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Situated at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the PHENIX experiment has for almost two decades been at the forefront of investigations into spin structure and dynamics in high-energy nuclear physics. Although decommissioned in 2016, the PHENIX collaboration has released a number of new results over the past several years that continue to inform the field. Recent longitudinal spin measurements uncover the role of gluon and sea quark polarization in the proton. Transverse spin measurements probe the transverse momentum-dependent (TMD) distributions and higher-twist multiparton correlators that are needed to fully explain partonic dynamics in the initial and final state. Additionally, the effects of heavy ions on spin have been studied by comparing transverse spin measurements between p+p and p+A collisions. These recent results and their wider implications are presented.

The NUCLEUS experiment, currently being commissioned at the Technical University of Munich, is designed to observe coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) from reactor neutrinos and measure its cross-section with a percent-level precision at recoil energies below 100 eV. As a Standard Model process, CEνNS provides a unique probe into neutrino properties, potential new physics, and background suppression techniques relevant to dark matter experiments. The experiment utilizes gram-scale cryogenic calorimeters operating at 10 mK with an energy threshold of 20 eV. Situated at a shallow overburden of 3 m of water equivalent, the experimental site necessitates an advanced shielding strategy combining active vetoes and passive layers to reduce background rates to approximately 100counts/(kg·day·keV), as confirmed by full setup simulations. The commissioning phase has successfully demonstrated the stable operation of the cryogenic target detectors, achieving baseline resolutions below 10 eV, and the integration of the various shielding systems. Following this milestone, the experiment is set to transition to the EdF Chooz B nuclear reactor in France in 2025, where it will enable precise measurements of CEνNS, contributing to the understanding of neutrino interactions and advancing the field of astroparticle physics.

The PHENIX experiment measured two-particle Bose–Einstein quantum-statistical correlations of charged kaons in Au+Au collisions at sNN = 200 GeV. The correlation functions are parametrized assuming that the source emitting the particles has a Lévy shape, characterized by the Lévy exponent α and the Lévy scale R. By introducing the intercept parameter λ, we account for the core–halo fraction. The parameters are investigated as a function of transverse mass. The comparison of the parameters measured for kaon–kaon with those measured from pion–pion correlation may clarify the connection of Lévy parameters to physical processes.

•A total of 33 advanced vaccinology courses were in existence in 2021.•Some vaccinology courses were not sustained since 2018.•The number of vaccinology courses has been increasing during the last few years, with courses offered in each WHO region.•The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation or postponement of some vaccinology courses.•Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased number of courses are using an online or hybrid format. The rapid development of innovations and new technologies, the focus on the life-course approach to immunization and equity, and the prevalent hesitancy towards vaccines requires immunization staff to be well-trained and updated regularly in order to deliver quality immunization services to the public. The need for advanced vaccinology training is therefore paramount. In preparation for a second Global Workshop on Advanced Vaccinology Training that took place in March 2022, this paper presents the results of a survey aiming to provide a thorough update of a landscape analysis on advanced vaccinology courses conducted in 2018 and a look at the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Thirty-three course organizers responded to a survey to provide information on their respective course. Of those, 17 courses are short courses, 11 post-graduate courses and 5 are Master level courses. Most courses are organized on an annual basis. Even though some courses were not sustained overtime, the number of courses has been increasing during the last few years, and at least one vaccinology course is now being offered in each WHO region. Although the training capacity has increased tremendously, the need still exceeds the capacity and many courses have way more applicants than they can select. The most frequent challenges reported included sustainable funding and identifying faculty. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the delivery of several vaccinology courses, which have been postponed or reformatted to an online or hybrid training event. An e-portal of the global collaboration has been established to facilitate communication between the different courses and to assist future course participants to identify the most suitable course for their needs.

Purpose This study aimed to assess the impact of a bundle of care strategy on the duration of awake prone positioning (AW-PP) and other key clinical outcomes in patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) who require high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO). Methods In this secondary analysis of a prospective, multicenter cohort study, we included patients admitted with COVID-19-related ARF who required HFNO. The protocol encouraged AW-PP for as long as possible. The main exposure was a bundle of care including light sedation, monitoring, and information to patients about the strategy (bundle) compared to no bundle (control). The primary outcome was the duration of AW-PP (hours/day), while secondary outcomes included endotracheal intubation and in-hospital mortality. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were employed to identify variables related to both exposure and outcomes. Four models were used to evaluate exposure-outcome associations: inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), “double-robust” approximation (DR), traditional regression (TR), and mixed-effects model (MEM). Results Out of 499 patients, 197 were exposed to bundle, and 302 did not. The exposure group had a median (IQR) AW-PP duration of 16 (10–18) hours/day, compared to 10 (7–14) hours/day in the control group. Regression coefficients (95% CI) were 3.39 (1.67–5.11), 3.35 (1.55–5.14), 3.95 (2.63–5.28), and 3.72 (2.5–4.94) for IPTW, DR, TR and MEM, respectively. The odds ratios (95% CI) for intubation were 0.34 (0.15–0.76), 0.23 (0.10–0.50), 0.42 (0.23–0.77), and 0.48 (0.16–0.49), and for in-hospital mortality were 0.38 (0.11–1.27), 0.43 (0.14–1.26), 0.47 (0.22–0.91), and 0.46 (0.12–1.43) in the respective models. Conclusion In the evaluated population of patients with COVID-19-related ARF, implementing a bundle-of-care strategy was associated with a longer AW-PP exposure and a reduced risk of endotracheal intubation. Trial Registration Number ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier NCT05178212. Date of registration: January 5th, 2022. Study Type: Observational.

BackgroundBariatric surgery (BS) is a relatively novel surgical field and is in continuous expansion and evolution.PurposeAim of this study was to report changes in Italian surgical practice in the last decade.MethodsThe Società Italiana di Chirurgia dell’Obesità (SICOB) conducted annual surveys to cense activity of SICOB centers between 2011 and 2021. Primary outcome was to detect differences in frequency of performance of adjustable gastric banding (AGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB), bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD), and gastric plication (GP). Secondary outcome was to detect differences in performance of main non-malabsorptive procedures (AGB + SG) and overall bypass procedures (RYGB + OAGB). Geographical differences were also investigated.ResultsMedian response rate was 92%. AGB declined from 36% of procedures in 2011 to 5% in 2021 (p < 0.0001). SG increased from 30% in 2011 to 55% in 2021 (p < 0.0001). RYGB declined from 25 to 12% of procedures (p < 0.0001). OAGB rose from 0% of procedures in 2011 to 15% in 2021 (p < 0.0001). BPD underwent decrease from 6.2 to 0.2% in 2011 and 2021, respectively (p < 0.0001). Main non-malabsorptive procedures significantly decreased while overall bypass procedures remained stable. There were significant differences among regions in performance of SG, RYGB, and OAGB.ConclusionsBS in Italy evolved significantly during the past 10 years. AGB underwent a decline, as did BPD and GP which are disappearing and RYGB which is giving way to OAGB. The latter is rising and is the second most-performed procedure after SG which has been confirmed as the preferred procedure by Italian bariatric surgeons.

Background and Objectives: Religious fasting in patients after Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) remains a topic with limited clarity. This study aims to present the results of a survey on religious fasting in patients after MBS in Israel. The questionnaire was sent to members of the Israeli Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ISMBS). Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire survey was designed and distributed to members of the ISMBS. The survey consisted of 23 questions addressing religious fasting in patients after MBS and was divided into three sections: (1) MBS surgeon clinical experience, (2) clinical considerations regarding religious fasting in MBS patients, and (3) fasting-related complications in MBS patients. Responses were recorded and presented as numbers (percentages), with results analyzed descriptively and/or graphically. Results: The ISMBS has 63 active members, and 37 members (59%) responded to the survey. Most respondents have more than 10 years of MBS experience and perform more than 100 MBS procedures annually (67.5% and 54%, respectively). In general, 81.1% of respondents permit religious fasting in patients after MBS, and 73% think that fasting could be safe at least 12 months after MBS. Most (62.2%) agree that a clinical evaluation should be undertaken prior to permitting religious fasting; 40% of respondents note that there is increased patient admission to emergency rooms during religious fasting, mostly due to dehydration. When asked about fasting risks, most noted hypoglycemia (40.5%) and the evolution of marginal ulcers (16.2%). Conclusions: In conclusion, these national survey results emphasize the variations in MBS surgeons’ opinions regarding religious fasting after MBS. Despite these differences, there were still many similarities in responses such as timing and fasting permission, and this study could aid clinicians in the future when consulted on religious fasting by MBS patients.

Abstract Background: Spicy food consumption has been reported to be inversely associated with mortality from multiple diseases. However, the effect of spicy food intake on the incidence of vascular diseases in the Chinese population remains unclear. This study was conducted to explore this association. Methods: This study was performed using the large-scale China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) prospective cohort of 486,335 participants. The primary outcomes were vascular disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), major coronary events (MCEs), cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and non-stroke cerebrovascular disease. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between spicy food consumption and incident vascular diseases. Subgroup analysis was also performed to evaluate the heterogeneity of the association between spicy food consumption and the risk of vascular disease stratified by several basic characteristics. In addition, the joint effects of spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of vascular disease were also evaluated, and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the association results. Results: During a median follow-up time of 12.1 years, a total of 136,125 patients with vascular disease, 46,689 patients with IHD, 10,097 patients with MCEs, 80,114 patients with cerebrovascular disease, 56,726 patients with stroke, and 40,098 patients with non-stroke cerebrovascular disease were identified. Participants who consumed spicy food 1–2 days/week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [0.93, 0.97], P <0.001), 3–5 days/week (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.99], P = 0.003), and 6–7 days/week (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = [0.95, 0.99], P = 0.002) had a significantly lower risk of vascular disease than those who consumed spicy food less than once a week (Ptrend <0.001), especially in those who were younger and living in rural areas. Notably, the disease-based subgroup analysis indicated that the inverse associations remained in IHD (Ptrend = 0.011) and MCEs (Ptrend = 0.002) risk. Intriguingly, there was an interaction effect between spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of IHD (Pinteraction = 0.037). Conclusions: Our findings support an inverse association between spicy food consumption and vascular disease in the Chinese population, which may provide additional dietary guidance for the prevention of vascular diseases.

IntroductionMetabolic/bariatric surgery is the only proven treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) with curative intent. However, in a number of patients, the surgery is not effective or they may experience a relapse. Those patients can be offered re-do bariatric surgery (RBS).PurposeThe study aimed to determine factors increasing the odds for T2D remission one year after RBS following primary laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.MethodsA multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2010 and January 2020, which included 12 bariatric centers in Poland. The study population was divided into groups: Group 1- patients with T2D remission after RBS (n = 28) and Group 2- patients without T2D remission after RBS (n = 49). T2D remission was defined as HBA1c < 6.0% without glucose-lowering pharmacotherapy and glycemia within normal range at time of follow-up that was completed 12 months after RBS.ResultsFifty seven females and 20 males were included in the study. Patients who achieved BMI < 33 kg/m2 after RBS and those with %EBMIL > 60.7% had an increased chance of T2D remission (OR = 3.39, 95%CI = 1.28–8.95, p = 0.014 and OR = 12.48, 95%CI 2.67–58.42, p = 0.001, respectively). Time interval between primary LSG and RBS was significantly shorter in Group 1 than in Group 2 [1 (1–4) vs. 3 (2–4) years, p = 0.023].ConclusionsShorter time interval between LSG and RBS may ease remission of T2D in case of lack of remission after primary procedure. Significant excess weight loss seems to be the most crucial factor for T2D remission.

Pandemic-era associations between air pollutant exposures and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are under-explored. Given the considerable observed pandemic-era pollutant fluctuations, these associations were investigated along with possible individual-level risk factors. Participants with spirometry-confirmed COPD from Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease (CanCOLD) were included, with data collected before (\"pre-pandemic\") and during (\"pandemic\") the COVID-19 pandemic. Nitrogen dioxide (NO ), fine particulate matter (PM ), ground-level ozone (O ), total oxidant (O ) and weather data were obtained from national databases. Associations between each air pollutant and \"symptom-based\" exacerbations (increased dyspnea or sputum volume/purulence ≥48hrs) and \"event-based\" exacerbations (\"symptom-based\" plus requiring antibiotics, corticosteroids, or unscheduled healthcare use) were estimated in separate models. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were reported as rate ratios (RRs) per interquartile range (IQR) increment in pollutant concentration with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). NO , PM , and O (NO +O ) concentrations (but not O ) fell significantly during the pandemic. In the 673 participants with COPD included, both symptom-based and event-based exacerbation rates were likewise significantly higher during the pre-pandemic period. During the pre-pandemic period, O was positively associated with symptom-based exacerbations (RR: 1.21 [1.08,1.36]). During the pandemic period, O was positively associated with symptom-based (1.46 [1.13,1.89]) and event-based (1.43 [1.00,2.05]) exacerbations. Fewer self-reported pandemic protective behaviors, and higher viral infectious symptoms, were also associated with exacerbations. In stepwise multivariable risk-factor analyses, female gender (1.23 [1.04,1.45] and 1.41 [1.13,1.76]) and co-morbid asthma (1.65 [1.34,2.03] and 1.54 [1.19,2.00]) were associated with symptom-based and event-based exacerbations, respectively, blood eosinophils (1.42 [1.10,1.84]) were associated with event-based exacerbations, and each IQR increment in O was associated with symptom-based exacerbations (1.31 [1.06,1.61]). O exposure was consistently associated with symptom-based COPD exacerbations, and female gender, co-morbid asthma, and blood eosinophilia were found to be relevant risk factors.