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Purpose of Review: Rheumatoid arthritis is frequently complicated by interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), an underappreciated contributor to excess morbidity and mortality. The true prevalence of RA-ILD is difficult to define given the variability in diagnostic criteria used. The lack of standardized screening methods, an incomplete understanding of disease pathogenesis, and dearth of validated biomarkers have limited the development of controlled clinical trials for this disease. Recent Findings: Numerous studies have focused on clinical, radiographic, genetic, molecular, and/or serologic markers of disease severity as well as risk of disease progression. In addition to defining valuable clinical biomarkers, these studies have provided insights regarding the pathogenesis of RA-ILD and potential therapeutic targets. Additional studies involving immunomodulatory and/or anti-fibrotic agents have assessed new therapeutic options for different stages of RA-ILD. Summary: RA-ILD continues to be a major contributor to the increased morbidity and mortality associated with RA. Advancements in our understanding of disease pathogenesis at a molecular level are necessary to drive the development of more targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Myositis Interstitial Lung Disease Nintedanib Trial (MINT) is a hybrid trial, which is enrolling patients both at local sites and remotely via a decentralised site. The trial will investigate the efficacy and safety of nintedanib in patients with progressive myositis-associated interstitial lung disease (MA-ILD). Methods/Design: MINT is an exploratory, prospective randomised placebo-controlled trial. Eligible patients will have myositis and evidence of fibrosing ILD on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), be taking standard of care medications for myositis, and meet criteria for ILD progression within the prior 24 months based on decline in FVC, worsened fibrosis on HRCT, and/or worsened dyspnoea. Patients will be randomised 1:1 to receive nintedanib 150 mg twice daily or placebo for 12 weeks then open-label nintedanib for 12 weeks. Patients will be enrolled at local sites and a decentralised site. Most study visits will be completed remotely using telemedicine or digital health technologies. The primary endpoint is the change in Living with Pulmonary Fibrosis (L-PF) questionnaire dyspnoea domain score at week 12. Other endpoints include changes in other L-PF questionnaire domains, lung function, imaging, and physical activity, and assessment of adverse events. Data collected using remote versus clinic enrolment, and using home versus clinic spirometry, will be compared. Discussion: MINT is an innovative, hybrid trial that will evaluate the effects of nintedanib on symptoms, quality of life, and ILD progression in patients with progressive MA-ILD and provide valuable information on the utility of decentralised recruitment and remote data collection in clinical trials. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05799755 (date of registration: 05/04/2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the largest increase in unemployment benefits in US history had large spending impacts and small job-finding impacts. This finding has three implications. First, increased benefits were important for explaining aggregate spending dynamics—but not employment dynamics—during the pandemic. Second, benefit expansions allow us to study the MPC of normally low-liquidity households in a high-liquidity state. These households still have high MPCs. This suggests a role for permanent behavioral characteristics, rather than just current liquidity, in driving spending behavior. Third, the mechanisms driving our results imply that temporary benefit supplements are a promising countercyclical tool. (JEL E21, E24, E32, E62, E71, G51, J65) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry is a widely used tool for analysis of uranium isotopic composition. For solution based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, uranium isotopes are typically analyzed after purification from complex matrices. In this work, we tested the ability of three mass spectrometers (ThermoScientific iCAP TQ, ThermoScientific Neoma, and Agilent 8900) to analyze uranium isotopes in an unpurified NIST reference material (SRM2780a, Hard Rock Mine Waste) digest solution. Results indicate that 235U/238U can be analyzed within 1% of the true value. 234U/238U is a more challenging analysis due to low count rates and potential isobar interferences, but strategies to mitigate these effects, such as the use of reaction gases in a collision cell and desolvating nebulizer introduction system, are effective for the triple quadrupole instruments. However, the use of the Neoma MS/MS in reaction mode using O2 gas was problematic. Nevertheless, analysis of unpurified solutions for quick assessment of uranium isotope compositions is practical, especially when high precision is not required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: It is well established that personality traits impact cognition, as certain personality factors are associated with performance in specific cognitive domains. However, the findings on the relationships between the Big Five traits and cognition are mixed. Additionally, few studies have explored these relationships in older adults with a history of depression. The present study aimed to (a) evaluate the impact of the Big Five personality traits in older adults with and without a lifetime history of depression; and (b) test the hypotheses that higher trait neuroticism would correlate negatively with cognitive performance, while openness to experience would correlate positively with cognition. Methods: The sample consisted of 138 participants between the ages of 55 and 78 (M = 65.56, SD = 6.36). Sixty-two participants met criteria for current or remitted Major Depressive Disorder, while 76 had no history of depression or other mental health disorders. Participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological testing. Personality was assessed using the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R), while depression status was determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). Following a series of Pearson correlations of cognitive variables and the five personality factors, linear regression models were estimated for each significant correlation. Demographic variables (i.e., age, education and sex) were entered in block 1, depression status (never vs. ever) was entered in block 2, and the personality factor score, or sub-facet was entered in block 3. Results: Neuroticism was not associated with cognitive performance on any outcome measure. The facets Openness to Feelings and Openness to Values were positively related to phonemic fluency. Further Openness to Values was positively related to cognitive flexibility. Discussion: Our results suggest that older people who are (a) more capable of identifying and understanding their feelings and the feelings of others, and (b) who are more willing to re-examine social, political, and religious values perform stronger on tasks measuring verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility, which are aspects of executive functioning. Interventions that aim to enhance open mindedness in older adults may have a parallel impact on improving executive functioning, though this would need to be examined prospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant regulation of chromatin modifiers is a common occurrence across many cancer types, and a key priority is to determine how specific alterations of these proteins, often enzymes, can be targeted therapeutically. MOZ, a histone acyltransferase, is recurrently fused to coactivators CBP, p300, and TIF2 in cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using either pharmacological inhibition or targeted protein degradation in a mouse model for MOZ-TIF2-driven leukemia, we show that KAT6 (MOZ/MORF) enzymatic activity and the MOZ-TIF2 protein are necessary for indefinite proliferation in cell culture. MOZ-TIF2 directly regulates a small subset of genes encoding developmental transcription factors, augmenting their high expression. Furthermore, transcription levels in MOZ-TIF2 cells positively correlate with enrichment of histone H3 propionylation at lysine 23 (H3K23pr), a recently appreciated histone acylation associated with gene activation. Unexpectedly, we also show that MOZ-TIF2 and MLL-AF9 regulate transcription of unique gene sets, and their cellular models exhibit distinct sensitivities to multiple small-molecule inhibitors directed against AML pathways. This is despite the shared genetic pathways of wild-type MOZ and MLL. Overall, our data provide insight into how aberrant regulation of MOZ contributes to leukemogenesis. We anticipate that these experiments will inform future work identifying targeted therapies in the treatment of AML and other diseases involving MOZ-induced transcriptional dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The telomere sequence, TTAGGG, is conserved across all vertebrates and plays an essential role in suppressing the DNA damage response by binding a set of proteins termed shelterin. Changes in the telomere sequence impair shelterin binding, initiate a DNA damage response, and are toxic to cells. Here we identify a family with a variant in the telomere template sequence of telomerase, the enzyme responsible for telomere elongation, that led to a non-canonical telomere sequence. The variant is inherited across at least one generation and one family member reports no significant medical concerns despite ~9% of their telomeres converting to the novel sequence. The variant template disrupts telomerase repeat addition processivity and decreased the binding of the telomere-binding protein POT1. Despite these disruptions, the sequence is readily incorporated into cellular chromosomes. Incorporation of a variant sequence prevents POT1-mediated inhibition of telomerase suggesting that incorporation of a variant sequence may influence telomere addition. These findings demonstrate that telomeres can tolerate substantial degeneracy while remaining functional and provide insights as to how incorporation of a non-canonical telomere sequence might alter telomere length dynamics. A variant telomerase template demonstrates that human telomeres can tolerate significant degeneracy and remain functional. Once incorporated by telomerase, variant sequences can influence telomere length dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several times each year the teaching performance of academics at higher education institutions are evaluated through anonymous, online student evaluation of teaching (SET) surveys. Universities use SETs to inform decisions about staff promotion and tenure, but low student participation levels make the surveys impractical for this use. This scoping review aims to explore student motivations, perceptions and opinions of SET survey completion. Five EBSCO® databases were searched using key words. Thematic analysis of a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings derived from 21 papers identified five themes: (i) the value students' place on SET, (ii) the knowledge that SET responses are acted upon to improve teaching, (iii) assurance of survey confidentiality and anonymity, (iv) incentives for completing SET, and (v) survey design and timing of survey release. Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about the value of SET are essential factors in motivating students to engage and complete SETs, particularly if surveys are easy to interpret, time for completion is incentivised and responses are valued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bereavement increases in prevalence as people age and is associated with multiple psychological and health risks, including cardiovascular risk. Religious and existential variables may play an important role in the health impacts of bereavement. Theorized pathways linking religious and existential variables with health have suggested these associations are due to intermediary psychosocial variables, but have not been tested in bereavement. This research empirically tested these pathways in a bereaved population. In N = 73 adults within 1 year of bereavement (mean age = 64.36), this study examined associations between (1) religious and existential characteristics (religious and spiritual struggles, intrinsic religiosity, and existential quest) and intermediary psychosocial variables (depression, loneliness, and difficulties in emotion regulation), and between (2) intermediary psychosocial variables and bereavement‐relevant health outcomes (self‐reported health, change in health since last year, grief severity, and cardiovascular biomarkers). Cardiovascular biomarkers (heart rate, heart rate variability, and blood pressure) were collected before, during, and after a laboratory grief recall emotion elicitation. Anticipated associations between self‐reported religious and existential characteristics and intermediary variables, and between intermediary variables and self‐reported bereavement‐relevant outcomes, were consistently observed. However, associations between intermediary variables and cardiovascular biomarkers were largely unobserved. This study examined the role of religious and existential variables in whole‐person health after bereavement and is among the first to include biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Results suggest that although religious and existential variables are associated with important bereavement‐related outcomes, these associations may be "skin‐deep," and extensions to cardiovascular functioning should be re‐examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the ongoing debate over the balance of global positivism and local nuance in international business (IB), we mapped the ontology from 1965 through 2018. Though imbalanced, IB has progressively pursued local nuance through an expanding variety of environments, operations, phenomena, and methodologies. We offer ways to continue its ontological uniqueness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is a widely used screening tool for emotional and behavioural problems in children. Recent quantitative analyses have raised concerns regarding its structural validity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This paper aims to extend upon existing findings by analysing the factor structure of both the parent- and teacher-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in this population across a broader age range than in previous studies. Methods: Participants were the caregivers and teachers of 1624 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (820 male, 804 female) aged 2–15 years from Waves 2–11 of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. The majority of children were Aboriginal living in major cities and inner regional areas. Internal consistency was estimated with McDonald's Omega. Exploratory structural equation modelling was conducted to investigate the factor structure of the parent-reported and teacher-reported versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: Responses from teachers demonstrated higher internal consistency than responses from parents, which was unacceptably low across most age groups. The purported five-factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire failed to be replicated across both parent- and teacher-reported questionnaires. The results of bifactor and hierarchical exploratory structural equation models also failed to approximate the higher-order summary scales. These results indicate that the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales and summary scores do not provide a valid index of emotional and behavioural problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Conclusion: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire should not be used with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria play essential roles in metabolic support and signaling within all cells. Congenital and acquired defects in mitochondria are responsible for several pathologies, including premature entrance to cellar senescence. Conversely, we examined the consequences of dysfunctional telomere‐driven cellular senescence on mitochondrial biogenesis and function. We drove senescence in vitro and in vivo by deleting the telomere‐binding protein TRF2 in fibroblasts and hepatocytes, respectively. Deletion of TRF2 led to a robust DNA damage response, global changes in transcription, and induction of cellular senescence. In vitro, senescent cells had significant increases in mitochondrial respiratory capacity driven by increased cellular and mitochondrial volume. Hepatocytes with dysfunctional telomeres maintained their mitochondrial respiratory capacity in vivo, whether measured in intact cells or purified mitochondria. Induction of senescence led to the upregulation of overlapping and distinct genes in fibroblasts and hepatocytes, but transcripts related to mitochondria were preserved. Our results support that mitochondrial function and activity are preserved in telomere dysfunction‐induced senescence, which may facilitate continued cellular functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2022 and January 2023, we isolated clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses from six American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) from Prince Edward Island and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from Newfoundland, Canada. Using full-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, these viruses were found to fall into two distinct phylogenetic clusters: one group containing H5N1 viruses that had been circulating in North and South America since late 2021, and the other one containing European H5N1 viruses reported in late 2022. The transatlantic re-introduction for the second time by pelagic/Icelandic bird migration via the same route used during the 2021 incursion of Eurasian origin H5N1 viruses into North America demonstrates that migratory birds continue to be the driving force for transcontinental dissemination of the virus. This new detection further demonstrates the continual long-term threat of H5N1 viruses for poultry and mammals and the subsequent impact on various wild bird populations wherever these viruses emerge. The continual emergence of clade 2.3.4.4b H5Nx viruses requires vigilant surveillance in wild birds, particularly in areas of the Americas, which lie within the migratory corridors for long-distance migratory birds originating from Europe and Asia. Although H5Nx viruses have been detected at higher rates in North America since 2021, a bidirectional flow of H5Nx genes of American origin viruses to Europe has never been reported. In the future, coordinated and systematic surveillance programs for HPAI viruses need to be launched between European and North American agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for and acceptance of probiotics is determined by their quality and safety. Illumina NGS sequencing and analytics were used to examine eight marketed probiotics. Up to the species level, sequenced DNA was taxonomically identified, and relative abundances were determined using Kaiju. The genomes were constructed using GTDB and validated through PATRICK and TYGS. A FastTree 2 phylogenetic tree was constructed using several type strain sequences from relevant species. Bacteriocin and ribosomally synthesized polypeptide (RiPP) genes were discovered, and a safety check was performed to test for toxins, antibiotic resistance, and genetic drift genes. Except for two products with unclaimed species, the labeling was taxonomically correct. In three product formulations, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, and Bifidobacterium animalis exhibited two to three genomic alterations, while Streptococcus equinus was found in one. TYGS and GDTB discovered E. faecium and L. paracasei in distinctly different ways. All the bacteria tested had the genetic repertoire to tolerate GIT transit, although some exhibited antibiotic resistance, and one strain had two virulence genes. Except for Bifidobacterium strains, the others revealed a variety of bacteriocins and ribosomally synthesized polypeptides (RiPP), 92% of which were unique and non-homologous to known ones. Plasmids and mobile genetic elements are present in strains of L. reuteri (NPLps01.et_L.r and NPLps02.uf_L.r), Lactobacillus delbrueckii (NPLps01.et_L.d), Streptococcus thermophilus (NPLps06.ab_S.t), and E. faecium (NPLps07.nf_E.f). Our findings support the use of metagenomics to build better and efficient production and post-production practices for probiotic quality and safety assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing method descriptions that are more detailed than currently available in typical peer reviewed journals has been identified as an actionable area for improvement. In the biochemical and cell biology space, this need has been met through the creation of new journals focused on detailed protocols and materials sourcing. However, this format is not well suited for capturing instrument validation, detailed imaging protocols, and extensive statistical analysis. Furthermore, the need for additional information must be counterbalanced by the additional time burden placed upon researchers who may be already overtasked. To address these competing issues, this white paper describes protocol templates for positron emission tomography (PET), X-ray computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that can be leveraged by the broad community of quantitative imaging experts to write and self-publish protocols in protocols.io. Similar to the Structured Transparent Accessible Reproducible (STAR) or Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) articles, authors are encouraged to publish peer reviewed papers and then to submit more detailed experimental protocols using this template to the online resource. Such protocols should be easy to use, readily accessible, readily searchable, considered open access, enable community feedback, editable, and citable by the author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete genome of a novel torque teno virus species (Torque teno equus virus 2 (TTEqV2) isolate Alberta/2018) was obtained by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of nucleic acid extracted from the lung and liver tissue of a Quarter Horse gelding that died of nonsuppurative encephalitis in Alberta, Canada. The 2805 nucleotide circular genome is the first complete genome from the Mutorquevirus genus and has been approved as a new species by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The genome contains several characteristic features of torque teno virus (TTV) genomes, including an ORF1 encoding a putative 631 aa capsid protein with an arginine-rich N-terminus, several rolling circle replication associated amino acid motifs, and a downstream polyadenylation signal. A smaller overlapping ORF2 encodes a protein with an amino acid motif (WX7HX3CXCX5H) which, in general, is highly conserved in TTVs and anelloviruses. The UTR contains two GC-rich tracts, two highly conserved 15 nucleotide sequences, and what appears to be an atypical TATA-box sequence also observed in two other TTV genera. Codon usage analysis of TTEqV2 and 11 other selected anelloviruses from five host species revealed a bias toward adenine ending (A3) codons in the anelloviruses, while in contrast, A3 codons were observed at a low frequency in horse and the four other associated host species examined. Phylogenetic analysis of TTV ORF1 sequences available to date shows TTEqV2 clusters with the only other currently reported member of the Mutorquevirus genus, Torque teno equus virus 1 (TTEqV1, KR902501). Genome-wide pairwise alignment of TTEqV2 and TTEqV1 shows the absence of several highly conserved TTV features within the UTR of TTEqV1, suggesting it is incomplete and TTEqV2 is the first complete genome within the genus Mutorquevirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against healthcare professionals is a serious but understudied global problem and one that lacks evidence‐based solutions. The current research offers a novel explanation and intervention for addressing this issue: We propose that low feelings of control among patients and their family members play an important role in shaping doctor‐patient relationships. To regain a sense of control, we suggest that patients attribute responsibility to doctors for their suffering, which may in turn lead to aggressive behavioural intentions against one's doctors. We conducted three studies to understand whether individuals with low perceived control blame doctors more, and whether threats to their sense of control cause participants to attribute more responsibility to doctors. Study 1 found that feelings of lack of control were an important predictor of attributing responsibility for negative illness‐related incidents to doctors in a manner consistent with blame. Study 2 specified that the chaotic and unpredictable nature of illness, and not just its negative valence, is what drives attributions of increased responsibility to doctors. Study 3, which utilized a field setting in hospitals, found that an experimental intervention to increase feelings of control decreased frustration against (Study 3a/3b) and intention to harm doctors (Study 3b). These findings suggest that increasing feelings of control among patients can improve patient‐doctor relationships. We also discuss the role of control and scapegoating during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to terror management theory, humans avoid death anxiety by embedding themselves within cultural worldviews that allow them to perceive themselves as more than mortal animals. However, individuals also differ in their trait-like tendency to dissociate from other animals. In six studies, we tested whether individuals who perceive themselves as more similar to animals (high-perceived similarity of the self to animals [PSSA]) invest more in creativity for terror management than low-PSSA individuals, but are also more vulnerable to experiencing anxiety and existential concerns. Supporting our hypotheses, PSSA was associated with investment in creativity and arts, especially after death primes (Studies 3 and 4). High-PSSA individuals had heightened trait anxiety and death-thought accessibility (Studies 5 and 6), and showed increased state anxiety following a negative feedback about their creativity (Study 6). Findings highlight the role of PSSA as a personality variable predicting human motivation and emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay reviews the anthology Siegfried Kracauer: Selected Writings on Media, Propaganda, and Political Communication (2022), edited and with translations by Jaeho Kang, Graeme Gilloch, and John Abromeit. The editors describe the volume as "a selection of Kracauer's diverse materials on propaganda and political communication - texts hitherto unavailable in English or strewn among different [...] journals, periodicals, and magazines" (2). Beyond this, Selected Writings presents readers and scholars with an opportunity to reevaluate the legacy of Siegfried Kracauer, particularly in connection with the strands of mutual influence and parallel thought between his work and the development of early Frankfurt School critical theory. The volume contains remarkable and largely unpublished work on totalitarian propaganda in film; the manipulative devices of the U.S. advertising industry of the 1940s and 50s; and philosophy of science in the area of sociologically informed empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the cigarette smoking prevalence in the United States has decreased, smoking disparities persist for individuals with psychiatric disorders and individuals who identify as racial/ethnic minorities. These groups also experience higher levels of psychosocial stress. This study was the first to examine the relationship between psychosocial and psychiatric-related stressors and cigarette smoking status in a sample of Black and Latinx adults with psychiatric illness. Stress associated with friend strain, lifetime discrimination, and attending appointments for psychotropic medication management were associated with cigarette smoking. The present results have implications for integrating smoking cessation interventions into mental health treatment settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological research has shown that lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals experience higher levels of stress and tend to cope in more present‐oriented ways. While some research in the field has sought to, for instance, increase future‐oriented ways of being among lower SES individuals, we argue that such approaches may come at significant cost. We consider the construct of time–space distanciation (TSD) – the normative way in which time and space are abstracted from one another at cultural and individual levels – as a way to complicate psychological research on social class, stress, and coping. Across four studies, we present research on US geographical regions (Studies 1–2) and US participants (Studies 3–4) suggesting that adopting normative high‐TSD orientations represents a double‐bind for lower SES individuals: it allows one to enact more proactive coping strategies in the face of financial stressors such as debt (Studies 1–3), but it is also a source of disproportionate stress itself (Study 4), given the burdens faced by lower SES individuals trying to navigate time and space in culturally hegemonic ways in spite of precarity and material insecurity. We discuss how TSD offers a means of situating psychological research into precarity within the broader structural context of flexible capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) touch on concepts deemed spiritual or religious in the popular imagination, which may interact with participants' own religious beliefs to influence implementation-relevant outcomes. Methods: Four studies examined how interactions between different (a) religious framings of MBIs and participants' religious and existential characteristics are related to participant responses to the MBIs. Two cross-sectional studies (N = 480 MTurk participants and N = 266 undergraduates) examined associations between individual differences in religious/existential characteristics (scriptural literalism and existential flexibility) and participants' willingness to try mindfulness described as (a) secular, (b) spiritual, (c) Buddhist, (d) from one's own religion, or (e) from an unspecified background. Next, two experiments (N = 677 MTurk participants and N = 157 undergraduates) randomized participants to brief MBIs framed as either "secular," "spiritual," or "Buddhist," and examined acceptability of the MBI post-intervention. Results: Both cross-sectional studies revealed interactions of participant characteristics and MBI labels on willingness to try the MBI. Existential flexibility was positively associated with willingness to try mindfulness overall, and willingness to try "secular" and "Buddhist" mindfulness. Scriptural literalism was positively associated with greater willingness to try mindfulness labeled as "spiritual" or "from your own religious tradition," and negatively with "Buddhist" or "secular" mindfulness. In the experimental studies, condition moderated the association between existential flexibility and acceptability ratings of the MBI, with only a positive simple effect of existential flexibility on acceptability of the Buddhist condition observed in both studies. Conclusions: MBI framing, as well as participants' religious and existential perspectives, may influence MBI acceptability and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of constitutional genetic defects in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is increasingly appreciated. Monogenic disorders associated with IPF affect two pathways: telomere maintenance, accounting for approximately 10% of all patients with IPF, and surfactant biology, responsible for 1%–3% of cases and often co‐occurring with lung cancer. We examined the prevalence of rare variants in five surfactant‐related genes, SFTPA1, SFPTA2, SFTPC, ABCA3, and NKX2‐1, that were previously linked to lung disease in whole genome sequencing data from 431 patients with IPF. We identified functionally deleterious rare variants in SFTPA2 with a prevalence of 1.3% in individuals with and without a family history of IPF. All individuals had no personal history of lung cancer, but substantial bronchiolar metaplasia was noted on lung explants and biopsies. Five patients had novel missense variants in NKX2‐1, but the contribution to disease is unclear. In general, patients were younger and had longer telomeres compared with the majority of patients with IPF suggesting that these features may be useful for identifying this subset of patients in the clinic. These data suggest that SFTPA2 variants may be more common in unselected IPF cohorts and may manifest in the absence of personal/family history of lung cancer or IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using the stereotype content model (SCM) as a framework, the authors examine how the negative relationship between peoples' unethical behavior and perceptions of their competence only holds when the unethical act is simple. Design/methodology/approach: In two studies, participants (n = 401) evaluated the competence of an employee who behaved unethically. In one condition, the unethical behavior was complex (e.g. computer hacking), while in the other it was simple (e.g. stealing items from a closet). Findings: Our findings are built on prior work by showing that employees are considered significantly more competent when their unethical behavior is complex as opposed to simple ("evil genius" effect). Practical implications: Employees may not be discouraged from engaging in complex unethical behavior if they recognize that it might not affect their reputation as a competent employee. Given the negative impact of unethical behavior, this is a consequence that organizations would likely seek to avoid. Originality/value: The authors expand on the SCM by making a clear distinction between how certain behaviors (unethical and complex) influence trait perceptions (warmth and competence). In doing so, the authors identify a moderator – act complexity – that weakens the negative relationship between individuals' unethical behavior and perceptions of their competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a pathogenic fungus that infects hundreds of crop species, causing extensive yield loss every year. Chemical fungicides are used to control this phytopathogen, but with concerns about increasing resistance and impacts on non-target species, there is a need to develop alternative control measures. In the present study, we engineered Brassica napus to constitutively express a hairpin (hp)RNA molecule to silence ABHYRDOLASE-3 in S. sclerotiorum. We demonstrate the potential for Host Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) to protect B. napus from S. sclerotiorum using leaf, stem and whole plant infection assays. The interaction between the transgenic host plant and invading pathogen was further characterized at the molecular level using dual-RNA sequencing and at the anatomical level through microscopy to understand the processes and possible mechanisms leading to increased tolerance to this damaging necrotroph. We observed significant shifts in the expression of genes relating to plant defense as well as cellular differences in the form of structural barriers around the site of infection in the HIGS-protected plants. Our results provide proof-of-concept that HIGS is an effective means of limiting damage caused by S. sclerotiorum to the plant and demonstrates the utility of this biotechnology in the development of resistance against fungal pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gloger's rule postulates that animals should be darker colored in warm and humid regions where dense vegetation and dark environments are common. Although rare in Canis populations, melanism in wolves is more common in North America than other regions globally and is believed to follow Gloger's rule. In the temperate forests of the southeastern United States, historical records of red wolf (Canis rufus) and coyote (Canis latrans) populations document a consistent presence of melanism. Today, the melanistic phenotype is extinct in red wolves while occurring in coyotes and red wolf-coyote hybrids who occupy the red wolf's historical range. To assess if Gloger's rule could explain the occurrence and maintenance of melanistic phenotypes in Canis taxa, we investigated differences in morphology, habitat selection, and survival associated with pelage color using body measurements, GPS tracking data, and long-term capture-mark-recapture and radio-telemetry data collected on coyotes and hybrids across the southeastern United States. Results: We found no correlation between morphometrics and pelage color for Canis taxa. However, we observed that melanistic coyotes and hybrids experienced greater annual survival than did their gray conspecifics. Furthermore, we observed that melanistic coyotes maintained larger home ranges and exhibited greater selection for areas with dense canopy cover and wetlands than did gray coyotes. Conclusions: In the southeastern United States, pelage color influenced habitat selection by coyotes and annual survival of coyotes and hybrids providing evidence that Gloger's rule is applicable to canids inhabiting regions with dense canopy cover and wetlands. Greater annual survival rates observed in melanistic Canis may be attributed to better concealment in areas with dense canopy cover such as coastal bottomland forests. We suggest that the larger home range sizes of melanistic coyotes may reflect the trade-off of reduced foraging efficiency in lower quality wetland habitat for improved survival. Larger home ranges and differential use of land cover by melanistic coyotes may facilitate weak assortative mating in eastern coyote populations, in which melanistic animals may have lower success of finding compatible mates in comparison to gray conspecifics. We offer that our observations provide a partial explanation for why melanism is relatively low (< 10%) but consistent within coyote populations throughout southeastern parts of their range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translocation failures are driven by the inability of animals to adapt to abiotic and biotic factors occurring in the new landscape. Translocated animals typically prospect the local landscape post‐release, and the presence of conspecifics positively influences translocation success via reductions in post‐release movements. Extensive efforts to restore eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) to east Texas have yielded mixed results, leading to a low‐density, fragmented population. Therefore, information on space use, movements, and survival of translocated turkeys may improve the success of future translocation efforts. We translocated 78 female and 23 male wild turkeys to Angelina National Forest, TX, USA, during 2016–2017. We monitored translocated turkeys using GPS telemetry and observed an apparent decline in space use and movements at approximately 20 days post‐release for turkeys translocated in 2016. Turkeys translocated in 2016 in the absence of conspecifics maintained larger mean daily core area and home range sizes and moved greater daily distances from the release site and between roosts during days 1–20 compared to days 21–80. Conversely, females translocated in the presence of conspecifics (during 2017) used smaller daily core areas and home range sizes than females in 2016 and moved shorter distances. We modelled survival using Cox proportional hazards models and determined survival declined with greater daily core area size and daily distance travelled during year 1, but the effect of daily distance travelled was not significant in year 2. Our results suggest that translocations to areas with wild turkeys present may be a strategy to minimize movements and improve survival, thereby increasing translocation success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) is among the greatest conservation achievements in North America. However, restoration efforts in east Texas have had limited success, resulting in a fragmented distribution of turkeys across the landscape. Restoration success is largely dependent on the ability of translocated individuals to quickly select habitat patches on the landscape. Information on habitat selection of translocated wild turkeys is important to identify high quality release locations that should reduce the probability of translocation failure. Our objective was to describe selection of landcover types by translocated female wild turkeys in east Texas. During 2016–2017, we translocated 78 GPS‐tagged wild turkeys to Angelina National Forest in east Texas. We quantified third order selection for females during 3 temporal periods—the exploratory phase (days 1–20), the exploitation phase (days 21–80), and within the annual range. During the exploratory phase, females selected shrub‐scrub and open landcover types, as well as linear paths (roads, rights‐of‐way). During the exploitation phase, females selected shrub‐scrub, mixed, and open landcover types, but not linear paths. Overall, wild turkeys translocated into forested landscapes of east Texas selected for early successional and other open landcover types. Prior to translocation attempts in forest‐dominated landscapes, managers should consider ways to increase availability of open landcover types with herbaceous cover for nesting and brood rearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest parasitism can play an important role in processes regulating population dynamics of both hosts and parasites. Inter‐ and intra‐specific nest parasitism are 2 alternative reproductive strategies observed to occur in about 1% of all bird species. Recently, low productivity in wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations has resulted in population declines across the southeastern United States. Reproductive output may be influenced by nest parasitism, but the extent of nest parasitism and how it may be related to productivity of wild turkey populations are poorly understood. Herein, we illustrate 6 unreported examples of intraspecific nest parasitism obtained using GPS telemetry data from female wild turkeys in Georgia and Louisiana during 2014−2018. Further, we report 3 occurrences of nest parasitism in Texas using photographic evidence. Our findings suggest that ≥6% of nests are potentially parasitized, and that multiple females may visit and parasitize a single nest. Given recent declines in reproductive output of wild turkeys throughout the southeastern United States, we encourage researchers to continue assessing potential for nest parasitism across wild turkey populations and how this potential may be influenced by predator abundance and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are billions of connected devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has boosted these numbers. In the case of private networks, a few hundred devices connected can cause instability and even data loss in communication. In this article, we propose a machine learning-based modeling to solve network overload caused by continuous monitoring of the trajectories of several devices tracked indoors. The proposed modeling was evaluated with over a hundred thousand of coordinate locations of objects tracked in three synthetic environments and one real environment. It has been shown that it is possible to solve the network overload problem by increasing the latency in sending data and predicting intermediate coordinates of the trajectories on the server-side with ensemble models, such as Random Forest, and using Artificial Neural Networks without relevant data loss. It has also been shown that it is possible to predict at least thirty intermediate coordinates of the trajectories of objects tracked with R 2 greater than 0.8 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foundational theories in social psychology tend to focus on the individual's phenomenological experience, and to conceive of the environment and the individual as discrete entities. To overcome the ontological and epistemological limitations of such perspectives, we propose a theory rooted in culturally oriented existential philosophy. This sociomaterial force theory of identity emphasizes the reciprocal, historically contingent relationship between broad social and material forces on one hand, and processes of social and individual identity on the other. To concretize the framework, we compare it to current theories (social identity theory and social representations theory) and apply it to a qualitative case study of differences in how religious group members narrate the suffering brought on by natural disaster. We propose the theory can contribute to a more historical, dynamic, and truly interdisciplinary psychology, and would be especially useful for integrating multilevel data on the experience of a particular social group at a specified historical period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sartre's late work – the Critique of Dialectical Reason – attempted to develop a new theory of praxis emphasizing themes that anticipate new materialist and biopolitical turns in the humanities. Specifically, Sartre stressed: (1) the "agentic" qualities of matter, insofar as matter reacts to human activity and alters its course; (2) the unintended and accruing consequences of human activity in the material world; (3) the fact that capitalism involves human subjects in relations of passive exigency that make them machines; and (4) the ways in which the biological matter constituting a human subject is systematically altered through practical activities performed in a particular milieu. The present article overviews new materialism and discusses affinities and divergences with Sartre's Critique. It then presents Sartre's social theory of ensembles, or assemblages, of human actors. This exposition demonstrates the potential of his theory to contribute to contemporary biopolitical and post-structuralist ideas about revolutionary collective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coloniality describes the way in which racialized conceptions of being, personhood, and morality inherent in colonial regimes are maintained long after the formal end of colonial enterprises. Central to coloniality has been the material and psychological colonization of space and time, largely by Western and industrialized nations. We propose the importance of understanding the coloniality of time and space through a historically grounded framework called time-space distanciation (TSD). This framework posits that via the global spread of capitalism through colonization, psychological understandings of time and space have been separated from one another, such that they are now normatively treated as distinct entities, each with their own abstract and quantifiable value. We discuss the construct and its centrality to coloniality, as well as the ways in which contemporary psychology has been complicit in proliferating the coloniality of psychologies of time and space. Finally, we discuss ways to employ the decolonial strategies of denaturalization, indigenization, and accompaniment in the context of future research on the psychology of time and space. TSD contributes to decolonial efforts by combatting the reification of hegemonic psychological constructs, showing how these constructs arise as a function of historical changes in understanding, experience, and use of time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have spread at an unprecedented scale, leading to mass mortalities in birds and mammals. In 2023, a transatlantic incursion of HPAI A(H5N5) viruses into North America was detected, followed shortly thereafter by a mammalian detection. As these A(H5N5) viruses were similar to contemporary viruses described in Eurasia, the transatlantic spread of A(H5N5) viruses was most likely facilitated by pelagic seabirds. Some of the Canadian A(H5N5) viruses from birds and mammals possessed the PB2-E627K substitution known to facilitate adaptation to mammals. Ferrets inoculated with A(H5N5) viruses showed rapid, severe disease onset, with some evidence of direct contact transmission. However, these viruses have maintained receptor binding traits of avian influenza viruses and were susceptible to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Understanding the factors influencing the virulence and transmission of A(H5N5) in migratory birds and mammals is critical to minimize impacts on wildlife and public health. [Display omitted] • Seabirds likely enabled multiple incursions of A(H5N5) virus from Europe to Canada • Some A(H5N5) viruses possessed the mammalian adaptation marker PB2-E627K • A(H5N5) viruses demonstrated rapid 100% mortality and some transmission in ferrets • A(H5N5) viruses preferred avian virus receptors and are sensitive to NA inhibitors Erdelyan et al. reveal that seabirds likely facilitated the spread of A(H5N5) viruses from Europe to Canada. All viral segments were Eurasian. Hemagglutinin contained substitutions not present in Canadian A(H5N1) viruses. These viruses remain susceptible to neuraminidase inhibitors. In ferrets, the virus caused rapid mortality, with some transmission to contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A magnetic resonance (MR) biologic marker (biomarker) is a measurable quantitative characteristic that is an indicator of normal biological and pathogenetic processes or a response to therapeutic intervention derived from the MR imaging process. There is significant potential for MR biomarkers to facilitate personalized approaches to cancer care through more precise disease targeting by quantifying normal versus pathologic tissue function as well as toxicity to both radiation and chemotherapy. Both of which have the potential to increase the therapeutic ratio and provide earlier, more accurate monitoring of treatment response. The ongoing integration of MR into routine clinical radiation therapy (RT) planning and the development of MR guided radiation therapy systems is providing new opportunities for MR biomarkers to personalize and improve clinical outcomes. Their appropriate use, however, must be based on knowledge of the physical origin of the biomarker signal, the relationship to the underlying biological processes, and their strengths and limitations. The purpose of this report is to provide an educational resource describing MR biomarkers, the techniques used to quantify them, their strengths and weakness within the context of their application to radiation oncology so as to ensure their appropriate use and application within this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For years, violence against doctors and healthcare workers has been a growing social issue in China. In a recent series of studies, we provided evidence for a motivated scapegoating account of this violence. Specifically, individuals who feel that the course of their (or their family member's) illness is a threat to their sense of control are more likely to express motivation to aggress against healthcare providers. Drawing on existential theory, we propose that blaming and aggressing against a single individual represents a culturally afforded scapegoating mechanism in China. However, in an era of healthcare crisis (i.e., the global COVID-19 pandemic), it is essential to understand cultural variation in scapegoating in the context of healthcare. We therefore undertook two cross-cultural studies examining how people in the United States and China use different scapegoating responses to re-assert a sense of control during medical uncertainty. One study was conducted prior to the pandemic and allowed us to make an initial validating and exploratory investigation of the constructs of interest. The second study, conducted during the pandemic, was confirmatory and investigated mediation path models. Across the two studies, consistent evidence emerged that, both in response to COVID-related and non-COVID-related illness scenarios, Chinese (relative to U.S.) individuals are more likely to respond by aggressing against an individual doctor, while U.S. (relative to Chinese) individuals are more likely to respond by scapegoating the medical industry/system. Further, Study 2 suggests these culture effects are mediated by differential patterns of primary and secondary control-seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety and eating disorders (EDs) often co‐occur, prompting calls to explore anxiety‐related maintenance processes in ED samples. Safety behaviors, which function to prevent a feared outcome from occurring or to reduce anxiety associated with a feared stimulus, are observed across anxiety disorders and, along with overt avoidance behaviors, are an important target in treatment. Data suggest that individuals with EDs also engage in safety behaviors. However, no existing assessments provide a comprehensive measure of eating‐disorder‐specific overt avoidance and safety behaviors. The goal of this Stage 1 Registered Report is to develop a comprehensive self‐report measure of ED‐specific safety behaviors. In Study 1, we will recruit 50 women with EDs to complete the scale and provide feedback on the response scale. Feedback from these participants will be used to refine the measure. In Study 2, we will evaluate the psychometric properties of the measure in a large sample of women with EDs (n dependent on the size of measurement) and a community sample without current or a history of ED symptoms. We will explore the measure factor structure, known‐groups validity by comparing scores from women with EDs to healthy controls, internal consistency, and convergent and divergent validity with other psychological instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines people's responses to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic from the perspective of existential psychology. The existential anxieties associated with the pandemic, as well as people's responses to them, can be understood and articulated through Sartre's concept of bad faith. Using this existential lens, we examine the ways in which people's responses to the virus interact with long-standing societal patterns of interconnection as well as inequity, and how these processes are rooted within the cultural context of late modernity. This analysis reveals that our interconnection simultaneously constitutes the most profound challenges in our psychological response to the pandemic, as well as our greatest source of hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, cancer registries have only collected cancer clinical stage at diagnosis, before any therapy, and pathological stage after surgical resection, provided no treatment has been given before the surgery, but they have not collected stage data after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Because NAT is increasingly being used to treat a variety of tumors, it has become important to make the distinction between both the clinical and the pathological assessment without NAT and the assessment after NAT to avoid any misunderstanding of the significance of the clinical and pathological findings. It also is important that cancer registries collect data after NAT to assess response and effectiveness of this treatment approach on a population basis. The prefix y is used to denote stage after NAT. Currently, cancer registries of the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer only partially collect y stage data, and data on the clinical response to NAT (yc or posttherapy clinical information) are not collected or recorded in a standardized fashion. In addition to NAT, nonoperative management after radiation and chemotherapy is being used with increasing frequency in rectal cancer and may be expanded to other treatment sites. Using examples from breast, rectal, and esophageal cancers, the pathological and imaging changes seen after NAT are reviewed to demonstrate appropriate staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]