Recent ucla_postprints items

Measurement report: Role of organic coating and chemical composition on ice nucleation potential of atmospheric particles in European Arctic

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract. Understanding the ice nucleation (IN) potential of Arctic aerosols is critical for predicting their influence on cloud formation and water cycles in this vulnerable region. This study investigates the role of particle composition, organic coatings, and aerosol sources in modulating ice nucleating particle (INPs) abundance across five aerosol samples collected at the Gruvebadet Observatory Station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. The IN potential of Arctic aerosol particles was studied by investigating chemical, morphological, and INP abundance measurements. Single-particle analyses revealed distinct differences in mixing state, organic volume fraction (OVF), and organic coating morphology across samples. OVF distributions were linked to particle origin, with marine-influenced Na-rich particles often exhibiting thin organic coatings, while long-range transported particles showed thicker organic coatings. Biogenic contributions, though variable, were linked to heat-sensitive INPs,...

Evaluating the Acceptability of Using Virtual Reality to Promote Physical Activity Among Latino, Latina, and Latine Adults With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Obesity in Underresourced Settings: Protocol for a Qualitative Focus Group Study.

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

Obesity represents a significant public health challenge in the United States, particularly among Latino, Latina, and Latine communities and those in underresourced settings. Virtual reality (VR) is a new and innovative technology that can promote physical activity and has the potential to overcome some structural barriers. However, there are few studies that explore the acceptability of using this new technology among high-risk groups in underresourced settings.

Objective

We outline a community-informed protocol for conducting focus groups with Latino, Latina, and Latine adults who have cardiometabolic risk factors and obesity residing in underresourced communities. The focus groups will assess the acceptability of a culturally aligned VR program to promote physical activity.

Methods

Using a community-engaged approach informed by community health workers and a community advisory board, we delivered an immersive VR dance experience to Latino, Latina,...

Solvent effects on triplet yields in BODIPY-based photosensitizers

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We employ molecular dynamics simulations and quantum rate theories to elucidate the complex condensed-phase dynamics underpinning triplet-state formation in organic photosensitizers. Using models informed by first-principles calculations complete with a molecular representation of solvents of different polarities, we elucidate the interplay of the internal and environmental interactions underlying triplet yield. We find that triplet yields depend sensitively on the dielectric stabilization of the charge transfer intermediate that facilitates a transition into the triplet manifold. Our results illustrate the importance of molecularly detailed models in understanding the excited-state internal charge-transfer dynamics of photochemically relevant organic molecules.

Simulating the catastrophic acceleration of creeping landslides with critical state plasticity

Mon, 8 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Slow-moving landslides display varying rates of motion throughout their lifetime. Since such motion may manifest without apparent external forcing, it is often referred to as landslide creep. In extreme cases, creep-like movements develop at rapidly increasing rates, a phenomenon referred to as tertiary creep (i.e., accelerating, catastrophic motion). Our manuscript aims to explore the causes of such forms of unstable creep-like motion by using principles of critical state soil mechanics. For this purpose, a computationally efficient framework to simulate the coupled hydromechanics of creeping landslides is proposed. Our model allows for a versatile choice of the constitutive law controlling shearing and excess pore-water pressure buildup/dissipation in the basal shear zone of landslides, as well as for a double diffusion process capturing how rainfall elevates the basal pore pressure levels. We show that by describing the inelastic deformation of the landslide base through a...

Using network science to evaluate landslide hazards on Big Sur Coast, California, USA

Mon, 8 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract. Landslides, ranging from slips to catastrophic failures, pose significant challenges for prediction. This study employs a physically inspired framework to assess landslide hazard at a regional scale (Big Sur Coast, California). Our approach integrates techniques from the study of complex systems with multivariate statistical analysis to identify areas prone to landslide hazards. We successfully apply a technique originally developed on the 2017 Mud Creek landslide and refine our statistical metrics to characterize landslide hazard within a larger geographical area. Our method is compared against factors such as landslide location, slope, displacement, precipitation, and InSAR coherence using multivariate statistical analysis. Our network analyses, which incorporates spatiotemporal dynamics, perform better as a monitoring technique than traditional methods. This approach has potential for real-time monitoring and evaluating landslide hazard across multiple sites.

Unprecedented Shifts in Hydrology Are Emerging Across California's Critical Basins: An Evaluation From 0.5 to 3.5°C

Mon, 8 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract With advances in climate models and downscaling techniques, stakeholders anticipate high‐resolution analysis to inform regional to local changes in water management. Here, we produce hydrologic projections from an ensemble of Earth System Models (ESMs) that were selected and downscaled to support California's 5th Climate Assessment. An ensemble of 19 ESMs was downscaled to a 3‐km resolution across California using a statistical‐dynamical downscaling approach and subsequently run through two calibrated hydrology models. Although California has been extensively studied in the context of climate change, we provide the first evaluation of the warming thresholds at which hydroclimate metrics demonstrate statistically significant shifts. We show that present‐day to near‐term warming levels in Klamath and Northern Sierra Nevada basins, which serve as a critical source of water for California, show statistically significant decreases in snowfall and peak snowpack and associated...

Near-Real-Time InSAR Phase Estimation for Large-Scale Surface Displacement Monitoring

Mon, 8 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Operational near-real-time (NRT) monitoring of Earth’s surface deformation using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) requires processing algorithms that efficiently incorporate new acquisitions without reprocessing historical archives. We present a sequential phase linking approach using compressed single-look-complex (SLC) images capable of producing surface displacement estimates within hours of the time of a new acquisition. Our key algorithmic contribution is a mini-stack reference scheme that maintains phase consistency across processing batches without adjusting or reestimating previous time steps, enabling straightforward operational deployment. We introduce online methods for persistent and distributed scatterer (DS) identification that adapt to temporal changes in surface properties through incremental amplitude statistics updates. The processing chain incorporates multiple complementary metrics for pixel quality that are reliable for small SLC stack sizes,...

All-Fiber Carrier-Envelope Phase Stabilization: Feed-Forward Technique and Fiber Integration

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

All-Fiber Carrier-Envelope Phase Stabilization: Feed-Forward Technique and Fiber Integration

Critical Review of Paper "Carrier-envelope phase stabilization of an Er:Yb:glass laser via a feed-forward technique"

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Critical Review of Paper "Carrier-envelope phase stabilization of an Er:Yb:glass laser via a feed-forward technique"

The Fuckboy as Entrepreneur: FBoy Island’s Neoliberal Intimacy

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Fuckboy as Entrepreneur: FBoy Island’s Neoliberal Intimacy

Book Review: Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation , by Peter Krapp Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation, by KrappPeter. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2024. 228 pp. $35.00 ISBN: 9780262549837 (Paperback); ISBN: 9780262380881 (eBook); ISBN: 9780262380898 (Open Access edition).

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Book Review: Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation , by Peter Krapp Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation, by KrappPeter. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2024. 228 pp. $35.00 ISBN: 9780262549837 (Paperback); ISBN: 9780262380881 (eBook); ISBN: 9780262380898 (Open Access edition).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contribute to inflammation in a pregnancy cohort

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants generated from incomplete combustion and are detectable in nearly all individuals in the U.S. population. Prenatal PAH exposure has been linked to adverse birth and child health outcomes, but few studies have examined associations between biomarkers of PAHs and inflammation during pregnancy across gestational windows. We investigated associations between urinary PAH metabolites and urinary inflammatory markers among 159 pregnant women enrolled in the placental assessment in response to environmental exposures cohort (2016-2019). Urine samples were collected up to three times during pregnancy (10-17, 18-29, and ⩾30 gestational weeks). Hydroxylated PAHs metabolites were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10) were measured using immunoassays. Biomarker concentrations were adjusted for urinary dilution using...

Predictors of pathologic complete response in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy: a multi-institution study.

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

The KEYNOTE-522 clinical trial demonstrated that the addition of pembrolizumab to 8 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) improves pathologic complete response (pCR) rates and overall survival in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, predictors of response and the benefit of alternative NAC backbones with immunotherapy are not known. This multi-institutional study evaluates clinical factors and treatment variables associated with pCR following NAC plus pembrolizumab in a diverse, real-world cohort.

Methods

This multi-institution retrospective study analyzed patients with early-stage TNBC diagnosed between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2023, across three hospital systems. Eligible patients received at least one cycle of NAC and pembrolizumab. Predictors of pCR were assessed using logistic regression.

Results

Of the 374 patients included, the pCR rate was 61.2%. The cohort was racially and ethnically diverse, with 29.1%...

Multiscale analysis of large twist ferroelectricity and swirling dislocations in bilayer hexagonal boron nitride

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

With its atomically thin structure and intrinsic ferroelectric properties, heterodeformed bilayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has gained prominence in next-generation non-volatile memory applications. However, studies to date have focused almost exclusively on small-twist bilayer hBN, leaving the question of whether ferroelectricity can persist under small heterostrain and large heterodeformation entirely unexplored. In this work, we establish the crystallographic origin of ferroelectricity in bilayer hBN configurations heterodeformed relative to high-symmetry configurations such as AA-stacking and 21.786789° twisted configurations (Σ7), using Smith normal form bicrystallography. We then demonstrate out-of-plane ferroelectricity in bilayer hBN across configurations vicinal to both the AA and Σ7 stackings. Atomistic simulations reveal that AA-vicinal systems support ferroelectricity under both small twist and small strain, with polarization switching in the latter...

Pulmonary Obstruction and Age, Not Activity, Associate With Muscle Oxidative Impairment in Smokers With and Without COPD

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: Low muscle oxidative capacity is an extrapulmonary manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with unclear aetiology. We sought to characterize locomotor muscle oxidative capacity in never smokers and ever smokers with and without COPD and determine clinical and behavioural features associated with low muscle oxidative capacity. METHODS: Two hundred forty-three adults enrolled in the Muscle Health Study, an observational study ancillary to COPDGene. Gastrocnemius oxidative capacity was measured by near-infrared spectroscopy from the muscle oxygen consumption recovery rate constant (k). Physical activity was measured by accelerometry (vector magnitude units [VMU]/min). Pulmonary assessments included spirometry (FEV₁%predicted), diffusing capacity (DL_CO) and quantitative chest computed tomography (CT). Eighty-seven variables related to COPD features were considered. Variables selected by univariate analysis of log-transformed...

Bridging science and hope: the evolving story of gene therapy for neuromuscular diseases

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The field of gene therapy for neuromuscular dystrophies has evolved over the past two decades. Despite some outstanding positive outcomes, some unfortunate adverse effects also led to big setbacks. One important key point is to study relevant preclinical models and to embrace diverse strategies to mitigate or avoid such negative outcomes. Although at first, for some diseases, the promise of a one-treatment-for-all approach was envisioned, it has recently become clear that a personalized approach will likely be preferable given the high variability in response between individuals.

Translating a Preclinical Hydrogel Platform into a Human Therapeutic for Delivering Targeted Low-Dose Anti-CTLA-4

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Systemic administration of antibodies that target immune checkpoint inhibitor pathways is a highly effective approach to cancer immunotherapy, but systemic toxicity can limit clinical utility. In preclinical testing, a peri-tumor injection of a low dose of hydrogel-encapsulated cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) antibody was shown to selectively activate T cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes, induce tumor infiltration by cytotoxic T cells, and result in tumor regression, protective immunity, and long-term survival. In contrast to systemic therapy, there was limited systemic exposure or risk for autoimmune toxicity. The current study focuses on translating this platform into a biocompatible human therapeutic. The hydrogel matrix was reformulated using a low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid. A recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) was incorporated to promote lymph node targeting and self-resorbing features. Formulations were optimized to operate at neutral...

Elevated AD biomarkers do not explain cognitive performance in a community‐recruited clinical trial cohort

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

INTRODUCTION: To examine the generalizability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker models in real-world older adults, we examined AD biomarker relationships with cognition in two multicenter cohorts that differ with respect to recruitment approach and health risk factors but were matched on a variety of characteristics. METHODS: We compared harmonized health and demographic data, AD and cerebrovascular biomarkers, and cognitive performance in the community-recruited U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) Imaging substudy and a matched sample from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) which recruited primarily from academic specialty clinics. RESULTS: Elevated β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau were associated with cognitive performance in ADNI but not U.S. POINTER. Findings were consistent across different cohort matching schemes, and were not explained by discrepancies in vascular risk. DISCUSSION: The role of Aβ...

Interrogation of imaging-based interspecies dynamics in the oral microbiome

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The oral cavity presents a highly dynamic environment where inter-microbial communications play a pivotal role. Understanding the spatial organization of microbial ecosystems has been highlighted on the microbiome and polymicrobial infection. Furthermore, cross-feeding and modulation by metabolites from the oral microbiota and host cells, such as lactate and reactive oxidative species, impact the stability and functionality of microbial communities. Traditional research focusing solely on the compositional aspects of these communities is insufficient to understand the sophisticated interactions. We evaluated recent advancements in imaging technologies, bolstered by multi-omics analyses and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approachesinsights, to provide an more integrated understanding of the dynamics and function of the oral microbiome. Real time imaging and resolution-enhancing methods at the single-cell level have unraveled the ecology and dynamics of microbial communities,...

Second thoughts about first principles in biology.

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

First-principles approaches, based on physics or chemistry, are key pillars of biological theory. Despite their value, there are recurrent problems with many first-principles approaches in biology: they often include incomplete physics or are driven by unscrutinised biological assumptions. Meanwhile, debates about biological theories based on first principles usually focus on the fit of predictions to data-we argue such a focus confuses prediction with explanation. A good fit of predictions to data is a necessary, but insufficient condition for a theory to be sound. First-principles approaches in biology will only be effective when the physics and biology are both sufficiently complete. Determining what elements are essential to include is an enduring but exciting challenge of science.

Dirac Fermions and Flat Bands in Phosphorus Carbide Nanotubes: Structural and Quantum Phase Transitions in a Quasi-One-Dimensional Material

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chemically realistic quasi-one-dimensional (1D) materials in which Dirac Fermions and highly degenerate flat bands coexist intrinsically at the Fermi level are exceedingly rare, while representing a highly desirable platform for correlated and topological quantum phenomena. Here, using specialized symmetry-adapted first-principles calculations we predict a new class of nanomaterials─phosphorus carbide nanotubes (P₂C₃NTs)─obtained by rolling monolayer P₂C₃, a two-dimensional material shown in a previous letter to host "double Kagome bands". Both armchair and zigzag P₂C₃NTs are stable at room temperature and feature the rare coexistence of Dirac crossings and multiple flat bands at the Fermi level inherited from the underlying honeycomb-Kagome lattice, with the flat bands resilient to elastic deformations. Under large strain, the structure transforms from honeycomb-Kagome to "brick-wall", accompanied by multiple coupled...

Preoperative Cannabis Use and Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults Undergoing Major Noncardiac Surgery

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Preoperative Cannabis Use and Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults Undergoing Major Noncardiac Surgery

On Books and Book Reviews in Planning

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

On Books and Book Reviews in Planning

Electronic structure prediction of medium and high entropy alloys across composition space

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We propose machine learning (ML) models to predict the electron density — the fundamental unknown of a material’s ground state — across the composition space of concentrated alloys. From this, other physical properties can be inferred, enabling accelerated exploration. A significant challenge is that the number of descriptors and sampled compositions required for accurate prediction grows rapidly with species. To address this, we employ Bayesian Active Learning (AL), which minimizes training data requirements by leveraging uncertainty quantification capabilities of Bayesian Neural Networks. Compared to the strategic tessellation of the composition space, Bayesian-AL reduces the number of training data points by a factor of 2.5 for ternary (SiGeSn) and 1.7 for quaternary (CrFeCoNi) systems. We also introduce easy-to-optimize, body-attached-frame descriptors, which respect physical symmetries while keeping descriptor-vector size nearly constant as alloy complexity increases. Our...

COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy and Major Structural Birth Defects.

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 vaccination is recommended during pregnancy; however, evidence on the prevalence of major structural birth defects born to people vaccinated early in pregnancy (≤20 weeks of gestation) is limited. We compared the prevalence of major structural birth defects by COVID-19 vaccination status and key strata: insurance provider, clinically diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, and concomitant administration of other maternal vaccines. We also compared, head-to-head, the prevalence of birth defects by brand (Moderna mRNA-1273 vs Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2). METHODS: A claims-based cohort study captured pregnancies ending in a live birth among people with an estimated last menstrual period between August 15, 2021, and December 24, 2021. Prevalence ratios comparing birth defects by exposure to COVID-19 vaccines were estimated using binomial regression with inverse probability treatment weights. RESULTS: Among 78 052 pregnancies, we identified...

Clinical Effectiveness of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors Among Older Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitors (SGLT2i) reduce cardiovascular events in randomized controlled trials of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but these trials enrolled outpatient, relatively younger patients (median age 66-67). The effectiveness of SGLT2i in older patients hospitalized for HFrEF in routine US clinical practice is not well studied. METHODS: This study included Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years hospitalized for HFrEF and eligible for SGLT2i in Get with the Guidelines-Heart Failure between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2023. Primary outcomes were 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality, all-cause readmission, and HF readmission. Association between SGLT2i and outcomes was assessed with Cox regression and overlap weighting using propensity score estimates. RESULTS: A total of 8847 patients were eligible for but not prescribed SGLT2i at hospital admission (Median age 77; 40% women; median left ventricular EF...

The associations of long working hours and unhealthy diet with cardiometabolic outcomes and mortality in US workers

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVES: To examine independent and joint associations of long working hours (LWH) and EAT-Lancet diet with cardiometabolic outcomes and mortality in US workers. METHODS: This prospective cohort included US workers from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with cross-sectional baseline data from 1999 to March 2020. A subsample of participants from 1999 to 2018 was linked to the National Death Index, with mortality follow-up through December 2019. The independent and joint associations of LWH (≥ 55 vs. < 55 h/week) and EAT-Lancet diet scores (low vs. high) with cardiometabolic outcomes and mortality were estimated using multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. RESULTS: LWH was associated with higher odds of obesity (OR = 1.20; 95%CI = 1.07, 1.34) among all workers and higher CVD mortality among workers with high CVD risk at baseline (HR = 1.64, 95%CI = 0.79, 3.12). Low diet scores...

Moving Beyond Assumptions: The Need for Evidence Around "Institutionalization"

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Moving Beyond Assumptions: The Need for Evidence Around "Institutionalization"

Paternal and Maternal Exposures to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Child Behavioral Difficulties: A Parental Comparison Study

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental pollutants with documented developmental toxicity. Prior research of prenatal PFAS exposure and offspring neurodevelopment did not consider the possible influence from paternal exposure. Using the INUENDO cohort, we studied 334 father-mother-singleton triads enrolled from antenatal clinics in Greenland, Poland, and Ukraine. We measured five PFAS in parental serum samples collected around the 31 weeks of gestation. We assessed child behavioral difficulties at ages 5-9 years by the parent-rated Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire using country- and sex-specific cut-offs (≥90th percentile). We performed analyses stratified by child's sex, coadjusting for maternal or paternal PFAS and other confounders and estimating PFAS mixture effects using quantile g-computation. In male children, multiple maternal PFAS, modeled as individual chemicals or a mixture, were associated with externalizing difficulties. Maternal...

Disseminated multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin infection associated with plasmid-borne CMY-2 gene in a patient with travel to a farm in Mexico

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Disseminated Salmonella enterica infections represent a severe form of non-typhoidal salmonellosis increasingly complicated by antimicrobial resistance. We describe a case of disseminated non-typhoidal Salmonella in a man presenting with septic shock concerning for a thoracoabdominal endovascular graft infection with involvement of the urinary and respiratory tracts and thoracic skeleton. Hybrid whole-genome sequencing identified Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin and two significant plasmids, an IncC multidrug resistance plasmid harboring blaCMY−2, blaTEM−206, tet(A), and sul2 and an IncFII(S)/IncX1 virulence plasmid containing a spvA-D/spvR operon associated with systemic infection. This case highlights a potential food-borne or zoonotic acquisition of invasive, plasmid-mediated AmpC-producing Salmonella Dublin.

Global Systematic Scoping Review of Adolescent Factors Associated With COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Although COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for adolescents aged 12-17 years, they remain one of the least commonly vaccinated age groups. Therefore, studies investigating the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among adolescents are needed. We conducted a systematic review of the literature in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards from inception to October 23, 2022, for adolescent-reported factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Titles and abstracts of articles were screened, full-text articles were reviewed for eligibility, and eligible articles were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. Results were summarized using a narrative synthesis. The review protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022363411). Of 4,140 articles screened, 302 were selected for full-text review, 27 of which met the eligibility criteria. Most studies evaluated age (n = 20 studies) and sex (n = 21 studies) in...

The antiarrhythmic compound efsevin directly modulates voltage‐dependent anion channel 2 by binding to its inner wall and enhancing mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The synthetic compound efsevin was recently identified to suppress arrhythmogenesis in models of cardiac arrhythmia, making it a promising candidate for antiarrhythmic therapy. Its activity was shown to be dependent on the voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) in the outer mitochondrial membrane. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the efsevin-VDAC2 interaction. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: To evaluate the functional interaction of efsevin and VDAC2, we measured currents through recombinant VDAC2 in planar lipid bilayers. Using molecular ligand-protein docking and mutational analysis, we identified the efsevin binding site on VDAC2. Finally, physiological consequences of the efsevin-induced modulation of VDAC2 were analysed in HL-1 cardiomyocytes. KEY RESULTS: In lipid bilayers, efsevin reduced VDAC2 conductance and shifted the channel's open probability towards less anion-selective closed states. Efsevin binds to a binding pocket formed by the...

Modification and validation of the teen vaccine hesitancy scale toward vaccines for adolescents

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective To modify an existing parent-administered Vaccine Hesitancy Scale to create a teen Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (tVHS) capturing vaccine hesitancy among adolescents. Methods We conducted a nationally representative survey of 725 parent-teen dyads to test and validate the tVHS. We performed exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the latent structure of the tVHS, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm factor structure. We conducted structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess correlations between factors and vaccine intention (i.e., influenza/flu, HPV, COVID-19, and meningococcal vaccines). We ran logistic regression to examine the association between the tVHS scores and intentions to receive recommended adolescent vaccines. Results The final teen vaccine hesitancy scale (tVHS) included 14 items capturing a three-factor structure: vaccine confidence (factor 1), perceived vaccine risks (factor 2), and lack of trust in government (factor 3). Factor 1...

Atopic dermatitis and fecundity: a Danish National Birth Cohort study

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

STUDY QUESTION: Do women with atopic dermatitis have higher fecundity than those without? SUMMARY ANSWER: Pregnant women with a history of atopic dermatitis had a slightly shorter time-to-pregnancy (TTP) and a lower risk of conceiving using infertility treatment than those without. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Atopic dermatitis has a characteristic T-helper-2-cell-skewed immune response that mirrors the immune shift in pregnancy, which is necessary for the pregnant woman's immune response to tolerate the fetus. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that atopic dermatitis may be advantageous for conception and pregnancy maintenance. However, this has not yet been investigated. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: This cohort study included 88 713 pregnant women from the population-based Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC), who were enrolled between 1996 and 2002. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: The women were defined as having atopic dermatitis if, in a computer-assisted interview...

Representation of People Experiencing Homelessness in U.S. Medical Licensing Exam Question Banks

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Representation of People Experiencing Homelessness in U.S. Medical Licensing Exam Question Banks

Role of tectonic rock damage in erosional processes: A global analysis.

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The role of active faults in driving rock uplift is well known, but their influence on rock damage and erosional efficiency remains unclear globally. Using 1744 beryllium-10 (¹⁰Be)-derived erosion rates, we show that erosional efficiency is elevated on average within ~15 kilometers of a fault trace and decreases with distance, up to ~100 kilometers. Reverse faults and those longer than 140 kilometers show the strongest effects. This length scale of decay suggests that tectonic damage extends beyond fault-core pulverization on primary faults, possibly including fracturing or grain-to-grain contact weakening due to seismic shaking and distributed deformation on complex fault networks. Machine learning identified fault proximity as a dominant control on erosional efficiency, exceeding precipitation and lithology, particularly when a measure of seismic shaking is included. These findings indicate that active tectonics are associated with erosion not only through uplift...

World Health Organization

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The World Health Organization is the global authority on health issues. Since its inception in 1948, it has made large strides in advancing its goal of the highest attainable level of health for all people. Through the years, the organization has faced many setbacks, but it has also marked numerous achievements. The global forces that necessitated its establishment continue to mold and influence the organization. This article discusses how the World Health Organization started, its functions, and what it is doing to maintain its relevance in the twenty-first century. This article also brings into focus the fight against tropical diseases.

A primer on quality improvement

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This Last Page provides a guide that can help trainees and faculty navigate the quality improvement process, introduce them to available resources, and become valuable agents of change.

Collecting evidence of counter-narrative: the unspoken labor of archiving justice & recovering the material wages owed

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Contemporary information workers in the United States, especially community-based archivists, have been collectors, stewards, and preservationists of counternarratives against justice-serving institutions that systematically disbelieve, and distrust historically marginalized groups. While many information professionals refer to these counternarrative projects as passion projects, and, or activism, I argue that by doing so, information professionals do a disservice to both themselves, and the populations they aim to serve. Instead, I apply theoretical frameworks of immaterial labor and emotional labor, to re-analyze scholarly literature of community-based archives, and other professional counternarrative work in order to reveal the labor involved in these justice-oriented projects. I do this re-interpretation of our work to construct an argument that by asserting ourselves as counternarrative professionals, we become experts, and therefore witnesses to injustice. This ability to...

Medicaid Coverage Restrictions and On-Label Buprenorphine Prescribing for Chronic Pain

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Medicaid Coverage Restrictions and On-Label Buprenorphine Prescribing for Chronic Pain

Postpartum Persistent Opioid Use After Opioid Exposure for Childbirth

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective

To assess the association between opioid exposure in the childbirth period and persistent postpartum opioid use and to evaluate whether there are differential associations based on specific medication exposure.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study that used 2015-2021 Pennsylvania Medicaid claims of women aged 19-50 years with vaginal or cesarean delivery and Medicaid enrollment for at least 10 months during the postpartum year. Primary exposure was filled opioid prescription from 7 days before delivery to 8 weeks after delivery (childbirth period). The main outcome measure was persistent postpartum opioid use , defined as either a diagnosis of opioid use disorder or at least one filled opioid prescription in two or more calendar quarters from 8 weeks to 14 months postpartum. Multivariable logistic regression analyses included demographic information, mental health and behavioral comorbidities, obstetric trauma, and pre-existing pain conditions with subgroup...

Postcrania and locomotor function of Mesocyon coryphaeus (Canidae, Carnivora) from the Arikareean of North America

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: Canids increased in cursoriality through the Cenozoic, as environments transitioned from closed-canopy forest to open grassland and steppe. Canids have evolved through a series of radiations since their origin in the Eocene, but it is unclear if cursorial adaptations appeared in the earliest of these radiations. In the middle Oligocene, the basal hesperocyonines ecologically diversified, and the coyote-sized Mesocyon coryphaeus exemplified the transition from smaller, omnivorous canids to larger, hypercarnivorous forms. M. coryphaeus is exclusively known from the John Day Formation of North America. Although M. coryphaeus is a relatively common fossil in this formation, first recognized in the late 19 th century, no postcranial material from this species has ever been formally...

Opioid Agonist Therapy Adherence Trajectories Among Commercially and Publicly Insured People Living With Hepatitis C in the United States

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health concern, with people living with opioid use disorder having a higher risk of infection. Despite the cooccurrence of HCV and opioid use disorder, little is known about the treatment patterns for the disorder in this population. This study characterized opioid agonist therapy adherence trajectories over 15 months following opioid agonist therapy initiation among people living with HCV and opioid use disorder and described the baseline characteristics of the patients within distinct opioid agonist therapy adherence trajectories. METHODS: We used Merative MarketScan healthcare claims data from 2015 to 2019 to identify distinct medication treatment adherence trajectories via growth mixture modeling among 5,495 people who initiated opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorder and were living with HCV. RESULTS: Our models identified three distinct opioid agonist therapy adherence trajectories over the 15 months of follow-up....

Application of the actor-partner interdependence model to understand COVID-19 vaccine decision-making among US adolescents and their parents

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Although adolescents play an important role in their medical decisions, including vaccination, few studies have considered their perceptions or role in vaccine decision-making. We apply the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to understand actor (adolescent) and partner (parent) influences of vaccine hesitancy on the decision to vaccinate adolescents. We conducted a nationally representative survey of adolescents aged 12-17 years old and their parents (n = 721 dyads). Parents and adolescents completed separate online surveys measuring their vaccine hesitancy and intent to receive future doses of COVID-19 vaccine. We used structural equation modeling to estimate the association between vaccine hesitancy and adolescent vaccination among actors and partners using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. We identified a couple-oriented pattern in COVID-19 vaccine decision-making, with significant "actor effects" and "partner effects" on adolescent vaccination. Each unit increase...

Addressing Primary Care Needs in People Living With Sickle Cell Disease : A Narrative Review.

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) are living longer due to advances in care but face a growing burden of chronic comorbid conditions that fall within the scope of primary care. However, primary care providers often lack structured guidance because literature on managing these conditions in the context of SCD is limited. This article outlines clinical approaches to hypertension, diabetes, obesity, chronic constipation, reproductive health, cognitive impairments, depression, and anxiety in people living with SCD. The authors highlight relevant epidemiology, screening recommendations, and treatment considerations that differ from those in the general population. Primary care providers play a crucial role in delivering comprehensive and preventive care to people living with SCD. Specific management of common chronic conditions in this population is necessary to reduce morbidity and improve quality of life.

Safe inference outside of randomized trials: Application of the stability-controlled quasi-experiment to the effects of three COVID-19 therapies

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When estimating the effects of medical therapies from their use outside of randomized trials, researchers often rely on assumptions that are difficult to justify and typically impossible to verify. The resulting estimates may thus be far from their intended causal targets, potentially making a harmful treatment appear beneficial or vice versa. We review the stability-controlled quasi-experiment (SCQE), a method suited to settings where a treatment's prevalence changes sharply over a short period, and apply it to assess the effects of remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and dexamethasone on COVID-19 mortality. Rather than requiring debate about the absence (or limited strength) of unobserved confounding, about "parallel trends'', or other well-known strategies, the SCQE asks users to reason about a "baseline trend'' assumption. In this setting, this asks"How much could COVID-19 mortality have changed over a short period, absent the treatment change in question?'' Any plausible range...

ATP10A and XIRP2: Candidate genetic modifiers of cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in one gene, DMD, that disrupts production of functional dystrophin and consistently results in skeletal myopathy and wheelchair requirement for ambulation typically by early teenage years. DMD results in nearly universal left ventricular (LV)-predominant cardiomyopathy; however, cardiomyopathy phenotype varies significantly, suggesting influences beyond the dystrophin gene. Objectives We sought to identify variation in genes that could explain this variability. Methods Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted and compared to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) phenotypic measurements in boys with DMD enrolled in a previously completed clinical trial (NCT01521546). A list of myocardial-specific genes was generated from prior transcriptomic studies and a large population-based genome-wide association study of all dilated cardiomyopathies; this was further reduced to those with rare, exonic, and nonsynonymous variants,...

Oxysterol, Oxy210, Inhibits Hepatic Expression of Senescence-Associated and Pro-Fibrotic Genes in Humanized Hyperlipidemic Mice During Development of MASH and in Human Hepatocytes In Vitro

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Senescence, a state of permanent cell cycle arrest, is a complex cellular phenomenon closely affiliated with age-related diseases and pathological fibrosis. Cellular senescence is now recognized as a significant contributor to organ fibrosis, largely driven by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling, such as in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic kidney disease (CKD), myocardial fibrosis that can lead to heart failure, cystic fibrosis, and fibrosis in pancreatic tumors to name a few. MASH is a progressive inflammatory and fibrotic liver condition that has reached pandemic proportions, now considered the largest non-viral contributor to the need for liver transplantation. Methods: We previously studied Oxy210, an antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory, orally bioavailable, oxysterol-based drug candidate for MASH, using APOE*3-Leiden.CETP mice, a humanized hyperlipidemic mouse model that closely...

Uptake of Recommended Vaccines During Pregnancy Among Publicly and Privately Insured People in the United States, December 2020-September 2022.

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objectives. To estimate maternal COVID-19, influenza, and pertussis vaccine uptake during pregnancy by insurance type and identify factors characterizing those vaccinated and unvaccinated. Methods. We conducted a US cohort study of pregnant individuals (for pregnancies ending December 11, 2020-September 30, 2022) using insurance claims data. We calculated vaccination probability using Kaplan-Meier methods and identified factors associated with vaccination through binomial regression with inverse probability weights. Results. Among 695 887 pregnant individuals (median age = 32 years for privately and 27 years for publicly insured), the cumulative probability of COVID-19 vaccination was 43.0% (privately insured) and 11.8% (publicly insured). We observed marked disparities between influenza (33.2% vs 14.2%) and pertussis (70.3% vs 42.8%) vaccination. Only 6.8% (privately insured) and 1.1% (publicly insured) received all 3 vaccines. COVID-19 and influenza vaccination...

Longitudinal associations of effort and reward at work with changes in cognitive function: evidence from a national study of U.S. workers

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

PurposeThis study aimed to examine longitudinal associations of workplace effort and reward with changes in cognitive function among United States workers.MethodsData from the national, population-based Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study with a 9-year follow-up were used. Validated workplace effort and reward scales were measured at baseline, and cognitive outcomes (including composite cognition, episodic memory, and executive functioning) were measured with the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) at baseline and follow-up. Multivariable linear regression analyses based on generalized estimating equations (GEE) examined the longitudinal associations under study.ResultsAmong this worker sample of 1,399, after accounting for demographics, socioeconomics, lifestyle behaviors, health conditions, and job control, high reward at baseline was associated with increased composite cognition (regression coefficient: 0.118 [95% CI: 0.049, 0.187]), episodic memory (0.106...

549. A Phase 2a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of an Intravenous (IV) Bacteriophage Cocktail (AP-SA02) vs. Placebo in Combination with Best Available Antibiotic Therapy (BAT) in Patients with Complicated Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AbstractBackground

Complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is a serious, common, and frequently lethal infection. Treatment options are complicated by resistance, drug intolerance, or relapse. Novel therapeutics are urgently needed.

Methods

We performed a phase 2a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of an IV bacteriophage cocktail, AP-SA02, q6 hrs x 5 days vs. placebo (2:1 ratio) in combination with BAT in patients with complicated SAB. Clinical response (Table 1) was assessed in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population at Test of Cure (TOC) on Day 12, post-BAT, and End of Study (EOS) four weeks after BAT completion. Safety analysis included data from the Phase 1b trial (n=8).

Results

We enrolled 42 patients from 17 sites (95% US), with 29 randomized to AP-SA02 (A) and 13 to placebo (P). MRSA was the pathogen in 39% of the (A) and 44% (P) groups, respectively. Site of infection and antibiotics used were similar for both arms....

On Size Substitution and Its Role in Assortment and Inventory Planning

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Problem definition: How should (apparel) retailers manage product sizes? For example, if most customers wearing a given shoe size, such as 9.5, are willing to accept a half-size up or down, is it necessary for a retailer to carry that size at all? Additionally, although identical products in different sizes are treated as distinct stock-keeping units in inventory management, they are often aggregated for assortment and strategic planning. However, there is no theoretical justification for this approach. In this paper, we address the fundamental questions about size management that have remained largely unexplored in the operations literature. Methodology/results: We propose a choice model where each customer forms a consideration set based on the in-stock availability of products of her best-fit size and adjacent sizes. Using a real-world data set from a large footwear retailer, we show that nearly 25% of the unmet demand caused by stockouts spills over to adjacent sizes. We further...

Correction to: The consequence of financial incentives for not prescribing antibiotics: a Japan’s nationwide quasi-experiment

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Correction to: The consequence of financial incentives for not prescribing antibiotics: a Japan’s nationwide quasi-experiment

Hawking radiation meets the double copy

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hawking radiation meets the double copy

Cardiotoxicity prevention trials in the era of contemporary cancer therapies: a systematic review

Tue, 2 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundCardiovascular toxicity is an increasingly important limitation of effective contemporary cancer therapies. Yet, the extent to which trials focus on preventing cardiotoxic events in patients receiving contemporary therapies is unknown.MethodsLeveraging PubMed, CENTRAL, clinicaltrials.gov, and publicly available reviews to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing interventions for prevention or management of cardiotoxicity in cancer patients through 2024, we assessed the proportion of cardiotoxicity prevention trials that studied contemporary cancer therapies (biologic, targeted, or immune-based therapies). We included RCTs of interventional therapies/strategies against cardiotoxicity during cancer treatment. Data on trial baseline characteristics, design, funding, and reporting were extracted. Regression models were used to define trial and population factors associated with drug selection, reporting bias, and subsequent translation into guidelines.ResultsOverall,...

Sex Differences in Cancer and Cardiotoxicity: Mechanisms, Outcomes, and Clinical Implications Across Solid and Hematological Malignancies

Tue, 2 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sex differences influence cancer incidence, treatment response, and susceptibility to cardiovascular toxicity. Males exhibit higher rates and poorer outcomes in most non-sex-specific cancers, while females more frequently experience treatment-related adverse events, including cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction. Biological factors such as hormonal status, genetic polymorphisms, immune responses, and pharmacokinetics contribute to these disparities. In cardio-oncology, women—particularly premenopausal or with specific genotypes—may be at increased risk for cardiotoxicity after treatment with anthracyclines, immune checkpoint inhibitors or radiotherapy. Clonal hematopoiesis and certain germline genetic variants such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (e.g., RARG rs2229774, HAS3 rs2232228) are emerging as potential sex-informed biomarkers for predicting cardiotoxicity risk. Despite growing evidence, sex remains insufficiently integrated into clinical trials and guideline development...

Polycyclic Metamorphism, Exhumation, and Recycling of Subduction Complex Rocks, Cedros Island, Baja California

Mon, 1 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract High‐pressure rocks from subduction complexes are key records of the physical and chemical processes that operate on the subduction interface, but interpretation of these records requires accurate structural understanding of where they formed in the subduction zone and the mechanisms by which they were exhumed. We present new geologic mapping, outcrop‐scale observations, and geochronology from subduction‐zone assemblages at Punta Prieta Ridge on Cedros Island, Baja California (Mexico), to investigate the history of subduction, exhumation, and structural assembly of these rocks. The rocks of Punta Prieta Ridge are exposed in the footwalls of high‐ and low‐angle normal faults that carry Cretaceous forearc basin strata and attenuated mantle sections of the Cedros Island Ophiolite in their hangingwalls. The footwall rocks are subduction‐zone assemblages organized into distinct nappes that decrease in metamorphic grade and degree of strain structurally downward. Garnet‐amphibolite...

“Women and Music in Sudanic Africa.”

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Scholarly studies that examine the role of women in traditional African music are rare; just as very few works have been devoted exclusively to the music of women. Broad generalized publications sometimes include brief mention of the types of music performed by women (e.g., female initiation and puberty rites) or make note of instruments, dances, and songs exclusively performed by women. However, few studies focus on the role of women’s music in specific societies, culture areas, or countries. Therefore, this chapter has a threefold purpose: to examine the role of women in relationship to music; to present information about Sudanic West Africa, a region generally ignored within the literature; and to provide a comparative analysis of the music of five ethnic groups – Dagomba (Dagbamba), Hausa, Malinke (Mande), Tuareg, and Wolof – to achieve a broader perspective on the type of music women produce.

Analysis of ASE-induced Timing Jitter in Er:Yb:glass Lasers

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Analysis of ASE-induced Timing Jitter in Er:Yb:glass Lasers

On Explaining Classifiers using Instance Abstractions

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Two types of explanations for the decisions made by classifiers have been studied extensively in the AI literature. The first type explains why a decision was made and is known as a sufficient reason for the decision. The second type explains how a decision can be changed and is known as a necessary reason for the decision. Earlier results showed that these two types of explanations correspond to two particular syntactic forms of the complete reason, which is a condition on the classifier’s input (i.e., instance) that is both sufficient and necessary for the decision. More recently, we showed that when non-binary features are present, a relaxation of the complete reason, called the general reason, contains more information about the decision and the underlying classifier and can be used to formulate explanations that generalize sufficient and necessary reasons. We provide a reconstruction and summary of these earlier results that is founded on viewing the complete and general...

Use and Perceptions of Large Language Models Among Dental Students: Implications for Dental Education

Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Use and Perceptions of Large Language Models Among Dental Students: Implications for Dental Education

Estimating Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility in the Veterans Health Administration Using Patient-Reported Smoking Histories

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) serves a population at increased risk for lung cancer, but lung cancer screening (LCS) rates historically have been low. Understanding the size and characteristics of the screening-eligible population can provide insights for improving screening rates. Many screening eligibility recommendations rely on smoking intensity quantified in "pack-years," which historically has been challenging to obtain at scale from the medical record. Recent introduction of structured smoking data as part of VHA LCS efforts now allows for more robust identification and estimation of the screening-eligible population using a large body of patient-reported smoking histories.

Objective

To estimate the magnitude and characteristics of the LCS-eligible population served by the VHA nationwide based on United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and American Cancer Society (ACS) recommendations.

Design

We performed a retrospective,...

Assessing mpox knowledge and sexual behaviours within high-risk populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

Historically, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has faced the greatest public health burden from mpox, including more than 70 000 probable cases from 1 January 2024 to 2 February 2025. However, there has been a relative paucity of investigation focused on mpox community engagement in DRC, including assessments of disease knowledge and risk perception.

Methods

Given the ongoing Clade I mpox public health emergency of international concern, and the linkage between sustained human-to-human transmission and dense sexual networks, we sought to investigate mpox knowledge and sexual behaviours among key populations. Between 20 March 2024 and 25 August 2024, we recruited 2794 participants distributed across Kinshasa, Kwango and North Kivu provinces, with a focus in urban centres where mpox risk was considered high.

Results

Most participants were considered other at-risk populations (948; 33.9%), followed by men who have sex with men (MSM, 828;...

Drp1 regulates mitochondrial health and controls skeletal muscle mass through the Erk1/2-Nur77 pathway

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The maintenance of skeletal muscle mass relies on mitochondrial quality control, including balanced dynamics and mitophagy. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), a central mediator of mitochondrial fission, is essential for these processes, yet its role in muscle mass regulation remains incompletely defined. Here, we show that acute Drp1 deletion in the skeletal muscle increases Parkin-mediated mitochondrial degradation, reduces mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, and leads to severe muscle atrophy. Although dual deletion of Drp1 and Parkin restores mtDNA content, muscle loss persists. Mechanistically, Drp1 loss impairs mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, suppressing extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) signaling and down-regulating the nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (Nur77). Pharmacologic β2-adrenergic receptor activation with clenbuterol reactivated Erk1/2, restored Nur77 expression, and rescued muscle atrophy. These findings define a Drp1-Erk1/2-Nur77...

Bioorthogonal Click Chemistry-Enabled Enrichment of Extracellular Vesicles for Integrated Molecular and Functional Liquid Biopsy

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ConspectusExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer-enclosed nanoparticles released by virtually all cells, carrying protected lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and active enzymes that faithfully reflect the physiological and pathological states of their cellular origins. Tumor- and neuron-derived EVs are abundantly present in peripheral blood, even at early disease stages, and thus represent highly attractive substrates for liquid biopsy. However, the clinical translation of EV-based diagnostics has been constrained by a central challenge: the inability to selectively enrich disease-relevant EVs from a vast background of normal EVs with sufficient specificity, efficiency, and compatibility for seamless integration with downstream molecular and functional analyses. Conventional physical isolation approaches generate heterogeneous EV mixtures that dilute disease-specific signals, whereas traditional immunoaffinity capture often suffers from nonspecific interactions and low...

A Self-Guided App-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Individuals Who Experience Discrimination-Related Mental Health Symptoms: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Racially and ethnically minoritized individuals (REMs) who experience discrimination are at risk of developing stress, anxiety, and depression, and digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) can make evidence-based treatments such as mindfulness available to these groups. However, REMs are significantly underrepresented in the overall DMHI and mindfulness-based DMHI literature, limiting our understanding of the effectiveness and feasibility of these digital tools to advance mental health equity for these populations. Objective: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a 4-week self-guided app-based mindfulness DMHI versus treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing discrimination-related stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among REMs, while assessing feasibility metrics, including uptake, engagement, dropout, and program satisfaction. Methods: A total of 155 participants (mean age 27.28, SD 9.6 years) were randomized to either receive the DMHI...

Charging ahead unfairly: An examination of temporal Shifts in electric vehicle supply equipment accessibility across California's communities

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Charging ahead unfairly: An examination of temporal Shifts in electric vehicle supply equipment accessibility across California's communities

Moving beyond linguistic bordering: Utopian designs for new futures

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We examine learning as movement as a utopian methodological approach that reorients how we shape and understand literacy learning ecologies with youth who are racialized as non-white. Understanding linguistic practice as integral to learning, and to common beliefs of what it means to be human, we consider how static notions of language are deployed as border-marking tools within settler coloniality, supporting a logic that justifies pernicious racial subordination. Within education, these ideologies frame certain learners as illegitimate and deviant, with particular implications for literacy learning. The learning sciences are uniquely positioned to re-signify what it means to be a literate body and to design learning ecologies in which youth move across these borders. Aligning ourselves with decolonial scholars, we argue that utopian methodology with a learning as movement frame allows us to forefront expansive learning design as we work alongside youth from otherized backgrounds...

Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Weight Loss in 16 972 Participants With COPD Reveals Novel Risk Loci in DRAIC and RFX3

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with musculoskeletal comorbidities, including cachexia. Weight loss (WL) is the major criterion for cachexia and increases risk for mortality in COPD. Risk factors for WL in COPD are incompletely understood. We performed this whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis to identify genetic risk variants for WL in COPD. METHODS: We studied 16 972 participants from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Initiative and All of Us Research Program. COPD was diagnosed using spirometry in TOPMed, while diagnosis codes were used in All of Us. WL was defined as WL ≥ 5% or a final body mass index (BMI) < 20 kg/m². WGS data came from white blood cells in all cohorts. Single-variant testing was conducted on both race- and study-stratified cohorts and in a cosmopolitan, ancestry-independent manner using GENESIS in TOPMed and SAIGE in All of Us. SAIGE-GENE+ gene-based analyses were performed on race-stratified...

When Learning as Movement meets Learning on the Move

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Considering the special issue on learning-on-the move in light of earlier work on learning as movement, this commentary reflects on how the articles in the special issue expand the field’s theoretical matrix of the sociohistorical, cognitive, sociopolitical, sociocultural, relational, and spatial. Taken together, they tease out new subject-object, subject-subject, and culture-nature relations, and explore the significance of the movement of people and tools across and within tasks, place, everyday events, and interactions in terms of learning and development, human agency, and dignity.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It's Okay to Not Be Okay

Rapid Development of Propofol Infusion Syndrome After Short-Term Exposure.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We describe a 34-year-old man with well-controlled epilepsy and severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) complicated by self-injurious behaviors who developed green urine, hypertriglyceridemia, and metabolic acidosis concerning for propofol-related infusion syndrome (PRIS) in less than 48 hours of sedation with propofol following left-eye scleral buckle surgery. The patient required multimodal and continuous sedation to prevent postoperative trauma to the surgical site. The patient required a dexmedetomidine infusion at 1.5 mcg/kg/hour and a fentanyl infusion maintained between 50 and 100 mcg/hr in addition to propofol maintained at 70-100 mcg/kg/min. Approximately 24-30 hours after the initiation of a propofol infusion at 80-100 mcg/kg/min, he developed green urine without evidence of infection. Laboratory evaluation showed a rise in serum triglycerides from 305 mg/dL to 569 mg/dL overnight. Despite no initial acidosis, reduction of the propofol dose was followed by the onset of...

New age of Lupus Nephritis: Updates in guidelines, biomarkers, and therapies.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common visceral organ manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It affects approximately 50% of SLE patients, accounting for significant morbidity and mortality especially in ethnic minorities. Building on decades of landmark trials, the field has continued to evolve. The 2024 American College Rheumatology (ACR) Lupus Nephritis guideline represents an important shift toward earlier triple therapy. The guideline also recommends routine proteinuria screening and reaffirms kidney biopsy as the diagnostic gold standard. In parallel, urinary biomarkers are emerging as potential tools to better track infrarenal pathology. Furthermore, the therapeutic pipeline continues to expand with emerging strategies targeting B-cells, cytokine receptors, and co-stimulatory mechanisms. In this article, we review updates from the ACR guideline, the emerging data on urinary biomarkers, and highlight novel targeted therapies in LN.

Youth as historical actors in the production of possible futures

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In this paper, we expand the concept of historical actors to elaborate on how transformative agency has been addressed in our work with youth from nondominant communities, particularly as they leverage digital tools. First, we revisit our work with migrant students, from which the concept arose. Next, we expand this theory by proposing four indicia of the transformative nature of becoming historical actors, and offer three empirical examples to elucidate them. In our first vignette, we document how, when youth glitch during video game play, they collectively experiment with the rules, regulations, and boundaries of game design, finding ways to circumvent normative video game play and co-author their experiences. In the second vignette, we focus on siblings who take over research video cameras as their family is being filmed. We illustrate how they reshape their relation to the cameras, reorganizing participation structures through their agentive and transgressive actions. Finally,...

Civics on the Move: The Politics of Latinx Civic Integration

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Throughout the U.S., Latinx communities represent a growing and critical segment of local, regional, and national electorates, but they are underrepresented at the polls. Their political disengagement stems from their historical sociopolitical marginalization and a lack of investment in their political integration. To foster more civic engagement among Latinx students, we propose recognizing their communities’ past and present “lived civics,” which are the actions that address community concerns but are often forgotten or not considered as political. The conception of lived civics that we propose provides a road map for fostering Latinx agency and political efficacy, and our “civics on the move” framework aims to strengthen democratic institutions, ensuring that they represent the needs of this critical segment of the U.S. population.

When Learning Is Made Consequential: A Methodological Note on Repertoires

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This chapter focuses on the utopian methodological approach taken up by social design-based experiments, their conceptual underpinnings, and commitments. The methods are drawn from Gutiérrez’s empirical work and detail ways of seeing and capturing human learning activity crucial to envisioning and enacting new social futures with radical possibilities for those from historically nondominant communities. It elaborates methodological commitments to seeking complexity in human learning activity as it centers equity understood as worldmaking. A review of a range of methodological tools employed across Gutierrez’s studies is presented—from an analytical focus on ensembles and the multiplicity of social spaces in learning ecologies to attending to how people’s repertoires of practices are constituted through participation in everyday activity, as they move in and across the ecologies of everyday life.

The Incident Management Measurement Tool (IMMT): A Tool for Measuring Public Health Incident Management During and After Emergencies.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objectives

Risks and priorities change during the management of public health incidents. Here we describe a new tool, the Incident Management Measurement Tool (IMMT), that can be used to inform midcourse corrections during public health emergencies and realistic exercises.

Methods

We developed the IMMT through a literature review and subject matter expert interviews. We field tested the tool in 23 incidents ranging in size, duration, and complexity, making changes based on user feedback.

Results

The IMMT consists of 2 modular data collection methods, a survey of the incident management team and a protocol for a peer assessor. Pilot testing suggested that the tool is valid, reliable, feasible, and useful.

Conclusions

Measurement of public health incident management is feasible and may be useful for improving response times and outcomes. Moreover, a limited set of standard measures is relevant to a wide range of incident response contexts.

Culture and everyday learning across contexts: learning with Luis Moll / Cultura y aprendizaje cotidiano entre distintos contextos: aprendiendo con Luis Moll

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper brings three bodies of work that share an intellectual and social history into conversation to engage several key ideas in cultural historical theories of learning and development. Anchoring the discussion around the contributions of Luis Moll, the paper highlights the intersections and shared theoretical and methodological commitments across the work of Kris Gutiérrez, Barbara Rogoff and Luis Moll. We discuss how each of us has contributed to understanding the importance of context and everyday practices in youth and children and youths’ learning, attending especially to building on the strengths of Latine children and families in learning activities. We show the relationship between Luis’ concept of households’ Funds of Knowledge and Gutiérrez and Rogoff’s concept of repertoires of practice, Rogoff’s perspective on mutually constituting processes, and Gutiérrez’s contribution focusing on how people develop repertoires of practice and Funds of Knowledge in their movement...

Running rich: how excess fatty acid oxidation drains the cardiac engine.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) provides the healthy heart with 60%-90% of its ATP, with the remainder coming from metabolism of glucose. Metabolic flexibility is key to heart function, ensuring an uninterrupted source of fuel. In heart failure, a shift from FAO to glucose-dependent metabolism occurs as disease progresses, supporting the widely held notion that fat is the optimal substrate in the heart. In this issue of the JCI, Kim et al. challenge this assumption. In studies of acetyl-CoA carboxylase-deficient (ACC-deficient) mice, they found that unregulated use of fat as a substrate led to cardiac damage. ACC-deficient mice developed cardiolipin deficiency as a result of excessive FAO depleting stores of linoleic acid, which is used as a substrate for cardiolipin maturation. The resulting mitochondrial dysfunction was associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure in these mice. The findings highlight potential for development of therapeutic strategies that balance energy...

No Pinching: Topological Constraints on Polar Cap Patch Formation

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

No Pinching: Topological Constraints on Polar Cap Patch Formation

Sleep Duration and Prostate Cancer Risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between insufficient sleep and prostate cancer incidence is unclear. Our goal was to investigate the association of sleep duration, restless sleep, and prostate cancer incidence and aggressiveness, and whether race influences any sleep-prostate cancer association. METHODS: The Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) recruited study participants from 12 Southeastern states from 2002 to 2009. The cohort included nearly 35,000 males, predominantly African American (AA, 67%). Sleep exposures were measured via a baseline questionnaire at enrollment, which captured weekday and weekend sleep duration, weighted average sleep duration, and restless sleep. We used Cox proportional hazards models and multinomial logistic regression models to estimate associations between sleep and prostate cancer incidence and aggressiveness. RESULTS: During follow-up (median 10.9 years), 1345 men developed prostate cancer. Shorter sleep duration (< 6 h), in comparison to...

Short-term outcomes following treatment of recalcitrant cystoid macular edema secondary to radiation maculopathy using intravitreal brolucizumab.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose

To assess the efficacy of intravitreal brolucizumab (Beovu®, Novartis Pharmaceuticals) in a case of recalcitrant cystoid macular edema associated with radiation maculopathy secondary to retinoblastoma which was suboptimally responsive to other intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies.

Observations

A 42-year old patient with a history of radiation maculopathy complicated by cystoid macular edema after chemoreduction treatment and radiation therapy for retinoblastoma was treated with intravitreal brolucizumab. Best-corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness assessed by optical coherence tomography were used to assess the clinical outcomes. The treated eye was also assessed for evidence of intraocular inflammation following injection. Cystoid macular edema showed marked reduction and near resolution two weeks after injection and improvement in best-corrected visual acuity which was maintained for 2 months of follow-up....

Metabolite biomarkers in lung cancer: unlocking the potential of body fluid analysis for early detection and prognosis-a narrative review.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and objective

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, due to delayed diagnosis and the complexity of selecting the optimal treatment method, given the genetic diversity and heterogeneity of the disease. Traditional invasive techniques, such as tissue biopsy, carry risks of severe complications and are often costly. Therefore, there is increasing interest in non-invasive alternatives, particularly liquid biopsy. This review aims to propose promising circulating metabolite biomarkers for lung cancer and their clinical applications.

Methods

A PubMed search [2014-2024] was conducted, focusing on fluid-based, non-invasive samples such as blood, urine, pleural effusion, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Only English-language articles relevant to lung cancer metabolomics were included.

Key content and findings

Analysis of altered metabolites in lung cancer patients revealed significant metabolic pathway enrichments. Upregulated pathways...

RSV Provider Knowledge, Screening Confidence and Acceptance Rates in Pediatric Primary Care

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose: To assess provider knowledge and confidence in screening children less than 8 months of age for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prophylaxis and assess acceptance rates pre- and post-multilevel provider educational intervention in a pediatric primary care clinic. Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) occurs in 90% of children less than 2 years of age and is the leading cause of hospitalizations in children under 1 year of age (50,000-100,000 per year). RSV is a common respiratory virus, with Infants and young children < 8 months of age at greatest risk for severe illness. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) created new RSV prophylaxis guidelines in 2022 to include either maternal vaccination or infant prophylaxis with early data showing it is 80-90% effective in preventing RSV hospitalization. There is still a significant gap in RSV acceptance rates nationally with only 35% of pregnancy women and 40% of infants having received it. This gap can be improved...

Passing the Baton: Structured Handoff from Operating Room to Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose: To develop and implement a Structured Handoff from the operating room (OR) to pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) to improve interdisciplinary team participation, completeness and timeliness of handoff information, and team satisfaction at a Southern California Children’s Hospital. Background: Ineffective handoffs have been identified as the 3rd most common cause of medical error and posing a significant threat to patient safety. Hand-offs from the OR to the pediatric CVICU represent one of the most demanding care transfers and, if inadequate, may result in loss or unreliable information and adverse events. Despite the Joint Commission recognition as an important patient safety goal, some centers have not incorporated handoff standards among their interdisciplinary teams. Methods: An Evidence Based Practice (EBP) methodology guided development of the handoff tool using current literature and unit-specific workflows. The tool was refined through staff...

Improving Bystander Willingness to Assist during a Cardiac Arrest in a Parish Setting

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Survival-to-hospital discharge rates remain low for outside-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the U.S. largely due to delays in activating the American Heart Association (AHA)’s chain of survival for adult OHCAs. There is a growing need to equip non-medical volunteers in parish communities to respond effectively to medical emergencies during worship services. Literature indicates that bystander-initiated CPR achieves outcomes comparable to physician-initiated CPR. Chest-compression only CPR for bystanders has been shown to yield similar survival rates to conventional CPR with ventilation, making it a viable alternative for bystanders. The project was guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model/Framework. The project occurred at a local non-denominational church in Southern California. Sixteen volunteers included adult and adolescent (12+) Parish volunteers. The intervention included a 2-hour in-person didactic and hands-on practice session provided by a registered...

Bird community composition across a land use gradient in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cocoa agroforestry expansion is widespread in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, posing a significant threat to the integrity of protected areas. Despite this threat, the impact of this expansion on forest bird communities remains largely unexamined. This study investigated bird community composition in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) and surrounding agroforestry areas using a combination of mist netting and passive acoustic monitoring. Specifically, it examined species richness, diversity, evenness, feeding guild abundance and habitat-specific indicator species across 19 sites. A total of 95 bird species were documented, with acoustic monitoring accounting for 73% and mist netting 43% of the recorded species. Significant differences in species richness, diversity and evenness were observed across habitat types. While cocoa farms exhibited higher species richness than primary forest sites or annual cultures, primary forests had the highest diversity indices, followed by cocoa...

Socioemotional dysfunction and the greater good: a case study

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Moral cognition has largely been studied via dilemmas in which making a utilitarian choice causes instrumental harm (negative dimension). Studies of utilitarianism link this behavior with socioemotional unresponsiveness. However, there is a positive dimension of utilitarianism in which one sacrifices the good of oneself or close others for the overall welfare. We measured utilitarian choices multidimensionally in a patient with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), incorporating dilemmas accounting for negative and positive dimensions. Despite socioemotional deficits our patient was highly utilitarian in the positive, dimension of utilitarianism. This case study challenges the tendency to automatically associate bvFTD with antisocial tendencies.

Perceptions about dementia clinical trials among underrepresented populations: a nationally representative survey of U.S. dementia caregivers

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundThe research community has historically failed to enroll diverse groups of participants in dementia clinical trials. A unique aspect of dementia care research is the requirement of a study partner, who can attest to the care recipient’s clinical and functional capacity. The aim of this study is to assess racial and ethnic differences and the importance of various trial considerations among dementia caregivers, in their decision to participate in clinical research as study partners.MethodWe embedded a vignette about a hypothetical dementia clinical trial in a nationally representative survey of U.S. dementia caregivers, oversampling non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic caregivers. Dementia caregivers were asked about their willingness to participate in the trial with their care recipient and rated the importance of nine considerations in hypothetical decisions to participate. Caregiver demographic characteristics were analyzed as predictors of trial participation in a base...

PFKM governs metabolic shifts throughout skeletal muscle differentiation

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Metabolism is known to influence cell identity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we reveal spatiotemporal dynamics of phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK1), a key glycolytic enzyme, within the skeletal muscle lineage. The expression of PFKM (the muscle isoform of PFK1) is low in muscle stem cells and increases during differentiation. Mechanistically, Wnt signalling rapidly induces lysosomal degradation of PFKM through a methyl arginine degron motif, which gets selectively methylated by the protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT1) and delivered to lysosomes through microautophagy. PFKM degradation shifts glucose metabolism from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway. PFKM overexpression increases glycolysis and promotes differentiation into terminally differentiated myofibres. On the other hand, PFKM knockdown blunts differentiation, which can be rescued by supplementation with the downstream glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate. In sum, our findings highlight...

Care Ecosystem Collaborative Model and Health Care Costs in Medicare Beneficiaries With Dementia

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Importance: Collaborative dementia care programs are effective in addressing the needs of patients with dementia and their caregivers. However, attempts to consider effects on health care spending have been limited, leaving a critical gap in the conversation around value-based dementia care. Objective: To determine the effect of participation in collaborative dementia care on total Medicare reimbursement costs compared with usual care. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a prespecified secondary analysis of the Care Ecosystem trial, a 12-month, single-blind, parallel-group randomized clinical trial conducted from March 2015 to March 2018 at 2 academic medical centers in California and Nebraska. Participants were patients with dementia who were living in the community, aged 45 years or older, and had a primary caregiver and Medicare fee-for-service coverage for the duration of the trial. Intervention: Telehealth dementia care program that entailed assignment to an unlicensed...

Additive effect of patient anosognosia and theory of mind deficit on dementia caregiver distress

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Caregiver distress in dementia is multifactorial. The contribution of disease specific factors including anosognosia (poor awareness of cognitive/behavioral deficits) and theory of mind (ToM) deficit (difficulty with understanding other’s perspective) requires further investigation.

Method

Cross sectional secondary analysis was performed on a dataset of 205 research participants (age = 64.2 ± 9.46): 57 Alzheimer’s disease, 38 behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, 12 non-fluent primary progressive aphasia (PPA), 24 semantic variant PPA, 18 progressive supranuclear palsy syndrome, 14 corticobasal syndrome, and 42 cognitively normal controls (NC). Anosognosia was measured using the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS-self minus PCRS-caregiver; clinically meaningful anosognosia >20 points difference), ToM deficit was evaluated using The Awareness of Social Inference Test: Social Inference-Enriched (TASIT-SIE), and caregiver distress was measured using...

The Long‐Term Effects of the Care Ecosystem Dementia Care Management Program on Quality of Life and Caregiver Well‐being

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AbstractBackground

Dementia care management programs, including the Care Ecosystem, have been shown to improve patient and caregiver outcomes, reduce unnecessary healthcare expenditures, and are the focus of Medicare’s new GUIDE payment model. Until now, prior research has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of participating for a short (eg, 12‐month) time frame. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Care Ecosystem when delivered for up to 5 years or end of life.

Methods

Of the 804 PLWD‐caregiver dyads enrolled in the previously reported single‐blind 12‐month RCT of the Care Ecosystem (NCT02213458), 456 reported high baseline caregiver burden and were included in this extension trial (NCT04287738). Telephone‐based dementia care management was delivered by a trained care team navigator, with a team of dementia specialists. Primary outcome: PLWD quality of life (QoL‐AD); Secondary: caregiver depression (PHQ‐9), self‐efficacy (Care Ecosystem Self‐Efficacy...

Continuity and Change: Bedouin Expressive Culture in the North Badia, Jordan

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article is a summary of a project that examined the effects of lifestyle changes on the music and cultural production of the Bedouin communities of northern Jordan. The goal of this project was to record a performative tradition (including music, poetry, dance) that is rapidly disappearing as formerly nomadic tribes settle in villages where they are influenced by globalization, Western culture, and tourism, and to analyze it to determine the extent of retention, loss, or change. My co-author on this project was Dr. Mohammad Al‐Oun, a Bedouin from this area.

The Effect of the Care Ecosystem Collaborative Care Model on End-of-Life Outcomes for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers.

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ContextCollaborative care models that feature care navigation have been found to have a range of benefit for people with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers, but their effect on end-of-life (EOL) outcomes has not been robustly evaluated.ObjectivesOur primary objective was to evaluate the effect of the Care Ecosystem-a telephone-based collaborative care model for dementia with care navigation-on EOL outcomes for PWD and their caregivers. Our secondary objective was to use qualitative feedback from participants to identify supports and services that would be helpful at end of life, including how the Care Ecosystem and other EOL supports could be improved.MethodsMixed-methods analysis of the Care Ecosystem trial conducted 2015-2022. Pre-mortem and post-mortem surveys included close-ended validated measures (eg, satisfaction with end-of-life care, caregiver self-efficacy) and open-ended questions about EOL care.ResultsThere were 138/124 dyads randomized to Care Ecosystem and 76/65...

62 Moral Reasoning Through the Eyes of Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective: Persons with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) have been shown to exhibit altered morality, manifested as atypical utilitarian tendencies towards sacrificial moral dilemmas. This takes the form of endorsing harmful actions towards single individuals, including vulnerable or relationally close individuals (e.g. children, loved ones), in order to promote the greater good for the community or society as a whole. The dual process model of moral cognition interprets such tendencies as deriving from a lack of emotional engagement, whereas moral emotion theory views them as selective impairment in prosocial sentiments. We hypothesized that both the widespread neuropsychological practice of using sacrificial moral dilemmas to evaluate moral reasoning, and these tests' overreliance on quantitative results, inadequately represent how persons with bvFTD reason and feel while responding to moral dilemmas. To evaluate this hypothesis, we applied a mixed-methods...

“Signifying in Nineteenth-Century African American Religious Music.”

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This essay concerns the role of religious music in nineteenth-century African American culture. Just as religion has received much study in African and African-derived cultures, so too has musicking in religion because both phenomena — music and religion — are central to African peoples. As music scholar J. H. Kwabena Nketia writes, “The most compelling reason for music making in Africa derives from religious experience, for it is generally believed that the spiritual world is responsive to music and deeply affected by it. . . . Hence worship always finds its most intense expression in music making.” When practiced in African-derived traditional (roots) cultures, religion and music are not placed on a shelf to be observed, gazed on, or used only on special occasions, but are integrated fully into the everyday lives of the people. And for many Africans, life would be meaningless without these phenomena.

Although few scholars have used signifying as a basis for analyzing...

PERCEL: A Re-Writable NVM CIM Incorporating a CTT-Based Per-Cell DAC

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Compute in memory (CiM) accelerators perform matrix vector multiplications (MVMs) directly inside memory arrays, reducing data movement and improving both energy efficiency and throughput for AI workloads. To reduce the number of conversions, recent designs use multi-bit compute cells. Nevertheless, practical multi-bit CiM still faces a tension between accuracy, efficiency, and re-writeability, since multi-level NVM based designs suffer from nonlinearity and poor re-writeability, while multi-level activation based DRAM / SRAM macros are limited by mismatch and low accuracy. This work introduces a per-cell DAC based CiM macro that combines the density of multi-level NVM with fully re-writable DRAM weights to break the trade-off. Each bit cell embeds a compact 6-bit CTT based current mode DAC, calibrated in-situ through a write verify write loop, together with a 1T(1C) embedded DRAM. Post-layout simulations of a 576×256 macro in 22nm FDSOI project 49.9 8b-TOPS/W, and 8.96 8b-TOPS/mm2,...

Comparing age-friendly city and community policies from China and the world: a systematic review

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: Population aging is a growing global policy and health challenge. The World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCCs) framework has guided efforts to create supportive environments for older adults. Methods: This study conducts a systematic review of AFCC literature and policies in China and global contexts. The goal is to examine how China-a developing country with the world's largest older population and unique challenges from rapid urbanization-compares to other global contexts in its response to aging. Results and discussion: The review reveals key differences of AFCC policies between China and other global regions, which include varying priorities in mobility, employment, and education policies; divergent implementation approaches; broad visions versus specific standards. Some of the differences in context-specific issues are tied to different urbanization phases. On the other hand, shared challenges include financial issues that constrain...

Disaster recovery for whom? insurance, zoning, and the exclusionary geographies of wildfire resilience

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Disaster recovery after wildfires is often framed as rebuilding to restore communities to their pre-disaster condition. We argue that recovery following a disaster can also function as a mechanism of spatial governance that produces exclusionary development by shaping who is able to return. Focusing on recovery after the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, we combine 35 semi-structured interviews with residential insurance data and neighborhood-level changes in housing and labor characteristics. We show that post-fire rebuilding is increasingly structured by the interaction of fire-adaptive regulations, building codes, and insurance market behavior, which together raise the financial thresholds for reconstruction. As recovery proceeds, informal, low-cost, and ad-hoc housing is displaced by formal, risk-managed, and insurable development, reshaping both the physical geography and the social composition of wildfire-affected neighborhoods. In the context of increasingly catastrophic...