Sex-dependent modulation of caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in C57BL/6J mice.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a life-threatening condition, with a higher mortality rate in men than women and in which estrogens might play a protective role. This study aimed to investigate sex-dependent differences in a mouse model of caerulein-induced AP. Thirty-six C57BL/6J mice (19 females and 17 males) were treated intraperitoneally with phosphate-buffered saline or caerulein, and sacrificed 12 hours, 2 days, or 7 days after the last injection.

Supervised Toothbrushing Programmes: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation.

Objectives: Supervised toothbrushing programmes (STPs), whereby children brush their teeth at nursery or school with a fluoride toothpaste under staff supervision, are a clinically and cost-effective intervention to reduce dental caries. However, uptake is varied, and the reasons unknown. The aim was to use an implementation science approach to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders on the barriers and facilitators at each level of implementation of STPs.

Field measurement of spray drift from a spray application by UAV.

Background: To use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to deliver pesticides, new data are needed to allow regulators to conduct risk assessments. A field trial was conducted to obtain spray drift data relating to ground deposits and airborne spray resulting from a spray application delivered by a small UAV.

Results: A 12 m width area was sprayed with four passes of the UAV and spray deposits were collected within the sprayed area and up to 50 m downwind.

Investigation of the effect of solvation on J(Metal-P) spin-spin coupling.

The solvent effect on the indirect J(M-P) spin-spin coupling constant in phosphine selenoether -substituted acenaphthene complexes LMCl is studied at the PP86 level of nonrelativistic and four-component relativistic density functional theory. Depending on the metal, the solvent effect can amount to as much as 50% or more of the total -value. This explains the previously found disagreement between the J(Hg-P) coupling in LHgCl, observed experimentally and calculated without considering solvent effects.

"We are made of time": reverberation and the elasticity of time in psychoanalysis. Negotiating different temporalities in the session.

Inspired by Dana Birksted-Breen's ideas on reverberation time, the author explores the changeability and transformation of the sensations of time and space and their connection to early embodied phantasies in the treatment of a 10-year-old boy. The experience of time changes (summarized under "time elasticity" to reflect the various forms this can take) is lived out in the transference relationship from the beginning of the therapeutic encounter. The author proposes the simultaneous development of the capacity to accept "objective" time, the establishment of a tri-dimensional space within the self and between objects and tolerating separateness and separation.

Molecular and Electronic Structures at Electrochemical Interfaces from Resonant X-Ray Diffraction.

An original approach to characterize electrochemical interfaces at the atomic level, a challenging topic toward the understanding of electrochemical reactivity, is reported. We employed surface resonant X-ray diffraction experiments combined with their simulation using first-principle density functional theory calculations and were thus able to determine the molecular and electronic structures of the partially ionic layer facing the electrode surface, as well as the charge distribution in the surface metal layers. Pt(111) in an acidic medium at an applied potential excluding specific adsorption was studied.

APP antisense oligonucleotides are effective in rescuing mitochondrial phenotypes in human iPSC-derived trisomy 21 astrocytes.

Introduction: Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have shown promise in reducing amyloid precursor protein (APP) levels in neurons, but their effects in astrocytes, key contributors to neurodegenerative diseases, remain unclear. This study evaluates the efficacy of APP ASOs in astrocytes derived from an individual with Down syndrome (DS), a population at high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a healthy individual and an individual with DS were differentiated into astrocytes.

Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey.

Assessing and alleviating pain in animals involved in research is critically important. However, the effective implementation of pain management depends on the knowledge and attitudes of the personnel involved. Following a Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations 'Pain in Mice' working group initiative, a questionnaire to survey current practices concerning analgesic use in laboratory mice was distributed to several professional groups in the field of laboratory animal science.

Diffusive evaporation dynamics in polymer solutions is ubiquitous.

Recent theory and experiments have shown how the buildup of a high-concentration polymer layer at a one-dimensional solvent-air interface can lead to an evaporation rate that scales with time as and that is insensitive to the ambient humidity. Using phase field modelling we show that this scaling law constitutes a naturally emerging robust regime, diffusion-limited evaporation (DLE). This regime dominates the dynamical state diagram of the system, which also contains regions of constant and arrested evaporation, confirming and extending understanding of recent experimental observations and theoretical predictions.

Quantifying Bone Collagen Fingerprint Variation Between Species.

Collagen is the most ubiquitous protein in the animal kingdom and one of the most abundant proteins on Earth. Despite having a relatively repetitive amino acid sequence motif that enables its triple helical structure, in type 1 collagen, that dominates skin and bone, there is enough variation for its increasing use for the biomolecular species identification of animal tissues processed or degraded beyond the amenability of DNA-based analyses. In recent years, this has been most commonly achieved through the technique of collagen peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) known as ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), applied to the analysis of tens of thousands of samples across over one hundred studies in the past decade alone.

Prevalence, risk and resilience factors of mental health conditions among female sex workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Female sex workers are a vulnerable hard-to-reach group. Research in this field is scarce due to several issues, such as methodological difficulties or societal stigmatization. Most of the available literature focuses on sexually transmittable diseases.

Cognitive interventions for healthy older adults: A systematic meta-review.

Objectives: With increasing global life expectancy, cognitive interventions hold promise in mitigating cognitive decline and fostering healthy aging. Despite the demand for evidence-based interventions, there have been few attempts to summarize existing evidence. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of unimodal and multimodal cognitive interventions for cognitively healthy older adults.

Plasma Circulating Metabolites Associated With Steatotic Liver Disease and Liver Enzymes: A Multiplatform Population-Based Study.

Background And Aims: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is the most common chronic liver disease strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction, but its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Exploring plasma circulating metabolites may help in elucidating underlying mechanisms and identifying new biomarkers for SLD.

Methods: We examined cross-sectionally the association between plasma metabolites and SLD as well as liver enzymes using data from 4 population-based cohort studies (Rotterdam study, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study, and Study of Latinos).

Recommendations for improving accessibility of digital health interventions for cardiometabolic disease for ethnically diverse populations.

Digital health interventions (DHIs), such as apps, websites and wearables, are being presented as solutions or enablers to manage the burden of cardiometabolic disease in healthcare. However, the potential benefits of DHIs may not be reaching the most in-need populations, who may face intersecting barriers to accessing health services and digital solutions. The Digital Interventions for South Asians in Cardiometabolic Disease (DISC) study used a mixed-method approach to focus on people of a South Asian background, a high-risk group for cardiometabolic disease.

Instance maps as an organising concept for complex experimental workflows as demonstrated for (nano)material safety research.

Nanosafety assessment, which seeks to evaluate the risks from exposure to nanoscale materials, spans materials synthesis and characterisation, exposure science, toxicology, and computational approaches, resulting in complex experimental workflows and diverse data types. Managing the data flows, with a focus on provenance (who generated the data and for what purpose) and quality (how was the data generated, using which protocol with which controls), as part of good research output management, is necessary to maximise the reuse potential and value of the data. Instance maps have been developed and evolved to visualise experimental nanosafety workflows and to bridge the gap between the theoretical principles of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable) data and the everyday practice of experimental researchers.

Open-source implementation of polarisation-resolved single-shot differential phase contrast microscopy () on a modular -based microscope.

We recently demonstrated polarisation differential phase contrast microscopy () as a robust, low-cost single-shot implementation of (semi)quantitative phase imaging based on differential phase microscopy. utilises a polarisation-sensitive camera to simultaneously acquire four obliquely transilluminated images from which phase images mapping spatial variation of optical path difference can be calculated. microscopy can be implemented on existing or bespoke microscopes and can utilise radiation at a wide range of visible to near infrared wavelengths and so is straightforward to integrate with fluorescence microscopy.

A focus on chasing pharmaceutical polymorphs to design better oral drug formulations.

The pharmaceutical industry cares about reducing toxic side effects of drugs in oral formulation. The best solution is to reduce the drug dose. To do so, drugs are required to have high aqueous solubility to ensure good bioavailability.

On 'the Politics of Repair Beyond Repair': Radical Democracy and the Right to Repair Movement.

This paper analyses the right to repair (R2R) movement through the lens of radical democracy, elucidating the opportunities and limitations for advancing a democratic repair ethics against a backdrop of power imbalances and vested interests. We commence our analysis by exploring broader political-economic trends, demonstrating that Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly shifting towards asset-based repair strategies. In this landscape, hegemony is preserved not solely through deterrence tactics like planned obsolescence but also by conceding repairability while monopolizing repair and maintenance services.

Joint TITE-CRM: A Design for Dose Finding Studies for Therapies with Late-Onset Safety and Activity Outcomes.

In Phase I/II dose-finding trials, the objective is to find the Optimal Biological Dose (OBD), a dose that is both safe and shows sufficient activity that maximizes some optimality criterion based on safety and activity. In cancer, treatment is typically given over several cycles, complicating the identification of the OBD as both toxicity and activity outcomes may occur at any point throughout the follow up of multiple cycles. In this work we present and assess the Joint TITE-CRM, a model-based design for late onset toxicities and activity based on the well-known TITE-CRM.

Emotion recognition deficits in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a comprehensive meta-analysis of accuracy and response time.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent challenges in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Emotion recognition deficits are a core feature of ASD, impairing social functioning and quality of life. This meta-analysis evaluates emotion recognition accuracy and response time in individuals with autism spectrum disorder compared to neurotypical individuals and those with other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Delirium and Cognitive Screening in National Hip Fracture Registries: Scoping Review Protocol.

Background: Delirium and cognitive impairment are common in hip fracture populations and are associated with significant adverse patient outcomes. National hip fracture registries facilitate improvements in patient outcomes and care quality, such as reduced mortality and the development of specialist multidisciplinary services. However, there is substantial variation in the data collected and reported in relation to delirium and cognition, which impedes international comparison and may reduce quality of care.

"Availability is the poor cousin of marketing and pricing": qualitative study of stakeholders' views on policy priorities around tobacco and alcohol availability.

Background: Reducing alcohol and tobacco availability is one potential way to reduce harm from these unhealthy commodities. This study explores key stakeholders' views in relation to policy priorities and considerations for both alcohol and tobacco availability.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from alcohol and/or tobacco third sector organizations, government, public health and licensing in Scotland.