The European regulatory system for plant protection products-cause of a "Silent Spring" or highly advanced and protective?

Current publications that are shaping public perception repeatedly claim that residues of plant protection products (PPP) in the environment demonstrate gaps in assessing the exposure and effects of PPP, allegedly revealing the inability of the European regulatory system to prevent environmental contamination and damage such as biodiversity decline. The hypothesis is that environmental risk assessments rely on inappropriate predictive models that underestimate exposure and do not explicitly account for the impact of combinations of environmental stressors and physiological differences in stress responses. This article puts this criticism into context to allow for a more balanced evaluation of the European regulatory system for PPP.

Predictors for Development of Asphyxiated Neonates Treated With Therapeutic Hypothermia.

Aim: To describe the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of asphyxiated neonates treated with hypothermia in association with neonatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

Methods: We evaluated, retrospectively, clinical and radiological single-centre data at 0, 2, and 5 years of age of 53 asphyxiated neonates born between 2005 and 2015. Neonatal cranial MRI was re-evaluated using the Weeke score ranging from 0 (normal finding) to 55 (cerebral devastation) by a single neuroradiologist blinded to patient outcomes.

Transient Triplet Metallopnictinidenes M-Pn (M = Pd, Pt; Pn = P, As, Sb): Characterization and Dimerization.

Nitrenes (R-N) have been subject to a large body of experimental and theoretical studies. The fundamental reactivity of this important class of transient intermediates has been attributed to their electronic structures, particularly the accessibility of triplet vs singlet states. In contrast, electronic structure trends along the heavier pnictinidene analogues (R-Pn; Pn = P-Bi) are much less systematically explored.

Modality-, feature-, and strategy-dependent organization of low-level working memory.

Previous research has shown that, when multiple similar items are maintained in working memory, recall precision declines. Less is known about how heterogeneous sets of items across different features within and between modalities impact recall precision. In two experiments, we investigated modality (Experiment 1, n = 79) and feature-specific (Experiment 2, n = 154) load effects on working memory performance.

Retrieval of conditioned immune response in male mice is mediated by an anterior-posterior insula circuit.

To protect the body from infections, the brain has evolved the ability to coordinate behavioral and immunological responses. The conditioned immune response (CIR) is a form of Pavlovian conditioning wherein a sensory (for example, taste) stimulus, when paired with an immunomodulatory agent, evokes aversive behavior and an anticipatory immune response after re-experiencing the taste. Although taste and its valence are represented in the anterior insular cortex and immune response in the posterior insula and although the insula is pivotal for CIRs, the precise circuitry underlying CIRs remains unknown.

Outcomes of RDAVR with Coronary Revascularization: 3-year Results from the German INCA Registry.

Background:  The long-term outcomes of combined rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement (RDAVR) with coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) are not well explored. We report 3-year results from the INCA registry on combined RDAVR with CABG.

Methods:  INCA is a prospective, multicenter registry that enrolled 224 patients undergoing RDAVR with CABG at 10 cardiac institutions in Germany.

Constraining safe and unsafe overshoots in saddle-node bifurcations.

We consider a dynamical system undergoing a saddle-node bifurcation with an explicitly time-dependent parameter p(t). The combined dynamics can be considered a dynamical system where p is a slowly evolving parameter. Here, we investigate settings where the parameter features an overshoot.

Occurrence and clinical correlates of SARS-CoV-2 viremia in two German patient cohorts.

Viremia defined as detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the blood is a potential marker of disease severity and prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Here, we determined the frequency of viremia in serum of two independent COVID-19 patient cohorts within the German National Pandemic Cohort Network (German: tionales andemie horten etzwerk, NAPKON) with diagnostic RT-PCR against SARS-CoV-2. A cross-sectional cohort with 1,122 COVID-19 patients (German: , SUEP) and 299 patients recruited in a high-resolution platform with patients at high risk to develop severe courses (German: , HAP) were tested for viremia.

Diagnosis and management of de novo non-specific spinal infections: European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) Spine Section Delphi consensus recommendations.

Introduction: The management of de novo non-specific spinal infections (spondylodiscitis - SD) remains inconsistent due to varying clinical practices and a lack of high-level evidence, particularly regarding the indications for surgery.

Research Question: This study aims to develop consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of SD, addressing diagnostic modalities, surgical indications, and treatment strategies.

Material And Methods: A Delphi process was conducted with 26 experts from the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS).

Developmental maturation of millimeter-scale functional networks across brain areas.

Processing sensory information, generating perceptions, and shaping behavior engages neural networks in brain areas with highly varied representations, ranging from unimodal sensory cortices to higher-order association areas. In early development, these areas share a common distributed and modular functional organization, but it is not known whether this undergoes a common developmental trajectory, or whether such organization persists only in some brain areas. Here, we examine the development of network organization across diverse cortical regions in ferrets using in vivo wide field calcium imaging of spontaneous activity.

Accuracy of full arch scans performed with nine different scanning patterns- an in vitro study.

Objective: Evaluation of the accuracy of direct digitization of maxillary scans depending on the scanning strategy.

Materials And Methods: A maxillary model with a metal bar as a reference structure fixed between the second molars was digitized using the CEREC Primescan AC scanner (N = 225 scans). Nine scanning strategies were selected (n = 25 scans per strategy), differing in scan area segmentation (F = full jaw, H = half jaw, S = sextant) and scan movement pattern (L = linear, Z = zig-zag, C = combined).

Real-world single-center preliminary experience of radiofrequency balloon pulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by percutaneous transcatheter ablation is its pivotal treatment. Nowadays, several techniques using different energy sources are used, such as radiofrequency (RF), cryoablation and laser ablation. A new technology that combines the strengths of different techniques has been developed, in particular having both the speed of one-shot techniques and the selectivity and precision of point-by-point RF: the RF balloon (RFB).

Clinically Meaningful Upstaging and Upgrading in Favorable Intermediate-Risk Radical Prostatectomy Patients.

Introduction: In NCCN favorable intermediate-risk (FIR) prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP), we tested the effect of upstaging and upgrading on cancer-specific mortality (CSM).

Methods: Within the SEER database (2010-2021), upstaging (≥pT3a or pN1) and upgrading (ISUP ≥3) rates in FIR RP patients were tabulated. Kaplan-Meier (KM) plots and multivariable Cox-regression models (CRMs) were fitted.

Revisiting the electrophysiological correlates of valence and expectancy in reward processing - A multi-lab replication.

Two event-related brain potential (ERP) components, the frontocentral feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the posterior P300, are key in feedback processing. The FRN typically exhibits greater amplitude in response to negative and unexpected outcomes, whereas the P300 is generally more pronounced for positive outcomes. In an influential ERP study, Hajcak et al.

Unmet clinical needs in women with polycystic ovary syndrome regarding fertility and obesity: a cross-sectional study from the patient's perspective.

Purpose: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, often leading to anovulatory infertility. Obesity exacerbates the reproductive, metabolic and psychological features of PCOS, making fertility treatment and patient satisfaction difficult. Despite guidelines from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) emphasizing lifestyle modifications and specific treatments, there remains a significant gap in adherence to these guidelines by both healthcare providers and patients.

Bimekizumab efficacy and safety through 3 years in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: Long-term results from the BE RADIANT phase 3b trial open-label extension period.

Background: Overexpression of interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F significantly influences psoriasis pathology. Until recently, biologics targeting IL-17A alone, like secukinumab, were used to treat psoriasis. Bimekizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that targets both IL-17A and IL-17F.

Tiny Machine Learning Implementation for Guided Wave-Based Damage Localization.

This work leverages ultrasonic guided waves (UGWs) to detect and localize damage in structures using lightweight Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. It investigates the use of machine learning (ML) to train the effects of the damage on UGWs to the model. To reduce the number of trainable parameters, a physical signal processing approach is applied to the raw data before passing the data to the model.

Cell Labeling with 15-YNE Is Useful for Tracking Protein Palmitoylation and Metabolic Lipid Flux in the Same Sample.

Protein S-palmitoylation is the process by which a palmitoyl fatty acid is attached to a cysteine residue of a protein via a thioester bond. A range of methodologies are available for the detection of protein S-palmitoylation. In this study, two methods for the S-palmitoylation of different proteins were compared after metabolic labeling of cells with 15-hexadecynoic acid (15-YNE) to ascertain their relative usefulness.

Immune-Boosting and Antiviral Effects of Antioxidants in COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Therapeutic Perspective.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has profoundly impacted global health, with pneumonia emerging as a major complication in severe cases. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is marked by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an excessive inflammatory response, resulting in oxidative stress and significant tissue damage, particularly in the respiratory system. Antioxidants have garnered considerable attention for their potential role in managing COVID-19 pneumonia by mitigating oxidative stress and modulating immune responses.

Exploring the Link Between Renal Function Fluctuations Within the Physiological Range and Serum/CSF Levels of NfL, GFAP, tTAU, and UCHL1.

Impaired renal function can influence biomarker levels through mechanisms involving blood-brain barrier integrity and clearance pathways; however, the impact of variations within normal renal function remains unclear. The main aim of this study was to determine whether adjustment for the specific level of renal function is necessary when renal function remains within physiological levels. We studied n = 183 patients (NID n = 122; other neurological diseases n = 39; somatoform controls n = 22) who underwent lumbar puncture at University Hospital Frankfurt.

Interventions by Cardiovascular Drugs Against Aircraft Noise-Induced Cardiovascular Oxidative Stress and Damage.

Noise pollution is a known health risk factor and evidence for cardiovascular diseases associated with traffic noise is growing. At least 20% of the European Union's population lives in noise-polluted areas with exposure levels exceeding the recommended limits of the World Health Organization, which is considered unhealthy by the European Environment Agency. This results in the annual loss of 1.

Rap1 Guanosine Triphosphate Hydrolase (GTPase) Regulates Shear Stress-Mediated Adhesion of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Intravenously transplanted mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown to interact with endothelial cells and to migrate to tissues. However, intracellular signals regulating MSC migration are still incompletely understood. Here, we analyzed the role of Rap1 GTPase in the migration of human bone marrow-derived MSCs in vitro and in short-term homing in mice in vivo.

Limited Diagnostic Value of miRNAs in Early Trauma-Induced Liver Injury: Only miRNA-122 Emerges as a Late-Phase Marker.

: Liver injury is common after abdominal trauma. However, the established biomarkers of liver injury, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lack accuracy. This study investigates whether specific liver-related microRNAs (miRNAs) are released into the circulation in trauma patients with liver injury and whether they can indicate liver damage in the early phase after major trauma.

The misleading terminology of minor amputation of the lower limb.

Purpose: A pronounced loss of function of the lower limb of various origins, especially with an infection-related course, may require a minor (MIN) or major (MAJ) amputation of the lower limb. Our aim was to contrast the underlying etiology, including previous trauma, surgical procedure, and the subsequent function.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2022, 366 lower limb amputations were considered.