Paclitaxel-eluting balloon and everolimus-eluting stent for provisional stenting of coronary bifurcations: 12-month results of the multicenter BIOLUX-I study

Background: Several studies investigated the combination of bare metal stents in the main branch and drug-eluting balloons in the side branch in bifurcation lesions, but data on the combination of drug-eluting stents and drug-eluting balloons are scarce. We aim to assess the feasibility of provisional stenting with an everolimus-eluting stent in the main branch and a paclitaxel-eluting balloon in the side branch. Methods: In this prospective, multi-center study conducted in 5 Australian sites, 35 patients with bifurcation lesions were enrolled. Angiographic and intravascular ultrasound assessments were conducted at 9. months; clinical follow-up was conducted until 12. months. Results: The primary endpoint, late lumen loss in the side branch measured by quantitative coronary angiography, was 0.10 ± 0.43. mm. No binary restenosis was observed. One patient died; 3 myocardial infarctions (one suspected and two in non-target vessels) and one target lesion revascularization occurred. No probable or definite stent thrombosis was observed. Conclusion: The combination of an everolimus-eluting stent in the main branch and a paclitaxel-eluting balloon in the side branch appears to be a safe, effective and novel treatment option for bifurcation lesions

A strategic framework for biodiversity monitoring in South African National Parks

Protected areas are under increasing threat from a range of external and internal pressures on biodiversity. With a primary mandate being the conservation of biodiversity, monitoring is an essential component of measuring the performance of protected areas. Here we present a framework for guiding the structure and development of a Biodiversity Monitoring System (BMS) for South African National Parks (SANParks). Monitoring activities in the organisation are currently unevenly distributed across parks, taxa and key concerns: they do not address the full array of biodiversity objectives, and have largely evolved in the absence of a coherent, overarching framework. The requirement for biodiversity monitoring in national parks is clearly specified in national legislation and international policy, as well as by SANParks’ own adaptive management philosophy. Several approaches available for categorising the multitude of monitoring requirements were considered in the development of the BMS, and 10 Biodiversity Monitoring Programmes (BMPs) were selected that provide broad coverage of higher-level biodiversity objectives of parks. A set of principles was adopted to guide the development of BMPs (currently underway), and data management, resource and capacity needs will be considered during their development. It is envisaged that the BMS will provide strategic direction for future investment in this core component of biodiversity conservation and management in SANParks. Conservation implications: Monitoring biodiversity in protected areas is essential to assessing their performance. Here we provide a coordinated framework for biodiversity monitoring in South African National Parks. The proposed biodiversity monitoring system addresses the broad range of park management plan derived biodiversity objectives

A call for action to the biomaterial community to tackle antimicrobial resistance

The global surge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major concern for public health and proving to be a key challenge in modern disease treatment, requiring action plans at all levels. Microorganisms regularly and rapidly acquire resistance to antibiotic treatments and new drugs are continuously required. However, the inherent cost and risk to develop such molecules has resulted in a drying of the pipeline with very few compounds currently in development. Over the last two decades, efforts have been made to tackle the main sources of AMR. Nevertheless, these require the involvement of large governmental bodies, further increasing the complexity of the problem. As a group with a long innovation history, the biomaterials community is perfectly situated to push forward novel antimicrobial technologies to combat AMR. Although this involvement has been felt, it is necessary to ensure that the field offers a united front with special focus in areas that will facilitate the development and implementation of such systems. This paper reviews state of the art biomaterials strategies striving to limit AMR. Promising broad-spectrum antimicrobials and device modifications are showcased through two case studies for different applications, namely topical and implantables, demonstrating the potential for a highly efficacious physical and chemical approach. Finally, a critical review on barriers and limitations of these methods has been developed to provide a list of short and long-term focus areas in order to ensure the full potential of the biomaterials community is directed to helping tackle the AMR pandemic

Blue Carbon Storage Capacity of Temperate Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Meadows

Despite the importance of coastal ecosystems for the global carbon budgets, knowledge of their carbon storage capacity and the factors driving variability in storage capacity is still limited. Here we provide an estimate on the magnitude and variability of carbon stocks within a widely distributed marine foundation species throughout its distribution area in temperate Northern Hemisphere. We sampled 54 eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows, spread across eight ocean margins and 36° of latitude, to determine abiotic and biotic factors influencing organic carbon (Corg) stocks in Zostera marina sediments. The Corg stocks (integrated over 25‐cm depth) showed a large variability and ranged from 318 to 26,523 g C/m2 with an average of 2,721 g C/m2. The projected Corg stocks obtained by extrapolating over the top 1 m of sediment ranged between 23.1 and 351.7 Mg C/ha, which is in line with estimates for other seagrasses and other blue carbon ecosystems. Most of the variation in Corg stocks was explained by five environmental variables (sediment mud content, dry density and degree of sorting, and salinity and water depth), while plant attributes such as biomass and shoot density were less important to Corg stocks. Carbon isotopic signatures indicated that at most sites <50% of the sediment carbon is derived from seagrass, which is lower than reported previously for seagrass meadows. The high spatial carbon storage variability urges caution in extrapolating carbon storage capacity between geographical areas as well as within and between seagrass species

Happiness in the Daily Socio-Cultural Integration Process: A day Reconstruction Study among American Immigrants in Germany

Many immigrants struggle to integrate into host societies, despite the frequent long-term benefits of integration for immigrants and host societies. This article aims to increase understandings of immigrants’ experiences and obstacles in the daily socio-cultural integration process by examining the understudied impact of daily integration behaviors on momentary happiness. The daily experiences of 213 immigrants from the United States in Germany were captured, using a day reconstruction method. Our panel fixed-effects estimates show that immigrants who were not fluent in the host country's majority language generally felt happier when communicating in their mother tongue, as opposed to the majority language. Moreover, interacting with majority group members negatively affected the momentary happiness of less culturally integrated immigrants. By contrast, socio-cultural integration related positively to immigrants’ enduring happiness. Our results suggest that socio-cultural integration is an investment involving short-term costs to happiness, with important daily obstacles being the cost to momentary happiness of speaking the majority language and, to a lesser extent, interacting with majority group members. We argue that integration behaviors’ short-term costs also occur in many other migration contexts. The revealed short-term costs can increase understandings of immigrants’ integration struggles and related outcomes, including segregation and loneliness, and decreasing the costs may improve socio-cultural integration trajectories

Happiness in the Daily Socio-Cultural Integration Process: A day Reconstruction Study among American Immigrants in Germany

Many immigrants struggle to integrate into host societies, despite the frequent long-term benefits of integration for immigrants and host societies. This article aims to increase understandings of immigrants’ experiences and obstacles in the daily socio-cultural integration process by examining the understudied impact of daily integration behaviors on momentary happiness. The daily experiences of 213 immigrants from the United States in Germany were captured, using a day reconstruction method. Our panel fixed-effects estimates show that immigrants who were not fluent in the host country's majority language generally felt happier when communicating in their mother tongue, as opposed to the majority language. Moreover, interacting with majority group members negatively affected the momentary happiness of less culturally integrated immigrants. By contrast, socio-cultural integration related positively to immigrants’ enduring happiness. Our results suggest that socio-cultural integration is an investment involving short-term costs to happiness, with important daily obstacles being the cost to momentary happiness of speaking the majority language and, to a lesser extent, interacting with majority group members. We argue that integration behaviors’ short-term costs also occur in many other migration contexts. The revealed short-term costs can increase understandings of immigrants’ integration struggles and related outcomes, including segregation and loneliness, and decreasing the costs may improve socio-cultural integration trajectories

Handling (nano)silver as antimicrobial agent: therapeutic window, dissolution dynamics, detection methods and molecular interactions

Silver is an antimicrobial agent well known since antiquity. With the emergence of multiresistant bacteria, it has come back into the focus of research, and ionic as well as nano‐sized silver have been studied in vitro and in vivo. The results are controversial, silver being discussed as the “silver bullet” or a “wolf in sheep's clothing”. A thorough search of literature from chemistry, materials and environmental science, biology and medicine led to this Review which summarizes the potential use of silver and its compounds in medicine, ongoing processes of dissolution and the different methods by which this usefulness can be evaluated. It also highlights the therapeutic window of silver, mechanistic interactions of silver and biological media as well as best practices for handling silver in a biomedical environment. This Review reflects the current knowhow and observations, and may thus give hints and guidelines to understand and interpret the observed effects

sj-dta-1-mrx-10.1177_01979183221149022 - Supplemental material for Happiness in the Daily Socio-Cultural Integration Process: A day Reconstruction Study among American Immigrants in Germany

Supplemental material, sj-dta-1-mrx-10.1177_01979183221149022 for Happiness in the Daily Socio-Cultural Integration Process: A day Reconstruction Study among American Immigrants in Germany by Martijn Hendriks and Randall Birnberg in International Migration Revie