Functional Level Research Articles

Effect of different forms of tobacco on the oral microbiome in healthy adults: a systematic review.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of tobacco use on the composition and functions of the oral microbiome in healthy adult humans. We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Cinhal databases for literature published until 15 December 2023, to identify studies that have evaluated the oral microbiome with culture-independent next-generation techniques comparing the oral microbiome of tobacco users and non-users. The search followed the PECO format. The outcomes included changes in microbial diversity and abundance of microbial taxa. The quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) (PROSPERO ID CRD42022340151). Out of 2,435 articles screened, 36 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria and were selected for full-text review. Despite differences in design, quality, and population characteristics, most studies reported an increase in bacterial diversity and richness in tobacco users. The most notable bacterial taxa enriched in users were Fusobacteria and Actinobacteria at the phylum level and Streptococcus, Prevotella, and Veillonella at the genus level. At the functional level, more similarities could be noted; amino acid metabolism and xenobiotic biodegradation pathways were increased in tobacco users compared to non-users. Most of the studies were of good quality on the NOS scale. Tobacco smoking influences oral microbial community harmony, and it shows a definitive shift towards a proinflammatory milieu. Heterogeneities were detected due to sampling and other methodological differences, emphasizing the need for greater quality research using standardized methods and reporting. CRD42022340151.

THE EFFECT OF NEUROMUSCULAR EXERCISES ON FUNCTIONALITY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND BALANCE IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS: RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

This study was planned as single- blinded randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of neuromuscular exercises on functionality, physical activity, and balance in patients with osteoarthritis. Sixty patients with osteoarthritis were included. Patients were selected using the random sampling method and allocated to two groups: The experimental group (n=30), and the control group (n=30). The exercises were administered to both groups 6 days a week for 6 weeks, with one set under the physiotherapist’s control and two sets of home exercises repeated 10 times. Pain (VAS), physical activity level, functionality, and balance were evaluated before and after treatment. We found a significant difference in levels of functionality, pain (p

The role of GPRASP1 mutations in the pathogenesis of arteriovenous malformations

Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) is a sporadic vascular disease caused by the aberrant direct connection between arterioles and veins, resulting in disorganized blood shunting and oxygen level disparities. Previous research has elucidated some of the genetic underpinnings of AVM and related vascular anomalies. Despite its significant prevalence, current therapeutic approaches remain largely conservative, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of AVM pathogenesis. This study focuses on the GPRASP1 gene, which encodes the G-protein coupled receptor-associated sorting protein 1 (GASP-1), a molecule implicated in vascular development. Utilizing western blotting and cellular assays, we explored the role of GPRASP1 in angiogenesis, neoplastic formation, and other mechanical aspects of AVM. Our findings suggested that mutations in the GPRASP1 gene may contribute to elevated levels of angiogenic factors and altered cellular functions related to angiogenesis, such as enhanced proliferative and migratory capabilities. This research lays the groundwork for identifying novel therapeutic targets in the management of AVM and offers insights into precision medicine approaches.

Predicting the role of the human gut microbiome in type 1 diabetes using machine-learning methods.

Gut microbes is a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, it is still unclear which gut microbiota are the key factors affecting T1D and their influence on the development and progression of the disease. To fill these knowledge gaps, we constructed a model to find biomarker from gut microbiota in patients with T1D. We first identified microbial markers using Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) and random forest (RF) methods. Furthermore, by constructing co-occurrence networks for gut microbes in T1D, we aimed to reveal all gut microbial interactions as well as major beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in healthy populations and type 1 diabetic patients. Finally, PICRUST2 was used to predict Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional pathways and KO gene levels of microbial markers to investigate the biological role. Our study revealed that 21 identified microbial genera are important biomarker for T1D. Their AUC values are 0.962 and 0.745 on discovery set and validation set. Functional analysis showed that 10 microbial genera were significantly positively associated with D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, spliceosome in transcription, steroid hormone biosynthesis and glycosaminoglycan degradation. These genera were significantly negatively correlated with steroid biosynthesis, cyanoamino acid metabolism and drug metabolism. The other 11 genera displayed an inverse correlation. In summary, our research identified a comprehensive set of T1D gut biomarkers with universal applicability and have revealed the biological consequences of alterations in gut microbiota and their interplay. These findings offer significant prospects for individualized management and treatment of T1D.

A randomised controlled trial assessing the effects of weather sensitivity profile and walking in nature on the psychophysiological response to stress in individuals with coronary artery disease. A study protocol

BackgroundThe following protocol pertains to a pioneer study, aiming to investigate how weather sensitivity and walking in different environments affects the psychophysiological responses to the stress of individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) during rehabilitation (WE_SENSE_THE_NATURE). This randomised control trial will provide fresh insight on the influence of the environmental exposure in CAD patients, as it is seldom investigated in association to the disease. Additionally, findings on the link between personality traits and cognitive functions (especially cognitive flexibility), and weather sensitivity may help reveal a fine-grained perspective on the treatment possibilities for individuals with CAD at risk to stress-vulnerability.MethodsThe proposed protocol is for a randomised control trial among individuals attending a cardiac rehabilitation program. We aim to recruit 164 individuals, collecting information related to demographic characteristics, weather sensitivity, functional capacity, personality traits, subjective mental health status, cognitive function, and basal cortisol level of participating individuals. Basal cortisol level refers to cortisol concentration in saliva and will be tested in the morning and the afternoon prior to the day of the experiment. After baseline measurements, the patients will be randomly assigned to either walking outdoors or walking indoors. All measures and their sequential order will remain the same within each group, while the treatment condition (i.e., walking environment) will vary between groups. On the day of the experiment, hemodynamic parameters (assessed via 6-hour blood pressure measurements), stress level (consisting of assessments of cortisol level), and mood (assessed using visual analogues scale) will be registered. Cold stress test will be administered to evaluate the effect of walking in different environments.DiscussionThe outcomes of this study may have direct clinical applications for the use of different types of exercise environments in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Awareness about the potential influence of weather sensitivity on the psychophysiological reactions to stress in individuals with CAD may contribute to a timely planning and implementation of actions leading to improved medical care services and preventive measures, especially considering the expected weather oscillations and extreme weather events due to unfolding of the climate change.Trial registrationThis protocol has been retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with identifier code: NCT06139705 on November 20, 2023.

Benefits and risk of using crossfit training to the process of physical training of military specialists

The physical preparation of military personnel remains a pertinent focus of scientific inquiry in the development of a contemporary army. This necessitates the exploration of effective fitness training approaches that contribute to crafting an efficient methodology for the physical readiness of military specialists. CrossFit emerges as a popular and effective direction capable of addressing this challenge. Analysis has permitted the synthesis of information about the essence of CrossFit as a high-intensity method of physical training, highlighting its advantages in enhancing the physical fitness and functional readiness of military personnel. Despite the potential benefits and accessibility of CrossFit, caution is warranted regarding its integration into the military’s physical training system due to the heightened risk of injuries, which could impact the quality of their professional duties. Therefore, a meticulous examination of CrossFit training specifics is imperative, taking into account the unique demands and fitness requirements of military personnel. The availability of CrossFit exercises enables the creation of flexible training programs using block planning within a macrocycle duration. This facilitates the al ternating focus of training and the comprehensive execution of military physical training tasks. Implementing CrossFit in military physical training should consider the peculiarities of the profession and the contextual conditions, adhering to safety protocols during exercise execution. This necessitates careful attention to mastering the rational technique of exercises. The selection of training modes should align with the training objectives and the current functional status and fitness level of military personnel. Overall, CrossFit proves to be an effective tool for physical training, with successful integration possible if methodological adherence is maintained, thereby unlocking its advantages for addressing the physical training needs of the army.

Hybrid Privacy Preserving Federated Learning Against Irregular Users in Next-Generation Internet of Things

While federated learning (FL) is a well-known privacy-preserving (PP) solution, recent studies demonstrate that it still has privacy problems and vulnerabilities, particularly in the context of the Next Generation Internet-of-Things (NG-IoT). Attackers on the server can potentially retrieve sensitive information such as data tabs and memberships. Additionally, current FL studies often overlook critical FL issues such as user dropout and low-quality data, which are prevalent in NG-IoT environments. In this article, we propose a privacy-preserving federated model in hybrid terms based on synchronous + asynchronous manner. This federated model removes the fundamental issues of FL-enabled NG-IoT environments while applying Two-Trapdoor Homomorphic Encryption (TTHE) to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all components in the proposed model. Furthermore, our server protocol removes the effect of irregular users. In this regard, to control the impact of user dropout, we developed the hybrid LEGATO algorithm, which is asynchronous. To tackle users with low-quality data, we utilize the data-sharing method. Security analysis of the proposed model guarantees correctness, auditing, and PP in a federated setup. Also, in the performance evaluation, we achieved a high level of functionality and accuracy compared to peer works, while system overheads are shown to be lower.

Wearable electronic devices in parasports: A focused review on para athlete classification.

Wearable electronic devices are being used to evaluate movement patterns, track workload, prevent injuries, and optimize performance in athletes. Para athletes have unique characteristics to consider separately from the general population. One such difference in competitive parasports includes consideration of athlete classification systems. These sport-specific classification systems consider athletes' eligible medical conditions that lead to permanent physical, visual, and/or intellectual impairments and objectively evaluate the impact of their impairments on sport functions. Para athletes are assigned sport classes and compete with athletes of similar functional levels. This promotes equitable opportunities to compete while minimizing the effect their impairment has on their sport performance. With recent reports of misrepresentation or incorrect and unfair classification providing unfair advantages to some athletes, parasports classification has been controversial. Having an objective, evidence-based, and fair classification system in parasports is critical to maintain the integrity of parasports competition. Wearable electronic devices have potential to provide more objective analysis of movement patterns in para athletes to assist in sport classification. This review identifies and analyzes the available literature on wearable electronic technology and its role in parasports classification. A comprehensive PubMed and Google Scholar search identified six articles included in this review. These studies used inertial sensors, motion capture systems, or surface electromyography in wheelchair basketball, rugby, tennis, sit skiing, and boccia. This review identifies the potential value of wearable electronic devices to assist in parasports classification. Additional studies are needed to create standardized protocols for each sport and sensor type.

Energetic and Functional Rehabilitation of Residential Buildings in Europe: Analysis and Cataloguing of the Strategies Used

The aim of this paper is to explore the rehabilitation strategies for multi-family dwellings on the level of function and techniques. The study employs its own methods of analysis using a sample of selected cases as a reference. Nearly 20% of EU buildings will have to be renovated by 2023, as almost 40% of the existing houses were built before 1980. The environmental impact of construction is among the highest among industrial activities due to the high consumption of resources and the generation of low-value waste at the construction and demolition stages. One way to reduce the environmental impact in this sector is to intervene in the building process, optimising the use of resources and waste generation. The principal objective of refurbishments is to reduce household energy consumption. However, the renovations in the housing sector should not be limited to energy considerations; the functional and technical aspects should also be considered. A new refurbishment model is necessary to focus on providing and improving the habitability of the housing stock and reducing the environmental impact by optimising the use of resources and waste generation. To achieve this, the renovations should be carefully monitored.

Extended use of point-of-care technology versus usual care for in-home assessment by acute community nurses in older adults with signs of potential acute respiratory disease: an open-label randomised controlled trial protocol

BackgroundDue to ageing-related physiological changes, diagnosing older adults is challenging. Delayed disease recognition may lead to adverse health outcomes and increased hospitalisation, necessitating the development of new initiatives for timely diagnosis and treatment of older adults. Point-of-care technology, such as focused lung ultrasound scan and bedside analysis of blood samples (leucocytes with differential count, electrolytes, and creatinine) conducted in the patients’ home, may support clinical decision-making, and potentially reduce acute hospital admissions.We present the protocol for a randomized controlled trial, which aims at assessing the effect of focused lung ultrasound scan and bedside blood analysis during in-home assessments among older adults with signs of potential acute respiratory disease on hospital admissions.MethodWe will use a parallel open-label, individually randomised controlled trial design in an acute community healthcare setting. The trial will initiate on October 2022 and is expected to end one year later. The study population will include older adults (65 + year), with at least one of the following inclusion criteria: Cough, dyspnoea, fever, fall, or rapid functional decline. Expected study sample will comprise 632 participants. Participants in the control group will receive usual care, while the intervention group will undergo extended point-of-care technology (focused lung ultrasound scan and bedside venous blood analysis), in addition to usual care.The primary outcome is acute hospital admission within 30 days follow-up. Secondary outcomes include readmissions, mortality, length of hospital stay, hospital-free days, complications during hospital admission, treatment initiations or changes, functional level, re-referrals to the acute community healthcare service, and contacts to the primary care physician. A tertiary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy of Acute Community Nurses for conducting focused lung ultrasound compared with a specialist. Outcomes will be analysed as intention-to-treat.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first randomised controlled trial examining the effect of extended use of point-of-care technology conducted in an in-home setting. We expect that the results may contribute to the development of new interventions aiming to improve timely diagnostics, treatment decisions, and reduce acute hospital admissions.Trial Registration www.clinicaltrials.org NCT05546073 (Date of registration: September 19th, 2022).

EvoAug-TF: extending evolution-inspired data augmentations for genomic deep learning to TensorFlow.

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been widely applied to predict the molecular functions of the non-coding genome. DNNs are data hungry and thus require many training examples to fit data well. However, functional genomics experiments typically generate limited amounts of data, constrained by the activity levels of the molecular function under study inside the cell. Recently, EvoAug was introduced to train a genomic DNN with evolution-inspired augmentations. EvoAug-trained DNNs have demonstrated improved generalization and interpretability with attribution analysis. However, EvoAug only supports PyTorch-based models, which limits its applications to a broad class of genomic DNNs based in TensorFlow. Here, we extend EvoAug's functionality to TensorFlow in a new package, we call EvoAug-TF. Through a systematic benchmark, we find that EvoAug-TF yields comparable performance with the original EvoAug package. EvoAug-TF is freely available for users and is distributed under an open-source MIT license. Researchers can access the open-source code on GitHub (https://github.com/p-koo/evoaug-tf). The pre-compiled package is provided via PyPI (https://pypi.org/project/evoaug-tf) with in-depth documentation on ReadTheDocs (https://evoaug-tf.readthedocs.io). The scripts for reproducing the results are available at (https://github.com/p-koo/evoaug-tf_analysis).

Chronic exercise interventions for executive function in overweight children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of chronic exercise in physical activity (PA) as an intervention for executive functions (EFs) in children. We conducted a systematic search in the following online databases: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCOhost. The timing is from database inception to July 2023, following PRISMA guidelines. Our inclusion criteria required studies reporting executive function (EF) levels in overweight children (age 0-18 years) before and after interventions. The Cochrane risk of bias tool assessed study bias, and Egger's test examined publication bias. Subgroup analyses considered three moderators: intervention duration, weekly frequency, and session length. The meta-analysis included a total of 10 studies with 843 participants. It revealed a statistically significant yet relatively small overall positive effect (g = 0.3, 95% CI 0.16-0.44, P < 0.01) of chronic exercise on EF in overweight children. Importantly, there was no significant heterogeneity (Q = 11.64, df = 12, P = 0.48; I2 = 0). Chronic exercise interventions had a consistent positive impact on EF, irrespective of intervention duration, weekly frequency, or session length. However, given limitations in the number and design of studies, further high-quality research is needed to strengthen these conclusions. PROSPERO identifier (CRD42023468588).

Combined effects of norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles on the oxidative stress and gut health of the juvenile horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus

Pollution with anthropogenic contaminants including antibiotics and nanoplastics leads to gradual deterioration of the marine environment, which threatens endangered species such as the horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus. We assessed the potential toxic mechanisms of an antibiotic (norfloxacin, 0, 0.5, 5 μg/L) and polystyrene nanoparticles (104 particles/L) in T. tridentatus using biomarkers of tissue redox status, molting, and gut microbiota. Exposure to single and combined pollutants led to disturbance of redox balance during short-term (7 days) exposure indicated by elevated level of a lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA). After prolonged (14–21 days) exposure, compensatory upregulation of antioxidants (catalase and glutathione but not superoxide dismutase) was observed, and MDA levels returned to the baseline in most experimental exposures. Transcript levels of molting-related genes (ecdysone receptor, retinoic acid X alpha receptor and calmodulin A) and a molecular chaperone (cognate heat shock protein 70) showed weak evidence of response to polystyrene nanoparticles and norfloxacin. The gut microbiota T. tridentatus was altered by exposures to norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles shown by elevated relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. At the functional level, evidence of suppression by norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles was found in multiple intestinal microbiome pathways related to the genetic information processing, metabolism, organismal systems, and environmental information processing. Future studies are needed to assess the physiological and health consequences of microbiome dysbiosis caused by norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles and assist the environmental risk assessment of these pollutants in the wild populations of the horseshoe crabs.

High-density genetic linkage mapping in Sitka spruce advances the integration of genomic resources in conifers.

In species with large and complex genomes such as conifers, dense linkage maps are a useful resource for supporting genome assembly and laying the genomic groundwork at the structural, populational, and functional levels. However, most of the 600+ extant conifer species still lack extensive genotyping resources, which hampers the development of high-density linkage maps. In this study, we developed a linkage map relying on 21,570 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis [Bong.] Carr.), a long-lived conifer from western North America that is widely planted for productive forestry in the British Isles. We used a single-step mapping approach to efficiently combine RAD-seq and genotyping array SNP data for 528 individuals from 2 full-sib families. As expected for spruce taxa, the saturated map contained 12 linkages groups with a total length of 2,142 cM. The positioning of 5,414 unique gene coding sequences allowed us to compare our map with that of other Pinaceae species, which provided evidence for high levels of synteny and gene order conservation in this family. We then developed an integrated map for P. sitchensis and Picea glauca based on 27,052 markers and 11,609 gene sequences. Altogether, these 2 linkage maps, the accompanying catalog of 286,159 SNPs and the genotyping chip developed, herein, open new perspectives for a variety of fundamental and more applied research objectives, such as for the improvement of spruce genome assemblies, or for marker-assisted sustainable management of genetic resources in Sitka spruce and related species.

Brain activation during processing of mouth actions in patients with disorders of consciousness.

In the past 2 decades, several attempts have been made to promote a correct diagnosis and possible restorative interventions in patients suffering from disorders of consciousness. Sensory stimulation has been proved to be useful in sustaining the level of arousal/awareness and to improve behavioural responsiveness with a significant effect on oro-motor functions. Recently, action observation has been proposed as a stimulation strategy in patients with disorders of consciousness, based on neurophysiological evidence that the motor cortex can be activated not only during action execution but also when actions are merely observed in the absence of motor output, or during listening to action sounds and speech. This mechanism is provided by the activity of mirror neurons. In the present study, a group of patients with disorders of consciousness (11 males, 4 females; median age: 55 years; age range: 19-74 years) underwent task-based functional MRI in which they had, in one condition, to observe and listen to the sound of mouth actions, and in another condition, to listen to verbs with motor or abstract content. In order to verify the presence of residual activation of the mirror neuron system, the brain activations of patients were compared with that of a group of healthy individuals (seven males, eight females; median age: 33.4 years; age range: 24-65 years) performing the same tasks. The results show that brain activations were lower in patients with disorders of consciousness compared with controls, except for primary auditory areas. During the audiovisual task, 5 out of 15 patients with disorders of consciousness showed only residual activation of low-level visual and auditory areas. Activation of high-level parieto-premotor areas was present in six patients. During the listening task, three patients showed only low-level activations, and six patients activated also high-level areas. Interestingly, in both tasks, one patient with a clinical diagnosis of vegetative state showed activations of high-level areas. Region of interest analysis on blood oxygen level dependent signal change in temporal, parietal and premotor cortex revealed a significant linear relation with the level of clinical functioning, assessed with coma recovery scale-revised. We propose a classification of the patient's response based on the presence of low-level and high-level activations, combined with the patient's functional level. These findings support the use of action observation and listening as possible stimulation strategies in patients with disorders of consciousness and highlight the relevance of combined methods based on functional assessment and brain imaging to provide more detailed neuroanatomical specificity about residual activated areas at both cortical and subcortical levels.

Evolutionary characteristics of sloping cultivated land under functional diversification in mountain areas: A case of Fengjie County, China

With the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, the rural functions in China's mountainous regions have tended to diversify, and the use of sloping cultivated land has also evolved. Exploring the coupling relationship between rural functional diversification and the evolution of sloping cultivated land is of great significance to the protection of cultivated land in mountainous areas and the sustainable development of villages. We constructed a theoretical framework to analyze the interaction between rural functional diversification and the evolution of sloping cultivated land and then verified it with Fengjie County, China. Our research results show that: the overall agricultural production function, industrial production function, leisure and tourism function, social security function, and ecological conservation function of Fengjie County continue to develop, and the diversification level of rural functions has been enhanced. The high density value areas of sloping cultivated land were more dispersed, and the area of sloping cultivated land showed a decreasing trend. The coupling coordination degree between rural functional diversification and the evolution of gentle sloping cultivated land showed a downward trend, and the ecological economic level of gentle sloping cultivated land decreased. The coupling coordination value with steep sloping cultivated land and sharp steep sloping cultivated land showed a firstly decreasing and then increasing trend, and the ecological economic level of the two kinds of cultivated land increased. The study area can be summarized into four coupling modes and different development strategies should be adopted for different coupling modes. These research methods and findings can provide a reference value for the optimal utilization of sloping cultivated land resources in other mountainous areas.

A Very Deep Graph Convolutional Network for 13C NMR Chemical Shift Calculations with Density Functional Theory Level Performance for Structure Assignment.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift calculations are powerful tools for structure elucidation and have been extensively employed in both natural product and synthetic chemistry. However, density functional theory (DFT) NMR chemical shift calculations are usually time-consuming, while fast data-driven methods often lack reliability, making it challenging to apply them to computationally intensive tasks with a high requirement on quality. Herein, we have constructed a 54-layer-deep graph convolutional network for 13C NMR chemical shift calculations, which achieved high accuracy with low time-cost and performed competitively with DFT NMR chemical shift calculations on structure assignment benchmarks. Our model utilizes a semiempirical method, GFN2-xTB, and is compatible with a broad variety of organic systems, including those composed of hundreds of atoms or elements ranging from H to Rn. We used this model to resolve the controversial J/K ring junction problem of maitotoxin, which is the largest whole molecule assigned by NMR calculations to date. This model has been developed into user-friendly software, providing a useful tool for routine rapid structure validation and assignation as well as a new approach to elucidate the large structures that were previously unsuitable for NMR calculations.

Home-based exercise interventions' impact on breast cancer survivors' functional performance: a systematic review.

Home-based exercise (HBE) programs can be a feasible strategy to enhance functional performance and promote physical activity (PA) in breast cancer survivors. A deeper analysis of the effects of HBE interventions, structured by HBE program type and treatment phase, is needed. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the evidence on HBE interventions' impact on breast cancer survivors' functional performance, PA levels, and program adherence rates, according to HBE intervention type and treatment phase. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles reporting HBE interventions' effects on the outcomes of interest was performed in Pubmed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Web of Science, Science Direct, and B-ON until January 15th, 2024. Data were synthesized according to Denton's domains to classify HBE interventions (prescription: structured vs. unstructured; Delivery method: supervised vs. facilitated vs. unsupervised) and treatment phase. Methodological quality appraisal was performed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool. Twenty-six studies were included. Most studies conducted structured/facilitated interventions and reported positive effects on functional performance (particularly aerobic capacity), increases in PA levels, and high adherence rates (> 70%) during and post-treatment. HBE interventions may be feasible to improve functional performance and promote physical activity among breast cancer survivors. Further studies are needed to confirm which HBE intervention type is more appropriate for each treatment phase. More evidence applying HBE interventions with different designs is required to allow the drawing of more solid conclusions. Studies exploring the effects of HBE interventions on the pre-treatment phase are needed.

A possibility to infer frustrations of supported catalytic clusters from macro-scale observations

Recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that dynamic active centres of supported heterogeneous catalysts may, under certain conditions, be frustrated. Such out-of-equilibrium materials are expected to possess unique catalytic properties and also higher level of functionality. The latter is associated with the navigation through the free energy landscapes with energetically close local minima. The lack of common approaches to the study of out-of-equilibrium materials motivates the search for specific ones. This paper suggests a way to infer some valuable information from the interplay between the intensity of reagent supply and regularities of product formation.

ChipFilter: Microfluidic-Based Comprehensive Sample Preparation Methodology for Microbial Consortia.

The metaproteomic approach is an attractive way to describe a microbiome at the functional level, allowing the identification and quantification of proteins across a broad dynamic range as well as the detection of post-translational modifications. However, it remains relatively underutilized, mainly due to technical challenges that should be addressed, including the complexity of extracting proteins from heterogeneous microbial communities. Here, we show that a ChipFilter microfluidic device coupled to a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) setup can be successfully used for the identification of microbial proteins. Using cultures of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have shown that it is possible to directly lyse the cells and digest the proteins in the ChipFilter to allow the identification of a higher number of proteins and peptides than that by standard protocols, even at low cell density. The peptides produced are overall longer after ChipFilter digestion but show no change in their degree of hydrophobicity. Analysis of a more complex mixture of 17 species from the gut microbiome showed that the ChipFilter preparation was able to identify and estimate the amounts of 16 of these species. These results show that ChipFilter can be used for the proteomic study of microbiomes, particularly in the case of a low volume or cell density. The mass spectrometry data have been deposited on the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the data set identifier PXD039581.