Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) can efficiently convert the chemical energy of fuel into electricity, with alternative fuel range. Ammonia has been regarded as a promising fuel for PCFCs due to its carbon-free and hydrogen-rich properties and easy storage/transportation. However, the performance of ammonia PCFCs (NH3-PCFCs) is inferior to the hydrogen PCFCs (H2-PCFCs) because of sluggish and complex kinetics at anode. In this work, we establish an elementary reaction kinetic model for NH3-PCFCs, investigate the effect of reaction parameters, and explore the coupling mechanism between the ammonia decomposition and electrochemical reaction. Importantly, the ammonia decomposition and electrochemical reaction can be regulated by adjusting anode parameters, then affecting the performance ratio of NH3-PCFCs and H2-PCFCs. Thus, the ammonia-hydrogen performance ratio of the cell can exceed 95% at 550 ℃ after accelerating the ammonia decomposition reaction. Our work provides insights into the kinetics in NH3-PCFCs for improving their performance with optimization.

The precise syntheses of transition–rare-earth metal clusters with desired structures remain a great challenge. Herein, by utilizing SO4 2– anion released by in-situ decomposition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a template, a series of novel high-nuclear ity 3d-4f clusters, formulated as [Ni24Pr22(μ3-OH)31(pida)24(SO4)4 (NO3)9(CH3 COO)3]·Br4·(NO3)11· 16H 2O·25CH3OH (1, H2pida = N-phenyliminodiacetic acid), [Ni24Nd22(μ3-OH)31(pida)24(SO4)4(NO3)9(CH3COO)3 ]·Br4·(NO3)11·14H2O· 24CH3OH·(2)·and [Ni24Gd22 (μ3-OH)36(bida)24(SO4)7(NO3)3(CH3 COO) 3]·(SO4)·Br4 ·(NO3)4·31H2O 32CH3OH (3, H 2 bida = N-benzyliminodiacetic acid), have been successfully isolated. X-ray crystal structure analyses reveal that all the cationic {Ni24 RE22}cores in 1–3 possess a ball-like structure with C3v symmetry, and can be viewed as consisting of an inner {RE22} core and an outer {Ni24} shell. From 1 and 2 to 3, due to the lanthanide contraction effect, the coordina -tion numbers for rare-earth metal centers in {RE22} are different, resulting in differ-ent number of SO42– and NO3– anions to support and stabilize the skeleton structures. Meanwhile, the magnetic properties of com-plexes 1–3 were also studied. The result revealed that complexes 1–3 show antiferromagnetic /ferrimagnetic interactions, and 3 ex-hibits magneto-caloric effect at ultralow temperatures with a maximum –ΔSm (magnetic entropy change) value of 33.03 J·kg−1 ·K−1 at 3.0 K and 7 T.

Fast and accurate large-eddy simulation (LES) of the atmospheric boundary layer plays a crucial role in advancing wind energy research. Long-duration wind farm studies at turbine-resolving scales have become increasingly important to understand the intricate interactions between large wind farms and the atmospheric boundary layer. However, the prohibitive computational cost of these turbulence- and turbine- resolving simulations has precluded such modeling to be exercised on a regular basis. To that end, we implement and validate the Generalized Actuator Disk (GAD) model in the computationally efficient, graphics processing unit (GPU)-resident, LES model FastEddy ®. We perform single-turbine simulations under three atmospheric stabilities (neutral, unstable and stable) and compare them against observations from the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility and other LES codes from the recent turbine wake model benchmark of Doubrawa et al. (2020). Our idealized LES results agree well with observed wake velocity deficit and downstream recovery across stability regimes. Turbine response in terms of rotational speed, generated power, torque, and thrust coefficient, are well predicted across stability regimes and are consistent with the LES results from the benchmark. The FastEddy ® simulations are found to be at least two orders of magnitude more efficient than the traditional CPU-based LES models, opening the door for realistic LES simulations of full wind plants as a viable standard practice.

The importance of scale when investigating ecological patterns and processes is recognised across many species. In marine ecosystems, the processes that drive species distribution have a hierarchical structure over multiple nested spatial and temporal scales. Hence, multi-scale approaches should be considered when developing accurate distribution models to identify key habitats, particularly for populations of conservation concern. Here, we propose a modelling procedure to identify the best spatial and temporal scale for each modelled and remotely sensed oceanographic variable to model harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) distribution. Harbour porpoise sightings were recorded during dedicated line-transect aerial surveys conducted in the summer of 2016, 2021 and 2022 in the northeast Atlantic. Binary generalised additive models were used to assess the relationships between porpoise presence and oceanographic variables at different spatial (5, 20 and 40 km) and temporal (daily, monthly and across survey period) scales. Selected variables included sea surface temperature, thermal fronts, chlorophyll-a, sea surface height, mixed layer depth and salinity. A total of 30,514 km was covered on-effort with 216 harbour porpoise sightings recorded. Overall, the best spatial scale corresponded to the coarsest resolution considered in this study (40 km), while porpoise presence showed stronger association with oceanographic variables summarised at a longer temporal scale (monthly and averaged over survey period). Habitat models including covariates at coarse spatial and temporal scales may better reflect the processes driving availability and abundance of prey resources at the large scales covered during the surveys. These findings support the hypothesis that a multi-scale approach should be applied when investigating species distribution. Identifying suitable spatial and temporal scale would improve the functional interpretation of the underlying relationships, particularly when studying how a small marine predator interacts with its environment and responds to climate and ecosystem changes.

Background Evidence shows that nurse navigation is effective for patients diagnosed with cancer. Research on the effects of oncology nurse navigation on mental health is ongoing, but few studies have investigated the impact of such interventions on medical experience, demoralization, and distress. Further, nurse navigation is rarely implemented in Taiwan. Aims To investigate the prevalence of mental health problems and whether oncology nurse navigation improved the mental health outcomes and medical experience of patients with cancer. Methods and results In this randomized controlled clinical trial, we recruited 128 outpatients with cancer via purposive sampling from a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Participants were randomly assigned to the navigation group (received navigator and usual care; N = 61) or the usual-care group (received usual care only; N = 67). Questionnaires included the self-reported Distress Thermometer, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Demoralization Scale, and Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care. Data were collected at baseline and after three and six months of the intervention and analyzed using descriptive statistics and unpaired t, Mann–Whitney U, chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze differences between the groups. The prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, distress, and demoralization were 17.9%, 15.7%, 29.7%, and 29.7%, respectively. After three months, participants in the navigation group exhibited significantly reduced anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 0.106, p = 0.003), demoralization (OR = 0.294, p = 0.017), and emotional distress (OR = 0.314, p = 0.047), and reported a better medical experience (OR = 1.418, p = 0.020) than those in the usual-care group. However, there was no significant treatment effect at six months. Conclusions Oncology nurse navigation may offer benefits for the mental health and medical experience of patients with cancer. Nurse-navigator roles and programs should thus be expanded across healthcare systems.

Misconceptions on Behavioral Cough Suppression Therapy for Pediatric Nonspecific Cough: A Response to Weinberger and Buettner’s Commentary on Fujiki et al.Laurie Slovarp, PhD, School of Speech, Language, Hearing, & Occupational Sciences, University of MontanaMarie Jette, PhD, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusJane Reynolds, PhD, School of Speech, Language, Hearing, & Occupational Sciences, University of MontanaAmanda Gillespie, PhD, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Emory UniversityJulie Barkmeier-Kraemer, PhD, Division of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of UtahMary Sandage, PhD, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Auburn UniversityJaclyn Smith, PhD, Biology, Medical and Health Sciences, The University of ManchesterJemma Haines, BSc(Hons), Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustAnne Vertigan, PhD, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of NewcastleStuart Mazzone, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of MelbourneCorresponding author: Laurie Slovarp, PhD,School of Speech, Language, Hearing, & Occupational Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812. Laurie.slovarp@umontana.edu (p) 406-243-2107 (f) 406-243-2362 Orcid ID: 0000-0002-3547-4092Key words : pediatric chronic cough, habit cough, suggestion therapy, speech-language pathologyFunding : noneConflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.Author Contributions :Laurie Slovarp: conceptualization, writing original draft, review and editingMarie Jette: conceptualization, writing original draft, review and editingJane Reynolds: conceptualization, writing original draft, review and editingAmanda Gillespie: conceptualization, writing original draft, review and editingJulie Barkmeier-Kraemer: review and editingMary Sandage: review and editingJaclyn Smith: review and editingJemma Haines: review and editingAnne Vertigan: review and editingStuart Mazzone: writing, review, and editingAbstract/Summary : This commentary responds to Weinberger and Buettner’s critique of Fujiki et al.’s study on behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) for pediatric chronic cough. While acknowledging their contributions, it addresses inaccuracies and clarifies key aspects of BCST. The commentary highlights discrepancies in terminology, challenges assertions regarding diagnostic evaluations, and emphasizes the need for controlled trials to assess treatment efficacy.In their engagement with the study by Fujiki et al.1, Weinberger and Buettner2 bring attention to critical aspects of behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) and pediatric chronic cough treatment. While their contributions are valued, it is imperative to address certain inaccuracies and clarify key aspects of the study and BCST provided by specialized speech-language pathologists (SLPs).Firstly, Weinberger & Buettner inaccurately state that Fujiki et al. identified the children as having ”behavioral cough.” The term ”behavioral cough” in the paper was used only in the context of ”behavioral cough suppression therapy,” describing the treatment rather than the children’s cough diagnosis. The authors, in fact, used the term ”nonspecific cough/tic cough” in accordance with current CHEST and ERS guidelines3-5. Weinberger & Buettner’s assertion that ”historical evidence and current practice support “habit cough” as the appropriate diagnosis” lacks substantiation and contradicts contemporary CHEST guidelines5. We are particularly puzzled by Weinberger & Buettner’s advocacy for the term habit cough when Dr. Weinberger is listed as an author on a 2015 CHEST guidelines publication that explicitly advises against the use of these terms, deeming them ”out of date and inaccurate”5.Weinberger & Buettner also criticize the use of extensive evaluations for the children in the sample, arguing that “habit cough” can be diagnosed based on clinical presentation alone—specifically in the presence of a barking or honking cough and absence of the cough during sleep. Interestingly, the same CHEST guidelines, of which Weinberger is an author, specifically cautions against using the diagnostic terms of “psychogenic” or “habit cough” solely based on a barking or honking sound or the absence of cough during sleep, stating that these three clinical presentations lack specificity5. A barking or honking cough can occur with other diseases such as tracheomalacia or bronchiectasis6; and it is well documented that sleep inhibits the cough reflex in adults even when an organic disease process is identified7; 8. Without evidence to the contrary, it is should be assumed that sleep similarly suppresses cough in children. Further, the purpose of Fujiki et al.’s paper was to examine whether BCST improves cough in children and to describe cough characteristics and comorbidities, not to advocate for extensive assessments. Although, it is noteworthy that laryngoscopy revealed structural laryngeal pathology in several cases, challenging Weinberger & Buettner’s assertion that the described assessments were unjustified.Regarding the treatment described in Fujiki et al., Weinberger & Buettner characterize BCST as an “alternative to suggestion therapy.” This overlooks that BCST instructs in strategies to suppress cough, akin to his “suggestion therapy.” Therefore, it seems that BCST is not necessarily an alternative but rather a similar therapy with a different name. This overlap emphasizes the need for clarity in terminology. Importantly, in adults with chronic cough a loss of centrally (brain) mediated cough suppression has been demonstrated using functional brain imaging9.  Although empirical data in children is not available, it seems conceivable that similar mechanisms may be in operation, providing a neurobiological basis for why cough suppression training is often beneficial and supporting the use of terminology that emphasizes this aspect of the therapy.Additionally, Weinberger & Buettner’s argument that 45 pediatric pulmonologists ”already indicate they readily diagnose habit cough and successfully treat with suggestion therapy,” implies a stance against SLP treatment. However, considering there are thousands of pediatric pulmonologists in the U.S. alone, the sample size of 45 falls short of substantiating the claim that ”many” pulmonologists universally adopt this approach or that additional clinicians, such as SLPs, are unnecessary to assist these patients effectively. The argument lacks robust evidence and fails to account for the role of additional clinicians, such as SLPs, to address pediatric chronic cough effectively. Further, a substantial proportion of children in Fujiki et al.’s sample presented with phonotraumatic lesions (e.g., vocal nodules), which SLPs are specifically trained to address through behavioral treatment.Lastly, Weinberger & Buettner suggest that conducting a controlled trial for suggestion therapy is impractical due to the reported low frequency of referrals. We disagree that the size of the population is a valid argument for not conducting a randomized controlled trial. A control group is needed to robustly assess the efficacy of any treatment, particularly in the case of cough interventions which are particularly vulnerable to placebo effect10; 11. Weinberger & Buettner suggest that it would be unethical to withhold suggestion therapy for the sake of a randomized clinical trial; however, one could easily design a study that allowed for those randomized to a control treatment to be eligible for suggestion therapy upon completion of the control arm. Given Dr. Weinberger’s data suggests suggestion therapy eliminates nonspecific/tic cough in less than one week, such children would need to wait no more than one to two weeks before becoming eligible for suggestion therapy and it should be possible to demonstrate such a substantial effect in a relatively small number of subjects in a randomized controlled trial.We agree with Dr. Weinberger that SLP skills vary. As is the case with any clinical discipline, there are many subspecialties in the field of speech-language pathology and varying levels of skill and expertise within those subspecialties. BCST training is not standard in SLP training programs, and, therefore, requires special training.In conclusion, we think these clarifications underscore the importance of understanding Fujiki et al.’s paper in its correct context, and will advance a more nuanced and informed discussion on pediatric cough disorders and BCST’s role in treatment. We acknowledge Weinberger & Buettner’s contribution to pediatric cough management. The data reported in this letter and other publications12; 13, although anecdotal, suggests that behavioral treatment focused on cough suppression is effective. Given this, we encourage Weinberger and Buettner to complete a randomized controlled efficacy trial. If the data confirms efficacy, the study would significantly elevate the legitimacy of the treatment, increasing its use by other practitioners and benefitting pediatric patients with chronic cough.REFERENCES1. Fujiki RB, Wright ML, Fujiki AE, Thibeault SL. 2023. Factors influencing behavioral cough suppression therapy in children with nonspecific chronic cough. Pediatr Pulmonol. 58(12):3466-3477.2. Weinberger M, Buettner D. 2024. The habit cough syndrome. Pediatr Pulmonol. 59(2):260-262.3. Chang AB, Oppenheimer JJ, Irwin RS, Panel CEC. 2020. Managing chronic cough as a symptom in children and management algorithms: CHEST guideline and expert panel report. Chest. 158(1):303-329.4. Morice AH, Millqvist E, Bieksiene K, Birring SS, Dicpinigaitis P, Domingo Ribas C, Hilton Boon M, Kantar A, Lai K, McGarvey L et al. 2020. ERS guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in adults and children. Eur Respir J. 55(1).5. Vertigan AE, Murad MH, Pringsheim T, Feinstein A, Chang AB, Newcombe PA, Rubin BK, McGarvey LP, Weir K, Altman KW et al. 2015. Somatic cough syndrome (previously referred to as psychogenic cough) and tic cough (previously referred to as habit cough) in adults and children: CHEST guideline and expert panel report. Chest. 148(1):24-31.6. Spinou A, Lee KK, Sinha A, Elston C, Loebinger MR, Wilson R, Chung KF, Yousaf N, Pavord ID, Matos S et al. 2017. The objective assessment of cough frequency in bronchiectasis. Lung. 195(5):575-585.7. Lee KK, Birring SS. 2010. Cough and sleep. Lung. 188 Suppl 1:S91-94.8. Power JT, Stewart IC, Connaughton JJ, Brash HM, Shapiro CM, Flenley DC, Douglas NJ. 1984. Nocturnal cough in patients with chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Am Rev Respir Dis. 130(6):999-1001.9. Ando A, Smallwood D, McMahon M, Irving L, Mazzone SB, Farrell MJ. 2016. Neural correlates of cough hypersensitivity in humans: Evidence for central sensitisation and dysfunctional inhibitory control. Thorax. 71(4):323-329.10. Eccles R. 2009. Central mechanisms iv: Conscious control of cough and the placebo effect. Handb Exp Pharmacol. (187):241-262.11. Eccles R. 2010. Importance of placebo effect in cough clinical trials. Lung. 188 Suppl 1:S53-61.12. Lokshin B, Lindgren S, Weinberger M, Koviach J. 1991. Outcome of habit cough in children treated with a brief session of suggestion therapy. Ann Allergy. 67(6):579-582.13. Weinberger M, Hoegger M. 2016. The cough without a cause: Habit cough syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 137(3):930-931.

Aim: The range and biomass distribution of marine fish species offer insights into their underlying niches. Quantitative data are rare compared to occurrences and remain underused in species distribution models (SDMs) to explore patterns of realized niches– the actual space occupied by a species shaped by abiotic and biotic factors. Local densities drive differences in species contributions to ecological processes and ecosystem function rather than through presence alone, thus if a species growth rate is strongly controlled by macro-environmental conditions, then predicting geographical abundance or densities should be possible. Location: Baltic Sea Methods: We collated twenty years of standardized scientific bottom trawl surveys to fit an ensemble of SDMs to biomass (kg km-2) of four dominant demersal species (Common dab, European flounder, European plaice, Atlantic cod) within seasonal (winter and autumn) and decadal (2001-2010; 2011-2020) time windows. Covariates were represented with high-resolution oceanographic and habitat variables. Final prediction maps for each species were produced by weighted ensemble averages. Results: This work shows four distinct cases of spatiotemporal patterns. 1) Relative stasis in dab that is linked to the macro-environmental salinity gradient in the western Baltic Sea. 2) Flounder biomass showed spatial seasonality alongside increasing trends in the western Baltic Sea and declines in Bornholm Basin deeps. 3) Plaice have broadly increased in biomass density throughout the western Baltic Sea towards present, associated with bottom salinity and temperature. 4) Both juvenile and adult cod (≥35 cm) declined in biomass and distribution, greatest among juvenile cod in the Gdańsk deeps and for adult cod in Bornholm Basin by 2011-2020. Main Conclusions: This study maps biomass of the dominant Baltic Sea demersal fish, including seasonally-explicit patterns available from survey data. The biogeographic patterns described here expand beyond common occurrence data and suitability maps, which rarely discriminate between areas of high and low abundance.

Replicability of speciation and the maintenance of divergence after contact are poorly characterized processes, particularly in context of phylogeography and post-glacial range dynamics. Using contact zones located at the leading- and rear-edges of a species' range, we examined variation in outcomes to contact between divergent lineages of Campanula americana. We investigated whether contact zones vary in quantity and directionality of gene flow, how phylogeographic structure differs between contact zones, and how historic range dynamics may affect outcomes to contact. We found that all contact zones formed at similar times via secondary contact yet detected significant admixture in only the rear-edge contact zone. Across all contact zones, gene flow was asymmetric. Our results emphasize the dependence of speciation processes on phylogeographic structure, demographic history, and paleoclimatic range dynamics. Our results suggest that caution need be taken when treating species as cohesive or uniform evolutionary units.

Purpose Ascertainment of mortality is critical to epidemiologic studies. Secondary collected database studies face challenges given the need to record mortality data in health claims or electronic medical records. The National Death Index (NDI) is the gold standard for mortality data in the U.S. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of an advanced cancer cohort in the U.S. between January 2010 and December 2018, with an established NDI linkage. Mortality data sources, inpatient discharge, disenrollment, death master file (DMF), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Utilization management data (U.M.), and online obituary data were compared to NDI. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Per each source, death identified 60 days before and 30 days after NDI death was deemed a match. Results Among 40,692 patients, 25,761 (63.3%) had a death date using NDI; the composite algorithm had a sensitivity of 88.9% (95% CI= 88.5%, 89.3%), specificity was 89.1% (95% CI= 88.6%, 89.6%). At the same time, PPV was 93.4% (95% CI= 93.1%, 93.7%), NPV was 82.3% (95% CI= 81.7%, 82.9%), and when comparing each individual source, each had a high PPV but limited sensitivity. Conclusion The composite algorithm was demonstrated to be a sensitive and precise measure of mortality in advanced cancer patients in the U.S. from 2010 to 2018, while individual database sources were accurate but had limited sensitivity compared to the NDI.

Abstract: This study proposes a novel fusion-based approach using Google Earth Engine (GEE) to accurately model distinct drought phenomena in various environmental regions, with Iran as a case study. The method integrates Environmental Parameters (EPs) - Vegetation (Veg), Temperature (Tem), Humidity (Hum), and Evaporation-Transpiration (ET) - with auxiliary parameters such as land-cover, topography, and wind-speed to improve modeling accuracy. A 39-year (1982-2020) time series of 14 Remote Sensing (RS) indices and 18 Ground-Based (GB) drought indices were used as input and output, respectively, for training and testing machine learning algorithms in three phases. The results obtained during the test period (2015-2020) from each phase were employed in the next phase based on a hereditary procedure to evaluate the potential of the proposed indices and their associated EPs (group of indices). The Consolidated Fusion-Based Drought Model (CFDM) was developed as the final product, which demonstrated superior accuracy and stability compared to other models, with an overall accuracy (OA) higher than 90% for all GB indices. As a result, the CFDM has utilized for generating drought maps in Iran. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the simultaneous use of auxiliary parameters and EPs was demonstrated through the Prevalent Fusion-Based Drought Model (PFDM). Our approach entails a systematic framework that incorporates innovative parameters (indices/indicators) to accurately model drought phenomena. This can contribute to the development of effective management strategies.

Sustainable land management practices (SLMP) initiatives can be evaluated using soil physical characteristics and soil organic matter (SOM). SLMP effects on soil water hydraulic characteristics, penetration resistance (PR), and SOM were examined at Adigudom, northern Ethiopia. With three replications, we evaluated six land management types (exclosure AC, crop rotation CR, conventional tillage CT, grazing land GL, conservation agriculture CA, and fallow land FL) in Vertisols and Leptosols soils. Soil texture, infiltration rate (IR), cumulative infiltration (Ic), field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), SOM, and PR were measured. IR and Kfs were higher in AC (17.55 and 30.21 cm hr-1, 92.8 and 83.8 cm hr-1) on Vertisols and Leptosols, respectively, followed by CA (63.2 and 9.51 cm hr-1) on Vertisols, while the lowest IR and Kfs were observed in GL (9.40 and 7.45 cm hr-1, 2.43 and 2.37 cm hr-1), and CT (23.8 and 21.4 cm hr-1, 2.8 and 4.22 cm hr-1) on Vertisols and Leptosols, respectively. In AC, CA, and FL, interventions significantly impacted parameters derived water retention curve and PR soil quality indicators. AC, CA, and FL improved soil quality, however, GL and CT dryland farming reduced soil productivity. This shows how important soil parameters are for assessing SLMP programs.

Aim: Affective disorders such as depression and anxiety are one of the most prevalent symptoms observed in patients following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of the TELESPHOR study was to evaluate the antidepressant effectiveness and tolerability of agomelatine therapy in daily clinical practice in patients with major depressive episodes (MDE) post-COVID-19. Methods: This multicenter, observational study enrolled outpatients aged 18-65 years who experienced an MDE (17 item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAMD-17] total score of 8-24) within 3 months of laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and who had initiated treatment with agomelatine. Study visits occurred at weeks 2, 4 and 8. The primary outcome was the antidepressant effectiveness of agomelatine assessed by change in HAMD-17 total score at week 8. Secondary outcomes included changes in HAMD-17 item 10 (anxiety psychic) and item 11 (anxiety somatic), the proportion of responders (≥50% decrease in baseline HAMD-17) and remitters (HAMD-17 score ≤7 at week 8), and impact on quality of life (QoL) (Short Form Survey [SF-36] questionnaire). Tolerability was assessed at each study visit. Results: The full analysis set comprised 103 patients of whom 73 (70.9%) were women. Median age was 45 years, and in the past 3 months 81 (78.6%) had experienced mild and 22 (21.4%) moderate COVID-19. The mean time from onset of infection to study inclusion was 2.1±0.7 months. At study entry, 55 (53.4%) had mild and 48 (46.6%) had moderate MDE. Agomelatine was associated with a significant improvement in depression severity with decreases in mean total HAMD-17 score compared with baseline of 2.6±3.3, 6.7±5.3, and 10.9±4.9 at weeks 2, 4, and 8, respectively (P<0.0001 for all). Significant reductions in anxiety psychic and anxiety somatic were also observed. Mental and physical components of SF-36 were significantly improved compared with baseline (P<0.0001). The proportion of responders was 81.4% and the proportion of remitters was 71.6%. Agomelatine was well tolerated over the 8-week follow-up. Conclusion: Treatment with agomelatine was associated with rapid and significant antidepressive and anxiolytic effectiveness, improved QoL, and good tolerability in the treatment of patients with an MDE after COVID-19.

The entangled nature of first language learning, education, and literacyAbstractThe entangled relationship between first language acquisition, education, and literacy challenges conventional linguistic paradigms. This paper explores recent findings revealing the intricate interplay of these factors, particularly emphasizing the impact of education and literacy on grammatical knowledge. Drawing on studies conducted in diverse linguistic contexts, this paper argues against the universal applicability of conventional metrics such as the High Academic Attainment/Low Academic Attainment (HAA/LAA) cut-off to investigate the role of reading, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of linguistic development that considers local educational dynamics. Additionally, the paper discusses methodological challenges in studying illiterate populations and proposes alternative measures to capture the cumulative effects of language experience. Ultimately, the paper underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing inclusive research methodologies and educational interventions that address the diverse needs of learners worldwide. By embracing the complexities of language learning, education, and literacy, linguists can advance our understanding of human language capabilities and promote more equitable opportunities for linguistic development.IntroductionOver the last few decades, linguistics has assumed that native speakers of a language converge on the same grammatical knowledge uniformly and successfully (e.g., Chomsky 1965). However, recent studies show that individual differences in grammatical knowledge in L1 speakers is much more pervasive than it was postulated before (e.g., Dabrowska 2012). These studies show the impact of quality of input, which is modulated by education, literacy, and reading. Much of linguistics — for good or bad — has been influenced by what some call Chomsky’s hidden legacy (Christiansen & Chater 2016), and ignored effects that influence input quality.The idea that education may modulate linguistic knowledge is not surprising for several reasons — although it was and has been heavily ignored by many linguists, therefore unsurprising does not necessitate unimportant. Education is an amalgamation of opportunities for reading (becoming literate), and improving cognition. Formal education provides a stepping stone into becoming literate, and then sustaining these literacy practices (i.e., reading). It is now established that reading has a reciprocal effect on language and cognition, known as the Matthew Effect (e.g., Cunningham & Stanovich 1998) the more one reads, the better their cognition becomes, and the better their language skills become, which improve reading, which in turn improve cognition. This is a simplified way of putting it, the real entanglement may be more bidirectional than unidirectional. Secondly, a recent meta analysis shows that each year of schooling improves nonverbal IQ skills about 3 to 5 points on average (Ritchie et al. 2018).Speakers with fewer years of spent in formal education appear to demonstrate more individual differences in L1 grammatical knowledge and they appear to extract slightly different representations of constructions (both within and across groups). For instance, Dabrowska (1997) found that increasing number of years in formal education refine the use of syntactic cues in comprehending complex noun phrases in English. However, even highly educated speakers appear to differ in the way they extract generalizations from input (e.g., Gedik 2024, in prep).Several studies (e.g., Street & Dabrowska 2010; Street 2020) have used a high and low academic attainment cut (HAA and LAA, respectively) to investigate the relationship between native speakers’ performance on language tasks and education. These studies consider L1 speakers with an undergraduate degree or beyond to belong to the HAA group, and on average they have an average of 14-22 years of time spent in formal education. In contrast, LAA group consists of speakers with around 10 years of formal education. This is a considerable gap. In addition to this cut, emerging studies have also used illiterates, ex-literates, and literates as one continuum to investigate if education-related factors that were explained previously would interact with performance on language tasks. Emerging research shows that literacy may be an important predictor in predicting speakers’ performance on language tasks (Dabrowska et al. 2022, 2023; Gedik in prep).One question is the generalizibility of these “cuts” to other countries: does every country have the HAA/LAA cut? Similarly, there are countries with very low rates of illiteracy — and in WEIRD countries illiteracy is usually observed in individuals with mental disorders, rather than lack of opportunities of schooling. Many countries differ in the way they formalize education. In this paper, I will focus on Turkey as an example and argue why the HAA/LAA cut does not work for Turkey, then discuss its implications for other countries that may bear similarities. I will also argue that what we traditionally consider HAA (from a WEIRD perspective) in non-WEIRD or not-so-WEIRD countries (such as Turkey) may show as many individual differences as LAA speakers might in a traditionally WEIRD society. In doing so, I aim to invite linguists (and others in cognitive sciences) to carefully consider when using education-related measures and to take into account the local trends in education-related differences.Setting the scene: Higher Education in TurkeyIn Turkey, the education system is structured to provide a comprehensive framework for students from primary school through higher education. At the pinnacle of this system lies the university entrance exam, a crucial milestone that significantly impacts students’ educational trajectories and future career prospects. The university entrance exam, commonly known as the ”Yükseköğretim Kurumları Sınavı” (YKS), is a standardized test administered annually to assess students’ academic readiness for higher education. It is divided into two main components: the TYT (Turkish Proficiency Test) and the AYT (Academic Proficiency Test). The TYT evaluates students’ proficiency in Turkish language, mathematics, social sciences, and natural sciences, while the AYT focuses on more specialized subjects related to the student’s chosen field of study.One distinctive aspect of the Turkish education system is the tier system implemented within the university entrance exam. This tier system offers students the flexibility to choose between different exam tracks based on their academic strengths and career aspirations. The two main tiers are the standard track and the vocational track. In the standard track, students take the TYT and AYT exams, which cover a broad range of subjects and are designed for those seeking admission to traditional academic programs in universities. On the other hand, the vocational track caters to students interested in pursuing technical or vocational education. It includes additional exams tailored to specific fields such as health sciences, fine arts, or sports.Within Turkey’s tiered university entrance exam system, test takers not only face the challenge of achieving high scores but also navigating a complex ranking and admission process. After completing the exams, students are scored and ranked based on their performance relative to other test takers. However, admission to specific universities and majors is not solely determined by individual scores. Instead, each university and major sets its own minimum base score requirement.This minimum base score serves as a threshold that applicants must meet to be considered for admission to a particular university program. However, meeting this threshold does not guarantee admission. Since universities typically receive more applications than they have available spots, admission also depends on the ranking of the applicant relative to others who have applied to the same program. For instance, if two students apply to the same major at a university and one student has a higher score and ranking while listing that major as their preference, they will likely secure admission over the student with a lower score, even if they meet the minimum base score requirement, as every major also has maximum quotas.Furthermore, it is important to note that universities in Turkey vary significantly in terms of education quality and reputation. With over 200 universities across the country, there is a wide spectrum of academic offerings and institutional standards. Some universities are renowned for their research excellence, faculty expertise, and state-of-the-art facilities, while others may face challenges related to funding, infrastructure, or academic rigor. In short, where one studies significantly predicts the quality of education they will receive. This is not to say that WEIRD countries may not experience this, but it might take place to a smaller extent. Thus, while Turkey has around 8 million actively enrolled university students, of those 8 million, only very few may actually constitute a HAA group in the traditional sense.Why the HAA/LAA Cut May Not WorkFirst, I begin with evidence from a recent study conducted by Winckel & Dabrowska (2024) with L1 English speakers. These speakers were highly educated (15.5 years spent in formal education on average). When faced with very complex English sentences, print exposure – as measured by an author recognition task – over education (i.e., the number of years spent in formal education) was a more reliable variable predicting individual differences and accuracy in complex syntax comprehension (complex noun phrases, reduced relatives, X-is-difficult-answer, ditransitives). One potential criticism is that some of the constructions that Winckel and Dabrowska tested are too complex or do not constitute every day speech. However, relative clauses and ditransitives are used in spoken English frequently enough that they cannot be deemed peripheral. Therefore, measuring HAA speakers’ performance on more central or easier constructions would be interesting.One central grammatical construction is the Turkish aorist. It poses difficulties to children during acquisition since the aorist can be realized with multiple form-meaning pairings in various phonological environments. For instance, -Ar can occur with monosyllabic verbs, but -Ir can appear with monosyllabic sonorant ending verbs and multisyllabic verbs. In a recent study conducted by Gedik (2024) among a highly educated population (BA, MA, PhD holders from various universities in Ankara), print exposure accounted for more individual differences (over and above education operationalized as degree attained) in morphological productivity in nonce-verb conjugation with the Turkish aorist. Print exposure was measured using a self-reported reading questionnaire. This is quite interesting since the Turkish aorist is quite an integral part of Turkish grammar. That is, the aorist is used very frequently in spoken language as well as written language. Ideally HAA speakers should have performed at ceiling and homogenously on such a simple task that tested a central part of Turkish grammar. This shows that print exposure can influence the representation of certain constructions even among a highly educated population.In a separate study, Gedik (in prep) studies another central grammatical component of Turkish grammar: optional plural agreement. In Turkish, animate plural nouns may optionally be marked with the plural marker while speakers strongly disprefer marking the verb plural if the subject is plural inanimate. Gedik tested this construction using a timed force binary choice task in combination with print exposure and vocabulary size among 45 BA students from a high tier university. This time, print exposure was measured using an author recognition task, which is used widely in other linguistic studies investigating similar phenomena. The participants greatly differed in their use of the construction and print exposure as well as vocabulary size significantly predicted their preferences of using plural agreement. Once again, this shows that even among a highly educated sample at a good university in Turkey, reading may capture more differences than education.So the interim summary is that while in some countries, the HAA/LAA cut might work with certain constructions, in different parts of the world and in different languages (as well as constructions), print exposure might be a more viable option. This is because in such countries the number of years spent in formal education may not translate to a cumulative sustained experience with written materials. Importantly, author recognition tasks are not readily available for every language. In such circumstances, it might be useful to operationalize measuring print exposure with a self-reported reading questionnaire, although such questionnaires are known to be influenced by social desirability (e.g., Acheson et al. 2008, Gedik under review).There are instances where it is impossible to measure cumulative effects of experience with written language. After all, not every speaker is literate, or practices reading frequently. Among illiterate and ex-literate populations, print exposure cannot be utilized for obvious reasons. In such cases, there are several options that researchers have tried to approximate the cumulative effects of print exposure. These are group membership (literate, semi-literate, illiterate), 1-minute word reading (e.g., Simos et al. 2013), how long the person has received literacy instruction, and the number of years spent in formal education. Now, we discuss these measures in turn.Recently, several studies have investigated the relationship between acquiring literacy and its effects on morphosyntactic knowledge among L1 speakers. These studies (Dabrowska et al. 2022, 2023, Gedik in prep) revealed that group membership is a more reliable predictor of performance in tasks tapping into grammatical comprehension, even when compared to a continuous variable such words read correctly under 1 minute. This is quite odd since This is potentially due to the fact that the 1-minute word reading tasks measure two different constructs in different groups: in illiterate or semi-literate speakers, it potentially measures the speed at which orthographic decoding occurs whereas in literate speakers, it potentially measures the current reading fluency – which does not necessarily reflect the cumulative reading experience of a person. After all, Gedik (in prep) shows that some illiterate speakers who were learning to read overlapped in their performance of reading words with literate speakers. However, because performance in the 1-minute word reading task and group are very highly correlated (i.e., literate speakers could read more words on average than illiterate speakers), when group and the 1-minute word reading task are replaced in regression analyses, the results are highly comparable (Gedik, in prep).One important note with regard to group membership among illiterate speakers is that it is very difficult to detangle the effects of literacy, education, and cognition on grammatical performance. As Gedik (in prep) discusses, formal schooling teaches the L1 back to its native speakers, which improves cognition and language skills, which improve cognition, which improve language skills in turn and so on. Thus, specifying the cumulative effects of reading among illiterate speakers becomes extra difficult. Be that as it may, when working with illiterate speakers, group membership appears to capture more of the cumulative effects of exposure to written language, since it takes many years for grammar to be influenced by written language (cf. Dabrowska 2021).In this vein, it would make sense to include the other measures mentioned above (i.e., how long the person has received literacy instruction, and the number of years spent in formal education). However, there are several issues with these measures when working with illiterate populations. First, many illiterate speakers cannot attend school for various patriarchal or other reasons around the world. This renders using number of years in formal education useless since most participants would answer close to zero. Second, based on personal experience working with illiterate speakers and discussions with those who work with them, illiterate speakers may provide inaccurate or incomplete responses for how long they have received literacy instruction. This is because some speakers received on and off literacy instruction from friends and family, and some attend literacy classes on and off. Therefore, their answers are at best an approximation and hence do not provide to be reliable measures. Another issue with this measure is literate speakers from a certain age cohort will provide the same answer (i.e., age 7 for those above the age of 25).Where do we go from here?The exploration of the entangled nature of first language learning, education, and literacy unveils complexities that challenge traditional notions within linguistics. As evidenced by recent studies, the relationship between education, literacy, and grammatical knowledge is nuanced and multifaceted, with implications extending beyond theoretical frameworks to practical considerations in research methodology and pedagogy. Linguists need to be careful in selecting which measures to use in their studies and always consider both the population and the country specific conditions.The findings discussed above underscore the importance of reevaluating established paradigms within linguistics, particularly regarding the influence of education on linguistic competence. While conventional wisdom may suggest that higher levels of formal education equate to greater grammatical proficiency, emerging research suggests that this relationship is not straightforward. Instead, factors such as print exposure and literacy (group membership) play significant roles in shaping linguistic abilities, often surpassing the predictive power of education alone.Moreover, the context-specific nature of language acquisition and education becomes apparent when considering diverse linguistic communities and educational systems. The case of Turkey serves as a compelling example, highlighting the inadequacy of applying a universal HAA/LAA cut to measure linguistic proficiency. In non-WEIRD countries like Turkey, where educational trajectories are influenced by a myriad of socio-cultural factors and where the quality of education varies significantly among institutions, traditional metrics may fail to capture the complexities of linguistic development.Therefore, researchers must adopt a more nuanced approach to studying language and education, taking into account the unique socio-cultural contexts in which language acquisition occurs. This includes considering alternative measures of linguistic competence, such as print exposure and group membership based on literacy levels, which may better reflect the cumulative effects of language experience.Furthermore, the challenges posed by illiteracy highlight the need for innovative methodologies that accommodate diverse populations. Conventional measures such as years of formal education or duration of literacy instruction may prove inadequate for illiterate individuals, necessitating alternative approaches that account for their unique linguistic backgrounds and experiences.Moving forward, interdisciplinary collaboration between linguists, educators, and policymakers is crucial for developing inclusive research methodologies and educational interventions that address the diverse needs of learners worldwide. By embracing the entangled nature of language learning, education, and literacy, we can foster a deeper understanding of human language capabilities and promote more equitable opportunities for linguistic development.In conclusion, the entangled nature of first language learning, education, and literacy challenges conventional notions within linguistics and underscores the importance of considering diverse contexts and populations in research and practice. By embracing this complexity and adopting innovative approaches, we can advance our understanding of language acquisition and promote more inclusive educational practices globally.ReferencesAcheson, Daniel J., Justine B. Wells & Maryellen C. MacDonald. 2008. New and updated tests of print exposure and reading abilities in college students. Behavior Research Methods 40(1). 278–289.https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.1.278.Chomsky, Noam. 1965. Aspects of the Theory of Syntax . MIT press.Christiansen, Morten H. & Nick Chater. 2016. The Now-or-Never bottleneck: A fundamental constraint on language. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 39. e62.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X1500031X.Cunningham, Anne E & Keith E Stanovich. 1998. What reading does for the mind. American educator . AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 22. 8–17.Dąbrowska, Ewa. 1997. The LAD goes to school: a cautionary tale for nativists. Linguistics 35(4).https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1997.35.4.735.Dąbrowska, Ewa. 2012. Different speakers, different grammars: Individual differences in native language attainment. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 2(3). 219–253.https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.2.3.01dab.Dabrowska, Ewa. 2021. How writing changes language. In A. Mauranen & S. Vetchinnikova (eds.), Language Change: The Impact of English as a Lingua Franca. Cambridge University Press , 75–94. Cambridge University Press.https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CJES/article/view/78219.Dąbrowska, Ewa, Esther Pascual & Beatriz Macías Gómez-Estern. 2022. Literacy improves the comprehension of object relatives.Cognition 224. 104958.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104958.Dąbrowska, Ewa, Esther Pascual, Beatriz Macías-Gómez-Estern & Miquel Llompart. 2023. Literacy-related differences in morphological knowledge: A nonce-word study. Frontiers in Psychology 14. 1136337.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136337.Gedik, Tan Arda. 2024. Print exposure leads to individual differences in the Turkish aorist. Language Sciences 104. 101632.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2024.101632.Gedik, Tan Arda. Under review. Development of The Turkish Author Recognition Task (TART) and the Turkish Vocabulary Size Test (TurVoST).Gedik, Tan Arda. In prep. Literacy at Work: Ultimate Native Language Attainment. Book Manuscript.Gedik, Tan Arda. In prep. Linguistic Experience Predicts Optional Plural Agreement in Native Turkish Speakers.Ritchie, Stuart J. & Elliot M. Tucker-Drob. 2018. How Much Does Education Improve Intelligence? A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Science 29(8). 1358–1369.https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618774253.Simos, Panagiotis G, Georgios D Sideridis, Dimitrios Kasselimis & Angeliki Mouzaki. 2013. Reading fluency estimates of current intellectual function: demographic factors and effects of type of stimuli. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society . Cambridge University Press 19(3). 355–361.Street, James A. 2020. More lexically-specific knowledge and individual differences in adult native speakers’ processing of the English passive.Language Sciences 78. 101254.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2019.101254.Street, James A & Ewa Dąbrowska. 2010. More individual differences in language attainment: How much do adult native speakers of English know about passives and quantifiers? Lingua . Elsevier 120(8). 2080–2094.Winckel, Elodie & Ewa Dąbrowska. 2024. Language Analytic Ability, Print Exposure, Memory and Comprehension of Complex Syntax by Adult Native Speakers. Journal of Cognition 7(1). 7.https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.333.

Hydatid cyst of the sacrum :A case report

Naturally-acquired immunity following primary SARS-CoV-2 infection was investigated from 200 patients (90% of African extraction) who recovered from Covid-19 since at least ~ 2.4 months (72 days). The detection of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were performed by using an in-house ELISA assay against the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike1 protein (RBD/S1-IH kit), showing 73% of positive sera (146/200) with an Optical Density (OD) ranging from 0.13 to 1.19 and a median value of 0.56 (IC95: 0.51-0.61). Median OD value at 3 months (1.040) suddenly decreased after and remains stable around OD 0.5 until 15 months post-infection. No significant difference was found between male (M) and female (F) (median OD values :0.62 (M) vs 0.49 (F), P-value:0.073). In contrast, the OD median value was significantly higher among the 60-100 age group (0.87) compared to other groups, with a noteworthy odds ratio compared to 0-20 age group (OR: 9.69, P-value: 0.044*). Compared to a nucleoprotein ELISA commercial kit, a better concordance was found between anti-spike1 protein ELISA (RBD/S1-IH Elisa kit and a whole spike1 protein ELISA commercial kit) and revealed also higher seropositivity rates. These findings emphasize the relevance of specific ELISA kits for accurate seropositivity rates.

A document by Junyang Li. Click on the document to view its contents.

Abstract: This study explores the habitat distribution of Pterocarpus santalinus, a valuable rosewood species, across China, focusing on its response to current and future climate changes. Utilizing the MaxEnt model, we assess its suitable habitat under present conditions and future climate scenarios (SSPs126, SSPs245, and SSPs585). Our findings reveal that the current suitable habitat, spanning approximately 409,600 km², is primarily located in the central and southern parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, as well as in the Hainan provinces, along with the coastal regions of Taiwan, and the Sichuan-Chongqing border. The habitat’s distribution is significantly influenced by climatic factors such as temperature seasonality (bio4), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), annual mean temperature (bio1), and annual precipitation (bio12), while terrain and soil factors play a lesser role. Under future climate scenarios, the suitable habitat for P. santalinus is projected to expand, with a northeastward shift in its distribution center. This research not only sheds light on the geoecological characteristics and geographical distribution of P. santalinus in China but also offers a scientific basis for planning its cultivation areas and enhancing cultivation efficiency under changing climate conditions.

A document by Jeongjin Shin. Click on the document to view its contents.

A document by Ioannis Karageorgiou. Click on the document to view its contents.

Pulse injection of insulin analogues is an important strategy to control blood glucose concentrations and can be combined with α– glucosidase inhibitors to reduce adverse effects to improve glucose control. We propose a novel mathematical models with pulse injection insulin and α– glucosidase inhibitors , eating in the form of pulse blood glucose injection. The existence and uniqueness of the positive periodic solution is confirmed In type 1 diabetes, which is globally asymptotically stable. Further, the permanence of the system is given in type 2 diabetes. The numerical analysis verified the correctness of the theoretical calculation results, and show that the period and the dose of insulin injections and α– glucosidase inhibitors are crucial for insulin therapies. In addition, we systematically evaluated a reasonable strategy to treat diabetes combined with α– glucosidase inhibitors, which can provide more reasonable clinical strategies.

Objective: This study focused on the influences of individual beliefs about emotion controllability (ECB) and goodness (EGB) on the process of reappraisal and suppression using event­related potential (ERP) approach. Method: Ninety­two participants were divided into four groups (n = 23 for each group) according to their scores of ECB and EGB, and then were asked to engage in a picture­based emotion regulation task while EEG signals were recorded. Results: The results showed an interaction among EGB, ECB and emotion regulation strategy in early posterior negativity (EPN): Participants believing that emotions were good and controllable displayed enhanced EPN under reappraisal compared to suppression, implying that reappraisal instruction can potentiate early processing of negative stimuli in these people. Furthermore, an interaction between ECB (but not EGB) and emotion regulation was observed in the late positive potential (LPP). The parietal LPP (400­1000 ms) was significantly higher in negative­viewing vs. reappraisal and suppression conditions among participants believing that emotions were controllable, suggesting that the belief that emotions were controllable can help individuals effectively use reappraisal and suppression to reduce the level of unpleasant feelings. Differently, among participants holding that emotions were uncontrollable, the frontal (650­1700 ms) and parietal (400­1000 ms) LPPs were lower under reappraisal vs. suppression condition, indicating that they could benefit from the instruction of reappraisal, although they put in more effort for suppressing facial expression. Conclusion: These results highlight the role of emotion beliefs in emotion regulation.

The current study aimed to examine whether athletes with meditation experience better counteract decline in endurance performance and inhibitory control-relevant neurocognitive functions caused by mental fatigue compared to athletes without meditation experience. Twenty-four athletes with meditation experience (AM) and twenty-five athletes without meditation experience (ANM) were recruited and underwent either a 30-min 100% incongruent Stroop test in mental fatigue condition (MF) or 30-min 100% congruent Stroop test in control condition (CON) in a randomized-counterbalanced order. Subsequently, inhibitory control-relevant neurocognitive functions were assessed using the Flanker task and event-related potentials, followed by endurance performance evaluation using treadmill-based task. Visual analogue scale was used to evaluate perceived mental fatigue (VAS-MF) before (T1), after Stroop test (T2) and after Flanker task (T3), and then VAS for motivation (VAS-M) was also used to evaluate motivation in Flanker task and endurance performance. Results indicated that participants in the MF reported higher VAS-MF score at T2 (p = .001) and T3 (p < .001), and shorter time to exhaustion (p < .001), lower motivation (p = .040) in endurance task, and lower accuracy (p < .001) and smaller N2 amplitude (p = .007) in Flanker task, compared to the CON. Notably, these impairments were more pronounced in ANM, compared to AM. These findings underscore the potential benefits of meditation experience as a countermeasure to mitigate the negative effects of mental fatigue on endurance performance and inhibitory control.

Background: IL4, IL5, IL13, and IL17-producing CD4 T helper 2 (Th2)-cells and IL17-producing CD4 T helper 17 (Th17)-cells contribute to chronic eosinophilic and neutrophilic airway inflammation in asthma and allergic airway inflammation. Chemokines and their receptors are upregulated in Th2-Th17-mediated inflammation. However, the ability of CXCR1 and CXCR2 inhibition to suppress Th2 and Th17 cell-mediated allergic lung inflammation has not been reported. Methods: Mice sensitized and challenged with cat dander extract (CDE) mount a vigorous Th2-Th17-mediated allergic lung inflammation. Ladarixin is an orally bioavailable allosteric inhibitor of CXCR1 and CXCR2 and was orally administered in this model prior to CDE-challenge. The ability of ladarixin to modulate allergen-challenge induced recruitment of cytokine-secreting CXCR1 and CXCR2-expressing Th2- and Th17-cells and allergic lung inflammation were examined. Results: Allergen challenge in sensitized mice increased mRNA expression levels of Il4, Il5, Il13, Il6, Il1β, Tgfβ1, Il17, Il23, Gata3, and Rorc, recruited CXCR1- and CXCR2-expressing Th2 cells, Th17-cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils, inducing allergic lung inflammation. Administration of ladarixin vigorously blocked each of these pro-inflammatory effects of allergen challenge. Conclusions: Allosteric inhibition of CXCR1 and CXCR2 by oral administration of ladarixin vigorously blocks recruitment of CXCR1- and CXCR2-expressing Th2-cells, Th17-cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils in this mouse model of allergic lung inflammation. We suggest that the ability of oral ladarixin to mitigate Th2 and Th17-mediated allergic inflammation should be investigated in humans.

In planning for cislunar exploration and science missions, space agencies have been collaborating to enable communications, networking, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems to exchange information and provide services to cislunar spacecraft and space systems, thus helping each other to achieve their common goals. To achieve commonality and lower cost for mutual benefit, the strategy of interoperability is being adopted to help fit all the pieces together and function smoothly. Interoperability provides cislunar users the ability to operate in a collaborative environment similar to the terrestrial Internet, allowing them to share information, navigate safely despite increasing radio frequency congestion, and follow common processes and procedures for effective joint operations. Unlike prior government-dominated efforts, this ecosystem is expected to include for-profit (commercial) businesses, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions as active stakeholders. Ultimately, the goal is to enable a cislunar ecosystem of service providers and users to contribute to and/or utilize infrastructure and capabilities to achieve mission objectives that span the full range of human endeavors while supporting a variety of business models. This approach enables a Systems-of-Systems (SoS) such as a Network-of-Networks to be sustainable in the context of the LunaNet ecosystem as systems evolve over time in technologies, standards, component and subsystem upgrades, and user applications. This paper reports on the results of an effort to help frame the development of the international LunaNet architecture by providing a canonical definition of interoperability broad enough to meet these needs, examining architectural and operational implications of the definition, and exploring interoperability strategies and tactics to deploy and evolve the services proposed for cislunar exploration and science missions.