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Introduction Approximately 30% of somatic hospital inpatients experience psychosocial distress, contributing to increased (re-)hospitalisation rates, treatment resistance, morbidity, and direct and indirect costs. However, such distress often remains unrecognised and unaddressed. We established ‘SomPsyNet’, a ‘stepped and collaborative care model’ (SCCM) for somatic hospital inpatients, aiming at alleviating this issue through early identification of distress and provision of appropriate care, providing problem-focused pathways and strengthening collaborative care. We report the protocol of the ‘SomPsyNet’ study, aiming to evaluate implementation and impact of the SCCM on distressed patients’ health-related quality of life. Secondary objectives include assessing efficacy of the screening procedures, influence of SCCM on other health outcomes and associated costs.Methods and analysis Our stepped wedge cluster randomised trial conducted at three tertiary hospitals comprises three conditions: treatment as usual (TAU) without screening for distress (phase 0), TAU with screening but without consequences (phase I, main comparator) and TAU with screening and psychosomatic-psychiatric consultations for those distressed (phase II). The time-of-transition between phases I and II was randomised. Sample size target is N=2200–2500 participants, with 6 month follow-up for distressed (anticipated n=640–700) and a subsample of non-distressed (anticipated n=200) patients. Primary outcome is mental health-related quality of life (SF-36 ‘Mental Health Component Summary score’); secondary outcomes include psychosocial distress, anxiety, depressive and somatic symptoms, symptom burden and distress, resilience, social support and qualitative of life, assessed by internationally accepted instruments, with good psychometric properties. Further, health claims data will be used to assess SCCM’s impact on direct and indirect costs.Ethics and dissemination SomPsyNet adheres to the Helsinki Declaration and is approved by the ‘Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz’ (2019–01724). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and communicated to participants, healthcare professionals and the public.Trial registration number Swiss National Clinical Trials Portal; ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04269005, updated 19.09.2023).

In this study, we investigated the impact of the evaluation capacity building (ECB) efforts of an organization by examining the evaluation plans included in funding proposals over a 14-year period. Specifically, we sought to determine the degree to which and how evaluation plans in proposals to one National Science Foundation (NSF) program changed over time and the extent to which the organization dedicated to ECB in that program may have influenced those changes. Independent raters used rubrics to assess the presence of six essential evaluation plan elements. Statistically significant correlations indicate that proposal evaluation plans improved over time, with noticeable differences before and after ECB efforts were integrated into the program. The study adds to the limited literature on using artifacts of evaluation practice rather than self-reports to assess ECB impact.

Purpose: Over the last decades, many studies have documented the clinical potential of nonword repetition (NWR) tasks for detecting developmental language disorder in mono- (MON) and bilingual (BIL) children by unveiling their difficulties in short-term memory and phonological accuracy. However, the precise nature of the nonwords to be used and the best scoring methods remain under debate. Some authors (e.g., Gutiérrez-Clellen & Simon-Cereijido, 2010) support the use of "language-specific" nonwords designed for a given test language in standardized tests. Other authors (e.g., Chiat, 2015) advocate the use of "crosslinguistic" stimuli, thus allowing assessment independently of the languages spoken by the child. Method: This research note compares two language-specific tasks (French vs. Portuguese) and a crosslinguistic NWR task in a population of 5- to 7-year-old MON and BIL children. Group comparisons (children with vs. without developmental language disorder; MON vs. BIL children), an error analysis, sensitivity and specificity calculations (assessed according to the recommendations of Plante and Vance, 1994, and Youden, 1950) are reported. Results: All three tasks significantly differentiate children with and without developmental language disorder with large effect sizes but did not show an effect for bilingualism, which is encouraging for the BIL assessment. As expected, an influence of children's age and length and complexity of the stimuli was also found. The language-specific French task was found to be the most sensitive (max. 88%) and specific (max. 92%); the crosslinguistic task also reached good accuracy percentages for the BIL group (max. 82% sensitivity and 84% specificity). Conclusion: This research note adds to the evidence that NWR tasks are promising tolls for the identification of MON and BIL children with developmental language disorder.

Purpose: A wealth of studies has assessed the diagnostic value of the nonword repetition task (NWRT) for the detection of developmental language disorder (DLD) in the clinical context of speech and language therapy, first in monolingual children and, more recently, in bilingual children. This review article reviews this literature systematically and conducts a meta-analysis on the discriminative power of this type of task in both populations. Method: Three databases were used to select articles based on keyword combinations, which were then reviewed for relevance and methodological rigor based on internationally recognized checklists. From an initial pool of 488 studies, 46 studies were selected for inclusion in the systematic review, and 35 of these studies could be included in a meta-analysis. Results: Most of the articles report significant discrimination between children with and without DLD in both monolingual and bilingual contexts, and the meta-analysis shows a large mean effect size. Three factors (age of the child, linguistic status, and language specificity of the task) yielded enough quantitative data for further exploration. Subgroups analysis shows variance in effect sizes, but none of the three factors, neither their interactions, were significant in a metaregression. We discuss how other, less explored factors (e.g., nature of the stimuli, scoring methods) could also contribute to differences in results. Sensitivity and specificity analyses reported in 33 studies confirmed that, despite possible effect size differences, the diagnostic accuracy of the NWRT is generally near thresholds considered to be discriminatory. It generally increases when it is combined with other tasks (e.g., parental questionnaire). Conclusions: This review indicates that the NWRT is a promising diagnostic tool to identify children with DLD in monolingual and bilingual contexts with a large mean effect size. However, it seems necessary to choose the precise NWRT materials based on the children's language background and to complement the assessment sessions with other tools in order to ensure diagnosis and to obtain complete language profile of the child.

Abstract Soil contamination pattern due to industrial activities often leads to high concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) decreasing with depth. This spatial heterogeneity of the soil contamination may have significant consequences on the soil properties and soil living communities. We evaluated the effects of both surface and solum soil contamination heterogeneity on Coronilla juncea L. (Fabaceae) functional traits in field conditions and the phytostabilization potential of this species. Plant and soil samples were collected on 3 sites along a PTE contamination gradient. The correlations between PTE concentration in plant and soil samples at 2 depths, physico-chemical properties of soil, plant biomass and soil microbial activity were tested. Field measurements highlight a decreasing PTE concentration with soil depth in addition to an important surface heterogeneity of As, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn soil concentrations. Root PTE concentrations in C. juncea did not follow soil PTE concentrations. Concentrations of PTE in the root parts were higher than those of the aerial parts. Low PTE translocation and root symbioses with microorganisms suggest that this native plant species may play a role as engineer species with positive implications for the phytostabilization of Mediterranean PTE contaminated soils and their ecological restoration.

Coincidence experiments at free-electron lasers enable time resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry at high signal rates, but isolating individual dissociation processes still poses a considerable technical challenge. Here, the authors use electron-ion partial covariance imaging to isolate otherwise elusive chemical shifts in UV-induced photofragmentation pathways of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane.

Pre-crastination refers to the propensity to initiate tasks at the earliest possible moment. Research with human adults has found that some individuals consistently chose to transport a nearby object a further distance rather than delay initiation of the transport to select an object closer to the target. This phenomenon has never been tested in animals using analogous methods. Consequently, we tested bonobos – the species most closely related to humans - using two versions of a comparable transport task. Overall, we found that all five bonobos tended to select the first object they encountered to transport to the goal. Unlike humans, the bonobos sometimes transported both available objects. Two of the five bonobos consistently pre-crastinated, a similar proportion to that found in human experiments. However, if the pre-crastination choice was non-functional, the bonobos chose the motorically efficient choice. In sum, our findings provide an existence proof for pre-crastination tendencies in some bonobos, akin to the distribution of this trait in humans. We discuss the possibility that the pre-crastination choice represents an automatic response triggered by the affordances of the objects encountered.

The Greatwall/Ensa/PP2A-B55 pathway is essential for controlling mitotic substrate phosphorylation and mitotic entry. Here, we investigate the effect of the knockdown of the Gwl substrate, Ensa, in human cells. Unexpectedly, Ensa knockdown promotes a dramatic extension of S phase associated with a lowered density of replication forks. Notably, Ensa depletion results in a decrease of Treslin levels, a pivotal protein for the firing of replication origins. Accordingly, the extended S phase in Ensa-depleted cells is completely rescued by the overexpression of Treslin. Our data herein reveal a new mechanism by which normal cells regulate S-phase duration by controlling the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of Treslin in a Gwl/Ensa-dependent pathway.The Greatwall/Ensa/PP2A-B55 pathway controls mitotic substrate phosphorylation and mitotic entry. Here the authors show that cells regulate S phase duration by controlling the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of Treslin in a Gwl/Ensa-dependent pathway.

How cells coordinate growth and division is key for size homeostasis. Phosphorylation by G1-CDK of Whi5/Rb inhibitors of SBF/E2F transcription factors triggers irreversible S-phase entry in yeast and metazoans, but why this occurs at a given cell size is not fully understood. We show that the yeast Rim15-Igo1,2 pathway, orthologous to Gwl-Arpp19/ENSA, is up-regulated in early G1 and helps promoting START by preventing PP2ACdc55 to dephosphorylate Whi5. RIM15 overexpression lowers cell size while IGO1,2 deletion delays START in cells with low CDK activity. Deletion of WHI5, CDC55 and ectopic CLN2 expression suppress the START delay of igo1,2∆ cells. Rim15 activity increases after cells switch from fermentation to respiration, where Igo1,2 contribute to chromosome maintenance. Interestingly Cln3-Cdk1 also inhibits Rim15 activity, which enables homeostatic control of Whi5 phosphorylation and cell cycle entry. We propose that Rim15/Gwl regulation of PP2A plays a hitherto unappreciated role in cell size homeostasis during metabolic rewiring of the cell cycle.

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are threatened by excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. While accelerated arterial stiffening may represent a critical mechanistic factor driving cardiovascular risk in T2D, specific therapies to contain the underlying diabetic arterial remodeling have been elusive. The present translational study investigates the role of microRNA-29b (miR-29b) as a driver and therapeutic target of diabetic aortic remodeling and stiffening. Using a murine model (db/db mice), as well as human aortic tissue samples, we find that diabetic aortic remodeling and stiffening is associated with medial fibrosis, as well as fragmentation of aortic elastic layers. miR-29b is significantly downregulated in T2D and miR-29b repression is sufficient to induce both aortic medial fibrosis and elastin breakdown through upregulation of its direct target genes COL1A1 and MMP2 thereby increasing aortic stiffness. Moreover, antioxidant treatment restores aortic miR-29b levels and counteracts diabetic aortic remodeling. Concluding, we identify miR-29b as a comprehensive—and therefore powerful—regulator of aortic remodeling and stiffening in T2D that moreover qualifies as a (redox-sensitive) target for therapeutic intervention.

Summary: Olfactory epithelium (OE) undergoes degeneration in disorders such as age-related and post-viral olfactory dysfunction. However, methods for real-time in vivo detection of OE and assessment of total extent within the nasal cavity are currently unavailable. We identified two fluorescence probes for rapidly detecting and evaluating the entire extent of mice OE with topical application. Taking advantage of the differential expression of the enzymes cytochrome p450 (CYP) and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) in OE relative to respiratory epithelium, we utilized the conversion of coumarin (a substrate of various CYP subtypes) and gGlu-HRMG (a substrate of GGT) by these enzymes to form metabolites with fluorescent emissions in the duct cells and sustentacular cells of neuron-containing OE. In depleted and regenerated OE model, the emission of these probes remained absent in respiratory metaplasia but appeared in regenerated OE. These substrates could be used to monitor OE degeneration and follow regenerative response to therapeutic interventions.

Leishmania and Trypanosoma are unicellular parasites that possess markedly original biological features as compared to other eukaryotes. The Leishmania genome displays a constitutive 'mosaic aneuploidy', whereas in Trypanosoma brucei, the megabase-sized chromosomes are diploid. We accurately analysed DNA replication parameters in three Leishmania species and Trypanosoma brucei as well as mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF). Active replication origins were visualized at the single molecule level using DNA molecular combing. More than one active origin was found on most DNA fibres, showing that the chromosomes are replicated from multiple origins. Inter-origin distances (IODs) were measured and found very large in trypanosomatids: the mean IOD was 160 kb in T. brucei and 226 kb in L. mexicana. Moreover, the progression of replication forks was faster than in any other eukaryote analyzed so far (mean velocity 1.9 kb/min in T. brucei and 2.4-2.6 kb/min in Leishmania). The estimated total number of active DNA replication origins in trypanosomatids is ~170. Finally, 14.4% of unidirectional replication forks were observed in T. brucei, in contrast to 1.5-1.7% in Leishmania and 4% in MEF cells. The biological significance of these original features is discussed.

Many arrhythmia datasets are multimodal due to the simultaneous collection of physiological signals of a subject. These datasets frequently have missing modalities or missing block-wise data, a characteristic that various recent applications of neural networks fail to consider. Most arrhythmic detection models only use electrocardiogram and blood pressure recordings. Unconsidered physiological signals may be strongly correlated with other modalities despite having missing data. To improve robustness and accuracy of heartbeat detection, all available modalities should be considered in multimodal arrhythmia datasets. Several hybrid neural networks are proposed to robustly analyze heartbeats by considering every available physiological signal. These networks combine elements from convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks, and a deep learning architecture. This enables researchers to analyze every signal of subjects while the set of signals collected among subjects may differ. The proposed hybrid neural networks provide more robust results in heartbeat detection when utilizing missing data modalities.

Introducción. La contaminación por compuestos orgánicos persistentes (COP) y metales pesados en aguas y suelos es un serio problema ambiental. El objetivo fue evaluar el empleo de microorganismos (autóctonos y de colección) y sus productos en la remoción de estos contaminantes. Métodos. Los microorganismos autóctonos se aislaron mediante enriquecimiento secuencial. La cuantificación de ramnolípidos y clorofenoles se realizó por métodos colorimétricos y la remoción de hidrocarburos se cuantificó gravimétricamente. Los metales se determinaron por absorción atómica con plasma (AAS-ICP). Resultados. El ramnolípido producido por Pseudomonas aeruginosa ORA9 removió más del 50 % del cobre presente en aguas y el 75 % de los hidrocarburos de suelos contaminados. Asimismo, el empleo de 4 cepas bacterianas y bacterias rizosféricas aisladas de suelos contaminados permitieron hasta un 84 % y 72 % de remoción de hidrocarburos y de degradación del herbicida ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D), respectivamente. Por otra parte, se comprobó la efectividad del empleo de sistemas biológicos para el tratamiento de las aguas contaminadas con hidrocarburos y metales pesados, obteniéndose porcentajes de remoción de hidrocarburos de 60 % y 84 % con un biorreactor Airlift diseñado y un sistema de reactores aerobio/anaerobio, respectivamente. Finalmente, utilizando biomasa microbiana seca, se extrajo el 52 %, 23 % y 14 % de los metales cobre, zinc y manganeso, respectivamente, presentes en aguas contaminadas. Como conclusión los resultados de esta investigación constituyen los fundamentos científicos para implementar un paquete tecnológico para la remediación de sitios contaminados con COP y metales pesados utilizando microorganismos.

A challenge to developing a model for testing animal consciousness is the pull of opposite intuitions. On one extreme, the anthropocentric view holds that consciousness is a highly sophisticated capacity involving self-reflection and conceptual categorization that is almost certainly exclusive to humans. At the opposite extreme, an anthropomorphic view attributes consciousness broadly to any behavior that involves sensory responsiveness. Yet human experience and observation of diverse species suggest that the most plausible case is that consciousness functions between these poles. In exploring the middle ground, we discuss the pros and cons of “high level” approaches such as the dual systems approach. According to this model, System 1 can be thought of as unconscious; processing is fast, automatic, associative, heuristic, parallel, contextual, and likely to be conserved across species. Consciousness is associated with System 2 processing that is slow, effortful, rule-based, serial, abstract, and exclusively human. An advantage of this model is the clear contrast between heuristic and decision-based responses, but it fails to include contextual decision-making in novel conditions which falls in between these two categories. We also review a “low level” model involving trace conditioning, which is a trained response to the first of two paired stimuli separated by an interval. This model highlights the role of consciousness in maintaining a stimulus representation over a temporal span, though it overlooks the importance of attention in subserving and also disrupting trace conditioning in humans. Through a critical analysis of these two extremes, we will develop the case for flexible behavioral response to the stimulus environment as the best model for demonstrating animal consciousness. We discuss a methodology for gauging flexibility across a wide variety of species and offer a case study in spatial navigation to illustrate our proposal. Flexibility serves the evolutionary function of enabling the complex evaluation of changing conditions, where motivation is the basis for goal valuation, and attention selects task-relevant stimuli to aid decision-making processes. We situate this evolutionary function within the Temporal Representation Theory of consciousness, which proposes that consciousness represents the present moment in order to facilitate flexible action.