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Abstract Conditions experienced by an individual during migration have the potential to shape migratory tactic and in turn fitness. For large birds, environmental conditions encountered during migration have been linked with survival and subsequent reproductive output, but this is less known for smaller birds, hindering our understanding of mechanisms driving population change. By combining breeding and tracking data from 62 pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) representing two breeding populations collected over 2016-2020, we determine how variation in migration phenology and tactic among individuals affects subsequent breeding. Departure date from West African non-breeding areas to European breeding grounds was highly variable among individuals and had a strong influence on migration tactic. Early departing individuals had longer spring migrations which included longer staging duration yet arrived at breeding sites and initiated breeding earlier than later departing individuals. Individuals with longer duration spring migrations and early arrival at breeding sites had larger clutches, and for males higher fledging success. We suggest that for pied flycatchers, individual carry-over effects may act through departure phenology from West Africa, and the associated spring migration duration, to influence reproduction. While our results confirm that departure date from non-breeding areas can be associated with breeding success in migratory passerines, we identify spring staging duration as a key component of this process.

The population of Finland will start to decline in the near future, and most Finnish municipalities are already losing population. Can the tools used for land-use planning, which are historically designed to guide and control growth, be used to guide shrinking? The shrinking city-region of Kotka-Hamina has drafted a city-regional strategic master plan to manage the shrinking. The master plan and its documents are analyzed, and interviews are used to better understand how the plan is trying to achieve its objectives. The master plan is currently growth-oriented and used as a tool for place marketing. According to the interviews, growth is not essential to implement the plan. As a tool, it strives to show the potential of the city-region. The master plan guides future land use to denser areas and enables industry. Learning from this case study, strategic land-use planning can be seen as a feasible tool to manage shrinking, and the master plan hints at how that might be done, although it does need improvement. Since land-use planning has country-specific characteristics, the research findings may not be directly transferable to other planning systems. However, the findings may offer ideas on how planning tools can be adapted to similarly challenging conditions. The possibility of what strategic spatial planning has to offer in a shrinking context should be researched more to enable the development of planning tools that would be more usable in shrinking conditions.

Abstract COVID-19 diagnostics was quickly ramped up worldwide early 2020 based on the detection of viral RNA. However, based on the scientific knowledge for pre-existing coronaviruses, it was expected that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA will be detected from symptomatic and at significant rates also from asymptomatic individuals due to persistence of non-infectious RNA. To increase the efficacy of diagnostics, surveillance, screening and pandemic control, rapid methods, such as antigen tests, are needed for decentralized testing and to assess infectiousness. A novel automated mariPOC SARS-CoV-2 test was developed for the detection of conserved structural viral nucleocapsid proteins. The test utilizes sophisticated optical laser technology for two-photon excitation and individual detection of immunoassay solid-phase particles. We validated the new method against qRT-PCR. Sensitivity of the test was 100.0% (13/13) directly from nasopharyngeal swab specimens and 84.4% (38/45) from swab specimens in undefined transport mediums. Specificity of the test was 100.0% (201/201). The test's limit of detection was 2.7 TCID50/test. It showed no cross-reactions. Our study shows that the new test can detect infectious individuals already in 20 min with clinical sensitivity close to qRT-PCR. The mariPOC is a versatile platform for syndromic testing and for high capacity infection control screening of infectious individuals.

Introduction: Adequate responsiveness and knowledge of the minimal important change (MIC) is essential when using patient-reported outcome measures to assess treatment efficacy. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness and MIC of common outcomes in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompression. Methods: At baseline and 6 months after surgery, patients completed the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), EQ-5D 5-level utility index, EQ visual analogue scale, Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire Physical Activity subscale (FABQ-PA), assessed pain (pain visual analogue scale), and Subjective Shoulder Value. Furthermore, at the 6-month follow-up, patients assessed the overall change with a Global Rating of Change Scale. Responsiveness was examined by analyzing the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve and correlations between the change scores. MIC was assessed using the optimal cutoff point at the receiver operating characteristics curve. Results: Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve estimates were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91,1.00) for OSS, 0.82 (95% CI 0.66,0.99) for EQ-5D 5-level utility index, 0.73 (95% CI 0.58,0.87) for EQ visual analogue scale, and 0.74 (95% CI 0.58,0.90) for FABQ-PA. MIC were 6.0 points for OSS, 0.024 points for EQ-5D 5-level utility index, 10.0 points for EQ visual analogue scale, and -5.0 points for FABQ-PA. Conclusion: Responsiveness of the OSS, EQ-5D, and FABQ-PA was sufficient to measure improvement after arthroscopic decompression surgery.

Abstract Background The aim of the current study was to improve our understanding of the origins and transmission of Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) in Norway. Methods Whole-genome sequences (WGS) were generated for all (n = 29) available clinical isolates received at the Norwegian National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria (NRL) and identified as MAF in Norway, in the period 2010–2020. Phylogenetic analyses were performed. Results The analyses indicated several imports of MAF lineage 6 from both East and West African countries, whereas MAF lineage 5 was restricted to patients with West African connections. We also find evidence for transmission of MAF in Norway. Finally, our analyses revealed that a group of isolates from patients originating in South Asia, identified as MAF by means of a commercial line-probe assay, in fact belonged to Mycobacterium orygis. Conclusions Most MAF cases in Norway are the result of import, but transmission is occurring within Norway.

Abstract Background Sympathetic activity causes changes in electrocardiogram (ECG) during cold exposure and the changes have been studied mostly during hypothermia and less during mild acute nonshivering cold exposure. Cold‐induced sympathetic activity also activates brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increases arterial blood pressure (BP) and plasma catecholamine levels. We examined changes in ECG parameters during acute nonshivering cold exposure and their associations with markers of sympathetic activity during cold exposure: brachial blood pressure (BP), plasma catecholamine levels, and BAT activity measured by positron emission tomography (PET). Methods and results Healthy subjects (M/F = 13/24, aged 20–55 years) were imaged with [15O]H2O (perfusion, N = 37) and [18F]FTHA to measure plasma nonesterified fatty acid uptake (NEFA uptake, N = 37) during 2‐h nonshivering cold exposure. 12‐lead ECG (N = 37), plasma catecholamine levels (N = 17), and brachial BP (N = 31) were measured at rest in room temperature (RT) and re‐measured after a 2‐h nonshivering cold exposure. There were significant differences between RT and cold exposure in P axis (35.6 ± 26.4 vs. 50.8 ± 22.7 degrees, p = 0.005), PR interval (177.7 ± 24.6 ms vs.163.0 ± 28.7 ms, p = 0.001), QRS axis (42.1 ± 31.3 vs. 56.9 ± 24.1, p = 0.003), and QT (411.7 ± 25.5 ms vs. 434.5 ± 39.3 ms, p = 0.001). There was no significant change in HR, QRS duration, QTc, JTc, and T axis during cold exposure. Systolic BP (127.2 ± 15.7 vs. 131.8 ± 17.9 mmHg, p = 0.008), diastolic BP (81.7 ± 12.0 vs. 85.4 ± 13.0 mmHg, p = 0.02), and plasma noradrenaline level increased during cold exposure (1.97 ± 0.61 vs. 5.07 ± 1.32 µmol/L, p = 0.001). Cold‐induced changes in ECG parameters did not correlate with changes in BAT activity, brachial BP, plasma catecholamines, or skin temperature. Conclusions During short‐term nonshivering cold exposure, there were increases in P axis, PR interval, QRS axis, and QT compared to RT in healthy adults. Cold‐induced changes in ECG parameters did not correlate with BAT activity, brachial BP, or plasma catecholamine levels which were used as markers of cold‐induced sympathetic activity.

Background: Perceived social support (PSS) is a crucial factor in physical and mental health. Previous studies found a negative association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and current PSS. Objective: In this paper, we investigate whether psychopathology moderates this association in a sample of patients with Depressive Disorder (DD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Method: Sixty-nine patients with DD and 110 patients with BPD were recruited to inpatient/day clinic treatment programmes for either DD or BPD. All participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Social Support Questionnaire (F-SozU). Our hypothesis was tested with a moderator analysis in a multiple linear regression model. Results: We found a significant interaction between diagnosis and CM for the CTQ total score and the emotional abuse subscale. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between CM and PSS only for patients suffering from BPD and not for patients with DD. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the negative association between CM and PSS might be more pronounced in certain patient groups, particularly patients with BPD.

BackgroundDeficits in social cognition, referred to as preoperational thinking, are assumed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of persistent depression. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of preoperational thinking on the two-year course of depressive symptoms in a sample of persistently depressed, episodically depressed as well as healthy participants.MethodsWe recruited 43 persistently depressed participants, 26 episodically depressed participants and 16 healthy control participants. Preoperational thinking was assessed at baseline with the Luebeck Questionnaire for Recording Preoperational Thinking. Over the period of two years, the course of depressive symptom severity was measured every three months using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology.ResultsUsing linear mixed model analysis we found a significant effect for the influence of preoperational thinking on the severity of depressive symptoms in the observation period. We found a non-significant statistical trend for an association of preoperational thinking with the change of depressive symptom severity.ConclusionOur analyses suggest that a high degree of preoperational thinking is associated with a higher severity of depressive symptoms and possibly less symptom improvement. These findings support the notion that preoperational thinking is a relevant factor for the further course of depression and might indeed contribute to the maintenance of persistent depression.

Abstract Background In a clinical setting, a visual evaluation of post-implant radiographs is often used to assess the restoration of glenohumeral joint anatomy after resurfacing hemiarthroplasty and is a part of the decision-making process, in combination with other parameters, when evaluating patients with inferior clinical results. However, the reliability of this method of visual evaluation has not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the inter- and intra-observer agreement among experienced shoulder surgeons assessing overstuffing, implant positioning, and size following resurfacing hemiarthroplasty using plain standardized radiographs. Methods Six experienced shoulder surgeons independently classified implant inclination, size of the implant and if the joint seemed overstuffed, in 219 cases of post-implant radiographs. All cases were classified twice 3 weeks apart. Only radiographs with an anterior-posterior projection with a freely visible joint space were used. Non-weighted Cohen’s kappa values were calculated for each coder pair and the mean used as an estimate of the overall inter-observer agreement. Results The overall inter-observer agreement for implant size (kappa, 0.48 and 0.41) and inclination angle was moderate in both rounds (kappa, 0.46 and 0.44), but only a fair agreement was found concerning the evaluation for stuffing of the joint (kappa, 0.24 and 0.28). Intra-observer agreement for implant size and stuffing ranged from fair to substantial while the agreement for inclination was moderate to substantial. Conclusions Our results indicate that a visual evaluation of plain radiographs may be inadequate to evaluate overstuffing, implant positioning, and size following resurfacing hemiarthroplasty using plain standardized radiographs. Future studies may contribute to elucidate whether reliability increases if consensus on clear definitions and standardized methods of evaluation is made.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been shown to induce osteoblastic activity via a complex signal transduction process which is mediated either by cAMP or cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i), or a combination thereof. One of the PTH functions in osteoblasts is the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. We have analyzed the second messengers involved in this process. 8-Bromo cAMP, a cAMP derivative, enhanced ODC activity in UMR106-01 osteoblastic cell system. The calcium ionophore A23187 and the protein kinase stimulator phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate did not alter ODC activity. ODC activity was increased by bPTH-(1-34), PGE1, and PGE2 which stimulated both cAMP and [Ca2+]i. In contrast, PTH-(2-34), propionyl bPTH-(2-34), bPTH-(3-34), bPTH-(7-34), and PGF2 alpha, which only enhanced [Ca2+]i but not cAMP, had no effect on ODC activity. Thus, the stimulation of ODC in UMR106 cells by PTH appeared to be mediated primarily via the cAMP signal transduction pathway, and the mere increase in intracellular calcium could not account for the stimulation of ODC activity. ODC mRNA level was found to be increased by PTH treatment. Therefore, translation of ODC may be stimulated by PTH. Moreover, PTH also stimulated ODC antizyme activity, suggesting that the ODC degradation rate was increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]