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Drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs), solid by‐products of drinking water treatment, are dominated by calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), or aluminum (Al), depending on the coagulant used. DWTRs are often landfilled, but current research is exploring options for beneficial reuse. Previous studies have shown that Al‐ and Fe‐rich materials have potential to reduce the mobility of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Here, we investigated how amending biosolids with 5% wt/wt DWTRs affected plant bioavailable PFAS in two different simulated scenarios: (1) agricultural scenario with Solanum lycopersicum(tomato) grown in soil amended with an agronomically relevant rate of DWTR‐amended biosolids (0.9% w/w, resulting in 0.045% w/w DWTR in the biosolids‐amended soil) and (2) mine reclamation scenario examining PFAS uptake by Lolium perenne(perennial ryegrass) grown in soil that received DWTR‐amended biosolids amendment at a rate consistent with the mine remediation (13% w/w, resulting in 0.65% w/w DWTR in the biosolids‐amended soil). Amending biosolids with Ca‐DWTR significantly reduced perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) uptake in ryegrass and perfluorohexanoic acid uptake in tomatoes, possibly due to DWTR‐induced pH elevation, while Fe‐DWTR amendment reduced PFBA bioaccumulation in ryegrass. The Al‐DWTR did not induce a significant reduction in accumulated PFAS compared to controls. Although the reasons for this finding are unclear, the relatively low PFAS concentrations in the biosolids and relatively high Al content in the biosolids and soil may be partially responsible. Plant uptake of per‐ and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from biosolids‐amended soil is unaffected by amendment of biosolids with Al‐ or Fe‐ drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs).Amending biosolids with Ca‐DWTRs reduced perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) accumulation in ryegrass, likely due to pH modification.Amending biosolids with Al/Fe DWTRs may be more effective in reducing PFAS uptake in low Al/Fe high OM media.

Workplaces have considerable potential for enhancing personal resources and providing a supportive working environment for staff health, including oral health and well‐being. To date, assessments of workplace oral health promotion (WOHP) activities have observed benefits ranging from self‐reported oral health to clinical parameters. However, previous WOHP actions were not based on a theoretical framework and did not consider the working environment as part of the planning and evaluation process. This article used evidence‐based health promotion theoretical frameworks, and associated facilitators and barriers, in constructing an integrated and theoretically robust approach to planning and evaluating oral health promotion activities in the workplace. The PRECEDE‐PROCEED Model for planning and evaluation, the reach effectiveness adoption implementation maintenance, and the Salutogenic Model of Health were chosen to complement each other in the planning and evaluation process, based on their different features and the applicability of those features to the workplace setting. Because of the limited literature in this area, the current article also used evidence from oral health promotion in other settings (including schools and the community) and general health promotion in the workplace to construct a theoretical framework for planning and evaluating WOHP activities. The theoretical framework developed could assist in planning or improving existing workplace health promotion programs that focus on or incorporate oral health elements. Future research on applying and adapting the proposed framework is required.

This article systematically reviews evidence evaluating whether macroeconomic austerity policies impact mortality, reviewing high-income country data compiled through systematic searches of nine databases and gray literature using pre-specified methods (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020226609). Eligible studies were quantitatively assessed to determine austerity's impact on mortality. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility and risk of bias using ROBINS-I. Synthesis without meta-analysis was conducted due to heterogeneity. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework. Of 5,720 studies screened, seven were included, with harmful effects of austerity policies demonstrated in six, and no effect in one. Consistent harmful impacts of austerity were demonstrated for all-cause mortality, life expectancy, and cause-specific mortality across studies and different austerity measures. Excess mortality was higher in countries with greater exposure to austerity. Certainty of evidence was low. Risk of bias was moderate to critical. A typical austerity dose was associated with 74,090 [−40,632, 188,792] and 115,385 [26,324, 204,446] additional deaths per year. Austerity policies are consistently associated with adverse mortality outcomes, but the magnitude of this effect remains uncertain and may depend on how austerity is implemented (e.g., balance between public spending reductions or tax rises, and distributional consequences). Policymakers should be aware of potential harmful health effects of austerity policies.

There is an increasing urgency to implement large-scale ecosystem restoration to mitigate the biodiversity and climate crises. These efforts must be scaled up to counteract the widespread degradation of the world’s forests, although restoration costs can often limit their application. Thus, there is a pressing need to identify cost-effective approaches that catalyze landscape-scale ecological recovery. Here, we highlight seven assisted restoration innovations with demonstrated local-scale results that, once upscaled, hold promise to rapidly regenerate forests. We comprehensively assessed how each approach facilitated forest, woodland, and/or mangrove recovery across 143 studies. Our results reveal techniques with a marked ability to catalyze vegetation recovery compared to “business-as-usual” approaches. However, the context-dependent cost-benefit ratio and feasibility of applying particular approaches requires careful consideration. Our assessment emphasizes that we already have many of the tools necessary to drive the terrestrial restoration movement forward. It is time to implement and assess their efficacy at scale.

ABSTRACTWhat theories explain a dynamic political field and its outcome? Can we judiciously combine theories into a better hybrid explanation? To be valid, a theory’s claimed causal factor must manifest in the field as a representative mode of micro power used between actors in dyads (its mechanism). The modes’ relative presence indicates the theories’ relative causal validity. The Integrated Structurational Analysis method analyzes (hundreds of) actor dyads to find evidence on the relative presence of the modes. The results indicate a shifting, multidimensional causal timescape driving the field and its outcome. Findings from a Japanese case study illustrate the method.

The primary goal of this study was to determine how structural and functional parameters influence the vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in patients suffering from geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

•Rates of bendamustine-related deaths and treatment discontinuation were similar to those reported in clinical trials.•Infections and opportunistic infections were common and often occurred long after completion of treatment.

Progression of geographic atrophy varies significantly based on individual and lesion characteristics. Much research has strived to understand prognostic indicators of lesion progression over time, yet integrating findings to date may pose a challenge to clinicians. This review strives to synthesize current knowledge on genetic, behavioral, structural, and functional factors that influence geographic atrophy across the lifetime. Further, it highlights how vision-related quality of life allows for a more holistic appraisal of the impact of geographic atrophy on everyday functioning. The ultimate aim of this paper is to aid clinicians in counseling patients on medical management as well as providing accurate disease prognostication tailored to the individual patient.

ObjectiveTo examine trends in socio-economic and ethnic inequalities in childhood overweight and obesity in the England between 1995 and 2019 in survey data and to compare these to administrative data.DesignObservational repeated cross-sectional study using the Health Survey for England (HSE) and National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).OutcomeAge and sex standardised overweight, obesity and overweight including obesity.AnalysisInequalities assessed by parental education, family structure, ethnicity (binary non-white vs white) and area-level Index of Multiple Deprivation. Estimates stratified by age and sex. Trends compared against NCMP data (age 4–5 and 10–11 years).ResultsPrevalence of childhood overweight including obesity increased from 26.0% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2019, with the highest and fastest growing levels in those aged 11–15 years, rising from 29.7% to 38.0%. Despite a plateau in overall childhood obesity since 2004, differences between groups demonstrated widening inequalities over time. Inequalities widened by area-level deprivation, household educational attainment, household structure and ethnicity driven primarily by increased prevalence among socioeconomically disadvantaged children. For example, the gap between children from households with no qualifications versus degree-level qualifications increased from −1.1% to 13.2%, and the gap between single-parent households and couple households increased from 0.5% to 5.3%. HSE trends in prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity by deprivation quintile were consistent with those in NCMP.ConclusionOverall levels of child overweight and obesity increased between 1995 and 2004. Since then, increases in prevalence among less advantaged groups have driven widening of inequalities.

The Quantum Internet is envisioned as a global network, interconnecting heterogeneous quantum networks, able to transmit quantum information (qubits, qudits, or continuous variables) and to distribute entangled quantum states with no classical equivalent, by exploiting quantum links in synergy with classical links. The Quantum Internet is disruptive, since it is capable of supporting functionalities with no direct counterpart in classical networks, such as advanced quantum cryptographic services, blind quantum computing, and distributed quantum computing characterized by exponential increases in computing power and new forms of communication. These functionalities have the potential to fundamentally change the world in ways we cannot imagine yet.

BackgroundWe investigated the potential impacts of child poverty (CP) reduction scenarios on population health and health inequalities in England between 2024 and 2033.MethodsWe combined aggregate local authority-level data with published and newly created estimates on the association between CP and the rate per 100 000 of infant mortality, children (aged <16) looked after, child (aged <16) hospitalisations for nutritional anaemia and child (aged <16) all-cause emergency hospital admissions. We modelled relative, absolute (per 100 000) and total (per total population) annual changes for these outcomes under three CP reduction scenarios between 2024 and 2033—low-ambition(15% reduction), medium-ambition(25% reduction) and high-ambition(35% reduction)—compared with a baseline CP scenario (15% increase). Annual changes were aggregated between 2024 and 2033 at national, regional and deprivation (IMD tertiles) levels to investigate inequalities.ResultsAll CP reduction scenarios would result in substantial improvements to child health. Meeting the high-ambitionreduction would decrease total cases of infant mortality (293; 95% CI 118 to 461), children looked after (4696; 95% CI 1987 to 7593), nutritional anaemia (458, 95% CI 336 to 574) and emergency admissions (32 650; 95% CI 4022 to 61 126) between 2024 and 2033. Northern regions (eg, North East) exhibited the greatest relative and absolute benefit. The most deprived tertile would experience the largest relative, absolute and total benefit; under high-ambitionreduction, total infant mortality cases were predicted to fall by 126 (95% CI 51 to 199) in the most deprived tertile compared with 71 (95% CI 29 to 112) in the least between 2024 and 2033.ConclusionsAchieving reductions in CP could substantially improve child health and reduce health inequalities in England.

ABSTRACTAccording to Bandura’s theory of reciprocal determinism, self-efficacy and academic achievement can have a mutual influence over one another. While empirical research generally supports this position, little focus has been given to within- and between-person factors that may moderate this relationship. The present study explored how initial performance and task difficulty impact learners’ performance and self-efficacy trajectory over subsequent tasks. A diverse university sample of 261 students; 118 females aged 18–67 and 143 males, aged 18–64, was used. Significant positive pathways were found in the achievement-self-efficacy direction, but not for pathways in the self-efficacy-performance direction, failing to support the reciprocal hypothesis. Repeated measures ANOVA also revealed a moderating influence of initial task performance on the interaction between task difficulty and achievement over time. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing academic performance through scaffolded mastery, particularly for those with initial low performance outcomes, to build self-efficacy for learnt skills.

Understanding what controls global leaf type variation in trees is crucial for comprehending their role in terrestrial ecosystems, including carbon, water and nutrient dynamics. Yet our understanding of the factors influencing forest leaf types remains incomplete, leaving us uncertain about the global proportions of needle-leaved, broadleaved, evergreen and deciduous trees. To address these gaps, we conducted a global, ground-sourced assessment of forest leaf-type variation by integrating forest inventory data with comprehensive leaf form (broadleaf vs needle-leaf) and habit (evergreen vs deciduous) records. We found that global variation in leaf habit is primarily driven by isothermality and soil characteristics, while leaf form is predominantly driven by temperature. Given these relationships, we estimate that 38% of global tree individuals are needle-leaved evergreen, 29% are broadleaved evergreen, 27% are broadleaved deciduous and 5% are needle-leaved deciduous. The aboveground biomass distribution among these tree types is approximately 21% (126.4 Gt), 54% (335.7 Gt), 22% (136.2 Gt) and 3% (18.7 Gt), respectively. We further project that, depending on future emissions pathways, 17–34% of forested areas will experience climate conditions by the end of the century that currently support a different forest type, highlighting the intensification of climatic stress on existing forests. By quantifying the distribution of tree leaf types and their corresponding biomass, and identifying regions where climate change will exert greatest pressure on current leaf types, our results can help improve predictions of future terrestrial ecosystem functioning and carbon cycling.

An increase in acute severe hepatitis of unknown aetiology in previously healthy children in the UK in March, 2022, triggered global case-finding. We aimed to describe UK epidemiological investigations of cases and their possible causes.

High-fidelity models are required for technical mastery of bronchoscopic procedures in the fields of anaesthesia, intensive care, surgery and respiratory medicine. Our group has created a three-dimensional (3D) airway model prototype to emulate physiological and pathological movement. Developed from the concepts of our previously described 3D printed paediatric trachea for airway management training, this model produces movements created by injection of air or saline through a side Luer Lock port. The anaesthesia and intensive care applications of the model could include bronchoscopic navigation through narrow pathologies and simulated bleeding tumours. It also has the potential to be used to practice placement of a double-lumen tube and broncho-alveolar lavage among other procedures. For surgical training, the model has high tissue realism and allows for rigid bronchoscopy. The novel and high-fidelity 3D printed airway model with dynamic pathologies represents capability to provide both generic and patient-specific advancement for all modes of anatomical representation. The prototype illustrates the potential of combining the fields of industrial design with clinical anaesthesia.

Public health and the underlying disease processes are complex, often involving the interaction of biologic, social, psychologic, economic, and other processes that may be nonlinear and adaptive and have other features of complex systems. There is therefore a need to push the boundaries of public health beyond single-factor data analysis and expand the capacity of research methodology to tackle real-world complexities. This article sets out a way to operationalize complex systems thinking in public health, with a particular focus on how epidemiologic methods and data can contribute towards this end. Our proposed framework comprises three core dimensions—patterns, mechanisms, and dynamics—along which complex systems may be conceptualized. These dimensions cover seven key features of complex systems—emergence, interactions, nonlinearity, interference, feedback loops, adaptation, and evolution. We relate this framework to examples of methods and data traditionally used in epidemiology. We conclude that systematic production of knowledge on complex health issues may benefit from: formulation of research questions and programs in terms of the core dimensions we identify, as a comprehensive way to capture crucial features of complex systems; integration of traditional epidemiologic methods with systems methodology such as computational simulation modeling; interdisciplinary work; and continued investment in a wide range of data types. We believe that the proposed framework can support the systematic production of knowledge on complex health problems, with the use of epidemiology and other disciplines. This will help us understand emergent health phenomena, identify vulnerable population groups, and detect leverage points for promoting public health.

The recent concurrence of electrical grid failure events in time with extreme temperatures is compounding the population health risks of extreme weather episodes. Here, we combine simulated heat exposure data during historical heat wave events in three large U.S. cities to assess the degree to which heat-related mortality and morbidity change in response to a concurrent electrical grid failure event. We develop a novel approach to estimating individually experienced temperature to approximate how personal-level heat exposure changes on an hourly basis, accounting for both outdoor and building-interior exposures. We find the concurrence of a multiday blackout event with heat wave conditions to more than double the estimated rate of heat-related mortality across all three cities, and to require medical attention for between 3% (Atlanta) and more than 50% (Phoenix) of the total urban population in present and future time periods. Our results highlight the need for enhanced electrical grid resilience and support a more spatially expansive use of tree canopy and high albedo roofing materials to lessen heat exposures during compound climate and infrastructure failure events.

The ability to anticipate the actions of opponents is a significant marker of expertise in many sports. The role of non-kinematic contextual information in anticipation has received increasing attention over the last decade. In this article, we review contemporary research focusing on the specific impact of contextual information related to opponents’ action tendencies on anticipation in sport. This information can be acquired explicitly when probabilistic information about the preferences of the opponent is provided to the athlete before the action commences, or the athlete can pick up this information through exposure to the actions of the opponent. Regardless of how this information is acquired, it has been shown to influence anticipation performance and underlying processing priorities on a wide range of sport tasks. However, factors such as sport-specific expertise, informational reliability, task load, and judgment utility moderate these effects. We discuss methodological issues and gaps in existing knowledge and provide guidance for how to develop more representative research designs in future. Finally, we highlight practical implications that may help coaches and performance analysts in predicting the effectiveness of priming athletes with information about the action tendencies of opponents in various performance situations.

The effectiveness of advanced practice nurses, such as nurse practitioners (NP), has been demonstrated across several measures of health status and family satisfaction, for older adults in residential aged care settings. There is limited evidence, however, about how best to develop NP from the existing workforce in this setting.

This article is based on a paper delivered to the Ecclesiastical Law Society's day conference in 2022. It is a reflection on the workings of General Synod from the perspective of an author who has been a member of Synod for around 36 years. The article examines three discrete themes: (i) the problem of authority in the Church of England, (ii) the shortcomings of Synodical government, and (iii) the urgency of mission. It examines these themes by considering, among other things, the Church of England's response to a number of contemporary issues: its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, proposed reform of its governance structures, its ability to respond to issues concerning sexuality and racial justice, and the proposals for reforming the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011, as set out in GS 2222.

Forests are a substantial terrestrial carbon sink, but anthropogenic changes in land use and climate have considerably reduced the scale of this system1. Remote-sensing estimates to quantify carbon losses from global forests2–5are characterized by considerable uncertainty and we lack a comprehensive ground-sourced evaluation to benchmark these estimates. Here we combine several ground-sourced6and satellite-derived approaches2,7,8to evaluate the scale of the global forest carbon potential outside agricultural and urban lands. Despite regional variation, the predictions demonstrated remarkable consistency at a global scale, with only a 12% difference between the ground-sourced and satellite-derived estimates. At present, global forest carbon storage is markedly under the natural potential, with a total deficit of 226 Gt (model range = 151–363 Gt) in areas with low human footprint. Most (61%, 139 Gt C) of this potential is in areas with existing forests, in which ecosystem protection can allow forests to recover to maturity. The remaining 39% (87 Gt C) of potential lies in regions in which forests have been removed or fragmented. Although forests cannot be a substitute for emissions reductions, our results support the idea2,3,9that the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of diverse forests offer valuable contributions to meeting global climate and biodiversity targets.

Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species1,2. Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies3,4. Here, leveraging global tree databases5–7, we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity. We find that anthropogenic factors are key to predicting whether a location is invaded, but that invasion severity is underpinned by native diversity, with higher diversity predicting lower invasion severity. Temperature and precipitation emerge as strong predictors of invasion strategy, with non-native species invading successfully when they are similar to the native community in cold or dry extremes. Yet, despite the influence of these ecological forces in determining invasion strategy, we find evidence that these patterns can be obscured by human activity, with lower ecological signal in areas with higher proximity to shipping ports. Our global perspective of non-native tree invasion highlights that human drivers influence non-native tree presence, and that native phylogenetic and functional diversity have a critical role in the establishment and spread of subsequent invasions.

The current food safety testing system, based on laboratory-based quantification, is difficult to scale up in line with the growth in the export market and does not enable traceability through the nodes of the food supply system. Screening assays, for example, lateral flow assays (LFAs), can improve traceability but often lack the required reliability to guarantee compliance. Here, we present an alternative pipeline for secure on-site compliance testing, using allergens as a case study. The pipeline features smartphone-driven LFA quantification and an liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) method enabling direct quantification of the allergens contained in the LFA. The system enables swift and objective screening and provides a control measure to verify LFA assay reliability. For the smartphone assay, 8-bit RGB and grayscale colorimetric channels were compared with 16-bit raw intensity values. The latter outperformed RGB and grayscale channels in sensitivity, repeatability, and precision, while ratiometric ambient light correction resulted in excellent robustness for light-intensity variation. Calibration curves for peanut determination using two commercial LFAs featured excellent analytical parameters (R2= 0.97–0.99; RSD 7–1%; LOD 3–7 ppm). Gluten determination with a third commercial LFA was equally established. A prediction error of 13 ± 11% was achieved for the best performing assay. Good performance–calibration curves (R2= 0.93–0.99) and CVs (<15%)– were observed for the analyte quantification from the LFA by LC–MS. The LOD for the LC–MS assay was 0.5 ppm, well below the LODs reported for the LFAs. This method creates a digital, fast, and secure food safety compliance testing paradigm that can benefit the industry and consumer alike.