From gifted to high potential and twice exceptional: A state-of-the-art meta-review.

Despite the abundant literature on intelligence and high potential individuals, there is still a lack of international consensus on the terminology and clinical characteristics associated to this population. It has been argued that unstandardized use of diagnosis tools and research methods make comparisons and interpretations of scientific and epidemiological evidence difficult in this field. If multiple cognitive and psychological models have attempted to explain the mechanisms underlying high potentiality, there is a need to confront new scientific evidence with the old, to uproot a global understanding of what constitutes the neurocognitive profile of high-potential in gifted individuals. Another particularly relevant aspect of applied research on high potentiality concerns the challenges faced by individuals referred to as "twice exceptional" in the field of education and in their socio-affective life. Some individuals have demonstrated high forms of intelligence together with learning, affective or neurodevelopmental disorders posing the question as to whether compensating or exacerbating psycho-cognitive mechanisms might underlie their observed behavior. Elucidating same will prove relevant to questions concerning the possible need for differential diagnosis tools, specialized educational and clinical support. A meta-review of the latest findings from neuroscience to developmental psychology, might help in the conception and reviewing of intervention strategies.

Inability to work following COVID-19 vaccination-a relevant aspect for future booster vaccinations.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 vaccination is a key prevention strategy to reduce the spread and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, vaccine-related inability to work among healthcare workers (HCWs) could overstrain healthcare systems. STUDY DESIGN: The study presented was conducted as part of the prospective CoVacSer cohort study. METHODS: This study examined sick leave and intake of pro re nata medication after the first, second, and third COVID-19 vaccination in HCWs. Data were collected by using an electronic questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 1704 HCWs enrolled, 595 (34.9%) HCWs were on sick leave following at least one COVID-19 vaccination, leading to a total number of 1550 sick days. Both the absolute sick days and the rate of HCWs on sick leave significantly increased with each subsequent vaccination. Comparing BNT162b2mRNA and mRNA-1273, the difference in sick leave was not significant after the second dose, but mRNA-1273 induced a significantly longer and more frequent sick leave after the third. CONCLUSION: In the light of further COVID-19 infection waves and booster vaccinations, there is a risk of additional staff shortages due to postvaccination inability to work, which could negatively impact the already strained healthcare system and jeopardise patient care. These findings will aid further vaccination campaigns to minimise the impact of staff absences on the healthcare system.

Measurement of Differential Branching Fractions of Inclusive B→X_{u}ℓ

The first measurements of differential branching fractions of inclusive semileptonic B→X_{u}ℓ^{+}ν_{ℓ} decays are performed using the full Belle data set of 711 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity at the ϒ(4S) resonance and for ℓ=e, µ. With the availability of these measurements, new avenues for future shape-function model-independent determinations of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{ub}| can be pursued to gain new insights in the existing tension with respect to exclusive determinations. The differential branching fractions are reported as a function of the lepton energy, the four-momentum-transfer squared, light-cone momenta, the hadronic mass, and the hadronic mass squared. They are obtained by subtracting the backgrounds from semileptonic B→X_{c}ℓ^{+}ν_{ℓ} decays and other processes, and corrected for resolution and acceptance effects.

Diagnosis clinical criteria of sport related concussion: Toward an operational criteria definition in France.

OBJECTIVE: An expert working group was set up at the initiative of the French Ministry of Sports with the objective of harmonising the management of sport related concussion (SRC) in France, starting with its definition and diagnosis criteria. RESULTS: Definition: A clinical definition in 4 points have been established as follows: Concussion is a brain injury: 1) caused by a direct or indirect transmission of kinetic energy to the head; 2) resulting in an immediate and transient dysfunction of the brain characterised by at least one of the following disorders: a) Loss of consciousness, b) loss of memory, c) altered mental status, d) neurological signs; 3) possibly followed by one or more functional complaints (concussion syndrome); 4) the signs and symptoms are not explained by another cause. Diagnosis criteria: In the context of the direct or indirect transmission of kinetic energy to the head, the diagnosis of concussion may be asserted if at least one of the following signs or symptoms, observed or reported, is present within the first 24hours and not explained by another cause: 1) loss of consciousness; 2) convulsions, tonic posturing; 3) ataxia; 4) visual trouble; 5) neurological deficit; 6) confusion; 7) disorientation; 8) unusual behaviour; 9) amnesia; 10) headaches; 11) dizziness; 12) fatigue, low energy; 13) feeling slowed down, drowsiness; 14) nausea; 15) sensitivity to light/noise; 16) not feeling right, in a fog; 17) difficulty concentrating. CONCLUSION: Sharing the same definition and the same clinical diagnostic criteria for concussion is the prerequisite for common rules of management for all sports and should allow the pooling of results to improve our knowledge of this pathology.

[Current indications for plasma therapy in dermatology]. / Aktuelle Indikationen der Plasmatherapie in der Dermatologie.

BACKGROUND: Plasma medicine is gaining increasing interest and provides a multitude of dermatological applications. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) can be used in clinical applications without harming the treated tissue or in a tissue destructive manner. It consists of a complex mixture of biologically active agents, which can act synergistically on the treated material or tissue. OBJECTIVES: A summary of the current research findings regarding dermatological applications of CAP is provided. METHODS: Literature on CAP applications in dermatology has been screened and summarized. RESULTS: CAP exerts antimicrobial, tissue-stimulating, blood-flow-stimulating but also pro-apoptotic effects. By exploiting these properties, CAP is successfully applied for disinfection and treatment of chronic ulcerations. Furthermore, positive effects of CAP have been shown for the treatment of tumors, actinic keratosis, scars, ichthyosis, atopic eczema as well as for alleviation of pain and itch. CONCLUSIONS: While the use of CAP for disinfection and wound treatment has already moved into clinical practice, further applications such as cancer treatment are still exploratory.

Search for a Light CP-odd Higgs Boson and Low-Mass Dark Matter at the Belle Experiment.

We report on the first Belle search for a light CP-odd Higgs boson, A^{0}, that decays into low mass dark matter, χ, in final states with a single photon and missing energy. We search for events produced via the dipion transition ϒ(2S)→ϒ(1S)π^{+}π^{-}, followed by the on-shell process ϒ(1S)→γA^{0} with A^{0}→χχ, or by the off-shell process ϒ(1S)→γχχ. Utilizing a data sample of 157.3×10^{6} ϒ(2S) decays, we find no evidence for a signal. We set limits on the branching fractions of such processes in the mass ranges M_{A^{0}}<8.97 GeV/c^{2} and M_{χ}<4.44 GeV/c^{2}. We then use the limits on the off-shell process to set competitive limits on WIMP-nucleon scattering in the WIMP mass range below 5 GeV/c^{2}.

Characterisation and pure culture of putative health-associated oral bacterium BU063 (Tannerella sp. HOT-286) reveals presence of a potentially novel glycosylated S-layer.

Tannerella HOT-286 (phylotype BU063) is a recently identified novel filamentous Gram-negative anaerobic oral bacterium cultured for the first time recently in co-culture with Propionibacterium acnes. In contrast to the related periodontal disease-associated pathobiont Tannerella forsythia, it is considered a putative health-associated bacterium. In this paper, we identified that this organism could be grown in pure culture if N-acetyl muramic acid (NAM) was provided in the media, although surprisingly the genetic basis of this phenomenon is not likely to be due to a lack of NAM synthesis genes. During further microbiological investigations, we showed for the first time that T. HOT-286 possesses a prominent extracellular S-layer with a novel morphology putatively made up of two proteins modified with an unknown glycan. These data further our knowledge of this poorly understood organism and genus that is an important part of the oral and human microbiome.

Inhibition of sialidase activity and cellular invasion by the bacterial vaginosis pathogen Gardnerella vaginalis.

Bacterial vaginosis is a genital tract infection, thought to be caused by transformation of a lactobacillus-rich flora to a dysbiotic microbiota enriched in mixed anaerobes. The most prominent of these is Gardnerella vaginalis (GV), an anaerobic pathogen that produces sialidase enzyme to cleave terminal sialic acid residues from human glycans. Notably, high sialidase activity is associated with preterm birth and low birthweight. We explored the potential of the sialidase inhibitor Zanamavir against GV whole cell sialidase activity using methyl-umbelliferyl neuraminic acid (MU-NANA) cleavage assays, with Zanamavir causing a 30% reduction in whole cell GV sialidase activity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, cellular invasion assays using HeLa cervical epithelial cells, infected with GV, demonstrated that Zanamivir elicited a 50% reduction in cell association and invasion (p < 0.05). Our data thus highlight that pharmacological sialidase inhibitors are able to modify BV-associated sialidase activity and influence host-pathogen interactions and may represent novel therapeutic adjuncts.

Cryotherapy induces an increase in muscle stiffness.

Although cold application (ie, cryotherapy) may be useful to treat sports injuries and to prevent muscle damage, it is unclear whether it has adverse effects on muscle mechanical properties. This study aimed to determine the effect of air-pulsed cryotherapy on muscle stiffness estimated using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Myoelectrical activity, ankle passive torque, shear modulus (an index of stiffness), and muscle temperature of the gastrocnemius medialis were measured before, during an air-pulsed cryotherapy (-30°C) treatment of four sets of 4 minutes with 1-minute recovery in between and during a 40 minutes postcryotherapy period. Muscle temperature significantly decreased after the second set of treatment (10 minutes: 32.3±2.5°C; P<.001), peaked at 29 minutes (27.9±2.2°C; P<.001) and remained below baseline values at 60 minutes (29.5±2.0°C; P<.001). Shear modulus increased by +11.5±11.8% after the second set (10 minutes; P=.011), peaked at 30 minutes (+34.7±42.6%; P<.001), and remained elevated until the end of the post-treatment period (+25.4±17.1%; P<.001). These findings provide evidence that cryotherapy induces an increase in muscle stiffness. This acute change in muscle mechanical properties may lower the amount of stretch that the muscle tissue is able to sustain without subsequent injury. This should be considered when using cryotherapy in athletic practice.

Effects of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Inhibitor Everolimus on Hepatitis C Virus Replication In Vitro and In Vivo.

BACKGROUND: The influence of immunosuppressants on hepatitis C virus (HCV) re-infection after liver transplantation, particularly mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, remains unclear. The aim of our study was to analyze the influence of everolimus (EVR) on HCV replication activity in the context of underlying molecular mechanisms, with focus on the pro-myelocytic leukemia protein (PML). METHODS: HCV viral load was recorded in 40 patients with post-transplant HCV re-infection before and 8 weeks after introduction of EVR. An HCV cell culture replicon system for genotype (GT) 1b, GT2b, and GT3a was used to compare the influence of EVR on HCV replication for the respective genotypes in vitro. Fluorescence-activated cell-sorting analysis was used to test for effects on cell proliferation. PML expression was silenced with the use of small hairpin RNA constructs, and PML expression was quantified by means of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In patients with HCV, the viral load of GT1a and GT1b was hardly affected by EVR, whereas the viral load was reduced in patients with GT2a (P ≤ .0001) or GT3 infection (P ≤ .05). In vitro EVR impairs HCV replication activity of GT2a and GT3a up to 60% (P ≤ .0005), whereas in GT1b cells, HCV replication activity is increased by 50% (P ≤ .005). Replicon cell viability was not impaired. HCV replication activity is impaired in the absence of PML, which can be reversed by overexpression of PML isoforms. Furthermore, in the absence of PML, the effect of EVR on HCV replication activity is nearly abrogated. CONCLUSIONS: The mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor EVR influences HCV replication via PML. The herein presented results suggest a genotype-dependent benefit for an EVR-based immunosuppressive regimen in patients with GT2a or GT3 re-infection after liver transplantation.

The trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid increases triacylglycerol hydrolysis in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

AIMS: The trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is known for its antilipogenic effect but the mechanism is not fully clear. In this study, the potential of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) metabolism to offer evidence for the mechanism was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: The inhibitory effect of CLA on lipid accumulation was studied by analysing the transcript abundance of selected genes involved in triacylglycerol synthesis (LRO1, DGA1, ARE1 and ARE2) in the presence of the two bioactive CLA isomers: trans-10,cis-12 and the cis-9,trans-11 CLA. None of the enzymes was reduced in transcription but the expression of ARE2 was induced by trans-10,cis-12 CLA. However, the ARE2 overexpression did not contribute to lipid accumulation. The expression of the Δ9 desaturase gene, OLE1, was reduced by the cis-9,trans-11 but not by the trans-10,cis-12 isomer. In the TGL3/TGL4-knockout strain the triacylglycerol content also remained high in the CLA fed cells. CONCLUSIONS: Triacylglycerol hydrolysis rather than synthesis was the most probable reason for the reduced lipid content in yeast induced by CLA. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study revealed new aspects of the functionality of CLA in eukaryotic lipid metabolism. Yeast was proven to be an applicable model to study further the mechanism of trans-10,cis-12 CLA functionality on lipid metabolism.

New automated indirect immunofluorescent antinuclear antibody testing compares well with established manual immunofluorescent screening and titration for antinuclear antibody on HEp-2 cells.

The IIF using the HEp-2 cell substrate should be still considered the "gold standard" techniques for determination of antinuclear antibody (ANA). Standardization and automation can be considered to be still in progress. Aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the commercially automated indirect immunofluorescent antinuclear HEp-2 antibody assay. The study was designed to compare two commercially available HEp-2 ANA by indirect immunofluorescent antibody assays using a sensitivity panel (120 clinically determined patients) and a specificity panel consisting of 78 clinically confirmed negative patients. We compared the NOVA View® system [INOVA Diagnostics San Diego, USA] with the new HELIOS Processor from AESKU Systems/AESKU.Diagnostics (Wendelsheim, Germany) to assess their capability for screening, pattern recognition and titration of the samples. These automated methods were directly compared to manual reading of the same processed slides on respective microscopes and also compared with the known clinical information. The results of the two automated methods were in very good agreement with recognizing negative and positive samples. The HELIOS system detected 188 samples correctly as negative or positive versus 187 detected by the NOVA View® system. The diagnostic sensitivity of the systems was 95.8 versus 96.7 % for HELIOS and NOVA View®, respectively. The systems exhibited a diagnostic specificity of 93.5 % for the HELIOS system and 91.0 % for the NOVA View®. Both systems are suitable for fast and reliable detection of positivity/negativity due to their high sensitivity and will lead to a further increase of standardization in autoimmunity.

Fitness differences between parapatric lake and stream stickleback revealed by a field transplant.

Molecular comparisons of populations diverging into ecologically different environments often reveal strong differentiation in localized genomic regions, with the remainder of the genome being weakly differentiated. This pattern of heterogeneous genomic divergence, however, is rarely connected to direct measurements of fitness differences among populations. We here do so by performing a field enclosure experiment in threespine stickleback fish residing in a lake and in three replicate adjoining streams, and displaying weak yet heterogeneous genomic divergence between these habitats. Tracking survival over 29 weeks, we consistently find that lake genotypes transplanted into the streams suffer greatly reduced viability relative to local stream genotypes and that the performance of F1 hybrid genotypes is intermediate. This observed selection against migrants and hybrids combines to a total reduction in gene flow from the lake into streams of around 80%. Overall, our study identifies a strong reproductive barrier between parapatric stickleback populations, and cautions against inferring weak fitness differences between populations exhibiting weak overall genomic differentiation.

Characterization of an α-l-fucosidase from the periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythia.

The periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythia expresses several glycosidases which are linked to specific growth requirements and are involved in the invasion of host tissues. α-l-Fucosyl residues are exposed on various host glycoconjugates and, thus, the α-l-fucosidases predicted in the T. forsythia ATCC 43037 genome could potentially serve roles in host-pathogen interactions. We describe the molecular cloning and characterization of the putative fucosidase TfFuc1 (encoded by the bfo_2737 = Tffuc1 gene), previously reported to be present in an outer membrane preparation. In terms of sequence, this 51-kDa protein is a member of the glycosyl hydrolase family GH29. Using an artificial substrate, p-nitrophenyl-α-fucose (KM 670 µM), the enzyme was determined to have a pH optimum of 9.0 and to be competitively inhibited by fucose and deoxyfuconojirimycin. TfFuc1 was shown here to be a unique α(1,2)-fucosidase that also possesses α(1,6) specificity on small unbranched substrates. It is active on mucin after sialidase-catalyzed removal of terminal sialic acid residues and also removes fucose from blood group H. Following knock-out of the Tffuc1 gene and analyzing biofilm formation and cell invasion/adhesion of the mutant in comparison to the wild-type, it is most likely that the enzyme does not act extracellularly. Biochemically interesting as the first fucosidase in T. forsythia to be characterized, the biological role of TfFuc1 may well be in the metabolism of short oligosaccharides in the periplasm, thereby indirectly contributing to the virulence of this organism. TfFuc1 is the first glycosyl hydrolase in the GH29 family reported to be a specific α(1,2)-fucosidase.

[Differential diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms. Quantitative NF-E2 immunohistochemistry for differentiating between essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis]. / Differenzialdiagnose myelproliferativer Neoplasien. Quantitative NF-E2-Immunhistochemie zur Unterscheidung zwischen essenzieller Thrombozythämie und primärer Myelofibrose.

BACKGROUND: Besides essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) the myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) comprise the entity of unclassifiable MPNs (MPN, U). The exact differential diagnosis of the specific MPN entities can be challenging particularly at early stages of the diseases. So far, pathologists have had to rely only on histomorphological evaluation of bone marrow biopsies in combination with laboratory data because helpful ancillary tests are not yet available. Even molecular tests, such as JAK2 mutation analysis are not helpful particularly in the differential diagnosis of ET and PMF because both entities are associated with the V617F mutation in 50 % of the cases. Recently overexpression of the transcription factor NF-E2 in MPN was described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A collective of samples consisting of 163 bone marrow biopsies including 139 MPN cases was stained immunohistochemically for NF-E2 and analyzed regarding the subcellular localization of NF-E2 in erythroid progenitor cells. The results were compared between the MPN entities as well as the controls and statistical analyses were conducted. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This study showed that NF-E2 immunohistochemistry and analysis of the proportion of nuclear positive erythroblasts of all erythroid precursor cells can help to distinguish between ET and PMF even in early stages of the diseases. An MPN, U case showing a proportion of more than 20 % nuclear positive erythroblasts can be classified as a PMF with 92 % accuracy.

Search for bottomonium states in exclusive radiative Υ(2S) decays.

We search for bottomonium states in Υ(2S) → (bb)γ decays with an integrated luminosity of 24.7 fb(-1) recorded at the Υ(2S) resonance with the Belle detector at KEK, containing (157.8±3.6)×10(6) Υ(2S) events. The (bb) system is reconstructed in 26 exclusive hadronic final states composed of charged pions, kaons, protons, and K(S)(0) mesons. We find no evidence for the state recently observed around 9975 MeV (X(bb)) in an analysis based on a data sample of 9.3×10(6) Υ(2S) events collected with the CLEO III detector. We set a 90% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction B[Υ(2S) → X(bb)γ] × ∑(i)B[X(bb) → h(i)] < 4.9×10(-6), summed over the exclusive hadronic final states employed in our analysis. This result is an order of magnitude smaller than the measurement reported with CLEO data. We also set an upper limit for the ηb(1S) state of B[Υ(2S) → ηb(1S)γ] × ∑(i)B[ηb(1S) → h(i)] < 3.7×10(-6).

Evidence of a new narrow resonance decaying to χ(c1)γ in B→χ(c1)γK.

We report measurements of B→χ(c1)γK and χ(c2)γK decays using 772×10(6) BB[over ¯] events collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. Evidence of a new resonance in the χ(c1)γ final state is found with a statistical significance of 3.8σ. This state has a mass of 3823.1±1.8(stat)±0.7(syst) MeV/c(2), a value that is consistent with theoretical expectations for the previously unseen 1(3)D(2) cc[over ¯] meson. We find no other narrow resonance and set upper limits on the branching fractions of the X(3872)→χ(c1)γ and χ(c2)γ decays.

Study of e+ e- → π+ π- J/ψ and observation of a charged charmoniumlike state at Belle.

The cross section for ee+ e- → π+ π- J/ψ between 3.8 and 5.5 GeV is measured with a 967 fb(-1) data sample collected by the Belle detector at or near the Υ(nS) (n = 1,2,…,5) resonances. The Y(4260) state is observed, and its resonance parameters are determined. In addition, an excess of π+ π- J/ψ production around 4 GeV is observed. This feature can be described by a Breit-Wigner parametrization with properties that are consistent with the Y(4008) state that was previously reported by Belle. In a study of Y(4260) → π+ π- J/ψ decays, a structure is observed in the M(π(±)J/ψ) mass spectrum with 5.2σ significance, with mass M = (3894.5 ± 6.6 ± 4.5) MeV/c2 and width Γ = (63 ± 24 ± 26) MeV/c2, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. This structure can be interpreted as a new charged charmoniumlike state.

Evidence for B- → τ- ν(τ) with a hadronic tagging method using the full data sample of Belle.

We measure the branching fraction of B- → τ- ν(τ) using the full Υ(4S) data sample containing 772×10(6) BB pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+ e- collider. Events with BB pairs are tagged by reconstructing one of the B mesons decaying into hadronic final states, and B- → τ- ν(τ) candidates are detected in the recoil. We find evidence for B- → τ- ν(τ) with a significance of 3.0 standard deviations including systematic errors and measure a branching fraction B(B- → τ- ν(τ))=[0.72(-0.25)(+0.27)(stat)±0.11(syst)]×10(-4).