Search

BackgroundCOVID-19 measures in Germany varied during the pandemic, and it seems natural that in addition to factors such as incidence, health system capacity, etc., these interventions and their social and economic consequences had an impact on the evolution of the population’s well-being. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a suspicion that the health burden would fall mainly on population groups with a lower socio-economic status, and that COVID-19, including the policy measures, could therefore contribute to increasing social inequalities in health. We examine several indicators of well-being over the course of the pandemic, analyze the effect of the stringency of the measures on subjective well-being and the extent to which certain social groups were particularly affected.MethodsOur analyses are based on 2020 and 2021 data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), complemented by various regional indicators, including the COVID-19 measures. Data on subjective well-being during the pandemic phases were regressed on the phases, socio-demographic, economic and health-related indicators, stringency of measures and other regional indicators in multi-level models with the district as the top level. Up to N = 29,871 observations in 401 districts were included.ResultsOverall, there was little decline in well-being up to the end of the observation period, and even some increase. When the effect of the stringency of the measures was taken into account, the changes were partially attenuated. However, stringency had little direct effect on well-being. People with disabilities and chronic pre-existing conditions were particularly affected by a reduction in well-being. In some cases, COVID-19 measures had slightly different effects in these groups.ConclusionThe effects of socio-economic indicators were not strong enough to suggest that lower social status is generally associated with a negative trend in well-being. According to our results, people with disabilities and chronic diseases, including severe obesity, should be given more attention in the future. A change in time-related outcomes when considering COVID-19 measures could indicate adjustment effects on well-being.

Abstract: We synthesize knowledge from numerical weather prediction, inverse theory, and statistics to address the problem of estimating a high‐dimensional covariance matrix from a small number of samples. This problem is fundamental in statistics, machine learning/artificial intelligence, and in modern Earth science. We create several new adaptive methods for high‐dimensional covariance estimation, but one method, which we call Noise‐Informed Covariance Estimation (NICE), stands out because it has three important properties: (a) NICE is conceptually simple and computationally efficient; (b) NICE guarantees symmetric positive semi‐definite covariance estimates; and (c) NICE is largely tuning‐free. We illustrate the use of NICE on a large set of Earth science–inspired numerical examples, including cycling data assimilation, inversion of geophysical field data, and training of feed‐forward neural networks with time‐averaged data from a chaotic dynamical system. Our theory, heuristics and numerical tests suggest that NICE may indeed be a viable option for high‐dimensional covariance estimation in many Earth science problems.

More than thirty years have passed since the change of regime and the question of what can be done by those who were under state surveillance in the previous regime is still relevant. How can a victim find out who tore his family apart, who ruined his career? Will the identity of the collaborators ever come to light? Can these people still participate in public life and hold public office today? In our study, we take stock of the specificities of the subject in Hungary and the obstacles to facing history. We conclude that the exclusion from holding a public office is overdue, the documents are incomplete, their authenticity is questionable, and the issue is sensitive because of competing fundamental rights. The generation that has become of age since the change of regime is less and less interested in our immediate past. This trend is dangerous, because the unresolved past contributes to the blurring of the dividing line between the two regimes to the point where, faced with the new difficulties, society is left longing for the old. Will there be a real change? The legal possibility (at least in the field of information compensation) is still there, and this is what we show in our study.

Abstract Kagome magnets provide a fascinating platform for the realization of correlated topological quantum phases under various magnetic ground states. However, the effect of the magnetic spin configurations on the characteristic electronic structure of the kagome-lattice layer remains elusive. Here, utilizing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, we report the spectroscopic evidence for the spin-reorientation effect of a kagome ferromagnet Fe3Ge, which is composed solely of kagome planes. As the Fe moments cant from the c-axis into the a b plane upon cooling, the two kinds of kagome-derived Dirac fermions respond quite differently. The one with less-dispersive bands (k z ~ 0) containing the $$3{d}_{{z}^{2}}$$ 3 d z 2 orbitals evolves from gapped into nearly gapless, while the other with linear dispersions (k z ~ π) embracing the 3d x z /3d y z components remains intact, suggesting that the effect of spin reorientation on the Dirac fermions has an orbital selectivity. Moreover, we demonstrate that there is no signature of charge order formation in Fe3Ge, contrasting with its sibling compound FeGe, a newly established charge-density-wave kagome magnet.

Abstract Background Armed conflict and war are public health disasters. Public health action has a crucial role in conflict-related emergencies and rehabilitation but also in war prevention and peace promotion. Translating this into public health training and competencies has just started to emerge, especially in Europe. Methods We conducted a Scoping Review to map and identify the role of public health education and training of public health workforce relating to the prevention of war and promoting peace, as reflected in the scientific literature. We searched in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science Core Collections as well as the reference list of included material in English, German and Polish. Focusing initially on the European region, we later expanded the search outside of Europe. Results We included 7 publications from opinion pieces to an empirical assessment of curricula and training. The educational programs were predominantly short-term and extra-curricular in postgraduate courses addressing both public health professionals in conflict-affected countries as well as countries not directly affected by war. Publications focused on public health action in times of war, without specifying the context and type of war or armed conflict. Competencies taught focused on emergency response and multi-disciplinary collaboration during emergencies, frequently drawing on experience and examples from natural disaster and disease outbreak management. Conclusions The scientific discourse on competences in public health education for times of war and for the promotion of peace, predominately focuses on immediate emergency response actions. The prevention of war and the promotion of peace are missing foci, that need to feature more prominently in public health training. Public Health Education and training should ensure that war prevention and peace promotion, as well as public health action in times of war, are included in their competencies for public health professionals.

Abstract Background In 2021, more than two-thirds of the world’s children lived in a conflict-affected country. In 2022, 13 million Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Hope Groups are a 12-session psychosocial, mental health, and parenting support intervention designed to strengthen parents, caregivers, and children affected by war and crisis. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Hope Groups among Ukrainians affected by war, compared to a wait-list control group. This protocol describes a promising decentralized intervention delivery model and an innovative research design, which estimates the causal effect of Hope Groups while prioritizing prompt delivery of beneficial services to war-affected participants. Methods This protocol describes a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) among Ukrainians externally displaced, internally displaced within Ukraine, and living at home in war-affected areas. This study consists of 90 clusters with 4–7 participants per cluster, totaling approximately n = 450 participants. Intervention clusters will receive 12-session Hope Groups led by peer facilitators, and control clusters will be wait-listed to receive the intervention after the RCT concludes. Clusters will be matched on the facilitator performing recruitment and intervention delivery. Primary outcomes are caregiver mental health, violence against children, and positive parenting practices. Secondary outcomes include prevention of violence against women and caregiver and child well-being. Outcomes will be based on caregiver report and collected at baseline and endline (1-week post-intervention). Follow-up data will be collected among the intervention group at 6–8 weeks post-intervention, with aims for quasi-experimental follow-ups after 6 and 12 months, pending war circumstances and funding. Analyses will utilize matching techniques, Bayesian interim analyses, and multi-level modeling to estimate the causal effect of Hope Groups in comparison to wait-list controls. Discussion This study is the first known randomized trial of a psychosocial, mental health, and parenting intervention among Ukrainians affected by war. If results demonstrate effectiveness, Hope Groups hold the potential to be adapted and scaled to other populations affected by war and crisis worldwide. Additionally, methodologies described in this protocol could be utilized in crisis-setting research to simultaneously prioritize the estimation of causal effects and prompt delivery of beneficial interventions to crisis-affected populations. Trial registration This trial was registered on Open Science Framework on November 9, 2023. Registration: OSF.IO/UVJ67 .

Kcv channels from plant viruses represent the autonomous pore module of potassium channels, devoid of any regulatory domains. These small proteins show very reproducible single-channel behavior in planar lipid bilayers. Thus, they are an optimum system for the study of the biophysics of ion transport and gating. Structural models based on homology modeling have been used successfully, but experimental structural data are currently not available. Here we determine the size of the cytosolic pore entrance by studying the blocker kinetics. Blocker binding and dissociation rate constants ranging from 0.01 to 1000 ms−1 were determined for different quaternary ammonium ions. We found that the cytosolic pore entrance of KcvNTS must be at least 11 Å wide. The results further indicate that the residues controlling a cytosolic gate in one of the Kcv isoforms influence blocker binding/dissociation as well as a second gate even when the cytosolic gate is in the open state. The voltage dependence of the rate constant of blocker release is used to test, which blockers bind to the same binding site.

La irrupción del SARS-CoV-2 o COVID-19, supuso un cambio importante en la población mundial. En España, las medidas de contención y erradicación del virus interpuestas por el Gobierno, contemplaron largos periodos de confinamiento domiciliario que tuvieron importantes consecuencias para la salud y en los hábitos de la población infanto-juvenil. Estas medidas, que se prolongaron entre marzo y junio de 2020, provocaron modificaciones en los hábitos alimentarios, el descenso de la práctica deportiva y actividades físicas recreacionales así como un incremento de actividades sedentarias. Sin embargo, años después del fin de esta pandemia, todavía existen importante secuelas en la población directamente relacionadas con la salud mental, el bienestar emocional y los estados de ánimo. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el impacto en el estado de ánimo de una muestra de niños y niñas a causa del confinamiento domiciliario relacionado con la práctica de actividad física. Método: Participaron 50 niños de la Comunidad de Cantabria (España) entre 11-12 años (n = 50; M = 11,40; SD = 0,50), 33 (66%) niños y 17 (34%) niñas. Se ha utilizado el cuestionario Profile of Mood States (POMS) y un cuestionario ad hoc para datos sociodemográficos y otra información relevante. Resultados: El análisis comparativo de los estados de ánimo preconfinamiento y durante el confinamiento, evidenció un descenso en sus valores en todos los estados de ánimo evaluados por el POMS: tensión, depresión, ira, confusión, fatiga y vigor. No existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre niños y niñas. Conclusiones: El estudio evidencia que el confinamiento domiciliario provocó cambios en los estados de ánimo en niños y niñas entre 11 y 12 años en relación con la práctica de actividad física.

Abstract Mass spectrometry has revolutionized cell signaling research by vastly simplifying the analysis of many thousands of phosphorylation sites in the human proteome. Defining the cellular response to perturbations is crucial for further illuminating the functionality of the phosphoproteome. Here we describe µPhos (‘microPhos’), an accessible phosphoproteomics platform that permits phosphopeptide enrichment from 96-well cell culture and small tissue amounts in 90% selectivity, and excellent quantitative reproducibility. Employing highly sensitive trapped ion mobility mass spectrometry, we quantify ~17,000 Class I phosphosites in a human cancer cell line using 20 µg starting material, and confidently localize ~6200 phosphosites from 1 µg. This depth covers key signaling pathways, rendering sample-limited applications and perturbation experiments with hundreds of samples viable. We employ µPhos to study drug- and time-dependent response signatures in a leukemia cell line, and by quantifying 30,000 Class I phosphosites in the mouse brain we reveal distinct spatial kinase activities in subregions of the hippocampal formation.

Die digitale Transformation führt an Hochschulen zum vermehrten Einsatz digital unterstützter Lernsettings. Dadurch stellt sich die praxisrelevante Frage, wie sich die Einführung einer digitalen Lernplattform auf die soziale Eingebundenheit von Studierenden auswirkt. Durch Interviews (N=10) und eine Fragebogenerhebung (N=35) wurde untersucht, welchen Einfluss technische Features einer digitalen Lernplattform auf die soziale Eingebundenheit in einem Studiengang besitzen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass nicht die technischen Features allein, sondern die Rahmenbedingungen einer digitalen Lernplattform sowie Kontaktangebote von Bedeutung für die soziale Eingebundenheit von Studierenden sind. Ergebnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen werden diskutiert.

In the future of higher education, student learning will become more virtual and group-oriented, and this new reality of academic learning comes with challenges. Positive social interactions in virtual synchronous student learning groups are not self-evident but need extra support. To successfully support positive social interactions, the underlying group processes, such as collaborative group engagement, need to be understood in detail, and the important question arises: How can collaborative group engagement be assessed in virtual group learning settings? A promising methodological approach is the observation of students’ non-verbal behavior, for example, in videoconferences. In an exploratory field study, we observed the non-verbal behavior of psychology students in small virtual synchronous learning groups solving a complex problem via videoconferencing. The groups were videorecorded to analyze possible relations between their non-verbal behaviors and to rate the quality of collaborative group engagement (QCGE). A rating scheme consisting of four QCGE dimensions (Behavioral, Social, Cognitive, and Conceptual-to-consequential QCGE) was applied, and non-verbal behaviors during the task were coded based on related research literature. We quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed non-verbal behaviors as indicators of QCGE. The results show that groups use a wide range of non-verbal behaviors. Furthermore, certain non-verbal behaviors are significantly related to specific dimensions of QCGE. These results help to identify relevant indicators of QCGE in virtual synchronous learning settings and thus promote the development of advanced methods for assessing QCGE. Furthermore, the indicators can be discussed as possible anchors for supporting collaborative learning in virtual synchronous groups.

Abstract Thyroid hormones (THs) are important regulators of systemic energy metabolism. In the liver, they stimulate lipid and cholesterol turnover and increase systemic energy bioavailability. It is still unknown how the TH state interacts with the circadian clock, another important regulator of energy metabolism. We addressed this question using a mouse model of hypothyroidism and performed circadian analyses. Low TH levels decreased locomotor activity, food intake, and body temperature mostly in the active phase. Concurrently, liver transcriptome profiling showed only subtle effects compared to elevated TH conditions. Comparative circadian transcriptome profiling revealed alterations in mesor, amplitude, and phase of transcript levels in the livers of low-TH mice. Genes associated with cholesterol uptake, biosynthesis, and bile acid secretion showed reduced mesor. Increased and decreased cholesterol levels in the serum and liver were identified, respectively. Combining data from low- and high-TH conditions allowed the identification of 516 genes with mesor changes as molecular markers of the liver TH state. We explored these genes and created an expression panel that assesses liver TH state in a time-of-day dependent manner. Our findings suggest that the liver has a low TH action under physiological conditions. Circadian profiling reveals genes as potential markers of liver TH state.

Background: In today’s society, low levels of physical activity are observed in the child and adolescent population, which can cause numerous pathologies, such as obesity and mental health problems. Objective: This article aims to compile all the contexts and scenarios where it is possible to increase the levels of daily physical activity of children and young people, and which have significant scientific support. Method. To do so, a literature review was carried out examining four key contexts for intervention: school, extracurricular, family, and socio-community. Results: The results indicate that the school context, with strategies such as physical education classes and active breaks, is crucial but insufficient on its own, so it is essential to complement it with interventions in extracurricular, family, and socio-community environments. The involvement of families, access to adequate infrastructure such as parks and green areas, and the responsible use of technology, including active video games and the role of influencers on social networks, are presented as key elements to combat a sedentary lifestyle. Conclusions: It is important to highlight the importance of establishing socio-educational programs that adopt a comprehensive approach to promote physical activity in children and youth, highlighting the scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of intervening in multiple scenarios. This review concludes that a coordinated approach between different actors (schools, families, communities) is necessary to ensure that children and youth reach adequate levels of physical activity, which not only improves their physical health, but also their mental well-being and cognitive development.

Phytosomes are used as vehicles that carry plant extracts. They exhibit biological activities and possess better bioavailability, bioabsorption, and lower toxicity than drugs. Obesity is an inflammatory state in which oxidative stress is present, which triggers severe effects on the body’s organs. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the extract and phytosomes of Callistemon citrinus on oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver and heart of Wistar rats fed with a high-fat-fructose diet. Phytosomes containing the extract of leaves of C. citrinus were prepared. The antioxidant, pro-inflammatory enzymes, and biomarkers of oxidative stress were evaluated. Among the groups, only the high-fat-fructose group presented an increase in the COX-2, 5-LOX, and MPO inflammatory enzymes, while the XO enzyme exhibited decreased activity. The groups were fed a hypercaloric diet for 15 weeks while orlistat, C. citrinus extract, and phytosomes were administered at three different concentrations, exhibiting enzyme activities similar to those of the control group. It was also observed that the lowest concentration of phytosomes had a comparable effect to the other concentrations. Callistemon citrinus extract can modulate the activities of enzymes involved in the inflammation process. Furthermore, small doses of phytosomes can serve as anti-inflammatory agents.

Abstract Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a serious complication of otherwise curative allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplants. Chronic GVHD induces pathological changes in peripheral organs as well as the brain and is a frequent cause of late morbidity and death after bone-marrow transplantation. In the periphery, bone-marrow-derived macrophages are key drivers of pathology, but recent evidence suggests that these cells also infiltrate into cGVHD-affected brains. Microglia are also persistently activated in the cGVHD-affected brain. To understand the involvement of these myeloid cell populations in the development and/or progression of cGVHD pathology, we here utilized the blood–brain-barrier permeable colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor PLX3397 (pexidartinib) at varying doses to pharmacologically deplete both cell types. We demonstrate that PLX3397 treatment during the development of cGVHD (i.e., 30 days post-transplant) improves disease symptoms, reducing both the clinical scores and histopathology of multiple cGVHD target organs, including the sequestration of T cells in cGVHD-affected skin tissue. Cognitive impairments associated with cGVHD and neuroinflammation were also attenuated by PLX3397 treatment. PLX3397 treatment prior to the onset of cGVHD (i.e., immediately post-transplant) did not change in clinical scores or histopathology. Overall, our data demonstrate significant benefits of using PLX3397 for the treatment of cGVHD and associated organ pathologies in both the periphery and brain, highlighting the therapeutic potential of pexidartinib for this condition.

Abstract Over the past decade, there has been growing evidence that women worldwide experience sub-standard care during facility-based childbirth. With this critical review, we synthesize concepts and measurement approaches used to assess maternity care conditions and provision, birth experiences and perceptions in epidemiological, quantitative research studies (e.g., obstetric violence, maternal satisfaction, disrespect or mistreatment during childbirth, person-centered care), aiming to propose an umbrella concept and framework under which the existing and future research strands can be situated. On the 82 studies included, we conduct a meta-ethnography (ME) using reciprocal translation, in-line argumentation, and higher-level synthesis to propose the birth integrity multilevel framework. We perform ME steps for the conceptual level and the measurement level. At the conceptual level, we organize the studies according to the similarity of approaches into clusters and derive key concepts (definitions). Then, we ‘translate’ the clusters into one another by elaborating each approach’s specific angle and pointing out the affinities and differences between the clusters. Finally, we present an in-line argumentation that prepares ground for the synthesis. At the measurement level, we identify themes from items through content analysis, then organize themes into 14 categories and subthemes. Finally, we synthesize our result to the six-field, macro-to-micro level birth integrity framework that helps to analytically distinguish between the interwoven contributing factors that influence the birth situation as such and the integrity of those giving birth. The framework can guide survey development, interviews, or interventional studies.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue realizar un análisis bibliométrico de los documentos publicados en la revista Retos, nuevas tendencias en Educación Física, Deportes y Recreación, desde 2002 a 2022. Para ello, se revisaron todos los números publicados entre las fechas indicadas, recogiendo la información bibliográfica básica (año de publicación, sección a la que pertenece, tipo de documento, temática, idioma, datos referentes a la autoría, afiliaciones, y país de origen) y registrados a través del software Mendeley Reference Manager. Posteriormente, esta información se volcó en el software Microsoft© Excel para realizar los análisis estadísticos basados en análisis descriptivos. En este análisis bibliométrico se analizaron un total de 2107 documentos publicados, fundamentalmente en castellano (82,49%), con un 7,50% de documentos con autoría única, frente al 92,50% de documentos publicados en colaboración entre autores y con una media de 3,57 autores por artículo. En este análisis se ha identificado una predominancia de documentos publicados por hombres (n = 1474; 69,96%) frente a los publicados por mujeres (n = 633; 30,04%). La preferencia de los y las autoras ha sido la publicación de artículos científicos en materia de elementos curriculares de Educación Física (n = 435) y deporte (n = 441). Se concluye que el impacto que la revista Retos, nuevas tendencias en Educación Física, Deportes y Recreación, ha tenido en las dos últimas décadas como revista de referencia en España en materia de actividad física, Educación Física y deporte, ha sido significativo. Además, se ha convertido en una revista de referencia en otros países, especialmente en Sudamérica, teniendo un incremento significativo de documentos publicados con autoría y afiliaciones extranjeras. Palabras clave: educación física; deporte; actividad física; educación; bibliología, producción científica; España. Abstract. The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliometric analysis of the documents published in the journal Retos, new trends in Physical Education, Sports and Recreation, from 2002 to 2022. To this end, all issues published between the dates indicated were reviewed, collecting basic bibliographic information (year of publication, section to which it belongs, type of document, subject, language, data on authorship, affiliations, and country of origin) and registered through the Mendeley Reference Manager software. Subsequently, this information was entered into Microsoft© Excel software to perform statistical analyses based on descriptive analyses. In this bibliometric analysis, a total of 2107 published documents were analysed, mainly in Spanish (82.49%), with 7.50% of documents with single authorship compared to 92.50% of documents published in collaboration between authors and with an average of 3.57 authors per article. This analysis identified a predominance of documents published by men (n = 1474; 69.96%) compared to those published by women (n = 633; 30.04%). The authors' preference was to publish scientific articles on curricular elements of Physical Education (n = 435) and sport (n = 441). It is concluded that the impact that the journal Retos, new trends in Physical Education, Sports and Recreation has had over the last two decades as a reference journal in Spain in the field of physical activity, Physical Education and sport, has been significant. It has also become a reference journal in other countries, especially in South America, with a significant increase in the number of documents published with foreign authorship and affiliations. Keywords: physical education; sport; physical activity; education; bibliology, scientific production; Spain; bibliology; Spain.

Abstract Background Refugees and asylum seekers have a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. The postmigration context inheres different risk and protective factors for mental health of refugees and asylum seekers in host countries. We conducted a systematic review to update knowledge on the association between characteristics of the postmigration living situation (PMLS) and mental health outcomes in Europe since 2015. Methods We searched in five databases according to the PRISMA statement. From a total of 5,579 relevant studies published in 2015–22, 3,839 were included for title and abstract screening, and 70 full texts screened for eligibility. Out of these, 19 studies on refugees and asylum seekers conducted in European countries after 2014 were included in this systematic review. The quality of studies was assessed by using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) – version 2018. We performed a narrative synthesis using the four layers of the social determinants of health framework. Results A wide range of risk and protective factors for mental health in the PMLS were identified as exposure measures, which included individual factors (e.g., language skills), social and community networks (e.g., family concerns, loneliness and social support, discrimination), living and working conditions (e.g., legal status, duration of residence, unemployment and financial hardship, housing) as well as general socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors (e.g., social status, acculturation). We found postmigration stressors are positively associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, albeit not consistently so. Especially, the general socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors showed weak associations with mental health. Conclusions Heterogenous study characteristics likely explain the inconsistent associations between characteristics of the PMLS and mental health outcomes. However, broken down in its component layers, most risk and protective factors of the PMLS were significantly associated with symptoms of mental disorders showing the same direction of association across the included studies, while the association between some stressors or resources of the PMLS and mental health turns out to be less homogeneous than expected. Characteristics of the PMLS contribute to the high prevalence of mental diseases of refugees and asylum seekers. Disadvantages in general socio-economic conditions, living and working conditions, in access to social and community networks need to be redressed, in addition to better access to health care.

Abstract Gender-transformative health interventions that involve men and boys are gaining global reach, adaptability to specific geographical, population and epidemiological contexts, public endorsement, and conceptual sophistication. However, the ways in which masculinities are conceptualised and operationalised in theory and practice across these interventions remains unclear. The purpose of this scoping review is to map intervention studies that conceptually grapple with masculinities and analyse: a) how the concept of masculinities is adapted and operationalised in gender-transformative interventions, with respect to intervention population and context, b) what the relationship between the concept of masculinities and its wider theoretical embedding is, and c) on which levels transformation can be observed when working with ‘masculinities’. We conducted a search in APA Psych Articles, APA PsycINFO, and CINAHL via EBSCO, MedLine, PubMed, and Web of Sciences (December 2021) looking for peer-reviewed studies on gender-transformative health interventions which engaged with masculinities conceptually. There were no restrictions regarding language, publication date, or geography. Forty-two articles were included in this review. Our abductive analysis finds that ‘hegemonic masculinities’ is a central concept in almost all included studies. This shows how the concept is adaptable to a range of different intervention contexts. The review further identifies five theoretical approaches, that help operationalise masculinities on an analytical level: feminist framework, affect theory, critical pedagogy, theories of social change, and ecological approaches. Lastly, this review draws out six levels on which transformation can be observed in the intervention outcomes: relational level, symbolic level, material level, affective level, cognitive-behavioural level, and community-structural level. The discussion underlines that processes and practices of (gender) transformation also require engagement with theories of transformation more widely and advocates for theoretical pluralism. Lastly, implications for practice, including preventative, ecological and community-based care models, are drawn out.

Nagodba (poravnanje) se dugo vremena u hrvatskoj i usporednoj pravnoj teoriji smatrala „odvojenim“ institutom ugovornog prava. Jedni su ga autori smatrali posebnim ugovorom o nagodbi, a drugi samo jednom promjenom sadržaja postojećeg ugovora. Uz to, institut nagodbe bio je promatran kao strogo odvojeni institut ugovornog prava (ugovor o nagodbi, izvansudska nagodba) s jedne strane i procesnog prava (sudska nagodba) s druge. Predmet rada jest prikaz klasičnih zakonodavnih i doktrinarnih rješenja ugovora o nagodbi u građanskom i trgovačkom pravu, analiza instituta nagodbe u ugovornom pravu kroz njegove bitne karakteristike i temeljne elemente (spornost, neizvjesnost, međusobno popuštanje) i usporedba instituta nagodbe iz ugovornog s onim iz procesnog prava. Rad, naime, nastoji, podvrgnuti kritici i možebitnoj reviziji triju posebnih paradigmi vezanih uz institut nagodbe u ugovornom pravu: 1. da između izvansudske i sudske nagodbe postoje bitne razlike koje ih čine potpuno odvojenim, 2. da smisao ugovora o nagodbi treba biti uvriježeno načelo „uzeti barem malo...“ za razliku od ispravnog „uzeti nešto manje ali dobiti odmah“ i 3. da ugovor o nagodbi nije puki odgovor fizičkih i pravnih osoba na sporost i neefikasnost sudova nego upravo naprotiv – pretpostavlja barem prosječno dobru sudsku efikasnost koja naznačava odgovore sudova na određena pravna pitanja. Rezultati rada jesu odgovori na tako postavljene teorijske i praktične probleme, kao i sinteza rješenja o institutu nagodbe kroz analizu hrvatskog i usporednog prava. Zaključno, institut nagodbe može u mnogo većoj mjeri doprinositi bržem i boljem općem poslovnom životu.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between linear sprint and change of direction (COD) speed using the novel approach of the Dribble Deficit (DD) among professional handball players. This study included 14 male professional handball players (age = 23.1 ± 3.43). Each player performed the following tests: a 10, 20 and 30 meter linear sprint; a zig-zag test; a slalom test and 4 × 5 agility test with and without a ball. A significant correlation was found between the DD at 10 m and the 10 m sprint with the ball (p < 0.05, r = 0.575). Additionally, the results showed that the values of dribble deficit during slalom test were related (p < 0.01) to the 20-m sprint with the ball (r = 0.767), the 30-m sprint with a ball (r = 0.765) and the slalom with a ball (r = 0.938). Regression analyses showed significant influence of the linear sprint at 10 m on DD (p = 0.02, R2 = 0.373), and the zig-zag test without ball on the DD (p = 0.004, R2 = 0.514). The results suggest that the linear sprint and zig-zag test used to evaluate COD movement speed are associated with and influence DD in professional handball players. Further research on DD is necessary in order to determine that DD is not influence by physical performance and how we can use it in the future to calculate the time required for dribbling.

The aim of the research was to collect and to examine the positive effects of various physical activity (PA) programs on individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This included a combination of aerobic exercises and resistance training, with varying intensities, in order to compare which approach yielded better outcomes for T2DM management; This systematic review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines, focusing on the period from 1991 to 2024. Studies included in this review involved both experimental procedures and questionnaire-based surveys to assess the impact of PA on T2DM patients. The primary outcome was the effect of PA on T2DM, with secondary outcomes including changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glycemic control; A total of 23 studies, encompassing 1752 participants (515 men, 546 women, and 691 unspecified), met the inclusion criteria. The studies highlighted the positive effects of exercise, such as improvements in glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles. Most studies recommended a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises performed 3-4 times per week for 30-60 minutes per session; This systematic review confirms that regular PA is instrumental in managing T2DM. Health care providers should integrate PA programs into treatment plans for T2DM patients to optimize glycemic control and overall health outcomes.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the growing relevance of telehealth in health care. Assessing health care and nursing students’ telehealth competencies is crucial for its successful integration into education and practice. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess students’ perceived telehealth knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences. In addition, we aimed to examine students’ preferences for telehealth content and teaching methods within their curricula. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional web-based study in May 2022. A project-specific questionnaire, developed and refined through iterative feedback and face-validity testing, addressed topics such as demographics, personal perceptions, and professional experience with telehealth and solicited input on potential telehealth course content. Statistical analyses were conducted on surveys with at least a 50% completion rate, including descriptive statistics of categorical variables, graphical representation of results, and Kruskal Wallis tests for central tendencies in subgroup analyses. ResultsA total of 261 students from 7 bachelor’s and 4 master’s health care and nursing programs participated in the study. Most students expressed interest in telehealth (180/261, 69% very or rather interested) and recognized its importance in their education (215/261, 82.4% very or rather important). However, most participants reported limited knowledge of telehealth applications concerning their profession (only 7/261, 2.7% stated profound knowledge) and limited active telehealth experience with various telehealth applications (between 18/261, 6.9% and 63/261, 24.1%). Statistically significant differences were found between study programs regarding telehealth interest (P=.005), knowledge (P

Poor sleep is thought to enhance pain via increasing peripheral and/or central sensitization. Aerobic exercise, conversely, relives pain via reducing sensitization, among other mechanisms. This raises two clinical questions: (1) does poor sleep contribute to the transition from acute-to-persistent pain, and (2) can exercise protect against this transition? This study tested these questions and explored underlying mechanisms in a controlled injury model. Twenty-nine adult female Sprague-Dawley rats performed an intensive lever-pulling task for 4 weeks to induce symptoms consistent with clinical acute-onset overuse injury. Rats were then divided into three groups and exposed for 4 weeks to either: voluntary exercise via access to a running wheel, sleep disturbance, or both. Pain-related behaviours (forepaw mechanical sensitivity, reflexive grip strength), systemic levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), estradiol and corticosterone, and white blood cells (WBC) were assessed pre-injury, post-injury and post-intervention. Mechanical sensitivity increased post-injury and remained elevated with sleep disturbance alone, but decreased to pre-injury levels with exercise both with and without sleep disturbance. Reflexive grip strength decreased post-injury but recovered post-intervention—more with exercise than sleep disturbance. BDNF increased with sleep disturbance alone, remained at pre-injury levels with exercise regardless of sleep, and correlated with mechanical sensitivity. WBCs and estradiol increased with exercise alone and together with sleep disturbance, respectively. Corticosterone was not impacted by injury/intervention. Findings provide preliminary evidence for a role of poor sleep in the transition from acute-to-persistent pain, and the potential for aerobic exercise to counter these effects. BDNF might have a role in these relationships.

Abstract Introduction Population‐level data on durable HIV viral load suppression (VLS) following the implementation of Universal Test and Treat (UTT) in Africa are limited. We assessed trends in durable VLS and viraemia among persons living with HIV in 40 Ugandan communities during the UTT scale‐up. Methods In 2015–2020, we measured VLS (

Background Obesity leads to an elevated risk of developing gastrointestinal disease such as gastric ulcers. Callistemon citrinus leaf extract has shown antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and chemoprotective effects against colon cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of C. citrinus leaf extract on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in obese rats. Methods Gastric ulcers were induced in female obese Wistar rats using a single oral dose of indomethacin (IND). In the first stage, the rats were fed with a high fat sugar diet (HFSD) for 15 weeks to induce obesity and, at the same time, the diet of the other group of animals included daily administration of ethanolic C. citrinus leaf extract (250 mg/kg) in addition to HFSD. In the second stage, gastric ulcers were induced with IND (30 mg/kg). The gastroprotective activity of C. citrinus, the inflammatory enzyme activities, and cytokines in the stomach were determined. Results C. citrinus produced a reduction of gastric lesions caused by IND. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) activities also decreased. Although inflammatory biomarkers such as TNFα, IL-6, AOPP, and leptin were significantly decreased by C. citrinus, adiponectin levels increased. Moreover, C. citrinus decreased weight gain and morphological and biochemical parameters. Conclusion The use of indomethacin in rats fed with a high fat-sugar diet increased gastric ulcers. Gastroprotective effect of C. citrinus in obese rats is attributed to the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the inflammatory enzymes.

Objectives: Wars and armed conflicts have a major impact on population health. As the discipline of public health aims to increase the health at population level, professionals play a significant role in dealing with war and armed conflict. There is need for research on prevention. This study aims to map the literature on existing public health approaches addressing the primary prevention of war and/or armed conflict.Methods: We performed a scoping review in the databases Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar, followed by a narrative synthesis.Results: We included 15 studies. We identified three main themes regarding preventive measures: 1) research on root causes of conflicts, surveillance and documentation of its health consequences; 2) education and awareness raising on the consequences of conflicts; and 3) interventions to change socio-economic and political conditions conducive to conflicts.Conclusion: A two-tiered conceptual framework emerges: For primary prevention of war, public health should promote human rights and the rule of law. To prevent armed conflict within states, public health should address the social determinants of health and aim to reduce poverty and inequity.

Since the world first approved gene therapeutics, nucleic acid-based therapies have gained prominence. Several strategies for DNA-based therapy have been approved, and numerous clinical trials for plasmid DNA (pDNA)-based vaccines are currently in development. Due to the rising interest in pDNA for vaccination and gene therapy, plasmid manufacturing must become more effective. One of the most critical steps is downstream processing, involving isolation and purification procedures. To comply with the regulatory guidelines, pDNA must be available as a highly purified, homogeneous preparation of supercoiled pDNA (sc pDNA). This process undertakes several challenges, primarily due to the diversity of molecules derived from the producer organism. In this study, different resins were tested for the adsorption and selective polishing of sc pDNA. To identify optimal pDNA adsorption conditions, batch and column assays were performed with different resins while promoting electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. The effect of ionic strength, pH, and contact time were evaluated and optimized. Additionally, static and dynamic binding capacities were determined for the selected resins. Analytical chromatography and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to assess the selectivity of the most promising resins toward sc pDNA isoform. Also, genomic DNA, endotoxins, and proteins were quantified to characterize the final sc pDNA quality. At the same time, the recovery and purity yields were evaluated by quantification of sc pDNA after the purification procedure. Overall, the results of the chromatographic assays using agmatine- and arginine-based resins have shown promising potential for sc pDNA polishing. Both resins demonstrated excellent binding capacity for pDNA, with agmatine outperforming arginine-based resin in terms of capacity. However, arginine-based resin exhibited a superior pDNA recovery yield, reaching a notable 52.2% recovery compared to 10.09% from agmatine. Furthermore, both resins exhibited high relative purity levels above 90% for the sc pDNA. The comprehensive characterization of the recovered sc pDNA also revealed a significant reduction in gDNA levels, reinforcing the potential of these prototypes for obtaining high-quality and pure sc pDNA. These findings highlight the promising applications of both resins in scalable pDNA purification processes for gene therapy and biopharmaceutical applications.

The microbiota is attributed to be important for initial soil formation under extreme climate conditions, but experimental evidence for its relevance is scarce. To fill this gap, we investigated the impact of in situ microbial communities and their interrelationship with biocrust and plants compared to abiotic controls on soil formation in initial arid and semiarid soils. Additionally, we assessed the response of bacterial communities to climate change. Topsoil and subsoil samples from arid and semiarid sites in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera were incubated for 16 weeks under diurnal temperature and moisture variations to simulate humid climate conditions as part of a climate change scenario. Our findings indicate that microorganism-plant interaction intensified aggregate formation and stabilized soil structure, facilitating initial soil formation. Interestingly, microorganisms alone or in conjunction with biocrust showed no discernible patterns compared to abiotic controls, potentially due to water-masking effects. Arid soils displayed reduced bacterial diversity and developed a new community structure dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Planctomycetota, while semiarid soils maintained a consistently dominant community of Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria. This highlighted a sensitive and specialized bacterial community in arid soils, while semiarid soils exhibited a more complex and stable community. We conclude that microorganism-plant interaction has measurable impacts on initial soil formation in arid and semiarid regions on short time scales under climate change. Additionally, we propose that soil and climate legacies are decisive for the present soil microbial community structure and interactions, future soil development, and microbial responses.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane structures enclosed by a lipid bilayer that are released into the extracellular space by all types of cells. EVs are involved in many physiological processes by transporting biologically active substances. Interest in EVs for diagnostic biomarker research and therapeutic drug delivery applications has increased in recent years. The realization of the full therapeutic potential of EVs is currently hampered by the lack of a suitable technology for the isolation and purification of EVs for downstream pharmaceutical applications. Anion Exchange Chromatography (AEX) is an established method in which specific charges on the AEX matrix can exploit charges on the surface of EVs and their interactions to provide a productive and scalable separation and purification method. The established AEX method using Eshmuno® Q, a strong tentacle anion exchange resin, was used to demonstrate the principal feasibility of AEX-based isolation and gain insight into isolated EV properties. Using several EV analysis techniques to provide a more detailed insight into EV populations during AEX isolation, we demonstrated that although the composition of CD9/63/81 remained constant for tetraspanin positive EVs, the size distribution and purity changed during elution. Higher salt concentrations eluted larger tetraspanin negative vesicles.

The current trend in biopharmaceutical drug manufacturing is towards increasing potency and complexity of products such as peptide scaffolds, oligonucleotides and many more. Therefore, a universal affinity purification step is important in order to meet the requirements for cost and time efficient drug production. By using a self-splicing intein affinity tag, a purification template is generated that allows for a universal chromatographic affinity capture step to generate a tagless target protein without the use of proteases for further tag removal. This study describes the successful implementation of gp41-1-based split inteins in a chromatographic purification process for, e.g., E. coli-derived targets. The tagless target is generated in a single-step purification run. The on-column cleavage is induced by triggering a simple pH change in the buffer conditions without the need for additives such as Zn2+ or thiols. This system has proven to be reusable for at least ten purification cycles that use 150 mM H3PO4 as the cleaning agent.

Background: Nearly one in six children lived in war zones in 2023. Evidence-based psychosocial and parenting support has potential to mitigate negative impacts for parents and children co-exposed to war and displacement, especially in relation to mental health and harsh parenting reactions. In the current war in Ukraine, local mental health experts co-created and evaluated, with global experts, the effectiveness of psychosocial and parenting support groups, called ‘Hope Groups’ on improvements in mental health, positive parenting, and violence against children. This paper aimed to assess the effectiveness of psychosocial and parenting support groups, called 'Hope Groups,' on improvements in caregiver mental health, positive parenting, and prevention of violence against children, for families affected by the war in Ukraine, using a pre/post study design. Methods: Participants (n = 577) included Ukrainian caregivers, 66% (381) of whom were parents and co-residing caregivers of children ages 0–17, while the remaining 34% were non-resident informal caregivers. Internally displaced, externally displaced, and those living at-home in war-torn regions were invited to groups by trained Ukrainian peer facilitators. Using a pre-post design, we compared individual level frequency measures at three time-points – baseline, midline, and endline, to assess changes in 4 mental health, and 9 parenting and child health outcomes. We analyzed these outcomes using paired t-tests to compare outcomes at baseline-to-midline (after 4-sessions) and baseline-to-endline (after 10-sessions), which estimated the mean changes in days per week and associated percent change, during the respective periods; we quantified uncertainties using bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) bootstrapping with 95% uncertainty ranges for baseline-midline and baseline-endline estimates. We used this same approach for stratified analyses to assess potential effect modification by displacement status and facilitator type. We further used linear models to adjust for age and sex. Findings: Compared to baseline, every mental health, parenting, and child health outcome improved significantly at midline and endline. Mental health ratings showed endline reductions in depressive symptoms of 56.8% (95% CI: -59.0,-54.3; -1.8 days/week), and increases in hopefulness, coping with grief, and self-care, ranging from 62.0% (95% CI: 53.6,71.3; 2.2 days/week) to 77.0% (95% CI: 66.3,88.3; 2.2 days/week). Significant improvements in parenting and child health outcomes included monitoring children, reinforcing positive behavior, supporting child development, protecting child, nonviolent discipline, and child verbalizing emotions. By endline, emotional violence, physical violence, and child despondency had dropped by 57.7% (95% CI: -63.0%,-51.9; -1.3 days/week), 64.0% (95% CI: -79.0,-39.5; -0.22 days/week), and 51.9% (95% CI: -45.1,-57.9; -1.2 days/week), respectively. Outcomes stratified by displacement status remained significant across all groups, as did those according to facilitator type (lay versus professional). Interpretation: This study demonstrates preliminary evidence, using a brief survey and pre-post design as is appropriate for acute and early protracted emergency settings, of the feasibility and effectiveness of Hope Groups for war-affected Ukrainian caregivers, on improved mental health, positive parenting, and reduced violence against children.

Abstract Uncertainty can be classified as either aleatoric (intrinsic randomness) or epistemic (imperfect knowledge of parameters). The majority of frameworks assessing infectious disease risk consider only epistemic uncertainty. We only ever observe a single epidemic, and therefore cannot empirically determine aleatoric uncertainty. Here, we characterise both epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty using a time-varying general branching process. Our framework explicitly decomposes aleatoric variance into mechanistic components, quantifying the contribution to uncertainty produced by each factor in the epidemic process, and how these contributions vary over time. The aleatoric variance of an outbreak is itself a renewal equation where past variance affects future variance. We find that, superspreading is not necessary for substantial uncertainty, and profound variation in outbreak size can occur even without overdispersion in the offspring distribution (i.e. the distribution of the number of secondary infections an infected person produces). Aleatoric forecasting uncertainty grows dynamically and rapidly, and so forecasting using only epistemic uncertainty is a significant underestimate. Therefore, failure to account for aleatoric uncertainty will ensure that policymakers are misled about the substantially higher true extent of potential risk. We demonstrate our method, and the extent to which potential risk is underestimated, using two historical examples.

Caffeine is a compound found in the leaves, seeds and fruits of plants such as coffee and guarana. The aim of the systematic review was to determine the influence of caffeine on cardiorespiratory functions and physical performance. The method was the collection of relevant literature in the period from 2011-2022, and their analysis. The results clearly show the benefit and positive influence of caffeine on both investigated areas. The recommended consumption of caffeine should be higher than 75mg in order to expect positive changes and effects. Also, doses above 600mg should not be exceeded due to side effects, especially on the heart. It is necessary to consume caffeine for at least 45 minutes before the planned activity to ensure complete absorption. Caffeine is a very powerful supplement, it is only necessary to take care of the method and amount of dosage.

Abstract Lead halide perovskites are new key materials in various application areas such as high efficiency photovoltaics, lighting, and photodetectors. Doping with Mn, which is known to enhance the stability, has recently been reported to lead to ferromagnetism below 25 K in methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) mediated by superexchange. Two most recent reports confirm ferromagnetism up to room temperature but mediated by double exchange between Mn2+ and Mn3+ ions. Here we investigate a wide concentration range of MAMn x Pb1−x I3 and Mn-doped triple-cation thin films by soft X-ray absorption, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and quantum interference device magnetometry. The X-ray absorption lineshape shows clearly an almost pure Mn2+ configuration, confirmed by a sum-rule analysis of the dichroism spectra. A remanent magnetization is not observed down to 2 K. Curie-Weiss fits to the magnetization yield negative Curie temperatures. All data show consistently that significant double exchange and ferromagnetism do not occur. Our results show that Mn is not suitable for creating ferromagnetism in lead halide perovskites.

Abstract The number of tRNA isodecoders has increased dramatically in mammals, but the specific molecular and physiological reasons for this expansion remain elusive. To address this fundamental question we used CRISPR editing to knockout the seven-membered phenylalanine tRNA gene family in mice, both individually and combinatorially. Using ATAC-Seq, RNA-seq, ribo-profiling and proteomics we observed distinct molecular consequences of single tRNA deletions. We show that tRNA-Phe-1-1 is required for neuronal function and its loss is partially compensated by increased expression of other tRNAs but results in mistranslation. In contrast, the other tRNA-Phe isodecoder genes buffer the loss of each of the remaining six tRNA-Phe genes. In the tRNA-Phe gene family, the expression of at least six tRNA-Phe alleles is required for embryonic viability and tRNA-Phe-1-1 is most important for development and survival. Our results reveal that the multi-copy configuration of tRNA genes is required to buffer translation and viability in mammals.

Abstract Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The clinical phenotypes are variable, ranging from spontaneous recovery to serious illness and death. On March 2020, a global COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of February 2023, almost 670 million cases and 6,8 million deaths have been confirmed worldwide. Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, contain a single-stranded RNA genome enclosed in a viral capsid consisting of four structural proteins: the nucleocapsid (N) protein, in the ribonucleoprotein core, the spike (S) protein, the envelope (E) protein, and the membrane (M) protein, embedded in the surface envelope. In particular, the E protein is a poorly characterized viroporin with high identity amongst all the β-coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-OC43) and a low mutation rate. Here, we focused our attention on the study of SARS-CoV-2 E and M proteins, and we found a general perturbation of the host cell calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis and a selective rearrangement of the interorganelle contact sites. In vitro and in vivo biochemical analyses revealed that the binding of specific nanobodies to soluble regions of SARS-CoV-2 E protein reversed the observed phenotypes, suggesting that the E protein might be an important therapeutic candidate not only for vaccine development, but also for the clinical management of COVID designing drug regimens that, so far, are very limited.