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Changes in the national examination structures have renewed interest in the development of test-taking strategies for professional students in the health sciences. It is often assumed that these high-achieving students have developed proficient test-taking skills and abilities before admittance. However, the assessments in these programs and for national licensure require an elevated level of reasoning and integration with clinical concepts. It was hypothesized that the implementation of an immersive test-taking strategies program would improve dental student perceptions of their abilities. A "toolbox" of four methods was implemented, which included 1) an introductory video that provided students with 10 tips for approaching high-level exam questions; 2) problem solution videos interspersed with class practice problems to walk students independently through rationales; 3) collaborative group assessments in which students implemented the strategies in teams to prepare for exams; and 4) unit exam debriefings to review the question rationales. Although all methods were positively reviewed on surveys, students indicated that the problem solution videos and the collaborative group assessments were more helpful and improved their test-taking skills significantly more than the other strategies (P < 0.01, 1-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test). Students felt they had developed strong test-taking strategies (average of 4.21 on a 5-point scale, SD 0.76) and felt more prepared for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (4.48, SD 0.66). These results suggest that a multipronged approach with frequent opportunities to practice test-taking strategies can improve student perceptions of their ability to master high-level and integrated assessment questions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Professional students in the health sciences may need to improve their test-taking skills for high-level and integrated assessments. A toolbox of strategies was implemented in a Dental Physiology course that included an introductory video, problem solution videos for practice problems, collaborative group assessments, and unit exam debriefings. The students reported that the strategies were helpful, improving their preparation and test-taking strategies for summative exams such as the Integrated National Board Dental Examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation has been recognized as an underlying event linking obesity to diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, inflammatory alterations in individuals and specifically women who are overweight remain understudied. Providing relevant insights is of substantial interest for women's cardiovascular health. Methods: We determined the levels of key circulating biomarkers of innate immune responses and inflammation, including lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), leptin, and adiponectin in adult female subjects who were lean (n = 20) or overweight (n = 20) and had high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure - two important conventional risk factors for CVD. Results: Plasma levels of LBP were significantly higher in the overweight group compared with the lean group (P = 0.017). The levels of CRP were also significantly higher in overweight subjects (P = 0.023), as were IL-6 (P = 0.016) and leptin (P = 0.004), pro-inflammatory mediators associated with cardiovascular risk. Levels of adiponectin, an adipokine with anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic functions, were significantly lower in the overweight group (P = 0.006). The leptin/adiponectin ratio, a preferential atherogenic marker was significantly increased in women who are overweight (P = 0.0007). LBP, CRP, leptin, IL-6, leptin, and adiponectin levels significantly correlated with BMI, but not with age and there was a significant correlation between LBP and IL-6 levels and LBP and CRP levels. Conclusions: These results reveal the presence of a pro-inflammatory state in overweight women and are of interest for further studies with the goal for improved understanding of cardiovascular health risks in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme temperatures associated with climate change are expected to impact the physiology and fertility of a variety of insects, including honey bees. Most previous work on this topic has focused on female honey bees (workers and queens), and comparatively little research has investigated how heat exposure affects males (drones). To address this gap, we tested body mass, viral infections, and population origin as predictors of drone survival and sperm viability in a series of heat challenge assays. We found that individual body mass was highly influential, with heavier drones being more likely to survive a heat challenge (4 h at 42°C) than smaller drones. In a separate experiment, we compared the survival of Northern California and Southern California drones in response to the same heat challenge (4 h at 42°C), and found that Southern Californian drones ― which are enriched for African ancestry ― were more likely to survive a heat challenge than drones originating from Northern California. To avoid survivor bias, we conducted sperm heat challenges using in vitro assays and found remarkable variation in sperm heat resilience among drones sourced from different commercial beekeeping operations, with some exhibiting no reduction in sperm viability after heat challenge and others exhibiting a 75% reduction in sperm viability. Further investigating potential causal factors for such variation, we found no association between drone mass and viability of sperm in in vitro sperm heat challenge assays, but virus inoculation (with Israeli acute paralysis virus) exacerbated the negative effect of heat on sperm viability. These experiments establish a vital framework for understanding the importance of population origin and comorbidities for drone heat sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I draw on ideas salient in African philosophy to construct two new theoretical ways of capturing the essence of duties to oneself. According to one theory, a person has a basic duty to "relate" to herself in ways similar to how the African field has often thought one should relate to others, viz. harmoniously, while, according to a second, one has such a duty to produce liveliness in oneself. Beyond articulating these two novel attempts to account for what all duties to oneself have in common and showing that each captures several intuitions about them, I offer reasons to favor the harmony theory, meriting consideration by a global audience as a rival to, say, the Kantian-rationalism common in the West and Confucianism in the East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitation energy transfer (EET) between two conformers of the deep‐blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter DBA‐BTICz and the multi‐resonance fluorescence emitter ν‐DABNA is studied by means of quantum chemistry according to Fermi's Golden Rule. Excitation energies, fluorescence and intersystem crossing rate constants of the individual EET donor and acceptor molecules, determined by a combination of density functional theory and a multireference configuration interaction approach, match the experimental data very well. Interestingly, two different conformers of DBA‐BTICz with similar absorption, but distinct emission and transfer properties are found. The vibronic envelopes of the DBA‐BTICz emission and the ν‐DABNA absorption spectra are computed by means of a vertical Hessian approach. Their overall shapes and peak positions agree well with the experimental data but the widths of the computed vibronic spectra remain a critical factor in the evaluation of the spectral overlap integral. The distance and orientation dependencies of the excitonic coupling matrix elements, evaluated in the ideal dipole approximation (IDA), are carefully assessed by means of the monomer transition density (MTD) approach. Deviations between the IDA and MTD results of at most 20% at typical Förster radii justify the use of the computationally much less demanding IDA for estimating environmental and orientation effects on the EET rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This study aimed to improve our understanding of sleep problems as a comorbidity of hereditary deaf–blindness due to Usher syndrome type 2a. Fifteen patients with Usher syndrome type 2a with a conclusive genetic diagnosis and 15 unaffected controls participated in comprehensive sleep and activity assessments for 2 weeks, using the MotionWatch 8 actigraph and consensus sleep diary. Various sleep parameters including sleep opportunity window, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, and self‐reported sleep quality were analysed. Non‐parametric circadian rhythm analysis was performed to evaluate circadian rhythmicity. Additionally, regression analyses were conducted to study potential correlations between sleep parameters and patients' demographics and disease progression. Patients with Usher syndrome type 2a exhibited significantly longer sleep latency and lower self‐reported sleep and rest quality compared with controls. Additionally, day‐to‐day variability of sleep efficiency and sleep latency were significantly higher in the patient population. Non‐parametric circadian rhythm analysis revealed no significant differences in circadian rhythmicity. Regression analyses indicated that having Usher syndrome type 2a was a significant predictor of poor sleep outcomes. No clear correlations were found between the level of visual impairment and sleep parameters, suggesting that the negative effects of Usher syndrome type 2a on sleep manifest independently of the progressive visual impairment. These findings suggest that, while circadian sleep–wake rhythm remain intact, patients with Usher syndrome type 2a suffer from sleep disturbances that likely arise from factors beyond their progressive blindness. With sleep problems being a major risk factor for physical and mental health problems, we advocate that sleep problems should be recognized as a hallmark symptom of Usher syndrome type 2a, warranting in‐depth research for potential targeted therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling the size and composition of metal nanoparticles is of considerable interest, as these are essential to their catalytic properties. Recently, our group has developed a preorganization strategy for controlled Ir nanoparticle synthesis inside Pt12L24 nanospheres. In the current contribution, we expand this method to the controlled synthesis of Rh nanoparticles. The encapsulated RhI complexes (Rh‐s @ G‐sphere) led to reasonable size control (2.8 ± 0.9 nm). Next, we demonstrated the formation of Rh‐Ir alloyed nanoparticles with varying Rh/Ir compositions, by preorganization of the respective metal complexes inside Pt12L24 nanospheres based on complementary hydrogen bonds before the reduction step that leads to nanoparticle formation. These heterometallic particles were evaluated in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (7) as a probe reaction. Besides a high activity in this probe reaction, the Rh particles also catalyzed the conversion of the solvent (CH3CN). The formed basic amine leads to follow‐up reactions of the product and compatibility issues with the hosting nanosphere. The solvent hydrogenation was effectively suppressed by using the Rh:Ir alloyed nanoparticles, provided that they contain > 66% Ir. Compared to the monometallic Ir particles (Ir‐s @ G‐sphere), the Rh:Ir alloyed nanoparticles displayed higher catalytic activity, reaching optimal selectivity and activity at an 8:16–Rh:Ir ratio. The combined catalytic results illustrate that preorganization of the metal complexes in the nanosphere before the reduction with hydrogen effectively facilitates the formation of Rh:Ir alloyed nanoparticles, which allows for tuning a catalyst to create a more active and selective catalyst compared to monometallic or nonencapsulated Rh/Ir particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to develop a prediction model that estimates the probability that a pregnant person who has had asymptomatic or mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prior to delivery admission will progress in severity to moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19. Study Design This was a secondary analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive patients who delivered from March through December 2020 at hospitals across the United States. Those eligible for this analysis presented for delivery with a current or previous asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 during the delivery admission through 42 days postpartum. The prediction model was developed and internally validated using stratified cross-validation with stepwise backward elimination, incorporating only variables that were known on the day of hospital admission. Results Of the 2,818 patients included, 26 (0.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6–1.3%) developed moderate–severe–critical COVID-19 during the study period. Variables in the prediction model were gestational age at delivery admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08–1.22 per 1-week decrease), a hypertensive disorder in a prior pregnancy (aOR 3.05; 95% CI, 1.25–7.46), and systolic blood pressure at admission (aOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05 per mm Hg increase). This model yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.72–0.91). Conclusion Among individuals presenting for delivery who had asymptomatic–mild COVID-19, gestational age at delivery admission, a hypertensive disorder in a prior pregnancy, and systolic blood pressure at admission were predictive of delivering with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19. This prediction model may be a useful tool to optimize resources for SARS-CoV-2-infected pregnant individuals admitted for delivery. Key Points Three factors were associated with delivery with more severe COVID-19. The developed model yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 and model fit was good. The model may be useful tool for SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnancies admitted for delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine viral arteritis is an economically important contagious disease caused by equine arteritis virus (EAV). Our objective was to evaluate the antiviral activity of indolicidin and K-indolicidin peptides against EAV. We found that indolicidin, but not K-indolicidin, completely inhibits EAV. Furthermore, indolicidin did not affect sperm quality parameters, the primary source of EAV transmission. This is the first report showing the potential of indolicidin as a candidate for use as a therapeutic agent against EAV and an additive in equine semen extenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops random forest models to interrogate housing survival in the 2021 Marshall Fire, investigating the role of housing, parcel, and neighborhood characteristics. This grass fire affected suburban communities and destroyed more than 1,000 houses. The authors compiled a data set consisting of all the destroyed houses, along with damaged and standing neighboring houses. After removing houses with insufficient data, 1055 impacted houses were used to develop models for each of the three impacted jurisdictions and for the full data set of 1055 houses. In addition, model versions were developed that use only the subset of predictor characteristics available pre-fire. The pre-fire model results showed that the five housing characteristics that resulted in the largest increase in mean square error (MSE) when randomly permutated were predominantly neighborhood and parcel level characteristics. All predictors resulting in percent increases in MSE of 15% or greater were neighborhood level characteristics. Parcel and community characteristics encompass 78%, 86%, 100%, and 80% of predictors resulting in percent increase in MSE greater than 5% for the models developed for Louisville, Superior, Unincorporated Boulder County, and all data, respectively. Additionally, the identification of the most important parameters showed that the majority of the most impactful variables were not within the homeowner's control. This conclusion demonstrates the importance of neighborhood and community characteristics on housing survival that are controlled by the jurisdiction, especially in a home rule state where building codes and planning may differ across jurisdictional boundaries. We found little reduction in model accuracy (%-change in balanced accuracy under 12%), when only pre-fire variables were considered. Taken together, these results suggest a crucial role for jurisdiction or community mitigation of risk in WUI areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple habit reversal training is effective at reducing public speaking disfluencies; however, the time and resources necessary to implement this intervention may reduce practicality for widespread adoption. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of asynchronous awareness training. Four participants completed a computer‐based training consisting of response description and practice detecting recorded disfluencies prior to taking a quiz in which they scored the frequency of disfluencies in a recorded speech. Relative to baseline, all participants' rates of disfluencies decreased following training. In addition, acceptability ratings were high and all participants indicated greater willingness to participate in asynchronous training than in‐person training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition in mesic sites and drought stress combined with short growing seasons in drier sites are key environmental factors along macroclimatic aridity gradients. They impose a triangular trade‐off for local adaptation. However, as experiments have rarely disentangled their effects on plant fitness, uncertainty remained whether mesic populations are indeed better competitors and drier populations better adapted to drought stress and short season length. Aridity differs also at microclimatic scale between north (more mesic) and south (more arid) exposed hill‐slopes. Little is known whether local adaptation occurs among exposures and whether south exposures harbor conspecifics better adapted to drier climates that could provide adaptive reservoirs under climate change. We sampled two Mediterranean annuals (Brachypodium hybridum, Hedypnois rhagadioloides) in 15 sites along a macroclimatic aridity gradient (89–926 mm rainfall) on corresponding north and south exposures. In a large greenhouse experiment, we measured their fitness under drought stress, competition, and short vs. long growing seasons. Along the macroclimatic gradient, mesic populations were better competitors under benign conditions. Drier populations performed no better under drought stress per se but coped better with the short growing seasons typical for drier macroclimates. At microclimatic scale, north exposure plants were slightly better competitors in H. rhagadioloides; in B. hybridum, south exposure plants coped better with drought under short season length. We demonstrate that local adaptation to drier macroclimates is trading‐off with competitive ability under benign conditions and vice‐versa. Drought escape via short life‐cycles was the primary adaptation to drier macroclimates, suggesting that intensified drought stress within the growing season under climate change challenges arid and mesic populations alike. Moreover, the drier microclimates at south exposures exhibited some potential as nearby reservoirs of drier‐adapted genotypes. This potential needs further investigation, yet may assist populations to persist under climate change and lessen the need for long‐distance migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article in Clinical & Translational Allergy discusses the reliability of the FricTest 4.0 tool for diagnosing symptomatic dermographism, a subtype of chronic inducible urticaria. The study conducted at the Urticaria Center of Reference and Excellence in Berlin, Germany, aimed to assess inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of the tool. Results showed substantial inter-rater agreement and high consistency in measurements, validating the FricTest as a reliable diagnostic and monitoring tool for symptomatic dermographism. The study acknowledges limitations and calls for further real-world evidence to confirm the tool's reproducibility and clinical validity. [Extracted from the article]

How could a well-founded 'Reform of the Reform' of the Roman Rite look like? In a comparative examination of the Eucharistic Prayer texts of the Basilios Anaphora and the Canon Romanus, which are representative of the patristic heritage, it is argued that the theology of consecration and sacrifice of the Mass, which is decisive for the Latin Church and culminates in the idea of a 'post-consecratory oblation', is in fact the result of a secondary interpretation of the Canon Romanus. With regard to the current standardization of the Roman Rite, this results in a 'performative chiasm': in fact, the preconciliar liturgy -- contrary to the textually ascertainable theology in the background -- is celebrated as a 'sacrificial liturgy'; -- the conciliar revised liturgy, on the other hand -- despite its textual and rubrical adherence to the scholastic logic of consecration and sacrifice -- is usually staged as a 'meal celebration'. The respective performance only partially converges with the theology of the texts used. In the light of this 'chiasm' of text and performance, proposals for a theologically convincing 'Reform of the Reform' need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space objects monitoring data represents the foundation of any Space Traffic Management system, as it provides inputs both for operational needs (e.g. collision avoidance), but also to space debris models to assess the status and evolution of the debris environment. The current paper provides an overview of current techniques used for space object observation, ranging from radar to in-situ system, together with a survey of emerging technologies and recommendations for evolution in view of observed trends in space operations (e.g. need for improved collision avoidance data, increase in rideshare missions, development of active debris removal and servicing missions). • An overview about observation techniques to monitor and track space debris. • Reviews on-going developments. • Provides recommendations for improved trackability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of laboratory atomic pair distribution function data has improved with contemporary X‐ray sources, optics and detectors, with acquisition times of the order of minutes for ideal samples. This paper examines resolution effects in pair distribution function data obtained using a convergent‐beam configuration and an Ag X‐ray tube from standard silicon powder and from 10 nm BaTiO3 nanocubes. The elliptical multilayer X‐ray mirror reflects a non‐trivial X‐ray spectrum and introduces resolution effects not commonly treated in ordinary parafocusing divergent‐beam laboratory diffraction. These resolution effects are modeled using the fundamental parameters approach, and the influence this has on interpretation and modeling of the resulting reduced atomic pair distribution function data is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) after infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and to characterize associated risk factors. METHODS: In a multicenter cohort study (NIH RECOVER [Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery]-Pregnancy Cohort), individuals who were pregnant during their first SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled across the United States from December 2021 to September 2023, either within 30 days of their infection or at differential time points thereafter. The primary outcome was PASC, defined as score of 12 or higher based on symptoms and severity as previously published by the NIH RECOVER-Adult Cohort, at the first study visit at least 6 months after the participant's first SARS-CoV-2 infection. Risk factors for PASC were evaluated, including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics before SARS-CoV-2 infection (baseline comorbidities, trimester of infection, vaccination status), and acute infection severity (classified by need for oxygen therapy). Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to estimate associations between these characteristics and presence of PASC. RESULTS: Of the 1,502 participants, 61.1% had their first SARS-CoV-2 infection on or after December 1, 2021 (ie, during Omicron variant dominance); 51.4% were fully vaccinated before infection; and 182 (12.1%) were enrolled within 30 days of their acute infection. The prevalence of PASC was 9.3% (95% CI, 7.9-10.9%) measured at a median of 10.3 months (interquartile range 6.1-21.5) after first infection. The most common symptoms among individuals with PASC were postexertional malaise (77.7%), fatigue (76.3%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (61.2%). In a multivariable model, the proportion PASC positive with vs without history of obesity (14.9% vs 7.5%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.65, 95% CI, 1.12-2.43), depression or anxiety disorder (14.4% vs 6.1%, aOR 2.64, 95% CI, 1.79-3.88) before first infection, economic hardship (self-reported difficulty covering expenses) (12.5% vs 6.9%, aOR 1.57, 95% CI, 1.05-2.34), and treatment with oxygen during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (18.1% vs 8.7%, aOR 1.86, 95% CI, 1.00-3.44) were associated with increased prevalence of PASC. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PASC at a median time of 10.3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was 9.3% in the NIH RECOVER-Pregnancy Cohort. The predominant symptoms were postexertional malaise, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Several socioeconomic and clinical characteristics were associated with PASC after infection during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal gestational age to deliver pregnant people with chronic hypertension to improve perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of chronic hypertension treatment to different blood pressure goals. Participants with term, singleton gestations were included. Those with fetal anomalies and those with a diagnosis of preeclampsia before 37 weeks of gestation were excluded. The primary maternal composite outcome included death, serious morbidity (heart failure, stroke, encephalopathy, myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema, intensive care unit admission, intubation, renal failure), preeclampsia with severe features, hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, or abruption. The primary neonatal outcome included fetal or neonatal death, respiratory support beyond oxygen mask, Apgar score less than 3 at 5 minutes, neonatal seizures, or suspected sepsis. Secondary outcomes included intrapartum cesarean birth, length of stay, neonatal intensive care unit admission, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), transient tachypnea of the newborn, and hypoglycemia. Those with a planned delivery were compared with those expectantly managed at each gestational week. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs are reported. RESULTS: We included 1,417 participants with mild chronic hypertension; 305 (21.5%) with a new diagnosis in pregnancy and 1,112 (78.5%) with known preexisting hypertension. Groups differed by body mass index (BMI) and preexisting diabetes. In adjusted models, there was no association between planned delivery and the primary maternal or neonatal composite outcome in any gestational age week compared with expectant management. Planned delivery at 37 weeks of gestation was associated with RDS (7.9% vs 3.0%, aOR 2.70, 95% CI, 1.40-5.22), and planned delivery at 37 and 38 weeks was associated with neonatal hypoglycemia (19.4% vs 10.7%, aOR 1.97, 95% CI, 1.27-3.08 in week 37; 14.4% vs 7.7%, aOR 1.82, 95% CI, 1.06-3.10 in week 38). CONCLUSION: Planned delivery in the early-term period compared with expectant management was not associated with a reduction in adverse maternal outcomes. However, it was associated with increased odds of some neonatal complications. Delivery timing for individuals with mild chronic hypertension should weigh maternal and neonatal outcomes in each gestational week but may be optimized by delivery at 39 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection duration affects individual host fitness and between-host transmission. Whether an infection is cleared or becomes chronic depends on the complex interaction between host immune responses and parasite growth. Empirical and theoretical studies have suggested that there are critical thresholds of parasite dose that can determine clearance versus chronicity, driven by the ability of the parasite to manipulate host immunity. However, the mammalian immune response is characterized by strong positive and negative feedback loops that could generate duration thresholds even in the absence of direct immunomodulation. Here, we derive and analyse a simple model for the interaction between T-cell subpopulations and parasite growth. We show that whether an infection is cleared or not is very sensitive to the initial immune state, parasite dose and strength of immunological feedbacks. In particular, chronic infections are possible even when parasites provoke a strong and effective immune response and lack any ability to immunomodulate. Our findings indicate that the initial immune state, which often goes unmeasured in empirical studies, is a critical determinant of infection duration. This work also has implications for epidemiological models, as it implies that infection duration will be highly variable among individuals, and dependent on each individual's infection history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

States and their security forces often assume future insurgency will be versions of Mao Zedong’s “people’s war,” and counterinsurgency remains backward looking without a theoretical foundation to situate it within broader global security environment and armed-conflict trends. Next-gen insurgency will be networked, swarming, global, and focused on narrative-centric conflict and integrated cost imposition, and social media and the virtual world will be its central battlespaces. No nation has fully grasped that the “people’s war” reflected the military, economic, political, informational, technological, and social conditions of its time. Through an examination of insurgency’s nature, character, patterns, and trends and a thought experiment about next-gen insurgency, states and their security and intelligence services can think about what insurgency will be (rather than what it has been) and prepare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal gestational age to deliver pregnant people with chronic hypertension to improve perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of chronic hypertension treatment to different blood pressure goals. Participants with term, singleton gestations were included. Those with fetal anomalies and those with a diagnosis of preeclampsia before 37 weeks of gestation were excluded. The primary maternal composite outcome included death, serious morbidity (heart failure, stroke, encephalopathy, myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema, intensive care unit admission, intubation, renal failure), preeclampsia with severe features, hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, or abruption. The primary neonatal outcome included fetal or neonatal death, respiratory support beyond oxygen mask, Apgar score less than 3 at 5 minutes, neonatal seizures, or suspected sepsis. Secondary outcomes included intrapartum cesarean birth, length of stay, neonatal intensive care unit admission, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), transient tachypnea of the newborn, and hypoglycemia. Those with a planned delivery were compared with those expectantly managed at each gestational week. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs are reported. RESULTS: We included 1,417 participants with mild chronic hypertension; 305 (21.5%) with a new diagnosis in pregnancy and 1,112 (78.5%) with known preexisting hypertension. Groups differed by body mass index (BMI) and preexisting diabetes. In adjusted models, there was no association between planned delivery and the primary maternal or neonatal composite outcome in any gestational age week compared with expectant management. Planned delivery at 37 weeks of gestation was associated with RDS (7.9% vs 3.0%, aOR 2.70, 95% CI, 1.40--5.22), and planned delivery at 37 and 38 weeks was associated with neonatal hypoglycemia (19.4% vs 10.7%, aOR 1.97, 95% CI, 1.27--3.08 in week 37; 14.4% vs 7.7%, aOR 1.82, 95% CI, 1.06--3.10 in week 38). CONCLUSION: Planned delivery in the early-term period compared with expectant management was not associated with a reduction in adverse maternal outcomes. However, it was associated with increased odds of some neonatal complications. Delivery timing for individuals with mild chronic hypertension should weigh maternal and neonatal outcomes in each gestational week but may be optimized by delivery at 39 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of post--acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) after infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and to characterize associated risk factors. METHODS: In a multicenter cohort study (NIH RECOVER [Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery]- Pregnancy Cohort), individuals who were pregnant during their first SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled across the United States from December 2021 to September 2023, either within 30 days of their infection or at differential time points thereafter. The primary outcome was PASC, defined as score of 12 or higher based on symptoms and severity as previously published by the NIH RECOVER-Adult Cohort, at the first study visit at least 6 months after the participant's first SARS-CoV-2 infection. Risk factors for PASC were evaluated, including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics before SARS-CoV-2 infection (baseline comorbidities, trimester of infection, vaccination status), and acute infection severity (classified by need for oxygen therapy). Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to estimate associations between these characteristics and presence of PASC. RESULTS: Of the 1,502 participants, 61.1% had their first SARS-CoV-2 infection on or after December 1, 2021 (ie, during Omicron variant dominance); 51.4% were fully vaccinated before infection; and 182 (12.1%) were enrolled within 30 days of their acute infection. The prevalence of PASC was 9.3% (95% CI, 7.9--10.9%) measured at a median of 10.3 months (interquartile range 6.1--21.5) after first infection. The most common symptoms among individuals with PASC were postexertional malaise (77.7%), fatigue (76.3%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (61.2%). In a multivariable model, the proportion PASC positive with vs without history of obesity (14.9% vs 7.5%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.65, 95% CI, 1.12--2.43), depression or anxiety disorder (14.4% vs 6.1%, aOR 2.64, 95% CI, 1.79--3.88) before first infection, economic hardship (self-reported difficulty covering expenses) (12.5% vs 6.9%, aOR 1.57, 95% CI, 1.05--2.34), and treatment with oxygen during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (18.1% vs 8.7%, aOR 1.86, 95% CI, 1.00--3.44) were associated with increased prevalence of PASC. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PASC at a median time of 10.3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was 9.3% in the NIH RECOVER-Pregnancy Cohort. The predominant symptoms were postexertional malaise, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Several socioeconomic and clinical characteristics were associated with PASC after infection during pregnancy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05172024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective conservation of wildlife requires current and accurate range maps of a species' distribution. While maintaining these resources can be challenging, especially for poorly documented species, the map is important for scientists, land managers, and decision makers alike. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is a leading information source on the global extinction risk status of flora and fauna and provides current range maps for use in wildlife conservation and listing decisions. Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis), a declining aerial insectivore whose contemporary range includes North and South America, is a near-threatened species according to IUCN, but its range map excludes areas known to support breeding populations. Here we compiled occurrence of Chuck-will's-widow within the state of Illinois across 6 data sources over a 65+ year period to highlight the occurrence of the species throughout the region. Although excluded from the current IUCN range map, we documented 947 occurrences of the species within Illinois since 1957. Through the use of minimum convex polygons (MCP), we report consistent and stable occurrence of Chuck-will's-widow, with the composite MCP ranging across the southern half of the state. Our results suggest that Chuck-will's-widow distribution within Illinois is not a result of recent colonization nor a climatic-induced shift in the species' distribution, but rather likely an underreporting of the species. This research illustrates how nocturnal or otherwise difficult to detect species may be widely underrepresented in public biodiversity databases and, as a result, have several gaps in their IUCN range maps. In addition to eBird and GBIF, we therefore encourage the inclusion of researchers and land managers along the range boundaries in the development of IUCN range maps, as local knowledge may be needed to fully describe the distribution of declining and underrepresented species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bond strength and photodissociation dynamics of MgI+ are determined by a combination of theory, photodissociation spectroscopy, and photofragment velocity map imaging. From 17 000 to 21 500 cm−1, the photodissociation spectrum of MgI+ is broad and unstructured; photofragment images in this region show perpendicular anisotropy, which is consistent with absorption to the repulsive wall of the (1) Ω = 1 or (2) Ω = 1 states followed by direct dissociation to ground state products Mg+ (2S) + I (2P3/2). Analysis of photofragment images taken at photon energies near the threshold gives a bond dissociation energy D0(Mg+-I) = 203.0 ± 1.8 kJ/mol (2.10 ± 0.02 eV; 17 000 ± 150 cm−1). At photon energies of 33 000–41 000 cm−1, exclusively I+ fragments are formed. Over most of this region, the formation of I+ is not energetically allowed via one-photon absorption from the ground state of MgI+. Images show the observed product is due to resonance enhanced two-photon dissociation. The photodissociation spectrum from 33 000 to 38 500 cm−1 shows vibrational structure, giving an average excited state vibrational spacing of 227 cm−1. This is consistent with absorption to the (3) Ω = 0+ state from ν = 0, 1 of the (1) Ω = 0+ ground state; from the (3) Ω = 0+ state, absorption of a second photon results in dissociation to Mg* (3P°J) + I+ (3PJ). From 38 500 to 41 000 cm−1, the spectrum is broad and unstructured. We attribute this region of the spectrum to one-photon dissociation of vibrationally hot MgI+ at low energy and ground state MgI+ at higher energy to form Mg (1S) + I+ (3PJ) products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implementation support practitioners (ISPs) are professionals that support others to implement evidence-informed practices, programs, and policies in various service delivery settings to achieve population outcomes. Measuring the use of competencies by ISPs provides a unique opportunity to assess an understudied facet of implementation science—how knowledge, attitudes, and skills used by ISPs affects sustainable change in complicated and complex service systems. This study describes the development and validation of a measure—the Implementation Support Competencies Assessment (ISCA)—that assesses implementation support competencies, with versatile applications across service contexts. Methods: Recently developed practice guide materials included operationalizations of core competencies for ISPs across three domains: co-creation and engagement, ongoing improvement, and sustaining change. These operationalizations, in combination with recent empirical and conceptual work, provided an initial item pool and foundation on which to advance measurement development, largely from a confirmatory perspective (as opposed to exploratory). The measure was further refined through modified cognitive interviewing with three highly experienced ISPs and pilot-testing with 39 individuals enrolled in a university-based certificate program in implementation practice. To recruit a sample for validation analyses, we leveraged a listserv of nearly 4,000 individuals who have registered for or expressed interest in various events and trainings focused on implementation practice offered by an implementation science collaborative housed within a research-intensive university in the Southeast region of the United States. Our final analytic sample included 357 participants who self-identified as ISPs. Results: Assessments of internal consistency reliability for each competency-specific item set yielded evidence of strong reliability. Results from confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence for the factorial and construct validity of all three domains and associated competencies in the ISCA. Conclusions: The findings suggest that one's possession of high levels of competence across each of the three competency domains is strongly associated with theorized outcomes that can promote successful and sustainable implementation efforts among those who receive implementation support from an ISP. The ISCA serves as a foundational tool for workforce development to formally measure and assess improvement in the skills that are required to tailor a package of implementation strategies situated in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis trifunctional enzyme (MtTFE) is an α2β2 tetrameric enzyme in which the α‐chain harbors the 2E‐enoyl‐CoA hydratase (ECH) and 3S‐hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) active sites, and the β‐chain provides the 3‐ketoacyl‐CoA thiolase (KAT) active site. Linear, medium‐chain and long‐chain 2E‐enoyl‐CoA molecules are the preferred substrates of MtTFE. Previous crystallographic binding and modeling studies identified binding sites for the acyl‐CoA substrates at the three active sites, as well as the NAD binding pocket at the HAD active site. These studies also identified three additional CoA binding sites on the surface of MtTFE that are different from the active sites. It has been proposed that one of these additional sites could be of functional relevance for the substrate channeling (by surface crawling) of reaction intermediates between the three active sites. Here, 226 fragments were screened in a crystallographic fragment‐binding study of MtTFE crystals, resulting in the structures of 16 MtTFE–fragment complexes. Analysis of the 121 fragment‐binding events shows that the ECH active site is the 'binding hotspot' for the tested fragments, with 41 binding events. The mode of binding of the fragments bound at the active sites provides additional insight into how the long‐chain acyl moiety of the substrates can be accommodated at their proposed binding pockets. In addition, the 20 fragment‐binding events between the active sites identify potential transient binding sites of reaction intermediates relevant to the possible channeling of substrates between these active sites. These results provide a basis for further studies to understand the functional relevance of the latter binding sites and to identify substrates for which channeling is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The acetabular sourcil is commonly interpreted as a reliable radiographic representation of the weightbearing dome of the acetabulum, despite limited modern data. Assessment of weightbearing acetabular coverage has been described using both the sourcil edge and bone edge as anatomic landmarks, leading to confusion and potential misguidance in surgical decision-making and thus compromised patient outcomes. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to characterize the 3-dimensional (3D) anatomic correlates of the sourcil-edge and bone-edge radiographic measurements on false-profile radiographs. It was hypothesized that the sourcil edge would represent anterolateral coverage and the bone edge would represent anterior coverage. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: A total of 80 hips were grouped by large or small differences between bone-edge and sourcil-edge anterior center-edge angles, based on upper and lower quartiles of discrepancy. Three-dimensional surface mesh models and digitally reconstructed radiographs were generated from hip computed tomography scans. Sourcil-edge and bone-edge anterior center-edge angles were identified on digitally reconstructed radiographs and registered to the 3D models with fiducial markers. Intersections of bone-edge and sourcil-edge projection lines with the acetabular rim were obtained from the 3D models. Results: The bone-edge and sourcil-edge projections intersected the acetabular rim at clockface means of 2:05 ± 0:22 and 1:12 ± 0:25, respectively. The 3D models consistently demonstrated that, in both large- and small-discrepancy groups, the sourcil edge corresponded to the acetabular area just posterior to the anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) projection, and the bone edge corresponded to the weightbearing region inferior to the AIIS. Additionally, in large-discrepancy hips, the bone edge corresponded to more prominent acetabular coverage in the region inferomedial to the AIIS when compared with the small-discrepancy hips. Conclusion: On false-profile radiographs, the sourcil edge corresponds to superior femoral head coverage, and the bone edge corresponds to anterosuperior coverage. Radiographs with a large discrepancy between sourcil-edge and bone-edge measurements demonstrate acetabular rim prominence in the region of the AIIS. Clinical Relevance: Characterizing the anatomic weightbearing regions of the acetabulum represented on false-profile radiographs facilitates improved clinical and intraoperative decision-making in hip preservation surgery, including acetabuloplasty and periacetabular osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent political developments suggest that political followership has played increasingly vital roles in modern democratic politics. However, scholarship seemingly lacks proper conceptual and methodological tools for analysing why and how citizens follow their leaders, and what the role of this relationship is in personalised politics and political leadership. Addressing the research gap, this article turns to generic leadership studies for help and introduces its follower-centric models into the field of political science. This venture opens with a review and comparison of some of the different perspectives about political followers in the scholarship on political leadership and personalisation, taking account of their limitations. It then moves on to assess follower-centric models and their empirical results, focusing on observers' perceptions about the characteristics and behaviours of leaders in the attribution of leadership. Based on these models, the article offers a balanced perspective about leader–follower relations. Recommendations for future research directions are presented in the concluding sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the globally invasive, human-infectious flatworm, Haplorchis pumilio, possesses the most physically specialized soldier caste yet documented in trematodes. Soldiers occur in colonies infecting the first intermediate host, the freshwater snail Melanoides tuberculata, and are readily distinguishable from immature and mature reproductive worms. Soldiers possess a pharynx five times absolutely larger than those of immature and mature reproductives, lack a germinal mass, and have a different developmental trajectory than reproductives, indicating that H. pumilio soldiers constitute a reproductively sterile physical caste. Neither immature nor mature reproductives showed aggression in in vitro trials, but soldiers readily attacked heterospecific trematodes that coinfect their host. Ecologically, we calculate that H. pumilio caused ~94% of the competitive deaths in the guild of trematodes infecting its host snail in its invasive range in southern California. Despite being a dominant competitor, H. pumilio soldiers did not attack conspecifics from other colonies. All prior reports documenting division of labor and a trematode soldier caste have involved soldiers that may be able to metamorphose to the reproductive stage and have been from nonhuman-infectious marine species; this study provides clear evidence for an obligately sterile trematode soldier, while extending the phenomenon of a trematode soldier caste to freshwater and to an invasive species of global public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article applies the international cooperation concept of issue linkage to identify an overlooked pathway to successful security assistance. We argue that providers can effectively incentivise recipients to implement otherwise undesirable reforms when they explicitly link implementation to another good whose value to the recipient outweighs the costs of the reforms. Drawing on original interviews, we find support for our argument in post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where the United States used the promise of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program to incentivise BiH to integrate its three armies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article "A Theological Investigation into Transcendence from a Phenomenological Perspective," the author Patrick Ebert addresses the question of the systematic comprehensibility of God's revelation. He argues that the logic of escalation and surpassing between the Old and New Testaments is not convincing and emphasizes that God's revelation always occurs through medial forms of mediation. Ebert examines various theological approaches to revelation and criticizes their deficiencies in dealing with the elusive nature of revelation. The author also discusses various philosophical approaches to the question of alterity and revelation and criticizes their inability to adequately grasp the radical alterity of revelation. He develops his own position, which emphasizes a primacy of asymmetry and radical alterity and develops an eschatology of the "desert." The study provides a counterpoint to conventional theological approaches and emphasizes the complexity and balance of the understanding of revelation. Ebert's annotations are a detailed study on the development of a phenomenological hermeneutics of "withdrawal in manifestation." The study stands out for its sensitivity to critical questions in the field of theology of revelation and could serve as a basis for further considerations. [Extracted from the article]

In this article I draw on resources from the Global South, and particularly the African philosophical tradition, to construct a theory of human rights grounded on dignity that presents a challenge to globally dominant, autonomy-based approaches. Whereas the latter conceive of human rights violations as degradations of our rational nature, the former does so in terms of degradations of our capacity to be party to harmonious or friendly relationships. Although I have in the past presented the basics of this relational approach, in this article I present new argumentation in support of it. I defend it from criticism and also go on the offensive by arguing that understanding the human rights violations of torture and rape to be (roughly) behavior that treats innocent parties in an extremely discordant or unfriendly way is, if not more plausible than standard Kantian understandings, at least a promising alternative to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to explore posttraumatic growth in adults who lived alone during the shelter‐in‐place (SIP) phase of the pandemic. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine adults between the ages of 33 and 56 several weeks into SIP. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from participant interviews: connection, prior recent hardship, gratitude, spiritual practice, and relationship with self. By exploring the experiences of those who thrived while living alone during the SIP phase, this study aimed to provide a nuanced understanding of the psychological processes underlying positive adaptation amidst crisis. Our findings highlight the importance of fostering connections, both interpersonal and intrapersonal, as a means of promoting resilience and growth during times of crisis. The themes of gratitude, spiritual practice, and a positive relationship with self underscore the significance of existential and humanistic concepts, such as meaning‐making, self‐reflection, and personal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This is the first study to compare controlled non-driving related tasks in terms of car sickness incidence. • Tasks with visual input induce more car sickness than internal vision of the car. • Tasks with visual dynamic input are most effective in inducing car sickness. • However, only internal vision of the car still produces mild to moderate symptoms. With the development of highly automated driving functions, drivers will no longer be in full charge of the driving task and can instead engage in a variety of non-driving related tasks (NDRTs), such as reading or watching a movie. However, engaging in these tasks increases the risk of experiencing motion sickness in a car. So far, most studies have compared everyday tasks such as reading and watching movies regarding their impact on car sickness. In this on-road driving study, a more theoretical approach was taken and controlled tasks were chosen to compare certain task characteristics regarding their impact on car sickness. In a within subject design, N = 20 moderately to severely susceptible participants completed three experimental drives on separate days, each with one task. To induce car sickness, a standardized driving profile including highly dynamic manoeuvres was driven on open roads. Three tasks with different types of visual input were selected: an auditory n-back task, a static visual n-back task, and a dynamic visual task. Participants were instructed to look down at a tablet throughout the drive and not to look up through the windscreen in all conditions. Driving dynamics, task performance and mental workload of the tasks were used as control variables. The effect of the tasks on the occurrence of car sickness was evaluated using subjective misery scale ratings. On average a medium to high level of car sickness could be induced over all trials. The extent of car sickness differed significantly between task conditions. Both visual tasks produced more car sickness than the auditory task, with the visual dynamic task leading to the most severe symptoms. Visual input in NDRTs, particularly moving images, seem to play a crucial role for the occurrence of car sickness. Possible underlying mechanisms are discussed and methodological implications for the use of NDRTs in realistic driving studies to elicit car sickness are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical therapy is frequently utilized in the postoperative care of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). There has been limited research into the efficacy of a structured home exercise program (HEP) compared with formal physical therapy (FPT) in this patient population. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of patients utilizing FPT versus an HEP after hip arthroscopic surgery for FAIS. It was hypothesized that both groups would show similar improvements regarding outcome scores, which would improve significantly compared with their preoperative scores. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Patients undergoing hip arthroscopic surgery for FAIS at a single center between October 2020 and October 2021 were prospectively enrolled. Patients were allowed to self-select FPT or an HEP and were administered a survey preoperatively and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. The survey included the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, visual analog scale for pain, 12-item International Hip Outcome Tool, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function, and patient satisfaction with physical therapy and overall care. Statistical analysis was conducted between the 2 groups and within groups to compare preoperative and postoperative scores. Results: The patients' mean age was 32.6 ± 10.4 years, with 47.2% being female and 57.4% choosing the HEP. At 12 months postoperatively, no significant differences were reported between the FPT and HEP groups regarding the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score (P =.795), visual analog scale for pain score (P >.05), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function T-score (P =.699), 12-item International Hip Outcome Tool score (P =.582), and patient satisfaction (P >.05). Outcome scores at 12 months postoperatively were significantly improved from the preoperative scores across all measures in both groups (P <.001). Conclusion: There were no significant differences regarding patient outcomes between FPT and the HEP at 1-year follow-up after hip arthroscopic surgery for FAIS when patients selected their own treatment, with both groups demonstrating significant improvements in their outcome scores from their preoperative values. These findings suggest that a structured HEP may be a viable alternative to FPT after hip arthroscopic surgery in patients who prefer a self-directed rehabilitation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number and rate of wildlife strikes continue to increase worldwide. More than 30 years of wildlife strike data indicate that approximately 92% of wildlife strikes for commercial aircraft occur at or below 3500 ft above ground level. Since urban air mobility (UAM) operations are envisioned to carry cargo and passengers up to an altitude of 4000 ft above ground level, UAM operations will face increased exposure to wildlife strike risks throughout their operations. Moreover, the comparatively small size of UAM aircraft, proposed cruising speeds of up to 170 kt, and quieter electric engines are expected to reduce opportunities for threat perception and evasive maneuvers by aircraft operators and wildlife. This paper presents how well-established wildlife strike prevention measures can be adapted to meet the needs of UAMoperations and how, with new technology, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), regulatory agencies, aircraft operators, communities, airspace managers, and vertiport operators can work together to enhance safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlations between the electrical behavior and microstructural properties of samples consisting of particle composites fabricated from SiC particles embedded in a silicone matrix, were investigated using X-ray computed tomography. In the voltage field range 200-1000 V/mm, the measured conductivity as a function of SiC volume fraction exhibits two distinct gaps. Upon further investigations, we attribute these observations to percolation thresholds at the microscale. The first gap, corresponding to interconnections between SiC particles that were originally disconnected, is more significant at higher voltage; while the second one, resulting from shortening conductivity pathways between the external surfaces of the samples with the increase of SiC volume fraction, seems more sensitive to lower voltages and is correlated with a decrease of the tortuosity of the percolated SiC network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares potential revenue from electric storage in retail and wholesale electric markets. The retail value can be extracted when storage responds to time-of-day retail prices. The wholesale value is enabled by the recent US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 2222, which requires regional transmission operators (RTOs) to allow distributed storage behind the meter to participate in wholesale electric markets. To quantify the value of these markets, we use realistic time-of-day rates and market prices in one RTO's ancillary service market. Formulae are developed to estimate the value of behind-the-meter storage in wholesale and retail markets, using an example electric vehicle in a fleet setting. The formulae are also used to compare whether or not net metering is available and different charging rates. The aggregate national storage behind the retail meter is very large, given the projected growth of electric vehicles. Our findings indicate the revenue from wholesale markets can be significantly more than that of retail opportunities. However, the potential in either retail or wholesale markets is currently limited by both state policy and incomplete RTO implementation of FERC orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cholinergic urticaria (CholU) is a common subtype of chronic inducible urticaria, where signs and symptoms (e.g. pruritic wheals and angioedema) are triggered by sweating due to physical exercise, passive warming and by other sweat-inducing situations. While guidelines recommend treatment with second-generation H1 antihistamines, approximately 90% of patients report uncontrolled disease. Targeting the histamine 4 receptor (H4R) has shown promise in preclinical/clinical studies of allergic/inflammatory diseases. Izuforant (LEO 152020) is a selective oral H4R antagonist with expected dual antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects. Objectives To assess the effects of izuforant in adults with CholU, a common type of chronic urticaria driven by histamine and characterized by high skin levels of H4R expression. Methods This was a phase IIa randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multicentre crossover trial where patients with CholU with an inadequate response to ≥ 1 standard dose of H1 antihistamine received izuforant 100 mg twice daily or placebo (EUCTR2020-004961-38-DE; NCT04853992). The primary endpoint was change from baseline in Urticaria Activity Score. Exploratory endpoints included CholU activity score over 7 days, urticaria control test, Physician Global Assessment, patient global assessment of severity (PGA-S), provocation tests, Dermatology Life Quality Index and CholU quality of life (CholU-QoL). Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, and serum biomarkers were assessed, as well as safety and tolerability. Results Nineteen patients were randomized and included in the full analysis set; 18 completed treatment [mean (SD) age 29.5 (9.8) years; mean (SD) CholU duration 8.0 (6.3) years]. The primary and most of prespecified exploratory endpoints were not met; there were significant improvements in PGA-S for izuforant vs. placebo (P = 0.02), and nonsignificant improvements for other endpoints in quality of life and histamine skin prick test. All adverse events (AEs) experienced with izuforant were considered mild. The most frequently reported (> 1 patient) were nausea (three patients) and upper abdominal pain (two patients), occurring more frequently with izuforant vs. placebo (one patient each). There were no treatment-related serious AEs and no patient receiving izuforant discontinued the study. Treatment with izuforant did not cause downregulation of H4R. Conclusions This is the first study to explore the role of H4R as a therapeutic target in urticaria. Targeting H4R with izuforant was well tolerated but did not demonstrate significant improvements vs. placebo in the primary endpoint and all but one prespecified exploratory endpoint in CholU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the Journal of Raptor Research, discusses the occurrence of cooperative breeding by Golden Eagles in Colorado. Cooperative breeding is when more than two individuals participate in raising offspring from a single nest. While Golden Eagles are typically monogamous and defend their territory, this study documents a case in which three Golden Eagles, including paired adults and a yearling, engaged in cooperative breeding near Franktown, Colorado. The article provides details about the nesting behavior and observations of the eagles throughout the breeding season. The authors suggest that delayed natal dispersal and the availability of prey in the territory may have contributed to the cooperative breeding behavior. [Extracted from the article]

BackgroundPurposeMethodsResultsDiscussionThe state of research on unsettling experiences of students in physical education can be characterized as fragmented. The available studies focus on select emotions (e.g. fear), specific forms of discrimination (e.g. ableism), or different types of social interactions (e.g. bullying). In this way, the state of research reveals different aspects of students’ suffering in physical education (PE) in a puzzle-like manner, while systematic investigations of the overall picture of PE as a complex meaningfully structured phenomenon remain open.The study presented in this paper aims to systematically capture the breadth of unsettling PE experiences by taking different perspectives of students into account, while also doing justice to PE in its situational logic. Based on a social constructivist approach, the following research questions will be addressed: (1) What kind of experiences are interpreted as unsettling by students in PE? (2) Which situational conditions are associated with students’ unsettling PE experiences?A qualitative research approach based on written short narratives was employed to answer the research questions. Current and former secondary school students (N = 677) from Germany participated. Grounded theory coding methods and sequential analysis were used for the data analysis.Our data indicates a wide range of students’ unsettling PE experiences (e.g. public humiliation, social exclusion, and forms of violence). On a supra-individual level, two major categories of unsettling PE experiences were identified: (1) The vulnerability of the students perceived through revealed inadequacies and (2) the social oppression of the supposedly ‘lazy, weak and unfit’. Students’ experience of vulnerability can be traced back to situations of physical exposure and performance failure while their experience of social oppression draws back to suppressive actions by teachers and fellow students. For each of these categories, we identify typical ways in which students deal with their unsettling experience. On a structural level, a hierarchizing culture of PE that fosters unsettling experiences is revealed.As a central strength, our study can provide condensed explanations for the emergence and consequences of unsettling PE experiences from the students’ perspective. Our findings relate to and enrich existing discourses regarding the situational emergence of vulnerability, overarching mechanisms of marginalization, and the hierarchizing culture of PE as a basis for social oppression. It is particularly tragic that affected students feel left alone and can hardly escape harmful situations, which perpetuates their suffering. Thus, pedagogical concepts that emphasize students’ diversity and the dismantling of hierarchies are needed and should be advanced further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In response to the opioid crisis in the United States, population-level prescribing of opioids has been decreasing; there are concerns, however, that dose reductions are related to potential adverse events. Objective: Examine associations between opioid dose reductions and risk of 1-month potential adverse events (emergency department (ED) visits, opioid overdose, benzodiazepine prescription fill, all-cause mortality). Design: This observational cohort study used electronic health record and claims data from eight United States health systems in a prescription opioid registry (Clinical Trials Network-0084). All opioid fills (excluding buprenorphine) between 1/1/2012 and 12/31/2018 were used to identify baseline periods with mean morphine milligram equivalents daily dose of ≥ 50 during six consecutive months. Patients: We identified 60,040 non-cancer patients with ≥ one 2-month dose reduction period (600,234 unique dose reduction periods). Main Measures: Analyses examined associations between dose reduction levels (1– < 15%, 15– < 30%, 30– < 100%, 100% over 2 months) and potential adverse events in the month following a dose reduction using logistic regression analysis, adjusting for patient characteristics. Key Results: Overall, dose reduction periods involved mean reductions of 18.7%. Compared to reductions of 1– < 15%, dose reductions of 30– < 100% were associated with higher odds of ED visits (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.10, 1.17), opioid overdose (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09–1.81), and all-cause mortality (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.16–1.67), but lower odds of a benzodiazepine fill (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.81–0.85). Dose reductions of 15– < 30%, compared to 1– < 15%, were associated with higher odds of ED visits (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.11) and lower odds of a benzodiazepine fill (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.92–0.95), but were not associated with opioid overdose and all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Larger reductions for patients on opioid therapy may raise risk of potential adverse events in the month after reduction and should be carefully monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swiss Light Source facilitates fragment‐based drug‐discovery campaigns for academic and industrial users through the Fast Fragment and Compound Screening (FFCS) software suite. This framework is further enriched by the option to utilize the Smart Digital User (SDU) software for automated data collection across the PXI, PXII and PXIII beamlines. In this work, the newly developed HEIDI webpage (https://heidi.psi.ch) is introduced: a platform crafted using state‐of‐the‐art software architecture and web technologies for sample management of rotational data experiments. The HEIDI webpage features a data‐review tab for enhanced result visualization and provides programmatic access through a representational state transfer application programming interface (REST API). The migration of the local FFCS MongoDB instance to the cloud is highlighted and detailed. This transition ensures secure, encrypted and consistently accessible data through a robust and reliable REST API tailored for the FFCS software suite. Collectively, these advancements not only significantly elevate the user experience, but also pave the way for future expansions and improvements in the capabilities of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion from seismic to ocean-acoustic waves occurs in different places on the bottom of the ocean, often hundreds to thousands of kilometers away from the epicenter. Here, we investigate this conversion process by studying 15 large-magnitude earthquakes that occurred between 2014 and 2022 along the Kermadec Arc in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. To pinpoint the location where seismic-to-acoustic conversion takes places, we analyze hydroacoustic signals recorded by a hydrophone triplet station of the International Monitoring System in the Juan Fernández archipelago. Results from direction-of-arrival and travel-time calculations indicate that the location of the conversion zone largely matches segments of the Louisville Seamount Chain, its lateral extent ranging from approximately 300 to 1800 km, and its location depending on the geometry between earthquake epicenter and the seamounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populist politicians such as Viktor Orbán are masters at harnessing intense and polarizing moral emotions: they stigmatize the enemies of the people, offer their community protection as self-proclaimed heroes, and at the same time, othering and moral transgressing trigger emotional overreactions from opponents. This article draws on a new analytical framework that incorporates theories of social labeling (moral panic and euphoria, moral entrepreneurship) and heroic/charismatic leadership to explore this multifaceted and antagonistic emotional relationship associated with populists. The theoretical reasoning suggests that these emotional dynamics define the moral cornerstones and boundaries of populist identity politics. Based on an analysis of four illustrative Hungarian cases - the migration crisis, anti-gender politics, the Authorisation Act during the coronavirus pandemic, and Fidesz's expulsion from the European People's Party - the article shows that populists can follow different paths to become charismatic heroes in the eyes of his supporters, while others still see them as folk devils due to their controversial moral entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In April 2019, French authorities mandated dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) screening, specifically testing uracilemia, to mitigate the risk of toxicity associated with fluoropyrimidine‐based chemotherapy. However, this subject is still of debate as there is no consensus on a standardized DPD deficiency screening test. We conducted a real‐life retrospective study with the aim of assessing the impact of DPD screening on the occurrence of severe toxicity and exploring the potential benefits of complete genotyping using next‐generation sequencing. Methods: All adult patients consecutively treated with 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) or its oral prodrug at six cancer centers between March 2018 and February 2019 were considered for inclusion. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency screening included gene encoding DPD (DPYD) genotyping using complete genome sequencing and DPD phenotyping (uracilemia or dihydrouracilemia/uracilemia ratio) or both tests. Associations between each DPD screening method and (i) severe (grade ≥3) early toxicity and (ii) fluoropyrimidine dose reduction in the second chemotherapy cycle were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, we assessed the concordance between DPD genotype and phenotype using Cohen's kappa. Results: A total of 551 patients were included. Most patients were tested for DPD deficiency (86%) including DPYD genotyping only (6%), DPD phenotyping only (8%), or both (72%). Complete DPD deficiency was not detected in the study population. Severe early toxicity events were observed in 73 patients (13%), with two patients (0.30%) presenting grade 5 toxicity. Despite the numerically higher toxicity rate in untested patients, the occurrence of severe toxicity was not significantly associated with the DPD screening method (p = 0.69). Concordance between the DPD genotype and phenotype was weak (Cohen's kappa of 0.14). Conclusion: Due to insufficient numbers, our study was not able to demonstrate any added value of DPYD genotyping using complete genome sequencing to prevent 5‐FU toxicity. The optimal strategy for DPD screening before fluoropyrimidine‐based chemotherapy requires further clinical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isogenic cells respond in a heterogeneous manner to interferon. Using a micropatterning approach combined with high-content imaging and spatial analyses, we characterized how the population context (position of a cell with respect to neighboring cells) of epithelial cells affects their response to interferons. We identified that cells at the edge of cellular colonies are more responsive than cells embedded within colonies. We determined that this spatial heterogeneity in interferon response resulted from the polarized basolateral interferon receptor distribution, making cells located in the center of cellular colonies less responsive to ectopic interferon stimulation. This was conserved across cell lines and primary cells originating from epithelial tissues. Importantly, cells embedded within cellular colonies were not protected from viral infection by apical interferon treatment, demonstrating that the population context-driven heterogeneous response to interferon influences the outcome of viral infection. Our data highlights that the behavior of isolated cells does not directly translate to their behavior in a population, placing the population context as one important factor influencing heterogeneity during interferon response in epithelial cells. Synopsis: The heterogeneous response to interferons in epithelial cells is determined by the population context (i.e. a cell's positions within a population) through cell polarization and basolateral localization of the interferon receptor. Isogenic epithelial cells respond in a heterogeneous manner to type I and type III interferons. The population context (position of a cell within a population) drives the heterogeneous response to interferons, with cells located at the edge of a population being more responsive than cells located in the center of a population. Cells in the center of a population are refractive to interferon treatment from their apical side due to the polarized basolateral distribution of the interferon receptors. By controlling the response to interferon treatment, the population context affects susceptibility to viral infection. The heterogeneous response to interferons in epithelial cells is determined by the population context (i.e. a cell's positions within a population) through cell polarization and basolateral localization of the interferon receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although true allergic drug hypersensitivies are rare, adverse reactions to drugs are common and affects the entire population, regardless of age. Often unexplored, it involves significant morbidity, which could be avoided by carrying out a pharmacovigilance investigation and an allergological work-up. Clinical symptoms of drug hypersensitivity depend on the time to the first symptoms after exposure to the drug and the different immune or pharmacological responses involved. The management of the reaction and the allergological assessment depends on these physiopathological mechanisms and the severity of the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinators are critical for agricultural production and food security, leading to many ongoing surveys of pollinators (especially bees) in crop and adjacent landscapes. These surveys have become increasingly important to better understand the community of potential pollinators, quantify relative insect abundance, and secure crop ecosystem services. However, as some bee populations are declining, there is a need to align and improve bee survey efforts, so that they can best meet research and conservation goals, particularly in light of the logistical and financial constraints of conducting such studies. Here, we mined the existing literature on bee surveys in or around agricultural lands to better understand how sampling methods can be optimized to maximize estimates of 2 key measures of bee communities (abundance and richness). After reviewing 72 papers spanning 20 yr of publication, we found that study duration, number of sites, sampling time, and sampling method most significantly influenced abundance, while the number of trips per year and collection method significantly influenced richness. Our analysis helps to derive thresholds, priorities, and recommendations that can be applied to future studies describing bee communities in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]