Publications by authors named "Sheppard A"

Rationalizing the role of chemical interactions in the precursor solutions on the structure, morphology, and performance of thin-film CuZnSn(S,Se) (CZTSSe) is key for the development of bifacial and other photovoltaic (PV) device architectures designed by scalable solution-based methods. In this study, we uncover the impact of dimethylformamide (DMF) and isopropanol (IPA) solvent mixtures on cation complexation and rheology of the precursor solution, as well as the corresponding morphology, composition, and PV performance of CZTSSe thin-film grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). We find that increasing the proportion of IPA leads to a nonlinear increase in dynamic viscosity due to the strong repulsion between DMF and IPA, which is characterized by an interaction cohesion parameter of 3.

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Purpose: To evaluate the screen time habits, associated symptoms and clinical characteristics of an older population (60 years and older) drawn from primary care optometry.

Methods: Consecutive patients aged 60 years and older, who used a digital device for at least 1 hour per day, attending for an eye examination at a primary care optometric practice in Dublin, Ireland, were invited to participate. The study gathered information regarding the participant's use of digital devices, the types of devices used and duration of use.

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Prioritizing potential invasive alien species, introduction pathways, and likely places susceptible to biological invasions is collectively critical for developing the targeting of management strategies at pre-border, border, and post-border. A framework for prioritizing the invasion management that considered all these elements in combination is lacking, particularly in the context of potential coinvasion scenarios of multispecies. Here, for the first time, we have constructed a coupling framework of biological invasions to evaluate and prioritize multiple invasion risks of 35 invasive alien mealybugs (IAMs) that posed a significant threat to the agri-horticultural crops in China.

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Pangenomes have emerged in response to limitations associated with traditional linear reference genomes. In contrast to a traditional reference that is (usually) assembled from a single individual, pangenomes aim to represent all of the genomic variation found in a group of organisms. The term 'pangenome' is currently used to describe multiple different types of genomic information, and limited language is available to differentiate between them.

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Background: The Community Oriented Primary Care Project Model (COPC) has been well studied globally as well as in the United States as a way to provide both community-centered primary care and to engage in community based research. Rural trainees through the University of Illinois College of Medicine's Rural Medical Education Program (RMED) and Rural Pharmacy Education Program (RPHARM) students through the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy have participated in a COPC project as a capstone to a four month longitudinal, immersive community-based experience in a rural primary care setting. The purpose of this study was to assess the type of projects implemented through a rural health professions curriculum over a 30 year project period.

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Diffusive transport has implications for the long-term status of underground storage of hydrogen (H_{2}) fuel and carbon dioxide (CO_{2}), technologies which are being pursued to mitigate climate change and advance the energy transition. Once injected underground, CO_{2} and H_{2} will exist in multiphase fluid-water-rock systems. The partially soluble injected fluids can flow through the porous rock in a connected plume, become disconnected and trapped as ganglia surrounded by groundwater within the storage rock pore space, and also dissolve and migrate through the aqueous phase once dissolved.

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Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Canada and a leading cause of cancer mortality. Lung cancer also affects First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples significantly in Canada, which deserves further investigation as there is a literature gap on this topic. We sought to develop a deeper understanding of lung cancer diagnosis, incidence, mortality, and survival in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada.

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Hyperphosphatemic familial tumoral calcinosis (HFTC) is a rare disorder caused by deficient FGF23 signaling and resultant ectopic calcification. Here, we systematically characterized and quantified macro- and micro-calcification in a HFTC cohort using CT and 18F-sodium fluoride PET/CT (18F-NaF PET/CT). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was performed on 4 phenotypically different calcifications from a patient with HFTC, showing the dominant component to be hydroxyapatite.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how brain atrophy relates to socioemotional changes in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD).
  • It found that patients with bvFTD exhibited more significant socioemotional dysfunction and had notable atrophy in the frontal and lateral anterior temporal lobes compared to EOAD patients.
  • The results suggest that both frontal and right anterior temporal regions are key players in the socioemotional changes observed in bvFTD, while right parietal involvement appears relevant in EOAD.
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Purpose: Glare is a known side effect of intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, affected principally by IOL material and optics, although it is reported subjectively to decrease in impact with time. However, little objective data have been published on changes over time, how these relate to subjective reports, and whether those who will report greater glare symptoms can be predicted prior to IOL implantation.

Methods: A total of 32 patients (aged 72.

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Research efforts aimed at improving the crystal quality of solution-processed CuZnSn(S,Se) (CZTSSe) absorbers have largely employed delicate pre- and postprocessing strategies, such as multistep selenization, heat treatment in mixed chalcogen atmospheres, and multinary extrinsic doping that are often complex and difficult to reproduce. On the other hand, understanding and tuning chemical interactions in precursor inks prior to the thin-film deposition have received significantly less attention. Herein, we show for the first time how the complexation of metallic and chalcogen precursors in solution have a stark influence on the crystallization and optoelectronic quality of CZTSSe absorbers.

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Risk-stratified breast screening has been proposed as a strategy to overcome the limitations of age-based screening. A prospective cohort study was undertaken within the PERSPECTIVE I&I project, which will generate the first Canadian evidence on multifactorial breast cancer risk assessment in the population setting to inform the implementation of risk-stratified screening. Recruited females aged 40-69 unaffected by breast cancer, with a previous mammogram, underwent multifactorial breast cancer risk assessment.

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Article Synopsis
  • The IPBES invasive alien species assessment is the first comprehensive global review focusing on the threats posed by invasive species to biodiversity and human wellbeing, synthesizing over 13,000 scientific and local knowledge sources.
  • It reveals significant and escalating threats from invasive alien species and outlines practical management strategies for addressing these challenges.
  • The assessment has garnered support from 143 member states, urging immediate action against biological invasions to protect ecosystems and communities worldwide.
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  • Digital eye strain (DES) is a common condition caused by long-term use of digital devices, with prevalence rates reported between 10% and over 90%, but no specific studies focused on the UK and Ireland until now.
  • A web survey targeting adults who use digital devices for work found a high prevalence of DES at 62.6%, with an average daily usage of 9.7 hours; also, 94.3% reported musculoskeletal symptoms and 89.5% ocular symptoms, particularly among remote workers.
  • While the study reveals a high occurrence of DES, only 8.1% of respondents felt their symptoms significantly impacted their work, suggesting the effects may not be as severe for many users.
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Improvements in the accuracy and availability of long-read sequencing mean that complete bacterial genomes are now routinely reconstructed using hybrid (i.e. short- and long-reads) assembly approaches.

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The presence of an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is a major contributor to poor responses. Novel treatment strategies are required to supplement current regimens and improve patient survival. This study examined the immunomodulatory effects that radiation therapy and chemokine receptor antagonism impose on T cell phenotypes in OAC with a primary goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets to combine with radiation to improve anti-tumour responses.

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Background: Vascular calcification causes significant morbidity and occurs frequently in diseases of calcium/phosphate imbalance. Radiolabeled sodium fluoride positron emission tomography/computed tomography has emerged as a sensitive and specific method for detecting and quantifying active microcalcifications. We developed a novel technique to quantify and map total vasculature microcalcification to a common space, allowing simultaneous assessment of global disease burden and precise tracking of site-specific microcalcifications across time and individuals.

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Globally, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Previous trials demonstrated that low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening of high-risk individuals can reduce lung cancer mortality by 20% or more. Lung cancer screening has been approved by major guidelines in the United States, and over 4,000 sites offer screening.

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It is important to be able to measure the range of clear focus in clinical practice to advise on presbyopia correction techniques and to optimise the correction power. Both subjective and objective techniques are necessary: subjective techniques (such as patient reported outcome questionnaires and defocus curves) assess the impact of presbyopia on a patient and how the combination of residual objective accommodation and their natural DoF work for them; objective techniques (such as autorefraction, corneal topography and lens imaging) allow the clinician to understand how well a technique is working optically and whether it is the right choice or how adjustments can be made to optimise performance. Techniques to assess visual performance and adverse effects must be carefully conducted to gain a reliable end-point, considering the target size, contrast and illumination.

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Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) can now be diagnosed in infants with identified CP risk factors as early as three months of age; however, many barriers prevent equitable access to early detection pathways. The "Partnering Early to Provide for Infants At Risk of Cerebral Palsy" feasibility study (PĒPI ARC) seeks to trial a new approach to decrease inequitable health service in Aotearoa New Zealand for high-risk infants and their families. PĒPI ARC incorporates face-to-face clinics, an in-person and virtual Hub, and the use of telehealth to enable flexible access to CP assessments and support for health professionals in early CP detection.

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With the advances in smartphone and tablet screens, as well as their processing power and software, mobile apps have been developed reporting to assess visual function. This review assessed those mobile apps that have been evaluated in the scientific literature to measure visual acuity, reading metrics, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, colour vision and visual fields; these constitute just a small percentage of the total number of mobile apps reporting to measure these metrics available for tablets and smartphones. In general, research suggests that most of the mobile apps evaluated can accurately mimic most traditionally paper-based tests of visual function, benefitting from more even illumination from the backlit screen and aspects such as multiple tests and versions (to minimise memorisation) being available on the same equipment.

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Inclusivity is fundamental to progress in understanding and addressing the global phenomena of biological invasions because inclusivity fosters a breadth of perspectives, knowledge, and solutions. Here, we report on how the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) assessment on invasive alien species (IAS) prioritized inclusivity, the benefits of this approach, and the remaining challenges.

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Purpose: With the introduction of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI)-based large language models (LLMs) are rapidly becoming popular within the scientific community. They use natural language processing to generate human-like responses to queries. However, the application of LLMs and comparison of the abilities among different LLMs with their human counterparts in ophthalmic care remain under-reported.

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Purpose: Previous research has shown that accommodation deficits are common in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), but the origin and mechanisms behind these deficits are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of different ocular structures involved in accommodation, in particular the ciliary muscle (CM), in a population of individuals with DS to further understand this deficit and its mechanisms.

Methods: Thirty-two volunteer participants of pre-presbyopic age with (n = 16) and without DS (n = 16) were recruited.

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