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Incidence of physical non-communicable disease in people who have experienced imprisonment compared with the general population in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite a strong evidence base outlining increased risk of communicable diseases and poor mental health in people who have experienced imprisonment, the risk of NCDs has not been quantified in previous reviews. This study aimed to describe the incidence of morbidity and mortality of physical NCDs in people who have experienced imprisonment compared with the general population in high-income countries.
Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and SocINDEX (PROSPERO CRD42024540173) for comparative studies of morbidity or mortality from NCDs. Articles were assessed against predefined criteria to select studies that included people with experience of imprisonment; measured NCD incidence; compared incidence to a general population; and were conducted in a high-income country. Two reviewers conducted independent risk of bias assessment using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were synthesised using random-effects meta-analyses and vote counting based on effect direction. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis investigated heterogeneity.
Results: Of 3085 articles screened, 32 were included providing 341 datapoints. Meta-analysis showed a higher risk of mortality from several diseases, including respiratory disease (risk ratio (RR) 2.38 (95% CI 1.18 to 4.80), I2=97%), cardiovascular disease (RR 1.80 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.46), I2=99%), liver disease and cirrhosis (RR 2.50 (95% CI 1.08 to 5.77), I2=99%), digestive disease (RR 2.92 (95% CI 1.09 to 7.78), I2=99%), neurological disease (RR 1.94 (95% CI 1.09 to 3.44), I2=92%), head and neck cancer (RR 21.31 (95% CI 4.32 to 105.14), I2=97%), liver cancer (RR 4.07 (95% CI 2.34 to 7.08), I2=94%), cervical cancer (RR 3.95 (95% CI 3.11 to 5.01), I2=0%) and lung cancer (RR 1.95 (95% CI 1.34 to 2.85), I2=0%). Synthesis without meta-analysis also indicated imprisonment was associated with increased morbidity from multiple NCDs.
Conclusions: Several NCDs, including multiple cancers, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and liver disease, are substantially more common in people who have experienced imprisonment compared with the general population, highlighting a need for primary prevention and NCD management
A scalable and integrated reconfigurable intelligent surface
Full text linkA scalable reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) architecture with both centralized and distributed control capability is presented. The RIS is implemented using a one-bit phase reconfigurable unit cell (UC) designed for X-band operation. The UC is realized by embedding a PIN diode into a slotted copper patch, achieving a maximum phase shift at 9.5 GHz with a phase difference of 180◦ ± 20◦ acrossthe 9–10 GHz band. The proposed RIS enablesreal-time reconfiguration, with each element controlled through an FPGA achieving an update time below 0.1 ms. In addition, multiple control interfaces are supported, including LAN, USB, and WiFi. The measurementresults of a 16 × 16 single RIS tile prototype validate beam steering from −50◦ to 50◦ and gain performance, demonstrating a peak gain of 20.2 dBi at broadside 0 = 0◦ and 18.2 dBi at 0 = ±50◦. To demonstrate scalability, a four-tile prototype of 32 × 32 (each tile consisting of 16 × 16 UCs) isfabricated. Each tile can be independently programmed via its dedicated interface, or alternatively, a single interface module (WiFi, LAN, or USB) can distribute ON/OFF configurations across all tiles, thereby enabling flexible and scalable control of the RIS
In situ electrochemical activation of pseudo-layered NbS3 via interlayer expansion and dual redox for high Mg-ion storage
No full textMagnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion technologies due to their inherent safety and potential for sustainable, large-scale energy storage, yet their development remains hindered by the scarcity of high-capacity cathode materials. In this study, we reveal a significant leap in performance in a structurally unique quasi-1D pseudo-layered NbS3 cathode for MIBs, achieved through electrochemical interlayer engineering. In operando and ex situ PXRD, SEM-EDS, and XPS confirm the intercalation of 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium (BMPyrr+ ) cations, which results in substantial expansion of the interlayer spacing. This expansion not only enhances magnesium ion diffusion but also activates the dual Nb4 + /Nb3 + and S2 2 − /S2 − redox processes for access to abundant ion storage sites, as elucidated by ex situ XAS analysis. In addition, multiple coupled factors, including BMPyrr+ -enabled channel opening and electrochemically induced morphological reconfiguration (i.e., nanosizing/fragmentation) further promote pseudo capacitive behavior. Consequently, the expanded NbS3 electrode delivers a high reversible capacity of up to 200 mA h g− 1 at 50 mA g− 1 , plus excellent cycling stability, significantly outperforming its unmodified counterpart. This work highlights NbS3 as a novel dual-redox trichalcogenide cathode for MIBs and demonstrates the power of interlayer expansion in unlocking inherent redox reactions for improving performance in multivalent-based energy storage systems
ElectroChemputer with integrated monitoring for programmable electrochemistry
Full text linkElectrochemical synthesis offers a sustainable and atom-economical alternative to conventional methods. Although recent advances have enabled electrochemical discovery, the integration of real-time control with analysis promises to allow electrochemical “fly by wire.” Herein, we present the ElectroChemputer, a programmable, modular standard platform enabling fully automated execution of electrochemical workflows. It integrates nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and electroanalytical reaction monitoring to provide structural and quantitative insight into reaction progression. Across 170 h of runtime, the system accumulated >1,500 coordinated unit operations and acquired >600 cyclic voltammograms. The ElectroChemputer enabled real-time stopped-flow NMR monitoring and data analysis of complex processes, such as decarboxylation via alternating polarity. Furthermore, we explored its flexibility for diverse transformations, including nucleophilic substitutions, oxidative couplings, and electrodepositions. By using queues and blueprints, it could run multiple protocols in parallel, demonstrating its adaptability across reaction classes, electrode materials, and configurations. Through its modular architecture, the ElectroChemputer sets the stage for programmable, autonomous, and democratized electrochemical synthesis
Prevalence of zoonotic nematode Calodium hepaticum varies with small mammal community diversity across a heterogenous landscape in Eastern Uganda
Full text linkCalodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica) is a generalist nematode that infects liver parenchyma of mammals worldwide and can cause human infections. Prevalence ranges from 0-100% in wildlife across small geographic areas, making it an ideal parasite for understanding ecological drivers of variation given intensive land use or cover change. Here, we quantify prevalence of Calodium hepaticum and present initial surveys of synanthropic small mammals. Cross-sectional rodent trapping was conducted within and around households over two consecutive dry seasons in four villages with differing land cover. DNA was extracted from liver tissue and the 18s rRNA gene of C. hepaticum was amplified to confirm presence of C. hepaticum. Landscape structural diversity was classified by tree crown density and mean canopy height derived from 30m LiDAR data within a 0.5km buffer. Multivariable binomial generalised linear models were fit to C. hepaticum prevalence. Calodium hepaticum infection was common (overall 34.5%, 95% CI: 27.9-41.0) and found in rodent and shrew species inside and outside residences. We observe village-level differences in prevalence (18.2%–75.0%), with higher C. hepaticum prevalence associated with lower relative proportion of native rodent species to Rattus rattus (adjusted OR = 0.55, CI95% 0.33-0.92). Host diversity appears to be protective against parasite prevalence. Differences in molecular and gross parasitological identification highlight challenges in diagnosis and a need for more specialized molecular tools. Further investigation is required to understand individual host and community variation in pathogen infection intensity and implications for zoonotic risk
Mitral regurgitation in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: insights from GALACTIC-HF
No full textAims:
Given the emerging role of transcatheter valve repair in HFrEF patients with moderate/severe secondary mitral regurgitation (MR), we evaluated the prevalence and outcomes related to MR in the GALACTIC-HF trial.
Methods:
The randomized GALACTIC-HF trial compared the efficacy and safety of omecamtiv mecarbil to placebo in 8232 patients with HFrEF, with a primary composite outcome of a first HF event or cardiovascular death.
Results:
Of 7998 patients (97.2%) with baseline data on MR, 5782 (72.3%) had no MR, 970 (12.1%) had mild MR, and 1221 (15.3%) had moderate MR (only 25 had severe MR). Patients with moderate MR had a higher risk of the primary outcome than those without MR (adjusted HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.01–1.23); risk was not higher in patients with mild MR. The association between moderate MR and the primary outcome was most prominent in patients with less severe HF (milder NYHA class, higher LVEF, and lower N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide) compared to more severe HF. In adjusted analyses, MR was not associated with mortality, and the results of all analyses remained consistent after including patients with severe MR. The beneficial treatment effect of omecamtiv mecarbil versus placebo on clinical outcomes was not modified by MR. Over 80% of patients with moderate/severe MR fulfilled the broad inclusion criteria for COAPT and RESHAPE-HF2.
Conclusions:
In GALACTIC-HF, almost 15% of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction had moderate MR, which was associated with a higher risk of the primary outcome
Intermittent active inference
No full textActive inference provides a unified framework for perception and action as processes of minimizing prediction error given a generative model of the environment. Whilst standard formulations assume continuous inference and control, empirical evidence indicates that humans update their control strategies intermittently, which reduces computational demands and mitigates propagation of correlated noise in closed feedback loops. To address this, we introduce Intermittent Active Inference (IAIF), a novel variant in which sensing, inference, planning, or acting can occur intermittently. This paper investigates intermittent planning, where IAIF agents follow their current plan and only re-plan when the prediction error exceeds a predefined threshold or the Expected Free Energy associated with the current plan surpasses prior estimates. We evaluate intermittent planning in a mouse pointing task, comparing against continuous planning while examining the impact of different threshold parameters on performance and efficiency. The findings indicate that IAIF reduces computation time whilst maintaining task performance, particularly when the number of plans sampled during planning is increased. In case of the proposed trigger based on Expected Free Energy, no additional calibration is required for this. The straightforward integration of IAIF makes it valuable in practical modelling workflows
Reflections on the future of statistics education in a technological era
Full text linkKeeping pace with rapidly evolving technology is a key challenge in teaching statistics. To equip students with essential skills for the modern workplace, educators must integrate relevant technologies into the statistical curriculum where possible. University-level statistics education has experienced substantial technological change, particularly in the tools and practices that underpin teaching and learning. Statistical programming has become central to many courses, with R widely used and Python increasingly incorporated into statistics and data analytics programmes. Additionally, coding practices, database management, and machine learning now feature within some statistics curricula. Looking ahead, we anticipate a growing emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the pedagogical implications of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. In this article, we explore these technological developments and discuss strategies for their integration into contemporary statistics education
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