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This study employed Rasch analyses to validate a novel measure of sport experience: the Sport Experience Measure: Children and Youth (SEM:CY). Analyses were applied to self-reported data of n = 503 young people (age 9–18 years, M = 12.91, 50% female) in Canada who were engaging in sport during the previous 12 months. The revised measure, consisting of 24 items on a 3-point response scale, demonstrated good fit statistics (e.g., item fit residual: M = −0.50, SD = 0.94 and person fit residual: M = −0.62, SD = 2.33), an ability to reliably discriminate between levels of sport experience, and an absence of differential item functioning for various groups (males and females, older and younger individuals, solo and team sports, and those playing at various competitive levels, including recreation). The SEM:CY is a succinct tool that can serve as a valuable means to gauge the quality of an individual's sport experience, which can facilitate positive youth development and sustain participation across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Underserved young adults (YA) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience the worst outcomes across the life span. We developed and integrated the Supporting Emerging Adults with Diabetes (SEAD) program into routine endocrinology care to address unmet social and medical challenges. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was designed as a longitudinal cohort study, with prospective data collection over 4 years on YA in SEAD compared with usual endocrine care. We used propensity-weighted analysis to account for differences in baseline characteristics, and multivariate regression and Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate change in outcomes over time. Primary outcomes included incidence of hospitalizations, diabetes technology uptake, and annual change in HbA1c levels. RESULTS: We included 497 YA with T1D in SEAD (n = 332) and usual endocrine care (n = 165); mean age 25 years, 27% non-Hispanic Black, 46% Hispanic, 49% public insurance, mean HbA1c 9.2%. Comparing YA in SEAD versus usual care, 1) incidence of hospitalizations was reduced by 64% for baseline HbA1c >9% (HR 0.36 [0.13, 0.98]) and 74% for publicly insured (HR 0.26 [0.07, 0.90]); 2) automated insulin delivery uptake was 1.5-times higher (HR 1.51 [0.83, 2.77]); and 3) HbA1c improvement was greater (SEAD, −0.37% per year [−0.59, −0.15]; usual care, −0.26% per year [−0.58, 0.05]). CONCLUSIONS: SEAD meaningfully improves clinical outcomes in underserved YA with T1D, especially for publicly insured and high baseline HbA1c levels. Early intervention for at-risk YA with T1D as they enter adult care could reduce inequity in short and long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A current‐fed switched inverter and its derivatives are gaining more attention in solar PV grid‐connected applications. In these inverters, the absence of galvanic isolation generates the leakage current, leading to the injection of harmonics and the degradation of solar PV panel life span. This paper proposes an integrated common ground‐based grid‐connected current‐fed switched inverter. The common ground between the input DC source and output AC grid eliminates the leakage current and makes the inverter immune to high‐frequency common‐mode voltage variations. It utilizes the shoot‐through state to boost the input DC voltage and obtain the rated AC output voltage. Moreover, as compared to the contemporary common ground‐based inverter topologies, the number of passive reactive elements and active switches is less. Thereby, the size, cost of the system, and associated power loss are reduced. The proposed inverter's continuous input current and buck–boost nature make it suitable for applications like solar PV systems. The steady‐state analysis of the proposed inverter is validated using the MATLAB Simulink tool, and furthermore, the simulation results during grid‐tied mode have been cross‐verified with the help of real‐time simulator OPAL‐RT. Further, the power loss and thermal loss analysis are carried out using the PLECS software. Finally, the performance of the inverter and simulation results are verified with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following eye gaze is fundamental for many social‐cognitive abilities, for example, when judging what another agent can or cannot know. While the emergence of gaze following has been thoroughly studied on a group level, we know little about (a) the developmental trajectory beyond infancy and (b) the sources of individual differences. In Study 1, we examined gaze following across the lifespan (N = 478 3‐ to 19‐year‐olds from Leipzig, Germany; and N = 240 20‐ to 80‐year‐old international, remotely tested adults). We found a steep performance improvement during preschool years, in which children became more precise in locating the attentional focus of an agent. Precision levels then stayed comparably stable throughout adulthood with a minor decline toward old age. In Study 2, we formalized the process of gaze following in a computational cognitive model that allowed us to conceptualize individual differences in a psychologically meaningful way (N = 60 3‐ to 5‐year‐olds, 50 adults). According to our model, participants estimate pupil angles with varying levels of precision based on observing the pupil location within the agent's eyes. In Study 3, we empirically tested how gaze following relates to vector following in non‐social settings and perspective‐taking abilities (N = 102 4‐ to 5‐year‐olds). We found that gaze following is associated with both of these abilities but less so with other Theory of Mind tasks. This work illustrates how the combination of reliable measurement instruments and formal theoretical models allows us to explore the in(ter)dependence of core social‐cognitive processes in greater detail. Research Highlights: Gaze following develops beyond infancy. The highest precision levels in localizing attentional foci are reached in young adulthood with a slight decrease towards old age.We present a computational model that describes gaze following as a process of estimating pupil angles and the corresponding gaze vectors.The model explains individual differences and recovers signature patterns in the data. To estimate the relation between gaze‐ and vector following, we designed a non‐social vector following task.We found substantial correlations between gaze following and vector following, as well as Level 2 perspective‐taking. Other Theory of Mind tasks did not correlate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper explores the impact of different charging pile business models on their economic and environmental benefits. Firstly, this paper analyzes the cooperation and competition relationships among the stakeholders under three charging pile business models, and their impact on the whole process of charging pile from design, production, operation to recycling. Secondly, this paper establishes a social economic benefit evaluation model and a life cycle carbon emission evaluation model based on the differences of charging pile in quality, cost, life span and high-value component recycling rate under different business models. Finally, this paper conducts a case analysis of the economic and environmental benefits of three business models combined with China's actual situation. The research results show that the economic and environmental benefits of each party in the three business models are closely related to the quality, cost, life span and high-value component recycling rate of the charging pile. Among them, the life span of the charging pile has the greatest impact on its economic and environmental benefits. The higher the recycling rate of high-value components, the more conducive to improving its economic and environmental benefits. The research results will provide reference for policy makers and EVCI investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is one of the main pollinators worldwide. In a temperate climate, seasonality affects the life span, behavior, physiology, and immunity of honey bees. In consequence, it impacts their interaction with pathogens and parasites. In this study, we used Bayesian statistics and modeling to examine the immune response dynamics of summer and winter honey bee workers after injection with the heat-killed bacteria Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic honey bee pathogen. We investigated the humoral and cellular immune response at the transcriptional and functional levels using qPCR of selected immune genes, antimicrobial activity assay, and flow cytometric analysis of hemocyte concentration. Our data demonstrate increased antimicrobial activity at transcriptional and functional levels in summer and winter workers after injection, with a stronger immune response in winter bees. On the other hand, an increase in hemocyte concentration was observed only in the summer bee population. Our results indicate that the summer population mounts a cellular response when challenged with heat-killed S. marcescens, while winter honey bees predominantly rely on humoral immune reactions. We created a model describing the honey bee immune response dynamics to bacteria-derived components by applying Bayesian statistics to our data. This model can be employed in further research and facilitate the investigating of the honey bee immune system and its response to pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, photovoltaic (PV) installations have experienced a surge in popularity, primarily driven by growing environmental concerns. However, the rise of large-scale PV installations has brought about challenges, such as the risk of overvoltage and grid overload. Instances of voltage violations notably escalate with increased PV penetration, often leading to inverter shutdowns. These occurrences cast a shadow over the viability of implementing high PV penetration. Moreover, integrating a substantial intermittent power source into an outdated power grid raises concerns about the reliability of the entire power network. Enhancing the power system to accommodate significant intermittent power poses a considerable challenge, and retrofitting the entire system would be prohibitively expensive. To address these issues without incurring exorbitant costs, the adoption of flexible power point tracking (FPPT) emerges as a crucial solution. FPPT effectively reduces ripple current stress, thereby extending the lifespan of critical components in a grid-connected PV system, including PV panels, DC link capacitors, and PV inverters. The significance of this research is underscored through an analytical study that scrutinizes various system entities, considering maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and FPPT separately. Furthermore, theoretical observations are substantiated by simulation results on the Matlab platform, illustrating the practical impact of FPPT compared to MPPT. Analytical findings highlight an overall improvement in the lifespan of system components when FPPT is employed as a substitute for MPPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPIs) not only lead to severe and life changing sequelae regarding motor impairment but can also be responsible for multi-characteristic pain. In everyday routine, questions regarding pain of the developing child with an OBPI are often overseen and neglected. We aimed to elucidate this specific question and analyzed all patients with OBPI treated in our center to unmask initially non-observed pain and ultimately put pain in correlation to the surgical reconstructive treatment performed. Methods: This single center retrospective study analyzes patients with OBPI treated in our center over the past 20 years. Patients were surveyed by the adolescent pediatric pain tool assessment to evaluate pain over their entire life span by excluding potential postoperative pain episodes. Results: A total of 95 patients were initially contacted of which 78 returned the questionnaire (53.8% female, 46.2% male). In our patient cohort, the vast majority constituting 84.6 percent did not experience pain in the affected upper extremity over the years up to the date of their examination. Most of the patients describing pain had not been microsurgically treated for brachial plexus reconstruction in their neonate period. Merely, 33.3 percent of all OBPI experiencing pain had been microsurgically reconstructed at a median age of 7 months. Conclusions: Pain interrogation in patients with OBPI is often overseen during daily clinical routine. Adequate age-appropriate analgesic therapy regimens adapted to the individual are highly recommended. Timely microsurgical brachial plexus reconstruction may result in reduced lifetime pain experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopaminergic neurons control behavior, memory, and locomotion, and the causal relationship of their dysfunction to neurodegenerative diseases and aging has drawn attention to investigating the involvement of dopaminergic neurons in the regulation of life span. The highly conserved serine-threonine protein kinase GSK3 (Glycogen Syntase Kinase 3), one of the most important multifunctional cellular enzymes in higher organisms, which in Drosophila melanogaster is encoded by the shaggy gene, plays an important role in the function of dopaminergic neurons. This paper provides the first evidence that altering shaggy expression levels in just a few clusters of dopaminergic neurons can affect life span. This effect can be either negative or positive and depends on sex. The data obtained may serve as a basis for further search for targeted cell-specific factors regulating the rate of aging, as well as for the development of highly specific approaches to the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete is the second most widely consumed material across the globe after water and it is the most utilized building material. However, microbial contamination and corresponding degradation in concrete structures reduce its life span. This also imposes a financial burden as well as a threat to public health. The major scientific question posed in this research is, "Can we utilize turmeric as an alternate coating to introduce antibacterial properties in concrete structures?". Our obtained results show that turmeric coating in concrete results in up to ~ 68% antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) without compromising the mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is associated with Marfan syndrome (MFS), a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. Sexual dimorphism has been recorded for TAA outcomes in MFS, but detailed studies on the differences in TAA progression in males and females and their relationships to outcomes have not been performed. The aims of this study were to determine sex differences in the diameter dilatation, mechanical properties, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling over time in a severe mouse model (Fbn1mgR/mgR = MU) of MFS-associated TAA that has a shortened life span. Male and female MU and wildtype (WT) mice were used at 1–4 mo of age. Blood pressure and in vivo diameters of the ascending thoracic aorta were recorded using a tail-cuff system and ultrasound imaging, respectively. Ex vivo mechanics and ECM remodeling of the aorta were characterized using a biaxial test system and multiphoton imaging, respectively. We showed that mechanical properties, such as structural and material stiffness, and ECM remodeling, such as elastic and collagen fiber content, correlated with diameter dilatation during TAA progression. Male MU mice had accelerated rates of diameter dilatation, stiffening, and ECM remodeling compared with female MU mice which may have contributed to their decreased life span. The correlation of mechanical properties and ECM remodeling with diameter dilatation suggests that they may be useful biomarkers for TAA progression. The differences in diameter dilatation and life spans in male and female MU mice indicate that sex is an important consideration for managing thoracic aortic aneurysm in MFS. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Using a mouse model (Fbn1mgR/mgR = MU) of severe thoracic aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome (MFS), we found that male MU aorta had an accelerated time line and increased amounts of dilatation, stiffening, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling compared with female MU aorta that may have contributed to an increased risk of fatigue failure with cyclic loading over time and a reduced life span. We suggest that aortic stiffness may provide useful information for clinical management of aneurysms in MFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri is a serious pest of the citrus industry and has developed resistance to many acaricides. Broflanilide is a novel meta‐diamide insecticide that binds to a new site on the γ ‐aminobutyric acid receptor with high potency against pests. However, little information has been reported about its effect on the citrus red mite. RESULTS: Broflanilide exhibited higher toxicity to female adults and eggs of a laboratory strain of P. citri The median lethal concentration (LC50), 9.769 mg/L and 4.576 mg/L, respectively) than other commonly used acaricides and was also toxic to two P. citri field strains. Broflanilide treatment with LC10, LC20, and LC30 significantly decreased the fecundity and longevity of female adults of F0P. citri compared with the control. The duration of larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult, and total life span in the F1 generation were significantly reduced after treatment of F0 with broflanilide. Population parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ), were significantly increased, and the mean generation time (T) of F1 progeny was significantly reduced in the LC20 treatment. The predicted population size of F1 increased when parental female adults were treated with sublethal concentrations. CONCLUSION: Broflanilide had high acaricidal activity toward P. citri, and exposure to a sublethal concentration significantly inhibited the population growth of F0. The transgenerational hormesis effect is likely to cause population expansion of F1. More attention should be paid when broflanilide is applied to control P. citri in citrus orchards. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors, such as photoperiod can play an important role in the development and performance of predatory mites. The influence of five photoperiod regimes (0: 24, 8: 16, 12: 12, 16: 8, and 24: 0 h; Light: Dark) on the population parameters of the predatory mites, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) was studied under the laboratory conditions at 25 °C and 25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH. Regarding A. swirskii, the longest and shortest total pre-adult and total preoviposition periods (TPOP) were in the photoperiod of 12 L:12D and 16 L:8D, respectively. The oviposition days, adult longevity, total life span, fecundity, gross reproductive rate (GRR), and net reproductive rate (R0) of the predator had no significant difference in all photoperiods tested. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the finite rate of increase (λ) in 16 L:8D photoperiod had no significant difference with the other photoperiods tested except 12 L:12D. Regarding N. cucumeris, the shortest total pre-adult and TPOP were in full darkness. The oviposition days and fecundity were significantly higher in 16 L:8D than the others. The value of R0 in 16 L:8D was significantly higher than 8 L:16D. The highest values of the parameters r and λ were observed in full darkness, which had no significant difference with 16 L:8D and 24 L:0D. According to the results, the photoperiod regime had a more significant influence in terms of development and reproduction on N. cucumeris than A. swirskii, and 16:8 (L: D) h photoperiod was recognized as the proper regime for their rearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible membrane with good anti‐wettability under giant deformation and fast healing will largely extend its adaptability and life span in anti‐/deicing application. A flexible membrane with significant dynamic water repellency and photo‐/electro‐responsive healing capability is reported, fabricated by combining the covalent grafting of fluorosilane to carbon black (F‐CB) with the optimized ablation difference between thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix and F‐CB. A rolling angle of below 5° is remained after either being stretching to 1000% strain or 2000 cycles of tensile tests at 400% strain. More importantly, multi‐scale cracks on the membrane can be diagnosed and repaired in real‐time; the healing efficiency reaches above 99% within 90 s even if completely fractured under the effect of both solar irradiation of 0.1 W cm−2 and applied voltage of 20 V; and all‐weather anti‐/deicing has the performance of an icing delay time of 323 s and an ice adhesion strength of <40 kPa, a sharp contrast to the 18 s and 1090 kPa, respectively, for bare metal surface. This work endows anti‐icing membrane with the ability of damage detection and cyclic healing, highly demanded in outdoor anti‐/deicing application that involve inevitable mechanical damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies throughout the world are presently focused on achieving a better quality of life and a longer life span through increased financial feasibility, ecological harmony, and economic stability. This effort seeks to empirically assess the impact of economic, health, environmental, and demographic factors on life expectancy in 36 high-income and 65 middle-income nations from 2000 to 2019. Using panels corrected standard errors (PCSEs) regression, this paper assures that high-income nations have significantly longer lifespans. The factors that lead most to this strengthening include GDP per capita, population growth, financial development, food production, and fertility rates. However, high-income countries tend to have shorter life expectancy due to rising mortality rates and carbon dioxide emissions. In middle-income nations, life expectancy falls significantly as a result of rising food production, health expenses, fertility rates, and economic hardship. Still, improving lifespan in middle-income nations is a result of multiple factors, including rising rates of GDP per capita, financial development, inequality in earnings between rural and urban places, and growing populations. The accuracy and credibility of the results are confirmed by using Driscoll-Kraay standard error estimates, feasible generalized least squares, random effect, and fixed effect approaches. The study's results point to the notion that these countries should put more emphasis on demographic and economic factors that lengthen life expectancy. Further, as health and environmental issues contribute to a shorter life expectancy, governments should place a greater priority on these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next-generation energy storage systems rely heavily on the capability of fast charging as they allow electronic devices to be charged within a remarkably brief period. The practical applications of fastcharging technology are severely hindered by unsatisfactory electrochemical performance, e.g., low specific capacity, low areal capacity, low coulombic efficiency, and very limited life span, resulting in a fast-discharging process. This comprehensive review provides a concise overview of the obstacles faced and thereby the recent advancements made in the realm of fast-charging all-solid-state lithium batteries. Firstly, it explains the inherent challenges of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) and conventional ASSLB design that impede fast-charging capabilities. Based on these challenges, the specifications and strategies for optimizing the SSEs, electrodes, and electrode/SSE interfaces are discussed to achieve the fast-charging phenomenon in ASSLBs. To give readers a better understanding of ASSLBs under fast-charging capabilities, a comprehensive conclusion and novel points of view are included in the prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the construction of Internet democratic politics in China requires an understanding of how multimodal connectedness can enhance citizens' political participation. This study introduces the Orientations-Stimuli-Reasoning-Orientations-Responses (O-S-R-O-R) model, explaining the pathway from multimodal connectedness to political participation through "multimodal connectedness-political news attention/political news use-interpersonal political discussion-political trust-political participation." Analyzing data from 2,379 participants in the context of Internet democratic politics, the study finds that the mediating variables fully mediate the relationship between multimodal connectedness and political participation. While political news attention promotes political participation, political trust has a significant negative impact. The study also compares the model across three age groups: young (18-29 years), middle-aged (30-39 years), and elderly (40-60 years). For the young and middle-aged groups, political news attention negatively impacts political participation, likely due to the fragmentation and distraction caused by real-time messages. Among the elderly, political trust negatively affects political participation, indicating a complex scenario where they are passionate about politics but lack adequate participation channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset consists of 64-channels resting-state EEG recordings of 608 participants aged between 20 and 70 years, 61.8% female, as well as follow-up measurements after approximately 5 years of 208 participants, starting 2021. The EEG was measured for three minutes with eyes open and eyes closed before and after a 2-hour block of cognitive experimental tasks. The data set is part of the Dortmund Vital Study, a prospective study on the determinants of healthy cognitive aging. The dataset can be used for (1) analyzing cross-sectional resting-state EEG of healthy individuals across the adult life span; (2) generating normalization data sets for comparison of resting-state EEG data of patients with clinically relevant disorders; (3) studying effects of performing cognitive tasks on resting-state EEG and age; (4) exploring intra-individual changes in resting-state EEG and effects of task performance over a time period of about 5 years. The data are provided in Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) format and are available on OpenNeuro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in veterinary medicine have resulted in increased life spans for dogs, necessitating a better understanding of quality of life for older dogs. This study aimed to evaluate quality of life (QoL) progression and its potential association with mortality in senior and geriatric dogs. The Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life Questionnaire (CORQ), consisting of 17 questions across four domains (vitality, companionship, pain, and mobility) was employed. Higher scores indicated better quality of life, with 7 as the highest potential score for each question. In a cross-sectional analysis including 92 dogs, we found an inverse correlation between overall CORQ (and all domain scores) and fractional lifespan. The domain of vitality demonstrated the lowest scores, while companionship exhibited the highest. A longitudinal analysis, including 34 dogs, revealed that when dogs reach the geriatric stage (100% of their calculated lifespan), their expected overall CORQ is 5.95 out of 7, and dogs are expected to have a monthly decline of 0.05 units in the score. Cox proportional hazard analysis demonstrated a significant association between overall CORQ scores and mortality, with dogs scoring below 5.35 being at a higher risk of mortality. This study underscores the association between aging, declining quality of life, and increased mortality risk in aging dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investment gap in America's inland waterways (IWWs) has been fueled by decades of low investments, which has negatively impacted the reliability of the waterway's locks. US IWWs, which transport commodities and support the nation's economy, are aging rapidly, exacerbated by decades of underinvestment. Many of these infrastructure systems now need to address a substantial maintenance backlog to increase their life span and improve functionality. Optimizing the decision-making process for effective and efficient planning and policymaking is essential to perform this requisite maintenance. Recognizing the robust scope of this maintenance, long-term maintenance strategies are needed in order to optimize investments across these waterway systems to improve their condition. Currently, limited research exists on decision making on IWW transportation assets, and there is a lack of requisite guidance for optimally performing maintenance activities on a single lock on the IWW system. Therefore, this study focuses on developing a decision-making model that considers several uncertainties toward optimizing the maintenance of locks on IWWs. The model evaluates maintenance decisions on an IWW lock using data obtained via expert elicitation. Results obtained from compiling the influence diagram (ID) and performing sensitivity analysis on the model support the need for periodic inspection of the locks to assess the condition before making any maintenance decision. The study presents a novel approach for enhancing maintenance decisions on IWW assets by considering key uncertainties beyond the physical condition of the assets. This research sets the stage for further studies on how fiscal constraints affect infrastructure asset maintenance decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coefficient of friction (CoF) between the deflection pulley and rope in a lift strongly affects the life span of the rope. Although surface roughness is a key factor affecting the metallic pulley–rope CoF, its effect on polymeric pulleys is unknown. The present study analyses the effect of roughness and working conditions on cast polyamide 6 (PA6G) deflection pulley–thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-coated rope contacts. The statistical analysis revealed that the effect of surface roughness on the CoF for low-load tests was significant. The present study contributes significantly to parameter selection in deflection pulley machining to minimise friction between the pulley and rope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Do the mothers of twins and singletons differ regarding post-partum and old-age mortality? SUMMARY ANSWER Twin deliveries were associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality than singleton deliveries, but the lifetime post-partum mortality risk was similar for mothers of twins and singletons; survival of twinners was higher than survival of the mothers of singletons after the 67th lifespan percentile. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Twinning is typically associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality. The evidence about whether twinning incurs long-term survival costs of reproduction or is a trait pertinent to long-lived women is scarce and contradictory. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The study is based on the data of the Estonian Family Register (operating from 1926 to 1943) and involves 5565 mothers of twins and 119 613 mothers of singletons born between 1850 and 1899. The subset for comparing maternal lifespans included 1703–1884 mothers of twins and 19 747–36 690 mothers of singletons. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Post-partum maternal mortality was analyzed in the whole sample (including mothers of a single child) by logistic regression. Most of the analyses were performed in samples where each mother of twins was matched against mothers of singletons based on parity (or number of deliveries), urban versus rural and inland versus coastal origin, whether their lifespan was known, date of birth and age at first birth. Lifespans were compared in linear mixed models. Quantile regression was used to analyze age-dependent variations in maternal mortality rates. All models were adjusted for relevant biodemographic covariates. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The twinning rate in the whole sample was 4.4%. During the year after giving birth, maternal mortality for twin deliveries was 0.75% (17/2273) and 0.37% (449/122 750) for singleton deliveries (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.21–3.23). However, the lifetime post-partum mortality risk for mothers of twins (0.51%; 28/5557) and singletons (0.37%; 438/119 466) did not differ significantly (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 0.91–1.98). The life spans of the mothers of twins and singletons did not differ in matched samples. Past the 67th lifespan percentile, the odds of survival were significantly higher for mothers of twins than mothers of singletons, as indicated by non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Relatively low number of individuals (22 802–28 335) with known age at death in matched datasets due to discontinuation of the register after 1943. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The finding that mothers of twins had higher odds of old-age survival than mothers of singletons is consistent with the contention that twinners represent a non-random subset of women whose robust phenotypic quality allows them to outlive the mothers of singletons in old age. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was funded by the Estonian Research Council grants PRG1137, PRG2248, and PSG669. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a continuous-review stochastic replenishment model for a multi-component system with regular and emergency orders. The system consists of N parallel and independent components, each of which has a finite life span. In addition, there is a warehouse with a limited stock of new components. Each broken component is replaced by a new component from the stock. When no component is available, an emergency supply is ordered. The stock is managed according to an ((s , S) , (0 , Q e)) policy, which is a combination of an (s , S) policy for the regular order and a (0 , Q e) policy for the emergency order. The regular order is delivered after an exponentially distributed lead time, whereas the emergency order is delivered immediately. We study three sub-policies for emergency orders, which differ from each other in size and in relation to the regular order. Applying the results from queueing theory and phase-type properties, we derive the optimal thresholds for each sub-policy and then compare the economic benefit of each one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Griggs, G., 2024. Beach nourishment: A critical look. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(5), 962–971. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Beach nourishment has been the main strategy for responding to shoreline recession along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts for a century. During the last 100 years, $15.7 billion, primarily with federal funds through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has been spent placing 1.2 billion m3 (1.58 billion yd3) of sand on the beaches of 475 coastal communities. More than half of this has gone to the states of New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Florida. The sand volumes, extent of beach nourished, and costs have all increased over time. Despite the expenditures, the life span of individual nourished beaches has been relatively short in most cases, as evidenced by the frequent repeated replenishment of most sites. Three North Carolina beaches have had sand added more than 20 times, and one of these has been nourished 31 times. Although beach nourishment has been beneficial in terms of recreational value and coastal property protection, the short life spans and the need to continually renourish most beaches, along with the environmental impacts, land subsidence, occurrence of short-term extreme events, and an accelerating rise in sea level, provide a strong rationale for terminating federal expenditures and dependence on short-term beach nourishment and planning for the inevitable long-term necessity of moving back from the shoreline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article utilizes the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to demonstrate how disadvantages in healthy life expectancies accumulated across generations create disparate kin structures among African American families in the United States. The analysis quantifies the overlap in parents' healthy years with their adult children's healthy life expectancies and examines how much the overlap coincides with the adult children's childrearing years. Non-Hispanic Black adults experienced parental illness and death sooner than non-Hispanic White adults, and their parents' poor health coincided longer with their own health declines. Non-Hispanic White adults, on the other hand, enjoyed more years in good health with two healthy parents. The intergenerational accumulation of unequal healthy life expectancies directly translated into unequal kin structures for the subsequent third generation. Race inequities in the intergenerational kin structure and health were greater among women than among men, and non-Hispanic Black women spent the most years raising children in poor health with unhealthy or deceased parents. Disparities in the intergenerational tempos of fertility, mortality, and morbidity are building profound structural racial inequities within a fundamental social institution—the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart rate, a measure of the frequency of the cardiac cycle, reflects the health of the cardiovascular system, metabolic rate, and activity of the autonomic nervous system. Whether changes in resting heart rate are related to lifespan has not yet been explored to our best knowledge. In this study, we examined the association between resting heart rate and lifespan using linear regression in the Paris Prospective Study I, the Whitehall I Study, and the Framingham Heart Study. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to relate changes in heart rate over years to mortality risk. We observed a statistically significant association between increases in resting heart rate over a 5-year period and risk of mortality in the Paris Prospective Study I (HR mortality per 10 bpm increase over time: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.27) and over an 8-year period in the Framingham Heart Study (HR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.19 for men and HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.15 for women), after adjusting for classical risk factors and resting heart rate. Our study shows that men and women who increase their resting heart rate over time increase their risk of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is a complex process influenced by internal and external factors. Oxidative stress damages DNA, leading to 8-hydroxy-2' deoxyguanosine formation (8-OHdG). Telomere shortening is considered a biomarker of aging and oxidative stress may enhance its attrition. The ability to manage and repair oxidative stress varies among species and life histories. Avian species, such as Psittacidae birds, exhibit exceptional lifespans despite their physiological characteristics that might suggest otherwise. This study investigates 8-OHdG levels in serum samples from long- and short-lived birds of the order Psittaciformes, examining their relationship with telomere length and antioxidant capacity based on lifespan strategies. Among 43 individuals analyzed 26 belonged to the "long-lived species" group and 17 belonged to the "short-lived species" one. Relative telomere length (rTL) was measured in DNA isolated from whole blood by qPCR, and oxidative stress markers, such as Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and 8-OHdG, were determined by spectrophotometry in serum samples. Long-lived birds had longer rTL than short-lived ones [1.308 ± 0.11 vs. 0.565 ± 0.13, (p < 0.001)]. On the contrary, short-lived birds showed more DNA damage than their counterparts [3.847 ± 0.351 vs. 2.012 ± 0.308, respectively, (p < 0.001)]. Old birds had shorter rTL than young ones, for both longevity groups (p < 0.001). Although no correlation was found between 8-OHdG levels and age, nor 8-OHdG and telomere length, long-lived birds exhibited 75.42-unit increased TAC levels when increased 8-OHdG concentrations (p = 0.046). These findings highlight distinct patterns of telomere length and oxidative stress influenced by lifespan strategies among avian longevity groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important model organism, Drosophila melanogaster has unique advantages in biological research because of its short life span, low culture cost, rich mutant resources and relatively simple gene operation. In recent years, with the vigorous development of food science, Drosophila melanogaster shows unique application value in screening new health food and pharmacological research. This paper reviews the methods and applications of establishing models of common human diseases and aging of Drosophila melanogaster, which lays a foundation for the study of the mechanism of diseases and aging, as well as the research and development of health food and drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wormwood powder (WP) was used to perform antibacterial modification on traditional thermosetting plastic epoxy resin (EP) to prepare EP with antibacterial function, so as to solve the problems of shortening life span and hygiene caused by bacterial erosion of EP. The dynamics of curing process of antibacterial EP was studied, so as to understand the influence of WP on its curing behavior. It lays a theoretical foundation for selecting reasonable processing conditions. The curing behavior of EP/WP was studied by DSC. The results showed that the antibacterial rate of the composites increased with the addition of WP. When the addition of WP was 20%, the antibacterial rate of the composites against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus reached 100%. The curing activation energy Ea of pure EP was 74.80 kJ/mol, EP/20% WP was 68.17 kJ/mol, indicating that the addition of WP promoted the curing of EP and reduced its curing activation energy. Through theoretical model analysis, it was found that the curing behavior of EP with WP was consistent with the autocatalytic mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy aging has emerged as a crucial issue with the increase in the geriatric population worldwide. Food-derived sulfur-containing amino acid ergothioneine (ERGO) is a potential dietary supplement, which exhibits various beneficial effects in experimental animals although the preventive effects of ERGO on aging and/or age-related impairments such as frailty and cognitive impairment are unclear. We investigated the effects of daily oral supplementation of ERGO dissolved in drinking water on lifespan, frailty, and cognitive impairment in male mice from 7 weeks of age to the end of their lives. Ingestion of 4 ~ 5 mg/kg/day of ERGO remarkably extended the lifespan of male mice. The longevity effect of ERGO was further supported by increase in life and non-frailty spans of Caenorhabditis elegans in the presence of ERGO. Compared with the control group, the ERGO group showed significantly lower age-related declines in weight, fat mass, and average and maximum movement velocities at 88 weeks of age. This was compatible with dramatical suppression by ERGO of the age-related increments in plasma biomarkers (BMs) such as the chemokine ligand 9, creatinine, symmetric dimethylarginine, urea, asymmetric dimethylarginine, quinolinic acid, and kynurenine. The oral intake of ERGO also rescued age-related impairments in learning and memory ability, which might be associated with suppression of the age-related decline in hippocampal neurogenesis and TDP43 protein aggregation and promotion of microglial shift to the M2 phenotype by ERGO ingestion. Ingestion of ERGO may promote longevity and healthy aging in male mice, possibly through multiple biological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sense of agency refers to the feeling of controlling one's actions and their effects on the external environment. Here, we tested how the physiological process of aging affects the agency experience by taking advantage of a validated ecological experimental paradigm and exploring the different dimensions of agency. We tested 60 young and older adults during active and passive movements, causing, after a variable time delay, an external sensorial event. We collected overt agency judgments (i.e., explicit agency dimension), and we measured the perceived compression of the time interval between the active/passive movements and outcomes (to quantify the intentional binding phenomenon, an implicit index of agency). Our results indicate that the sense of agency significantly changes across the adult life span, with older participants exhibiting a reduced sense of agency, both at the explicit and implicit level. Crucially, the temporal dimension of the action outcome did not affect their agency experience. We suggest that elderly adults are more reliant on internal predictions, making them less sensitive to cognitive biases and external manipulations. We discuss these results in the domain of neurocognitive models of motor control, with reference to how aging affects the weighting process of predictive and sensory signals for efficient sensorimotor integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the documented benefits associated with organized sport and thus the assumption that youth who leave sport are losing out on developmental benefits, dropout has been predominantly framed as a crisis to be solved. Throughout this paper we aimed to challenge the overarching narrative of youth dropout from organized sport as a negative outcome only by highlighting the complexity of youth sport experiences and participation patterns. First, we highlight the lack of conceptual clarity regarding the term "dropout" and question its relevance for describing youth's sport experiences. Next, we discuss how declines in organized sport participation may reflect developmentally appropriate transitions in sport and broader physical activity for youth and across the life span. Finally, we suggest that, at times, disengagement may be a positive and protective outcome for youth when the sport environment is harmful. Recommendations for future research and practice are provided to advance the understanding of youth sport experiences and participation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, 21.5% of US preschoolers spoke a language other than English at home. These children transition into English‐speaking classrooms in different ways, often handling foundational concepts in two languages. Critically, some knowledge may be dependent on the language of learning. For instance, both bilingual children and adults typically prefer, and exhibit higher performance on arithmetic in the language in which they learned math (LA+) compared with their other language (LA−). The typical interpretation is that arithmetic facts are accessed from memory more efficiently or solely in LA+. However, recent research suggests that bilingual arithmetic is not restricted to one language in memory, and that language experience plays an important role in performance. Moreover, evidence suggests children and adults process arithmetic fundamentally differently. Thus, bilingual arithmetic memory may manifest differently across the life span. This review outlines evidence to date at the intersection between the brain basis of bilingualism, arithmetic processing, and development. Bilinguals typically learn arithmetic facts by rehearsing them in one language, creating a performance advantage in that language compared with their other language(s). This difference in performance across languages can have real‐world implications in the classroom and in daily commerce. This review highlights scientific research investigating how bilingual school‐aged children and bilingual adults process simple arithmetic in each of their languages. The evidence broadly suggests that the bilingual brain is dynamic and flexible when performing arithmetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is crucial for the self-preservation of biological systems: Humans recover from wounds thanks to an immune system that autonomously enacts a multistage response to promote healing. Similar passive mechanisms can enable pneumatic soft robots to overcome common faults such as bursts originating from punctures or overpressurization. Recent technological advancements, ranging from fault-tolerant controllers for robot reconfigurability to self-healing materials, have paved the way for robot resilience. However, these techniques require powerful processors and large datasets or external hardware. How to extend the operational life span of damaged soft robots with minimal computational and physical resources remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated a multimodal pneumatic soft valve capable of passive resilient reactions, triggered by faults, to prevent or isolate damage in soft robots. In its forward operation mode, the valve, requiring a single supply pressure, isolated punctured soft inflatable elements from the rest of the soft robot in as fast as 21 milliseconds. In its reverse operation mode, the valve can passively protect robots against overpressurization caused by external disturbances, avoiding plastic deformations and bursts. Furthermore, the two modes combined enabled the creation of an endogenously controlled valve capable of autonomous burst isolation. We demonstrated the passive and quick response and the possibility of monolithic integration of the soft valve in grippers and crawling robots. The approach proposed in this study provides a distributed small-footprint alternative to controller-based resilience and is expected to help soft robots achieve uninterrupted long-lasting operation. Editor's summary: Fluidic soft robots are vulnerable to failure from overpressurization and damage that leads to sudden loss of pressurization. To give these robots more resilience and extend their lifetimes, Pontin and Damian developed a multimodal pneumatic soft valve designed to isolate damage and avoid catastrophic failure. The valve passively reacts to pressure differences triggered by faults. In the forward operating mode, the valve can detect a burst and autonomously isolate the damaged section, maintaining pressure in the other parts of the robot. In the reverse operating mode, the valve can detect overpressurization and release air to prevent irreversible damage. The valve capabilities were demonstrated in a five-finger soft gripper, a two-finger soft hand, and a soft crawler that remained operational after damage. —Melisa Yashinski [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive dynamics of commercially important penaeid prawn Penaeus merguiensis was investigated in the coastal waters of Maharashtra during 2002-2003 by collecting data from inshore nearshore and offshore, waters. The size at maturity was 123 mm for males and 133 mm for females. The species spawned throughout the year with two spawning peaks, major one during March-May and minor during October-December and spawning area of the species is offshore waters >40 m depth. Ova diameter study showed tendency to shed all their eggs at one instance, but the progression of modal sizes of mature females demonstrated that females with spawning periodicity of 26±5.5 days could spawn about 12 times during their life span. The sex ratio showed that mainly large sized mature females migrate towards offshore deeper waters. Fecundity was exponentially related to length by F= 0.000000528*TL5.2086. The population fecundity index in nearshore and offshore areas indicated two peaks with major spawning activity during March-April and minor during August-September. The egg production by the surviving population in the sea, gave major peak during April-May and a minor during November. The occurrence of juveniles in the catch was bimodal and their mean size declined twice in inshore, nearshore and offshore waters which pointed to two recruitment pulses in March and November in inshore waters and in March and December in nearshore and offshore waters. The percentage of juveniles was the highest in March which suggested that post-monsoon spawning in November was the most effective. The ratio of juveniles and the egg production gave annual survival rate of 0.03%. The monthly survival showed bimodal trend with peak in April (0.07%) and November (0.03%), which suggested that spawning during November-December and May-June was responsible for the two cohorts, the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon, among which the former was more successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al-Fawzan Reserve in the middle of Saudi Arabia has poor floral diversity according to studies. A comprehensive assessment was carried out for the first time to analyze the floristic structure, phytogeographical distribution, life forms, and plant diversity of the observed taxa. A total of 145 taxa, belonging to 107 genera and 38 families within the Angiospermae, were successfully recognized. Asteraceae was the plant family that constitutes most of the study area's vegetation (25 species), followed by Brassicaceae (16 species), Fabaceae (14 species), Amaranthaceae (12 species), Poaceae (9 species), Zygophyllaceae (7 species), and Plantaginaceae (5 species, 3.4%), meanwhile, the remaining families were each characterized by the presence of one, two, three, or four species. Chamaephytes demonstrated the highest proportion of species (39.3%), followed by Therophytes (35.2%), Hemicryptophytes (11%), Geophytes and phanerophytes (6.9% each), with Parasites being the least prevalent life form group (0.7%). The floristic data of the chorological analysis revealed that the Bi-regional category is the most dominant chorotype in the study area (46.2%), followed by Mono-regional, Pluri-regional, and Worldwide (37.2%, 12.4%, 4.1%, respectively). Data from the current study exhibited that the majority of total recorded taxa (78 species) are perennials, while annuals life spans was counted for (67 species). The current study concluded that 61 species are rare. Out of them, 13 species are classified as least concern (LC) according to the IUCN dataset. The current investigation holds potential value for the effective management and conservation of the studied geographical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We assessed the psychometric properties, established normative data for the German Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ), and analyzed its association with neuropsychiatric factors across the life span to provide a validated metamemory assessment for a German-speaking population. Methods: The three MMQ scales (memory satisfaction, self-rated ability, and strategy application) were translated into German, considering cultural, linguistic, and conceptual aspects. To validate the MMQ and assess associations with neuropsychiatric factors, the Complainer Profile Identification, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Short-Form-Health Survey were applied in an online study in 336 healthy participants with follow-up after 8 months. Results: Psychometric evaluation of the German MMQ showed normal distribution of all scales and good to excellent validity, internal consistency, and retest reliability. We provide percentiles and normative data for z-score conversion. Importantly, even subclinically elevated scores in depressiveness and anxiety were associated with decreased memory satisfaction and self-rated ability. Furthermore, although the influence of age on the German MMQ scales was minimal, effects of neuropsychiatric factors such as sleep quality, anxiety, and depressiveness on MMQ Satisfaction and Ability varied across the life span. Conclusions: Our study provides a validated German translation of the MMQ with normative data and reliability measures, including reliable change scores. We show the impact of neuropsychiatric factors on the MMQ scales across the life span and emphasize the relevance of a multifactorial approach to metamemory as a measure of individualized everyday functionality and the importance of including neuropsychiatric factors into both research and clinical assessments of metamemory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subtropical to subpolar planktic foraminifera Globigerina bulloides is a calcifying marine protist, and one of the dominant foraminiferal species of the Nordic Seas. Previously, the relative abundance and shell geochemistry of fossil G. bulloides have been studied for palaeoceanographic reconstructions. There is however a lack of biological observations on the species and a poor understanding of its ecological tolerances, especially for high latitude genotypes. Here, we present observations from the first extensive culturing of G. bulloides under subpolar conditions, including the first low temperature (6–13°C) and variable salinity (30–38) experiments. Carbonate chemistry (pH and [CO32−]) was also manipulated. Experimental conditions were chosen to reflect a range of plausible past and future scenarios for the Nordic Seas. We found G. bulloides to be tolerant of environmental conditions well outside their optimal range (<10°C, salinity <33, pH <8). Observed life span was up to three months, which was attributed to a microalgal diet. Two alternative life strategies were employed, whereby individuals either experienced rapid growth and death, or a prolonged lifespan with minimal growth and death via slow decay. We posit this could help explain differences in geochemical signals recorded from different size fractions of fossil specimens used for palaeoceanographic reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carica papaya (papaya) leaves has significant nutraceutical properties. However, it is speculated that papaya leaf curl virus (PaLCuV) and papaya ring spot virus (PRSV) can severely affect the therapeutic properties and alter the overall nutraceutical potential of papaya leaves. Therefore, we evaluated the bioactivity of the virus infected papaya leaves extract (PLE) compared to healthy PLE in C. elegans. Viruses infection were confirmed by visual inspection and PCR based detection. Anatomical changes and elemental analysis were analyzed through SEM-EDS. PLE were tested for life span extension and ROS scavenging activity on C. elegans. Infected leaves displayed typical symptoms of curling, distortion and anatomical analysis revealed closed and less number of stomata. Healthy PLE extended (24%) the life span of C. elegans with no significant change in ROS generation while in PaLCuV and PRSV infected PLE, were observed to have significant reduction in the mean life span of 15.4% and 17% with 1.2-fold and 1.9-fold increase in ROS generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti‐aging research has made significant strides in identifying treatments capable of extending lifespan across a range of organisms, from simple invertebrates to mammals. This review showcases the current state of anti‐aging interventions, highlighting the lifespan extensions observed in animal models through various treatments and the challenges encountered in translating these findings to humans. Despite promising results in lower organisms, the translation of anti‐aging treatments to human applications presents a considerable challenge. This discrepancy can be attributed to the increasing complexity of biological systems, species‐specific metabolic and genetic differences, and the redundancy of metabolic pathways linked to longevity. Our review focuses on analyzing these challenges, offering insights into the efficacy of anti‐aging mechanisms across species and identifying key barriers to their translation into human treatments. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying gaps in translatability, this review aims to underscore the importance of advancing these therapies for human benefit. Bridging this gap is essential to assess the potential of such treatments in extending the human healthspan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate warming, the intensity and frequency of drought occurrences are progressively increasing. However, current research on the impacts of drought on the life-history traits and physiological activities of animals rarely encompasses soil animals that play crucial roles within soil ecosystems. Therefore, this study focused on a soil nematode species (Acrobeloides sp.) and a model nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) to investigate whether nematodes adjust the trade-off of their life-history traits to confront arid environments, utilizing a Petri dish experiment. Subsequently, we assessed the resilience of the two nematode species to moisture variations by comparing the extent of changes in various indicators (i.e. life-history traits, physiological traits, and oxidative stress) of nematodes before and after drought and rehydration. The results revealed that both nematode species are capable of adapting to arid environments by altering the trade-off between life-history traits. Specifically, they reduce reproductive investment and body mass while maintaining life span, thus responding to drought conditions. Follow-up rehydration experiments post-drought stress highlighted that the soil-dwelling nematode exhibits a superior recovery capacity in response to moisture fluctuations in comparison to the model nematode. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation into life history of drought adaptation within soil-dwelling nematodes. Moreover, the findings hold significant implications for the exploration of drought adaptation and its mechanisms in soil-dwelling animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the Extreme Hourly Precipitation Areas (EHPAs) of three extreme levels (i.e., between the 95th and 99th percentiles, between the 99th and 99.9th percentiles, beyond the 99.9th percentile) in the Pearl River Delta over South China are identified; then the related events and associated Convective Cores (CCs) are tracked, and their macro‐and‐microphysical characteristics are analyzed using multi‐year dual‐polarization radar observations. Results show that >90% of EHPAs are smaller than 10 km2, and 65%–75% of EHPA events last only one hour. They tend to be more localized and persist longer with increasing hourly‐precipitation extremity. The EHPAs overlap with the CCs during 50%–64% of the EHPAs' life span. Their occurrence frequencies are nearly quadrupled after the monsoon onset over South China Sea (SCS), with a major (secondary) peak at about 1400 LST (0600 LST) in the diurnal variations. The CCs are non‐linear shaped with about 65% being meso‐γ‐scale and embedded within mostly meso‐β or α‐scale 20 dBZ regions. The CCs generally contain active warm‐rain processes and about 70% possess moderate‐to‐intense mixed‐phase microphysical processes. The ratios of ice water path to liquid water path are about 0.37, and coalescence dominates (about 68%) the liquid‐phase processes. The average size of raindrop is slightly larger than the "maritime‐like" regime and the average concentration is much higher than the "continental‐like" regime. These CCs' characteristics roughly resemble those of the convection producing extreme instantaneous precipitation, except for a larger horizontal scale and less evident variations with the increasing hourly‐precipitation extremity. Plain Language Summary: Extreme precipitation is of global concern, but macro‐ and microphysical characteristics of its associated convection remain elusive. Recent studies have analyzed the characteristics of convection producing extreme instantaneous precipitation in a monsoon coastal region of South China. We would like to know the characteristics of extreme hourly precipitation, which is potentially more disastrous, and how they vary with increasing extremity. For this purpose, we use 5‐year dual‐polarization radar observations combined with distrometer observations over the region to compare among three different extreme levels, and with those of extreme instantaneous precipitation. Results show that the extreme hourly precipitation mostly covers a small area, lasts only 1 hour, and overlaps with strong echoes during more than half of its life span. After the onset of summer monsoon over the South China Sea, the extreme hourly precipitation occurs much more frequently with a bimodal feature in the diurnal variation of occurrence frequency, consistent with those of extreme instantaneous precipitation. The microphysical characteristics of convection overlapping with the extreme hourly precipitation area resemble those of the extreme instantaneous precipitation‐producing convection. However, the former vary less evidently with the increasing hourly precipitation extremity likely due to smaller variations in probability distribution of convective intensity. Key Points: The Extreme Hourly Precipitation Areas (EHPAs) overlap with non‐linear shaped Convective Cores (CCs) during 50%–64% of their life spanThe CCs have active coalescence with abundant small‐to‐medium size raindrops and ∼70% have moderate‐to‐intense mixed‐phase processesThe CCs' characteristics generally resemble extreme instantaneous rain‐producing convection but change less evidently with the extremity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are now living longer as a result of advancements in pharmaceutical and medical interventions. There is a paucity of research regarding therapeutic interventions to support this population to be independent and participate in life activities that are most important to them. The aim of this case report is to explore the use of the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach to support a child with SMA type 1 to achieve their functional and participation goals. This is a retrospective case study. A 7-year-old girl with SMA type 1 received ten 1 h sessions of CO-OP, weekly in the home and community settings with a physiotherapist. Clinically meaningful improvements were found in goal performance and satisfaction on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS). Despite the progressive nature of SMA, the CO-OP approach was able to support goal attainment. Given medical advances are leading to a longer life span for children with neuromuscular conditions, further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of functional and participation-based interventions, including impact on quality of life and self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age determination is an important tool in fishery research and management, providing key data for growth modelling and population dynamics. Knowledge of longevity and growth performance of fishes is especially important in defining their life history strategies. In this review we summarize all published data on the ageing of notothenioid fishes of the Southern Ocean, and evaluate factors influencing growth performance and longevity in a phylogenetic context. Most age estimates in notothenioids are based on otolith readings and application of the von Bertalanffy growth model to describe body growth throughout the life span. Growth performance and longevity both exhibit wide ranges between 3.5 and 5.5 and 7–52 years, respectively. However, growth performance is positively related to asymptotic fish size, whereas longevity is negatively related to the Brody growth rate coefficient. Lifestyle and latitudinal and depth distributions are the main factors influencing the life history traits of notothenioids. Growth performance significantly increases from benthic to pelagic species and declines toward higher latitudes. Conversely, longevity is higher in pelagic species and shows a positive trend with latitude and depth of occurrence. There is a trend toward an increase of both traits in the phylogenetically derived families, such as bathydraconids and channichthyids. Compared to Arctic fishes, notothenioids have similar values for growth performance and longevity. Currently the major gaps in our knowledge of age determination of notothenioids are the lack of validation of age estimates and the relatively low number of species studied. Future efforts have to provide more reliable and objective estimates of age through multiple comparisons among different laboratories and application of validation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During ontogeny, γδ T cells emerge from the thymus and directly seed peripheral tissues for in situ immunity. However, their functional role in humans has largely been defined from blood. Here, we analyzed the phenotype, transcriptome, function, and repertoire of human γδ T cells in blood and mucosal and lymphoid tissues from 176 donors across the life span, revealing distinct profiles in children compared with adults. In early life, clonally diverse Vδ1 subsets predominate across blood and tissues, comprising naïve and differentiated effector and tissue repair functions, whereas cytolytic Vδ2 subsets populate blood, spleen, and lungs. With age, Vδ1 and Vδ2 subsets exhibit clonal expansions and elevated cytolytic signatures, which are disseminated across sites. In adults, Vδ2 cells predominate in blood, whereas Vδ1 cells are enriched across tissues and express residency profiles. Thus, antigenic exposures over childhood drive the functional evolution and tissue compartmentalization of γδ T cells, leading to age-dependent roles in immunity. Editor's summary: Our understanding of the functional role of human γδ T cells in tissues is very limited and has been primarily informed by peripheral blood studies. Gray et al. used a multiomics strategy to characterize human γδ T cells in the blood and various mucosal and lymphoid tissues from 176 donors whose ages ranged from just a few days to over 80 years. In contrast to the highly differentiated and cytotoxic γδ T cell populations found in adults, γδ T cells during infancy and childhood are clonally diverse, are tissue specific, and exhibit features of adaptive lymphocytes. —Seth Thomas Scanlon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food chain can enrich the human body with perchlorate, a novel persistent inorganic contaminant, from the environment. The quantity of perchlorate entering the food chain cannot be ignored, despite the lack of particular facts to support it at the moment. The oxidative stress (ROS, SOD, CAT, MDA, and GSH) in Caenorhabditis elegans was detected in this study using perchlorate as the research object and Caenorhabditis elegans as the model organism. Growth and development-related indicators (body length, life span, and number of eggs laid) of Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to different concentrations of perchlorate were measured, and the associated levels of oxidative stress and growth gene expression were assessed to determine a potential mechanism of perchlorate's influence on Caenorhabditis elegans growth and development. The findings demonstrated that perchlorate dramatically decreased the Caenorhabditis elegans life cycle, spawning frequency, and body length. Additionally, Caenorhabditis elegans had elevated levels of ROS, GSH, and MDA as well as enhanced SOD and CAT activity. Daf-2, Daf--16, Daf--18, Sir-2.1, Skn-1, and other associated genes in the insulin/insulin growth factor signaling pathway may be affected. Through oxidative stress, perchlorate can activate the insulin/insulin growth factor signal pathway and associated genes, affecting growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]