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Many animals share a lifelong capacity to adapt their growth rates and body sizes to changing environmental food supplies. However, the cellular and molecular basis underlying this plasticity remains only poorly understood. We therefore studied how the sea anemones Nematostella vectensis and Aiptasia (Exaiptasia pallida) respond to feeding and starvation. Combining quantifications of body size and cell numbers with mathematical modelling, we observed that growth and shrinkage rates in Nematostella are exponential, stereotypic and accompanied by dramatic changes in cell numbers. Notably, shrinkage rates, but not growth rates, are independent of body size. In the facultatively symbiotic Aiptasia, we show that growth and cell proliferation rates are dependent on the symbiotic state. On a cellular level, we found that >7% of all cells in Nematostella juveniles reversibly shift between S/G2/M and G1/G0 cell cycle phases when fed or starved, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate that polyp growth and cell proliferation are dependent on TOR signalling during feeding. Altogether, we provide a benchmark and resource for further investigating the nutritional regulation of body plasticity on multiple scales using the genetic toolkit available for Nematostella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of beta calcitonin gene-related peptide (beta-CGRP) in gastrointestinal tract is obscure, but experimental models suggest an effect on the homeostasis of the intestinal mucosa. We measured beta-CGRP circulating levels in a large series of subjects with a recent diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in order to assess the potential role of this neuropeptide in IBD pathogenesis. Methods: Morning serum beta-CGRP levels were measured by ELISA (CUSABIO, China) in 96 patients recently diagnosed of IBD and compared with those belonging from 50 matched healthy controls (HC) and 50 chronic migraine (CM) patients. Results: Beta-CGRP levels were lower in patients with IBD (3.1 ± 1.9 pg/mL; 2.9 [2.4-3.4] pg/mL) as compared to HC (4.7 ± 2.6; 4.9 [4.0-5.8] pg/mL; p < 0.001) and to CM patients (4.6 ± 2.6; 4.7 [3.3-6.2] pg/mL; p < 0.001). Beta-CGRP levels in CM were not significantly different to those of HC (p = 0.92). Regarding IBD diagnostic subtypes, beta-CGRP levels for ulcerative colitis (3.0 ± 1.9pg/mL; 2.5 [2.1-3.4] pg/mL) and Crohn's disease (3.3 ± 2.0 pg/mL; 3.2 [2.4-3.9] pg/mL) were significantly lower to those of HC (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) and CM (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: We have found a significant reduction in serum beta-CGRP levels in patients with a recent diagnosis of all kinds of IBD as compared to two control groups without active intestinal disease, HC and CM, which may suggest a role for this neuropeptide in the pathophysiology of IBD. Our data indicate a protective role of beta-CGRP in the homeostasis of the alimentary tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of beta calcitonin gene-related peptide (beta-CGRP) in gastrointestinal tract is obscure, but experimental models suggest an effect on the homeostasis of the intestinal mucosa. We measured beta-CGRP circulating levels in a large series of subjects with a recent diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in order to assess the potential role of this neuropeptide in IBD pathogenesis. Methods: Morning serum beta-CGRP levels were measured by ELISA (CUSABIO, China) in 96 patients recently diagnosed of IBD and compared with those belonging from 50 matched healthy controls (HC) and 50 chronic migraine (CM) patients. Results: Beta-CGRP levels were lower in patients with IBD (3.1 ± 1.9 pg/mL; 2.9 [2.4-3.4] pg/mL) as compared to HC (4.7 ± 2.6; 4.9 [4.0-5.8] pg/mL; p < 0.001) and to CM patients (4.6 ± 2.6; 4.7 [3.3-6.2] pg/mL; p < 0.001). Beta-CGRP levels in CM were not significantly different to those of HC (p = 0.92). Regarding IBD diagnostic subtypes, beta-CGRP levels for ulcerative colitis (3.0 ± 1.9pg/mL; 2.5 [2.1-3.4] pg/mL) and Crohn's disease (3.3 ± 2.0 pg/mL; 3.2 [2.4-3.9] pg/mL) were significantly lower to those of HC (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) and CM (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: We have found a significant reduction in serum beta-CGRP levels in patients with a recent diagnosis of all kinds of IBD as compared to two control groups without active intestinal disease, HC and CM, which may suggest a role for this neuropeptide in the pathophysiology of IBD. Our data indicate a protective role of beta-CGRP in the homeostasis of the alimentary tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraorbital lymphatic-venous malformations are rare lesions that represent a therapeutic challenge given their location and high rate of recurrence, with only a few cases in adult patients having been published in the literature. We present the case of a 30-year-old male with a right intraorbital lymphatic-venous malformation treated with sirolimus at a dose of 4 mg/day with complete clinical and radiologic remission. Mild cold-like symptoms ensued during the first week of treatment and elevation of liver function enzymes and D-dimer occurred in the context of acute SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. No major adverse effects were documented. After 18 months of treatment, the patient remains asymptomatic and ophthalmologic examinations including optical coherence tomography and visual field test are within normal values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the specificity of calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) levels, we measured alpha‐CGRP circulating levels in a large series of patients with a recent diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who were interviewed regarding comorbid headache. Background: Several studies have found an association between migraine and IBD. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study performed in an IBD clinic, morning serum alpha‐CGRP levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 96 patients who were recently diagnosed with IBD and compared to those from 50 similar patients with chronic migraine (CM) and 50 healthy controls (HC). Results: Alpha‐CGRP levels were higher in patients with IBD (median [interquartile range] 56.9 [35.6–73.9] pg/mL) and patients with CM (53.0 [36.7–73.9] pg/mL) compared to HC (37.2 [30.0–51.8] pg/mL; p = 0.003; p = 0.019, respectively). Regarding IBD diagnostic subtypes, alpha‐CGRP levels for ulcerative colitis (67.2 ± 49.3 pg/mL; 57.0 [35.6–73.4] pg/mL) and Crohn's disease (54.9 ± 27.5 pg/mL; 57.7 [29.1–76.1] pg/mL) were significantly higher than those of HC (p = 0.013, p = 0.040, respectively). Alpha‐CGRP levels were further different in patients with IBD with migraine (70.9 [51.8–88.7] pg/mL) compared to HC (p < 0.001), patients with IBD without headache (57.5 [33.3–73.8] pg/mL; p = 0.049), and patients with IBD with tension‐type headache but without migraine (41.7 [28.5–66.9] pg/mL; p = 0.004), though alpha‐CGRP levels in patients with IBD without migraine (53.7 [32.9–73.5] pg/mL) remained different over HC (p = 0.028). Conclusion: Together with CM, circulating alpha‐CGRP levels are different in patients with IBD, perhaps reflecting a chronic inflammatory state. IBD is an example of how alpha‐CGRP levels are not a totally specific migraine biomarker. However, alpha‐CGRP levels were further increased in patients with IBD who have a history of migraine, which reinforces its role as a biomarker in migraine patients, always bearing in mind their comorbidities. Plain Language Summary: Alpha‐calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) levels may be a potential migraine biomarker, but it is unclear if this is the case because changes in CGRP concentrations can also be present in other conditions. We measured morning serum alpha‐CGRP levels in 96 patients with a recent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis, and compared them to 50 matched healthy participants and 50 matched patients with chronic migraine (CM). We found a significant increase in serum alpha‐CGRP levels in both patients with IBD and CM compared to healthy controls, which we think may reflect chronic inflammation found in IBD; these results offer another example that alpha‐CGRP concentrations are not totally specific for migraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sacituzumab govitecan is a promising treatment option for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, a type of cancer that is difficult to treat due to the absence of hormone receptors, specifically human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sacituzumab govitecan, which targets the trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 found on tumor cells, compared to standard chemotherapy. Based on a systematic review of clinical trials, the results indicate that sacituzumab govitecan significantly improves clinical outcomes, providing greater therapeutic benefit with fewer side effects compared to conventional treatments. These findings may influence future treatment guidelines for this aggressive cancer and provide a new approach to its management. Background/Objectives: Triple-negative breast cancer is difficult to treat due to the absence of hormone receptors and Her2neu. Sacituzumab govitecan is a new therapeutic approach that uses an antibody directed against the Trop-2 antigen present in solid epithelial tumors, linked to the active metabolite SN-38, similar to irinotecan, to specifically target cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells. The objective of the present review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sacituzumab govitecan as a single treatment in patients with triple-negative breast cancer and to compare its results with the standard conventional chemotherapy regimen currently used in this disease. Methods: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials of sacituzumab govitecan was performed. The search was performed in Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane from September 2022 to January 2024. Results: Thirty-eight articles are included and evaluated according to inclusion and exclusion criteria corresponding to the two most relevant clinical trials, including specific analyses of cohorts and subgroup study arms within these trials. Data from more recent clinical trials are also reviewed. Conclusions: The efficacy results showed a significantly greater clinical benefit with sacituzumab govitecan compared to standard chemotherapy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. This drug will become a treatment of substantial impact in future treatment guidelines for this type of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a community-engaged research process to co-create and implement an evidence-informed, diversity-focused body image program for early adolescents. Our team included middle school staff, students, and teachers, and university faculty and students. Team members had a diverse range of intersecting cis- and transgender, racial, sexuality, and disability identities. Specific steps to the research process included: (1) establishing team leads at each site to maintain a collaborative and non-hierarchical team structure; (2) bi-weekly advisory team meetings to establish program needs and discuss curriculum and implementation options; (3) a year-long youth co-design process to generate content ideas, pilot pieces of programming, and incorporate youth leadership through an equity lens; (4) inclusive program writing from members of socially marginalized groups; (5) program piloting to solicit feedback from teachers, facilitators, and students; and (6) collaboratively incorporating feedback. The resulting 8-session (6 hours total) Body Justice Project has both dissonance-based and media literacy foundations, with topics related to cultural appearance ideals, diet culture and non-diet nutrition, media and appearance pressure, and body autonomy. It is designed for in-class delivery to middle school students by trained college and youth co-facilitator teams. We emphasize guiding principles and lessons learned, along with next steps in implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vamorolone has recently been approved for the management of Duchenne muscular dystrophy to replace glucocorticosteroids, which theoretically have more side effects. However, its efficacy and safety profile is unclear. Objective: We aimed to assess the efficacy of vamorolone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy through the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), time to stand velocity (TTSTAND), time to run 10 m (TTRW), time to climb four stairs (TTCLIMB) and a safety profile. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from inception to June 2024 (PROSPERO: CRD42024558413) for studies evaluating the effect or safety profile of vamorolone in a population with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on 6MWT, NSAA and TTSTAND. TTRW, TTCLIMB and a safety profile were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool (RoB2) and the Quality Assessment Tool for Before-After (Pre-Post) Studies with No Control Group from the US National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, depending on the type of design. Results were expressed as mean differences or proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), depending on the outcome. Results: Six studies with a total of 145 individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a baseline age between 4.7 and 5.5 years were included in the systematic review. Overall, the most effective dose was 6 mg/kg/day. At 24 weeks, this dose showed a statistically significant effect compared with the untreated cohorts of 41.60 m (95% CI 14.30, 68.90) on the 6MWT, 3.57 points (95% CI 1.89, 5.25) on the NSAA, 0.06 events/s (95% CI 0.02, 0.10) on the TTSTAND, approximately 0.25 m/s on the TTRW and 0.04 (95% CI −0.00, 0.08) to 0.07 events/s (95% CI 0.03, 0.11) on the TTCLIMB. There was some discrepancy in the statistical significance of some studies, although the direction of the effect was usually similar. In general, the effect was maintained in the extension studies. Adverse events were less frequent than in historical cohorts treated with glucocorticoids. Finally, the risk of bias in the included studies was low. Conclusions: According to our results, vamorolone offers a statistically and clinically significant benefit in the management of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with fewer side effects than glucocorticoids. However, the number of studies limits the interpretability and generalisability of these data, requiring more studies with more participants to perform a meta-analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enable transmission of information in the brain, synaptic vesicles fuse to presynaptic membranes, liberating their content and exposing transiently a myriad of vesicular transmembrane proteins. However, versatile methods for quantifying the synaptic translocation of endogenous proteins during neuronal activity remain unavailable, as the fast dynamics of synaptic vesicle cycling difficult specific isolation trafficking proteins during such a transient surface exposure. Here, we developed a novel approach using synaptic cleft proximity labeling to capture and quantify activity-driven trafficking of endogenous synaptic proteins at the synapse. We show that accelerating cleft biotinylation times to match the fast dynamics of vesicle exocytosis allows capturing endogenous proteins transiently exposed at the synaptic surface during neural activity, enabling for the first time the study of the translocation of nearly every endogenous synaptic protein. As proof-of-concept, we further applied this technology to obtain direct evidence of the surface translocation of noncanonical trafficking proteins, such as ATG9A and NPTX1, which had been proposed to traffic during activity but for which direct proof had not yet been shown. The technological advancement presented here will facilitate future studies dissecting the molecular identity of proteins exocytosed at the synapse during activity, helping to define the molecular machinery that sustains neurotransmission in the mammalian brain. The fast dynamics of synaptic vesicle release present a challenge for the quantification of synaptic protein translocation during neuronal activity. This study presents a method for quantifying the translocation of endogenous neuronal proteins to the synaptic surface and visualizes the translocation of proteins of interest when neurons are firing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Guhtlac a line 475a: textual criticism and metrical decontraction" by Rafael J. Pascual discusses the analysis of a specific verse in Old English poetry, Guthlac A line 475a, focusing on the metrical structure and textual criticism. The verse in question, ealdfeonda, has attracted scholarly attention due to its unique three-position structure, below the typical four-position requirement. Different scholars have proposed emendations and interpretations, with debates on the necessity of decontraction and potential textual transmission errors. The article explores various possibilities and offers insights into the complexities of Old English meter and poetic composition. [Extracted from the article]

This is the first study aimed to detect morphological abnormalities in vivo in the skin capillaries of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (ALS). Videocapillaroscopy assessed subungueal capillaries in 28 ALS patients (cases) and 35 controls (p = 0.42). The mean age was 61.46 and 61.23 years, respectively (p > 0.99). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding dominant hand, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, active smoker, and former smoker variables. 78.57% of cases had spinal onset and 21.43% bulbar. The median disease duration (time between the onset of symptoms and the date of videocapillarscopy) was 29.71 months. Dilated capillaries were detected in 17.8% of cases and 11.43% of controls (p = 0.49). The median of capillary diameter in cases was 10.15 µm and 8.72 µm in controls (p = 0.011). 35.71% of cases and 2.86% of controls had severe capillary tortuosities (p < 0.001). Ramified capillaries were observed in 46.43% of cases and 11.43% of controls (p < 0.002). Micro-hemorrhages were only observed in 10.71% of cases. No significant correlations were observed between disease duration and dilated capillaries, tortuosity, ramified capillaries, and micro-hemorrhages. The present in vivo study shows abnormalities in the skin capillaries of ALS patients that do not depend on disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Plant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit features such as tissue‐specific expression, spatiotemporal regulation, and stress responsiveness. Although diverse studies support the regulatory role of lncRNAs in model plants, our knowledge about lncRNAs in crops is limited. We employ a custom pipeline on a dataset of over 1000 RNA‐seq samples across nine representative species of the family Cucurbitaceae to predict 91 209 nonredundant lncRNAs. The lncRNAs were characterized according to three confidence levels and classified by their genomic context into intergenic, natural antisense, intronic, and sense‐overlapping. Compared with protein‐coding genes, lncRNAs were, on average, expressed at low levels and displayed significantly higher specificity when considering tissue, developmental stages, and stress responsiveness. The evolutionary analysis indicates higher positional conservation than sequence conservation, probably linked to the conserved modular motifs within syntenic lncRNAs. Moreover, a positive correlation between the expression of intergenic/natural antisense lncRNAs and their closest/parental gene was observed. For those intergenic, the correlation decreases with the distance to the neighboring gene, supporting that their potential cis‐regulatory effect is within a short‐range. Furthermore, the analysis of developmental studies showed that a conserved NAT‐lncRNA family is differentially expressed in a coordinated way with their cognate sense protein‐coding genes. These genes code for proteins associated with phloem development, thus providing insights about the potential involvement of some of the identified lncRNAs in a developmental process. We expect that this extensive inventory will constitute a valuable resource for further research lines focused on elucidating the regulatory mechanisms mediated by lncRNAs in cucurbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantiopure chiral-at-metal rhodium(III) unsaturated 16e complexes have been obtained from racemic [Rh(SiN)2Cl] (SiN= 8-(dimethylsilyl)quinoline) using a readily accessible chiral spiroborate as chiral resolution agent. This strategy allows an easy access to enantiopure neutral Δ/Λ-Rh(SiN)2Cl and cationic Δ/Λ-Rh(SiN)2[BAr4F] unsaturated complexes, wherein rhodium(III) is coordinated to two inert silylquinoline ligands in a propeller-like arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) represents a global health threat. MASH pathophysiology involves hepatic lipid accumulation and progression to severe conditions like cirrhosis and, eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-19 has emerged as a key regulator of metabolism, offering potential therapeutic avenues for MASH and associated disorders. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of non-mitogenic (NM)-FGF19 mRNA formulated in liver-targeted lipid nanoparticles (NM-FGF19-mRNAs-LNPs) in C57BL/6NTac male mice with diet-induced obesity and MASH (DIO-MASH: 40% kcal fat, 20% kcal fructose, 2% cholesterol). After feeding this diet for 21 weeks, NM-FGF19-mRNAs-LNPs or control (C-mRNA-LNPs) were administered (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) weekly for another six weeks, in which diet feeding continued. NM-FGF19-mRNAs-LNPs treatment in DIO-MASH mice resulted in reduced body weight, adipose tissue depots, and serum transaminases, along with improved insulin sensitivity. Histological analyses confirmed the reversal of MASH features, including steatosis reduction without worsening fibrosis. NM-FGF19-mRNAs-LNPs reduced total hepatic bile acids (BAs) and changed liver BA composition, markedly influencing cholesterol homeostasis and metabolic pathways as observed in transcriptomic analyses. Extrahepatic effects included the down-regulation of metabolic dysfunction-associated genes in adipose tissue. This study highlights the potential of NM-FGF19-mRNA-LNPs therapy for MASH, addressing both hepatic and systemic metabolic dysregulation. NM-FGF19-mRNA demonstrates efficacy in reducing liver steatosis, improving metabolic parameters, and modulating BA levels and composition. Given the central role played by BA in dietary fat absorption, this effect of NM-FGF19-mRNA may be mechanistically relevant. Our study underscores the high translational potential of mRNA-based therapies in addressing the multifaceted landscape of MASH and associated metabolic perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ruling of the Superior Court of Justice of Asturias on June 10, 2024 resolves an administrative dispute regarding the denial of authorization for the Teixo Wind Farm in Taramundi. The appealing company challenges the decision based on a negative urban planning report, arguing that the installation of wind energy is of higher public interest. The Court determines that the municipal report is only binding on urban planning aspects and that the completion of the procedure for urban planning reasons is legitimate. The contested resolution is annulled and the procedure is ordered to be reverted to address deficiencies and consider the presumption of higher public interest for renewable energies. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), innovation and sustainability, through environmental awareness, in the formation of entrepreneurial intention (EI). Design/methodology/approach: Based on the alignment between theoretical axes, such as the theory of planned behavior, adaptation–innovation theory and the environmental axis of sustainability, quantitative research was developed with students from Brazilian and Spanish universities. We obtained a sample of 686 university students enrolled in courses related to management in both countries. Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis and logistic regression. Findings: Our results revealed that the constructs of TPB (personal attitudes and perceived behavioral control) influenced EI, excluding subjective norms. Innovation had an influence on the EI of students from both countries. In Brazilians, valuing change predicts EI, highlighting the importance of flexibility. Conversely, Spaniards emphasize originality, valuing uniqueness and creativity as drivers of EI. Sustainability, via environmental awareness, did not influence EI. Originality/value: With this study, we aim to encourage policies and practices aimed at higher education institutions globally, to broaden the understanding about the importance of environmental, innovative and social studies and practices aligned with the context of entrepreneurship. The final aim is to enhance social and environmental benefits generated by future entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Essential tremor (ET) is a common debilitating condition, yet current treatments often fail to provide satisfactory relief. Transcutaneous spinal cord electrical stimulation (tSCS) has emerged as a potential noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable of disrupting the oscillatory activity underlying tremors. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential of tSCS to disrupt tremor in a frequency‐dependent manner in a cohort of patients with ET. Methods: Eighteen patients with ET completed the study. The experiment consisted of 60‐s postural tremor recording, during tSCS at tremor frequency, at 1 Hz, at 21 Hz, no stimulation, and trapezius stimulation. Tremor frequency and amplitude were analyzed and compared across the conditions. Results: We found tremor amplitude reduction at tremor frequency stimulation significant only during the second half of the stimulation. The same stimulation resulted in the highest number of responders. tSCS at 1 Hz showed a trend toward decreased tremor amplitude in the latter half of stimulation. tSCS at 21 Hz did not produce any significant alterations in tremor, whereas trapezius stimulation exacerbated it. Notably, during tremor frequency stimulation, a subgroup of responders exhibited consistent synchronization between tremor phase and delivered stimulation, indicating tremor entrainment. Conclusions: Cervical tSCS holds promise for alleviating postural tremor in patients with ET when delivered at the subject's tremor frequency. The observed changes in tremor amplitude likely result from the modulation of spinal cord circuits by tSCS, which disrupts the oscillatory drive to muscles by affecting afferent pathways or spinal reflexes. However, the possibility of an interplay between spinal and supraspinal centers cannot be discounted. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is abundant literature on this new pandemic in biological terms, studies on the associated risk or its perception are very scarce and recent, and show great variability (geography, actors involved...). In addition, studies conducted on the general population are practically non-existent. In order to overcome these challenges, it would be necessary to integrate social perception into studies of antibiotic resistance risk. To evaluate the social perception of risk, a methodology based on the psychometric paradigm was used, applying Slovic's abbreviated scale to a representative sample. Findings show that the general public considers the risk of acquiring antibiotic resistance to be low or high depending on the characteristics analysed. The factor structure reflects the existence of five factors that explain 60.5% of its variance, the first two corresponding to the classical factors found in the literature: affective and cognitive components of risk perception. One of the most salient conclusions is the difference found in the risk profile between laypeople and experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratinocytes play an essential role in the inflammatory phase of wound regeneration. In addition to migrating and proliferating for tissue regeneration, they produce a large amount of cytokines that modulate the inflammatory process. Previous studies have shown that subthermal treatment with radiofrequency (RF) currents used in capacitive resistive electric transfer (CRET) therapy promotes the proliferation of HaCat keratinocytes and modulates their cytokine production. Although physical therapies have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in a variety of experimental models and in patients, knowledge of the biological basis of these effects is still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CRET on keratinocyte proliferation, cytokine production (IL-8, MCP-1, RANTES, IL-6, IL-11), TNF-α secretion, and the expression of MMP9, MMP1, NF-κB, ERK1/2, and EGFR. Human keratinocytes (HaCat) were treated with an intermittent 448 kHz electric current (CRET signal) in subthermal conditions and for different periods of time. Cell proliferation was analyzed by XTT assay, cytokine and TNF-α production by ELISA, NF-κB expression and activation by immunofluorescence, and MMP9, MMP1, ERK1/2, and EGF receptor expression and activation by immunoblot. Compared to a control, CRET increases keratinocyte proliferation, increases the transient release of MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 while decreasing IL-8. In addition, it modifies the expression of MMPs and activates EGFR, NF-κB, and ERK1/2 proteins. Our results indicate that CRET reasonably modifies cytokine production through the EGF receptor and the ERK1/2/NF-κB pathway, ultimately modulating the inflammatory response of human keratinocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this work is to describe the rational, feasibility and clinical and Quality-of-life improvement results of a fully endoscopic preperitoneal repair for midline and lateral abdominal wall hernias, starting from the space of Retzius in a "bottom-to-up" approach. Methods: An observational prospective data-collected and quality of life study is performed in selected patients with less than 10 cm. in diameter midline and lateral abdominal wall hernias. A suprapubic upward e-TEP technique from a previously dissected Retzius space, is performed in all cases. The surgical goal is to perform a total free-tension abdominal wall reconstruction followed by a prosthetic hernioplasty. Clinical Data is classified in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables, including a quality-of-life clinical evaluation based on an improvement of HerQLes score. Results: A total of 30 patients underwent this approach from September 2017 to October 2022 in a single-surgeon practice. A total restoration of the previous abdominal wall anatomy and a prosthetic repair were achieved in all cases. The mean operative time was 142.53 min, with a significant shorter time in lateral hernias approach. Minor complications (Clavien-Dindo I) were collected in 10% of the patients. Major complications (Clavien-Dindo IIIb) occurred in 6.66% of the patients. The mean pain at discharge was 1.83 VAS, with a significant lower pain in M-eTEP approach for lateral hernias. The mean hospital stay was 42.4 h. No seroma, hematoma, chronic pain, or recurrence was observed in the mean follow-up (20.33 months). A clinical and quality of life improvement was found in 92.9% of the patients, measured by a minimal clinical important difference (MCID) between preoperative and postoperative HerQLes score. Conclusion: Despite being a technically demanding approach, the results obtained by this approach are compatible in safety and feasibility with other minimally invasive preperitoneal hernia repair techniques, in addition to obtaining a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mu rhythm (∼8–12 Hz) in the somatosensory cortex has traditionally been linked with doing and seeing motor activities. Here, we aimed to learn how the medium (physical or screened) in which motor actions are seen could impact on that specific brain rhythm. To do so, we presented to 40 participants the very same narrative content both in a one-shot movie with no cuts and in a real theatrical performance. We recorded subjects' brain activities with electroencephalographic (EEG) procedures, and analyzed Mu rhythm present in left (C3) and right (C4) somatosensory areas in relation to the 24 motor activities included in each visual stimulus (screen vs. reality) (24 motor and grasping actions x 40 participants x 2 conditions = 1920 trials). We found lower Mu spectral power in the somatosensory area after the onset of the motor actions in real performance than on-screened content, more pronounced in the left hemisphere. In our results, the sensorimotor Mu-ERD (event-related desynchronization) was stronger during the real-world observation compared to screen observation. This could be relevant in research areas where the somatosensory cortex is important, such as online learning, virtual reality, or brain-computer interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an interval type-2 radial basis function neural network system is presented that produces an accurate forecast of the temperature of liquid steel in a secondary metallurgical monitoring and control process. The main goal of this proposal is to get the precise temperatures and times to aggregate the additives to the liquid bath to produce high-strength, low-alloy steel and not waste materials due to the oxidation caused by high temperatures. Also, the proposal reduces the replacement times of measurement instruments that are damaged by the high temperatures. The novelty of this proposal is the lack of this class of neural networks in steelmaking processes and the fact that this is an emergent technology that has only been around for less than 10 years. The produced results show an error in order of 0.12% that is a figure well below 0.30% which is the typo error produced by the measurement devices such as thermocouples of the k-type that are damaged at 1600° and produce erroneous measurements in temperatures superior to 1200 °C and less than the classic interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset motor neuron disease with a mean survival time of three years. The 97% of the cases have TDP-43 nuclear depletion and cytoplasmic aggregation in motor neurons. TDP-43 prevents non-conserved cryptic exon splicing in certain genes, maintaining transcript stability, including ATG4B, which is crucial for autophagosome maturation and Microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B (LC3B) homeostasis. In ALS mice (G93A), Atg4b depletion worsens survival rates and autophagy function. For the first time, we observed an elevation of LC3ylation in the CNS of both ALS patients and atg4b−/− mouse spinal cords. Furthermore, LC3ylation modulates the distribution of ATG3 across membrane compartments. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting cryptic exon restore ATG4B mRNA in TARDBP knockdown cells. We further developed multi-target ASOs targeting TDP-43 binding sequences for a broader effect. Importantly, our ASO based in peptide-PMO conjugates show brain distribution post-IV administration, offering a non-invasive ASO-based treatment avenue for neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown evidence of the existence of glass ceilings, especially for women who face several barriers to reach the most powerful corporate positions. However, even when these women have reached the board, they seem to experience resistance within this group, a second glass ceiling that prevents them from being appointed to the most influential positions of the board. Based on categorization and recategorization theories and using a sample of publicly listed Spanish firms during the period 2004–2012, we find that women directors with characteristics that should facilitate their promotion to most board leadership and major board committee positions are not reaching them, that is, are not recategorized. Moreover, we uncover that it is also hard for women to attract more women and evolve into their own majority group, as the number of women directors does not increase when women are already directors in those boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New, first-in-class oral antibiotics like zoliflodacin, developed in a public–private partnership, require an optimal introduction strategy while ensuring antibiotic stewardship. Zoliflodacin, given as a single dose for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea, recently demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin and safety in a phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Following regulatory approval, zoliflodacin could improve sexually transmitted infection (STI) management and help address the threat of untreatable gonorrhoea, as levels of resistance to current first-line treatments increase. The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) convened an expert meeting during the 2023 STI and HIV World Congress to discuss key questions about the introduction of zoliflodacin in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The questions included: which patients to treat in which situations, the timing of introduction, and what additional evidence is needed to change policy for the use of new antibiotics for gonorrhoea. Recommendations from the expert group included: the generation of evidence for the role of a drug like zoliflodacin in clinical treatment failures; the need for additional antimicrobial resistance surveillance; investigation of the role of novel diagnostic approaches, such as point-of-care tests, to improve stewardship; study of preferences and values among the population in need; and modelling of the emergence of N. gonorrhoeae resistance and transmission in different scenarios. Forthcoming World Health Organization (WHO) global guidelines could outline recommendations for a new oral antibiotic like zoliflodacin based on existing evidence, and rational approaches for certain populations or use cases, while the evidence base is further strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Heart failure (HF) elicits a pro‐inflammatory state, which is associated with impaired clinical outcomes, but no anti‐inflammatory therapies have demonstrated a clinical benefit yet. Inflammatory pathways related with the interleukin‐1 axis are overactivated during episodes of acute HF. Colchicine, an anti‐inflammatory drug with proven benefits in acute pericarditis and ischaemic heart disease, may target this inflammatory response. This study aims to assess the efficacy of colchicine in acute HF patients. Methods: COLICA is a multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial enrolling 278 patients across 12 sites. Patients presenting with acute HF, clinical evidence of congestion requiring ≥40 mg of intravenous furosemide and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) >900 pg/ml, are eligible for participation. Patients are enrolled irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction, HF type (new‐onset or not) and setting (hospital or outpatient clinic). Patients are randomized 1:1 within the first 24 h of presentation to either placebo or colchicine, with an initial loading dose of 2 mg followed by 0.5 mg every 12 h for 8 weeks (reduced dose if <70 kg, >75 years old, or glomerular filtration rate <50 ml/min/1.73 m2). The primary efficacy endpoint is the time‐averaged proportional change in NT‐proBNP concentrations from baseline to week 8. Key secondary and exploratory outcomes include symptoms, diuretic use, worsening HF episodes, related biomarkers of cardiac stress and inflammation, total and cardiovascular readmissions, mortality and safety events. Conclusion: COLICA will be the first randomized trial testing the efficacy and safety of colchicine for acute HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined whether the emotions that clients experience within session are associated with treatment outcome in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Method: Participants were 52 adults who met criteria for BPD and were enrolled in a 12-month DBT treatment. The Classification of Affective-Meaning States, an observer-rated measure of discrete emotions, was used to code videos of individual DBT sessions. Raters coded three psychotherapy sessions for each participant: one session from each of the early, working, and late phases of psychotherapy. Self-report measures of BPD symptoms were used to assess treatment outcome. Results: More emotional experience overall during the early phase predicted fewer BPD symptoms at 12-month treatment outcome, explaining 19% of the variance in symptoms. However, increases across treatment in global distress predicted higher levels of BPD (24% of the variance explained) and depression symptoms (15% explained) at termination. Increases in emotional flexibility (i.e., variation between states) from the early to working phase predicted fewer depressive symptoms at termination (14% explained). Self-compassion coded during the working phase also predicted a better treatment outcome (explaining 19%–34%). Conclusions: Clients' in-session emotional experiences predict treatment outcome 8–10 months later. Clients with BPD may benefit from more overall exploration of their emotional experiences early in DBT, as well as expression of self-compassion. Increases in nonspecific, intense negative affect anticipates poor prognosis, whereas increases in emotional flexibility during early treatment anticipates better prognosis. What is the public health significance of this article?: This study highlights the importance of discrete emotional experiences in dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder. Specific kinds of emotional experience in individual dialectical behavior therapy sessions anticipate treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico, breast cancer (BC) is the principal cause of death in women over 30 years old, with an annual mortality rate of 14.61 deaths per a 100,000 population. Chemotherapy, in combination with trastuzumab (TTZ), improves the survival of cancer patients; however, cardiotoxicity (CT) is the principal consequence. CT prevalence occurs between 10% and 30% of patients; however, there are no data about the prevalence of CT in the Mexican population. This study aims to establish the prevalence of CT in patients treated with anti-HER-2 therapy among BC women in southeast Mexico. A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2015 to July 2019. The records of 46 patients diagnosed with HER-2-positive BC who attended the Mexican Social Security Institute in the Ambulatory Care Medicine Unit were analyzed. The diagnostic criterion for CT was a decrease in LVEF > 10% from baseline or a final LVEF < 53%. CT prevalence was observed in 19 (41.3%) of women with cancer, with an average decrease in LVEF of 13%. In the population, we found an association between weight, surface area, and the loading dose of TTZ with CT. Nutritional follow-up and the administration of cardioprotective drugs are necessary to recover LVEF and avoid cardiovascular failure in women with BC and survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) are presented with unique challenges and opportunities when performing awake craniotomy (AC) for brain tumors. These circumstances arise from factors that are financial, infrastructural, educational, personnel, and sociocultural in nature. We performed a systematic narrative review of series on AC for intra-axial brain tumors in LICs/LMICs using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in these settings. The PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched. After initially identifying 74 studies, inclusion-exclusion criteria were applied, leaving a total of 14 studies included in the review. These involved 409 patients who underwent AC in LICs/LMICs. These series were from India, Ghana, Nigeria, Iran, Pakistan, Morocco, the Philippines, and Egypt. The most common pathology encountered were gliomas (10–70%). Most studies (11/14, 78.5%) reported on their technique of cortical-subcortical mapping. All reported on motor mapping and 8 of these performed language mapping. The most common outcomes reported were seizure and neurologic deficits, and longest follow-up was at 1 year. Challenges noted were lack of equipment and trained personnel, need for validated tests for the local setting, and sociocultural factors. Opportunities identified were volume for training, technique innovation, and international collaboration. There are numerous challenges and opportunities that arise when performing AC in LICs/LMICs. A collaborative approach toward harnessing the opportunities, and seeking creative solutions to address the challenges, would provide an ideal mechanism toward advancing neurosurgical care and specialty worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the ability of the Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa (ADNEX) model and the International Ovarian Tumour Analysis (IOTA) two‐step strategy to predict malignancy in adnexal masses detected in an outpatient low‐risk setting, and to estimate the risk of complications in masses with benign ultrasound morphology managed using clinical and ultrasound follow‐up. Methods: This single‐center study was performed at Hospital Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain, using interim data from the ongoing prospective observational IOTA Phase‐5 (IOTA5) study. The primary aim of the IOTA5 study is to describe the cumulative incidence of complications during follow‐up of adnexal masses classified as benign on ultrasound examination. Consecutive patients with an adnexal mass detected between June 2012 and September 2016 in a private center offering screening for gynecological cancer were included and followed up until February 2020. Tumors were classified as benign or malignant based on histology (if patients underwent surgery) or the outcome of clinical and ultrasound follow‐up at 12 (range, 10–14) months. Multiple imputation was used when outcomes were uncertain. The ability of the ADNEX model without CA125 and of the IOTA two‐step strategy to distinguish benign from malignant masses was evaluated retrospectively using the prospectively collected data. We assessed performance with regard to discrimination (area under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve (AUC)), calibration, classification (sensitivity and specificity) and clinical utility (Net Benefit). In the group of patients with a mass judged to be benign who were selected for conservative management, we evaluated the occurrence of spontaneous resolution or any mass complication during the first 5 years of follow‐up by assessing the cumulative incidence of malignancy, torsion, cyst rupture and minor mass complications (inflammation, infection or adhesions) and the time to occurrence of an event. Results: A total of 2654 patients were recruited to the study. After application of exclusion criteria, 2039 patients with a newly detected mass were included for the model validation. Of those, 1684 (83%) masses were benign, 49 (2%) masses were malignant and, for 306 (15%) masses, the outcome was uncertain and therefore imputed. The AUC was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.89–0.98) for ADNEX without CA125 and 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88–0.97) for the two‐step strategy. Calibration performance could not be meaningfully interpreted because the small number of malignancies resulted in very wide confidence intervals. The two‐step strategy had better clinical utility than did the ADNEX model at malignancy risk thresholds < 3%. There were 1472 (72%) patients whose mass was judged to be benign based on pattern recognition by an experienced ultrasound examiner and were managed with clinical and ultrasound follow‐up. In this group, the 5‐year cumulative incidence was 66% (95% CI, 63–69%) for spontaneous resolution of the mass, 0% (95% CI, 0–0.2%) for torsion, 0.1% (95% CI, < 0.1–0.4%) for cyst rupture, 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1–0.6%) for a borderline tumor and 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1–0.6%) for invasive malignancy. Conclusions: The ADNEX model and IOTA two‐step strategy performed well to distinguish benign from malignant adnexal masses detected in a low‐risk population. Conservative management is safe for masses with a benign ultrasound appearance in this population. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public bathrooms are key sites for understanding gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations that are out of the norm. Research has shown that they are places of discrimination but they also provide opportunities for transgression. Domestic bathrooms, however, have not received much attention. Through the experiences of 27 LGBT+ youth from Bages, an interior region of Catalonia, this research shows how the bathroom at home is a significant place where gender and sexual norms are reproduced and transgressed. Using a qualitative methodology, I examine how LGBT+ youth experience the domestic bathroom, both in the family home and their own home, according to their age, gender, and sexual orientation. The domestic bathroom is shown to be relevant in terms of gender performativity and sexuality and a place of privacy where gender expression is tested and sexual pleasure is enjoyed. The study sheds light on the understanding of how social norms around gender and sexuality work, destabilizing the conception of cisheterosexuality as something innate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the current research and advancements in noninvasive brain stimulation techniques for psychiatric disorders. It emphasizes the importance of personalized treatment approaches that target specific brain circuits to address the diverse symptoms and disabilities experienced by patients. The document discusses the use of techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of conditions like depression and Alzheimer's disease. It also explores the potential benefits of home-based interventions and the integration of behavioral and physiological measures in personalized neuromodulation interventions. The future of noninvasive neuromodulation lies in precise targeting methods based on individual brain circuitry disruptions and longitudinal studies to understand long-term effects and predictors of treatment response. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: The present study examined client profiles in observed emotion to explore possible subgroups among clients given that there is substantial heterogeneity in clients' expression of emotion in therapy. Subgroups were identified using the sequential model of emotional processing, which posits that global distress, shame/fear and rejecting anger represent 'early expressions of distress', whereas assertive anger, self‐compassion and grief/hurt are conceptualised to be 'adaptive states' that predict good outcomes. The present study also offers a unique strategy for studying differences in clients' emotional presentation with implications for within‐session assessment by therapists. Method: Sections of videotaped therapy sessions for 34 participants in emotion‐focussed therapy were coded for each emotional state. Through cluster analysis, participants were grouped based on the relative magnitude of each emotion state in the model. Results: In the first set of analyses, two naturalistic groups were formed: Cluster 2 had higher levels of adaptive emotion and rejecting anger than Cluster 1. There was a significantly greater proportion of good within‐session outcomes in Cluster 2 than in Cluster 1. In the second set of analyses, a separate cluster analysis categorised participants based on their early expressions of distress. Four groups were described as follows: Distressed, Protesters, Fearful & Ashamed and Minimally Distressed. Only the Minimally Distressed group showed significantly higher rates of good within‐session outcome. Discussion: These findings provide support for the emotional processing model by using novel methods and analyses. Although the findings are preliminary, they have implications for clinicians' assessments of clients' emotional needs and characteristic presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is the most promising candidate to become the first migraine biomarker. However, literature shows clashing results and suggests a methodological source for such discrepancies. We aimed to investigate some of these methodological factors to evaluate the actual role of CGRP as biomarker. Methods: Previous to the experimental part, we performed a literature review of articles measuring CGRP in migraine patients. Using our 399 bio-bank sera samples, we performed a series of experiments to test the validity of different ELISA kits employed, time of sample processing, long-term storage, sampling in rest or after moderate exercise. Analysis of in-house data was performed to analyse average levels of the peptide and the effect of sex and age. Results: Literature review shows the high variability in terms of study design, determination methods, results and conclusions obtained by studies including CGRP determinations in migraine patients. CGRP measurements depends on the method and specific kit employed, also on the isoform detected, showing completely different ranges of concentrations. Alpha-CGRP and beta-CGRP had median with IQR levels of 37.5 (28.2–54.4) and 4.6 (2.4–6.4)pg/mL, respectively. CGRP content is preserved in serum within the 24 first hours when samples are stored at 4°C after clotting and immediate centrifugation. Storages at -80°C of more than 6 months result in a decrease in CGRP levels. Moderate exercise prior to blood extraction does not modulate the concentration of the peptide. Age positively correlates with beta-CGRP content and men have higher alpha-CGRP levels than women. Conclusions: We present valuable information for CGRP measurements in serum. ELISA kit suitability should be tested prior to the experiments. Alpha and beta-CGRP levels should be analysed separately as they can show different behaviours even within the same condition. Samples can be processed in a 24-h window if they have been kept in 4°C and should not be stored for more than 6 months at -80°C before assayed. Patients do not need to rest before the blood extraction unless they have performed a high-endurance exercise. For comparative studies, sex and age should be accounted for as these parameters can impact CGRP concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some studies have suggested an association between migraine and inflammatory bowel disease. We determined migraine prevalence in a cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease aged 18–65 years were interviewed using an ad hoc headache questionnaire. Those who admitted a history of headache in the last year answered the three questions of the ID-Migraine questionnaire. Those who answered "yes" to the three of them were classified as "definite" and those who answered "yes" to two were classified as "probable" migraine. Results: We interviewed 283 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Of these, 176 (62.2%) had headache. Fifty-nine (20.8%; 95% CI 16.3–26.0%) met migraine criteria either definite (n = 33; 11.7%; 95% CI 8.2–16.0%) or probable (n = 26; 9.2%; 95% CI 6.1–13.2). When divided by gender, 12 men (9.6%; 95% CI 5.1–16.2%) and 47 women (29.8%; 95% CI 22.8–37.5%) met migraine criteria. The prevalence of migraine was increased in inflammatory bowel disease patients from the current cohort (20.8%) versus that reported for our general population for the same age group (12.6%; p < 0.0001). These differences remained significant in female inflammatory bowel disease patients (29.8% versus 17.2% in our general population; p < 0.0001), but not in males (9.6% in inflammatory bowel disease vs 8.0%; p = 0.30). Seventeen patients with inflammatory bowel disease (6.0%; 95% CI 3.54–9.44%) fulfilled chronic migraine criteria. There were no differences in migraine prevalence by inflammatory bowel disease subtypes. Conclusion: Migraine prevalence, including chronic migraine, seems to be increased in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The fact that this association was stronger for women suggests an influence of sex-related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The privacy risks of processing human locations and their trajectories have been demonstrated by a large number of studies and real-world incidents. As a result, many efforts are aimed at making human location trajectories available for processing while protecting the privacy of individuals. A majority of these, however, are based on concepts and evaluation methodologies that do not always provide convincing results or obvious guarantees. The processing of locations and trajectories yields benefits in numerous domains, from municipal development over traffic engineering to personalized navigation and recommendations. It can also enable a variety of promising, entirely new applications, and is, therefore, the focus of many ongoing projects. With this article, we describe common trajectory types and representations and give a classification of meaningful utility measures, describe risks and attacks, and systematize previously published privacy notions. We then survey the field of protection mechanisms, classifying them into approaches of syntactic privacy, masking for differential privacy (DP), and generative approaches with DP for synthetic data. Key insights are that syntactic notions have serious drawbacks, especially in the field of trajectory data, but also that a large part of the literature that claims DP guarantees is considerably flawed. We also gather evidence that there may be hidden potential in the development of synthetic data generators, probably especially using deep learning with DP, since the utility of synthetic data has not been very satisfactory so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demersal fish orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) can live for up to 250 years, twenty times more than its congener silver roughy (Hoplostethus mediterraneus). Studies of Hoplostethus have focused mainly on its ecology and conservation due to its vulnerability to commercial fishing. In this work, we present the de novo genomes of orange and silver roughies and explore the genomic mechanisms that could contribute to such differential longevities. Using comparative genomics on a list of more than 400 genes, we identified gene candidates with differential residue changes in Hoplostethus that are related to genomic instability, disabled macroautophagy and intercellular communication. We hypothesized that these mechanisms could have been selected as adaptations to the deep environment and, as an epiphenomenon of these mechanisms, may have contributed to an extension of the lifespan of H. atlanticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An N-of-1 observational design characterizes associations among several variables over time in a single individual. Traditional statistical models recommended for experimental N-of-1 trials may not adequately model these observational relationships. We propose an additive Bayesian network using a generalized linear mixed-effects model for the local mean as a novel method for modeling each of these relationships in a data-driven manner. We validate our approach via simulation studies and apply it to a 12-month observational N-of-1 study exploring the impact of stress on daily exercise engagement. We demonstrate the improved performance of the additive Bayesian network to recover the underlying network structure. From the empirical study, we found statistically discernible associations between reports of stress and physical activity on a population level, but these associations may differ at an individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of microbial communities arises from a multitude of factors, including the interactions of microorganisms with each other and with the environment. In this work, we sought to disentangle those drivers by performing a cross-study, cross-biome meta-analysis of microbial occurrence data in more than 5000 samples, applying a novel network clustering algorithm aimed to capture conditional taxa co-occurrences. We then examined the phylogenetic and functional composition of the resulting clusters, and searched for global patterns of assembly both at the community level and in the presence/absence of individual metabolic pathways. Our analysis highlighted the prevalence of functional redundancy in microbial communities, particularly between taxa that co-occur in more than one environment, pointing to a relationship between functional redundancy and environmental adaptation. In spite of this, certain pathways were observed in fewer taxa than expected by chance, suggesting the presence of auxotrophy, and presumably cooperation among community members. This hypothetical cooperation may play a role in genome reduction, since we observed a negative relationship between the size of bacterial genomes and the size of the community they belong to. Overall, our results suggest the microbial community assembly is driven by universal principles that operate consistently across different biomes and taxonomic groups. A cross-biome meta-analysis of microbial occurrence data in more than 5000 samples suggest that microbial community assembly is driven by universal principles that operate consistently across different biomes and taxonomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in emotions experienced during the pandemic and their effects on children's well‐being remain a significant issue. This study analyses 86 drawings created by children aged 5–13, collected in fieldwork conducted through workshops across various regions of Spain. The main objective was to describe how children portray their emotional changes and the resulting impact on their lives within the context of the pandemic. We employed qualitative bottom‐up logic to code the drawings using CAQDAS. Findings revealed a discernible emotional impact, expressed more explicitly by girls, as well as lasting elements concerning the pandemic and the enduring restrictions on social interactions, even beyond the widespread lockdowns of 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the emendation of specific lines in Old English poetry, namely "The Phoenix" and "The Wife's Lament." The author analyzes the problematic aspects of these lines and proposes alternative versions that adhere to the rules of Old English meter and metrical grammar. The article also explores the implications of these emendations for the editing of "The Wife's Lament," which is known for its textual difficulties. The author's goal is to provide a more accurate and metrical interpretation of these lines in Old English poetry. [Extracted from the article]

Different care networks in Spain evaluate the co-occurrence of substance use disorders (SUD) and other mental disorders (OMDs). This study aimed to explore the differences in prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical profile, pharmacological treatment, and gender perspective of the co-occurrence of SUD and OMD between specific addiction treatment networks and mental health networks. This is an observational, cross-multicenter study with a randomized sample of patients under treatment for SUD or OMDs in different autonomous communities of Spain (N = 1783). Sixty-seven health professionals completed an ad hoc online questionnaire, collecting sociodemographic variables with patients diagnosed with SUD and OMDs, and their pharmacological treatments. The findings revealed a high prevalence of OMD in patients treated for SUD (71%) and those for OMD diagnosed with SUD (59%). Specific relationships between the SUDs and OMDs were identified. In networks treating SUDs, the increase in treatment for OMDs was widespread. However, the addition of SUD treatments in mental health networks was less frequent than expected. In addition, an elevated benzodiazepine prescription was detected in both settings. Some possible gender biases in treatments were found. This study provides preliminary information on the coexistence in routine clinical practice of addictive disorders and other mental disorders in Spain. The results revealed that the treatments provided are inefficient for SUDs in patients treated in mental health settings. Furthermore, a high prescription of anxiolytics and differences by sex are shown. These findings may contribute to adapting the treatment response with greater precision and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Surgical intervention in pediatric patients can cause variable degrees of psychological stress with potential consequences in the perioperative period and even in the long term, after hospital discharge in the form of behavioral changes days and months later. The aim of our study was to determine which preoperative preparation strategy reduces postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes in children undergoing ambulatory pediatric surgery. Materials and Methods This prospective observational study included 638 pediatric American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II patients who underwent ambulatory pediatric surgery. They were grouped into four preoperative preparation groups: not premedicated (NADA), premedicated with midazolam (MDZ), parental presence during induction of anesthesia (PPIA), and parental presence during induction of anesthesia and premedicated with midazolam (PPIA + MDZ). All patients included in the study were contacted by telephone during 1 year posthospital discharge to assess the postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes using the Posthospitalization Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ). We performed a multivariate analysis to evaluate the influence of type of preparation and behavioral changes. Results Patients in the PPIA and PPIA + MDZ preparation groups presented less postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes compared to patients in the NADA and MDZ groups (odds ratio [OR]: 1.8 [1.1–2.8] and OR 2.2 [1.03–4.49]) during the first week and first month. The intensity of emergence delirium measured by the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale increases the probability of postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes (OR: 1.05 [1.006–1.103]). Conclusion The presence of parents during induction of anesthesia (PPIA and PPIA + MDZ) is a very effective strategy in reducing postoperative behavioral changes. These benefits are more significant in children under 5 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) is a widely used approach for the generation of gene co-expression networks. However, networks generated with this tool usually create large modules with a large set of functional annotations hard to decipher. We have developed TGCN, a new method to create Targeted Gene Co-expression Networks. This method identifies the transcripts that best predict the trait of interest based on gene expression using a refinement of the LASSO regression. Then, it builds the co-expression modules around those transcripts. Algorithm properties were characterized using the expression of 13 brain regions from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project. When comparing our method with WGCNA, TGCN networks lead to more precise modules that have more specific and yet rich biological meaning. Then, we illustrate its applicability by creating an APP-TGCN on The Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project dataset, aiming to identify the molecular pathways specifically associated with APP role in Alzheimer's disease. Main biological findings were further validated in two independent cohorts. In conclusion, we provide a new framework that serves to create targeted networks that are smaller, biologically relevant and useful in high throughput hypothesis driven research. The TGCN R package is available on Github: https://github.com/aliciagp/TGCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is an X‐linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the gain of dose of at least the genes MECP2 and IRAK1 and is characterised by intellectual disability (ID), developmental delay, hypotonia, epilepsy and recurrent infections. It mainly affects males, and females can be affected or asymptomatic carriers. Rett syndrome (RTT) is mainly triggered by loss of function mutations in MECP2 and is a well described syndrome that presents ID, epilepsy, lack of purposeful hand use and impaired speech, among others. As a result of implementing omics technology, altered biological pathways in human RTT samples have been reported, but such molecular characterisation has not been performed in patients with MDS. We gathered human skin fibroblasts from 17 patients with MDS, 10 MECP2 duplication carrier mothers and 21 patients with RTT, and performed multi‐omics (RNAseq and proteomics) analysis. Here, we provide a thorough description and compare the shared and specific dysregulated biological processes between the cohorts. We also highlight the genes TMOD2, SRGAP1, COPS2, CNPY2, IGF2BP1, MOB2, VASP, FZD7, ECSIT and KIF3B as biomarker and therapeutic target candidates due to their implication in neuronal functions. Defining the RNA and protein profiles has shown that our four cohorts are less alike than expected by their shared phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of alopecia and its treatments involve drugs that have various adverse effects and are not completely effective. Radiofrequency-based therapies (RF) are an alternative for AGA treatment. Although there is increasing clinical evidence of the effectiveness of RF for alopecia, its effects at the tissue and cellular level have not been studied in detail. The objective of this study was to analyze ex vivo the potential effect of RF currents used in capacitive resistive electrical transfer (CRET) therapy on AGA. Hair follicles (HFs) were donated by patients with AGA and treated with CRET. AGA-HFs were exposed in vitro to intermittent 448 kHz electric current in subthermal conditions. Cell proliferation (Ki67), apoptosis (TUNEL assay), differentiation (β-catenin), integrity (collagen and MMP9), thickness of the epidermis surrounding HF, proportion of bulge cells and melanoblasts in AGA-HF were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. CRET increased proliferation and decreased death of different populations of AGA-HF cells. In addition, the melanoblasts increased in bulge and the epidermis surrounding the hair follicle thickened. These results support the effectiveness of RF-based therapies for the treatment of alopecia. However, clinical trials are necessary to know the true effectiveness of CRET therapy and other RF therapies for AGA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Understanding driving forces for dissipative, i.e., out of equilibrium, assembly of nanoparticles from colloidal solution at liquid–solid interfaces provides the ability to design external cues for reconfigurable device response. Here electrohydrodynamic flow (EHD) at an electrode-liquid interface is investigated as a dissipative driving force for tuning optical response. EHD results from an oscillatory electric field in a liquid cell between two electrodes and drives assembly of gold nanoparticles (NP) into two-dimensional clusters on electrode surfaces. Clusters are chemically crosslinked during assembly to freeze assemblies for electron microscopy characterization in order to understand how to 'nucleate' cluster formation. Electron microscopy images show deposition with a potential having an amplitude of 5 V and frequency of 100 Hz produces surfaces with isolated NP, which can seed EHD flow. A second deposition step at 5 V and 500 Hz produces a high density of quadramers on surfaces. When exciting near the local surface plasmon resonance of the Au NP clusters formed during assembly, Au NPs serve as in situ nanoantenna reporters of assembly and disassembly. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements of Au NP capped with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid show order of magnitude signal enhancements occur during cluster formation in the presence of an oscillatory field, which occurs on a time scale of seconds. Confocal fluorescence spectroscopy is used to monitor the dissipative assembly of Au NP over multiple cycles. Results provide insight on how electrical stimuli and seeding local perturbations affects formation of NP clusters and resultant optical response provides insight on how to tune response of optically active surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: (i) To classify forest habitat diversity in the Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion, a putative biodiversity refugium in Western Europe, and (ii) to evaluate how the distribution of functional and ecological habitat types is explained by climatic drivers. Location: Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion (northwestern Iberian Peninsula). Methods: We compiled a vegetation database for the ecoregion using data stored in the Iberian and Macaronesian Vegetation Information System (SIVIM). Then, we used the EUNIS Habitat Classification expert system, the modified Two‐Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and the semi‐supervised k‐means classification to classify all Forest plots into regionalised EUNIS habitat types. We determined the environmental space of each ecological forest type with bioclimatic and soil variables, and computed principal components analysis (PCA), generalised linear models (GLMs) and PERMANOVA to evaluate climatic differences among forests. Results: We identified 24 ecological forest habitat types (12 broadleaved deciduous, seven broadleaved evergreen and five coniferous), whose regional distribution is mainly driven by the oceanic influence and the amount and seasonality of annual precipitation. Most forest types had a specific climatic optimum, but there were also climatic overlaps in habitats traditionally favoured by human activities. Conclusions: The Cantabrian Mixed Forests ecoregion is a hotspot of forest diversity within the temperate deciduous forest biome in Europe, including multiple functional and ecological forest types. Such forest diversity is explained by present macro‐ and mesoclimatic heterogeneity, Pleistocene refugia, and the legacy of human intervention during the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: In productive grasslands highly dominated by a single plant species, herbivores can promote overall plant diversity. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) often decrease species diversity, alter regeneration and change community composition in their native and invader ranges while digging and uprooting vegetation for feeding. In addition, wild guinea pigs (Cavia aperea), a small vertebrate herbivore native to South America, concentrate their feeding activities in open patches where they also affect plant diversity, biomass and composition. In this context, can wild‐boar disturbances promote plant diversity in herbaceous systems characterized by a highly dominant species? Can native wild guinea pigs magnify these impacts? Location: Coastal grasslands and salt marshes of the northeastern part of the temperate Argentine pampas, that are dominated by native or exotic herbaceous species. Methods: We first analyzed alpha‐ and beta‐diversity of plant assemblies in three natural coastal herbaceous areas, invaded by wild boars, through samplings (comparing disturbed and undisturbed areas) and experiments (using exclosures and control plots). Then, we analyzed whether wild guinea pigs could affect patch recovery (alpha‐ and beta‐diversity) after wild‐boar disturbances in one site. Results: Wild boars enhanced alpha‐diversity (compared to undisturbed areas) but had no significant effect on beta‐diversity. Nevertheless, wild guinea pigs feeding on wild‐boar disturbances increased between‐patch heterogeneity in species composition (i.e., beta‐diversity). Conclusion: Wild boars remove vegetation in patches that, without subsequent wild‐guinea‐pig herbivory, dominant species rapidly recover. Wild‐guinea‐pig herbivory allows different subordinate species to peak at different disturbed patches, contributing to larger species richness at larger scales in areas otherwise occupied by highly dominant plant species. In a wider context, these results imply that the joint action of different‐sized exotic and native herbivores can help to maintain plant species diversity in highly plant‐dominated grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]