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Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) commonly affects weight-bearing joints and is characterized by articular cartilage breakdown combined with osteophyte formation at the joint margins and chronic nonspecific inflammation of synovium. Understanding the profile of inflammation in a patient population is an essential starting point to predict or prevent OA progression. The aim of this study was to identify the profile of selected biomolecules in synovial fluid (SF) and investigate the correlation according to gender, age, and severity of the disease within patients from among the general knee OA population.Design In our study SF samples were aspirated from the knees of 65 OA patients (46 patients with early knee OA and 19 patients with end-stage knee OA according to the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale). The concentration of interleukins (IL-6, IL-8), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13), MMPs inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and adiponectin was analyzed using a multiplex ELISA-based approach.Conclusions Our results indicate significant linear correlation of MMP-13 and COMP concentration with age (P< 0.05), but not with OA severity. In fact, 3 of the examined biomolecules, MMP-3 (P< 0.01), TIMP-1 (P< 0.01), and COMP (P< 0.05) significantly correlate with the grade of knee OA and might be associated with OA severity.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of stress and to identify the occupational stressors among Lebanese police officers. Design/methodology/approach: Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-op) was addressed to 100 randomly selected male Lebanese Police officers. Twenty items from the PSQ-op were run through the principal component analysis to determine the most significant factors of stress and loading within each of the factors. Findings: The results indicated that 59% of officers reported moderate stress level and 41% reported strenuous stress. Principal component analysis identified six independent factors or stress among Lebanese police officers explaining in total 72.1% of the total variance: excessive workload (30.6%), social-life time management (12.8%), occupational fitness (9.1%), success-related stress (8.6%), physical and psychological health (5.8%), and working alone at night (5.2%). Research limitations/implications: This research approach encountered some limitations so further research must: use a larger sample size, include female gender and identify other sources of stressors mainly organizational or job context stressors. Originality/value: Addressing and understanding stress factors among Lebanese police officers helps improving awareness and developing individualized treatment strategies leading police officers to engage in stress-management training to learn coping strategies and use effective tools for preventing stress before it becomes chronic.

Archaeological potsherds have become a valuable source of information about diet and the wider economies of ancient communities, especially through the analysis of lipids preserved in the microporous matrix of the ceramic vessels. This study investigated >160 potsherds recovered from settlement phase 19 dated to 5160–5100cal. BC from the Neolithic site of Bylany, one of the largest Linearbandkeramik(LBK) settlement in Central Europe. The aim was to investigate vessel use and animal management at the site and explore variations in organic residue composition and thus human activity at the household level. Pottery technology was also studied revealing a predominance of micro- and mesopores, indicating an advanced level of pottery production technology. >70% of the analysed potsherds yielded appreciable amounts of lipids dominated by C16:0and C18:0fatty acids, with compound-specific carbon isotope compositions indicating origins predominantly from ruminant and non-ruminant animal fats. Detection of very long fatty acids, fatty alcohols and traces of terpene compounds originating from plants suggested a combination of meat- and plant-based diet components and specialised use of some vessels. However, evidence of the use of vessels for milk collection or processing was not detectable at Bylany, at least during the settlement phase investigated herein.