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IGHMBP2 is a nonessential, superfamily 1 DNA/RNA helicase that is mutated in patients with rare neuromuscular diseases SMARD1 and CMT2S. IGHMBP2 is implicated in translational and transcriptional regulation via biochemical association with ribosomal proteins, pre-rRNA processing factors, and tRNA-related species. To uncover the cellular consequences of perturbing IGHMBP2, we generated full and partial IGHMBP2 deletion K562 cell lines. Using polysome profiling and a nascent protein synthesis assay, we found that IGHMBP2 deletion modestly reduces global translation. We performed Ribo-seq and RNA-seq and identified diverse gene expression changes due to IGHMBP2 deletion, including ATF4 up-regulation. With recent studies showing the integrated stress response (ISR) can contribute to tRNA metabolism-linked neuropathies, we asked whether perturbing IGHMBP2 promotes ISR activation. We generated ATF4 reporter cell lines and found IGHMBP2 knockout cells demonstrate basal, chronic ISR activation. Our work expands upon the impact of IGHMBP2 in translation and elucidates molecular mechanisms that may link mutant IGHMBP2 to severe clinical phenotypes.

Translation fidelity relies on accurate aminoacylation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs). AARSs specific for alanine (Ala), leucine (Leu), serine, and pyrrolysine do not recognize the anticodon bases. Single nucleotide anticodon variants in their cognate tRNAs can lead to mistranslation. Human genomes include both rare and more common mistranslating tRNA variants. We investigated three rare human tRNALeu variants that mis-incorporate Leu at phenylalanine or tryptophan codons. Expression of each tRNALeu anticodon variant in neuroblastoma cells caused defects in fluorescent protein production without significantly increased cytotoxicity under normal conditions or in the context of proteasome inhibition. Using tRNA sequencing and mass spectrometry we confirmed that each tRNALeu variant was expressed and generated mistranslation with Leu. To probe the flexibility of the entire genetic code towards Leu mis-incorporation, we created 64 yeast strains to express all possible tRNALeu anticodon variants in a doxycycline-inducible system. While some variants showed mild or no growth defects, many anticodon variants, enriched with G/C at positions 35 and 36, including those replacing Leu for proline, arginine, alanine, or glycine, caused dramatic reductions in growth. Differential phenotypic defects were observed for tRNALeu mutants with synonymous anticodons and for different tRNALeu isoacceptors with the same anticodon. A comparison to tRNAAla anticodon variants demonstrates that Ala mis-incorporation is more tolerable than Leu at nearly every codon. The data show that the nature of the amino acid substitution, the tRNA gene, and the anticodon are each important factors that influence the ability of cells to tolerate mistranslating tRNAs.

Synthetic biology constitutes a scientific domain focused on intentional redesign of organisms to confer novel functionalities or create new products through strategic engineering of their genetic makeup. Leveraging the inherent capabilities of nature, one may address challenges across diverse sectors including medicine. Inspired by this concept, we have developed an innovative bioengineering platform, enabling high-yield and large-scale production of biological small interfering RNA (BioRNA/siRNA) agents via bacterial fermentation. Herein, we show that with the use of a new tRNA fused pre-miRNA carrier, we can produce various forms of BioRNA/siRNA agents within living host cells. We report a high-level overexpression of nine target BioRNA/siRNA molecules at 100% success rate, yielding 3-10 mg of BioRNA/siRNA per 0.25 L of bacterial culture with high purity (>98%) and low endotoxin (

A large body of literature has examined specificity and transfer of perceptual learning, suggesting a complex picture. Here, we distinguish between transfer over variations in a task-relevant feature (e.g., transfer of a learned orientation task to a different reference orientation) and transfer over a task-irrelevant feature (e.g., transfer of a learned orientation task to a different retinal location or different spatial frequency), and we focus on the mechanism for the latter. Experimentally, we assessed whether learning a judgment of one feature (such as orientation) using one value of an irrelevant feature (e.g., spatial frequency) transfers to another value of the irrelevant feature. Experiment 1 examined whether learning in eight-alternative orientation identification with one or multiple spatial frequencies transfers to stimuli at five different spatial frequencies. Experiment 2 paralleled Experiment 1, examining whether learning in eight-alternative spatial-frequency identification at one or multiple orientations transfers to stimuli with five different orientations. Training the orientation task with a single spatial frequency transferred widely to all other spatial frequencies, with a tendency to specificity when training with the highest spatial frequency. Training the spatial frequency task fully transferred across all orientations. Computationally, we extended the identification integrated reweighting theory (I-IRT) to account for the transfer data (Dosher, Liu, & Lu, 2023; Liu, Dosher, & Lu, 2023). Just as location-invariant representations in the original IRT explain transfer over retinal locations, incorporating feature-invariant representations effectively accounted for the observed transfer. Taken together, we suggest that feature-invariant representations can account for transfer of learning over a task-irrelevant feature.

Genome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) govern posttranscriptional gene regulation and play important roles in various cellular processes and disease progression. While chemo-engineered miRNA mimics or biosimilars made in vitro are widely available and used, miRNA agents produced in vivo are emerging to closely recapitulate natural miRNA species for research. Our recent work has demonstrated the success of high-yield, in vivo production of recombinant miRNAs by using human tRNA (htRNA) fused precursor miRNA (pre-miR) carriers. In this study, we aim to compare the production of bioengineered RNA (BioRNA) molecules with glycyl versus leucyl htRNA fused hsa-pre-miR-34a carriers, namely, BioRNAGly and BioRNALeu, respectively, and perform the initial functional assessment. We designed, cloned, overexpressed, and purified a total of 48 new BioRNA/miRNAs, and overall expression levels, final yields, and purities were revealed to be comparable between BioRNAGly and BioRNALeu molecules. Meanwhile, the two versions of BioRNA/miRNAs showed similar activities to inhibit non-small cell lung cancer cell viability. Interestingly, functional analyses using model BioRNA/miR-7-5p demonstrated that BioRNAGly/miR-7-5p exhibited greater efficiency to regulate a known target gene expression (EGFR) than BioRNALeu/miR-7-5p, consistent with miR-7-5p levels released in cells. Moreover, BioRNAGly/miR-7-5p showed comparable or slightly greater activities to modulate MRP1 and VDAC1 expression, compared with miRCURY LNA miR-7-5p mimic. Computational modeling illustrated overall comparable 3D structures for exemplary BioRNA/miRNAs with noticeable differences in htRNA species and payload miRNAs. These findings support the utility of hybrid htRNA/hsa-pre-miR-34a as reliable carriers for RNA molecular bioengineering, and the resultant BioRNAs serve as functional biologic RNAs for research and development.

Defects in tRNA biogenesis are associated with multiple neurological disorders, yet our understanding of these diseases has been hampered by an inability to determine tRNA expression in individual cell types within a complex tissue. Here, we developed a mouse model in which RNA polymerase III is conditionally epitope tagged in a Cre-dependent manner, allowing us to accurately profile tRNA expression in any cell type in vivo. We investigated tRNA expression in diverse nervous system cell types, revealing dramatic heterogeneity in the expression of tRNA genes between populations. We found that while maintenance of levels of tRNA isoacceptor families is critical for cellular homeostasis, neurons are differentially vulnerable to insults to distinct tRNA isoacceptor families. Cell-type-specific translatome analysis suggests that the balance between tRNA availability and codon demand may underlie such differential resilience. Our work provides a platform for investigating the complexities of mRNA translation and tRNA biology in the brain.

Malaria poses an enormous threat to human health. With ever increasing resistance to currently deployed drugs, breakthrough compounds with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. Here, we explore pyrimidine-based sulfonamides as a new low molecular weight inhibitor class with drug-like physical parameters and a synthetically accessible scaffold. We show that the exemplar, OSM-S-106, has potent activity against parasite cultures, low mammalian cell toxicity and low propensity for resistance development. In vitro evolution of resistance using a slow ramp-up approach pointed to the Plasmodium falciparum cytoplasmic asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (PfAsnRS) as the target, consistent with our finding that OSM-S-106 inhibits protein translation and activates the amino acid starvation response. Targeted mass spectrometry confirms that OSM-S-106 is a pro-inhibitor and that inhibition of PfAsnRS occurs via enzyme-mediated production of an Asn-OSM-S-106 adduct. Human AsnRS is much less susceptible to this reaction hijacking mechanism. X-ray crystallographic studies of human AsnRS in complex with inhibitor adducts and docking of pro-inhibitors into a model of Asn-tRNA-bound PfAsnRS provide insights into the structure-activity relationship and the selectivity mechanism.

Background Methods Results Conclusion Equinovarus deformity correction was performed by soft tissue release and bone deformity correction, and tendon transfer to maintain deformity correction. Because of the high complication rate of tendon fixation methods, partial or total anterior tibial tendon or posterior tibial tendon transfer to the peroneus tertius tendon was reported. The purpose of this study was (i) to review the results of this tendon transfer technique after release and correction of talipes equinovarus, and (ii) to analyze the complication of this technique.Between February 2017 and May 2022, 176 patients (210 feet) with equinus and/or varus foot and ankle deformities underwent anterior or posterior tibial tendon transfer to the peroneus tertius in our institute. Preoperative and postoperative foot and ankle range of motion (passive and active) were checked. The postoperative radiographic assessment included antero‐posterior (AP), lateral, and hindfoot alignment radiographs. Preoperative and postoperative lateral tibio‐talar, talo‐calcaneal, talo‐first metatarsal, tibial‐sole angles, hindfoot alignment, and anterior subluxation of the talus were checked. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle‐hindfoot scale, and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess pain. Paired Student's t‐test was used to compare the clinical scores and radiographic angles before the operation and at the last follow‐up.The mean age of the patients was 23.27 ± 13.44 years (range, 3–69 years). The mean follow‐up time was 25.56 ± 16.37 months (range, 12–68 months). There were significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative measurements of the lateral tibio‐talar angle, lateral talo‐calcaneal angle, lateral talo‐first metatarsal angle, lateral tibial‐sole angle, and hindfoot alignment (p < 0.001). There was significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative AOFAS and VAS scores (p < 0.001). The early complications included infection in one patient, skin necrosis in two patients, and plantar numbness in three patients. The late complications included pin infection in three patients, tibio‐talar joint compression in four patients, forefoot pain in two patients, toe flexion in two patients, and plantar numbness in one patient. There were three cases of complications (1.43%) related to the transferred tendons.Tibialis anterior or posterior tendon transfer to the peroneus tertius is a safe and effective method for equinovarus deformity correction. It yielded excellent outcomes that produced high patient satisfaction and few complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many initiatives attempt to smooth transitions between 2-year colleges and 4-year universities, but retention and graduation rates for transfer-students are still low, especially in STEM. The Transfer-student Research and Integration Program (TRIP) at the University of Central Florida was developed to meet the needs of a diverse transfer population. TRIP alleviates attrition of life sciences students by providing research experiences, professional development, community integration, and mentorship. We review the model design and share early successes including higher retention rates versus comparison groups. Students reported benefitting from the skills and experiences gained and indicated TRIP's positive impact on their STEM success and career growth. Given the quantitative and qualitative results, our model could be a template for universities attempting to improve STEM transfer-student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ragworts like tansy ragwort (J. vulgaris Gaertn., syn. Senecio jacobaea L.) contain hepatotoxic and cancerogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and their corresponding pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides (PANO). Due to increasing spread of ragworts (Jacobaea spp.) PA/PANO may pose a health risk to animals and humans consuming contaminated feed and food. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the transfer of individual PA/PANO originating from a well-defined PA/PANO extract into the milk of dairy cows. For this objective, 16 German Holstein cows were assigned to four treatment groups (n = 4) in a 28-day dose-response study. Administration into the reticulorumen was performed daily by gavage after the morning milking. Three groups received different amounts of the J. vulgaris extract resulting in a PA/PANO exposure of 0.47, 0.95, or 1.91 mg PA/PANO/kg body weight/day, respectively. Furthermore, a control group received molasses to account for the sugar content of the used PA/PANO extract. While the composition of the PA/PANO extract was more diverse, the PA/PANO pattern in milk was dominated by the PA in their free base form. It was shown that mainly PA considered stable in the rumen environment were transferred into the milk. The main compounds in milk were jacoline (74.3 ± 2.4% of the PA/PANO sum), jaconine (11.2 ± 1.3%), and jacobine (7.2 ± 0.6%) with concentrations up to 29.7, 4.65 µg/l, or in the highest exposed group, 3.44 µg/l. There was no dose-dependent effect on the total PA/PANO transfer rate into the milk. The average transfer rate was 0.064 ± 0.005% of the administered content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an automated framework founded on texture transfer, facilitating the substitution of textures in garment images with specified ones for applications in garment design and online presentation. In contrast to previous methodologies, our approach achieves seamless texture transfer from a single image while preserving fold variations and shadow intricacies. Given a garment image and a texture image, we initially extract pixel-aligned features from the garment image and construct a parametric model of the garment through spatial sampling. The mesh structure is subsequently validated employing the Marching Cube algorithm. We then enhance the model quality through mesh optimization using a variational approach. Finally, we optimize parallax mapping to execute the texture transfer from the source texture image. Experimental results convincingly demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in achieving texture transfer in garment images while maintaining the fidelity of folds and shadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John D. Bransford died in 2022. He was an intellectual giant. His seminal work in educational psychology was recognized by Division 15 of the American Psychological Association with their Career Achievement Award in 2001. This paper is an introduction to the man. It traces his intellectual development from cognitive psychology to educational psychology to the learning sciences. It is written as a first-person narrative to echo the perspective he often adopted in his surprisingly accessible papers. This paper also describes the intellectual community he built around himself, one that was remarkably successful in generating novel ideas, supporting collaborative research, and training generations of young researchers who would go on to make their own marks. Finally, it portrays what it was like to work alongside a man who saw just a little further down the road than the rest of us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which simulated the reproduction of various noise conditions that occur during neonatal transportation applying several respiratory support techniques. The study examined the noise produced by different ventilatory modes including continuous mandatory ventilation, high frequency oscillatory ventilation, continuous- and variable- flow continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and biphasic intermittent positive airway pressure.

Learners can study foreign language-English vocabulary (e.g., denken – to think) both receptively and productively. Receptive learning involves being cued with a foreign language word (e.g., denken) and trying to translate it (i.e., to think). Productive learning involves being cued with an English word (e.g., to think) and trying to produce the translation. When students use retrieval practice to learn foreign-language translations in one direction (e.g., receptively) until they correctly recall the translation, do they demonstrate transfer in the other direction (i.e., productively)? Across three experiments, we answered this question by manipulating the order of learning schedule (reception first followed by production or vice versa). For a given schedule, participants continued to practice retrieving translations (with feedback) using the dropout method until they correctly recalled each translation three times; they then proceeded to practice the pairs in the opposite direction until they correctly recalled each translation three times. Across all experiments, transfer was partial (learning in one direction did not entirely eliminate the need to practice in the other), but transfer did occur regardless of which schedule students used first during practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the initial study on contextual interference (CI) in 1966, research has explored how practice schedules impact retention and transfer. Apart from support from scientists and practitioners, the CI effect has also faced skepticism. Therefore, we aimed to review the existing literature on the CI effect and determine how it affects transfer in laboratory and applied settings and in different age groups. We found 1,287 articles in the following databases: Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, supplemented by the Google Scholar search engine and manual search. Of 300 fully screened articles, 42 studies were included in the systematic review and 34 in the quantitative analysis (meta-analysis). The overall CI effect on transfer in motor learning was medium (SMD = 0.55), favoring random practice. Random practice was favored in the laboratory and applied settings. However, in laboratory studies, the medium effect size was statistically significant (SMD = 0.75), whereas, in applied studies, the effect size was small and statistically non-significant (SMD = 0.34). Age group analysis turned out to be significant only in adults and older adults. In both, the random practice was favored. In adults, the effect was medium (SMD = 0.54), whereas in older adults was large (SMD = 1.28). In young participants, the effect size was negligible (SMD = 0.12). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental cells sealed with photoelectron‐transparent graphene windows are promising for extending X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to liquid and high‐pressure gas environments for in situ and operando studies. However, the reliable production of graphene windows that are sufficiently leak‐tight for extended measurements remains a challenge. Here we demonstrate a PDMS/Au(100 nm)‐supported transfer method that reliably produces suspended graphene on perforated silicon nitride membranes without significant contamination. A yield of ~95 % is achieved based on single‐layer graphene covering >98 % of the holes in the silicon nitride membrane. Even higher coverages are achieved for stacked bilayer graphene, allowing wet etching (aqueous KI/I2) of the Au support to be observed in a conventional lab‐based XPS system, thereby demonstrating the in situ formation of leak‐tight, suspended graphene windows. Furthermore, these windows allow gas‐phase measurements at close to atmospheric pressure, showing future promise for XPS under higher‐pressure gas environments in conventional lab‐based systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions People with intellectual disability (ID) demonstrate persistent challenges around developing life skills. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is gaining interest as a tool for training life skills as it enables individuals to engage in hands‐on learning in a safe, controlled and repeatable environment. However, there are concerns about the potential drawbacks of IVR, such as cybersickness and practical challenges with using the equipment, which may hinder its widespread adoption in educational settings. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of training in IVR and a non‐immersive virtual environment for improving real‐world skills in people with ID.In the present study, 36 adults (16 female, 20 male) with ID were recruited from a disability organisation. Participants completed a real‐world assessment of waste management skills before and after training in either the IVR or non‐immersive group.Consistent with our hypotheses, the IVR group scored significantly higher in the real‐world assessment after virtual training (d = 1), and at the 1‐week follow‐up (d = 1.12), compared with the non‐immersive group. Further analyses showed that the IVR group, but not the non‐immersive group, significantly improved performance in the real‐world assessment across timepoints.The findings indicate that IVR was more effective for improving and retaining real‐world waste management skills. This study supports IVR as a viable tool for professionals and caregivers to develop skills for independent living among people with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Method Results and Conclusions Gestures are an integral component in human‐to‐human communication when the speaker is visually present to the listener. In the past several years, research has examined how computer‐generated pedagogical agents can be designed to perform the four main gesture types and what this means for agent persona and learning outcomes. The research into agent gesturing has only explored gestures without other presentation strategies such as visual aids or verbal redundancy to properly explore the impact of gestures, and to avoid overly “rich” displays of information.The objective of this study is to explore the use of static images and varying frequencies of gestures to assess whether two visual inputs increases the risk of the split‐attention effect, and to investigate the potential for visual redundancy when two visual inputs coincide with narration. Data on cognitive load, agent persona, and learning outcomes (recall and transfer) will be collected to measure participants' learning experience while acquiring procedural knowledge, specifically regarding the principles of lightning, in comparison to previous research.A mixed methods approach consisted of three gesture frequency conditions (enhanced, average, no) with 118 participants. Quantitative data were analysed using a random‐effect linear regression model; whereas qualitative data was collected through individual interviews that lasted 15–20 min.The use of enhanced gesture frequency and images may significantly increase intrinsic cognitive load, but gestures and images do not cause extraneous cognitive load. The enhanced gesture condition significantly outperformed the no‐gesture condition. Interviews indicated that depending upon the gesture condition, students selectively attended to information that they perceived as offering them the greatest learning opportunity. Using two visual inputs does not cause split‐attention, nor does it provide evidence of a visual redundancy effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Radical cystectomy with ileal conduit is the current mainstay of treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer and is also a high-risk procedure. Existing studies have limited targeted assessment of the efficacy and safety of this procedure, and the patient population appropriate for this procedure is still poorly defined. We sought to longitudinally analyze differences in the efficacy and safety of radical cystectomy with ileal conduit by age subgroups to assess whether the age factor should be used as an exclusion criterion when selecting this procedure. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined the clinicopathological data of patients with MIBC treated with RC with IC at the Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical University between February 2014 and October 2023. Additionally, we utilized clinical and pathological data from the SEER database (2000-2020) for external validation of our findings. Patients were categorized into elderly (≥70 years at diagnosis) and non-elderly (<70 years) groups. Statistical analyses included t-tests, non-parametric tests for continuous data, chi-square tests for categorical data, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: In this study, 152 patients were included: 119 were categorized as nonelderly and 33 as elderly. For external validation, data from 416 patients in the SEER database were analyzed, with 172 classified as non-elderly and 244 as elderly. The results indicated that elderly patients were more likely to require ICU transfer postoperatively but exhibited a lower incidence of stoma inflammation. Additionally, both the data from our center and the external validation from the SEER database showed a concordance in cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the elderly and non-elderly groups. The efficacy of RC with IC was comparable in both elderly and non-elderly patients. Conclusion: For longitudinal age subgroups, RC with IC for both elderly and non-elderly MIBC had good efficacy and safety, and good quality of life after surgery. Although there are surgical and perioperative risks in elderly patients, there is no significant difference compared with non-elderly patients. In elderly patients requiring RC for bladder cancer, IC should remain the preferred mode of urinary diversion, and old age should not be used as an absolute exclusion criterion for IC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) poses a significant health burden, particularly among pediatric populations, leading to long-term cognitive, physical, and psychosocial impairments. Timely transfer to specialized trauma centers is crucial for optimal management, yet the influence of socioeconomic factors, such as the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), on transfer patterns remains understudied. A retrospective study was conducted on pediatric TBI patients presenting to a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center between January 2012 and July 2023. Transfer status, distance, mode of transport, and clinical outcomes were analyzed in relation to ADI. Statistical analyses were performed using Student t -test and analysis of variance. Of 359 patients, 53.5% were transferred from outside hospitals, with higher ADI scores observed in transfer patients (P < 0.01). Air transport was associated with greater distances traveled and higher ADI compared to ground ambulance (P < 0.01). Despite similarities in injury severity, intensive care unit admission rates differed between transfer modes, with no significant impact on mortality. High ADI patients were more likely to be transferred, suggesting disparities in access to specialized care. Differences in transfer modes highlight the influence of socioeconomic factors on logistical aspects. While transfer did not independently impact outcomes, disparities in intensive care unit admission rates were observed, possibly influenced by injury severity. Integrating socioeconomic data into clinical decision-making processes can inform targeted interventions to optimize care delivery and improve outcomes for all pediatric TBI patients. Prospective, multicenter studies are warranted to further elucidate these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the second half of the 20th century, neuroscientists across North America developed automated systems for use in their research laboratories. Their decisions to do so were complex and contingent, partly a result of global reasons, such as the need to increase efficiency and flexibility, and partly a result of local reasons, such as the need to amend perceived biases of earlier research methodologies. Automated methods were advancements but raised several challenges. Transferring a system from one location to another required that certain components of the system be standardized, such as the hardware, software, and programming language. This proved difficult as commercial manufacturers lacked incentives to create standardized products for the few neuroscientists working towards automation. Additionally, investing in automated systems required massive amounts of time, labor, funding, and computer expertise. Moreover, neuroscientists did not agree on the value of automation. My brief history investigates Karl Pribram's decisions to expand his newly created automated system by standardizing equipment, programming, and protocols. Although he was an eminent Stanford neuroscientist with strong institutional support and computer know-how, the development and transfer of his automated behavioral testing system was riddled with challenges. For Pribram and neuroscience more generally, automation was not so automatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric surgical care is becoming increasingly regionalized, often resulting in limited access. Interfacility transfers pose a significant financial and emotional burden to when they are potentially avoidable. Of transferred patients, we sought to identify clinical factors associated with avoidable transfers in pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis. We performed a single-center retrospective study at an academic tertiary referral children's hospital in an urban setting. We included children who underwent interfacility transfer to our center with a transfer diagnosis of appendicitis from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023. Encounters were designated as either an appropriate transfer (underwent appendectomy) or an avoidable transfer (did not undergo appendectomy). Encounters treated nonoperatively for complicated appendicitis were excluded. Bivariate analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney test and chi-square tests. A total of 444 patients were included: 71.2% were classified as appropriate transfers and 28.8% as avoidable transfers. Patients with avoidable transfer were younger compared to those in the appropriate transfer cohort (median age 9 y, interquartile range: 7-13 versus 11 y, interquartile range: 8-14; P < 0.001). Avoidable transfers less frequently presented with the typical symptoms of fever, migratory abdominal pain, anorexia, and nausea/emesis (P = 0.005). Avoidable transfers also reported shorter symptom duration (P = 0.040) with lower median white blood cell count (P < 0.001), neutrophil percentage (P < 0.001), and C-reactive protein levels (P < 0.003). Avoidable transfers more frequently underwent repeat imaging upon arrival (42.9% versus 12.7%, P < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of clinical history in children with suspected appendicitis. Younger patients without typical symptoms of appendicitis, those with a shorter duration of symptoms, and lower serum inflammatory markers may benefit from close observation without transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's multilingual society, students often learn two or more languages simultaneously. Despite a wealth of research on writing attitudes, few studies have explored the relationship between student attitudinal variables from a cross‐linguistic perspective, particularly in the field of integrated writing (IW). This study included 239 first‐year English majors from a normal university in southeastern China. Path analysis revealed clear relationships between cognitive and affective attitudes, with self‐efficacy being a significant negative predictor of anxiety (β = −0.391 for L1 and β = −0.258 for L2) and a positive predictor of enjoyment (β = 0.531 for L1 and β = 0.380 for L2), irrespective of the language. The study identified statistical evidence of transfers from L1 attitudes to L2 attitudes, across cognitive and affective attitudes, with various patterns. The study provides a cross‐linguistic perspective on the relationship between L1 Chinese and L2 English IW attitudes in Chinese higher education and highlights the critical contribution of psychological transfer in compensating for the limitations of previous theories and empirical studies that focused solely on linguistic ability and writing strategy transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify barriers and facilitators impacting the implementation of a comprehensive transfer program aimed at parents of adolescents with chronic illness in clinical practice. Design: A real‐time, qualitative process evaluation. Methods: Individual interviews were conducted with 10 nurses and seven physicians from paediatric and adult outpatient clinics: Nephrology, hepatology, neurology, and rheumatology. Data were analysed through the lens of normalization process theory. Results: Themes were framed within the theory's four components. (1) Coherence: Healthcare professionals' views on their core tasks and on the parents' role influenced their perception of the program. (2) Cognitive participation: A named key worker, autonomy, and collaboration impacted healthcare professionals' involvement in the program. (3) Collective action: Department prioritization and understanding of the program's aim were key factors in its successful delivery. (4) Reflective monitoring: Participants experienced that the program helped parents during transfer but questioned if the program was needed by all families. Conclusion: We identified three barriers: Healthcare professionals' lack of understanding of the parental role during transfer, top‐down decisions among nurses, and physicians' uncertainty about their role in joint consultations. Facilitators: Healthcare professionals' understanding of the program's purpose and expected effect, the nurses' significant role as named keyworkers, and good collaboration across paediatric and adult departments. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Implementation strategies should be developed before implementing a transfer program in clinical practice. Impact: Implementing a parental transfer program in clinical practice can be challenging. Therefore, for successful implementation, it is crucial to identify barriers and facilitators.Barriers and facilitators exist at the personal, professional, and organizational levels, and it is important to understand them.The results of this qualitative study could support the implementation of transfer programs in other settings. Reporting Method: Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ). Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?: Nurses' and physicians' experiences of ownership of the transfer program is essential for successful implementation.Clinics should appoint a named keyworker, preferably a nurse, as the driving force during the implementation of a transfer program.Nurses and physicians should receive training about the purpose, justification, and expected effect of a transfer program before implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During short-range air combat involving unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) swarms, UAVs must make accurate maneuver decisions based on information from both enemy and friendly UAVs. This dual requirement of competition and cooperation presents a significant challenge in the field of unmanned air combat. In this paper, a method based on multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) is proposed to address this issue. An actor network containing three subnetworks that can handle different types of situational information is designed. Hence, the results from simpler one-on-one scenarios are leveraged to enhance the complex swarm air combat training process. Separate state spaces for local and global information are designed for the actor and critic networks. A detailed reward function is proposed to encourage participation. To prevent lazy participants in air combat, a reward assignment operation is applied to distribute these dense rewards. Simulation testing and ablation experiments demonstrate that both the transfer operation and reward assignment operation can effectively deal with the swarm air combat scenario, and reflect the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While formal L3 morphosyntactic acquisition research has focused on the roles of the L1 versus L2 during the L3 initial stages, we examine their roles during development. Specifically, we explore whether the L3 (here, Portuguese) revision process after non-facilitative transfer differs whether the initial L3 representation reflects the L1 or L2. If this initial L3 representation is the same for a group whose source is their L1 and a group whose source is their L2, it is plausible to predict similar developmental processes between groups. However, recent data have shown between-group developmental differences despite a similar L3 starting point. In an effort to isolate the variable(s) behind such differences, we investigate the roles of dominance and formal instruction via two sets of L3 morphosyntactic judgments. The first set excludes dominance, with similar patterns in English-dominant versus Spanish-dominant L1 Spanish data. The second set excludes formal instruction, whereby L2 Spanish data shows L3 convergence for a property not explicitly taught and L1 Spanish data does not. As an initial hypothesis for further exploration of between-group differences, we propose the Cumulative Input Threshold Hypothesis: The rate of developmental recovery from non-facilitative transfer is inversely related to lifetime input of the source language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the political economy of fiscal transfers in Ethiopia. Utilising an original data set spanning 1995–2020, as well as interviews and document analyses, the article illustrates how different factors interact to shape the distribution of grants. Statistical analysis indicates that population size is critical in determining regional grant shares. However, the analyses reveal a pattern of ethno‐regional favouritism in grant distributions during the early stages of Ethiopian federalism. During that period, opaque and centralised decision‐making processes, coupled with the dominant influence of the Tigray People's Liberation Front in the federal government, resulted in grant distribution deviating from principles of fiscal equity. Over time, this evolved into more fluid forms of negotiation influenced by intra‐party competition, dynamics of bargaining between the central and regional authorities, and regional assertiveness, collectively shaping the allocation of grants alongside the grant formula. The analysis highlights how economically and politically marginalised regions are disadvantaged, especially when their population is small. The absence of an independent grant agency means that political considerations continue to affect seemingly formula‐driven allocations. The Ethiopian case underscores how intra‐party bargaining and alignment along ethnic and regional lines undermine the effectiveness of formula‐based grant allocations in the absence of an independent and empowered grant agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of low concentration of Wenyang Tonglin Decoction (WTD) on the binding conditions of R45 plasmid conjugative transfer under liquid phase conjugation and its mechanism. Methods: Escherichia coli CP9 (R45) and Staphylococcus aureus RN450RF were cultured in medium containing WTD, and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained. Using promoter fusion technology, E. coli CP9 (R45) containing a promoter fusion was obtained. β-Galactosidase activity of TrfAp and TrbBp was tested, and the mRNA expression of regulatory factors (TrbA, KorA, and KorB) was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The MIC of E. coli CP9 (R45) was 400 g/L and that of S. aureus RN450RF was 200 g/L. When the drug concentration in the culture medium was 200 g/L, the highest number of conjugants was (3.47 ±0.20) × 107 CFU/mL At 90 h of conjugation, the maximum number of conjugants was (1.15 ±0.06) × 108 CFU/mL When the initial bacterial concentration was 108 CFU/mL, the maximum number of conjugants was (3.47 ± 0.20) × 107 CFU/mL. When the drug concentration was 200 g/L, the β-galactosidase activity of TrfAp and TrbBp significantly increased; the relative quantification of TrbA, KorA and KorB were significantly inhibited. Conclusion: Low concentration of WTD promoted the development of bacterial resistance by affecting promoters and inhibiting the expression of regulatory factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterostructure of two‐dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) has garnered extensive attention, for the junction is the building block of a semiconductor device. However, the controllable synthesis of TMDC heterostructures of different transition metals and different chalcogen elements is still challenging because of the etching by atom substitution during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Here, a Mo─O transition state with lower energy is introduced to the edge of an as‐grown MoSe2 by using ultraviolet ozone treatment, to prevent the fast atom substitution of S for Se, and enable a stable growth of WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure. A polymer‐free transfer method is developed based on capillary interaction, and atomic structure characterization confirms the high‐quality WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure. The WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure photodetector exhibits superior photoresponse compared to WS2 and MoSe2 devices, with a responsivity of 21.87 A W−1 and a detectivity of 4.2 × 1012 Jones at 350 nm. Kelvin probe force microscopy result reveals that the built‐in electric field within the heterojunction facilitates the effective separation of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs. This study carries profound implications for the CVD growth and polymer‐free transfer of TMDC heterostructures in photodetector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal accumulation in agricultural products has become a major concern. Previous studies have focused on the transport of heavy metals from the soil and their accumulation in crops. However, recent studies revealed that wheat leaves, ears, and awns can also transport and accumulate heavy metals. Wheat grains can be influenced by two sources of heavy metals: soil contamination and atmospheric deposition. To comprehend the transport characteristics of heavy metals in soil, atmospheric deposition, and wheat, 37 samples each for wheat rhizosphere soil, wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains were collected. Fifteen samples of atmospheric dry deposition and atmospheric wet deposition were collected from Linshu County (northern area), China. Based on the test data, the characteristics of heavy metals and their distribution in the study area were analyzed. Migration patterns of heavy metals in crops from different sources were investigated using Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis. Finally, a predictive model for heavy metals in wheat grains was developed using multiple linear regression analysis. Significant disparities in the distribution of heavy metals existed among wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains. The coefficient of variation of heavy metals in atmospheric deposition was relatively high, indicating discernible spatial patterns influenced by human activities. Notably, a positive correlation was observed between the concentration of heavy metals in wheat grains and atmospheric deposition of Hg, Cd, and Pb. Conversely, Zn and Ni levels in wheat grains were significantly negatively associated with soil Zn, Ni, pH, and OM content. The contribution of heavy metal elements from different sources varied in their impact on the grain's heavy metal content. Specifically, atmospheric deposition was the primary source of Hg and Pb in wheat grains, while Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn were predominantly derived from soil. Using a multiple linear regression model, we could accurately predict Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, and As concentrations in crop grains. This model can facilitate quantitative evaluation of ecological risk of heavy metals accumulation in crops in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential evidential value of male underwear in cases of alleged sexual assault is often overlooked. Male underwear can be a critical item in the investigation of alleged sexual assaults. Body fluids/DNA, which may transfer to the penis during sexual contact, may in turn transfer to the inside front of the underwear, and persist for months or years, provided the underwear are not washed. Here, we demonstrate how the case circumstances drive the sampling strategy of male underwear, in order to maximize the effectiveness of the forensic analysis. Sampling considerations including recovery methods and sampling sequence are discussed, and a methodical examination strategy of male underwear is proposed. To highlight the pertinence of male underwear to the investigation of alleged sexual assaults, three real‐life cases are discussed, in which male underwear were examined for multiple body fluids/DNA, and the findings obtained proved evidentially significant. The different cases demonstrate the versatility of male underwear examination in situations, where different body fluids and DNA may transfer based on the specific allegation, and emphasize how targeted sampling can allow the scientist to assess the probability of the findings based on two competing propositions. Accurate sampling strategies are imperative for robust probability assignment in evaluative reporting of scientific findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the relationship between gendered inclusion in peace processes and Track Two peacemaking. It responds to recent policy discourse that explicitly associates linking Track Two to Track One negotiations as a way to increase the inclusion of people identifying as women (United Nations Women 2015). However, the mechanisms through which Track Two leads to more “inclusive” outcomes is complex and unclear. To understand what these mechanisms are and how they can be studied, this article draws from existing theories on transfer in Track Two and inclusion literature in peace and conflict studies to present a novel conceptual model of “linkage.” This model explores the micro-dynamics of gendered inclusivity between different tracks of dialogue engagement and how transfer is facilitated between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are numerous ways to transfer the alignment of a lower-limb prosthesis that have been used and adapted over the last several decades. The proposed glass tracing alignment method (GTAM) allows for a convenient and rapid transfer of prosthetic alignment in the coronal and sagittal planes with minimal equipment requirements. Objective: The aim of this article is to share a novel method for coronal and sagittal plane prosthetic alignment transfer, which may be done with minimal time, materials, and expense. Materials and Methods: Prosthetic alignment may be transferred in part or in whole by tracing the prosthesis in both the coronal and sagittal planes. The prosthesis must first be stabilized on a surface that allows for the prosthetic foot to be traced and is adjacent to a wall surface that allows for tracing of the prosthesis proximal to the foot. The line of progression (LOP) of the prosthesis should be parallel to the edge of the table it is traced upon and in a vertical orientation when tracing the entire prosthesis in the sagittal plane. When tracing the coronal plane alignment, the foot should be oriented vertically and placed in the LOP. Sagittal and coronal tracings should include as much of the prosthesis as possible to insure the most accurate alignment transfer of components. The GTAM was developed to be a clinical complement to traditional alignment transfer methods, which may include use a vertical or horizontal prosthetic alignment transfer jig. Results: Use of the described alignment tracing technique allows for the rapid alignment transfer of prosthetic componentry for a variety of applications. Conclusions: The GTAM proposed is an easy way for a busy practitioner to certify that alignment transfers have been performed correctly or to preserve alignment when replacing elements of a prosthesis for clinical and/or research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro LED is an extremely small‐sized LED where each individual LED operates independently, providing high brightness, excellent contrast ratio, wide color gamut, and other outstanding visual characteristics. We have developed the transfer technology for micro LED chips using our proprietary PR (photoresist) expansion technique. This exclusive PR expansion technology, leveraging semiconductor photo processes, enables pitch conversion between micro LED chips and maintains a high level of accuracy in chip transfer at a sub‐micron scale. This innovative transfer technology allows for high‐density integration of micro LED chips, effectively reducing the cost per chip, and serving as a key driver for rapid growth in the micro LED market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Medical advancements will lead to more children with long‐term illnesses and/or disabilities undergoing the transition to adult care. Previous studies show that many young adults are unprepared for this transition, and might suffer from loss of follow‐up. This study aimed to investigate the post‐transfer experiences of the transition among young adults with long‐term illnesses and/or disabilities. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Three semi‐structured focus group interviews were conducted with 15 participants (18–25 years of age) recruited via patient organisations focusing on children and young adults with disabilities and/or long‐term illnesses. The interviews were analysed with conventional content analysis. Results: One theme emerged: limbo, defined as an indefinite experience without knowing when or even if something would happen, or whether they would be overlooked. The theme rested on four categories: transition experiences, organisational aspects, influence on daily life, and self‐management. Conclusion: Areas for improvement were identified across the entire transition that is, in the preparation, transfer, and post‐transfer stages. Our findings indicate a limited understanding among healthcare providers (HCPs) that the transition continues until the young adult has been fully integrated into adult care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedded questions (EQs) are islands for filler–gap dependency formation in English, but not in Norwegian. Kush and Dahl (2022) found that first language (L1) Norwegian participants often accepted filler–gap dependencies into EQs in second language (L2) English, and proposed that this reflected persistent transfer from Norwegian of the functional structure that licenses such filler–gap dependencies. However, their results do not conclusively establish that the judgment patterns were specific to transfer from L1 Norwegian and not a general L2 effect. To address this issue, we conducted elicited production tasks comparing how L1 Norwegian and L1 Swedish speakers complete dependencies into declarative complement clauses and EQs both in their native languages and L2 English. Despite its similarity to Norwegian, Swedish prohibits the filler–gap dependency into EQs that Norwegian allows. We expected participants to complete dependencies that they considered grammatical with gaps and to avoid gaps where they considered them ungrammatical. Our results clearly indicate transfer: L1 Norwegian participants overwhelmingly used gaps when completing dependencies into EQs in both L1 and L2, whereas Swedish participants almost never used gaps in either language. We interpret our results as support for models that allow transfer of functional heads and their associated features from L1 to L2, and suggest that such transfer persists when the L2 input does not provide relevant evidence for restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nerve transfer after spinal cord injury has become increasingly popular. Accurate preoperative identification of lower motor neuron involvement in potential recipient nerves is critical. Electrodiagnostic testing has been shown to correlate with intraoperative findings; however, it is time-consuming, costly and may not be readily available. Stimulated manual muscle testing is an alternative diagnostic approach. It is inexpensive and easily done by the surgeon or therapist in the office; however, correlation with intraoperative stimulation has not been reported. A retrospective review was conducted for patients who underwent nerve transfer for tetraplegia with recorded preoperative stimulated manual muscle testing and intraoperative stimulation results. Nine patients including 37 nerve transfers were included. Of the 37 nerve transfers, 36 were accurately graded preoperatively by stimulated manual muscle testing. Stimulated manual muscle testing had a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 97%. This study supports stimulated manual muscle testing for preoperative distinction between upper versus lower motor neuron injuries. Level of evidence: IV [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers in Germany are not adequately prepared to teach in a linguistically responsive way. To change that, multiple development and research projects in this area have been established over the past decade. Recent studies show that pre-service teachers still have few opportunities to learn (OTLs) in the field of linguistically responsive teaching (LRT). This study aimed to transfer the theoretical model and the DaZKom test into pre-service teacher training and evaluate LRT-relevant OTLs at nine different universities across Germany with 1649 pre-service teachers. We focused on how LRT-relevant OTLs were perceived by pre-service teachers, how LRT-related OTLs and pre-service teachers' academic backgrounds (course of studies and experience) were related, and how OTLs impacted LRT competence. This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the teacher training and evaluations were conducted digitally. We found that pre-service teachers report a relatively low number of LRT-relevant OTLs in their studies. In particular, LRT-relevant activities have so far been taught very rarely at universities. Also, different emphases still prevail at universities regarding the qualitative and quantitative offer of LRT-relevant OTLs, because of differences among the nine participating universities. Based on these findings, we recommend that universities offer LRT-relevant learning opportunities in the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account that, in Antonin Artaud’s vision, theatre, in order to be revived, has to enter a play of the double, the present paper aims at discussing, succinctly, the notion of the Artaudian double, putting high emphasis on dream. So, theatre is dream, plague, cruelty, alchemical operation, ritual, exorcism, experiment. The link between the physical and the spiritual, in Artaudian metaphors, involves a transfer / transport of the actor and spectator from the lower levels of understanding to higher levels or from the lower energies of the body to subtle energies. When referring to the plague, Christopher Innes calls it a tired metaphor; moreover, he finds that Artaudian metaphors seem to be confusing or to generate confusion in the actor or spectator. Nonetheless, Artaud’s metaphors are revelatory, metaphysical, not asking for a horizontal, rational understanding, but for a vertical, speculative understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to clarify the kinematics, particularly of the shoulder and hip joints, during preparation for manual wheelchair-to-bed transfer (i.e. when flipping up the arm and foot supports). This cross-sectional study included 32 able-bodied individuals. The kinematics of the shoulder and hip joints when the arm and foot supports were flipped up of manual wheelchair, were evaluated using a markerless inertial sensor-based motion capture system. We found that flipping the arm support upwards involved a large amount of abduction, internal and external rotation, flexion, and extension at the shoulder joint, whereas flipping the foot support upwards involved a large amount of flexion at the hip joint. The findings suggest that it is necessary to consider the range of motion required to flip up the arm and foot supports of manual wheelchairs, particularly in those with limited shoulder and hip range of motion such as older people, neuromuscular disorders, and orthopedic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine algae are central to global carbon fixation, and their productivity is dictated largely by resource availability. Reduced nutrient availability is predicted for vast oceanic regions as an outcome of climate change; however, there is much to learn regarding response mechanisms of the tiny picoplankton that thrive in these environments, especially eukaryotic phytoplankton. Here, we investigate responses of the picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda, a green alga found throughout subtropical and tropical oceans. Under shifting phosphate availability scenarios, transcriptomic analyses revealed altered expression of transfer RNA modification enzymes and biased codon usage of transcripts more abundant during phosphate-limiting versus phosphate-replete conditions, consistent with the role of transfer RNA modifications in regulating codon recognition. To associate the observed shift in the expression of the transfer RNA modification enzyme complement with the transfer RNAs encoded by M. commoda, we also determined the transfer RNA repertoire of this alga revealing potential targets of the modification enzymes. Codon usage bias was particularly pronounced in transcripts encoding proteins with direct roles in managing phosphate limitation and photosystem-associated proteins that have ill-characterized putative functions in "light stress." The observed codon usage bias corresponds to a proposed stress response mechanism in which the interplay between stress-induced changes in transfer RNA modifications and skewed codon usage in certain essential response genes drives preferential translation of the encoded proteins. Collectively, we expose a potential underlying mechanism for achieving growth under enhanced nutrient limitation that extends beyond the catalog of up- or downregulated protein-encoding genes to the cell biological controls that underpin acclimation to changing environmental conditions.

Biallelic hypomorphic variants in PRORP have been recently described as causing the autosomal recessive disorder combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency type 54 (COXPD54). COXPD54 encompasses a phenotypic spectrum of sensorineural hearing loss and ovarian insufficiency (Perrault syndrome) to leukodystrophy. Here, we report three additional families with homozygous missense PRORP variants with pleiotropic phenotypes. Each missense variant altered a highly conserved residue within the metallonuclease domain. In vitro mitochondrial tRNA processing assays with recombinant TRMT10C, SDR5C1 and PRORP indicated two COXPD54-associated PRORP variants, c.1159A>G (p.Thr387Ala) and c.1241C>T (p.Ala414Val), decreased pre-tRNAIle cleavage, consistent with both variants impacting tRNA processing. No significant decrease in tRNA processing was observed with PRORP c.1093T>C (p.Tyr365His), which was identified in an individual with leukodystrophy. These data provide independent evidence that PRORP variants are associated with COXPD54 and that the assessment of 5 leader mitochondrial tRNA processing is a valuable assay for the functional analysis and clinical interpretation of novel PRORP variants.

College basketball was completely transformed by changes to the NCAA Transfer Portal in April of 2021. The NCAA no longer requires transfers to sit out a year of competition at their new school. Research has been conducted regarding both the Transfer Portal and success in college basketball. However, prior to this study, there was no research linking the two subjects. Therefore, I developed the following research question: When considering the newly adjusted Transfer Portal, is the number of players transferring into or out of a Division One men’s college basketball team correlated with that team’s win percentage in the following season? I collected data on the number of transfers into and out of each Division One men’s college basketball program in the years 2021 and 2022 and on the wins and losses of these programs during the same years. Using the Spearman’s rank correlation, I examined the correlation between several transfer-related variables and win percentage. During both 2021 and 2022, transfers in and total transfers (the sum of transfers in and transfers out) were correlated with win percentage (p=0.003 and 0.002, respectively, in 2021; p=0.006 and 0.03, respectively, in 2022) such that higher numbers of transfers correlated with higher win percentages. I conclude that more transfers into a Division One men’s college basketball team program correlates with a higher win percentage, which may be explained by a positive effect of transfers on win percentage or by transfers being attracted to winning programs.

Abstract Heavy metal accumulation in agricultural products has become a major concern. Previous studies have focused on the transport of heavy metals from the soil and their accumulation in crops. However, recent studies revealed that wheat leaves, ears, and awns can also transport and accumulate heavy metals. Wheat grains can be influenced by two sources of heavy metals: soil contamination and atmospheric deposition. To comprehend the transport characteristics of heavy metals in soil, atmospheric deposition, and wheat, 37 samples each for wheat rhizosphere soil, wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains were collected. Fifteen samples of atmospheric dry deposition and atmospheric wet deposition were collected from Linshu County (northern area), China. Based on the test data, the characteristics of heavy metals and their distribution in the study area were analyzed. Migration patterns of heavy metals in crops from different sources were investigated using Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis. Finally, a predictive model for heavy metals in wheat grains was developed using multiple linear regression analysis. Significant disparities in the distribution of heavy metals existed among wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains. The coefficient of variation of heavy metals in atmospheric deposition was relatively high, indicating discernible spatial patterns influenced by human activities. Notably, a positive correlation was observed between the concentration of heavy metals in wheat grains and atmospheric deposition of Hg, Cd, and Pb. Conversely, Zn and Ni levels in wheat grains were significantly negatively associated with soil Zn, Ni, pH, and OM content. The contribution of heavy metal elements from different sources varied in their impact on the grain's heavy metal content. Specifically, atmospheric deposition was the primary source of Hg and Pb in wheat grains, while Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn were predominantly derived from soil. Using a multiple linear regression model, we could accurately predict Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, and As concentrations in crop grains. This model can facilitate quantitative evaluation of ecological risk of heavy metals accumulation in crops in the study area.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the determinants influencing training transfer and evaluate how those factors change over time among nurses who graduated from clinical nurse specialist training to provide a theoretical basis for improving the training transfer of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). Methods: A quantitative longitudinal survey with four rounds of data collection was utilized to measure the influencing aspects of training transfer from June 2018 to December 2019. A total of 46 new CNSs participated in this study, including 30 and 16 nurses receiving training programs for CNSs in Infusion, Wound and Ostomy. The factor influencing training transfer (FITT) questionnaire was used to collect data for the first month (time 1), the third month (time 2), the sixth month (time 3), and the first year (time 4) after training. This questionnaire contains 53 items divided into five dimensions, including managerial support (20 items); hindrance in the organization (6 items); the validity of the training program (10 items); organizational and personal facilitators (11 items); and personal attitudes towards training transfer (6 items). Results: The influencing factors of CNSs transfer decreased over time, with managerial support, hindrance in the organization, the validity of the training program, and personal attitudes towards training transfer changing statistically over time (P

Abstract Background In Sweden, approximately 2000 children live with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). About half of them continue to have an active disease and need to transfer to adult rheumatology care. This study aimed to investigate Swedish adolescents’ and parents´ perceptions of readiness for transition from pediatric to adult rheumatology care. Methods The study was a cross-sectional quantitative study. Patients at the pediatric rheumatology clinic at a university hospital in Sweden and members of The Swedish National Organization for Young Rheumatics aged 14–18 and their parents were invited to participate in the study. Data was collected with the Readiness for Transition Questionnaire (RTQ) focusing on adolescents' transition readiness, adolescents' healthcare behaviors and responsibility, and parental involvement. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Comparative analyses were made using non-parametric tests with significance levels of 0.05 as well as factor analyses and logistic regression. Results There were 106 adolescents (85 girls, 20 boys) and 96 parents answering the RTQ. The analysis revealed that many adolescents and parents experienced that the adolescents were ill-prepared to take over responsibility for several healthcare behaviors, such as booking specialty care appointments, calling to renew prescriptions and communicating with medical staff on phone and to transfer to adult care. Parents and adolescents alike stated that it was especially difficult for the adolescents to take responsibility for healthcare behaviors meaning that the adolescents had to have direct interaction with the healthcare professionals (HCPs) at the paediatric rheumatology clinic, for example to renew prescriptions. It was evident that the adolescents who perceived they were ready to take responsibility for the aspects related to direct interaction with HCPs were more overall ready to be transferred to adult care. Conclusion Adolescents need more support to feel prepared to transfer to adult care. With the results from this study, we can develop, customize, and optimize transitional care programs in Sweden for adolescents.

This study addresses emotion in second languages with the aim of understanding how late bilinguals incorporate the affective connotations of core vocabulary into their mental lexicon. Specifically, it examines whether there are emotionality differences between the L2 and the native languages of reference, and whether linguistic competence, contact with the L2 and its culture, and attitudes explain the different tendencies. For this purpose, a group of Spanish learners of L2 English assessed a corpus of 300 words on the affective dimensions of valence and arousal. Different statistical analyses showed that English learners value the lexical repertoire in a very similar way to Spanish speakers, differing markedly from English speakers. It is mainly concluded that the mother tongue exerts a significant influence on this perceptual process and that the emotional connotations of the L2 are incorporated into the mental lexicon through translations from the L1 as a result of an emotional transfer.

Nanoparticles (NPs) transfer is usually induced by adding ligands to modify NP surfaces, but aggregation of NPs oftentimes hampers the transfer. Here, we show that aggregation during NP phase transfer does not necessarily result in transfer failure. Using a model system comprising gold NPs and amphiphilic polymers, we demonstrate an unusual mechanism by which NPs can undergo phase transfer from the aqueous phase to the organic phase via a single-aggregation-single pathway. Our discovery challenges the conventional idea that aggregation inhibits NP transfer and provides an unexpected pathway for transferring larger-sized NPs (>20 nm). The charged amphiphilic polymers effectively act as chaperons for the NP transfer and offer a unique way to manipulate the dispersion and distribution of NPs in two immiscible liquids. Moreover, by intentionally jamming the NP-polymer assembly at the liquid/liquid interface, the transfer process can be inhibited.

The absence of orthogonal aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases that accept non-L-α-amino acids is a primary bottleneck hindering the in vivo translation of sequence-defined hetero-oligomers and biomaterials. Here we report that pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and certain PylRS variants accept α-hydroxy, α-thio and N-formyl-L-α-amino acids, as well as α-carboxy acid monomers that are precursors to polyketide natural products. These monomers are accommodated and accepted by the translation apparatus in vitro; those with reactive nucleophiles are incorporated into proteins in vivo. High-resolution structural analysis of the complex formed between one PylRS enzyme and a m-substituted 2-benzylmalonic acid derivative revealed an active site that discriminates prochiral carboxylates and accommodates the large size and distinct electrostatics of an α-carboxy substituent. This work emphasizes the potential of PylRS-derived enzymes for acylating tRNA with monomers whose α-substituent diverges substantially from the α-amine of proteinogenic amino acids. These enzymes or derivatives thereof could synergize with natural or evolved ribosomes and/or translation factors to generate diverse sequence-defined non-protein heteropolymers.