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Upscaling models for the large-scale assessment of soil functions
Full text linkThe characterization and assessment of soil functions is a prerequisite for agricultural and environmental policies aimed at soil health. However, there is a lack of satisfactory models for the assessment of soil functions supply to support national and intergovernmental initiatives. In this study we fill this gap by restructuring models developed to assess the multifunctionality of agricultural soils at the field scale. The multi-criteria decision models rely on soil properties, site characteristics and management information to assess the following five soil functions: (1) water regulation, (2) climate regulation, (3) nutrient cycling, (4) primary productivity and (5) provision of habitat for biodiversity. We develop models to assess soil functions supply at regional and national scales by adapting their structure to cope with the general lack of information on soil management at larger geographical scales. The restructured models are verified and a sensitivity analysis of the new model structure is performed. We further applied a comparison of the upscaled models with results from validated field-scale models using real data from 94 sites spanning across 13 European countries. We found that the upscaled models showed a similar sensitivity to the variability of the input data from the 94 sampling sites as the base models from which they were developed and that their overall supply is expected to be comparable. We describe the model structure of the upscaled models as well as their qualitative scales and integration rules. We propose the application of the models can serve for large-scale assessment of soil functions supply as part of soil health assessment for regional and national environmental and agricultural policies
Measuring biological age
Full text linkBiological ageing is a systemic, multifactorial process driven by progressive molecular and cellular alterations whose complexity necessitates systems-level approaches. Advances in high-throughput omics technologies now allow simultaneous quantification of millions of biomolecules from a single specimen, enabling longitudinal, integrative profiling across multiple molecular layers. This review synthesizes recent progress in applying genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics and microbiomics to ageing research, highlighting their contributions to biomarker discovery, mechanistic insight, and translational opportunities. Genomic studies reveal genetic variants that promote extreme longevity, while epigenetic clocks provide robust predictors of biological age. The blood proteome can be used to calculate proteome-based scores and evaluate temporal changes in ageing trajectories in an organ- and sex-specific manner. Metabolomic signatures identify key metabolites reflecting ageing trajectories, and microbiome research demonstrates that gut microbial composition mirrors and modulates biological ageing, with microbiome clocks emerging. The omics approaches have further elucidated the impact of exercise and diet providing evidence that interventions can reduce biological age. The integration of multi-omics with clinical and lifestyle data, powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence, is paving the way for a holistic definition of biological age and the development of personalized healthy ageing strategies. This review highlights how the omics technologies and computational modelling are transforming ageing biology into strategies for personalized healthy ageing
Forest fire protection course
Full text linkVečji del srednjeevropskega odziva na požare v naravnem okolju temelji na uporabi gasilskih vozil in velikih količin vode. Povečana intenzivnost in pogostost požarov v naravnem okolju na območju srednje Evrope je v zadnjih letih marsikje presegla gasilne zmogljivosti posameznih držav. Forest camp je tečaj varstva pred gozdnimi požari, ki poskuša na enem mestu prikazati dobre prakse gašenja požarov v naravnem okolju z vsega sveta. Glavni pouda-rek izvedbe leta 2024 je bil namenjen gašenju z ročnimi sredstvi ter preventivni in intervencijski uporabi ognja. Ti pristopi, ki imajo dolgo in uspešno tradicijo v Ameriki, Avstraliji in južni Afriki, se počasi uveljavljajo tudi v Evropi. Nekatere dobre prakse se že uporabljajo v Sloveniji, druge pa bi bilo smiselno prenesti v naše okolje. Posebnost tega tečaja je, da ni namenjen le gasilcem, ampak tudi gozdarjem, raziskovalcem in političnim odločevalcem, ki izkušnje skupaj nabirajo in izmenjujejo na terenu. Mednarodna izmenjava dobrih praks gašenja gozdnih požarov in mreženje strokovnjakov s tega področja je zagotovo eden izmed pomembnih stebrov zagotavljanja požarno odpornejše prihodnosti naravnega okolja.The majority of Central European responses to wildfires rely on the use of firefighting vehicles and large quantities of water. The increased intensity and frequency of wildfires in Central Europe in recent years has exceeded the firefighting capacities of individual countries in many places. Forest Camp is a forest fire protection course which aims to showcase best practice in wildfire suppression from around the world in one place. The main focus of the 2024 edition was on extinguishing fires with hand tools and the preventive and suppressive use of fire. The latter approaches, which have a long and successful history in America, Australia, and South Africa, are slowly gaining ground in Europe. Some good practices are already being used in Slovenia, while others could still be implemented. The specific feature of this course is that it is not intended exclusively for firefighters, but also for foresters, rese-archers, and policy makers, who gain and exchange experience in the field, working side by side. The international exchange of good practice in forest firefighting and the networking of experts in this field is certainly one of the important pillars of ensuring a more fire-resistant future for the natural environment
Defining bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index cut-off values for disease activity states in a multinational european cohort of patients with axial spondyloarthritis
Full text linkObjective: The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) is widely used for assessing disease activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), particularly in settings where markers of inflammation are unavailable. As no consensus on BASDAI cut-off values exists for disease activity states in axSpA, we aimed to develop and validate such cut-offs against external criteria. Methods: Routine care patients with axSpA initiating a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in eight European registries were included. Receiver operating characteristic analyses against external criteria were performed to determine optimal BASDAI values for separating remission, low disease activity (LDA), high disease activity (HDA), and very high disease activity (VHDA). Follow-up data at 6 months were used to select BASDAI cut-off values between remission and LDA and between LDA and HDA, whereas baseline data were used to select the cut-off for VHDA. The level of agreement between disease activity states based on BASDAI and Axial Spondyloarthritis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) cut-off values was assessed using the proportion of discordance and weighted kappa. Results: In this cohort of 4,633 patients, the optimal BASDAI cut-off values between remission, LDA, HDA and VHDA were estimated to be 5.3. The proportions of discordance between BASDAI and ASDAS disease activity states were 27.6% (weighted κ = 0.48) in baseline data and 37.6% (weighted κ = 0.28) in 6-month data. Conclusion: BASDAI cut-off values for separating remission, LDA, HDA and VHDA were estimated in >4,600 patients. These cut-off values can be used for assessing disease activity and monitoring patients with axSpA, particularly when laboratory markers are unavailable
How ready are endocrine scientists to share retrospective clinical data for research
Full text linkObjective: Individual patients\u27 data sharing requires interoperability, security, ethical, and legal compliance. The aim was to assess the landscape and sharing capacities between endocrine researchers. Design: A standardized survey (SurveyMonkey®) with 67 questions was sent to European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors centers. Methods: Answers were counted as absolute numbers and percentages. Comparisons between inclusiveness target countries (ITC) and non-ITC (defined by Cooperation in Science & Technology Action) were performed using Fisher\u27s exact test. Results: Seventy-three centers from 34 countries answered the survey. Electronic health record (EHR) systems are now the main source of data (90%). However, significant variability was reported, entailing >35 EHR providers, and variable data collected. Variable stakeholders\u27 implication for enabling data sharing was reported, with more lawyers (P = .023), patient representatives (P < .001), ethicists (P = .002), methodologists (P = .023), and information technology experts (P < .001) in non-ITC centers. Implication of information technologies experts for data collection and sharing was underwhelming (33%). Funding for clinical research was higher in non-ITC than in ITC for clinical trials (P = .01) and for registry-based and cohort studies (P = .05). However, for retrospective studies addressing a specific clinical question, the funding was either very low (<10%) or nonexistent for both ITC and non-ITC (37% and 46%, respectively), with no dedicated funding for information technology (86%) and ethical and regulatory aspects (88%). Conclusions: In the absence of dedicated funding for retrospective research, current requirements for data sharing are obstacles
Effectiveness of group voice therapy in teachers with hyperfunctional voice disorder
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the short-term and long-term effectiveness of group voice therapy in changing vocal behaviour and improving voice quality (VQ) among teachers with hyperfunctional voice disorders (HFVD), using both subjective and objective measures. Methods: Thirty-one teachers participated in a structured group voice therapy programme. Participants underwent videoendostroboscopic evaluation of laryngeal morphology and function, perceptual assessment of voice, acoustic analysis of voice samples, and aerodynamic measurements of phonation. Patients’ self-assessment of VQ and its impact on quality of life were measured using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Voice Handicap Index-30 (VHI-30). Evaluations were conducted at four time points: pre-therapy (T0), immediately post-therapy (T1), and at 3-month (T3) and 12-month (T12) follow-up visits. Results: Significant improvement was observed between T0 and T1 in perceptual voice evaluations: grade, roughness, asthenia, strain, loudness, fast speaking rate, as well as in neck muscle tension, shimmer, patients’ most harmful vocal behaviours, VHI-30 scores, patients VQ evaluation, and its impact on quality of life (all p < 0.05). Almost all parameters of subjective and objective voice assessment improved over the 12-month observation period, with the greatest improvement between T0 and T12 (all p < 0.05), indicating lasting reduced laryngeal tension and improved phonatory efficiency. Conclusions: Group voice therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for teachers with HFVD, leading to significant and long-lasting improvements in perceptual, acoustic, and self-assessment outcomes. Therapy also promoted healthier vocal and lifestyle behaviours, supporting its role as a successful and cost-effective rehabilitation and prevention method for occupational voice disorders
