Genomic characterisation and diversity assessment of eight endangered Belgian sheep breeds.

Assessing the genetic diversity of local breeds is essential for conserving these unique breeds, which may possess unique traits. This study provides the genomic characterisation of eight indigenous sheep breeds in Belgium based on pedigree and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. A total of 687 sheep were genotyped and were subjected to a rigorous quality control, resulting in a set of 45 978 autosomal SNPs.

Architecture and dynamics of the abscisic acid gene regulatory network.

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates essential processes in plant development and responsiveness to abiotic and biotic stresses. ABA perception triggers a post-translational signaling cascade that elicits the ABA gene regulatory network (GRN), encompassing hundreds of transcription factors (TFs) and thousands of transcribed genes. To further our knowledge of this GRN, we performed an RNA-seq time series experiment consisting of 14 time points in the 16 h following a one-time ABA treatment of 5-week-old Arabidopsis rosettes.

Flemish network on rare connective tissue diseases (CTD): patient pathways in systemic sclerosis. First steps taken.

Despite the low prevalence of each rare disease, the total burden is high. Patients with rare diseases encounter numerous barriers, including delayed diagnosis and limited access to high-quality treatments. In order to tackle these challenges, the European Commission launched the European Reference Networks (ERNs), cross-border networks of healthcare providers and patients representatives.

Practical dietary interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease suitable for implementation in primary care: an ADAPTE-guided systematic review of international clinical guidelines.

Purpose: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally. The current model of care for high-income countries involves preventive medication and highly trained healthcare professionals, which is expensive and not transposable to low-income countries. An innovative, effective approach adapted to limited human, technical, and financial resources is required.

Understanding factors affecting implementation success and sustainability of a comprehensive prevention program for cardiovascular disease in primary health care: a qualitative process evaluation study combining RE-AIM and CFIR.

Aim: Our aim was to evaluate the implementation process of a comprehensive cardiovascular disease prevention program in general practice, to enhance understanding of influencing factors to implementation success and sustainability, and to learn how to overcome barriers.

Background: Cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are the world's leading cause of mortality, yet can be prevented by addressing unhealthy lifestyle behavior. Nevertheless, the transition toward a prevention-oriented primary health care remains limited.

Certified Nursing Assistants' Perspectives on Delirium Care.

The current descriptive qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of certified nursing assistants (CNAs, = 7) regarding delirium. Data were collected through interviews with seven CNAs working in a long-term care facility. Five themes emerged: , , , , and .

Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in Community Settings and Primary Health Care: A Pre-Implementation Contextual Analysis Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

Cardiovascular diseases are the world's leading cause of mortality, with a high burden especially among vulnerable populations. Interventions for primary prevention need to be further implemented in community and primary health care settings. Context is critically important to understand potential implementation determinants.

Transcriptional regulation of plant innate immunity.

Transcriptional reprogramming is an integral part of plant immunity. Tight regulation of the immune transcriptome is essential for a proper response of plants to different types of pathogens. Consequently, transcriptional regulators are proven targets of pathogens to enhance their virulence.

Hybrid treatment for lower limb revascularization in a patient with vascular graft infection: a case report.

Patients with severe arterial obstructive disease and critical limb ischemia associated with vascular graft infection have elevated morbidity and mortality rates and are at high risk of limb loss. We present the case of a 76-year-old male patient with left lower limb critical ischemia and a femoropopliteal vascular graft infection. We used a hybrid treatment approach with an open surgical approach to the inguinal and popliteal regions and used the vascular prosthesis as endovascular access for direct recanalization of the superficial femoral artery, because the long occlusion and extensive calcification had frustrated initial attempts at endovascular treatment.

mutation: A second hit in related disease?

Epilepsy in related disease usually involves biallelic recessive mutations causing chronic neuronal loss and neuronal death. However, monoallelic mutations have been reported in patients with neurological features such as seizures [1]. In these patients a second allele/gene was anticipated but not identified.

Systematic review of international clinical guidelines for the promotion of physical activity for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the world's leading cause of morbidity and mortality. An active lifestyle is one of the cornerstones in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. An initial step in guiding primary prevention programs is to refer to clinical guidelines.

Validation of the Dutch-Flemish translated ABCD questionnaire to measure cardiovascular diseases knowledge and risk perception among adults.

Valid and reliable measurement of an individual's knowledge and risk perception is pivotal to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The recently developed Attitudes and Beliefs about Cardiovascular Disease (ABCD) knowledge and risk questionnaire is shown to be valid in England. In this study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the modified and Dutch (Flemish)-translated ABCD questionnaire using both the classical test and item response theory (IRT) analysis.

Multiple levels of crosstalk in hormone networks regulating plant defense.

Plant hormones are essential for regulating the interactions between plants and their complex biotic and abiotic environments. Each hormone initiates a specific molecular pathway and these different hormone pathways are integrated in a complex network of synergistic, antagonistic and additive interactions. This inter-pathway communication is called hormone crosstalk.

How To Support Smoking Cessation In Primary Care And The Community: A Systematic Review Of Interventions For The Prevention Of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Introduction: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and for many types of cancers. Despite recent policies, 1.1 billion people are active smokers and tobacco is the leading cause of mortality and illness throughout the world.

Integration of nurses in general practice: A thematic synthesis of the perspectives of general practitioners, practice nurses and patients living with chronic illness.

Aims And Objectives: To explore the views of general practitioners, practice nurses and patients on interprofessional collaboration in general practice and to understand to what extent the nurse-doctor relationship meets their needs and expectations.

Background: To address future challenges of primary health care, there is a need for integrated interprofessional collaboration care systems with a patient-centred focus. Worldwide, there is an integration of nurses in general practice.

Comparative analysis of binding patterns of MADS-domain proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: Correct flower formation requires highly specific temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression. In Arabidopsis thaliana the majority of the master regulators that determine flower organ identity belong to the MADS-domain transcription factor family. The canonical DNA binding motif for this transcription factor family is the CArG-box, which has the consensus CC(A/T)GG.

Oxidative Stress in Aortas of Patients with Advanced Occlusive and Aneurysmal Diseases.

Background: Aortoiliac occlusive disease (AOD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are very important cardiovascular diseases that present different aspects of pathophysiology; however, oxidative stress and inflammatory response seem be relevant in both of them. Our objective was to evaluate oxidative damage and degree of inflammatory infiltrate in aortas of patients surgically treated for AOD and AAA.

Materials And Methods: Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression as well as nitrite levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were evaluated in aortas of patients with AOD (n = 16) or AAA (n = 14), while the control group was formed by cadaveric organ donors (n = 10).

Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a HIV-positive Patient.

Advent of antiretroviral therapy has increased survival of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, with the result that some of these patients now develop degenerative diseases, such as atherosclerotic aneurysms. Degenerative thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm is rare in HIV patients. In this report, a 63-year-old male patient with HIV submitted to open repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.

Oxidative Stress in Human Aorta of Patients with Advanced Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease.

Introduction: Oxidative stress seems to be a role in the atherosclerosis process, but research in human beings is scarce.

Objective: To evaluate the role of oxidative stress on human aortas of patients submitted to surgical treatment for advanced aortoiliac occlusive disease.

Methods: Twenty-six patients were divided into three groups: control group (n=10) formed by cadaveric organ donors; severe aortoiliac stenosis group (patients with severe aortoiliac stenosis; n=9); and total aortoiliac occlusion group (patients with chronic total aortoiliac occlusion; n=7).

Rupture of celiac trunk aneurysm in patient with Behçet Disease.

We report a case of a ruptured aneurysm of the celiac trunk in a 32-year-old, male patient with Behçet Disease (BD). Aneurysm resection was performed and the patient is well during a follow up of 32 months. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a ruptured celiac trunk aneurysm successfully treated in a patient with BD.

Oxidative stress in carotid arteries of patients submitted to carotid endarterectomy. The role of aging process.

Purpose: To evaluated the role of oxidative stress on aging process in patients submitted to carotid endarterectomy.

Methods: Twenty patients were divided into two groups: older group (≥ 70 years old); and the younger group (< 70 years old). We evaluated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities as so as nitrite levels in fragments of carotid arteries harvested during carotid endarterectomy for treatment of high grade carotid stenosis.

MK-801 and amphetamine result in dissociable profiles of cognitive impairment in a rodent paired associates learning task with relevance for schizophrenia.

Rationale: Paired associates learning (PAL) has been suggested to be predictive of functional outcomes in first episode psychosis and of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. An automated touch screen-based rodent PAL (rPAL) task has been developed and is sensitive to manipulations of the dopaminergic and glutamatergic system. Accordingly, rPAL when used with pharmacological models of schizophrenia, like NMDA receptor blockade with MK-801 or dopaminergic stimulation with amphetamine, may have utility as a translational model of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

JNJ-40255293, a novel adenosine A2A/A1 antagonist with efficacy in preclinical models of Parkinson's disease.

Adenosine A2A antagonists are believed to have therapeutic potential in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). We have characterized the dual adenosine A2A/A1 receptor antagonist JNJ-40255293 (2-amino-8-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethoxy]-4-phenyl-5H-indeno[1,2-d]pyrimidin-5-one). JNJ-40255293 was a high-affinity (7.

A touch-screen based paired-associates learning (PAL) task for the rat may provide a translatable pharmacological model of human cognitive impairment.

The use of touch-screen equipped operant boxes is an increasingly popular approach for modeling human cognition in the rodent. However little data is currently available describing the effects of pharmacological manipulations on touch-screen based tasks. Owing to the relationship between performance on visual-spatial paired associates learning (PAL) with schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease one task of specific interest is the touch-screen PAL task developed for rodents (J.

The application of selective reaction monitoring confirms dysregulation of glycolysis in a preclinical model of schizophrenia.

Background: Establishing preclinical models is essential for novel drug discovery in schizophrenia. Most existing models are characterized by abnormalities in behavioral readouts, which are informative, but do not necessarily translate to the symptoms of the human disease. Therefore, there is a necessity of characterizing the preclinical models from a molecular point of view.