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Livia Yuliawati,1 Putri Ayu Puspieta Wardhani,1 Joo Hou Ng2 1School of Psychology, Universitas Ciputra Surabaya, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia; 2Department of Psychology, IMU University, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Livia Yuliawati, School of Psychology, Universitas Ciputra Surabaya, Citraland CBD Boulevard, Surabaya, East Java, 60219, Indonesia, Email livia@ciputra.ac.idPurpose: The present study aimed to investigate how prior research of TTRPG revealed the benefits of TTRPG as a psychological intervention and how further studies can overcome the challenges and limitations of TTRPG in those previous studies.Methods: The study used Scoping Review to explore the potential benefits of TTRPG. Three research questions were identified (1) the extent to which empirical research has been conducted regarding TTRPG as intervention, (2) the potential of TTRPG mentioned, and (3) the suggestions for future research. The study investigated the last 10 years (ie, 2013 to 2023) of research publications with all research methods included. The search focused on key terms of “Tabletop Role-playing Game”, “TTRPG”, “Dungeons and Dragons”, and terms related to intervention. The databases used were in English and Indonesian and resulted in 109 papers but later eliminated due to various reasons until it became 51 papers to be reviewed.Results: Of the 51 papers included for final analysis, majority are of exploratory approach (n = 35; eg, literature review and qualitative design studies), indicating that research in TTRPG is still at the emerging stage. Quantitative design studies (n = 12) and mixed-method design studies (n = 4) on TTRPG are the minority. Majority papers (n = 30) are published in the United States, only three papers published in the Asian context, indicating that TTRPG research in the Asian context is scarce.Conclusion: From existing literature, TTRPG provides benefits to promote cognitive and psychosocial skills, to prevent negative effects and stress, as well as to intervene in psychological problems such as social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and autism spectrum disorders. Further studies can explore the use of TTRPG in Asia-representing collectivistic culture, to employ different systems of TTRPG and to examine the effects of TTRPG using experimental design to overcome the limitations of prior studies.Keywords: tabletop role-playing games, psychological intervention, scoping review

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a global public health concern for adolescents due to its potential severe negative consequences. Professional help-seeking is important for early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of IGD. However, research on the factors associated with professional help-seeking for IGD as well as relevant mediation mechanisms among adolescents is limited., Objective: Based on the stress coping theory, the conservation of resource theory, and behavioral change theories, this study investigated the prevalence and factors influencing the behavioral intention of professional help-seeking for internet gaming disorder (BI-PHSIGD). The research also explored the underlying mechanisms, including psychosocial resources like resilience and social support, perceived resource loss due to reduced gaming time, and self-efficacy, in professional help-seeking among adolescent internet gamers., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among secondary school students who were internet gamers in 2 Chinese cities from October 2019 to January 2020. Data from the full sample (N=1526) and a subsample of 256 IGD cases (according to the 9-item DSM-5 [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition] IGD Checklist) were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors of BI-PHSIGD, while structural equation modeling was performed to test the proposed mediation mechanisms., Results: The prevalence of BI-PHSIGD was 54.3% (829/1526) in the full sample and 40.6% (104/256) in the IGD subsample (vs 708/1239, 57.1% among non-IGD cases). In the full sample, psychosocial resources of resilience (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.05) and social support (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04) as well as self-efficacy in professional help-seeking (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.49-1.81) were positively associated with BI-PHSIGD, while perceived resource loss due to reduced gaming time was negatively associated with BI-PHSIGD (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96-0.98); the positive association between psychosocial resources and BI-PHSIGD was fully mediated via 2 single-mediator indirect paths (via self-efficacy in professional help-seeking alone: effect size=53.4%; indirect effect/total effect=0.10/0.19 and via perceived resource loss due to reduced gaming time alone: effect size=17.8%; indirect effect/total effect=0.03/0.19) and one 2-mediator serial indirect path (first via perceived resource loss due to reduced gaming time then via self-efficacy in professional help-seeking: effect size=4.7%; indirect effect/total effect=0.009/0.19). In the IGD subgroup, a full mediation via self-efficacy in professional help-seeking alone but not the other 2 indirect paths was statistically significant., Conclusions: Many adolescent internet gamers, especially those with IGD, were unwilling to seek professional help; as a result, early treatment is often difficult to achieve. To increase BI-PHSIGD, enhancing psychosocial resources such as resilience and social support, perceived resource loss due to reduced gaming time, and self-efficacy in professional help-seeking may be effective. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to confirm and extend the findings., (© Yanqiu Yu, Joyce Hoi-Yuk Ng, Ji-bin Li, Jianxin Zhang, Joseph T F Lau. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org).)

Background: Men who have sex with men studying in universities (MSM-US) frequently face multiple sexual minority stressors that potentially lead to maladaptive emotional regulations and mental problems. This study compared the prevalence of depression/insomnia between MSM-US and non-MSM male university students (NUS) and hypothesized that the potential differences would be mediated via emotional dysregulation styles (rumination and catastrophizing)., Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional study. NUS were recruited from a university-based survey using cluster sampling in three universities in China from June to October 2018, while MSM-US from the same university-based survey and the other community-based survey using convenience sampling. The effective samples size was 2,531 (292 MSM-US and 2,239 NUS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed., Results: MSM-US had significantly higher prevalence of both probable depression (55.1% versus 35.7%; OR = 4.85, 95% CI: 3.38-6.94) and moderate-to-severe clinical insomnia (17.3% versus 4.1%; OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.73-2.83) than NUS. MSM-US were also more likely than NUS to use emotional dysregulation styles (rumination/catastrophizing), which were correlated with probable depression/insomnia (r = 0.17 to 0.31). In the SEM, the differences in depression/insomnia between MSM-US and NUS were partially mediated by the latent variable of emotional dysregulation (rumination and catastrophizing), with effect sizes of 55.0% for probable depression and 33.6% for insomnia, respectively., Conclusions: Depression and insomnia were prevalent among male university students in Sichuan, China. Furthermore, MSM-US were at increased risk than NUS for both mental problems; emotional dysregulation partially explained such differences. Future studies are warranted to confirm the findings, develop tailored interventions to address general and MSM-specific stressors and reduce rumination and catastrophizing, and examine whether similar patterns exist in other sexual minority groups., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval and consent to participate The study was approved by the Survey and Behavioral Research Ethics Committee of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (No. SBRE-21-0635). All participants provided informed consent. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Undesired coupling to the surrounding environment destroys long-range correlations in quantum processors and hinders coherent evolution in the nominally available computational space. This noise is an outstanding challenge when leveraging the computation power of near-term quantum processors 1 . It has been shown that benchmarking random circuit sampling with cross-entropy benchmarking can provide an estimate of the effective size of the Hilbert space coherently available 2-8 . Nevertheless, quantum algorithms' outputs can be trivialized by noise, making them susceptible to classical computation spoofing. Here, by implementing an algorithm for random circuit sampling, we demonstrate experimentally that two phase transitions are observable with cross-entropy benchmarking, which we explain theoretically with a statistical model. The first is a dynamical transition as a function of the number of cycles and is the continuation of the anti-concentration point in the noiseless case. The second is a quantum phase transition controlled by the error per cycle; to identify it analytically and experimentally, we create a weak-link model, which allows us to vary the strength of the noise versus coherent evolution. Furthermore, by presenting a random circuit sampling experiment in the weak-noise phase with 67 qubits at 32 cycles, we demonstrate that the computational cost of our experiment is beyond the capabilities of existing classical supercomputers. Our experimental and theoretical work establishes the existence of transitions to a stable, computationally complex phase that is reachable with current quantum processors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Underground telecommunication cables are highly susceptible to damage from excavation activities. Preventing accidental damage to underground telecommunication cables is critical and necessary. In this study, we present field trial results of monitoring excavation activities near underground fiber cables using an intensity-based phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometer (φ-OTDR). The reasons for choosing intensity-based φ-OTDR for excavation monitoring are presented and analyzed. The vibration signals generated by four typical individual excavation events, i.e., cutting, hammering, digging, and tamping at five different field trial sites, as well as five different mixed events in the fifth field trial site were investigated. The findings indicate that various types of events can generate vibration signals with different features. Typically, fundamental peak frequencies of cutting, hammering and tamping events ranged from 30 to 40 Hz, 11 to 15 Hz, and 30 to 40 Hz, respectively. Digging events, on the other hand, presented a broadband frequency spectrum without a distinct peak frequency. Moreover, due to differences in environmental conditions, even identical excavation events conducted with the same machine may also generate vibration signals with different characteristics. The diverse field trial results presented offer valuable insights for both research and the practical implementation of excavation monitoring techniques for underground cables.

Background and Purpose: Cochlear implant surgery is performed commonly through the facial recess via the round window (RW) approach. This study aims to evaluate the utility of reformatting the pre-operative CT temporal bone scan into a CT facial recess view in alerting surgeons to a potentially difficult surgery with poorly visualized round window., Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 41 patients (43 ears), who had undergone cochlear implant surgery. Intraoperative findings of round window position relative to 2nd genu-mastoid portion of facial nerve, and round window membrane orientation were recorded by the surgeons. Pre-operative CTs were analyzed by two radiologists in axial and a reformatted facial recess plane that simulates the surgeon's view via the facial recess. Radiological assessment markers include the facial nerve-chorda tympani nerve width (FN-CTN) measured 1.2mm inferior to the exit point of the chorda tympani nerve into the tympanic cavity, round window position relative to 2 nd genu-mastoid segment of the facial nerve and RW membrane's angle from the vertical axis., Results: The best predictor for difficult round window intraoperative visibility is the RW position relative to the 2nd genu-mastoid segment of the facial nerve lying lateral to it on CT facial recess reformatted images. A RW that lies partially to completely posterior to the posterior border of the 2 nd genu-mastoid segment of the facial nerve had up to 55.6% risk of encountering difficult access, while those positioned anterior to or partially anterior to the anterior edge of the 2 nd genu-mastoid segment of the facial nerve had 0% risk of difficult access (p<0.05). There are substantial agreements in the intra-rater (Kappa=0.751, p<0.001) and inter-rater reliability (Kappa= 0.698, p<0.001). There is no significant association between surgical difficulty and facial nerve-chorda tympani distance or RW angle (p>0.05)., Conclusions: Identification of round window positions in the reformatted CT facial recess view is a useful tool in predicting potentially difficult round window access in cochlear implant surgery., Abbreviations: RW= Round window, FN-CTN= facial nerve to chorda tympani nerve width., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the content of this article., (© 2024 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Background: Soft tissue tumors with fusions or amplifications of the GLI1 gene have distinctive molecular characteristics and have recently been considered a unique pathological entity, thus named " GLI1 -altered soft tissue tumors." It is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm that involves soft tissues at any site. Case presentation: We report an example of this condition in a 13-year-old Chinese male patient who presented with a mass in the tongue. The tumor was multilobulated; the tumor cells were arranged in nests and sheets, had a rich, delicate fibrovascular network, and were separated by a hyalinized fibrous stroma. The tumor cells were epithelioid to ovoid, with variable eosinophilic to pale vacuolated cytoplasm and round to oval nuclei. Immunostaining revealed that the tumor cells were positive for CDK4 and CD56. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for GLI1 translocation was positive, with a high level of amplification of the translocated segment. Literature review: We present a comprehensive literature review of this condition, focusing on its clinical presentation, histological features, immunohistochemical profile, molecular characteristics, and prognosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: To characterize the incidence of kidney failure associated with intravitreal anti-VEGF exposure; and compare the risk of kidney failure in patients treated with ranibizumab, aflibercept, or bevacizumab., Design: Retrospective cohort study across 12 databases in the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) network., Subjects: Subjects aged ≥ 18 years with ≥ 3 monthly intravitreal anti-VEGF medications for a blinding disease (diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, exudative age-related macular degeneration, or retinal vein occlusion)., Methods: The standardized incidence proportions and rates of kidney failure while on treatment with anti-VEGF were calculated. For each comparison (e.g., aflibercept versus ranibizumab), patients from each group were matched 1:1 using propensity scores. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of kidney failure while on treatment. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to combine each database's hazard ratio (HR) estimate into a single network-wide estimate., Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of kidney failure while on anti-VEGF treatment, and time from cohort entry to kidney failure., Results: Of the 6.1 million patients with blinding diseases, 37 189 who received ranibizumab, 39 447 aflibercept, and 163 611 bevacizumab were included; the total treatment exposure time was 161 724 person-years. The average standardized incidence proportion of kidney failure was 678 per 100 000 persons (range, 0-2389), and incidence rate 742 per 100 000 person-years (range, 0-2661). The meta-analysis HR of kidney failure comparing aflibercept with ranibizumab was 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-1.47; P = 0.45), ranibizumab with bevacizumab 0.95 (95% CI, 0.68-1.32; P = 0.62), and aflibercept with bevacizumab 0.95 (95% CI, 0.65-1.39; P = 0.60)., Conclusions: There was no substantially different relative risk of kidney failure between those who received ranibizumab, bevacizumab, or aflibercept. Practicing ophthalmologists and nephrologists should be aware of the risk of kidney failure among patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF medications and that there is little empirical evidence to preferentially choose among the specific intravitreal anti-VEGF agents., Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Morbidity from an emergency laparotomy (EmLap) is difficult to define and poorly understood. Morbidity is a holistic concept, reliant upon an interplay of bio-psychosocial outcomes that evolve long after discharge. To date, no previous study has explored the psychosocial outcomes following EmLap as a collective, nor their change over time. This study aims to describe the holistic morbidity following EmLap within the first year following surgery., Methods and Analysis: This is a multicentre, mixed-methods prospective 12-month cohort study with two participant populations: patient participants and family caregivers (FCGs). A target of 160 adult patients who undergo EmLap and can give informed consent will be included in the patient participant group. Patient participants will be asked to complete three patient surveys, incorporating validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to assess bio-psychosocial outcomes (EuroQol five-dimension five-level (EQ5D-5L), Gastrointestinal Quality Life Index-36, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7, International Trauma Questionnaire, Caregiver Interaction Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale) in the 12 months following surgery. A subgroup of 15 patient participants will be asked to take part in two semistructured interviews at 6 and 12 months. A target of 15 associated family caregivers will be included in the FCG group. FCGs will be asked to take part in a semi-structured interview at 6 months to assess the EmLap impact on the wider support network. The primary outcome will be a change in quality of life (EQ5D-5L) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes will be changes in bio-psychosocial status at 3 and 12 months. Qualitative analysis will allow contextualisation of PROMS and further explore themes of EmLap morbidity. It is anticipated that the results of this study will help inform and develop standards of aftercare for future EmLap patients., Ethics and Dissemination: This study has received ethical approval (Wales REC7;12/WA/0297) and will be undertaken in accordance with the principles of Good Clinical Practice. We intend to disseminate study results in peer-reviewed journals and medical conferences, as well as a lay report to study participants., Trial Registration Number: Clinical Trials.gov NCT05281627., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Transcriptomic changes in the essential tremor (ET)-associated cerebello-thalamo-cortical "tremor network" and their association to brain structure have not been investigated., Objective: The aim was to characterize molecular changes associated with network-level imaging-derived phenotypes (IDP) found in ET., Methods: We performed an imaging-transcriptomic study in British adults using imaging-genome-wide association study summary statistics (UK Biobank "BIG40" cohort; n = 33,224, aged 40-69 years). We imputed imaging-transcriptomic associations for 184 IDPs and analyzed functional enrichment of gene modules and aggregate network-level phenotypes. Validation was performed in cerebellar-tissue RNA-sequencing data from ET patients and controls (n = 55)., Results: Among 237,896 individual predicted gene expression levels for 6063 unique genes/transcripts, we detected 2269 genome-wide significant associations (Bonferroni P < 2.102e-7, 0.95%). These were concentrated in intracellular volume fraction measures of white matter pathways and in genes with putative links to tremor (MAPT, ARL17A, KANSL1, SPPL2C, LRRC37A4P, PLEKHM1, and FMNL1). Whole-tremor-network cortical thickness was associated with a gene module linked to mitochondrial organization and protein quality control (r = 0.91, P = 2e-70), whereas white-gray T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast in the tremor network was associated with a gene module linked to sphingolipid synthesis and ethanolamine metabolism (r = -0.90, P = 2e-68). Imputed association effect sizes and RNA-sequencing log-fold change in the validation dataset were significantly correlated for cerebellar peduncular diffusion MRI phenotypes, and there was a close overlap of significant associations between both datasets for gray matter phenotypes (χ 2  = 6.40, P = 0.006)., Conclusions: The identified genes and processes are potential treatment targets for ET, and our results help characterize molecular changes that could in future be used for patient treatment selection or prognosis prediction. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society., (© 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.)

Objective: To investigate the safety and feasibility of precise delivery of a long-acting gel formulation containing 6% dexamethasone (SPT-2101) to the round window membrane for the treatment of Menière's disease., Study Design: Prospective, unblinded, cohort study., Setting: Tertiary care neurotology clinic., Patients: Adults 18 to 85 years with a diagnosis of unilateral definite Menière's disease per Barany society criteria., Interventions: A single injection of a long-acting gel formulation under direct visualization into the round window niche., Main Outcome Measures: Procedure success rate, adverse events, and vertigo control. Vertigo control was measured with definitive vertigo days (DVDs), defined as any day with a vertigo attack lasting 20 minutes or longer., Results: Ten subjects with unilateral Menière's disease were enrolled. Precise placement of SPT-2101 at the round window was achieved in all subjects with in-office microendoscopy. Adverse events included one tympanic membrane perforation, which healed spontaneously after the study, and two instances of otitis media, which resolved with antibiotics. The average number of DVDs was 7.6 during the baseline month, decreasing to 3.3 by month 1, 3.7 by month 2, and 1.9 by month 3. Seventy percent of subjects had zero DVDs during the third month after treatment., Conclusions: SPT-2101 delivery to the round window is safe and feasible, and controlled trials are warranted to formally assess efficacy., (Copyright © 2024, Otology & Neurotology, Inc.)

Introduction: Kidney cancer is a common urological malignancy worldwide with an increasing incidence in recent years. Among all subtypes, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents the most predominant malignancy in kidney. Clinicians faced a major challenge to select the most effective and suitable treatment regime for patients from a wide range of modalities, despite improved understanding and diagnosis of RCC., Objective: Recently, organoid culture gained more interest as the 3D model is shown to be highly patient specific which is hypothetically beneficial to the investigation of precision medicine. Nonetheless, the development and application of organotypic culture in RCC is still immature, therefore, the primary objective of this study was to establish an organoid model for RCC., Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with renal tumor and underwent surgical intervention were recruited. RCC specimen was collected and derived into organoids. Derived organoids were validated by histological examminations, sequencing and xenograft. Drug response of organoids were compared with resistance cell line and patients' clinical outcomes., Results: Our results demonstrated that organoids could be successfully derived from renal tumor and they exhibited high concordance in terms of immunoexpressional patterns. Sequencing results also depicted concordant mutations of driver genes in both organoids and parental tumor tissues. Critical and novel growth factors were discovered during the establishment of organoid model. Besides, organoids derived from renal tumor exhibited tumorigenic properties in vivo. In addition, organoids recapitulated patient's in vivo drug resistance and served as a platform to predict responsiveness of other therapeutic agents., Conclusion: Our RCC organoid model recaptiluated histological and genetic features observed in primary tumors. It also served as a potential platform in drug screening for RCC patients, though future studies are necessary before translating the outcomes into clinical practices., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: To determine the prevalence, risk factors; and impact on patient health and economic outcomes across the laterality spectrum of multiple sensory impairment (MSI) in a multi-ethnic older Asian population., Methods: In this population-based study of Singaporeans aged ≥ 60 years, MSI was defined as concomitant vision (visual acuity > 0.3 logMAR), hearing (pure-tone air conduction average > 25 dB), and olfactory (score < 12 on the Sniffin' Sticks test) impairments across the spectrum of laterality (any, unilateral, combination [of unilateral and bilateral], and bilateral)., Results: Among 2,057 participants (mean ± SD 72.2 ± 0.2 years; 53.1% female), the national census-adjusted prevalence rates of any, unilateral, combination, and bilateral MSI were 20.6%, 1.2%, 12.2%, and 7.2%, respectively. Older age, male gender, low socioeconomic status (SES), and smoking (all p < 0.05) were independently associated with higher likelihood of any MSI. Compared to those with no sensory loss, those with MSI had significantly decreased mobility (range 5.4%-9.2%), had poor functioning (OR range 3.25-3.45) and increased healthcare costs (range 4-6 folds) across the laterality spectrum. Additionally, bilateral MSI had a significant decrease in HRQoL (5.5%, p = 0.012)., Conclusions: MSI is a highly prevalent medical condition, with 1 in 5; and almost 1 in 10 community-dwelling older Asians having any and bilateral MSI, respectively, with a higher likelihood in men, smokers, and those with low SES. Critically, MSI has a substantial negative impact on patient health and economic outcomes across the laterality spectrum. Sensory testing is critical to detect and refer individuals with MSI for management to improve their functional independence and QoL., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major contributor to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). About one-third of patients with ESKD due to AKI recover kidney function. However, the inability to accurately predict recovery leads to improper triage of clinical monitoring and impacts the quality of care in ESKD., Methods: Using data from the United States Renal Data System from 2005 to 2014 ( n  = 22 922), we developed a clinical score to predict kidney recovery within 90 days and within 12 months after dialysis initiation in patients with ESKD due to AKI. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of various covariates on the primary outcome of kidney recovery to develop the scoring system. The resulting logistic parameter estimates were transformed into integer point totals by doubling and rounding the estimates. Internal validation was performed., Results: Twenty-four percent and 34% of patients with ESKD due to AKI recovered kidney function within 90 days and 12 months, respectively. Factors contributing to points in the two scoring systems were similar but not identical, and included age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, congestive heart failure, cancer, amputation, functional status, hemoglobin and prior nephrology care. Three score categories of increasing recovery were formed: low score (0-6), medium score (7-9) and high score (10-12), which exhibited 90-day recovery rates of 12%, 26% and 57%. For the 12-month scores, the low, medium and high groups consisted of scores 0-5, 6-8 and 9-11, with 12-month recovery rates of 16%, 33% and 62%, respectively. The internal validation assessment showed no overfitting of the models., Conclusion: A clinical score derived from information available at incident dialysis predicts renal recovery at 90 days and 12 months in patients with presumed ESKD due to AKI. The score can help triage appropriate monitoring to facilitate recovery and begin planning long-term dialysis care for others., Competing Interests: J.H.N. received consultancy fees from Vifor Pharmaceuticals and George Clinicals. She is the founder of PublishedMD Consulting LLC. The remaining authors have no disclosures and competing interests. The results presented in this paper have not been published previously in whole or part, except in abstract format. The data reported here have been supplied by the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). The interpretation and reporting of these data are the responsibility of the authors and in no way should be seen as official policy or interpretation of the US government., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.)

Understanding universal aspects of quantum dynamics is an unresolved problem in statistical mechanics. In particular, the spin dynamics of the one-dimensional Heisenberg model were conjectured as to belong to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class based on the scaling of the infinite-temperature spin-spin correlation function. In a chain of 46 superconducting qubits, we studied the probability distribution of the magnetization transferred across the chain's center, [Formula: see text]. The first two moments of [Formula: see text] show superdiffusive behavior, a hallmark of KPZ universality. However, the third and fourth moments ruled out the KPZ conjecture and allow for evaluating other theories. Our results highlight the importance of studying higher moments in determining dynamic universality classes and provide insights into universal behavior in quantum systems.

Engineered dissipative reservoirs have the potential to steer many-body quantum systems toward correlated steady states useful for quantum simulation of high-temperature superconductivity or quantum magnetism. Using up to 49 superconducting qubits, we prepared low-energy states of the transverse-field Ising model through coupling to dissipative auxiliary qubits. In one dimension, we observed long-range quantum correlations and a ground-state fidelity of 0.86 for 18 qubits at the critical point. In two dimensions, we found mutual information that extends beyond nearest neighbors. Lastly, by coupling the system to auxiliaries emulating reservoirs with different chemical potentials, we explored transport in the quantum Heisenberg model. Our results establish engineered dissipation as a scalable alternative to unitary evolution for preparing entangled many-body states on noisy quantum processors.

Background: Up to one third of survivors of AKI that required dialysis (AKI-D) during hospitalization remain dialysis dependent at hospital discharge. Of these, 20%-60%, depending on the clinical setting, eventually recover enough kidney function to stop dialysis, and the remainder progress to ESKD., Methods: To describe the challenges facing those still receiving dialysis on discharge, the AKINow Committee conducted a group discussion comprising 59 participants, including physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and patients. The discussion was framed by a patient who described gaps in care delivery at different transition points and miscommunication between care team members and the patient., Results: Group discussions collected patient perspectives of ( 1 ) being often scared and uncertain about what is happening to and around them and ( 2 ) the importance of effective and timely communication, a comfortable physical setting, and attentive and caring health care providers for a quality health care experience. Provider perspectives included ( 1 ) the recognition of the lack of evidence-based practices and quality indicators, the significant variability in current care models, and the uncertain reimbursement incentives focused on kidney recovery and ( 2 ) the urgency to address communication barriers among hospital providers and outpatient facilities., Conclusions: The workgroup identified key areas for future research and policy change to ( 1 ) improve communication among hospital providers, dialysis units, and patients/care partners; ( 2 ) develop tools for risk classification, subphenotyping, and augmented clinical decision support; ( 3 ) improve education to providers, staff, and patients/care partners; ( 4 ) identify best practices to improve relevant outcomes; ( 5 ) validate quality indicators; and ( 6 ) assess the effect of social determinants of health on outcomes. We urge all stakeholders involved in the process of AKI-D care to align goals and work together to fill knowledge gaps and optimize the care to this highly vulnerable patient population., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: This study investigated the public's support for the Living with the Virus (LWV) policy, its associated factors, and related mediations at a time when more countries were considering adopting the LWV policy amid the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: A random, population-based telephone survey was conducted among 500 Chinese adults in Hong Kong during March/April 2022., Results: 39.6% of the participants were supportive/strongly supportive of the LWV policy. Perceived efficacy of the control measures was negatively associated with the support and was partially mediated via the perception that the policy would greatly improve the economy/daily life of the policy. Perceived physical harms of the Omicron variant was negatively associated with the support and was fully mediated via perceived negative impacts of the policy. 26.2%/54.6% believed that the policy would improve the economy/daily life greatly; about 40% perceived negative impacts on deaths and the medical system due to the policy. COVID-19 ever infection did not significantly moderate the studied associations., Conclusion: The public was split regarding the support for the LWV policy and whether it would cause better economy/daily life, unnecessary deaths, and the collapse of the medical system. Health communication is needed in shifting toward the LWV policy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lau, Ng, Goodwin, Kang, Fong, Lau and Yu.)

AKI survivors experience gaps in care that contribute to worse outcomes, experience, and cost.Challenges to optimal care include issues with information transfer, education, collaborative care, and use of digital health tools.Research is needed to study these challenges and inform optimal use of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions to promote recovery AKI affects one in five hospitalized patients and is associated with poor short-term and long-term clinical and patient-centered outcomes. Among those who survive to discharge, significant gaps in documentation, education, communication, and follow-up have been observed. The American Society of Nephrology established the AKINow taskforce to address these gaps and improve AKI care. The AKINow Recovery workgroup convened two focus groups, one each focused on dialysis-independent and dialysis-requiring AKI, to summarize the key considerations, challenges, and opportunities in the care of AKI survivors. This article highlights the discussion surrounding care of AKI survivors discharged without the need for dialysis. On May 3, 2022, 48 patients and multidisciplinary clinicians from diverse settings were gathered virtually. The agenda included a patient testimonial, plenary sessions, facilitated small group discussions, and debriefing. Core challenges and opportunities for AKI care identified were in the domains of transitions of care, education, collaborative care delivery, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and digital health applications. Integrated multispecialty care delivery was identified as one of the greatest challenges to AKI survivor care. Adequate templates for communication and documentation; education of patients, care partners, and clinicians about AKI; and a well-coordinated multidisciplinary posthospital follow-up plan form the basis for a successful care transition at hospital discharge. The AKINow Recovery workgroup concluded that advancements in evidence-based, patient-centered care of AKI survivors are needed to improve health outcomes, care quality, and patient and provider experience. Tools are being developed by the AKINow Recovery workgroup for use at the hospital discharge to facilitate care continuity., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Society of Nephrology.)

Objective: Assess whether hospital characteristics associated with better patient experiences overall are also associated with smaller racial-and-ethnic disparities in inpatient experience., Background: Hospitals that are smaller, non-profit, and serve high proportions of White patients tend to be high-performing overall, but it is not known whether these hospitals also have smaller racial-and-ethnic disparities in care., Research Design: We used linear mixed-effect regression models to predict a summary measure that averaged eight Hospital CAHPS (HCAHPS) measures (Nurse Communication, Doctor Communication, Staff Responsiveness, Communication about Medicines, Discharge Information, Care Coordination, Hospital Cleanliness, and Quietness) from patient race-and-ethnicity, hospital characteristics (size, ownership, racial-and-ethnic patient-mix), and interactions of race-and-ethnicity with hospital characteristics., Subjects: Inpatients discharged from 4,365 hospitals in 2021 who completed an HCAHPS survey ( N =2,288,862)., Results: While hospitals serving larger proportions of Black and Hispanic patients scored lower on all measures, racial-and-ethnic disparities were generally smaller for Black and Hispanic patients who received care from hospitals serving higher proportions of patients in their racial-and-ethnic group. Experiences overall were better in smaller and non-profit hospitals, but racial-and-ethnic differences were slightly larger., Conclusions: Large, for-profit hospitals and hospitals serving higher proportions of Black and Hispanic patients tend to be lower performing overall but have smaller disparities in patient experience. High-performing hospitals might look at low-performing hospitals for how to provide less disparate care whereas low-performing hospitals may look to high-performing hospitals for how to improve patient experience overall., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest exists for any contributing author, now, or in the previous three years. However, please note that Loida Tamayo, William G. Lehrman, Meagan Khau, and Elizabeth Goldstein are employees of the sponsoring agency., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Modified macrophages, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), are key contributors to the survival, growth, and metastatic behavior of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Central to the role of inflammation and TAMs lies the NLRP3 inflammasome. This study investigated the effects of LPS-stimulated inflammation on cell proliferation, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in a co-culture model using PDAC cells and macrophages in the presence or absence of MCC950, a NLRP3-specific inhibitor. The effects of LPS-stimulated inflammation were tested on two PDAC cell lines (Panc 10.05 and SW 1990) co-cultured with RAW 264.7 macrophages. Cell proliferation was determined using the MTT assay. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β, and TNF-α were determined by ELISA. Western blot analyses were used to examine the expression of NLRP3 in both PDAC cells and macrophages. The co-culture and interaction between PDAC cell lines and macrophages led to pro-inflammatory microenvironment under LPS stimulation as evidenced by high levels of secreted IL-1β and TNF-α. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome by MCC950 counteracted the effects of LPS stimulation on the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pro-inflammatory cytokines in PDAC and macrophages. However, MCC950 differentially modified the viability of the metastatic vs primary PDAC cell lines. LPS stimulation increased PDAC cell viability by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment of PDAC cells/macrophages co-cultures. The specific inhibition of the NLRP inflammasome by MCC950 effectively counteracted the LPS-stimulated inflammation.

Renewable jet fuel (RJF) is often touted as the only viable sustainable energy source for the aviation sector, given the difficulties faced by other low-carbon energy sources in overcoming technological barriers. Despite that, the sustainability of RJF is still in dispute due to the conflicting requirements in natural resource for producing the fuels. We introduce a holistic 25-indicator sustainability index encompassing the four domains of energy-water-food nexus and governance, that measures the potential impact of RJF production on 154 countries (and territories) through the oil-to-jet, alcohol-to-jet and gas-to-jet conversion methods. Countries and territories are ranked according to the composite index scores of the four domains. The sustainability index model provides insights on how RJF affords the aviation sector a clean slate in determining the manner of development in a sustainably and equitable way, while also marching towards the long-term goal of carbon neutrality, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Twenty to 60% of newly created hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulas do not mature adequately for use. One barrier to developing interventions to improve fistula outcomes is a lack of standardized criteria for maturation., Methods: Using data from the multicenter, prospective Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation (HFM) Study, we determined sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values of multiple candidate maturation criteria using the HFM Study maturation criteria as the reference. We also compared, across the maturation criteria, relationships between maturation and fistula survival using Cox proportional hazards models., Results: We included 535 of the 602 HFM Study participants. The median (interquartile range) age was 57 (47-65) years, 70% were men, and 45% were Black participants. Depending on the criterion and time frame for ascertainment (3, 4, 5, 6, or 9 months), sensitivities ranged from 57% to 100%, specificities ranged from 85% to 100%, positive predictive values ranged from 88% to 100%, and negative predictive values ranged from 65% to 100%. For all criteria, areas under the curve for the 6-month (0.90-0.97 for unassisted maturation and 0.89-0.95 for overall maturation) and 9-month time frames were similar. Attainment of unassisted maturation was associated with lower risks of fistula abandonment, with hazard ratios ranging from 0.10 to 0.40 depending on the criterion and time frame. Eliminating dialysis adequacy indicators, or simplifying the criteria in other ways, had little effect on performance characteristics., Conclusions: High performance characteristics are maintained with maturation criteria that are simpler and less burdensome to ascertain than the HFM Study outcome measure., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background and Objectives: To determine the impact of hearing impairment (HI) on health indicators in a multiethnic Singaporean population of older adults., Research Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, pure-tone averages of air-conduction thresholds at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2,000 Hz, and 4,000 Hz were calculated for each ear. Eight categories of HI were defined ranging from: 1: No HI to 8: Bilateral severe HI. Health indicators included hearing-related quality of life (H-QoL), depressive symptoms, frailty, gait speed, instrumental activities of daily living, sarcopenia, and cognitive impairment. Multivariable regression models determined the independent associations between HI and outcomes., Results: A total of 2,503 older adults (mean age ± SD 73.4 ± 8.4; 55.2% female participants) were enrolled. Of these, 289 (11.6%), 259 (10.4%), 798 (31.9%), 303 (12.1%), 515 (20.6%), 52 (2.1%), 155 (6.2%), and 115 (4.6%) had hearing levels in Cats 1 to 8, respectively; and 20 (0.8%) used a hearing aid. Compared to those with no HI, participants with unilateral mild HI (Cat 2) had a 107% reduction in H-QoL (β: 0.63; CI: 0.18, 1.09, p = .006), increasing to a 2,816% reduction (β: 16.78; CI: 13.25, 20.31, p < .001) in those with bilateral severe HI-Cat 8 ( p -trend < .001). Those with Cat 8 also had lower gait speed and we observed a nonsignificant increase in odds of frailty as HI worsened., Discussion and Implications: H-QoL is affected across the spectrum of severity and laterality of HI. Interventions to alleviate the effects of HI and provision of QoL support are warranted. Other health indicators were only affected in late stages, suggesting that slowing disease progression is crucial in clinical management., Competing Interests: None., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.)

Background: There is a global trend for countries to adopt the Living with the Virus (LWV) policy regarding COVID-19. Little is known about the public's supportiveness and emotional responses (e.g., anticipated panic) related to this policy. Such responses may be associated with illness representations of COVID-19 (i.e., how people think and feel about COVID-19). This novel topic was investigated in this study to facilitate policy-making and health communication., Methods: A random, population-based telephone survey interviewed 500 adults aged ≥18 of the Hong Kong general adult population from March to April 2022., Results: The prevalence of the public's support and anticipated panic regarding the LWV policy, which were negatively correlated with each other, was 39.6 and 24.2%, respectively. The illness representation constructs of consequences, timeline, identity, illness concern, and emotional representations were negatively associated with supportiveness and positively associated with anticipated panic regarding the LWV policy. Illness coherence was significantly associated with policy support but not with anticipated panic. The associations between personal control/treatment control and supportiveness/anticipated panic were statistically non-significant. Moderation analyses showed that the above significant associations were invariant between those with and without previous COVID-19 infection., Conclusion: Policymakers need to be sensitized about the public's supportive/unsupportive attitude and potential worry (panic) when adopting the LWV policy. Such attitudes/emotional responses may be affected by people's illness representations of COVID-19. In general, those who found COVID-19 involving a milder nature and less negative emotions would be more supportive and anticipated less panic under the LWV policy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Yu, Ling, Ng, Lau, Ip and Lau.)

Background and Objectives: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the third leading cause of years lived with disability. Connections among ARHL, depressive symptoms, social engagement and cognitive status are increasingly reported but the underlying mechanisms leading to these relationships are largely unknown. Exploring these mechanisms is a worthy goal, especially in older adults. This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of social engagement and depressive symptoms on the relationship between ARHL and cognitive status., Methods: Structural equation modeling (SEM) with path analysis were performed with data from a cross-sectional study conducted in 11 community centers in 2021, which assessed older adults' intrinsic and sensory capacities using the WHO ICOPE framework. Demographic information, health profile, a binary measure of hearing capacity, depressive symptoms, social engagement, and cognitive status of participants were gathered., Results: A total of 304 participants were included. ARHL was positively associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.18, p = 0.009) and negatively related to social engagement (β = -0.13, p = 0.026). Social engagement was positively associated with cognitive status (β = 0.17, p = 0.005) and negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = -0.23, p < 0.001). Greater depressive symptoms were negatively associated with the participants' cognition (β = -0.13, p = 0.009). Both social engagement (β = -0.02, p = 0.029) and depressive symptoms (β = -0.02, p = 0.032) mediated the negative associations between ARHL and cognitive status., Conclusions: Addressing hearing loss, depressive symptoms, and enhancing social engagement should be investigated as a potential means of minimizing cognitive decline. Well-designed studies are needed to comprehensively inform the clinical practice development, particularly large prospective studies that will facilitate further elucidate possible causal mechanisms behind these observed associations., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Rationale & Objective: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their care partners experienced decreased access to care, and worse physical and emotional health during the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Few studies have explored how COVID-19-related challenges affected disease self-management among those with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their care partners. Leventhal's self-regulation model offers a comprehensive framework for understanding disease self-management through the interplay of cognitive beliefs, emotional reactions and social influences. The study aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 on self-management activities among patients with CKD and care partners., Study Design: Qualitative study., Setting & Participants: Adults with advanced CKD, including dialysis and transplant recipients, and their carepartners., Analytical Approach: Thematic Analysis., Results: Among 42 participants, 12 had stage 4 CKD, 5 had stage 5 CKD, 6 were receiving in-center hemodialysis, 5 had a kidney transplant, and 14 were care partners. We identified 4 patient-related themes with corresponding subthemes related to the impact of COVID-19 on self-management: 1) cognitive understanding that COVID-19 is an additional health threat to existing kidney disease, 2) heightened anxiety and vulnerability driven by perceived risk, 3) coping with isolation through virtual interactions with healthcare services and social circles, 4) increased protective behaviors to maximize survival. Three care partner-related themes emerged: 1) hypervigilance in family care and protection, 2) interaction with health system and adaptations to self-management, and 3) increased intensity in caregiving role to facilitate patient self-management., Limitations: The qualitative study design limits the ability to generate generalizable data. Grouping patients with Stage 3 and 4 CKD, in-center hemodialysis, and kidney transplants together limited our ability to examine self-management challenges specific to each treatment requirement., Conclusions: When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with CKD and their care partners experienced heightened vulnerability and thus increased cautionary activities to maximize survival. Our study provides the groundwork for future interventions to help patients and care partners live with kidney disease during future crises., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.)