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Background: Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) is a subtype of chronic urticaria (CU) which require specific physical or non-physical triggers to occur. They may be isolated or may coexist with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Despite their frequent appearance in dermatology clinics, there is scarce information on the distinguishing features among the most common subtypes of CIndU as well as isolated CIndU versus CSU plus CIndU., Objectives: To compare clinical and laboratory characteristics, and comorbid conditions among the most common CIndU types and isolated CIndU versus CSU plus CIndU., Methods: We retrospectively analysed CIndU patients and compared patients' demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics across isolated CIndU, CSU plus CIndU, symptomatic dermographism (SD), cold urticaria (ColdU) and cholinergic urticaria (ChoU)., Results: A total of 423 patients (~70% isolated CIndU, ~30% CSU plus CIndU, ~5% mixed CIndU subtypes) were included in the study. The most frequent CIndU subtypes were SD (68.6%; 290/423), ColdU (11.4%; 48/423) and ChoU (10.9%; 46/423). Isolated CIndU patients were younger than CSU plus CIndU (33.74 ± 12.72 vs. 37.06 ± 11.84, p = 0.010). Angioedema, emergency referrals, need for systemic steroids, comorbid systemic disorders were more frequent and baseline urticaria control test scores were lower in CSU plus CIndU patients (vs. CIndU, p < 0.001, p = 0.008, p < 0.001, p = 0.031, p = 0.036, respectively). Among CIndU subtypes, ChoU patients were younger (24.9 ± 12.2 vs. 34.47 ± 12.12 vs. 31.38 ± 14.95; p < 0.001) and had male predominance (p < 0.001) while SD patients had no angioedema (p < 0.001) and had higher frequency of increased total IgE levels (p = 0.006)., Conclusions: Isolated CIndU and CSU plus CIndU seems to be different endotypes of CU where CSU plus CIndU presents a more severe and refractory course. There are distinctive features of each CIndU subtype. These suggest involvement of different pathomechanistic pathways in these subtypes that need to be clarified in future studies., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Despite considerable efforts to develop electrolyzers for energy conversion, progress has been hindered during the implementation stage by different catalyst development requirements in academic and industrial research. Herein, a coherent workflow for the efficient transition of electrocatalysts from basic research to application readiness for the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction is proposed. To demonstrate this research approach, La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 is selected as a catalyst, and its electrocatalytic performance is compared with that of the benchmark material NiFe2O4. The La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 catalyst with the desired dispersity is successfully synthesized by scalable spray‐flame synthesis. Subsequently, inks are formulated using different binders (Nafion®, Naf; Sustainion®, Sus), and nickel substrates are spray coated, ensuring a homogeneous catalyst distribution. Extensive electrochemical evaluations, including several scale‐bridging techniques, highlight the efficiency of the La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 catalyst. Experiments using the scanning droplet cell (SDC) indicate good lateral homogeneity for La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 electrodes and NiFe2O4‐Sus, while the NiFe2O4‐Naf film suffers from delamination. Among the various half‐cell techniques, SDC proves to be a valuable tool to quickly check whether a catalyst layer is suitable for full‐cell‐level testing and will be used for the fast‐tracking of catalysts in the future. Complementary compression and flow cell experiments provide valuable information on the electrodes' behavior upon exposure to chemical and mechanical stress. Finally, parameters and conditions simulating industrial settings are applied using a zero‐gap cell. Findings from various research fields across different scales obtained based on the developed coherent workflow contribute to a better understanding of the electrocatalytic system at the early stages of development and provide important insights for the evaluation of novel materials that are to be used in large‐scale industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are particularly vulnerable to surface water flooding. It is also well‐known that they influence local rainfall themselves, which has important implications for climate change adaptation planning for cities. At km‐scale resolution, convection‐permitting climate models (CPCMs) better resolve cities and should better represent local urban temperature and rainfall modifications. However, using state‐of‐the‐art pan‐African CPCM simulations with the Met Office Unified Model (CP4), we show that for the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, this is not the case. A significant enhancement of rainfall occurs over the city compared with surrounding rural areas, which is not seen in available observations. We demonstrate this is associated with an overestimated urban heat island effect, which leads to additional triggering of rainfall. Urban signals in future rainfall change are small compared with changes in the wider surroundings, the latter of which we expect to be more reliable than in models with parameterized convection. This suggests that deficiencies in representation of urban processes are of secondary importance in terms of future percentage change in rainfall. We recommend urban planners apply relative changes in CP4 as an uplift to observations, where available, or treat absolute future rainfall as an upper estimate if used directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chlorine radicals (Cl• and Cl2•−) have profound impacts on the photochemical processes in the atmospheric aqueous phase (e.g., marine clouds). However, current literature lacks information on the Cl•/Cl2•−‐induced transformation of organics under sunlit irradiation. In this work, the reaction mechanism of chlorine radicals with benzene (a representative VOC) in the atmospheric aqueous phase was investigated by using 355 nm laser flash photolysis, 365 nm UV light steady state, and real sunlight experiment. The results showed that Cl•/Cl2•−‐initiated reactions were crucial steps for the consumption and transformation of C6H6, where the conversion rate of benzene decreases with the increase of pH and initial species concentration. Cl• attacked benzene ring to produce the Cl‐CHD (6‐chlorocyclohexadienyl radical) with a second‐order rate constant of (1.2 ± 0.3) × 1010 M−1·s−1, while the rate constant for Cl2•− was much lower ((4.5 ± 0.3) × 106 M−1·s−1). The addition of Cl• and Cl2•− to benzene generated chlorobenzene and dichlorobenzene and ring‐opening substances during the further oxidation reaction, which had been also demonstrated in the real sunlit experiments. This work provides fundamental kinetic and mechanistic insights into benzene's photochemical transformation by Cl•/Cl2•−, facilitating the understanding of VOC transformation in atmospheric waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a debilitating skin disease characterized by intensely itchy wheals, angioedema, or both. Symptoms recur spontaneously, on a near-daily basis, over >6 weeks; many patients experience flare-ups over several years and, consequently, reduced quality of life. Differences between the inflammatory profiles of the skin of CSU patients (wheals and nonlesional sites) and healthy controls indicate that key drivers such as mast cells, eosinophils, and basophils interact, release vasoactive mediators, and prime the skin, leaving patients predisposed to symptoms. Many cytokines and chemokines involved in these inflammatory networks and their corresponding intracellular signaling cascades have been identified. These insights informed the development of therapies such as omalizumab, dupilumab, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, marking a renewed focus on pathogenesis in CSU clinical research. Despite progress, current therapies provide symptomatic control but do not appear to redress the inflammatory balance in the skin permanently. A deeper understanding of CSU pathogenesis will permit a more targeted approach to developing novel treatments with curative intent. Here, we review what is known about the pathogenesis of CSU and consider how this can be used to identify rational targets to improve patient care further., (© 2022 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Legalization in many jurisdictions has increased the prevalence of cannabis use, including during pregnancy and lactation. Accordingly, clinicians providing perinatal and infant care are increasingly required to counsel about this topic, even if they do not feel comfortable or prepared for this conversation. The aim of this research was to explore how prenatal clinicians and pregnant and lactating women interact with cannabis consumption., Methods: Using qualitative description, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 75 individuals in Canada: 23 clinicians who provide pregnancy and lactation care, and 52 individuals who made cannabis consumption decisions during pregnancy and/or lactation. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis., Results: Three phases of the clinical encounter influenced decision-making about cannabis consumption: initiation of a discussion about cannabis, sense-making, and the outcome of the encounter. Patients and clinicians described similar ideals for a counseling encounter about cannabis consumption during pregnancy or lactation: open, patient-centered conversation grounded in an informed decision-making model to explore the benefits, risks, and alternatives to cannabis. While clinicians described these values as reflecting real clinical interactions, patients reported that in their experience, actual interactions did not live up to these ideals., Conclusion: Clinicians and pregnant and lactating people report desiring the same things from a counseling interaction about cannabis: sharing of information, identification of values, and facilitation of a decision. Both groups endorse an open, nonjudgemental counseling approach that explores the reasons why a patient is considering cannabis consumption and reflects these reasons against available evidence and alternatives known to be safe., (© 2024 The Author(s). Birth published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Assessment of COVID-19 vaccine safety in pregnancy using population-based data., Design: Matched case-control study nested in a retrospective cohort., Setting: April 2021-March 2022, England., Population or Sample: All pregnant individuals aged between 18 and 50 years with valid health records., Methods: Individuals identified from the national Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS) had their records linked to hospital admission, national COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 testing databases. Matching included participant's age and estimated week of conception. We compared outcomes across multiple COVID-19 vaccine exposures using conditional multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic and health characteristics., Main Outcome Measures: Adverse pregnancy, maternal and neonatal outcomes., Results: 514 013 individuals were included. We found lower odds of giving birth to a baby who was low birthweight (aOR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.79-0.93), preterm (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.85-0.92) or who had an Apgar score < 7 at 5 min of age (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80-0.98) for individuals who received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. The odds of admission to intensive care unit during pregnancy were lower in those vaccinated (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). There was no association between vaccination in pregnancy and stillbirth, neonatal death, perinatal death and maternal venous thromboembolism in pregnancy., Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccines are safe to use in pregnancy. Our findings generated important information to communicate to pregnant individuals and health professionals to support COVID-19 maternal vaccination programmes., (© 2024 The Author(s). BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Innovative functional electrical stimulation has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing daily walking and rehabilitating stroke patients with foot drop. However, its lack of precision in stimulating timing, individual adaptivity, and bilateral symmetry, resulted in diminished clinical efficacy. Therefore, a closed‐loop wearable device network of intrinsically controlled functional electrical stimulation (CI‐FES) system is proposed, which utilizes the personal surface myoelectricity, derived from the intrinsic neuro signal, as the switch to activate/deactivate the stimulation on the affected side. Simultaneously, it decodes the myoelectricity signal of the patient's healthy side to adjust the stimulation intensity, forming an intrinsically controlled loop with the inertial measurement units. With CI‐FES assistance, patients' walking ability significantly improved, evidenced by the shift in ankle joint angle mean and variance from 105.53° and 28.84 to 102.81° and 17.71, and the oxyhemoglobin concentration tested by the functional near‐infrared spectroscopy. In long‐term CI‐FES‐assisted clinical testing, the discriminability in machine learning classification between patients and healthy individuals gradually decreased from 100% to 92.5%, suggesting a remarkable recovery tendency, further substantiated by performance on the functional movement scales. The developed CI‐FES system is crucial for contralateral‐hemiplegic stroke recovery, paving the way for future closed‐loop stimulation systems in stroke rehabilitation is anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic urticaria (CU) is characterized by persistent skin hives, redness, and itching, enhanced by immune dysregulation and inflammation. Our main objective is identifying key genes and molecular mechanisms of chronic urticaria based on bioinformatics. We used the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and retrieved two GEO datasets, GSE57178 and GSE72540. The raw data were extracted, pre‐processed, and analyzed using the GEO2R tool to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The samples were divided into two groups: healthy samples and CU samples. We defined cut‐off values of log2 fold change ≥1 and p <.05. Analyses were performed in the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), Metascape, Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and CIBERSOFT databases. We obtained 1613 differentially expressed genes. There were 114 overlapping genes in both datasets, out of which 102 genes were up‐regulated while 12 were down‐regulated. The biological processes included activation of myeloid leukocytes, response to inflammations, and response to organic substances. Moreover, the KEGG pathways of CU were enriched in the Nuclear Factor‐Kappa B (NF‐kB) signaling pathway, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) signaling pathway, and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK‐STAT) signaling pathway. We identified 27 hub genes that were implicated in the pathogenesis of CU, such as interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), Prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM1). The complex interplay between immune responses, inflammatory pathways, cytokine networks, and specific genes enhances CU. Understanding these mechanisms paves the way for potential interventions to mitigate symptoms and improve the quality of life of CU patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular and mental diseases are among the most important global health problems, but little is known on the associations between mental and arterial health in adolescents. Therefore, we investigated the associations of arterial health with depressive symptoms and perceived stress in adolescents. A total of 277 adolescents, 151 boys, 126 girls, aged 15–17 years participated in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and perceived stress by the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. Arterial health was assessed by measures from carotid ultrasonography (carotid intima‐media thickness, Young's Elastic Modulus, carotid artery distensibility, stiffness index), impedance cardiography (pulse wave velocity, cardio‐ankle vascular index), and pulse contour analysis (reflection index, stiffness index). The data were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for age and sex. Depressive symptoms or perceived stress were not associated with indices of arterial health in the whole study group (β = −0.08 to 0.09, p > 0.05), in boys (β = −0.13 to 0.10, p > 0.05) or in girls (standardized regression coefficient β = −0.16 to 0.08, p > 0.05). We found no associations of depressive symptoms and perceived stress with arterial health in adolescents. These observations suggest that the association between mental and arterial health problems develop in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the 3D spatial structure of a city is increasingly essential for addressing various environmental and management issues, surpassing the importance of traditional 2D analysis. However, existing studies neglect the diversity of building height and still lack a clear description of 3D urban structure. This article proposes a new framework to uncover the 3D urban structure. Firstly, kernel density is employed to reveal the hierarchical spatial structure of buildings and the contour tree method is improved to quantitatively measure the spatial diversity and complexity. Then, the 3D urban structure is abstracted by spatial interpolation after feature filtration. Finally, this framework is applied to the central area of Chengdu City, revealing that: (1) Spatial structures of buildings with different heights exhibit significant diversity, location preference, and complexity; and (2) A globally "depression" 3D urban structure with low center—high periphery is obviously identified. This framework provides an effective way to reveal the 3D urban structure in a more intuitive and clearer way from various disordered urban buildings, which can be transferable to other cities and further facilitate sustainable planning and development of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal metal distribution in vulnerable brain regions is involved in the pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting common molecular mechanisms of metal dyshomeostasis. This study aimed to compare the intra‐ and extra‐neuronal metal content and the expression of proteins related to metal homeostasis in the substantia nigra (SN) from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and control subjects. Metal quantification was performed via ion‐beam micro‐analysis in neuromelanin‐positive neurons and the surrounding tissue. For proteomic analysis, SN tissue lysates were analyzed on a nanoflow chromatography system hyphenated to a hybrid triple‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. We found increased amounts of iron in neuromelanin‐positive neurons and surrounding tissue in patients with PD and MS compared to controls (4‐ to 5‐fold higher) that, however, also showed large inter‐individual variations. Copper content was systematically lower (−2.4‐fold) in neuromelanin‐positive neurons of PD patients compared with controls, whereas it remained unchanged in MS. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analyses revealed clusters related to Fe and Cu homeostasis among PD‐deregulated proteins. An enrichment for the term "metal homeostasis" was observed for MS‐deregulated proteins. Important deregulated hub proteins included hemopexin and transferrin in PD, and calreticulin and ferredoxin reductase in MS. Our findings show that PD and MS share commonalities in terms of iron accumulation in the SN. Concomitant proteomics experiments revealed PPI networks related to metal homeostasis, substantiating the results of metal quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depending on the nature of their sports, athletes may be engaged in successive weight loss (WL) and regain, conducing to "weight cycling." The aims of this paper were to systematically (and meta‐analytically when possible) analyze the post‐WL recovery of (i) body weight and (ii) fat mass; fat‐free mass; and performance and metabolic responses in weight cycling athletes (18–55 years old, body mass index < 30 kg.m−2). MEDLINE, Embase, and SPORTDiscus databases were explored. The quality and risk of bias of the 74 included studies were assessed using the quality assessment tool for quantitative studies. Thirty‐two studies were eligible for meta‐analyses. Whatever the type of sports or methods used to lose weight, post‐WL body weight does not seem affected compared with pre‐WL. While similar results are observed for fat‐free mass, strength sports athletes (also having longer WL and regain periods) do not seem to fully recover their initial fat mass (ES: −0.39, 95% CI: [−0.77; −0.00], p = 0.048, I2 = 0.0%). Although the methods used by athletes to achieve WL might prevent them from a potential post‐WL fat overshooting, further studies are needed to better understand WL episodes consequences on athletes' performance as well as short‐ and long‐term physical, metabolic, and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The diversity and distribution of soil microorganisms and their potential for long‐distance dispersal (LDD) are poorly documented, making the threats posed by climate change difficult to assess. If microorganisms do not disperse globally, regional endemism may develop and extinction may occur due to environmental changes. Here, we addressed this question using the testate amoeba Apodera vas, a morphologically conspicuous model soil microorganism in microbial biogeography, commonly found in peatlands and forests mainly of former Gondwana. We first documented its distribution. We next assessed whether its distribution could be explained by dispersal (i.e. matching its climatic niche) or vicariance (i.e. palaeogeography), based on the magnitude of potential range expansions or contractions in response to past and on‐going climatic changes. Last, we wanted to assess the likelihood of cryptic diversity and its potential threat from climate and land‐use changes (e.g. due to limited LDD). Location: Documented records: Southern Hemisphere and intertropical zone; modelling: Global. Methods: We first built an updated global distribution map of A. vas using 401 validated georeferenced records. We next used these data to develop a climatic niche model to predict its past (LGM, i.e. 21 ± 3 ka BP; PMIP3 IPSL‐CM5A‐LR), present and future (IPSL‐CMP6A‐LR predictions for 2071–2100, SSP3 and 5) potential distributions in responses to climate, by relating the species occurrences to climatic and topographic predictors. We then used these predictions to test our hypotheses (dispersal/vicariance, cryptic diversity, future threat from LDD limitation). Results: Our models show that favourable climatic conditions for A. vas currently exist in the British Isles, an especially well‐studied region for testate amoebae where this species has never been found. This demonstrates a lack of interhemispheric LDD, congruent with the palaeogeography (vicariance) hypothesis. Longitudinal LDD is, however, confirmed by the presence of A. vas in isolated and geologically young peri‐Antarctic islands. Potential distribution maps for past, current and future climates show favourable climatic conditions existing on parts of all southern continents, with shifts to higher land from LGM to current in the tropics and a strong range contraction from current to future (global warming IPSL‐CM6A‐LR scenario for 2071–2100, SSP3.70 and SSP5.85) with favourable conditions developing on the Antarctic Peninsula. Main Conclusions: This study illustrates the value of climate niche models for research on microbial diversity and biogeography, along with exploring the role played by historical factors and dispersal limitation in shaping microbial biogeography. We assess the discrepancy between latitudinal and longitudinal LDD for A. vas, which is possibly due to contrast in wind patterns and/or likelihood of transport by birds. Our models also suggest that climate change may lead to regional extinction of terrestrial microscopic organisms, thus illustrating the pertinence of including microorganisms in biodiversity conservation research and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students often learn about measurement uncertainty as an isolated topic, with a focus on generalizable strategies to manage uncertainty in scientific investigation. In this study, we report and analyze a case of emergent learning about measurement and uncertainty, in which students in a Chinese elementary school science class explored and reconciled discrepancies in hypotheses by constructing and using measures and making inferences. Adopting a model‐based view of measurement, we show that when allowed to take on emergent measurement uncertainty while inquiring into causes for phenomena, late elementary students with no prior experience can engage in sophisticated reasoning characterized by a variety of theoretical modeling practices. Developing and aligning models of the phenomenon, the measure and the measurement data supported students in constructing an intuitive solution to their discrepancies. Our analysis also identified (1) a pattern of thinking and some common assumptions students adopted in their modeling practice that were productive, and (2) contextual elements affording and constraining emergent learning on measurement and uncertainty. In our discussion, we reflect on the educational potential of adopting a model‐based account of measurement and of treating measurement and uncertainty as integrated into investigative practice. We also discuss the necessary contexts for realizing the potential of the model‐based account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a 2‐month‐old female infant with macroglossia, macrosomia, omphalocele, neonatal hypoglycemia, earlobe creases, low nasal bridge, midface retrusion, syndromic facies and multiple cutaneous and hepatic hemangiomas (HH). Genetic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of Beckwith–Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS) with mosaic uniparental disomy 11 as the underlying genetic mechanism suggested by partial hypermethylation of H19/IGF2:IG‐DMR and partial hypomethylation of KCNQ1OT1:TSS‐DMR on chromosome 11p15.5. Pediatric endocrinology and cardiology assessments were normal. No malignant liver or renal tumors were detected during the follow‐up period. Treatment with propranolol was started for the multiple HH, according to international recommendations. At 3‐, 6‐, and 9‐month follow up, a gradual decrease in the size of the hemangiomas and AFP levels was observed, without side effects. This is the fifth case in the literature combining HH and BWS, and among these, the third case with this specific genetic defect suggesting a possible association between HH and BWS caused by 11 paternal uniparental disomy [upd(11)pat]. The case also highlights that if treatment is warranted, then oral propranolol can be used for the management of infantile HH in BWS patients similarly to non‐BWS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a mast cell (MC)‐dependent disease with limited therapeutic options. Current management strategies are directed at inhibiting IgE‐mediated activation of MCs and antagonizing effects of released mediators. Due to the complexity and heterogeneity of CU and other MC diseases and mechanisms of MC activation—including multiple activating receptors and ligands, diverse signaling pathways, and a menagerie of mediators—strategies of MC depletion or MC silencing (i.e., inhibition of MC activation via binding of inhibitory receptors) have been developed to overcome limitations of singularly targeted agents. MC silencers, such as agonist monoclonal antibodies that engage inhibitory receptors (e.g., sialic acid‐binding immunoglobulin‐like lectin8 ‐[Siglec‐8] [lirentelimab/AK002], Siglec‐6 [AK006], and CD200R [LY3454738]), have reached preclinical and clinical stages of development. In this review, we (1) describe the role of MCs in the pathogenesis of CU, highlighting similarities with other MC diseases in disease mechanisms and response to treatment; (2) explore current therapeutic strategies, categorized by nonspecific immunosuppression, targeted inhibition of MC activation or mediators, and targeted modulation of MC activity; and (3) introduce the concept of MC silencing as an emerging strategy that could selectively block activation of MCs without eliciting or exacerbating on‐ or off‐target, immunosuppressive adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent advances in computed tomography (CT) technology have considerably improved the quality of CT images and reduced radiation exposure in patients. At present, however, there is no generally accepted figure of merit (FOM) for comparing the dose efficiencies of CT systems. Purpose: (i) To establish an FOM that characterizes the quality of CT images in relation to the radiation dose by means of a mathematical model observer and (ii) to evaluate the new FOM on different CT systems and image reconstruction algorithms. Methods: Images of a homogeneous phantom with four low‐contrast inserts were acquired using three different CT systems at three dose levels and a representative protocol for CT imaging of low‐contrast objects in the abdomen. The images were reconstructed using filtered‐back projection and iterative algorithms. A channelized hotelling observer with difference‐of‐Gaussian channels was applied to compute the detectability (d′$d^{\prime}$). This was done for each insert and each of the considered imaging conditions from square regions of interest (ROIs) that were (semi‐)automatically centered on the inserts. The estimated detectabilities (d′$d^{\prime}$) were averaged in the first step over the three dose levels (⟨d′⟩$\langle {d^{\prime}} \rangle $), and subsequently over the four contrast inserts (⟨d′⟩w${\langle {d^{\prime}} \rangle _{\rm{w}}}$). All calculation steps included a dedicated assessment of the related uncertainties following accepted metrological guidelines. Results: The determined detectabilities (d′$d^{\prime}$) varied considerably with the contrast and diameter of the four inserts, as well as with the radiation doses and reconstruction algorithms used for image generation (d′$d^{\prime}\;$= 1.3–5.5). Thus, the specification of a single detectability as an FOM is not well suited for comprehensively characterizing the dose efficiency of a CT system. A more comprehensive and robust characterization was provided by the averaged detectabilities ⟨d′⟩$\langle {d^{\prime}} \rangle $ and, in particular, ⟨d′⟩w${\langle {d^{\prime}} \rangle _{\rm{w}}}$. Our analysis reveals that the model observer analysis is very sensitive to the exact position of the ROIs. Conclusions: The presented automatable software approach yielded with the weighted detectability ⟨d′⟩w${\langle {d^{\prime}} \rangle _{\rm{w}}}$ an objective FOM to benchmark different CT systems and reconstruction algorithms in a robust and reliable manner. An essential advantage of the proposed model‐observer approach is that uncertainties in the FOM can be provided, which is an indispensable prerequisite for type testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmunity is the break of tolerance to self‐antigens that leads to organ‐specific or systemic diseases often characterized by the presence of pathogenic autoreactive antibodies (AAb) produced by plasmablast and/or plasma cells. AAb are prevalent in the general population and not systematically associated with clinical symptoms. In contrast, in some individuals, these AAb are pathogenic and drive the development of signs and symptoms of antibody‐mediated autoimmune diseases (AbAID). AAb production, isotype profiles, and glycosylations are promoted by pro‐inflammatory triggers linked to genetic, environmental, and hormonal parameters. Recent evidence supports a role for pathogenic AAb of the IgE isotype in a number of AbAID. Autoreactive IgE can drive the activation of mast cells, basophils, and other types of FcεRI‐bearing cells and may play a role in promoting autoantibody production and other pro‐inflammatory pathways. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on the pathogenicity of autoreactive IgE in AbAID and their status as therapeutic targets. We also highlight unresolved issues including the need for assays that reproducibly quantify IgE AAbs, to validate their diagnostic and prognostic value, and to further study their pathophysiological contributions to AbAID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Vaccination in pregnancy guards against infection. Maternal antibodies, however, can inhibit antibody production in neonates. We sought to determine the effects of maternal vaccination on neonatal immune response to a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine., Method of Study: We hypothesized that mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNP) vaccination allows for a de novo neonatal antibody response even in the presence of vertically transmitted maternal antibodies. Female mice were vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (RBD) mRNA-LNPs. Mice were then bred, and 21-day-old pups were inoculated with the same mRNA-LNPs. Spike-specific IgG ELISAs were performed using mouse serum. A SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptide library to perform peptide ELISAs characterized high affinity binding domains within the spike protein. Results were analyzed with one-way ANOVAs with Tukey's multiple comparisons tests., Results: Compared to pups of unvaccinated dams, there were high levels of spike-specific IgG detected in the pups of vaccinated dams at 3 weeks of life (p < 0.0001). After neonatal vaccination, pups of unvaccinated dams had higher spike-specific serum IgG than pups of vaccinated dams at 12 weeks of life (p < 0.001). Antibody specificity to peptide moieties within spike RBD were similar when comparing a vaccinated dam to her pup at Week 3 of life, with different binding affinities observed in the pups by Week 15 of life., Conclusions: Pre-existing maternal antibodies may partially blunt the initial neonatal antibody response to mRNA-LNPs vaccination. This vaccine strategy, however, does not prohibit the subsequent development of a broad range of RBD antibody specificities that may be protective., (© 2024 The Author(s). American Journal of Reproductive Immunology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Climate change is globally affecting rainfall patterns, necessitating the improvement of drought tolerance in crops. Sorghum bicolor is a relatively drought‐tolerant cereal. Functional stay‐green sorghum genotypes can maintain green leaf area and efficient grain filling during terminal post‐flowering water deprivation, a period of ~10 weeks. To obtain molecular insights into these characteristics, two drought‐tolerant genotypes, BTx642 and RTx430, were grown in replicated control and terminal post‐flowering drought field plots in California's Central Valley. Photosynthetic, photoprotective, and water dynamics traits were quantified and correlated with metabolomic data collected from leaves, stems, and roots at multiple timepoints during control and drought conditions. Physiological and metabolomic data were then compared to longitudinal RNA sequencing data collected from these two genotypes. The unique metabolic and transcriptomic response to post‐flowering drought in sorghum supports a role for the metabolite galactinol in controlling photosynthetic activity through regulating stomatal closure in post‐flowering drought. Additionally, in the functional stay‐green genotype BTx642, photoprotective responses were specifically induced in post‐flowering drought, supporting a role for photoprotection in the molecular response associated with the functional stay‐green trait. From these insights, new pathways are identified that can be targeted to maximize yields under growth conditions with limited water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil protists are increasingly studied due to a release from previous methodological constraints and the acknowledgement of their immense diversity and functional importance in ecosystems. However, these studies often lack sufficient depth in knowledge, which is visible in the form of falsely used terms and false‐ or over‐interpreted data with conclusions that cannot be drawn from the data obtained. As we welcome that also non‐experts include protists in their still mostly bacterial and/or fungal‐focused studies, our aim here is to help avoid some common errors. We provide suggestions for current terms to use when working on soil protists, like protist instead of protozoa, predator instead of grazer, microorganisms rather than microflora and other terms to be used to describe the prey spectrum of protists. We then highlight some dos and don'ts in soil protist ecology including challenges related to interpreting 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data. We caution against the use of standard bioinformatic settings optimized for bacteria and the uncritical reliance on incomplete and partly erroneous reference databases. We also show why causal inferences cannot be drawn from sequence‐based correlation analyses or any sampling/monitoring, study in the field without thorough experimental confirmation and sound understanding of the biology of taxa. Together, we envision this work to help non‐experts to more easily include protists in their soil ecology analyses and obtain more reliable interpretations from their protist data and other biodiversity data that, in the end, will contribute to a better understanding of soil ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental monitoring (PM) is a key construct in research on children's well‐being and healthy development referring to the attention parents pay to their children's activities and whereabouts. However, existing literature suggests that the psychometric properties of its measurement tools are still perfect. For this study, a revised Italian parental monitoring scale (I‐PM‐R) was developed and validated with data from 835 participants (63% females), aged between 10 and 20 years old. The sample was divided into two sub‐samples. One was used for parallel and exploratory factor analyses, and the other was used for confirmatory factor analysis. A total of eight factors were thus identified. The scale exhibited invariance in relation to children's gender and school success, and associations with demographic variables and school performance. The I‐PM‐R contributes to the need to move toward psychometric quality advances in the measurement of PM. Practitioner points: Parental monitoring (PM) is a key construct referring to the attention parents pay to their children's activities.In this work, a revised Italian parental monitoring scale (I‐PM‐R) is presented.Eight factors were identified and the scale exhibited invariance in relation to children's gender and school success, and associations with demographic variables and school performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common and disabling disease. Assessments of IgE and C‐reactive protein (CRP) are recommended in the diagnostic work‐up, but the role and clinical relevance of these biomarkers are not well characterized. Moreover, it remains unknown if elevated levels of IgE or CRP are linked to CSU microRNA (miRNA) signatures or interleukin 31 (IL‐31). Methods: We measured IgE and CRP serum levels in 47 CSU patients (and 45 healthy controls) and determined CSU disease activity using the urticaria activity score (UAS7). Expression levels of miR‐155 and miR‐221 were assessed by RT‐PCR, and IL‐31 levels were determined by ELISA. Results: Total IgE and CRP levels were independently increased in CSU patients. IgE and CRP levels were highest and lowest in patients with high and mild disease activity. IgE levels correlated with miR‐155 levels, whereas CRP levels correlated with miR‐221 levels. miR‐155 and miR‐221 were significantly overexpressed in CSU patients. ROC analyses linked miRNA‐155 and CSU with a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 87%, and miRNA‐221 and CSU with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 91%. High CRP and miR‐221 expression levels were linked to elevated levels of IgG anti‐TPO and IL‐31. Conclusion: IgE and CRP are useful biomarkers for disease activity in CSU, with distinct miRNA profiles. High CRP and miR‐221 levels may point to autoimmune CSU and a role for IL‐31. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Patients with multiple chronic conditions often have complex medication regimes which negatively impact their health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and there is limited evidence on this topic, particularly from the resource limiting set-up. Hence, this study is aimed at assessing the impact of medication regimen complexity on HRQoL in patients with multiple chronic conditions at a university hospital in Ethiopia. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients who had at least two long-term diseases and were already receiving medical therapy for the relevant disorders. The validated 65-item Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) and the EuroQol-5-Dimensions-5-Levels (EQ-5D-5L) instruments were used to assess MRC and HRQoL, respectively. The Welch test for unequal variance and Fisher's exact test were used to assess the impact of different variables on HRQoL. Results. The study surveyed 416 participants, with a 98.3% response rate, the majority of whom were female (n = 267, 64.2%) and had two chronic conditions (n = 215, 51.7%). About 46.4% of patients were taking five or more medications, with a significantly higher proportion at the high regimen complexity level (P = 0.001). The average MRCI score was 9.73 ± 3.38, indicating a high level of complexity. Patients with high MRCI scores reported more problems in mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. There was a negative correlation between the MRCI score and HRQoL as measured by the EQ-5D-Index (r = −0.175; P < 0.001) and the EuroQol-Visual Analogue Scale score (r = −0.151; P = 0.002). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean EQ-5D-Index (P = 0.001) and EQ-VAS scores (P = 0.001) across low, medium, and high MRCI levels. Conclusion. Medication regimen complexity was prevalent among patients with multimorbidity and was associated with a decrease in HRQoL. Therefore, interventions addressing medication-related issues should be a priority to improve the well-being of patients with multiple chronic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease with heterogeneous risk factors. Metabolic perturbations in the pathogenesis of the disease are remarkable to illuminate the interaction between genetic and environmental factors and how islet immunity and overt diabetes develop. This review aimed to integrate the metabolic changes of T1D to identify potential biomarkers for predicting disease progression based on recent metabolomics and lipidomics studies with parallel methodologies. Methods. A total of 18 metabolomics and lipidomics studies of childhood T1D during the last 15 years were reviewed. The metabolic fingerprints consisting of 41 lipids and/or metabolite classes of subjects with islet autoantibodies, progressors of T1D, and T1D children were mapped in four-time dimensions based on a tentative effect-score rule. Results. From birth, high-risk T1D subjects had decreased unsaturated triacylglycerols, unsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs), sphingomyelins (SMs), amino acids, and metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. On the contrary, lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) and monosaccharides increased. And LPCs and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) were elevated before the appearance of islet autoantibodies but were lowered after seroconversion. Choline-related lipids (including PCs, SMs, and LPCs), BCAAs, and metabolites involved in the TCA cycle were identified as consensus biomarkers potentially predicting the development of islet autoimmunity and T1D. Decreased LPCs and amino acids indicated poor glycemic control of T1D, while elevated lysophosphatidylethanolamines and saturated PCs implied good glycemic control. Further pathway analysis revealed that biosynthesis of aminoacyl-tRNA, BCAAs, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were significantly enriched. Moreover, established cohort studies and predictive statistical models of pediatric T1D were also summarized. Conclusion. The metabolic profile of high-risk T1D subjects and patients demonstrated significant changes compared with healthy controls. This integrated analysis provides a comprehensive overview of metabolic features and potential biomarkers in the pathogenesis and progression of T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk of pregnancy loss compared with the general population. We aimed to assess the incidence, timing and risk factors of pregnancy loss in cases with major fetal CHD, overall and according to cardiac diagnosis. Methods: This was a retrospective, population‐level cohort study of fetuses and infants diagnosed with major CHD between 1997 and 2018 identified by the Utah Birth Defect Network (UBDN), excluding cases with termination of pregnancy and minor cardiovascular diagnoses (e.g. isolated aortic/pulmonary pathology and isolated septal defects). The incidence and timing of pregnancy loss were recorded, overall and according to CHD diagnosis, with further stratification based on presence of isolated CHD vs additional fetal diagnosis (genetic diagnosis and/or extracardiac malformation). Adjusted risk of pregnancy loss was calculated and risk factors were assessed using multivariable models for the overall cohort and prenatal diagnosis subgroup. Results: Of 9351 UBDN cases with a cardiovascular code, 3251 cases with major CHD were identified, resulting in a study cohort of 3120 following exclusion of cases with pregnancy termination (n = 131). There were 2956 (94.7%) live births and 164 (5.3%) cases of pregnancy loss, which occurred at a median gestational age of 27.3 weeks. Of study cases, 1848 (59.2%) had isolated CHD and 1272 (40.8%) had an additional fetal diagnosis, including 736 (57.9%) with a genetic diagnosis and 536 (42.1%) with an extracardiac malformation. The observed incidence of pregnancy loss was highest in the presence of mitral stenosis (< 13.5%), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) (10.7%), double‐outlet right ventricle with normally related great vessels or not otherwise specified (10.5%) and Ebstein's anomaly (9.9%). The adjusted risk of pregnancy loss was 5.3% (95% CI, 3.7–7.6%) in the overall CHD population and 1.4% (95% CI, 0.9–2.3%) in cases with isolated CHD (adjusted risk ratio, 9.0 (95% CI, 6.0–13.0) and 2.0 (95% CI, 1.0–6.0), respectively, based on the general population risk of 0.6%). On multivariable analysis, variables associated with pregnancy loss in the overall CHD population included female fetal sex (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1–2.3)), Hispanic ethnicity (aOR, 1.6 (95% CI, 1.0–2.5)), hydrops (aOR, 6.7 (95% CI, 4.3–10.5)) and additional fetal diagnosis (aOR, 6.3 (95% CI, 4.1–10)). On multivariable analysis of the prenatal diagnosis subgroup, years of maternal education (aOR, 1.2 (95% CI, 1.0–1.4)), presence of an additional fetal diagnosis (aOR, 2.7 (95% CI, 1.4–5.6)), atrioventricular valve regurgitation ≥ moderate (aOR, 3.6 (95% CI, 1.3–8.8)) and ventricular dysfunction (aOR, 3.8 (95% CI, 1.2–11.1)) were associated with pregnancy loss. Diagnostic groups associated with pregnancy loss were HLHS and variants (aOR, 3.0 (95% CI, 1.7–5.3)), other single ventricles (aOR, 2.4 (95% CI, 1.1–4.9)) and other (aOR, 0.1 (95% CI, 0–0.97)). Time‐to‐pregnancy‐loss analysis demonstrated a steeper survival curve for cases with an additional fetal diagnosis, indicating a higher rate of pregnancy loss compared to cases with isolated CHD (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The risk of pregnancy loss is higher in cases with major fetal CHD compared with the general population and varies according to CHD type and presence of additional fetal diagnoses. Improved understanding of the incidence, risk factors and timing of pregnancy loss in CHD cases should inform patient counseling, antenatal surveillance and delivery planning. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A video abstract of this article is available online here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis is a plant that has been grown for centuries for it is industrial, medicinal, and recreational uses. Over the last few decades, cannabis has been increasingly used therapeutically and recreationally as states increasingly decriminalize or legalize its cultivation and sale. Pharmacists, as medication experts, can play an important role in educating patients and other healthcare professionals about cannabis, the evidence of its potential for therapeutic use, and the risks for short and long‐term adverse effects. This paper aims to broadly review the current policy landscape, describe specific issues and challenges relevant to patients and healthcare providers, and provide a framework for the clinical pharmacist's approach to the patient using cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth violence continues to be a major developmental and health concern. Preventative resources at individual, family, and community levels may reduce risk, yet the extent to which youth violence perpetration differs by patterns of risk and protective factors remains unknown. Using data from the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (N = 4630; 49% female; Mage = 14.69), we conducted person‐centered, latent profile analyses to identify four patterns for risk of violence perpetration among middle and high school youth. Youth in the Low Risk‐High Protection profile (37%) had low likelihood of violence perpetration. Youth in the Low Risk‐Low Protection profile (4%) were characterized by poor family functioning, low school belonging, and low community protection. These youth had similar odds of violence perpetration as youth in the Moderate Risk‐Moderate Protection profile (44%), which were elevated compared to the Low Risk‐High Protection profile. Youth in the High Risk‐Low Protection profile (15%), which had the highest levels of risk factors and lowest levels of protective factors, had the highest likelihood of violence perpetration. The High Risk‐Low Protection profile was expected based on past research, but the emergence of the Low Risk‐Low Protection profile is a unique contribution to the research. Findings contribute to the literature by going beyond a cumulative risk model, identifying subgroups with various patterns of risk and protection in the population, and highlighting the importance of selected prevention for subgroups of youth with high risk or challenging family and community environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stripe (yellow) rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is a devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum) worldwide. In commercial production, stripe rust reduces grain quality, grain yield, and forage yield. This study was conducted to identify quantitative trait locus (QTL) associated with field resistance to stripe rust in hard winter wheat. Stripe rust infection type and severity were rated in recombinant inbred lines (RILs, n = 204) derived from a cross between hard red winter wheat cultivars "Overley" and "Overland" in replicated field trials in the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest. RILs (n = 184) were genotyped with reduced representation sequencing to produce single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from alignment to the "Chinese Spring" reference sequence, IWGSC v2.1, and from alignment to the reference sequence for "Jagger," which is a parent of Overley. Genetic linkage maps were developed independently from each set of SNP markers. QTL analysis identified genomic regions on chromosome arms 2AS, 2BS, 2BL, and 2DL that were associated with stripe rust resistance using multi‐environment best linear unbiased predictors for stripe rust infection type and severity. Results for the two linkage maps were very similar. PCR‐based SNP marker assays associated with the QTL regions were developed to efficiently identify these genomic regions in breeding populations. Core Ideas: Combinations of partially effective stripe rust resistance alleles provide effective field resistance.In the Overley × Overland population, four genomic regions contributed to field resistance to stripe rust.Breeder‐friendly markers were developed to track these partially effective resistance alleles in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Sars‐CoV‐19 pandemic necessitated a transition to telemedicine for many healthcare encounters. The environmental impact of this transition in gastroenterology (GI) combined with user experience has not been studied. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent telemedicine visits (telephone and video) at a GI clinic at West Virginia University. Distance of patients' residence from clinic × 2 was calculated, and Environmental Protection Agency calculators utilized to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that were avoided from tele‐visits. Patients were reached by telephone and were asked questions to fill in a validated Telehealth Usability Questionnaire with Likert scales (1–7). Variables were also collected via chart review. Results: A total of 81 video and 89 telephone visits were conducted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) between March 2020 and March 2021. A total of 111 patients were enrolled, with a response rate of 65.29%. Mean age was lower in the video visit cohort compared with the telephone visit cohort (43.45 ± 14.32 years vs 52.34 ± 17.46 years). Most patients had medications prescribed during the visit (79.3%), and a majority had laboratory testing orders placed (57.7%). We calculated a total distance of 8732 miles that the patients would have traveled if they were to present for in‐person visits (including return trips). A total of 393.3 gallons of gasoline would have been required to transport these patients to and from the healthcare facility to their residence. A total of 3.5 metric tons of GHG's were saved by avoiding 393.3 gallons of gasoline for travel. In relatable terms, this is equivalent to burning more than 3500 pounds of coal. This averages to 31.5‐kg GHG emissions and 3.54 gallons of gasoline saved per patient. Conclusion: Telemedicine for GERD resulted in significant environmental savings and was rated highly for access, satisfaction, and usability by patients. Telemedicine for GERD can be an excellent alternative to in‐person visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a complex therapy aimed at providing mechanical support for patients with severe, life‐threating cardiac and/or respiratory failure. Research has demonstrated variability in pharmacokinetic changes in the critically ill patient population receiving ECMO. There is a need to understand the complexity of these pharmacokinetic changes to provide optimal pharmacotherapeutic regimens thereby maximizing effectiveness and mitigating harm. However, the number of pharmacokinetic studies in patients receiving ECMO remains small, and very few prospective studies have been published addressing optimal analgesic, sedative, or antimicrobial therapy. Anticoagulation is an additional important component of ECMO therapy but the preferred agent as well as dosing and monitoring strategy are unclear. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss analgesia and sedation, antimicrobial, and anticoagulation management strategies in adult patients receiving ECMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing applicable clinical machine learning models is a difficult task when the data includes spatial information, for example, radiation dose distributions across adjacent organs at risk. We describe the co‐design of a modeling system, DASS, to support the hybrid human‐machine development and validation of predictive models for estimating long‐term toxicities related to radiotherapy doses in head and neck cancer patients. Developed in collaboration with domain experts in oncology and data mining, DASS incorporates human‐in‐the‐loop visual steering, spatial data, and explainable AI to augment domain knowledge with automatic data mining. We demonstrate DASS with the development of two practical clinical stratification models and report feedback from domain experts. Finally, we describe the design lessons learned from this collaborative experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis and rosacea are highly prevalent inflammatory skin conditions which impose a significant burden on patients' quality of life. Their pathophysiology is likely multifactorial, involving genetic, immune and environmental factors. Recent advancements in the field have demonstrated the key role of mast cells (MC) in the pathophysiology of these conditions. The Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2) has emerged as a promising non-IgE-mediated MC activation receptor. MRGPRX2 is predominately expressed on MC and activated by endogenous and exogenous ligands, leading to MC degranulation and release of various pro-inflammatory mediators. Mounting evidence on the presence of endogenous MRGPRX2 agonists (substance P, cortistatin-14, LL37, PAMP-12 and VIP) and its high expression among patients with CSU, AD, rosacea, psoriasis and chronic pruritus emphasizes the pathogenic role of MRGPRX2 in these conditions. Despite the currently available treatments, there remains a pressing need for novel drug targets and treatment options for these chronic inflammatory skin conditions. Here, we reviewed the pathogenic role of MRGPRX2 and its potential as a novel therapeutic target and provided an update on future research directions., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Theory of mind (ToM) deficits have been reported in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, most studies have used pictures or written scenarios as stimuli without distinguishing between cognitive and affective ToM, and no studies have investigated older pwMS. We recruited 13 young healthy controls (HC), 14 young pwMS, 14 elderly HC and 15 elderly pwMS. ToM was measured using an adaptation of the Conversations and Insinuations task (Ouellet et al., J. Int. Neuropsychol. Soc., 16, 2010, 287). In this ecological video-based task, participants watch four 2-minute videos of social interactions, which are interrupted by multiple choice questions about either the emotional state (affective ToM) or the intention (cognitive ToM) of the characters. They also underwent a short neuropsychological battery including cognitive, executive and social cognition tasks and questionnaires. We observed a significant interaction between the ToM conditions and the groups regarding ToM performance. Elderly pwMS scored significantly lower than elderly HC and young pwMS in cognitive ToM, but not in affective ToM. They also showed the largest discrepancy between their cognitive and affective ToM. Young pwMS showed relatively preserved ToM in both conditions. Both cognitive and affective ToM correlated with global cognition and executive abilities, but not with social cognitive measures (emotion recognition, real-life empathy). This study suggests that decline in cognitive ToM might be accentuated by advancing age in pwMS. These impairments are most likely underlied by cognitive and executive difficulties, but not by core social cognitive impairments. Future studies should investigate the real-life impacts of ToM impairments in pwMS., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Neuropsychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.)

Background. Nimotuzumab exerts its antitumor effect (mainly antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and antiangiogenic) by blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor overexpressing between 30 and 95% in pancreatic tumors cells. Methods. A prospective, nonrandomized, uncontrolled, open-label, and multicenter clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of nimotuzumab combined with gemcitabine as first-line treatment in unresectable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic tumors in a real-world condition. Adverse events, their intensity, severity, and causality were determined using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 4.0). Median overall survival, median progression-free survival, and 1- and 2-year survival rates were determined by using the Kaplan-Meier. Results. 69 patients were included. The proportion of related serious adverse events was 1.2%. The most frequent adverse events were nausea (10%), anemia (8%), and abdominal pain (8%). Objective response was achieved in 18.5% of the patients and disease control in 43.1%. Patients with locally advanced disease achieved a median overall survival of 16.36 months (95% CI; 14.35-18.38); 1- and 2-year survival rates of 72.2 and 29.2 months, respectively; a median progression-free survival of 9.6 months (95% CI; 4.91-14.20); and a 1-year progression-free survival rate of 39%. Patients with metastatic disease achieved a median survival of 6.23 months (95% CI; 4.32-8.13); 1- and 2-year survival rates of 18.1 and 3.0 months, respectively; a median progression-free survival of 7.6 months (95% CI; 6.08-9.90); and 1- and 2-year PFS rates of 20.5 and 5.1 months, respectively. Conclusions. Nimotuzumab combined with gemcitabine represents a safe and effective first-line treatment option for patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma in real-world conditions. Survival benefits were increased in those patients who received 8 or more doses of nimotuzumab. This trial is registered with RPCEC00000245 in the Cuban Registry of Clinical Trials, part of the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mast cells (MC) are hematopoietic immune cells that play a major role during allergic reactions in adults by releasing a myriad of vasoactive and inflammatory mediators. MC seed all vascularized tissues and are most prominent in organs with a barrier function such as skin, lungs, and intestines. These secreted molecules cause mild symptoms such as localized itchiness and sneezing to life‐threatening symptoms (i.e., anaphylactic shock). Presently, despite the extensive research on Th2‐mediated immune responses in allergic diseases in adults, we are still unable to determine the mechanisms of the role of MC in developing pediatric allergic (PA) disorders. In this review, we will summarize the most recent findings on the origin of MC and discuss the underappreciated contribution of MC in the sensitization phase to maternal antibodies during pregnancy in allergic reactions and other diseases such as infectious diseases. Then, we will lay out potential MC‐dependent therapeutic strategies to be considered in future investigations to understand the remaining gaps in MC research for a better quality of life for these young patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbiome science as an interdisciplinary research field has evolved rapidly over the past two decades, becoming a popular topic not only in the scientific community and among the general public, but also in the food industry due to the growing demand for microbiome‐based technologies that provide added‐value solutions. Microbiome research has expanded in the context of food systems, strongly driven by methodological advances in different ‐omics fields that leverage our understanding of microbial diversity and function. However, managing and integrating different complex ‐omics layers are still challenging. Within the Coordinated Support Action MicrobiomeSupport (https://www.microbiomesupport.eu/), a project supported by the European Commission, the workshop "Metagenomics, Metaproteomics and Metabolomics: the need for data integration in microbiome research" gathered 70 participants from different microbiome research fields relevant to food systems, to discuss challenges in microbiome research and to promote a switch from microbiome‐based descriptive studies to functional studies, elucidating the biology and interactive roles of microbiomes in food systems. A combination of technologies is proposed. This will reduce the biases resulting from each individual technology and result in a more comprehensive view of the biological system as a whole. Although combinations of different datasets are still rare, advanced bioinformatics tools and artificial intelligence approaches can contribute to understanding, prediction, and management of the microbiome, thereby providing the basis for the improvement of food quality and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reinforcer pathology model posits that core behavioral economic mechanisms, including delay discounting and behavioral economic demand, underlie adverse health decisions and related clinical disorders. Extensions beyond substance use disorder and obesity, however, are limited. Using a reinforcer pathology framework, this study evaluates medical adherence decisions in patients with multiple sclerosis. Participants completed behavioral economic measures, including delay discounting, probability discounting, and a medication purchase task. A medical decision‐making task was also used to evaluate how sensitivity to mild side effect risk and efficacy contributed to the likelihood of taking a hypothetical disease‐modifying therapy. Less steep delay discounting and more intense (greater) medication demand were independently associated with greater adherence to the medication decision‐making procedure. More generally, the pattern of interrelations between the medication‐specific and general behavioral economic metrics was consistent with and contributes to the reinforcer pathology model. Additional research is warranted to expand these models to different populations and health behaviors, including those of a positive health orientation (i.e., medication adherence). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the largest health crises in the world. There are limited pharmaceutical interventions to treat AD, however, and most of the treatment options are not for cure or prevention, but rather to slow down the progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of tactile stimulation (TS) on AD-like symptoms and pathology in APPNL-G-F/NL-G-Fmice, a mouse model of AD. The results show that TS reduces the AD-like symptoms on tests of cognition, motor, and anxiety-like behaviors and these improvements in behavior are associated with reduced AD pathology in APP mice. Thus, TS appears to be a promising noninvasive strategy for slowing the onset of dementia in aging animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CSU patients showed median IgE-anti-TG2 levels of 10.8 AU, IQR 5.0-58.5 AU, and the highest value was 356.9 AU. Abbreviations ASST Autologous serum skin test CSU Chronic spontaneous urticaria DLQI Dermatology Life Quality Index IQR interquartile range TG tissue transglutaminase UAS7 urticaria activity score over 7 days UCT urticarial control test ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: To validate a French version of the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire 15 which examines patients' perception of the effect of multiple sclerosis symptoms on their sexual activity. Methods: After completing a translation/re‐translation process to ensure linguistic and content validity, the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire 15 French (MSISQ‐15Fr) was completed by patients with multiple sclerosis. The validity of the construction, reliability, stability and reproducibility of the translation was evaluated. Explanatory mixed observational study: Validation of a French assessment tool for sexual disorders (borrowed theoretical framework): the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire 15 (MSISQ 15) Results: The normed χ2 was 1.21, the root mean square error of approximation was 0.046 [0.00; 0.07], the comparative fit index was 0.974, and the standardized root mean square was 0.065. The calculated Cronbach's coefficients indicated strong internal coherence, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was satisfactory at 0.9. Translations of the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire 15 (MSISQ‐15) have already been validated in five languages. This French version is valid, stable and reproducible. It provides French‐speaking nurses an accessible and appropriate tool that will enable them to play an active role in the sexual health strategy recommended by the World Health Organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drinking water scarcity is becoming an urgent problem worldwide, and it affects developing and developed countries alike. Kazakhstan is not an exception and has its primary sources of drinking water (groundwater, rivers, and lakes) continuously depleted and polluted; moreover, the country will be close to its exploitation limits within the following decades. However, modern technologies allow us to harvest drinking water from unintegrated sources, like the atmosphere. Therefore, it is crucial to research which non‐conventional technologies can be used to obtain drinking water from unintegrated sources for the country, considering the cost, viability of use through the year, and local climate conditions. Thus, the present assessment was performed for the 14 demographic regions in Kazakhstan and two city‐states, and a map depicting the most feasible technology for each region is presented, including their levelized cost per liter. Seven mature technologies were found to be feasible in Kazakhstani year‐round climates. However, Air AW3 technology and Artificial Glaciers (AG) were the most cost‐effective for family‐size and village‐size solutions, respectively. The water provided via utility pipelines proved to be the most cost‐effective manner, when available, to supply drinking water at a family‐size scale, but found a less expensive competitor in the AG technology for village‐size solutions. Moreover, the lack of utility water pipelines in some Kazakhstani regions, principally countryside rural areas, makes it vital to deploy and implement these alternative water‐harvesting technologies to guarantee the future water security of these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in young adults. The role of iron in potentiating neurodegeneration following TBI has gained recent interest as iron deposition has been detected in the injured brain in the weeks to months post‐TBI, in both the preclinical and clinical setting. A failure in iron homeostasis can lead to oxidative stress, inflammation and excitotoxicity; and whether this is a cause or consequence of the long‐term effects of TBI remains unknown. Experimental Approach: We investigated the role of iron and the effect of therapeutic intervention using a brain‐permeable iron chelator, deferiprone, in a controlled cortical impact mouse model of TBI. An extensive assessment of cognitive, motor and anxiety/depressive outcome measures were examined, and neuropathological and biochemical changes, over a 3‐month period post‐TBI. Key Results: Lesion volume was significantly reduced at 3 months, which was preceded by a reduction in astrogliosis, microglia/macrophages and preservation of neurons in the injured brain at 2 weeks and/or 1 month post‐TBI in mice receiving oral deferiprone. Deferiprone treatment showed significant improvements in neurological severity scores, locomotor/gait performance and cognitive function, and attenuated anxiety‐like symptoms post‐TBI. Deferiprone reduced iron levels, lipid peroxidation/oxidative stress and altered expression of neurotrophins in the injured brain over this period. Conclusion and Implications: Our findings support a detrimental role of iron in the injured brain and suggest that deferiprone (or similar iron chelators) may be promising therapeutic approaches to improve survival, functional outcomes and quality of life following TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interferometer in which all of its components are treated as quantum bodies is examined with the standard interpretation and with a model in which its uncoupled spatially separated components act collectively. These models utilize superposition principles that differ when applied to systems composed of three or more bodies. Interferometric discrepancies between these models that involve frequency shifts and recoil are shown to be difficult to measure. More pronounced differences involve quantum correlated interference. The collective model provides a missing connection between quantum and semiclassical theories. Scattering from an entangled state, which cannot be divided into disjoint parts, is proposed to involve such collective recoil. Collective scattering offers a viable supplement to the standard model, thereby providing insight into constructing tests of the superposition principle in systems with three or more bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]