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As the Covid-19 pandemic continues into its 4th year, reports of long-term morbidity and mortality are now attracting attention. Recent studies suggest that Covid-19 survivors are at increased risk of common illnesses, such as myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus and autoimmune disorders. Mortality may also be increased. This article will review the evidence that supports some of these observations and provide an opinion about their validity and their relevance to insured cohorts., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

New-onset diabetes mellitus following COVID-19 infection has been frequently reported. This article will review the evidence that supports this observation and provide an opinion about its validity and relevance to insured cohorts., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) are time-honored acronyms, with widely popular acceptance. Experts now recommend discarding them in favor of MASLD for "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease" and MASH for "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis." The reasons for this change are explored and an argument about why the change is confusing, is advanced. Should these acronyms become clinically popular, risk assessment manuals will require updates., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

ChatGPT is about to make major inroads into clinical medicine. This article discusses the pros and cons of its use., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches the end of its third year, and as COVID-related mortality in North America wanes, long Covid and its disabling symptoms are attracting more attention. Some individuals report symptoms lasting more than 2 years, and a subset report continuing disability. This article will provide an update on long Covid, with a particular focus on disease prevalence, disability, symptom clustering and risk factors. It will also discuss the longer-term outlook for individuals with long Covid., (Copyright © 2023 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

Pituitary adenomas were recently reclassified as "neuroendocrine tumors," and are now considered to be cancers. The evolution and justification for this change are described. Critical illness policies, which currently provide coverage of pituitary adenomas under the "Benign Brain Tumor" provision must now be modified to reflect this new taxonomy. This change also prompts questions about the use of the words 'benign' and 'tumor' in critical illness policies., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

Critical illness insurance was introduced 40 years ago. Medical directors continue to be challenged and frustrated with the complexities that critical illness claims offer. This article provides insights into the continued issues and possible solutions., (Copyright © 2023 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

Long COVID is now a recognized complication of acute COVID-19 infection. As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into its third year, the prevalence of Long COVID continues to increase. Many individuals report symptoms lasting longer than a year, and a subset of this group is unable to work. This article will provide an update on Long COVID, with a particular focus on distinguishing it from other clinical entities. It will review several proposed disease mechanisms and will attempt to anticipate the impact on disability insurance., (Copyright © 2022 Journal of Insurance Medicine.)

Sonification, or the practice of generating sound from data, is a promising alternative or complement to data visualization for exploring research questions in the life sciences. Expressing or communicating data in the form of sound rather than graphs, tables, or renderings can provide a secondary information source for multitasking or remote monitoring purposes or make data accessible when visualizations cannot be used. While popular in astronomy, neuroscience, and geophysics as a technique for data exploration and communication, its potential in the biological and biotechnological sciences has not been fully explored. In this review, we introduce sonification as a concept, some examples of how sonification has been used to address areas of interest in biology, and the history of the technique. We then highlight a selection of biology-related publications that involve sonifications of DNA datasets and protein datasets, sonifications for data collection and interpretation, and sonifications aimed to improve science communication and accessibility. Through this review, we aim to show how sonification has been used both as a discovery tool and a communication tool and to inspire more life-science researchers to incorporate sonification into their own studies., (© 2024 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: The present article reports on a case study aimed at improving STEAM education in secondary schools. It discusses the use of sonification as a teaching strategy to integrate music into science learning, using different approaches from data audification to parameter mapping into aural models and to the rewriting of song lyrics based on STEM topics. Methods: A qualitative research study has been performed in a secondary school in the school district of Bari (South of Italy). More specifically, students' and experts' perceptions of experienced sonification activities have been collected through six rounds of focus group interviews. Results: While there was a good improvement in student achievement in science, it is worth noting how musical activities also led to some benefits for students involved in the sonification workshops. The integration of music with STEM disciplines has promoted more cooperation and empathy among the students. Additionally, musical inputs can help students discover and regain interest in music. However, the study also highlighted the differences in teacher training and content knowledge, suggesting the need for future research to consider broader samples and experimental designs. Discussion: Results and implications for educational research and practice are discussed considering the recent literature on STEAM. Finally, this study demonstrates the importance of a robust instructional design for sonification activities, so that they can be more effective, aligned with the school curriculum, and integrated into the classroom teaching-learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of collapse, deformation, and displacement in the concrete paving of roadway floors, this paper adopts the way of adding alkali-free accelerators to the concrete on both sides, through mechanical analysis, single factor experiment, orthogonal experiment, and polynomial fitting method, and determines the relevant parameters of concrete and accelerators in the sliding form paving of roadway floor from two aspects of paving material and size. The results show that the FSA-AF alkali-free liquid accelerator is more suitable for roadway floor paving than the J85 powder accelerator. When the FSA-AF accelerator dosage reaches 8%, the decreasing trend of initial setting time curve tends to be flat. The deformation resistance of concrete containing accelerator is positively correlated with the dosage of the accelerator. Concrete side pressure is positively correlated with pavement paving height. The FSA-AF accelerator can reduce the compressive strength of concrete; the compressive strength and retention rate of concrete at all ages are the highest when the dosage of FSA-AF is 7%. A water–cement ratio of 0.4 and a 9% dosage of accelerator are the optimal combination to meet the four evaluation indexes. According to the width estimation formula, the width of the side concrete should be set to 14 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vice-principals' (VPs) work is intensifying in its complexity and volume but the changing nature of their work is not thoroughly documented. This article focuses on the often-overlooked VP's role and records the factors that evidence the intensifying work conditions for VPs. The data for this article come from a large-scale online survey that has been distributed among the VP members of the Ontario Principals' Council (OPC). The research findings comprehensively document the increasingly complex and multifaceted nature of VPs' work and highlight the specific challenges facing VPs, particularly in the areas of motivation and expectation gap, duties and responsibilities, policy influence, challenges and possibilities, emotional well-being and coping, and mentoring. This study provides evidence of the need to reexamine the role of VPs and an urgency to provide targeted training, mentorship and professional development to VPs so that they can flourish in their roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Stachytarpheta eimeariae and S. praetermissa are newly described and included in the Radlkoferiana group due to their flowers with 2-toothed calyces and bright red to pinkish corollas. The first is a new species differentiated from the typical concept of S. ganevii by a set of mainly vegetative characteristics, while the second is a new status and name for S. radlkoferiana var. lanata due to a set of characteristics associated with the leaves and bracts. The two new species grow in campo rupestre vegetation, with S. eimeariae found in the Abaíra municipality and S. praetermissa in Mucugê of Bahia, Brazil. They should be considered threatened, which reinforces the need for activities to promote the conservation of campo rupestre in the Chapada Diamantina. With these additions, the Radlkoferiana group now includes 11 species; an identification key and a distribution map are provided, alongside illustrations and taxonomic notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Betula pendula and B. pubescens imported from the United Kingdom (UK) taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. The commodities were grouped in the risk assessment as (a) bundles of 10–20 graftwood/budwood (up to 1‐year‐old), (b) bare root plants which include bundles of 25 or 50 seedlings or transplants (1–2 years‐old), bundles of 5, 10 or 15 whips (1–2 years‐old) and single bare root plants (1–7 years‐old), (c) plants in pots which include bundles of 5 and 10 cell‐grown plants (1–2 years‐old) and rooted plants in pots (1–7 years‐old), and (d) large specimen trees up to 15‐years‐old. All pests associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Two EU quarantine pests i.e. Meloidogyne fallax and Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates) and two protected zone quarantine pests i.e. Entoleuca mammata and Thaumetopoea processionea fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures described in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated considering the possible limiting factors. For these pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, as larger trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer time grown in the field. In addition, larger canopies and root systems are more difficult to inspect, thereby making the detection of pests more challenging on large trees. The likelihood of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with M. fallax being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE) indicated with 95% certainty that between 9735 and 10,000 per 10,000 large specimen trees will be free from M. fallax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in biological invasions is crucial to developing effective risk assessment and control measures against invasive species. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a highly invasive pest that has rapidly spread from its native Americas into much of the Eastern Hemisphere, with a highly homogeneous nuclear genetic background. However, the exact mechanism behind its rapid introduction and propagation remains unclear. Here, a systematic investigation is conducted into the population dynamics of FAW in China from 2019 to 2021 and found that FAW individuals carrying "rice" mitochondria (FAW‐mR) are more prevalent (>98%) than that with "corn" mitochondria (FAW‐mC) at the initial stage of the invasion and in newly‐occupied non‐overwintering areas. Further fitness experiments show that the two hybrid‐strains of FAW exhibit different adaptions in the new environment in China, and this may have been facilitated by amino acid changes in mitochondrial‐encoded proteins. FAW‐mR used increases energy metabolism, faster wing‐beat frequencies, and lower wing loadings to drive greater flight performance and subsequent rapid colonization of new habitats. In contrast, FAW‐mC individuals adapt with more relaxed mitochondria and shuttle energetics into maternal investment, observed as faster development rate and higher fecundity. The presence of two different mitochondria types within FAW has the potential to significantly expand the range of damage and enhance competitive advantage. Overall, the study describes a novel invasion mechanism displayed by the FAW population that facilitates its expansion and establishment in new environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carajasia cangae (Rubiaceae) is a narrow endemic species from the canga ecosystems of the Carajás National Forest that is facing extinction due to a limited range and habitat disturbance from hydroclimatological changes and mining activities. This study examines the influence of rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria on C. cangae seed germination to support conservation efforts. Soil samples, both rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric, as well as plant root tissues, were collected. Bacteria from these samples were subsequently isolated, cultured, and identified. DNA sequencing revealed the presence of 16 isolates (9 rhizospheric and 7 endophytic), representing 19 genera and 6 phyla: Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi. The endophytic isolates of Bacillus and the rhizospheric isolates of Planococcus and Lysinibacillus reduced the median germination time and initiation time, while the rhizospheric isolates Serratia and Comamonas increased the germination time and decreased the germination percentage in comparison to the control sample. These findings emphasize the crucial role of endophytic bacteria in the germination of C. cangae and highlight isolates that could have beneficial effects in the following stages of plant growth. Understanding the impact of endophytic and rhizospheric bacterial isolates on seed germination can enhance conservation efforts by shortening the germination period of this species and thereby improving seedling production. Additionally, this knowledge will pave the way for future research on the role of bacteria in the establishment of C. cangae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of patients with long COVID syndrome. Methods: This study included 457 adults who had at least one persistent symptom after COVID-19 infection. Results: The median time interval between the last SARS-CoV-2 infection and emergency room presentation was 3 months. Older patients had comorbidities (61.7 vs. 44.9 years, p < 0.0001), moderate or severe forms of COVID-19 (61.2 vs. 50.9 years, p < 0.0001), and respiratory symptoms (56.1 vs. 52.0 years, p = 0.0027). Non-vaccinated patients were older than vaccinated patients (56.0 vs. 51.5 years, p = 0.0008) and had residual lung abnormalities following COVID-19 infection (51.5% vs. 36.8%, p < 0.003). The time interval between the last SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hospital evaluation was shorter for vaccinated patients (3.2 vs. 3.9 months, p < 0.0001) and those with mild forms (3.3 vs. 4.12 months, p = 0.0001) versus non-vaccinated individuals. After the last SARS-CoV-2 infection, 107 patients developed impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes mellitus, being patients with already known chronic diseases (p = 0.0002), or hypertension (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our study pointed out the heterogeneity of symptoms following COVID-19, and they are associated with age, vaccination status, or severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis and megadiverse countries become key targets for conservation. South Africa, the only country in the world hosting three biodiversity hotspots within its borders, harbours a tremendous diversity of at‐risk species deserving to be protected. However, the lengthy risk assessment process and the lack of required data to complete assessments is a serious limitation to conservation since several species may slide into extinction while awaiting risk assessment. Here, we employed a deep neural network model integrating species climatic and geographic features to predict the conservation status of 116 unassessed plant species. Our analysis involved in total of 1072 plant species and 96,938 occurrence points. The best‐performing model exhibits high accuracy, reaching up to 83.6% at the binary classification and 56.8% at the detailed classification. Our best‐performing model at the binary classification predicts that 32% (25 species) and 8% (3 species) of Data Deficient and Not‐Evaluated species respectively, are likely threatened, amounting to a proportion of 24.1% of unassessed species facing a risk of extinction. Interestingly, all unassessed species predicted to be threatened are in protected areas, revealing the effectiveness of South Africa's network of protected areas in conservation, although these likely threatened species are more abundant outside protected areas. Considering the limitation in assessing only species with available data, there remains a possibility of a higher proportion of unassessed species being imperilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in schools demands strong leadership and teacher commitment for effective implementation. However, challenges related to principal competency, teacher readiness, and their commitment have been identified as major obstacles to achieving desired outcomes through STEM initiatives. This qualitative study explores the competencies of school principals, teacher readiness, and the commitment required for successful STEM education. It aims to identify the principal competencies that influence teacher readiness and commitment, as well as the elements of teacher readiness that affect their commitment, and the specific aspects of teacher commitment crucial for STEM implementation. The study employs semi-structured interviews with teachers from selected schools, analyzed using thematic analysis to identify themes related to leadership competency, teacher preparedness, and commitment. Findings reveal that principals with competencies in STEM knowledge, management skills, and professional attributes are more likely to boost teacher readiness and commitment. Teacher readiness, particularly in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitude, plays a vital role in strengthening their commitment. Teacher commitment is driven by affective, continuance, and normative commitment, which are critical for STEM success. In conclusion, the study highlights the need to develop leadership competencies and teacher readiness as key strategies to enhance teacher commitment in STEM education. These findings have significant implications for education policy and professional development, calling for targeted interventions to support school leaders and teachers in effectively implementing STEM education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research highlights the need for customized test batteries, periodic assessments, involvement of specialist staff and national training standards to support the development of adapted football programs for children with special needs. The study aimed to identify strategies conducive to enhancing inclusion and skill development tailored to the unique needs of these children. This research investigates effective teaching strategies aimed at enhancing the physical and psychological development of children with special needs aged 12-15 years through adapted football programs. A sample population comprising specialists in the field was surveyed through questionnaires, followed by tests administered to 25 children (with mild mental retardation) from the Gavana "Family Type Center" in Pitesti, serving as the experimental group. Results from screening and comprehensive examinations, including motor development assessments using a specialized grid, revealed significant findings. The study delineated motor skills deficits and educational requirements, forming the basis for individualized educational programs. Additionally, the study emphasized the importance of well-equipped facilities and skilled specialists for accurate evaluation and education. The analysis of control samples demonstrated positive outcomes, with the majority of subjects exhibiting capabilities in body schematics, general motor skills, conducted and perceptual-motor structures, and organizing actions. These results underscore the potential for improvement and adaptation in physical education programs for children with special needs. The study proposes an integrated approach to evaluation and training, aligning with modern praxiological principles. A didactic strategy for enhancing adapted football in institutionalized centers was developed based on the assessment outcomes. The integration of evaluation strategies into training optimization charts emphasizes the importance of continuous assessment and refinement in program delivery. In conclusion, the research highlights the necessity for tailored test batteries, periodic evaluations, specialized personnel involvement, and national-level training standards to support the development of adapted football programs for children with special needs. The findings suggest promising avenues for future research and the implementation of inclusive sports initiatives sensitive to the diverse needs of young athletes with special needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article from the Pakistan Journal of Radiology discusses an audit conducted to evaluate the use of CT KUB in patients with acute renal colic. The study aimed to assess the appropriateness of radiological investigations and the diagnostic yield of CT KUB in detecting renal calculi and alternative diagnoses. Results showed that CT KUB was performed within 24 hours in 99% of cases, with a diagnostic yield of 68% for confirmed calculi and 16% for alternative diagnoses. The study met its targets for diagnostic yield and timeliness of CT KUB, with suggestions for improvement in cases where targets were not met. [Extracted from the article]

Premise: The number of open flowers on a plant (i.e., floral display size) can influence plant fitness by increasing pollinator attraction. However, diminishing marginal fitness returns with increasing floral display are expected as pollinators tend to visit more flowers per plant consecutively. An extended flower visitation sequence increases the fraction of ovules disabled by self-pollination (ovule discounting) and reduces the fraction of a plant's own pollen that is exported to sire seeds in other plants (pollen discounting). Hermaphroditic species with a genetic system that prevents self-fertilization (self-incompatibility) would avoid ovule discounting and its fitness cost, whereas species without such a genetically based barrier would not. Contrarily, pollen discounting would be an unavoidable consequence of a large floral display irrespective of selfing barriers. Nevertheless, the increasing fitness costs of ovule and pollen discounting could be offset by respectively increasing ovule and pollen production per flower., Methods: We compiled data on floral display size and pollen and ovule production per flower for 1241 animal-pollinated, hermaphroditic angiosperm species, including data on the compatibility system for 779 species. We used phylogenetic general linear mixed models to assess the relations of pollen and ovule production to floral display size., Results: Our findings provide evidence of increasing pollen production, but not of ovule production, with increasing display size irrespective of compatibility system and even after accounting for potentially confounding effects like flower size and growth form., Conclusions: Our comparative study supports the pollen-discount expectation of an adaptive link between per-flower pollen production and floral display across animal-pollinated angiosperms., (© 2023 Botanical Society of America.)

Introduction: The media can play a vital role in determining to what extent the general public understands scientific concepts. The understanding and acceptance of evolution are often influenced by factors beyond scientific knowledge alone, including education, politics, and media consumption habits. Although discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic and evolution had fixed itself in public discourse on many fronts, the media often avoided the usage of the word "evolve" and showed a preference for alternatives such as "emerge" or "mutate." Methods: We conducted a systematic analysis to gauge the prominence of the concept of evolution in media discussions across seven English-speaking countries. This involved assessing the frequency of the term "evolve" concerning viral evolution within newspaper articles using electronic databases. Of the 4,951 newspaper articles examined in this study, 11% discussed viral evolution. Out of those articles, 12% explicitly used the word "evolve." Results: We found that countries did not significantly differ in their "evolve" usage, which may reflect similarities in views about COVID-19 and its evolution across countries or reliance on shared information sources when reporting on COVID-19. We also found that, as the pandemic progressed, the discussion on viral evolution as a topic had increased, but the frequency with which the word "evolve" was explicitly used had decreased. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on science and health news reporting. Although evolution plays a crucial role in the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, the term "evolve" is not frequently highlighted in COVID-19 news coverage. Our research underscores the significant implications of language choice when describing evolutionary events, particularly in shaping the public's understanding of evolution, both in general and in the context of pandemics and infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the arts’ potential role in advancing mainstream transdisciplinary curriculum models, like STEM, has been more overtly recognized, both within arts and STEM communities. In this study, we explored STEAM curricula centered around data visualization, a transdisciplinary practice commonly utilized in design and STEM fields and increasingly practiced in contemporary art Through addressing the research question “What opportunities and challenges for learning does arts-based data visualization provide Grade 4-8 students?,” this study highlights the value of transdisciplinary curriculum models that incorporate the arts for fostering K-12 students’ learning. However, the findings related to student engagement and teacher perceptions also raised some important questions. Which classroom contexts are most conducive to such inquiry? And, which contexts and conditions will avoid reinforcing the disciplinary hegemony that marginalizes the arts, a crucial, yet increasingly underappreciated, system of inquiry and knowledge needed for navigating life in the twenty-first century? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest vegetation is an important component of forest ecosystems, contributing to terrestrial plant diversity while also providing a variety of ecological services. In managed landscapes, plantations emerge as dominant kinds after stand-replacing disturbances. However, the dynamics of vegetation cover, diversity, and composition in plantation forests remains poorly understood in the subtropical region. Our study recorded a rich floral diversity with 173 angiosperm species, characterized by varying life forms and distinct flowering phenology. The uneven distribution of species across families demonstrated the complexity of the ecosystem, with Poaceae being dominant. Diversity patterns among different plantation types varied, with Dalbergia sissoo and Populus nigra plantations exhibiting higher species richness and diversity. Conversely, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Morus alba plantations displayed lower diversity, emphasizing the influence of plantation type on biodiversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and PERMANOVA analyses revealed significant dissimilarity patterns of vegetation composition. Indicator species analysis identified unique compositions within each plantation type, emphasizing the importance of conserving specific types to protect indicator species and maintained ecological distinctiveness. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrated that road accessibility, stem cutting, and fire significantly influenced plant distribution patterns. The present research underscored the importance of considering plantation type in forest management for biodiversity conservation and highlighted the environmental variables' influence on the formation of plant communities. These results provided major implications for sustainable forest management and conservation efforts in tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to deliver a risk assessment on the likelihood of pest freedom from Union quarantine pests and pests subject to measures adopted pursuant to Article 30 of Regulation (EU) No 2016/2031 for the maple veneer sheets manufactured according to the process set out by Canada, with emphasis on the freedom from Davidsoniella virescens and Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates). The assessment was conducted for veneer sheets of up to 0.7 mm and up to 6 mm thickness, taking into account the different phases in the veneer production in a systems approach. Some of those phases, taken alone, including the heat treatment of logs in a water bath, the cutting into thin veneer sheets and the final high heat drying of veneer sheets are expected to be effective against some of the pests, without uncertainties, making the system approach fully effective. The panel considers that no insects would survive cutting of logs into thin veneer sheets of 0.7 mm and that Xylella fastidiosa will not survive the temperatures in the water bath and final drying of veneers. The degree of pest freedom for the different groups of organisms is generally very high with slightly lower degree of pest freedom for veneer sheets of 6 mm thickness because of lower temperatures reached in the final drying of veneer sheets compared to thinner sheets. P. ramorum is not expected to survive the high heat drying of thin veneer sheets, but it may survive the lower temperatures inside thicker veneer sheets. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE) indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9989 and 10,000 veneer sheets (thickness 6 mm) per 10,000 will be free from living P. ramorum. For D. virescens, the EKE indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9984 and 10,000 veneer sheets (0.7 mm) per 10,000 and that between 9954 and 10,000 veneer sheets (6 mm) per 10,000 will be free from living inoculum. For other relevant groups of pests, the greatest likelihood of pest presence was observed for wood decay fungi. The EKE indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9967 and 10,000 veneer sheets (0.7 mm) per 10,000 and that between 9911 and 10,000 veneer sheets (6 mm) per 10,000 will be free from living wood decay fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to individuals involved in the justice system, particularly African Americans, who have borne a significant burden of its consequences. To better understand the circumstance, this article presents follow-up data 2 years after the pandemic's onset from Skinner-Osei's 2023 study, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Justice-Involved African Americans." Methods: The study employed a phenomenological approach to examine the experiences of justice-involved African Americans in navigating challenges related to recidivism, probation/parole, housing, employment, and family during and after the pandemic. The data were analyzed using the reflexive thematic analysis process. Findings: The original study had 25 participants, and 12 were in the follow-up. The data obtained from both studies underscore the necessity of further research into the enduring impacts of COVID-19 on African Americans involved in the justice system. Conclusion: Given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on this population, it is critical to explore the long-term ramifications of the virus and its aftermath so that we can better understand the multifaceted challenges facing African Americans in the justice system and develop evidence-based solutions that mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on this vulnerable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'high risk plants, plant products and other objects'. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Sorbus aucuparia bare‐root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old and specimen trees in pots up to 15 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of any pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Three EU quarantine pests (Entoleuca mammata and Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates), Erwinia amylovora), were selected for further evaluation. For two of the selected pests (E. mammata and P. ramorum), the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the imported S. aucuparia plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9812 and 10,000 bare‐root S. aucuparia plants per 10,000 will be free from P. ramorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Captive breeding programs play an important role in preserving the genetic diversity of endangered species. It is of utmost importance to conduct genetic assessment for captive populations in order to develop scientific breeding plans and conservation management strategies. Here, we genotyped 10 microsatellite loci and sequenced 368 bp of mitochondrial DNA control region for the golden snub‐nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) from eight captive populations in China, and compared the genetic indices of captive populations with a wild population. Meanwhile, we performed paternity tests to verify the genealogical records and established genetic lineages. A total of 157 individuals were identified from 161 fecal samples, including 135 captive individuals (approximately 25% of captive individuals in China). Microsatellite analysis showed that the nine populations had moderate levels of genetic diversity, with polymorphism information content (PIC) ranging from 0.43 to 0.542; the genetic diversity of captive populations (average PIC: 0.503) was slightly higher than that of the wild population (PIC: 0.438). The Structure analysis indicated that individuals of the eight captive populations contained two different genetic components. We conducted either single‐blind or double‐blind paternity testing on 40 offspring of captive individuals and found that five offspring from two zoos (Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo and Shanghai Wild Animal Park) showed discrepant kinships from their pedigree records, probably due to the inaccuracies in pedigree records. By constructing genetic pedigrees, inbred offspring were found in Beijing Zoo, Shanghai Zoo, Hangzhou Zoo, and Chengdu Zoo. Analysis based on mitochondrial DNA showed a high level of genetic diversity in the eight captive populations (mean nucleotide diversity: 0.047). However, no nucleotide diversity was found in the wild population. This study conducted a genetic survey for captive golden snub‐nosed monkeys and will significantly benefit the genetic conservation management for captive populations in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the exact toll of COVID-19 in U.S. prisons and jails is relatively undetermined, estimates show that deaths due to the virus in the nation's correctional facilities are approximately six times higher than deaths in the general population. During the pandemic, jail and prison structures as well as significant overcrowding made it virtually impossible to institute protective measures against infection in correctional settings. Jail and prison administrators suspended in-person visitation, leaving those incarcerated even further isolated, and their friends and family in fear for the health and safety of their loved ones. The present study examines narratives of individuals who spoke about their experiences while incarcerated during the pandemic. The data for the study were gathered from prison reform advocacy organizations that featured individuals' stories. The narrative findings provide insight into the traumatic experiences that incarcerated people endured, how institutional failures exacerbated their mistrust of the criminal legal system, and their efforts to cope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An employer's attitude is essential in the workplace. It is often associated with hiring behaviors, in addition to their required awareness and knowledge of providing reasonable assistive technology (AT) and workplace accommodations (WA) for persons with disabilities (PwDs). Objective: The study aimed to draw out knowledge and feedback from hiring managers, human resources management professionals, and recruitment specialists for PwDs, in addition to assessing the awareness and knowledge of AT and WA (AT-WA). Methods: Researchers conducted a focus group to gain an insight for developing a survey that assesses the awareness and knowledge of AT-WA's best practices used by hiring managers and human resources management professionals for employing PwDs. Findings and Conclusions: Results from the focus group participants were all in agreeance that training improvements are needed to help diversify the workforce for PwDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 'adenoma' is a benign neoplasm composed of epithelial tissue, and has been standard nomenclature for primary pituitary neoplasms. In 2022, the fifth edition of the WHO Classification of Endocrine Tumours and of Central Nervous System Tumours, renamed pituitary adenomas as neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), assigning an oncology label to pituitary invariably benign neoplasms. Multidisciplinary workshops convened by the Pituitary Society have questioned the process, validity, and merit of this arbitrary change, while addressing the adverse clinical implications of the proposed new nomenclature. Unlike NETs, pituitary adenomas are highly prevalent, indolent and very rarely become malignant, and in general do not affect life expectancy when appropriately managed. A nomenclature change to NET does not advance mechanistic insight, treatment or prognosis but confers a misleading oncology connotation, potentially leading to overtreatment as well as engendering unnecessary patient anxiety. As the majority of pituitary adenomas do not require surgery, exclusion of these disorders is a major shortcoming of the pathology-based WHO classification system which is limited to patients undergoing surgery. Many factors influence prognosis other than histopathology. A new clinical classical classification has been developed for guiding prognosis and therapy of pituitary adenomas by integrating clinical, genetic, biochemical, radiological, pathological, and molecular information for all adenomas arising from anterior pituitary cell lineages. The system uses an evidence-based scoring of risk factors to yield a cumulative grade score that reflects disease severity. It can be used at the bedside to guide pituitary adenoma management. Once validated in prospective studies, this simple classification system could provide a standardised platform for assessing disease severity, prognosis, and effects of therapy on pituitary adenoma outcomes., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) is an economically important crustacean with increasing consumption demands, while wild stock is declining. Therefore, a crab bank project has been initiated to restore crab resources. The crab bank, which has been operating for at least 10 years, collects berried females, hatches their eggs to the zoea stage, and release them into the sea. However, the project’s success has not been evaluated. This study investigates the genetic diversity of berried females from the crab bank project and wild crabs in Trang and Krabi provinces. The nucleotide sequences within the mitochondrial DNA control region of P. pelagicus were analyzed. We found that 65.72% of wild crabs in Trang and 39.72% in Krabi shared haplotypes with berried females from the crab bank project. This indicates a division within the P. pelagicus population, forming two distinct groups corresponding to Trang and Krabi. The demographic history analysis suggests a period of population expansion. Based on these genetic diversity findings, we propose management strategies for the crab bank projects in both areas. However, this study is preliminary, and further research incorporating additional genetic markers from the nuclear genome and more samples from areas beyond Trang and Krabi is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete spinal cord injury causes an irreversible disruption in the central nervous system, leading to motor, sensory, and autonomic function loss, and a secondary injury that constitutes a physical barrier preventing tissue repair. Tissue engineering scaffolds are presented as a permissive platform for cell migration and the reconnection of spared tissue. Iodine-doped plasma pyrrole polymer (pPPy-I), a neuroprotective material, was applied to polylactic acid (PLA) fibers and implanted in a rat complete spinal cord transection injury model to evaluate whether the resulting composite implants provided structural and functional recovery, using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and tractography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, locomotion analysis, histology, and immunofluorescence. In vivo, MR studies evidenced a tissue response to the implant, demonstrating that the fibrillar composite scaffold moderated the structural effects of secondary damage by providing mechanical stability to the lesion core, tissue reconstruction, and significant motor recovery. Histologic analyses demonstrated that the composite scaffold provided a permissive environment for cell attachment and neural tissue guidance over the fibers, reducing cyst formation. These results supply evidence that pPPy-I enhanced the properties of PLA fibrillar scaffolds as a promising treatment for spinal cord injury recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology and globalization in education have dramatically changed the landscape for teachers. New roles for teachers include resource providers, content specialists, learning facilitators, and lifelong learners. This is especially true in the ever-changing fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Therefore, colleges must prepare pre-service teachers to use 21st-century skills to apply and solve complex problems in the real world. With new Alabama initiatives and science training, such as the Literacy Act, the Numeracy Act, Alabama Math, science, and Technology (AMSTI), and Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM), science and STEM activities were pushed to the forefront. To fully prepare teachers in this area, Athens State University emphasized inquiry lessons through hands-on STEM training, partnered with a STEM school, created a STEM lab, and shared experiences using the ActiveFlex model. This environment allowed pre-service teachers to learn, unlearn, and relearn valuable strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of sexes in dioecious plants enables males and females to adopt different strategies to balance reproduction and growth, but can also lead to female susceptibility due to their high reproductive burden. Understanding if a dioecious species is susceptible or adaptable in the face of worsening abiotic conditions would be useful for revegetating habitats under climate change. Our study compared four populations of the Australian native shrub, Pimelea microcephala subsp. microcephala (n = 885) across an annual rainfall gradient of ∼250–400 mm to understand the impact of decreasing rainfall on size classes, growth metrics, sex ratio, the proportion of juveniles and spatial distributions. We found that irrespective of site rainfall, male and female plants achieved similar sizes. The populations exhibited four size classes, defined by height, diameter and sex, but not site rainfall (unpaired group method with arithmetic mean cluster analysis, p <.05). Spatially, populations reflected the clumped distribution of overlying canopy cover, and did not demonstrate niche partitioning between sexes. The lack of population variation with rainfall indicates that the species may be suitable for arid zone revegetation in arid regions with declining rainfall. Conservation management of the species should include maintaining canopy tree cover to encourage seed dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative interview study examines STEM integration in three diverse elementary schools through the eyes of the teachers and instructional coaches (n = 9) who facilitated the transdisciplinary Box Turtle Model-eliciting Activity (MEA). Prior to implementation, participants attended a full-day professional development workshop in which they experienced the MEA in school-based triads of principals, coaches, and teachers. The educators then implemented the MEA with elementary students from across multiple grade levels. We used the guiding principles of productive disciplinary engagement in our analysis of educator interviews to interpret participants' perceptions of how an MEA encourages elementary students to (a) problematize real-world scenarios, (b) direct their own learning, and (c) collaborate through meaningful academic discourse. Educators also identified challenges to integrating STEM in elementary classrooms. The Box Turtle MEA offered more equitable access to STEM by positioning students as authorities and providing space for them to be accountable to themselves and others in solving an authentic, real-world problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'high risk plants, plant products and other objects'. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Cornus alba and Cornus sanguinea bare‐root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of any pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Four EU quarantine pests (Meloidogyne fallax, Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates), tobacco ringspot virus, and tomato ringspot virus) and one EU non‐regulated pest (Discula destructiva), were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the imported C. alba and C. sanguinea plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9823 and 10,000 bare‐root C. alba and C. sanguinea plants per 10,000 will be free from P. ramorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research focuses on the development of physical, cognitive and social components in 28 adolescents (12-14 years old). They are students of two institutionalized centers of Romania. The first one is the "Sfântul Ștelian" Inclusive Education School Center of Costesti, Arges(CC-12 subjects). The second one is the "Sfânta Filofteia" Inclusive Education School Center of Ștefănești (CS-16 subjects). This research aims to identify the individual particularities in the psychomotor behavior of adolescents with special needs (SEN). The subjects were included in personalized psychomotricity programs without compromising the effectiveness of these ones. The specific needs of each individual child were taken into consideration. Primary data were obtained by comprehensively analyzing the psychological records of subjects and evaluating their motor development and physical condition. Scientific instruments used: Optojump Next optical system for movement analysis; Witty SEM intelligent semaphore; Sensamove balance miniboard and Tanita body composition analyzer. Finally, the results from the two centers were compared through statistical-mathematical analysis. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and, as appropriate, the Independent sample t-test and Mann-Witney U test were used. The results of the psycho-pedagogical records highlighted that the socio-demographic variables had relatively similar characteristics in the two institutionalized centers. Regarding the analysis of the psychomotor component, the comparisons between the groups distributions revealed statististically significant differences in only 18.7%. The combined results showed that psychomotor interventions can be similarly applied in the two centers, using the same program. The intervention program and the experimental results of its application are the subject of another research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the parental origin of crop species is a prerequisite for formulating effective strategies for genetic conservation, management, and utilisation of genotypes in breeding programmes and genetic studies. In the case of the potato, although pedigree information is well documented, the possible lack of accurate pedigree data for certain cultivars constitutes a loss of opportunity to exploit the selection gain, the precise targeting of a market niche, or other breeding objectives. In this study, the genetic profiles of 1249 varieties were examined using a set of 35 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers with the available pedigree information to achieve pedigree validation. The maximum likelihood (LOD) was used to validate pedigree information of potato accessions for which the genetic data of at least one parent was available in the dataset. Our results showed that among the accessions for which both parents were genotyped, 81.7% presented a validated pedigree, while 18.3% presented a pedigree conflict (for at least one parent). Among the accessions for which only one parent was available in the dataset, 91.3% presented a validated pedigree, while 8.7% presented a pedigree conflict. Then, pedigree reconstruction was investigated to determine the most likely parent candidates for varieties whose pedigree is either questionable or lacking information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Pressure ulcers (PUs) substantially impact the quality of life of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and require prompt intervention. This study used machine learning (ML) techniques to develop advanced predictive models for the occurrence of PUs in patients with SCI. (2) Methods: By analyzing the medical records of 539 patients with SCI, we observed a 35% incidence of PUs during hospitalization. Our analysis included 139 variables, including baseline characteristics, neurological status (International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury [ISNCSCI]), functional ability (Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index [K-MBI] and Functional Independence Measure [FIM]), and laboratory data. We used a variety of ML methods—a graph neural network (GNN), a deep neural network (DNN), a linear support vector machine (SVM_linear), a support vector machine with radial basis function kernel (SVM_RBF), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), a random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR)—focusing on an integrative analysis of laboratory, neurological, and functional data. (3) Results: The SVM_linear algorithm using these composite data showed superior predictive ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.904, accuracy = 0.944), as demonstrated by a 5-fold cross-validation. The critical discriminators of PU development were identified based on limb functional status and laboratory markers of inflammation. External validation highlighted the challenges of model generalization and provided a direction for future research. (4) Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of a comprehensive, multidimensional data approach for the effective prediction of PUs in patients with SCI, especially in the acute and subacute phases. The proposed ML models show potential for the early detection and prevention of PUs, thus contributing substantially to improving patient care in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulence structures across the Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC) in the Indian Ocean at around 50°E were revealed using microstructure measurements. Depth‐averaged turbulent energy dissipation rates (ε) in 320 m segments estimated using a conductivity‐temperature‐depth (CTD)‐attached micro‐temperature fast‐response thermistor (FP07) were well reproduced using existing finescale parameterizations excluding near‐surface and near‐bottom 160 m. The spatial variations of ε are explained by density stratification N2, bottom topographic roughness, and depth‐averaged current speed U. Diapycnal diffusivity Kρ(=0.2εN−2) is found proportional to the squared internal wave energy (EIW2 ${E}_{IW}^{2}$) and increases toward the bottom, especially over rough bottom topography. The decay scale height is >1000m and the turbulence remains large even in the upper pycnocline. Existing shear‐based finescale parameterizations were generally consistent with the FP07 measurements but tended to overestimate in the areas with large shear‐strain ratio Rω and low ε in the Continental Zone (CZ) south of the ACC fronts (58–65°S). This overestimation is improved by using the strain‐based finescale parameterization with a constant Rω = 3. Plain Language Summary: Turbulent vertical mixing in the Southern Ocean is an important contributor to the meridional overturning circulation and material distribution, which are essential for understanding the climate and ecosystems of the Earth. It is therefore imperative to quantitatively estimate the vertical mixing in the Southern Ocean; however, direct measurements are scarce owing to the harsh weather conditions and the requirements of expensive instruments and specialist techniques. The present study demonstrated the full‐depth turbulent structures across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) in the Indian Ocean using a recently developed technique for microstructure measurement based on fast‐response thermistor attached to a conductivity‐temperature depth (CTD) frame. This unprecedented turbulence data set implicated that internal waves generated by the effects of rough bottom topography propagate upward even near the surface with dissipating mainly with large density stratification, and confirmed the long (>1000 m) exponential decay scale of bottom roughness impact. The existing parameterizations formulated by wave‐wave interactions among internal waves generally agreed well with the micro‐temperature method measurements. In particular, the parameterization available only from CTD density profiles were reasonably consistent with micro‐temperature data. Key Points: Turbulence structures across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the Indian Ocean were revealed through micro‐temperature measurementsTopographic roughness enhances turbulence even in the upper layer (surface to 2000 m depth) with a large exponential decay scale >1000 mStrain‐based finescale parameterization with a fixed shear‐strain ratio (=3) works well in this region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teaching hospitals are fast‐paced health care environments where clinical supervisors constantly balance teaching and patient care. Although hospital‐based clinicians in acute care settings regularly teach trainees, views regarding their teaching roles and how this relates to professional satisfaction are less well studied. We explored perspectives of physicians who teach trainees in medical intensive care units (MICUs), to understand whether their engagement in teaching has any impact on professional (job) satisfaction. Methods: This qualitative study used focus groups of MICU fellows (postgraduate clinical trainees) and attending physicians (consultants) to explore participants' perceptions of their teaching roles. Focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed; thematic analysis was conducted on de‐identified transcripts. Findings: Four focus groups were held; two with MICU attendings (n = 13) and two with MICU fellows (n = 12). We identified four key themes: two challenges of teaching (being a chameleon; calibrating learner abilities), one benefit of teaching (facilitating learners' eureka moments) and a call for professional development (peer coaching to enhance teaching skills). Discussion: Although teaching in acute clinical environments requires balancing dynamic learner needs and complex patient care needs, participants found it highly rewarding. They called for peer coaching initiatives to enhance professional development as teachers and demonstrate departmental commitment to teaching. Conclusion: While teaching in acute clinical settings is challenging for many reasons, clinical teachers emphasise that it is very satisfying when learners see the 'light'. Overt institutional support and recognition for clinical teachers along with peer coaching and debriefing may tilt the balance towards the rewards side of the equation and foster professional satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two concurrent phenomena emerged in rural America in the 1970s: job losses due to deindustrialization and prison proliferation relating to mass incarceration. While supporters of the prison industrial complex promised an economic lifeline for rural America, opponents questioned the economic benefits of prison openings. Using county fixed-effects models and data covering 1960–2000, this study reveals a null association between prison openings and total rural employment. While prison proliferation marginally increased government employment, it simultaneously had a negative impact on private employment. Specifically, prison openings were associated with decreased employment in manufacturing, finance and recreational services; and had no impact on jobs in construction, wholesale, and local retail sales. Thus, the promises of employment growth relating to prisons were, overall, not kept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Corylus avellana imported from the United Kingdom (UK) as: (a) bundles of 1‐ to 2‐year old whips or transplants, (b) bundles of 1‐ to 2‐year old cell grown plants, (c) 1‐ to 7‐year old bare root single plants and (d) up to 15‐year old single plants in pots, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Two EU quarantine pests, Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates) and Thaumetopoea processionea fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, reasoning that older trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer exposure time and larger size. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The expert knowledge elicitation indicated with 95% certainty that between 9939 and 10,000 of the single plants in pots up to 15‐year old will be free from P. ramorum (non‐EU isolates). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]