Carstensenknudsen2582

This paper is motivated by the GH-2000 biomarker test, though the discussion is applicable to other diagnostic tests. The GH-2000 biomarker test has been developed as a powerful technique to detect growth hormone misuse by athletes, based on the GH-2000 score. Decision limits on the GH-2000 score have been developed and incorporated into the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). These decision limits are constructed, however, under the assumption that the GH-2000 score follows a normal distribution. As it is difficult to affirm the normality of a distribution based on a finite sample, nonparametric decision limits, readily available in the statistical literature, are viable alternatives. In this paper, we compare the normal distribution-based and nonparametric decision limits. We show that the decision limit based on the normal distribution may deviate significantly from the nominal confidence level 1 - α or nominal FPR γ when the distribution of the GH-2000 score departs only slightly from the normal distribution. While a nonparametric decision limit does not assume any specific distribution of the GH-2000 score and always guarantees the nominal confidence level and FPR, it requires a much larger sample size than the normal distribution-based decision limit. Due to the stringent FPR of the GH-2000 biomarker test used by WADA, the sample sizes currently available are much too small, and it will take many years of testing to have the minimum sample size required, in order to use the nonparametric decision limits. Large sample theory about the normal distribution-based and nonparametric decision limits is also developed in this paper to help understanding their behaviours when the sample size is large.

To determine the experiences and opinions of nurses working in psychiatric wards regarding the assessment of patients' sexual health.

A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological design was used. Purposeful, snowball sampling identified eight nurses. Data were collected online through in-depth, individual interviews, and analyzed with Colaizzi's seven-step method.

The nurses' experiences and opinions were grouped under three themes challenges, requirements, and opportunities. The theme of challenges was divided into attitude and environment; the requirements theme was divided into training, self-knowledge, and procedural arrangements; the opportunities theme was divided into awareness.

Psychiatric nurses should know their sexual values and integrate personal/professional values. Institutions should train nurses in assessment' importance and scope and establish procedures/guidelines, supporting sexual health assessments.

Psychiatric nurses should know their sexual values and integrate personal/professional values. Institutions should train nurses in assessment' importance and scope and establish procedures/guidelines, supporting sexual health assessments.Exciton lifetime (τ) is crucial for the migration of excitons to donor/acceptor interfaces for subsequent charge separation in organic solar cells (OSCs); however, obvious prolongation of τ has rarely been achieved. Here, by introducing a solid additive 9-fluorenone-1-carboxylic acid (FCA) into the active layer, which comprises a nonfullerene acceptor, 3,9-bis(2-methylene-((3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-6/7-methyl)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b5,6-b']dithiophene (IT-M), τ is substantially prolonged from 491 to 928 ps, together with obvious increases in fluorescence intensity and quantum yield. Time-resolved transient infrared spectra indicate the presence of an intermolecular vibrational coupling between the electronic excited state of IT-M and the electronic ground state of FCA, which is first observed here and which can suppress the internal conversion process. IT-M-based OSCs display an improved short-circuit current and fill factor after the addition of FCA. Thus, the power conversion efficiency is increased, particularly for devices with a large donor/acceptor ratio of 14, whose efficiency is increased by 56%. This study describes a novel method, which is also applicable to other nonfullerene acceptors, for further improving the performance of OSCs without affecting their morphology and light absorption properties.The inflammatory environment and excessive chondrocyte apoptosis have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in the onset of osteoarthritis (OA). Hydrogen sulfide (H2 S), a gaseous signalling molecule, exerts an inhibitory effect on inflammation and apoptosis in several degenerative diseases. However, the protective effect of H2 S against OA has not been fully clarified, and its underlying mechanism should be examined further. In the current study, the role of endogenous H2 S in the pathogenesis of OA and its protective effects on interleukin (IL)-1β-induced chondrocytes were identified. Our data revealed decreased H2 S expression in both human degenerative OA cartilage tissue and IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Pretreatment with the H2 S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) dramatically attenuated IL-1β-induced overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and improved the balance between anabolic and catabolic chondrocyte capacities, and these effects were dependent on PI3K/AKT pathway-mediated inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction-related apoptosis was significantly reversed by NaHS in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes. Mechanistically, NaHS partially suppressed IL-1β-induced phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Furthermore, in the destabilization of the medial meniscus mouse model, OA progression was ameliorated by NaHS administration. Taken together, these results suggest that H2 S may antagonize IL-1β-induced inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction-related apoptosis via selective suppression of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways, respectively, in chondrocytes and may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.The purpose of this study was to estimate the pharmacological effect of geniposide (GEN) on depression, caused by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and explore its potential mechanism. During the 6 week CUMS procedure, the mice were treated with GEN (10, 40 mg/kg) by gavage once daily for 3 weeks. Decitabine As a result, the GEN treatment remarkably improved the behavioral manifestations and suppressed the generations of inflammatory cytokines both in vivo and in vitro. The MDA level was significantly increased, while the activities of SOD, GSH-PX were decreased in CUMS-challenged mice and corticosterone-stimulated PC12 cells. GEN administration significantly inhibited those changes. Moreover, GEN treatment could downregulate the expressions of p-BTK, TLR4, MyD88, p-NF-κB proteins, and upregulate BDNF, p-TrkB generations in CUMS-induced mice. Moreover, GEN administration inhibited the protein levels of p-BTK, TLR4, MyD88, p-NF-κB in corticosterone-induced PC12 cell. In summary, the results suggested that GEN exerted a therapeutic effect on CUMS-induced depressive mice possibly through the regulation of BTK/TLR4/NF-κB and BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways.