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We review and compare conflict early warning systems on three dimensions: transparency and accessibility, key parameters, and forecasts. The review reveals a need for improved transparency and accessibility of data and code, considerable variation in key parameters across systems, and significant overlaps in countries with the highest risk. We propose that developing standards and platforms that promote transparency, accessibility, and inter-system cooperation can improve knowledge proliferation and system development to mitigate and prevent political violence.

The Mughal Dynasty commenced in 1526, led by the esteemed Babur, who is renowned as the pioneer and founder of Indian civilization through the process of unification. Due to its vast territorial reach from Kabul to Bengal, with natural boundaries such as the Arabian Sea and Himalayas, this dynasty was able to establish sophisticated formal institutions that surpassed those of other empires worldwide at that time. This study examines the complex governance system of The Mughal Empire, with a focus on the reigns of Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Aurangzeb. Abul-Fazl Ibn Mubarak, a prominent historian during Akbar's reign, elucidated the Mughals' adoption of the dual strategies of 'JahanBani' (state maintenance) and 'Jahangiri' (imperial expansion). The article also examines Akbar's reforms in land revenue systems, which aimed to provide uniformity and economic stability in order to sustain the Empire's prosperity. The inclusion of women in the Mughal court is examined to highlight their cultural, political, and social achievements. This examination thoroughly explores the functioning of the Mughal administration and how it effectively maintained the empire's supremacy.

The article seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the cultural interactions that took place between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the 20th century. The study will examine the pivotal elements and significant events that influenced their strong bond and facilitated its expansion. These bonds have been reinforced via reciprocal esteem, common traditions, and a shared history. In the 20th century, the relationship between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan underwent a transformation, entering a new phase marked by increased collaboration and cross-cultural exchange. Additionally, it aims to furnish readers with information regarding the pivotal and sophisticated phases of their relationship's progression during the designated timeframe, while also serving as a valuable resource for individuals seeking to explore this subject in greater depth. The aim of this study is to analyze the key components and occurrences that have significantly contributed to the formation of a robust and mutually advantageous relationship between the involved parties. The Afghans and the people of Transoxiana have historically maintained significant and continuous cultural and social connections. Our relationship with Uzbekistan, a nation that safeguards the historic Transoxiana culture, has transitioned into a new era in the twentieth century.

The translation has faced substantial opposition since its inception, as a multitude of scholars argue that it undermines the authenticity of the source material. Intentionally or unintentionally, challenges and acts of disloyalty occur during the translation process of grammatical structures, phrases, proverbs, quips, verbal imagery, poetry, and other components, according to this assertion. Additionally, translating commonly used terms that frequently conflict with the target language may present challenges. This subject is written in a descriptive and scholarly language. The research possesses importance in its translation, regardless of whether it is presented in prose or poetry format. It enhances the verbiage and fulfills the requirements of the audience. It also provides assistance to educators in the subject of education. Translation serves as a highly effective means of transmitting knowledge. Nonetheless, its efficacy and dependability are contingent on the subject matter's integrity being maintained. This objective can be realized when the translator demonstrates fluency in both languages and has in-depth understanding of the local customs, dialects, and subtleties.

The Uzbek people have a long-standing presence in the geographical region that is now known as Afghanistan. The establishment of present-day Afghanistan commenced in 1747. The Uzbeks, who have resided in this region since this specific time, were unable to avail themselves of the state's authority to safeguard their language and literature. In contrast, the prevailing governmental authority has exerted numerous forms of coercion and hindrance. The growing individual and social dissent among Uzbeks since the 1960s started to yield results as the current conditions became somewhat favorable. These findings were initially observed in concise radio broadcasts and occasional broadcasts in Dari.In 1978, a novel technique was introduced, and however its application was restricted to a small number of poems. The "Yulduz" newspaper, which started publication during this time, became the sole officially acknowledged periodical of the Afghan Uzbeks for duration of 12 years. The "Yulduz" newspaper has assumed a significant undertaking in this regard. Consequently, it holds a significant position in the affections and creative endeavors of the Afghanistan Uzbeks.

The question of knowledge, which has always been mistaken for erroneous knowledge, is one of the most contentious discussions in the history of philosophy. One of the most well-known philosophers of antiquity, Plato contributed much to setting a benchmark for knowledge. Based on several of Plato's dialogues that inquire about the possibility of genuine knowledge, this article seeks to investigate the difference between true and false knowledge. Plato examined two standards for knowing in accordance with Parmenides' well-known claim that knowledge belongs to beings and not to non-beings. First, knowledge is associated with veracity. Second, there needs to be perfect knowledge. Additionally, he demonstrates that actual knowledge is distinct from sense perception and needs to be unified through the use of the dialectic method, a unique Socratic and Platonic debating technique. These dialogues highlight the differences between real and incorrect knowledge, citing traits like stability and infallibility. This study suggests that one of the best strategies we have to combat erroneous information or what is referred to as inaccurate knowledge nowadays is to use Plato's dialogues as a foundation upon which we can challenge any belief that purports to be real knowledge.

Throughout history, it has been traditional to formally receive political and diplomatic representatives at various levels during national, regional, and worldwide events using diplomatic protocols, which originated from diplomatic courtesies. Establishing trust and confidence in those who will be taking part in future meetings and conversations begins with the use of protocols. Officials' concerns are lessened when hosts adhere strictly to these guidelines since they know what actions and behaviors are appropriate at a given time and place. Understanding this notion reduces anxiety and boosts their confidence during conversations. Protocols create the conditions required for state representatives to communicate successfully, hence promoting state-to-state and international contact. A state's ties may become strained if protocols are not followed precisely and correctly. As a result, it is evident that protocols and their use in diplomatic relations have a substantial impact on the political and diplomatic ties between nations as well as on the development of links between states or parties. We have chosen to concentrate this research on investigating the function of protocols in diplomatic contacts due to the significant significance and influence of protocols in diplomatic relations.

Afghanistan ratified the CEDAW accord without any conditions in 2003 after the deal was formally recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980. According to the Vienna Agreement; countries can impose restrictions on United Nations resolutions that contradict domestic laws. The Afghan government has decided not to step in, despite the fact that there is a clash between the CEDAW Convention and the Afghan legal system, particularly the Civil Code. The parties to the CEDAW Convention remove from their legal systems any clauses that restrict gender equality as specified by the convention. This article compares and contrasts the rights and obligations regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, guardianship, custody, and proclamation found in the Afghan Civil Code with Article 16 of the CEDAW Convention.

The morphological dynamics of rivers are motivated by way of a number of things, including floodplain sedimentation, channel migration, sediment transport, and hydrodynamics. A considerable information of the complicated dynamics of river structures is important to layout river initiatives which can be sustainable and environmentally conscious. Implementing thorough river control plans that include hydraulic infrastructure and ecological restoration projects is important to overcoming these boundaries. This solution will effectively manipulate competing needs for water resources whilst ensuring the preservation of the location's herbal heritage. In the cease, this study affords essential new understandings of the complex interactions between hydrological patterns, human hobby, and geological procedures within the Amu Darya Basin. The application of sustainable land control and water useful resource making plans in Afghanistan might be appreciably impacted with the aid of those findings. Afghanistan has a lot of freshwaters because the Hindu Kush Mountains receive a significant quantity of precipitation. An estimated 75 billion cubic meters of potential water resources, consisting of 57 billion cubic meters of surface water and 18 billion cubic meters of groundwater, are found in Afghanistan. The Amu Darya, Northern River Basin, Helmand River Basin, Harirud-Marghab River Basin, and Kabul River Basin make up the Indus River Basin, which provides around two-thirds of Afghanistan's freshwater resources. All of Afghanistan's rivers, with the exception of the Northern River, flow across international borders into neighboring countries. The distribution of water from the Amu Darya River was subject to limitations imposed by the USSR, which was previously known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The majority of the water is used mostly for farming. Protocol 566, formally ratified by the former USSR, allowed the transfer of water from the Amu Darya River to the four

This study provides a detailed analysis of the Afghanistan Constitution of 2004, focusing on the principles of separation and balance of powers as outlined in the renowned theory originating from influential political thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. The theory of separation of powers has gained widespread acceptance globally, serving as a fundamental tenet of political thought and constitutional law. Through a meticulous examination, this research investigates the incorporation of the theory within the 2004 Afghan constitution, scrutinizing its manifestation across various constitutional provisions. The constitution explicitly delineates executive authority to the government, legislative power to the National Assembly, and judicial power to the judiciary. However, the concentration of extensive powers in the presidency raises valid concerns regarding the preservation of the principle of balance of powers within the constitutional framework. This study aims to elucidate these concerns and provide insights into the potential ramifications for the effective separation and balance of powers within Afghanistan's governance structure. The analysis delves into the mechanisms established by the constitution to ensure the independence and accountability of each branch of government. It examines the interplay between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, evaluating their respective roles and responsibilities in maintaining the integrity of the constitutional order. Furthermore, the study explores avenues for enhancing the balance of powers and strengthening democratic governance in Afghanistan, considering the evolving political landscape and future prospects for constitutional reform.

Human activity increases emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols, among other things, and has a significant impact on Earth's atmosphere. This alteration is one of the primary causes of climate change. The main source of emissions is carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. Greenhouse gases and aerosols affect the Earth's energy balance by varying the quantity of solar radiation that enters the atmosphere and the amount of thermal radiation that escapes. This has an impact on the climate. There is a direct relationship between earth's temperature and human activity. A few more things that contribute to global warming are rubbish, transportation, agriculture, deforestation, and animals in particular. The rise in global temperatures is the result of several factors. fluctuations in the Earth's atmosphere's concentrations of greenhouse gases, particulate matter, black carbon, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons are the main causes of fluctuations in global temperature. Since human behavior is the foundation of all aspects of existence, people must always be watching over and guiding others. A detailed examination of environmental economics and the part that human activity plays in global warming is necessary to mitigate the detrimental effects of its spread. Changes in the quantity and composition of various gases and particles in the atmosphere can contribute to fluctuations in temperature within the climate system. This study focused on how human activity has been the primary source of temperature increases since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Human activity has had a significantly greater impact on climate than natural phenomena like solar fluctuations and volcano eruptions, which are known to vary throughout time.

This article examines the historical existence of Turkic populations in Afghanistan, emphasizing the enduring settlement of the Uzbek populations in the nation and their ancestral roots. Furthermore, it highlights the fact that the Afghan Uzbeks persist in utilizing their indigenous language for verbal interaction up to the present time. Over time, the importance of villages, mosques, Mullahkhanas, and madrasas has shaped the growth of traditional teachings in Afghanistan. Moreover, these Mullahkhanas and madrasas function as forums for the development of prose and poetry in Uzbek and Persian languages. Integrating books into education across all fields of study holds significant importance. This page provides details about the development of authorized educational institutions, commonly referred to as "home schools," during the rule of Amanullah Khan. Amanullah Khan established schools in various locations, with a special focus on rural areas, and provided comprehensive information about each school.

The present narrative review seeks to unravel where we are now, and where we need to go to delineate the active ingredients in psychotherapy delivered by conversational agents (e.g., chatbots). While psychotherapy delivered by conversational agents has shown promising effectiveness for depression, anxiety, and psychological distress across several randomized controlled trials, little emphasis has been placed on the therapeutic processes in these interventions. The theoretical framework of this narrative review is grounded in prominent perspectives on the active ingredients in psychotherapy. Based on search terms derived from various theoretical perspectives, we conducted a systematic literature search of four scientific databases and identified 17 studies. Across the selected studies, three themes emerged: relationship variables, emotional venting, and cognitive factors. While methodological issues compromise the epistemic value of this evidence base, core questions also remain to be answered. Such questions include, but are not limited to, whether humans can form affectionate bonds to inanimate beings and whether these kind of mental health treatments should be understood as psychotherapy or something else. Researchers should therefore be cautious when applying theories of psychotherapy in the realm of conversational agents. We conclude the paper by introducing recommendations for future research, which we hope will help instigate methodologically sound studies in this field.

Urban inequalities are exacerbated due to rapid urbanisation. This is also evident within slums in low- and middle-income countries, where high levels of heterogeneity amongst the slum population lead to differential experiences in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and housing access. This scoping review provides evidence of the interconnection of WASH and housing and presents barriers to access and the consequences thereof for slum dwellers. It does so while considering the social stratification amongst urban slum dwellers and their lived experiences. A systematic search of journal articles was conducted in November 2022 in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 33 papers were identified which were full text reviewed and data extracted. Infrastructure, social and cultural, socio-economic, governance and policy and environmental barriers emerged as general themes. Barriers to WASH and housing were more frequently described concerning women and girls due to gender norms within WASH and the home. Barriers to WASH lead to compromised health, socio-economic burdens, and adverse social impacts, thus causing residents of slums to navigate their WASH mobility spatially and over time. Insights from this review underscore the need for an intersectional approach to understanding access inequalities to WASH and housing.

Asking annotators to explain "why" they labeled an instance yields annotator rationales: natural language explanations that provide reasons for classifications. In this work, we survey the collection and use of annotator rationales. Human-annotated rationales can improve data quality and form a valuable resource for improving machine learning models. Moreover, human-annotated rationales can inspire the construction and evaluation of model-annotated rationales, which can play an important role in explainable artificial intelligence.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of urbanisation and transportation infrastructure in Bangladesh, it is critical to address the disparities in public transportation access that disproportionately affect vulnerable people such as older adults and people with disabilities. This scoping review aims to synthesise the available evidence and highlight research gaps on unequal access to public transportation and how these inequalities lead to the social exclusion of older adults and people with disabilities in Bangladesh. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses, Scoping Review Extension (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and employed thematic analysis to interpret the findings. Four databases Scopus, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science, and online sources such as Google Scholar and TRID were searched from January 2002 to July 2022. The findings show that the existing modes of transportation are inadequate and non-inclusive and pose both physical (including built environments such as roads, ramps, and footpaths) and social barriers (such as low income, low employment opportunities, and negative social attitude) which reduced the accessibility to workplaces, healthcare, and social networks for these two vulnerable groups. An inclusive and sustainable urban transport infrastructure, older adult-specific and disabled-friendly transportation policies, and behaviour changes are significant steps to improve safety and social inclusion. The transport authorities have ignored the transport necessities of these vulnerable groups and (in)advertently pushed them towards marginalised sections. This study theoretically contributes to the age-friendly city framework for older adults and people with disabilities by adopting an inclusive urban mobility approach for all.

Social tipping points are promising levers for accelerating decarbonization progress. They describe how social, political, economic, or technological systems can move rapidly into a new state if positive feedback mechanisms are triggered. Analyzing the potential for social tipping requires the inherent complexity of social systems to be considered. Yet the growing social tipping literature is missing a practical framework that embeds conceptual and empirical aspects of complex feedback processes. In this perspective, we propose a dynamic systems approach that can contextualize conceptual social tipping mechanisms into practical interventions, and map the key feedback mechanisms underlying tipping dynamics across systems and scales. Our approach has three main components: a systems outlook involving interconnected feedback mechanisms; directed data collection for empirical evidence and monitoring tipping dynamics ; and global, integrated, descriptive modeling to project future dynamics and provide ex ante evidence for tipping interventions. We demonstrate how and why this approach should shape a broad agenda to strengthen the viability and effectiveness of social tipping research.

Assessment of occupational exposure to viruses is crucial to identify virus reservoirs and sources of dissemination at an early stage and to help prevent spread between employees and to the general population. Measuring workers' exposure can facilitate assessment of the effectiveness of protective and mitigation measures in place. The aim of this scoping review is to give an overview of available methods and those already implemented for airborne virus' exposure assessment in different occupational and indoor environments. The results retrieved from the different studies may contribute to the setting of future standards and guidelines to ensure a reliable risk characterization in the occupational environments crucial for the implementation of effective control measures. The search aimed at selecting studies between January 1st 2010 and June 30th 2023 in the selected databases. Fifty papers on virus exposure assessment fitted the eligibility criteria and were selected for data extraction. Overall, this study identified gaps in knowledge regarding virus assessment and pinpointed the needs for further research. Several discrepancies were found (transport temperatures, elution steps, …), as well as a lack of publication of important data related to the exposure conditions (contextual information). With the available information, it is impossible to compare results between studies employing different methods, and even if the same methods are used, different conclusions/recommendations based on the expert judgment have been reported due to the lack of consensus in the contextual information retrieved and/or data interpretation. Future research on the field targeting sampling methods and in the laboratory regarding the assays to employ should be developed bearing in mind the different goals of the assessment.

Fungi are a large group of eukaryotic microorganisms that can readily adapt to diverse environments and occur in almost all climatic zones and continents. Although some fungi are inevitable in the environment for the decay and recycling of organic material, many species are known to produce secondary metabolites, and these mycotoxins, when ingested with food or feed materials, can adversely affect animal and human health. Among the toxigenic fungi, Fusarium species are recognized as so-called field fungi, invading crops and producing mycotoxins predominantly before harvest. Fusarium produces a wide array of mycotoxins, causing different plant diseases. Fusariosis causes significant economic losses in a wide range of crops. Fusarium secondary metabolites, particularly trichothecenes, are potent toxins in mammalian species and cause diverse adverse effects in humans and animals. Other prominent Fusarium toxins with entirely different chemical structures are zearalenone and its derivatives and fumonisins. With an entirely different life cycle, toxins of endophytes belonging to the genus Epichloë and Neothyphodium coenophialum and Neothyphodium lolii comprise an animal health risk, particularly for grazing animals. This review aimed to summarize the adverse effects of selected Fusarium and Epichloë toxins, with a special emphasis on their occurrence in roughages and their mechanisms of action, and describe their effect on animal health and welfare and the potentially related public health risks.

3D reconstruction is a long-standing research topic in the photogrammetric and computer vision communities; although a plethora of open-source and commercial solutions for 3D reconstruction have been released in the last few years, several open challenges and limitations still exist. Undoubtedly, deep learning algorithms have demonstrated great potential in several remote sensing tasks, including image-based 3D reconstruction. State-of-the-art monocular and stereo algorithms leverage deep learning techniques and achieve increased performance in depth estimation and 3D reconstruction. However, one of the limitations of such methods is that they highly rely on large training sets that are often tedious to obtain; even when available, they typically refer to indoor, close-range scenarios and low-resolution images. Especially while considering UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) scenarios, such data are not available and domain adaptation is not a trivial challenge. To fill this gap, the UAV-based multi-sensor dataset for geospatial research (UseGeo - https://usegeo.fbk.eu/home) is introduced in this paper. It contains both image and LiDAR data and aims to support relevant research in photogrammetry and computer vision with a useful training set for both stereo and monocular 3D reconstruction algorithms. In this regard, the dataset provides ground truth data for both point clouds and depth maps. In addition, UseGeo can be also a valuable dataset for other tasks such as feature extraction and matching, aerial triangulation, or image and LiDAR co-registration. The paper introduces the UseGeo dataset and validates some state-of-the-art algorithms to assess their usability for both monocular and multi-view 3D reconstruction.

Arthritis, a diverse group of inflammatory joint disorders, poses great challenges in early diagnosis and targeted treatment. Timely intervention is imperative, yet conventional diagnostic methods are not able to detect subtle early symptoms. Hence, there is an urgent need for specific biomarkers that discriminate between different arthritis forms and for early diagnosis. The pursuit of such precise diagnostic tools has prompted a growing interest in extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs, released by cells in a regulated fashion, are detectable in body fluids, including synovial fluid (SF), which fills the joint space. They provide insights into the intricate molecular landscapes of arthritis, and this has stimulated the search for minimally invasive EV-based diagnostics. As such, the analysis of EVs in SF has become a focus for identifying EV-based biomarkers for joint disease endotyping, prognosis, and progression. EVs are composed of a lipid bilayer and a wide variety of different cargo types, of which proteins and RNAs are widely investigated. In contrast, membrane lipids of EVs, especially the abundance, presence, or absence of specific lipids and their contribution to the biological activity of EVs, are largely overlooked in EV research. Furthermore, the identification of specific combinations of different EV components acting in concert in EVs can fuel the definition of composite biomarkers. We here provide a state-of-the-art overview of the knowledge on SF-derived EVs with emphasis on lipid analysis and we give an example of the added value of integrated proteomics and lipidomics analysis in the search for composite EV-associated biomarkers.

The previous decades have seen a massive increase in the research towards reproducible and optimized surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates. While traditional colloidal synthesis methods have commonly been used for SERS substrate fabrication, they lack reproducibility hindering their usage for many applications. The need for reproducible nanostructures showing high orders of enhancement factors has brought about a shift in the methods one can use to fabricate SERS nanostructures. Lithographic techniques have thus piqued the interest of researchers as a viable option for SERS substrate fabrication. Not only do they offer high enhancement factors and reproducible nanostructures, they also provide the ability to fabricate nanostructures with many different geometries, shapes, sizes and periodicities. Some of the most established lithographic techniques include electron beam lithography, nanosphere lithography, laser interference lithography and many more. This review discusses established lithographic techniques, such as mentioned above, along with other upcoming lithographic techniques to understand the principles and the methodology behind them. A deep understanding of how various parameters can influence the nanostructure fabrication and thereby influence the SERS enhancement is developed. A detailed description of how these nanostructures can be fabricated is also provided for better insight. In addition, strengths and limitations of each method are discussed in detail. Lastly, we also discuss the applicability of SERS substrates for commercial applications comparing the performance of chemical synthesis routes and lithography for SERS substrate fabrication. This review serves as a base to understand the concept and application of SERS from a microfabrication perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Digital clinical decision support (CDS) tools are of growing importance in supporting healthcare professionals in understanding complex clinical problems and arriving at decisions that improve patient outcomes. CDS tools are also increasingly used to improve antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices in healthcare settings. However, far fewer CDS tools are available in lowerand middle-income countries (LMICs) and in animal health settings, where their use in improving diagnostic and treatment decision-making is likely to have the greatest impact. The aim of this study was to evaluate digital CDS tools designed as a direct aid to support diagnosis and/or treatment decisionmaking, by reviewing their scope, functions, methodologies, and quality. Recommendations for the development of veterinary CDS tools in LMICs are then provided.METHODS: The review considered studies and reports published between January 2017 and October 2023 in the English language in peer-reviewed and gray literature.RESULTS: A total of 41 studies and reports detailing CDS tools were included in the final review, with 35 CDS tools designed for human healthcare settings and six tools for animal healthcare settings. Of the tools reviewed, the majority were deployed in high-income countries (80.5%). Support for AMS programs was a feature in 12 (29.3%) of the tools, with 10 tools in human healthcare settings. The capabilities of the CDS tools varied when reviewed against the GUIDES checklist.DISCUSSION: We recommend a methodological approach for the development of veterinary CDS tools in LMICs predicated on securing sufficient and sustainable funding. Employing a multidisciplinary development team is an important first step. Developing standalone CDS tools using Bayesian algorithms based on local expert knowledge will provide users with rapid and reliable access to quality guidance on diagnoses and treatments. Such tools are likely to contribute to improved disease

Pragmatic trials aim to assess intervention efficacy in usual patient care settings, contrasting with explanatory trials conducted under controlled conditions. In aging research, pragmatic trials are important designs for obtaining real-world evidence in elderly populations, which are often underrepresented in trials. In this review, we discuss statistical considerations from a frequentist approach for the design and analysis of pragmatic trials. When choosing the dependent variable, it is essential to use an outcome that is highly relevant to usual medical care while also providing sufficient statistical power. Besides traditionally used binary outcomes, ordinal outcomes can provide pragmatic answers with gains in statistical power. Cluster randomization requires careful consideration of sample size calculation and analysis methods, especially regarding missing data and outcome variables. Mixed effects models and generalized estimating equations (GEEs) are recommended for analysis to account for center effects, with tools available for sample size estimation. Multi-arm studies pose challenges in sample size calculation, requiring adjustment for design effects and consideration of multiple comparison correction methods. Secondary analyses are common but require caution due to the risk of reduced statistical power and false-discovery rates. Safety data collection methods should balance pragmatism and data quality. Overall, understanding statistical considerations is crucial for designing rigorous pragmatic trials that evaluate interventions in elderly populations under real-world conditions. In conclusion, this review focuses on various statistical topics of interest to those designing a pragmatic clinical trial, with consideration of aspects of relevance in the aging research field.

BackgroundTo be better prepared for emerging wildlife-borne zoonoses, we need to strengthen wildlife disease surveillance.AimThe aim of this study was to create a topical overview of zoonotic pathogens in wildlife species to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for improvement of wildlife disease surveillance.MethodsWe created a database, which is based on a systematic literature review in Embase focused on zoonotic pathogens in 10 common urban wildlife mammals in Europe, namely brown rats, house mice, wood mice, common voles, red squirrels, European rabbits, European hedgehogs, European moles, stone martens and red foxes. In total, we retrieved 6,305 unique articles of which 882 were included.ResultsIn total, 186 zoonotic pathogen species were described, including 90 bacteria, 42 helminths, 19 protozoa, 22 viruses and 15 fungi. Most of these pathogens were only studied in one single animal species. Even considering that some pathogens are relatively species-specific, many European countries have no (accessible) data on zoonotic pathogens in these relevant animal species. We used the Netherlands as an example to show how this database can be used by other countries to identify wildlife disease surveillance gaps on a national level. Only 4% of all potential host-pathogen combinations have been studied in the Netherlands.ConclusionsThis database comprises a comprehensive overview that can guide future research on wildlife-borne zoonotic diseases both on a European and national scale. Sharing and expanding this database provides a solid starting point for future European-wide collaborations to improve wildlife disease surveillance.

Offshore wind farms are growing in complexity and size, expanding deeper into maritime environments to capture stronger and steadier wind energy. Like other domains in the energy sector, the wind energy domain is continuing to digitalize its systems by embracing Industry 4.0 technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), virtualization, and edge computing to monitor and manage its critical infrastructure remotely. Adopting these technologies creates dynamic, scalable, and cost-effective data-acquisition systems. At the heart of these data-acquisition systems is a communication network that facilitates data transfer between communicating nodes. Given the challenges of configuring, managing, and troubleshooting large-scale communication networks, this review paper explores the adoption of the state-of-the-art software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) technologies in the design of next-generation offshore wind farm IIoT–Edge communication networks. While SDN and NFV technologies present a promising solution to address the challenges of these large-scale communication networks, this paper discusses the SDN/NFV-related performance, security, reliability, and scalability concerns, highlighting current mitigation strategies. Building on these mitigation strategies, the concept of resilience (that is, the ability to recover from component failures, attacks, and service interruptions) is given special attention. The paper highlights the self-X (self-configuring, self-healing, and self-optimizing) approaches that build resilience in the software-defined IIoT–Edge communication network architectures. These resilience approaches enable the network to autonomously adjust its configuration, self-repair during stochastic failures, and optimize performance in response to changing conditions. The paper concludes that resilient software-defined IIoT–Edge communication networks will play a big role in guaranteeing seamless next-generat

Periodically, the European Space Agency (ESA) updates scientific roadmaps in consultation with the scientific community. The ESA SciSpacE Science Community White Paper (SSCWP) 9, "Biology in Space and Analogue Environments", focusses in 5 main topic areas, aiming to address key community-identified knowledge gaps in Space Biology. Here we present one of the identified topic areas, which is also an unanswered question of life science research in Space: "How to Obtain an Integrated Picture of the Molecular Networks Involved in Adaptation to Microgravity in Different Biological Systems?" The manuscript reports the main gaps of knowledge which have been identified by the community in the above topic area as well as the approach the community indicates to address the gaps not yet bridged. Moreover, the relevance that these research activities might have for the space exploration programs and also for application in industrial and technological fields on Earth is briefly discussed.

Aspergilli are highly relevant for the food industry. They are pathogens of crops and spoil food at different postharvest stages. On the other hand, aspergilli and their products are used to produce food. Crops and food are contaminated with stress-resistant conidia, while these same spores are used to start food fermentation and the production of food ingredients. This review discusses recent insights into the stress resistance and germination of Aspergillus conidia and how this knowledge can be used in agriculture and the food industry.

In every Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment cycle, a multitude of scenarios are assessed, with different scope and emphasis throughout the various Working Group reports and special reports, as well as their respective chapters. Within the reports, the ambition is to integrate knowledge on possible climate futures across the Working Groups and scientific research domains based on a small set of "framing pathways"such as the so-called representative concentration pathways (RCPs) in the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report (AR5) and the shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). This perspective, initiated by discussions at the IPCC Bangkok workshop in April 2023 on the "Use of Scenarios in AR6 and Subsequent Assessments", is intended to serve as one of the community contributions to highlight the needs for the next generation of framing pathways that is being advanced under the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) umbrella, which will influence or even predicate the IPCC AR7 consideration of framing pathways. Here we suggest several policy research objectives that such a set of framing pathways should ideally fulfil, including mitigation needs for meeting the Paris Agreement objectives, the risks associated with carbon removal strategies, the consequences of delay in enacting that mitigation, guidance for adaptation needs, loss and damage, and for achieving mitigation in the wider context of societal development goals. Based on this context, we suggest that the next generation of climate scenarios for Earth system models should evolve towards representative emission pathways (REPs) and suggest key categories for such pathways. These framing pathways should address the most critical mitigation policy and adaptation plans that need to be implemented over the next 10 years. In our view, the most important categories are those relevant in the context of the Paris Agreement long-term goal, specifically an