Systemic pro-inflammatory response following bronchoscopic lung volume reduction using endobronchial valves.

Rationale: Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction treatment using endobronchial valves (EBV) is an effective treatment for severe COPD patients by improving lung function and quality of life. However, little is known about its effects on systemic inflammation. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate whether EBV treatment impacts the inflammatory cytokine profile.

A model-based evaluation of the pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PKPD) of avibactam in combination with ceftazidime.

Background: The emergence of β-lactamase-producing bacteria limits the effectiveness of β-lactam (BL) antibiotics, and the combination with a β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) aims to counteract this resistance. However, existing guidelines primarily focus on optimizing the dosing of BLs and do not adequately address the interaction between BLs and BLIs, leading to uncertain pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) targets and potentially suboptimal dosing strategies.

Objectives: To investigate optimal PK/PD targets and dosing strategies for avibactam (BLI) combined with ceftazidime (BL) using mechanism-based PKPD models.

Reduced protein solubility - cause or consequence in amyloid disease?

In this perspective, we ask the question whether the apparently lower solubility of specific proteins in amyloid disease is a cause or consequence of the protein deposition seen in such diseases. We focus on Alzheimer's disease and start by reviewing the experimental evidence of disease-associated reduction in the measured concentration of amyloid β peptide, Aβ42, in cerebrospinal fluid. We propose a series of possible physicochemical explanations for these observations.

Modeling for understanding and engineering metabolism.

Metabolism is at the core of all functions of living cells as it provides Gibbs free energy and building blocks for synthesis of macromolecules, which are necessary for structures, growth, and proliferation. Metabolism is a complex network composed of thousands of reactions catalyzed by enzymes involving many co-factors and metabolites. Traditionally it has been difficult to study metabolism as a whole network and most traditional efforts were therefore focused on specific metabolic pathways, enzymes, and metabolites.

Genotyping by sequencing reveals the genetic diversity and population structure of Peruvian highland maize races.

Peruvian maize exhibits abundant morphological diversity, with landraces cultivated from sea level (sl) up to 3,500 m above sl. Previous research based on morphological descriptors, defined at least 52 Peruvian maize races, but its genetic diversity and population structure remains largely unknown. Here, we used genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to obtain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that allow inferring the genetic structure and diversity of 423 maize accessions from the genebank of Universidad Nacional Agraria la Molina (UNALM) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Tayacaja (UNAT).

Doping Efficiency of Poly(benzodifurandione) from First Principles.

Poly(benzodifurandione) (PBFDO) has emerged as a promising n-type conductive polymer (n-CP) for organic electronic applications, particularly in thermoelectrics (TE), due to its high doping efficiency and environmental stability. Unlike most high-performance p-type polymers, high-efficiency n-CPs are limited, posing a bottleneck in the TE module performance. In this study, we use first-principles electronic structure calculations to investigate the thermodynamic conditions that favor n-doping in PBFDO, focusing on the role of the temperature, chain length, and doping concentration.

Computational tools for the prediction of site- and regioselectivity of organic reactions.

The regio- and site-selectivity of organic reactions is one of the most important aspects when it comes to synthesis planning. Due to that, massive research efforts were invested into computational models for regio- and site-selectivity prediction, and the introduction of machine learning to the chemical sciences within the past decade has added a whole new dimension to these endeavors. This review article walks through the currently available predictive tools for regio- and site-selectivity with a particular focus on machine learning models while being organized along the individual reaction classes of organic chemistry.

Quality of life in heart failure. The heart of the matter. A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology.

For most patients with chronic, progressive illnesses, maintaining good quality of life (QoL), with preserved functional capacity, is just as crucial as prolonging survival. Patients with heart failure (HF) experience much worse QoL and effort intolerance than both the general population and people with other chronic conditions, since they present a range of physical and psychological symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest discomfort, fatigue, fluid congestion, trouble with sleeping, and depression. These symptoms reduce patients' capacity for daily social and physical activity.

[Are we hopefully on the way to eradicating HPV-related cancer?].

An interesting article in this issue of Läkartidningen argues for the benefit of a broad HPV vaccination with catch-up vaccination also for men, and sheds more light on HPV-related cancer in men. There has been an increase of HPV-related anal and oropharyngeal cancer in recent years, but no screening methods for these cancers have been implemented. A gender neutral catch-up vaccination would help to decrease the burden of oncogenic HPV in society, and would also be beneficial for females.

[Catch-up vaccination prevents HPV infection and related precancers when given up to age 26].

HPV-related cancers in men, particularly anal and oropharyngeal cancers, are increasing in Sweden and globally. Men who have sex with men, trans persons and people living with HIV are at especially high risk. HPV vaccination effectively prevents HPV infection and related precancers when given up to age 26.

[Adherence to the national guidelines regarding referral of patients with knee osteoarthritis to orthopedic consultation].

The aim of the study was to investigate: 1) the proportion of referrals from primary care to orthopedic consultations that included the information requested by the national guidelines for patients with knee osteoarthritis, and 2) the proportion of referrals that specified whether patients had completed first-line treatment. A total of 140 referrals were examined. None of the referrals adhered fully to the national guidelines, and none included information on whether the patient had completed first-line treatment.

Quality of life in heart failure. The heart of the matter. A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology.

For most patients with chronic, progressive illnesses, maintaining good quality of life (QoL), with preserved functional capacity, is just as crucial as prolonging survival. Patients with heart failure (HF) experience much worse QoL and effort intolerance than both the general population and people with other chronic conditions, since they present a range of physical and psychological symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest discomfort, fatigue, fluid congestion, trouble with sleeping, and depression. These symptoms reduce patients' capacity for daily social and physical activity.

Logic of crisis management practice in handling the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences from two Swedish public-sector organizations.

This study aims to examine the ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding crisis management and the implementation of national recommendations in two public-sector organizations during the initial phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study is based on two case studies: a municipality and a county administrative board in Sweden. Data were collected through interviews, surveys, and participation in meetings, and they were analyzed using a practice theory lens.

Speaking Through Silence: The Lonelification at the Core of Domestic Abuse.

This article is based on narratives from 20 women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Based on in-depth interviews, we explored their lived experiences of the mechanisms and meanings of loneliness in the context of DVA. The women experienced social and existential loneliness, not as passive consequences of victimization, but through active isolating and tactics inflicted on them by the abusers, as well as through responses from personal and professional networks and institutions.

Complex relationship between soil fungi and conservation value assessments in boreal forests.

Large-scale industrial forestry is a threat to biodiversity and imposes long-lasting changes to many forested biomes. Preserving forests as reserves is an important component of the strategy for safeguarding forest biodiversity. Yet, the selection of forests of high biodiversity value is usually based on proxies (i.

Decoding in-plane orientation in cellulose nanopapers hybridized with tailored polymeric nanoparticles.

Biobased cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) constitute important building blocks for biomimetic, nanostructured materials, and considerable potential exists in their hybridization with tailorable polymeric nanoparticles. CNFs naturally assemble into oriented, fibrillar structures in their cross-section. This work shows that polymeric nanoparticle additives have the potential to increase or decrease orientation of these cellulose structures, which allows the control of bulk mechanical properties.

Redefining the Limits of Functional Continuity in the Early Evolution of P-Loop NTPases.

At the heart of many nucleoside triphosphatases is a conserved phosphate-binding sequence motif. A current model of early enzyme evolution proposes that this 6-8 residue motif could have sparked the emergence of the very first nucleoside triphosphatases - a striking example of evolutionary continuity from simple beginnings, if true. To test this provocative model, seven disembodied Walker A-derived peptides were extensively computationally characterized.

Evaluating Perinatal Health in Europe: A Comparison of Routine Population Birth Data Sources.

Background: International comparisons of population birth data provide essential benchmarks for evaluating perinatal health policies.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe routine national data sources in Europe by their ability to provide core perinatal health indicators.

Methods: The Euro-Peristat Network collected routine national data on a recommended set of core indicators from 2015 to 2021 using a federated protocol based on a common data model with 16 data items.

The impact of an action commercial video game on adult non-gamers psychological well-being, cognitive functioning, and sleep.

Introduction: The ever-growing diffusion of video games (VG) prompts to investigate their effects on health. While different studies exist on the topic, their results are difficult to interpret, probably because modulating factors have been mostly neglected. Here, we explore VG type and gamers' experience levels by assessing the impact of a violent VG on sleep, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being in a sample of non-gamers.

"I'm a bit more free": Lived symptom experiences in adolescents with functional abdominal pain disorders after internet-delivered psychological treatment.

Studies of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) have documented its efficacy for pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders (FAPDs), but few have detailed how adolescents experience this. We investigated the lived symptom experiences of eight adolescents (age 13-17 years) with FAPDs, who had received ICBT. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using photo-elicitation, and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, identifying three main themes; "Power of thoughts" describes the impact of thoughts on understanding symptoms and self.

Minimum clinically important difference for drug effectiveness in an area of patient-oriented therapeutic goals in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In this review, we will examine the more common endpoints incorporated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and their strength of evidence, focusing on the definition of what constitutes a clinically meaningful change. We will also reflect on the perspective of patients and their families regarding the design of RCTs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Authors performed a scoping review of the literature around clinical meaningfulness in the ALS field and the minimum clinically important difference to deem a treatment effective.

Determinants of access to health facilities among under-five children with caregiver-reported fever in the context of seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Togo, 2020-2022.

Background: Malaria is responsible for 580,000 deaths among children under 5, or 95% of all malaria deaths per year globally. Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) is a malaria control intervention in Togo and other African countries targeting children under 5 years old during the peak malaria transmission season. Delaying access to healthcare for children with malaria can result in serious health problems, including heightened morbidity and mortality, complications related to cerebral malaria and anemia, as well as impaired cognitive development.