This study aimed to review and synthesize the need estimates for psychiatric beds, explore how they changed over time and compare them against the prevalence of actually existing beds. We searched PubMed, Embase classic and Embase, PsycINFO and PsycIndex, Open Grey, Google Scholar, Global Health EBSCO and Proquest Dissertations, from inception to September 13, 2022. Publications providing estimates for the required number of psychiatric inpatient beds were included. Need estimates, length of stay, and year of the estimate were extracted. Need estimates were synthesized using medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs). We also computed prevalence ratios of the need estimates and the existing bed capacities at the same time and place. Sixty-five publications with 98 estimates were identified. Estimates for bed needs were trending lower until 2000, after which they stabilized. The twenty-six most recent estimates after 2000 were submitted to data synthesis (n = 15 for beds with unspecified length of stay, n = 7 for short-stay, and n = 4 for long-stay beds). Median estimates per 100 000 population were 47 (IQR: 39 to 50) beds with unspecified length of stay, 28 (IQR: 23 to 31) beds for short-stay, and 10 (IQR: 8 to 11) for long-stay beds. The median prevalence ratio of need estimates and the actual bed prevalence was 1.8 (IQR: 1.3 to 2.3) from 2000 onwards. Historically, the need estimates for psychiatric beds have decreased until about 2000. In the past two decades, they were stable over time and consistently higher than the actual bed numbers provided.

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the USA in early 2020, it became clear that knowledge of the prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among asymptomatic individuals could inform public health policy decisions and provide insight into the impact of the infection on vulnerable populations. Two Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Hubs and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) set forth to conduct a national seroprevalence survey to assess the infection’s rate of spread. This partnership was able to quickly design and launch the project by leveraging established research capacities, prior experiences in large-scale, multisite studies and a highly skilled workforce of CTSA hubs and unique experimental capabilities at the NIH to conduct a diverse prospective, longitudinal observational cohort of 11,382 participants who provided biospecimens and participant-reported health and behavior data. The study was completed in 16 months and benefitted from transdisciplinary teamwork, information technology innovations, multimodal communication strategies, and scientific partnership for rigor in design and analytic methods. The lessons learned by the rapid implementation and dissemination of this national study is valuable in guiding future multisite projects as well as preparation for other public health emergencies and pandemics.

This work aimed to investigate the effects of early progeny exposure to methylglyoxal (MG), programming for metabolic dysfunction and diabetes-like complications later in life. At delivery (PN1), the animals were separated into two groups: control group (CO), treated with saline, and MG group, treated with MG (20 mg/kg of BW; i.p.) during the first 2 weeks of the lactation period. In vivo experiments and tissue collection were done at PN90. Early MG exposure decreased body weight, adipose tissue, liver and kidney weight at adulthood. On the other hand, MG group showed increased relative food intake, blood fructosamine, blood insulin and HOMA-IR, which is correlated with insulin resistance. Besides, MG-treated animals presented dyslipidaemia, increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Likewise, MG group showed steatosis and perivascular fibrosis in the liver, pancreatic islet hypertrophy, increased glomerular area and pericapsular fibrosis, but reduced capsular space. This study shows that early postnatal exposure to MG induces oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis markers in pancreas, liver and kidney, which are related to metabolic dysfunction features. Thus, nutritional disruptors during lactation period may be an important risk factor for metabolic alterations at adulthood.

Efficient photosynthesis requires a balance of ATP and NADPH production/consumption in chloroplasts, and the exportation of reducing equivalents from chloroplasts is important for balancing stromal ATP/NADPH ratio. Here, we showed that the overexpression of purple acid phosphatase 2 on the outer membranes of chloroplasts and mitochondria can streamline the production and consumption of reducing equivalents in these two organelles, respectively. A higher capacity of consumption of reducing equivalents in mitochondria can indirectly help chloroplasts to balance the ATP/NADPH ratio in stroma and recycle NADP+, the electron acceptors of the linear electron flow (LEF). A higher rate of ATP and NADPH production from the LEF, a higher capacity of carbon fixation by the Calvin–Benson–Bassham (CBB) cycle and a greater consumption of NADH in mitochondria enhance photosynthesis in the chloroplasts, ATP production in the mitochondria and sucrose synthesis in the cytosol and eventually boost plant growth and seed yields in the overexpression lines.

Wind tunnel experiments are described in this paper, aiming to examine the global dynamics of heavy inverted flags, with a specific focus on the underlying mechanism of large-amplitude flapping, which occurs at sufficiently high flow velocities. This problem is of interest because no consensus exists as to the mechanism, specifically whether it is a vortex-induced vibration or a self-excited vibration – the answer being not only of fundamental interest, but also important for energy harvesting applications. The effect of vortex shedding from both leading and trailing edges was investigated via experiments with flags modified by serrations to the leading edge and a long rigid splitter plate at the trailing edge, so as to disrupt leading- and trailing-edge vortices and to inhibit interactions between counter-rotating leading-edge vortices, if they exist. The relatively small quantitative changes in the critical flow velocity, amplitude and frequency of oscillations, as well as the near-identical qualitative behaviour, of plain and modified flags suggests that the global qualitative dynamics of heavy inverted flags is independent of vortex shedding from the leading and trailing edges, i.e. periodic vortex shedding is not the cause but an effect of large-amplitude flapping. Additional experiments showed that the dominant frequencies of flapping and the lift force on the flag are generally not synchronized, and multiple frequencies occur in the lift signal, reinforcing the conclusion that vortex shedding is not the cause of flapping. Our experimental results suggest that self-excited vibration through a fluid-elastic instability, i.e. flutter, is the underlying mechanism for the flapping of heavy inverted flags.

Inverted flags – clamped–free elastic thin plates subjected to a fluid flowing axially and directed from the free end towards the clamped end – have been observed experimentally and computationally to exhibit large-amplitude flapping beyond a critical flow velocity. The motivation for further research on the dynamics of this system is partly due to its presence in some engineering and biological systems, and partly because of the very rich dynamics it displays. In the present paper, the goal is to develop a nonlinear analytical model for the dynamics and stability of high aspect ratio (i.e. height to length ratio) flags. The inviscid fluid flow is modelled via the quasi-steady version of Theodorsen’s unsteady aerodynamic theory, and the Polhamus leading-edge suction analogy is utilized to model flow separation effects from the free end (leading edge) at moderate angles of attack. Gear’s backward differentiation formula and a pseudo-arclength continuation technique are employed to solve the governing equations. Numerical results suggest that fluidelastic instability may be the underlying mechanism for the flapping motion of high aspect ratio heavy inverted flags. In other words, flapping may be viewed as a self-excited vibration. It was found from numerical results that the undeflected static equilibrium of the inverted flag is stable at low flow velocities, prior to the occurrence of a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation. The pitchfork bifurcation is associated with static divergence (buckling) of the flag. At higher flow velocities, past the pitchfork bifurcation, a supercritical Hopf bifurcation materializes, generating a flapping motion around the deflected static equilibrium. At even higher flow velocities, flapping motion becomes symmetric around the undeflected static equilibrium. Interestingly, it was also found that heavy flags may exhibit large-amplitude flapping right after the initial static equilibrium, provided that they are subjected to a sufficiently large disturbance. Moreover, inverted flags with a non-zero initial angle of attack were found to be less stable than their perfectly flow-aligned counterparts.

Modern lifestyle increases the prevalence of obesity and its co-morbidities in the young population. High-salt (HS) diets are associated with hypertension and cardiac remodelling. The present study evaluated the potential effects of cardiometabolic programming induced by HS intake during puberty in lean and obese rats. Additionally, we investigated whether HS could exacerbate the impairment of cardiovascular parameters in adult life due to postnatal early overnutrition (PO). At postnatal day 3 (PN3), twenty-four litters of Wistar rats were divided into two groups: normal litter (NL, nine pups/dam) and small litter (SL, three pups/dam) throughout the lactation period; weaning was at PN21. At PN30, the pups were subdivided into two more groups: NL plus HS (NLHS) and SL plus HS (SLHS). HS intake was from PN30 until PN60. Cardiovascular parameters were evaluated at PN120. SL rats became overweight at adulthood due to persistent hyperphagia; however, HS exposure during puberty reduced the weight gain and food intake of NLHS and SLHS. Both HS and obesity raised the blood pressure, impaired baro- and chemoreflex sensitivity and induced cardiac remodelling but no worsening was observed in the association of these factors, except a little reduction in the angiotensin type-2 receptor in the hearts from SLHS animals. Our results suggest that the response of newborn offspring to PO and juveniles to a HS diet leads to significant changes in cardiovascular parameters in adult rats. This damage may be accompanied by impairment of both angiotensin signalling and antioxidant defence in the heart.

The microstructure contribution to the very low fracture toughness of freestanding metallic thin films was investigated by bulge fracture tests on 200-nm-thick {100} single-crystalline and polycrystalline silver films. The single-crystalline films exhibited a significantly lower fracture toughness value (KIC= 0.88 MPa m1/2) than their polycrystalline counterparts (KIC= 1.45 MPa m1/2), which was rationalized by the observation of an unusual crack initiation behavior—characterized by twinning in front of the notch tip—during in situ testing in the atomic force microscope. Twinning was also observed as a dominant deformation mechanism in atomistic simulations. This twinning tendency is explained by comparing the resolved shear stresses acting on the leading partial dislocation and the full dislocation, which allows to develop a size- and orientation-dependent twinning criterion. The fracture toughness of polycrystalline samples was found to be higher because of the energy dissipation associated with full dislocation plasticity and because of crack meandering along grain boundaries.

In this work, we present spectroscopic results of the variable star R Scuti, obtained during the campaign of measures led in 2016 at the Oukaimeden observatory in Morrocco. High resolution spectra (R ≍ 12 000) were obtained between 4289 Å and 7125 Å. This intensive observing campaign spanned over 26 nights from June to November 2016.

Work was undertaken in 1997 as part of a UK government programme to monitor air quality in the Cornish china clay area. These studies showed that concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) did not exceed UK National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS, 1995) guidelines but were, however, greater than those normally associated with rural areas. Subsequently, in the summer of 2000, airborne dust sampling was conducted at three sites around the IMERYS (formerly ECCI) Kernick mica dam, a potential source of resuspended airborne particulates from china clay waste minerals. Analytical scanning electron microscopy examination of the collected material suggested that up to 61% of the airborne PM10 monitored next to the mica dam could be associated with china clay extraction compared with 46% 2 km to the south. Results showed the presence of substantial percentages of respirable kaolinite, muscovite and quartz; the major components of china clay waste. The health effects of the particular mineral dust emissions associated with china clay mining are reviewed.

The aim of our article was to review the current literature on the effects of metabolic (re) programming on childhood obesity. PubMed/MEDLINE was the data source used to track the studies. Descriptors applied: children obesity, epigenetic, metabolic programming, exercise and nutrition. The focus was to analyze and discuss the international findings on the theme. The gathering of the papers was performed between June and August 2014. The search of articles with the descriptors used found 33.054 studies. In all, 5.709 studies were selected by crossing chosen keywords. Among these, after careful reading of the titles, 712 papers were considered potential as references. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 50 studies were selected from 132 eligible abstracts. Most studies linked the development and treatment of obesity from epigenetically stimulated metabolic programming during the early stages of pregnancy and life. This review provides theoretical basis to the understanding that the programmed development of childhood obesity may be linked to early exposure to environmental factors, such as (nutrition and regular practice of exercise) and stimulus can epigenetically alter the modulation of the obesogenic metabolic behavior during pregnancy and the developmental stages of children and/or postpone the pathophysiologic disease stage to adulthood.

Undernutrition exposure during the perinatal period reduces the growth kinetic of the offspring and sensitizes it to the development of chronic adult metabolic diseases both in animals and in humans. Previous studies have demonstrated that a 50% maternal food restriction performed during the last week of gestation and during lactation has both short- and long-term consequences in the male rat offspring. Pups from undernourished mothers present a decreased intrauterine (IUGR) and extrauterine growth restriction. This is associated with a drastic reduction in their leptin plasma levels during lactation, and exhibit programming of their stress neuroendocrine systems (corticotroph axis and sympatho-adrenal system) in adulthood. In this study, we report that perinatally undernourished 6-month-old adult animals demonstrated increased leptinemia (at PND200), blood pressure (at PND180), food intake (from PND28 to PND168), locomotor activity (PND187) and altered regulation of glycemia (PND193). Cross-fostering experiments indicate that these alterations were prevented in IUGR offspring nursed by control mothers during lactation. Interestingly, the nutritional status of mothers during lactation (ad libitum feeding v. undernutrition) dictates the leptin plasma levels in pups, consistent with decreased leptin concentration in the milk of mothers subjected to perinatal undernutrition. As it has been reported that postnatal leptin levels in rodent neonates may have long-term metabolic consequences, restoration of plasma leptin levels in pups during lactation may contribute to the beneficial effects of cross-fostering IUGR offspring to control mothers. Collectively, our data suggest that modification of milk components may offer new therapeutic perspectives to prevent the programming of adult diseases in offspring from perinatally undernourished mothers.

We carried out an extensive photometric and spectroscopic investigation of the SPB binary, HD 25558 (see Fig. 1 for the time and geographic distribution of the observations). The ~2000 spectra obtained at 13 observatories during 5 observing seasons, the ground-based multi-colour light curves and the photometric data from the MOST satellite revealed that this object is a double-lined spectroscopic binary with a very long orbital period of about 9 years. We determined the physical parameters of the components, and have found that both lie within the SPB instability strip. Accordingly, both components show line-profile variations consistent with stellar pulsations. Altogether, 11 independent frequencies and one harmonic frequency were identified in the data. The observational data do not allow the inference of a reliable orbital solution, thus, disentangling cannot be performed on the spectra. Since the lines of the two components are never completely separated, the analysis is very complicated. Nevertheless, pixel-by-pixel variability analysis of the cross-correlated line profiles was successful, and we were able to attribute all the frequencies to the primary or secondary component. Spectroscopic and photometric mode-identification was also performed for several of these frequencies of both binary components. The spectroscopic mode-identification results suggest that the inclination and rotation of the two components are rather different. While the primary is a slow rotator with ~6 d rotation period, seen at ~60° inclination, the secondary rotates fast with ~1.2 d rotation period, and is seen at ~20° inclination. Our spectropolarimetric measurements revealed that the secondary component has a magnetic field with at least a few hundred Gauss strength, while no magnetic field was detected in the primary.

The detailed analysis and results of this study will be published elsewhere.

Impaired pancreatic β-cell function, as observed in the cases of early nutrition disturbance, is a major hallmark of metabolic diseases arising in adulthood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the function/composition of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtypes, M2 and M3, in the pancreatic islets of adult offspring of rats that were protein malnourished during lactation. Neonates were nursed by mothers that were fed either a low-protein (4 %, LP) or a normal-protein (23 %, NP) diet. Adult rats were pre-treated with anti-muscarinic drugs and subjected to the glucose tolerance test; the function and protein expression levels of M2mAChR and M3mAChR were determined. The LP rats were lean and hypoinsulinaemic. The selective M2mAChR antagonist methoctramine increased insulinaemia by 31 % in the NP rats and 155 % in the LP rats, and insulin secretion was increased by 32 % in the islets of the NP rats and 88 % in those of the LP rats. The selective M3mAChR antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide decreased insulinaemia by 63 % in the NP rats and 40 % in the LP rats and reduced insulin release by 41 % in the islets of the NP rats and 28 % in those of the LP rats. The protein expression levels of M2mAChR and M3mAChR were 57 % higher and 53 % lower, respectively, in the islets of the LP rats than in those of the NP rats. The expression and functional compositions of M2mAChR and M3mAChR were altered in the islets of the LP rats, as a result of metabolic programming caused by the protein-restricted diet, which might be another possible effect involved in the weak insulin secretion ability of the islets of the programmed adult rats.