Introduction: Early intervention Services (EIS) in psychosis are the gold standard to treat patients after a first episode of psychosis (FEP). However, the understanding of the evolution and the long-term effects of such type of intervention is limited. This study aims to gain insight into the long-term evolution of physical and mental health, as well as the neurobiological outcomes of the patients treated for a FEP. Methods: The Long-term Follow-up of TIPP (LOFT) is an up to 20-year study within a cohort of patients who completed a three-year EI treatment at Treatment and early Intervention in Psychosis Program (TIPP, in Lausanne, Switzerland) and went through a deep phenotyping prospective multimodal assessment. 720 patients will be contacted and asked to participate in LOFT. Once they are assessed they will be allocated to a timepoint at either 5(+2), 10(±2), 15(±2), and 20(-2) years after TIPP entry. A follow-up visit will be proposed every 5 years. All participants will be evaluated on psychopathological, functional, and physical health outcomes including metabolic disturbances. A subsample of the patients who previously took part in a biomarker research program (n = 168) whilst at TIPP will be invited to undergo additional assessments (cognition, brain imaging, biofluids collection). Both traditional group level and machine learning analyses will be conducted. Conclusion: Ethical approval has been obtained and recruitment started in 2024. LOFT will help reshape and redefine current interventions for subgroups of patients at risk of poorer long-term outcome and to understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms influencing psychosis evolution.

Complete plastid genomes have recently been proposed as ”super-barcodes” for genetic identification and delineation in plants, for which standard DNA barcodes may fail. However, relatively few studies have fully considered the genetic mechanisms inherent to the taxonomic complexity of specious genera and how this may affect species resolution via complete plastome barcodes. Pedicularis is a highly diversified group of plants whose floral traits have undergone rapid radiation in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, which can complicate identification and classification within the group based on morphological traits alone. In this study, we analyzed 292 plastomes representing 96 species of Pedicularis to compare species discrimination rates with those based on standard DNA barcodes. The results show that the traditional standard barcode (nrITS+matK+rbcL+trnH-psbA) and the large single copy (LSC) region of the plastid genome share the highest discrimination rates (80.21%), followed by the plastid genome, the supermatrixes of protein-coding genes and high variable regions (79.17%), and the matK gene and ycf1 gene alone could discriminate 78.13% of species. Further, we found that the sequence length and percentage of parsimony-informative sites significantly influence species discrimination rates, and genes with higher species discrimination rates are more likely to be conservative in selection. Given the extra costs and time required for generating such “super-barcodes” to try to discern species in taxonomically complex genera, this study questions their use and calls for more efforts to explore nuclear markers that may improve discrimination rates in future studies with relatively low-cost and effort.

The application of nanotechnology in antifungal therapy is gaining increasing attention. Current antifungal drugs have significant limitations, such as severe side effects, low bioavailability, and the rapid development of resistance. Nanotechnology offers an innovative solution to these issues. This review discusses three key strategies of nanotechnology to enhance antifungal efficacy. Firstly, nanoparticles can enhance their interaction with fungal cells via ingenious surface tailoring of nanoparticles. Effective adhesion of nanoparticles to fungal cells can be achieved by electrostatic interaction or specific targeting to fungal cell wall and cell membrane. Secondly, stimuli-responsive nanoparticles are developed to realize smart release of drugs in specific microenvironment of pathological tissues, such as fungal biofilm microenvironment and inflammatory microenvironment. Thirdly, nanoparticles can be designed to cross different physiological barriers, effectively addressing challenges posed by skin, corneal, and blood-brain barriers. Additionally, some new nanoparticles-based strategies in treating fungal infections are discussed, including the development of fungal vaccines, modulation of macrophages activity, phage therapy, the application of high-throughput screening in drug discovery, and so on. Despite the challenges faced in applying nanotechnology to antifungal therapy, its significant potential and innovation open new possibilities for future clinical antifungal applications.

The present study aimed to investigate the correlations between preschool teachers’ perceptions of multicultural competence, intercultural communication anxiety, and social empathy (SE) skills. Utilizing a quantitative research design within a descriptive-relational screening methodology, the study involved a randomly selected sample of 400 preschool teachers. The findings, analyzed through a structural equation model, revealed that SE skills significantly predict teachers’ multicultural competence perceptions via the mediating role of intercultural communication anxiety. Two key elements emerged from the analysis: first, intercultural communication anxiety mediates the relationship between SE and multicultural competence; second, the direction of this mediation is significant. The model suggests that teachers with high SE skills exhibit enhanced knowledge, skills, and awareness of multicultural competence, contingent upon their levels of intercultural communication anxiety

Historical events change the socio-cultural and political contexts that Latinx gay men live in, shaping how different generations are impacted by and respond to minority stress over time, as well as their external support and comfort being out—factors crucial in buffering the effects of stigma. The stigma Latinx gay fathers face is informed by racial and xenophobic prejudice they encounter as Latinx individuals and negative attitudes towards their parenting abilities as gay men. To better understand the lives of Latinx gay fathers, we employed a life course perspective to explore their pathways to parenthood, experiences and avoidance of stigma, helpfulness of social relationships, and their comfort being out. Eighty-six Latinx gay fathers from 47 states in the U.S. participated. Over half of participants’ first and second children were genetically related to them. Participants reported low frequencies of sexuality-based stigma and even lower levels of stigma avoidance, as well as relatively high levels of comfort being publicly out and helpfulness of social relationships. Generational differences between Latinx gay fathers in the AIDS-1 (born 1950-1969) and AIDS-2 generations (born 1970-1980s) were salient, signifying the importance of historical context in understanding this population.

Background: Association of early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal gestational weight gain (GWG), and asthma and allergic disease in children is unclear. Methods: We analyzed data from 3,176 mother-child pairs in a prospective birth cohort study. Maternal anthropometric measurements in the first and last antenatal clinic visits were obtained through post-delivery questionnaires to calculate early pregnancy BMI and maternal GWG. Asthma and allergic diseases in children by the age of 5 years was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Furthermore, serum samples were analyzed for IgE antibodies to eight allergens. We applied Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression analyses to estimate the association of early pregnancy BMI and maternal GWG (as continuous variables and categorized into quarters), and asthma, atopic eczema, atopic sensitization, and allergic rhinitis in children. Results: Early pregnancy BMI and maternal GWG were not associated with asthma and allergic disease in children when analyzed as continuous variables. Compared to the first quarter (GWG <0.32 kg/week), mothers in the third quarter (GWG 0.42-0.52 kg/week) had children with higher odds of developing atopic eczema (adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI [1.13-1.96]) by age 5 years. Conclusion: The association of early pregnancy BMI and maternal GWG and asthma and allergic disease in children is inconsistent. High maternal GWG may be associated with increased odds of atopic eczema.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, life-threatening genetic disorder characterized by acute, recurrent and unpredictable episodes of cutaneous or submucosal angioedema, mediated by bradykinin, due to C1 inhibitor (C1INH) abnormalities in the vast majority of cases. The epidemiology of the disease is poorly documented in children. Clinical manifestations usually appear during childhood or early adolescence. Classical signs, preceded by prodromal symptoms in 50 % of cases, include transient, localized, non-pitting, non-pruritic swelling of deep dermal/subcutaneous or mucosal/submucosal tissues, leading to oedema of the extremities, face, lips, tongue, trunk and genitals, recurring gastrointestinal symptoms and laryngeal edema possibly causing asphyxiation and death. Diagnosis is often delayed due to low awareness in the medical community, and particularly challenging in case of isolated abdominal crises or atypical presentation and in neonates or infants. It relies on biological tests (measurement of serum/plasma levels of C1INH function, C1INH protein, and C4), genetic testing in selected cases, and imaging for differential diagnosis of acute abdominal crises. Main differential diagnosis for peripheral oedema is mast cell-mediated oedema that accounts for 95 % of angioedema in clinical practice. Quality of life can be significantly impaired. Disease management includes treatment of attacks, short-term and long-term prophylaxis, psychological support, avoidance of triggers, patients’ and parents’ education and coordination of all stakeholders, ideally within a specialized healthcare network. New plasma kallikrein inhibitors, namely lanadelumab (subcutaneous route) and berotralstat (oral route) have facilitated long-term prophylaxis thanks to improved usability.

Analyzed the clinical characteristics and genetic characteristics of two patients with the U2AF2 gene variant causing systemic malformation and epilepsy. Methods The clinical data and genetic test results of two patients with systemic deformity and epilepsy were retrospectively analyzed, and the literature was reviewed. Results All two patients presented with

Case report: CT Manifestations of Primary Esophageal TuberculosisZhong Huang1, Shaoyong Zhang2, Ruikun Liao3, Zhi Wang41Department of Radiology, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Qijiang District, Chongqing Municipality, 401420, China;2Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Qijiang District, Chongqing Municipality, 401420, China;3Department of Radiology, Shapingba Hospital affiliated to Chongqing University (Shapingba District People’s Hospital of Chongqing) ,Chongqing, 400030, China;4Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Qijiang District, Chongqing Municipality, 401420, China;Correspondence: Zhi Wang, M MedDepartment of Gynecology, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Qi jiang District, Chongqing Municipality, 401420, ChinaE-mail: 17772429906@163.comZhong Huang and Shaoyong Zhang are the Co-first Author

A document by Shahab Noorian. Click on the document to view its contents.

Ambient signatures related to the power grid, such as the Electrical Network Frequency (ENF) have been exploited for multimedia authentication in terms of time and location, motivating the investigation of power grid signatures for the Internet-of-Things (IoT) data verification. In this paper, Electrical Network Voltage (ENV) is proposed as a more refined signature than ENF for IoT data verification in terms of location. ENV reflects the variations of the power system’s supply voltage over time and is also present in the optical sensing data, akin to ENF. A physical model showing the presence of such power grid signature, ENV, in the optical sensing, is presented, along with the corresponding signal processing mechanisms to estimate and utilize ENV signals present in the power and optical sensing as location stamps. Experiments are conducted within the state of Maryland in the United States to demonstrate the feasibility of using ENV signals for location authentication of IoT data.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited red blood cell disorders in the world, and the vast majority of infants born with SCD are from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Recent studies have definitively established that hydroxyurea is safe and highly effective for children with SCD in SSA. However, there is a lack of data on the long-term outcomes for children with SCD in SSA beyond early childhood. Procedure: We conducted a retrospective analysis of AYA SCD patients ≥16 yo who received care in a pediatric SCD clinic in Malawi between January 2015 and December 31, 2022 Results: We identified 207 patients ≥16 yo in the SCD clinic electronic database. The vast majority (195, 94%) were alive and receiving care in the pediatric SCD clinic. Three patients had died, and 9 were lost to follow-up. The mean age of patients alive and receiving care was 18±1.9 yo. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.7±1.1 yo. Nearly all AYA patients (N=187, 96%) were taking hydroxyurea for a mean duration of 6±2.7 years. Mean baseline laboratory values were: hemoglobin 8.0±1.3 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume 92±8.4 fl, white blood count 14.2±7.0 × 10 3 /µL, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 6.2±4.8 × 10 3 /µL, and platelets 343±167 × 10 3 /µL. Among all patients, 21% had at least one transfusion, and 23% of patients had been hospitalized at least once for sickle cell-related complications. Conclusion: We provide the first description of an AYA cohort with SCD receiving routine care with hydroxyurea in a dedicated pediatric clinic under real-world conditions. This study highlights hydroxyurea’s long-term feasibility and underscores the need to enhance the capacity for comprehensive adult care, especially in SSA’s rapidly expanding AYA population.

The healthcare sector is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, and reduction and proper sorting of healthcare waste is essential to achieve sustainable healthcare. This study aimed to characterize the quantity and composition of pharmaceutical waste from a major Danish hospital. Pharmaceutical waste was collected from Odense University Hospital, including departments located in both Odense and Svendborg. The average daily production of pharmaceutical waste was 1150 g/day in Odense and 5967 g/day in Svendborg, with the operating rooms in Svendborg contributing 3143 g/day. The amount and composition of pharmaceutical waste varied greatly between departments, but some common patterns were identified. Propofol accounted for about one third of the pharmaceutical waste obtained from operating rooms. Antibiotics for systemic use constituted a significant proportion of the pharmaceutical waste from several departments, and were the therapeutic group from which most different drugs were identified. Paracetamol accounted for 33.5% of the discarded tablets/capsules in Odense and 12.6% in Svendborg. Medications dispensed by automated dose dispensing accounted for a significant proportion of the discarded tablets/capsules in departments using this service. This study highlights some key areas for reduction and management of pharmaceutical waste, and contributes to the currently limited evidence within this area.

Introduction Cochrane Rehabilitation recently developed a new definition of rehabilitation for research purposes with 80 global stakeholders, aiming to support and improve the production and reporting of primary and evidence synthesis rehabilitation studies. Objective 1. To compare how Cochrane Systematic Review (CSR) authors describe rehabilitation interventions against criteria derived from the new rehabilitation definition, and 2. To assess limitations or gaps in the rehabilitation definition. Methods: We analysed a sample of 124 randomly-selected CSRs tagged in the Cochrane Rehabilitation database. We converted the Cochrane Rehabilitation definition for research purposes into a set of 13 criteria grouped in the four PICO elements and searched for the corresponding key elements in each CSR. We verified if and where in the review these elements were present. Two reviewers rated each CSR, resolving disagreements a third author when needed. We analysed the findings using descriptive statistics. Results Eight (6.5%) out of 124 CSRs met all rehabilitation definition criteria. These were CSRs that investigated the effects of complex rehabilitation intervention. Three (2.4%) CSRs did not meet any PICO elements. Overall, the ”Intervention-General” element and disability criterion had the highest prevalence of absent and unclear reporting, while the “Intervention-Specific” and “Outcome” elements were most frequently reported, albeit not in the “Description of the intervention” section of the review. Discussion This study showed that the key elements of the new rehabilitation definition are almost always reported in publications identified as rehabilitation review, but not always consistently or clearly. The disability criterion was frequently unreported given that the main aim of rehabilitation is reducing disability. Also, the main elements of rehabilitation were frequently not reported. We did not find important gaps in the new definition. All elements of the new definition should be considered when writing review protocols and designing strategies and tools on rehabilitation topics.

Temperate forests on their warm and dry distribution limit are expected to be most vulnerable to reductions in water availability. This prediction is mostly based on studies assessing single forest functions, mainly growth. Water and nutrient cycling are functions that rely on tree roots and their symbiotic association with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. Trees can compensate for seasonal reductions in water availability by shifting root water-uptake (RWU) towards deeper soil layers, but ECM fungi dwell in the upper soil, thus suffering from desiccation and compromising nutrient uptake. We hypothesised that drier sites should depict larger seasonal shifts in RWU, but at the expense of lower diversity and colonization of fine roots by ECM fungi. We selected three beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests in their warm distribution limit with contrasting geographic locations and mean annual precipitation: northern Atlantic (2500mm), intermediate transitional (1150mm) and southern Mediterranean (780mm). We collected soil, stem and root samples in spring (wet) and summer (dry) to quantify fine-root density and colonization by ECM fungi, to infer RWU from isotopic composition of plant and soil water, and to characterize ECM fungal diversity through DNA metabarcoding. High moisture in the upper soil benefited the ECM community, but higher diversity and fine-root colonization by ECM fungi in the upper soil did not imply larger contributions of this soil layer to RWU. The prevailing climate and local abiotic conditions determined how ECM communities structured, more than seasonal variability. Across sites, ECM communities differed in their functional diversity: ECM fungi with long hyphae, more vulnerable to water scarcity, dominated at the site with the highest water availability. Our results suggest that transient reductions in soil water availability might not compromise RWU but could be detrimental for maintaining ECM-mediated nutrient uptake in beech forests experiencing longer and more severe drought periods under current climate change.

Background: Equine trigeminal-mediated (TGM) headshaking (HS) is a facial pain syndrome characterised by varying intensity and frequencies of head movements and nasal irritation. An accurate method for quantification and/or characterisation of severity is lacking. Objectives: To develop and validate an objective measure of TGMHS. Study design: Prospective case control study. Methods: Horses presenting for HS were recruited alongside those presenting for forelimb lameness (LAME) and pre-purchase examination as well as healthy controls (CONTROL). Head movement data were collected for five minutes whilst trotting on the lunge using a tri-axial accelerometer (range ±16g, sampling rate of 800Hz) on the bridle headpiece. Recordings were exported and peak detection performed using minimum and maximum thresholds of -1g and +1g (corrected for gravity) and a minimum peak width of 10 samples. Results: Fifty-six horses were included in the study; 18 TGMHS, 10 non-TGMHS, 12 LAME and 16 CONTROL. Characteristics and frequency of vertical (Z axis) head movements of TGMHS horses differed significantly from other horses. TGMHS horses had peaks with greater mean and maximum positive g-force (P<0.005) and lower mean and minimum negative g-force (P<0.001), greater frequency of peaks/min (P<0.001), and over twelve times greater percentage of peaks >+2g compared to other horses (P<0.001). Receiver operator curve characteristics of percentage of peaks >+2g (CI 0.72-0.95), percentage of peaks <-2g (CI 0.66-0.92), and percentage of peaks <-2g and >+2g (CI 0.72-0.96) showed excellent discrimination of TGMHS horses from LAME, CONTROL and non-TGMHS horses. Main limitations: Referral population of horses, small sample size, and control horses were not evaluated for orthopaedic disease. Conclusions: Accelerometer data from trotting exercise on the lunge gives an objective measure of HS and can differentiate between TGMHS, non-TGMHS, normal head movements, and those associated with forelimb lameness. Accelerometer use may aid HS diagnosis and monitoring of management strategies.

Old-growth forests in Southeast Asia are dominated by trees of the Dipterocarpaceae family which are targeted by selective logging. Their traits (supra-annual mast fruiting, limited dispersal, and recalcitrant seeds that form no seed bank) mean they can have poor natural regeneration rates in some selectively logged forests. Enrichment planting is commonly used to overcome recruitment limitation and increase restoration success. However, it is still unclear what factors influence the success rate of planted seedlings, including the characteristics of the surrounding tree matrix and local neighbourhood. Here, we examine the growth and survival of 721 enrichment line-planted seedlings within 24 plots of the selectively logged forest of the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment, in Malaysian Borneo, in relation to their species identity and local neighbourhoods. We mapped the spatial location, size, and identity of nearly 5,000 surrounding matrix trees (≥ 10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) within a 10 m radius of focal planted seedlings in 2012 and 2015. We analysed levels of tree density-dependence, asymmetric competition with naturally occurring trees, and confamilial density-dependence for each seedling. Survival and growth rates of enrichment planted seedlings were positively associated with canopy openness and total basal area of the surrounding tree matrix. These results were consistent between two planting cohorts. Increased survival and growth of enrichment planted seedlings in areas of the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment with higher canopy openness (up to around 40%) is consistent with understory light as a limiting resource. The unexpected higher survival and growth of enrichment planted seedlings in forest areas with higher basal area of unlogged remnant trees may be explained by the logging-induced creation of patches with varying local conditions, with those less heavily impacted by logging containing more naturally occurring trees, greater moderation of extreme high temperature and low humidity, more established mycorrhiza and reduced soil compaction.

Western European coastal dune landscapes are naturally dynamic and ever changing. However, in the past 100 years coastal dunes have become more stable and encroached by sand-fixating grasses and shrubby vegetation. The drivers of these changes are primarily due to human exploitation with deliberate planting for coastal protection and nitrogen deposition, mainly from agricultural sources. The effects of these changes on terrestrial plant communities in dune landscapes are well documented; they are becoming more homogenous and species poor especially due to the loss of specialized pioneer species. However, much less is known about the effects on the aquatic plant communities in the dune landscape. Here we studied the composition of plant communities in 38 shallow dune lakes in Northwest Denmark, with the aim to identify the effect of stabilization and vegetation encroachment on the aquatic plant communities. Fine benthic and dissolved organic matter (FBOM and DOC) along with lake type (permanent/temporary) was among the main explanatory factors for specialized dune lake plant communities. Isoetids and low-growing plant communities were negatively impacted by increasing amounts of FBOM and DOC, the latter being more pronounced in permanent lakes. At the same time, elevated amounts of organic matter led to an increase of emergent and amphibian plant communities. Stable isotope analysis suggested that the main source of organic matter was allochthonous, possibly resulting from a buildup of organic matter in the catchment of each lake. These results suggest that coastal dune fixation and vegetation encroachment affect plant communities in a similar manner to terrestrial communities, leading to a loss of rare and low-growing dune lake plant species specialists and a favoring of more common and competitive species.

Waveguide evanescent field fluorescence microscopy (WEFF) is an evanescent based microscopy utilizes a confined thin film of light, around 100 nm, to image the plasma membrane of cells attached to a waveguide. Low photobleaching and low background beside its high axial resolution allows time-lapse imaging to investigate changes in cell morphology in the presence or absence of chemical agents. Both large field of view (FOV) and uniform illumination are very important while imaging cell-substrate contacts with an evanescent field. In the current work, we demonstrate that the WEFF microscope is capable of large FOVs with a uniform illumination source and imaging over a very long time period with a simple and an inexpensive experimental setup. The interaction of the trypsin with plasma membranes of live osteoblast cells is investigated. To analyze cell images (250 images), instead of relying on manual tracking, which is time-consuming and can introduce numerous errors, we performed image processing using TrackMate to investigate the dynamic response of cells upon exposure to trypsin. This helps to save time and increase the accuracy of the analysis. The powerful tracking and analysis capabilities of the TrackMate plugin in ImageJ is used to automatically detect the cells boarder and traces each cluster of cells. The reduction in cell area is accompanied by a notable increase in mean intensity, reflecting changes in the intracellular environment. However, the background did not change during the experiment, which proves that the fluorescence material remains attached to the cell membrane and does not leak into the cell medium.

Anticipating the effects of global change on biodiversity have become a global challenge that requires new methods. Approaches like Species Distribution Models have important limitations which have fuelled the development of Joint Species Distribution Models (JSDM). However, JSDMs rely on community data from structured surveys. Nonetheless, no assessment on the suitability of JSDMs to work with unstructured data from opportunistic databases has been performed. Here we test JSDMs performance when using opportunistic databases. Using artificial data that mimic the limitations of such databases by subsampling complete cooccurrence matrices, we analysed how the completeness of opportunistic databases affects JSDMs in terms of (a) the role of independent variables on species occurrence, (b) residual species cooccurrence (as a proxy of biotic interactions), and (c) species distributions. Moreover, we illustrate how to evaluate completeness at the pixel level of real data with a study case of forest tree species in Europe, and evaluated the role of data completeness in model estimation. Our results with artificial data demonstrate that decreasing the retention percentage increase false negatives and negative cooccurrence probabilities, leading to loss of ecological information. However, JSDMs support different levels of degradation depending on the aspect of the model being considered. Models with 50 % of missing data are valid for estimating species niches and distribution, but interaction matrices would require more complete databases with at least 75% of data retention. Furthermore, in most cases JSDMs predict the original data even better than the data from subsampled matrices, both from testing and training subsets. All those findings were confirmed in the analysis with the real study case. We conclude that opportunistic databases are a valuable data source for JSDMs, but their use require a previous analysis of data completeness for the target taxa in the study area at the spatial resolution of interest.

Restoration can be an effective measure to counteract declines of reef-building coral populations. Besides decades of research and practice, very little to no emphasis has been placed on how the adequate selection of restoration sites can aid in the recuperation of ecologically critical processes such as connectivity. Combining image classification of drone-derived aerial data with geoinformatics, we aim to identify restoration sites that exhibit the highest potential to increase the structural connectivity and fertilization potential of coral keystone species, with a particular focus on Acropora palmata. We apply photogrammetry and Object-Based Image Analysis to map the substrate of two natural reefs with contrasting coverage and spatial distribution of the species, including a hypothetical reef with a random distribution as a comparative baseline to represent a highly structurally degraded system. Priority restoration sites at each reefscape are then identified through spatial modelling using three connectivity metrics from classical landscape ecology. Our modelations suggest that restoration sites connecting or bordering major patches of A. palmata have the greatest potential to increase structural connectivity. Reefs of more degraded status are favourable because they exhibit a greater increase in connectivity metrics per area restored, while also maximizing the fertilization potential between outplanted and existing colonies. Furthermore, the spatial extent that needs to be restored to achieve maximum efficiency is greatly dependent on the initial coverage and distribution of the focal species and should, as such, always be considered in initial and repetitive restoration activities. We show the importance to include spatial planning in the site selection process of coral reef restoration and provide a methodological framework that can aid in tailoring related strategies in accordance with the spatial arrangement of the target species.

The use of multi-band matching for rectifiers leads to design complexity. Instead, recent advancements suggested self-matched branches combined in parallel to enable multiband operation. However, this method controls only the imaginary part. In this letter, we propose an efficient dual-band rectifier with compact realization. The rectifier consists of two self-matched parallel branches. Each branch provides comprehensive impedance control over real and imaginary parts in the corresponding band independent of the design frequency. The branch impedance matching is analyzed theoretically, and design equations are presented. To verify the proposed theory, a compact dual-band rectifier was fabricated with a compact area of only 0.42 cm2 after excluding the area required for the RF connector. The measured RF-DC power conversion efficiency (PCE) was > 50% for input power (𝑷𝒊𝒏) ranging from -5.5 dBm to 11 dBm at 390 MHz with a peak of 69%. Also, the PCE was > 50% for 𝑷𝒊𝒏 ranging from -4 dBm to 12 dBm at 690 MHz with a peak of 68%. The fabricated rectifier operates with a wide load range from 0.5 KΩ to 3 KΩ with PCE > 50% at both bands when 𝑷𝒊𝒏 = 𝟓 dBm.

Increase in the agricultural production has resulted in the accumulation of plant based materials which can be used as starting materials for various sophisticated applications. Low cost, easy availability and low toxicity makes these carbonaceous materials much needed for various applications. These plant based biomass is a good natural source to produce nanoporous carbon materials (NPCM). They are endowed with properties like high specific surface area, good pore volume, possibility of surface functionalization and heteroatom doping etc. This review gives an overview about various plant derivatives used for the synthesis of NPCM. Most of these biomass materials are plant wastes which otherwise add to pollution. These bio materials are carbonized and activated using various activation agents to form NPCM with excellent surface properties. Out of the myriad applications of NPCM, this review focuses mainly on the adsorption of polluting chemicals as well as their effectiveness in energy storage systems.

Objective: Assess to what extent caesarean section (CS) indications followed evidence-based, locally co-created guidelines and identify reasons contributing to non-medically indicated CSs. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Five urban, high-volume maternity units in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Population: Women underwent CS during a three-month period at each maternity unit, between 1. October 2021 and 31. August 2022. Exclusion criteria: unavailable records or unknown indication. Methods: Case files of CS were audited against pre-defined, localised criteria. Main Outcome Measures: CS rate, indications and proportion of non-medically indicated CSs. Results: The CS rate was 31% (2949/9364); 2674/2949 (91%) CSs were included for analysis. Main indications were previous CS (1133/2674; 42%), prolonged labour (746/2674; 28%), and fetal distress (554/2674; 21%). Overall, 1061/2674 (40%) did not comply with audit criteria, main reasons being one previous CS with no trial of labour (526/1061; 50%); reported prolonged labour without actual slow labour progress (243/1061; 23%); and fetal distress with normal FHR (120-160 BPM) at time of decision (225/1061; 21%). Conclusion: Two in five CSs were categorised as non-medically indicated at time of decision. Particularly, fear of poor outcomes and delay in accessing emergency surgery may cause resource-consuming ‘defensive decision-making’ for CS. Investments in conducive urban maternity units are crucial to ensure safe vaginal births and to reach a population-based approach to ensure best possible timely care for all with the limited resources available. Funding: Danida Fellowship Centre, Denmark (18-08-KU), Aarhus University Research Foundation and Laerdal Global Health (2021-0095; 40662).