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The first example of a discrete mixed platinum(iv)–gold(iii) oxoanion.

We report on the synthesis and structural characterizaton of the first example of a PdIV-containing polyoxopalladate(ii).

Objectives MTX is the recommended first-line treatment for RA associated with folic acid (FA) to reduce side effects related to MTX. Here, we proposed to test a co-administration of MTX with FA in the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) on efficacy. Material and methods AIA was induced in female Lewis rats and treated with MTX in three groups. The first group of rats received only MTX (n = 13), whereas the second received MTX and FA on the same day (n = 14). The third group received FA one day after MTX (n = 14). Arthritic index (AI), ankle circumference (AC), ankle microcomputed tomography, and blood tests assessed arthritis severity and MTX tolerance. Results AI and AC were similar in MTX groups at various time points. Bone erosion and bone loss parameters were similar in all groups. MTX-PG1 was found at similar levels in various MTX groups and correlated negatively with arthritis severity. Finally, haematology and metabolic parameters were found at a similar level in MTX groups. Conclusion Co-administration of MTX with FA on the same day did not reduce efficacy compared with FA application one day after MTX. Thus, co-administration of MTX and FA could be more convenient and improve compliance in patients.

Background The purpose of this randomized trial is to evaluate the early removal of postoperative drains after robot-assisted minimally invasive oesophagectomy (RAMIE). Evidence is lacking about feasibility, associated pain, recovery, and morbidity. Methods/design This is a randomized controlled multicentric trial involving 72 patients undergoing RAMIE. Patients will be allocated into two groups. The “intervention” group consists of 36 patients. In this group, abdominal and chest drains are removed 3 h after the end of surgery in the absence of contraindications. The control group consists of 36 patients with conventional chest drain management. These drains are removed during the further postoperative course according to a standard algorithm. The primary objective is to investigate whether postoperative pain measured by NRS on the second postoperative day can be significantly reduced in the intervention group. Secondary endpoints are the intensity of pain during the first week, analgesic use, number of postoperative chest X-ray and CT scans, interventions, postoperative mobilization (steps per day as measured with an activity tracker), postoperative morbidity and mortality. Discussion Until now, there have been no trials investigating different intraoperative chest drain strategies in patients undergoing RAMIE for oesophageal cancer with regard to perioperative complications until discharge. Minimally invasive approaches combined with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols lower morbidity but still include the insertion of chest drains. Reduction and early removal have been proposed after pulmonary surgery but not after RAMIE. The study concept is based on our own experience and the promising current results of the RAMIE procedure. Therefore, the presented randomized controlled trial will provide statistical evidence of the effectiveness and feasibility of the “drainless” RAMIE. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05553795. Registered on 23 September 2022.

Consistent evidence from human data points to successful threat–safety discrimination and responsiveness to extinction of fear memories as key characteristics of resilient individuals. To promote valid cross-species approaches for the identification of resilience mechanisms, we establish a translationally informed mouse model enabling the stratification of mice into three phenotypic subgroups following chronic social defeat stress, based on their individual ability for threat–safety discrimination and conditioned learning: the Discriminating-avoiders , characterized by successful social threat–safety discrimination and extinction of social aversive memories; the Indiscriminate-avoiders , showing aversive response generalization and resistance to extinction, in line with findings on susceptible individuals; and the Non-avoiders displaying impaired aversive conditioned learning. To explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the stratification, we perform transcriptome analysis within three key target regions of the fear circuitry. We identify subgroup-specific differentially expressed genes and gene networks underlying the behavioral phenotypes, i.e., the individual ability to show threat–safety discrimination and respond to extinction training. Our approach provides a translationally informed template with which to characterize the behavioral, molecular, and circuit bases of resilience in mice.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction and subsequent hypoxia. In patients with OSA, severity and number of these hypoxic events positively correlate with the extent of associated cardiovascular pathology. The molecular mechanisms underlying intermittent hypoxia (IH)-driven cardiovascular disease in OSA, however, remain poorly understood—partly due to the lack of adequate experimental models. Here, we present a novel experimental approach that utilizes primary human endothelial cells cultivated under shear stress. Oxygen partial pressure dynamics were adopted in our in vitro model according to the desaturation-reoxygenation patterns identified in polysomnographic data of severe OSA patients (n = 10, with 892 severe desaturations, SpO2in vitro model for deciphering OSA-elicited effects on the vascular endothelium. First data obtained in this model point to the endothelial activation of pro-inflammatory rather than hypoxia-associated pathways in OSA. Future studies in this model might contribute to the development of targeted strategies against OSA-induced, secondary cardiovascular disease.

In this paper, a proposal for a new method to design load-adaptive microlattice structures for PBF-LB/M manufacturing is presented. For this purpose, a method was developed to stiffen microlattice structures in particular by using self-similar sub-cells to ensure their manufacturability. The quality of the stiffness increase was investigated and verified by finite element simulations. Subsequently, the simulation results were critically discussed with respect to their potential for future design processes for architected materials.

Zur Weiterentwicklung der Probenpräsentation wurde ein Adapter entwickelt, der Emissionsprüfkammer und Bewertungstrichter miteinander verbindet und dadurch eine der direkten Messung vergleichbare Geruchsbewertung ermöglicht. Die analytischen Messungen zeigen, dass es kaum Unterschiede in der Zusammensetzung der Probenluft in der Kammer im Vergleich zum Probenbehälter gibt. Bei den olfaktorischen Messungen kam es jedoch bei der Bewertung der Probenluft mithilfe des Adapters zu Minderbefunden. Anschließende Untersuchungen zeigten, dass beim Ausschalten des Geräts Umgebungsluft über den Trichter in den Adapter strömt und zu einer Verdünnung der Probenluft führt. Um dies zu vermeiden, erfolgen derzeit mehr Messungen. Eine weitere Versuchsreihe wurde durchgeführt, um den Messaufwand bei der Bewertung der empfundenen Intensität zu reduzieren. Die entwickelte Größer- oder Kleiner/gleich-Abfrage kann hier hilfreich sein. Die Untersuchungen im Luftqualitätslabor und im Rahmen eines Ringversuches mit verschiedenen Laboren zeigen, dass die Abfrage in fast allen Fällen zu den gleichen Ergebnissen führt wie die normgerechte aber aufwendigere Ermittlung der empfundenen Intensität mithilfe des Vergleichsmaßstabes. Summary For technical improvement of sample presentation an adapter was developed to connect the emission test chamber with the evaluation funnel and thus enabling an odour assessment with a method which is comparable to a direct measurement. The analytical measurements demonstrate that the air has a very similar composition sampled at the funnel or in the emission test chamber. The results of the olfactory measurements show overall that the intensities determined using the adapter are often reported as lower. Further investigations have shown that air backflow via the funnel into the sample container of the adapter may be the cause. This has to be avoided in future. Another experimental series was carried out to reduce the measurement effort of evaluation of perceived intensity. Here application of the developed ‘greater than or less than/equal to’ survey could be helpful. The results of the measurements in the air quality lab and in the frame of a round robin test indi- cate that the survey leads to the same evaluation as the more complex determination of perceived intensity with standard method.

Multi-omics analyses are increasingly employed in microbiome studies to obtain a holistic view of molecular changes occurring within microbial communities exposed to different conditions. However, it is not always clear to what extent each omics data type contributes to our understanding of the community dynamics and whether they are concordant with each other. Here we map the molecular response of a synthetic community of 32 human gut bacteria to three non-antibiotic drugs by using five omics layers, namely 16S rRNA gene profiling, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics. Using this controlled setting, we find that all omics methods with species resolution in their readouts are highly consistent in estimating relative species abundances across conditions. Furthermore, different omics methods complement each other in their ability to capture functional changes in response to the drug perturbations. For example, while nearly all omics data types captured that the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine selectively inhibits Bacteroidota representatives in the community, the metatranscriptome and metaproteome suggested that the drug induces stress responses related to protein quality control and metabolomics revealed a decrease in polysaccharide uptake, likely caused by Bacteroidota depletion. Taken together, our study provides insights into how multi-omics datasets can be utilised to reveal complex molecular responses to external perturbations in microbial communities.

We report on the first example of a Pd

The demand for automotive aluminium is expected to boom in the coming decades given current trends in the passenger car market, such as electrification, light-weighting, customers’ preference for larger cars (SUVs) and growing global car ownership and population, resulting in a growing challenge for the aluminium sector to curb GHG emissions. We develop a new multilayer dynamic material flow analysis model to analyse the combined effects of those drivers on the automotive aluminium cycle and related GHG emissions. Our results show that (i) aluminium use in passenger cars is likely to quadruple towards 2050 (ii) emissions resulting from aluminium production will be a major part of the carbon footprint of cars (iii) electric vehicles require more wrought aluminium, leading to a surplus of mixed alloys and castings scrap which can only be mitigated through the introduction of alloy sorting technologies and/or an increase in vehicle lifetime (iv) given the expected fast growth in automotive aluminium demand, an overall emission reduction in the aluminium industry would require an even faster penetration of low-carbon technologies in the energy and aluminium production sectors, which may, in turn, increase aluminium demand even further.

One key challenge of water resources management is the identification and processing of the information necessary for decision-making. This article aims to provide avenues for translating a ‘water scarcity–water reuse’ (WS–WR) situation into an information system. It is dedicated to supporting an integrated assessment in decision-making with the final goal of optimising water scarcity risk reduction and water reuse sustainability. The approach combines the following two strands: (1) specific interpretation of systems thinking and (2) systemic characterisation and interlinkage of indicators. The result is an analytical concept that translates the WS–WR situation into an information system consisting of two structured components, a multi-layer (ML) and a lane-based (LB) approach. While the multi-layer approach supports the description of the elements of the biophysical and information systems such as endpoints and descriptors, respectively, the lane-based approach aids in understanding the importance of indicators within the entire system and their distribution across risk and sustainability realms. The findings from a generic exemplification of the analytical concept depict the feasibility of identifying system-based endpoints representing the WS–WR situation and their translation via descriptors to an interlinked indicator set to jointly assess water scarcity risk and sustainability of the water reuse measures. Therefore, this analytical concept supports addressing the water resources management information challenge via a structured representation of the system’s complexity and the quantification and visualisation of interlinkages between the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of water scarcity risk and water reuse sustainability.

SARS-CoV-2 directly damages lung tissue via its infection and replication process and indirectly due to systemic effects of the host immune system. There are few systems-wide, untargeted studies of these effects on the different tissues of the human body and nearly all of them base their conclusions on the transcriptome. Here we developed a parallelized mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics workflow allowing the rapid, quantitative analysis of hundreds of virus-infected and FFPE preserved tissues. The first layer of response in all tissues was dominated by circulating inflammatory molecules. To discriminated between these systemic and true tissue-specific effects, we developed an analysis pipeline revealing that proteome alterations reflect extensive tissue damage, mostly similar to non-COVID diffuse alveolar damage. The next most affected organs were kidney and liver, while the lymph-vessel system was also strongly affected. Finally, secondary inflammatory effects of the brain correlated with receptor rearrangements and the degradation of neuronal myelin. Our results establish MS-based tissue proteomics as a promising strategy to inform organ-specific therapeutic interventions following COVID-19 infections.

A 3D fluid-structure interaction (FSI) code is under development. The fluid domain (Navier-Stokes) solver will employ a sharp interface ghost node immersed boundary method (IBM) to apply the boundary conditions at fluid-solid interfaces. The Navier-Stokes (N-S) solver has been verified using a classic Poiseuille channel flow. The current version of the immersed boundary method is being tested by solving a heat conduction problem. The order of accuracy of the IBM was shown to be just above second order.

Cancer patients are at high risk of severe COVID-19 with high morbidity and mortality. Further, impaired humoral response renders SARS-CoV-2 vaccines less effective and treatment options are scarce. Randomized trials using convalescent plasma are missing for high-risk patients. Here, we performed a multicenter trial (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2020-001632-10/DE) in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 within four risk groups (1, cancer; 2, immunosuppression; 3, lab-based risk factors; 4, advanced age) randomized to standard of care (CONTROL) or standard of care plus convalescent/vaccinated anti-SARS-CoV-2 plasma (PLASMA). For the four groups combined, PLASMA did not improve clinically compared to CONTROL (HR 1.29;p=0.205). However, cancer patients experienced shortened median time to improvement (HR 2.50,p=0.003) and superior survival in PLASMA vs. CONTROL (HR 0.28;p=0.042). Neutralizing antibody activity increased in PLASMA but not in CONTROL cancer patients (p=0.001). Taken together, convalescent/vaccinated plasma may improve COVID-19 outcome in cancer patients unable to intrinsically generate an adequate immune response.

Die COVID-19-Pandemie halt weiter an und stellt alle Beteiligten im Gesundheitssystem vor neue und bisher so nie dagewesene Herausforderungen, die sowohl die Strukturen innerhalb von Kliniken sowie des Gesundheitssystems als auch die Kommunikation inter-sowie intradisziplinar betreffen. Die Pandemie macht deutlich, wie wichtig die intersektorale (also zwischen der ambulanten und der stationaren Versorgung), -professionelle und -interdisziplinare Abstimmung ist, um die Versorgung der Patientinnen aufrechtzuerhalten. Dabei gilt es, wiederholt Bestandsaufnahmen vorzunehmen, um zum einen notwendige Anpassungen, zum anderen aber auch Konsequenzen fur zukunftige Entwicklungen zu diskutieren.

The contemporary stress state in the upper crust is of great interest for geotechnical applications and basic research alike. However, our knowledge of the crustal stress field from the data perspective is limited. For Germany basically two datasets are available: orientations of the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) and the stress regime as part of the World Stress Map (WSM) database as well as a complementary compilation of stress magnitude data of Germany and adjacent regions. However, these datasets only provide pointwise, incomplete and heterogeneous information of the 3D stress tensor. Here, we present a geomechanical–numerical model that provides a continuous description of the contemporary 3D crustal stress state on a regional scale for Germany. The model covers an area of about 1000×1250 km2 and extends to a depth of 100 km containing seven units, with specific material properties (density and elastic rock properties) and laterally varying thicknesses: a sedimentary unit, four different units of the upper crust, the lower crust and the lithospheric mantle. The model is calibrated by the two datasets to achieve a best-fit regarding the SHmax orientations and the minimum horizontal stress magnitudes (Shmin). The modeled orientations of SHmax are almost entirely within the uncertainties of the WSM data used and the Shmin magnitudes fit to various datasets well. Only the SHmax magnitudes show locally significant deviations, primarily indicating values that are too low in the lower part of the model. The model is open for further refinements regarding model geometry, e.g., additional layers with laterally varying material properties, and incorporation of future stress measurements. In addition, it can provide the initial stress state for local geomechanical models with a higher resolution.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly heterogeneous disorder, which may partly explain why treatment outcome using antidepressants is unsatisfactory. We investigated the onset of depression as a possible clinical marker for therapy response prediction in the context of somatic biomarkers blood pressure and plasma electrolyte concentration. 889 MDD patients were divided into early (EO, n = 226), intermediate (IO, n = 493), and late onset (LO, n = 169) patients and were analyzed for differences in socio-demographic and clinical parameters, comorbidities and treatment outcome as well as systolic blood pressure and electrolytes. EO patients more often suffered from a recurrent depression, had more previous depressive episodes, a higher rate of comorbid axis I and II disorders, and more often reported of suicidality (p 0.001) compared to IO and LO patients. Treatment outcome was not different from IO and LO patients, although LO patients responded faster. EO patients who showed an early non-improvement of depression after 2 weeks of therapy (20% improvement) had a 4.3-fold higher likelihood to become non-remitter as compared to LO patients with an early improvement. EO patients had significantly lower systolic blood pressure than patients with IO or LO and electrolytes in EO patients were significantly correlated with depression severity. Our results confirm other studies showing an association of an early onset of depression with a slower treatment response. The worse treatment outcome in patients with an additional early non-improvement to antidepressant therapy opens perspectives to develop and test individualized treatment approaches for EO and LO patients in the future, which may be based on differences in autonomic regulation.

Although titanosilicalite-1 (TS-1) is among the most successful oxidation catalysts used in industry, its active site structure is still debated. Recent efforts have mostly focused on understanding the role of defect sites and extra-framework Ti. Insights into the positions and distributions of framework tetrahedral Ti sites remain scarce, in part due to the lack of direct characterization techniques with sufficient sensitivity. Here, we report the 47/49Ti solid-state NMR characterization of TS-1 and its molecular models, [Ti(OTBOS)4] and [Ti(OTBOS)3(OiPr)]. Analysis of their spectroscopic signatures, augmented by computational studies, shows pronounced differences that originate from specific arrangements of the second coordination sphere of Ti atoms, yielding information on titanium siting in TS-1.

We have discovered the first polythioplatinate(II), [Pt

Although the currently available antidepressants are well established in the treatment of the major depressive disorder (MDD), there is strong variability in the response of individual patients. Reliable predictors to guide treatment decisions before or in an early stage of treatment are needed. DNA-methylation has been proven a useful biomarker in different clinical conditions, but its importance for mechanisms of antidepressant response has not yet been determined. 80 MDD patients were selected out of >500 participants from the Early Medication Change (EMC) cohort with available genetic material based on their antidepressant response after four weeks and stratified into clear responders and age- and sex-matched non-responders (N = 40, each). Early improvement after two weeks was analyzed as a secondary outcome. DNA-methylation was determined using the Illumina EPIC BeadChip. Epigenome-wide association studies were performed and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) identified using the comb-p algorithm. Enrichment was tested for hallmark gene-sets and in genome-wide association studies of depression and antidepressant response. No epigenome-wide significant differentially methylated positions were found for treatment response or early improvement. Twenty DMRs were associated with response; the strongest in an enhancer region in SORBS2, which has been related to cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. Another DMR was located in CYP2C18, a gene previously linked to antidepressant response. Results pointed towards differential methylation in genes associated with cardiac function, neuroticism, and depression. Linking differential methylation to antidepressant treatment response is an emerging topic and represents a step towards personalized medicine, potentially facilitating the prediction of patients’ response before treatment.

Od czasu powstania ostatniej wielkiej unifikacji biologii ewolucyjnej — nowoczesnej syntezy, utworzonej w latach czterdziestych dwudziestego wieku — odnotowano znaczący rozwój nauk biologicznych. Ogromu nowej wiedzy o czynnikach odpowiedzialnych za zmianę ewolucyjną dostarczyły między innymi biologia molekularna i ewolucyjna biologia rozwoju, koncepcje uwzględniające rozwój ekologiczny, tworzenie nisz oraz wielość systemów dziedziczenia, rewolucja „-omik”, a także biologia systemowa. Część odkryć dokonanych w ramach tych koncepcji i dziedzin jest zgodna z teorią standardową, ale inne ustalenia wskazują na niespójne z nią cechy procesu ewolucji. Celem nowej, rozszerzonej syntezy teoretycznej, za którą opowiadają się niektórzy biologowie, jest zunifikowanie stosownych koncepcji formułowanych na gruncie nowych dziedzin badań z elementami teorii standardowej. Stworzona w ten sposób rama teoretyczna różni się od ujęcia standardowego swoją podstawową logiką i mocą predykcyjną. Podczas gdy teoretyczna warstwa nowoczesnej syntezy (wliczając w to również jej korekty) koncentruje się na genetycznej i adaptacyjnej zmienności w populacjach, rozszerzona rama pojęciowa kładzie nacisk na rolę procesów twórczych, interakcji ekologicznych i dynamiki systemowej w ewolucji złożoności organizmów, jak również na jej uwarunkowania społeczne i kulturowe. Przyczynowość jednopoziomową i jednostronną zastąpiono przyczynowością wielopoziomową i dwustronną. Rozszerzona rama pojęciowa przezwycięża między innymi ograniczenia tradycyjnego, genocentrycznego sposobu wyjaśniania i oferuje nowe spojrzenie na rolę doboru naturalnego w procesie ewolucji. Dzięki temu inspiruje badania w nowych obszarach biologii ewolucyjnej.

Stress has a major impact on the modulation of metabolism, as previously evidenced by hyperglycemia following chronic social defeat (CSD) stress in mice. Although CSD-triggered metabolic dysregulation might predispose to pre-diabetic conditions, insulin sensitivity remained intact, and obesity did not develop, when animals were fed with a standard diet (SD). Here, we investigated whether a nutritional challenge, a high-fat diet (HFD), aggravates the metabolic phenotype and whether there are particularly sensitive time windows for the negative consequences of HFD exposure. Chronically stressed male mice and controls (CTRL) were kept under (i) SD-conditions, (ii) with HFD commencing post-CSD, or (iii) provided with HFD lasting throughout and after CSD. Under SD conditions, stress increased glucose levels early post-CSD. Both HFD regimens increased glucose levels in non-stressed mice but not in stressed mice. Nonetheless, when HFD was provided after CSD, stressed mice did not differ from controls in long-term body weight gain, fat tissue mass and plasma insulin, and leptin levels. In contrast, when HFD was continuously available, stressed mice displayed reduced body weight gain, lowered plasma levels of insulin and leptin, and reduced white adipose tissue weights as compared to their HFD-treated non-stressed controls. Interestingly, stress-induced adrenal hyperplasia and hypercortisolemia were observed in mice treated with SD and with HFD after CSD but not in stressed mice exposed to a continuous HFD treatment. The present work demonstrates that CSD can reduce HFD-induced metabolic dysregulation. Hence, HFD during stress may act beneficially, as comfort food, by decreasing stress-induced metabolic demands.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to document the distribution and pattern of behavior of this tumor among our patients.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with diagnosis of laryngeal cancer seen in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between 1990 to1996 was carried out.RESULTS: There were 242 cases, the majority of whom were from the white race (94,2%). The peak incidence was in the seventh decade of life and male to femaleratio was 15:1. The most common histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (98,76%) and by site, glottic involvement was the most frequent (44,7%), and so themost common symptom at presentation was hoarseness (76,5%). Supraglottic tumors presented, mainly, with dysphagia and the transglottics with dyspnea. As to staging, 43,3% were in IV stage at the diagnosis. The supraglottic tumors were, mainly, in the stage IV (38,3%), while the majority of glottic tumors (74,2%) were in the stage I, its reflect a worse prognosis for the supraglottic tumors. The total surgery was the mostfrequent treatment performed (50,7%).CONCLUSIONS: The laryngeal cancer diagnosis in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre is done at a late stage, making the patient’s prognosis really reserved., OBJETIVO: O objetivo foi documentar a distribuição e o padrão de comportamento deste tumor entre os nossos pacientes.MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo dos pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer de laringe atendidos no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre entre 1990 e 1996.RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 242 casos, a maioria da raça branca (94,2%). A divisão por faixa etária mostrou um pico do ocorrência na sétima década de vida e a proporção de homens em relação à mulheres foi de 15:1. O tipo histológico maiscomum foi carcinoma epidermóide (98,76%) e o sítio mais freqüentemente acometido foi a glote (44,7%), conseqüentemente, o sintoma mais comum na apresentação foi a disfonia (76,5%). Os pacientes com tumores na supraglote apresentaram, principalmente, disfagia e, aqueles com tumores transglóticos, dispnéia. Quanto ao estadiamento, 43,2% estavam no estágio IV no momento do diagnóstico. Os tumores localizados na supraglote estão relacionados com pior prognóstico, nesta amostra 38,3% dos pacientes com câncer na supraglote estavam no estágio IV, enquanto quea maioria dos tumores glóticos (74,2%) estavam no estágio I. A cirurgia total foi o tratamento mais realizado (50,7%).CONCLUSÃO: O diagnóstico do câncer de laringe no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre é feito, em sua maior parte, em estágio avançado, tornando o prognóstico desses pacientes bastante reservado.

The prognosis for ovarian cancer patients remains poor. A key to maximizing survival rates is early detection and treatment. This requires an accurate prediction of malignancy. Our study seeks to improve the accuracy of prediction by focusing on early subjective assessment of malignancy. We therefore investigated the assessment of patients themselves in comparison to the assessment of physicians.One thousand three hundred and thirty patients participated in a prospective and multicenter study in six hospitals in Berlin. Using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression models, we measured the accuracy of the early subjective assessment in comparison to the final histological outcome. Moreover, we investigated factors related to the assessment of patients and physicians.The patients' assessment of malignancy is remarkably accurate. With a positive predictive value of 58%, the majority of patients correctly assessed a pelvic mass as malignant. With more information available, physicians achieved only a slightly more accurate prediction of 63%.For the first time, our study considered subjective factors in the diagnostic process of pelvic masses. This paper demonstrates that the patients' personal assessment should be taken seriously as it can provide a significant contribution to earlier diagnosis and thus improved therapy and overall prognosis.

The Earth System Model Evaluation Tool (ESMValTool) is a community diagnostics and performance metrics tool designed to improve comprehensive and routine evaluation of Earth system models (ESMs) participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). It has undergone rapid development since the first release in 2016 and is now a well-tested tool that provides end-to-end provenance tracking to ensure reproducibility. It consists of (1) an easy-to-install, well-documented Python package providing the core functionalities (ESMValCore) that performs common preprocessing operations and (2) a diagnostic part that includes tailored diagnostics and performance metrics for specific scientific applications. Here we describe large-scale diagnostics of the second major release of the tool that supports the evaluation of ESMs participating in CMIP Phase 6 (CMIP6). ESMValTool v2.0 includes a large collection of diagnostics and performance metrics for atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial variables for the mean state, trends, and variability. ESMValTool v2.0 also successfully reproduces figures from the evaluation and projections chapters of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and incorporates updates from targeted analysis packages, such as the NCAR Climate Variability Diagnostics Package for the evaluation of modes of variability, the Thermodynamic Diagnostic Tool (TheDiaTo) to evaluate the energetics of the climate system, as well as parts of AutoAssess that contains a mix of top–down performance metrics. The tool has been fully integrated into the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) infrastructure at the Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum (DKRZ) to provide evaluation results from CMIP6 model simulations shortly after the output is published to the CMIP archive. A result browser has been implemented that enables advanced monitoring of the evaluation results by a broad user community at much faster timescales than what was possible in CMIP5.

The angular dependence of magnetic-field commensurability effects in thin films of the cuprate high-critical-temperature superconductor YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-\delta}$ (YBCO) with an artificial pinning landscape is investigated. Columns of point defects are fabricated by two different methods of ion irradiation -- scanning the focused 30 keV ion beam in a helium ion microscope or employing the wide-field 75 keV He$^+$ beam of an ion implanter through a stencil mask. Simulations of the ion-target interactions and the resulting collision cascades reveal that with both methods square arrays of defect columns with sub-$\mu$m spacings can be created. They consist of dense point-defect clusters, which act as pinning centers for Abrikosov vortices. This is verified by the measurement of commensurable peaks of the critical current and related minima of the flux-flow resistance vs magnetic field at the matching fields. In oblique magnetic fields the matching features are exclusively governed by the component of the magnetic field parallel to the axes of the columnar defects, which confirms that the magnetic flux is penetrated along the defect columns. We demonstrate that the latter dominate the pinning landscape despite of the strong intrinsic pinning in thin YBCO films., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

The aim of the research article is to present opinions of mayors and mayoress from Euroregions Neisse/Nisa/Nysa and Šumava/Bayerischer Wald-Unterer Inn/Mühlviertel, who are important local agents of cross-border cooperation. We want to determine whether and to what extent a positive perception of borders and crossborder cooperation, as well as a positive experience with cross-border activities, contribute to the process of horizontal (active border) Europeanization and development of complementary and inclusive collective identities. We collected responses to our questionnaire from 79 mayors. Collected data were described statistically, but also analyzed with the use of crosstabulation and cluster analysis. Four specific clusters of mayors were identified in relation to the transformation of their identity and their attachment to the EU. Such transformation represents an idiosyncratic reflexive outcome of their experience with and their perception of cross-border cooperation.

We report on the discovery of the first two examples of cationic palladium(II)-oxo clusters (POCs) containing f-metal ions, [Pd