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Emerging evidence suggests a broader spectrum of celiac disease (CeD) system involvement, including neurological manifestations. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available evidence from studies assessing the association of cognitive impairment and insomnia with CeD. A total of 259 participants with CeD were included in the studies investigating insomnia and 179 were included in studies investigating cognitive impairment. The overall pooled odds ratio for insomnia in patients with CeD was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 2.42; I2=0.00%). The present study provides valuable insights into the available evidence from studies investigating cognitive impairment in patients with CeD and our systematic review and metaanalysis revealed a significant association between CeD and insomnia.

Introduction/Justification: 177Lu-PSMA can be a promissor therapy in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. Objectives: Investigate 177Lu-PSMA therapy in Brazilian patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Materials and Methods: Data for this retrospective multicentric study was collected from 9 Brazilian centers from 6 federative units (SP, PE, CE, RJ, SC and DF) that performed at least two cycles of 177Lu-PSMA therapy in mCRPC. Data with skewed distribution were reported as median (min-max). Primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes was the maximal PSA response and hematological adverse events (HAE). Results: A total of 100 males were included, median age = 74 years old (min-max: 54 - 96 years old). 177Lu-PSMA was the fifth (median) line of therapy (min-max 2-10). A total of 333 cycles were performed with a median of 4 cycles (min-max 1-10). The mean overall survival was 12.8 months. Among the 72 patients with data available for the maximal PSA response at any time, 65% presented any PSA decline. 42% presented PSA decline ≥ 50% from baseline. 89% of patients did not present HAE or presented grades 1 or 2 HAE. Only 11% of patients presented grade 3 HAE. 0% of patients presented grade 4 HAE. Conclusion: 177Lu-PSMA therapy was effective and safe in the Brazilian population even with a median of 5th line of therapy (maximum 10th line). Overall survival and PSA decline ≥ 50% from baseline were similar to the literature data. Only 11% of patients presented grades 3 or 4 hematological adverse events.

Introduction/Justification: Patients diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer (RC) are often submitted to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) treatment. There is no ideal imaging tool to measure the response of tumor after treatment. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic parameters obtained by FDG PET/CT, before and after NACRT. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 518 patients with advanced RC. We divided patients in 2 groups: the ones who achieved a complete clinical response after treatment (good responder group) and the ones who did not achieved complete response (poor responder group). All patients underwent pre-treatment and post-treatment FDG PET/CT, with the post-treatment scan performed on average 19 weeks after treatment completion. Among the exclusion criteria were patients who began therapy before pre-treatment PET/CT and patients who did not have both studies, pre and post treatment. We included 37 patients in the good responder group who met all inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis, and 36 patients in the poor responder group. FDG PET/CT was analyzed by two nuclear medicine physician, and qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed. We used a visual response score (VRS) in qualitative analysis: grade 0 – (not reduce/progress) grade 1 (≤ 33% reduction), grade 2 (> 33% to 66% reduction), grade 3 (> 66% reduction), and grade 4 (no uptake after treatment). The following quantitative parameters were analyzed: SUV, MTV, and TLG, with ROIs drawn with a fixed threshold of 41% and a variable threshold which determined the best delimitation of the tumoral area (best fit value). Results: In visual analysis of good responders group the majority of patients had a VRS of grade 4 (62%) and grade 3 (33%). For poor responders group, 45.9% patients had a VRS grade 3 , 32.4% grade 2, 16.2%grades 0 and 1 and only 5.4% in grade 4. The average reductions in the analyzed variables were calculated: For good responders there was a reduction of 83% (SUV-mean with 41%); 68% (SUV-mean - BVF); 84% (TLG -41%); 94% (TLG- BVF); 7.29% (MTV-41%); 78% (MTV- BVF). For poor responders had a lower response rate: 51% (SUV-mean with 41%); 41% (SUV-mean - BVF); 63% (TLG -41%); 75% (TLG- BVF); 37 (MTV-41%); 6,5 (MTV- BVF.) Conclusion: FDG PET/CT can provide qualitative and quantitative variables in monitoring neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy response and possibly identify patients who will benefit from earlier monitoring and low-risk patients. Further analyses/studies are still needed to establish a cutoff/value for quantitative measures to aid clinicians.

Abstract Biomass cookstove food preparation is linked to aero-digestive cancers, mediated by ingested and inhaled carcinogens (e.g., heterocyclic amines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). We investigated the association between gastric adenocarcinoma, wood cookstove use, H. pylori CagA infection and risk modification by variants in genes that metabolize and affect the internal dose of carcinogens. We conducted a population-based, case–control study (814 incident cases, 1049 controls) in rural Honduras, a high-incidence region with a homogeneous diet and endemic H. pylori infection, primarily with the high-risk CagA genotype. We investigated factors including wood cookstove use, H. pylori CagA serostatus, and 15 variants from 7 metabolizing genes, and the interactions between wood stove use and the genetic variants. Male sex (OR 2.0, 1.6–2.6), age (OR 1.04, 1.03–1.05), wood cookstove use (OR 2.3, 1.6–3.3), and CagA serostatus (OR 3.5, 2.4–5.1) and two SNPs in CYP1B1 (rs1800440 and rs1056836) were independently associated with gastric cancer in multivariate analysis. In the final multivariate model, a highly significant interaction (OR 3.1, 1.2–7.8) was noted between wood cookstove use and the rs1800440 metabolizing genotype, highlighting an important gene-environment interaction. Lifetime wood cookstove use associates with gastric cancer risk in the high-incidence regions of Central America, and the association is dependent on the rs1800440 genotype in CYP1B1. H. pylori CagA infection, wood cookstove use and the rs1800440 genotype, all of which are highly prevalent, informs who is at greatest risk from biomass cookstove use.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the Latin American subcontinent, particularly in areas with limited hospital resources and a restricted Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and factors associated with survival of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Honduras. Research question: What were the characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in a large referral center in Honduras? Study design and methods: This study employed a retrospective cohort design conducted in a single center in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, between October 2020 to March 2021. All hospitalized cases of confirmed COVID-19 during this timeframe were included in the analysis. Univariable and multivariable survival analysis were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model aiming to identify factors associated with decreased 30 day in-hospital survival, using a priori-selected factors. Results: A total of 929 confirmed cases were identified in this cohort, with males accounting for 55.4 % of cases. The case fatality rate among the hospitalized patients was found to be 50.1 % corresponding to 466 deaths. Patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease had a higher likelihood of mortality. Additionally, non-survivors had a significantly longer time from illness onset to hospital admission compared to survivors (8.2 days vs 4.7 days). Among the cohort, 306 patients (32.9 %) met criteria for ICU admission. However, due to limited capacity, only 60 patients (19·6 %) were admitted to the ICU. Importantly, patients that were unable to receive level-appropriate care had lower likelihood of survival compared to those who received level-appropriate care (hazard ratio: 1.84). Interpretation: This study represents, the largest investigation of in-hospital COVID-19 cases in Honduras and Central America. The findings highlight a substantial case fatality rate among hospitalized patients. In this study, patients who couldn't receive level-appropriate care (ICU admission) had a significantly lower likelihood of survival when compared to those who did. These results underscore the significant impact of healthcare access during the pandemic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Urban forestry is essential in urban environments and if poorly planned, ends up affecting its efficiency and the society quality of life, generating conflicts with urban infrastructure. Morphometry allows the growth dynamics of the tree component to be known, predicting the space needed for its development and stability, silvicultural actions and appropriate management in urban environments. In this sense, the objective was to analyze the most common tree species in the central region of the Imperatriz-MA municipality, in terms of their composition and morphometric parameters. Thus, through a census in 228 blocks, all individuals had their dendrometric parameters measured and 2,321 trees, distributed in 69 species and 26 families were counted. Of the total number of individuals, 66% were exotic species and 34% native, with M. tomentosa being the most representative. As for the morphometric parameters, the average total height of the most representative species was 6.2 m, the height of the first bifurcation was 1.2 m, the crown height was 2.1 m, and the average DBH was 0.25 m. The average diameter and the average crown area obtained were 5.37 m and 26.83 m², respectively. As a result, it can be concluded that the Imperatriz forestry can be considered young with recent plantings and also with inadequately managed plants in the adult stage. Azadirachta indica should be progressively replaced by regional native species, with the young tree component managed to provide maximum canopy area and tall forked trunks that occupy less space on the pavement, regardless of their size.

Objective To compare the effect of intraumbilical vein oxytocin injection with standard management in reducing blood loss during the third and fourth stages of labor. Acute complications threaten the mother’s life during the third and fourth stages of labor. The most common complication is postpartum hemorrhage, which remains a leading cause of maternal mortality, particularly in developing countries. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of Leonardo Martínez Valenzuela Hospital from January to June 2021. A probabilistic sample was used: 332 pregnant patients were enrolled in the study and randomized into the case (166 patients) and control (166 patients) groups. The volume of blood lost was compared between the groups. Results The median estimated blood loss was 120 mL (interquartile range [IQR], 80–218.75 mL). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups, showing less estimated blood loss in the international unit group with a median of 80 mL (IQR, 60–100 mL) (P251 mL. Conclusion Any reduction in bleeding during labor is clinically relevant because it improves patient prognosis. The use of intraumbilical oxytocin injection with active management of the third stage of labor significantly reduced postpartum blood loss and the duration of the third stage compared with the IM group.

PURPOSEPopulation-based cancer registries (PBCRs) are critical for national cancer control planning, yet few low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have quality PBCRs. The Central America Four region represents the principal LMIC region in the Western hemisphere. We describe the establishment of a PBCR in rural Western Honduras with first estimates for the 2013-2017 period.METHODSThe Western Honduras PBCR was established through a collaboration of academic institutions and the Honduras Ministry of Health for collection of incident cancer data from public and private health services. Data were recorded using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) web-based platform with data monitoring and quality checks. Crude and age-standardized rates (ASRs) were calculated at the regional level, following WHO methodology.RESULTSThe web-based platform for data collection, available ancillary data services (eg, endoscopy), and technical support from international centers (United States and Colombia) were instrumental for quality control. Crude cancer incidence rates were 112.2, 69.8, and 154.6 per 100,000 habitants overall, males, and females, respectively (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer). The adjusted ASRs were 84.2, 49.6, and 118.9 per 100,000 overall habitants, males, and females, respectively. The most common sites among men were stomach (ASR 26.0, 52.4%), colorectal (ASR 5.11, 10.15%), and prostate (ASR 2.7, 5.4%). The most common sites in women were cervix (ASR 34.2, 36.7%), breast (ASR 11.2, 12.3%), and stomach (ASR 10.8, 11.7%).CONCLUSIONThe Copán-PBCR represents a successful model to develop cancer monitoring in rural LMICs. Innovations included the use of the REDCap platform and leverage of Health Ministry resources. This provides the first PBCR data for Honduras and the Central America Four and confirms that infection-driven cancers, such as gastric and cervical, should be priority targets for cancer control initiatives.

Este artigo propõe um conversor CA-CC isolado usando a técnica de interleaving associada ao transformador de interfase. A partir do conversor base proposto é possível a obtenção de duas versões trifásicas: uma com lado secundário em paralelo ou outra com o lado secundário em série. Uma característica da topologia é a isolação galvânica na saída em média tensão CC (MVDC), esta configuração pode ser aplicada em sistemas de geração eólica (WECS) offshore com transmissão HVDC. Como alternativa para reduzir custos e aumentar a densidade de potência nos sistemas offshore, o uso de coletores CC em substituição aos sistemas CA existentes, mostra-se uma tendência nesse tipo configuração. A topologia proposta entraria como o WECS para a interconexão em MVDC das turbinas eólicas. Os resultados de simulação demonstram o correto funcionamento da topologia e sua capacidade de operar como um WECS. Os parâmetros adotados para a obtenção dos resultados baseiam-se em um modelo real de turbina eólica para uma potência de 3MVA.

Families are key in the healthy development of Latinx sexual minority youth (Latinx SMY), a group that experiences behavioral, mental, and sexual health disparities. Despite this, there are no family-based interventions for Latinx SMY and their families to prevent drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and depressive symptoms. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the preliminary impact (i.e., estimated effect sizes) of "Familias con Orgullo" (FcO) and examine its feasibility and acceptability among 30 Latinx SMY and their parents. Parents and adolescents were randomized to FcO or a control condition and assessed pre/post-intervention. Feasibility was measured based on session completion and effect sizes. Focus groups were conducted to evaluate intervention acceptability. Findings showed promising effects favoring FcO on parent-adolescent communication (d = 0.46) and parental involvement (d = 0.34). There were also promising effects favoring FcO on suicidal thoughts (OR = 0.75) and depression symptoms (OR = 0.69). Finally, 100% of the adolescents in FcO either continued to remain drug-free or transitioned from current use to no use (from baseline to post-intervention) compared to 74% in the control. Effect sizes for condomless sex, parental monitoring, and positive parenting were small. Session completion (above 80%) and focus group findings indicated strong feasibility and acceptability. FcO holds promise for reducing drug use and depressive symptoms and improving family functioning among Latinx SMY.

Background: Scholars agree that reciprocity is a cornerstone of service-learning and community engagement (SLCE); however, engagement with this concept varies widely in practice and across disciplines. To enhance the potential of SLCE to fulfill its promise for societal impact, engineering education must understand how reciprocity is achieved, recognize barriers that inhibit its progress, and identify strategies for how it can be strengthened. Purpose: We performed this review to understand the ways reciprocity is articulated in the engineering SLCE literature. Drawing from these articulations, we examined the extent of engagement with reciprocity toward providing insights into the design and assessment of SLCE efforts for reciprocity. Scope/Method: We performed a systematic literature review on engineering SLCE at institutes of higher education. Following an established approach to identify and synthesize articles, we developed deductive codes by distilling three well-articulated orientations of reciprocity. We then analyzed the operationalization of reciprocity in the literature. Results: The literature demonstrated varying degrees of reciprocity. Minimally reciprocal efforts centered university stakeholders. In contrast, highly reciprocal partnerships explicitly addressed the nature of engagement with communities. Findings provide insights into the breadth of practice within reciprocity present in engineering SLCE. Further, analysis suggests that our codes and levels of reciprocity can function as a framework that supports the design and evaluation of reciprocity in SLCE efforts. Conclusions: Our review suggests that to enact more equitable SLCE, researchers and practitioners must intentionally conceptualize reciprocity, translate it into practice, and make visible the ways in which reciprocity is enacted within their SLCE efforts.

El banano ocupa la posición número cuatro como alimento más importante en el planeta, en donde Ecuador destaca como uno de los principales exportadores ocupando el 29% del mercado. En Ecuador la provincia de El Oro cuenta con la mayor cantidad de haciendas bananera a escala nacional, la misma que ocupa el 41% del total. El presente estudio se desarrolló en la asociación “ASOCOBAORO” ubicada en el cantón Machala de la provincia de El Oro, con el objetivo de analizar la producción bananera pre y post pandemia dentro de los periodos 2019-2020 mediante el análisis de los datos productivos de ambos años. Para ello se utilizó un diseño metodológico descriptivo, no experimental de corte transversal que permitió recabar información de la producción bananera del periodo pre y post pandemia sin manipular ninguna variable de estudio. Los principales resultados obtenidos fueron que la asociación sufrió una afectación económica debido al pandemia, en donde en el año 2020 los ingresos y volumen de producción registrado fueron inferiores a los del año 2019, además de tomar medidas como teletrabajo, reducción de horario laboral y terminación de contratos, esto debido a que la mayoría de los socios de la asociación no lograron mantener su nómina por más de 9 semanas. Palabras clave: Pandemia, exportaciones, ingresos, caja de banano. ABSTRACT Bananas occupy the fourth position as the most important food on the planet, where Ecuador stands out as one of the main exporters, occupying 29% of the market. In Ecuador, the province of El Oro has the largest number of banana farms nationwide, which occupies 41% of the total. This study was developed in the association "ASOCOBAORO" located in the Machala canton of the El Oro province, with the objective of analyzing the pre and post pandemic banana production within the 2019-2020 periods by analyzing the production data of both years. For this, a descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional methodological design was used to collect information on banana production in the pre- and post-pandemic period without manipulating any study variable. The main results obtained were that the association suffered an economic impact due to the pandemic, where in 2020 the income and registered production volume were lower than in 2019, in addition to taking measures such as teleworking, reduction of working hours and termination of contracts, this due to the fact that most of the members of the association could not keep their payroll for more than 9 weeks. Keywords: Pandemic, exports, income, banana box.

Sorghum is an attractive feedstock for biobased fuel and chemical production because it is familiar to farmers, naturally drought tolerant, and versatile as a food, feed, and fuel crop. Although sorghum is a promising feedstock, particularly in regions that experience drought stress, little is known about how drought conditions impact the ease of conversion of sorghum to fuels and products. This study combines agronomic field trials with a high-throughput experimental pipeline to explore the field performance and liquid biofuel (bisabolene) yields resulting from three sorghum types (photosensitive forage sorghum, optimized grain sorghum, and drought-resistant grain sorghum) grown under pre- and postflowering water limitations in two different California locations. Multiple drought treatments are compared to the control, as the timing (preflowering versus postflowering) of drought stress elicits different survival strategies and corresponding impacts on yield and composition. Forage-type sorghum maintained the highest biomass yields across all irrigation conditions and locations. Glucose and xylose yields resulting from ionic liquid pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification were not significantly impacted by irrigation treatments but differed by location and genotype. However, Rhodosporidium toruloides grown on the resulting plant hydrolysates unexpectedly produced higher titers of bisabolene for drought-stressed sorghum samples regardless of genotype.

BACKGROUND: Lignin is an aromatic polymer deposited in secondary cell walls of higher plants to provide strength, rigidity, and hydrophobicity to vascular tissues. Due to its interconnections with cell wall polysaccharides, lignin plays important roles during plant growth and defense, but also has a negative impact on industrial processes aimed at obtaining monosaccharides from plant biomass. Engineering lignin offers a solution to this issue. For example, previous work showed that heterologous expression of a coliphage S-adenosylmethionine hydrolase (AdoMetase) was an effective approach to reduce lignin in the model plant Arabidopsis. The efficacy of this engineering strategy remains to be evaluated in bioenergy crops. RESULTS: We studied the impact of expressing AdoMetase on lignin synthesis in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). Lignin content, monomer composition, and size, as well as biomass saccharification efficiency were determined in transgenic sorghum lines. The transcriptome and metabolome were analyzed in stems at three developmental stages. Plant growth and biomass composition was further evaluated under field conditions. Results evidenced that lignin was reduced by 18% in the best transgenic line, presumably due to reduced activity of the S-adenosylmethionine-dependent O-methyltransferases involved in lignin synthesis. The modified sorghum features altered lignin monomer composition and increased lignin molecular weights. The degree of methylation of glucuronic acid on xylan was reduced. These changes enabled a ~20% increase in glucose yield after biomass pretreatment and saccharification compared to wild type. RNA-seq and untargeted metabolomic analyses evidenced some pleiotropic effects associated with AdoMetase expression. The transgenic sorghum showed developmental delay and reduced biomass yields at harvest, especially under field growing conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of AdoMetase represents an effective lignin engineering approach in sorghum. However, considering that this strategy potentially impacts multiple S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases, adequate promoters for fine-tuning AdoMetase expression will be needed to mitigate yield penalty.

Inquiries into properties of brain structure and function have progressed due to developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To sustain progress in investigating and quantifying neuroanatomical details in vivo, the reliability and validity of brain measurements are paramount. Quality control (QC) is a set of procedures for mitigating errors and ensuring the validity and reliability of brain measurements. Despite its importance, there is little guidance on best QC practices and reporting procedures. The study of hippocampal subfields in vivo is a critical case for QC because of their small size, inter-dependent boundary definitions, and common artifacts in the MRI data used for subfield measurements. We addressed this gap by surveying the broader scientific community studying hippocampal subfields on their views and approaches to QC. We received responses from 37 investigators spanning 10 countries, covering different career stages, and studying both healthy and pathological development and aging. In this sample, 81% of researchers considered QC to be very important or important, and 19% viewed it as fairly important. Despite this, only 46% of researchers reported on their QC processes in prior publications. In many instances, lack of reporting appeared due to ambiguous guidance on relevant details and guidance for reporting, rather than absence of QC. Here, we provide recommendations for correcting errors to maximize reliability and minimize bias. We also summarize threats to segmentation accuracy, review common QC methods, and make recommendations for best practices and reporting in publications. Implementing the recommended QC practices will collectively improve inferences to the larger population, as well as have implications for clinical practice and public health.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) severity according to ethnicity. METHODS: Data were obtained from the UK MS Register, a prospective longitudinal cohort study of persons with MS. We examined the association between self-reported ethnic background and age at onset, symptom of onset and a variety of participant-reported severity measures. We used adjusted multivariable linear regression models to explore the association between ethnicity and impact of MS, and Cox proportional hazards models to assess disability progression. RESULTS: We analysed data from 17,314 people with MS, including participants from self-reported Black (n = 157) or South Asian (n = 230) ethnic backgrounds. Age at MS onset and diagnosis was lower in those of South Asian (median 30.0) and Black (median 33.0) ethnicity compared with White ethnicity (median 35.0). In participants with online MS severity measures available, we found no statistically significant evidence for an association between ethnic background and physical disability in MS in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. CONCLUSION: We found no association between ethnic background and MS severity in a large, diverse UK cohort. These findings suggest that other factors, such as socioeconomic status and structural inequalities, may explain previous findings.

Nanogrids are customer deployments that can generate and inject electricity into the power grid. These deployments are based on behind-the-meter renewable energy resources and are labeled as “prosumer setups”, allowing customers to not only consume electricity, but also produce it. A residential nanogrid is comprised of a physical layer that is a household-scale electric power system, and a cyber layer that is used by manufacturers and/or grid operators to remotely monitor and control the nanogrid. With the increased penetration of renewable energy resources, nanogrids are at the forefront of a paradigm shift in the operational landscape and their correct operation is vital to the electric power grid. In this paper, we perform a cybersecurity assessment of a state-of-the art residential nanogrid deployment. For this purpose, we deployed a real-world experimental nanogrid setup that is based on photovoltaic (PV) generation. We analyzed the security and the resiliency of this system at both the cyber and physical layers. While we noticed improvements in the cybersecurity measures employed in the current nanogrid compared to previous generations, there are still major concerns. Our experiments show that these concerns range from exploiting well-known protocols, such as Secure Shell (SSH) and Domain Name Service (DNS), to the leakage of confidential information, and major shortcomings in the software updating mechanism. While the compromise of multiple nanogrids can have a negative effect on the entire power grid, we focus our analysis on individual households and have determined through Simulink-based simulations the economic loss of a compromised deployment.

Helix-distorting DNA lesions, including ultraviolet (UV) light-induced damage, are repaired by the global genomic-nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) and transcription coupled-nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER) pathways. Previous studies have shown that histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as histone acetylation and methylation can promote GG-NER in chromatin. Whether histone PTMs also regulate the repair of DNA lesions by the TC-NER pathway in transcribed DNA is unknown. Here, we report that histone H3 K36 methylation (H3K36me) by the Set2 histone methyltransferase in yeast regulates TC-NER. Mutations in Set2 or H3K36 result in UV sensitivity that is epistatic with Rad26, the primary TC-NER factor in yeast, and cause a defect in the repair of UV damage across the yeast genome. We further show that mutations in Set2 or H3K36 in a GG-NER deficient strain (i.e., rad16Δ) partially rescue its UV sensitivity. Our data indicate that deletion of SET2 rescues UV sensitivity in a GG-NER deficient strain by activating cryptic antisense transcription, so that the non-transcribed strand (NTS) of yeast genes is repaired by TC-NER. These findings indicate that Set2 methylation of H3K36 establishes transcriptional asymmetry in repair by promoting canonical TC-NER of the transcribed strand (TS) and suppressing cryptic TC-NER of the NTS.

Although there is a plethora of tools available to assess children's movement competence (MC), the literature suggests that many have significant limitations (e.g. not being practical for use in many 'real-world' settings). The FMS[superscript 2] assessment tool has recently been developed as a targeted solution to many of the existing barriers preventing practitioners from utilising MC assessments. The aim of this study was to investigate the structural and convergent validity of this new tool among 8- to 12-year-old Irish primary school children. As part of this study, 102 children (56.8% female, mean = 9.8 years) were assessed using the FMS[superscript 2], the Test of Gross Motor Development (3rd edition) (TGMD-3) (short version) and the Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS™). Structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The convergent validity between the FMS[superscript 2], the TGMD-3 (short version) and the FMS™ was investigated using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Results of CFA for the FMS[superscript 2] indicate a good fit model, supporting a three-factor structure (locomotor, object manipulation, and stability). Additional findings indicate a moderate, positive correlation between the FMS[superscript 2] and the TGMD-3 (short version) (r = 0.66), with a low, positive correlation between the FMS[superscript 2] and the FMS™ (r = 0.48). This study presents the first preliminary findings to suggest that the FMS[superscript 2] may be a versatile, time-efficient, and ecologically valid tool to measure children's MC in multiple settings (e.g. research, education, sport, athletic therapy, and physiotherapy). Future research should also seek to continue to implement this solution, consolidate the existing validity findings with a larger and more diverse sample, and further explore the feasibility of the tool in 'real-world' settings.

Clinical immersion programs have been widely used in higher education, particularly in biomedical engineering (BME) programs, to allow students to identify and evaluate the unmet clinical needs. However, due to limited space and extensive safety protocols required to enter hospitals, access for undergraduate students to shadow physicians is limited. BME students need to be trained to identify and evaluate unmet clinical needs through observation and experience to remain competitive in the medical device landscape. To be able to allow students to immerse themselves into clinical environments remotely and be able to visualize the full spectrum of healthcare workers and equipment that support a procedure beyond what is available through online video records, we have developed a virtual reality (VR) clinical immersion platform. The applicability and overall student satisfaction of using VR learning environments was investigated through a pilot undergraduate BME unmet clinical needs finding course in the spring of 2022. Pre- and post-course survey analyses revealed that the VR clinical immersion experiences did greatly increase immersion within a medical procedure, and students felt sensations of presence and embodiment. Given the results of this study, VR learning environments can provide a means for students to perform unmet clinical needs through virtual clinical immersion. However, these technologies to support environments should be readily accessible within the classroom.

In recent years, additive manufacturing technologies have been playing an important role in the global economy. Consequently, low-cost 3D printers rose in the domestic environment, accelerating the development of startup companies and new market segments. Nevertheless, with regard to 3D printing based on fused filament fabrication, several challenges still need to be overcome, such as those related to surface finishing and mechanical strength. Moreover, 3D printing in the domestic environment also generates untreated plastic waste, which can cause environmental problems. For these reasons, the main goal of this work is to introduce and characterise 3D printing surface finishing post-processing using recycled plastic waste. As the main results of this work, the proposed recycling process was confirmed to improve object properties. Whereas surface roughness was reduced from 27 to 3 µm, while mechanical strength was increased in 20 times. The application of recycled material for chemical welding was also seen to be feasible.

Oxidation of indole by nitrate radical (NO3) was previously proposed to form nitroindole, largely responsible for the brown color of indole secondary organic aerosol (SOA). As there are seven known nitroindole isomers, we used chromatographic separation to show that a single nitroindole isomer is produced in the indole + NO3 reaction and definitively assigned it to 3-nitroindole by comparison with chromatograms of nitroindole standards. Mass spectra of aerosolized 3-nitroindole particles were recorded with an aerosol mass spectrometer and directly compared to mass spectra of SOA from smog chamber oxidation of indole by NO3 in order to help identify peaks unique to nitroindole (m/z 162, 132, and 116). Quantum chemical calculations were done to determine the energetics of hypothesized indole + NO3 intermediates and products. The combination of these data suggests a mechanism, wherein a hydrogen atom is first abstracted from the N-H bond in indole, followed by isomerization to a carbon-centered radical in the 3-position and followed by addition of NO2. Alternative mechanisms involving a direct abstraction of a H atom from a C-H bond or a NO3 addition to the ring are predicted to be energetically unfavorable from large barriers for the initial reaction steps.

Most x-ray sources are inherently polychromatic. Polychromatic ("pink") x-rays provide an efficient way to conduct diffraction experiments as many more photons can be used and large regions of reciprocal space can be probed without sample rotation during exposure-ideal conditions for time-resolved applications. Analysis of such data is complicated, however, causing most x-ray facilities to discard >99% of x-ray photons to obtain monochromatic data. Key challenges in analyzing polychromatic diffraction data include lattice searching, indexing and wavelength assignment, correction of measured intensities for wavelength-dependent effects, and deconvolution of harmonics. We recently described an algorithm, Careless, that can perform harmonic deconvolution and correct measured intensities for variation in wavelength when presented with integrated diffraction intensities and assigned wavelengths. Here, we present Laue-DIALS, an open-source software pipeline that indexes and integrates polychromatic diffraction data. Laue-DIALS is based on the dxtbx toolbox, which supports the DIALS software commonly used to process monochromatic data. As such, Laue-DIALS provides many of the same advantages: an open-source, modular, and extensible architecture, providing a robust basis for future development. We present benchmark results showing that Laue-DIALS, together with Careless, provides a suitable approach to the analysis of polychromatic diffraction data, including for time-resolved applications.

Background: The placenta is a transient organ critical for fetal development. Disruptions of normal placental functions can impact health throughout an individual’s entire life. Although being recognized by the NIH Human Placenta Project as an important organ, the placenta remains understudied, partly because of a lack of non-invasive tools for longitudinally evaluation for key aspects of placental functionalities. Objective: Our goal is to create a non-invasive preclinical imaging pipeline that can longitudinally probe murine placental health in vivo. We use advanced imaging processing schemes to establish functional biomarkers for non-invasive longitudinal evaluation of placental development. Methodology: We implement dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and analysis pipeline to quantify uterine contraction and placental perfusion dynamics. We use optic flow and time-frequency analysis to quantify and characterize contraction-related placental motion. Our novel imaging and analysis pipeline uses subcutaneous administration of gadolinium for steepest slope-based perfusion evaluation, enabling non-invasive longitudinal monitoring. Results: We demonstrate that the placenta exhibits spatially asymmetric contractile motion that develops from E14.5 to E17.5. Additionally, we see that placental perfusion, perfusion delivery rate, and substrate delivery all increase from E14.5 to E17.5, with the High Perfusion Chamber (HPC) leading the placental changes that occur from E14.5 to E17.5 Discussion: We advance the placental perfusion chamber paradigm with a novel, physiologically based threshold model for chamber localization and demonstrate spatially varying placental chambers using multiple functional metrics that assess mouse placental development and remodeling throughout gestation. Conclusion: Our pipeline enables the non-invasive, longitudinal assessment of multiple placenta functions from a single imaging session. Our pipeline serves as a key toolbox for advancing research in mouse models of placental disease and disorder.

BackgroundLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, aromantic and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities in the United States experience higher rates of alcohol use than the general population. While experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) is thought to lead to increased alcohol use in LGBTQIA+ people, little research has investigated the temporal relationship between IPV and alcohol use in this population.MethodsData from two annual questionnaires of The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality Study (The PRIDE Study) longitudinal cohort (n=3,783) were included. Overall IPV and three sub-types (physical, sexual, and emotional) - measured in 2021 using the extended Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream (E-HITS) screening tool - was examined as a predictor of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score in 2022 using multivariable linear regression to assess linear and quadratic associations. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and history of alcohol use.ResultsOne-quarter (24.7%) of respondents reported experiencing past-year IPV in 2021. The mean AUDIT score in 2022 was 3.52 (SD = 4.13). In adjusted models, both linear (B: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.38) and quadratic (B: -0.03, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.01) terms for overall IPV were significantly associated with next-year AUDIT score. These patterns were mirrored in each IPV sub-type, were not attenuated when accounting for relationship characteristics, and were heterogeneous across gender identity groups.ConclusionsThese results provide evidence of a temporal relationship between IPV and alcohol use in LGBTQIA+ communities, suggesting that efforts to prevent and mitigate IPV may help reduce alcohol use disparities in this population.

Introduction: Long-term freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation and, consequently, the potential for stroke reduction remain unpredictable. Recently, left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) became an effective mechanical alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention in AF patients. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of combined treatment for AF with catheter ablation (CA) with the high-power short duration technique associated with LAAC in one single procedure. Methods: Patients with non-valvular AF who underwent combined CA and LAAC procedure were included in the retrospective observational study. Between April 2018 and October 2020, 13 patients with AF were included, eight (61,54%) males, eight (61.54%) with persistent AF (PersAF), mean age 68.54 (65–84) years old, mean time from AF diagnosis to treatment 13.08 (3–33) months, mean CHA2VASC2 5.08 (3–7), all patients with coronary or vascular disease, 12 (92.31%) with hypertension, five (38.46%) with left ventricular dysfunction, four (30.77%) prior strokes using OAC and four (30.77%) patients with diabetes. Indications for LAAC included history of contraindication to OAC because of severe bleeding in eight (61.54%), previous stroke in four (30.77%) and two (13.08%) patients with LAA thrombus, despite the use of two different OAC (one associated with bleeding). One patient had a pseudoaneurysm in femoral artery, and two patients died of non-procedure complications after 30 days. At six months, angiotomography showed successful complete sealing of the LAA in seven (77.72%) of nine patients evaluated, and the two patients without it had a leak of less than 2 mm. After mean follow-up of 14 months (five to 33), 10 (90.91%) of the 11 patients were in sinus rhythm. Three (27.27%) patients, one in blanking period, recovered sinus rhythm after amiodarone. No cardioembolic or bleeding events occurred. Conclusion: In this small observational study, we showed the feasibility and safety of the combined therapy with AF catheter ablation with LAAC with a high rate of sinus rhythm and no cardioembolic event.