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The development of new wound dressings made from biomaterials, which offer a better cost–benefit ratio and accelerate the healing process, is increasing nowadays. Various biopolymers can be electrospun to form functional membranes for wound healing. Therefore, in this study, chitosan and nanochitosan membranes with or without hyaluronic acid were prepared using the electrospinning technique, characterized and evaluated in the healing of skin wounds in rats. Chitosan and nanochitosan solutions, with or without hyaluronic acid, were prepared at concentrations of 1%–4% using PEO (polyethylene oxide) and subjected to the electrospinning process to obtain membranes characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical tests, and antimicrobial activity. The healing effect of the membranes was evaluated by monitoring the area of the lesions, contraction of the wounds, histologic analysis, and induction of pro‐inflammatory cytokine (IL‐1 α and TNF‐α) production in rats. The nanochitosan and nanochitosan membranes with hyaluronic acid achieved greater fiber diameter and uniformity, resistance, elasticity, and thermal stability, in addition to good adhesion to the wound bed and permeation capacity. Despite not presenting antimicrobial activity in vitro, they contributed to the production of pro‐inflammatory interleukins in the animals tested, provided physical protection, reduced the wound area more markedly until the seventh day of the evaluation, with an acceleration of the healing process and especially when functionalized with hyaluronic acid. These results indicate that the membranes may be promising for accelerating the healing process of chronic wounds in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) and Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) are major Plusiinae pests of soybean in the Southern Cone region of South America. In recent decades, C. includens was the main defoliator of soybean in Brazil, but from 2021 onwards, R. nu emerged as an important soybean pest in various regions of the country. Here, we characterize the differential susceptibility and resistance to insecticides in these Plusiinae pests from two soybean regions of Brazil. RESULTS: Except for spinetoram and chlorfenapyr (comparable lethality against both species) and a Bt‐based biopesticide (more lethal for C. includens), the tested insecticides showed higher lethality against R. nu than against C. includens, but populations of the same species, even separated by long distances, presented similar resistance levels. For both species, the 90% lethal concentration (LC90) values of most insecticides were higher than the field‐recommended dose. Nevertheless, the field‐recommended doses of spinetoram, metaflumizone, emamectin benzoate, cyclaniliprole and chlorfenapyr showed comparable control efficacy against both species, whereas indoxacarb, chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide, teflubenzuron and chlorfluazuron were more lethal for R. nu, and methoxyfenozide and the Bt‐based insecticide were more lethal for C. includens. Thiodicarb, methomyl and lambda‐cyhalothrin showed low lethality against both species. CONCLUSIONS: Large interspecific differences in the susceptibility to insecticides was found in major Plusiinae pests of soybean in Brazil. Furthermore, variations in susceptibility to insecticides occurred consistently among species and populations, regardless of the collection site and thus despite unequal temporal and spatial exposure to insecticides. These results demonstrate that accurate species identification is essential for effective control of Plusiinae in soybean. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

In the poultry industry, genetic selection for growth performance is associated with poor reproductive efficiency and an increase in embryo mortality. The identification of new biomarkers is essential to improve these parameters. The blastodisc, composed of blastodermal cells, undergoes cellular events to achieve embryo development. Factors such as hen's age, temperature and time of egg storage could influence the number of blastodermal cells and impair embryo development. In this study, we investigated the variability of the number of viable cells of blastodisc (NVCB) that could be dependent on the stage of laying and on the breed and potentially associated with reproductive parameters. In experimental breeds, eggs were collected during the whole cycle of laying. Then, the protocol was repeated on industrial breeds (breeder hens) during five successive days at three stages of laying (before, after laying peak and at the end of laying period) for two generations (mothers and offsprings). For each egg, the blastodisc was dissected in order to count viable cells. For both experiments, the NVCB increased during the laying cycle. The NVCB was higher in broiler blastodisc compared to layer blastodisc for both generations. For layer breed, the NVCB were negatively correlated with laying rate for the first generation while positively associated for offsprings. However, the NVCB was positively correlated with laying rates in both generations for broiler hens and with fertility and hatchability rates. The NVCB from fresh oviposited fertilised eggs could be a potential tool in predicting on reproductive performances in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the color change, the risk and intensity of tooth sensitivity (TS), and gingival irritation (GI) of at‐home bleaching applied on the buccal surface only or the buccal and lingual surfaces. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients with canines A2 or darker were selected and their superior arches were randomized in two groups: at‐home bleaching on the buccal‐only or on the buccal and lingual surfaces, with 7.5% hydrogen peroxide, for 1 h daily/2 weeks. The color change was evaluated at baseline, 7, 14 days, and 1 month after bleaching using shade guides scales (ΔSGU) and a spectrophotometer (ΔEAB, ΔE00, and ΔWID). Risk and intensity of TS and GI were recorded daily using visual analogic scale (0–10). Patient satisfaction was evaluated with the orofacial esthetics. Paired t‐test, McNemar's, and Wilcoxon signed‐rank test were used for data analysis (α = 5%). Results: Neither the color change nor the risk/intensity of TS was statistically different between groups (p > 0.05). Patient satisfaction increased after bleaching for both groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The addition of one contact surface does not result in an increased whitening degree compared to bleaching applied solely on the buccal surface. Clinical Significance: Understanding the influence of surfaces interacting with the bleaching agent is crucial for comprehending the bleaching mechanism and avoiding unnecessary material expenses. Notably, employing the buccal‐only technique is sufficient to achieve the desired efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Parvalbumin (PV) is a primary calcium buffer in mouse fast skeletal muscle fibers. Previous work showed that PV ablation has a limited impact on cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyto) transients and contractile response, while it enhances mitochondrial density and mitochondrial matrix‐free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]mito). Here, we aimed to quantitatively test the hypothesis that mitochondria act to compensate for PV deficiency. Methods: We determined the free Ca2+ redistribution during a 2 s 60 Hz tetanic stimulation in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, and mitochondria. Via a reaction–diffusion Ca2+ model, we quantitatively evaluated mitochondrial uptake and storage capacity requirements to compensate for PV lack and analyzed possible extracellular export. Results: [Ca2+]mito during tetanic stimulation is greater in knock‐out (KO) (1362 ± 392 nM) than in wild‐type (WT) (855 ± 392 nM), p < 0.05. Under the assumption of a non‐linear intramitochondrial buffering, the model predicts an accumulation of 725 μmoles/Lfiber (buffering ratio 1:11 000) in KO, much higher than in WT (137 μmoles/Lfiber, ratio 1:4500). The required transport rate via mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) reaches 3 mM/s, compatible with available literature. TEM images of calcium entry units and Mn2+ quenching showed a greater capacity of store‐operated calcium entry in KO compared to WT. However, levels of [Ca2+]cyto during tetanic stimulation were not modulated to variations of extracellular calcium. Conclusions: The model‐based analysis of experimentally determined calcium distribution during tetanic stimulation showed that mitochondria can act as a buffer to compensate for the lack of PV. This result contributes to a better understanding of mitochondria's role in modulating [Ca2+]cyto in skeletal muscle fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Infant Mental Health Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

Type‐2 diabetes mellitus is a frequent comorbidity of cirrhosis independently associated with cirrhosis‐related complications and mortality. This post hoc analysis of the ANSWER trial database assessed the effects of long‐term human albumin (HA) administration on top of the standard medical treatment (SMT) on the clinical outcomes of a subgroup of 85 outpatients with liver cirrhosis, uncomplicated ascites and insulin‐treated diabetes mellitus type 2 (ITDM). Compared to patients in the SMT arm, the SMT + HA group showed a better overall survival (86% vs. 57%, p =.016) and lower incidence rates of paracenteses, overt hepatic encephalopathy, bacterial infections, renal dysfunction and electrolyte disorders. Hospital admissions did not differ between the two arms, but the number of days spent in hospital was lower in the SMT + HA group. In conclusion, in a subgroup of ITDM outpatients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites, long‐term HA administration was associated with better survival and a lower incidence of cirrhosis‐related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector is responsible for about 37% of the global carbon dioxide emissions, 6% of which result from concrete (and particularly cement) production. Using recycled and supplementary cementitious materials and adopting a whole building life cycle approach can be seen as multi‐beneficial strategies for materials' design. In this framework, this study aims to formulate a green concrete, by replacing 10, 15 and 20% of cement with a secondary raw material constituted of vitrified bottom ash derived from municipal solid waste incineration. The basic physical and mechanical properties were measured up to 365 days, so to evaluate the effects of the cement replacement both on short and long‐term behavior. Life Cycle Assessment was used as a tool to evaluate the environmental performance of the developed green concrete. An Eco‐Mechanical Analysis was also performed to match the environmental impacts with the mechanical behavior, allowing to assess that the concrete produced by replacing 20% of cement with vitrified municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (if classified as hazardous waste) is the one that leads to optimize the overall sustainability. The approach proposed in this work, which can be easily generalized, contributes to the definition of a route for the implementation of innovative green construction building materials by using waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The article examines how maternal gatekeeping practices evolve in the post‐separation trajectory and identifies the main relational and contextual factors shaping these processes over time. Background: Studies of maternal gatekeeping have only recently begun to include post‐separation families based on cross‐sectional research designs. This article is theoretically grounded in a life‐course and human agency framework, and it both offers a novel understanding of maternal gatekeeping as a dynamic process and examines its relational embeddedness. Methods: The data stem from the prospective qualitative study "The multiple paths of lone parenthood," which has been ongoing in Switzerland for over a decade and includes four waves of semistructured interviews with mothers who have experienced lone parenthood (N = 88 interviews). Results: Most mothers reported active facilitation practices at the beginning of their trajectory, encouraging the father–child relationship. Subsequently, shifts toward hands‐off or active gate‐closing practices took place over time along with the evolution of relational circumstances, such as the father's involvement or children's autonomy, or by an accumulation of negative experiences. Conclusion: The relationship with the nonresident father creates ongoing moral dilemmas for mothers over the post‐separation trajectory. Indeed, these mothers must navigate social norms that emphasize the importance of ensuring father–child contact while safeguarding the child's well‐being and ensuring that the father complies with visitation arrangements and alimony. Implications: Professional support and legal regulations should consider the moral dilemmas experienced by mothers by establishing measures to relieve separated mothers of the need to take the initiative to obtain the father's compliance with their obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Defects of mitophagy, the selective form of autophagy for mitochondria, are commonly observed in several cardiovascular diseases and represent the main cause of mitochondrial dysfunction. For this reason, mitophagy has emerged as a novel and potential therapeutic target. Methods: In this review, we discuss current evidence about the biological significance of mitophagy in relevant preclinical models of cardiac and vascular diseases, such as heart failure, ischemia/reperfusion injury, metabolic cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis. Results: Multiple studies have shown that cardiac and vascular mitophagy is an adaptive mechanism in response to stress, contributing to cardiovascular homeostasis. Mitophagy defects lead to cell death, ultimately impairing cardiac and vascular function, whereas restoration of mitophagy by specific compounds delays disease progression. Conclusions: Despite previous efforts, the molecular mechanisms underlying mitophagy activation in response to stress are not fully characterized. A comprehensive understanding of different forms of mitophagy active in the cardiovascular system is extremely important for the development of new drugs targeting this process. Human studies evaluating mitophagy abnormalities in patients at high cardiovascular risk also represent a future challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical models have been proposed to explain how the brain encodes actions, whereby different areas represent different features, such as gesture kinematics, target object, action goal, and meaning. The visual processing of action‐related information is distributed over a well‐known network of brain regions spanning separate anatomical areas, attuned to specific stimulus properties, and referred to as action observation network (AON). To determine the brain organization of these features, we measured representational geometries during the observation of a large set of transitive and intransitive gestures in two independent functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments. We provided evidence for a partial dissociation between kinematics, object characteristics, and action meaning in the occipito‐parietal, ventro‐temporal, and lateral occipito‐temporal cortex, respectively. Importantly, most of the AON showed low specificity to all the explored features, and representational spaces sharing similar information content were spread across the cortex without being anatomically adjacent. Overall, our results support the notion that the AON relies on overlapping and distributed coding and may act as a unique representational space instead of mapping features in a modular and segregated manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the issue of discrimination in dating based on physical appearance, known as aprioristic sexual lookism (ASL). It discusses the moral implications of ASL and whether individuals should reject potential partners solely based on their appearance. The article argues that while there are reasons to avoid ASL, it may not be feasible or respectful to date others out of duty. It emphasizes the importance of addressing dating discrimination through individual conduct and structural and cultural remedies. The text also discusses the social meanings and expectations associated with dating practices and the need for a more egalitarian approach. [Extracted from the article]

Alpha oscillations are known to play a central role in several higher‐order cognitive functions, especially selective attention, working memory, semantic memory, and creative thinking. Nonetheless, we still know very little about the role of alpha in the generation of more remote semantic associations, which is key to creative and semantic cognition. Furthermore, it remains unclear how these oscillations are shaped by the intention to "be creative," which is the case in most creativity tasks. We aimed to address these gaps in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we compared alpha oscillatory activity (using a method which distinguishes genuine oscillatory activity from transient events) during the generation of free associations which were more vs. less distant from a given concept. In Experiment 2, we replicated these findings and also compared alpha oscillatory activity when people were generating free associations versus associations with the instruction to be creative (i.e. goal‐directed). We found that alpha was consistently higher during the generation of more distant semantic associations, in both experiments. This effect was widespread, involving areas in both left and right hemispheres. Importantly, the instruction to be creative seems to increase alpha phase synchronisation from left to right temporal brain areas, suggesting that intention to be creative changed the flux of information in the brain, likely reflecting an increase in top‐down control of semantic search processes. We conclude that goal‐directed generation of remote associations relies on top‐down mechanisms compared to when associations are freely generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the joint consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic for fertility and birth outcomes by drawing on full population administrative data from Spain. We find a surprising improvement in birth outcomes in November and to a less extent in December 2020 (eight to nine months after the first wave of the pandemic) compared with monthly trends in the 10 previous years (2010–2019). The improvement in birth outcomes was shortly followed by a decline in fertility, which concentrated on first births, births to women without a tertiary degree, and births to young and old mothers, respectively. These findings are consistent with the idea that the pandemic selectively affected conception, which showed up first as an improvement in birth outcomes due to the missing conceptions of frail‐children‐to‐be (preterm and low birth weight) and then as a lowered fertility rate due to the missing conception of at‐term children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are seen as a continuum ranging from goal‐directed and hedonic drug use to loss of control over drug intake with aversive consequences for mental and physical health and social functioning. The main goals of our interdisciplinary German collaborative research centre on Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake (ReCoDe) are (i) to study triggers (drug cues, stressors, drug priming) and modifying factors (age, gender, physical activity, cognitive functions, childhood adversity, social factors, such as loneliness and social contact/interaction) that longitudinally modulate the trajectories of losing and regaining control over drug consumption under real‐life conditions. (ii) To study underlying behavioural, cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms of disease trajectories and drug‐related behaviours and (iii) to provide non‐invasive mechanism‐based interventions. These goals are achieved by: (A) using innovative mHealth (mobile health) tools to longitudinally monitor the effects of triggers and modifying factors on drug consumption patterns in real life in a cohort of 900 patients with alcohol use disorder. This approach will be complemented by animal models of addiction with 24/7 automated behavioural monitoring across an entire disease trajectory; i.e. from a naïve state to a drug‐taking state to an addiction or resilience‐like state. (B) The identification and, if applicable, computational modelling of key molecular, neurobiological and psychological mechanisms (e.g., reduced cognitive flexibility) mediating the effects of such triggers and modifying factors on disease trajectories. (C) Developing and testing non‐invasive interventions (e.g., Just‐In‐Time‐Adaptive‐Interventions (JITAIs), various non‐invasive brain stimulations (NIBS), individualized physical activity) that specifically target the underlying mechanisms for regaining control over drug intake. Here, we will report on the most important results of the first funding period and outline our future research strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazon rainforest has approximately 23% of its sampled area dedicated to bats, making it one of the least sampled and most diverse regions for bats in Brazil. The lack of sampling results in a lack of knowledge regarding the accurate geographical distribution of bat species. This lack is referred to as the Wallacean shortfall, which should be addressed with primary data obtained from in situ collections. However, the use of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) can help alleviate this gap. The states of Pará and Acre are located in the Brazilian Amazon. So, our objective is to decrease the Wallacean shortfall concerning Amazonian bat species. To achieve this, we provide (i) a list of bat species sampled in the states of Pará and Acre in the last 5 years (2017 to 2022); (ii) the potential distribution of species considered as new occurrences for the region; and (iii) the potential distribution of species classified as Data Deficient (DD) and Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN classification. With 96 nights of collection and 129,600 m2h of mist netting, we obtained 75 bat species, with an estimated total of 94.78 species. Additionally, 21 species were considered as range extensions. The Brazilian Amazon region has a vast geographic expanse and few established research centers, resulting in a limited sampling of bats and other biological groups. Furthermore, we draw attention to the significant number of bat species with expanded geographical distributions, with 21 out of the 75 sampled species. This should be a reminder that primary biogeographic data is still necessary for the neotropical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the major subtype of RCC, is frequently diagnosed at late/metastatic stage with 13% 5-year disease-free survival. Functional inactivation of the wild-type p53 protein is implicated in ccRCC therapy resistance, but the detailed mechanisms of p53 malfunction are still poorly characterized. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms of disease progression and therapy resistance is required. Here, we report a novel ccRCC dependence on the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein. We show that PML is overexpressed in ccRCC and that PML depletion inhibits cell proliferation and relieves pathologic features of anaplastic disease in vivo. Mechanistically, PML loss unleashed p53-dependent cellular senescence thus depicting a novel regulatory axis to limit p53 activity and senescence in ccRCC. Treatment with the FDA-approved PML inhibitor arsenic trioxide induced PML degradation and p53 accumulation and inhibited ccRCC expansion in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, by defining non-oncogene addiction to the PML gene, our work uncovers a novel ccRCC vulnerability and lays the foundation for repurposing an available pharmacological intervention to restore p53 function and chemosensitivity. Synopsis: The promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) is essential to sustain clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) expansion via p53 inhibition and the PML-targeting drug arsenic trioxide exerts cancer inhibitory functions in ccRCC. PML is overexpressed and efficiently partitioned into PML-NBs in ccRCC. PML inhibition blocks ccRCC expansion in vitro and in vivo. Targeting ccRCC non-oncogenic addiction to PML via gene silencing or arsenic trioxide unleashes p53-dependent growth arrest and apoptosis. Arsenic trioxide is effective at inhibiting expansion of ccRCC cells with wild type and mutant p53. The promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) is essential to sustain clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) expansion via p53 inhibition and the PML-targeting drug arsenic trioxide exerts cancer inhibitory functions in ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This crossover study evaluated DNA methylation changes in human salivary samples following single sprint interval training sessions performed in hypoxia, with blood flow restriction (BFR), or with gravity‐induced BFR. Global DNA methylation levels were evaluated with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Methylation‐sensitive restriction enzymes were used to determine the percentage methylation in a part of the promoter of the gene‐inducible nitric oxide synthase (p‐iNOS), as well as an enhancer (e‐iNOS). Global methylation increased after exercise (p < 0.001; dz = 0.50). A tendency was observed for exercise × condition interaction (p = 0.070). Post hoc analyses revealed a significant increase in global methylation between pre‐ (7.2 ± 2.6%) and postexercise (10.7 ± 2.1%) with BFR (p = 0.025; dz = 0.69). Methylation of p‐iNOS was unchanged (p > 0.05). Conversely, the methylation of e‐iNOS increased from 0.6 ± 0.4% to 0.9 ± 0.8% after exercise (p = 0.025; dz = 0.41), independently of the condition (p > 0.05). Global methylation correlated with muscle oxygenation during exercise (r = 0.37, p = 0.042), while e‐iNOS methylation showed an opposite association (r = −0.60, p = 0.025). Furthermore, p‐iNOS methylation was linked to heart rate (r = 0.49, p = 0.028). Hence, a single sprint interval training increases global methylation in saliva, and adding BFR tends to increase it further. Lower muscle oxygenation is associated with augmented e‐iNOS methylation. Finally, increased cardiovascular strain results in increased p‐iNOS methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the concurrent validity and inter‐rater reliability of vaginal palpation as a measure of the quality of the bearing‐down manoeuvre (BDM) and the detection of a paradoxical levator ani muscle contraction (LAM) in pregnant women, compared with 2D transperineal ultrasound (TPUS). Design: Concurrent validity and inter‐rater reliability study. Setting: Physiotherapy clinic. Population: Twenty pregnant women in their third trimester. Methods: The anterior posterior diameter (APD) was measured during the BDM using TPUS by one experienced physiotherapist. An APD that shortened by >2 mm from rest was described as LAM shortening, an APD that moved by 0–2 mm was described as no change and an APD that lengthened by >2 mm was described as LAM lengthening. Vaginal palpation described the LAM during the BDM as no movement, shortening or lengthening. Participants were allowed two attempts and the best attempt was measured. Main outcome measures: APD using TPUS and the assessor's subjective description of LAM during the BDM using vaginal palpation. Results: TPUS detected more paradoxical LAM contractions during the BDM than palpation. Agreement between vaginal palpation and TPUS assessment for BDM was poor. The Fleiss kappa coefficients were 0.457 (90% CI 0.16–0.71) between TPUS and one assessor and 0.326 (90% CI 0.01–0.6) between TPUS and the other assessor. In addition, inter‐rater reliability was poor between observers palpating the BDM, with a Fleiss kappa coefficient of 0.375 (90% CI 0.13–0.64). Conclusions: This study did not find vaginal palpation of the BDM in pregnant women to have concurrent validity or inter‐rater reliability. Clinicians should be aware of potential inaccuracies when palpating the BDM, and, where possible, seek an assessment via TPUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paclitaxel is one of the most important chemotherapy agents and it has shown activity against a variety of human cancers. In the past years several derivatives and formulations have been developed to improve its activity and reduce its toxicity. Recently, 1,18‐Octadecanedioic acid‐Paclitaxel (ODDA‐PTX), obtained by conjugation of paclitaxel with a long‐chain diacid, has emerged as a promising paclitaxel prodrug, with high efficacy and low toxicity. A novel strategy for its synthesis has been developed and is herein described. The approach is based on the mono‐allyl protection of octadecanedioic acid (ODDA) and on the Pd‐catalyzed removal of the allyl ester after coupling with paclitaxel. This strategy is superior to previously reported procedures in that it affords the ODDA‐PTX product with much higher purity, avoids chromatographic purifications and can be practically scaled‐up for the industrial production of ODDA‐PTX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacommunity theory seeks to explain how local and regional processes contribute to the organisation of biological communities. Recent conceptual frameworks of this theory indicate that the dynamics of populations and communities are jointly established by dispersal, species responses to environmental conditions and biotic interactions dependent on species density. Here, we use hierarchical joint species distribution modelling to verify the effects of environmental factors (at multiple spatial scales), drainage network configuration, spatial autocorrelation and interspecific interactions on the structure of fish assemblages in terra‐firme streams in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Thirty streams were sampled in two field surveys, and 89 species were collected in total. Our results confirm the effects of limited dispersal, environmental conditions (at multiple scales) and the configuration of the drainage network on the dynamics of these assemblages. Furthermore, our results suggest that interspecific interactions are less relevant for the structuring of fish metacommunities in small Amazonian headwater streams. Abiotic factors like drainage networks and environmental heterogeneity were better predictors of species distributions than co‐occurrence patterns with potential competitors or predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of biological invasions is steadily increasing, with major ecological and economic impacts accounting for billions of dollars in damage as a result. One spectacular example is the western Atlantic invasion by lionfishes. In the Mediterranean Sea, invasions from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal (termed Lessepsian invasions) comprise more than 100 fish species, including a recent invasion by lionfish. In light of the devastating effects of lionfish in the Caribbean Sea, understanding the dynamics of Mediterranean lionfish invasion is crucial. The Lessepsian lionfish invasion started in 2012, and rapidly spread to the central Mediterranean. Here, we used thousands of RAD seq genomic markers to study the population dynamics of this invasion. While we did not find a reduction in genetic diversity between source (Red Sea) and invasive (Mediterranean) populations (i.e., bottleneck effects), we found evidence of population structure within the invasive range in the Mediterranean Sea. We found that loci that are potentially under selection may play an important role in invasion success (in particular, genes involved in osmoregulation and fin spine sizes). Genomic approaches proved powerful in examining the ecological and evolutionary patterns of successful invaders and may be used as tools to understand and potentially mitigate future invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2017, complaints of sexual violence have increased in France. At the same time, the management of sexual offenders has been at the center of international public health policies. The prevalence of mental disorders among sexual offenders is an essential field of research. There are some published studies on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in sexual offenders in detention, but there are few recent published studies among French individuals who were detained. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among persons detained for sexual offenses and the level of care received according to their diagnosis. For this purpose, we carried out a retrospective observational study from January 2017 to October 2021 of all adult sexual offenders, whether accused or convicted, who were seen in the psychiatric consultation unit of Les Baumettes prison, Marseille, France. The primary outcome measure was the psychiatric diagnosis entered in the medical records. One hundred forty‐two patients were included in analysis. All patients were men, and the majority (n = 97, 68.3%) of these patients presented with at least one psychiatric disorder, principally a personality disorder (31.7%). 10.6% presented with a schizophrenic disorder, 4.9% a bipolar disorder, 3.5% a depressive disorder, 5.6% pedophilic paraphilia, and 25.4% an addictive disorder. Their management and comorbid addictions were analyzed in subgroups for each psychiatric disorder. Patients appeared to receive an appropriate level of care for their diagnosed disorder. It seems important to develop structured assessment of recidivism risk for better management of sexual offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been numerous investigations of aberrant eating and substance abuse among patients who have undergone bariatric surgery, which affects the metabolism and the pharmacokinetics of alcohol. However, there is a dearth of literature considering the complex interplay between changes in post‐surgery food and alcohol consumption. Furthermore, despite the increasing recognition of issues surrounding replacing food consumption with alcohol consumption (Food and Alcohol Disturbance [FAD]), most emerging research has focused on young adult populations. This perspective reviews and synthesizes the small but growing body of research on the interplay between food and alcohol consumption, particularly FAD, and considers its application to bariatric surgery in general. There are unique considerations for patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. Patients experience altered gastric anatomy, which affects food and alcohol metabolism, and are advised to abstain from drinking alcohol after surgery. After reviewing the available literature, this perspective highlights future directions for research and practice in bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because COVID‐19 has been associated with high lethality rates among kidney transplant recipients (KTR), but also with a severe disruption and delays in overall healthcare, this study aims to evaluate the excess mortality in the pandemic era among KTR in a high‐volume Brazilian transplant center. Methods: This study used data from a single center that provides follow‐up on all its transplant recipients. The population of interest included all the patients who were transplanted between August 31, 1983 and December 31, 2022 and who were live from January 1, 2014. Using the "AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average" forecasting algorithm, the expected mortality for the pandemic era (2020–2022) was modeled from the pre‐pandemic era (2014–2019). Results: There were 12 077 KTRs at risk of dying in the entire observation period. In the pre‐pandemic era, there were 21 deaths per 1000 patients at risk. In the pandemic era, there were 1429 observed deaths (rate of 47 deaths per 1000 patients at risk) versus the expected 587 deaths, resulting in an absolute number of 842 excess deaths, or an observed‐to‐expected ratio of 2.4, or an absolute rate of 26 deaths in excess per 1000 patients at risk. The excess deaths exhibited a temporal pattern mirroring that of the surges in new cases and lethality rates of COVID‐19. COVID‐19‐related deaths drove 94% of excess mortality in the pandemic era. Conclusion: In this large cohort of KTR under centralized follow‐up, more than twofold excess mortality was primarily driven by COVID‐19‐related deaths, highlighting the vulnerability of this population to the most severe presentation of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serotonergic psychedelics, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT), are currently being investigated for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Clinical trials with psilocybin and LSD have shown improvement in emotional and psychological scores. Although these drugs are reported to be safe in a controlled environment (such as clinical trials), exposure to low doses of these drugs can result in psychedelic effects, and therefore, occupational safety is an important consideration to prevent adverse effects in the workplace from low daily exposure. This article will discuss the factors involved in the derivation of occupational exposure limits (OELs) and risk assessment of these psychedelic drugs. To support the OEL derivations of psychedelic drugs, information regarding their mechanism of action, adverse effect profiles, pharmacokinetics, clinical effects, and nonclinical toxicity were considered. Additionally, psilocybin and LSD, which are the most extensively researched psychedelic substances, are employed as illustrative examples in case studies. The OELs derived for psilocybin and for LSD are 0.05 and 0.002 μg/m3, respectively, which indicates that these are highly hazardous compounds, and it is important to take into account suitable safety measures and risk‐management strategies in order to minimize workplace exposure. Clinical trials are currently exploring the potential of psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, DMT, and 5‐MeO‐DMT for treating psychiatric disorders. It is crucial to consider the occupational risks associated with these drugs, especially their psychedelic effects at low doses. This article focuses on establishing occupational exposure limits (OELs) for psychedelic substances, with psilocybin and LSD as examples. The derived OELs for both compounds are below 0.05 μg/m3, indicating the importance of effectively controlling occupational exposure to these substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation state of an environment can be a key factor in maintaining the existence of some interactions between species. The relationship between the dung beetle Dichotomius schiffleri, a habitat‐specific species endemic to the Restinga ecosystem, and endangered, and its symbiont mites can serve as a model to improve knowledge about this issue. In this study, we investigated whether the conservation state of Brazilian Restingas, a native ecosystem of the coastal zone that has suffered from anthropic pressure and impacts due to irregular occupation by humans, affects the abundance of mites present on D. schiffleri. Beetles and their associated mites were collected using pitfall traps in Conserved and Degraded Restingas at nine locations in the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo, Bahia, Sergipe, and Pernambuco. The abundance of mites associated with beetles was significantly higher in conserved sites than in degraded sites. Our findings provide evidence that Restinga degradation can affect not only abundance of dung beetle species, as previously reported, but also the ecological relationships that can be established between dung beetles and mites. The habitat quality and hosts availability are some mechanisms that may explain the maintenance of the interactions between dung beetles and mites. Finally, imbalance in ecological relationships is one more factor capable of signalling as human modified habitats impact fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tridentinosaurus antiquus represents one of the oldest fossil reptiles and one of the very few skeletal specimens with evidence of soft tissue preservation from the Cisuralian (Early Permian) of the Italian Alps. The preservation and appearance of the fossil have puzzled palaeontologists for decades and its taphonomy and phylogenetic position have remained unresolved. We reanalysed T. antiquus using ultraviolet light (UV), 3D surface modelling, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), micro x‐ray diffraction (μ‐XRD), Raman and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the origin of the body outline and test whether this represents the remains of organically preserved soft tissues which in turn could reveal important anatomical details about this enigmatic protorosaur. The results reveal, however, that the material forming the body outline is not fossilized soft tissues but a manufactured pigment indicating that the body outline is a forgery. Our discovery poses new questions about the validity of this enigmatic taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland soils are the only known biological sink for methane (CH4) by methanotrophic bacteria consumption. This process is mainly limited by the diffusion processes related to the soil's physical characteristics, which can be modified because of changes in land use depending on the soil type, the original system and the new land use converted. Our study focused on determining the differences in soil CH4 uptake because of changes in land use (from natural grassland to agricultural land and two Pinus radiata afforestation, differing in thinning management) and on determining which are the main drivers that control CH4 uptake in the studied soil type (Hapludoll), with focus on the diffusion process. CH4 fluxes were measured 12 times with the static chamber technique between October 2015 and April 2019. Also, CH4 gradient concentration in the soil profile and physical and chemical variables were measured on the same dates. All land uses studied acted as net CH4 sinks. Land-use change from grassland to agriculture decreased soil CH4 uptake (~37% ± 19), whereas afforestation increased (~85% ± 73) this environmental service related to natural grassland. We found that the main drivers that control CH4 uptake in this soil are water and air-filled pore space, variables that govern soil CH4 diffusion; they are mostly related to differences in bulk density (compaction) among land uses. Organic matter was also an important driver, mainly related to soil structure. Land-use change affected all of these drivers. CH4 concentration presented differences at deeper soil layers only in the two afforestations, which differed in management (pruning and thinning vs. no management). However, CH4 uptake did not present significant differences between them, suggesting that there is no need for a high tree cover to increase the CH4 sink of the soil. This mixed tree and herbaceous cover may result in a similar environmental service output, increasing the options of land uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Craniofacial microsomia (CM) is characterized by changes in the first and second branchial arches. It is a clinical condition whose etiology is still uncertain, but studies have shown that genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors can result in disorders of blastogenesis of the branchial arches. This study evaluates gestational aspects, focusing on possible risk factors associated with CM. Methods: This is a case–control study conducted with patients monitored at a medical genetics service and compared to a control group of patients without evidence of malformations, born in a mother and child hospital, both located in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil. Mothers' data were obtained using questionnaires and by reviewing medical records. The sample consisted of 43 patients with CM (cases) and 129 patients without evidence of malformations (controls), paired by sex, totaling three controls for each case. Data analysis was performed using the two‐tailed Fisher's exact test, Pearson's chi‐square test, and the t‐test. Results: We identified several factors associated with the development of CM, including the use of abortion methods by the mothers of these babies (p =.001), maternal diabetes (p =.009), advanced maternal age (p =.035), and a history of vaginal bleeding (p <.001). Furthermore, these patients exhibited a tendency to be born prematurely (p =.027), with low birth weight (p =.007), and lower Apgar scores (p =.003) when compared to healthy infants. Using a multivariate model, the use of abortion methods (p =.003) and vaginal bleeding (p =.032) remained independently associated with craniofacial microsomia. Conclusions: We have identified several risk factors for the development of CM, including a propensity for premature birth, low birth weight, and respiratory difficulties. Additionally, women of advanced maternal age and/or those who used abortion methods and/or have diabetes have a higher risk of giving birth to a baby with CM. This information can be valuable in clinical practice, especially for the prevention of future cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vigilance is a widespread behavior that allows individuals to socially acquire information and/or effectively detect potential risks posed by predators and conspecifics. In this study, we aimed to investigate how social factors (i.e., subgroup size, number of males and immatures in the subgroup, presence of fission and fusion events, subgroup activity), individual characteristics (i.e., sex, presence of dependent offspring) and possible vulnerability to predation (i.e., being in smaller subgroups or lower in the canopy) explain variation in vigilance behavior in a wild group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We collected vigilance data during focal samples of all adults, subadults and juveniles of the group (N = 38), and ran generalized linear mixed models with a Bayesian approach. We found that the proportion of time both sexes spent in vigilance increased with subgroup size and during fusion events. Individuals also spent more time in vigilance when the subgroup was resting or socializing compared to other activities. Moreover, the proportion of time spent in vigilance increased in subgroups with more immatures. An alternative model with similar fit suggested that the proportion of time spent in vigilance increased in females when subgroups included more adult and subadult males. Overall, these results suggest that our study group mainly directed vigilance toward conspecifics (i.e., social vigilance), probably as a result of the relatively low predation pressure experienced, and contribute to the understanding of the multiple social factors affecting vigilance in group‐living primates. Research Highlights: Wild spider monkeys spent more time in vigilance in larger subgroups, during fusion events and when the subgroup was resting or socializing.In wild spider monkeys, vigilance increased with more immatures in the subgroup, or for females when there were more adult and subadult males in the subgroup.Our study group mainly directed vigilance toward conspecifics, showing that multiple social factors may shape vigilance in group‐living primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a multitude of datasets of human–human conversations has been released for the main purpose of training conversational agents based on data‐hungry artificial neural networks. In this paper, we argue that datasets of this sort represent a useful and underexplored source to validate, complement, and enhance cognitive studies on human behavior and language use. We present a method that leverages the recent development of powerful computational models to obtain the fine‐grained annotation required to apply metrics and techniques from Cognitive Science to large datasets. Previous work in Cognitive Science has investigated the question‐asking strategies of human participants by employing different variants of the so‐called 20‐question‐game setting and proposing several evaluation methods. In our work, we focus on GuessWhat, a task proposed within the Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing communities that is similar in structure to the 20‐question‐game setting. Crucially, the GuessWhat dataset contains tens of thousands of dialogues based on real‐world images, making it a suitable setting to investigate the question‐asking strategies of human players on a large scale and in a natural setting. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of computational tools to automatically code how the hypothesis space changes throughout the dialogue in complex visual scenes. On the one hand, we confirm findings from previous work on smaller and more controlled settings. On the other hand, our analyses allow us to highlight the presence of "uninformative" questions (in terms of Expected Information Gain) at specific rounds of the dialogue. We hypothesize that these questions fulfill pragmatic constraints that are exploited by human players to solve visual tasks in complex scenes successfully. Our work illustrates a method that brings together efforts and findings from different disciplines to gain a better understanding of human question‐asking strategies on large‐scale datasets, while at the same time posing new questions about the development of conversational systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel depletion and environmental impacts caused by greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2 are significant issues securing nature preservation within a sustainable economy. CO2 methanation is a promising process to mitigate CO2 emissions and reuse it to produce CH4, serving as fuel, chemical feedstock, and energy source. A series of LDH‐derived Ni‐Al catalysts promoted by Li, Mg, Ca, and La were prepared via co‐precipitation. Characterization by N2 physisorption, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), as well as thermal techniques such as temperature programmed reduction (H2‐TPR), desorption (CO2‐TPD, H2‐TPD), and oxidation (TPO) analyses were performed. Low‐temperature catalytic tests (200–400 °C) revealed that alkali metal modification improves performance even at 200 °C, where the Ni55Ca11Al33 catalyst achieved 74 % CO2 conversion with 100 % CH4 selectivity by enhancing basicity and metal‐support interaction, high Ni dispersion and small crystallite sizes, providing proper sites to adsorb and activate CO2. Moreover, the catalysts presented excellent resistance to deactivation, maintaining high stability during 10 h on stream. These results prove that Ni‐Al mixed oxides, LDH‐derived catalysts performances can be further improved by incorporating alkali metals into less energy‐spending, low‐temperature CO2 methanation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the defining features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an arrest of myeloid differentiation whose molecular determinants are still poorly defined. Pharmacological removal of the differentiation block contributes to the cure of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in the absence of cytotoxic chemotherapy, but this approach has not yet been translated to non‐APL AMLs. Here, by investigating the function of hypoxia‐inducible transcription factors HIF1α and HIF2α, we found that both genes exert oncogenic functions in AML and that HIF2α is a novel regulator of the AML differentiation block. Mechanistically, we found that HIF2α promotes the expression of transcriptional repressors that have been implicated in suppressing AML myeloid differentiation programs. Importantly, we positioned HIF2α under direct transcriptional control by the prodifferentiation agent all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and demonstrated that HIF2α blockade cooperates with ATRA to trigger AML cell differentiation. In conclusion, we propose that HIF2α inhibition may open new therapeutic avenues for AML treatment by licensing blasts maturation and leukemia debulking. Synopsis: Hypoxia‐inducible transcription factor HIF2α contributes to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis by taking part to the molecular network that suppresses differentiation of leukemic blasts along the myeloid lineage. Hypoxia‐inducible factors HIF1α and HIF2α promote leukemia progression in cell and patient‐derived models of established AML.In AML cells, HIF2α regulates a novel gene signature that contains Runx2 and BCL11A and transcriptional repressors implicated in suppressing AML myeloid differentiation programs.HIF2α targeting via gene silencing or pharmacological inhibition triggers a myeloid differentiation program and promotes leukemia debulking.All‐trans retinoid acid induces HIF2α expression via direct activity of RAR proteins.Targeting HIF2α cooperates with ATRA to promote myeloid differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current energy scenario has encouraged the replacement of carbon sources with renewable sources. Second‐generation (2G) ethanol production from lignocellulosic material or agroindustrial biomass involves a three‐step process consisting of pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation. Enzymatic saccharification is the most critical step for recovering fermentable sugars from biomass. Many factors such as pretreatment, enzyme load, pH, temperature, substrate and surfactant concentrations, and reaction time, among others, can affect biomass saccharification. In this sense, different design of experiment (DoE) tools together with response surface methodology (RSM) have been used as a viable strategy to determine how factors influence saccharification and to optimize this process. The strategy involves fewer experiments, less time and lower cost. This review summarizes how DoE and RSM tools have been used to optimize biomass saccharification. Moreover, an overview of the main experimental design tools used in this field is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the natural landscape and the indiscriminate use of pesticides can have a major impact on aquatic environments and have contributed to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations. In the present study, we sampled tadpoles of three anuran amphibians (Boana albopunctata, Physalaemus cuvieri, and Dendropsophus minutus) from ponds in six different agricultural landscapes of the Brazilian Cerrado savanna and evaluated whether and to what extent genotoxic and mutagenic damage was related to land use (the amount of forest and agricultural remnants, and related physicochemical factors) and the presence of pesticides in the water of the study ponds. We also evaluated the hepatotoxicity in P. cuvieri, which was the most abundant species at five of the six sampling points. Clomazone and atrazine were the most common pesticides found in the ponds. The B. albopunctata and P. cuvieri tadpoles presented similar patterns of DNA damage among the sampling points. The least DNA damage was found in the D. minutus tadpoles, although this species was present in only one of the study ponds. More binucleated and anucleated cells were observed in B. albopunctata, but there was no significant variation among species in terms of the number of micronuclei or other erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities. Land use and physicochemical factors did not explain the variation in the DNA damage observed in the three anurans. The hepatotoxicity analyses of P. cuvieri revealed the presence of a series of alterations, including the enlargement of the sinusoids, vacuolization of the hepatocytes, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, hepatic steatosis, and dilation of the blood vessels. The interaction between physicochemical factors and the biomarkers analyzed in the present study is complex. In particular, it will be important to better elucidate which factors are contributing, either directly or indirectly, to the decline of anuran amphibian populations, especially in threatened biomes, such as the Brazilian Cerrado. In this case, we would encourage further in situ studies that assess the ecotoxicology of the landscape, together with the systematic monitoring of aquatic environments, to guarantee the long‐term integrity of amphibian populations, and those of other organisms that play an essential functional role in the ecosystem. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2422–2439. © 2023 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Psychotic disorders have been reported in long‐term users of synthetic cannabinoids. This study aims at investigating the long‐lasting effects of repeated JWH‐018 exposure. Experimental Approach: Male CD‐1 mice were injected with vehicle, JWH‐018 (6 mg·kg−1), the CB1‐antagonist NESS‐0327 (1 mg·kg−1) or co‐administration of NESS‐0327 and JWH‐018, every day for 7 days. After 15 or 16 days washout, we investigated the effects of JWH‐018 on motor function, memory, social dominance and prepulse inhibition (PPI). We also evaluated glutamate levels in dialysates from dorsal striatum, striatal dopamine content and striatal/hippocampal neuroplasticity focusing on the NMDA receptor complex and the neurotrophin BDNF. These measurements were accompanied by in vitro electrophysiological evaluations in hippocampal preparations. Finally, we investigated the density of CB1 receptors and levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) and their main synthetic and degrading enzymes in the striatum and hippocampus. Key Results: The repeated treatment with JWH‐018 induced psychomotor agitation while reducing social dominance, recognition memory and PPI in mice. JWH‐018 disrupted hippocampal LTP and decreased BDNF expression, reduced the synaptic levels of NMDA receptor subunits and decreased the expression of PSD95. Repeated exposure to JWH‐018, reduced hippocampal CB1 receptor density and induced a long‐term alteration in AEA and 2‐AG levels and their degrading enzymes, FAAH and MAGL, in the striatum. Conclusion and Implications: Our findings suggest that repeated administration of a high dose of JWH‐018 leads to the manifestation of psychotic‐like symptoms accompanied by alterations in neuroplasticity and change in the endocannabinoid system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only in Europe, every year around 29 million tons of plastic waste are generated and only about 35% of such waste is collected for recycling. This results in huge amounts of plastic waste threatening the environment. One of the possible solutions for disposal can be represented by the concrete industry. Several research works have already studied the use of plastic waste in concrete mix as partial replacement for aggregates, showing that this use of plastics can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of concrete production by saving non‐renewable resources. At the same time, lightweight concrete can be produced but at a non‐negligible cost of a mechanical strength reduction. This work aims at investigating the effects on concrete physical and mechanical performances resulting from the introduction of recycled plastic aggregates in combination with another kind of waste used as filler, namely biochar. Biochar, which is the solid carbonaceous by‐product resulting from wood‐waste pyro‐gasification, can have the role of carbon sequestrating additive in concrete, being able to fix carbon in a stable form in buildings for decades. The experimental findings obtained in this work show that the combination of biochar and recycled plastic waste, which was never investigated before, can help to obtain concretes with satisfactory mechanical performance, which promote circular economy principles. Thanks to biochar addition, the reduction in mechanical properties due to the presence of plastics is extremely limited with respect to control; moreover, these concretes demonstrate better behavior in terms of fracture energy and ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Climate change is transforming mountain summit plant communities worldwide, but we know little about such changes in the High Andes. Understanding large‐scale patterns of vegetation changes across the Andes, and the factors driving these changes, is fundamental to predicting the effects of global warming. We assessed trends in vegetation cover, species richness (SR) and community‐level thermal niches (CTN) and tested whether they are explained by summits' climatic conditions and soil temperature trends. Location: High Andes. Time period: Between 2011/2012 and 2017/2019. Major taxa studied: Vascular plants. Methods: Using permanent vegetation plots placed on 45 mountain summits and soil temperature loggers situated along a ~6800 km N‐S gradient, we measured species and their relative percentage cover and estimated CTN in two surveys (intervals between 5 and 8 years). We then estimated the annual rate of changes for the three variables and used generalized linear models to assess their relationship with annual precipitation, the minimum air temperatures of each summit and rates of change in the locally recorded soil temperatures. Results: Over time, there was an average loss of vegetation cover (mean = −0.26%/yr), and a gain in SR across summits (mean = 0.38 species m2/yr), but most summits had significant increases in SR and vegetation cover. Changes in SR were positively related to minimum air temperature and soil temperature rate of change. Most plant communities experienced shifts in their composition by including greater abundances of species with broader thermal niches and higher optima. However, the measured changes in soil temperature did not explain the observed changes in CTN. Main conclusions: High Andean vegetation is changing in cover and SR and is shifting towards species with wider thermal niche breadths. The weak relationship with soil temperature trends could have resulted from the short study period that only marginally captures changes in vegetation through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use during the perinatal period and while parenting can pose a significant risk to children's safety and well‐being. Mothers who have experienced child maltreatment are more likely to use substances than mothers without a history of maltreatment. This study explores how child welfare social workers experience supporting young, maltreated mothers struggling with substance use to prevent the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with four social workers working with young mothers with a history of maltreatment and substance use. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed two themes: (1) grappling with system challenges and (2) supporting strategies for disrupting intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. The results highlight the need for systemic changes around support for social workers who work with young mothers who use substances and have a history of maltreatment, and substance use treatment and mental health programs themselves. Mothers need access to prenatal programs that are trauma‐informed, non‐judgemental and that support participants' basic needs and parenting skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]