Evaluation of a caesium fountain frequency standard for antihydrogen spectroscopy

The performance of a caesium fountain frequency reference for use in precision measurements of trapped antihydrogen in the ALPHA experiment at CERN is evaluated. A description of the fountain is provided together with a characterisation of systematic effects. The impact of the magnetic environment in the Antimatter Factory, where the fountain is installed, on the performance of the fountain is considered and shown to be insignificant. The systematic fractional frequency uncertainty of the fountain is 3.0 × 10−16. The short-term frequency stability of the measured frequency from the ALPHA-HM1 maser is 1.5 × 10−13τ−1/2, whereas the fountain itself shows a stability limit of 4.7 × 10−14τ−1/2. We find a fractional frequency difference of (1.0 ± 2.2 (stat.) ± 6.5 (syst.)) ×10−16 in a comparison with Terrestrial Time via a GNSS Common View satellite link between January 2023 and June 2024. The fountain enables a significant increase in frequency precision in antihydrogen spectroscopic measurements, and paves the way for improved limits on matter–antimatter comparisons

Sex‐Dependent Influence of Major Histocompatibility Complex Diversity on Fitness in a Social Mammal

Parasite infections affect males and females differently across a wide range of species, often due to differences in immune responses. Generally, females tend to have stronger immune defences and lower parasite loads than males. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a crucial role in the adaptive immune response, and extensive research has explored how variation in this region influences infection and fitness outcomes. However, studies of sex‐specific relationships between MHC variation and infection are scarce, perhaps because MHC genes are located on the autosomes, which are shared by both sexes. Here, we provide evidence of sexually antagonistic selection in a wild, group‐living mammal—the banded mongoose. Using genetic and life history data collected from over 300 individuals across 25 years, we found that both MHC class I (MHC‐I) and MHC class II (MHC‐II) diversity influence lifetime reproductive success differently in males and females. Specifically, higher MHC diversity is linked to increased fitness in males but decreased fitness in females. Furthermore, MHC diversity did not differ between the sexes, indicating an unresolved genetic sexual conflict. Our findings demonstrate that sexually antagonistic selection acts on the MHC and may operate across both MHC classes but differently. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that sex is a significant factor in shaping host immunity and fitness

Thailand: healthcare delivery system

This encyclopedia entry reviews the Thai system, and particularly the development of universal healthcare coverage from its introduction in 2002 to the present

Finerenone in the management of diabetes kidney disease

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing progressive diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and end stage kidney failure. Hypertension is a major, reversible risk factor in people with diabetes for development of albuminuria, impaired kidney function, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. Slowing progression of kidney disease and reducing cardiovascular events can be achieved by a number of means including the targeting of blood pressure and the use of specific classes of drugs The use of Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) blockade is effective in preventing or slowing progression of DKD and reducing cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes, albeit differently according to the stage of DKD. However, emerging therapy such as non-steroidal selective mineralocorticoid antagonists (finerenone) is proven to lower blood pressure and further reduce the risk of progression of DKD and cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes. This consensus reviews current evidence and make recommendations for the use of finerenone in the management of diabetes kidney disease in the UK

Examining the awareness and concerns of nigerians towards community policing, and their willingness to participate using technology

Community policing (CP) has been recognized as instrumental in addressing problems of safety worldwide. However, this initiative is of low effect in Nigeria as its practice decreases daily, despite CP technological innovations, reflecting a gap in understanding citizens’ awareness, concerns, and willingness to use technological solutions for community policing engagements. To address this, our study explores Nigerians’ awareness and concerns about CP initiatives, and uncovers insights regarding their willingness to use technology to support the programme. Surveying 1200 participants online from all six geopolitical zones, our findings reveal significant unawareness among citizens regarding key aspects of community policing, despite its potential to reduce crime, improve safety perceptions, and strengthen community-police relationships. Nevertheless, substantial proportions (86%) are willing to use technologies to participate in community policing engagements. This study serves as an initial phase in an ongoing Human Computer Interaction research endeavor focused on exploring the integration of technologies for community policing enhancement in Nigeria. The findings not only inform the trajectory of subsequent research phases but also offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance law enforcement practices and community engagement strategies in Nigeria

Parasite Abundance‐Occupancy Relationships Across Biogeographic Regions: Joint Effects of Niche Breadth, Host Availability and Climate

Aim: Changing biodiversity and environmental conditions may allow multi-host pathogens to spread among host species and affect prevalence. There are several widely acknowledged theories about mechanisms that may influence variation in pathogen prevalence, including the controversially debated dilution effect and abundance-occupancy relationship hypotheses. Here, we explore such abundance-occupancy relationships for unique lineages of three vector-borne avian blood parasite genera (the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium and the related haemosporidian parasites Parahaemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) across biogeographical regions.Location: Nearctic-Neotropical and Palearctic-Afrotropical regions.Methods: We compiled a cross-continental dataset of 17,116 bird individuals surveyed from 46 bird assemblages across the Nearctic-Neotropical and Palearctic-Afrotropical regions and explored relationships between local parasite lineage prevalence and host assemblage metrics in a Bayesian random regression framework.Results: Most lineages from these three genera infected ≥ 5 host species and exhibited clear phylogenetic or functional host specificity. Lineage prevalence from all three genera increased with host range, but also with higher degrees of specialisation to phylogenetically or functionally related host species. Local avian community features were also found to be important drivers of prevalence. For example, bird species richness was positively correlated with lineage prevalence for Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon, whereas higher relative abundances of the main host species were associated with lower prevalence for Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus but higher prevalence for Leucocytozoon.Conclusions: Our results broadly support several of the leading hypotheses about mechanisms that influence pathogen prevalence, including the niche breadth hypothesis in that higher avian host species diversity and broader host range amplify prevalence through increasing ecological opportunities and the trade-off hypotheses in that specialisation among subsets of available host species may increase prevalence. Furthermore, the three studied avian haemosporidian genera exhibited different abundance-occupancy relationships across the major global climate gradients and in relation to host availability, emphasising that these relationships do not strictly follow common rules for vector-borne parasites with different life histories

Electronic Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (e-SBIRT) for Gambling Harm: A Mixed-methods Acceptability Study

Gambling harm is a significant public health burden, yet treatment uptake is low. Electronic screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (e-SBIRT) programmes have potential to increase uptake and improve treatment outcomes. However, no studies to date have investigated e-SBIRT in the context of gambling. We conducted a single-arm mixed-methods study of acceptability of e-SBIRT for gambling. Quantitative acceptability was indicated by users’ perceived satisfaction, impact and helpfulness of the e-SBIRT. Qualitative acceptability was explored using semi-structured interviews. Participants (n = 63), pre-screened for gambling severity, reported high levels of satisfaction with the e-SBIRT, found it helpful, and were more likely to seek treatment. Participants with higher gambling severity scores found the e-SBIRT more acceptable and were more likely to seek treatment following the intervention. Qualitative feedback (n = 7) supported the e-SBIRT’s acceptability. The present findings support the acceptability of e-SBIRT for gambling. Further research is required to refine the intervention and examine its effectiveness with those with gambling harm