Dielectric secondary relaxation of water in aqueous binary glass-formers

The dielectric relaxation of water in glassy aqueous binary mixtures exhibits an Arrhenius behaviour with a nearly universal activation energy. We here demonstrate that its characteristic relaxation time follows a remarkably general functional dependence on the weight fraction of water for a wide range of molecular systems

Using stakeholders' experiences to redesign health services for persons living with heart failure: A case study protocol in a Swedish cardiac care setting

Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Introduction: Clinical guidelines promote recognising persons with heart failure (referred to as PWHF) as coproducers of their own care. Coproduction of healthcare—involving PWHF, families and professionals in care processes—aims to promote the best possible health. Still, it is unclear how to coproduce heart failure (HF) care. This study explores whether and how Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) involving PWHF, family members and professionals can be undertaken online, in a Swedish cardiac care setting, to codesign improved experiences of HF care. Methods and analysis: In EBCD, stakeholders’ experiences are solicited to redesign healthcare services. First, we will undertake a thematic analysis of field notes from consultations and filmed/audio-recorded interviews with PWHF (n=10–12). This analysis will identify ‘touchpoints’ (emotionally positive/negative events that shape overall service experiences), edited into a ‘trigger film’. Next, a thematic analysis of family members’ (n=10– 12) and professionals’ (n=10–12) interviews will identify key themes mirroring their experiences. Separate feedback events with each stakeholder group will confirm identified touchpoints and key themes and identify areas for HF care improvement. At a joint event, prompted by the ‘trigger film’, stakeholders will agree on one area for HF care improvement. A team including PWHF, family members and professionals, led by an improvement adviser, will then plan, design, implement and evaluate an improvement activity addressing the identified problem area. A deductive thematic analysis of field notes, project documentation and stakeholder focus group interviews, underpinned by MUSIQ, will identify how organisational conditions influence the process. Quantitative measurements, describing the results of the improvement activity, will be integrated with qualitative data to strengthen the case. To reduce resource intensity, we will use online tools during the process. Ethics and dissemination: The Swedish Ethical Review Authority approved the study in May 2021. The results will be disseminated through seminars, conference presentations and publications.publishedVersio

Nitrogen substitutional defects in silicon. A quantum mechanical investigation of the structural, electronic and vibrational properties

RD and FSG acknowledges the CINECA award (HP10CTG8YY) under the ISCRA initiative, for the availability of high performance computing resources and support.The vibrational infrared (IR) and Raman spectra of seven substitutional defects in bulk silicon are computed, by using the quantum mechanical CRYSTAL code, the supercell scheme, an all electron Gaussian type basis set and the B3LYP functional. The relative stability of various spin states has been evaluated, the geometry optimized, the electronic structure analyzed. The IR and Raman intensities have been evaluated analitically. In all cases the IR spectrum is dominated by a single N peak (or by two or three peaks with very close wavenumbers), whose intensity is at least 20 times larger than the one of any other peak. These peaks fall in the 645–712 cm−1 interval, and a shift of few cm−1 is observed from case to case. The Raman spectrum of all defects is dominated by an extremely intense peak at about 530 cm−1, resulting from the (weak) perturbation of the peak of pristine silicon.ISCRA initiative CINECA award (HP10CTG8YY); Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Metabolic changes in summer active and anuric hibernating free-ranging brown bears (ursus arctos)

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) hibernates for 5 to 6 months each winter and during this time ingests no food or water and remains anuric and inactive. Despite these extreme conditions, bears do not develop azotemia and preserve their muscle and bone strength. To date most renal studies have been limited to small numbers of bears, often in captive environments. Sixteen free-ranging bears were darted and had blood drawn both during hibernation in winter and summer. Samples were collected for measurement of creatinine and urea, markers of inflammation, the calcium-phosphate axis, and nutritional parameters including amino acids. In winter the bear serum creatinine increased 2.5 fold despite a 2-fold decrease in urea, indicating a remarkable ability to recycle urea nitrogen during hibernation. During hibernation serum calcium remained constant despite a decrease in serum phosphate and a rise in FGF23 levels. Despite prolonged inactivity and reduced renal function, inflammation does not ensue and bears seem to have enhanced antioxidant defense mechanisms during hibernation. Nutrition parameters showed high fat stores, preserved amino acids and mild hyperglycemia during hibernation. While total, essential, non-essential and branched chain amino acids concentrations do not change during hibernation anorexia, changes in individual amino acids ornithine, citrulline and arginine indicate an active, although reduced urea cycle and nitrogen recycling to proteins. Serum uric acid and serum fructose levels were elevated in summer and changes between seasons were positively correlated. Further studies to understand how bears can prevent the development of uremia despite minimal renal function during hibernation could provide new therapeutic avenues for the treatment of human kidney disease

Platelet function in brown bear (Ursus arctos) compared to man

The article can also be located here: http://www.thrombosisjournal.com/content/8/1/11Background: Information on hemostasis and platelet function in brown bear (Ursus arctos) is of importance for understanding the physiological, protective changes during hibernation. Objective: The study objective was to document platelet activity values in brown bears shortly after leaving the den and compare them to platelet function in healthy humans. Methods: Blood was drawn from immobilized wild brown bears 7-10 days after leaving the den in mid April. Blood samples from healthy human adults before and after clopidogrel and acetylsalicylic acid administration served as control. We analyzed blood samples by standard blood testing and platelet aggregation was quantified after stimulation with various agonists using multiple electrode aggregometry within 3 hours of sampling. Results: Blood samples were collected from 6 bears (3 females) between 1 and 16 years old and from 10 healthy humans. Results of adenosine diphosphate, aspirin, and thrombin receptor activating peptide tests in bears were all half or less of those in humans. Platelet and white blood cell counts did not differ between species but brown bears had more and smaller red blood cells compared with humans. Conclusion: Using three different tests, we conclude that platelet function is lower in brown bears compared to humans. Our findings represent the first descriptive study on platelet function in brown bears and may contribute to explain how bears can endure denning without obvious thrombus building. However, the possibility that our findings reflect test-dependent and not true biological variations in platelet reactivity needs further studies

The Gut Microbiota Modulates Energy Metabolism in the Hibernating Brown Bear Ursus arctos

Hibernation is an adaptation that helps many animals to conserve energy during food shortage in winter. Brown bears double their fat depots during summer and use these stored lipids during hibernation. Although bears seasonally become obese, they remain metabolically healthy. We analyzed the microbiota of free-ranging brown bears during their active phase and hibernation. Compared to the active phase, hibernation microbiota had reduced diversity, reduced levels of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and increased levels of Bacteroidetes. Several metabolites involved in lipid metabolism, including triglycerides, cholesterol, and bile acids, were also affected by hibernation. Transplantation of the bear microbiota from summer and winter to germ-free mice transferred some of the seasonal metabolic features and demonstrated that the summer microbiota promoted adiposity without impairing glucose tolerance, suggesting that seasonal variation in the microbiota may contribute to host energy metabolism in the hibernating brown bear

ARES(2014)2425342 - 22/07/2014. Organisation and running of a scientific workshop to complete selected invasive alien species (IAS) risk assessments

The introduction and spread of invasive alien species (IAS) constitutes one of the most important drivers of global change in biodiversity and ecosystem services. Robust risk assessment methods are required for IAS to provide the foundation upon which to prioritise appropriate action. In a previous study (Roy, Schonrogge et al. 2014) minimum standards were developed to provide an assessment framework for risk assessments and ultimately for underpinning the development of a proposed list of “IAS of EU concern”, in accordance to the provisions of the Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. In practice, of the protocols assessed in detail, only four (GB NNRA, EPPO DSS, Harmonia+ and ENSARS) were sufficiently compliant with the minimum standards to be considered and of these only the GB NNRA and EPPO DSS have published IAS risk assessments. As a result, using the information from such “substantially compliant” protocols, a draft list of approximately 50 species was compiled. It is important to note that this list of species is based on availability of robust risk assessments already completed through methods which are almost compliant with the minimum standards, and it does not constitute the list of “IAS of EU concern”. In view of the application of the forthcoming EU Regulation on IAS (and building-on ENV.B.2/ETU/2013/0026) the Commission hosted a 2-day scientific workshop to examine the selected risk assessments and pool the existing knowledge existing in the EU to complete the missing information, on the basis of robust scientific evidence, in order to make them fully compliant with the minimum standards, wherever possible. The workshop was led by Helen Roy (CEH) and Riccardo Scalera (ISSG). An additional 16 experts from fifteen member states were selected based on their expertise in invasion biology and represented a breadth of expertise from a variety of perspectives including taxonomic (all taxa), environmental (freshwater, marine and terrestrial), impacts (environmental, socio-economic and health) and disciplines (ecologists, conservation practitioners, scientists, policy-makers, risk assessors). In view of the gaps across risk assessments for ecosystem services and climate change two experts were invited to guide the development of approaches for these specific themes. In total the risk assessments for 56 species were considered. The GB NNRA and EPPO DSS have published IAS risk assessments which, when considering species that score medium to high impact, together cover 51 species (noting that Fallopia japonica and F. sachalinensis are separate species). Two further risk assessments were suggested for consideration by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat which follow the GB NNRA protocol: coati (Nasua nasua) and skunk (Mephitis mephitis), although scored as low impact. Finally an additional three species have been considered through new European–wide risk assessments, with the reported outcome of high impact, for this project which again follow the GB NNRA protocol: Pallas squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus), grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and coypu (Myocastor coypus). The main gaps across all risk assessments were in relation to climate change and ecosystem services but additional information was also required on benefits as mentioned with minimum standard “Description (Taxonomy, invasion history, distribution range (native and introduced), geographic scope, socio-economic benefits)” and in some cases information to support the minimum standard “Includes status (threatened or protected) of species or habitat under threat“ was missing. It was agreed that systematic consideration of a list of questions in relation to the minimum standards on ecosystem services and climate change would be useful guidance for experts. An outline of the approaches agreed through the workshop for the minimum standards “Includes possible effects of climate change in the foreseeable future“ and “Can broadly assess environmental impact with respect to ecosystem services” were developed as guidance for documenting information in relation to climate change and ecosystem services. Each species was considered separately with the experts providing an overview of the information available for addressing the identified gaps. After all species had been considered the workshop participants (excluding the EC, Helen Roy and Riccardo Scalera) adopted a consensus approach to confirm whether or not the risk assessment was compliant with the minimum standards and whether the overall score of the risk assessment remained applicable. No changes were made to the scores but any recommendations were noted. There were very few recommendations for change. The outcome for each risk assessment was agreed and summarised as “compliant” or “not compliant” with the minimum standards. Of the risk assessments for the 56 species considered through this project, 53 were agreed to be fully compliant with the minimum standards. However, Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, although compliant with the minimum standards should be excluded as it is not within the scope of the regulation (see art 2.e) because it is listed in annex IV of Council Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 of 11 June 2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture. Four of the risk assessments were not considered to be compliant because of major information gaps: Elodea canadensis (Canadian pondweed), Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed), M. mephitis (skunk), N. nasua (coati)

Adipose-derived stem cells from the brown bear (Ursus arctos) spontaneously undergo chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation

Dette er post-print versjonen av artikkelen. Den trykte versjonen kan leses her: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1873506111000286In the den, hibernating brown bears do not develop tissue atrophy or organ damage, despite almost no physical activity. Mesenchymal stem cells could play an important role in tissue repair and regeneration in brown bears. Our objective was to determine if adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) can be recovered from adipose tissue of wild Scandinavian brown bears and characterize osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation in the cells. Following immobilization of 8 wild brown bears 7-10 days after leaving the den in mid-April, adipose tissue biopsies (5-8 ml) were obtained subcutaneously from 7 bears. ASCs were recovered and characterized. Adipose stem cell cultures were established from 6 of 7 bears. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells from yearlings spontaneously formed bone-like nodules surrounded by cartilaginous deposits, suggesting differentiation into osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. This ability appears to be lost gradually with age. This is the first study to demonstrate stem cell recovery and growth from brown bears, and it is the first report of ASCs spontaneously differentiating into osteocytes and chondrocytes. These findings could have implications for the use of hibernating brown bears as a model to study osteoporosis

Functional treatment versus plaster for simple elbow dislocations (FuncSiE): a randomized trial

Background. Elbow dislocations can be classified as simple or complex. Simple dislocations are characterized by the absence of fractures, while complex dislocations are associated with fractures. After reduction of a simple dislocation, treatment options include immobilization in a static plaster for different periods of time or so-called functional treatment. Functional treatment is characterized by early active motion within the limits of pain with or without the use of a sling or hinged brace. Theoretically, functional treatment should prevent stiffness without introducing increased joint instability. The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare early functional treatment versus plaster immobilization following simple dislocations of the elbow. Methods/Design. The design of the study will be a multicenter randomized controlled trial of 100 patients who have sustained a simple elbow dislocation. After reduction of the dislocation, patients are randomized between a pressure bandage for 5-7 days and early functional treatment or a plaster in 90 degrees flexion, neutral position for pro-supination for a period of three weeks. In the functional group, treatment is started with early active motion within the limits of pain. Function, pain, and radiographic recovery will be evaluated at regular intervals over the subsequent 12 months. The primary outcome measure is the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score. The secondary outcome measures are the Mayo Elbow Performance Index, Oxford elbow score, pain level at both sides, range of motion of the elbow joint at both sides, rate of secondary interventions and complication rates in both groups (secondary dislocation, instability, relaxation), health-related quality of life (Short-Form 36 and EuroQol-5D), radiographic appearance of the elbow joint (degenerative changes and heterotopic ossifications), costs, and cost-effectiveness. Discussion. The successful completion of this trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness of a functional treatment for the management of simple elbow dislocations. Trial Registration. The trial is registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR2025)