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The effects of mental health challenges in the United States are growing and affect both Grades P–12 special education teachers and faculty at institutions of higher education (IHE). Educators struggle with compassion fatigue and associated burnout. With educators leaving the field for a plethora of reasons, it is vital to examine factors that support those who remain in education. Thus, we analyzed factors that support the retention of educators at both levels of instruction. In a qualitative analysis of data from survey respondents (N = 200), we examined the resiliency and endurance of practicing rural P–12 special educators and faculty at IHEs. Results from inductive content analysis indicate that factors leading to persistence in education begin with educators finding meaning in their teaching. Educators who demonstrate career endurance have a strong sense of self-efficacy in their teaching abilities, receive emotional benefits from their students, and have quality opportunities to mentor and collaborate with others. By contrast, some educators indicate burnout is a key factor for leaving the field, and reported reasons include low pay, paperwork, poor work/life balance, lack of respect, and the mental health of themselves and their students. Based on these findings, we offer recommendations for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the case of the Yeongdodaegyo bridge, abnormal noise occurred only in summer when it was opened, and the expected cause of noise was expected to be due to bearing damage or deformation friction. Therefore, a non‐destructive test was performed around the spherical bearing, which is a major part of the drawbridge components connected to the rotating shaft girder. For the measurement to analyze the cause of noise, the real‐time noise source was tracked during hoisting using an acoustic sensor according to the angular displacement of the rotating shaft. Through this, we tried to identify the noise source by identifying the left and right real‐time deformation (torsion, deflection, inclination) and the friction part of the damaged bearing. As a result of the analysis, irregular noise was generated from the left and right sides, and noise was generated when the twist, deflection, or tilt of the rotation shaft occurred. The bottom of the left and right bearings was found to be the main source of noise, and the bearing contact during deformation is considered to be the cause of the noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a group of neurodegenerative disorders that occur in humans, dogs, and several other species. NCL is characterised clinically by progressive deterioration of cognitive and motor function, epileptic seizures, and visual impairment. Most forms present early in life and eventually lead to premature death. Typical pathological changes include neuronal accumulation of autofluorescent, periodic acid‐Schiff‐ and Sudan black B‐positive lipopigments, as well as marked loss of neurons in the central nervous system. Here, we describe a 19‐month‐old Schapendoes dog, where clinical signs were indicative of lysosomal storage disease, which was corroborated by pathological findings consistent with NCL. Whole genome sequencing of the affected dog and both parents, followed by variant calling and visual inspection of known NCL genes, identified a missense variant in CLN6 (c.386T>C). The variant is located in a highly conserved region of the gene and predicted to be harmful, which supports a causal relationship. The identification of this novel CLN6 variant enables pre‐breeding DNA‐testing to prevent future cases of NCL6 in the Schapendoes breed, and presents a potential natural model for NCL6 in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scenarios of deposition on the sea surface around the Korean Peninsula following hypothetical release at Kori NPP were studied by application of the atmospheric transport model FLEXPART. The series of 1460 dispersion scenarios was calculated, covering the time period of 1 year. The total depositions on the surfaces of the East/Japan Sea (EJS), Yellow Sea (YS), East China Sea (ECS), and near-coast zone of 200-km vicinity around the Korean Peninsula, normalized on the total emission inventory were analyzed. The normalized deposition on the total area of 3 seas varied by more than 2 orders of magnitude from 0.003 to 0.59. The fraction of wet deposition in total deposition varied from 0 to 0.99. The selected most heavy deposition scenarios were divided into those dominated by dry deposition and wet deposition. The most conservative release scenarios (7 August 2020 and 2 September 2020) were dominated by wet deposition and were caused by the monsoon rainband and passage of the typhoon. In the scenario of 7 August 2020, 96% of deposition appeared in the near-coast zone. Cluster analysis of dispersion scenarios confirmed strong seasonal dependence of deposition patterns. For EJS and YS, the maximum average deposition was reached in the 'Summer' cluster. For ECS the maximum average normalized deposition was reached in the 'Spring + Fall' cluster ( D r = 0.055 ). Minimum average deposition on all seas was obtained for the 'Winter' cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Poor welfare attributable to overweight and obesity is considered one of the most significant welfare issues affecting companion animals. Veterinarians play an important role in providing nutritional counseling and weight management advice, but successful weight loss is difficult to achieve and maintain. This research examines the level of veterinary engagement and the success of veterinary management plans for overweight and obese canines over a five-year period. The electronic medical records of overweight or obese canines from four San Francisco Bay Area small animal hospitals were statistically analyzed for level of veterinary engagement, weight loss success, prescription weight loss diet use, and comorbidities. The results suggest that veterinary engagement is variable and, even at the highest level, is not adequate to successfully combat overweight or obesity or result in improved welfare. Overweight and obesity is one of the most important and preventable animal welfare issues we face, yet successful treatment and management remain elusive. Overweight and obesity is one of the most significant health and welfare issues affecting companion animals and are linked to several serious medical conditions, reduced welfare, and shortened lifespan. The number of overweight and obese pets increases every year. Overweight and obesity are associated with multiple chronic diseases. Underlying causes include human-related and animal-related factors. Veterinarians encounter overweight and obese canine patients in daily practice and they play an important role in weight management. This research examines the level of veterinary engagement and the success of veterinary management plans for overweight and obese canines over a five-year period. Electronic medical records (EMRs) were collected for 500 canine patients assessed as either overweight or obese and statistically analyzed for level of veterinary engagement (VE), weight loss success, prescription weight loss diet (RX) use, and comorbidities. The average age at the beginning of the study was 61.5 months. A starting Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6 or 7 was most common (87.2%). Twelve different small and large dog breeds were most highly represented (61.1%). Average weight loss rates were low and more dogs gained rather than lost weight (56.5% vs. 43.5%). While VE is important, this study suggests current VE levels are not adequate to successfully combat overweight and obesity or result in improved animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Irregular menstruation is a major health problem among women, although its association with nightshift work remains controversial. Aims To study the association between nightshift work and irregular menstrual cycle among female workers and investigate any differences according to sleep quality, working hours or obesity. Methods This study included female workers who underwent health examinations from 2012 to 2019. Nightshift work, working hours, sleep quality and menstrual cycles were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Irregular menstrual cycle was defined as self-reported irregular or ≥36 days. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by multivariable logistic regression; adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for incident irregular menstrual cycle were calculated by Cox proportional hazard models with time-dependent analysis. Results The study participants were 87 147 in the cross-sectional study and 41 516 in the longitudinal study. After adjusting for all covariates in the cross-sectional analyses, the odds ratio for prevalent irregular menstrual cycle among female nightshift workers versus the reference was 1.26 (95% CI 1.2–1.33). In the cohort study, the adjusted hazard ratio for incident irregular menstrual cycle among nightshift workers was 1.95 (95% CI 1.61–2.35) in the period after 6 years. No significant differences were observed among subgroups stratified by sleep quality, working hours or obesity. Conclusions Nightshift work is associated with an increased risk of both prevalent and incident irregular menstrual cycle in female workers without significant interactions by sleep quality, working hours or obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si3N4/TiN ceramic composites have been prepared by hot pressing in a nitrogen atmosphere using fine Si3N4 and Ti powders and CaO–Al2O3 sintering aids and investigated. The results demonstrate that hot pressing was accompanied by titanium nitridation, yielding titanium nitride with the composition TiN0.9. Reaction between silicon nitride and the sintering aid led to the formation of a Ca-α-SiAlON with the composition Ca0.67(Si10Al2)(N15.3O0.7). In addition to the major phases, calcium aluminosilicate with the composition Ca3Al2Si3O12 was identified. Increasing the percentage of titanium nitride in the composites prepared at a temperature of 1650°C led to an increase in their density and Vickers microhardness: from 3.18 ± 0.03 to 4.33 ± 0.03 g/cm3 and from 17 ± 1.1 to 29.4 ± 0.9 GPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to identify the change in anthropometric measurements during spaceflight due to microgravity exposure. Background: Comprehensive and accurate anthropometric measurements are crucial to assess body shape and size changes in microgravity. However, only limited anthropometric data have been available from the astronauts in spaceflight. Methods: A new photogrammetry-based technique in combination with a tape-measure method was used for anthropometric measurements from nine crewmembers on the International Space Station. Measurements included circumference and height for body segments (chest, waist, bicep, thigh, calf). The time-dependent variations were also assessed across pre-, in-, and postflight conditions. Results: Stature showed a biphasic change with up to 3% increase at the early flight phase, followed by a steady phase during the remaining flight. Postflight measurements returned to a similar level of the preflight. Other linear measurements, including acromion height, showed similar trends. The chest, hip, thigh, and calf circumferences show overall decrease during the flight up to 11%, then returned close to the preflight measurement at postflight. Conclusion: The measurements from this study provide critical information for the spacesuit and hardware design. The ground-based assessments for spacesuit fit needs to be revalidated and adjusted for in-flight extravehicular activities from this data. Application: These data can be useful for space suit design as well as habitat, vehicle, and additional microgravity activities such as exercise, where the body shape changes can affect fit, performance, and human factors of the overall design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observation of growing phase space density (PSD) peak in the outer electron radiation belt has been considered evidence for local wave‐driven acceleration as a primary cause of radiation belt enhancement. However, recent studies showed that strong substorm‐associated MeV electron injections can also cause significant radiation belt enhancements on fast timescales (∼10s min). Such rapid enhancements pose challenges for determining true spatial PSD profiles. To address this, we conduct a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of electron flux and PSD during an enhancement event, using Van Allen Probes data. Our analysis reveals rapid and intermittent flux enhancements. During these rapid enhancements, inbound spacecraft observed false PSD peaks, due to spacecraft's relatively slow movement. However, we identify time intervals of stable fluxes between enhancements, enabling us to determine quasi‐stationary PSD profiles with no noticeable peaks. This study provides new insights into accurate PSD analysis, critical for understanding the mechanisms underlying radiation belt enhancements. Plain Language Summary: Radiation belt physics studies the origin and dynamics of high‐energy electrons trapped in the Earth's radiation belts. The radial profiles of these electrons' phase space density (PSD) are essential parameters for investigating their origin and dynamics. Outward‐increasing PSD profiles indicate that electrons have been transported radially (injections) from outside the radiation belt, while locally peaked profiles suggest that they were generated locally within the belt. Obtaining accurate PSD profiles is challenging due to significant temporal changes in electron flux, particularly rapid flux enhancements from injections as observed in recent studies. To examine the impact of rapid flux enhancements on PSD analysis, we closely tracked electron flux changes in space and time during an enhancement event using data from NASA's Van Allen Probes. Our results show that inbound spacecraft can observe falsely peaked PSD profiles during rapid flux enhancements, which are temporal artifacts from relatively slower spacecraft motion. By identifying time intervals of stable electron flux between enhancements, we were able to determine the true spatial PSD profiles, which overall exhibited outward‐increasing trends, consistent with injections. Our findings offer new perspective on accurately determining PSD radial profiles, which is essential for unraveling the origins of high‐energy electrons in the Earth's radiation belts. Key Points: Rapid and intermittent electron enhancement pattern significantly impacts phase space density (PSD) analysisInbound spacecraft can observe a temporal PSD peak during rapid electron enhancements driven by injectionsQuasi‐stationary time intervals between enhancements enable accurate determination of PSD radial profiles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multicomponent force balance was designed to measure the drag and rolling moment using an accelerometer-based technique. The force balance system used a linear ball bush as a new model mount system to minimize the constraint of the test model motion in both the axial and rotational directions. The accelerations of the test model were measured in the axial and rotational directions using accelerometers that were externally mounted on the test model. The drag and rolling moment were recovered from the measured accelerations using the system response functions, which included the dynamic characteristics of the force balance system. The system response functions were determined from the force balance calibration processes by applying a series of point loads in the axial and rotational directions and deconvolving the resulting accelerations. The drag and rolling moment measurements on the wedge model, including the flaps, were performed in a shock tunnel with a test time of approximately 3 ms at a nominal freestream Mach number of 6. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis assuming a laminar boundary layer was performed. Good agreement was obtained between the measured and calculated results. An uncertainty analysis of the measurements was conducted with regard to the influence of the fundamental properties of the test condition and force balance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) is an ecologically significant and important fast-growing commercial tree species native to western coastal and riparian regions of North America, having highly desirable wood, pigment, and medicinal properties. We have sequenced the genome of a rapidly growing clone. The assembly is nearly complete, containing the full complement of expected genes. This supports our objectives of identifying and studying genes and pathways involved in nitrogen-fixing symbiosis and those related to secondary metabolites that underlie red alder's many interesting defense, pigmentation, and wood quality traits. We established that this clone is most likely diploid and identified a set of SNPs that will have utility in future breeding and selection endeavors, as well as in ongoing population studies. We have added a well-characterized genome to others from the order Fagales. In particular, it improves significantly upon the only other published alder genome sequence, that of Alnus glutinosa. Our work initiated a detailed comparative analysis of members of the order Fagales and established some similarities with previous reports in this clade, suggesting a biased retention of certain gene functions in the vestiges of an ancient genome duplication when compared with more recent tandem duplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the challenges faced by a librarian, Ms. Nesbitt, in engaging children with disabilities and limited interest in books. Topics covered include the use of universal design for learning principles to create accessible children's areas, the importance of adapted literacy materials for children with disabilities, and low-cost strategies such as adapting books with interactive elements, creating digital books and making squishy books to enhance engagement and accessibility.

Objective: To investigate the criteria, based on fetal TR waveforms in late gestation, to predict biventricular circulation (BV) after birth in cases of tricuspid valve dysplasia (TVD) or Ebstein's anomaly diagnosed during the fetal period. Methods: We included 35 consecutive cases diagnosed with TVD or Ebstein's anomaly during the fetal period between January 2008 and December 2021 at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Kanagawa, Japan. The maximum velocity and change in pressure over time of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet (dP/dt), estimated using TR waveforms obtained during the late‐gestation period (gestational age ≥ 28 weeks), were collected from patient records. dP/dt was calculated by dividing the change in estimated right ventricular pressure obtained using Bernoulli's principle by the time taken for the TR maximum velocity to change from one‐third to two‐thirds of its peak value. The outcome was divided into four categories: BV, single ventricular circulation, neonatal death and fetal death. Patients with BV were included in the BV group, while patients with single ventricular circulation, neonatal death or fetal death were included in the non‐BV (NBV) group. Results: Overall, 19 and 16 patients were included in the BV and NBV groups, respectively. The median TR maximum velocity was 3.3 (range, 2.4–3.6) m/s in the BV group and 1.9 (range, 1.0–3.3) m/s in the NBV group. There were no cases of postnatal BV in fetuses with TR maximum velocity < 2.4 m/s; cases with TR maximum velocity of 2.4–3.3 m/s were observed in both BV and NBV groups. Receiver‐operating‐characteristics‐curve analysis was performed on the 11 patients in the BV group and five patients in the NBV group with a TR maximum velocity of 2.4–3.3 m/s. dP/dt ≥ 350 mmHg/s and TR maximum velocity ≥ 2.9 m/s were identified as criteria for predicting the outcome in such cases. The performance of dP/dt ≥ 350 mmHg/s in predicting BV after birth in fetuses with TVD or Ebstein's anomaly was higher compared to that of TR maximum velocity ≥ 2.9 m/s (sensitivity, 90.9% vs 72.3% and specificity, 80.0% vs 80.0%, respectively). Conclusions: In fetuses with TVD or Ebstein's anomaly, the postnatal outcome may be BV or NBV when the TR maximum velocity is 2.4–3.3 m/s. In such cases, by combining the TR maximum velocity with dP/dt ≥ 350 mmHg/s, BV after birth may be predicted with greater accuracy. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investment decisions in competitive power markets are based upon thorough profitability assessments. Thereby, investors typically show a high degree of risk aversion, which is the main argument for capacity mechanisms being implemented around the world. In order to investigate the interdependencies between investors’ risk aversion and market design, we extend the agent-based electricity market model PowerACE to account for long-term uncertainties. This allows us to model capacity expansion planning from an agent perspective and with different risk preferences. The enhanced model is then applied in a multi-country case study of the European electricity market. Our results show that assuming risk-averse rather than risk-neutral investors leads to slightly reduced investments in dispatchable capacity, higher wholesale electricity prices, and reduced levels of resource adequacy. These effects are more pronounced in an energy-only market than under a capacity mechanism. Moreover, uncoordinated changes in market design may also lead to negative cross-border effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to global warming, environmental issues are one of the most interesting issues in the world. Especially for automobiles that emit pollutants, the issue of lightweight design is one of the important research areas. Thus, this study deals with the lightweight design of a camber link, an automotive suspension component, through finite element analysis. With reference to the camber link made of steel (SM45C) material that has been proven by commercialization, we will replace it with A356 aluminum alloy material to reduce the weight. Here, the design was changed through finite element analysis to reinforce the reduction of rigidity due to material substitution. In particular, we propose a method of designing a camber link considering the safety factor by analyzing the change of stress applied to the suspension. The weight reduction of about 14 % was achieved through static analysis using the weight factor. Using the dynamic optimization method through static analysis using the weight factor and stress ratio, it can be seen that the application is convenient and easy for the lightweight and optimal design of automobile parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite demonstrating high levels of academic and professional competence, Asians are underrepresented in leadership roles in North America. The limited research on this topic has found that Asian Americans are perceived by others as poorer leaders than White Americans due to perceptions that Asians lack the ideal traits of a Western leader (i.e., agentic) relative to White Americans. However, we contend that, in addition to poorly activating ideal leader traits, Asian Americans may strongly activate ideal follower traits (e.g., industrious and reliable), and being seen as a good follower may pigeonhole Asian Americans in non-managerial roles. Across 4 studies, our findings generally supported our arguments regarding the activation of ideal follower traits and lack of activation of ideal leader traits for Asian American workers. However, compared to their majority group counterparts, we found some unexpected evidence for a more favorable view of Asian Americans as leaders, which was primarily driven by the greater activation of ideal follower traits (i.e., industry and good citizen) among Asian American workers. Yet, we uncover an important boundary condition in that these "good follower" advantages did not accrue when observers experienced threat—revealing how the benefits of so-called positive stereotypes of Asian American workers are context dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to investigate the genetic structure, diversity, and relationship between native and foreign cross bred goats. The Korean native black goat (KNBG) has four different strains; however, this differentiation is based solely on external factors. To differentiate KNBGs from foreign crossbred goats (CGs), we used the Illumina Goat SNP50K BeadChip to perform genome analysis. We found an SNP marker that could distinguish between breeds and strains of KNBGs, as well as between KNBGs and CGs. We extracted genetic data from 506 goats and identified 45,836 common SNPs. To identify the distinguishing SNPs, we calculated the allele frequency difference for each breed, and analyzed the absolute value of the frequency difference between randomly selected breeds using the top 10, 20, 30, 50, and 150 SNPs. The data were used to represent the genetic structure of KNBGs and CGs goats, and principal component analysis revealed a distinguishing marker between them. As the SNP value increased, the markers became more distinct. Our findings can provide insights into the genetic information about the KNBGs strains, and SNP data will serve as the basis for future genetic selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the tetraquark mixing framework has been proposed as a possible structure for the two light-meson nonets in the J P = 0 + channel, the light nonet composed of a 0 (980) , K 0 ∗ (700) , f 0 (500) , f 0 (980) , and the heavy nonet of a 0 (1450) , K 0 ∗ (1430) , f 0 (1370) , f 0 (1500) . Among various signatures, we report in this work that their partial decay widths collected from various experimental data in Particle Data Group (PDG) can support this mixing scheme also. In particular, we demonstrate that the couplings of the light nonet to two pseudoscalar mesons estimated from the partial widths are consistently stronger than those of the heavy nonet. This consistent feature agrees qualitatively well with the predictions from the tetraquark mixing framework and, therefore, provides supporting evidence for the tetraquark mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current fabrication of nanomaterials is facing the following two challenges: high selectivity toward specific chemical compositions or morphologies and their scalable production. This usually requires new extreme fabrication conditions beyond the conventional approaches. Thermal plasma jets are flows of partially ionized gases where gas and electron temperatures reach their equilibrium state around 10 000 K, and thus provide high fluxes of energy and chemically active species including electrons and ions with their strong spatial gradients. Such extreme environments can trigger reactions that are not thermodynamically favorable or require high activation barriers, leading to the production of materials with exotic chemical compositions or structures. Since their first operation in 1960, thermal plasma jets were soon recognized as a unique and effective medium for material transformation such as melting, vaporization, and pyrolysis and recently have also found their important applications in nanomaterial fabrication. In this Perspective, we briefly review the latest progress in the thermal plasma jet-assisted fabrication of nanomaterials from nanoparticles to low-dimensional nanostructures. A special focus is made on the advantages of the thermal plasma jet technology in nanostructure fabrication, discussing plasma properties responsible for the nanomaterial growth with high throughput, high purity, anisotropy, desired compositions, or narrow size distributions. This Perspective closes with an outlook of challenges and opportunities for further advancement in this emerging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Numerous studies support the idea that neuromuscular blockade facilitates facemask ventilation after induction of anaesthesia. Although improved airway patency or pulmonary compliance and a resolution of laryngospasm have been suggested as possible causes, the exact mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether neuromuscular blockade improves facemask ventilation and to clarify whether this phenomenon is associated with the vocal cord angle. This prospective observational study included patients aged between 20 and 65 years scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. After induction of anaesthesia, patients' lungs were ventilated with pressure‐controlled ventilation using a facemask. During facemask ventilation, a flexible bronchoscope was inserted through a self‐sealing diaphragm at the elbow connector attached to the facemask and breathing circuit and positioned to allow a continuous view of the vocal cords. The mean tidal volume and vocal cord angle were measured before and after administration of neuromuscular blocking drugs. Of 108 patients, 100 completed the study. Mean (SD) tidal volume ((11.0 (3.9) ml.kg‐1 vs. 13.6 (2.6) ml.kg‐1; p < 0.001) and mean (SD) vocal cord angle (17° (10°) vs. 26° (5°); p < 0.001) increased significantly after neuromuscular blockade. The proportional increase in mean tidal volume after neuromuscular blockade was positively correlated with vocal cord angle (Spearman's ρ = 0.803; p < 0.001). In conclusion, neuromuscular blockade facilitated facemask ventilation, and the improvement was correlated with further opening of the vocal cords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si3N4-based ceramics have been produced by hot pressing in the temperature range 1550–1650°C using α-Si3N4 starting powder and CaO–Al2O3 (48 : 52 wt %) sintering aids. The powders and the ceramics have been characterized by dilatometry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and we have measured the microhardness and density of the ceramic samples. The results demonstrate that the sintering aid reacted with Si3N4 to form Ca-α-SiAlON. At 40 wt % sintering aids, all of the silicon nitride was converted into Ca-α-SiAlON. We have clarified general trends in the effect of the amount of sintering aids on the properties of the ceramic samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk prediction in patients with heart failure (HF) is essential to improve the tailoring of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies for the individual patient, and effectively use health care resources. Risk scores derived from controlled clinical studies can be used to calculate the risk of mortality and HF hospitalizations. However, these scores are poorly implemented into routine care, predominantly because their calculation requires considerable efforts in practice and necessary data often are not available in an interoperable format. In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of a multi-site solution to derive and calculate two exemplary HF scores from clinical routine data (MAGGIC score with six continuous and eight categorical variables; Barcelona Bio-HF score with five continuous and six categorical variables). Within HiGHmed, a German Medical Informatics Initiative consortium, we implemented an interoperable solution, collecting a harmonized HF-phenotypic core data set (CDS) within the openEHR framework. Our approach minimizes the need for manual data entry by automatically retrieving data from primary systems. We show, across five participating medical centers, that the implemented structures to execute dedicated data queries, followed by harmonized data processing and score calculation, work well in practice. In summary, we demonstrated the feasibility of clinical routine data usage across multiple partner sites to compute HF risk scores. This solution can be extended to a large spectrum of applications in clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel method for SiC production from a residue of coal fly ash (CFA) after high-pressure leaching with a mixture of NH 4 HSO 4 + H 2 SO 4 is proposed. A thermodynamic analysis showed that SiC can be obtained at >1500 °C, and titanium carbide (TiC) and ferrosilicon (FeSi) can form as byproducts. Carbothermal reduction of the CFA residue with carbon in the range 1300–1500 °C with holding time 1–3 h was investigated. X-ray phase analysis (XRD) indicated that SiC forms at >1425 °C. Iron compounds in the form of Fe 3 Si and Fe 5 Si 3 were detected by Mössbauer spectroscopy in a sample sintered at 1500 °C. The possibility of SiC production by a two-step procedure was demonstrated. First, a SiC powder was obtained from the CFA residue and carbon at 1500 °C, then SiC was mixed with yttrium aluminum garnet Y 3 Al 5 O 12 and processed by spark plasma sintering at 1750–2000 °C, holding time 5 min, and pressure 50 MPa. Ceramic samples obtained at 1850 and 1900 °C with compressive strength of 350 ± 17.5 & 416 ± 20.8 MPa and Vickers hardness of 17.89 ± 0.89 & 15.97 ± 0.79 GPa, respectively, proved to be comparable to the best reported SiC + yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics. Thus, this study presents an original method for ceramics production from solid waste of coal-fired power plants; this approach will allow to create a comprehensive technology for utilizing 100 % of CFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim was to analyse the use and safety of bisphosphonate treatment for metabolic bone complications in paediatric cancer patients. Methods: We retrospectively describe our experience with bisphosphonate treatment in 25 childhood cancer patients (aged <18 years) in a single tertiary hospital between 1999 and 2020. Results: The most common primary diagnosis was acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (n = 16) and Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 3). Eleven patients (44%) had received allogeneic stem cell transplantation and two patients autologous stem cell transplantation. Sixteen patients (64%) had been treated with radiotherapy, either total-body (n = 11) or local (n = 5). The main indication for bisphosphonates was osteoporosis with vertebral compression fractures in 13/25, osteonecrosis in 6/25 and hypercalcaemia in 2/25. The bisphosphonate treatment was started on average 13 (range 0-76) months after the diagnosis of the bone complication. Bisphosphonate treatment lasted between weeks (hypercalcaemia) to 5 years (severe osteoporosis). Mild, non-symptomatic hypophosphatemia (n = 8), hypocalcaemia (n = 6) and moderate, transient pain (n = 6) were the most common adverse effects. No severe side effects were observed even when bisphosphonates were administered concomitantly with chemotherapy. Bone mineral density significantly improved with the bisphosphonate treatment (mean lumbar spine Z-score -1.17 vs. -0.07, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Bisphosphonate treatment was well tolerated in this paediatric patient cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capabilities of the ensemble Kalman filter (EKF) data assimilation (DA) method to reduce errors in simulations of concentration distributions following the accidental release of a contaminant in the ocean were evaluated. The method was tested in an idealized setting where the contaminant was released in the ocean described by a simple linear Stommel model that includes the main features of two-dimensional (2D) wind-driven circulation in the ocean on the β-plane. The wind stress curl in the right-hand side of the equation for stream function was randomly perturbed to generate an ensemble of the perturbed fields of currents. The velocity fields obtained from the ensemble of stream functions were then used for the calculation of the ensemble of concentration fields following short-duration point release. On day 1000 of the simulation, correlation coefficients of the members of the concentration ensemble and the unperturbed concentration distribution fell to 0.087. The ensemble member with the maximum deviation from the unperturbed concentration distribution was selected to be used as "truth" in data assimilation experiments. Due to the high inhomogeneity of the concentration fields, the free regularization parameter had to be defined and tuned using the L-curve approach. Different DA scenarios were considered with different topologies of measurement networks and different source locations. In all cases, data assimilation gradually brought ensemble-averaged concentration fields close to the true distribution. The root mean square errors of the analyzed concentrations on day 1000 decreased by the factors varying from 3 to 4 in different DA scenarios as compared to the simulation without DA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report four species of Marattiaceae from upper Permian deposits in the Dead Sea region, Jordan that are assigned to the genera Dizeugotheca Archangelsky et de la Sota 1961 and Qasimia Hill et al. 1985. The generic name Gemellitheca Wagner et al., 1985 appears to be a synonym of Dizeugotheca and the new combination Dizeugotheca saudica is proposed. The new species Qasimia archangelskyi is described. Early Marattiaceae were apparently monocaulous trees like Psaroniaceae. Marattiaceae strongly diversified in the Triassic but had already started to replace the latter group in the Permian. • Four species of the fern family Marattiaceae belonging to the genera Qasimia and Dizeugotheca. • Taxonomic novelty: Quasimia archangelskyi sp. nov. • Taxonomic novelty: Dizeugotheca saudica (Wagner et al. 1985) comb. nov. • Late Permian mixed flora from the Dead Sea Region, Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of inherited ataxias is known in humans, with more than 250 loci implicated, most of which are included in human ataxia screening panels. Anecdotally, cases of ataxia in the Norwegian elkhound black have been known for the last 40 years. Affected puppies from three litters were clinically and neurologically examined, and postmortem samples were collected for morphological studies, including ultrastructural analyses. The puppies displayed vestibulocerebellar neurological signs and had degenerative histopathological alterations in cerebellum and brain stem. Three affected dogs, each from different litters, as well as both parents and one healthy littermate from each litter, were whole genome sequenced. Through variant calling we discovered a disease-associated 1 bp deletion in HACE1 (CFA12), resulting in a frameshift at codon 333 and a premature stop codon at codon 366. The perfect association combined with the predicted significant molecular effect, strongly suggest that we have found the causative mutation for Norwegian elkhound black ataxia. We have identified a novel candidate gene for ataxia where dogs can serve as a spontaneous model for improved understanding of ataxia, also in human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantified the population dynamics and life history diversity of seven brood years of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) using a life-cycle approach. Four life history patterns, composed of fry, fry–nomad, parr, and yearling migrants indicated the importance of connectivity and access to a full range of freshwater and estuarine rearing environments through the year. Survival of each life history type varied annually with the yearling migrants contributing an average of 70% to the spawners in all but one return year. Fifty-eight percent of the spawners of the 2013 return year had an estuarine rearing strategy, primarily parr migrants that overwintered in the estuary. Fry migrants, thought to be surplus production, were consistently observed in the estuary and represented in the returning spawners. The annual contribution of alternative rearing strategies to the spawners may support the resilience and viability of the population. We recommend that life cycle models of coho salmon account for the contribution of estuary migrants to the productivity and persistence of coho salmon in support of management and restoration of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of the solar wind with the plasma envelope of planets without their own global magnetic field has a different character than does the corresponding process near the Earth due to the closer location of the bow shock to the planet's surface. Similar processes and structures in the interaction of the solar wind with the plasma envelope of the planet can be found in both planets with a global magnetic field and without. In this paper, we analyze the observations of plasma structures found in the transition region between the ionosphere and magnetosheath, better known as the region of the induced magnetosphere, on the dayside of Mars based on the measurement data of a set of instruments for studying the characteristics of particles and fields of the spacecraft Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN). The velocity of the observed plasma structures is calculated on the assumption that it coincides with the de Hoffmann–Teller velocity by minimizing the electric field in the moving coordinate frame. The hypothesis of the origin of these structures during the formation of vortices of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability is tested by analyzing the velocity vectors of the H+, O+, and ions in different coordinate frames. An analysis of the scatter plots of projections of velocities depending on the density of the selected ionic component of the plasma is carried out. Based on the analysis results, it is shown that not all detection criteria are feasible in the case of the formation of vortices of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability on Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Several patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have deteriorated bone status. Estimation of bone status using DXA has limitations especially in patients with CKD accompanying aortic calcifications. Quantitative CT and the trabecular bone score could be more accurate methods to estimate bone status for patients with CKD and vascular calcifications. Introduction: It remains unclear whether dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA) is appropriate for the assessment of bone status in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease that impacts bone health. The aims of this study were to compare DXA and central quantitative computed tomography (cQCT) and to evaluate bone status in patients with pre-dialysis CKD. Methods: This retrospective study included 363 healthy control subjects whose bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated with DXA and 117 CKD patients whose BMD was evaluated using both cQCT and DXA. Diagnostic discordance was assessed between the lumbar spine (LS) and femur neck (FN) from DXA or between two modalities. The trabecular bone score (TBS) was extracted from DXA images. The volume of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) was calculated using CT images from cQCT. Results: Using LS DXA T-score, osteoporosis was less common in the CKD group than in controls. Patients with normal LS BMD using DXA were reclassified into osteopenia or osteoporosis using cQCT in CKD patients. Among discordant subjects between FN and LS in DXA, a higher BMD of LS was more common in CKD patients than in controls. CKD patients had lower TBS than controls despite having the same diagnosis using DXA. AAC volume negatively correlated with BMD from cQCT and with TBS but not with BMD from DXA. Conclusions: TBS and cQCT could accurately assess bone status in CKD patients since DXA may overestimate LS BMD, likely due to an increased AAC volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze contemporary practice patterns in breast cancer radiotherapy (RT) and to assess longitudinal changes therein over 5 years in Korea. A nationwide survey was conducted among board-certified radiation oncologists in Korea by the Division for Breast Cancer of the Korean Radiation Oncology Group in March 2022. The survey consisted of 44 questions related to six domains: hypofractionated (HypoFx) whole breast RT, accelerated partial breast RT (APBI), regional nodal irradiation (RNI), RT for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), postmastectomy RT (PMRT), and tumor bed boost. In total, 70 radiation oncologists from 61 of 101 (60%) institutions participated in the survey. HypoFx RT was used by 62 respondents (89%), which has significantly increased from 36% in 2017. The HypoFx RT was commonly administered at 40–42.5 Gy in 15–16 fractions. APBI was used by 12 respondents (17%), which has increased from 5% in 2017. The use of RNI did not change significantly: ≥ pN2 (6%), ≥ pN1 (33%), and ≥ pN1 with pathological risk factors (61%). However, the indications for use of internal mammary lymph node (IMN) irradiation have expanded. In particular, the rates of routine treatment of IMN (11% from 6% in 2017) and treatment in cases of ≥ pN2 (27% from 14% in 2017) have doubled; however, the rate of treatment for only IMN involvement, identified on imaging, has decreased to 31% from 47% in 2017. With regard to DCIS, the use of hypoFx RT increased to 75% from 25%, and the rate of omission on of RT after breast-conserving surgery decreased to 38% from 48% in 2017. The use of hypoFx RT for PMRT also increased to 36% from 8% in 2017. The adoption of HypoFx RT after breast-conserving surgery in invasive breast cancer and DCIS has increased significantly, whereas that for PMRT has increased moderately, compared to 2017. Further studies are required to determine the optimal use of RNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Are insufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations, and other markers of vitamin D metabolism, associated with premenstrual symptoms in healthy women with regular menstrual cycles?Summary Answer: 25(OH)D insufficiency was associated with specific physical premenstrual symptoms, while no associations were observed with psychological symptoms or with other markers of vitamin D metabolism.What Is Known Already: Prior studies evaluating vitamin D and premenstrual symptoms have yielded mixed results, and it is unknown whether 25(OH)D insufficiency and other markers of vitamin D metabolism are associated with premenstrual symptoms.Study Design, Size, Duration: We used two cohorts of women with regular menstrual cycles; 1191 women aged 18-40 years in EAGeR (cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort within a randomized trial) and 76 women aged 18-44 years in BioCycle (prospective cohort). In EAGeR, premenstrual symptoms over the previous year were assessed at baseline, whereas in BioCycle, symptoms were assessed prospectively at multiple points over two menstrual cycles with symptoms queried over the previous week. In both cohorts, symptomatology was assessed via questionnaire regarding presence and severity of 14 physical and psychological symptoms the week before and after menses. Both studies measured 25(OH)D in serum. We also evaluated the association of additional markers of vitamin D metabolism and calcium homeostasis, including intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), calcium (Ca), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) with premenstrual symptoms in the BioCycle cohort.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: One cohort of women actively seeking pregnancy (Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction (EAGeR)) and one cohort not seeking pregnancy (BioCycle) were evaluated. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% CIs for associations between insufficient 25(OH)D (<30 ng/ml) and individual premenstrual symptoms, adjusting for age, BMI, race, smoking, income, physical activity, and season of blood draw.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: 25(OH)D insufficiency was associated with increased risk of breast fullness/tenderness (EAGeR RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03, 1.55; BioCycle RR 1.37, 95% CI 0.56, 3.32) and generalized aches and pains (EAGeR RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01, 1.78; BioCycle 1.36, 95% CI 0.41, 4.45), though results were imprecise in the BioCycle study. No associations were observed between insufficient 25(OH)D and psychological symptoms in either cohort. In BioCycle, iPTH, Ca, FGF23, and 1,25(OH) 2D were not associated with any premenstrual symptoms.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Results from the EAGeR study were limited by the study design, which assessed both 25(OH)D at baseline and individual premenstrual symptoms over the past year at the baseline. As such, reverse causality is a potential concern. Though premenstrual symptoms were assessed prospectively in the BioCycle cohort, the power was limited due to small sample size. However, results were fairly consistent across both studies.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Serum 25(OH)D may be associated with risk and severity of specific physical premenstrual symptoms.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (Contract nos. HHSN267200603423, HHSN267200603424, and HHSN267200603426). JG.R. and D.L.K. have been funded by the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program, a public-private partnership jointly supported by the NIH and generous contributions to the Foundation for the NIH by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (Grant #2014194), the American Association for Dental Research, the Colgate Palmolive Company, Genentech, and other private donors. For a complete list, visit the foundation website at http://www.fnih.org. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.Trial Registration Number: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00467363. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that parents of infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) tend to experience significant levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. However, few studies have explored the difference between mothers' and fathers' use of religious and spiritual (R/S) coping and mental health after the family is discharged from the NICU. Participants were 131 mothers and 53 fathers (N = 184) who completed the COPE Inventory, the Brief RCOPE, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale—Revised (CESD-R), and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. Participants were acquired from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Health Statistics and Studyfinder at a university medical center. Mothers were contacted via regular mail with a survey for the mother and her co-parent/significant other to complete separately. Babies were born on average at 31.65 weeks' gestation and spent on average 35.10 days in the NICU. Mothers' mean scores on depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher than fathers' scores. Further, use of negative R/S coping was a salient predictor of depression for fathers even after accounting for secular coping. For mothers, negative R/S coping was related to greater anxiety and stress, while use of positive R/S was linked to lower levels of anxiety after accounting for secular forms of coping. Thus, mothers and fathers may experience stress, anxiety, and depression at different levels following NICU discharge. Their ways of coping with the new reality of having a recently discharged infant can also vary, with important mental health implications. The use of negative R/S coping may have detrimental impacts on these parents' mental health and family functioning. A family-centered approach that includes psychospiritual dimensions is warranted for better parental outcomes post NICU discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro-migration of ionized/electrically active impurities in CdZnTe (CZT) was successfully demonstrated at elevated temperature with an electric field of 20 V/mm. Copper, which exists in positively charged states, electro-migrated at a speed of 15 μm/h in an electric field of 20 V/mm. A notable variation in impurity concentration along the growth direction with the segregation tendency of the impurities was observed in an electro-migrated CZT boule. Notably, both Ga and Fe, which exist in positively charged states, exhibited the opposite distribution to that of their segregation tendency in Cd(Zn)Te. A CZT detector fabricated from the middle portion of the electromigrated CZT boule showed an improved mobility-lifetime product of 0.91×10-2 cm2/V, compared with that of 1.4×10-3 cm2/V, observed in an as-grown (non-electro-migrated) CZT detector. The optimum radiation detector material would have minimum concentration of deep traps required for compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the thermal performance of cryogenic micro-pin fin coolers for high-power laser diode (LD) bars. An open-loop liquid nitrogen cooling system, used to operate LD bars at cryogenic temperatures, is developed and characterized. The comparison study demonstrates that the total thermal resistance value of the micro-pin fin cooler, ranging from 0.03 to 0.04 °C/W, is only 1/3 of that of the micro-gap cooler and, thus, contributes significantly to reducing the LD operating temperature and enhancing its efficiency. In this study, the peak optical power of 68.8 W was observed at an LD bar package base temperature of − 100 °C, providing a 20% increase relative to the optical power of 57.3 W for a nominal operating condition with an LD bar package base temperature of 41 °C. This result clearly illustrates the enhancement in optical performance made possible by cryogenic cooling with a pin fin microcooler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the effects of dapagliflozin, metformin and exercise treatment on changes in plasma glucagon concentrations in individuals with overweight and HbA1c‐defined prediabetes. Materials and Methods: One‐hundred and twenty individuals with overweight (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) and prediabetes (HbA1c of 39‐47 mmol/mol) were randomized to a 13‐week intervention with dapagliflozin (10 mg once daily), metformin (850 mg twice daily), exercise (30 minutes of interval training 5 days per week) or control (habitual living). A 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (0, 30, 60 and 120 minutes) was administered at baseline, at 13 weeks (end of intervention) and at 26 weeks (end of follow‐up). Linear mixed effects models with participant‐specific random intercepts were used to investigate associations of the interventions with fasting plasma glucagon concentration, insulin/glucagon ratio and glucagon suppression during the OGTT. Results: At baseline, the median (Q1; Q3) age was 62 (54; 68) years, median fasting plasma glucagon concentration was 11 (7; 15) pmol/L, mean (SD) HbA1c was 40.9 (2.3) mmol/mol and 56% were women. Compared with the control group, fasting glucagon did not change in any of the groups from baseline to the end of the intervention (dapagliflozin group: −5% [95% CI: −29; 26]; exercise group: −8% [95% CI: −31; 24]; metformin group: −2% [95% CI: −27; 30]). Likewise, there were no differences in insulin/glucagon ratio and glucagon suppression during the OGTT between the groups. Conclusions: In individuals with prediabetes, 13 weeks of treatment with dapagliflozin, metformin or exercise was not associated with changes in fasting or post‐OGTT glucagon concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korea fourth-generation storage ring (Korea-4GSR) has a low electron beam emittance of 60 p.m.-rad, and provides a photon beam that is 100 times brighter and 100 times more coherent than the third-generation Pohang Light Source (PLS-II). However, the new source imposes a higher heat load on beamline optics. In particular, the first mirror (M1), which receives the broad-bandwidth white beam will be distorted by the thermal load from X-ray beam and the heat bump will degrade the beam quality. For the thermal analysis of M1, a method is developed to solve the thermal deformation with temperature gradient and absorbed power density. To implement the method in the analysis of heat load effect on M1, a benchmark study was performed on beamline 8A at PLS-II. In this paper, we describe the thermal analysis of M1 in Korea-4GSR after verifying our simulation method in a benchmark study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-event sampling models for monitoring diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and small white butterfly, Pieris rapae (Pieridae) are used in integrated production systems of cabbage. Decision-making accuracy and reduced labour needs of those models were unknown compared to fixed-sample monitoring. This we addressed through computer simulations of the currently most used first-event sampling plan for cabbage in DPR Korea. Indeed, this sampling plan in five subplots of a cabbage field at a sampling limit of a maximum 10 plants each, appeared less labour intense than many fixed-sample monitoring plans. However, only a medium accuracy of infestation estimates and correct decision-making for or against pest control was achieved, particularly at high pest densities. If accepting such medium accuracy, the current sampling plan could be reduced from five to three subplots at a sampling limit of 10 plants each, or to a maximum of five assessed plants per each of five subplots, this is, without further loosing accuracy whilst saving labour. Such sampling requires little investment in time and might be therefore applied and validated across more cabbage productions systems of East Asia. Ultimately, first-event sampling, as other sampling plans will remain a compromise between accuracy and practicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]