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Background Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality and is associated with adverse developmental and long-term health outcomes, including several cardiometabolic risk factors and outcomes. However, evidence about the association of preterm birth with later body size derives mainly from studies using birth weight as a proxy of prematurity rather than an actual length of gestation. We investigated the association of gestational age (GA) at birth with body size from infancy through adolescence. Methods and findings We conducted a two-stage individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis using data from 253,810 mother–child dyads from 16 general population-based cohort studies in Europe (Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom), North America (Canada), and Australasia (Australia) to estimate the association of GA with body mass index (BMI) and overweight (including obesity) adjusted for the following maternal characteristics as potential confounders: education, height, prepregnancy BMI, ethnic background, parity, smoking during pregnancy, age at child’s birth, gestational diabetes and hypertension, and preeclampsia. Pregnancy and birth cohort studies from the LifeCycle and the EUCAN-Connect projects were invited and were eligible for inclusion if they had information on GA and minimum one measurement of BMI between infancy and adolescence. Using a federated analytical tool (DataSHIELD), we fitted linear and logistic regression models in each cohort separately with a complete-case approach and combined the regression estimates and standard errors through random-effects study-level meta-analysis providing an overall effect estimate at early infancy (>0.0 to 0.5 years), late infancy (>0.5 to 2.0 years), early childhood (>2.0 to 5.0 years), mid-childhood (>5.0 to 9.0 years), late childhood (>9.0 to 14.0 years), and adolescence (>14.0 to 19.0 years). GA was positively associated with BMI in the first decade of life, with the greatest increase in mean BMI z-score during early infancy (0.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.00; 0.05, p < 0.05) per week of increase in GA, while in adolescence, preterm individuals reached similar levels of BMI (0.00, 95% CI: −0.01; 0.01, p 0.9) as term counterparts. The association between GA and overweight revealed a similar pattern of association with an increase in odds ratio (OR) of overweight from late infancy through mid-childhood (OR 1.01 to 1.02) per week increase in GA. By adolescence, however, GA was slightly negatively associated with the risk of overweight (OR 0.98 [95% CI: 0.97; 1.00], p 0.1) per week of increase in GA. Although based on only four cohorts (n = 32,089) that reached the age of adolescence, data suggest that individuals born very preterm may be at increased odds of overweight (OR 1.46 [95% CI: 1.03; 2.08], p < 0.05) compared with term counterparts. Findings were consistent across cohorts and sensitivity analyses despite considerable heterogeneity in cohort characteristics. However, residual confounding may be a limitation in this study, while findings may be less generalisable to settings in low- and middle-income countries. Conclusions This study based on data from infancy through adolescence from 16 cohort studies found that GA may be important for body size in infancy, but the strength of association attenuates consistently with age. By adolescence, preterm individuals have on average a similar mean BMI to peers born at term. In an individual participant data meta-analysis of >250,000 singleton births from 16 birth cohort studies, Dr. Johan Lerbech Vinther and colleagues, explore gestational age at birth and body size from infancy through to adolescence. Author summary Why was this study done? ■ Conditions and exposures in early life is suggested to play an important role in development of cardiometabolic health outcomes, including body size. ■ The majority of previous research focused on the impact of size at birth (i.e., birth weight), rather than the timing of birth (i.e., gestational duration). ■ Moreover, we know less about how different contextual factors influence associations between early life risk factors and later body size. What did the researchers do and find? ■ Our aim was to examine the association of gestational age with body mass index (BMI) and overweight from infancy through adolescence. ■ We used data from 16 cohort studies in Europe, North America, and Australasia, including information on 253,810 mother–child dyads. ■ We found that infants born preterm (What do these findings mean? ■ Our study suggests that, although being born early, preterm infants on average reach the body size as their term peers before adulthood. ■ In line with earlier findings, children born very preterm may even be at increased risk of overweight in adulthood, here already indicated at entrance to adulthood. ■ This last finding must be interpreted with caution, as only four cohorts (n = 32,089) contributed with data in adolescence. ■ In addition, our study is based on data from high-income countries; hence, the findings are not generalisable to low- and middle-income country settings.

Despite widespread use of Pegylated forms of Inteferon in the management of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN), most clinicians have experience predominantly with peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys). Third generation pegylated IFNα, ropeginterferon alfa-2b (ropegIFN; Besremi), was recommended by the European Medicine Authority (EMA) for treatment of Polycythaemia Vera (PV) following a Phase III trial (PROUD-PV / CONTINUATION-PV). FDA approval for PV, regardless of treatment history, was subsequently granted in November 2021. We hereby demonstrate the safety and tolerability of ropegIFN in a series of MPN patients at variable doses. It corroborates reports of efficacy of ropegIFN in patients with PV and use in pregnancy.

Background: Maternal postnatal depression (PND) is a risk factor for offspring depression in adulthood. However, few longitudinal studies have examined the role of maternal nurturing parenting behaviours in the association between maternal PND and offspring depression in adulthood. Methods: We examined pathways from maternal PND measured using self-reported Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 8 weeks to offspring ICD-10 depression diagnosed using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised computerised assessment at 24 years through maternal-reported nurturing behaviours concerning feeding, sleeping and crying measured from pregnancy to age 3 years 6 months in 5,881 members of the UK-based birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Results: The fully adjusted model revealed an indirect effect from PND to adult offspring depression through the combination of all parenting factors (probit regression coefficient [B]=0.038, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.005, 0.071); however, there was no evidence of a direct effect from early maternal PND to offspring depression once the indirect effect via parenting factors was accounted for (B=0.009, 95%CI -0.075, 0.093). Specificity analyses revealed indirect effects through maternal worries about feeding (B=0.019, 95%CI 0.003, 0.035, p=0.010) and maternal perceptions and responses to crying (B=0.018, 95%CI 0.004, 0.032, p=0.012). Conclusions: The adverse impact of maternal PND on offspring depression in early adulthood was explained by maternal nurturing behaviours concerning feeding, crying and sleeping in early childhood. Residual confounding and measurement error likely limit reliable conclusions. If found causal, interventions providing support to reduce worries around maternal nurturing behaviours and treating depression could reduce adverse outcomes in adult offspring of depressed mothers.

Here the authors show that 2-aminoethylphosphonate (2AEP) mineralisation is widespread in the global ocean, operating independently of exogenous inorganic phosphate concentration. They propose 2AEP may be a major route for the regeneration of phosphate required to support marine primary production.

Abstract Conventional planar frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are characterized in the far-field region and they are sensitive to the incidence angle of impinging waves. In this paper, a spherical dome FSS is presented, aiming to provide improved angular stable bandpass filtering performance as compared to its planar counterpart when the FSS is placed in the near-field region of an antenna source. A comparison between the conformal FSS and a finite planar FSS is presented through simulations at the frequency range between 26 to 40 GHz in order to demonstrate the advantages of utilizing the conformal FSS in the near-field. The conformal FSS is 3D printed and copper electroplated, which leads to a low-cost and lightweight bandpass filter array. Placing it in the near-field region of a primary antenna can be used as radomes to realize compact high-performance mm-wave systems. The comparison between simulated and measured conformal FSS results is in good agreement. The challenges that arise when designing, manufacturing, and measuring this type of structure are reported and guidelines to overcome these are presented.

Increasingly there is recognition of the need for new governance and decision-making models in natural resource management that uphold the rights and knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples. These models would support access to and sovereignty over natural resources including fisheries and wild harvested foods. However, research in northern Indigenous communities continually focuses on country foods and subsistence harvests and does not consider the important role of commercial fisheries. It is key to investigate how Inuit cultures and commercial fisheries are linked to understand how fisheries governance should be directed. Through an iterative interview process, we identify values and principles held by Labrador Inuit fishers and fisheries managers regarding the commercial fishing industry, outlining an interconnected set of values that ground how Labrador Inuit relate to the fisheries today. Drawing on the literature, we contrast the current fisheries management paradigm with the values that arise from this study. By identifying and articulating a system of values held by Labrador Inuit in relation to the commercial fishing industry, we articulate a set of principles to inform a desirable and just future for commercial fisheries. This represents a new conceptual model for Inuit commercial fisheries, one that speaks to the resilience of Labrador Inuit, and frames the industry as having value beyond its material dimensions, to include political self-determination, traditional use, and cultural identity.

Although urbanization is widely believed to be an increasing threat to biodiversity, drawing strong inferences about its effects on wildlife has been challenging because the state of a population prior to development is rarely known. The Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is a steeply declining migratory songbird that breeds in North American temperate deciduous forests and winters in Central America. From 1987 to 2001, Wood Thrush abundance and daily nest survival were measured in 72 forest fragments across Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Some of these fragments have since been surrounded by urbanization while others have remained rural. In 2020 and 2021, we reassessed Wood Thrush abundance and daily nest survival in these same fragments by replicating point count and nest monitoring protocols. Our results suggest that Wood Thrush have declined most steeply in fragments with development built within 1 km during the intervening 20-year period (-79% vs. only -57% elsewhere), although experiencing no decline in daily nest survival over the same time period, regardless of development. Our findings provide rare before-and-after evidence that urbanization near breeding habitat is contributing to a pronounced localized decline of a migratory songbird, likely by mechanisms unrelated to nest survival.

This article explores the intersection of technology, particularly artificial intelligence and anti-human trafficking and child sexual exploitation (CSE) initiatives. Despite the promises of technology, the overall effectiveness in addressing these crimes is limited. The authors argue that a key factor contributing to this limitation is the insufficient understanding of the crimes, rooted in the absence of meaningful engagement with victims. To address these challenges, the authors propose two strategies. First, they advocate for data-sharing partnerships to access extensive textual data held by organizations. Second, they highlight the use of natural language processing (NLP) to systematically analyse victim narratives without causing further interview fatigue. Embracing NLP is seen as a way to expedite research, enhance scalability and provide a fresh perspective on combating human trafficking and CSE. The article is structured to define key terminology, make a case for a victim-led response, demonstrate the application of NLP and conclude with insights from in-house research. The authors urge stakeholders to consider this new approach in their efforts to combat human trafficking and CSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit surface is a critical first line of defense against environmental stress. Overlaying the fruit epidermis is the cuticle, comprising a matrix of cutin monomers and waxes that provides protection and mechanical support throughout development. The epidermal layer of the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit also contains prominent lipid droplets, which have recently been recognized as dynamic organelles involved in lipid storage and metabolism, stress response, and the accumulation of specialized metabolites. Our objective was to genetically characterize natural variations for traits associated with the cuticle and lipid droplets in cucumber fruit. Phenotypic characterization and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using a resequenced cucumber core collection accounting for >96% of the allelic diversity present in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System collection. The collection was grown in the field, and fruit were harvested at 16–20 days post-anthesis, an age when the cuticle thickness and the number and size of lipid droplets have stabilized. Fresh fruit tissue sections were prepared to measure cuticle thickness and lipid droplet size and number. The collection showed extensive variation for the measured traits. GWAS identified several QTLs corresponding with genes previously implicated in cuticle or lipid biosynthesis, including the transcription factor SHINE1/WIN1, as well as suggesting new candidate genes, including a potential lipid-transfer domain containing protein found in association with isolated lipid droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the leadership, scholarship, and activism of Indigenous Peoples, there are growing calls to transform and decolonize Canadian institutions that govern fisheries research in Canada. As a predominantly non-Indigenous group that works at the intersection of fisheries and justice, we encounter questions daily about how to act as allies in these efforts and take up this urgent call in our own work. Our goal with this perspective is to synthesize and share some of what we have learned about encountering and combatting colonialism in the hope that it may offer something to other non-Indigenous and settler fisheries researchers who are grappling with colonization in their own work. This synthesis is based on both Indigenous scholarship and our own experiential learning. We look to actions fisheries researchers may take to advance Indigenous sovereignty in fisheries research. We offer this to our fellow non-Indigenous researchers who likely also struggle with similar questions, and hope that in doing so, we can help move towards decolonial fisheries futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of protecting forests and woodlands to achieve global climate and biodiversity goals, logging impacts persist worldwide. Forestry advocates often downplay these impacts but rarely consider the cumulative threat deforestation and degradation has had, and continues to have, on biodiversity. Using New South Wales (Australia) as a case study, we quantify the extent of deforestation and degradation from 1788 (pre‐European colonization) to 2021. We used historical loss as a baseline to evaluate recent logging (2000–2022) and the condition of the remaining native forest and woodland. Condition was quantified by measuring the similarity of a current ecosystem to a historical reference state with high ecological integrity. Using these data, we measured the impacts on 269 threatened terrestrial species. We show that possibly over half (29 million ha) of pre‐1788 native forest and woodland vegetation in NSW has been lost. Of the remaining 25 million ha, 9 million ha is estimated to be degraded. We found recent logging potentially impacted 150 species that had already been affected by this historical deforestation and degradation, but the impacts varied across species. Forty‐three species that were identified as impacted by historical deforestation and degradation and continue to be impacted by logging, now have ≤50% of their pre‐1788 extent remaining that is intact and nine species now have ≤30%. Our research contextualizes the impact of current logging against historical deforestation and highlights deficiencies in environmental assessments that ignore historical baselines. Future land management must consider both the extent and condition of remaining habitat based on pre‐1788 extents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equity compensation is granted out of an equity incentive plan that must be approved by shareholders and cedes discretion over equity grants to boards of directors. We predict and find that equity plan proposals give boards more discretion over grants when the firm faces greater labor market forces and more volatile stock returns. When examining votes, we find that shareholders are less likely to support plans with abnormal discretion. We also find that boards with more discretion grant more equity in response to stock price declines. Lastly, we find that boards request additional shares when their ability to grant equity is more constrained by a smaller pool of available shares, and when they plan to increase equity grants. Overall our findings illuminate how firms balance needs to respond to labor market pressure and volatile operating environments against shareholder governance and oversight of equity compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]