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Aim: Seasonality governs species composition at a given place and time. However, the effects of climate and land‐use change can vary by season, altering species composition. These changes can lead to a loss of distinct seasonal community composition, representing a novel form of biotic homogenisation. We ask if breeding and winter bird communities are becoming more similar over time. If so, is homogenisation occurring more rapidly in winter than in the breeding season, and has the presence of individual species changed between seasons? Location: Northeastern United States. Time Period: 1989–2019. Major Taxa Studied: Two hundred thirty‐eight bird species. Methods: We use data from The National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count and the North American Breeding Bird Survey to test if winter and breeding bird communities have become more similar (homogenised). We evaluate this change using the Sørensen dissimilarity index, and its components of turnover (species replacement) and nestedness (a subset of a more species rich community) and describe the mechanism in which the seasonal winter and breeding bird communities are changing. Results: We found that winter and breeding bird communities are homogenising, driven by significant decrease in turnover and a marginal decrease nestedness. When viewing breeding and wintering communities separately, we observe different trends. Breeding communities are becoming more unique with decreasing turnover and nestedness. Winter communities are becoming more similar to each other, with decreasing turnover and nestedness. More breeding species are declining and species that are typically found in the winter and year‐round residents are the main contributors to the homogenisation between seasons. Main Conclusions: We show for the first time homogenisation between winter and breeding bird communities over time across the northeastern United States. This insight into how individual species are faring between seasons, and how they impact community structure, can be used when implementing conservation measures for maintaining ecological functioning and integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the practices and initiatives governing "waste production models" (sustainable development goal [SDG]12) and marine biodiversity goals (SDG14) is relatively unexplored. Aiming to bridge this gap by drawing on stakeholder and legitimacy theories, this study examines onboard cruise ships' circular economy (CE)‐based waste management practices and initiatives, correlating SGDs 12 and 14. Consequently, Carnival Corporation Plc's 2020–2022 sustainability reports are analyzed using content analysis by both Leximancer software (ver. 5.0) and manual methods. The results highlight the corporation's increasing commitment to green technologies for "waste production models" to achieve SDG14. However, its sustainability reports provide unclear evidence of the impact on marine biodiversity. Findings implies that practitioners should partner and invest in green technologies for "waste production models" to achieve SDG14. Besides being the first to explore the link between the two SDGs within the CE framework, this study advances insights into waste management within "waste production models," enhancing the understanding of sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the course of the last two centuries, Northern Rough‐winged Swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) have expanded their range across the North American continent but have remained a relatively poorly known species. In this paper, I discuss two aspects of their nature history that has received little attention. First, I document an instance of Northern Rough‐winged Swallows digging their own burrow, which was for the better part of the last century considered a behavior that was either lost or never occurred in the first place. Second, I review the natural history literature to document qualitative patterns evident in their expansion over the last two centuries. In doing so, I define three potentially useful concepts that can he applied to understand species' range shifts: an Expansion Chronology, which is a spatiotemporal map of a range shift; the concept of Vagrancy‐induced Range Expansion, where a species undergoes repeated movements outside of their typical geographic range (defined as vagrancy events), leading to the regular occurrence in a new region (e.g., regular overwintering or nonbreeding occurrences); and the concept of Vagrancy‐induced Long‐distance Dispersal, which is specifically expansion of a species' breeding range following repeated vagrancy events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Ovarian hyperthecosis (OH) is a benign pathology, less common in premenopause. Literature is poor on its ultrasound (US) characteristics. We suggest that a heterogeneous ovary at US, with a central vascularisation and follicles to the periphery, with or without hyperandrogenism, should lead to consider OH in the hands of experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration is a prevalent strategy among birds used to track seasonal resources throughout the year. Individual and population‐level migratory movements provide insight to life‐history variation, carry‐over effects, and impacts of climate change. Our understanding of how geographic variation in a species' breeding or wintering grounds can impact migration distances is limited. However, changes in migration distances can have important fitness consequences for individuals and conservation implications for populations, particularly if migratory connectivity is altered during the annual cycle. In this study, we use three decades of data from the United States Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory for six migratory species of Arctic and subarctic breeding geese. We employ a Bayesian hierarchical framework to test if the distance between breeding and wintering locations has changed over time, while accounting for the latitude of the breeding grounds. A model that included only a temporal trend estimated the average rate of change in migration distance, across all six species, at −3.0 km/year over the period 1990–2019. Five of the six species showed a significant decrease in migration distances. Including an interaction effect with breeding latitude revealed that the reduction in migration distance was strongest in the southernmost populations for four of the six species. For those species, migration distance in northern populations were all either relatively unchanged or increasing. This indicates that southern breeding populations of geese had a stronger association with the observed spatiotemporal changes in wintering ranges, potentially influenced by a combination of climatic and biotic factors (e.g. resource availability or competitive interactions) that uniquely impact these populations. Abundant, long‐term banding data shows promise for use in illuminating changes in migratory patterns under climate change, leading to improved management and conservation outcomes, from regional to continental scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of upper and lower motor neurons with an unknown etiology. The difficulty of recovering biological material from patients led to employ lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) as a model for ALS because many pathways, typically located in neurons, are also activated in these cells. Methods: To investigate the expression of coding and long non‐coding RNAs in LCLs, a transcriptomic profiling of sporadic ALS (SALS) and mutated patients (FUS, TARDBP, C9ORF72 and SOD1) and matched controls was realized. Thus, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated among the different subgroups of patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and immortalized into LCLs via Epstein–Barr virus infection; RNA was extracted, and RNA‐sequencing analysis was performed. Results: Gene expression profiles of LCLs were genetic‐background‐specific; indeed, only 12 genes were commonly deregulated in all groups. Nonetheless, pathways enriched by DEGs in each group were also compared, and a total of 89 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) terms were shared among all patients. Eventually, the similarity of affected pathways was also assessed when our data were matched with a transcriptomic profile realized in the PBMCs of the same patients. Conclusions: We conclude that LCLs are a good model for the study of RNA deregulation in ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) persistence in COVID‐19 patients could play a key role in the emergence of variants of concern. The rapid intra‐host evolution of SARS‐CoV‐2 may result in an increased transmissibility, immune and therapeutic escape which could be a direct consequence of COVID‐19 epidemic currents. In this context, a longitudinal retrospective study on eight consecutive COVID‐19 patients with persistent SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, from January 2022 to March 2023, was conducted. To characterize the intra‐ and inter‐host viral evolution, whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were performed on nasopharyngeal samples collected at different time points. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed an accelerated SARS‐CoV‐2 intra‐host evolution and emergence of antigenically divergent variants. The Bayesian inference and principal coordinate analysis analysis showed a host‐based genomic structuring among antigenically divergent variants, that might reflect the positive effect of containment practices, within the critical hospital area. All longitudinal antigenically divergent isolates shared a wide range of amino acidic (aa) changes, particularly in the Spike (S) glycoprotein, that increased viral transmissibility (K417N, S477N, N501Y and Q498R), enhanced infectivity (R346T, S373P, R408S, T478K, Q498R, Y505H, D614G, H655Y, N679K and P681H), caused host immune escape (S371L, S375F, T376A, K417N, and K444T/R) and displayed partial or complete resistance to treatments (G339D, R346K/T, S371F/L, S375F, T376A, D405N, N440K, G446S, N460K, E484A, F486V, Q493R, G496S and Q498R). These results suggest that multiple novel variants which emerge in the patient during persistent infection, might spread to another individual and continue to evolve. A pro‐active genomic surveillance of persistent SARS‐CoV‐2 infected patients is recommended to identify genetically divergent lineages before their diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) do not appear to have an elevated risk of severe Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID‐19). Pre‐existing immune reactivity to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in unexposed individuals may serve as a protective factor. Hence, our study was designed to evaluate the existence of T cells with reactivity against SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens in unexposed patients with T1D. Materials and methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from SARS‐CoV‐2 unexposed patients with T1D and healthy control subjects. SARS‐CoV‐2 specific T cells were identified in PBMCs by ex‐vivo interferon (IFN)γ‐ELISpot and flow cytometric assays. The epitope specificity of T cells in T1D was inferred through T Cell Receptor sequencing and GLIPH2 clustering analysis. Results: T1D patients unexposed to SARS‐CoV‐2 exhibited higher rates of virus‐specific T cells than controls. The T cells primarily responded to peptides from the ORF7/8, ORF3a, and nucleocapsid proteins. Nucleocapsid peptides predominantly indicated a CD4+ response, whereas ORF3a and ORF7/8 peptides elicited both CD4+ and CD8+ responses. The GLIPH2 clustering analysis of TCRβ sequences suggested that TCRβ clusters, associated with the autoantigens proinsulin and Zinc transporter 8 (ZnT‐8), might share specificity towards ORF7b and ORF3a viral epitopes. Notably, PBMCs from three T1D patients exhibited T cell reactivity against both ORF7b/ORF3a viral epitopes and proinsulin/ZnT‐8 autoantigens. Conclusions: The increased frequency of SAR‐CoV‐2‐ reactive T cells in T1D patients might protect against severe COVID‐19 and overt infections. These results emphasise the long‐standing association between viral infections and T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a metataxonomic analysis of the fungal communities in soils under slash‐and‐burn agroforestry system and offers new insights into the relationships between fungal populations and soil physicochemical features such as pH, the particle size distribution, easily oxidizable organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and the mineralogical composition. Soils from three locations in central Mozambique—Vanduzi, Sussundenga, and Macate—that are subjected to slash‐and‐burn were considered to assess the effects of the forest fallow length (temporal variation) and of the land use (charcoal kiln, crop field, and forest; meaning horizontal variation) on the fungal community. The fungi of the genetic horizons (vertical variation) were also considered. Most of the detected fungi were decomposers, antagonists of plant pathogens, and plant‐growth promoters; they were differently distributed in relation to the soil's physicochemical properties and the soil use. The variations in the fungi distribution among the locations and between the horizons were considerable, while there were few variations between the different land‐use types. The limited differences between land uses indicate the inability of a forest fallow period shorter than 50 years to improve soil fertility and induce changes in the fungal community. The pedological approach used to identify and sample soil horizons allowed us to clearly distinguish the fungal community of the A horizons, those richest in organics and nutrients, and that of the Bo horizons, which have poor fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the rate and outcome of emergency Cesarean delivery (CD) in women with placenta previa with or without placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS) and to elucidate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in predicting emergency CD. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective study involving 16 referral hospitals in Italy (ADoPAD study). Inclusion criteria were women with placenta previa minor (< 20 mm from the internal cervical os) or placenta previa major (covering the os), aged ≥ 18 years, who underwent transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound assessment at ≥ 26 + 0 weeks of gestation. The primary outcome was the occurrence of emergency CD, defined as the need for immediate surgical intervention performed for emergency maternal or fetal indication, including active labor, cumulative maternal bleeding > 500 mL, severe and persistent vaginal bleeding such that maternal hemodynamic stability could not be achieved or maintained, or category‐III fetal heart rate tracing unresponsive to resuscitative measures. The primary outcome was reported separately in the population of women with placenta previa and no PAS confirmed after birth and in those with PAS. The secondary aim was to report on the strength of association and to test the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in predicting emergency CD. Univariate, multivariate and diagnostic accuracy analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 450 women, including 97 women with placenta previa and PAS and 353 with placenta previa only, were analyzed. In women with placenta previa and PAS, emergency CD was required in 20.6% (95% CI, 14–30%), and 60.0% (12/20) delivered before 34 weeks of gestation. The mean gestational age at delivery was 32.3 ± 2.7 weeks in women undergoing emergency CD and 34.9 ± 1.8 weeks in those undergoing elective CD (P < 0.001). Women undergoing emergency CD had a higher median estimated blood loss (2500 (interquartile range (IQR), 1350–4500) vs 1100 (IQR, 625–2500) mL; P = 0.012), mean units of blood transfused (7.3 ± 8.8 vs 2.5 ± 3.4; P = 0.02) and more frequent placement of a mechanical balloon (50.0% vs 16.9%; P = 0.002) compared with those undergoing elective CD. On univariate analysis, the presence of interrupted retroplacental space, interrupted bladder line and placental lacunae was more common in women not experiencing emergency CD. No comprehensive multivariate analysis could be performed in this subgroup of women. Ultrasound signs of PAS, including presence of interrupted retroplacental space, interrupted bladder line and placental lacunae, were not predictive of emergency CD. In women with placenta previa but no PAS, emergency CD was required in 31.2% (95% CI, 26.6–36.2%), and 32.7% (36/110) delivered before 34 weeks of gestation. The mean gestational age at delivery was lower in women undergoing emergency CD compared with those undergoing elective CD (34.2 ± 2.9 vs 36.7 ± 1.6 weeks; P < 0.001). Pregnancies complicated by emergency CD were associated with a lower birth weight (2330 ± 620 vs 2800 ± 480 g; P < 0.001) and had a higher risk of need for blood transfusion (22.7% vs 10.7%; P = 0.003) compared with those who underwent elective CD. On multivariate analysis, only placental thickness (odds ratio (OR), 1.02 (95% CI, 1.00–1.03); P = 0.046) and cervical length < 25 mm (OR, 3.89 (95% CI, 1.33–11.33); P = 0.01) were associated with emergency CD. However, a short cervical length showed low diagnostic accuracy for predicting emergency CD in these women. Conclusion: Emergency CD occurred in about 20% of women with placenta previa and PAS and 30% of those with placenta previa only and was associated with worse maternal outcome compared with elective intervention. Prenatal ultrasound is not predictive of the risk of emergency CD in women with these disorders. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The role of dapagliflozin on erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition widely affecting patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), has not yet been studied. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dapagliflozin alone or in combination with tadalafil on ED in patients with T2DM. Methods: This was an open‐label, non‐randomized pilot study involving 30 Caucasian male patients with T2DM and severe ED. They were equally divided into three groups, assigned to treatment with tadalafil 5 mg/day (Group 1), tadalafil 5 mg/day plus dapagliflozin 10 mg/day (Group 2) and dapagliflozin 10 mg/day (Group 3) for 3 months. The presence and the severity of ED were evaluated at enrolment and after treatment, by the International Index of Erectile Function 5‐item (IIEF‐5) questionnaire and the dynamic penile echo colour Doppler ultrasound (PCDU) examination. Results: At the end of treatment, the three groups showed a significant improvement in IIEF‐5 score, by 294%, 375% and 197%, in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. PCDU evaluation showed a significant increase in peak systolic velocity by 178.9%, 339% and 153%; acceleration time was significantly shortened in Group 2 (−26.2%) and was significantly lower than in Group 1 and 3 (−7.2% and −6.6%), while no significant difference was found in end‐diastolic velocity after treatment. The greatest rates of improvement were observed in Group 2 for all the end points. Conclusions: Dapagliflozin improves ED in patients with T2DM and enhances the efficacy of tadalafil. Further studies are needed to confirm our results explain the mechanism(s) by which dapagliflozin exerts its effects on ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

II.IIThe legitimacy objection The basic idea behind the legitimacy objection is that considerations about flourishing are not the right basis to ground the state's moral authority, and the state has the authority to promote only what grounds its moral authority. For citizens compose the state, and so it might seem that if the state has a duty, then the citizens must I also i have that duty by virtue of their composing the state. Perfectionists hold that it is legitimate for the state to seek to promote flourishing, while anti-perfectionists hold that undertaking state action to promote flourishing is beyond the legitimate scope of state authority. Correspondingly, non-perfectionist justifications of state authority will not legitimate perfectionist exercises of state authority - such exercises extend the state's authority without furthering non-perfectionist goals. First, the legitimacy objection only claims that legitimate state authority cannot be grounded on the mere promotion of flourishing, while Simmons more expansively claims that legitimate state authority can only be grounded on people's consent. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Viral infection is an oncogenic factor in many hematolymphoid malignancies. We sought to determine the diagnostic yield of aligning off‐target reads incidentally obtained during targeted hematolymphoid next‐generation sequencing to a large database of viral genomes to screen for viral sequences within tumor specimens. Methods: Alignment of off‐target reads to viral genomes was performed using magicBLAST. Localization of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) RNA was confirmed by RNAScope in situ hybridization. Integration analysis was performed using Virus‐Clip. Results: Four cases of post‐cardiac‐transplant folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (fMF) and one case of peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) were positive in off‐target reads for MCPyV DNA. Two of the four cases of posttransplant fMF and the case of PTCL showed localization of MCPyV RNA to malignant lymphocytes, whereas the remaining two cases of posttransplant fMF showed MCPyV RNA in keratinocytes. Conclusions: Our findings raise the question of whether MCPyV may play a role in rare cases of T‐lymphoproliferative disorders, particularly in the skin and in the heavily immunosuppressed posttransplant setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) in patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) and a composite lipid (mixed oil intravenous lipid emulsion [MO ILE]) are predominantly when managed by lipid restriction. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of EFAD in patients with intestinal failure (IF) who are PN dependent without lipid restriction. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients, ages 0–17 years, followed by our intestinal rehabilitation program between November 2020 and June 2021 with PN dependency index (PNDI) of >80% on a MO ILE. Demographic data, PN composition, PN days, growth, and plasma fatty acid profile were collected. A plasma triene‐tetraene (T:T) ratio >0.2 indicated EFAD. Summary statistics and Wilcoxon rank sum test evaluated to compare between PNDI category and ILE administration (grams/kilograms/day). P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Twenty‐six patients (median age, 4.1 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 2.4–9.6]) were included. The median duration of PN was 1367 days (IQR = 824–3195). Sixteen patients had a PNDI of 80%–120% (61.5%). Fat intake for the group was 1.7 g/kg/day (IQR = 1.3–2.0). The median T:T ratio was 0.1 (IQR = 0.1–0.2) with no values >0.2. Linoleic and arachidonic acid were low in 85% and 19% of patients, respectively; however, Mead acid was normal in all patients. Conclusion: This report is the largest to date on the EFA status of patients with IF on PN. These results suggest that, in the absence of lipid restriction, EFAD is not a concern when using MO ILEs in children receiving PN for IF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of the study was to compare bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfolds with dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in the assessment of body composition of children with intestinal failure. DXA is the reference method for body composition assessment in clinical settings. Methods: Children aged 1–18 years with intestinal failure whohave DXA as part of routine clinical monitoring were eligible. BIA measured total body water on the same day as DXA. Skinfold measurements were taken at four sites: triceps, biceps, subscapular, and suprailiac. Percentage of fat mass (%FM) and fat‐free mass (%FFM) were derived from resistance and reactance measured by BIA by using age‐specific equations. Percentage of FM was calculated from skinfold measures by using age‐specific equations. Data on patient characteristics, intestinal failure–related factors, and feeding method were collected. Paired t test examined differences in %FM and %FFM and Bland‐Altman analysis determined the agreement between BIA, skinfolds, and DXA. Marginal linear model assessed the effect of age, sex, and feeding method on the difference in body composition obtained between DXA and BIA and between DXA and skinfolds. Results: Sixty‐eight children with intestinal failure, mean age 8.9 ± 4.2 years, were studied. There was no difference between %FFM and %FM obtained by DXA and BIA (P = 0.26), with a mean bias (95% CI) of −0.69 (−1.9 to 0.5) for %FFM. Sex and age were individually and jointly associated with the bias observed between DXA and BIA (P < 0.05). Skinfold and DXA measurements were significantly different (P < 0.05). Conclusions: BIA is an acceptable clinical tool for assessing body composition in pediatric intestinal failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics. Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of deutetrabenazine (Teva Neuroscience, Inc, Parsippany, NJ), a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor, in children and adolescents with TS. Methods: Alternatives for Reducing Tics in TS (ARTISTS) open‐label extension (OLE) (NCT03567291) was a 54‐week, global, phase 3, open‐label extension study of deutetrabenazine (6–48 mg daily) conducted May 28, 2018 to April 3, 2020 with a 2‐week randomized withdrawal period. Participants (6–16 years of age) had TS and active tics causing distress or impairment. Safety (primary outcome) was assessed by treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and clinical laboratory testing. Efficacy was measured by the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale‐Total Tic Score (YGTSS‐TTS). Results: The intent‐to‐treat population (228 participants; mean age, 12.0 years; 79.8% male; 86.4% white) had a median (range) duration of exposure of 28.4 (0.3–52.9) weeks. Of 227 participants in the safety analysis, 161 (70.9%) reported ≥1 TEAE (exposure‐adjusted incidence rate, 2.77/patient‐year), of which 95 (41.9%) were treatment related. The most frequently reported TEAEs were headaches, somnolence, nasopharyngitis, weight increases, and anxiety. No additional safety signals were observed. Worsening of YGTSS‐TTS after the 2‐week randomized withdrawal was not statistically significant (least squares mean difference, −0.4; P = 0.78). Several exploratory measures showed sustained improvement throughout the treatment periods. Conclusions: In this long‐term, open‐label trial, deutetrabenazine was well tolerated with low frequency of TEAEs. There was no significant difference in tics between treatment arms during the 2‐week randomized withdrawal period, however, descriptive statistics and comparison with baseline showed a numeric improvement in tics, quality of life, and other measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formative assessments are primarily used as a tool to gauge learning throughout an anatomy course. They have also been demonstrated to improve student mastery and exam performance, although the precise nature of this relationship is poorly understood. In this study, it is hypothesized that formative assessment questions targeting higher cognitive levels, integrating topics from multiple lessons, and including visuospatial elements will increase student exam performance. Formative and summative questions provided to students during the Clinical Anatomy block at the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Phoenix between 2015 and 2018 were assessed for cognitive level, integration of targeted learning objectives, and presence or absence of visuospatial elements. These variables were entered into a hierarchical linear model along with demographic variables for each cohort to assess the relationships between these variables and cohort performance on exam questions. The best predictor of exam performance was the inclusion of constituent learning objectives within the formative assessment. Additionally, students performed better on exam questions with visuospatial elements when the targeted learning objectives were also associated with visuospatial elements on the formative assessment. Surprisingly, the cognitive level of formative questions and the integration of learning objectives within them were not correlated with student exam performance. This study demonstrates the importance of including a broad range of topics in formative assessments and highlights a potential benefit of adopting consistent question formats for formative assessments and exams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use observations from dual high‐resolution mass spectrometers to characterize ecosystem‐atmosphere fluxes of reactive carbon across an extensive range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and test how well that exchange is represented in current chemical transport models. Measurements combined proton‐transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTRMS) and iodide chemical ionization mass spectrometry (ICIMS) over a Colorado pine forest; together, these techniques have been shown to capture the majority of ambient VOC abundance and reactivity. Total VOC mass and associated OH reactivity fluxes were dominated by emissions of 2‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐ol, monoterpenes, and small oxygenated VOCs, with a small number of compounds detected by PTRMS driving the majority of both net and upward exchanges. Most of these dominant species are explicitly included in chemical models, and we find here that GEOS‐Chem accurately simulates the net and upward VOC mass and OH reactivity fluxes under clear sky conditions. However, large upward terpene fluxes occurred during sustained rainfall, and these are not captured by the model. Far more species contributed to the downward fluxes than are explicitly modeled, leading to a major underestimation of this key sink of atmospheric reactive carbon. This model bias mainly reflects missing and underestimated concentrations of depositing species, though inaccurate deposition velocities also contribute. The deposition underestimate is particularly large for assumed isoprene oxidation products, organic acids, and nitrates—species that are primarily detected by ICIMS. Net ecosystem‐atmosphere fluxes of ozone reactivity were dominated by sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes, highlighting the importance of these species for predicting near‐surface ozone, oxidants, and aerosols. Plain Language Summary: Reactive carbon species in the atmosphere have a strong influence on air quality and climate and require accurate modeling to understand their global impacts. Natural ecosystems such as forests both emit and take up reactive carbon to and from the atmosphere, acting simultaneously as the largest source and an important sink of these species. We performed the most comprehensive measurements to date of this two‐way reactive carbon exchange over a pine forest. We observed that the upward reactive carbon exchange was controlled by just a few known species and was much larger than the downward exchange, which was composed of far more species. We compared the observations to chemical model predictions and found that the model generally captures the net reactive carbon exchange over this forest because the few species dominating that exchange are included in the model. However, the model does not adequately simulate the many depositing species, leading to a large underestimate for this sink of atmospheric reactive carbon. Key Points: A small number of known organic compounds dominate the net and upward reactive carbon fluxes over a coniferous forestPTRMS captures VOCs controlling the net and upward fluxes, while ICIMS measures a range of important depositing speciesFar more VOCs contribute to the downward fluxes than are currently modeled, leading to a major sink underestimate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to flexibly adjust one's threat predictions to meet the current environmental contingencies is crucial to survival. Nevertheless, its neural oscillatory correlates remain elusive in humans. Here, we tested whether changes in theta and alpha brain oscillations mark the updating of threat predictions and correlate with response of the peripheral nervous system. To this end, electroencephalogram and electrodermal activity were recorded in a group of healthy adults, who completed a Pavlovian threat conditioning task that included an acquisition and a reversal phase. Both theta and alpha power discriminated between threat and safety, with each frequency band showing unique patterns of modulations during acquisition and reversal. While changes in midcingulate theta power may learn the timing of an upcoming danger, alpha power may reflect the preparation of the somato‐motor system. Additionally, ventromedial prefrontal cortex theta may play a role in the inhibition of previously acquired threat responses, when they are no longer appropriate. Finally, theta and alpha power correlated with skin conductance response, establishing a direct relationship between activation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Taken together these results highlight the existence of multiple oscillatory systems that flexibly regulate their activity for the successful expression of threat responses in an ever‐changing environment. The ability to flexibly readjust one's threat predictions to meet the current environmental contingencies is crucial to survival. Nevertheless, its neural oscillatory correlates remain elusive in humans. Our results uncover the role of theta and alpha oscillations in the acquisition and reversal of threat predictions and their correlation with skin conductance response, establishing a direct relationship between activation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the landmark Urgenda case, European social movements and legal networks have increasingly turned to courts to compel governments to more ambitious mitigation policies. The rapid proliferation of Urgenda‐like cases in the most diverse European jurisdictions, makes a compelling case to investigate the motivations and goals animating European climate litigators, especially when facing high legal barriers. While timely legal analyses of high‐profile climate litigation abound in the literature, an emerging body of research has focused on the genesis of climate cases , their strategies, and societal impacts. To contribute to this latter thread, the article investigates how legal barriers and considerations, and social movements' motivations and goals,have shaped a diverse range of legal strategies in high‐profile climate lawsuits inspired by Urgenda in Europe. The article shows that courts might turn into very different arenas to pursue social change, in which actors elect cautious or daring strategies, depending on the legal system and tradition they refer to, but also their vision and objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, no comprehensive marker to monitor the immune status of patients is available. Given that Torque teno virus (TTV), a known human virome component, has previously been identified as a marker of immunocompetence, it was retrospectively investigated whether TTV viral load may also represent a marker of ability to develop antibody in response to COVID‐19‐BNT162B2 vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients (SOT). Specifically, 273 samples from 146 kidney and 26 lung transplant recipients after successive doses of vaccine were analyzed. An inverse correlation was observed within the TTV copy number and anti‐Spike IgG antibody titer with a progressive decrease in viremia the further away from the transplant date. Analyzing the data obtained after the second dose, a significant difference in TTV copy number between responsive and nonresponsive patients was observed, considering a 5 log10 TTV copies/mL threshold to discriminate between the two groups. Moreover, for 86 patients followed in their response to the second and third vaccination doses a 6 log10 TTV copies/mL threshold was used to predict responsivity to the booster dose. Although further investigation is necessary, possibly extending the analysis to other patient categories, this study suggests that TTV can be used as a good marker of vaccine response in transplant patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Haemophilia is a rare congenital bleeding disorder, and the most common manifestation is spontaneous bleeding in muscles and joints. Despite the benefits linked to recent and dramatic pharmacological advances at least in high income setting, many patients still develop musculoskeletal dysfunctions during their lifetime, which must be managed by physiotherapists in the frame of a multidisciplinary team. The aim of the scoping review is to map the available evidence by providing an overview on the past and present physiotherapy scenario in persons with haemophilia (PWH). Materials and methods: The review was conducted according to the guidelines of the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. Scientific articles on physiotherapy and sport interventions for PWH published from 1960 up to September 2021 have been included. Search was conducted on the e‐databases PubMed and PEDro without restrictions for the study design. Results: Sixty eight articles were included, 52 related to rehabilitation and preventive physiotherapy, 16 to sport. The results have been reported in chronological order and divided into two categories: (1) rehabilitation and preventive physiotherapy; (2) sport activities. Conclusions: This is the first scoping review on physiotherapy in haemophilia, based on the existing evidence on this topic which allowed us to underline how the role of the physiotherapist changed over time. Historically this specialist did intervene only after an acute bleed or surgical operation, but now he has a pivotal role in the multidisciplinary team that acts to improve from birth the quality of life of the PWH. His activity is also closely intertwined with sport promotion and supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borderline ovarian Brenner tumors are rare malignancies mainly diagnosed after menopause. A first pregnancy after fertility‐sparing surgery by laparoscopic unilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy was reported in a previous article. We now report the first baby birth after unilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy for a borderline ovarian Brenner tumor and a review of the literature. Borderline ovarian Brenner tumors are rare before menopause. Laparoscopic fertility‐sparing surgery is possible if the patient asks so. We report the first baby birth for this type of tumor with a follow‐up of 4 years and a literature review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the waste of energy originated by any physical or chemical process, approaches for reducing the energy losses have been conceived and, nowadays, energy recovery and conversion systems represent a worldwide‐recognized solution. The advent of colloidal‐based cybernetic systems highlights the essential role of energy harvesting, storage, and management capabilities coped by colloidal energetic systems. In this work, an alternative to thermoelectricity generation is demonstrated by means of a magnetic colloid based on Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The ferrofluid (FF) tribo‐ and pyroelectric features are explored in order to increase the amount of harvested energy. The findings suggest that the FF shows both triboelectric and pyroelectric charge displacement. A capacitive electrode is more efficient for accumulating potentials up to 48 V developed by triboelectricity while a resistive one is essential to collect pyroelectric charges up to 22 nA, which helped to estimate the FF pyroelectric coefficient, reaching the remarkable value of 25.2 μCm−2 K−1. A simplified equivalent model of the inductive setup is proposed, suggesting that increasing the fluid temperature a reduction of FF inductance due to demagnetization effects occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levels of non-dioxin-like PCB indicators (iPCBs 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180) were determined in food samples (seafood, meat and processed meat, milk and dairy products, hen eggs, olive oil, and other fats) to evaluate the exposure of adult and elderly population. iPCB levels in samples were in the following order: fishery products > meat and processed meat > milk and dairy products > olive oil and other fats. None of the samples had concentrations above the maximum permissible limits for human consumption established by the European Union legislation, except for salami samples. The dietary intake for the total population was 12.33 ng·kg−1 bw·d−1, while depending on the sex/age groups, exposure was estimated between 9.60 and 12.11 ng·kg−1 bw·d−1, with seafood being the major contributor. The exposure scenario indicates that further efforts must still be carried out to protect the consumer from these harmful chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies explored the role of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) in the sub‐group of non‐standard renal grafts with a biopsy‐proven advanced histological impairment. This study aimed to investigate the role of HMP in grafts with a Karpinski Score >3 in terms of the need for dialysis, creatinine reduction ratio at day‐7 (CRR7), and 3‐year graft survival. Methods: Twenty‐three perfused grafts with Karpinski Score >3 evaluated between November 2017 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with a control group of 32 non‐perfused grafts transplanted between January 2014 and October 2017. Results: After transplantation, perfused grafts had fewer cases requiring dialysis (8.7% vs. 34.4%; p = 0.051), a better reduction in serum creatinine (median at 7 days: 2.2 vs. 4.3 mg/dl; p = 0.045), and shorter length of hospital stay (median 11 vs. 15 days; p = 0.01). Three‐year death‐censored graft survival was better in the perfused cases (91.3% vs. 77.0%; p = 0.16). In perfused grafts, initial renal resistance (RR) had the best predictive value for renal function recovery after the first week, as defined by CRR7 ≤ 70% (AUC = 0.83; p = 0.02). A cut‐off value of 0.5 mm Hg/ml/min showed a sensitivity of 82.4%, a specificity of 83.3%, and diagnostic odds ratio = 23.4. After dividing the entire population into a Low‐RR (n = 8) and a High‐RR Group (n = 15), more cases with CRR7 ≤ 70% were reported in the latter group (86.7 vs. 13.3%; p = 0.03). Conclusion: HMP yielded promising results in kidneys with Karpinski Score >3. Initial RR should be of interest in selecting non‐standard organs for single kidney transplantation even in impaired histology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of third-trimester ultrasound for the diagnosis of clinically significant placenta accreta spectrum disorder (PAS) in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa.Methods: This was a prospective multicenter study of pregnant women aged ≥ 18 years who were diagnosed with low-lying placenta (< 20 mm from the internal cervical os) or placenta previa (covering the internal cervical os) on ultrasound at ≥ 26 + 0 weeks' gestation, between October 2014 and January 2019. Ultrasound suspicion of PAS was raised in the presence of at least one of these signs on grayscale ultrasound: (1) obliteration of the hypoechogenic space between the uterus and the placenta; (2) interruption of the hyperechogenic interface between the uterine serosa and the bladder wall; (3) abnormal placental lacunae. Histopathological examinations were performed according to a predefined protocol, with pathologists blinded to the ultrasound findings. To assess the ability of ultrasound to detect clinically significant PAS, a composite outcome comprising the need for active management at delivery and histopathological confirmation of PAS was considered the reference standard. PAS was considered to be clinically significant if, in addition to histological confirmation, at least one of these procedures was carried out after delivery: use of hemostatic intrauterine balloon, compressive uterine suture, peripartum hysterectomy, uterine/hypogastric artery ligation or uterine artery embolization. The diagnostic performance of each ultrasound sign for clinically significant PAS was evaluated in all women and in the subgroup who had at least one previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. Post-test probability was assessed using Fagan nomograms.Results: A total of 568 women underwent transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examinations during the study period. Of these, 95 delivered in local hospitals, and placental pathology according to the study protocol was therefore not available. Among the 473 women for whom placental pathology was available, clinically significant PAS was diagnosed in 99 (21%), comprising 36 cases of placenta accreta, 19 of placenta increta and 44 of placenta percreta. The median gestational age at the time of ultrasound assessment was 31.4 (interquartile range, 28.6-34.4) weeks. A normal hypoechogenic space between the uterus and the placenta reduced the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS from 21% to 5% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa in the third trimester of pregnancy and from 62% to 9% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. The absence of placental lacunae reduced the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS from 21% to 9% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa in the third trimester of pregnancy and from 62% to 36% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. When abnormal placental lacunae were seen on ultrasound, the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS increased from 21% to 59% in the whole cohort and from 62% to 78% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. An interrupted hyperechogenic interface between the uterine serosa and bladder wall increased the post-test probability for clinically significant PAS from 21% to 85% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa and from 62% to 88% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. When all three sonographic markers were present, the post-test probability for clinically significant PAS increased from 21% to 89% in the whole cohort and from 62% to 92% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta.Conclusions: Grayscale ultrasound has good diagnostic performance to identify pregnancies at low risk of PAS in a high-risk population of women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa. Ultrasound may be safely used to guide management decisions and concentrate resources on patients with higher risk of clinically significant PAS. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has shown utility in non-Hodgkin lymphoma genotyping and risk stratification, we employed a noninvasive approach in cHL to overcome challenges imposed by low tumor fractions. B Methods: b We profiled baseline plasma samples from 366 patients diagnosed with cHL, 99% of whom were enrolled prior to anti-lymphoma therapy. B Introduction: b The scarcity of malignant Reed-Sternberg cells has hampered comprehensive genomic profiling of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) as might inform personalized therapeutic strategies. [Extracted from the article]

B Conclusions: b Detection of ctDNA MRD using PhasED-Seq is prognostic for outcomes in rrLBCL patients undergoing CAR19 therapy, and has superior performance compared to CAPP-Seq and PET/CT. B Introduction: b Over half of relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (rrLBCL) patients receiving anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR19) T-cells experience subsequent relapse. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis of pelvic gynecological tumors using ultrasound imaging. The authors conducted a systematic scoping review and meta-analysis of published studies on this topic. They found that while AI has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, current AI models for US diagnosis of gynecological tumors have methodological shortcomings. The authors also noted that AI models for diagnosing adnexal malignancy did not outperform the ADNEX model, a logistic regression model based on US measurements. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a study that introduces a deep learning-based framework called ADNEX-AI for the automated detection of ovarian cancer using ultrasound scans. The study compares the performance of ADNEX-AI with traditional clinical practice in diagnosing ovarian cancer. The results show that ADNEX-AI achieves a high level of accuracy in distinguishing between benign and malignant ovarian tumors. However, the study suggests that the difference in performance between ADNEX-AI and traditional methods may be due to the clinician's ability to examine the tumor from different angles. Overall, ADNEX-AI demonstrates comparable performance to traditional methods when considering the constraints of tumor visibility. [Extracted from the article]

Nitrous acid (HONO) mixing ratios measured in aged wildfire smoke plumes were higher than expected from known homogeneous chemical reactions. In a representative smoke plume, intercepted hours to days downwind of the source, the missing HONO source was highly correlated to particulate nitrate photolysis and NO2 reactive uptake to particles. Using a multilinear regression involving these two sources, we could explain the missing HONO production in this plume (R2 = 0.77). The resulting fit parameters from this plume had good explanatory power (R2 = 0.64) for missing HONO production in other fire plumes. The mean enhancement factor for particulate nitrate photolysis relative to gas‐phase nitric acid photolysis was 63 and the mean NO2 reactive uptake coefficient to submicron aerosol surface area forming HONO was 4.9 × 10−4. Given the likelihood of other neglected secondary HONO sources, these values are upper‐limits, suggesting a need to revisit HONO formation mechanisms in aged wildfire smoke. Plain Language Summary: A river of smoke from multiple wildfires was sampled far downwind and served as a natural laboratory for evaluating sources of nitrous acid (HONO) in aged wildfire smoke. HONO photolysis is an important source of reactive oxidants that initiate chemical transformations of wildfire emissions. We demonstrate that sources of HONO from chemical processes, known as secondary HONO sources, can largely be explained by two processes – the photolysis of particulate nitrate and the reactive uptake of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to smoke aerosol particles. High time resolution in situ observations of HONO and auxiliary measurements were used to map out variations in the missing HONO source across a wide span of wildfire characteristics. The results place an upper limit on the magnitude of HONO sources from particulate nitrate photolysis, and suggest that the heterogeneous NO2 reactive uptake to smoke particles could be more important than previous field studies have indicated. These findings demonstrate the existence of additional processes other than direct emissions responsible for HONO formation in fire smoke. This secondary HONO source could increase the oxidizing capacity of wildfire smoke plumes significantly downwind of the emission source and therefore affect the formation and lifetime of other secondary wildfire smoke components. Key Points: Secondary multi‐phase processes dominate daytime HONO levels in aged (>3 hr) fire smokeThe inferred strength of secondary HONO production is most correlated to NO2, aerosol surface area, and particulate nitrateWe find significantly weaker HONO formation from particulate nitrate photolysis than previous reports [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backward‐in‐time Lagrangian dispersion models can efficiently reconstruct drifters trajectories by linking known arrival positions to potential sources. This approach was applied to the deep water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea). The objective was to identify the potential spawning areas of the larvae that settle in the known nursery grounds of the northern sector of the Strait of Sicily, thus quantifying the extent of the potential contribution to recruitment from the surrounding regions. Numerical simulations were performed over 11 years (2005–2015) and for two different periods (spring/summer and autumn/winter) corresponding to the species' spawning peaks in the region. The persistence over time of potential spawning areas was identified through a Hotspot analysis of the backward trajectories end‐points, filtered to meet a suitable depth range for spawners. The results confirmed the expected downstream connectivity between spawning and nursery grounds along the Sicilian–Maltese shelf and, notably, indicated that these spawning grounds contribute to the high productivity and resilience of deep water rose shrimp fisheries in the northern Strait of Sicily more than the spawning grounds in surrounding regions. A minor and time‐varying contribution is due to potential spawning areas identified on the African shelf. These results are important to adequately define the geographical scale for the assessment and management of this important fishery resource in the Strait of Sicily. In particular, the assumption of a single stock that does not consider the spatial structure of the population should be revised for the purpose of fisheries management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well‐accepted that processing observed actions involves at some extent the same neural mechanisms responsible for action execution. More recently, it has been forwarded that also the processing of verbs expressing a specific motor content is subserved by the neural mechanisms allowing individuals to perform the content expressed by that linguistic material. This view is also known as embodiment and contrasts with a more classical approach to language processing that considers it as amodal. In the present study, we used a go/no‐go paradigm, in which participants were requested to respond to real words and pictures and refrain from responding when presented stimuli were pseudowords and scrambled images. Real stimuli included pictures depicting hand‐ and foot‐related actions and verbs expressing hand‐ and foot‐related actions. We, therefore, directly compared the modulation of hand motor responses during the observation of actions and the presentation of verbs, expressing actions in the same category. The results have shown that participants gave slower hand motor responses during the observation of hand actions and the processing of hand‐related verbs as than observed foot actions and related verbs. These findings support embodiment showing that whatever the modality of presentation (observed action or verb), the modulation of hand motor responses was similar, thus suggesting that processing seen actions and related verbs shares common mechanisms most likely involving the motor system and the underlying motor experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Species distributions are altered by climate change, resulting in changes in community composition. How communities are changing with climate is important for understanding the dynamics of changing diversity patterns. In this study, we employ two community weighted means (CWMs) of temperature (CTI) and precipitation (CPI) to evaluate patterns in climate‐driven community changes. Location: Eastern North America between −100° and −60° longitude and 25°–50°N latitude. Taxon North American birds Methods: We used North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data from 1990 to 2018 to test the spatiotemporal trends of these indices at a sub‐continental (across all BBS routes) and at a regional scale (sub‐continental scale partitioned by 5° latitude bands). We employ a jackknife analysis to highlight individual species contributions to CTI and CPI trends and further identify group characteristics of species based on relative abundance trends and range expansion and contraction trends. Results: Across all BBS routes, temperature marginally increased and precipitation significantly increased. At the sub‐continental scale, we found no correlation between CTI and temperature, but a positive correlation between CPI and precipitation. CTI and CPI both increased, driven by increased abundances of "warm" and "wet" dwelling species expanding in range. Regional scale CTI and CPI patterns deviated from sub‐continental patterns. CTI was driven by "warm" dwelling species increasing in abundance and expanding in range, whereas decreases in "dry" dwelling species contracting in range drove CPI trends at the highest latitudes. Main conclusions The concurrent use of CTI and CPI highlights that community dynamics are more complicated than using temperature metrics alone. Employing more than one community index demonstrates how simultaneous increases in two separate evaluative indices can have disproportionate effects on the number of species that contribute to a trend and highlight disparate mechanisms that contribute to these underlying differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Joint inversion strategies and physical constraints on model parameters may be used to mitigate equivalence problems caused by solution non‐uniqueness. This strategy is quite a common practice in exploration geophysics, where dedicated rock physical studies are usually carried out, while it is not so frequent in near surface geophysics. We use porosity as a constraint among seismic wave velocities and electrical resistivity in a deterministic joint inversion algorithm for surface wave dispersion, P‐wave traveltimes and apparent resistivity from vertical electrical sounding. These data are often available for near surface characterization. We show that the physical constraint among model parameters leads to internally consistent geophysical models in which solution non‐uniqueness is mitigated. Moreover, an estimate of soil porosity is obtained as a relevant side product of the procedure. In particular, we consider a clean sand deposit and hence the appropriate formulations for the computation of porosity from seismic velocities and resistivity are implemented in the algorithm. We first demonstrate how the non‐uniqueness of the solution is reduced in a synthetic case and then we applied the algorithm to a real‐case study. The algorithm is here developed for one‐dimensional condition and for granular soils to better investigate the physical constraint only, but it can be extended to the two‐dimensional or three‐dimensional case as well as to other materials with the adoption of proper rock physical relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid organ transplant patients are at a higher risk for poor CoronaVirus Disease‐2019 (COVID‐19)‐related outcomes and have been included as a priority group in the vaccination strategy worldwide. We assessed the safety and efficacy of a two‐dose vaccination cycle with mRNA‐based COVID‐19 vaccine (BNT162b2) among 82 kidney transplant outpatients followed in our center in Rome, Italy. After a median of 43 post‐vaccine days, a SARS‐CoV‐2 anti‐Spike seroprevalence of 52.4% (n = 43/82) was observed. No impact of the vaccination on antibody‐mediated rejection or graft function was observed, and no significant safety concerns were reported. Moreover, no de novo HLA‐donor‐specific antibodies (DSA) were detected during the follow‐up period. Only one patient with pre‐vaccination HLA‐DSA did not experience an increased intensity of the existing HLA‐DSA. During the follow‐up, only one infection (mild COVID‐19) was observed in a patient after receiving the first vaccine dose. According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lack of seroconversion after two‐dose vaccination independently associated with patient age ≥60 years (OR = 4.50; P =.02) and use of anti‐metabolite as an immunosuppressant drug (OR = 5.26; P =.004). Among younger patients not taking anti‐metabolites, the seroconversion rate was high (92.9%). Further larger studies are needed to assess the best COVID‐19 vaccination strategy in transplanted patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients exhibit dysfunctional energy metabolism and weight loss, which is negatively correlated with survival, together with neuroinflammation. However, the possible contribution of neuroinflammation to deregulations of feeding behaviour in ALS has not been studied in detail. We here investigated if microglial KCa3.1 is linked to hypothalamic neuroinflammation and affects feeding behaviours in ALS mouse models. Experimental Approach hSOD1G93A and TDP43A315T mice were treated daily with 120 mg·kg−1 of TRAM‐34 or vehicle by intraperitoneal injection from the presymptomatic until the disease onset phase. Body weight and food intake were measured weekly. The later by weighing food provided minus that left in the cage. RT‐PCR and immunofluorescence analysis were used to characterize microglia phenotype and the main populations of melanocortin neurons in the hypothalamus of hSOD1G93A and age‐matched non‐tg mice. The cannabinoid–opioid interactions in feeding behaviour of hSOD1G93A mice were studied using an inverse agonist and an antagonist of the cannabinoid receptor CB1 (rimonabant) and μ‐opioid receptors (naloxone), respectively. Key Results: We found that treatment of hSOD1G93A mice with the KCa3.1 inhibitor TRAM‐34 (i), attenuates the pro‐inflammatory phenotype of hypothalamic microglia, (ii) increases food intake and promotes weight gain, (iii) increases the number of healthy pro‐opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and (iv), changes the expression of cannabinoid receptors involved in energy homeostasis. Conclusion and Implications: Using ALS mouse models, we describe defects in the hypothalamic melanocortin system that affect appetite control. These results reveal a new regulatory role for KCa3.1 to counteract weight loss in ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reelinopathies cause a distinctive lissencephaly type associated with cerebellar hypoplasia. To help further management, we wanted to report here the first prenatal diagnosis due to a homozygous inherited reelinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question/Issue: Contributing to ongoing debates on the determinants of diversity at the helm of companies, we investigate the relationship between executives' gender and pay inequality within the top executive team. Research Findings/Insights: Using a panel data set of US listed firms, we find that a greater inequality in executive pay is positively associated with the exit of female executives from the firm's top executive team. This effect is economically larger when the starting level of female representation in the executive team is low, when the firm uses more variable compensation to reward executives, and when the firm operates in geographic areas featuring stronger aversion toward income inequality. Theoretical/Academic Implications: Our study expands existing knowledge on the organizational and external factors promoting gender diversity at the top of companies. Although this literature has widely analyzed women's entry into corporate positions, exit has been largely neglected. Our study fills this gap by documenting significant gender differences in the relationship between executives' pay inequality and exit from the top executive team. In so doing, we connect the literatures on gender diversity and executive pay distribution, which have developed in a rather independent manner. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Drawing on insights from corporate governance and behavioral economics, this study offers novel evidence to policy‐makers interested in addressing the under‐explored challenges associated with the retention of women in corporate positions and their upward mobility within the corporate hierarchy. Moreover, the contextual variations behind our main finding suggest that cultural values and norms may play a key role in shaping the effectiveness of public policies aimed at increasing diversity in corporate governance positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multidisciplinary approach appears to be fundamental for the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19, improving clinical outcomes, even in the most severe cases. Such severe cases are advisable to be collegially discussed between intensivists, surgeons, infectious disease, and other physicians potentially involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy consumption levels show a never‐ending increase since the industrial era. Toward sustainability objectives, it is of outstanding importance to reduce the amount of wasted energy, that typically comes as waste heat, as a consequence of nonunitary efficiency of any thermodynamic process. Herein, a breakthrough in conversion of low enthalpy heat into electricity is presented, based on a liquid state device that operates through multiphysics effects: thermomagnetic advection, triboelectricity, pyroelectricity, and Ludwig–Sorét effect. A synergistic interaction between ferroelectric surfaces and a complex composition colloidal suspension is evidenced, owing to an enhancement of the generated potential of 365% in comparison with pyroelectric effect and 267% in comparison with triboelectric effect, while the current extracted is 54% higher than the pyroelectric effect only and the power extracted by induction remains substantially unperturbed. The impact of this technology on society is also analyzed, on the basis of a set of practical applications, by means of a computational analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]