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Background: There is limited research on body composition in persons with haemophilia (PwH). The literature describes an increased body fat distribution and decreased lean mass in PwH compared to healthy controls using bioimpedance analysis. Using dual x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA), which is known to be the most accurate method, this investigation aims to postulate reference data for body composition parameters within haemophilia severity phenotypes and age groups. Methods: Persons underwent whole body DXA screening using Horizon. Body fat percentage, estimated visceral adipose tissue (VAT), appendicular fat and lean mass, and lean and fat mass in relation to body height were assessed. Haemophilia severity and five age groups were distinguished. Results: Two hundred and one persons with mild (n = 44), moderate (n = 41), or severe (n = 116) haemophilia A/B (median age 40 [28–55; 1.IQ–3.IQ] years) were analysed. The median body fat percentage was 28.7% [25.5%–33.9%] and median estimated VAT was 657 g [403–954 g] with no significant difference between severity phenotypes (p =.474; p =.781). Persons with severe haemophilia had less lean mass compared to moderate and mild haemophilia (p =.013; p =.034). Total and appendicular fat is increased in older PwH (aged ≥40 years) compared to younger PwH (aged ≤29 years; p <.05). Lean mass did not differ between age groups. Conclusion: This study provides valuable reference data for body composition parameters in PwH. Persons with severe haemophilia show significantly less lean mass compared to persons with moderate or mild haemophilia. Body fat percentage and VAT did not differ between severity phenotypes, but increased with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with haemophilia (PwH) are at increased risk of falls due to haemophilic arthropathy. Yet, studies on clinical tests associated with the risk of falling are scarce in PwH. Aims: (1) To evaluate the feasibility of different clinical motor performance tests associated with the risk of falling in PwH; (2) to evaluate PwH's performance of these tests compared to a control group; (3) to identify possible influencing factors that affect performance. Methods: Twenty‐nine severe and moderate PwH (57.0 years, IQR: 48.0–61.5) and 29 healthy age‐ and BMI‐matched control participants (CG) performed 13 different clinical tests (SPPB, timed up and go, push and release, functional reach, single‐leg stance, knee and grip strength). Haemophilia joint health score (HJHS), kinesiophobia (TSK‐11), subjective physical performance (HEP‐Test‐Q), falls efficiency (FES‐I) and falls were assessed. Results: No adverse events occurred. PwH showed impaired performance in all clinical tests, a lower falls efficiency and a higher HJHS than CG. PwH with higher HJHS, lower HEP‐Test‐Q and higher TSK‐11 scores showed higher deficits. Largest discrepancies were observed in the single‐leg stance with eyes open and knee extensor strength, where orthopaedically majorly affected PwH showed worse performance compared to minorly affected PwH and the CG, respectively. The prevalence of ≥1 fall in the last year was 27.6% (PwH) and 10.3% (CG). Conclusion: These clinical tests are feasible in PwH. Impaired joint status, a high kinesiophobia and low physical performance impair performance. These tests can be used by clinicians for gaining specific information on functional motor abilities of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Regular physical activity (PA) is recommended for patients with haemophilia (PwH). For PwH it is crucial to ensure a sufficient factor level to prevent PA‐induced bleedings. However, there is a gap in the literature dealing with specific factor levels, which are needed when performing specific types of PA. Aim: To provide data on factor VIII (FVIII) levels at the start of PA performed by PwH. Methods: In this prospective 12‐month real‐world observational study, 23 PwH recorded every PA they performed and the FVIII levels at the start of the PA using a pharmacokinetic application. PA types were clustered according to the collision and injury risk into three categories (Cat I = low, Cat II = medium, Cat III = high risk). Haemophilia Joint Health Scores (HJHS) were performed at baseline, after 6 and 12 months. Results: 795 PA sessions of Cat I, 193 of Cat II, and 23 of Cat III were documented. FVIII levels at the start of PA were different between categories (Cat I: 29.8 ± 32.1%, Cat II: 38.3 ± 33.4%, Cat III: 86.6 ± 29.2%). Out of all PA sessions, 145 (14%) were performed at a factor level of ≤3%. Three PA‐induced bleeding occurred. Baseline HJHS was 14.5 ± 13.6 points and did not change throughout the study. Conclusion: This study provides real‐life data on FVIII levels at the start of 1011 PA sessions. PwH are mainly active in low‐risk sports with higher FVIII levels observed in Cat II and III, respectively. Only three PA‐induced bleeding occurred, even though several PA were started with low FVIII levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early negative life events (NLE) have long‐lasting influences on neurodevelopment and psychopathology. Reduced orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) thickness was frequently associated with NLE and depressive symptoms. OFC thinning might mediate the effect of NLE on depressive symptoms, although few longitudinal studies exist. Using a complete longitudinal design with four time points, we examined whether NLE during childhood and early adolescence predict depressive symptoms in young adulthood through accelerated OFC thinning across adolescence. Methods: We acquired structural MRI from 321 participants at two sites across four time points from ages 14 to 22. We measured NLE with the Life Events Questionnaire at the first time point and depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at the fourth time point. Modeling latent growth curves, we tested whether OFC thinning mediates the effect of NLE on depressive symptoms. Results: A higher burden of NLE, a thicker OFC at the age of 14, and an accelerated OFC thinning across adolescence predicted young adults' depressive symptoms. We did not identify an effect of NLE on OFC thickness nor OFC thickness mediating effects of NLE on depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Using a complete longitudinal design with four waves, we show that NLE in childhood and early adolescence predict depressive symptoms in the long term. Results indicate that an accelerated OFC thinning may precede depressive symptoms. Assessment of early additionally to acute NLEs and neurodevelopment may be warranted in clinical settings to identify risk factors for depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent subcortical structural brain development might underlie psychopathological symptoms, which often emerge in adolescence. At the same time, sex differences exist in psychopathology, which might be mirrored in underlying sex differences in structural development. However, previous studies showed inconsistencies in subcortical trajectories and potential sex differences. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the subcortical structural trajectories and their sex differences across adolescence using for the first time a single cohort design, the same quality control procedure, software, and a general additive mixed modeling approach. We investigated two large European sites from ages 14 to 24 with 503 participants and 1408 total scans from France and Germany as part of the IMAGEN project including four waves of data acquisition. We found significantly larger volumes in males versus females in both sites and across all seven subcortical regions. Sex differences in age‐related trajectories were observed across all regions in both sites. Our findings provide further evidence of sex differences in longitudinal adolescent brain development of subcortical regions and thus might eventually support the relationship of underlying brain development and different adolescent psychopathology in boys and girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate a novel reduced RF heating method for imaging in the presence of active implanted medical devices (AIMDs) which employs a sensor‐equipped implant that provides wireless feedback. Methods: The implant, consisting of a generator case and a lead, measures RF‐induced E$$ E $$‐fields at the implant tip using a simple sensor in the generator case and transmits these values wirelessly to the MR scanner. Based on the sensor signal alone, parallel transmission (pTx) excitation vectors were calculated to suppress tip heating and maintain image quality. A sensor‐based imaging metric was introduced to assess the image quality. The methodology was studied at 7T in testbed experiments, and at a 3T scanner in an ASTM phantom containing AIMDs instrumented with six realistic deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead configurations adapted from patients. Results: The implant successfully measured RF‐induced E$$ E $$‐fields (Pearson correlation coefficient squared [R2] = 0.93) and temperature rises (R2 = 0.95) at the implant tip. The implant acquired the relevant data needed to calculate the pTx excitation vectors and transmitted them wirelessly to the MR scanner within a single shot RF sequence (<60 ms). Temperature rises for six realistic DBS lead configurations were reduced to 0.03–0.14 K for heating suppression modes compared to 0.52–3.33 K for the worst‐case heating, while imaging quality remained comparable (five of six lead imaging scores were ≥0.80/1.00) to conventional circular polarization (CP) images. Conclusion: Implants with sensors that can communicate with an MR scanner can substantially improve safety for patients in a fast and automated manner, easing the current burden for MR personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of global amphibian declines has prompted extensive research over the last three decades. Initially, the focus was on identifying and characterizing the extent of the problem, but more recently efforts have shifted to evidence‐based research designed to identify best solutions and to improve conservation outcomes. Despite extensive accumulation of knowledge on amphibian declines, there remain knowledge gaps and disconnects between science and action that hamper our ability to advance conservation efforts. Using input from participants at the ninth World Congress of Herpetology, a U.S. Geological Survey Powell Center symposium, amphibian on‐line forums for discussion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Gamete Biobanking group, and respondents to a survey, we developed a list of 25 priority research questions for amphibian conservation at this stage of the Anthropocene. We identified amphibian conservation research priorities while accounting for expected tradeoffs in geographic scope, costs, and the taxonomic breadth of research needs. We aimed to solicit views from individuals rather than organizations while acknowledging inequities in participation. Emerging research priorities (i.e., those under‐represented in recently published amphibian conservation literature) were identified, and included the effects of climate change, community‐level (rather than single species‐level) drivers of declines, methodological improvements for research and monitoring, genomics, and effects of land‐use change. Improved inclusion of under‐represented members of the amphibian conservation community was also identified as a priority. These research needs represent critical knowledge gaps for amphibian conservation although filling these gaps may not be necessary for many conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress exposure in childhood and adolescence has been linked to reductions in cortical structures and cognitive functioning. However, to date, most of these studies have been cross‐sectional, limiting the ability to make long‐term inferences, given that most cortical structures continue to develop through adolescence. Methods: Here, we used a subset of the IMAGEN population cohort sample (N = 502; assessment ages: 14, 19, and 22 years; mean age: 21.945 years; SD = 0.610) to understand longitudinally the long‐term interrelations between stress, cortical development, and cognitive functioning. To these ends, we first used a latent change score model to examine four bivariate relations – assessing individual differences in change in the relations between adolescent stress exposure and volume, surface area, and cortical thickness of cortical structures, as well as cognitive outcomes. Second, we probed for indirect neurocognitive effects linking stress to cortical brain structures and cognitive functions using rich longitudinal mediation modeling. Results: Latent change score modeling showed that greater baseline adolescence stress at age 14 predicted a small reduction in the right anterior cingulate volume (Std. β = −.327, p =.042, 95% CI [−0.643, −0.012]) and right anterior cingulate surface area (Std. β = −.274, p =.038, 95% CI [−0.533, −0.015]) across ages 14–22. These effects were very modest in nature and became nonsignificant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Our longitudinal analyses found no evidence of indirect effects in the two neurocognitive pathways linking adolescent stress to brain and cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: Findings shed light on the impact of stress on brain reductions, particularly in the prefrontal cortex that have consistently been implicated in the previous cross‐sectional studies. However, the magnitude of effects observed in our study is smaller than that has been reported in past cross‐sectional work. This suggests that the potential impact of stress during adolescence on brain structures may likely be more modest than previously noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SystemLink: Moving beyond Aquatic-Terrestrial Interactions to Incorporate Food Web Studies SystemLink is an interdisciplinary research training group funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) involving multiple cohorts of international doctoral researchers closely cooperating at the iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Germany. The goal of SystemLink is to investigate how anthropogenic stressors on aquatic ecosystems affect ecological and biogeochemical processes in adjacent terrestrial ecosystems. With this in mind, we developed outdoor mesocosm facilities tailored for replicated research of aquatic-terrestrial linkages in lotic and lentic ecosystems: The Riparian Stream Mesocosm (RSM) and the Floodplain Pond Mesocosm (FPM). [Extracted from the article]

Plasma nitriding is a well‐established technique to improve hardness and tribological properties of austenitic stainless steel. It is proved that it is also possible to preserve the corrosion resistance after nitriding by controlling the process parameters such as time and temperature, obtaining the so‐called S phase. Herein, the corrosion behavior is evaluated for nitrided layers produced by three different plasma treatments: DC plasma nitriding, plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII), and low‐energy ion implantation (LEII), using different parameters in order to obtain the S‐phase in thickness from 1.2 to about 6 μm without nitride precipitation. The microstructure and chemical composition of the nitrided layers is characterized by means of X‐ray diffraction, secondary‐ion mass spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy–focused ion beam. The corrosion behavior is evaluated by means of the cyclic polarization tests in NaCl solution. The morphology of the corrosion attack is studied by optical microscopy and SEM‐FIB, revealing a change from crevice to pitting after the nitriding process. The inclusions are observed to be corrosion initiation sites. Due to this, the thickest nitrided layers (with high N concentration) show better corrosion behavior than the thinner ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linseed oil is appreciated for its high level of linolenic acid. In order to avoid oxidation, the precious storage lipids are protected in the seeds by lignans, tocopherols, and cyclo‐lino peptides. Oxidation of specific cyclo‐lino peptides can be attributed to the formation of a bitter off‐taste in cold pressed linseed oils. A complete degradation of tocopherols and of intact cyclo‐lino peptides CLO, ‐M, ‐N, ‐L, and ‐B to oxidized forms is observed with intermediate oxidation products of the peptides containing methionine oxidized to methionine sulfoxide and further to methionine sulfone during a storage period of 25 d at 60 °C in the dark and of 14 weeks at day light and room temperature. The peroxide value increases to 255 meq O2 kg−1 at the same time. However, during storage at room temperature in the dark only a very limited decrease of the initial tocopherols content of 400 mg/100 g is observed contrasted by an increase of the peroxide value to about 50 meq O2 kg−1 and a more or less complete degradation of cyclo‐lino peptides. While at 6 °C in the dark all oxidation parameters keep stable. The tocopherols and cyclo‐lino peptides show different and independent degradation during these storage conditions. Practical Application: This work elucidates the role of cyclo‐lino peptides and tocopherols in the complex reactions taking place during oxidation of linseed oil and enables a first evaluation of the antioxidative power of cyclo‐lino peptides at different storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Graph theoretic analysis of structural covariance networks (SCN) provides an assessment of brain organization that has not yet been applied to alcohol dependence (AD). We estimated whether SCN differences are present in adults with AD and heavy‐drinking adolescents at age 19 and age 14, prior to substantial exposure to alcohol. Design Cross‐sectional sample of adults and a cohort of adolescents. Correlation matrices for cortical thicknesses across 68 regions were summarized with graph theoretic metrics. Setting and participants: A total of 745 adults with AD and 979 non‐dependent controls from 24 sites curated by the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA)–Addiction consortium, and 297 hazardous drinking adolescents and 594 controls at ages 19 and 14 from the IMAGEN study, all from Europe. Measurements Metrics of network segregation (modularity, clustering coefficient and local efficiency) and integration (average shortest path length and global efficiency). Findings The younger AD adults had lower network segregation and higher integration relative to non‐dependent controls. Compared with controls, the hazardous drinkers at age 19 showed lower modularity [area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) difference = −0.0142, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.1333, 0.0092; P‐value = 0.017], clustering coefficient (AUC difference = −0.0164, 95% CI = −0.1456, 0.0043; P‐value = 0.008) and local efficiency (AUC difference = −0.0141, 95% CI = −0.0097, 0.0034; P‐value = 0.010), as well as lower average shortest path length (AUC difference = −0.0405, 95% CI = −0.0392, 0.0096; P‐value = 0.021) and higher global efficiency (AUC difference = 0.0044, 95% CI = −0.0011, 0.0043; P‐value = 0.023). The same pattern was present at age 14 with lower clustering coefficient (AUC difference = −0.0131, 95% CI = −0.1304, 0.0033; P‐value = 0.024), lower average shortest path length (AUC difference = −0.0362, 95% CI = −0.0334, 0.0118; P‐value = 0.019) and higher global efficiency (AUC difference = 0.0035, 95% CI = −0.0011, 0.0038; P‐value = 0.048). Conclusions: Cross‐sectional analyses indicate that a specific structural covariance network profile is an early marker of alcohol dependence in adults. Similar effects in a cohort of heavy‐drinking adolescents, observed at age 19 and prior to substantial alcohol exposure at age 14, suggest that this pattern may be a pre‐existing risk factor for problematic drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To introduce a study design and statistical analysis framework to assess the repeatability, reproducibility, and minimal detectable changes (MDCs) of metabolite concentrations determined by in vivo MRS. Methods: An unbalanced nested study design was chosen to acquire in vivo MRS data within different repeatability and reproducibility scenarios. A spin‐echo, full‐intensity acquired localized (SPECIAL) sequence was employed at 7 T utlizing three different inversion pulses: a hyperbolic secant (HS), a gradient offset independent adiabaticity (GOIA), and a wideband, uniform rate, smooth truncation (WURST) pulse. Metabolite concentrations, Cramér‐Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) and coefficients of variation (CVs) were calculated. Both Bland‐Altman analysis and a restricted maximum‐likelihood estimation (REML) analysis were performed to estimate the different variance contributions of the repeatability and reproducibility of the measured concentration. A Bland‐Altmann analysis of the spectral shape was performed to assess the variance of the spectral shape, independent of quantification model influences. Results: For the used setup, minimal detectable changes of brain metabolite concentrations were found to be between 0.40 µmol/g and 2.23 µmol/g. CRLBs account for only 16 % to 74 % of the total variance of the metabolite concentrations. The application of gradient‐modulated inversion pulses in SPECIAL led to slightly improved repeatability, but overall reproducibility appeared to be limited by differences in positioning, calibration, and other day‐to‐day variations throughout different sessions. Conclusion: A framework is introduced to estimate the precision of metabolite concentrations obtained by MRS in vivo, and the minimal detectable changes for 13 metabolite concentrations measured at 7 T using SPECIAL are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease worldwide. Most smokers want to quit, but relapse rates are high. To improve current smoking cessation treatments, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of nicotine dependence and related craving behaviour is needed. Studies on cue‐driven cigarette craving have been a particularly useful tool for investigating the neural mechanisms of drug craving. Here, functional neuroimaging studies in humans have identified a core network of craving‐related brain responses to smoking cues that comprises of amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and ventral striatum. However, most functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) cue‐reactivity studies do not adjust their stimuli for emotional valence, a factor assumed to confound craving‐related brain responses to smoking cues. Here, we investigated the influence of emotional valence on key addiction brain areas by disentangling craving‐ and valence‐related brain responses with parametric modulators in 32 smokers. For one of the suggested key regions for addiction, the amygdala, we observed significantly stronger brain responses to the valence aspect of the presented images than to the craving aspect. Our results emphasize the need for carefully selecting stimulus material for cue‐reactivity paradigms, in particular with respect to emotional valence. Further, they can help designing future research on teasing apart the diverse psychological dimensions that comprise nicotine dependence and, therefore, can lead to a more precise mapping of craving‐associated brain areas, an important step towards more tailored smoking cessation treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise determination of the colour of oils and fats is a common and important parameter for the production of oils, fats, margarine, and mayonnaise. A new method has been developed and tested in order to improve reliability and reproducibility of the results. It is based on colour values, which describe the colour in a 3D space as defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) as CIE 1976 (L*a*b*). The precision data obtained from a collaborative method validation test show significant improved repeatability with relative coefficients of variation of repeatability between 0.1 and 1.7% except for a very dark pumpkin seed oil (2.7%). The coefficients of variation of reproducibility range from 0.7 to 13.9 %. The signals of very intense colored samples might exceed the linear range of some measuring instruments. Solutions of colour standards tartrazine and Ponceau 4R as pure (>99 %) and non‐toxic substances are tested for laboratory calibration covering a colour space from CIE 1976 L* (63–99), a* (−23–67), and b* (0.5–119). A storage experiment with these standard substances is carried out and the results show improved stability over a period of 80 days compared to bromothymol blue and iodine standard solutions. Practical Applications: The results of this study show the suitability of an analysis method for the determination of the colour of oils and fats using the 3D CIE 1976 colour space as an alternative to the common Lovibond system of red and yellow colour values. As the international harmonized approach of the CIE 1976 colour space is widely accepted for the communication of precise colour description and differences between two different colors in many applications all over the world, this will be also an advantage for the communication and specification of colors in the oils and fats industry, market, and trade. In addition, the use of easy to prepare colour standard solutions enables every laboratory to check the suitability of their colour measuring device in a convenient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has demonstrated that rs1360780, a common single nucleotide polymorphism within the FKBP5 gene, interacts with early‐life stress in predicting psychopathology. Previous results suggest that carriers of the TT genotype of rs1360780 who were exposed to child abuse show differences in structure and functional activation of emotion‐processing brain areas belonging to the salience network. Extending these findings on intermediate phenotypes of psychopathology, we examined if the interaction between rs1360780 and child abuse predicts resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the amygdala and other areas of the salience network. We analyzed data of young European adults from the general population (N = 774; mean age = 18.76 years) who took part in the IMAGEN study. In the absence of main effects of genotype and abuse, a significant interaction effect was observed for rsFC between the right centromedial amygdala and right posterior insula (p <.025, FWE‐corrected), which was driven by stronger rsFC in TT allele carriers with a history of abuse. Our results suggest that the TT genotype of rs1360780 may render individuals with a history of abuse more vulnerable to functional changes in communication between brain areas processing emotions and bodily sensations, which could underlie or increase the risk for psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculate the first distributional statistics for municipal water use with 14.9 million monthly billing records for a half million households in Cape Town, South Africa, from 2014 to 2018. These years span a historic drought and a multi‐faceted package of conservation programs that achieved a 50% citywide drop in consumption. We find that the top 10% of households consumed 31% of water before the drought, with the Gini coefficient showing clear seasonal peaks driven by outdoor water use. Matching billing records to fine‐grained census data from 2011, we find that the correlation between income and water use in the winter was 0.08 but rose to 0.36 during outdoor watering seasons. This correlation declines before switching signs by the end of the drought. The city's increasing block tariff implied that the top 10% of users generate 50%–60% of utility revenues. Although before the drought these top users were more likely to be high income, the composition of top water users changed during the drought. Average income of top users during the drought was 35% lower than the average income of top users before the drought. Our results suggest that Cape Town's policy of providing a free allowance of 10.5 kL (m3) per month to qualify indigent households helped protect many, but not all, from multiple steep tariff increases. Key Points: We calculate the first distributional statistics for municipal water supply deliveries and show how they can inform policyDuring Cape Town's historic drought, we showed that the correlation between income and water changed from positive to negativeThe city's policy of providing a free allowance to indigent households helped protect many, but not all, from steep tariff increases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate how the simultaneous exposure to gradient and RF fields affects the temperature rise in patients with a metallic hip prosthesis during an MRI session. Methods: In silico analysis was performed with an anatomically realistic human model with CoCrMo hip implant in 12 imaging positions. The analysis was performed at 1.5 T and 3 T, considering four clinical sequences: turbo spin‐echo, EPI, gradient‐echo, and true fast imaging sequence with steady precession. The exposure to gradient and RF fields was evaluated separately and superposed, by adopting an ad hoc computational algorithm. Temperature increase within the body, rather than specific absorption rate, was used as a safety metric. Results: With the exception of gradient‐echo, all investigated sequences produced temperature increases higher than 1 K after 360 seconds, at least for one body position. In general, RF‐induced heating dominates the turbo spin‐echo sequence, whereas gradient‐induced heating prevails with EPI; the situation with fast imaging sequence with steady precession is more diversified. The RF effects are enhanced when the implant is within the RF coil, whereas the effects of gradient fields are maximized if the prosthesis is outside the imaging region. Cases for which temperature‐increase thresholds were exceeded were identified, together with the corresponding amount of tissue mass involved and the exposure time needed to reach these limits. Conclusion: The analysis confirms that risky situations may occur when a patient carrying a hip implant undergoes an MRI exam and that, in some cases, the gradient field heating may be significant. In general, exclusion criteria only based on whole‐body specific absorption rate may not be sufficient to ensure patients' safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucker rods are a key element in certain oil‐extraction processes as they link the motor group on the surface with the pumps located downhole. During the transport from the production site toward the extraction well, these components are prone to corrosion. A hydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT) coating, deposited via electrophoretic deposition (EPD), is proposed as a protective layer, shielding the rods from harsh environmental conditions. Three different coating systems are considered and thoroughly characterized (depending on the additive that is used to deposit the CNT), namely, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg–Nit), triethylamine (TEA), and a duplex coating (DD). The latter presents an approach which combines the advantages of each additive, mechanical stability from Mg–Nit and strong hydrophobicity from TEA (near superhydrophobic). The former coatings are further processed to overcome their individual shortcomings, resulting in an increase in the coating's stability for TEA coating, as well as transforming the hydrophilic Mg–Nit surface into a hydrophobic surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viticulture is one of the most pesticide‐intensive agricultures in Europe, leading to a spatiotemporal overlap of amphibian migration and pesticide applications. Because postmetamorphic, terrestrial amphibian stages are mostly neglected in ecotoxicological studies, we investigated acute effects of viticultural fungicides on juvenile common frogs (Rana temporaria). Tadpoles from an uncontaminated pond were placed in enclosures in 8 ponds with an increasing degree of pesticide contamination in southwest Germany to represent different aquatic exposure backgrounds. After metamorphosis, juveniles were exposed to soil contaminated with 50% of the recommended field rates of the fungicides Folpan® 80 water dispersible granule (WDG) and Folpan® 500 suspension concentrate with the same amount of folpet as active ingredient and differing additives. After 48 h, effects on the survival, body mass, and behavior were investigated. No effect of the aquatic exposure background on terrestrial sensitivity could be detected. Acute terrestrial exposure led to mean mortality rates of 14% (13–17%, suspension concentrate) and 60% (17–100%, WDG) and resulted in adverse effects on locomotor activity as well as feeding behavior. Moreover, the results suggest that the toxicity of the 2 tested folpet formulations depends on their additives. Because the identified effects may result in severe impairments and thus in declines of amphibian populations, a more protective risk assessment of pesticides is needed for postmetamorphic amphibians to ensure proper conservation of amphibian populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1289–1297. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is under pressure worldwide, with amphibians being particularly threatened. Stressors related to human activity, such as chemicals, are contributing to this decline. It remains, however, unclear whether chemicals exhibiting a fungicidal activity could indirectly affect tadpoles that depend on microbially conditioned leaf litter as food source. The indirect effect of fungicides (sum concentration of a fungicide mixture composed of azoxystrobin, carbendazim, cyprodinil, quinoxyfen, and tebuconazole: 100 µg/L) on tadpoles was assessed relative to leaf litter colonized by microbes in absence of fungicides (control) and a worst‐case scenario, that is leached leaf litter without microbial colonization. The quality of leaf litter as food for tadpoles of the European common frog (Rana temporaria) was characterized through neutral lipid fatty acid profiles and microbial sum parameters and verified by sublethal responses in tadpoles (i.e., feeding rate, feces production, growth, and fatty acid composition). Fungicides changed the nutritious quality of leaf litter likely through alterations in leaves' neutral lipid fatty acid profiles (i.e., changes in some physiologically important highly unsaturated fatty acids reached more than 200%) in combination with a potential adsorption onto leaves during conditioning. These changes were reflected by differences in the development of tadpoles ultimately resulting in an earlier start of metamorphosis. Our data provide a first indication that fungicides potentially affect tadpole development indirectly through bottom‐up effects. This pathway is so far not addressed in fungicide environmental risk assessment and merits further attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of toxic alkylbenzenes, total polar compounds (%TPC) and degradation of tocochromanol are monitored. Analyses of the oil extracted from fried potatoes confirm the trend observed in the frying oil. The fresh oil has a TPC content of 3%, which increases with the frying time, exceeding the acceptable value (25%) after about 25 h for deep‐frying and 1.5 h for pan‐frying. During deep‐frying, total tocochromanol decreases to about half (25 mg per 100 g) of the initial value, pan‐frying shows faster, degradation (complete after 1.5 h). Toluene concentration increases with the frying time reaching a maximum, and afterwards gradually decreases. Except for butylbenzene during pan‐frying, pentylbenzene and butylbenzene concentration, increase with the frying time, but remain much lower than toluene. Practical Applications: This is the first systematic work comparing alkylbenzenes evolution under different frying conditions. Different from previous works, frying experiments are carried out following the indication of many European countries that recommend using temperature lower than 180 °C. The amount of alkylbenzenes assumed through a standard portion of fried potatoes (200 g) is assessed, which is relevant for evaluating dietary exposure to these contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Flower‐visiting insects (FVIs) are an ecologically diverse group of mobile, flying species that should be protected from pesticide effects according to European policy. However, there is an ongoing decline of FVI species, partly caused by agricultural pesticide applications. Therefore, the risk assessment framework needs to be improved. We synthesized the peer‐reviewed literature on FVI groups and their ecology, habitat, exposure to pesticides, and subsequent effects. The results show that FVIs are far more diverse than previously thought. Their habitat, the entire agricultural landscape, is potentially contaminated with pesticides through multiple pathways. Pesticide exposure of FVIs at environmentally realistic levels can cause population‐relevant adverse effects. This knowledge was used to critically evaluate the European regulatory framework of exposure and effect assessment. The current risk assessment should be amended to incorporate specific ecological properties of FVIs, that is, traits. We present data‐driven tools to improve future risk assessments by making use of trait information. There are major knowledge gaps concerning the general investigation of groups other than bees, the collection of comprehensive data on FVI groups and their ecology, linking habitat to FVI exposure, and study of previously neglected complex population effects. This is necessary to improve our understanding of FVIs and facilitate the development of a more protective FVI risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2355–2370. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Rhine Valley, a "hotspot of biodiversity" in Germany, has been treated with the biocide Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) for mosquito control for decades. Previous studies discovered Bti nontarget effects in terms of severe chironomid abundance reductions. In this study, we investigated the impact of Bti on species level and addressed the community composition of the nontarget family Chironomidae by use of community metabarcoding. Chironomid emergence data were collected in three mosquito‐control relevant wetland types in the Upper Rhine Valley. For all three sites the chironomid species composition, based on operational taxonomic units (OTUs), was different to varying degrees in the Bti‐treated samples versus control samples, ranging from a significant 63% OTU reduction to an OTU replacement. We assumed that predatory chironomids are less prone to Bti than filter feeders, as the latter feed on floating particles leading to direct ingestion of Bti. However, a comparable percentage of predators and filter feeders (63% and 65%, respectively) was reduced in the Bti samples, suggesting that the feeding strategy is not the main driver for Bti sensitivity in chironomids. Finally, our data was compared to a three‐year‐old data set, indicating possible chironomid community recovery due to species recolonization a few years after the last Bti application. Considering the currently discussed worldwide insect decline we recommend a rethinking of the usage of the biocide Bti, and to prevent its ongoing application especially in nature protection reserves to enhance ecological resilience and to prevent boosting the current biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cape Town Water Map is an innovative and somewhat controversial behavior‐modification tool implemented to reduce water use in a drought‐stricken region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Micro‐organisms populate on rapeseed after harvest during storage depending on the growing conditions. The composition of the bacterial colonization is unknown, although its contribution to the profile of volatile aroma‐active compounds determines the sensory quality of virgin cold‐pressed rapeseed oil. RESULTS: From four rapeseed samples, 46 bacterial strains were isolated. By DNA‐sequencing, the identification of four bacteria species and 17 bacteria genera was possible. In total, 22 strains were selected, based on their typical off‐flavors resembling those of virgin sensory bad cold‐pressed rapeseed oils. The cultivation of these strains on rapeseed meal agar and examination of volatile compounds by solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry allowed the identification of 29 different compounds, mainly degradation products of fatty acids such as alkanes, alkenes, aldehydes, ketones and alcohols and, in addition, sulfur‐containing compounds, including one terpene and three pyrazines. From these compounds, 19 are described as aroma‐active in the literature. CONCLUSION: Micro‐organisms populating on rapeseed during storage may strongly influence the sensory quality of virgin rapeseed oil as a result of the development of volatile aroma‐active metabolic products. It can be assumed that occurrence of off‐flavor of virgin rapeseed oils on the market are the result of metabolic degradation products produced by micro‐organisms populating on rapeseed during storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel histopathological grading system based on tumour budding and cell nest size has recently been shown to outperform conventional (WHO‐based) grading algorithms in several tumour entities such as lung, oral, and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in terms of prognostic patient stratification. Here, we tested the prognostic value of this innovative grading approach in two completely independent cohorts of SCC of the uterine cervix. To improve morphology‐based grading, we investigated tumour budding activity and cell nest size as well as several other histomorphological factors (e.g., keratinization, nuclear size, mitotic activity) in a test cohort (n = 125) and an independent validation cohort (n = 122) of cervical SCC. All parameters were correlated with clinicopathological factors and patient outcome. Small cell nest size and high tumour budding activity were strongly associated with a dismal patient prognosis (p < 0.001 for overall survival [OS], disease‐specific survival, and disease‐free survival; test cohort) in both cohorts of cervical SCC. A novel grading algorithm combining these two parameters proved to be a highly effective, stage‐independent prognosticator in both cohorts (OS: p < 0.001, test cohort; p = 0.001, validation cohort). In the test cohort, multivariate statistical analysis of the novel grade revealed that the hazard ratio (HR) for OS was 2.3 for G2 and 5.1 for G3 tumours compared to G1 neoplasms (p = 0.010). In the validation cohort, HR for OS was 3.0 for G2 and 7.2 for G3 tumours (p = 0.012). In conclusion, our novel grading algorithm incorporating cell nest size and tumour budding allows strongly prognostic histopathological grading of cervical SCC superior to WHO‐based grading. Therefore, our data can be regarded as a cross‐organ validation of previous results demonstrated for oesophageal, lung, and oral SCC. We suggest this grading algorithm as an additional morphology‐based parameter for the routine diagnostic assessment of this tumour entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to differentiate sensory good and bad virgin rapeseed oils based on the composition of the volatile compounds by means of linear discriminant analysis (LDA). A total number of 64 compounds were detected by dynamic headspace GC-MS and combined olfactometry with potential for sensory quality assessment either as aroma-active compound by substance concentration or flavor property or as a non-aroma-active compound by correlation with the panel assessment. From this initial set of substances, 13 volatile compounds showed significant differences in the concentration between sensory good and bad oils, whereas their concentration was higher in sensory bad oils. No significant differences were found for compounds characterizing sensory good virgin rapeseed oils. Based on these 13 volatile compounds, the present work shows for the first time that LDA was able to classify a training data set of 43 samples satisfactorily according to the sensory quality. As a proof for suitability, a discriminant function was calculated and successfully used to classify samples from an additional validation sample set. Practical applications: Virgin rapeseed oils are high-quality products on the market, which are defined above all by their sensory quality. The sensory evaluation of virgin rapeseed oils by a trained sensory panel group is time and labor consuming and sometimes the results are not reliable. Therefore, the development of an analytical method for the discrimination of sensory good and bad virgin rapeseed oils based on the determination and statistical evaluation of volatile, aroma-active compounds is a helpful tool to support the sensory evaluation. The repeatability of the analytical method is better than the sensory evaluation, which also helps to support the work of a panel group. Additionally, the amount of work for a panel group can be reduced due to a pre-selection by the analytical tool. The present work shows a chemometric approach to differentiate sensory good and bad quality virgin rapeseed oils on basis of 13 volatile compounds. For the first time volatile compounds have been identified that can be correlated with sensory bad virgin rapeseed oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially selective excitation in two dimensions (2D-SSE) utilizing parallel transmission was applied as a means to acquire signal from voxels adapted to the anatomy of interest for in vivo 1H MR spectroscopy. A novel method to select spectroscopy voxels with arbitrary shapes in two dimensions was investigated. An on-off scheme with an adiabatic slice selective inversion pulse preceding a 2D-SSE pulse together with a segmented inward spiral excitation k-space trajectory enabled rapid free induction decay acquisitions. Performance of the sequence was evaluated in simulations, phantom experiments, and in vivo measurements at 3 T. High spatial fidelity of the excitation profile was achieved for different target shapes and with little off-resonance deterioration. Metabolite concentrations in human brain determined with the new sequence were quantified with Cramér-Rao lower bounds less than 20%. They were in the physiological range and did not deviate systematically from results acquired with a conventional SPECIAL sequence. In conclusion, a new approach for shaped voxel MRS in the human brain is presented, which complements existing sequences. Simulations show that 2D-SSE pulses yield reduced chemical shift artifact when compared with conventional localization methods. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A duplex treatment, combining a nitriding diffusion process and the deposition of DLC coatings is investigated as an option for corrosion protection of precipitation hardening steels, in order to increase the service life of components used in plastic injection molds. Hardness and mechanical resistance are determined and the corrosion resistance in two different media is analyzed. Non-coated nitrided and non-nitrided samples are also tested for comparison. Corrosion resistance is investigated by means of immersion, salt spray, and polarization tests. No signs of atmospheric corrosion are observed after the salt spray test and in acid media, the nitrided samples, with and without DLC, present the lowest mass loss. The duplex sample shows the best corrosion behavior in the electrochemical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is a common time for initiation of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders. Importantly, the neuro-anatomical foundation for later alcohol-related problems may already manifest pre-natally, particularly due to smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. In this context, cortical gyrification is an interesting marker of neuronal development but has not been investigated as a risk factor for adolescent alcohol use. On magnetic resonance imaging scans of 595 14-year-old adolescents from the IMAGEN sample, we computed whole-brain mean curvature indices to predict change in alcohol-related problems over the following 2 years. Change of alcohol use-related problems was significantly predicted from mean curvature in left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Less gyrification of OFC was associated with an increase in alcohol use-related problems over the next 2 years. Moreover, lower gyrification in left OFC was related to pre-natal alcohol exposure, whereas maternal smoking during pregnancy had no effect. Current alcohol use-related problems of the biological mother had no effect on offsprings' OFC gyrification or drinking behaviour. The data support the idea that alcohol consumption during pregnancy mediates the development of neuro-anatomical phenotypes, which in turn constitute a risk factor for increasing problems due to alcohol consumption in a vulnerable stage of life. Maternal smoking during pregnancy or current maternal alcohol/nicotine consumption had no significant effect. The OFC mediates behaviours known to be disturbed in addiction, namely impulse control and reward processing. The results stress the importance of pre-natal alcohol exposure for later increases in alcohol use-related problems, mediated by structural brain characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As work environments change, the demands on working people change. Cognitive abilities in particular are becoming progressively more important for work performance and successful competition in a global environment. However, work-related stress, performance over long hours, lack of sleep, shift work, and jet lag affect cognitive functions. Therefore, an increasing number of healthy people are reported to use cognitive-enhancing drugs, as well as other interventions, such as noninvasive brain stimulation, to maintain or improve work performance. This review summarizes research on pharmacological and technical methods as well as cognitive training, including game apps for the brain, in healthy people. In neuropsychiatric disorders, impairments in cognitive functions can drastically reduce the chances of returning to work; therefore, this review also summarizes findings from pharmacological and cognitive-training studies in neuropsychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of monoepoxy fatty acids in used frying oils and in other common foods has been determined. Monoepoxy fatty acids with trans-9,10- and cis-9,10-epoxystearate and trans-12,13-, trans-9,10-, cis-12,13- and cis- 9,10-epoxyoctadecenoate were found at average levels of 3.7 g/kg in used frying fats and oils, but also at about 2 g/kg in the fat fraction of chocolate. They were also detected in pumpkin seed, sweet almond, groundnut, sunflower, and olive oils at average levels of 3.4, 1.7, 1.4, 1.0, and 0.2 g/kg, respectively. Their formation during heating at 175°C was observed for sunflower, rapeseed, soybean, and linseed oil and compared with the increase of polar compounds and polymerized triacylglycerols as other important quality indicators for frying oils. During heating for 16 h, the level of monoepoxy fatty acids increased to about 30, 18, 8, and 4 g/kg for olive, sunflower, linseed, and rapeseed oils, respectively. The influence of the heating temperature was surveyed for refined soybean oil at 160, 170, 180, and 200°C. Heating of two sets of five different refined and virgin rapeseed oils revealed a significant lower formation of monoepoxy fatty acids for refined oils at a median level of 4.6 g/kg compared to7.7 g/kg for virgin oils. Practical applications: Determination of fatty acid methyl esters is one of the most common analyses for the evaluation of oils and fats. The assessment of the monoepoxy fatty acids as part of these analyses can provide a first indication about used frying fats and oils, which reached the end of their applicability. The formation of monoepoxy fatty acids is affected by the fatty acid composition of the oil, the heating temperature, and the production of the oil. Therefore, frying oils may contain varying amounts of monoepoxy fatty acids at the maximum limit for polar compounds and polymerized triacylglycerols as used in the official food control. However, all used frying oils investigated by the official food control showing more than 7 g/kg of monoepoxy fatty acids had to be rejected due to the limits exceeded for polar compounds and polymerized triacylglycerols. Therefore, this limit of 7 g/kg monoepoxy fatty acids level is proposed as a level for screening the usability of used frying fats and oils. Epoxy fatty acids are formed in oils and fats during frying and heating. In addition, they are also detectable in unheated foods like chocolate and pumpkin seed oil. Frying fats and oils heated too much show contents of monoepoxy fatty acids above 7 g/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral oil hydrocarbon contaminations can often be found in oilseeds, oils, and fats as these matrices are good keepers to accumulate them from all kind of sources along the production chain. In addition, seeds and vegetable oils contain naturally occurring hydrocarbons in various compositions. These naturally hydrocarbons can serve for a proof of authentication and they have to be taken into account for the analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbons as contaminants. In this review, the many sources of contamination like environmental effects, production machinery, and packaging materials are referred to and reported data for contaminated vegetable oils like sunflower, olive, and palm oil and in addition raw materials and feed are focused on. This is of special importance for the food survey and for the production as it is a challenging task to survey the many routes of contamination along the production chain and during storage in order to improve the food quality. There is still discussion where to fix a reasonable limit for such contaminants in oils and fats, where levels are often very high compared to levels found for migration from packaging materials into low fat products. For the later ones draft limits have been discussed, but it will be a challenge to reduce mineral oil hydrocarbon contamination in oils and fats to a similar extend. In addition, the determination of low levels of hydrocarbon contamination is demanding and validation of sophisticated coupled LC-GC methods in collaborative trials is still in development. Practical applications: An overview about the analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbon contaminations of oilseeds, oils, and fats is given. For seeds and vegetable oils also contain naturally occurring hydrocarbons in various compositions, reference data on these naturally hydrocarbons are provided. The many sources of contamination like environmental effects, production machinery, and packaging materials are referred to and vegetable oils like sunflower, olive, and palm oil and in addition raw materials and feed are focused on. The arguments for a reasonable limit for such contaminants in oils and fats are discussed. Analysis of mineral oil hydrocarbon contamination of oilseeds, oils, and fats is reviewed. Reference data on naturally hydrocarbons are provided, which occur in various compositions. The many sources of contamination like environmental effects, production machinery, and packaging materials are referred to and vegetable oils like sunflower, olive, palm oil, raw materials, and feed are focused on. The arguments for a reasonable limit for such contaminants in oils and fats are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition and quality of eight pure cold-pressed oils and two blend oils from Macedonia were examined in this work. The highest level of oleic acid was determined in apricot kernel oil and rapeseed oil with abundance of 70.9 and 59.2%, respectively. The highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids was seen for flaxseed and hemp seed oil with abundance of a-linolenic acid of 55.1% for flaxseed oil and linoleic acid of 57.4% for hemp seed oil. Apricot kernel oil and roasted sesame seed oil had the highest oxidative stability with induction times of 7.6 and 10.9 h. Apricot oil, hemp seed oil, and flaxseed oil had the highest level of total vitamin-E-active compounds with 58.8, 58.1, and 69.7 per 100 g of oil with predomination of γ-tocopherol. The highest peroxide number was detected in blend oils (oil 2 and oil 8) with values over 10meq O2/kg of oil. The highest FFA was detected in rapeseed oil (1.57%). Roasted and unroasted sesame seed oils had relatively high specific extinction (K232 values 3.55 and 3.33, respectively). However, the highest UV extinction had a blend of pumpkin seed oil and sunflower oil with a value of 3.84. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The paper presents a computational study for the estimation of the temperature elevation occurring in a human subject carrying metallic hip prostheses when exposed to the magnetic field produced by gradient coils. Methods The simulations are performed through validated numerical codes, which solve the electromagnetic and thermal equations applied to a high-resolution anatomical human model. Three different sets of gradient coils (traditional, split and uniplanar) are considered to evaluate the maximum steady-state temperature elevation in the human body. This result is then rescaled to take into account the waveform of the signal, the duty-cycle and the duration of the scan. Results Several exposure situations obtained by changing the patient's position are analyzed, finding temperature elevations on the order of some degrees. Conclusion The results are of possible concern and provide evidence of the need for further specific investigations aimed at assuring the safety of potential patients carrying metallic hip implants. Magn Reson Med 74:272-279, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basophils are known to modulate the phenotype of CD4+ T cells and to enhance T helper type 2 responses in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that murine basophils inhibit proliferation of CD4+ T cells in autologous and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions. The inhibition is independent of Fas and MHC class II, but dependent on activation of basophils with subsequent release of interleukin-4 ( IL-4) and IL-6. The inhibitory effect of basophils on T-cell proliferation can be blocked with antibodies against IL-4 and IL-6 and is absent in IL-4/ IL-6 double-deficient mice. In addition, we show that basophils and IL-4 have beneficial effects on disease activity in a murine model of acute graft-versus-host disease (Gv HD). When basophils were depleted with the antibody MAR-1 before induction of Gv HD, weight loss, Gv HD score, mortality and plasma tumour necrosis factor levels were increased while injection of IL-4 improved Gv HD. Basophil-depleted mice with Gv HD also have increased numbers of CD4+ T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Our data show for the first time that basophils suppress autologous and allogeneic CD4+ T-cell proliferation in an IL-4-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depletion of B cells with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab is an established therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. However, rituximab has only moderate efficacy, most likely due to insufficient depletion of B cells in lymphoid organs and expansion of pathogenic B cells. We found that an antibody against mouse CD79b profoundly blocks B-cell proliferation induced via the B-cell receptor, CD40, CD180, and chondroitin sulfate, but not via TLR4 or TLR9. Treatment with anti-CD79b also induces death in resting and activated B cells. B-cell inhibition is mediated by cross-linkage of CD79b, but independent of Fc-receptor engagement. In the model of collagen-induced arthritis, an antibody against mouse CD20 depletes B cells very efficiently but fails to suppress the humoral immune response against collagen and the development of arthritis. In contrast, the antibody against CD79b, and a deglycosylated variant of this antibody, almost completely inhibits the increase in anti-collagen antibodies and the development of arthritis. In mice with established arthritis only the fully glycosylated antibody against CD79b is effective. Our data show that targeting B cells via CD79b is much more effective than B-cell depletion with anti-CD20 antibodies for therapy of arthritis. These findings may have important implications for treatment of B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicides are widely used pesticides that affect plants by changing their chemistry. In doing so, herbicides might also influence the quality of plants as food for herbivores. To study the effects of herbicides on host plant quality, 3 plant species ( Plantago lanceolata L., P. major L., and Ranunculus acris L.) were treated with sublethal rates of either a sulfonylurea (Atlantis WG, Bayer CropScience) or a glyphosate (Roundup LB Plus, Monsanto) herbicide, and the development of caterpillars of the cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae L. that fed on these plants was observed. Of the 6 tested plant-herbicide combinations, 1 combination ( R. acris + sulfonylurea herbicide) resulted in significantly lower caterpillar weight, increased time to pupation, and increased overall development time compared with larvae that were fed unsprayed plants. These results might be caused by a lower nutritional value of these host plants or increased concentrations of secondary metabolites that are involved in plant defense. The results of the present and other studies suggest potential risks to herbivores that feed on host plants treated with sublethal rates of herbicides. However, as the effects of herbicides on host plant quality appear to be species-specific and as there are numerous plant-herbicide-herbivore relationships in agricultural landscapes, a general reduction in herbicide contamination of nontarget habitats (e.g., field margins) might mitigate the negative effects of herbicides on host plant quality. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2633-2638. © 2014 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the second leading anxiety disorder. On the functional neurobiological level, specific brain regions involved in the processing of anxiety-laden stimuli and in emotion regulation have been shown to be hyperactive and hyper-responsive in SAD such as amygdala, insula and orbito- and prefrontal cortex. On the level of brain structure, prior studies on anatomical differences in SAD resulted in mixed and partially contradictory findings. Based on previous functional and anatomical models of SAD, this study examined cortical thickness in structural magnetic resonance imaging data of 46 patients with SAD without comorbidities (except for depressed episode in one patient) compared with 46 matched healthy controls in a region of interest-analysis and in whole-brain. In a theory-driven ROI-analysis, cortical thickness was increased in SAD in left insula, right anterior cingulate and right temporal pole. Furthermore, the whole-brain analysis revealed increased thickness in right dorsolateral prefrontal and right parietal cortex. This study detected no regions of decreased cortical thickness or brain volume in SAD. From the perspective of brain networks, these findings are in line with prior functional differences in salience networks and frontoparietal networks associated with executive-controlling and attentional functions. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2966-2977, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Field margins are important seminatural habitats in agro-ecosystems, but they can be negatively affected by pesticide inputs via direct overspray and spray drift. In Germany, risk mitigation measures (like buffer zones) to reduce pesticide inputs in terrestrial noncrop habitats do not have to be put in place by farmers next to narrow field margins (<3 m width). Because data on structure, size, and width of field margins are scarce, we identified field margins in 2 German agricultural landscapes (Rhineland-Palatinate [RLP], Brandenburg [BB]; 4000 ha each) using digital orthophotos and geographical information systems. In RLP, most of the field margins were less than 3 m wide (85% of margin length and 65% of the margin area), whereas in BB narrow field margins account for 45% of the margin length and 17% of the margin area. Hedgerows were only occasionally recorded. Hence, narrow grassy field margins can represent a large part of the available seminatural habitats adjoining agricultural sites and potentially act as corridors between further habitat patches. For this reason, these margins should be protected from pesticide inputs, at least in landscapes under intensive agricultural use. Field margins are also the main, so-called nontarget habitat protected by the terrestrial risk assessment for plants and arthropods. With many (narrow) margins not considered relevant for risk management, the current practice for protecting the biodiversity from negative effects of pesticides seems questionable. More data on field margin constitution in Germany and other European countries is necessary to critically assess the current practice of pesticide risk assessment and management on a larger scale. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:456-462. © 2014 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]