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To describe and evaluate a cost-effective, integrated model of service provision for people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD). Participants identified by three large acute hospitals as having ARBD and suitable for recovery and rehabilitation were offered a 12-week recovery-focussed program at a residential unit. The unit is a collaboration between an NHS board, the local council, and a 3rd sector organization Participants' pre-admission and post-admission medical data was gathered to analyze the effectiveness of the unit's program on Emergency Department (ED) attendance and inpatient bed use. Improvement in cognition was measured by comparing the ACE-III results for all participants at admission and just prior to discharge from the program. Thirty-one participants met the inclusion criteria. Paired t-tests revealed the 12-week program overall significantly reduced attendance at ED, use of in-patient beds after discharge, and improved cognitive functioning. This integrated model of service provision provides clear benefits to residents' cognitive functioning and to the NHS by freeing up inpatient beds and ED capacity. Therefore, it should be considered by commissioners when addressing the needs of people with ARBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early adolescents entering middle school are at a pivotal developmental phase as they become less dependent on parents/guardians and seek greater autonomy while encountering a complexity of social demands requiring them to regulate their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to achieve academic and social success. Yet, students who receive services for emotional and behavioral disorders often struggle with their emotions and externalizing behavior, contributing to a lack of motivation to attain their goals. Fortunately, researchers have found goal setting plays an important role in improving students' self-regulation skills. As such, we describe explicit instructional techniques that align with a phased goal setting process to bolster students' intrinsic motivation and self-regulation. First, we underscore the significance of goal setting to amplify students' motivation and fostering self-regulation that, consequently, can create positive changes in their behavior. We provide a step-by-step guide for educators to assist students in committing to and achieving their goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Accurate divergence times are essential for interpreting and understanding the context in which lineages have evolved. Over the past several decades, debates have surrounded the discrepancies between the inferred molecular ages of crown angiosperms, often estimated from the Late Jurassic into the Permian, and the fossil record, placing angiosperms in the Early Cretaceous. That crown angiosperms could have emerged as early as the Permian or even the Triassic would have major implications for the paleoecological context of the origin of one of the most consequential clades in the tree of life. Here, we argue, and demonstrate through simulations, that the older ages inferred from molecular data and relaxed‐clock models are misled by lineage‐specific rate heterogeneity resulting from life history changes that occurred several times throughout the evolution of vascular plants. To overcome persistent discrepancies in age estimates, more biologically informed and realistic models should be developed, and our results should be considered in the context of their biological implications before we accept inferences that are a major departure from our strongest evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background UK guidelines for managing adults with Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), published by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) in 2016, outline a set of audit standards. Objectives To audit current management of SJS/TEN in adults against standards in the BAD guidelines. Methods BAD members were invited to submit data on five consecutive adults with SJS/TEN per department over an 8-week period in 2022. Results Thirty-nine dermatology centres in the UK (29%) participated, and data for 147 adults with SJS/TEN were collected. Within 24 h of the diagnosis being made or suspected, the following were documented, per 147 submitted cases: Severity-of-Illness Score for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SCORTEN) for 76 (52%), list of medications for 113 (77%) and timelines for commencement/alterations of medications for 104 (71%). The initial assessment was documented of the eyes by an ophthalmologist in 71 (48%), of the mouth in 130 (88%), of the genital skin in 103 (70%) and of the urinary tract in 93 (63%). During the first 10 days after a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of SJS/TEN, daily assessments of the mouth were documented in 26 of 147 cases (18%), of the eyes in 12 (8%), and of the urinary tract and genital skin in 14 (10%). At discharge, a drug was declared to be the cause of SJS/TEN for 130 of 147 cases (88%), while 9 (6%) were thought to be secondary to infection. Eleven of 147 (8%) had no response to this question. Documentation regarding advice was present on avoidance of the culprit drug in 76 of 130 declared SJS/TEN cases (58%), and on requesting a MedicAlert® bracelet/amulet in 9 of the 147 cases (6%). Conclusions This audit suggests that a clinical review checklist might be needed to enable colleagues to maintain standards outlined in the guidelines, including documentation of SCORTEN, daily assessments of mucosal areas, and advice to avoid culprit drug(s) and to request a MedicAlert® bracelet/amulet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has identified the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (mTORC2) as a conserved direct effector of Ras proteins. While previous studies suggested the involvement of the Switch I (SWI) effector domain of Ras in binding mTORC2 components, the regulation of the RasmTORC2 pathway is not entirely understood. In Dictyostelium, mTORC2 is selectively activated by the Ras protein RasC, and the RasC-mTORC2 pathway then mediates chemotaxis to cAMP and cellular aggregation by regulating the actin cytoskeleton and promoting cAMP signal relay. Here, we investigated the role of specific residues in RasC's SWI, C-terminal allosteric domain, and hypervariable region (HVR) related to mTORC2 activation. Interestingly, our results suggest that RasC SWI residue A31, which was previously implicated in RasC-mediated aggregation, regulates RasC's specific activation by the Aimless RasGEF. On the other hand, our investigation identified a crucial role for RasC SWI residue T36, with secondary contributions from E38 and allosteric domain residues. Finally, we found that conserved basic residues and the adjacent prenylation site in the HVR, which are crucial for RasC's membrane localization, are essential for RasC-mTORC2 pathway activation by allowing for both RasC's own cAMPinduced activation and its subsequent activation of mTORC2. Therefore, our findings revealed new determinants of RasCmTORC2 pathway specificity in Dictyostelium, contributing to a deeper understanding of Ras signaling regulation in eukaryotic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks to verbal valency analysis to help clarify the meaning of the difficult clause ובאו חמדת כל הגוים‎ in Hag. 2.7b, and so the verse as a whole. Attention to the verb's valency patterns (i.e., בוא‎ [ qal ]) presents a fresh interpretive option that is both contextually fitting and (unlike previous proposals) linguistically robust. These patterns suggest that the cryptic phrase כל חמדת הגוים‎ is not the subject (so most) but a descriptor for the Jerusalem temple naming the locative goal of the clause's motion verb. This analysis identifies כל הגוים‎ of the previous clause as the subject, yielding the following rendering of the verse: 'And I (Yahweh) will shake all the nations so that they will come to "the desire of all the nations" (i.e., the temple), in order that I may fill this house with glory, declares the Lord of Hosts'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhythmic interplay of accent, tempo, and musical mood is expressed in the bodily postures, gestures, and expressions of attuned responsiveness in Salsa Dura, a genre of salsa music from the 1970s featuring improvisational dance solos. These dancers embrace the feelings and flows of soloing musicians going off and breaking free from any predictable form and structure. We inquire into how world-class salsa dancers and educators feel themselves moved by such intricate rhythms to experience soul connections. Video recordings and interviews yield insight into the call and response dynamics of this essentially tactful practice of alterity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constitutional test the Supreme Court has prescribed to review courtroom closures for compliance with the Sixth Amendment's right to a public trial is in the nature of strict scrutiny. The Court requires an "overriding interest" to justify the closure, and a narrow, minimally restrictive scope to the closure. Many lower courts have imposed a less demanding test for "partial" closures, which admit to the courtroom some, but not all, of the public. These courts require a less demanding justification before closing the courtroom to certain individuals--the justification need be only "substantial," rather than "overriding." This standard is in the nature of intermediate scrutiny, as applied in other constitutional contexts. There is a third type of "closure," however, beyond the complete closures the Supreme Court has reviewed, and the partial closures encountered by other courts. This third type is the imposition of entry conditions on would-be audience members, such as requiring a form of identification. These generally applicable conditions may not actually exclude anyone but could conceivably dissuade some audience members from attending a trial. For instance, an attendee might prefer not to provide identification to court personnel and might be turned away as a result. In keeping with the doctrinal model already followed by the courts--applying "tiered scrutiny" to courtroom closures--conditional courtroom entry should be reviewed according to the most lenient of the tiers, rational basis scrutiny. A sliding scale should apply to public trial scrutiny, "Waller" scrutiny, the most demanding, when all are excluded. "Substantial reason" scrutiny, less demanding, should apply when some are excluded. And rational basis scrutiny, much less demanding, should apply when no one need be excluded, but for their non-compliance with a general rule. A lesser standard should apply in the case of entry conditions because they differ from other closures and cause minimal prejudice to the purposes of the right to a public trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There remains debate as to the ideal skin preparation agent to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) after clean implant surgery. This study is a subgroup analysis of all patients undergoing implant surgery in the NEWSkin prep trial. Patients and Methods: The NEWSkin prep trial is a randomized clinical trial (RCT; n = 3300) comparing the three antiseptic skin preparation agents commonly used prior to incisional surgery: chlorhexidine with alcohol (C-Alc), povidone iodine with alcohol (PI-Alc), and aqueous povidone iodine (PI-Aq). All participants who underwent clean incisional surgeries with implants from this trial were selected for analysis. The primary outcome was SSI rate; secondary outcomes were complication rates and re-admission rates. Results: A total of 712 patients in the NEWSkinPrep study underwent clean implant surgery between January 2015 and December 2018. Randomization resulted in the following distribution: C-Alc, 238; PI-Alc, 243; and PI-Aq, 231. Median age of participants was 63 years and 41% were female. Surgical site infection rates were: C-Alc, 10.13%; PI-Alc,11.52%; and PI-Aq, 11.26%. Povidone iodine with alcohol did not appear to be non-inferior to C-Alc (mean difference, 1.39%; 95% confidence interval [CI], −4.17 to 6.95) and PI-Alc was not superior to PI-Aq (mean difference, 0.27%; 95% CI, −5.45 to 5.99; p = 0.9271). There were no differences seen in secondary outcomes between groups. Conclusions: These results indicate a similarity between PI-Alc and C-Alc and that PI-Alc was not superior to PI-Aq. Because this study was not powered to assess these differences in clean cases with implants, additional studies are needed to assess these agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress is a state of homeostasis in the body being challenged, resulting in a systemic response. It has become more prevalent in recent years and affects mental and physical health. Aims: Evaluate the effects of ashwagandha on stress, fatigue, and sex hormones in overweight or mildly obese men and women with self-reported stress and fatigue. Methods: Two-arm, parallel-group, 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on overweight or mildly obese men and women aged 40–75 years, supplementing with 200 mg of an ashwagandha root extract (Witholytin®) twice daily. Results/Outcomes: Supplementation with ashwagandha was associated with a significant reduction in stress levels based on the Perceived Stress Scale (primary outcome); however, the improvements were not significantly different to the placebo group (p = 0.867). Based on the Chalder Fatigue Scale, there was a statistically significant reduction in fatigue symptoms in the ashwagandha group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.016), and participants taking ashwagandha also experienced a significant increase in heart rate variability (p = 0.003). However, there were no significant between-group differences in other self-report outcome measures. In the men taking ashwagandha, there was a significant increase in the blood concentrations of free testosterone (p = 0.048) and luteinizing hormone (p = 0.002) compared to the placebo group. Conclusions/Interpretation: The results of this study suggest that in overweight middle-to-older age adults experiencing high stress and fatigue, compared to the placebo, ashwagandha did not have a significantly greater impact on perceived stress levels. However, based on secondary outcome measures, it may have anti-fatigue effects. This may be via its impact on the autonomic nervous system. However, further research is required to expand on these current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Testosterone concentrations in men decline with advancing age. However, the cause of the decline is yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the associations between chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG), using a large nationally‐representative data set (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; NHANES). Methods: NHANES is a cross‐sectional survey, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation of a nationally‐representative sample of a non‐institutionalized United States population. Male participants aged ≥18 years during the NHANES 2013–2014 and NHANES 2015–2016 survey periods were selected for this analysis. The analysis included the following data: body mass index (BMI), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), insulin, glucose, and age. Results: An overweight or obese condition was significantly inversely associated with TT and SHBG, even after adjusting for other variables. Several variables associated with T2DM (OGTT, HOMA‐IR, insulin, and glucose) were also inversely associated with TT; however, only the associations between OGTT and insulin with TT remained significant after adjusting for the other variables. Insulin and HOMA‐IR levels were significantly inversely associated with SHBG; however, only the association between SHBG and pre‐diabetic HOMA‐IR levels remained significant after adjusting for the other variables. OGTT became significantly associated with SHBG after adjusting for the other variables. Age was significantly inversely associated with TT, but positively associated with SHBG, even after adjusting for other variables. Conclusion: The results of the present study, which is the largest to date, indicate that a marker of obesity, BMI, and some markers of T2DM are both independently and significantly inversely associated with TT and SHBG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurological manifestations of severe coronavirus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, are wide-ranging and may persist following virus clearance. Detailed understanding of the underlying changes in brain function may facilitate the identification of therapeutic targets. We directly tested how neocortical function is impacted by the specific panel of cytokines that occur in coronavirus brain infection. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, we determined how the five cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40 and IL-15 for 22–28-h) at concentrations matched to those elicited by MHV-A59 coronavirus brain infection, affected neuronal function in cultured primary mouse neocortical neurons. Results: We evaluated how acute cytokine exposure affected neuronal excitability (propensity to fire action potentials), membrane properties, and action potential characteristics, as well as sensitivity to changes in extracellular calcium and magnesium (divalent) concentration. Neurovirulent cytokines increased spontaneous excitability and response to low divalent concentration by depolarizing the resting membrane potential and hyperpolarizing the action potential threshold. Evoked excitability was also enhanced by neurovirulent cytokines at physiological divalent concentrations. At low divalent concentrations, the change in evoked excitability was attenuated. One hour after cytokine removal, spontaneous excitability and hyperpolarization of the action potential threshold normalized but membrane depolarization and attenuated divalent-dependent excitability persisted. Conclusions: Coronavirus-associated cytokine exposure increases spontaneous excitability in neocortical neurons, and some of the changes persist after cytokine removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanity has long sought immortality - but now, with the prospect of lifeextending medical enhancement technologies, immortality is closer than it ever has been previously. Or is it? And at what price? This paper brings together two important strands of Alister McGrath’s teaching and research – the history of systematic theology, and the science-religion dialogue. In this paper, I discuss the Christian doctrine of conditional immortality in relation to the prospects of technocentric immortality achieved through proposed radical transhumanist technologies. Drawing on the work of Brent Waters and Juraj Odorjak, I highlight the points of divergence between technocentric immortality and a recognisably Christian eschatology and, in relation to conditional immortality, I explain why the achievement of technocentric immortality is both theologically problematic and a futile objective in relation to the spiritual health of the Christian believer. I conclude by describing the implications of the doctrine of conditional immortality for the prospect of human enhancement, and vice versa, thus providing a preliminary worked example of the interaction of science and theology envisaged by Professor McGrath in A Scientific Theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite, has significantly impacted Irish beekeeping, causing alarming colony losses and threatening the native honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera. While Irish beekeepers are crucial for controlling this parasite, they lack supportive infrastructure. This creates a unique opening for national programmes promoting sustainable beekeeping practices for varroa control. Reports indicate that an increasing number of local beekeepers are successfully managing colonies without treatments, suggesting potential for varroa-resistant stock development through selective breeding. Our survey examined beekeepers' views on sustainable practices and varroa resistance. The results underline Irish beekeepers' hobbyist nature and their preference for the native honey bee subspecies. Some control varroa without treatment, achieving comparable survival rates. Most prefer varroa-resistant lines of native origin, with little openness to non-Irish strains. A strong willingness to engage in a national breeding programme appears evident. These insights offer Ireland an opportunity to establish a large-scale sustainable beekeeping strategy for safeguarding native honeybees and local biodiversity. Beekeeping in Ireland has been strongly impacted by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, whose introduction caused alarming honeybee colony losses. If unmitigated, these losses could lead to the disappearance of the native honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera mellifera, with severe consequences for local biodiversity. Although beekeepers play a pivotal role in mitigating this crisis, beekeeping in Ireland is less intensive compared to other European regions, lacking significant infrastructure or support. These circumstances offer a unique opportunity for the development of national programmes that promote sustainable beekeeping practices for varroa control. Notably, local accounts highlight an increasing number of beekeepers successfully managing colonies in the absence of treatments, indicating a potential avenue for developing varroa-resistant stocks through selection of local colonies. Through a survey, we explored beekeeper's opinions and attitudes towards future national projects focused on the development of sustainable beekeeping practices and selection for varroa resistance. The findings confirm the hobbyist nature of Irish beekeepers and their preference for the native honey bee. Some beekeepers were reported to be effectively controlling varroa without treatment, yielding comparable survivals to those using treatments. The majority expressed preference towards a varroa-resistant line if it were of native origin; a few were open to importing non-Irish lines. Overall, a strong willingness to participate in a national breeding programme was expressed. These findings highlight a prime opportunity for Ireland to establish a community-driven strategy based on sustainable beekeeping practices for safeguarding native honeybees and local biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many ICT4D projects fail. Researchers attribute this failure partly to the mismatch between the context in which ICTs are designed and the context of their use. This study aims to understand the interplay between design and ICT4D by (1) making an inventory of design principles across three themes: problem framing, design approach, and team composition, and (2) assessing design statements (distilled from the list of design principles) through a two-round Delphi study with a group of ICT4D researchers and practitioners. The results show that while there is a general awareness of the importance of design in ICT4D, a consolidated effort to investigate how design principles can be more effectively integrated with ICT4D is missing. The study further concludes that there is a shift towards co-designing, that it is difficult to design without pre-determined ideas of using ICTs/emerging technologies and that transdisciplinary collaboration has not yet flourished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Heterogeneity in gene trees, morphological characters, and composition has been associated with several major plant clades. Here, we examine heterogeneity in composition across a large transcriptomic dataset of plants to better understand whether locations of shifts in composition are shared across gene regions and whether directions of shifts within clades are shared across gene regions.We estimate mixed models of composition for both nucleotide and amino acids across a recent large‐scale transcriptomic dataset for plants.We find shifts in composition across both nucleotide and amino acid datasets, with more shifts detected in nucleotides. We find that Chlorophytes and lineages within experience the most shifts. However, many shifts occur at the origins of land, vascular, and seed plants. While genes in these clades do not typically share the same composition, they tend to shift in the same direction. We discuss potential causes of these patterns.Compositional heterogeneity has been highlighted as a potential problem for phylogenetic analysis, but the variation presented here highlights the need to further investigate these patterns for the signal of biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Quantitative plant traits play a crucial role in biological research. However, traditional methods for measuring plant morphology are time consuming and have limited scalability. We present LeafMachine2, a suite of modular machine learning and computer vision tools that can automatically extract a base set of leaf traits from digital plant data sets. Methods: LeafMachine2 was trained on 494,766 manually prepared annotations from 5648 herbarium images obtained from 288 institutions and representing 2663 species; it employs a set of plant component detection and segmentation algorithms to isolate individual leaves, petioles, fruits, flowers, wood samples, buds, and roots. Our landmarking network automatically identifies and measures nine pseudo‐landmarks that occur on most broadleaf taxa. Text labels and barcodes are automatically identified by an archival component detector and are prepared for optical character recognition methods or natural language processing algorithms. Results: LeafMachine2 can extract trait data from at least 245 angiosperm families and calculate pixel‐to‐metric conversion factors for 26 commonly used ruler types. Discussion: LeafMachine2 is a highly efficient tool for generating large quantities of plant trait data, even from occluded or overlapping leaves, field images, and non‐archival data sets. Our project, along with similar initiatives, has made significant progress in removing the bottleneck in plant trait data acquisition from herbarium specimens and shifted the focus toward the crucial task of data revision and quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Field images are important sources of information for research in the natural sciences. However, images that lack photogrammetric scale bars, including most iNaturalist observations, cannot yield accurate trait measurements. We introduce FieldPrism, a novel system of photogrammetric markers, QR codes, and software to automate the curation of snapshot vouchers. Methods and Results: Our photogrammetric background templates (FieldSheets) increase the utility of field images by providing machine‐readable scale bars and photogrammetric reference points to automatically correct image distortion and calculate a pixel‐to‐metric conversion ratio. Users can generate a QR code flipbook derived from a specimen identifier naming hierarchy, enabling machine‐readable specimen identification for automatic file renaming. We also developed FieldStation, a Raspberry Pi–based mobile imaging apparatus that records images, GPS location, and metadata redundantly on up to four USB storage devices and can be monitored and controlled from any Wi‐Fi connected device. Conclusions: FieldPrism is a flexible software tool designed to standardize and improve the utility of images captured in the field. When paired with the optional FieldStation, researchers can create a self‐contained mobile imaging apparatus for quantitative trait data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Numerous species of fish are displayed in public aquariums and zoological collections all over the world. A general description of the basic biological requirements for maintaining fish in captive environments is presented, where a combination of behavioral, performance, and physiological indicators can be used to assess the welfare of these animals. Ultimately, the goal for optimizing fish welfare should be to provide the best possible environment, husbandry, and social interactions to promote natural species-specific behaviors of the fish in captivity. A wide variety of fish species have been displayed in public aquariums and zoological collections for over 150 years. Though the issue of pain perception in fish is still being debated, there is no disagreement that negative impacts on their welfare can significantly affect their health and wellbeing. A general description of the basic biological requirements for maintaining fish in captive environments is presented, but species-specific information and guidelines should be developed for the multitude of species being maintained. A combination of behavioral, performance, and physiological indicators can be used to assess the well-being of these animals. Ultimately, the goal for optimizing the welfare of fish should be to provide the best possible environment, husbandry, and social interactions to promote natural species-specific behaviors of the fish in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a brief outline of Glenn Siniscalchi's apology for the traditional approach to the post-resurrection appearances, I examine his particular view that any attempt to compare the appearances of Jesus with the various apparitions discussed by parapsychologists is doomed to failure. Siniscalchi states, correctly, that the only category of apparitions worthy of consideration at all is the 'post-mortem apparition'. However, some of the suggested differences between these and the appearances of Jesus seem somewhat banal, and are not as significant as they are made out to be. My suggestion is that some form of hypothesis coupling hallucinations with collective delusions would explain both individual and collective post-resurrection appearances, and serve as a viable alternative to the traditional evangelical view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

* Context.--Despite widely prevalent burnout and attendant disengagement in medicine, the specific patterns and drivers within pathology and laboratory medicine are uncommonly studied. Objective.--To assess the prevalence and drivers of burnout among pathology and laboratory medicine professionals, retrospectively, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Design.--This was a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study engaging pathology and laboratory medicine professionals as subjects. Results.--Of 2363 respondents, 438 identified as pathologists, 111 as pathology assistants, and 911 as pathology and laboratory professionals. The burnout rate was 58.4% (1380 of 2363) across all respondents in pathology and laboratory medicine. Burnout varied by job role (P < .01) and was highest among pathology and laboratory professionals. Disparities in burnout rate were observed by race. Fifty-six percent (1323 of 2363) of respondents felt that they had at least 1 symptom of burnout and were advancing toward a breaking point. Underlying factors ranked highly among all groups included control over workload and loss of meaning in work. Conclusions.--Data provided from this cohort may help departments create successful strategies to reduce disengagement and burnout in the laboratory, especially during periods of increased stress as experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, these data may serve as a baseline comparison for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetate arguably is the most important substrate for de novo fatty acid biosynthesis in bovine adipose tissue. However, including glucose in incubation media in vitro strongly stimulates fatty synthesis from acetate; additionally, glucose carbon is essential for triacylglycerol synthesis from acetate. Our laboratory is unique in that we utilize bovine intramuscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) adipose tissue explants dissected from beef longissimus muscle immediately post-exsanguination to study bovine adipose tissue metabolism. Four decades ago, using this experimental technique, we established that glucose is a primary substrate for fatty acid biosynthesis in i.m. adipose tissue. Recent research in our laboratory has addressed the hypothesis that acetate and/or long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) differentially affect lipid filling of i.m. and s.c. adipose tissue. We had previously demonstrated that, whereas s.c. adipose tissue is highly responsive to isoproterenol (a non-selective ß-adrenergic agonist), i.m. adipose tissue is relatively refractory to isoproterenol. This subsequently was confirmed in our laboratory utilizing primary cultures of bovine s.c. and i.m. adipocytes. We currently are focusing on the G-coupled protein receptors-43 (GPR43) and GPR120. Several previous studies from our laboratory have documented GPR43 expression in i.m. and s.c. adipose tissue, and we more recently demonstrated GPR120 expression in bovine adipose tissues. Acetate is a ligand for GPR43, whereas LCFA are ligands for GPR120. The binding of ß-adrenergic agonists to ß-adrenergic receptors increases the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), whereas binding of acetate and LCFA to GPR43 and GPR120, respectively, decreases cAMP production. Thus, binding of circulating acetate and LCFA to their respective GPR receptors putatively should lead to increase lipid filling of bovine adipose tissues. A current study from our laboratory demonstrated that acetate had no effect on forskolinstimulated cAMP production in i.m. or s.c. adipose tissue explants unless the culture medium also included oleic acid (18:1n-9). A subsequent study confirmed that oleic acid and palmitic acid (16:0), but not acetate, strongly depressed forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in s.c. adipose tissue explants; oleic and palmitic acid were much less effective in depressing cAMP production in i.m. adipose tissue explants. Unusually, GPR43 expression was detected in neither s.c. adipose tissue nor i.m. adipose tissue in our most recent study whereas GPR120 expression was readily detected in both adipose tissue types. We conclude the following from these recent studies: LCFA binding to GPR120 is more effective than acetate binding to GPR43 in promoting lipid filling in bovine adipose tissue; and LCFA binding to GPR120 putatively would promote greater lipid filling in s.c. adipose tissue than in i.m. adipose tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issue of surgical site infections (SSIs) and the discrepancies between research findings, local data, and surgical perception. It suggests that the methodology of surveillance may be a reason for these discrepancies, as hospital surveillance data may miss SSIs due to shorter hospital stays. The article also highlights the limitations of current SSI diagnosis criteria and the potential for bias in clinical trials. It presents conflicting research findings on the effectiveness of different antiseptic skin preparations and calls for more flexible guidelines, incorporating cost-effectiveness analyses and quality of life data. The authors emphasize the need for a more robust way of comparing interventions and suggest adopting global bundles and guidelines while considering regional differences. [Extracted from the article]

Due to its apparently ambiguous semantics and syntax, Ps 73:24b remains an unresolved crux in Psalms studies. This article brings valency theory to bear upon this cryptic clause. Attention to the valency patterns occurring with the clause's verb (לקח) presents a contextually compelling solution to its grammatical and semantic difficulties, suggesting that the language of Ps 73:24b may not be ambiguous after all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have found that verbal aggression (VA) is the most frequent form of aggression reported in U.S. schools across all grade levels. There are numerous harmful outcomes for VA perpetrators, victims, and witnesses including depression, anxiety, decreased academic performance, and low sense of school belonging. Moreover, VA is known to occasion physically aggressive responses, making VA especially problematic for students who exhibit chronic maladaptive behavior profiles. In this study, therefore, we surveyed 144 middle and high school students identified with an emotional and behavioral disorder to understand their involvement with VA, response to victimization, and what VA messages lead to physical aggression. We also investigated the locations of VA incidents, student perceptions about teacher-delivered consequences for VA, and witness behavior. We discuss the implications for practice, including explicit skill instruction for students and incorporating content about VA into preservice teacher coursework covering prevention and intervention strategies. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research such as conducting observations across a variety of school settings and in different regions of the country, and collecting qualitative data to enrich quantitative findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression. Their expression in alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency has not been investigated. Treatment of AAT deficiency involves infusion of plasma-purified AAT and this augmentation therapy has previously been shown to alter microRNA expression in monocytes of AAT-deficient (ZZ) individuals. Here, we assess the effect of AAT augmentation therapy on the lncRNA expression profile in ZZ monocytes. Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from ZZ individuals pre (Day 0)- and post (Day 2)-AAT augmentation therapy. Arraystar lncRNA microarray profiling was performed; a total of 17,761 lncRNAs were detectable across all samples. The array identified 7509 lncRNAs with differential expression post-augmentation therapy, 3084 were increased and 4425 were decreased (fold change ≥ 2). Expression of many of these lncRNAs were similarly altered in ZZ monocytes treated ex vivo with 27.5 μM AAT for 4 h. These properties may contribute to the manifold effects of AAT augmentation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erdős et al. made conjectures for the maximum diameter of connected graphs without a complete subgraph Kk+1 ${K}_{k+1}$, which have order n $n$ and minimum degree δ $\delta $. Settling a weaker version of a problem, by strengthening the Kk+1 ${K}_{k+1}$‐free condition to k $k$‐colorable, we solve the problem for k=3 $k=3$ and k=4 $k=4$ using a unified linear programming duality approach. The case k=4 $k=4$ is a substantial simplification of the result of Czabarka et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the discovery of new larval food plant records for the Buprestid beetle species Melobasis innocua and several Cerambycid beetles, which were found on the Pomaderris aspera tree in Victoria. These findings were the result of a nine-year rearing program, revealing associations between the insects and the plant.

Computing ancestral ranges via the Dispersion Extinction and Cladogensis (DEC) model of biogeography is characterized by an exponential number of states relative to the number of regions considered. This is because the DEC model requires computing a large matrix exponential, which typically accounts for up to 80% of overall runtime. Therefore, the kinds of biogeographical analyses that can be conducted under the DEC model are limited by the number of regions under consideration. In this work, we present a completely redesigned efficient version of the popular tool Lagrange which is up to 49 times faster with multithreading enabled, and is also 26 times faster when using only one thread. We call this new version Lagrange-NG (Lagrange-Next Generation). The increased computational efficiency allows Lagrange-NG to analyze datasets with a large number of regions in a reasonable amount of time, up to 12 regions in approximately 18 min. We achieve these speedups using a relatively new method of computing the matrix exponential based on Krylov subspaces. In order to validate the correctness of Lagrange-NG, we also introduce a novel metric on range distributions for trees so that researchers can assess the difference between any two range inferences. Finally, Lagrange-NG exhibits substantially higher adherence to coding quality standards. It improves a respective software quality indicator as implemented in the SoftWipe tool from average (5.5; Lagrange) to high (7.8; Lagrange-NG). Lagrange-NG is freely available under GPL2. [Biogeography; Phylogenetics; DEC Model.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) laboratory assays are used to rule out myocardial infarction (MI) on presentation, but prolonged result turn-around times can delay patient management. Our primary aim was to identify patients at low risk of index MI using a rapid, point of care (POC), whole blood hs-cTnI assay at presentation, with potential early patient discharge.Methods: Consecutive emergency department patients from two prospective, observational studies with suspected acute coronary syndrome were enrolled. A POC hs-cTnI assay (Atellica® VTLi) threshold using whole blood at presentation, that resulted in a negative predictive value (NPV) of ≥99.5% and sensitivity of ≥99% for index MI, was derived (Safe Emergency department dIscharGE rate [SEIGE]) and validated using plasma (Suspected acute myocardial infarction in Emergency [SAMIE]). Event adjudications were established using hs-cTnI assay results from routine clinical care. The primary outcome was MI at 30-days.Results: 1086 patients (8.1% MI) were enrolled in a US derivation cohort (SEIGE) and 1486 (5.5% MI) in an Australian validation cohort (SAMIE). A derivation whole blood POC hs-cTnI concentration of <4ng/L provided a sensitivity of 98.9% (93.8-100%) and NPV of 99.5% (95% CI: 97.2-100%) for ruling out MI. In the validation cohort, sensitivity was 98.8% (93.3-100%) and NPV was 99.8% (99.1-100%). 17.8% and 41.8%, respectively, were defined as low risk for discharge. 30-day adverse cardiac events were 0.1% (n=1) for SEIGE and 0.8% (n=5) for SAMIE.Conclusions: A point-of-care, whole blood hs-cTnI assay permits an accessible, rapid and safe exclusion of MI, and may expedite discharge from the emergency department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital health technologies (DHTs) have great potential for use as clinical trial outcomes; however, practical issues need to be addressed in order to maximise their benefit. We describe our experience of incorporating two DHTs as secondary/exploratory outcome measures in PD STAT, a randomised clinical trial of simvastatin in people with Parkinson's disease. We found much higher rates of missing data in the DHTs than the traditional outcome measures, in particular due to technical and software difficulties. We discuss methods to address these obstacles in terms of protocol design, workforce training and data management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Enchanted Revolution: Ghosts, Shamans, and Gender Politics in Chinese Communist Propaganda, 1942–1953" explores the role of gender, religion, and revolution in Chinese Communist Party propaganda during the Yan'an period. The author argues that the CCP incorporated elements of folk religion into their mass-line politics, using traditional cultural forms to appeal to a wider audience. The article also discusses the anti-shaman campaign and its connection to public health initiatives. Overall, the book offers a unique perspective on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics in Chinese Communist propaganda. [Extracted from the article]

We generalize an earlier result of Segev, which shows that some component in a minimal counterexample to Quillen's conjecture must admit an outer automorphism. We show in fact that every component must admit an outer automorphism. Thus we transform his restriction-result on components to an elimination-result: namely one which excludes any component which does not admit an outer automorphism. Indeed we show that the outer automorphisms admitted must include p -outers: that is, outer automorphisms of order divisible by p. This gives stronger, concrete eliminations: for example if p is odd, it eliminates sporadic and alternating components—thus reducing to Lie-type components (and typically forcing p -outers of field type). For p = 2 , we obtain similar but less restrictive results. We also provide some tools to help eliminate suitable components that do admit p -outers in a minimal counterexample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicides are the most widely used pesticides globally. Although used to control weeds, they may also pose a risk to bee health. A key knowledge gap is how bees could be exposed to herbicides in the environment, including whether they may forage on treated plants before they die. We used a choice test to determine if bumblebees would forage on plants treated with glyphosate at two time periods after treatment. We also determined whether glyphosate and its degradation product aminomethylphosphonic acid were present as residues in the pollen collected by the bees while foraging. Finally, we explored if floral resources (nectar and pollen) remained present in plants after herbicide treatment. In general bees indiscriminately foraged on both plants treated with glyphosate and controls, showing no avoidance of treated plants. Although the time spent on individual flowers was slightly lower on glyphosate treated plants, this did not affect the bees' choice overall. We found that floral resources remained present in plants for at least 5 days after lethal treatment with glyphosate and that glyphosate residues were present in pollen for at least 70 h posttreatment. Our results suggest that bees could be exposed to herbicide in the environment, both topically and orally, by foraging on plants in the period between herbicide treatment and death. Identifying this route of exposure is a first step in understanding the risks of herbicides to bees. The effects of herbicides on bees themselves are uncertain and warrant further investigation to allow full risk assessment of these compounds to pollinating insects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2603–2612. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis plays a central role in the stress response. Plants, herbs, spices, and plant-based nutrients may influence HPA-axis activity. To evaluate randomised controlled, human trials assessing the effects of single plants or phytonutrients on HPA-axis related hormones. A systematic review of PubMed, Cochrane library, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Inclusion criteria comprised of human, randomised controlled studies with a control intervention examining the effects of a single herb, spice, plant, or extract on pre- and post-changes in blood, saliva, urine, or hair concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, corticotrophin-releasing hormone, or adrenocorticotropic hormone. Databases were searched from inception until October 2020. Fifty-two studies were identified examining the effects of ashwagandha, Korean ginseng, St John's Wort, cannabidiol, Rhodiola rosea, curcumin, cherry juice, asparagus, Jiaogulan, Black cohosh, Siberian ginseng, Bacopa monnieri, blueberries, green tea, Caralluma fimbriata, cashew apple juice, melon, American ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, grape juice, grapefruit juice, rosella, hops, mangosteen, holy basil, and pomegranate juice. Due to significant variability in study designs, the effect of phytonutrients on HPA-axis activity in humans was unclear. The most consistent finding was a morning, cortisol-lowering effect from ashwagandha supplementation. For most phytonutrients, the effects of supplementation on HPA-axis activity in humans is unclear. Before more definitive conclusions about the effects of phytonutrients on the HPA-axis can be made, further research is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the authors discuss issues on race in the U.S. by focusing on the reasons behind the socio-economic divisions among Americans and the prejudices against skin color. Also cited are how the self-identification requirement in the census is a form of discrimination, and how racial discrimination is discretely practiced through affirmative actions, and other topics like neologism and racial justice.

The non-germinal center B-cell (GCB) molecular subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is associated with chronic activation of B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling [[1]], has poorer prognosis than GCB subtype DLBCL [[2]], and treatment with Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitors has resulted in greater anti-tumor activity than in GCB DLBCL [[3]]. Twenty-five patients with R/R DLBCL were included in the analysis for part 2, including 9 patients with GCB and 16 with non-GCB DLBCL (3 patients with non-GCB DLBCL were from part 1). Based on the MTD of ACP-319 determined in part 1 (50 mg BID), patients in part 2 received acalabrutinib 100 mg BID and ACP-319 50 mg BID, 1 group with non-GCB DLBCL and 1 group with GCB DLBCL. [Extracted from the article]

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a perceptual and emotional phenomenon in which specific sensory stimuli elicit a feeling of calm as well as tingling sensations on the scalp, neck, and shoulders. In the current study, we use fMRI to examine whether the motoric and sensory regions of the spinal cord segments associated with these body parts show increased activity during ASMR experiences. Nine individuals with ASMR completed six spinal functional magnetic resonance imaging runs while passively viewing videos. Three of the videos were shown (through pre-testing) to elicit ASMR tingles and three videos did not (i.e., control videos). The results demonstrated that ASMR-related stimuli elicited activity in dorsal (sensory) regions of spinal cord segments C1, C5, and C6; activity was observed in ventral (motoric) regions of segments C2–C8. Similar activity was not detected in response to control videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.--Since 2016, transoral endoscopic thyroid resection with vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been increasingly performed in the United States. Although guidelines for the procedure are evolving, indeterminate and malignant preoperative cytopathologic diagnoses are not a contraindication. There are limited data related to the pathologic examination of these specimens. Objective.--To examine the clinicopathologic features of TOETVA specimens with particular attention to limitations of interpretation of pathologic parameters and final diagnosis. Design.--We reviewed age, sex, preoperative imaging and cytologic diagnoses, surgical pathology, and clinical follow-up data in TOETVA resections from our institution for procedures performed between March 2016 and December 2019. Results.--Fifty cases of TOETVA were identified, comprising 48 women and 2 men with a mean age of 47 years. Preoperative cytologic diagnoses were available in 47 cases and included 19 nondiagnostic/benign (Bethesda I/II), 24 follicular lesion of undetermined significance/ suspicious for follicular neoplasm (Bethesda III/IV), and 4 suspicious/malignant diagnoses (Bethesda V/VI). Thirtyfour cases (68%) among the surgical resection specimens showed disruption and/or fragmentation. Thirty-nine cases were negative for carcinoma, including hyperplasias and benign/indolent neoplasms. Eleven cases exhibited papillary thyroid carcinoma. Final diagnoses were reached in all disrupted/fragmented cases. In 2 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma, tumor size, microscopic extrathyroidal extension, and margin status could not be determined. Conclusions.--A significant proportion of TOETVA specimens are disrupted/fragmented, which can compromise information about tumors, including size, number, margin status, and microscopic extrathyroidal extension. Given that these parameters inform treatment and followup, this should be considered when selecting patients for TOETVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene tree conflict is common and finding methods to analyze and alleviate the negative effects that conflict has on species tree analysis is a crucial part of phylogenomics. This study aims to expand the discussion of inferring species trees and molecular branch lengths when conflict is present. Conflict is typically examined in two ways: inferring its prevalence and inferring the influence of the individual genes (how strongly one gene supports any given topology compared to an alternative topology). Here, we examine a procedure for incorporating both conflict and the influence of genes in order to infer evolutionary relationships. All supported relationships in the gene trees are analyzed and the likelihood of the genes constrained to these relationships is summed to provide a likelihood for the relationship. Consensus tree assembly is conducted based on the sum of likelihoods for a given relationship and choosing relationships based on the most likely relationship assuming it does not conflict with a relationship that has a higher likelihood score. If it is not possible for all most likely relationships to be combined into a single bifurcating tree then multiple trees are produced and a consensus tree with a polytomy is created. This procedure allows for more influential genes to have a greater influence on an inferred relationship, does not assume conflict has arisen from any one source and does not force the data set to produce a single bifurcating tree. Using this approach, on three empirical data sets, we examine and discuss the relationship between influence and prevalence of gene tree conflict. We find that in one of the data sets, assembling a bifurcating consensus tree solely composed of the most likely relationships is impossible. To account for conflict in molecular rate analysis we also introduce a concordance-based approach to the summary and estimation of branch lengths suitable for downstream comparative analyses. We demonstrate through simulation that even under high levels of stochastic conflict, the mean and median of the concordant rates recapitulate the true molecular rate better than using a supermatrix approach. Using a large phylogenomic data set, we examine rate heterogeneity across concordant genes with a focus on the branch subtending crown angiosperms. Notably, we find highly variable rates of evolution along the branch subtending crown angiosperms. The approaches outlined here have several limitations, but they also represent some alternative methods for harnessing the complexity of phylogenomic data sets and enrich our inferences of both species relationships and evolutionary processes.[Branch length estimation; consensus tree; gene tree conflict; gene tree filtering; phylogenetics; phylogenomics.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Testosterone concentrations decline with age, and lower testosterone concentrations are associated with several morbidities, including sexual dysfunction, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome. Objective Because dietary habits play a critical role in weight regulation and T2DM management, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence from randomized controlled trials to determine the effects of calorie restriction (CR) on testosterone concentrations in men. Data Sources A literature search was conducted across 4 databases, from their inception until March 2020. Data Extraction The screening and data extraction were completed by 2 authors independently, and in a blinded manner, according to a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data Analysis Of the 4198 studies identified from the initial search, 7 randomized controlled trials were included for data extraction. Significant increases in total testosterone concentrations were reported in 3 of 4 studies in which CR was examined with overweight or obese men, compared with the control groups. Significant decreases in total testosterone concentrations were reported in 2 of 3 studies in which the effects of CR were examined with normal-weight, healthy men, compared with the control groups. In all 4 studies that examined the effect of CR on sex hormone–binding globulin concentrations, the intervention significantly increased sex hormone–binding globulin concentrations compared with that of the control groups irrespective of body composition. Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis provide some evidence that CR affects testosterone concentrations in men and this effect depends on their body mass index. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020173102 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

99% of patients in this audit received both GCS and IPCDs as mechanical prophylaxis in addition to chemical prophylaxis. We suggest that a multi-centre non-inferiority RCT be undertaken to definitively answer the question of whether their addition is efficacious, and if so, cost effective for use in abdominal surgery when other forms of VTE prophylaxis are employed. Venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease remains one of the most significant post-operative complications with significant morbidity, mortality and cost.[1] Rudolph Virchow in the mid-19th century first described the triad of risk factors leading to VTE formation: stasis, vessel damage and hypercoagulability.[2] It took over a century after this description before the concept of preventing venous stasis following surgery was addressed. [Extracted from the article]

Disability determinations made by tbe Social Security Administration's administrative law judges are subject to judicial review by Article III courts. By statute, these courts apply the "substaintial evidence" standard of review on appeal Pom the agency. Tbe substantial evidence standard is a forgiving one that defers to the fndings of the agency. But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeak bas modifed this standard. It now reviews certain categories of SSA findings notonly forsubstantialevidence, butforsupportby clearandconvincing reasons." Tbis heightened standard of review is facially at odds with tbe statutorily mandated substantial evidence standard. It also undercuts tbe principle of deference given to tbe initialfactfnder by the substantial evidence standard of review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]