julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Central retinal artery occlusion – detection score
2023-03-01

Purpose To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)-Detection Score in diagnosing CRAO via questionnaire and without fundoscopy. Methods This prospective study enrolled 176 emergency patients suffering from acute visual loss, of whom 38 were suffering from CRAO. Before conducting any examination, we administered our questionnaire containing six questions, followed by a thorough ophthalmologic examination to make the diagnosis. Statistical analysis involved a LASSO penalised multivariate logistic regression model. Results Our receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on a LASSO penalised multivariate logistic regression model showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9 – three out of six questions were selected by LASSO. Interestingly, the unweighted ROC analysis of only two questions (Short CRAO-Detection Score) yielded similar results with an AUC of 0.88. The short CRAO-Detection Score of 2 yielded 14% (4/28) false positive patients. Conclusion This prospective study demonstrates that a high percentage of CRAO patients are detectable with a questionnaire. The CRAO-Detection Score might be used to triage patients suffering acute visual loss, which is important as intravenous fibrinolysis seem to be time-dependent to be effective.
Access to Data for Environmental Purposes: Setting the Scene and Evaluating Recent Changes in EU Data Law
2023-03-01

Abstract Few policy issues will be as defining to the EU’s future as its reaction to environmental decline, on the one hand, and digitalisation, on the other. Whereas the former will shape the (quality of) life and health of humans, animals and plants, the latter will define the future competitiveness of the internal market and relatedly, also societal justice and cohesion. Yet, to date, the interconnections between these issues are rarely made explicit, as evidenced by the European Commission’s current policy agendas on both matters. With this article, we hope to contribute to, ideally, a soon growing conversation about how to effectively bridge environmental protection and digitalisation. Specifically, we examine how EU law shapes the options of using data—the lifeblood of the digital economy—for environmental sustainability purposes, and ponder the impact of on-going legislative reform.
Hydrothermal Pentlandite (Ni,Fe)9S8 from Kambalda, Western Australia: Occurrences, Formation Conditions, and Association with Orogenic Gold
2023-03-01

Abstract Pentlandite, (Ni,Fe)9S8, most commonly occurs in mafic or ultramafic rocks in association with other sulfide minerals, including pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. However, at a few localities pentlandite has been found in hydrothermal settings. At Kambalda in Western Australia, hydrothermal pentlandite occurs in three different vein types: (1) sulfide veins, (2) quartz-calcite veins associated with biotite-epidote alteration, and (3) calcite veins containing arsenides and base metal sulfide minerals. In all three vein types, pentlandite (1) is restricted to veins crosscutting magmatic Ni sulfide lenses, (2) only occurs within &amp;lt;10 m of sulfide bodies, and (3) is associated only with pyrrhotite. In some cases, the pentlandite in the hydrothermal veins has higher Fe and lower Co contents compared to that in the magmatic Ni sulfide ores. The sulfarsenide minerals also show a bimodal distribution in terms of their chemistry: those associated with hydrothermal veins are dominated by Ni, whereas those associated with a primary magmatic origin are rich in Co. Intermediate compositions are observed, notably where hydrothermal sulfarsenide minerals directly overgrow earlier magmatic sulfide minerals. Thermodynamic calculations show that the hydrothermal pentlandite-pyrrhotite assemblages can form from highly reduced, hydrothermal fluids at near neutral pH. Pentlandite deposition can be triggered by an increase in pH and/or a decrease in temperature. Associated gangue minerals, such as biotite, feldspar, and quartz, are likely deposited as a result of concomitant fluid–rock interaction. High fluid temperatures (i.e., 400–500 °C) favor pentlandite formation due to an increase in Ni solubility. The pentlandite-pyrrhotite-biotite assemblage has a narrow stability field coinciding with a field of elevated Au solubility, which prevents coprecipitation of native gold with this mineral assemblage. In contrast, the pentlandite-arsenide mineral assemblage shows a larger stability field which overlaps with conditions allowing Au precipitation. The modeling results suggest that identification of the mineral assemblages in which pentlandite occurs is important in mineral exploration, one implication being that pentlandite-rich, hydrothermal veins will be expected to be Au-free. Conversely, pentlandite-poor or -absent veins, possibly containing Ni-arsenide minerals, may contain gold and could thus be indicative of enhanced prospectivity for gold.
Consequences of Obesity on Short-Term Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery
2023-03-01

The correlation between off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery and obesity-related outcomes is still uncertain. The aim of our study was to analyse the pre-, intra-, and postoperative short-term outcomes between obese and non-obese patients after off-pump bypass surgery. We performed a retrospective analysis from January 2017 until November 2022, including a total of 332 (non-obese (n = 193) and obese (n = 139)) patients who underwent an OPCAB procedure due to coronary artery disease (CAD). The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Our results showed no difference regarding mean age of the study population between both groups. The use of the T-graft technique was significantly higher (p = 0.045) in the non-obese group compared to the obese group. The dialysis rate was significantly lower in non-obese patients (p = 0.019). In contrast, the wound infection rate was significantly higher (p = 0.014) in the non-obese group compared to the obese group. The all-cause in-hospital mortality rate did not differ significantly (p = 0.651) between the two groups. Furthermore, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and reoperation were relevant predictors for in-hospital mortality. Therefore, OPCAB surgery remains a safe procedure even in obese patients.
Superfluid dynamics, equilibrium conditions, and centripetal forces
2023-03-01

Abstract Thermodynamics of superfluids is revisited, clarifying two points. First, the density and pressure distribution for given normal and superfluid velocities is obtained, with the finding that counter heat currents give rise to a pressure depression and a centripetal force. Second, it is shown that the ideal two-fluid hydrodynamics is simply an assembly of equilibrium conditions —expressions of entropy being maximal.
Probing Bidirectional Plasmon‐Plasmon Coupling‐Induced Hot Charge Carriers in Dual Plasmonic Au/CuS Nanocrystals (Small 12/2023)
2023-03-01

Dual Plasmonic Au/CuS Nanocrystals Au/CuS nanocrystals show two separated localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) at different wavelengths. In article number 2206379, Jannika Lauth, Dirk Dorfs, and co-workers observe a hot charge carrier relaxation from both LSPRs regardless which LSPR is excited resonantly. This transient hot charge carrier response from a non-excited LSPR is not known to literature and leads to a deeper understanding of interaction of LSPRs.
Beyond Image Defined Risk Factors (Idrfs): A Delphi Survey Highlighting Definition of the Surgical Complexity Index (Sci) in Neuroblastoma
2023-03-01

Abstract PURPOSE Preoperative evaluation of Image Defined Risk Factors (IDRFs) in neuroblastoma (NB) is crucial for determining suitability for upfront resection or tumor biopsy. IDRFs do not all carry the same weighting in predicting tumor complexity and surgical risk. In this study we aimed to assess and categorize a surgical complexity (Surgical Complexity Index, SCI) in NB resection. METHODS A panel of 15 surgeons was involved in an electronic Delphi consensus survey to identify and score a set of shared items predictive and/or indicative of surgical complexity, including the number of preoperative IDRFs. A shared agreement included the achievement of at least 75% consensus focused on a single or two close risk categories. RESULTS After 3 Delphi rounds, agreement was established on 25/27 items (92.6%). A severity score was established for each item ranging from 0 to 3 with an overall SCI range varying from a minimum score of zero to a maximum score of 29 points for any given patient. CONCLUSIONS A consensus on a SCI to stratify the risks related to neuroblastoma tumor resection was established by the panel experts. This index will now be deployed to critically assign a better severity score to IDRFs involved in NB surgery.
Blood neurofilament light chain levels are associated with disease progression in a transgenic SCA3 mouse model
2023-03-01

Abstract Increased neurofilament light (NfL) protein in biofluids is reflective of neurodegeneration and has gained interest as a biomarker across neurodegenerative diseases. In spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), the most common dominantly inherited ataxia, patients exhibit progressive NfL increases in peripheral blood when becoming symptomatic, remaining stably elevated throughout further disease course. However, progressive NfL changes are not yet validated in relevant preclinical SCA3 animal models, hindering its application as a biomarker during therapeutic development. We used ultra-sensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) to measure blood NfL over disease progression in the YACQ84 mouse, assessing relationships with measures of disease severity including age, CAG repeat size, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We show that YACQ84 mice exhibit increased blood NfL, concomitant with ataxia-related motor deficits and correlated with neurometabolite abnormalities. Our findings establish natural history progression of NfL increases in the preclinical YACQ84 mouse, further supporting the utility of blood NfL as a peripheral neurodegeneration biomarker and informing coinciding timelines of different measures of SCA3 pathogenesis. Summary statement Peripheral blood of SCA3 YACQ84 mice exhibits increased abundance of neuronal-specific NfL protein directly associating with disease progression, providing an accessible disease biofluid biomarker to interrogate in preclinical therapeutic studies.
33P Nomogram to predict survival of patients with unresectable melanoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors
2023-03-01

40-60% of patients with advanced melanoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) do not derive benefit. Baseline predictive and prognostic biomarkers for ICI are currently missing. Here we aim to identify predictive clinicopathologic features using a random survival forest (RSF) and develop a nomogram for PFS in this collective. We included patients with stage IV unresectable melanoma receiving first-line ICI and documented clinicopathologic features and blood markers at the time of therapy start. The variable importance was calculated to screen for predictors of progression-free survival (PFS) using an RSF. We developed a Cox regression prediction model based on the RFS results and established a prognostic nomogram for PFS. Performance of the nomogram was evaluated using calibration plots, Brier score, and discrimination by the Harrel C-Index and AUC. Performance was also verified by internal validation. Patients were divided into four subgroups based on quartiles of the total points (TP) of the nomogram. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was performed. We included 296 patients with a median PFS of 25 months. Median age was 67 (IQR:57, 77) years. The RSF model identified nine variables associated with PFS [LDH, type of melanoma, neutrophile/lymphocyte rate (NLR), age, S100, number of metastatic organs, presence of liver or brain metastases, and BMI] that were used to construct the prediction model. The C-index was 0.66, and calibration curves showed a good correlation between the predicted and actual progression risks. Patients with total points below 63.88 (below first quartile of TP, n=73) had a median PFS of 63 months (95% CI: 48-76), while the group with points above 121.45 (above third quartile of TP, n=75) had a median PFS of 11 months (95% CI 7-19); HR=3.95 (95% CI:2.63-5.94; p<0.001). We identified predictors of PFS in advanced unresectable melanoma patients. We also established a nomogram integrating clinicopathologic features and blood markers, with good accuracy for predicting PFS that can be used for risk stratification at the time of therapy start.
Transcendental Homelessness, Planetary Homes (In a Time of War): Perspectives From North and South
2023-03-01

Abstract This speculative meditation on homelessness takes as its starting point media photos of apartments in the Ukraine whose walls have been shot away by Russian artillery barrages or bombing raids. It suggests that these images of homelessness prompt us to address larger issues of being at home in the world. Beginning with twentieth-century meditations from Germanophone philosophy, proceeding via several Antipodean examples, and culminating with perspectives from the Global South, the essay urges us to turn our gaze towards modes of open-ended homeliness in the world that are vital for our ongoing habitation of the ‘environmental niche’ that is planet Earth.
SbtB — der fehlende Sensor für anorganischen Kohlenstoff in Cyanobakterien
2023-03-01

Abstract PII superfamily consists of signal transduction proteins found in all domains of life. PII-like proteins evolved to fulfill diverse, yet poorly understood cellular functions. We recently identified the PII-like protein SbtB in cyanobacteria as a sensor of various adenine nucleotides including the second messengers cAMP and c-di-AMP. This highlights SbtB as a central switch-point in cyanobacterial physiology, integrating not only signals from the energy state and carbon supply, but also signals from the day/night status, to regulate the glycogen metabolism.
Simulated retinal thermal damage for repetitively pulsed lasers with rectangular shaped irradiance profiles
2023-03-01

Laser radiation in the visible and near infrared wavelength region is imaged on the retina by the human eye. In case of excessive radiation irreversible retinal damage can be caused. For emission durations longer than several microseconds, the light-tissue interaction can be described using a thermal model and the injury threshold values can be simulated by solving the Arrhenius equation with the temporal temperature behavior within the retinal pigment epithelium. A three-dimensional computer model which is validated against experimentally measured thermal injury thresholds, is used to predict thresholds for rectangular irradiance profiles.
Bacterial and Chemical Evidence of Coastal Water Pollution from the Tijuana River in Sea Spray Aerosol
2023-03-02

Roughly half of the human population lives near the coast, and coastal water pollution (CWP) is widespread. Coastal waters along Tijuana, Mexico, and Imperial Beach (IB), USA, are frequently polluted by millions of gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater runoff. Entering coastal waters causes over 100 million global annual illnesses, but CWP has the potential to reach many more people on land <i>via</i> transfer in sea spray aerosol (SSA). Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we found sewage-associated bacteria in the polluted Tijuana River flowing into coastal waters and returning to land in marine aerosol. Tentative chemical identification from non-targeted tandem mass spectrometry identified anthropogenic compounds as chemical indicators of aerosolized CWP, but they were ubiquitous and present at highest concentrations in continental aerosol. Bacteria were better tracers of airborne CWP, and 40 tracer bacteria comprised up to 76% of the bacteria community in IB air. These findings confirm that CWP transfers in SSA and exposes many people along the coast. Climate change may exacerbate CWP with more extreme storms, and our findings call for minimizing CWP and investigating the health effects of airborne exposure.
Training vs. Tolerance: The Yin/Yang of the Innate Immune System
2023-03-02

For almost nearly a century, memory functions have been attributed only to acquired immune cells. Lately, this paradigm has been challenged by an increasing number of studies revealing that innate immune cells are capable of exhibiting memory-like features resulting in increased responsiveness to subsequent challenges, a process known as trained immunity (known also as innate memory). In contrast, the refractory state of endotoxin tolerance has been defined as an immunosuppressive state of myeloid cells portrayed by a significant reduction in the inflammatory capacity. Both training as well tolerance as adaptive features are reported to be accompanied by epigenetic and metabolic alterations occurring in cells. While training conveys proper protection against secondary infections, the induction of endotoxin tolerance promotes repairing mechanisms in the cells. Consequently, the inappropriate induction of these adaptive cues may trigger maladaptive effects, promoting an increased susceptibility to secondary infections—tolerance, or contribute to the progression of the inflammatory disorder—trained immunity. This review aims at the discussion of these opposing manners of innate immune and non-immune cells, describing the molecular, metabolic and epigenetic mechanisms involved and interpreting the clinical implications in various inflammatory pathologies.
High incidence of carbapenemase-producingPseudomonas aeruginosaclinical isolates from Lagos, Nigeria
2023-03-02

Abstract Background Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains are on the rise worldwide. This study characterized clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from three Nigerian hospitals for carbapenem resistance. Methods Strains isolated from wounds (n = 88), urine/catheter tips (n = 25), sputum/tracheotomy aspirates (n = 5), ear swabs (n = 4) and vaginal swabs (n = 1) were identified by MALDI-TOF and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the VITEK 2 system. The genomic DNA of each isolate was subject to sequencing using Illumina and Oxford nanopore technology. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to detect antimicrobial resistance genes, clonal affiliations and phylogenetic relations of 123 non-duplicate P. aeruginosa isolates, whereas assembly of the nanopore reads using the plasmIDent pipeline enabled the identification of plasmids. Results Forty-three percent of the isolates were resistant to all antibiotic categories tested. More than 40% of the isolates were resistant to the carbapenems imipenem and/or meropenem (39% and 44%, respectively). Among the meropenem-resistant isolates, 48 (89%) carried at least one carbapenemase gene. The predominant one was blaNDM-1 (n = 34), which conferred resistance to all five antibiotic categories and highly increased the MICs of both meropenem and imipenem. The other recurrent carbapenemase genes were blaVIM-2 (n = 4), and blaVIM-5-like (n = 11), which co-existed with blaNDM-1 in two isolates. Conclusions The study revealed a high rate of carbapenem resistance and conjugative, broad host range plasmids carrying carbapenemase-encoding genes, especially the NDM-1 type, among isolates of P. aeruginosa. This may forebode the emergency of ubiquitous carbapenem resistance urging the implementation of infection control and antimicrobial stewardship strategies in Nigerian hospitals.
Repurposing the mucolytic agent ambroxol for treatment of sub-acute and chronic ischaemic stroke
2023-03-02

Abstract Ambroxol is a well-known mucolytic expectorant, which has gained much attention in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Gaucher’s disease. A specific focus has been placed on ambroxol’s glucocerebrosidase-stimulating activity, on grounds that the point mutation of the gba1 gene, which codes for this enzyme, is a risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease. However, ambroxol has been attributed other characteristics, such as the potent inhibition of sodium channels, modification of calcium homeostasis, anti-inflammatory effects and modifications of oxygen radical scavengers. We hypothesized that ambroxol could have a direct impact on neuronal rescue if administered directly after ischaemic stroke induction. We longitudinally evaluated 53 rats using magnetic resonance imaging to examine stroke volume, oedema, white matter integrity, resting state functional MRI and behaviour for 1 month after ischemic stroke onset. For closer mechanistic insights, we evaluated tissue metabolomics of different brain regions in a subgroup of animals using ex vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Ambroxol-treated animals presented reduced stroke volumes, reduced cytotoxic oedema, reduced white matter degeneration, reduced necrosis, improved behavioural outcomes and complex changes in functional brain connectivity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy tissue metabolomic data at 24 h post-stroke proposes several metabolites that are capable of minimizing post-ischaemic damage and that presented prominent shifts during ambroxol treatment in comparison to controls. Taking everything together, we propose that ambroxol catalyzes recovery in energy metabolism, cellular homeostasis, membrane repair mechanisms and redox balance. One week of ambroxol administration following stroke onset reduced ischaemic stroke severity and improved functional outcome in the subacute phase followed by reduced necrosis in the chronic stroke phase.
Cell specialization in cyanobacterial biofilm development revealed by expression of a cell-surface and extracellular matrix protein
2023-03-02

Abstract Cyanobacterial biofilms are ubiquitous and play important roles in diverse environments, yet, understanding of the processes underlying the development of these aggregates is just emerging. Here we report cell specialization in formation of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 biofilms—a hitherto unknown characteristic of cyanobacterial social behavior. We show that only a quarter of the cell population expresses at high levels the four-gene ebfG -operon that is required for biofilm formation. Almost all cells, however, are assembled in the biofilm. Detailed characterization of EbfG4 encoded by this operon revealed cell-surface localization as well as its presence in the biofilm matrix. Moreover, EbfG1-3 were shown to form amyloid structures such as fibrils and are thus likely to contribute to the matrix structure. These data suggest a beneficial ‘division of labor’ during biofilm formation where only some of the cells allocate resources to produce matrix proteins—‘public goods’ that support robust biofilm development by the majority of the cells. In addition, previous studies revealed the operation of a self-suppression mechanism that depends on an extracellular inhibitor, which supresses transcription of the ebfG -operon. Here we revealed inhibitor activity at an early growth stage and its gradual accumulation along the exponential growth phase in correlation with cell density. Data, however, do not support a threshold-like phenomenon known for quorum-sensing in heterotrophs. Together, data presented here demonstrate cell specialization and imply density-dependent regulation thereby providing deep insights into cyanobacterial communal behavior.