Background: Athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) have high rates of secondary injury. Insufficient return-to-sport screening may be due to standard functional tests not resembling chaotic sporting environments where injuries occur. Neurocognitive deficits among individuals with ACLR indicate that cognitive challenges during screening tests may better reveal atypical movement mechanics.

Hypothesis: Adding secondary cognitive tasks to drop vertical jumps (DVJs) would increase between-group differences in landing mechanics and jump height compared with the standard DVJ.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Forty sports-active individuals 24.9 ± 16.1 months after unilateral ACLR and 40 uninjured controls (both groups 50% female) performed DVJs; downward- or upward-pointing arrows indicated whether to drop only or complete the vertical jump. Conditions were (1) black arrow presented before drop and (2) black or red arrow presented during drop (red arrow pointing in opposite direction of requested motor action) together with a memory task involving letter recalling. Jump height and biomechanical time-series data from an 8-camera motion capture system and 2 force plates during the first 100 ms of landing were compared between groups using conventional and functional t tests, respectively.

Results: For the standard DVJ, the ACLR group had significantly less hip power and more hip abduction moment for the injured leg and uninjured leg, respectively, compared with controls. For the DVJ with secondary cognitive tasks, the ACLR group again showed significantly less hip power and more hip abduction moment but also less knee power, knee flexion moment, ankle power, and ankle dorsiflexion moment and lower jump height than controls.

Conclusion: The addition of secondary cognitive tasks during DVJs elicited further significant differences in landing mechanics and jump performance among athletes with ACLR compared with uninjured athletes than were found for the standard DVJ. The aberrant biomechanical outcomes for the ACLR group indicate an incomplete rehabilitation.

Clinical Relevance: The greater between-group differences in landing mechanics and jump height when adding secondary cognitive tasks to a DVJ indicate a need to provide neurocognitive challenges in rehabilitation and return-to-sport screening as a first step toward improved rehabilitation outcomes and more ecologically valid testing.

Introduction: More than a thousand new marine natural products have been isolated each year over the past ten years, and compared to synthetic compounds, the success ratio of approved marine drugs to the total number of reported potential marine natural products is extremely high. In a recent in vitro cytotoxicity test, 11 suberitenones-a class of oxidized sesterterpenes-were identified and shown to have low levels of cytotoxicity. This study focuses on the investigation of the anti-neoplastic ability of of these suberitenones through different in silico analysis.

Methods: The study uses a variety of computational techniques, including quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), ADMET, prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) prediction, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation.

Results and discussion: The molecular docking showed that Suberitenone I, Secosuberitenone A, and Suberitenone J exhibited higher binding affinity of - 8.9, -9.4, and -8.8 kcal/mole against CASP3, MAPK3, and EGFR respectively which is further supported by molecular dynamics simulation analysis and can be considered for in vitro and in vivo investigation as potential antineoplastic agents.

This study presents a seismic tomography analysis of the T & acirc;rgu Jiu region in southwestern Romania, an area that experienced an unusual earthquake sequence in 2023. Using P- and S-wave arrival times local earthquakes, we applied the LOTOS algorithm to produce high-resolution 3D crustal seismic velocities models. High Vp and Vs values in the northern and northeastern areas suggest the presence of dense, rigid geological formations, likely associated with consolidated magmatic or metamorphic units. In contrast, the central region exhibits low Vs values, coinciding with an active seismic zone and intersecting major fault structures. This suggests the presence of highly fractured and weakly consolidated rocks, potentially saturated with fluids. The Vp/Vs ratio in the central region reached values of >= 1.8-1.9, indicating fluid-filled fractures that may influence fault dynamics and earthquake occurrence. In the southern region, velocity anomalies suggest weakly consolidated sedimentary units with a high degree of fracturing. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the geodynamic behavior of the T & acirc;rgu Jiu area and its seismic hazard potential.

Wastewater monitoring is highly efficient in SARS-CoV-2 surveillance for tracking virus spread through travel, surpassing traditional airport passenger testing. This study explored the links between SARS-CoV-2 contents and variants from aircraft to city, assessing the impact of detected variants from international travellers versus the local population. A total of 969 variants using next-generation sequencing (NGS) were examined to understand the links between-aircraft, Arlanda airport, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and Stockholm city-and compared these to variants detected in Stockholm hospitals from January to May 2023. SARS-CoV-2 contents in WWTPs reflected local infection rates, requiring analysis from multiple plants for an accurate city-wide infection assessment. Variants initially detected in aircraft arriving from China did not spread widely during the study period. RT-qPCR is adequate for the detection of specific variants in wastewater, including Variants Under Monitoring. However, NGS remains a powerful method for identifying novel variants. Wastewater monitoring was more effective than clinical testing in the early detection of specific variants, with notable delays observed in clinical surveillance. Furthermore, a broad range of variants are detected in wastewater that surpasses clinical tests. This underscores the vital role of wastewater-based epidemiology in managing future outbreaks and enhancing global health security.

Background:  Registry data used to monitor clinical care need to be reliable, and the process for assuring data quality transparent. Here the auditing process of the Swedish quality registry for cardiac disease, SWEDEHEART, is described.

Methods: SWEDEHEART audits have been performed at 4 time-points in 2011 to 2018, with data quality audited in the 3 largest subregistries covering acute coronary syndromes (ACS), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Data is audited against electronic medical records by 4 controllers, centrally coordinated by a project leader. During the 2011 audit 13/71 (18.3%) of ACS-admitting hospitals and 8/28 (28.6%) of coronary catheterization labs reporting to the registry were audited. During the 2017 to 2018 audit all reporting sites (100.0%) were audited: 72 hospitals, 30 catheterization labs, and 75 CR centres, with more than 200,000 data points controlled.

Results: Overall data completeness in the 2017 to 2018 audit was as follows: SWEDEHEART-ACS 99.1%, SWEDEHEART-PCI 99.2%, and SWEDEHEART-CR 94.5%. The accuracy of registry data compared to electronic medical records was > 95.0% for all subregistries at all 4 audits ( P for trend < .0001), in 2017 to 2018 as follows: SWEDEHEART-ACS 97.5%, SWEDEHEART-PCI 98.4%, and SWEDEHEART-CR 95.8%. Data most often incomplete or inconsistent were data on time points, self-reported data, and data reliant on complex definitions.

Conclusion: The SWEDEHEART registry is a highly complete and accurate source of patient characteristics and processes of care, that can be reliably used for quality improvement such as monitoring quality of care, to compare hospitals at site-and national level, include in international comparisons, and for conducting high-quality registry-based research.

We show results from first-principles calculations for cerium at very high compressions. These reveal a most remarkable behavior in a material; depending on atomic volume, cerium adopts three distinct face-centered cubic (fcc) phases driven by different physical mechanisms. The two well-known a and phases are vigorously debated in the literature, but we focus on the a phase as a metal with delocalized character of the 4f electron. The ultimate high compression fcc phase, here named omega, is driven partly by electrostatics. Our density-functional theory (DFT) study excellently reproduces the experimentally known compression behavior of cerium up to a few Mbar but goes beyond those pressures with structural transitions to tetragonal, hexagonal, and cubic (fcc) phases occurring before 100 Mbar (10000 GPa or 10 TPa). The 4f-electron contribution to the chemical bonding is shown to rule phase transitions and compressibility. The change of 4f occupation nicely explains the pressure dependence of the structural axial ratio in the tetragonal phase. At very high pressure, structures known at low pressures return because of band broadening, electrostatic ion repulsion, and an increase in hybridization between states that under normal conditions can be considered core (atomic like) states and the valence-band states.

We investigate the real time dynamics of the radiation produced by a local quench in a d-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) with d > 2. Using the interpretation of the higher-dimensional twist operator as a conformal defect, we study the time evolution of the entanglement entropy of the radiation across a spherical entangling surface. We provide an analytic estimate for the early- and late-time behavior of the entanglement entropy and derive an upper bound valid at all times. We extend our analysis to the case of a boundary CFT (BCFT) and derive similar results through a detailed discussion of the setup with two conformal defects (the boundary and the twist operator). We conclude with a holographic analysis of the process, computing the time evolution of the holographic entanglement entropy (HEE) as the area of the Ryu-Takayanagi surface in a backreacted geometry. This gives a Page-like curve in agreement with the early- and late-time results obtained with CFT methods. The extension to a holographic BCFT setup is generically hard and we consider the case of a tensionless end-of-the-world brane.

Objectives: SLE and SSc are more common in women, partly due to differences in female sex hormones. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is widely used to alleviate climacteric symptoms. Here, the relationship between MHT and SLE/SSc was investigated in a nested case-control study.

Methods: Women with SLE or SSc and controls, matched 1 up to 10 on sex, birth year and region, from the general population of Sweden. Data on exposures and potential confounders were obtained from the National Patient and Prescribed Drug Register as well as the Longitudinal Integration Database for Health Insurance and Labour Market Studies. Exposure was defined as the dispensation of any MHT medication prior to the diagnosis/matching. The association between MHT and SLE/SSc, and whether the strength of the association, expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI, varied by type, route of administration, and duration of use, was assessed using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for education, income and sick leave.

Results: In total, 943 women with SLE and 733 women with SSc were identified between 2009 and 2019. We detected a significant association between MHT use and risk of SLE (OR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1–1.6), and SSc (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.2–1.7). Women who had both systemic and local MHT medications dispensed exhibited the highest risk of SLE (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.4–2.7) and SSc (OR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2–2.5).

Conclusion: These findings indicate an association between MHT and SLE/SSc, independent of socioeconomic factors, warranting further investigation into the role of exogenous female sex hormones in SLE/SSc pathogenesis.

Societal Impact Statement: Herbaria worldwide hold centuries of plant data that are key to understanding and protecting biodiversity; however, even with increased digital access, differences in plant naming systems make it difficult to compare records. We developed a semi-automated workflow that standardises species names and organises herbaria records from multiple institutions into a single, curated digital collection. Applying our workflow to the digitised flora of Greenland, we improved the accuracy of diversity estimates and highlighted tentative species previously unrecognised in Greenland. Our resulting open-access resource opens new doors for large-scale studies on Arctic plant diversity over space and time. Summary: International efforts in digitisation and online data sharing of herbarium specimens are revolutionising our ability to obtain big data from herbarium collections. The herbaria of the future will be global, digitally interlinked, open-access resources that will stimulate large-scale and novel science to directly address our current biodiversity and climate crises. However, taxonomic changes and errors can result in inconsistencies when amalgamating specimen metadata, that compromise the assignment of occurrence records to correct species and the subsequent interpretation of patterns in biodiversity. We present a novel workflow to mass-curate digital specimens. By employing existing digital taxonomic backbones, we aggregate specimen names by their accepted name and flag remaining cases for manual review. We then validate names using site-specific floras, balancing automation with taxonomic expert-based curation. Applying our workflow to the vascular plants of Greenland, we harmonised 177,138 digitised herbarium specimens and observations from 88 data providers from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The harmonised metacollection of the Greenland flora contains 753 plant species. Our workflow increases the number of species known from Greenland compared to other currently available species checklists and increases the mean number of occurrences per accepted name by 48. Our workflow illustrates the nomenclature data integration required to create a global, universally accessible digital herbarium and shows how previous obstacles to database curation can be overcome through a combination of automation and expert curation. For the Greenland flora, our approach provides a new species list and a curated metacollection of occurrence data.

Boys’ pubertal overweight associates with future offspring’s asthma and low lung function. To identify how paternal overweight is associated with offspring’s DNA methylation (DNAm), we conducted an epigenome-wide association study of father’s body silhouette (FBS) at three timepoints (age 8, voice break and 30) and change in FBS between these times, with offspring DNAm, in the RHINESSA cohort (N = 339). We identified 2005 differentially methylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (dmCpG) sites (FDR < 0.05), including dmCpGs associated with offspring asthma (119), lung function (178) and BMI (291). Voice break FBS associated with dmCpGs in loci including KCNJ10, FERMT1, NCK2 and WWP1. Change in FBS across sexual maturation associated with DNAm at loci including NOP10, TRRAP, EFHD1, MRPL17 and NORD59A;ATP5B and showed strong correlation in reduced gene expression in loci NAP1L5, ATP5B, ZNF695, ZNF600, VTRNA2-1, SOAT2 and AGPAT2. We identified 24 imprinted genes including: VTRNA2-1, BLCAP, WT1, NAP1L5 and PTPRN2. Identified pathways relate to lipid and glucose metabolism and adipogenesis. Father’s overweight at puberty and during reproductive maturation was strongly associated with offspring DNA, suggesting a key role for epigenetic mechanisms in intergenerational transfer from father to offspring in humans. The results support an important vulnerability window in male puberty for future offspring health. (Figure presented.)

Background: More knowledge about floorball goalkeepers’ game movements and biomechanical demands is warranted. Therefore, the aim of this study was to observe type and frequency of female floorball goalkeepers’ movements during a game.

Methods: Twelve female goalkeepers (mean age 22 years) were included. An observational study design using video recording was used to explore goalkeepers’ movements during a game. Three different positions were reported in minutes, percent of playing time, and the number of times the goalkeepers performed different movements.

Results: The results revealed that of total playing time, goalkeepers were playing on their knees 31% (± 10%) of the time, in quadruped position 1.3% (± 1.9%) and 67% (± 11%) they played standing. Five movements were performed more frequently; short side movements, pull, stand up, small rotation with legs, and longer ball covers at the goalpost. A large variation in movement was seen regarding how many and what type of movements each goalkeeper performed during the game.

Conclusion: Floorball goalkeepers perform a high number of movements and spend a substantial amount of the match time on their knees. There is no existing research on how these game aspects may impact load as well as physical needs, emphasizing the need for further research. Knowledge from the study lays the groundwork for further studies and may be used when developing future preventive training programme and rehabilitation.

This working paper contributes to the comparative research on the financialization of rental housing by investigating the private rental sectors in France and Sweden. It examines and discusses the role of institutional investors in each country’s rental market by using a comparative approach and drawing from an economic geographical and heterodox understanding of financialization as a variegated process. The paper uses secondary statistics, real estate transaction data, documents, and interviews to investigate the role of residential property investors in France’s and Sweden’s private rental markets. It finds that the different historical trajectories of the rental sectors have created distinctive opportunities for property investors in each country. The degree of public housing privatization, the level of corporate ownership of private rental housing, and the legal foundations are essential dynamics for why investments have occurred. In turn, Sweden has a high level of institutional investments in rental housing, while France has experienced less investments. Furthermore, institutional investors have expanded beyond metropolitan areas to medium-sized towns and municipalities in Sweden, whereas investments have mainly occurred in the larger cities in France.

The current study’s objective is to reveal the best possible solution for an optimal power flow (OPF) problem. The driving training-based optimization (DTBO) technique has been applied in this work to achieve the goal where quasi-oppositional based learning (QOBL) has been integrated with DTBO and referred to as quasi-oppositional driving training-based optimization (QODTBO). The experiments have been carried out on IEEE 57 & 118 bus systems. Four different test scenarios have been considered here. The first one is the traditional IEEE 57 bus network; the IEEE 57 bus with renewable energy sources (RESs) (i.e., solar and wind units) is chosen in the second one, and the third one considers the IEEE 57 bus with RESs and unified power flow controller (UPFC) and finally the IEEE 118 bus network with RESs and UPFC. In each test scenario, there are four objective functions, among which one is single objective and three of them are multi-objective. Obtaining minimum total cost comes under the single-objective function. Simultaneous reduction in the overall cost and emission, concurrent reduction in overall cost and voltage deviation (VD), and simultaneous reduction in overall cost and voltage stability index come under multi-objective cases. The acquired test outcomes by QODTBO have been contrasted with the outcomes found by the use of DTBO, backtracking search optimization algorithm (BSA), and sine cosine algorithm (SCA). The effect of inherent uncertainties within RESs is gauged in the current study by the choice of appropriate probability density functions (PDF). Based on the experimental outcomes using different optimization techniques over thirty trials, a statistical report has been prepared that ascertains that QODTBO is the most robust optimization scheme among the optimization tools taken into consideration in this study. To represent the statistical analysis, pictorially box plots and error-bar plots are provided. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests have also been conducted on test outcomes to enhance the degree of reliability of the inferences made based on statistical results. From this work, it is also explored that integrating RESs and UPFC with the traditional IEEE-57 bus system can improve the overall execution of the test system. If the performances of the conventional system, RES-based system, and RES- and UPFC-based system are observed, it can be noticed that for cost reduction, the RES-based system gives a better result by 1.364790635% and the RES- and UPFC-based system gives a better result by 2.175247484% better result as compared to the conventional system. 

Purpose: This study investigated whether trained freedivers can sustain a 1:1 apnea-to-recovery ratio without progressive arterial or cerebral oxygen desaturation. Methods: 21 trained freedivers (6 females) performed 7 static apneas of fixed 2-min duration, each followed by 2-min of rest, in a supine laboratory setting. Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) assessed cerebral and peripheral muscle oxygenation. A chest force sensor recorded involuntary breathing movements (IBM). End-tidal CO₂ (EtCO₂) was measured pre- and post apnea. Results: SpO₂ declined most during the first apnea (94 ± 3 %) but stabilized thereafter (p < 0.005). Lowest HR increased from 61 ± 15 to 65 ±13 bpm across the series (p = 0.02), and the intial apnea tachycardia declined by 10 bpm (p = 0.012). Cerebral oxygenation increased above baseline only during the first apnea (1.0 ± 2.3 %); in subsequent apneas it remained stable, although slightly below baseline. Muscle oxygenation declined during all apneas but was more pronounced in the first (-6.7 ± 3.1 %). IBM onset was progressively delayed; 63 % of participants showed no IBM during the final apnea. EtCO₂ increased after each apnea by ≈ 1.0kPa (p < 0.001) but did not change progressively across the series. Conclusion: A 1:1 apnea-to-recovery ratio was physiologically sustainable in trained freedivers at rest, without inducing progressive oxygen desaturation. The initial apnea elicited the strongest oxygen-conserving responses, which progressively attenuated across the series, suggesting that physiological regulation during repeated submaximal apneas is adaptable to meet situation-specific demands. The progressive IBM delay despite stable CO2 levels suggests additional mechanisms beyond chemoreflex-driven stimulation of breathing may contribute to ventilatory drive. 

In this document we consider the problem of finding the optimal layout for the array of water Cherenkov detectors proposed by the SWGO collaboration to study very-high-energy gamma rays in the southern hemisphere. We develop a continuous model of the secondary particles produced by atmospheric showers initiated by high-energy gamma rays and protons, and build an optimization pipeline capable of identifying the most promising configuration of the detector elements. The pipeline employs stochastic gradient descent to maximize a utility function aligned with the scientific goals of the experiment. We demonstrate how the software is capable of finding the global maximum in the high-dimensional parameter space, and discuss its performance and limitations.

We study how ambient energy harvesting may be used as an attack vector in the battery-less Internet of Things (IoT). Battery-less IoT devices rely on ambient energy harvesting and are employed in a multitude of applications, including safety-critical ones such as biomedical implants. Due to scarce energy intakes and limited energy buffers, their executions become intermittent, alternating periods of active operation with periods of recharging energy buffers. We reveal how, by exerting limited control on ambient energy one can create situations of livelock, denial of service, and starvation, without physical device access. We call these situations energy attacks. We detail, analyze, and quantitatively demonstrate how these attacks can be applied to battery-less IoT devices, and illustrate their consequences on a system's regular operation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a major global disease burden with nearly 1 million cancer-related deaths annually. TNM staging has served as the foundation for predicting patient prognosis, despite variation across staging groups. The consensus molecular subtype (CMS) is a transcriptome-based system classifying CRC tumors into four subtypes with different characteristics: CMS1 (immune), CMS2 (canonical), CMS3 (metabolic), and CMS4 (mesenchymal). Transcriptomics is too complex and expensive for clinical implementation; therefore, an immunohistochemical method is needed. The prognostic impact of the immunohistochemistry-based four CMS-like subtypes remains unclear. Due to the complexity and costs associated with transcriptomics, we developed an immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based method supported by convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to define subgroups that resemble CMS biological characteristics. Building on previous IHC-classifiers and incorporating β-catenin to refine differentiation between CMS2- and CMS3-like profiles, we categorized CRC tumors in a cohort of 538 patients. Classification was successful in 89.4% and 15.9% of tumors were classified as CMS1-like, 35.1% as CMS2-like, 38.7% as CMS3-like, and 11.7% as CMS4-like. CMS2-like patients exhibited the best overall survival (p = 0.018), including when local and metastasized disease were analyzed separately. Our method offers an accessible and clinically feasible CMS-inspired classification, although it does not serve as a replacement for transcriptomic CMS classification.

In this article, a general solution formula is derived for the d×d-matrix modified Korteweg–de Vries equation. Then, a solution class corresponding to special parameter choices is examined in detail. Roughly, this class can be described as N-solitons (in the sense of Goncharenko) with common phase matrix. It turns out that such a solution even takes values in a commutative subalgebra of the d×d-matrices. We arrive at a rich picture of possibilities for generalized 1-solitons and at visual patterns of N-solitons which combine nonlinear with linear features. The impact of the phase matrix is visualized in computer plots.

This paper introduces an enhanced approach for deploying deep learning models on resource-constrained IoT devices by combining model partitioning, autoencoder-based compression, quantization with Time Dependent Clustering Loss (TCL) regularization, and lossless compression, to reduce communication overhead, minimizing latency while maintaining accuracy. The autoencoder compresses feature maps at the partitioning point before quantization, effectively reducing data size and preserving accuracy. TCL regularization clusters activations at the partitioning point to align with quantization levels, minimizing quantization error and ensuring accuracy even with extreme low-bitwidth quantization. Our method is evaluated on classification models (ResNet-50, EfficientNetV2-S) and an object detection model (YOLOv10n) using the TinyImageNet-200 and Pascal VOC datasets. Deployed on Raspberry Pi 4 B and GPU, each model is tested across various partitioning points, quantization bit-widths (1-bit, 2-bit, and 3-bit), communication datarate (1MB/s to 10MB/s), and LZMA lossless compression. For a partitioned ResNet-50 after the convolutional stem block, the speed-up against a server solution is 2.33× and 1.85x compared to the all-in-node solution, with only a minimal accuracy drop of less than one percentage points. The proposed framework offers a scalable solution for deploying high-performance AI models on IoT devices, extending the feasibility of real-time inference in resource-constrained environments. 

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) has been reported to present with gray matter aberrations, but further research is required as the results of existing studies are inconsistent. These inconsistences might be due to small sample sizes, differences in sample composition (some studies only included females), or the spatial scale of the analyses (some studies focused on selected regions of interest). Here we compiled the largest CAH sample to date comprising 33 women and 20 men matched to 33 control women and 20 control men on sex, age, education, and verbal intelligence. Gray matter was examined with a voxel-wise regional specificity across the entire brain, assessing the main effects of CAH and sex, and the CAH-by-sex interaction (the latter reflecting effects of prenatal androgen exposure). Individuals with CAH had significantly less gray matter compared to controls within the amygdala, calcarine cortex (specifically the primary visual area), and parahippocampal cortex (specifically the subiculum). There also was a main effect of sex, with more gray matter in females than males in medial frontal regions and more gray matter in males than females within the cerebellum. There was no CAH-by-sex interaction. Our findings indicate less regional gray matter in individuals with CAH, which seems to be caused by the medical condition itself and/or its treatment with glucocorticoids, rather than by elevated prenatal androgen exposure.

Metal-poor M subdwarfs are among the oldest stellar populations and carry valuable information about the chemical enrichment history of the Milky Way. The measurements of chemical abundances of these stars therefore provide essential insights into the nucleosynthesis in the early stages of the Galaxy's formation. We present detailed spectroscopic analysis of a nearby metal-poor M subdwarf, LHS 174, from its high-resolution optical spectrum, and apply our previously developed spectral fitting code, AutoSpecFit, to measure the abundances of five elements: [O/H] = -0.519 +/- 0.081, [Ca/H] = -0.753 +/- 0.177, [Ti/H] = -0.711 +/- 0.144, [V/H] = -1.026 +/- 0.077, and [Fe/H] = -1.170 +/- 0.135. We compare the abundances of O, Ti, and Fe derived from this work and those from previous studies, and demonstrate the observed data are clearly better matched with the synthetic model generated based on our abundances than those from the other analyses. The accuracy of inferred stellar abundances strongly depends on the accuracy of physical parameters, which motivates us to develop a reliable technique to more accurately determine the parameters of low-mass M dwarfs and infer abundances with smaller uncertainties.

There is an association between local cold injuries and Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) in the scientific literature, but the time relation and anatomical correlation have not been established. During military training in an Arctic setting, a previously healthy man in his early twenties sustained a freezing cold injury affecting mainly his right index finger. He subsequently developed Raynaud’s phenomenon limited to only the part of the index finger that was originally affected by the cold injury. Medical investigation also revealed findings suggestive of subclinical peripheral neuropathy. This case demonstrates that Raynaud’s phenomenon can develop secondary to local cold injury affecting the hand. It also suggests that cold exposure could be related to peripheral neuropathy.

Trimetallic nickel–iron–molybdenum oxides are excellent electrocatalysts for alkaline water electrolysis despite experiencing severe molybdenum dissolution. While the impact of molybdenum on fresh samples is well-understood, its substantial loss during operation without compromising performance presents a unique puzzle. Here, we show that the initial presence of molybdenum induces the formation of nickel vacancies and distorts octahedral nickel sites. This structural distortion induces charge transfer between lattice oxygen and nickel, inducing an early formation and stabilization of active nickel oxyhydroxides. Even after complete molybdenum leaching and transitioning into a bimetallic nickel-iron oxide, the catalyst retains its exceptional performance due to the persistence of distorted octahedral nickel sites. Understanding this process enables the exploration of alternative metals that could induce similar structural distortions, as well as inspire similar strategies in other electrocatalysts. (Figure presented.)

Addressing the intricate challenges in plane elasticity, especially with non-vanishing traction and complex geometries, requires innovative methods. This paper offers a novel approach, drawing inspiration from the Neumann problem for the inhomogeneous Cauchy-Riemann equations. Our method applies to domains conformally equivalent to a unit disk or an annulus, focusing on deriving explicit solutions for the displacement field rather than the stress tensor, which distinguishes it from most traditional approaches. We explore solutions for specific classical cases to demonstrate its efficacy, such as a cardioid domain, a ring domain with a shifted hole, and a gear-like structure. This work enhances the toolkit for researchers and practitioners tackling isotropic planar elastostatic challenges with a unified and flexible approach.

The Maniq, a small and isolated nomadic hunter-gatherer population from the rainforests of Southern Thailand, offer a unique context for investigating how demographic history, genetic drift, and pathogen-driven selection shape human leucocyte antigen (HLA) diversity. Using high-coverage whole-genome data from 21 individuals (12 unrelated), we genotyped HLA alleles with HLA-HD and T1K, identifying 32 alleles in classical and 14 in non-classical HLA genes. Although overall HLA diversity was comparatively low, a few alleles at each locus occurred at high frequency, mirroring patterns observed in other small, isolated populations. Principal-component analysis clustered the Maniq with other Austroasiatic-speaking Semang hunter-gatherers (Jehai, Kintaq) on the Malay Peninsula and, intriguingly, with the Austronesian-speaking Tao of Taiwan, indicating shared immunogenetic features across linguistic boundaries. Despite reduced diversity, multiple loci bore signatures of both long-term balancing and recent positive selection. Several SNPs under selection were in complete linkage disequilibrium with eQTLs known to influence responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other pathogens, suggesting that pathogen-driven pressure-in particular HBV-may have contributed to recent HLA evolution in the Maniq. These findings provide critical insights into how demographic constraints and pathogen landscapes converge to shape HLA diversity and evolution. In light of increasing infectious disease burdens in indigenous communities, our results underscore the importance of studying small, isolated populations to better understand the adaptive significance of HLA genes.

Accurate separation of global tilted irradiance (GTI) becomes important when the measured irradiance is used for quality control or PV simulation purposes, for which the latter often requires global horizontal irradiance (GHI), or diffuse and beam irradiance fractions. This study presents an evaluation of irradiance reverse transposition and separation models for the application with GTI in high latitudes. The evaluation is made based on measured and quality controlled six-second irradiance from latitude 59.53 degrees N, containing GTI at 30 degrees, 40 degrees, and 90 degrees tilt angles, as well as GHI and diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI). Based on a literature review, two specialized GTI reverse transposition and separation models-GTI-DIRINT and PEREz-DRIESSE-and four GHI separation models were chosen for evaluation. The latter were tested in an optimization loop developed for this study that utilizes existing GHI separation models combined with transposition models for reverse transposition and separation of GTI. Specifically, the separation models ERaS, S << ARtVEIt1, ENGERER2, and YANG4 were tested with HAY & DAVIES and PEREz1990 transposition. The models were investigated using both statistical evaluation metrics and Diebold-Mariano test to compare measured and predicted GHI and DHI. An evaluation with measured data showed that for GTI reverse transposition and separation at high latitudes, the use of the proposed optimization model with ENGERER2 in combination with HAY & DAVIES transposition, or the PEREz-DRIESSE model is recommended. This is based on overall good ranking and low bias of GHI prediction with-2.0 W/m2 and-2.3 W/m2, respectively.

The current project aims to explore the potential of ecosystem based management on the marine shelves at Iceland, Faroe Islands and Norway. It was found that oceanographich features like the size of the subpolar gyre or the strength of the East Icelandic Current (EIC) were of great importance to demersal fish and seabirds. The predators on fish larvae were found to be pelagic fish such as herring and mackerel, but also Norway pout was considered. A main finding, which probably is novel, was that the abundance of demersal fish could hamper the predatory effect of pelagic fish on fish larvae. The effect of demersal fish on the survival of fish larvae seemed to be less than the effect of oceanographic variables or primary production, but, nevertheless, seemed to hold a potential that should be further studied in the future.

The human being is at the heart of the Nordic cooperation project, Nordic DigiGov Lab, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The focus is on making it easier for citizens in the Nordic and Baltic countries to navigate through various life events with the help of digital public services. In this publication, we highlight different perspectives of human-centredness and reflect on the various components from three different dimensions: governance, public services and innovation. How are these dimensions interconnected? How should priorities be set from a human-centric perspective? What are the limits and possibilities for public administration to work in a human-centric way? Our aim is not to provide ready-made answers but to encourage questions and discussions – alongside decision-makers, practitioners, researchers, and others with an interest in the topic.

The dynamic behavior of the Sun and its interaction with the magnetosphere and ionosphere can cause rapid variations in the geomagnetic field at ground level, geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) flowing through long grounded conductors. The most severe impacts of GICs include power grid disruptions and can, in extreme cases, cause widespread power blackouts. Thus, it is important to investigate GICs to understand the impacts, improve predictions, and develop appropriate mitigation measures. A comprehensive list of disturbances reported in the Swedish power grid between 1999 and June 2024 is evaluated in collaboration with the Swedish authority responsible for the electrical transmission system, Svenska Kraftn & auml;t. Using a regional modeling capability of geoelectric fields in Sweden and a simplified yet representative equivalent circuit model of the national power grid, the resulting GICs in the earthing nodes of the network are calculated. The calculated GICs are cross-correlated with the power grid disturbances to determine which events may have been caused by space weather. By disregarding events with known causes (lightning, fallen trees, equipment failures, etc.), events associated with significant voltage deviations are identified as likely GIC-related disturbances. While it is not possible to pinpoint the exact location of the impact in the grid or the absolute magnitude of the GICs, both dependent on the accuracy of the grid circuit model, the maximum modeled GICs overlap with several previously uncategorized disturbances. These results highlight the value of the unique collaboration between the scientific community and the power grid operator in Sweden.

This comparative testing of the Flakiness index (SS-EN 933-3) and Shape index (SS-EN 933-4) was initiated by the Swedish Association for Test Methods of Road Materials and Pavements. The purpose was to:

• study variations between laboratories
• obtain precision data from this interlaboratory comparison
• examine the impact of variations, for example, in equipment and execution.

The analysis was conducted by the participants in the spring of 2022. The 49 participants received two materials each in the respective sizes 8/11 mm and 16/32 mm. The results are reported as averages, standard deviations, counts, counts outside two standard deviations from the mean, and precision data in the form of repeatability and reproducibility.

Outliers have been assessed based on "two standard deviations" and more statistically according to Mandel's, Grubbs', and Cochran's tests. Results as averages and standard deviations are minimally affected with or without outliers, therefore all results have been included in the calculations. Most variations in equipment and handling do not result in significant differences except for whether the sieves are shaken by hand or machine. Machine shaking is also done in almost all cases with circular sieves. Machine shaking results in approximately 0,5 percentage points higher results, which rounded off can give an increase of one unit (1 percentage point).

Denna rapport behandlar utmaningar med grusslitlager som numera främst tillverkas av krossat bergmaterial istället för naturgrus. Denna förändring har lett till att 70–80 % av materialen inte uppfyller Trafikverkets krav, främst på grund av brist på finmaterial och lera – viktiga komponenter för stabilitet, täthet och motstånd mot yt-uppmjukning. Samtidigt uppstår ett överskott av filler vid asfaltproduktion, som ofta deponeras. Projektet föreslår att detta överskott används för att förbättra grusslitlager genom att kompensera för bristen på finmaterial. Syftet är att undersöka hur olika mängder filler påverkar funktion och kvalitet hos grusslitlager, samtatt utveckla en kostnadseffektiv och jämn produktionsmetod. Studien omfattar laboratorietester och fältförsök med material från olika bergtäkter. Resultaten visar att material utan filler inte uppfyller krav på kornstorlek, men att inblandning av fillerkan justera detta. Filler minskar genomsläpplighet och förbättrar motstånd mot vatteninträngning. Enny metod för inblandning av fuktig filler i produktionen visade sig ge ett homogent material medönskad fillerhalt. Fältförsök på väg 2227 i Dalsland visade att teststräckor med filler hade något bättre ytkvalitet och färre potthål efter ett års drift, utan märkbara skillnader i löst grus eller ojämnheter.

Sedan mitten av 1980-talet har IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet AB, på uppdrag av Boliden Mineral AB, genomfört undersökningar av deposition och avrinning av bland annat svavel, kväve och metaller i ett granskogsområde vid Holmsvattnet, cirka 15 km sydsydväst om Rönnskärsverken. Denna rapport jämför resultaten från mätningarna 2023/24 vid Holmsvattnet med tidigare mätningar från och med år 2000/01, samt med andra relevanta mätningar inom Krondroppsnätet och den nationella miljöövervakningen rörande metaller. Rapporten inkluderar även jämförelser av nedfall och utsläpp av svavel och vissa metaller från Rönnskärsverken, Sverige och från medlemsländerna inom EU inklusive Storbritannien (EU27 + UK). Syftet med mätningarna är att kvantifiera det atmosfäriska nedfallet och beskriva förändringar i kemin i det avrinnande vattnet.

NEDFALL PÅ ÖPPET FÄLT OCH VIA KRONDROPP

Mätningarna på öppet fält under 2023/24 drabbades av flera missöden, och därför fick data för fyra månader ersättas av uppskattade värden. Högst nedfall av aluminium, zink, koppar, bly, kobolt och krom med nederbörden till öppet fält mättes under april 2024 och lägst i december. Den högsta uppmätta volymen av krondropp uppmättes i juli 2024, vilket medförde att det högsta nedfallet av flertalet metaller observerades i krondropp denna månad.

Lägst metalldeposition i krondropp uppmättes i januari och maj, vilket sammanföll med låga krondroppsvolymer. Under perioden från 2000/01 till 2023/24 har alla mätta metaller minskat signifikant i krondropp, där barium minskat mest med 74 %. På öppet fält har nedfallet av krom minskat mest, med en minskning på 94 %. Klart högst svavelnedfall uppmättes för krondropp i juli 2024, följt av mars och augusti 2024. Svavelnedfallet i krondroppet under 2023/24 var 1,6 kg/ha. Även för kväve uppmättes det klart högsta nedfallet i nederbörden till öppet fält i juli 2024. Det oorganiska kvävenedfallet via nederbörden var 1,4 kg kväve per hektar under 2023/24. Uppskattat totalt kvävenedfall till barrskogen vid Holmsvattnet var dock högre, 1,6 kg per hektar under samma period.

AVRINNING

Avrinningsmängden vid Holmsvattnet ökade något 2023/24 jämfört med 2022/23, samtidigt som färgtalet på vattnet förblev på liknande nivå. De högsta halterna och transporterna av metaller mättes för aluminium, zink, barium och krom, i linje med tidigare år. Från 2022/23 till 2023/24 ökade halterna för arsenik, bly, koppar, krom och nickel. Transporten ökade för samtliga metaller, förutom för kadmium och zink som båda uppvisade en minskning i halt i avrinningen.

MARKVATTEN

Under 2024 var pH-värdet i markvattnet i granskogen vid Holmsvattnet mellan 5,3 och 5,5, vilket indikerar att vattnet var på gränsen mellan låg och måttlig surhet. Halten av toxiskt oorganiskt aluminium var fortsatt förhöjd under 2024, en trend som började observeras redan 2020. Orsakerna bakom de höga halterna av oorganiskt aluminium är fortfarande okända. Trots detta visade markvattnet vid Holmsvattnet en positiv syraneutraliserande förmåga (ANC). Mätplatsen för krondropp och markvatten flyttades 2013. De enda statistiskt signifikanta förändringarna i markvattnet vid den nya mätplatsen mellan 2013 och 2024 var en ökning av oorganiskt aluminium och en minskning av sulfatsvavelhalter.

EMISSIONER OCH JÄMFÖRELSER MELLAN OLIKA MÄTPLATSER

Nedfallet av metaller såsom arsenik, kadmium, koppar, bly, zink samt svavel vid Holmsvattnet har analyserats och jämförts med emissioner från Rönnskärsverken, Sverige och EU27+UK. Jämförelser har också gjorts med mätningar vid svenska bakgrundsstationer inom miljöövervakningen. Från 2001 till 2022 har emissionerna av de flesta metaller i Sverige och EU minskat avsevärt, med minskningar på 13–63 %, förutom för koppar där förändringen ej varit signifikant. Vid Holmsvattnet har nedfallet till öppet fält under perioden 2000/01 till 2023/24 endast visat på en signifikant minskning för zink med 72 %. I krondropp har nedfallet av arsenik, koppar, bly och zink minskat med mellan 33 och 71 %.

För kadmium fanns ingen statistiskt signifikant förändring. Jämförelser har också gjorts med mätningar vid svenska bakgrundsstationer inom miljöövervakningen. Specifikt för arsenik och bly är att nedfallet var högre vid Holmsvattnet jämfört med vid svenska bakgrundsstationer, medan det för övriga metaller var jämförbart med halterna vid bakgrundsstationerna.

Svavelnedfallet har varit relativt lågt i norra Sverige jämfört med andra delar av landet, men högre vid Norrlands kustland jämfört med inlandet, särskilt vid Holmsvattnet. Svavelemissionerna från Rönnskärsverken har inte minskat i samma utsträckning som för hela Sverige eller EU27+UK, där en kraftig minskning har skett sedan år 2000. Mellan de första tre åren av 2000-talet jämfört med de tre senaste åren har Sverige och EU27+UK sett en minskning av svavelemissioner på 65 % respektive 85 %, medan Rönnskärsverkens minskning har varit 20 %. Svavelnedfallet vid Holmsvattnet, som påverkas både av långdistanstransporterade luftföroreningar och lokala utsläpp, har också minskat signifikant sedan början av 2000-talet, med en minskning på 65 % i krondropp och 55 % till öppet fält.

Motivation Inference of gene regulatory network (GRN) is challenging due to the inherent sparsity of the GRN matrix and noisy expression data, often leading to a high possibility of false positive or negative predictions. To address this, it is essential to leverage the sparsity of the GRN matrix and develop a robust method capable of handling varying levels of noise in the data. Moreover, most existing GRN inference methods produce only fixed point estimates, which lack the flexibility and informativeness for comprehensive network analysis. In contrast, a Bayesian approach that yields closed-form posterior distributions allows probabilistic link selection, offering insights into the statistical confidence of each possible link. Consequently, it is important to engineer a Bayesian GRN inference method and rigorously execute a benchmark evaluation compared to state-of-the-art methods.Results We propose a method-Bayesian inference of GRN via Sparse Modelling (BiGSM). BiGSM effectively exploits the sparsity of the GRN matrix and infers the posterior distributions of GRN links from noisy expression data by using the maximum likelihood based learning. We thoroughly benchmarked BiGSM using biological and simulated datasets including GeneNetWeaver, GeneSPIDER, and GRNbenchmark. The benchmark test evaluates its accuracy and robustness across varying noise levels and data models. Using point-estimate based performance measures, BiGSM provides an overall best performance in comparison with several state-of-the-art methods including GENIE3, LASSO, LSCON, and Zscore. Additionally, BiGSM is the only method in the set of competing methods that provides posteriors for the GRN weights, helping to decipher confidence across predictions.Availability and implementation Code implemented via MATLAB and Python are available at Github: https://github.com/SachLab/BiGSM and archived at zenodo.

As the discovery of exoplanets progresses at a rapid pace, the large number of known planets provides a pathway to assess the stellar and planetary properties that govern the climate evolution of terrestrial planets. Of particular interest are those planetary cases that straddle the radius boundary of being terrestrial or gaseous in nature, such as super-Earth and sub-Neptune exoplanets, respectively. The known exoplanet, TOI-2285 b, is one such case, since it lies at the radius boundary of super-Earth and sub-Neptune (Rp = 1.74 R circle plus), and receives a relatively high instellation flux since its orbit exists within both the Habitable Zone and Venus Zone (VZ). Here, we present an analysis of the planetary interior and climate to determine possible evolutionary pathways for the planet. We provide volatile inventory estimates in terms of the planet's bulk density and interior composition. We performed climate simulations using ROCKE-3D that provide a suite of possible temperate scenarios for the planet for a range of topographical and initial surface water assumptions. Using the outputs of the climate simulations, we modeled JWST transmission and emission spectroscopy for each scenario. Our results demonstrate that there are temperate scenarios consistent with the known planetary properties, despite the planet's estimated steam atmosphere and its location relative to the VZ.

Background

Nurses work in a knowledge-intensive sector with high demands for lifelong learning. Thriving is a positive psychological state, including a sense of mutual learning and vitality at work. Research on thriving, its antecedents and outcomes is called for. The study aim was to examine thriving as a mediator in the relationships between telephone nurses’ structural empowerment and the outcomes work-personal life benefits, job performance, work-related stress symptoms and turnover intentions, as well as to psychometrically test the Thriving Scale (Swedish version).

Methods

Questionnaire data, a national sample of 409 Swedish telephone nurses, were collected, and relationships were examined using multiple regression analyses with PROCESS macro. Factorial validity of the Thriving Scale was tested using confirmative factor analyses.

Results

There were statistically significant relationships between structural empowerment and the outcomes (work-personal life benefits, job performance, stress symptoms, turnover intentions), and these relationships were mediated by thriving. The Thriving Scale showed good internal consistency, and an acceptable to borderline mediocre fit for factorial validity. Thirty-two percent reported turnover intentions.

Conclusions

Good access to structural empowerment increases nurses’ thriving, which in turn improves work-personal life benefits, job performance, and decreases stress symptoms and turnover intentions. Managers should strive to improve nurses’ thriving at work, emphasizing good access to empowering structures.

Objectives: In multisite studies, it is common for some sites not to have recorded key variables. Although it is theoretically possible to use data from sites with recorded observations to impute the missing values, this process becomes challenging when data pooling is not feasible due to logistic or legal constraints. We, therefore, propose a multiple imputation approach-cross-site imputation-to recover any variables across sites without the need to pool individual-level data.

Methods: Cross-site imputation involves transporting predicted regression coefficients and variances from studies with observed data to impute missing variables at sites without data. The approach is illustrated in an applied example of recovering systematically missing confounders across Swedish hospitals, and theoretical considerations are outlined.

Results: Cross-site imputation successfully recovered systematically missing confounding variables independently at study sites where data were not recorded. The approach allowed us to include all hospitals in the fully adjusted analysis.

Conclusion: Given the increasing importance of multisite studies in observational research, cross-site imputation could offer a practical approach for imputing variables that have not been recorded in some study sites. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Biomaterials play a crucial role in the long-term success of bone implant treatment. The accumulation of bacterial biofilm on the implants induces inflammation, leading to implant failure. Modification of the implant surface with bioactive molecules is one of the strategies to improve biomaterial compatibility and limit inflammation. In this study, whey protein isolate (WPI) fibrillar coatings were used as a matrix to incorporate biologically active phenolic compound phloroglucinol (PG) at different concentrations (0.1% and 0.5%) on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) scaffolds. Successful Ti6Al4V coatings were validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), showing a decrease in %Ti and increases in %C, %N, and %O, which demonstrate the presence of the protein layer. The biological activity of PG-enriched WPI (WPI/PG) coatings was assessed using bone-forming cells, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). WPI/PG coatings modulated the behavior of BM-MSCs but did not have a negative impact on cell viability. A WPI with higher concentrations of PG increased gene expression relative to osteogenesis and reduced the pro-inflammatory response of BM-MSCs after biofilm stimulation. Autoclaving reduced WPI/PG bioactivity compared to filtration. By using WPI/PG coatings, this study addresses the challenge of improving osteogenic potential while limiting biofilm-induced inflammation at the Ti6Al4V surface. These coatings represent a promising strategy to enhance implant bioactivity.

New technologies enable single-cell transcriptome analysis, mapping genome-wide expression across the human body. Here, we present an extended analysis of protein-coding genes in all major human tissues and organs, combining single-cell and bulk transcriptomics. To enhance transcriptome depth, 31 tissues were analyzed using a pooling method, identifying 557 unique cell clusters, manually annotated by marker gene expression. Genes were classified by body-wide expression and validated through antibody-based profiling. All results are available in the updated open-access Single Cell Type section of the Human Protein Atlas for genome-wide exploration of genes, proteins, and their spatial distribution in cells.

Background: Bilateral salivary gland tumors, both benign and malignant and synchronous or metachronous are very rare.

Case presentation: Here three cases of synchronous bilateral salivary gland tumors are described and discussed. Recognizing the entity is important for diagnostics and treatment planning. The first patient was a 56-year-old female with a bilateral parotid tumor, a malignant tumor, salivary duct carcinoma on the right side and a benign tumor, pleomorphic adenoma on the left side. The second patient was a 50-year old female with a bilateral benign parotid tumor, a pleomorphic adenoma. The third patient was a 51-year old female with a bilateral malignant tumor, an acinic cell carcinoma. Details on the diagnostic work-up, histopathology and treatment are described and discussed.

Conclusions: In the case of a unilateral salivary gland tumor, especially of the major glands, the contralateral gland is always included in the clinical and radiological (MRI) head and neck evaluation prior to surgery, to detect or exclude possible bilateral occurrence.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a non-toxic, biodegradable polysaccharide known for its excellent gel-forming properties and high water retention. This study presents a novel tannin-enhanced KGM hydrogel, tailored for controlled solvent release and improved surface adaptability in artwork cleaning applications. Hydrogel formulation consisting of KGM crosslinked with borax was optimized generating borax through the reaction of boric acid and sodium hydroxide. This resulted in uniformly crosslinked gels with improved tensile strength and high moisture retention, essential for controlled cleaning. Moreover, tannins were incorporated in the optimised KGM-based polymer matrices. This modification was introduced as a novel and sustainable strategy to enhance crosslinking, leveraging natural polyphenols to add functional properties. Two tannins were tested: a condensed tannin isolated from Vitis vinifera, and a hydrolyzable tannin isolated from oak, tannic acid. Tannins were incorporated either through hydrogen bonding or covalently. Covalent attachment was achieved using epichlorohydrin (ECH) to add an epoxide motif to the tannin, enabling covalent binding with KGM. The resulting gels were thoroughly characterized for their chemical, rheological and morphological properties, showing that novel crosslinking via in situ borax formation improved moisture retention and surface adaptability, while the incorporation of tannins enhanced water absorption, maintaining high retention and favorable mechanical properties.

The bow shock current (BSC) plays an important role in supplying the magnetosphere with solar wind energy, in particular during times of low solar wind magnetosonic Mach numbers. Since the magnetic pile-up in the magnetosheath has to be maintained, the BSC cannot close locally, but must instead connect to magnetospheric current systems. However, the details of this closure remain poorly understood. For east–west interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) it has been hypothesized that the BSC partly closes to the high-latitude ionosphere, as field-aligned currents (FACs) on open field lines, but there is still no statistical evidence of this. In order to investigate this hypothesis, we use 9 years of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data to construct normalized FAC maps of the northern hemisphere polar cap. We sort them according to different IMF clock angles, IMF magnitudes and magnetosonic Mach numbers. By separating opposite polarity FACs, we show that, on average, a unipolar FAC exists in the dayside polar cap when the IMF (Formula presented.), regardless of the sign of the IMF (Formula presented.). This current flows out of (into) the ionosphere in the northern hemisphere for IMF (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.) and is thus of the correct polarity to connect to the north–south component of the BSC. Moreover, it is strongest when the BSC flows predominantly in the north–south direction. These results constitute the first statistical evidence in support of at least a partial closure of the BSC to the ionosphere during non-zero IMF (Formula presented.).

Graphene-based polymer nanocomposites show great potential for thermal management, but accurately predicting their thermal conductivity remains challenging due to multiscale structural complexity and parameter uncertainty. We propose an innovative approach integrating interpretable stochastic machine learning with multiscale analysis to predict the macroscopic thermal conductivity of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites. Our bottom-up framework addresses uncertainties in meso- and macro-scale input parameters. Using Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) and Finite Element Modeling (FEM), we compute effective thermal conductivity through homogenization. Predictive modeling is powered by the XGBoost regression tree-based algorithm. To elucidate the influence of input parameters on predictions, we employ SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), providing insights into feature interactions and interpretability. Sensitivity analyses further quantify the impact of design parameters on material properties. This integrated method enhances prediction accuracy, reduces computational costs, and bridges data-driven and physical modeling, offering a scalable solution for designing advanced composite materials for thermal management applications.

Introduction: Preoperative exercise may decrease the risk of complications after major abdominal cancer surgery but the amount of time available for such interventions is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a short-term preoperative exercise program on postoperative outcomes in older patients with low physical fitness scheduled to undergo colorectal cancer surgery.

Materials and Methods: This was a randomised controlled, multicentre trial where patients scheduled for colorectal cancer surgery were considered for inclusion if they were >= 65 years of age and had low maximal walking speed. The intervention took place in participants' home environments and included inspiratory muscle training, aerobic training, and strength exercises for two to three weeks before surgery. Exercise was of high intensity and frequency, with at least six sessions supervised by a physiotherapist. Additionally, participants were instructed to perform unsupervised exercises, aiming for a total frequency of inspiratory muscle training twice daily, and aerobic and strength exercises five to six times per week. A control group underwent surgery without preoperative exercise. The primary endpoint was occurrence of any complications within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes were postoperative length of hospital stay and discharge destination. Binary logistic regression and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyse outcomes.

Results: A total of 51 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis and allocated to preoperative exercise (n = 27) or usual care (n = 24). The proportion of participants with at least one postoperative complication was 48.1 % in the intervention group and 62.5 % in the control group. There was no effect of preoperative exercise on the odds of developing postoperative complications (OR: 0.56, 95 % CI: 0.18-1.71) nor on discharge to another care facility instead of home (OR: 0.98, 95 % CI: 0.29-3.27). The median length of stay in nights was 5 (IQR: 4-6) for the intervention group and 5.5 (IQR: 4-7.8) for the control group (p = 0.55).

Discussion: In this study of older patients with low physical fitness awaiting colorectal cancer surgery, we could not demonstrate an influence of preoperative exercise on postoperative complications, discharge destination or length of hospital stay. These results should be interpreted with caution due to a small sample size.

The liver's regenerative ability depends on injury extent. Minor injuries are repaired by hepatocyte self-duplication, while severe damage triggers cholangiocyte involvement in hepatocyte recovery. This paradigm is well-documented for adult animals but is less explored during rapid growth. We design two partial liver injury models in zebrafish, which were investigated during growth spurts: 1) partial ablation, killing half the hepatocytes; and 2) partial hepatectomy, removing half a liver lobe. In both injuries, de novo hepatocytes emerged alongside existing ones. Single-cell transcriptomics and lineage tracing with Cre-driver lines generated by genome editing identified cholangiocytes as the source of de novo hepatocytes. We further identify active mTORC1 signalling in the uninjured liver of growing animal to be a regulator of the enhanced plasticity of cholangiocytes. Our study suggests cholangiocyte-to-hepatocyte transdifferentiation as the primary mechanism of liver regeneration during periods of rapid growth.

Characterising the mechanical properties of minor bodies is essential for understanding their origin and evolution. Past missions such as Hayabusa2 have landed on asteroids to sample and discover what these bodies are made of. However, there has been conflicting evidence and reports into the physical properties of the granular surface material of these bodies. With future missions such as Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency’s Martian Moons eXploration mission landing on Phobos, the understanding and identification of these physical properties is crucial to maximising the scientific output from these missions. Penetrometry, the determination of the reaction force that an object experiences as it penetrates a surface, can help to understand the essential properties of regolith, such as grain size, porosity and cohesion. Results of penetrometry experiments are largely analysed based on empirical models, which presents us with a challenge if we want to apply them to understand granular materials on asteroid surfaces because gravity cannot be eliminated in the laboratory. Hence, it is essential to verify penetrometry as a method and validate penetrometry instrument designs in microgravity. For this purpose, we conducted a microgravity experiment onboard a parabolic flight campaign. Our experiment tested the use of penetrometry in asteroid-analogue environments by investigating samples with varying properties, such as grain size distribution and shape, and then compared to 1 g experiments to understand the role microgravity plays. The experiment provided a substantial database for future analysis. This paper will focus on the design of the experiment and the parabolic flight campaign in which the experiments were conducted. The design decisions and the variables adjusted during the experiment will be discussed, evaluating how these influenced the campaign and its outcomes. We will also provide a snapshot of preliminary results of the data captured during this experiment. For example, we show the effect of cohesion on penetrometer reaction force, with more cohesive materials providing larger reaction forces nearly of the same magnitude of their 1 g counterparts. We also show that penetrometer tip shapes provide different reaction forces and that flat tips provide the largest reaction force compared to the others. The influence of penetration velocity will be investigated further with the aid of theoretical models. Early indications from the results seen so far are promising for future analyses and will provide key information for the analysis of penetrometry data on future missions.

Denna rapport är en slutredovisning av projektet ”Offentlig upphandling som ett klimatpolitiskt styrmedel”, delar av tilläggsprojektet om ”Cirkulärdeklarationer som ett allsidigt policy- och upphandlingsverktyg” (som redovisats separat) samt erfarenheter från den anknytande utbildningssatsningen ”Fossilfri och cirkulär upphandling”.

Artificial turf pitches (ATPs) provide year-round access to grassroots sports in the Nordics. However, synthetic infill from ATPs are estimated to be amongst the largest sources of intentional microplastics in the Nordics. In September 2023, the EU adopted a ban, which bans the sale of loose infill containing microplastics in ATPs starting October 2031. Which ban-compliant alternative ATP systems are optimal for use in the Nordics now needs to be determined.

The Nordic Council has therefor commissioned this preparatory project to provide a basis for a larger project to find optimal whole ATP systems without rubber or plastic infill that are functional, environmentally friendly, and cost effective for children’s, youth, and grassroots sports. The aim of this project was to summarize existing knowledge and identify knowledge gaps within the following topics: * Existing systems used in the Nordics * Type of systems best suited for Nordic conditions and use * Operation, maintenance and best practices to accommodate Nordic conditions * Life cycle analysis (LCA) for environmental impacts of the various systems * Life cycle cost (LCC) estimates of the various sport surface systems * Easily available existing knowledge about the health effects of the various systems.

Information was collected both from the literature (primary and grey) and from stakeholders, which included representatives from municipalities, football associations/clubs, manufacturers, and waste management companies, via surveys, interviews, and a digital workshop. Only 1-15% of current ATPs in each Nordic country currently consist of alternative non-rubber/plastic systems. Both the literature and stakeholders indicate a current lack of testing and experience with alternatives, as many alternative systems have only been in use for a short period of time. Stakeholders indicated that no current alternatives are comparable in performance to styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) infill.

In addition, most if not all alternatives are prone to freezing in cold temperatures. It was pointed out that even within the Nordics, conditions vary and may require different alternatives in different locations. Cork was identified as the most comparable alternative in terms of function to SBR infill, both by the literature and by most stakeholders. Several people mentioned that cork works well in the summer but can freeze in winter. Although infill-free ATPs are attractive in that they remove the need for infill altogether and may have reduced maintenance requirements, it is unclear if they provide sufficient performance or function well in winter. However, some stakeholders indicated that they believe infill-free systems will likely become as good as other alternative infill systems due to product development. However, other stakeholders indicated infill-free ATPs do not work well. Explanations included reduced lifetimes due to faster deterioration and wear, need for increased fiber density (more plastic), and reduced performance (lower player satisfaction and skin abrasion). Both the literature and stakeholders have also raised the concern that non-infill ATPs could potentially release more microplastics originating from grass fibers than traditional ATPs; however, this is uncertain.

In terms of assessing and developing optimal alternative ATPs, both the literature and stakeholders underscored the need to consider the ATP system as a whole. Attention is often focused solely upon the infill, but it has been shown that other components are particularly important for maintaining adequate function in alternative systems. For example, a good shock-dampening layer has been shown to maintain good function when alternative infills are used in place of SBR infill. Maintenance and end-of-life procedures for alternative systems are lacking. This was clear from both the literature and stakeholders. This is likely in large part due to limited long-term experience with alternative ATPs.

The Norwegian pilot study, KG2021, suggests that there is less needed operation and maintenance with alternative infill compared to SBR infill, in part due to reduced refilling costs, and the perception that infill stays put to a greater extent. But this could also be due to the use of higher grass fiber density carpets in the pilots tested. Notably, infill-free ATPs are likely easier to recycle since they contain fewer material types (yle, 2024), but in general end-of-life procedures are unclear. It is also often mentioned that bio-based infills have potential for material breakdown and insects but this has not been assessed. Generally, the literature mentions the following three main areas of concern regarding the environmental impacts of ATPs: microplastics, climate change, and chemicals.

While alternative ATPs aim to address microplastic concerns associated with traditional infill systems, their overall environmental impacts are not yet well understood. Results from the review of the LCA literature shows that there is no agreement among the studies on which alternative infill is preferable from an environmental perspective. However, this is likely due to a lack of consensus on how artificial turf LCAs should be performed. The newly released PEFCR (ESTC, 2024) might solve this problem in the near future. The PEFCR follows the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method and defines how to perform consistent LCAs of ATPs. This should facilitate comparable LCA studies, which will allow more transparent and standardized assessment of alternative ATPs. The full costs of different alternatives remain unclear as alternative systems are relatively new and have therefor only been in use for relatively short periods of time. The literature indicated that costs of alternative ATPs can vary significantly depending on the quality of materials, the type of infill, the presence of a shock-absorbing layer, installation requirements, and regional market conditions. Oslo Economics 2023 estimated investment costs for SBR infill ATPs between NOK 2.5 and 3.5 million compared to estimated investment costs for olive, cork/coconut, or no infill alternatives between NOK 3.5 to 7 million. In addition, maintenance and operations costs vary. A stakeholder mentioned that although non-infill systems are more expensive to buy, over time they end up the most cost-effective due to lower maintenance costs, zero infill costs, and cheaper recycling.

There were few results from the limited LCC literature available. Stakeholder surveys indicated that many respondents consider different alternatives to be similar in cost and maintenance, although more expensive than traditional SBR ATPs. Notably, another challenge that became clear from the workshop, is that ATPs develop/change rapidly, and so results from longer studies assessing different specific ATP systems, can quickly become obsolete. However, for the same reason, much of the data used today regarding ATPs needs to be updated. In conclusion, the project identified the following as the main knowledge gaps regarding alternative ATPs. * Function: Performance comparison of current alternative ATPs * Cost: Life Cycle Cost (LCC) comparison of alternative ATPs * Environmental impact: Comparable life cycle analysis (LCA) comparison of alternative ATPs * Lifetime: comparison of how long different alternative ATPs last * Maintenance: optimized methods and guidelines for different alternative ATPs * End-of-life processes: information of current processes and development of safe and sustainable processes * Health (human and environmental): determine if alternative ATP materials contain properties or substances that pose a health risk to humans or the environment incl. possible microplastic release

In neural prostheses, intensity modulation of a single channel (i.e., through a single stimulating electrode) has been achieved by increasing the magnitude or width of each stimulation pulse, which risks eliciting pain or paraesthesia; and by changing the stimulation rate, which leads to concurrent changes in perceived frequency. In this study, we sought to render a perception of tactile intensity and frequency independently, by means of temporal pulse train patterns of fixed magnitude, delivered non-invasively. Our psychophysical study exploits a previously discovered frequency coding mechanism, where the perceived frequency of stimulus pulses grouped into periodic bursts depends on the duration of the inter-burst interval, rather than the mean pulse rate or periodicity. When electrical stimulus pulses were organised into bursts, perceived intensity was influenced by the number of pulses within a burst, while perceived frequency was determined by the time between the end of one burst envelope and the start of the next. The perceived amplitude was modulated by 1.6× while perceived frequency was varied independently by 2× within the tested range (20-40 Hz). Thus, the sensation of intensity might be controlled independently from frequency through a single stimulation channel without having to vary the injected electrical current. This can form the basis for improving strategies in delivering more complex and natural sensations for prosthetic hand users.

Despite its ancient and foreign origin, the Bible has managed to integrate so seamlessly into the contemporary Nordic countries that it is seen to form the basis of specifically Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish identity and values. This paper will employ the work of translation scholar Lawrence Venuti on the politics and ethics of translation, and especially his concepts of foreignization and domestication, to explore this understanding of the Bible. Venuti’s thought informs critical reflection on how translation contributes to the cultural position of the Bible in the Nordic context, through examining translation principles, the function of retranslation, and the role of fluency. This contributes to our understanding of how the Bible has become a successful migrant to the Nordic region who is now used to keep others out.