Navigating through recent evidence on locoregional breast cancer radiotherapy: an initiative by the scientific association of Swiss radiation oncology.

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer in women and radiotherapy (RT) is an integral part of its treatment. High-level evidence guides clinical decisions, but given the abundance of guidelines, a need to navigate within the evidence has been identified by the board of the Scientific Association of Swiss Radiation Oncology (SASRO). A pilot project was initiated aiming to create an overview of recent clinically relevant evidence for BC RT, to make it easily available to (radiation) oncologists and radiation oncologists in training.

Single-character insertion-deletion model preserves long indels in ancestral sequence reconstruction.

Insertions and deletions (indels) play a significant role in genome evolution across species. Realistic modelling of indel evolution is challenging and is still an open research question. Several attempts have been made to explicitly model multi-character (long) indels, such as TKF92, by relaxing the site independence assumption and introducing fragments.

Gendered employment trajectories and later life health in liberal regime countries: A quantitative study in the United States, England, Switzerland and Chile.

We explore the association between adulthood employment patterns and later life health among men and women in four liberal regime countries: two from Europe (England and Switzerland) and two from the Americas (United States and Chile). We carefully harmonized life-history data from the surveys SHARE (N = 1,143), HRS (N = 4,006), ELSA (N = 3,083), and EVDA (N = 802). The samples included individuals born between 1944 and 1954, with information on employment histories from age 15 to 65 and on 11 health outcomes in later life.

The association of different types of stress, and stress accumulation with low back pain in call-center workers - a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common health complaint and a prominent factor in the development of LBP among the working population is stress. Mostly, stress is addressed as a general problem, which is why LBP prevention programs are often imprecise. Accordingly, a closer look at the association between specific stress types and the development of LBP is necessary.

Anthocyanin-Rich Extract Mitigates the Contribution of the Pathobiont Genus in Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis Patients.

Anthocyanins (ACs) have been shown to elicit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in animal models of ulcerative colitis (UC). Furthermore, we previously observed in a double-blind randomized trial in UC patients that biochemical disease activity tended to be lower in patients that were exposed to AC. Here, we report on the changes in the fecal microbiome composition in these patients upon AC exposure.

The Synthesis of a Large Stokes-Shift Dye and Intercalation into the Nanochannels of Zeolite L.

A host-guest-based fluorescent composite with a large Stokes shift was synthesized by intercalating 2,2'-(thiophene-2,5-diyl)bis(benzo[d]oxazol-6-amine) (BBTA) into the nanochannels of zeolite L (ZL) and sealing the pores with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). To confirm the orientation of the amino groups in BBTA, a single crystal of 2,5-bis(6-nitrobenzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)thiophene (BBTN) was grown and examined by X-ray crystallography. The evidence of successful intercalation of BBTA into the nanochannels of ZL was provided by fluorescence spectrometry, gas sorption and fluorescence microscopy.

Profiles of Primary School Children's Sports Participation and Their Motor Competencies.

Background/objectives: Children participate in various organized and informal physical activities (PAs) in their leisure time, presenting diverse objectives and environments for motor and social development. However, current research often focuses on specific, mostly organized activities, overlooking the complexity of participation across different settings. This study aimed to (1) identify groups of children with similar characteristics based on their participation in five organized and informal sports activities and (2) examine how the groups differ regarding gender, age, BMI, motor competencies (MCs), and attendance in institutionalized care at school.

Inter-rater-reliability, intra-rater-reliability and validity of clinical tests to assess cervical spine motor control abilities: A systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies.

Background: Research into the aetiology of spinal pain has shown a clear tendency towards a sensorimotor control perspective. In contrast to the lumbar spine, the available motor control tests for the cervical spine are extremely varied, little studied and sometimes very costly.

Objective: Review the quality and choice of the available cervical spine motor control tests.

Does adherence to physiotherapy depend on the typologies of patients with back pain and their physiotherapists? A qualitative typology study.

Background: Patient adherence to physiotherapy is influenced by a multitude of factors including the characteristics and attitudes of patients and physiotherapists. This study aims to identify typologies of patients with back pain and their physiotherapists and attempts to explain how typologies could influence patient adherence.

Method: This study was based on a secondary data analysis from focus group interviews to identify barriers and facilitators for adherence.

Operator-independent assessment of bread spoilage profiles caused by Bacillaceae reveals a high degree of inter- and intraspecies heterogeneity.

Ropy bread spoilage caused by aerobic spore-forming bacteria (ASF) is characterized by discoloration, sticky and stringy crumb degradation, and a fruity odor due to the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Previous studies employing model experiments have demonstrated strain-specific spoilage potential. However, to gain a deeper understanding, it is essential to study rope spoilage within baked bread.

Concentrating Cocoa Polyphenols-Clarification of an Aqueous Cocoa Extract by Protein Precipitation and Filtration.

The seeds of L. are rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as flavan-3-ols, which are valued for their health benefits. In this context, it is of interest to improve flavanol content in cocoa extracts.

Professional identity development of Flemish occupational therapists: A narrative study.

Background: A less developed professional identity negatively influences a person's mental well-being and is suggested to potentially affect quality of care and thus clients' well-being. Literature indicates that a strong developed professional identity is to strive for. In Flanders, Belgium, cultural and legislative challenges negatively impact the professional development of occupational therapists.

Structure Prediction and Computational Protein Design for Efficient Biocatalysts and Bioactive Proteins.

The ability to predict and design protein structures has led to numerous applications in medicine, diagnostics and sustainable chemical manufacture. In addition, the wealth of predicted protein structures has advanced our understanding of how life's molecules function and interact. Honouring the work that has fundamentally changed the way scientists research and engineer proteins, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2024 was awarded to David Baker for computational protein design and jointly to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, who developed AlphaFold for machine-learning-based protein structure prediction.

Effect-directed analysis of genotoxicants in food packaging based on HPTLC fractionation, bioassays, and toxicity prediction with machine learning.

Many chemicals in food packaging can leach as complex mixtures to food, potentially including substances hazardous to consumer health. Detecting and identifying all of the leachable chemicals are impractical with current analytical instrumentation and data processing methods. Therefore, our work aims to expand the analytical toolset for prioritizing and identifying chemical hazards in food packaging.

Academic vs. industry-sponsored trials: A global survey on differences, similarities, and future improvements.

Background: Clinical research is marked by its multifaceted nature, presenting a multitude of different approaches, designs, and objectives that can complicate the planning, initiation, and conduct of clinical trials. The role and organisation of the sponsor institution are pivotal in this context. We aimed to investigate possible challenges and needs, including their underlying factors, for academia and industry during the set-up and conduct of clinical trials.

A theoretical analysis of professionalism in health promotion with a focus on the Swiss context.

The pressing global health crises highlight the need for professional health promotion (HP). Debates on the professionalization of HP are still overlaid by questions regarding the conceptualization of HP, yet literature is scarce regarding this point. Therefore, this article aims to (a) provide an overview of the current state of professionalism in HP with a focus on the Swiss context, and (b) identify facilitators, gaps and barriers of professionalism in HP.

A single-chain variable fragment-based bispecific T-cell activating antibody against CD117 enables T-cell mediated lysis of acute myeloid leukemia and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) derives from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). To date, no AML-exclusive, non-HSPC-expressed cell-surface target molecules for AML selective immunotherapy have been identified. Therefore, to still apply surface-directed immunotherapy in this disease setting, time-limited combined immune-targeting of AML cells and healthy HSPCs, followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), might be a viable therapeutic approach.

Association of Lipoprotein(a) With Changes in Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients Treated With Alirocumab.

Background: Elevated Lp(a) (lipoprotein[a]) is a risk marker for atherosclerotic disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We examined the association of Lp(a) with changes in coronary atherosclerosis following intensive lipid-lowering therapy.

Methods: In the PACMAN-AMI trial (Effects of the PCSK9 Antibody Alirocumab on Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction), 300 patients with acute myocardial infarction were randomized to receive biweekly alirocumab 150 mg or placebo in addition to high-intensity statins.

Definition and understanding of "efficiency" in healthcare provision research: a scoping review.

Background: With rising healthcare costs over the last decades, the concept of efficiency has gained popularity in healthcare provision research. As efficiency can be understood and measured in many different ways, it is often unclear what is meant by "efficient health systems" or "efficient healthcare providers".

Objectives: This study aims to analyze and categorize the different definitions and understandings of "efficiency" used in healthcare provision research over time.

Excess mortality of infected ectotherms induced by warming depends on pathogen kingdom and evolutionary history.

Climate change is causing extreme heating events and can lead to more infectious disease outbreaks, putting species persistence at risk. The extent to which warming temperatures and infection may together impair host health is unclear. Using a meta-analysis of >190 effect sizes representing 101 ectothermic animal host-pathogen systems, we demonstrate that warming significantly increased the mortality of hosts infected by bacterial pathogens.

Pregnant Women's Care Needs During Early Labor-A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Pregnant women face the challenge of managing early labor on their own until they feel the need to seek professional support. However, professional support during such a vulnerable stage of labor may sometimes be insufficient. This study aims to understand pregnant women's care needs during early labor in order to improve the quality of care provided at the onset of labor.