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The best-known example of episodic memory in animals came from food-storing birds. One of the beauties of the food-storing system was that inherent in the behaviour were the elements that (at the time) made up episodic memory: what, where and when. While there were then already plenty of data on animals' ability to put together what and where, the addition of the time element in animals' memory and its testing was one that was both new and experimentally challenging. It has, however, led to an increasing variety of examples showing that animals can put together all three informational components. If episodic memories can be described as those memories that make any one of us who we are, why should non-human animals have such memories? Here, we argue that episodic memories play a significant functional role in the lives of real animals, in particular, enabling them to make decisions about how they might or should act in their future. We support our argument with data from a range of examples, focussing on data from the field. This article is part of the theme issue 'Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine mammals are integral to global biodiversity and marine health through their roles in coastal, benthic, and pelagic ecosystems. Marine mammals face escalating threats from climate change, pollution, and human activities, which perturb their oceanic environment. The diverse biology and extreme adaptations evolved by marine mammals make them important study subjects for understanding anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems. However, ethical and logistical constraints restrict the tractability of experimental research with live marine mammals. Additionally, studies on the effects of changing ocean environments are further complicated by intricate geneenvironment interactions across populations and species. These obstacles can be overcome with a comprehensive strategy that involves a systems-level approach integrating genotype to phenotype using rigorously defined experimental conditions in vitro and ex vivo. A thorough analysis of the interactions between the genetics of marine mammals and their exposure to anthropogenic pressures will enable robust predictions about how global environmental changes will affect their health and populations. In this perspective, we discuss four challenges of implementing such non-invasive approaches across scientific fields and international borders: 1) practical and ethical limitations of in vivo experimentation with marine mammals, 2) accessibility to relevant tissue samples and cell cultures; 3) open access to harmonized methods and datasets and 4) ethical and equitable research practices. Successful implementation of the proposed approach has the potential impact to inspire new solutions and strategies for marine conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of Salafism has become central to public debate in France today. While the Salafi movement in France has been portrayed in politics and media alike as a major security threat opposed to republican principles, its sociology reveals more complex patterns than one of radicalism alone, especially from a long-term perspective. An empirical analysis of discourses, behaviours and mobilization strategies within these puritanical fundamentalist communities leads us to hypothesize that since the early 2000s, the radicalism initially displayed by Salafism has proved unsustainable. Through looking at the long-term life trajectories of Salafi believers, we propose an overview of the different biographic scenarios that characterize these actors. What can we say about the way in which they have reinforced, reformulated, nuanced, or broken their ties with their Salafi socialisation? We show that Salafism in France today can be characterized as a fundamentalism diluted by a broader global dynamic of distrust towards violence and classic forms of political militancy, while at the same time maintaining claims to certain forms of religious radicalism. Based on a micro-sociological approach, we examine whether the respective prefixes ‘neo’ or ‘post’ most accurately characterize the long-term evolution of French Salafism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background End-of-life periods are often characterised by suboptimal healthcare use (HCU) patterns in persons aged 65 years and older, with negative effects on health and quality of life. Understanding care trajectories (CTs) and transitions in this period can highlight potential areas of improvement, a subject yet only little studied. Objective To propose a typology of CTs, including care transitions, for older individuals in the 2 years preceding death. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods We used multidimensional state sequence analysis and data from the Care Trajectories—Enriched Data (TorSaDE) cohort, a linkage between a Canadian health survey and Quebec health administrative data. Results In total, 2080 decedents were categorised into five CT groups. Group 1 demonstrated low HCU until the last few months, whilst group 2 showed low HCU over the first year, followed by a steady increase. A gradual increase over the 2 years was observed for groups 3 and 4, though more pronounced towards the end for group 3. A persistent high HCU was observed for group 5. Groups 2 and 4 had higher proportions of cancer diagnoses and palliative care, as opposed to comorbidities and dementia for groups 3 and 5. Overall, 68.4% of individuals died in a hospital, whilst 27% received palliative care there. Care transitions increased rapidly towards the end, most notably in the last 2 weeks. Conclusion This study provides an understanding of the variability of CTs in the last two years of life, including place of death, a critical step towards quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first observations of HCO+(1–0) and HCN(1–0) emission in the northern filaments of Centaurus A with ALMA. HCO+(1–0) is detected in nine clumps of the Horseshoe complex, with similar velocities as the CO(1–0) emission. Conversely, HCN(1–0) is not detected, and we derive upper limits on the flux. At a resolution of ∼40 pc, the line ratio of the velocity-integrated intensities IHCO+/ICO varies between 0.03 and 0.08, while IHCO+/IHCN is higher than unity, with an average lower limit of 1.51. These ratios are significantly higher than what is observed in nearby star-forming galaxies. Moreover, the ratio IHCO+/ICO decreases with increasing CO-integrated intensity, contrary to what is observed in the star-forming galaxies. This indicates that the HCO+ emission is enhanced and may not arise from dense gas within the Horseshoe complex. This hypothesis is strengthened by the average line ratio IHCN/ICO < 0.03, which suggests that the gas density is rather low. Using non-local thermal equilibrium, large velocity gradient modelling with RADEX, we explored two possible phases of the gas, which we call 'diffuse' and 'dense' and are characterised by a significant difference in the HCO+ abundance relative to CO, respectively NHCO+/NCO = 10−3 and NHCO+/NCO = 3 × 10−5. The average CO(1–0) and HCO+(1–0) integrated intensities and the upper limit on HCN(1–0) are compatible with both diffuse (nH = 103 cm−3, Tkin = 15 − 165 K) and dense gas (nH = 104 cm−3, Tkin > 65 K). The spectral setup of the present observations also covers SiO(2–1). While undetected, the upper limit on SiO(2–1) is not compatible with the RADEX predictions for the dense gas. We conclude that the nine molecular clouds detected in HCO+(1–0) are likely dominated by diffuse molecular gas. While the exact origin of the HCO+(1–0) emission remains to be investigated, it is likely related to the energy injection within the molecular gas that prevents gravitational collapse and star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported metal single atom catalysis is a dynamic research area in catalysis science combining the advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Understanding the interactions between metal single atoms and the support constitutes a challenge facing the development of such catalysts, since these interactions are essential in optimizing the catalytic performance. For conventional carbon supports, two types of surfaces can contribute to single atom stabilization: the basal planes and the prismatic surface; both of which can be decorated by defects and surface oxygen groups. To date, most studies on carbon‐supported single atom catalysts focused on nitrogen‐doped carbons, which, unlike classic carbon materials, have a fairly well‐defined chemical environment. Herein we report the synthesis, characterization and modeling of rhodium single atom catalysts supported on carbon materials presenting distinct concentrations of surface oxygen groups and basal/prismatic surface area. The influence of these parameters on the speciation of the Rh species, their coordination and ultimately on their catalytic performance in hydrogenation and hydroformylation reactions is analyzed. The results obtained show that catalysis itself is an interesting tool for the fine characterization of these materials, for which the detection of small quantities of metal clusters remains a challenge, even when combining several cutting‐edge analytical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives People aged 65 and older, deemed most "vulnerable" by public health, were targeted by the coronavirus disease 2019 protection measures, which sought to minimize physical contact and social activities. Older adults living alone were particularly affected by these measures. However, such measures meant to protect the older population may not have necessarily reflected older adults' individual prioritization choices. This study therefore aimed to understand how protecting oneself over the virus was considered in the prioritization of other health and social needs of older adults living alone during the pandemic. Research Design and Methods This study adopted a qualitative design. A total of 17 semistructured interviews were conducted between May 2021 and June 2022 with older adults living alone. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive thematic analysis as defined by Braun and Clarke was performed. Results Our analysis showed 2 forms of prioritization across 2 themes. This first theme focused on participants who reported prioritizing protecting themselves over the virus by limiting in-person contact and activities. The second theme showed that although several participants reported that protecting themselves over the virus was important to them, the prioritization of this need was not shared by all and, in some cases, evolved over the course of the pandemic. Discussion and Implications Our study demonstrated heterogeneity in the prioritization of older adults needs. Future public health recommendations should consider these variations in the needs and priorities of older adults when determining public health measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pSMILE project aims to ensure high-quality proficiency testing coverage for international laboratories participating in clinical trials. It evaluates and develops the capability of laboratories to participate in studies conducted outside the United States. The project facilitates appropriate proficiency testing coverage for every specified analyte according to sponsor requirements by identifying proficiency testing providers, assessing the suitability of their panels, and monitoring laboratory performance. Customization is done when standard panels are not available. The project also provides feedback and assistance to laboratories in troubleshooting and improving their performance. The article discusses the challenges faced by laboratories in selecting the correct proficiency testing panels for specific testing methods and emphasizes the importance of tailoring panels to meet the specific needs of each laboratory. Collaboration between proficiency testing providers and laboratories is highlighted as a way to improve panel offerings. [Extracted from the article]