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The Varicella‐zoster virus (VZV), classified as a neurotropic member of the Herpesviridae family, exhibits a characteristic pathogenicity, predominantly inducing varicella, commonly known as chickenpox, during the initial infectious phase, and triggering the reactivation of herpes zoster, more commonly recognized as shingles, following its emergence from a latent state. The pathogenesis of VZV‐associated neuroinflammation involves a complex interplay between viral replication within sensory ganglia and immune‐mediated responses that contribute to tissue damage and dysfunction. Upon primary infection, VZV gains access to sensory ganglia, establishing latent infection within neurons. During reactivation, the virus can spread along sensory nerves, triggering a cascade of inflammatory mediators, chemokines, and immune cell infiltration in the affected neural tissues. The role of both adaptive and innate immune reactions, including the contributions of T and B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells, in orchestrating the immune‐mediated damage in the central nervous system is elucidated. Furthermore, the aberrant activation of the natural defence mechanism, characterised by the dysregulated production of immunomodulatory proteins and chemokines, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of VZV‐induced neurological disorders, such as encephalitis, myelitis, and vasculopathy. The intricate balance between protective and detrimental immune responses in the context of VZV infection emphasises the necessity for an exhaustive comprehension of the immunopathogenic mechanisms propelling neuroinflammatory processes. Despite the availability of vaccines and antiviral therapies, VZV‐related neurological complications remain a significant concern, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. Elucidating these mechanisms might facilitate the emergence of innovative immunomodulatory strategies and targeted therapies aimed at mitigating VZV‐induced neuroinflammatory damage and improving clinical outcomes. This comprehensive understanding enhances our grasp of viral pathogenesis and holds promise for pioneering therapeutic strategies designed to mitigate the neurological ramifications of VZV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of metal debris from implant wear and corrosion processes is now a well understood occurrence following hip arthroplasty. Evidence has shown that metal ions can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant organs including the brain, and in extreme cases, can induce sensorial and neurological diseases. Our objective was tosimultaneously analyze brain anatomy and physiology in patients with long‐term and well‐functioning implants. Included were subjects who had received total hip or hip resurfacing arthroplastywith an implantation time of a minimum of 7 years (n = 28) and age‐ and sex‐matched controls (n = 32). Blood samples were obtained to measure ion concentrations of cobalt and chromium, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was performed. 3T MRI brain scans were completed with an MPRAGE sequence for ROI segmentation and multiecho gradient echo sequences to generate QSM and R2* maps. Mean QSM and R2* values were recorded for five deep brain and four middle and cortical brain structures on both hemispheres: pallidum, putamen, caudate, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate, inferior temporal, and cerebellum. No differences in QSM or R2* or cognition scores were found between both groups (p > 0.6654). No correlation was found between susceptibility and blood ion levels for cobalt or chromium in any region of the brain. No correlation was found between blood ion levels and cognition scores. Clinical significance: Results suggest that metal ions released by long‐term and well‐functioning implants do not affect brain integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are among the most common causes of death across the globe. NDs are characterized by progressive damage to CNS neurons, leading to defects in specific brain functions such as memory, cognition, and movement. The most common NDs are Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite extensive research, no therapeutics or medications against NDs have been proven to be effective. The current treatment of NDs involving symptom‐based targeting of the disease pathogenesis has certain limitations, such as drug resistance, adverse side effects, poor blood–brain barrier permeability, and poor bioavailability of drugs. Some studies have shown that plant‐derived natural compounds hold tremendous promise for treating and preventing NDs. Therefore, the primary objective of this review article is to critically analyze the properties and potency of some of the most studied phytomedicines, such as quercetin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), apigenin, and cannabinoids, and highlight their advantages and limitations for developing next‐generation alternative treatments against NDs. Further extensive research on pre‐clinical and clinical studies for developing plant‐based drugs against NDs from bench to bedside is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basal forebrain cholinergic neurons provide acetylcholine to the cortex via large projections. Recent molecular imaging work in humans indicates that the cortical cholinergic innervation is not uniformly distributed, but rather may disproportionately innervate cortical areas relevant to supervisory attention. In this study, we therefore reexamined the spatial relationship between acetylcholinergic modulation and attention in the human cortex using meta‐analytic strategies targeting both pharmacological and non‐pharmacological neuroimaging studies. We found that pharmaco‐modulation of acetylcholine evoked both increased activity in the anterior cingulate and decreased activity in the opercular and insular cortex. In large independent meta‐analyses of non‐pharmacological neuroimaging research, we demonstrate that during attentional engagement these cortical areas exhibit (1) task‐related co‐activation with the basal forebrain, (2) task‐related co‐activation with one another, and (3) spatial overlap with dense cholinergic innervations originating from the basal forebrain, as estimated by multimodal positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, we provide meta‐analytic evidence that pharmaco‐modulation of acetylcholine also induces a speeding of responses to targets with no apparent tradeoff in accuracy. In sum, we demonstrate in humans that acetylcholinergic modulation of midcingulo‐insular hubs of the ventral attention/salience network via basal forebrain afferents may coordinate selection of task relevant information, thereby facilitating cognition and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hippocampus is classically divided into mesoscopic subfields which contain varying microstructure that contribute to their unique functional roles. It has been challenging to characterize this microstructure with current magnetic resonance based neuroimaging techniques. In this work, we used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and a novel surface‐based approach in the hippocampus which revealed distinct microstructural distributions of neurite density and dispersion, T1w/T2w ratio as a proxy for myelin content, fractional anisotropy, and mean diffusivity. We used the neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) model optimized for grey matter diffusivity to characterize neurite density and dispersion. We found that neurite dispersion was highest in the cornu ammonis (CA) 1 and subiculum subfields which likely captures the large heterogeneity of tangential and radial fibres, such as the Schaffer collaterals, perforant path, and pyramidal neurons. Neurite density and T1w/T2w were highest in the subiculum and CA3 and lowest in CA1, which may reflect known myeloarchitectonic differences between these subfields. Using a simple logistic regression model, we showed that neurite density, dispersion, and T1w/T2w measures were separable across the subfields, suggesting that they may be sensitive to the known variability in subfield cyto‐ and myeloarchitecture. We report macrostructural measures of gyrification, thickness, and curvature that were in line with ex vivo descriptions of hippocampal anatomy. We employed a multivariate orthogonal projective non‐negative matrix factorization (OPNNMF) approach to capture co‐varying regions of macro‐ and microstructure across the hippocampus. The clusters were highly variable along the medial–lateral (proximal–distal) direction, likely reflecting known differences in morphology, cytoarchitectonic profiles, and connectivity. Finally, we show that by examining the main direction of diffusion relative to canonical hippocampal axes, we could identify regions with stereotyped microstructural orientations that may map onto specific fibre pathways, such as the Schaffer collaterals, perforant path, fimbria, and alveus. These results highlight the value of combining in vivo dMRI with computational approaches for capturing hippocampal microstructure, which may provide useful features for understanding cognition and for diagnosis of disease states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present review was to examine success, survival and failure following intentional replantation of endodontically treated teeth with existing periapical pathosis and to determine the factors that might affect the outcome of replantation. Clinical trials, longitudinal studies, case series with >10 cases and at least 1‐year follow‐up were included. The average rate of success following intentional replantation was 77.23%. Meta‐analysis revealed the mean weighted survival to be 85.9% (95% CI: 79.6–91.2) Common complications include inflammatory root resorption (0%–27%) and ankylosis (0%–25%). Variables influencing successful outcome include extra alveolar dry time <15 min; root‐end resection (2–3 mm) and cavity preparation (3 mm); manipulation of the tooth using the crown only; and use of an appropriate storage media. The review concludes that intentional replantation is a viable treatment option with acceptable survival rates for endodontically treated teeth with periapical pathosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, the COVID‐19 pandemic seriously affected both physical and mental health conditions. This study aims to assess changes in the prevalence of depression among older adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Bangladesh and explore the correlates of depression in pooled data. Methods: This study followed a repeated cross‐sectional design and was conducted through telephone interviews on two successive occasions during the COVID‐19 pandemic (October 2020 and September 2021) among 2077 (1032 in 2020‐survey and 1045 in 2021‐survey) older Bangladeshi adults aged 60 years and above. Depression was measured using the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS‐15). The binary logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with depression in pooled data. Results: A significant increase in the prevalence of depression was noted in the 2021 survey compared to the 2020 survey (47.2% versus 40.3%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11–1.75). Depression was significantly higher among participants without a partner (aOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.45–2.53), with a monthly family income of <5000 BDT (aOR: 2.65, 95% CI 1.82–3.86) or 5000–10 000 BDT (aOR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.03–1.65), living alone (aOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.40–3.61), feeling isolated (aOR 3.15, 95% CI 2.49–3.98), with poor memory/concentration (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.58–2.57), with non‐communicable chronic conditions (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.06–1.69), overwhelmed by COVID‐19 (aOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.18–2.00), having difficulty earning (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.15–1.92) or obtaining food (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.17–2.09) during COVID‐19 pandemic, communicating less frequently (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.07–1.70) and needing extra care (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.75–2.96) during the pandemic. Conclusions: Policymakers and public health practitioners should provide immediate mental health support initiatives for this vulnerable population during the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond. Policymakers should also invest in creating safe places to practise mindful eating, exercise, or other refuelling activities as a means of preventing and managing depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is the primary source of water in the Bengal Delta but contamination threatens this vital resource. In deltaic environments, heterogeneous sedimentary architecture controls groundwater flow; therefore, characterizing subsurface structure is a critical step in predicting groundwater contamination. Here, we show that surface information can improve the characterization of the nature and geometry of subsurface features, thus improving the predictions of groundwater flow. We selected three locations in the Bengal Delta with distinct surface river network characteristics—the lower delta with straighter tidal channels, the mid‐delta with meandering and braided channels, and the inactive delta with transitional sinuous channels. We used surface information, including channel widths, depths, and sinuosity, to create models of the subsurface with object‐based geostatistical simulations. We collected an extensive set of lithologic data and filled in gaps with newly drilled boreholes. Our results show that densely distributed lithologic data from active lower and mid‐delta are consistent with the object‐based models generated from surface information. In the inactive delta, metrics from object‐based models derived from surface geometries are not consistent with subsurface data. We further simulated groundwater flow and solute transport through the object‐based models and compared these with simulated flow through lithologic models based only on variograms. Substantial differences in flow and transport through the different geologic models show that geometric structure derived from surface information strongly influences groundwater flow and solute transport. Land surface features in active deltas are therefore a valuable source of information for improving the evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to contamination. Plain Language Summary: The structure of groundwater aquifers affects how groundwater and contaminants move through them. In deltas, dynamic river networks are responsible for depositing sediments that ultimately form subsurface aquifers. Therefore, the characteristics of the surface river channel network should provide information about the structure of the subsurface. We tested this idea using a large set of sedimentary data from the Bengal Basin. We created models of the subsurface based on the surface network and showed that the subsurface data reflect the model characteristics in deltas that are actively depositing sediment. Using these subsurface models as input for groundwater flow models, we showed that incorporating this surface information is important for being able to predict how contaminants move in groundwater. Key Points: We demonstrate a novel approach that harnesses land surface characteristics to inform groundwater modeling in deltasThe subsurface lithologic data of an active delta is more consistent with surface features than that of an inactive deltaIncorporation of surface information can improve the prediction of contaminant transport in aquifers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early childhood caries poses a significant health issue in children under 6 years old. It is determined that Streptococcus mutans is a primary etiological agent, likely to be transferred through maternal contact. Objectives: To determine the association of maternal S. mutans counts with S. mutans counts in their children between 6 and 30 months of age, and to determine the maternal and child DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) indices. Material and Methods: A community‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. A sample of 193 dyads of mother–children (6–30 months of age) was selected via purposive sampling. Saliva samples of the dyads were collected to assess S. mutans count. Caries assessment was performed for both using the DMFT index. A pretested questionnaire was used. The association of bottle‐feeding, oral hygiene measures, and other factors with S. mutans counts in children were also explored. Zero‐inflated negative binomial regression model at a 5% level of significance was applied using STATA version 12.0. Results: Out of 193 children, 109 (56.47%) were males and 84 (43.52%) were females. The mean age of mothers and children was 29.4 ± 6.2 years and 19.54 ± 6.8 months, respectively. Maternal S. mutans counts were not statistically associated with child's S. mutans counts (Mean child's S. mutans count ratio: 1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1, 1.01; p =.882). Compared with children who were breastfed, S. mutans counts were higher in children who were bottle‐fed (mean S. mutans count ratio= 4.85 [95% CI: 1.53, 15.41], p =.007). Age of mother and present caries status of mothers was significantly associated with the child's S. mutans count. Conclusion: No association between maternal S. mutans and child S. mutans was observed. However, maternal age, children who were breastfed, children who did not use pacifiers, and children with mothers who did not have caries, exhibited low S. mutans counts in their saliva. WHY THIS PAPER IS IMPORTANT: No association was observed between maternal S. mutans and child S. mutans count.Breastfeeding, pacifier use, increasing maternal age, and absence of maternal caries were linked to lower S. mutans counts in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymine or thymidine starvation induces robust chromosomal fragmentation in Escherichia coli thyA deoCABD mutants and is proposed to be the cause of thymineless death (TLD). However, fragmentation kinetics challenges the idea that fragmentation causes TLD, by peaking before the onset of TLD and disappearing by the time TLD accelerates. Quantity and kinetics of fragmentation also stay unchanged in hyper‐TLD‐exhibiting recBCD mutant, making its faster and deeper TLD independent of fragmentation as well. Elimination of fragmentation without affecting cellular metabolism did not abolish TLD in the thyA mutant, but reduced early TLD in the thyA recBCD mutant, suggesting replication‐dependent, but undetectable by pulsed‐field gel, double‐strand breaks contributed to TLD. Chromosomal fragmentation, but not TLD, was eliminated in both the thyA and thyA recBCD mutants harboring deoCABD operon. The expression of a single gene, deoA, encoding thymidine phosphorylase, was sufficient to abolish fragmentation, suggesting thymidine‐to‐thymine interconversion during T‐starvation being a key factor. Overall, this study reveals that chromosomal fragmentation, a direct consequence of T‐starvation, is either dispensable or redundant for the overall TLD pathology, including hyper‐TLD in the recBCD mutant. Replication forks, unlike chromosomal fragmentation, may provide a minor contribution to TLD, but only in the repair‐deficient thyA deoCABD recBCD mutant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare workers (HCWs) remain on the front line of the battle against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection and are among the highest groups at risk of infection during this raging pandemic. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the incidence of postvaccination SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among vaccinated HCWs. We searched multiple databases from inception through August 2021 to identify studies that reported on the incidence of postvaccination SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among HCWs. Meta‐analysis was performed to determine pooled proportions of COVID‐19 infection in partially/fully vaccinated as well as unvaccinated individuals. Eighteen studies with 228 873 HCWs were included in the final analysis. The total number of partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated, and unvaccinated HCWs were 132 922, 155 673, and 17 505, respectively. Overall pooled proportion of COVID‐19 infections among partially/fully vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs was 2.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–3.5). Among partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs, pooled proportion of COVID‐19 infections was 2.3% (CI 1.2–4.4), 1.3% (95% CI 0.6–2.9), and 10.1% (95% CI 4.5–19.5), respectively. Our analysis shows the risk of COVID‐19 infection in both partially and fully vaccinated HCWs remains exceedingly low when compared to unvaccinated individuals. There remains an urgent need for all frontline HCWs to be vaccinated against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Highlights: The overall pooled proportion of COVID‐19 infections in partially vaccinated healthcare workers was 2.3%.The overall pooled proportion of COVID‐19 infections in fully vaccinated healthcare workers was 1.3%.The overall pooled proportion of COVID‐19 infections in unvaccinated healthcare workers was 10.1%.Our findings show decreased incidence of COVID‐19 infection as well as decreased incidence of hospitalization, ICU admission and deaths, amongst vaccinated HCWs. There remains an urgent need for healthcare workers to consider getting vaccinated against COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Makran accretionary wedge developed as a result of subduction of the Arabian Plate beneath the southern margin of Eurasia since the Eocene. Interpretation of 2D seismic profiles calibrated to offshore well data in a study area to the south of Gwadar Bay (SW Pakistan) indicates a major period of accretion from the mid‐Miocene, as evidenced by the occurrence of thick growth strata associated with large‐scale imbricate thrusts. The thrust faults originate from a deep detachment within the mud‐rich Oligocene interval, and well‐developed piggy‐back basin successions occur in thrust hanging walls. In the study area, the thrust structures are sealed by a thick, progradational Pliocene to Recent interval in which the presence of submarine canyons, up to 2.5 km across, indicate that sedimentary transport was from the north. Fluid escape pipes and associated amplitude anomalies are observed in the seismic profiles studied and may be related to upward migration of thermogenic hydrocarbons from depth, as heavy hydrocarbon fractions

Evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori plays a role in gastric cancer (GC) initiation. However, epidemiologic studies on the specific role of other bacteria in the development of GC are lacking. We conducted a case‐control study of 89 cases with gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) and 89 matched controls who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at three sites affiliated with NYU Langone Health. We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing using oral wash samples from 89 case‐control pairs and antral mucosal brushing samples from 55 case‐control pairs. We examined the associations of relative abundances of bacterial taxa and functional pathways with IM using conditional logistic regression with and without elastic‐net penalty. Compared with controls, oral species Peptostreptococcus stomatis, Johnsonella ignava, Neisseria elongata and Neisseria flavescens were enriched in cases (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.29‐1.50, P =.004‐.01) while Lactobacillus gasseri, Streptococcus mutans, S parasanguinis and S sanguinis were under‐represented (ORs = 0.66‐0.76, P =.006‐.042) in cases. Species J ignava and Filifactor alocis in the gastric microbiota were enriched (ORs = 3.27 and 1.43, P =.005 and.035, respectively), while S mutans, S parasanguinis and S sanguinis were under‐represented (ORs = 0.61‐0.75, P =.024‐.046), in cases compared with controls. The lipopolysaccharide and ubiquinol biosynthesis pathways were more abundant in IM, while the sugar degradation pathways were under‐represented in IM. The findings suggest potential roles of certain oral and gastric microbiota, which are correlated with regulation of pathways associated with inflammation, in the development of gastric precancerous lesions. What's new? There's not much evidence for how gut bacteria, besides H. pylori, contribute to gastric cancer risk. Here, the authors used metagenome sequencing to characterize the differences in bacterial microbiota in gastric precancerous lesion cases compared with healthy controls. In gastric intestinal metaplasias, they found higher proportions of several species related to periodontal disease as well as opportunistic pathogens, but lower levels of certain commensals and probiotic species. Metagenomic analysis revealed pathways that were associated with gastric intestinal metaplasias, suggesting a possible mechanism for how the bacteria influence disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data‐driven process monitoring and control techniques and their application to industrial chemical processes are gaining popularity due to the current focus on Industry 4.0, digitalization and the Internet of Things. However, for the development of such techniques, there are significant barriers that must be overcome in obtaining sufficiently large and reliable datasets. As a result, the use of real plant and process data in developing and testing data‐driven process monitoring and control tools can be difficult without investing significant efforts in acquiring, treating, and interpreting the data. Therefore, researchers need a tool that effortlessly generates large amounts of realistic and reliable process data without the requirement for additional data treatment or interpretation. In this work, we propose a data generation platform based on the Tennessee Eastman Process simulation benchmark. A graphical user interface (GUI) developed in MATLAB Simulink is presented that enables users to generate massive amounts of data for testing applicability of big data concepts in the realm of process control for continuous time‐dependent processes. An R‐Shiny app that interacts with the data generation tool is also presented for illustration purposes. The app can visualize the results generated by the Tennessee Eastman Process and can carry out a standard fault detection and diagnosis studies based on PCA. The data generator GUI is available free of charge for research purposes at https://github.com/dtuprodana/TEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth and productivity is restricted by a multitude of abiotic stresses. These stresses negatively affect physiological and metabolic pathways, leading to the production of many harmful substances like ROS, lipid peroxides and aldehydes. This study was conducted to investigate the role of Arabidopsis ALDH3I1 gene in multiple abiotic stress tolerance.Transgenic tobacco plants were generated that overexpress the ALDH3I1 gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter and evaluated under different abiotic stresses, namely salt, drought, cold and oxidative stress. Tolerance to stress was evaluated based on responses of various growth and physiological traits under stress condition.Transgenic plants displayed elevated ALDH3I1 transcript levels compared to WT plants. The constitutive ectopic expression of ALDH3I1 conferred increased tolerance to salt, drought, cold and oxidative stresses in transgenic plants, along with improved plant growth. Transgenic plants overexpressing ALDH3I1 had higher chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and proline, and less accumulation of ROS and malondialdehyde compared to the WT, which contributed to stress tolerance in transgenic plants. Our results further revealed that ALDH3I1 had a positive effect on CO2 assimilation rate in plants under abiotic stress conditions.Overall, this study revealed that ALDH3I1 positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance in plants, and has future implications in producing transgenic cereal and horticultural plants tolerant to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periventricular white matter hyperintensities (pvWMH) are neuroimaging abnormalities surrounding the lateral ventricles that are apparent on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They are associated with age, neurodegenerative disease, and cerebrovascular risk factors. While pvWMH ultimately represent a loss of white matter structural integrity, the pathological causes are heterogeneous in nature, and currently, cannot be distinguished using neuroimaging alone. pvWMH could occur because of a combination of small vessel disease (SVD), ependymal loss, blood–brain barrier dysfunction, and microgliosis. In this study we aimed to characterize microvascular stenosis, fibrinogen extravasation, and microgliosis within pvWMH with and without imaging evidence of periventricular infarction. Using postmortem neuroimaging of human brains (n = 20), we identified pvWMH with and without periventricular infarcts (PVI). We performed histological analysis of microvessel stenosis, perivascular spaces, microgliosis, and immunohistochemistry against fibrinogen as a measure of serum protein extravasation. Herein, we report distinctions between pvWMH with and without periventricular infarcts based on associations with microvessel stenosis, enlarged perivascular spaces, and fibrinogen IHC. Microvessel stenosis was significantly associated with PVI and with cellular deposition of fibrinogen in the white matter. The presence of fibrinogen was associated with PVI and increased number of microglia. These findings suggest that neuroimaging‐based detection of infarction within pvWMH may help distinguish more severe lesions, associated with underlying microvascular disease and BBB dysfunction, from milder pvWMH that are a highly frequent finding on MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LRRK2 serine/threonine kinase is associated with inherited Parkinson's disease. LRRK2 phosphorylates a subset of Rab GTPases within their switch 2 motif to control their interactions with effectors. Recent work has shown that the metal‐dependent protein phosphatase PPM1H counteracts LRRK2 by dephosphorylating Rabs. PPM1H is highly selective for LRRK2 phosphorylated Rabs, and closely related PPM1J exhibits no activity towards substrates such as Rab8a phosphorylated at Thr72 (pThr72). Here, we have identified the molecular determinant of PPM1H specificity for Rabs. The crystal structure of PPM1H reveals a structurally conserved phosphatase fold that strikingly has evolved a 110‐residue flap domain adjacent to the active site. The flap domain distantly resembles tudor domains that interact with histones in the context of epigenetics. Cellular assays, crosslinking and 3‐D modelling suggest that the flap domain encodes the docking motif for phosphorylated Rabs. Consistent with this hypothesis, a PPM1J chimaera with the PPM1H flap domain dephosphorylates pThr72 of Rab8a both in vitro and in cellular assays. Therefore, PPM1H has acquired a Rab‐specific interaction domain within a conserved phosphatase fold. Synopsis: PPM1H phosphatase belongs to the PPM (PP2C) family of enzymes that have a conserved Mg2+/Mn2+‐dependent catalytic domain. PPM1H counters the LRRK2 kinase pathway by dephosphorylating a subset of Rab GTPases. Through X‐ray, biochemical and cellular studies, the molecular basis for specificity can be attributed to a novel flap domain that has evolved to recognize Rab GTPases. Mutations in the flap domain reduce the ability of PPM1H to hydrolyze a phosphorylated threonine in the switch 2 helix of Rab8a and Rab10Grafting of the PPM1H flap domain onto PPM1J phosphatase is sufficient to enable PPM1J to dephosphorylate Rab8a and Rab10 both in vitro and in cellular assaysA hydrophobic N‐terminal anchor that is conserved in PPM1H, PPM1J and PPM1M contributes to folding of their catalytic domains [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To introduce and characterize inexpensive and easily produced 3D‐printed axon‐mimetic diffusion MRI phantoms in terms of pore geometry and diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics. Methods: Phantoms were 3D‐printed with a composite printing material that, after the dissolution of the polyvinyl alcohol, exhibits microscopic fibrous pores. Confocal microscopy and synchrotron phase‐contrast micro‐CT imaging were performed to visualize and assess the pore sizes. Diffusion MRI scans of four identical phantoms and phantoms with varying print parameters in water were performed at 9.4 T. Diffusion kurtosis imaging was fit to both data sets and used to assess the reproducibility between phantoms and effects of print parameters on diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics. Identical scans were performed 25 and 76 days later, to test their stability. Results: Segmentation of pores in three microscopy images yielded a mean, median, and SD of equivalent pore diameters of 7.57 μm, 3.51 μm, and 12.13 μm, respectively. Phantoms had T1/T2 = 2 seconds/180 ms, and those with identical parameters showed a low coefficient of variation (~10%) in mean diffusivity (1.38 × 10−3 mm2/s) and kurtosis (0.52) metrics and radial diffusivity (1.01 × 10−3 mm2/s) and kurtosis (1.13) metrics. Printing temperature and speed had a small effect on diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics (< 16%), whereas infill density had a larger and more variable effect (> 16%). The stability analysis showed small changes over 2.5 months (< 7%). Conclusion: Three‐dimension‐printed axon‐mimetic phantoms can mimic the fibrous structure of axon bundles on a microscopic scale, serving as complex, anisotropic diffusion MRI phantoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), in sub‐Saharan Africa is threatened by a new invasive pest, fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). To mitigate this threat, push–pull companion cropping, a system originally developed for management of lepidopteran stemborers, may be used to control FAW. The original system involved trap crops that functioned as a 'pull' component to attract moths away from the main crop. How grass species can be used as trap crops in a push–pull system to control FAW is a question that remains to be answered, because maize is already a highly preferred host plant. Therefore, we tested oviposition preference of FAW female moths in no‐choice and two‐choice experiments and larval performance on six selected grasses (Poaceae) to assess their roles as trap crop 'pull' plants in the system. In no‐choice tests, numbers of eggs deposited on Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R. Webster cv. 'Piata', cv. 'Mulato II', and cv. 'Xaraes', and Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum K. Schumach) cv. 'South Africa' were not statistically different from those deposited on maize. In two‐choice tests between grasses and maize, there were no significant differences in number of eggs laid when the plants were of the same size. However, in two‐choice tests with maize plants half of the size of the grasses, significantly more eggs were laid on B. brizantha cv. Xaraes and P. purpureum cv. South Africa than on maize, suggesting that crop phenology could make a difference. Numbers of larvae arrested on grass leaf cuts were considerably lower than those on maize leaf cuts after 48 h. In two‐choice tests with maize, molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.) was the only grass that was significantly preferred to maize for larval settlement after 24 h. After 48 h in the two‐choice test, it was the only grass that retained larvae, although the larval count was significantly lower than on maize. Our data show that none of the grasses tested were strongly preferred to maize, but the results indicate plants attractive to FAW adults and larvae that could be utilized in a multiple trap crop approach to target various stages of the pest. Furthermore, results indicate the importance of planting these companion plants earlier than maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a range of motor and nonmotor symptoms, often with the motor dysfunction initiated unilaterally. Knowledge regarding disease‐related alterations in white matter pathways can effectively help improve the understanding of the disease and propose targeted treatment strategies. Microstructural imaging techniques, including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), allows inspection of white matter integrity to study the pathogenesis of various neurological conditions. Previous voxel‐based analyses with DTI measures, such as fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity have uncovered changes in brain regions that are associated with PD, but the conclusions were inconsistent, partially due to small patient cohorts and the lack of consideration for clinical laterality onset, particularly in early PD. Fixel‐based analysis (FBA) is a recent framework that offers tract‐specific insights regarding white matter health, but very few FBA studies on PD exist. We present a study that reveals strengthened and weakened white matter integrity that is subject to symptom laterality in a large drug‐naïve de novo PD cohort using complementary DTI and FBA measures. The findings suggest that the disease gives rise to tissue degeneration and potential re‐organization in the early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer worldwide. Studies have shown a strong association between screening colonoscopy and a reduced risk of death from colorectal cancers. The incidence of poor bowel preparation has been reported in up to 25% cases. We conducted a systematic review and comprehensive meta‐analysis to evaluate the effect of patient education using multimedia platforms on adenoma detection rate and adequacy of bowel preparation. Methods: Multiple databases were searched through May 2020 for studies that reported the efficacy of multimedia education (smartphone app and online audio‐visual aids) in improving quality of bowel preparation and its effect on adenoma detection rate (ADR). Meta‐analysis was performed to determine whether multimedia based patient education (MM) helps improve ADR and bowel preparation quality as compared to controls (CT). Results: We included 13 randomized controlled trials with a total of 3754 patients. Eight studies reported outcomes on ADR and 12 reported on adequacy of bowel preparation. Overall ADR was higher in patients receiving multimedia based education as compared to CT (risk ratio (RR) 1.25, confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.56, P = 0.04). A higher proportion of patients receiving multimedia based education achieved adequate bowel preparation (RR 1.2, CI 1.1–1.3, P = 0.001). In patients with mean age over 50 years, ADR was better in MM cohort as compared to controls (RR 1.3, CI 1.1–1.6, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Pre‐colonoscopy patient education using multimedia based platforms seems to improve ADR and the adequacy of bowel preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Obesity is a risk factor for non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and increases the risk of several cancer types including cancers of the liver. Bariatric surgery can provide durable weight loss, but little is known about the later development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgery. Aim: To determine whether bariatric surgery reduces the risk of HCC. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature search of major databases (from inception to November 2020) to identify studies which assess the incidence and risk of HCC following bariatric surgery. Pooled data were assessed using a random‐effects model expressed in terms of odds ratio (OR), incidence rate ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Nine studies (two abstracts and seven full texts) were included for meta‐analysis which involved 19 514 750 patients (18 423 546 controls and 1 091 204 bariatric patients). Pooled unadjusted odds ratio (OR) was 0.40 (95% CI: 0.28‐0.57) which favoured bariatric surgery, though with high heterogeneity (I2: 79%). Using an adjusted model derived from matched cohorts (five studies) yielded an OR of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.53‐0.75) with moderate heterogeneity (I2: 38%). The pooled rate/1000 person‐years was 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02‐0.07) in bariatric surgery patients and 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20‐0.49) in the control group with an incidence rate ratio of 0.28 (95% CI: 0.18‐0.42). Conclusion: Bariatric surgery is associated with a decreased risk of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) quantifies the non‐Gaussian diffusion of water within tissue microstructure. However, it has increased fitting parameters and requires higher b‐values. Evaluation of DKI reproducibility is important for clinical purposes. Purpose: To assess the reproducibility in whole‐brain high‐resolution DKI at varying b‐values. Study Type: Retrospective. Subjects and Phantoms: In all, 44 individuals from the test–retest Human Connectome Project (HCP) database and 12 3D‐printed phantoms. Field Strength/Sequence: Diffusion‐weighted multiband echo‐planar imaging sequence at 3T and 9.4T. magnetization‐prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo at 3T for in vivo structural data only. Assessment: From HCP data with b‐values = 1000, 2000, 3000 s/mm2 (dataset A), two additional datasets with b‐values = 1000, 3000 s/mm2 (dataset B) and b‐values = 1000, 2000 s/mm2 (dataset C) were extracted. Estimated DKI metrics from each dataset were used for evaluating reproducibility and fitting quality in white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) based on whole‐brain and regions of interest (ROIs). Statistical Tests: DKI reproducibility was assessed using the within‐subject coefficient of variation (CoV), fitting residuals to evaluate DKI fitting accuracy and Pearson's correlation to investigate the presence of systematic biases. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used for statistical comparison. Results: Datasets A and B exhibited lower DKI CoVs (<20%) compared to C (<50%) in both WM and GM ROIs (all P < 0.05). This effect varies between DKI and DTI parameters (P < 0.005). Whole‐brain fitting residuals were consistent across datasets (P > 0.05), but lower residuals in dataset B were detected for the WM ROIs (P < 0.001). A similar trend was observed for the phantom data CoVs (<7.5%) at varying fiber orientations for datasets A and B. Finally, dataset C was characterized by higher residuals across the different fiber crossings (P < 0.05). Data Conclusion: The study demonstrates that high reproducibility can still be achieved within a reasonable scan time, specifically dataset B, supporting the potential of DKI for aiding clinical tools in detecting microstructural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Push–pull involves intercropping of cereals with Desmodium as a "push" crop and planting Napier grass/Brachiaria as the "pull" crop at the border. The technology has been reported to effectively control stemborers, striga weed, and fall armyworm (FAW), and to improve soil nutrition, resulting in increased grain yield. This study evaluated the impact of stemborer and FAW management using this technology on incidence of maize ear rots and preharvest contamination of grains with aflatoxin and fumonisin in western Kenya. The study was conducted during three cropping seasons on maize grown under the push–pull system and as a monocrop. Incidence of stemborer and FAW damage was determined as percentage of damaged plants, while incidence of ear rots was determined as percentage of ears with symptoms. At harvest, fungi were isolated from kernels and aflatoxin and fumonisin were quantified using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Stemborer and FAW damage was significantly (p =.001) reduced by over 50% under the push–pull system. There was also a significant (p <.001) reduction in the incidence of Fusarium verticillioides (60%) and Aspergillus flavus (86%), which was reflected in a reduced incidence of ear rots (50%) with the push–pull system (p =.001). Fumonisin in maize from push‐pull farms was significantly (p =.048) reduced (39%) but the technology had no significant (p >.05) effect on aflatoxin. The study showed that push–pull is an effective strategy for managing maize ear rots and fumonisins, and therefore could play a role in improving food safety among smallholder maize farmers in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross‐talk is a well‐described phenomenon in a dual‐chamber cardiovascular implantable electronic device. Far‐field ventricular events are more commonly sensed in the atrial channel, the reverse is uncommon, and seeing both at the same time has never been reported. We present a case of double cross‐talk in a dual‐chamber Medtronic ® implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator. In this report, we decipher an unusual device response to the cross‐talk and describe the programming changes required to resolve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rab GTPases are master regulators of membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells. Phosphorylation of Rab GTPases was characterized in the 1990s and there have been intermittent reports of its relevance to Rab functions. Phosphorylation as a regulatory mechanism has gained prominence through the identification of Rabs as physiological substrates of leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2). LRRK2 is a Ser/Thr kinase that is associated with inherited and sporadic forms of Parkinson disease. In recent years, numerous kinases and their associated signaling pathways have been identified that lead to phosphorylation of Rabs. These emerging studies suggest that serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation of Rabs may be a widespread and under‐appreciated mechanism for controlling their membrane trafficking functions. Here we survey current knowledge of Rab phosphorylation and discuss models for how this post‐translational mechanism exerts control of membrane trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zona incerta (ZI) is a small gray matter region of the deep brain first identified in the 19th century, yet direct in vivo visualization and characterization has remained elusive. Noninvasive detection of the ZI and surrounding region could be critical to further our understanding of this widely connected but poorly understood deep brain region and could contribute to the development and optimization of neuromodulatory therapies. We demonstrate that high resolution (submillimetric) longitudinal (T1) relaxometry measurements at high magnetic field strength (7 T) can be used to delineate the ZI from surrounding white matter structures, specifically the fasciculus cerebellothalamicus, fields of Forel (fasciculus lenticularis, fasciculus thalamicus, and field H), and medial lemniscus. Using this approach, we successfully derived in vivo estimates of the size, shape, location, and tissue characteristics of substructures in the ZI region, confirming observations only previously possible through histological evaluation that this region is not just a space between structures but contains distinct morphological entities that should be considered separately. Our findings pave the way for increasingly detailed in vivo study and provide a structural foundation for precise functional and neuromodulatory investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia is a complex syndrome with multiple interacting pathways leading to brain damage and ultimately the clinical manifestation. In recent years, studies have identified the immune response as a novel contributing process to the aetiology of dementia, but it remains unclear how this links to established biomarkers of dementia, for instance those measured in plasma or on neuroimaging. We studied the association of serum immunoglobulins, markers of the adaptive immune response, with biomarkers of dementia. Method: Between 1997 and 2009, serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) were measured in 8,768 participants of the population‐based Rotterdam Study (median age 62.2 years, 57.0% women). Plasma biomarkers of dementia (total tau, neurofilament light chain (NfL), amyloid‐β40 (Aβ‐40), amyloid‐β42 (Aβ‐42)) were measured in a random sample of 3,455 participants. Neuroimaging was performed for 3,139 participants to quantify brain volume, white matter structural integrity and markers of cerebral small vessel disease. We used linear regression models to determine cross‐sectional associations of IgA, IgG, IgM and biomarkers of dementia in plasma and on neuroimaging, while adjusting for age, sex, cohort, education, cardiovascular risk factors and stratifying for APOE‐ε4 carriership. Plasma biomarkers were log2 transformed and neuroimaging markers were standardized to facilitate comparison. Result: Higher levels of IgA corresponded to higher log2 plasma levels of NfL (β=0.019, p=0.031), and a lower or higher tau and Aβ burden, depending on carriership of the APOE‐ε4 allele. Higher IgM was consistent with lower levels of all plasma biomarkers, particularly among no carriers of the APOE‐ε4 allele. No significant associations were found between IgG levels and plasma biomarkers, although associations were moderately driven by APOE‐ε4 allele carriership. Subsequently, higher serum immunoglobulin levels and in particular IgA, generally amounted to more brain atrophy (total brain volume (β=‐0.013, p=0.032), gray matter volume (β=‐0.026, p=0.009), decreased white matter integrity and increase of cerebral small vessel disease markers (white matter hyperintensities (β=0.041, p=0.008)). Conclusion: The associations between serum immunoglobulins and biomarkers of dementia in plasma partly depend on APOE‐ε4 carriership. Higher serum immunoglobulins generally correspond to more brain atrophy, diminished white matter integrity and more cerebral small vessel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across South Asia, millions of villagers have reduced their exposure to high‐arsenic (As) groundwater by switching to low‐As wells. Isotopic tracers and flow modeling are used in this study to understand the groundwater flow system of a semi‐confined aquifer of Pleistocene (>10 kyr) age in Bangladesh that is generally low in As but has been perturbed by massive pumping at a distance of about 25 km for the municipal water supply of Dhaka. A 10‐ to 15‐m‐thick clay acquitard caps much of the intermediate aquifer (>40‐ to 90‐m depth) in the 3‐km2 study area, with some interruptions by younger channel sand deposits indicative of river scouring. Hydraulic heads in the intermediate aquifer below the clay‐capped areas are 1–2 m lower than in the high‐As shallow aquifer above the clay layer. In contrast, similar heads in the shallow and intermediate aquifer are observed where the clay layer is missing. The head distribution suggests a pattern of downward flow through interruptions in the acquitard and lateral advection from the sandy areas to the confined portion of the aquifer. The interpreted flow system is consistent with 3H‐3He ages, stable isotope data, and groundwater flow modeling. Lateral flow could explain an association of elevated As with high methane concentrations within layers of gray sand below certain clay‐capped portions of the Pleistocene aquifer. An influx of dissolved organic carbon from the clay layer itself leading to a reduction of initially orange sands has also likely contributed to the rise of As. Key Points: A clay‐capped Pleistocene aquifer under the influence of municipal pumping is contaminated with arsenic (As)After pumping started, breaks in the clay aquitard became conduits for accelerated transport of tritium, As, and carbon from the shallow aquiferPumping induced transport of reactive carbon or arsenic emanating from the clay aquitard itself could lead to local release of As [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Oscillating gradient spin‐echo (OGSE) diffusion MRI provides information about the microstructure of biological tissues by means of the frequency dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). ADC dependence on OGSE frequency has been explored in numerous rodent studies, but applications in the human brain have been limited and have suffered from low contrast between different frequencies, long scan times, and a limited exploration of the nature of the ADC dependence on frequency. Theory and Methods: Multiple frequency OGSE acquisitions were acquired in healthy subjects at 7T to explore the power‐law frequency dependence of ADC, the "diffusion dispersion." Furthermore, a method for optimizing the estimation of the ADC difference between different OGSE frequencies was developed, which enabled the design of a highly efficient protocol for mapping diffusion dispersion. Results: For the first time, evidence of a linear dependence of ADC on the square root of frequency in healthy human white matter was obtained. Using the optimized protocol, high‐quality, full‐brain maps of apparent diffusion dispersion rate were also demonstrated at an isotropic resolution of 2 mm in a scan time of 6 min. Conclusions: This work sheds light on the nature of diffusion dispersion in the healthy human brain and introduces full‐brain diffusion dispersion mapping at clinically relevant scan times. These advances may lead to new biomarkers of pathology or improved microstructural modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the relationships of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) with suicidal thoughts and behaviour among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods: Global School-based Student Health Survey data from 206 357 students (14.6 ± 1.18 years; 51% female) in 52 LMICs were used. Students reported on suicidal ideation, suicide planning, suicide attempts, PA, leisure-time SB and socio-demographic characteristics. Multilevel mixed-effects generalised linear modelling was used to examine the associations.Results: High leisure-time SB (≥3 hours/day) was independently associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation, suicide planning and suicide attempts for both male and female adolescents. Insufficient PA (<60 mins/day) was not associated with higher odds of ideation for either sex; however, it was associated with planning and attempts for male adolescents. The combination of insufficient PA and high SB, compared with sufficient PA and low SB, was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation and suicide planning for both male and female adolescents, and suicide attempts for male adolescents.Conclusion: High SB may be an indicator of suicidal vulnerability among adolescents in LMICs. Low PA may be a more important risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviours among male, than female, adolescents. Promoting active lifestyle should be integrated into suicide prevention programmes in resource-poor settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nanoparticles (NPs), chalcogenides, and carbon quantum dots can be easily synthesized from whole microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) and cell‐free sterile filtered spent medium. The particle size distribution and the biosynthesis time can be somewhat controlled through the biomass/metal solution ratio. The biosynthetic mechanism can be explained through the ion‐reduction theory and UV photoconversion theory. Formation of biosynthetic NPs is part of the detoxification strategy employed by microorganisms, either in planktonic or biofilm form, to reduce the chemical toxicity of metal ions. In fact, most reports on NP biosynthesis show extracellular metal ion reduction. This is important for environmental and industrial applications, particularly in biofilms, as it allows in principle high biosynthetic rates. The antimicrobial and antifungal effect on biosynthetic NPs can be explained in terms of reactive oxygen species and can be enhanced by the capping agents attached to the NP during the biosynthesis process. Industrial applications of NP biosynthesis are still lagging, due to the difficulty of controlling NP size and low titer. Further, the environmental assessment of biosynthetic NPs has not yet been carried out. It is expected that further advancements in biosynthetic NP research will lead to applications, particularly in environmental biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the structural phase transition in vanadium dioxide (VO2) has been the subject of immense disagreement in spite of decades of research carried out to comprehend this intriguing phenomenon. Diverse models have been developed to elucidate the obscure theory in order to corroborate assorted experimental results. Herein, the influence of swift heavy ion irradiation, elemental doping and coating cycles on the structural properties of thin films synthesised by sol-gel technique and deposited by spin coater on alumina and glass substrates is investigated. The thin films were characterised by X-ray diffractometry and the XRD spectra obtained at 1E11, 5E11, 1E12 ion beam fluances of 200 MeV Ag9+-ion irradiation; at 1, 3, 5% of Mo6+-ion doping and at different spin coating cycles were analysed to probe the influence of these effects on the structural characteristic parameters of nanocrystallites in VO2 thin films. This aspect of VO2 thin films has not been investigated to its full capacity and consequently, not reported in the scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONTEXT: Receptive anal intercourse (RAI), which has become increasingly common among U.S. heterosexual women, is associated with STDs, including HIV, when it is unprotected and coercive. Childhood traumatic experiences may increase sexual risk behavior, but the relationship between childhood trauma and RAI among women has not been examined. METHODS: Data from 4,876 female participants in Waves 1 (1994–1995), 3 (2001–2002) and 4 (2007–2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used to examine associations between nine self‐reported childhood traumas (neglect; emotional, physical and sexual abuse; parental binge drinking and incarceration; and witnessing, being threatened with and experiencing violence) and RAI during adulthood using modified Poisson regression analysis. Whether depression, low self‐esteem, drug use, relationship characteristics or sex trade involvement mediated the relationship between trauma and RAI was also explored. RESULTS: Forty percent of the sample reported having engaged in receptive anal intercourse. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, eight of the nine childhood traumas were associated with increased risk of RAI (adjusted prevalence ratios, 1.2–1.5); the strongest association was with experience of violence. Each unit increase in the number of traumas yielded a 16% increase in RAI prevalence. In mediation analyses, only drug use and relationship factors slightly attenuated the association between childhood trauma and RAI (1.2 for each). CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of childhood trauma may be at increased risk of engaging in RAI, highlighting the importance of screening and trauma‐informed education in sexual health settings. Pathways linking childhood trauma and RAI among women are complex and warrant further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra‐synovial tendon injuries are a common orthopedic problem with limited treatment options. The synovium is a specialized connective tissue forming the inner encapsulating lining of diarthrodial joints and intra‐synovial tendons. It contains multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells that render it a viable source of progenitors for tendon repair. This study evaluated the effects of autologous implantation of cells derived from normal synovium (synovial membrane cells [SMCs]) in augmenting repair in an ovine model of intra‐synovial tendon injury. For this purpose, synovial biopsies were taken from the right digital flexor tendon sheath following creation of a defect to the lateral deep digital flexor tendon. Mononuclear cells were isolated by partial enzymatic digestion and assessed for MSC characteristics. Cell tracking and tendon repair were assessed by implanting 5 × 106 cells into the digital flexor tendon sheath under ultrasound guidance with the effects evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging and histopathology. Synovial biopsies yielded an average 4.0 × 105 ± 2.7 × 105 SMCs that exhibited a fibroblastic morphology, variable osteogenic, and adipogenic responses but were ubiquitously strongly chondrogenic. SMCs displayed high expression of CD29 with CD271NEGATIVE and MHC‐IILOW cell‐surface marker profiles, and variable expression of CD73, CD90, CD105, CD166, and MHC‐I. Implanted SMCs demonstrated engraftment within the synovium, though a lack of repair of the tendon lesion over 24 weeks was observed. We conclude healthy synovium is a viable source of multipotent cells, but that the heterogeneity of synovium underlies the variability between different SMC populations, which while capable of engraftment and persistence within the synovium exhibit limited capacity of influencing tendon repair. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research® published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society J Orthop Res 38:128–138, 2020 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and human activities have resulted in the receding of glaciers throughout the world including Pakistan. Glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are amongst the most common climate‐change‐induced hazards in northern Pakistan. In the present study, GLOF mapping and modelling was carried out using remote sensing and geographical information system techniques coupled with ground‐truthing. Change detection techniques such as the normalized difference water index were applied on Landsat imagery for the identification of the temporal behaviour of Darkut glacial lake for the last 25 years. The depth of the lake was estimated to be 81 m and the volume of the lake was calculated using a digital terrain model and extracted as 9.79 × 106 m3. The glacial lake extent has increased from 0.045 to 0.154 km2 in the last two decades. Two GLOF scenarios (peak and extreme flood) were developed on an existing volume of water in the study. There are 14 households exposed to medium flood and 10 to low flood risk while one helipad and one school are also in the low flood zone in the first scenario (i.e. peak flood) based on 87.84 m3·s−1 of water. The second scenario (i.e. extreme flood) was executed on 3,128 m3·s−1 of water, in which 14 households are at high flood risk, eight at medium and 35 in a low flood zone, as well as one school, a helipad and a community stockpile which are exposed to low flood. The outcomes of the study will help in the development of risk management plans, preparedness strategies and risk reduction from GLOF hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The known mode of action of isoniazid (INH) is to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis following activation by the bacterial catalase-peroxidase enzyme KatG in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This simplistic model fails to explain (a) how isoniazid penetrates waxy granulomas with its very low lipophilicity, (b) how isoniazid kills latent Mtb lacking a typical cell wall, and (c) why isoniazid treatment time is remarkably long in contrast to most other antibiotics. To address these questions, a novel comprehensive mode of action of isoniazid has been proposed here. Briefly, isoniazid eradicates latent tuberculosis (TB) by prompting slow differentiation of pro-inflammatory monocytes and providing protection against reactive species-induced "self-necrosis" of phagocytes. In the case of active TB, different immune cells form INH-NAD+ adducts to inhibit Mtb's cell wall biosynthesis. This additionally suggests that the antibacterial properties of INH do not rely on KatG of Mtb. As such, isoniazid-resistant TB needs to be re-evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated arsenic in Bengal Basin aquifers threatens human health. Most deep (>150 m) groundwater in Pleistocene aquifers is low in arsenic; however higher concentrations have been reported in the southwest border region. Here, we establish that this extensive arsenic contamination at depth is not associated with well failure. A combination of geochemistry and flow modeling constrains the factors that contribute to arsenic contamination at depth in this region. Deep groundwater in the affected area is younger (2.0 ± 0.6 kyr) than deep, low‐arsenic groundwater elsewhere (12.0 ± 4.0 kyr) based on radiocarbon. Stratigraphic data indicate pre‐Holocene deposition of the contaminated aquifers, but few low‐permeability strata. Numerical modeling indicates that this stratigraphic anomaly permits a natural flow system that transports shallow groundwater to depth. Thus, in areas lacking low‐permeability layers, arsenic contamination can occur in pre‐Holocene aquifers and is probably not an early sign of future deep contamination in regions with interbedded low‐permeability strata. Plain Language Summary: Exposure to arsenic in untreated groundwater pumped from millions of shallow wells across rural South Asia causes life‐threatening cardiovascular disease and cancers in adults and reduces intellectual function in children. Deep (>150 m) groundwater low in arsenic is currently the most effective mitigation option in Bangladesh. This study shows that high concentrations of arsenic observed in deep aquifers in the border area between Bangladesh and India are likely confined to that region due to the absence of clay layers vertically dividing the sandy aquifer. Flow modeling constrained by groundwater dating shows that this contamination is therefore of natural origin and unlikely to expand to wider areas in the near future. Key Points: Groundwater >150 m deep is contaminated with arsenic in a 100‐km‐long latitudinal transect across the southwestern Bengal BasinRadiocarbon ages of deep groundwater are considerably lower in high‐As area compared to the rest of the basinModeling and analysis indicate that naturally deep flow in sand‐dominated stratigraphy likely causes younger ages and high As concentrations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate spatial correspondence between template and subject images is a crucial step in neuroimaging studies and clinical applications like stereotactic neurosurgery. In the absence of a robust quantitative approach, we sought to propose and validate a set of point landmarks, anatomical fiducials (AFIDs), that could be quickly, accurately, and reliably placed on magnetic resonance images of the human brain. Using several publicly available brain templates and individual participant datasets, novice users could be trained to place a set of 32 AFIDs with millimetric accuracy. Furthermore, the utility of the AFIDs protocol is demonstrated for evaluating subject‐to‐template and template‐to‐template registration. Specifically, we found that commonly used voxel overlap metrics were relatively insensitive to focal misregistrations compared to AFID point‐based measures. Our entire protocol and study framework leverages open resources and tools, and has been developed with full transparency in mind so that others may freely use, adopt, and modify. This protocol holds value for a broad number of applications including alignment of brain images and teaching neuroanatomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entire process of agricultural and horticultural food production is unsustainable as practiced by current highly intensive industrial systems. Energy consumption is particularly intensive for cultivation, and for fertilizer production and its incorporation into soil. Provision of nitrogen contributes a major source of the greenhouse gas, N2O. All losses due to pests, diseases and weeds are of food for which the carbon footprint has already been committed and so crop protection becomes an even greater concern. The rapidly increasing global need for food and the aggravation of associated problems by the effects of climate change create a need for new and sustainable crop protection. The overall requirement for sustainability is to remove seasonal inputs, and consequently all crop protection will need to be delivered via the seed or other planting material. Although genetic modification (GM) has transformed the prospects of sustainable crop protection, considerably more development is essential for the realisation of the full potential of GM and thereby consumer acceptability. Secondary plant metabolism offers wider and perhaps more robust new crop protection via GM and can be accomplished without associated yield loss because of the low level of photosynthate diverted for plant defence by secondary metabolism. Toxic mechanisms can continue to be targeted but exploiting non‐toxic regulatory and signalling mechanisms should be the ultimate objective. There are many problems facing these proposals, both technical and social, and these are discussed but it is certainly not possible to stay where we are in terms of sustainability. The evidence for success is mounting and the technical opportunities from secondary plant metabolism are discussed here. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To conduct a systematic synthesis of the literature evaluating the use of the Internet and social media by people with bladder cancer (BCa) and their carers, and to synthesize the evidence on the quality of available online resources for patients with BCa. Methods: We selected studies published between January 2000 and September 2018, written in the English language and meeting the inclusion criteria. Data sources included PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus. Results: A total of 15 studies were included in the review. Four studies explored patterns of Internet use among patients with BCa, five studies investigated social media use related to BCa and six studies evaluated the quality of online resources available for patients with BCa. Evidence in all these three dimensions was limited in its ability to establish rigorously if use of the Internet, social media and online resources for BCa is effective in improving the care outcomes for patients with BCa. Conclusion: Our review emphasizes the forgotten status of BCa by establishing that, despite its high global incidence, it remains underrepresented in the building of evidence on patient information needs and the possible role of online spaces. Our synthesis establishes that further research is needed to examine the full impact of online information and social media use on the health management of people with BCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Connectivity studies targeting the thalamus have revealed patterns of atrophy and deafferentiation in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The thalamus can be parcellated using probabilistic tractography to demonstrate regions of cortical connectivity; however, sensitivity to smaller or less connected regions is low.Purpose/hypothesis: To investigate thalamic structural connectivity in a wider range of cortical and limbic structures in TLE patients using a novel connectivity map normalization procedure.Study Type: Retrospective.Population/subjects: Patients (N = 23) with medication-resistant TLE and 34 healthy age-matched controls.Field Strength/sequence: For T1 and diffusion weighting a spoiled gradient sequence was used (41 gradient directions [b = 1000]). For T2 mapping balanced steady-state free precession was used. Images were acquired at 3T.Assessment: Probabilistic tractography and a novel normalization procedure allowed comparison of groups with respect to thalamic connected volume, quantitative MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics.Statistical Tests: Independent samples t-test, Cohen's d, and Mann-Whitney tests.Results: Following normalization, significant differences in thalamic connected volumes were found in left TLE vs. controls bilaterally within the posterior parahippocampal gyrus (L: P = 0.007, confidence interval [CI]: [173.306,1044.41], effect size [ES] = 1.072; R: P = 0.017, CI: [98.677,947.653], ES = 0.945), and contralaterally in the anterior temporal neocortex (P = 0.01, CI: (-2348.09, -333.719), ES = -1.021). This procedure revealed differences in thalamic connected volumes, where previously published procedures could not, and provided a basis for exploratory analysis of quantitative MRI and DTI metrics.Data Conclusion: The novel connectivity map normalization scheme proposed here successfully allowed comparison between a wider range of cortical and limbic structures. Multiple volumetric and quantitative MRI and DTI-related differences between TLE patients and controls were revealed following normalization. With validation from a larger cohort, thalamo-temporal connection aberrancies may become useful biomarkers of disease states and probabilistic tractography as a procedure for identification of thalamic targets in modulatory therapies for TLE.Level Of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;48:1529-1539. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well testing in the floodplain of the Brahmaputra River in Golaghat and Jorhat districts of Assam, India, shows that groundwater arsenic (As) concentrations increase with distance from the river. To establish the origin of this pattern, an additional 900 wells <60‐m deep were tested for As and nine sites were drilled along a 35‐km transect perpendicular to the river. The field data show no relation between groundwater As concentrations ranging from <1 to 660 μg/L along the transect and (a) As concentrations of <1–5 mg/kg in cuttings of aquifer sand recovered while drilling or (b) the degree of reduction of iron oxides in these cuttings. The drilling indicates, however, a marked increase in the thickness of a clay layer capping the aquifer starting from <1–5 m near the river to over 60 m at the most distant site toward the base of the Naga foothills. Organic radiocarbon ages of 18–46 kyr obtained from all but one of 13 clay samples indicate pre‐Holocene deposition of the underlying sands across the entire transect. Radiocarbon ages of dissolved inorganic carbon of 0.2, 4.7, and 17.8 kyr were measured in groundwater from three monitoring wells installed to 30–60‐m depth at distances of 10, 20, and 40 km from the river, respectively. A conceptual groundwater flow model consistent with monitored heads and groundwater ages suggests that thick clay layers capping the aquifer further from the river inhibited flushing of the aquifer and, as a result, preserved higher As levels in groundwater. Plain Language Summary: A large fraction of the rural population of South Asia living in river floodplain areas is exposed to toxic levels of arsenic by drinking well water. This study combines field data from the Indian state of Assam with a groundwater flow model to understand the mechanisms that control the distribution of arsenic in groundwater. A field kit was used to document groundwater arsenic concentrations that increase from the banks of the Brahmaputra River to the foothills of nearby mountains. Drilling showed that the sandy aquifer becomes isolated from replenishment with local surface water along the same transect by an increasingly thick impermeable capping clay layer. A simple groundwater flow model of the area tuned to match available data indicates that aquifers near the Brahmaputra River were flushed of much of their initial arsenic content by recharge with low‐arsenic surface water over thousands of years. With increasing distance from the river, this flushing was progressively inhibited by a layer of clay layer capping the aquifer and elevated arsenic remained high as a result. Mitigation efforts to reduce arsenic exposure should take into account that the distribution of arsenic in well water evolves slowly and is therefore unlikely to change very soon. Key Points: Arsenic levels in shallow wells increase over the 35 km separating the banks of the Brahmaputra River from the Naga foothills in AssamThe thickness of clay capping the >12‐kyr‐old aquifer also increases <1 to 60 m from the banks of the river to the foothillsA model consistent with groundwater heads and ages suggests that arsenic was flushed out of the aquifer more effectively near the river [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]