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Advanced age is associated with an increased risk of vascular morbidity, attributable in part to impairments in new blood vessel formation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have previously been shown to play an important role in neovascularization and deficie

The study aimed to analyze and characterize an urban area based on satellite imagery. UAT Dumbravita, Timis County, Romania, was studied under the aspect of the variation of NDBI and NDVI indices. It was considered a period of four years, 2017 - 2020, for the study, and as the period of the year the summer season was taken into account. Satellite scenes, Landsat 8, were used, taken in July - August during the study period. Based on spectral information and established formulas, NDBI and NDVI indices were calculated. Data sets of 21011 were analyzed for each index calculated and year of study. The series of values of the two indices studied (NDBI, NDVI) presented statistical distributions of histogram type - normal fit. The ANOVA test evaluated and confirmed the data safety and the presence of the variance in the data series (F>Fcrit, p<0.001). According to the Diversity profile, NDVI presented a higher variation in 2020 and a lower one in 2018. Intermediate values were recorded for 2017 and 2019. The variation of NDVI index values in relation to NDBI during the study period was described by 2nd order polynomial equations for 2017 and 2018 in statistical safety conditions (R² = 0.729, p <0.001, F = 28287 for 2017; R² = 0.773, p <0.001 F = 35695 for 2018). In the conditions of 2019 and 2020, the NDVI variation in relation to NDBI was best described by linear equations, in conditions of statistical safety (R² = 0.716, p <0.001, F = 53038 for 2019; R² = 0.798, p < 0.001, F = 83229 for the year 2020). The general analysis over the study period, mean values of NDBI and NDVI indices, led to a spline model, which most appropriately described, and in statistical safety, the NDVI variation relative to NDBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is trying to present the way in witch the hydrogenate speed can be determinate by the levels in the two lakes of the complex, the upper lake and the lower one. Those levels are determined by measurements with modern GPS systems. The advantage of this system is the yield maximization for the energy facilities if it works with variable speed. This study is very useful for a Hydroelectric Power Plant with Pumped Storage that will be built in Romania at Tarnita-Lapustesti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a simple low-temperature synthesis route of preparing bismuth ferrite thin films through a wet chemical process, using nitrates of bismuth and iron and two chelating agents (citric acid and polyvinyl alcohol). The films were successively deposited on different type of substrates (silica glass, steel and sintered alumina) using the immersion technique. After specific annealing, in air, the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), spectroellipsometry (SE), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The influence of chelate agent and the nature of substrates on the mechanism formation of BiFeO3 is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this work is to convert into harmless reusable materials industrial wastes already produced and accumulated from a lead battery plant. Slag, containing 5-20 wt% lead resulting from the thermal recycling of lead from spent batteries, was vitrified with the necessary amount of silica and other additives in order to obtain glasses with desired chemical stability. The most convenient glass was selected and then manufactured and characterised. The influence of composition and temperature on the glass structure and properties were followed using infrared reflectance spectroscopy up to the glass transition temperature, Tg, and electrical conductivity experiments in the solid and molten states. The results were correlated with data obtained from magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra and thermal analysis data. The properties compare well with those of the commercially available Drager Austria glass. Therefore the glass produced here could be used for façade material due to its resistance to corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abbreviated version of the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory , the CMNI-30, was developed with several strengths. However, its measurement invariance across men with different sexual orientations has not been examined in a U.S. sample, so it is unclear whether these different populations understand the items similarly. In addition, no studies have compared conformity to masculinity norms across sexual orientations. This would be important to understand sexual minority men's experience of masculinity and how it differs from heteronormative masculinity. This article explores the measurement invariance of the CMNI-30 among 882 heterosexual, gay, and bisexual+ men using confirmatory factor analysis, and compares their CMNI-30 subscale scores. Results indicated that the CMNI-30 demonstrated residual invariance between men of different sexual orientations, suggesting that men of different sexual orientations interpreted the items similarly. We also found higher levels of conformity to the masculine norms of Winning, Heterosexual self-presentation, and Power over women among heterosexual men relative to gay and bisexual+ men, and higher levels of Pursuit of status among gay men relative to the other groups. Results provide support for the use of the CMNI-30 in research with men of different sexual orientations.

Context: Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous., Objective: This work aimed to determine the correlation between genotypic severity with pubertal and neuroendocrine phenotypes in IHH men., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted (1980-2020) examining olfaction (Kallmann syndrome [KS] vs normosmic IHH [nHH]), baseline testicular volume (absent vs partial puberty), neuroendocrine profiling (pulsatile vs apulsatile luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion), and genetic variants in 62 IHH-associated genes through exome sequencing (ES)., Results: In total, 242 men (KS: n = 131 [54%], nHH: n = 111 [46%]) were included. Men with absent puberty had significantly lower gonadotropin levels (P < .001) and were more likely to have undetectable LH (P < .001). Logistic regression showed partial puberty as a statistically significant predictor of pulsatile LH secretion (R2 = 0.71, P < .001, OR: 10.8; 95% CI, 3.6-38.6). Serum LH of 2.10 IU/L had a 95% true positive rate for predicting LH pulsatility. Genetic analyses in 204 of 242 IHH men with ES data available revealed 36 of 204 (18%) men carried protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in 12 IHH genes. Men with absent puberty and apulsatile LH were enriched for oligogenic PTVs (P < .001), with variants in ANOS1 being the predominant PTV in this genotype-phenotype association. Men with absent puberty were enriched for ANOS1 PTVs compared to partial puberty counterparts (P = .002). PTVs in other IHH genes imparted more variable reproductive phenotypic severity., Conclusion: Partial puberty and LH greater than or equal to 2.10 IU/L are proxies for pulsatile LH secretion. ANOS1 PTVs confer severe reproductive phenotypes. Variable phenotypic severity in the face of severe genetic variants in other IHH genes point to significant neuroendocrine plasticity of the HPG axis in IHH men., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is a heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by disrupted puberty and infertility. In most cases, HH is abiding yet 10-15% undergo reversal. Men with HH and absent and partial puberty (i.e., testicular volume <4mL and >4mL respectively) have been well-studied, but the rare fertile eunuch (FE) variant remains poorly characterized. This natural history study of 240 men with HH delineates the clinical presentation, neuroendocrine profile, rate of reversal and genetics of the FE variant. We compared three HH groups: FE (n=38), absent puberty (n=139), and partial puberty (n=63). The FE group had no history of micropenis and 2/38 (5%) had cryptorchidism ( p <0.0001 vs. other groups). The FE group exhibited higher rates of detectable gonadotropins, higher mean LH/FSH levels, and higher serum inhibin B levels (all p <0.0001). Neuroendocrine profiling showed pulsatile LH secretion in 30/38 (79%) of FE men ( p <0.0001) and 16/36 (44%) FE men underwent spontaneous reversal of HH ( p <0.001). The FE group was enriched for protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in GNRHR and FGFR1 and 4/30 (13%) exhibited oligogenic PTVs. Findings suggest men with the FE variant exhibit the mildest neuroendocrine defects of HH men and the FE sub-type represents the first identified phenotypic predictor for reversible HH., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Dwyer, Stamou, McDonald, Anghel, Cox, Salnikov, Plummer, Seminara and Balasubramanian.)

Objective: The insulin tolerance test (ITT) is the gold standard endocrine test used to assess the integrity of the growth hormone (GH) and cortisol axes. The ITT has potential risks, and severe hypoglycaemia may necessitate intravenous glucose rescue. There is no clear consensus as to the optimal insulin dose for the ITT. Therefore, we sought to compare the standard dose (0.15 U/kg) and a low-dose ITT (0.1 U/kg)., Design: Single-centre audit of ITT data (2012-2021). Patients and Measurements . Patients who underwent an ITT to assess possible GH deficiency/adrenal insufficiency were included. Glucose, GH, and cortisol were measured at baseline and 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes following I.V. insulin bolus (0.15 U/kg or 0.10 U/kg)., Results: Of the ITTs performed, only 3/177 (1.7%) did not achieve adequate hypoglycaemia (≤2.2 mmol/L) with a single insulin dose. In total, 174 patients (43.5 ± 12.1 yrs, mean ± standard deviation) were included for analysis (0.15 U/kg: n  = 113, 0.10 U/kg: n  = 61). All 174 subjects had adequate hypoglycaemia regardless of baseline fasting blood glucose level or insulin dose. Neither nadir glucose nor glucose delta (i.e., baseline minus nadir) differed between insulin doses. Trends in both cortisol and GH responses over time were similar between groups, and a greater proportion of patients receiving the standard dose had an adequate cortisol response (77/106 (72.6%) vs. 32/60 (53.3%), p =0.01). The rates of glucose rescue did not differ in a subset of 79 patients, with on-demand glucose rescue in 4/35 (11%) for the standard dose and 2/44 (5%) for the low dose ( p =0.25)., Conclusions: Our results suggest that the low-dose ITT produces comparable glucose, cortisol, and GH responses to the higher dose. Given the risks associated with hypoglycaemia, the low dose appears to be preferable to the standard dose ITT in most circumstances., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Phillip Yeoh et al.)

Objectives: The study investigates the psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21)., Method: The DASS-21 was administered to a community sample twice over the course of 7 months ( N T 1  = 235 and N T 2  = 171; 51% female, M age  = 22 years). A partial credit Rasch model was used to determine the scales' longitudinal invariance and reliability., Results: The DASS-21 mostly demonstrated longitudinal invariance across administrations. The Depression and Anxiety subscales were sufficiently reliable to distinguish among the suggested severity categories, but the Stress scale was not., Conclusion: Several revisions of the DASS are recommended. It is also suggested that the Stress scale should be used with caution, given its low reliability., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background:  Free tissue transfer is one option for preservation of form and function in the native limb, in the setting of soft tissue paucity. However, the data on patient functionality after microvascular intervention is inconsistently reported. The Lower Extremity Function Scale (LEFS) measures patient-reported difficulty in carrying out 20 physical activities, on a Likert scale, the sum of which correlates with descriptive functional stages of 1-5. We assess limb functionality in this cohort of microvascular patients using the LEFS survey., Methods:  A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single academic medical center of 101 consecutive free flaps, from 2011 to 2016. Of the flaps that met inclusion criteria, 39 had completed LEFS surveys. Mean LEFS scores were calculated, and the effects of risk factors such as diabetes, age, and smoking status were analyzed., Results:  The mean LEFS score after free tissue transfer was 50.3 (SD ± 21.1), with a mean follow up survey time of 3.0 years (SD ± 1.3). The score correlated with Stage 4 function, or "independent community ambulation," and age was the only demographic factor associated with decreased functionality in this group. This is compared with mean LEFS score of 43.1 (SD ± 18.4) in cohort of 55 below knee amputations (BKAs), and 38.3 (SD ± 14.9) in 28 above knee amputations (AKAs), both correlating with Stage 3 function: "limited community ambulation.", Conclusions:  Functional outcomes scores such as the LEFS demonstrate that patients can obtain an adequate level of functionality for independent community activity after free tissue transfer, although functional improvement diminishes with age., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial disclosures to report., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

Outpatient-based sharp debridement is considered an important element for the care of a chronic ulcer., Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the change in bacterial amounts with sharp debridement in a clinical setting., Materials and Methods: Bacterial autofluorescence, quantitative cultures, semiquantitative cultures, and qualitative speciation were performed predebridement and postdebridement during a single clinic visit., Results: Thirty-six wounds were included in the analysis. The mean patient age was 62 years (range, 27-83 years), and there were 13 (36.11%) women and 23 (63.89%) men with an average body mass index of 33.8 kg/m² (range, 16.7-55.9 kg/m²). Of the 36 patients, 24 (66.67%) had type 2 diabetes and 19 (52.78%) had a prior history of lower extremity amputation. Majority of the ulcers were diabetic neuropathic (27, 75%); the most common location was on the plantar aspect of the foot (14, 41.67%) with a mean ulcer duration of 10 months (range, 1-36), mean ulcer area of 6.3 ± 12.8 cm² (range, 0.18-62.06 cm²), and mean volume of 2.2 ± 4.4 cm³ (range, 0.05-9.66 cm³). There was no statistically significant difference in bacterial autofluorescence between the predebridement (4.15 ± 8.82) and the postdebridement (4.65 ± 9.48) images (P = .32). There was a statistically significant difference in quantitative culture results between the predebridement (6.7 x 104 ± 1.4 x 106 CFU/cm²) and the postdebridement (1.7 x 104 ± 3.1 x 106 CFU/cm²) cultures (P = .04), although this is not a log reduction., Conclusions: There is no statistically significant difference between the predebridement versus postdebridement semiquantitative culture results or a detectable pattern of change for the most common bacterial species encountered. These results suggest little impact of clinic-based sharp debridement on bacteria.

Patient-reported outcome measures derived from quality of life instruments are an important tool in monitoring disease progression and treatment response. Although a number of validated instruments are available, the Short Form-36 (SF-36) quality of life survey is the most widely used. It is imperative that the patients answer all the questions in this instrument for appropriate analysis and interpretation. It has been hypothesized that fewer questions (i.e., the Short Form-12 [SF-12]), will result in greater survey completion rates. The present study was a randomized prospective study comparing the completion rates for the SF-36 and SF-12 quality of life surveys. Patients presenting with a chronic wound were asked to complete the SF-36 or SF-12 survey. After an a priori power analysis was performed, the completion rates, patterns of skipped questions, and demographic information were analyzed using t tests for continuous variables or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and both multivariate linear regression and logistic regression. A total of 59 subjects (30 completed the SF-12 and 29 completed the SF-36) participated in the present study. The SF-12 group had an 80% (24 of 30) completion rate compared with a 55% (16 of 29) completion rate for the SF-36 group (p < .05). However, the length of the survey did not affect the completion rate nor was a statistically detectable pattern of skipped questions found. College graduates were more likely to complete both surveys compared with high school graduates (p < .07). Although it is unclear why, our study results indicate that the SF-12 yields a higher total survey completion rate. However, completion appears independent of the shorter survey length., (Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Advanced age is associated with an increased risk of vascular morbidity, attributable in part to impairments in new blood vessel formation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have previously been shown to play an important role in neovascularization and deficiencies in these cells have been described in aged patients. Here we utilize single cell transcriptional analysis to determine the effect of aging on MSC population dynamics. We identify an age-related depletion of a subpopulation of MSCs characterized by a pro-vascular transcriptional profile. Supporting this finding, we demonstrate that aged MSCs are also significantly compromised in their ability to support vascular network formation in vitro and in vivo. Finally, aged MSCs are unable to rescue age-associated impairments in cutaneous wound healing. Taken together, these data suggest that age-related changes in MSC population dynamics result in impaired therapeutic potential of aged progenitor cells. These findings have critical implications for therapeutic cell source decisions (autologous versus allogeneic) and indicate the necessity of strategies to improve functionality of aged MSCs.