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ABSTRACT: The CellCheck dry cow consult (DCC) was developed by the CellCheck Technical Working Group to enable farmers to engage with their nominated veterinarian to develop farm-specific selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) plans, where appropriate. This study evaluated the effect of the DCC on farmer decision-making around dry cow therapy, and the udder health effects of implementing SDCT, in study herds over the 2019 and 2020 dry periods. The DCC was a 3-h consult, delivered and funded as part of the Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health. Herds that completed a DCC were invited to register for a dry cow review the following year. The combined dataset for analysis across both years comprised 439 herds and 25,357 cows. Herd size ranged from 25 to 800. The median SCC of cows dried off with teat sealant only was 47,000 cells/mL before drying off in 2019 and 48,000 cells/mL at first milk recording in 2020, and 43,000 cells/mL before drying off in 2020 and 39,000 cells/mL at first milking recording in 2021. Following both the 2019 and 2020 dry periods, cows tended to converge toward a similar median SCC early in the following lactation, irrespective of prior dry cow treatment strategy. The uptake of SDCT was greater in review herds, with 21% of cows receiving teat sealant only in 2020, compared with 16.3% of cows in herds participating in a consult for the first time in 2020. At an individual cow level, in both years dry period new infection rate (NIR) was approximately 2.7% higher for cows treated with teat sealant only, than for those treated with both dry cow antibiotic tubes and teat sealant, and 1.2% higher than cows treated with antibiotic only. Regardless of treatment, a significant association was detectable between increasing parity and the risk of a dry period new infection. Increasing herd size had a significant effect on the risk of dry period NIR. At a herd level, no significant increase in NIR occurred when SDCT was used compared with herds where blanket dry cow therapy was used. Though not without risk, SDCT can be successfully implemented in Irish herds; however, constant attention to hygiene and management is essential. Despite the challenges, facilitating continued farmer education and engagement with professional guidance will be important.

Abstract Aims Suicide prevention strategies have shifted in many countries, from a national approach to one that is regionally tailored and responsive to local community needs. Previous Australian studies support this approach. However, most studies have focused on suicide deaths which may not fully capture a complete understanding of prevention needs, and few have focused on the priority population of youth. This was the first nationwide study to examine regional variability of self-harm prevalence and related factors in Australian young people. Methods A random sample of Australian adolescents (12–17-year-olds) were recruited as part of the Young Minds Matter (YMM) survey. Participants completed self-report questions on self-harm (i.e., non-suicidal self-harm and suicide attempts) in the previous 12 months. Using mixed effects regressions, an area-level model was built with YMM and Census data to produce out-of-sample small area predictions for self-harm prevalence. Spatial unit of analysis was Statistical Area Level 1 (average population 400 people), and all prevalence estimates were updated to 2019. Results Across Australia, there was large variability in youth self-harm prevalence estimates. Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia had the highest estimated state prevalence. Psychological distress and depression were factors which best predicted self-harm at an individual level. At an area-level, the strongest predictor was a high percentage of single unemployed parents, while being in an area where ≥30% of parents were born overseas was associated with reduced odds of self-harm. Conclusions This study identified characteristics of regions with lower and higher youth self-harm risk. These findings should assist governments and communities with developing and implementing regionally appropriate youth suicide prevention interventions and initiatives.

Promoting sustainable soil management is a possible option for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the future. Several efforts in this area exist, and the application of spatially explicit models to anticipate the effect of possible actions on soils at a regional scale is widespread. Currently, models can simulate the impacts of changes on land cover, land management, and the climate on the soil carbon stocks. However, existing modeling tools do not incorporate the lateral transport and deposition of soil material, carbon, and nutrients caused by soil erosion. The absence of these fluxes may lead to an oversimplified representation of the processes, which hinders, for example, a further understanding of how erosion has been affecting the soil carbon pools and nutrients through time. The sediment transport during deposition and the sediment loss to rivers create dependence among the simulation units, forming a cumulative effect through the territory. If, on the one hand, such a characteristic implies that calculations must be made for large geographic areas corresponding to hydrological units, on the other hand, it also can make models computationally expensive, given that erosion and redeposition processes must be modeled at high resolution and over long timescales. In this sense, the present work has a three-fold objective. First, we provide the development details to represent in matrix form a spatially explicit process-based model coupling sediment, carbon, and erosion, transport, and deposition (ETD) processes of soil material in hillslopes and valley bottoms (i.e., the CE-DYNAM model). Second, we illustrate how the model can be calibrated and validated for Europe, where high-resolution datasets of the factors affecting erosion are available. Third, we presented the results for a depositional site, which is highly affected by incoming lateral fluxes from upstream lands. Our results showed that the benefits brought by the matrix approach to CE-DYNAM enabled the before-precluded possibility of applying it on a continental scale. The calibration and validation procedures indicated (i) a close match between the erosion rates calculated and previous works in the literature at local and national scales, (ii) the physical consistency of the parameters obtained from the data, and (iii) the capacity of the model in predicting sediment discharge to rivers in locations observed and unobserved during its calibration (model efficiency (ME) =0.603, R2=0.666; and ME =0.152, R2=0.438, respectively). The prediction of the carbon dynamics on a depositional site illustrated the model's ability to simulate the nonlinear impact of ETD fluxes on the carbon cycle. We expect that our work advances ETD models' description and facilitates their reproduction and incorporation in land surface models such as ORCHIDEE. We also hope that the patterns obtained in this work can guide future ETD models at a European scale.

Abstract Background Public mental health (PMH) aims to improve wellbeing and prevent poor mental health at the population level. It is a global challenge and a UK priority area for action. Communities play an important role in the provision of PMH interventions. However, the evidence base concerning community-based PMH interventions is limited, meaning it is challenging to compare service provision to need. Without this, the efficient and equitable provision of services is hindered. Here, we sought to map the current range of community-based interventions for improving mental health and wellbeing currently provided in England to inform priority areas for policy and service intervention. Method We adopted an established mapping exercise methodology, comparing service provision with demographic and deprivation statistics. Five local authority areas of England were selected based on differing demographics, mental health needs and wider challenging circumstances (i.e. high deprivation). Community-based interventions were identified through: 1) desk-based research 2) established professional networks 3) chain-referral sampling of individuals involved in local mental health promotion and prevention and 4) peer researchers’ insight. We included all community-based, non-clinical interventions aimed at adult residents operating between July 2019 and May 2020. Results 407 interventions were identified across the five areas addressing 16 risk/protective factors for PMH. Interventions for social isolation and loneliness were most prevalent, most commonly through social activities and/or befriending services. The most common subpopulations targeted were older adults and people from minority ethnic backgrounds. Interventions focusing on broader structural and environmental determinants were uncommon. There was some evidence of service provision being tailored to local need, though this was inconsistent, meaning some at-risk groups such as men or LGBTQ+ people from minority ethnic backgrounds were missed. Interventions were not consistently evaluated. Conclusions There was evidence of partial responsiveness to national and local prioritising. Provision was geared mainly towards addressing social and individual determinants of PMH, suggesting more integration is needed to engage wider service providers and policy-makers in PMH strategy and delivery at the community level. The lack of comprehensive evaluation of services to improve PMH needs to be urgently addressed to determine the extent of their effectiveness in communities they serve.

High school is an important time in the educational career of students. It is also a time when adolescents face many behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges. Current statistics about the behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges faced by adolescents, and the impact on society through incarceration and dropout, have prompted high schools to direct their attention toward keeping students engaged and reducing high-risk behavioral challenges. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) on the levels of individual student problem behaviors during a 3-year effectiveness trial without random assignment to condition. Participants were 36,653 students in 12 high schools. Eight schools implemented SW-PBIS, and four schools served as comparison schools. Results of a multilevel latent growth model showed statistically significant decreases in student office discipline referrals in SW-PBIS schools, with increases in comparison schools, when controlling for enrollment and percent of students receiving free or reduced price meals. In addition, as fidelity of implementation increased, office discipline referrals significantly decreased. Results are discussed in terms of effectiveness of a SW-PBIS approach in high schools and considerations to enhance fidelity of implementation.

Protein adsorption at liquid–liquidinterfaces is of immenserelevance to many biological processes and dairy-based functionalfoods. Due to experimental limitations, however, there is still aremarkable lack of understanding of the adsorption mechanism, particularlyat a molecular level. In this study, atomistic molecular dynamicssimulations were used to elucidate the approach and adsorption mechanismof β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) at a decane–water interface.Through multiple independent simulations starting from three representativeinitial orientations of β-LG relative to the decane surfacethe rate at which β-LG approaches the oil/water interface isfound to be independent of its initial orientation, and largely stochasticin nature. While the residues that first make contact with the decaneand the final orientation of β-LG upon adsorption are similarin all cases, the adsorption process is driven predominantly by structuralrearrangements that preserve the secondary structure but expose hydrophobicresidues to the decane surface. This detailed characterization ofthe adsorption of β-LG at an oil/water interface should informthe design and development of novel encapsulation and delivery systemsin the food and pharmaceutical sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleation of calcium carbonate was achieved on mixed octadecanoic acid/octadecanol Langmuir monolayers. Two different nucleation regimes are distinguished based on monolayer alcohol content corresponding to the zone axes [01.0] (high alcohol content, weak or no interaction between the critical calcium carbonate nucleus and the monolayer) and [11̅.0] (low alcohol content, stronger face selective nucleation). The cation-mediated hydrogen-bonded soap network is disrupted by the presence of the alcohol, resulting in a reduced interaction between the monolayer and the subphase. This leads to little or no control over the nucleating crystal. The alcohol concentration at which the transition between the two preferential zone axes occurs is weakly dependent on growth pressure. No other variation with growth pressure was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol OT/water exhibits a lamellar phase over a wide range of concentrations. We show, by magnetic resonance (NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), that the morphology of the lamellar phase varies significantly across that range and that the rate of equilibration depends strongly on concentration (25, 33, and 50 wt %) with, paradoxically, the faster equilibration at higher surfactant concentrations. We find that the 25 wt % sample exhibits a defect-rich local structure, characteristic of a superposed L3character. Further into the lamellar region, at 33 wt %, this defect-rich structure persists heterogeneously, while, at 50 wt %, the lamellar phase domains are highly ordered. The NMR methods used here included 2H spectroscopy and the two-dimensional NMR method, diffusion−diffusion exchange spectroscopy (DEXSY). The latter was used to obtain quantitative information on the domain sizes and defects within the polydomain lamellar mesophase. Comparison of the NMR with the SEM results suggests that, at 25 wt % AOT, bilayer defects play an important role in influencing the 2H NMR and DEXSY NMR results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional models of human memory have postulated the need for a brief phonological or verbatim representation of verbal input as a necessary gateway to a higher level conceptual representation of the input. Potter has argued that meaningful sentences may be encoded directly in a conceptual short-term memory (CSTM) running parallel in time to such a phonological store. The primary aim of the current study was to evaluate two main tenets of the CSTM model: that linguistic context biases selection of information entering the conceptual store, and that information not integrated into a coherent structure is rapidly forgotten. Results confirmed these predictions for spoken sentences heard by both young and older adults, supporting the generality of the model and suggesting that CSTM remains stable in normal aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Little research exists that addresses the differences in feeding skills between preterm (PT) infants at term and full-term (FT) infants. The purpose of this study was to quantify and examine the differences in sucking abilities of PT infants when measured at 40 weeks postconceptional age (PCA) and newly born FT infants. The sample consisted of 213 infants who were divided into three groups on the basis of their gestational age at birth (24-29 wk, 30-32 wk, and 38-42 wk). The Kron Nutritive Sucking Apparatus (KNSA) was used to examine the microstructure of sucking and feeding behaviors. There were significant differences among the three groups in several of the sucking variables: number of bursts (p = .005), intersuck interval (p = .0212), sucks per burst (p = .0003), suck width (p < .0001), intersuck width (p < .0001), mean maximum pressure (p < .0001), and intersuck width/interburst width (p = .02). The findings from this study demonstrate the importance of both maturation at birth and experience as factors influencing feeding behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: This review provides a summary of the dietary aspects of pediatric health conditions. Within each condition, dietary recommendations are reviewed, and adherence rates, factors affecting adherence, and known interventions are reported. Findings indicate that knowledge is necessary but not sufficient for dietary change. Interventions specifically targeting diet appear more promising than interventions aimed at global treatment adherence. Behavioral interventions and group treatment modalities also appear promising. Recommendations for future research include a systematic assessment of barriers to dietary adherence across populations, integration of the research on normative development of eating behavior in childhood, and the application of this information to the design and implementation of future treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been rising since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and affects females, sexual and gender minorities, and individuals with social risks at higher rates. Objective: This study examines if the prevalence of PTSD increased from 2019 to 2022 among patients who received care in a national network of safety-net, community-based health centers with integrated behavioral health programs that serve patients at high risk for PTSD. Methods: We analyzed electronic health record data from patients with 1 or more behavioral health visits during 2019 to 2022 using repeated cross-sectional data to visualize trends. Change in PTSD prevalence based on the diagnoses associated with each visit from 2019 to 2022 was assessed using a general linear mixed model adjusted for patient-level factors. Results: Over 4 years, 182 419 distinct patients received care for PTSD, with prevalence increasing from 2019 to 2022 (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.10). Females (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.78, 1.84), LGBTQIA individuals (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.26, 1.33), gender diverse individuals (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.29, 1.42), and patients who reported 1 or more social determinants of health needs (OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.46, 1.57) were more likely to have a diagnosis of PTSD. Conclusions: In a worrying trend, PTSD prevalence has increased among people receiving integrated behavioral health care at community-based health centers, with disparities observed in subpopulations. Continued effort and investment are needed to meet this increasing need in safety-net settings, particularly for those subpopulations observed to have higher prevalence.

Abstract Purpose Preliminary studies have suggested that women are responsive to using technology to manage their health, due to its discreet, convenient, and cost-effective nature. Yet, there are limited mobile health (mHealth) apps specific to women’s needs, particularly those on probation. The purpose of this study was to explore features of 2 existing mHealth applications related to sexual health and safety, specific to interpersonal and sexual violence, to answer research questions related to the usability, barriers, and facilitators of mHealth app use for women on probation. Subjects We purposefully sampled from a local adult probation site and utilized snow-ball sampling to recruit 11 women who were on probation and owned iPhones. Methods We conducted an exploratory intervention development study using a qualitative design. Social Cognitive Theory was used for data synthesize and organization. Findings Three themes emerged: (1) It made me take time for myself; (2) It helped me to be more respectful of my body; (3) The connectivity….that was helpful. Major implications Participants expressed mHealth apps to be usable, feasible, accessible and promoted self-efficacy by allowing them track symptoms and patterns of behavior specific to health and safety in a discreet, convenient, and effective manner. This research suggests that a culturally tailored mHealth app may be an appropriate intervention to provide timely gender-responsive feedback, resources, and health care to women on probation.

Community-based prevention strategies (e.g. bystander programs) have the potential to reduce sexual violence against women, but have mainly been implemented in high-income countries and geared towards specific contexts, such as university campuses. Based on local priorities for sexual violence prevention, a community-informed bystander intervention training program, “El que ve y ayuda” (“Who Sees and Helps;” WSH), was developed in Ayacucho, Peru: a post-conflict community. This study reports on the pilot evaluation of the WSH program, conducted with a sample of 155 participants, using a pre- and post-intervention survey. After the program, participants reported a significant increase in their willingness to intervene in potential situations of sexual violence (t [133]=−7.10, p < .000) and a significant reduction in their acceptance of rape myths or victim-blaming beliefs (t [116]=4.72, p < .001). This community-engaged approach, reflective of the local priorities on sexual violence prevention, fostered research and capacity-building benefits despite some limitations. This study contributes to the ongoing efforts in crafting culturally accessible tools that enhance community involvement in prevention measures which may potentially lead to long-term reductions in the occurrence of sexual violence. Key implications for practice • Community engagement in the development of sexual violence prevention programs is possible and can support attitudinal changes. • Following community priorities and customs is necessary for culturally safe and responsive bystander approaches in the prevention of sexual violence. • Enlisting community members representing key populations interested in prevention is crucial for evaluating the future outcomes and challenges of pilot programs.

Aims: To examine the associations of (1) absolute and normalized weakness cut-points, (2) collective weakness categories, and (3) changes in weakness status on future activities of daily living (ADL) limitations in older Americans. Methods: The analytic sample included 11,656 participants aged ≥65 years from the 2006-2018 waves of the RAND Health and Retirement Study. ADL were self-reported. A handgrip dynamometer was used to measure handgrip strength (HGS). Males were classified as weak if their HGS was

Abstract Background Virtual care increased dramatically during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The specific modality of virtual care (video, audio, eVisits, eConsults, and remote patient monitoring) has important implications for the accessibility and quality of care, but rates of use are relatively unknown. Methods for identifying virtual care modalities, especially in electronic health records (EHR) are inconsistent. This study (a) developed a method to identify virtual care modalities using EHR data and (b) described the distribution of these modalities over a 3‐year study period. Methods EHR data from 316 primary care safety net clinics throughout the study period (4/1/2020‐3/31/2023) were included. Visit type (in‐person vs virtual) by adults >18 years old were classified. Expert consultation informed the development of two algorithms to classify virtual care visit modalities; these algorithms prioritized different EHR data elements. We conducted descriptive analyses comparing algorithms and the frequency of virtual care modalities. Results Agreement between the algorithms was 96.5% for all visits and 89.3% for virtual care visits. The majority of disagreement between the algorithms was among encounters scheduled as audio‐only but billed as a video visit. Restricting to visits where the algorithms agreed on visit modality, there were 2‐fold more audio‐only than video visits. Conclusion Visit modality classification varies depending upon which data in the EHR are prioritized. Regardless of which algorithm is utilized, safety net clinics rely on audio‐only and video visits to provide care in virtual visits. Elimination of reimbursement for audio visits may exacerbate existing inequities in care for low‐income patients.

MRI is under evaluation for image-guided intervention for prostate cancer. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI parameters is determined via correlation with the gold-standard of histopathology. Whole-mount histopathology of prostatectomy specimens can be digitally registered to in vivo imaging for correlation. When biomechanical-based deformable registration is employed to account for deformation during histopathology processing, the ex vivo biomechanical properties are required. However, these properties are altered by pathology fixation, and vary with disease. Hence, this study employs magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to measure ex vivo prostate biomechanical properties before and after fixation. A quasi-static MRE method was employed to measure high resolution maps of Young’s modulus (E) before and after fixation of canine prostate and prostatectomy specimens (n  =  4) from prostate cancer patients who had previously received radiation therapy. For comparison, T1, T2 and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured in parallel. E (kPa) varied across clinical anatomy and for histopathology-identified tumor: peripheral zone: 99(±22), central gland: 48(±37), tumor: 85(±53), and increased consistently with fixation (factor of 11  ±  5; p  <  0.02). T2 decreased consistently with fixation, while changes in T1 and ADC were more complex and inconsistent. The biomechanics of the clinical prostate specimens varied greatly with fixation, and to a lesser extent with disease and anatomy. The data obtained will improve the precision of prostate pathology correlation, leading to more accurate disease detection and targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Endometriosis affects 1 in 9 women, yet it is poorly understood with long diagnostic delays, invasive diagnoses, and poor treatment outcomes. Characterised by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside of the uterus, its main symptoms are pain and infertility. Endometriosis often co-occurs with other conditions, which may provide insights into the origins of endometriosis. Methods Here a polygenic risk score phenome-wide association study of endometriosis was conducted in the UK Biobank to investigate the pleiotropic effects of a genetic liability to endometriosis. The relationship between the polygenic risk score for endometriosis and health conditions, blood and urine biomarkers and reproductive factors were investigated separately in females, males and females without an endometriosis diagnosis. The relationship between endometriosis and the blood and urine biomarkers was further investigated using genetic correlation and Mendelian randomisation approaches to identify causal relationships. Results Multiple health conditions, blood and urine biomarkers and reproductive factors were associated with genetic liability to endometriosis in each group, indicating many endometriosis comorbidities are not dependent on the physical manifestation of endometriosis. Differences in the associated traits between males and females highlighted the importance of sex-specific pathways in the overlap of endometriosis with many other traits. Notably, an association of genetic liability to endometriosis with lower testosterone levels was identified. Follow-up analysis utilising Mendelian randomisation approaches suggested lower testosterone may be causal for both endometriosis and clear cell ovarian cancer. Conclusions This study highlights the diversity of the pleiotropic effects of genetic risk to endometriosis irrespective of a diagnosis of endometriosis. A key finding was the identification of a causal effect of the genetic liability to lower testosterone on endometriosis using Mendelian randomisation.

The gap between genomics and phenomics is narrowing. The rate at which it is narrowing, however, is being slowed by improper statistical comparison of methods. Quantification using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) is commonly used to assess method quality, but it is an often misleading statistic for this purpose as it is unable to provide information about the relative quality of two methods. Using r can both erroneously discount methods that are inherently more precise and validate methods that are less accurate. These errors occur because of logical flaws inherent in the use of r when comparing methods, not as a problem of limited sample size or the unavoidable possibility of a type I error. A popular alternative to using r is to measure the limits of agreement (LOA). However both r and LOA fail to identify which instrument is more or less variable than the other and can lead to incorrect conclusions about method quality. An alternative approach, comparing variances of methods, requires repeated measurements of the same subject, but avoids incorrect conclusions. Variance comparison is arguably the most important component of method validation and, thus, when repeated measurements are possible, variance comparison provides considerable value to these studies. Statistical tests to compare variances presented here are well established, easy to interpret and ubiquitously available. The widespread use of r has potentially led to numerous incorrect conclusions about method quality, hampering development, and the approach described here would be useful to advance high throughput phenotyping methods but can also extend into any branch of science. The adoption of the statistical techniques outlined in this paper will help speed the adoption of new high throughput phenotyping techniques by indicating when one should reject a new method, outright replace an old method or conditionally use a new method.

Biomechanical model based deformable image registration has been widely used to account for prostate deformation in various medical imaging procedures. Biomechanical material properties are important components of a biomechanical model. In this study, the effect of incorporating tumor-specific material properties in the prostate biomechanical model was investigated to provide insight into the potential impact of material heterogeneity on the prostate deformation calculations. First, a simple spherical prostate and tumor model was used to analytically describe the deformations and demonstrate the fundamental effect of changes in the tumor volume and stiffness in the modeled deformation. Next, using a clinical prostate model, a parametric approach was used to describe the variations in the heterogeneous prostate model by changing tumor volume, stiffness, and location, to show the differences in the modeled deformation between heterogeneous and homogeneous prostate models. Finally, five clinical prostatectomy examples were used in separately performed homogeneous and heterogeneous biomechanical model based registrations to describe the deformations between 3D reconstructed histopathology images and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging, and examine the potential clinical impact of modeling biomechanical heterogeneity of the prostate. The analytical formulation showed that increasing the tumor volume and stiffness could significantly increase the impact of the heterogeneous prostate model in the calculated displacement differences compared to the homogeneous model. The parametric approach using a single prostate model indicated up to 4.8 mm of displacement difference at the tumor boundary compared to a homogeneous model. Such differences in the deformation of the prostate could be potentially clinically significant given the voxel size of the ex vivo MR images (0.3  ×  0.3  ×  0.3 mm). However, no significant changes in the registration accuracy were observed using heterogeneous models for the limited number of clinical prostatectomy patients modeled and evaluated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment (SoyFACE) facility is the longest running open-air carbon dioxide and ozone enrichment facility in the world. For over two decades, soybean, maize, and other crops have been exposed to the elevated carbon dioxide and ozone concentrations anticipated for late this century. The facility, located in East Central Illinois, USA, exposes crops to different atmospheric concentrations in replicated octagonal ~280 m2 Free Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) treatment plots. Each FACE plot is paired with an untreated control (ambient) plot. The experiment provides important ground truth data for predicting future crop productivity. Fumigation data from SoyFACE were collected every four seconds throughout each growing season for over two decades. Here, we organize, quality control, and collate 20 years of data to facilitate trend analysis and crop modeling efforts. This paper provides the rationale for and a description of the SoyFACE experiments, along with a summary of the fumigation data and collation process, weather and ambient data collection procedures, and explanations of air pollution metrics and calculations.

This paper reports on unique and scalable sensorized medical scissor blades for application in minimally invasive robotic surgery. The blades exploit the strain sensing capabilities of a single fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor bonded to the blade surface. This smart sensing structure allows detection of friction and material fracture forces during cutting and subsequently enables accurate estimation of the blade kinetic friction coefficient and fracture toughness values of the material being cut. We present theory on the determination of strain variation along the blade length during combined direct and lateral loading of the blade element during operation. Demonstration of the sensorized instrument is realized on an application specific experimental test-bed employing a commercial interrogation system for signal demodulation. Friction and cutting forces measured using the FBG are validated against load cell force data from the test-bed. Characterization tests showed that the sensorized blade has an unfiltered force sensing resolution of 0.5 N over a 30 N load range. This work demonstrates that a single optical fiber placed onto cutting instrument blades can, in an unobtrusive manner, reliably measure friction forces and material fracture properties during surgical cutting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Hospital-specific template matching (HS-TM) is a newer method of hospital performance assessment. Objective To assess the interpretability, credibility, and usability of HS-TM-based vs. regression-based performance assessments. Research design We surveyed hospital leaders (January-May 2021) and completed follow-up semi-structured interviews. Surveys included four hypothetical performance assessment vignettes, with method (HS-TM, regression) and hospital mortality randomized. Subjects Nationwide Veterans Affairs Chiefs of Staff, Medicine, and Hospital Medicine. Measures Correct interpretation; self-rated confidence in interpretation; and self-rated trust in assessment (via survey). Concerns about credibility and main uses (via thematic analysis of interview transcripts). Results In total, 84 participants completed 295 survey vignettes. Respondents correctly interpreted 81.8% HS-TM vs. 56.5% regression assessments, p

Objective: The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the role of stigma in the care of pregnant and parenting individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) through the theoretical lens of the Reproductive Justice (RJ) framework. Background: Overdose related maternal mortality, often involving opioids, is a national growing public health concern. OUD is a highly stigmatized condition that may negatively influence the well-being of pregnant/parenting individual's reproductive and human rights. Study Design: Secondary qualitative data analysis. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using individual interviews (N?=?23) from a larger study aimed at examining contextual factors surrounding pregnant/parenting individual's experiences with opioid use return to use and/or overdose. The RJ framework was used as a framework to examine the influence of OUD-related stigma and a person's right to bodily autonomy, their right to parent, and their right to parent the children they have in safe and sustainable environments. Results: The RJ framework supported the examination of factors that perpetuate stigma in this population. Individuals described stigmatizing experiences in the health care setting. Verbal and nonverbal interactions with health care providers and fear of child welfare involvement were counterproductive to recovery and potentially triggered OUD recurrence and/or overdose. Conclusions: Due to existing stigma, pregnant and parenting individuals with OUD often avoided health care and recovery support services; therefore, there should be the removal of barriers that prevent this population from accessing life-saving services. Future efforts should focus on health policy-related research to support structural changes within institutions.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore: (1) the influence of maternal sociodemographic factors on breastfeeding attitudes, (2) the relationship between breastfeeding attitudes of postpartum women and their spouses, (3) the predictors of breastfeeding behavior (mixed breastfeeding) at two months postpartum, and (4) to establish the reliability of the Chinese version of the paternal Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) in Taiwan. Methods: A correlational and follow-up study design was used on a convenience sample of 215 women and 215 fathers recruited from a regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan from July 2020 to December 2020. The participants completed the IIFAS during postpartum hospitalization and a follow-up via telephone at 8 weeks postpartum for information on feeding methods and duration. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the predictors of breastfeeding duration. Results: Maternal breastfeeding attitude scores ranged from 42 to 79, with a mean score of 59.78 (SD ± 6.68). Spouses' breastfeeding attitude scores ranged from 46 to 81, with a mean score of 59.60 (SD ± 6.93). Mother and spouse’s IIFAS scores were highly correlated (r = 0.50, p

Abstract Introduction: Area-level social determinants of health (SDoH) and individual-level social risks are different, yet area-level measures are frequently used as proxies for individual-level social risks. This study assessed whether demographic factors were associated with patients being screened for individual-level social risks, the percentage who screened positive for social risks, and the association between SDoH and patient-reported social risks in a nationwide network of community-based health centers. Methods: Electronic health record data from 1,330,201 patients with health center visits in 2021 were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression. Associations between patient characteristics, screening receipt, and screening positive for social risks (e.g., food insecurity, housing instability, transportation insecurity) were assessed. The predictive ability of three commonly used SDoH measures (Area Deprivation Index, Social Deprivation Index, Material Community Deprivation Index) in identifying individual-level social risks was also evaluated. Results: Of 244,155 (18%) patients screened for social risks, 61,414 (25.2%) screened positive. Sex, race/ethnicity, language preference, and payer were associated with both social risk screening and positivity. Significant health system-level variation in both screening and positivity was observed, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.55 for social risk screening and 0.38 for positivity. The three area-level SDoH measures had low accuracy, sensitivity, and area under the curve when used to predict individual social needs. Conclusion: Area-level SDoH measures may provide valuable information about the communities where patients live. However, policymakers, healthcare administrators, and researchers should exercise caution when using area-level adverse SDoH measures to identify individual-level social risks.

Background: Parenting Self-Efficacy, a concept first described in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, is a parent's belief in their ability to successfully parent their child. The concept of parenting self-efficacy is used by researchers to increase our understanding of parenting abilities and influences on child health and developmental outcomes. Numerous instruments exist for measuring parental self-efficacy; but little is known about the specific topics included in the measures and consistency across instruments. Therefore, this scoping review sought to compare parenting self-efficacy instruments for parents of infants and toddlers, focusing on comparison of parenting topics, scale format, and administration with the goal of providing guidance and recommendations for measurement selection. Methods: Our sample included 25 instruments and items from every instrument was evaluated and coded using NVIVO Qualitative Software. We reviewed the instruments’ target population, subscales, number of items, response options, scoring range and instructions, theoretical background, and parenting topics across each instrument. Results: This review found three common factors across all instruments: parent, social and family, and child factors. Parent personal factors were addressed most frequently to evaluate self-efficacy and included topics such as, perception of parenting abilities, emotional reactions, and perceived successes. From our synthesis, we also offer recommendations for instrument selection and provide a conceptual model of parenting self-efficacy. Conclusions: The findings from this scoping review highlight the presence of key factors (parent, social & family, and child) necessary for the evaluation of parenting self-efficacy in parents of infants and toddlers. Given our results, a meta-analysis is needed to compare parenting self-efficacy scores across studies to better understand the associations between self-efficacy and parent and child outcomes.

Plain English summary Patient and public involvement (PPI) improves the quality of health research and ensures that research is relevant to patients’ needs. Though PPI is increasingly evident in clinical and health services research, there are few examples in the research literature of effective PPI in translational and laboratory-based research. In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of PPI in a multi-centre European project (EuroTEAM – Towards Early biomarkers in Arthritis Management) that included both translational and laboratory-based and psychosocial research. We found that although most PPI in EuroTEAM was centred around the psychosocial research, there were examples of PPI in the laboratory studies. As the project evolved, researchers became better at accommodating PPI and identifying PPI opportunities. It was generally agreed that PPI had a positive impact on the project overall, particularly on public engagement with the research. We concluded that the inclusion of both psychosocial and laboratory-based research in the same project facilitated PPI across all aspects of the research. In future projects, we would try to specify individual PPI activities in more detail at the project-planning stage, and better accommodate patient partners who are not native speakers of English. Abstract Background Patient and public involvement (PPI) enhances research quality and relevance and is central to contemporary health policy. The value of PPI has been recognised in rheumatology research, though there are limited examples of PPI in basic and translational science. The EU FP7 funded ‘EuroTEAM’ (Towards Early biomarkers in Arthritis Management) project was established to develop biomarker-based approaches to predict the future development of rheumatoid arthritis and incorporated psychosocial research to investigate the perceptions of ‘at risk’ individuals about predictive testing, and to develop informational resources about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk. Patient involvement was central to EuroTEAM from the inception of the project. The objective of this paper is to describe the development of PPI in EuroTEAM, formatively assess the impact of PPI from the perspectives of researchers and patient research partners (PRPs), reflect on successes and lessons learned, and formulate recommendations to guide future projects. Methods Two mixed-methods surveys (for PRPs and researchers) and a teleconference were undertaken to assess the impact of PPI on individual work packages and on EuroTEAM overall. Results There was consensus about the positive impact of PPI on the research and on the experiences of those involved. In particular, the positive impact of PPI on the personal development of researchers, and on effective public engagement with EuroTEAM research were highlighted. Researchers described adapting their practice in future projects to facilitate PPI. Spin-off projects and ongoing collaborations between PRPs and researchers reflected the value of PPI to participants. PPI was more frequently integrated in psychosocial research, though examples of PPI in laboratory/translational science were also described. PRPs asked for more opportunities to contribute meaningfully to basic scientific research and for more extensive feedback on their contributions. Conclusions The findings were used to formulate recommendations to guide effective involvement of patients in future similar projects, including identifying specific training requirements for PRPs and researchers, the identification of PRP focused tasks/deliverables at the project planning stage, and supporting access to involvement for all PRPs. Importantly, the distinctive multidisciplinary approach of EuroTEAM, incorporating both basic science and psychosocial research, facilitated patient involvement in the project overall.

This represents the first published case report of mediastinal fibrosarcoma in a dog. An 8-year-old male neutered mixed breed dog was presented for evaluation of lethargy and increased panting. Thoracic focused assessment with sonography for trauma revealed moderate pleural effusion. Thoracic radiograph findings were suggestive of a cranial mediastinal mass. Computed tomography revealed a mass within the right ventral aspect of the cranial mediastinum. On surgical exploration, a cranial mediastinal mass with an adhesion to the right cranial lung lobe was identified and removed en-bloc using a vessel sealant device and requiring a partial lung lobectomy. Histopathology results described the cranial mediastinal mass as fibrosarcoma with reactive mesothelial cells identified within the sternal lymph node. The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy following surgical removal. To date, the dog has survived 223 days following diagnosis with recurrence noted 161 days following diagnosis and radiation therapy was initiated. Primary cranial mediastinal fibrosarcoma while a seemingly rare cause of thoracic pathology in dogs, should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a cranial mediastinal mass.

Abstract The Midwestern “Corn‐Belt” in the United States is the most productive agricultural region on the planet despite being predominantly rainfed. In this region, global climate change is driving precipitation patterns toward wetter springs and drier mid‐ to late‐summers, a trend that is likely to intensify in the future. The lack of precipitation can lead to crop water limitations that ultimately impact growth and yields. Young plants exposed to water stress will often invest more resources into their root systems, possibly priming the crop for any subsequent mid‐ or late‐season drought. The trend toward wetter springs, however, suggests that opportunities for crop priming may lessen in the future. Here, we test the hypothesis that early season dry conditions lead to drought priming in field‐grown crops and this response will protect crops against growth and yield losses from late‐season droughts. This hypothesis was tested for the two major Midwestern crop, maize and soybean, using high‐resolution daily weather data, satellite‐derived phenological metrics, field yield data, and ecosystem‐scale model (Agricultural Production System Simulator) simulations. The results from this study showed that priming mitigated yield losses from a late season drought of up to 4.0% and 7.0% for maize and soybean compared with unprimed crops experiencing a late season drought. These results suggest that if the trend toward wet springs with drier summers continues, the relative impact of droughts on crop productivity is likely to worsen. Alternatively, identifying opportunities to breed or genetically modify pre‐primed crop species may provide improved resilience to future climate change.

Recognizing that university statements about equity, diversity, and inclusion are often cosmetic, performative, or at best, aspirational, rather than indicative of on-campus realities, this project analyzes interpretations of student identity and diversity through publicly available materials. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate how university messages about equity, diversity, and inclusion, available through public websites, are interpreted by faculty and students. Using a students-as-partners approach, we identified and analyzed themes based on our own perceptions and understandings of each of five university websites University of Calgary (Canada), University of Alabama (USA), Deakin University (Australia), University of Exeter (UK), and Portland State University (USA). While equity, diversity, and inclusion are signature initiatives at many universities, we found that analyses of their websites suggest that the ways in which those are operationalized differ. The patterns identified suggest that messaging through university websites can promote or detract from equity, diversity, and inclusion in university settings, and we observed differences in the ways in which institutions operationalized and represented initiatives related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Exploring how these efforts at our five institutions are messaged to and interpreted by students provides a better understanding of the institutional priorities and the assumed values identified by student co-researchers. The use of student co-researchers proved an especially valuable contribution to this analysis to gain perspectives about presentations of student identity and diversity. Using this form of embedded research, we identify the limited presentations of and perceptions around diversity at institutions of higher education cited by student co-researchers.

Abstract Conservation practices that reduce nutrient and soil loss from agricultural lands to water are fundamental to watershed management programs. Avoiding trade‐offs of conservation practices is essential to the successful mitigation of watershed phosphorus (P) losses. We review documented trade‐offs associated with conservation practices, particularly those practices that are intended to control and trap P from agricultural sources. A regular theme is the trade‐off between controlling P loss linked to sediment while increasing dissolved P losses (no‐till, cover crops, vegetated buffers, constructed wetlands, sediment control basins). A variety of factors influence the degree to which these trade‐offs occur, complicated by their interaction and uncertainties associated with climate change. However, acknowledging these trade‐offs and anticipating their contribution to watershed outcomes are essential to the sustainability of conservation systems.

Abstract Objective Mechanisms underlying the anaphylactic reaction in humans are not fully understood. Here, we aimed at improving our understanding of anaphylaxis by investigating gene expression changes. Methods Microarray data set GSE69063 was analysed, describing emergency department (ED) patients with severe anaphylaxis (n = 12), moderate anaphylaxis (n = 6), sepsis (n = 20) and trauma (n = 11). Samples were taken at ED presentation (T0) and 1 h later (T1). Healthy controls were age and sex matched to ED patient groups. Gene expression changes were determined using limma, and pathway analysis applied. Differentially expressed genes were validated in an independent cohort of anaphylaxis patients (n = 31) and matched healthy controls (n = 10), using quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Results Platelet aggregation was dysregulated in severe anaphylaxis at T0, but not in moderate anaphylaxis, sepsis or trauma. Dysregulation was not observed in patients who received adrenaline before T0. Seven genes (GATA1 (adjusted P‐value = 5.57 × 10−4), TLN1 (adjusted P‐value = 9.40 × 10−4), GP1BA (adjusted P‐value = 2.15 × 10−2), SELP (adjusted P‐value = 2.29 × 10−2), MPL (adjusted P‐value = 1.20 × 10−2), F13A1 (adjusted P‐value = 1.39 × 10−2) and SPARC (adjusted P‐value = 4.06 × 10−2)) were significantly downregulated in severe anaphylaxis patients who did not receive adrenaline before ED arrival, compared with healthy controls. One gene (TLN1 (adjusted P‐value = 1.29 × 10−2)) was significantly downregulated in moderate anaphylaxis patients who did not receive adrenaline before ED arrival, compared with healthy controls. Conclusion Downregulation of genes involved in platelet aggregation and activation is a unique feature of the early anaphylactic reaction not previously reported and may be associated with reaction severity.

Tanning bed use has been linked to increases in skin cancer among young women. Although a causal relationship between ultraviolet radiation emitted by tanning beds and melanoma is well established, it is unclear if tanning bed users are aware of the risk and how they would respond to a warning message. Two hundred and ten women aged 16–29 who had used a tanning bed at least once in the last year were asked about their perceptions of risk and their responses to a warning label. Participants were already aware that tanning beds could cause cancer, but after viewing a warning label, most people said they would stop or reduce their tanning bed use. Reactions to a prototype warning label were encouraging and future research should pursue the possibility that current guidelines for tanning bed warning labels may need to be revised.