Universities UK

• Jointly models spatial, channel, and topological redundancies, moving beyond conventional spatial-only designs. • Embedding Mamba layers locally within specialized subcomponents instead of as a global backbone, enabling structured context modeling. • Achieves efficient long-range modeling with linear complexity, yielding a smaller model and faster decoding while outperforming baselines. Existing learned point cloud compression frameworks face two major limitations: (1) they focus almost exclusively on spatial redundancy and (2) rely on architectures built around local-global transformers or global Mamba blocks. Transformers incur quadratic complexity, while global Mamba lacks the granularity to capture structured correlations across multiple dimensions. We propose OctMamba, the first unified framework to jointly exploit spatial, channel, and topological redundancies, dimensions previously overlooked in point cloud geometry compression. Our approach introduces a new architectural principle: embedding Mamba modules within specialized subcomponents rather than applying them globally, challenging existing design paradigms. OctMamba combines two modules: Spatial-Channel Coupled Grouping Mamba (SCCGM) for spatial-channel fusion and Local Graph CNN-Mamba (LGCM) for topological encoding. This design enables efficient long-range modeling with linear complexity, delivering a smaller model and faster decoding while outperforming transformer-based and global Mamba baselines. On SemanticKITTI, OctMamba reduces bitrate by 60.2% over GPCC (D1 PSNR) and achieves state-of-the-art performance across LiDAR and dynamic human point cloud benchmarks with practical speed and scalability. By introducing multi-dimensional redundancy modeling, OctMamba has the potential to influence future research on efficient point cloud compression. Source code will be released.

Female, woman and/or girl athletes’ sport participation rates are rising and associated with high injury rates and burden. Using best-practice consensus methodology, we developed recommendations to guide injury prevention for female/woman/girl athletes. The Female/woman/girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) International Olympic Committee Consensus meeting was held from 31 March to 2 April 2025 (Lausanne, Switzerland).The FAIR Consensus followed an eight-step hybrid method. 109 authors from six continents conducted: (1) systematic reviews synthesising evidence on injury prevention strategies and modifiable risk factors for lower-extremity and upper-extremity injuries, concussions and spine/chest/abdominal/pelvic injuries/pain, (2) a scoping review synthesising dissemination and implementation (D&I) approaches; and (3) a concept mapping project generating knowledge on gender/sex-related factors for injury prevention. These projects underpinned draft recommendations subsequently voted on by a steering committee (n=24) and an external advisory committee chair over two anonymous survey rounds. Recommendations, Round 1 voting results and suggestions/dissenting comments were discussed between Round 1 and 2 voting. Consensus was defined as ‘critical to include’ (≥70% scored recommendation as 7–9 (9-point Likert scale, 1=not important; 9=critically important) AND ≤15% scored recommendation as 1–3).The 56 FAIR recommendations address: primary injury prevention (n=16) (policy/rules/laws=6; personal protective equipment=8; training=2); secondary injury prevention (n=4); modifiable risk factors (n=12); approaches to D&I (n=14); and promoting gender/sex-supportive environments (n=10).The FAIR Consensus informs evidence-based best practices and policy for injury prevention, approaches to implementation and creation of supportive environments for female/woman/girl athletes. Every person at all levels of sport can, and should, take responsibility for actions that positively influence female/woman/girl athlete health and safety.

<h3>Introduction</h3> Decompensated cirrhosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in working aged people. Whilst this is predominately driven by steatotic liver disease in the United Kingdom, there is heterogeneity in symptom burden as well as disease trajectory and experience across the population. The use of patient reported outcomes (PROs) may improve our understanding of these aspects of disease for patients with decompensated cirrhosis as well as define subgroups of patients who may require specific interventions or may have different prognoses. The aim of this scoping review was to define the use of PROs in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. <h3>Methods</h3> A scoping review was undertaken utilising Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for studies including PROs undertaken in patients with decompensated cirrhosis from January 2020 – March 2025. Studies were included if they included any patients with decompensated cirrhosis as per Baveno criteria or if they had a Child-Turcotte-Pugh class of B/C. PROs were defined as the patients’ own assessment of their health status including symptoms, reports of daily functioning, quality of life and satisfaction with their health care. This study was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. <h3>Results</h3> 67 studies were included in the final analysis (figure 1). Of the 40,112 patients in these studies, 6,553 fulfilled criteria for decompensation. Ascites was the most reported decompensation symptom across the cohort (48.2%). 38 different PRO tools were utilised across the different studies with the SF-36 (and it’s variants) used most frequently (43.3% of studies). 13 studies included only patients with decompensated cirrhosis and were utilised to define decompensated cirrhosis specific PROs. 12 individual domains were highlighted across the PRO tools including; general health, physical functioning, pain, vitality/energy, abdominal symptoms, breathing symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, cognition, social functioning, emotional status, sleep and self-management. Of these, there were most questions about emotional status (87), followed by physical functioning (74) and general health (68). 14 studies compared patient PRO results across the spectrum of compensation/decompensation. Increasing decompensation was associated with worse PRO outcomes across multiple domains. <h3>Conclusions</h3> There is a need to better define PRO relevant to patients with decompensated cirrhosis. This may lead to targeted clinical trial design for interventions in the future.

Examine potentially modifiable risk factors (MRFs) for female/woman/girl athletes' lower-extremity injuries. Systematic review with meta- or semiquantitative analyses and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. MEDLINE, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane Systematic Review Database, CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, ERIC searched 30 October or 23 November 2023. Primary data studies with comparison group(s) assessing the association of MRFs for sport-related lower-extremity injury(s) with ≥1 female/woman/girl per study group. Across 195 studies (n=115; 58.9% female/woman/girl-specific estimates) including 1 525 662 participants (2.4% females/women/girls), eight injury outcomes were assessed (n=75 general lower-extremity, n=3 groin, n=6 hip, n=17 thigh, n=88 knee, n=17 lower-leg, n=27 ankle, n=9 foot). Sixty-six MRF categories were identified. Substantial heterogeneity in MRFs and injury outcomes exists, with high risk of bias present in 37.4% of studies. Considering female/woman/girl specific estimates, we performed meta-analyses for 10 MRFs (body mass, x (BMI), weekly training distance, muscle strength, artificial turf, off-season plyometric training, readiness to return-to-sport, single-leg hop asymmetry, vertical drop jump peak knee flexion angle and ground reaction force) and semiquantitative analyses for 26 MRFs for a variety of injuries. Meta-analyses suggest no association between any lower-extremity strength outcome (g=0.01, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.14; I2=37.3%; very low certainty evidence) or artificial turf (Incidence Rate Ratio=0.97, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.07; I2=2.4%; low certainty evidence) and various lower-extremity injuries. Higher body mass (g=0.19, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.38; I2=71.7%) and/or BMI (g=0.22, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.36; I2=37.0%) are associated with several lower-extremity injuries (very low certainty evidence). This review synthesises a large body of exploratory research, exposes important knowledge gaps and provides a foundation for understanding MRFs for female/woman/girl athlete lower-extremity injuries. PROSPERO CRD42024486715.

هدف البحث إلى تحسين بعض مهارات التواصل اللفظي لدى الأطفال ذوي اضطراب طيف التوحد من خلال التأثير التكاملي للعلاج بالخلايا الجذعية والبرنامج التدريبي، وتكونت عينة البحث من (5) أطفال من ذوي اضطراب طيف التوحد، وقد تراوحت أعمارهم ما بين (6 – 9) أعوام، بمتوسط حسابي قدره (7.20) وانحراف معياري (1.30) وللتحقق من هذا الهدف تم استخدام المنهج شبه التجريبي باستخدام التصميم ذي المجموعة الواحدة ذات القياسين القبلي والبعدي، وتكونت أدوات البحث من مقياس ستانفورد – بينية للذكاء "الصورة الخامسة" (تقنين: محمود أبو النيل وآخرون, 2011)، مقياس جيليام التقديري لتشخيص أعراض وشدة اضطراب التوحد الإصدار الثالث "GAR-3" (إعداد: عادل عبد الله محمد، وعبير أبو المجد محمد، 2020)، ومقياس مهارات التواصل اللفظي لدى الأطفال ذوي اضطراب طيف التوحد (إعداد: الباحثة)، والبرنامج التدريبي (إعداد: الباحثة)، وأسفرت النتائج عن وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين متوسطي رتب درجات عينة البحث في القياسين القبلي والبعدي لأبعاد مقياس مهارات التواصل اللفظي لصالح متوسط رتب درجات القياس البعدي، كما أسفرت النتائج عن عدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين متوسطي رتب درجات أفراد عينة البحث في القياسين البعدي والتتبعي على مقياس مهارات التواصل اللفظي، وهذا يدل على استمرار أثر البرنامج التدريبي بعد انتهاء التطبيق.

Abstract Background: Children in pastoral communities play a significant role in herding livestock, placing them at a high risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens such as the Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus. However, socioeconomic studies on knowledge, attitude and practices on RVF often involve adults and community trainings that are usually implemented to bridge knowledge gaps seldom involve children. Understanding how gender roles influence risk exposure is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies. Aim: This study sought to investigate how gender roles influence the vulnerability of pastoralist boys and girls to RVF in Isiolo County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to examine how the livestock-related roles of boys and girls in the pastoralist communities increase their risk of RVF, establish the knowledge that pastoralist boys and girls have about RVF and assess how livestock roles affect the lives of boys and girls in the pastoral communities. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted in Isiolo County, Kenya. Data were collected using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with vignettes and key informant guides. Twelve sex-disaggregated focus group discussions of 106 discussants and 17 key informants were conducted. Data was transcribed, coded and analyzed in NVivo 14. Findings: We found that boys and girls had varying levels of knowledge about RVF, with boys showing a deeper understanding of RVF. Both girls and boys engage in livestock roles that expose them to RVF risk. Beyond RVF, pastoralism affects children’s access to education, health, and leisure time and exposes them to food insecurity. Conclusion: We conclude that both boys and girls face RVF risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and strategies that move beyond a general approach to RVF prevention within pastoralist communities. This is vital, as exposure pathways and vulnerabilities may differ due to gendered roles and responsibilities. One Health impact statement This research utilized a qualitative approach to explore the influence of gender-based roles on RVF exposure risks among boys and girls within pastoralist communities. By investigating the intersection of gender, culture, and disease dynamics, the study demonstrates the value of a One Health perspective, bringing out a critical group- children, that many times are forgotten. It reveals how distinct, gendered livestock-related roles shape differential exposure risks and knowledge gaps, especially among children, impacting both human and animal health. This interconnected understanding highlights the need to move beyond siloed approaches, demonstrating that a comprehensive analysis of socio-cultural factors, alongside epidemiological data, is essential for a holistic understanding of RVF transmission and exposure risks within pastoralist systems. This study emphasizes the One Health principle that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are inextricably linked, providing a foundation for future research and interventions that recognize the complex dynamics of zoonotic diseases in these communities.

Flourishing and belonging are key concepts for the wellbeing of staff and the success of a profession. Alienation and anomie are distinct types of psycho-social ills which inhibit flourishing and belonging. A better understanding of these may offer hope in preventing many negative work endpoints, including burnout and intention to leave. To systematically review and narratively synthesise alienation and/or anomie in pharmacists across the globe, reviewing all types of methodological designs, published in peer-reviewed journals. We identified published peer-reviewed research through searching eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science - Core Collection, Scopus, and Google Scholar) and extensive hand/citation searching. Two independent reviewers identified and critiqued eligible studies, extracted data, and synthesised the findings. The synthesis evaluated the focuses, causes, associated factors, and/or consequences of alienation and/or anomie and aligned these to six deductive themes from alienation theory: care; values; meaning; recognition; autonomy; and shared responsibility. Searches identified 886 papers, with 47 included in the final results. From the synthesis, ten key causes of alienation and/or anomie were identified; 1) Changing Professional Identity, 2) Reimbursement Models & Corporatisation, 3) Focus on Medicines Rather than People, 4) Misunderstanding & Deprofessionalisation, 5) Environments & Culture, 6) Suboptimal Societal Mandate, 7) Roles Misaligned with Aspirations, 8) Systematic Underutilisation, 9) Lack of Professional Agency, and 10) Value Conflict. From the evidence, there was high confidence that inhibitions of care, values, recognition, and/or autonomy (four of the six deductive themes) were associated with alienation and/or anomie. Alienation and/or anomie are present across many countries and regions. This paper helps us understand the aetiology of this complex psycho-social syndrome, a necessary first step in creating an inclusive profession where all pharmacists can flourish. Future research needs to trial new interventions targeted at correcting this professional malady.

This article is a revised version of a talk given at the ‘Study Weekend’ on Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Townsend Warner held in Dorchester in February 2024. It compares the two writers as ironists, focusing especially on Hardy’s collection of short stories Life’s Little Ironies. It explores the use of titles by both authors and their deployment of what Auden called a ‘hawk’s vision’ of narrative situations. The article ends by comparing the writers’ treatments of sexuality and coincidence. It argues that Warner’s sense of the human world is no less ironic than Hardy’s but that her prevailing tone is less tragic and more celebratory, and that the heart of her writing lies in a relish for ‘the oddness of the world and the surprisingness of mankind’.