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Integrated Osteoporosis Care (IOC) has been emerging over the past decade. To support integrated care initiatives, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has developed the Integrated People Centred Health Services (IPCHS) framework, which consists of five interdependent strategies. Five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, World of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus) were searched for relevant studies published from January 1, 2010 to December 2022. Initiatives implementing collaborative practices and at least two IPCHS strategies were included. Quality assessment was performed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project checklist. Seventy-six publications describing 69 implementations met the inclusion criteria; 90% of them were implemented at the hospital level, and over half focused on secondary fracture prevention. Three implementations captured all five IPCHS strategies, and half applied three. Substrategies targeting individuals as beneficiaries were frequently employed. Substrategies requiring fundamental shifts (e.g., systemic coordination and updating) were seldomly implemented. Substantive heterogeneity in substrategy operationalization was observed. Patient education, standardized care, team-based care, care coordinators, and health care provider training were commonly pursued. IOC interventions have focused mainly on secondary fracture prevention in a hospital setting and have been narrowly operationalized. Future implementation should: employ all five IPCHS strategies; better align programmes, providers, and regulatory frameworks, while adapting funding mechanisms; and operationalize broader and more innovative substrategies. Registration: This review has been registered at the international prospective register of systematic reviews PROSPERO (CRD42021250244). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative splicing is a key posttranscriptional gene regulatory process, acting in diverse adaptive and basal plant processes. Splicing of precursor-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is catalyzed by a dynamic ribonucleoprotein complex, designated the spliceosome. In a suppressor screen, we identified a nonsense mutation in the Smith (Sm) antigen protein SME1 to alleviate photorespiratory H 2 O 2 -dependent cell death in catalase deficient plants. Similar attenuation of cell death was observed upon chemical inhibition of the spliceosome, suggesting pre-mRNA splicing inhibition to be responsible for the observed cell death alleviation. Furthermore, the sme1-2 mutants showed increased tolerance to the reactive oxygen species inducing herbicide methyl viologen. Both an mRNA-seq and shotgun proteomic analysis in sme1-2 mutants displayed a constitutive molecular stress response, together with extensive alterations in pre-mRNA splicing of transcripts encoding metabolic enzymes and RNA binding proteins, even under unstressed conditions. Using SME1 as a bait to identify protein interactors, we provide experimental evidence for almost 50 homologs of the mammalian spliceosome-associated protein to reside in the Arabidopsis thaliana spliceosome complexes and propose roles in pre-mRNA splicing for four uncharacterized plant proteins. Furthermore, as for sme1-2 , a mutant in the Sm core assembly protein ICLN resulted in a decreased sensitivity to methyl viologen. Taken together, these data show that both a perturbed Sm core composition and assembly results in the activation of a defense response and in enhanced resilience to oxidative stress. [Display omitted] • Perturbation of the core spliceosomal protein SME1 attenuates H 2 O 2 -induced cell death in Arabidopsis. • SME1 deficiency causes protein and gene expression changes resembling of stress responses. • Mutation of the Sm ring assembly factor ICLN, identified as SME1 interactor, also enhances oxidative stress tolerance. • Perturbed Sm core complex integrity and assembly results activates defense responses and enhances resilience to oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate in an unselected, systemic sclerosis (SSc) cohort if baseline laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) peripheral blood perfusion (PBP) measurements differ between 'early' SSc (without skin involvement, or 'limited' SSc—LSSc) and 'clinically overt' SSc (with skin involvement, limited cutaneous SSc—LcSSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc—DcSSc) in routine setting. Methods: A group of twenty consecutive 'early' SSc patients and forty consecutive 'clinically overt' SSc patients (twenty LcSSc and twenty DcSSc) underwent clinical and LASCA examinations (to assess the peripheral blood perfusion [PBP] of both hands volar). Results: No statistically significant difference in adjusted PBP was found in the 'early' versus the 'clinically overt' group (p = 0.77) when adjusted for possible confounding factors (e.g., vasoactive medication, active smoking, history of DTL and disease duration). A wide variability was noted when observing the individual datapoints of each subset. Conclusion: This study with an unselected SSc population in daily routine, non-research setting, showed there was no difference in adjusted PBP at baseline between 'early' SSc and 'clinically overt' SSc when corrected for possible confounding factors. Interestingly a wide variation of individual datapoints were observed in each subset, which emphasizes the heterogeneity of SSc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how public support affects interest groups' advocacy success across three distinct stages in the legislative process. We hypothesize that public support is vital for advocacy success when coalition agreements are negotiated, and it has a weaker effect when legislation is introduced in parliament by the governing majority but becomes stronger again when legislation is adopted. We assess these expectations for 55 Belgian policy issues. We combine evidence on legislative outcomes with public opinion data and a mapping of interest groups' positions in the news. The results indicate that public support is key for advocacy success in the coalition agreement. However, the positive effect of public support weakens when legislation is introduced in parliament – the effect only materializes for initiatives by the opposition – and public support has no significant effect on advocacy success in adopted legislation. Instead, aligning with other groups and political parties becomes more consequential for advocacy success in later legislative stages. Still, on average, interest groups attaining their preferences in adopted legislation enjoy considerable public support. Our results thus underscore the relevance of distinguishing between legislative stages when analyzing interest groups' advocacy success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered tibiofemoral contact forces represent a risk factor for osteoarthritis onset and progression, making optimization of the knee force distribution a target of treatment strategies. Musculoskeletal model-based simulations are a state-of-the-art method to estimate joint contact forces, but they typically require laboratory-based input and skilled operators. To overcome these limitations, ambulatory methods, relying on inertial measurement units, have been proposed to estimated ground reaction forces and, consequently, knee contact forces out-of-the-lab. This study proposes the use of a full inertial-capture-based musculoskeletal modelling workflow with an underlying probabilistic principal component analysis model trained on 1787 gait cycles in patients with knee osteoarthritis. As validation, five patients with knee osteoarthritis were instrumented with 17 inertial measurement units and 76 opto-reflective markers. Participants performed multiple overground walking trials while motion and inertial capture methods were synchronously recorded. Moderate to strong correlations were found for the inertial capture-based knee contact forces compared to motion capture with root mean square error between 0.15 and 0.40 of body weight. The results show that our workflow can inform and potentially assist clinical practitioners to monitor knee joint loading in physical therapy sessions and eventually assess long-term therapeutic effects in a clinical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) contains anthocyanins, known to moderate blood flow and display anti-inflammatory properties that may improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. The authors examined whether NZBC extract supplementation enhances recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage after a half-marathon race. Following a randomized, double-blind, independent groups design, 20 (eight women) recreational runners (age 30 ± 6 years, height 1.73 ± 0.74 m, body mass 68.5 ± 7.8 kg, half-marathon finishing time 1:56:33 ± 0:18:08 hr:min:s) ingested either two 300-mg/day capsules of NZBC extract (CurraNZ™) or a visually matched placebo, for 7 days prior to and 2 days following a half-marathon. Countermovement jump performance variables, urine interleukin-6, and perceived muscle soreness and fatigue were measured pre, post, and at 24 and 48 hr after the half-marathon and analyzed using a mixed linear model with statistical significance set a priori at p < .05. The countermovement jump performance variables were reduced immediately post-half-marathon (p < .05), with all returning to pre-half-marathon levels by 48 hr, except the concentric and eccentric peak force and eccentric duration, with no difference in response between groups (p > .05). Urine interleukin-6 increased 48-hr post-half-marathon in the NZBC group only (p < .01) and remained unchanged compared with pre-half-marathon levels in the placebo group (p > .05). Perceived muscle soreness and fatigue increased immediately post-half-marathon (p < .01) and returned to pre-half-marathon levels by 48 hr, with no difference between groups (p > .05). Supplementation with NZBC extract had no effect on the recovery of countermovement jump variables and perceptions of muscle soreness or fatigue following a half-marathon in recreational runners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Although taping has been proven effective in reducing ankle sprain events in individuals with chronic ankle instability, insight into the precise working mechanism remains limited. Objectives: To evaluate whether the use of taping changes ankle joint kinematics during a sagittal and frontal plane landing task in subjects with chronic ankle instability. Design: Repeated measure design. Setting: Laboratory setting. Participants: A total of 28 participants with chronic ankle instability performed a forward and side jump landing task in a nontaped and taped condition. The taping procedure consisted of a double "figure of 6" and a medial heel lock. Main Outcome Measures: 3D ankle joint kinematics was registered. Statistical parametric mapping was used to assess taping effect on mean ankle joint angles and angular velocity over the landing phase. Results: For both the forward and side jump, a less plantar flexed and a less inverted position of the ankle joint were found in the preparatory phase till around touchdown (TD) in the taped condition (P <.05). In addition, for both jump landing protocols, a decreased dorsiflexion angular velocity was found after TD (P <.05). During the side jump protocol, a brief period of increased inversion angular velocity was registered after TD (P <.05). Conclusions: Taping is capable of altering ankle joint kinematics prior to TD, placing the ankle joint in a less vulnerable position at TD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 11 patients, diagnoses of MN and PNH were concurrent: all had been referred for haemolytic anaemia with cytopenia, while three of them also presented evidence of thrombosis (patients numbers 2, 4 and 20). Remarkably, none of the patients experienced a thrombotic event during eculizumab treatment, but two patients (patients number 6 and 15) developed a thrombosis after eculizumab was discontinued. Reasons for not receiving eculizumab, despite transfusions needs, were early death from acute respiratory distress related to interstitial pneumonia for patient number 12 and very low life expectancy for two patients (patients number 9 and 14). [Extracted from the article]

While both the British colonizer and the German soldier relied on Social Darwinism to justify the extremity of their violence, they interpreted it differently: whereas a British colonial soldier had convinced himself that in the battle between races he had already come out on top, German troops were still firmly locked in that battle. Book Review: Extreme Violence and the "British Way": Colonial Warfare in Perak, Sierra Leone and Sudan by Michelle Gordon Gordon, Michelle Extreme Violence and the "British Way": Colonial Warfare in Perak, Sierra Leone and Sudan. [Extracted from the article]

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) marks key cell cycle proteins for proteasomal breakdown, thereby ensuring unidirectional progression through the cell cycle. Its target recognition is temporally regulated by activating subunits, one of which is called CELL CYCLE SWITCH 52 A2 (CCS52A2). We sought to expand the knowledge on the APC/C by using the severe growth phenotypes of CCS52A2-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants as a readout in a suppressor mutagenesis screen, resulting in the identification of the previously undescribed gene called PIKMIN1 (PKN1). PKN1 deficiency rescues the disorganized root stem cell phenotype of the ccs52a2-1 mutant, whereas an excess of PKN1 inhibits the growth of ccs52a2-1 plants, indicating the need for control of PKN1 abundance for proper development. Accordingly, the lack of PKN1 in a wild-type background negatively impacts cell division, while its systemic overexpression promotes proliferation. PKN1 shows a cell cycle phase-dependent accumulation pattern, localizing to microtubular structures, including the preprophase band, the mitotic spindle, and the phragmoplast. PKN1 is conserved throughout the plant kingdom, with its function in cell division being evolutionarily conserved in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Our data thus demonstrate that PKN1 represents a novel, plant-specific protein with a role in cell division that is likely proteolytically controlled by the CCS52A2-activated APC/C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About half of testicular sperm extraction (TESE) procedures in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), including men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS), are unsuccessful. To avoid unnecessary invasive surgery, biomarkers for spermatozoa were studied. In addition, markers for spermatogonia in testis tissue were explored. This study aimed to find biomarkers in the semen and/or urine of NOA patients to predict the presence of spermatogonia in the testis. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified (1) between samples from patients with and without a positive TESE procedure as well as (2) between TESE-negative patients with and without spermatogonia. A total of thirteen upregulated miRNAs (ten in seminal plasma and three in urine) were found in the TESE-negative/spermatogonia-positive group compared to the TESE-negative/spermatogonia-negative group. These miRNAs could be potential biomarkers for spermatogonia; however, more research is necessary to validate their predictive power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physician-assisted death (PAD) for patients suffering from mental illness is legally permitted in the Netherlands. Although patients' relatives are not entrusted with a legal role, former research revealed that physicians take into account the patient's social context and their well-being, in deciding whether or not to grant the request. However, these studies focussed on relatives' experiences in the context of PAD concerning patients with somatic illness. To date, nothing is known on their experiences in the context of PAD concerning the mentally ill. We studied the experiences of relatives with regard to a PAD request by patients suffering from mental illness. The data for this study were collected through 12 interviews with relatives of patients who have or had a PAD request because of a mental illness. We show that relatives are ambivalent regarding the patient's request for PAD and the following trajectory. Their ambivalence is characterised by their understanding of the wish to die and at the same time hoping that the patient would make another choice. Respondents' experiences regarding the process of the PAD request varied, from positive ('intimate') to negative ('extremely hard'). Some indicated that they wished to be more involved as they believe the road towards PAD should be a joint trajectory. To leave them out during such an important event is not only painful, but also harmful to the relative as it could potentially complicate their grieving process. Professional support during or after the PAD process was wanted by some, but not by all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct validity and reproducibility of three commonly used handheld ultrasound (US) devices in measuring carotid arterial diameter was evaluated: Telemed MicrUs EXT-1H (Telemed, Vilnius, Lithuania), Butterfly iQ (Butterfly Network, Inc., Guilford, CT, USA) and Philips Lumify (Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands). An in vitro setup was built to evaluate construct validity, compared with high-end US, and intra-observer variability of handheld US devices. Handheld devices showed a mean difference of 0.023 ± 0.030 cm, 0.012 ± 0.037 cm and 0.009 ± 0.046 cm for, respectively, Telemed, Butterfly and Lumify in comparison with high-end US devices. Intraclass agreement with the high-end system as well as intra-observer variability for handheld US devices was classified as excellent, with all values greater than 0.95. Subsequently, inter-observer variability of handheld US devices was investigated in an in vivo setup with 20 healthy volunteers. Inter-observer variability was classified as excellent for Telemed (0.901), good for Lumify (0.827) and moderate for Butterfly (0.684) with a difference of, respectively, 0.005 ± 0.031 cm, 0.020 ± 0.050 cm and –0.003 ± 0.033 cm. In conclusion, handheld US devices demonstrated an excellent construct validity and intra-observer variability. Additionally, excellent-to-good inter-observer variability for Telemed and Lumify was observed, and Butterfly demonstrated a moderate inter-observer agreement. These results indicate that handheld US devices are effective for measuring carotid arterial diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Among its effect on virtually all other organs, COVID-19 affects the cardiovascular system, potentially jeopardizing the cardiovascular health of millions. Previous research has shown no indication of macrovascular dysfunction as reflected by carotid artery reactivity, but has shown sustained microvascular dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and coagulation activation at 3 months after acute COVID-19. The long-term effects of COVID-19 on vascular function remain unknown. Materials and Methods: This cohort study involved 167 patients who participated in the COVAS trial. At 3 months and 18 months after acute COVID-19, macrovascular dysfunction was evaluated by measuring the carotid artery diameter in response to cold pressor testing. Additionally, plasma endothelin-1, von Willebrand factor, Interleukin(IL)-1ra, IL-6, IL-18, and coagulation factor complexes were measured using ELISA techniques. Results: The prevalence of macrovascular dysfunction did not differ between 3 months (14.5%) and 18 months (11.7%) after COVID-19 infection (p = 0.585). However, there was a significant decrease in absolute carotid artery diameter change, 3.5% ± 4.7 vs. 2.7% ± 2.5, p—0.001, respectively. Additionally, levels of vWF:Ag were persistently high in 80% of COVID-19 survivors, reflecting endothelial cell damage and possibly attenuated endothelial function. Furthermore, while levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)-1RA and IL-18 were normalized and evidence of contact pathway activation was no longer present, the concentrations of IL-6 and thrombin:antithrombin complexes were further increased at 18 months versus 3 months (2.5 pg/mL ± 2.6 vs. 4.0 pg/mL ± 4.6, p = 0.006 and 4.9 μg/L ± 4.4 vs. 18.2 μg/L ± 11.4, p < 0.001, respectively). Discussion: This study shows that 18 months after COVID-19 infection, the incidence of macrovascular dysfunction as defined by a constrictive response during carotid artery reactivity testing is not increased. Nonetheless, plasma biomarkers indicate sustained endothelial cell activation (vWF), systemic inflammation (IL-6), and extrinsic/common pathway coagulation activation (FVII:AT, TAT) 18 months after COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 96‐h acute toxicity of barium (Ba2+), o‐cresol, and sodium chloride (NaCl) to Paratya australiensis was assessed in single, binary, and ternary combinations in addition to three biochemical assays: glutathione S‐transferase, acetylcholinesterase, and sodium–potassium adenosine triphosphatase. The 96‐h lethal concentrations that expressed 50% mortality (LC50) in the single‐toxicant exposures were Ba2+ = 23.4 mg/L, o‐cresol = 12.2 mg/L, and NaCl = 4198 mg/L. Mortality from o‐cresol exposure occurred between 11 and 22 mg/L, whereas Ba2+ was more gradual across 10–105 mg/L, and most of the NaCl mortality occurred between 2050 and 4100 mg/L. Toxic units were used to assess the binary and ternary interactions of the toxicants. A more than additive effect was observed for most combinations in the binary chemical exposures, with the ternary combinations yielding highly synergistic interactions. Greater synergism was observed with the 96‐h LC50 of o‐cresol in combination with the three concentrations of NaCl (1025, 2050, and 3075 mg/L) compared with Ba2+, with toxic units of 0.38, 0.48, and 0.10 (o‐cresol) and 0.71, 0.67, and 0.50 (Ba2+). No notable enzyme activity trends were observed in the enzyme biomarker responses from both individual and mixture exposures. Although acute single‐species toxicity tests tend to underestimate the effects of Ba2+, o‐cresol, and NaCl on populations, communities, and ecosystems in seminatural (e.g., mesocosms) and natural systems, there are currently no published acute toxicity data available for P. australiensis and the three toxicants used in the present study. The present study shows that chemicals with different toxicity mechanisms can potentially lead to more synergistic responses. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:481–494. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For small, arboreal marmoset monkeys, antipredator vigilance is essential to ensure survival. However, since antipredator vigilance is incompatible with some other behaviours, such as feeding in a head-down position, it has to be regulated efficiently within individuals and perhaps even at the group level. To investigate what drives individual differences in vigilance and feeding behaviour in common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus , and whether they adjust these behaviours to each other, we collected behavioural data on 14 marmosets in contexts where feeding and vigilance were mutually exclusive. The presence of infants resulted in higher overall vigilance and less feeding. Moreover, individuals increased their vigilance when the pair mate was feeding and thus could not be vigilant itself. They thus adjusted their own vigilance to the risk level of their pair mate, which resulted in a turn taking-like pattern of feeding and being vigilant in the pair. This flexibility of vigilance is consistent with marmosets' sensitivity to other's needs in another context, food sharing, when sharing is increased when food is more difficult to obtain. Together, these results suggest considerable awareness of the current state of group members in common marmosets. • Marmosets increased their vigilance when the partner was feeding head down. • This resulted in a turn-taking-like pattern of feeding and being vigilant. • Adults increased their vigilance and decreased feeding when infants were present. • Marmoset vigilance is flexible and takes others' risk level into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer has proven to be difficult to treat as it is the second leading cause of cancer death for both men and women worldwide. Recent work has shown the importance of microRNA (miRNA) in the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer. Here, we develop a metric based on miRNA-gene target interactions, previously validated to be associated with colorectal cancer. We use this metric with a regularized Cox model to produce a small set of top-performing genes related to colon cancer. We show that using the miRNA metric and a Cox model led to a meaningful improvement in colon cancer survival prediction and correct patient risk stratification. We show that our approach outperforms existing methods and that the top genes identified by our process are implicated in NOTCH3 signaling and general metabolism pathways, which are essential to colon cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding emotions and moral intentions of other people is integral to being human. Humanities scholars have long recognized the complex and ambiguous nature of emotions and morality. People are rarely 'just' happy, or sad. Neither are they 'just' good or bad people. Despite this, most knowledge about the psychological and neural basis of emotions and moral understanding comes from experiments investigating unidimensional and non-ambiguous emotions and morality. The goal of this paper is twofold. First I want to point out why mixed and ambiguous emotions and morality are a promising research topic for cognitive neuroscientists. Observing or experiencing mixed or ambiguous emotions and morality tends to have a strong impact on humans. This impact is clearly visible in narratives and fiction, and I will argue that narratives make an excellent stimulus to study the effects of emotional and moral ambiguity. Second, I will sketch a model to help guide research in this promising corner of human cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Joachim von Exter and the reception of the actio Pauliana in Hamburg statute law. – On 23 May 1785, a certain Joachim von Exter defended his legal dissertation De actione Pauliana Hamburgi non introducta sed necessario introducenda at the University of Frankfurt an der Oder, under the auspices of Joachim Georg Darjes, professor of natural law. As the title of his thesis indicates, von Exter wanted to demonstrate that there had been no formal reception of the actio Pauliana , remedy against fraudulent conveyances in Justinianic law, in the statute law of his home town Hamburg up to his time, but that an incorporation of this legal institution was something to be desired. After a brief preliminary note on von Exter's quite colourful life, the paper traces the core theses of his work and the process of reception of the actio Pauliana in Hamburg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning algorithms such as AlphaFold2 predict three-dimensional protein structure with high confidence. The recent release of more than 200 million structural models provides an unprecedented resource for functional protein annotation. Here, we used AlphaFold2 predicted structures of fifteen plant proteomes to functionally and evolutionary analyze cysteine residues in the plant kingdom. In addition to identification of metal ligands coordinated by cysteine residues, we systematically analyzed cysteine disulfides present in these structural predictions. Our analysis demonstrates most of these predicted disulfides are trustworthy due their high agreement (∼96%) with those present in X-ray and NMR protein structures, their characteristic disulfide stereochemistry, the biased subcellular distribution of their proteins and a higher degree of oxidation of their respective cysteines as measured by proteomics. Adopting an evolutionary perspective, zinc binding sites are increasingly present at the expense of iron-sulfur clusters in plants. Interestingly, disulfide formation is increased in secreted proteins of land plants, likely promoting sequence evolution to adapt to changing environments encountered by plants. In summary, Alphafold2 predicted structural models are a rich source of information for studying the role of cysteines residues in proteins of interest and for protein redox biology in general. [Display omitted] • AlphaFold2 predictions enable proteome-wide structural annotation of cysteines forming disulfides or binding metal ligands. • Disulfide formation is highly compartmentalized and in line with the subcellular redox environment. • Zinc binding sites are increasingly present throughout plant evolution, at the expense of iron-sulfur clusters. • Secreted proteins in land plants are richer in disulfides, likely facilitating adaptations to terrestrial habitats. • Protein structure predictions can hint towards intermolecular disulfides and cysteine-bound cofactors such as heme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove concentration inequalities and associated PAC bounds for both continuous- and discrete-time additive functionals for possibly unbounded functions of multivariate, nonreversible diffusion processes. Our analysis relies on an approach via the Poisson equation allowing us to consider a very broad class of subexponentially ergodic, multivariate diffusion processes. These results add to existing concentration inequalities for additive functionals of diffusion processes which have so far been only available for either bounded functions or for unbounded functions of processes from a significantly smaller class. We demonstrate the power of these exponential inequalities by two examples of very different areas. Considering a possibly high-dimensional, parametric, nonlinear drift model under sparsity constraints we apply the continuous-time concentration results to validate the restricted eigenvalue condition for Lasso estimation, which is fundamental for the derivation of oracle inequalities. The results for discrete additive functionals are applied for an investigation of the unadjusted Langevin MCMC algorithm for sampling of moderately heavy tailed densities π. In particular, we provide PAC bounds for the sample Monte Carlo estimator of integrals π(f) for polynomially growing functions f that quantify sufficient sample and step sizes for approximation within a prescribed margin with high probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klinefelter syndrome (KS; 47,XXY) affects 1–2 in 1000 males. Most men with KS suffer from an early germ cell loss and testicular fibrosis from puberty onwards. Mechanisms responsible for these processes remain unknown. Previous genomics studies on testis tissue from men with KS focused on germ cell loss, while a transcriptomic analysis focused on testicular fibrosis has not yet been performed. This study aimed to identify factors involved in the fibrotic remodelling of KS testes by analysing the transcriptome of fibrotic and non-fibrotic testicular tissue. RNA sequencing was performed to compare the genes expressed in testicular samples with (KS and testis atrophy) and without (Sertoli cell-only syndrome and fertile controls) fibrosis (n = 5, each). Additionally, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between KS and testis atrophy samples were studied to reveal KS-specific fibrotic genes. DEGs were considered significant when p < 0.01 and log2FC > 2. Next, downstream analyses (GO and KEGG) were performed. Lastly, RNA in situ hybridization was performed to validate the results. The first analysis (fibrotic vs non-fibrotic) resulted in 734 significant DEGs (167 up- and 567 down-regulated). Genes involved in the extracellular structure organization (e.g. VCAM1) were found up-regulated. KEGG analysis showed an up-regulation of genes involved in the TGF-β pathway. The KS vs testis atrophy analysis resulted in 539 significant DEGs (59 up- and 480 down-regulated). Chronic inflammatory response genes were found up-regulated. The overlap of X-linked DEGs from the two analyses revealed three genes: matrix-remodelling associated 5 (MXRA5), doublecortin (DCX) and variable charge X-Linked 3B (VCX3B). RNA in situ hybridization showed an overexpression of VCAM1, MXRA5 and DCX within the fibrotic group compared with the non-fibrotic group. To summarize, this study revealed DEGs between fibrotic and non-fibrotic testis tissue, including VCAM1. In addition, X-linked fibrotic genes were revealed, e.g. MXRA5, DCX and VCX3B. Their potential role in KS-related testicular fibrosis needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Rosacea a common inflammatory skin condition and its treatment. Topics include its symptoms and diagnosis, discusses the treatment through oral antibiotics , and rosacea-associated erythema and telangiectasia can be treated through laser and light therapies. It also mentions some additional treatment measures like using beta-adrenergic blockers and off-label use of botulinum toxin.

To correlate trueness and cement-space characteristics of crowns milled chairside and in the laboratory with those of inkjet 3D-printed crowns, and to assess whether 3D-printing accuracy meets the clinical standard. Thirty crowns were either (1) milled using a chairside Cerec MCXL unit from Cerec Zirconia Mono L (Dentsply Sirona), (2) milled using a LX-O 5-axis (Matsuura Machinery) industrial machine from Initial Zirconia HT (GC), or (3) 3D-printed using an inkjet Carmel 1400 (Xjet) printer (n = 10). Crown trueness determined by comparing the original CAD with each visible-light digitized crown was correlated with the 3D cement-space characteristics recorded by micro-CT. Statistics involved Kruskal-Wallis testing and Spearman correlation. Crown trueness at the intaglio marginal area positively correlated with the marginal and axial cement-space characteristics. 3D-printing revealed data in-between those of the two milling systems with undercut values being not statistically different from those recorded for chairside milling and a low overcut level that was statistically similar to that obtained by laboratory milling. Laboratory milling revealed a significantly better marginal accuracy with a consequently lower cement-space thickness. A higher overcut level was recorded for the chairside-milled crowns in the marginal/occlusal thirds, resulting in the significantly highest occlusal cement-space thickness and cement-volume percentage with a cement thickness above 120 µm (limit considered as clinically acceptable). No statistical difference in trueness was found for the external crown dimensions. The 3D-printed zirconia crowns provided sufficient manufacturing accuracy for clinical use. Accurate milling and printing of the crown's intaglio marginal area is primordial. • 3D-print manufacturing accuracy is sufficient to fabricate crowns for clinical use. • Marginal accuracy positively correlated with overall cement-space thickness. • Micro-CT with visible-light scanning enabled trueness and cement-space analysis. • 3D-printing performance was in-between those of chairside and laboratory milling. • Laboratory milling revealed the best accuracy and crown adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industries such as unconventional natural gas have seen increased global expansion to meet the increasing energy needs of our increasing global population. Unconventional gas uses hydraulic fracturing that produces significant volumes of produced waters, which can be highly saline and pose a toxic threat to freshwater invertebrates if exposure via discharges, spills, leaks, or runoff were to occur. The primary aim of the present review was to determine the sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) content of these waters as an approximate measure of salinity and how these values compare to the NaCl or synthetic marine salt acute toxicity values of freshwater invertebrate taxa. Shale gas produced waters are much more saline with 78 900 ± 10 200 NaCl mg/L and total dissolved solids (TDS) of 83 200 ± 12 200 mg/L compared to coal bed methane (CBM) produced waters with 4300 ± 1100 NaCl mg/L and TDS of 5900 ± 1300 mg/L and pose a far greater toxicity risk from NaCl to freshwater invertebrates. In addition, the toxicity of other major ions (Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, CO32−, HCO3−, and SO42−) and their influence on the toxicity of Na+ and Cl− were evaluated. Exposure of untreated and undiluted shale gas produced waters to freshwater invertebrates is likely to result in significant or complete mortality. Shale gas produced waters have higher concentrations of various metals compared with CBM produced waters and are more acidic. We recommend future research to increase the reporting and consistency of water quality parameters, metals, and particularly organics of produced waters to provide a better baseline and help in further investigations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2928–2949. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify possible technological solutions that can contribute to stroke patients' participation at home. In this qualitative case study, data on factors that negatively influenced participation at home were collected via semi-structured interviews with stroke patients (n = 6). Additionally, data on possible technologies to improve this participation were collected via a group interview with experts (n = 4). The domains "cognition, mobility, self-care, and getting along" (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) guided the data collection and interpretation; open, axial and selective coding was part of the analysis. Patients reported 21 factors negatively influencing participation at home, including psychological, cognitive, and physical factors. Experts suggested technological solutions regarding these factors to increase participation of stroke patients; digital assistants, apps, and virtual reality were frequently mentioned. To facilitate the use of these technologies, experts indicated the importance of involving patients in their design. They also suggested that rehabilitation specialists and family members could support the uptake and use of technologies. Various technologies were identified by experts as having the potential to improve the participation of stroke patients in their homes. Future research may study the influence of these technologies on the actual participation of stroke patients at home. The identified technological solutions can support rehabilitation specialists in guiding stroke patients towards technologies that can support a patient's participation at home. Rehabilitation specialists can be champions in introducing, recommending and promoting technologies to stroke patients and their families, as well as in training them to use technologies. Virtual reality as a technology can be part of rehabilitation, not only to train stroke patients in daily life activities but also to increase empathy and understanding in caregivers and carers on stroke impairments. Rehabilitation specialists can recommend technologies integrated in daily life and presented as general consumer goods; stroke patients are more likely to adopt these kind of technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting survival in patients with post-hypoxic encephalopathy (HE) after cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a challenging aspect of modern neurocritical care. Here, continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) has been established as the gold standard for neurophysiological outcome prediction. Unfortunately, cEEG is not comprehensively available, especially in rural regions and developing countries. The objective of this monocentric study was to investigate the predictive properties of repetitive EEGs (rEEGs) with respect to 12-month survival based on data for 199 adult patients with HE, using log-rank and multivariate Cox regression analysis (MCRA). A total number of 59 patients (29.6%) received more than one EEG during the first 14 days of acute neurocritical care. These patients were analyzed for the presence of and changes in specific EEG patterns that have been shown to be associated with favorable or poor outcomes in HE. Based on MCRA, an initially normal amplitude with secondary low-voltage EEG remained as the only significant predictor for an unfavorable outcome, whereas all other relevant parameters identified by univariate analysis remained non-significant in the model. In conclusion, rEEG during early neurocritical care may help to assess the prognosis of HE patients if cEEG is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated prospectively among community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older whether a larger kyphosis angle is associated with poorer physical performance (balance, muscle strength, or both), and whether this association is unidirectional.Methods: Male and female participants performed a multicomponent physical performance test with subscores for gait, muscle strength, and balance at baseline and after 2 years. Hand grip strength was also measured at baseline and at follow-up. The Cobb angle was measured on DXA-based Vertebral Fracture Assessments, made at the baseline and follow-up visit. Through linear and logistic regression analysis, we investigated the association between the kyphosis angle and physical performance and vice versa. We stratified for sex, and tested for effect modification by age and study center.Results: The mean kyphosis angle was 37° and 15% of the participants (n = 1 220, mean age 72.9 ± 5.7 years) had hyperkyphosis (Cobb angle ≥50°). A larger kyphosis angle at baseline was independently associated with a poorer total physical performance score in women of the oldest quartile (≥77 years) in both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses (baseline B -0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.56-0.08; follow-up B 0.32, 95% CI -0.55-0.10). There was no association between physical performance at baseline and kyphosis progression.Conclusion: A larger kyphosis angle is independently associated with a poorer physical performance at baseline and over time, and the direction of this association is unidirectional. These results emphasize the importance of early detection and treatment of hyperkyphosis to prevent further worsening of the kyphosis angle, thereby potentially preserving physical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Professional caregivers are important in the daily support of lifestyle change for adults with mild intellectual disabilities; however, little is known about which behaviour change techniques (BCTs) are actually used. This study aims to gain insight in their use for lifestyle behaviour change using video observations. Methods: Professional caregivers (N = 14) were observed in daily work supporting adults with mild intellectual disabilities. Videos were analysed using the Coventry Aberdeen London Refined (CALO‐RE‐NL) taxonomy and BCTs utilised were coded. Results: Twenty one out of 40 BCTs were used by professional caregivers. The BCTs 'Information about others' approval', 'Identification as role model', 'Rewards on successful behaviour', 'Review behavioural goals' and 'Instructions on how to perform the behaviour' were most employed. Conclusion: Professional caregivers used BCTs to support healthier lifestyle behaviour of adults with mild intellectual disabilities. However, most promising of them as defined previous by professionals were rarely used by professional caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a quantitative analysis of Belgian fiction film production between 2000 and 2019. Analysing an extensive database, it explores the current state of Belgian cinema, which is characterised on the one hand by a strong international dimension, and on the other hand by two largely separate intranational industries: a Flemish and a francophone Belgian film industry. Despite the persistent gap between the two industries, a certain rapprochement seems to be manifesting recently. This industrial analysis is preceded by an exploration of the conceptual and practical difficulties and limitations that arise when trying to determine whether a film can be labelled (partly) 'Belgian', 'Flemish' and/or 'francophone Belgian'. Emanating from the complexity of the Belgian situation, these difficulties reveal some of the theoretical contradictions of the concept of national cinema. As such, departing from a quantitative study of Belgian cinema, this article also provides an original contribution to ongoing debates on the concept of national cinema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foods and supplements high in anthocyanins are gaining popularity within sports nutrition. Anthocyanins are pigments within berries and other colorful fruits and vegetables. They have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions that improve recovery from exercise. Furthermore, anthocyanins can also affect vasoactive properties, including decreasing mean arterial blood pressure and increasing vasodilation during exercise. In vitro observations have shown anthocyanin- and metabolite-induced activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and human vascular cell migration. However, effects of anthocyanins on exercise performance without a prior muscle-damaging or metabolically demanding bout of exercise are less clear. For example, exercise performance effects have been observed for blackcurrant but are less apparent for cherry, therefore indicating that the benefits could be due to the specific source-dependent anthocyanins. The mechanisms by which anthocyanin intake can enhance exercise performance may include effects on blood flow, metabolic pathways, and peripheral muscle fatigue, or a combination of all three. This narrative review focuses on the experimental evidence for anthocyanins to improve exercise performance in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prompt recognition of neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands (NDDH) and a search for associated underlying conditions are the keys to appropriate management. Referral to a dermatologist is encouraged for a patient with a nonhealing ulcer and is crucial if NDDH is suspected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a case presentation of a 21-year-old man with a rapidly evolving, widespread pruritic rash. The differential diagnoses discussed include pityriasis rosea, viral exanthems, tinea corporis, secondary syphilis, and guttate psoriasis, with the latter being the correct diagnosis. It also covers the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of guttate psoriasis.

Intake of the catechin epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine has been shown to enhance exercise-induced fat oxidation. Matcha green tea powder contains catechins and caffeine and is consumed as a drink. We examined the effect of Matcha green tea drinks on metabolic, physiological, and perceived intensity responses during brisk walking. A total of 13 females (age: 27 ± 8 years, body mass: 65 ± 7 kg, height: 166 ± 6 cm) volunteered to participate in the study. Resting metabolic equivalent (1-MET) was measured using Douglas bags (1-MET: 3.4 ± 0.3 ml·kg−1·min−1). Participants completed an incremental walking protocol to establish the relationship between walking speed and oxygen uptake and individualize the walking speed at 5- or 6-MET. A randomized, crossover design was used with participants tested between Days 9 and 11 of the menstrual cycle (follicular phase). Participants consumed three drinks (each drink made with 1 g of Matcha premium grade; OMGTea Ltd., Brighton, UK) the day before and one drink 2 hr before the 30-min walk at 5- (n = 10) or 6-MET (walking speed: 5.8 ± 0.4 km/hr) with responses measured at 8–10, 18–20, and 28–30 min. Matcha had no effect on physiological and perceived intensity responses. Matcha resulted in lower respiratory exchange ratio (control: 0.84 ± 0.04; Matcha: 0.82 ± 0.04; p <.01) and enhanced fat oxidation during a 30-min brisk walk (control: 0.31 ± 0.10; Matcha: 0.35 ± 0.11 g/min; p <.01). Matcha green tea drinking can enhance exercise-induced fat oxidation in females. However, when regular brisk walking with 30-min bouts is being undertaken as part of a weight loss program, the metabolic effects of Matcha should not be overstated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within K-12 education, increasing numbers of children are learning via new digital learning tools while at home, raising important questions about the changing nature of parents' involvement in digital spaces. This article uses the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler parental involvement model to discuss parents' decisions to become involved in children's K-12 learning amidst the shift to more digital and online learning, focusing specifically on how the model accounts for the innovative evolution of technology and parental support of students in digital spaces. Specific questions are posed to challenge traditional conceptions of parental role construction, efficacy, and invitations for involvement within the context of students' digital learning. Discussion covers the importance of involvement practices that value meaningful digital learning opportunities, parental concerns over the shift to digital spaces, parental confidence using technology, and utilizing technology to foster bi-directional communication to address parents' concerns as they support their children's digital learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) represents a large multisubunit E3-ubiquitin ligase complex that controls the unidirectional progression through the cell cycle by the ubiquitination of specific target proteins, marking them for proteasomal destruction. Although the APC/C's role is largely conserved among eukaryotes, its subunit composition and target spectrum appear to be species specific. In this review, we focus on the plant APC/C complex, whose activity correlates with different developmental processes, including polyploidization and gametogenesis. After an introduction into proteolytic control by ubiquitination, we discuss the composition of the plant APC/C and the essential nature of its core subunits for plant development. Subsequently, we describe the APC/C activator subunits and interactors, most being plant specific. Finally, we provide a comprehensive list of confirmed and suspected plant APC/C target proteins. Identification of growth-related targets might offer opportunities to increase crop yield and resilience of plants to climate change by manipulating APC/C activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major natural hazard with far-reaching social, economic, and environmental impacts whose characteristics are highly interdependent across different spatial and temporal scales. Traditional global warming impact assessments on drought at the global scale have, however, taken into account only one drought characteristic at a time, likely leading to an underestimation of the overall impact. Here, we perform a trivariate analysis of changes in drought conditions at 1.5°, 2°, and 3°C global warming levels using 25 CMIP6 GCMs. Drought properties are characterized by the Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSI). The future joint return periods of droughts historically associated with 10-, 20-, and 30-yr return periods are computed under the warming levels using copula functions considering drought duration, peak, and severity. Our comparative assessments of global warming impact on drought properties between univariate and trivariate analyses corroborate the substantial underestimation of the impact by the univariate analysis. The trivariate analysis shows that around 63%–91% of the global land will be subject to more recurrent droughts, while the percentage of the land reduces to 41%–56% for the univariate analysis. The difference between the univariate and trivariate analyses enlarges with global warming levels and the extremity of drought events. Based on the trivariate analysis, a 30-yr drought would become at least threefold more recurrent in 11%, 15%, and 20% of the global land at 1.5°, 2°, and 3°C warming levels, respectively, but the univariate analysis could not reach such large increases in drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NAC family of transcription factors is involved in plant development and various biotic and abiotic stresses. The Arabidopsis thaliana ANAC genes ANAC060, ANAC040, and ANAC089 are highly homologous based on protein and nucleotide sequence similarity. These three genes are predicted to be membrane bound transcription factors (MTFs) containing a conserved NAC domain, but divergent C-terminal regions. The anac060 mutant shows increased dormancy when compared with the wild type. Mutations in ANAC040 lead to higher seed germination under salt stress, and a premature stop codon in ANAC089 Cvi allele results in seeds exhibiting insensitivity to high concentrations of fructose. Thus, these three homologous MTFs confer distinct functions, although all related to germination. To investigate whether the differences in function are caused by a differential spatial or temporal regulation, or by differences in the coding sequence (CDS), we performed swapping experiments in which the promoter and CDS of the three MTFs were exchanged. Seed dormancy and salt and fructose sensitivity analyses of transgenic swapping lines in mutant backgrounds showed that there is functional redundancy between ANAC060 and ANAC040 , but not between ANAC060 and ANAC089. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presens the discussion on Rosacea being a common and often underdiagnosed chronic inflammatory centrofacial dermatosis. Topics include Phymas or enlargement and thickening of the facial skin particularly the nose in men being a diagnostic feature of rosacea; and appropriate treatment of symptoms and signs of rosacea resulting in an improved quality of life for affected patients.

To evaluate the manufacturing accuracy of zirconia four-unit fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) fabricated by three different additive manufacturing technologies compared with subtractive manufacturing. A total of 79 zirconia FDPs were produced by three different manufacturing technologies, representing additive (one stereolithography [aSLA] and one material jetting [aMJ] device, two digital light processing [aDLP1/aDLP2] devices) and subtractive manufacturing (two devices [s1/s2]), the latter serving as references. After printing, additively manufactured FDPs were debound and finally sintered. Subsequently, samples were circumferentially digitized and acquired surface areas were split in three Regions Of Interest (ROIs: inner/outer shell, margin). Design and acquired data were compared for accuracy using an inspection software. Statistical evaluation was performed using the root mean square error (RMSE) and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis method with post hoc Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U tests. Bonferroni correction was applied in case of multiple testing. Regardless the ROI, significant differences were observed between manufacturing technologies (P < 0.001). Subtractive manufacturing was the most accurate with no significant difference regarding the material/device (s1/s2, P > 0.054). Likewise, no statistical difference regarding accurary was found when comparing s2 with aMJ and aSLA in most ROIs (P > 0.085). In general, mean surface deviation was< 50 µm for s1/s2 and aMJ and< 100 µm for aSLA and aDLP2. aDLP1 showed surface deviations> 100 µm and was the least accurate compared to the other additive/subtractive technologies. Additive manufacturing represents a promising set of technologies for the manufacturing of zirconia FDPs, but not yet as accurate as subtractive manufacturing. Methodological impact on accuracy within and in between different additive technologies needs to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can cause body odor or reveal human disease and may result from lipid peroxidation or activity by skin bacteria. We examined the effect of intake of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) powder for 77 skin VOCs in middle-aged and older adults in a crossover design. Fourteen adults (nine males, age: 55 ± 5 yrs) consumed NZBC powder for 7 days (6 g·day−1 with 138.6 mg anthocyanins). Two hours after the last intake, a passive flux sampler with trapping media was applied in the base of the neck for 1 hour. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for media analysis. Habitual anthocyanin intake was quantified using a food frequency questionnaire. Compared to control (i.e., no intake of NZBC powder), emission of six skin VOCs (i.e., 2-nonenal, acetic acid, 2-hexanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, benzaldehyde, allyl methyl sulfide) were lower by more than 25%. Increases were observed for γ-octanolactone (+184%) and γ-decanolactone (+89%). A trend for a decrease for isovaleraldehyde, hexanal, and 2-pentanone, and an increase for heptanoic acid and γ-nonanolactone was observed. There was a significant correlation with daily habitual dietary anthocyanin intake for control values of hexanal and percentage change of γ-octanolactone. NZBC powder can change emanation of some VOCs in human skin. Analysis of skin VOCs following specific polyphenol intake may address the impact of dietary components to affect internal metabolic processes, body odor, and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) health crisis imposes severe pressures on nonprofit organizations, which must be resilient to respond effectively to extreme environmental tensions. We combined resource dependence theory with stakeholder theory to frame to what extent nonprofits experienced resource pressures through various stakeholder channels and the nonprofit governance responses. We empirically investigated international medical research and education nonprofits during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Our results indicate resource decreases in nearly all stakeholder channels. In response, nonprofit boards increased activity levels by mainly focusing on adapting organizational offerings and increasing support to the organization. Managerial executives also increased their activity levels, by focusing on safeguarding financial stability, planning and adapting operations to confinement measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed dormancy is a very complex trait controlled by interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Nitrate is inversely correlated with seed dormancy in Arabidopsis. This is explained by the fact that seed dry storage (after-ripening) reduces the need for nitrogen for germination. When nitrate is absorbed by plants, it is first reduced to nitrite and then to ammonium for incorporation into amino acids, nucleic acids and chlorophyll. Previously, we showed that ALLANTOATE AMIDOHYDROLASE (AtAAH) transcripts are up-regulated in imbibed dormant seeds compared with after-ripened seeds. AAH is an enzyme in the uric acid catabolic pathway which catalyzes the hydrolysis of allantoate to yield CO2, NH3 and S -ureidoglycine. This pathway is the final stage of purine catabolism, and functions in plants and some bacteria to provide nitrogen, particularly when other nitrogen sources are depleted. Ataah mutant seeds are more dormant and accumulate high levels of allantoate, allantoin and urea, whereas energy-related metabolites and several amino acids are lower upon seed imbibition in comparison with Columbia-0. AtAAH expression could be detected during the early stages of seed development, with a transient increase around 8 d after pollination. AtAAH expression is the highest in mature pollen. The application of exogenous potassium nitrate can partly complement the higher dormancy phenotype of the Ataah mutant seeds, whereas other nitrogen sources cannot. Our results indicate that potassium nitrate does not specifically overcome the alleviated dormancy levels in Ataah mutant seeds, but promotes germination in general. Possible pathways by which AtAAH affects seed germination are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate some properties of ideals in group algebras of finite groups over fields. First, we highlight an important link between their dimension, their minimal Hamming distance and the group order. This is a generalized version of an uncertainty principle shown in 1992 by Meshulam. Secondly, we introduce the notion of the Schur product of ideals in group algebras and investigate the module structure and the dimension of the Schur square. We give a structural result on ideals that coincide with their Schur square, and we provide conditions for an ideal to be such that its Schur square has the projective cover of the trivial module as a direct summand. This has particularly interesting consequences for group algebras of 푝-groups over fields of characteristic 푝. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Intensive care admission is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Mortality remains very high, and among several prognosis tools, data about power of discrimination showed contradictory results. The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new score, the Prognostic Index for Critically Ill Allogeneic Transplantation (PICAT) Patients, for this specific setting in a cohort of 111 patients. We confirmed the ability of this score to discriminate three groups of patients with different outcomes. Moreover, we evaluated a classic intensive score, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and we showed that the SOFA outperformed the PICAT to predict outcomes in our cohort. Background. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) recipients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) have high mortality rates. Methods. In the current study, we retrospectively assessed whether the Prognostic Index for Critically Ill Allogeneic Transplantation patients (PICAT) score predicted overall survival in a cohort of 111 consecutive allo-HCT recipients requiring ICU. Results. Survival rates at 30 days and 1 year after ICU admission were 57.7% and 31.5%, respectively, and were significantly associated with PICAT scores (p = 0.036). Specifically, survival at 30-day for low, intermediate, and high PICAT scores was 64.1%, 58.1%, and 31.3%, respectively. At one-year, the figures were 37.5%, 29%, and 12.5%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, high PICAT score (HR = 2.23, p = 0.008) and relapse prior to ICU admission (HR = 2.98, p = 0.0001) predicted higher mortality. We next compared the ability of the PICAT and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores to predict mortality in our patients using c-statistics. C statistics for the PICAT and the SOFA scores were 0.5687 and 0.6777, respectively. Conclusions. This study shows that while the PICAT score is associated with early and late mortality in allo-HCT recipients requiring ICU, it is outperformed by the SOFA score to predict their risk of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-quality evidence from trials directly comparing single antiplatelet therapies in symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) to dual antiplatelet therapies or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) plus low-dose rivaroxaban is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a network meta-analysis on the effectiveness of all antithrombotic regimens studied in PAD. Methods: A systematic search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleedings. Secondary endpoints were major adverse limb events (MALE) and acute limb ischaemia (ALI). For each outcome, a frequentist network meta-analysis was used to compare relative risks (RRs) between medication and ASA. ASA was the universal comparator since a majority of studies used ASA as in the reference group. Results: Twenty-four randomized controlled trials were identified including 48,759 patients. With regard to reducing MACE, clopidogrel [RR 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66–0.93], ticagrelor (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65–0.97), ASA plus ticagrelor (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64–0.97), and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76–0.93) were more effective than ASA, and equally effective to one another. As compared to ASA, major bleedings occurred more frequently with vitamin K antagonists, rivaroxaban, ASA plus vitamin K antagonists, and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban. All regimens were similar to ASA concerning MALE, while ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban was more effective in preventing ALI (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.55–0.80). Subgroup analysis in patients undergoing peripheral revascularization revealed that ≥ 3 months after intervention, evidence of benefit regarding clopidogrel, ticagrelor, and ASA plus ticagrelor was lacking, while ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban was more effective in preventing MACE (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78–0.97) and MALE (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.97) compared to ASA. ASA plus clopidogrel was not superior to ASA in preventing MACE ≥ 3 months after revascularization. Evidence regarding antithrombotic treatment strategies within 3 months after a peripheral intervention was lacking. Conclusion: Clopidogrel, ticagrelor, ASA plus ticagrelor, and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban are superior to ASA monotherapy and equally effective to one another in preventing MACE in PAD. Of these four therapies, only ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban provides a higher risk of major bleedings. More than 3 months after peripheral vascular intervention, ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban is superior in preventing MACE and MALE compared to ASA but again at the cost of a higher risk of bleeding, while other treatment regimens show non-superiority. Based on the current evidence, clopidogrel may be considered the antithrombotic therapy of choice for most PAD patients, while in patients who underwent a peripheral vascular intervention, ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban could be considered for the long-term (> 3 months) prevention of MACE and MALE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although curiosity has huge implications for human creativity and learning, its evolutionary roots and function in animals remain poorly understood. Modern humans, who lack natural predators, thrive with curiosity, but our ancestors faced more hazardous environments that would not necessarily favor individual curiosity. Instead, being curious may have undergone selection in interaction with sociality. Our closest living relatives, the great apes (henceforth apes) have evolved facing conditions more like human ancestors and as such, can help us understand the functions of curiosity and its expression in non‐human species. In this study, we defined curiosity as a combination of behavioral traits like neophilia, exploration diversity, and prolonged interest in exploring novelty and compared it, under similar captive environments across four ape species (N = 101): Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, Pongo abelii, and Pongo pygmaeus. Results revealed that curiosity followed a linear gradient across the four species in accordance with their sociality. We propose the social curiosity hypothesis to explain the observed pattern, reflecting those individuals in highly social species, like bonobos and chimpanzees, regularly are accompanied by conspecifics, and thereby accustomed to an abundance of social cues, leading to inhibited curiosity when alone, compared to more solitary orangutans. As such, our study implies that ape curiosity evolved interlinked with sociality. Further, a subset of the sample (N = 46) enabled us to examine if curiosity benefits problem‐solving skills, but our data did not support such link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we use the theory of Information Ethics to argue that deceased people have a prima facie moral right to privacy in the context of health data research, and that this should be reflected in regulation and guidelines. After death, people are no longer biological subjects but continue to exist as informational entities which can still be harmed/damaged. We find that while the instrumental value of recognising post-mortem privacy lies in the preservation of the social contract for health research, its intrinsic value is grounded in respect for the dignity of the post-mortem informational entity. However, existing guidance on post-mortem data protection is available only in the context of genetic studies. In comparing the characteristics of genetic data and other health-related data, we identify two features of DNA often given as arguments for this genetic exceptionalism: relationality and embodiment. We use these concepts to show that at the appropriate Level of Abstraction, there is no morally relevant distinction between posthumous genetic and other health data. Thus, genetic data should not automatically receive special moral status after death. Instead we make a plea for ‘contextual exceptionalism’. Our analysis concludes by reflecting on a real-world case and providing suggestions for contextual factors that researchers and oversight bodies should take into account when designing and evaluating research projects with health data from deceased subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]