The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) in detecting feigned cognitive impairment, specifically through self-reported cognitive and neurological symptoms, among older adults. The study was carried out at the University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady in Prague, Czech Republic. The study included 172 participants: 56 patients with cognitive impairment (33 patients with MCI and 23 patients with dementia), 54 healthy elderly volunteers as a simulation group, and 62 healthy elderly honest responders. SIMS was used as the primary research tool. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the RBANS and the MoCA. Emotional status and functional abilities were measured using the GDS-15, BAI, and FAQ. Our results support the utility of SIMS in older adults, as the instrument significantly distinguished feigned symptoms from genuine cognitive impairment. At the proposed cutoff score of > 20, the SIMS Total Score yielded 100% sensitivity and specificity. For the AM scale, sensitivity reached 89% and specificity 98% (cutoff > 7), while the NI scale achieved 87% sensitivity and 96% specificity (cutoff > 6). AUC values for these scales exceeded .959. The primary contribution of this work is the introduction of revised cutoff scores specifically tailored for older adults (Total Score > 20, AM > 7, NI > 6, AF > 6, p > 2, and LI > 2). These adjusted criteria minimize the risk of false-positive results while extending the potential applications of SIMS within both clinical and forensic settings.
N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are surface functionalization agents that have been shown to bind to the surface of various metals via a strong covalent bond. Among various NHC subtypes, 1,3-diisopropyl-1H-benzoimidazolylidene (iPrNHC) has been extensively studied. Herein, we describe the use of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to probe the interactions between iPrNHC and Cu and Au surfaces. This study provides unambiguous ToF-SIMS evidence of covalent bonding between the iPrNHC, deposited in solution, and the naturally oxidized copper surface by the detection of iPrNHC-Cu (C13H18N2Cu+), including the corresponding isotope pattern. Depending on the treatment after deposition, covalently bound mono- or biscarbene-Cu complexes were observed. The biscarbene-Cu complexes were readily removed by solvent rinsing, whereas the monocarbene-Cu complex was uniformly distributed in a surface-bound layer. A carbene layer that was vapor-deposited on Au was also examined by ToF-SIMS, which confirmed the presence of biscarbene-Au complexes (C26H36N4Au+) and much weaker monocarbene-Au complexes (C13H18N2Au+), corroborating results obtained by other analytical techniques. This study provides a robust methodological approach for analyzing interfacial bonds, NHC-metal complexes, and their distribution on metal surfaces using ToF-SIMS.
The lumbar roll and modified SIMS are two common manipulation techniques used in clinical practice for sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD), a common cause of low back and pelvic pain. However, there hasn't been clear evidence of these methods' relative clinical efficacy in recent literature. This review was registered in PROSPERO (Reg. No. CRD420251253094) and adhered to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies published between January 2021 and December 2025 were found through a search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (first 200 results). Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental trials, and controlled clinical studies evaluating lumbar roll or modified SIMS manipulation in adults with SIJD using imaging-assisted criteria or validated provocation tests were all considered eligible. Screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment (RoB-2 and ROBINS-I) were carried out independently by two reviewers. Nine of the 1,264 records that were found satisfied the requirements for inclusion. The number of participants in the sample varied from 30 to 90. Following manipulation, the majority of trials reported significant short-term reductions in pain (VAS/NPRS) and disability (ODI/functional measures), with lumbar roll and modified SIMS demonstrating similar clinical benefit. Improvements in pelvic alignment and mobility have been documented in several studies. There were a few transient adverse events, and no significant complications were noted. Although more high-quality trials are required to confirm long-term efficacy and ideal treatment protocols, lumbar roll and modified SIMS manipulation techniques consistently show short-term clinical benefits for SIJD. However, due to the absence of direct head-to-head comparisons and reliance on indirect classification of techniques, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory rather than definitive.
The interfacial chemistry of octadecyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), approximately 2 nm thick, formed on silicon oxide surfaces reflects contributions from both the interfacial siloxane network and the underlying SiO2 substrate. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) enables molecular-level probing of this interface through silicon oxide cluster ions generated during primary ion bombardment. However, interpretation is hindered by the lack of unambiguous diagnostic ions that uniquely distinguish between contributions from the siloxane network and the underlying SiO2 substrate. Here, we demonstrate that this limitation can be overcome by analyzing the relative intensities of commonly observed cluster ions, rather than relying on uniquely identifiable species. In particular, the ion pairs Si2O4H-/Si2O5H- and Si3O6H-/Si3O7H- are identified as sensitive probes of the siloxane network, with the relative intensities of the oxygen-deficient and fully oxygenated ions reflecting the degree of oxygen-deficient (undercoordinated) silicon environments. By leveraging these inter-ion relationships, this approach provides a robust and generalizable framework for elucidating interfacial chemistry in organosilane SAM systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the ToF-SIMS data independently corroborates these findings, confirming that chemically meaningful information is embedded in variations in silicon oxide cluster ion emission and enables clear discrimination between siloxane-derived and substrate-derived contributions.
Characterizing lithium hydride (LiH) in lithium metal batteries is difficult: LiH is extremely air sensitive and composed of light elements that challenge conventional probes, leaving mesoscale morphology, and chemistry underexplored. We introduce a multifunctional cryogenic time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry workflow that integrates top-view and cross-sectional analyses under temperatures below -145∘C. Using commercial LiH standards, the method identifies LiH via characteristic fragments  7Li1H-,  7Li1H2-,  7Li21H-, and  7Li21H+, and uses depth profiling to minimize surface contamination. Applied to lithium deposits electroplated on copper, cross-sectional mapping indicates that LiH is distributed throughout porous electrodes approximately 4μm thick, while top-view depth profiling resolves sub-nanometer composition gradients within the solid-electrolyte interphase. Complementary cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy support the time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry findings by showing LiH as thin surface-localized layers on individual lithium structures. The combined approach delivers chemically specific mapping across nanometer to micrometer length scales while preserving native states of highly reactive materials. This platform supports quantitative comparisons of spatial trends and strengthens multiscale analysis of complex battery interfaces and other air-sensitive systems.
We present The Simsulator, an open-source platform for sim for simulating evolved virtual creatures that balances educational accessibility with research-grade performance. Inspired by Karl Sims's original model, it enables real-time evolution of articulated, 3-D physics-based agents. Its integration with Unity's Data-Oriented Technology Stack allows for scalable and deterministic simulation of thousands of agents on consumer hardware. Users can run evolutionary trials, edit genotypes, and explore behaviors through an interactive interface or headless batch mode. Benchmarks show a 10-40× speedup over legacy implementations, with support for populations of 10,000+. The Simsulator offers a flexible, high-performance foundation for Artificial Life research and education.
Ultraviolet (UV) photofunctionalization has been proposed as a means of removing hydrocarbon accumulation, which causes aging of titanium surfaces. Recent vacuum-UV (VUV) technologies exhibit faster, and more efficient surface activation compared with conventional UV protocols. The aim of the current work was to compare surface rejuvenation of grade V titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4 V) using conventional UV and VUV photofunctionalization with physicochemical analyses and biological assays. Ti6Al4V discs were divided into four groups: Group I (control), Group II (12 min TheraBeam Super Osseo), Group III (15 min TheraBeam Affiny), and Group IV (20 s DIO UV Activator). Surface characteristics were evaluated with SEM, EDS, XRD, TOF-SIMS, and contact angle goniometry. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC/TERT292) were cultured on discs. Cell viability (MTT), morphology (confocal microscopy, SEM), ALP activity, and osteogenic gene expression (Runx2, BSP, OPN, OCN) were assessed. AFM revealed no changes in surface roughness across groups. EDS, XRD, and TOF-SIMS confirmed progressive hydrocarbon removal with UV treatment, with Groups III and IV showing the lowest carbon levels (p < 0.001 vs. control). The contact angle decreased significantly from 76.9° ± 2.58 in controls to 26.9° ± 1.04 after VUV activation (p < 0.001). Biologically, UV treatment enhanced proliferation, cytoskeletal organization, ALP activity, and osteogenic gene expression, with Groups III and IV showing significantly greater responses compared with Group II (p < 0.001) though not significantly different from each other. Both conventional UV and VUV photofunctionalization rejuvenated titanium surfaces and improved osteogenic responses. VUV devices, particularly the DIO UV Activator, achieved equivalent activation in seconds compared with several minutes with conventional UV, suggesting a clinically advantageous, rapid chairside application.
Al-rich coal deposits serve as a strategic alternative source for Gallium (Ga), a critical metal essential for the semiconductor industry. While boehmite is a well-known host for Ga in Al-rich coals, the modes of occurrence of Ga in boehmite-free, Al-rich coals remain poorly understood. This study investigates the mineralogy and in situ geochemistry of the Permian No. 4 coal seam from the Huangyuchuan Mine, Jungar Coalfield (Ordos Basin, China), employing a combination of optical microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-EDS, LA-ICP-MS, and TOF-SIMS. Bulk geochemical analysis reveals that the studied coal samples have average Al2O3 and Ga concentrations of 10.43 wt % and 15.96 ppm, respectively. Within this sample set, a strong positive correlation between Al2O3 and Ga (Pearson coefficient r = 0.89) is observed for the majority of samples, excluding the anomalous sample 4-12. This specific sample (sample 4-12) exhibits a significantly lower Al2O3 content (3.66 wt %) but a high Ga concentration (19.7 ppm), deviating from the established inorganic-hosted trend and serving as a critical specimen to investigate the organic affinity of Ga. Five kaolinite morphotypes were identified: cell-filling, epigenetic layered, epigenetic clay-like, clastic, and vermicular. However, contrary to the bulk geochemical correlation, in situ mapping via TOF-SIMS and LA-ICP-MS reveals that Ga is decoupled from authigenic aluminosilicates at the microscale. Instead, Ga exhibits a strong affinity for the organic matrix (specifically collotelinite) rather than secondary kaolinite phases. Geochemical proxies (e.g., Al2O3/TiO2, Sr/Ba, V/Ni) indicate the coal formed in an anoxic, freshwater peat-forming environment. We propose that Ga was initially liberated from the weathering of terrigenous feldspathic detritus and subsequently adsorbed by organic matter during peat accumulation, which limited its remobilization into later-stage authigenic minerals. This study highlights that while inorganic minerals govern Ga distribution broadly, organic associations act as a crucial complementary mechanism for Ga enrichment, particularly in the low-ash intervals of Al-rich coal systems lacking boehmite.
Peak annotation in Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a persistent bottleneck that typically requires the manual assignment of chemical formulas to hundreds of fragment ion peaks per spectrum. This work describes a physics-informed probabilistic framework that automates this task by combining five chemically motivated constraints-Gaussian mass accuracy, element composition priors, isotope pattern matching, nitrogen rule parity, and graded valence bounds-into a multiplicative belief score. We evaluate the framework on 643 ground-truth peaks from 151 compounds spanning both positive and negative ion modes, and we explicitly distinguish two regimes. As a scoring task-when the correct formula is present in the candidate list-the framework attains 52.3% Top-1 and 76.4% Top-3 accuracy, a 4.9-fold improvement over mass-only scoring. In fully automated end-to-end deployment, where candidates are generated de novo, Top-1 accuracy is 26.3%; the limiting factor is candidate generation rather than scoring, as only 46.5% of ground-truth formulas are currently produced by the database and combinatorial generator. Leave-One-Compound-Out Cross-Validation (59 compounds, 525 peaks) yields 51.8% Top-1 accuracy with fixed domain-knowledge weights, confirming generalization stability. Ablation analysis identifies element composition priors as the dominant non-mass constraint (-27.7 percentage points when removed), followed by isotope matching (-10.3 pp) and the nitrogen rule (-5.3 pp). The framework requires no labeled training spectra-relying instead on physically motivated priors and curated fragment databases-provides interpretable per-constraint scores (which represent relative rankings rather than calibrated probabilities), and supports polarity-specific configurations, offering a practical computational foundation for automated ToF-SIMS spectrum interpretation.
Long-term open-air storage of coal gangue (CG) can generate leachates containing oxidizable components contributing to chemical oxygen demand (COD), together with sulfate (SO42-) and fluoride (F-), yet their source-term behavior remains poorly understood. In this study, batch and column leaching tests were conducted on multi-source CG samples and combined with ToF-SIMS (surface compositional mapping), solid-phase TOC gradient leaching, and PHREEQC-XGBoost-SHAP modeling (coupled geochemical-machine learning analysis). Batch-leachate COD levels ranged from 4.6 to 68.0 mg/L, while SO42- and F- concentrations reached maxima of approximately 317 and 1.29 mg/L, respectively. During column leaching, COD levels and SO42- concentrations were highest at low liquid-to-solid ratios (L/S) and subsequently decreased, with maximum initial values of 186.6 and 3074 mg/L, respectively, whereas F- exhibited delayed and persistent release at approximately 0.3-2.3 mg/L. Solid-phase TOC did not directly predict the COD response, and ToF-SIMS revealed aliphatic organic fragments associated with aluminosilicate surfaces that weakened or were redistributed after leaching. The COD-DOC discrepancy further indicated that dissolved organic matter alone could not fully explain the COD response, although the possible contribution of inorganic reducing species requires direct verification. Within the modeled framework, the sulfate source-term coefficient accounted for 69.4-76.9% of the modeled influence at L/S = 0.5-2.0 L/kg, while the influence of the HFO surface complexation increased during later leaching. In contrast, the F- source-term coefficient remained dominant over L/S = 0.5-10.0 L/kg, accounting for 97.0-97.9% of the modeled influence. These findings support parameter- and stage-specific monitoring and pollution control at CG disposal sites.
Neuromelanin-(NM) containing organelles are sub-cellular auto-lysosomal structures composed of three main compartments: NM pigment, protein matrix, and lipid bodies. These organelles accumulate during aging and are found predominantly in the catecholaminergic neurons of Substantia Nigra (SN) and Locus Coeruleus (LC), the main regions affected in Parkinson's disease (PD). NM serves a protective function by sequestering potentially toxic metals like Cu, Fe, and Al. However, NM released from degenerating neurons may lead to a cascade of events resulting in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Therefore, elemental analysis of NM-containing organelles presents a crucial step to understand aging and PD. In LC, such studies are limited because NM isolation requires large postmortem cohorts and analyses may be impaired by tissue processing. By integrating high resolution electron microscopy (EM), nano-secondary ion mass spectrometry (nano-SIMS), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microscpectroscopy, the elemental composition of intact NM-containing organelles was analyzed in seven postmortem LC tissues. Chemical mapping with down to 5-10 nm lateral resolution (EDX) fostered discrimination of structural composition (N, P, S, Cl) and metal storage (Al, Ca, Fe) across neurons and within individual NM-containing organelle sub-compartments (with diameters down to 0.2 μm for lipid bodies) from the same sample. NM-containing organelles were identified by an elemental fingerprint pattern. Metals accumulations were localized predominantly to the NM pigment compartment identified by its pheomelanin-rich portion (S). This confirms NM's role in accumulating physiological as well as potentially toxic metal species. Moreover, semi-quantitative analyses provided insights into inter- and intra-subject NM metal accumulation, showing that S and Fe exhibited a positive aging trend. Hemispheric asymmetry was observed for Al, Ca, and Fe, with higher levels observed in NMs of the right brain hemisphere suggesting region-specific accumulation that warrants further investigation to better understand aging-related changes and the neuronal vulnerability of the LC in PD.
Li n+ and In p+ diffusion contacts were fabricated on p-type 12N high-purity germanium (HPGe) single crystals by vacuum evaporation of thin-film sources followed by solid-state thermal diffusion. The effects of diffusion temperature on the near-surface structure, morphology, impurity distribution, and device response were systematically investigated. XRD and Raman analyses show that Li diffusion at 100-300 °C and In diffusion at 600-800 °C preserve the bulk Ge crystal structure, whereas higher diffusion temperatures induce surface roughening, near-surface disordering, and interfacial reactions. SIMS depth profiles combined with diffusion simulations confirm effective inward diffusion of both Li and In, with low-concentration tailing that is consistent with defect-assisted diffusion or interfacial trapping. The sample diffused with Li at 200 °C exhibits the lowest dark current, 8.07 × 10-8 A at -10 V. The final HPGe device with Li/In diffusion contacts shows a stable synchrotron X-ray photoconductive response, and the net response current increases from 4.48 × 10-7 to 1.15 × 10-6 A as the incident photon flux increases. These results demonstrate that low-leakage HPGe diffusion contacts require a balance between diffusion-layer formation and near-surface/interface stability, rather than a simple increase in thermal budget.
The spatial architecture of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) critically affects the cycling stability of lithium batteries. Although electrolyte formulation is widely used to regulate SEI chemistry, external-field control of its spatial organization during formation remains insufficiently explored. Here, ultrasound was applied only during the 1.4 to 1.0 V vs. Li/Li+ FEC reduction interval of the first formation discharge to regulate interfacial mass transport and local reaction uniformity, thereby constructing a bilayer SEI on graphite. Areal, depth-resolved ToF-SIMS, supported by TEM, XPS, and KPFM, reveals a compact amorphous inorganic inner layer and an organic-rich outer layer, in contrast to the compositionally mixed mosaic SEI formed without ultrasound. This architecture improves interfacial passivation, charge transfer, rate capability, and cycling stability. Ultrasound-treated cells retain 80.77% capacity after 500 cycles at 1.0 C, whereas untreated cells undergo rapid capacity decay after approximately 250 cycles. These results demonstrate an interfacial strategy for using a physical field to regulate FEC-derived SEI growth without implying ultrasonic molecular scission of FEC or a graphite lattice effect.
The fatty acid composition and multifunctional biological activities of seed oils from Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. (Indian mustard), Passiflora edulis Sims (passion fruit), and Persea americana Mill. (avocado) were investigated. GC-MS analysis revealed distinct lipid profiles among the oils. Avocado seed oil was dominated by oleic acid (92.37%), whereas Indian mustard oil contained high levels of erucic acid (48.23%) and α-linolenic acid (18.29%). Passion fruit seed oil was characterized by linoleic acid (54.03%), elaidic acid (20.04%), and stearic acid (15.85%). The unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio was highest in avocado oil (18.57), followed by Indian mustard (13.93) and passion fruit oil (3.81). Biological assays revealed differentiated functional properties. Passion fruit oil exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with a DPPH IC50 of 2.55 μg/mL and showed the highest butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (63.3%). Indian mustard oil demonstrated the greatest anti-arthritic activity (IC50 = 6.61 μg) and a high ABTS antioxidant capacity (5.18 μmol TE/g). Avocado oil displayed notable acetylcholinesterase inhibition (58.8%) and selective tyrosinase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 13.95 μg). Antibiofilm assays showed strain- and stage-dependent effects, with avocado oil producing a consistent inhibition of mature biofilm structure (77.80% against Listeria monocytogenes, and 68.76% against Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and inhibitory activity against microbial sessile cells, reaching 47.93% against P. aeruginosa and 53.63% against Escherichia coli. All three oils positively influenced the growth of selected probiotic strains. Molecular docking, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis highlighted distinct relationships between fatty acid composition and biological activities, suggesting complementary functional profiles and application- specific potential. This study provides the first comparative evaluation of the fatty acid composition, enzyme inhibitory properties, antibiofilm activity, and probiotic-supporting effects of these three seed oils, highlighting their potential as multifunctional ingredients for food, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and health-related applications.
Proximal hip fractures represent a profound acute physiological stress in older adults and are often followed by infections, delayed recovery, and functional decline. These complications occur more frequently in frail individuals with reduced physiological resilience and impaired immune responses. As natural killer (NK) cells are central to early immune defense, we aimed to define how acute fracture, hospitalization and frailty shape NK cell homeostasis and function in older patients. We conducted a prospective study including older patients (> 65 years) with acute fractures (SMART cohort; n = 103) and compared them to matched healthy older people from the RESIST senior individuals (SI) cohort (n = 550). A subset of SMART patients (n = 55) was longitudinally followed-up post-surgery. NK cell frequency, phenotype and function were investigated using multiparametric flow cytometry, and plasma soluble immune mediators (SIMs) were analyzed. SMART patients were clinically frailer than matched SI individuals, as indicated by reduced grip strength and lower Barthel scores, and exhibited an inflammatory state with elevated CRP levels and leukocyte counts. NK cell frequencies were significantly reduced in SMART patients and inversely correlated with grip strength and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, NK cells from SMART patients showed a distinct immune phenotype and altered chemokine receptor expression compared with SI individuals. Of note, differences between frail and non-frail patients within the SMART cohort were modest and substantially smaller than those observed between SMART patients and SI individuals. Functionally, frail patients displayed reduced baseline expression of cytotoxic molecules, whereas cytokine-induced NK cell responses were preserved. Furthermore, longitudinal analyses revealed stable NK cell frequencies but surgical intervention remodeled NK cell subset distribution and marker expression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that NK cell alterations in older patients with fractures are likely driven by the combined impact of acute injury, hospitalization and surgery rather than by frailty alone.
This paper investigates the interface between liquid metal and air-impermeable substrates. Liquid metals, such as eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn), are low-viscosity liquids at room temperature that can be injected or dispensed against surfaces to form electrical or thermal contacts. While advancing EGaIn across a surface, its native oxide might roll like a "tank-tread" onto the substrate. In this case, there will be oxide between the metal and the substrate. Alternatively, the oxide might 'slip' across the substrate while EGaIn advances, resulting in an oxide-free, metallic contact to the substrate. Here, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and macroscopic fluid dynamic experiments show that the oxide exists between EGaIn and the walls of both air-impermeable Si3N4 and glass substrates after injecting EGaIn across these surfaces. Surprisingly, the liquid metal reacts with water molecules present at the interface between EGaIn and the substrate, thereby producing hydrogen bubbles. The formation and size of these bubbles are governed by the surrounding relative humidity, the substrate's surface chemistry, and its gas permeability. These findings provide insights into the interface between liquid metal and various substrates, such as glasses, polymers, and metals, used commonly in electrical applications of liquid metal.
The study of sulfur isotopes on Mars provides crucial insights into the planet's formation, differentiation, and volatile evolution. Primordial sulfur isotope compositions help distinguish Martian sulfur sources, including core-mantle interactions, magmatic outgassing, and atmospheric cycling. While bulk analyses have shown limited mass-independent fractionation (MIF-S), the mechanisms introducing MIF-S into Martian magmas remain poorly understood. Using in situ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), we analysed sulfides in four shergottites: Yamato 980459, Tissint, Gadamis 001, and NWA 11300, and found extreme heterogeneity in Δ³³S (-1.3 ± 0.48‰ to +1.42 ± 0.64‰) and δ³⁴S (-3.5 ± 0.11‰ to +0.73 ± 0.15‰). Large Δ³³S anomalies are observed in both depleted and enriched samples, indicating that MIF-S sulfur was incorporated into Martian magmatic systems through prolonged mantle-atmosphere exchange. This exchange likely began during magma ocean crystallisation and continued into later magmatic stages through ingassing, crustal assimilation, and/or recycling of crustal sulfur.
Root surface morphology has been used to examine functional signals related to diet and taxonomic affinities in primates with varying degrees of success. The aim of this study is to determine if the use of the functionally significant root cervix can enhance our understanding of these relationships in catarrhines. Two-dimensional (2D) semilandmark points were collected using cross sections taken from the cervix of all three mandibular molar positions in a sample of extant catarrhines (n = 68). Multivariate regression was used to examine the influence of size on Procrustes aligned data. Standard and phylogenetic principal component analyses were performed for each molar position. Phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) were used to correct for nonindependence. Allometric effects were statistically significant (p < 0.05) but weak for each position (M1 = 0.096, M2 = 0.064, M3 = 0.062). Phylogenetic signal, multivariate K, was significant for each molar but less than expected under Brownian motion (Kmult < 1). PGLS removed all functional signal related to dietary ecology at M1 for phylogenetically aligned PCA (PACA) and phylogenetic PCA (pPCA) components. These signals were diminished but not eliminated at M2 (PACA) and M3 (pPCA). The influence of size on the morphology of the root cervix is limited and does not impact functional signals related to either phylogeny or diet. Observed morphological variation of the root cervix is driven in part by both phylogeny and diet. However, these variables share a strong relationship, and more work is needed to disentangle the two.
Over recent years, gonadotropins and their receptors have been shown to exert non-traditional actions that bypass the classical hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Findings of the expression of receptors for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in skeletal, fat, immune cells and in neurons suggest that their functions are much broader than their classical roles. FSH, once believed solely to regulate procreation--gonadal development and maturation at puberty and gamete production during the fertile phase--has been found to regulate body composition, bone metabolism, and cognition--providing the underpinnings of complex integrative physiology, and, in turn, opening potential new therapeutic opportunities. Pre-clinical evidence from genetic and pharmacologic interventions in rodent models, and human data from population-based observations, genetic studies, and a small number of interventional studies together support the independent skeletal, adipogenic and cognitive actions of gonadotropins. Here we review our current understanding of direct actions of FSH and LH on bone, adipose tissue, and brain, and focus specifically on the detrimental health burden during and after the menopause: osteoporosis, obesity and dementia.
This article explores why many health care providers feel unsure about diagnosing frailty in older adults. By identifying the challenges and offering practical solutions, it highlights how nurse practitioners can improve care and help older adults stay healthier and more independent longer.