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Objectives: Understanding the factors that contribute to treatment-seeking attitudes among older adults—a growing population with frequent mental health concerns—is vital. Although past research has identified some demographic and belief-based predictors of mental health treatment attitudes among this population, previous studies are limited by only evaluating these variables in isolation and not distinguishing between different types of treatment (e.g. medication and psychotherapy). Methods: In a pre-registered online survey of 606 older adults (age 60 years and older), we evaluated stigmatizing attitudes, etiological beliefs about depression, psychological symptoms, and health literacy as well as attitudes about psychotherapy and medication separately. Results: Pre-registered linear regression analyses showed that greater stigmatizing attitudes uniquely predicted more negative attitudes for both therapy and medication treatment seeking over and above gender, education, income, extrinsic barriers, health literacy, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, loneliness was a significant predictor of less favorable medication attitudes. Exploratory analysis revealed that attributing depression to a chemical imbalance predicted positive attitudes about medication, but not psychotherapy. Conclusion: These findings indicate that older adults' treatment-seeking behaviors are separately influenced by stigma, etiological beliefs, and loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: A growing number of stakeholders in early childhood education (ECE) rely on self-assessment to assess and improve the quality of ECE. In this systematic review, we investigated the reliability and validity of self-assessment in ECE, summarizing findings from 27 publications. We meta-analytically synthesized findings from 25 publications for 1,882 groups and 79,163 children aged 0–72 months in center-based childcare. Most studies reported high internal consistency, but one study reported a lower consistency. Inter-rater reliability was generally high. A three-level meta-analysis (k = 13, ES = 45) revealed a positive association between self-assessment ratings and ratings with validated measures of ECE quality (r =.38), indicating a moderate convergent validity. Studies with lower methodological quality and published "peer reviewed" studies reported somewhat higher correlations between self-assessment ratings and ratings with validated measures. The meta-analytic correlation remained significant after removal of studies with lower methodological quality (r =.33) or studies from the "grey" literature (r =.44). A second meta-analysis (k = 16, ES = 71) with a focus on the predictive validity of self-assessment ratings showed a small significant association between self-assessed ECE quality and child outcomes (r =.09); there were no significant moderators. Practice or Policy: Despite empirical evidence for the validity of self-assessment, further studies are needed to investigate potential bias in self-assessment. Future studies should further explore the validity and reliability of self-assessment measures in ECE, including countries outside the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial, environmental, and socio-cultural challenges affect the mental health and wellbeing of those working and living on-farm. Education programs can help in improving mental health and overall wellbeing, but most of these programs are offered to established farmers in a face-to-face format, leading to a gap in offerings to many subgroups, including young agricultural entrants. To address these gaps, this paper assesses the value of an online mental health and resilience education program for young agricultural entrants. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was applied. Firstly, a quantitative survey was conducted with 172 first year agricultural tertiary students, aged 18–20, to assess the knowledge and skills gained due to program participation. Regressions and propensity score matching were used to determine the effect of program participation. Subsequently, seven interviews were conducted with program participants to provide insights into their experiences of the program. Thematic coding was applied to analyze the qualitative data. Findings from the quantitative survey show a significant increase in mental health knowledge and skills amongst program participants compared to participants in the control group. The qualitative interviews show the ability to work through the material in their own time and space, creates a safe environment for online students. Other mechanisms contributing to learning are using "normal language", a peer voice in communicating wellbeing, and building on learnings in previous education. This paper addresses a gap in literature by being the first study to evaluate online mental health education for agricultural tertiary students. It provides educators and other program designers with valuable information for future program design to support the wellbeing of young agricultural workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls have been overlooked or under-considered within the historiography of Na Fianna Éireann, the Irish nationalist youth organisation co-founded by Countess Markievicz in 1909 as an alternative to the Boy Scouts or the Boys' Brigade. The purpose of this article is to shed light upon these girls and their activities, situating them within the wider context of the gendered nature of uniformed youth groups in the early twentieth century. In so doing, the article highlights the gender inequality at play within the Irish nationalist movement during the era of the Irish Revolution. Adolescent girls formed a controversial and marginal minority within the membership of the Fianna in the cities of Belfast and Waterford in the period 1911–18. The involvement of Belfast Fianna girls in such activities as military drill, camping and gun smuggling challenged the gender conventions of the time. Girls also provided support services to Fianna units during the period 1918–22. In both cases, these girls have received little recognition of their contributions or the risks they ran through real or perceived association with what had become an overtly republican youth group designed to mould a new generation of activists in the struggle for Irish independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pharmacological and other treatments for binge eating disorder (BED) predate its inclusion as the third main eating disorder in the 2013 DSM-5. Currently, second in line to psychological therapy are psychotropics such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants and stimulants. Areas covered: This review summarizes the evidence and emerging evidence on the pharmacotherapies for BED and their potential for wider use. Expert opinion: Pharmacotherapy has utility as an alternative or adjunctive treatment for those exhibiting insufficient response to, or not preferencing, psychological interventions. Medications may also benefit individuals with BED and other co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In addition, there are several agents (e.g. glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists and the combination of naltrexone-bupropion) displaying promise for weight and binge eating reduction in people with BED and high BMI. Future research should extend the understanding of the role of medication in BED, focusing on their sustained effects over time, when and if they may be ceased, their effectiveness in people with adequate weight, and the risks associated with weight loss in those with BED and high weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skin is at risk for injury to external factors since it serves as the body's first line of defense against the external environment. Hydrogels have drawn much interest due to their intrinsic extracellular matrix (ECM) properties and their biomimetic, structural, and durable mechanical characteristics. Hydrogels have enormous potential use in skin wound healing due to their ability to deliver bioactive substances easily. In this study, composite hydrogels were developed by blending guar gum (GG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with crosslinker TEOS for skin wound treatment. The structural, surface morphology, surface roughness, and stability features of the composite hydrogels were characterized by several techniques, such as FTIR, SEM-EDX, AFM, and DSC. The increasing ZiF-8 causes more surface roughness, with decreased swelling in different media (Aqueous > PBS > NaCl). The increasing ZiF-8 amount causes less hydrophilic behavior and biodegradation with increasing gel fraction. The cytocompatibility of Zinc imidazolate framework-8 (ZiF-8) based composites was evaluated against fibroblast cell lines by cell viability, proliferation, and cell morphology. The increasing ZiF-8 caused more cell viability and proliferation with proper cell morphology. Hence, the results show that synthesized composite hydrogels may be a potential candidate for numerous wound repair applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn Australia, nearly half of university students report high levels of distress during their studies. Bereavement increases a student’s risk of mood changes, eating disorders, suicide, poorer academic achievement, and attrition. We used an online, quantitative, cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence of bereaved students in Australian universities and differences between bereaved and non-bereaved university students’ mental well-being, university connectedness, current grade average, and support experiences. Findings indicated 22.3% of students experienced bereavement in the previous 24 months. Bereaved students had higher ratings of perceived social support than non-bereaved peers. There were no significant differences in mental well-being, grade averages, and university connectedness once sex, living arrangements, enrolment type (full/part-time), and religious affiliation were controlled. Bereaved students who continued their studies showed resilience and a preference for social support. Findings present a rationale for universities to harness resources to support bereaved students throughout their studies to promote engagement and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1980 military coup in Turkey enormously impacted state-citizen relations, including in the realm of education. After the coup, all school rituals, ceremonies, classrooms, and after-school activities were re-defined through laws and regulations to indoctrinate the dominant state ideology, Atatürkism (Atatürkçülük). This article attempts to shed light on this socialization strategy. It refers relies on an oral history of student testimonies from different socio-economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The testimonies reveal the weaknesses of the system. In particular, the excessive emphasis on Atatürk's personality and the denial of the Kurdish identity appeared as the most significant fragilities of the system. In addition, the exclusion of non-Muslim citizens from the definition of Turkishness and their feeling of being singled out may be seen as another deficiency of post-1980 state-society relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of frailty in clinical trials of lymphoma is unknown. We conducted a secondary analysis of the phase III LY.12 trial in which patients with relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma were randomized to different salvage regimens before autologous stem cell transplant. The primary objective was to construct a lymphoma clinical trials-specific frailty index (LyFI) using previously described methods. The secondary objective was to describe the association of frailty withover all and event-free survival (OS, EFS). The LyFI was constructed using 619 patients, and11% (N = 70) were classified as frail. Frailty was associated with EFS (HR 1.94, 95%CI 1.53–2.46) and OS (HR 2.01, 95%CI 1.57–2.58) in univariable analysis, but was only significant as a continuous (not binary) variable in multivariable analysis controlling for prognostic score, suggesting limitations of a FI in this trial population. Future work could validate the FI using clinical assessments and/or apply it to an older trial population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a feasibility determination problem via simulation with stochastic binary outcomes, in which the design space can be either discrete or continuous, and outcomes can be predicted through a functional relationship that depends on linear combinations of design variables. The goal is to identify all the feasible designs with means (i.e., probabilities) no smaller than a threshold. A logistic model is used to capture the relationship between the probability and design variables. Traditional binary rewards often conceal the numbers of correct and false determinations, thereby being inefficient in large and continuous design spaces. We thus propose a similarity measure to smooth binary rewards. Then, a sampling policy that optimizes a so-called Similarity Differential (SD) is developed. Under some mild conditions, we show that the SD policy is capable of identifying all the feasible designs as the sampling budget goes to infinity. Two approximate versions of the SD policy are developed to sequentially determine the sampling decisions in large and continuous design spaces. Extensive numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the superior performance of our SD policy, document computational savings, and reveal underlying sampling behaviors. Alternatively, we provide a simple but effective heuristic that can be easily used by practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A robotic compact storage and retrieval system (RCSRS) is a grid-based system that has been popularly implemented by online retailers around the world recently. This article addresses a robot dispatching problem for RCSRS, aiming to reduce robot empty travelling time and workstation idle time. The robot dispatching problem is to assign tasks to robots when the task sequences in workstations are given. Additionally, the robots follow a fast dual-command transaction process in this problem. Hence, a mixed integer programming model catering for the dual-command transaction process is formulated to optimize system performance. Furthermore, an adaptive neighbourhood search with an ε-greedy algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. The experimental results substantiate the superiority of the authors' proposed algorithm compared to various algorithms used in practice and discussed in the relevant literature. Moreover, optimal system configurations for the instances generated are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To detect macrophage-like cells (MLCs) in uveitis patients and describe their characteristics compared to healthy subjects by using en face SS-OCTA. Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients with "active" uveitis and 11 healthy participants underwent 6 macular scans of 6×6mm using SS-OCTA. The 3μm en face OCT slabs on inner limiting membrane were used to visualize the MLCs. Results: In healthy subjects there was an average of 478.2±149.7 MLCs with a density of 13.28±4.16 cells/mm2. MLCs were larger in patients with "active" uveitis than in controls (891.18±69.46 µm2 vs.885±77.53 µm2). Patients with "active" anterior uveitis had a significantly reduced count and density of MLCs (172±14.68 and 4.77±0.4 cell/mm2) compared to controls, while patients with posterior uveitis had a statistically increased count (546.1±132.4) and area (909.23+/-54.97 µm2) of MLCs compared to controls. Conclusions: MLCs detected with en face SS-OCTA are increased in number and size in active posterior uveitis eyes compared to controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student wellbeing is a key concern for those delivering tertiary education. Tertiary providers such as universities use a range of techniques to support student wellbeing through times of stress. This article reports on one finding from a mixed methods study at two New Zealand universities that explored how students enrolled in agricultural courses saw and managed their wellbeing. The findings demonstrated that students reflected an optimism bias regarding managing their own stress believing most stressful situations would resolve without the need to involve support services. Their intent was that university support services were only to be used in times of mental health crisis. Consequently, students reported that they would not engage with support and education around managing their wellbeing but did find value in learning about how to support others through times of crisis. These findings contribute to knowledge about tertiary students' attitudes to stress and support services. They have implications for those delivering wellbeing services at tertiary institutions in terms of how best to tailor and deliver services for students experiencing stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH3) has received significant attention recently as a promising carbon-free, low-cost, and safe candidate as a chemical energy storage element and/or fuel alternative. As for any new fuel, fundamental aspects of the combustion process, such as the detailed chemical kinetic pathways of NH3 oxidation, flame propagation and stability, and emissions, are to be understood to predict its combustion behavior in practical systems. One aspect of improving our understanding of the combustion behavior of NH3 is to explore the emission spectra of spherically expanding and/or Bunsen-type flames under controlled laboratory conditions. In this study, flame spectra from NH3-containing mixtures were obtained utilizing two different experimental flame configurations, namely a spherically propagating flame and a modified Mckenna burner flame. Two different fuel mixtures were investigated. The first was an oxy-ammonia mixture consisting of NH3 + (25% O2 +75% N2) with the goal of studying neat ammonia. The second mixture consisted of H2:NH3:N2 with a ratio of 45:40:15 by volume. Several excited-state species within the UV-visible spectral region were identified. For instance, NO* emission features were found between 220 and 280 nm. In addition, OH* emission was detected around 310 nm, and an NH* feature was seen around 337 nm. Moreover, a broadband intensity was reported over the visible range (400 ~ 800 nm), where several NH2* features were also detected. The effect of the mixture on the flame spectra was investigated by examining the two different mixtures utilizing the same experimental apparatus (spherical flame in this case), and it was shown that the mixture has an effect on the presence of NH2* features, which was also backed by chemical kinetics predictions for the NH2* mole fraction profiles. It was shown (from kinetics) that the oxy-ammonia mixture produced more NH2* than the H2:NH3:N2 mixture by up to 113%. Additionally, the effects of the flame configuration were also investigated by studying the same mixture (the H2:NH3:N2 mixture in this case), and it was revealed that the spectra produced using the modified Mckenna burner had less noise, and all features were easily identified. Lastly, laminar flame speeds of the oxy-ammonia mixture were measured using the spherical flame apparatus. The laminar flame speed followed the expected pattern, peaking near a 1.1 equivalence ratio with a measured flame speed of 22.7 cm/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation often draws public attention and concerns regarding safety, and with large-scale shipping campaigns expected in the future, public interest is anticipated to substantially increase. In 1999, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) began an initiative called the Package Performance Study (PPS) that initially focused on SNF transportation cask responses to severe transportation accidents. A public participation approach was to be used to help guide the scope and parameters of the study, which was also to consider using full-scale physical testing of a SNF transportation cask, where appropriate. In 2010, the NRC decided not to go forward with physical testing as proposed. In 2006, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) conducted a study on SNF and high-level radioactive waste transportation in the United States. The NAS study recommended that full-scale cask testing, as well as other accepted methodologies, continue to be used as part of the package performance evaluation. In 2012, the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC) recommended conducting the PPS with a full-scale rail transportation cask for the purpose of building public trust and confidence in the safety of SNF transport. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) restarted a consent-based siting process, focusing on how to site federal facilities for the interim consolidated storage of SNF using a consent-based approach. Large-scale SNF transportation would be necessary for any such interim storage facility. As the planning activities begin for future large-scale shipping campaigns, the DOE is considering options for conducting a DOE-led PPS to help build public trust and confidence in the transportation of SNF. Therefore, the DOE is gathering information related to the previous NRC-led PPS efforts, as well as applicable international experience with the testing of SNF packages. This paper discusses previous NRC efforts, as well as the current status of a DOE-led PPS, which is in the early planning stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current workforce does not meet the demand for physiotherapy services in Australia. Future demand is predicted to expand driven primarily by the aging population. Previous research describes significant attrition and short career intentions of junior physiotherapists. Objective: This study explored factors associated with physiotherapy graduates' early career intentions and satisfaction. Method: Four cohorts of student physiotherapists completed two online surveys designed specifically for this study assessing their immediate and future career intentions and satisfaction. Surveys were completed after undergraduate training (Student Survey) and 2 years later (Practitioner Survey). Question formats included single or multiple select, Likert scale, and free-text responses. Responses were analyzed via descriptive statistics and content and relational analysis. Results: Despite most early career practitioners (83%) reporting career satisfaction, 27% intended to pursue long-term physiotherapy careers (>20 years) and 15% intended to work for 5 years or less. Fewer (11%) reported a longer career intention and 26% a shorter career intention compared to their student survey. Extrinsic occupational factors, such as support, were mentioned as influential in increasing intended future career length since course completion. Conclusion: This study found some evidence of factors contributing to shorter career intentions of early career physiotherapists. Specific support of early career physiotherapists may encourage longer career intentions and help build future workforce capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered central to ethical, effective service delivery in rehabilitation, and the implementation of the World Health Organisation's Rehabilitation Strategy 2030. This study aimed to explore and compare the experiences of health professionals regarding the application of EBP for stroke rehabilitation in each participant's region and country, which provided perspectives from low, middle, and high-income countries.Methods and materials: Interviews were conducted with 12 experienced rehabilitation professionals from 12 different countries (5 high-income, 2 upper-middle income, 3 lower-middle income, and 2 low-income countries) and interpreted using qualitative descriptive analysis.Results: Nine factors influencing evidence-based stroke rehabilitation were: 1) the complexity of rehabilitation research; 2) the (ir)relevance of research to local context; 3) lack of time for EBP; 4) minimal training in EBP; 5) changing health professional behaviours; 6) poor access to resources for developing EBP; 7) influence of culture, patients, and families; 8) language barriers; and 9) lack of access to research evidence. Economic constraints contributed to many challenges; but not all challenges related to the country's economic classification.Conclusion: A global approach is needed to share knowledge about EBP, especially scientific evidence and innovative thinking about its application to clinical practice. Rehabilitation professional groups should contribute to a global network to improve informal knowledge sharing and training around evidence-based practice. Support for training in evidence-based practice and its application needs to be developed and accessible in all countries, including low and middle-income countries. It is imperative that policymakers prioritise practical, evidence-based solutions for rehabilitation research in low and middle-income countries that can be effectively implemented within local settings. There must be solutions and increased accessibility of journal articles for those working in low and middle-income countries including those whose first language is not English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a common scenario, bone fractures have a self-healing function with free-surgical intervention. However, some fractures in bone tissue are complex and leave behind remnant deformation that requires biomaterials for replacement. The aim of this study is to develop a new composite 3D scaffold for bone regeneration and replacement composed of calcium zirconate (CaZrO3), hydroxyapatite (HA) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer. Different 3D scaffolds were fabricated by mixing 90, 80, 70, and 60 wt. % PMMA with HA and CaZrO3 nanoparticles in different concentrations. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were applied to characterize the 3D composite scaffold properties. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the fabricated scaffolds were investigated using Brazilian diametral fracture test. It was found that incorporating a uniform distribution of HA nanoparticles significantly increased the surface roughness of the composite scaffold. Furthermore, the fracture strength of the fabricated 3D scaffolds showed a remarkable improvement of 86% in the sample containing 90% PMMA, 7% HA, and 3% CaZrO3 compared to the sample devoid of CaZrO3. Our findings strongly indicate that integrating hybrid CaZrO3-HA nanoparticles into PMMA polymer for the production of 3D composite scaffolds holds significant promise for bone tissue applications, potentially enhancing their efficacy and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant, anti-glycation and anti-protein denaturation potential of test extracts were assessed by hemolysis, antioxidant, antiglycation, and anti-protein denaturation assays. The cytotoxic effect of the tested extracts ranged from 6.18 ± 0.15 to 29.33 ± 1.47%. The highest effect was noted in C. carandas, H. cannabinus, T. chebula and H. indicum in antioxidant assay. The phenolic content ranged from 84.73 to 238.23 mg GAE g−1 of extract and the flavonoid was 36.05 to 184.26 mgRE g−1 of extracts. Antiglycation activity exhibited in M. longifolia, T. chebula, H. cannabinus and H. indicum (leaf). C. carandas, H. cannabinus and H. indicum showed significant IC50 value in protein denaturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Journal of Social Work is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This is the first attempt to describe and explain the varying patterns of support for football in Australia from the very early games played by First Nations people and the arrivals from overseas down to the present day. It discusses the Indigenous forms of football and the subsequent involvement of Indigenous people in the codified games of the nineteenth century. The majority of the article covers the development of spectatorship since codification and tries to bring out the distinctive features of changing Australian spectatorship where this is appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attitudes, perceptions and inherent biases of healthcare professionals (HCPs) have the potential to influence and inform health outcomes of people with intellectual disability. This review aimed to identify what educational interventions have been conducted to improve the attitude, knowledge, and confidence of HCPs in caring for people with intellectual disability. A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline, ERIC and PsycINFO. Inclusion criteria included: articles published after 1980 in English, quantitative and mixed methods studies. Of 1444 articles yielded, 10 met the inclusion criteria. Studies predominantly included doctors and nurses. Almost half (40%) of the studies reported interventions that were effective in changing perceived confidence and attitudes, while 60% achieved improvement in knowledge or skills based on Kirkpatrick classification. Training is valuable in improving knowledge, broadening perspectives, and increasing confidence in managing people with intellectual disability but there are limited studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a product of the first complete survey of British public representational monuments in the U.K. related to transatlantic slavery, available online at . Identifying over 900 monuments, it brings this survey to bear on current public and policy debates about such monuments' history, significance and meaning vis-à-vis slavery, art and heritage. Examining the monuments at scale, we identify the monuments' patterns of production and provide data-led answers to specific questions such as what Britain's most significant monumental legacies of slavery are; how enslaved people appear in British public monuments; and how this data might support rethinking these monuments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transaction costs, related to either investigating improved land management practices (ILMP), engaging in adoption support programs for these practices and/or implementing changes on-ground, create barriers to ILMP adoption. Perceived and actual transaction costs have long been hypothesised as a potential barrier to grazier adoption of ILMPs in catchments to the Great Barrier Reef. Applying a framework derived from transaction cost theory, we assess this hypothesis. Through semi-structured interviews of a sample of participants in two ILMP programs, we find that ILMP adoption support program characteristics have a large influence on perceived and actual transaction costs of landholders seeking to engage in ILMP programs or adopt ILMPs. The importance of establishing and nurturing relationships between landholders and extension officers was also highlighted as critical to reducing landholder transaction costs. The degree to which relationships reduce transaction costs demonstrates the importance of fostering landholder leadership in ILMP program design as well as targeted extension in supporting adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venetoclax is a first-in-class B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) inhibitor approved as continuous monotherapy and in combination with rituximab as fixed-treatment duration for relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL). DEVOTE was a 24-week, multicenter observational study (NCT03310190) evaluating the safety, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients initiating venetoclax for R/R CLL in Canada. Overall, 89 patients received 1 dose of venetoclax; 80% had prior exposure (42% resistant) to ibrutinib. Biochemical tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) occurred in five patients. We observed differences in hospitalization across Canadian provinces including in patients at low risk for TLS with no clear impact on TLS incidence. Additionally, a rapid and sustained improvement in several domains of HRQoL was observed during venetoclax initiation. Early adoption of venetoclax was mainly for R/R CLL patients with few treatment options; nonetheless, acceptable toxicity and a positive impact on HRQoL were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver performs a wide range of biological functions that are essential to body homeostasis. Damage to liver tissue can result in reduced organ function, and if chronic in nature can lead to organ scarring and progressive disease. Currently, donor liver transplantation is the only longterm treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, orthotopic organ transplantation suffers from several drawbacks that include organ scarcity and lifelong immunosuppression. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are required. One promising strategy is the engineering of implantable and vascularized liver tissue. This resource could also be used to build the next generation of liver tissue models to better understand human health, disease and aging in vitro. This article reviews recent progress in the field of liver tissue bioengineering, including microfluidic-based systems, bio-printed vascularized tissue, liver spheroids and organoid models, and the induction of angiogenesis in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential treatment programs for eating disorders (EDs) have gained popularity in recent years, expanding beyond the United States to countries such as Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These programs offer a "home-like" environment where individuals reside for several weeks or months, emphasising both physical restoration and psychological recovery. This scoping review aimed to provide an update since the most recent reviews on the literature regarding outcomes of residential treatment programs for EDs and to explore clinical features that were associated with these outcomes. Methods used followed the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, and 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies reported improvements in various outcomes from admission to discharge, including changes in eating psychopathology, weight restoration, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Additionally, three studies reported positive outcomes at intervals after discharge and three predictive factors (self-compassion, personality organisation, and resistance to emotional vulnerability) were reported in a small number of studies. While residential treatment facilities consistently showed positive outcomes, the review highlights the need for randomised controlled studies to establish the efficacy of these programs for EDs. Future research should include controlled studies comparing residential facilities to other treatment settings and incorporate long-term follow-up outcomes and further studies of emergent predictive factors identified in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) enable movement-independent information transfer from humans to computers. Decoding imagined 3D objects from electroencephalography (EEG) may improve design ideation in engineering design or image reconstruction from EEG for application in brain-computer interfaces, neuro-prosthetics, and cognitive neuroscience research. Object-imagery decoding studies, to date, predominantly employ functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and do not provide real-time feedback. We present four linked studies in a study series to investigate: (1) whether five imagined 3D primitive objects (sphere, cone, pyramid, cylinder, and cube) could be decoded from EEG; and (2) the influence of real-time feedback on decoding accuracy. Studies 1 (N = 10) and 2 (N = 3) involved a single-session and a multi-session design, respectively, without real-time feedback. Studies 3 (N = 2) and 4 (N = 4) involved multiple sessions, without and with real-time feedback. The four studies involved 69 sessions in total of which 26 sessions were online with real-time feedback (15,480 trials for offline and at least 6,840 trials for online sessions in total). We demonstrate that decoding accuracy over multiple sessions improves significantly with biased feedback (p = 0.004), compared to performance without feedback. This is the first study to show the effect of real-time feedback on the performance of primitive object-imagery BCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles within the issue on topics focusing on director and playwright Simon Stone, including his adaptation process, his professional career and his theatrical networks.

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a skin infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and a neglected tropical disease of the skin (skin NTD). Antibiotic treatments are available but, to be effective in the absence of surgery, BU must be detected at its earliest stages (an innocuous-looking lump under the skin) and adherence to prescribed drugs must be high. This study aimed to develop multisensory medical illustrations of BU to support communication with at-risk communities. We used a Think Aloud method to explore community health workers' (n = 6) experiences of BU with a focus on the role of their five senses, since these non-medical disease experts are familiar with the day-to-day challenges presented by BU. Thematic analysis of the transcripts identified three key themes relating to 'Detection,' 'Help Seeking,' and 'Adherence' with a transcending theme 'Senses as key facilitators of health care'. New medical illustrations, for which we coin the phrase "5D illustrations" (signifying the contribution of the five senses) were then developed to reflect these themes. The senses therefore facilitated an enriched narrative enabling the production of relevant and useful visuals for health communication. The medical artist community could utilise sensory experiences to create dynamic medical illustrations for use in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Bangkok International Symposium on HIV Medicine was launched in January 1998 with the aim to provide up-to-date information on HIV to professional heathcare workers in Thailand and surrounding countries who cannot afford to attend conferences abroad. After several virtual conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the second face-to-face meeting held in Bangkok from 17 to 19 January 2024. There were a total of six plenary sessions each morning and two afternoon workshops on Wednesday and Thursday. The symposium had expert speakers from Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, the UK, the USA, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Deepwater Horizon disaster of April 2010 was the largest oil spill in U.S. history and exerted catastrophic effects on several ecologically important fish species in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Within fish, the microbiome plays a key symbiotic role in maintaining host health and aids in acquiring nutrients, supporting immune function, and modulating behavior. The aim of this study was to examine if exposure to weathered oil might produce significant shifts in fish gut-associated microbial communities as determined from taxa and genes known for hydrocarbon degradation, and whether foraging behavior was affected. The gut microbiome (16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomics) of sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) was characterized after fish were exposed to oil in High Energy Water Accommodated Fractions (HEWAF; tPAH = 81.1 ± 12.4 µg/L) for 7 days. A foraging behavioral assay was used to determine feeding efficiency before and after oil exposure. The fish gut microbiome was not significantly altered in alpha or beta diversity. None of the most abundant taxa produced any significant shifts as a result of oil exposure, with only rare taxa showing significant shifts in abundance between treatments. However, several bioindicator taxa known for hydrocarbon degradation were detected in the oil treatment, primarily Sphingomonas and Acinetobacter. Notably, the genus Stenotrophomonas was detected in high abundance in 16S data, which previously was not described as a core member of fish gut microbiomes. Data also demonstrated that behavior was not significantly affected by oil exposure. Potential low bioavailability of the oil may have been a factor in our observation of minor shifts in taxa and no behavioral effects. This study lays a foundation for understanding the microbiome of captive sheepshead minnows and indicates the need for further research to elucidate the responses of the fish gut-microbiome under oil spill conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partnerships with local public sector agencies, enterprises and tertiary institutions offer a means to inform young people about post-school pathways into working life and occupations that schools alone cannot achieve. Informing about those pathways is an important, yet, complex educational goal for schooling. This is because much of schooling effort privileges and is directed towards higher education entry. Often advice provided to young people through schools is by teachers and administrators who are, understandably, unacquainted with the range of post-school pathways other than higher education. School guidance officers report being ill-equipped and unable to provide students personalised advice. Consequently, sources of advice and experiences beyond the school are now being utilised, particularly through the growing role of partnerships. These partnerships take diverse forms and comprise different kinds of institutional alignments and are increasingly being viewed as essential bases for supporting effective and informed post-school transitions. This article presents and discusses a review of literature and a recent investigation to advance principles and practices of how such partnerships can be best initiated, enacted, and sustained over time and they can meet the goals of informing and guiding young people's pathways, including options other than progression to higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypospadias surgery is associated with acute postoperative pain needing longterm analgesia. Regional anaesthesia is commonly used with general anaesthesia (GA). We aim to compare sacral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) caudal and penile blocks in pain management following hypospadias surgery. Patients and methods: This randomized controlled single blind trial was established on 132 pediatric cases aged from 1 to 5 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II, planned for hypospadias surgery. Cases were classified into three equal groups; group C: received caudal block (CB) (1 ml/kg bupivacaine 0.25%, maximum 20 ml), group P: received penile block (0.1 ml/kg bupivacaine 0.5%, maximum 2.5 ml) and finally, group E: received ultrasound guided sacral bilateral ESPB (1 mL/kg 0.25% bupivacaine, maximum 20 ml). The blocks were done after GA induction and before the surgical incision. Results: Time to 1st rescue analgesia was significantly delayed in groups C and E than group P (P < 0.001) and was insignificantly different between groups C and E. Total pethidine consumption was significantly lower in groups C and E than group P (P = 0.003, and 0.028, respectively). FLACC scores were significantly lower in groups C and E than group P at 4, 6, 8 and 12 h (p < 0.05) and were insignificantly different between groups C and E. Penile engorgement was insignificantly different among the three groups. Conclusion: Both ESPB and CB had better pain control and lower opioid consumption compared to penile block, but CB is associated with incidence with penile engorgement and hypotensiveness than other techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative pain control is a major challenge after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine either intraperitoneal (IP) or intravenous (IV) as an adjuvant to intraperitoneal bupivacaine in patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy. Methods: A total of 105 patients were randomized in this prospective, controlled study. All patients received 40 ml bupivacaine 0.25% IP. Control group (n = 35): received 50 ml normal saline IV. IV dexmedetomidine group (n = 35): received 50 ml normal saline plus dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg IV. IP dexmedetomidine group (n = 35): received IP dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg plus bupivacaine 0.25%, and 50 ml normal saline IV. Time to first rescue analgesia was the primary outcome. Whereas the total consumption of tramadol and visual analog scale (VAS) were the secondary outcomes. Results: The first time of rescue analgesia was prolonged in IP dexmedetomidine compared to IV dexmedetomidine and control group (P 0.0001). The total amount of rescue tramadol was lower in IP dexmedetomidine compared to IV dexmedetomidine and control group (P 0.0001). VAS was comparable between the three groups at the recovery room, 2, 4, and 24 h postoperatively, while a statistically significant difference was found at 6, 12, and 18 h postoperatively. Extubation and recovery times were prolonged in IV dexmedetomidine group (P 0.0001, 0.0001; respectively). Conclusions: IP dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to IP bupivacaine is as efficacious as IV dexmedetomidine compared to IP bupivacaine alone. However, the IP administration has the longest duration of analgesia and the lowest postoperative analgesic consumption. Clinical trial registration number: Clinical Trials.gov (NCT04370392). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major microvascular diabetic complication representing the key leading reason for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The current work aimed to evaluate the value of urinary and serum NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associating lipocalin), as an early biomarker of DN in subjects with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study included 300 adult subjects with T2DM subdivided into 3 groups: Group A: 100 subjects with normoalbuminuria. Group B: 100 subjects with moderately increased albuminuria. Group C: 100 subjects with severely increased albuminuria. Serum NGAL and urinary NGAL were significantly elevated in T2DMsubjects with albuminuria than in normoalbuminuric T2DMsubjects (p < 0.001). Serum NGAL and urinary NGAL were positively associated with albumin/creatinine Ratio, (p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis was done to discriminate among moderately/severely increased albuminuria from normoalbuminuria showed a cutoff point ≤ 10.76 for serum NGAL with AUC 0.785 (p value < 0.001) and a cutoff point ≤ 15.811 with AUC 0.687 for urinary NGAL(p < 0.001). NGAL can be utilized as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of DN. Both urinary NGAL and serum NGAL may predict albuminuria and can be utilized as a noninvasive tool for diagnosing, grading, and progressions of DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies suggest that 'don't know' (DK) responses to risk perception items may represent meaningful expressions of uncertainty about disease risk. However, researchers are often discouraged from including a DK response option in survey items due to concerns about respondents overusing it to minimize cognitive effort—a phenomenon often referred to as satisficing. Our objective was to investigate whether patterns of DK responses to risk perception survey items were consistent with satisficing behavior. We conducted a secondary analysis of survey data from 814 parents and guardians (hereafter caregivers) of children with asthma. Caregivers answered 18 items assessing their perceived risk of their child experiencing two types of poor asthma outcomes: asthma exacerbation, and low asthma control. We examined differences in the frequency and distribution of DK responses across all 18 items and by type of risk perception item (i.e. 2 vs. 5 response options, absolute vs. comparative risk). We found that 32% (n = 548) of respondents marked DK at least once. Of the 266 caregivers who provided any DK response, most did so for only 1 or 2 items (51.9%, n = 138), and only 6% (n = 15) answered DK to more than half of the items. Using random coefficient Poisson models, we found more DK responding for dichotomous absolute (30.1%) than ordinal absolute items (5.3%), b = 1.72, p<.001. We also found fewer DK responses to the ordinal absolute items than the comparative items (8.2%), b=-0.49, p<.001. Using Chi-square tests, we found that inattentive responding was not associated with responding DK. Our findings suggest that satisficing is unlikely to completely explain DK responding to perceived risk survey items. Researchers who exclude DK response options from risk perception survey items may obtain an incomplete understanding of their study sample's beliefs about risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a complex and disabling eating disorder (ED) associated with considerable burden and impairments in quality of life and physical/mental health. It has been recognized as a formal ED category since 2013, however BED is still underdetected and undertreated. This review summarizes the advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of BED as well as the evidence on the efficacy of the existing treatments. The authors searched Scopus, PubMed, ClinicalTrials.Gov, and ANZCTR with terms including 'assessment' OR 'treatment' OR 'diagnosis' OR 'mechanisms' AND 'binge eating' OR 'binge-eating disorder' for manuscripts published between January 2013 and April 2023. Most of the trials on treatments of BED have been in people of high weight with weight loss as an outcome. Nevertheless, less is known about the treatment of this condition in people with body mass index (BMI) within the normal range where weight stabilization may be a more appropriate goal. Moreover, there is a need for an enhanced appreciation of the role of combination treatment to improve overall outcomes. Also, there are important opportunities for future research in understanding the mechanisms of action and effectiveness of BED treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is argued that Russell before 1905 saw no value in Frege's sense/reference distinction. This is clearest in the Mont Blanc correspondence. It is argued that Russell and Frege failed to engage because Frege lacked a grasp on the internal/external relations distinction. For Russell sense is either an external relation, objectionably separating out thought and reference, or an internal relation, so what is thought is altered such that we do not know what we are talking about. The novelty of the present paper lies in the arrangement of the parts and the claim that Russellian propositions are not made up of the things themselves but of transparent representatives thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To eliminate the requirement of the precise model for model-based control methods, an improved modelfree H∞ control method is designed for batch processes with unknown dynamics and disturbances. Firstly, both the zero-sum game value function and the Q-function are presented as two-dimensional (2D) forms, and their relation is analyzed to obtain the model-free Bellman equation. Secondly, an on policy 2D game Q-learning method is proposed for learning the optimal gains of the designed H∞ controller. On this basis, the behavior control policy and the behavior disturbance policy are individually applied by developing an off-policy 2D game Q-learning method. Subsequently, the strict proof about the convergence and the unbiasedness of the off-policy approach are given. Finally, the simulation results of injection velocity manifest the validity and effectivity of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Busulfan is a widely used cancer chemotherapeutic agent. Temporary or permanent sterility in male patients is one of the most common side effects of this drug. The present study was performed to evaluate the changes in the microscopic structure of the testes of prepubertal rats, as well as the changes in PCNA and caspase-3 immune expression, at different durations after busulfan administration. The rats were 5 weeks old and were divided into two main groups. Control group and busulfan treated group. Busulfan treated group received a single dose of busulfan (40 mg/kg), then animals were subdivided to three subgroups; IIa, IIb, IIc which were sacrificed after four, ten and twenty weeks, respectively, from the beginning of the experiment. Light and electron microscopic studies were done. Serum testosterone level and relative testes weight were assessed. Immunohistochemical staining for anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and anti-caspase-3 antigen was also done. Morphometric and statistical studies were carried out. Group II revealed histological and ultrastructural degenerative changes including congested blood vessels and degenerated spermatogenic epithelium, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells. These changes were more evident after 10 weeks of busulfan administration and were accompanied by absence of mature sperms in the lumen of seminiferous tubules. These changes were associated with a significant reduction in relative testes weight, testosterone level, germinal epithelial height and seminiferous tubule diameter. Moreover, PCNA and caspase-3 immune expression was significantly altered in busulfan treated group. Mild improvement in testicular structure was observed 20 weeks after busulfan treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the reflections of social work, education advocacy and directorate staff on social work student placements in Cambodia. Staff were predominantly from Cambodia while the student, at the time of the data gathering was from Aotearoa New Zealand, staff also took into consideration previous placements at the agency. The community-based NGO in Cambodia, where the placement was situated, delivers a range of community development, social work and education services. The data was gathered using an action research approach and explored the skills, knowledge and professional attributes required for working with an indigenous population. Several recommendations for higher education institutions, primarily relating to placement preparation and the important role of local placement host organisations, are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials of fractions from Cassia siamea and Butea monosperma. The water, hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate fractions of tested plants was determined their bioactivities by hemolysis, antiglycation, alpha-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibition, glucose uptake by yeast cells, DPPH radical scavenging, and total phenolic content determination assays. Non-hemolytic effects of all fractions were shown by < 20% on RBCs. The best inhibition activities for AGE formation of water and hexane fractions from C. siamea were shown in IC50 values (mg/mL) of 0.17 and 0.14, respectively. For B. monosperma, the EtOAc fraction exhibited the best inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 0.10 mg/mL. The water and ethyl acetate fractions of C. siamea strongly inhibited α-glucosidase, and their IC50 values were 0.16 mg/mL and 0.17 mg/mL, respectively. Ethyl acetate fractions of B. monosperma significantly inhibited α-glucosidase, with a respective IC50 value of 0.14 mg/mL. DPP-IV inhibitory activities for water, hexane, and ethyl acetate fractions of C. siamea revealed with IC50 values of 0.11, 0.09, and 0.18 mg/mL, respectively and those of B. monosperma were 0.23, 0.13, and 0.24 mg/mL, respectively. The glucose uptake effect observed in the water and ethyl acetate fractions of B. monosperma was better than that observed in the fractions of C. siamea at tested glucose concentrations (5-25 mM). In addition, all tested fractions were very active in antioxidant capacity. This study indicated that the water fraction of C. siamea and ethyl acetate fraction of B. monosperma exhibited the best antidiabetic potential with high antioxidant power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bereavement is a universal experience common within the higher education student population. The present study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of bereaved Australian university students. In semi-structured interviews, 12 students (10 women, 2 men; Mage = 38.13, SD = 15.37) shared their experiences of bereavement while studying. A thematic analysis resulted in three themes: Relationships between study and bereavement, Navigating the university system, and What students need. The findings highlighted varying levels of support accessed and level of need, which were influenced by the circumstances of the student and the loss, mode of study, personal resources, and perceptions of the university system's ability to help. The findings highlight the need to develop and communicate clear policies and procedures so that bereaved students are supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers play a critical role in the implementation of inclusive education in their schools. In this paper, we report on a study that investigated teacher perceptions of their capabilities to implement effective inclusive practices in their classrooms at an urban, primary (elementary) school in south-east Queensland, Australia. Participating teachers (n = 48) responded to an online survey that contained two open-ended questions that focused on understandings and beliefs about inclusive practices, together with the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale Sharma, Loreman, and Forlin [2012. "Measuring Teacher Efficacy to Implement Inclusive Practices." Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs 12 (1): 12–21]. Responses to the open-ended questions revealed that teachers were positively disposed towards the enactment of inclusive practices in their school. Teachers also reported high levels of efficacy across items on the TEIP scale, indicating that they were mainly confident in implementing inclusive practices in their classrooms. They showed highest levels of uncertainty for items related to involving parents in school activities and informing others about inclusion legislation and policies. Implications for targeted teacher professional learning at school and systemic levels are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient values, preferences, and circumstances are critical to decision-making in both patient-centred and evidence-based practice models of healthcare. Despite the established importance of integrating these patient attributes, the ways they are elicited in rehabilitation remain unclear. This study aimed to explore how health professionals elicit and share patients' 'values', 'preferences', and 'circumstances', and what they understand by the terms. This exploratory qualitative descriptive study used interviews with 13 clinicians from interprofessional teams in inpatient neurological rehabilitation. Data were analysed using a general inductive approach. Participants understood 'values' to mean what is important and meaningful; 'preferences' as likes/dislikes and choices; and 'circumstances' as the social, physical, and environmental context surrounding the person. Formal and informal strategies were used to gather information directly from patients or indirectly from other sources. The processes of eliciting and communicating this information were influenced by relationships and relied on contributions from many people. Elicitation involved a flexible approach tailored to the individual and considering each unique context. The strategies used and the approach used to implement these strategies were both essential to eliciting patient values, preferences, and circumstances in neurological rehabilitation. These findings offer insights into the practices of interprofessional rehabilitation clinicians. Eliciting patient values, preferences, and circumstances involves a combination of strategies and approaches that are applied gradually throughout the continuum of rehabilitation. These processes are flexible, and strategies should be tailored to individual patients/families and phases of rehabilitation. Clinicians should be attentive to informal opportunities to gather valuable information throughout rehabilitation. Establishing positive relationships and using effective communication is foundational to these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belongingness is a central biopsychosocial system. Challenges to belongingness (i.e. exclusion/ostracism) engender robust negative effects on affect and cognitions. Whether overinclusion – getting more than one's fair share of social attention – favourably impacts affect and cognitions remains an open question. This pre-registered meta-analysis includes twenty-two studies (N = 2757) examining overinclusion in the context of the Cyberball task. We found that the estimated overall effect size of overinclusion on positive affect was small but robust, and the effect on fundamental needs cognitions (belongingness, self-esteem, meaningful existence and control) was moderate in size and positive in direction. Notably, the effect sizes of overinclusion were smaller than the corresponding effects of exclusion. Finally, the effects of overinclusion on positive affect were greater for high, as compared to low, socially anxious individuals. Exploring the sequelae of the full range of inclusion experiences – from exclusion to overinclusion – may enrich our understanding of the functioning of the belongingness system as well as its interaction with another central biosocial system – the social status system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]