Southwestern University

Capsular Contracture (CC) is a key downstream complication of breast implant surgery captured by breast implant registries worldwide. A number of factors have a been linked to CC development including smooth implants and bacterial contamination. The purpose of this study was to analyze prospectively captured data from the Australian Breast Device Registry to investigate the risk of capsular contracture with respect to patient demographics, the use of contamination minimization measures (CMM), implant characteristics and variations in surgical technique. These data were extracted from the Australian Breast Device Registry including 91 537 implants and analyzed against patient demographics, CMMs, implant characteristics and variations in surgical technique to determine which factors were associated with reducing capsular contracture risk. A variety of factors including use of nipple shields, antiseptic rinse, changing gloves for insertion and anatomic implant shape were associated with significantly reduced rates of capsular contracture. Our findings show that the change of gloves, the use of antiseptic rinse and the use of nipple shields significantly reduce the risk of CC following cosmetic breast augmentation. These findings further support the importance of minimizing bacterial contamination at the time of implant placement and the need for clinicians to be appropriately trained, vigilant and aim for the highest standards of infection control and sterile technique when using breast implants for any indication.

Nigeria’s federal character policy was designed to manage ethnic diversity and prevent domination by any single group in public institutions. Yet, persistent violations and elite manipulation have contributed to the ethnic concentration of power, fueling perceptions of marginalization and conflict. This paper examines whether the federal character principle genuinely manages diversity or inadvertently manufactures ethnic conflict. Using a qualitative methodology that combines documentary analysis with interviews, the study situates its findings within social identity, consociationalism, and horizontal inequality theories. The analysis reveals that systemic implementation weaknesses, patronage politics, and ethnic quota abuses have undermined equitable representation, deepened grievances, and eroded state legitimacy. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to strengthen legal enforcement, reinforce meritocracy, and ensure inclusive governance to prevent further destabilization in Nigeria’s fragile state.

Agronomic research has long prioritized efficiency - optimizing resource use to maximize yield under stable conditions. However, as climate variability intensifies, efficiency alone might be insufficient to sustain agricultural production in the future. Instead, robustness - the ability to maintain function across diverse and unpredictable environments - emerges as a critical trait. Robustness is not a simple metric but an emergent property, arising from the interplay of redundancy, heterogeneity and plasticity across biological scales. We examine how the components of robustness (redundance, heterogeneity and plasticity) express themselves at the anatomical, architectural and genomic scale. A major challenge is the lack of a unified framework to measure robustness. We propose integrating empirical metrics - such as vessel grouping indices, root trait heterogeneity and gene expression plasticity - with computational models to quantify redundancy, heterogeneity and plasticity. By synthesizing insights from physiology, genomics and modelling, we outline a path towards designing crops that thrive in ideal settings and under environmental uncertainty.

Background: The Bruce treadmill protocol is a commonly used protocol for treadmill-based exercise testing in children. However, normative data for endurance time dating from 1978 remains the clinical reference, despite shifting population anthropometrics and fitness levels. This review evaluates trends in endurance times of healthy children since 1978. Research Question: How have reference values for endurance time using the standard Bruce protocol changed over time for children ages 4-18? Methods: A systematic search relevant to the research question from the Semantic Scholar corpus was conducted. We retrieved 499 papers and screened in those that met the following criteria: (1) subjects aged 4-18 years old with no identified cardiac or pulmonary pathology, (2) non-metabolic maximal effort exercise tests (achieved ≥85% predicted peak heart rate), (3) utilization of the standard Bruce protocol, (4) endurance times reported by age group, and (5) written in English. Endurance times were grouped into three age (years) categories (4-9, 10-15, 16-18). Bootstrap resampling was performed to estimate the mean and standard deviation for each age group, gender, and time period by repeatedly resampling endurance times with replacement (10,000 iterations). The bootstrapped mean was calculated as the average of these resampled means, while the bootstrapped standard deviation was derived from their standard deviation. Results: Eight studies (n = 1,947) were included in the final analysis. Endurance times declined over time in both North America (1970s–2000s) and Europe (1990s–2010s). In North America, mean reductions were observed across all combined age groups: 4–9 years (–1.27 min), 10–15 years (–1.57 min), and 16–18 years (–1.00 min). European cohorts showed similar declines in younger groups: 4–9 years (–1.36 min) and 10–15 years (–2.28 min). The 16–18 European group was only assessed at one time period, precluding trend analysis. Conclusion: Prior studies point to a decline in fitness in pediatric patients over time. This review of the literature affirms this finding and also highlights regional differences in anthropometrics and fitness trends. Given that current reference values are based on outdated data, there is a need to re-evaluate endurance time standards for modern pediatric populations. This data also points to a critical need to address declines in fitness in children in the current era.

Abstract Description We investigated CNS-infiltrating T cells during infection with the attenuated Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus vaccine strain TC83 (TC83), which replicates to high viral titers in the brain of wild-type mice without lethality. Thus, we could study the immune response throughout the infection cycle in the CNS. Upon TC83 infection, many T cells rapidly (3-5 dpi) infiltrate the CNS in an antigen-independent manner. During infection, CD8+ T cells (∼40% of CNS-infiltrating T cells) in the brain express high levels of innate-memory markers. These bystander CD8+ T cells can produce IFNγ and granzyme B. IL12, IL18, and IL15 (cytokines known to support bystander T cells) are upregulated upon TC83 infection, and genetic ablation of IL15 results in decreased CNS infiltration by bystander CD8+ T cells. IC injection of IL15 alone recruits bystander CD8+ T cells, suggesting that IL15 is sufficient for CNS bystander responses. IC type 1 interferon (T1IFN) treatment recruits bystander CD8+ T cells and induces IL15 and IL12 expression, implicating T1IFN in the response. Interestingly, prior LCMV infection leads to CNS recruitment of bystander CD8+ T cells specific to LCMV epitopes. Finally, bystander CD8+ T cells cause CNS cell death, as antibody-mediated CD8+ T cell depletion decreases cleaved caspase 3 expression on neurons, astroglia, and microglia. These data implicate bystander CD8+ T cells in collateral CNS damage during viral infection. Funding Sources Supported by NIH T32-AI07405; NIH RO1-NS123431 Topic Categories Neuroimmunology (NEUR)

This essay outlines how muscular Hinduism and muscular Zionism work together toward anti-Muslim ends. It examines two covertly anti-Muslim incidents in New Jersey and Texas to demonstrate how these muscularisms work together within a transnational anti-Muslim frame to perpetuate anti-Muslim logics in discourses that make no mention of Muslims or Islam. The essay calls for a relentless centering of feminized Muslims, particularly those who are lowered-caste and living under occupation, to facilitate the wholesale rejection of muscular nationalisms.