Extinction learning and return of fear in a large sample of children and adolescents with and without anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health problems in childhood and adolescence, highlighting the importance to study their underlying mechanisms. One key process in fear reduction, particularly in exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy, is extinction learning. While extensively studied in adults, its role in youth remains underexplored.

The transcriptional regulation of NUPR1 expression by MYC is implicated in the regulation of ferroptosis in human spermatogonial stem cells.

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a leading cause of male infertility, characterized by impaired spermatogenesis. Recent studies suggest that ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, may contribute to testicular dysfunction, however, its role in NOA remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the roles of NUPR1 and MYC in regulating ferroptosis in human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and evaluated their potential as therapeutic targets for NOA.

Smart thin porous calcium phosphate coatings for local antibiotic delivery.

Objective: Implant failure after arthroplasty, primarily due to aseptic loosening or periprosthetic joint infection, remains a significant clinical problem. Bioactive ceramic coatings, such as β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), enhance osseointegration and may reduce the risk of aseptic loosening. At the same time, localized antibiotic release from the implant surface represents a promising strategy to prevent early bacterial colonization.

AtCHE1, the Arabidopsis homolog of mammalian AATF/Che-1 protein, is involved in safeguarding genome stability.

Both endogenous and exogenous genotoxins can inflict damage on cellular DNA, leading to reduced genomic stability in plants, which adversely affects development. Apoptosis Antagonizing Transcription Factor (AATF), also referred to as Che-1, has been identified as a binding protein for RNA polymerase II. It plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, transcriptional regulation, apoptosis, DNA damage response, and ribosome biogenesis in mammals.

Distribution and Surgical Treatment of Corneal Dystrophies Over Eight Decades (1945-2024): An Analysis of Histopathologically Confirmed Cases from a German Center.

Background: Corneal dystrophies are inherited disorders that can lead to significant visual impairment and often require surgical intervention in advanced stages. Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the most frequently diagnosed type in Western countries and remains a leading global indication for corneal transplantation. In contrast, non-Fuchs dystrophies represent a diverse group of less common entities, each with distinct clinical features, surgical considerations, and regional variations in incidence and management.

Absolute Configurations of Inositol Poly- and Pyrophosphates Assigned by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Inositol phosphates are signaling molecules crucial for cellular processes. To achieve specificity, their diverse phosphorylation patterns necessitate precise molecular identification. Phosphorylation of the myo-inositol scaffold can form enantiomeric pairs, but most analysis methods only resolve regioisomers.

Capillary Electrophoresis Mass Spectrometry for Inositol (Pyro)phosphate Profiling.

The turnover of myo-inositol phosphates (InsPs) and myo-inositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs) is a dynamic process that plays an important role in many physiological processes by transmitting signals within cellular pathways and networks. Profiling the InsPs and PP-InsPs isomers and quantifying their change in abundance is a significant challenge for several reasons. First, InsPs and PP-InsPs constitute a diverse metabolite pool, characterized by the complexity as a result of the numerous possible isobaric isomers.

Enabling Technologies for the Dissection of Inositol Pyrophosphate Physiology.

The diverse chemical structures of inositol pyrophosphates attract growing interest toward this class of small molecule messengers. However, their highly charged nature, the lack of a chromophore or a fluorophore, their close structural relatedness, and the complexity of their metabolism pose serious challenges to inositol pyrophosphates studies. Here, we summarize how researchers have begun to overcome these challenges and how recent experimental advances are propelling inositol pyrophosphate research into the future.

In Vivo Evaluation of ZnAg3-A New Bioabsorbable Material in Fracture Treatment Compared to Biodegradable Mg Alloys.

Permanent implants, which are primarily used to treat fractures, are either removed during a subsequent procedure or remain in the body after being surgically inserted. Bioabsorbable implants are designed to be reabsorbed by the body, minimizing the risk of chronic infections or foreign body reactions. The qualification of a novel zinc-silver alloy containing 3.

In vivo dynamic intrusion and extrusion of the menisci in varus and valgus load within a healthy population.

Purpose: Axial loading, varus and valgus stress lead to meniscal motion towards the joint periphery, defined as meniscal extrusion. Direction and amount of extrusion is unknown as this is a dynamic process within a 3D environment dependent on joint loading as well as individual anatomy. We propose that there is motion in all compartments of the medial and lateral meniscus during valgus and varus stress.

Influence of in vitro test conditions on the Biomechanical properties of degenerated human lateral menisci.

The biomechanical properties of degenerated meniscal tissue are increasingly being studied in the context of osteoarthritis research. Spatial indentation testing using a multiaxial testing machine allows non-destructive characterization of viscoelastic properties. However, in vitro testing conditions can significantly influence the results.

The differential diagnostic potential of SPECT/CT to detect osteomyelitis in foot or ankle: a systematic review.

Purpose: Diagnosing osteomyelitis in the foot/ankle region is challenging primarily due to anatomical constraints. While bone biopsy is the gold standard, non-invasive methods such as SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) and MRI are sensitive but lack specificity. This study aims to evaluate SPECT/CT's potential, integrating functional and structural imaging, to improve osteomyelitis diagnosis in this region.

Prediction of obesity levels based on physical activity and eating habits with a machine learning model integrated with explainable artificial intelligence.

Objectives: This study aims to build a machine learning (ML) prediction model integrated with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to categorize obesity levels from physical activity and dietary patterns. The inclusion of XAI methodologies facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors influencing the model predictions and thus increases transparency in the identification of obesity risk factors.

Methods: Six ML models were used: Bernoulli Naive Bayes, CatBoost, Decision Tree, Extra Trees Classifier, Histogram-based Gradient Boosting and Support Vector Machine.

Activation of NF-κB Signaling by Optogenetic Clustering of IKKα and β.

Molecular optogenetics allows the control of molecular signaling pathways in response to light. This enables the analysis of the kinetics of signal activation and propagation in a spatially and temporally resolved manner. A key strategy for such control is the light-inducible clustering of signaling molecules, which leads to their activation and subsequent downstream signaling.

Mental health in Para athletes-interaction with physical health problems in prospective monitoring.

Background: Evaluation of health problems in the Para athlete cohort is well-established. Nonetheless, analyses of the association between mental health and injury, illness or variability of training and competition are spare. Therefore, the purpose of this prospective observational study was to assess this potential relationship in a cohort of Para athletes.

Biodegradable, Antibacterial TCP Implant Coatings With Magnesium Phosphate-Based Supraparticles.

This work highlights the potential of porous, bioactive coatings to advance implant technology and address critical clinical challenges. A key issue in implant coatings is to achieve the balance between infection prevention and successful osseointegration. Although titanium implants are widely used due to their mechanical strength and biocompatibility, their bioinert nature limits integration with bone tissue.

Three-dimensional composite aerogel scaffolds based on electrospun poly(lactic acid)/gelatin and silica-strontium oxide short fibers promote bone defect healing.

Background: Bone defect regeneration is a dynamic healing process that relies on the body's innate repair mechanisms, yet natural healing capacity remains limited. To address this challenge, advanced biomaterials combining bioactive inorganic components with biocompatible polymers have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

Methods: In this study, a novel three-dimensional composite scaffold material was successfully fabricated using a combined electrospinning-freeze drying technique.

Sports Preparticipation Evaluation for Healthy Adults: A Consensus-Based German Guideline.

The benefits of physical activity are undisputed. However, adverse events can occur in rare cases, particularly during high-intensity or prolonged exercise. During physical activity, at-risk patients can experience major cardiac events, whereas adverse events affecting the musculoskeletal system are more common but less severe.

Inborn errors of immunity: manifestation, treatment, and outcome - an ESID registry 1994-2024 report on 30,628 patients.

The patient registry (ESID-R), established in 1994, is one of the world's largest databases on inborn errors of immunity (IEI). IEI are genetic disorders predisposing patients to infections, autoimmunity, inflammation, allergies and malignancies. Treatments include antimicrobial therapy, immunoglobulin replacement, immune modulation, stem cell transplantation and gene therapy.

The lincRNA Pantr1 is a FOXG1 target gene conferring site-specific chromatin binding of FOXG1.

Derailed gene expression programs within the developing nervous system, encompassing both transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes, can cause diverse neurodevelopmental diseases (NDD). The NDD FOXG1-syndrome lacks full understanding of the mechanistic role of its eponymous gene product. While it is known that FOXG1 acts in part at the chromatin by binding to regulative regions, it is unclear what factors control its presence at specific sites.

Effect of 20-μm-Thin Ceramic Coatings of Hydroxyapatite, Bioglass, GB14 and β-TCP With Copper on the Ingrowth Behavior of Femoral Implants.

Aseptic loosening and infection are still the main reasons for revision surgery. The contact of the implant is made through the surface, which is coated with calcium phosphate ceramics for better integration into the bone. The aim of the present work is to optimize these coatings by making them thinner (20 μm) and doping them with copper to add antimicrobial functionality.

Conditioned Media from Mechanically Stimulated Macrophages Upregulate Osteogenic Genes in Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Bone healing is a multifaceted scenario with tightly orchestrated sequences that decide upon successful bone fracture healing or nonunion. In this context, the immune system, particularly the impact of macrophages on mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) recruitment and differentiation, cannot be overemphasized. Further adding to the complexity, fracture healing is not only governed by chemical signals but strongly depends on mechanical stimulation.

In Situ Eradication of Mature Oral Biofilm on Titanium Implant Surfaces Using Cold Atmospheric Plasma.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new cold atmospheric plasma device (AmbiJet) for eradicating mature oral biofilm on titanium implant surfaces, aiming to improve decontamination methods for the treatment of peri-implant infections. Mature oral biofilms were grown on titanium disks placed in participants' mouths. These disks were divided into control and plasma treatment groups.

MultiOmicsAgent: Guided Extreme Gradient-Boosted Decision Trees-Based Approaches for Biomarker-Candidate Discovery in Multiomics Data.

MultiOmicsAgent (MOAgent) is an innovative, Python-based open-source tool for biomarker discovery, utilizing machine learning techniques, specifically extreme gradient-boosted decision trees, to process multiomics data. With its cross-platform compatibility, user-oriented graphical interface, and well-documented API, MOAgent not only meets the needs of both coding professionals and those new to machine learning but also addresses common data analysis challenges like normalization, data incompleteness, class imbalances and data leakage between disjoint data splits. MOAgent's guided data analysis strategy opens up data-driven insights from digitized clinical biospecimen cohorts, making advanced data analysis accessible and reliable for a wide audience.

Investigation of copper doped-TCP and GB14 coatings produced via high velocity suspension flame spraying-a biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity study.

Implant-associated infections and aseptic loosening of prosthesis due to insufficient secondary stability continue to present a challenging issue in arthroplasty. Potential solutions include bioactive coatings to promote osseointegration. With this in mind, this study aims to investigate and compare thin bioactive and bioresorbable-tricalcium phosphate (-TCP) and calcium alka-li orthophosphate (GB14) coatings, both produced via high velocity suspension flame spraying.