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At the margin of the Pingorsuit Glacier in North-West Greenland, an organic-rich deposit that has recently emerged from the retreating ice cap was discovered in 2019 at an elevation of 480 m above sea level. Here we report on cladoceran and diatom analyses of this freshwater deposit from three samples of detritus gyttja, which occurred beneath a thin cover of till and glaciofluvial deposits. The cladoceran fauna comprises many non-Greenlandic, non-Arctic taxa, in accordance with previous studies of Coleoptera, Trichoptera and vascular plants. The fossil assemblages from the Pingorsuit beds resemble other fossil assemblages from Greenland that have been assigned an Early Pleistocene age, and a similar age has been suggested for the sediments found at the margin of the Pingorsuit Glacier. The fossil cladoceran and diatom species indicate a shallow lake with oligo- and dystrophic, circumneutral to slightly acidic waters. Their assemblages are more diverse compared to Holocene assemblages from northern Greenland, further indicating warmer summers than present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The term petrous bone cholesteatoma (PBC) refers to lesions extending deep to the bony labyrinth via superior, inferior, and posterior cell tracts. PBC is a rare incidence accounting for only 4–9% of petrous bone lesions. Lesions of petrous bone represent a real surgical challenge due to its complex relationship with critical neurovascular structures. Objective: To demonstrate our 40-plus years' experience in the management of PBC, depict the clinical features of PBC according to Sanna's Classification, evaluate the postoperative follow-up of surgically treated PBC patients, and determine the recurrence rate. Study design: Retrospective medical record review. Material and methods: Medical records of 298 PBC cases operated from the year 1983 to 2024 were thoroughly evaluated. Results: A total of 298 PBC cases were surgically treated at our center. The average age at presentation in this series was 47 years. Males are more affected than females with a male-to-female ratio of 2.2:1. The most common presenting symptoms were hearing loss (84%), tinnitus (48%), and facial nerve paralysis (45%). Mixed hearing loss (41%) was the commonest audiometric pattern of hearing loss followed by conductive hearing loss (26%) and profound sensorineural hearing loss (4%) and a total of 86 (29%) had anacusis at presentation. On preoperative facial nerve function examination, 133(45%) of patients had various degrees of paresis and complete paralysis whereas 55% had normal HB-I function. The commonest degree of paresis noted was HB-III (18%) followed by HB-VI (5%). A total of 150 (50%) patients had previous otologic surgery and two-thirds of these cases had two or more prior otologic surgeries. According to Sanna's PBC Classification system, we identified that the supralabyrinthine class (44%) is the commonest of all classes followed by massive (33%), infralabyrinthine-apical (9%), infralabyrinthine(8%), and apical (5%) classes in that order. However, only ten patients had congenital type of PBC. Extension to clivus, sphenoid, nasopharynx, intradural space, and occipital condyle was found in 8, 2, 1, and 2 cases respectively. The most commonly used surgical approaches at our center were TO, MTCA with rerouting of the facial nerve, and TLAB with external auditory canal (EAC) closure. Postoperative complications were minimal and the duration of follow-up ranged from one to 458 months with a mean duration of 65 months. Residual lesions were evident in 11 cases (3.7%), with the surgical cavity, middle and posterior fossa dura, and jugular bulb being the commonest sites. Conclusion: Petrous bone cholesteatoma represents diagnostically and surgically challenging lesions of temporal bone which are usually frustrating to the treating surgeon. A high index of clinical suspicion, thorough clinical evaluation examination, and preoperative radiologic evaluation make the diagnosis easier. Preoperative anatomic classification of the lesion enables the physician to choose the appropriate surgical approach. Sanna's classification is widely used to classify PBC in relation to the labyrinthine block. Radical disease removal should always come before hearing preservation. Cavity obliteration is the solution to the problems related to a large cavity. Finally, advancements in lateral skull base approaches create adequate surgical access for the complete removal of the lesion with excellent control of critical neurovascular structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasive presence of marine litter represents a significant threat to Mediterranean biogenic reefs, leading to habitat degradation and a negative impact on associated structuring organisms, such as sponges and gorgonians. This communication highlights one of the detrimental effects caused by abandoned or lost fishing gear on colonies of Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1827) from MPA Asinara Island (Mediterranean Sea). The study is part of the Strong Sea Life project (Survey and Treatment ON Ghost Nets SEA LIFE), aimed at mitigating the effects of abandoned fishing gear and enhance the conservation status of priority habitats of Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 and coralligenous reefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluency of second language (L2) speech can be influenced by L2 proficiency, but also by differences in the efficiency of cognitive operations and personal speaking styles. The nature of cognitive fluency is still, however, little understood. Therefore, we studied the cognitive fluency of Finnish advanced students of English (N = 64) to understand how the efficiency of cognitive processing influences speech rate. Cognitive fluency was operationalised as automaticity of lexical access (measured by rapid word recognition) and attention control (measured by the Stroop task). The tasks were conducted in both L1 (Finnish) and L2 (English) to examine the (dis)similarity of processing in the two languages. Speech rate in a monologue task was used as the dependent measure of speaking performance. The results showed that after controlling for the L1 speech rate and L1 cognitive fluency, the L2 attention control measures explained a small amount of additional variance in L2 speech rate. These results are discussed in relation to the cognitive fluency framework and general speaking proficiency research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spoofing is becoming a prevalent threat to the users of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). It is important to deepen our understanding of spoofing attacks and develop resilient techniques to effectively combat this threat. Detecting and mitigating these attacks requires thorough testing, typically conducted in a laboratory environment through the establishment of a spoofing test-bed. The complexity, cost and resource demands of creating such a test-bed underscore the necessity of utilizing openly available datasets. To address this need, this paper introduces a new GNSS spoofing data repository from Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) named hereafter as 'FGI-SpoofRepo'. This data repository consists of raw In-phase and Quadrature (I/Q) data of live recordings of GPS L1 C/A, Galileo E1, GPS L5, and Galileo E5a signals. These datasets encompass three distinct types of spoofing characteristics (synchronous, asynchronous, and meaconing), making them very useful example candidates of open data for testing the performance of any anti-spoofing techniques (be it detection or mitigation). The inclusion of live signals in multiple GNSS frequencies and the presence of cryptographic signatures in Galileo E1 signal make these datasets potential benchmarks for assessing the resilience performance of multi-frequency multi-constellation receivers. The analysis of the datasets is carried out with an open-source MATLAB-based software-defined receiver, FGI-GSRx. An updated version of FGI-GSRx, equipped with the necessary modifications for processing and analyzing the new datasets, is released alongside the datasets. Therefore, the GNSS research community can utilize the open-source FGI-GSRx or any third-party SDR to process the publicly available raw I/Q data for implementation, testing and validation of any new anti-spoofing technique. The results show that time-synchronous spoofing seamlessly takes over positioning solution, while time-asynchronous spoofing acts as noise or in some cases, completely prevent the receiver from providing a positioning solution. Signal re-acquisition during an ongoing spoofing attack (cold start), the receiver tends to lock onto the spoofing signal with the highest peak, posing a potential threat to GNSS receivers without assisted information. Overall, this research aims to advance the understanding of complex spoofing attacks on GNSS signals, providing insight into enhancing resilience in navigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catheter-based embolization has become a widely adopted minimally-invasive treatment for a broad range of applications. However, assessment of embolization endpoints requires x-ray fluoroscopic monitoring, exposing patients and physicians performing embolization procedures to harmful ionizing radiation. Moreover, x-ray fluoroscopy assessment of embolization endpoints is low sensitivity, subjective, and may not reflect the actual physiology of blood flow reduction, thus providing little oversight of the embolization procedure. Inspired by the observation that the dielectric properties of blood differ from those of fluids injected during the embolization procedure, a customized angiographic catheter was created with embedded electrodes for catheter-based electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a way to monitor embolization. Real-time electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was performed in a phantom and compared to visual and videographic monitoring. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was able to sense endpoints of embolization, including stasis, reflux, and persistent flow. This new technique offers a label-free method of sensing embolization progress with potentially higher sensitivity and reproducibility compared to x-ray, as well as offer substantial reduction in x-ray exposure to patients and physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that peer support is an essential component of adolescents' sense of relatedness in peer relationships and correlates with study engagement and life satisfaction. However, what the underlying mechanisms of these relationships are, has remained unclear. This study examined 1) whether the sense of relatedness or study engagement mediate the effect of peer support on students' life satisfaction, and 2) whether sense of relatedness mediates the effects of peer support on students' study engagement. The data were analysed with the structural equation modelling (SEM), using a cross-sectional sample of Finnish upper secondary education students (n = 293) (63% female, 31% male). The results showed that the relationship between peer support and the student life satisfaction beyond the school was fully mediated by students' experiences of study engagement and sense of relatedness. This suggests that peer support for studying by itself is not sufficient for cultivating student life satisfaction, but its effectiveness depends on whether it positively impacts their study engagement and sense of relatedness. To improve the life satisfaction of upper secondary education students, study-related peer support needs to be cultivated so that it triggers students' sense of relatedness and study engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National-level educational administrators constantly face the question of how to ensure that the basic education system successfully meets complex local, national, international, and global challenges, and what is the best way to initiate and drive systemic changes in education amid such complexity and to create value for society. Studies have shown that participative approaches to reform leadership are beneficial; however, in practice, participative incentives are randomly used in national reform contexts. In this article, we present a Finnish case of national participative leadership regarding the Finnish Core Curriculum Reform of 2014 (hereafter FCCR2014). We interviewed key leaders in the FCCR2014 process (n = 23) and analyzed the data from social, personal, interpersonal, and organizational viewpoints with this question in mind: How did administrators responsible for leading the reform develop and lead the participative FCCR2014 process? Sub questions were: (1) What were their goals in developing and leading the reform, and (2) how did they succeed in developing and leading the reform in line with their goals—what was effective and what was not? The results show how participative leadership in a national curriculum reform calls for top leaders to include stakeholders, build and support strong and open collaboration processes, take the risk of losing some of their control, reject strict dichotomizations between strategy formulation and implementation, and consider change leadership a responsible act of giving stakeholders a fair chance to participate in the decision-making that affects their lives. Key aspects to participative leadership included building participation, not quasi-participation; building coherence in complexity—together; and fitting change to the education system with responsible leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demands of learning in the twenty-first century require being skilled in the use and comprehension of multiple documents. Some individual factors such as the metacognitive skill of theory of mind (ToM) are related to this ability. This study investigated the relationship between university students' ability to comprehend multiple documents, measured through an argumentative essay task, and their ToM. The participants were 84 undergraduates. We assessed their ToM (using the strange stories task) and their mental state talk (using a think-aloud protocol during the reading of multiple documents—MSTR—and through the content of their subsequent written essays—MSTW). The relation between students' ToM and their MSTW was mediated through MSTR. In addition, students' ToM was significantly associated with the quality of the essays, through MSTR, and the relation between MSTR and the argumentative quality was mediated through MSTW. MSTW was the only significant predictor of the quality of the essays. The involvement of ToM in multiple-document comprehension suggests, from an educational perspective, the possibility to support multiple-document comprehension by scaffolding mental state talk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association of left atrial (LA) strain parameters with demographics, clinical data, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) findings, and cardiac complications (heart failure and arrhythmias) in a cohort of patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM). Materials and methods: We considered 264 β-TM patients (133 females, 36.79 ± 11.95 years) consecutively enrolled in the Extension-Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia (E-MIOT) project. Moreover, we included 35 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (14 females, mean age 37.36 ± 17.52 years). Reservoir, conduit, and booster LA functions were analysed by CMR feature tracking using dedicated software. Results: Compared to the healthy control group, β-TM patients demonstrated lower LA reservoir strain and booster strains, as well as LA reservoir and booster strain rates. However, no differences were found in LA conduit deformation parameters. In β-TM patients, ageing, sex, and left ventricle (LV) volume indexes were independent determinants of LA strain parameters. The number of segments with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) significantly correlated with all LA strain parameters, with the exception of the LA conduit rate. Patients with cardiac complications exhibited significantly impaired strain parameters compared to patients without cardiac complications. Conclusion: In patients with β-TM, LA strain parameters were impaired compared to control subjects, and they exhibited a significant correlation with the number of LV segments with LGE. Furthermore, patients with cardiac complications had impaired left atrial strain parameters. Clinical relevance statement In patients with β-thalassemia major, left atrial strain parameters were impaired compared to control subjects and emerged as a sensitive marker of cardiac complications, stronger than cardiac iron levels. Key Points: • Compared to healthy subjects, β-thalassemia major patients demonstrated significantly lower left atrial reservoir strain and booster strains, as well as left atrial reservoir and booster strain rates. • In β-thalassemia major, ageing, sex, and left ventricular volume indexes were independent determinants of left atrial strain parameters, while left atrial strain parameters were not correlated with myocardial iron overload. • An independent association between reduced left atrial strain parameters and a history of cardiac complications was found in β-thalassemia major patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the genetics of chronic nonsuppurative otitis media (OM). We performed a genome-wide association study of 429,599 individuals included in the FinnGen study using three different case definitions: combined chronic nonsuppurative OM (7034 cases) (included serous and mucous chronic OM), mucous chronic OM (5953 cases), and secretory chronic OM (1689 cases). Individuals without otitis media were used as controls (417,745 controls). We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the murine middle ear to evaluate the expression of annexin A13. Four loci were significantly associated (p < 1.7 × 10−8) with nonsuppurative OM. Three out of the four association signals included missense variants in genes that may play a role in otitis media pathobiology. According to our subtype-specific analyses, one novel locus, located near ANXA13, was associated with secretory OM. Three loci (near TNFRSF13B, GAS2L2, and TBX1) were associated with mucous OM. Immunohistochemistry of murine middle ear samples revealed annexin A13 expression at the apical pole of the Eustachian tube epithelium as well as variable intensity of the secretory cells of the glandular structure in proximity to the Eustachian tube. We demonstrated that secretory and mucous OM have distinct and shared genetic associations. The association of GAS2L2 with ciliary epithelium function and the pathogenesis of dysfunctional mucosa in mucous OM is suggested. The abundant expression of annexin A13 in the Eustachian tube epithelium, along with its role in apical transport for the binding and transfer of phospholipids, indicates the role of annexin A13 and phospholipids in Eustachian tube dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses a study on the use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) as a treatment for anemia in low-risk myelodysplastic neoplasms (LR-MDS). The study used flow cytometry to analyze erythroid subpopulations in LR-MDS patients treated with ESAs and found that the response to ESAs was associated with an increase in certain bone marrow cells. However, this correlation was not seen in cases with a specific gene mutation. The study suggests that a combination of scoring and cell fraction analysis could predict ESA response in certain MDS cases. [Extracted from the article]

A relationship between EPR and spectrophotometric parameters related to beer staling and antioxidant activity, was identified. AUC (area under the curve), intensity at 150 min (T150), radical scavenging activity (RSA), total phenolic compounds (TPC), hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity (HRSC) and one parameter linked to staling degree of beers (thiobarbituric index, TBI) were related. Temperature was modified to find the proper working conditions for EPR spin-trapping experiments and it was found that it affected the kinetic of PBN adduct evolution. For the samples reaching a maximum intensity signal, the higher the heating temperature, the shorter the time interval needed to reach it. No linear relationship was detected among parameters obtained with EPR spin trapping experiments and RSA, TPC, TPI, and HRSC when correlating one parameter with another. On the contrary, a good linear relationship was found among AUC or T150 and a combination of RSA, TPC, TPI, and HRSC (R2 = 0.9562 and 0.9694, respectively). The goodness of fit increased to R2 = 1 when a combination of AUC and T150 was related to a combination of RSA, TPC, and TPI, and HRSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the rates of 90-day anastomotic complications and other postoperative complications after total or partial gastrectomy with antecolic versus retrocolic reconstruction in a population-based setting. Methods: This population-based nationwide retrospective cohort study included all patients undergoing total or partial gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma in Finland in 2005–2016, with follow-up until 31 December 2019. Logistic regression provided odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 90-day mortality. Results were adjusted for age, sex, year of the surgery, comorbidities, tumor locations, pathological stage, and neoadjuvant therapy. Results: A total of 2063 patients having gastrectomy with antecolic (n = 814) or retrocolic (n = 1249) reconstruction were identified from the registries. The anastomotic complication rate was 3.8% with antecolic reconstruction and 5.0% with retrocolic reconstruction. Antecolic reconstruction was not associated with a higher risk of anastomotic complications compared with retrocolic reconstruction in the adjusted analysis (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.44–1.09) of the whole cohort or in the predefined subgroups. The reoperation rate was 8.2% with antecolic reconstruction and 7.7% with retrocolic reconstruction, without statistical significance. In subgroup analysis of total gastrectomy patients, the risk of major complications was lower with antecolic reconstruction compared with retrocolic reconstruction (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45–0.86). Conclusions: The rate of anastomotic complications did not differ after antecolic versus retrocolic reconstruction after total or partial gastrectomy. In total gastrectomies, the risk of major complications was lower after antecolic compared with retrocolic reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric cholesteatomas (PC) have multifactorial aetiology, spread aggressively and there are high chances of residual/ recurrent disease after treatment. The surgical technique to manage this entity has been debatable. This study was done to (i) enumerate the presentation of PC and the surgical techniques adopted (ii) analyse the outcomes viz., residual/ recurrence rates and hearing results. A cross sectional record based study was done on 618 cases of PC operated between 1983 and 2015, at a centre dedicated to otology and lateral skull base surgery. The data which was maintained on the basis of clinical and peri- operative findings was analysed. Otorrhea (59.2%) and hearing loss (54.2%) were the common symptoms. The surgeries done were: canal wall up (CWU) (44.3%), canal wall down (CWD) (41.1%), modified bondy's mastoidectomy (5.7%), radical mastoidectomy (4.9%), trans canal excision (1.8%) and subtotal petrosectomy (2.3%). The residual and recurrence rates were 12.6% and 7.9% respectively. A significant difference between the pre and post operative hearing was observed. The mean improvement in air bone gap was 7.7db. Residual/ recurrent disease were higher in CWU as compared to CWD group. The surgery should be individualised so that the patient remains disease free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trianthema portulacastrum L. is an alien naturalized noxious summer weed belonging to Aizoaceae. Our field observations revealed that it was the dominant weed in the fields planted with maize and other summer crops, and on roadsides of wastelands and farmlands. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential allelopathic effects of the aqueous shoot extracts and mulching with different rates of air-dried shoots of T. portulacastrum collected from maize fields on two associating weeds namely, Corchorus olitorius and Euphorbia heterophylla. Seed germination and seedling growth of the test weeds decreased with increasing concentrations of the aqueous extract. The seeds bioassay experiments confirmed the autotoxicity of T. portulacastrum. We have found that the allelopathic effects of the target species on the two weeds, and the autotoxic effects on itself were mainly attributed to the presence of allelochemicals and not to the osmotic potential of the aqueous extracts. Mulching had inhibitory effects on the percentage of dry matter allocations and the growth parameters of the test weed species. The relative growth rate, the net assimilation rate, and the leaf area ratio of the non-mulched weeds were higher than those of mulched ones. The phytochemical screening of the dry shoots of T. portulacastrum indicated the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids. The high concentration of alkaloids in the shoot deserves further research. The high-performance liquid chromatography confirmed the presence of 14 phenolic substances, which included 12 phenolic compounds, and 2 flavonoids. Evaluation of seed bioassay and mulching experiments revealed that the aqueous extract concentrations of 4 and 6 % of T. portulacastrum inhibited the germination of E. heterophylla, while the mulched plants showed tolerance at the juvenile-flowering stage. We conclude that tolerance to allelopathic stress varied among the tested weed species and the growth stages of the same species. The suitability of using either aqueous shoot extract or mulch of T. portulacastrum as a potential bioherbicide deserves further monitoring under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases remain as the most common cause of death worldwide. To reveal the underlying mechanisms in varying cardiovascular diseases, in vitro models with cells and supportive biomaterial can be designed to recapitulate the essential components of human heart. In this study, we analyzed whether 3D co-culture of cardiomyocytes (CM) with vascular network and with adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (ASC) can support CM functionality. CM were cultured with either endothelial cells (EC) and ASC or with only ASC in hydrazide-modified gelatin and oxidized gellan gum hybrid hydrogel to form cardiovascular multiculture and myocardial co-culture, respectively. We studied functional characteristics of CM in two different cellular set-ups and analyzed vascular network formation, cellular morphology and orientation. The results showed that gellan gum-gelatin hydrogel supports formation of two different cellular networks and functional CM. We detected formation of a modest vascular network in cardiovascular multiculture and extensive ASC-derived alpha smooth muscle actin -positive cellular network in multi- and co-culture. iPSC-CM showed elongated morphology, partly aligned orientation with the formed networks and presented normal calcium transients, beating rates, and contraction and relaxation behavior in both setups. These 3D cardiac models provide promising platforms to study (patho) physiological mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantago lanceolata L. (plantain) has broad distribution in grasslands throughout the temperate world and can improve feed quality and quantity of pastures, especially in late summer and autumn. Additionally, its extended growth season, deep root system and drought tolerance make plantain a promising pioneer plant for quarry rehabilitation based on the use of native species. Unfortunately, very little information is still available regarding seasonal variations in the bromatological composition of plantain grown in Mediterranean environment. Our research conducted in Sardinia (Italy), aimed at evaluating the effects of different seasons and environmental conditions (cultivation in open field vs. quarry recovery) on the leaf bromatological composition of a plantain Mediterranean population as well as the relationship between bromatological and phenolic composition based on a chemometric approach. Crude protein values ranged from 3 to 15% at Field in summer, neutral detergent fiber values ranged from 33% (spring) to 53% (summer) at Quarry 1 and Field. Variations in relative forage value suggested that plantain may potentially supply a quality forage during the whole year. Our findings substantially indicate that the studied plantain accessions have the potential to supply fodder all year long. This suggests that it can be grown as an interesting alternative for providing quality forage in rainfed Mediterranean areas and can satisfactorily complement other fodder sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aims/hypothesis: This register-based study aimed to describe autoimmune comorbidity in children and young adults from type 1 diabetes onset, and to investigate whether such comorbidity was associated with a difference in HbA1c or mortality risk compared with children/young adults with type 1 diabetes without autoimmune comorbidity. Methods: A total of 15,188 individuals from the Swedish National Diabetes Register, registered with type 1 diabetes before 18 years of age between 2000 and 2019, were included. Five randomly selected control individuals from the Swedish population (Statistics Sweden) were matched to each individual with type 1 diabetes (n=74,210 [346 individuals with type 1 diabetes were not found in the Statistics Sweden register at the date of type 1 diabetes diagnosis, so could not be matched to control individuals]). The National Patient Register was used to attain ICD-10 codes on autoimmune diseases and the Cause of Death Register was used to identify deceased individuals. Results: In the total type 1 diabetes cohort, mean±SD age at onset of type 1 diabetes was 9.5±4.4 years and mean disease duration at end of follow-up was 8.8±5.7 years. Of the individuals with type 1 diabetes, 19.2% were diagnosed with at least one autoimmune disease vs 4.0% of the control group. The HRs for comorbidities within 19 years from onset of type 1 diabetes were 11.6 (95% CI 10.6, 12.6) for coeliac disease, 10.6 (95% CI 9.6, 11.8) for thyroid disease, 1.3 (95% CI 1.1, 1.6) for psoriasis, 4.1 (95% CI 3.2, 5.3) for vitiligo, 1.7 (95% CI 1.4, 2.2) for rheumatic joint disease, 1.0 (95% CI 0.8, 1.3) for inflammatory bowel disease, 1.0 (95% CI 0.7, 1.2) for systemic connective tissue disorder, 1.4 (95% CI 1.1, 1.9) for uveitis, 18.3 (95% CI 8.4, 40.0) for Addison's disease, 1.8 (95% CI 0.9, 3.6) for multiple sclerosis, 3.7 (95% CI 1.6, 8.7) for inflammatory liver disease and 19.6 (95% CI 4.2, 92.3) for atrophic gastritis. Autoimmune disease in addition to type 1 diabetes had no statistically significant effect on HbA1c or mortality risk. Conclusions/interpretation: To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study where young individuals with type 1 diabetes were followed regarding development of a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases, from onset of type 1 diabetes. In this nationwide and population-based study, there was already a high prevalence of autoimmune diseases in childhood, especially coeliac and thyroid disease. The presence of autoimmune comorbidity did not have a statistically significant effect on metabolic control or mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests of the weak cosmic censorship conjecture examine the possibility of the breakdown of predictivity of the gravitational theory considered, by checking if curvature singularities typically present in black hole spacetimes are concealed within an event horizon at all times. A possible method to perform such tests was proposed by Wald and consists in trying to overspin an extremal rotating black hole by throwing at it a test particle with large angular momentum. In this paper, we analyze the effects of dropping a test particle into an extremal quantum rotating BTZ black hole, whose three-dimensional metric captures the exact backreaction from strongly coupled quantum conformal fields. Our analysis reveals that, despite the inclusion of quantum effects, and akin to the classical scenario, these attempts to destroy the black hole are doomed to be unsuccessful. Particles carrying the maximum angular momentum and still falling into an extremal quantum BTZ black hole can, at most, leave it extremal. Nevertheless, we found numerical evidence that large backreaction of the quantum fields tends to disfavor violations of cosmic censorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various dietary strategies for managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) target mechanisms such as brain–gut interactions, osmotic actions, microbial gas production, and local immune activity. These pathophysiological mechanisms are diverse, making it unclear which foods trigger IBS symptoms for a substantial proportion of patients. Aim: To identify associations between foods and gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods: From the mySymptoms smartphone app, we collected anonymized diaries of food intake and symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and gas). We selected diaries that were at least 3 weeks long. The diaries were analyzed for food–symptom associations using a proprietary algorithm. As the participants were anonymous, we conducted an app-wide user survey to identify IBS diagnoses according to Rome IV criteria. Results: A total of 9,710 food symptom diaries that met the quality criteria were collected. Of the survey respondents, 70% had IBS according to Rome IV criteria. Generally, strong associations existed for caffeinated coffee (diarrhea, 1–2 h postprandial), alcoholic beverages (multiple symptoms, 4–72 h postprandial), and artificial sweeteners (multiple symptoms, 24–72 h postprandial). Histamine-rich food intake was associated with abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some associations are in line with existing literature, whilst the absence of an enriched FODMAP-symptom association contrasts with current knowledge. Conclusions: Coffee, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners were associated with GI symptoms in this large IBS-predominant sample. Symptom onset is often within 2 h postprandial, but some foods were associated with a delayed response, possibly an important consideration in implementing dietary recommendations. Clinical trials must test the causality of the demonstrated food–symptom associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicytostelium firmibasis is a member of Dictyostelia, a group of social amoebae that upon starvation display aggregative multicellularity where the amoebae transition from uni- to multicellular life. The D. firmibasis genome assembly that is currently available is of limited use due to its low contiguity, large number of undetermined bases, and lack of annotations. Here we used Nanopore long read sequencing, complemented with Illumina sequencing, and developmental transcriptomics as well as small RNA-sequencing, to present a new, fully annotated, chromosome-level D. firmibasis genome assembly. The new assembly contains no undetermined bases, and consists mainly of six large contigs representing the chromosomes, as well as a complete mitochondrial genome. This new genome assembly will be a valuable tool, allowing comprehensive comparison to Dictyostelium discoideum, the dictyostelid genetically tractable model. Further, the new genome will be important for studies of evolutionary processes governing the transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms and will aid in the sequencing and annotation of other dictyostelids genomes, many of which are currently of poor quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is primarily due to human papillomavirus, and understanding the tumor biology caused by the virus is crucial. Our goal was to investigate the proteins present in the serum of patients with OPSCC, which were not previously studied in OPSCC tissue. We examined the difference in expression of these proteins between HPV-positive and -negative tumors and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival. The study included 157 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples and clinicopathological data. Based on the protein levels in the sera of OPSCC patients, we selected 12 proteins and studied their expression in HPV-negative and HPV-positive OPSCC cell lines. LRG1, SDR16C5, PIP4K2C and MVD proteins were selected for immunohistochemical analysis in HPV-positive and -negative OPSCC tissue samples. These protein´s expression levels were compared with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival to investigate their clinical relevance. LRG1 expression was strong in HPV-negative whereas SDR16C5 expression was strong in HPV-positive tumors. Correlation was observed between LRG1, SDR16C5, and PIP4K2C expression and patient survival. High expression of PIP4K2C was found to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and expression correlated with HPV-positive tumor status. The data suggest the possible role of LRG1, SDR16C5 and PIP4K2C in OPSCC biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinocerebellar ataxia 38 (SCA 38) is a very rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder caused by a mutation in ELOV5 gene, specifically expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells, encoding an enzyme involved in the synthesis of fatty acids. Seven symptomatic SCA 38 patients of a Sardinian family were administered 15 sessions of cerebellar anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in a cross-over study, employing deltoid cerebellar-only (C-tDCS) and cerebello-spinal (CS-tDCS) cathodal montage. Clinical evaluation was performed at baseline (T0), after 15 sessions of tDCS (T1) and after 1 month of follow-up (T2). Modified International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (MICARS) and the Robertson dysarthria profile were used to rate ataxic and dysarthric symptoms, respectively. Alertness and split attention tests from Zimmermann test battery for attentional performance were employed to rate attentive functions. Moreover, 3D computerized gait analysis was employed to obtain a quantitative measure of efficacy of tDCS on motor symptoms. While clinical data showed that both CS and C-tDCS improved motor, dysarthric, and cognitive scores, the quantitative analysis of gait revealed significant improvement in spatio-temporal parameters only for C-tDCS treatment. Present findings, yet preliminary and limited by the small size of the tested sample, confirm the therapeutic potential of cerebellar tDCS in improving motor and cognitive symptoms in spinocerebellar ataxias and underline the need to obtain quantitative and objective measures to monitor the efficacy of a therapeutic treatment and to design tailored rehabilitative interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05951010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tympanojugular paragangliomas (TJ PGLs) are rare tumors characterized by bone infiltration and erosion and a close relationship with critical structures, such as cranial nerves and internal carotid artery. For these reasons, their management represents a tough challenge. Since the fifties, radio-therapy (RT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment aimed at avoiding tumor progression. However, the indolent nature of the tumor, characterized by slow growth, is a crucial factor that needs to be considered before offering radiation. Methods: This study aims to examine tumor progression in RT patients through a systematic review of the literature and in TJ PGL patients who underwent solely wait and scan at our department. Results: The rate of tumor progression in the RT group was 8.9%, while in the wait and scan cohort was 12.9%. This data suggests the innate slow growth of PGLs. However, it is not possible to draw certain conclusions because of the wide heterogeneity of the studies. Conclusion: When complete surgical excision of TJ PGLs is not feasible, appropriate counseling and patient selection, including comprehensive tumor classification, should be performed before proposing RT to control tumor progression, since wait and scan may represent a reasonable option in selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study is to assess if the patterns of use, socio-demographic characteristics, and use of other drugs differ among people who only use cannabis and those that use synthetic cannabinoids. Data from the second wave of the European Web Survey on Drugs, a web-based cross-sectional survey from 10 different European countries including individuals aged 18 and over (n = 37,109). Participation was anonymous, self-selecting, and voluntary. Cannabinoid exposure was taken as the dependent variable and categorized into the four following variables: (1) neither last year use of cannabis nor of synthetic cannabinoids (SC) independently of lifetime use, (2) cannabis use, (3) synthetic cannabinoids use, and (4) use of both, in the last 12 months. Independent variables included socio-demographic data, other drug use in the last month, and patterns of cannabis use. The use of SC was associated with higher odd of polysubstance use in the last year (OR 2.17; 95%CI 1.27–3.72) and use of other drugs during the last month. Low income (OR 2.34; 95%CI 1.20–4.58) and unemployment (OR 3.02; 95%CI 1.34–6.83) were related to SC use alone and cannabis plus SC use (OR 1.53; 95%CI 1.13–2.05) (OR 4.12; 95%CI 3.45–4.91). Social vulnerabilities were associated with the use of cannabis in the last year, but more markedly with synthetic cannabinoids use. Those who used synthetic cannabinoids reported using other drugs more often than those who used or did not use cannabis. The findings highlight the importance of social vulnerabilities and poly-drug use when assessing the use of new psychoactive substances such as SC and how these differ when compared to cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spelling difficulties are commonly associated primarily with spelling errors. However, it is not uncommon for spelling challenges to transform the whole writing process into a formidable struggle. This paper delves into the exploration of whether and to what extent analyses of children's writing processes can enhance our understanding of their difficulties, potentially contributing to the assessment of spelling challenges. We focused particularly on the degree of hesitation within words and the ability to detect and correct spelling errors among children with and without reading and spelling difficulties, as well as how these processes impact the quality and lexical diversity of their texts. Additionally, we sought to contribute to disentangling the influence of spelling and decoding abilities on these processes. A cohort of 47 children, aged 10–13, participated in the study, comprising 16 typically developing children, 16 with predominantly spelling difficulties, and 15 with both reading and spelling difficulties. Our analysis encompassed their spelling performance in both standardized tests and task-oriented writing samples, as well as an examination of their pausing and revision behaviour. As expected, we found robust correlations between the children's spelling test scores and the proportions of spelling errors in their texts. Furthermore, our findings indicated that children encountering spelling difficulties exhibited a reduced ability to detect and correct errors compared to their peers without such challenges. Additionally, they displayed a slightly higher tendency to experience word-internal interruptions, aligning with prior research. The children who also had reading difficulties produced fewer words and processed words more slowly compared to children in both the other groups. Intriguingly, process data did not reliably predict text characteristics, suggesting that dysfluent writing may not significantly detriment the overall quality of the text, contrary to our initial expectations based on prevailing writing development models. Nevertheless, the study revealed considerable individual variation, with some participants demonstrating a high degree of struggling and dysfluency, resulting in poorer text outcomes, but also others whose struggling processes led to better outcomes. We posit that the crucial aspect lies in identifying these individuals within a classroom context and gaining insights into their processes to provide them with appropriate, formative feedback and adequate writing tools to facilitate their writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and highly efficient tungsten (VI) oxide-iodide/polypyrrole nanocomposite (WO2I2/I-Ppy) photocathode has been successfully developed for the production of green hydrogen from the natural electrolyte source of Red SEA water. The fabrication of the WO2I2/Ppy nanocomposite photocathode is accomplished using cost-effective mass production methods. This involves the oxidation of pyrrole with iodine followed by a reaction with Na2WO4. Subsequently, the resulting nanocomposite WO2I2/Ppy showcases very fine quantum dot particles with an average size of 5 nm. The exceptional behavior of these nanoparticles holds promise for optical properties with a small bandgap of 2.6 eV, particularly in terms of photon trapping and absorbance. This characteristic contributes to the photocathode's outstanding performance, as evidenced by a remarkable photocurrent density (Jph) compared to the dark current density (Jo). Specifically, the observed values are − 0.12 mA cm−2 for Jph and − 0.05 mA cm−2 for Jo, highlighting the substantial increase in current density under illumination. Photocurrent measurements at wavelengths of 340 and 440 nm further showcase the photocathode's efficacy, registering values of 0.114 and 0.110 mA cm−2, correspondingly. The hydrogen production rate achieved by this promising photocathode is significant, yielding 52 µmol/h 10 cm2. This study is a promising step toward the economic application of the WO2I2/I-Ppy nanocomposite photocathode for green H2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role for routine whole genome and transcriptome analysis (WGTA) for poor prognosis pediatric cancers remains undetermined. Here, we characterize somatic mutations, structural rearrangements, copy number variants, gene expression, immuno-profiles and germline cancer predisposition variants in children and adolescents with relapsed, refractory or poor prognosis malignancies who underwent somatic WGTA and matched germline sequencing. Seventy-nine participants with a median age at enrollment of 8.8 y (range 6 months to 21.2 y) are included. Germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants are identified in 12% of participants, of which 60% were not known prior. Therapeutically actionable variants are identified by targeted gene report and whole genome in 32% and 62% of participants, respectively, and increase to 96% after integrating transcriptome analyses. Thirty-two molecularly informed therapies are pursued in 28 participants with 54% achieving a clinical benefit rate; objective response or stable disease ≥6 months. Integrated WGTA identifies therapeutically actionable variants in almost all tumors and are directly translatable to clinical care of children with poor prognosis cancers. Efforts to allow routine whole genome and transcriptome analysis (WGTA) for pediatric cancers in the clinic remain critical. Here, the authors present results of a unified genomics and bioinformatics pipeline for WGTA in paediatric cancers, the Personalized OncoGenomics (POG) program, with a focus on potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To detect if we can use the reduction in the optic disc vessel density as an indicator to the reduction in intracranial tension in patients with residual optic disc elevation after shunt surgery as fundus examination in those cases is not conclusive. Patients and method: 21 patients with papilledema due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension underwent shunt surgery. Full neurological and ophthalmological assessments were done. The optic disc vessel density was measured before and 3 months after surgery. Patients were then divided according to the resolution of papilledema into 2 groups: 1) Residual disc elevation group. 2) Completely resolved disc edema group. CSF pressure was measured via lumber puncture preoperative for all patients and 3 months post-operative only for patients with residual disc edema. A comparison between both groups was done. Results: There was a highly statistically significant difference between the two groups as regard the papilledema grade (the residual disc elevation group had a higher grade of papilledema) with P-value=0.000. As regard the difference in the preoperative optic disc vessel density between the two groups, there were statistically significant differences (optic disc vessel density was more in the residual disc elevation group). As regard the postoperative optic disc vessel density, there were non-significant differences between the two groups in whole image, inside disc and peripapillary vessel density (either in macro or microvasculature). Conclusion: The optic disc vessel density decreased with normal postoperative CSF opening pressure in cases with residual disc elevation postoperatively. Thus, in cases of residual optic disc swelling after shunt surgery, we can detect the reduction of intracranial pressure by the reduction in the optic disc vessel density which is a safe non-invasive technique. That may help in cases of residual disc elevation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that the Ring Learning With Errors (RLWE) and the Polynomial Learning With Errors (PLWE) problems over the cyclotomic field Q (ζ n) are not equivalent. Precisely, we show that reducing one problem to the other increases the noise by a factor that is more than polynomial in n. We do so by providing a lower bound, holding for infinitely many positive integers n, for the condition number of the Vandermonde matrix of the nth cyclotomic polynomial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planktonic organisms including phyto-, zoo-, and mixoplankton are key components of aquatic ecosystems and respond quickly to changes in the environment, therefore their monitoring is vital to follow and understand these changes. Advances in imaging technology have enabled novel possibilities to study plankton populations, but the manual classification of images is time consuming and expert-based, making such an approach unsuitable for large-scale application and urging for automatic solutions for the analysis, especially recognizing the plankton species from images. Despite the extensive research done on automatic plankton recognition, the latest cutting-edge methods have not been widely adopted for operational use. In this paper, a comprehensive survey on existing solutions for automatic plankton recognition is presented. First, we identify the most notable challenges that make the development of plankton recognition systems difficult and restrict the deployment of these systems for operational use. Then, we provide a detailed description of solutions found in plankton recognition literature. Finally, we propose a workflow to identify the specific challenges in new datasets and the recommended approaches to address them. Many important challenges remain unsolved including the following: (1) the domain shift between the datasets hindering the development of an imaging instrument independent plankton recognition system, (2) the difficulty to identify and process the images of previously unseen classes and non-plankton particles, and (3) the uncertainty in expert annotations that affects the training of the machine learning models. To build harmonized instrument and location agnostic methods for operational purposes these challenges should be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference population databases like the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) have improved our ability to interpret the human genome. Variant frequencies and frequency-derived tools (such as depletion scores) have become fundamental to variant interpretation and the assessment of variant–gene–disease relationships. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) obstructs variant interpretation as somatic variants that provide proliferative advantage will affect variant frequencies, depletion scores, and downstream filtering. Further, default filtering of variants or genes associated with CH risks filtering bona fide germline variants as variants associated with CH can also cause Mendelian conditions. Here, we provide our insights on interpreting population variant data in genes affected by clonal hematopoiesis, as well as recommendations for careful review of 36 established CH genes associated with neurodevelopmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This register-based study examined the trajectories of depression or anxiety disorder-related work disability during and following long-term psychotherapy and identified sociodemographic factors that indicate membership in different trajectory groups. Methods: Data were drawn from national registers (Statistics Finland, Social Insurance Institution of Finland). Participants included a random sample of Finnish working-age individuals (18–55 years) who started psychotherapy treatment between 2011 and 2014 and were followed for 5 years: 1 year before and 4 years after the onset of psychotherapy (N = 3 605 individuals; 18 025 person-observations across five time points). Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to assign individuals to work disability trajectories by the number of annual mental health-related work disability months. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations between trajectory group membership and baseline sociodemographic factors of age, gender, occupational status, and geographical area of residence. Results: Four mental health-related work disability trajectories were identified: stable very low (72%), decrease (11%), persistent low (9%) and persistent high (7%). Those with older age, female gender, lower occupational status, and living in sparsely populated geographical areas were more likely to belong to the most unfavorable trajectory group of persistent high work disability. The presence of multiple risk characteristics substantially increased the probability of belonging to the most adverse trajectory group. Conclusions: Sociodemographic factors were associated with the course of mental health-related work disability in association with psychotherapy. Rehabilitative psychotherapy does not function as an equal support resource for work ability in all parts of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ApoE4 as a risk factor for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is still an issue. We sought to determine the involvement of ApoE4 according to different clinical parameters in our cohort of patients from Strasbourg, France. ApoE genotyping was performed on the AlphaLewyMA cohort. In this cohort, 197 patients were genotyped: 105 DLB patients, 37 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, 29 patients with AD/DLB comorbidity, and 26 control subjects (CS). The groups of patients were also classified according to the stage of evolution of the disease: prodromal or demented. We analyzed other parameters in relation to ApoE4 status, such as years of education (YOE) and Alzheimer CSF biomarkers. We observed a higher proportion of ApoE4 carriers in the AD (51.4%) and AD/DLB (72.4%) groups compared to the DLB (25.7%) and CS (11.5%) groups (p < 0.0001). We found a correlation between age at disease onset and YOE in the AD group (p = 0.039) but not in the DLB group (p = 0.056). Interestingly, in the DLB group, the subgroup of patients with high YOE (≥ 11) had significantly more patients with ApoE4 than the subgroup with low YOE (< 11). AD biomarkers did not seem to be impacted by the presence of ApoE4, except for Aβ42: DLB ApoE4-positive demented patients showed a more marked Aβ42 decrease. ApoE4 does not appear to be a risk factor for "pure" DLB patients. These results suggest a strong link between ApoE4 and amyloidopathy and consequently with AD. Trial registration: AlphaLewyMa, Identifier: NCT01876459, date of registration: June 12, 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, no large population-based studies have compared complications and short-term outcomes between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and upfront surgery in gastric cancer. More nationwide studies with standardized reporting on complications are needed to enable international comparison between studies. This study aimed to compare postoperative complications between neoadjuvant therapy and upfront surgery after gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma in a population-based setting. Methods: This population-based study based on the Finnish National Esophago-Gastric Cancer Cohort included all patients 18 years of age or older undergoing gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma in Finland during 2005–2016. Logistic regression provided odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), both crude and adjusted for key confounders. Different types of complications were graded based on the Esophagectomy Complications Consensus Group definitions, and major complications were assessed by the Clavien-Dindo scale. Results: This study analyzed 769 patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not increase major postoperative complications after gastrectomy for gastric cancer compared with upfront surgery (OR, 1.12; 95% CI 0.81–1.56). Furthermore, it did not increase pneumonia, anastomotic complications, wound complications, or other complications. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant therapy is not associated with increased postoperative complications, reoperations, or short-term mortality compared with upfront surgery in gastric adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Galileo high accuracy service (HAS) is a free-of-charge service designed to deliver decimeter-level accuracy in real-time precise point positioning (PPP) applications using global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). With the intention of facilitating the use of HAS corrections with open access tools, we present the open-source library named HASlib and its integration with another open-source library named RTKLIB. HASlib decodes the Reed–Solomon encoded Galileo E6 navigation data pages and outputs the corrections in commonly used formats. This enables the utilization of HAS with conventional GNSS receivers and PPP engines that lack native support for HAS formats. For instance, the outputs from HASlib enable the use of HAS corrections in RTKLIB. In order to validate this integration, we demonstrate that HAS can allow decimeter-level accuracy using only free-of-charge services and tools. We have obtained a 3D root mean square error below 20 cm (1 sigma) after a convergence time of 10–90 min in Finland. This accuracy has overcome classical real-time solutions with broadcast and satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) data by one order of magnitude. Compared to post-processed multi-GNSS PPP, HAS corrections required longer convergence times, given the real-time nature. Furthermore, our assessment revealed that the longer convergence time, compared to prior literature, was attributed to RTKLIB filtering procedure and geometry deficiencies in high latitudes. Nevertheless, once convergence was attained, a sub-decimeter level of accuracy was observed in both horizontal and vertical components. These findings highlight the effectiveness of Galileo HAS, HASlib, and RTKLIB as powerful tools for providing open-access to real-time PPP solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Shifting from animal-based to plant-based diets could reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. Currently, the impacts of these dietary shifts on CRC risk are ill-defined. Therefore, we examined partial substitutions of red or processed meat with whole grains, vegetables, fruits or a combination of these in relation to CRC risk in Finnish adults. Methods: We pooled five Finnish cohorts, resulting in 43 788 participants aged ≥ 25 years (79% men). Diet was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaires at study enrolment. We modelled partial substitutions of red (100 g/week) or processed meat (50 g/week) with corresponding amounts of plant-based foods. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HR) for CRC were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models and pooled together using random-effects models. Adjustments included age, sex, energy intake and other relevant confounders. Results: During the median follow-up of 28.8 years, 1124 CRCs were diagnosed. We observed small risk reductions when red meat was substituted with vegetables (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95 − 0.99), fruits (0.97, 0.94 − 0.99), or whole grains, vegetables and fruits combined (0.97, 0.95 − 0.99). For processed meat, these substitutions yielded 1% risk reductions. Substituting red or processed meat with whole grains was associated with a decreased CRC risk only in participants with < median whole grain intake (0.92, 0.86 − 0.98; 0.96, 0.93 − 0.99, respectively; pinteraction=0.001). Conclusions: Even small, easily implemented substitutions of red or processed meat with whole grains, vegetables or fruits could lower CRC risk in a population with high meat consumption. These findings broaden our insight into dietary modifications that could foster CRC primary prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a compact model for a top-gated negative capacitance-based carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (NC-CNTFET). The proposed model relies on a metal–ferroelectric–metal–insulator–semiconductor (MFMIS) configuration. A charge-based modelling approach is used for the top-gated CNTFET, where the surface charge of the CNT is calculated from chirality and gate bias. This charge is the same as the NC-CNTFET device's total charge, based on which the compact model for the proposed device is developed. The ferroelectric material of choice is hafnium silicon oxide (HfSiO). A comparison of the NC-CNTFET with the top-gated CNTFET (TG-CNTFET) is also shown. The results show an improved subthreshold slope and ON/OFF-current ratio in the NC-CNTFET because of the negative capacitance effect of the ferroelectric layer. The impact of different ferroelectric thicknesses is also shown, which suggests further improvement in device performance as the ferroelectric thickness increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let u = (u n) n ≥ 0 be a Lucas sequence, that is, a sequence of integers satisfying u 0 = 0 , u 1 = 1 , and u n = a 1 u n - 1 + a 2 u n - 2 for every integer n ≥ 2 , where a 1 and a 2 are fixed nonzero integers. For each prime number p with p ∤ 2 a 2 D u , where D u : = a 1 2 + 4 a 2 , let ρ u (p) be the rank of appearance of p in u , that is, the smallest positive integer k such that p ∣ u k . It is well known that ρ u (p) exists and that p ≡ (D u ∣ p) (mod ρ u (p)) , where (D u ∣ p) is the Legendre symbol. Define the index of appearance of p in u as ι u (p) : = p - (D u ∣ p) / ρ u (p) . For each positive integer t and for every x > 0 , let P u (t , x) be the set of prime numbers p such that p ≤ x , p ∤ 2 a 2 D u , and ι u (p) = t . Under the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis, and under some mild assumptions on u , we prove that # P u (t , x) = A F u (t) G u (t) x log x + O u x (log x) 2 + x log log (3 x) φ (t) (log x) 2 , for all positive integers t and for all x > t 3 , where A is the Artin constant, F u (·) is a multiplicative function, and G u (·) is a periodic function (both these functions are effectively computable in terms of u ). Furthermore, we provide some explicit examples and numerical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biophysical cues from the cell microenvironment are detected by mechanosensitive components at the cell surface. Such machineries convert physical information into biochemical signaling cascades within cells, subsequently leading to various cellular responses in a stimulus-dependent manner. At the surface of extracellular environment and cell cytoplasm exist several ion channel families that are activated by mechanical signals to direct intracellular events. One of such channel is formed by transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member, TRPV4 that is known to act as a mechanosensor in wide variaty of tissues and control ion-influx in a spatio-temporal way. Here we report that TRPV4 is prominently expressed in the stem/progenitor cell populations of the mammary epithelium and seems important for the lineage-specific differentiation, consequently affecting mechanical features of the mature mammary epithelium. This was evident by the lack of several markers for mature myoepithelial and luminal epithelial cells in TRPV4-depleted cell lines. Interestingly, TRPV4 expression is controlled in a tension-dependent manner and it also impacts differentation process dependently on the stiffness of the microenvironment. Furthermore, such cells in a 3D compartment were disabled to maintain normal mammosphere structures and displayed abnormal lumen formation, size of the structures and disrupted cellular junctions. Mechanosensitive TRPV4 channel therefore act as critical player in the homeostasis of normal mammary epithelium through sensing the physical environment and guiding accordingly differentiation and structural organization of the bilayered mammary epithelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarons and spin-orbit (SO) coupling are distinct quantum effects that play a critical role in charge transport and spin-orbitronics. Polarons originate from strong electron-phonon interaction and are ubiquitous in polarizable materials featuring electron localization, in particular 3d transition metal oxides (TMOs). On the other hand, the relativistic coupling between the spin and orbital angular momentum is notable in lattices with heavy atoms and develops in 5d TMOs, where electrons are spatially delocalized. Here we combine ab initio calculations and magnetic measurements to show that these two seemingly mutually exclusive interactions are entangled in the electron-doped SO-coupled Mott insulator Ba2Na1−xCaxOsO6 (0 < x < 1), unveiling the formation of spin-orbital bipolarons. Polaron charge trapping, favoured by the Jahn-Teller lattice activity, converts the Os 5d1 spin-orbital Jeff = 3/2 levels, characteristic of the parent compound Ba2NaOsO6 (BNOO), into a bipolaron 5d2 Jeff = 2 manifold, leading to the coexistence of different J-effective states in a single-phase material. The gradual increase of bipolarons with increasing doping creates robust in-gap states that prevents the transition to a metal phase even at ultrahigh doping, thus preserving the Mott gap across the entire doping range from d1 BNOO to d2 Ba2CaOsO6 (BCOO).The interplay between electron-phonon and spin-orbit interactions has led to the concept of a spin-orbit polaron. Here the authors show that such a regime is realized in a spin-orbit-coupled Mott insulator, leading to a new polaron quasiparticle, and study its effect on the Mott metal-insulator transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contagious diseases that affect young children place a great burden on them and their families. Proper hand hygiene is an important measure to reduce the disease burden, however, its implementation in day care centres is challenging. This paper introduces a digital intervention to support independent and good handwashing among young children. The intervention leverages animated instructions triggered by water and soap use, together with a symbolic reward shown to children on a screen during and immediately after handwashing. We tested the intervention in a pre-registered, cluster-randomised controlled field trial in 4 day care centres in Finland and Germany with 162 children over 42 days. The intervention increased soaping time, used as a proxy for handwashing quality, by 5.30 s (+ 62%, p < 0.001). The effect occurs immediately at the onset of the intervention and is maintained throughout the intervention phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to investigate 10-year mortality, causes of death and cardiovascular comorbidity in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and to evaluate their mutual associations. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 176 CSF-shunted iNPH patients, and 368 age- and sex-matched controls. At inclusion, participants were medically examined, had blood analyzed and answered a questionnaire. The vascular comorbidities investigated were smoking, diabetes, body mass index, blood pressure (BP), hyperlipidemia, kidney function, atrial fibrillation and, cerebro- and cardiovascular disease. Results: Survival was observed for a mean period of 10.3 ± 0.84 years. Shunted iNPH patients had an increased risk of death compared to controls (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.5, 95% CI 1.86–3.36; p < 0.001). After 10 years, 50% (n = 88) of iNPH patients and 24% (n = 88) of the controls were dead (p < 0.001). The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, falls and neurological diseases were higher in iNPH (p < 0.05). The most common cause of death in iNPH was cardiovascular diseases (14% vs 7% for controls). Seven out of nine iNPH dying from falls had subdural hematomas. Systolic BP (HR = 0.985 95% CI 0.972–0.997, p = 0.018), atrial fibrillation (HR = 2.652, 95% CI 1.506–4.872, p < 0.001) and creatinine (HR = 1.018, 95% CI 1.010–1.027, p < 0.001) were independently associated with mortality for iNPH. Discussion: This long-term and population-matched cohort study indicates that in spite of CSF-shunt treatment, iNPH has shorter life expectancy. It may be important to treat iNPH in supplementary ways to reduce mortality. Both cardiovascular comorbidities and lethal falls are contributing to the excess mortality in iNPH and reducing these preventable risks should be an established part of the treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and surgical outcome of superior petrosal vein (SPV, Dandy's vein) sacrifice in translabyrinthine approach (TLA) for resection of vestibule schwannoma (VS) as compared with SPV preservation, with further investigation of preoperational factors associated with the implement of SPV sacrifice. Methods: The authors prospectively collected data from patients surgically treated for VS through TLA between June 2021 and April 2022 at the Gruppo Otologico. Results: There were 30 and 49 patients in SPV sacrifice and preservation groups, respectively. SPV sacrifice group had significantly larger tumor size (2.46 vs. 1.40 cm), less percentage of solid tumor (26.7% vs. 83.7%), higher incidence of brainstem compression (80% vs. 26.5%), and higher percentage of facial numbness (20.0% vs. 4.1%) than SPV preservation group. Gross total resection (GTR) rates were 73.3% after SPV sacrifice and 87.8% after SPV preservation. Facial nerve preservation rates were similar. No complication related with SPV sacrifice was observed. Logistic regression analysis showed tumor size and complete solid consistency as significant risk factors associated with SPV sacrifice. ROC curve further demonstrated tumor size as a fair predictor (AUC = 0.833), with optimum cutoff value of 1.68 cm. Conclusion: SPV sacrifice via TLA as needed is a safe and effective maneuver for removal of relatively large VS. Tumor size and consistency can be used as a guidance in preoperational decision-making, with cutoff value of 1.68 cm and cystic formation as predictive indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]