Challenges and Limits in Explaining and Acoustic Modeling of Voice Characteristics.

To this day, the assessment of human voices remains a challenge due to (i) inconsistencies in subjective ratings and (ii) the lack of objective measurements for the perceptual impressions of voice characteristics. This can lead to significant consequences in applied fields such as speech therapy, where the assessment of voices is crucial for a successful treatment. In this paper, we address the explanation of voice and its characteristics from two different angles: In a first study, 22 speech therapists in training assessed a set of 20 non-pathological voices regarding 20 voice characteristics before and after receiving an expert explanation.

Outcome of systemic therapy in patients with advanced rare skin cancers: A retrospective multicenter DeCOG study of 209 patients.

Introduction: For rare skin cancers, few data exist on the outcome of systemic therapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). The present study analysed the real-world use of different systemic therapies including ICI, and its outcome in patients with advanced rare skin cancers.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included patients who received systemic therapy for advanced, non-resectable cutaneous angiosarcoma (AS), Kaposi sarcoma (KS), pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS), or cutaneous adnexal carcinoma (CAC).

Efficacy of supraglottic airway devices in Chest Compression Synchronized Ventilation during continuous resuscitation: A prospective randomized cross-over cadaver study.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Chest-Compression-Synchronized-Ventilation (CCSV) using supraglottic airway devices (SGA) compared to tracheal intubation (TI) for ventilation during continuous resuscitation.

Methods: In this cross-over study, the lungs of adult Thiel-embalmed cadavers were initially recruited using TI. Subsequently, various SGA (Laryngeal-Mask=Ambu®AuraGain™, Laryngeal-Tube=LTS-D®, i-gel-Laryngeal-Mask=I-GEL®) and TI were applied in randomized order during continuous chest compressions.

Functional characterization of a plastidial cytochrome b5-fused Δ4-desaturase from Ostreococcus tauri in higher plants.

Marine microalgae are the primary producers of important lipids in oceanic ecosystems. In particular, they sustain the food web with omega-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which play a protective role against various human metabolic disorders and are thus considered highly beneficial to health. Ostreococcus tauri is a marine pico-eukaryote that contains high levels of several n-3 PUFAs, including docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3; DHA), octadecapentaenoic acid (18:5n3, OPA), and hexadecatetraenoic acid (16:4n3), each with a distinct distribution.

Social devaluation and mental health among refugees in the Middle East.

Refugees who have experienced war and persecution often suffer from psychological disorders resulting from adverse events and living conditions. Current theories of traumatic stress focus on processes resulting from threats to physical integrity, with little consideration of social stressors. In this study, we proposed that perceptions of social devaluation, which include specific emotions, appraisals, physiological responses, and behavioural impulses associated with devaluation, partially mediate the relationship between stress and psychological symptoms in refugees.

Prevention in nursing care: a study protocol of a cluster-randomized controlled trial on the effects of physical exercise and environmental interventions on physical activity behavior and physical functioning in nursing home residents (PROGRESS study).

Background: Nursing home residents' health and psychosocial well-being may be influenced by their often-sedentary lifestyles, which arise due to physical barriers like steps, an unwelcoming environment, limited awareness of the importance of physical activity (PA), and a lack of orientation. While exercise interventions are important for maintaining or improving physical and cognitive functions, they may not help increase daily PA behavior. Therefore, the PROGRESS study aims to investigate the short- and long-term effectiveness of tailored and combined physical exercise and environmental interventions for improving PA behavior and physical functioning among nursing home residents.

: detecting early signs of neurodegenerative diseases through activity and sleep analysis.

Early detection of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, is essential for timely intervention, which can improve patients' quality of life and slow down disease progression. Traditional diagnostic methods rely heavily on clinical tests, which can be infrequent and may not capture slight behavioral changes that indicate early cognitive or motor decline. This work presents a novel approach using smart home data to detect early signs of neurodegeneration through continuous monitoring of sleep patterns and daily activity routines.

Intersectional research on dementia care for post-migrants and ethnic minority groups: a scoping review.

Objective: The aim of this scoping review is to identify the range, extent and nature of evidence available in peer-reviewed and gray literature and to examine how the intersecting experiences and differences of post-migrants and ethnic minority groups influence preferences.

Methods: The Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework and the PRISMA-ScR for Scoping Reviews confirm the rigor of the scoping review. We systematically searched across electronic databases including PubMed, MEDLINE via Ovid, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library as well as gray literature between December 2023 and September 2024.

DgeaHeatmap: an R package for transcriptomic analysis and heatmap generation.

Motivation: The growing use of transcriptomic data from platforms like Nanostring GeoMx DSP demands accessible and flexible tools for differential gene expression analysis and heatmap generation. Current web-based tools often lack transparency, modifiability, and independence from external servers creating barriers for researchers seeking customizable workflows, as well as data privacy and security. Additionally, tools that can be utilized by individuals with minimal bioinformatics expertise provide an inclusive solution, empowering a broader range of users to analyze complex data effectively.

SANS ambages: phylogenomics with abundance-filter, multi-threading, and bootstrapping on amino-acid or genomic sequences.

Background: The increasing amount of available genome sequence data enables large-scale comparative studies. A common task is the inference of phylogenies- a challenging task if close reference sequences are not available, genome sequences are incompletely assembled, or the high number of genomes precludes multiple sequence alignment in reasonable time. SANS is an alignment-free, whole-genome based approach for phylogeny estimation.

What's the point? The functional role of claws in pad-bearing taxa (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae).

Morphological adaptations facilitate effective movement within habitats. Claws are among the most common adaptations enabling organisms to use inclined and vertical surfaces. However, some taxa have evolved adhesive pads in addition to claws, with claws suggested to be more effective at gripping coarse surfaces, while pads attach better to fine-grained surfaces.

Combining mental health and climate-smart agricultural interventions to improve food security in humanitarian settings: study protocol for the THRIVE cluster-randomized controlled trial with mothers in Nakivale refugee settlement, Uganda.

Background: Climate extremes in Africa threaten the food security of war-affected refugees, who often experience mental health challenges that hinder their capacity for agricultural adaptation. Cost-effective, climate-smart farming interventions are crucial for addressing food insecurity in humanitarian contexts, yet evidence on their effectiveness is limited, and the potential benefits of integrating them with mental health interventions remain unexplored. We hypothesize that the success of agricultural interventions, especially under adversity, is influenced by mental health and psychological functioning.

Physical activity and sedentary behavior profiles among prisoners in an open prison: differences in psychological well-being?

Background: Incarcerated individuals face elevated risks for both physical and mental health issues. While structured physical activity programs have shown health benefits, little is known about how general patterns of physical activity and sedentary behavior, including screen-based media use, unfold in everyday prison life. This study aimed to identify distinct behavioral profiles among prisoners and explore whether these groups differ in psychological well-being indicators.

Distinct liver sections exhibit sex-specific gene expression patterns in Lewis rats.

Sex-specific differences in liver gene expression have previously been reported in humans and rodents. Clinically, female-to-male liver transplants are known to be associated with adverse post-transplantation outcomes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Genome mining of Streptomyces bambergiensis AC-800 unravels the biosynthetic gene cluster for inhibitors of prolyl hydroxylase fibrostatins.

Streptomyces bambergiensis AC-800 is known as a producer of moenomycin family antibiotics active against gram-positive bacteria. Complete genome sequencing of S. bambergiensis revealed 3 replicons represented by the linear chromosome (7,652,101 bp) and two linear plasmids, pSB1 (418,507 bp) and pSB2 (81,486 bp).

Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with caffeine promotes executive function in healthy females.

Background: Studies have demonstrated that both transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and caffeine improve cognitive abilities through similar mechanisms. This study investigated the acute effects of tDCS combined with caffeine on executive functions.

Methods: Eighty females were randomly assigned to four groups (tDCS + caffeine, tDCS + placebo, sham tDCS + caffeine, and sham tDCS + placebo).

Repetitive negative thinking mediates the relationship between self-esteem and burnout in an ecological momentary assessment study.

Low self-esteem and repetitive negative thinking are associated with higher burnout risk among university students at the between-person level. However, there is increasing evidence that associations identified in between-person analyses do not always reflect processes occurring within individuals. Therefore, we conducted a four-week ecological momentary assessment study with N = 96 students during an examination period.

The individualized niche: A case study in scientific conceptual change.

We explore the causes and outcomes of scientific conceptual change using a case study of the development of the individualized niche concept. We outline a framework for characterizing conceptual change that distinguishes between epistemically adaptive and neutral processes and outcomes of conceptual change. We then apply this framework in tracing how the individualized niche concept arose historically out of population niche thinking and how it exhibits plurality within a contemporary biological research program.

Planting the seed: how parental negative conditional regard boosts vulnerability to excessive study behaviour and burnout.

Background: Excessive study behaviour as a precursor to academic burnout is receiving increasing attention in the research landscape. However, potential risk factors for this behaviour remain largely unconsidered. Against this background, this study, based on the self-esteem model of burnout, examines the risk-increasing influence of academic self-esteem contingency on burnout and extends the empirical research on this topic by investigating the mediating effect of excessive study behaviour.

Visual and AI-Based Assessment of COVID-19 Pneumonia: Practicability and Reproducibility of an Established Semi-Quantitative Chest CT Scoring System.

: To determine the inter-rater agreement of visual and AI-based assessments of a renowned semi-quantitative chest CT scoring system (Pan-score) used to evaluate the severity of pulmonary involvement (e.g., ground-glass opacities, consolidations) in patients suffering from COVID-19.

Differential Performance of Children and Adults in a Vision-Deprived Maze Spatial Navigation Task and Exploration of the Impact of tDCS over the Right Posterior Parietal Cortex on Performance in Adults.

Spatial navigation involves the use of external (allocentric) and internal (egocentric) processing. These processes interact differentially depending on age. In order to explore the effectiveness of these interactions in different age groups (study 1), we compared the performance of children and adults in a two-session spatial maze task.

Paired-Pulse Repetitive Trans-Spinal Magnetic Stimulation Supports Balance Ability While the Coil Orientation Significantly Determines the Effects: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The primary objective was to investigate and compare the effects of three paired-pulse repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation (PP-rTSMS) protocols on balance control and corticospinal network function. : PP-rTSMS (800 pulses, frequency 100 Hz, intensity 70% of the resting motor threshold) was applied over the eighth thoracic vertebra (Th8) in twenty-seven young healthy individuals. Each proband received three verum sessions (using a verum coil with handle oriented (i) cranially, (ii) caudally, and (iii) laterally) and (iv) one sham session (using a sham coil) in a randomised order.

Visual Attention Patterns Toward Female Bodies in Anorexia Nervosa-An Eye-Tracking Study with Adolescents and Adults.

Attentional biases seem to play an important role in anorexia nervosa (AN). The objective of this study was to measure visual attention patterns toward female bodies in adolescents and adults with and without AN in order to explore developmental and disease-specific aspects. Female adult and adolescent patients with AN (n = 38) and control participants (n = 39) viewed standardized photographic stimuli showing women's bodies from five BMI categories.

Phylogenetic reconstruction of African weakly electric fish (Campylomormyrus spp.) is suggestive of ancient introgression events.

The African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus belongs to the species-rich family Mormyridae and comprises 15 described species. Previous species trees that focus on the genus, have included at most ten species. The resulting phylogenies have been used to explain the evolution of the species-specific electrical organ discharge (EOD) and interpreted in the context of sympatric speciation caused by disruptive selection.

Donor Variability and Seeding Density Shape NK-Cell Proliferation and Surface Receptor Expression: Insights from an Integrated Phenotypic and Genetic Analysis.

Natural killer (NK) cells are promising candidates for adoptive immunotherapy, but their clinical application requires standardized expansion protocols that yield functional cells in sufficient numbers. This study examined how initial seeding density and donor-intrinsic variability affect NK cell proliferation and receptor phenotype during in vitro expansion in a G-Rex 24-well plate under IL-2 stimulation. NK cells from healthy donors were analyzed longitudinally by flow cytometry, and targeted SNP sequencing of selected receptor genes (, , , , , and -1) was performed to assess potential genetic contributions.