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Purpose: The implementation and reporting of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is one of the emerging challenges for higher education institutions (HEIs), but the lack of well-defined reporting structures and topics for this sector makes it difficult to map and evaluate HEI performance in relation to 2030 Agenda. This study aims to assess the SDG performance and reporting by the 13 HEIs that integrate the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking (THE_IR), from the perspective of the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda in the Portuguese context, where research on this topic is quite scarce. Design/methodology/approach: Considering the THE_IR methodology, an SDG reporting assessment framework with 85 key topics has been developed to search for in the institutional reports of the 13 studied HEIs. For each topic, depending on the number of institutions that disclose it, a reporting index (RI) has been calculated, which was used to compare the level of reporting between the different SDGs and pillars. Findings: Concerning HEIs' SDG performance in the THE_IR, the People pillar was the one with the most HEIs ranked, followed by the Prosperity pillar. The Planet pillar was less highlighted. SDG reporting varied widely among Portuguese HEIs. The SDG RI presented a mean value of 43.1%. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that the RI for the Planet pillar (RI = 23.6%) was statistically and significantly lower than those for the People and Prosperity pillars (RI = 48.6% and 53.5%, respectively). The results thus demonstrated some conformity of the SDG reporting with Portuguese HEI performance in THE_IR. Aside from Goal 5, the SDGs 4 and 3 stood out in the first four positions of the HEIs in the THE_IR. Goals 3 and 4 were also the most disclosed in institutional reports. Originality/value: This study proposed and applied a new SDG reporting assessment framework for HEIs, contributing to better evaluation of the inclusion of important SDG-related topics in their institutional reports.

BackgroundParkinson disease (PD) is associated with α-synuclein (αS) aggregation within enteric neurons. ENT-01 inhibits the formation of αS aggregates and improved constipation in an open-label study in patients with PD.ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral ENT-01 for constipation and neurologic symptoms in patients with PD and constipation.DesignRandomized, placebo-controlled phase 2b study. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03781791).SettingOutpatient.Patients150 patients with PD and constipation.InterventionENT-01 or placebo daily for up to 25 days. After baseline assessment of constipation severity, daily dosing was escalated to the prokinetic dose, the maximum dose (250 mg), or the tolerability limit, followed by a washout period.MeasurementsThe primary efficacy end point was the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) per week. Neurologic end points included dementia (assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) and psychosis (assessed using the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms adapted for PD [SAPS-PD]).ResultsThe weekly CSBM rate increased from 0.7 to 3.2 in the ENT-01 group versus 0.7 to 1.2 in the placebo group (P

Emotions are linked to wide sets of action tendencies, and it can be difficult to predict which specific action tendency will be motivated or indulged in response to individual experiences of emotion. Building on a functional perspective of emotion, we investigate whether anger and shame connect to different behavioral intentions in dignity, face, and honor cultures. Using simple animations that showed perpetrators taking resources from victims, we conducted two studies across eleven countries investigating the extent to which participants expected victims to feel anger and shame, how they thought victims should respond to such violations, and how expectations of emotions were affected by enacted behavior. Across cultures, anger was associated with desires to reclaim resources or alert others to the violation. In face and honor cultures, but not dignity cultures, shame was associated with the desire for aggressive retaliation. However, we found that when victims indulged motivationally-relevant behavior, expected anger and shame were reduced, and satisfaction increased, in similar ways across cultures. Results suggest similarities and differences in expectations of how emotions functionally elicit behavioral responses across cultures.

IntroductionSome patients with cervical dystonia (CD) receiving long-term botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) therapy report early waning of treatment benefit before the typical 12-week reinjection interval.MethodsThis phase 4, open-label, randomized, noninferiority study (CD Flex; NCT01486264) compared 2 incobotulinumtoxinA injection schedules (Short Flex: 8 ± 2 weeks; Long Flex: 14 ± 2 weeks) in CD patients. Previous BoNT-responsive subjects who reported acceptable clinical benefit lasting

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to search for genes/variants that modify the effect of LRRK2 mutations in terms of penetrance and age-at-onset of Parkinson's disease.MethodsWe performed the first genomewide association study of penetrance and age-at-onset of Parkinson's disease in LRRK2 mutation carriers (776 cases and 1,103 non-cases at their last evaluation). Cox proportional hazard models and linear mixed models were used to identify modifiers of penetrance and age-at-onset of LRRK2 mutations, respectively. We also investigated whether a polygenic risk score derived from a published genomewide association study of Parkinson's disease was able to explain variability in penetrance and age-at-onset in LRRK2 mutation carriers.ResultsA variant located in the intronic region of CORO1C on chromosome 12 (rs77395454; p value = 2.5E-08, beta = 1.27, SE = 0.23, risk allele: C) met genomewide significance for the penetrance model. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses of LRRK2 and CORO1C supported an interaction between these 2 proteins. A region on chromosome 3, within a previously reported linkage peak for Parkinson's disease susceptibility, showed suggestive associations in both models (penetrance top variant: p value = 1.1E-07; age-at-onset top variant: p value = 9.3E-07). A polygenic risk score derived from publicly available Parkinson's disease summary statistics was a significant predictor of penetrance, but not of age-at-onset.InterpretationThis study suggests that variants within or near CORO1C may modify the penetrance of LRRK2 mutations. In addition, common Parkinson's disease associated variants collectively increase the penetrance of LRRK2 mutations. ANN NEUROL 2021;90:82-94.

BackgroundThere is mounting evidence for a connection between the gut and Parkinson's disease (PD). Dysbiosis of gut microbiota could explain several features of PD.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine if PD involves dysbiosis of gut microbiome, disentangle effects of confounders, and identify candidate taxa and functional pathways to guide research.MethodsA total of 197 PD cases and 130 controls were studied. Microbial composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from stool. Metadata were collected on 39 potential confounders including medications, diet, gastrointestinal symptoms, and demographics. Statistical analyses were conducted while controlling for potential confounders and correcting for multiple testing. We tested differences in the overall microbial composition, taxa abundance, and functional pathways.ResultsIndependent microbial signatures were detected for PD (P = 4E-5), participants' region of residence within the United States (P = 3E-3), age (P = 0.03), sex (P = 1E-3), and dietary fruits/vegetables (P = 0.01). Among patients, independent signals were detected for catechol-O-methyltransferase-inhibitors (P = 4E-4), anticholinergics (P = 5E-3), and possibly carbidopa/levodopa (P = 0.05). We found significantly altered abundances of the Bifidobacteriaceae, Christensenellaceae, [Tissierellaceae], Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Pasteurellaceae, and Verrucomicrobiaceae families. Functional predictions revealed changes in numerous pathways, including the metabolism of plant-derived compounds and xenobiotics degradation.ConclusionPD is accompanied by dysbiosis of gut microbiome. Results coalesce divergent findings of prior studies, reveal altered abundance of several taxa, nominate functional pathways, and demonstrate independent effects of PD medications on the microbiome. The findings provide new leads and testable hypotheses on the pathophysiology and treatment of PD. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that chronic treatment of early-stage Huntington disease (HD) with high-dose coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) will slow the progressive functional decline of HD.MethodsWe performed a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients with early-stage HD (n = 609) were enrolled at 48 sites in the United States, Canada, and Australia from 2008 to 2012. Patients were randomized to receive either CoQ 2,400 mg/d or matching placebo, then followed for 60 months. The primary outcome variable was the change from baseline to month 60 in Total Functional Capacity score (for patients who survived) combined with time to death (for patients who died) analyzed using a joint-rank analysis approach.ResultsAn interim analysis for futility revealed a conditional power of

BackgroundFew studies have systematically investigated the association between PARKIN genotype and psychiatric co-morbidities of Parkison's disease (PD). PARKIN-associated PD is characterized by severe nigral dopaminergic neuronal loss, a finding that may have implications for behaviors rooted in dopaminergic circuits such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS).MethodsThe Schedule of Compulsions and Obsessions Patient Inventory (SCOPI) was administered to 104 patients with early-onset PD and 257 asymptomatic first-degree relatives. Carriers of one and two PARKIN mutations were compared with noncarriers.ResultsAmong patients, carriers scored lower than noncarriers in adjusted models (one-mutation: 13.9 point difference, P = 0.03; two-mutation: 24.1, P = 0.001), where lower scores indicate less OCS. Among asymptomatic relatives, a trend toward the opposite was seen: mutation carriers scored higher than noncarriers (one mutation, P = 0.05; two mutations, P = 0.13).ConclusionsFirst, a significant association was found between PARKIN mutation status and obsessive-compulsive symptom level in both PD and asymptomatic patients, suggesting that OCS might represent an early non-motor dopamine-dependent feature. Second, irrespective of disease status, heterozygotes were significantly different from noncarriers, suggesting that PARKIN heterozygosity may contribute to phenotype. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Several international groups have published guidelines to identify low-risk breast cancer (BC) patients who are eligible for partial breast irradiation (PBI). These include the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and ESTRO subgroups such as the Intraoperative radiation (IORT) Task Force and Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie (GEC) -ESTRO. Only ASTRO guidelines recommend against the use of PBI in known carriers of germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1 / 2. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proportion of BC patients, subsequently found to be BRCA1/2 PV carriers who would be eligible for PBI based on clinical-pathologic criteria of the above-mentioned international guidelines. Data were extracted from the medical records of consecutive BC BRCA1/2 PV carriers treated at a single institution between 2006 and 2023. Data included patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and disease outcomes. Overall, 498 patients with 518 primary tumors were analyzed. Of these, 282 (12 of them with synchronous bilateral disease) presented with unknown genetic status at diagnosis and formed the study cohort. The median age at diagnosis was 42.7 years (range, 23.8-77.9). Based on the recent ASTRO guidelines (not including conditionally recommended criteria), 17 of 294 (5.8%) of the carriers had tumors that would be eligible for PBI, including 3 Her2-positive tumors and 5 patients diagnosed between ages 40 and 49 years. Using the ESTRO IORT and the ACROP-ESTRO PBI criteria, 9 of 294 (3%) would be eligible, whereas with the GEC-ESTRO low-risk criteria, 31 of 294 (10.5%) of the carriers would be eligible, and their intermediate risk criteria would increase eligibility for PBI by an additional 8.2% (overall 18.7%). Using clinical-pathologic criteria published in international guidelines, 3% to 18% of BRCA1/2 PV carriers will have tumors eligible for PBI. Therefore, especially in populations who are at high risk for being BRCA1/2 PV carriers, we recommend adhering to stricter guidelines. In our cohort, ASTRO, ESTRO-IORT, and ESTRO PBI had the lowest probability of identifying BRCA1/2 PV carriers as eligible for PBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ImportanceData on the long-term cognitive outcomes of patients with PARKIN-associated Parkinson disease (PD) are unknown but may be useful when counseling these patients.ObjectiveAmong patients with early-onset PD of long duration, we assessed cognitive and motor performances, comparing homozygotes and compound heterozygotes who carry 2 PARKIN mutations with noncarriers.Design, setting, and participantsCross-sectional study of 44 participants at 17 different movement disorder centers who were in the Consortium on Risk for Early-Onset PD study with a duration of PD greater than the median duration (>14 years): 4 homozygotes and 17 compound heterozygotes (hereafter referred to as carriers) and 23 noncarriers.Main outcomes and measuresUnified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III) and Clinical Dementia Rating scores and neuropsychological performance. Linear regression models were applied to assess the association between PARKIN mutation status and cognitive domain scores and UPDRS-III scores. Models were adjusted for age, education, disease duration, language, and levodopa equivalent daily dose.ResultsCarriers had an earlier age at onset of PD (P