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Free‐living amoebae (FLA) serve as hosts for a variety of endosymbionts, which are microorganisms that reside and multiply within the FLA. Some of these endosymbionts pose a pathogenic threat to humans, animals, or both. The symbiotic relationship with FLA not only offers these microorganisms protection but also enhances their survival outside their hosts and assists in their dispersal across diverse habitats, thereby escalating disease transmission. This review is intended to offer an exhaustive overview of the existing mathematical models that have been applied to understand the dynamics of FLA, especially concerning their interactions with bacteria. An extensive literature review was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases to identify mathematical models that describe the dynamics of interactions between FLA and bacteria, as published in peer‐reviewed scientific journals. The literature search revealed several FLA–bacteria model systems, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pasteurella multocida, and Legionella spp. Although the published mathematical models account for significant system dynamics such as predator–prey relationships and non‐linear growth rates, they generally overlook spatial and temporal heterogeneity in environmental conditions, such as temperature, and population diversity. Future mathematical models will need to incorporate these factors to enhance our understanding of FLA–bacteria dynamics and to provide valuable insights for future risk assessment and disease control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic free‐living amoebae (pFLA) are single‐celled eukaryotes responsible for causing intractable infections with high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Current therapeutic approaches include cocktails of antibiotic, antifungal, and antimicrobial compounds. Unfortunately, the efficacy of these can be limited, driving the need for the discovery of new treatments. Pan anti‐amebic agents would be ideal; however, identifying these agents has been a challenge, likely due to the limited evolutionary relatedness of the different pFLA. Here, we discuss the potential of targeting amoebae glucose metabolic pathways as the differences between pFLA and humans suggest specific inhibitors could be developed as leads for new therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Men with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are an understudied population. The present study characterized differences between men and women with SLE. Methods: We examined cross‐sectionally participants with SLE in the All of Us Research Program, a US cohort with a participant survey at enrollment (May 2018 to June 2022) and linked electronic health record (EHR) data. We described and compared characteristics of men and women with SLE encompassing disease manifestations and prescribed medications from EHR data and socioeconomic factors, including health literacy and health care access and utilization, from surveys. We reported racial variations stratified by sex. Results: Of 1,462 participants with SLE, 126 (9%) were male. Men reported lower educational attainment and less fatigue than women. Myocardial infarction was significantly more common in men. Men had significantly less confidence in completing medical forms than women and exhibited a trend toward requiring more help in reading health‐related materials. Barriers to health care access and utilization were common in both men and women (40% versus 47%, respectively, reporting some reason for delay in care; P = 0.35). Women of race other than Black or African American or White more often reported delaying care due to cultural differences between patient and provider. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated major clinical and health literacy differences in men and women with SLE. Socioeconomic factors were significant barriers to health care in both sexes. Our study suggests men have disproportionately poorer health literacy, which may exacerbate preexisting disparities. Further large prospective studies, focusing on recruiting men, are needed to better characterize racial differences in men with SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions are a form of global change threatening biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and human health, and cost government agencies billions of dollars in remediation and eradication programs. Attempts to eradicate introduced species are most successful when detection of newly established populations occurs early in the invasion process. We review existing and emerging tools – specifically environmental DNA (eDNA), chemical approaches, remote sensing, citizen science, and agency‐based monitoring – for surveillance and monitoring of invasive species. For each tool, we consider the benefits provided, examine challenges and limitations, discuss data sharing and integration, and suggest best practice implementations for the early detection of invasive species. Programs that promote public participation in large‐scale biodiversity identification and monitoring (such as iNaturalist and eBird) may be the best resources for early detection. However, data from these platforms must be monitored and used by agencies that can mount appropriate response efforts. Control efforts are more likely to succeed when they are focused on early detection and prevention, thereby saving considerable time and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is DNA extracted from environmental samples (e.g. water) that can be used to infer presence or abundance of species, sometimes with greater sensitivity than conventional sampling methods. Previous eDNA applications to lotic ecosystems have shown promise in accurately inferring species presence, although studies attempting to estimate species abundance have had mixed results. This may be because eDNA applications in lotic environments are challenged by directional streamflow, which has the potential to transport detectable eDNA downstream from its source. Our study sought to evaluate whether results from eDNA corresponded well with the presence and abundance of the narrowly endemic, large river specialist crayfish Faxonius eupunctus obtained through a rigorous, well‐tested conventional sampling method, or instead, if downstream eDNA transport in this large river system might overwhelm the effect of local species abundance. We used a species‐specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to amplify F. eupunctus eDNA collected in surface water samples from streams within the Eleven Point River drainage, Arkansas and Missouri, U.S.A. We estimated F. eupunctus eDNA detection probabilities and examined relationships between eDNA detection probability and site‐scale variables using a hierarchical occupancy and detection probability modelling framework. Results from eDNA sampling showed ˜90% agreement relative to our conventional sampling method in estimating F. eupunctus presence, although eDNA failed to detect F. eupunctus eDNA at two upstream sites where conventional sampling detected F. eupunctus individuals. We found a poor relationship between F. eupunctus eDNA detection probability and local F. eupunctus abundance, and a strong relationship between eDNA detection probability and upstream river distance, which we used as a proxy for the risk of downstream transport of eDNA from upstream F. eupunctus populations. Our results demonstrate eDNA is a largely reliable tool for estimating the presence of benthic organisms in large, freshwater rivers. However, the likelihood of detecting F. eupunctus eDNA presence in our study increased as we moved down the stream network, even though local species abundances were greatest at more upstream locations. Therefore, the ability of eDNA to accurately reflect species presence or abundance in some lotic environments may be hindered by the downstream transport of detectable eDNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Approximately two‐thirds of wine produced in the UK is bottle‐fermented sparkling wine. Effervescence and foamability are key features used to assess English sparkling wine (ESW) quality. A critical, yet understudied, area of research is the potential for dosage to influence foam behaviour via associated changes in wine viscosity. RESULTS: In this study, dosage treatments of five increasing levels of sucrose (from 0 to 31 g L−1) were added to an ESW. After storage, the foamability attributes of the wines were analysed via an adapted Mosalux method and a novel image analysis method combined with free pour of the wine. Results indicate that increasing sucrose concentration improved foam formation, but reduced foam stability, likely due to the sucrose added causing a modification in wine viscosity. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the impact that dosage treatments can have on the quality of foam produced upon pouring, and therefore have the potential to inform future sparkling winemaking practices. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) systems have been impeded because of the catastrophic failure of laser windows. The window's failure is caused by localized laser-induced heating of window material. This heating is believed to occur due to increases in absorption on or near the surface of the window. This increase is believed to be caused by either adsorption of carbon-based soot from the collisional gas or by the diffusion of rubidium into the bulk material. The work presented here focuses on the diffusion of Rb into the bulk window materials and strives to identify a superior material to use as windows. The results of this research indicate that aluminum oxynitride (ALON), sapphire, MgAl2O4 (spinel), and ZrO2 are resistant to alkali-induced changes in optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective list theory of well-being holds that a plurality of basic objective goods directly benefit people. These can include goods such as loving relationships, meaningful knowledge, autonomy, achievement, and pleasure. The objective list theory is pluralistic (it does not identify an underlying feature shared by these goods) and objective (the basic goods benefit people independently of their reactive attitudes toward them). In this paper, I discuss the structure of this theory and show how it is supported by people's considered judgments. I then respond to three objections. First, I argue that there is no conceptual reason to favor a monistic theory of well-being over a pluralistic one (such as the objective list theory). Second, I argue that states of affairs can benefit people even though they hold no positive reactive attitudes toward them. And, third, I argue that objective list theorists can identify a fairly-determinate list of basic goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most appropriate amount of psychotherapy to address a particular problem is of interest to clinicians, consumers and those responsible for funding of care. The dose–response relationship has been examined within the context of randomized clinical trials, meta-analysis as well as naturalistic studies; however, each of these approaches has limits. Many of these approaches have conceptually blurred two distinct concepts: do participants with different characteristics need different amounts of therapy and do otherwise equal participants show different outcomes when given different levels of (a particular type of) therapy? For any study design, if the experimenter does not determine the duration of therapy, then the length of therapy is said to be endogenous. This endogeneity can bias any attempt to untangle the answer to these two questions. An extension of the biasing effect of this endogeneity involves the choice of times to assess outcome; if outcome assessment depends on when therapy is terminated (rather than exogenously chosen) then estimates of the trajectory of outcome may be biased. Design considerations to minimize this effect are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which analyzes the perceptions of accelerated and traditional dental students on career choice and occupations in Kansas City, Missouri. The study conducted a survey to two types of students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry on their perception on their occupation and career choice. It shows that the there was no significant difference on the perception of the students. It reveals that six-year students perceived dental schools as hard.

That structural characteristics act as markers of modified treatment outcome is a long standing idea in the alcohol treatment field. In order to test whether patient age is a factor to be considered in making treatment assignments, we examined data collected under a clinical trial. Two hundred and twenty-nine patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: extended cognitive behavioral treatment (CB), relationship enhancement (RE), or relationship and vocational enhancement (VE). This paper reports on outcome (alcohol use) 3-6 months after treatment assignment. Our question was, would different age groups assigned to the treatment conditions exhibit different outcomes? There were no significant main effects by either treatment condition or age group. There was a significant treatment condition by age group interaction. With increasing age, the differences in treatment seemed to increase. For the younger aged group (18-29 years old) no statistically significant treatment differences were detected. Middle aged patients (30-49 years old) did best in the RE condition. Older aged patients (50 + years old) did best when assigned to the CB condition. These findings lead us to conclude that patient age is a variable which should be considered when testing patient-treatment matching hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment and follow-up session attendance data from Project MATCH, a multisite clinical trial investigating patient-treatment matching, were analyzed to study compliance. High rates of compliance to both therapy and research protocols were achieved, enhancing treatment integrity and data quality. Strong baseline predictors of compliance did not emerge, and the small relationships found were consistent with reports from previous studies. Attendance at therapy sessions was moderately correlated with research follow-up participation. Treatment compliance predicted drinking outcome, underscoring the importance of retaining patients in treatment. Future studies should examine the associations between compliance and structural features of the treatment environment, treatment delivery, and context-features that are often under the control of the clinician/investigator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]