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Introduction: Early and risky sexual behaviours among adolescents contribute to adverse health outcomes, yet evidence from school-based settings in India, particularly from methodologically robust samples, remains limited. Previous research in India has documented sexual attitudes and behaviours in specific contexts; however, to our knowledge, no study has examined both risk and protective factors
The transformation from a fossil-based economy toward the bioeconomy offers a promising avenue for addressing various Sustainable Development Goals but also poses a major societal challenge (SC). Designing effective place-based innovation policies to tackle this SC requires acknowledging that regions differ in their readiness to contribute to the bioeconomy transformation and understanding which p
Objective: To evaluate the impact of a systematic, multi-component ultra-low-dose imaging protocol on radiation and contrast exposure during endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) across diverse anatomical complexities. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 331 consecutive EVAR procedures at a tertiary vascular center were analyzed. Patients treated with an integrated ultra-low-dose protocol (Gr
Mucins 5AC (MUC5AC) and 5B (MUC5B) are the major mucins providing the organizing framework for the airway's mucus gel. We retrieved bronchial mucosal biopsies and bronchial wash (BW) samples through bronchoscopy from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 38), healthy never-smokers (n = 40), and smokers with normal lung function (n = 40). The expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was as
Objectives: Physical function—the capacity to perform tasks requiring endurance and/or strength—is a key determinant of fitness that has directly influenced Homo sapiens' survival, reproduction and health throughout our evolutionary journey. However, the last 200–300 years of global industrialization has transformed human habitats at an unprecedented rate and may now be compromising key functions
Rationale: Residual sleep apnoea—defined by an Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index ≥10 events/hour—affects~20% of obstructive sleep apnoea patients treated with positive airway pressure therapy and poses a major clinical challenge. Ventilatory control instability is a plausible cause of residual sleep apnoea. Elevated loop gain (LG), a measure of ventilatory instability, may be a risk factor, but this has not
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) kills millions of people annually and patients suffering from exacerbations of this disorder display high morbidity and mortality. The clinical course of COPD is associated with dysbiosis and infections, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Glycosylation of proteins play roles in regulating interactions between microbes and immune cells,
Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach of half of the human population. Most H. pylori are located in the mucus layer, which is mainly comprised by glycosylated mucins. Using mass spectrometry, we identified 631 glycans (whereof 145 were fully characterized and the remainder assigned as compositions) on mucins isolated from 14 Helicobacter spp.-infected and 14 Helicobacter spp.-noninfected stom
Streptococcus oralis is an oral commensal and opportunistic pathogen that can enter the bloodstream and cause bacteremia and infective endocarditis. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of S. oralis binding to oral mucins using clinical isolates, isogenic mutants and glycoconjugates. S. oralis bound to both MUC5B and MUC7, with a higher level of binding to MUC7. Mass spectrometry identified 128 gl
PURPOSE: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are common comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are poorly understood. Given that these morbidities all display increased neutrophil mobilization, the current study aimed to address whether glucose homeostasis relates to signs of neutrophil mobilization in COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive inflammatory lung disease with high morbidity and mortality. The IL-36 family are proinflammatory cytokines that are known to shape innate immune responses, including those critical to bacterial pneumonia. The objective of this study was to determine whether IL-36 cytokines promote a proinflammatory milieu in the lungs of long-term smok
RATIONALE: Smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with dysregulated production of mucus. Mucins (MUC) are important both for mucus secretion and epithelial defense. We have examined the distribution of MUC1 and MUC4 in the airway epithelial cells of never-smokers and smokers with and without COPD.METHODS: Mucosal biopsies and bronchial wash samples were obtained
Study region: Sebeya catchment in northwestern Rwanda. Study focus: The Sebeya catchment is highly vulnerable to flooding due to steep terrain, intense rainfall, and the expansion of human settlements. The aim was to develop a hydraulic model for flood-hazard and flood exposure mapping. The HEC-RAS model was developed for the most exposed stretch of the river, using data on water levels, flows, an
There is incomplete mechanistic understanding of the mobilization of neutrophils in the systemic and local compartment in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this pilot study, we characterized how the adhesion molecules CD11b and CD62L, surface markers indicative of priming, are altered as neutrophils extravasate, and whether surface density of CD11b and CD62L differs bet
Ammonia (NH3) is a promising carbon-free fuel, and hydrogen (H2) enrichment is frequently employed to enhance its low reactivity. This study investigates the laminar burning velocity (SL), a fundamental combustion property, of NH3 + H2 flames under ultra-lean and ultra-rich conditions via oxygen (O2) enrichment strategy at 1 atm and 298 K. Experimental measurements and simulations using five kinet
Orchestrating oxygen-vacancy/plasmon synergy within a monolithic Ag@SrTiO3 heterostructure yields a self-regenerating SERS metasurface for high-fidelity molecular fingerprinting. Through an in situ reduction strategy, Ag nanoparticles are intimately and conformally anchored across the entire SrTiO3 nanocube surface, achieving maximal surface utilization and seamless electronic coupling at the hete
There is little information on mucins versus potential regulatory factors in the peripheral airway lumen of long-term smokers with (LTS+) and without (LTS-) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We explored these matters in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from two study materials, both including LTS+ and LTS- with a very similar historic exposure to tobacco smoke, and healthy non-smok
The β4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3 (B4GALNT3) transfers GalNAc in a β1,4-linkage to GlcNAc forming the LacdiNAc (LDN) determinant on oligosaccharides. The LacdiNAc-binding adhesin (LabA) has been suggested to mediate attachment of Helicobacter pylori to the gastric mucosa via binding to the LDN determinant. The O-glycan core chain specificity of B4GALNT3 is poorly defined. We investigated
Helicobacter suis is the most prevalent non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species in the human stomach and is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. H. suis colonizes the gastric mucosa of 60-95% of pigs at slaughter age, and is associated with chronic gastritis, decreased weight gain, and ulcers. Here, we show tha
