Short-term Assessment Research Articles

Reducing Risk for Future Violence From Forensic Psychiatric Patients by Using Critical Factors of the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability as a Caring Tool.

The dual task for forensic mental health care is community protection and treatment of mental disorders. The Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) has become an established tool for risk assessment and care planning in forensic psychiatry. When using the START, items judged as critical factors are chosen to be addressed in the care plan. However, it is not known which critical factors that are of special interest need to be addressed to reduce the risk for future violence. The main aim of this study was to explore how staff's choice of critical factors in the care planning influences risk for future violence. The study is based on 787 START assessments from 285 convicted and involuntary admitted inpatients at the Forensic Psychiatric Clinic of Stockholm County, Sweden. The influence on risk for future violence by selecting a certain item as a critical factor in the care plan was measured by comparing patients' sum of vulnerabilities at the time this certain critical factor was selected with this sum at the next assessment. The results show that a patient's overall risk for future violence decreases significantly when the items "insight," "attitudes," "mental state," "coping," and "drug use" were addressed as critical factors in the care planning. The importance of specified critical factors differs between diagnostic groups and time after admission. When staff select certain specified items as critical factors in the care planning, the patients' risk of relapse into acts of violence was significantly reduced.

Prospective study of cenobamate on cognition, affectivity, and quality of life in focal epilepsy.

Cenobamate is a recently approved antiseizure medication that proved to be safe and effective in randomized controlled trials. However, little is known about its impact on some areas frequently affected by epilepsy. For this reason, we explored the effects of cenobamate on cognitive performance, as well as on negative affectivity and quality of life in a sample of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Two prospective cohort studies were carried out. In Study 1, 32 patients (22 men and 10 women) underwent a baseline (T0) and a short-term (T1) neuropsychological assessment after 3 months of cenobamate administration. In Study 2, 22 patients (16 men and 6 women) from the T1 sample also underwent a baseline and a follow-up evaluation (T2) 6 months after T0. No significant differences were found in cognitive variables, negative affectivity, and quality of life either in Study 1 or Study 2. Similarly, based on the reliable change index, it was found that most patients showed no changes in these variables. These results suggest that cenobamate is a safe antiseizure medication in terms of cognition, negative affectivity, or quality of life since no adverse events have been found after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Cenobamate is a new antiseizure medication. In patients with epilepsy, cenobamate seems to not affect cognition, anxiety, depression, or quality of life.

Effect of a short course of parenteral treprostinil therapy on right heart structure and function in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, leading to increased afterload and right-sided heart failure. It is important to routinely assess disease progression and treatment response, with echocardiography an increasingly recognized important component of risk assessment. Parenteral prostacyclin therapy has been shown to be associated with improvements in right-sided cardiac structure and function, which are prognostic in PAH. Purpose To describe changes in right-sided cardiac structural and functional parameters after a short course of parenteral treprostinil. Methods The EXPEDITE trial (NCT03497689) was a 16-week open-label study of WHO Functional Class (FC) II or III patients with PAH designed to assess short-term (expedited) induction therapy with parenteral treprostinil over 2-8 weeks, to facilitate transition to comparable doses of oral treprostinil. The subset of patients in the per-protocol population that had clinical and/or echocardiographic data available at both baseline (prior to initiation of parenteral treprostinil) and end of induction (2-8 weeks) were included for analysis. Changes in each parameter were analyzed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results In the per-protocol population of EXPEDITE (n=29), the median age was 56 years, 62% were female, and 79% were white. At baseline, 52% were classified as WHO FC II and 48% WHO FC III. Patients were on either no (n=6, 21%), 1 (n=11, 38%), or 2 (n=12, 41%) background PAH therapies. The end of the parenteral treprostinil induction period occurred at Week 2 (n=1), Week 4 (n=5), or Week 8 (n=23); the median (interquartile range) parenteral treprostinil dose achieved was 23.8 (20, 39.3) ng/kg/min. Median changes from baseline to the end of the parenteral treprostinil induction period for this analysis are shown in Table 1. There were directional changes for most measures of right-sided cardiac structure and function that reflected overall improvement; two key markers of cardiac function, cardiac output and NT-proBNP significantly improved. Conclusions In this trial of expedited parenteral treprostinil induction, we saw favorable directional trends in changes in right heart structure and function that were achieved in 8 weeks or less, including some statistically-significant parameters known to have prognostic value in PAH. The relatively rapid improvements we observed in this small cohort may signal important changes in risk status, and support treatment guidelines emphasizing importance of early improvement in the first 3-6 months following treatment. Furthermore, changes in cardiac structure and function often occur before other clinically-evident indicators of disease progression, and early response to treatment has been shown to impact long-term outcomes in patients with PAH. Larger studies with short-term serial right heart imaging assessment to confirm findings are warranted.Table 1

Evaluation of Short-Term Toxicity and Cholesterol-Lowering Effects in Rats Exposed to Dietary Fiber Derived from Cassava Pulp.

The dietary fiber extracted from cassava pulp, composed of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and cellulose content, demonstrates promise as a functional food ingredient. The study's objectives encompassed the assessment of short-term toxicity and the evaluation of its potential cholesterol-lowering effects. The results indicated that cassava pulp dietary fiber (CDF) is well-tolerated with non-toxic thresholds determined at 10.01 g/kg body weight/day for male rats and 11.21 g/kg body weight/day for female rats during the short-term toxicity assessment. Furthermore, CDF exhibited notable cholesterol-lowering effects, significantly reducing serum triglyceride and serum total cholesterol levels, along with decreased liver total lipids and liver cholesterol levels. In contrast, it led to significant increases in fecal total lipids and cholesterol when compared to the control group. Most notably, there were no significant differences in terms of serum triglyceride, serum total cholesterol, liver total lipids, and liver cholesterol between CDF and the conventional cholesterol-lowering medication, simvastatin. These findings underscore the potential of cassava pulp dietary fiber as a natural and safe alternative for managing hyperlipidemia and related conditions. It offers a valuable avenue for the development of functional foods aimed at improving cardiovascular health and further investigation for its potential application in the field of nutraceuticals.

Deep learning based on Transformer architecture for power system short-term voltage stability assessment with class imbalance

Most existing data-driven power system short-term voltage stability assessment (STVSA) approaches presume class-balanced input data. However, in practical applications, the occurrence of short-term voltage instability following a disturbance is minimal, leading to a significant class imbalance problem and a consequent decline in classifier performance. This work proposes a Transformer-based STVSA method to address this challenge. By utilizing the basic Transformer architecture, a stability assessment Transformer (StaaT) is developed as a classification model to reflect the correlation between the operational states of the system and the resulting stability outcomes. To combat the negative impact of imbalanced datasets, this work employs a conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty (CWGAN-GP) for synthetic data generation, aiding in the creation of a balanced, representative training set for the classifier. Semi-supervised clustering learning is implemented to enhance clustering quality, addressing the lack of a unified quantitative criterion for short-term voltage stability. Numerical tests on the IEEE 39-bus test system extensively demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits robust performance under class imbalances up to 100:1 and noisy environments, and maintains consistent effectiveness even with an increased penetration of renewable energy. Comparative results reveal that the CWGAN-GP generates more balanced datasets than traditional oversampling methods and that the StaaT outperforms other deep learning algorithms. This study presents a compelling solution for real-world STVSA applications that often face class imbalance and data noise challenges.

Energy transition implications for Bolivia. Long-term modelling with short-term assessment of future scenarios

The global imperative of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 to mitigate climate change has intensified the focus on the energy sector, given its significant contribution to GHG emissions. Like many other countries, Bolivia has set official goals for transitioning its energy sector. However, these still require robust planning and technical documentation to become a reality.To better understand the effects of the transition process, a long-term optimization model (OSeMOSYS) was developed for the period 2020–2050. This model analyses the evolution of energy consumption, emissions, and required investments under alternative conditions. Additionally, a dispatch optimization model (Dispa-SET) was used to validate the technical feasibility of these scenarios periodically. Linking results from both models helps address limitations in the long-term model and determine a margin of error in its simulations.This study explores three scenarios: Business as Usual (BAU), Mixed Policies (MP), incorporating policy-based measures, and Carbon Neutrality (CN), assuming a 95 % reduction of carbon emissions. Results suggest that adopting energy transition measures could reduce the system's overall cost in the long term. However, achieving this would require major investments, especially at the power generation level. Relative to BAU conditions, the MP scenario expects an 80 % reduction in emissions by 2050, but requiring discounted investments 3.5 times higher. The CN scenario would require even larger investments, with an average yearly undiscounted cost of 2700 million USD between 2020 and 2050, similar to 7 % of the current national GDP of Bolivia. These results highlight the significant challenge of transitioning Bolivia's energy sector.

3 Mobile Toolbox: Enrollment of a Large Normative Sample Using the UCSF Brain Health Registry

Objective:A critical need in the neuropsychology field is development and validation of efficient, scalable assessments of cognition. The Mobile Toolbox (MTB), a novel suite of mobile device-compatible, app-based cognitive assessments, was developed to address this need. The goals of this study were (1) To collect longitudinal normative data for the MTB assessments in a large, ethnoculturally and educationally diverse cohort; (2) To assess the feasibility and usability of remote assessment using MTB.Participants and Methods:Participants were recruited from the UCSF Brain Health Registry (BHR), an online cohort (N>100,000) that collects longitudinal cognitive, functional, behavioral, and health data using online neuropsychological tests and self- and study-partner report surveys. BHR participants who opted to learning about additional research opportunities were sent automated email invitations to enroll in the MTB study. Those who indicated study interest were provided instructions within the BHR online portal for downloading the MTB app. All participants had the opportunity to complete a single baseline administration of MTB (Word Meaning, Sequences, Spelling, Arranging Pictures, Arrow Matching, Faces and Names, Shape-Color Sorting, Number Match). Those who completed the baseline assessment within three days were invited to continue into the longitudinal study, where they complete MTB assessments at a single, short-term timepoint (day 7, 14, or 21; study arms sequentially assigned), and then at 6-month intervals. Enrollment across demographic groups was monitored, and study invitations were sent to specific demographic groups, with the goal of enrolling a sample of 800 participants in the longitudinal study: equal distribution across eight, 10-year age bands (ages 18-80+); 60% with <16 years of education; 10% non-Latinx Black, 15% Latinx, and 5% non-White other ethnocultural identity.Results:Between January-June 2022, 48,110 BHR participants were invited to the MTB study. Of those, 8294 (17%) expressed interest, 3401 (7%) completed the baseline assessment, 850 (1.8%) were assigned to the longitudinal study, and 782 (1.6%) completed a short-term longitudinal assessment. Study staff received 797 help tickets submitted by participants asking for email support to complete MTB. The baseline cohort had and average age of 64 years and an average of 16.6 years of education, 76.2% female, 2.1% non-Latinx Black, 7.1% Latinx, 86.8% non-Latinx White, and 4% from other ethnocultural groups. The longitudinal cohort had an average age of 62.3 years and an average of 16.1 years of education, 80% female, 2.8% non-Latinx Black, 8.5% Latinx, 83.5% non-Latinx White; and 5% other ethnocultural group. Compared to those invited to the study, those who enrolled in the longitudinal study were older, had higher educational attainment, and were more likely to be female and self-identify as non-Latinx White (p<0.05 for all).Conclusions:Efficient enrollment and task completion of a large cohort in a novel, app-based mobile cognitive assessment is feasible in a completely remote setting. Most participants were able to complete MTB without individual support, indicating good usability. This approach can be scaled up to efficiently assess cognition in many research and healthcare settings. A remaining challenge is achieving robust ethnocultural and educational diversity.

Percutaneous microwave ablation of hepatic tumors: is there an impact of cirrhotic liver parenchyma upon the volume and short-term assessment of the ablation zone?

To retrospectively compare and evaluate ablation zone volume and its reduction from baseline to 1 month follow-up post-percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) between healthy and cirrhotic liver parenchyma. Institutional database research identified 84 patients (118 hepatic tumors) who underwent percutaneous MWA with the same system. Caudal-right lobe ratio was applied to distinguish cirrhotic (n = 51) and healthy (n = 67) group; ITK-SNAP software was used to quantify ablation zone volume. Long (LAD) and short 1 (SAD-1) and 2 (SAD-2) axis, tumor size diameter (mm) and volume (cm³) of the ablation zones were evaluated for each treated lesion in both groups at baseline (immediately post-ablation) and at 1 month follow-up. There was no significant difference comparing ablation zone volumes at baseline (healthy group: mean ablation volume 14.84 cm³ vs cirrhotic group: mean ablation volume 17.85 cm³, p = 0.31) and 1 month post-ablation (healthy group: mean ablation volume 9.15 cm³ vs cirrhotic group: mean ablation volume 11.58 cm³, p = 0.24). When both "healthy" and "cirrhotic" liver group were evaluated independently, there was a significant difference of ablation volumes reduction (p-value < 0.001) from baseline to 1 month follow-up. When both groups were compared based on reduction (35.12-38.34%) there was no significant difference in ablation zone volumes (p-value = 0.77). Percutaneous MWA results in ablation zones of a comparable volume in both healthy and cirrhotic liver parenchyma. Both cirrhotic and healthy liver parenchyma experience a similar significant reduction of ablation zone volume at 1 month post-therapy. This study evaluates and compares the volume of the ablation zone after MWA between healthy and cirrhotic liver parenchyma from baseline to 1 month follow-up and attempts to identify potential differences. It is the first study to demonstrate significant shrinkage of ablation volumes in healthy livers as compared to cirrhotic livers after 4 weeks of follow-up. The results of this study can help us understand the effect of MWA when applied in different backgrounds of liver parenchyma, which could lead to different treatment planning.

The impact of climate change on the resilience of banking systems in selected Sub-Saharan economies

Climate change is seen as a peril to the overall financial system, yet this revelation is in its infant stage. On that note, this study investigates the impact of climate change shocks on banking system resilience in selected Sub-Saharan economies. The study relies on a quantitative research method by first employing a Generalized Auto Regressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) (1,1) model to forecast the volatility series of the climate change variables. Further, the study applies the panel ARDL model to disseminate the long- and short-term associations between the obtained conditional variances of climate change parameters and banking system resilience within a time frame of 1996-2017 for 29 selected economies. The results show that banking systems in SSA are resilient to temperature shocks in the long-term. However, the study finds that the banking systems in SSA are not resilient to both precipitation and greenhouse gas shocks in the long-term. For the short-term impact assessment, the study finds that banking systems in SSA are resilient to only precipitation shocks. The study concludes that banking sectors in SSA should vigorously conduct stress-testing on climate-related financial risks and also design forward-looking strategies as well as climate change risk management procedures in the wake of climate change events.

The efficiency of fabricated Ag/ZnO nanocomposite using Ruta chalepensis L. leaf extract as a potent protoscolicidal and anti-hydatid cysts agent.

As a consequence of their eco-friendliness, simplicity and non-toxicity, the fabrication of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles using greener chemistry has been a highly attractive research area over the last decade. In this study focused on the fabrication of silver-Zinc oxide nanocomposite (Ag-ZnO NCs) using Ruta chalepensis leaf extract and evaluating its potential biological activities, against Echinococcus granulosus in an in vitro and in vivo model using BALB/c mice. In this study, the synthesis of Ag-ZnO NCs was accomplished using local R. chalepensis leaf extracts. The synthesized nanocomposites were identified using UV-Vis, SEM-EDX, XRD, and FTIR. For a short-term assessment of acute toxicity, BALB/c mice were given the prepared NCs orally. Dual sets of mice were also intraperitoneally injected with protoscoleces for secondary echinococcosis infection. Furthermore, a blood compatibility test was carried out on the nanocomposites. The synthesized Ag-ZnO NCs presented a surface plasmon peak at 329 and 422 nm. The XRD, SEM, and EDX confirmed the purity of the Ag-ZnO NCs. The FTIR spectra indicated the formation of Ag-ZnO NCs. Compared to the untreated infected mice, the treated-infected animals displayed an alteration in the appearance of the hepatic hydatid cysts from hyaline to whitish cloudy with a rough surface appearance. Lysis of RBCs at various doses of Ag-ZnONCs was significantly less than the positive contro,. These findings revealed that the Ag-ZnO NCs didn't cause any adverse symptoms and no mortality was observed in all administered groups of mice. The obtained outcomes confirmed that concentrations of up to 40μg/mL of the bio-fabricated Ag-ZnONCs induced no notable harm to the red blood cells.

Geopolitics, conflict, and decoupling: evidence of Western divestment from Russia during 2022

How foreign firms doing business in Russia responded to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has received extensive media scrutiny. Publication lags in official and private databases on international corporate activity, traditionally used to investigate cross-national commercial ties, preclude short-term assessments of foreign firms’ responses. However, as geopolitical events unfold quickly, such assessments can offer valuable insights. In this paper, we advocate for and implement a replicable, near-time methodology that is executed at arms-length to track foreign corporate responses to geopolitical events which can inform both academic debate and policy deliberation. We apply it to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, estimating Western corporate divestment rates from Russia during the first 9 months of the conflict. Our findings, confirmed by extensive robustness checks, result in divestment rates in the range of 5–13%. This range is interpreted in light of the prevailing sanctions regime as well as the divestment rate witnessed after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014. We also discuss the competing, often policy-induced, incentives facing international business during a time of growing geopolitical rivalry and draw implications for the design of sanctions regimes. Avenues for future research are also outlined.

Corneal remodeling after SMILE for moderate and high myopia: short-term assessment of spatial changes in corneal volume and thickness

PurposeTo evaluate the early corneal remodeling and its influencing factors after Small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for moderate and high myopia.MethodsThis was a retrospective study. Pre- and post-operative (1 week and 1, 3, 6 months) corneal volume (CV), mean keratometry (Km), and corneal thickness (CT) were measured by Scheimpflug tomography. CT at the central, thinnest point, and on concentric circles of 2, 4, and 6 mm diameter was recorded to assess corneal thickness spatial profile (CTSP) and percentage of thickness increase (PTI) in the moderate and high myopia groups, and to explore possible influencing factors.ResultsAfter SMILE, the peripheral CT decreased in the moderate myopia group and central corneal thickness (CCT) increased in the high myopia group at 1 month compared to 1 week (all P < 0.05). The CV, Km and CT were significantly increased at 3 months compared to 1 month (all P < 0.05), but there was no significant change at 6 months compared to 3 months for both groups (all P > 0.05). Patients with high myopia showed greater corneal thickness changes (△CT) and higher PTI than moderate myopia (all P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that in addition to refraction, peripheral PTI was negatively correlated with CCT in the moderate myopia group (4 mm: β = -0.023, P = 0.001; 6 mm: β = -0.050, P < 0.001), as well as in the high myopia group (4 mm: β = -0.038, P < 0.001; 6 mm: β = -0.094, P < 0.001). Moreover, peripheral PTI in the moderate myopia group was negatively correlated with age (4 mm: β = -0.071, P = 0.003; 6 mm: β = -0.162, P < 0.001).ConclusionsAfter SMILE, the CV, Km, and CTSP showed dynamic changes in the early stage, which stabilized after 3 months. Compared to the moderate myopia group, the high myopia group experienced slower corneal stabilization. The change in PTI at 6 months after SMILE may be related to higher preoperative refraction, thinner CCT and younger age.

Effect of platelet-rich plasma on the acceleration of graft bone catabolism in lateral lumbar interbody fusion in a short-term assessment.

This study aimed to demonstrate whether impregnating the graft bone with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) accelerates graft bone catabolism in lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF). Consecutive patients who underwent LLIF were assessed. Of the two spaces for bone grafts in the intervertebral cage, one space was filled with graft bone impregnated with PRP, and the other was filled with graft bone without PRP, which divided the graft bones into PRP and non-PRP groups. The mean Hounsfield units (HU) of the graft bone at the center of the cage space in the coronal and axial slices were measured using computed tomography (CT) images 1week and 6months after surgery. The delta value of HU from 1week to 6months after surgery was calculated for the PRP and non-PRP groups. We compared the delta values of the HU between the two groups. The PRP and non-PRP groups comprised 16 bone grafts. In the coronal slices, the HU value in the PRP group (delta value: 526.1 ± 352.2) tended to have a greater decrease at 6months after surgery compared with that in the non-PRP group (delta value: 217.6 ± 240.4) (p = 0.065). In the axial slices, the HU value in the PRP group (delta value: 501.3 ± 319.6) was significantly decreased at 6months after surgery compared with that in the non-PRP group (delta value: 159.2 ± 215.3) (p = 0.028). Impregnating the graft-bone with PRP accelerated graft bone catabolism in LLIF within 6months after surgery.

Mass transfer vectors for nitric oxide removal through biological treatments

The reduction of nitric oxide (NO) emissions to atmosphere has been recently addressed using biological technologies. However, NO removal through bioprocesses is quite challenging due to the low solubility of NO in water. Therefore, the abatement of NO emissions might be improved by adding a chelating agent or a mass transfer vector (MTV) to increase the solubility of this pollutant into the aqueous phase where the bioprocess takes place. This research seeks to assess the performance of different non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPs): n-hexadecane (HEX), diethyl sebacate (DSE), 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyl-trisiloxane (HTX), 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HNO), and high temperature silicone oil (SO) in chemical absorption–biological reduction (CABR) integrated systems. The results showed that HNO and HTX had the maximum gas-liquid mass transfer capacity, being 0.32 mol NO/kmol NAP and 0.29 mol NO/kmol NAP, respectively. When an aqueous phase was added to the system, the mass transfer gas–liquid of NO was increased, with HTX reaching a removal efficiency of 82 ± 3% NO with water, and 88 ± 6% with a phosphate buffer solution. All NAPs were tested for short-term toxicity assessment and resulted neither toxic nor inhibitory for the biological activity (denitrification). DSE was found to be biodegradable, which could limit its applicability in biological processes for gas treatment. Finally, in the CABR system tests, it was shown that NO elimination improved in a short time (30 min) when the three mass transfer vectors (HEX, HTX, HNO) were added to enriched denitrifying bacteria.

Forty-year investigation of wave power in energetic region of Persian Gulf in Iranian territorial waters by using short-term and new long-term stability assessment parameters

Forty-year investigation of wave power in energetic region of Persian Gulf in Iranian territorial waters by using short-term and new long-term stability assessment parameters

Integrating link count data for enhanced estimation of deterrence functions: A case study of short-term bicycle network interventions

Owing to the lack of demand-related data from interim timespans between consecutive household surveys, it is difficult to assess short-term interventions in the bicycling network and their impact on potential accessibility. In this study, we propose a novel method that incorporates easier and cheaper demand-related data for estimating the parameters of deterrence functions of gravity-based distribution models. In particular, an origin-destination (OD) matrix-updating procedure that uses bicycle count data was incorporated into a two-step line-search algorithm for estimating a two-parameter deterrence function. The method was applied to a case study in the city of São Paulo, where potential accessibility was calculated during the years 2014–2017, which was a period interim to the two most recent household surveys. Three different models were used to estimate the generalized costs of the network links. This method proved useful for capturing accessibility variations over short timespans. Results show how demand is affected by the bicycling network and provide insights into how short-term assessments can benefit decision-making such as providing well-connected and continuous bicycling infrastructure positively influences accessibility. However, they fail as a unique solution apart from land-use policies. Finally, our proposed method can become a valuable tool for decision-making from an accessibility perspective in the short term.

Comparative success of two sampling techniques for high-altitude Alpine grassland reptiles under different temporal designs

Abstract Monitoring of wildlife populations is essential for their conservation and requires a carefully chosen methodology. We compared survey effectiveness of reptiles using coverboards and visual encounter surveys in two study sites in the Italian Alps with similar habitats and reptile communities. The two sites shared similar methodologies, cover boards and visual encounter surveys (VES), except for the temporal approach, with one employing a long-lasting monitoring scheme and the other operating on a much shorter time-frame. Coverboards were placed two years before the beginning of the monitoring in the first site, while they were installed only for ten days and then removed each year in the second site. Similarly, VES were spread across the whole reptile activity season (May-September) in the first site, while conducted over nine consecutive days in the second site. Although the observation rate of any species was mainly associated with its relative abundance, reptiles preferred long-established coverboards and all three species present (Zootoca vivipara, Anguis veronensis and Vipera berus) were found underneath them. Only Zootoca vivipara used recently installed ones. On the other hand, short-term daily visual encounter surveys led to a much higher observation rate of Z. vivipara than those spread over the entire season. Our results suggest that coverboards may provide a valuable monitoring tool for reptiles when projects are conducted over long periods. Conversely, when only short-term assessments are possible, no real difference exists between the two methods and observation rate is more influenced by the species abundance than by the chosen method.

Lava flow hazard modeling during the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption, Iceland: applications of MrLavaLoba

Abstract. The 6-month-long effusive eruption at the Fagradalsfjall volcano in 2021 is the most visited eruption site in Iceland to date (June 2023), and it needed intense lava flow hazard assessment. In this study we document how strategies for lava flow modeling were implemented using the stochastic model MrLavaLoba to evaluate hazards during this effusive event. Overall, the purposes were threefold: (a) pre-eruption simulations to investigate potential lava inundation of critical infrastructure, (b) syn-eruption simulations for short-term (2-week time frame) lava flow hazard assessment and (c) syn-eruption simulations for long-term (months to years) hazard assessments. Additionally, strategies for lava barrier testing were developed, and syn-eruption topographic models were incorporated into simulations in near real time. The model provided promising results that were shared regularly at stakeholder meetings with the monitoring personnel, scientists and civil-protection representatives helping to identify potential short-term and long-term lava hazards. This included evaluation of the timing of barrier overflow and the filling and spilling of lava from one valley to another. During the crisis the MrLavaLoba model was updated to increase functionality such as by considering multiple active vents. Following the eruption, the model was optimized substantially, decreasing the computational time required for the simulations and speeding up the delivery of final products.

A randomised controlled trial in preterm infants comparing prophylactic with selective “less invasive surfactant administration” (pro.LISA)

BackgroundRespiratory distress syndrome is the main cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. “Less invasive surfactant administration” (LISA), which describes intratracheal surfactant administration to spontaneously breathing infants via a small diameter tube, is recommended as the first-line treatment in preterm infants with more than 30% supplemental oxygen. Prophylactic use of LISA in preterm infants with less than 30% supplemental oxygen was not tested in randomised controlled trials yet, and long-term outcome data of the procedure are scarce.MethodsPreterm infants with a gestational age between 25 weeks + 0 days and 28 weeks + 6 days who are breathing spontaneously on continuous positive airway pressure with supplemental oxygen at or below 30% in the first hour of life will be randomised to a prophylactic LISA treatment with 100–200 mg surfactant intratracheally per kilogramme bodyweight (intervention group) or will continue the continuous positive airway pressure treatment (control group). Participants will have follow-up until age 5 years. At that time, the children will be tested by spirometry, and forced expiratory volume within 1-s z-scores will be compared between the intervention and control groups as the primary outcome parameter of the trial. Secondary endpoints include additional lung function parameters, endurance, motor development, intelligence, and sensitivity for infectious lung diseases. Short-term safety assessment will be done after completed enrolment (n = 698) and discharge of all infants. This safety assessment will include in-hospital mortality and short-term complications.DiscussionRobust data concerning the possible long-term benefits of prophylactic LISA treatment are lacking. The current observational data from the German Neonatal Network indicate that approximately 50% of preterm infants with supplemental oxygen at or below 30% within the first hour of life are treated with LISA. The pro.LISA trial will provide short- and long-term outcomes of preterm infants receiving prophylactic treatment and will clarify if prophylactic treatment should be given to all preterm infants or if the current practice of selective treatment if supplemental oxygen exceeds 30% is more appropriate.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00028086. Prospectively registered on 8 February 2022.

World Health Organization's low-intensity psychosocial interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of Problem Management Plus and Step-by-Step.

Many societies have been recently exposed to humanitarian and health emergencies, which have resulted in a large number of people experiencing significant distress and being at risk to develop mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The World Health Organizationhas released a series of scalable psychosocial interventions for people impaired by distress in communities exposed to adversities. Prominent among these is a low-intensity transdiagnostic psychosocial intervention, Problem Management Plus (PM+), and its digital adaptation Step-by-Step (SbS). This systematic review is the first to summarize the available evidence on the effects of PM+ and SbS. Up to March 8, 2023, five databases were searched for randomized controlled trials examining the effects of PM+ or SbS on distress indicators (i.e., general distress; anxiety, depressive or post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms; functional impairment, self-identified problems) and positive mental health outcomes (i.e., well-being, quality of life, social support/relationships). We performed random-effects multilevel meta-analyses on standardized mean differences (SMDs) at post-intervention and short-term follow-up assessments. Our search yielded 23 eligible studies, including 5,298 participants. We found a small to medium favorable effect on distress indicators (SMD=-0.45, 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.34) and a small beneficial effect on positive mental health outcomes (SMD=0.31, 95% CI: 0.14-0.47), which both remained significant at follow-up assessment and were robust in sensitivity analyses. However, our analyses pointed to substantial between-study heterogeneity, which was only partially explained by moderators, and the certainty of evidence was very low across all outcomes. These results provide evidence for the effectiveness of PM+ and SbS in reducing distress indicators and promoting positive mental health in populations exposed to adversities, but a larger high-quality evidence base is needed, as well as research on participant-level moderators of the effects of these interventions, their suitability for stepped-care programs, and their cost-effectiveness.