Real-world treatment patterns and clinical characteristics in patients with moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus: an analysis of the SLE Prospective Observational Cohort Study (SPOCS).

Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease with heterogeneous treatment patterns largely based on organ involvement and disease severity. The SLE Prospective Observational Cohort Study (SPOCS) collected data worldwide over 3 years from patients with moderate-to-severe SLE. We report real-world patterns of medication use in patients enrolled in SPOCS.

Challenges of healthcare financing in the world's largest refugee camp: a mixed-method study among healthcare stakeholders for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Objectives: This study aimed to increase the understanding of healthcare stakeholders' viewpoints on the challenges and potential solutions regarding healthcare financing for the Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar.

Design: A mixed-method approach, containing semi-structured interviews with healthcare stakeholders and review of financial documents, was employed. Thematic analysis was performed to analyse the transcripts.

Individual patterns of activity predict the response to physical exercise as an intervention in mild to moderate depression.

Physical exercise (PE) as antidepressive intervention is a promising alternative, as shown by multiple meta-analyses. However, there is no consensus regarding optimal intensity and duration of exercise, and there are no objective criteria available for personalized indication of treatment. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate whether individual activity patterns before intervention can predict the response to treatment; and (2) to evaluate whether the patient outcome can be improved by using prior information on treatment efficacy at individual level.

Insights into PeERF168 gene in slash pine terpene biosynthesis: Integrating high-throughput phenotyping, GWAS, and transgenic studies.

Resin biosynthesis in conifer is a complex process, controlled by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Quantifying resin components is traditionally expensive and labor-intensive. In this study, we employed near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to quantify resin components in Slash pine using 240 genotypes.

Critical Review of Guidelines for Type B Aortic Dissection.

The management of type B aortic dissection is one of the most challenging and debated topics in contemporary cardiovascular surgery practice. Patients with acute or chronic dissection-related complications, face high morbidity and mortality if not treated promptly. For most patients requiring intervention, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is considered the gold standard.

Molecular allergy diagnosis enabling personalized medicine.

Allergic patients are characterized by complex and patient-specific IgE sensitization profiles to various allergens, which are accompanied by different phenotypes of allergic disease. Molecular allergy (MA) diagnosis establishes the patient's IgE reactivity profile at a molecular allergen level and has moved allergology into the "Precision Medicine" era. Molecular allergology started in the late 1980s with the isolation of the first allergen-encoding DNA sequences.

Recommendations to address the shortfalls of the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet from a plant-forward perspective.

Shifting to dietary patterns rich in plants and low in animal-source foods could substantially lower emissions from the food sector while reducing the global burden of non-communicable diseases. The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed the planetary health diet (PHD) to emphasise plant-forward diets and set global targets to guide an urgently needed food-system transformation. However, the PHD's meat-reduction approach has attracted criticism and prompted debate on the potential micronutrient shortfalls of the plant-forward dietary approach.

CT perfusion and MRI: A combined approach for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and follow-up after locoregional treatment.

Objective: CT liver perfusion (CTLP) has been well validated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection, characterization, and treatment response evaluation. However, its role in HCC management algorithms remains unclear. This study aims to assess the diagnostic performance of CTLP alone or as an adjunct to MRI in patients considered for- or undergoing locoregional treatment for HCC.

The role of non-respiratory arousals in residual daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with positive airway pressure: An analysis of the European Sleep Apnea Database registry.

Study Objectives: To assess the impact of the non-respiratory arousal burden at baseline polysomnography (PSG) on residual daytime sleepiness in positive airway pressure (PAP)-treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: We included OSA patients from the European Sleep Apnea Database registry with available arousal data who had at least 2 treatment follow-up visits. The primary outcome was the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score under PAP.

In situ self-cleaning PAN/CuO@Ag/Au@Ag flexible SERS sensor coupled with chemometrics for quantitative detection of thiram residues on apples.

Flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors offer a promising solution for the rapid in situ monitoring of food safety. The sensor's capability to furnish quantitative detection and retain recyclability is crucial in practical applications. This study proposes a self-cleaning flexible SERS sensor, augmented with an intelligent algorithm designed for expeditious in situ and non-destructive thiram detection on apples.

Long-term transfer of Cs in sensitive agricultural environments after the Chornobyl fallout in Sweden.

In this study, the long-term transfer of Cs from soil to grass on Swedish farms and fields, heavily contaminated after the 1986 radioactive fallout, was investigated. The study spans over 8-14 years, beginning in June 1986, and covers various soil types and agricultural practices. The transfer of Cs from soil to grass was highly variable, with transfer factors ranging from 1.

Proton minibeam (pMBRT) radiation therapy: experimental validation of Monte Carlo dose calculation in the RayStation TPS.

Proton minibeam radiation therapy (pMBRT) dose profile is characterized by highly heterogeneous dose in the plane perpendicular to the beam direction and rapidly changing depth dose profiles. Typically, dose measurements are benchmarked against in-house Monte Carlo simulation tools. It is essential to have a treatment planning system (TPS) that can accurately predict pMBRT doses in tissue and be available via commercial platform for preclinical and clinical use.

Safety of topical estrogen therapy during adjuvant endocrine treatment among patients with breast cancer: A meta-analysis based expert panel discussion.

Importance: Endocrine treatments, such as Tamoxifen (TAM) and/or Aromatase inhibitors (AI), are the adjuvant therapy of choice for hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. These agents are associated with menopausal symptoms, adversely affecting drug compliance. Topical estrogen (TE) has been proposed for symptom management, given its' local application and presumed reduced bioavailability, however its oncological safety remains uncertain.

Direct observations of nucleation and early-stage growth of Au-catalyzed GaAs nanowires on Si(111).

Developing a reliable procedure for the growth of III-V nanowires (NW) on silicon (Si) substrates remains a significant challenge, as current methods rely on trial-and-error approaches with varying interpretations of critical process steps such as sample preparation, Au-Si alloy formation in the growth reactor, and nanowire alignment. Addressing these challenges is essential for enabling high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices that combine the superior properties of III-V NW semiconductors with the well-established Si-based technology. Combining conventional scalable growth methods, such as Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) with in situ characterization using Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy (ETEM-MOCVD) enables a deeper understanding of the growth dynamics, if that knowledge is transferable to the scalable processes.

The Use of AI in Mental Health Services to Support Decision-Making: Scoping Review.

Background: Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have changed the care processes in mental health, particularly in decision-making support for health care professionals and individuals with mental health problems. AI systems provide support in several domains of mental health, including early detection, diagnostics, treatment, and self-care. The use of AI systems in care flows faces several challenges in relation to decision-making support, stemming from technology, end-user, and organizational perspectives with the AI disruption of care processes.

Improved accuracy of delayed cerebral ischemia diagnosis with plasma nitric oxide synthase 3, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α.

Objective: The pathophysiology of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is not fully elucidated. The lack of accurate diagnostic tools increases the probability of delayed diagnosis and timely treatment. The authors assessed the relationship of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (F2-IsoP) and oxidative stress biomarkers, nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), with DCI after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

One hundred thirty-four germ line PU.1 variants and the agammaglobulinemic patients carrying them.

Leukopoiesis is lethally arrested in mice lacking the master transcriptional regulator PU.1. Depending on the animal model, subtotal PU.

How is maternal employment associated with infant and young child feeding in Bangladesh? A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Background: In the last three decades, the increasing trend in female employment in Bangladesh has been critically analyzed from a socioeconomic point of view; however, its impact on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices has yet to be systematically reviewed. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the association between these variables.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to retrieve relevant records with no restriction of publication period.

Low oxygen but dynamic marine redox conditions permitted the Cambrian Radiation.

Whether metazoan diversification during the Cambrian Radiation was driven by increased marine oxygenation remains highly debated. Repeated global oceanic oxygenation events have been inferred during this interval, but the degree of shallow marine oxygenation and its relationship to biodiversification and clade appearance remain uncertain. To resolve this, we interrogate an interval from ~527 to 519 Ma, encompassing multiple proposed global oceanic oxygenation events.

Effect of bar jump height on kinetics and kinematics of take-off in agility dogs.

Sport-related injuries have been reported to occur in around one-third of agility dogs. Higher bar height in competitions has been shown to increase odds of an injury. This study evaluated the effect of bar height on the kinetics and kinematics at take-off to a bar jump.

Islet NO-Synthases, extracellular NO and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion: Possible impact of neuronal NO-Synthase on the pentose phosphate pathway.

The impact of islet neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is less understood. We investigated this issue by performing simultaneous measurements of the activity of nNOS versus inducible NOS (iNOS) in GSIS using isolated murine islets. Additionally, the significance of extracellular NO on GSIS was studied.

Exploring a pico-well based scRNA-seq method (HIVE) for simplified processing of equine bronchoalveolar lavage cells.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a valuable tool for investigating cellular heterogeneity in diseases such as equine asthma (EA). This study evaluates the HIVE™ scRNA-seq method, a pico-well-based technology, for processing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from horses with EA. The HIVE method offers practical advantages, including compatibility with both field and clinical settings, as well as a gentle workflow suited for handling sensitive cells.

Exploring effector protein dynamics and natural fungicidal potential in rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae.

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most destructive fungal diseases in rice, resulting in major economic losses worldwide. Genetic and genomic studies have identified key genes and proteins, such as AvrPik variants and MAX proteins, that are crucial for the pathogen's virulence. These effector proteins interact with specific alleles of the Pik gene family on rice chromosome 11, modulating the host's immune response.

Young, female and scientist: exploring barriers, challenges and opportunities.

Different societal, systemic and personal barriers exist at various stages along a female researcher's career that can potentially undermine their success. The equation for women to reach higher positions in STEM is a multivariable one, and while there has been considerable progress towards addressing some of these compared with the past, current solutions are inadequate and do not address all facets. Here, we asked female winners of the FEBS Open Bio poster prize about their experiences regarding barriers they have faced at the predoctoral and postdoctoral stages, their opinions on how these can be addressed and their advice to new students entering a PhD degree.

Lipid-induced condensate formation from the Alzheimer's Aβ peptide triggers amyloid aggregation.

The onset and development of Alzheimer's disease is linked to the accumulation of pathological aggregates formed from the normally monomeric amyloid-β peptide within the central nervous system. These Aβ aggregates are increasingly successfully targeted with clinical therapies at later stages of the disease, but the fundamental molecular steps in early stage disease that trigger the initial nucleation event leading to the conversion of monomeric Aβ peptide into pathological aggregates remain unknown. Here, we show that the Aβ peptide can form biomolecular condensates on lipid bilayers both in molecular assays and in living cells.