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First measurement of a₂ ( 1320 ) polarized photoproduction cross section
No full textWe measure for the first time the differential photoproduction cross section dσ /dt of the a2 (1320) meson at an average photon beam energy of 8.5 GeV, using data with an integrated luminosity of 104 pb−1 collected by the GlueX experiment. We fully reconstruct the γ p → ηπ0 p reaction and perform a partial-wave analysis in the a2 (1320) mass region with amplitudes that incorporate the linear polarization of the beam. This allows us to separate for the first time the contributions of natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges. These measurements
provide novel information about the photoproduction mechanism, which is critical for the search for spin-exotic.
state
This Week in Parasitism - TWiP 252: For malaria vaccine, mosquito is the needle
No full textTWiP discusses a study of the safety and immunogenicity of a late liver-stage attenuated malaria parasite delivered by mosquito bite
Recommendations on Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma. The Milan Jury-Based Consensus
No full textObjective: To establish comprehensive recommendations on the management of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) and to identify areas in need of future investigation. Summary Background Data: The lack of consensus in management of pCCA across institutions worldwide impairs optimal patient care and best-achievable oncological outcome. A holistic and critical assessment of the body of evidence and collaborative guidance are required. Methods: The Consensus4pCCA conference developed unbiased consensus using the Zurich-Danish model. An impartial and multidisciplinary jury adopted comprehensive recommendations grounded on the work of eight expert panels answering predefined clinical questions and considering the best-quality evidence through a systematic review. The development of recommendations complied with GRADE and SIGN50 methodologies. Results: Seventy-one international experts considered 570 studies. Ten jury members concluded 71 recommendations covering definition and diagnosis, preoperative assessment and optimization, surgical resection, liver transplantation, and outcome reporting for pCCA patients. The consensus underscored that making patients amenable to high-quality curative resection and reducing its associated morbidity must be of highest priority. As such, multidisciplinary expertise and centralized care at all stages of disease management are critical to ensure both safety and oncological adequacy. To overcome the evidence-gap for rare diseases like pCCA, the jury urged large-scale registries to address open questions across the disease continuum and highlighted priorities for future investigation. Conclusion: The Consensus4pCCA represents an unprecedented commitment to collectively harmonize global treatment strategies for pCCA. This collective effort bridges the gap between expert opinions and clinical evidence and holds great promise to improve patient outcomes in the future
Hyperactive deoxy-PIEZO1 shapes the circulatory life cycle of irreversibly sickled cells
Get PDFSickle cell disease (SCD), affecting millions worldwide, is caused by the homozygous inheritance of the abnormal hemoglobin HbS. Deoxygenation of HbS in the venous circulation permeabilizes sickle cells to calcium via PIEZO1 channels, triggering a dehydration cascade driven by the outward electrochemical potassium gradient. This mechanism operates with particular intensity in a subpopulation of sickle red blood cells (RBCs), the irreversibly sickled cells (ISCs). The lifespan of ISCs is extremely short, about 4–7 days. Most of this time is spent in a profoundly dehydrated condition, the irreversibly sickled state, eliciting vaso-occlusion, which is considered the root cause of organ failure and pain crisis in SCD. There is a large experimental and clinical database on sickle cells and ISCs, but how ISCs form and evolve in the circulation remains a mystery. The present study is the first attempt to unravel the experimentally inaccessible life cycle of ISCs in vivo by applying a well-accredited model of RBC homeostasis and circulatory dynamics, using a vast array of validated experimental observations to tightly constrain the model parameters. The results showed that abnormally strong deoxy-PIEZO1 responses were needed for calcium to elicit a violent hyperdense collapse in ISC-destined stress reticulocytes within about a day in the circulation. The potassium-depleted ISCs remain in this maximally dehydrated but volume-stable condition, the pathogenic state, sustained by vigorous pump-leak balanced sodium fluxes. Eventually, sodium pump decay initiates rapid terminal rehydration by the unbalanced net gain of NaCl and water. Analysis of the mechanisms behind this three-stage circulatory life cycle of ISCs exposed a complex web of interactions among many components of the homeostatic fabric of RBCs. These findings point to the abnormally intense PIEZO1 response to deoxygenation in ISC-destined stress reticulocytes as a prime cause of ISC formation in vivo, a central target for future research
Pornography use among adults in Britain: a qualitative study of patterns of use, motivations, and stigma management strategies
Get PDFPornography use is common but stigmatized. In this study, we present a qualitative analysis of the patterns of, and motivations for, using pornography and how the stigma of using pornography manifests in participants’ accounts. We draw on Meisenbach’s (2010) theory of stigma management communication (SMC) to deepen our understanding of how participants managed potential stigma. Data come from 40 semistructured interviews with a diverse sample of adults from across Britain (aged 18–64 years) on the role of digital technologies in their sexual lives. Despite not being a criterion for recruitment, all participants except six women had used pornography and 18 were regular users at time of interview. Pornography was used primarily to facilitate arousal during solo masturbation, and also for mood control, “me time,” or exploration of one’s sexual identity. Some participants also used pornography with a partner to facilitate arousal and experimentation. An understanding of pornography use as stigmatized was evident in participants’ accounts. In terms of SMC theory, “avoiding” strategies were most commonly employed including: hiding pornography use from others; distancing oneself from the stigma of pornography use; and making favorable comparisons between oneself and other users. Other less frequently employed strategies included: “denying” the existence of stigma, reducing the stigma’s offensiveness through “minimization” (emphasizing that one’s pornography use does not harm others), and “transcendence” (highlighting that pornography use can be a means to a valuable end). The stigma surrounding pornography use may act as a barrier to education interventions addressing pornography and seeking help for problematic use
Neurophysiological effect of transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation in chronic complete spinal cord injury
Get PDFBackground:
Transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation combined with activity-based therapy (TESCS-ABT) holds promising potential for motor rehabilitation of spinal cord injury (SCI). However, its effectiveness in individuals with chronic complete SCI remains largely unexplored, despite recent evidence suggesting that many of these individuals exhibit signs of neurological incompleteness. This study was a prospective, single-arm, open-label trial that investigated the neurophysiological effects of TESCS-ABT in chronic complete SCI and assessed whether any changes translate into functional improvements.
Methods:
Nine participants with chronic complete SCI were recruited for a two-phase trial, including 6 weeks of FES-conditioning and 16 weeks of TESCS-ABT. Neurophysiological, neurological and functional assessments were conducted at six timepoints throughout the study: baseline; after the FES-conditioning phase; after 6, 10, and 16 weeks of TESCS-ABT; and 12 weeks after completion of the intervention.
Results:
All participants exhibited increases in synchronized neural signals to muscles in high frequency bands, with limited improvements in corticospinal and spinal excitability. The magnitude and consistency of these neurophysiological changes varied among participants and were influenced by limb dominance. Neurophysiological improvements did not consistently translate into meaningful gains in strength or function.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that the neurophysiological effects of TESCS-ABT depend on the presence of residual supraspinal connectivity in chronic complete SCI. This SCI population demonstrate a more limited response compared to previous reports in individuals with incomplete SCI. This study provides important insights into the mechanisms and potential limitations of TESCS-ABT, helping to guide future research toward optimizing the therapy and identifying those most likely to benefit
Environment-sensitive fluorescent tryptophan analogues via indole C-2 alkenylation reactions
Get PDFA modular synthetic strategy for the preparation of intrinsically fluorescent unnatural a-amino acids by C-2 oxidation and alkenylation of a
tryptophan-derived tetrahydro-b-carboline is described. This approach
yielded a novel tryptophan–coumarin hybrid with strong environmental
sensitivity and compatibility with near-infrared two-photon excitation
From human mobility to social segregation: what insights can social media data provide?
No full textThis chapter investigates how social media data can reveal links between human mobility and social segregation in urban environments. Leveraging over 37 million geotagged tweets from the top 50 most populous U.S. cities, we infer each user's race-ethnicity and economic status to examine movement patterns across diverse sociodemographic backgrounds. By identifying individuals’ activity zones and their corresponding neighborhood characteristics, the study provides a fine-grained perspective on mobility-based segregation, offering insights beyond traditional, residence-based segregation measures. In a detailed case study of the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim urban area, we develop and apply person-based segregation indices to quantify how various racial-ethnic and economic groups interact within their daily activity spaces. Results show that racial-ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged groups tend to have shorter travel distances and more spatially restricted activity zones, reflecting limited integration into the broader urban landscape. The findings highlight the interplay of race-ethnicity and economic status in shaping mobility patterns and experienced segregation. Although this approach is innovative, challenges remain, such as potential biases in user participation and data quality. Future research should integrate multiple data sources, refine user inference methods, and expand globally to enhance our understanding of evolving urban inequalities
Multifaceted, Tailored Approaches to Belonging for Postgraduate Online Students in Higher Education
No full textObjectives:
Sense of belonging in higher education from an online student perspective is determined by intrinsic and extrinsic factors and can vary from student to student. Previous studies generally investigate sense of belonging for on-campus or undergraduate learners, yet there is limited research for online postgraduate learners.
Methods:
Qualitative insights were captured through 28 online interviews with postgraduate students in the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Phenomenographic methods were utilised with semi-structured and probing interview questions.
Findings:
Throughout the postgraduate student journey from induction to completion of studies belonging is dynamic and can be impacted by factors such as staff presence, student presence, peer relationships, conversation, and inclusive design. Still obstacles such as time zone, work and family commitments can sometimes lessen connection.
These beneficial student perspectives provide insightful considerations and applications for staff and institutions across different disciplines. Insights such as, considering belonging as a varying and nuanced experience, awareness around the context of postgraduate online student circumstances, and practical approaches that can impact on belonging.
Conclusions:
Key considerations for staff, institutions, and the students themselves, include frequent presence, encouraging peer connections, and flexibility in the learning. Therefore giving the students the best opportunities to be part of the learning community and feel supported throughout their online studies.
This talk will cover: background to this research, then student responses gathered from the data, and conclusions for encouraging belonging. There will be interactive opportunities giving participants reflection time for their own practice
Innovation and Tradition: Customers and GenAI in Service Recovery
Get PDFThis study delves into the dynamics among customers and GenAI in services focusing on service failure recovery. It reveals that customers accept GenAI’s apologies and how such apologies resemble/differ from human apologies. It also offers a model of an apology that companies can use based on the severity of the situation. Finally, the study provides tactics for service providers to enhance GenAI-driven service recovery
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