Expression, Purification, and Characterisation of Recombinant Alginate Lyase ( AL2) for the Bioconversion of Alginate into Alginate Oligosaccharides.

Alginate, a polysaccharide found in brown seaweeds, has regularly gained attention for its potential use as a source of bioactive compounds. However, it is structurally complex with a high molecular weight, limiting its application. Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) are small, soluble fragments, making them more bioavailable.

The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the human resting state wake EEG and event-related potential: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The rapid growth of mobile phone usage and its use of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) have raised concerns about potential health risks. Researchers have conducted studies to examine the effects of RF-EMF on the brain using electroencephalography (EEG). We conducted a systematic quality assessment and meta-analysis of published research in this field to establish high-quality studies as references for future protocols.

Challenges to Increasing Dietary Fiber in White Flour and Bread.

Increasing the intake of dietary fiber from staple foods is a key strategy to improve the health of consumers. White bread is an attractive vehicle to deliver increased fiber as it is widely consumed and available to all socio-economic groups. However, fiber only accounts for about 4% of the dry weight of white flour and bread compared to 10-15% in whole grain bread and flour.

Review article: Abdominal pain and diabetes mellitus in the emergency department.

This manuscript seeks to describe diagnostic considerations in individuals with diabetes mellitus presenting to the ED with abdominal pain. It highlights the importance of early investigation with computerised tomography to differentiate aetiologies that compel early surgical intervention from those which may be treated conservatively.

Preliminary Investigation Into the Effectiveness of Group webSTAIR for Trauma-exposed Veterans in Primary Care.

Introduction: A substantial number of trauma-exposed veterans seen in primary care report significant symptoms of PTSD and depression. While primary care mental health integration (PCMHI) providers have been successful in delivering brief mental health treatments in primary care, few studies have evaluated interventions that combine mobile health resources with PCMHI groups. This pilot study assessed the potential benefits of webSTAIR, a 10-module transdiagnostic treatment for trauma-exposed individuals, supported by 5 biweekly group sessions delivered via telehealth.

A home-based telehealth randomized controlled trial of skills training in affective and interpersonal regulation versus present-centered therapy for women veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma.

Objective: This randomized trial tested the effectiveness of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) compared to present-centered therapy (PCT) delivered virtually to women veterans who had experienced military sexual trauma (MST) and screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Method: One hundred sixty-one eligible women veterans were randomized into the study. The primary outcome was clinician-assessed PTSD severity (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale-5), while secondary outcomes included social support and several other symptom measures at posttreatment through 2- and 4-month follow-up.

Genetic Approaches to Increase Arabinoxylan and β-Glucan Content in Wheat.

Wheat is one of the three staple crops feeding the world. The demand for wheat is ever increasing as a relatively good source of protein, energy, nutrients, and dietary fiber (DF) when consumed as wholemeal. Arabinoxylan and β-glucan are the major hemicelluloses in the cell walls and dietary fiber in wheat grains.

Rest-Activity Rhythm, Pain, and Motor Activity in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Although the relationships among physical disability, mood disorders, and pain are well described in multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about whether those symptoms are associated with sleep disturbances.

Methods: Forty-six patients with MS experiencing pain participated. Sleep was indirectly measured by assessing rest-activity rhythm via actigraphy: interdaily stability, intradaily variability, and relative amplitude.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Clinician-Supported PTSD Coach in VA Primary Care Patients.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in primary care patients; however, evidence-based treatments are typically only available in specialty mental healthcare settings and often not accessed.

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a brief primary care-based treatment, Clinician-Supported PTSD Coach (CS PTSD Coach) was compared with Primary Care Mental Health Integration-Treatment as Usual (PCMHI-TAU) in (1) reducing PTSD severity, (2) engaging veterans in specialty mental health care, and (3) patient satisfaction with care.

Design: Multi-site randomized pragmatic clinical trial.

Factor structure and psychometric performance of the PCL-5 in a clinical sample of veterans seeking treatment in a VA PTSD outpatient clinic.

There is a clear need to improve the measurement of posttraumatic symptoms in veterans seeking trauma-focused treatment. We evaluated the structure and psychometric performance of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for the , Fifth Edition (PCL-5) in a naturalistic sample of veterans engaging in evidence-based therapy in a Veterans Affairs (VA) PTSD outpatient clinic. We collected data from 500 sequential patients at the beginning and end of treatment, evaluating the PCL-5 factor structure followed by psychometric analyses.

The response of microphytobenthos to physical disturbance, herbicide, and titanium dioxide nanoparticle exposure.

The microphytobenthos that form transient biofilms are important primary producers in intertidal, depositional habitats, yet we have only a limited understanding of how they respond to the cumulative impacts of the growing range of anthropogenic stressors to which they are exposed. We know even less about how the temporal alignment of exposure - such as duration and exposure sequence - may affect the response. Estuarine biofilms were cultured in mesocosms and exposed to the herbicide glyphosate and titanium dioxide (TiO) nanoparticles in different sequences (glyphosate-first or TiO-first), as well as in the presence and absence of physical disturbance.

Impact of Physicochemical Parameters on the Diversity and Distribution of Microbial Communities Associated with Three South African Peatlands.

Peatlands are complex wetland-like ecosystems that harbor diverse microbial communities. In this study, the microbial communities (fungal and actinobacterial) associated with an unimpacted peatland (Vankervelsvlei; VV), an impacted peatland (Goukou River system; GK), and a developing peatland (Nuwejaars River system; NR) were determined through ITS and 16S rRNA metataxonomic analyses. Unidentified dominated in GK and NR, unidentified and in NR, and , , and species in VV.

Peroxidase-producing actinobacteria from Algerian environments and insights from the genome sequence of peroxidase-producing Streptomyces sp. S19.

Unique environments often serve as a source of novel microorganisms with novel chemistries. In this study, telluric samples collected from different regions of Algeria were processed for the isolation of novel peroxidase-producing actinobacterial strains. An agar-based screening identified 45 isolates with the ability to produce peroxidase.

Web-Based Problem-solving Training With and Without Peer Support in Veterans With Unmet Mental Health Needs: Pilot Study of Feasibility, User Acceptability, and Participant Engagement.

Background: eHealth tools have the potential to meet the mental health needs of individuals who experience barriers to accessing in-person treatment. However, most users have less than optimal engagement with eHealth tools. Coaching from peer specialists may increase their engagement with eHealth.

Neuromedin U induces an invasive phenotype in CRC cells expressing the NMUR2 receptor.

Background: Successful colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy often depends on the accurate identification of primary tumours with invasive potential. There is still a lack of identified pathological factors associated with disease recurrence that could help in making treatment decisions. Neuromedin U (NMU) is a secretory neuropeptide that was first isolated from the porcine spinal cord, and it has emerged as a novel factor involved in the tumorigenesis and/or metastasis of many types of cancers.

Pain, cognition and disability in advanced multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a relationship between physical disability and pain has been observed. In addition a relationship between physical disability and cognition in MS has been suggested. However, cognitive functions and pain appear not to be correlated in MS patients.

Repeatability of daily profiles of baseline glucocorticoid metabolites measured in the urine and faeces of eastern rock sengis (Elephantulus myurus).

Repeatability of hormone concentrations is of great interest for studies investigating the evolution of hormonal traits. Particularly the repeatability of glucocorticoids (GCs) in response to a stressor is frequently investigated, but often only point (initial and/or response value), or single measures are used. A new method takes into account the entire individual hormone profile and generates an individual profile repeatability (PR) score.

The international trauma questionnaire (ITQ) measures reliable and clinically significant treatment-related change in PTSD and complex PTSD.

: The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is a validated measure that assesses ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). An important task is to determine whether the ITQ is an appropriate evaluative measure for clinical trials. : To assess the psychometric properties of the ITQ in the context of treatment and determine if the ITQ measures reliable and clinically significant change over the course of a psychosocial intervention.

The reliability and validity of DSM 5 diagnostic criteria for neurocognitive disorder and relationship with plasma neurofilament light in a down syndrome population.

The validity of dementia diagnostic criteria depends on their ability to distinguish dementia symptoms from pre-existing cognitive impairments. The study aimed to assess inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of DSM-5 criteria for neurocognitive disorder in Down syndrome. The utility of mild neurocognitive disorder as a distinct diagnostic category, and the association between clinical symptoms and neurodegenerative changes represented by the plasma biomarker neurofilament light were also examined.

Preserved thenar muscles in non-ambulant Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

Background: Clinical trials in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) focus primarily on ambulant patients. Results cannot be extrapolated to later disease stages due to a decline in targeted muscle tissue. In non-ambulant DMD patients, hand function is relatively preserved and crucial for daily-life activities.

How well do healthcare professionals know of the priorities of their older patients regarding treatment outcomes?

Objectives: For shared decision making, it is crucial to identify patients' priorities regarding health outcomes. Our aim was to study whether healthcare professionals know these priorities.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study we included older patients who had to make a treatment decision, their general practitioners (GPs) and their medical specialists.

Diagnostic Accuracy and Acceptability of the Primary Care Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Screen for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) Among US Veterans.

Importance: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health disorder that can be effectively treated with empirically based practices. PTSD screening is essential for identifying undetected cases and providing patients with appropriate care.

Objective: To determine whether the Primary Care PTSD screen for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (PC-PTSD-5) is a diagnostically accurate and acceptable measure for use in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics.

Scalar Translocation Comparison Between Lateral Wall and Perimodiolar Cochlear Implant Arrays - A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives/hypothesis: Two types of electrode arrays for cochlear implants (CIs) are distinguished: lateral wall and perimodiolar. Scalar translocation of the array can lead to intracochlear trauma by penetrating from the scala tympani into the scala vestibuli or scala media, potentially negatively affecting hearing performance of CI users. This systematic review compares the lateral wall and perimodiolar arrays with respect to scalar translocation.