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Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As the problem of antimicrobial resistance is constantly increasing, there is a renewed interest in antimicrobial products derived from natural sources, particularly obtained from innovative and eco-friendly materials. Insect lipids, due to their fatty acid composition, can be classified as natural antimicrobial compounds. In order to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Hermetia illucens lipids, we extracted this component from the larval stage, fed on different substrates and we characterized it. Moreover, we analyzed the fatty acid composition of the feeding substrate, to determine if and how it could affect the antimicrobial activity of the lipid component. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive Micrococcus flavus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Analyzing the fatty acid profiles of larval lipids that showed activity against the two bacterial strains, we detected significant differences for C4:0, C10:0, C16:1, C18:3 n3 (ALA), and C20:1. The strongest antimicrobial activity was verified against Micrococcus flavus by lipids extracted from larvae reared on strawberry, tangerine, and fresh manure substrates, with growth inhibition zones ranged from 1.38 to 1.51 mm, while only the rearing on manure showed the effect against Escherichia coli. Notably, the fatty acid profile of H. illucens seems to not be really influenced by the substrate fatty acid profile, except for C18:0 and C18:2 CIS n6 (LA). This implies that other factors, such as the rearing conditions, larval development stages, and other nutrients such as carbohydrates, affect the amount of fatty acids in insects. Key points: • Feeding substrates influence larval lipids and fatty acids (FA) • Generally, there is no direct correlation between substrate FAs and the same larvae FAs • Specific FAs influence more the antimicrobial effect of BSF lipids [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Although caring relatives of people with dementia are a mainstay of many care systems, the availability of support services for them within the municipal community shows deficiencies. Adopting the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) this study aims to investigate 1) which of the TDF domains adapted to gerontology show up in public dialogue, and 2) the results that public dialogues produce in terms of support services for caring relatives. Subject and methods: The data consists of town hall meetings and focus groups from 14 municipal communities in Germany. Participants were caring relatives and stakeholders of the communities. A qualitative content analysis was conducted, focusing on the assessment of three TDF domains, namely knowledge, goals, and sociopolitical context as well as outcomes of care optimisation. Results: With regard to domain knowledge, it was evident that in every community there were actors aware of the situation and relevance of carers and their relatives. Only some actors mentioned goals for optimising the care of the target group. The sociopolitical context is often addressed through statements about incomplete requirements. Conclusion: Overall, a relation between the discussion about the domains in public dialogues and changes in supporting carers of people with dementia can be assumed. The results indicate that an increased discussion about the domains within town hall meetings influences the actors and their statements with regard to the improvement of support services for caring relatives of people with dementia. Since the domains were not developed exclusively for the outlined context, this approach can also be applied to other areas of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chitin purification from remains (pupal exuviae after metamorphosis to adult flies) of Hermetia illucens farming was optimized performing demineralization, deproteinization and bleaching under different conditions. The optimal parameters to obtain high-purity chitin were determined. Methods: Dried and ground pupal exuviae, whose composition was initially determined, were demineralized using six different acids. Proteins were removed with a NaOH treatment in which temperature, molarity and duration were varied in a randomized experiment. Bleaching was carried out testing ten different chemicals, including NaOCl, H2O2, solvent mixtures and enzymes. The efficiency of each step was determined to assess the optimal conditions for each of them. The resulting chitin was subjected to spectroscopic characterization. Results: The highest demineralization efficiency (90%) was achieved using 0.5 M formic acid for 2 h at 40 °C, confirming the validity of organic acids as a more sustainable alternative to inorganic acids. The treatment with 1.25 M NaOH at 90 °C for 4 h showed the highest deproteinization efficiency, removing 96% of the proteins. Temperature and NaOH concentration were the significant parameters for deproteinization efficiency. The most efficient bleaching treatment was with 6% NaOCl at 60 °C for 1 h (67% efficiency). H2O2 could also be a valid alternative to avoid environmental risk related to chlorine-containing compounds. At the end of the purification process 17% of the original biomass was retained with a chitin content of 85%, corresponding to a chitin yield of 14% related to the initial biomass. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance showed that the purified chitin had a degree of acetylation of 96% and X-ray powder diffraction gave a crystallinity index of 74%. Conclusion: This investigation shows an optimized method for extraction of high-purity chitin from H. illucens pupal exuviae, supporting the validity of insect-farming remains as source of this versatile biopolymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Principal component analysis (PCA) is widely used to analyze high-dimensional data, but it is very sensitive to outliers. Robust PCA methods seek fits that are unaffected by the outliers and can therefore be trusted to reveal them. FastHCS (high-dimensional congruent subsets) is a robust PCA algorithm suitable for high-dimensional applications, including cases where the number of variables exceeds the number of observations. After detailing the FastHCS algorithm, we carry out an extensive simulation study and three real data applications, the results of which show that FastHCS is systematically more robust to outliers than state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The advent of magnetic resonance imaging, which safely allows in vivo quantification of anatomical and physiological features of the brain, has revolutionized pediatric neuroscience. Longitudinal studies are useful for the characterization of developmental trajectories (ie, changes in imaging measures by age). Developmental trajectories (as opposed to static measures) have proven to have greater power in discriminating healthy from clinical groups and in predicting cognitive/behavioral measures, such as IQ. Here we summarize results from an ongoing longitudinal pediatric neuroimaging study that has been conducted at the Child Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health since 1989. Developmental trajectories of structural MRI brain measures from healthy youth are compared and contrasted with trajectories in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and childhood-onset schizophrenia. Across ages 5-25 years, in both healthy and clinical populations, white matter volumes increase and gray matter volumes follow an inverted U trajectory, with peak size occurring at different times in different regions. At a group level, differences related to psychopathology are seen for gray and white matter volumes, rates of change, and for interconnectedness among disparate brain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the dystrophin gene ( DMD) cause Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies and the majority of cases are due to DMD gene rearrangements. Despite the high incidence of these aberrations, little is known about their causative molecular mechanism(s). We examined 792 DMD/BMD clinical samples by oligonucleotide array-CGH and report on the junction sequence analysis of 15 unique deletion cases and three complex intragenic rearrangements to elucidate potential underlying mechanism(s). Furthermore, we present three cases with intergenic rearrangements involving DMD and neighboring loci. The cases with intragenic rearrangements include an inversion with flanking deleted sequences; a duplicated segment inserted in direct orientation into a deleted region; and a splicing mutation adjacent to a deletion. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that 7 of 12 breakpoints combined among 3 complex cases aligned with repetitive sequences, as compared to 4 of 30 breakpoints for the 15 deletion cases. Moreover, the inversion/deletion case may involve a stem-loop structure that has contributed to the initiation of this rearrangement. For the duplication/deletion and splicing mutation/deletion cases, the presence of the first mutation, either a duplication or point mutation, may have elicited the deletion events in an attempt to correct preexisting mutations. While NHEJ is one potential mechanism for these complex rearrangements, the highly complex junction sequence of the inversion/deletion case suggests the involvement of a replication-based mechanism. Our results support the notion that regional genomic instability, aided by the presence of repetitive elements, a stem-loop structure, and possibly preexisting mutations, may elicit complex rearrangements of the DMD gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose. To define an index based on the van't Hoff equation that can be used as a screening tool for predicting poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG)-drug eutectic composition. Methods. Phase diagrams of PEG with ritonavir, ibuprofen, fenofibrate, naproxen, and griseofulvin were constructed using differential scanning calorimetry, hot stage microscopy and powder X-ray diffractometry. Previously reported phase diagrams were also used to test the predictive capability of the index. Results. This work shows that a modified van't Hoff equation can be used to model the drug liquidus line of these phase diagrams. The slope of the liquidus line depends on the melting point (Tf d) and heat of fusion (ΔHf d) of the drug and describes the initial rate at which the eutectic or monotectic point is approached. Based on this finding, a dimensionless index Ic was defined. The index can be calculated from the melting points of the pure components and heat of fusion of the drug. In addition to the compounds listed above, the index was found to predict the eutectic composition for flurbiprofen, temazepam and indomethacin. These compounds range over 150°C in Tf d, and from 25-65kJ/mole in ΔHf d. Conclusion. Using Ic the approximate eutectic composition for eight different compounds was predicted. The index provides a useful screening tool for assessing the maximum drug loading in a drug-polymer eutectic/monotectic formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)