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Glycans, carbohydrates on cell membranes, are often overexpressed in cancer cells. Sialic acid, a sugar found at the terminal branch of glycans, plays a vital role in carbohydrate-protein interactions, intercellular communication, and bacterial or viral infections. However, hypersialylation of glycans has been linked to hallmarks of cancer such as tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to immune cells. Upregulation of sialylation promotes evasion of immune surveillance and survival of malignant cells. Given this role of sialic acid, inhibiting the sialylation of glycans could provide quantum leaps in treating cancer. Over-sialylation is significant to cancer mechanisms (growth, metastasis, and immune evasion); therefore, a high therapeutic value could be found in preventing sialic acid's role in cancer. This paper reviews how sialic acid plays a key role in assisting the growth and survival of cancer cells, despite human immune cells' attacks; it also summarizes findings that encourage removing hypersialiated glycans as a strategy against multiple cancerous cell types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sialylation is the synthetic process of sialoglycans, which are important in tumor transformation, proliferation, metastasis, and immune evasion. The primary subjects of cancer sialylation-related articles over the past decade have been sialylation, cancer, immunotherapy, and metastasis. The interactions of selectins with abnormal sialylated integrins activate endothelial cells and help tumor cells spread. Cancer sialylation conceals tumor antigenic epitopes and suppresses the immunological environment, allowing cancer cells to evade immune surveillance. Targeting tumor-derived sialoglycans may be an effective cancer therapeutic strategy for limiting tumor cell spread, revealing immunogenic tumor antigens, and boosting anti-cancer immunity. Sialylation is an enzymatic process that covalently attaches sialic acids to glycoproteins and glycolipids and terminates them by creating sialic acid-containing glycans (sialoglycans). Sialoglycans, usually located in the outmost layers of cells, play crucial biological roles, notably in tumor transformation, growth, metastasis, and immune evasion. Thus, a deeper comprehension of sialylation in cancer will help to facilitate the development of innovative cancer therapies. Cancer sialylation-related articles have consistently increased over the last four years. The primary subjects of these studies are sialylation, cancer, immunotherapy, and metastasis. Tumor cells activate endothelial cells and metastasize to distant organs in part by the interactions of abnormally sialylated integrins with selectins. Furthermore, cancer sialylation masks tumor antigenic epitopes and induces an immunosuppressive environment, allowing cancer cells to escape immune monitoring. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes develop different recognition epitopes for glycosylated and nonglycosylated peptides. Therefore, targeting tumor-derived sialoglycans is a promising approach to cancer treatments for limiting the dissemination of tumor cells, revealing immunogenic tumor antigens, and boosting anti-cancer immunity. Exploring the exact tumor sialoglycans may facilitate the identification of new glycan targets, paving the way for the development of customized cancer treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies reported a significant decline in physical activity level in adolescents as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. Physical fitness is recognized as a powerful marker of health in youth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on health-related physical fitness in French adolescents. Two cross-sectional studies were performed comparing two different groups of French adolescents, before (sample 1) and after the first lockdown (sample 2). A total of 1231 adolescents (aged to 16.5 ± 1.5 years) participated in the two cross-sectional studies. Complete data for physical fitness and anthropometrics data were obtained. Adolescents from sample 2 showed lower physical fitness levels compared to adolescents from sample 1. Regarding physical fitness for boys and girls, physical fitness levels were significantly lower in both sex between adolescents from the sample 1 and adolescents from the sample 2, except for cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility for boys and girls, respectively. The physical fitness global score was also significantly lower between adolescents from the sample 1 and 2 for boys (-9.8%, p < 0.01) and girls (-16.2%; p < 0.01), respectively. Overall, the higher difference was found for performance in the speed body displacement test (-30%). A difference of 12.8% and 25% was observed for boys and girls, respectively.   Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic lockdown had a negative impact on physical fitness in French youth. This study highlights the need to develop, in a near future, prevention programmes in order to improve the physical fitness in youth. What is Known: • COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacted lifestyle habits. A worrying decrease of physical activity, associated to a dramatic increase of time spent in sedentary behaviors was found in many coutries. What is New: • Our study bring first data on the health-related physical fitness consequences due to lockdown in French adolescents. Our study demonstrate the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on health-related physical fitness in French adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent, rapid spreading of non-native pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha in the North Atlantic area has raised concerns about their possible negative impacts on native salmonid species. Potential interactions include competition for food resources during the short freshwater phase of juvenile O. gorbuscha, but little is known about their feeding behavior in the newly occupied North Atlantic rivers. Using stable isotope and stomach content analyses, patterns of freshwater feeding of non-native O. gorbuscha fry were studied in a large Fennoscandian river, the Teno, that discharges to the Barents Sea. Changes in stable isotope values (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 34 S) and stomach contents from the period of emergence (April to mid-May) to estuarine entry (late May/June) were examined and provided both temporally integrated and short-term indicators of freshwater feeding dependency. In addition, the occurrence of juvenile O. gorbuscha and changes in their length and weight during their emergence/migration period were investigated. Juvenile O. gorbuscha were at the spawning grounds from April through to mid-May with abundance peaking in mid-May. Fish moved to the estuary by late May and their abundance decreased toward June, and their body size increased concurrently. Stomach analyses indicated no feeding activity in April-early May in the spawning areas, but the stomach fullness indices increased markedly in fish sampled in the estuary in May and June. The most important prey items in stomachs were Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera larvae. Significant changes in all analysed stable isotopes were detected among sample periods, with a peak in mid-May and June showing significantly lower values than other sample periods. A change from the higher values reflective of parental marine feeding to the lower values reflective of freshwater feeding indicated active in-river feeding by juveniles during the study period. The documented active freshwater feeding of non-native juvenile O. gorbuscha suggests potential resource competition with native fluvial fishes, particularly salmonids., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Background: Endings in therapy are discussed widely in mainstream literature, however, there is only a small amount of research that considers endings in therapy for people with intellectual disabilities., Methods: Eight therapists were interviewed about their experience of ending therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. Interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)., Results: Four superordinate themes associated with endings that go well were identified: 'recognising', 'readying', 'reframing' and reflecting', with a fifth theme reflecting endings that were less successful. Participants worked hard to offer transformative experiences of endings and an overarching 'super-superordinate' theme of 'facilitating transformative endings' encompassed the findings., Conclusions: Endings are a multi-faceted component of psychological therapy with people with intellectual disabilities and are significant for both client and therapist. We discuss implications for therapy adaptations and future research., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing measures, including school closures, had a major impact on children's physical activity in England, with data showing an initial reduction in activity in the short-term post-lockdown phase of the pandemic followed by a recovery on average in the medium-term post-lockdown period. The school environment is an important context for child physical activity. The purpose of this study is to understand the changes that took place to school physical activity environments once schools reopened after lockdowns. This information will improve understanding of why changes to children's physical activity have occurred over the course of the pandemic and the implications for future promotion of physical activity in schools., Methods: Interviews with parents ( n  = 43), school staff ( n  = 18) and focus groups with 10- to 11-year-old children (participant n  = 92) were conducted at two time points: between September-December 2021 and February-July 2022. Interview and focus group guides covered the impact of the pandemic on child physical activity and changes to this over time. The framework method was used for analysis., Results: Three themes and three subthemes were generated: (1) the return to school; (2) over-pressured staff and environment and (3) the uneven impact of the pandemic. Theme 3 consists of three subthemes: (a) retained pandemic policies, (b) impact on physical activity culture and (c) different children need different things., Limitations and Future Work: Conducting this research in schools during ongoing COVID-19 disruptions was a challenge and may have limited school and participant participation, particularly school staff. The parent interview sample is predominantly female, active and of higher socioeconomic status, so the experiences of male, less active and lower socioeconomic parents are limited. This study suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on child physical activity is uneven, affecting some children more than others. Future work is therefore needed to explore the details of this potential diverging experience., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic, school closures and post-lockdown school policies have impacted upon primary school physical activity environments. The post-lockdown school environment is highly pressured, impacting the extent to which schools can support and encourage child physical activity. Future research is needed to further explore the impact of post-lockdown changes on physical activity environments in schools, particularly over the longer term, as schools continue to adapt post lockdowns. Strategies required to support school physical activity environments must be context specific and sensitive to these changes, pressures and needs., Funding: This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme as award number NIHR131847.

Purpose: Guanfacine is an α 2A -adrenergic receptor agonist, FDA-approved to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and high blood pressure, typically as an extended-release formulation up to 7 mg/day. In our dysautonomia clinic, we observed that off-label use of short-acting guanfacine at 1 mg/day facilitated symptom relief in two families with multiple members presenting with severe generalized anxiety. We also noted anecdotal improvements in associated dysautonomia symptoms such as hyperhidrosis, cognitive impairment, and palpitations. We postulated that a genetic deficit existed in these patients that might augment guanfacine susceptibility., Methods: We used whole-exome sequencing to identify mutations in patients with shared generalized anxiety and dysautonomia symptoms. Guanfacine-induced changes in the function of voltage-gated Na + channels were investigated using voltage-clamp electrophysiology., Results: Whole-exome sequencing uncovered the p.I739V mutation in SCN9A in the proband of two nonrelated families. Moreover, guanfacine inhibited ionic currents evoked by wild-type and mutant Na V 1.7 encoded by SCN9A, as well as other Na V channel subtypes to a varying degree., Conclusion: Our study provides further evidence for a possible pathophysiological role of Na V 1.7 in anxiety and dysautonomia. Combined with off-target effects on Na V channel function, daily administration of 1 mg short-acting guanfacine may be sufficient to normalize Na V channel mutation-induced changes in sympathetic activity, perhaps aided by partial inhibition of Na V 1.7 or other channel subtypes. In a broader context, expanding genetic and functional data about ion channel aberrations may enable the prospect of stratifying patients in which mutation-induced increased sympathetic tone normalization by guanfacine can support treatment strategies for anxiety and dysautonomia symptoms., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

The divergent synthesis of two different classes of azole derivatives using 5-amino-substituted 2-methoxy-1,3,4-oxadiazoles as common substrates is reported. Depending on the reaction time and temperature, alkylation of oxadiazoles with excess alkyl halides proceeds with high regioselectivity toward 1,3,4-oxadiazolones and 1,2,4-triazolidine-3,5-diones. This operationally simple protocol enables rapid access to a diverse set of isomeric azoles using minimum synthetic steps and easily accessible oxadiazole key precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increasing incidence of breast cancer necessitates the need to explore alternate screening strategies that circumvent the setbacks of conventional techniques especially among population that report earlier age at diagnosis. Serum autoantibodies is one such potential area of interest. However, their ubiquitous presence across cancer types limits its applicability to any one specific type of cancer. This review was therefore carried out to explore and consolidate available evidence on autoantibodies for early detection of breast cancer and to identify those that demonstrated a higher sensitivity. Methods: A diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) review was carried out to ascertain serum autoantibodies that could be used for early detection of breast cancer among women. All relevant articles that investigated the role of autoantibodies in early detection of breast cancer were included for the review. MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Ovid SP, and Cochrane Library were searched extensively for eligible studies. Quality of the included studies was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 tool. RevMan 5.3 was used for exploratory and MetaDTA 2019 for hierarchical analyses. The review helped identify the most frequently investigated autoantibodies and a meta-analysis further consolidated the findings. Results: A total of 53 articles were included for the final analysis that reported over a 100 autoantibodies that were studied for early detection of breast cancer in women. P53, MUC1, HER2, HSP60, P16, Cyclin B1, and c-Myc were the most frequently investigated autoantibodies. Of these P53, MUC1, HER2, and HSP60 exhibited higher summary sensitivity measures. While the individual pooled sensitivity estimates ranged between 10 and 56%, the panel sensitivity values reported across studies were higher with an estimated range of 60–87%. Conclusion: Findings from the review indicate a higher sensitivity for an autoantibody panel in comparison to individual assays. A panel comprising of P53, MUC1, HER2, and HSP60 autoantibodies has the potential to be investigated as an early detection biomarker for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalized neoantigen-based cancer vaccines have been shown to be safe and immunogenic in cancer patients; however, the manufacturing process can be costly and bring about delays in treatment. Using off-the-shelf cancer vaccines targeting shared neoantigens may circumvent these problems. Unique mutational signatures and similar phenotypes found among BRCA1-mutated breast cancer make it an ideal candidate for discovering shared neoantigens within the group. We obtained genome sequencing data of breast cancer samples with or without somatic BRCA1 mutations (BRCA1-positive and BRCA1-negative, respectively) from the three public cancer databases; The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC); and from three studies with whole genome/exome sequencing data of samples with germline BRCA1 mutations. Data were analyzed separately within the same database/cohort. We found PIK3CA H1047R, E545K, E542K, and N345K recurrently in BRCA1-negative groups across all databases, whereas recurrent somatic mutations in BRCA1-positive groups were discordant among databases. For germline BRCA1-mutated breast cancer, TP53 R175H was unanimously the most frequent mutation among the three germline cohorts. Our study provides lists of potential shared neoantigens among BRCA1-related breast cancer, which may be used in developing off-the-shelf neoantigen-based vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropometric breast measurements are essential in planning and manipulating reconstructive surgeries of the breast. The current study was aimed to perform anthropometric breast measurements and to assess the brassiere wearing practices of women. Hundred and one women with no known breast morbidities were enrolled by non-proportionate quota sampling after obtaining a written informed consent. Data were collected using an instrument consisting of demographic, clinical, reproductive profile, anthropometric breast measurements record sheet, and questionnaire related to brassiere wearing practices and selection. The average values for age, age at menarche, menopausal age, and BMI were 38 ± 11.04 years, 14.43 ± 1.45 years, 45.16 ± 4.73 years, and 25 ± 4.58 kg/m2, respectively. The median difference in the right and left breast volume was not significant (p = 0.13). Most of the breast measurements of right and left breast were similar except the mean sternal notch length (SNL) [p = 0.01, CI (0.074–0.487)] and mean lateral mammary radius LR [p = 0.04 CI (0.006–0.300)]. Ninety-six (95%) were currently wearing brasseries and 77 (76.2%) had awareness about their size. The results will be valuable to set a reference of breast measurements for Indian women and compare them with other nationalities. The findings will help in planning breast reconstruction surgeries or designing accessories/clothing for females after mastectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active-6 is exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted physical activity behaviour among Year 6 children (aged 10–11 years) and their parents in Southwest England. Initial findings from the Active-6 project have shown a 7–8 min decrease in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and an increase in sedentary behaviour among children following the easing of restrictions in the UK in latter half of 2021. This finding suggests that the pandemic has had a persistent impact on child physical activity behaviour. This paper explored the possible mechanisms behind these changes. Methods: Interviews with parents (n = 21), members of school staff (n = 9) and focus groups with children aged 10–11 years (n = 47) were conducted between August and December 2021 to discuss the impact of the pandemic on child physical activity behaviour. The framework method was used for analysis. Results: Five themes spanning two key stages of the pandemic were described. Three themes related to the period of lockdowns and fluctuating restrictions (March 2020 – April 2021). These included: Theme 1) Lockdown: A short-lived adventure; Theme 2) Access to facilities during restrictions; and Theme 3) The importance of the parent. A further two themes were identified related to the period following the gradual easing of restrictions in April 2021. These included: Theme 4) An overwhelming return to normal; and Theme 5) Reopening fatigue. Conclusions: The analysis suggested that feelings of novelty experienced during the initial stages of lockdown waned as restrictions were prolonged, creating an increasingly challenging period for parents and their children. However, during periods of restrictions, the importance of parental encouragement and access to appropriate facilities in the local and home environment helped facilitate physical activity. Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, emotional overwhelm and physical fatigue among children, stemming from a sedentary and socially isolated life in lockdown and other restrictions, were key contributors to the decreased moderate to vigorous physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour that was observed in a related quantitative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Sport & Health Research is the property of Journal of Sport & Health Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: All cells are covered in a thick layer of sugar molecules known as glycans. Changes to this sugar coat are common in cancer, and in particular cancer cells often display high levels of a glycan known as sialic acid. Sialic acid glycans play important roles in cancer biology and can help tumours grow, spread to other sites, and evade the immune system. Strategies to target sialic acid are being actively investigated and hold huge potential for cancer research. Here, I outline why sialic acid is so important in cancer, discuss recent advances in this field, and highlight opportunities for the development of new sialic acid targeting therapies. The surface of every eukaryotic cell is coated in a thick layer of glycans that acts as a key interface with the extracellular environment. Cancer cells have a different 'glycan coat' to healthy cells and aberrant glycosylation is a universal feature of cancer cells linked to all of the cancer hallmarks. This means glycans hold huge potential for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. One key change in tumour glycosylation is increased sialylation, both on N-glycans and O-glycans, which leads to a dense forest of sialylated structures covering the cell surface. This hypersialylation has far-reaching consequences for cancer cells, and sialylated glycans are fundamental in tumour growth, metastasis, immune evasion and drug resistance. The development of strategies to inhibit aberrant sialylation in cancer represents an important opportunity to develop new therapeutics. Here, I summarise recent advances to target aberrant sialylation in cancer, including the development of sialyltransferase inhibitors and strategies to inhibit Siglecs and Selectins, and discuss opportunities for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leisure time activities in childhood may have a crucial role in the development of subjective well-being. Nevertheless, more research is needed with cross-national samples concerning the differential effects of lifestyles on life satisfaction. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the associations between the frequency of playing sports/exercise or playing electronic games on life satisfaction in a sample of 12-year-old children from nine countries from the European Union. The data used in this publication come from the third wave of the Children's Worlds project, an international survey of children's lives and well-being whose administration started in 2017. The sample was composed of 10,626 children (50.9% boys) from Estonia, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Spain. They completed the Student Life Satisfaction Scale and answered two questions to assess the frequency of playing sport or exercise, and the frequency of playing electronic games. The results indicated notable scores in life satisfaction in all participating countries. The results showed some differences between boys and girls, and among the countries, in the frequency of sport practice and electronic games in the leisure time, as well as in the overall level of life satisfaction. The results also underlined that sport practice had a greater positive effect on life satisfaction than the use of electronic games. Thus, this study highlights the need to design programs to promote sport practice in leisure time for 12-year-old children in Europe, in order to protect their subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquired and inherited dysfunction in voltage‐gated sodium channels underlies a wide range of diseases. In addition to defects in trafficking and expression, sodium channelopathies are caused by dysfunction in one or several gating properties, for instance activation or inactivation. Disruption of channel inactivation leads to increased late sodium current, which is a common defect in seizure disorders, cardiac arrhythmias skeletal muscle myotonia and pain. An increase in late sodium current leads to repetitive action potentials in neurons and skeletal muscles, and prolonged action potential duration in the heart. In this Topical Review, we compare the effects of late sodium current in brain, heart, skeletal muscle and peripheral nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women and accounts for about 25% of all new cancer cases and 13% of all cancer deaths in Canadian women. It is a highly heterogeneous disease, encompassing multiple tumour entities, each characterised by distinct morphology, behaviour and clinical implications. Moreover, different breast tumour subtypes have different risk factors, clinical presentation, histopathological features, outcome and response to systemic therapies. Therefore, any strategies capable of the stratification of breast cancer by clinically relevant subtypes are an important requirement for personalised and targeted treatment. Therefore, in the advancement towards the concept of precision medicine that takes individual patient variability into account, several investigators have focused on the identification of effective clinical breast cancer biomarkers that interrogate key aberrant pathways potentially targetable with molecular targeted or immunological therapies. Methods and materials: This paper reports on a review of 11 current clinical and emerging biomarkers used in screening for early detection and diagnosis, to stratify patients by disease subtype, to identify patients' risk for metastatic disease and subsequent relapse, to monitor patient response to specific treatment and to provide clinicians the possibility of prospectively identifying groups of patients who will benefit from a particular treatment. Conclusion: The future holds promising for the use of effective clinical breast cancer biomarkers for early detection and personalised patient-specific targeted treatment and increased patient survival. Breast cancer biomarkers can potentially assist in early-staged, non-invasive, sensitive and specific breast cancer detection and screening, provide clinically useful information for identification of patients with a greater likelihood of benefiting from the specific treatment, offer a better understanding of the metastatic process in cancer patients, predict disease and for patients with the established disease can assist define the nature of the disease, monitor the success of treatment and guide the clinical management of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser welding of L-shaped aluminum alloy joints is of great significance in lightweight and efficient manufacturing of thin-wall reinforced aerospace structures. Shear performance is an important reference index for the structural design of aluminum alloy-reinforced panels. In this study, in-plane shear experiments of a continuous double-sided laser welded dissimilar Al-Li alloy (Al-Li-2099/Al-Li-S4) stiffened thin-walled panels were carried out. The deformation and buckling mode evolution of the stiffened panel were measured by the combination of fringe projection profilometry and strain gauge measurement. The results show that in the macroaspect, the stiffened panel first exhibits local skin buckling and then develops into overall buckling along the diagonal tensile direction. Finally, the stiffened panel shows weld desoldering failure. Metallographic examination and scanning electron microscopy were performed on the L-shaped joints at different positions of the stiffened panel. The microstructure observation shows that the weld was composed of a nondendritic equiaxed zone, a columnar dendritic zone, and an equiaxed dendritic zone. The failure mode of the weld is mainly brittle fracture with a small amount of shear dimples, indicating that the welded seam of the stiffened panel under the shear load is tensile shear coupling. After the force reaches material strength, the crack nucleates in the weld and extends along the weld until it penetrates the whole weld. This shows that the mechanical properties of the weld microstructure are closely related to the macroshear properties of the stiffened panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive disease that rarely causes distant metastasis. It is extremely rare for patients diagnosed with DCIS without microinvasion to develop distant metastasis in the absence of ipsilateral or contralateral breast recurrence. This is the first case report of multiple liver and lung metastases from DCIS after breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy. Case Presentation: A 45-year-old woman who was diagnosed with DCIS and received breast-conserving surgery, radiotherapy, and sequential endocrine therapy developed multiple metastases in the liver and lung despite not having bilateral breast recurrence at the 62-month follow-up. Comprehensive advanced breast cancer therapy was administered but did not prevent the progression of metastatic foci in the liver. Conclusions: This case shows the poor potential outcome in DCIS. Further research should be conducted on metastasis in DCIS; reexamination and monitoring are indispensable for patients diagnosed with DCIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Although most studies recommended that early surgery for cauda equina syndromes (CES) be performed within <48 h., the largest and most comprehensive Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database (NISC) series, involving over 25,000 CES patients recommended that time be shortened to 0-<24 h. In short, CES surgery performed "the sooner the better," was best. Methods: The 2 major variants of CES include; incomplete/partial ICES, and those with urinary retention/bowel incontinence (RCES). Those with ICES often exhibit varying combinations of motor weakness, sensory loss (i.e. including perineal numbness), and urinary dysfunction, while RCES patients typically exhibit more severe paraparesis, sensory loss including saddle anesthesia, and urinary/bowel incontinence. The pathology responsible for ICES/RCES syndromes may include; acute disc herniations/stenosis, trauma (i.e. including iatrogenic/surgical hematomas etc.), infections, abscesses, and other pathology. Surgery for either ICES/RCES may include decompressions to multilevel laminectomies/fusions. Results: Following early surgery, most studies showed that ICES and RCES patients exhibited improvement in motor weakness and sensory loss. However, recovery of sphincter function was more variable, being poorer for RCES patients with preoperative urinary retention/bowel incontinence. Conclusions: Although early CES surgery was defined in most studies as <48 h., two large NISC series involving over 25, 000 CES patients showed that CES surgery performed within 0 -< 24 h resulted in the best outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During an icthyofaunal survey of lakes on southern Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) were found in Lake Ferguson. The finding is the first recorded instance of the species north of the Dease Strait that separates the continental mainland of North America from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Captured specimens were bio-chemically analysed and compared to published data for other Arctic populations. Comparison of the weight–length relationship to other Arctic populations indicate the Ferguson Lake population is generally in poorer condition, a conclusion supported by fatty acid data. Comparative stable isotope data also suggest Ferguson Lake Slimy Sculpin display a similar degree of niche diversification as other Arctic populations of the species, but are considerably more limited in terms of their trophic diversity. Together the data provide an important initial baseline against which to compare future samplings for understanding the possible impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis is considered to be responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. Although it is clinically evident that metastatic patterns vary by primary tumor type, the molecular mechanisms underlying the site-specific nature of metastasis are an area of active investigation. One mechanism that has emerged as an important player in this process is glycosylation, or the addition of sugar moieties onto protein and lipid substrates. Glycosylation is the most common post-translational modification, occurring on more than 50% of translated proteins. Many of those proteins are either secreted or expressed on the cell membrane, thereby making glycosylation an important mediator of cell–cell interactions, including tumor-microenvironment interactions. It has been recently discovered that alteration of glycosylation patterns influences cancer metastasis, both globally and in a site-specific manner. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding the role of glycosylation in the tropism of cancer cells for several common metastatic sites, including the bone, lung, brain, and lymph nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes after surgical decompression in cauda equina syndrome (CES) and see if any preoperative patient-related factors contributed to this outcome. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid. Data regarding outcome parameters from eligible studies were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effect model. Results: A total of 852 patients (492 males and 360 females), with a mean age of 44.6 ± 5.5 years from 22 studies diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome and undergoing surgical decompression, were included in the meta-analysis; however, not all studies reported every outcome. The mean follow-up period was 39.2 months, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months in all included studies. Meta-analysis showed that on long-term follow-up, 43.3% [29.1, 57.5] (n=708) of patients had persistent bladder dysfunction. Persistent bowel dysfunction was observed in 31.1% [14.7, 47.6] (n=439) cases, sensory deficit in 53.3% [37.1, 69.6] (n=519), motor weakness in 38.4% [22.4, 54.4] (n=490), and sexual dysfunction in 40.1% [28.0, 52.1] (n=411). Decompression within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms was associated with a favourable outcome in terms of bladder function with 24.6% [1.6, 50.9] (n=75) patients having persistent dysfunction, whereas 50.3% [10.3, 90.4] (n=185) of patients in studies with a mean time to decompression after 48 hours had persistent bladder dysfunction. Other factors such as speed of onset and sex of the patients were not found to significantly impact long-term bladder outcomes. Conclusion: The long-term outcomes of CES after decompression are enumerated. Decompression within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms appears to result in fewer patients with persistent bladder dysfunction. However, a randomized controlled trial is required to conclusively determine whether early decompression leads to better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of pulsed power puts forward new requirements on volume and weight of generators. To develop a compact and lightweight high-voltage pulse generator, this work proposed a new modular pulse forming topology with high voltage gain and a reduced number of energy storage capacitors. The topology is realized by charging a set of capacitors cyclically step-by-step and discharging repetitively in series. A voltage gain of $2^{n-1}$ can be achieved with $2n\,+\,1$ all-solid-state switches, $n$ fast recovery diodes, and n capacitors. An experimental prototype built around five capacitors generates high-voltage pulses with adjustable voltage level, pulse frequency, and pulsewidth. Meanwhile, it is verified that the prototype has a certain capacity with a capacitive load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The priority for transportation industries is to improve fuel efficiency by employing light composites. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been incorporated into polymers and ceramics as reinforcing fibers, with recent studies focusing on fabrication of metal matrix composites. Integration of CNTs with light metal alloys, such as Al-6061, is expected to make strong but light composites. In this study, friction stir processing (FSP) is used to manufacture CNT-reinforced aluminium alloy surface composites, and their ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility are investigated. Their strength reached up to 178 MPa for the samples manufactured with 1500 rpm speed and 80 mm/min feed rate. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate their fracture surface morphology, and ductile failure was revealed. The highest temperature rise of 270°C was recorded during FSP, which is just above the plasticization temperature but far below the melting temperature of Al-6061 for the phase to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low-income populations experience many barriers to accessing affordable, high-quality mental health services. One promising approach to improving access to care may be utilizing telemedicine in combination with expanding state Medicaid programs to cover low-income childless adults. This combination has the potential to reduce the prevalence of untreated mental illness; improve low-income populations' health and well-being; and save individuals', health care centers', and federal and state governments' money. Materials and Methods: A secondary data analysis on state Medicaid claims data was performed to calculate the percent difference in telemental health claims from 2014 through 2017 between two Medicaid expansion and two nonexpansion states in the Midwest. The percent change in claims during this time period within each of the four states was also calculated. Lastly, the difference between Medicaid telemental health utilization and other types of Medicaid telemedicine utilization was examined. Results: The Medicaid expansion states (Iowa and Minnesota) had 54% more telemental health claims per 10,000 state population than nonexpansion states (Nebraska and Wisconsin) from 2014 through 2017. During this time period, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska experienced 481%, 329%, and 12% increases in Medicaid telemental health claims, respectively, and Wisconsin experienced a 10% decrease. Discussion and Conclusions: Medicaid telemental health utilization has been increasing since 2014 in the two Medicaid expansion states, especially in Iowa, while utilization has remained relatively constant in the two Medicaid nonexpansion states. This has implications for informing Medicaid policies, particularly with regard to Medicaid expansion and telemedicine reimbursement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Devon and Cornwall have been identified as 'dental deserts' with limited NHS dental access and high levels of oral health inequality. Challenges around recruitment and retention of the dental workforce have been acknowledged as an important contributory factor.Aims The aim of this research was to explore the experiences of dental practices within Devon and Cornwall in relation to recruitment and retention of the dental workforce.Method A self-administered, online questionnaire was used to explore various aspects of workforce recruitment and retention. The questionnaire included categorical rating scale and free-text question formats providing quantitative and qualitative data.Results In total, 106 dental practices responded to the survey, providing a response rate of 36%. The vast majority of respondents (94%) considered recruitment and retention to be a major barrier to delivering NHS services. Additionally, 77% of practices had a current staff vacancy, 57% had a dentist vacancy and 48% had a vacancy for dental nurses. Thematic analysis led to identification of four main themes which were considered to influence recruitment and retention: NHS system; economic challenges; logistics; and support networks.Conclusion A large number of dental practices in Devon and Cornwall are failing to operate at capacity due to workforce shortages, which is affecting access to services in both NHS and private practices. Recruitment and retention of dentists and dental nurses appears to be the most challenging factor, with NHS practices affected more than the private sector., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the British Dental Association.)

Glycosylation is important for biological functions of proteins and greatly affected by diseases. Exploring the glycosylation profile of the protein-specific glycosylation and/or the site-specific glycosylation may help understand disease etiology, differentiate diseases and ultimately develop therapeutics. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are sometimes difficult to differentiate due to the similarity in their clinical symptoms. The disease-related glycosylation profiles of MS and NMOSD have not yet been well studied. Here, we analyzed site-specific glycan profiles of serum proteins of these patients by using a recently developed mass spectrometry technique. A total of 286 glycopeptides from 49 serum glycoproteins were quantified and compared between healthy controls (n  = 6), remitting MS (n  = 45) and remitting NMOSD (n  = 23) patients. Significant differences in the levels of site-specific N -glycans on inflammation-associated components [IgM, IgG1, IgG2, complement components 8b (CO8B) and attractin], central nerve system-damage-related serum proteins [apolipoprotein D (APOD), alpha-1-antitrypsin, plasma kallikrein and ADAMTS-like protein 3] were observed among three study groups. We furthered demonstrated that site-specific N -glycans on APOD on site 98, CO8B on sites 243 and 553 are potential markers to differentiate MS from NMOSD with an area under receiver operating curve value > 0.75. All these observations indicate that remitting MS or NMOSD patients possess a unique disease-associated glyco-signature in their serum proteins. We conclude that monitoring one's serum protein glycan profile using this high-throughput analysis may provide an additional diagnostic criterion for differentiating diseases, monitoring disease status and estimating response-to-treatment effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the major challenges in practicing family medicine residents (FMRs) is the choice of an appropriate pattern in training health centers (THCs) to provide high-quality health services to patients. This study aimed to design an efficient residency training model in Iranian healthcare centers. Design/methodology/approach: A four-phase qualitative study with the nominal group technique was carried out in 2018–2019. The required standards of THCs and superior educational practices were initially extracted from the review literature. After collecting and presenting the key findings to the experts' panel, the required training standards and the optimal strategic model to educate FMRs in THCs were prioritized by a nine-point rating system for the well-structured terms of indigenous resources. Findings: Twenty-two educational standards for FMRs in THCs were finalized after reviewing the literature and taking an opinion poll of experts. The highest assessment scores belonged to sufficient numbers of referrals for common health issues and the existence of satisfactory educational and recreational facilities in THCs. The problem-based (PBL), task-based (TBL) and context-based (CBL) learning models were better strategies than guided-discovery learning (GDL) and small group teaching (SGT) ones to train FMRs in THCs. Also, PBL and SGT models were rated as the best and worst advanced medical education methods to empower FMRs. Originality/value: Due to different resources available in THCs and training centers, different factors and infrastructures should be considered to meet the required standards in building the integrative training model for FMRs in THCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the impact of emerging ecologic-geomorphological situations in areas of active mining development of Kazakhstan on the life of the population is difficult to overestimate in conditions of a dry climate, water scarcity and the use of outdated technologies for the extraction of solid minerals. This article examines the ecologic-geomorphological situations of mining areas of arid platform-denudation plains of Kazakhstan and gives their characteristics, which is based on an analysis of the leading natural and anthropogenically caused geodynamic processes, their spatial coverage, ratios and comparative assessment as an indicator of geomorphological risk within selected morphogenetic types of relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote key processes in the modulation of tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the clinical significance of heterogeneous subpopulations of TAMs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Methods: HCC tissues from Zhongshan Hospital and data from The Cancer Genome Atlas were obtained and analyzed. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were performed to detect the characteristics of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 10high (Siglec-10hi) TAMs and explore their impact on the TME of HCC. The effect of Siglec-10 blockade was evaluated in vitro based on fresh human tumor tissues. Results: Our data revealed that Siglec-10 was abundant in a large proportion of HCC specimens and prominently distributed on macrophages. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression analysis showed that intratumoral Siglec-10+ cell enrichment was associated with unfavorable prognosis in patients with HCC. Notably, multiple anti-inflammatory cytokines and inhibitory receptors were enriched in Siglec-10hi TAMs. RNA sequencing data also revealed that numerous M2-like signaling pathways were significantly upregulated in Siglec-10hi TAMs. High infiltration of Siglec-10hi TAMs was associated with impaired CD8+ T cell function in HCC. Of note, blocking Siglec-10 with the competitive binding antibody Siglec-10 Fc led to decreased expression of immunosuppressive molecules and increased the cytotoxic effects of CD8+ T cells against HCC cells. Moreover, blocking Siglec-10 promoted the anti-tumor efficacy of the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab. Conclusions: Siglec-10hi TAMs are associated with immune suppression in the TME, and indicate poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Targeting Siglec-10hi TAMs may serve as a promising immunotherapy approach for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several planktonic dinoflagellates can produce lipophilic phycotoxins that represent a significant threat to public health as well as to shellfish and fish farming. Poisoning related to some of these toxins is categorised as diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. We analysed 975 shellfish samples from Tortolì in the central-eastern region of Sardinia (Italy) from January 2016 to March 2020, to investigate the prevalence of different lipophilic marine biotoxins in mollusc bivalves. The results highlighted the predominant presence of toxins belonging to the okadaic acid group in all samples with toxin concentrations exceeding legal limits, and revealed the new occurrence of pectenotoxins in oysters and clams with a winter seasonality in recent years. The origin of shellfish toxicity was associated with the same Dinophysis species, mainly D. acuminata. Based on both these results and other precedents, monitoring and recording systems are strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Agricultural wastes generated in farmers' cooperatives constitute valuable resources for the bioeconomy and can be recycled into biochar to contribute to the implementation of economically and environmentally sustainable agricultural production in the forests of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Improving the livelihoods of communities living in fragile ecosystems, such as tropical forests, is among the main strategies to promote their conservation and preserve wildlife. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, farmers' cooperatives are recognized as an important mechanism to improve the socioeconomic conditions of local communities. This study analyzes the integration of pyrolysis processes to convert agricultural waste into biochar as a way to implement the bioeconomy in these organizations. We found that post-harvesting processes in the studied farmers' cooperatives are similar, and coffee husks are a potential feedstock to produce biochar. Although the environmental policies in Ecuador consider the valorization of agricultural waste, we did not find any specific standard to regulate the operation of pyrolysis facilities. Nonetheless, conversion of agricultural waste into biochar can contribute to (i) replacement of subsidized fossil fuels used in drying processes, (ii) prevention of environmental pollution caused by accumulation of waste, (iii) emergence of new income sources linked with the provision of carbon sequestration services, and (iv) the long-term maintenance of soil fertility. Currently, demonstration projects are needed to stimulate collaboration among farmers' cooperatives, academia, the government, international cooperation agencies, and existing forest conservation initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mucin 1 (MUC1/EMA) and sialyl Lewis X (sLex) indicate polarity reversal in invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of MUC1/EMA and sLex and to assess their diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with IMPC.Methods: The expression of sLex and MUC1/EMA in 100 patients with IMPC and a control group of 89 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified (IDC-NOS) were analyzed with IHC. Fresh tumor tissues were collected from patients with IMPC or IDC-NOS for primary culture and immunofluorescence analysis.Results: The rate of nodal metastasis was higher in patients with IMPC than those with IDC-NOS, and IMPC cells tended to express more sLex and MUC1/EMA in the cytomembranes (the stroma-facing surfaces of the micropapillary clusters) than IDC-NOS cells. In IMPC, high cytomembrane expression of sLex, but not MUC1/EMA, indicated poor prognosis. In addition, among the 100 patients with IMPC, 10 patients had sLex+/EMA- expression patterns, and 8 patients had sLex-/EMA+ expression patterns. The primary IMPC cells were suspended, non-adherent tumor cell clusters, whereas the primary IDC cells were adherent tumor cells. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that MUC1/EMA and sLex were co-expressed on the cytomembranes in IMPC cell clusters and in the cytoplasm in IDC-NOS cells.Conclusions: sLex can be used as a prognostic indicator and can be combined with MUC1/EMA as a complementary diagnostic indicator to avoid missed IMPC diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surfaces of all living organisms and most secreted proteins share a common feature: They are glycosylated. As the outermost-facing molecules, glycans participate in nearly all immunological processes, including driving host-pathogen interactions, immunological recognition and activation, and differentiation between self and nonself through a complex array of pathways and mechanisms. These fundamental immunologic roles are further cast into sharp relief in inflammatory, autoimmune, and cancer disease states in which immune regulation goes awry. Here, we review the broad impact of glycans on the immune system and discuss the changes and clinical opportunities associated with the onset of immunologic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant mucin-type O-linked glycosylation is a common occurrence in cancer where the upregulation of sialyltransferases is often seen leading to the early termination of O-glycan chains. Mucin-type O-linked glycosylation is not limited to mucins and occurs on many cell surface glycoproteins including EGFR, where the number of sites can be limited. Upon EGF ligation, EGFR induces a signaling cascade and may also translocate to the nucleus where it directly regulates gene transcription, a process modulated by Galectin-3 and MUC1 in some cancers. Here, we show that upon EGF binding, breast cancer cells carrying different O-glycans respond by transcribing different gene expression signatures. MMP10, the principal gene upregulated when cells carrying sialylated core 1 glycans were stimulated with EGF, is also upregulated in ER-positive breast carcinoma reported to express high levels of ST3Gal1 and hence mainly core 1 sialylated O-glycans. In contrast, isogenic cells engineered to carry core 2 glycans upregulate CX3CL1 and FGFBP1 and these genes are upregulated in ER-negative breast carcinomas, also known to express longer core 2 O-glycans. Changes in O-glycosylation did not significantly alter signal transduction downstream of EGFR in core 1 or core 2 O-glycan expressing cells. However, striking changes were observed in the formation of an EGFR/galectin-3/MUC1/β-catenin complex at the cell surface that is present in cells carrying short core 1-based O-glycans but absent in core 2 carrying cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic food webs in tropical rivers are affected by spatial and temporal variations in basal resources and the composition of consumer assemblages. We used stable isotope analysis to estimate seasonal variation in basal resources supporting fish biomass in zones along the longitudinal gradient of the Usumacinta River Basin, the largest of Mesoamerica. A Bayesian isotope mixing model was used to estimate the proportional contributions of six basal resources: seston, filamentous algae, periphyton, aquatic macrophytes, riparian C3 plants and C4 plants. Models estimated that fish in the upper zone were largely supported by periphyton and riparian C3 plants during the dry season and by filamentous algae during the wet season. In the dry season, fishes in the middle and lower zones assimilated material derived from seston and, to a lesser extent, periphyton, whereas aquatic macrophytes were more important during the wet season. Chlorophyll- a measurements from the middle and lower zones suggested that seston contained large fractions of suspended algae. These patterns are consistent with the river wave concept, which predicts flow-associated changes in contributions of basal resources to the aquatic food web. The findings of this study reinforce the major role of flow regime in the ecological dynamics of rivers and how these dynamics vary depending on location and local conditions within fluvial networks. An isotope mixing model was used to estimate the contributions of basal resources supporting fish biomass in zones along the Usumacinta River. Periphyton and riparian vegetation support fish communities in the upper zone, whereas seston and aquatic macrophytes were important downstream. Differential contributions of basal resources were associated with seasonal hydrology and local environmental conditions, supporting the river wave concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsequent to their introduction in the 1950s, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus have been able to establish a self‐sustaining population that has adapted to the unique conditions of the sub‐Antarctic Kerguelen Islands. Here, 48 individuals (198–415 mm) were caught with gillnets and their basic biology and feeding ecology were examined using stable isotope analysis. The Lac des Fougères population split use of littoral and pelagic resources evenly, although larger fish relied more heavily on littoral production and appear to follow the size‐dependent life history habitat template seen in many Scandinavian lakes where smaller sized individuals occupy the pelagic zone and larger individuals dominate the littoral habitat. In Kerguelen, Arctic charr mature at the same ages (5.6 years) as Arctic charr in both sub‐Arctic and Arctic lakes. Although mortality was average in comparison to comparator sub‐Arctic lakes, it was high in comparison to Arctic lakes. Maximal age (>7+) was at the lower end of the range typically seen in sub‐Arctic lakes. Although they inhabit a resource‐poor environment, Kerguelen Arctic charr showed no evidence of cannibalism. Thus, while Arctic charr can survive and reproduce in the relatively unproductive Kerguelen lake environments, survival and growth nevertheless appear to be traded off against survival and longevity. The uniqueness of the population location and the recency of its introduction suggest that further monitoring of the population has the potential to yield valuable insights into both the adaptability of the species and its likely responses to ongoing large‐scale environmental change as represented by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater wetlands are a key component of the global carbon cycle. Wet–dry tropics wetlands function as wet-season carbon sinks and dry-season carbon sources with low aquatic metabolism controlled by predictably seasonal, yet magnitude-variable flow regimes and inundation patterns. However, these dynamics have not been adequately quantified in Australia's relatively unmodified wet–dry tropics freshwater wetlands. A baseline understanding is required before analysis of land-use or climate change impacts on these aquatic ecosystems can occur. This study characterises geomorphology and sedimentology within a seasonally connected wet–dry tropics freshwater wetland system at Kings Plains, Queensland, Australia, and quantifies soil carbon stocks and wet- and dry-season aquatic metabolism. Soil carbon stocks derived from loss-on-ignition on samples to 1 m depth were 51.5 ± 7.8 kg C m−2, higher than other wet–dry tropics wetlands globally, with potential for long-term retention at greater depths. Gross primary productivity of phytoplankton (GPP) and planktonic respiration (PR) measured through biological oxygen demand bottle experiments in the water column of sediment inundated under laboratory conditions show overall low GPP and PR in both wet- and dry-season samples (all wetland samples were heterotrophic with GPP/PR < 1). Despite the short-term dominance of aquatic respiration processes leading to net release of carbon in the water column under these conditions, there is appreciable long-term storage of carbon in sediment in the Kings Plains wetlands. This demonstrates the importance of wet–dry-tropics wetland systems as hotspots of carbon sequestration, locally, regionally and globally, and consideration should be given to their conservation and management in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the history of Welsh quarrying in Newfoundland, focusing on the 19th century. It explores the social, political, and economic factors that led to Welsh quarrymen migrating to remote areas of the island and the lasting impact of their intensive quarrying activity on the landscape. The text also discusses labor disputes and strikes in the Welsh slate quarries, as well as the decline of the industry due to various factors. It highlights the cultural and architectural influence of Welsh migrants on Trinity Bay and emphasizes the need for further archaeological investigation to protect the remaining slate quarry sites. The article references various sources and provides contact information for further research. [Extracted from the article]

In Sardinia (Italy), bivalve molluscs production plays an important role in the trade balance. Diarrhoetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), an intoxication caused by the ingestion of bivalve molluscs that have accumulated high levels of Okadaic acid (OA), may represent a serious risk for the public health and a remarkable economic loss for the producers. Aim of this work was to improve knowledge about the repeatability of OA accumulation phenomena in various seasons trying to understand whether or not there was a trend. Also, the interaction between toxic algae and OA accumulation was examined. In this study, data of lipophilic toxins, water temperature and abundance of DSP-producing microalgal species were collected in a four-year period (2015-2018) in coastal production areas of Sardinia. Several episodes of OA positive values (>160 eq µgAO/Kg pe, Reg 853/04) were recorded during the study period in different production areas of Sardinia and in different seasons. A seasonal repeatability of OA accumulation in molluscs was observed in some production areas; moreover, different temporal gaps between the presence of toxic algae and OA accumulation were reported. Toxicity was observed almost exclusively in Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamark (99%), being this matrix the most abundant species bred in Sardinia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies targeting aberrantly glycosylated proteins are ineffective in treating cancer. Antibody‐drug conjugates have emerged as effective alternatives, facilitating tumor‐specific drug delivery. Previous studies have assessed the aberrantly glycosylated tandem repeat region of MUC1 glycoprotein as three site‐specific glycosylated neoantigen peptide motifs (PDTR, GSTA, and GVTS) for binding with a monoclonal antibody. This study aimed to develop an antibody‐drug conjugate for cancer treatment based on monoclonal antibodies against the aforementioned three neoantigen peptide motifs. Internalization of monoclonal antibodies was assessed via immunofluorescence staining and colocalization with lysosomal markers in live cells. Antibody positivity in tumor and peritumoral tissue samples was assessed via immunohistochemistry. The efficacy of anti‐MUC1 ADCs was evaluated using various cancer cell lines and a mouse tumor xenograft model. An anti‐MUC1 ADC was synthesized by conjugating GSTA neoantigen‐specific 16A with monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), which displayed potent antitumoral efficacy with an IC50 ranging 0.2–49.4 nM toward various cancer cells. In vivo, 16A‐MMAE inhibited tumor growth in a dose‐dependent manner in a mouse xenograft model established using the NCI‐H838 NSCLC cell line, at a minimum effective dose of 1 mg/kg. At 3 mg/kg, 16A‐MMAE did not cause significant toxicity in a transgenic mouse expressing human MUC1. The high antitumoral efficacy of 16A‐MMAE suggests that aberrant glycosylated MUC1 neoantigen is a potential target for the development of ADCs for treating various cancers. Personalized therapy may be achieved through such glycosite‐specific ADCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: This is a case study about a man with learning disabilities who has mental health issues.The case study describes the way that he told a researcher about his life.Thirty years of his earlier life were spent in a long‐stay hospital in England, UK and more recently he has lived in a community setting with five other people.This research is important as it assists us to understand the experiences of people with learning disabilities who have mental health needs. Background: Historically, the emotional lives and mental health needs of adults with learning disabilities received scant attention, especially when the policy of institutionalisation was at its zenith in the UK. Materials and Methods: This case study employed biographical narrative interviews based on a psychosocial approach. The main sources of data production were two loosely structured, audio‐taped, interviews with a man with learning disabilities. This approach uses free association to elicit an individual's stories about his lived experiences. Additional information was acquired from consultations with key care staff and clinical records maintained by the man's service provider. Results: Data revealed insights into the biography of this man who had a diagnosed mental health disorder. These data recall his personal journey through the care system which took place during an important historical period encompassing both long‐term institutionalisation in segregated settings, and the subsequent implementation of the policy of community care in the UK. He recalls positive and negative experiences while residing in a long‐stay hospital, and the related thoughts and feelings about his life in a community setting in more recent years. Conclusion: This case study contributes to an increasing body of studies that perceive the use of in‐depth interviewing of individuals with learning disabilities as having high ecological validity in the development of authentic knowledge, not readily available through other methods used in the co‐production of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]