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Early detection and intervention play a crucial role in the prognosis of children with specific learning disabilities. Due to the complexity of the writing process and its persistence into adulthood, tools for early detection are essential. Curriculum-based measures (CBMs) are quick, reliable, and evidence-based tools used for early assessments. This systematic review aims to summarize the technical features of CBM in writing for kindergarten students following the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 311 articles from PsycINFO, SCOPUS, ERIC, and WOS were examined, and five studies met the inclusion criteria. Production measures and transcription skills were the most studied. The reviewed tasks demonstrated criterion validity, reliability, sensitivity to the timing of assessment, or diagnostic accuracy in at least one of their measures, with a greater presence of the dependent production measures. The findings emphasize the scarcity of evidence-based tools for identifying early writing difficulty, underscoring the need for rigorous research in early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of incisional hernia in patients undergoing direct access to the abdominal cavity in urological surgery. Methods: We conducted a systematic review in Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Central from 1980 to the present according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Eighty-four studies were selected for inclusion in this analysis, and meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed. Results: The total incidence in the 84 studies was 4.8% (95% CI 3.7% – 6.2%) I2 93.84%. Depending on the type of incision, it was higher in the open medial approach: 7.1% (95% CI 4.3%—11.8%) I2 92.45% and lower in laparoscopic surgery: 1.9% (95% CI 1%—3.4%) I2 71, 85% According to access, it was lower in retroperitoneal: 0.9% (95% CI 0.2%—4.8%) I2 76.96% and off-midline: 4.7% (95% CI 3.5%—6.4%) I2 91.59%. Regarding the location of the hernia, parastomal hernias were more frequent: 15.1% (95% CI 9.6% – 23%) I2 77.39%. Meta-regression shows a significant effect in reducing the proportion of hernias in open lateral, laparoscopic and hand-assisted compared to medial open access. Conclusion: The present review finds the access through the midline and stomas as the ones with the highest incidence of incisional hernia. The use of the lateral approach or minimally invasive techniques is preferable. More prospective studies are warranted to obtain the real incidence of incisional hernias and evaluate the role of better techniques to close the abdomen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effect of teacher expectations on students' academic performance has been verified, few studies have focused on establishing which factors affect the formation of these expectations, especially ones that consider previous student performance and the professional experience of the teacher as explanatory factors. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of these factors on the formation of teacher expectations. The sample comprised 21 teachers from 11 schools, with low, medium, and high experience levels, as well as 363 firstyear primary-school students from Chile (ages 6-7), whose academic performance was measured at the start of the school year. Teacher expectations were measured part-way through the school year. A mixed ANOVA analysis made it possible to assess whether teacher expectation varies depending on previous performance and teacher experience. The results indicated that previous performance and teacher experience both have a significant effect on how expectations form. However, the effect of experience varies depending on the different dimensions of the expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's lasting impact on constitutional law and the Supreme Court, particularly in light of the evolving ideological landscape of the Court. It discusses her pragmatic and compromising approach to decision-making, highlighting key contributions in areas such as abortion jurisprudence, federalism, and affirmative action.

A prior investigation in 1993 identified a high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis (63%) in the Canary Islands. This study aims to assess the current prevalence of the disease in diverse population groups. The study was based on a population-scale screening involving 273 residents utilizing T. gondii IgG ELISA and a 20 year retrospective study (1998–2018). This included AIDS/HIV outpatients (1357, of which 324 were residents), AIDS/HIV hospitalized patients (741) and patients with fever of intermediate duration (158). The seroprevalence in the resident population was 37%, with significant differences between islands. Among resident outpatients with AIDS/HIV, 14.2% had specific anti-T. gondii IgG, and three had anti-T. gondii IgM; however, IgG avidity testing indicated non-active infection. In patients hospitalized for AIDS/HIV, T. gondii causing encephalitis was detected in 2%. Among patients with fever of intermediate duration, 28.5% were positive for T. gondii IgG, and four also showed IgM positivity, although the infection was non-active. The study reveals a decrease in human toxoplasmosis over the past 30 years. However, the current seroprevalence, which stands at 37%, together with the substantial risk that T. gondii represents for immunocompromised individuals, highlights the need to implement preventive and control strategies to control the threat that this infection can pose to public health in the Canary Islands population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental overproduction is hypothesized to hedge against uncertainty over food availability and stochastic death of offspring and to improve brood fitness. Understanding the evolution of overproduction requires quantifying its benefits to parents across a wide range of ecological conditions, which has rarely been done. Using a multiple hypotheses approach and 30 years of data, we evaluated the benefits of overproduction in the Blue-footed booby, a seabird that lays up to three eggs asynchronously, resulting in an aggressive brood hierarchy that facilitates the death of last-hatched chicks under low food abundance. Results support the resource-tracking hypothesis, as low prey abundance (estimated from sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration) led to rapid brood reduction. The insurance hypothesis was supported in broods of three, where last-hatched chicks' survival increased after a sibling's death. Conversely, in broods of two, results suggested that parents abandoned last-hatched chicks following first-hatched chicks' deaths. No direct evidence supported the facilitation hypothesis: the presence of a last-hatched chick during development did not enhance its sibling's fitness in the short or long term. The value of last-hatched offspring to parents, as "extra" or "insurance" varied with indices of food abundance, brood size, and parental age. Ninety percent of overproduction benefits came from enabling parents to capitalize on favorable conditions by fledging additional offspring. Our study provides insight into the forces driving overproduction, explaining the adaptiveness of this apparently wasteful behavior and allowing us to better predict how overproduction's benefits might be modified by ocean warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance and creativity are two key textual aspects to consider when promotional material is translated and particularly in the context of tourism. In the first case, relevance as a pragmatic principle helps ensure texts travel through different lands and audiences, posing challenges to translators, or language-andculture experts, who use their expertise to opt for some content material or for format changes. Likewise, creativity is a highly demanded skill, given the nature of the process of (trans)creating advertising texts, especially audiovisual and multimedia ones, and considering the persuasive dimension of the process that takes place for these texts to cross cultural frontiers. In the paper I will look at these two elements, which will be theoretically presented under the light of Relevance Theory and its contribution to Translation Studies. Special reference to promotional translation and international marketing will be made illustrated through the analysis of various real cases from international tourism campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is attacked by various pests, and little research has been carried out on the diversity, ecological participation, and develop management strategies for weevils. Curculionids were obtained from a field at Irapuato, Guanajuato. Mostabundant species were Linogeraeus capillatus (72%), Geraeus senilis 19.5%), Nicentrites testaceipes (7.3%), and Linogereus hospes with 0.5%. The first was found from the V8 stage of development on, while the second and third were collected from V5 to R1. Photographs of genitalia and keys to species are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Acute Epstein–Barr virus (aEBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections frequently have similar manifestations. We aim to evaluate the characteristics of aEBV infection, risk factors for hospitalisation and differences according to CMV IgM detection (EBV‐CMV co‐detection) in children. Methods: Retrospective, single‐centre study including patients <16 years diagnosed with aEBV infection (positive anti‐EBV IgM/Paul‐Bunnell test and acute symptomatology). EBV‐CMV co‐detection was defined as positive CMV IgM. Factors associated with age, hospitalisation and EBV‐CMV co‐detection were analysed in a multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 149 patients were included (median age 4.6 years). Most frequent manifestations were fever (77%), cervical lymphadenopathy (64%) and elevated liver enzymes (54%). Younger children had lower rate of positive Paul‐Bunnell test (35% vs. 87%; p < 0.01), but higher rate of EBV‐CMV co‐detection (54% vs. 29%; p = 0.03). These children tended to have less typical symptoms of infectious mononucleosis and higher hospitalisation rate. The overall antibiotic prescription was 49%. Hospitalisation (27 children; 18%) was independently associated with prior antibiotic therapy and anaemia. Sixty‐two cases (42%) had EBV‐CMV co‐detection, which was independently associated with elevated liver enzymes and younger age. Conclusion: In this study, younger children with aEBV infection presented more frequently with atypical clinical symptoms, had higher EBV‐CMV co‐detection rates and were more often hospitalised. Hospitalisation was associated with prior antibiotic prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common wisdom has it that bureaucrats are unaccountable to the people they regulate and must therefore be closely supervised by elected officials or (perhaps ironically) the federal courts. For many detractors of the administrative state, as well as many proponents, agency accountability hangs on the concentrated power of the President in particular. This Article presents a different vision. Drawing on in-depth interviews with officials from numerous agencies, we show that everyday administrative practices and relationships themselves support accountability of a kind that neither elections nor judicial review alone can achieve. Our interviews reveal that agency officials work within structures that promote the very values accountability is supposed to serve: deliberation, inclusivity, and responsiveness. Three primary features of the administrative state support this vision of accountability. First, political appointees and career civil servants, often presented as adversaries, actually represent complementary decision- making modalities. Appointees do not impose direct presidential control but imbue agencies with a diffuse, differentiated sense of abstract political values and policy priorities tied to the electoral and civil-society coalitions that support the administration in power. Civil servants use expertise and experience to set the parameters within which decisions can be made. Combining these different but interdependent approaches to policymaking promotes deliberation informed by public opinion and the public interest. Second, agencies work through what we refer to as a decisionmaking web, which facilitates continual justification and negotiation among officials with different roles inside the state. This claim stands in stark contrast to the strict hierarchy often attributed to government bureaucracy. We show how the principal-agent model gives way, more often than not, to the dispersion of decision-making power, which promotes the pluralistic inclusivity of views in a way hierarchical decision-making does not. Finally, numerous practices connect agencies directly and pervasively to the people and situations they regulate. Those required by law, like notice-andcomment rulemaking, are supplemented by varied other means by which agencies respond and adapt to the views of affected publics and the realities of the regulated world. Our research provides crucial empirical evidence of how the everyday work of government gets done and gives the often-invoked notion of accountability some real content. It leads us to reject formalistic claims about what constitutes accountability in the abstract and to focus instead on the relationships, structures, and practices that actually promote accountability--features of the administrative state that help head off arbitrariness, incorporate multiple perspectives, and encourage negotiated, provisional outcomes. These resources for promoting republican democracy within the bureaucracy, however, are neither inherent nor eternal: they must be actively nourished. This Article thus should change how we think about government accountability and inform how we structure our institutions to achieve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout this article, we will take a look at the lives of different Spanish and Portuguese women of our past. To do so, we will cover a long-term chronological framework, as we begin this research with Urraca Díaz de Haro, whose life was in the 13th century, and we will end with Emilia das Neves from the 19th century. We will also focus our attention on their respective funerary monuments as historical-artistic elements that evoke their memories. By exploring these works, we will see how, over the centuries, both the typology and the iconography have changed in the funerary art of the Iberian Peninsula. Finally, we will make a comparative analysis between the sepulchers of both countries, to see which aspects are similar or different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of the standard SPT test for the characterization of the strength of advanced ceramics is analyzed. Discs of PZT, alumina and silicon nitride with two different thicknesses were chosen for the analysis. Series of discs were tested and the Weibull distributions of strength were built. The fractographic analysis revealed green processing-related heterogeneities to be the critical defects in all specimens. A valid FEM method of calculation was established to get the effective volumes of standard SPT specimens with thicknesses between 0.2 and 1 mm. The relationships between the Weibull parameters of the distributions corresponding to different thicknesses were established using the effective volumes. For the standard SPT configuration, a simple empirical equation is proposed and verified to calculate the effective volume of SPT specimens of any thickness between 0.2 and 1 mm as a function of the specimen thickness and the Weibull modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Hospital deaths carry a significant healthcare cost that has been confirmed to be lower when palliative care units (PCUs) are available.Objectives: To compare the last admission hospital health care cost of dying in a first-level hospital between the PCU and the rest of the hospital services.Methods: A retrospective, comparative, observational study evaluating costs from the payer perspective on treatments and diagnostic-therapeutic tests performed on patients who die in first-level hospital, comparing whether they were treated by the PCU or another unit (Non-PCU). Patients with a mortality risk >2 were included according to the Severity of Illness Index (SOI) and Risk of Mortality (MOR). All cost express in €, median per patient and interquartile range (IQR).Results: From 1,833 patients who died, 1,389 were included, 442 (31.1%) treated by PCU and 928 (68.9%) Non-PCU. Statistical differences were found for the last admission total cost (€262.8 (€470.1) for PCU versus €515.3 (€980.48) in Non-PCU), daily total cost (€74.27 (€127.4) vs €115.8 (€142.4) Non-PCU). Savings were maintained when the sample was broken down by diagnosis-related group (DRG) and a multivariate analysis was performed to determine how the different patients baseline characteristics between PCU and Non-PCU patients influenced the results obtained.Conclusions: Data from this study show that cost is significantly lower when the patients are treated by a PCU during their last hospital stay when they pass away. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Innate defense regulators (IDRs) are synthetic host-defense peptides (HDPs) with broad-spectrum anti-infective properties, including immunomodulatory, anti-biofilm and direct antimicrobial activities. A lack of pharmacokinetic data about these peptides hinders their development and makes it challenging to fully understand how they work in vivo since their mechanism of action is dependent on tissue concentrations of the peptide. Here, we set out to define in detail the pharmacokinetics of a well-characterized IDR molecule, IDR-1018. To make the peptide traceable, it was radiolabeled with the long-lived gamma-emitting isotope gallium-67. After a series of bench-top characterizations, the radiotracer was administered to healthy mice intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SQ) at various dose levels (2.5–13 mg/kg). Nuclear imaging and ex-vivo biodistributions were used to quantify organ and tissue uptake of the radiotracer over time. When administered as an IV bolus, the distribution profile of the radiotracer changed as the dose was escalated. At 2.5 mg/kg, the peptide was well-tolerated, poorly circulated in the blood and was cleared predominantly by the reticuloendothelial system. Higher doses (7 and 13 mg/kg) as an IV bolus were almost immediately lethal due to respiratory arrest; significant lung uptake of the radiotracer was observed from nuclear scans of these animals, and histological examination found extensive damage to the pulmonary vasculature and alveoli. When administered SQ at a dose of 3 mg/kg, radiolabeled IDR-1018 was rapidly absorbed from the site of injection and predominately cleared renally. Apart from the SQ injection site, no other tissue had a concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration that would enable this peptide to exert direct antimicrobial effects against most pathogenic bacteria. Tissue concentrations were sufficient, however, to disrupt microbial biofilms and alter the host immune response. Overall, this study demonstrated that the administration of synthetic IDR peptide in vivo is best suited to local administration which avoids some of the issues associated with peptide toxicity that are observed when administered systemically by IV injection, an issue that will have to be addressed through formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misconceptions about the brain (neuromyths) among educators have been found across different countries, but little has been done to dispel them. The present study assessed the effect of a one-year Science of Learning (SoL) course on neuroscience literacy and beliefs in neuromyths in a sample of Chilean pre-service teachers. An experimental group of pre-service teachers, who took the SoL course as part of their university training, and a control group were needed for the study. Participants in both groups completed an online survey three times during the year (beginning, middle and end of year). The results showed that participants in both groups responded correctly to most assertions but held major misconceptions about the brain (Time 1), in line with previous studies. Regarding neuroscience literacy, participants in the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly at Time 1, but the experimental group showed significantly better performance than the control group at Time 2 and Time 3. Unlike neuroscience literacy, the results in neuromyth beliefs did not differ significantly by group at Time 1 and Time 2; however, at Time 3, the experimental group showed a significant decline in neuromyth beliefs. Overall, these results suggest that the SoL course significantly improved overall neuroscience literacy and reduced neuromyth belief among pre-service teachers, but the effect of the intervention was small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather conditions can profoundly affect avian reproduction. It is known that weather conditions prior to and after the onset of reproduction can affect the breeding success of birds. However, little is known about how seasonal weather variability can affect birds' breeding performance, particularly for species with a slow pace of life. Long-term studies are key to understanding how weather variability can affect a population's dynamics, especially when extreme weather events are expected to increase with climate change. Using a 32-year population study of the Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) in Mexico, we show that seasonal variation in weather conditions, predominantly during the incubation stage, affects offspring survival and body condition at independence. During most of the incubation period, warm sea surface temperatures were correlated with low hatching success, while rainfall in the middle of the incubation stage was correlated with high fledging success. In addition, chicks from nests that experienced warm sea surface temperatures from the pre-laying stage to near-fledging had lower body condition at 70 days of age. Finally, we show that variable annual SST conditions before and during the incubation stage can impair breeding performance. Our results provide insight into how seasonal and interannual weather variation during key reproductive stages can affect hatching success, fledging success, and fledgling body condition in a long-lived neotropical seabird. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), as a pedagogical approach requiring a flexible methodology to learn content and a foreign language (FL), is unquestionable today. Cooperative learning (CL) seems to be an ideal methodology to meet the demands of CLIL. This study is aimed at collecting the perceptions of CLIL teachers with regard to the challenges that this approach entails when CL is implemented in primary-school classrooms. The respondents (n= 35) completed an online survey with 25 questions (closed-ended and open-ended). Results revealed the following challenges: use of the target language for interaction; motivation; lack of time; potential management problems; and assessment. On the other hand, respondents declared that in order to feel confident when combining CLIL and CL they would need more training. Finally, we provided some recommendations for each grade of Primary Education so as to shed some light on the challenges teachers perceive when CL is employed in CLIL subjects. This leaves an open door for further studies on CL in CLIL lessons from other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human insulin (HI) has fascinating metal-facilitated self-assembly properties that are essential for its biological function. HI has a natural Zn2+ binding site and we have previously shown that covalently attached abiotic ligands (e.g. , bipyridine, terpyridine) can lead to the formation of nanosized oligomeric structures through the coordination of metal ions. Here we studied the hypothesis that metal ions can be used to directly control the pharmacokinetics of insulin after covalent attachment of an abiotic ligand that binds metal ions. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) and biodistribution of HI self-assemblies directed by metal ion coordination (i.e. , Fe2+/Zn2+, Eu3+/Zn2+, Fe2+/Co3+) using preclinical SPECT/CT imaging and ex vivo gamma counting. HI was site-specifically modified with terpyridine (Tpy) at the PheB1 or LysB29 position to create conjugates that bind either Fe2+ or Eu3+, while its natural binding site (HisB10) preferentially coordinates with either Zn2+ or Co3+. HI was also functionalized with trans -cyclooctene (TCO) opposite to Tpy at PheB1 or LysB29, respectively, to allow for tetrazine-TCO coupling via a tetrazine-modified DTPA followed by 111In-radiolabeling for SPECT/CT imaging. When the 111In-B29Tpy-HI conjugate was coordinated with Fe2+/Zn2+, its retention at the injection site 6 h after injection was ~8-fold higher than the control without the metal ions, while its kidney accumulation was lower. 111In-B1Tpy-HI showed comparable retention at the injection site 6 h after injection and slightly increased retention at 24 h. However, higher kidney accumulation and residence time of degraded 111In-B1Tpy-HI was observed compared to that of 111In-B29Tpy-HI. Quantitative PK analysis based on SPECT/CT images confirmed slower distribution from the injection site of the HI-metal ion assemblies compared to control HI conjugates. Our results show that the Tpy-binding site (i.e. , PheB1 or LysB29) on HI and its coordination with the added metal ions (i.e. , Fe2+/Zn2+ or Fe2+/Co3+) directed the distribution half-life of HI significantly. This clearly indicates that the PK of insulin can be controlled by complexation with different metal ions. [Display omitted] • High yielding and stable radiolabeling of human insulin (HI) with 111In (radiochemical conversion > 95%) was obtained. • Tpy-modified 111In-HI self-assembled through coordination of metal ion pairs (i.e., Fe2+/Zn2+, Eu3+/Zn2+, Fe2+/Co3+). • In vivo SPECT/CT imaging of HI assemblies provides quantitative retention data for injection site and kidneys. • SPECT/CT-based PK showed a longer distribution half-life for both Fe2+/Zn2+ and Fe2+/Co3+ insulin assemblies than HI. • This is a major step towards realizing metal ions as a tool to direct protein PK with abiotic metal ion-binding ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological research in the Dolmen of El Pendón (Reinoso, Burgos, Spain) has brought to light the complex biography of a megalithic monument used throughout the 4th millennium cal. BC. The ossuary of this burial holds the bones of nearly a hundred individuals who suffered from diverse pathologies and injuries. This study presents the discovery of a skull with two bilateral perforations on both mastoid bones. These evidences point to a mastoidectomy, a surgical procedure possibly performed to relieve the pain this prehistoric individual may have suffered as a result of otitis media and mastoiditis. The hypothesis of surgical intervention is also supported by the presence of cut marks at the anterior edge of the trepanation made in the left ear. Furthermore, the results of this paper demonstrate the survival of the individual to both interventions. Given the chronology of this dolmen, this find would be the earliest surgical ear intervention in the history of mankind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the roles of transcription skills and oral language abilities in predicting writing quality and productivity among Spanish-speaking kindergarten children (N = 159). Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study examined associations between these foundational skills and writing outcomes. The model demonstrated excellent fit, with significant relationships between observed measures and their respective latent variables. Transcription skills were found to robustly predict both writing quality and productivity, while oral language was a significant predictor only for writing quality. A notable covariance was observed between transcription and oral language constructs, emphasizing their interconnected influence on early writing development. The study’s findings contribute to the current discourse by aligning with the ‘not-so-simple’ view of writing, challenging conventional notions that prioritize transcription skills over oral language in early writing. These results have important implications for designing comprehensive early childhood literacy programs and suggest that both transcription and oral language abilities should be integrated for holistic writing development. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses the need to use power to implement regime change in governance, particularly in the U.S. Supreme Court. Topics include the importance of legal innovations to establish a new political order, the need for extended engagement with the relationship between law and politics, and the role of executive governance in achieving the goals of democratic politics.

Mathematics anxiety (MA) has primarily been studied in adults and children over 8 years of age in English-speaking countries. Few studies have examined MA in younger children and in Spanish-speaking contexts due to the lack of suitable instruments. In the present study we examine the psychometric properties of the Child Mathematics Anxiety Questionnaire (CMAQ-R), an instrument widely used in English-speaking primary school children. A total of 810 Chilean second-grade students (50% boys) from different school types (26% public, 11% private, 63% private-subsidised) completed a Spanish version of CMAQ-R. The results showed adequate internal consistency in line with the original instrument. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that scores from the CMAQ-R version best fit a two correlated-factor structure, which was invariant across gender and school type. This study offers evidence regarding the usefulness of the CMAQ-R in contexts culturally different to the original and supports the multidimensionality of MA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exam is an academic stressor that frequently triggers the affective reaction of anxiety, as well as psychophysiological changes in the autonomic nervous system. Anxiety is a negative affective variable associated with a low level of performance. This study examined the impact of an academic exam on state anxiety (SA) levels and the effects on cardiovascular activity during its performance, as well as its possible influence on the score. The study group was composed of 122 female university students. Cardiovascular responses (heart rate [HR], diastolic blood pressure, and systolic blood pressure) were recorded continuously in three phases (before, during, and after the exam) for each participant. The SA was obtained with the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before the exam. Then, those with extremely low and high SA scores were assigned to the low and high anxiety groups, respectively. The exam score reflected the performance level. The results partially confirmed our hypotheses. The high SA group showed significant fluctuations in cardiovascular activity; in particular, the HRs were higher than in the low SA group during the exam (not in diastolic and systolic pressures, respectively). On the other hand, the high SA group showed lower performance expectations scores than the low SA group, and the level of performance was similar in the two groups. Therefore, the exam confirmed changes in the HR with respect to the SA level, with no significant impact on performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are currently witnessing the development of a set of organizations that have been entrusted with meeting the very diverse needs of citizens. As a result, they receive funds, in order to ensure they are managed appropriately. The transparency of the information revealed by Non-profit Organizations (NPOs) has become of increasing interest to public authorities and research. However, very few studies empirically measure the extent of transparency in NPOs. Only a handful checked the compliance of various indicators, lacking agreement on which ones to include and their weighting. To address this issue, this study empirically validates the weighting of the indicators from the alliance between the Platform for Social Action NGO and the Spanish Coordinator for Development NGO (CONGDE) document with experts in NPOs' opinions. We use the Best-Worst Method (BWM) to optimally assign weights to multi-criteria decision making situations. Our results show interesting differences in the level of importance given to the indicators by public authorities and experts, suggesting the need for a revision of the importance proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To document the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of murine typhus patients in the Canary Islands (Spain), we analyzed data that were retrospectively collected for 16 years for 221 patients. Murine typhus in the Canary Islands is characterized by a high rate of complications (31.6%), mainly liver, lung, kidney or central nervous system involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep remains constitute the main archaeozoological evidence for the presence of Early Neolithic human groups in the highlands of the Southern Pyrenees but understanding the role of herding activities in the Neolithisation process of this mountain ecosystem calls for the analysis of large and well-dated faunal assemblages. Cova de Els Trocs (Bisaurri, Huesca, Spain), a cave located at 1564 m a.s.l on the southern slopes of the Central Pyrenees, is an excellent case study since it was seasonally occupied throughout the Neolithic (ca. 5312–2913 cal. BC) and more than 4000 caprine remains were recovered inside. The multi-proxy analytical approach here presented has allowed us to offer new data elaborating on vertical mobility practices and herd management dynamics as has not been attempted up until now within Neolithic high-mountain sites in the Iberian Peninsula. For the first time, δ18O and δ13C stable isotope analyses offer direct evidence on both the regular practice of altitudinal movements of sheep flocks and the extended breeding season of sheep. Autumn births are recorded from the second half of the fifth millennium cal. BC onwards. Age-at-death distributions illustrate the progressive decline in caprine perinatal mortality together with the rising survival rate of individuals older than six months of age and the larger frequency of adults. This trend alongside the 'off-season' lambing signal at the implementation of husbandry techniques over time, probably aiming to increase the size of the flocks and their productivity. Palaeoparasitological analyses of sediment samples document also the growing reliance on herding activities of the human groups visiting the Els Trocs cave throughout the Neolithic sequence. In sum, our work provides substantial arguments to conclude that the advanced herding management skills of the Early Neolithic communities arriving in Iberia facilitated the anthropisation process of the subalpine areas of the Central Pyrenees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the political significance of law by analyzing the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case Department of Homeland Security (DHS) v. Regents of the University of California. Also cited are how the court ruled in favor of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the court's decision in DHS v. Thuraissigiam, and why the 2020 ruling was not a victory in immigration law.

The article discusses failure of neurons to efficiently repair DNA double-strand breaks contributes to cerebral damage stroke. Topics include ischemic stroke has the leading cause of neurologic death and longterm adult disability worldwide, imposing a huge health and economic burden on society; and to examine the impact of WRAP53 on DSB repair and neuronal survival ischemia and potential clinical relevance in stroke.

Three-photon fluorescence microscopy has emerged as one of the leading tools for deep tissue imaging in opaque biological specimens. A recent study by Hontani et al. demonstrated a new strategy for multicolor imaging deep in the mouse brain using a single excitation wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary formulations have been attracting much attention because of their direct effects on respiratory diseases, but also their non-invasive administration for the treatment of systemic diseases. When developing such formulations, they are typically first investigated in mice. As there are various pulmonary administration methods, the researcher has to decide on the best quantitative method for their preclinical investigations among candidate methods, both for total delivery and distribution within the lung lobes. In this study, we investigated the deposition and distribution of siRNA loaded PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) in the different lung lobes via three widely used pulmonary administration methods: intratracheal instillation, intratracheal spraying and intranasal instillation. The NPs were radiolabeled with 111In, administered and a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) whole body scan performed. Quantitative image volume of interest (VOI) analysis of all inhalation related organs was performed, plus sub-organ examinations using dissection and gamma counting. Intratracheal instillation and intratracheal spraying deposited >95% and >85% of radiolabeled NPs in the lung, respectively. However, the lung lobe distribution of the NPs was inhomogeneous. Intranasal instillation deposited only ~28% of the dose in the lungs, with even larger inhomogeneity and individual variation between animals. Furthermore, there was a high deposition of the NPs in the stomach. Intratracheal instillation and intratracheal spraying deposit a large number of NPs in the lungs, and are thus useful to test therapeutic effects in preclinical animal studies. However, the inhomogeneous distribution of formulation between lung lobes needs to be considered in the experimental design. Intranasal instillation should not be used as a means of pulmonary administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence seems deeply rooted in human nature and an endemic potential for such is today frequently associated with differing ethnic, religious or socio-economic backgrounds. Ethnic nepotism is believed to be one of the main causes of inter-group violence in multi-ethnic societies. At the site of Els Trocs in the Spanish Pyrenees, rivalling groups of either migrating early farmers or farmers and indigenous hunter-gatherers collided violently around 5300 BCE. This clash apparently resulted in a massacre of the Els Trocs farmers. The overkill reaction was possibly triggered by xenophobia or massive disputes over resources or privileges. In the present, violence and xenophobia are controlled and sanctioned through social codes of conduct and institutions. So that, rather than representing an insurmountable evolutionary inheritance, violence and ethnic nepotism can be overcome and a sustainable future achieved through mutual respect, tolerance and openness to multi-ethnic societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A number of contrasting hypotheses have been put forward concerning mathematical performance deficits in children with specific language impairment (SLI). However, debate as to the nature of this deficit continues. The present study analyzed whether the trajectories of SLI-children may be attributed to the use of symbolic vs. linguistic assessment tasks, or to a deficit in the magnitude system. Method: SLI-children (N=20) and typically achieving children (N=20) were monitored between kindergarten and first grade. Four tasks were designed, each with varying demands on language, symbolic, and domain-specific skills. Results: The groups only differed in the trajectories of those numerical tasks involving high language demand. Conclusions: These findings indicate that SLI children present an early deficit in the development of numerical skills that require retrieval from long term memory and articulation of a phonological representation. Number skills involving greater language demand should be included as part of SLI early detection and intervention protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ was evaluated in the metabolic alterations and the adipose tissue remodeling associated with obesity. Male Wistar rats were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD; 35% fat) or a standard diet (3.5% fat) for 7 wk and treated with MitoQ (200 µM). A proteomic analysis of visceral adipose tissue from patients with obesity and patients without obesity was performed. MitoQ partially prevented the increase in body weight, adiposity, homeostasis model assessment index, and adipose tissue remodeling in HFD rats. It also ameliorated protein level changes of factors involved in insulin signaling observed in adipose tissue of obese rats: reductions in adiponectin and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT 4) and increases in dipeptidylpeptidase 4, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), and insulin receptor substrate 1 phosphorylation. MitoQ prevented down-regulation of adiponectin and GLUT 4 and increases in SOCS3 levels in a TNF-a-induced insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocyte model. MitoQ also ameliorated alterations in mitochondrial proteins observed in obese rats: increases in cyclophylin F and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A and reductions in mitofusin1, peroxiredoxin 4, and fumarate hydratase. The proteomic analysis of the visceral adipose tissue from patients with obesity show alterations in mitochondrial proteins similar to those observed in obese rats. Therefore, the data show the beneficial effect of MitoQ in the metabolic dysfunction induced by obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fizzy‐related protein 1 (Fzr1) gene encodes Cdh1 protein, a coactivator of the E3 ubiquitin ligase anaphase‐promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Previously, we found that genetic ablation of Fzr1 promotes the death of neural progenitor cells leading to neurogenesis impairment and microcephaly in mouse. To ascertain the possible translation of these findings in humans, we searched for mutations in the Fzr1 gene in 390 whole exomes sequenced in trio in individuals showing neurodevelopmental disorders compatible with a genetic origin. We found a novel missense (p.Asp187Gly) Fzr1 gene mutation (c.560A>G) in a heterozygous state in a 4‐year‐old boy, born from non‐consanguineous Spanish parents, who presents with severe antenatal microcephaly, psychomotor retardation, and refractory epilepsy. Cdh1 protein levels in leucocytes isolated from the patient were significantly lower than those found in his parents. Expression of the Asp187Gly mutant form of Cdh1 in human embryonic kidney 293T cells produced less Cdh1 protein and APC/C activity, resulting in altered cell cycle distribution when compared with cells expressing wild‐type Cdh1. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the Asp187Gly mutant form of Cdh1 in cortical progenitor cells in primary culture failed to abolish the enlargement of the replicative phase caused by knockout of endogenous Cdh1. These results indicate that the loss of function of APC/C‐Cdh1 caused by Cdh1 Asp187Gly mutation is a new cause of prenatal microcephaly, psychomotor retardation, and severe epilepsy. Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on page 8. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14524. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sound management of retail stores is a crucial aspect in the path towards a sustainable commercial sector, with a lack of research studies in the field of joint efficiency and sustainability assessment within this sector. In this sense, this work delves into the role of operational efficiency in the sustainability-oriented management of retail stores through the case study of 30 groceries in Spain over the period 2015–2017. With this purpose, and given the current knowledge gap in period-oriented sustainability benchmarking for management plans, for the first time a five-step methodological framework based on the combination of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was proposed and applied to a case study within the service sector. The overall- and term-efficiency scores calculated through this method led to the general conclusion of a relatively good performance of the set of grocery stores over the evaluated period, which is associated with the centralised management strategy followed by the retail company. Furthermore, operational, socio-economic and environmental benchmarks were calculated as target values that could assist decision-makers at the retail company level in setting the path for a sustainable operation of the company's stores. Overall, the proposed period-oriented LCA + DEA method proved to be a feasible and valuable tool for sustainability management of retail stores, being preferred over the static (i.e., single term) alternative provided that time-series data are available at the company level. Unlabelled Image • Efficiency assessment of 30 grocery stores in Spain over the period 2015–2017 • Five-step method using life cycle assessment and dynamic data envelopment analysis • Relatively good performance of the sample based on overall and term efficiencies • Operational, socio-economic and environmental benchmarks for sustainable operation • Feasible period-oriented approach for sustainability management of retail stores [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretargeting, which is the separation of target accumulation and the administration of a secondary imaging agent into two sequential steps, offers the potential to improve image contrast and reduce radiation burden for nuclear imaging. In recent years, the tetrazine ligation has emerged as a promising approach to facilitate covalent pretargeted imaging due to its unprecedented kinetics and bioorthogonality. Pretargeted bone imaging with TCO-modified alendronic acid (Aln-TCO) is an attractive model that allows the evaluation of tetrazines in healthy animals without the need for complex disease models or targeting regimens. Recent structure-activity relationship studies of tetrazines evaluated important parameters for the design of potent tetrazine-radiotracers for pretargeted imaging. However, limited information is available for 99mTc-labeled tetrazines. In this study, four tetrazines intended for labeling with fac-[99mTc(OH2)3 (CO)3]+ were synthesized and evaluated using an Aln-TCO mouse model. 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-Tz without additional linker showed higher pretargeted bone uptake and less background activity compared to the same scaffold with a PEG8 linker or 3-phenyl-1,2,4,5-Tz-based compounds. Additionally, improved bone/blood ratios were observed in pretargeted animals compared to animals receiving directly labeled Aln-TCO. The results of this study implicate 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-Tz as a promising scaffold for potential 99mTc-labeled tetrazines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients on hemodialysis are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and may have a reduced response to vaccination because of a decreased immune response. The nutritional status before or during the infection could also impact on the clinical effectiveness of vaccination. Objectives: We aim to describe the evolution of clinical and nutritional biomarkers of hemodialysis patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and to assess their association with vaccination status. Methods: An observational, analytic, longitudinal, retrospective multicenter study was carried out in 82 patients on hemodialysis with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nutritional status was assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), anthropometry, and biochemical parameters. The association of the vaccine doses with clinical- and nutritional-related variables was also evaluated. Results: The percentage of vaccinated patients was similar to that of nonvaccinated patients. Before infection, most of the patients were malnourished. They presented lower albumin, creatinine, and urea levels than the well-nourished patients. Significant deterioration of nutritional status after infection was evidenced considering GNRI score, dry weight, and body mass index. Albumin and creatinine also decreased significantly after infection, whereas C-reactive protein increased in the acute phase. Significant inverse correlation was found between the variation of post–pre GNRI scores and basal albumin and C-reactive protein at 7 days. In addition, we observed the opposite trend between albumin at 30 days and basal cholesterol. A negative value in the GNRI variation was associated with bilateral pneumonia, need for hospitalization, and nutritional support. Vaccinated patients presented substantially less bilateral pneumonia and hospitalization. No significant effects were observed between vaccine doses and the variation in nutritional status, although a positive correlation was detected with the albumin at 7 days and C-reactive protein before infection and the number of vaccine doses received. Discussion: COVID-19 is associated with affectations in the nutritional status and biomarkers in hemodialysis patients. In this study, vaccines have shown a protective effect against the clinical consequences of COVID. However, they have shown limitations in preventing the deterioration of nutritional status after infection. The results highlight the importance of promoting the vaccination in these patients as well as incorporating nutritional assessment before, during, and after the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that teacher expectations tend to be biased by factors such as student socio-economic status (SES) and gender. However, much less research has been devoted to understanding how teacher characteristics may impact their own expectations of the students. The present study investigated teacher expectations for 343 Chilean teachers (240 in-service and 103 pre-service). We first designed and validated an instrument to measure expectations; then we assessed the effect of teacher gender and experience, and student gender and school-SES in the formation of teacher expectations. The data were analysed using hypothesis and data-driven analyses. The results showed that SES had an effect on teacher expectations (η2= .03 to .12); there was a higher probability that teachers from high-SES schools would have positive expectations of their students. However, negative expectations were equally distributed across teachers working in high and low-SES schools. There was also no evidence of the effect of teacher or student gender on teacher expectations. With respect to teacher experience, the findings were clear cut; both pre-service and in-service teachers shared identical expectations of their students. These findings have important implications regarding teacher training programmes since the expectation bias is observed very early during training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ensuring sustainable production patterns doing more and better with less is a key sustainable development goal. In this sense, the joint use of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis (i.e., the LCA + DEA methodology) arises as a quantitative tool for the eco-efficiency assessment of multiple similar entities. To date, the LCA + DEA methodology has been widely applied to case studies within the primary and secondary sectors. However, the applicability of this combined methodology to case studies within the tertiary (service) sector is still unexplored, which constitutes a current knowledge gap in this field. This work contributes to filling this gap by benchmarking the operational and environmental performance of a sample of 30 groceries located in Spain. All the evaluated groceries were found to involve relative efficiency scores above 0.60, with one third of the groceries deemed fully efficient. Average reductions of 3–26% in the consumption of operational inputs were calculated, leading to average reductions of 9% in the carbon footprint and 10% in the energy footprint. Furthermore, economic savings of up to 3% of the annual turnover were estimated. These results were further enriched through the application of a super-efficiency DEA model for a refined identification of the best-performers, as well as through the novel use of a specific model for the gradual operational and environmental benchmarking of the sample. Overall, a high applicability of the LCA + DEA methodology for eco-efficiency assessment within the service sector is concluded, facilitating the identification and quantification of sustainable operational patterns. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Joint Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis of 30 groceries in Spain • Efficiency scores suggest a relatively good performance of the sample. • Refined identification of best-performers though super-efficiency analysis • Novel use for the calculation of gradual operational and environmental benchmarks • Proven applicability of the combined methodology to the service sector [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 32-year-old woman without drug allergies. Former smoker. No background of interest. As a result of right dorsal pain and tumoring, she was diagnosed with a poorly differentiated carcinoma of unknown origin. CT showed soft tissue infiltration, right posterior and ninth rib cage, tenth and eleventh costal arch. Prior to initiating palliative radiotherapy, the patient was treated by the Oncology Service with: MST (130 mg/12 h), Abstral® (200 µg, 5-6 rescue dosis daily), Pregabalin (75 mg/night), dexketoprofen (25 mg/8 h), duloxetine 60 mg/night, dexamethasone 4 mg/day, metamizol 2 g/12 h. In the initial examination at the Pain Unit, pain of neuropathic characteristics was highlighted, with metameric distribution from the right thoracic paravertebral region to the anterior costal grid. She presented hyperalgesia, dysesthesia and allodynia on contact with clothes. Pain becomes more intense and she doesn't respond to medication; she also presents a lot of side effects (nausea, drowsiness, constipation). A therapeutic / prognostic test was performed with echoguided infiltrations, in the 9th, 10th and 11th right intercostal spaces with local anesthetic, achieving a disappearance of the clinic for twelve hours. Given the good response, ultrasound neurogytic blocks with 7.5% phenol were performed in each space. Subsequent to the neurolytic infiltration, the patient was able to reduce the daily doses of oral opioids and the side effects derived from them. Three months later there is still slight somatic pain, which responds to NSAIDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]