Search

Munoz et al. (2024) raised concerns regarding our recent contribution and the definition of the term C sequestration in soils (Don et al., 2024). We performed a review and therefore based our analysis on existing definitions of C sequestrations, mainly by the IPCC. We recommend sticking with terminologies around C sequestration and climate mitigation, as outlined in our review, in order to keep it consistent and manageable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article in Clinical & Translational Allergy discusses the reliability of the FricTest 4.0 tool for diagnosing symptomatic dermographism, a subtype of chronic inducible urticaria. The study conducted at the Urticaria Center of Reference and Excellence in Berlin, Germany, aimed to assess inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of the tool. Results showed substantial inter-rater agreement and high consistency in measurements, validating the FricTest as a reliable diagnostic and monitoring tool for symptomatic dermographism. The study acknowledges limitations and calls for further real-world evidence to confirm the tool's reproducibility and clinical validity. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates hemoglobin (Hb)‐induced kidney injury and the protective role of the ApoHemoglobin‐Haptoglobin (ApoHb‐Hp) complex against heme and Hb damage. Hb facilitates oxygen (O2) delivery but poses challenges outside red blood cells (RBCs) due to toxic Hb and heme mechanisms. These are managed by binding to serum proteins like Haptoglobin (Hp) and Hemopexin (Hpx). During hemolysis, depletion of Hp and Hpx leaves tissues vulnerable to Hb and heme. To address this, we developed the ApoHb‐Hp complex, based on Apohemoglobin, which is produced by removing heme from Hb, conjugated with Hp. This complex acts as a dual scavenger for Hb and heme, preventing tissue damage. Our findings demonstrate that ApoHb‐Hp significantly protects MPC5 podocytes from Hb‐induced damage. Fluorescent staining showed a higher percentage of nephrin‐positive cells in the ApoHb‐Hp group, and MTT assays revealed enhanced cell viability compared to Hb alone. Additionally, ApoHb‐Hp reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, with the Hb group exhibiting significantly elevated ROS levels. The ApoHb‐Hp complex mitigated the depletion of protective mechanisms, as shown by significant increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, ApoHb‐Hp treatment reduced the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines IL‐1β and IL‐18. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of ApoHb‐Hp in mitigating Hb‐induced renal damage by preserving podocyte viability and reducing oxidative stress. Overall, ApoHb‐Hp maintained protective mechanisms depleted otherwise by Hb. These findings highlight ApoHb‐Hp's potential as a therapeutic agent against Hb‐induced renal damage, offering insights into its mechanisms and implications for treating conditions involving hemolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Perspectives on long‐acting injectable cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB/RPV‐LA) from HIV health disparity populations are under‐represented in current literature yet crucial to optimize delivery. Methods: Between August 2022 and May 2023, we conducted in‐depth interviews with people with HIV (PWH) at four HIV clinics in Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. Eligibility criteria were current CAB/RPV‐LA use with receipt of ≥3 injections or CAB/RPV‐LA discontinuation. We purposefully sampled for PWH who initiated with viraemia (plasma HIV RNA >50 copies/ml) due to adherence challenges, discontinuers, and cis and trans women. Interviews were coded and analysed using thematic methods grounded in descriptive phenomenology. Clinical data were abstracted from the medical record. Results: The sample (San Francisco n = 25, Atlanta n = 20, Chicago n = 14 for total n = 59, median number of injections = 6) consisted of 48 PWH using CAB/RPV‐LA and 11 who had discontinued. The median age was 50 (range 25–73) and 40 (68%) identified as racial/ethnic minorities, 19 (32%) cis or trans women, 16 (29%) were experiencing homelessness/unstable housing, 12 (20%) had recently used methamphetamine or opioids and 11 (19%) initiated with viraemia. All participants except one (who discontinued) had evidence of viral suppression at interview. Typical benefits of CAB/RPV‐LA included increased convenience, privacy and freedom from being reminded of HIV and reduced anxiety about forgetting pills. However, PWH who became virally suppressed through CAB/RPV‐LA use also experienced an amelioration of feelings of shame and negative self‐worth related to oral adherence challenges. Regardless of baseline viral suppression status, successful use of CAB/RPV‐LA amplified positive provider/clinic relationships, and CAB/RPV‐LA was often viewed as less "work" than oral antiretroviral therapy, which created space to attend to other aspects of health and wellness. For some participants, CAB/RPV‐LA remained "work," particularly with regard to injection site pain and visit frequency. At times, these burdens outweighed the aforementioned benefits, resulting in discontinuation. Conclusions: CAB/RPV‐LA offers a range of logistical, psychosocial and care engagement benefits, which are experienced maximally by PWH initiating with viraemia due to adherence challenges; however, benefits do not always outweigh treatment burdens and can result in discontinuation. Our findings on rationales for persistence versus discontinuation can inform both initial and follow‐up patient counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical correction of tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) has evolved greatly over the past decade, with select pediatric institutions establishing dedicated surgery and anesthesia teams to navigate the complexities and challenges of surgical airway repairs. Although anesthetic techniques have evolved internally over many years to improve patient safety and outcomes, many of these methods remain undescribed in literature. Technique: In this article, we describe the intraoperative negative pressure suction test. This simulates the negative pressure seen in awake and spontaneously breathing patients, including the higher pressures seen during coughing which induce airway collapse in patients with TBM. Also known as the Munoz maneuver in surgical literature, this test has been performed on over 300 patients since 2015. Discussion: The negative pressure suction test allows for controlled intraoperative assessment of surgical airway repairs, replaces the need for risky intraoperative wake‐up tests, increases the chances of a successful surgical repair, and improves anesthetic management for emergence and extubation. We provide a guide on how to perform the test and videos demonstrating its efficacy in intraoperative airway evaluation. Conclusions: As surgeries to repair TBM become more prevalent in other pediatric institutions, we believe that pediatric patients and anesthesia providers will benefit from the insights and methods described here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motor impairments experienced by people with Parkinson's disease (PD) are exacerbated during memory‐guided movements. Despite this, the effect of antiparkinson medication on memory‐guided movements has not been elucidated. We evaluated the effect of antiparkinson medication on motor control during a memory‐guided reaching task with short and long retention delays in participants with PD and compared performance to age‐matched healthy control (HC) participants. Thirty‐two participants with PD completed the motor section of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS III) and performed a memory‐guided reaching task with two retention delays (0.5 s and 5 s) while on and off medication. Thirteen HC participants completed the MDS‐UPDRS III and performed the memory‐guided reaching task. In the task, medication increased movement velocity, decreased movement time, and decreased reaction time toward what was seen in the HC. However, movement amplitude and reaching error were unaffected by medication. Shorter retention delays increased movement velocity and amplitude, decreased movement time, and decreased error, but increased reaction times in the participants with PD and HC. Together, these results imply that antiparkinson medication is more effective at altering the neurophysiological mechanisms controlling movement velocity and reaction time compared with other aspects of movement control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource distribution, habitat structure, and predators greatly influence spatial and temporal landscape use by prey species. The "risky places" hypothesis establishes prey will proactively respond to predators' presence based on habitat cues, whereas the "risky times" hypothesis predicts prey will reactively respond by increasing vigilance in the presence of predators regardless of habitat cues. We fit a multiscale, Bayesian species interaction occupancy model with detection/non‐detection data to evaluate black‐tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) and eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) habitat use in the presence and absence of coyotes (Canis latrans), American badgers (Taxidea taxus), and swift foxes (Vulpes velox). We also evaluated how species‐specific predator presence modified temporal activity patterns of prey. Jackrabbits decreased habitat use in areas with greater forage and opted to use areas with greater visibility when coyotes or swift foxes were present. However, cottontails used habitat in open areas with greater visibility when American badgers were present and all other predators absent, suggesting dissimilar habitat‐use patterns dictated by predator‐specific risks. Both lagomorph species are nocturnal with segregated peaks of activity compared with predators, suggesting fine‐scale temporal use partitioning. Our results provide insights into predator–prey dynamics across heterogenous landscapes in a multi‐predator system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music is ubiquitous, both in its instrumental and vocal forms. While speech perception at birth has been at the core of an extensive corpus of research, the origins of the ability to discriminate instrumental or vocal melodies is still not well investigated. In previous studies comparing vocal and musical perception, the vocal stimuli were mainly related to speaking, including language, and not to the non‐language singing voice. In the present study, to better compare a melodic instrumental line with the voice, we used singing as a comparison stimulus, to reduce the dissimilarities between the two stimuli as much as possible, separating language perception from vocal musical perception. In the present study, 45 newborns were scanned, 10 full‐term born infants and 35 preterm infants at term‐equivalent age (mean gestational age at test = 40.17 weeks, SD = 0.44) using functional magnetic resonance imaging while listening to five melodies played by a musical instrument (flute) or sung by a female voice. To examine the dynamic task‐based effective connectivity, we employed a psychophysiological interaction of co‐activation patterns (PPI‐CAPs) analysis, using the auditory cortices as seed region, to investigate moment‐to‐moment changes in task‐driven modulation of cortical activity during an fMRI task. Our findings reveal condition‐specific, dynamically occurring patterns of co‐activation (PPI‐CAPs). During the vocal condition, the auditory cortex co‐activates with the sensorimotor and salience networks, while during the instrumental condition, it co‐activates with the visual cortex and the superior frontal cortex. Our results show that the vocal stimulus elicits sensorimotor aspects of the auditory perception and is processed as a more salient stimulus while the instrumental condition activated higher‐order cognitive and visuo‐spatial networks. Common neural signatures for both auditory stimuli were found in the precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Finally, this study adds knowledge on the dynamic brain connectivity underlying the newborns capability of early and specialized auditory processing, highlighting the relevance of dynamic approaches to study brain function in newborn populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A changing climate and growing coastal populations exacerbate the outcomes of environmental hazards. Large‐scale flooding and acute disasters have been extensively studied through historic and current data. Chronic coastal flooding is less well understood and poses a substantial threat to future coastal populations. This paper presents a novel technique to record chronic coastal flooding using inexpensive accelerometers. This technique was tested in Key West, FL, USA using storm drains to deploy HOBO pendant G data loggers. The accuracy and feasibility of the method was tested through four deployments performed by a team of local stakeholders and researchers between July 2019–November 2021 resulting in 22 sensors successfully recording data, with 15 of these sensors recording flooding. Sensors captured an average of 13.58 inundation events, an average of 12.07% of the deployment time. Measured flooding events coincided with local National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) water level measurements of high tides. Multiple efforts to predict coastal flooding were compared. Sensors recorded flooding even when NOAA water levels did not exceed the elevation or flooding thresholds set by the National Weather Service (NWS), indicating that NOAA water levels alone were not sufficient in predicting flooding. Access to an effective and inexpensive sensor, such as the one tested here, for measuring flood events can increase opportunities to measure chronic flood hazards and assess local vulnerabilities with stakeholder participation. The ease of use and successful recording of loggers can give communities an increased capacity to make data‐informed decisions surrounding sea level rise adaptation. Plain Language Summary: Floods occurring outside of storm events are increasing in number due to low‐lying coastal communities' exposure to rising sea levels. The extent and impacts of localized and recurrent flooding events are under‐studied compared to extreme storm events. Damaging floods can occur during a high tide or a rain event, and with these chronic floods increasing in frequency, the cumulative impacts caused by sequential events need to be better understood. Therefore, this paper presents a deployment method and results of low‐cost sensors that can capture flood occurrences and durations in targeted areas using storm drains as a deployment location. A team of researchers and local government employees successfully deployed these sensors between July 2019–November 2021. Flooding was recorded on 15 of the 22 deployed sensors recording an average of 13.58 inundation events causing the storm drains to be inundated on average 12.07% of the deployment time. Key Points: The accelerometers were easy to deploy by researchers and stakeholders and accurately captured flooding in locations of interestInundation was variable across the island of Key West and was not successfully predicted by the NOAA water level alonePatterns to inundation events were not found, water level and timing of inundation varied between and within sites [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic underscored the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic tools. In August 2020, the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID‐19 Antigen Card test became available as a timely and affordable alternative for SARS‐CoV‐2 molecular testing, but its performance may vary due to factors including timing and symptomatology. This study evaluates BinaxNOW diagnostic performance in diverse epidemiological contexts. Methods: Using RT‐PCR as reference, we assessed performance of the BinaxNOW COVID‐19 test for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection in anterior nasal swabs from participants of two studies in Puerto Rico from December 2020 to May 2023. Test performance was assessed by days post symptom onset, collection strategy, vaccination status, symptomatology, repeated testing, and RT‐PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values. Results: BinaxNOW demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 84.1% and specificity of 98.8%. Sensitivity peaked within 1–6 days after symptom onset (93.2%) and was higher for symptomatic (86.3%) than asymptomatic (67.3%) participants. Sensitivity declined over the course of infection, dropping from 96.3% in the initial test to 48.4% in testing performed 7–14 days later. BinaxNOW showed 99.5% sensitivity in participants with low Ct values (≤ 25) but lower sensitivity (18.2%) for participants with higher Cts (36–40). Conclusions: BinaxNOW demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity, particularly in early‐stage infections and symptomatic participants. In situations where test sensitivity is crucial for clinical decision‐making, nucleic acid amplification tests are preferred. These findings highlight the importance of considering clinical and epidemiological context when interpreting test results and emphasize the need for ongoing research to adapt testing strategies to emerging SARS‐CoV‐2 variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased prevalence of advanced‐stage chronic diseases has augmented the need for palliative care teams. In Colombia, although the legislation promotes palliative care development, people still die without receiving management from a palliative care team. In addition, judiciary regulations regarding euthanasia have generated public confusion and ethical conflicts among members of the palliative care teams. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a bioethical reflection on the relationship between palliative care and euthanasia supported by data on euthanasia requests in a palliative care program. This reflection is based on retrospective and descriptive observational data, collected in two highly complex hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia. A total of 50 euthanasia requests were identified, of which 62% met the defined criteria, 16% did not, and 22% were not considered by the interdisciplinary committee for the right to die with dignity due to early death. All patients were treated and followed up by a palliative care team until their death. This study considered that palliative care could be a complement management for patients requesting euthanasia based on their experience by supporting the decision‐making, alleviating suffering, and providing emotional support in the last days of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the role of TSPAN32, a member of the tetraspanin family, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective was to assess the expression levels of TSPAN32 in experimental RA models and in RA patient immune cells, exploring its potential as a regulatory factor in RA pathogenesis. The study employed adjuvant‐induced arthritis in rats and collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) in mice as experimental models. Ex vivo analyses included evaluating TSPAN32 expression in immune cells at different stages of the disease. In silico data analysis involved examining transcriptomic datasets from drug‐naïve and treated RA patients to correlate TSPAN32 expression with clinical parameters. TSPAN32 overexpression experiments in splenocytes from CIA mice aimed to demonstrate its functional impact on antigen‐specific immune responses. The animal models revealed a significant downregulation of TSPAN32, particularly in synovial‐infiltrating T cells. Also, TSPAN32 overexpression inhibited pro‐inflammatory cytokine production in splenocytes. In RA patients, TSPAN32 was consistently downregulated in circulating and synovial‐infiltrating T cells, as well as in CD8+ T cells, B cells and NK cells. Drug treatment did not significantly alter TSPAN32 levels. Negative correlations were observed between TSPAN32 expression and inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR) and clinical scores (SDAI) in RA patients. This study suggests that reduced TSPAN32 expression characterizes pathogenic T‐cell populations in RA, highlighting its potential as biomarker for inflammation and disease activity. TSPAN32 may play a crucial role in shaping adaptive immune responses in RA, opening avenues for novel therapeutic strategies targeting this tetraspanin family member. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Congenital viral infection may result in fetal anemia and thrombocytopenia. While intrauterine blood transfusions (IUTs) are more commonly performed for Rh alloimmunization, reports using IUT for infection have varying success. Our primary objective was to characterize the outcomes of patients undergoing IUT for infectious etiologies at our center compared with Rh disease. Study Design: This was a case series of patients undergoing IUT from 2012–2023. Infectious etiologies were identified by maternal serologies and confirmed by amniotic fluid polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Clinical outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: During the study period, 70 patients underwent IUT, 34% (24/70) for Rh alloimmunization and 17% (12/70) for infection. Those with infectious etiologies were more likely to be diagnosed at earlier gestational ages (22 vs. 25 weeks, p = 0.04), with hydrops (75 vs. 33%, p = 0.03), and thrombocytopenia (27 ± 33 × 103 vs. 163 ± 112 × 103, p < 0.01). Perinatal death was significantly greater in cases of CMV (4/5, 80%) compared to parvovirus (1/7, 14%) or Rh alloimmunization (5/24, 21%) (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Anemias and thrombocytopenias related to fetal infection may be indications for IUT. Compared with Rh alloimmunization, IUT in fetal infections was performed significantly earlier, and hydrops were more common at the time of IUT. In the case of CMV, greater rates of IUFD (80%) were observed. Patients should be counseled on the various outcomes by indication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare and poorly understood condition, making the diagnosis challenging. We present a case of a 16‐year‐old Warmblood gelding referred for lameness and suspected pneumonia. The horse exhibited diverse non‐specific symptoms, including pyrexia, coughing, weight loss and lameness. Diagnostic imaging revealed an osseous neoplastic lesion and lung metastasis. Postmortem confirmed metastatic renal carcinoma. This case underscores the difficulty of RCC diagnosis due to non‐specific clinical signs, necessitating a comprehensive approach involving clinical, imaging and histopathological findings. RCC offers limited treatment options as it is typically diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to a poor prognosis and euthanasia. Increased awareness and research are crucial for early detection and better understanding of this rare equine disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we compare the residual stress state in a laser powder bed fusion (PBF‐LB/M) AlSi10Mg alloy in the as‐built (AB) condition with that after two different heat treatments (265 °C for 1 h, HT1; and 300 °C for 2 h, HT2). The bulk residual stress (RS) is determined using synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (SXRD), and near‐surface profiles are determined using laboratory energy‐dispersive X‐ray diffraction (EDXRD). The EDXRD results do not reveal any notable difference between the conditions at a depth of 350 μm, suggesting that the machining process yields a comparable residual stress state in the near‐surface regions. On the other hand, the SXRD results show that HT1 is more effective in relieving the bulk RS. It is observed that HT1 reduces the RS state in both the aluminium matrix and the silicon network. In addtion, HT2 does not have a significant impact on relaxing the RS as‐built state of the matrix, although it does induce a reduction in the RS magnitudes of the Si phase. It is concluded that the heat treatment stress relieving is effective as long as the Si‐network is not disaggregated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Patients and Methods Results Conclusions To evaluate the impact of prolonged ischaemia during partial nephrectomy (PN), which remains understudied despite its potential clinical relevance.Of 1371 patients managed with on‐clamp PN (2011–2014), 759 (55%) had imaging and assessment of serum creatinine levels before and after PN within the appropriate timeframes necessary for inclusion. This timeframe was chosen to allow for a robust analysis of both warm and cold ischaemia. Recovery from ischaemia (Recischaemia) was defined as ipsilateral glomerular filtration rate (GFR) preserved, normalized by percentage of parenchymal volume preserved (PPVP), and would be 100% if all nephrons recovered completely from ischaemia. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression models were used to assess associations between Recischaemia and ischaemia type and duration.Of 759 patients, 525 (69%) were managed with warm ischaemia. The median warm/cold ischaemia times were 22 and 30 min, respectively. Overall, the median percent ipsilateral GFR preserved, PPVP and Recischaemia were 79%, 83% and 96%, respectively. Segmented regression analysis demonstrated substantially greater decline in Recischaemia, beginning at approximately 30 min for warm ischaemia, which was not observed for hypothermia. Prolonged ischaemia (defined as >30 min) occurred in 197 patients (26%; 88 warm/109 cold). For limited ischaemia (≤30 min), hypothermia was often used for tumours with increased tumour size and complexity (P < 0.01), while for prolonged ischaemia, the warm/cold subgroups had similar patient and tumour characteristics. For limited ischaemia and prolonged hypothermia, median Recischaemia remained >95%, independent of ischaemia time. Differences in Recischaemia between the warm and cold cohorts became significant only after 30 min (P < 0.05). On multivariable analysis, prolonged warm ischaemia was associated with reduced Recischaemia (P = 0.02), which fell 3.9% for every additional 10 min beyond 30 min.Our data suggest that Recischaemia begins to decline significantly after 30 min during PN, although hypothermia was protective. Avoidance of prolonged warm ischaemia should be prioritized in patients with solitary kidneys and/or significant pre‐existing chronic kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT To fulfil the demands of the industry in autonomous intelligent inspection, innovative frameworks that allow Convolutional Neural Networks to run at the edge in real‐time are required. This paper proposes an end‐to‐end approach and system to enable crack detection onboard a customised embedded system. In order to make possible the deployment and execution on edge, this work develops a dataset by combining new and existing images, it introduces a quantization approach that includes inference optimization, memory reuse, and freezing layers. Real‐time, onsite results from aerial and hand‐held setup images of industrial environments show that the system is capable of identifying and localiszing cracks within the field of view of the camera with a mean average precision (mAP) of 98.44% and at ~2.5 frames per second with real‐time inference. Therefore, it is evidenced that, despite using a full model, the introduced model customization improved the mAP by ~8% with respect to lighter state‐of‐the‐art models, and the quantization technique led to a model inference two times faster. The proposed intelligent and autonomous approach advances common offline inspection techniques to enable on‐site, artificial intelligence‐based inspection systems, which also aid in reducing human errors and enhance safety conditions by automatically performing defect‐recognition in tight and difficult‐to‐reach spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Material and Methods Results Conclusion Infants born very preterm spend their early postnatal life in a neonatal intensive care unit, where irregular and unpredictable sounds replace the structured and familiar intrauterine auditory environment. Music interventions may contribute to alleviate these deleterious effects by reducing stress and providing a form of environmental enrichment.This was an ancillary study as part of a blinded randomised controlled clinical trial entitled the effect of music on preterm infant's brain development. It measured the impact of music listening on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), we assessed heart rate variability (HRV) through high‐resolution recordings of heart rate monitoring, at three specific postmenstrual ages in premature infants.From 29 included subjects, 18 were assessed for complete HRV dataset, including nine assigned to the music intervention and nine to the control group. Postmenstrual age appeared to be the main factor influencing HRV from 33 weeks to term equivalent age. Further analyses did not reveal any detectable effect of music intervention on ANS response.This study found that ANS responses were not modified by recorded music intervention in very preterm infants during wakefulness or sleep onset. Further research is warranted to explore other factors influencing ANS development in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image encryption schemes are predominantly software‐based. Only a select few have been implemented in real‐life communication systems. This paper introduces a novel chaotic image encryption scheme based on a modified Z‐order curve, a modified Josephus problem, and an improved Vigenère cipher–based ribonucleic acid (RNA) operation. It is implemented and assessed within a light‐fidelity (Li‐Fi) infrastructure, comprising two core components: software and hardware. The software component manages data encryption and decryption, while the hardware ensures efficient data transmission. The proposed encryption scheme starts with a pixel‐level permutation based on an improved Z‐order curve, applicable to rectangular images, optimizing efficiency and increasing permutation ability. This is followed by a bit‐level permutation using a modified Josephus problem, which enhances the diversity of generated sequences and introduces additional dislocation effects. Subsequently, a Vigenère cipher–based RNA operation serves for diffusion alongside basic RNA operations and the cipher block chaining (CBC) mode. Theoretical analyses and experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed encryption scheme is highly robust, outperforming several existing cryptosystems. Moreover, owing to its successful implementation, the proposed encryption scheme signifies a compelling stride toward bolstering secure visible light communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a complex disorder of uterine wall disruption with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly at time of delivery. Both physician and physical hospital resource allocation/utilization remains a challenge in PAS cases including intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The primary objective of the present study was to identify preoperative risk factors for ICU admission and create an ICU admission prediction model for patient counseling and resource utilization decision making in an evidence‐based manner. Methods: This was a case–control study of 145 patients at our PAS referral center undergoing cesarean hysterectomy for PAS. Final confirmation by histopathology was required for inclusion. Patient disposition after surgery (ICU vs post‐anesthesia care unit) was our primary outcome and pre‐/intra‐/postoperative variables were obtained via electronic medical records with an emphasis on the predictive capabilities of the preoperative variables. Uni‐ and multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent predictive factors for ICU admission. Results: In this large cohort of 145 patients who underwent cesarean hysterectomy for PAS, with histopathologic confirmation, 63 (43%) were admitted to the ICU following delivery. These patients were more likely to be delivered at an earlier gestational age (34 vs 35 weeks, P < 0.001), have had >2 episodes of vaginal bleeding and emergent delivery compared to patients admitted to patients with routine recovery care (44% vs 18.3%, P = 0.009). Uni‐ and multivariate logistic regression showed an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI: [0.63, 0.81], P < 0.001) for prediction of ICU admission with these three variables. Patients with all three predictors had 100% ICU admission rate. Conclusion: Resource prediction, utilization and allocation remains a challenge in PAS management. By identifying patients with preoperative risk factors for ICU admission, not only can patients be counseled but this resource can be requested preoperatively for staffing and utilization purposes. Synopsis: Maternal ICU admission after cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum may be predicted by vaginal bleeding, gestational age and emergent delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the interaction of antimicrobial peptide Maximin 3 (Max3) with three different lipid bilayer models was investigated to gain insight into its mechanism of action and membrane specificity. Bilayer perturbation assays using liposome calcein leakage dose–response curves revealed that Max3 is a selective membrane‐active peptide. Dynamic light scattering recordings suggest that the peptide incorporates into the liposomal structure without producing a detergent effect. Langmuir monolayer compression assays confirmed the membrane inserting capacity of the peptide. Attenuated total reflection‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the fingerprint signals of lipid phospholipid hydrophilic head groups and hydrophobic acyl chains are altered due to Max3‐membrane interaction. On the other hand, all‐atom molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) of the initial interaction with the membrane surface corroborated peptide‐membrane selectivity. Peptide transmembrane MDS shed light on how the peptide differentially modifies lipid bilayer properties. Molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area calculations revealed a specific electrostatic interaction fingerprint of the peptide for each membrane model with which they were tested. The data generated from the in silico approach could account for some of the differences observed experimentally in the activity and selectivity of Max3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra–high‐temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are valued for their extremely high melting temperatures and resistance to active oxidation. However, their low fracture strengths and the difficulties in shaping them into complex geometries hamper their widespread application. This study aims to fabricate zirconium diboride–silicon carbide (ZrB2‐SiC) composites reinforced with aligned SiC fibers by formulating suspensions containing a preceramic polymer, ZrB2, and SiC fibers. This study assessed the influence of fiber alignment on electrical and thermal conductivities, as well as on mechanical strength. The results revealed a significant enhancement in thermal conductivity, particularly when the fibers were aligned, effectively doubling it compared with the non‐aligned parts. Additionally, increasing the fiber content significantly improved the fracture strength, with composites containing 22.5 vol% fibers reaching fracture strengths over 57 MPa. However, the final values did not meet the theoretical expectations because the porosity in pyrolyzed parts exceeded 10%. Furthermore, the study demonstrated a 10‐fold increase in electrical conductivity with fiber alignment compared to that for non‐aligned composites. These results highlight the capability of paste extrusion‐based additive manufacturing in tailoring ultra–high‐temperature ceramic matrix composites (UHTCMCs) with aligned fibers, realizing their suitability for aerospace applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the optimization of assisted reproductive techniques for wild felid conservation, focusing on in vitro procedures using the domestic cat as a model species. The research evaluated the impact of three different in vitro culture media on blastocyst formation. Oocytes and spermatozoa were collected and processed, followed by in vitro fertilization and culture. Results returned a similar blastocyst rate (ANOVA, p >.05), over 16% across all groups. While demonstrating the potential of these techniques, further investigations are warranted to evaluate embryo quality to refine optimal protocols and their applicability in felid conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Public health concerns regarding pregnant women's health after the enactment of the Cannabis Act in Canada (CAC) (a law that allowed non‐medical cannabis use), and the potential impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic, call for a contemporary assessment of these two events. Our study measured associations between the CAC, the COVID‐19 pandemic and the monthly prevalence rates of cannabis‐, all drug‐ and alcohol‐related diagnosed disorders among pregnant women in the province of Quebec. Design, setting and participants: This was a quasi‐experimental design applying an interrupted time‐series methodology in the province of Quebec, Canada. The participants were pregnant women aged 15–49 years, between January 2010 and July 2022. Measurements: Administrative health data from the Québec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System were used to classify pregnant women according to cannabis‐, all drug (excluding cannabis)‐ and alcohol‐related disorders. The CAC (October 2018) and the COVID‐19 pandemic (April 2020) were evaluated as (1) slope changes and (2) level changes. Cannabis‐, all drug (excluding cannabis)‐ and alcohol‐related disorders were measured by total monthly age‐standardized monthly prevalence rate of each disorder for pregnant women aged 15–49 years. Findings Before the CAC, the prevalence rate of cannabis‐related diagnosed disorders significantly increased each month by 0.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.3–0.6] in the pregnant population. After the CAC, there were significant increases of 24% (95% CI = 1–53) of cannabis‐related diagnosed disorders. No significant changes were observed for all drug (excluding cannabis)‐ and alcohol‐related diagnosed disorders associated with the CAC. A non‐significant decrease of 20% (95% CI = −38 to 3) was observed during the COVID‐19 pandemic in alcohol‐related disorders. Conclusions: The monthly incidence rates of diagnosed cannabis‐related disorders in pregnant women in Quebec increased significantly following the enactment of the Cannabis Act in Canada. Diagnoses of all drug (excluding cannabis)‐ and alcohol‐related disorders remained relatively stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fetal pleural effusions are often associated with underlying genetic etiologies; however, data describing the incidence of genetic abnormalities are limited. We evaluated the rate of genetic abnormalities in pregnancies affected by primary unilateral and bilateral fetal pleural effusion. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study of all patients evaluated at our center with a prenatal diagnosis of primary fetal pleural effusion from 2010 to 2022. All patients with a singleton pregnancy and diagnostic genetic testing were included. Patients were separated into two groups: those with unilateral or bilateral effusions at initial diagnosis. Genetic diagnoses, fetal interventions, and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Results: Among 229 cases of fetal pleural effusion, 30 met the inclusion criteria. Unilateral effusion was seen in 14/30 cases (47%) and bilateral effusion in 16/30 cases (53%). Genetic abnormalities were present in 7/14 (50%) unilateral and 2/14 (14%) bilateral effusions (p = 0.046). Cases of bilateral effusion had higher rates of fetal intervention with thoracoamniotic shunt (69% vs. 14%; p = 0.004) and earlier delivery (33 vs. 36 weeks, p = 0.002). Bilateral effusions were found to have higher rates of respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal death (p = 0.03 and 0.04), respectively. Conclusion: Pregnancies affected by primary fetal pleural effusion have a high rate of genetic abnormalities. Although bilateral fetal pleural effusions have worse perinatal outcomes, unilateral fetal pleural effusions have a high rate of genetic diagnosis and both unilateral and bilateral fetal pleural effusions warrant comprehensive prenatal genetic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: According to a seminal hypothesis stated by Crick and Koch in 1995, one is not aware of neural activity in primary visual cortex (V1) because this region lacks reciprocal connections with prefrontal cortex (PFC). Methods: We provide here a neuropsychological illustration of this hypothesis in a patient with a very rare form of cortical blindness: ventral and dorsal cortical pathways were lesioned bilaterally while V1 areas were partially preserved. Results: Visual stimuli escaped conscious perception but still activated V1 regions that were functionally disconnected from PFC. Interpretation: These results are consistent with the hypothesis of a causal role of PFC in visual awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a highly efficient free‐breathing and contrast‐agent‐free three‐dimensional (3D) whole‐heart Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Angiography (CMRA) sequence at 0.55T. Methods: Free‐breathing whole‐heart CMRA has been previously proposed at 1.5 and 3T. Direct application of this sequence to 0.55T is not possible due to changes in the magnetic properties of the tissues. To enable free‐breathing CMRA at 0.55T, pulse sequence design and acquisition parameters of a previously proposed whole‐heart CMRA framework are optimized via Bloch simulations. Image navigators (iNAVs) are used to enable nonrigid respiratory motion‐correction and 100% respiratory scan efficiency. Patch‐based low‐rank denoising is employed to accelerate the scan and account for the reduced signal‐to‐noise ratio at 0.55T. The proposed approach was evaluated on 11 healthy subjects. Image quality was assessed by a clinical expert (1: poor to 5: excellent) for all intrapericardiac structures. Quantitative evaluation was performed by assessing the vessel sharpness of the proximal right coronary artery (RCA). Results: Optimization resulted in an imaging flip angle of 110∘$$ 11{0}^{\circ } $$, fat saturation flip angle of 180∘$$ 18{0}^{\circ } $$, and six k‐space lines for iNAV encoding. The relevant cardiac structures and main coronary arteries were visible in all subjects, with excellent image quality (mean 4.9/5.0$$ 4.9/5.0 $$) and minimal artifacts (mean 4.9/5.0$$ 4.9/5.0 $$), with RCA vessel sharpness (50.3%±9.8%$$ 50.3\%\pm 9.8\% $$) comparable to previous studies at 1.5T. Conclusion: The proposed approach enables 3D whole‐heart CMRA at 0.55T in a 6‐min scan (5.9±0.7 min$$ 5.9\pm 0.7\;\min $$), providing excellent image quality, minimal artifacts, and comparable vessel sharpness to previous 1.5T studies. Future work will include the evaluation of the proposed approach in patients with cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the fiberglass industry making E‐Glass fiber products predominantly, reduction in glass batch melting energy can be achieved by using alternative raw materials that improve the kinetics of the batch‐to‐melt (BtM) conversion process. The present study evaluates the effects of the following five types of natural silicate minerals: kaolin (comprising low [<5 wt%] and high [>50 wt%] "free" quartz), pyrophyllite, anorthosite, and wollastonite, on the BtM conversion process using a reference commercial E‐Glass composition. The study used isothermal heat treatment of individual silicate minerals and batch samples containing them, infrared spectroscopy, powder x‐ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to characterize the stages of the BtM conversion process in detail. Based on the results of this study, a simplified reaction scheme or mechanism is proposed to account for the effect of batch chemistry on the BtM kinetics, namely, "free SiO2" + "free CaO" → CaSiO3 controls the kinetics of the batch melting. Relative to the E‐Glass control batch made using kaolin, sand, and limestone, the DSC tests showed the benefits of using pyrophyllite (replacing kaolin and sand), anorthosite (replacing kaolin and some limestone), and wollastonite (replacing limestone) in lowering the BtM conversion energy (from room temperature [RT] to 1200°C) between 20% and 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) mortality in Chile is among the highest worldwide. In 2006, the Chilean government launched a programme guaranteeing access to gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) for patients aged 35–49 years. We evaluated the impact of this programme on digestive cancer mortality. After conducting an interrupted time series analysis of hospitalisation and mortality data from 2002 to 2018 publicly available from the Chilean Department of Health Statistics and Information, we calculated the change in the proportion of individuals without gallbladder since 10 years. We then estimated age, gender, region, and calendar‐year standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) as a function of the change in the proportion of individuals without gallbladder. The cholecystectomy rate increased by 45 operations per 100,000 persons per year (95%CI 19–72) after the introduction of the health programme. Each 1% increase in the proportion of individuals without gallbladder since 10 years was associated with a 0.73% decrease in GBC mortality (95% CI −1.05% to −0.38%), but the negative correlation was limited to women, southern Chile and age over 60. We also found decreasing mortality rates for extrahepatic bile duct, liver, oesophageal and stomach cancer with increasing proportions of individuals without gallbladder. To conclude, 12 years after its inception, the Chilean cholecystectomy programme has markedly and heterogeneously changed cholecystectomy rates. Results based on aggregate data indicate a negative correlation between the proportion of individuals without gallbladder and mortality due to gallbladder and other digestive cancers, which requires validation using individual‐level longitudinal data to reduce the potential impact of ecological bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A previous injection algorithm termed the "Toxin Lift" was recently introduced and described volume increases in the midface following neuromodulator treatments of the jawline. Increase in midfacial volume due to soft tissue repositioning could also affect the severity of infraorbital hollows. Objective: The objective is therefore to evaluate whether the severity of infraorbital hollows can be improved by injecting neuromodulators in the supra‐mandibular segment of the platysma. Materials and Methods: A total of 35 volunteers (11 males/24 females) with a mean age of 39.8 (9.6) years and a mean BMI of 25.2 (5.2) kg/m2 were investigated. Bilateral infraorbital regions were evaluated via clinical assessment and semi‐quantitative 3D imaging. The applied injection technique targeted the platysma via four injection points administering 5 I.U. per injection point resulting in a total of 20 I.U. per facial side. Results: Volume increase of the infraorbital region was 0.13 cc at 15 days (p = 0.001) and was 0.02 cc at 30 days (p = 0.452) whereas the skin displacement in cranial direction was 0.54 mm at 15 days (p < 0.001) and was 0.31 mm at 30 days (p < 0.001). Clinical evaluation revealed a highly statistically significant improvement of the tear trough, palpaebromalar groove, and of the lid‐cheek junction when compared to baseline with all p < 0.001. Conclusion: The results of this clinical prospective interventional analysis revealed that the "Toxin Lift" injection technique is capable to improve the clinical appearance of infraorbital hollows. The effects can be explained by the concepts of facial biomechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study mapped the diverse personal positions of the Wayuu indigenous community in Colombia regarding the acceptability of political amnesties in a post‐conflict context. The sample was composed of 130 indigenous adults between 18 and 74 years of age residing in the Guajira region, who were shown 12 amnesty‐related scenarios. These scenarios were composed according to a three‐factor design: (a) the level of detail that the amnesty applicant (former combatant of some illegal armed group in Colombia) was willing to disclose, (b) whether or not the applicant asked for forgiveness, and (c) the severity of the punishment endured by the amnesty applicant (A cluster analysis yielded three qualitatively different positions: never acceptable (18%), almost always acceptable (9%) and depends jointly on the quality of the information and remorse (73%). For the vast majority of Wayuu community members, a political amnesty for a former combatant of a Colombian armed group is not acceptable. For those who have accepted it, amnesty is only possible if the applicant proves that he or she is not causing harm to third parties. And it would also be conditioned to the particular situation of each case. A collective amnesty process has no chance of being considered acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers and biopolymers have gained significance due to their applicability and use in industry reducing the negative impact of polymers based on petroleum. A possible solution for the conventional polymer's biodegradability is bio‐composites, which contain natural fibers or aggregates such as microalgae. Hence, microalgae biomass has a promising application to address the biodegradability issue of conventional polymers. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris biomass was mixed with pectin for control samples with glycerol as plasticizer. The mixture microalgae‐pectin‐glycerol, and the addition of pine needles was used to evaluate the tensile strength and compression of the bio‐composite. This bio‐composite showed a higher Young's modulus of 95.66 MPa for blend C2 and a higher strength with 20% of pectin concentration in the mixture. Additionally, the pine needle addition did not have a low effect between the compression results. On the other hand, analysis on elasticity showed that the full recovery of the bio‐composite happened after 10 min in all the blends. Also, the bio‐composite showed a slow release of nitrogen and phosphorous after 5 days of water addition, indicating an effective slow release for blend B for both nutrients. Water uptake capacity and loss of soluble material was studied using pullulan, chitosan, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide additives. These cationic surfactants demonstrated their potential for reduction of water solubility of the bio‐composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the field of Learning Analytics and the need for practical applications and evidence of its effectiveness in real learning environments. The article presents six papers that cover a range of academic disciplines and utilize different types of data. The first group of papers focuses on traditional data sources and aims to identify students who need assistance and provide guidance to improve their learning processes. The second group of papers utilizes data from various sources, such as physical and physiological signals, to enhance the understanding and improvement of interactions during collaborative work and learning. The article concludes by stating that this special section provides a starting point for those interested in reproducible ideas and validated tools in the field of Learning Analytics. [Extracted from the article]

Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) is a condition characterized by the formation of itchy wheals and/or angioedema in response to specific triggers. It accounts for 20-30% of all cases of chronic urticaria. The triggers for CIndU can be physical or non-physical, such as mechanical friction, exposure to cold or heat, pressure, or specific agents. The diagnosis of CIndU is based on a thorough patient history and provocation testing. Treatment options include antihistamines and, in some cases, off-label use of omalizumab. Managing CIndU involves measuring and monitoring disease activity, mitigating triggers, and using medication. [Extracted from the article]

Despite myriad technological advances in neuroscience, the nervous system harbors morphological phenomena that continue to defy explanation. First described by the classical microscopists, including Santiago Ramon y Cajal, at the end of the 19th century, the neuronal intranuclear rodlet (INR) has mystified neurohistologists and microscopists for centuries. In this review article, we will provide an overview of the discovery of the INR as well as the subsequent attempts to elucidate its nature and functional significance. We outline our own studies of this structure over the past three decades, focusing on its elusive nature, its interactions with other nuclear organelles, and on disease‐related quantitative changes in Alzheimer's disease. We then describe our somewhat serendipitous discovery that these structures are filamentous aggregates of the nucleotide‐synthesizing metabolic enzyme inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase. The filamentation of metabolic enzymes to form mesoscale cellular structures called "rods and rings" or "cytoophidia" (Greek for "cellular snakes") is a recently described phenomenon that remains to be systematically investigated in the nervous system. Thus, this review provides an intriguing historical juxtaposition in neuroscience, inculcating the neuronal INR, once a mere morphological curiosity, into one of the most rapidly evolving fields in contemporary cell biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mass production of µLEDs requires an upscaling approach on 200 mm wafers, which implies the deployment of a technology that achieves zero defectivity without liftoff. In this report, Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) processing is successfully optimized for nanostructuring GaN‐based Silicon‐On‐Insulator (SOI) substrates. The etching of SiO2/GaN/AlN/Si/SiO2 layers using different plasmas is conducted and multi‐layer nanopillars 100–200 mm in diameter are fabricated. This approach generates zero‐defect arrays of pillars, which is particularly advantageous for the growth process. In addition, the SiO2 at the bottom of the pillar allows it to twist during the subsequent GaN regrowth, as this layer becomes soft at the growth temperature >1000 °C. This ability to deform enables a coalescence of pillars into layers with reduced dislocation density. As a result, high‐quality GaN microplatelets and µLEDs are grown via a bottom‐up approach based on pendeoepitaxy using metal–organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The fabricated µLEDs have a very smooth surface with a roughness of 0.6 nm which facilitated the implementation of an easy and simple transfer protocol. Adhesive tape and metalmetal bonding, are used to bond the µLEDs onto a metal‐coated silicon substrate. The reported findings offer exciting new insights into the development of high‐performance displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural communities have unique mental health needs and challenges which are often related to the uniqueness of the community itself. On a per‐capita basis, the investment in rural mental health research is far less than that in urban communities. Added to this, rural communities are often at risk of researchers, based in large urban universities, visiting, conducting the research with minimal engagement with local stakeholders and limited understanding of the community's social‐service‐environmental context. Often this research leaves no visible benefit to the community with respect to increased knowledge, resources or community capacity. This commentary is based on the insights of a panel of authors from 9 countries, each with extensive experience of rural mental health research and work. And it seeks to stimulate the discourse on responsible rural mental health practice. The aim of this commentary is to provide a reference on research practice for novice and experienced researchers on rural mental health research and practice, to assist policymakers, government and funding bodies to establish appropriate standards and guidelines for rural mental health research, and support rural communities to advocate for equity of funding and sustainable research as they engage with researchers, funders and governments. The 10 standards in this declaration will help guide researchers toward research that is beneficial to rural communities and also help develop the local community's research capability, which ultimately will serve to enhance the mental health and well‐being of rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To rigorously evaluate the impact of the percentage of parenchymal volume preserved (PPVP) and how well the preserved parenchyma recovers from ischaemia (Recischaemia) on functional outcomes after partial nephrectomy (PN) using an accurate and objective software‐based methodology for estimating parenchymal volumes and split renal function (SRF). A secondary objective was to assess potential predictors of the PPVP. Patients and Methods: A total of 894 PN patients with available studies (2011–2014) were evaluated. The PPVP was measured from cross‐sectional imaging at ≤3 months before and 3–12 months after PN using semi‐automated software. Pearson correlation evaluated relationships between continuous variables. Multivariable linear regression evaluated predictors of ipsilateral glomerular filtration rate (GFR) preserved and the PPVP. Relative‐importance analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the PPVP on ipsilateral GFR preserved. Recischaemia was defined as the percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved normalised by the PPVP. Results: The median tumour size and R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score were 3.4 cm and 7, respectively. In all, 49 patients (5.5%) had a solitary kidney. In all, 538 (60%)/251 (28%)/104 (12%) patients were managed with warm/cold/zero ischaemia, respectively. The median pre/post ipsilateral GFRs were 40/31 mL/min/1.73 m2, and the median (interquartile range [IQR]) percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved was 80% (71–88%). The median pre/post ipsilateral parenchymal volumes were 181/149 mL, and the median (IQR) PPVP was 84% (76–92%). In all, 330 patients (37%) had a PPVP of <80%, while only 34 (4%) had a Recischaemia of <80%. The percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved correlated strongly with the PPVP (r = 0.83, P < 0.01) and loss of parenchymal volume accounted for 80% of the loss of ipsilateral GFR. Multivariable analysis confirmed that the PPVP was the strongest predictor of ipsilateral GFR preserved. Greater tumour size and endophytic and nearness properties of the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score were associated with a reduced PPVP (all P ≤ 0.01). Solitary kidney and cold ischaemia were associated with an increased PPVP (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: A reduced PPVP predominates regarding functional decline after PN, although a low Recischaemia can also contribute. Tumour‐related factors strongly influence the PPVP, while surgical efforts can improve the PPVP as observed for patients with solitary kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In natural systems, different plant species have been shown to modulate specific nitrogen (N) cycling processes so as to meet their N demand, thereby potentially influencing their own niche. This phenomenon might go beyond plant interactions with symbiotic microorganisms and affect the much less explored plant interactions with free‐living microorganisms involved in soil N cycling, such as nitrifiers and denitrifiers.Here, we investigated variability in the modulation of soil nitrifying and denitrifying enzyme activities (NEA and DEA, respectively), and their ratio (NEA : DEA), across 193 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. We studied the genetic and environmental determinants of such plant–soil interactions, and effects on plant biomass production in the next generation.We found that NEA, DEA, and NEA : DEA varied c. 30‐, 15‐ and 60‐fold, respectively, among A. thaliana genotypes and were related to genes linked with stress response, flowering, and nitrate nutrition, as well as to soil parameters at the geographic origin of the analysed genotypes. Moreover, plant‐mediated N cycling activities correlated with the aboveground biomass of next‐generation plants in home vs away nonautoclaved soil, suggesting a transgenerational impact of soil biotic conditioning on plant performance.Altogether, these findings suggest that nutrient‐based plant niche construction may be much more widespread than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Antenatal management of monochorionic pregnancies complicated by twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS) remains sub‐optimally defined. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of fetoscopic selective laser photocoagulation with respect to fetal and neonatal survival. Methods: A case series is reported with patients referred to the Texas Children's Fetal Center for evaluation and management of suspected spontaneous TAPS without concomitant twin‐to‐twin syndrome from 2014 to 2023. All evaluations were performed by our team and patients with stage II‐IV TAPS were offered expectant management, intrauterine transfusion, or laser therapy. Cases of post‐laser TAPS were excluded from this study. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: During a 10‐year time period, 18 patients presented to our center for the management of TAPS. Thirteen patients had stage II–IV TAPS (13/18, 72%) and elected to proceed with laser photocoagulation. All procedures were completed, and "solomonization" was performed for 12/13. Normalization of middle cerebral artery Dopplers in both fetuses was noted after all cases. There was one intrauterine fetal death of the 26 viable fetuses after laser treatment, which was complicated by selective growth restriction. Most patients (12/13) were delivered by Cesarean section at a mean gestational age of 29 ± 3 weeks. Subsequently, there was one ex‐donor neonatal death in an infant who had prenatal hydrops. Overall, 30‐day postnatal survival was 24/26 fetuses (92.3%). Conclusions: In the setting of spontaneous TAPS, laser therapy is feasible and appears to be an effective approach with overall favorable perinatal outcomes. Key points: What's already known about this topic? Optimal management of twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS) remains a challenge and outcomes vary between spontaneous and post‐laser TAPS. What does this study add? We present a series of patients with spontaneous TAPS without concomitant twin‐to‐twin syndrome managed with fetoscopic laser photocoagulation. We show resolution of Doppler findings and >90% survival. Outcomes for TAPS managed with a fetoscopic laser appear favorable and may be considered definitive therapy targeting the underlying vascular pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grasslands provide a wide range of ecosystem services (ESs). However, there is currently no method for easily diagnosing the level of ESs produced. Our aim was to develop ES indicators based on botanical surveys, which are readily available data and integrative of grassland spatiotemporal variability. Methods: Based on academic knowledge and expertise, we identified several simple vegetation criteria that we aggregated using a multicriteria analysis tool to construct indicators of the level of ESs provided by grasslands. In this study, the indicators were calculated from over 2000 botanical surveys spread over a wide biogeographical gradient. Results: Analyses of correlation between the various indicators show that "forage supply" and "diversity conservation" were not correlated. "Forage availability" and "nitrogen availability for the vegetation" were positively linked together and negatively linked to the robustness of the plant community to extreme events. A temporal approach highlights that the "biodiversity conservation" score decreased from 1970 to 2010 and that "nitrogen availability for the vegetation" was lower in 1970 and 1980 than in 2000 and 2010. Conclusions: These results show that our aggregation method based on a large data set of botanical surveys could be appropriate for studying temporal dynamics of ESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the impact, performance, degree of specialization, and collaboration patterns of the worldwide scientific production on tissue engineering in otorhinolaryngology at the level of countries and institutions. Methods: Two different techniques were used, performance and science mapping analyses, using as samples all the available documents regarding tissue engineering focused on otorhinolaryngology applications. The dataset was retrieved from the Core Collection of the Web of Science database from 1900 to 2020. Social structure was analyzed using science mapping analysis with VOSviewer software. Results: The United States was the main producer, followed by Germany, and Japan. Malaysia and Germany had the highest Relative Specialization Index, indicating their greater relative interest in this area compared to other countries. The social structure analysis showed that the United States and Germany had significant co‐authorship relationships with other countries. The University of California System, Kyoto University, and Harvard University were the leading institutions producing literature in this field. These latter two institutions showed the largest number of collaborations, although most of them were with institutions within their own country. There was a lack of connections between different communities of research. Conclusion: The United States is the main country driving progress in this research area, housing the most notable institutions. However, significant collaborations between these research centers are currently lacking. Encouraging greater cooperation among these institutions and their researchers would promote the exchange of knowledge, ultimately facilitating and accelerating advancements in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is transcript of the round table conference held in the memory of Jose Munoz, to celebrate his work. The panel included Gustavus Stadler, Jeanne Vaccaro, Peter Coviello, Karen Tongson and others. Gustavus Stadler called him intellectual guide and close friend, shocked at his death at 46, Peter Coviello called him probable chaos. Karen Tongson remembered Jose's love for Vampire Weekend's Oxford Comma.