Forging Post-Capitalist Societies in Mexico

Medical research facilities, indeed all the nation's constructed facilities, must be designed, operated, and maintained in a manner that supports the health, safety, and productivity of the occupants. The National Construction Goals, established by the National Science and Technology Council, envision substantial improvements in occupant health and worker productivity. The existing research and best practices case studies support this conclusion, but too frequently building industry professionals lack the knowledge to design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities at these optimum levels. There is a need for more research and more collaborative efforts between medical and facilities engineering researchers and practitioners in order to attain the National Construction Goals. Such collaborative efforts will simultaneously support attainment of the National Health Goals. This article is the summary report of the Healthy Buildings Committee for the Leadership Conference: Biomedical Facilities and the Environment sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the National Association of Physicians for the Environment, and the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers on 1--2 November 1999 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

A cabinet‐level National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established by President Clinton on November 23, fulfilling a key recommendation of the National Performance Review to strengthen and streamline the White House science and technology policy function. “Investing in science and technology is investing in America's future.… During the campaign and in my first days in office, I committed to reorganize and strengthen the White House science and technology function in order to implement my science and technology agenda,” said the president at the signing of the executive order.The NSTC will be a single, strengthened science and technology policy council within the White House intended to significantly improve decision making by consolidating and elevating functions previously carried out by interagency councils such as the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET), the National Space Council, and the National Critical Materials Council, the president said.

The 2017 Environmental Scan

Excessive inflammation is a postulated cause of severe disease and death in respiratory virus infections. In response to severe influenza virus infection, adoptively transferred naïve hemagglutinin-specific CD4+ T cells from CD4+ TCR-transgenic 6.5 mice drive an IFN-γ-producing Th1 response in wild-type mice. It helps in virus clearance but also causes collateral damage and disease aggravation. The donor 6.5 mice have all the CD4+ T cells with TCR specificity toward influenza hemagglutinin. Still, the infected 6.5 mice do not suffer from robust inflammation and grave outcome. The initial Th1 response wanes with time, and a prominent Th17 response of recent thymic emigrants alleviates inflammation and bestows protection in 6.5 mice. The severe disease in older than younger adult 6.5 mice with aging-related thymic involution and waning Th17 response further supports the protective role of the de novo Th17 response in severe influenza. Our results suggest that viral neuraminidase-activated TGF-β of the Th1 cells guides the Th17 evolution. IL-17 up-regulates and phosphorylates the non-canonical IL-17 receptor EGFR, activates the scaffold protein TRAF4, and promotes the translocation of TRAF4 to the EGFR signaling complex. Taken together, Th1-guided de novo Th17 response alleviates lung inflammation through the IL-17-EGFR-TRAF4 signaling cascade in severe influenza. The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections receives support from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan and NSTC 111-2634-F-182-001 from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan. This work was supported by Projects MOST 111-2314-B-182-029 (AD) and MOST-105-2321-B-182A-003-MY3 (AD) from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan, and by CMRPG3L1671 (CTH), CMRPVVJ0052 (CTH), and CMRPG3J1771 (CYH) from the Medical Research Project Fund, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

Mental health issues are recognized among patients with Graves' disease (GD), a cause of hyperthyroidism. The role of the glutamatergic system in major depressive disorder has been confirmed, and glutamatergic agents are considered the next generation of antidepressants.1, 2 Current drugs include broad glutamatergic modulators (e.g., esketamine), glycine site modulators (e.g., rapastinel and sarcosine), and subunit (NR2B)-specific N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists (e.g., traxoprodil).2 Notably, elevated glutamate levels are related to mania.3 Little is known about whether the level of brain glutamate is associated with depression as well as anxiety and mania symptoms among patients with GD, which could be an urgent issue as the use of glutamatergic agents for the treatment of depression has increased. A total of 26 GD patients with mood and anxiety symptoms (age = 41.19 ± 10.50 years; 22 females and 4 males) were enrolled. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were identical to those of our previous study.4 The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the 11-item Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) were used. We employed a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner (GE Discovery MR750, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with an eight-channel head coil. 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was performed using point-resolved spectroscopy (echo time (TE) = 35 ms, repetition time (TR) = 2000 ms, spectral width = 2500 Hz, 2048 data points, 128 water-suppressed, 16 water-unsuppressed averages, and eight excitation numbers). The voxels were placed in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC; voxel size = 10.0 mL) and the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; voxel size = 10.0 mL). Spectra were preprocessed using FID-Appliance (https://github.com/CIC-methods/FID-A), and concentrations of neurometabolites were measured using linear combination (LC) models. MRS data were fitted and analyzed using the LC Model (version 6.3-1K). Project-R version 4.3.2 was used to conduct the correlational analysis and plotting. As the data were not normally distributed, Spearman's ρ was used as a conclusive test. The associations between glutamate concentrations and symptoms were probed after controlling for the effects of sex and age via supplemental regression analysis. A nonparametric Spearman's correlation test indicated that the glutamate concentration in the ACC was associated with the HDRS (glutamate: ρ = −0.48, p < 0.05; glutamate/creatine: ρ = −0.55, p < 0.01), while the glutamate concentration in the MPFC was associated with the YMRS (glutamate: ρ = 0.67, p < 0.001; glutamate/creatine: ρ = 0.42, p < 0.05), as shown in Figure 1. The significant associations for the absolute level remained robust after controlling for age and sex. No associations were found between the HARS score and glutamate concentration. The finding that lower levels of glutamate and more depressive symptoms occur in GD patients is in agreement with the recent glutamate hypothesis of depression, which suggests that the glutamatergic system is also involved in the pathophysiology of depression. This hypothesis has been supported by studies indicating that glutamate levels are lower within the cortex of patients with depression.5 The increases in manic symptoms and glutamate concentration could support previous scarce findings.3 Currently, little is known about the biological mechanisms involved in the glutamate system in GD patients with mood and anxiety symptoms. Previous findings regarding elevated glutamate levels among mania patients involved the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.3 We speculate that the tendency toward depression and mania in GD patients with certain psychiatric disorders could be related to both higher and lower glutamate levels in the brain. However, because of the heterogeneity of the distribution shown in the figure, the implications of this finding should be considered preliminary. Whether the tendency toward depression and mania among these patients could be influenced by increasing or decreasing glutamate levels in the brain remains to be confirmed by future trials. This phenomenon may imply that intervention in depression among patients with GD via glutamatergic agents should be conducted with caution. This study had two limitations. First, the causal relationship cannot be confirmed by the cross-sectional design. Second, the statistical power was limited by the small sample size and the limited distribution of the data. The authors thank the study participants. We also thank Dr. Huai-Hsuan Tseng and the Mind Research and Imaging Center (MRIC) at National Cheng Kung University for consultation and instrument availability. The MRIC is supported by the National Science and Technology Council. This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (MOST 106-2314-B-006-036-, MOST 107-2314-B-006-064-, and MOST 108-2314-B-006-046-). The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests. The funding institutions had no further role in the study design; the collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data; the writing of this paper; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV2 cause serious emerging infectious diseases. Even seasonal influenza results in significant morbidity and mortality. Host immunity responds to influenza virus infection to eradicate the pathogen. However, dysregulated responses such as the cytokine storm contribute to severe disease. Mechanistic dissection of immune regulation may offer practical solutions for severe influenza. In our mouse model of severe influenza, a LAG-3 regulatory response evolves with the pro-inflammatory IFN-γ response in influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA)-specific CD4+ T cells. Adoptive transfer of LAG-3(+) IFN-γ(-) HA-specific CD4+ T cells suppressed lung inflammation without compromised virus eradication. Genomic study of LAG-3(+) IFN-γ(−) CD4+ T cells revealed up-regulation of the PPIL-5 [Peptidylprolyl isomerase (Cyclophilin)-like 5] gene. PPIL-5(+) HA-specific CD4+ T cells accumulated in the lung with time after infection. PPIL-5 protein suppressed HA-specific CD4+ T cell activation in vitro in a dose dependent manner. PPIL-5 blockade in vitro with siRNA reversed immune suppression and unleashed activation of HA-specific CD4+ T cells. PPIL-5 blockade in vivo with monoclonal anti-PPIL-5 antibodies attenuated LAG-3 and PD-1 and augmented IFN-γ responses of the lung-infiltrating HA-specific CD4+ T cells, with aggravated disease and intensified mortality of severe influenza. The HA-specific CD4+ T cells took less glucose and produced lactate with anti-PPIL-5 blockade. They adopted anaerobic glycolysis in this reverted inflammatory response. Our results suggest that PPIL-5, similar to LAG-3, is also an immune checkpoint and a possible target to be manipulated for alleviation of severe influenza. The Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections receives support from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Taiwan and NSTC 111-2634-F-182-001 from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan. This work was supported by Projects MOST 111-2314-B-182-029 (AD) and MOST-105-2321-B-182A-003-MY3 (AD) from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan, and by CMRPG3L1671 (CTH), CMRPVVJ0052 (CTH), and CMRPG3J1771 (CYH) from the Medical Research Project Fund, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

The identification of grand challenges can be a powerful tool for encouraging concerted efforts toward important goals, whether in research or other endeavors. For example, the National Science and Technology Council [2005] report entitled “Grand challenges for disaster reduction” targeted the handling and mitigating of natural hazards on Earth. Are there grand challenges in understanding the natural hazards of space weather, the solutions to which would transform forecasting, prediction, or systems design? Would specifically identifying several such challenges foster focused and transformational research that would arrive at solutions more quickly? The objectives of Space Weather include the advancement of the practical applications of solar and geospace research. Papers published in this journal are targeted to this objective, guided by the editor's reviews and by the formal peer-review process. But how many papers published here have been motivated by the most critical problems facing the users of space weather information? Is there indeed a set of critical problems that require substantially more effort, and are such problems even recognized if they exist? I believe that one grand challenge could be developing how to predict the electromagnetic amplitude and spectral characteristics of a solar X-ray and radio burst event with sufficient lead time to be useful (approximately 3 hours prior to eruption). Such events immediately affect the upper atmosphere of Earth and can severely disturb—and even totally disrupt—radio signals that transit through or are reflected by the ionosphere. These bursts pose an increasing hazard as society expands its use of navigation methods based on global positioning systems. At present, the events, and therefore their impacts, occur without warning. Not only can an electromagnetic event not be predicted with a 3-hour warning, but also any prediction of an event contains no information of its electromagnetic characteristics or its duration. Do you, the readers of Space Weather, agree that predicting solar X-ray and radio burst events may be a grand challenge for space weather research? What other grand challenges exist for our field of research and its applications? Or do you think that such challenge identifications are likely a waste of time and would accomplish little? The journal welcomes and encourages opinion articles that address the questions raised in this editorial. Let us hear from you! National Science and Technology Council (2005), Grand challenges for disaster reduction, 26 pp., Off. of Sci. and Technol. Policy, Washington, D. C. Louis J. Lanzerotti is editor of Space Weather and a distinguished research professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, in Newark.

Population and Development ReviewVolume 44, Issue 3 p. 652-655 DOCUMENTS US National Science and Technology Council on Impacts of Near-Earth Objects First published: 28 September 2018 https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12187Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume44, Issue3September 2018Pages 652-655 RelatedInformation

Probabilistic reasoning refers to the construction of the likelihood of conclusions based on one's belief. Contrary to deductive reasoning, which produces either true or false output, probabilistic reasoning requires retrieving prior knowledge from memory and has distinct neurocognitive process.1 Clinical reasoning previously depended on the hypothetico-deductive approach for deriving diagnosis or result interpretation, but uncertainty surrounding clinical scenarios, especially in nephrology ones, may necessitate a probabilistic approach to circumvent errors. Historically, nephrology's development closely intertwines with technological advancements and computer-aided modelling. The interpretation of laboratory data and dialysis prescription heavily rely on process automation and algorithms, fostering a preference for numeric accuracy among nephrologists while instilling apprehension toward clinical ambiguity.3 Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed medical practice in the contemporary era. A recent article nicely summarizes the utility of AI in dialysis management.2 Emerging studies also examined the applicability of clinical decision support (CDS) systems in aiding drug dosing, acute kidney injury management, allograft rejection prediction, and quality matrix monitoring.3 Despite the gross accuracy observed by researchers, applying CDS output to individual patients often necessitates probability interpretation and a certain degree of ambiguity tolerance. In the forthcoming AI era, nephrologists will be required to make decisions based on probabilities provided by data-driven CDS systems. However, nephrologists often hesitate to communicate prognostic uncertainty to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. Moreover, maladaptive responses to clinical uncertainty can detrimentally impact the physician-patient relationship and compromise care quality. The complexities and prognostic uncertainties further cause frustrations and contribute to declining interest in nephrology and burnout. Nephrology trainees, lacking a comprehensive background knowledge and emotional preparation, will confront heightened uncertainty in this evolving landscape. The educational gap about uncertainty-coping strategies becomes a lurking concern. To mitigate this challenge, we can reconcile the inherent features of the discipline (difficulty in managing uncertainty) with the inevitable trajectory of AI-assisted clinical practice. We aim to integrate probabilistic reasoning into nephrology training, achieved through approaches such as case-based learning. We propose specific strategies to enhance nephrology trainees' ability to navigate uncertainty (Figure 1). First, we should place emphasis on precisely introducing probabilistic information in undergraduate and postgraduate education. Probability and uncertainty are intrinsic elements of differential diagnosis and clinical decision-making for nephrology patients. The real-time provision of CDS produces probabilities intensifies decision-making urgency and anxiety. Trainees can enhance their probabilistic skills by engaging in repeated exposure to case presentation, including enumeration of indices like pre-test probability, sensitivity/specificity, or predicted risk. Moreover, engaging in peer discussions about uncertainty in risk interpretation can be beneficial. Collaborative efforts can alleviate anxiety, enhance well-being, and reduce uncertainty. Second, many nephrology algorithms are based on assumptions and possess inherent limitations. AI-assisted CDS algorithms are no exception, having their limitations, optimal usage settings, and requiring consistent data input for retraining. Therefore, the focus of training should be on probabilistic reasoning considering both limitations and the applicability of CDS-generated risk stratification and algorithms. Lastly, nephrology trainees should engage in discussions for the best way to refine the algorithm applicability. An example of medical education and training recommendations for probabilistic reasoning can be found elsewhere.4 AI-enabled CDS systems can assist in workflow improvement and optimizing management efficiency in nephrology. The value of CDS to streamline clinical practice is highly augmented by AI technologies. However, how to correctly interpret CDS output by users significantly affects its tremendous clinical potential.5 Without appropriate visualization of results and understanding of the context upon which AI-enabled CDS is built, such system can increase provider dissatisfaction and even resistance to implementation.5 Coping with uncertainty based on probabilistic reasoning can and should be the first step for fully realizing CDS system's potential. In summary, the practice of nephrology is poised to enter a new era with AI assistance, coinciding with escalating clinical uncertainty. We outline three components to enhance trainees' ability of coping with uncertainty and to cultivate their reasoning potential, including the enhancement of probabilistic information understanding, probabilistic reasoning/algorithm training, and case-based practice of applicability. We believe that nephrology education can take proactive steps by highlighting the importance of probabilistic reasoning to aid trainees in effectively grappling with this conundrum. Study design: Chia-Ter Chao. Data analysis: Chia-Ter Chao, Kuan-Yu Hung. Article drafting: Chia-Ter Chao, Kuan-Yu Hung. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript. We are grateful to Ms. Ting-Yu Chen for her kind assistance. Part of the figure content was generated using Microsoft Bing software. The study is financially sponsored by National Taiwan University Hospital (112-N0031 and 112-UN0060) and National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (NSTC 112-2314-B-002-232-MY3). The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to declare in relation to this manuscript. This study did not generate new data or materials.

Pick up a tube of sunscreen, a tennis racquet, an iPod, or any number of other consumer products, and there’s a good chance that it’s been “nano-enabled,” meaning it contains nanoscale particles designed to give it some beneficial feature. An estimated $147 billion worth of nano-enabled commercial and consumer products were sold in 2007, according to Lux Research, a market analysis firm in New York City. Citing the firm’s latest estimates, Lux analyst David Hwang predicts that figure could top $3.1 trillion by 2015, reinforcing a broad view that nanotechnology is fueling a new industrial revolution. Yet nanotechnology’s spread through the market has been met with mounting concerns over the potential human health effects of these miraculous materials. Because of their small size—100 nano-meters or less—nanomaterials have unique physical properties that can influence their uptake, distribution, and behavior in the body. Indeed, some nano-particles have been shown to penetrate into cells, where they can trigger inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. Canada and California recently took the unprecedented step of imposing mandated disclosure requirements on nanomaterial use and toxicity assessment. Issued 29 January 2009, Canada’s law targets domestic companies and institutions that manufacture or buy more than 1 kilogram of nanomaterial per year. According to the new regulations, these entities must now reveal how much nanomaterial they use, how they use it, and what they know about its toxicity. California’s law, issued 2 February 2009, limits its scope to carbon nanotubes, a class of nanomaterial used in electronics, optics, and biomedical applications. Under the new regulation, by February 2010 companies that manufacture, import, or export carbon nanotubes in California must disclose information about the toxicity and environmental impacts of their products. Meanwhile, experts in nanotoxicology and risk assessment have become increasingly polarized, represented on one side by the National Research Council (NRC) and on the other by the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a government-wide collaboration coordinated by the National Science and Technology Council in the Executive Office of the President. In February 2008, the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) Working Group of the NNI released a document titled Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research. This document is meant to present the U.S. government’s agenda for studying nano-particle hazards, and describes 246 related projects that were ongoing in 2006, representing a combined investment for that year of $68 million. The document also purports to “address prioritized research areas . . . and to advance knowledge and support risk decision-making—both of which are essential for the responsible development of nanotechnology.” Clayton Teague directs the National Nano-technology Coordination Office, which was responsible for drafting the federal strategy. He says the strategy was developed in extensive consultation with regulatory agencies, research organizations, the business community, and nongovernmental organizations. “We believe the strategy represents needs and agreements about what the agencies plan to do,” he says. “Funding agencies are telling us that they’re using the document to formulate solicitations for future research in this area.” But on 25 February 2009, a panel assembled by the NRC issued its own report, describing what it calls serious shortcomings in the strategy document. According to the NRC panel, which was assembled at the request of the NNI, the strategy exposes weaknesses in the government’s understanding of potential nanotechnology risks today and does not adequately address how they will be assessed in the future. NRC panel member Mark Weisner, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke University, claims that many of the research programs described in the NNI’s document don’t actually address environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns. “If you take this portfolio at face value, it overstates the true level of effort in federally financed [nano-technology-related] EHS research,” he says.

What is the governmental fiscal impact of a new assisted reproduction subsidy scheme based on projected lifetime net taxes attributed to resulting live births in Taiwan? We estimate that the new fertility reimbursement scheme has generated favorable lifetime fiscal gains for the Taiwanese government, resulting in a return on investment (ROI) of NT$5.6 for every NT$1.0 spent based on those families receiving public subsidies for fertility care under the new scheme. Globally, there is variation in the amount of public reimbursement for assisted reproduction provided to infertile couples. Cost is an important consideration for many infertile couples that can influence the amount of services provided and the types of services used. The analysis is based on the number of live births resulting from those couples receiving public subsidies for assisted reproduction. The cohort is based on those children born between March 2022 and July 2023. A lifetime fiscal model was developed to project age-specific lifetime tax revenue and age-dependent benefits likely received from government attributed to the children born. The analysis is based on age-specific projected earnings adjusted for work activity and applied to published income tax burden data, in addition to estimated indirect consumption taxes paid. Furthermore, we estimate the lifetime national insurance contributions per worker, including employer contributions. To account for changes over the modeling period, we increased wages based on historical economic growth, government benefits were increased based on the rate of consumer price inflation rate, and all costs and taxes were discounted at 3.5%. A child born in Taiwan in 2022 is expected to pay discounted gross tax revenues of NT$7257438 and receive NT$5373730 in discounted future benefits from the government. Following implementation of the new funding policy, based on the number of resulting births, the cost per live birth is NT$331918. Applying the cost per live birth, we estimate the discounted net tax revenue to be NT$1551789 for each child born from the subsidy. The ROI for the Taiwanese government is estimated at 568% over the lifetime of the IVF-conceived children. Several assumptions are applied in making long-term financial projections. Should economic conditions change dramatically, this could influence the projections described in our work. The results suggest the government benefits from public subsidy for fertility services when taking into consideration the long-term work activity of these children and future tax revenue generated for government. The results are broadly applicable to other markets, although variations in wages, lifetime work activity, and taxation rates would influence the conclusions reported here. The work was sponsored by the Merck Group in Singapore (funding to N.K. and M.P.C.). The sponsoring organization was given an opportunity to review the final manuscript; however, the authors retained full editorial control over the final published materials. The authors hold no financial interests in the sponsoring company. N.K. and M.P.C. have received consulting fees from Merck and Organon and payment/honoraria from Merck. M.-J.C. received no funding for this work but has received honoraria for lectures from the Taiwanese Society for Reproduction Medicine, Taiwanese Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Endocrine Society of the ROC, Merck, Organon, and Ferring; attendance fees for expert meetings from Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan, and the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan; and support for attending meetings and/or travel from the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan and Merck. None of the other authors report any conflicts in relation to this work. N/A.

Bladder sensory symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination remain underrecognized, particularly in women. Prior surveys have suggested transient storage lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) changes after vaccination; however, these studies often pooled data across sexes and utilized overactive bladder-oriented instruments that do not capture the “problem/bother” dimension central to interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS)-like phenotypes [1-3]. We therefore evaluated whether COVID-19 vaccination is associated with measurable changes in IC/BPS-specific symptom and problem indices in women and sought clinical predictors of post-vaccination deterioration. We conducted a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey at a Taiwanese vaccination clinic from October 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. Adult women who had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose completed Chinese-validated versions of the Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Problem Index (ICPI) before and after vaccination [4]. General adverse events following Covid-19 vaccination was also documented (Supplementary table 1). Participants with pregnancy or a physician-diagnosed urinary tract infection in the preceding 3 months were excluded. The primary outcome was clinically meaningful deterioration, defined as any increase in ICPI total score after vaccination. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors including baseline nocturia and metabolic comorbidities, given prior links between metabolic risk and female LUTS [5] (Supplementary table 2 and 3). A total of 595 women completed eligible surveys. Post-vaccination, ICSI subscores for frequency, nocturia, urgency, and bladder pain increased significantly, with a modest but significant rise in ICSI total score. Similarly, ICPI subscores for frequency, nocturia, and urgency also increased (Supplementary table 4), though the total change in ICPI was small overall. Notably, 123 women (20.7%) experienced ICPI total score deterioration, indicating worsened patient-perceived bother following vaccination. A small subset (5.2%) reported seeking medical attention for urinary complaints, consistent with real-world signals that urologic adverse effects can occur but are generally uncommon [3]. Baseline nocturia appeared to stratify post-vaccination trajectory. Women with pre-existing nocturia exhibited significantly greater increases in ICPI total score than those without nocturia (Table 1). In multivariable analysis, pre-existing nocturia (adjusted OR 3.53, 95% CI 2.29–5.21) and hyperlipidemia (adjusted OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.24–9.46) independently predicted ICPI deterioration. These findings offer a sex-specific perspective using IC/BPS-relevant instruments [4] and suggest that COVID-19 vaccination may trigger mild but measurable bladder sensory bother in a susceptible subgroup of women. The strong association with pre-existing nocturia provides a pragmatic clinical signal for risk-based counseling and short-term post-vaccination monitoring. Future prospective studies incorporating voiding diaries and inflammatory/metabolic biomarkers may clarify mechanisms and duration of these flares [3, 5]. The authors appreciate the generous support from the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital at Kaohsiung Medical University, and Kaohsiung Medical University Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Research Center. This research was funded by National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan (grant number: NSTC 114-2314-B-037-019), and Kaohsiung Medical University University Hospital (grant number: KMUH113-3R53 and KMUH114-4R58). The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, and decision to publush. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Table S1: Self-reported bladder-related and general adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination (N = 595). Table S2: Pre- and post-vaccination ICSI/ICPI change of score. *, statistically significant between measurements (p < 0.05). ICPI, interstitial cystitis problem index; ICSI, interstitial cystitis symptoms index, SD, standard deviation. Table S3: Univariable and multivariable analyses of factors associated with ICPI score deterioration after vaccination. *, statistically significant between measurements (p < 0.05). CI, confidence interval; ICPI, interstitial cystitis problem index; LUTS, lower urinary tract symptoms; OR, odds ratio, Ref: reference. Table S4: Patient characteristics and distribution. Table S5: Univariable logistic regression analysis of factors associated with ICSI Score deterioration after COVID-19 vaccination. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

As the Korean government expands the budget for national research and development, the need for an institute that deliberates, coordinates, and operates research development and its budget has increased. In response to these demands, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was recently established. However, to achieve a creative economy, which is the economic system where value is based on novel imaginative qualities rather than the traditional resources of land, labor, and capital, more efficiently, fundamental research regarding the current state of the Korean national administration system of science and technology in Korea is required. Accordingly, this study first analyzes the function and organizational structure of the NSTC in Korea. Second, it investigates the current state of the NSTC in other countries. Finally, the study derives several implications for improving NSTC operation based on the benchmarking study and suggests an operational improvement plan for NSTC with respect to enhancement of function, operation of organization, human resource management, and improvement of the relationships between other departments. The study contributes to analyze the current state of the NSTC in Korea and science and technology (S&amp;T) Councils in other major countries, systematically and in detail. In addition, based on benchmarking study, this study derived operational improvement of NSTC in Korea with four perspectives, including enhancement of function, operation of organization, human resource management, and improvement of the relationships between other departments.

Trejo, Guillermo (2012) Popular Movements in Autocracies Religion, Repression, and Indigenous Collective Action in Mexico, Cambridge University Press ( New York, NY), xix + 307 pp. $99.00 hbk. Why, after centuries of segregation and marginalisation, have the indigenous peoples of Latin America only recently mobilised themselves to demand their rights? This question has attracted much scholarly attention over the past decades, the majority of works attributing the rise of strong and powerful indigenous movements to the adoption of economic neoliberal policies and the existence of an international regime for indigenous rights. As time has passed, however, these assumptions have proved to be rather inaccurate. While many indigenous groups have indeed actively mobilised themselves in defence of their political, economic, social and cultural rights, many others have remained passive and depoliticised. Some others have even supported non-democratic forms of government. The first of its kind, this book opens the black box of ‘ethnicity’ in order to better understand the causes and implications of indigenous mobilisation in Mexico. Methodologically speaking, the study is quite impressive. It is based on an extensive amount of original quantitative and qualitative data (including protest events, surveys, case studies and life stories) on cycles of indigenous mobilisation which occurred in 883 municipalities of Mexico during the period from 1975 to 2000. Moreover, the analysis relies on multiple research techniques and methods of analysis in order to validate its findings. With a degree of confidence, the study challenges many common assumptions in the literature. It demonstrates that neoliberalism was a necessary but insufficient factor behind the rise of indigenous movements in Mexico. In fact, in many municipalities of the country, neoliberalism was willingly accepted by various indigenous groups. Instead, the book argues, it was the approach taken by the Catholic Church, in the face of growing US Protestant missionary activity, that promoted the rise of strong and powerful indigenous movements; in order to retain members, progressive Catholic clergy organised dense and decentralised horizontal networks with large numbers of catechists leading communal Bible study groups and organising social and economic cooperatives. Not only were these networks more prone to establish alliances with parties challenging the rule of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI, Institutional Revolutionary Party), but, given their architecture, these networks were less susceptible to state co-optation and repression. In fact, as state repression increased, the members of these Catholic social networks engaged in radical and violent forms of protest. That is, progressive Catholicism provided the organisational infrastructure for the guerrilla warfare organised by the Zapatistas, and those very groups engaged in rebel activities were the most likely to adopt the discourse of ethnicity. Thus, the book also shows that the existence of an international regime for indigenous rights was a necessary but not in itself sufficient condition for ethnic rights-based mobilisation, at least not in Mexico; nor was a shared ethnicity the mobilising vehicle – instead, it was down to the action of an external agent: the Catholic Church. That said, dissident indigenous mobilisation was not the product of radical Catholicism, based on the theology of liberation, as might have been expected; instead, the struggle for indigenous rights was the result of the structural characteristics of the social networks organised by the Catholic Church. These social Catholic networks had important implications for democratisation in Mexico. Had it not been for those social networks, operating at the most basic community level in southern Mexico, the Zapatista rebellion would never have happened, and the reforms that led to the establishment of clean and fair elections in Mexico would probably have been delayed or simply not adopted. In this way, the book tries to reconcile the dynamics operating at different levels of analysis (community, municipal, state, national and international) for explaining the impact of indigenous mobilisation in the unravelling of the PRI rule and democratisation in Mexico. The book thus calls for us to bring back the role of religious associations and social network structures to the study of indigenous and other forms of grassroots mobilisation in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America. While this book focuses on authoritarian Mexico, its approach can be employed to better understand indigenous mobilisation in countries in the region where electoral politics are already established, including Mexico. If anything, the argument of the book is very intricate and not parsimonious. Nonetheless, it is a must-read for all Latin Americanists.

The Clinton Administration has issued—five months late—its report on the future of three sets of federal laboratories—those of the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, and the Department of Energy. The White House report and a statement by Clinton accompanying it represent a ringing endorsement of the labs' existence, while reflecting several harsh criticisms of them made by separate task forces commissioned by the agencies. The report, Interagency Federal Laboratory Review, was issued by the Administration's National Science & Technology Council (NSTC), a Cabinet-level body chaired by the president. The review bases its findings on the Administration's five major themes for its national science and technology policy: fundamental science, national security, environmental protection and cleanup, industrial competitiveness, and space exploration and aeronautics. For all its importance, the report is modest in appearance. Its presentation by the White House was similarly ...