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Light activated carbenes provide a unique method of non-specific covalent bond formation needed in bioadhesives and rapid gelation. The highly reactive carbenes formed upon UV irradiation allow for binding to a wide range of natural and synthetic substrates in addition to cohesive bonds. However, little is known about how these crosslinkers would behave in the presence of additives, which are important for tuning material properties. This work investigates carbene based bioadhesives in the presence of various liquid additives containing reactive functional groups of hydroxyl, thiol, amine, or acrylate. Steady shear viscosity, dynamic mechanical properties, microstructure, and reactive functional groups are evaluated by photorheometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and FTIR spectroscopy. The triol hydroxy additive maintains the storage modulus despite dilution of the diazirine crosslinker. The thiol additive reduces apparent viscosity whilst maintaining material properties. Polyamine accelerates ester hydrolysis and increases hydrophilicity. For the first time diacrylate polymerization is demonstrated by photoactivated diazirine, the carbene precursor. The diacrylate additive displays synergistic enhancement of dynamic modulus within the binary composite, reaching 977 kPa compared to 82 kPa of neat carbene based bioadhesive. The polymerisation of acrylates initiated by diazirine photolysis opens possibilities for acrylate initiation and hybrid composite biomaterials. Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Ministry of Education (MOE) Nanyang Technological University Submitted/Accepted version T.W.J.S. and I.D. are co-inventors of patent application: Hygroscopic, Crosslinking Coatings and Bioadhesives; PCT/SG2018/050452. Authors declare no competing interests. The project was supported by A*Star IAF PP Grant (H19/01/a0/0II9): CathoGlu Bioadhesives-preventing catheter extravasation and skin infections; Ministry of Education Tier 1 Grant RG17/18 (S): Novel light activated, diazo protecting groups; Ministry of Education Tier 1 Grant RT07/20: Fiber-optic orthopaedic implants for bone-implant adhesion; Ministry of Education Tier 2 Grant (MOE2018‐T2‐2‐114): CaproGlu, Double sided wet-tissue adhesives; NTUitive POC (Gap) Fund NGF/2018/05: Aesthetic Applications of CaproGlu Bioadhesives. Figures created with BioRender.com.

Brain evolution has primarily been studied at the macroscopic level by comparing the relative size of homologous brain centers between species. How neuronal circuits change at the cellular level over evolutionary time remains largely unanswered. Here, using a phylogenetically informed framework, we compare the olfactory circuits of three closely relatedDrosophilaspecies that differ radically in their chemical ecology: the generalistsDrosophila melanogasterandDrosophila simulansthat feed on fermenting fruit, andDrosophila sechelliathat specializes on ripe noni fruit. We examine a central part of the olfactory circuit that has not yet been investigated in these species — the connections between the projection neurons of the antennal lobe and the Kenyon cells of the mushroom body, an associative brain center — to identify species-specific connectivity patterns. We found that neurons encoding food odors — the DC3 neurons inD. melanogasterandD. simulansand the DL2d neurons inD. sechellia— connect more frequently with Kenyon cells, giving rise to species-specific biases in connectivity. These species-specific differences in connectivity reflect two distinct neuronal phenotypes: in the number of projection neurons or in the number of presynaptic boutons formed by individual projection neurons. Our study shows how fine-grained aspects of connectivity architecture in a higher brain center can change during evolution to reflect the chemical ecology of a species.

BACKGROUND: Our goal is to review current literature regarding active surveillance (AS) of small renal masses (SRMs) and identify trends in survival outcomes, factors that predict the need for further intervention, and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: We performed a comprehensive literature search in PubMed and EMBASE and identified 194 articles. A narrative summary was performed in lieu of a meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity of selected studies. RESULTS: Seventeen articles were chosen to be featured in this review. Growth rate (GR) was not an accurate predictor of malignancy, although it was the characteristic most commonly used to trigger delayed intervention (DI). The mean 5-year overall survival (OS) of all studies was 73.6% ±1.7% for AS groups. The combined cancer specific survival (CSS) for AS is 97.1% ±0.6%, compared to 98.6% ±0.4% for the primary intervention (PI) groups, (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Short and intermediate-term data demonstrate that AS with the option for DI is a management approach whose efficacy (in terms of CSS) approaches that of PI at 5 years, is cost effective, and prevents overtreatment, especially in patients with significant comorbidities.

Australian Animal Law: Context and Critique provides comprehensive information about the legal and regulatory framework governing the interaction between humans and animals. By relating specific content areas to the discipline’s broader characteristics and themes, researcher Elizabeth Ellis exposes the systemic nature of current problems and the consequent need for significant change. This book also illustrates the role of official animal protection narratives in legitimising the existing system despite the many factual flaws they contain. Ellis covers the major areas of animal law in detail, incorporating accessible contextual material and allowing readers to consolidate their understanding and build upon their knowledge. Key areas include the concept of unnecessary animal suffering, the effective exemption of most animals from the operation of cruelty laws, regulatory conflicts of interest, the hidden nature of animal use and the lack of transparency in animal law.

On 24 December 2017, the UN Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea. The measures, intended to thwart nuclear ambitions, are some of the most extensive sanctions imposed in recent times. They place severe restrictions on the export of crude oil and refined petroleum to that state, ban the export of arms, dual use equipment, rocket fuel, natural gas, luxury goods and financial services, ban the import of coal, iron, gold, seafood and textiles from North Korea, and include asset freezes and travel bans for targeted individuals. Economic sanctions raise serious moral issues, not least because if properly enforced they can cause significant harm to their targets. How should we assess their moral permissibility? Several authors have pointed out analogies between economic sanctions and war and then applied the just war principles (just cause, proportionality, etc.) to the problem. This approach has faced little critical scrutiny. I argue that the straightforward application of just war principles to sanctions is misguided. There is a significant difference between war and economic sanctions: war is constituted by bombing, shooting or stabbing but economic sanctions are constituted by refusing to trade. While there is a strong pro tanto duty to not bomb, shoot or stab individuals, there is no comparable pro tanto duty to trade. That does not mean sanctions are always morally permissible, only that the moral issues involved are very different. We have no reason to believe that moral principles developed to govern war are also appropriate for governing sanctions. This approach to the ethics of economic sanctions ought to be abandoned.

The aim of this study was to report on the safety (complications) and efficacy (oncological and functional outcomes) of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), performed at our institution, in patients aged over 70.Review of our prospectively collected database [Cancer Information Systems (CAISIS)] identified two hundred and fifteen (215) patients, aged 70, who underwent RARP for localized prostate cancer between July 2003 and August 2017. A propensity score-matched analysis, with multiple covariates, was performed to stratify the patients into Age ≤ 70 and Age 70 comparison groups.Apart from Age (mean ± SD years: 73.5 ± 2.1 vs 59.5 ± 5.9, p 0.0001) and nerve-sparing status, the two groups were evenly matched for all covariates (p values 0.05). Median follow-up was 10.6 years. There were no 90-day mortalities in either group. Minor complications (Clavien ≤ 2) were more common in the Age 70 group (p = 0.0002). Operating room time (p = 0.83), length of hospital stay (p = 0.06) and catheterization duration (p = 0.13) were similar. On final pathology, a higher pT stage (p 0.0001) and pN1 (p = 0.003) were observed in the Age 70 group. However, this did not translate adversely into higher rates of positive surgical margin (p = 0.41) or biochemical relapse (p = 0.72). Allowing for the follow-up duration (median 10.6 years), cancer-specific survival was marginally significant (p = 0.05) with an observed lower rate in the Age 70 group. In terms of functional outcomes, post-operative erectile dysfunction and pad-free continence were significantly better in the younger cohort (p 0.0001).Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy should not be denied to those over 70 years solely on the basis of age. Older men need to be counseled about the likelihood of encountering higher-risk features on final pathology and that their functional outcomes may be worse compared to a younger person.

Through working with the Swansea Academy of Learning and Teaching (SALT) the Richard Burton Archives has become more consciously engaged with pedagogical practice, building upon its experience of p...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) can be a multifocal disease and recurrence may involve the contralateral upper tract in 2-6% of cases. Intravesical mitomycin-C (M...