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Policy advocacy is a professional competency in the Council of Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Therefore, preparing social work students to engage in political arenas is an integral part of social work education. This study presents an evaluation of the policy advocacy course using a pre/posttest research design (N = 154), and examines the theoretical link between the course and the change in students’ motivation to engage in policy advocacy activities. Findings indicate that students’ motivation to engage in policy advocacy and traditional resources for policy advocacy increased after the course. Path analysis demonstrated the mechanism through which these increases were achieved. The study suggests that including comprehensive policy advocacy training in the professional socialization of future social workers is a promising approach to increasing their active engagement in policy advocacy and satisfying CSWE requirements.

This study aimed to find the association of receptive vocabulary in the development of speech and language among school-going children (4–13 years) with language disorders. On the basis of non-verbal receptive vocabulary and percentage correct consonants (PCC) scores, children from public schools in Punjab, Pakistan with speech and language issues were separated into three groups; Speech sound disordered (SSD, N = 15), Language Impaired (LI) comorbid with SSD (N = 42) and typically developed (TD, N = 15). Urdu version of Peabody picture vocabulary test, fourth edition (U-PPVT-4), Digit memory test (DMT), and Test for assessment of articulation and phonology in Urdu (TAAPU) were used to assess non-verbal receptive vocabulary, Short-term memory (STM), Working memory (WM), and SSD. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to find the association of receptive vocabulary with other measures used. Receptive vocabulary, STM, WM, omission, substitution, and PCC scores were significantly different (p < 0.01) when compared among LI+SSD, SSD, and TD groups. Regression analysis showed that receptive vocabulary was significantly associated with STM and WM in the LI+SSD group. A positive correlation was found between the U-PPVT-4 standard score with STM and WM for LI+SSD and SSD groups. Our findings in Urdu-speaking children suggested that STM and WM were less developed in children with speech and language impairments. Moreover, children with speech and language deficits not only had weaker receptive vocabulary but also attention should be given to improving STM and WM that contribute to LI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, two new meloxicam complexes with Mg(II) and Sr(II) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and analytical methods, that is, UV–vis, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, powder XRD, SEM–EDX, and TG analysis. The biological evaluation was done by in vitro antioxidant, BSA‐binding, DNA cleavage activities, and in vivo anti‐inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic methods. Furthermore, in silico docking was done with Keap1 receptor to visualize the anti‐inflammatory effect of complexes. The spectral characterization suggested that meloxicam coordinated with the metal ions by oxygen and nitrogen of amide group and thiazolyl ring (Oamide and Nthiazolyl), respectively. The SEM pictures depicted dissimilar morphologies, and the powder XRD patterns showed different crystallinities of complexes than meloxicam. TG analysis exhibited high thermal stabilities of complexes and Coats–Redfern method was employed to calculate the important thermodynamic parameters. The complexes showed effective biological activities and enhanced safety index (LD50 = 1000 mg kg−1). The Mg(II) complex revealed greatest inhibitory effects in carrageenan‐induced paw inflammation (92.85%) and in acetic acid‐induced writhing (71.05%). Furthermore, the complexes showed higher potential to bind with BSA and cleave the DNA as compared with the meloxicam. Moreover, molecular docking against Keap1 showed that Mg(II) complex inhibited Keap1 with highest docking score (6166 kcal mol−1), docking area (804.40) and ACE (−417.49 kJ mol−1) which explained its higher anti‐inflammatory effect. Mg(II) complex of meloxicam might be considered as a candidate anti‐inflammatory drug; however, more research is required to investigate their other biological potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The issue of renewable energy (RE) source intermittency, such as wind and solar, along with the geographically uneven distribution of the global RE potential, makes it imperative to establish an energy transport medium to balance the energy demand and supply areas. A promising energy vector to address this situation is hydrogen, which is considered a clean energy carrier for various mobile and portable applications. Unfortunately, at standard pressure and temperature, its energy content per volume is very low (0.01 kJ/L). This necessitates alternative storage technologies to achieve reasonable capacities and enable economically viable long-distance transportation. Among the hydrogen storage technologies using chemical methods, liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) systems are considered a promising solution. They can be easily managed under ambient conditions, the H2 storage/release processes are carbon-free, and the carrier liquid is reusable. However, the evolution of the proposals from the carrier liquid type and catalyst elemental composition point of view is scarcely studied, considering that both are critical in the performance of the system (operational parameters, kinetic of the reactions, gravimetric hydrogen content, and others) and impact in the final cost of the technology deployed. The latter is due to the use of the Pt group elements (PGEs) in the catalyst that, for example, have a high demand in the hydrogen production sector, particularly for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. With that in mind, our objective was to examine the evolution and the focus of the research in recent years related to proposals of LOHCs and catalysts for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions in LOHC systems which can be useful in defining routes/strategies for new participants interested in becoming involved in the development of this technology. Data sources: For this systematic review, we searched the SCOPUS database and forward and backward citations for studies published in the database between January 2011 and December 2022. Eligibility criteria: The criteria include articles which assessed or studied the effect of the type of catalyst, type of organic liquid, reactor design(s)/configuration(s), and modification of the reactor operational parameters, among others, over the performance of the LOHC system (de/hydrogenation reaction(s)). Data extraction and analysis: The relevant data from each reviewed study were collected and organized into a pre-designed table on an Excel spreadsheet, categorized by reference, year, carrier organic liquid, reaction (hydrogenation and/or dehydrogenation), investigated catalyst, and primary catalyst element. For processing the data obtained from the selected scientific publications, the data analysis software Orbit Intellixir was employed. Results: For the study, 233 studies were included. For the liquid carrier side, benzyltoluene and carbazole dominate the research strategies. Meanwhile, platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) are the most employed catalysts for dehydrogenation reactions, while ruthenium (Ru) is preferred for hydrogenation reactions. Conclusions: From the investigated liquid carrier, those based on benzyltoluene and carbazole together account for over 50% of the total scientific publications. Proposals based on indole, biphenyl, cyclohexane, and cyclohexyl could be considered to be emerging within the time considered in this review, and, therefore, should be monitored for their evolution. A great activity was detected in the development of catalysts oriented toward the dehydrogenation reaction, because this reaction requires high temperatures and presents slow H2 release kinetics, conditioning the success of the implementation of the technology. Finally, from the perspective of the catalyst composition (monometallic and/or bimetallic), it was identified that, for the dehydrogenation reaction, the most used elements are platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd), while, for the hydrogenation reaction, ruthenium (Ru) widely leads its use in the different catalyst designs. Therefore, the near-term initiatives driving progress in this field are expected to focus on the development of new or improved catalysts for the dehydrogenation reaction of organic liquids based on benzyltoluene and carbazole.

Chronic wound infection is one of the factors that hinder or prevent its healing. The incidence of infection may vary depending on the type of wound. It is estimated that clinically significant infection in diabetic foot syndrome occurs in up to 30% of patients. Accurate diagnosis of infection features and proper microbiological tests are crucial for introducing of appropriate local and often systemic treatment. The aim of the study was a comparative analysis of the microbiota found in infected chronic wounds in patients from Poland, consulted on an outpatient basis at a wound care center in 2013–2021. The indication for microbiology culture tests was the detection of local signs of infection, and sampling was preceded by appropriate wound debridement. The standard culture technique was a deep-tissue biopsy. Material for the study was collected from 1,199 patients. Overall, 3,917 results of microbiological tests were subjected to retrospective analysis. The paper presents the results in the form of the number of cultured microorganisms and their relative incidence as percentages, considering the division into the types of wounds from which the material was obtained. The most frequently isolated microorganisms in the analyzed group were Staphylococcus aureus (14.3% of this group were MRSA – methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Enterococcus faecalis (2.4% of this group were VRE – vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus).

On November 16th 1959, André Schwarz-Bart was awarded with the prestigious Prix Goncourt for his first book, The Last of the Just, which had only been published a couple months earlier. The epic novel, compared to Victor Hugo’s The Legend of the Ages, describes the wandering and the persecutions of successive generations of “Just” from the 12th century’s stakes to the 1943’s gas chambers. The novel was a bomb on the 1959’s media scene, and it led to numerous attacks against its author. Its publication, and the following events, crystallized ideological and identity debates that structured the “Glorious Thirty”, and that are still at work today.

The growing number of students with Learning Disabilities (LD) who are granted test accommodations raises many theoretical questions with educational implications. The aim of the current study is to examine levels of positive affect as an indicator of wellbeing among students with LD who receive test accommodations and to identify the mediating role of personal resources such as academic self-efficacy, hope, attitudes towards test accommodations and loneliness. Two groups of junior high school students (157 students with LD and 278 typical development peers) completed questionnaires about their attitudes towards test accommodations, their positive affect, academic self-efficacy, loneliness and hope. Results indicate that students with LD who are entitled to test accommodations reported lower levels of academic self-efficacy, hope and positive affect compared to their typical development peers. A serial multiple mediation analysis demonstrates that personal resources as well as attitudes fully mediated the relations between receiving such accommodations and positive affect. This study offers unique, though preliminary, findings about the important relations between receiving test accommodations and attitudes about them, positive affect and personal resources by providing a deeper look at the complexity of the relations between the factors that predict students’ wellbeing.

This work deals with the comparison of the theoretical assignment of the DADP vibrational spectrum with the experimental displacements by isotopic labeling. For this, the DADP-C4 and DADP-C2 isotopomers were synthesized from acetone labeled isotopically in the methyl and the carbonyl carbon atoms, respectively. The acetone and DADP-isotopomer compounds were characterized using Raman and infrared spectroscopy. Theoretical assignments were taken from previous studies on the potential energy distribution of a vibrational mode, which provide an approach to the internal coordinates related to each band. The selective isotopic labeling allowed us to approach to the dependence of each band, because the energy of a molecular vibration also depends on the reciprocal mass of the atoms involved. In general, the results showed that some bands assigned experimentally do not coincide with the theoretical assignments by quantum mechanical simulations.

Wstęp: Aktualnie dostępne metody diagnostyczne oceniające ukrwienie kończyn dolnych dostarczają informacji na temat morfologicznego obrazu naczyń tętniczych oraz na temat hemodynamiki przepływu. Pomimo iż czułość i dokładność wspomnianych metod jest wysoka i dobrze udokumentowana, posiadają one swoje ograniczenia. Do takich należy brak możliwości oceny stopnia ukrwienia tkanek miękkich. Istnieje więc potrzeba stworzenia takiej metody, która w sposób wartościowy oceniałaby stan ukrwienia tkanek kończyn dolnych. Celem pracy jest ocena, czy metoda spektroskopii bliskiej podczerwieni (NIRS) może być przydatna, jeżeli tak, to w jakim stopniu, oraz czy stanie się metodą uzupełniającą diagnostykę kończyn dolnych w wybranych patologiach związanych z niedokrwieniem. Materiał i metody: W I etapie autorzy zbadali 20 zdrowych ochotników, monitorują utlenowanie tkanek kk. dolnych podczas testu okluzyjnego. W drugim w II etapie badania autorzy monitorowali stan utlenowania tkanek stopy u pacjentów z rozpoznanym krytycznym niedokrwieniem kończyn dolnych zagrożonych utratą kończyny bądź jej części, w tym u pacjentów leczonych z powodu cukrzycy i jej powikłań w zakresie układu krążenia oraz śródoperacyjnie u chorych operowanych z powodu niedokrwienia kk. dolnych. Badania wykonywano przy użyciu urządzenia NIRO-200 firmy HAMAMATSU, wykorzystującego nieinwazyjną technikę pomiaru w bliskiej podczerwieni (NIRS, near infrared spectroscopy). Wyniki: Autorzy opracowali metodę pomiaru utlenowania tkanek kończyn dolnych oraz potwierdzili powtarzalność pomiarów ΔΟ2Hb (zmiana utlenowanej hemoglobiny) i TOI (wskaźnik utlenowanej hemoglobiny) w grupie zdrowych wolontariuszy poddawanych testowi okluzyjnemu w trzech kolejnych badaniach. Potwierdzono hipotezę zerową o równości średnich, wykorzystując test t-Studenta. Wstępne wyniki badań pozwalają przypuszczać, iż metoda ta będzie przydatna jako narzędzie oceniające skuteczność leczenia rewaskularyzacyjnego u chorych operowanych z powodu niedokrwienia kończyn dolnych już w trakcie zabiegu operacyjnego. Autorzy w dalszym etapie badań podejmą próbę ustalenia, czy metoda NIRS służyć może jako dodatkowe narzędzie, pomocne przy kwalifikacji pacjentów z niedokrwieniem kończyn dolnych do leczenia operacyjnego lub zachowawczego oraz ustalaniu poziomu amputacji części kończyny u chorych z krytycznym niedokrwieniem kończyny zakwalifikowanych do tego zabiegu. Wnioski: Pomiary utlenowania tkanek metodą NIRS wykorzystywane dotychczas do monitorowania płatów czołowych mózgu podczas endarterektomii tętnic szyjnych są metodą o dużym potencjale badawczym w ocenie ukrwienia tkanek miękkich kończyn dolnych. Ostateczne wyniki po zakończeniu badania dadzą odpowiedź na temat przydatności tej metody badawczej jako dodatkowego narzędzia w diagnostyce niedokrwienia kończyn dolnych. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15-34. Although post-treatment prognosis is generally very good, the impact on sexuality, gender identity and fertility is amplified in this age group. A Canadian study of men with testicular cancer explores how men (re)consider questions of sexuality and gender post diagnosis and treatment. Semi-structured interviews with 40 men were analyzed using thematic decomposition, an analytic technique that combines discursive approaches with thematic analysis. The theoretical framework that guides this work relies on material discursive approaches. From an analytic stance, this perspective is concerned with a focus on the ways in which both subjectivity and the body are experienced and constituted in language. In particular, we are concerned with how these men interpret the (altered) male body as a locus of gender signification and gender disruption. Men in this study construct testicular cancer as alternately inhibiting and enhancing masculinity and sexuality. Disruption interpolates with potentiality. A discourse of precarious masculinity predominates these accounts, wherein the link between anatomy and masculinity is simultaneously asserted and disavowed. Constructions of anatomical essentialism (i.e., testicular integrity is equated with masculinity) are juxtaposed against construals of anatomical superfluousness (i.e., other sites of sexuality and male identity are emphasized as being more central). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Cross-sectional cohort study., Objective: To classify spinal morphology using the "current" and "theoretical" Roussouly systems and assess sagittal alignment in an asymptomatic cohort., Methods: 467 asymptomatic volunteers were recruited from 5 countries. Radiographic parameters were measured via the EOS imaging system. "Current" and "theoretical" Roussouly classification was assigned with sagittal whole spine imaging using sacral slope (SS), pelvic incidence (PI), and the lumbar apex. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare subject characteristics across Roussouly types, followed by post hoc Bonferroni correction., Results: Volunteers were categorized into 4 groups (Types 1-4) and 1 subgroup (Type 3 AP) using the "current" and "theoretical" Roussouly systems. The mean PI in "current" Roussouly groups was 40.8° (Type 1), 43.6° (Type 2), 52.4° (Type 3), 62.4° (Type 4), and 43.7° (Type 3AP). The mean PI in "theoretical" Roussouly groups was 36.5° (Type 1), 39.1°(Type 2), 52.5° (Type 3), 67.3° (Type 4), and 51.0° (Type 3AP). The difference in PI between "current" and "theoretical" Roussouly types was significant for Type 1 ( P = .02), Type 2 ( P < .001), Type 4 ( P < .001), and Type 3AP ( P < .001). 34.7% of subjects had a "current" Roussouly type different from the "theoretical" type. Type 3 theoretical shape had the most frequent mismatch, constituting 61.1% of the mismatched subjects. 51.5% of mismatched Type 3 become "current" Type 4., Conclusion: The distribution of Roussouly types differs depending on whether the "current" or "theoretical" classification are employed. A sizeable proportion of volunteers exhibited current and theoretical type mismatch, highlighting the need to interpret sagittal alignment cautiously when utilizing the Roussouly system., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Effective removal of dental plaque is essential factor for prevention of caries, gingival, and periodontal diseases in children and adults., Aim: To evaluate factors associated with improving toothbrushing performance (TB-P) among children., Design: An observational cohort study analyzed all paediatric patients receiving regular examinations in a single dental clinic between 2009 and 2017 and regularly brushing their teeth with a triple-headed toothbrush (TH-TB). At every periodic follow-up, the TB-P of the child/parent was evaluated using the TB-P Skill Index (TB-PS-I); that is, did the child reach all five teeth segments within each arch and did he/she perform 10 back-and-forth stocks in each segment. When not optimal, they received instructions for improving TB-P and subsequently were asked to re-demonstrate. TB-PS-I was calculated and analyzed for correlation with other explanatory variables., Results: A total of 1737 children with 7399 follow-up appointments were analyzed. Older age, female gender, higher number of follow-up appointments, and compliance with twice-daily toothbrushing significantly improved TB-P. The most typical mistakes in their performance were not reaching the canine segments and not performing enough strokes in each segment. Instructions given after imperfect TB-P significantly improved the TB-P. The magnitude of improvement, however, did not correlate with the performers' age, gender, or the number of follow-up visits., Conclusions: A significant percentage of children >8 years did not perform optimal toothbrushing even when using TH-TB., (© 2024 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Study Design: Prospective cohort study., Objectives: To show population variance in the Inflection Point (IP) and its role in defining maximum Thoracic Kyphosis (TK) and Lumbar Lordosis (LL)., Methods: 468 asymptomatic adult volunteers were included in the Multi-Ethnic Normative Alignment Study (MEANS). To find parameters correlating with IP, the vertebrae and discs were numbered such that C7 was 0, T1 was 1, with T1-T2 disc being 1.5, etc. Statistical analysis was performed by a correlation matrix for IP and the 9 other selected parameters along with linear regressions., Results: The overall mean IP was 12.44 approximately corresponding to T12-L1 disc with the median being 12.50, range was T8-L4. The cohort was then stratified by sex and ethnicity, but there was no significant difference in IP between groups. IP in younger subjects was 13 (L1), compared to 12.5 (T12-L1 disc) in older subjects ( P < .05). IP was moderately correlated with the TK apex (r = .66). No strong correlation was found between IP and LL magnitude or apex, TK magnitude, sacral slope, or Pelvic Incidence (PI). In terms of other sagittal parameters, PI and LL demonstrated a significant positive correlation. PI and TK did not have a strong association., Conclusions: The mean IP was at the T12-L1 disc, however IP ranged from T8 to L4. Older subjects tended to have a relatively more cephalad IP. No radiographic variable was found to be a strong predictor of the IP. TK apex was found to have a moderate correlation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Chromocenters are established after the 2-cell (2C) stage during mouse embryonic development, but the factors that mediate chromocenter formation remain largely unknown. To identify regulators of 2C heterochromatin establishment in mice, we generated an inducible system to convert embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to 2C-like cells. This conversion is marked by a global reorganization and dispersion of H3K9me3-heterochromatin foci, which are then reversibly formed upon re-entry into pluripotency. By profiling the chromatin-bound proteome (chromatome) through genome capture of ESCs transitioning to 2C-like cells, we uncover chromatin regulators involved in de novo heterochromatin formation. We identified TOPBP1 and investigated its binding partner SMARCAD1. SMARCAD1 and TOPBP1 associate with H3K9me3-heterochromatin in ESCs. Interestingly, the nuclear localization of SMARCAD1 is lost in 2C-like cells. SMARCAD1 or TOPBP1 depletion in mouse embryos leads to developmental arrest, reduction of H3K9me3, and remodeling of heterochromatin foci. Collectively, our findings contribute to comprehending the maintenance of chromocenters during early development., Competing Interests: RS, SN, XT, SA, MP, PG, MA, JG, DC, EB, ES, LM, MN, EM, MN, LD, MC No competing interests declared, (© 2023, Sebastian-Perez, Nakagawa, Tu et al.)

The Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), an orbivirus, is the etiological factor of a fatal hemorrhagic disease of wild ruminants. A subset of EHDV serotypes, including the Ibaraki strain of EHDV2 (EHDV2-Ibaraki), infect and cause disease in cattle, thus posing a potential threat to livestock. As a member of the Sedoreoviridae family, the EHDV particle is devoid of a membrane envelope and is predicted to employ endocytic pathways for infection. However, the degree of dependence of EHDV2-Ibaraki on specific internalization pathways while infecting bovine cells (its natural host) is unknown. The endosome alkalinizing agent ammonium chloride blocked EHDV2-Ibaraki infection of Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells with dependence on its time of addition, suggesting the criticality of endosomal pH for the completion of early stages of infection. Treatment of cells within the alkalinization-sensitive window (i.e., before endosomal processing) with inhibitors of actin polymerization, macropinocytosis (amiloride), or dynamin GTPase activity (dynasore or dynole), or with the cholesterol-depleting agent methyl-β-cyclodextrin, failed to reduce EHDV2-Ibaraki infection. In contrast, in this same treatment time frame, ikarugamycin potently inhibited infection. Moreover, ikarugamycin inhibited interferon induction in infected cells and induced the accumulation of enlarged Rab7- and lamtor4-decorated vacuoles, suggesting its ability to block viral processing and modify late-endosome compartments. Notably, ikarugamycin treatment at initial infection stages, augmented the infection of MDBK cells with the vesicular stomatitis virus while inhibiting infection with bluetongue virus serotype 8. Together, our results point to differential antiviral effects of ikarugamycin on viruses dependent on distinct sets of endosomes for entry/processing., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2025 Malka, Czaczkes, Kashkash, Shachar, Bacharach and Ehrlich.)

Floccularia is known as a northern-hemisphere-distributed genus with important economic values, especially in Western China. However, its species diversity in Asia and the phylogeny of this genus have not been critically studied. Based on worldwide sampling and multi-locus DNA sequence data (ITS, LSU, rpb2 , tef1 ), the phylogeny of Floccularia was reconstructed, and the species diversity in Asia was critically studied on the basis of morphology and phylogeny. The results showed that five phylogenetic species can be recognized in this genus, of which there are four species in Asia, two species in North America and one species in Europe. According to our result, in addition to F. luteovirens , three new species, F. asiatica , F. flava and F. sinensis , were distributed in Asia, while in North America, F. pitkinensis and F. fusca could be synonyms of F. albolanaripes , as both species are phylogenetically intermingled within F. albolanaripes . Morphological descriptions of new species, color images of basidiomes, line drawings of their microscopic features, and a key to the Asian species of this genus are provided. Our study reconstructed the phylogeny of Floccularia for the first time and clarified the species diversity of Floccularia in Asia and suggests the need for detailed study of American specimens in order to accurately assess the diversity of Floccularia in America.

Objectives: In equine glaucoma, topical treatment with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) is recommended. Oral acetazolamide, a systemic CAI, is used in horses with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis. Information regarding its effect on equine intraocular pressure (IOP) is scarce. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of oral acetazolamide treatment on IOP in horses, in a case-control study., Animals: Ten healthy horses., Procedures: Horses were treated with oral acetazolamide (4.4 mg/kg) BID for 1 week. Serum acetazolamide concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, and IOP were measured before treatment, daily during treatment, and at 48 and 72 h after treatment., Results: Acetazolamide serum levels reached steady state at 72 h after the first oral dose. In a mixed effect model logistic regression, there was a significant decrease in IOP on the third treatment day, of 2.4 mmHg (p = .012) and 2.7 mmHg (p = .006) in the left (OS) and right eye (OD), respectively. On the seventh day, there was a decrease in 2.5 mmHg (p = .008) and 2.7 mmHg (p = .007) OS and OD, respectively. A significant increase occurred 48 h following treatment discontinuation (3.6 mmHg, p < .001 and 3.5 mmHg, p < .001 OS and OD, respectively). The area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC (0-10h) ) was 1.1 ± 0.5 μg/mL*h, mean residence time 6.7 ± 4.3 h, peak plasma concentration (C max ) 0.4 ± 0.4 μg/mL and time to reach C max 1.8 h. There was a significant increase in serum concentrations 1, 2, 48, 72, and 156 h following the first drug administration (p < .05)., Conclusions: Further studies are required to determine whether acetazolamide is a potential treatment for equine glaucoma., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Ophthalmology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.)

Genome-wide premortem DNA methylation patterns can be computationally reconstructed from high-coverage DNA sequences of ancient samples. Because DNA methylation is more conserved across species than across tissues, and ancient DNA is typically extracted from bones and teeth, previous works utilizing ancient DNA methylation maps focused on studying evolutionary changes in the skeletal system. Here we suggest that DNA methylation patterns in one tissue may, under certain conditions, be informative on DNA methylation patterns in other tissues of the same individual. Using the fact that tissue-specific DNA methylation builds up during embryonic development, we identified the conditions that allow for such cross-tissue inference and devised an algorithm that carries it out. We trained the algorithm on methylation data from extant species and reached high precisions of up to 0.92 for validation datasets. We then used the algorithm on archaic humans, and identified more than 1,850 positions for which we were able to observe differential DNA methylation in prefrontal cortex neurons. These positions are linked to hundreds of genes, many of which are involved in neural functions such as structural and developmental processes. Six positions are located in the neuroblastoma breaking point family (NBPF) gene family, which probably played a role in human brain evolution. The algorithm we present here allows for the examination of epigenetic changes in tissues and cell types that are absent from the palaeontological record, and therefore provides new ways to study the evolutionary impacts of epigenetic changes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Observational studies should not be used to infer causation as they are prone to confounding factors, selection bias, and reverse causality. Many observational studies of labor analgesia treated epidurals as an independent exposure and concluded that "epidurals" cause dystocia, despite multiple randomized controlled trials showing no effect. We highlight this problem using reductio ad absurdum. We explore whether people request reading glasses when their progressively increasing focal length equals or exceeds their fixed arm length., Methods: We designed a cross-sectional retrospective and prospective observational study to assess whether there is an association between arm length and age when first requesting reading glasses in presbyopia. We evaluated individuals aged 38-55 receiving their first reading glasses for presbyopia (either currently or within the past year). We recorded age at first request for reading glasses, the refractive correction (additions) in each eye, and we measured arm length., Results: Seventy subjects were included in the study. No association was found between arm length and the age at request for reading glasses or the severity of presbyopia at presentation., Conclusions: Even if this observational study had demonstrated a strong correlation between age at request for reading glasses and arm length, it would have been absurd to conclude that spectacles somehow cause our arms to shrink. Similarly, women in obstructed labor with a narrow pelvis are more likely to request neuraxial labor analgesia, but "epidurals" do not make their pelvis shrink. Making far-reaching causal inferences based on retrospective or observational data is very shortsighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

BAFF, a vital B cell survival and differentiation factor, has three receptors: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) and BR3. Although B cells are greatly reduced in B6.Baff -/- (which harbour no BAFF) and B6.Br3 -/- mice (which harbour supra-normal levels of BAFF), the distributions of B cell subsets and relationships between Foxp3 + and CD4 + cells in these mice differ. Using a large panel of B6 congenic knockout and/or transgenic mice, we demonstrate that (1) supra-normal levels of BAFF per se do not explain the phenotypic differences between B6.Baff -/- and B6.Br3 -/- mice; (2) B cells are expanded in B6.Taci -/- mice, with preferential expansion of follicular (FO) B cells at the expense of CD19 + CD21 -/lo CD23 -/lo B cells but without the preferential expansion of Foxp3 + cells observed in B6 mice bearing a Baff transgene; (3) despite no expansion in total B cells, percentages of FO B cells and marginal zone B cells are higher and percentages of CD19 + CD21 -/lo CD23 -/lo B cells are lower in young B6.Bcma -/- mice, consistent with the inability of B6.Br3 -/- .Taci -/- mice to recapitulate the B cell profile of B6.Baff -/- mice; and (4) percentages of Foxp3 + cells in B6.Br3 -/- .Taci -/- mice are intermediate between those in B6.Br3 -/- and B6.Taci -/- mice despite the B cell profile of B6.Br3 -/- .Taci -/- mice strongly resembling that of B6.Br3 -/- mice. Collectively, our findings point to a non-redundant role for each of the BAFF receptors in determining the ultimate lymphocyte profile of the host. This may have clinically relevant ramifications in that the degree that a candidate therapeutic agent blocks engagement of any given individual BAFF receptor may affect its clinical utility., (© 2024 The Author(s). Immunology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)