Journals
2025 EN
Dalli Lachlan L. · Kilkenny Monique F. · Olaiya Muideen T.
+11 more
ABSTRACT Purpose Although chronic disease management (CDM) has been reported to improve medication adherence after stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), the impact on specific patterns of medication adherence is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the population effect of receiving a CDM claim on trajectories of medication adherence in long‐term survivors of stroke/TIA. Methods A cohort study was undertaken using observational data from PRECISE (42 Australian Stroke Clinical Registry hospitals [Victoria and Queensland; 2012–2015] linked with medication dispensing and primary care claims). Community‐dwelling adults with ≥ 1 primary care visit were included. The exposure was a CDM claim (versus no claim) in primary care within 7–18 months post‐stroke/TIA. Medication adherence (antihypertensive, antithrombotic, lipid‐lowering) was assessed between 19 and 30 months post‐stroke/TIA, using group‐based trajectory models. Average treatment effects were estimated using multi‐level logistic regression with inverse probability treatment weights. Results Among 11 580 survivors of stroke/TIA (median age 70 years, 42% female; 45% with CDM claim), four distinct adherence patterns were identified: near‐perfect adherence, high adherence, declining adherence, and non‐use. After adjustment, having a CDM claim (vs no claim) promoted near‐perfect adherence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16 [95% CI 1.08–1.25]) for antithrombotic medications. Whereas, having a CDM claim (vs no CDM claim) promoted high adherence for antihypertensive (OR: 1.33 [95% CI 1.24–1.44]) or lipid‐lowering (OR: 1.26 [95% CI 1.16–1.37]) medications. The odds of non‐use were also reduced by 17%–23% in those with (vs without) a CDM claim. Conclusions CDM claims were associated with favourable trajectories of medication adherence in long‐term survivors of stroke/TIA.
Journals
2025 EN
Jansen Femke · Molenaar Dominique · Zarsat Öykü
+8 more
ABSTRACT Background There is limited knowledge on the supportive care needs (SCNs) of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors during long‐term survivorship. Aims To investigate SCNs from 2 to 5 years after treatment among HNC survivors, and its association with demographic, personal, clinical, physical, psychological, social and lifestyle, and cancer‐related quality of life factors. Methods SCNs were measured at 2, 3, 4 and 5 years using the supportive care needs survey (SCNS‐SF34 and SCNS‐HNC) in 403 HNC survivors. Linear mixed model analyses were performed to investigate changes in SCNs (continuous outcome) over time and factors associated with SCNs (continuous). Also, the proportion of unmet moderate‐high SCNs (dichotomous) was calculated. Results SCNs on the health system, information and patient support and lifestyle domain decreased from 2 to 5 years, whereas physical and daily living, psychological, sexuality and HNC‐function needs were stable. At 5 years, 33% of HNC survivors had unmet SCNs, in particular lack of energy/tiredness (9.2%) and dry mouth/sticky mucus (8.1%). Demographic (male, higher education), personal (personality, coping, self‐efficacy), clinical (advanced tumor stage, tumor recurrence), physical (low handgrip strength), psychological (anxiety, depression, fear of cancer recurrence (FCR)), lifestyle (smoking, drinking, being underweight) and cancer‐related factors (lower levels of functioning, lower levels of nausea and vomiting, higher levels of fatigue, constipation, financial, speech, social eating, dry mouth and sexuality problems, and painkiller usage) were associated with SCNs. Specifically FCR and painkillers usage were very consistently associated with higher SCNs. Conclusions SCNs of HNC survivors decrease over time. A third experiences SCNs at long‐term follow‐up.
Journals
2025 EN
Azevedo Gonçalves Ingrid · Abessolo Ondo Dominique · Boscher Nicolas D.
+1 more
ABSTRACT Promoting both high functional group preservation and high deposition rates is a major challenge in plasma deposition. This study explores a dynamic method using nanosecond pulsed plasma discharges to polymerize thin liquid layers of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The influence of plasma pulse frequency (200 ns) and liquid layer thickness on chemical structure retention, polymeric growth, and thin film growth rate is examined. High‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) highlights that plasma curing of liquid monomer layers achieves significantly better chemical structure preservation and polymeric growth, along with deposition rates an order of magnitude higher than traditional vapour‐phase methods. This work provides valuable insights and guidelines for plasma‐induced free‐radical polymerization of liquid layers into functional thin solid films.
Journals
2025 EN
Au Jessie · Wong Christopher Y. S. · Pincot Dominique D. A.
+4 more
Abstract Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum , threatens global food security and high‐value crops like strawberries ( Fragaria × ananassa ) in California. Traditional detection, reliant on visual symptoms, often comes too late for intervention. This study uses leaf‐level hyperspectral reflectance to detect physiological changes in resistant and susceptible strawberry cultivars. Weekly measurements of leaf reflectance, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll fluorescence were collected across 14 cultivars inoculated with the pathogen. We examined both common spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) and patterns across the full hyperspectral range. In addition to SVIs, we assessed the full reflectance space (400–2515 nm) using principal coordinates analysis on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity and calculated coefficient of variation to evaluate spectral sensitivity to disease progression. Susceptible plants showed spectral shifts 3–5 weeks before visible symptoms. The normalized phaeophytinization index was most sensitive, indicating early chlorophyll degradation, while normalized difference vegetation index and photochemical reflectance index captured structural and physiological changes prior to visible infection. Spectral indices outperformed physiological traits, with stronger responses in stomatal conductance and leaf temperature than fluorescence. Hyperspectral disease associations highlight predictive power concentrated in the red and near‐infrared range, highlighting the potential of multispectral tools for field applications.
Journals
2025 EN
Maity Arijit · Glushonkov Oleksandr · Ayala Isabel
+6 more
Abstract The maturation speed of fluorescent proteins is a crucial parameter that influences cellular brightness, effective labeling efficiency, and temporal resolution in fluorescence microscopy. Green‐to‐red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (PCFPs) used in pulse‐chase experiments and super‐resolution techniques such as Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM), single‐particle‐tracking PALM (sptPALM), and Minimal Fluorescence Photon Fluxes Microscopy (MINFLUX) may be hampered by slow maturation. We systematically characterized the maturation speed of mEos‐derived PCFPs in Escherichia coli and found that, in contrast to pcStar and mEosEM, several variants such as mEos2, mEos3.1, mEos3.2, and mEos4b mature extremely slowly. Strikingly, the oxidation step in these PCFPs is fast and not rate‐limiting. Through a structure‐guided mutagenesis strategy, we developed a strategy to reduce the day‐long maturation time of mEos4b by nearly two orders of magnitude without significantly impacting its molecular brightness and photophysical performance under single‐molecule imaging conditions.
Journals
2025 EN
Bialas Piotr · Kobayashi Tamae · Hellsten Rebecka
+12 more
ABSTRACT Background The transcription factor Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a role in carcinogenesis and is involved in processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, drug resistance and immunosuppression. STAT3 can be activated by phosphorylation of tyrosine at position 705 (pSTAT3 Tyr705 ) or serine at 727 (pSTAT3 Ser727 ). High expression levels of pSTAT3 are implicated in advanced stages of prostate cancer (PCa) and are known to interact with the androgen receptor signaling pathway. However, not much is known about how androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in advanced disease affects pSTAT3 expression. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ADT on pSTAT3 expression in PCa tissue. Methods The study cohort came from a PCa tissue microarray resource containing prostate specimens from patients before and post‐initiation of ADT. Tissue samples from 111 patients were immunostained for pSTAT3 Tyr705 and pSTAT3 Ser727 . H‐score was used to evaluate the intensity and the percentage of pSTAT3 expression in malignant epithelial and stromal compartments. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to assess pSTAT3 Tyr705 and pSTAT3 Ser727 as biomarkers of oncological outcome in patients undergoing ADT. Results Post‐ADT PCa samples demonstrated increased nuclear and cytoplasmic levels of pSTAT3 Ser727 in the stroma compared to pre‐ADT samples, whereas pSTAT3 Tyr705 expression was increased significantly in both stromal and malignant epithelial compartments except for stromal cytoplasm. High cytoplasmic pSTAT3 Ser727 in stromal compartments correlated with reduced overall survival, shorter time to castration‐resistant PCa development, and decreased metastasis‐free survival. An increase in nuclear and cytoplasmic pSTAT3 Ser727 expression within the stromal compartment of post‐ADT samples corresponded to a shorter time to CRPC development, which was not observed for pSTAT3 Tyr705 . Multivariable survival analysis using Cox's regression identified that high cytoplasmic pSTAT3 Ser727 expression in the stroma of post‐ADT samples and pT3 or pT4‐stage were associated with worse overall survival and 5‐year metastasis‐free survival (MFS). Conclusions This study presents novel insights into the impact of ADT on the expression levels of pSTAT3 Tyr705 and pSTAT3 Ser727 in PCa. Cytoplasmic pSTAT3 Ser727 status of cancer‐associated stromal cells in post‐ADT samples may serve as an independent prognostic marker for OS and 5‐year MFS, identifying prostate cancer patients prone to developing resistance to ADT.
Journals
2025 EN
Dee Edward Christopher · Iyengar Ranvir · Narayan Aditya
+14 more
ABSTRACT Importance and Objective Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men globally and the number of cases is expected to double from 2020 to 2040. A greater understanding of health system factors that can be leveraged to improve prostate cancer control may guide health system planning in anticipation of the growing global burden of prostate cancer. Design This ecological cross‐sectional study made use of the most recent available national health system metrics for countries with prostate cancer incidence and mortality estimates available from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC data represent the most updated estimates as of April 2025. Main Outcomes National estimates of age‐standardized mortality‐to‐incidence ratios (MIR) were derived from the GLOBOCAN 2022 database for male patients with prostate cancer of all ages. Health spending as a percent of gross domestic product, physicians per 1000 population, nurses and midwives per 1000 population, surgical workforce per 1000 population, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, Universal Health Coverage Service Coverage Index (UHC index), availability of pathology services, human development index (HDI), gender inequality index, and number of radiotherapy centers per 1000 population were collected. The association between prostate MIR and each metric was evaluated using simple univariable linear regression models. Those with p < 0.005 (Bonferroni corrected) were included in multivariable models. Variation inflation factor analysis facilitated exclusion of variables with significant multicollinearity. R 2 defined goodness of fit. Results Based on IARC estimate availability, data for 185 countries were collected; data availability ranged from 144 (77.8%, surgical workforce per 1000 population known) to 185 (100%, GDP per capita, RT centers per 1000 population). On univariable analysis, each of the 10 metrics was significantly associated with MIR of prostate cancer (< 0.001 forall). All but one (HDI, due to mutlicollinearity) were included in the multivariable model. The final multivariable model included 123 countries with complete data. Of those included in the regression with complete data, 44 of 123 (35.8%) were high‐income countries; of those excluded due to incomplete data, 16 of 62 (25.8%) were high‐income countries ( χ ² p = 0.17 comparing the proportion of high‐income countries in the included and excluded groups). Therefore, the following variables were independently associated with lower (improved) MIR for prostate cancer: (1) surgical workforce per 1000 population, (2) UHC index, (3) radiotherapy centers per 1000 population, (4) GDP per capita. The final model had R 2 of 0.8408. Conclusions and Relevance Analysis of global data and health‐system metrics suggest that surgical workforce, degree of UHC, availability of radiotherapy centers, and GDP per capita are independently associated with improved prostate cancer outcomes. In leveraging individual countries' health systems as data points, these findings may guide health system planning and prioritization. Efforts to strengthen access to surgery and radiotherapy in the context of broader and equitable cancer system strengthening may represent concrete points of action for public health efforts, given the growing global burden of prostate cancer.
Journals
2025 EN
Deol Amrit K. · Ingram Dominique · Dranow Elizabeth
+7 more
ABSTRACT Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) significantly impacts mortality and quality of life. Access to specialized care may differ between urban and rural patients, potentially influencing outcomes. This study compared the clinical course and treatment patterns of PAH patients from urban and rural settings treated at a single comprehensive care center. Adult patients with WHO Group I PAH evaluated between August 2020 and August 2024 at the University of Utah Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center were prospectively enrolled in a program‐specific registry. A total of 263 patients were categorized as urban or rural based on residential address. Baseline characteristics, diagnostics, treatments, and outcomes were compared. No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics, 6‐min walk distance (6MWD), right ventricular function, hemodynamics, or NT‐proBNP levels. In‐person and virtual clinic utilization were also similar. However, among patients receiving triple therapy, rural patients were significantly more likely to receive inhaled treprostinil as the prostacyclin component ( p = 0.03). In a subset of patients ( n = 146), REVEAL Lite 2 scores were available at baseline and follow‐up. Risk distributions and mean scores were similar at each time point. However, urban patients showed significant improvement in REVEAL risk category over time ( p = 0.007), while no significant change occurred in rural patients. These findings suggest that although care delivery appeared comparable across settings, differences in treatment selection and risk trajectories emerged over time. Further investigation is needed to understand the drivers of these differences and their implications for disease management and progression.
Journals
2025 EN
Lupinski KimJehanne · Brousse Guillaume · Maurin Raphaël
+5 more
ABSTRACT Erosion generally reduces the resilience of replenished gravel in rivers. As a result, structures are sometimes added to modify the upstream flow and stabilize artificial spawning grounds. In particular, rows of boulders can be placed around the replenishment area to limit the transport of replenished gravel during flood events. This study aims to optimize the arrangement of these rows, based on field experiments as well as physical and numerical models. A combined hydro‐sedimentary numerical model is calibrated and validated by comparing simulated and measured morphological evolutions in nine laboratory experiments. The results show that boulders positioned downstream of the replenishment slow down the flow above the replenishment, decreasing shear stress over the gravel. The stabilization efficiency depends on both the positioning of the boulders and the arrangement of the replenished surface. To achieve sustainable spawning, prospective scenarios using the numerical model highlight the need to limit the width of the replenishment area. Experiments demonstrated that when the replenishment area spans the entire width flume, the erosion rate is significantly higher compared to a narrower replenishment area placed close to the edges. This effect is attributed to increased flow velocities in the center of the channel, leading to increased shear stress and gravel erosion.
Journals
2025 EN
Weber Dominique · Bolliger Janine · Ecker Klaus
+7 more
Abstract Light pollution affects biodiversity at all levels, from genes to ecosystems, and improved monitoring and research is needed to better assess its various ecological impacts. Here, we review the current contribution of night‐time satellites to ecological applications and elaborate on the potential value of the Glimmer sensor onboard the Chinese Sustainable Development Goals Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT‐1), a novel medium‐resolution and multispectral sensor, for quantifying artificial light at night (ALAN). Due to their coarse spatial, spectral or temporal resolution, most of the currently used space‐borne sensors are limited in their contribution to assessments of light pollution at multiple scales and of the ecological and conservation‐relevant effects of ALAN. SDGSAT‐1 now offers new opportunities to map the variability in light intensity and spectra at finer spatial resolution, providing the means to disentangle and characterize different sources of ALAN, and to relate ALAN to local environmental parameters, in situ measurements and surveys. Monitoring direct light emissions at 10–40 m spatial resolution enables scientists to better understand the origins and impacts of light pollution on sensitive species and ecosystems, and assists practitioners in implementing local conservation measures. We demonstrate some key ecological applications of SDGSAT‐1, such as quantifying the exposure of protected areas to light pollution, assessing wildlife corridors and dark refuges in urban areas, and modelling the visibility of light sources to animals. We conclude that SDGSAT‐1, and possibly similar future satellite missions, will significantly advance ecological light pollution research to better understand the environmental impacts of light pollution and to devise strategies to mitigate them.