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Background: People with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy and young onset Alzheimer's disease may experience language and communication difficulties. However, the role of speech and language interventions for people with these non-language led dementias has received little attention. Aims: This study aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of people living with these conditions, and their families, regarding their language and communication difficulties and how speech and language therapy could address these needs. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design to explore the experiences of people living with or caring for somebody with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy or young onset Alzheimer's disease, and to understand their opinions about speech and language therapy. Participants were recruited from a support service connected to a dementia clinic to attend one of five focus group meetings. Videorecorded focus groups and interviews were transcribed, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data from people affected by each type of dementia. Results: A total of 25 participants were recruited to the study, with representation across the different forms of non-language led dementias. The four main themes identified were: (1) communication difficulties as a key difficulty, (2) loss and loneliness, (3) speech and language therapy, and (4) the role of the caregiver. Sixteen subthemes were also identified which highlighted individual issues across disease types. Discussion: Although all the forms of dementia studied here are not considered to be language-led, people with these conditions and/or their care partners identified speech, language and communication as common challenges. These communication difficulties were reported to have a negative impact on their social participation and mental health and participants felt speech and language interventions could help. There is a need for research exploring speech and language interventions developed for and with people with non-language led dementias and their care partners, to ensure they meet the needs of the people they are designed for.

Neha N Parayath,1 Hayley Nehoff,1 Samuel E Norton,2 Andrew J Highton,2 Sebastien Taurin,1,3 Roslyn A Kemp,2 Khaled Greish1,4 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; 4Princess Al-Jawhara Centre for Molecular Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Abstract: Oral administration of paclitaxel (PTX), a broad spectrum anticancer agent, is challenged by its low uptake due to its poor bioavailability, efflux through P-glycoprotein, and gastrointestinal toxicity. We synthesized PTX nanomicelles using poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (SMA). Oral administration of SMA-PTX micelles doubled the maximum tolerated dose (60 mg/kg vs 30 mg/kg) compared to the commercially available PTX formulation (PTX [Ebewe]). In a murine orthotopic colon cancer model, oral administration of SMA-PTX micelles at doses 30 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg reduced tumor weight by 54% and 69%, respectively, as compared to the control group, while no significant reduction in tumor weight was observed with 30 mg/kg of PTX (Ebewe). In addition, toxicity of PTX was largely reduced by its encapsulation into SMA. Furthermore, examination of the tumors demonstrated a decrease in the number of blood vessels. Thus, oral delivery of SMA-PTX micelles may provide a safe and effective strategy for the treatment of colon cancer. Keywords: oral delivery, anticancer nanomedicine, CT-26, enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, HUVEC, antiangiogenic

This article investigates how a key stratum of the partisan elite—party activists—have been positioned across time and policy issues. We examine the extent to which activists have polarized symmetrically or asymmetrically and find that only on the issue of abortion has one party’s activists (Republicans) polarized notably more than the other’s. The article also analyzes party activist proximity to the mass public’s policy preferences and finds that Democrats are consistently closer to the public on economic issues, and Republicans are consistently closer on a subset of non-economic issues. Our findings suggest the need for more nuanced theories of party activism and polarization along with providing a useful lens through which to view party electoral competition.

We propose a modified spatial-voting rule to explain why congressional candidates adopt more extreme ideological positions than their constituents' preferences. Our model accepts the standard spatial-voting model with one critical exception: voters in the same party as a candidate tolerate extremism without imposing an electoral penalty. This, in turn, creates “leeway” for candidates to adopt extreme positions as they increasingly depend on voters from their own party. Electoral simulations demonstrate that a key election-level implication of this model is that it explains candidate polarization without relying on institutional factors like primary elections. Finally, we show that asymmetry in perceptual bias is one possible mechanism and that real-world patterns of ideological representation are consistent with our simulation results.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the partisan leanings and presidential voting of state white electorates have been changing. Drawing on party realignment theories and analyses of cultural politics, this paper hypothesizes that cultural issues may be the dimension along which the realignment is occurring. The empirical findings are consistent with this view. The cultural issue preferences of state white electorates are strongly related to change in partisanship from 2000 to 2016. Further, only cultural issue attitudes have become a stronger predictor of state white presidential voting over this period. The apparent effects of partisanship, economic issue attitudes, and racial attitudes have either declined over time or been substantial in some elections and less so in others.

This paper outlines the University of Edinburgh’s long-running strategic commitment to supporting sustainable open education practice (OEP) across the institution. It highlights how the University provides underpinning support and digital capability for OEP through central services working with policy makers, partners, students, and academics to support co-creation and active creation and use of open educational resources to develop digital literacy skills, transferable attributes, and learning enhancement. We present a range of case studies and exemplars of authentic OEP evidenced by reflective practice and semi-structured ethnographic interviews, including Wikimedia in the Curriculum initiatives, open textbook production, and co-creation of interdisciplinary STEM engagement resources for schools. The paper includes recommendations and considerations, providing a blueprint that other institutions can adopt to encourage sustainable OEP. Our experience shows that mainstreaming strategic support for OEP is key to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

This paper analyzes the positions Members of Congress take on important aspects of public policy, voters’ preferences on those issues, and individual-level voting behavior in congressional elections. Minimal evidence of issue accountability is found, and its form is different from that reported in previous research. The central implication is that representatives appear to have a good deal of discretion to take positions—at least with respect to voters—without paying an electoral penalty. The “electoral blind spot” (Bawn et al. Perspect Polit 10(3):571–597, 2012) in congressional elections may be substantial.

This is a review of patients managed by our single-site breast surgery service for complications of cosmetic surgeries performed abroad and within the UK, across September 2022–2023. A retrospective review of outpatient clinic and emergency theatre lists was used to identify patients; data was collected from their electronic records. 25 patients (23 female) were identified, 20 had surgery abroad. Turkey was the most common destination that patients travelled to (n = 15), with bilateral breast augmentation being the most common procedure (n = 15). Post-operative infection and wound dehiscence (n = 10 and n = 8, respectively) were the most common complications; 72% (n = 18) of patients presented within 8 weeks of their surgery. There was incomplete recording of surgical details including precise date (recorded for 48%), clinic name (8%), and name of the surgeon (0%). 17 microbiological samples were sent, with 11 resulting in a named organism - Staphylococcus aureus was most common (n = 5). 17 (68%) cases were treated conservatively, without radiological or surgical interventions. When surgical management occurred (n = 6), it was for removal of breast implants (n = 5) or evacuation of haematoma (n = 1). The cost of managing these complications was at least £37,000. Complications from cosmetic tourism present more commonly to the NHS than those resulting from private surgery performed in the UK. This has significant financial implications for the NHS. More accurate recording of relevant data, engagement in audits, and disseminating findings may help raise awareness of the risks and complications of cosmetic surgery performed abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores Wikipedia as a site for learning. It traces how people learn to become Wikipedia editors through engagement in an editathon, a training event for people who want to become a volunteer editor. The study is original in its emphasis on the various types of knowledge editors acquire as they develop expertise. Determining the knowledge needed to contribute to Wikipedia is significant in terms of understanding Wikipedia as a site for learning. Data was gathered from nine participants who took part in an "editathon" event. The study used a rigorous methodology, combining quantitative social network analysis, documenting the online activity of participants as they created and edited Wikipedia pages, with qualitative interviews about participants' lived experiences during the editathon. Conceptual and procedural knowledge are representative of the foundational knowledge needed to contribute to Wikipedia actively as an editor. However, these knowledge types on their own are not sufficient. Editors also develop socio-cultural and relational forms of knowledge to enable them to operate and problem-solve effectively. The relationship between the physical and the digital is important, since socio-cultural and relational knowledge are developed through active experimentation as the editathon engage with physical objects to create the online wiki pages.

Do economic performance and economic news coverage influence public perceptions of the economy? Efforts to assess the effects are hampered by the interrelationships among the variables. In this paper, we bring to bear a more careful accounting of available economic variables than previous studies have used. We find that both media tone and economic attitudes are strongly related to actual economic performance. Moreover, after taking into account the economy itself, a substantial relationship between media tone and economic attitudes persists. Given that economic attitudes influence a wide variety of political outcomes, this finding carries important normative and political significance.

This study investigated the effects of an acute dose (900 mg) of New Zealand Blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on 5-km running performance, alongside associated physiological and metabolic responses. Sixteen trained male runners (age 26 ± 5 years, stature 173.4 ± 7.3 cm, body mass 73.7 ± 6.9 kg, maximal oxygen consumption [ V ˙ O 2 max ] 55.4 ± 6.1 ml·kg−1·min−1) ingested either capsules containing NZBC extract (3 × 300 mg CurraNZ, 315 mg anthocyanins) or a matched placebo (3 × 300 mg gluten-free flour) 2 hr before exercise in a double-blind, randomized, crossover design. Performance time, physiological, and metabolic responses were assessed in a 5-km time trial, preceded by 10-min exercise at the lactate threshold on a treadmill. NZBC extract did not alter the physiological or metabolic responses to exercise at the lactate threshold (oxygen uptake, respiratory exchange ratio, minute ventilation, carbohydrate oxidation, fat oxidation, heart rate, blood lactate, or rating of perceived exertion, p >.05). The 5-km time trial was completed in a faster time in the NZBC extract condition compared with placebo (NZBC: 1,308.96 ± 122.36 s, placebo: 1,346.33 ± 124.44, p =.001, d = −0.23, confidence interval range = [−0.46, 0.00 s]). No differences in physiological or metabolic responses were apparent between conditions for the 5-km time trial (p >.05). Ingesting 900 mg of NZBC extract as an acute dose improves performance in trained male runners without altering physiological or metabolic responses to exercise. Further research is needed to assess a wider range of possible mechanisms (e.g., cardiovascular function, metabolite profiles) to advance insight into improved performance following supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives Lenalidomide (LEN) is used to treat multiple myeloma (MM) and shows in vitro synergy with KappaMab (KM), a chimeric antibody specific for Kappa Myeloma antigen, an antigen exclusively expressed on the surface of kappa‐restricted MM cells. Lenalidomide, dexamethasone (DEX) and KM control MM via multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms; however, there are several additional effects of the drug combination on immune cells. Lenalidomide can increase T cell and NKT cell cytotoxicity and dendritic cell (DC) activation in vitro. We investigated the immune cell populations in bone marrow of patients treated with KM, LEN and low‐dose DEX in kappa‐restricted relapsed/refractory MM ex vivo and assessed association of those changes with patient outcome. Methods A cohort (n = 40) of patients with kappa‐restricted relapsed/refractory MM, treated with KM, LEN and low‐dose DEX, was analysed using a mass cytometry panel that allowed identification of immune cell subsets. Clustering analyses were used to determine significant changes in immune cell populations at time periods after treatment. Results We found changes in five DC and 17 T‐cell populations throughout treatment. We showed an increase in activated conventional DC populations, a decrease in immature/precursor DC populations, a decrease in activated CD4 T cells and an increase in effector‐memory CD4 T cells and effector CD8 T cells, indicating an activated immune response. Conclusion These data characterise the effects of LEN, DEX, and KM treatment on non‐target immune cells in MM. Treatment may support destruction of MM cells by both direct action and indirect mechanisms via immune cells.