Is this seat taken? The importance of context during the initiation of romantic communication

The current study, with a sample of 697 adults, examined individual differences in the communication of romantic interest with a specific focus on the relationships between flirting styles and the context in which the flirting interaction takes place. It also investigated gender differences in the use of flirting behaviors in a range of environments. A series of behavioral descriptors based upon five styles of communicating romantic interest was used to investigate individual differences in flirting behaviors utilized in eight different environments. Our results indicated relationships between the five flirting styles and their behavioral descriptors and provided evidence of the repertoire of behaviors utilized to communicate romantic interest in a variety of areas. Some gender differences were elaborated

Zr and Hf microalloying in an Al-Y-Fe amorphous alloy. Relation between local structure and glass-forming ability

International audienceThe effects of the addition of small amounts of Zr and Hf (0.5 - 3 %) on the atomic structure of Al88Y7Fe5 metallic glass were examined from extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) experiments to better understand the influence of these microadditions on the glass forming ability of this alloy. Measurements at the Zr K and Hf LIII absorption edges have allowed the local structures around Zr and Hf atoms to be determined. The same Al environment was found for the different concentrations, consisting of a small cluster extending up to 4.5 Å around the Zr atoms and up to 6 Å around the Hf ones. Although the clustering effect is smaller in the Zr neighbourhood, a drastic shortening of the nearest Zr-Al distance is shown, providing evidence for some covalent character to the bonding, in line with the increased glass-forming ability found in the alloys made with the Zr microaddition

International initiative for a curated SDHB variant database improving the diagnosis of hereditary paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma

Adrenal gland diseases; Databases; Genetic variationEnfermedades de las glándulas suprarrenales; Bases de datos; Variación genéticaMalalties de les glàndules suprarenals; Bases de dades; Variació genèticaBackground SDHB is one of the major genes predisposing to paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma (PPGL). Identifying pathogenic SDHB variants in patients with PPGL is essential to the management of patients and relatives due to the increased risk of recurrences, metastases and the emergence of non-PPGL tumours. In this context, the ‘NGS and PPGL (NGSnPPGL) Study Group’ initiated an international effort to collect, annotate and classify SDHB variants and to provide an accurate, expert-curated and freely available SDHB variant database. Methods A total of 223 distinct SDHB variants from 737 patients were collected worldwide. Using multiple criteria, each variant was first classified according to a 5-tier grouping based on American College of Medical Genetics and NGSnPPGL standardised recommendations and was then manually reviewed by a panel of experts in the field. Results This multistep process resulted in 23 benign/likely benign, 149 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and 51 variants of unknown significance (VUS). Expert curation reduced by half the number of variants initially classified as VUS. Variant classifications are publicly accessible via the Leiden Open Variation Database system (https://databases.lovd.nl/shared/genes/SDHB). Conclusion This international initiative by a panel of experts allowed us to establish a consensus classification for 223 SDHB variants that should be used as a routine tool by geneticists in charge of PPGL laboratory diagnosis. This accurate classification of SDHB genetic variants will help to clarify the diagnosis of hereditary PPGL and to improve the clinical care of patients and relatives with PPGL.This work was supported in part by a salary grant to NB from Cancer Research for PErsonalized Medicine (CARPEM). ERM acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Advanced Researcher Award), NIHR (Senior Investigator Award and Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre) and Cancer Research UK Cambridge Cancer Centre. The University of Cambridge has received salary support in respect of ERM from the NHS in the East of England through the Clinical Academic Reserve. PLD receives support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS) GM114102, NIH-National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) UL1 TR001120 and UL1 TR002645, the Mays Cancer Center NIH-National Cancer Institute (NCI) P30 CA54174, Alex’s Lemonade Childhood Foundation, with support from Northwest Mutual and Flashes of Hope, and University of Texas Health SystemSTARS Award. RAT holds a Miguel Servet-I research contract by Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII) of the Ministry of Economy (CP17/00199) and Competitiveness; is supported by an Olga Torres Foundation Emerging researcher grant and by the Swiss Bridge Award for cancer immunotherapy research; and received research grants from BeiGene, Novartis and AstraZeneca. Cancer Genetics, Kolling Institute, Sydney acknowledges support from the Hillcrest Foundation (Perpetual Trustees). JPB in Leiden, The Netherlands acknowledges support from the Paradifference Foundation. MR is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Acción Estratégica en Salud, cofounded by FEDER (grant number PI17/01796)

Unmet needs in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis―insights from patient chart review in five European countries

Background: Two antifibrotic drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are approved by the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In this analysis, treatment patterns of European patients with IPF were investigated to understand antifibrotic prescribing and identify unmet needs in IPF treatment practice. Methods: Between February and March 2016, respiratory physicians from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK participated in an online questionnaire designed to collect information on IPF treatment patterns in patients under their care. Patients were categorized as treated (received approved antifibrotics) or untreated (did not receive approved antifibrotics, but may have received other unapproved therapies). Classification of IPF diagnosis (confirmed/suspected) and severity ('mild'/'moderate'/'severe') for each patient was based on the individual physician's report. Patients' perspectives were not recorded in this study. Results: In total, 290 physicians responded to the questionnaire. Overall, 54% of patients with IPF did not receive treatment with an approved antifibrotic. More patients had a confirmed IPF diagnosis in the treated (84%) versus the untreated (51%) population. Of patients with a confirmed diagnosis, 40% did not receive treatment. The treated population was younger than the untreated population (67 vs 70 years, respectively; p = 0.01), with more frequent multidisciplinary team evaluation (83% vs 57%, respectively; p = 0.01). A higher proportion of untreated patients had forced vital capacity > 80% at diagnosis versus treated patients. Of patients with 'mild' IPF, 71% did not receive an approved antifibrotic versus 41% and 60% of patients with 'moderate' and 'severe' IPF, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the availability of antifibrotic therapies, many European patients with confirmed IPF do not receive approved antifibrotic treatment. Importantly, there appears to be a reluctance to treat patients with 'mild' or 'stable' disease, and instead adopt a 'watch and wait' approach. More education is required to address diagnostic uncertainty, poor understanding of IPF and its treatments, and issues of treatment access. There is a need to increase physician awareness of the benefits associated with antifibrotic treatment across the spectrum of IPF severity