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Considering the growing interest in magnetic materials for unconventional computing, data storage, and sensor applications, there is active research not only on material synthesis but also characterisation of their properties. In addition to structural and integral magnetic characterisations, imaging of magnetisation patterns, current distributions and magnetic fields at nano- and microscale is of major importance to understand the material responses and qualify them for specific applications. In this roadmap, we aim to cover a broad portfolio of techniques to perform nano- and microscale magnetic imaging using superconducting quantum interference devices, spin centre and Hall effect magnetometries, scanning probe microscopies, x-ray- and electron-based methods as well as magnetooptics and nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging. The roadmap is aimed as a single access point of information for experts in the field as well as the young generation of students outlining prospects of the development of magnetic imaging technologies for the upcoming decade with a focus on physics, materials science, and chemistry of planar, three-dimensional and geometrically curved objects of different material classes including two-dimensional materials, complex oxides, semi-metals, multiferroics, skyrmions, antiferromagnets, frustrated magnets, magnetic molecules/nanoparticles, ionic conductors, superconductors, spintronic and spinorbitronic materials.

Target Skyrmions (TSks) are extended topological spin textures with a constant chirality where the rotation of the z component of the magnetization is larger than π. TSks have topological charge 1 or 0, if the z component of the magnetization Mz goes through a rotation of nπwhere n is an odd or even integer, respectively. TSks with a rotation of the z component of up to 4πhave been imaged via high spatial resolution element-specific X-ray imaging. The TSks were generated by weakly coupling 30 nm thin Permalloy (Ni80Fe20, PY) disks with a 1 μm diameter to asymmetric (Ir 1 nm/Co 1.5 nm/Pt 1 nm) × 7 multilayers that exhibit Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. The PY disks stabilize the TSks in the multilayers due to reduced stray field energy and enforced circular symmetry from pinning of domain walls at the edges of the disks. Upon applying external magnetic fields, it is the skyrmion core at the center that ensures stability of the TSk, whereas the collapse of the extended structures in the TSk does not depend on the topological charge.

One of the most powerful ways to manipulate spins in nanometer-scale devices is by converting a charge current to a spin current via spin–orbit coupling. The resulting spin–orbit torques (SOTs) have been investigated and utilized extensively in the past decade. Quantitatively, however, SOTs may exhibit a non-trivial angular dependence, which is not well explored. Here, we develop a nested iterative analysis to determine the magnitude of SOTs from harmonic Hall measurements. This updated method largely improves the fit quality in the full magnetic field range and accurately retrieves even higher order, anisotropic spin–orbit torque coefficients. The numerical implementation of our algorithm is fast, robust, and designed for easy integration into existing analysis schemes. We verify our code using simulated data with and without anisotropic SOTs. Accurately quantifying higher order SOT terms can be especially useful for modeling non-uniform magnetic textures such as domain walls and skyrmions and current-induced magnetization switching characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic skyrmions are two-dimensional non-collinear spin textures characterized by an integer topological number. Room-temperature skyrmions were recently found in magnetic multilayer stacks, where their stability was largely attributed to the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction. The strength of this interaction and its role in stabilizing the skyrmions is not yet well understood, and imaging of the full spin structure is needed to address this question. Here, we use a nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond to measure a map of magnetic fields produced by a skyrmion in a magnetic multilayer under ambient conditions. We compute the manifold of candidate spin structures and select the physically meaningful solution. We find a Néel-type skyrmion whose chirality is not left-handed, contrary to preceding reports. We propose skyrmion tube-like structures whose chirality rotates through the film thickness. We show that NV magnetometry, combined with our analysis method, provides a unique tool to investigate this previously inaccessible phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that material structures, which lack structural inversion symmetry and have high spin-orbit coupling can exhibit chiral magnetic textures and skyrmions which could be a key component for next generation storage devices. The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction (DMI) that stabilizes skyrmions is an anti-symmetric exchange interaction favoring non-collinear orientation of neighboring spins. It has been shown that materials systems with high DMI can lead to very efficient domain wall and skyrmion motion by spin-orbit torques. To engineer such devices, it is important to quantify the DMI for a given material system. Here, we extract the DMI at the Heavy Metal/Ferromagnet interface using two complementary measurement schemes, namely, asymmetric domain wall motion and the magnetic stripe annihilation. By using the two different measurement schemes, we find for W(5nm)/Co20Fe60 B20 (0.6 nm)/MgO(2 nm) the DMI to be 0.68±0.05 mJ/m2 and 0.73±0.5 mJ/m2, respectively. Furthermore, we show that this DMI stabilizes skyrmions at room temperature and that there is a strong dependence of the DMI on the relative composition of the CoFeB alloy. Finally, we optimize the layers and the interfaces using different growth conditions and demonstrate that a higher deposition rate leads to a more uniform film with reduced pinning and skyrmions that can be manipulated by spin orbit torques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The free-electron laser (FEL) sources FLASH in Hamburg, LCLS at Stanford, and FERMI in Trieste provide XUV to soft X-ray radiation (FLASH and FERMI) or soft to hard X-ray radiation (LCLS) with unprecedented parameters in terms of ultrashort pulse length, high photon flux, and coherence. These properties make FELs ideal tools for studying ultrafast dynamics in matter on a previously unaccessible level. This paper first reviews results obtained at FEL sources during the last few years in the field of magnetism research. We start with pioneering experiments at FLASH demonstrating the feasibility of magnetic scattering at FELs [1, 2], then present pump–probe scattering experiments [3, 4] as well as the first FEL magnetic imaging experiments [5], and finally discuss a limitation of the scattering methods due to a quenching of the magnetic scattering signal by high-fluence FEL pulses [6]. All of the presented experiments exploit the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effect [7, 8] to obtain element-specific magnetic scattering contrast, as known from synchrotron experiments [9–12]. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Workplaces are high-risk environments for SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks and subsequent community transmission. Identifying, understanding, and implementing effective workplace SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control (IPC) measures is critical to protect workers, their families, and communities. A rapid review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize evidence assessing the effectiveness of COVID-19 IPC measures implemented in global workplace settings through April 2021. Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies that quantitatively assessed the effectiveness of workplace COVID-19 IPC measures. Included studies comprised varying empirical designs and occupational settings. Measures of interest included surveillance measures, outbreak investigations, personal protective equipment (PPE), changes in work arrangements, and worker education. Sixty-three studies from international healthcare, nursing home, meatpacking, manufacturing, and office settings were included, accounting for [280,000 employees. Meta-analyses showed that comprehensive measures (0.2% positivity; 95%CI 0-0.4%) were associated with lower post-intervention employee COVID-19 positivity estimates than single measures like asymptomatic PCR testing (1.7%; 95%CI 0.9-2.9%) and universal masking (24%; 95%CI 3.4-55.5%). Modelling studies showed that combinations of (i) timely and widespread contact tracing and case isolation, (ii) facilitating smaller worker cohorts, and (iii) effective use of PPE can reduce workplace transmission. Comprehensive COVID-19 IPC measures incorporating swift contact tracing and case isolation, PPE, and facility zoning, can effectively prevent workplace outbreaks. Masking alone should not be considered as sufficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in workplace environments at high risk of virus transmission. Key messages: • Comprehensive contact tracing, syndromic surveillance, regular testing, PPE, and zoning measures can prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace. • Masking alone should not be considered as sufficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in workplace environments at high risk of virus transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Evaluation of risk factors for mortality and longterm survival after repair of acute type-A aortic dissection in 836 patients" by B. Tutkun and colleagues is presented.

An endstation for pump-probe small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments at the free-electron laser in Hamburg (FLASH) is presented. The endstation houses a solid-state absorber, optical incoupling for pump-probe experiments, time zero measurement, sample chamber, and detection unit. It can be used at all FLASH beamlines in the whole photon energy range offered by FLASH. The capabilities of the setup are demonstrated by showing the results of resonant magnetic SAXS measurements on cobalt-platinum multilayer samples grown on freestanding Si3N4 membranes and pump-laser-induced grid structures in multilayer samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often experience pain, fatigue and bowel incontinence and are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Our aim was to assess the impact of these symptoms on health-related quality of life (QoL) in IBD., Methods: In the IBD-BOOST survey, over 26,000 people with IBD across the UK were approached; 8486 participant-completed surveys were returned. Participants' QoL was measured using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and their QoL was calculated on a scale ranging from 1 (perfect health) to -0.594 (worst health). Item non-response was imputed. Stages of linear regression models assessed the associations of symptoms with QoL controlling for IBD type, socio-demographic characteristics, co-morbidities and, in further analysis, for IBD activity and IBD control., Results: The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire was fully completed by 8093 (95.4%) participants (mean age of 50 years [SD 15]; 49% with Crohn's disease). The mean QoL was 0.76 (SD 0.23). From the three IBD-related symptoms, pain was associated with the largest QoL decrement (-0.159), followed by fatigue (-0.140) and bowel incontinence (-0.048). Co-occurrence of pain and fatigue further reduced QoL. Clear graded associations were observed between symptom severity and QoL decrements (all trend p < 0.001). Depression and anxiety were also associated with significant QoL decrements (-0.102 and -0.110 for moderate-to-severe anxiety and moderately severe depression, respectively). Worse IBD control and higher IBD activity were associated with lower QoL., Conclusions: We report strong associations between symptoms of pain, fatigue, bowel incontinence, anxiety, depression, and their severity and reduced QoL in IBD. These estimates could inform future IBD management interventions., (© 2024 The Author(s). United European Gastroenterology Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of United European Gastroenterology.)

Background: In surgical disciplines poor working conditions and a high level of dissatisfaction among surgeons in the various disciplines have been reported. The psychological consequences of these conditions on the surgeons themselves and the effects on their families have so far been inadequately considered., Objective: The objective of this national survey of the Professional Association of German Surgery (Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgie e. V.) was to determine the current status of working conditions in surgical departments of German hospitals and to demonstrate their psychological and familial effects., Material and Methods: In the period January-February 2024 a questionnaire with 26 questions focusing on psychological stress, work-related partnership and family problems as well as addictive behavior was sent to all members of the Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgie e. V. and to all German surgical societies., Results: A total of 2221 questionnaires could be analyzed. Among the survey participants, bureaucracy (84.4%) and inadequate compensation for overtime (68.1%) were seen as the main stress factors. Alcohol (20.3%), nicotine (8.9%) and medication (8.3%) were cited as ways of managing the workload. Of the surgeons 60% reported a negative impact on their relationship with their partner and 40% on their relationship with their children., Discussion: The surgeons reported poor working conditions. These have a massive impact on the mental health of surgeons and on their family relationships. Consequently, many surgeons consider leaving the surgical profession. To improve this situation and to make the surgical profession attractive again, a drastic rethinking is needed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a health burden of rising importance. Slowing progression to end stage kidney disease is the main goal of drug treatment. The aim of this analysis is to compare drug treatments of DKD by means of a systemic review and a network meta-analysis., Methods: We searched Medline, CENTRAL and clinicaltrials.gov for randomized, controlled studies including adults with DKD treated with the following drugs of interest: single angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor-blocker (single ACEi/ARB), angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitor and angiotensin-receptor-blocker combination (ACEi+ARB combination), aldosterone antagonists, direct renin inhibitors, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid-receptor-antagonists (nsMRA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). As primary endpoints, we defined: overall mortality and end-stage kidney disease, as secondary endpoints: renal composite outcome and albuminuria and as safety endpoints: acute kidney injury, hyperkalemia and hypotension. Under the use of a random effects model, we computed the overall effect estimates using the statistic program R4.1 and the corresponding package "netmeta". Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2 tool and the quality of evidence of each pairwise comparison was rated according to GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation)., Results: Of initial 3489 publications, 38 clinical trials were found eligible, in total including 42346 patients. Concerning the primary endpoints overall mortality and end stage kidney disease, SGLT2i on top of single ACEi/ARB compared to single ACEi/ARB was the only intervention significantly reducing the odds of mortality (OR 0.81, 95%CI 0.70-0.95) and end-stage kidney disease (OR 0.69, 95%CI 0.54-0.88). The indirect comparison of nsMRA vs SGLT2i in our composite endpoint suggests a superiority of SGLT2i (OR 0.60, 95%CI 0.47-0.76). Concerning safety endpoints, nsMRA and SGLT2i showed benefits compared to the others., Conclusions: As the only drug class, SGLT2i showed in our analysis beneficial effects on top of ACEi/ARB treatment regarding mortality and end stage kidney disease and by that reconfirmed its position as treatment option for diabetic kidney disease. nsMRA reduced the odds for a combined renal endpoint and did not raise any safety concerns, justifying its application., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Büttner et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Patients undergoing revision total hip surgery (RTHS) have a high prevalence of mild and moderate preoperative anemia, associated with adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions (ABT) and postoperative complications in preoperatively mild compared to moderate anemic patients undergoing RTHS who did not receive a diagnostic anemia workup and treatment before surgery., Methods: We included 1,765 patients between 2007 and 2019 at a university hospital. Patients were categorized according to their severity of anemia using the WHO criteria of mild, moderate, and severe anemia in the first Hb level of the case. Patients were grouped as having received no ABT, 1-2 units of ABT, or more than 2 units of ABT. Need for intraoperative ABT was assessed in accordance with institutional standards. Primary endpoint was the compound incidence of postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included major/minor complications and length of hospital and ICU stay., Results: Of the 1,765 patients, 31.0% were anemic of any cause before surgery. Transfusion rates were 81% in anemic patients and 41.2% in nonanemic patients. The adjusted risks for compound postoperative complication were significantly higher in patients with moderate anemia (OR 4.88, 95% CI: 1.54-13.15, p = 0.003) but not for patients with mild anemia (OR 1.93, 95% CI: 0.85-3.94, p < 0.090). Perioperative ABT was associated with significantly higher risks for complications in nonanemic patients and showed an increased risk for complications in all anemic patients. In RTHS, perioperative ABT as a treatment for moderate preoperative anemia of any cause was associated with a negative compound effect on postoperative complications, compared to anemia or ABT alone., Discussion: ABT is associated with adverse outcomes of patients with moderate preoperative anemia before RTHS. For this reason, medical treatment of moderate preoperative anemia may be considered., Competing Interests: Henning Uden, Franziska Büttner, Michael Krämer, Gerald Vorderwülbecke, Sebastian Hardt, and Jochen Kruppa: None. Christian von Heymann declares to have no financial conflict of interest related to the topic of this manuscript. He also declares that he was mandated from the German Society of Anesthesiology and lntensive Care Medicine (DGAI) to write the German Guideline on Preoperative Anemia (published in April 2018) and that he was part of the writing group of the Patient Blood Management Guideline in cardiac surgery on behalf of the European Society of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiologists (EACTA) in conjunction with the European Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) (published in September 2017). Outside this work, Christian von Heymann discloses to have received research funding, speaker’s and consultancy honoraria, and travel reimbursements from CSL Behring, Daiichi Sankyo, HICC GbR, Mitsubishi Pharma GmbH, NovoNordisk Pharma GmbH, Shionogi Pharma, and Sobi Pharma. Lutz Kaufner declares to have no financial conflict of interest related to the topic of this manuscript. He also declares that he was mandated from the German Society of Anesthesiology and lntensive Care Medicine (DGAI) to write the German Guideline on Preoperative Anemia (published in April 2018). He discloses to received speaker’s and consultancy honoraria and travel reimbursements from HICC GbR., CSL Behring, and Novo Nordisk outside the submitted work. Claudia Spies reports grants from Deutsche Forschungs-gemeinschaft/German Research Society, grants from Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)/German Aerospace Center, grants from Einstein Stiftung Berlin/Einstein Foundation Berlin, grants from Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss/Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), grants from Inneruniversitäre Forschungsförderung/Inner University Grants, grants from Projektträger im DLR/Project Management Agency, grants from Stifterverband/Non-Profit Society Promoting Science and Education, grants from European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, grants from Baxter Deutschland GmbH, grants from Cytosorbents Europe GmbH, grants from Edwards Lifesciences‚ Germany GmbH, grants from Fresenius Medical Care, grants from Grünenthal GmbH, grants from Masimo Europe Ltd‚ grants from Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, personal fees from Georg Thieme Verlag, grants from Dr. F. Köhler Chemie GmbH‚ grants from Sintetica GmbH, grants from Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft e.V./Philips, grants from Stiftung Charite, grants from AGUETTANT Deutschland GmbH, grants from AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, grants from Amomed Pharma GmbH, grants from InTouch Health, grants from Copra System GmbH, grants from Correvio GmbH, grants from Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V., grants from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie & Intensivmedizin (DGAI), grants from Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft e.V./Metronic, grants from Philips ElectronicsNederland BV, grants from BMG, grants from BMBF, grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/German Research Society, and grants from Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr. Spies has a patent 10 2014 215 211.9 licensed, a patent 10 2018 114 364.8 licensed, a patent 10 2018 110 275.5 licensed, a patent 50 2015 010 534.8 licensed, a patent 50 2015 010 347.7 licensed, and a patent 10 2014 215 212.7 licensed. Felix Balzer reports grants from German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, grants from German Federal Ministry of Health, grants from Berlin Institute of Health, personal fees from Elsevier Publishing, grants from Hans Böckler Foundation, other from Robert Koch Institute, grants from Einstein Foundation, and grants from Berlin University Alliance, outside the submitted work., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

As multiple crises deepen existing inequalities in urban societies within and between neighborhoods, strategically integrating nature-based solutions into the living environment can help reduce negative impacts and improve public health, social cohesion, and well-being. Compared to public green such as parks, semi-public residential greenery is rarely studied, is regularly overlooked by planners, and often receives step-motherly treatment from architects and housing companies. We approximated the area of residential greenery of modernist multi-story apartment complexes in Berlin, Germany. We surveyed residents' suggestions for improving their living environments in vulnerable neighborhoods, report on co-creation experiences, and provide a practical guideline for optimizing health-promoting residential green spaces. The semi-public open space on the doorstep of two-thirds of Berlin's population is highly fragmented and, in total, has a similar area as the public green spaces and a great potential for qualitative development. Just as the suitability of different nature-based solutions to be integrated into the residential greenery depends on building types, resident demands differ between neighborhoods. Residents called for more involvement in design, implementation, and maintenance, frequently proposing that biodiversity-friendly measures be included. As there is no universal solution even for neighborhoods sharing similar structural and socioeconomic parameters, we propose, and have tested, an optimization loop for health-promoting residential greening that involves exploring residents' needs and co-creating local solutions for urban regeneration processes that can be initiated by different actors using bottom-up and/or top-down approaches in order to unlock this potential for healthy, livable and biodiversity friendly cities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Mohr-Stockinger, Sanft, Büttner, Butenschön, Rennert and Säumel.)

Objective: To review the literature to establish overall, match and training injury incidence rates (IIRs) in senior (≥18 years of age) women's football (amateur club, elite club and international)., Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of overall, match and training IIRs in senior women's football, stratified by injury location, type and severity., Data Sources: MEDLINE via PubMed; EMBASE via Ovid; CINAHL via EBSCO and Web of Science were searched from earliest record to July 2021., Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies: (1) football players participating in a senior women's football league (amateur club or elite club) or a senior women's international football tournament; (2) the study had to report IIRs or provide sufficient data from which this outcome metric could be calculated through standardised equations; (3) a full-text article published in a peer-reviewed journal before July 2021; (4) a prospective injury surveillance study and (5) case reports on single teams were ineligible., Results: 17 articles met the inclusion criteria; amateur club (n=2), elite club (n=10), international (n=5). Overall, match and training 'time-loss' IIRs are similar between senior women's elite club football and international football. 'Time-loss' training IIRs in senior women's elite club football and international football are approximately 6-7 times lower than their equivalent match IIRs. Overall 'time-loss' IIRs stratified by injury type in women's elite club football were 2.70/1000 hours (95% CI 1.12 to 6.50) for muscle and tendon, 2.62/1000 hours (95% CI 1.26 to 5.46) for joint and ligaments, and 0.76/1000 hours (95% CI 0.55 to 1.03) for contusions. Due to the differences in injury definitions, it was not possible to aggregate IIRs for amateur club football., Conclusion: Lower limb injuries incurred during matches are a substantial problem in senior women's football. The prevention of lower limb joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries should be a central focus of injury prevention interventions in senior women's amateur club, elite club and international football., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42020162895., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Fluctuations and stochastic transitions are ubiquitous in nanometre-scale systems, especially in the presence of disorder. However, their direct observation has so far been impeded by a seemingly fundamental, signal-limited compromise between spatial and temporal resolution. Here we develop coherent correlation imaging (CCI) to overcome this dilemma. Our method begins by classifying recorded camera frames in Fourier space. Contrast and spatial resolution emerge by averaging selectively over same-state frames. Temporal resolution down to the acquisition time of a single frame arises independently from an exceptionally low misclassification rate, which we achieve by combining a correlation-based similarity metric 1,2 with a modified, iterative hierarchical clustering algorithm 3,4 . We apply CCI to study previously inaccessible magnetic fluctuations in a highly degenerate magnetic stripe domain state with nanometre-scale resolution. We uncover an intricate network of transitions between more than 30 discrete states. Our spatiotemporal data enable us to reconstruct the pinning energy landscape and to thereby explain the dynamics observed on a microscopic level. CCI massively expands the potential of emerging high-coherence X-ray sources and paves the way for addressing large fundamental questions such as the contribution of pinning 5-8 and topology 9-12 in phase transitions and the role of spin and charge order fluctuations in high-temperature superconductivity 13,14 ., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The PERCIVAL detector is a CMOS imager designed for the soft X-ray regime at photon sources. Although still in its final development phase, it has recently seen its first user experiments: ptychography at a free-electron laser, holographic imaging at a storage ring and preliminary tests on X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. The detector performed remarkably well in terms of spatial resolution achievable in the sample plane, owing to its small pixel size, large active area and very large dynamic range; but also in terms of its frame rate, which is significantly faster than traditional CCDs. In particular, it is the combination of these features which makes PERCIVAL an attractive option for soft X-ray science., (open access.)

Soft-x-ray holography which utilizes an optics mask fabricated in direct contact with the sample, is a widely applied x-ray microscopy method, in particular, for investigating magnetic samples. The optics mask splits the x-ray beam into a reference wave and a wave to illuminate the sample. The reconstruction quality in such a Fourier-transform holography experiment depends primarily on the characteristics of the reference wave, typically emerging from a small, high-aspect-ratio pinhole in the mask. In this paper, we study two commonly used reference geometries and investigate how their 3D structure affects the reconstruction within an x-ray Fourier holography experiment. Insight into these effects is obtained by imaging the exit waves from reference pinholes via high-resolution coherent diffraction imaging combined with three-dimensional multislice simulations of the x-ray propagation through the reference pinhole. The results were used to simulate Fourier-transform holography experiments to determine the spatial resolution and precise location of the reconstruction plane for different reference geometries. Based on our findings, we discuss the properties of the reference pinholes with view on application in soft-x-ray holography experiments.

Magnetic skyrmions are quasiparticles with nontrivial topology, envisioned to play a key role in next-generation data technology while simultaneously attracting fundamental research interest due to their emerging topological charge. In chiral magnetic multilayers, current-generated spin-orbit torques or ultrafast laser excitation can be used to nucleate isolated skyrmions on a picosecond time scale. Both methods, however, produce randomly arranged skyrmions, which inherently limits the precision on the location at which the skyrmions are nucleated. Here, we show that nanopatterning of the anisotropy landscape with a He + -ion beam creates well-defined skyrmion nucleation sites, thereby transforming the skyrmion localization into a deterministic process. This approach allows control of individual skyrmion nucleation as well as guided skyrmion motion with nanometer-scale precision, which is pivotal for both future fundamental studies of skyrmion dynamics and applications.

Objectives: To investigate (i) the presence of vestibular and oculomotor impairments and (ii) the self-perceived effects of concussion-associated dizziness on health-related quality of life among amateur athletes 6 months and 1 year following sport-related concussion compared with nonconcussed, control athletes., Design: Prospective, matched-cohort study., Setting: Clinical assessment laboratory., Participants: Amateur athletes who were diagnosed with sport-related concussion within 1 week of injury, and sex-, age-, and activity-matched nonconcussed, control athletes., Main Measures: Participants were evaluated 6 months and 1 year following sport-related concussion and enrollment in the longitudinal study using the Vestibular and Oculo-Motor Screening and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. We performed multivariate analyses of variance and chi-square analyses to compare concussion and control group scores at each study assessment., Results: Forty-seven participants with concussion and 47 control participants completed the study. The concussion group reported similar mean symptom provocation scores on the Vestibular and Oculo-Motor Screening and exhibited a similar near-point convergence distance compared with the control group at the 6-month and 1-year study assessments. The concussion and control groups had similar perceptions of the effects of dizziness on their health-related quality of life at both study assessments., Conclusion: Meaningful differences in vestibular and oculomotor symptom provocation and self-perceived effects of dizziness on everyday life were not observed between concussed and nonconcussed, control athletes 6 months and 1 year following sport-related concussion., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Poor reporting of medical and healthcare systematic reviews is a problem from which the sports and exercise medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and sports science fields are not immune. Transparent, accurate and comprehensive systematic review reporting helps researchers replicate methods, readers understand what was done and why, and clinicians and policy-makers implement results in practice. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement and its accompanying Explanation and Elaboration document provide general reporting examples for systematic reviews of healthcare interventions. However, implementation guidance for sport and exercise medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and sports science does not exist. The Prisma in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport medicine and SporTs science (PERSiST) guidance attempts to address this problem. Nineteen content experts collaborated with three methods experts to identify examples of exemplary reporting in systematic reviews in sport and exercise medicine (including physical activity), musculoskeletal rehabilitation (including physiotherapy), and sports science, for each of the PRISMA 2020 Statement items. PERSiST aims to help: (1) systematic reviewers improve the transparency and reporting of systematic reviews and (2) journal editors and peer reviewers make informed decisions about systematic review reporting quality., Competing Interests: Competing interests: RA, MCA, FB, MC, SH, FMI, SM, MSR, GS, BV, JLW, MW and AAW declare they have no competing interests. CLA was a Deputy Editor (Systematic Reviews) for BJSM from 2016 to 2018. ED, HPD and AW are associate editors for BJSM. MCA was a member of the BJSM editorial board from 2008 to 2020. KMK was Editor-in-Chief of BJSM from 2008 to 2020. He holds no position with the BJSM or the BMJ Group at present (September 2021). DM is Chair of the PRISMA group, led the PRISMA 2009 statement and co-led the PRISMA 2020 statement. MJP co-led the PRISMA 2020 statement. ES was editor of BJSM from 2017 to 2020, and editor-in-chief of BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine from 2019 to 2020. He is a senior adviser to BJSM (September 2021)., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To introduce a new methodology for summarizing the results from systematic reviews-a likelihood heuristic-to the field of sport-related concussion., Data Sources: We applied the likelihood heuristic to the results of a systematic review published by Iverson et al (2017), containing 101 studies, on the predictors of worse clinical outcome following sport-related concussion., Study Selection: We re-examined 5 individual prognostic factors that are of clinical interest and for which there is conflicting literature (female sex = 44 studies, prior concussion history = 41 studies, loss of consciousness = 31 studies, post-traumatic amnesia = 25 studies, and retrograde amnesia = 10 studies)., Data Extraction: For each prognostic factor, likelihood ratios were generated using the (1) number of significant and nonsignificant studies, (2) study power, (3) alpha level, and (4) prior probability that the alternative hypothesis was true., Data Synthesis: Assuming each study had 80% power and an alpha level of 5%, observing the reported number of conflicting studies for female sex, prior concussion history, and retrograde amnesia is substantially more likely if each prognostic factor is associated with worse clinical outcome following sport-related concussion. For loss of consciousness, the observed number of conflicting studies is more likely if loss of consciousness is not associated with worse clinical outcome following sport-related concussion. A secondary analysis incorporating potentially more realistic study parameters of statistical power (45%) and alpha level (25%) generates weaker likelihood evidence that the observed numbers of studies for each prognostic factor are associated with worse clinical outcome following sport-related concussion than they are not., Conclusions: Using a likelihood heuristic with 80% power and 5% alpha level, there is very strong likelihood evidence that female sex, prior concussion history, and retrograde amnesia are associated with worse clinical outcome following sport-related concussion. The strength of likelihood evidence that prognostic factors are associated with worse clinical outcome reduces when statistical power is lower and alpha level is inflated., Competing Interests: G. L. Iverson, PhD, has been reimbursed by the government, professional scientific bodies, and commercial organizations for discussing or presenting research relating to mild TBI and sport-related concussion at meetings, scientific conferences, and symposiums. He has a clinical and consulting practice in forensic neuropsychology involving individuals who have sustained mild TBIs (including athletes). He has received research funding from several test publishing companies, including ImPACT Applications, Inc., CNS Vital Signs, and Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR, Inc.), and the National Football League. He serves as a scientific advisor for Sway Operations, LLC, Highmark, Inc., and BioDirection, Inc. He has received salary support from the Harvard Integrated Program to Protect and Improve the Health of National Football League Players Association Members. Remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A controversial theory proposes that playing tackle football before the age of 12 causes later in life brain health problems. This theory arose from a small study of 42 retired National Football League (NFL) players, which reported that those who started playing tackle football at a younger age performed worse on selected neuropsychological tests and a word reading test. The authors concluded that these differences were likely due to greater exposure to repetitive neurotrauma during a developmentally sensitive maturational period in their lives. Several subsequent studies of current high school and collegiate contact/collision sports athletes, and former high school, collegiate, and professional tackle football players have not replicated these findings. This narrative review aims to (i) discuss the fundamental concepts, issues, and controversies surrounding existing research on age of first exposure (AFE) to contact/collision sport, and (ii) provide a balanced interpretation, including risk of bias assessment findings, of this body of evidence. Among 21 studies, 11 studies examined former athletes, 8 studies examined current athletes, and 2 studies examined both former and current athletes. Although the literature on whether younger AFE to tackle football is associated with later in life cognitive, neurobehavioral, or mental health problems in former NFL players is mixed, the largest study of retired NFL players ( N = 3,506) suggested there was not a significant association between earlier AFE to organized tackle football and worse subjectively experienced cognitive functioning, depression, or anxiety. Furthermore, no published studies of current athletes show a significant association between playing tackle football (or other contact/collision sports) before the age of 12 and cognitive, neurobehavioral, or mental health problems. It is important to note that all studies were judged to be at high overall risk of bias, indicating that more methodologically rigorous research is needed to understand whether there is an association between AFE to contact/collision sports and later in life brain health. The accumulated research to date suggests that earlier AFE to contact/collision sports is not associated with worse cognitive functioning or mental health in (i) current high school athletes, (ii) current collegiate athletes, or (iii) middle-aged men who played high school football. The literature on former NFL players is mixed and does not, at present, clearly support the theory that exposure to tackle football before age 12 is associated with later in life cognitive impairment or mental health problems., Competing Interests: GI serves as a scientific advisor for NanoDx®, Sway Operations, LLC, and Highmark, Inc. He has a clinical and consulting practice in forensic neuropsychology, including expert testimony, involving individuals who have sustained mild TBIs (including athletes). He has received research funding from several test publishing companies, including ImPACT Applications, Inc., CNS Vital Signs, and Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR, Inc.). He has received research funding as a principal investigator from the National Football League, and subcontract grant funding as a collaborator from the Harvard Integrated Program to Protect and Improve the Health of National Football League Players Association Members. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Iverson, Büttner and Caccese.)

Voltage control of magnetic order is desirable for spintronic device applications, but 180° magnetization switching is not straightforward because electric fields do not break time-reversal symmetry. Ferrimagnets are promising candidates for 180° switching owing to a multi-sublattice configuration with opposing magnetic moments of different magnitudes. In this study we used solid-state hydrogen gating to control the ferrimagnetic order in rare earth-transition metal thin films dynamically. Electric field-induced hydrogen loading/unloading in GdCo can shift the magnetic compensation temperature by more than 100 K, which enables control of the dominant magnetic sublattice. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements and ab initio calculations indicate that the magnetization control originates from the weakening of antiferromagnetic exchange coupling that reduces the magnetization of Gd more than that of Co upon hydrogenation. We observed reversible, gate voltage-induced net magnetization switching and full 180° Néel vector reversal in the absence of external magnetic fields. Furthermore, we generated ferrimagnetic spin textures, such as chiral domain walls and skyrmions, in racetrack devices through hydrogen gating. With gating times as short as 50 μs and endurance of more than 10,000 cycles, our method provides a powerful means to tune ferrimagnetic spin textures and dynamics, with broad applicability in the rapidly emerging field of ferrimagnetic spintronics., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: To prospectively investigate the condition-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of athletes six months and one-year following sport-related concussion., Design: Prospective, longitudinal study., Setting: Clinical research centre at university school of public health., Participants: Amateur athletes who were diagnosed with sport-related concussion within one-week after presenting to a hospital emergency department were recruited along with sex-, age-, and activity-matched, non-concussed, control athletes. Concussion and control participants were assessed six months and one-year following sport-related concussion and study enrolment, respectively., Main Outcome Measures: Participants completed the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale and five condition-specific HRQoL patient-reported outcome measures - Headache Impact Test-6, Fatigue Severity Scale, Neck Disability Index, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory. We performed Frequentist and Bayesian mixed-design analyses of variance to compare the concussion group and control group at both assessments and quantify whether there was greater evidence in favour of the null hypothesis compared with the alternative hypothesis., Results: At six-month and one-year assessments, the concussion group (n = 47; male = 72%; mean (SD) age = 22.68 (5.07)) and the control group (n = 47; male = 72%; mean (SD) age = 23.81 (4.60)) reported similar clinical symptom severity scores and condition-specific HRQoL. The proportion of athletes in the concussion group with clinically-impaired scores was similar to the proportion of non-concussed athletes with clinically-impaired scores. At six-month and one-year assessments, there was moderate-to-very strong evidence that there was no difference between concussion and control participants' perceptions of the effects of headache, fatigue, neck pain, anxiety, and dizziness on HRQoL., Conclusion: There was moderate-to-very strong evidence in favour of no difference between the concussion and control groups on symptom severity scores and condition-specific HRQoL patient-reported outcome measures at six-month and one-year assessments. These results suggest that condition-specific HRQoL returns to the levels of non-concussed individuals within six months following sport-related concussion., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest relating to the reported research study., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Workplaces can be high-risk environments for SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks and subsequent community transmission. Identifying, understanding, and implementing effective workplace SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control (IPC) measures is critical to protect workers, their families, and communities. A rapid review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize evidence assessing the effectiveness of COVID-19 IPC measures implemented in global workplace settings through April 2021. Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies that quantitatively assessed the effectiveness of workplace COVID-19 IPC measures. The included studies comprised varying empirical designs and occupational settings. Measures of interest included surveillance measures, outbreak investigations, environmental adjustments, personal protective equipment (PPE), changes in work arrangements, and worker education. Sixty-one studies from healthcare, nursing home, meatpacking, manufacturing, and office settings were included, accounting for ~280,000 employees based in Europe, Asia, and North America. Meta-analyses showed that combined IPC measures resulted in lower employee COVID-19 positivity rates (0.2% positivity; 95% CI 0-0.4%) than single measures such as asymptomatic PCR testing (1.7%; 95% CI 0.9-2.9%) and universal masking (24%; 95% CI 3.4-55.5%). Modelling studies showed that combinations of (i) timely and widespread contact tracing and case isolation, (ii) facilitating smaller worker cohorts, and (iii) effective use of PPE can reduce workplace transmission. Comprehensive COVID-19 IPC measures incorporating swift contact tracing and case isolation, PPE, and facility zoning can effectively prevent workplace outbreaks. Masking alone should not be considered sufficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in the workplace.

Scattering experiments have revolutionized our understanding of nature. Examples include the discovery of the nucleus [R. G. Newton, Scattering Theory of Waves and Particles (1982)], crystallography [U. Pietsch, V. Holý, T. Baumback, High-Resolution X-Ray Scattering (2004)], and the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA [J. D. Watson, F. H. C. Crick, Nature 171, 737-738]. Scattering techniques differ by the type of particles used, the interaction these particles have with target materials, and the range of wavelengths used. Here, we demonstrate a two-dimensional table-top scattering platform for exploring magnetic properties of materials on mesoscopic length scales. Long-lived, coherent magnonic excitations are generated in a thin film of yttrium iron garnet and scattered off a magnetic target deposited on its surface. The scattered waves are then recorded using a scanning nitrogen vacancy center magnetometer that allows subwavelength imaging and operation under conditions ranging from cryogenic to ambient environment. While most scattering platforms measure only the intensity of the scattered waves, our imaging method allows for spatial determination of both amplitude and phase of the scattered waves, thereby allowing for a systematic reconstruction of the target scattering potential. Our experimental results are consistent with theoretical predictions for such a geometry and reveal several unusual features of the magnetic response of the target, including suppression near the target edges and a gradient in the direction perpendicular to the direction of surface wave propagation. Our results establish magnon scattering experiments as a platform for studying correlated many-body systems., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

Objectives: To estimate the times taken to receive clearance to return to sporting activity and to return to pre-injury level of sport competition following sport-related concussion, and to estimate the proportion of athletes who were participating at their pre-injury level of sport competition six months and one-year following sport-related concussion., Design: Prospective cohort study., Methods: Amateur, adult athletes (16-38 years old) were diagnosed with sport-related concussion at a university-affiliated hospital emergency department. Participants were assessed within one-week, upon medical clearance to return to sporting activity, two weeks following return to sporting activity, six months, and 12 months following sport-related concussion. We assessed sex-, age-, and activity-matched non-injured, control participants at matched time-points. Participants were asked during each study assessment whether they were participating in any sport, in a different sport than before their sport-related concussion, in the same sport but at a lower level of competition than before their sport-related concussion, or in the same sport at the same level of competition than before their sport-related concussion., Results: Fifty concussed participants and 50 non-injured, control participants completed the study. The median times taken to receive clearance to return to sporting activity and to return to pre-injury level of sport competition following sport-related concussion were 13 days (95%CI=12,16) and 31 days (95%CI=28,32), respectively. One-year following sport-related concussion, 52% of participants reported that they were no longer participating in the same sport and at the same level of competition as they were before their sport-related concussion, compared with only 24% of participants in the non-injured, control group (p=0.003)., Conclusions: A greater percentage of athletes in the concussion group were not participating at their perceived pre-injury level of sport competition one-year following sport-related concussion compared with a non-injured control group. Factors that explain the lower proportion of amateur athletes participating at their pre-injury level of sport competition one-year after sport-related concussion are likely multifaceted and should be considered in future investigations., (Copyright © 2021 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if earlier age of first exposure to football is associated with worse brain health in middle-aged and older adult men who played high school football. Methods: Men from the United States, aged 35 and older, who reported playing high school football, completed a customized, online health survey via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) platform. Survey items included physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms over the past week and over the past year, sports participation history (including age of first exposure to football), medical history, and concussion history. Participants also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the British Columbia Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (BC-PSI). Results: There were 186 men (age M = 51.78, SD = 10.93) who participated in high school football, and 87 (46.8%) reported football participation starting before the age of 12 and 99 (53.2%) reported football participation at or after the age of 12. Those who started playing football at an earlier age reported a greater number of lifetime concussions (M = 1.95, SD = 1.79) compared to those who started playing at age 12 or later (M = 1.28, SD = 1.52; U = 3,257.5, p = 0.003). A similar proportion of men who played football before vs. after the age of 12 reported a lifetime history of being prescribed medications for depression, anxiety, chronic pain, headaches, or memory problems. When comparing men who played football before vs. after the age of 12, the groups did not differ significantly in their ratings of depression, anger, anxiety, headaches, migraines, neck or back pain, chronic pain, concentration problems, or memory problems over the past week or the past year. The two groups did not differ significantly in their ratings of current symptoms of depression (PHQ-8; U = 4,187.0, p = 0.74) or post-concussion-like symptoms (BC-PSI; U = 3,944.0, p = 0.53). Furthermore, there were no statistically significant correlations between the age of first exposure to football, as a continuous variable, and PHQ-8 or BC-PSI scores. Conclusion: This study adds to a rapidly growing body of literature suggesting that earlier age of first exposure to football is not associated with later-in-life brain health., Competing Interests: GI serves as a scientific advisor for NanoDX® (formerly BioDirection, Inc.), Sway Operations, LLC, and Highmark, Inc. He has a clinical and consulting practice in forensic neuropsychology, including expert testimony, involving individuals who have sustained mild TBIs (including athletes). He has received research funding from several test publishing companies, including ImPACT Applications, Inc., CNS Vital Signs, and Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR, Inc.). He has received research funding as a principal investigator from the National Football League, and subcontract grant funding as a collaborator from the Harvard Integrated Program to Protect and Improve the Health of National Football League Players Association Members. DT is a consultant for REACT Neuro, Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Iverson, Caccese, Merz, Büttner and Terry.)

The preparation of a highly ordered nanostructured transparent electrode based on a combination of nanosphere lithography and anodization is presented. The size of perfectly ordered pore domains is improved by an order of magnitude with respect to the state of the art. The concomitantly reduced density of defect pores increases the fraction of pores that are in good electrical contact with the underlying transparent conductive substrate. This improvement in structural quality translates directly and linearly into an improved performance of energy conversion devices built from such electrodes in a linear manner., (© 2021 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The purpose of this study was to determine if earlier age of first exposure (AFE) to football is associated with worse brain health in middle-aged men who played high school football. We assessed 123 men 35-55 years of age, who played high school football, using (1) a survey of demographic information as well as medical, sport participation, and concussion history; (2) the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8); and (3) the British Columbia Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (BC-PSI). Sixty-two (50.4%) men reported football participation starting before the age of 12 (i.e., AFE <12 years) and 61 (49.6%) reported football participation at or after the age of 12 (AFE > 12 years). Compared with those with AFE > 12 years, a similar proportion of former high school football players who began playing tackle football before age 12 reported that they had been prescribed medications for mental health problems or that they had recently experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression, memory loss, chronic pain, or headaches. Moreover, there was no significant difference in their lifetime history of treatment by a mental health professional. The groups did not differ significantly on PHQ-8 (U = 1839.0, p  = 0.791) or BC-PSI total scores (U = 1828.5, p  = 0.751). These findings suggest that earlier AFE to football is not associated with worse brain health in middle-aged men in this sample who played high school football.

Objective: To (1) quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the vestibular/oculomotor screening (VOMS), and (2) determine the recovery of vestibular and oculomotor impairments exhibited by concussed athletes compared with nonconcussed athletes using the VOMS., Setting: Clinical assessment laboratory., Participants: Amateur athletes who were diagnosed with sport-related concussion by emergency department physicians, and non-concussed, control athletes., Design: Prospective, longitudinal study., Main Measures: Participants were assessed 1 week following sport-related concussion, upon clearance to return-to-sporting activity, and 2 weeks following return-to-sporting activity by a study investigator who administered the VOMS. We calculated test sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the VOMS. We performed a mixed-design analysis of variance to assess differences in VOMS symptom scores reported by concussed athletes compared with control athletes., Results: Fifty concussion participants and 50 control participants completed the study. The VOMS demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 96% and 46%, respectively, and produced positive and negative predictive values of 64% and 92%, respectively. The concussion group exhibited a significantly greater symptom provocation change score from baseline than the control group for all test domains of the VOMS only in the first week following concussion., Conclusion: The VOMS may be most useful as a clinical screening tool to rule out, rather than confirm, the presence of sport-related concussion. The VOMS may be appropriate to inform the recovery of vestibular and oculomotor impairments exhibited by concussed individuals over time., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To longitudinally investigate the presence of sensorimotor impairments in amateur athletes following sport-related concussion using two functional movement tests., Design: Prospective, longitudinal study., Setting: Human movement analysis laboratory., Participants: Athletes who presented to a hospital emergency department and were diagnosed with sport-related concussion, and sex-, age-, and activity-matched non-concussed, control athletes. Concussed participants were assessed within one-week following sport-related concussion, upon clearance to return-to-sporting activity (RTA), and two weeks after RTA. Control participants were assessed at an initial time-point and approximately two and four weeks following their initial study assessment., Main Outcomes Measures: At each laboratory assessment, participants completed two functional movement tests: the Star Excursion Balance Test to evaluate anterior reach distance (normalised for leg length) and fractal dimension (centre of pressure path complexity), and the Multiple Hop Test to evaluate corrective postural strategies and time-to-stabilisation., Results: Fifty concussed athletes and 50 control athletes completed the study. There were no significant differences at any study assessment between the concussion and control group on the Star Excursion Balance Test anterior reach distance or fractal dimension (centre of pressure path complexity). During the Multiple Hop Test, the concussion group used a significantly greater number of corrective postural strategies than the control group one-week following sport-related concussion and upon clearance to RTA, but not two weeks following RTA., Conclusion: Recently concussed athletes made a greater number of corrective postural strategies than control participants during the Multiple Hop Test upon clearance to RTA but not two weeks after RTA. The Multiple Hop Test may offer a clinically useful tool for practitioners to examine the recovery of subtle sensorimotor impairments and related RTA readiness., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest relating to the current research study., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Topological states of matter exhibit fascinating physics combined with an intrinsic stability. A key challenge is the fast creation of topological phases, which requires massive reorientation of charge or spin degrees of freedom. Here we report the picosecond emergence of an extended topological phase that comprises many magnetic skyrmions. The nucleation of this phase, followed in real time via single-shot soft X-ray scattering after infrared laser excitation, is mediated by a transient topological fluctuation state. This state is enabled by the presence of a time-reversal symmetry-breaking perpendicular magnetic field and exists for less than 300 ps. Atomistic simulations indicate that the fluctuation state largely reduces the topological energy barrier and thereby enables the observed rapid and homogeneous nucleation of the skyrmion phase. These observations provide fundamental insights into the nature of topological phase transitions, and suggest a path towards ultrafast topological switching in a wide variety of materials through intermediate fluctuating states.

Objectives: To prospectively investigate the recovery of athlete-reported symptoms and the condition-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following sport-related concussion., Design: Prospective matched-cohort study., Methods: We recruited amateur athletes who were diagnosed with sport-related concussion by emergency department physicians. Study participants were assessed at 3 time points following sport-related concussion. At each assessment, participants completed 5 condition-specific HRQoL patient-reported outcome measures to evaluate participants' perceptions of the effects of specific concussion-related symptoms on their HRQoL. We performed log-linear analyses to assess the proportion of concussed participants with clinically impaired condition-specific HRQoL compared with the proportion of participants in the control group with clinically impaired condition-specific HRQoL., Results: Fifty participants with sport-related concussion and 50 control participants matched by sex, age, and activity completed the study. Upon return to sporting activity, there was a significantly greater proportion of participants in the concussion group who perceived that headache, neck pain, and dizziness had an adverse effect on their HRQoL compared with the control group. Two weeks after return to sporting activity, there was still a significantly greater proportion of participants in the concussion group who perceived that headache ( χ 2 1 = 9.0; odds ratio [OR] = 4.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5, 15.2; P = .003) and dizziness ( χ 2 1 = 9.5; OR = 13.5; 95% CI: 1.8, 604.9; P = .006) had an adverse effect on their HRQoL compared with the proportion of clinically impaired participants in the control group., Conclusion: Of concussed participants, 1 in 4 perceived that headache and dizziness had adverse effects on their HRQoL after returning to sporting activity following sport-related concussion compared with nonconcussed, control participants. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(12):692-701. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9485 .

Questionable research practices (QRPs) are intentional and unintentional practices that can occur when designing, conducting, analysing, and reporting research, producing biased study results. Sport and exercise medicine (SEM) research is vulnerable to the same QRPs that pervade the biomedical and psychological sciences, producing false-positive results and inflated effect sizes. Approximately 90% of biomedical research reports supported study hypotheses, provoking suspicion about the field-wide presence of systematic biases to facilitate study findings that confirm researchers' expectations. In this education review, we introduce three common QRPs (ie, HARKing , P-hacking and Cherry-picking ), perform a cross-sectional study to assess the proportion of original SEM research that reports supported study hypotheses, and draw attention to existing solutions and resources to overcome QRPs that manifest in exploratory research. We hypothesised that ≥ 85% of original SEM research studies would report supported study hypotheses. Two independent assessors systematically identified, screened, included, and extracted study data from original research articles published between 1 January 2019 and 31 May 2019 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine, the American Journal of Sports Medicine, and the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy We extracted data relating to whether studies reported that the primary hypothesis was supported or rejected by the results. Study hypotheses, methodologies, and analysis plans were preregistered at the Open Science Framework. One hundred and twenty-nine original research studies reported at least one study hypothesis, of which 106 (82.2%) reported hypotheses that were supported by study results. Of 106 studies reporting that primary hypotheses were supported by study results, 75 (70.8%) studies reported that the primary hypothesis was fully supported by study results. The primary study hypothesis was partially supported by study results in 28 (26.4%) studies. We detail open science practices and resources that aim to safe-guard against QRPs that bely the credibility and replicability of original research findings., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)