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Technical Note: Automated data extraction from autopsy reports using a custom Python script
No full textEvidence-based forensic research necessitates the creation of large and valid datasets. However, in our experience many departments face a challenge in how to extract this data from electronically archived records. This technical note describes a custom script created in the Python programming language. The program can extract data on decedent sex, age, body height, body weight, organ weight, organ dimensions, degree of putrefaction, listed cause of death, medical history and scene description from approximately 23,000 records in under two hours. Validity for many of these data are around 97-99%. The program can be modified to extract any type of information. Data that are structured uniformly in the records result in higher data validity. Compared with manual extraction of data, automated extraction provide several benefits, including speed, accuracy, and flexibility
The effects of spatial framing and attribute range on the measurement of nonuse values of biodiversity improvements
No full textAssessing the value of changes in environmental conditions using stated preference valuation studies requires accurate quantification and communication of outcomes that affect human welfare. Using a stated choice experiment to estimate primarily nonuse value of changes in biodiversity per se, i.e., as an inherent characteristic of an ecosystem, we employ a composite metric known as the Biodiversity Intactness Index to capture and communicate the multifaceted nature of biodiversity. However, using complex ecological indices to value abstract concepts might make respondents more susceptible to effects related to the framing of the choice context, thereby raising concerns about validity. Employing a split sample design, we find that value estimates depend on the spatial context in which biodiversity improvements are presented: the larger the spatial scale, the smaller the value. Varying the range of the biodiversity improvement attribute in additional split samples, we find that in two out of the three tested spatial framings, the results are insensitive to the presented attribute range. Respondents thus appear to react to the absolute, rather than the relative, size of the improvements presented. The results from these two spatial framings also exhibit sensitivity to scope, supported by both internal and external scope tests. These findings might alleviate some of the validity concerns associated with employing abstract ecological indices in stated preference valuation studies.<br/
Year-Round Variation in Bryophyte-Associated Nitrogen Fixation in the Arctic
No full textIn northern biomes, growth is nitrogen (N) limited, but bryophytes are abundant. These bryophytes often host N2-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) that play a crucial role in the N cycle of these ecosystems. Despite their importance, how the bryophyte-associated N2-fixation varies across species and seasons (summer, autumn, winter, and spring) remains poorly understood. We measured N2-fixation rates for 10 bryophyte species in situ throughout the entire year in the Arctic with additional incubations to verify the method. We measured positive N2-fixation during most of the year, except for the coldest period (February). The species growing in the wettest conditions (Sphagnum spp.) had the highest N2-fixation rates in summer, while bryophytes in drier conditions peaked in N2-fixation rates in spring and autumn. The seasonal variation in N2-fixation activity was pronounced, but similar patterns were found among different species. This study reveals that bryophyte-associated N2-fixation in northern ecosystems is larger than previously assumed, as it occurs over a more extended part of the year than previously inferred. Furthermore, the importance of bryophyte-associated diazotrophs cannot be quantified without considering both the diversity of bryophytes and their variation in N2-fixing seasonal activity patterns. Both future changes in climatic conditions and biodiversity of bryophytes can thus have large implications for the N cycle in arctic regions.</p
New insights into the formation of postglacial fracture valleys in Denmark using LiDAR, and towed Transient Electromagnetic Methods
No full textThe presence of postglacial fracture valleys in Denmark has been known since the early 20th century. Their mode of formation has never been fully understood, but they are often considered to originate from the reactivation of deep-seated faults in postglacial time in relation to glacio-isostatic adjustments. This study investigates fracture valleys from Denmark regarding their morphology, age, and mode of formation using high-resolution LiDAR, and towed Transient Electromagnetic Method (tTEM). Eleven areas in central Jutland have been found to host 371 fracture valleys. The c. 0.04–8 km long fracture valleys are in most places located parallel to tunnel valleys, which are cut into Paleogene clays. Based on the cross-cutting relationship between the fracture valleys and glacial- and periglacial landscape features, our study confirms that they were formed in postglacial time, most likely between c. 18–15 ka BP. Our findings suggest that the fracture valleys in Denmark are unrelated to deep tectonic faults and instead developed on the flanks of tunnel valleys cut into Paleogene clays by differential compaction by glacial loading and unloading during the last glaciation. The differential compaction led to local failures along tunnel valleys that are expressed in the present land surface as 5–10 m deep fracture valleys. Our findings may have important societal implications concerning the risk assessment of neotectonic activity in Denmark.</p
Exome-Wide Analysis Identifies a Rare <i>EXD3</i> Missense Variant Associated With Diabetic Kidney Disease
No full textIntroduction: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major complication of diabetes, with genetic factors contributing to its progression. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified common variants, the role of low-frequency and rare coding variants remains underexplored. Methods: We performed exome-wide meta-analysis of up to 10,312 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) genotyped using genome arrays with focused exome content. We included 10 DKD definitions based on albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), or both. We analyzed nonsynonymous variants individually and used gene-level analyses for low-frequency (minor allele frequency [MAF] < 5%) and rare (< 1%) variants. Replication was performed in 10,066 participants with T1D and in UK Biobank participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Gene expression was assessed in cultured human podocytes. Results: In addition to the known COL4A3 variant, a novel rare missense variant in EXD3 (p.Asp555Asn, rs200080727, minor allele frequency [MAF] = 0.4%) was associated with DKD (odds ratio [OR] = 8.7, P = 4.5 × 10-9). The variant was predicted to be deleterious and EXD3 was downregulated in DKD in kidney expression datasets. EXD3 knock-down in a cultured human podocyte cell line reduced nephrin gene expression, suggesting a functional role in podocyte biology. Gene-level analyses identified 7 DKD-associated genes (P < 3.4 × 10−6), including MUC5B, which harbored multiple low-frequency missense variants and with evidence of replication. Replication in UK Biobank supported the association of EXD3 rs200080727 with albuminuria (P = 0.014). Conclusion: This study identified a rare EXD3 variant with a strong effect on DKD risk in T1D. Functional data support a role for EXD3 in podocyte integrity and DKD pathogenesis. However, further functional investigations are necessary to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms.</p
The role of epigenetic alterations induced by genistein, EGCG, luteolin, and hesperidin in breast cancer:A systematic review
No full textEpigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation, have attracted attention as potential cancer therapy targets. Breast cancer is heavily influenced by epigenetic dysregulation (e.g., BRCA1/2 tumor suppressor genes deactivation) alongside genetic and environmental factors. Dietary flavonoids in fruits and vegetables, such as genistein, epigallocatechin gallate, luteolin, and hesperidin, have been shown to regulate epigenetic pathways by reversing these aberrations. The motive of this systematic review is to evaluate studies reporting flavonoid-induced epigenetic changes in breast cancer and their potential to overcome therapy resistance. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane from inception to February 2025, identifying 550 studies. Studies were selected based on their focus on selected flavonoids, use of in vivo or in vitro experiments, and breast cancer models. Ultimately, 48 eligible studies were included for qualitative synthesis, in which genistein (24 studies) and EGCG (19 studies) were the most extensively investigated; these compounds demonstrated consistent demethylation effects and regulation of histone and microRNA expression, whereas luteolin (7 studies) and hesperidin (2 studies) showed preliminary yet promising outcomes. Most of the studies show robust preclinical data with low bias (45/48 studies) across diverse models; however, there are bioavailability challenges and limited studies on epigenetic effects of hesperidin and luteolin. The chemopreventive role and synergistic potentials with conventional agents support flavonoids as potential complementary therapies for breast cancer, though further clinical validation and strategies for bioavailability optimization are merited.</p
Tailoring optical and ferroelectric properties in Sb<sub>1−x</sub>Bi<sub>x</sub>SI van der Waals chalcohalides towards solar absorber applications
No full textThe efficiency of solar cells depends on absorber materials whose optical and electronic properties can be precisely tuned for optimal performance. The mixed-anion, van der Waals material SbSI is a promising candidate, offering both a narrow bandgap and strong ferroelectric polarization, which together produce a robust bulk photovoltaic effect and high power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we demonstrate that substituting bismuth for antimony in SbSI enables controlled tuning of both the bandgap and ferroelectric properties. Increasing Bi content induces anisotropic changes in the crystal structure, with the bandgap decreasing rapidly at low substitution levels and stabilizing at 1.5 eV for higher Bi concentrations. Concurrently, ferroelectricity is strongly suppressed, as evidenced by the disappearance of soft-phonon modes and second-harmonic generation signals. First-principles calculations support the observation that the ferroelectric ground state becomes unfavorable with Bi substitution, driven by changes in Sb/Bi–S bonding characteristics and a concomitant reduction in the lone-pair expression. This ability to finely tune both structural and functional properties highlights the potential of Sb1−xBixSI for the development of high-performance, next-generation solar-energy materials.</p
Feasibility of a randomized trial comparing exercise-based rehabilitation to no exercise-based rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty:DRAW-TKA hybrid 1 RCT
No full textObjectiveTrials comparing the effectiveness of exercise-based rehabilitation against no exercise-based rehabilitation are needed, but their feasibility is unclear. The DRAW-TKA feasibility trial aimed to assess recruitment-, retention-, harms-, and procedural feasibility to inform a full-scale effectiveness trial.DesignThis pragmatic, multicentre, parallel, two-arm feasibility trial included participants scheduled for total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis, aged ≥18, who could read and write Danish. Participants were recruited pre-operatively from two hospitals. At discharge, participants were encouraged to be physically active and randomised (one-to-one) to “Referral to exercise” (usual care) or “No exercise”. Recruiters, outcome assessors, and intervention-deliverers were masked to allocation. The primary feasibility criteria were based on recruitment rate, retention, participation barriers, and data completeness. Secondary criteria on harms, procedural feasibility, and intervention acceptance.ResultsBetween Aug 22nd, 2023, and Feb 29th, 2024, all 445 patients planned for TKA were screened, of whom 338 (76 %) were ineligible, 49 of 107 eligible (45·8 %) declined participation (wanted exercise), and 25 of 107 (23·4 %) were randomly assigned exercise (n = 12) or no exercise (n = 13). Because of intervention-specific withdrawals (n = 3) and attrition, 18 of 25 completed all three-month assessments. Three of four predefined, primary feasibility criteria were met. Clinicians and participants found the trial procedurally feasible and acceptable. No interventional harms occurred.ConclusionThe trial's scientific rationale – allocation to exercise, or no exercise – introduced significant risk of selection and attrition bias in this clinical context, severely limiting the generalisability. Although recruitment was predominantly feasible, further adaptations are required to warrant full-scale initiation.Objective: Trials comparing the effectiveness of exercise-based rehabilitation against no exercise-based rehabilitation are needed, but their feasibility is unclear. The DRAW-TKA feasibility trial aimed to assess recruitment-, retention-, harms-, and procedural feasibility to inform a full-scale effectiveness trial. Design: This pragmatic, multicentre, parallel, two-arm feasibility trial included participants scheduled for total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis, aged ≥18, who could read and write Danish. Participants were recruited pre-operatively from two hospitals. At discharge, participants were encouraged to be physically active and randomised (one-to-one) to “Referral to exercise” (usual care) or “No exercise”. Recruiters, outcome assessors, and intervention-deliverers were masked to allocation. The primary feasibility criteria were based on recruitment rate, retention, participation barriers, and data completeness. Secondary criteria on harms, procedural feasibility, and intervention acceptance. Results: Between Aug 22nd, 2023, and Feb 29th, 2024, all 445 patients planned for TKA were screened, of whom 338 (76 %) were ineligible, 49 of 107 eligible (45·8 %) declined participation (wanted exercise), and 25 of 107 (23·4 %) were randomly assigned exercise (n = 12) or no exercise (n = 13). Because of intervention-specific withdrawals (n = 3) and attrition, 18 of 25 completed all three-month assessments. Three of four predefined, primary feasibility criteria were met. Clinicians and participants found the trial procedurally feasible and acceptable. No interventional harms occurred. Conclusion: The trial's scientific rationale – allocation to exercise, or no exercise – introduced significant risk of selection and attrition bias in this clinical context, severely limiting the generalisability. Although recruitment was predominantly feasible, further adaptations are required to warrant full-scale initiation. NCT05935020.</p
The c.1744G > C, p.(Glu582Gln) missense variant in coding exon 14 of APC increases skipping of a natural occurring isoform and causes Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
No full textTraining the Denmark national football teams in cardiopulmonary resuscitation – Part of the UEFA and ERC ‘Get Trained, Save Lives’ campaign
No full textIntroduction The ‘Get Trained, Save Lives’ campaign by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) was launched to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). All national football teams qualified for the EUROs 2024 and 2025 were offered 45 min of CPR training in the form of a ‘GO and save A Life’ (GOAL) session. This study aimed to assess whether high-quality CPR could be performed by players and staff of the Danish men’s and women’s national football teams following a GOAL session. As a part of the ‘Get Trained, Save Lives’ campaign, hopefully, this will help to inspire the public to get CPR trained. Methods We collected data from a two-minute CPR quality assessment following GOAL sessions in June 2024 and June 2025. All players and staff of the Denmark national football teams were invited to participate in the study, with missing data as the only exclusion criterion. Participants were provided CPR manikins that recorded CPR quality metrics on chest compressions and rescue breaths. CPR quality scores were compared between male and female players, players with different field positions, and players and staff. Results We included 88 participants (24 male players, 23 female players, and 41 staff members). The results showed that 60 % of participants met compression rate recommendations, 93 % met compression depth recommendations, 90 % met chest recoil recommendations, 91 % met hands-off time recommendations, and 85 % met rescue breath recommendations. The combined CPR quality score was 90 points (range: 0–100 points). Female players achieved a slightly higher score than male players (95 vs. 84 points, p-value <0.05), while there was no significant difference in CPR quality scores between different field positions and between players and staff. Conclusion The study showed that high-quality CPR was performed by players and staff of the Denmark men’s and women’s national football teams following GOAL sessions. As part of the ‘Get Trained, Save Lives’ campaign, this will hopefully inspire citizens to get CPR trained.</p