Seed germination requirements of the rare Helosciadium repens (aka Apium repens) determine persistence of seeds in the soil seed bank.

The rare and threatened Heliosciadium repens grows in moist grasslands and has a distinct life cycle. Plants reproduce both clonally, although ramets tend to be short-lived, and sexually, with seeds that can form a persistent soil seed bank. The germination requirements of H.

Vocabulary Diversity in Personal Narratives Produced in Response to the Global TALES Protocol in Dutch-Speaking Students with and without Dyslexia.

Introduction: This study examines whether there are differences in expressive vocabulary between participants with and without dyslexia in personal narratives in response to the Global TALES protocol.

Methods: 22 monolingual Dutch-speaking participants aged 11-16 with dyslexia and 22 age and gender-matched peers without dyslexia were assessed on measures of decoding, reading comprehension, and spelling of words, pseudowords, verbs, and sentences. The participants also produced personal narratives in response to the six prompts contained in the Global TALES protocol.

Investigating brain uptake of a non-targeting monoclonal antibody after intravenous and intracerebroventricular administration.

Monoclonal antibodies play an important role in the treatment of various diseases. However, the development of these drugs against neurological disorders where the drug target is located in the brain is challenging and requires a good understanding of the local drug concentration in the brain. In this original research, we investigated the systemic and local pharmacokinetics in the brain of healthy rats after either intravenous (IV) or intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of EGFRvIII-T-Cell bispecific (TCB), a bispecific monoclonal antibody.

Translating pharmacology models effectively to predict therapeutic benefit.

Many in vitro and in vivo models are used in pharmacological research to evaluate the role of targeted proteins in a disease. Understanding the translational relevance and limitation of these models for analyzing a drug's disposition, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile, mechanism, and efficacy, is essential when selecting the most appropriate model of the disease of interest and predicting clinically efficacious doses of the investigational drug. Selected animal models used in ophthalmology, infectious diseases, oncology, autoimmune diseases, and neuroscience are reviewed here.

Leveraging modeling and simulation to optimize the therapeutic window for epigenetic modifier drugs.

Dysregulated epigenetic processes can lead to altered gene expression and give rise to malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Epigenetic drugs aim to revert the phenotype of cancer cells to normally functioning cells, and are developed and applied to treat both hematological and solid cancers. Despite this promising therapeutic avenue, the successful development of epigenetic modulators has been challenging.

The effect of gender, age, BMI and Kellgren-Lawrence grade on functional outcome after Physica ZUK medial unicompartmental knee replacement.

Purpose: Several factors influence the outcome of unicompartmental knee replacements. This study investigates the correlation of specific preoperative patient variables with postoperative functional outcomes-measured with the American Knee Society Knee (KS-KS) and Function Scores (KS-FS), as well as the difference in knee flexion pre- and postoperatively.

Methods: In a retrospective study of 242 patients who underwent a medial Physica ZUK unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR), the American KS-KS, KS-FS as well as knee flexion were analyzed preoperatively and at 2-year follow-up.

A Novel Approach for Quantifying the Pharmacological Activity of T-Cell Engagers Utilizing In Vitro Time Course Experiments and Streamlined Data Analysis.

CD3-bispecific antibodies are a new class of immunotherapeutic drugs against cancer. The pharmacological activity of CD3-bispecifics is typically assessed through in vitro assays of cancer cell lines co-cultured with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Assay results depend on experimental conditions such as incubation time and the effector-to-target cell ratio, which can hinder robust quantification of pharmacological activity.

Cytokine Release Syndrome By T-cell-Redirecting Therapies: Can We Predict and Modulate Patient Risk?

T-cell-redirecting therapies are promising new therapeutic options in the field of cancer immunotherapy, but the development of these modalities is challenging. A commonly observed adverse event in patients treated with T-cell-redirecting therapies is cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Its clinical manifestation is a burden on patients, and continues to be a big hurdle in the clinical development of this class of therapeutics.

Predicting Tumor Killing and T-Cell Activation by T-Cell Bispecific Antibodies as a Function of Target Expression: Combining Experiments with Systems Modeling.

Targeted T-cell redirection is a promising field in cancer immunotherapy. T-cell bispecific antibodies (TCB) are novel antibody constructs capable of binding simultaneously to T cells and tumor cells, allowing cross-linking and the formation of immunologic synapses. This in turn results in T-cell activation, expansion, and tumor killing.

Synovial Fluid Fatty Acid Profiles Differ between Osteoarthritis and Healthy Patients.

Objective: Free fatty acids (FAs) may influence cartilage metabolism and osteoarthritis (OA) disease progression. It is not clearly studied which FAs are present in the synovial fluid of knee joints and whether there are differences in FA content between nonsymptomatic and OA knee joints. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of different types of FAs in synovial fluid of both OA- and nonsymptomatic control joints, and to analyze differences between both groups.

Kinematics of a bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The recently reintroduced bicruciate-retaining Total Knee Arthroplasty (BCR TKA) is an interesting approach in the quest for close replication of knee joint biomechanics and kinematics closer to the native knee. Therefore, this study aimed at providing a detailed biomechanical view on the functional resemblance of BCR TKA to the native knee joint.

Methods: Seven fresh-frozen full leg cadaver specimens (76 ± 10 year) were mounted in a 6 degrees-of-freedom kinematic rig that applied a dynamic squatting motion knee flexion.

Fresh-frozen plasma use in a South African tertiary hospital.

Despite available guidelines on indications for fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion, inappropriate use is increasing worldwide. We evaluated FFP administration to patients admitted to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital over 4 months, including indications for use and completeness of requisition forms. Transfusions were considered inappropriate for 39.

The correlation between C-reactive protein and toxic granulation of neutrophils in the peripheral blood.

Background: During inflammation, the serum concentrations of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) increase. A positive correlation between CRP and the percentages of neutrophils exhibiting toxic granulation during inflammation has been demonstrated, and that the fluctuations of CRP and toxic granulation of neutrophils were similar.

Objectives: We studied whether grading of toxic granulated neutrophils can be used as a surrogate marker for infection or inflammation, and also be an easier method than previously described methods.

Decreased CD10 Expression in the Bone Marrow Neutrophils of HIV Positive Patients.

Background: HIV-1 infection is associated with various quantitative and qualitative changes in haemopoietic cells. Clear distinction between primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and secondary dysplasia may not always be possible. Adjunctive analyses used in the diagnosis of MDS include cytogenetics and flow cytometry (FCM).

The knowledge and acceptance of the HIV prevention program in pregnant women in the Free State Province of South Africa.

HIV infection has a major impact on the health of children in South Africa because the current prevention programs are ineffective. We evaluated the knowledge of prevention of mother to child transmission at a level-two hospital in the Free State Province of South Africa. A descriptive study was done using interviews of postpartum mothers during a 1-month period.

Micafungin versus liposomal amphotericin B for pediatric patients with invasive candidiasis: substudy of a randomized double-blind trial.

Background: Invasive candidiasis is increasingly prevalent in premature infants and seriously ill children, and pediatric data on available antifungal therapies are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a pediatric substudy as part of a double-blind, randomized, multinational trial to compare micafungin (2 mg/kg) with liposomal amphotericin B (3 mg/kg) as first-line treatment of invasive candidiasis. Treatment success was defined as clinical and mycologic response at the end of therapy.

Primary amoebic meningo-encephalitis in southern Africa.

A fatal childhood case of confirmed primary amoebic meningo-encephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri is reported. This appears to be the first such case identified in southern Africa. The diagnosis and management of this unusual and lethal infection is discussed and attention is drawn to the possible danger of swimming in contaminated warm water.