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Regulators across the globe have imposed penalties on consumers for digital piracy consumption. Contrary to expectations, however, digital piracy consumption has continued to grow. The authors develop a simple model of competition between a copyright holder and a pirate firm to offer a plausible account for this observation as well as actionable guidelines for optimal regulation design. The core of this idea is to endogenize the pirate firm's strategic investment in antitracking technologies that help consumers evade a regulator's penalty. The authors find that as the penalty rises, piracy consumption can surprisingly increase after decreasing first; relatedly, the copyright holder and the society may suffer from tighter regulation. Depending on the cost of antitracking technologies of the pirate firm, the regulator optimally sets the penalty to operate in two different regimes. When the technology is available at a low cost, the regulator can achieve the goals of maximizing social welfare and minimizing piracy consumption simultaneously by setting a moderate penalty that maximizes consumers' expected penalty and tolerates some level of piracy consumption. In contrast, when the technology is costly, the regulator should set a relatively high penalty to completely impede piracy supply. Additionally, the authors show that supply-side regulation does not substitute away demand-side regulation, and educating consumers about copyright protection may unintentionally lead to an increase in piracy consumption. Last, the authors identify complex nonmonotonic long-run effects of piracy consumption regulation on the copyright holder's incentives for content creation and copyright protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored how three professional Australian football coaches learned and understood mental toughness. Participants shared stories regarding mental toughness through semistructured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Creative nonfiction was employed to develop a composite story. All participants' voices contributed equally to the narrative, which follows Sam (our composite coach) through three periods in his career: as a junior player, an elite footballer, and, finally, a coach in the professional football environment. Mental toughness was fundamentally determined by the sociocultural environment in which one was immersed. Athletes and coaches were expected to internalize dominant understandings of mental toughness and reinforce ideals and were punished if they deviated from mentally tough standards set up in their clubs. Mental toughness was defined by various values, beliefs, and norms that originated from the sociocultural environment, indicating the importance of context in understanding the roots of being mentally tough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaCH2, a free radical thought to play a role in the chemical vapor deposition of gallium-containing thin films and semiconductors, has been spectroscopically detected for the first time. The radical was produced in a pulsed discharge jet using a precursor mixture of trimethylgallium vapor in high pressure argon and studied by laser-induced fluorescence and wavelength resolved emission techniques. Partially rotationally resolved spectra of the hydrogenated and deuterated species were obtained, and they exhibit the nuclear statistical weight variations and subband structure expected for a 2A2–2B1 electronic transition. The measured spectroscopic quantities have been compared to our own ab initio calculations of the ground and excited state properties. The electronic spectrum of gallium methylene is similar to the corresponding spectrum of the aluminum methylene radical, which we reported in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Clinical Documentation Made Easy with the Intra.diffuser Kit" discusses the importance of clinical photography in dentistry and reviews the basics of capturing artistic photos. It highlights the four essential elements of clinical photography: camera body, macro lens, flashes, and diffusers. The article emphasizes the use of the Intra.diffuser kit for producing soft, realistic images and provides guidance on camera setup and photography techniques for different scenarios, including shade photography and object photography. Additionally, case reports are presented to demonstrate the application of clinical photography in documenting dental procedures. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Examine the reliability of field-based fitness assessments in school-aged children with emotional or behavioral difficulties (EBD). Understanding the impact of fitness on physical activity participation for children with EBD is limited by our ability to reliably measure it. Methods: Fifteen children aged 7–12 years with EBD completed 7 assessments—standing broad jump, overhead throw, grip strength, isometric plank hold, isometric wall squat, unilateral heel raise, and modified 6-minute walk test—in a random order on 2 separate occasions. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were computed to evaluate reliability. Results: ICCs ranged from.65 to.99 representing moderate to excellent reliability for all assessments. Shorter assessments requiring less attention and behavior regulation tended to demonstrate higher ICC values while assessments with greater attention or behavioral regulation demands tended to have lower ICC values. Conclusion: Results demonstrate varied reliability for fitness tests in children with EBD. Practitioners can use grip strength and standing broad jump assessments with confidence. Other assessments have good reliability but greater variability indicating they may be a challenge for some children with EBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental remedy calls for scientific contributions with ever increasing urgency. This research aims to a circular economy look to deliver the concept of novel materials, created from renewable by-product waste feedstock and designed to be reused, recycled, then the feedstock renewed through wastewater treatment process. The use of alum sludge (AS) waste as a photocatalyst in the catalytic oxidation of wastewater to the potential capability of ˙OH radical use as a strong oxidant is explored. Investigation has performed using magnetite (M) augmented with alum sludge as a composite material formed as alum sludge/magnetite (ASM) at different proportions (1:1), (1:2), (1:3), (1:5) and (2:1) and the samples labelled as ASM-1, ASM-2, ASM-3, ASM-4 and ASM-5, respectively. The characterisation of such composite materials was explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron Microscopy (TEM) and the composition of the composite material is attained by the Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The capabilities of these materials are tested for dye removal. Consequently, the corresponding photocatalytic performance was notably improved. The various operating conditions, initial dye concentration, initial pH value, catalyst and H2O2 concentrations on the oxidation efficiency of the dye were optimised at pH 2.0 and 800 mg/L and 2 g/L for H2O2 and ASM-1, respectively. Thermodynamic and kinetics were studies and the data revealed that the reaction is spontaneous and exothermic in nature and follows the first-order reaction kinetics. This assessment introduces the role of engineers and chemists in a world without waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kerosene/hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2) green propellant system has relatively high operational ratio of oxidizer (O) to fuel (F) that complicates the injector design and its layout. In this research, a procedure of two-stage, like-doublet (O-F-F-O) impinging-jet injector design is presented, where mixing of H2O2 and kerosene occurs between O-O and F-F sprays. Investigations at O/F ratios between 3.75 and 6.25 are performed. The impinging distance, angle, and jet velocity of the two-stage impinging-jet module are the design parameters examined. The PLIF technique is used to observe the spatial droplet distribution of the individual spray. The predicted mixing behavior by overlapping the individual fuel and oxidizer sprays is compared to the actual mixing of the O-F-F-O spray to justify the spray/spray interactions. Detailed behaviors of the fuel and oxidizer sprays are revealed. The effects of O/F ratio and other design parameters on the injector flow dynamics and propellant mixing are examined systematically. With experimentally defined shape factors, an optimum design of the injector element can be determined for a given injector plate. The design of the injector plate for a 450 N thrust engine is demonstrated, and the design is justified by the hot-fire test of the engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We investigated association between skin adverse events (AEs) and efficacy with dacomitinib in patients with EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:Post hoc analyses from ARCHER 1050 evaluated efficacy in patients who did and did not experience grade ≥2 skin AEs with dacomitinib. Landmark analyses were performed at 3 and 6 months. Results: In patients who had skin AEs (72.2%) vs. those who did not (27.7%), median progression-free survival was 16.0 vs. 9.2 months, median overall survival (OS) was 37.7 vs. 21.6 months, and objective response rate was 80.2 vs. 61.5%; OS was improved at 3 and 6 months landmark analyses. Conclusion: Presence of grade ≥2 skin AEs was associated with numerically improved efficacy and represents a valuable biomarker of treatment outcome with dacomitinib in patients with advanced NSCLC. Clinical Trial Registration:NCT01774721 (ClinicalTrials.gov) Plain Language Summary The ARCHER 1050 study assessed how the drugs called dacomitinib and gefitinib affected people with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had mutations in the EGFR gene. In this study, people who were treated with dacomitinib lived longer without their cancer getting worse than people who were treated with gefitinib. Skin adverse reactions were higher in people who were treated with dacomitinib than gefitinib. In this follow-up analysis, researchers wanted to see if the treatment effect of dacomitinib was different between people who had skin adverse reactions and people who did not have skin adverse reactions after treatment with dacomitinib. The results from this analysis showed that after treatment with dacomitinib, half of the people who had skin adverse reactions lived for 16.0 months, and half of the people who did not have skin adverse reactions lived for 9.2 months without their cancer getting worse. This study also showed that half of the people who had skin adverse reactions lived for 37.7 months, and half of the people who did not have skin adverse reactions lived for 21.6 months. In summary, the results from this study showed that the treatment effect of dacomitinib was better in people who had skin adverse reactions after treatment with dacomitinib. Therefore, skin adverse reactions can be a marker of better treatment effect in people with NSCLC who had mutations in the EGFR gene when treated with dacomitinib. Article highlights. Introduction In the Phase III ARCHER 1050 study, dacomitinib showed improved progression-free survival vs. gefitinib in patients with EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The association between the presence of skin-related adverse events (AEs) and improved efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors was assessed. Results The presence of grade ≥2 skin AEs was associated with numerically improved efficacy in patients treated with dacomitinib. Conclusions Skin AEs may represent a clinically valuable biomarker of treatment outcome in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with dacomitinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper is concerned with how poor relief in the nineteenth century - poor relief in its broadest sense - was experienced by those at the margins of society by exploring working-class autobiographies. This is primarily in the context of London, but it is also set within the wider national context. A critical paradigm of welfare is utilised to explore the extent to which those writing about their lives understood their engagement with poor relief processes akin to the arguments of critical writers on social welfare. The findings suggest that experiences of poor relief tended to be negative, or at least those writing about their experiences had critical points to make. Themes of social control and ordering, hierarchy, and conditioning are reflected within the autobiographies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational gender diversity may not be as well received among male employees as among female employees, particularly in countries characterized by gender inequality. Through the lens of intergroup threat theory (intergroup threat is experienced when members of one group perceive that another group is in a position to cause them actual or symbolic harm), we conceptualize organizational gender diversity as a threat to male employees, which evokes male employees' voluntary turnover, but as a support (threat mitigation) to female employees, which reduces female employees' voluntary turnover. We also investigate whether certain types of human resource (HR) practices can moderate the gendered implication of organizational gender diversity for voluntary turnover. By analyzing data from South Korea, we found that while collective incentives negatively moderated the positive relationship between organizational gender diversity and male employees' voluntary turnover, childcare benefits strengthened the negative relationship between organizational gender diversity and female employees' voluntary turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To quantify the effectiveness of prehabilitation prior to total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA) for osteoarthritis on postoperative outcomes assessed by self-report and performance-based measures. Methods: Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL and Scopus (inception-August 2022) were searched for randomized controlled trials. Self-report outcomes were function, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and pain. Performance-based outcomes were strength, range of motion (ROM), balance, and functional mobility. The RoB 2.0 assessed risk of bias. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed up to 52 weeks after TKA/THA. Results: High risk of bias was found in 24 of 28 trials. Prehabilitation improved function (SMD = 0.50 [95%CI: 0.23, 0.77]), pain (SMD = 0.44 [95%CI: 0.17, 0.71]), HRQoL (SMD = 0.28 [95%CI: 0.12, 0.43]), strength (SMD = 0.72 [95%CI: 0.47, 0.98]), ROM (SMD = 0.31 [95%CI: 0.02, 0.59]), and functional mobility (SMD = 0.39 [95%CI: 0.05, 0.73]) post-TKA. No significant effect of prehabilitation on balance (SMD = 0.28 [95%CI: −0.11, 0.66]) post-TKA. All outcomes assessed had significant heterogeneity (p < 0.01). There were limited and contradictory trials (n = 2) for THA. Conclusion: High risk of bias and significant heterogeneity observed in our meta-analysis prevent conclusions regarding prehabilitation effectiveness on outcomes up to one year after TKA/THA. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Prehabilitation has been promoted to improve postoperative outcomes and shorten recovery periods after total knee/hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA) for osteoarthritis Prehabilitation improved relevant self-report and performance-based outcomes after TKA surgery A high risk of bias and significant heterogeneity across trials prevent drawing any conclusions More high-quality research is required before recommending the implementation of prehabilitation programs in clinical practice for people awaiting TKA/THA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Although previous studies have assessed the clinical or economic value of specific technologies, the economic value of improving sensitivity for malignancy in lung cancer diagnoses broadly across technologies is unclear. Objectives: To identify the economic value of improving sensitivity of bronchoscopy biopsy for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: A decision analytic model was developed to quantify the economic value of increased sensitivity for malignancy for bronchoscopy biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions. Primary clinical outcomes included time to diagnosis and survival. Economic outcomes included 1) net monetary benefit (NMB), defined as the health benefits measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) times willingness to pay ($100,000/QALY) net of changes in medical costs; and 2) incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. A decision tree modeling framework with two Markov module branches was developed. The two Markov modules corresponded to patients with cancer who were 1) diagnosed and treated or 2) undiagnosed and remained untreated. Outcomes were measured from a U.S. payer perspective over 30 years. Results: Improving sensitivity for malignancy by 10 percentage points decreased average time to diagnosis for patients with lung cancer by 0.85 month (4 wk) and increased survival by 0.36 year (19 wk) because of faster treatment initiation. Overall health outcomes improved by 0.20 QALYs per patient. Cost increased by $6,727 per patient primarily through increased treatment costs among those diagnosed with cancer. Increasing sensitivity for malignancy by 10 percentage points improved NMB by $8,729 over 30 years (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $34,052), driven largely by improved sensitivity to early-stage cancer (stage-specific NMB, I/II, $19,805; III, $2,101; IV, −$1,438). Forty-two percent of overall NMB ($3,668) accrued within 5 years of biopsy. The relationship between change in sensitivity and NMB was approximately linear (1% vs. 10% sensitivity improvement corresponded to NMB of $885 vs. $8,729). The model was most sensitive to cancer treatment efficacy and follow-up time after a negative result. Conclusions: Increasing sensitivity of malignancy by 10 percentage points resulted in a $8,729 improvement in net economic value. Health systems can use this information when making decisions regarding the value of new bronchoscopy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic life limiting disease that impacts upon quality of life. An aim of CF care is to preserve lung function, with physical activity (PA) being an important part of daily airway clearance. Ensuring children have opportunities to engage in PA at school should be an important part of their daily routine. It is important to gain parental perspectives on this, as they manage the daily care for their children. This study aims to explore parents' perceptions of school-based PA for their children with CF. Methods: Parents of children with CF (n = 10), from three regions of the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) took part in online semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: Although parents recognized the benefits of school-based PA for their children, systemic barriers in the school setting often inhibit daily PA for children with CF, including teachers' misconceptions, emotional and physical barriers, and PA not being a priority. Conclusion: Recommendations for practice have been developed to help engage children with CF in daily school-based PA in an inclusive way, with the hope of maintaining health outcomes for children with CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, higher education policy is typically framed in terms of the technical employability capabilities to advance the economic productivity of nations, and as such, can be myopic to the wider sustainable development challenge of 'Decent Work' (a form of employment with good working conditions). This form of myopia can fail to materially change the sociocultural conditions in local contexts of learning and work and ultimately perpetuate structural disadvantage. This article draws from policy participation conducted over 4 years which included (i) longitudinal focus group dialogue involving educational policy makers, implementers and students (n = 102) and (ii) document analysis of formal policy and evaluation reports. The study is conducted in one of the fastest growing economies which is rapidly developing its policy frameworks (Vietnam) to enhance the employability of ethnic minority students. Findings highlight the need for (i) a meta-perspective which encompasses the multiple stakeholders involved in enabling students to access and engage in decent work, (ii) building the capacity of students to actively change and improve their situations and (iii) awareness of the ways in which governments, educational institutions and employers can value the diversity of students and their circumstances. In contrast to the dominant institutional perspective, this article conceptualises the counter-active effects across education-work ecosystems which mediate policy efficacy and advances an alternative conceptual framework that integrates ecosystems, empowerment and recognition theory to inform policy formulation and assessment. This article advocates expansive rather than myopic policy to drive participation in Decent Work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In contrast to standard-of-care treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma, there is limited consensus on therapy upon disease progression. The role of resection for recurrent glioblastoma remains unclear. This study aimed to identify factors for overall survival (OS) and post-progression survival (PPS) as well as to validate an existing prediction model. Methods: This was a multi-centre retrospective study that reviewed consecutive adult patients from 2006 to 2019 that received a repeat resection for recurrent glioblastoma. The primary endpoint was PPS defined as from the date of second surgery until death. Results: 1032 glioblastoma patients were identified and 190 (18%) underwent resection for recurrence. Patients that had second surgery were more likely to be younger (<70 years) (adjusted OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1–0.6), to have non-eloquent region tumours (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1–2.6) and received temozolomide chemoradiotherapy (aOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1–0.4). Resection for recurrent tumour was an independent predictor for OS (aOR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3–1.7) (mOS: 16.9 months versus 9.8 months). For patients that previously received temozolomide chemoradiotherapy and subsequent repeat resection (137, 13%), the median PPS was 9.0 months (IQR: 5.0–17.5). Independent PPS predictors for this group were a recurrent tumour volume of >50cc (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4–0.9), local recurrence (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1–3.3) and 5-ALA fluorescence-guided resection during second surgery (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1–2.8). A National Institutes of Health Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme Scale score of 0 conferred an mPPS of 10.0 months, a score of 1–2, 9.0 months and a score of 3, 4.0 months (log-rank test, p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: Surgery for recurrent glioblastoma can be beneficial in selected patients and carries an acceptable morbidity rate. The pattern of recurrence influenced PPS and the NIH Recurrent GBM Scale was a reliable prognostication tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This reflective work considers homelessness and provides a model of participation for improving homelessness responses through StreetCare, a NSW-based advisory committee of people with diverse lived experiences of homelessness. StreetCare provides unique, essential and pertinent advice to relevant stakeholders in the housing and homelessness sector at the local, state and national level. Through the example of StreetCare, this piece explains how the participation of those with lived experience in reform contributes to better outcomes, to the empowerment of lived experience advocates, and to more equitable laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether arterial spin labeling perfusion images of healthy controls can enhance ictal single‐photon emission computed tomography analysis and whether the acquisition of the interictal image can be omitted. Methods: We developed 2 pipelines: The first uses ictal and interictal images and compares these to single‐photon emission computed tomography and arterial spin labeling of healthy controls. The second pipeline uses only the ictal image and the analogous healthy controls. Both pipelines were compared to the gold standard analysis and evaluated on data of individuals with epilepsy who underwent ictal single‐photon emission computed tomography imaging during presurgical evaluation between 2010 and 2022. Fifty healthy controls prospectively underwent arterial spin labeling imaging. The correspondence between the detected hyperperfusion and the postoperative resection cavity or the presumably affected lobe was assessed using Dice score and mean Euclidean distance. Additionally, the outcomes of the pipelines were automatically assigned to 1 of 5 concordance categories. Results: Inclusion criteria were met by 43 individuals who underwent epilepsy surgery and by 73 non‐surgical individuals with epilepsy. Compared to the gold standard analysis, both pipelines resulted in significantly higher Dice scores and lower mean distances (p < 0.05). The combination of both provided localizing results in 85/116 cases, compared to 54/116 generated by the current gold standard analysis and the ictal image alone produced localizing results in 60/116 (52%) cases. Interpretation: We propose a new ictal single‐photon emission computed tomography protocol; it finds relevantly more ictal hyperperfusion, and halves the radiation dose in about half of the individuals. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:1160–1173 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression "lost at sea" means to be confused or perplexed. By extension, lost at SCLC references the current confusion about how to circumvent the chemoresistance, particularly platinum resistance, which so plagues the treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) that in 2012 the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated it a "recalcitrant cancer." Over a decade later, despite the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and the conditional approval of lurbinectedin, the prognosis for ES-SCLC, and especially platinum-resistant ES-SCLC, has scarcely improved. The focus of this review, which briefly summarizes current treatment options for ES-SCLC, is on five clinical-stage therapies with the potential to successfully reverse the platinum resistance that is perhaps the biggest obstacle to better clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The artificial sweetener saccharin has been reported to enhance resistance against pathogen attack in various plant species. In this study, foliar application of saccharin resulted in increased resistance to leaf infection by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 (Psa) in two Actinidia chinensis cultivars, Hayward and Zesy002. In glasshouse plants, the application of saccharin at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/L, 1 week before inoculation with Psa, induced a dose‐dependent reduction in leaf necrosis in both cultivars. Saccharin at 2.0 g/L reduced leaf necrosis in Hayward by 77% and in Zesy002 by over 90%. However, saccharin (2.0 g/L) did not inhibit growth of Psa in liquid media, thus suggesting induced resistance (IR) as the primary mode of action against leaf infection. The development of IR in both cultivars was concomitant with the accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) and salicylate glycoside (SAG), and the upregulation of SA‐pathway genes (PR1 and PR2) in treated leaves. In orchard‐grown Hayward vines, saccharin (1.0 g/L) induced the upregulation of SA‐pathway genes and reduced Psa leaf necrosis and flower bud rot by 50% and 25%, respectively, compared with controls. However, saccharin residues were detected in fruit collected from vines that were sprayed with saccharin (1.0 g/L) before flowering. Residue level correlated with application frequency and timing and was highest (0.051 mg/kg) in vines that received three preflowering sprays. This exceeds the default maximum residue limit (MRL; 0.01 mg/kg) for some export markets and could limit the use of saccharin for disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common co-occurring condition in autistic individuals. ADHD is sometimes first recognised in young adulthood because ADHD symptoms may be misattributed to autism due to superficial overlap in presentation and diagnostic overshadowing. It should be investigated whether ADHD questionnaires are accurate in screening symptoms in young adults with autism. The current study examined this. Methods: Participants were autistic young adults (N = 119) who took part in the Special Needs and Autism Project (SNAP), a population-based cohort. ADHD research diagnoses were obtained through the parent-informed Young Adult Psychiatric Assessment. Parents and young adults (self-report sample N = 71) completed ADHD questionnaires (Aberrant Behavior Checklist hyperactivity/non-compliance subscale, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales ADHD Index, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire ADHD subscale). Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to explore if the questionnaires discriminated ADHD cases from non-cases. To assess whether results varied by intellectual functioning, subgroup analyses were completed for those with an IQ ≥ 70 vs. <70. Results: Weighted ADHD rates were high. Overall although the measures were performing at or close to adequate levels (area under the curve was 0.66 to 0.79 for parent-report and 0.70 to 0.65 for self-report), no single measure met adequate thresholds for sensitivity and specificity simultaneously. Tool performance was not different for those with an IQ ≥ 70 vs. <70. Conclusion: No single measure reported adequate performance for distinguishing ADHD from non-ADHD cases in this sample of young autistic adults. Use of current thresholds may lead to under-diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Androgen receptor splice variant 7 (ARV-7) is a resistance mechanism to hormonal therapy in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). It has been associated with poor outcomes. On progression to castrate resistance, ARV-7 positivity has been identified in global populations at an incidence of 17.8%-28.8%. Here, we characterize the incidence of ARV-7 positivity in Asian patients with mCRPC in a prospective fashion and evaluate its implications on treatment outcomes. METHODS: Patients with mCRPC from multiple centers in Southeast and East Asia were enrolled in a prospective manner before initiation of androgen receptor signaling inhibitors or docetaxel. ARV-7 status was evaluated at baseline with three commercially available assays: AdnaTest Prostate Cancer platform, Clearbridge method, and IBN method. Clinical outcomes at progression were assessed. The primary end point of this study was prevalence of ARV-7 positivity; secondary end points were incidence of ARV-7 positivity, prostate specific antigen (PSA) response rate, PSA progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 102 patients with a median age of 72 years at enrollment participated. Overall, an incidence of ARV-7 positivity of between 14.3% and 33.7% in Asian patients with mCRPC was demonstrated depending on the assay used. Patients found to have ARV-7 positivity at enrollment had a numerically worse PSA PFS compared with ARV-7 negative patients. CONCLUSION: In this study, the incidence of ARV-7 positivity in Asian patients with mCRPC was shown to be similar to the global population. Patients with ARV-7 positivity appear to have more aggressive disease with numerically worse PSA PFS and OS. Further prospective studies are needed to fully characterize the relationship that ARV-7 positivity has on prognosis of Asian patients with mCRPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holistic judgement is an appealing approach for many assessment contexts due to its perceived simplicity and efficiency. However, it has been somewhat under-explored conceptually. Drawing on examples from assessment contexts including vocational performance, comparative judgement and the use of holistic judgement in teacher assessment for high stakes grading, we explicate a three-part definition of what holistic judgement constitutes. Holistic judgements result in singular outputs, derive from a comprehensive consideration of relevant constructs and acknowledge that the elements considered within them interconnect. However, holistic judgements may be made using considerably different processes by different judges without contravening this definition, and the ways in which different elements are weighted may vary. We then explore some factors, specific to assessment contexts, that might make holistic judgements more challenging, including materials being very different from one another, non-uniform candidate performance across materials and the presence of construct-irrelevant material. We set this assessment-specific discussion in the context of literatures on decision-making in psychology, medicine and other contexts. We conclude with some recommendations for when holistic judgement should and should not be used, and how holistic judgements can be made less cognitively challenging through the use of appropriate guidance and feedback to judges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the context of school exclusion in Northern Ireland. In doing so, we explore the political economy of exclusion, focusing in particular on the intersection of perspectives between four key stakeholder groups: principals (n = 7) and teachers (n = 31) in mainstream schools, representatives from an official education body (n = 8), and staff from Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) Centres (n = 4) who provide alternative education for young people who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools or who have social, emotional, behavioural and well-being needs that cannot be met in mainstream schools. The study used qualitative data from individual and small group interviews and focus groups with the stakeholders mentioned above. School exclusion has been under-researched in Northern Ireland and this paper addresses this gap. Additionally, official exclusion data point to relatively low levels of temporary and permanent exclusions compared with the other jurisdictions of the UK, though why this is so remains unclear. The analysis draws attention to the use and prevalence of informal or unofficial school exclusions; claims of limited official support for schools; restricted collaboration between mainstream schools and alternative education; and a general consensus around limited resources to support pupils at risk and to train teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The transverse relaxation time T 2$$ {}_2 $$ holds significant relevance in clinical applications and research studies. Conventional T 2$$ {}_2 $$ mapping approaches rely on spin‐echo sequences, which require lengthy acquisition times and involve high radiofrequency (RF) power deposition. An alternative gradient echo (GRE) phase‐based T 2$$ {}_2 $$ mapping method, utilizing steady‐state acquisitions at one small RF spoil phase increment, was recently demonstrated. Here, a modified magnitude‐ and phase‐based T 2$$ {}_2 $$ mapping approach is proposed, which improves T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ estimations by simultaneous fitting of T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$ and signal amplitude (A∝PD$$ A\propto PD $$) at three or more RF spoiling phase increments, instead of assuming a fixed T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$ value. Methods: The feasibility of the magnitude‐phase‐based method was assessed by simulations, in phantom and in vivo experiments using skipped‐CAIPI three‐dimensional‐echo‐planar imaging (3D‐EPI) for rapid GRE imaging. T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$, T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$ and PD estimations obtained by our method were compared to T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ of the phase‐based method and T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$ and PD of spoiled GRE‐based multi‐parameter mapping using a multi‐echo version of the same sequence. Results: The agreement of the proposed T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ with ground truth and reference T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ values was higher than that of phase‐based T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ in simulations and in phantom data. While phase‐based T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ overestimation increases with actual T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ and T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$, the proposed method is accurate over a large range of physiologically meaningful T2$$ {\mathrm{T}}_2 $$ and T1$$ {\mathrm{T}}_1 $$ values. At the same time, precision is improved. In vivo results were in line with these observations. Conclusion: Accurate magnitude‐phase‐based T 2$$ {}_2 $$ mapping is feasible in less than 5 min scan time for 1 mm nominal isotropic whole‐head coverage at 3T and 7T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the high signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) efficiency of interleaved multishot 3D‐EPI with standard image reconstruction for fast and robust high‐resolution whole‐brain quantitative susceptibility (QSM) and R2∗$$ {R}_2^{\ast } $$ mapping at 7 and 3T. Methods: Single‐ and multi‐TE segmented 3D‐EPI is combined with conventional CAIPIRINHA undersampling for up to 72‐fold effective gradient echo (GRE) imaging acceleration. Across multiple averages, scan parameters are varied (e.g., dual‐polarity frequency‐encoding) to additionally correct for B0$$ {\mathrm{B}}_0 $$‐induced artifacts, geometric distortions and motion retrospectively. A comparison to established GRE protocols is made. Resolutions range from 1.4 mm isotropic (1 multi‐TE average in 36 s) up to 0.4 mm isotropic (2 single‐TE averages in approximately 6 min) with whole‐head coverage. Results: Only 1‐4 averages are needed for sufficient SNR with 3D‐EPI, depending on resolution and field strength. Fast scanning and small voxels together with retrospective corrections result in substantially reduced image artifacts, which improves susceptibility and R2∗$$ {R}_2^{\ast } $$ mapping. Additionally, much finer details are obtained in susceptibility‐weighted image projections through significantly reduced partial voluming. Conclusion: Using interleaved multishot 3D‐EPI, single‐TE and multi‐TE data can readily be acquired 10 times faster than with conventional, accelerated GRE imaging. Even 0.4 mm isotropic whole‐head QSM within 6 min becomes feasible at 7T. At 3T, motion‐robust 0.8 mm isotropic whole‐brain QSM and R2∗$$ {R}_2^{\ast } $$ mapping with no apparent distortion in less than 7 min becomes clinically feasible. Stronger gradient systems may allow for even higher effective acceleration rates through larger EPI factors while maintaining optimal contrast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hookahs have been rising in popularity in the United States (U.S.) especially among the youth yet not much research has been carried out to understand the various predictors of hookah use among youth. We have thus conducted a cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods triangulation design to identify the hookah use determinants at different levels of the Social Ecological Model among youth. Participants between the ages of 18–24 years were sampled purposively, between April to November 2023, following a snowballing technique from various communities in Virginia and California, United States. Data were collected via a survey, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups. The study had a total sample size of 20. We found that participants smoked for a median of 5 times in the past 30 days. The main determinants of hookah smoking included the limited knowledge of health effects and addiction, positive attitude, family and peer influence, use as a means to socially connect with others, culture, social acceptability, lack of education at school and work place, access to hookah bars and smoke shops, and lack of strict enforcement of laws to ban smoking of youth. Educational interventions should be implemented by public health authorities to target the youth, their social and communities to provide education on hookah harm and addictiveness and to restrict access to- and the production, distribution, marketing and sales of hookahs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mortality rates of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) have surged globally over the past two decades. While the underlying reasons remain largely unknown, understanding its epidemiology is crucial to address this escalating trend. This study aimed to identify disparities potentially influencing these rates, enhancing risk assessment tools, and highlighting areas necessitating further research. Methods: Using the CDC Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database, this study assessed EOCRC mortality data from 2012 to 2020. Individuals under 50 years who succumbed to EOCRC were identified through the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. Data interpretation and representation were performed using R 4.2.2 software. Results: Between 2012 and 2020, EOCRC mortality rates fluctuated marginally between 1.7 and 1.8 per 100,000. Male mortality rates increased from 1.9 to 2.0 per 100,000, while female rates varied between 1.5 and 1.6 per 100,000. Significant variations were observed across age groups, with the 40–49 years category experiencing an increase from 6.34 (2012) to 6.94 (2020) per 100,000. Racial category-based data revealed the highest mortality rates among African Americans. Geographically, Mississippi and Alabama exhibited elevated mortality rates. Age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) assessments indicated a marked decline for both genders from 2012 to 2020, with consistently higher rates for men. Conclusion: The findings highlight the evolving landscape of EOCRC mortality, revealing significant gender, age, and racial disparities. These results underscore the urgent need for tailored health strategies and intensified research efforts targeting these disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of Si is known to improve the oxidation resistance of pure titanium and titanium alloys. However, most past studies concern the influence of relatively large Si contents (0.35–8 wt%), which is often incompatible with a good ductility because of the presence of Ti5Si3 precipitates. This study focuses on the influence of the Si content on the high-temperature resistance of near-alpha alloys from the family of Ti6244 alloy (6% Al, 2% Sn, 4% Zr 4% Mo–wt%) with small proportions of Si. The silicon addition was found to improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of near-alpha Ti-Al-Sn-Zr-Mo family alloys by decreasing the oxidation rate and the oxide scale thickness, as well by producing a denser oxide scale. Rutile and alumina were detected within the oxide scale by XRD and Raman spectrometry. The presence of Si is associated with the presence of larger quantities of N at the oxide/metal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Testing for equivalence, rather than testing for a difference, is an important component of some scientific studies. While the focus of the existing literature is on comparing two groups for equivalence, real‐world applications arise regularly that require testing across more than two groups. This paper reviews the existing approaches for testing across multiple groups and proposes a novel framework for multigroup equivalence testing under a Bayesian paradigm. This approach allows for a more scientifically meaningful definition of the equivalence margin and a more powerful test than the few existing alternatives. This approach also allows a new definition of equivalence based on future differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We wished to evaluate if an open-source artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm (https://www.childfx.com) could improve performance of (1) subspecialized musculoskeletal radiologists, (2) radiology residents, and (3) pediatric residents in detecting pediatric and young adult upper extremity fractures. Materials and methods: A set of evaluation radiographs drawn from throughout the upper extremity (elbow, hand/finger, humerus/shoulder/clavicle, wrist/forearm, and clavicle) from 240 unique patients at a single hospital was constructed (mean age 11.3 years, range 0–22 years, 37.9% female). Two fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologists, three radiology residents, and two pediatric residents were recruited as readers. Each reader interpreted each case initially without and then subsequently 3–4 weeks later with AI assistance and recorded if/where fracture was present. Results: Access to AI significantly improved area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) of radiology residents (0.768 [0.730–0.806] without AI to 0.876 [0.845–0.908] with AI, P < 0.001) and pediatric residents (0.706 [0.659–0.753] without AI to 0.844 [0.805–0.883] with AI, P < 0.001) in identifying fracture, respectively. There was no evidence of improvement for subspecialized musculoskeletal radiology attendings in identifying fracture (AUC 0.867 [0.832–0.902] to 0.890 [0.856–0.924], P = 0.093). There was no evidence of difference between overall resident AUC with AI and subspecialist AUC without AI (resident with AI 0.863, attending without AI AUC 0.867, P = 0.856). Overall physician radiograph interpretation time was significantly lower with AI (38.9 s with AI vs. 52.1 s without AI, P = 0.030). Conclusion: An openly accessible AI model significantly improved radiology and pediatric resident accuracy in detecting pediatric upper extremity fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (A , m) be a Cohen–Macaulay local ring of dimension d ≥ 1 . Suppose there exists be a non-zero A module M of finite length and finite projective dimension such that ℓ ℓ (M) , the Lowey length of M, is equal to λ (M) , the length of M. Then we show that necessarily A is at worst a hypersurface singularity. We also characterize Gorenstein local rings having a non-zero module M of finite length and finite projective dimension with ℓ ℓ (M) = λ (M) - 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elucidation of the underlying cause of polyuria‐polydipsia syndrome (PPS) is a challenging—especially in the differentiation of partial defects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion or action from primary polydipsia. The water deprivation test has been utilized for many decades, and its application in the paediatric population has been applied using parameters predominantly established in adult cohorts. In more recent times, the development of automated commercial assays for copeptin, a surrogate marker for AVP, has represented a significant advancement in the diagnostic approach to PPS. Measurement of copeptin concentrations has major advantages and has essentially superseded measurement of AVP in diagnostic protocols for PPS. Additionally, stimulated‐copeptin protocols utilizing hypertonic saline infusion, arginine, and glucagon have been investigated, and are promising. However, further studies are required in the population—incorporating the differences in physiological regulation of water homeostasis, and safety requirements—before there is widespread adoption into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment with short-acting betablockers in septic patients remains controversial. Two recent large multicenter trials have provided additional evidence on this therapeutic approach. We thus performed a meta-analysis, including the most recent data, to evaluate the potential impacts of treatment with short-acting betablockers on mortality in adult septic patients. Methods: The data search included PubMed, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Cochrane Library. A meta-analysis of all eligible peer-reviewed studies was performed in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Only randomized, controlled studies with valid classifications of sepsis and intravenous treatment with short-acting betablockers (landiolol or esmolol) were included. Short-term mortality served as the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included effects on short-term mortality regarding patient age and cardiac rhythm. Results: A total of seven studies summarizing 854 patients fulfilled the predefined criteria and were included. Short-term mortality as well as pooled mortality (longest period of data on mortality) was not significantly impacted by treatment with short-acting betablockers when compared to the reference treatment (Risk difference, − 0.10 [95% CI, − 0.22 to 0.02]; p = 0.11; p for Cochran's Q test = 0.001; I2 = 73%). No difference was seen when comparing patients aged < 65 versus ≥ 65 years (p = 0.11) or sinus tachycardia with atrial fibrillation (p = 0.27). Despite statistical heterogeneity, no significant publication bias was observed. Conclusion: Administration of short-acting betablockers did not reduce short-term mortality in septic patients with persistent tachycardia. Future studies should also provide extensive hemodynamic data to enable characterization of cardiac function before and during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite the advances in genomics, repetitive DNAs (repeats) are still difficult to sequence, assemble, and identify. This is due to their high abundance and diversity, with many repeat families being unique to the organisms in which they were described. In sugar beet, repeats make up a significant portion of the genome (at least 53%), with many repeats being restricted to the beet genera, Beta and Patellifolia. Over the course of over 30 years and many repeat-based studies, over a thousand reference repeat sequences for beet genomes have been identified and many experimentally characterized (e.g. physically located on the chromosomes). Here, we present the collection of these reference repeat sequences for beets. Data description: The BeetRepeats_v1.0 resource is a comprehensive compilation of all characterized repeat families, including satellite DNAs, ribosomal DNAs, transposable elements and endogenous viruses. The genomes covered are those of sugar beet and closely related wild beets (genera Beta and Patellifolia) as well as Chenopodium quinoa and Spinacia oleracea (all belonging to the Amaranthaceae). The reference sequences are in fasta format and comprise well-characterized repeats from both repeat categories (dispersed/mobile as well as tandemly arranged). The database is suitable for the RepeatMasker and RepeatExplorer2 pipelines and can be used directly for any repeat annotation and repeat polymorphism detection purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeo's index, the product of the mitral leaflet separation index and dimensionless index of mitral valve (MV), was recently described to accurately identify severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS). We assess the association between Yeo's index and clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatic MS. We studied 297 patients with rheumatic MS. Clinical and echocardiographic data were obtained from the electronic medical record and Yeo's index was measured in all cases. The outcome studied was a composite of all cause death, heart failure (HF) hospitalisation, MV intervention and stroke or transient ischaemic attack. We also performed subgroup analysis of patients without pre-existing atrial fibrillation (AF) to assess for association with new onset AF. The median follow up was 6.3 years; 145 patients (48.8%) developed the composite outcome. Yeo's index (p < 0.001), mitral valve area (MVA) by pressure half-time (PHT) (p = 0.028) and planimetry (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.016), history of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.029), previous HF (p = 0.021), left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.022), and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (p = 0.007) were univariately associated with the composite outcome. Yeo's index remained independently associated with the composite outcome in multivariate analysis (p < 0.001, HR 0.094, 95% CI 0.260–0.340). This was primarily driven by MV intervention. In a subgroup analysis of patients without pre-existing AF, Yeo's index was independently associated with new onset AF (p = 0.024, HR 0.354, 95% CI 0.143–0.874). This demonstrated that Yeo's index was independently associated with clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatic MS which was mainly driven by MV intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real living wages (RLWs) are an important ethical and moral policy to ensure that employees earn enough to live on. In providing 'a fair day's pay for a fair day's work', they set an ethical foundation for liveability. This article explores the ethics and moral economy of the RLW for lower-paid staff in the overlooked economy context of UK professional football, illustrated by a qualitative case study of Luton Town Football Club (LTFC). The article provides theoretical insights grounded in moral economy concepts about how a RLW contributes to a broader common good means of enabling fuller human participation in decent working and living conditions. Applying these concepts using a multi-disciplinary moral economy interpretation offers deeper theoretical contributions than economistic interpretations restricted to mainly technocratic economic distributive issues. LTFC are evidently ethically embedded in a moral economy as a local community club paying a RLW, and part of the overlooked economy. The research also contributes to contemporary debates on 'Common Good' HRM regarding the role of living wages in addressing grand common good challenges like inequality and quality of working lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]