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Analysis of the experiences and resulting inequalities in reproductive health in the workplace has generated studies of pregnancy, miscarriage, menstruation, fertility and menopause. One issue that has remained outside of this literature is abortion. How abortion is talked about (or not talked about), experienced and perceived as a workplace issue were the central questions in our research undertaken in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2017. Our study comprised a survey (3180 respondents) followed by a series of online focus groups (61 participants) with trade union members from a broad range of workplaces, with the aim of investigating how abortion was positioned in workplaces within legally restrictive regimes. We conceptualize how self‐disciplining, silence and abortion stigma are reproduced in workplaces, drawing on a feminist Foucauldian framework to examine disciplinary power. We examine evidence of how, in conservative societies, abortion talk is suppressed, and we generate new theoretical knowledge on how disciplinary power undermines resistance to anti‐abortion norms and demonstrate the function of the normalizing gaze in the workplace. We conclude by offering avenues for future research on abortion stigma and disciplinary power, to extend further knowledge and conceptual framing of abortion as a workplace issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a form of cell death characterized by a pro‐oxidative cellular milieu and iron‐dependent lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis has been implicated in various forms of liver injury, in keeping with the major role of the liver in iron metabolism. Limited research has addressed potential differences in ferroptosis mediators with age and sex, especially in an in vivo model. The goal of this investigation was to evaluate hepatic labile iron and mediators of ferroptosis with ageing in both sexes. Because female animals generally display greater antioxidant defences than males, we hypothesized that females would display a phenotype resistant to ferroptosis. Here, we determined iron contents, protein expression of ferroptosis mediators and measures of oxidative injury in liver samples from 12‐ and 24‐month‐old male and female Fischer 344 rats. In comparison to males, the livers of female rats at both ages contained more non‐haem iron, which was associated with greater ferritin heavy chain expression and attenuated expression of transferrin receptor‐1. In female rats, the 24‐month‐old group had higher contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances compared with their 12‐month‐old counterparts, yet similar contents of labile iron. These results suggest a disconnect between labile iron contents and oxidative injury with age. Female animals also displayed greater expression of acyl‐CoA synthetase long‐chain family member 4 (ACSL4), a modulator of ferroptosis, and greater abundance of high molecular weight 4‐hydroxnonenal‐modified proteins. These results demonstrate clear differences in iron and ferroptosis mediators between sexes and suggest that female rats of this strain might be more susceptible to ferroptosis. What is the central question of this study?Do iron stores and ferroptosis mediators in the liver differ with age or sex?What is the main finding and its importance?We observed greater non‐haem iron, 4‐hydroxynonenal‐modified proteins and ACSL4 protein expression in female livers, suggesting greater susceptibility to ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VMXm joins the suite of operational macromolecular crystallography beamlines at Diamond Light Source. It has been designed to optimize rotation data collections from protein crystals less than 10 µm and down to below 1 µm in size. The beamline has a fully focused beam of 0.3 × 2.3 µm (vertical × horizontal) with a tuneable energy range (6–28 keV) and high flux (1.6 × 1012 photons s−1 at 12.5 keV). The crystals are housed within a vacuum chamber to minimize background scatter from air. Crystals are plunge‐cooled on cryo‐electron microscopy grids, allowing much of the liquid surrounding the crystals to be removed. These factors improve the signal‐to‐noise during data collection and the lifetime of the microcrystals can be prolonged by exploiting photoelectron escape. A novel in vacuo sample environment has been designed which also houses a scanning electron microscope to aid with sample visualization. This combination of features at VMXm allows measurements at the physical limits of X‐ray crystallography on biomacromolecules to be explored and exploited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In nearly all jurisdictions where it is permitted, Medical Assistance in Dying is situated in a healthcare system. Currently, limited evidence demonstrates how supply and demand factors influence access to Medical Assistance in Dying. Objective: The aim of this study is to synthesise empirical research from jurisdictions where Medical Assistance in Dying is legal to identify how supply and demand factors influence access for eligible adults. Method: An integrative review was conducted. CINAHL Complete, PubMed, ProQuest, PsycINFO and Embase databases were systematically searched for studies published between January 1998 and January 2024. Records were independently assessed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Additional studies were identified by forward and backward citation searching. All studies were assessed for quality. Findings were analysed deductively using an established conceptual framework, and a secondary narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: Fifty‐eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (n = 32) reported results related to the supply side, 16 reported on the demand side and 10 reported on both supply and demand dimensions of access. Studies about supply showed that health service policies may obstruct access to Medical Assistance in Dying. For healthcare professionals, the practice entails an additional workload and can create tensions with colleagues. Studies of the demand for Medical Assistance in Dying focused on supporting time‐critical decisions, adequate planning and caregiver support. Conclusion: Access to Medical Assistance in Dying requires the participation of health services and healthcare professionals but is hindered by policies that obstruct access and direct financial and indirect emotional labour costs. Innovative and inclusive models to promote high‐quality, compassionate care at the end of life and access to Medical Assistance in Dying should be considered. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients, caregivers and service users were involved in many of the studies included in this review, and their experiences and perspectives contributed to the analysis and synthesis in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Limnology & Oceanography (L&O) Letters Early Career Publication Honor (ECPH) was created to amplify underrepresented voices in aquatic sciences and support the publication of Open Access articles by selected early career researchers. The program provides honorees with pre-submission editorial support, a waiver for the Article Processing Charge, and post-publication social media promotion. The ECRs who received the honor share their perspectives and advice, highlighting the benefits of the friendly review process, the opportunity to be lead and corresponding authors, the waiver of publication fees, and the cumulative impacts of the experience. They also provide tips for manuscript writing and publishing in L&O Letters, and encourage other ECRs to apply for the ECPH. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Nurses are often the first responders to in‐hospital cardiac arrest in postoperative cardiac surgical patients. Poor clarity about role expectations and responsibilities can hinder nurses' performance during cardiac advanced life support (CALS) procedures. Aim: To seek expert consensus on nurses' roles and responsibilities in CALS for patients in postoperative cardiac surgical patients. Study design: A two‐round modified eDelphi survey. Delphi items were informed by guideline literature, an audit of resuscitation records and expert interviews. Panellists, drawn from a single site of a large tertiary health service in metropolitan Melbourne, included nurses, doctors and surgeons familiar with the management of cardiac arrest in post‐operative cardiac surgical patients. Results: The two rounds of the modified eDelphi generated 55 responses. A consensus of >80% agreement was reached for 24 of the 41 statements in Round 2. All items related to nurses' roles and responsibilities during nurses pre‐ and post‐arrest phases reached consensus. In contrast, only 29% (n = 4/14) of items related to peri‐arrest, and 36% of those related to nurse scope of practise in CALS arrest (n = 4/11) reached consensus. Conclusion: The study's aim was only partially achieved. Findings indicate high agreement about nurses' roles and responsibilities before and immediately after a cardiac arrest, but limited clarity about nurses' roles when implementing the CALS protocol, such as resternotomy and internal cardiac massage. There is an urgent need to address uncertainty about nurses' roles and scope of practice in CALS, which is essential to the recognition of nurses' contribution to the cardiac specialty workforce. Relevance to clinical practise: Uncertainty about nurses 'roles and responsibilities when implementing the CALS protocol may hinder their performance to their full scope of practice, leading to poor patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-crystal chemical vapour deposition (CVD) diamond detectors are an established transmissive synchrotron beamline diagnostic instrument used for beam position and beam intensity monitoring. A recently commercialized alternative is silicon carbide (4H-SiC) devices. These have the potential to provide the same diagnostic information as commercially available single-crystal CVD diamond X-ray beam position monitors, but with a much larger transmissive aperture. At Diamond Light Source an experimental comparison of the performance of single-crystal CVD diamond and 4H-SiC X-ray beam position monitors has been carried out. A quantitative comparison of their performance is presented in this paper. The single-crystal diamond and 4H-SiC beam position monitors were installed in-line along the synchrotron X-ray beam path enabling synchronous measurements at kilohertz rates of the beam motion from both devices. The results of several tests of the two position monitors' performance are presented: comparing signal uniformity across the surface of the detectors, comparing kHz intensity measurements, and comparing kHz beam position measurements from the detectors. Each test is performed with a range of applied external bias voltages. A discussion of the benefits and limitations of 4H-SiC and single-crystal CVD diamond detectors is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: When managing patients with differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) and lytic bone lesions, physicians should consider etiologies other than DTC bony metastases when there is no biochemical and functional radiographic evidence of extensive DTC burden. Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a clonal expansion of mast cells associated with an increased risk of solid malignancies. There is no known association between systemic mastocytosis and thyroid cancer. We report a young woman who presented with cervical lymphadenopathy, palpable thyroid nodule, and lytic bone lesions who was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The patient's post‐surgical thyroglobulin was lower than expected for metastatic thyroid cancer, and the lytic bone lesions did not demonstrate uptake of I123. Upon further evaluation, the patient was found to have SM. We report a case of co‐occurrence of PTC and SM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This critical review lays down the fundamentals for rethinking just energy transition. It reviews the theoretical perspectives of energy justice, socio‐technical transitions (STTs), and political ecology and presents a plausible and useful way to approach a just low‐carbon transition using Political Ecology as a broad framework. This Political Ecology framework for Sustainable Energy Transition (PESET) addresses power issues associated with low‐carbon transition, while also identifying the role of inclusivity and justice in low‐carbon transition. As energy transition studies have primarily focused on the Global North and the extraction and production of large technologies, this framework provides a more radical means to achieve just transition objectives with particular relevance for application in the Global South—a region largely overlooked in transitions scholarship and where mundane/simple technologies (e.g. Solar Home Systems and clean cookstoves) typify transitions processes to date. The PESET framework presents a novel contribution, linking the concepts of energy justice, STTs, and political ecology to provide a more comprehensive means of framing and analysing just energy transitions. It thus provides a novel overarching framework linking energy studies, sustainability transitions, development studies and innovation studies especially in an era where the globe is moving toward a clean and affordable energy for all (Sustainable Development Goal 7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In celiac disease (CeD), gastrointestinal CYP3A4 abundance and morphology is affected by the severity of disease. Therefore, exposure to CYP3A4 substrates and extent of drug interactions is altered. A physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) population for different severities of CeD was developed. Gastrointestinal physiology parameters, such as luminal pH, transit times, morphology, P‐gp, and CYP3A4 expression were included in development of the CeD population. Data on physiological difference between healthy and CeD subjects were incorporated into the model as the ratio of celiac to healthy. A PBPK model was developed and verified for felodipine extended‐release tablet in healthy volunteers (HVs) and then utilized to verify the CeD populations. Plasma concentration‐time profile and PK parameters were predicted and compared against those observed in both groups. Sensitivity analysis was carried out on key system parameters in CeD to understand their impact on drug exposure. For felodipine, the predicted mean concentration‐time profiles and 5th and 95th percentile intervals captured the observed profile and variability in the HV and CeD populations. Predicted and observed clearance was 56.9 versus 56.1 (L/h) in HVs. Predicted versus observed mean ± SD area under the curve for extended release felodipine in different severities of CeD were values of 14.5 ± 9.6 versus 14.4 ± 2.1, 14.6 ± 9.0 versus 17.2 ± 2.8, and 28.1 ± 13.5 versus 25.7 ± 5.0 (ng.h/mL), respectively. Accounting for physiology differences in a CeD population accurately predicted the PK of felodipine. The developed CeD population can be applied for determining the drug concentration of CYP3A substrates in the gut as well as for systemic levels, and for application in drug–drug interaction studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This constructivist grounded theory study used semi‐structured interviews with 19 youth service providers in community‐based youth development programmes to develop a context‐specific framework of how and why youth voice promotion occurred. Factors external to the youth programmes, such as funder expectations, influenced the conceptualization of role for youth workers. The social process of meaning making in relation to role identity impacted how youth workers perceived self‐efficacy when working with youth, especially when engaged with behaviours falling outside programmatic expectations or norms. Workers prioritized fostering physical and psychological safe spaces for youth participants. When conflict occurred, perceptions of efficacy guided workers in taking positions that either promoted or restricted youth voice based on their perceptions of efficacy in resolving conflict safely. Youth programmes have the capacity to resist or replicate oppression present within the educational system. The adoption and adaptation of educational models of resistance offer a strategy for community‐based youth organizations to promote equity and thriving youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and impoundment increase river temperatures, shifting the bioclimatic envelope in which freshwater biota have evolved and increasing salmonid egg mortality. To mitigate this, conservation flows from reservoirs are often implemented to maintain favourable water temperatures downstream from impoundments throughout salmonid embryo development. However, as water to maintain conservation flows becomes scarcer, there is a need to understand the requirements of salmonid embryos and balance these with anthropogenic demands. This study combines a laboratory‐based and a modelling approach to test the effect of different temperatures on the survival from fertilisation to hatch of a model salmonid species. Further, the effect of dropping temperatures from high to optimal conditions at hatch—a perceived period of greater sensitivity to high temperatures—is tested. The study shows embryo mortality increases with temperature and is greatest during gastrulation and hatch. Also, embryos that experienced high temperatures during gastrulation had high mortality rates at hatch, even when hatch conditions were optimal. This indicates sublethal developmental abnormalities caused by high temperatures during gastrulation increase mortality at hatch. Therefore, to maintain high rates of salmonid embryo survival, cold water resources from reservoirs ideally will target both gastrulation and hatch developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: GSK3358699 is a mononuclear myeloid‐targeted bromodomain and extra‐terminal domain (BET) family inhibitor which demonstrates immunomodulatory effects in vitro. This phase 1, randomized, first‐in‐human study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of GSK3358699 in healthy male participants (NCT03426995). Methods: Part A (N = 23) included three dose‐escalating periods of 1‐40 mg of GSK3358699 or placebo in two cohorts in a single ascending‐dose crossover design. Part C (N = 25) was planned as an initial dose of 10 mg of GSK3358699 or placebo daily for 14 days followed by selected doses in four sequential cohorts. Results: In part A, exposure to GSK3358699 and its metabolite GSK3206944 generally increased with increasing doses. The median initial half‐life ranged from 0.7 to 1.1 (GSK3358699) and 2.1 to 2.9 (GSK3206944) hours after a single dose of 1‐40 mg. GSK3206944 concentrations in monocytes were quantifiable at 1‐hour post‐dose following 10 mg of GSK3358699 and 1 and 4 hours post‐dose following 20‐40 mg. Mean predicted percentage inhibition of ex vivo lipopolysaccharide‐induced monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1 reached 75% with 40 mg of GSK3358699. GSK3358699 did not inhibit interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF). The most common adverse event (AE) was headache. Four AEs of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia were observed across parts A and C. One serious AE of atrial fibrillation (part C) required hospitalization. Conclusions: Single doses of GSK3358699 are generally well tolerated with significant metabolite concentrations detected in target cells. A complete assessment of pharmacodynamics was limited by assay variability. A causal relationship could not be excluded for cardiac‐related AEs, resulting in an inability to identify a suitable repeat‐dose regimen and study termination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus; Burchell, 1823) is an African ungulate that is notoriously difficult to hand‐rear and reintegrate into managed herds. The following case report is of a female wildebeest neonate that was orphaned, bottle‐reared, and successfully reintroduced into a herd at a zoological facility. Since blue wildebeests are a highly precocial and herd‐oriented species that calve synchronously in the wild as a reproductive strategy to maximize survival, early release of assist‐reared neonates into managed herds before weaning may be an effective strategy for increasing the chance of acceptance. Wildebeest calves can also be easily trained for bottle‐feedings in the field to facilitate early release. Due to a lack of literature on the assisted rearing and reintegration of wildebeest calves into managed herds, this case report provides useful techniques for the feeding, training, and releasing of bottle‐reared wildebeests that may also be applicable to other assist‐reared herd species at zoological facilities. Research Highlights: Wildebeests are extremely difficult to hand‐rear and reintroduce into herds in captivity.Early release of wildebeest calves before weaning may increase the chance of successful reintegration into a herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs), created by introducing synthetic cofactors into protein scaffolds, are an emerging class of catalyst for non‐natural reactions. Although many classes of ArMs are known, in vitro reconstitution of cofactors and proteins has been a limiting step in the high‐throughput screening and directed evolution of ArMs because purification of individual host proteins is time‐consuming. We describe the application of a platform to combine mutants of the P450 enzyme CYP119 and the cofactor Ir(Me)MPIX in vivo, by coexpression of the CYP119 mutants with the heme transporter encoded by the hug operon, to the directed evolution of ArMs containing Ir(Me)MPIX in whole cells. We applied this platform to the development an ArMs catalyzing the insertion of the acyclic carbene from α‐diazopropanoate esters (Me‐EDA) into the N−H bonds of N‐alkyl anilines, a combination of carbene and amine classes for which mutant enzymes of natural hemoproteins previously reacted with low enantioselectivity. The mutants of the artificial metalloenzyme Ir(Me)CYP119 identified by an evolution campaign involving more than 4000 mutants are shown to catalyze the reaction of Me‐EDA with N‐methyl anilines to form chiral chiral amino esters with high TON and good enantioselectivity, thereby demonstrating that the directed evolution of ArMs can rival that of natural enzymes in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vasculitic immune checkpoint inhibitor-related adverse events (irAEs) are rare, with limited data to guide their management. Here, we present a case of a 67-year-old female with stage IV cutaneous melanoma who received first-line pembrolizumab. She had completed 21 cycles of pembrolizumab dosed at 200 mg every 21 days over 15 months when she developed fatigue, chills, decreased appetite, night sweats, nausea, diarrhea, dry cough, and chest pain. A routine, staging positron emission tomography (PET) scan revealed aortitis of the transverse aortic arch. An extensive workup was unremarkable for other causes, so her condition was labeled a grade III immune-related vasculitis. Based on this diagnosis, we started high-dose prednisone and discontinued pembrolizumab. After two months of high-dose prednisone, she developed bothersome weight gain and insomnia, leading to a switch from prednisone to tocilizumab as a steroid-sparing agent. The selection of tocilizumab was based on its routine use for giant cell arteritis which can have extracranial symptoms including thoracic aortitis. Her symptoms resolved, and subsequent PET scans showed resolution of the aortitis and no evidence of metastatic melanoma. As the indications for immunotherapy expand, rare complications are becoming more prevalent, and more data will be needed to guide their management. While there is evidence for tocilizumab use as a steroid-sparing treatment for large-vessel vasculitides due to other conditions, this is the first case of its use to treat an aortitis irAE to our knowledge. In this case, it was an effective means of treating the patient while sparing them from prolonged corticosteroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method to simulate beam properties observed at the beamline sample‐point in the presence of motion of optical components has been developed at Diamond Light Source. A series of stationary ray‐tracing simulations are used to model the impact on the beam stability caused by dynamic motion of optical elements. Ray‐tracing simulations using SHADOW3 in OASYS, completed over multiple iterations and stitched together, permit the modelling of a pseudo‐dynamic beamline. As beamline detectors operating at higher frequencies become more common, beam stability is crucial. Synchrotron ring upgrades to low‐emittance lattices require increased stability of beamlines in order to conserve beam brightness. By simulating the change in beam size and position, an estimate of the impact the motion of various components have on stability is possible. The results presented in this paper focus on modelling the physical vibration of optical elements. Multiple beam parameters can be analysed in succession without manual input. The simulation code is described and the initial results obtained are presented. This method can be applied during beamline design and operation for the identification of optical elements that may introduce large errors in the beam properties at the sample‐point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms responsible for dysregulation of iron metabolism in response to ethanol ingestion are poorly understood. Relatively brief ethanol exposures in rodents are associated with reduced hepatic hepcidin expression without increases in hepatic iron content. This study evaluated the effects of long‐term ethanol treatment on hepatic iron metabolism in two mouse strains. Ethanol was administered in the drinking water to C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice for up to 11 months. Hepatic histology and iron concentrations (HIC) were assessed, along with expression of relevant genes and proteins by real‐time RT‐PCR and western blot, respectively. The livers of ethanol‐consuming mice of both strains showed mild steatosis without inflammation or fibrosis. Stainable hepatocyte iron was modestly increased in both strains ingesting ethanol, although hepatic iron concentrations were significantly higher only in C57BL/6 mice. Long‐term ethanol did not affect hepcidin mRNA (Hamp1 or Hamp2) in either strain, nor was the expression of several oxidative stress‐responsive genes (glutamate cysteine ligase, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase, heme oxygenase‐1 and growth differentiation factor 15) altered in response to ethanol, suggesting that oxidative stress and suppression of hepcidin expression in short‐term ethanol feeding models may be transient phenomena that resolve as mice adapt to ethanol exposure. This murine model of chronic ethanol ingestion demonstrates modest increases in hepatic iron without changes in hepcidin expression, markers of oxidative stress or significant histologic liver injury. Further investigations are needed to characterize the mechanisms of dysregulated iron metabolism resulting from chronic ethanol ingestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For determining trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) in soy products, the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) Method Ba 12‐75 has been used. It measures differences in absorbance at 410 nm of bovine trypsin activity toward a synthetic substrate (Nα‐benzoyl‐DL‐arginine‐p‐nitroanilide) in the absence and presence of an inhibitor. Recently, a significantly improved method was developed (JAOCS, 2019, 96:635–645), featuring 5 mL of total assay volume, enzyme‐last sequence, and single inhibitor level in duplicate. It is proposed as the AOCS Method Ba 12a‐2020. As a part of the AOCS method approval process, a collaborative study involving 12 international laboratories was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The study involved measuring TIA in 10 selected test samples plus a blind duplicate. They included soybeans, pulses, cereals, and their processed products (flours, concentrates, and isolates). After rigorous statistical treatment of the data, only three outliers were removed from the data of two samples. Repeatability relative standard deviations (RSDr) for the 11 samples ranged from 0.99% to 5.52%. Reproducibility RSD (RSDR) ranged from 7.07% to 22.92%, with seven samples having RSDR around 10% or less. The remaining four samples had very low TIA, and their RSDR values ranged from 13.34% to 22.92%. The study has demonstrated reliable performance of the proposed AOCS method. Several collaborators carried out additional experiments addressing some aspects of the method, leading to further refinements. The proposed method is undergoing evaluation by the AOCS Uniform Methods Committee for adoption as an Official Method for measuring TIA in various legume and grain products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first experimental results from a new transmissive diagnostic instrument for synchrotron X‐ray beamlines are presented. The instrument utilizes a single‐crystal chemical‐vapour‐deposition diamond plate as the detector material, with graphitic wires embedded within the bulk diamond acting as electrodes. The resulting instrument is an all‐carbon transmissive X‐ray imaging detector. Within the instrument's transmissive aperture there is no surface metallization that could absorb X‐rays, and no surface structures that could be damaged by exposure to synchrotron X‐ray beams. The graphitic electrodes are fabricated in situ within the bulk diamond using a laser‐writing technique. Two separate arrays of parallel graphitic wires are fabricated, running parallel to the diamond surface and perpendicular to each other, at two different depths within the diamond. One array of wires has a modulated bias voltage applied; the perpendicular array is a series of readout electrodes. X‐rays passing through the detector generate charge carriers within the bulk diamond through photoionization, and these charge carriers travel to the nearest readout electrode under the influence of the modulated electrical bias. Each of the crossing points between perpendicular wires acts as an individual pixel. The simultaneous read‐out of all pixels is achieved using a lock‐in technique. The parallel wires within each array are separated by 50 µm, determining the pixel pitch. Readout is obtained at 100 Hz, and the resolution of the X‐ray beam position measurement is 600 nm for a 180 µm size beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes on the mental health of older people by examining dispensing patterns of psychotropic medication.Method: Dispensing data from community pharmacies for antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and sedative/hypnotics are routinely recorded in a national database. Longitudinal data are available for residents of the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) (n = 67 760 at study onset) and the rest of New Zealand (n = 469 055 at study onset). We compared older age dispensing data between 2008 and 2018 for Canterbury DHB with older age dispensing data nationally in order to assess the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes on the mental health of older persons.Results: Older age residents of Canterbury are dispensed antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anxiolytics at higher rates than national comparators, but this finding predated the onset of the earthquakes. Short-term increases in anxiolytic and sedative/hypnotic dispensing occurred for the month following the February 2011 earthquake. No other short- or longer-term increases in dispensing of psychiatric medication were present.Conclusion: The February 2011 Canterbury earthquake caused a short-term increase in dispensing of anxiolytics and sedative/hypnotics. No longer-term effects on dispensing were observed. This suggests that older persons sought assistance for insomnia and anxiety in the aftermath of the most devastating earthquake, but longer-term rates of clinically significant anxiety and depression for older persons did not increase as a consequence of the earthquakes sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sebaceous carcinoma (SeC) is an uncommon malignancy arising from sebaceous glands of the conjunctiva and skin. Recurrent mutations in the ZNF750 were recently identified in ocular SeC. We assessed whether ZNF750 loss is a specific feature of ocular SeC or a general feature of sebaceous tumors. Methods: Immunostaining for ZNF750 expression was performed in 54 benign and malignant sebocytic proliferations. Staining for ZNF750 was scored on a three‐tier scale: positive (>75%), partially positive (5%‐74%), and negative (<5%). Results: ZNF750 expression was negative in 4/11 ocular SeC, and partially positive in 4/11 ocular SeC and 6/13 cutaneous SeC. No extraocular tumors were negative. No loss was found in sebaceous adenoma or sebaceous hyperplasia. In nine previously sequenced ocular SeCs, two lacked detectable somatic mutations in ZNF750, but showed complete loss of staining, indicating non‐mutational inactivation of ZNF750. Conclusion: We show complete loss of the ZNF750 epidermal differentiation regulator in about half of ocular SeC, highlighting the most common genetic defect in this cancer type. Loss of ZNF750 expression is seen even in tumors without truncating mutations and reduced in many of the remaining ocular and cutaneous SeC. In contrast, no ZNF750 loss was detected in benign sebaceous proliferations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The death of a child is regarded as one of the most devastating events for a family. Families are reliant on nurses to not only provide end‐of‐life care but also to support and care for grieving families in a way that is sensitive to their cultural and religious needs and preferences. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore the perceived impact and influence of cultural diversity on how neonatal and paediatric intensive care nurses care for Muslim families before and after the death of infants/children. Design A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this study, conducted in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were used to gather data from a convenience sample of registered nurses working in neonatal and paediatric intensive care, with experience in providing end‐of‐life care. Interviews were conducted between July and November, 2018. Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed for analysis. Results: Thirteen registered nurses participated; all were born overseas, identified with various faiths and spoke English in the workplace. A respect for diversity and care of the family was prioritized yet impacted by communication challenges. Caring and respect was demonstrated by facilitating important cultural and religious practices important in the Muslim faith. Self‐care was identified as important, transcending the culturally diverse nature of the nursing workforce. Conclusions: Significant challenges exist for a culturally diverse nursing workforce in providing care to a Saudi Muslim population of infants/children and families, before and after a death. Their overriding commitment to respect for others, and an openness to cultural diversity and difference, aided in overcoming the inherent challenges in providing culturally sensitive end‐of‐life care that meets the needs of Muslim families. These findings provide valuable insights for intensive care clinicians in other countries to address challenges associated with cultural diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the importance of family-centered approach to care in nursing care, as well as the hidden effects of restricting family visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in hospitals, as well as the importance of effective communication, shared decision-making, and expert care to dying patients and their families.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has formed the backbone of phylogeographic research for many years; however, recent trends focus on genome‐wide analyses. One method proposed for calibrating inferences from noisy next‐generation data, such as RAD sequencing, is to compare these results with analyses of mitochondrial sequences. Most researchers using this approach appear to be unaware that many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from genome‐wide sequence data are themselves mitochondrial, or assume that these are too few to bias analyses. Here, we demonstrate two methods for mining mitochondrial markers using RAD sequence data from three South African species of yellowfish, Labeobarbus. First, we use a rigorous SNP discovery pipeline using the program stacks, to identify variant sites in mtDNA, which we then combine into haplotypes. Second, we directly map sequence reads against a mitochondrial genome reference. This method allowed us to reconstruct up to 98% of the Labeobarbus mitogenome. We validated these mitogenome reconstructions through blast database searches and by comparison with cytochrome b gene sequences obtained through Sanger sequencing. Finally, we investigate the organismal consequences of these data including ancient genetic exchange and a recent translocation among populations of L. natalensis, as well as interspecific hybridization between L. aeneus and L. kimberleyensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is considered as a steroid hormone‐related malignancy. However, few studies have evaluated the roles of genetic variants encoding steroid hormone receptor genes and their related regulators (SHR‐related genes) in CM‐specific survival (CMSS). Here, we performed a pathway‐based analysis to evaluate genetic variants of 191 SHR‐related genes in 858 CMSS patients using a dataset from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), and then validated the results in an additional dataset of 409 patients from the Harvard GWAS. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we identified three‐independent SNPs (RORA rs782917 G > A, RORA rs17204952 C > T and DNMT1 rs7253062 G > A) as predictors of CMSS, with a variant‐allele attributed hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval of 1.62 (1.25–2.09), 1.60 (1.20–2.13) and 1.52 (1.20–1.94), respectively. Combined analysis of risk genotypes of these three SNPs revealed a decreased CMSS in a dose–response manner as the number of risk genotypes increased (ptrend < 0.001); however, no improvement in the prediction model was observed (area under the curve [AUC] = 79.6–80.8%, p = 0.656), when these risk genotypes were added to the model containing clinical variables. Our findings suggest that genetic variants of RORA and DNMT1 may be promising biomarkers for CMSS, but these results needed to be validated in future larger studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Background: Enteral nutrition is important in critically ill patients to improve patient outcomes, with nurses playing a pivotal role in the delivery and ongoing care of enteral nutrition. A significant deficit in nurses' knowledge and education relating to enteral nutrition has been identified, leading to iatrogenic malnutrition and potentially compromising patient care. Enteral nutrition appears to be prioritized lower than many other aspects of care. However, there is scant research to show how nurses prioritize enteral nutrition. Aim: This study aimed to explore how nurses prioritize enteral nutrition when caring for a critically ill patient. Method: A descriptive online questionnaire, administered in May 2014, was utilized to explore the study aim. Descriptive statistics were performed to evaluate quantitative data. Content analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data. Results: A total of 359 responses were included in data analysis (response rate 20.8%). All respondents were registered nurses working within an Australian intensive care unit or high dependency unit. Nurses agreed that enteral nutrition was very important and should be commenced as soon as possible. However, life‐saving procedures always took priority and there were often multiple barriers that hindered optimal delivery of enteral nutrition. Conclusion: Respondents relied on their clinical judgement to inform decisions in relation to enteral nutrition in critically ill patients. Most respondents agreed that enteral nutrition was an important aspect of patient care, but acknowledged that other aspects of care were prioritized more highly. Despite this, some delays to enteral nutrition were perceived to be avoidable, and nurses recognized a need to advocate on the patient's behalf to increase the visibility of enteral nutrition. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings of this study demonstrate that enteral nutrition is often prioritized lower than other competing care needs in the critically ill patient. Given the importance of enteral nutrition to patient recovery, changes to clinical practice to improve enteral nutrition management are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of related and unrelated individuals from molecular marker data is often difficult, particularly when no pedigree information is available and the data set is large. High levels of relatedness or inbreeding can influence genotype frequencies and thus genetic marker evaluation, as well as the accurate inference of hidden genetic structure. Identification of related and unrelated individuals is also important in breeding programmes, to inform decisions about breeding pairs and translocations. We present Friends and Family, a Windows executable program with a graphical user interface that identifies unrelated individuals from a pairwise relatedness matrix or table generated in programs such as coancestry and genalex. Friends and Family outputs a list of samples that are all unrelated to each other, based on a user-defined relatedness cut-off value. This unrelated data set can be used in downstream analyses, such as marker evaluation or inference of genetic structure. The results can be compared to that of the full data set to determine the effect related individuals have on the analyses. We demonstrate one of the applications of the program: how the removal of related individuals altered the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test outcome for microsatellite markers in an empirical data set. Friends and Family can be obtained from . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runners often experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), especially of the knee extensors, following prolonged running. Sagittal knee joint biomechanics are altered in the presence of knee extensor DOMS but it is unclear how muscle soreness affects lower limb biomechanics in other planes of motion. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of knee extensor DOMS on three-dimensional (3D) lower limb biomechanics during running. Thirty-three healthy men (25.8 ± 6.8 years; 84.1 ± 9.2 kg; 1.77 ± 0.07 m) completed an isolated eccentric knee extensor damaging protocol to elicit DOMS. Biomechanics of over-ground running at a set speed of 3.35 m s−1±5% were measured before eccentric exercise (baseline) and, 24 h and 48 h following exercise in the presence of knee extensor DOMS. Knee flexion ROM was reduced at 48 h (P = 0.01;d = 0.26), and peak knee extensor moment was reduced at 24 h (P = 0.001;d = 0.49) and 48 h (P < 0.001;d = 0.68) compared to baseline. Frontal and transverse plane biomechanics were unaffected by the presence of DOMS (P > 0.05). Peak positive ankle and knee joint powers and, peak negative knee joint power were all reduced from baseline to 24 h and 48 h (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that knee extensor DOMS greatly influences sagittal knee joint angular kinetics and, reduces sagittal power production at the ankle joint. However, knee extensor DOMS does not affect frontal and transverse plane lower limb joint biomechanics during running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a common liver disease that is often accompanied by dysregulated iron metabolism. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that aberrant iron metabolism in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is modulated by genetic susceptibility to inflammation and oxidative stress. Hepatic histology and iron content were assessed in 3 inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H/HeJ) fed an atherogenic diet (AD). Hepatic expression of genes relevant to iron metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress were quantitated by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. At 6 weeks on the AD, histologic injury and induction of inflammatory and oxidative stress-associated gene expression were most pronounced in C57BL/6. At 18 weeks on the AD, these parameters were similar in C57BL/6 and BALB/c. Atherogenic diet-fed C3H/HeJ showed milder responses at both time points. The AD was associated with decreased hepatic iron concentrations in all strains at 6 and 18 weeks. The decrease in hepatic iron concentrations did not correlate with changes in hepcidin expression and was not associated with altered expression of iron transporters. These findings are similar to those observed in models of obesity-induced steatosis and indicate that hepatic steatosis can be associated with depletion of iron stores that is not explained by upregulation of hepcidin expression by inflammation. Significance of the study Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common liver disease that often accompanies the metabolic syndrome. The latter condition has been linked to iron deficiency and diminished intestinal iron absorption, likely the result of hepcidin upregulation by chronic inflammation. Paradoxically, some NASH patients accumulate excess hepatic iron, which may increase fibrosis and cancer risk. Iron accumulation has been attributed to suppression of hepcidin by oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the contributions of inflammation and oxidative stress to altered hepatic iron metabolism in a murine model of NASH using inbred strains of mice with differing susceptibilities to injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental gradients have been shown to disrupt gene flow in marine species, yet their influence in structuring populations at depth remains poorly understood. The Cape hakes ( Merluccius paradoxus and M. capensis) are demersal species co-occurring in the Benguela Current system, where decades of intense fishing resulted in severely depleted stocks in the past. Previous studies identified conflicting mt DNA genetic substructuring patterns and thus contrasting evolutionary trajectories for both species. Using 10 microsatellite loci, the control region of mt DNA and employing a seascape genetics approach, we investigated genetic connectivity and the impact of prolonged exploitation in the two species, which are characterized by different patterns of fishing pressure. Three consecutive years were sampled covering the entire distribution ( N = 2100 fishes). Despite large estimated population sizes, both species exhibited low levels of contemporary genetic diversity (0.581 < H E < 0.692), implying that fishing has had a significant impact on their genetic composition and evolutionary trajectories. Further, for M. paradoxus, significant temporal, but not spatial, divergence points to the presence of genetic chaotic patchiness. In contrast, M. capensis exhibited a clear latitudinal cline in genetic differentiation between Namibia and South Africa ( FST = 0.063, P < 0.05), with low (0.2% per generation) estimates of contemporary gene flow. Seascape analyses reveal an association with bathymetry and upwelling events, suggesting that adaptation to local environmental conditions may drive genetic differentiation in M. capensis. Importantly, our results highlight the need for temporal sampling in disentangling the complex factors that impact population divergence in marine fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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1. An explicit spatial understanding of population dynamics is often critical for effective management of wild populations. Sophisticated approaches are available to simulate these dynamics, but are largely either spatially homogeneous or agent based, and thus best suited to small spatial or temporal scales. These approaches also often ignore financial decisions crucial to choosing management approaches on the basis of cost-effectiveness. 2. We created a user-friendly and flexible modelling framework for simulating these population issues at large spatial scales – the Spatial Population Abundance Dynamics Engine (SPADE). SPADE is based on the Spatio- Temporal Animal Reduction (STAR) model (McMahon et al. 2010) and uses a reaction–diffusion approach to model population trajectories and a cost-benefit analysis technique to calculate optimal management strategies over long periods and across broad spatial scales. It expands on STAR by incorporating species interactions and multiple concurrent management strategies, and by allowing full user control of functional forms and parameters. 3. We used SPADE to simulate the eradication of feral domestic cats Felis catus on sub-AntarcticMarion Island (Bester et al., South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 32, 2002, 65) and compared modelled outputs to observed data. The parameters of the best-fitting model reflected the conditions of the management programme, and the model successfully simulated the observed movement of the cat population to the southern and eastern portion of the island under hunting pressure.We further demonstrated that none of the management strategies would likely have been successful within a reasonable time frame if performed in isolation. 4. Spatial Population Abundance Dynamics Engine is applicable to a wide range of population management problems and allows easy generation, modification and analysis of management scenarios. It is a useful tool for the planning, evaluation and optimisation of the management of wild populations and can be used without specialised training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although iron-catalysed oxidative damage is presumed to be a major mechanism of injury leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in hemochromatosis, these events have been difficult to recapitulate in an animal model. In this study, we evaluated regulators of hepatocarcinogenesis in a rodent model of chronic iron overload. Sprague-Dawley rats were iron loaded with iron dextran over 6 months. Livers were harvested and analysed for markers of oxidative stress, as well as the following proteins: p53, murine double minute 2, the Shc proteins p66, p52, p46; β-catenin, CHOP, C/EBPα and Yes-associated protein. In this model, iron loading is associated with hepatocyte proliferation, and indices of oxidative damage are mildly increased in tandem with augmented antioxidant defenses. Alterations potentially favouring carcinogenesis included a modest but significant decrease in p53 levels and increases in p52, p46 and β-catenin levels compared with control livers. Countering these factors, the iron-loaded livers demonstrated a significant decrease in CHOP, which has recently been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as a reciprocal increase in C/EBPα and decrease in Yes-associated protein. Our results suggest that chronic iron overload elicits both tumour suppressive as well as tumour-promoting mechanisms in rodent liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

XLP is an erythroid porphyria that results in variable cutaneous photosensitivity due to accumulation of protoporphyrin. The genetic defect in XLP is mutation of the gene ALAS2, resulting in gain of function for the erythroid enzyme 5-aminolevulinate synthase 2. Previous reports have shown that protoporphyrin-induced liver disease may also occur in XLP, occasionally severe enough to warrant liver transplantation; however, transplantation may be followed by injury to the graft due to continued presence of the underlying metabolic disorder in the bone marrow. We present a case of XLP with severe liver disease successfully treated with HPCT to avoid liver transplantation. The case also demonstrates the feasibility of reduced intensity transplant to provide engraftment sufficient for correction of porphyria and tolerability of reduced intensity conditioning containing TLI in the face of severe liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of 15 new and 17 previously published microsatellite markers was evaluated for species identification and stock delimitation in the deep-water hake Merluccius paradoxus and the shallow-water hake Merluccius capensis. A total of 14 microsatellites were polymorphic in M. paradoxus and 10 in M. capensis. Two markers could individually discriminate the species using Bayesian clustering methods and a statistical power analysis showed that the set of markers for each species is likely to detect subtle genetic differentiation ( FST < 0·006) that will be valuable to delimit and characterize genetic stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims We aimed to assess differences in patient management, and outcomes, of Australian and New Zealand patients admitted with a suspected or confirmed acute coronary syndrome ( ACS). Methods We used comprehensive data from the binational Australia and New Zealand ACS ' SNAPSHOT' audit, acquired on individual patients admitted between 00.00 h on 14 May 2012 to 24.00 h on 27 May 2012. Results There were 4387 patient admissions, 3381 (77%) in Australia and 1006 (23%) in New Zealand; Australian patients were slightly younger (67 vs 69 years, P = 0.0044). Of the 2356 patients with confirmed ACS, Australian patients were at a lower cardiovascular risk with a lower median Global Registry Acute Coronary Events score (147 vs 154 P = 0.0008), but as likely to receive an invasive coronary angiogram (58% vs 54%, P = 0.082), or revascularisation with percutaneous coronary intervention (32% vs 31%, P = 0.92) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (7.0% vs 5.6%, P = 0.32). Of the 1937 non-segment elevation myocardial infarction/unstable angina pectoris ( NSTEMI/ UAP) patients, Australian patients had a shorter time to angiography (46 h vs 67 h, P < 0.0001). However, at discharge, Australian NSTEMI/ UAP survivors were less likely to receive aspirin (84% vs 89%, P = 0.0079, a second anti-platelet agent (57% vs 63%, P = 0.050) or a beta blocker (67% vs 77%, P = 0.0002). In-hospital death rates were not different (2.7% vs 3.2%, P = 0.55) between Australia and New Zealand. Conclusions Overall more similarities were seen, than differences, in the management of suspected or confirmed ACS patients between Australia and New Zealand. However, in several management areas, both countries could improve the service delivery to this high-risk patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]