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Individuals utilizing Life Cycle Assessment within the emerging field of circular carbon might phrase and understand matters differently, causing ambiguity, due to different educational backgrounds and lacking definitions of central terms. Our research addresses the question, whether misleading or ambiguous terms exist, which impair transparency and scientific accuracy in carbon (dioxide) accounting in LCA. A structured literature research was performed to screen LCA standards, ISO standards, and the European legal database EUR-Lex. Nine terms with potential ambiguity in meaning or usage in LCA were identified: Avoided burden, avoided carbon, avoided CO2, carbon capture, carbon credit, circular carbon, circular CO2, negative emission, and net zero emission. A workflow was introduced to either obtain a consensus-based definition from standard literature or from peer-reviewed publications. For all terms, except avoided carbon, a recommended definition was found and showcased within case studies on the topic of mechanical recycling of plastics to produce a taxonomy suggestion for precise descriptions of different carbon dioxide (equivalent) accounting methods in LCA.

Artificial microswimmers can emulate the autonomous regulation of chemotactic motility of living organisms. Frank et al. realize a chemotactic locomotion of emulsion droplets, composed of two phase-separated fluids, that can be reversibly directed up or down a chemical concentration gradient.

Cyclic five-membered disulfides (1,2-dithiolanes) have been reported either as nonspecific redox motifs, or as highly specific cellular probes for thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Here the authors show that 1,2-dithiolane probes are nonspecifically reduced by a range of thiol reductants and are not sensitive to TrxR modulation, thus they are unsuitable as cellular probes for TrxR.

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into value-added chemicals and biofuels has been attracting the attention of researchers in recent years. Lignin is an abundant, natural polymer and a major component of lignocellulose comprising an aromatic structure with ether linkages, methoxy-, and hydroxyl groups. Therefore, it has great potential as a sustainable source to produce basic chemical products. In this study, precious metal-loaded hydrotalcite (HTC) catalysts for the depolymerization of organosolv lignin (OL) were investigated concerning minimizing coke formation and maximizing the value-added lignin oil fraction and lignin tar fraction. The influences of the catalyst support, the platinum loading as well as the loading with a second metal (Cu or Ni) were examined. The resulting depolymerization fractions (lignin oil, lignin tar, aqueous fraction, and coke) were determined gravimetrically. To compare the molecular mass distribution of the lignin oil and lignin tar fractions as well as the purchased OL, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used. The lignin oil fractions were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS). Regarding the most suitable catalyst system (5%Pt-1%Ni/HTC), a design of experiment (DoE) was prepared to further minimize coke formation and maximize the value-added fractions (lignin oil and lignin tar). This optimization led to 18 wt% lignin oil fraction, 72 wt% lignin tar fraction, and 0.4 wt% coke formation.

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies support future energy and climate transition goals by recycling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The use of biogenic CO2 from renewable sources, is an avenue for the production of fully renewable products. Fossil-based materials can potentially be replaced in the long term while allowing for the use of so called “waste” streams. To foster the development of a circular economy more insights need to be gained on the life cycle impact of CCU technologies. This study analyzed a CCU process chain, with focus on the utilization of volatile renewable electricity and biogenic CO2. We performed a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment, evaluating various environmental impact categories (CML 2001 methodology) and primary energy demand (PED) with GaBi LCA software by sphera®. The targeted olefin is ethylene oxide (C2H4O), which is a crucial intermediate chemical for the production of various synthetic materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). As functional unit, 1 kg ethylene oxide was chosen. In the novel process at first ethylene (C2H4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are produced from water and CO2via an electrocatalytic process (Power-to-X process). In a second step, the two intermediates are synthesized to ethylene oxide. The theoretical implementation of a medium-scale process under average European conditions was considered in 12 scenarios that differed in energy supply and CO2 source. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of the energy and resource efficiencies of the production steps. The process was compared to its fossil benchmark, an existing conventional EO production chain. Concerning the global warming potential (GWP), negative emissions of up to −0.5 kg CO2 eq./kg product were calculated under optimized process conditions regarding energy and conversion efficiency and using biogenic CO2. In contrast, the GWP exceeded the fossil benchmark when the European grid mix was applied. The PED of 87 MJ/kg product under optimized conditions is comparable to that of other Power-to-X processes, but is high compared to fossil-based ethylene oxide. Based on the results we conclude that the energy efficiency of the electrocatalytic cell and renewable energy as input are the main levers to achieve a low environmental impact.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to assess laying performance, growth rate, and bone quality properties of tibia and femur bones of various genotypes of laying hens, including determining essential element composition at the end of the laying cycle in smallholder conditions. The study included three genotypes of laying hens; Czech golden spotted (CGS), White Leghorn (LE) and Dominant Partridge D300 (D300) hens. In total, 180 hens (60/genotype) were used in 3 replications (20 hens/replication). The eggs were collected to determine egg lay and hen-day egg production. Additionally, feed consumption was recorded to determine feed consumption per day or egg, resp. The mortality rate was recorded. Hens were individually weighed every 10 wk to analyze the growth performance and body weight changes during the laying cycle. The differences in performance characteristics were observed as significant in all studied parameters. The bone quality analysis consisted of the determination of bone weight, length, width, and fracture toughness. Furthermore, dry matter, ash, and selected elements, which included boron (B), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were assessed. Regarding the results of tibia and femur bones, the effect of genotype was determined as significant in all evaluated properties. In terms of element composition, all evaluated elements significantly differed among the genotypes in the tibia (with one exception of Cu) and in the femur (with one exception of Cd). In conclusion, our results showed that hens’ performance, production quality, mortality and bone properties significantly differed among genotypes under smallholder conditions. Thus, every genotype needs to be carefully considered, when the rearing conditions are set.

This study proposes the form of the physiological E.coli dependencies for the specific glucose consumption rate. It carries a two-fold purpose. The first one allows online estimation of the specific glucose consumption rate when the information on the cells' aging is accessible. The second relationship assesses that the glucose consumption is relative to the oxygen uptake rate content with no direct dependency on the biomass kinetics properties. Such portion of the oxygen uptake rate does not participate in biomass growth or maintenance-related state but instead increases the soluble by-product of metabolism. The latter can consist of extracellular metabolites, soluble proteins, or other by-products. The authors show that these solutes assumingly result in the corresponding boundary condition for the specific glucose consumption rate balance. The main novel idea of this work is the statement that the portion of oxygen uptake rate dedicated for soluble products does not depend on the biomass growth and maintenance but rather on average aging information. Moreover, the authors hypothesize that biomass yield from glucose can be treated as a function of the average aging information of the cell population by reusing the Monod term assumption. Finally, this study interconnects some of the co-authors' patent claims that directly link to the empirical law of the Luedeking-Piret.

Summary: Background: Emergence of new coronavirus variants and waning immunity may necessitate regular COVID-19 vaccine boosters, but empirical data on population willingness for regular vaccination are limited. Methods: In August 2021, we surveyed 3,067 quota-sampled German-speaking adults residing in the D-A-CH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Using multivariable adjusted ordered logistic regression models we calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to assess factors associated with willingness to vaccinate annually against COVID-19. Findings: Among 2,480 participants vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated, 82·4% indicated willingness to receive annual COVID-19 boosters. This willingness was higher in Austria (OR=1·47, 95% CI, 1·19–1·82; p

Abstract Background Sharing sensitive data across organizational boundaries is often significantly limited by legal and ethical restrictions. Regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Rules (GDPR) impose strict requirements concerning the protection of personal and privacy sensitive data. Therefore new approaches, such as the Personal Health Train initiative, are emerging to utilize data right in their original repositories, circumventing the need to transfer data. Results Circumventing limitations of previous systems, this paper proposes a configurable and automated schema extraction and publishing approach, which enables ad-hoc SPARQL query formulation against RDF triple stores without requiring direct access to the private data. The approach is compatible with existing Semantic Web-based technologies and allows for the subsequent execution of such queries in a safe setting under the data provider’s control. Evaluation with four distinct datasets shows that a configurable amount of concise and task-relevant schema, closely describing the structure of the underlying data, was derived, enabling the schema introspection-assisted authoring of SPARQL queries. Conclusions Automatically extracting and publishing data schema can enable the introspection-assisted creation of data selection and integration queries. In conjunction with the presented system architecture, this approach can enable reuse of data from private repositories and in settings where agreeing upon a shared schema and encoding a priori is infeasible. As such, it could provide an important step towards reuse of data from previously inaccessible sources and thus towards the proliferation of data-driven methods in the biomedical domain.

The objective of this study was to determine and compare egg quality from two genotypes of brown egg-laying hens in the second half of laying cycle (from 46 to 74 weeks of age). Commercial hybrids Hisex Brown and Lohmann Brown Classic were used in this study. Both genotypes were kept in enriched cages. 1920 eggs were evaluated. The significant effect of genotype was found in all evaluated traits except for the eggshell proportion and reflectivity. Results show that eggs from Lohmann Brown Classic hens had a superior quality in majority of the evaluated traits. Higher values were observed in main egg quality traits, such as egg weight (by 1.45 g, P≤0.0001), eggshell strength (by 2.48 N*cm-2, P≤0.0005) and Haugh units (by 3.27, P≤0.0001). The significant effect of age was determined in all selected egg quality traits. The egg weight increased with the age, meanwhile other traits such as egg shape, albumen and yolk index, Haugh units and eggshell strength decreased. The trend of the rest of evaluated traits was ambiguous. Furthermore, the interactions between genotype and age were determined. Regarding the extension of laying cycle, further research is required, because the egg quality rapidly decreases with the age.

Coated components used in industry are often exposed to repetitive dynamic impact load. The dynamic impact test is a suitable method for the study of thin protective coatings under such conditions. Aim of this paper is to describe the method of dynamic impact testing and the novel concepts of evaluation of the impact test results, such as the impact resistance and the impact deformation rate. All of the presented results were obtained by testing two W-B-C coatings with different C/W ratio. Different impact test results are discussed with respect to the coatings microstructure, the chemical and phase composition, and the mechanical properties. It is shown that coating adhesion to the HSS substrate played a crucial role in the coatings’ impact lifetime.

This study was focused on the comparison of the brown and white eggs from two laying hybrids. The objective was to assess basic quality traits of eggs from both groups of hens and compare them. The impact of how age influences the technological value of eggs was also observed. The most important correlations were calculated. Products of Czech original genetic programmes, Dominant Brown D 102 and Dominant Leghorn D 229 hens were included. A total of 1500 eggs were analysed. The egg collection was made for three consecutive days when the hens were at the 28, 35 and 59 weeks of age. The results showed that eggshell weight, yolk weight and yolk share increased with the age, while egg shape index, yolk index and albumen share decreased in both hybrids. Eggshell weight and share fluctuated with the age in both hybrids. Other traits differed within the hybrids. Interactions between age and hybrid were non-significant (P > 0.05) only in eggshell and yolk weight. The heaviest eggs were from 59-week-old Dominant Brown D 102 hens (68.89 g) and the lightest eggs were from 28-week-old Dominant Leghorn D 229 hens (57.76 g). Highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) positive correlations were found between egg weight and all individual egg components weights and between eggshell weight and yolk and albumen weight and eggshell thickness in both laying hybrids.

Fluorescence optical imaging technique (FOI) is a well-established and valid method for visualization of changes in micro vascularization at different organ systems. As increased vascularization is an early feature of joint inflammation, FOI is a promising method to assess arthritis of the hands. But usability of the method is limited to the assessors experience as the measurement of FOI is semi-quantitative using an individual grading system such as the fluorescence optical imaging activity score (FOIAS). The goal of the study was to automatically and thus, objectively analyze the measured fluorescence intensity generated by FOI to evaluate the amount of inflammation of each of the subject’s joints focusing on the distinction between normal joint status or arthritis in psoriatic arthritis patients compared to healthy volunteers. Due to the heterogeneity of the pathophysiological perfusion of the hands, a method to overcome the absoluteness of the data by extracting heatmaps out of the image stacks is developed. To calculate a heatmap for one patient, firstly the time series for each pixel is extracted, which is then represented by a feature value. Secondly, all feature values are clustered. The calculated cluster values represent the relativity between the different pixels and enable a comparison of multiple patients. As a metric to quantify the conspicuousness of a joint a score is calculated based on the extracted cluster values. These steps are repeated for a total number of three features. With this method a tendency towards a classification into unaffected and inflamed joints can be achieved. However, further research is necessary to transform the tendency into a robust classification model.

Austria is inhabited by more than 80 species of native and non-native freshwater fishes. Despite considerable knowledge about Austrian fish species, the latest Red List of threatened species dates back 15 years and a systematic genetic inventory of Austria's fish species does not exist. To fulfill this deficit, we employed DNA barcoding to generate an up-to-date and comprehensive genetic reference database for Austrian fish species. In total, 639 newly generated cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences were added to the 377 existing records from the BOLD data base, to compile a near complete reference dataset. Standard sequence similarity analyses resulted in 83 distinct clusters almost perfectly reflecting the expected number of species in Austria. Mean intraspecific distances of 0.22% were significantly lower than distances to closest relatives, resulting in a pronounced barcoding gap and unique Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) for most of the species. Four cases of BIN sharing were detected, pointing to hybridization and/or recent divergence, whereas in Phoxinus spp., Gobio spp. and Barbatula barbatula intraspecific splits, multiple BINs and consequently cryptic diversity were observed. The overall high identification success and clear genetic separation of most of the species confirms the applicability and accuracy of genetic methods for bio-surveillance. Furthermore, the new DNA barcoding data pinpoints cases of taxonomic uncertainty, which need to be addressed in further detail, to more precisely assort genetic lineages and their local distribution ranges in a new National Red-List.

The transformation of society towards digitalization and automatization cannot be ignored by the higher education system. While this has been naturally reflected by the education system regarding technical sciences, humanities are still struggling to catch up with the latest trends in the digitalization of society. The field of Digital Humanities (DH) is very young and lacks a solid methodological basis or ontological principles. This paper aims at proposing some philosophical and methodological grounding for the field of DH and its practical applications in the higher education system. We describe two case studies of the creation of new study programs at the Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Nowadays, both many scientists and breeders are interested in the possibilities of the substitution of allopathic medicinal products for animals by some natural alternatives, as plants products, prebiotics or probiotics. Jerusalem artichoke contains non-starch polysaccharide inulin, which can be used, because of its specific properties, as a natural prebiotic. The aim of this study was to incorporate Jerusalem artichoke tops to the feed mixture of growing rabbits as the natural source of inulin. 80 Hyla rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group was fed standard diet, while Jerusalem artichoke group was given diet with 20% tops of Jerusalem artichoke. The experiment took place in commercial farm with standard conditions and was conducted as a preliminary examination, the growth performance and mortality of rabbits were observed. The diet with 20% tops of Jerusalem artichoke decreased feed conversion ratio about 0.39 (11%) and the mortality of rabbits about 10% (P

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a widespread and burdensome psychiatric issue. Physical activity counselling may increase lifestyle physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in this specific and particularly vulnerable population, which often suffers from both mental and physical health problems. Therefore, this study will examine the impact of a lifestyle physical activity counselling intervention on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, depression, and cardiovascular health risk markers among in-patients diagnosed with MDD compared to controls. Secondary purposes are to examine the acceptability and perceived usefulness of the intervention among these patients, to find out whether the effectiveness of the intervention is moderated by genetic factors, and to compare baseline values with an age- and gender-matched group of healthy controls. Methods The study is designed as a multi-centric two-arm randomized clinical trial including an intervention group and a placebo control group, allocation concealment, single-blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants (N = 334) will be continuously recruited from four clinics specialized in the treatment of MDD. The intervention builds on a standardized, theory-based, low-cost lifestyle physical activity counselling programme, which was specifically designed for an in-patient rehabilitation setting. The placebo control condition consists of general instructions about health-enhancing physical activity. Data assessments will take place 2–3 weeks after admission to in-patient treatment (baseline), and 6 weeks (post) and 12 months (follow-up) after discharge from in-patient treatment. The primary outcome is objectively assessed physical activity at follow-up. Discussion Because regular physical activity has proven to be an important predictor of long-term response and remission in patients with major depression, we believe that our planned study may lay important groundwork by showing how individually tailored lifestyle physical activity counselling can be integrated into given clinical structures. Improving physical activity may have important implications for tackling metabolic and cardiovascular disease and increasing mood and cognitive functioning in this at-risk population, hence limiting the future burden of multiple chronic conditions. Increased physical activity may also reduce the likelihood of future depressive episodes. By moving towards the primary prevention of chronic physical conditions, much can be done to enhance the quality and quantity of life of people with MDD. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN10469580. Registered on 3 September 2018.

Abstract Background Infective endocarditis (IE) caused by gram-negative bacilli is rare. However, the incidence of this severe infection is rising because of the increasing number of persons at risk, such as patients with immunosuppression or with cardiac implantable devices and prosthetic valves. The diagnosis of IE is often difficult, particularly when microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which rarely cause this infection, are involved. One of the mainstays for the diagnosis of IE are persistently positive blood cultures with the same bacteria, while polymicrobial bacteremia usually points to another cause, e.g. an abscess. The antimicrobial resistance profile of some P. aeruginosa strains may change, falsely suggesting an infection with several strains, thus further increasing the diagnostic difficulties. Case presentation A 66-year old male patient who had a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) one year previously developed fever seven days after an elective inguinal hernia repair. During the following four weeks, P. aeruginosa with different antibiotic resistance profiles was repeatedly isolated from blood cultures. Repeated trans-esophageal echocardiograms (TEE) were negative and an infection by different P. aeruginosa strains was suspected. Extensive diagnostic workup for an infectious focus was performed with no results. Finally, an oscillating mass on the aortic valve was detected by TEE five weeks after the initial positive blood cultures. P. aeruginosa endocarditis was confirmed by culture of the surgically removed valve. Whole genome sequencing of the last two P. aeruginosa isolates (valve and blood culture) revealed identical strains, with genome mutations for AmpR, AmpD and OprD. Conclusions The diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis is particularly difficult for several reasons. The modified Duke criteria have a lower sensitivity for patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis and the infection may be caused by “unusual” pathogens such as P. aeruginosa. Patients with repeatedly positive blood cultures should make clinicians suspicious for endocarditis even if imaging studies are negative and if isolated pathogens are “unusual”. Repeatedly positive blood cultures for P. aeruginosa should be considered as “persistent bacteremia” (suspicious for IE) even in the presence of different antibiotic susceptibility patterns, since P. aeruginosa might rapidly activate or deactivate resistance mechanisms depending on antibiotic exposition.

The aim was to assess the internal and external quality of consumer eggs of egg‑laying hens of two selected genotypes depending on their age. All of these hens were kept in enriched cages. There were compared eggs from Hy‑Line Brown and ISA Brown hens at the age from 36 to 64 weeks. In total, 3840 eggs from 300 hens were evaluated. Quality of eggs was determined by their technological value. Statistically significant interactions (P = 0.001) between age and genotype were found in all evaluated parameters except for the yolk colour (P = 0.044), whereas there was not found interaction (P = 0.072) between age and genotype in eggshell strength. The significant effect of hens’ age was found in all evaluated parameters, with the only exception of the yolk colour. The results showed that the average weight of eggs, eggshell, albumen and yolk increased with the age. Also the eggshell proportion, its colour and yolk index values ​​increased, whereas the egg shape index, eggshell thickness and strength, albumen proportion, Haugh units, the albumen and the yolk index decreased. Statistically significant effect of the genotype was found in all evaluated parameters except for the yolk index. When comparing both genotypes, the eggs from ISA Brown hens had a better quality. The trend of deteriorating egg quality with age was confirmed.

Nine ski mountaineering (Ski-Mo), ten Nordic-cross country (NCC), and twelve world elite biathlon (Bia) athletes were evaluated for cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) performance and pronounced echocardiographic physiological cardiac remodeling as a primary aim of our descriptive preliminary report. In this context, a multicenter retrospective analysis of two-dimensional echocardiographic data including speckle tracking of the left ventricle (LV-GLS) and CPET performance analysis was performed in 31 elite world winter sports athletes, which were obtained during the annual sports medicine examination between 2020 and 2021. The matched data of the elite winter sports athletes (14 women, 17 male athletes, age: 18–32 years) were compared for different CPET and echocardiographic parameters, anthropometric data, and sport-specific training schedules. Significant differences could be revealed for left atrial (LA) remodeling by LA volume index (LAVI, p = 0.0052), LV-GLS (p = 0.0003), and LV mass index (LV Mass index, p = 0.0078) between the participating disciplines. All participating athletes showed excellent performance data in the CPET analyses, whereby significant differences were revealed for highest maximum respiratory minute volume (VE maximum) and the maximum oxygen pulse level across the participating athletes. This study on sport specific physiological demands in elite winter sport athletes provides new evidence that significant differences in CPET and cardiac remodeling of the left heart can be identified based on the individual athlete’s training schedule, frequency, and physique.

Psoriasis (PsO) is one of the common chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Approximately 3% of the European Caucasian population is affected. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic immune-mediated disease associated with PsO characterized by distinct musculoskeletal inflammation. Due to its heterogeneous clinical manifestations (e.g., oligo- or polyarthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, and axial inflammation), early diagnosis of PsA is often difficult and delayed. Approximately 30% of PsO patients will develop PsA. The responsible triggers for the transition from PsO only to PsA are currently unclear, and the impacts of different factors (e.g., genetic, environmental) on disease development are currently discussed. There is a high medical need, recently unmet, to specifically detect those patients with an increased risk for the development of clinically evident PsA early to initiate sufficient treatment to inhibit disease progression and avoid structural damage and loss of function or even intercept disease development. Increased neoangiogenesis and enthesial inflammation are hypothesized to be early pathological findings in PsO patients with PsA development. Different disease states describe the transition from PsO to PsA. Two of those phases are of value for early detection of PsA at-risk patients to prevent later development of PsA as changes in biomarker profiles are detectable: the subclinical phase (soluble and imaging biomarkers detectable, no clinical symptoms) and the prodromal phase (imaging biomarkers detectable, unspecific musculoskeletal symptoms such as arthralgia and fatigue). To target the unmet need for early detection of this at-risk population and to identify the subgroup of patients who will transition from PsO to PsA, imaging plays an important role in characterizing patients precisely. Imaging techniques such as ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computerized tomography (CT) are advanced techniques to detect sensitively inflammatory changes or changes in bone structure. With the use of these techniques, anatomic structures involved in inflammatory processes can be identified. These techniques are complemented by fluorescence optical imaging as a sensitive method for detection of changes in vascularization, especially in longitudinal measures. Moreover, high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) may give the advantage to identify PsA-related early characteristics in PsO patients reflecting transition phases of the disease.

Zeins are the main storage proteins in maize seed endosperm, and the onset of zein synthesis in young seeds challenges the endomembrane system and results in the formation of storage organelles. Even though zeins lack a conventional endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal, they accumulate within the ER and assemble in conspicuous ER-derived protein bodies (PBs) stabilized by disulfide bridge formation and hydrophobic interaction between zein chains. Zein body formation during seed development has been extensively studied, as well as the mechanisms that lead to the initiation of PBs. However, the exact course of the PB formation process and the spatial relationship with the ER remain unclear. The development of serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) techniques that allow three-dimensional imaging combined with the high resolution of electron microscopy provides new perspectives on the study of the plant endomembrane system. Here, we demonstrate that (i) the ER of maize seeds is mainly formed by massive sheets and (ii) PBs are not budding from tubules or the edge of sheets, but protrude from the entire surface of the ER sheet.

In this paper we present our recent work focused on the analysis of the abilities of Wang Tiles method and Automatic tile design method to synthesize the micro-structure of cellular materials, especially particular type of metal foam.Wang Tiles method stores and compress the micro-structure in a set of Wang Tiles and by the means of stochastic tiling algorithms the planar domain is reconstructed. The used tiles are created by the Automatic tile design method from respective number of small specimens extracted from the original micro-structure image. As an additional step the central areas of automatically designed tiles are patched to suppress the influence of repeating tile edges (and relevant tile quarters) on inducing artifacts. In the presented analysis the performance of raw and patched tiles of different sizes in conjunction of various tile sets is investigated.

Currently, microplastics represent a widespread contamination found in almost every part of the environment. The plastic industry has generated waste since the 1950s, which unfortunately now counts in the millions. The largest share of plastic consumption is used to produce packaging materials, including those applied in the food industry. The versatility of plastic materials is mainly due to their lightness, flexibility, strength, and persistence. Although plastic materials are widely used due to their beneficial properties, contamination of the environment with microplastics and nanoplastics is an emerging problem worldwide. This type of contamination is endangering animal life and thus also the food chain and public health. This review summarizes the knowledge about microplastics in the food chain. The effect of microplastics on the food chain has been particularly studied in marine organisms, and research deals less with other food commodities. Therefore, based on the studied literature, we can conclude that the issue is still not sufficiently examined, and should be paid more attention to maintain the health of the population.

Population-scale and rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2 continues to be a priority for several parts of the world. We revisit the in vitro technology platforms for COVID-19 testing and diagnostics—molecular tests and rapid antigen tests, serology or antibody tests, and tests for the management of COVID-19 patients. Within each category of tests, we review the commercialized testing platforms, their analyzing systems, specimen collection protocols, testing methodologies, supply chain logistics, and related attributes. Our discussion is essentially focused on test products that have been granted emergency use authorization by the FDA to detect and diagnose COVID-19 infections. Different strategies for scaled-up and faster screening are covered here, such as pooled testing, screening programs, and surveillance testing. The near-term challenges lie in detecting subtle infectivity profiles, mapping the transmission dynamics of new variants, lowering the cost for testing, training a large healthcare workforce, and providing test kits for the masses. Through this review, we try to understand the feasibility of universal access to COVID-19 testing and diagnostics in the near future while being cognizant of the implicit tradeoffs during the development and distribution cycles of new testing platforms.

In this contribution, we present the concept of Wang Tiles as a surrogate of the periodic unit cell method (PUC) for modelling of materials with heterogeneous microstructures and for synthesis of micro-mechanical fields. The concept is based on a set of specifically designed cells that compresses the stochastic microstructure into a small set of statistical volume elements – tiles. Tiles are placed side by side according to matching edges like in a game of domino. Opposite to the repeating pattern of PUC the Wang Tiles method with the stochastic tiling algorithm preserves the randomness for reconstructed microstructures. The same process is applied to obtain the micro-mechanical response of domains where the evaluation as one piece would be time consuming. Therefore the micro-mechanical quantities are evaluated only on tiles (with surrounding layers of tiles of each addressed tile included into the evaluation) and then synthesized to the micro-mechanical field of whole domain.

Abstract Background Aging is accompanied by a decline of executive function. Aerobic exercise training induces moderate improvements of cognitive domains (i.e., attention, processing, executive function, memory) in seniors. Most conclusive data are obtained from studies with dementia or cognitive impairment. Confident detection of exercise training effects requires adequate between-day reliability and low day-to-day variability obtained from acute studies, respectively. These absolute and relative reliability measures have not yet been examined for a single aerobic training session in seniors. Methods Twenty-two healthy and physically active seniors (age: 69 ± 3 y, BMI: 24.8 ± 2.2, VO2peak: 32 ± 6 mL/kg/bodyweight) were enrolled in this randomized controlled cross-over study. A repeated between-day comparison [i.e., day 1 (habituation) vs. day 2 & day 2 vs. day 3] of executive function testing (Eriksen-Flanker-Test, Stroop-Color-Test, Digit-Span, Five-Point-Test) before and after aerobic cycling exercise at 70% of the heart rate reserve [0.7 × (HRmax – HRrest)] was conducted. Reliability measures were calculated for pre, post and change scores. Results Large between-day differences between day 1 and 2 were found for reaction times (Flanker- and Stroop Color testing) and completed figures (Five-Point test) at pre and post testing (0.002

BackgroundMultimorbidity is challenging not only for the patient but also for the romantic partner. Strategies for interpersonal emotion regulation like disclosing to the partner are supposed to play a major role in the psychosocial adjustment to multimorbidity. Research has often focused on disease-related disclosure, even though disclosing thoughts and feelings related to mundane, everyday life occurrences might also play a role in coadjustment. The current dyadic study aimed at investigating the association between these two types of interpersonal regulation strategies and adjustment disorder symptoms, following the new ICD 11 criteria in multimorbid patients and their partners.MethodsShortly after being hospitalized due to an acute health crisis, N = 28 multimorbid patients (average age 70 years) and their partners filled in questionnaires on disclosure in the couple, adjustment disorder criteria of the ICD 11 (“preoccupation,” “failure to adapt”), and sleep problems.ResultsBoth patients and their partners did show similarly high levels of preoccupation and failure to adapt indicating adjustment problems to the complex health situation. The adjustment symptoms of both partners correlated between r = 0.22 and 0.45. Regression based on Actor-Partner Interdependence-Models revealed that own mundane disclosure was related to less adjustment symptoms in the patients. Beyond that, a partner effect was observed, revealing a negative association between partners’ illness-related disclosure and the patients’ level of preoccupation. For the partners, mundane disclosure of the partner was associated with less preoccupation, failure to adapt, and reported sleep problems above and beyond own disclosure reports. Furthermore, there was an actor effect of disease-related disclosure on less sleep problems for the partners.ConclusionThese results support an interpersonal view on adjustment processes to physical disease. Disclosure as a way of regulating the relationship and emotional responses might play a relevant role here, which seems to be different for patients and their partners. Further research is needed to shed more light on the differential role of disease-related and mundane everyday disclosure for psychosocial adjustment in couples confronted with health challenges.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: In total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), component malpositioning is a major cause of implant failure, possibly due to the altered force patterns caused by the malpositioning which are then transmitted to the bone-implant interface or neighboring joints during physiological loading. Mobile-bearing TAA with their second interface, may allow the talus to adapt its position based upon the individual anatomy. However, no data exist on the change in component positioning after implantation. It is unclear whether it is the result of initial positioning during implantation or secondary adjustments such as possible soft tissue adaptions. We aimed to determine the relative axial rotation between the talar and tibial components at the end of surgery and after a minimum of 3 years follow-up. Methods: The relative rotation between the tibial and talar components was measured in two groups. First, intraoperatively before wound closure, in a consecutive series of 58 patients (60 ankles; age 61.8 [31 to 86] years; females 25, males, 35) who underwent TAA between February and November 2018. A K-wire inserted along the medial border of the tibial component and a rectangular marker positioned at the anterior surface of PE insert were used to determine the angle of rotation. Second, in 48 patients (48 ankles; age 60.2 [31 - 82] years; females, 24; males, 24) out of 1411 patients who underwent TAA between January 2003 and December 2015, and in whom a weight-bearing CT scan was taken for evaluation at 6.3 (range, 3.0 -16.3) years. The medial border of the tibial component and a perpendicular line to the anterior surface of the PE insert were used to determine the angle of rotation. Results: The angle of rotation, thus the relative position of the talar component compared to the tibial component, did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.2). While the talus was internally rotated by 1.7 (range, -14.0 - 14.0) degrees at the end of surgery, it was internally rotated by 1.5 (range, -13.0 – 19.5) degrees after a minimum follow-up of 3 years (Figure 1). Conclusion: Although there was no significant difference in average axial position measured intraoperatively compared to a 3- years follow-up, there was a wide range of rotational measurements. The possibility of the talar component to find its position as given by individual anatomy may be crucial in TAA to avoid non-physiological joint loads and shear forces which may otherwise result in increased PE wear. Due to the wide range of measurements, our data suggests that axial talar rotation cannot be predicted preoperatively or intraoperatively by surgical techniques that reference the transtibial axis, tibial tuberosity and transmalleolar axis as guidance for tibial component positioning.

Many principles of bone reconstruction were successfully applied in this unique case of a 1.92m (6 ft 3 in.) tall 15 year old boy with intercalary leg amputation. This patient suffered from a 26 cm (10.2 in.) bone loss of his left distal femur and severe soft tissue damage with an irreparable extensor mechanism after motor cycle accident.After periimplant fracture below the knee arthrodesis nail, definite treatment consisted of implant exchange to an 870 mm (34.3 in.) long custom made nail, which is to our knowledge the longest implanted arthrodesis nail in literature.Therefore the aim of the study was to present our treatment strategies and pitfalls after traumatic periimplant arthrodesis nail fracture in an unusual case of limb reconstruction. Keywords: Knee arthrodesis nail, Periimplant fracture, Renailing, Unusual case

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide. Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors such as hypertension and obesity often manifest in childhood. The study examines the associations of blood pressure, body mass index and physical activity with cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and psychosocial health of children in a systems physiology approach.Methods/Design: This cross-sectional study will be performed in a cohort of 6 to 8 year old school children (n = 1000). As a measure of vascular health, retinal microvascular diameters and large artery pulse wave velocity will be examined. Anthropometric parameters, such as weight, height, body mass index, and blood pressure will be assessed according to standardized protocols for children. Physical fitness and activity will be measured by a 20 m shuttle run, a 20 m sprint and a proxy-reported questionnaire on lifestyle behavior. Spirometry, assessment of heart rate variability and skin advanced glycation end products as well as a flanker test will be performed to determine systemic end organ alterations.Discussion: The study offers a unique integrative primary prevention concept that aims to set the grounds for a healthy and active lifestyle approach during childhood. It will help optimize CV risk stratification to identify children at risk of disease progression later in life. The study will demonstrate the importance of specific CV screening programs in children to reduce the growing burden of CV disease in adulthood. Prospective follow-up studies will have to prove the efficacy of primary prevention programs in children to achieve healthier aging as a long-term goal.

Background: Assessing traditional neuromuscular fall risk factors (i.e., balance, gait, strength) in the elderly has so far mainly been done independently. Functional and integrative testing approaches are scarce. The present study proposes an agility course for an integrative assessment of neuromuscular and also cardiocirculatory capacity in seniors – and tests its criterion validity and reliability.Methods: Thirty-six seniors (age: 69.0 ± 2.8 years; BMI: 25.4 ± 3.5 kg/m2; sex: 19 males/17 females; weekly physical activity: 9.4 ± 5.5 h) participated. They completed four trials of the Agility Challenge for the Elderly (ACE)-course in two sessions separated by 1 week. The course consists of three segments focusing on different agility aspects. Cardiovascular capacity was assessed by 6-min walk test (6MWT), neuromuscular capacity by static, dynamic and perturbed standing balance tasks, habitual gait speed assessment, and rate of torque development testing. Parameters’ predictive strength for the ACE performance was assessed by regression analysis. Reliability was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficients and coefficients of variation.Results: Men completed the course in 43.0 ± 5.7 s and women in 51.9 ± 4.0 s. Overall and split times were explained by 6MWT time (ηp2 = 0.38–0.44), gait speed (ηp2 = 0.29–0.43), and to a lesser extent trunk rotation explosive strength (ηp2 = 0.05–0.12). Static and dynamic balance as well as plantar flexion strength explained the performance in some segments to a very small extent (ηp2 = 0.06–0.08). Good between- and within-day reliability were observed for total course and split times: The ICC for the between-day comparison was 0.93 (0.88–0.96) and ranged between 0.84 and 0.94 for split times. The within-day ICC was 0.94 (0.91–0.97) for overall time and 0.92–0.97 for split times. Coefficients of variation were smaller than 5.7% for within and between day analyses.Conclusion: The ACE course reflects cardiocirculatory and neuromuscular capacity, with the three ACE segments potentially reflecting slightly different domains of neuromuscular (static and dynamic balance, ankle, and trunk strength) performance, whereas cardiocirculatory fitness and gait speed contribute to all segments. Our test can detect changes in overall performance greater than 5.7% and can thus be useful for documenting changes due to interventions in seniors.

In this work we describe the relationship between surface modification of hexagonally ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 and loading/release characteristics of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) naproxen. Mesoporous silica (MPS) was modified with 3-aminopropyl, phenyl and cyclohexyl groups by grafting method. Naproxen was adsorbed into pores of the prepared MPS from ethanol solution using a solvent evaporation method. The release of the drug was performed in buffer medium at pH 2 and physiological solution at pH 7.4. Parent MPSs as well as naproxen loaded MPSs were characterized using physicochemical techniques such as nitrogen adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and elemental analysis. The amount of naproxen released from the MPSs into the medium was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was shown that the adsorption and desorption characteristics of naproxen are dependent on the pH of the solution and the surface functionalization of the host.

Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices have become more and more pervasive in our everyday lives. Examples include wearables transmitting and processing personal data and smart labels interacting with customers. Due to the sensitive data involved, these devices need to be protected against attackers. In this context, hardware-based security primitives such as Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) provide a powerful solution to secure interconnected devices. The main benefit of PUFs, in combination with traditional cryptographic methods, is that security keys are derived from the random intrinsic variations of the underlying core circuit. In this work, we present a holistic analog-based PUF evaluation platform, enabling direct access to a scalable design that can be customized to fit the application requirements in terms of the number of required keys and bit width. The proposed platform covers the full software and hardware implementations and allows for tracing the PUF response generation from the digital level back to the internal analog voltages that are directly involved in the response generation procedure. Our analysis is based on 30 fabricated PUF cores that we evaluated in terms of PUF security metrics and bit errors for various temperatures and biases. With an average reliability of 99.20% and a uniqueness of 48.84%, the proposed system shows values close to ideal.

Background: Sprint interval training (SIT) has become increasingly popular and is seen as a promising exercise strategy to increase fitness in healthy people. Nevertheless, some scholars doubt the appropriateness of a SIT training protocol for largely physically inactive populations. SIT might be too arduous, and therefore contribute to feelings of incompetence, failure, and lower self-esteem, which may undermine participants' exercise motivation. Therefore, we examined whether participation in 12 SIT sessions would lead to different changes in self-determined motivation, affective responses to exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and depressive symptom severity compared to aerobic exercise training (CAT) in a sample of patients with major depressive disorders (MDD).Methods: Two groups of 25 patients (39 women, 11 men) with unipolar depression were randomly assigned to the SIT or CAT condition (M = 36.4 years, SD = 11.3). Data were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (three weekly 35-min sessions of SIT/CAT over a 4-week period). Self-determined exercise motivation was assessed with a 12-item self-rating questionnaire, affective valence was assessed in each session, prior, during, and after the exercise training using the Feeling Scale (FS). Cardiovascular fitness was measured with a maximal bicycle ergometer test, self-perceived fitness with a 1-item rating scale, physical activity with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF), and depressive symptom severity with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDi-II).Results: The SIT and CAT groups did not differ with regard to their changes in self-determined motivation from baseline to post-intervention. Participants in the SIT and CAT group showed similar (positive) affective responses during and after the training sessions. Cardiorespiratory fitness, self-perceived fitness and depressive symptom severity similarly improved in the SIT and CAT group. Finally, significant increases were observed in self-reported physical activity from baseline to post-intervention. However, these increases were larger in the CAT compared to the SIT group.Conclusion: From a motivational point of view, SIT seems just as suited as CAT in the treatment of patients with MDD. This is a promising finding because according to self-determination theory, it seems advantageous for patients to choose between different exercise therapy regimes, and for their preferences with regard to exercise type and intensity to be considered.

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: A conflicting problem in treating acquired flatfoot deformities is the break-down of the arch at the naviculocuneiform (NC) joints. After having encountered problems with extended triple fusion, in particular increased stiffness of the foot, we established a rational to combine subtalar (ST) fusion with NC I-III fusion while preserving the talonavicular (TN) and calcaneo-cuboidal (CC) joint. Our hypothesis was that the break-down of the arch at the NC joint can be specifically addressed while sparing the Chopart Joint (TN and CC joint). This, in turn, will allow the patient to accommodate better to the ground while walking. The aim of the study was to analyze the radiographic correction and fusion rate, and to determine patient’s satisfaction with this procedure. Methods: Between 2009 and 2015, a consecutive series of 34 feet in 31 patients (female, 23; male, 8; age 67 [45-81] years) were treated by combining a fusion of the subtalar joint with a NC fusion. Both joints were exposed through a medial approach. Two 7.5mm-screws were used for ST fusion, and two 5.5mm-screws were used for NC fusion. In addition an anatomically contoured plate was used as a medio-plantar tension bending support of the NC joint. In 15 patients, an additional medial sliding-osteotomy was done to fully correct valgus misalignment of the hindfoot. The following measures were taken on standard weight-bearing radiographs including hindfoot alignment view preoperatively and at 2 years: the talus-first metatarsal angle, the talocalcaneal angle, the calcaneal pitch, the talonavicular coverage angle, the talus-first metatarsal angle, and calcaneal offset. Bony fusion was confirmed on plain radiographs. If no trabeculation was visible, a CT scan was performed. Results: All radiographic parameters, except the calcaneal pitch, showed a statistically significant improvement (Table 1). Solid fusion at the arthrodesis site was observed between 8 and 12 weeks in all but 2 cases (94.1%). One nonunion occurred at the ST joint and one at the NC joint. No interventions were necessary as both cases were asymptomatic. One patient developed an avascular necrosis of the lateral talus with need for a total ankle replacement after one year. All patients were satisfied with the results of this procedure and stated that they would undergo the surgery again. All patients were able to wear normal shoes without insoles. Conclusion: Our results show that a combined fusion of the subtalar and NC joint is an effective and safe technique in treating the adult acquired flatfoot with collapse of the medial arch at the level of the NC joint. The deformity was corrected in all three planes. Even though the TN joint was not fused, its subluxation was significantly reduced. Although our radiographic results are promising, a clinical follow-up study is necessary to quantify the clinical benefit of this procedure.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: A key for success in total ankle replacement (TAR) is a balanced ankle joint with a physiological loading of the implant, minimizing the wear of the polyethylene insert. Theoretically, in ankles with distal tibial deformities, this can be achieved with a correcting tibial resection cut. As an alternative, supramalleolar osteotomy (SMOT) can be used for balancing the ankle during TAR surgery. To date, however, no data exist whether a SMOT in addition to TAR results in better outcome over time, and which are the additional risks with such extensive surgery. The aim of the study was therefore 1) to determine the risk of a simultaneously performed SMOT in comparison to TAR only, and 2) to compare the postoperative clinical outcomes. Methods: Between 2002 and 2014, 23 patients (male, 12; female, 11; mean age 60 [22-72] years) underwent simultaneously a SMOT and a TAR for treatment of a severe misaligned osteoarthritic ankle (tibial anterior surface angle [TAS] 96° [n=1], or tibial lateral surface angle [TLS]

Category: Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: During locomotion, propulsion of the body is created by the force of the triceps surae complex as it is transmitted to the metatarsal heads. The amount and pattern of the resulting propulsion force highly depends on the moment arm of the Achilles tendon. To our knowledge, no data exists on how and to which extent position and morphology of the foot affects the moment arm of the Achilles tendon. The aim of this study was 1) to develop a method to determine the Achilles tendon moment arm, and 2) to calculate the Achilles tendon moment arm with the foot in different degrees of dorsi- and plantarflexion for 3 foot types (normal arched foot, pes planus, and pes cavus). Methods: 99 study participants with a healthy ankle joint (males, 40; females, 59; mean age 49 [range, 14 – 78] years) were included. Participants’ foot type was classified as a normal arched foot (n = 33), as pes planus (n = 33), or as pes cavus (n = 33) based on the calcaneal inclination angle (CI) (Figure 1). Besides the foot type, the foot length (FL), the calcaneal insertion of the Achilles tendon (ATI), the angle (a) between the line (L) connecting ATI with the center of rotation of the ankle (COR) and the horizontal line (L’) were measured on the lateral radiographs. The interrater reliabilities of measuring a on radiographs and on MRIs were compared. The lever arm of the Achilles tendon (L’calculated) was calculated as following (foot and tibia were regarded as two rigid segments; the influences of other muscles were neglected): L’calculated = cos(a - plantarflexion)*L Results: The interrater reliability of a was higher on radiographs (ICC = 0.84, [0.73 – 0.91]) than on MRIs (ICC = 0.61, [0.27 – 0.81]). The ICC comparing a measured on MRIs and radiographs was 0.63 [0.50-0.74]. There was no difference in FL between the three foot types (p = 0.199). However, the average a was significantly different (normal arched foot 31°, pes planus 24°, pes cavus 36°, p = 0.021), resulting in a statistically significant shorter Achilles tendon lever arm for pes cavus than for pes planus (p < 0.0001) and normal arched feet (p = 0.006) in neutral position. The maximum lever arm for the three different foot types was reached at different degrees of plantarflexion (Figure 2). Conclusion: The assessment of the Achilles tendon lever arm using radiographs is reliable. The foot configuration determines the lever arm of the Achilles tendon for a given flexion position of the foot. It also determines the plantarflexion position where the Achilles tendon reaches the maximum of its lever arm. This has to be taken into consideration when planning surgeries that change a or L, as they may also result in changes of plantarflexion power.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Total ankle replacement (TAR) evolved over the last decades and has been shown to be an effective concept in the treatment of ankle osteoarthritis (OA). In three-component designs, the second interface between polyethylene insert (PI) and tibial component allows the PI to find its position according the individual physiological properties. This was believed to decrease shear forces within the ankle joint. However, it is not clarified to which extent such an additional degree of freedom may overload the ligamentous structures of the ankle joint over time. This may in particular be the case for the syndesmotic ligaments. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze all ankles after TAR that showed a symptomatic overload of the syndesmotic ligaments and to determine the potential consequences. Methods: Between 2003 and 2017, 31 ankles (females, 17; males 14; mean age 60 [40-79] years) were treated with a tibio-fibular fusion for a symptomatic instability of the syndesmosis. The indication for TAR was posttraumatic OA in 27 (87%), primary OA in 3 (10%), and hemochromatosis in one ankle (3%). The 31 ankles included 23 primary TAR (74%), 6 revision TAR (19%), and two take-down of a fusion and conversion to TAR (7%). Criteria for fusion were the presence of at least two of the followings: (1) tenderness over the syndesmosis, (2) pain while compressing the fibula against the tibia (squeeze test), (3) pain while rotating the foot externally (external rotation test), (4) widening of the syndesmosis on an anteroposterior view. Alignment of TAR (tibial articular surface [TAS] angle) and hindfoot alignment were measured on standard radiographs. Intraoperatively, the syndesmotic instability was confirmed before fusion. The wear of PI was documented. Results: After a mean of 63 (range, 4 – 152) months after TAR, all patients evidenced pain at the level of the syndesmosis of at least 3 months. 25 ankles (81%; 24 after posttraumatic OA) showed a widening of the syndesmotic space and 22 ankles (71%) of the medial clear space with lateral translation of the talus. The PI was seen to overlap the tibial component in 15 ankles (48%). Nine ankles (29%) evidenced cyst formation, and eight ankles (26%) showed a decrease in height of the PI; whereas, in 3 ankles (10%) a fracture of the PI was found. A valgus misalignment of the heel was found in 25 ankles (81%), a valgus TAS in 16 (52%) and a varus TAS in 11 ankles (36%). Conclusion: A syndesmotic instability after a three-component TAR apparently occurred mostly after posttraumatic OA, in particular if the heel was left in valgus. If the talus starts to move lateralward, the PI seems to be at risk for increased wear and finally mechanical failure (Figure 1). Therefore, a valgus misaligned heel should always be corrected during TAR implantation. If there is any sign of syndesmotic instability, a fusion should be considered. Further studies must proof whether in cases with a syndesmotic instability the use of a two-component design will be superior, as it stabilizes the talus in the coronal plane.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: It has been shown that total ankle replacement (TAR) is effective in reducing pain and maintaining function in posttraumatic ankle osteoarthritis (OA). Compared to ankle fusion, TAR restores hindfoot kinematics more physiological. However, the assumption that the maintenance of ankle motion has a protective effect on the subtalar joint is still a matter of debate. Only a scarce number of long-term studies exist to support this statement.The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate to which extent the integrity of the subtalar joint can be preserved by treating patients with a TAR, (2) to determine the rate of subtalar fusion following TAR, and (3) to determine whether the need of subsequent subtalar fusion was predictable at time of TAR. Methods: A consecutive series of 1140 primary TAR (508 female, 632 male, median age 63.5 years), performed between May 2000 and December 2015, were prospectively documented. The indication for TAR was posttraumatic OA in 78%, primary and systemic OA in 10% each, and other secondary OA in 3% of the cases. 199 subtalar joints were either fused before (n=73) or during TAR surgery (n=126), leaving 941 subtalar joints available for analysis. Radiographs before implantation and at latest follow-up were classified using the Kellgren and Lawrence Grading Score (KLS). In case of a subtalar fusion, the radiograph prior to the fusion was classified. Results: After a median radiographic follow-up of 6.1 years, the KLS remained unchanged in 66% of all cases. While it was increased by one stage in 30%, it was increased by two stages in 3%; whereas, signs of OA decreased by one stage in 1%. Cases with an increase of two stages on the KLS had a longer follow-up compared to cases without increase (p=0.047).37 cases (3.9%) underwent a subtalar joint fusion, of which the indication was progressive OA in 19 cases (51%), instability in 10 cases (27%) and others in 8 cases (22%). Subtalar joints that required a fusion after TAR did not show higher preoperative KLS than the group which did not need a subtalar joint fusion. Conclusion: Apparently, TAR protects the subtalar joint from secondary degeneration, as found in 67% with no increase in KLS. Although 33% showed an increase in the KLS, only 2% required a subtalar fusion due to progressive OA. Overall, the rate of subtalar joint fusion after TAR was low and comparable to the rates reported in the literature. Subtalar joints requiring fusion after TAR did not show higher preoperative rates of OA. Therefore, the KLS classification of subtalar OA on conventional radiographs provides only limited information about the need for postoperative subtalar fusion, and thus need to be interpreted with caution.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Deformity of the distal tibia in the sagittal plane with increased posterior tilt of the articular surface (recurvatum deformity) results in altered biomechanics and high contact pressure in the anterior tibiotalar joint with consecutive osteoarthritis (OA). As the talus becomes anteriorly extruded out of ankle mortise, the distance between its center of rotation and longitudinal axis of tibia is typically seen to be increased. In an attempt to restore physiologic load of such misaligned ankles in the sagittal plane, we have started to use a correcting osteotomy of the distal tibia to realign the center of rotation of talus and tibial axis. The aim of this study was to analyze the radiological and clinical outcome in a consecutive series of patients. Methods: 39 patients (female, 12; male 27; age 47 [28 to 72, SD 10.6] years) were treated with a flecting osteotomy of the distal tibia for a symptomatic misalignment in the sagittal plane with the use of an anterior opening wedge osteotomy (n = 28), posterior closing wedge osteotomy (n = 9), or dome-shaped osteotomy from medially (n = 2). If necessary, simultaneous corrections in the frontal plane were performed to address additional valgus/varus deformities. Standard weight-bearing radiographs were used pre- and postoperatively to evaluate the tibial anterior surface angle (TAS), tibiotalar surface angle (TTS), tibial lateral surface angle (TLS), calcaneal pitch and talar offset ratio (TOR). A four-staged flecting score was used to classify the grade of OA of the tibiotalar joint in the sagittal plane, also taking the coronal joint congruency into account. Results: The cumulative survival rate of the joint was 77% (95% CI: 48-86%) after 3 years, with 9 patients needing a joint sacrificing procedure (total ankle arthroplasty, 7; ankle fusion, 2). In the remaining 30 patients, pain decreased 2.0 points on the VAS (p

Background: Exercise training is a beneficial treatment strategy for depression. Previous meta-analytical reviews mainly examined the effect of aerobic exercise on depressive symptoms neglecting comparisons with neuromuscular training and meta-regression considering relevant exercise training prescriptors such as exercise duration, intensity, number of exercise sessions (volume) and frequency.Methods: A structured literature search was conducted in biomedical and psychological databases and study selection was conducted following the PICOS approach. (Randomized) controlled trials that compared supervised neuromuscular or endurance exercise interventions with an inactive control group (CON) in clinically depressed in- or out-patients over 18 years were included. Eligibility and study quality were evaluated by two independent researchers. Standardized mean differences (SMD) for the reduction of depressive symptoms, measured with different evaluation scales (e.g., BDI, HAM-D, PHQ-9, HRSD, MADRS, GDS) were calculated with the adjusted Hedges'g equation as main outcome for the comparison of endurance and neuromuscular exercise interventions vs. CON. Statistical analyses were conducted using a random effects inverse-variance model. Multivariate meta-regression analysis was performed in order to examine the modulating effects of exercise training prescriptors.Results: Twenty seven trials with 1,452 clinically depressed adults were included. 20 out of 27 included trials reached a PEDro score of at least 6, representing high-quality. Irrespective of the exercise mode and study quality, large effects in favor of exercise compared to the control condition were found. Compared to CON, sensitivity analyses revealed a moderate to large effect in favor of endurance exercise [SMD: −0.79 (90% CI: −1.10, −0.48); p < 0.00001, I2 = 84%] and a large effect size in favor of neuromuscular exercise [SMD: −1.14 (90 CI: −1.50, −0.78); p < 0.00001, I2 = 80%]. These effects decreased to moderate for endurance and remained large for neuromuscular trials when considering studies of high quality, indicating a significant difference (p = 0.04). Multivariate meta- regression revealed that exercise duration in endurance trials and exercise intensity in neuromuscular trials had a significantly moderating effect.Conclusions: Strong neuromuscular exercise interventions can be slightly more effective than endurance exercise interventions. Interestingly, exercise duration and exercise intensity moderated the effect size meaningfully. This result might be used on exercise in depression to increase efficacy.

BACKGROUND:Accurate assessment of physical activity is essential to determine the magnitude of the health-related benefits of regular physical activity. While physical activity questionnaires are easy to use, their accuracy in comparison to objective measures has been questioned. The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of two interview-based questionnaires; a recently-developed instrument, the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ), and the Seven Day-Physical Activity Recall (7DPAR). METHODS:Accelerometer data was collected in 72 university students (50% females). Telephone interviews were conducted to complete the SIMPAQ and the 7DPAR. RESULTS:Significant correlations (p < .001) were found between accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the amount of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ (rho = .49), and vigorous physical activity assessed via the 7DPAR (rho = .50). Exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ was significantly correlated with the vigorous physical activity score of the 7DPAR (rho = .56, p < .001). While participants needed three minutes less to complete the SIMPAQ (p < .001), participants tended to be more confident about the accuracy of the answers they provided on the 7DPAR (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS:These two questionnaire measures of physical activity performed similarly in a healthy young adult sample. The SIMPAQ can be completed in 15 minutes, which could be an advantage in settings where time for physical activity assessment is limited.

BackgroundPsychiatric disorders are associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms and improve arterial stiffness as a biomarker of cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate the effects of different exercise modalities on depression severity index and arterial stiffness in patients suffering from unipolar depression.Methods34 patients suffering from unipolar depression [female: 25, male: 9, age: 37.8, Beck-Depression-Inventory-II (BDI-II) score: 31.0] were enrolled in this two-armed randomized controlled trial. Central hemodynamics, augmentation index at heart rate 75/min (AIx@75) and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were obtained by an oscillometric monitoring device. Maximal bicycle ergometer exercise testing yielded maximal fitness parameters. Patients were assigned to either high-intensity low volume (HILV) or moderate continuous aerobic training (MCT). Both intervention groups trained three times a week during a 4-week intervention period. BDI-II were filled out by the patients before and after the intervention period.ResultsWe found moderate interaction effects on depression severity reduction (ηp2=0.10). HILV showed a 85% beneficial effect in lowering BDI-II scores compared to MCT (HILV: pre: 28.8 (9.5), post: 15.5 (8.5), SMD = 1.48), MCT: (pre: 33.8 (8.5), post: 22.6 (7.5), SMD = 1.40). Reduction of AIx@75 was more pronounced after MCT (SMD = 0.61) compared to HILV (SMD = 0.08), showing 37% possibly beneficial effects of MCT over HILV. PWV remained unchanged in both training groups.ConclusionBoth training regimes showed large effects on the reduction of depressive symptoms. While HILV was more effective in lowering depression severity, MCT was more effective in additionally lowering peripheral arterial stiffness. Exercise should be considered an important strategy for preventive as well as rehabilitative treatment in depression.

The aim of this study was to assess the performance and technological values of eggs of Czech Hen and Oravka breeds housed on litter. The assumption was that the genotype of hens affects their performance, egg weight, and parameters of yolk, albumen and eggshell quality. A total of 30 pullets of Czech Hen breed and 30 pullets of Oravka breed in the age of 17 weeks were included in to the experiment. Environmental conditions corresponded to the standard requirements for laying hens in observed type of housing system. Hen day egg production, egg yield, daily feed consumption per hen, feed consumption per egg and egg weight, egg shape index, proportion and index of yolk and albumen,yolk colour and Haugh units score were monitored in the experiment. From the parameters of eggshell, proportion, thickness, strength and colour of eggshell were observed. Performance parameters of laying hens weren't affected by the genotype of hens. Czech Hen breed showed insignificantly the higher value in all indicators. The significantly (P≤0.01 and P≤0.001) better values of eggshell quality parameters were detected in Czech Hen breed. We found out that Czech Hen breed had also statistically significantly lighter colour of eggshell. There were no significant interbreed differences in egg weight, proportion of yolk and albumen. The egg shape index was significantly higher in Oravka. Index of yolk and albumen was also significantly (P≤0.001) higher in Oravka. Haugh units score, that reflect the quality of the eggs, were found significantly (P≤0.001)higher in Oravka too. On the other hand, yolk colour was detected significantly (P≤0.001) darker for the Czech Hen.

Background: Migraine is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and vascular dysfunction. Since aerobic exercise can reduce cardiovascular risk, the present randomized controlled trail aimed at investigating the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) vs. moderate continuous exercise training (MCT) on arterial stiffness in migraine patients.Methods: Forty-eight episodic migraineurs were initially enrolled in the study. 37 patients [female: 30; age: 37 (SD: 10); BMI: 23.1 (5.2); Migraine days per month: 3.7 (2.5)] completed the intervention. Central blood pressure, pulse wave reflection, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were obtained by an oscillometric monitor. Incremental treadmill exercise testing yielded maximal and submaximal fitness parameters. Participants were randomly assigned to either HIT, MCT, or a control group (CON). The intervention groups trained twice a week over a 12-week intervention period.Results: After adjustment for between-group baseline differences, a moderate meaningful overall reduction of the augmentation index at 75 min−1 heart rate (AIx@75) was observed [partial eta squared (ηp2) = 0.16; p = 0.06]. With 91% likely beneficial effects, HIT was more effective in reducing AIx@75 than MCT [HIT: pre 22.0 (9.7), post 14.9 (13.0), standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.62; MCT: pre 16.6 (8.5), post 21.3 (10.4), SMD −0.49]. HIT induced a relevant reduction in central systolic blood pressure [cSBP: pre 118 (23) mmHg, post 110 (16) mmHg, SMD = 0.42] with a 59% possibly beneficial effect compared to CON, while MCT showed larger effects in lowering central diastolic blood pressure [pre 78 (7) mmHg, post 74 (7) mmHg, SMD = 0.61], presenting 60% possibly beneficial effects compared to CON. Central aortic PWV showed no changes in any of the three groups. Migraine days were reduced more successfully by HIT than MCT (HIT: SMD = 1.05; MCT: SMD = 0.43).Conclusion: HIT but not MCT reduces AIx@75 as a measure of pulse wave reflection and indirect marker of systemic arterial stiffness. Both exercise modalities beneficially affect central blood pressure. HIT proved to be an effective complementary treatment option to reduce vascular dysfunction and blood pressure in migraineurs.

Objective: Neuromuscular injury prevention programs (IPP) can reduce injury rate by about 40% in youth sport. Multimodal IPP include, for instance, balance, strength, power, and agility exercises. Our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of multimodal IPP on neuromuscular performance in youth sports.Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search including selected search terms related to youth sports, injury prevention, and neuromuscular performance. Inclusion criteria were: (i) the study was a (cluster-)randomized controlled trial (RCT), and (ii) investigated healthy participants, up to 20 years of age and involved in organized sport, (iii) an intervention arm performing a multimodal IPP was compared to a control arm following a common training regime, and (iv) neuromuscular performance parameters (e.g., balance, power, strength, sprint) were assessed. Furthermore, we evaluated IPP effects on sport-specific skills.Results: Fourteen RCTs (comprising 704 participants) were analyzed. Eight studies included only males, and five only females. Seventy-one percent of all studies investigated soccer players with basketball, field hockey, futsal, Gaelic football, and hurling being the remaining sports. The average age of the participants ranged from 10 years up to 19 years and the level of play from recreational to professional. Intervention durations ranged from 4 weeks to 4.5 months with a total of 12 to 57 training sessions. We observed a small overall effect in favor of IPP for balance/stability (Hedges' g = 0.37; 95%CI 0.17, 0.58), leg power (g = 0.22; 95%CI 0.07, 0.38), and isokinetic hamstring and quadriceps strength as well as hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio (g = 0.38; 95%CI 0.21, 0.55). We found a large overall effect for sprint abilities (g = 0.80; 95%CI 0.50, 1.09) and sport-specific skills (g = 0.83; 95%CI 0.34, 1.32). Subgroup analyses revealed larger effects in high-level (g = 0.34–1.18) compared to low-level athletes (g = 0.22–0.75), in boys (g = 0.27–1.02) compared to girls (g = 0.09–0.38), in older (g = 0.32–1.16) compared to younger athletes (g = 0.18–0.51), and in studies with high (g = 0.35–1.16) compared to low (g = 0.12–0.38) overall number of training sessions.Conclusion: Multimodal IPP beneficially affect neuromuscular performance. These improvements may substantiate the preventative efficacy of IPP and may support the wide-spread implementation and dissemination of IPP. The study has been a priori registered in PROSPERO (CRD42016053407).