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Here we describe the bone histology of a femur of Araripesuchus wegeneri, using both cross and longitudinal thin sections. The parasagittal stance and high maximum metabolic rate inferred for this taxon is often linked to the capacity of formation of sustained fibrolamellar complex (FLC), as it occurs in extant endotherms. This paper aims to test this hypothesis. The cross section of the sampled specimen MNHN.F.GDF660 revealed it was subadult, an ideal ontogenetic stage to check the presence of FLC as this tissue is formed mainly during early ontogenetic stages and is often eroded or remodelled in the adult stage. Although localized areas of FLC have been described in other Notosuchia, no evidence was found here for the presence of this tissue type in A. wegeneri. The hypothesis of the formation of sustained FLC in this taxon was, thus, ruled out, even though these animals were characterized by an upright position and very high maximum metabolic rates. These organisms have, therefore, no extant equivalences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Burma, exorcism is readily observable as a healing practice, and appears as a relatively well-bound domain ensconced into the larger and manifold Burmese Buddhist esoterism known as the weikza path. In this article, exorcism will be examined to unveil what he does to the Burmese religion. Particularly, manifestation of nefarious beings provoked by specialists in their patients during séances, through supposedly erratic movement is opposed to spirit possession's dances as exorcism to adorcism (de Heusch). It is argued that bodily behaviour is used by exorcist as a way to demonstrate whose spiritual beings' worship should be abandoned by patients undertaking the exorcist cure and by weikza followers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquisition of mammalian endothermy is poorly constrained both phylogenetically and temporally. Here, we inferred the resting metabolic rates (RMRs) and the thermometabolic regimes (endothermy or ectothermy) of a sample of eight extinct synapsids using palaeohistology, phylogenetic eigenvector maps (PEMs), and a sample of 17 extant tetrapods of known RMR (quantified using respirometry). We inferred high RMR values and an endothermic metabolism for the anomodonts (Lystrosaurus sp., Oudenodon bainii) and low RMR values and an ectothermic metabolism for Clepsydrops collettii, Dimetrodon sp., Edaphosaurus boanerges, Mycterosaurus sp., Ophiacodon uniformis and Sphenacodon sp. A maximum-likelihood ancestral states reconstruction of RMRs performed using the values inferred for extinct synapsids, and the values measured using respirometry in extant tetrapods, shows that the nodes Anomodontia and Mammalia were primitively endotherms. Finally, we performed a parsimony optimization of the presence of endothermy using the results obtained in the present study and those obtained in previous studies that used PEMs. For this, we assigned to each extinct taxon a thermometabolic regime (ectothermy or endothermy) depending on whether the inferred values were significantly higher, lower or not significantly different from the RMR value separating ectotherms from endotherms (1.5 ml O2 h-1 g-0.67). According to this optimization, endothermy arose independently in Archosauromorpha, Sauropterygia and Therapsida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Colorectal surgery is complicated by postoperative collections in up to 25% of cases depending on local conditions. The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors of success of percutaneous drainage of collections in order to avoid follow-up imaging.Patients and methods: All consecutive patients between January 2009 and December 2016, who had undergone elective or emergency colorectal surgery (colorectal surgery and appendectomy) complicated by a postoperative collection treated by percutaneous drainage with follow-up imaging prior to drain removal, were included in this single-center and retrospective study. The primary objective was to assess predictive factors of success of the first attempt of percutaneous drainage of collections. Secondary objectives were to describe the natural history of percutaneous drainage of postoperative collections after colorectal surgery and the overall success rate of percutaneous drainage.Results: Fifty-three patients underwent percutaneous drainage of a postoperative collection during the study period and were included in this study. Complete resolution of the collection was observed on the first follow-up radiological examination in 36 patients (58%). In multivariate analysis, post-appendectomy collections (OR = 3.19 (1.14-9.27), p = 0.002) and reduction of the leukocyte count (OR = 3.22 (1.28-8.1), p = 0.013) were significantly associated with success of percutaneous drainage.Conclusion: This is the first study to address that follow-up imaging prior to drain removal might not be necessary in patients undergoing drainage of post-appendectomy collections and/or with more than 30% reduction of the leukocyte count at the first follow-up examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Triple-A or Allgrove syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutations in the AAAS gene, which encodes a nucleoporin named ALADIN. It is characterized by a classical clinical triad: alacrima, achalasia and adrenal insufficiency, the canonic symptoms that are associated with progressive peripheral neuropathy. Only a few cohorts have been reported. The objective of the present study was to characterize the various spectra of adrenal function in Triple-A patients. Methods: A retrospective clinical and biological monitoring of 14 patients (10 families) was done in a single multidisciplinary French center. All had AAAS gene sequenced and adrenal function evaluation. Results: Nine different AAAS mutations were found, including one new mutation: c.755G>C, p.(Trp252Ser). Regarding adrenal function, defects of the zona fasciculata and reticularis were demonstrated by increased basal ACTH levels and low DHEAS levels in all cases regardless of the degree of glucocorticoid deficiency. In contrast, mineralocorticoid function was always conserved: i.e., normal plasma renin level associated with normal aldosterone level. The main prognostic feature was exacerbation of neuropathy and cognitive disorders. Conclusions: These data suggest that, in Triple-A patients, adrenal function can be deficient, insufficient or compensated. In our cohort after the first decade of life, there does not appear to be any degradation of adrenal function over time. However, patients with compensated adrenal function should be informed and educated to manage a glucocorticoid replacement therapy in case of stressful conditions, with no need for systematic long-term treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only 30% of patients with McCune–Albright syndrome (MAS)–associated acromegaly achieve biochemical control under first-generation somatostatin receptor ligands (fg-SRLs), while pegvisomant fails to normalize insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) in >20% of cases. Here, we report all the patients with MAS-associated acromegaly treated with pasireotide long-acting release (LAR) in our center. Pasireotide LAR 20 mg/month resulted in rapid and long-term IGF-I normalization in patients #1 and #3. Patient #3 was resistant to fg-SRLs, while patient #1 was also controlled on fg-SRLs. In patient #2, resistant to fg-SRLs and uncontrolled on pegvisomant 40 mg/day combined with cabergoline 0.5 mg/day, pegvisomant was replaced with pasireotide LAR 40 mg/month, resulting in the near normalization of IGF-I levels. All 3 patients developed intermittent impaired fasting glucose, without the need for glucose-lowering drugs. Thus, pasireotide LAR is clearly useful as third-line therapy, and potentially even as second-line therapy, in MAS-associated acromegaly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the religious donation-meaning oriented interactions that occur between a lay donor and his or her monastic recipient or between laypeople and religious institutions as a whole-is first examined in the Burmese Buddhist context, in regard to the Maussian theory of the gift. The formal analysis of 'serving rice' to monks during their daily alms tour, the main form of religious donation, demonstrates that it is in keeping with the definition of a free gift rather than involving reciprocity, although it is supposed to be rewarded by merit through an impersonal process. Then, moving from a formal analysis of the ethnography of religious donation ( ahlu) to the contextual analysis of the differentiated uses of various forms of giving in contemporary Burma, the discussion aims at highlighting differences with practices of 'ritual offering' ( kadaw bwe) and 'humanitarian aid'( ke hse yay) showing how these different forms of interaction shape contrasted fields of practice. The transaction occurring in religious donations then emerges as setting into motion a crucial social process, the enactment and reproduction of the difference in status between monastics and laypeople that is one of the main social processes contributing to the differentiation of a Buddhist-defined 'religious field'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the career of a Burmese preaching monk and on what happened to him in November 2011, following a particularly successful series of sermons on the ‘ten duties of a Buddhist king’. Belonging to the lineage of the Mogok abbot, this monk was known as the ‘Frying pan’ abbot and had gained a considerable influence through the combination of systematic preaching and of humanitarian aid and social action. The turn to mass preaching was aimed, in his case, to implement moral reform and located him in the monastic lineages that contest established powers to such an extent that, eventually, he was banned from large public preaching in the region of Rangoon by the religious body administrating the Sangha. This case is examined from the point of view of renunciation that defines the position occupied by monks in Theravadin societies as opposed to that of the laity, and as representative of a specific moment in the articulation of religion and politics in Myanmar. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Burmese conceptions manifested by death rituals reveal a variety of concepts related to spiritual components of the self, such as leikpya, wignan, wignin, nam and manaw and a complementarity of beliefs and practices linked to the soul stuff (leikpya) and the karmic theory. These concepts are further examined in the opposite extreme situations of bad and good deaths that both produce beings, inconsistent with the Buddhist karmic theory, ghosts or spirits (nat) on the one hand, weikza or saints on the other hand. Nat and weikza, equally anomalous from the point of view of the Buddhist theory, are nevertheless the object of institutionalized cults and display strongly contrasted features. This is exemplified by the comparison of the performing sessions in which they manifest in this world through contrasted forms of possession. Finally, too good or too bad deaths both similarly prevent rebirth and thus leave the space for various after-death agencies in this world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I bring into focus the biography of a Burmese ritual specialist who combines in her practice different spiritual resources in order to master her changing world. By analysing the way in which she positions herself between different fields of practice, namely the weikza path and the spirit possession cult, I aim to show that beliefs and practices considered normatively distinct according to their relative distance from the core of Buddhism actually converge in her personal history. By bringing to light the evolution of such a specialist in terms of a 'spiritual career,' I seek to illuminate changes in the religious landscape that reflect those of the overall social context. Finally, this case demonstrates that magic, as a field of practice, is fully constitutive of the way the Burmese Buddhists of today think about and manage their lives, even if it has often been regarded as deviant from normative Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eigenenergies [variant_greek_epsilon](N)(m; {ni, li}) of a system of N identical particles with a mass m are functions of the various radial quantum numbers ni and orbital quantum numbers li. Approximations E(N)(m; Q) of these eigenenergies, depending on a principal quantum number Q({ni, li}), can be obtained in the framework of the auxiliary field method. We demonstrate the existence of numerous exact duality relations linking quantities E(N)(m; Q) and E(p)(m′; Q′) for various forms of the potentials (independent of m and N) and for both nonrelativistic and semirelativistic kinematics. As the approximations computed with the auxiliary field method can be very close to the exact results, we show with several examples that these duality relations still hold, with sometimes a good accuracy, for the exact eigenenergies [variant_greek_epsilon](N)(m; {ni, li}). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximate analytical energy formulas for N-body semirelativistic Hamiltonians with one- and two-body interactions are obtained within the framework of the auxiliary field method. This method has already been proven to be a powerful technique in the case of two-body problems. A general procedure is given and applied to various Hamiltonians of interest, in atomic and hadronic physics in particular. A test of formulas is performed for baryons described as a three-quark system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximate analytical closed energy formulas for semirelativistic Hamiltonians of the form $\sigma\sqrt{{p\kern-7pt p}^{2} + m^2} + V(r)$ are obtained within the framework of the auxiliary field method. This method, which is equivalent to the envelope theory, has been recently proposed as a powerful tool to get approximate analytical solutions of the Schrödinger equation. Various shapes for the potential V(r) are investigated: power-law, funnel, square root, and Yukawa. A comparison with the exact results is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission processes in the Burmese cult known as the cult of the Thirty- Seven Lords are examined here through the analysis of three succession cases among the ritual specialists of this cult. I seek to understand how transmission works in a cult whose main ritual manifestation is spirit possession that involves the logic of inspiration and vocation, rather than the logic of reproduction and succession. A careful examination of contrasted cases reveals that succession among spirit mediums, rather than obeying fixed rules, actually involves the differentiated transmission of assets made of ritual property, functions, positions, and knowledge. Various combinations--of spirit possession and affiliation or fictive kinship, of inspiration and tradition--appear to operate at different levels of the cult, with inversions of values sustaining both its dynamics and its reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This overview looks at the field of religion in Burmese studies from the perspective of practices that are relatively neglected, such as spirit cults. It argues that the overwhelming bias toward analysis of the Theravādin tradition tends to obscure the fact that in Burma, different kinds of religiosity actually interact in the shaping of the religious field and society. First, an analysis and selective review of past and present scholarly approaches to Burmese religion over the past forty years is presented. Then the Burmese spirit cult, the Thirty- Seven Lords, is introduced in this context as a component of a complex religious system dominated by the Theravādin tradition. This examination calls for a subaltern point of view capable of unveiling the hegemonic nature of Buddhism and of understanding the process through which the religious field is actually constituted in Burma through the incessant delineation of "pure" Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An interstellar Bussard ramjet is a spaceship using the protons of the interstellar medium in a fusion engine to produce thrust. In a recent paper, it was shown that the relativistic equation of motion of an ideal ramjet (100% efficient hydrogen fusion engine) is analytical. When a radiation loss appears, the speed of the ramjet is limited. But, the parametric equations, in terms of the ramjet''s speed, for the position of the ramjet in the inertial frame of the interstellar medium, the time in this frame, and the proper time indicated by the clocks on board the spaceship, can still be obtained in an analytical form. The nonrelativistic motion and the motion near the limit speed are studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electromagnetic splittings for hadrons are calculated in a formalism where the constituent quarks are considered as dressed quasiparticles. The electromagnetic interaction, which contains coulomb, contact and hyperfine terms, is folded with the quark electrical density. The strong potential is a modification of the well known funnel potential. Our model contains only one free parameter and the agreement with experimental data is reasonable although it seems very difficult to obtain a perfect description in any case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the validity of replacing the complicated three-body confinement operator of the Y string junction type by three kinds of approximation which are numerically much simpler to handle: a one-body operator with the junction point at the centre of mass, a two-body operator corresponding to half the perimeter of the triangle formed by the three particles, and the average of both. Two different approaches for testing the quality of the approximations are proposed: a geometrical treatment based on the comparison of the potential energy strengths for the various inter-quark distances, and a dynamical treatment based on the comparison of the corresponding effective string tensions using a hyperspherical approach. Both procedures give very similar results. It is shown how to simulate the genuine string junction operator by the approximations proposed above. Exact three-body calculations are presented in order to compare quantitatively the various approximations and to confirm our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A form factor is introduced in the quark electromagnetic current. Its effect is analyzed on charge mean square radii and form factors in the mesonic sector. The decay of a vector meson into lepton–antilepton pair is also affected. Two different expressions for the form factors, and two different types of quark potential are tested and some relativistic kinematical corrections are proposed. In any case the introduction of a quark form factor greatly improves the agreement with experimental data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mass of the 1/2 +pentaquark is calculated within the framework of a semirelativistic effective Hamiltonian approach to QCD with instanton-induced forces, using a diquark picture. This approximation allows a correct treatment of the confinement, assumed here to be a Y-junction. With the [ud] diquark mass fitted on the-baryon, the ground-state pentaquark is found around 2.2 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study shows that, in waveguide (WG) configuration, the coupling of a 2D plasmonic metamaterial grating (MMG) having a conventional Bragg period along the guide but a distinct period along the transverse axis can lead to Electromagnetically‐Induced‐Transparency (EIT) behavior. This epitomizes that metamaterials, as functional photonic building blocks, can lead to low losses in many standard devices if properly designed. The study reported the observation in passive WGs of a marked Fano‐type EIT resonance with record high‐quality factor: Q = 5000 and contrast >20 dB. Unlike any standard metal grating, MMG‐assisted waveguides exhibit strong grating coupling strength and low‐loss properties simultaneously. This concept is further applied to demonstrate single‐frequency‐emission electrically‐injected Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers in the near‐infrared telecom domain. The key point is that laser emission occurs at the peak of EIT, i.e., the maximum in transmission. It therefore addresses one of the main critical issues of DFB lasers related to the single frequency yield. The laser performances are state‐of‐the‐art (Ith < 20 mA, Pmax > 20 mW at I = 200 mA, SMSR > 50 dB, optical feedback tolerance >−21 dB compliant with IEEE 802.3 standard). The presented approach, compatible with existing industrial technologies, is promising for real‐life telecom applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact lens (CL) complications account for 2.2-10.0% of patients attending ophthalmic Accident and Emergency (A&E) units. A survey was conducted to evaluate disease severity among CL wearers attending the Oxford Eye Hospital A&E Unit. CL wearers without a medical indication for CL wear completed a short questionnaire eliciting CL type and wear schedule. Subsequently, A&E Senior House Officers indicated the diagnosis and whether, in their opinion, the patient could have been managed by their optometrist or contact lens practitioner. Approximately halt ot the CL wearers (321/653, 49%) presented with CL related disorders, but only 16% (53/321) of these had potentially sight-threatening disease. More than a third of these patients were deemed to be inappropriately attending (125/321, 39%). presenting with minor problems such as corneal abrasions, CL handling difficulties and CL solution 'accidents'. Better patient instruction, together with encouragement to consult their optometrist or contact lens practitioner first if problems occur, would greatly reduce the burden of A&E attendance by CL wearers with minor complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A closed and analytical formula is given for the free Green’s function in a harmonic oscillator basis. It is very useful for solving the Lippman–Schwinger equation for the scattering of two clusters within the resonating group method formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of imbalance in waveguide propagation constants among parity-time symmetric coupled waveguides and/or of a complex-valued coupling coefficient is assessed. The narrow tolerance found implies that attempts to tightly control waveguide parameters appear to be elusive because of fabrication technology limitations, calling for more feasible mitigation avenues. It is shown that a grating-assisted parity-time symmetric coupler design restores both technologically robust binary switching operations and exceptional points. In addition, the proposed design is compatible with birefringence compensation techniques, providing polarization-independent operation as well as coupling and/or gain-loss profile modulation techniques that extend the control of switching operation in the parity-time symmetric phase. Using the wavelength as an additional tuning parameter near exceptional points opens promising avenues for manipulating the trajectory on Riemann sheets in topological photonics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic germline variants in the FOXL2 gene are associated with Blepharophimosis, Ptosis, and Epicanthus Inversus syndrome (BPES) in humans, an autosomal dominant condition. Two forms of BPES have emerged: (i) type I (BPES‐I), characterized by ocular signs and primary ovarian failure (POI), and (ii) type II (BPES‐II) with no systemic associations. This study aimed to compare the distribution of FOXL2 variants in idiopathic POI/DOR (diminished ovarian reserve) and both types of BPES, and to determine the involvement of FOXL2 in non‐syndromic forms of POI/DOR. We studied the whole coding region of the FOXL2 gene using next‐generation sequencing in 1282 patients with non‐syndromic POI/DOR. Each identified FOXL2 variant was compared to its frequency in the general population, considering ethnicity. Screening of the entire coding region of the FOXL2 gene allowed us to identify 10 different variants, including nine missense variants. Of the patients with POI/DOR, 14 (1%) carried a FOXL2 variant. Significantly, six out of nine missense variants (67%) were overrepresented in our POI/DOR cohort compared to the general or specific ethnic subgroups. Our findings strongly suggest that five rare missense variants, mainly located in the C‐terminal region of FOXL2 are high‐risk factors for non‐syndromic POI/DOR, though FOXL2 gene implication accounts for approximately 0.54% of non‐syndromic POI/DOR cases. These results support the implementation of routine genetic screening for patients with POI/DOR in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The requirements on service life of reinforced concrete structures, as prescribed by design codes, may be difficult to be fulfilled in highly aggressive environments such as marine ones, in which premature degradation is most likely to occur. In the aforementioned situations, to avoid expensive repair activities, different protective systems, including, among the others, self-healing concrete, could be adopted. Researchers have found self-healing as a way to face degradation problems in chloride-rich environments. If a significant degree of crack sealing can be achieved, the physical properties of a cracked element can trend back to those of an identical uncracked element, which may also result in a slower penetration rate of aggressive substances. The main problem in exploiting this methodology is related to its reliability. In this context, an experimental program aimed at investigating the effectiveness of crystalline admixtures as healing stimulating agent in chloride-rich environments was carried out. The influence of the exposure conditions on the compressive strength development and on its recovery in predamaged specimens was first analyzed. Afterwards, crack sealing and chloride permeability of sealed cracks were evaluated for specimens continuously immersed or subjected to wet/dry cycles in a 16.5% NaCl aqueous solution. Both an enhanced recovery of compressive strength and an improved crack sealing ability were observed for samples containing the healing agent. A microstructure study of the healing products was conducted by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects approximately 1% of women before the age of 40. Genetic contribution is a significant component of POI. The NOBOX gene was considered one of the major genetic causes of POI. However, the pathogenicity and the penetrance of NOBOX variants remain unclear. Methods: We studied the whole coding region of the NOBOX gene by next generation sequencing in a cohort of 810 patients with POI, and we compared the frequency of each identified NOBOX variant to the general population taking into account the ethnicity of each individual. Results: Screening of the whole coding region of the NOBOX gene allowed us to identify 35 different variants, including 5 loss-of-function variants. In total, 171 patients with POI (25%) carried out at least one NOBOX variant. Regarding missense variants, we observed a significant overrepresentation of the most frequent ones in our 810 POI patients as compared to the general, except for p.(Arg117Trp). However, taking into account the ethnic origin of the individuals, we observed no significant OR difference for p.(Arg44Leu) and p.(Arg117Trp) in African subgroup and for p.(Asp452Asn) in European subgroup. Conclusion: This population study suggests that the p.(Arg44Leu) variant could be considered benign variant and that the p.(Asp452Asn) and p.(Arg117Trp) variants could be considered moderate risk pathogenic variants with probably partial and very low penetrance and/or expressivity. In contrast, p.(Gly91Trp) and p.(Gly152Arg) variants could be considered pathogenic variants with a moderate functional impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring total testosterone level is the first-line approach in assessing androgen excess in women. The main pitfalls in measuring testosterone relate to its low concentration and to the structural similarity between circulating androgens and testosterone, requiring accurate techniques with high specificity and sensitivity. These goals can be achieved by immunoassay using a specific anti-testosterone monoclonal antibody, ideally after an extraction step. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) will be commonly used for measuring testosterone, providing optimal accuracy with a low limit of detection. Yet, the pitfalls of these two techniques are well identified and must be recognized and systematically addressed. In general, laboratories using direct testosterone immunoassay and mass spectrometry need to operate within a quality framework and be actively engaged in external quality control processes and standardization, so as to ensure appropriate interpretation irrespective of the particular laboratory. Circulating testosterone is strongly bound to sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and SHBG levels are typically low in overweight hyperandrogenic patients. Thus, low SHBG may decrease circulating testosterone to normal values, which will mask androgen excess status. One way to avoid this pitfall, awaiting direct free testosterone assays that are yet to be developed, is to measure SHBG and calculate free testosterone. A few other pitfalls will be discussed in this review, including those of adrenal androgen exploration, with the aim of helping clinicians to better handle laboratory investigation of androgen excess disorders in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sebecids constitute a family of notosuchian crocodylomorphs of probable terrestrial habits. They are notable for having survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction and are known until the Miocene in South America. However, ecological traits that favoured their resilience in continental ecosystems remain unknown. Here, using a multi-isotopic approach, we infer several palaeoecological traits of a sebecid from the locality of Tiupampa (Bolivia), which contains a diverse vertebrate fauna of the Early Paleocene. After having constrained the effects of diagenesis, the study of the oxygen isotope compositions of apatite phosphate allows the identification of water resources for the various studied taxa and to infer an ectothermic thermoregulation strategy for the sebecids. A terrestrial lifestyle is also supported by different oxygen isotope compositions observed between sebecids and aquatic dyrosaurid crocodylomorphs. The radiogenic strontium isotope compositions confirm the continental affinities of this fauna, with no marine input in the palaeoenvironment frequented by the different faunal elements. The calcium and carbon isotope compositions show that the sebecids from Tiupampa were at the top of a C 3 -based food web. Finally, a local dry environment with tropical temperatures for those specimens is inferred both from oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of their hard tissues. • Palaeoecological traits of a sebecid from Tiupampa (Paleocene, Bolivia) are inferred. • Oxygen isotope compositions indicate terrestriality and ectothermy. • Strontium isotope compositions indicate continentality. • Calcium and carbon isotope compositions indicate a predator diet on a C 3 -based food web. • Diagenesis effects are deemed negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our patient's case prompted a retrospective assessment of DPD-deficiency patients, with available phenotype and genotype data, to identify any discordant results. Fluoropyrimidine (FP)-derived anti-metabolite cytotoxic drugs such as intravenous 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and oral capecitabine are currently the mainstay, (neo)adjuvant and metastatic, treatments for several solid tumors. It is crucial to consider DPD activity in clinical practice as 3%-15% of patients are partially DPD deficiency[5] and nearly 0.5% of European patients are completely DPD deficient.[6] The most commonly used techniques to screen for DPD deficiencies[7] are targeted I DPYD i genotyping or indirect DPD phenotyping by measuring the plasma uracil (U) concentration, since endogenous DPD metabolizes U to UH SB 2 sb (dihydrouracil). Uracil concentrations (A) and UH2/U ratios (B) of 15 heterozygous DPYD*2A patients (14 retrospective patients and the present case report patient). [Extracted from the article]

Study Question: What are the prevalence and the outcomes of spontaneous pregnancies (SP) in a large cohort of French women with Turner syndrome (TS)?Summary Answer: Amongst 480 women with TS, 27 women (5.6%) had a total of 52 SP, with 30 full-term deliveries for 18 women.What Is Known Already: Primary ovarian insufficiency is a classic feature of TS. So far, few studies have evaluated the rate of SP in these patients.Study Design, Size, Duration: The French Ministry of Health set up a National Reference Centre for Rare Growth Disorders (CRMERC), including TS. We studied a cohort of adult TS patients from seven endocrine units (Saint-Antoine, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Bicêtre, Lyon, Marseille, Brest, Reims Hospitals) belonging to this centre, between January 1999 and January 2014.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: A total of 480 adult patients with TS were included. The patients' clinical characteristics, karyotypes and reproductive histories had been collected, after informed consent, in a web database called CEMARA. Our reference population was issued from a database belonging to the French Health Ministry, collecting pregnancy outcomes in the French general population. In order to find predictive characteristics of SP, TS with spontaneous pregnancies were compared with non-pregnant TS patients from our cohort.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: There were 27 patients (5.6%) who had a total of 52 SP. The two predictive factors which correlated with occurrence of a SP were spontaneous menarche and mosaic karyotype. The median delay to conception was 6 months (range 0-84). Miscarriage occurred in 16 pregnancies, 30.8% versus 15% in the general French population (P < 0.01). The remaining pregnancy outcomes were legal abortion (n = 2), medical interruption (n = 3), intrauterine fetal death (n = 1) and delivery at term (n = 30). Caesarean section rates were higher than in the general population, respectively 46.7% versus 21% (P < 0.001). Pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders (PHDs) occurred in four cases (13.3%), including two cases of mild pre-eclampsia (6.7%). Neither aortic root dilatation nor aortic dissection were observed. The median birthweight was 3030 g (range 2020-3460). Two cases of TS were identified in the 17 daughters issued from this cohort.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: It would have been interesting to evaluate AMH levels and SP occurrence, as a predictive factor. Unfortunately, hormonal measurements were missing for some patients. Prospective studies are necessary to display prognostic values of AMH for SP and thus better target fertility preservation programmes in TS patients.Wider Implications Of the Findings: This study suggests that pregnancy outcomes in SPs are more favourable than those after oocyte donation in TS patients. However, the risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities remains high. Our study will be useful in order to give patients with TS, their families, paediatricians and physicians involved in reproduction, better counselling concerning their fertility.Study Funding/competing Interests: Funding was provided by the Association pour la recherche Claude Bernard, Paris France All authors claim no competing interests.Trial Registration Number: NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Poorly controlled salt-wasting (SW) congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients often require high 9α-fluorocortisol doses as they show high levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), which is a mineralocorticoid (MC)-receptor antagonist. Design: We investigated the renin--angiotensin--aldosterone system in patients with SW-CAH receiving twice daily modified-release hydrocortisone (MR-HC, Efmody) compared with standard glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. Methods: Data were analyzed from the 6-month, phase 3 study of MR-HC (n =42) versus standard GC therapy (n=41). MC replacement therapy remained unchanged throughout the study. Blood pressure, serum potassium, serum sodium, plasma renin activity (PRA), and serum 17OHP and androstenedione concentrations were analyzed at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Results: The median serum 17OHP in the morning was significantly lower on MR-HC compared with standard GC at 24 weeks (2.5 nmol L-1 (IQR 8.3) versus 10.5 nmol L-1 (IQR 55.2), P=.001). PRA decreased significantly from baseline to 24 weeks in patients on MR-HC (0.83 ng L-1 s-1 (IQR 1.0) to 0.48 ng L-1 s-1 (IQR 0.61), P=.012) but not in patients on standard GC (0.53 ng L-1 s-1 (IQR 0.66) to 0.52 ng L-1 s-1 (IQR 0.78), P=.613). Serum sodium concentrations increased from baseline to 24 weeks in patients on MR-HC (138.8±1.9 mmol L-1 to 139.3±1.8 mmol L-1, P = .047), but remained unchanged on standard GC (139.8±1.6 mmol L-1 to 139.3±1.9 mmol L-1, P=.135). No significant changes were seen in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum potassium levels. Conclusion: 6 months of MR-HC therapy decreased PRA and increased sodium levels indicating a greater agonist action of the 9α-fluorocortisol dose, which may be due to the decreased levels of the MC-receptor antagonist 17OHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A gonadectomy is currently recommended in patients with Turner syndrome (TS) and a 45,X/46,XY karyotype, due to a potential risk of gonadoblastoma (GB). However, the quality of evidence behind this recommendation is low. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of GB, its characteristics, as well as its risk factors, according to the type of Y chromosomal material in the karyotype. Methods: Our study within French rare disease centers included patients with TS and a 45,X/46,XY karyotype, without ambiguity of external genitalia. Clinical characteristics of the patients, their age at gonadectomy, and gonadal histology were recorded. The regions of the Y chromosome, the presence of TSPY regions, and the percentage of 45,X/46,XY mosaicism were evaluated. Results: A total of 70 patients were recruited, with a median age of 29.5 years (21.0-36.0) at the end of follow-up. Fifty-eight patients had a gonadectomy, at a mean age of 15 ± 8 years. GB was present in nine cases. Two were malignant, which were discovered at the age of 14 and 32 years, without metastases. Neither the percentage of XY cells within the 45,X/46,XY mosaicism nor the number of TSPY copies was statistically different in patients with or without GB (P = 0.37). However, the entire Y chromosome was frequent in patients with GB (6/9). Conclusions: In our study, including a large number of patients with 45,X/46,XY TS, the prevalence of gonadoblastoma is 12.8%. An entire Y chromosome appears as the main risk factor of GB and should favor early gonadectomy. Significant statement: About 10% of patients with TS have a karyotype containing Y chromosomal material: 45,X/46,XY. Its presence is related to the risk of GB. Therefore, a prophylactic gonadectomy is currently recommended in such patients. However, the quality of evidence is low. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of GB according to the type of Y-chromosomal material. We found a prevalence of GB of 12.8% in a cohort of 70 TS patients. No sign of hyperandrogenism was observed. The entire Y chromosome was the most frequent type of Y-material in patients with GB. As the prognosis of these tumors was good, a delay of surgery might be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Most heterozygous GDF9 missense variants are of uncertain significance. • POI due to pathogenic GDF9 variants is a recessive genetic disorder. • Few heterozygous GDF9 variants may be causal in an oligogenic context. • Whole genome sequencing should be considered in the POI management. Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects around 2–4% of women before the age of 40. Genetic factors play an important role in POI. The GDF9 gene has been identified as a significant genetic contributor of POI. However, the pathogenicity and penetrance of GDF9 variants remain uncertain. A next-generation sequencing approach was employed to investigate the entire coding region of the GDF9 gene in a cohort of 1281 patients with POI or diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). The frequency of each identified GDF9 variant was then compared with that of the general population, taking into account the ethnicity of each individual. By screening the entire coding region of the GDF9 gene, we identified 19 different variants, including 1 pathogenic frameshift variant. In total, 36 patients with POI/DOR (2.8%) carried at least one GDF9 variant. With regard to missense variants, no significant overrepresentation of the most common variants was observed in our POI/DOR cohort in comparison to the general or specific ethnic subgroups. Only one homozygous subject had a frameshift loss of function variant. This epidemiological study suggests that the vast majority of heterozygous missense variants could be considered as variants of uncertain significance and the homozygous loss-of-function variant could be considered as a pathogenic variant. The identification of a novel case of a homozygous POI patient with a heterozygous mother carrying the same variant with normal ovarian function strongly suggests that GDF9 syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (CAH) may have poor quality of life (QoL) and low satisfaction with body appearance. We investigated the influence of the patients' satisfaction with their support on their QoL and body image. Design: Retrospective, comparative, Europe-wide study as part of the multicenter dsd-LIFE study. Methods: 203 women with CAH were included in this study. We investigated the patients' QoL and body image compared to a healthy control group. The patients' satisfaction with their treatment and support in childhood and adolescence as well as in adulthood was assessed by questionnaire and its influence on the patients' body image and QoL was analyzed by multiple regression models. Results: Women with CAH showed worse body image and poorer physical, psychological and social QoL compared to a healthy reference population. The patients' satisfaction with professional care in the last 12 months was a significant positive predictor for all four domains of QoL (psychological, physical, social, environmental). Dissatisfaction with care in childhood and adolescence and with general support through different stages of life was a significant negative predictor for QoL and body image. Conclusions: These results show that women with CAH have poor QoL and body image compared to a healthy reference population. Psychosocial factors such as general and family support, and social interactions with professionals have a substantial impact on QoL and body image in adult females with CAH. This should be taken into account regarding patient care and multimodal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the effect of surgical root coverage (RC) on dentin hypersensitivity (DH) associated with gingival recession. Materials and Methods: Two independent reviewers conducted electronic literature searches in MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web Of Science, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source, ScienceDirect, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases as well as a manual search to identify eligible clinical studies from January 2000 to March 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing two surgical RC techniques or a surgical RC technique with or without adjuvant were included. Meta‐analyses were performed on data provided by RCTs. Results: Thirteen RCTs with a total of 701 patients (1086 recessions) were included. The percentage of DH suppression was 70.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] [64.4–76.6]; I2 = 39.2% [3.5–61.8], Q‐test = 0.02) after surgical RC. Recession reduction and percentage of RC were both statistically significantly associated with DH suppression (estimate = 0.66 [0.10–1.23], p =.022, R2 = 14.45% and estimate = 0.04 [0.01–0.08], p =.012, R2 = 29.54%, respectively). Coronally advanced flap (CAF) + connective tissue graft showed results statistically more effective than CAF + xenogeneic collagen matrix in DH suppression (73.3% [65.6–79.8] and 61.4% [51.7–70.3], respectively; p =.048). Conclusions: Success of surgical RC is associated with DH suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translocation of wildlife is a valuable tool for managers to alleviate impacts of human/wildlife conflicts, habitat fragmentation, and small population sizes. Pelecanus occidentalis (Brown Pelican) were previously successfully translocated into Louisiana in 1960-1980s and had rebounded significantly prior to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in April 2010. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill had a dramatic impact on southeastern Louisiana, including the people, wildlife, and coastal habitats of the region. We translocated 182 oil-rehabilitated Brown Pelicans from southeastern Louisiana to an area non-impacted by the oil spill in southwestern Louisiana (Rabbit Island, Cameron Parish). Daily surveys were conducted at the island for six weeks and documented mortality, movements, integration with local pelican flocks, persistence of pelicans at the island, and the role of supplemental feeding. We documented no mortality of rehabilitated birds and found that translocated Brown Pelicans readily integrated with local pelican flocks. Supplemental feeding likely contributed to the persistence of pelicans at Rabbit Island from weeks 1 to 4. By weeks 4 to 6, many local and translocated pelicans moved away from the island, likely due to a combination of natural and human-induced factors. After the initial stages of the translocation, we tentatively suggest that the program was a success and propose recommendations for future translocation attempts with Brown Pelicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auxiliary field method has been recently proposed as an efficient technique to compute analytical approximate solutions of eigenequations in quantum mechanics. We show that the auxiliary field method is completely equivalent to the envelope theory, which is another well-known procedure to analytically solve eigenequations, although relying on different principles a priori. This equivalence leads to a deeper understanding of both frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the theories involving extra dimensions assume that only the gravitational interaction can propagate in them. In such approaches, called braneworld models, the effective, four-dimensional, Newton's law is modified at short as well as at large distances. Usually, the deformation of Newton's law at large distances is parametrized by a Yukawa potential, which arises mainly from theories with compactified extra dimensions. In many other models however, the extra dimensions are infinite. These approaches lead to a large distance power-law deformation of the gravitational Newtonian potential VN(r), namely V(r) = (1 + kb/rb)VN(r), which is less studied in the literature. We investigate here the dynamics of a particle in a gravitational quantum well with such a power-law deformation. The effects of the deformation on the energy spectrum are discussed. We also compare our modified spectrum to the results obtained with the GRANIT experiment, where the effects of the Earth's gravitational field on quantum states of ultra-cold neutrons moving above a mirror are studied. This comparison leads to upper bounds on band kb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The masses of uudds, uuddd, and uussd pentaquarks are evaluated in a framework of both the effective Hamiltonian approach to QCD and the spinless Salpeter equation using the Jaffe–Wilczek diquark approximation and the string interaction for the diquark–diquark–antiquark system. The pentaquark masses are found to be in the region above 2 GeV. That indicates that the Goldstone boson exchange effects may play an important role in the light pentaquarks. The same calculations yield the mass of [ud]2c pentaquark ∼3250 MeV and [ud]2b pentaquark ∼6509 MeV.© 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report the long‐term follow‐up outcomes of masculinizing surgery in disorders/differences of sex development (DSD), including both physicians' and patients' perspectives on appearance and functional outcome, including sexuality. Patients and Methods: In total, 1040 adolescents (age ≥16 years) and adults with a DSD took part in this multicentre cross‐sectional clinical study in six European countries in 2014/2015. Of those, 150 living in other than the female gender had some kind of masculinizing surgery: hypospadias repair, orchidopexy, breast reduction and/or gonadectomy. The study protocol included medical data collection, an optional genital examination, and patient‐reported outcomes including satisfaction with appearance and current sexual functioning. Results: Diagnoses included partial and mixed gonadal dysgenesis (45,XO/46,XY; n = 38), Klinefelter syndrome/46,XX males (n = 57), and various 46,XY DSDs (n = 42; e.g. partial androgen insensitivity syndrome, severe hypospadias) and 13 with other diagnoses. Of the participants, 84 underwent hypospadias surgery, 86 orchidopexy, 52 gonadectomy and 32 breast reduction (combinations possible). Physicians evaluated anatomical appearance at genital examination as poor in approximately 11% of patients. After hypospadias surgery, 38% of participants reported that they were (very) dissatisfied with anatomical appearance and 20% with function. The physician and patient evaluations were moderately correlated (r = 0.43). Conclusion: The majority of participants were neutral to satisfied with the appearance and function in the long‐term after masculinizing surgery. Given the initial severe phenotype and a risk of unsatisfactory results after masculinizing surgery in DSD, treatment should be handled by experienced multidisciplinary teams in order to optimize the postoperative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kaon–nucleon S-wave phase shifts have been calculated, for both isospin channels I=0 and I=1, in the framework of a semirelativistic quark potential model which includes an instanton induced force. The agreement with experimental phase shifts is poor essentially because of a dominant attraction coming from instantons. The low-energy behaviour of S-wave phase shifts, for I=0 and I=1 channels, obtained in the kaon–nucleon system is characteristic of a potential which can produce one loosely bound state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The kaon–nucleon S, P, D, F, G waves phase shifts have been calculated using a non-relativistic quark potential model and the resonating group method (RGM). The calculation has been performed using quark–quark potential which both includes gluon, pion and sigma exchanges and reproduces as well as possible the meson spectrum. The agreement obtained with the existing experimental phase shifts is quite poor. The results are also compared with a previous calculation based only on gluon exchanges at the quark level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The I=1 and I=0 kaon–nucleon s, p, d, f, g-waves phase shifts have been calculated in a nonrelativistic quark potential model using the resonating group method (RGM). The interquark potential includes gluon exchanges with a spin–orbit interaction. This force has been determined to reproduce as well as possible the meson and baryon spectra. The same force is employed for the cluster and intercluster dynamics and the relative KN wave-function is calculated without any approximation. While some channels are correctly described, the theory is still unable to explain others. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]