging is effective in determining the location and cause of non-neoplastic small bowel bleeding, especially diverticular bleeding. Therefore, the use of enhanced CT should be prioritized in the diagnosis and management of small bowel bleeding. Key Points: CT has potential value in the diagnosis of small bowel bleeding. CT imaging suggests possible surgical intervention for active bleeding detection. CT diagnoses and localizes small bowel bleeding, aiding in treatment and prioritizing in guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Undergoing surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) at the same facility has been associated with higher overall survival (OS) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Our study investigates whether undergoing surgery and aRT at the same academic facility is associated with higher OS in major salivary gland cancer (MSGC). Methods: The 2006–2018 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with MSGC undergoing surgery at an academic facility and then aRT. Multivariable binary logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models were implemented. Results: Of 2801 patients satisfying inclusion criteria, 2130 (76.0%) underwent surgery and aRT at the same academic facility. Residence in a less populated area (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16–2.45), treatment without adjuvant chemotherapy (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.41–2.76), and aRT duration (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.04) were associated with undergoing surgery and aRT at different facilities on multivariable logistic regression adjusting for patient demographics, clinicopathologic features, and adjuvant therapy (p < 0.01). Five‐year OS was higher in patients undergoing surgery and aRT at the same academic facility (68.8% vs. 61.9%, p < 0.001). Undergoing surgery and aRT at different facilities remained associated with worse OS on multivariable Cox regression (aHR 1.41, 95% CI 1.10–1.81, p = 0.007). Conclusion: Undergoing surgery and aRT at the same academic facility is associated with higher OS in MSGC. Although undergoing surgery and aRT at the same academic facility is impractical for all patients, academic physicians should consider same‐facility treatment for complex patients who would most benefit from clear multidisciplinary communication. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:3620–3632, 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ventrolateral medulla (VLM) is a crucial region in the brain for visceral and somatic control, serving as a significant source of synaptic input to the spinal cord. Experimental studies have shown that gene expression in individual VLM neurons is predictive of their function. However, the molecular and cellular organization of the VLM has remained uncertain. This study aimed to create a comprehensive dataset of VLM cells using single-cell RNA sequencing in male and female mice. The dataset was enriched with targeted sequencing of spinally-projecting and adrenergic/noradrenergic VLM neurons. Based on differentially expressed genes, the resulting dataset of 114,805 VLM cells identifies 23 subtypes of neurons, excluding those in the inferior olive, and five subtypes of astrocytes. Spinally-projecting neurons were found to be abundant in seven subtypes of neurons, which were validated through in situ hybridization. These subtypes included adrenergic/noradrenergic neurons, serotonergic neurons, and neurons expressing gene markers associated with premotor neurons in the ventromedial medulla. Further analysis of adrenergic/noradrenergic neurons and serotonergic neurons identified nine and six subtypes, respectively, within each class of monoaminergic neurons. Marker genes that identify the neural network responsible for breathing were concentrated in two subtypes of neurons, delineated from each other by markers for excitatory and inhibitory neurons. These datasets are available for public download and for analysis with a user-friendly interface. Collectively, this study provides a fine-scale molecular identification of cells in the VLM, forming the foundation for a better understanding of the VLM's role in vital functions and motor control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the most recent U.S. CDC surveillance data, the rise in prevalence of childhood autism spectrum disorder among minority children has begun to outpace that of non-Hispanic white children. Since prior research has identified possible differences in the extent of mate selection for autistic traits across families of different ethnicity, this study examined variation in autism related traits in contemporaneous, epidemiologically ascertained samples of spousal pairs representing Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations. The purpose was to determine whether discrepancies by ethnicity could contribute to differential increases in prevalence in the current generation of young children. Methods: Birth records were used to identify all twin pairs born between 2011 and 2013 in California and Missouri. Families were selected at random from pools of English-speaking Hispanic families in California and Non-Hispanic White families in Missouri. Autistic trait data of parents was obtained using the Adult Report Form of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). Results: We did not identify a statistically significant difference in the degree of mate selection for autism related traits between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white spousal pairs. However, the degree of spousal correlation observed in this recent cohort was pronounced (on the order of ICC 0.45) and exceeded that typically reported in prior research (on the order of 0.30), surpassing also widely reported estimates for sibling correlation (also on the order of 0.30). Limitations: The sample did not allow for a direct appraisal of change in the magnitude of spousal correlation over time and the ascertainments of trait burden were derived from spouse report. Conclusion: Across two epidemiologically ascertained samples of spousal pairs representing Hispanic and non-Hispanic white families across two U.S. states (respectively, California and Missouri), the extent of autism-related trait co-variation for parents of the current generation of young children is substantial and exceeds correlations typically observed for siblings. Given the heritability of these traits and their relation to autism risk, societal trends in the degree of mate selection for these traits should be considered as possible contributors to subtle increases in the incidence of autism over time and across generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, a growing number of calls to formalize and strengthen evidence-support systems have been released, all of which emphasize the importance of evidence-informed decision making. To achieve this, it is critical that evidence producers and decision-makers interact, and that decision-makers' evidence needs can be efficiently translated into questions to which evidence producers can respond. This paper aims to create a taxonomy of demand-driven questions for use by evidence producers, intermediaries (i.e., people working in between researchers and decision-makers) and decision-makers. Methods: We conducted a global cross-sectional survey of units providing some type of evidence support at the explicit request of decision-makers. Unit representatives were invited to answer an online questionnaire where they were asked to provide a list of the questions that they have addressed through their evidence-support mechanism. Descriptive analyses were used to analyze the survey responses, while the questions collected from each unit were iteratively analyzed to create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of types of questions that can be answered with some form of evidence. Results: Twenty-nine individuals completed the questionnaire, and more than 250 submitted questions were analysed to create a taxonomy of 41 different types of demand-driven questions. These 41 questions were organized by the goal to be achieved, and the goals were grouped in the four decision-making stages (i) clarifying a societal problem, its causes and potential impacts; (ii) finding and selecting options to address a problem; (iii) implementing or scaling-up an option; and (iv) monitoring implementation and evaluating impacts. Conclusion: The mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of demand-driven questions will help decision-makers (to ask and prioritize questions), evidence producers (to organize and present their work), and evidence-intermediaries (to connect evidence needs with evidence supply). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the commercial and home brewing of kombucha expands to accommodate its increased popularity, novel brewing practices that generate non-alcoholic kombucha in an efficient manner become valuable. The research presented in this work compares kombucha brewed in a glass jar brewing vessel to that brewed in an air-permeable silicone bag. Identical kombucha ferments with various sugar food sources were prepared and placed in each vessel, and variables such as titratable acidity, pH, alcohol by volume, gluconic acid concentration, acetic acid concentration, and sugar content were studied as a function of time. The results indicated that, regardless of the food source, kombucha brewed in an air-permeable bag exhibited more efficient acid production, lower ethanol concentration, and greater sugar utilization relative to equivalent kombucha brewed in a jar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real estate plays an essential part in various sociological theories of political economy, state capacity, racecraft, stratification, and urbanization. However, since foundational insights about the novelty of commodified, emplaced private property from theorists like Du Bois and Polanyi, these disparate threads have not been tied together into a coherent field of study. Here, we review three areas of recent scholarship relevant to understanding real estate—the political economy of place, property rights, and financialization—in order to draw out key insights from each. Overall, the political-economic and socio-legal aspects of real estate have been well-studied, but contemporary research has been limited by its parochialism. We argue that for a sociology of real estate to move forward, it must take a broader, more relational perspective; must become more international; and must confront the climate crisis—and that Polanyi's and Du Bois's contributions can be effectively mobilized toward these ends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To address the rehabilitative barriers to frequency and precision of care, we conducted a pilot study of a biofeedback electropalatography (EPG) device paired with telemedicine for patients who underwent primary surgery +/− adjuvant radiation for oral cavity carcinoma. We hypothesized that lingual optimization followed by telemedicine‐enabled biofeedback electropalatography rehabilitation (TEBER) would further improve speech and swallowing outcomes after "standard‐of‐care" SOC rehabilitation. Method: Pilot prospective 8‐week (TEBER) program following 8 weeks of (SOC) rehabilitation. Results: Twenty‐seven patients were included and 11 completed the protocol. When examining the benefit of TEBER independent of standard of care, "range‐of‐liquids" improved by +0.36 [95% CI, 0.02–0.70, p = 0.05] and "range‐of‐solids" improved by +0.73 [95% CI, 0.12–1.34, p = 0.03]. There was a positive trend toward better oral cavity obliteration; residual volume decreased by −1.2 [95% CI, −2.45 to 0.053, p = 0.06], and "nutritional‐mode" increased by +0.55 [95% CI, −0.15 to 1.24, p = 0.08]. Conclusion: This pilot suggests that TEBER bolsters oral rehabilitation after 8 weeks of SOC lingual range of motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanoid carboxylates were synthesized and in situ self‐assembled to illustrate temperature‐driven evolution in chromaticity. Evolution in structure (crystallinity), composition, luminosity, and chromaticity were investigated revealing the coupled role of divergence in order/structure (spatial organization), and composition in tuning observed color. Loss of crystallinity or increase in residual carbon leads to decrease in luminosity even with increase in hue. Comparing Ho and Er congeners shows that the density of accessible transition states relates to shifts in low and high wavelength components of color. This work demonstrates that, just as interface dipoles can lead to change in semiconductor band gap, structure and composition can analogously alter observed color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanoid carboxylates were synthesized and in situ self‐assembled to illustrate temperature‐driven evolution in chromaticity. Evolution in structure (crystallinity), composition, luminosity, and chromaticity were investigated revealing the coupled role of divergence in order/structure (spatial organization), and composition in tuning observed color. Loss of crystallinity or increase in residual carbon leads to decrease in luminosity even with increase in hue. Comparing Ho and Er congeners shows that the density of accessible transition states relates to shifts in low and high wavelength components of color. This work demonstrates that, just as interface dipoles can lead to change in semiconductor band gap, structure and composition can analogously alter observed color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]