Studying extreme events: An interdisciplinary review of recent research.

While extreme events have been a focus of research for several decades, often centered around the causes and impacts of meteorological and climatological events, the term has expanded into a range of other disciplines, exploring a wide variety of associated topics. Analytical tools and definitions have hereby posed a challenge that has been addressed in different ways. Drawing from a broad body of research on extreme events, this review takes into account the often complex and cascading nature of extreme events in order to provide a large-scale overview of the main themes, discussions and trends of extreme event research.

Prognostic factors for overall survival in elderly patients with glioblastoma: Analysis of the pooled NOA-08 and Nordic trials with the CCTG-EORTC (CE.6) trial.

Background: The majority of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma are >60 years. Three randomized trials addressed the roles of radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) for elderly patients. NORDIC and NOA-08 compared RT versus TMZ, while CE.

Complete chloroplast genome data reveal the existence of the L. complex and its potential introduction pathways into China.

, native to North America, is an invasive species in many areas of the world, where it causes serious damage to natural ecosystems and economic losses. However, a dearth of genetic resources and molecular markers has hampered our understanding of its invasion history. Here, we assembled 40 complete chloroplast genomes of species, including 21 individuals, 15 individuals, and four individuals, the sizes of which ranged from 152,412 bp to 153,170 bp.

Addressing Challenges of Implementing Community First Responder Models based on National and International Experiences: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Background: This systematic scoping review aimed to investigate and delineate the dimensions of the Community First Responder (CFR) model implemented in emergency medical services (EMS) across different countries. The primary focus was on identifying key components and characteristics associated with CFR programs.

Methods: This study conducted an extensive search across multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and grey literature sources (Google Scholar, official sites) until Mar 2023 using keywords related to community first responders.

Medial Deviation of a 6° Prosthetic Trochlear Groove After Kinematically Aligned Total Knee Arthroplasty Occurs in Four Types of Coronal Plane Alignment of the Knee (CPAK) and Decreases the Forgotten Joint Score.

Background: The study focused on kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA TKA). It identified which coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) types are associated with a higher proportion of medial deviation of the 6° prosthetic trochlear groove (PTG) relative to the quadriceps' line of pull and whether medial deviation adversely affected the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS). The research calculated the minimum PTG angle required to prevent medial deviation by at least 2° in all patients.

Land grabbing, CSR, and the (de)mobilization of resistance.

As large-scale agricultural investment has been rising, scholars have much investigated the factors that shape contestations against land grabbing. This literature, however, has hardly focused on the role of investing agricultural companies and their corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices so far. Vice versa, there is extensive research on the CSR-contention nexus for mining and other sectors, albeit with contested findings.

Axodendritic targeting of TAU and MAP2 and microtubule polarization in iPSC-derived versus SH-SY5Y-derived human neurons.

Cell polarity is crucial in neurons, characterized by distinct axonal and dendritic structures. Neurons generally have one long axon and multiple shorter dendrites, marked by specific microtubule (MT)-associated proteins, e.g.

Accelerometers can correctly count orthopaedic patients' early post-operative steps while using walking aids.

Purpose: Effective rehabilitation after orthopaedic surgery is critical. The early post-operative phase is increasingly managed in outpatient settings, necessitating objective measures such as step counts to monitor rehabilitation progress. However, it remains unclear if commercially available wearables or accelerometers using simple algorithms can accurately count steps in early post-operative conditions.

Evaluating the efficacy of hinged elbow braces in reducing passive valgus forces after ulnar collateral ligament injury-A biomechanical study.

Purpose: This biomechanical study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a hinged elbow orthosis in reducing passive valgus forces following medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries of the elbow joint. The hypothesis tested was that a hinged elbow orthosis reduces these passive valgus forces.

Methods: Eight fresh frozen cadaveric elbow specimens were prepared and tested under three scenarios: intact ligaments, simulated UCL rupture and application of a hinged elbow brace after simulated UCL rupture.

Comparing ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4's alignments with the German evidence-based S3 guideline for adult soft tissue sarcoma.

Clinical reliability assessment of large language models is necessary due to their increasing use in healthcare. This study assessed the performance of ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 in answering questions deducted from the German evidence-based S3 guideline for adult soft tissue sarcoma (STS).

Revealing taxonomy, activity, and substrate assimilation in mixed bacterial communities by GroEL-proteotyping-based stable isotope probing.

Protein-based stable isotope probing (protein-SIP) can link microbial taxa to substrate assimilation. Traditionally, protein-SIP requires a sample-specific metagenome-derived database for samples with unknown composition. Here, we describe GroEL-prototyping-based stable isotope probing (GroEL-SIP), that uses GroEL as a taxonomic marker protein to identify bacterial taxa (GroEL-proteotyping) coupled to SIP directly linking identified taxa to substrate consumption.

Automatic imitation of intransitive actions in macaws.

Automatic imitation is the involuntary tendency of humans to copy others' actions even when counterproductive. We examined the automatic imitation of actions in blue-throated macaws (), employing a stimulus-response-compatibility task. After training seven macaws to perform two different actions with legs and wings upon specific hand commands, the subjects were divided into a compatible and incompatible group.

Embodied emotions in ancient Neo-Assyrian texts revealed by bodily mapping of emotional semantics.

Emotions are associated with subjective emotion-specific bodily sensations. Here, we utilized this relationship and computational linguistic methods to map a representation of emotions in ancient texts. We analyzed Neo-Assyrian texts from 934-612 BCE to discern consistent relationships between linguistic expressions related to both emotions and bodily sensations.

Impact of thrombocytopenia on failure of endoscopic variceal treatment in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding.

Background: Acute variceal bleeding (AVB), a life-threatening complication of liver cirrhosis, can be effectively treated by endoscopy, but there is a risk of early rebleeding after endoscopic variceal treatment (EVT). Thrombocytopenia is the most common hemostatic abnormality in liver cirrhosis. However, it is still unclear about whether thrombocytopenia increases the failure of EVT in cirrhotic patients with AVB.

How to study political parties: from civil society to the state and back. The Peter Mair lecture 2023.

Cartel party theory has put the study of party-state relations high on the research agenda, deliberately shifting the focus of researchers away from an understanding of political parties on the basis of their relationship with civil society or, indeed, as part of civil society itself. As fruitful as this reorientation has been, this essay argues that the resulting emphasis on 'parties as governors' has produced downsides of its own. Cartel party theory reinforced a separation of the study of parties from the study of other membership organizations considered the very fabric of civil societies.

Study of supported heteropolyacid catalysts for one-step DME synthesis from CO and H.

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a versatile molecule, gaining increasing interest as a viable hydrogen and energy storage solution, pivotal for the transitioning from fossil fuels to environmentally friendly and sustainable energy supply. This research explores a novel approach for the direct conversion of CO to DME in a fixed-bed reactor, combining the Cu/ZnO/AlO methanol synthesis catalyst with supported heteropolyacids (HPAs). First, various HPAs, both commercially available and custom-synthesized, were immobilized on Montmorillonite K10.

Laser-induced graphene functionalized cationic porphyrin: fabrication, characterization, and intra-supramolecular electron transfer process.

We report herein a facile synthesis, characterization, and the electron transfer reaction of a novel light-harvesting material composed of laser-induced graphene (LIG) functionalized with the photoactive 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-trimethylammoniophenyl)porphyrin tetra(-toluenesulfonate) dye (TTMAPP). LIG was easily fabricated on the surface of a polyimide sheet using VersaLASER 3.6 (VLS 3.

Preoperative Physical Activity Improvement with the Use of Activity Trackers in Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy-A Bicentric, Open-label, Randomised Controlled Trial: A Clinical Study Protocol of the PreAct Trial.

This study protocol shows the structured design of the randomised controlled phase 3 "PreAct" trial. It hypothesises the use of a fitness tracker-based prehabilitation programme to increase the physical activity of patients prior to radical cystectomy, as measured by the average number of steps per day.

What Does "Palliative" Mean? Sentiment, Knowledge, and Public Perception Concerning Palliative Care on the Internet since the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Little is known about the public perception of palliative care during and after the pandemic. Assuming that analyzing online language data has the potential to collect real-time public opinions, an analysis of large online datasets can be beneficial to guide future policymaking.

Objectives: To identify long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public perception of palliative care and palliative care-related misconceptions on the Internet (worldwide) through natural language processing (NLP).

Mechanistic insights into cardiac regeneration and protection through MEIS inhibition.

MEIS1, a member of the TALE-type homeobox gene family, has emerged as a pivotal regulator of cardiomyocyte cell cycle arrest and represents a promising therapeutic target. Our study reveals that inhibition of MEIS1 using two novel small molecules, MEISi-1 and MEISi-2, significantly enhances neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation and cytokinesis. Specifically, MEISi-1 and MEISi-2 increased the proportion of proliferating cardiomyocytes (Ph3+TnnT cells) up to 4.

Revisiting the role of education in attitudes toward immigration in different contexts in Europe.

Unlabelled: Among the individual determinants of attitudes toward immigration, the liberalising role of education is well known-those with higher levels of education tend to be more in favour of immigration. However, recent socioeconomic changes and idiosyncratic differences between European countries prompt us to reassess the role of education, given these contextual differences. Does it still apply, and is it universal? Moreover, does this relationship apply to both cultural and economic attitudes toward immigration? Using data from the European Social Survey, we analyse the role of education and socioeconomic changes in shaping economic and cultural attitudes toward immigration in 15 European countries over 16 years using a hierarchical model with cross-classified random effects.

Unravelling the genetic architecture of soybean tofu quality traits.

Unlabelled: Tofu is a popular soybean ( (L.) Merr.) food with a long tradition in Asia and rising popularity worldwide, including Central Europe.

Diagnostic Impact of FISHseq as a New Pathologic Criterion for Endocarditis According to the Duke Criteria.

Background: For clinicians treating patients with infective endocarditis (IE), identifying the causative microorganisms poses a critical diagnostic challenge. Standard techniques including blood and heart valve cultures often yield inconclusive results. According to the recent 2023 Duke-ISCVID Criteria, molecular methods represent potent tools to enhance this aspect of IE diagnostics and guide subsequent therapeutic strategies.

Deep learning enabled near-isotropic CAIPIRINHA VIBE in the nephrogenic phase improves image quality and renal lesion conspicuity.

Background: Deep learning (DL) accelerated controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPIRINHA)-volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE), provides high spatial resolution T1-weighted imaging of the upper abdomen. We aimed to investigate whether DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE can improve image quality, vessel conspicuity, and lesion detectability compared to a standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE in renal imaging at 3 Tesla.

Methods: In this prospective study, 50 patients with 23 solid and 45 cystic renal lesions underwent MRI with clinical MR sequences, including standard CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and DL-CAIPIRINHA-VIBE sequences in the nephrographic phase at 3 Tesla.

Comprehensive Wellbore Stability Modeling by Integrating Poroelastic, Thermal, and Chemical Effects with Advanced Numerical Techniques.

Wellbore stability in extreme drilling environments remains a critical challenge. This study advances the understanding of these complexities through a comprehensive numerical modeling approach. By incorporating thermal, chemical, and hydraulic effects, four refined models were developed to simulate wellbore behavior under high pressures and temperatures.