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Resumen: ¿Pueden los mecanismos de denuncia mejorar la regulación laboral privada de las cadenas de valor mundiales? En este artículo se investiga empíricamente el funcionamiento del mecanismo de denuncia de la Fair Labor Association (FLA), el único que permite verificar los resultados desde la perspectiva del denunciante. Pese a las limitaciones del sistema, la inmensa mayoría de los denunciantes lo valoran positivamente. El concepto de «enraizamiento», en su dimensión nacional, social y corporativa, permite estudiar la utilidad de la FLA para los trabajadores en diferentes contextos. Se reflexiona también sobre la aplicabilidad de las conclusiones a los mecanismos de denuncia en otras cadenas de valor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The adaptive immune response plays an important role in atherosclerosis. In response to a high-fat/high-cholesterol (HF/HC) diet, marginal zone B (MZB) cells activate an atheroprotective programme by regulating the differentiation and accumulation of 'poorly differentiated' T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. On the other hand, Tfh cells activate the germinal centre response, which promotes atherosclerosis through the production of class-switched high-affinity antibodies. We therefore investigated the direct role of Tfh cells and the role of IL18 in Tfh differentiation in atherosclerosis. Methods and results We generated atherosclerotic mouse models with selective genetic deletion of Tfh cells, MZB cells, or IL18 signalling in Tfh cells. Surprisingly, mice lacking Tfh cells had increased atherosclerosis. Lack of Tfh not only reduced class-switched IgG antibodies against oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs) but also reduced atheroprotective natural IgM-type anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) antibodies, despite no alteration of natural B1 cells. Moreover, the absence of Tfh cells was associated with an accumulation of MZB cells with substantially reduced ability to secrete antibodies. In the same manner, MZB cell deficiency in Ldlr−/− mice was associated with a significant decrease in atheroprotective IgM antibodies, including natural anti-PC IgM antibodies. In humans, we found a positive correlation between circulating MZB-like cells and anti-OSE IgM antibodies. Finally, we identified an important role for IL18 signalling in HF/HC diet–induced Tfh. Conclusion Our findings reveal a previously unsuspected role of MZB cells in regulating atheroprotective 'natural' IgM antibody production in a Tfh-dependent manner, which could have important pathophysiological and therapeutic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of effective treatments for mitochondrial disease has seen the development of new approaches, including those that stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis to boost ATP production. Here, we examined the effects of deoxyribonucleosides (dNs) on mitochondrial biogenesis and function in Short chain enoyl-CoA hydratase 1 (ECHS1) 'knockout' (KO) cells, which exhibit combined defects in both oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). DNs treatment increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and the expression of mtDNA-encoded transcripts in both CONTROL (CON) and ECHS1 KO cells. DNs treatment also altered global nuclear gene expression, with key gene sets including 'respiratory electron transport' and 'formation of ATP by chemiosmotic coupling' increased in both CON and ECHS1 KO cells. Genes involved in OXPHOS complex I biogenesis were also upregulated in both CON and ECHS1 KO cells following dNs treatment, with a corresponding increase in the steady-state levels of holocomplex I in ECHS1 KO cells. Steady-state levels of OXPHOS complex V, and the CIII2/CIV and CI/CIII2/CIV supercomplexes, were also increased by dNs treatment in ECHS1 KO cells. Importantly, treatment with dNs increased both basal and maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption in ECHS1 KO cells when metabolizing either glucose or the fatty acid palmitoyl-L-carnitine. These findings highlight the ability of dNs to improve overall mitochondrial respiratory function, via the stimulation mitochondrial biogenesis, in the face of combined defects in OXPHOS and FAO due to ECHS1 deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health systems have developed automated telephone call programs to screen and triage patients' post‐hospital discharge issues and concerns. The aims of our study were to determine whether and how older adults engage with automated post‐hospital discharge telephone programs and to describe the prevalence of patient‐reported post‐discharge issues. Methods: We identified all telephone calls made by an urban academic medical center as part of a post‐hospital discharge program between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019. The program used automated telephone outreach to patients or their caregivers that included 11 distinct steps 3 days post‐discharge. All adults discharged home from the hospital, were included, and we categorized patients into ≤64 years, 65–84 years, and ≥85 years age groups. We then compared call reach rate, completeness of 11‐step calls and patient‐reported issues between age groups. Results: Eighteen thousand and seventy six patients were included. More patients 65–84 years old were reached compared to patients ≤64 years old (84.3% vs. 78.9%, AME 5.52%; 95%CI: 3.58%–7.45%). Completion rates of automated calls for those ≥85 years old were also high. Patients ≥85 years old were more likely to have questions about their follow‐up plans and need assistance scheduling appointments compared to those ≤64 years old (19.0% vs. 11.9%, AME 7.0% (95%CI: 2.7%–11.3%). Conclusion: Post‐hospital automated telephone calls are feasible and effective at reaching older adults. Future work should focus on improving discharge communication to ensure older adults are aware of their follow‐up plan and appointments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Use of multiple data sources can enable more complete and informative road injury statistics. • The papers reviewed lack consistency in what was reported and how. • Probabilistic methods are more common when linking administrative data on crash injuries. • Linkage studies can identify topics and case types that warrant more attention in road safety programs, commonly including vulnerable road users. This systematic review examines studies of traffic injury that involved linkage of police crash data and hospital data and were published from 1994 to 2023 worldwide in English. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were the basis for selecting papers from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, and for identifying additional relevant papers using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and supplementary snowballing (n = 60). The selected papers were reviewed in terms of research objectives, data items and sample size included, temporal and spatial coverage, linkage methods and software tools, as well as linkage rates and most significant findings. Many studies found that the number of clinically significant road injury cases was much higher according to hospital data than crash data. Under-estimation of cases in crash data differs by road user type, pedestrian cases commonly being highly under-counted. A limited number of the papers were from low- and middle-income countries. The papers reviewed lack consistency in what was reported and how, which limited comparability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) has long been the main basis for comparability of statistics on causes of mortality and morbidity between places and over time. This paper provides an overview of the recently completed 11th revision of the ICD, focusing on the main innovations and their implications.Main Text: Changes in content reflect knowledge and perspectives on diseases and their causes that have emerged since ICD-10 was developed about 30 years ago. Changes in design and structure reflect the arrival of the networked digital era, for which ICD-11 has been prepared. ICD-11's information framework comprises a semantic knowledge base (the Foundation), a biomedical ontology linked to the Foundation and classifications derived from the Foundation. ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics (ICD-11-MMS) is the primary derived classification and the main successor to ICD-10. Innovations enabled by the new architecture include an online coding tool (replacing the index and providing additional functions), an application program interface to enable remote access to ICD-11 content and services, enhanced capability to capture and combine clinically relevant characteristics of cases and integrated support for multiple languages.Conclusions: ICD-11 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2019. Transition to implementation is in progress. ICD-11 can be accessed at icd.who.int. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There was a concern following the 2016 Brexit referendum that environmental standards in the United Kingdom (UK) may be lowered unless action was taken to address gaps in environmental governance that would be caused by leaving the European Union (EU). Debates over the nature of those gaps and how to fill them have continued over the years since the referendum and it is only recently that the emerging picture of post-Brexit environmental governance in Scotland has been revealed, allowing a preliminary study of the future for environmental standards in the jurisdiction. This article aims to provide an overview and analysis of recent legal developments which are likely to influence the future of environmental law in Scotland, including the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the United Kingdom Internal Market Act, the incorporation of environmental principles into Scots law, new powers to align Scottish environmental standards with EU law, and the new institutional framework to oversee compliance with environmental law in Scotland. The article considers the impact that these new arrangements will have on the development of Scottish environmental law and in particular the implications for Scottish institutions in deciding whether to promote ongoing continuity with EU law, promote convergence with other parts of the UK, or strike out on their own path of environmental law reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scarabaeus sevoistra Alluaud, 1902 was previously thought to be extinct. While identifying Scarabaeinae species on the iNaturalist website, photos posted by citizen scientists were discovered and identified as this species by the authors. The importance of the rediscovery of the species is presented here. We provide new biological notes for the species and a key to separate the species from its congeners. Additionally, we formally give a conservation status for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case: A 21-year-old woman presented with a chronic fracture dislocation of her left shoulder after striking a submerged tree during a watersport activity. She was initially treated at an outside hospital, where she underwent open reduction and internal fixation of her posterior scapula. She presented 8 weeks after index procedure with pain and severely decreased range of motion. Her comminuted and displaced fracture comprising 70% of the anterior superior glenoid was surgically reconstructed using a distal tibia allograft (DTA), resulting in a functional shoulder. Conclusion: A DTA is a feasible option to reconstruct the glenoid surface in fracture dislocations of the shoulder with a significant loss of the articular surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse pleurostict (phytophagous) scarab beetles with characteristically clubbed antennae exhibit striking morphological variation and a variety of different antennal sensilla. Here we compare the morphology of the antennal surface between major pleurostict lineages, including Cetoniinae, Dynastinae, Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, and a few outgroups, including Scarabaeinae and Hybosoridae. We identified various types of antennal sensilla morphologically and searched for phylogenetic patterns of sensilla within the Scarabaeidae. Sensilla were examined using SEM micrographs of 36 species and the occurrence of the different types of antennal sensilla was studied for each species. We observed a high diversity of sensilla, including multiple transitional forms. There were also a number of other interesting structures on the antennal surface with adaptive value, such as elongate elevations, serial bags, and fields of setae. Our results confirm earlier findings that within pleurostict scarabs there has occurred a clear differentiation of sensilla composition and patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population trends of the Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus were monitored by volunteers participating in Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts (CAR) in the Overberg and Swartland agricultural regions of the Western Cape province from 1993 and 1996, respectively, until 2019 in the Overberg and 2017 in the Swartland. The number of Blue Cranes in the Overberg increased from mean density of 47.3 to 204.7 birds 100 km−1 in the summer breeding season, and in the Swartland from 7.5 to 34.2 birds 100 km−1. In both regions, agriculture has resulted in extensive transformation of the original Renosterveld and Fynbos vegetation (Shaw 2003). Results show dramatic population increases in these two regions, following a major decline in populations in the Grassland biome (McCann 2000) where there has also been land transformation. Roadcounts conducted during the breeding season proved more effective in indicating population trends than those during the non-breeding season when birds aggregate in flocks. The survey results show what can be achieved by citizen scientists using a standardised method of monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply a variant of the Hirshfeld density partitioning technique, HI, to calculate the atomic charges and decompose the dipole moments into the part due to the charges and the induced dipoles developed on each atom for three different transition metal (TM) containing molecules. Additionally, the α and β spin densities are treated separately developing a new variant (spin-adapted HI) of the fractional occupation HI version proposed recently. We also study the dependence of HI charges on the atomic state of the TM employed in the promolecule. The VO case exhibits a strong dependence of the atomic charge on the V or V+ state used. Although the bonding in the ground high spin electronic state and the first excited low spin state in TiO and VO is essentially identical, the dipole moments differ significantly and we find that this is due entirely to the σ electron distribution localized on the transition metal. Finally, the mechanism for the rapid change of the dipole moment of HScO upon bending is confirmed to occur mainly due to the induced atomic charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a significant problem in Indians and misclassification of T1D and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a particular problem in young adults in this population due to the high prevalence of early onset T2D at lower BMI. We have previously shown a genetic risk score (GRS) can be used to discriminate T1D from T2D in Europeans. We aimed to test the ability of a T1D GRS to discriminate T1D from T2D and controls in Indians. We studied subjects from Pune, India of Indo-European ancestry; T1D (n = 262 clinically defined, 200 autoantibody positive), T2D (n = 345) and controls (n = 324). We used the 9 SNP T1D GRS generated in Europeans and assessed its ability to discriminate T1D from T2D and controls in Indians. We compared Indians with Europeans from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium study; T1D (n = 1963), T2D (n = 1924) and controls (n = 2938). The T1D GRS was discriminative of T1D from T2D in Indians but slightly less than in Europeans (ROC AUC 0.84 v 0.87, p < 0.0001). HLA SNPs contributed the majority of the discriminative power in Indians. A T1D GRS using SNPs defined in Europeans is discriminative of T1D from T2D and controls in Indians. As with Europeans, the T1D GRS may be useful for classifying diabetes in Indians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of European Union is a set of rules agreed by Member States for regulating the conservation and management of stocks in so-called Union waters. It mentions CFP has several main policy areas such as fisheries management, market and trade policy, structural funding, and international policy. It also mentions EU signed and ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) in 1998.

Mitochondria provide the main source of energy for eukaryotic cells, oxidizing fatty acids and sugars to generate ATP. Mitochondrial fatty acid β‐oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are two key pathways involved in this process. Disruption of FAO can cause human disease, with patients commonly presenting with liver failure, hypoketotic glycaemia and rhabdomyolysis. However, patients with deficiencies in the FAO enzyme short‐chain enoyl‐CoA hydratase 1 (ECHS1) are typically diagnosed with Leigh syndrome, a lethal form of subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy that is normally associated with OXPHOS dysfunction. Furthermore, some ECHS1‐deficient patients also exhibit secondary OXPHOS defects. This sequela of FAO disorders has long been thought to be caused by the accumulation of inhibitory fatty acid intermediates. However, new evidence suggests that the mechanisms involved are more complex, and that disruption of OXPHOS protein complex biogenesis and/or stability is also involved. In this review, we examine the clinical, biochemical and genetic features of all ECHS1‐deficient patients described to date. In particular, we consider the secondary OXPHOS defects associated with ECHS1 deficiency and discuss their possible contribution to disease pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus are increasing in prevalence in cystic fibrosis patients. This opportunistic pathogen′s intrinsic resistance to most antibiotics has perpetuated an urgent demand for new, more effective therapeutic interventions. Here we report a prospective advance in the treatment of M. abscessus infection; increasing the susceptibility of the organism to amoxicillin, by repurposing the β-lactamase inhibitor, relebactam, in combination with the front line M. abscessus drug imipenem. We establish by multiple in vitro methods that this combination works synergistically to inhibit M. abscessus. We also show the direct competitive inhibition of the M. abscessus β-lactamase, BlaMab, using a novel assay, which is validated kinetically using the nitrocefin reporter assay and in silico binding studies. Furthermore, we reverse the susceptibility by overexpressing BlaMab in M. abscessus, demonstrating relebactam-BlaMab target engagement. Finally, we highlight the in vitro efficacy of this combination against a panel of M. abscessus clinical isolates, revealing the therapeutic potential of the amoxicillin-imipenem-relebactam combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To describe strategies to recruit and support members from hard-to-reach groups on research-focused Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). BACKGROUND: Ensuring diverse representation of members of research PFACs is challenging, and few studies have given attention to addressing this problem. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using 8 focus groups and 19 interviews with 80 PFAC members and leaders, hospital leaders, and researchers. RESULTS: Recruitment recommendations were: 1) utilizing existing networks; 2) going out to the community; 3) accessing outpatient clinics; and 4) using social media. Strategies to support inclusion were: 1) culturally appropriate communication methods; 2) building a sense of community between PFAC members; 3) equalizing roles between community members/leaders; 4) having a diverse PFAC leadership team; and 5) setting transparent expectations for PFAC membership. CONCLUSION: Increasing the diversity of research PFACs is a priority, and it is important to determine how best to engage groups that have been traditionally underrepresented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistent failure of standard chemotherapy underscores the urgent need for innovative and targeted approaches in cancer treatment. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising photochemistry-based approach to address chemoresistance in cancer regimens. PDT not only induces cell death but also primes surviving cells, enhancing their susceptibility to subsequent therapies. This review explores the principles of PDT and discusses the concept of photodynamic priming (PDP), which augments the effectiveness of treatments like chemotherapy. Furthermore, the integration of nanotechnology for precise drug delivery at the right time and location and PDT optimization are examined. Ultimately, this study highlights the potential and limitations of PDT and PDP in cancer treatment paradigms, offering insights into future clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the dipole and quadrupole moments of the halogenated acetylenes calculated using large basis sets and the SCF, DFT(B3LYP), and CCSD methods, and we analyze the charge density using the Hirshfeld and Hirshfeld-I techniques. The atomic charges, dipoles, and quadrupoles resulting from the Hirshfeld-I analysis are used to interpret the unusually small molecular dipole moments in the sequence as well as the molecular quadrupole moments. The very small dipoles obtain for two reasons. First, the dipole moment associated with the σ and π electron densities is comparable in magnitude and opposite in direction. Second, the charge and induced dipole contributions for ClCCH, BrCCH, and ICCH have opposite signs further reducing the molecular dipoles. The molecular quadrupole moments are the sum of a charge, atomic dipole, and in situ quadrupole terms, and are dominated by the atomic dipoles and in situ quadrupoles with the charge contributions playing an unexpectedly minor role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculated the dipole moment function for the ground 3Σ-(mS=+1) state of the open shell molecules, NF, NCl, and NBr, and analyzed it in terms of the charge and spin distribution and the induced atomic dipoles using the Hirshfeld partitioning of the electron density. The smallest dipole moment (0.026ea0) obtains with NF, in which the atoms have the largest difference in electronegativity, while the dipole moments in NCl and NBr are 0.441ea0 and 0.506ea0, respectively. All dipoles have the N-X+ polarity. In the σ system α spin electrons flow from N to the halogen while β spin electrons flow in the opposite direction and interestingly from both the σ and the π systems of the halogen to the σ system of N. In NF the number of β spins lost by F is essentially equal to the number of α spins gained and the atomic charges are essentially 0. The small dipole in NF is the result of a slight imbalance in the induced atomic dipoles. For NCl and NBr the halogen loses more β spins than it gains α spins resulting in the polarity N-X+. It is interesting that at equilibrium N gained electrons in the π system while the halogen lost π electrons relative to the separated atoms. This however is not back donation in the usual sense because the electrons gained by N have α spin while those lost by the halogen have β spin. Detailed examination of the spin flow shows that the excess α electrons in the π system of N come from an intra-atomic transfer from the N σ system. The induced atomic dipole moments essentially cancel at all internuclear separations and the polarity of the dipole moment accurately reflects the molecular charge distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dipole and quadrupole moment functions of the hydrogen halides are calculated using a large polarized basis and correlated wavefunctions and compared to experiment and previous calculations. These functions are analyzed in terms of local moments constructed using the Hirshfeld method. The dipole moment is the sum of the functions qHR+μH and μX with qH being the charge on the hydrogen atom, R the internuclear separation, μH and μX the atomic dipoles on the hydrogen and halogen atoms. We find that qHR+μH is always positive and has a maximum at bond lengths larger than the equilibrium. In HF, μF is slightly positive at the maximum in qHR+μH and has little effect on the resultant maximum in the dipole moment function (DMF). μCl, μBr, and μI, on the other hand, are increasingly more negative at the maximum of qHR+μH and have a profound effect on the width of the maximum of the resulting DMF, successively broadening it and completely eliminating it at HI. The quadrupole moment function (QMF) (with the halogen as origin) is given by Θ(HX)=ΘHXproto+δΘX+δΘH+2μHR+qHR2, where ΘHXproto is the quadrupole moment of the separated atoms (the halogen in this instance) and δΘX+δΘH the change in the in situ quadrupole moments of the halogen and hydrogen atoms. The maximum in the QMF and its slope at equilibrium are determined essentially by 2μHR+qHR2, which is known once the DMF is known. δΘX+δΘH is always negative while ΘHXproto is positive, so one can approximate the molecular quadrupole moment to within 10% as Θ(HX)>ΘHXproto+2μHR+qHR2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health research is evolving to include patient stakeholders (patients, families and caregivers) as active members of research teams. Frameworks describing the conceptual foundations underlying this engagement and strategies detailing best practice activities to facilitate engagement have been published to guide these efforts. Objective: The aims of this narrative review are to identify, quantify and summarize (a) the conceptual foundational principles of patient stakeholder engagement in research and (b) best practice activities to support these efforts. Search Strategy, Inclusion Criteria, Data Extraction and Synthesis: We accessed a publicly available repository of systematically identified literature related to patient engagement in research. Two reviewers independently screened articles to identify relevant articles and abstracted data. Main Results: We identified 990 potentially relevant articles of which 935 (94.4%) were excluded and 55 (5.6%) relevant. The most commonly reported foundational principles were "respect" (n = 25, 45%) and "equitable power between all team members" (n = 21, 38%). Creating "trust between patient stakeholders and researchers" was described in 17 (31%) articles. Twenty‐seven (49%) articles emphasized the importance of providing training and education for both patient stakeholder and researchers. Providing financial compensation for patient stakeholders' time and expertise was noted in 19 (35%) articles. Twenty articles (36%) emphasized regular, bidirectional dialogue between patient partners and researchers as important for successful engagement. Discussion and Conclusions: Engaging patient stakeholders in research as partners presents an opportunity to design, implement and disseminate patient‐centred research. This review creates an overarching foundational framework for authentic and sustainable partnerships between patient stakeholders and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore an interprofessional group of health care providers' perspectives on the facilitators and barriers to implementation of an inpatient acupuncture service for pain and symptom management. Design: Qualitative. Setting: An urban, academic, tertiary care health system. Subjects: Key interprofessional health care providers, including physicians, nurses, and administrators. Methods/interventions: We used interviews and focus group with questions guided by the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework to explore three domains of implementation—evidence, context, and facilitation. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Thirty health professionals participated in 11 interviews and 1 focus group. We identified 12 codes or topics, grouped into 3 categories: (1) facilitators to implementation, (2) barriers to implementation, and (3) strategies to promote successful implementation. Health professionals' awareness of acupuncture was high, and the positive support was based on beliefs that acupuncture fills a biomedical gap in treatment and adds institutional value by enhancing the reputation of the health system. Many thought that to provide comprehensive care, acupuncture should be available to inpatients, but opinions varied on the appropriateness and timing of acupuncture in patients' disease or care trajectory. Concerns about inconsistencies in insurance coverage and resulting expenses patients may incur were noted. Strategies to overcome implementation challenges included ensuring buy-in, setting appropriate expectations of the benefits of acupuncture, and educating patients and providers. Conclusions: Our study finds clear support for acupuncture. These strong endorsements were the foundation of facilitating factors that can guide implementation of acupuncture in the inpatient setting. Although we also identified potential barriers to implementation that must be addressed, we also report a number of actionable steps to operationalize evidence-based acupuncture to patients who are inpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Use of thiopurines may be limited by myelosuppression. TPMT pharmacogenetic testing identifies only 25% of at-risk patients of European ancestry. Among patients of East Asian ancestry, NUDT15 variants are associated with thiopurine-induced myelosuppression (TIM).Objective: To identify genetic variants associated with TIM among patients of European ancestry with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Design, Setting, and Participants: Case-control study of 491 patients affected by TIM and 679 thiopurine-tolerant unaffected patients who were recruited from 89 international sites between March 2012 and November 2015. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and exome-wide association studies (EWAS) were conducted in patients of European ancestry. The replication cohort comprised 73 patients affected by TIM and 840 thiopurine-tolerant unaffected patients.Exposures: Genetic variants associated with TIM.Main Outcomes and Measures: Thiopurine-induced myelosuppression, defined as a decline in absolute white blood cell count to 2.5 × 109/L or less or a decline in absolute neutrophil cell count to 1.0 × 109/L or less leading to a dose reduction or drug withdrawal.Results: Among 1077 patients (398 affected and 679 unaffected; median age at IBD diagnosis, 31.0 years [interquartile range, 21.2 to 44.1 years]; 540 [50%] women; 602 [56%] diagnosed as having Crohn disease), 919 (311 affected and 608 unaffected) were included in the GWAS analysis and 961 (328 affected and 633 unaffected) in the EWAS analysis. The GWAS analysis confirmed association of TPMT (chromosome 6, rs11969064) with TIM (30.5% [95/311] affected vs 16.4% [100/608] unaffected patients; odds ratio [OR], 2.3 [95% CI, 1.7 to 3.1], P = 5.2 × 10-9). The EWAS analysis demonstrated an association with an in-frame deletion in NUDT15 (chromosome 13, rs746071566) and TIM (5.8% [19/328] affected vs 0.2% [1/633] unaffected patients; OR, 38.2 [95% CI, 5.1 to 286.1], P = 1.3 × 10-8), which was replicated in a different cohort (2.7% [2/73] affected vs 0.2% [2/840] unaffected patients; OR, 11.8 [95% CI, 1.6 to 85.0], P = .03). Carriage of any of 3 coding NUDT15 variants was associated with an increased risk (OR, 27.3 [95% CI, 9.3 to 116.7], P = 1.1 × 10-7) of TIM, independent of TPMT genotype and thiopurine dose.Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients of European ancestry with IBD, variants in NUDT15 were associated with increased risk of TIM. These findings suggest that NUDT15 genotyping may be considered prior to initiation of thiopurine therapy; however, further study including additional validation in independent cohorts is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To describe neurosurgical patient and caregiver perceptions of provider communication, the impact of patient education, and their understanding of information given to them throughout the neurosurgical care trajectory. Methods We organized focus groups composed of patients who had been hospitalized on the neurosurgical service at 5 urban academic tertiary referral hospitals within a large university health system, along with the patients' caregivers. During focus groups, we used semistructured questions to answer the study questions. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Forty-three patients and caregivers took part in 5 focus groups. In total we identified 12 coding categories (or topics) that were associated with patient and family information needs. Despite the fact all patients were receiving care within the same health system, often with the same care team and clinical environments, their experiences often could not have been more different. We found stark variations in how patients and caregivers described the quality of communication and patient education they received that affected their satisfaction. Satisfied patients and caregivers generally felt well informed and reported good understanding of the clinical care plan throughout the perioperative course, whereas dissatisfied patients struggled with unanswered questions, unmet information needs, and a sense of confusion throughout their care experience. Conclusions Our study describes several unmet needs, finds inconsistencies in how information is delivered and a lack of patient-centered and caregiver-centered approaches to communication. Neurosurgery groups should identify unmet needs at their institution and implement strategies and interventions to improve the patient and caregiver experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the symmetric CH stretching mode of methyl radical formed by UV laser photolysis of CH3I cooled in a free jet expansion. Spectra obtained under near-nascent conditions (∼3 to ∼6 collisions) show that most of the CH3 product is formed in the ground vibrational state, with little excitation seen in the ν2 out-of-plane bending coordinate [v2=1/v2=0, population ratio 0.27(10)]. This is in accord with recent theoretical calculations favoring slow, adiabatic CH3 relaxation from a pyramidal to planar structure as the C–I bond breaks. Extensive N,K rotational structure is resolved and the distributions obtained lend support to those deduced for nascent CH3 by Chandler and co-workers from modeling of unresolved resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra. The results are consistent with conservation during dissociation of CH3 ortho-para nuclear spin forms and of K spinning angular momentum about the symmetry axis. CH3 product tumbling motion is slightly greater (1–2 units of angular momentum) than predicted theoretically. Rapid collisional excitation of higher rotational levels is seen and the rich spectrum observed after ∼50 collisions has been analyzed to give improved or new vibrational-rotational parameters for 1000 and 1100 states. The 1100 band origin is determined to be 2996.21(4) cm-1, yielding -8.23(5) cm-1 for the x12 anharmonicity constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author recalls some of the achievements of the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project and other citizen science projects that were run by the Animal Demography Unit (then the Avian Demography Unit, ADU). The traditional motivation for such projects is cast into doubt, given that expansion of species-conservation programmes is unlikely to occur in an era when there are so many competing crises in the South Africa and the world. Notwithstanding this cautionary stance, the author suggests that citizen science does, in fact, have an important role to play through engagement, documentation and education. He furthermore suggests that the value of these aspects is likely to become manifest in the future, rather than the present. The discussion concludes with an overview of the type of organizational structure required to maximise the usefulness and impact of citizen science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a structural time series model to explore U.S. commodity market convergence, efficiency, and intertemporal smoothing from 1750–1949. I find near-continuous convergence that is largely concentrated in the frontier, broad antebellum efficiency gains, and intertemporal smoothing from the 1880s onward among the most perishable goods. The results reveal new periods of integration across all three metrics and underscore the rapid rate of integration on the frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) is well-known for containing a compulsory dispute settlement system in Part XV, which allows most disputes to be submitted to binding adjudication or arbitration. Yet, the ability to bring a claim under the LOSC is premised upon meeting certain conditions contained in the Convention's compromissory clause. This article examines those requirements relating to jurisdiction ratione materiae or subject-matter jurisdiction under LOSC and how they have been interpreted in the recent jurisprudence of courts and tribunals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Jesus demands in Luke's Gospel that his followers divest themselves of their wealth and give to the poor, and do good to and pray for the enemy. The "poor" are one of the several marginalised groups that, according to Jesus' Isaianic understanding of the Kingdom, are at the heart of his mission. However, Jesus criticises the strong reciprocity ethic animating the ancient benefaction system and is dismissive of the honorific accolades that it spawned for the Gentile kings. He underscores the indifference of the wealthy to the poor, as well as their blindness to eschatological judgement. Notwithstanding, Jesus commends the centurion synagogue benefactor, advocates the astute use of wealth to establish "friends" for the Kingdom, endorses his disciples' dependence upon benefaction for their mission, promises reward for the "poor," praises the sacrificial beneficence of an impoverished benefactor, celebrates the magnanimous monetary restitution offered by a morally unworthy tax collector to his victims, and challenges his disciples with the new paradigm of the "Servant" benefactor. Employing a visual and documentary perspective, this article demonstrates that Luke provides for his readers a nuanced, paradoxical and unconventional portrait of Jesus' response to the beneficence of the local elites, the Herodian house and imperial overlords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance is a global healthcare problem with a dwindling arsenal of usable drugs. Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, requires long-term combination therapy and multi- and totally drug resistant strains have emerged. This study reports the antibacterial activity of cationic polymers against mycobacteria, which are distinguished from other Gram-positive bacteria by their unique cell wall comprising a covalently linked mycolic acid–arabinogalactan–peptidoglycan complex (mAGP), interspersed with additional complex lipids which helps them persist in their host. The present study finds that poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) has particularly potent antimycobacterial activity and high selectivity over two Gram-negative strains. Removal of the backbone methyl group (poly(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate)) decreased antimycobacterial activity, and poly(aminoethyl methacrylate) also had no activity against mycobacteria. Hemolysis assays revealed poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) did not disrupt red blood cell membranes. Interestingly, poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) was not found to permeabilize mycobacterial membranes, as judged by dye exclusion assays, suggesting the mode of action is not simple membrane disruption, supported by electron microscopy analysis. These results demonstrate that synthetic polycations, with the correctly tuned structure are useful tools against mycobacterial infections, for which new drugs are urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe activity patterns, relative abundances and pollen transport by insect floral visitors in the Skukuza Ranger District, Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa, based on field surveys conducted during the early rainy seasons of years 2006 to 2012 (inclusive). Diagnostic notes, illustrations and natural history observations are provided for species in the families Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Cleridae, Lycidae and Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera), Muscidae, Platystomatidae and Tabanidae (Diptera), Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Sphecidae and Vespidae (Hymenoptera), and Pieridae and Thyrididae (Lepidoptera) that transported pollen of tree or shrub species. Observations on floral phenology and pollination syndrome are presented for 27 flowering tree or shrub species. To provide a foundation for studies of the effects of drought and climate change on pollination services in the Kruger National Park, we applied methods of food web analysis to characterise this plant-pollinator assemblage. The food web analysis shows moderate levels of redundancy in plant-pollinator interactions (with connectance values averaging 0.19 for plant species and 0.20 for pollinator species), suggesting that pollination services in this system may exhibit some resilience to environmental perturbations. Possible conservation strategies for maintaining pollination services in this ecological system are discussed, including habitat management to conserve larval or nesting areas for social and solitary bees and scarab beetles, as well as further inventories and long-term monitoring of pollinator species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Pneumatic tube systems (PTSs) are convenient methods of patient sample transport in medical centers, but excessive acceleration force and time/distance traveled in the PTS have been correlated with increased blood-sample hemolysis. We investigated the utility of smartphones for monitoring of PTS-related variables. Methods Smartphones were sent through the PTS from several hospital locations. Each smartphone used 2 apps as data-loggers to record force of acceleration vs time. To relate the smartphone data to sample integrity, blood samples were collected from 5 volunteers, and hemolysis of the samples was analyzed after they were transported by hand or via 1 of 2 PTS routes. Increased sample hemolysis as measured by plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LD) was also related to the amount of transport in the PTS. Results The smartphones showed higher duration of forceful acceleration during transport through 1 of the 2 PTS routes, and the increased duration correlated with significant increases in hemolysis (H)-index and plasma LD. In addition, plasma LD showed a positive linear relationship with number of shock forces experienced during transport through the PTS. Conclusions Smartphones can monitor PTS variables that cause sample hemolysis. This provides an accessible method for investigating specific PTS routes in medical centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen La Unión Europea (UE) ha concluido alrededor de 50 acuerdos de libre comercio bilaterales y sigue negociando otros. En la actualidad, estos incluyen un capítulo sobre comercio y desarrollo sostenible con disposiciones laborales de enfoque «promocional», y no «condicional». Alimentando el debate sobre el objeto y la eficacia de vincular comercio y trabajo, los autores examinan las posibilidades y los límites de estas disposiciones, y señalan la ausencia de investigaciones en el terreno. A fin de colmar este vacío, proponen un programa de investigación para evaluar los efectos de estas disposiciones en los países que firman acuerdos bilaterales con la UE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Burden of disease and injury methods can be used to summarise and compare the effects of conditions in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Burden estimation methods are not inherently complex. However, as commonly implemented, the methods include complex modelling and estimation. Objectives To provide a simple and open-source software tool that allows estimation of incidence-DALYs due to injury, given data on incidence of deaths and non-fatal injuries. The tool includes a default set of ' estimation parameters, which can be replaced by users. Development of the software tool The tool was written in Microsoft Excel. All calculations and values can be seen and altered by users. The parameter sets currently used in the tool are based on published sources. Using the software tool The tool is available without charge online at http://calculator.globalburdenofinjuries. org. To use the tool with the supplied parameter sets, users need to only paste a table of population and injury case data organised by age, sex and external cause of injury into a specified location in the tool. Estimated DALYs can be read or copied from tables and figures in another part of the tool. Conclusions In some contexts, a simple and user-modifiable burden calculator may be preferable to undertaking a more complex study to estimate the burden of disease. The tool and the parameter sets required for its use can be improved by user innovation, by studies comparing DALYs estimates calculated in this way and in other ways, and by shared experience of its use [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on arbitral proceedings against chartered vessel Arctic Sunrise operation through organization Greenpeace International by Russian Federation. Topics include involvement in environmental protests with Netherlands flag, introduction of different rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBS) by the vessel, initiation of proceedings from October 4, 2013 under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and illustration of arbitration award with enforcement of maritime law.

This article examines under what conditions benchmarking and associated measurement initiatives produced by UN human rights actors could, and should, play a role in promoting compliance with international human rights norms. It is organised around a comparative analysis of UN benchmarking initiatives for states and corporations. With regard to states, the article argues that ideological misgivings and technical limitations have so far triumphed over aspirations that indicators and benchmarks might play a significant role in increasing compliance with international human rights norms. With regard to corporations, we find that measuring human rights performance has been framed by the recent UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights using a much more expansive and less quantitative set of benchmarks. These latter benchmarks do not appear to be creating conditions under which the human rights performance of corporations is effectively interrogated, and as a result there is a danger of superficial legitimation. Comparative analysis of these two initiatives reveals some of the tensions inherent in utilising benchmarking in transnational efforts to achieve human rights compliance. It also allows us to contribute to broader debates about the quantification of performance and its potential and limitations as a tool of global governance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: We assessed the quality of Global Burden of Disease-2010 (GBD-2010) estimates of road injury deaths by comparing with government statistics for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries that report to the International Road Traffic Accident Database (IRTAD).Methods: We obtained tabulated data for 25 OECD countries that report to IRTAD and also report vital registration (VR) data to WHO. We collated VR deaths corresponding to the GBD-2010 road injury definition and estimated 'traffic', 'non-traffic' and 'unspecified whether traffic or non-traffic' components. We estimated national road injury deaths by redistributing partially specified causes of death, as was done by GBD until this was replaced by more complex methods in GBD-2010.Results: GBD-2010 estimates of road injury deaths exceeded IRTAD by 45% overall. IRTAD values fell below the GBD-2010 95% uncertainty interval in all but three countries. Mismatch of conceptual scope accounted for about 8% of this discrepancy, 5% was because GBD-2010 included cases other than road traffic and 3% because GBD-2010 (unlike IRTAD) includes deaths >30 days after injury. Pro rata distribution of partially specified causes in VR data gave estimates that were 18% higher than IRTAD but closer than GBD-2010 estimates for all but two countries. Cases in VR data specified as road injury gave estimates closer to IRTAD.Conclusions: GBD-2010 road injury mortality estimates are substantially higher than the road death toll in OECD countries. The discrepancy is not explained by wider scope of the GBD road injury construct nor by undercounting by IRTAD. GBD-2010 likely attributed substantially more deaths with partially specified causes to road injuries than is appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aim and objectives Previous studies investigating agreement between data sources for co-morbidity and adjuvant therapy information have suggested agreement varies depending on how the information is collected. The aim of this study was to compare agreement among three data sources: patient report, clinician report and medical record. Method Data were collected as part of a nurse-delivered telephone intervention (the CONNECT programme). Patient report was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Clinician report was collected from the patient's treating surgeon. Medical record information was extracted by a member of the research team. The proportion of specific agreement [positive ( PA) and negative agreement ( NA)] and Kappa statistics were calculated. Results The study sample comprised 756 surgical patients with colorectal cancer. For the majority of co-morbidities the lowest level of agreement was found between the patient and clinician ( PA 0.29-0.64, Kappa values ranged from 0.22 to 0.58). The highest agreement and Kappa values for co-morbidities were generally found between the patient report and medical record ( PA 0.36-0.80 and NA 0.92-0.99; Kappa 0.34-0.77). There was good agreement between patient and clinician reports for receipt adjuvant therapy { Kappa 0.78 [confidence interval ( CI) 0.72-0.84] and 0.84 [ CI 0.80-0.88], respectively; PA 0.87 and 0.92, respectively}. No consistent pattern in the predictors of non-agreement was found. Conclusion Given there was higher agreement between patient report and medical record review, the use of patient self-report questionnaires to ascertain co-morbid conditions remains a valid method for health services research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xanthomonas axonopodis pathovar vasculorum strain NCPPB 900 was isolated from sugarcane on Reunion island in 1960. Consistent with its belonging to fatty-acid type D, multi-locus sequence analysis confirmed that NCPPB 900 falls within the species X. axonopodis. This genome harbours sequences similar to plasmids pXCV183 from X. campestris pv. vesicatoria 85-10 and pPHB194 from Burkholderia pseudomallei. Its repertoire of predicted effectors includes homologues of XopAA, XopAD, XopAE, XopB, XopD, XopV, XopZ, XopC and XopI and transcriptional activator-like effectors and it is predicted to encode a novel phosphonate natural product also encoded by the genome of the phylogenetically distant X. vasicola pv. vasculorum. Availability of this novel genome sequence may facilitate the study of interactions between xanthomonads and sugarcane, a host-pathogen system that appears to have evolved several times independently within the genus Xanthomonas and may also provide a source of target sequences for molecular detection and diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Several care transition interventions propose that post-discharge phone calls can reduce adverse events and decrease costly return visits to the hospital. However, given the multi-faceted nature of most care transitions interventions, the true relationship between post-discharge phone calls and readmissions in a real world setting is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of receiving a post-discharge telephone call on all-cause 30-day readmission in a general medicine population. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients discharged home from the Medicine Service at a tertiary care academic medical center between November 2010 and May 2012. INTERVENTION: Patients received two telephone call attempts by a nurse within 72 h of discharge. Nurses followed a standard script to address issues associated with readmission. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Billing data captured readmissions. We used logistic regression-adjusted patient and clinical covariates as well as a propensity score representing likelihood of being called to determine the association between call receipt and risk for readmission. KEY RESULTS: There were 5,507 eligible patients. In unadjusted analyses, patients who received a call and completed the intervention were significantly less likely to be readmitted compared to those who did not [155 (5.8 %) vs 123 (8.6 %), p < 0.01]. In multivariable models adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical covariates alone, completing a post-discharge telephone call intervention was associated with lower odds for readmission (AOR 0.71; 95 % CI: 0.55-0.91). However, when models adjusted for the likelihood of receiving the phone call using the propensity score, no association between call receipt and readmission was observed (AOR 0.91; 95%CI: 0.69-1.20). CONCLUSIONS: Effectiveness of post-discharge phone call programs may be more related to whether patients are able to answer a phone call than to the care delivered by the phone call. Programs would benefit from improving their ability to perform phone outreach while simultaneously improving on the care delivered during the calls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potential exemplar for understanding how volitional actions emerged from reflexes, we studied the relationship between an ancient reflexive gaze stabilization mechanism (optokinetic nystagmus [OKN]) and purposeful eye movements (saccades) that target an object. Traditionally, these have been considered distinct (except in the kinematics of their execution) and have been studied independently. We find that the fast-phases of OKN clearly show properties associated with saccade planning: (a) They are characteristically delayed by irrelevant distractors in an indistinguishable way to saccades (the saccadic inhibition effect), and (b) horizontal OKN fast-phases produce curvature in vertical targeting saccades, just like a competing saccade plan. Thus, we argue that the saccade planning network plays a role in the production of OKN fast-phases, and we question the need for a strict distinction between eye movements that appear to be automatic or volitional. We discuss whether our understanding might benefit from shifting perspective and considering the entire "saccade" system to have developed from an increasingly sophisticated OKN system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the aspects and latest updates related to streptomyces genome sequences. Topics include mining bacterial genome sequences for secondary metabolism gene clusters, computational tool for mining secondary metabolism gene clusters in genome sequences and non-ribosomal peptide synthases (NRPS) and polyketide synthetases (PK).

ICD-11 provides a promising new way to capture healthcare-related harm or injury. In this paper, we elaborate on the framework for describing healthcare-related events where there is a presumed causal link between an event and underlying healthcare-related factors. The three-part model for describing healthcare-related harm or injury in ICD-11 consists of (1) a healthcare-related activity that is the cause of injury or other harm (selected from Chapter 23 of ICD-11); (2) a mode or mechanism of injury or harm, related to the underlying cause (also from Chapter 23 of ICD-11); and (3) the harmful consequences of the event to the patient, selected from any of Chapters 1 through 22 of ICD-11 (most importantly, the injury or harm experienced by the patient). Concepts from these three elements are linked/clustered through postcoordination to reflect the three-part model in a single coded expression. ICD-11 contains many novel features, and the three-part model described here for healthcare-related adverse events is a notable example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge, spin distribution and dipole moments of the open shell molecules PF and PCl have been analyzed using two variants of the Hirshfeld partitioning of the electronic density. In the HI or iterative Hirshfeld approach, one keeps the number of electrons on a given atom in the molecule and proto molecule equal and does not constrain the spin distribution in any way. In the spin-adapted approach, one constrains both the charges and spins on the in situ and proatoms to be equal. We find that while allowing for both spin and charge equalization results in a spin distribution that is different from that of the conventional HI method, the behavior of the atomic spin populations as a function of internuclear separation is similar. Both methods predict that as the bond is formed, the halogen gains α and looses β electrons with the converse for P. These electron shifts are further broken down into their σ and π components and we find that while the α electrons gained by the halogen are essentially all in the σ system, they come from both the σ and π system of P. The β electrons gained by P occupy both σ and π densities, but come essentially from the π system on the halogen. The dipole moment curves are partitioned into their α and β components and showing that the dipole due to the σ spin density has the polarity P X while that due to the β spin density has the polarity P X, while the net dipole polarity at equilibrium is P X, consistent with the spin-dependent charge shifts described above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]