Critical Members Research Articles

A Cnidarian Phylogenomic Tree Fitted With Hundreds of 18S Leaves

Cnidarians are critical members of aquatic communities and have been an experimental system for a diversity of research areas ranging from development to biomechanics to global change biology. Yet, we still lack a well-resolved, taxonomically balanced cnidarian tree of life to place this research in appropriate phylogenetic context. To move towards this goal, we combined data from 26 new anthozoan transcriptomes with 86 previously published cnidarian and outgroup datasets to generate two 748-locus alignments containing 123,051 (trimmed) and 449,935 (untrimmed) amino acids. We estimated maximum likelihood phylogenies for both matrices under partitioned and unpartitioned site-homogeneous and site-heterogenous models of substitution. We used the resulting topology to constrain a phylogenetic analysis of 1,814 small subunit ribosomal (18S) gene sequences from GenBank. Our results confirm the position of Ceriantharia (tube-dwelling anemones), a historically recalcitrant group, as sister to the rest of Hexacorallia across all phylogenies regardless of data matrix or model choice. We find unanimous support for the sister relationships of Scleractinia and Corallimorpharia and of Endocnidozoa and Medusozoa. We propose the name Coralliformes for the clade uniting scleractinians and corallimorpharians and the name Operculozoa for the clade uniting endocnidozoans and medusozoans. Of the 229 genera with more than a single representative in our 18S hybrid phylogeny, 47 (21%) were identified as monophyletic, providing a starting point for a number of taxonomic revisions. Together, these data are an invaluable resource for comparative cnidarian research and provide perspective to guide future refinement of cnidarian systematics.

Identification of system parameters of a large‐scale dynamic multiaxial testing facility

AbstractLarge‐scale multiaxial testing facilities mainly serve to experimentally examine the horizontal behavior of full‐scale critical structural members, such as columns and seismic isolation bearings, on which a large vertical compression load is exerted as they simultaneously undergo horizontal deformation. The system friction and inertia force play an important role in obtaining sufficiently reliable test results, and it is not easy to comprehensively grasp all the issues involved. To understand the system friction and inertia force of the Bi‐Axial Dynamic Testing System (BATS) at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering Tainan laboratory and to avoid complexity caused by specimens as much as possible, a lubricated flat sliding bearing is chosen as the specimen to be tested under horizontal triangular and sinusoidal reversed loading together with a constant vertical compression load. When no specimens are installed, that is, without vertical compression loading, the system friction of BATS generated by the various sliding surfaces can be identified and mathematically characterized using the horizontal triangular reversed loading test results; then, the effective mass of BATS can be estimated using the horizontal sinusoidal reversal loading test results to solve the inertia force problem. When applying a vertical compression load, it is assumed that the system friction of BATS and the shear force of the specimen are simply related to the applied total normal force (or vertical compression load) and horizontal excitation rate. An iteration methodology is proposed to identify and mathematically describe the dependency of the friction performance of BATS and the specimen on total normal forces (or vertical compression loads) and horizontal excitation rates by iterating the horizontal triangular and sinusoidal reversed loading test results. Finally, a lead‐rubber bearing and a direct force measurement system are connected in series such that the measurement system precludes the system friction and inertia force and a series of tests are conducted. The reliability of the proposed mathematical model for BATS and the feasibility of the proposed direct force measurement strategy are further demonstrated by comparing the calibrated force response with the directly measured response.

Behavior of fin-plate connection of a composite beam subjected to different fire scenarios

The behavior of fin-plate connections of a composite beam exposed to different fire scenarios was numerically studied by experimentally validated models. At elevated temperatures, the closure of the gap between the beam end and column was observed to transform a hinge connection to a moment connection, reducing the beam deflection. In fire, a slow cooling of the beam close to the connection is a favourable approach to affect the responses of the beam and the fin-plate connection. Under heating and cooling cycles, the axial forces developed in the beam fluctuated between compression and tension. At the end of the first cooling phase, the shear plate was found to be a critical member in which the further development of the axial tension force can fracture the fin-plate connection at the end of the second cooling phase.

Evaluation of Shear-Flexure Interaction Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Wall

Reinforced concrete (RC) wall is a critical structural member that resists lateral loadings, such as earthquake and wind. RC wall having moderate height to length ratio, 1.50-2.50, has the altered shear-flexure interaction (SFI) behavior, so shear and flexural failure mechanisms occur almost concurrently. Therefore, an experimental study of a moderate RC wall was conducted as a comprehensive study of the wall’s coupled nonlinear shear-flexure behavior under cyclic loading. The experimental results show that the RC wall failed in flexure mechanism, indicated by crushing of the flexural compression zone, and followed by immediate shear failure, notified by the occurrence of web crushing. In addition to the experiment, an analytical model using SFI-MVLEM element in OpenSees software was performed to verify the experimental results. The analytical results show that the model is able to simulate reasonably well the coupled nonlinear shear-flexure behavior of the RC wall subjected to cyclic loading.

“It’s different than a doctor saying ‘You’re making the right choice’”: A qualitative study of chaplains’ experience caring for patients undergoing abortion in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia

ObjectivesHealth care chaplains are faith providers with theological education, pastoral experience, and clinical training who provide spiritual care to patients, their families, and medical staff. This study sought to characterize chaplains’ experiences providing spiritual care for patients experiencing abortion and pregnancy loss and to explore how chaplains gain competency and comfort in providing pastoral care for this patient population. Study designResearchers conducted in-depth, semistructured, qualitative interviews with currently-practicing chaplains recruited via convenience sampling in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. We analyzed interviews using directed content analysis and coded using both inductive and deductive coding. ResultsWe interviewed 13 chaplains. The majority were Protestant and identified as Democrats. Participants often personally struggled with the acceptability of abortion but emphasized the importance of spiritual care for this patient population. They recognized that religious stigma regarding abortion prevented referrals to chaplaincy. Though desiring to contribute, chaplains reported little formal education in pregnancy support counseling. They relied on foundational pastoral care skills, like holding space, values clarification, connecting with patients’ spirituality, words of comfort, ritualistic memorialization, and resource provision. All desired more training specific to abortion and pregnancy loss in chaplaincy education. ConclusionsChaplains from varied faith backgrounds have a diverse set of skills to support patients experiencing abortion or pregnancy loss, but feel underutilized and lacking in formal training. Though not all patients require pastoral support, chaplains can be critical members of the care team, particularly for those patients experiencing spiritual distress. ImplicationsChaplains have a paucity of training in supporting patients experiencing abortion and pregnancy loss. Chaplains want to be involved with patients experiencing abortion but feel excluded by both patients and practitioners. Standardization of pastoral care training is important to ensure adequate spiritual support for patients who desire such services.

Speciation simulation and sorption mechanism of 238Pu in radioactive waste repository lithosphere

Abstract The assessment of the migratory and environmental behavior of radioactive nuclides escaping from waste treatment facilities heavily relies on the use of numerical models capable of simulating and characterizing all significant processes of nuclides in complex geological environments. Adsorption models typically encompass the chemical properties of the nuclides themselves and their chemical reactions with the surrounding environment, as well as processes such as ion exchange or physical adsorption. These processes must be taken into consideration in the long-term safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories. The redox-sensitive nuclide 238Pu, a critical member among transuranic elements, exhibits a diverse range of aqueous forms, and concurrently, it possesses high toxicity. The chemical behavior of 238Pu shows strong spatial variability with changes in environmental conditions. In this study, we constructed a theoretical model for the migration of nuclides in soil and groundwater environments through indoor static batch experiments and hydrogeochemical simulations. Experimental methods were employed to dissect the micro-scale, irreversible adsorption reaction processes of nuclides and identify their primary existing forms. According to field measurements, the pH of groundwater was recorded as 7.48, with an Eh of 125.7 mV. Introducing a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 g/mL in centrifuge tubes, we measured the radioactive nuclide concentration after achieving adsorption and desorption equilibrium, obtaining adsorption and desorption isotherms. The PHREEQC software was employed to investigate the changes in 238Pu forms under varying conditions of pH and redox potential. Field measurements provided groundwater pH and Eh values. The activity concentration of the nuclide was measured after reaching adsorption and desorption equilibrium. The results show that the adsorption isotherms of 238Pu differ from its desorption isotherms, indicating an irreversible adsorption-desorption process. Ion exchange and surface complexation were identified as the main modes of adsorption. PHREEQC simulations revealed that 238Pu primarily existed in forms such as tetravalent Pu(OH)4 and trivalent Pu(SO4)2 −, PuSO4 +. Pu(OH)4 accounted for the largest proportion (97%) in the groundwater solution system, while a minimal amount of pentavalent PuO2 + was present. Environmental factors, such as pH and the presence of ions like SO4 2− and HCO3 −, influenced the forms of 238Pu.

Wnt10b knockdown regulates the relative balance of adipose tissue-resident T cells and inhibits white fat deposition.

Wnt10b is one of critical Wnt family members that being involved in networks controlling stemness, pluripotency and cell fate decisions. However, its role in adipose-resident T lymphocytes and further in fat metabolism yet remains largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated a distinctive effect for Wnt10b on the relative balance of T lymphocytes in adipose tissue by using a Wnt10b knockdown mouse model. Wnt10b knockdown led to a reduction of adipose-resident CD4+ T cells and an elevation of Foxp3+/CD4+ Treg cells. Wnt10b-knockdown mice fed with standard diet showed less white fat deposition owing to the suppressed adipogenic process. Moreover, under high fat diet conditions, Wnt10b knockdown resulted in an alleviated obesity symptoms, as well as an improvement of glucose homeostasis and hepatic steatosis. Collectively, we reveal an unexpected and novel function for Wnt10b in mediating the frequency of adipose-resident T cell subsets, that when knockdown skewing toward a Treg-dominated phenotype and further improving fat metabolism.

Progressive Collapse Behavior of Large-span Truss String Structures Subjected to Cable Failure

Cables play an important role in truss string structures, and their sudden failure can lead to massive damage and even collapse of the structures. This paper studies the dynamic response of a 72 m span truss string structure, the progressive collapse numerical simulation of the structure is carried out under different load conditions, the displacement and force responses of the structure after cable failure are investigated, the dynamic amplification factor is calculated, and the collapse mechanism is revealed. The effect of individual factor changes on the structural response is analyzed and compared. Results showed that after cable failure, the stress state of the upper truss changed from an arch to a simply supported beam, when reaching collapse load, the structure collapsed within 5s instead of reaching new equilibrium positions. Moreover, the structure with stiffer elastic support exhibited higher resistance to collapse. The critical member of the truss, which first buckled under compression, shifted from the mid-span to the lower chord at the end, leading to rapid structural collapse. Increasing the cable's cross-sectional area can hardly reduce the structure's dynamic response. However, when the instantaneous failure time of the cable exceeded 0.1s, a significant alleviation of the structure's dynamic response was observed.

A unified compendium of prokaryotic and viral genomes from over 300 anaerobic digestion microbiomes

BackgroundThe anaerobic digestion process degrades organic matter into simpler compounds and occurs in strictly anaerobic and microaerophilic environments. The process is carried out by a diverse community of microorganisms where each species has a unique role and it has relevant biotechnological applications since it is used for biogas production. Some aspects of the microbiome, including its interaction with phages, remains still unclear: a better comprehension of the community composition and role of each species is crucial for a cured understanding of the carbon cycle in anaerobic systems and improving biogas production.ResultsThe primary objective of this study was to expand our understanding on the anaerobic digestion microbiome by jointly analyzing its prokaryotic and viral components. By integrating 192 additional datasets into a previous metagenomic database, the binning process generated 11,831 metagenome-assembled genomes from 314 metagenome samples published between 2014 and 2022, belonging to 4,568 non-redundant species based on ANI calculation and quality verification. CRISPR analysis on these genomes identified 76 archaeal genomes with active phage interactions. Moreover, single-nucleotide variants further pointed to archaea as the most critical members of the community. Among the MAGs, two methanogenic archaea, Methanothrix sp. 43zhSC_152 and Methanoculleus sp. 52maCN_3230, had the highest number of SNVs, with the latter having almost double the density of most other MAGs.ConclusionsThis study offers a more comprehensive understanding of microbial community structures that thrive at different temperatures. The findings revealed that the fraction of archaeal species characterized at the genome level and reported in public databases is higher than that of bacteria, although still quite limited. The identification of shared spacers between phages and microbes implies a history of phage-bacterial interactions, and specifically lysogenic infections. A significant number of SNVs were identified, primarily comprising synonymous and nonsynonymous variants. Together, the findings indicate that methanogenic archaea are subject to intense selective pressure and suggest that genomic variants play a critical role in the anaerobic digestion process. Overall, this study provides a more balanced and diverse representation of the anaerobic digestion microbiota in terms of geographic location, temperature range and feedstock utilization.

The Needs of Critical Care Unit Patient's Family Members in East Cost Malaysia : A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Involving family members is integral to the healing process and the patient's well-being in the Critical Care Unit (CCU). However, having a patient hospitalised in the CCU is quite challenging for the patient's family members and has become a traumatic experience for them. Therefore, the study objectives are to identify the important needs of CCU patients' family members and determine the relationship between their needs and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among family members of patients who were admitted to the CCU in one government hospital in East Malaysia. About 96 participants were identified using convenience sampling and answered 42 questions in the Malay Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI-M). The data were analysed using IBM-SPSS Statistics Version 25. Results: Most of the family members who cared for the patient in the ICU were female, 76% (n = 73). The findings demonstrated that family members ranked assurance (3.69 ± 0.26) and information (3.59±0.34) as the most important needs compared to proximity (3.18±0.46), support (3.04±0.50), and comfort (2.53±0.46). There was no association between family members' age, gender, and experience with assurance, support, comfort, proximity, and information needs when the p-value > 0.05. Conclusions: In conclusion, recognising and addressing the needs of the ICU patient's family members is crucial for the strategy of CCU patient-family-centered care. The result of the study informs the importance of the involvement of family members in supporting CCU patients. By prioritising their needs and offering tailored support, healthcare providers can contribute to better patient outcomes and improved family well-being.

Communication in the ICU: An Unintended Nocebo Effect?

To identify medical phrases utilized by the critical care team that may have an unintended impact on the critically ill patient, we administered an anonymous survey to multi-professional critical care team members. We elicited examples of imprecise language that may have a negative emotional impact on the critically ill. Of the 1600 providers surveyed, 265 offered 1379 examples (912 unique) which were clustered into 5 categories. Medical jargon (eg, "riding the vent") was most prevalent (n = 549). There were 217 negative suggestions (eg, "you will feel a stick and a burn"). Hyperboles (eg, "black cloud") were common (n = 198) while homonyms (ie "he fibbed") accounted for 150 examples. Phrases such as "code brown in there" were categorized as metonyms (n = 144). 121 metaphors/similes (eg, "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic") were provided. Phrases that have the potential to negatively impact critically ill patient perceptions are commonplace in critical care practice. Whether these everyday communication habits lead to an unintended nocebo effect on mental health outcomes of the critically ill deserves further study.

APPLICATION OF SKELETAL BIOMECHANICS TO STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

The concept of green construction enables a revolutionary change in construction sector in terms of design, production, and management. One such method is introducing the concept of biomimicry. Biomimicry is utilized in the field of design to solve problems. This paper mainly discusses the mimicking of human skeleton for structural design. The idea is mimicking humerus bone as a tension member and femur bone as a compression member. The optimized members of compression and tension (strut and tie) were put together to form the mimicked king post truss analytically with the conventional cross-section truss. Three cases were considered analytically with average diameter, maximum diameter, and equivalent self-weight to the members of mimicked truss, and experimentally testing with non-destructive test and point-load test. The result shows that the ultimate load-carrying capacity of critical compression member and tension member was 846.16 and 1952 kN, respectively, whereas the achieved load was 780.30 and 1729 kN. Also, the ratio of analytical stiffness to self-weight is 21.83 mm<sup>-1</sup> and the ratio of experimental stiffness to self-weight was 19.15 mm<sup>-1</sup>. Therefore, from the results it was observed that the equivalent results for mimic truss can be achieved in a truss which is modeled of equivalent self-weight. Hence, the development and use of structural elements using biomimicry is feasible and will lead to economic, green, and energy-efficient structures.

The Needs of Critical Care Unit Patient's Family Members in East Cost Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Involving family members is integral to the healing process and the patient's well-being in the Critical Care Unit (CCU). However, having a patient hospitalised in the CCU is quite challenging for the patient's family members and has become a traumatic experience for them. Therefore, the study objectives are to identify the important needs of CCU patients' family members and determine the relationship between their needs and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Across-sectional study was conducted among family members of patients who were admitted to the CCU in one government hospital in East Malaysia. About 96 participants were identified using convenience sampling and answered 42 questions in the Malay Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI-M). The data were analysed using IBM-SPSS Statistics Version 25. Results:Most of the family members who cared for the patient in the ICU were female, 76% (n= 73). The findings demonstrated that family members ranked assurance (3.69 ± 0.26) and information (3.59±0.34) as the most important needs compared to proximity (3.18±0.46), support (3.04±0.50), and comfort (2.53±0.46). There was no association between family members' age, gender, and experience with assurance,support,comfort,proximity,andinformationneedswhenthep-value>0.05. Conclusions:In conclusion, recognising and addressing the needs of the ICU patient's family members is crucial for the strategy of CCU patient-family-centered care. The result of the study informs the importance of the involvement of family members in supporting CCU patients. By prioritising their needs and offering tailored support, healthcare providers can contribute to better patient outcomes and improved family well-being.

Community Activation to TrAnsform Local sYSTems (CATALYST): A Qualitative Study Protocol

Community Health Workers, promotores, and navigators (henceforth, CHWs) emerged as critical members of the public health workforce addressing social, economic, and health inequities worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is increased appreciation for and utilization of CHW models, and recognition of the importance of tailoring and innovating these models during the pandemic, few studies have examined the processes of change by which CHW models operated during the COVID-19 pandemic and factors that facilitated or constrained CHW health equity efforts. This protocol paper describes and reflects on the research methodology used in our qualitative study focused on CHWs. The CATALYST study aims to examine the roles that CHWs served during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitators and barriers related to CHW health equity strategies. This qualitative study incorporates the lived experiences of CHWs, low-income communities of color whom CHWs engaged, and institutional representatives and policymakers familiar with locally implemented CHW models during the pandemic. Through a community-based participatory research process, this study involves an abductive qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. We integrate community member expertise alongside CHW and health equity frameworks in designing the research questions and data collection process. Additionally, we use an analytic approach that combines inductive (drawn from qualitative data) and deductive codes (drawn from theoretical frameworks and practice-based evidence integrated through a participatory research process) and nimbly leverages flexible coding to address inductive themes and practice-based questions. Our collaborative process offers concrete strategies to develop qualitative research protocols with community partners, with evidence used to inform policy, programmatic, and relational changes to support and amplify CHW models to promote community health and health equity.

Target deubiquitinase OTUB1 as a therapeatic strategy for BLCA via β-catenin/necroptosis signal pathway.

Ubiquitination, a prevalent and highly dynamic reversible post-translational modification, is tightly regulated by the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) superfamily. Among them, OTU Domain-Containing Ubiquitin Aldehyde-Binding Protein 1 (OTUB1) stands out as a critical member of the OTU deubiquitinating family, playing a pivotal role as a tumor regulator across various cancers. However, its specific involvement in BLCA (BLCA) and its clinical significance have remained ambiguous. This study aimed to elucidate the biofunctions of OTUB1 in BLCA and its implications for clinical prognosis. Our investigation revealed heightened OTUB1 expression in BLCA, correlating with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Through in vivo and in vitro experiments, we demonstrated that increased OTUB1 levels promote BLCA tumorigenesis and progression, along with conferring resistance to cisplatin treatment. Notably, we established a comprehensive network involving OTUB1, β-catenin, necroptosis, and BLCA, delineating their regulatory interplay. Mechanistically, we uncovered that OTUB1 exerts its influence by deubiquitinating and stabilizing β-catenin, leading to its nuclear translocation. Subsequently, nuclear β-catenin enhances the transcriptional activity of c-myc and cyclin D1 while suppressing the expression of RIPK3 and MLKL, thereby fostering BLCA progression and cisplatin resistance. Importantly, our clinical data suggest that the OTUB1/β-catenin/RIPK3/MLKL axis holds promise as a potential biomarker for BLCA.

CFL1 is Implicated in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Response during Imatinib Therapy.

Cofilin (CFL1) is one critical member of the actin deploy family (ADF). Overexpression of CFL1 is associated with aggressive features and poor prognosis in malignancies. We evaluated the expression of CFL1 in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase (CML-CP), acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) and healthy controls. The role of CFL1 in imatinib therapy was also investigated using cell line. We found that the expression of CFL1 was lower in CML patients than that in healthy controls, and was significantly upregulated after imatinib therapy (p<0.05). CML patients with lower CFL1 achieved higher Major molecular response (MMR) rate after 6 months of imatinib therapy (p<0.05). Cofilin, P-cofilin and F-actin, especially branched F-actin were all upregulated after imatinib therapy. The lower CFL1 expression before treatment may predicts a better response to imatinib. Imatinib affects F-actin remodeling in CML patients by regulating CFL1 expression and activity.

Seismic Design and Performance of Composite Coupling Beam-to-SpeedCore Wall Connections

Coupled composite plate shear walls—concrete filled (CC-PSW/CFs) are an effective seismic lateral-force-resisting system for the design and construction of mid- to high-rise buildings around the world. The coupled system consists of two or more composite plate shear walls—concrete filled (C-PSW/CFs) connected to each other using composite coupling beams located at the story heights. The CC-PSW/CF system can provide higher overturning moment capacity, lateral stiffness, and ductility than uncoupled walls. Concrete-filled steel box sections are typically used for the composite coupling beams, which are designed to be flexure critical members. When the CC-PSW/CF system is subjected to lateral seismic forces, plastic hinge formation and inelastic deformations (energy dissipation) occur near the ends of most of coupling beams along the structure’s height, followed by flexural hinging of the C-PSW/CFs, typically at the base. This paper presents the details and design of four composite coupling beam-to-C-PSW/CF connection configurations. Six connection specimens representing the four connection configurations, with beam clear span-to-section depth, Lb/d, ratios of 3.5 and 5.1, were designed and tested. The lateral force-displacement and moment-rotation responses of the specimens are summarized. All six composite coupling beam-to-C-PSW/CF wall connection specimens (1) developed and exceeded the plastic flexural capacities, Mp, of the coupling beams calculated using the plastic stress distribution method and (2) developed chord rotation capacities greater than 0.03 radian before their flexural strength degraded to 80% of the plastic moment capacity, Mp.

Retrofits in Twin Tub Girder Bridges for System-Level Redundancy

Because of the perceived risk of fracture critical members (FCMs) in steel bridges, hands-on inspection cycles are mandated, resulting in high maintenance costs. This paper describes the redundancy evaluation of three twin tub girder bridges with FCM designations. Several failure scenarios of primary members are considered using refined finite element analysis of each structure to determine whether fractures result in collapse or loss of serviceability of the bridge. The analysis follows the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Guide Specifications for Analysis and Identification of Fracture Critical Members and System Redundant Members. Based on the outcomes of these analyses, the feasibility of retrofit alternatives is assessed with the purpose of reclassifying FCMs as system redundant members and precluding hands-on inspection requirements.

Effects of module-to-module connection rotational stiffness on the structural performance of high-rise steel modular buildings

With advantages including high productivity and sustainability, modular construction has attracted increasing interest in building project developments. As modular buildings are stepping higher, the modular systems should be better designed to ensure structural safety. In such systems, different types of connections, such as module-to-module (M2M) connections, play an important role in the loading transfer. However, the investigation into the rotational stiffness of the M2M connection was still insufficient in the literature. This paper aims to examine the effects of M2M connection rotational stiffness on the structural performance of high-rise steel modular buildings. A theoretical analysis was conducted on a hypothetic three-storey three-span steel frame to simplistically demonstrate the significant effect of connection rotational stiffness on the internal force distribution of modular buildings. To assess the applicability of preliminary findings in real-life high-rise steel modular buildings, validated numerical models were employed to determine the rotational stiffness of a newly proposed innovative and practical M2M connection. Subsequently, structural models of a 40-storey steel modular building with different M2M connection rotational stiffness values were established to conduct comprehensive investigations. The analysis results indicated that the rotational stiffness of M2M connections plays a critical role in determining the behaviours of critical structural members. The findings provide important references for the design of M2M connection stiffness and structural performance analysis of high-rise steel modular buildings.

Building and Sustaining Organizational Capacity for the Rehabilitation Profession to Support Long COVID Care.

The persistent postacute effects of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) illness are and will continue to negatively impact the growing numbers of people recovering from acute viral illness. Rehabilitation providers are critical members of the interdisciplinary care team that screen for, evaluate, treat, and manage Long COVID sequalae. However, current models of outpatient rehabilitation may lack the organizational capacity to effectively treat a large volume of patients at a higher frequency and longer duration currently indicated under emerging clinical consensus. Thus, the purpose of this special communication is to outline challenges in organizational capacity to scaling Long COVID care through illustrative examples.