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The literature on the crosstalk between the brain and the gut has increased considerably in recent years. It is widely accepted now that the microbiome plays a significant role in several brain disorders, neurodevelopment, neurocognitive stages, and physiological functions. However, the mechanisms that influence such crosstalk are still not well elucidated. In this sense, one of the possible mechanisms by which the microbiome could influence brain function is through gut hormones released by enteroendocrine cells: ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), peptide YY (PYY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), glucagon-like peptide (GLP1-2), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), secretin, serotonin (5-HT), and oxytocin. Especially when one considers that the brain expresses receptors for these hormones in areas important to the neurobiology of brain disorders (e.g., depression), such as the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and suprachiasmatic nucleus. To strengthen this hypothesis, gastrointestinal dysfunction (such as altered motility or pain) is relatively common in depressive patients, and changes in diet (low-carbohydrate diets, for example) positively affect mood. Additionally, alterations in the gut microbiome are relatively common in depressive patients and are related to the levels of Akkermansia, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, Faecalibacterium, Roseburia and Clostridium. Finally, concerning the gut-released hormones, the literature reports that ghrelin can be a peripheral marker for the antidepressant treatment success rate and has elevated levels during depression. GLP-1 is tightly correlated with HPA axis activity being decreased by high cortisol levels. CCK seems to be altered in depression due to increased inflammation and activation of Toll-like receptor 4. Such finds allow the postulation that hormones, the microbiome and mood are intertwined and co-dependent. VIP is correlated with circadian rhythms. There is a bidirectional connection of the circadian rhythms between the host and the microbiota. Circadian rhythm disruption is associated with both poor outcomes in mental health and alterations in the microbiota composition. In sum, in the past year, more and more research has been published showing the tight connection between gut and brain health and trying to decipher the feedback in play. Here, we focus on depression.

Studies combining data from digital surveys and electronic health records (EHR) can be used to conduct comprehensive assessments on COVID-19 vaccine safety.We conducted an observational study using data from a digital survey and EHR of children aged 5-11 years vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine across Kaiser Permanente Southern California during November 4, 2021-February 28, 2022. Parents/guardians who enrolled their children were sent a 14-day survey on reactions. Survey results were combined with EHR, and medical encounters were described for children whose parents or guardians indicated seeking medical care for vaccine-related symptoms. This study describes self-reported reactions (local and systemic) and additional symptoms (chest pain, tachycardia, and pre-syncope).The study recruited 7,077 participants aged 5-11 years who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Of 6,247 participants with survey responses after dose 1, 2,176 (35 %) reported at least one systemic reaction, and 1,076 (32 %) of 3,401 respondents following dose 2 reported at least one systemic reaction. Local reactions were reported less frequently following dose 2 (1,113, 33 %) than dose 1 (3,140, 50 %). The most frequently reported reactions after dose 1 were pain at the injection site (48 %), fatigue (20 %), headache (12 %), myalgia (9 %) and fever (5 %). The most frequently reported symptoms after dose 2 were also pain at the injection site (30 %), fatigue (19 %), headache (13 %), myalgia (10 %) and fever (9 %). Post-vaccination reactions occurred most frequently-one day following vaccination. Chest pain or tachycardia were reported infrequently (1 %). EHR demonstrated that parents rarely sought care for post-vaccination symptoms, and among those seeking care, the most common symptoms documented in EHR were fever and nausea, comprising0.5 % of children. No encounters were related to myocarditis.While post-vaccination reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine were common in children aged 5-11 years, our data showed that in most cases they were transient and did not require medical care.

Our previously discovered monomeric aptamer for SARS-CoV-2 (MSA52) possesses a universal affinity for COVID-19 spike protein variants but is ultimately limited by its ability to bind only one subunit of the spike protein. The symmetrical shape of the homotrimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein presents the opportunity to create a matching homotrimeric molecular recognition element that is perfectly complementary to its structural scaffold, causing enhanced binding affinity. Here, we describe a branched homotrimeric aptamer with three-fold rotational symmetry, named TMSA52, that not only possesses excellent binding affinity but is also capable of binding several SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants with picomolar affinity, as well as pseudotyped lentiviruses expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants with femtomolar affinity. Using Pd-Ir nanocubes as nanozymes in an enzyme-linked aptamer binding assay (ELABA), TMSA52 was capable of sensitively detecting diverse pseudotyped lentiviruses in pooled human saliva with a limit of detection as low as 6.3 × 10

Background: The usefulness of prehospital scales for identifying anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (aLVO) in patients with suspected stroke may vary depending on the severity of their presentation. The performance of these scales across the spectrum of deficit severity is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 8 prehospital scales for identifying aLVO across the spectrum of deficit severity. Methods: We used data from the PRESTO study (Prehospital Triage of Patients With Suspected Stroke Symptoms), a prospective observational study comparing prehospital stroke scales in detecting aLVO in suspected stroke patients. We used the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, assessed in-hospital, as a proxy for the Clinical Global Impression of stroke severity during prehospital assessment by paramedics. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the difference in aLVO probabilities with a positive or negative prehospital scale test (ΔP aLVO ) for each scale for mild (NIHSS 0–4), intermediate (NIHSS 5–9), moderate (NIHSS 10–14), and severe deficits (NIHSS≥15). Results: Among 1033 patients with suspected stroke, 119 (11.5%) had an aLVO, of whom 19 (16.0%) had mild, 25 (21.0%) had intermediate, 30 (25.2%) had moderate, and 45 (37.8%) had severe deficits. The scales had low sensitivity and positive predictive value in patients with mild-intermediate deficits, and poor specificity, negative predictive value, and accuracy with moderate-severe deficits. Positive results achieved the highest ΔP aLVO in patients with mild deficits. Negative results achieved the highest ΔP aLVO with severe deficits, but the probability of aLVO with a negative result in the severe range was higher than with a positive test in the mild range. Conclusions: Commonly-used prehospital stroke scales show variable performance across the range of deficit severity. Probability of aLVO remains high with a negative test in severely affected patients. Studies reporting prehospital stroke scale performance should be appraised in the context of the NIHSS distribution of their samples.

Background: Ethnic differences in cognitive decline have been reported. Whether they can be explained by differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP) is uncertain. Objective: Determine whether cumulative mean SBP levels explain differences in cognitive decline between Hispanic and White individuals. Methods: Pooled cohort study of individual participant data from six cohorts (1971–2017). The present study reports results on SBP and cognition among Hispanic and White individuals. Outcomes were changes in global cognition (GC) (primary), executive function (EF) (secondary), and memory standardized as t-scores (mean [SD], 50 [10]); a 1-point difference represents a 0.1 SD difference in cognition. Median follow-up was 7.7 (Q1–Q3, 5.2–20.1) years. Results: We included 24,570 participants free of stroke and dementia: 2,475 Hispanic individuals (median age, cumulative mean SBP at first cognitive assessment, 67 years, 132.5 mmHg; 40.8% men) and 22,095 White individuals (60 years,134 mmHg; 47.3% men). Hispanic individuals had slower declines in GC, EF, and memory than White individuals when all six cohorts were examined. Two cohorts recruited Hispanic individuals by design. In a sensitivity analysis, Hispanic individuals in these cohorts had faster decline in GC, similar decline in EF, and slower decline in memory than White individuals. Higher time-varying cumulative mean SBP was associated with faster declines in GC, EF, and memory in all analyses. After adjusting for time-varying cumulative mean SBP, differences in cognitive slopes between Hispanic and White individuals did not change. Conclusion: We found no evidence that cumulative mean SBP differences explained differences in cognitive decline between Hispanic and White individuals.

Luis de Molina fue un jesuita nacido en el siglo XVI quien dedicó su vida al estudio y la enseñanza. Tuvo su paso por la Universidad de Salamanca, Coímbra y Évora. Sus obras destacadas destilan una férrea defensa por la libertad individual del ser humano. En el plano económico fue un teórico destacado que se expidió con profundas y sobre el precio justo, la inflación, e incluso los elementos subjetivos en la valorización humana de los bienes.

Cancer resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapies presents significant challenges, necessitating the exploration of alternative approaches. Targeting specific proteins at the molecular level, particularly their active sites, holds promise in addressing this issue. We investigated the potential of 4′-methoxy-2-nitrochalcone (MNC) as an MCL-1 inhibitor, examining its chemical and structural characteristics to elucidate its biological activity and guide the selection of potential candidates. We conducted a docking study, followed by synthesis, structural characterization, theoretical calculations, and in vitro experiments to comprehensively evaluate MNC. The docking results revealed MNC’s excellent binding within the active site of MCL-1. At 50 µM, MNC demonstrated 99% inhibition of HCT116 cell proliferation, with an IC50 value of 15.18 µM after 24 h. Treatment with MNC at 30.36 and 15.18 µM resulted in reduced cell density. Notably, MNC exhibited marked cytotoxicity at concentrations of 15.58 µM and 7.79 µM, inducing high frequencies of plasma membrane rupture and apoptosis, respectively. Our findings highlight the significant biological potential of MNC as an MCL-1 inhibitor. Furthermore, we propose exploring chalcones with hydrogen bond acceptor substituents as promising candidates for studying inhibitors targeting this protein. In conclusion, our study addresses the challenge of cancer resistance by investigating MNC as an MCL-1 inhibitor. Through detailed characterization and experimental validation, we establish the efficacof MNC in inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cytotoxic effects. These results underscore the potential of MNC as a valuable therapeutic agent and suggest the use of chalcones with hydrogen bond acceptor substituents as a basis for developing novel MCL-1 inhibitors.

BackgroundIn the USA, oral nirmatrelvir-ritonavir is authorised for use in patients aged 12 years or older with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk of progression to severe disease and hospitalisation. We aimed to establish the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in preventing hospital admissions and death in people with COVID-19 in an outpatient prescribing context in the USA.MethodsIn this matched observational outpatient cohort study in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (CA, USA) health-care system, data were extracted from electronic health records of non-hospitalised patients aged 12 years or older who received a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result (their index test) between April 8 and Oct 7, 2022, and had not received another positive test result within the preceding 90 days. We compared outcomes between people who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and those who did not receive nirmatrelvir-ritonavir by matching cases by date, age, sex, clinical status (including care received, the presence or absence of acute COVID-19 symptoms at testing, and time from symptom onset to testing), vaccination history, comorbidities, health-care seeking during the previous year, and BMI. Our primary endpoint was the estimated effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in preventing hospital admissions or death within 30 days of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2.Findings7274 nirmatrelvir-ritonavir recipients and 126 152 non-recipients with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests were included in our study. 5472 (75·2%) treatment recipients and 84 657 (67·1%) non-recipients were tested within 5 days of symptom onset. Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir had an overall estimated effectiveness of 53·6% (95% CI 6·6-77·0) in preventing hospital admission or death within 30 days of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2, which increased to 79·6% (33·9-93·8) when nirmatrelvir-ritonavir was dispensed within 5 days of symptom onset. Within the subgroup of patients tested within 5 days of symptom onset and whose treatment was dispensed on the day of their test, the estimated effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir was 89·6% (50·2-97·8).InterpretationIn a setting with high levels of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, nirmatrelvir-ritonavir effectively reduced the risk of hospital admission or death within 30 days of a positive outpatient SARS-CoV-2 test.FundingUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US National Institutes of Health.

In this work, we present novel analytical solutions for static and spherically symmetric wormhole geometries threaded by an anisotropic distribution of matter conformally coupled to a scalar ghost field. We explore the main features of the theory, such as the dynamics of the scalar field and matter throughout the wormhole, as well as the role played by the non-minimal coupling. Furthermore, coupled ghosts in the presence of a scalar potential are considered and traversability conditions are analysed within such geometrical scheme. More specifically, we find analytical solutions that although the energy density of the ghost is strictly negative, the energy density of matter may attain positive values., 12 pages, 9 figures

The opportunities for leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency of vessel port activities are vast. Applying video analytics to model and optimize certain processes offers a remarkable way to improve overall operations. Within the realm of vessel port activities, two crucial processes are vessel approximation and the docking process. This work specifically focuses on developing a vessel velocity estimation model and a docking mooring analytical system using a computer vision approach. The study introduces algorithms for speed estimation and mooring bitt detection, leveraging techniques such as the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) for precise image comparison. The obtained results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms, demonstrating satisfactory speed estimation capabilities and successful identification of tied cables on the mooring bitts. These advancements pave the way for enhanced safety and efficiency in vessel docking procedures. However, further research and improvements are necessary to address challenges related to occlusions and illumination variations and explore additional techniques to enhance the models’ performance and applicability in real-world scenarios.

In Mexico, pasture degradation is associated with extensive pastures; additionally, under these conditions, livestock activities contribute considerably to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Among the options to improve grazing systems and reduce GHG emissions, silvopastoral systems (SPS) have been recommended. The objectives of this work were to quantify the N outflow in a soil–plant–animal interface, as well as the CH4 emissions and milk production in an SPS with woody legumes (Leucaena leucocephala) that is associated with stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis). This was then compared with stargrass in a monoculture system (MS) in the seasons (dry and rainy period) over a two-year period. Dung was collected from the animals of each of the grazing systems and applied fresh to the land plots. Fresh dung and urine were collected from the cows of each grazing system and were applied to the experimental plots. In addition, the soil CH4 and N2O contents were measured to quantify the emissions. Average milk yield by seasons was similar: MS (7.1 kg per animal unit (AU)/day−1) and SPS (6.31 kg per AU/day−1). Cows in the MS had a mean N intake of 171.9 g/UA day−1 without seasonal variation, while the SPS animals’ mean N intake was 215.7 g/UA day−1 for both seasons. For the urine applied to soil, the N2O outflow was higher in the MS (peak value = 1623.9 μg N-N2O m−2 h−1). The peak value for the SPS was 755.9 μg of N-N2O m−2 h−1. The N2O emissions were higher in the rainy season (which promotes denitrification). The values for the feces treatment were 0.05% (MS) and 0.01% (SPS). The urine treatment values were 0.52% (MS) and 0.17% (SPS). The emissions of CH4 showed that the feces of the SPS systems resulted in a higher accumulation of gas in the rainy season (29.8 g C ha−1), followed by the feces of the MS system in the dry season (26.0 g C ha−1). Legumes in the SPS helped to maintain milk production, and the N2O emissions were lower than those produced by the MS (where the pastures were fertilized with N).

A Placa de Circuito Impresso (PCI) é praticamente usada em todos os produtos eletrônicos que usamos no cotidiano, quer seja para fins comerciais ou em outras aplicações tecnológicas. Devido a relevância da aplicação, as PCIs, após o processo de montagem de componentes, necessitam de um sistema de inspeção e localização de defeitos na montagem para garantir a qualidade das suas aplicações. A montagem de um componente da placa de forma errônea pode causar falhas significativas na etapa final do produto. Para classificar os defeitos dos componentes gerados artificialmente das PCIs de referência foi aplicado o algoritmo baseado nas redes neurais convolucionais (CNNs). E os resultados indicaram que o algoritmo aplicado pode ser utilizado na inspeção e classificação de defeitos em PCIs para um sistema de baixo custo.

Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) is a combination protease inhibitor that blocks replication of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and has been shown to reduce the risk for hospitalization and death among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for progression to severe disease* (1). In December 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for early treatment with Paxlovid among persons with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 who are at high risk for progression to severe disease (2). FDA and a small number of published case reports have documented recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive viral test result (COVID-19 rebound) 2-8 days after recovery or a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result among patients treated with Paxlovid (3-7); however, large-scale studies investigating severe illness after Paxlovid treatment are limited. This study used electronic health record (EHR) data from a large integrated health care system in California (Kaiser Permanente Southern California [KPSC]) to describe hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) encounters related to SARS-CoV-2 infections during the 5-15 days after pharmacy dispensation of a 5-day treatment course of Paxlovid. Among 5,287 persons aged ≥12 years who received Paxlovid during December 31, 2021-May 26, 2022, 73% had received ≥3 doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Behavioral problems, such as noncompliance and aggression, are a common referral reason to mental health services for young children. Behavioral parent training (BPT) is the leading intervention for addressing behavioral problems and leads to benefits in a variety of parental factors (e.g., parenting efficacy and parenting stress). While the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically shifted service delivery toward telehealth services, limited work has evaluated the effectiveness of BPT when delivered in a brief, group format through telehealth. The current retrospective chart review study evaluated the engagement to and preliminary effectiveness of a brief version of BPT delivered through telehealth to 64 families of 3- to 7-year-olds referred for behavioral problems. Families attended an average of 4.55 of 6 sessions and most families had two caregivers who engaged in the intervention. Significant reductions in caregivers’ report of children’s behavioral problems and improvements in parenting self-efficacy resulted. Future research and clinical implications are discussed.

Context An appropriate use of the fertiliser technology may lead to a more efficient N absorption and to the reduction of economic and environmental costs. Aims This study sought to quantify N2O emissions generated from soil and the residual nitrate (NO3−) up to 2 m depth in field conditions in a maize crop under supplementary irrigation and fertilised with two nitrogen (N) sources (UAN and urea) at increasing N rates (0, 80, 160 and 250 kg N ha−1) in the Semi-arid Argentine Pampas. Methods Throughout the crop cycle, emissions were monitored daily with static chambers during the first week after fertilisation; then sampling frequency was gradually reduced until the end of the experiment. Key results There were no yield responses to the use of different sources and N rates. Crop N uptake saturated at 80 kg N ha−1, reaching 300–310 kg N ha−1. Residual NO3− increased significantly with the highest rates of N fertiliser. Total N2O emissions differed significantly only among fertiliser rates. The N2O emissions were lower at 80 than at 160 and 250 kg N ha−1. Conclusions The N2O emissions measured were lower than those calculated by the IPCC, even when only direct emissions were considered. No grain yield increase was observed due to N fertilisation, with a non-limiting supply of N-NO3− at the beginning of the crop cycle and of N from mineralisation. Implications This excess of N can generate negative environmental effects due to higher emissions of N2O and residual N-NO3− that can be leached.

Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause significant disease and economic burden. Uncomplicated UTIs (uUTIs) occur in otherwise healthy individuals without underlying structural abnormalities, with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) accounting for 80% of cases. With recent transitions in healthcare toward virtual visits, data on multi-drug resistance (MDR) (resistant to ≥3 antibiotic classes) by care setting are needed to inform empiric treatment decision-making. Methods We evaluated UPEC resistance over time by care setting (in-person vs. virtual), in adults who received outpatient care for uUTI at Kaiser Permanente Southern California between January 2016 and December 2021. Results We included 174,185 individuals who had ≥1 UPEC uUTI (233,974 isolates) (92% female, 46% Hispanic, mean age 52 years [standard deviation 20]). Overall, prevalence of UPEC MDR decreased during the study period (13 to 12%) both in virtual and in-person settings (p-for trend Conclusions We observed a slight decrease in both class-specific AMR and MDR of UPEC overall, most commonly involving penicillins and TMP-SMX. Resistance patterns were consistent over time and similar in both in-person and virtual settings.Virtual healthcare may expand access to UTI care.

Urban lakes provide essential ecosystem services (hotspot of biodiversity, stormwater management, reduction of pollutant loadings…).During late summer and early autumn 2021, two whole-lake anoxia events occurred in Lake Champs-sur-Marne (Great Paris, France). This sandpit lake, principally fed by groundwater from the nearby Marne River, is continuously monitored by an autonomous station equipped with underwater sensors (water temperature, oxygen, Chlorophyll-a, CDOM, Nitrate). At the same point, a meteorological station is installed on a buoy, above the lake surface.During the two anoxia events (end of August and mid-September), oxygen concentration dropped from supersaturation level corresponding to a high peak of phytoplankton biomass, to 0% within a few days. During this summer period, successive heavy rainfall events occurred, causing a flood of the Marne River and rising the watertable level to unusual values in Summer. This resulted in high water and nutrient fluxes from the river towards the lake. The observed whole-lake anoxia can be explained according to the following assumptions: (1) the groundwater nutrient loading, favored by the high level of the Marne River, caused a huge phytoplankton production; (2) then, the phytoplankton decline was associated to an intense mineralization of the biomass organic carbon; (3) the lake oxygen was completely exhausted, leading to a massive fish kill. These results highlight the severe impact of a non-extreme but high and long hydro-meteorological event on a lake ecosystem. In Lake Champs-sur-Marne, the nutrient limitation of phytoplankton production generally occurs during late summer. In 2021, the limitation was removed by the Summer exceptional nutrient loading. In temperate regions, summer algal blooms are not limited by water temperature but by nutrient availability. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme hydro-meteorological events. Higher frequency of summer heavy rainfall may trigger repeated phytoplankton blooms, deteriorating the ecological status of lake ecosystems.

The widespread use of plastic has made it a widely dispersed product with a high impact on the environment. Through fragmentation of larger pieces or direct discharge, microplastic particles (MP) are present in almost every aquatic ecosystem. MPs based on polymers of lower density than water (ρ

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Background As people live longer, they are at increased risk for chronic diseases and disability. Self-management is a strategy to improve health outcomes and quality of life of those who engage in it. This study sought to gain a better understanding of the factors, including digital technology, that affect public health policy on self-management through an analysis of government policy in the most populous and multicultural province in Canada: Ontario. The overarching question guiding the study was: What factors have influenced the development of healthcare self-management policies over time? Methods Archival research methods, combining document review and evaluation, were used to collect data from policy documents published in Ontario. The documents were analyzed using the READ approach, evaluated using a data extraction table, and synthesized into themes using the model for health policy analysis. Results Between January 1, 1985, and May 5, 2022, 72 policy documents on self-management of health were retrieved from databases, archives, and grey literature. Their contents largely focussed on self-management of general chronic conditions, while 47% (n = 18/72) mention diabetes, and 3% (n = 2/72) focussed solely on older adults. Digital technologies were mentioned and were viewed as tools to support self-management in the context of healthcare delivery and enhancing healthcare infrastructure (i.e., telehealth or software in healthcare settings). The actors involved in the policy document creation included mostly Ontario government agencies and departments, and sometimes expert organizations, community groups and engaged stakeholders. The results suggest that several factors including pressures on the healthcare system, hybrid top-down and bottom-up policymaking, and political context have influenced the nature and implementation timing of self-management policy in Ontario. Conclusions The policy documents on self-management of health reveal a positive evolution of the content discussed over time. The changes were shaped by an evolving context, both from a health and political perspective, within a dynamic system of interactions between actors. This research helps understand the factors that have shaped changes and suggests that a critical evidence-based approach on public health policy is needed in understanding processes involved in the development of healthcare self-management policies from the perspective of a democratic governing system.

Scholars have paid significant attention to the role of gender in social movements, especially in the women’s health and other feminist protest organizations. Gender issues have been less studied in other social movements, such as the anti-nuclear movement, and when they have, then almost always with a focus on the role of women. This paper explores the role of men and the performance of masculinities in protests against civilian nuclear energy. During the 1970s–1990s, activists performed three distinct forms of protest (sabotage, counter-information, and counter-expertise) in dissent against Superphénix, an experimental nuclear reactor built in Creys-Malville, France. This paper looks at how these different forms of protest were grounded in traditional Western views of masculinity, especially virility and paternalism. By comparing and contrasting counter-expertise in the anti-nuclear and the women’s health movement, the paper argues that anti-nuclear counter-expertise was less about providing an alternative view of nature, than personally discrediting official experts in a fight of “man against man” (Lewontin 1968, 2). Finally, it reflects on the consequences of these types of confrontational masculinity on the possibility of science-based dissent.

This article examines the introduction of the medical mask in the late nineteenth century at the intersection of surgery, bacteriology and infection control. During this important episode in the longer history of the medical mask, respiratory protection became a tool of targeted germ control. In 1897, the surgeon Johannes Mikulicz at the University of Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland), drawing on the bacteriological experiments of his colleague Carl Flügge, used a piece of gauze in front of his nose and mouth as a barrier against microorganisms moving from him to his patients. This article explores the social, cultural and medical contexts of this particular use of the mask, in connection with germ theory and surgeons’ struggle with wound infection. It explores the alignment of the new aseptic surgery with the emerging field of bacteriology in a local milieu that favoured interdisciplinary cooperation. The account also follows the uptake of the mask outside of surgery for other anti-infectious purposes and shows how the new type of anti-infectious mask spread simultaneously in operating rooms as well as in hospitals and sanatoria, and eventually in epidemic contexts.

One method for encouraging the public interest in the use of historical maps as a source of reliable knowledge is to represent them in a more familiar aspect, such as the style of the current-day popular application Google Maps' satellite view. We present a method for synthesizing satellite-images from historical maps, translating their visuals using conditional generative adversarial networks (conditional GANs). We discuss a typical representation of these dated documents to allow such translations. We observe how the semantics involved in the process influence the outcomes. Finally, we discuss the effective result of bringing the past to a familiar look for the viewer.

Cyclam-based complexes of formulae [{H2(4-CF3PhCH2)2Cyclam}FeCl2]Cl and [{H2(4-CF3PhCH2)2Cyclam}Cu](CH3COO)2·2H2O reveal antifungal activity against diverse unicellular and multicellular fungal species.

Although a variety of cancers are initially susceptible to chemotherapy, they eventually develop multi-drug resistance. To overcome this situation, more effective and selective treatments are necessary using anti-tumour agents that act in two or more ways and offer greater therapeutic benefits over single-mechanism entities. In this study, we report on treating cancer with Na[3,3′-57Fe(1,2-C2B9H11)2], which offers the possibility of dual action (radiation-drug combinations) to improve the clinical benefits and reduce healthy tissue toxicity. An approach to evaluating the potential of [o-57FESAN]− to treat glioblastoma using the Mössbauer effect is presented. As the therapeutic outcomes rely on the amount and distribution of [o-57FESAN]− inside the cells, several studies, using magnetization, Mössbauer spectroscopy and nuclear microscopy techniques, were performed to ascertain the uptake of [o-57FESAN]− in U87 glioblastoma cells. [o-57FESAN]− was found to be within the cells; 29% of its uptake was in the nuclear fraction, which is a particularly desirable target, because the nucleus is the cell's control centre where DNA and the transcription machinery reside. Irradiation studies with 2D and 3D cellular models of U87 cells showed that the growth inhibition effect observed was more pronounced when [o-57FESAN]− was used in combination with the Mössbauer effect in low total dose regimens, suggesting that this procedure either alone or as adjuvant may be useful for glioblastoma treatment., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PID2019-106832RB-100) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR1720) and by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT/MEC) for projects UID/MULTI/04349/2020, PTDC/BTM-TEC/29256/2017, UIDB/04565/2020, UIDP/04565/2020 (iBB/IST), LA/P/0140/2020 (Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy – i4HB), PTDC/QUI-QIN/32240/2017, LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022096 (National Infrastructure Roadmap, LTHMFL-NECL) and GCT grant to A. C. Cerdeira (BL156/2019_IST-ID). A. B. Buades was enrolled in the PhD program of the UAB. C. I. G. Pinto is enrolled in the PhD scholarship 689 DFA/BD/07119/2020. The authors thank Dr Moulay Sougrati, Charles Gerhardt Institute, ICGM UMR 5253, Montpellier, France for a kind gift of 57FeCl2. The LMRI (Metrology Laboratory of Ionizing Radiation) team is acknowledged for their support in the X-ray irradiation setup., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).

The analysis and interpretation of data retrieved from Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays represent a challenging task. ORAC indexes originate from different mathematical approaches often lacking correct elucidation of kinetic features concerning radical scavenging reactions by antioxidant compounds. In this work, the expression of ORAC values as area under fluorescein (FL) decay curves (AUC) and lag time are critically compared. This multi-parametric analysis showed the extension of radical scavenging reactions beyond the lag time period for caffeic acid, gallic acid, reduced glutathione and quercetin, extending their antioxidant protection of FL. Ethanol delayed the reaction of both FL and antioxidant compounds with free radical species generated from 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride thermolysis. Trolox equivalent values, commonly used to express ORAC values, were more affected by the differences in radical scavenging kinetics between the reference and the tested antioxidant compounds when calculated from AUC than from lag time. These findings stressed the importance of choosing calibrator compounds presenting ORAC kinetics similar to samples to prevent biased estimation of the antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the framework proposed here provides a sustainable analytical method for the evaluation of antioxidant capacity, with an AGREE score of 0.73.

Protein science 32(2), e4567 (2023). doi:10.1002/pro.4567, DNA-binding proteins from starved cells (Dps) are small multifunctional nanocages expressed by prokaryotes in acute oxidative stress conditions or during the starvation-induced stationary phase, as a bacterial defense mechanism. Dps proteins protect bacterial DNA from damage by either direct binding or by removing precursors of reactive oxygen species from solution. The DNA-binding properties of most Dps proteins studied so far are related to their unordered, flexible, N- and C-terminal extensions. In a previous work, we revealed that the N-terminal tails of Deinoccocus grandis Dps shift from an extended to a compact conformation depending on the ionic strength of the buffer and detected a novel high-spin ferrous iron center in the proximal ends of those tails. In this work, we further explore the conformational dynamics of the protein by probing the effect of divalent metals binding to the tail by comparing the metal-binding properties of the wild-type protein with a binding site-impaired D34A variant using size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, and small-angle X-ray scattering. The N-terminal ferrous species was also characterized by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results herein presented reveal that the conformation of the N-terminal tails is altered upon metal binding in a gradual, reversible, and specific manner. These observations may point towards the existence of a regulatory process for the DNA-binding properties of Dps proteins through metal binding to their N- and/or C-terminal extensions., Published by Protein Society, Bethesda, Md.

Les particules de microplastiques (MP) de densité inférieure à celle de l'eau (ρ < 1.0 g cm-3), comme le polyéthylène (PE), sont souvent trouvées dans les sédiments des systèmes aquatiques. La dynamique de dépôt et de remise en suspension de ces particules est liée à certains mécanismes, dont la turbulence. Cette dernière, joue un rôle majeur dans le mélange des particules dans la colonne d'eau, mais aussi dans leur transport vers le fond. Cependant, l'efficacité des lits sur le piégeage des particules et leur temps de rétention, mais aussi l’énergie turbulente nécessaire pour leur remise en suspension n'est pas connue. L'approche expérimentale contribue au manque de compréhension du transport de ces particules dans les écoulements naturels. Des particules de PE fluorescentes (47µm) ont été utilisées dans un canal (200 cm x 30 cm x 22 cm) dont le fond est couvert de sédiment d’origine naturelle et la technique Particle Image Velocimeter (PIV) a été mise en œuvre. La PIV permet la capture d’images à haute fréquence (15 HZ) des particules dans l’eau excitées par un faisceau laser. A partir des images obtenues, en utilisant la technique de Particle Tracking Velocimetry, les trajectoires et vitesses des MP sont estimées. Du biofilm a été disposé sur le sédiment de fond et différents niveaux de turbulence ont été imposés à l’écoulement. Les trajectoires des MP montrent que la turbulence contribue directement à une augmentation des flux et que le biofilm est important factor dans le piégeage des particules par les sédiments.

Additional file 1. Semi-structured Interview Guide. Semi-structured interview guide which lists all questions that guided the interviews with study participants.

BACKGROUND The effect of early as compared with later initiation of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in persons with atrial fibrillation who have had an acute ischemic stroke is unclear. METHODS We performed an investigator-initiated, open-label trial at 103 sites in 15 countries. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to early anticoagulation (within 48 hours after a minor or moderate stroke or on day 6 or 7 after a major stroke) or later anticoagulation (day 3 or 4 after a minor stroke, day 6 or 7 after a moderate stroke, or day 12, 13, or 14 after a major stroke). Assessors were unaware of the trial-group assignments. The primary outcome was a composite of recurrent ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, major extracranial bleeding, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, or vascular death within 30 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes included the components of the composite primary outcome at 30 and 90 days. RESULTS Of 2013 participants (37% with minor stroke, 40% with moderate stroke, and 23% with major stroke), 1006 were assigned to early anticoagulation and 1007 to later anticoagulation. A primary-outcome event occurred in 29 participants (2.9%) in the early-treatment group and 41 participants (4.1%) in the later-treatment group (risk difference, -1.18 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.84 to 0.47) by 30 days. Recurrent ischemic stroke occurred in 14 participants (1.4%) in the early-treatment group and 25 participants (2.5%) in the later-treatment group (odds ratio, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.29 to 1.07) by 30 days and in 18 participants (1.9%) and 30 participants (3.1%), respectively, by 90 days (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.33 to 1.06). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 2 participants (0.2%) in both groups by 30 days. CONCLUSIONS In this trial, the incidence of recurrent ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, major extracranial bleeding, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, or vascular death at 30 days was estimated to range from 2.8 percentage points lower to 0.5 percentage points higher (based on the 95% confidence interval) with early than with later use of DOACs. (Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and others; ELAN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03148457.).

Two ultramicroporous 2D and 3D iron-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been obtained by solvothermal synthesis using different ratios and concentrations of precursors. Their reduced pore space decorated with pendant pyridine from tangling isonicotinic ligands enables the combination of size-exclusion kinetic gas separation, due to their small pores, with thermodynamic separation, resulting from the interaction of the linker with CO2 molecules. This combined separation results in efficient materials for dynamic breakthrough gas separation with virtually infinite CO2/N2 selectivity in a wide operando range and with complete renewability at room temperature and ambient pressure.

Aims/hypothesis Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the WFS1 gene. It is characterised by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, optic nerve atrophy, diabetes insipidus, hearing loss and neurodegeneration. Considering the unmet treatment need for this orphan disease, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists under wolframin (WFS1) deficiency with a particular focus on human beta cells and neurons. Methods The effect of the GLP-1R agonists dulaglutide and exenatide was examined in Wfs1 knockout mice and in an array of human preclinical models of Wolfram syndrome, including WFS1-deficient human beta cells, human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived beta-like cells and neurons from control individuals and individuals affected by Wolfram syndrome, and humanised mice. Results Our study shows that the long-lasting GLP-1R agonist dulaglutide reverses impaired glucose tolerance in WFS1-deficient mice, and that exenatide and dulaglutide improve beta cell function and prevent apoptosis in different human WFS1-deficient models including iPSC-derived beta cells from people with Wolfram syndrome. Exenatide improved mitochondrial function, reduced oxidative stress and prevented apoptosis in Wolfram syndrome iPSC-derived neural precursors and cerebellar neurons. Conclusions/interpretation Our study provides novel evidence for the beneficial effect of GLP-1R agonists on WFS1-deficient human pancreatic beta cells and neurons, suggesting that these drugs may be considered as a treatment for individuals with Wolfram syndrome. Graphical abstract

Objective The effectiveness of ECT under naturalistic conditions has not been well-studied. The current study aimed to 1) characterize a naturalistic sample of ECT patients; and 2) examine the long-term outcomes of ECT on depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II; BDI-II) and functional disability symptoms (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0) in this sample. Methods Participants were adults who received ECT for a major depressive episode at an ambulatory ECT clinic between September 2010 and November 2020. Clinical and cognitive assessments were completed at baseline ( n = 100), mid-ECT ( n = 94), 2–4 weeks post-ECT ( n = 64), 6-months post-ECT ( n = 34), and 12-months post-ECT ( n = 19). Results At baseline, participants had severe levels of depressive symptoms (BDI-II: M = 41.0, SD = 9.4), and 62.9% screened positive for multiple psychiatric diagnoses on the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Depressive symptoms ( F(4,49.1) = 49.92, P Conclusions Participants were severely symptomatic and clinically complex. ECT was effective at reducing depressive symptoms and functional disability in this heterogeneous sample. Although a large amount of missing data may have distorted our calculated response/remission rates, it is also likely that clinical heterogeneity and severity contribute to lower-than-expected remission and response rates to ECT.

Movebank is a leading global platform for animal tracking and other animal-borne (a.k.a. bio-logging) sensor data (Kays et al., 2022). It is used by over 3,500 data owners to collect, manage, share, and archive >4 billion location records describing movements of 1,252 taxa in over 7,500 user-managed studies. While Movebank is well known within movement ecology and wildlife management circles, it remains less recognized as a source of general purpose occurrence data. Like most other remotely-sensed animal occurrence data, data from Movebank are not discoverable or accessible through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This lack of integration across platforms limits the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, and for the use of remotely-sensed species occurrence data in conservation assessments and other products that rely on GBIF. The goal of this project was to develop an open-source workflow to make animal GPS tracking data on Movebank accessible to the GBIF community. This workflow consists of best practices and software to allow semi-automated publication of Movebank data to GBIF. We developed, refined and demonstrated this workflow by publishing a set of datasets from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) that represent similar and relatively straightforward methodology and quality (avian GPS tracking). In this project, we aimed to complete three work packages: Publish five NIOO-KNAW bird GPS tracking studies as open data on Movebank. Create best practices and software to publish Movebank animal GPS tracking data to GBIF. Publish 11 bird GPS tracking datasets from Movebank to GBIF. We published data from five Oystercatcher GPS studies in the Netherlands as open data on Movebank and Zenodo. These datasets collectively contain 6 million GPS positions and 164 million acceleration measurements and are formatted as Frictionless Data Packages (Walsch and Pollock, 2017) to facilitate understanding and access. The datasets are described in an open-access data paper published in ZooKeys (van der Kolk et al., 2022). We developed a new open-source R package "movepub" (Desmet, 2022), that automates the transformation of Movebank data to Darwin Core and metadata to Ecological Metadata Language (EML). Members of the Darwin Core Maintenance Group and Machine Observation Interest Group at TDWG reviewed the suggested transformation to Darwin Core. We created and published best practices to aid Movebank users in publishing their animal GPS tracking data to GBIF and published these on the Movebank website. We then used the R package to transform 15 datasets to Darwin Core Archives and published these via an Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT) to GBIF. We also registered the marine datasets with the Ocean Biodiversity Information Facility (OBIS). Overall, we reached or surpassed the goals of this project. The developed workflow proved successful and is already used to support other mobilization efforts. The resulting datasets, software and data paper all acknowledge NLBIF for its support and are publicly accessible., This project was realized with a financial contribution from Stichting NLBIF - Netherlands Biodiversity Information Facility. NLBIF supports Dutch organizations and researchers in putting biodiversity data online via gbif.org in an open and internationally standardized manner., {"references":["Desmet P. 2022. movepub: Prepare Movebank Data for Publication. R package version 0.1.0. https://github.com/inbo/movepub","Kays R, Davidson SC, Berger M, Bohrer G, Fiedler W, Flack A, Hirt J, Hahn C, Gauggel D, Russell B, et al. 2022. The Movebank system for studying global animal movement and demography. Methods Ecol Evol. 13(2):419–431. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13767","van der Kolk H, Desmet P, Oosterbeek K, Allen AM, Baptist MJ, Bom RA, Davidson SC, de Jong J, de Kroon H, Dijkstra B, et al. 2022. GPS tracking data of Eurasian oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) from the Netherlands and Belgium. ZooKeys. 1123:31–45. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1123.90623","Walsch and Pollock. 2017. Data Package. Version 1. https://specs.frictionlessdata.io/data-package/"]}

In coastal aquifers, the seawater intrusion can mask the effects of high salinity regional flows, connate waters mobilization or contaminant process. Therefore, to discriminate between all the processes that have taken place in the coastal aquifer, is a complex task. Normally, traditional hydrogeochemical methods (e.g., Piper and Durov) together with statistical multivariate techniques (e.g., cluster and factorial analysis) and other methods (e.g., ionic deltas and isotopic studies) have been used to understand the hydrogeochemistry of aquifers and to confirm previous hypothesis. This paper presents a characterization of the salinization process in coastal aquifers, by means a fuzzy logic and data mining based methodology, which has not been used before for this purpose in this environmental area. The proposed fuzzy methodology is based on the use of the data mining computer tool Predictive Fuzzy Rules Generator (PreFuRGe). The results have been obtained by processing groundwater samples analyses with PreFuRGe. The parameters used for the experimentation have been: temperature, electric conductivity, redox potential, total dissolved solids, silicon dioxide, oxidability, major ions (chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), and minor ions (arsenic, bromide, lithium, boron, strontium, chromium and fluoride). The application of this method has made it possible to differentiate several overlapping hydrogeochemical processes, such as seawater intrusion, the entry of regional groundwater flows with high concentrations of strontium, magnesium, lithium and sulfates, and the effect of contamination from agricultural activities, with the presence of nitrates. The qualitative obtained results in this paper have been compared to previous researches carried out in the same environmental area, and it is proved that the used fuzzy methodology is a powerful tool for discriminating between overlapping geogenic and anthropogenic processes in coastal aquifers.

Electronic Legal Proceedings are a worldwide legal phenomena, allowing the use of computerized systems for the creation and monitoring of procedural acts in the most diverse legal bodies. On one hand, it allows greater transparency in the conduct of procedural acts, on the other, it has contributed to the bottleneck of open but unresolved lawsuits each year. Nowadays, Information Retrieval to automate the processing of these procedural objects is at the forefront of computer systems for Law. In this study, we present MISLA2, a system to retrieve orders and preliminaries from judicial labour sentences through ontological models built from previous cases. Instead of tied and difficult-to-maintain domain specification models, we demonstrate how light ontologies, in conjunction with regular expressions for extracting significant portions of the text, can achieve the desired results. In addition, empirical experiments carried out with real labour lawsuits evidence that results are quite promising.

This study investigated the association of training implementation factors (Quality, Impact, Usefulness) with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)-targeted outcomes (e.g., increased knowledge, confidence helping someone). Trainees who completed MHFA USA training in 2016 (N = 1003) were surveyed post training about its influence on their thoughts and behaviors, and about implementation factors. Some trainees completed 3- and 6-month follow-ups (N = 430, N = 276, respectively). Training Quality, Impact and Usefulness were rated highly. Differences in Quality and Impact across demographic groups were found; trainees from racially and ethnically marginalized backgrounds, and trainees with lower education levels, reported greater effect. Quality and Impact predicted positive changes in MHFA-targeted constructs such as self-efficacy, stigma and trainee perceived positive effect of MHFA strategies for those in crisis. Impact predicted positive change in mental health knowledge; this association strengthened over time. Results provide information about acceptability and perceived Impact of MHFA USA training and lead to recommendations for future evaluation and implementation.

Body condition is an important concept in behaviour, evolution and conservation, commonly used as a proxy of an individual's performance, for example in the assessment of environmental impacts. Although body condition potentially encompasses a wide range of health state dimensions (nutritional, immune or hormonal status), in practice most studies operationalize body condition using a single (univariate) measure, such as fat storage. One reason for excluding additional axes of variation may be that multivariate descriptors of body condition impose statistical and analytical challenges. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used in many fields to study questions relating multidimensional concepts, and we here explain how SEM is a useful analytical tool to describe the multivariate nature of body condition. In this 'Research Methods Guide' paper, we show how SEM can be used to resolve different challenges in analysing the multivariate nature of body condition, such as (a) variable reduction and conceptualization, (b) specifying the relationship of condition to performance metrics, (c) comparing competing causal hypothesis and (d) including many pathways in a single model to avoid stepwise modelling approaches. We illustrated the use of SEM on a real-world case study and provided R-code of worked examples as a learning tool. We compared the predictive power of SEM with conventional statistical approaches that integrate multiple variables into one condition variable: multiple regression and principal component analyses. We show that model performance on our dataset is higher when using SEM and led to more accurate and precise estimates compared to conventional approaches. We encourage researchers to consider SEM as a flexible framework to describe the multivariate nature of body condition and thus understand how it affects biological processes, thereby improving the value of body condition proxies for predicting organismal performance. Finally, we highlight that it can be useful for other multidimensional ecological concepts as well, such as immunocompetence, oxidative stress and environmental conditions.