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Digital competency is defined as “the confident, critical and responsible use of, and engagement with, digital technologies for learning, at work, and for participation in society”(1). Digital competence is an essential skill required in today’s modern society and has become a highly desired skill in employment. The digitalisation of education has broadened the student skillset deemed necessary to being a well-rounded professional(2). Yet little is known on how digital competency is currently taught or assessed in nutrition science education. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which Irish nutrition science educators conceptualise digital competence and how digital competency education is integrated into nutrition science teaching and learning. Two semi-structured focus groups with 15 nutrition science educators from three undergraduate nutrition science programmes in Ireland were conducted. Participants completed a baseline digital competency assessment using the MyDigiSkills(3) tool, testing five areas of competence. Focus groups followed a semi-structured interview guide focusing on questions around digital competency, digital skill requirements, teaching and learning digitally, training and upskilling opportunities, and future digital competency education. Focus groups were transcribed and a content analysis conducted whereby the data were coded, categorised and discussed by all authors. The digital competency assessment tool highlighted higher levels of competence for ‘Information and Data Literacy’ and ‘Communication and Collaboration’ and lower levels of competence for ‘Digital Content Creation’, ‘Safety’, and ‘Problem Solving’. A clear difference was seen between focus group discussions with one focused on a more traditional approach and the other a more modern innovative approach. Participants reported using multiple ways to teach digital competency through presentations, podcasts, development of professional social media accounts, e-portfolios, Twitter chats, blog sessions, media diaries, and recipe analysis tools. Internal and external training opportunities to learn about and develop digital literacy and skills were identified across both groups and barriers to embracing those opportunities highlighted – funding, protection of time, equipment. This study highlights that digital competency is becoming an important aspect of nutrition science education and educators agreed digital skills are important to teach and ensure graduates can meet the expectation of today’s modern workforce. Educators’ opportunities to upskill and learn about digital competency should focus on improving competence in areas of ‘Content Creation’, ‘Safety’ and ‘Problem Solving’. Improving nutrition educators’ digital competency levels will enhance digital teaching and learning for future students. Funding was reported as a major barrier to improving digital skills causing delays with accessing innovative tools to enhance teaching and learning practices, limiting training days, updated software, and new equipment. These flexible courses help educators understand new technology and update their skills. Future research should focus on removing these barriers for educators upskilling and providing more support for embracing digital innovations in education.

Conventional coffee brewing techniques generate vast quantities of spent espresso grounds (SEGs) rich in lignocellulose and valuable bioactives. These bioactive compounds can be exploited as a nutraceutical or used in a range of food products, while breakdown of lignocellulose generates metabolizable sugars that can be used for the production of various high-value products such as biofuels, amino acids and enzymes. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulose in SEGs following a hydrothermal pretreatment. A maximum reducing sugar yield was obtained at the following optimized hydrolysis conditions: 4.97 g of pretreated SEGs, 120 h reaction time, and 1246 and 250 µL of cellulase and hemicellulase, respectively. Industrially important sugars (glucose, galactose and mannose) were identified as the principal hydrolysis products under the studied conditions. Total flavonoids (p = 0.0002), total polyphenols (p = 0.03) and DPPH free-radical scavenging activity (p = 0.004) increased significantly after processing. A 14-fold increase in caffeine levels was also observed. This study provides insight into SEGs as a promising source of industrially important sugars and polyphenols.

Matrix remodeling, degradation, inflammation and invasion liberate peptide fragments that can subsequently interact with cells in an attachment-independent manner. Such ‘soluble’ matrix components, including collagens, fibronectin and laminin, induced Smad activation (termed crosstalk signaling), which follows a similar chronological sequence and R-Smad specificity as induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. Smad4 nuclear translocation occurred in response to collagen binding, indicating downstream signal propagation. TGF-β scavenging antibody affected only TGF-β1, but not crosstalk-induced responses. TGF-β type II receptor mutation (DR26Δ25), which is deficient in TGF-β type I receptor recruitment to the ligand, induced a heterotetramer signaling complex, and propagated Smad2 activation only through collagen induction and not TGF-β signaling. Consequentially, TGF-β ligand participation is not required for crosstalk signaling. This signaling requires a functional integrin β1 receptor as showed by RNA interference. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and fluorescent microscopy indicate the involvement of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Src activity in collagen-induced signal propagation, and suggest a membrane signaling complex formation that includes both TGF-β receptors and integrins. The related gene expressional responses are distinct from that evoked by TGF-β1, supporting its separate function. This signaling mechanism expands and partially explains TGF-β receptor dynamics and consequential signaling diversity-related gene expressional plasticity.

Recent upgrades in synchrotron radiation facilities, which now produce highly brilliant and coherent beams, result in a broader array of experiments challenging the available detectors. In X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) experiments, detector performance is often a limiting factor, especially with the high photon fluxes from upgraded facilities. Within this context, a consortium of European facilities has joined under the LEAPS-INNOV project to push the current technologies and develop a germanium detector that can operate under high photon fluxes. The latest status of the XAFS detector development is presented here. The project has moved from the design and simulations phase to the assembled stage, with the sensor, electronic chain and mechanics being manufactured and tested. Next steps are focused on integrating all parts together and characterize the detector performance with X-ray beam.

This study presents a detailed simulation-based analysis of the detection limits of multi-element monolithic Germanium (Ge) detectors to cadmium traces in environmental soil samples. Using the capabilities of the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit in combination with the Solid State Detector Package, we evaluated the detection limit variation with the sample-to-detector distances and photon flux. These simulations were conducted to mimic realistic conditions, with a photon flux measured by the SAMBA beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility. Our findings for the detection limit for trace amounts of pollutants in low concentrations like cadmium in the soil provide valuable insights for optimizing experimental setups in environmental monitoring and synchrotron-based applications, where precise detection of trace elements is critical.

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is a multifaceted process that leads to articular incongruity and subsequent osteoarthrosis of the joint. Clinicians concur that primary treatment should focus on preservation of the natural surface of the joint; however, there has not been a consensus on how best to accomplish this. While a number of therapeutic interventions have been reported, the efficacy has varied markedly and there have been few statistical comparisons. The purpose of the current study was to use statistical analysis to compare the results of two widely used procedures, vascularized fibular grafting (614 hips; 480 patients) and core decompression (ninety-eight hips; seventy-two patients), for the treatment of avascular necrosis. The patients were stratified according to age and the stage of disease, and a survival analysis was performed with total hip arthroplasty as the end point for failure. None of the eleven hips that had Ficat stage-I disease needed a total joint replacement after being treated with either regimen. Analysis of the hips that had stage-II disease revealed rates of survival, at fifty months, of 65 per cent (twenty-eight of forty-three hips) after core decompression and 89 per cent (ninety-nine of 111 hips) after vascularized fibular grafting. For the hips that had Ficat stage-III disease, the rates of survival at fifty months were 21 per cent (ten of forty-seven hips) after core decompression and 81 per cent (405 of 500 hips) after vascularized fibular grafting. Among the hips that had Ficat stage-II or III disease, the rate of eventual total joint arthroplasty after vascularized fibular grafting was significantly lower than that after core decompression (p < 0.0001). The results indicate that the increased morbidity associated with vascularized fibular grafting is justified by the associated delay in or prevention of articular collapse in hips that have stage-II or III disease.

Previous work indicates that matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) gene expression is a prognostic factor for local recurrence and metastasis in human chondrosarcoma. The current study evaluates the effects of MMP-1 knock-down via RNA interference on chondrosarcoma metastasis in vitro. Of nine siRNA oligos tested, one showed a 90% inhibitory effect on MMP-1 gene expression. Stable attenuation of MMP-1 in chondrosarcoma cells was achieved by using a plasmid vector-based siRNA system. Pronounced MMP-1 activity suppression was accompanied by marked inhibition of tumor cell invasion. Cells in which MMP-1 has been stably silenced are useful tools to elucidate the mechanism of MMP-1 mediated tumor metastasis.

Absolute cross sections for K-shell photoionization of Be-like B+ ions were measured employing the photon-ion merged-beam technique at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley. The results are found to be in fair agreement with R-matrix calculations using L-S coupling.

Bearing surface wear and periprosthetic osteolysis due to wear particles are among the most common reasons for joint replacement failure. A murine calvarial model of wear particle-induced osteolysis has been used to identify different biologic factors associated with this problem and to test nonsurgical methods of modulating the host response to particulate debris. This model has utilized titanium particles, however, in clinical practice the most common source of particulate debris is polyethylene particles from bearing surface wear. We now report a calvarial model of wear particle-induced osteolysis based on commercially available polyethylene particles. We found that compared to sham surgery osteoclast recruitment and bone resorption can be induced by introduction of the titanium particles or polyethylene particles. However, bone resorption was significantly higher with polyethylene particles compared to titanium particles ( p=0.02). We consider the polyethylene based murine calvarial model of wear particle-induced osteolysis a reliable and clinically relevant tool to understand the host factors and potential pharmacologic interventions that can influence wear debris generated osteolysis. This model might serve as an extension of the well-established titanium based bone resorption model.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential role of FDG-PET in the monitoring of neoadjuvant therapy of soft-tissue and musculoskeletal sarcomas. Nine patients were studied. Neoadjuvant therapy consisted of either chemotherapy or combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia. The FDG-PET studies were obtained, when possible, prior to therapy, 1-3 wk after commencement of therapy, and prior to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant therapy. In two patients, all three studies were completed. The remainder of patients underwent one or two studies at varying timepoints. In tumors treated with combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia, well-defined regions of absent uptake developed within responsive tumors, correlating pathologically with necrosis. Following treatment, a peripheral rim of FDG accumulation was found to correlate pathologically with the formation of a fibrous pseudocapsule. In tumors treated with chemotherapy, FDG accumulation decreased more homogeneously throughout the tumor, in responsive cases. Despite 100% tumor cell kill in some patients, persistent tumor FDG uptake was observed which correlated pathologically with uptake within benign therapy-related fibrous tissue. Significant FDG accumulation was also observed at the site of an uncontaminated incisional biopsy. These initial results demonstrate changes in tumor accumulation of FDG during and after neoadjuvant therapy; these changes are dependent on the type of neoadjuvant therapy administered. Prominent FDG accumulation was observed in benign tissues both within and adjacent to the treated tumor.