Thorium ore dust research applicable to mineral sands industry workers.

Historically, radiation exposure to mineral sands workers arose primarily from intake of thorium associated with monazite dust generated in mineral separation plants. Research investigations in the 1990s provided greater insight into the characteristics of inhaled thorium ore dust and bioassay studies inferred that some workers had accumulated significant lung burdens of thorium. Recent changes to biokinetic models have increased the radiation dose assessed to arise from thorium intake, raising questions on the appropriateness of current assumptions used in exposure assessment and feasibility of further bioassay research.

Tetrahedral Lithium Stuffing in Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes for High-Power-Density and Energy-Density Batteries.

Li-rich cation-disordered rocksalt (DRX) materials introduce new paradigms in the design of high-capacity Li-ion battery cathode materials. However, DRX materials show strikingly sluggish kinetics due to random Li percolation with poor rate performance. Here, we demonstrate that Li stuffing into the tetrahedral sites of the Mn-based rocksalt skeleton injects a novel tetrahedron-octahedron-tetrahedron diffusion path, which acts as a low-energy-barrier hub to facilitate high-speed Li transport.

Rock strength controls erosion in tectonically dead landscapes.

Interactions among tectonics, climate, and lithology shape the Earth's surface. In regions dominated by tectonic quiescence and climate stability, the role of rock strength related to lithology, and its role in landscape evolution, can be most clearly perceived. We leverage these qualities in a unique field site by integrating topographic data, erosion rates, and a large suite of rock strength measurements to quantify the relationship between bedrock strength and erosion rates along a 200-km section of the southeast coast of Brazil where climatic and tectonic variability are minimal.

Significance of birth in the maintenance of quiescent neural stem cells.

Birth is one of the most important life events for animals. However, its significance in the developmental process is not fully understood. Here, we found that birth-induced alteration of glutamine metabolism in radial glia (RG), the embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs), is required for the acquisition of quiescence and long-term maintenance of postnatal NSCs.

Preventing inappropriate signals pre- and post-ligand perception by a toggle switch mechanism of ERECTA.

Dynamic control of signaling events requires swift regulation of receptors at an active state. By focusing on the Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) receptor kinase, which perceives peptide ligands to control multiple developmental processes, we report a mechanism preventing inappropriate receptor activity. The ER C-terminal tail (ER_CT) functions as an autoinhibitory domain: Its removal confers higher kinase activity and hyperactivity during inflorescence and stomatal development.

The XCL1-XCR1 axis supports intestinal tissue residency and antitumor immunity.

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) provide frontline protection against pathogens and emerging malignancies. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) with TRM features are associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, the cellular interactions that program TRM differentiation and function are not well understood.

Backbone Engineering of Bithiophene Imide Dimer-Based Polymeric Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors for High-Performance n-Type Organic Electrochemical Transistors.

Polymeric mixed ionic-electronic conductors (PMIECs) are gaining significant attention due to their potential applications in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). However, the performance of n-type OECTs still lags behind that of their p-type counterparts. Here, the structure-performance correlation of fused bithiophene imide dimer (BTI2)-based PMIECs is systematically investigated with the backbone evaluation from acceptor-strong donor (A-SD) to acceptor-donor (A-D), to acceptor-weak donor (A-WD), to acceptor-weak acceptor (A-WA), and finally to A-A structures.

Universal Hydrogel Carrier Enhances Bone Graft Success: Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation.

Orthopedic, maxillofacial, and complex dentoalveolar bone grafting procedures that require donor-site bone harvesting can be associated with post-surgical complications. There has been widespread adoption of exogenously sourced particulate bone graft materials (BGM) for bone regenerative procedures; however, the particulate nature of these materials may lead to compromised healing outcomes, mainly attributed to structural collapse of the BGM, prolonged tissue healing. In this study, a fully synthetic thermoresponsive hydrogel-based universal carrier matrix (TX) that forms flowable and shapable putties with different BGMs while spatially preserving the particles in a 3D scaffold at the implantation site is introduced.

Identification of 39 stripe rust resistance loci in a panel of 465 winter wheat entries presumed to have high-temperature adult-plant resistance through genome-wide association mapping and marker-assisted detection.

Stripe rust of wheat is a serious disease caused by f. sp. ().

Magnitude and dynamics of the T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 infection at both individual and population levels.

Introduction: T cells are involved in the early identification and clearance of viral infections and also support the development of antibodies by B cells. This central role for T cells makes them a desirable target for assessing the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Here, we combined two high-throughput immune profiling methods to create a quantitative picture of the T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2.

Characterizing executive functioning and associated behaviors in individuals with dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A () syndrome.

Introduction: , a protein kinase located on human chromosome 21, plays a role in postembryonic neuronal development and degeneration. Alterations to have been consistently associated with cognitive functioning and neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g.

Comparing synthetic mammograms based on wide-angle digital breast tomosynthesis with digital mammograms.

Purpose: We aim to investigate the characteristics and evaluate the performance of synthetic mammograms (SMs) based on wide-angle digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) compared with digital mammography (DM).

Approach: Fifty cases with both synthetic and digital mammograms were selected from the Malmö Breast Tomosynthesis Screening Trial. They were categorized into five groups consisting of normal cases and recalled cases with false-positive and true-positive findings from DM and DBT only.

Biting off more than you can chew: a rare case of hyperparathyroidism jaw tumour syndrome.

Hyperparathyroidism Jaw Tumour Syndrome (HPT-JT) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder within the familial hyperparathyroidism group. Individuals with the disorder carry a gene mutation that predisposes them to early-onset primary hyperparathyroidism, ossifying jaw tumours, renal cystic disease, uterine tumours and parathyroid carcinomas. We present a case of a 41-year-old man referred to nephrology clinic with haemoproteinuria who was noted to have the constellation of renal cystic disease, personal and family history of hyperparathyroidism and recent jaw tumour excision.

Psychometric Validation of the German Version of the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA): A Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data.

Background And Aims: Regular physical activity holds numerous health benefits for older people, yet the majority of older people do not meet the World Health Organization's physical activity recommendations. Brief physical activity screening tools can support healthcare professionals in identifying patients who would benefit from physical activity promotion and counselling. The Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA) questionnaire is a validated brief physical activity screening tool designed for clinical practice.

Mortality and Length of Stay Implications of Deterioration-Associated Transfer to the Intensive Care Unit over Different Time Frames.

Background: Quality improvement initiatives in the acute care setting often target reduction of mortality and length of stay (LOS). Unplanned care escalations are associated with increased mortality risk and prolonged LOS, but may be precipitated by different factors, including appropriate triage, bed availability, and post-admission deterioration.

Objectives: This work evaluates different transfer timeframes to quantify the impact of deterioration-associated unplanned transfers to intensive care (ICU) on mortality and LOS, informing evidence-based interventions to improve patient care.

Age-dependent phenotypes of cognitive impairment as sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cognitive changes associated with PASC may not be uniform across populations. We conducted individual-level pooled analyses and meta-analyses of cognitive assessments from eight prospective cohorts, comprising 2,105 patients and 1,432 controls from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Greece, India, Italy, Russia, and the UK. The meta-analysis found no differences by country of origin.

Estimating financial and health burden by initial Medicare plan choice and history of cancer.

Understanding the downstream consequences of initial Medicare plan selection is necessary to ensure access to and affordability of health care services, especially for older adults with serious illness. We used 2008-2020 data from the Health and Retirement Study to estimate financial and health burden by initial Medicare plan selection (traditional Medicare without supplemental coverage, traditional Medicare plus supplemental coverage, or Medicare Advantage) and self-reported history of cancer. Initially choosing benefits with greater financial protections (either traditional Medicare plus supplemental coverage or Medicare Advantage) relative to traditional Medicare without supplemental coverage was associated with lower levels of out-of-pocket spending and a lower likelihood of reporting cost-related medication nonadherence and fair or poor health.

Association between descending aorta wall thickness or wall area and cardiovascular disease risk factors in cardiovascular disease-free patients: a study based on water-calcium material decomposition and subtraction-based computed tomography dark-blood imaging.

Background: Due to the low contrast between the vascular lumen and vessel wall, conventional computed tomography (CT) is not an effective method for visualizing the vessel wall. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of vessel wall visualization using contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT (DECT)-derived water-calcium material decomposition (WMD) and subtraction-based dark-blood imaging (DBI). An additional objective of this study was to determine the association of descending aorta wall thickness (WT) and wall area (WA) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and to ascertain the potential of DECT-derived WT and WA as image markers for identifying individuals at high risk for future CVD.

Drought-Induced Weakening of Temperature Control on Ecosystem Carbon Uptake Across Northern Lands.

Rapid warming in northern lands has led to increased ecosystem carbon uptake. It remains unclear, however, whether and how the beneficial effects of warming on carbon uptake will continue with climate change. Moreover, the role played by water stress in temperature control on ecosystem carbon uptake remains highly uncertain.

Psychotropic Polypharmacy in Dementia: A Retrospective Analysis for People with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Referred to an Australian Dementia Support Service.

Background And Objectives: Despite their limited benefits and serious adverse effects, psychotropics remain frequently prescribed for neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of dementia. Psychotropic polypharmacy, the use of two or more concomitant psychotropic medications, is therefore not recommended for people with dementia. The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of psychotropic polypharmacy in Australians living with dementia whose caregivers sought external NPS support from Dementia Support Australia (DSA; the national provider of NPS support) and the association of psychotropic polypharmacy with their demographics and NPS characteristics.

Exploring and validating associations between six systemic inflammatory indices and ischemic stroke in a middle-aged and old Chinese population.

Background: Inflammation and maladaptive immune mechanisms have been substantiated as integral components in the critical pathological processes of the injury cascade in ischemic stroke (IS). This study aimed to explore the associations between six systemic inflammatory indices and IS in a Chinese population.

Methods: This was a case-control study based on the retrospective review of electronic medical records from two hospitals in Shandong Province, China.

Performance and reliability comparison: original vs. revised bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS).

Objective: To propose a revised bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS) and evaluate its diagnostic performance and inter-reader reliability compared to the original Bone-RADS for solitary bone lesions on CT.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 159 adult patients (mean age: 56 ± 19 years; 88 men) who underwent bone biopsy for solitary bone lesions between March 2005 and September 2021. Two radiologists (R1/2) independently categorized the lesions twice, once using the original Bone-RADS and once using the revised version.

Differential impacts of germline and adult aggrecan knockout in PV+ neurons on perineuronal nets and PV+ neuronal function.

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are a condensed form of extracellular matrix primarily found around parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons. The postnatal maturation of PV+ neurons is accompanied with the formation of PNNs and reduced plasticity. Alterations in PNN and PV+ neuron function have been described for mental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.