Morphological Control of Y6 Thin Films Reveals Charge Transfer Is Facilitated by Co-facial Interactions.

The organic semiconductor Y6 has been extensively used as an acceptor in organic photovoltaic devices, yielding high efficiencies. Its unique properties include a high refractive index, intrinsic exciton dissociation, and barrierless charge generation in bulk heterojunctions. However, the direct impact of the crystal packing morphology on the photophysics of Y6 has remained elusive, hindering further development of heterojunction and homojunction devices.

Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.

Background: Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are handheld electronic vaping devices that produce an aerosol by heating an e-liquid. People who smoke, healthcare providers, and regulators want to know if ECs can help people quit smoking, and if they are safe to use for this purpose. This is a review update conducted as part of a living systematic review.

Microbial surveillance versus cytokine responsiveness in native and non-native house sparrows.

The success of introduced species often relies on flexible traits, including immune system traits. While theories predict non-natives will have weak defences due to decreased parasite pressure, effective parasite surveillance remains crucial, as infection risk is rarely zero and the evolutionary novelty of infection is elevated in non-native areas. This study examines the relationship between parasite surveillance and cytokine responsiveness in native and non-native house sparrows, hypothesizing that non-natives maintain high pathogen surveillance while avoiding costly inflammation.

Lockdown through a Chinese lens: A qualitative study.

COVID-19-related lockdowns resulted in strict visiting restrictions in care homes, placing a vulnerable population at further risk of functional and cognitive decline, and psychological difficulties due to isolation. Experiences of vulnerable minority groups of older persons who reside in care homes are not well researched. In New Zealand, the Chinese community is a fast-growing ethnic group that faces challenges such as language barriers, differing cultural beliefs and COVID-19-related discrimination.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm: a Swiss case series of a very rare disease and a structured review of the literature.

Introduction: Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a very rare disease, with unique diagnostic challenges and often dismal outcome. There are no widely accepted treatment guidelines available. Lymphoma-like regimens with or without autologous or allogenic transplantation were the cornerstone of most therapeutic concepts.

Guidelines for robotic credentialling in reconstructive and functional urology. Consensus study.

Objectives: This study aims to define criteria for robotic reconstructive and functional urology credentialing using expert consensus. A recent narrative review identified a lack of standardised minimal requirements for performing robotic-assisted surgery procedures. The substantial variability or absence of a standardised curriculum and credentialing process within a highly specialised surgical field is often insufficient to guarantee surgeon proficiency and could potentially jeopardise patient safety.

Genetic Modifiers in Sickle Cell Disease Leg Ulcers: Unveiling the Pathways associated with the development and, or progression of Leg Ulcers - A Scoping Review Protocol.

This scoping review aims to assess the literature on genetic modifiers of leg ulcers in sickle cell disease, evaluating available evidence, methodologies, and research gaps. A major morbidity in sickle cell disease is the development of leg ulcers. This clinical syndrome of SCD leg ulcers (SLU) has continued to be an enigma due to its multifactorial evolution, dearth of promising guidelines on treatment, and generally unsatisfactory response to treatment.

Sepsis in Northern Tanzania: A Prospective Observational Study of Clinical Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes for Adolescents and Adults With Sepsis.

Background: Despite a high burden of sepsis in Sub-Saharan Africa, clinical data for adolescent and adult sepsis in this setting are limited. We sought to describe clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes in adolescents and adults with sepsis in northern Tanzania. We also assessed for clinical associations with in-hospital mortality.

The burden of group A (GAS) infections: The challenge continues in the twenty-first century.

is a Gram-positive bacterium, also known as Group A (GAS), that has become a significant threat to the healthcare system, infecting more than 18 million people and resulting in more than 500,000 deaths annually worldwide. GAS infection rates decreased gradually during the 20th century in Western countries, largely due to improved living conditions and access to antibiotics. However, post-COVID-19, the situation has led to a steep increase in GAS infection rates in Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, which triggers a global concern.

A faunal inventory of methane seeps on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica.

The methane seeps on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica support extensive animal diversity and offer insights into deep-sea biogeography. During five expeditions between 2009 and 2019, we conducted intensive faunal sampling via 63 submersible dives to 11 localities at depths of 300-3600 m. Based on these expeditions and published literature, we compiled voucher specimens, images, and 274 newly published DNA sequences to present a taxonomic inventory of macrofaunal and megafaunal diversity with a focus on invertebrates.

IDH-mutant gliomas in children and adolescents - from biology to clinical trials.

Gliomas account for nearly 30% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors in children and adolescents and young adults (AYA), contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. The updated molecular classification of gliomas defines molecularly diverse subtypes with a spectrum of tumors associated with age-distinct incidence. In adults, gliomas are characterized by the presence or absence of mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (), with mutated (mIDH) gliomas providing favorable outcomes and avenues for targeted therapy with the emergence of mIDH inhibitors.

Estimation of end-of-outbreak probabilities in the presence of delayed and incomplete case reporting.

Towards the end of an infectious disease outbreak, when a period has elapsed without new case notifications, a key question for public health policymakers is whether the outbreak can be declared over. This requires the benefits of a declaration (e.g.

The promise of community-driven preprints in ecology and evolution.

Publishing preprints is quickly becoming commonplace in ecology and evolutionary biology. Preprints can facilitate the rapid sharing of scientific knowledge establishing precedence and enabling feedback from the research community before peer review. Yet, significant barriers to preprint use exist, including language barriers, a lack of understanding about the benefits of preprints and a lack of diversity in the types of research outputs accepted (e.

Clinical impact of the Z0011 trial on axillary surgical management in Australia and New Zealand from the BreastSurgANZ Quality Audit.

Background: The clinical management of the axilla in early breast cancer has changed since the Z0011 trial, which showed that axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is not necessary in select patients with a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Studies have shown a significant decrease in the rates of completion ALND (cALND) since Z0011. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of the Z0011 trial on the management of positive axillary sentinel nodes and the trends in axillary surgical management since 2005 in Australia and New Zealand.

School Attendance Among Autistic Students in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Population Cross-Sectional Study Using the Integrated Data Infrastructure.

Background: Extant literature indicates autistic students have lower school attendance compared to the general population. However, there remains considerable heterogeneity between studies, a lack of large population-based studies beyond the UK and US, and insufficient consideration of age and sex differences in attendance rates. The aim of this study was to examine school attendance among autistic compared with non-autistic students including stratification by age and sex.

A randomised controlled implementation trial of the feasibility and effectiveness of school staff delivery of a selective substance use and mental health program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Preventure is a selective school-based personality-targeted program that has shown long-term benefits in preventing student alcohol use, internalising and externalising problems when delivered by psychologists. In this first Australian randomised controlled trial of school staff implementation of Preventure, we aimed to examine i) acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity and ii) effectiveness of Preventure on student alcohol use, internalising, and externalising symptoms.

Methods: A cluster-randomised controlled implementation trial was conducted in Sydney, Australia and was guided by the RE-AIM framework (Glasgow et al.

Exercise medicine as adjunct therapy during RADIation for CAncer of the prostaTE to improve treatment efficacy - protocol for the ERADICATE study: a phase II randomised controlled trial.

Background: Tumour hypoxia resulting from inadequate perfusion is common in many solid tumours, including prostate cancer, and constitutes a major limiting factor in radiation therapy that contributes to treatment resistance. Emerging research in preclinical animal models indicates that exercise has the potential to enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment by modulating tumour perfusion and reducing hypoxia; however, evidence from randomised controlled trials is currently lacking. The 'Exercise medicine as adjunct therapy during RADIation for CAncer of the prostaTE' (ERADICATE) study is designed to investigate the impact of exercise on treatment response, tumour physiology, and adverse effects of treatment in prostate cancer patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

An online multidomain lifestyle intervention to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Effective, scalable dementia prevention interventions are needed to address modifiable risk factors given global burden of dementia and challenges in developing disease-modifying treatments. A single-blind randomized controlled trial assessed an online multidomain lifestyle intervention to prevent cognitive decline over 3 years. Participants were dementia-free community-dwelling Australians aged 55-77 years with modifiable dementia risk factors.

Enhanced phosphorus weathering contributed to Late Miocene cooling.

Late Miocene climate evolution provides an opportunity to assess Earth's climate sensitivity to carbon cycle perturbation under warmer-than-modern conditions. Despite its relevance for understanding the climate system, the driving mechanisms underlying profound climate and carbon cycle changes - including the enigmatic Late Miocene cooling from 7 to 5.4 million years ago - remain unclear.

Improving quality of life in palliative care: palatal lift prosthesis in a patient with periodontal disease.

A man in his late 50s was referred by a speech and language therapist for consideration of a palatal lift prosthesis (PLP) to improve his speech intelligibility. He presented with hypokinetic dysarthria characterised by reduced loudness, breathy voice and hypernasality. The patient had a diagnosis of progressive muscular dystrophy and mobilised in a motorised wheelchair.

The tidal trap - Seasonal transport of floating macrodebris in the bi-directional Chao Phraya River network on the Gulf of Thailand.

Models estimate up to 3 million metric tons of river plastic waste flowing into the world's ocean every year. All ocean-bound rivers endure tidal impact to some degree, but there is a lack of data on the resulting marine emission effects. To address this gap we analyzed the trajectories of grapefruit-sized floating GPS drifters (n = 63) in the Chao Phraya estuary in Bangkok, Thailand, in the three seasons of 2022-2023.

Speech-Language Pathology Preservice Preparation for Working in School-Age Literacy: International Perspectives.

Purpose: This narrative review of preservice training of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to work in school-age literacy contexts examines (a) studies regarding SLPs' perceptions of their preservice training and (b) accreditation requirements for preservice training in selected nations.

Method: A review of the literature examining (a) SLPs' perspectives about their preservice training; (b) SLPs' beliefs, confidence, and self-efficacy; and (c) speech-language pathology preservice program content was conducted via analysis of studies published after the year 2010. Policy documents and websites outlining accreditation requirements in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand were reviewed.

The international trial of nasal oxygen therapy after cardiac surgery (NOTACS) in patients at high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications: Economic evaluation protocol and analysis plan.

Introduction: High-Flow Nasal Therapy (HFNT) is an innovative non-invasive form of respiratory support. Compared to standard oxygen therapy (SOT), there is an equipoise regarding the effect of HFNT on patient-centred outcomes among those at high risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications after undergoing cardiac surgery. The NOTACS trial aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of HFNT compared to SOT within 90 days of surgery in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dapagliflozin inhibits ferroptosis to improve chronic heart failure by regulating Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Objective: To study the effect of Dapagliflozin on ferroptosis in rabbits with chronic heart failure and to reveal its possible mechanism.

Methods: Nine healthy adult male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into Sham group (only thorax opening was performed in Sham group, no ascending aorta circumferential ligation was performed), Heart failure group (HF group, ascending aorta circumferential ligation was performed in HF group to establish the animal model of heart failure), and Dapagliflozin group (DAPA group, after the rabbit chronic heart failure model was successfully made in DAPA group). Dapagliflozin was given by force-feeding method.