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The mechanisms contributing to the electromechanical response of piezoelectric ceramics in the shear mode have been investigated using high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Soft lead zirconate titanate ceramic specimens were subjected to an electric field in the range 0.2–3.0 MV m−1, perpendicular to that of the initial poling direction, while XRD patterns were recorded in transmission. At low electric field levels, the axial strains remained close to zero, but a significant shear strain occurred due to the reversible shear-mode piezoelectric coefficient. Both the axial and shear strains increased substantially at higher field levels due to irreversible ferroelectric domain switching. Eventually, the shear strain decreased again as the average remanent polarization became oriented toward the electric field direction. The lattice strain and domain orientation distributions follow the form of the total strain tensor, enabling the domain switching processes to be monitored by the rotation of the principal strain axis. Reorientation of this axis toward the electric field direction occurred progressively above 0.6 MV m−1, while the angle of rotation increased from 0° to approximately 80° at the maximum field of 3.0 MV m−1. A strong correlation was established between the effective strains associated with different crystallographic directions, which was attributed to the effects of elastic coupling between grains in the polycrystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concern about adequate tritium resources to start up deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactors in the near term is misplaced: Proposed demonstration reactors and pilot plants will not realistically be buildable for a great many decades. More disturbing, tritium fuel self-sufficiency of eventual DT reactors may be unattainable, because it is unlikely that tritium-breeding blankets can completely replenish burned-up fuel as well as unburned tritium that is lost in numerous reactor subsystems. The concept of doubling time is unworkable. The only viable fuel solution for sustained operation demands deuterium-based reactors where the tritium is concurrently generated and burned up in the fusioning plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) is an ab initio approach that directly computes noncovalent interaction energies in terms of electrostatics, exchange repulsion, induction/polarization, and London dispersion components. Due to its high computational scaling, routine applications of even the lowest order of SAPT are typically limited to a few hundred atoms. To address this limitation, we report here the addition of electrostatic embedding to the SAPT (EE-SAPT) and ISAPT (EE-ISAPT) methods. We illustrate the embedding scheme using water trimer as a prototype example. Then, we show that EE-SAPT/EE-ISAPT can be applied for efficiently and accurately computing noncovalent interactions in large systems, including solvated dimers and protein–ligand systems. In the latter application, particular care must be taken to properly handle the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics boundary when it cuts covalent bonds. We investigate various schemes for handling charges near this boundary and demonstrate which are most effective in the context of charge-embedded SAPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflecting their tropism for keratinocytes, most poxviruses that infect vertebrates replicate to high titers and cause pathology in the skin. Keratinocytes, the main cells of the epidermis, are found in different stages of a differentiation program that produces the critical barrier against environmental damage. While systemic poxviruses (e.g. smallpox virus, sheeppox virus) also infect other cell types, the parapoxvirus orf virus (ORFV), which causes localized infections in sheep and goats, has not been shown to replicate in cells other than keratinocytes. Notably, ORFV infection only occurs after or concomitant with epidermal damage and the subsequent healing response and shows unexplained delayed virus replication in an uncharacterized keratinocyte subpopulation. Using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, qPCR, and a full-thickness wound/infection model in sheep, the natural host, we show that during an initial 2-day eclipse phase viral transcription and viral DNA replication are not detected. Between days 2 and 3 pi, viral transcription is first detected in keratinocytes of the stratum granulosum and upper stratum spinosum in the proliferative zone at the wound margin. These cells are positive for cytokeratin 10, a suprabasal marker; cytokeratin 6, a protein induced during early repair responses; stratum granulosum markers filaggrin and loricrin; and negative for the nuclear proliferation marker Ki-67 and cytokeratin 14, a basal cell marker. This marker profile suggests that keratinocytes supportive of viral replication are engaged in advanced keratinocyte differentiation rather than proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing trend in the use of severe caloric restrictive diets among normal weight young females that can jeopardize bone health. Using an animal model, the purpose of this study was to determine whether resistance training (RT) could maintain bone health during a 6-week severe caloric restrictive (CR) diet in growing female rats. Twenty-four female rats (~ 8 weeks old) were randomly divided into the following groups: sedentary rats fed a normal diet (N = 8), sedentary rats fed a 40% CR diet (D = 8), and an RT group fed a 40% CR diet (DT = 8). The DT group climbed a vertical ladder four consecutive times (per exercise session) with weights appended to their tail 3 days/week for a total of 6 weeks. Tibial bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and bone mechanical properties were measured. After 6 weeks, the body mass (Mean ± SD) of CR-fed groups (D & DT = 202.8 ± 10.7 g) was significantly lower than N (275.5 ± 25.3 g). Tibial BMD (g/cm2) for D (0.196 ± 0.012) was significantly lower vs. N (0.213 ± 0.013), resulting in a 7.9% decline. The tibial BMD for DT (0.206 ± 0.009) resulted in a 3.3% decline compared to N that was not significantly different. Bone mechanical properties were significantly greater for DT compared to D, but not significantly different compared to N. Resistance training has the potential to maintain bone health during severe caloric restriction in growing female rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoring a resilient forest structure in California's American River watershed in the Sierra Nevada mountains can generate up to $6,100 per acre in carbon revenue from increased forest carbon and market-ready biomass utilization pathways, potentially fully funding forest management. Employing a dynamic performance benchmark (DPB) framework, this study models the impacts of restoring resilience to high-risk forests via forest thinning followed by prescribed fire. These practices show an initial carbon cost, but ultimately reduce carbon emissions from wildfire and increase carbon storage compared to a no-treatment counterfactual scenario by 35 tCO2e per acre on average, with market-ready biomass utilization pathways adding another 6–23 tCO2e average benefit per acre. Treatments enhance carbon stability by shifting carbon storage from dense, overcrowded small trees to more dispersed, fire-resilient large trees and reduces fire severity (flame length) by 78% five years post-treatment. Compared to pretreatment levels, treatment decreases the number of trees on the landscape by 74% while increasing carbon storage by 6% at the end of the 25-year simulation. To reduce investor risk into nature-based solutions focused on increasing carbon stability in fire adapted forests and generate carbon revenue from fuel treatments, accurate predictive tools are needed. To maximize certainty of carbon benefits, landscape level treatments, DPBs, and ex-post carbon crediting will be critical. This study shows that carbon revenue from traditional markets or novel carbon contribution programs can help close the funding gap for forest restoration in California while underscoring the need for innovative conservation finance mechanisms to support ecosystem resilience and climate mitigation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing demand for sustainable solutions in civil engineering concerning the carbon footprint of cementitious composites. Alkali-Activated Binders (AAB) are materials with great potential to replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC), with similar strength levels and lower environmental impact. Despite their improved environmental performance, their durability remains a gap in the literature, influenced by aspects of mechanical behavior, physical properties, and microstructure. This paper aims to assess the impact of steel slag aggregates and curing temperature of a proposed AAB based concrete formulation by characterizing fresh state, mechanical behavior, and microstructure. The proposed AAB is composed of fly ash (FA) and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel slag (SS) as precursors, sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution as activators, in total replacement of OPC, using baosteel slag short flow (BSSF) SS as aggregate in comparison with natural aggregate. The concrete formulation was designed to achieve a high-performance concrete (HPC) and a self-compacting concrete (SCC) behavior. Mechanical characterization encompassed hardened (compressive strength and Young's modulus), fresh state (J-ring, slump flow, and T50), and durability tests (scanning electronic microscopy, water penetration under pressure, and chloride ion penetration). The compressive strength (64.1 ± 3.6 MPa) achieves the requirements of HPC, while the fresh state results fulfill the SCC requirements as well, with a spread diameter from 550 mm to 650 mm (SF-1 class). However, the flow time ranges from 3.5 s to 13.8 s. There was evidence of high chloride penetrability, affected by the lower electrical resistance inherent to the material. Otherwise, there was a low water penetration under pressure (3.5 cm), which indicates a well-consolidated microstructure with low connected porosity. Therefore, the durability assessment demonstrated a divergence in the results. These results indicate that the current durability tests of cementitious materials are not feasible for AAB, requiring adapted procedures for AAB composite characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Meningiomas are the most common brain tumors and are usually benign, but some tend to be invasive, grow back after treatment, and require additional surgeries or therapies. Current tumor models do not fully mimic human meningiomas, making it difficult to study the disease and develop new treatments effectively. To address this gap, we developed a method to grow three-dimensional models of meningiomas, called organoids, directly from patient tumor samples. These organoids resemble the original tumors microscopically and share similar genetic and molecular features. They contain diverse cell types, including stromal and immune cells, which are important for studying how tumors interact with their environment. This research provides a reliable tool for better understanding meningiomas and testing potential therapies, with the goal of improving treatment strategies for patients. Introduction: Meningiomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors, constituting 39.7% of intracranial tumors. Although generally benign, some exhibit aggressive behavior and risk of recurrence, necessitating adjuvant therapy and repeat surgical interventions. Molecular studies have identified tumor-driving mutations, leading to targeted therapies and clinical trials. However, translating preclinical findings into clinical success is often hindered by limitations in current meningioma tumor models. This study aims to develop and validate a standardized protocol for establishing patient-derived meningioma organoids (MEN-Os) that faithfully replicate human disease. Methods: MEN-Os were successfully established from 15 meningioma samples (11 grade 1, 4 grade 2) from neurosurgical resections using an optimized culture protocol. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were used to assess the resemblance of MEN-Os to original tumor tissues. RNA sequencing compared transcriptional signatures between MEN-Os and corresponding patient-resected tissues. Results: MEN-Os were successfully established from patient-resected samples and maintained in culture for up to four weeks, showing stable growth and structural integrity. Histopathological analysis revealed that MEN-Os preserved key architectural features, including cellular organization, nuclear morphology, and proliferation rates. Immunohistochemical staining for meningioma-specific markers, such as the progesterone receptor, confirmed similar expression patterns to parental tumors. Transcriptomic profiling demonstrated that MEN-Os retained the transcriptional signatures of original tissues, including genes associated with meningioma pathology (NF2, CDKN2A, TP53). Differential expression and deconvolution analyses showed that MEN-Os contained diverse cell populations, including tumor and stromal cells, while preserving the immune microenvironment, as validated by histopathological and transcriptomic profiling. Conclusion: We established a robust, reproducible protocol for generating MEN-Os, which faithfully replicates the histopathological, molecular, and cellular characteristics of original tumors. MEN-Os provide a valuable model for studying meningioma biology and evaluating therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aquaculture industry is increasingly pursuing sustainable practices, including the use of functional feed additives (FFAs) to enhance fish health and growth, and reduce reliance on antibiotics usage in aquafeeds. Brewer's yeast-derived additives have emerged as promising FFAs, showing significant potential in promoting sustainable aquaculture development. In this study, the use of commercial brewer's yeast-derived feed additives was explored to improve the health and performance of Atlantic salmon. The salmon were fed diets supplemented with autolysed brewer's yeast (ABY) or soluble dried yeast extract (SDYE) for nine weeks to assess their impact on skin and intestinal health, immune response, intestinal bacterial communities, and growth. The results showed that the brewer's yeast additives, particularly ABY, improved intestinal structure, enhanced immune-related gene expression, and positively influenced the bacterial community in the intestine, all while maintaining healthy blood parameters and growth rates. These findings suggest that the yeast additives can support fish health and resilience, offering a sustainable way to boost aquaculture productivity while reducing reliance on antibiotics. This has potential benefits for both environmental sustainability and global food security. Yeast-based feed additives have emerged as promising functional feed additives (FFAs) to promote sustainable aquaculture development through enhanced gut health and immune modulation in fish. The present study evaluated the impact of autolysed brewer's yeast (ABY) and soluble dried yeast extract (SDYE) in improving the intestinal and skin histology, immune response, and intestinal microbiome of Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) over a 9-week feeding trial. Three experimental diets were produced: a control diet, a diet supplemented with ABY at 2.5 g/kg, and a diet supplemented with SDYE at 2.5 g/kg. These diets were administered to triplicate tanks of Atlantic salmon. The yeast-supplemented diets, especially ABY, improved intestinal mucosal fold length, lamina propria width, microvilli density, and intestinal goblet cell counts, as well as skin goblet cell counts. The yeast additives had no detrimental effects on the fish haematology, with no significant differences in haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell counts, and white blood cell counts among the treatment groups. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of il-1β and muc-2 in fish fed the ABY diet, indicating enhanced immune function and potentially mucosal protection. Intestinal microbiota analysis revealed Firmicutes as the most dominant phylum in all groups, followed by Actinobacteriota. Distinct bacterial community shifts were observed between the treatment groups, with a significant increase in the relative abundance of taxa such as Staphylococcus in yeast-supplemented diets and a significant decrease in Streptococcus and Weissella. Collectively, these findings suggest that the yeast additives, especially ABY, enhance gut health and immune function without compromising growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amygdala activation by emotional arousal during memory formation can prioritize events for long-term memory. Building upon our prior demonstration that brief electrical stimulation to the human amygdala reliably improved long-term recognition memory for images of neutral objects without eliciting an emotional response, our study aims to explore and describe individual differences and stimulation-related factors in amygdala-mediated memory modulation. Thirty-one patients undergoing intracranial monitoring for intractable epilepsy were shown neutral object images paired with direct amygdala stimulation during encoding with recognition memory tested immediately and one day later. Adding to our prior sample, we found an overall memory enhancement effect without subjective emotional arousal at the one-day delay, but not at the immediate delay, for previously stimulated objects compared to not stimulated objects. Importantly, we observed a larger variation in performance across this larger sample than our initial sample, including some participants who showed a memory impairment for stimulated objects. Of the explored individual differences, the factor that most accounted for variability in memory modulation was each participant's pre-operative memory performance. Worse memory performance on standardized neuropsychological tests was associated with a stronger susceptibility to memory modulation in a positive or negative direction. Sex differences and the frequency of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) during testing also accounted for some variance in amygdala-mediated memory modulation. Given the potential and challenges of this memory modulation approach, we discuss additional individual and stimulation factors that we hope will differentiate between memory enhancement and impairment to further optimize the potential of amygdala-mediated memory enhancement for therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Three-column osteotomies (3COs), such as pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) and vertebral column resection (VCR), are used to surgically correct rigid adult spinal deformity (ASD). While extensive research exists about complications associated with 3COs, there remains a paucity of studies analyzing risk factors for mortality following 3CO. We believe the mortality rate after 3-column osteotomy will be low with specific identifiable demographic or medical risk factors. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Patients undergoing 3CO were identified via CPT codes. The primary outcome of interest was 30-day postoperative mortality. Univariate statistical analysis was performed, followed by multivariable logistic regression controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Results: The analysis included 1,441 patients. 446 patients had thoracic osteotomies, 996 patients had lumbar osteotomies, and 226 had multilevel osteotomies. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 1.2% (18 patients). On univariate analysis, mortality was more likely in patients with diabetes (2.8% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.029) and COPD (7.0% vs. 1.2%, P < 0.001). Mortality was associated with higher 5-factor modified frailty index (P = 0.004). After controlling for age, sex, and BMI, multivariable analysis revealed that mortality rates were independently associated with longer operative times (OR = 1.28, 95% CI:1.06–1.54, P = 0.010) and COPD (OR = 10.36, 95% CI: [2.17–49.47], P = 0.003). Conclusion: Thirty-day mortality after 3CO is 1.2% globally. The greatest univariate risk factors are diabetes, COPD, and frailty. Regardless of age, sex, or BMI, it was found that COPD and duration of surgery were independently associated with increased rates of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a debilitating toxicity of many drugs used in cancer treatment. There are numerous available strategies for preventing or treating CIPN, but few are guideline-recommended, due to limited evidence of their effectiveness. The primary objective of this survey was to understand what strategies patients used to prevent or treat CIPN, and to understand their perceptions around CIPN prevention and treatment. Methods: The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Neurological Complications Study Group created a cross-sectional online survey to recruit individuals who are currently or had previously received neurotoxic chemotherapy treatment and self-reported peripheral neuropathy. Descriptive statistics were reported. Results: Most of the 447 survey participants did not use any CIPN prevention strategy (71%), though given options of any strategy the plurality preferred a prescribed medication or supplement (30%). The most common treatment strategy used was exercise (47%), with some patients trying prescription medications including non-guideline recommended gabapentin (33%) or guideline-recommended duloxetine (8%) options. Nearly half of participants (49%) used at least one non-prescribed medication for treating CIPN. Patients often followed suggestions of their medical oncology clinical team, but sometimes relied on the internet or other patients to recommend non-prescription strategies. Conclusion: In the absence of many guideline-recommended strategies for CIPN prevention and treatment, some patients use options with minimal evidence of effectiveness. Additional research is needed to determine which strategies are effective for prevention and treatment so these can be implemented in practice to improve treatment outcomes in patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction recognized as a clinical disorder in DSM-5, and Internet gaming disorder is included as a condition requiring further research. ICD-11 categorizes gambling and gaming disorders as disorders due to addictive behaviors. Additional behavioral addictions may include compulsive sexual behavior disorder, compulsive buying-shopping disorder, and problematic use of social media. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding these five (potential) disorders due to addictive behaviors. All five (potential) disorders are clinically relevant and prevalent. Behavioral addictions frequently co-occur with other mental and behavioral problems, such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Validated diagnostic instruments exist, with empirical support varying across conditions. No medications have approved indications from regulatory bodies for behavioral addictions, and cognitive-behavioral therapy has the most empirical support for efficacious treatment. Given that behavioral addictions are prevalent, frequently co-occur with psychiatric disorders, may often go undiagnosed and untreated, and have been linked to poorer treatment outcomes, active screening and treatment are indicated. Public health considerations should be expanded, and impacts of modern technologies should be investigated more intensively. Treatment optimization involving pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and their combination warrants additional investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) affect gastrointestinal motility, slowing gastric emptying and colonic transit. GLP-1RAs have an impact on gastric residue before endoscopy, but only limited data are available regarding its effect on the adequacy of colonic preparation. We investigated the association between GLP-1RA use and inadequate bowel preparation (IBP) for colonoscopy. Methods We performed a multicenter retrospective study with GLP-1RA cases matched with controls (using propensity scores for age, sex, diabetes mellitus [DM], obesity, and co-morbidities). Data on demographics, medication use, procedural indications, and colonoscopy findings were collected. IBP ("poor preparation" on Aronchik scale or Boston Bowel preparation scale <5) was the primary outcome. Results 4876 patients treated with GLP-1RAs were included in the analysis and compared with 4876 controls selected from 333 648 patients without GLP-1RA use. Among the GLP-1RA patients, 10% (n = 487) had IBP compared with 197 (4%) of the control group (P <0.001). Subgroup analysis showed a higher rate of IBP among diabetic patients treated with GLP-1RA (284/2364 [12%]) than among diabetic patients without GLP-1RA treatment (118/2364 [5%]; P <0.001). Additionally, 203/2512 nondiabetic patients treated with GLP-1RAs had IBP (8%) compared with 79 of the nondiabetic non-GLP-1RA group (3%; P <0.001). On multivariate analysis, diabetes and GLP-1RA use were both found to be independent risk factors for IBP (odds ratio [OR] 1.4 and OR 2.7, respectively; both P <0.001). Conclusion Our findings highlight the necessity for special attention and tailored recommendations for both diabetic and nondiabetic patients treated with GLP-1RAs in terms of colonic preparation prior to colonoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The cost benefit of intercostal nerve cryoablation during surgical lobectomy for postoperative pain management is unknown. The current study compared hospital economics, resource use, and clinical outcomes during the index stay and accompanying short-term follow-up. Patients who underwent lobectomy with standard of care treatment for postsurgical pain management and cryoablation were compared to those with standard of care treatment only. We hypothesized that cryoablation would reduce narcotic use and index hospital and short-term costs. Methods: A retrospective, propensity matched cohort of surgical patients treated between 2016 and 2022 from a US National All-Payer Database were used. Cost and outcome comparisons were made between groups using chi-square and t tests. Results: From a cohort of 23,138 patients, 266 pairs with a mean age of 69 years were included. Matching variables included age, gender, lobe resected, and prior opioid use. Both groups had significant comorbidity history and prior opioid use; 66% (n = 175 both groups) underwent open lobectomy and 53% (n = 142 vs. 143) had the upper lobe resected. Cryoablation intervention was associated with 1.3 days reduced hospital stay (8.8 vs. 10.1 days, p = 0.31) and no difference in perioperative safety. After 90 days, postsurgery cryoablation patients had lower opioid prescription refills (27.3 vs. 36.9 morphine milligram equivalents, p = 0.03). Cryoablation patient costs trended less than non-cryoablation patients during index ($38,753 vs. $43,974, p = 0.10) and lower through 6 months (total costs, $65,703 vs. $74,304, p = 0.10). There was no difference in postsurgery resource use, but a smaller proportion of cryoablation patients had outpatient hospital visits (83.1%, N = 221 vs. 92.9%, n = 247, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Cryoablation during lobectomy is safe and does not add incremental hospital costs. Clinical meaningful reductions in length of stay and postsurgery opioid use were observed with cryoablation intervention. The addition of cryoablation during surgery to reduce postoperative pain appears to be a cost-effective therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the semi‐arid grasslands of the southwest United States, annual precipitation is divided between warm‐season (July–September) convective precipitation and cool‐season (December–March) frontal storms. While evidence suggests shifts in precipitation seasonal distribution, there is a poor understanding of the ecosystem carbon flux responses to cool‐season precipitation and the potential legacy effects on subsequent warm‐season carbon fluxes. Results from a two‐year experiment with three cool‐season precipitation treatments (dry, received 5th percentile cool‐season total precipitation; normal, 50th; wet, 95th) and constant warm‐season precipitation illustrate the direct and legacy effects on carbon fluxes, but in opposing ways. In wet cool‐season plots, gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) were 103% and 127% higher than in normal cool‐season plots. In dry cool‐season plots, GPP and ER were 47% and 85% lower compared to normal cool‐season plots. Unexpectedly, we found a positive legacy effect of the dry cool‐season treatment on warm‐season carbon flux, resulting in a significant increase in both GPP and ER in the subsequent warm season, compared to normal cool‐season plots. Our results reveal positive legacy effects of cool‐season drought on warm‐season carbon fluxes and highlight the importance of the relatively under‐studied cool‐growing season and its direct/indirect impact on the ecosystem carbon budget. Summary statement: Through a field manipulation experiment, we found that carbon fluxes decreased during a dry winter but increased in the subsequent warm season when no treatment was applied. This suggests the positive legacy effects of a dry winter and emphasizes the significance of the cool growing season's impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to analyze the horizontal and vertical distribution (0–2400 m) of pelagic tunicates and their species in the Santos Basin, south of the Brazilian continental margin. The areas considered included the northern and southern areas of the neritic and oceanic regions. Additionally, it aimed to identify indicator species of hydrological characteristics in both horizontal and vertical gradients. Two campaigns were carried out to collect zooplankton samples through oblique tows at selected stations from where pelagic tunicates were analyzed: the first in the winter period and the second in the summer. Among the 28 species identified, 17 were appendicularians, 3 doliolids, 6 salps, and 2 pyrosomes. The abundance and community of tunicates were significantly different between oceanic areas and neritic regions, the north and south, and the depths of the oceanic stations. Seven indicator species were recorded for different conditions, depending on the platform-ocean gradient, depth, and northern and southern areas. The tunicate assemblage was influenced by temperature and the orthophosphate and chlorophyll-a concentrations on the neritic regions, mainly at the sampling stations in front of the bays and estuaries. These results provide unprecedented information about these organisms, contributing to the knowledge of biodiversity on a large scale in the Southwestern Atlantic. Furthermore, the present study shows the influence of environmental parameters on the tunicate assemblage, reporting a swarm of Thalia democratica in a coastal environment, commonly recorded in shallow estuarine habitats along the Brazilian coast, and the first record of Kowalevskia oceanica for the Brazilian coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) vector African trypanosomes that cause devastating diseases in humans and domestic animals. Within the Glossina genus, species in the Palpalis subgroup exhibit greater resistance to trypanosome infections compared to those in the Morsitans subgroup. Varying microbiota composition and species-specific genetic traits can significantly influence the efficiency of parasite transmission. Notably, infections with the endosymbiotic bacterium Spiroplasma have been documented in several Palpalis subgroup species, including Glossina fuscipes fuscipes (Gff). While Spiroplasma infections in Gff are known to hinder trypanosome transmission, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. To investigate Spiroplasma-mediated factors affecting Gff vector competence, we conducted high-throughput RNA sequencing of the gut tissue along with functional assays. Our findings reveal elevated oxidative stress in the gut environment in the presence of Spiroplasma, evidenced by increased expression of nitric oxide synthase, which catalyzes the production of trypanocidal nitric oxide. Additionally, we observed impaired lipid biosynthesis leading to a reduction of this important class of nutrients essential for parasite and host physiologies. In contrast, trypanosome infections in Gff's midgut significantly upregulated various immunity-related genes, including a small peptide, Stomoxyn-like, homologous to Stomoxyn first discovered in the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans. We observed that the Stomoxyn-like locus is exclusive to the genomes of Palpalis subgroup tsetse species. GffStomoxyn is constitutively expressed in the cardia (proventriculus) and synthetic GffStomoxyn exhibits potent activity against Escherichia coli and bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei parasites, while showing no effect against insect stage procyclic forms or tsetse's commensal endosymbiont Sodalis in vitro. Reducing GffStomoxyn levels significantly increased trypanosome infection prevalence, indicating its potential trypanocidal role in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that the enhanced resistance to trypanosomes observed in Spiroplasma-infected Gff may be due to the reduced lipid availability necessary for parasite metabolic maintenance. Furthermore, GffStomoxyn could play a crucial role in the initial immune response(s) against mammalian parasites early in the infection process in the gut and prevent gut colonization. We discuss the molecular characteristics of GffStomoxyn, its spatial and temporal expression regulation and its microbicidal activity against Trypanosome parasites. Our findings reinforce the nutritional influences of microbiota on host physiology and host-pathogen dynamics. Author summary: The tsetse fly, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes (Gff) is a prominent vector of African trypanosomes, parasites that cause sleeping sickness disease and is of high public health relevance in the Sab-Saharan Africa. Gff exhibits strong innate resistance to trypanosomes, especially when infected with the endosymbiotic bacterium, Spiroplasma. This study investigated the mechanisms that underlie Spiroplasma mediated resistance to trypanosome infection in Gff. Our results indicate alterations in host lipid metabolism with reduced levels of triglycerides, suggesting a potential metabolic barrier that limits the availability to parasite. In addition, we discovered a small peptide, Stomoxyn, exclusively expressed in Gff and related Palpalis tsetse species. Synthetic Gff Stomoxyn exhibits antibacterial and antitrypanosomal properties, and experimentally reducing Gff stomoxyn levels increases parasite infection prevalence in the fly. We suggest that strategies to increase Spiroplasma prevalence or enhance stomoxyn expression through paratransgenic approaches could be promising avenues for reducing trypanosomiasis transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) is a dose-limiting toxicity of paclitaxel in patients with cancer. TIPN prediction is challenging although patients with higher systemic paclitaxel exposure have higher TIPN risk. This study aimed to identify protein predictors of TIPN and paclitaxel pharmacokinetics (PK). METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective study of females with early-stage breast cancer receiving weekly paclitaxel. TIPN was assessed using the sensory subscale of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)20 (CIPN8). A blood sample was collected within 10 minutes before the end of the first paclitaxel infusion to measure plasma proteins using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and to estimate maximum systemic paclitaxel concentration (C max). A second sample was collected approximately 24 hours after the first infusion to estimate paclitaxel time above threshold (T c >0.05). Linear mixed-effect and regression models were used to identify proteins predictive of TIPN and paclitaxel PK parameters, respectively, using a Bonferroni-adjusted α =.0006. RESULTS: Data from 36 participants were included in the analysis testing associations of 83 proteins with TIPN or PK. Higher levels of complement C3 were associated with more severe TIPN trajectories (P =.0002). No proteins were associated with either C max or T c >0.05 (all P >.0006). CONCLUSION: Complement C3 concentration at the end of initial paclitaxel infusion may be useful for identifying patients with breast cancer and potentially other tumor types who could benefit from TIPN prevention strategies to improve long-term treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for multiple diseases. It is typically assessed via self-report, which is open to measurement error through recall bias. Instead, molecular data such as blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) could be used to derive a more objective measure of alcohol consumption by incorporating information from cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites known to be linked to the trait. Here, we explore the epigenetic architecture of self-reported weekly units of alcohol consumption in the Generation Scotland study. We first create a blood-based epigenetic score (EpiScore) of alcohol consumption using elastic net penalized linear regression. We explore the effect of pre-filtering for CpG features ahead of elastic net, as well as differential patterns by sex and by units consumed in the last week relative to an average week. The final EpiScore was trained on 16,717 individuals and tested in four external cohorts: the Lothian Birth Cohorts (LBC) of 1921 and 1936, the Sister Study, and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (total N across studies > 10,000). The maximum Pearson correlation between the EpiScore and self-reported alcohol consumption within cohort ranged from 0.41 to 0.53. In LBC1936, higher EpiScore levels had significant associations with poorer global brain imaging metrics, whereas self-reported alcohol consumption did not. Finally, we identified two novel CpG loci via a Bayesian penalized regression epigenome-wide association study of alcohol consumption. Together, these findings show how DNAm can objectively characterize patterns of alcohol consumption that associate with brain health, unlike self-reported estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HD 60435 is a well known rapidly oscillating (roAp) Ap star with a series of alternating even and odd degree modes, making it a prime asteroseismic target. It is also an oblique pulsator with rotational inclination, i , and magnetic/pulsation obliquity, |$\beta$|⁠ , such that both magnetic/pulsation poles are viewed over the rotation period, |$P_{\rm rot} = 7.679696$|  d, determined from rotational light variations. While some roAp stars have stable pulsation mode amplitudes over decades, HD 60435 is known to have amplitude variations on time-scales as short as 1 d. We show from 5 yr of TESS observations that there is strong amplitude modulation on this short time-scale with possible mode interactions. Most remarkably, HD 60435 stopped pulsating during the time span of the TESS observations. This is the first time that any pulsating star has been observed to cease pulsating entirely. That has implications for mode interaction, excitation and damping, and is relevant to the problem of why only some stars in many pulsation instability strips pulsate, while others do not. During a 24.45-d time span of the TESS data when there was mode stability for a dipole mode and a quadrupole mode, the oblique pulsator model constrained i and |$\beta$|⁠ , which we used to model those modes with a magnetic pulsation model from which we determined a polar field strength of 4 kG, in good agreement with a known magnetic measurement. We modelled the frequency separations showing that they can constrain the global metallicity, something that is not possible from spectroscopy of the highly peculiar Ap atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass wasting disease, caused by parasitic slime nets in the genus Labyrinthula , affects seagrasses globally with outbreaks occurring at local to regional scales. Though prior research showed variation in pathogenicity across strains, little is known about the broad-scale diversity and biogeography of Labyrinthula species. We used targeted amplicon-based high throughput sequencing (HTS) to examine the phylogeography of Labyrinthula species associated with two seagrass hosts (Zostera marina , Thalassia testudinum) collected from across North America, including locations in the USA and Mexico. After testing 189 seagrass blades from 16 locations across North America, Labyrinthula spp. were detected at 14 sites with PCR prevalence ranging from 20 - 100%. We generated 10,936,628 sequences for analyses, which yielded 25 unique Labyrinthula amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which were phylogenetically grouped into three species of Labyrinthula. All three species detected were previously identified as pathogenic, indicating that Labyrinthula species capable of causing wasting disease are present across these regions, including in locations where disease outbreaks have not been reported. The highest strain level variation was detected in Florida, which is likely due to larger sample sizes from Florida compared to other sampling locations. Assessing the phylogeography of strains was limited by sample size in each location, but indicates that the genetic connectivity of strains appears high, with location and seagrass host being the most important factors explaining the variation in Labyrinthula strains detected. The high connectivity, but low overall species diversity of Labyrinthula , is consistent with a parasite that is a host generalist. Given the high connectivity of strains and broad geographic range of pathogenic Labyrinthula reported here, this study provides valuable insight regarding how parasite diversity impacts seagrass disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Operative vaginal birth (OVB) relies on effective teamwork to optimise outcomes. This study aims to explore providers' perspectives of factors influencing safety and team functionality at OVB. Methods: This mixed methods study involved four maternity sites at Monash Health, Australia. Surveys sent to healthcare providers invited quantitative and qualitative appraisal of safety and team functionality at OVB. Semi-structured interviews further explored themes emerging from survey responses. Categorical survey data were compared between staff roles using Pearson's chi-squared tests. Thematic analysis of free-text survey responses and interviews identified themes influencing safety and team functionality at OVB. Findings: We received 100 survey responses from obstetric (n = 41), midwifery (n = 52) and paediatric (n = 7) staff, including senior (n = 49) and junior (n = 51) roles. Overall, 99% thought team communication should improve and 82% had witnessed practices outside protocol. Obstetric versus midwifery or paediatric staff were less likely to rate communication as low or very low quality (5% vs. 29%, p = 0.010). Reporting being extremely or very confident to escalate concerns was more likely in obstetric versus midwifery or paediatric staff (49% vs.12%, p = 0.003) and senior versus junior staff (44% vs. 10%, p = 0.008). Five overarching themes impacted on team functionality at OVB; (1) Quality of communication, (2) Preparation and risk assessment, (3) Leadership and interpersonal dynamics, (4) Transfer from Birth Unit to Operating Theatre, (5) Variation in clinical practice. Discussion: Some care providers perspectives of team functionality at OVB differed, with midwifery and paediatric staff more likely to report challenges with communication and were less empowered to escalate concerns. Training in factors impacting team functionality at OVB should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quest for novel organic fluorescent materials capable of two-photon absorption (2PA) has intensified in recent years due to their promising applications in biological imaging. Two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PFM) offers high spatial-temporal resolution, reduced photodamage, and deeper tissue penetration compared to conventional techniques. However, the development of bright two-photon molecular markers remains a challenge, necessitating compounds with high fluorescence quantum yield and 2PA cross-section (σ2PA). Strategies such as increasing π-conjugation have shown promise but are hindered by synthesis complexities and limited biocompatibility. Alternatively, incorporating electron-donating (ED) or electron-withdrawing (EW) peripheral groups in a main structure has emerged as a viable approach, leading to significant enhancements in σ2PA. This study highlights the advantages and challenges of these strategies, emphasizing the importance of exploring new organic compounds and evaluating the efficacy of peripheral groups for advanced two-photon bioimaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recruitment registries are maximally effective when registrants are retained to the point of referral. The Research Attitudes Questionnaire (RAQ) has previously been shown to predict research participation behaviors, including Alzheimer's disease clinical trial completion. Objective: To test the hypothesis that RAQ score is associated with retention behaviors in a local recruitment registry. Methods: Using data from the UC Irvine Consent-to-Contact Registry, a recruitment registry that enrolls adults 18 years and older, we used logistic regression to quantify the association of RAQ score and the odds of first-year non-renewal. Covariates included demographic variables, comorbidities, and recruitment source. In longitudinal analyses, we used discrete proportional hazards and Cox proportional hazards models to quantify the relationship between RAQ score and time to non-renewal and time to active withdrawal, respectively. Results: Among n = 4663 participants, we estimated that a 5-point higher baseline RAQ score was associated with a 15% lower odds of first-year non-renewal, after adjustment for potential confounding factors (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: (0.79, 0.92), p < 0.001). Older age and higher education were also associated with lower odds of non-renewal while Asian race, Hispanic ethnicity, and certain recruitment sources (e.g., doctor or friend referral) were associated with higher odds of non-renewal. Higher baseline RAQ and higher annually updated RAQ were both significantly associated with lower odds of non-renewal longitudinally. Age, education, and some recruitment sources, but not RAQ, were associated with active withdrawal. Conclusions: Opportunities exist to identify predictors of registry retention behaviors and possible targets for intervention to improve related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following recent advances in post-thrombectomy stroke care, the role of neuroinflammation and neuroprotective strategies in mitigating secondary injury has gained prominence. Yet, while neuroprotection and anti-inflammatory agents have re-emerged in clinical trials, their success has been limited. The neuroinflammatory response in cerebral ischemia is robust and multifactorial, complicating therapeutic approaches targeting single pathways. In this study, we aimed to characterize early inflammatory gene dysregulation following ischemic stroke using translational in-silico and in-vivo approaches. Using an in vivo ischemic stroke model, transcriptomic analysis revealed significant dysregulation of inflammatory genes. Graph theory analysis then showed a rich-club organization among stroke-related genes, with highly connected core nodes. The expression levels of the core genes identified within this network significantly explained radiological outcomes, including T2-signal hyperintensity (R2 = 0.57, P < 0.001), mean diffusivity (R2 = 0.52, P < 0.001), and mean kurtosis (R2 = 0.65, P < 0.001), correlating more strongly than non-core genes. Similar findings were observed with functional and cognitive outcomes, showing R2 values of 0.58, 0.7, 0.54, and 0.7 for neurological severity scores, corner tasks, passive avoidance, and novel object recognition tasks, respectively (P < 0.001). Using in-silico analysis, we identified a set of upstream regulators directly interacting with core network nodes, leading to simulations that highlighted C3-targeted therapy as a potential treatment. This hypothesis was then confirmed in vivo using a targeted C3 inhibitor (CR2-fH), which reversed gene dysregulation in the neuroinflammatory network and improved radiological and functional outcomes. Our findings underscore the significance of neuroinflammation in stroke pathology, supporting network-based therapeutic targeting and demonstrating the benefits of targeted complement inhibition in enhancing outcomes through modulation of the neuroinflammatory network core. This study's approach, combining graph theory analysis along with in-silico modeling, offers a promising translational pipeline applicable to stroke and other complex diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is diabetic myopathy that includes reduced regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. Sphingolipids are a diverse family of lipids with roles in skeletal muscle regeneration. Some studies have found changes in sphingolipid species levels in T1DM, however, the effect of T1DM on a sphingolipid panel in regenerating skeletal muscle has not been examined. Wild-type (WT) and diabetic Ins2Akita+/− (Akita) mice received cardiotoxin-induced muscle injury in their left quadriceps, gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus, and tibialis anterior muscles with the contralateral muscles serving as uninjured controls. Muscles were collected at 1, 3, 5, or 7 days postinjury. In regenerating muscle from Akita mice, lipid staining with BODIPY 493/503 revealed increased intramyocellular and total lipids and perilipin-1-positive cell numbers as compared with WT. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of quadriceps was used to identify sphingolipid levels in skeletal muscle. The C22:0 and C24:0 ceramides were significantly elevated in uninjured Akita, whereas ceramide C24:1 was decreased in injured Akita compared with WT. Ceramide-1-phosphate was increased in Akita compared with WT regardless of injury, whereas sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) was elevated with injury in WT but this response was muted in Akita mice. Western blotting of key enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism revealed S1P lyase, the enzyme that degrades S1P irreversibly, was significantly elevated in the injured muscle in Akita mice during regeneration, in accordance with lower S1P levels. This mouse model of T1DM demonstrates sphingolipidomic changes that may contribute to delayed muscle regeneration. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Muscle lipids become elevated, and the sphingolipid profile is altered by T1DM in skeletal muscle regeneration. A loss of S1P is accompanied by greater expression of sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL) in response to injury in Akita mice, suggesting a role for sphingolipids in the attenuated repair of skeletal muscle in T1DM rodent models. Although ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P) is increased with T1DM, there was no increase in ceramide kinase (CerK) suggesting an alternative route of ceramide phosphorylation in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine streams support unique biodiversity because of their isolation in the river network and harsh environmental conditions. Variation in water sources to alpine streams are an important driver of benthic community structure; however, studies with long-term data on stream abiotic characteristics and biological communities remain relatively rare. This is especially true for very high elevations where effects of climate change will be most pronounced. We used a combination of morphological and metabarcoding approaches to characterize benthic communities at nine locations within a high elevation catchment (~ 3200 to 3700 m) in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Survey sites included ephemeral and permanent streams dominated by glacier meltwater, snowmelt, lake outflows, and mixed-source waters. Discharge, water temperature, conductivity, pH, total dissolved nitrogen, and total dissolved phosphorus differed between water source types. Environmental differences between source water types reflected their position in the catchment, the influence of subsurface ice meltwater on nitrogen and ions, and the biological activity and stabilizing effects of lakes. In total, we detected 130 macroinvertebrate taxa (52 via morphology and 99 via metabarcoding). Macroinvertebrate composition was more strongly correlated with stream permanence and conductivity than with water temperature or nutrient availability. Glacial and snowmelt-fed streams were dominated by Chironomidae (especially Diamesinae) and Oligochaeta, with increasing richness of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera at the lake-outlet and mixed-source sites. Lake outlets showed the highest beta diversity, with unique communities dominated by various filter feeders (Simuliidae and Sphaeriidae). Alpha diversity was similar at the glacial, snowmelt, and lake outlet sites, but increased at the downstream mixed-source sites which had proportionally more non-dipteran taxa. Our results support the idea that distinct source waters have unique environmental conditions, leading to variation in their community structure. These results provide motivation for conservation efforts that protect a diversity of alpine stream types within and between catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay was invited upon the receipt of the American Psychological Association Division 15's Career Achievement Award for Distinguished Psychological Contributions to Education in 2021. I propose that modern education should prepare students to continue learning so they can adapt to changing times, circumstances, and knowledge bases. A key step in adaptation is recognizing that there is something new. I review evidence from three sets of previous studies that show traditional instruction succeeds in helping students complete routine tasks but falls well short of preparing students to learn from new information and adapt it to novel situations. I try to understand these results from three levels of analysis: The overarching goals of instruction; the psychological assumptions underlying the instruction; and the in situ demands and natural responses of classroom learners. Given these analyses, I motivate four instructional design principles that emphasize helping students innovate new ideas and solutions, which in turn, leads them to focus on new information and prepares them to adapt and learn from future situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive HNSCC) has distinct biological characteristics from HPV-negative HNSCC. Using an AI-based analytical platform on meta cohorts, we profiled expression patterns of viral transcripts and HPV viral genome integration, and classified the tumor microenvironment (TME). Unsupervised clustering analysis revealed five distinct and novel TME subtypes across patients (immune-enriched, highly immune and B-cell enriched, fibrotic, immune-desert, and immune-enriched luminal). These TME subtypes were highly correlated with patient prognosis. In order to understand specific factors associated with prognosis, we used the unsupervised clustering of an HPV-positive HNSCC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (n = 53) based on HPV transcript expression, and identified four HPV-related subtypes (E2/E5, E6/E7, E1/E4 and L1/L2). Utilizing both viral transcript and TME subtypes, we found that the E2/E5 HPV subtype was associated with an immune-enriched TME and had a higher overall survival rate compared to other subtypes. The E2/E5 subtype was also enriched for samples without HPV-genome integration, suggesting that the episomal HPV status and E2/E5 expression pattern may be associated with an inflamed microenvironment and improved prognosis. In contrast, E6/E7 subtype samples were associated with the fibrotic and immune-desert TME subtypes, with lower values of T-cell and B-cell gene expression signatures and lower overall survival. Both E1/E4 and L1/L2 subtypes were associated with the immune-enriched luminal subtype. Our results suggest that HPV-transcript expression patterns may drive the modulation of the TME, and thereby impact prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chronic pain is known to be an important construct in clinical practice and a particular form of chronic pain, high‐impact chronic pain (HICP), has gained recent interest and attention by pain clinicians, epidemiologists, and clinical researchers. The purpose of our Topical Review is to describe the historical development of measures of HICP and to explore the psychometric properties of HICP as well as to present alternative measurement methods. Methods: We identified strengths and weaknesses of the psychometric characteristics of HICP measures. Limitations of existing HICP measures were discussed and summarized and alternatives to current methods were proposed. Results: HICP operational definitions show variability across studies. All definitions cannot be correct, but which ones are incorrect cannot be determined as there is no gold standard. Random measurement error and recall bias are among the other limitations of current HICP measures. Model‐based definitions of HICP, the discrete (for epidemiologic applications) and continuous (for clinical applications) latent variable models are discussed as likely superior alternatives to current methods. Conclusions: Limitations of existing HICP methods are discussed and alternative development approaches to HICP measures are presented. The use of either discrete or continuous latent variable models would improve upon the psychometric characteristics of current HICP evidence. Examples are used to illustrate the benefits of latent variable models over traditional observed variable conceptualizations as the measurement of HICP continues to develop. Significance Statement: This work takes the position that current methods of measuring high impact chronic pain (HICP) likely contain substantial error. We have endorsed an alternative approach for several psychometrically grounded reasons. We recommend that future work consider the discrete latent variable framework for dichotomous measures of HICP and the continuous latent variable framework for continuous measures of HICP. The paper provides illustrative examples of these methods for a different patient reported measure that is lacking a gold standard, much like HICP measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Episodic retrieval plays a functional-adaptive role in supporting divergent creative thinking, the ability to creatively combine different pieces of information. However, the same constructive memory process that provides this benefit can also lead to memory errors. Prior behavioral work has shown that there is a positive correlation between the false recognition of lure items in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, and divergent creative thinking as assessed on the alternate uses task. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to test for convergence in the neural substrates associated with these cognitive linkages. Our individual meta-analyses of false recognition-related activity as well as divergent thinking-related neural activity replicated prior meta-analyses. However, there was no significant statistical overlap across the neural regions associated with false recognition and divergent creative thinking. These null findings may reflect the operation of distinct generative retrieval processes engaged during divergent thinking relative to false recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The entomology-themed outreach event Hokie BugFest is held each year by the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. This large, one-day festival aims to educate the public about insects and other arthropods while promoting a greater appreciation of and interest in the topic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hokie BugFest and many other large, in-person outreach events closed. In response, Hokie BugFest on the Go was created in 2021 to provide in-person learning opportunities for students during those event closures. In 2022, a playful assessment was added to the program to gauge changes in students' attitudes toward arthropods after they experienced the program. The results showed that even after expressing their fears, students' comfort levels with insects and other arthropods increased as they interacted and learned. Understanding how fun, hands-on programs influence children's attitudes can inform the design and development of similar entomology outreach events in the future. Each year, the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech hosts an entomology-themed outreach event known as Hokie BugFest. This on-campus, festival-sized experience aims to educate the public about insects and other arthropods through hands-on activities, games, displays, and live arthropods. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hokie BugFest and similar large public events were cancelled. In response, the department launched Hokie BugFest on the Go, which offered smaller-scale, in-person learning opportunities during these closures. Instead of hosting the community on campus, Virginia Tech's Department of Entomology brought live arthropods, university experts, and the exciting science of entomology directly into schools, fostering small-group, hands-on learning experiences. In 2022, a playful assessment was added to the traveling outreach program to measure changes in student attitudes and perceptions of insects and other arthropods before and after the program. The assessment also gauged students' favorite arthropods after seeing, and in some cases handling, them live during the program. Assessment results revealed valuable insights into how hands-on, applied learning experiences can shift children's attitudes toward arthropods. Results showed that even after expressing trepidation and fears, students' knowledge and comfort levels with insects and other arthropods increased as they interacted and learned throughout the program. These findings underscore the value of using engaging, hands-on, small-group approaches when designing entomology-themed outreach events for young audiences and offer guidance for future programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Insomnia and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) are both prevalent among cancer survivors, yet little work has investigated their interrelationship. To explore the hypothesis that RNT and insomnia are related, we conducted secondary analyses on data from a pilot clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) for cancer survivors. Methods: This study analyzed survey data from 40 cancer survivors with insomnia who participated in a pilot randomized trial of CBT-I. Correlations and linear regression models were used to determine associations between aspects of RNT and related constructs (fear of cancer recurrence [FCR], cancer-specific rumination, worry, and intolerance of uncertainty) and sleep (insomnia and sleep quality), while accounting for psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Treatment-related change in RNT was examined using a series of linear mixed models. Results: Evidence for an association between RNT and insomnia among cancer survivors emerged. Higher levels of FCR and cancer-related rumination were correlated with more severe insomnia symptoms and worse sleep quality. Notably, FCR levels predicted insomnia, even after controlling for anxiety and depression. Results identified potential benefits and limitations of CBT-I in addressing RNT that should be examined more thoroughly in future research. Conclusions: RNT is a potential target to consider in insomnia treatment for cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potent immunostimulatory effects of toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonism in combination with PD-1 blockade have resulted in various preclinical investigations, yet the mechanism of action in humans remains unknown. To decipher the combinatory mode of action of TLR8 agonism and PD-1 blockade, we employed a unique, open-label, phase 1b pre-operative window of opportunity clinical trial (NCT03906526) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Matched pre- and post-treatment tumor biopsies from the same lesion were obtained. We used single-cell RNA sequencing and custom multiplex staining to leverage the unique advantage of same-lesion longitudinal sampling. Patients receiving dual TLR8 agonism and anti-PD-1 blockade exhibited marked upregulation of innate immune effector genes and cytokines, highlighted by increased CLEC9A+ dendritic cell and CLEC7A/SYK expression. This was revealed via comparison with a previous cohort from an anti-PD-1 blockade monotherapy single-cell RNA sequencing study. Furthermore, in dual therapy patients, post-treatment mature dendritic cells increased in adjacency to CD8+ T-cells. Increased tumoral cytotoxic T-lymphocyte densities and expanded CXCL13+CD8+ T-cell populations were observed in responders, with increased tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) across all three patients. This study provides key insights into the mode of action of TLR8 agonism and anti-PD-1 blockade immune targeting in HNSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium nanoparticles were evaluated as a potential chemical modifier for lead determination by high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Hydrophilic palladium nanocubes and palladium nanospheres were synthesised with sizes varying from 3 to 22 nm. Positive effects in terms of sensitivity and thermal stability upon the use of palladium nanoparticles were observed, especially using the 3 nm spherical-shaped. The mass of modifier influenced the thermal stability and relative signal intensity of the analyte, although the effectiveness of the modifier appeared to be suppressed to an important extent in the presence of matrix components of the leached extracts obtained from petroleum wastes. The optimised pyrolysis and atomisation temperatures were, respectively, 800 °C and 2300 °C, using 200 ng of 3 nm palladium nanoparticles. The limit of detection (4 µg L−1) and the precision (better than 18 %) were considered satisfactory for the proposed analysis. The method accuracy, evaluated by recovery tests and by comparison with the results obtained using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, was proven adequate to enable the determination of Pb in leached extracts from petroleum waste. The method was successfully applied to determine lead in leached extracts obtained from oily sludge and drill cuttings and the obtained concentrations ranged from <13 to 354.4 µg L−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-stage autoignition of n-dodecane droplets with varying ambient oxygen concentrations in oxygen-nitrogen mixtures are investigated experimentally under microgravity conditions using high-speed shadowgraphy. The ambient pressure and temperature are held constant at 3 atm and 650 K, respectively, while the droplet initial diameter is fixed approximately at 1.2 mm. During the two-stage autoignition process, first a cool-flame front forms in the leaner regions farther away from the evaporating droplet, and it then propagates toward the fuel-rich region closer to the droplet surface, eventually encompassing the droplet. A hot-flame kernel is then initiated in the wake of the cool flame and very quickly expands, establishing a classical diffusion flame around the droplet. The first and second ignition delay times are measured from shadowgraphic images captured at 3000 frames per second. The first induction time is found to be insensitive to the ambient oxygen concentration, while the second induction time varies approximately as the negative 2 power of the oxygen mole fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severity of COVID-19 is affected by multiple factors; however, it is not understood how the inflammatory milieu of the lung at the time of SARS-CoV-2 exposure affects the control of viral replication. Here, we demonstrate that immune events in the mouse lung closely preceding SARS-CoV-2 infection affect viral control and identify innate immune pathways that limit viral replication. Pulmonary inflammatory stimuli including resolved, antecedent respiratory infections with Staphylococcus aureus or influenza, ongoing pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma, or airway administration of TLR ligands and recombinant cytokines all establish an antiviral state in the lung that restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication. In addition to antiviral type I interferons, TNFα and IL-1 potently precondition the lung for enhanced viral control. Our work shows that SARS-CoV-2 may benefit from an immunologically quiescent lung microenvironment and suggests that heterogeneity in pulmonary inflammation preceding SARS-CoV-2 exposure may contribute to variability in disease outcomes. Editor's summary: Clinical outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection can be influenced by many factors. Baker et al. investigated whether the inflammatory status of the lung at the time of infection modulates antiviral responses. In a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, recent infection or lung inflammation limited SARS-CoV-2 replication by preactivating innate immune pathways and promoting an antiviral state in the lung. These findings demonstrate that recent or ongoing respiratory inflammation modulates antiviral immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. This may be a major factor contributing to diverse clinical outcomes seen in patients with COVID-19. —Hannah Isles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sports betting is becoming increasingly common among young people in the UK and Australia. There is a need to understand how the marketing of sports betting may influence risky and pathological gambling to inform policies aimed at reducing harm. This study examines whether sports betting advertising may predict problem gambling scores among young people, while accounting for non-marketing variables. Methods: We recruited 567 participants (53.1% male) aged 18–24 years from an online research panel. Participants were eligible if they had an active betting account and regularly bet on sports. We conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to examine whether four marketing-related measures (exposure to advertising, ad-driven betting decisions, use of betting inducements, and perceived susceptibility to betting inducements) could predict PGSI scores. We controlled for several demographic, psychological, and behavioural variables, including gender, gambling participation, spend per session, participation in in-play betting, normative beliefs about sports betting, and impulsivity. Results: The study revealed that sports betting marketing was positively associated with PGSI scores after controlling for non-marketing variables. Significant marketing predictors included ad-driven betting decisions and perceived influence from betting inducements. Other significant predictors included participation in non-sports betting gambling activities, spend per session, involvement in in-play betting, and the impulsivity trait of negative urgency. Conclusion: Sports betting marketing appears to be implicated in young people's gambling problems. Specifically, young people who have gambling problems may be more likely to bet in response to advertising, and betting incentives may contribute to an intensification of their gambling behaviour. This study supports the implementation of regulations and restrictions on advertising as a measure to protect young problem gamblers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to rapidly rising health care costs, leveraging outpatient surgery to reduce hospital inpatient burden is being explored. This study provides a systematic review of the literature on outpatient anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) with pooled analysis to determine its safety and feasibility. Methods: Embase (Elsevier), MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine), CINAHL (EBSCO), and the Cochrane Library (Wiley) were searched on 8 April 2024 for articles mentioning the following search concepts: (1) ambulatory; (2) outpatient; and (3) ALIF surgery. Included studies had (1) patients undergoing outpatient ALIF; (2) an inpatient control group; (3) a sample size of =5 in each cohort; and (4) a population aged =18 years. Outcome data were extracted from studies meeting inclusion criteria, and Newcastle-Ottawa scores were assigned to included studies lacking a prospective, randomized design. Fixed and random effects models were used to establish ORs and mean difference with 95% CIs for each outcome. Results: Pooled analysis included results from 4 studies. A total of 2070 patients underwent outpatient ALIF and 12,554 underwent inpatient ALIF. The results showed that compared with inpatient ALIF, outpatient ALIF resulted in a statistically significant decrease in postoperative adverse events (OR -0.89, 95% CI [-1.69, -0.09], I2 = 54.88%, P = 0.03), comparable readmission rates (OR 0.02, 95% CI [-0.16, 0.20], I2 = 0%, P = 0.816), and nearly statistically significant decrease in reoperation rates (OR -0.41, 95% CI [-0.83, -0.00], I2 = 0%, P = 0.05). Discussion: These meta-analyses suggest that outpatient ALIF is associated with a statistically significant decrease in postoperative adverse events without a significant difference in hospital readmission or reoperation rates. These results suggest that in carefully selected patients, outpatient ALIF is safe and feasible. This study is limited by pooled analysis of retrospective data. Clinical Relevance: This systematic review contributes to the assessment of the safety of outpatient ALIF spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]