The AGTR1 gene A1166C polymorphism as a risk factor and outcome predictor of primary intracerebral and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages

Associations between the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) gene A1166C polymorphism and hypertension, aortic abdominal aneurysms (as a risk factor) as well as cardiovascular disorders (as a risk factor and an outcome predictor) have been demonstrated. We aimed to investigate the role of this polymorphism as risk factors and outcome predictors in primary intracerebral hemorrhage (PICH) and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We have prospectively recruited 1078 Polish participants to the study: 261 PICH patients, 392 aSAH patients, and 425 unrelated control subjects. The A1166C AGTR1 gene polymorphism was studied using the tetra-primer ARMS-PCR method. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared with other ethnically different populations. The A1166C polymorphism was not associated with the risk of PICH or aSAH. Among the aSAH patients the AA genotype was associated with a good outcome, defined by a Glasgow Outcome Scale of 4 or 5 (p<0.02). The distribution of A1166C genotypes in our cohort did not differ from other white or other populations of European descent. In conclusion, we found an association between the A1166C AGTR1 polymorphism and outcome of aSAH patients, but not with the risk of PICH or aSAH

BASEBALL PITCHING BIOMECHANICS AFTER SURGERY

Baseball pitchers with and without histories of elbow or shoulder surgery were tested with a 240 Hz automated 3D motion capture system. No differences were found between pitchers with history of UCL reconstruction and matched controls. Pitchers tested shortly after returning from UCL repair demonstrated reduced elbow extension, elbow velocity, and shoulder velocity compared to a control group, but it is unknown whether these few kinematic differences resolve with time. Pitchers with a history of SLAP repair produced less shoulder horizontal abduction, shoulder external rotation, and forward trunk tilt than matched controls. The Thoracic Outlet Syndrome case report demonstrated significantly more shoulder abduction after surgery. Thus the ability to return to normal pitching biomechanics after injury depends upon the type of surgery

Real-time source apportionment of organic aerosols in three European cities.

97% of the urban population in the EU in 2019 were exposed to an annual fine particulate matter level higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (5 μg/m3). Organic aerosol (OA) is one of the major air pollutants, and the knowledge of its sources is crucial for designing cost-effective mitigation strategies. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) on aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) or aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) data is the most common method for source apportionment (SA) analysis on ambient OA. However, conventional PMF requires extensive human labor, preventing the implementation of SA for routine monitoring applications. This study proposes the source finder real-time (SoFi RT, Datalystica Ltd.) approach for efficient retrieval of OA sources. The results generated by SoFi RT agree remarkably well with the conventional rolling PMF results regarding factor profiles, time series, diurnal patterns, and yearly relative contributions of OA factor on three year-long ACSM data sets collected in Athens, Paris, and Zurich. Although the initialization of SoFi RT requires a priori knowledge of OA sources (i.e., the approximate number of factors and relevant factor profiles) for the sampling site, this technique minimizes user interactions. Eventually, it could provide up-to-date trustable information on timescales useful to policymakers and air quality modelers

Harmful and beneficial symbionts of Tenebrio molitor and their implications for disease management

The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, is currently one of the most important insect species produced for livestock feed and human consumption. High-density rearing conditions make the risk of disease and infections by parasitic symbionts a challenge in the mass production of these insects. However, certain symbionts are beneficial and should be favoured in order to promote healthy insect populations. Knowledge of parasitic symbionts and their management is essential for the insect rearing industry and its associated research. Here we review the documented microbial infectious agents, invertebrate parasites, and beneficial symbionts occurring in T. molitor. Furthermore, we discuss detection, prevention, and treatment methods for disease management in T. molitor production systems to inform future management and decision making in T. molitor rearing

Biomechanical Basis of Interval Throwing Programs for Baseball Pitchers: A Systematic Review

# Background Interval throwing programs are used in rehabilitation of throwing injuries, especially ulnar collateral ligament injuries. Athletes who are rehabilitating begin by throwing on flat ground progressing through increasing distances, number of throws, and intensity of throwing. If the athlete is a baseball pitcher, the flat-ground throwing phase is followed by pitching on a mound at progressively increased effort. The goal is to build back arm strength and capacity with an emphasis on proper mechanics. # Purpose To determine whether interval throwing progressively builds joint kinetics (specifically, elbow varus torque) to the level required during full-effort baseball pitching. A secondary purpose was to examine the kinematics produced during interval throwing compared to those seen during baseball pitching. # Study Design Systematic Review # Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar were systematically searched for biomechanical studies of flat-ground throwing and partial-effort pitching in baseball between 1987 and 2023. Studies that reported the biomechanics of either flat-ground throwing, or partial-effort pitching were included in this review. The AXIS tool was used to assess study quality. # Results Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Ten studies were determined to be of moderate quality, while three studies were deemed high quality. Elbow varus torque during partial-effort pitching was less than during full-effort pitching. Elbow varus torque for most flat-ground throws did not exceed full-effort pitching torque. While most studies showed increased elbow varus torque with increased flat-ground throwing distance, the distance at which elbow varus torque matched or exceeded full-effort pitching elbow varus torque was not consistent. As flat-ground throwing distance increased, shoulder external rotation angle and shoulder internal rotation velocity increased. Arm slot (forearm angle above horizontal) decreased as flat-ground throwing distance increased. For varied effort pitching, shoulder external rotation angle, shoulder internal rotation velocity, elbow extension velocity, and ball velocity increased as effort increased. While the front knee extended slightly from foot contact to ball release in full-effort pitching, the front knee flexed slightly during partial-effort pitching. # Conclusions An interval throwing program progressively builds elbow varus torque up to levels produced in full-effort baseball pitching. While differences exist between interval throwing kinematics and pitching kinematics, the patterns are similar in general. # Level of Evidence

The competences of young teachers in education of pupils with special educational needs

Introduction. The present article considers the problem of readiness of young teachers to teach children with special educational needs in countries where the introduction of inclusive education began only in the last decade. The authors describe the key concepts of the theory of formation of professional skills and competences of teachers for working in inclusive education, based on which the results of research conducted in theCzechRepublic,Poland andRussia.The aim of this article is to compare the experience of young teachers in teaching children with special educational needs in relation to their skills and competences needed to perform this task.Methodology and research methods. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, which were eventually processed using basic statistics (quantitative survey) and the open-coding method (qualitative content).Results. The results of the study indicate both strong and weak aspects of the skills of young teachers in teaching students with special educational needs. In particular, a qualitative analysis of teachers’ responses revealed some interesting ideas that can be used in the search for improvements in teacher training, as well as in the support provided to teachers working with children with special educational needs directly in the school environment at the beginning of their professional careers. In general, it can be stated that young teachers in all three countries do not feel sufficiently qualified in terms of training to work with these children and are in need of expert support.Scientific novelty. The results of the current research allow for the determination of some priorities in teacher training for the modern development of inclusive education in the countries examined.Practical significance. The presented materials of the research can become the basis for developing a system of expert support for young teachers in the implementation of inclusive education, as well as new programs for preparing future teachers to work with pupils with special educational needs.Введение. В статье рассмотрена проблема готовности молодых педагогов к обучению детей с особыми образовательными потребностями в странах, где внедрение инклюзивного образования началось только в последнее десятилетие. Авторами описаны ключевые положения теории формирования профессиональных навыков и компетенций учителей для работы в условиях инклюзивного образования, на основании которой представлены результаты исследований, проведенных в Чехии, Польше и России.Компетенции молодых педагогов в обучении детей с особыми образовательными потребностями. Основная цель статьи – сравнить опыт обучения молодыми педагогами детей с особыми образовательными потребностями в отношении навыков и компетенций, необходимых для выполнения этой задачи. Компетенции молодых педагогов в обучении детей с особыми образовательными потребностями Компетенции молодых педагогов в обучении детей с особыми образовательными потребностями. Анкетирование и интервью применялись для сбора количественных и качественных данных, которые обрабатывались с использованием базовой статистики (количественный обзор) и метода открытого кодирования (качественный контент). Компетенции молодых педагогов в обучении детей с особыми образовательными потребностями. Результаты исследования указывают как на сильные, так и на слабые стороны навыков молодых педагогов по обучению детей с особыми образовательными потребностями. В частности, качественный анализ их ответов позволил выявить некоторые интересные идеи, которые могут быть использованы для совершенствования подготовки педагогов, а также оказания поддержки учителям, работающим с детьми указанной категории, непосредственно в школьной среде в начале их профессиональной карьеры. В целом можно констатировать, что молодые учителя во всех трех странах не чувствуют себя достаточно квалифицированными в области подготовки к работе с такими детьми и нуждаются в экспертной поддержке. Научная новизна. Результаты исследования позволяют определить некоторые приоритеты подготовки учителей для современного развития инклюзивного образования в рассмотренных странах. Практическая значимость. Представленные материалы могут стать основой разработки системы экспертной поддержки молодых учителей в реализации инклюзивного образования, а также новых программ подготовки будущих педагогов к работе с учениками с особыми образовательными потребностями

Bulk and molecular-level composition of primary organic aerosol from wood, straw, cow dung, and plastic burning

During the past decades, the source apportionment of organic aerosol (OA) in ambient air has been improving substantially. The database of source retrieval model-resolved mass spectral profiles for different sources has been built with the aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). However, distinguishing similar sources (such as wildfires and residential wood burning) remains challenging, as the hard ionization of the AMS mostly fragments compounds and therefore cannot capture detailed molecular information. Recent mass spectrometer technologies of soft ionization and high mass resolution have allowed for aerosol characterization at the molecular formula level. In this study, we systematically estimated the emission factors and characterized the primary OA (POA) chemical composition with the AMS and the extractive electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (EESI-TOF) for the first time from a variety of solid fuels, including beech logs, spruce and pine logs, spruce and pine branches and needles, straw, cow dung, and plastic bags. The emission factors of organic matter estimated by the AMS and hydrocarbon gases estimated by the total hydrocarbon analyzer are 16.2 ± 10.8 g kg−1 and 30.3 ± 8.5 g kg−1 for cow dung burning, which is generally higher than that of wood (beech, spruce, and pine), straw, and plastic bag burning (in the range from 1.1 to 6.2 g kg−1 and 14.1 to 19.3 g kg−1). The POA measured by the AMS shows that the f60 (mass fraction of m/z 60) varies from 0.003 to 0.04 based on fuel types and combustion efficiency for wood (beech, spruce, and pine) and cow dung burning. On a molecular level, the dominant compound of POA from wood, straw, and cow dung is C6H10O5 (mainly levoglucosan), contributing ∼ 7 % to ∼ 30 % of the total intensity, followed by C8H12O6 with fractions of ∼ 2 % to ∼ 9 %. However, as they are prevalent in all burning of biomass material, they cannot act as tracers for the specific sources. By using the Mann–Whitney U test among the studied fuels, we find specific potential new markers for these fuels from the measurement of the AMS and EESI-TOF. Markers from spruce and pine burning are likely related to resin acids (e.g., compounds with 20–21 carbon atoms). The product from the pyrolysis of hardwood lignins is found especially in beech log burning. Nitrogen-containing species are selected markers primarily for cow dung open burning. These markers in the future will provide support for the source apportionment.</p

Particle-bound reactive oxygen species (PB-ROS) emissions and formation pathways in residential wood smoke under different combustion and aging conditions

International audienceWood combustion emissions can induce oxida-tive stress in the human respiratory tract by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the aerosol particles, which are emitted either directly or formed through oxidation in the atmosphere. To improve our understanding of the particle-bound ROS (PB-ROS) generation potential of wood combustion emissions, a suite of smog chamber (SC) and potential aerosol mass (PAM) chamber experiments were conducted under well-determined conditions for different combustion devices and technologies, different fuel types, operation methods, combustion regimes, combustion phases, and aging conditions. The PB-ROS content and the chemical properties of the aerosols were quantified by a novel ROS an-alyzer using the DCFH (2 ,7-dichlorofluorescin) assay and a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). For all eight combustion devices tested, primary PB-ROS concentrations substantially increased upon aging. The level of primary and aged PB-ROS emission factors (EF ROS) were dominated by the combustion device (within different combustion technologies) and to a greater extent by the combustion regimes: the variability within one device was much higher than the variability of EF ROS from different devices. Aged EF ROS under bad combustion conditions were ∼ 2-80 times higher than under optimum combustion conditions. EF ROS from automatically operated combustion devices were on average 1 order of magnitude lower than those from manually operated devices, which indicates that automatic combustion devices operated at optimum conditions to achieve near-complete combustion should be employed to minimize PB-ROS emissions. The use of an elec-trostatic precipitator decreased the primary and aged ROS emissions by a factor of ∼ 1.5 which is however still within the burn-to-burn variability. The parameters controlling the PB-ROS formation in secondary organic aerosol were investigated by employing a regression model, including the fractions of the mass-to-charge ratios m/z 44 and 43 in secondary organic aerosol (SOA; f 44−SOA and f 43−SOA), the OH exposure, and the total organic aerosol mass. The regression model results of the SC and PAM chamber aging experiments indicate that the PB-ROS content in SOA seems to increase with the SOA oxidation state, which initially increases with OH exposure and decreases with the additional partitioning of semi-volatile components with lower PB-ROS content at higher OA concentrations, while further aging seems to result in a decay of PB-ROS. The results and the special data analysis methods deployed in this study could provide a model for PB-ROS analysis of further wood or other combustion studies investigating different combustion conditions and aging methods