Ecosystem monitoring is fundamental to our understanding of how ecosystem change is impacting our natural resources and is vital for developing evidence‐based policy and management. However, the different types of ecosystem monitoring, along with their recommended applications, are often poorly understood and contentious. Varying definitions and strict adherence to a specific monitoring type can inhibit effective ecosystem monitoring, leading to poor program development, implementation and outcomes. In an effort to develop a more consistent and clear understanding of ecosystem monitoring programs, we here review the main types of monitoring and recommend the widespread adoption of three classifications of monitoring, namely, targeted, surveillance and landscape monitoring. Landscape monitoring is conducted over large areas, provides spatial data, and enables questions relating to where and when ecosystem change is occurring to be addressed. Surveillance monitoring uses standardised field methods to inform on what is changing in our environments and the direction and magnitude of that change, whilst targeted monitoring is designed around testable hypotheses over defined areas and is the best approach for determining the causes of ecosystem change. The classification system is flexible and can incorporate different interests, objectives, targets and characteristics as well as different spatial scales and temporal frequencies, while also providing valuable structure and consistency across distinct ecosystem monitoring programs. To support our argument, we examine the ability of each monitoring type to inform on six key types of questions that are routinely posed for ecosystem monitoring programs, such as where and when change is occurring, what is the magnitude of change, and how can the change be managed? As we demonstrate, each type of ecosystem monitoring has its own strengths and weaknesses, which should be carefully considered relative to the desired results. Using this scheme, scientists and land managers can design programs best suited to their needs. Finally, we assert that for our most serious environmental challenges, it is essential that we include information from each of these monitoring scales to inform on all facets of ecosystem change, and this is best achieved through close collaboration between the scales. With a renewed understanding of the importance of each monitoring type, along with greater commitment to monitor cooperatively, we will be well placed to address some of our greatest environmental challenges. I.et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Our natural and managed ecosystems are changing more dramatically than at any other time in human history. Habitat destruction, soil erosion, pollution, climate change and species extinction (together with and loss of genetic resources) are just some of the most serious environmental problems facing our planet , mandated (data collected as a legislative requirement) or question driven   what elements within the environment are changing? (ii) What is the direction and magnitude of that change? (iii) Where is environmental change occurring in the landscape? (iv) When is environmental change occurring and is the rate of change increasing or decreasing? (v) What is the cause of the environmental change we are observing? (vi) What action can be taken to ameliorate deleterious change and/or encourage positive change?Each year we expect ecosystem monitoring programs to answer a great number of questions and/or test and evaluate a range of hypotheses. Whilst specific questions embedded within monitoring programs may be taxon, environment and location specific, we argue that there are six fundamental categories of questions that scientists and managers routinely consider, and that ecosystem monitoring data must be capable of answering. These are: et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al.  and paired sites to assess the effect of fires and grazing by including control plots.Targeted monitoring programs focus on discreet areas  and are generally designed to address a specific hypothesis et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Surveillance monitoring is primarily concerned with identifying what is changing in the environment and detecting the magnitude and direction of that environmental and ecosystem change through time  of Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN)  data et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Landscape monitoring is primarily concerned with where and when change is occurring at very large spatial scales , and is principally focussed on analysis of vegetation communities or biomes  over large geographic areas at scales where ground‐based data collection is simply not plausible , NASA and other similar groups.Relationships developed between reflectance and variables of interest need to be validated using information that was not used to create these models along with accuracy assessments of resultant mapping As we have demonstrated, all monitoring types provide useful data for the scale and focus for which they are implemented, but none can address all questions required of a comprehensive monitoring system. This is because of the fundamental trade off between space, time and information content that exists across the targeted–surveillance–landscape spectrum. Recognition of this necessitates the integration of different types of monitoring.et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al. The different types of ecosystem monitoring do have different strengths and some are better than others at addressing our key environmental change questions  change is usually only measured for a narrow range of variables; and (ii) the measured change will only be relevant to a restricted spatial area. Surveillance monitoring is also well‐equipped to determine “What is the direction and magnitude of that change?” across broad areas, including land types and jurisdictional boundaries. Both landscape and targeted monitoring programs can inform on magnitude and direction questions, however, as discussed above, targeted monitoring can only provide information for a restricted area, and landscape monitoring is limited to phenomena with a spectral response (or some surrogate thereof).By monitoring a broad suite of critical variables across regions, countries, and continents, surveillance monitoring programs are well placed to inform on “What is the cause of the environmental change we are observing?”. By focusing on a particular process‐based question, these programs can incorporate sufficient replication and power to inform on the causes of change. In addition, targeted programs can be used to compare areas with different land management or conservation strategies. As a result, they are the gold standard for informing on causation. Once a causal relationship is identified, the results of targeted monitoring can be integrated with other types of monitoring. For example, landscape‐monitoring data can be used to extrapolate process‐based mechanisms over similar areas, outside the original study site. Targeted monitoring is also uniquely positioned to inform on “What action can be taken to ameliorate deleterious change and/or encourage positive change?”. With careful program and experimental design, hypotheses about the impact of different management actions on known causes of change can be tested. Therefore, targeted programs are able to provide objective information on the most appropriate management technique from a range of options. Neither surveillance nor landscape‐based programs are able to determine the appropriateness of management actions in meeting diversity goals directly, and can only do so via a correlation between specific management interventions and measured responses.Given their hypothesis‐driven design, specific methods, and frequent sampling, targeted monitoring programs excel at determining “(3)et al., et al., It is worth clarifying that we are not arguing that all monitoring programs can or should be the same, rather, we argue that comprehensive monitoring programs rely on exploiting the strengths and complementary nature of multiple monitoring schemes. Individual programs might prefer one form more than another, but to monitor and manage regional to global areas we need to capitalise on the inherent strengths of each form of monitoring in a holistic system. Only then can monitoring programs help answer the six key environmental change questions we so often ask in ecological research. Whilst seemingly self‐evident, we reiterate that all types of monitoring benefit from clear objectives or direction setting  that occur between an organism and its habitat. Similar to landscape monitoring, results of surveillance and targeted monitoring schemes are presented and published in venues not particularly accessible to spatial scientists. Ultimately, to realise a comprehensive three‐tiered monitoring program will require all conservation practitioners, policy officers, and researchers to combine their skills and provide clear avenues for effective communication whilst always valuing the contribution of their peers working under other monitoring paradigms.Clearly, all three forms of monitoring are needed effectively to address all six questions we defined (see Table et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., All forms of ecosystem monitoring are relatively costly to implement and require sustained investment over long periods for maximum benefit (Lovett V.Maintaining ecosystem services is currently one of society's greatest challenges. To do that effectively we need ecosystem monitoring programs that can inform on different aspects of environmental change. Information from these monitoring programs is essential to successful land management actions. However, traditionally there has been little agreement about how to define different forms of ecosystem monitoring or how they can contribute to various management and research goals.Herein we have provided clarity around a framework that can be used succinctly to articulate types of monitoring and their value in observing different forms of ecological change. We have identified three types of monitoring, namely landscape, surveillance and targeted monitoring, and explored each of their applications. We recommend this framework to assess current monitoring programs and to discuss and design effective future programs. This system is broad, clear, flexible, and can be used to investigate a wide range of changes in the environment at a variety of scales.We have also detailed six key questions that ecosystem monitoring is expected to inform. Ecosystem monitoring questions relate to where and when change is occurring, what elements of the environment are changing, and the direction and magnitude of that change. Questions of why change is occurring, and how to ameliorate undesirable change are also critical to our understanding of environments. We have documented how each form of ecosystem monitoring contributes to our ability to inform on these questions. In this context, we identified the strengths and weaknesses of each type of monitoring.We have established it is essential that all three types of monitoring be implemented together in order for all forms of ecological questions to be addressed. With well‐designed surveillance monitoring complementing both targeted and landscape‐wide programs, we can arm ourselves with the information necessary to address some of our greatest environmental challenges.Finally, we advocate for renewed cooperation and collaboration between practitioners of each form of monitoring, and for them to work together to provide society with this crucial information. We encourage them to articulate their value, and the value of all types of ecosystem monitoring in a holistic rather than competing manner. Only when that happens will it be possible for society to realise the essential value of ecosystem monitoring programs.B.D.S. developed the idea, B.D.S. conducted the literature review, all authors contributed ideas, B.D.S. wrote the initial draft, and all authors provided assistance and substantial revisions.


Micromachines is devoted to optical trapping, and the enormous range of uses the method has found in the decades since its first demonstration. The papers published here include both novel research articles and in-depth reviews, innovative optical trapping schemes and notable new applications. This diversity of the research field is reflected in the breadth of papers contained in this Special Issue. This Special Issue of Two papers are concerned with the investigation of mechanical interactions of red blood cells (RBCs). Zhu et al. have investigated the disaggregation of RBCs by using optical tweezers to quantify the force required to separate aggregated cells, showing that a short irradiation from a pulsed helium-neon laser may reduce the aggregation force . AvsieviVivek et al. have used optical tweezers to study biomembranes, by inducing the controlled fusion of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) . The manOptical tweezers also find application in single-molecule biophysics, such as the work reported by Kretzer et al.  By combiA novel optical trapping scheme utilizing a micro-ring resonator is reported by Ho et al., who used the evanescent field of the device to trap microscopic particles . The sysIn their communication, Shishkin et al. reported on the development of microscopic optomechanical tools for use with optical tweezers . They deMicroscopic optically trapped and actuated machines are considered in depth in the review article by Andrew et al. . The autFinally, Zhao et al. have provided an in-depth review of an alternative optical trapping scheme, namely optical fibre tweezers . They haWe would like to thank all the authors who have contributed their work to this Special Issue, and all the referees who have dedicated their time to the rigorous reviewing process.Optical Trapping and Manipulation: from Fundamentals to Applications is accepting contributions until 31 January 2021, for publication later that year.In closing this editorial, we would like to remind readers that a second volume of


The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a specialized, highly organized and dynamic three-dimensional network composed of a complex mixture of proteins and other molecules forming the physical scaffolding of a cell and determining the tissue architecture of organs  entitled “CCNs and other extracellular matrix proteins” contains a comprehensive editorial, 7 reviews, and 4 original research articles reporting novel concepts and major advances in our understanding of basic and clinical aspects on CCN biology. The collection of these articles demonstrates the eminent progress made in the CCN field during the last years and supports the hope that this knowledge will help establishing novel therapies for various pathologies associated with imbalance or de-regulation of CCN proteins and pathways modulated by this multifaceted protein family.This Special Issue of 22. Finally, functional interaction of different CCNs, occurrence of biological active modules, and many other factors further increase the complexity of the CCN network. Undoubtedly, this contribution stimulates reflection and in-depth discussion and shows that individual CCNs are not lone wolves, but a pack of wolves acting together in an orchestrated, finely tuned manner, in which their interplay set the final biological opportunities of their activities.The first contribution in this Special Issue is a profound Editorial by Perbal et al.  in whichIn retinal neuronal and vascular development and function, various CCN proteins play essential function. The review by Chaqour  highlighAnother example of the complexity of CCN function is described by Muromachi et al. . In theiLi and Li  systematIn the original article presented by Qin et al. , the autccn gene knockout mice demonstrate that each CCN member also has specialized functions that cannot be compensated by other members.The brief review by Xega et al.  providesBorkham-Kamphorst et al.  analyzedThe review by Barkin et al.  summarizThe personal perspective of Yeger  providesCCN3 promoter region. Elevated CCN3 then reduce cell proliferation and assist cellular survival by reducing energy expenditure, while maintaining the quiescence and stemness of chrondrocytes. Consequently, CCN3 is a kind of biological guard that prevents “overwork” by chondrocytes, while CCN2 stimulates chondrocyte proliferation in articular, auricular and growth-plate cartilage.In focus of the review by Kubota et al.  is CCN3 Modified expression of CCNs can also be induced by physical shear stress. In general, the cell microenvironment is formed by physical (shear stress), biochemical (cell interactions), and physicochemical . In their review, Wang et al.  compreheFinally, the review by Monsen and Attramadal  criticalTo sum up, this Special Issue provides a unique compilation of contemporary findings and new concepts on CCN biology from leading laboratories originating from 9 countries and working in this research area. Although the individual contributions demonstrate the relentless progress in field of this versatile protein family, there is still a gap in translating basic laboratory findings into human applications and potential treatments. However, there is hope that the new findings, ideas and concepts presented in this Special Issue will help to foster the process of clinical translation into therapies and development of new diagnostic tests.


The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child  recognizDing et al. showed that short sleep periods and low sleep quality were associated with suboptimal self-reported health among medical students in China. Qin et al. reported an association between weight and physical fitness in Chinese high school students thus showing an association between physical activity and obesity in younger age groups. Physical activity has direct and indirect benefits for health. In this Research Topic, Zeng et al. showed that physical activity mitigated the negative impact of prolonged use of screens on visual acuity among Chinese children during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, providing evidence to guide parenting practices. Despite this health promoting effect of physical activity, Deng and Fan presented data from a national US survey of adolescents showing that sports participation has declined in the last decade with differences among ethnic subgroups and subsequent negative health effects to be expected among this young population. Obesity (The Research Topic sheds light on risk factors that may impact young people's health like they impact the health of adults such as use of tobacco, obesity, inadequate sleep and limited physical activity in addition to risk factors that are more relevant to younger age groups such as longer screen use time and use of e-cigarettes. The quality of sleep and physical activity affect perceived and actual health. In this Research Topic,  Obesity  and sede Obesity  are modeDai et al., showed that exposure to second-hand smoking and multiple sales sources, as well as having parents and friends who use e-cigarettes were all associated with greater likelihood of Chinese adolescents' expressing an intention to use e-cigarettes. Mai et al. also confirmed the association between friends' using e-cigarettes and Chinese adolescents' use of e-cigarettes although they showed that some personality traits, like agreeableness, may be associated with lower odds of e-cigarettes' use. Ribera-Osca et al. also confirmed the impact of having parents who are smokers on secondary school students' tobacco use in Spain.Tobacco use is another global health problem with statistics showing that although cigarette smoking has decreased among adolescents, the use of other tobacco products has increased or remained the same over the last two decades . This ReGasoyan et al. described a program to improve oral health and reduce caries among Armenian schoolchildren in rural areas where fluoridation is not possible. Nagy-Pénzes et al. reported on a school-based program that improved health-related knowledge, reduced unhealthy eating and alcohol consumption and improved physical activity among Hungarian secondary school students. Gross et al. used quality improvement and participatory approach to design a health education curriculum to improve American adolescents' health behaviors. These various interventions demonstrate the usefulness of school-based interventions to modify and instill positive health behaviors thus benefiting from the social environment in which children and adolescents live and turning perceived norms and role modeling into an opportunity rather than a threat.The Research Topic offers an insight into health intervention opportunities that are of special importance to children and adolescents by describing several school-based health interventions. School health programs offer a good chance to integrate health promotion activities into school activities and to reduce workforce needs by utilizing schoolteachers to supervise program activities. The health of children and adolescents is at a critical stage. New challenges specific to this age group and risks that are characteristic of older age groups but apply to younger populations require innovative solutions that build on the specific attributes of young people and their vulnerability to the impact of peers and role models. Involving members of the target group in designing health behavior modification interventions is key to promoting the health of children and adolescents.ME: Writing—original draft, Writing—review and editing.


In this Research Topic, we recognize the work of future leaders in the field of Aquatic Microbiology by presenting a collection of articles that showcases the high-quality work of “rising stars” that are in the early stages of their careers and on a trajectory to potentially becoming internationally recognized leaders in their field. We aim to highlight research by these upcoming leading scientists of the future across the entire breadth of Aquatic Microbiology, with advances in theory, experimental design, and methodology with applications for compelling problems. We trust that this Research Topic will give a hint of who to follow in the coming years.Chen et al. investigates the seasonal patterns, ecological function, and assembly processes of bacterioplankton communities in the Danjiangkou Reservoir (DJR), China. Using high-throughput sequencing, PICRUSt2, and other methods, this study reveals the composition, function, interaction, and assembly of bacterioplankton communities in the DJR, providing a reference for the protection of water quality and the ecological functions of DJR bacterioplankton. In the article by Summers et al., the authors assess how different stone materials that are used in seawall construction  affect biofilm formation in tropical marine waters. Their results show bacterial biofilm colonization and succession are similar across different types of stone materials, suggesting that marine biofilms converged over time to a generic marine biofilm, rather than the underlying stone substrata type playing a significant role in driving community composition. The article by Brenes-Guillén et al. reports new insights into the prokaryotic diversity and community structure, in conjunction with physicochemistry along vertical gradients, during stratification and mixing periods in Lake Cote, Costa Rica, and provides an example of lake hydrodynamic impacts on microbial communities and their function in Central American lakes with implications for other shallow, upland, and oligotrophic lake systems. Zhao et al. report on the biogeographical patterns and assembly processes of the abundant and rare bacteria from river sediment at high altitudes  and their potential association with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Their results reveal that abundant bacteria shaped by deterministic processes have a high abundance of potential ARGs in the plateau river sediment. The article by Puigcorbé et al. shows how the vertical connectivity of the prokaryotic assemblages associated with particles of three different sizes at two East Antarctic polynyas with different surface productivity is linked to the magnitude of the particle export fluxes measured using thorium-234 (234Th) as particle tracer. Whilst the results support recent studies evidencing links between surface productivity and deep prokaryotic communities, this study provides the first evidence of sinking particles acting as vectors of microbial diversity to depth in Antarctic polynyas and highlights the direct influence of particle export in shaping the prokaryotic communities of mesopelagic waters.In this Research Topic, five articles highlight new findings on the functions and seasonal and ecosystem effects of microbial communities in aquatic systems. To begin, the article by Tian et al.; Singh et al.) focus on the microbiology of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The article by Tian et al. presents a critical overview of the existing knowledge of bioaerosol emissions from WWTPs, including their nature, magnitude, and size distribution, and highlights shortcomings associated with existing sampling and analysis methods. The mini-review by Singh et al. provides an appraisal of the different types and sources of coliphage and their fate and behavior in source waters and engineered drinking water treatment systems, and provides exciting future prospects for the use of coliphages in aquatic microbiology based on current scientific evidence and practical needs.A couplet of review articles , 3–20 (nano-), and 20–200 mm (micro-size), and their findings suggest that the cell size of microbial eukaryotes is a phylogenetically conserved trait which is tightly associated with biogeographic patterns.Body size is an important ecological trait, but it has been poorly explored in microbial communities. The article by Xia et al., comparative genomics was used to reveal a new strain of flavobacteria, Tamlana sp. S12, which can potentially degrade complex algal polysaccharides, thus expanding our knowledge on how marine Flavobacteriaceae adapt to marine algal polysaccharide environments.In the study by In summary, these articles provide a snapshot of what is to come with respect to more high-quality work from these “rising stars” across the wide breadth of Aquatic Microbiology. We hope that this Research Topic will also inspire the younger “clan” of early career researchers to what may be possible in uncovering more about our enigmatic and incredibly profound world of microbes.TG: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Validation, Writing—original draft, Writing—review and editing. HL: Validation, Writing—review and editing.


This issue brings together a collection of papers about e-cigarettes using a range of study designs and data sources, in a range of geographic locations and addressing a range of policy domains.et al find that Instagram is a global unregulated marketplace for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), with little age verification for flavoured products.et al also focus on Instagram, and report that in 2020 there was an interconnected network of e-cigarette influencers worldwide, with most not restricting youth access to their promotional content.et al, finds that the vast majority used recruitment or trial-based appeals including smoking cessation and product sampling and programmes, and almost three-quarters used reinforcement or addiction-related appeals such as loyalty programmes.et al asked people from 22 countries to engage in live webchat communications on the IQOS website, which they conclude can be another opportunity for companies to make claims about their products that may not be warranted.Eleven papers address marketing. Shah et al conducted an experiment with UK youth aged 13–17, finding that among those who visit retail stores regularly (and who passed the study’s attention checks), seeing e-cigarette retail displays was associated with increased susceptibility to smoking and decreased harm perceptions of smoking.et al reports on an unintended consequence of a New Zealand law whereby specialist ‘stores-within-a-store’ emerged to sell e-cigarettes; we have come to learn well that the tobacco industry exploits any loopholes to skirt the spirit of a law, but papers such as this one allow jurisdictions to learn from others and build upon their experiences.et al describe a troubling access channel they observed in Guatemala City—vending machines selling disposable e-cigarettes with no age verification.et al finds that Philip Morris International is using similar marketing tactics as they have used for cigarettes, including direct promotional activities.Keeping with the marketing theme but moving to country-specific studies, Blackwell et al recounts a success story in thwarting an industry marketing initiative. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe used its sovereign power to redirect JUUL from achieving a proposed ‘partnership’.et al report on the high prevalence of IQOS marketing within retail stores in Atlanta.et al used Google search queries and sales data in the USA, finding that JUUL’s removal of their sweet and fruit-flavoured products resulted in increases in Puff Bar search queries and sales until the House passed a flavoured e-cigarette ban bill; after a steep decline in Puff Bar sales when they suspended sales, the decline slowed after Puff Bar relaunched their products as containing ‘synthetic nicotine’.From the USA, an Industry Watch by O’Leary et al describe how they generated a public database of US state and local standardised e-cigarette tax data.et al report on ENDS excise tax incidence for US jurisdictions and examine how tax incidence varies by whether a specific or ad valorem tax base is used, finding that the relationship is moderated by product type ; they discuss the trade-offs between the different types of taxes, along with the added complications of the wide range of design features across the ENDS market.et al among US adults who smoke but have a low interest in quitting found that neither a proposed menthol ban nor cigarette taxes encouraged much self-reported intention to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.et al present an analysis of the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health survey data from 2017 to 2019 which suggested that those using e-cigarettes to help with their quit attempt were less likely to quit than those using no quit aid or a pharmaceutical aid, though the authors point out that the high-nicotine e-cigarettes that are popular today were not used by many participants at the time of their analysis.This issue also contains papers addressing policy domains other than marketing. Cotti et al found that health warning labels on e-cigarette liquids attracted less attention than other parts of the liquid vial and did not increase perceptions of addictiveness, indicating that more work needs to be conducted to develop appropriate and effective health warning labels for e-cigarettes.et al report on a public opinion survey in Australia where parents supported restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes.et al find that prevalence and intensity of e-cigarette use among high school students was lower in states that spent more on tobacco control.et al conducted an online survey of US adolescents to evaluate a range of e-cigarette prevention ads and make recommendations for messages that seem to be more effective for preventing youth use of e-cigarettes.An experimental online survey among 18–25 year-olds in Columbia by Gantiva et al used sales scanner data, finding a decrease in e-cigarette sales in response to news about EVALI and state policies banning the sale of some or all e-cigarettes; cigarette sales were mostly unaffected, however, except in Massachusetts where sales of cigarettes had a temporary increase, primarily of brands used by young people.et al, indicates that after a year following the peak in EVALI deaths, there remained misperceptions about the cause of the outbreak and half of respondents indicated that EVALI reduced their interest in using e-cigarettes in the future.This issue contains two papers related to e-cigarette, or vaping product, use-associated lung injury (EVALI), a serious medical condition that damaged the lungs of people who had used vaping products. Liber et al conducted a survey of low-income adults in the US state of California, finding that using e-cigarettes was a risk factor for food insecurity and that using both e-cigarettes and cigarettes was associated with greater risk of food insecurity than using cigarettes alone.et al computed nicotine flux—the rate of nicotine emission per second—for a range of tobacco products; they report a wide range of nicotine flux across products, that the upper limit of nicotine flux has been increasing for ENDS since 2015, and suggest that nicotine flux could be a useful regulatory target.et al evaluate the ethical arguments put forward to maximise ENDS’ potential to reduce harm, conclude that the reasoning in these arguments is flawed and recommend further assessment of ENDS from an ethical perspective to help inform policy.There are additional contributions included in this issue that increase our understanding of e-cigarettes. Gu The papers in this issue provide further insight into e-cigarettes and can inform what might be done to maximise their benefits and reduce their harms. Clearly, the heterogeneity of the e-cigarette—for example, the range of design features of the devices and liquids that influence their appeal, the variation in use patterns and the extent to which they deliver nicotine and other chemicals to users—poses many challenges for research as well as for regulation. The continued rapid change in the products that are available and how they are marketed does not help. From a policy perspective, we need to remain open-minded about the interventions that could achieve our policy goals, evaluate their impacts and unintended consequences and remember that policies that address a very circumscribed target may result in a ‘whack-a-mole’ state where our ‘solution’ yields another problem popping up elsewhere.


Mitochondrial dysfunction is a vital aspect of copious neurological ailments ranging from neuromuscular to neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction in the form of oxidative stress, disturbed calcium ions homeostasis, altered redox signaling, mutations in mitochondrial DNA as well as apoptosis are responsible for the pathogenesis of many common neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, as well as many neuropsychiatric disorders. Furthermore, abnormalities at different complexes of the electron transport chain by either genetic or exogenous factors, have been reported in many neurological disorders. In recent years, targeting mitochondria for the attenuation of neurological disorders has been attracting great attention. This special issue aimed to collect articles that highlight the current progress in the development of effective mitochondrial therapies against neurological disorders.et al., [In this article, Sehgal et al.,  reviewedet al., [In this article, Khan et al.,  exploredet al., [In this article, Dhasmana et al.,  summarizet al., [In this article, Rahman et al.,  reviewedet al., [In this article, Gareev et al.,  providedet al., [In this article, Nabi et al.,  aimed toIn this article, Kundu and Singh  exploredet al., [In this article, Almikhlafi et al.,  presenteet al., [In this article, Shaito et al.,  presente


Nanomaterials. This Special Issue highlights recent advances in the mechanisms of nanomaterial toxicity as well as approaches for risk assessment, linking nanoparticle characteristics and in vitro toxicity to in vivo observations for advanced risk assessment. Here, the availability of data and the development of databases are important.The increasing use of nanomaterials in almost every area of our daily life renders toxicological risk assessment a major requirement for their safe handling. Thus, risk assessment strategies ensuring the health of individuals exposed to these types of materials must be adopted and continuously reviewed. Major challenges include the enormous amount of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) used in workplaces , the limSafe-by-Design concept that is expected to foster the development of safe ENMs before they enter the market.With three original articles by Murugadoss, Mülhopt et al., Elje et al., and Meindl et al., addressing various aspects, the respiratory tract toxicities of titanium dioxide, carbon nanotubes, and nanosilver have been described and some assays can be further validated. A link between in vitro screening and results from in vivo testing for lung effects is provided by Creutzenberg et al., describing results from the PLATOX project. Focusing on the aspect of data availability and reproducibility, Krug describes the development of the CoCoN-Database, while Elberskirch et al. describe the results of a round-robin test that includes data science tools to increase comparability among different labs. Another relevant and important aspect is addressed by de Souza Castro et al., comparing 2D and 3D cell culture models of bone mineralization. Here, the 3D model showed improved induction of bone osteointegration by nanoparticles. Mechanisms related to the possible genotoxicity of ENM are described in the papers by Schumacher et al., May et al., and Murugadoss, with Godderis et al. also addressing the crucial aspect of realistic exposure scenarios in vitro. These papers are also relevant to the key issue of dosimetry, as described by Petersen et al. . The pap


Thank you for drawing our attention to the correspondence article by Taxiarchi et al. . Our oriTaxiarchi et al.’s  work looThese studies are looking at different outcomes for different populations in different datasets, but both highlight the importance of accurate and accessible recording of healthcare contacts in order to describe and quantify healthcare utilisation. In response to the commentary article published at the time , we high


To the Editor,Liang et al.Anisocytosis, which is indicated by higher RDW values, might cause the progression of heart failure and incremental mortality due to erythrocyte deformability and impaired oxygen‐carrying capacity.Heart failure itself also has a considerable impact on the increase in RDW levels.The author declares no conflict of interest.


Brewster et al. have raised an important point that the current hypertension guidelines reviewed by Meinert et al.  overlookWe appreciate the comments by Brewster et al. on this topic and agree that current hypertension guidelines should address sex and gender-specific differences in more detail including aspects suggested by these authors. Whether or not different thresholds for initiation and targets of blood pressure lowering treatment in women with hypertension could be considered is also an important question. However, the latter depends on the available evidence to do so as supported by dedicated clinical trials. The higher risk of cardiovascular events in normotensive women with uterine fibroids is another interesting point that could be included in risk stratification representing an additional sex-specific difference in the management of individuals with hypertension.


Dear Colleagues,We thank the authors for their thoughts on our article ‘Once after a full moon: acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and lunar phases’ . The relHypertension is the strongest risk factor for ATAAD  and we bper se. For instance, Cajochen et al. [et al. [We agree that the finding of an increased incidence of ATAAD after full moon could be both fortuitous and unexplainable and therefore sought to find an explanation beyond the lunar phases n et al.  demonstr [et al.  showed tFinally, the nature and strength of our findings limits the clinical relevance of the study, and the results should not be regarded as definite but as an inspiration to think beyond the obvious pathophysiological mechanisms of disease. We now realize that our curiosity is shared by others.


The study of plant metabolome and the role of cellular pathway end products has gained increased attention. Analytical techniques coupled with statistical methods are successfully employed in plant functional genomics for biological and crop physiology applications. Significant research papers and reviews, collected in the Special Issue of CIMB “Advanced research in plant metabolomics”, focused on the plant metabolome, genome and transcriptome characterization after environmental stress, for possible plant crop yield and quality improvement and for phytochemicals characterization aimed at medical purpose.Among external stresses, Low temperature with Low light [LL] are known to induce photosynthesis inhibition and oxidative stress in pepper plants, affecting crop production. Ding et al.  describeRehmannia glutinosa, was analyzed focusing on its regulatory mechanism by Li et al. [Omics technologies was also used in relevant research papers and review aimed to crops quality and yield increase. In particular: the effect of naphthylacetic acid (NAA), commonly used to improve the tuberous root production of i et al. . Due to Expression of gene was also investigated by Chen et al. . in a reAmong plants of commercial values, tree species with important role in ecological environment construction and sustainable forestry production were investigated. Xiao et al.  reportedOn overview of various metabolomic applications for crop quality was presented by Ncube et al  In this Daphne odora, was studied by Eom et al. [Daphne odora extract was in vitro tested focusing on its inhibitory effect on the melanin biosynthesis pathway suggesting a potential use of this molecule as a depigmenting agent.Furthermore, identification and characterization of phytochemical compounds was the topic of two research papers collected in the present special issue. The cardio-protective activity of a phenolic compound from the black walnut tree was investigated . In partm et al. , focusinThe interesting researches of this Special Issue reveal as the study of plant metabolome, performed with “omics” platform together with traditional technologies could provide deep insight into plant cellular pathway. The identification and the characterization molecular components with specific activity could be usefully employed in plant functional genomics with important application for both quality and yield crop increase and for medical purpose.


Ten years ago, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TGCA) Research Network classified endometrial cancer into four molecular categories with prognostic significance, suggesting sensitivity to postsurgical treatments. This molecular classification is not used in clinical practice due to its high cost and the requirement of using fresh or frozen tissue . TherefoSantoro et al.  conducteFavier et al.  focused Assuming that women with both endometrial cancer and LS are typically younger than women with endometrial cancer but without LS, Pasanen et al.  tested wHenry et al conducted research to verify whether the classification proposed by the PORTEC group was also applicable to the population of Aotearoa, a contemporary Maori-language name for New Zealand . The autWhile exploring new immunohistochemical markers that may contribute to the prognostic characterization of endometrial cancer, Hojnik et al.  investigEritja et al.  investigThis series of valuable papers by researchers worldwide aims to provide useful information to clinicians and researchers. Indeed, clinicians must increasingly address the complexity of the realm of endometrial cancer to not only provide modern patient care but also design targeted therapeutic research protocols considering all diagnostic updates. Researchers should follow the insights offered by immunohistochemistry to identify new markers that will, hopefully soon, progressively reduce the percentage of carcinomas, which are currently defined as NSMP due to the absence of a specific molecular profile for this group.


Functional lateralization of the brain , is a research field that has progressed immensely before and after the turn of the Millennium, incorporating inputs from many aspects of biology  and psychology , not doing full justice to the understanding of how the complexity of behavioral asymmetries is linked to genetic and epigenetic causation. Because behavioral lateralization involves a much more articulate pattern, especially when looked through the lens of social interaction, their proposal to expand the laterality phenotype spectrum assessed in GWAS and EWAS studies  as one of the earliest socio-environmental factors epigenetically canalizing neurodevelopment  also might represent a convenient model for social laterality (intended as positional side-bias observation during social interactions; Karenina et al., Comparative research is also under the Loconsole et al., who discuss the influence of asymmetrical spatial numerical association on numerical discrimination in chicks by recoding behavioral data from a previous study (Rugani et al., Another comparative study is that of Tonello and Vallortigara address the issue of the simulation models which so far have been proposed to account for population-level brain and behavioral asymmetries. According to one of these (Ghirlanda et al., Finally, All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.


One of the most important aspects of engineering assessment of the technical condition of structures and materials is the ability to assess the fatigue behavior of materials and structures. On the other hand, an important topic is the design of materials or structures to resist fatigue and fracture. Modern science provides us with an increasing number of new materials, from superalloys of metals manufactured conventionally and by additive manufacturing to functionally advanced composites. Against this background, the fundamental knowledge of the fatigue behavior and fracture mechanics of different material groups provides a convenient platform for communication between different interested groups and fields, from material scientists, numerical engineers and mathematical modeling to hybrid methods for fatigue life prediction. This Special Issue provides such an exchange of ideas on recent developments in the field of fatigue and fracture and is especially focused on fatigue crack growth analysis, the description of fatigue damage in metals and composites, probabilistic approaches, fracture mechanics analysis, fatigue failure analysis and lifetime prediction. A summary of the articles is given in this editorial. This Special Issue contains thirteen original research papers on fatigue and cracking in materials. The presented articles mainly concern experimental research and numerical calculations. In the paper by Volodymyr Hutsaylyuk et al. , an analBased on the twin bridge shear specimen, Xinna Liu et al.  performeThe study by Maria Letizia Raffa et al.  applies Furthermore, Krzysztof Junik et al.  present In the article by Antonin Bermond et al. , the infII, the crack inclination asymmetry caused by curvature, and the effects of the friction coefficient on the stress intensity factors of the pipe with an inclined inner surface crack under axial compression load and external pressure were explored. To be suitable for defect assessment, the solutions for stress intensity factors KII and KIII were derived, and new correction factors, fθ and fμ, were proposed in the empirical solutions to accommodate the crack inclination asymmetry and the friction coefficient, respectively. Xi-Ming Yao et al. , based oThe study by Živilė Decker et al.  concernsTakayuki Shiraiwar et al.  proposedThe research by Michał Böhm et al.  presenteFaezeh Hatami and Ahmad Varvani-Farahani  evaluateIn the paper by Branko Nečemer et al. , a comprSimilar to , Živilė Tong Li et al.  studied Materials Editorial Office, especially Felix Guo, Assistant Editor, who managed and facilitated the publication process.We would like to thank all of the reviewers for their contributions and efforts in producing this Special Issue, as well as the authors for preparing the papers. We would also like to thank all the staff at the


In the original publication by Khan et al., 2022 , there wThe authors state that the scientific conclusions are unaffected. This correction was approved by the Academic Editor. The original publication has also been updated.


The Special Issue “Metabolic Regulation in the Development of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Failure” focused on how metabolic diseases could cause a predisposition to cardiovascular diseases and, in particular, heart failure due to systolic or diastolic dysfunction or a combination thereof. Among metabolic disorders, impaired glucose metabolism is the metabolic condition most commonly associated with a greater incidence of both coronary artery disease and heart failure. However, there are also other very relevant aspects deserving of investigation related to the complex role of metabolic regulation in the different pre-clinical and clinical stages of heart failure. Moreover, the study of metabolic therapeutic approaches to treat patients with heart failure at different stages is a challenging field of research. Novel classes of hypoglycemic drugs, such as type 2 sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors (SGLT2i), have been shown to exert both cardio- and nephroprotection in patients with HF independently of the presence of diabetes.In this complex scenario, the original article of Stratmann et al.  providesA complete picture of pathophysiological mechanisms in patients affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus is reported in detail in the review of Andreadi et al. [The beneficial effects of this class of drugs may be better understood by consulting the review of Gronda et al. , which hIf Gronda et al.’s review focuses on SGLT2 inhibitors, the review of Belli et al.  discusseThe review of Kruszewska et al.  further The prediction of atrial fibrillation in patients receiving extracorporeal circulation after cardiac surgery is the subject of the original article of Altieri et al. . PostopeThe Special Issue also includes two interesting papers highlighting the possible role of new biomarkers. The original article of Szabó et al.  evaluateThe review of Sygitowicz and Sitkiewicz  focuses Finally, the original article by Chang et al.  focuses


The production of lime plaster is especially important as a technological development in human prehistory as it requires advanced knowledge and skills to transform rocks to a plastic yet durable material. The large-scale production of lime plaster is considered a development of farming societies during the Neolithic period around 10,000 years ago. To date, the archaeological evidence from the Middle and Late Epipalaeolithic in the southern Levant  indicates that only initial production of partially carbonated lime plaster was performed by Palaeolithic foragers. Our study analysed lime plaster covering burials at a Natufian cemetery in Nahal Ein Gev II, dating to 12,000 years ago. Using infrared spectroscopy and soil micromorphology we show how this lime plaster is of an unprecedented high quality and we reconstruct its production. The results exhibit a technological leap forward at the end of the Palaeolithic. We provide a new model for understanding the evolutionary paths of lime plaster technology during the Palaeolithic–Neolithic transition. Social media summary: Lime plaster covering burials 12,000 years ago presents a technological leap forward at the end of the PalaeolithicThe knowledge and skill to produce synthetic materials using fire is one of several important trajectories in the technological evolution of human history. Fire can be used as a tool to transform materials into new materials with new properties . The production of lime plaster involves different stages of preparation that must be carried out carefully in order to produce a high-quality product. First, quicklime powder is produced by burning rocks  at very high temperatures (>700°C). The lime is then mixed with water to form a plastic putty that can be applied and shaped. Upon drying, the plaster retains durable properties and exhibits a hard surface. Technological developments in the making of lime plaster included the addition of different materials to give the plaster different properties, for example better binding properties or resistance to water Boynton . Thus, tet al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.This kind of material manipulation on a massive scale and the widespread production of lime plaster are considered a development of farming societies during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB), which took place in the Levant beginning about 10,000 years ago , located at the Upper Jordan Valley , a cemet3 – usually found in the form of calcite mineral) which if burnt at very high temperatures (>700°C) for a prolonged time, usually using kilns, transform into calcium oxide . Quicklime is slaked with water, forming a putty of calcium hydroxide (Ca[OH2]) to obtain plasticity. At this stage a wide range of materials can be added to the slaked lime to obtain various characteristics . The slaked lime putty is then shaped and applied, and as the material dries and reacts with the air in the atmosphere it transforms back to calcium carbonate    and natural deposits. The mixed nature of the matrix suggested the presence of partly carbonated lime plaster, slaked with archaeological sediment and the local loess .Finally, both phases were sealed with a layer of small stones.The top of the burial ground was reached 1 m below the base of a five-course wall which was sealed by a distinct surface of small stones . The extRecent excavation defined the boundaries of the plaster layer that marks the extent of the burial area that reaches a monumental wall to the North of the original trench , but then = 17) were collected from Area A according to sediment colour, texture and hardness. Samples were collected from: the massive white layer covering the burials (n = 7); mixed sediments from the white layer and above it, ranging from grey to brown in colour (n = 4); sediments infilling the later pits dug into the massive white layer (n = 5 sediments and n = 1 stone found inside the sediments); and control rock samples (n = 11) from the vicinity of the site including limestone, chalk, marl and dolomite ranging from the Middle Eocene to Miocene   spectroscopy in order to identify the major mineral components for each sample Weiner , p. 275..et al. , we also  for micromorphological analysis were prepared from impregnated undisturbed monolithic sediment blocks (n = 3) sampling the sedimentary sequence from above the white layer (sample 14-2) to its bottom (sample 14-3). In addition, a thin section was made from off-site sediments (sample 14-6) and used as a control sample.Petrographic thin sections  the extent of calcite atomic disorder ; (2) theet al.The first step in the production of the lime plaster involved the acquisition of raw material in the form of local rocks rich in calcite. The area around the site presents access to several geological formations ranging from the Middle Eocene to the Miocene (Michelson The next step would have been to burn the raw material in order to produce quicklime. Based on the extent of the calcite atomic disorder  and the in situ while hot and in many cases also with sediment. Thus, ‘hot mixing’ commonly results in heterogeneous slaking of the quicklime, leaving lumps and unreacted areas (Karkanas It has been argued that many Neolithic lime plasters in the Near East were produced by ‘hot mixing’ Karkanas . As oppoKarkanas . The micKarkanas . Thus, wKarkanas  and in uKarkanas .In the absence of pottery, the question of how exactly people transferred quicklime – known as an extremely hazardous material causing irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory system – from the kilns or hearths onto the burial ground, remains an open question. It is possible that they used either skin, wood or rock containers that simply did not preserve in the archaeological record, but to date, no evidence has been found to support any of these possibilities.During later phases in the activity at NEG II, pits were dug into the lime plaster for more burials to be placed within the thick lime plaster layer. Mineralogical analysis of the materials infilling the pits showed that the sediments in the pits display geogenic calcite  and unalLastly, the sharp boundary between the lime plaster and the local sediment overlaying it  suggestset al.et al.et al.et al.Recent geoarchaeological studies have demonstrated that mineralogical analysis, and in particular evaluation of calcite atomic disorder, integrated with micromorphological observations is the best method to evaluate lime plaster technology and quality (Goshen et al.et al.In terms of production technique, early experiments with burning lime are evident during the Middle Epipalaeolithic, when pure lime was produced in very small quantities for hafting lithics as an adhesive material (Bar-Yosef and Goring-Morris et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.During the Early Natufian period, lime plaster was produced in small scales for plastering surfaces and in burials, as evident from Eynan (Kingery et al.et al.et al.In many aspects, the lime plaster from NEG II seems to continue earlier Natufian technology, not only in its use in mortuary context but also in its production technique. The presence of half-burnt limestone in NEG II plaster suggests that burning of the raw material did not take place in a closed kiln for several hours or even days. Rather, it was probably burnt using an open hearth, such as the one found in the Natufian layers of Hayonim Cave dating to c. 14 k cal BP (Chu et al.et al.et al.et al.The lime plaster in NEG II shows mixing of quicklime with the local sediment containing anthropogenic activity residues, similar to the reports from Natufian plasters (Goring-Morris et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.When compared with PPNB lime plasters, NEG II presents a higher extent of calcite atomic disorder even from most PPNB plasters (Chu To the best of our knowledge, so far no evidence has been reported for the presence of lime plaster in PPNA sites in the southern Levant. It is therefore uncertain how exactly the evidence from NEG II relates to PPNB lime plaster technology more than 1000 years later. While, from a technological aspect there seems to be successive steps in lime plaster technological evolution, it is nevertheless possible that lime plaster technology was lost during the PPNA and reinvented during the PPNB. We hope that future studies of PPNA sites will help to clarify this question.Lastly, although it is not within the scope of this article, the technology and production technique behind NEG II lime plaster may help, when integrated with other lines of evidence, to illuminate new aspects about how technological innovation during the end of the Epipalaeolithic was associated with communal effort, ritual activity and the rise of more complex forms of society. In addition, the increase in the scale of exploitation of natural resources, for instance the use of rocks required to produce lime plaster, could mark an important transition in the perception of the environment as part of a broader process of ‘domestication’ – one that goes beyond the mere domestication of plants and animals – the ‘domestication’ of the landscape. To conclude, the development of lime plaster technology forms an important aspect of human cultural evolution and deserves more attention when discussing the transformations in human society and culture during the Palaeolithic–Neolithic transition.


The true integration between different ecological levels  of mental health practice evidence remains an ongoing task and there remains an implementation gap between mental health policy and practice , that promotes a framework of understanding of mental health and social inclusion that pays particular attention to the socio-political and cultural context of people with lived experience of mental health difficulties. The concept of Citizenship (Rowe et al., Citizenship-based programmes involving people with different psychosocial needs have been developed internationally in different sociocultural contexts (Pelletier et al., Drivenes et al. illustrated the struggle in mental health care to establish a common understanding between service users and therapists in decisional processes regarding treatments.Regarding our Research Topic, we have included seven works that focus their efforts at different ecological levels. Regarding analyses at the micro level, Cases et al., who recount the creation and validation of a method to examine discrepancies between guidelines relating to persons diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and current clinical practices in psychiatric emergencies. In a more practical vein, Havsteen-Franklin et al. developed a program logic model for arts-based psychosocial practice within South African rural communities.Works framed at the meso-level include the work of Su et al. report the methodology of a large-scale mental health survey carried out in the 85 million-inhabitants Chinese Sichuan province. Guo et al. conducted a meta-analysis of the mental health literacy levels of medical staff in China finding lower literacy rates in developing regions. Li and Zhang used a large data sample of insurance reimbursement settlements to estimate the effect of a payment reform on the quality of public healthcare. Finally, Li et al. also analyzed the impact of family doctor contracting on medical expenses.At the macro level, We believe that the works included in this Research Topic contribute to promoting critical thinking in public health at different levels of the complex system of healthcare, from daily practice to public policies, thereby embodying a citizenship focused approach to mental health. Perhaps the difficulties encountered by humanity in recent years have also prevented us from collecting a broader set of works with similar perspectives on mental health. However, we hope that these works provide alternative views to their readers, helping to promote an integrated view of mental health care.All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.


International Journal of Epidemiology came to different conclusions about the association between parental income and offspring’s mental health diagnoses. Using panel data analysed with logistic regression and adjustment for observed confounders, Kinge et al.et al.et al.Two articles recently published in the To investigate if the diverging results are due to different study populations, study designs, statistical approaches or definitions of exposure and outcome, we analysed data from Norwegian children with Scandinavian parents born between 1997 and 2012. We implemented the analytical approaches used in the two articles and a conditional logistic regression modelet al., higher parental income is associated with lower risk for mental health diagnoses. This association is stronger among children whose parents do not have a mental health diagnosis. The middle panel shows that accounting for unit-level fixed effects with a conditional logistic model substantially weakens the income-mental health associations. The third panel shows that, replicating the results of Sariaslan et al., employing a sibling design results mostly in associations that no longer reach statistical significance. These findings show that, using the same dataset and exposure definition, different assumptions and resulting analytical approaches lead to results that do or do not support a causal association between parental income and child mental health.The left panel in et al., some prefer estimates from sibling or panel design studies as estimates of a causal effect. However, such studies use only a small, specific subset of the target population, in which the variation of the exposure is substantially smaller than in the population (compare Ledberg et al.Given the more obvious problem of unobserved confounding in the analysis of Kinge ,,In addition to previously described biases specific to sibling design studies,et al. and Sariaslan et al. provide valuable insight into the relationship between parental income and children’s mental health, and at the same time highlight the strong dependency of study results on implicit and explicit assumptions. Study designs that reduce one type of bias can simultaneously increase risk for another bias, and choosing between designs can mean trading off one type of bias for another. In a triangulation approach, similar results from studies with different biases can provide evidence supporting a causal effect of the exposure on the outcome.The articles of Kinge The research was approved by the Regional Comittees for Medical Research Ethics South East, project number 26684. The study was conducted in compliance with international standards such as the Declaration of Helsinki.


In the published article Manning et al.  and Mann3 providing a framework with systematic data management capacity that enables user input support and EA. The online APP also includes a new heterogeneous component (which we describe and test here), that reveals and measures variations across social groups informing justice reform investment decisions that best manage and mitigate social group specific grievances while maximising economic consequence to society. We refer to this APP hereon as the “enhanced CBA APP”.“More recent developments have been undertaken by the authors of this paper . A full discussion of the six modules included in the enhanced CBA APP is provided by Manning et al. (“g et al. .”A correction has also been made to The benefits of the described CBA APP modules and next steps, Paragraph 1. The corrected paragraph appears below:Modules 1 to 3 of the enhanced CBA APP. The data driven capacity within the current version of the enhanced CBA APP can identify which justice processes and societal factors are most significant for the costs and benefits of processes specific to context. The current APP, therefore, is capable of accounting for macro variables like inflation, provision of best and worst-case scenarios, identification and accounting of data bias, proportion of costs borne per year, and effects on outcome, including outcomes specific to social groups, to context and to specific intervention elements. Manning et al. (Presented above was a clear outline and test of g et al.  provide A correction has also been made to Footnote 3. The corrected footnote appears below:“The current version of Smart CBA, with crime-related data as examples, can be found at: Manning et al. . New exaThe authors apologize for these errors and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.


In the last few years, the attention regarding the health of the lungs and heart of equine patients has been continuously growing. Indeed, if we search for studies categorized in the PubMed database on the topic “equine respiratory medicine”, we can find that 980 articles have been published in the last decade . InteresThe content of this Special Issue aims to reflect the current direction of research, dealing with a wider understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying respiratory and cardiac diseases of horses, as well as the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that are essential to improve their management.For instance, the review by Kozlowska et al.  highlighAnother key theme in the current literature is represented by the complex immunological pathways involved in equine asthma (EA). The review by Simões et al.  widely eThis Special Issue also investigates the different respiratory diseases commonly observed in racehorses, such as dynamic upper airway obstructions (DUAOs), exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), and mild–moderate equine asthma (MEA). In the first of their two retrospective studies, Lo Feudo et al.  identifiLastly, the focus of the paper of Marzok et al.  is a speIn conclusion, we believe that the papers published in this Special Issue could enrich the current knowledge of equine cardio-respiratory medicine with innovative, interesting, and useful data, and we hope that readers will be positively impressed.


As suggested by the title of this Research Topic, this is a broad and diverse group of articles encompassing themes that expand beyond movement disorders into subjects pertinent to neurodegenerative diseases generally. As the second most common neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's disease is especially important. One of the major challenges in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease is its early diagnosis. There are several challenges surrounding the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (Tolosa et al., Yi et al. explored the effect of sleep on the progression of Parkinson's disease, addressing both motor and non-motor symptoms. Both categories were found to be negatively impacted by poor sleep hygiene. A separate study by Zhou et al. examined oculomotor function and found that it is an early indicator of Parkinson's disease and can be used to monitor disease progression. An important observation provided by Kang et al. revolves around the association of gait disturbance and cognitive impairment. The results of this study emphasize the importance of evaluating specific aspects of gait disturbance in Parkinson's patients with mild cognitive impairment. Finally, Liu et al. investigated task-generated subjective fatigue in Parkinson's patients associated with regional blood flow changes; fatigue, while one of the most common non-motor symptoms, is underdiagnosed and may in fact be one of the earliest symptoms.As is the case with neurodegenerative disease generally, identifying modifiable risk factors and markers of disease progression is essential. Sleep has emerged as an important factor in neurodegeneration (Musiek and Holtzman, Silvian presented a mini-review on targeting the PINK/Parkin pathway in mitochondrial quality control as a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease. Chen et al. looked specifically at medium spiny neurons and found that a deficiency of Pitx3 resulted in many of the pathological features of Parkinson's disease, suggesting that enhancing Pitx3 may prevent disease and provide a marker for disease diagnosis. Chiu et al. addressed the increased subjective pain sensitivity associated with Parkinson's disease in a rat model. Using fetal tissue allografts, they showed that rats exhibited increased nociceptive thresholds and improved motor function. This study also showed the promise of using fMRI to analyze efficacy. Another major problem associated with movement disorders is fall risk, which can lead to a variety of sequelae including hip fracture. Oddsson et al. demonstrated that a prosthesis provided significant improvement in gait and balance during extended use and suggested that the long-term effect indicates that this is not simply a placebo effect.Targeting and treating movement disorders are also crucial efforts. Mitochondria have been implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, and this is true of movement disorders as well. Zhang et al. provided an extensive epidemiological analysis in China that suggests that farmers are at increased risk for ALS. This provides a basis for searching for broader links between pesticide exposure and neurodegenerative conditions beyond PD.While it is well-known that agricultural work is a risk factor for PD, Zeng et al. examined the hypothesis that Parkinson's disease may be derived from the gut, with a focus on whether gastrointestinal diseases are a factor. An interesting observation is that Parkinson's disease and gastrointestinal diseases may have bi-directional correlations, i.e., Parkinson's may predispose to gastrointestinal disease, and gastrointestinal disease may predispose to Parkinson's disease.The importance of the gut microbiome to brain health/function is increasingly apparent. In their review, It is hoped that this diverse collection of articles will provide focus for future research into Parkinson's disease and age-related movement disorders. Thanks are extended to the authors, editors, and reviewers for helping to assemble and clarify this diverse collection of contributions.All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.


The title of the current Special Issue, “Feature Papers in Materials Simulation and Design”, has identified the aims of this collection since its opening: the gathering of research works and comprehensive review papers that advance the understanding and prediction of material behavior at different scales, from atomistic to macroscopic, through innovative modeling and simulation.In this context, interdisciplinary researches that tackled challenging and complex material problems where the governing phenomena might span different scales of material behavior, with an emphasis on the development of quantitative approaches to explain and predict experimental observations, have been collected. Likewise, peculiar attention has been given to homogenization techniques for the evaluation of the mechanical properties of new materials and multi-phase composites. Innovative numerical approaches for the mechanical analysis, highlighting their accuracy, reliability, and stability features, have been also welcomed. Significant space has been also given to advanced and sustainable technologies. From the aforementioned topics, it is evident that this Special Issue has represented the ideal forum for disseminating excellent research findings, as well as sharing innovative ideas in this significant field.Throughout the several months of activity, this Special Issues has been able to attract many interesting researches. Its success is proven by the sixteen papers collected and published, which have passed through the rigorous review process carried out by experts in the field, who should be gratefully acknowledged for their efforts. An heartfelt thanks should be also given to all the authors, coming from many different countries of the world, who contributed to the success of the collection. This important achievement could be barely reached without the constant and kind support given by the Section Managing Editor, Ms. Fay Liu, who should be gratefully thanked for her dedication and commitment. Finally, the Editors-in-Chief of Materials should be also mentioned for the fantastic opportunity of managing this successful Special Issue.A brief review of the papers published in the collection is now presented as a proof of the advancements and innovations achieved in the field of materials simulation and design. Nurek et al.  investigLarix decidua Mill.) during a four-step seed extraction process and to determine optimum process time on that basis, describing also the microscopic cellular structure of scales in cones for different values of moisture content. Their results have highlighted the conditions for the automation of this process.The paper by Tulska et al.  has beenDe Schryver et al.  proved tThe paper by Chen et al.  aimed atOn the other hand, the paper by Ursini and Collini  has beenBragov et al.  have disA fully autonomous computational workflow to identify light-harvesting materials for water splitting devices based on properties has been presented by Ludvigsen et al. . In partChomka et al.  investigVahed et al.  highlighThe topic of green composites has been discussed in the paper by Jiao-Wang et al. , developCivalek et al.  developeA beam model for thermal buckling analysis of a bimetallic box beam has been developed by Simonetti et al. , consideThe results presented in the paper by Esencan Türkaslan et al.  proved tA series of experimental and numerical studies concerning the influence of temperature on mode II fracture of a T800/epoxy unidirectional laminates has been presented by Gong et al. . The faiDastjerdi et al.  developeThe last paper by Cheng and Vescovini  presenteThe Guest Editors would like to congratulate all the authors for the remarkable results presented in these papers.


COVID-19, the first documented coronavirus pandemic in history has been considered a human catastrophe unseen in the past century . Excess The pandemic has had a direct impact on the physical aspects of health, and impinges on the mental health, of our worldwide population. As people are exposed to traumatic events, frontline medical and health professionals have been the group that crops the hardest hit . It has This Research Topic aims to report the work of a group of researchers who have been investigating the issue of the psychological status and mental health problems of healthcare workers during the pandemic from diverse disciplinary and methodological backgrounds.El Sharif et al.; Li et al.; Liu et al.; Mei et al.; Ning et al.; Peng J. et al.; Peng P. et al.; Pahrol et al.; de Vroege and van den Broek; Zhao et al.). Four studies employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews with participants . Banse et al. reported a case study and Xu et al. followed a cohort of hospital staff who had been involved in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).This series consists of 16 articles of different study designs reporting on the different ways the pandemic impinged the mental health of frontline healthcare workers, including medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. Of these, ten were cross-sectional surveys using self-reported questionnaires . Four studies were conducted in Europe, including the UK , the Netherlands (de Vroege and van den Broek), Belgium , and Spain . Two reported findings are from the Middle East with one from Palestine  and a recent one from Kuwait .  Pahrol et al. investigated the topic in Malaysia.For geographical distribution of these studies, since the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in China, it is not surprising to find that more than half of these studies were conducted in China, including Hong Kong the Special Administrative Region  perceived the outbreak has a low impact on their life and work.In terms of the prevalence of mental health problems exhibited during the pandemic period between early 2020 and the end of 2022, various studies provided slightly different estimates. Li et al. among dentists in China found that various situational variables, such as the impact of COVID on daily life and work, exposure to the virus, and lack of awareness of the preventive and control measures, were associated with mental health problems. Ning et al. also identified that the perceived risk of exposure was associated with both depression and anxiety. The UK study by Peng J et al. discovered that married women had lower mental well-being than married men and the well-being of single women was significantly lower than that of married women and men. On the other hand, environmental and organizational factors would be protective of healthcare workers' mental health. El Sharif et al.'s study in Palestine found that better mental health was associated with confidence in the system's ability to manage the pandemic. Furthermore, training in IPC procedures and sufficient provision of PPE increased the trust of staff.Some risk and protective factors were identified in these studies. For example, the study by Alsaeed et al. among Keratinase healthcare workers, three main themes emerged on the readiness of healthcare workers for future crises. These included the enhancement of self-resilience, a better-equipped workforce and healthcare environment, mitigation of stigma, and increased public awareness of preventive measures. Banse et al. also showcased a multiple-approach intervention program implemented in a Belgium hospital to support workers during COVID and the process of reinforcing the impact of the program in preparation for future similar crises. Xu et al. reported the results of an intervention program using the EAP as a means to provide support to hospital staff. Results indicated significant reductions in mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, among staff after they completed the EPA program.For the intervention and prevention of mental health problems among healthcare workers during and beyond the pandemic period, some information and examples have been provided from a few studies. In the study by We hope this series of articles can draw attention to the issue of mental health and mental well-being of all personnel, particularly frontline healthcare workers, after being exposed to traumatic events and global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The experience of these trauma exposures could be long-lasting and affected individuals may require lengthy rehabilitation. More thorough research into effective preventive intervention strategies is needed to enhance the readiness and preparedness of all walks of life to face up the challenges of similar global crises in the future.All authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.


The development and optimization of materials is critical to several contemporary scientific and technological challenges, including renewable energy technologies, novel catalytic routes to sustainable fuels and chemicals and electronic technologies. Computational modelling now plays an essential role in materials science and is used in an increasingly predictive manner. Simulations typically explore the multi-dimensional energy landscape, initially seeking low-energy minima, then the local ergodic region about these minima and the saddle points, or energy barriers, between them. The landscape is typically a function of atomic positions, and, as can be seen in 15) to exascale (1018 floating-point operations per second) and investigating the possibility of exploiting quantum computers. For example, the UK government has just confirmed around £900 million investment into exascale supercomputers and a dedicated AI research resource [The power of modelling techniques continues to grow with the expansion of the capabilities of the computational hardware and the developments in algorithms and software. The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools is also having a rapidly increasing impact on the field. In terms of hardware, nations are striving to upgrade their supercomputers from peta 10015 to exresource  as largeresource  and softresource .In view of the rapid advances in materials modelling using high-performance computing, the Royal Society organized a Discussion Meeting in 2022 to review and discuss recent developments in the field, with a satellite meeting focusing on software solutions. The articles in this volume are based on a selection of the presentations at these meetings.et al. [The topics discussed in the volume are wide ranging. Schön addresses the key area of structure prediction focusing on low-dimensional systems . Two-dimet al.  who modeet al. . Christiet al. . The artet al. describe the modelling of the effect of stress on the recrystallization and dissolution of apatite—key processes in bone mineralization—while Rogal et al. describe how liquid structure and dynamics can provide information on crystal nucleation mechanisms. The breadth of the field is illustrated by the articles of Ahmad et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [Modelling has for many years played an important role in understanding the processes of crystallization, which are the focus of two contributions –10: Deymd et al.  who desc [et al.  who empl [et al.  discuss  [et al.  present  [et al.  describe [et al.  report nWe hope that the articles in the volume illustrate both the achievements and challenges in the field of materials modelling using high-performance computing, and that they convey the excitement of the field and the pace at which it is evolving.Finally, we would like to thank both the Royal Society Scientific Meetings and Publishing staff for their help and support in the organization of both the Discussion and Satellite meeting and the preparation of this volume.


The COVID-19 pandemic forced colleges and universities to send students home, and to offer courses remotely. It is well established that many students are in chronobiological conflict with the schedules of courses, being required to get up earlier than desired for courses, and or staying up to finish work. The result is that college students tend on average to be sleep-deprived and socially jet-lagged , which iRice et al.,  analyzedConsistent with this finding, the usual differences between sleep timing on weekdays and weekends went away, suggesting that students had less sleep dept and or were experiencing less weekday-imposed social jetlag when allowed more freedom in determining their sleep schedule. A final ray of light from Rice et al.,  was thatThe study by Rice et al., was not large—60 people cannot represent all students in all situations, even if this group was fairly diverse. And the results, while encouraging about sleep and light exposure, did not directly measure the outcomes that better sleep and daily rhythms might improve. So while the findings support the hypothesis that some version of remote learning might promote better performance and well-being, future work is needed to confirm that those effects really do follow from the observed changes.As ambient data sources become more common, more studies like this may be possible over broader populations without substantial additional material costs. Experimenting with college schedules is not usually possible. The approach taken by Rice et al.,  to mine


After this incident, Georgi Markov developed high temperature and died within 4 days  was first described in 1888 by Stillmark at the University of Dorpat , an important centre of pharmacology in the late nineteenth century  are an important class of protein toxins that consist of A and B chains linked by an inter-chain disulfide bond. It has been recognized since long that isolated A and B chains are not toxic (Creppy et al Techniques for the detection of ricin A have been reviewed in detail (Bozza et al Currently no antidote, vaccine, or other specific effective treatment is available for ricin poisoning or prevention. Treatment with supportive care is still the only means to limit morbidity and mortality (Abbes et al Thus, although being known as drug and toxicant since ancient times, ricin is a matter of active and highly interesting contemporary research.


A recent paper in this journal by Mozaffari et al.  reportedThe authors correctly argue that LCSA is an integrated approach to cover the three aspects of sustainability: environmental, economic and social  at a location (Bardaskan). That is valuable. But an activity is not a life cycle (Heijungs & Cucurachi,


Editorial on the Research TopicWomen in science: strengthening rehabilitation in health systemsFrontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences underline their concern on gender gap in science and offered a platform to promote the work of women scientists. While less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women according to Unesco Institute of Statistics, 82% of the authors who published in this topic are women (27 authors: 22 women and 5 men).Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (2022) of the WHO “approximately 1.3 billion people (16% of the population) have significant disability”  clinical point of view, to a team approach and to qualitative research.Yuan et al.From a PRM clinical point of view, a clinical approach focused on the importance of PMR diagnosis: Ultrasound evaluation, by Defi et al.From a team approach, the case report of an elderly woman with tetraplegia and sarcopenia due to spinal tuberculosis focused on the importance of functional outcomes and QoL, by Lampart et al.Hale et al.Feldner et al.): the goal setting process in acute SCI emphasized the importance of strong collaboration between different professionals, communication abilities to educate patients with acute traumatic or non-traumatic SCI as well as planning therapies within a true patient-centered perspective by Lampart et al.From qualitative research in other articles .Finally, Ιt is impressive that significant supply and demand gaps were found even in high-income and not just lower-income countries where rehabilitation services are presumed to be lacking. These discrepancies were enlarged during COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to promote and further develop the rehabilitation services in every level of health care from the primary care level to the tertiary care levels .


We applaud Bressler et al  for theiWhile this study successfully characterizes opportunities for dermatologists to interact on social media , the gravity of these findings was not explored, as dermatologists are a significant minority of contributors to social media information. For example, Wells et al  found thP<.001) [An additional, unique aspect of Bressler et al’s  study isP<.001) , for exaBressler et al  also higWhile dermatologists are minor contributors in the scheme of social media, it is more important than ever for this group to advocate for their patients and profession. While there are potential negatives with social media use, it is important that we recognize and face these barriers as a means to provide clear, accurate information to our patients while simultaneously providing greater access to high-quality care.


We have read the article titled ‘Clinical Outcome of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Primary Antibody Deficiencies’ by Milota et al. with great interest [First, the interpretation of the literature by the authors is confusing for the readers. In the abstract, the authors say that there are poorer outcomes in primary antibody deficiencies (PADs) compared to other inborn errors of immunities . HoweverSecond, the authors cited Milota et al.’s study reporting the largest proportion of infections occurred in patients with CVID, hereditary angioedema (HAE), and unclassified PADs . HoweverThird, the authors also mentioned a meta-analysis by Sunjaya et al. concluding that the risk of severe COVID-19 in patients with bronchial asthma was lower compared to non-asthmatic ones . This al


Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a widely used treatment for patients with kidney failure/end-stage kidney disease, and a suitable alternative to hemodialysis (HD). Existing for over 40 years , the adoPD has several advantages over HD, including better preservation of residual kidney function, better blood pressure control, and a more flexible and independent treatment schedule that provides greater patient autonomy . PD can Jakšić et al.; Yamashita et.), and three evaluated risk factors for catheter failure Chang et al.; Zhao et al.; Hangai et al. Two of these manuscripts add an interesting discussion to the literature about the impact of unplanned PD on outcomes Zhao et al.; Hangai et al.Some topics were more common in this Research Topic, and we’d like to highlight them here. The leading theme was related to problems with catheter insertion, which accounted for almost one out of every four papers published in this Research Topic. PD catheter insertion is a mandatory step in initiating and maintaining chronic PD, and the rates of catheter dysfunction can reach upward to 30% . Given tDo et al.; Roth-Stefanski et al.; Verger et al.; Guedes et al. Nutrition is a critical aspect of care for patients on PD, as it can affect both short-term and long-term outcomes. These manuscripts shed light on several important aspects related to nutrition in PD including the risk factors for sarcopenia, the diagnosis of protein-energy-wasting, impact of PD prescription on body composition, and an interesting discussion involving inflammation, nutrition, and protein loss.In second comes manuscripts involving nutrition, totalling four articles Maggiani-Aguilera et al.; Song et al.; Zhang et al.), two papers that investigated ways to improve detection and prevention cardiovascular disease in the PD population , as well as two papers that investigated risk factors for peritonitis and associated technique failure events . Finally, but not less important, other articles of this series investigated associations in CKD-MBD biomarkers and survival , the use of PD for patients with chronic liver failure and acute kidney injury , periodontal disease and alveolar bone loss in PD , a method to increase physical activity and quality of life in a controlled trial , and a review detailing the pathophysiology of peritoneal membrane aging (Krediet).Other themes included three papers that explored ways to try to optimize ultrafiltration and prevent volume overload in PD (In summary, all the excellent articles published in this Research Topic reinforce the huge variety of needs in the provision care in PD patients, advancements by the scientific community, and the numerous research opportunities to be addressed within the field of PD. Ongoing efforts are needed to improve the quality of care for patients on PD and to increase the availability and utilization of the modality worldwide.


This special topic presents experimental work on the effects of alcohol (ethanol) on the brain, and how these effects impact behavior across multiple domains. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.3 billion people regularly consume alcohol, making alcohol one of the most widely used drugs in human society WHO, . AlcoholHaaranen et al. used a chemogenetic approach to alter neuronal activity in these individual brain regions, and in the specific insula outputs to the nucleus accumbens and basolateral and central subregions of the amygdala, to determine the functional role of this network on alcohol consumption in alcohol preferring Alko Alcohol (AA) rats. This type of sophisticated circuit-level analyses is necessary to understand how neural networks function to control alcohol consumption, in order to design targeted treatment strategies aimed at altering network function. The previous study found that activating the insula projections to amygdala or nucleus accumbens increased alcohol consumption, consistent with prior work demonstrating the insula is a critical driver of alcohol relapse (Campbell et al., Eren-Yazicioglu et al. in this special edition.Animal models play a crucial role in understanding the effects of alcohol on the brain and behavior (Mineur et al., Deal et al. found that both social and non-social stressors enhance the release of catecholamines in the basolateral amygdala, and acute alcohol blunts this stress response, perhaps providing a brain-based rationale for the self-medication hypothesis (Ayer et al., Buhr et al. suggests that it does not alter alcohol's effects on serotonin and dopamine-related turnover in the striatum and brain stem. However, alcohol drinking altered neurochemical correlates of exercise in the hypothalamus, a key component of brain networks responsible for maintaining physiological homeostasis. As demonstrated in the study by Starski et al., repeated and prolonged alcohol use can lead to allostasis and further exacerbate behavioral engagement with alcohol. Furthermore, the behavioral and brain response to stress is sexually dimorphic, and the brain response to stress and drug cues predicts subsequent relapse (Smith et al., Alcohol use can be triggered by numerous factors, and stress is one of the most potent triggers for craving and relapse (Wemm et al., Corongiu et al. demonstrates that adolescents typically drink more alcohol than adults, but that this precise phenotype interacts with genetic background. Moreover, sex can influence alcohol use and behavior, with AUD being diagnosed more often in men than women. In line with this, Bryant et al. found that male mice were more sensitive to the motivating effects of alcohol, and Landin and Chandler report that male rats exposed to alcohol during adolescence were more prone to have greater behavioral responses to threat in adulthood, although females were already predisposed to this phenotype, regardless of alcohol history. To make matters more complex, the neurobiological hallmarks of adolescent alcohol exposure may be sexually dimorphic. For example, Asarch et al. found that in male rats, mesolimbic dopamine peaks during adolescence then declines and stabilizes in adulthood, but adolescent alcohol exposure prolongs the elevated dopamine levels into adulthood, an “arrested development” phenotype not observed in female rats, whose dopamine levels are stable throughout adolescence and adulthood. On a more positive note, Rodd et al. report that negative allosteric modulators of the nicotinic α7 receptors may hold promise as prophylactics against the deleterious effects of binge alcohol use during adolescence.Genetic factors, as well as age and sex, can influence alcohol use and behavioral phenotypes associated with alcohol use. Alcohol drinking often begins in adolescence (Abela et al., Overall, the contributions to this special topic have broadened our understanding of how, where, and when alcohol acts in the brain to promote continued alcohol use, which in some individuals can lead to full blown AUD. The extensive comorbid use of alcohol with other drugs is also of growing concern and calls for novel preclinical models of polydrug use to determine the neurobiological consequences of comorbid alcohol use with other substances and to effectively screen emerging therapeutics. Continued research in this area is needed in order to develop novel treatment interventions, including prophylactics, medications, and natural remedies.JP wrote the original editorial draft. All authors edited and revised the editorial.