Objective: The global impact of osteoarthritis is growing. Currently no disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs/therapies exist, increasing the need for preventative strategies. Knee injuries have a high prevalence, distinct onset, and strong independent association with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Numerous groups are embarking upon research that will culminate in clinical trials to asses

We compute the heavy quark momentum diffusion coefficient using effective kinetic theory for a system going through bottom-up isotropization until approximate hydrodynamization. We find that when comparing the nonthermal diffusion coefficient to the thermal one for the same energy density, the observed deviations throughout the whole evolution are within 30% from the thermal value. For thermal sys

Cork oak and pine bark, two of the most prolific byproducts of the European forestry sector, were assessed as biosorbents for eliminating potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from water-based solutions. Our research suggests that bioadsorption stands out as a viable and environmental eco-friendly technology, presenting a sustainable method for the extraction of PTEs from polluted water sources. This

Oxygen isotopes in biogenic silica (δ18OBSi) from lake sediments allow for quantitative reconstruction of past hydroclimate and proxy-model comparison in terrestrial environments. The signals of individual records have been attributed to different factors, such as air temperature (Tair), atmospheric circulation patterns, hydrological changes, and lake evaporation. While every lake has its own loca

In reply to the commentary by N. Zavialova (Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 322, 105,065), we provide additional data and illustrations reaffirming that the Triassic peltaspermalean ‘seed-fern’ Lepidopteris ottonis produced the abnormal pollen Ricciisporites tuberculatus, solving a long-standing mystery in palaeobotany. The microsporangiate organ Antevsia zeilleri linked to Lepidopteris ottonis foliage p

Linking individual and stand-level dynamics during forest development reveals a scaling relationship between mean tree size and tree density in forest stands, which integrates forest structure and function. However, the nature of this so-called scaling law and its variation across broad spatial scales remain unquantified, and its linkage with forest demographic processes and carbon dynamics remain

Bees are declining, which is worrisome since they both have intrinsic conservation value and play a major role as pollinators in both natural and managed ecosystems. Land use change and lack of suitable habitats are often suggested as driving forces of bee decline. To propose mitigation measures to halt bee decline, it is important to understand how land use relates to bee abundance and diversity,

Developing efficient and robust computational models is essential to improve our understanding of protein solution behavior. This becomes particularly important to tackle the high-concentration regime. In this context, the main challenge is to put forward coarse-grained descriptions able to reduce the level of detail, while retaining key features and relevant information. In this work, we develop

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has been FDA-approved for lumbar fusion, but supraphysiologic initial burst release due to suboptimal carrier and late excess bone resorption caused by osteoclast activation have limited its clinical usage. One strategy to mitigate the pro-osteoclast side effect of rhBMP-2 is to give systemic bisphosphonates, but it presents challenges with

How should democratic states approach and respond to secessionist movements using tactics contrary to the constitution to achieve their goals? What is the role of international human rights mechanisms in these processes? This article sheds light on these questions by examining how the UN Human Rights Committee approached and assessed two complaints that came before it in the wake of the Catalan De

Flexibility can support the energy transition and improve the efficiency of heat supply to buildings. This study tests price models for the inclusion of heat pumps (HPs) in district heating network (DHN). Various price models were tested in two cases in Sweden. In Sweden, DH companies are increasingly confronted with instances where building owners invest in a HP and only use DH when it is too col

In the context of higher demands on the development of clean energy technologies due to the issue of water shortage in China and the implementation of the 2060 carbon-neutral objective, floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems present novel opportunities for transforming the energy structure through land conservation and enhancement of power generation efficiency compared to conventional solar systems.

The response of clouds to the changes in climate is uncertain, and the representation of the cloud-climate feedback is a key challenge in the global circulation models (GCM) for future climate projections. Factors contributing to this uncertainty include processes that involve particles of various sizes and phases, as well as the interactions between these particles and the surrounding atmosphere.

Public libraries serve as social infrastructures that foster interpersonal connections and promote well-being and cohesion. In order to explore the role played by libraries in the process of social infrastructuring, we conducted a zine-making workshop with librarians. This workshop facilitated collegial conversations and provided an opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with the cPublic libraries serve as social infrastructures that foster interpersonal connections and promote well-being and cohesion. In order to explore the role played by libraries in the process of social infrastructuring, we conducted a zine-making workshop with librarians. This workshop facilitated collegial conversations and provided an opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with the c

Bivariate extreme value distributions can be used to model dependence of observations from random variables in extreme levels. There is no finite dimensional parametric family for these distributions, but they can be characterized by a certain one-dimensional function which is known as Pickands dependence function. In many applications the general approach is to estimate the dependence function wi

How do contracting capabilities affect contractual preferences and economic institutions? According to the learning to contract literature, contractual parties over time learn to discover more efficient ways of governing exchange relationships, thereby reducing transaction costs when governance structures are gradually better aligned with transaction attributes. However, the introduction of learni

Under what conditions do firms in buyer-supplier relationships learn to contract? The development of contracting capabilities is typically understood as a function of experiential learning from past contracts. However, learning to contract is also likely affected by the organizational and institutional conditions under which contracts are entered. Based on five inductive case studies of buyer-supp

How do organizations learn to contract in public procurement? Previous research on learning to contract highlights the importance of contracting capabilities for successfully managing buyer-supplier relationships. According to this research, the design of supplier contracts should be aligned with the attributes of the transaction, which require specialized knowledge that is typically dispersed acr