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Screening a transposon-mutagenized soybean population led to the discovery of a recessively inherited chlorotic phenotype. This "y24" phenotype results in smaller stature, weaker stems, and a smaller root system. Genome sequencing identified 15 candidate genes with mutations likely to result in a loss of function. Amplicon sequencing of a segregating population was then used to narrow the list to a single candidate mutation, a single-base change in Glyma.07G102300 that disrupts splicing of the second intron. Single cell transcriptomic profiling indicates that this gene is expressed primarily in mesophyll cells, and RNA sequencing data indicate that it is upregulated in germinating seedlings by cold stress. Previous studies have shown that mutations to Os05g34040 , the rice ortholog of Glyma.07G102300 , produced a chlorotic phenotype that was more pronounced in cool temperatures. Growing soybean y24 mutants at lower temperatures also resulted in a more severe phenotype. In addition, transgenic expression of wild-type Glyma.07G102300 in the knockout mutant of the Arabidopsis ortholog At4930720 rescues the chlorotic phenotype, further supporting the hypothesis that the mutation in Glyma.07G102300 is causal of the y24 phenotype. The variant analysis strategy used to identify the genes underlying this phenotype provides a template for the study of other soybean mutants., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2024 The Author(s). Plant Direct published by American Society of Plant Biologists and the Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has been related to more than 7 million deaths globally since 2019. The association of high levels of IL-6 with severe cases led to the early evaluation of the anti-IL6 inhibitor tocilizumab as a potential treatment, which unfortunately failed to improve survival in many trials. Moreover, little is known about the development of COVID-19 sequelae, and biomarkers are needed to understand and anticipate these processes. Because extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in viral infection and immune response, they could potentially serve as predictive and prognostic biomarkers. We isolated EVs from 39 patients with severe COVID-19, from which 29 received tocilizumab and 10 were considered controls. Blood samples, which were collected at hospitalisation before treatment, at Day 7, and Day 15 during follow-up, were assessed by immunoblot for longitudinal expression of spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. Dynamic expression was calculated and compared with clinicopathological and experimental variables. Expression of EV S was validated by immunogold and imaging flow-cytometry, revealing an enrichment in CD9+ EVs. As a result, decreasing expression of EV viral proteins was observed in patients treated with tocilizumab. Moreover, higher increase in EV S was observed in patients with lower antibody response, hyperfibrinogenemia, lower respiratory function, higher blood pressure and shorter outcomes. These findings lay the foundation for future studies characterizing the role of EVs in multiorgan assessment and identifying biomarkers in patients with severe COVID-19 and possible long COVID., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Extracellular Vesicles published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Society for Extracellular Vesicles.)

Background: Latinos in the United States face multiple barriers to engaging in physical activity (PA). We implemented a faith-based multilevel intervention to promote PA in parks for Latino adults, which was partially adapted to a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, and evaluated it using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework., Methods: We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews (83% in Spanish) with 24 intervention participants (75% women) participating in a cluster randomized controlled trial in 2019-2022 that linked 6 churches (3 intervention, 3 control) with parks in East Los Angeles, CA. The intervention included in-person, park-based fitness classes, which were adapted to Facebook during the pandemic; PA motivational text messages; and other activities. Interviews assessed Reach (participation), Effectiveness (perceived impacts), Implementation (participation barriers/facilitators), and Maintenance (plans for sustaining PA), as well as perceived pandemic impacts., Results: About 80% of interviewees participated in ≥1 park class and 67% in ≥1 virtual class (Reach). Interviewees perceived positive intervention impacts across multiple health and well-being domains (Effectiveness) despite perceived negative pandemic impacts; several facilitators to participation (personal, social, program) and few barriers (personal, virtual, environmental; Implementation); and plans for maintaining PA (eg, revisiting intervention text messages and video recordings; Maintenance)., Conclusions: Findings support the utility of Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance to understand the broad impacts of a faith-based PA intervention. Findings point to the adaptability and robustness of the intervention during a public health crisis. Overall, findings may help inform the translation of the intervention to other communities to advance health equity.

Background: Achieving adequate alignment has traditionally been an important goal in total knee arthroplasty to achieve long-term implant survival. While accelerometer-based hand-held navigation systems (ABN) has been introduced as a way to achieve alignment, there is a limited body of evidence on its accuracy, especially in patients under 65 years with differing etiologies for knee arthritis. This study aimed to assess the precision of a specific ABN system in restoring the mechanical axis and report surgical variables and complications, with particular attention to younger patients., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 310 primary TKA performed with ABN from May 2016 to February 2021. The mean patient age was 67.4 (SD 8.9) years, with 43% under 65 years and mean body mass index of 33.2 (SD 6.8). The average surgical time was 96.8 min (57-171) and the average follow-up was 3.3 years (1.9-6.7). Data regarding length of stay, pain, range of motion (ROM), complications, and reinterventions were collected from the institutional joint arthroplasty registry and the medical records. Preoperative mechanical axis measurements and postoperative radiological data, including mechanical axis, component alignment and mechanical alignment outliers were analyzed., Results: The mean preoperative mechanical axis was 175.4° (SD 7.6), with 248 knees (80%) in preoperative varus. The mean postoperative mechanical axis was 179.5° (SD 1.96) with 98% of knees falling within ± 3° of the neutral mechanical axis. Only 6 knees (2 varus, 4 valgus) fell outside the ± 3° range. And 3 knees (1 varus, 2 valgus) fell outside the ± 5° range. In the sagittal plane, 296 knees (95.5%) knees were within ± 3° of goal of 3 degrees of femoral flexion and 302 (97.4%) knees were within ± 2° of goal 1° of slope for tibial component. Far outliers (alignment outside ± 5° of targeted position) were found in 3 knees. Factors such as posttraumatic arthrosis, previous surgery, presence of retained hardware, and age below 65 years were not associated with increase in alignment outliers and far outliers. No complications related to the navigation system were observed. There were 22 complications and 20 reoperations, including 2 revisions for periprosthetic joint infection and 1 revision for flexion instability. Patients that required knee manipulation achieved an ultimate flexion of 110° (SD 14.1)., Conclusions: The ABN system proved to be user-friendly and accurate in reducing alignment outliers in both coronal and sagittal planes in all patient populations. It offers a straightforward navigation solution while preserving surgeon autonomy and the use of traditional surgical tools. These findings advocate for the integration of this navigation system as a valuable tool to enhance the precision of TKA surgery in all patient groups., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Intraprosthetic dissociation (IPD) is a complication unique to dual mobility (DM) implants where the outer polyethylene head dissociates from the inner femoral head. Increasing reports of IPD at the time of closed reduction of large head DM dislocations prompted this biomechanical study evaluating the assembly and dissociation forces of DM heads., Methods: We tested 17 polyethylene DM heads from 5 vendors. Of the heads, 12 were highly cross-linked polyethylene (4 vendors) and 5 were infused with vitamin E (2 vendors). Heads were between 46 and 47 mm in diameter, accepting a 28 mm-inner ceramic head. Implants were assembled and disassembled using a servohydraulic machine that recorded the forces and torques applied during testing. Dissociation was tested via both axial pull-out and lever-out techniques, where lever-out simulated stem-on-acetabular component impingement., Results: The initial maximum assembly force was significantly different between all vendors (P < .01) and decreased for all implants with subsequent assembly. Vendor 4-E (Link with vitamin E) heads required the highest assembly force (1,831.9 ± 81.95 N), followed by Vendor 3 (Smith & Nephew), Vendor 5 (DePuy Synthes), Vendor 1-E (Zimmer Biomet with vitamin E), Vendor 2 (Stryker), and Vendor 1 (Zimmer Biomet Arcom). Vendor 4-E implants showed the greatest dissociation resistance in both pull-out (2,059.89 N, n = 1) and lever-out (38.95 ± 2.79 Nm) tests. Vendor 1-E implants with vitamin E required higher assembly force, dissociation force, and energy than Vendor 1 heads without vitamin E., Conclusions: There were notable differences in DM assembly and dissociation forces between implants. Diminishing force was required for assembly with each additional trial across vendors. Vendor 4-E DM heads required the highest assembly and dissociation forces. Vitamin E appeared to increase the assembly and dissociation forces. Based on these results, DM polyethylene heads should not be reimplanted after dissociation, and there may be a role for establishing a minimum dissociation energy standard to minimize IPD risk., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: COVID-19 survivors who were hospitalised continue to experience long-term multisystemic sequelae and symptoms, impacting their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The complexity of post-COVID-19 conditions underscores the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary, patient-centric approach to ensure ongoing care. This study aims to assess HRQoL and post-COVID symptoms in a cohort of severe COVID-19 survivors depending on their participation in a multidisciplinary programme., Methods: This prospective study was conducted in a post-COVID clinic staffed by a multidisciplinary team (physical rehabilitator, nutritionist, psychologist, including experts in pulmonary rehabilitation, nutrition, psychology and others). Subjects over 18 years old who were hospitalised due to severe COVID-19 during the acute phase and had attended the post-COVID clinic within the first 3 months following discharge were included. Subjects who were unable or unwilling to provide informed consent to participate in the protocol were excluded. Linear mixed-effect models were employed to examine changes in 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) component scores. The resolution of post-COVID symptom clusters was compared using the Cox model., Results: A total of 730 patients were included, with a mean±sd age of 55.78±15.43 years; 60.55% were male and 90.62% required mechanical ventilation during hospitalisation. Programme attendants demonstrated improved SF-12 physical and mental component scores at 3 and 12 months. A reduction in the prevalence of post-COVID symptoms was observed in both groups, with greater reductions in those attending the programme., Conclusion: Our study showed that patients enrolled on the multidisciplinary programme experienced improvements in fatigue, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric and respiratory symptoms, along with enhanced SF-12 mental and physical component scores., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: All the authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright ©The authors 2024.)

While research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the general population is expanding, there remains a scarcity of studies investigating the efficacy and utilisation of CAM practices, specifically in the paediatric population. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of the parental utilisation of CAM in their dependents is estimated to reach up to 80%. This literature review identified broad, heterogeneous, and inconclusive evidence regarding CAM's applications and effectiveness, primarily attributed to variance in sociodemographic factors and differences in national healthcare systems. Additionally, the review identified a lack of consensus and polarised positions among mainstream professionals regarding the mechanisms of action, applications, and effectiveness of CAM. This narrative review presents varied results concerning the efficacy of most CAM therapies and their applications; however, some evidence suggests potential benefits for acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, and massage in improving physical and mental health. Moreover, the available evidence indicates that meditation may enhance mental health, while reiki may only influence patients' perceptions of comfort. In light of the intricate and multifaceted nature of herbal medicine, it is imperative to assess its efficacy on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific compounds and procedures involved. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for health professionals, offering guidance for personalised healthcare approaches that consider the values and beliefs of patients, thereby facilitating integrated, evidence-based practices aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction.

Background: Femur-first (FF) technique for mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has been described as an alternative to tibia-first (TF) technique. The aim of this study was to compare the radiographic results in UKAs using FF or TF techniques and their influence on failure rates., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 288 UKAs with a minimum 2-year follow-up. There were 147 knees in the TF and 141 knees in the FF cohorts. Alignment parameters and overhang were assessed as outliers and far outliers. The mean follow-up was 6 years (range, 2 to 16), the mean age was 63 years (range, 27 to 92), and 45% of patients were women. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out with Cox regression models., Results: There were 13 and 6 revisions in the TF and FF cohorts, respectively. The FF had lower rates of femoral coronal alignment (FCA) or femoral sagittal alignment outliers compared to the TF (5.7% versus 19%, P = .011). Tibial coronal alignment and tibial sagittal alignment did not significantly differ between the techniques (22.7% in FF versus 29.9% in TF, P = .119). Overhang outliers did not differ significantly between the groups. Younger age was associated with a higher revision rate (P = .006), while FF versus TF, sex, body mass index, and postoperative mechanical axis did not show statistically significant associations. In multivariate analysis, FCA outliers and younger age were significantly associated with revision., Conclusions: The FF technique in mobile-bearing UKA resulted in fewer FCA outliers compared to TF. Despite improved knee alignment with the FF technique, FCA outliers and younger age were associated with a higher revision rate, independent of technique., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Dual-mobility (DM) components are increasingly used to prevent and treat dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Intraprosthetic dissociation (IPD) is a rare complication of DM that is believed to have decreased with contemporary implants. This study aimed to report incidence, treatment, and outcomes of contemporary DM IPD., Methods: A total of 1,453 DM components were implanted at a single academic institution between January 2010 and December 2021: 695 in primary and 758 in revision THA. Of these, 49 presented with a dislocation of the large DM head and five presented with an IPD. At the time of closed reduction of the large DM dislocation, six additional IPDs occurred. The mean age was 64 years (SD 9.6), 54.5% were female (n = 6), and mean follow-up was 4.2 years (SD 1.8). Of the 11 IPDs, seven had a history of instability, five had abductor insufficiency, four had prior lumbar fusion, and two were conversions for failed fracture management., Results: The incidence of IPD was 0.76%. Of the 11 IPDs, ten were missed either at presentation or after attempted reduction. All ten patients with a missed IPD were discharged with a presumed reduction. The mean time from IPD to surgical treatment was three weeks (0 to 23). One patient died after IPD prior to revision. Of the ten remaining hips with IPD, the DM head was exchanged in two, four underwent acetabular revision with DM exchange, and four were revised to a constrained liner. Of these, five (50%) underwent reoperation at a mean 1.8 years (SD 0.73), including one additional acetabular revision. No patients who underwent initial acetabular revision for IPD treatment required subsequent reoperation., Conclusion: The overall rate of IPD was low at 0.76%. It is essential to identify an IPD on radiographs as the majority were missed at presentation or after iatrogenic dissociation. Surgeons should consider acetabular revision for IPD to allow conversion to a larger DM head, and take care to remove impinging structures that may increase the risk of subsequent failure., Competing Interests: K. E. Mallett reports no receipt of funding, no industry or personal financial support, and leadership or fiduciary role in The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. M. J. Taunton reports receipt of royalties and licences, consulting fees, and patents planned, issued, or pending from ENOVIS, and leadership or fiduciary role in The Journal of Arthroplasty. R. J. Sierra reports receipt of royalties or licences from Zimmer Biomet, OrthAlign, and Link, consulting fees from OrthAlign and Eversana, patents planned, issued, or pending from Zimmer Biomet, leadership or fiduciary role in AAHKS, The Hip Society, and The Muller Foundation, and other financial or non-financial interests in Arthrex and The Hip Society., (© 2024 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Background: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a reliable procedure to treat medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). The reported survivorship of UKA has varied in the literature 3-7 . In part, the higher failure rates of UKA seen in registries could be related to the caseload and experience of the reporting surgeon 8 . The introduction of techniques that make procedures more reliable, especially in the hands of inexperienced surgeons, can decrease the rate of failure. With the Oxford UKA implant (Zimmer Biomet), the recommended surgical technique involves cutting the tibia first, followed by the femoral preparation. However, a technique that allows for preparation of the femur first, as well as the use of the femoral component as a reference for the tibial cut, may reduce the common technical errors seen with the procedure. We have utilized the femur-first technique in cases of medial Oxford UKA., Description: The femur-first method outlined in the present article does not require any unique instruments beyond what is supplied by the manufacturer. Before beginning, the femoral positional guide needs to be decoupled from its base. To start, the intramedullary guide is introduced approximately 1 cm anterior and medial to the intercondylar notch. Once the femoral osteophytes are removed, the surgeon identifies the center of the femoral condyle and marks it. The posterior tibial cartilage is then removed with a saw to facilitate the placement of the appropriately sized femoral spherical guide. The size of the femoral component is determined by selecting the implant that aligns best with the width of the femoral condyle. The femoral drill guide is detached from its base because there is not enough space for the base, as the tibia has not yet been resected. The decoupled femoral guide is connected to the intramedullary rod, allowing the precise positioning of the femoral component in approximately 10° of flexion relative to the femoral sagittal plane and drilling of the 2 peg holes. The posterior condylar resection guide is impacted into position, and the osteotomy of the posterior condyle is made. The distal femur is then milled with use of a number-0 spigot, and the femoral component trial is positioned into place. The femoral condyle is "resurfaced" with the femoral component, which restores joint obliquity and the natural height, a critical element of the femur-first technique. Following this, the 1-mm (size-dependent) spherical gauge is placed around the femoral component trial. The tibial guide is secured with the G-clamp and a number-0 resection block, and is pinned into place. We recommend swapping the number-0 cutting guide for a +2 when making the cut in order to avoid over-resection. Recutting is advised if a minimum 3-mm feeler gauge does not adequately occupy the flexion space. The final step is to balance the flexion and extension gaps in the usual fashion., Alternatives: The alternative technique is a traditional tibia-first approach, in which tibial resection is performed prior to femoral resection. As described in the original manufacturer's manual, the tibial cut is accomplished with use of a number-0 cutting guide, and the tibial rotation is based on the axis formed by the anterior superior iliac spine and knee center, irrespective of the femoral condyle., Rationale: The femur-first technique is advantageous in several ways. When performing the femoral cut first, the surgeon can better align the drill guide at the center of medial femoral condyle. This will result in the femoral component being positioned more in line with the coronal plane of the femoral condyle. Additionally, the tibial resection is made with the femoral trial in place; therefore, the depth of resection can be more accurate, potentially avoiding excessive bone resection. Finally, with the femoral trial in place, the surgeon can judge the rotation and medial-lateral position of the tibial component more precisely, hence lowering the possibility of bearing spin-out, impingement, and dislocation or unexplained pain., Expected Outcomes: The femur-first technique is a bone-preserving procedure that results in thinner bearings when compared with a tibia-first approach 1 . The femur-first approach also improves radiographic outcomes, including femoral coronal, femoral sagittal, and tibial sagittal alignments, while tibial coronal alignment does not differ. There is an early trend toward improved 5-year survivorship with the femur-first (98%) versus tibia-first (94%, p = 0.35) techniques. There has been no significant difference reported in Knee Society Scores between techniques., Important Tips: Perform a preliminary cut of the posterior tibial cartilage in order to allow insertion of the femoral drill guide under the femoral condyle.Make sure the femoral drill guide lies in the center of the marked medial femoral condyle.Align the tibial sagittal cut with the femoral component trial in order to avoid bearing impingement.Be conservative in the tibial cutting by utilizing a +2 cutting guide (since the coupling is performed with the intramedullary guide in place, which drives the tibial guide distally)., Acronyms and Abbreviations: UKA = unicompartmental knee arthroplastyFF = femur-firstM-L = medial-lateralAP = anteroposteriorPA = posteroanteriorASA = acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)BID = bis in die, twice a dayPT = physical therapyTF = tibia-firstFCA = femoral coronal angleFSA = femoral sagittal angleTSA = tibial sagittal angleIM = intramedullaryOA = osteoarthritis., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSEST/A442)., (Copyright © 2024 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Objective: The sports-science literature lacks data on training and performance characteristics of international elite athletes over multiple seasons. The present case study provided general training characteristics and performance data of two male short-distance triathletes in the Junior, U23, and international Elite categories., Methods: General training and performance data of two male elite triathletes were described in swimming, cycling, and running segments from the 2015 to 2022 season. The training load was presented using the ECO model while the training intensity distribution (TID) was a triphasic model., Results: Both triathletes increased their performance throughout the seasons. Triathlete A increased his VO 2max in cycling by 20.6%, in running by 16.7%. His power at VO 2max and his speed at VO 2max by 18.9% and 11.0%, respectively. Triathlete B improved his VO 2max by 17.8% in cycling, by 16.1% in running and his power at VO 2max by 24%, and his speed at VO 2max by 14.3%. The triathletes trained on average 14-17 h a week. The TID model was polarized., Conclusions: To achieve the top international level, it is necessary to consider the following measures: training load progression; improvements in physiological variables; and participation in international events starting from youth categories., (© 2023 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Dimerization of the myeloid differentiation primary response 88 protein (MyD88) plays a pivotal role in the exacerbated response to innate immunity-dependent signaling in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ST2825 is a highly specific inhibitor of MyD88 dimerization, previously shown to inhibit the pro-inflammatory gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from RA patients (RA PBMC). In this study, we elucidated the effect of disrupting MyD88 dimerization by ST2825 on the pathological properties of synovial fibroblasts from RA patients (RA SFs)., Methods: RA SFs were treated with varying concentrations of ST2825 in the presence or absence of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) to activate innate immunity-dependent TLR signaling. The DNA content of the RA SFs was quantified by imaging cytometry to investigate the effect of ST2825 on different phases of the cell cycle and apoptosis. RNA-seq was used to assess the global response of the RA SF toward ST2825. The invasiveness of RA SFs in Matrigel matrices was measured in organoid cultures. SFs from osteoarthritis (OA SFs) patients and healthy dermal fibroblasts were used as controls., Results: ST2825 reduced the proliferation of SFs by arresting the cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. In support of this finding, transcriptomic analysis by RNA-seq showed that ST2825 may have induced cell cycle arrest by primarily inhibiting the expression of critical cell cycle regulators Cyclin E2 and members of the E2F family transcription factors. Concurrently, ST2825 also downregulated the genes encoding for pain, inflammation, and joint catabolism mediators while upregulating the genes required for the translocation of nuclear proteins into the mitochondria and members of the mitochondrial respiratory complex 1. Finally, we demonstrated that ST2825 inhibited the invasiveness of RA SFs, by showing decreased migration of LPS-treated RA SFs in spheroid cultures., Conclusions: The pathological properties of the RA SFs, in terms of their aberrant proliferation, increased invasiveness, upregulation of pain and inflammation mediators, and disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis, were attenuated by ST2825 treatment. Taken together with the previously reported anti-inflammatory effects of ST2825 in RA PBMC, this study strongly suggests that targeting MyD88 dimerization could mitigate both systemic and synovial pathologies in a variety of inflammatory arthritic diseases., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the V̇O 2 uptake obtained during a GXT and subsequent verification phase in untrained participants in a hot environment., Methods: Twelve sedentary males completed a GXT followed by a biphasic supramaximal-load verification phase in a hot environment (39°C, 32% relative humidity). Rest between tests occurred in a temperate chamber and lasted until gastrointestinal temperature returned to baseline., Results: Mean verification phase V̇O 2max (37.8 ± 4.3 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ) was lower than GXT (39.8 ± 4.1 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ; P = 0.03) and not statistically equivalent. Using an individualized analysis approach, only 17% (2/12) of participants achieved a V̇O 2 plateau during the GXT. Verification phase confirmed GXT V̇O 2max in 100% of participants, whereas the traditional and the new age-dependent secondary V̇O 2max criteria indicated GXT V̇O 2max achievement at much lower rates (8/12 [67%] vs 7/12 [58%], respectively). Correlational indices between GXT and verification phase V̇O 2max were strong (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95, r = 0.86), and Bland-Altman analysis revealed a low mean bias of -2.1 ± 1.9 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 and 95% limits of agreement (-5.8 to 1.7 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 )., Conclusions: Very few untrained males achieved a V̇O 2 plateau during GXT in the heat. When conducting GXT in a hot condition, the verification phase remains a valuable addition to confirm V̇O 2max in untrained males., (Copyright © 2023 Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a “work of the United States Government” for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.)

This study examined potential sex-related differences and correlations among the pennation angle (PA), muscle thickness (MT), and mechanomyographic amplitude (MMG RMS )-torque relationships of the vastus lateralis (VL) in 11 healthy males and 12 healthy females. The PA and MT of the VL were quantified with ultrasound. Participants performed an isometric muscle action of the knee extensors that linearly increased to 70% of maximal strength followed by a 12 s plateau. MMG was recorded from the VL. Linear regression models were fit to the log-transformed MMG RMS -torque relationships to calculate b terms (slopes) for the linearly increasing segment. MMG RMS was averaged during the plateau. Males exhibited greater PA ( p < 0.001), MT ( p = 0.027), b terms ( p = 0.005), and MMG RMS ( p = 0.016). The b terms were strongly ( p < 0.001, r = 0.772) and moderately correlated ( p = 0.004, r = 0.571) with PA and MT, respectively, while MMG RMS was moderately correlated with PA ( p = 0.018, r = 0.500) and MT ( p = 0.014, r = 0.515). The greater mechanical behavior of individuals possessing a larger PA and MT of the VL may reflect increased cross-bridge activity within the muscle fibers. Additionally, PA may help explain sex-related differences in MMG RMS between sexes.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) contributes to positive health outcomes, but a minority of US adults meet minimum guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and muscle-strengthening, and Latinos are less likely than whites to meet these guidelines. Public parks can be leveraged for community PA but tend to be underutilized, while churches have reach within Latino communities and can influence parishioners' health., Methods: We are conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of a multilevel, faith-based intervention linking Catholic parishes (n = 14) to their local parks on adult Latino parishioners' (n = 1204) MVPA and health-related outcomes. Our approach targets multiple levels (individual, group, church, and neighborhood-park) to promote health-enhancing PA through park-based exercise classes led by kinesiology students, peer leader-led walking groups, park-based church events, church-based PA support activities, and environmental advocacy. Data are collected at churches by trained bilingual/bicultural research assistants using accelerometry, surveys, and biometric procedures. We will implement a set of hierarchical repeated-measure linear models to examine effects on the primary outcome (MVPA) and secondary outcomes (self-reported PA, heart rate/fitness, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat, mental health, and perceived social support for PA). We will also conduct a process evaluation., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this will be the first study examining efficacy of an integrated church and park-based intervention on Latino adults' PA and represents a scalable model of PA programming for low-income communities. The intervention makes use of innovative partnerships within and across sectors - faith-based, local parks/city government, and local universities - further facilitating sustainability., Clinicaltrials: govID: NCT03858868., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Depression is common among patients with cancer and is associated with lower treatment participation, lower satisfaction with care, poorer quality of life, greater symptom burden and higher healthcare costs. Various types of interventions (e.g. pharmacological, psychotherapy) are used for the treatment of depression. However, evidence for these among patients with cancer is limited. Furthermore, the relative effectiveness and acceptability of different approaches are unknown because a direct comparison between all available treatments has not been carried out. We will address this by conducting a network meta-analysis (NMA) of interventions for depression among people with cancer using a hybrid overview of reviews and systematic review methodology., Methods: We will search for and extract data from systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of depression interventions for patients with cancer from inception, before performing a supplemental search for more recent RCTs. We will include RCTs comparing pharmacological, psychotherapy, exercise, combination therapy, collaborative care or complementary and alternative medicine interventions with pill placebo, no treatment, waitlist, treatment as usual or minimal treatment control groups, or directly in head-to-head trials, among adults who currently have cancer or have a history of any cancer and elevated depressive symptoms (scores above a cut-off on validated scales or meeting diagnostic criteria). Our primary outcomes will be change in depressive symptoms (standardised mean difference) and intervention acceptability (% who withdrew). Our secondary outcomes will be 6-month change in depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, adverse events and mortality. We will independently screen for eligibility, extract data and assess risk of bias using the RoB 2 tool. We will use frequentist random-effects multivariate NMA in Stata, rankograms and surface under the cumulative ranking curves to synthesise evidence and obtain a ranking of intervention groups. We will explore heterogeneity and inconsistency using local and global measures and evaluate the credibility of results using the Confidence in NEtwork Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) framework., Discussion: Our findings will provide the best available evidence for managing depression among patients with cancer. Such information will help to inform clinical guidelines, evidence-based treatment decisions and future research by identifying gaps in the current literature., Systematic Review Registration: Submitted to PROSPERO (record number: 290145), awaiting registration., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Arthritic diseases have attracted enormous scientific interest because of increased worldwide prevalence and represent a significant socioeconomic burden. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis. It is a disorder of the diarthrodial joints, characterized by degeneration and loss of articular cartilage associated with adjacent subchondral bone changes. Chronic and unresolving inflammation has been identified as a critical factor driving joint degeneration and pain in OA. Despite numerous attempts at therapeutic intervention, no effective disease-modifying agents targeting OA inflammation are available to the patients. Inflammasomes are protein complexes known to play a critical role in the inflammatory pathology of several diseases, and their roles in OA pathogenesis have become evident over the last decade. In this sense, it is relevant to evaluate the vital role of inflammasomes as potential modulators of pathogenic features in OA. This review will provide an overview and perspectives on why understanding inflammasome activation is critical for identifying effective OA therapies. We elaborate on the contribution of extracellular mediators from the circulatory system and synovial fluid as well as intracellular activators within the synovial fibroblasts and articular chondrocytes toward invoking the inflammasome in OA. We further discuss the merits of emerging inflammasome targeting therapies and speculate on the potential strategies for inflammasome blockade for OA therapy., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Cracking from a fine equiaxed zone (FQZ), often just tens of microns across, plagues the welding of 7000 series aluminum alloys. Using a multiscale correlative methodology, from the millimeter scale to the nanoscale, we shed light on the strengthening mechanisms and the resulting intergranular failure at the FQZ. We show that intergranular AlCuMg phases give rise to cracking by micro-void nucleation and subsequent link-up due to the plastic incompatibility between the hard phases and soft (low precipitate density) grain interiors in the FQZ. To mitigate this, we propose a hybrid welding strategy exploiting laser beam oscillation and a pulsed magnetic field. This achieves a wavy and interrupted FQZ along with a higher precipitate density, thereby considerably increasing tensile strength over conventionally hybrid welded butt joints, and even friction stir welds., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Sequential synchronized atrioventricular (AV) pacing provides enhanced electrophysiologic parameters which contribute to improved hemodynamic parameters and increased cardiac performance to subsequently confer a clinical advantage over traditional ventricular pacing. Current temporary transvenous pacemaker catheters are limited to only one electrode which paces solely the right ventricle, thus lacking the capability to provide the optimal pacing mode. A new multilead pacemaker device was developed in response to the need for improved temporary pacing through the utilization of sequential synchronized atrioventricular pacing (TAVSP). It consists of seven preformed, preshaped nitinol wires electrodes, of which four are for intra-atrial and three for intraventricular positioning and endocardial contact, respectively. Each wire carries a ball tip designed to minimize tissue trauma and provide a high current density for adequate myocardial capture. The device is not yet Food and Drug Administration approved., Objective: To present the unique structural components and mechanical properties of a novel sequential synchronized AV pacing device for temporary insertion and to report its first-in-human application with an analysis of the early clinical experience., Methods: Following a process of development and proof of concept of the novel pacing modality in an animal model which demonstrated feasibility and safety, a series of patients who were candidates for the device application was identified. During left and right heart catheterization, the novel temporary pacing catheter was inserted transvenously and delivered in most patients under fluoroscopy or echocardiography. The catheter was deployed to its target right heart anatomic sites and then activated in an AV sequential mode. The technical aspects, the corresponding clinical utilization, and device performance were documented and analyzed., Results: The series included 10 enrolled subjects. During planned left and right heart catheterization, the novel TAVSP device was inserted transvenously and then delivered and deployed successfully in a timely fashion in all patients. The pacing catheter achieved proper threshold and impedance in all (100%) patients. The performance of all ventricular leads was adequate; however, in 1 (10%) patient poor performance of the atrial leads was detected. The device was successfully retrieved in all patients. No adverse arrhythmia, impaired hemodynamics, or clinical adverse events occurred. No technical difficulties, component failure, or wires thrombosis were detected. All patients sustained the device application without sequala and were discharged home., Conclusion: Initial clinical experience with the utilization of a novel TAVSP demonstrates feasibility and safety in humans. The TAVSP modality potentially offers improved pacing capability and subsequent hemodynamic benefits over the current temporary pacing catheters. Further experience with the clinical application of this pacing catheter is warranted., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Strain is a crucial factor that influences the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles. Being able to precisely measure strain is important in understanding the intrinsic mechanism of the enhanced performance of nanoparticles. Techniques that have been developed for strain analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images can be categorized into diffraction-based method and imaging-based method. Here, using image simulation techniques, it is found that the measured two-dimensional (2D) displacements from annular dark field (ADF) STEM images of a nanoparticle are a good approximation to a projection of the actual three-dimensional (3D) displacements. A methodology for deformation analysis is presented which is based on the detection of atomic columns from atomic-resolution STEM images in real space. Elastic deformation parameters such as strain are usually defined on the basis of a continuum of deformation. The appropriateness of various deformation parameters for atomic-scale investigation on STEM images is explored and a method for determining these is presented. We found that the local lattice parameter and principal strain components are the most physically meaningful parameters to express the materials distortion behaviour. Apart from the local lattice parameter, the other deformation parameters such as normal strains, shear strains and displacements, heavily rely on the choice of reference lattice. It is also found that different reference grids add a series of uniform offsets to these strain variations. Finally, this approach is applied to a PtCo 3 bimetallic nanoparticle to quantify its deformation behaviour., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

SOX4 belongs to the group C of the SOX transcription factor family. It is a critical mediator of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-induced transformation of fibroblast-like s-ynoviocytes (FLS) in arthritis. In this study we investigated the genome wide association between the DNA binding and transcriptional activities of SOX4 and the NF-kappaB signaling transcription factor RELA/p65 downstream of TNF signaling. We used ChIP-seq assays in mouse FLS to compare the global DNA binding profiles of SOX4 and RELA. RNA-seq of TNF-induced wildtype and SoxC -knockout FLS was used to identify the SOX4-dependent and independent aspects of the TNF-regulated transcriptome. We found that SOX4 and RELA physically interact with each other on the chromatin. Interestingly, ChIP-seq assays revealed that 70.4% of SOX4 peak summits were within 50bp of the RELA peak summits suggesting that both proteins bind in close-proximity on regulatory sequences, enabling them to co-operatively regulate gene expression. By integrating the ChIP-seq results with RNA-seq from SoxC -knockout FLS we identified a set of TNF-responsive genes that are targets of the RELA-SOX4 transcriptional complex. These TNF-responsive and RELA-SOX4-depenedent genes included inflammation mediators, histone remodeling enzymes and components of the AP-1 signaling pathway. We also identified an autoregulatory mode of SoxC gene expression that involves a TNF-mediated switch from RELA binding to SOX4 binding in the 3' UTR of Sox4 and Sox11 genes. In conclusion, our results show that SOX4 and RELA together orchestrate a multimodal regulation of gene expression downstream of TNF signaling. Their interdependent activities play a pivotal role in the transformation of FLS in arthritis and in the inflammatory pathology of diverse tissues where RELA and SOX4 are co-expressed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Jones, Ramirez-Perez, Niu, Gangishetti, Drissi and Bhattaram.)

MyD88-dependent intracellular signalling cascades and subsequently NF-kappaB-mediated transcription lead to the dynamic inflammatory processes underlying the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and related autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to identify the effect of the MyD88 dimerization inhibitor, ST2825, as a modulator of pathogenic gene expression signatures and systemic inflammation in disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)-naïve RA patients. We analyzed bulk RNA-seq from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in DMARDs-naïve RA patients after stimulation with LPS and IL-1β. The transcriptional profiles of ST2825-treated PBMC were analyzed to identify its therapeutic potential. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was implemented to identify downregulated pathogenic processes. Our analysis revealed 631 differentially expressed genes between DMARDs-naïve RA patients before and after ST2825 treatment. ST2825-treated RA PBMC exhibited a gene expression signature similar to that of healthy controls PBMC by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteases. In addition, B cell receptor, IL-17 and IL-15 signalling were critically downregulated pathways by ST2825. Furthermore, we identified eight genes ( MMP9 , CXCL9 , MZB1 , FUT7 , TGM2 , IGLV1-51 , LINC01010 , and CDK1 ) involved in pathogenic processes that ST2825 can potentially inhibit in distinct cell types within the RA synovium. Overall, our findings indicate that targeting MyD88 effectively downregulates systemic inflammatory mediators and modulates the pathogenic processes in PBMC from DMARDs-naïve RA patients. ST2825 could also potentially inhibit upregulated genes in the RA synovium, preventing synovitis and joint degeneration., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ramirez-Perez, Oregon-Romero, Reyes-Perez and Bhattaram.)

Thermoplastic polymer-filler composites are excellent materials for bone tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds, combining the functionality of fillers with suitable load-bearing ability, biodegradability, and additive manufacturing (AM) compatibility of the polymer. Two key determinants of their utility are their rheological behavior in the molten state, determining AM processability and their mechanical load-bearing properties. We report here the characterization of both these physical properties for four bone TE relevant composite formulations with poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate)/poly(butylene terephthalate (PEOT/PBT) as a base polymer, which is often used to fabricate TE scaffolds. The fillers used were reduced graphene oxide (rGO), hydroxyapatite (HA), gentamicin intercalated in zirconium phosphate (ZrP-GTM) and ciprofloxacin intercalated in MgAl layered double hydroxide (MgAl-CFX). The rheological assessment showed that generally the viscous behavior dominated the elastic behavior ( G ″ > G ') for the studied composites, at empirically determined extrusion temperatures. Coupled rheological-thermal characterization of ZrP-GTM and HA composites showed that the fillers increased the solidification temperatures of the polymer melts during cooling. Both these findings have implications for the required extrusion temperatures and bonding between layers. Mechanical tests showed that the fillers generally not only made the polymer stiffer but more brittle in proportion to the filler fractions. Furthermore, the elastic moduli of scaffolds did not directly correlate with the corresponding bulk material properties, implying composite-specific AM processing effects on the mechanical properties. Finally, we show computational models to predict multimaterial scaffold elastic moduli using measured single material scaffold and bulk moduli. The reported characterizations are essential for assessing the AM processability and ultimately the suitability of the manufactured scaffolds for the envisioned bone regeneration application., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The anthropometric profile has a fundamental role in rowing performance and young talent detection. The objective of this study was to analyze the anthropometric profile, body composition, and somatotype in traditional rowers, and to analyze which variables can be used as predictors of rowing performance. Twenty-four rowers competing at national level participated in this study, thirteen men and eleven women. Significant differences ( p < 0.001) were observed in the height of male rowers (large effect size, d = 1.8) and in body mass (very large effect size, d = 2.4). Also, muscle mass reached a higher percentage in male rowers ( d = 3.7), whereas the sum of seven skinfolds ( d = 2.0) and body fat percentage ( d = 2.0) reached higher values in female rowers, all their difference being significant ( p < 0.001) with very large effect size. The somatotype of male rowers was ecto-mesomorph (1.8-4.5-3.0), and the somatotype of female rowers was in the balanced mesomorph (2.8-3.8-2.6). A very strong correlation between height ( r = 0.75; p = 0.002) and rowing performance was found in male rowers. Body mass ( r = 0.70; p = 0.009) and muscle mass ( r = 0.83; p = 0.001) showed also very strong correlation in female rowers. Finally, height was the best predictor of performance for male rowers (R 2 = 0.56, p < 0.003) and muscle mass for female rowers (R 2 = 0.68, p < 0.002). The anthropometric profile of male and female traditional rowers showed differences to be considered in training programs and talent selection.

Cross correlation based high angular resolution EBSD (or HR-EBSD) has been developed for measurement of elastic strains, lattice rotations (and estimating GND density). Recent advances in Transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD), especially the on-axis geometry allows the possibility of acquiring patterns at higher spatial resolution. However, some controversy remains as to whether stresses/strains measured after the sample thinning process are still representative of the bulk sample. In this paper, we explore a way of applying the HR-EBSD method to study strains and lattice rotations in an initially bulk sample, that is then progressively thinned down until a similar analysis can be performed on thin (and electron transparent) samples. Thus, HR-TKD will be compared as a possible alternative to HR-EBSD, in scenarios when it is not always possible to perform EBSD on the surface of the sample. An estimate of strain relaxation in the sample as a result of sample thinning is presented., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We assess the benefit of including an image inpainting filter before passing damaged images into a classification neural network. We employ an appropriately modified Cahn-Hilliard equation as an image inpainting filter which is solved numerically with a finite-volume scheme exhibiting reduced computational cost and the properties of energy stability and boundedness. The benchmark dataset employed is Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST) dataset, which consists of binary images of handwritten digits and is a standard dataset to validate image-processing methodologies. We train a neural network based on dense layers with MNIST, and subsequently we contaminate the test set with damages of different types and intensities. We then compare the prediction accuracy of the neural network with and without applying the Cahn-Hilliard filter to the damaged images test. Our results quantify the significant improvement of damaged-image prediction by applying the Cahn-Hilliard filter, which for specific damages can increase up to 50% and is advantageous for low to moderate damage., (© 2021 The Authors.)

A detailed evaluation of eight bacterial isolates from floral nectar and animal visitors to flowers shows evidence that they represent three novel species in the genus Acinetobacter . Phylogenomic analysis shows the closest relatives of these new isolates are Acinetobacter apis , Acinetobacter boissieri and Acinetobacter nectaris , previously described species associated with floral nectar and bees, but high genome-wide sequence divergence defines these isolates as novel species. Pairwise comparisons of the average nucleotide identity of the new isolates compared to known species is extremely low (<83 %), thus confirming that these samples are representative of three novel Acinetobacter species, for which the names Acinetobacter pollinis sp. nov., Acinetobacter baretiae sp. nov. and Acinetobacter rathckeae sp. nov. are proposed. The respective type strains are SCC477 T (=TSD-214 T =LMG 31655 T ), B10A T (=TSD-213 T =LMG 31702 T ) and EC24 T (=TSD-215 T =LMG 31703 T =DSM 111781 T ).

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry is an important technique for the study of the composition of a wide range of materials because of the exceptionally high sensitivity that allows the study of trace elements and the ability to distinguish isotopes that can be used as markers for reactions and transport processes. However, when studying nuclear materials, it is often necessary to analyse highly radioactive samples, and only rather few SIMS facilities are available in active environments. In this paper, we present a methodology using focussed ion beam milling to prepare samples from radioactive specimens that are sufficiently large to undertake SIMS mapping experiments over microstructurally significant regions, but with overall activities small enough to be readily transported and analysed by a SIMS instrument in a normal laboratory environment. Radioactive samples prepared using this methodology can also be used for correlative SIMS analysis with other analytical microscopies. SIMS results showing the distributions of deuterium in oxides on in-reactor corroded zirconium alloys are presented to demonstrate the potential of this sample preparation technique., (© 2020 Royal Microscopical Society.)

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Chronic inflammation induces transcriptomic and epigenetic modifications that imparts a persistent catabolic phenotype to the FLS, despite their dissociation from the inflammatory environment. We analyzed high throughput gene expression and chromatin accessibility data from human and mouse FLS from our and other studies available on public repositories, with the goal of identifying the persistently reprogrammed signaling pathways driven by chronic inflammation. We found that the gene expression changes induced by short-term tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) treatment were largely sustained in the FLS exposed to chronic inflammation. These changes that included both activation and repression of gene expression, were accompanied by the remodeling of chromatin accessibility. The sustained activated genes (SAGs) included established pro-inflammatory signaling components known to act at multiple levels of NF-kappaB, STAT and AP-1 signaling cascades. Interestingly, the sustained repressed genes (SRGs) included critical mediators and targets of the BMP signaling pathway. We thus identified sustained repression of BMP signaling as a unique constituent of the long-term inflammatory memory induced by chronic inflammation. We postulate that simultaneous targeting of these activated and repressed signaling pathways may be necessary to combat RA persistence.

The Staphylococcus pseudintermedius group (SIG) is an emerging threat in veterinary medicine, particularly methicillin-resistant (MRSP) isolates, which are frequently associated with multidrug resistance. Reliable identification of SIG members is critical to establish correct antimicrobial treatments. However, information on the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns of MRSP in some regions is still limited. This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial resistance of SIG isolates recovered from animals at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) during a 10-year period (2007-2016). A total of 139 selected Staphylococcus isolates were subjected to species-level identification by different bioanalytical techniques (PCR, VITEK, MALDI-TOF) and subsequent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Methicillin-resistant isolates ( n = 20) were subjected to whole genome sequencing for further characterization of their antibiotic resistance determinants. Our results showed that there was a good correlation between PCR and MALDI-TOF identification, whereas VITEK showed very divergent results, thus confirming MALDI-TOF as a good alternative for species-level identification of coagulase-positive staphylococci. Notably, S. pseudintermedius , including the epidemic MRSP genotype ST71, was the only SIG species found among canine isolates. In addition, we found a high prevalence of multidrug resistance and resistance to fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins and macrolides. Finally, diverse genes associated with antibiotic resistance were detected among MRSP isolates, although the genetic basis of some of the resistant phenotypes (particularly to fluoroquinolones) could not be determined. In conclusion, our study reveals the circulation of MRSP in the veterinary setting in Spain, thus highlighting the emerging threat posed by this bacterial group and the need for further epidemiological surveillance.

Strain and geometric necessary dislocations (GNDs) have been mapped with nm-resolution around grain boundaries affected by stress corrosion cracking (SCC) or intergranular oxidation with the aim of clarifying which local conditions that trigger SCC initiation of Alloy 600 in primary water reactor (PWR) water environment. Regions studied included the cracked and uncracked portion of the same SCC-affected grain boundaries and a comparable grain boundary in the as-received condition. High-resolution "on-axis" Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD) was used to generate strain and GND density based on the cross-correlation image processing method to probe shifts of specific zone axis in the TKD patterns from all regions. All cracked boundaries analyzed had local GND densities higher than 1 × 10 16  m -2 . Similar grain boundaries, from as-received samples had GNDs of 5 × 10 14  m -2 , while an intermediate level was found in the oxidized but uncracked portion of the same GB. Results, together with a discussion on the advantages and limitations of the approach, will be presented., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the present study was to relate the training intensity distribution with performance in a Half-Ironman distance triathlon competition. A total of 18 recreational-level triathletes were divided into two training groups according to their training intensity distribution: Polarized (POL) and Pyramidal (PYR). Prior to the specific training period of the study, subjects performed a ramp-protocol test, running and cycling to determine ventilatory thresholds (VT) through gas-exchange analysis. For swimming, subjects performed an 800-metre test to establish their training zones. Training was quantified based on the cumulative time spent in 3 intensity zones: zone 1 (low intensity, VT2). POL competed 84.5%/4.2%/11.3% and PYR 77.9%/18.8%/3.3% of total training time for zones 1,2 and 3 respectively. The goal of the training period was a half Ironman distance triathlon. Training time in zone 2 inversely correlated with swimming and cycling race time in POL and with running and total race time in PYR. Power at VT2 on bike and speed at VT2 as well as maximum aerobic power and speed in the physiological post test inversely correlated with bike and run segment respectively and with total race time. These results suggest that training time in zone 2 was related with better performance on a Half-Ironman race in amateur triathletes. Future experimental research is needed to clarify the importance of training intensity distribution regarding performance., (© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.)

In this paper, we have analyzed the depth resolution that can be achieved by on-axis transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) using a Zr-Nb alloy. The results indicate that the signals contributing to detectable Kikuchi bands originate from a depth of approximately the mean free path of thermal diffuse scattering (λ TDS ) from the bottom surface of a thin foil sample. This existing surface sensitivity can thus lead to the observation of different grain structures when opposite sides of a nano-crystalline foil are facing the incident electron beam. These results also provide a guideline for the ideal sample thickness for TKD analysis of ≤ 6λ TDS , or 21 times the elastic scattering mean free path (λ MFP ) for samples of high crystal symmetry. For samples of lower symmetry, a smaller thickness ≤ 3λ TDS , or ≤ 10λ MFP is suggested., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus inhabits primarily the Pampean and adjoining Espinal, Monte and Chaquenean regions of Argentina. In order to study the population genetic structure of L. maximus, a fragment of 560 bp of the mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region 1from 90 individuals collected from the 3 subspecies and 8 groups along Argentina was amplified and analyzed. We found 9 haplotypes. The haplotype network did not show an apparent phylogeographical signal. Although low levels of genetic variation were found in all the subspecies and groups analyzed, a radiation of L. maximus would have occurred from the North and Center of the Pampean region toward the rest of its geographic range in Argentina. Low levels of genetic diversity, the existence of a single genetically distinct population in Argentina and changes of its effective size indicate that metapopulation processes and changes in human population dynamics during the late-Holocene were important factors shaping the population genetic structure of L. maximus in Argentina., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

We summarize the findings from an interlaboratory study conducted between ten international research groups and investigate the use of the commonly used maximum separation distance and local concentration thresholding methods for solute clustering quantification. The study objectives are: to bring clarity to the range of applicability of the methods; identify existing and/or needed modifications; and interpretation of past published data. Participants collected experimental data from a proton-irradiated 304 stainless steel and analyzed Cu-rich and Ni-Si rich clusters. The datasets were also analyzed by one researcher to clarify variability originating from different operators. The Cu distribution fulfills the ideal requirements of the maximum separation method (MSM), namely a dilute matrix Cu concentration and concentrated Cu clusters. This enabled a relatively tight distribution of the cluster number density among the participants. By contrast, the group analysis of the Ni-Si rich clusters by the MSM was complicated by a high Ni matrix concentration and by the presence of Si-decorated dislocations, leading to larger variability among researchers. While local concentration filtering could, in principle, tighten the results, the cluster identification step inevitably maintained a high scatter. Recommendations regarding reporting, selection of analysis method, and expected variability when interpreting published data are discussed.

Background/objectives: Regular exercise training is effective to altering many markers of metabolic syndrome and its effects are strongly influenced by the type of consumed diet. Nowadays, resistance training (RT) has been frequently associated with low-carbohydrate high-fat diet (LCD). After long term these diets causes body weight (BW) regain with deleterious effects on body composition and metabolic risk factors. The effects of RT associated with long-term LCD on these parameters remain unexplored. We aimed to investigate the effects of RT when associated with long-term LCD on BW, feed efficiency, body composition, glucose homeostasis, liver parameters and serum biochemical parameters during BW regain period in rats., Subjects/methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with LCD (LC groups) or standard diet (STD) (ST groups). After 10 weeks-diet animals were separated into sedentary (Sed-LC and Sed-ST) and resistance-trained (RT-LC and RT-ST) groups (N = 8/group). RT groups performed an 11-week climbing program on a ladder with progressive load. Dual x-ray absorptiometry, glucose tolerance tests and insulin tolerance tests were performed at weeks 10 and 20. Liver and serum were collected at week 21., Results: RT reduced feed efficiency, BW gain, liver fat and total and LDL cholesterol, and improved body composition and glucose clearance in animals fed on STD. In those fed with LCD, RT reduced caloric intake, BW regain, liver fat and serum triglycerides levels. However, improvement in body composition was inhibited and bone mineral density and glucose clearance was further impaired in this association., Conclusions: The LCD nullifies the beneficial effects of RT on body composition, glucose homeostasis and impairs some health parameters. Our results do not support the association of RT with LCD in a long term period., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) and aortic stenosis occur in approximately 60-75% of patients referred for surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Current guidelines support simultaneous surgical aortic valve replacement and bypass surgery with a class IIa recommendation, based on observational, non-randomized data. With the inception of TAVR, this strategy has been challenged, as observational studies have not shown significant outcome differences in patients with and without CAD treated with TAVR. Performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with aortic stenosis is safe, but the indication and timing remain controversial. Complete revascularization before TAVR with low residual Syntax score (<8) may be considered in selected cases with extensive, proximal, and severe CAD to improve outcomes. PCI before TAVR may require less contrast and reduce the risk of acute kidney injury, but uninterrupted dual antiplatelet therapy may increase the risk of bleeding during TAVR. Combined PCI and TAVR can be considered for unstable patients with simple lesions or ostial lesions, with risk of coronary occlusion after deployment of the transcatheter heart valve. PCI after TAVR may be considered in patients who remain symptomatic with significant residual ischemia despite optimal medical therapy. In the near future, it is expected that randomized clinical trials will further clarify the indications and role of revascularization in patients undergoing TAVR. In this article we provide an extensive review on the management of CAD in TAVR candidates, including additional considerations on technical aspects, device selection, and adjunctive pharmacological therapies., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Spectroscopic signals such as EDS and EELS provide an effective way of characterising multi-element samples such as Pt-Co nanoparticles in STEM. The advantage of spectroscopy over imaging is the ability to decouple composition and mass-thickness effects for thin samples, into the number of various types of atoms in a sample. This is currently not possible for multi element samples using conventional ADF quantification techniques alone. With recent developments in microscope hardware and software, it is now possible to acquire the ADF, EDS and EELS signals simultaneously and at high speed. However, the methods of quantifying the signals emitted from the sample vary greatly. Most approaches use pure-element standards in the form of needles, nanoparticles and wedges to quantify the spectroscopic signal into either partial scattering cross-sections, zeta-factors or k-factors. But self-consistency between the different methods has not been verified and the units of the quantification are not standardised. We present a robust approach for measuring and combining ADF, EDS and EELS signals using needle and nanoparticle standards in units of the partial scattering cross-section. The partial scattering cross-section allows an easy interpretation of the signals emitted from the sample and enables accurate atom-counting of the sample., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As an instrument, the scanning transmission electron microscope is unique in being able to simultaneously explore both local structural and chemical variations in materials at the atomic scale. This is made possible as both types of data are acquired serially, originating simultaneously from sample interactions with a sharply focused electron probe. Unfortunately, such scanned data can be distorted by environmental factors, though recently fast-scanned multi-frame imaging approaches have been shown to mitigate these effects. Here, we demonstrate the same approach but optimized for spectroscopic data; we offer some perspectives on the new potential of multi-frame spectrum-imaging (MFSI) and show how dose-sharing approaches can reduce sample damage, improve crystallographic fidelity, increase data signal-to-noise, or maximize usable field of view. Further, we discuss the potential issue of excessive data-rates in MFSI, and demonstrate a file-compression approach to significantly reduce data storage and transmission burdens.

The new generation of energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) detectors with higher count rates than ever before, paves the way for a new approach to quantitative elemental analysis in the scanning transmission electron microscope. Here we demonstrate a method of calculating partial cross sections for use in quantifying EDX data, beneficial especially because of the simplicity of its implementation. Applying this approach to acid-leached PtCo catalyst nanoparticles leads to quantitative determination of the Pt surface enrichment.

Transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD), also known as transmission-electron backscatter diffraction (t-EBSD) is a novel method for orientation mapping of electron transparent transmission electron microscopy specimen in the scanning electron microscope and has been utilized for stress corrosion cracking characterization of type 316 stainless steels. The main advantage of TKD is a significantly higher spatial resolution compared to the conventional EBSD due to the smaller interaction volume of the incident beam with the specimen. Two 316 stainless steel specimen, tested for stress corrosion cracking in hydrogenated and oxygenated pressurized water reactor chemistry, were characterized via TKD. The results include inverse pole figure (IPFZ) maps, image quality maps and misorientation maps, all acquired in very short time (<60 min) and with remarkable spatial resolution (up to 5 nm step size possible). They have been used in order to determine the location of the open crack with respect to the grain boundary, deformation bands, twinning and slip. Furthermore, TKD has been used to measure the grain boundary misorientation and establish a gauge for quantifying plastic deformation at the crack tip and other regions in the surrounding matrix. Both grain boundary migration and slip transfer have been detected as well., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Silicate glasses are durable solids, and yet they are chemically unstable in contact with aqueous fluids-this has important implications for numerous industrial applications related to the corrosion resistance of glasses, or the biogeochemical weathering of volcanic glasses in seawater. The aqueous dissolution of synthetic and natural glasses results in the formation of a hydrated, cation-depleted near-surface alteration zone and, depending on alteration conditions, secondary crystalline phases on the surface. The long-standing accepted model of glass corrosion is based on diffusion-coupled hydration and selective cation release, producing a surface-altered zone. However, using a combination of advanced atomic-resolution analytical techniques, our data for the first time reveal that the structural and chemical interface between the pristine glass and altered zone is always extremely sharp, with gradients in the nanometre to sub-nanometre range. These findings support a new corrosion mechanism, interfacial dissolution-reprecipitation. Moreover, they also highlight the importance of using analytical methods with very high spatial and mass resolution for deciphering the nanometre-scale processes controlling corrosion. Our findings provide evidence that interfacial dissolution-reprecipitation may be a universal reaction mechanism that controls both silicate glass corrosion and mineral weathering.

Zirconium-based alloys are used in water-cooled nuclear reactors for both nuclear fuel cladding and structural components. Under this harsh environment, the main factor limiting the service life of zirconium cladding, and hence fuel burn-up efficiency, is water corrosion. This oxidation process has recently been linked to the presence of a sub-oxide phase with well-defined composition but unknown structure at the metal-oxide interface. In this paper, the combination of first-principles materials modeling and high-resolution electron microscopy is used to identify the structure of this sub-oxide phase, bringing us a step closer to developing strategies to mitigate aqueous oxidation in Zr alloys and prolong the operational lifetime of commercial fuel cladding alloys.

Here we report a methodology combining TEM, STEM, Transmission-EBSD and EELS to analyse the structural and chemical properties of the metal-oxide interface of corroded Zr alloys in unprecedented detail. TEM, STEM and diffraction results revealed the complexity of the distribution of suboxide grains at the metal-oxide interface. EELS provided accurate quantitative analysis of the oxygen concentration across the interface, identifying the existence of local regions of stoichiometric ZrO and Zr3O2 with varying thickness. Transmission-EBSD confirmed that the suboxide grains can be indexed with the hexagonal ZrO structure predicted with ab initio by Nicholls et al. (2014). The t-EBSD analysis has also allowed for the mapping of a relatively large region of the metal-oxide interface, revealing the location and size distribution of the suboxide grains., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Short-term memory can be defined as the capacity for holding a small amount of information in mind in an active state for a short period of time. Although some instruments have been developed to study spatial short-term memory in real environments, there are no instruments that are specifically designed to assess visuospatial short-term memory in an attractive way to children. In this paper, we present the ARSM (Augmented Reality Spatial Memory) task, the first Augmented Reality task that involves a user's movement to assess spatial short-term memory in healthy children. The experimental procedure of the ARSM task was designed to assess the children's skill to retain visuospatial information. They were individually asked to remember the real place where augmented reality objects were located. The children (N = 76) were divided into two groups: preschool (5-6 year olds) and primary school (7-8 year olds). We found a significant improvement in ARSM task performance in the older group. The correlations between scores for the ARSM task and traditional procedures were significant. These traditional procedures were the Dot Matrix subtest for the assessment of visuospatial short-term memory of the computerized AWMA-2 battery and a parent's questionnaire about a child's everyday spatial memory. Hence, we suggest that the ARSM task has high verisimilitude with spatial short-term memory skills in real life. In addition, we evaluated the ARSM task's usability and perceived satisfaction. The study revealed that the younger children were more satisfied with the ARSM task. This novel instrument could be useful in detecting visuospatial short-term difficulties that affect specific developmental navigational disorders and/or school academic achievement.

Intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in type SUS304 stainless steels, tested under pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water conditions, has been characterized with unprecedented spatial resolution using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and novel low-energy (∼3 kV) energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). An advancement of the large area silicon drift detector (SDD) has enhanced its sensitivity for X-rays in the low-energy part of the atomic spectrum. Therefore, it was possible to operate the SEM at lower accelerating voltages in order to reduce the interaction volume of the beam with the material and achieve higher spatial resolution and better signal-to-noise ratio. In addition to studying the oxide chemistry at the surface of intergranular stress corrosion cracks, the technique has proven capable of resolving Ni enrichment ahead of some crack tips. Active cracks could be distinguished from inactive ones due to the presence of oxides in the open crack and Ni-rich regions ahead of the crack tip. Furthermore, it has been established that SCC features can be better resolved with low-energy (3 kV) than high-energy (12 kV) EDX. The low effort in sample preparation, execution and data analysis makes SEM the ideal tool for initial characterization and selection of the most important SCC features such as dominant cracks and interesting crack tips, later to be studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT)., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)