Search

Abstract This study introduces StreetTalk, an original qualitative research methodology inspired by social media influencers, to investigate perceptions and experiences of energy insecurity among New York City (NYC) residents. Briefly, energy insecurity is defined as difficulty meeting household energy needs due to affordability, housing quality, outages and coping strategies. This present study employs dynamic short-form interviews with 34 participants from all five NYC boroughs of diverse economic, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Thematic analysis of video-recorded interviews revealed six major energy insecurity-related categories: (1) conservation and trade-offs, (2) physical inefficiencies, (3) thermal agency, (4) response to the bill, (5) disappointment and distrust in energy-related authorities, and (6) desire for and barriers to clean energy adoption. These themes provide insight into NYC residents’ experiences with energy insecurity and are consistent with prior research. Beyond new scholarly insights, this study introduces StreetTalk, an innovative qualitative research methodology emphasizing rapid data collection and dissemination through social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (@hotandcold_nyc). Taking advantage of modern technology and modes of communication, the research team was able to effectively break down barriers to academic research consumption as the videos achieved substantial engagement, with almost 200,000 views and impressions within the first year of launching this novel street-based data collection and social media dissemination campaign.

Some men who have sex with men (MSM) engage in the exchange of sexual services for money, drugs, shelter or something else of value. There has been limited research examining the factors that influence how male sex workers (MSWs) determine their fees for their services. To learn more about this, qualitative interview data were analyzed from 180 MSM from 8 US cities who had recently engaged in exchange sex with clients they had primarily met through dating/hookup websites and apps. The primary factor that affected participants' fees was the type of services provided, with a higher price generally charged for anal sex than for oral sex, mutual masturbation or massage. Condomless anal sex, in particular, commanded a higher fee. Additionally, participants required more money for special kinks or fetishes or any services that they considered to be risky, demanding or physically or emotionally uncomfortable. Other factors that affected how much participants charged for a given encounter included the duration of the meeting, the level of client appeal, the perceived wealth of the client, and the participant's current financial situation. Participants varied in their approaches to fee setting, in terms of both their degree of flexibility when negotiating a price and whether they preferred to suggest a fee or have the client first state an amount they were willing to pay. Information about MSWs' approaches to fee setting provides greater understanding of their lived experiences and the risks they may accept for higher fees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment feedback is an essential way to promote student learning. Students and teachers may benefit from educational technologies during the feedback process. The purpose of this study was to identify the feedback dimensions that were fulfilled by iPad applications (apps) and to compare teacher practice to the affordances of apps. Typological data analysis was used to perform this qualitative case study. We analyzed seven apps (QR Code Reader, Schoology, Kahoot!, Nearpod,Socrative, ZipGrade, and The Physics Classroom) that a high school physics teacher used to provide feedback in a technology-enhanced classroom. Data sources included classroom video recordings and the websites of these apps. To facilitate the analysis of the data, we enhanced the feedback dimensions identified by Hatzipanagos and Warburton (2009). Our analysis highlighted the diverse capabilities of these apps with regard to supporting the following dimensions of effective feedback: dialogue, visibility, appropriateness, community, power, learning, timeliness, clearness, complexity, reflection, and action. We found that through additional discussion and interactions with students, the teacher could support dimensions that an app did not support. This study not only underscores the critical interplay between technological tools and teacher practices with regard to crafting effective feedback mechanisms but also offers practical recommendations for educators seeking to optimize technology-enhanced feedback in classroom settings. Future research is encouraged to explore the technology implementation experiences of less experienced teachers. Examining teachers working at various school levels and from various countries can offer valuable insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Level of Evidence Different cartilage repair techniques are widely used to regenerate cartilage, such as autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), osteochondral autograft transfer, microfracturing and minced cartilage. Defect size is a key parameter for selecting the best procedure to repair cartilage. However, the defect's size is not related to the patient's total cartilage surface. This is because assessing the femoral cartilage surface area is time‐consuming and therefore unsuitable in the daily clinical routine. It has been proposed that the femur's total cartilage area correlates positively with the transepicondylar distance (TEA).The knees of 40 subjects were analysed. Their average age was 30.1 ± 8.6 years. Twenty‐four female and 16 male subjects were examined. Their mean body height was 176.2 ± 8.8 cm. MRI scans were performed via 3‐Tesla MRI. These data were postprocessed and quantified using the browser‐based, customizable SATORI platform (Fraunhofer MEVIS). This software computed the femoral cartilage surface area (FeCA), the patella cartilage surface area (PCA), the TEA and the patella length.Body height reveals a good correlation (r = 0.722, p < 0.001) with the distal femur's cartilage area surface. However, regression analysis shows only moderate dependence (R2: 0.514). A very good correlation (r = 0.830, p < 0.001) was observed between the TEA distance and the total cartilage surface area of the distal femur. The regression analysis yields a good value (R2: 0.684). The cranio‐caudal length of the patella was chosen as a suitably measurable two‐dimensional parameter for correlation analysis with the patella's total cartilage surface area. Those results yield a poor correlation (r = 0.577, p < 0.001) between the two parameters, and regression analysis reveals a low value (R2: 0.384).The TEA is a reliable parameter for estimating the femur's cartilage area using MRI. A simple determination of this parameter allows the estimation of the femur's total cartilage area as well as the surface‐corrected defect size (SCDS) in daily routine.Level II [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The occurrence of visual hallucinations in visually impaired people without mental impairment is known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). To date, the prevalence of CBS has been reported with high variance. The present study aims at evaluating the prevalence of CBS among low-vision patients. Methods: From March 2018 to February 2022, 194 patients with a visual acuity ≥ 0.5 logMAR approached the low vision section of the Eye Clinic Sulzbach. Of these, 50 patients were found eligible, agreed to participate in the study and were screened for CBS. The course of the disease, its phenomenology and characteristics, the circumstance of onset, the ability to manipulate and resolve the hallucinations, and the psychosocial aspects of CBS were investigated. Results: 26% of patients with low vision suffered from CBS. Women did not suffer from CBS significantly more often than men. Often, insight into the unreality of the images is not achieved immediately. Patterns or so-called "simple" hallucinations occurred just as frequently as other types of images such as people, body parts or faces. The most frequent images were animals. Visual hallucinations, lasting only for seconds in most cases, occurred more frequently during the day and in bright surroundings. All patients experienced the hallucinations exclusively with their eyes open. The hallucinations generally did not move with the eyes. Many sufferers did neither communicate about their hallucinations nor consult any physician. Conclusions: CBS among low-vision patients is common. Its prevalence constitutes clinical relevance. Future management of CBS may benefit from encouraging patients to share their experiences and consult a physician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report the rate of fusion in a sample of patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery and assess interrater reliability of computed tomography (CT)-based parameters for the assessment of fusion. Methods: All adult patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery from 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively identified. Patient demographics and surgical characteristics were collected through chart review of the electronic medical records. CT scans were reviewed independently by two attending spine surgeons and two spine fellows. Fusion was defined as evidence of bone bridging in any one of (1) posterolateral gutters, (2) facets, or (3) interbody (when applicable) on any CT views. Evidence of screw haloing was indicative of nonunion. Interrater reliability was determined using cohen's kappa. Afterwards, a consensus agreement for each component of fusion was reached between participants. Results: The overall fusion rate among all procedures was 63/69 (91.3%). Overall 22/25 (88.0%) TLIF, 16/19 (84.2%) PLDF, 3/3 (100%) LLIF, and 22/22 (100%) circumferential fusions experienced a successful fusion. Interrater reliability was good for interbody fusion (k = 0.734) and moderate for all other measures (k = 0.561 for posterolateral fusion; k = 0.471 for facet fusion; k = 0.458 for screw haloing). Overall, interrater reliability as to whether a patient had a fusion or nonunion was moderate (k = 0.510). Conclusion: There was only moderate interrater reliability across most radiographic measures used in assessing lumbar fusion status. Reliability was highest when evaluating the presence of interbody fusion. The majority of fusions occurred across the facet joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for roughly 25% of all new breast cancer diagnoses. Mortality from DCIS is low and has not significantly changed despite modern, aggressive care. This review will highlight the multiple strategies which are being proposed to de-escalate care, including foregoing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Recent Findings: Under 5% of patients undergoing SLNB for DCIS have a positive lymph node, therefore the use of SLNB has been questioned and may be able to be foregone. In addition, recent genomic assays evaluating the benefit of radiation (Oncotype DCIS®, DCISionRT®), have elucidated a group of patients who may not need radiotherapy after breast conservation for DCIS. Finally, the option of foregoing all local treatment and instead focusing on active surveillance is being evaluated in multiple randomized clinical trials including LORIS, LORD and COMET. Summary: Data regarding whether SLNB can be safely omitted and the outcomes of the growing utilization of genomic assays and "watchful waiting" clinical trials remain forthcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces StreetTalk, an original qualitative research methodology inspired by social media influencers, to investigate perceptions and experiences of energy insecurity among New York City (NYC) residents. Briefly, energy insecurity is defined as difficulty meeting household energy needs due to affordability, housing quality, outages and coping strategies. This present study employs dynamic short-form interviews with 34 participants from all five NYC boroughs of diverse economic, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Thematic analysis of video-recorded interviews revealed six major energy insecurity-related categories: (1) conservation and trade-offs, (2) physical inefficiencies, (3) thermal agency, (4) response to the bill, (5) disappointment and distrust in energy-related authorities, and (6) desire for and barriers to clean energy adoption. These themes provide insight into NYC residents' experiences with energy insecurity and are consistent with prior research. Beyond new scholarly insights, this study introduces StreetTalk, an innovative qualitative research methodology emphasizing rapid data collection and dissemination through social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (@hotandcold_nyc). Taking advantage of modern technology and modes of communication, the research team was able to effectively break down barriers to academic research consumption as the videos achieved substantial engagement, with almost 200,000 views and impressions within the first year of launching this novel street-based data collection and social media dissemination campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges in classifying recurrent Plasmodium vivax infections constrain surveillance of antimalarial efficacy and transmission. Recurrent infections may arise from activation of dormant liver stages (relapse), blood-stage treatment failure (recrudescence) or reinfection. Molecular inference of familial relatedness (identity-by-descent or IBD) can help resolve the probable origin of recurrences. As whole genome sequencing of P. vivax remains challenging, targeted genotyping methods are needed for scalability. We describe a P. vivax marker discovery framework to identify and select panels of microhaplotypes (multi-allelic markers within small, amplifiable segments of the genome) that can accurately capture IBD. We evaluate panels of 50–250 microhaplotypes discovered in a global set of 615 P. vivax genomes. A candidate global 100-microhaplotype panel exhibits high marker diversity in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and horn of Africa (median HE = 0.70–0.81) and identifies 89% of the polyclonal infections detected with genome-wide datasets. Data simulations reveal lower error in estimating pairwise IBD using microhaplotypes relative to traditional biallelic SNP barcodes. The candidate global panel also exhibits high accuracy in predicting geographic origin and captures local infection outbreak and bottlenecking events. Our framework is open-source enabling customised microhaplotype discovery and selection, with potential for porting to other species or data resources. This work describes an informatic framework to identify multi-allelic markers in the genome of the malaria-causing Plasmodium vivax parasite that can inform on familial relatedness between infections. Spatial and temporal transmission patterns are demonstrated with an example marker set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single dose of psilocybin, a psychedelic that acutely causes distortions of space–time perception and ego dissolution, produces rapid and persistent therapeutic effects in human clinical trials1–4. In animal models, psilocybin induces neuroplasticity in cortex and hippocampus5–8. It remains unclear how human brain network changes relate to subjective and lasting effects of psychedelics. Here we tracked individual-specific brain changes with longitudinal precision functional mapping (roughly 18 magnetic resonance imaging visits per participant). Healthy adults were tracked before, during and for 3 weeks after high-dose psilocybin (25 mg) and methylphenidate (40 mg), and brought back for an additional psilocybin dose 6–12 months later. Psilocybin massively disrupted functional connectivity (FC) in cortex and subcortex, acutely causing more than threefold greater change than methylphenidate. These FC changes were driven by brain desynchronization across spatial scales (areal, global), which dissolved network distinctions by reducing correlations within and anticorrelations between networks. Psilocybin-driven FC changes were strongest in the default mode network, which is connected to the anterior hippocampus and is thought to create our sense of space, time and self. Individual differences in FC changes were strongly linked to the subjective psychedelic experience. Performing a perceptual task reduced psilocybin-driven FC changes. Psilocybin caused persistent decrease in FC between the anterior hippocampus and default mode network, lasting for weeks. Persistent reduction of hippocampal-default mode network connectivity may represent a neuroanatomical and mechanistic correlate of the proplasticity and therapeutic effects of psychedelics.Healthy adults were tracked before, during and after high doses of psilocybin and methylphenidate to assess how psychedelics can change human brain networks, and psilocybin was found to massively disrupt functional connectivity in cortex and subcortex with some changes persisting for weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, racial disparities exist in access to genetic testing. Recent developments have helped narrow the gap in accessibility. The purpose of this study was to determine whether racial disparities in genetic consultation attendance and completion of genetic testing persist, and, if so, factors that contribute to under-utilization of these resources. Methods: A single-institution retrospective review of breast patients referred for genetic counseling between 2017 and 2019 was performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression evaluated factors associated with genetic counseling attendance and genetic testing. Results: A total of 596 patients were referred for genetic counseling: 433 (72.7%) white; 138 (23.2%) black; and 25 (4.2%) other or unknown. In multivariate analysis, black patients, patients without breast cancer family history, and patients without a current cancer diagnosis, classified as high risk, were significantly less likely to attend their genetics appointment (p = 0.010, p = 0.007, p = 0.005, respectively). Age, insurance type, distance from facility, and need for chemotherapy did not significantly impact consult completion rate. Of the patients who completed a genetic consult, 84.4% (n = 248) had genetic testing and 17.7% (n = 44) had a pathogenic variant. For patients who attended counseling, there were no significant factors that were predictive with receipt of genetic testing. Conclusions: In this study, there was a significant association between race and attending genetic counseling. Once counseled, most patients went on to receive genetic testing, and racial disparities in testing disappeared, emphasizing the value of providing additional education about the importance and purpose of genetic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To improve the understanding of adherence as one major factor of disease control in acromegaly patients, we systematically assessed patients' motivations to adhere to advised follow-up schedules and recommended medication for acromegaly. Methods: Cross-sectional, postal questionnaire study on adult patients with acromegaly, operated upon a growth hormone producing pituitary adenoma more than 1 year ago in two tertiary treatment centers. We assessed demographic and clinical characteristics, disease status, adherence to acromegaly medication and/or aftercare, and the five dimensions defined by the World Health Organization influencing adherence. Wherever applicable, we included validated short scales. The answers of 63 patients (33 f, 30 m; mean age 56.1 y) were analyzed. Results: Patients with problems in adherence to aftercare had a significantly lower subjective symptomload than those adherent to aftercare (p = 0.026) and a lower perceived need for treatment (p = 0.045). Patients with adherence problems to medication had a higher subjective symptomload than those without (p = 0.056). They also tended to have shorter consultations, were significantly more often dissatisfied with the duration of their medical consultations (42% vs 4.8%, p = 0.019) and tended to find that their physician explained potential difficulties with adherence less well than patients without adherence problems (p = 0.089). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study which explored adherence to medication and aftercare in patients with acromegaly, taking into account potential influencing factors from all areas defined by the WHO model of adherence. Of the modifiable factors of adherence, patient–doctor relationship seemed to play a crucial role and could be one leverage point to improve adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University scientists have been strongly encouraged by administrators to engage in academic entrepreneurship (AE), via patenting, licensing, and startup formation. AE is a key aspect of the rise of "entrepreneurial universities" as discussed by (Guerrero & Urbano, Journal of Technology Transfer, 37(1), 43–74, 2012). We examine the relationship between role conflict and scientists' propensity to engage in AE. Our model starts with the realization that academics contemplating AE struggle with multiple identities as scientists and entrepreneurs and different roles. We hypothesize that foreign-born scientists are more adept at developing an entrepreneurial identity and managing role conflict, which makes them more likely to engage in AE than their domestic counterparts. Our empirical results, based on data from 391 scientists at 25 US research universities, confirm that foreign-born scientists are well-positioned for AE and that engagement in AE mediates the positive impact of foreign-born status on entrepreneurial identity. The results imply that a more open immigration policy will generate higher levels of AE. Plain English Summary: University scientists have been strongly encouraged by administrators to engage in academic entrepreneurship (AE), via patenting, licensing, and startup formation. AE is a key aspect of the rise of "entrepreneurial universities." We examine the relationship between role conflict and scientists' propensity to engage in AE. Our model starts with the realization that academics contemplating AE struggle with multiple identities as scientists and entrepreneurs and different roles. We hypothesize that foreign-born scientists are more adept at developing an entrepreneurial identity and managing role conflict, which makes them more likely to engage in AE than their domestic counterparts. Our empirical results, based on data from 391 scientists at 25 US research universities, confirm that foreign-born scientists are well-positioned for AE and that engagement in AE mediates the positive impact of foreign-born status on entrepreneurial identity. The results imply that a more open immigration policy will generate higher levels of AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some have defended a Fregean view of perceptual content. On this view, the constituents of perceptual contents are Fregean modes of presentation (MOPs). In this paper, I propose that perceptual MOPs are best understood in terms of object files. Object files are episodic representations that store perceptual information about objects. This information is updated when sensory conditions change. On the proposed view, when a subject perceptually represents some object a under two distinct MOPs, then the subject initiates two object files that both refer to a. My defense of this view appeals to its satisfaction of four constraints that I argue theories of perceptual MOPs should satisfy. Furthermore, I show that some existent accounts of perceptual MOPs fail to satisfy them. The defended constraints also indicate what is unique about perceptual, as opposed to linguistic or cognitive, MOPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We conducted a preliminary phase I, dose-escalating, safety, and tolerability trial in the population of patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by using human allogeneic bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. Methods: Eligibility criteria included nontraumatic supratentorial hematoma less than 60 mL and Glasgow Coma Scale score greater than 5. All patients were monitored in the neurosciences intensive care unit for safety and tolerability of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell infusion and adverse events. We also explored the use of cytokines as biomarkers to assess responsiveness to the cell therapy. We screened 140 patients, enrolling 9 who met eligibility criteria into three dose groups: 0.5 million cells/kg, 1 million cells/kg, and 2 million cells/kg. Results: Intravenous administration of allogeneic bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells to treat patients with acute ICH is feasible and safe. Conclusions: Future larger randomized, placebo-controlled ICH studies are necessary to validate this study and establish the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach in the treatment of patients with ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Experiences of difficulty (e.g., anxiety, difficult emotions) can occur during mindfulness practice. This study characterized the occurrence of such difficulties, defined as abnormal distress, dysregulation, or agitation, among high-suicide-risk participants during a mindfulness-based intervention. The study also evaluated whether mindfulness difficulties were associated with baseline differences or poorer outcomes during follow-up. Method: Participants (n = 50; mean age = 49 years, 84% male, 24% Latinx) were from the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention (MBCT-S) trial. Occurrences of mindfulness difficulties were identified via systematic review of progress notes. Serious clinical outcomes (suicidal events, suicide attempts, and psychiatric hospitalizations) were tracked over 12 months follow-up. Participants experiencing difficulties during MBCT-S were compared to those who did not on baseline characteristics and serious clinical outcomes. Incidence density sampling and Cox proportional regression analyses tested whether experiencing difficulties during mindfulness increased the risk of subsequent serious clinical outcomes. Results: Eighteen percent of participants had difficulty during mindfulness practice, which mostly included experiences of anxiety or hallucinations. Those experiencing difficulty showed several diagnostic differences at baseline, but were not at significantly greater risk of a suicidal event, HR 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14–2.71) or an acute psychiatric hospitalization, HR 0.85 (95% CI, 0.19–3.82). There were no suicide attempts among the nine participants who experienced mindfulness difficulty, compared to five suicide attempts in those without mindfulness difficulty. Conclusions: Difficulties during mindfulness practice were common, but did not show increased risk of serious clinical outcomes in participants at high risk of suicide. Preregistration: This study reports findings from a secondary analyses of a randomized clinical trial that was preregistered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01872338). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies equilibrium singular configurations of gels and addresses open questions concerning gel energetics. We model a gel as an incompressible, immiscible and saturated mixture of a solid polymer and a solvent that sustain chemical interactions at the molecular level. We assume that the energy of the gel consists of the elastic energy of its polymer network plus the Flory-Huggins energy of mixing. The latter involves the entropic energies of the individual components plus that of interaction between polymer and solvent, with the temperature dependent Flory parameter, χ , encoding properties of the solvent. In particular, a good solvent promoting the mixing regime, is found below the threshold value χ = 0.5 , whereas the phase separating regime develops above that critical value. We show that cavities and singularities develop in the latter regime. We find two main classes of singularities: (i) drying out of the solvent, with water possibly exiting the gel domain through the boundary, leaving behind a core of exposed polymer at the centre of the gel; (ii) cavitation, in response to traction on the boundary or some form of negative pressure, with a cavity that can be either void or flooded by the solvent. The straightforward and unified mathematical approach to treat all such singularities is based on the construction of appropriate test functions, inspired by the particular states of uniform swelling or compression. The last topic of the article addresses a statistical mechanics rooted controversy in the research community, providing an experimental and analytic study in support of the phantom elastic energy versus the affine one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a composite symptom score (CSS) representing disease-related symptom burden over time in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Longitudinal data were collected from an open-label Phase IIB study in which 239 patients completed the validated MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for MPM (MDASI-MPM). A blinded, independent review committee of external patient-reported outcomes experts advised on MDASI-MPM symptoms to include in the CSS. Through iterative analyses of potential symptom-item combinations, 5 MPM symptoms (pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, coughing) were selected. The CSS correlated strongly with the full MDASI-MPM symptom set (0.92–0.94) and the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale-Mesothelioma (0.79–0.87) at each co-administration of the scales. The CSS also had good sensitivity to worsening disease and global quality-of-life ratings. The MDASI-MPM CSS can be used as an outcome in MPM clinical trials, including in responder analyses and at the individual patient level. It is brief enough to administer frequently, including electronically, to better capture symptom trajectories during and after a trial and in clinical practice. As a single score, the CSS addresses multiplicity issues that can arise when several symptoms increase due to worsening disease. Our process can be adapted to produce a CSS for other advanced-cancer trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most past research on positive affect and emotion has focused exclusively on high-arousal positive affect (HAPA: e.g., excited), however, low-arousal positive affect (LAPA: e.g., calm) increasingly is included in emotion research. As such, there is a need to synthesize knowledge about the similarities and differences between LAPA and HAPA, the operationalization of LAPA and HAPA, and the distinct characteristics and importance of LAPA within emotional life. A systematic search identified 226 research papers comparing LAPA with HAPA from a broad spectrum of research topics; this review provides a narrative summary of their findings. Indications of differences between LAPA and HAPA were found in 89% of comparisons, with LAPA having a consistently distinguishable relationship to variables such as brain activity, cardiovascular health, decision-making, memory, mindfulness, personality, and solitude, among others. Other notable aspects of LAPA were found, including its role in stress, work, positive sociality, and well-being, as well as its importance in older adults and women. An analysis of items used to measure LAPA and HAPA revealed nuanced differences in conceptualizations, as well as emerging consensus around specific item usage. While considering item use in light of approach-avoidance motivation, we identified three possible LAPA subtypes: calm (a steady state of neither approach nor avoidance), satisfaction (having successfully approached), and relief (having successfully avoided). This review clarifies LAPA's role in affective life, underscoring that LAPA's differences from HAPA should be considered in research involving positive affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let be an odd prime, and let be the Shortened map, defined by if is even and if is odd. The study of the dynamics of these maps is infamous for its difficulty, with the characterization of the dynamics of being an alternative formulation of the famous Collatz Conjecture. This series of papers presents a new paradigm for studying such arithmetic dynamical systems by way of a neglected area of ultrametric analysis which we have termed -adic analysis, the study of functions from the -adics to the -adics, where and are distinct primes. In this, the first paper, working with the maps as a toy model for the more general theory, for each odd prime , we construct a function (the Numen of ) and prove the Correspondence Principle (CP): is a periodic point of if and only there is a so that . Additionally, if makes , then the iterates of under tend to or . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Employment and financial hardships are common issues for working-age colorectal cancer patients. We surveyed colorectal cancer survivors to investigate employment, insurance, and financial outcomes by age at diagnosis. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of six ColoCare Study sites regarding employment, insurance, and financial hardship outcomes. Eligible participants were 1 to 5 years from colorectal cancer diagnosis. Diagnosis age (18–49, 50–64, 65+ years) with outcomes of interest were compared using chi-square and t-tests. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regressions were fit to examine association of demographic factors with any material/psychological hardship (yes/no) and the count of hardships. Results: N = 202 participants completed the survey (age: 18–49 (n = 42, 20.8%), 50–64 (n = 79, 39.1%), 65+ (n = 81, 40.1%)). Most diagnosed age < 65 worked at diagnosis (18–49: 83%; 50–64: 64%; 65+ : 14%, p < 0.001) and continued working after diagnosis (18–49: 76%; 50–64: 59%; 65+ : 13%; p < 0.001). Participants age 18–49 reported cancer-related difficulties with mental (81.3%) and physical (89%) tasks at work more than those working in the older age groups (45%-61%). In regression models, among those reporting any hardship, the rates of material and psychological hardships were higher among those age 18–64 (Incidence Rate Ratios (IRR) range 1.5–2.3 vs. age 65+) and for those with < college (IRR range 1.3–1.6 vs. college +). Conclusions: Younger colorectal cancer patients are more likely to work after a cancer diagnosis and during cancer treatment, but report higher levels of financial hardship than older patients. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Younger colorectal cancer patients may encounter financial hardship, thus may feel a need to work during and after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the majority of studies have concluded that sleep deprivation causes detrimental effects on various cognitive processes, some studies reported conflicting results. We examined the effects of a 108-h total sleep deprivation (TSD) on working memory in the northern fur seal, an animal with unusual sleep phenomenology and long-range annual migrations. The performance of fur seals was evaluated in a two-choice visual delayed matching to sample (DMTS) task, which is commonly used to evaluate working memory. In baseline conditions, the performance of fur seals in a DMTS task based on the percentage of errors was somewhat comparable with that in nonhuman primates at similar delays. We have determined that a 108-h TSD did not affect fur seals' performance in a visual DMTS task as measured by overall percentage of errors and response latencies. On the contrary, all fur seals improved task performance over the study, including the baseline, TSD and recovery conditions. In addition, TSD did not change the direction and strength of the pattern of behavioral lateralization in fur seals. We conclude that a 108-h TSD did not interfere with working memory in a DMTS test in northern fur seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The record of past human adaptations provides crucial lessons for guiding responses to crises in the future1–3. To date, there have been no systematic global comparisons of humans’ ability to absorb and recover from disturbances through time4,5. Here we synthesized resilience across a broad sample of prehistoric population time–frequency data, spanning 30,000 years of human history. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of population decline show that frequent disturbances enhance a population’s capacity to resist and recover from later downturns. Land-use patterns are important mediators of the strength of this positive association: farming and herding societies are more vulnerable but also more resilient overall. The results show that important trade-offs exist when adopting new or alternative land-use strategies.Analysis of population decline shows that frequent disturbances enhance a population’s capacity to resist and recover from downturns and that trade-offs exist when adopting new or alternative land-use strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that more than half of the world population has been infected with Helicobacter pylori. Most newly acquired H. pylori infections occur in children before 10 years of age. We hypothesized that early life H. pylori infection could influence the composition of the microbiome at mucosal sites distant to the stomach. To test this hypothesis, we utilized the infant rhesus macaque monkey as an animal model of natural H. pylori colonization to determine the impact of infection on the lung and oral microbiome during a window of postnatal development. From a cohort of 4–7 month-old monkeys, gastric biopsy cultures identified 44% of animals infected by H. pylori. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of lung washes and buccal swabs from animals showed distinct profiles for the lung and oral microbiome, independent of H. pylori infection. In order of relative abundance, the lung microbiome was dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Fusobacteriota, Campilobacterota and Actinobacteriota while the oral microbiome was dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Fusobacteriota. In comparison to the oral cavity, the lung was composed of more genera and species that significantly differed by H. pylori status, with a total of 6 genera and species that were increased in H. pylori negative infant monkey lungs. Lung, but not plasma IL-8 concentration was also associated with gastric H. pylori load and lung microbial composition. We found the infant rhesus macaque monkey lung harbors a microbiome signature that is distinct from that of the oral cavity during postnatal development. Gastric H. pylori colonization and IL-8 protein were linked to the composition of microbial communities in the lung and oral cavity. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how H. pylori infection might contribute to the gut-lung axis during early childhood and modulate future respiratory health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that committing to corporate social responsibility (CSR) can induce moral licensing among employees, resulting in unethical behaviors. We extend this line of research and develop a theoretical framework to study how CSR influences managerial decision-making in crisis management. We test this theory in the context of product recall remediation. We examine under what circumstances CSR induces morally consistent or morally dubious recall remedial decisions and factors moderating this effect. We focus on two product recall remedial decisions that differ in ambiguity—full versus partial compensation and proactive versus passive recall. We predict and show that a company's strong prior CSR performance increases the likelihood of full compensation but decreases the likelihood of a proactive recall. This finding suggests that CSR can induce moral licensing behavior at the highest corporate level when a decision is morally difficult to diagnose. Further analysis reveals that consumer harm and institutional ownership moderate the relationship between CSR and these two remediation strategies. Together, our findings provide important insights into when CSR leads to moral licensing in crisis remediation and how the link can be mitigated, and thus shed light on when CSR yields consistent and meaningful ethical business decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically describe and experimentally demonstrate a graphene-integrated metasurface structure that enables electrically-tunable directional control of thermal emission. This device consists of a dielectric spacer that acts as a Fabry-Perot resonator supporting long-range delocalized modes bounded on one side by an electrostatically tunable metal-graphene metasurface. By varying the Fermi level of the graphene, the accumulated phase of the Fabry-Perot mode is shifted, which changes the direction of absorption and emission at a fixed frequency. We directly measure the frequency- and angle-dependent emissivity of the thermal emission from a fabricated device heated to 250 °C. Our results show that electrostatic control allows the thermal emission at 6.61 μm to be continuously steered over 16°, with a peak emissivity maintained above 0.9. We analyze the dynamic behavior of the thermal emission steerer theoretically using a Fano interference model, and use the model to design optimized thermal steerer structures. Dynamic angular tuning of thermal emission is a problem in the field of thermal metasurfaces. Here, the authors make a thermal emission device using electrostatic gates, opening an avenue for radiative heat management and mid-infrared communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Boswellic acids, active components of frankincense, suppress tumor proliferation in vitro with a strong clinical trial safety profile in patients with inflammatory diseases. We performed a Phase Ia window of opportunity trial of Boswellia serrata (B. serrata) in patients with breast cancer to evaluate its biologic activity and safety. Methods: Patients with invasive breast cancer were treated pre-operatively with B. Serrata (2400 mg/day PO) until the night before surgery for a median of 11 days (SD 6 days; range: 5–23 days). Paraffin-embedded sections from pretreatment diagnostic core biopsies and post-treatment surgical excisions were evaluated using a tunnel assay and immunohistochemistry staining with Ki-67 antibodies. A non-intervention retrospective control arm consisting of core and surgical tissue specimens from untreated patients was used to compare patients treated with B. Serrata. The change in proliferation and apoptosis between diagnostic core specimens and surgical specimens was compared between the control and treatment groups using a two-tailed paired t-test. Results: Twenty-two patients were enrolled, of which 20 received treatment, and 18 had sufficient tissue for IHC. There was an increase in percent change in proliferation from core biopsy to surgical excision in the control group (n = 18) of 54.6 ± 21.4%. In the B. serrata-treated group there was a reduction in proliferation between core biopsy and excision (n = 18) of 13.8 ± 11.7%. This difference was statistically significant between the control and B. serrata-treated groups (p = 0.008). There was no difference in change in apoptosis. There were no serious adverse events related to the drug. Conclusion: Boswellia serrata inhibited breast cancer proliferation and was well-tolerated in a Phase Ia window of opportunity trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) often escapes detection, given its frequent paroxysmal and asymptomatic presentation. Deep learning of transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs), which have structural information, could help identify occult AF. We created a two-stage deep learning algorithm using a video-based convolutional neural network model that (1) distinguished whether TTEs were in sinus rhythm or AF and then (2) predicted which of the TTEs in sinus rhythm were in patients who had experienced AF within 90 days. Our model, trained on 111,319 TTE videos, distinguished TTEs in AF from those in sinus rhythm with high accuracy in a held-out test cohort (AUC 0.96 (0.95–0.96), AUPRC 0.91 (0.90–0.92)). Among TTEs in sinus rhythm, the model predicted the presence of concurrent paroxysmal AF (AUC 0.74 (0.71–0.77), AUPRC 0.19 (0.16–0.23)). Model discrimination remained similar in an external cohort of 10,203 TTEs (AUC of 0.69 (0.67–0.70), AUPRC 0.34 (0.31–0.36)). Performance held across patients who were women (AUC 0.76 (0.72–0.81)), older than 65 years (0.73 (0.69–0.76)), or had a CHA2DS2VASc ≥2 (0.73 (0.79–0.77)). The model performed better than using clinical risk factors (AUC 0.64 (0.62–0.67)), TTE measurements (0.64 (0.62–0.67)), left atrial size (0.63 (0.62–0.64)), or CHA2DS2VASc (0.61 (0.60–0.62)). An ensemble model in a cohort subset combining the TTE model with an electrocardiogram (ECGs) deep learning model performed better than using the ECG model alone (AUC 0.81 vs. 0.79, p = 0.01). Deep learning using TTEs can predict patients with active or occult AF and could be used for opportunistic AF screening that could lead to earlier treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study approximation properties of the variation spaces corresponding to shallow neural networks with a variety of activation functions. We introduce two main tools for estimating the metric entropy, approximation rates, and n-widths of these spaces. First, we introduce the notion of a smoothly parameterized dictionary and give upper bounds on the nonlinear approximation rates, metric entropy, and n-widths of their absolute convex hull. The upper bounds depend upon the order of smoothness of the parameterization. This result is applied to dictionaries of ridge functions corresponding to shallow neural networks, and they improve upon existing results in many cases. Next, we provide a method for lower bounding the metric entropy and n-widths of variation spaces which contain certain classes of ridge functions. This result gives sharp lower bounds on the L 2 -approximation rates, metric entropy, and n-widths for variation spaces corresponding to neural networks with a range of important activation functions, including ReLU k activation functions and sigmoidal activation functions with bounded variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most women with advanced breast cancer have skeletal metastases. Radium-223 is an alpha-emitting radionuclide that selectively targets areas of bone metastases. Methods: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of radium-223 were conducted in women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), bone-predominant metastatic breast cancer. All patients received endocrine therapy (ET), as a single agent of the investigator's choice (Study A) or exemestane + everolimus (Study B). Patients were randomized to receive radium-223 (55 kBq/kg) or placebo intravenously every 4 weeks for six doses. Accrual was halted following unblinded interim analyses per protocol amendments, and both studies were terminated. We report pooled analyses of symptomatic skeletal event-free survival (SSE-FS; primary endpoint), radiologic progression-free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS; secondary), and time to bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP) progression (exploratory). Results: In total, 382 patients were enrolled, and 196 SSE-FS events (70% planned total) were recorded. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) and nominal p values for radium-223 + ET versus placebo + ET were: SSE-FS 0.809 (0.610–1.072), p = 0.1389; rPFS 0.956 (0.759–1.205), p = 0.7039; OS 0.889 (0.660–1.199), p = 0.4410; and time to bone ALP progression 0.593 (0.379–0.926), p = 0.0195. Radium-223- or placebo-related treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 50.3% versus 35.1% of patients (grade 3/4: 25.7% vs. 8.5%), with fractures/bone-associated events in 23.5% versus 23.9%. Conclusions: In patients with HR+ bone-metastatic breast cancer, numeric differences favoring radium-223 + ET over placebo + ET for the primary SSE-FS endpoint were suggestive of efficacy, in line with the primary outcome measure used in the underlying phase 2 studies. No similar evidence of efficacy was observed for secondary progression or survival endpoints. Adverse events were more frequent with radium-223 + ET versus placebo + ET, but the safety profile of the combination was consistent with the safety profiles of the component drugs. Clinical trial registration numbers Study A: NCT02258464, registered October 7, 2014. Study B: NCT02258451, registered October 7, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity (HPR) associates with ischemic risk in patients after percutaneous intervention (PCI). This study aimed to evaluate the association of HPR as assessed by multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) with ischemic, thromboembolic, and bleeding risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing PCI. Patients with AF and an indication for oral anticoagulation (OAC) were included in this prospective cohort study on day 1–3 after PCI. Platelet aggregation [U] was analyzed by MEA. HPR and low platelet reactivity (LPR) were defined as ADP-induced aggregation ≥ 46 U and ≤ 18 U, respectively. TRAP-6-induced aggregation reference was 94–156 U. The primary outcome was time to all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke at 6 months. The secondary outcome was time to non-major clinically relevant bleedings or major bleedings. 159 patients were enrolled between May 2020 and May 2021. The median age was 78 years (interquartile range 72–82) and 111 (70%) were male. Median ADP- and TRAP-induced aggregation were 12 (6–17) and 49 (35–68) U, respectively. 147 (93%) patients had a low overall aggregability. HPR was detected in 2 patients (1%) and 125 (79%) had LPR. ADP-induced aggregation did not significantly associate with the primary outcome (r = 0.081, p = 0.309) but correlated inversely with bleeding risk (r = − 0.201, p = 0.011). HPR status as assessed by MEA among patients with AF after PCI was rare and overall aggregability was low. Conventional cut-off values for HPR might be inappropriate for these patients. ADP-induced aggregation might be helpful to identify patients at risk for bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal sex has been associated with different development trajectories that cause structural and functional differences between the sexes throughout gestation. Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) recordings from 123 participants (64 females and 59 males; one recording/participant) from a database consisting of low-risk pregnant women were analyzed to explore and compare fetal development trajectories of both sexes. The gestational age of the recordings ranged from 28 to 38 weeks. Linear metrics in both the time and frequency domains were applied to study fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) measures that reveal the dynamics of short- and long-term variability. Rates of linear change with GA in these metrics were analyzed using general linear model regressions with assessments for significantly different variances and GA regression slopes between the sexes. The fetal sexes were well balanced for GA and sleep state. None of the fHRV measures analyzed exhibited significant variance heterogeneity between the sexes, and none of them exhibited a significant sex-by-GA interaction. The absence of a statistically significant sex-by-GA interaction on all parameters resulted in none of the regression slope estimates being significantly different between the sexes. With high-precision fMCG recordings, we were able to explore the variation in fHRV parameters as it relates to fetal sex. The fMCG-based fHRV parameters did not show any significant difference in rates of change with gestational age between sexes. This study provides a framework for understanding normal development of the fetal autonomic nervous system, especially in the context of fetal sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial soils in forested landscapes represent some of the largest mercury (Hg) reserves globally. Wildfire can alter the storage and distribution of terrestrial-bound Hg via reemission to the atmosphere or mobilization in watersheds where it may become available for methylation and uptake into food webs. Using data associated with the 2007 Moonlight and Antelope Fires in California, we examined the long-term direct effects of wildfire burn severity on the distribution and magnitude of Hg concentrations in riparian food webs. Additionally, we quantified the cross-ecosystem transfer of Hg from aquatic invertebrate to riparian bird communities; and assessed the influence of biogeochemical, landscape variables, and ecological factors on Hg concentrations in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Benthic macroinvertebrate methylmercury (MeHg) and riparian bird blood total mercury (THg) concentrations varied by 710- and 760-fold, respectively, and Hg concentrations were highest in predators. We found inconsistent relationships between Hg concentrations across and within taxa and guilds in response to stream chemical parameters and burn severity. Macroinvertebrate scraper MeHg concentrations were influenced by dissolved organic carbon (DOC); however, that relationship was moderated by burn severity (as burn severity increased the effect of DOC declined). Omnivorous bird Hg concentrations declined with increasing burn severity. Overall, taxa more linked to in situ energetic pathways may be more responsive to the biogeochemical processes that influence MeHg cycling. Remarkably, 8 years post-fire, we still observed evidence of burn severity influencing Hg concentrations within riparian food webs, illustrating its overarching role in altering the storage and redistribution of Hg and influencing biogeochemical processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of AIDS & Behavior is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Patients recovering from musculoskeletal trauma have a heightened risk of opioid dependence and misuse, as these medications are typically required for pain management. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the association between fracture type and chronic opioid use following fracture fixation in patients who sustain lower extremity trauma. Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis was performed using PubMed and Web of Science to identify articles reporting chronic opioid use in patients recovering from surgery for lower extremity fractures. 732 articles were identified using keyword and MeSH search functions, and 9 met selection criteria. Studies were included in the final analysis if they reported the number of patients who remained on opioids 6 months after surgery for a specific lower extremity fracture (chronic usage). Logistic regressions and descriptive analyses were performed to determine the rate of chronic opioid use within each fracture type and if age, year, country of origin of study, or pre-admission opioid use influenced chronic opioid use following surgery. Results: Bicondylar and unicondylar tibial-plateau fractures had the largest percentage of patients that become chronic opioid users (29.7–35.2%), followed by hip (27.8%), ankle (19.7%), femoral-shaft (18.5%), pilon (17.2%), tibial-shaft (13.8%), and simple ankle fractures (2.8–4.7%).Most opioid-naive samples had significantly lower rates of chronic opioid use after surgery (2–9%, 95% CI) when compared to samples that allowed pre-admission opioid use (13–50%, 95% CI). There were no significant associations between post-operative chronic opioid use and age, year, or country of origin of study. Conclusions: Patients with lower extremity fractures have substantial risk of becoming chronic opioid users. Even the lowest rates of chronic opioid use identified in this meta-analysis are higher than those in the general population. It is important that orthopedic surgeons tailor pain-management protocols to decrease opioid usage after lower extremity trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses the prognostic value of ferritin in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have undergone autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The authors collected data from 3446 MM patients who received ASCT therapy and had serum ferritin testing. They found that high serum ferritin levels were associated with a poorer prognosis in MM patients, regardless of gender, race, or age. Additionally, they observed that ferritin had a significant impact on the prognosis of patients in different MM staging systems, such as the International Staging System (ISS) and the Revised International Staging System (R-ISS). The authors conclude that ferritin is an independent risk factor for MM patients' overall survival and progression-free survival. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Esophageal perforation (EP) can be a diagnostic challenge. Computed tomography (CT) and CT esophagography (CTE) are often used to rule out EP in the emergency setting with promising diagnostic performance, but the standard of care remains fluoroscopic esophagography (FE). We assess the diagnostic performance of CT and CTE when interpreted by expert and generalist radiologists and created an imaging workflow guide. Methods: Retrospective study of patients presenting with suspected EP. Two expert radiologists independently reviewed blinded CT/CTE studies, recorded CT findings, and assigned an esophageal injury grade. We also collected initial (general radiologist) CT findings and interpretation and FE diagnoses. We assessed inter-reader reliability and diagnostic performance. Results: EP was diagnosed in 46/139 (33%) encounters. The most common CT/CTE findings in EP were esophageal wall thickening (46/46, 100%), pneumomediastinum (42/46, 91%), and mediastinal stranding (39/46, 85%). CT and CTE sensitivity for detecting EP was 89% and 89% for expert radiologists, respectively, and 79% and 82% for general radiologists, compared with 46% for FE. Inter-reader agreement for detecting EP by CT and CTE was kappa 0.35 and 0.42 (both p <.001) between expert and generalist radiologists. We present radiographic images for key CT/CTE findings and a suggested workflow for the evaluation of possible EP. Conclusion: CT and CTE are more sensitive than FE for EP in the emergency setting. Due to the rarity of EP and current wide variability in imaging interpretation, an imaging workflow and injury grading system based on esophageal and mediastinal CT findings are offered to help guide management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent publications by Benet and coworkers, Korzekwa and Nagar, and Rowland et al. signal disagreement regarding the use of Kirchhoff's laws in combining pharmacokinetic parameters, especially clearances and rate constants. Here, it is pointed out that Kirchhoff's laws as applied to pharmacokinetics simply assert that concentrations are well defined and that molar or mass balances hold. The real issue is how to combine parameters for clearance processes in sequence, which may be reversible, irreversible, or even active in either or both directions. It is also demonstrated that Kirchhoff's laws cannot be used to resolve contradictory results observed in liver transport and clearance. Finally, a simple argument is provided relating nonlinear clearance to apparently anomalous bioavailability observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-multiple myeloma B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies represent a promising treatment strategy with high response rates in myeloma. However, durable cures following anti-BCMA CAR-T cell treatment of myeloma are rare. One potential reason is that a small subset of minimal residual myeloma cells seeds relapse. Residual myeloma cells following BCMA-CAR-T-mediated treatment show less-differentiated features and express stem-like genes, including CD24. CD24-positive myeloma cells represent a large fraction of residual myeloma cells after BCMA-CAR-T therapy. In this work, we develop CD24-CAR-T cells and test their ability to eliminate myeloma cells. We find that CD24-CAR-T cells block the CD24-Siglec-10 pathway, thereby enhancing macrophage phagocytic clearance of myeloma cells. Additionally, CD24-CAR-T cells polarize macrophages to a M1-like phenotype. A dual-targeted BCMA-CD24-CAR-T exhibits improved efficacy compared to monospecific BCMA-CAR-T-cell therapy. This work presents an immunotherapeutic approach that targets myeloma cells and promotes tumor cell clearance by macrophages. BCMA-specific CAR T-cell therapies have shown high response rates in multiple myeloma (MM), however the majority of patients still relapse. Here the authors show that CD24-positive MM cells increase after BCMA-CAR-T treatment in patients, and that dual-targeted BCMA/CD24 CAR-T cells can improve anti-tumor efficacy in MM preclinical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a commonly used form of long-acting reversible contraception, which either contain copper or levonorgestrel to prevent pregnancy. Although symptomatic patients with indwelling IUDs may first undergo ultrasound to assess for device malposition and complications, IUDs are commonly encountered on CT in patients undergoing evaluation for unrelated indications. Frequently, IUD malposition and complications may be asymptomatic or clinically unsuspected. For these reasons, it is important for the radiologist to carefully scrutinize the IUD on any study in which it is encountered. To do so, the radiologist must recognize that normally positioned IUDs are located centrally within the uterine cavity. IUDs are extremely effective in preventing pregnancy, though inadvertent pregnancy risk is higher with malpositioned IUDs. Presence of fibroids or Mullerian abnormalities may preclude proper IUD placement. Radiologists play an important role in identifying complications when they arise and special considerations when planning for an IUD placement. There is a wide range of IUD malposition, affecting IUDs differently depending on the type of IUD and its mechanism of action. IUD malposition is the most common complication, but embedment and/or partial perforation can and can lead to difficulty when removed. Retained IUD fragments can result in continued contraceptive effect. Perforated IUDs do not typically cause intraperitoneal imaging findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Optically pumped magnetometers (OPM) are quantum sensors that offer new possibilities to measure biomagnetic signals. Compared to the current standard surface electromyography (EMG), in magnetomyography (MMG), OPM sensors offer the advantage of contactless measurements of muscle activity. However, little is known about the relative performance of OPM-MMG and EMG, e.g. in their ability to detect and classify finger movements. To address this in a proof-of-principle study, we recorded simultaneous OPM-MMG and EMG of finger flexor muscles for the discrimination of individual finger movements on a single human participant. Using a deep learning model for movement classification, we found that both sensor modalities were able to discriminate finger movements with above 89% accuracy. Furthermore, model predictions for the two sensor modalities showed high agreement in movement detection (85% agreement; Cohen's kappa: 0.45). Our findings show that OPM sensors can be employed for contactless discrimination of finger movements and incentivize future applications of OPM in magnetomyography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, but the advent of lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography offers a tremendous opportunity to improve lung cancer outcomes. Unfortunately, implementation of lung cancer screening has been hampered by substantial barriers and remains suboptimal. Specifically, the commentary emphasizes the intersectionality of smoking history and several important sociodemographic characteristics and identities that should inform lung cancer screening outreach and engagement efforts, including socioeconomic considerations (e.g., health insurance status), racial and ethnic identity, LGBTQ + identity, mental health history, military experience/veteran status, and geographic residence in addressing specific community risk factors and future interventions in efforts to make strides toward equitable lung cancer screening. Methods: Members of the Equitable Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening Interest Group with the Cancer Prevention and Control Network (CPCRN) provide a critical commentary based on existing literature regarding smoking trends in the US and lung cancer screening uptake to propose opportunities to enhance implementation and support equitable distribution of the benefits of lung cancer screening. Conclusion: The present commentary utilizes information about historical trends in tobacco use to highlight opportunities for targeted outreach efforts to engage communities at high risk with information about the lung cancer screening opportunity. Future efforts toward equitable implementation of lung cancer screening should focus on multi-level implementation strategies that engage and work in concert with community partners to co-create approaches that leverage strengths and reduce barriers within specific communities to achieve the potential of lung cancer screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]