Despite the decline in mortality rates among children in developing countries, disparities persist between countries, particularly between twins and singletons. This study employed data from nine Demographic and Health Surveys in the Dominican Republic and Haiti to estimate and compare mortality rates for twins and singletons in categories of the under-5 age group (neonatal, postneonatal, and child mortality) and examine the factors associated with excess mortality among twins. From 1996 to 2013, the under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) for singletons in the Dominican Republic declined from 56‰ (95% CI [47, 64) to 30‰ (22–39) and from 108‰ (53–164) to 53‰ (16–89) among twins. In Haiti, between 1994 and 2016, the U5MR declined from 121‰ (109–133) to 77‰ (68–80) for singletons and from 432‰ (327–538) to 204‰ (149–260) among twins. The adjusted risk of neonatal death for twins is 1.4 (1.0–1.9) times higher than for singletons in the Dominican Republic, compared to a risk of 4.3 (3.5–5.3) times higher in Haiti. In the post-neonatal period, the mortality risk for twins in the Dominican Republic was 1.8 (1.0–3.1) times higher than that for singletons, 2.9 (2.3–3.8) in Haiti. The risk of death for twins was not significantly different from that for singletons in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti at ages 1–4 years. Low birth weight, lack of breastfeeding, absence of, or inadequate, antenatal care, noncesarean section birth, and high birth order were associated with excess mortality among twins in both countries.

This paper presents a flexible SiGe monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chipset for 120 GHz ultra-wideband frequency-modulated continuous wave radar systems. The highly integrated chipset is implemented with multiple-input and multiple-output radar in mind which leads to transmit and receive MMICs with four integrated channels in each chip. The transmitter achieves an output power of 12.9 dBm with a total power consumption of only 403 mW. The receiver chip incorporates a sub-harmonic approach for suppression of leakage radiation at 120 GHz through a receive channel. Both chips integrate active multiplier chains that are driven by a third reference dual band voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) MMIC that can deliver an output at center frequencies of 15 or 30 GHz. The reference VCO MMIC demonstrates relative tuning ranges of 32%.

Sport climbing requires a combination of physical and cognitive skills, with working memory (WM) playing a crucial role in performance. This study aimed to investigate the association between WM capacity and climbing ability, while considering potential confounding factors including sex, age, education level, and climbing experience. Additionally, the study compared prefrontal cortex (PFC) hemodynamic responses among different climbing ability groups and sex during WM performance. Twenty-eight climbers participated, with WM assessed using the eCorsi task and PFC hemodynamic responses measured with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Initial linear regression analyses revealed no association between WM and climbing ability. However, significant associations were found after adjustment for covariates. Specifically, sex (p = .014), sex in conjunction with age (p = .026), sex combined with climbing experience (p = .022), and sex along with education level (p = .038) were identified as significant predictors of differences in WM between Expert and Elite climbers. Additionally, notable differences in PFC hemodynamic responses were observed between Expert and Elite climbers, as well as between sexes during the WM task, providing support for differences in WM capacity. This study contributes to understanding the complex relationship between WM capacity and climbing performance, emphasizing the need to account for influencing factors in assessments.

Declining labor force participation of older men throughout the 20th century and recent increases in participation have generated substantial interest in understanding the effect of public pensions on retirement. The National Bureau of Economic Research's International Social Security (ISS) Project, a long-term collaboration among researchers in a dozen developed countries, has explored this and related questions. The project employs a harmonized approach to conduct within-country analyses that are combined for meaningful cross-country comparisons. The key lesson is that the choices of policy makers affect the incentive to work at older ages and these incentives have important effects on retirement behavior.

We examine how media reports influenced trading volumes and order imbalances on the Sydney Stock Exchange (SSX) from 1901 to 1950, focusing on wool market reports as a substitute for broader financial advice in the absence of a specialised investment press. Given wool's status as Australia's primary export and its integration with various sectors, we construct a weekly media sentiment index based on news about wool sales and auctions from the Sydney Morning Herald. Our findings reveal that positive news about the wool market correlates with increased trading volumes and reduced order imbalances on the SSX. This relationship persisted during significant events such as the UK government's wool purchase plans, the 1929 Wall Street Crash, World War II-related trading restrictions, and the short selling ban.

The authors report on ancient DNA data from two human skeletons buried within the chancel of the 1608–1616 church at the North American colonial settlement of Jamestown, Virginia. Available archaeological, osteological and documentary evidence suggest that these individuals are Sir Ferdinando Wenman and Captain William West, kinsmen of the colony's first Governor, Thomas West, Third Baron De La Warr. Genomic analyses of the skeletons identify unexpected maternal relatedness as both carried the mitochondrial haplogroup H10e. In this unusual case, aDNA prompted further historical research that led to the discovery of illegitimacy in the West family, an aspect of identity omitted, likely intentionally, from genealogical records.

In the Basilicata region, located in southern Italy and known for hosting among the first occurrences of the Acheulean culture in southwestern Europe, the Lower Paleolithic site of Loreto at Venosa is located less than a kilometer from the emblematic site of Notarchirico and less than 25 km from Cimitero di Atella. The Loreto site has not been studied as thoroughly as the two other sites and, although geological investigations have been carried out in the Venosa basin, no direct numerical dating has ever been published for the three archaeological levels brought to light during the excavation campaigns. We present a multi-method geochronological approach combining ESR/U-series, ESR, and 40Ar/39Ar permitting to refine the age of the most ancient archaeological level (A) of the Loreto site. These data allow us to propose an MIS 13 age for this level, in accordance with previous hypotheses based on geological and paleontological data. We also propose a technical review of the lithic tools preserved in the collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Venosa to integrate Loreto in the evolution scheme of the European Acheulean techno-complex emergence and diffusion.

A quaternary ammonium and alcohol-based disinfectant with reported continuous activity demonstrated reduced microbial buildup on surfaces over time compared to routine disinfectants without continuous activity in in vitro and hospital studies. We compared these disinfectants in ambulatory settings and found no difference in bioburden on high-touch surfaces over time.