Terryblack1777

Non-invasive urinary peptide biomarkers are able to detect and predict chronic kidney disease (CKD). Moreover, specific urinary peptides enable discrimination of different CKD etiologies and offer an interesting alternative to invasive kidney biopsy, which cannot always be performed. The aim of this study was to define a urinary peptide classifier using mass spectrometry technology to predict the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) in CKD patients. The urinary peptide profiles of 435 patients enrolled in this study were analyzed using capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry (CE-MS). Urine samples were collected on the day of the diagnostic kidney biopsy. The proteomics data were divided into a training (n = 200) and a test (n = 235) cohort. The fibrosis group was defined as IFTA ≥ 15% and no fibrosis as IFTA less then 10%. Statistical comparison of the mass spectrometry data enabled identification of 29 urinary peptides with differential occurrence in samples with and without fibrosis. Several collagen fragments and peptide fragments of fetuin-A and others were combined into a peptidomic classifier. The classifier separated fibrosis from non-fibrosis patients in an independent test set (n = 186) with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.84 (95% CI 0.779 to 0.889). A significant correlation of IFTA and FPP_BH29 scores could be observed Rho = 0.5, p less then 0.0001. We identified a peptidomic classifier for renal fibrosis containing 29 peptide fragments corresponding to 13 different proteins. Urinary proteomics analysis can serve as a non-invasive tool to evaluate the degree of renal fibrosis, in contrast to kidney biopsy, which allows repeated measurements during the disease course.What are consequential world problems? As "grand societal challenges", one might define them as problems that affect a large number of people, perhaps even the entire planet, including problems such as climate change, distributive justice, world peace, world nutrition, clean air and clean water, access to education, and many more. The "Sustainable Development Goals", compiled by the United Nations, represent a collection of such global problems. From my point of view, these problems can be seen as complex. Such complex problems are characterized by the complexity, connectivity, dynamics, intransparency, and polytely of their underlying systems. These attributes require special competencies for dealing with the uncertainties of the given domains, e.g., critical thinking. My position is that it is not IQ, but complex problem-solving competencies for dealing with complex and dynamic situations, that is important for handling consequential global problems. These problems require system competencies, i.e., competencies that go beyond analytical intelligence, and comprise systems understanding as well as systems control. Complex problem solving is more than analytic intelligence.(1) Heart rate performance curve (HRPC) in incremental exercise was shown to be not uniform, causing false intensity estimation applying percentages of maximal heart rate (HRmax). HRPC variations are mediated by β-adrenergic receptor sensitivity. The aim was to study age and sex dependent differences in HRPC patterns in adults with β-blocker treatment (BB) and healthy controls (C). (2) A total of 535 (102 female) BB individuals were matched 11 for age and sex (male 59 ± 11 yrs, female 61 ± 11 yrs) in C. From the maximum incremental cycle ergometer exercise a first and second heart rate (HR) threshold (Th1 and Th2) was determined. Based on the degree of the deflection (kHR), HRPCs were categorized as regular (downward deflection (kHR > 0.1)) and non-regular (upward deflection (kHR less then 0.1), linear time course). (3) Logistic regression analysis revealed a higher odds ratio to present a non-regular curve in BB compared to C (females showed three times higher odds). The odds for non-regular HRPC in BB versus C decreased with older age (OR interaction = 0.97, CI = 0.94-0.99). Maximal and submaximal performance and HR variables were significantly lower in BB (p less then 0.05). %HRmax was significantly lower in BB versus C at Th2 (male 77.2 ± 7.3% vs. 80.8 ± 5.0%; female 79.2 ± 5.1% vs. 84.0 ± 4.3%). %Pmax at Th2 was similar in BB and C. (4) The HRPC pattern in incremental cycle ergometer exercise is different in individuals receiving β-blocker treatment compared to healthy individuals. The effects were also dependent on age and sex. Relative HR values at Th2 varied substantially depending on treatment. Thus, the percentage of Pmax seems to be a stable and independent indicator for exercise intensity prescription.The purpose of our work is to evaluate the correlation between skeletal Class II malocclusion and temporomandibular disorders, by assessing potential different frequency scores compared with Class I and Class III skeletal malocclusion, and to evaluate associated etiological and risk factors. Fifty-five subjects were examined, 35 females and 20 males, with a mean age of 18 ± 1.3 years, divided into two groups those with TMD and those without TMD, and prevalence was evaluated in the two groups of Class II subjects. Symptoms and more frequent signs were also examined in the TMD group. Regarding Group A (subjects with the presence of TMD), we found that 48% have a Class II, 16% have Class I, and 28% have Class III. In the totality of the group A sample, only 8% were male subjects. In Group B (subjects without TMD), we found that 40% were females, with 26.7% in Class I, 10% in Class II, and 3.3% in Class III; the male subjects in this group (60%) were distributed with 33.3% in Class I, 16.7% in Class II, and 10% in Class III. Class II malocclusion is not a causal factor of TMD but may be considered a predisposing factor.Hydrogels are attractive materials not only for their tremendous applications but also for theoretical studies as they provide macroscopic monitoring of the conformation change of polymer chains. The pioneering theoretical work of Dusek predicting the discontinuous volume phase transition in gels followed by the experimental observation of Tanaka opened up a new area, called smart hydrogels, in the gel science. Many ionic hydrogels exhibit a discontinuous volume phase transition due to the change of the polymer-solvent interaction parameter χ depending on the external stimuli such as temperature, pH, composition of the solvent, etc. The observation of a discontinuous volume phase transition in nonionic hydrogels or organogels is still a challenging task as it requires a polymer-solvent system with a strong polymer concentration dependent χ parameter. Such an observation may open up the use of organogels as smart and hydrophobic soft materials. The re-entrant phenomenon first observed by Tanaka is another characteristic of stimuli responsive hydrogels in which they are frustrated between the swollen and collapsed states in a given solvent mixture. Thus, the hydrogel first collapses and then reswells if an environmental parameter is continuously increased. The re-entrant phenomenon of hydrogels in water-cosolvent mixtures is due to the competitive hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions leading to flow-in and flow-out of the cosolvent molecules through the hydrogel moving boundary as the composition of the solvent mixture is varied. The experimental results reviewed here show that a re-entrant conformation transition in hydrogels requires a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic network, and a moderate hydrogen-bonding cosolvent having competitive attractions with water and polymer. The re-entrant phenomenon may widen the applications of the hydrogels in mechanochemical transducers, switches, memories, and sensors.Process overlap theory (POT) is a new theoretical framework designed to account for the general factor of intelligence (g). According to POT, g does not reflect a general cognitive ability. Instead, g is the result of multiple domain-general executive attention processes and multiple domain-specific processes that are sampled in an overlapping manner across a battery of intelligence tests. POT explains several benchmark findings on human intelligence. However, the precise nature of the executive attention processes underlying g remains unclear. In the current paper, we discuss challenges associated with building a theory of individual differences in attention and intelligence. We argue that the conflation of psychological theories and statistical models, as well as problematic inferences based on latent variables, impedes research progress and prevents theory building. Two studies designed to illustrate the unique features of POT relative to previous approaches are presented. In Study 1, a simulation is presented to illustrate precisely how POT accounts for the relationship between executive attention processes and g. In Study 2, three datasets from previous studies are reanalyzed (N = 243, N = 234, N = 945) and reveal a discrepancy between the POT simulated model and the unity/diversity model of executive function. We suggest that this discrepancy is largely due to methodological problems in previous studies but also reflects different goals of research on individual differences in attention. selleck chemicals The unity/diversity model is designed to facilitate research on executive function and dysfunction associated with cognitive and neural development and disease. POT is uniquely suited to guide and facilitate research on individual differences in cognitive ability and the investigation of executive attention processes underlying g.The purpose of this retrospective study is to compare the short-term clinical and radiological results between standard and dual mobility THA for femoral neck fractures (FNF) in older patients. The hypothesis is that the dual mobility cup (DMC) has the same outcomes but a lower dislocation rate than the standard THA. The study population included 56 patients (mean age 77.7 years, range 71-85) that underwent THA for displaced FNF. Patients were divided in two comparable groups for baseline characteristics (age, sex and comorbidities) 28 patients underwent THA with a standard cup (SC) and 28 THA with DMCs. The clinical records and radiograms were reviewed to search relevant data in their postoperative history. Two postoperative dislocations occurred in the SC group and none in the DMC group. At an average follow up of 23 months (12-40), 48 patients were available for the final evaluation. The WOMAC score for all patients averaged 6.26 (0-46) and was slightly better in the DMC group (4.94 vs. 7.58; p-value = 0.41); scores were significantly better in presence of neurological comorbidities (p-value = 0.04), in the absence of diabetes (p-value = 0.04) and in the case of psychiatric disorders (p-value = 0.02). Radiographic evaluation at one year showed signs of osteointegration in 42/48 (87.5%) acetabular components (20 DMCs, 22 SC). According to our experience, DMCs proved to be a valid option for the treatment of displaced FNF in older patients, since it allowed them to achieve short-term outcomes comparable to conventional THA, while decreasing the incidence of postoperative dislocations.

Entering into a nursing home leads to increased immobility and further reductions in physical and cognitive functioning. As a result, there is a risk of sarcopenia, which is characterized by loss of muscle strength, muscle mass and physical functioning. To our knowledge, the feasibility of sarcopenia screening has not yet been performed in the German nursing home setting.

For sarcopenia screening, the specifications of EWGSOP2 were applied. The quantification of sarcopenia was performed according to the corresponding cut-off values. The collection of anthropometric data and the morbidity status were recorded. SARC-F, mini-mental state examination, Barthel Index, Short Physical Performance Battery and Timed Up and Go tests were implemented.

In one participant, severe sarcopenia could be identified. The quantification was not possible for four participants. A suspicion of sarcopenia was not confirmed in five participants. Only one person was able to perform all assessments.

Sarcopenia screening according to EWGSOP2 presented satisfactory feasibility by nursing home residents.