Development, implementation, and evaluation of a competency-based didactic and simulation-focused boot camp for incoming urology residents: Report of the first three years.

Introduction: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada's Competence by Design (CBD) initiative presents curricula challenges to ensure residents gain proficiency while progressing through training. To prepare first-year urology residents (R1s), we developed, implemented, and evaluated a didactic and simulation-focused boot camp to implement the CBD curriculum. We report our experiences and findings of the first three years.

A route to decreasing N pollution from livestock: Use of hybrids improves efficiency of N flows in rumen simulation fermenters.

Ruminant agriculture suffers from inefficient capture of forage protein and consequential release of N pollutants to land. This is due to proteolysis in the rumen catalyzed by both microbial but initially endogenous plant proteases. Plant breeding-based solutions are sought to minimize these negative environmental impacts.

The effects of personal protective equipment on airway management: An in-situ simulation.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 11th March and has led to over 41,000 deaths in the UK. Public Health England guidance for aerosol generating procedures (AGP) requires the donning of personal protective equipment (PPE). We evaluated airway management skills using an in-situ emergency simulation.

A Case Study of Eukaryogenesis: The Evolution of Photoreception by Photolyase/Cryptochrome Proteins.

Eukaryogenesis, the origin of the eukaryotes, is still poorly understood. Herein, we show how a detailed all-kingdom phylogenetic analysis overlaid with a map of key biochemical features can provide valuable clues. The photolyase/cryptochrome family of proteins are well known to repair DNA in response to potentially harmful effects of sunlight and to entrain circadian rhythms.

Harnessing Sulfinyl Nitrenes: A Unified One-Pot Synthesis of Sulfoximines and Sulfonimidamides.

Sulfoximines and sulfonimidamides are promising compounds for medicinal and agrochemistry. As monoaza analogues of sulfones and sulfonamides, respectively, they combine good physicochemical properties, high stability, and the ability to build complexity from a three-dimensional core. However, a lack of quick and efficient methods to prepare these compounds has hindered their uptake in molecule discovery programmes.

Fly-Tox: A panel of transgenic flies expressing pest and pollinator cytochrome P450s.

There is an on-going need to develop new insecticides that are not compromised by resistance and that have improved environmental profiles. However, the cost of developing novel compounds has increased significantly over the last two decades. This is in part due to increased regulatory requirements, including the need to screen both pest and pollinator insect species to ensure that pre-existing resistance will not hamper the efficacy of a new insecticide via cross-resistance, or adversely affect non-target insect species.

Differential occupational risks to healthcare workers from SARS-CoV-2 observed during a prospective observational study.

We conducted voluntary Covid-19 testing programmes for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff at a UK teaching hospital using naso-/oro-pharyngeal PCR testing and immunoassays for IgG antibodies. 1128/10,034 (11.2%) staff had evidence of Covid-19 at some time.

Distinct mandibular premolar crown morphology in Homo naledi and its implications for the evolution of Homo species in southern Africa.

Homo naledi displays a combination of features across the skeleton not found in any other hominin taxon, which has hindered attempts to determine its placement within the hominin clade. Using geometric morphometrics, we assess the morphology of the mandibular premolars of the species at the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ). Comparing with specimens of Paranthropus, Australopithecus and Homo (n = 97), we find that the H.

Derivation and 97% Purification of Human Thyroid Cells From Dermal Fibroblasts.

The success in rescuing thyroid deficiency in mice using thyroid cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells, together with the discovery of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from somatic cells, has raised the possibility of patient-specific thyroid cell replacement. In this study we demonstrate that human thyroid follicular cells can be derived from human iPSCs and show the ability of highly purified and differentiated cells to secrete thyroid hormone. Human iPSCs were derived from adult skin fibroblasts using RNA reprogramming and differentiated into thyroid follicular cells by exposure to activin A, ethacridine and TSH as we have previously described for human ES cells.

The anatomy of the 2019 Chilean social unrest.

We analyze the 2019 Chilean social unrest episode, consisting of a sequence of events, through the lens of an epidemic-like model that considers global contagious dynamics. We adjust the parameters to the Chilean social unrest aggregated public data available from the Undersecretary of Human Rights and observe that the number of violent events follows a well-defined pattern already observed in various public disorder episodes in other countries since the 1960s. Although the epidemic-like models display a single event that reaches a peak followed by an exponential decay, we add standard perturbation schemes that may produce a rich temporal behavior as observed in the 2019 Chilean social turmoil.

Relationship between coronary microvascular dysfunction and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries.

Backgroud: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is reported to affect up to 35% of the adult general population. The consequence of progressive DD is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has been suggested as one of the pathologic mechanisms leading to HFpEF.

The Human TSHβ Subunit Proteins and Their Binding Sites on the TSH Receptor Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

To gain further insight into the binding of the normal and variant human TSHβ subunits (TSHβ and TSHβv), we modeled the 2 monomeric proteins and studied their interaction with the TSH receptor ectodomain (TSHR-ECD) using molecular dynamics simulation Furthermore, analyzed their bioactivity in vitro using recombinant proteins to confirm that such binding was physiologically relevant. Examining the interaction of TSHβ and TSHβv with the TSHR-ECD model using molecular dynamic simulation revealed strong binding of these proteins to the receptor ECD. The specificity of TSHβ and TSHβv binding to the TSHR-ECD was examined by analyzing the hydrogen-bonding residues of these subunits to the FSH receptor ECD, indicating the inability of these molecules to bind to the FSH receptors.

Biologically important artificial light at night on the seafloor.

Accelerating coastal development is increasing the exposure of marine ecosystems to nighttime light pollution, but is anthropogenic light reaching the seafloor in sufficient quantities to have ecological impacts? Using a combination of mapping, and radiative transfer modelling utilising in situ measurements of optical seawater properties, we quantified artificial light exposure at the sea surface, beneath the sea surface, and at the sea floor of an urbanised temperate estuary bordered by an LED lit city. Up to 76% of the three-dimensional seafloor area was exposed to biologically important light pollution. Exposure to green wavelengths was highest, while exposure to red wavelengths was nominal.

Savanna tree evolutionary ages inform the reconstruction of the paleoenvironment of our hominin ancestors.

Ideas on hominin evolution have long invoked the emergence from forests into open habitats as generating selection for traits such as bipedalism and dietary shifts. Though controversial, the savanna hypothesis continues to motivate research into the palaeo-environments of Africa. Reconstruction of these ancient environments has depended heavily on carbon isotopic analysis of fossil bones and palaeosols.

A Gq Biased Small Molecule Active at the TSH Receptor.

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) can lead to G protein and non-G protein initiated signals. By virtue of its structural property, the TSH receptor (TSHR) has a unique ability to engage different G proteins making it highly amenable to selective signaling. In this study, we describe the identification and characterization of a novel small molecule agonist to the TSHR which induces primary engagement with G.

Uncovering the origin of enhanced field emission properties of rGO-MnO heterostructures: a synergistic experimental and computational investigation.

The unique structural merits of heterostructured nanomaterials including the electronic interaction, interfacial bonding and synergistic effects make them attractive for fabricating highly efficient optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report the synthesis of MnO nanorods and a rGO/MnO nano-heterostructure using low-cost hydrothermal and modified Hummers' methods, respectively. Detailed characterization and confirmation of the structural and morphological properties are done X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).

Graves' disease.

Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects the thyroid gland. It is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism and occurs at all ages but especially in women of reproductive age. Graves' hyperthyroidism is caused by autoantibodies to the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) that act as agonists and induce excessive thyroid hormone secretion, releasing the thyroid gland from pituitary control.

Artificial skyglow disrupts celestial migration at night.

Torres et al. demonstrate that artificial skyglow disrupts nightly migrations undertaken by the amphipod Talitrus saltator, which is normally guided by the sky position of the moon.

Assessing the acute toxicity of insecticides to the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris audax).

The buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris audax is an important pollinator within both landscape ecosystems and agricultural crops. During their lifetime bumblebees are regularly challenged by various environmental stressors including insecticides. Historically the honey bee (Apis mellifera spp.

A realist evaluation of a "single point of contact" end-of-life care service.

Purpose: Following the development of a service that consisted of a "single point of contact" to coordinate end-of-life care (EoLC), including EoLC facilitators and an urgent response team, we aimed to explore whether the provision of coordinated EoLC would support patients being cared or dying in their preferred place and avoid unwanted hospital admissions.

Design/methodology/approach: Using a realist evaluation approach, the authors examined "what worked for whom, how, in what circumstances and why". Multiple data were collected, including activity/performance indicators, observations of management meetings, documents, satisfaction survey and 30 interviews with service providers and users.

Correction: Antibiotic use for Australian Aboriginal children in three remote Northern Territory communities.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The effects of knock-down resistance mutations and alternative splicing on voltage-gated sodium channels in Musca domestica and Drosophila melanogaster.

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are a major target site for the action of pyrethroid insecticides and resistance to pyrethroids has been ascribed to mutations in the VGSC gene. VGSCs in insects are encoded by only one gene and their structural and functional diversity results from posttranscriptional modification, particularly, alternative splicing. Using whole cell patch clamping of neurons from pyrethroid susceptible (wild-type) and resistant strains (s-kdr) of housefly, Musca domestica, we have shown that the V for activation and steady state inactivation of sodium currents (I) is significantly depolarised in s-kdr neurons compared with wild-type and that 10 nM deltamethrin significantly hyperpolarised both of these parameters in the neurons from susceptible but not s-kdr houseflies.

Epigenetic Changes During Human Thyroid Cell Differentiation.

It has been demonstrated that the transcription factors TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif), paired box gene 8 (PAX8), and NK2 homeobox 1 (NKX2-1) are coexpressed in the nucleus of thyroid cells. Furthermore, TAZ is known to enhance the transcriptional activity of PAX8 and NKX2-1 as well as the key thyroid-specific gene, thyroglobulin (TG), suggesting a critical role for TAZ in the control of thyroid cell speciation. We previously reported that the small molecule ethacridine, identified as a TAZ activator, was able to induce thyroid-specific transcription in endodermal cells differentiated from human embryonic stem (hES) cells using activin A.

Self-assembly behaviors of colloidal cellulose nanocrystals: A tale of stabilization mechanisms.

Hypothesis: In solvent casting, colloidal nanocrystal self-assembly patterns are controlled by a mix of cohesive and repulsive interactions that promote destabilization-induced self-assembly (DISA) or evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA). Tuning the strength and nature of the stabilization mechanisms may allow repulsive interactions to govern self-assembly during the casting of colloidal cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) suspensions.

Experiments: We propose a tool to classify the level of electrostatic and solvation-induced stabilizations based on two solvent parameters only: dielectric constant, ε, and chemical affinity for CNCs, in terms of Hansen Solubility Parameters, R.