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Background: Button battery (BB) exposures are common in children and can have devastating consequences. We reviewed current evidence on the complications associated with BB exposure and identified predictors of outcomes using individual patient-level data. Data sources: We carried out a systematic review and pooled analysis by searching MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus up to May 19, 2023. Included studies describe complications following BB exposures in children (aged < 18 years). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using binary logistic regression to measure associations between predictive factors and different outcomes. Results: Two-hundred seventeen studies (439 children) were included. The median age at presentation was 1.75 [interquartile range (IQR) 1.00–3.00] years and 399 (90.9%) exposures were ingestions. Of the 380 cases reporting sex, 162 (42.6%) were female. Feeding (192, 48.1%) and respiratory difficulties (138, 34.6%) were common presenting features for ingestions, while symptomatology was site-specific for insertions. Common complications included oesophageal mucosal damage alone (105, 26.3%) and tracheooesophageal fistula (93, 23.3%) for ingestions, and nasal septal perforation (22, 55.0%) and mucosal damage alone (13, 32.5%) for insertions. Intestinal perforation occurred in 2.5% of ingestion cases, including perforation of Meckel's diverticulum, peritonitis, and jejunocolic fistula. Vascular complications were common among children who died. Age (≤ 2 years), battery exposure duration (> 6 hours), and battery diameter (≥ 20 mm) were associated with common and severe complications of ingestions. Conclusion: BB injuries are time-critical, with severe sequelae predominantly affecting young children. Diagnosis is challenging. Preventative work through regulation and safer battery design are required to eliminate this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The next-to-leading order weak-coupling shear viscosity of QCD was computed 6 years ago. However, these results have never been applied at finite baryon chemical potential μ, even though intermediate-energy heavy ion collisions and merging neutron stars may explore the Quark-Gluon Plasma in a regime where baryon chemical potentials are large. Here, we extend the next-to-leading order shear viscosity calculations to finite μ, and we show that, while the convergence of the weak-coupling expansion is questionable for achievable plasmas, it is somewhat better at μ > T than at μ = 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bidentate ligand, 1,4-bis(diphenlyphosphoryl)butane (dppbO2), was used to prepare a 1D polymeric Pr(III) complex which was characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southeast Tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO), dominated by the Indian Ocean monsoon, is an important source region for strong mesoscale eddies. To date, the impacts of the Indian Ocean monsoon on mesoscale eddies have not been clarified. Here we report on the dipole response of mesoscale eddy formation to monsoon transition in the SETIO, using satellite and reanalysis data sets. During the summer monsoon season, anticyclonic eddies are mainly concentrated north of 12°S, while cyclonic eddies are south of 12°S. This situation reverses during the winter monsoon season. We attribute this dipole feature to the oceanic perturbations and current shear during the different monsoon periods. A geographical boundary along 12°S aligns with meridional changes in eddy potential energy, which delineates the generation and direction of the newly‐formed eddies. The hot spot region, rich in eddy energy properties, tends to promote eddy formation and endurance during the monsoon periods. Plain Language Summary: The Southeast Tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) is a typical region of strong mesoscale (∼10–100 km) eddy generation. Eddies are circular currents that are important in moving heat, nutrients, and marine life around the ocean. The SETIO is also dominated by the Indian Ocean monsoon, which is a seasonal weather pattern that typically occurs in two main phases: the southwest monsoon from June to September, and the northeast monsoon from December to March. To date, the impacts of the Indian Ocean monsoon on the mesoscale eddies remain unclear. Based on satellite and reanalysis data sets, we found that there is a natural latitudinal change in the direction of eddies (anticlockwise/clockwise) formed north/south of 12°S in the summer monsoon, and that this pattern switches in the winter monsoon. The monsoon transition and associated changes to the ocean and its currents drives the dual‐pattern. The geographical boundary along 12°S occurs because it aligns with latitudinal changes in the energy stored in the eddies, which delineates a change in the direction of the newly‐formed eddies. This hot spot region, rich in eddy energy properties, promotes eddies formation and endurance during the monsoon periods. Key Points: Strong mesoscale eddies in the Southeast Tropical Indian Ocean are generated in a clear seasonal cycleThe eddies present a distinct dipole response to the monsoon transition in the regionChanges in oceanic perturbation and current shear modulated by monsoon transition is responsible for this dipole response of eddies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy and risk factors associated with its occurrence are not completely understood. This systematic review investigated the incidence and risk factors for hypothyroidism, thyroxine supplementation following hemithyroidectomy as well as the course of post-operative hypothyroidism, including the time to hypothyroidism and incidence of transient hypothyroidism. Methods: Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane library for studies reporting the incidence of hypothyroidism or thyroxine supplementation following hemithyroidectomy. Results: Sixty-six studies were eligible for inclusion: 36 reported risk factors, and 27 reported post-operative course of hypothyroidism. Median follow-up was 25.2 months. The pooled incidence of hypothyroidism was 29% (95% CI, 25-34%; P<0.001). Transient hypothyroidism occurred in 34% of patients (95% CI, 21-47%; P<0.001). The pooled incidence of thyroxine supplementation was 23% (95% CI, 19-27%; P<0.001), overt hypothyroidism 4% (95% CI, 2-6%, P<0.001). Risk factors for development of hypothyroidism included pre-operative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (WMD, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.98; P<0.001), TSH ≥ 2 mIU/L (RR, 2.87; 95% CI, 2.43-3.40; P<0.001), female sex (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.08-1.32; P=0.007), age (WMD, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.20-3.38; P<0.001), right sided hemithyroidectomy (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.10-1.65, P=0.003), the presence of autoantibodies anti-TPO (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.49-2.48; P<0.001), anti-Tg (RR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.40-1.88; P<0.001), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (RR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.57-2.68; P=0.001). Conclusion: A significant number of patients will develop hypothyroidism or require thyroxine following hemithyroidectomy. An awareness of patient risk factors and postoperative thyroid function course will assist in counselling patients on their risk profile and guiding management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We propose a simple approach to dealing with partial contestation in models of multiparty elections. Methods: Our proposed approach is to add a tiny value to the vote share of parties that do not contest a district and then to include dummy variables identifying those districts in which parties do not compete. We can then estimate a single system of equations using a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) approach and Aitchison's log‐ratio transformation. In our SUR system, we interact the dummy variable for a party that partially contested districts with other predictors in the equation that uses the share of votes of the same party in the log‐ratio outcome. Finally, we estimate robust standard errors for predictors in this equation to address heteroscedasticity. Results: We demonstrate the utility of our approach using simulated data and election results from the English parliamentary elections in 2017. Conclusion: From our simulations, we find that our recommended approach performs as well as that proposed by Tom, Tucker, and Wittenberg. Our strategy is advantageous in that it is easy to estimate, uses information from all districts, and addresses partial contestation in real‐world elections with a single system of seemingly unrelated regressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aims to demonstrate the utility of modeling compositional volatility in substantive domains beyond budgeting. Methods: We show how to model compositional volatility on its own or as a part of a system of equations in which the component parts of the compositional outcome variable are also modeled. Results: Using data on the volatility of support for German political parties, we demonstrate the usefulness of stand‐alone models of compositional volatility. Using data on the volatility of income shares in the United States, we demonstrate the usefulness of modeling volatility together with compositional components. Conclusion: There is considerable potential for modeling compositional volatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We analyze how economic shocks affect the partisan nature of budgetary trade‐offs and use data from the U.S. Census Annual Survey of Government Finance to illustrate it. Methods: We propose a compositional approach to model trade‐offs among 10 budgetary categories across both time and space in U.S. states. Results: We find support for the notion that partisanship drives the allocation of budgetary expenditures. However, during times of negative economic shocks, either within a state or in neighboring states, Democratic and Republican governors have a similar budgetary response. Conclusions: The results show the effects of economic and political shifts, as well as the implications of spillovers from other states, on partisan decisions about trade‐offs in government budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to test whether the American public is polarized and/or parallel in its assessments of the most important problem. Methods: We use compositional time series models and new data on public opinion to test for differences between subgroups. Results: We find inconsistent evidence of polarization for some issue areas but not others and remarkably robust evidence of parallel reactions across subgroups to economic and international shocks. Conclusion: The U.S. public is remarkably consistent in terms of its assessments of the most important problem and in how subgroups shift their perceptions of issue importance in reaction to changing circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present the simplest 3+1 dimensional quantum field theory for which the speed of sound can be arbitrarily close to the speed of light. Examining the hydrodynamics, I find cases where the shear viscosity is finite, but the “shear relaxation coefficient” appears always to be divergently large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An association between breast cancer and meningioma has been suggested in cohort studies. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis to determine whether there is an association between initial breast cancer and subsequent meningioma diagnosis and vice versa. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed on Medline, Embase, Scopus and Google scholar from inception up to April 2023. A meta‐analysis of selected studies was performed using Review Manager 5.4. Results: There were eight studies included in the systematic review. Seven had reported Standardized Incidence Ratio (SIR) for female patients and were suitable for the meta‐analysis. Only one study reported SIR for male patients. For the association between initial breast cancer and subsequent meningioma, in 795 000 female patients with follow‐up ranging from 7 to 13 years, the SIR was 1.27 (95% CI: 1.20–1.34, P‐value <0.00001). For the association between initial meningioma and subsequent breast cancer, in 28 000 female patients with follow‐up ranging from 6 to 15 years, the SIR was 1.32 (95% CI: 1.21–1.45, P‐value <0.00001). There were low heterogeneity and no significant publication bias. Conclusion: There was a small but significant association between initial breast cancer and subsequent meningioma as well as initial meningioma and subsequent breast cancer in female patients. The potential underlying mechanisms and risk factors were unclear from current literature and would be a potential area for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The offshore ocean heat supplied to the Antarctic continental shelves by warm eddies has the potential to greatly impact the melting rates of ice shelves and subsequent global sea level rise. While featured in modeling and some observational studies, the processes around how these warm eddies form and overcome the dynamic sub-surface barrier of the Antarctic Slope Front over the upper continental slope has not yet been clarified. Here we report on the detailed observations of persistent eddies carrying warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) onto the continental shelf of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, using subsurface mooring and hydrographic section data from 2013-2015. We show the warm-eddy transport is most active when the summer westerlies strengthen, which promotes the upwelling of CDW and initiates eddy formation and intrusions. Our study highlights the important role of warm eddies in the melting of Antarctica’s ice shelves, both now and into the future.The offshore heat supplied to the Antarctic continental shelves by warm eddies has a potential impact on the melting of ice shelves. Here, how warm eddies form and intrude onto the continental shelf and play an important role in ice shelf melting is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Totten Ice Shelf (TIS) and Moscow University Ice Shelf (MUIS), along the Sabrina Coast of Wilkes Land, are the floating seaward terminuses of the second-largest freshwater reservoir in the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Being a marine ice sheet, it is vulnerable to the surrounding ocean conditions. Recent comprehensive oceanographic observations, including bathymetric measurements off the Sabrina Coast, have shed light on the widespread intrusion of warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) onto the continental shelf and the intense ice–ocean interaction beneath the TIS. However, the spatiotemporal coverage of the observation is very limited. Here, we use an ocean–sea ice–ice shelf model with updated bathymetry to better understand the regional ocean circulations and ocean–cryosphere interactions. The model successfully captured the widespread intrusions of mCDW, local sea ice production and the ocean heat and volume transports into the TIS cavity, facilitating an examination of the overturning ocean circulation within the ice shelf cavities and the resultant basal melting. We found notable differences in the temporal variability in ice shelf basal melting across the two adjacent ice shelves of the TIS and the western part of the MUIS. Ocean heat transport by mCDW controls the low-frequency interannual-to-decadal variability in ice–ocean interactions, but the sea ice production in the Dalton Polynya strongly modifies the signals, explaining the regional difference between the two ice shelves. The formation of a summertime eastward-flowing undercurrent beneath the westward-flowing Antarctic Slope Current is found to play an important role in the seasonal delivery of ocean heat to the continental shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monte Carlo simulations are commonly used to test the performance of estimators and models from rival methods, under a range of data-generating processes. This tool improves our understanding of the relative merits of rival methods in different contexts, such as varying sample sizes and violations of assumptions. When used, it is common to report the bias or the root mean squared error of the different methods. It is far less common to report the standard deviation, overconfidence, coverage probability, or power. Each of these six performance statistics provides important, and often differing, information regarding a method's performance. Here, we present a structured way to think about Monte Carlo performance statistics. In replications of three prominent papers, we demonstrate the utility of our approach and provide new substantive results about the performance of rival methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equation of state of QCD matter at high densities is relevant for neutron star structure and for neutron star mergers and has been a focus of recent work. We show how lattice QCD simulations, free of sign problems, can provide an upper bound on the pressure as a function of quark chemical potentials. We show that at large chemical potentials this bound should become quite sharp; the difference between the upper bound on the pressure PPQ and the true pressure P is of order PPQ− P = O ( α s 3 P). The corrections arise from a single Feynman diagram; its calculation would render remaining corrections O ( α s 4 P). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the risk of developing salivary gland tumors associated with the use of mobile phones. There have been a number of epidemiological studies conducted to assess for a possible association between mobile phone usage and the development of intracranial tumours, however results have been conflicting. We conducted an extensive literature search across four different databases was conducted. After selecting the articles relevant to the area of study, a total of seven studies were included in this meta-analysis, with no restrictions set on publication date or language. Studies were qualitatively assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. No significant association between the use of mobile phones and salivary gland tumors was observed (OR=1.06, 95% CI=0.86–1.32). No evidence for publication bias was detected. Our findings indicate no significant association between mobile phone usage and salivary gland tumours. However, there were many limitations encountered in these studies, suggesting that the observed result may not be an accurate estimate of the true carcinogenic risk of mobile phones, especially for heavy long-term users. In fact, the studies included in this meta-analysis highlight the need to correctly define exposure assessment in order to ascertain the risk of a certain variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAbs) are pathognomonic for Graves' disease and are thought to also underly the pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). A decline in TRAb levels has been documented post-total thyroidectomy (TTx) in GO, however with conflicting correlations with disease outcomes. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of TTx to other treatment modalities of Graves' disease and examine whether the lowering of TRAbs is associated with GO improvements. Method: We searched electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science until 31 September 2022 using a broad range of keywords. Patients with GO undergoing TTx with measurements of both TRAbs and progression of the disease using a validated GO scoring system were included. Fourteen studies encompassing data from 1047 patients with GO met our eligibility criteria. The PRISMA guidelines were followed, and five studies had comparable data that were suitable for a meta-analysis. Results: The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs showed low risk of bias across most domains. The pooled odds ratio showed that more patients significantly had normalized TRAb levels post-TTx as compared to other interventions (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.02–1.81, p = 0.035). But, there was no significant difference in GO improvement post-TTx as compared with other intervention groups. Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that TRAb levels may decline largely post-TTx, but may not predict added improvements to the progression of GO. Thus, future studies with uniform designs are required to assess the minimal significant GO improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aims to determine what pathologic and clinical factors differentiate Brachyspira species that may be useful to clinicians and pathologists. Methods We identified 21 studies of Brachyspira infection with individual patient information (n = 113) and conducted a pooled analysis comparing each species. Results There were differences in the pathologic and clinical profiles of each Brachyspira species. Patients infected with Brachyspira pilosicoli infection were more likely to have diarrhea, fever, HIV, and immunocompromised conditions. Those patients infected with Brachyspira aalborgi were more likely to have lamina propria inflammation. Conclusions Our novel data provide potential insights into the pathogenic mechanism(s) and the specific risk factor profile of Brachyspira species. This may be clinically useful when assessing and managing patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Totten Ice Shelf (TIS) and Moscow University Ice Shelf (MUIS), along the Sabrina Coast of Wilkes Land, are the floating seaward terminuses of the second-largest freshwater reservoir in the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Being a marine ice sheet, it is vulnerable to the surrounding ocean conditions. Recent comprehensive oceanographic observations, including bathymetric measurements off the Sabrina Coast, have shed light on the widespread intrusion of warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) onto the continental shelf and the intense ice-ocean interaction beneath the TIS. However, the spatiotemporal coverage of the observation is very limited. Here, we use an ocean-sea ice-ice shelf model with updated bathymetry to better understand the regional ocean circulations and ocean-cryosphere interactions. The model successfully captured the widespreadintrusions of mCDW, local sea-ice production and the ocean heat and volume transports into the TIS cavity, facilitating an examination of the overturning ocean circulation within the cavities and the resultant ice-shelf basal melting. We found notable differences in the temporal variability of ice-shelf basal melting across the two adjacent ice shelves of the TIS and the western part of the MUIS. Ocean heat transport by mCDW controls the low-frequency interannual-to-decadal variability in ice-ocean interactions, but the sea-ice production in the Dalton Polynya strongly modifies the signals, explaining the regional difference between the two ice shelves. The formation of a summertime eastward-flowing undercurrent beneath the westward-flowing Antarctic Slope Current is found to play an important role in the seasonal delivery of ocean heat to the continental shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Eosinophils contribute to tissue homeostasis, damage, and repair. The mucosa of colonic diverticula has not been evaluated for eosinophils by quantitative histology. We aimed to investigate whether mucosal eosinophils and other immune cells are increased in colonic diverticula. Methods: Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections from colonic surgical resections (n = 82) containing diverticula were examined. Eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, in five high power fields in the lamina propria were counted at the base, neck, and ostia of the diverticulum and counts compared to non‐diverticula mucosa. The cohort was further subgrouped by elective and emergency surgical indications. Results: Following an initial review of 10 surgical resections from patients with diverticulosis, a total of 82 patients with colonic resections containing diverticula from the descending colon were evaluated (median age 71.5, 42 M/40F). Eosinophil counts for the entire cohort were increased in the base and neck (median 99 and 42, both P = <0.001) compared with the control location (median 16). Eosinophil counts remained significantly increased in the diverticula base (both P = <0.001) and neck (P = 0.01 and <0.001, respectively) in both elective and emergency cases. Lymphocytes were also significantly increased at the diverticula base compared to controls in both elective and emergency subgroups. Conclusion: Eosinophils are significantly and most strikingly increased within the diverticulum in resected colonic diverticula. While these observations are novel, the role of eosinophil and chronic inflammation is as yet unclear in the pathophysiology of colonic diverticulosis and diverticular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with rare diseases experience challenges at home and school and frequently require multi-disciplinary healthcare. We aimed to determine health service utilization by Australian children with rare diseases and barriers to accessing healthcare. Methods: Parents completed an online survey on health professional and emergency department (ED) presentations, hospitalization, and barriers to accessing services. Potential barriers to service access included residential location (city, regional, remote) and child health-related functioning, determined using a validated, parent-completed measure-of-function tool. Results: Parents of 462 children with over 240 rare diseases completed the survey. Compared with the general population, these children were more likely to be hospitalized [odds ratio (OR) = 17.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 15.50–19.20] and present to the ED (OR = 4.15, 95% CI = 3.68–4.68) or a family physician (OR = 4.14, 95% CI = 3.72–4.60). Child functional impairment was nil/mild (31%), moderate (48%) or severe (22%). Compared to children with nil/mild impairment, those with severe impairment were more likely to be hospitalized (OR = 13.39, 95% CI = 7.65–23.44) and present to the ED (OR = 11.16, 95% CI = 6.46–19.27). Most children (75%) lived in major cities, but children from regional (OR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.72–4.55) and remote areas (OR = 9.09, 95% CI = 3.03–25.00) experienced significantly more barriers to healthcare access than children from major cities. Barriers included distance to travel, out-of-pocket costs, and lack of specialist medical and other health services. Conclusions: Children with rare diseases, especially those with severe functional impairment have an enormous impact on health services, and better integrated multidisciplinary services with patient-centered care are needed. Access must be improved for children living in rural and remote settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment-laden meltwater plumes are a common occurrence at the margins of marine-terminating glaciers in Svalbard and are useful proxies for inferring the glacial hydrological system and meltwater runoff. Plumes can influence calving rates, marine biogeochemistry and fjord circulation. However, little is known about how their dynamics will evolve in a warmer, wetter Arctic with increasing melt rates and retreating glacier margins. To determine the temporal magnitude and frequency evolution of sediment-laden meltwater plumes, we manually delineated plume outlines in every available Sentinel-2 image at Blomstrandbreen, Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, between 2016 and 2021. While the frequency of plumes upwelling on the fjord surface remained stable in each melt season, their surface area increased significantly by almost an order of magnitude between the beginning and end of the study period, owing primarily to glacial runoff. This significant change was a result of several large plumes (>2 km2) mapped in 2020 and 2021. The rate of glacier terminus change throughout the study period has little-to-no influence on plume surface area. However, a notable event concerning the terminus retreating into an overdeepening between 2017 and 2018 may have impacted plume magnitude, allowing for larger plume migration across the calving front after 2018. Seasonal supraglacial lakes on Blomstrandbreen are found to be small in both area and volume which have limited influence on plumes surfacing between 2016-2021. Our findings suggest with increased runoff, plumes upwelling at the glacier terminus may increase in size, transporting greater volumes of sediment into the surrounding local marine environment. These changes could be exacerbated by projected increases in glacier mass loss and retreat expected to occur across Svalbard throughout this century and beyond, making the study of plumes and their impacts key to constraining the transport of water and sediment from a terrestrial to a marine environment as demonstrated at Blomstrandbreen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The role of the microbiota in diverticulosis and diverticular disease is underexplored. This systematic review aimed to assess all literature pertaining to the microbiota and metabolome associations in asymptomatic diverticulosis, symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD), and diverticulitis pathophysiology. Methods: Seven databases were searched for relevant studies published up to September 28, 2022. Data were screened in Covidence and extracted to Excel. Critical appraisal was undertaken using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for case/control studies. Results: Of the 413 papers screened by title and abstract, 48 full‐text papers were reviewed in detail with 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Overall, alpha and beta diversity were unchanged in diverticulosis; however, significant changes in alpha diversity were evident in diverticulitis. A similar Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio compared with controls was reported across studies. The genus‐level comparisons showed no relationship with diverticular disease. Butyrate‐producing microbial species were decreased in abundance, suggesting a possible contribution to the pathogenesis of diverticular disease. Comamonas species was significantly increased in asymptomatic diverticulosis patients who later developed diverticulitis. Metabolome analysis reported significant differences in diverticulosis and SUDD, with upregulated uracil being the most consistent outcome in both. No significant differences were reported in the mycobiome. Conclusion: Overall, there is no convincing evidence of microbial dysbiosis in colonic diverticula to suggest that the microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of asymptomatic diverticulosis, SUDD, or diverticular disease. Future research investigating microbiota involvement in colonic diverticula should consider an investigation of mucosa‐associated microbial changes within the colonic diverticulum itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's reasons for writing a book on women in the ancient Mediterranean world. It mentions that the book focuses on specific individuals from different time periods and locations, aiming to provide visibility to "real women" in history and showcase their stories through a combination of archaeological and textual evidence.

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature regarding cardiovascular outcomes of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients who are on long term thyroid stimulating hormone suppression. Searches were carried out using Prisma guidelines in Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL and Scopus databases. Eligible papers were those which investigated discrete cardiovascular clinical outcomes in TSH suppressed patients and meta-analysis of selected studies was performed using Revman 5.4.1. We found a total of 195 879 DTC patients with median length to follow up of 8.6 years (range 5–18.8 years). Analysis showed DTC patients to be at higher risk of atrial fibrillation (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40, 1.77), stroke (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.09, 1.20) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.02, 4.07). However, there was no difference in risk of heart failure, ischemic heart disease or cardiovascular mortality. These findings suggest that degree of TSH suppression must be titrated to accommodate risk of cancer recurrence and cardiovascular morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatic function is a key prognostic marker in patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) and central to patient selection for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). We investigated the clinical utility of the Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) grade, an emerging prognostic model, in this heterogenous cohort via a meta-analysis of published studies. Methods: Publications including full text articles and abstracts regarding ALBI grade were sourced by two independent researchers from databases including PubMed, Embase, Medline and Cochrane Library. Studies analysing patients with HCC undergoing TACE treatment were systematically screened utilising the PRISMA tool for data extraction and synthesis, after exclusion of duplicates, irrelevant studies and overlapping cohorts. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), as determined by ALBI grade and assessed by hazard ratio (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with analysis of collated data using comprehensive meta-analysis, version 3.0 software. Results: Eight studies were included, with a pooled population of 6538 patients with HCC that underwent TACE treatment. Higher pre-treatment grade was associated with poor OS, with median OS of 12.0 months (P < 0.001) in ALBI grade 3, compared to 33.5 months in ALBI grade 1 (P < 0.001). Significant heterogeneity within each ALBI grade was associated with age and tumour size (P < 0.001) in ALBI grades 1 and 2. In contrast, age and alcohol–related liver disease were significant in the ALBI grade 3 group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: High pre-treatment ALBI grade is associated with poorer prognosis in patients with HCC undergoing TACE therapy. The ALBI grade demonstrates clinical utility for clinical prognostication and patient selection for TACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Arthrofibrosis after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a significant contributor to patient dissatisfaction. While treatment algorithms involve early physical therapy and manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA), some patients ultimately require revision TKA. It is unclear whether revision TKA can consistently improve these patient's range of motion (ROM). The purpose of this study was to evaluate ROM when revision TKA was performed for arthrofibrosis. Methods: A retrospective study of 42 TKA's diagnosed with arthrofibrosis from 2013 to 2019 at a single institution with a minimum 2-year follow-up was performed. The primary outcome was ROM (flexion, extension, and total arc of motion) before and after revision TKA, and secondary outcomes included patient reported outcomes information system (PROMIS) scores. Categorical data were compared using chi-squared analysis, and paired samples t tests were performed to compare ROM at three different times: pre-primary TKA, pre-revision TKA, and post-revision TKA. A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to assess for effect modification on total ROM. Results: The patient's pre-revision mean flexion was 85.6 degrees, and mean extension was 10.1 degrees. At the time of the revision, the mean age of the cohort was 64.7 years, the average body mass index (BMI) was 29.8, and 62% were female. At a mean follow-up of 4.5 years, revision TKA significantly improved terminal flexion by 18.4 degrees (p < 0.001), terminal extension by 6.8 degrees (p = 0.007), and total arc of motion by 25.2 degrees (p < 0.001). The final ROM after revision TKA was not significantly different from the patient's pre-primary TKA ROM (p = 0.759). PROMIS physical function, depression, and pain interference scores were 39 (SD = 7.72), 49 (SD = 8.39), and 62 (SD = 7.25), respectively. Conclusion: Revision TKA for arthrofibrosis significantly improved ROM at a mean follow-up of 4.5 years with over 25 degrees of improvement in the total arc of motion, resulting in final ROM similar to pre-primary TKA ROM. PROMIS physical function and pain scores showed moderate dysfunction, while depression scores were within normal limits. While physical therapy and MUA remain the gold standard for the early treatment of stiffness after TKA, revision TKA can improve ROM. Level of evidence: IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michael E. Smith's book, "Urban Life in the Distant Past: The Prehistory of Energized Crowding," offers a comprehensive exploration of ancient settlements and urbanism. The book examines various strands of evidence, ideas, and interpretations of ancient settlements and their communities. Smith introduces the concept of "energized crowding," which highlights the social and economic changes that occur in cities due to increased population and interaction. The book also discusses topics such as settlement planning, commercialization, and the interplay between top-down planning and bottom-up generative processes. Through the use of case studies, Smith provides a comparative analysis of settlements from different time periods and regions. Overall, "Urban Life in the Distant Past" offers valuable insights into the history and development of ancient cities. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on trampolining is a popular form of recreation and trampolines that are among the most common gifts to school age children and preadolescents. Topics include examines trampolining poses a significant risk of injury which accounts annually for several pediatric emergency visits in the United States.

The leading-order weak-coupling shear viscosity of QCD was computed almost 20 years ago, and the extension to next-to-leading order is 4 years old. But these results have never been applied at finite baryon chemical potential μ, despite the fact that intermediate-energy heavy ion collisions and merging neutron stars may explore the Quark-Gluon Plasma in a regime where baryon chemical potentials are large. Here we extend the leading-log shear viscosity calculation to finite μ, and we argue that the convergence of the weak-coupling expansion, while questionable for achievable plasmas, should be better at μ > T than at μ = 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends reducing free sugar intakes for health benefits(1). Appropriate strategies to achieve these recommendations for the general public, however, remain unclear. While the WHO target is based on nutrients(1), food-based guidelines are currently recommended for public health(2), and practical advice in the form of food substitutions may facilitate dietary change(1,2). Recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes based on nutrients (N, N = 61), nutrients and foods (NF, N = 60), and nutrients, foods, and food substitutions (NFS, N = 63) were recently investigated in a large randomized controlled trial(3). As a percentage of total energy intake (TEI), free sugar intakes reduced over 12 weeks following all three types of dietary advice, resulting in mean (s.e.) reductions of: Group N: 2.5 (0.8) %TEI; Group NF: 3.3 (0.8) %TEI; and Group NFS: 3.1 (0.7) %TEI; compared with no change (1.2 (0.8) %TEI) in the control group (N = 58). Few differences between the three different types of advice however, were found. The pilot study presented here aimed to extend this original study through the additional investigation of three different types of dietary advice based on food substitutions. For this pilot study, a total of 72 UK adults with >5%TEI from free sugars at baseline, were randomized to receive dietary advice to reduce free sugar intakes by: a) replacing sweet high-sugar foods with sweet-tasting low-sugar alternatives, e.g. fruit and low-calorie sweeteners (Group ST, N = 24); b) replacing sweet high-sugar foods with non-sweet-tasting low-sugar alternatives, e.g. herbs, spices and nuts (Group T, N = 24); and c) replacing sweet high-sugar foods with plain lowsugar alternatives, e.g. plain rice-cakes (Group NT, N = 24). The advice was based on current NHS guidance and provided once. Participants were then followed for 4 (and 12) weeks, and betweengroup differences were investigated. Free sugar intakes reduced in all three groups over 4 weeks (F(1,69) = 26.17, p<0.01), with effect sizes comparable to those in the original study (mean (s.e.)): Group ST: 2.4 (1.2) %TEI; Group T: 3.8 (1.3) %TEI; Group NT: 3.3 (1.2) %TEI. No differences were found between groups (F(2,69) = 0.56, p = 0.61). Similar results were also found in a subset of participants who continued in the study for 12 weeks (N = 29) (F(1,26) = 12.38, p<0.01; group x time interaction F(2,26) = 1.07, p = 0.39) (mean (s.e.)): Group ST: 2.3 (0.7) %TEI; Group T: 5.2 (1.3) %TEI; Group NT: 2.3 (1.2) %TEI. Our findings confirm those of the original study – that the provision of dietary advice to reduce free sugar intakes can result in reduced free sugar intakes in willing volunteers, but the exact nature of the advice provided seems less important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two extended x-ray absorption fine structure flat crystal x-ray spectrometers (EFX's) were designed and built for high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy over a large energy range with flexible, on-shot energy dispersion calibration capabilities. The EFX uses a flat silicon [111] crystal in the reflection geometry as the energy dispersive optic covering the energy range of 6.3–11.4 keV and achieving a spectral resolution of 4.5 eV with a source size of 50 μm at 7.2 keV. A shot-to-shot configurable calibration filter pack and Bayesian inference routine were used to constrain the energy dispersion relation to within ±3 eV. The EFX was primarily designed for x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and provides significant improvement to the Laboratory for Laser Energetics' OMEGA-60 XAFS experimental platform. The EFX is capable of performing extended XAFS measurements of multiple absorption edges simultaneously on metal alloys and x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy to measure the electron structure of compressed 3d transition metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a new method to determine thermal activation rates, such as for bubble nucleation, topology change, etc., using 4-dimensional Euclidean methods. This allows nonperturbative study on the lattice. We then investigate the strong sphaleron rate in pure-glue QCD at temperatures between 1.3 Tc and 1000 Tc, making contact with previous results but extending them down close to the critical temperature. The extension to full QCD will be straightforward. Limitations of the proposal (the inability to compute a certain dynamical prefactor, puzzling large-volume behavior, and the inability to treat temperatures T < 1.3 Tc) are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop and test theoretical expectations about when political parties will make more or fewer nativist appeals in their electoral campaigns. Methods: We use spatial autoregressive models to test our claims about the ways in which electoral competition drives nativist appeals. Results: We find strong support for our theoretical expectations on how spatial and temporal processes influence parties' nativist appeals. We also find strong support for our expectations on how the percentage of foreign‐born population shapes nativist appeals by government parties and how economic performance shapes nativist appeals by opposition parties. Conclusion: Spatial party competition conditions the relationship between economic performance, immigration, and parties' nativist appeals, revealing the strategic behavior of political parties in their choices of when to make nativist appeals more or less prominent in their electoral campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly adaptable and robust terahertz (THz) energy meter is designed and implemented to detect energetic THz pulses from high-intensity (>1018 W/cm2) laser–plasma interactions on the OMEGA EP. THz radiation from the laser driven target is detected by a shielded pyrometer. A second identical pyrometer is used for background subtraction. The detector can be configured to detect THz pulses in the 1 mm to 30 μm (0.3- to 10-THz) range and pulse energies from joules to microjoules via changes in filtration, aperture size, and position. Additional polarization selective filtration can also be used to determine the THz pulse polarization. The design incorporates significant radiation and electromagnetic pulse shielding to survive and operate within the OMEGA EP radiation environment. We describe the design, operational principle, calibration, and testing of the THz energy meter. The pyrometers were calibrated using a benchtop laser and show linear sensitivity to up to 1000 nJ of absorbed energy. The initial results from four OMEGA EP THz experiments detected up to ∼ 15 μ J at the detector, which can correspond to hundreds of mJ depending on THz emission and reflection models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The use of biologics poses a moderate to high risk for hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) in chronic carriers. Aim: To determine the prevalence of HBVr with TNF alpha inhibitors, ustekinumab and vedolizumab Method: We followed the MOOSE guidelines and conducted a comprehensive literature search. We conducted a systematic search of EMBASE (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid) and PubMed. The studies included patients who were chronic and occult HBV carriers with various rheumatological, dermatological or gastroenterological conditions. We used a random effects model using pooled estimates (prevalence of HBVr with 95% confidence intervals (CI)). Results: We included 29 studies with 1409 patients infected with HBV. The prevalence of HBVr in chronic carriers of HBV was 17.1% (95% CI: 7.0–35.9, n = 5), 16.6% (95% CI: 9.5–27.5%, n = 6), 40.5% (95% CI: 20.3–64.5%, n = 4) and 19.1% (95% CI: 7.3–41.2%, n = 2), respectively, for adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab and ustekinumab. The respective prevalence for reactivation in patients with occult HBV infection was 5.0% (95% CI: 2.8–8.7%, number of studies: n = 18), 2.6% (95% CI: 1.4–4.7%, n = 18), 4.4% (95% CI: 2.2–8.7%, n = 12) and 6.4% (95% CI: 2.2–16.8, n = 5). There were 39 HBVr (26 in chronic HBV and 13 in the occult group) without any hepatic failure or death. In the chronic HBVr group, only three of 24 patients received antiviral prophylaxis. Conclusions: HBVr prevalence rates differ between the chronic carrier state and the occult carrier state. The uptake of prophylactic antiviral therapy in high‐risk groups was low, contrary to clinical practice guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To describe the perceived research capacity and support at the individual, department and organisation levels among clinicians in a state funded health district in Sydney, Australia. METHODS We asked allied health, medical, nursing, management and administrative staff across Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District to fill in the Research Capacity in Context survey online. The survey includes questions about individual skills and capacity regarding research, available support and encouragement for research from the department and organisation, and motivators and barriers to involvement in research. Descriptive analyses (means and proportions) were reported separately for each staff category. RESULTS Four hundred and thirty-nine people responded, approximately 7% of total staff, of whom around 80% were clinicians. Response rate was highest from allied health clinicians (approx. 26%), rates were 4-6% for the other staff categories. Participants rated their individual research capacity as poor to good for most aspects, medical staff rated themselves higher than allied health and nursing. Respondents identified the lack of quarantined time and necessity to prioritise clinical duties as the key barriers to engaging with research. The most identified motivators were desire to improve services and outcomes for patients and resolving clinical problems. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians in the public health service are motivated to engage with research to improve services for their patients but they lack the time and support. If health services wish to encourage research activity among clinicians, they need to free up time from delivering clinical care and provide access to training and operational support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]