River co-learning arenas: principles and practices for transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation and multi-scalar (inter)action.

This paper develops the methodological concept of river co-learning arenas (RCAs) and explores their potential to strengthen innovative grassroots river initiatives, enliven river commons, regenerate river ecologies, and foster greater socio-ecological justice. The integrity of river systems has been threatened in profound ways over the last century. Pollution, damming, canalisation, and water grabbing are some examples of pressures threatening the entwined lifeworlds of human and non-human communities that depend on riverine systems.

Quest for the ideal assessment of electrical ventricular dyssynchrony in cardiac resynchronization therapy.

This paper reviews the literature on assessing electrical dyssynchrony for patient selection in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The guideline-recommended electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for CRT are QRS duration and morphology, established through inclusion criteria in large CRT trials. However, both QRS duration and LBBB morphology have their shortcomings.

Selecting repetitive focal and rotational activation patterns with the highest probability of being a source of atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Repetitive focal and rotational activation patterns are currently used as additional ablation targets for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there is no evidence that all these detected targets are actual sources of AF. In this paper, we present an approach that detects and ranks AF activation patterns not only based on the degree of pattern repetitiveness but also on the extent to which they are able to entrain their vicinity.

A novel sequential endocardial mapping strategy for locating atrial fibrillation sources based on repetitive conduction patterns: An in-silico study.

Background: In persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), localized extra-pulmonary vein sources may contribute to arrhythmia recurrences after pulmonary vein isolation. This in-silico study proposes a high-density sequential mapping strategy to localize such sources.

Method: Catheter repositioning was guided by repetitive conduction patterns, moving against the prevailing conduction direction (upstream) toward the sources.

A new data science trajectory for analysing multiple studies: a case study in physical activity research.

The analysis of complex mechanisms within population data, and within sub-populations, can be empowered by combining datasets, for example to gain more understanding of change processes of health-related behaviours. Because of the complexity of this kind of research, it is valuable to provide more specific guidelines for such analyses than given in standard data science methodologies. Thereto, we propose a generic procedure for applied data science research in which the data from multiple studies are included.

Selective modal excitation in a multimode nanoslit by interference of surface plasmon waves.

Interference of surface plasmons has been widely utilized in optical metrology for applications such as high-precision sensing. In this paper, we introduce a surface plasmon interferometer with the potential to be arranged in arrays for parallel multiplexing applications. The interferometer features two grating couplers that excite surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves traveling along a gold-air interface before converging at a gold nanoslit where they interfere.

Electrosynthesis of benzyl--butylamine nickel-catalyzed oxidation of benzyl alcohol.

The development of sustainable synthetic methods for converting alcohols to amines is of great interest due to their widespread use in pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. In this work, we present an electrochemical approach by using green electrons for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde using a NiOOH catalyst, followed by its reductive amination to form benzyl--butylamine. The number of Ni monolayer equivalents on the catalyst was found to significantly influence selectivity, with 2 monolayers achieving up to 90% faradaic efficiency (FE) for benzaldehyde in NaOH, while 10 monolayers performed best in a -butylamine solution (pH 11), yielding 100% FE for benzaldehyde.

Type and physical intensity of occupations at pulmonary TB diagnosis.

Background: Pulmonary TB (PTB) predominantly affects individuals of working age. We sought to characterise the occupations of people newly diagnosed with PTB in Karachi, Pakistan, by type and physical intensity.

Design/methods: We did a secondary analysis of data from a study evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of artificial intelligence-based chest X-ray (CXR) analysis software, where individuals had been evaluated for active PTB using sputum cultures and had provided information on occupation.

The feasibility of virtual reality therapy for upper extremity mobilization during and after intensive care unit admission.

Introduction: Early mobilization reduces long-term muscle weakness after intensive care unit (ICU) admission, but barriers (e.g., anxiety, lack of motivation) may complicate patients' adherence to exercise.

Recognising depression in non-human primates: a narrative review of reported signs of depression.

Major depressive disorder (depression) is a highly heterogenous human mental disorder that may have equivalents in non-human animals. Research into non-human depression teaches us about human depression and can contribute to enhance welfare of non-human animals. Here, we narratively review how signs of depression in non-human primates (NHPs) can be observed based on symptoms of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Omecamtiv mecarbil in precision-cut living heart failure slices: A story of a double-edged sword.

Heart failure (HF) is a rapidly growing pandemic while medical treatment options remain limited. Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a novel HF drug that directly targets the myosin heads of the cardiac muscle. This study used living myocardial slices (LMS) from patients with HF to evaluate the direct biomechanical effects of OM as compared to dobutamine.

Measuring health-related quality of life in cardiovascular disease using a novel patient-centred and disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure.

Background: Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is impaired by limitations of current patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). We developed the first cardiovascular disease (CVD) specific electronic PROM for which health items were derived by a fully patient-centered method. This paper reports on the measurement of HRQoL in CVD patients by a novel developed electronic patient-centred PROM based on a preference-based measurement model.

Incidence and prevalence of traumatic and non-traumatic wounds and burns and access to wound care in Sierra Leone; data from a nationwide household survey (PRESSCO) 2020.

Objectives: This wound section of the PREvalence Study on Surgical COnditions (PRESSCO) determines the incidence and prevalence of wounds and burns in Sierra Leone. It further describes access to wound care and wound-related healthcare-seeking behaviour.

Methods: Between October 2019 and March 2020, a nationwide cross-sectional household survey was performed.

Environmental factors affecting the BMI of older adults in the Philippines spatially assessed using machine learning.

This study aimed to assess the environmental variables affecting the Body Mass Index of older adults at neighborhood levels (1 ha) while mapping probability distributions of normal, overweight-obese, and underweight older adults. We applied a data-driven method that integrates open-access remote sensing products and geospatial data, along with the first nutritional survey in the Philippines with geo-locations conducted in 2021. We used ensemble machine learning of different presence-only and presence-absence models, all subjected to hyperparameter tuning and variable decorrelation.

No impact of story context and avatar power on performance in a stop-signal game.

This study investigates the impact of gamification on response inhibition in a Stop-Signal Task (SST) and examines participants' gamification experience. The findings reveal that, after accounting for approach- and avoidance-motivation as well as impulsiveness, higher immersion is associated with impaired response inhibition. This effect could be attributed to a substantial decline in immersion between the first and second SST sessions.

An eco-evolutionary perspective on antimicrobial resistance in the context of One Health.

The One Health approach musters growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance due to the increased use of antibiotics in healthcare and agriculture, with all of its consequences for human, livestock, and environmental health. In this perspective, we explore the current knowledge on how interactions at different levels of biological organization, from genetic to ecological interactions, affect the evolution of antimicrobial resistance. We discuss their role in different contexts, from natural systems with weak selection, to human-influenced environments that impose a strong pressure toward antimicrobial resistance evolution.

Imaging flow cytometry reveals divergent mitochondrial phenotypes in mitochondrial disease patients.

Traditional classification by clinical phenotype or oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex deficiencies often fails to clarify complex genotype-phenotype correlations in mitochondrial disease. A multimodal functional assessment may better reveal underlying disease patterns. Using imaging flow cytometry (IFC), we evaluated mitochondrial fragmentation, swelling, membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial mass in fibroblasts from 31 mitochondrial disease patients.

Radiotherapy-induced Hypothalamic-Pituitary axis dysfunction in adult Brain, head and neck and skull base tumor patients - A systematic review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Purpose: Radiotherapy for brain, head & neck (HN), and skull base (SB) tumors may deliver significant radiation dose to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), leading to impaired functioning of this region and hence, to endocrine disorders. The purpose of this systematic review and -analysis is to investigate literature on HP dysfunction after radiation for non-pituitary brain, HN, or SB tumors at adult age, aiming to give insight in the prevalence of HP dysfunction related to radiation dose.

Materials And Methods: Literature search of the PubMed database was performed for HP dysfunction after radiotherapy in adult patients.

A randomized controlled trial of Tickoff® ( ICIPE 7) for control of tick infestations and transmission of tick-borne infections in extensively grazed zebu cattle in coastal Kenya.

The entomopathogenic fungus isolate ICIPE 7 is being developed as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical acaricides in managing natural tick infestation on livestock. Its impact on tick infestation and tick-borne infections in cattle under natural conditions are yet unclear. We conducted a randomized controlled field trial to assess the safety and effects of Tickoff® (a formulation of isolate ICIPE 7) and the chemical acaricide Triatix® on tick infestation and incidence of and in extensively grazed zebu cattle in coastal Kenya.

Increased perivascular fibrosis and pro-fibrotic cellular transition in intramyocardial blood vessels in myocardial infarction patients.

Background And Objectives: Structural and functional changes in the intramyocardial microcirculation increase the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). This study investigated intramyocardial perivascular fibrosis and pro-fibrotic cellular transitions in deceased acute and subacute MI patients to explore their involvement in the pathogenesis of MI.

Methods: Left ventricular tissue (LV) was obtained from the infarction area of autopsied patients with acute-phase MI (3-6 h;  = 24), subacute-phase MI (5-14 days;  = 12), and noninfarcted controls ( = 14).

Burden of Liver Cancer Attributable to Hepatitis B and Alcohol Globally, in China, and for Five Sociodemographic Index Regions from 1990 to 2021: A Population-based Study.

Background And Aims: Liver cancer is a digestive system malignancy that poses a significant public health challenge globally. This study aimed to analyze and compare the epidemiological trends of liver cancer attributed to hepatitis B (LCHB) and alcohol use (LCAL) over the past 32 years.

Methods: Data on mortality and disability-adjusted life years for LCHB and LCAL in China, globally, and across five sociodemographic index regions were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database and comprehensively analyzed.

An Overview of Patient-reported Outcomes for Men with Prostate Cancer: Results from the PIONEER Consortium.

Background And Objective: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly being used to capture the patients' perspective of their functional status and quality of life (QoL). Big data can help us better understand patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Using prospectively collected data from the Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Enhancement Through the Power of Big Data in Europe (PIONEER) consortium, we aimed to describe the functional status and QoL in men with prostate cancer (PCa) treated with active surveillance (AS), radical prostatectomy (RP), and radiotherapy (RT), and to demonstrate the applicability of PROM data on a large scale and at a European level.

Impact of Additional Active Treatment for Prostate Cancer on Health-related Quality of Life of Men: Results from the EUPROMS 2.0 1-year Follow-up Survey.

Background And Objective: In 2019 and 2021, Europa Uomo initiated the Europa Uomo Patient Reported Outcome Study (EUPROMS) and the EUPROMS 2.0 survey, with the goal of collecting data on patients' self-reported perspective on physical and mental well-being outside of a clinical trial setting, to be able to investigate the burden of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment from a patient-to-patient perspective. Acknowledging the importance of collecting quality of life (QoL) follow-up data, a 1-yr follow-up (1yrFU) study was conducted to assess the effect of additional PCa treatment on QoL.