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Abstract Zebrafish are widely used in research, accounting for approximately 50% of all laboratory fish across Europe. Due to their rapid reproduction and aging, effective and practical euthanasia methods are necessary for managing large stocks. This study investigated whether adult zebrafish can be euthanised by delivering an electrical current directly via the water in their housing aquaria. For this, portable plate electrodes were developed for 3.5 and 8.0 L Tecniplast™ housing aquaria. Our results show that adult zebrafish can be euthanised in groups (5 fish per litre) with electrical fields and current densities of at least 6 or 7 VRMS cm−1, and 0.7 or 0.8 ARMS dm−2 in 3.5–8 L aquaria, respectively, when delivered for 30 s in water at 28 °C with a conductivity of 800 µS cm−1 at 50 Hz. If widely implemented, this technique could improve the welfare of the vast number of zebrafish used across the world.

Abstract This paper completes the analysis initiated in the companion work arXiv:2403.02283 — referred to as Paper I — by showing how Vasiliev’s 4D higher-spin gravity (HSG) and 3D coloured conformal matter fields coupled to conformal higher-spin gauge fields and colour gauge fields (coloured conformal HSG, or CCHSG) emerge as consistent reductions of a common parent model. The latter is a Frobenius-Chern-Simons model with superconnection valued in a fractional-spin extension of Vasiliev’s higher-spin algebra, and was defined and studied in Paper I. Here, we i) realize HSG as a subcase of a more general 4D reduction, describing HSG coupled to coloured, fractional-spin matter, which we refer to as 4D fractional-spin gravity; ii) study the CCHSG model, in particular exhibiting the crucial role played by novel colour gauge fields in coupling conformal matter to conformal HSG, thereby completing the models due to Vasiliev and Nilsson; iii) extract conformal currents and composite coloured sources in an expansion of the CCHSG model around 3D Minkowskian leaves; and iv) compare our results with Vasiliev’s holography proposal of arXiv:1203.5554. The common origin of HSG and CCHSG, besides relating the two models directly, is the starting point for establishing the holographic correspondence between the two models via overlap conditions, to be presented separately.

Abstract Background Informing individuals about their risk of cancer can sometimes have negative consequences, such as inflicting unnecessary worry and fostering stigma. This study aims to explore how patients diagnosed with breast or colorectal cancer perceive and experience risk communication, particularly concerning the increased focus on lifestyle behaviors as the cause of cancer. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted during autumn 2023, with 23 Swedish individuals, aged 34 to 79 years, diagnosed with breast or colorectal cancer. The collected data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis described by Braun & Clark. The study adopted an experiential orientation grounded in critical realism. Results Five themes with ten sub-themes were identified: Thoughts and feelings about the causes of cancer, Moralizing messages and negative encounters, The need to take action, Balancing uncertain risks and a fulfilling life, and Societal benefits of risk communication. The participants expressed that knowledge of the the cause of cancer is closely related to the possibility of taking preventive action against relapses. Ability to take action was also perceived important for their well-being. Therefore, risk information entails both feelings of self-blame and hope for the future. Participants asked for both information and lifestyle support from healthcare professionals. Lifestyle interventions and patient support groups were solicited and perceived as an important aspect of cancer survivals’ well-being, and may help to reduce the cancer-related stigma. Conclusion Individuals that have or have had breast or colorectal cancer, including those leading healthy lifestyles, found moralistic risk information offensive, leading to feelings of shame when thinking about other peoples thoughts. Balancing information involves providing transparent, evidence-based information while considering individual and social contexts, avoiding stigmatization and blame, and supplementing information with support.

Abstract In this work and in the companion paper arXiv:2403.02301, we initiate an approach to holography based on the AKSZ formalism. As the first step, we refine Vasiliev’s holography proposal in arXiv:1203.5554 by obtaining 4D higher-spin gravity (HSG) and 3D coloured conformal higher-spin gravity (CCHSG) — i.e., coloured conformal matter fields coupled to conformal higher-spin gauge fields and colour gauge fields — as two distinct and classically consistent reductions of a single parent theory. The latter consists, on-shell, of a flat superconnection valued in a fractional-spin extension of Vasiliev’s higher-spin algebra. The HSG and CCHSG reductions are characterized by dual structure groups and two-form cohomology elements, and their embedding in a common parent model provides a rationale for deriving holographic relations from multi-dimensional AKSZ partition functions on cylinders with dual boundary conditions, to appear separately. In this work we i) construct the underlying non-commutative geometry as a metaplectic operator algebra represented in a Hermitian module of a pair of conformal particles; ii) identify a discrete modular group, arising from twisted boundary conditions of the first-quantized system, and connecting different boundary conditions of the second-quantized system; and iii) identify the holonomies, structure groups and two-form cohomology elements that characterize the HSG and CCHSG reductions, and equate the dual second Chern classes.

Sex differences in human performance have been documented across a wide array of human endeavours. Males tend to exhibit higher performance in intellectually demanding and competitive domains, and this difference tends to be more pronounced the higher the level of performance. Here, we analyse publishing performance for the whole population of associate and full professors in relatively sex-balanced disciplines, namely Education, Nursing and Caring Science, Psychology, Public Health, Sociology, and Social Work, comprising 426 women and 562 men. We find that sex differences in the number of publications, citations, and citations per publication were small across low and medium levels of productivity, but become more pronounced the higher the level of performance. In the top performing 10% the female proportion decreases from the average 43.2% to 26% (25 F, 71 M), which further decreases to 15% in the top 5%. The results are discussed with respect to the greater male variability hypothesis, sex differences in psychological traits, and environmental factors such as sex discrimination.

Denne artikkelen utforsker hvordan lærerstudenter erfarer mulighetsrommet spill kan tilføre etikkundervisningen. Vi har latt lærerstudenter teste ulike spill og deretter reflektere over spillenes mulighetsrom, både individuelt og i grupper. Undersøkelsen viser at studentene legger stor vekt på handlingsdelen av etikken, anvendt etikk, og at dette påvirker hvilke kriterier studentene mener et dataspill bør ha for å kunne brukes i undervisningen. Studentene stilte krav om at valgene i spillene måtte være tydelige og realistiske for at de skulle være relevante for elever i en undervisningssituasjon. Spill med magiske elementer ble derimot sett på som mindre relevante. Studentene la også vekt på at valgene spillerne må ta i spillene, bør diskuteres i grupper, slik at ulike perspektiver og synspunkter kommer tydeligere frem. Nøkkelord: spillpedagogikk, etikkdidaktikk, lærerutdanning, dataspill, innlevelse, rammer

There has been an increased concern on indoor air quality (IAQ) in residences since the majority of individuals’ time is mainly spent indoors. We inspected and measured indoor environmental parameters in 399 homes in northeast China in order to study IAQ. We systematically measured multilevel environmental parameters (physical, chemical, and biological) in children’s bedrooms during all seasons. The results indicated that the median values for indoor temperature, relative humidity, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), and formaldehyde concentrations throughout the year were within the Chinese national standards. However, the median carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded 1000 ppm during spring, autumn, and winter. In the same seasons, the air change rate (ACR) was below the minimum required level of 0.5 h−1. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) were predominantly detected in settled dust, displaying median concentrations of 126.9, 41.5, and 16.3 μg/g, respectively. Notably, phthalate concentrations were significantly higher in urban houses as compared to rural houses. Furthermore, median concentrations of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) and endotoxin were 689.4 ng/g and 3689.1 EU/g, respectively, trending higher in winter than summer. There was a negative correlation between ACR and chemical pollutants (TVOC, formaldehyde, and DiBP). In conclusion, northeast Chinese homes had poor indoor air quality with ubiquitous exposure to modern chemical compounds and insufficient ventilation.

Abstract Sedimentary basins are valuable archives of tectonic processes involved in continental rifting. The northern Rocky Mountains preserve the Belt Supergroup, one of the most complete records of Mesoproterozoic strata on Earth; however, debate remains about its tectonic origin. We investigated a recently identified package of Mesoproterozoic strata at Leaton Gulch near Challis, Idaho, using a combination of traditional and newer sedimentological tools. Results suggest that the Leaton Gulch stratigraphic section was deposited in a fluvial setting ca. 1,380–1,317 Ma, spanning the poorly documented interval between late Belt Supergroup deposition at ∼1,370 Ma and recently characterized Deer Trail Group strata that are less than 1,300 Ma. Detrital zircon age distributions from Leaton Gulch demonstrate a similar provenance signature to Missoula Group rocks of the upper Belt Supergroup; however, Leaton Gulch strata are up to ∼70 Ma younger than most prior age constraints on Belt Supergroup rocks. Regional metabentonites (interpreted as metamorphosed reworked tuffs) found within Leaton Gulch and Missoula Group strata show dominantly radiogenic εHf(t), with a range of −8 to +15, interpreted as a mix of primary mantle and remelted metasedimentary sources. Zircon trace element data of the metabentonite from Leaton Gulch suggest a 1,450–1,300 Ma geochemically consistent and moderate–high silica melt source. Collectively, the strata of Leaton Gulch record basin sedimentation during a critical window of Mesoproterozoic time. We speculate that sedimentation during late‐stage Belt Supergroup deposition thickened and stepped westward, abandoning the main Belt basin, culminating with breakup of the Nuna Supercontinent.

Abstract Aims Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization worldwide. An early HF diagnosis is key to reducing hospitalizations. We used electronic health records (EHRs) to characterize HF pathways at the primary care physician (PCP) level prior to a first HF hospitalization (hHF). This study aimed to identify missed opportunities for HF diagnosis and management at the PCP level before a first hHF. Methods and results This cohort study used EHRs of a large health care organization in Portugal. Patients with incident hHF between 2017 and 2020 were identified. Missed opportunities were defined by the absence of any of the following work‐up in the 6 months after signs or symptoms had been recorded: lab results and electrocardiogram, natriuretic peptides, echocardiogram, referral to HF specialist, or HF medication initiation. A total of 2436 patients with a first hHF were identified. The median (interquartile range) age at the time of hospitalization was 81 (14) years, and 1361 (56%) were women. Most patients were treated with cardiovascular drugs prior or at index event. A total of 720 (30%) patients had records of HF signs or symptoms, 94% (n = 674) within 6 months prior to hHF. Among patients with recorded HF signs or symptoms, 410 (57%) had clinical management considered adequate before signs and symptoms were recorded. Of the 310 remaining patients, 155 (50%) had a follow‐up that was considered inadequate. Conclusions Relatively few patients with a first hHF had primary care records of signs or symptoms prior to admission. Of these, nearly half had inadequate management considering diagnosis and treatment. These data suggest the need to improve PCP HF awareness.

Citizen science covers initiatives from crowdsourcing, distributed intelligence, and participatory science, to extreme citizen science. Terminological overlap, varied project aims, and cultural differences in the fields of research have, however, led to discord regarding how impactful citizen science projects can be. Here, we showcase a mobile application–based citizen science campaign (in Finnish: Muuttolintujen kevät), an automated bird sound classifier of Finnish birds. Over a single season (2023), the method attracted 140,000 participants who uploaded close to three million recordings containing six million bird observations. We report the spatial and temporal distribution of the observations collected, characterize the user behaviour, and discuss reliability of the user-based validations of the AI-powered species identifications. To circumvent data quality problems that characterize many citizen science projects, our approach stores the raw audio in a centralized repository, enabling rigorous validation and re-analysis. Mobile application-based citizen science initiatives can be harnessed to probe the state of our environment almost in real time and potentially guide conservation acts in the future.

Abstract Mitiperstat is a myeloperoxidase inhibitor in clinical development for treatment of patients with heart failure and preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction, non‐alcoholic steatohepatits and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We aimed to assess the risk of QT‐interval prolongation with mitiperstat using concentration–QT (C‐QT) modeling. Healthy male volunteers were randomized to receive single oral doses of mitiperstat 5, 15, 45, 135, or 405 mg (n = 6 per dose) or matching placebo (n = 10) in a phase 1 study (NCT02712372). Time‐matched pharmacokinetic and digital electrocardiogram data were collected at the baseline (pre‐dose) and at 11 time‐points up to 48 h post‐dose. C‐QT analysis was prespecified as an exploratory objective. The prespecified linear mixed effects model used baseline‐adjusted QT interval corrected for the heart rate by Fridericia's formula (ΔQTcF) as a dependent variable and plasma mitiperstat concentration as an independent variable. Initial exploratory analyses indicated that all model assumptions were met (no effect on heart rate; appropriate use of QTcF; no hysteresis; linear concentration–response relationship). Model‐predicted mean baseline‐corrected and placebo‐adjusted ΔΔQTcF was +0.73 ms (90% confidence interval [CI]: −1.73, +3.19) at the highest anticipated clinical exposure (0.093 μmol/L) during treatment with mitiperstat 5 mg once daily. The upper 90% CI was below the established threshold of regulatory concern. The 16‐fold margin to the highest observed exposure was high enough to mean that a positive control was not needed. Mitiperstat is not associated with risk of QT‐interval prolongation at expected therapeutic concentrations.

Abstract Background Because of the shift towards earlier diagnosis of dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease (AD), increasing numbers of individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are seen in memory clinics. Yet, evidence indicates that there is room for improvement when it comes to tailoring of the diagnostic work‐up to the needs of individual patients. To optimize the quality of care, we explored patients' perspectives regarding the diagnostic work‐up at a specialized memory clinic. Methods This interview study was conducted at Karolinska University Hospital (Sweden). The comprehensive diagnostic work‐up for dementia at the memory clinic in Solna is conducted within 1 week. A sample of 15 patients (8 female; mean age = 61 years [range 50–72]; 11 SCD, 1 MCI and 3 AD dementia) was purposively selected for a series of three semistructured interviews, focussing on (1) needs and expectations (during the week of diagnostic testing), (2) experiences (within 2 weeks after test‐result disclosure) and (3) reflections and evaluation (3 months after disclosure). Transcribed audio‐recorded data were analyzed using thematic content analysis (using MaxQDA software). Results Three key themes were identified: (1) the expectations and motivations of individuals for visiting the memory clinic strongly impacted their experience; (2) the diagnostic work‐up impacted individuals psychosocially and (3) the diagnostic work‐up provided an opportunity to motivate individuals to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Conclusion Our findings underscore the importance of enquiring about the expectations and needs of individuals referred to a specialized memory clinic, allowing for expectation management and personalization of provided information/advice, and potentially informing the selection of patients in need of a comprehensive diagnostic work‐up. Structural guidance might be needed to support those with SCD and MCI to help them cope with uncertainty, potentially resolve their issues, and/or stimulate brain health. Patient or Public Contribution We gathered the perspectives of 15 individuals who had been referred to the memory clinic at three different time points through semistructured interviews, and these interviews were the primary data source.

A nutritional bottleneck in salmonid aquaculture is the procurement of marine-derived compounds, such as essential amino and fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, lysine, and methionine. Therefore, insects containing these compounds are highly promising as feed ingredients. The present study evaluates larvae of a “marine” insect (Coelopa frigida, the bristly-legged seaweed fly larvae, SWFL) reared on brown algae side streams as a feed ingredient for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). SWFL contained, on a dry matter basis, 60% crude protein (CP), 3.5% lysine, and 1.5% methionine, as well as 17% lipids, including 4% eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Four isoenergetic (ca. 23 MJ kg−1 gross energy) and isoproteic (ca. 45% CP) feeds were evaluated in a 10-week feeding trial. The diets included a control containing 25% fish meal, a commercial reference, and two diets substituting 40% fish meal with either SWFL or partially defatted black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal (Hermetia illucens). SWFL-fed fish displayed higher specific growth rates (SGR) compared to BSFL-fed fish and similar SGR compared to control and reference diet-fed fish. Feed intake in SWFL-fed fish was higher than for the control and BSFL diets and similar to the reference diet. The feed conversion ratio of fish fed the BSFL and SWFL diets was higher compared to the control, suggesting lower bioavailability of both insect meals compared to fish meals. No difference in intestinal health parameters was noted between the insect diets and the control diet, indicating good intestinal health across all treatments. However, changes in electrogenic intestinal transport were observed between the SWFL and BSFL diets, illustrating the heterogeneous effect of different insect products. Overall, SWFL meal is a promising alternative marine feed ingredient, compatible with circular production systems, as it can be efficiently cultivated using marine side streams.

Abstract Objectives Paediatric Burkitt's lymphoma (pBL) is the most common childhood non‐Hodgkin B‐cell lymphoma. Despite the encouraging survival rates for most children, treating cases with relapse/resistance to current therapies remains challenging. CD38 is a transmembrane protein highly expressed in pBL. This study investigates the effectiveness of CD38‐targeting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), daratumumab and isatuximab, in impairing crucial cellular processes and survival pathways in pBL malignant cells. Methods In silico analyses of patient samples, combined with in vitro experiments using the Ramos cell line, were conducted to assess the impact of daratumumab and isatuximab on cellular proliferation, apoptosis and the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) pathway. Results Isatuximab was found to be more effective than daratumumab in disrupting B‐cell receptor signalling, reducing cellular proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Additionally, isatuximab caused a significant impairment of the PI3K pathway and induced metabolic reprogramming in pBL cells. The study also revealed a correlation between CD38 and MYC expression levels in pBL patient samples, suggesting CD38 involvement in key oncogenic processes. Conclusion The study emphasises the therapeutic potential of CD38‐targeting mAbs, particularly isatuximab, in pBL.