Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows.

Three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the structure of liquid crystal (LC) torons, topologically protected distortions of the LC director field, under material flows are rare but essential in microfluidic applications. Here, we show that torons adopt a steady-state configuration at low flow velocity before disintegrating at higher velocities, in line with experimental results. Furthermore, we show that under partial slip conditions at the boundaries, the flow induces a reversible elongation of the torons, also consistent with the experimental observations.

Nanotubular clay minerals for simultaneous sorption of pesticides and PFCAs: a molecular simulation study.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and herbicides are important persistent contaminants that require specific management. A variety of herbicides is stored in fluorinated containers in the form of aquatic solutions. In such environments, the simultaneous release of PFAS and herbicides takes place.

Comparison of non-invasive ventilation on bilevel pressure mode and CPAP in the treatment of COVID-19 related acute respiratory failure. A propensity score-matched analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in the effectiveness and complications of CPAP versus non-invasive ventilation on bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) in the treatment of COVID-19 associated acute respiratory failure (ARF).

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: ICU.

A novel, dominant disease mechanism of distal renal tubular acidosis with specific variants in ATP6V1B1.

Background And Hypothesis: ATP6V1B1 encodes a subunit of the vacuolar H+-ATPase and pathogenic variants are associated with autosomal recessive distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) with deafness. Heterozygous variants predicted to affect a specific amino acid, Arg394, have been recurrently reported in dRTA but their significance has been unclear. We hypothesised that these variants are associated with a dominant disease mechanism.

Effect of neutral electrolyzed water on biofilm formed by meat-related Listeria monocytogenes: Intraspecies variability and influence of the growth surface material.

Listeria monocytogenes raises major challenges for the food industry. Due to its capacity to form biofilms, this pathogen can persist in processing environments and contaminate the final products. Neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) may offer a promising and eco-friendly method for controlling L.

Dendritic cells in triple-negative breast cancer: From pathophysiology to therapeutic applications.

Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It is a highly heterogeneous disease, consisting of multiple subtypes that vary significantly in clinical characteristics and survival outcomes. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive and challenging subtype of breast cancer.

Motor dysfunction in preschool children exposed to zika virus during pregnancy and normocephalic at birth: Developmental Coordination Disorder and Minimal Neurological Dysfunction.

The occurrence of motor dysfunctions was assessed at the age of 5 to 7 years in 61 normocephalic infants with prenatal Zika virus exposure. Traditional neurological examination, Touwen neurological examination, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) were used to identify Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and Minimal Neurological Dysfunction (MND). A high frequency of motor dysfunctions was found, 47 (81.

Tackling antineoplastic drugs' contamination in healthcare settings: New insights on surface cleaning approaches.

Effective decontamination of hospital surfaces is crucial to protect workers from antineoplastic drugs (ADs) since dermal absorption is the main exposure route to these hazardous medicinal products. Sampling after daily cleaning in oncologic settings from a tertiary hospital was initially performed and exhibited low contamination levels; however, cyclophosphamide was still found (up to 957 pg/cm) above the guidance value (100 pg/cm) in four locations, evidencing the need to properly assess and update the cleaning protocols. Then, cleaning efficiencies of six solutions and different protocols were evaluated (including, for the first time, four commercial cleaning solutions/disinfectants not designed specifically for AD removal) after deliberate contamination of three model surfaces with 13 pharmaceuticals: bicalutamide, capecitabine, cyclophosphamide, cyproterone, doxorubicin, etoposide, flutamide, ifosfamide, imatinib, megestrol, mycophenolate mofetil, paclitaxel, and prednisone.

Association of Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome and First Episode Psychosis: A Case Report.

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorder characterized by proximal weakness, autonomic dysfunction, and areflexia associated with antibodies against voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Psychotic symptoms can occur in many autoimmune neurological disorders but they have rarely been observed in myasthenic syndromes. We report the case of a 21-year-old woman with primary autoimmune LEMS due to anti-VGCC antibodies subtype P/Q, who developed psychotic symptoms 3 years after the onset of motor symptoms.

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics illuminate bat immunity and barrier tissue evolution.

Bats have adapted to pathogens through diverse mechanisms, including increased resistance - rapid pathogen elimination, and tolerance - limiting tissue damage following infection. In the Egyptian fruit bat (an important model in comparative immunology) several mechanisms conferring disease tolerance were discovered, but mechanisms underpinning resistance remain poorly understood. Previous studies on other species suggested that elevated basal expression of innate immune genes may lead to increased resistance to infection.

Drug use Risks in Portuguese Rural vs Urban Environments: Harm Reduction Challenges in a Progressive Drug Policy Setting.

Portugal is commonly recognized as one of the best drug policy examples in the world. Nonetheless, contrasts between drug use risks in rural vs urban settings in the country is an understudied topic, even if its specific challenges are commonly affirmed, both by professionals and people who use drugs (PWUD). The aim of this study was to compare rural and urban environments concerning socio-sanitary services availability; illegal drugs availability; risk behaviors related to drug use; stigma associated with illicit drug use; and social support.

Clinical and analytical monitoring of patients with multiple sclerosis on anti-CD20 therapeutics: a real-world safety profile study.

Background: Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies are a class of immunosuppressive drugs widely used in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory diseases, with well-established efficacy and safety. Although rare, these therapies can be associated with serious adverse events including hematological and infectious complications. This study aims to evaluate their safety and tolerability profile in real-world clinical practice.

Physical fitness assessment tools for children with developmental coordination disorder and their feasibility for low-income settings: A systematic review.

Background: This study systematically reviewed the literature on physical fitness assessment tools for children with developmental coordination disorder compared with typically developing children aged 7 to 10 and analyzed the feasibility of these tools for use in low-income settings.

Methods: Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO/RIC databases. The Newcastle - Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale assessed the methodological quality of the studies, and a checklist adapted from COSMIN assessed the feasibility of the instruments.

Psychometric proprieties analyses of psychological vulnerability scale for secondary school students.

Background: The concept of psychological vulnerability is associated with the individual's maladaptive cognitive beliefs, such as self-criticism, perfectionism, and the need for external validation and approval, reducing the individual's ability to cope with negative life experiences. This study aimed to explore psychometric proprieties of the Psychological Vulnerability Scale in secondary school students.

Methods: A psychometric study was conducted with a non-probabilistic sample of 1,875 secondary school students (55.

Corrigendum: Medical residency in Portugal: a cross-sectional study on the working conditions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/frhs.2023.

Improving protein hydrolysis and digestibility in biomass through recombinant peptidases (EC 3.4): Opportunities for monogastric animal diets.

This study investigates the use of recombinant peptidases (EC 3.4) to improve protein hydrolysis and digestibility in , with a focus on addressing the challenge of reduced protein bioavailability for monogastric animals due to resistant protein-pigment formations, such as phycocyanin, and increased digesta viscosity caused by jellification properties. A library of 192 peptidases was generated, from which 142 soluble peptidases were expressed in and subsequently screened for activity against an suspension .

Long-term mindfulness meditation increases occurrence of sensory and attention brain states.

Interest has been growing in the use of mindfulness meditation (MM) as a therapeutic practice, as accumulating evidence highlights its potential to effectively address a range of mental conditions. While many fMRI studies focused on neural activation and functional connectivity during meditation, the impact of long-term MM practice on spontaneous brain activity, and on the expression of resting state networks over time, remains unclear. Here, intrinsic functional network dynamics were compared between experienced meditators and meditation-naïve participants during rest.

Self-Efficacy Throughout Higher Education: A Latent Growth Analysis.

As students progress through university, they are simultaneously preparing for their professional lives alongside their academic learning. The transition from university studies to the labour market is a process that begins in education and continues after graduation until graduates have adapted to their working roles. Preparing to work requires that students conclude their studies and face several challenges posed by job searching and adaptation to the role of a worker.

The effects of warming on loggerhead turtle nesting counts.

Global trends in marine turtle nesting numbers vary by region, influenced by environmental or anthropogenic factors. Our study investigates the potential role of past temperature fluctuations on these trends, particularly whether warmer beaches are linked to increased nesting due to higher female production (since sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination). We selected the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) due to its wide distribution, strong philopatry and vulnerability to environmental changes.

Circulating growth differentiation factor-15 levels are associated with early echocardiographic signs of diastolic function impairment in the STANISLAS cohort: A 20-year follow-up study.

Aims: Early identification of healthy subjects prone to develop cardiac dysfunction may be instrumental to prevention strategies. Our study aimed to evaluate whether circulating levels of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) could predict adverse changes in echocardiographic indexes of cardiac structure and function in an initially healthy populational familial cohort with a long follow-up (STANISLAS cohort).

Methods And Results: We evaluated 1679 participants (49 ± 14 years, 48% males) included in the fourth visit (V4) of the STANISLAS cohort with available GDF-15 measurements (Olink proteomic analysis) and echocardiographic parameters.

Oral lesions and disorders and their prevalence arising from the use of illicit drugs in a prison population.

Background: The dependence on the illicit drugs has been proven to be harmful to the oral cavity and may lead to a series of abnormal manifestations. The main objective of this study was to observe the effects caused by the consumption of illicit drugs in the oral cavity, in a prison population in the North of Portugal.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 91 male inmates aged 25-75 years (mean age 41.

The Outsider Within. Anticolonial Critiques of Humanity and the Cosmopolitan Vision.

This article re-examines the anticolonial critique of the concept of 'humanity'. It uses the example of Leopold Senghor to show the extent to which this critique is shaped by their sociological marginality. Drawing on Georg Simmel's discussion of the 'stranger' and Patricia Hill Collins's discussion of the 'outsider within', the study rethinks the production of knowledge in racially structured societies.