Myological and osteological approaches to gape and bite force reconstruction in Smilodon fatalis.

Masticatory gape and bite force are important behavioral and ecological variables. While much has been written about the highly derived masticatory anatomy of Smilodon fatalis, there remains a great deal of debate about their masticatory behaviors. To that end, we establish osteological proxies for masticatory adductor fascicle length (FL) based on extant felids and apply these along with previously validated techniques to S. fatalis to provide estimates of fascicle lengths, maximum osteological gapes, and bite force. While the best correlated FL proxies in extant felids do not predict particularly long fascicles, these proxies may be of value for less morphologically distinct felids. A slightly less well correlated proxy predicts a temporalis FL 15% longer than that of Panthera tigris. While angular maximum bony gape is significantly larger in S. fatalis than it is in extant felids, linear gape at the canine tip and carnassial notch were not significantly different from those of extant felids. Finally, we produce anatomical bite force estimates of 1283.74 N at the canine and 4671.41 N at the carnassial, which are similar in magnitude to estimates not of the largest felids but of the much smaller P. onca, with S. fatalis producing slightly less force at the canines and more at the carnassials. These estimates align with previous predictions that S. fatalis may have killed large prey with canine shearing bites produced, in part, by force contributions of the postcranial muscles.

Real-World Experience With Avacopan in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody-Associated Vasculitis.

Introduction: Postmarketing data on outcomes of avacopan use in antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) are lacking. Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of 92 patients with newly diagnosed or relapsing AAV who received therapy with avacopan. The coprimary outcome measures were clinical remission at 26 and 52 weeks. We use descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression to assess outcomes and predictors of remission, respectively. Results: Of the 92 patients, 23% (n = 21) had a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and 10% on kidney replacement therapy at baseline. Among those with kidney involvement, mean (SD) enrollment eGFR was 33 (27) ml/min per 1.73 m2 with a mean (SD) change of +12 (25) and +20 (23) ml/min per 1.73 m2 at weeks 26 and 52, respectively. In addition to avacopan, 47% of patients received combination therapy of rituximab and low-dose cyclophosphamide, and 14% of patients received plasma exchange (PLEX). After induction, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) time to start avacopan was 3.6 (2.1-7.7) weeks, and the median time to discontinue prednisone after starting avacopan was 5.6 (3.3-9.5) weeks. Clinical remission was achieved in 90% of patients at week 26 and 84% of patients at week 52. Of the patients, 20% stopped avacopan due to adverse events, with the most common being elevated serum aminotransferases (4.3%). Conclusion: A high rate of remission and an acceptable safety profile were observed with the use of avacopan in the treatment of AAV in this postmarketing analysis, including the populations excluded from the ADVOCATE trial.

The Streptococcus pyogenes stand-alone regulator RofA exhibits characteristics of a PRD-containing virulence regulator.

Streptococcus pyogenes [group A streptococcus (GAS)] is a human pathogen capable of infecting diverse tissues. To successfully infect these sites, GAS must detect available nutrients and adapt accordingly. The phosphoenolpyruvate transferase system (PTS) mediates carbohydrate uptake and metabolic gene regulation to adapt to the nutritional environment. Regulation by the PTS can occur through phosphorylation of transcriptional regulators at conserved PTS-regulatory domains (PRDs). GAS has several PRD-containing stand-alone regulators with regulons encoding both metabolic genes and virulence factors [PRD-containing virulence regulators (PCVRs)]. One is RofA, which regulates the expression of virulence genes in multiple GAS serotypes. It was hypothesized that RofA is phosphorylated by the PTS in response to carbohydrate levels to coordinate virulence gene expression. In this study, the RofA regulon of M1T1 strain 5448 was determined using RNA sequencing. Two operons were consistently differentially expressed across growth in the absence of RofA; the pilus operon was downregulated, and the capsule operon was upregulated. This correlated with increased capsule production and decreased adherence to keratinocytes. Purified RofA-His was phosphorylated in vitro by PTS proteins EI and HPr, and phosphorylated RofA-FLAG was detected in vivo when GAS was grown in low-glucose C medium. Phosphorylated RofA was not observed when C medium was supplemented 10-fold with glucose. Mutations of select histidine residues within the putative PRDs contributed to the in vivo phosphorylation of RofA, although phosphorylation of RofA was still observed, suggesting other phosphorylation sites exist in the protein. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that RofA is a PCVR that may couple sugar metabolism with virulence regulation.

Neotropical mammal responses to megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal.

The increasing frequency and severity of human-caused fires likely have deleterious effects on species distribution and persistence. In 2020, megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal burned 43% of the biome's unburned area and resulted in mass mortality of wildlife. We investigated changes in habitat use or occupancy for an assemblage of eight mammal species in Serra do Amolar, Brazil, following the 2020 fires using a pre- and post-fire camera trap dataset. Additionally, we estimated the density for two naturally marked species, jaguars Panthera onca and ocelots Leopardus pardalis. Of the eight species, six (ocelots, collared peccaries Dicotyles tajacu, giant armadillos Priodontes maximus, Azara's agouti Dasyprocta azarae, red brocket deer Mazama americana, and tapirs Tapirus terrestris) had declining occupancy following fires, and one had stable habitat use (pumas Puma concolor). Giant armadillo experienced the most precipitous decline in occupancy from 0.431 ± 0.171 to 0.077 ± 0.044 after the fires. Jaguars were the only species with increasing habitat use, from 0.393 ± 0.127 to 0.753 ± 0.085. Jaguar density remained stable across years (2.8 ± 1.3, 3.7 ± 1.3, 2.6 ± 0.85/100 km2), while ocelot density increased from 13.9 ± 3.2 to 16.1 ± 5.2/100 km2. However, the low number of both jaguars and ocelots recaptured after the fire period suggests that immigration may have sustained the population. Our results indicate that the megafires will have significant consequences for species occupancy and fitness in fire-affected areas. The scale of megafires may inhibit successful recolonization, thus wider studies are needed to investigate population trends.

A crescente frequência e gravidade dos incêndios causados pelo homem provavelmente terão efeitos deletérios na distribuição e persistência das espécies. Em 2020, mega incêndios no Pantanal brasileiro queimaram 43% do bioma e resultaram na mortalidade em massa da vida selvagem. Nós investigamos mudanças no uso ou ocupação do habitat para uma comunidade de oito espécies de mamíferos na Serra do Amolar, Brasil, após os incêndios de 2020, usando um conjunto de dados de armadilhas fotográficas instaladas no período pré e pós­fogo. Além disso, estimamos a densidade de duas espécies naturalmente marcadas, a onça­pintada Panthera onca e a jaguatirica Leopardus pardalis. Das oito espécies, seis (a jaguatirica, o cateto Dicotyles tajacu, o tatu­canastra Priodontes maximus, a cutia Dasyprocta azarae, o veado mateiro Mazama americana e a anta Tapirus terrestris) tiveram ocupação reduzida após os incêndios, e uma teve uso de habitat estável (a onça­parda, Puma concolor). O tatu­canastra apresentou o declínio mais acentuado na ocupação após os incêndios de 0,431 ± 0,171 para 0,077 ± 0,044. A onça­pintada foi a única espécie com uso crescente de habitat, de 0,393 ± 0,127 para 0,753 ± 0,085. A densidade da onça­pintada permaneceu estável ao longo dos anos (2,8 ± 1,3, 3,7 ± 1,3, 2,6 ± 0,85/100 km2), enquanto a densidade da jaguatirica aumentou de 13,9 ± 3,2 para 16,1 ± 5,2/100 km2. No entanto, o baixo número de onças­pintadas e jaguatiricas recapturadas após o período do fogo sugere que a imigração pode ter sustentado as populações. Nossos resultados indicam que os mega incêndios terão consequências significativas para a ocupação e resiliência das espécies nas áreas afetadas pelo fogo. A escala dos mega incêndios pode inibir uma recolonização bem­sucedida, pelo que são necessários estudos mais amplos para investigar as tendências populacionais.

Curds in the way: A milk curd obstruction review and normal sonographic bowel appearances using a novel scoring system in neonates on fortified breast milk feeds.

INTRODUCTION: Fortified expressed breast milk (FEBM) is a standard of care for premature and low birth weight neonates, but comes with an elevated risk of a rare but re-emergent pathology called milk curd obstruction (MCO). Little is known about normal sonographic appearances of bowel contents in this feeding setting, making the recognition of abnormalities difficult. Thus, we aimed to describe appearances that may be considered typical pre- and post-fortifier inclusion. METHODS: Ten neonates of <32 weeks' gestation or a birth weight of <1,800 g recruited from Auckland City Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care between 1/5/2019 and 10/9/2019 received bowel ultrasounds within 24 h before and 10-14 days after starting FEBM. Bowel contents in six abdominal regions were assigned scores of 1-6 based on increasing solidification. RESULTS: Lower gestational age was correlated with more solid contents on the pre-fortifier ultrasound (P = 0.02). Fortifier was significantly associated with increasing solidity, particularly in the left abdomen (P < 0.001). The left lower quadrant and rectum accounted for much of this change (P = 0.012 and P = 0.002). One subject who subsequently developed a clinical picture consistent with early MCO had uniquely demonstrated non-rectal solid contents (score 6). The interobserver kappa score for two assessors was 0.91 (95% CI 0.94-0.99) on still images. CONCLUSION: This small cohort demonstrated increasing bowel content solidification after breast milk fortification using a novel ultrasound scoring system with good interobserver agreement. Non-rectal solid contents (score 6) appeared atypical. Ultrasound shows promise for its non-irradiating diagnostic utility in the setting of early milk curd disease evaluation of the premature neonate.

Estudio de mortalidad de pacientes en tratamiento con digoxina y trazodona / Study of mortality on patients with digoxin and trazodone treatment

Objetivos: Analizar la influencia de trazodona en la mortalidad de pacientes en tratamiento con digoxina. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo comparativo de mortalidad de pacientes en tratamiento concomitante con digoxina y trazodona versus digoxina. El período de estudio fue de un año (1 de mayo de 2020 hasta 30 de abril de 2021). Las variables recogidas fueron edad, sexo, indicación, dosis de digoxina y trazodona, fecha de inicio de trazodona, fecha fin de digoxina y trazodona, número total de fármacos prescritos, éxitus y fecha de éxitus. El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante la aplicación Stata®. Versión 14.2. Resultados: Se incluyeron 644 pacientes en tratamiento con digoxina, 73 en el grupo con trazodona y 571 en el grupo sin trazodona. Al final del periodo estudiado se registraron 73 muertes, observándose una mortalidad del 34,3% en el grupo de digoxina y trazodona, y del 8,4% en el grupo de digoxina. Las variables relacionadas con el riesgo de muerte fueron tratamiento con tradozona, edad y número de tratamientos prescritos. Conclusiones: Los resultados del estudio sugieren un incremento del riesgo de mortalidad en pacientes de edad avanzada en tratamiento con digoxina y trazodona. La falta de evidencia de uso de trazodona como hipnótico, la interacción farmacocinética entre ambos fármacos y el perfil de seguridad de trazodona, hace necesario una estrecha monitorización de los pacientes o valorar alternativas con mayores evidencias de seguridad.(AU)

Objectives: To evaluate the trazodone influence on the mortality of patients treated with digoxin. Material and methods: Retrospective, observational, comparative study that included patients receiving trazodone and digoxin concomitantly and patients on digoxin treatment without trazodone between April 2020-April 2021. Age, sex, drug indication, digoxin and trazodone dosage, start and end dates of trazodone use, digoxin end date, number of prescribed drugs and death date were the variables we paid attention to. Statistical analysis was performed using the Stata® application. Version 14.2. Results: 644 patients were included, 73 in the group digoxin with trazodone and 571 in the group without trazodone. At the end of the study period, 73 deaths were recorded. Mortality in the digoxin and trazodone group were 34.3% and 8.4% in the digoxin group. The variables related to the risk of death were treatment with trazodone, age and number of prescribed treatments. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest an increased risk of mortality in elderly patients in treated with digoxin and trazodone. The lack of evidence in the use of trazodone as a hypnotic, the pharmacokinetic interaction between both drugs and the safety profile of trazodone, makes it necessary to closely monitor patients or assess therapeutic alternatives with more evidence to be sure its use is safe.(AU)

Pesticide Mixtures in Surface Waters of Two Protected Areas in Southwestern Germany.

Pesticides enter non-target surface waters as a result of agricultural activities and may reach water bodies in protected areas. We measured in southwestern Germany pesticide concentrations after heavy rainfalls in streams of a drinking water protection area near Hausen (Freiburg) and in the catchment of the Queich (Landau), which originates from the biosphere reserve Palatinate Forest. On average, 32 (n = 21) and 21 (n = 10) pesticides were detected per sample and event in the area of Hausen (n = 56) and in the Queich catchment (n = 17), respectively. The majority of pesticides detected in > 50% of all samples were fungicides, with fluopyram being detected throughout all samples. Aquatic invertebrates exhibited highest risks with 16.1% of samples exceeding mixture toxicity thresholds, whereas risks were lower for aquatic plants (12.9%) and fish (6.5%). Mixture toxicity threshold exceedances indicate adverse ecological effects to occur at half of sites (50%). This study illustrates the presence of pesticide mixtures and highlights ecological risks for aquatic organisms in surface waters of protected areas in Germany.

The role of self-endangering cognitions between long-term care nurses' altruistic job motives and exhaustion.

Background: Due to demographic change and staff shortages nurses suffer under high work strain. As a consequence, caregivers' absenteeism due to mental stress, in particular burnout, is high. To explain the development of nurses' burnout more research is needed on nurses' individual resources and coping strategies. Self-endangering is a potentially harmful coping strategy. Objective: To expand the perspective of the Job Demand-Resources Model by including caregivers' intraindividual resources and the coping construct of self-endangering as a mediator between personal resources and nurses' emotional exhaustion. Methods: A longitudinal questionnaire survey was conducted between July 2020-March 2021 among nurses in long-term care in Germany. The final analysis sample consisted of wave 1 = 416 and wave 1,2 = 50. Data were analysed by a multiverse analytic strategy using regression analysis with measurement repetition and cross-lagged-panel design for waves one and two. Variables used for regression analysis and cross-lagged-panel were: Independent variables: An altruistic job motivation, team identification and self-esteem, dependent variables: Exhaustion and disengagement, and mediators: Self-endangering cognitions and behavior tendencies. Results: A highly altruistic job motivation leads to more self-endangering cognitions and to more self-endangering behavior tendencies. Mixed model analysis and cross-sectional path analysis confirmed mediation effects from altruism over self-endangering to exhaustion. Conclusion: Our findings are at odds with some research findings about altruism in nursing, such that too much altruism can lead to harmful self-endangering. We also introduce a new instrument to capture self-endangering in nursing care. Future research should investigate various facets of self-endangering in nursing. We assume that leadership behavior could have influence on self-endangering. New health policy structures are needed to improve working conditions in nursing and thus prevent self-endangering.

The Effects of Onychectomy (Declawing) on Antebrachial Myology across the Full Body Size Range of Exotic Species of Felidae.

While people are familiar with the practice of declawing domestic cats, "onychectomy", as it is also known, is also performed on non-domesticated species, including pantherines, to prolong their use for entertainment purposes. Although the surgery (the partial or complete removal of the distal phalanx) has clear osteological implications, its myological effects have never been studied. As the mass of an animal increases cubically as a product of its volume, while the areas of its paws only increase as a square, larger felids have higher foot pressures and, therefore, the surgery may have particularly substantial functional effects on larger cats. In this study, we evaluate the forearms of clawed and declawed non-domestic felid specimens that spanned the body size range of the whole family to evaluate the effects of onychectomy on muscle fiber architecture. We found that the deep digital flexors (the muscles most directly affected by onychectomy) of declawed felids are significantly lighter (~73%) and less powerful (46-66%) than those of non-declawed felids, while other muscles do not make up for these reductions. Thus, onychectomy has a substantial effect on the myological capabilities of cats, and because these deficiencies are not compensated for in biomechanically disadvantaged larger felids, it probably has even more functionally devastating consequences for these species.

Does Surgeon Level of Expertise Correlate with Patient Outcomes?

Background It is difficult to evaluate the results of surgical techniques as there is inherent variability between surgeons in regard to experience, skill level, and knowledge. Tang suggested a classification system in 2009 in an attempt to standardize surgeon level of expertise, with categories ranging from nonspecialist (Level I) to expert (Level V). This epidemiological analysis of all articles citing Tang's original paper examines if a surgeon's self-reported level of expertise correlates with outcomes and evaluates whether the current definition of Tang level is sufficient to account for expertise bias. Methods In May 2021, all articles citing Tang level of expertise were identified ( N = 222). Articles were included if they described a novel technique and provided author(s)' levels ( n = 205). Statistical analysis was conducted, and p -values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results The most common specialties reporting Tang level of expertise were orthopaedic surgery (82.9%) and plastic surgery (15.5%). The most common subspecialty was hand surgery. 2020 was the year with the most studies reporting level of expertise (31.7%), followed by 2021 (20.0%) and 2019 (17.1%). The majority of studies (80.5%) reported positive results with their technique, and of these, 63.3% were statistically significant. Level of expertise was not significantly associated with a doctoral degree, type of residency completed, fellowship completion, hand fellowship, author sex, study type, or result significance. Discussion The current Tang classification is both underreported and incomplete in its present state. To account for expertise bias, we recommend all authors report Tang level when describing surgical techniques. Studies with multiple authors should explicitly state the level of each author, as well as a weighted average accounting for the total contribution of each individual.

Kidney-specific biomarkers for predicting acute kidney injury following cardiac arrest.

AIM: To evaluate the performance of kidney-specific biomarkers (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and cystatin-C) in early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac arrest (CA) when compared to serum creatinine. METHODS: Adult CA patients who had kidney-specific biomarkers of AKI collected within 12 h of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were included. The association between renal biomarker levels post-ROSC and the development of KDIGO stage III AKI within 7 days of enrollment were assessed as well as their predictive value of future AKI development, neurological outcomes, and survival to discharge. RESULTS: Of 153 patients, 54 (35%) developed stage III AKI within 7 days, and 98 (64%) died prior to hospital discharge. Patients who developed stage III AKI, compared to those who did not, had higher median levels of creatinine, NGAL, and cystatin-C (p < 0.001 for all). There was no statistically significant difference in KIM-1 between groups. No biomarker outperformed creatinine in the ability to predict stage III AKI, neurological outcomes, or survival outcomes (p > 0.05 for all). However, NGAL, cystatin-C, and creatinine all performed better than KIM-1 in their ability to predict AKI development (p < 0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: In post-CA patients, creatinine, NGAL, and cystatin-C (but not KIM-1) measured shortly after ROSC were higher in patients who subsequently developed AKI. No biomarker was statistically superior to creatinine on its own for predicting the development of post-arrest AKI.

Building Fucoidan/Agarose-Based Hydrogels as a Platform for the Development of Therapeutic Approaches against Diabetes.

Current management for diabetes has stimulated the development of versatile 3D-based hydrogels as in vitro platforms for insulin release and as support for the encapsulation of pancreatic cells and islets of Langerhans. This work aimed to create agarose/fucoidan hydrogels to encapsulate pancreatic cells as a potential biomaterial for diabetes therapeutics. The hydrogels were produced by combining fucoidan (Fu) and agarose (Aga), marine polysaccharides derived from the cell wall of brown and red seaweeds, respectively, and a thermal gelation process. The agarose/fucoidan (AgaFu) blended hydrogels were obtained by dissolving Aga in 3 or 5 wt % Fu aqueous solutions to obtain different proportions (4:10; 5:10, and 7:10 wt). The rheological tests on hydrogels revealed a non-Newtonian and viscoelastic behavior, while the characterization confirmed the presence of the two polymers in the structure of the hydrogels. In addition, the mechanical behavior showed that increasing Aga concentrations resulted in hydrogels with higher Young's modulus. Further, the ability of the developed materials to sustain the viability of human pancreatic cells was assessed by encapsulation of the 1.1B4HP cell line for up to 7 days. The biological assessment of the hydrogels revealed that cultured pancreatic beta cells tended to self-organize and form pseudo-islets during the period studied.

A Regional Analysis of Hospital Readmissions Following Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty and the Impact of Medicaid Expansion.

The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) works to temper nationally rising readmission rates. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) have a 30-day readmission cost burden of $889,300 and $689,400, respectively. No research has compared TKA and THA readmission rates by region and Medicaid expansion status. This study compares THA and TKA readmission rates in the United States by region, Medicaid status, and performance. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to determine the regions with the highest and lowest mean excess readmission ratios (ERRs). An independent t-test compared Medicaid versus non-Medicaid expansion states. Southern hospitals have the highest mean ERR, followed by northeastern, midwestern, and then western hospitals. Although Medicaid expansion states have significantly lower ERRs compared to non-expansion states, Medicaid status alone does not account for regional differences in ERRs after THA and TKA. Regional factors likely confound Medicaid status's effect on readmission rates. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 32(1):005-008, 2023).

Pesticide use in banana plantations in Costa Rica - A review of environmental and human exposure, effects and potential risks.

Biodiversity is declining on a global scale. Especially tropical ecosystems, containing most of the planetary biodiversity, are at risk. Agricultural monocrop systems contribute to this decline as they replace original habitats and depend on extensive use of synthetic pesticides that impact ecosystems. In this review we use large-scale banana production for export purposes in Costa Rica as an example for pesticide impacts, as it is in production for over a century and uses pesticides extensively for more than fifty years. We summarise the research on pesticide exposure, effects and risks for aquatic and terrestrial environment, as well as for human health. We show that exposure to pesticides is high and relatively well-studied for aquatic systems and humans, but hardly any data are available for the terrestrial compartment including adjacent non target ecosystems such as rainforest fragments. Ecological effects are demonstrated on an organismic level for various aquatic species and processes but are not available at the population and community level. For human health studies exposure evaluation is crucial and recognised effects include various types of cancer and neurobiological dysfunctions particularly in children. With the many synthetic pesticides involved in banana production, the focus on insecticides, revealing highest aquatic risks, and partly herbicides should be extended to fungicides, which are applied aerially over larger areas. The risk assessment and regulation of pesticides so far relies on temperate models and test species and is therefore likely underestimating the risk of pesticide use in tropical ecosystems, with crops such as banana. We highlight further research approaches to improve risk assessment and, in parallel, urge to follow other strategies to reduce pesticides use and especially hazardous substances.

Psychomotor and neurofunctional aspects after COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus) has infected more than 646 million people and caused more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide (December/2022). It is surprising that a virus that affects airways can trigger neurological manifestations. The aim of this study was to create and apply specific questionnaires/evaluations for post-COVID-19 patients to profile any neurofunctional sequelae. METHODS: Epidemiological and psychomotor aspects as well as the intensity of cognitive, memory, attention, and concentration impairment were assessed. A total of 184 subjects post-COVID-19 and a control group (n = 30) were evaluated. RESULTS: The most prevalent blood types in the COVID-19 group were the same as those from control group and in Brazilian population (no influence). Loss of smell/taste and headache were the most common reported symptoms. Talking about psychomotor and neurofunctional aspects, COVID-19 induced marked impairments in the tests: fine motor development (diadochokinesis, puppets, fan, and knead paper); balance (immobility, static balance, feet in line, and persistence); episodic memory after distractors; verbal fluency; and clock, compared to the control group data. There was also marked increase of synkinesis. Therefore, COVID-19 induced impairments in psychomotor assessments and in different cognitive aspects of the Mini-Mental State Examination. These results are more surprising considering that most participants did not report pre-existing disease and did not require hospitalisation. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 induced psychomotor, neurofunctional, and memory impairments, including in young and healthy subjects. The present study revealed neurological impairments, which should be considered in the development of rehabilitation protocols for patients affected by COVID-19.

Understanding Lithium Dendrite Suppression by Hybrid Composite Separators: Indentation Measurements Informed by Operando X-ray Computed Tomography.

This study investigates the significance of the mechanics of hybrid particle-polymer separators in the stabilization of lithium metal interfaces by probing these properties in realistic conditions informed by X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Elastic properties and viscoelastic behavior of inorganic microparticle-filled poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) films are characterized using a nanoindentation experiment whose displacement simulates the interfacial response seen in operando micro-CT. It is determined that the dominating mechanical behavior in this hybrid separator relevant to lithium metal cell conditions is comprised of viscoelasticity. Consistent with this finding, along with correlations across other physicochemical properties, a mechanism describing the improvement of lithium metal cycling performance according to inorganic filler type and content is proposed.

Trends of Total Applied Pesticide Toxicity in German Agriculture.

Expressing temporal changes in the use of pesticides, based not only on amounts (masses) but also on their toxicity for different species groups, was proposed as a sensible approach for evaluating potential environmental risks. Here, we calculated the total applied toxicity (TAT) between 1995 and 2019 for Germany, mapped it, and compared it to the US TAT and other risk indicators. Results show that the German TAT for terrestrial vertebrates decreased over time by about 20%. The TAT increased by a factor of three for fishes, largely due to insecticides, by a factor of two for soil organisms, largely due to fungicides and insecticides, and, to a lower extent, for terrestrial plants, solely due to herbicides. Other species groups showed no trends in TAT, which for pollinators likely results from neonicotinoid use restrictions. Many TAT trends from Germany and the US differ, partly due to different insecticide and fungicide uses. TAT, SYNOPS risk indicators, and the EU Harmonized Risk Indicators, currently being used to assess the German National Action Plan's goal to reduce risks by 30% by 2023, lead to clearly different risk perceptions. Validated approaches are needed for evaluation of risk quantifications at the national scale.

Evaluation of a Functional Craft Wheat Beer Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905 to treat Salmonella Typhimurium infection in mice.

Functional foods containing probiotics are generally administered as dairy products. Non-dairy beverages are another possibility, but probiotic functionality must be confirmed in such vehicles. In the present study, a craft wheat beer brewed with the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905 (905) was evaluated in a murine model of Salmonella Typhimurium infection. Unfiltered or filtered beer brewed with 905, a commercial wheat beer used as a negative control, or saline were administered orally to mice before and during oral S. Typhimurium challenge. High fecal levels of yeast were only counted in mice treated with the unfiltered 905 beer, which also had reduced mortality and body weight loss due to S. Typhimurium infection. Increased levels of intestinal IgA, translocation to liver and spleen, liver and intestinal lesions, pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver and ileum, and hepatic and intestinal myeloperoxidase and eosinophilic peroxidase activities were observed in animals infected with S. Typhimurium. All these parameters were reduced by the treatment with unfiltered 905 beer. In conclusion, the results show that a craft wheat beer brewed with S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 maintained the probiotic properties of this yeast when administered orally to mice challenged with S. Typhimurium.

Pesticide occurrence in protected surface waters in nature conservation areas of Germany.

A complete ban on pesticide use in sensitive areas, such as nature conservation areas (NCA), is currently being debated in the EU as part of the Sustainable Use Regulation. NCA are strictly protected landscapes in Germany with minimal agricultural activity (<4.5 %) that serve as vital ecological refuges. However, it is largely unknown whether surface waters in German NCA are contaminated by pesticides. The current study uses extensive monitoring data (n = 3,822,553 measurements, 1998-2020, 208 pesticides) from the federal state of Saxony (18,416 km2), Germany, to characterize pesticide occurrence, contamination levels and risks (defined as exceedance of regulatory threshold levels) for surface waters in NCA (n = 68,277 measurements, mean size = 2.5 km2) in comparison to unprotected areas (n = 3,754,276). Pesticide detection frequencies show strong correlation between NCA and unprotected areas (UPA, R2= 0.70-0.92), but concentrations to be ∼40 % lower in protected areas. Ecological risk distributions for three major species groups are similar between NCA and UPA (fish = 79.8 % overlap in density distribution, invertebrates = 78.6 %, plants = 81.9 %). Threshold exceedances differ greatly among groups (fish = 0.9 %, aquatic invertebrates = 14.7 %, plants = 20.4 %). Based on principal component analysis, ecological risks for aquatic plants and aquatic invertebrates are strongly correlated with upstream agricultural land use (80.5-82.4 %) and are negatively correlated with upstream (semi)-natural land cover (90.1-97.3 %). Fluvial transport appears to be the most important pathway for contaminants into NCA surface waters, likely due to small conservation area size. Overall, surface waters in NCA are exposed to numerous organic contaminants causing ecological risks, highlighting the need to improve protection of these valuable water resources.