Search Results (9,342)

In this paper, we report on creative- and arts-based sexual violence and bystander intervention workshops we developed and researched in England, Ireland, and Canada, through evaluation surveys, observations, and focus group interviews with nearly 1200 young people (aged 13–18). Whist the young people generally reported benefitting from the intervention, in the context of increasing use of digital technologies amongst youth, we explore the context-specific challenges they faced in learning about and being supported through bystander strategies across a wide range of diverse school spaces. We use the term postdigital bystanding to explicitly explore how teen’s digital networks are often connected to the school-based ‘real life’ peer group, in ways that complicate clear distinctions between online and offline, arguing that these postdigital dynamics have not yet been adequately considered in bystanding interventions. We analyse how the intersectional community, cultural, and identity-specific factors in particular schooling environments shape responses to bystanding in postdigital environments, including how factors of sexism, defensive masculinity, elitism, racism, and a reluctance to report digital issues played out in the responses to the workshops. Finally, following young people’s suggestions, we recommend that schools need to cultivate better safety and support strategies for youth in order to make postdigital bystander interventions more responsive and therefore effective in challenging and preventing sexual violence in society. Full article

Background/Objectives: Janus kinase inhibitors open new horizons for small-molecule drugs in treating inflammatory bowel disease, with ritlecitinib demonstrating significant efficacy in clinical trials for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Ritlecitinib, a second-generation JAK3 inhibitor, is a novel therapeutic agent for alopecia areata and other autoimmune conditions. Methods: A new stability-indicating UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS method was developed, validated, and applied for a forced degradation study of ritlecitinib under ICH guidelines. Results: The method demonstrated high specificity, sensitivity (LOD: 0.04 µg/mL; LOQ: 0.14 µg/mL), precision (RSD ≤ 0.15%), and accuracy (99.9–100.3%). Forced degradation studies under acidic, basic, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic conditions revealed four novel degradation products. Basic degradation followed second-order kinetics, while oxidative degradation followed zero-order kinetics. Conclusions: The validated method reliably characterized ritlecitinib’s stability and degradation products, providing essential data for optimizing formulation, determining proper storage conditions, anticipating drug–excipient interactions, and ensuring quality control. The eco-friendliness and applicability of the developed forced degradation procedure were evaluated using various green and blue metric tools. Incorporating green analytical principles underscores its potential for sustainable pharmaceutical analysis. Full article

The incorporation of Ag nanoparticles onto BiVO₄ (a known H₂O oxidising photocatalyst) through magnetron sputtering to form a composite was studied. ICP-OES results showed that the loading of Ag on BiVO₄ was below 1% in all cases. UV-Vis DRS and CO₂-TPD analyses demonstrated that upon incorporation of Ag onto BiVO₄, an increase in the extent of visible light absorption and CO₂ adsorption was seen. TEM imaging showed the presence of Ag particles on the surface of larger BiVO₄ particles, while XRD analysis provided evidence for some doping of Ag into BiVO₄ lattices. The effect of the composite formation on the activity of the materials in the artificial photosynthesis reaction was significant. BiVO₄ alone produces negligible amounts of gaseous products. However, the Ag-sputtered composites produce both CO and CH₄, with a higher loading of Ag leading to higher levels of product formation. This reactivity is ascribed to the generation of a heterojunction in the composite material. It is suggested that the generation of holes in BiVO₄ following photon absorption is used to provide protons (from H₂O oxidation), and the decay of an SPR response on the Ag NPs provides hot electrons, which together with the protons reduce CO₂ to produce CH₄, CO, and adsorbed hydrocarbonaceous species. Full article

Chronic coughing is a common complaint in small animal medicine and it has an extensive differential diagnosis with very different treatment and prognosis. Coughing is considered chronic when it lasts at least 8 weeks. This retrospective study aimed to describe the most common causes of chronic coughing in a population of dogs that presented to a referral hospital in England between January 2012 and December 2021. In addition, we aimed to evaluate if an association with signalment, weight, coughing characteristics, and/or concomitant clinical signs could be identified. A total of 329 dogs met the inclusion criteria. The most frequent diagnoses were airway collapse (102/329, 30.7%), chronic bronchitis (80/329, 24.3%), neoplasia (62/329, 18.8%), and infectious bronchopneumonia (54/329, 16.4%). Other diagnoses were also identified in a lower number of cases. Pomeranian, Chihuahua, and Yorkshire Terrier were over-represented breeds for airway collapse. No predictive factors were identified for chronic bronchitis. Lower body weight (odds ratio [OR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90–0.95), non-productive (OR 14.3 CI 3.44–50) paroxysmal coughing (OR 4.9, 95%, CI: 2.2–11.0), and exercise intolerance (OR 3.3, 95%, CI: 1.7–6.3) increased the odds of airway collapse. Older dogs (OR 1.025, 95%, CI: 1.014–1.036), higher body weight (OR 1.048, 95%, CI: 1.018–1.080), lethargy (OR 5.1, 95%, CI: 1.5–17.7), haemoptysis (OR 8.6, 95%, CI: 1.9–38.4), weight loss (OR 4.0, 95%, CI: 1.1–15.3), and inappetence (OR 6.5, 95%, CI: 1.9–22.1) increased the odds of neoplasia. Productive coughing (OR 3.0, 95%, CI: 1.5–6) and nasal discharge (OR 4.1, 95%, CI: 1.4–11.9) were predictive factors of infectious bronchopneumonia. Younger age (OR 0.96, 95%, CI: 1.061–1.150), higher body weight (OR 1.097, 95%, CI: 1.037–1.161), and haemoptysis (OR 11.8, 95%, CI: 1.8–78.5), increased the odds of airway foreign body. Higher body weight (OR 1.105, 95%, CI: 1.061–1.150), older age (OR 1.041, 95%, CI: 1.022–1.061), and regurgitation were predictive factors of laryngeal paralysis. Epiglottic retroversion was associated with younger age (OR 0.969, 95%, CI: 0.943–0.994), dysphagia (OR 42.5, 95%, CI: 4.7–382.7), and regurgitation (OR 11.6, 95%, CI: 1.2–113.1). All the aforementioned findings are valuable for prioritising differential diagnoses and consequently increasing the efficacy of the diagnostic plan and prioritising tests, which becomes even more important in cases where financial constraints are present. Finally, an appropriate selection of diagnostics tools helps optimise veterinary resources. Full article

Sexual signals in animals encompass a variety of forms including visual, acoustic, and chemical signals that are fundamental for intra- and interspecific communication, including sexual selection processes. Among these, odor signals play a critical role. Chemical compounds involved in sexual signaling vary in nature, with lipids and proteins being particularly important. In the male Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus), the dark ventral patch has been identified as a key sexual signal during mating competition, associated with specific chemical compounds deposited during urination. Hair plays a significant role in this signaling due to its ability to retain compounds on the scales of the hair cuticle. In this study, we used a shotgun proteomic approach to investigate whether the ventral patch hair retains proteins on its surface that could reveal metabolic and cell-signaling adaptations potentially related to reproductive activity. Characterization of the origin and functionality of the proteins found in the hair of the dark ventral patch of male red deer, and their relationship to distinct metabolic pathways, provides an initial understanding of the potential role of these compounds in chemical communication in red deer intrasexual competition for mates. Full article

Background/Objectives: The synthesis of (E)-1-(1,3-diphenylallyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazoles and related compounds as anti-mitotic agents with activity in breast cancer was investigated. These compounds were designed as hybrids of the microtubule-targeting chalcones, indanones, and the aromatase inhibitor letrozole. Methods: A panel of 29 compounds was synthesized and examined by a preliminary screening in estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR)-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells together with cell cycle analysis and tubulin polymerization inhibition. Results: (E)-5-(3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)-2-methoxyphenol 22b was identified as a potent antiproliferative compound with an IC₅₀ value of 0.39 mM in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, 0.77 mM in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and 0.37 mM in leukemia HL-60 cells. In addition, compound 22b demonstrated potent activity in the sub-micromolar range against the NCI 60 cancer cell line panel including prostate, melanoma, colon, leukemia, and non-small cell lung cancers. G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest and the induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells together with inhibition of tubulin polymerization were demonstrated. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed that compound 22b targeted tubulin in MCF-7 cells, while computational docking studies predicted binding conformations for 22b in the colchicine binding site of tubulin. Compound 22b also selectively inhibited aromatase. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained, these novel compounds are suitable candidates for further investigation as antiproliferative microtubule-targeting agents for breast cancer. Full article

New technology has opened opportunities for research and exploration of deep-water ecosystems, highlighting deep-sea coral reefs as a rich source of novel bioactive natural products. During our ongoing investigation of the chemodiversity of the Irish deep sea and the soft coral Anthothela grandiflora, we report 12 unreported cadinene-like functionalized sesquiterpenes, anthoteibinenes F–Q. The metabolites were isolated using both bioassay- and ¹H NMR-guided approaches. One-/two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry were used for structure elucidation, while a combination of NOESY NMR experiments, GIAO NMR calculations coupled with DP4+ probabilities measures, and ECD comparisons were incorporated to propose relative and absolute configurations of the anthoteibinenes. The metabolites were screened against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), ESKAPE pathogens, five Candida albicans strains, and one strain of C. auris. Full article

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most widespread chronic diseases globally, with its prevalence expected to rise significantly in the years ahead. Previous studies on risk stratification for T2DM identify certain biomarkers, including glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT), fructosamine, and glycated albumin, as key indicators for predicting the onset and progression of T2DM. However, these traditional markers have been shown to lack sensitivity and specificity and their results are difficult to analyze due to non-standardized interpretation criteria, posing significant challenges to an accurate and definitive diagnosis. The strict measures of these traditional markers may not catch gradual increases in blood sugar levels during the early stages of diabetes evolution, as these might still fall within acceptable glycemic parameters. Recent advancements in research have suggested novel micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) as circulatory molecules that can facilitate the early detection of prediabetic conditions in high-risk groups and potentially enable prevention of the progression to T2DM. This capability makes them a very powerful tool for potentially improving population health, enhancing outcomes for many patients, and reducing the overall burden of T2DM. These promising biomarkers are small, noncoding RNA involved in the regulation of many cellular functions that have a hand in the metabolic activities of cells, making them a very useful and relevant biomarker to explore for the diagnosis and risk stratification of T2DM. This review analyzes the current literature, outlining the occurrence of miRNAs in prediabetic and diabetic individuals and their implications in predicting dysglycemic disorders. Full article

White button mushrooms are an important crop globally, and due to the role of peat in current cultivation practices, the industry is under increasing pressure to find suitable alternatives. Peat functions as “casing”, a surface layer that, amongst other functions, provides available water to the fungal mycelium and is considered essential for mushroom growth. This research aimed to determine the potential of bark as an alternative casing material and its suitability for commercial mushroom production. Two experiments were conducted, comparing two types of commercially available peat casing with bark-based casings. The bark casing in Experiment A was found to be statistically similar to the peat casing in terms of yield and quality. The two bark casings in Experiment B failed to produce a 1st flush of mushrooms, and total yields were significantly lower compared to the peat casings, highlighting the fact that the consistency of the bark material across both experiments was variable. There were several issues associated with the bark casing, which included water stress and cropping delays, all of which would be unacceptable from a commercial perspective. Further research is required to refine bark-based casing, focusing on a better consistency of the bark feedstock and reduction of contamination risk. This work contributes to ongoing research and development to address the dependency of mushroom production on peat. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the vegetative, productive, and fruit quality parameters of the European pear cultivars ‘Rocha’ and ‘Santa Maria’ under the training systems of Tall Spindle, with branches bent at an angle of 45° (Tall Spindle—45°) and 90° (Tall Spindle—90°) to the leader, and Bi-axis. The evaluation was conducted over the 2016/2017 to 2022/2023 growing seasons in the highland region of southern Brazil. Both Tall Spindle systems significantly improved the yield and productive efficiency compared to the Bi-axis system, with ‘Santa Maria’ showing superior performance under Tall Spindle—90°. While ‘Rocha’ exhibited no significant differences between Tall Spindle systems, it benefited from better vigor control and reduced biennial bearing when trained under the Bi-axis system. Fruit quality parameters were consistent across training systems, indicating Tall Spindle—90° as an optimal choice for productivity and stability in ‘Santa Maria’. These results emphasize the adaptability and efficiency of training systems for pear orchard management. Full article

This study examined the impact of wind–wave misalignment on floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) in Irish waters, analysing average weather and extreme events, including hurricane conditions. Using the ERA5 reanalysis dataset validated against Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network measurements, the results showed a satisfactory accuracy with an average wind speed error of $-0.54$ m/s and a strong correlation coefficient of $0.92$. Wind–wave misalignment was found to be inversely correlated with wind speed (correlation coefficient: $-0.41$), with minimum misalignment occurring approximately seven hours after a change in wind direction. The study revealed that misalignment could exceed ${30}^{\circ }$ during hurricanes, contradicting standard assumptions of alignment under extreme conditions. The investigation highlighted that in western coastal areas, average misalignment could reach ${57.95}^{\circ }$, while sheltered Irish Sea regions experienced lower values, such as ${23.06}^{\circ }$. Numerical simulations confirmed that these misalignment events amplified side-to-side turbine deflections significantly. This research underscores the need to incorporate misalignment effects into industry testing standards and suggests that current methodologies may underestimate fatigue loads by up to 50%. This work emphasizes improved design and testing protocols for FOWTs in complex marine environments and highlights the suitability of ERA5 for climate analysis in Ireland. Full article

Hypertension, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and obesity raise an individual’s risk of suffering from diseases associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). In humans, enzymes that play a role in the prevention and development of MS include angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE-1) associated with hypertension, α-amylase associated with T2D, and lipase linked to the development of obesity. Seaweeds are a rich source of bioactives consisting of proteins/peptides, polysaccharides, and lipids. This study examined the potential of seaweed-derived bioactives from Alaria esculenta, Ulva lactuca, and Palmaria palmata as inhibitors of ACE-1, α-amylase, and lipase. In vitro enzyme inhibitory assays were used to quantify the bioactivity of the seaweed extracts and compare their half-maximal inhibitory (IC₅₀) values to recognised positive control enzyme inhibitory drugs captopril© (an ACE-1 inhibitor), acarbose (an α-amylase inhibitor), and orlistat (a lipase inhibitor). Three seaweed extracts displayed enzyme inhibitory activities equal to, or more effective than, the reference positive control drugs. These were P. palmata peptides (ACE-1 IC₅₀ 94.29 ± 3.07 µg/mL, vs. captopril© 91.83 ± 2.68 µg/mL); A. esculenta polyphenol extract (α-amylase IC₅₀ 147.04 ± 9.72 µg/mL vs. acarbose 185.67 ± 12.48 µg/mL, and lipase IC₅₀ 106.21 ± 6.53 µg/mL vs. orlistat 139.74 ± 9.33 µg/mL); and U. lactuca polysaccharide extract (α-amylase IC₅₀ 168.06 ± 10.53 µg/mL vs. acarbose 185.67 ± 12.48 µg/mL). Proximate analysis also revealed that all three seaweeds were a good source of protein, fibre, and polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (PUFAs). These findings highlight the potential of these seaweeds in the management of diseases associated with MS and as foods. Full article

Background: Rising costs and demands for improved quality of care present complex challenges for existing healthcare systems. The strain on healthcare resources is exacerbated by the increasing complexity of patient conditions. The Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) system classifies inpatients according to clinical and treatment criteria, controls healthcare expenditures, and ensures the sustainability of procedures. The cost of nursing care is included in the DRG system in the same way as other fixed costs of hospital care, but the amount of nursing care provided for the same DRG can vary widely. This study, which is based on this protocol, will aim to assess the variability of nursing costs within and across DRGs and to measure how much variability in nursing care is explained by DRGs by comparing nursing care delivery in acute care hospitals with the DRG reimbursement system in Italy. It is necessary to develop a specific protocol to ensure systematic and consistent data collection at the national level. Methods: A multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study will be conducted. A random sample of five public Italian hospitals will be enrolled. Patients included in medical or surgical DRGs, hospitalized and discharged in 2022 will be included. Data will be collected retrospectively from two sources: hospital discharge records and nursing records. Inferential statistics will be used to assess the variability of nursing time and costs across hospitals and DRGs. Nursing costs will be determined by several factors, including time spent on nursing activities and the hourly wages of nursing staff. The time needed to complete each activity will be estimated by a convenience sample of nurses from the hospitals included in this study. The annual salary of nurses will be used to calculate the nursing cost per minute, multipled by the amount of time spent per each nursing activity. The cost per patient per day of hospitalization will be calculated. Conclusions: The results of this study will shed light on the variation in nursing care across different DRGs. This understanding will guide recommendations for optimizing healthcare resource allocation and enhancing the efficiency of the DRG system in Italy. Full article

This study explores for the first time the impact of a 6-day germination process on the structure (FTIR), antioxidant activity, nutritional/safety attributes (ACE-I inhibitory activity, digestibility, and cytotoxicity), and functional properties of fractions of variable molecular weight (W > 5 kDa; 3 kDa < MW < 5 kDa; and MW < 3 kDa) isolated from proteins extracted from lentils. FTIR results indicated a substantial increase in β-sheet contents during germination. The digestibility of proteins increased from day 0 (16.32–17.04%) to day 6 of germination (24.92–26.05%) with variable levels of digestibility depending on their MW. ACE-I inhibitory activity improved during germination in all fractions, reaching IC₅₀ values of 0.95, 0.83, and 0.69 mg/mL after 6 days of germination. All antioxidant activities analyzed notably increased, particularly in low-MW fractions (MW < 3 kDa). The functional properties of low-MW fractions were also the most promising, displaying the highest water and fat binding capacities and emulsifying and foaming capacities but lower foaming and emulsifying stability compared to high-MW fractions. Cytotoxicity tests on L929 cells revealed the slight adverse effects of low-MW fractions during germination. This study provides insights into the enhanced nutritional and functional attributes of lentil proteins following germination, emphasizing their potential application in functional foods. Full article

Dementia is recognised as a disability under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). People with disabilities like dementia have the right to access specialised health and social care services, including interventions that support independence and community participation. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention that improves cognition, communication, confidence, and quality of life for people living with dementia, but an implementation gap means that CST is often not available. This study examines whether trained CST practitioners implemented CST, their perceptions of the acceptability and efficacy of CST, whether the perceived acceptability and efficacy of CST predicted implementation, and practitioners’ opinions on the barriers and facilitators to CST implementation. A mixed-methods approach was used, with 62 participants (91.9% female). Although 95% of participants were trained to deliver CST, 45.2% did not facilitate CST groups. Statistical analysis showed that perceived efficacy significantly predicted both the likelihood of running CST groups (p = 0.006) and the number of groups delivered (p = 0.01). Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified the three key themes of ‘resources’, ‘awareness and education’, and ‘acceptability of CST’. Overall, the results show that while CST is acceptable and deemed highly effective, resources and staffing often impede implementation. The results are discussed in the context of prioritising the rights of people with disabilities and recommendations are made on improving access to evidence-based support. Full article