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The presence of prolonged symptoms after COVID infection worsens the workability and quality of life. 200 adults with long COVID syndrome were enrolled after medical, physical, and mental screening, and were divided into two groups based on their performance. The intervention group (n= 100) received supervised rehabilitation at Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University with the registration number 160/2021 between 01/APR/2021–31/DEC/2022, while an age-matched control group (n= 100) received a single check-up. To evaluate the long-term effects of the rehabilitation, the intervention group was involved in a 2- and 3-month follow-up, carrying out cardiopulmonary exercise test. Our study contributes understanding long COVID rehabilitation, emphasizing the potential benefits of structured cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in enhancing patient outcomes and well-being. Significant difference was found between intervention group and control group at baseline visit in pulmonary parameters, as forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, forced expiratory volume, transfer factor for carbon monoxide, transfer coefficient for carbon monoxide, and oxygen saturation (all p< 0.05). Our follow-up study proved that a 2-week long, patient-centered pulmonary rehabilitation program has a positive long-term effect on people with symptomatic long COVID syndrome. Our data showed significant improvement between two and three months in maximal oxygen consumption (p< 0.05). Multidisciplinary, individualized approach may be a key element of a successful cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in long COVID conditions, which improves workload, quality of life, respiratory function, and status of patients with long COVID syndrome.

Species are already on the move as waters warm. Conservation plans need to take this into account.

The farming and processing of insects are still developing in the food chain in Europe. In order to contribute towards a more efficient use of insects, processing chains for upscaled production need optimisation to establish a more sustainable and resilient food and feed chain on the one hand and create attractive market opportunities with high consumer acceptability on the other hand. High-moisture extrusion offers a great chance for food and feed producers to manufacture fibrous meat analogues already well established on the alternative meat market. The current study summarizes the applicability of high-moisture extrusion of plant proteins and fresh insect biomass for obtaining texturized meat substitutes, e.g. the high-moisture extrudates (HME) based on soy or pea protein. The incorporation of four different insect species – yellow mealworm, black soldier fly larvae, housefly larvae and house crickets into HME products, by replacing 30% of extrusion mixture consisting of the soy or pea protein powders has been investigated. Overall, incorporation of fresh or frozen insects in HME by replacing up to 30 % plant-based proteins can be realised without radical changes in product quality achieving a more balanced product for human and animal diets [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INDUSTRY 4.0 AND THE DIGITAL manufacturing revolution are all about collecting--and, more importantly, acting on--data gathered from the assembly process in real time. That's all well and good when data [...]

The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) maintains the world’s largest extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) registry by volume, center participation, and international scope. This 2022 ELSO Registry Report describes the program characteristics of ECMO centers, processes of ECMO care, and reported outcomes. Neonates (0–28 days), children (29 days–17 years), and adults (≥18 years) supported with ECMO from 2009 through 2022 and reported to the ELSO Registry were included. This report describes adjunctive therapies, support modes, treatments, complications, and survival outcomes. Data are presented descriptively as counts and percent or median and interquartile range (IQR) by year, group, or level. Missing values were excluded before calculating descriptive statistics. Complications are reported per 1,000 ECMO hours. From 2009 to 2022, 154,568 ECMO runs were entered into the ELSO Registry. Seven hundred and eighty centers submitted data during this time (557 in 2022). Since 2009, the median annual number of adult ECMO runs per center per year increased from 4 to 15, whereas for pediatric and neonatal runs, the rate decreased from 12 to 7. Over 50% of patients were transferred to the reporting ECMO center; 20% of these patients were transported with ECMO. The use of prone positioning before respiratory ECMO increased from 15% (2019) to 44% (2021) for adults during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Survival to hospital discharge was greatest at 68.5% for neonatal respiratory support and lowest at 29.5% for ECPR delivered to adults. By 2022, the Registry had enrolled its 200,000th ECMO patient and 100,000th patient discharged alive. Since its inception, the ELSO Registry has helped centers measure and compare outcomes across its member centers and strategies of care. Continued growth and development of the Registry will aim to bolster its utility to patients and centers.

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This study utilizes the capability of X-ray-computed tomography (CT) in the quantitative characterization of unconsolidated Quaternary sediments. Integrating CT scans with grain size endmember modeling (EMM) offers a novel approach to understanding sedimentological processes. The CT scans were analyzed to delineate Hounsfield Unit (HU) distributions, identifying four distinct density components reflective of varied sediment types. This classification, grounded in Gaussian mixture modeling, reveals intricate details of the sedimentary texture and its relation to depositional dynamics. The EMM further unraveled the textural complexity of the sediments, correlating CT-derived density variations with specific grain size fractions. This analysis illuminated the stratigraphic interplay between finer and coarser materials, indicative of alternating depositional energies within a dynamic fluvial-lacustrine setting. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) augmented this understanding, distilling the core’s complex sedimentology into principal factors that govern grain size distribution and density variations. Combining CT imaging with granulometric analysis provides a robust methodology for reconstructing depositional environments; this not only enhances our grasp of Quaternary sediment dynamics but also establishes a framework for future exploration in paleoenvironmental reconstruction.

Abstract Formulators are required to comply with increasingly stringent VOC regulations and, at the same time, maintain the performance characteristics expected from the coating system. Traditionally, there have been three [...]

The current best practice in survivable routing is to compute link or node disjoint paths in the network topology graph. It can protect single-point failures; however, several failure events may cause the interruption of multiple network elements. The set of network elements subject to potential failure events is called Shared Risk Link Group (SRLG), identified during network planning. Unfortunately, for any given list of SRLGs, finding two paths that can survive a single SRLG failure is NP-Complete. In this paper, we provide a polynomial-time SRLG-disjoint routing algorithm for planar network topologies and a large set of SRLGs. Namely, we focus on regional failures, where the failed network elements must not be far from each other. We use a flexible definition of regional failure, where the only restrictions are that i) the topology is a planar graph, ii) each SRLG forms a set of connected edges in the dual of the planar graph, and iii) for each node $v$ , the links incident to $v$ are part of an SRLG. The proposed algorithm is based on a max-min theorem. Through extensive simulations, we show that the algorithm scales well with the network size, and one of the paths returned by the algorithm is only 4% longer than the shortest path on average.

Lithium is regarded as the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), a severe and disabling mental health disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Nevertheless, lithium is not consistently effective, with only 30% of patients showing a favorable response to treatment. To provide personalized treatment options for bipolar patients, it is essential to identify prediction biomarkers such as polygenic scores. In this study, we developed a polygenic score for lithium treatment response (Li+PGS) in patients with BD. To gain further insights into lithium’s possible molecular mechanism of action, we performed a genome-wide gene-based analysis. Using polygenic score modeling, via methods incorporating Bayesian regression and continuous shrinkage priors, Li+PGSwas developed in the International Consortium of Lithium Genetics cohort (ConLi+Gen: N= 2367) and replicated in the combined PsyCourse (N= 89) and BipoLife (N= 102) studies. The associations of Li+PGSand lithium treatment response —defined in a continuous ALDA scale and a categorical outcome (good response vs. poor response) were tested using regression models, each adjusted for the covariates: age, sex, and the first four genetic principal components. Statistical significance was determined at P< 0.05. Li+PGSwas positively associated with lithium treatment response in the ConLi+Gen cohort, in both the categorical (P= 9.8 × 10−12, R2= 1.9%) and continuous (P= 6.4 × 10−9, R2= 2.6%) outcomes. Compared to bipolar patients in the 1stdecile of the risk distribution, individuals in the 10thdecile had 3.47-fold (95%CI: 2.22–5.47) higher odds of responding favorably to lithium. The results were replicated in the independent cohorts for the categorical treatment outcome (P= 3.9 × 10−4, R2= 0.9%), but not for the continuous outcome (P= 0.13). Gene-based analyses revealed 36 candidate genes that are enriched in biological pathways controlled by glutamate and acetylcholine. Li+PGSmay be useful in the development of pharmacogenomic testing strategies by enabling a classification of bipolar patients according to their response to treatment.

Background: Human workers are indispensable in the human–cyber-physical system in the forthcoming Industry 5.0. As inappropriate work content induces stress and harmful effects on human performance, engineering applications search for a physiological indicator for monitoring the well-being state of workers during work; thus, the work content can be modified accordingly. The primary aim of this study is to assess whether heart rate variability (HRV) can be a valid and reliable indicator of acute work-content-related stress (AWCRS) in real time during industrial work. Second, we aim to provide a broader scope of HRV usage as a stress indicator in this context. Methods: A search was conducted in Scopus, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Web of Science between 1 January 2000 and 1 June 2022. Eligible articles are analyzed regarding study design, population, assessment of AWCRS, and its association with HRV. Results: A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. No randomized control trial (RCT) was conducted to assess the association between AWCRS and HRV. Five observational studies were performed. Both AWCRS and HRV were measured in nine further studies, but their associations were not analyzed. Results suggest that HRV does not fully reflect the AWCRS during work, and it is problematic to measure the effect of AWCRS on HRV in the real manufacturing environment. The evidence is insufficient for a reliable conclusion about the HRV diagnostic role as an indicator of human worker status. Conclusion: This review is valuable in the Operator 4.0 paradigm, calling for more trials to validate the use of HRV to measure AWCRS on human workers.

The liver, as a crucial metabolic organ, undergoes significant pathological changes during the aging process, which can have a profound impact on overall health. To gain a comprehensive understanding of these alterations, we employed data-driven approaches, along with biochemical methods, histology, and immunohistochemistry techniques, to systematically investigate the effects of aging on the liver. Our study utilized a well-established rat aging model provided by the National Institute of Aging. Systems biology approaches were used to analyze genome-wide transcriptomics data from liver samples obtained from young (4–5 months old) and aging (20–21 months old) Fischer 344 rats. Our findings revealed pathological changes occurring in various essential biological processes in aging livers. These included mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxidative/nitrative stress, decreased NAD + content, impaired amino acid and protein synthesis, heightened inflammation, disrupted lipid metabolism, enhanced apoptosis, senescence, and fibrosis. These results were validated using independent datasets from both human and rat aging studies. Furthermore, by employing co-expression network analysis, we identified novel driver genes responsible for liver aging, confirmed our findings in human aging subjects, and pointed out the cellular localization of the driver genes using single-cell RNA-sequencing human data. Our study led to the discovery and validation of a liver-specific gene, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), as a potential therapeutic target for mitigating the pathological processes associated with aging in the liver. This finding envisions new possibilities for developing interventions aimed to improve liver health during the aging process.

'Here in Hungary prog's not really that popular,' admits Janos Stefan, bassist and co-founder of Ghost Toast. 'It's mostly underground and, even then, it's not 'classic' prog like Pink Floyd [...]

ABSTRACTIntroductionMexiletine is a class IB sodium-channel blocker. Unlike class IA or IC antiarrhythmic drugs, mexiletine rather shortens than prolongs action potential duration; therefore, it is less associated with proarrhythmic effects.Areas coveredRecently, new European Guidelines for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death were published, including a reappraisal of some established older antiarrhythmic drugs.Expert opinionMexiletine offers a first-line, genotype-specific treatment strategy for LQT3 patients as emphasized by the most recent guidelines. Besides this recommendation, current study reports suggest that in therapy-refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias and electrical storms adjunctive mexiletine treatment may offer the possibility of stabilizing patients with or without concomitant interventional therapy such as catheter ablation.

The T cell receptor fusion construct (TRuC) gavocabtagene autoleucel (gavo-cel) consists of single-domain anti-mesothelin antibody that integrates into the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) and engages the signaling capacity of the entire TCR upon mesothelin binding. Here we describe phase 1 results from an ongoing phase1/2 trial of gavo-cel in patients with treatment-refractory mesothelin-expressing solid tumors. The primary objectives were to evaluate safety and determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Secondary objectives included efficacy. Thirty-two patients received gavo-cel at increasing doses either as a single agent (n= 3) or after lymphodepletion (LD, n= 29). Dose-limiting toxicities of grade 3 pneumonitis and grade 5 bronchioalveolar hemorrhage were noted. The RP2D was determined as 1 × 108cells per m2after LD. Grade 3 or higher pneumonitis was seen in 16% of all patients and in none at the RP2D; grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome occurred in 25% of all patients and in 15% at the RP2D. In 30 evaluable patients, the overall response rate and disease control rate were 20% (13% confirmed) and 77%, respectively, and the 6-month overall survival rate was 70%. Gavo-cel warrants further study in patients with mesothelin-expressing cancers given its encouraging anti-tumor activity, but it may have a narrow therapeutic window. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03907852.

The ability to dim LEDs is a big advantage compared to previous light sources, but it can also lead to new aging mechanisms. Due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the individual structural layers, the temperature cycle can negatively affect the main thermal path. In this article, we investigate how different dimming frequencies influence the aging of LEDs and to what extent they impair the thermal conductivity of structural layers belonging to different thermal time constants. In this article, the methodology of the joint examination of the integral structure function and the time constant spectrum is described, i.e., the determination of the time constants and the frequency values that expose the individual structural layers to the most mechanical stress. The theoretical results are demonstrated using an LM-80-based LED lifetime test supplemented with thermal transient testing, which is also presented in this article.

Excitatory projections from the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) to the lateral habenula (LHb) drive aversive responses. We used patch-sequencing (Patch-seq) guided multimodal classification to define the structural and functional heterogeneity of the LHA–LHb pathway. Our classification identified six glutamatergic neuron types with unique electrophysiological properties, molecular profiles and projection patterns. We found that genetically defined LHA–LHb neurons signal distinct aspects of emotional or naturalistic behaviors, such as estrogen receptor 1-expressing (Esr1+) LHA–LHb neurons induce aversion, whereas neuropeptide Y-expressing (Npy+) LHA–LHb neurons control rearing behavior. Repeated optogenetic drive of Esr1+LHA–LHb neurons induces a behaviorally persistent aversive state, and large-scale recordings showed a region-specific neural representation of the aversive signals in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex. We further found that exposure to unpredictable mild shocks induced a sex-specific sensitivity to develop a stress state in female mice, which was associated with a specific shift in the intrinsic properties of bursting-type Esr1+LHA–LHb neurons. In summary, we describe the diversity of LHA–LHb neuron types and provide evidence for the role of Esr1+neurons in aversion and sexually dimorphic stress sensitivity.

Decellularized tissues offer significant potential as biological materials for tissue regeneration given their ability to preserve the complex compositions and architecture of the native extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the evaluation and derivation of decellularized matrices from human bone tissue remains largely unexplored. We examined how the physiochemical and biological properties of ECM hydrogels derived from human bone ECM could be controlled by manipulating bone powder size (45–250 μm, 250–1000 μm, and 1000–2000 μm) and ECM composition through modulation of enzyme digestion time (3-5-7 days).

The article is an introduction to the yiḏaki (didgeridoo) of Northeast Arnhem Land, an important Australian Aboriginal instrument. It also highlights the importance of understanding the cultural custodians of the instrument and introduces the reader to some basics of Yolŋu languages to aid in understanding the content.

Widely distributed freshwater carbonate sediments, i.e., limestone, dolomitic limestone and dolomite, developed in inter-dune alkaline ponds of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve in the centre of the Carpathian Basin during the Holocene. The key parameters that determine the formation of any given type of carbonate mineral (calcite, dolomite) are temperature, evaporation rate, pH and ion concentrations, in addition to CO2absorption by aquatic plants. CT analysis is capable of recording small-scale density variations attributable to compositional differences of sedimentary rocks. As the type and proportion of rock-forming minerals and other components is an artifact of past environmental and climatic conditions, CT values may act as potential palaeoenvironmental proxies. The present study compares variations in rock-forming components obtained for freshwater carbonates utilizing the CT method with already available geochemical and palaeoecological proxy data. Variations in molluscan ecology and isotope geochemistry, sedimentation times and CT-based rock density values all indicate the relevance of millennial-scale, climate-driven changes in carbonate formation. As previously observed, the emergence of colder conditions in the North Atlantic, which resulted in increased cyclonic activity and heavier rainfall in western Europe and the Danube watershed area between 10.3 and 9.3 kyr cal BP, resulted in the emergence of humid conditions favouring a rise in the groundwater table at our site and precipitation of calcite from pore waters as opposed to high-magnesium calcite. This is clearly reflected in a negative shift in CT density values in our dated rock samples.

Current laser marking of glass by CO2lasers is mainly based on the generation of cracks or melt pits. Improved quality in the form of damage free, high contrast, and high resolution marking is possible by using deep ultraviolet emitting excimer lasers. Various methods of ablative microstructure formation or nanoparticle implantation are available to achieve colored marks on glass formed by opalescence, chemical modification, or plasmonic absorption.

'FinTech,' a contraction of 'financial technology,' refers to technology-enabled financial solutions. It is often seen today as the new marriage of financial services and information technology. However, the interlinkage of finance and technology has a long history and has evolved over three distinct eras, during which finance and technology have evolved together: first in the analogue context; then with a process of digitalization of finance from the late twentieth century onwards; and since 2008, a new era of FinTech emerging in both the developed and developing world. This new era is defined not by the financial products or services delivered, but by who delivers them and the application of rapidly developing technology at the retail and wholesale levels. This latest evolution of FinTech, led by start-ups, poses challenges for regulators and market participants alike, particularly in balancing the potential benefits of innovation with the possible risks of new approaches. We analyze the evolution of FinTech over the past 150 years, and on the basis of this analysis, argue against its too-early or rigid regulation at this juncture., I. INTRODUCTION II. FINTECH: NEW TERM FOR AN OLD RELATIONSHIP III. FINTECH 1.0 (1866-1967): FROM ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL A. The First Age of Financial Globalization B. The Early Post- War [...]

Without wetting and dispersing additives, pigments and fillers in paints could not be properly dispersed, and once dispersed, would not remain evenly suspended in the paint. The demands on pigment [...]

Editor's Note: In this four-part series that debuted last fall, Healthcare Purchasing News dedicated editorial space to advise readers on how to plan for, design and equip their hybrid integrated [...]

Studies have shown that COPD and smoking are associated with increased suicide risk. To date, there are no prospective studies examining suicide risk among individuals with smoking exposure along a spectrum of pulmonary diseases ranging from normal spirometry to severe COPD.

This article presents a novel and efficient failure localization framework in Optical Transport Network (OTN), called Instance Correlation based Failure Localization (IC-FL). Specifically, IC-FL aims to localize faulty network devices in the OTN optical layer via correlation among the state changes of network devices and alarms using a trained binary classifier. Extensive case studies on single-board failure and regional failure are carried out to show the advantages seized by the proposed IC-FL via a suite of evaluation metrics and analyze its performance under distinct environmental variations such as network topology and traffic distribution.

Background: Most bile duct (BDI) injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) occur due to visual misperception leading to the misinterpretation of anatomy. Deep learning (DL) models for surgical video analysis could, therefore, support visual tasks such as identifying critical view of safety (CVS). This study aims to develop a prediction model of CVS during LC. This aim is accomplished using a deep neural network integrated with a segmentation model that is capable of highlighting hepatocytic anatomy. Methods: Still images from LC videos were annotated with four hepatocystic landmarks of anatomy segmentation. A deep autoencoder neural network with U-Net to investigate accurate medical image segmentation was trained and tested using fivefold cross-validation. Accuracy, Loss, Intersection over Union (IoU), Precision, Recall, and Hausdorff Distance were computed to evaluate the model performance versus the annotated ground truth. Results: A total of 1550 images from 200 LC videos were annotated. Mean IoU for segmentation was 74.65%. The proposed approach performed well for automatic hepatocytic landmarks identification with 92% accuracy and 93.9% precision and can segment challenging cases. Conclusion: DL, can potentially provide an intraoperative model for surgical video analysis and can be trained to guide surgeons toward reliable hepatocytic anatomy segmentation and produce selective video documentation of this safety step of LC.

BackgroundOur study aimed to establish ‘real-world’ performance and cost-effectiveness of ovarian cancer (OC) surveillance in women with pathogenic germline BRCA1/2variants who defer risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO).MethodsOur study recruited 875 female BRCA1/2-heterozygotes at 13 UK centres and via an online media campaign, with 767 undergoing at least one 4-monthly surveillance test with the Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA) test. Surveillance performance was calculated with modelling of occult cancers detected at RRSO. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated using Markov population cohort simulation.ResultsOur study identified 8 OCs during 1277 women screen years: 2 occult OCs at RRSO (both stage 1a), and 6 screen-detected; 3 of 6 (50%) were ≤stage 3a and 5 of 6 (83%) were completely surgically cytoreduced. Modelled sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) for OC were 87.5% (95% CI, 47.3 to 99.7), 99.9% (99.9–100), 75% (34.9–96.8) and 99.9% (99.9–100), respectively. The predicted number of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) gained by surveillance was 0.179 with an ICER cost-saving of -£102,496/QALY.ConclusionOC surveillance for women deferring RRSO in a ‘real-world’ setting is feasible and demonstrates similar performance to research trials; it down-stages OC, leading to a high complete cytoreduction rate and is cost-saving in the UK National Health Service (NHS) setting. While RRSO remains recommended management, ROCA-based surveillance may be considered for female BRCA-heterozygotes who are deferring such surgery.

Background: End-stage kidney disease and acquired cystic kidney disease are the final stages of chronic kidney disease, leading to loss of kidney function and frequent development of tumours. It has been suggested that an inflammatory microenvironment may be responsible for the progressive kidney remodelling and cancer development. Methods: Our aim was to analyse gene expression suggested to be involved in the remodelling of kidneys in end-stage kidney disease, and in the development of preneoplastic lesions and tumours. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the cellular localisation of different genes involved in these pathways on representative tissue sections. Results: Cellular (αSMA positive naïve activated fibroblasts, endothelial cells, macrophages) and non-cellular components (cytokines IL6, TGFβ, IL1β, CSF2, fibronectin, laminin, and matrix modifier proteases MMP9 and MMP12) of the inflammatory microenvironment were expressed in the kidneys of patients with end-stage kidney disease. IL6 and FN1 expressing naïve activated fibroblasts and recruited inflammatory cells were the most abundant cellular components of the inflammatory microenvironment. Conclusion: The progressive inflammatory and fibrotic processes in end-stage kidney disease have features recalling those of  a never healing wound and may explain the frequent development of kidney cancer. Graphical abstract:

The main objective of TAniA – technical asset value assessment within asset management – is the development and practical approach of a calculation procedure for a technical, condition-based asset value and a reconstruction value of road infrastructure assets. It should be a part of a sustainable life-cycle solution as basis for a strategic and technical decision process. TAniA enables to close existing gaps in the actual assessment and decision processes. It extends the existing life cycle approaches, considering the requirements of a holistic and sustainable solution. The project offers an overall solution, which could be implemented into the decision processes of road administrations without intensive additional effort.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still causing a worldwide problem. The virus settles primarily on the nasal mucosa, and the infection and its course depend on individual susceptibility. Our aim was to investigate the nasopharynx composition’s role in the individual susceptibility. During the first phase of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, nasopharyngeal microbiome samples of close contact unvaccinated patients were investigated by 16S rRNA analysis and by culturing. The whole genome of cultured Corynebacteriawas sequenced. The relative expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and cathepsin L on Caco-2 cells and the strength of S1-ACE2 binding were determined in the presence of Corynebacteria. From 55 close contacts exposed to identical SARS-CoV-2 exposure, 26 patients became infected and 29 remained uninfected. The nasopharyngeal microbiome analysis showed significantly higher abundance of Corynebacteriain uninfected group. Corynebacterium accolenscould be cultivated only from uninfected individuals andCorynebacterium propinquumfrom both infected and uninfected. Corynebacteriafrom uninfected patient significantly reduced the ACE2 and cathepsin L expression. C. accolenssignificantly reduced the TMPRSS2 expression compared to other Corynebacteria. Furthermore, Corynebacterium spp. weakened the binding of the S1-ACE2. Most C. accolensisolates harbored the TAG lipase LipS1 gene. Based on these results, the presence of Corynebacteriumspp. in the nasopharyngeal microbiota, especially C. accolensstrains, could reduce the individual susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection by several mechanisms: by downregulation the ACE2, the TMPRSS2 receptors, and cathepsin L in the host; through the inhibition of S1-ACE2 binding; and lipase production. These results suggest the use of C. accolensstrains as probiotics in the nasopharynx in the future.

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A hallmark of nervous system aging is a decline of white matter volume and function, but the underlying mechanisms leading to white matter pathology are unknown. In the present study, we found age-related alterations of oligodendrocyte cell state with a reduction in total oligodendrocyte density in aging murine white matter. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we identified interferon (IFN)-responsive oligodendrocytes, which localize in proximity to CD8+T cells in aging white matter. Absence of functional lymphocytes decreased the number of IFN-responsive oligodendrocytes and rescued oligodendrocyte loss, whereas T-cell checkpoint inhibition worsened the aging response. In addition, we identified a subpopulation of lymphocyte-dependent, IFN-responsive microglia in the vicinity of the CD8+T cells in aging white matter. In summary, we provide evidence that CD8+T-cell-induced, IFN-responsive oligodendrocytes and microglia are important modifiers of white matter aging.

Convalescent plasma therapy might be a feasible option for treatment of novel infections. During the early phases of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, several promising results were published with convalescent plasma therapy, followed by more disappointing findings of randomised controlled trials. In our single-centre, open-label, prospective, cohort study, we assessed the findings of 180 patients treated with convalescent plasma during the first four waves of the pandemic in Hungary. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality; secondary outcomes were clinical improvement and need for intensive care unit admission by day 28. Subgroup analysis comparing elderly and non-elderly (less than 65 years of age) was performed. Twenty (11.4%) patients died by day 28, at significantly higher rates in the elderly subgroup (3 vs. 17, p< 0.01). One hundred twenty-eight (72.7%) patients showed clinical improvement, and 15 (8.5%) were transferred to the intensive care unit until day 28. Non-elderly patients showed clinical improvement by day 28 in significantly higher rates (improvement 74 vs. 54, no improvement 15 vs. 11, worsening or death 4 vs. 18 patients, p< 0.01). In conclusion, we found similar clinical outcome results as randomised controlled trials, and the impact of risk factors for unfavourable clinical outcomes among patients in the elderly population.

•Develop a new approach to assessing thermo-physical properties of multilayer soils.•The second soil layer has the highest thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity.•The third soil layer has the lowest thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity.•The mixed soil's moderate heating and cooling capacity stems from its average moisture content and density.

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'She must have thought you were Hungarian,' Bori said to me, in Hungarian. 'She must've just been confused.' 'Wait, but aren't I Hungarian?' I replied. 'If she's confused, maybe I [...]

Byline: Janos. Stumpf, Subathira. Balasundaram, P. G. G.. Kurup, Rathnadevi. Ramadas, Murali. Venkatraman, Karthikeyan. Perumal Dose escalation improves local control in carcinoma prostate, but rectal toxicity remains a concern. Various [...]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a widely used technique to provide circulatory and/or respiratory support in critically ill patients. ECMO treatment usually necessitates systemic anticoagulation. Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) is a commonly used anticoagulant in patients on ECMO support. In situations where UFH is contraindicated, alternative anticoagulation strategies can be applied, such as the use of direct thrombin inhibitors (DTI). Bivalirudin and argatroban are the most widely used DTIs. In this report we give account of the current evidence regarding dosing, monitoring and complications associated with the use of these agents in ECMO dependent patients.

During the night of March 31 South Korea's HEMU-430X experimental train set a national speed record of 421*4 km/h during a test run on the Seoul--Busan high speed line. This [...]

We investigated the impact of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F (hnRNP F) overexpression on angiotensinogen (Agt) gene expression, hypertension, and renal proximal tubular cell (RPTC) injury in high-glucose milieu both in vivo and in vitro. Diabetic Akita transgenic (Tg) mice specifically overexpressing hnRNP F in their RPTCs were created, and the effects on systemic hypertension, Agt gene expression, renal hypertrophy, and interstitial fibrosis were studied. We also examined immortalized rat RPTCs stably transfected with control plasmid or plasmid containing hnRNP F cDNA in vitro. The results showed that hnRNP F overexpression attenuated systemic hypertension, suppressed Agt and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) gene expression, and reduced urinary Agt and angiotensin II levels, renal hypertrophy, and glomerulotubular fibrosis in Akita hnRNP F-Tg mice. In vitro, hnRNP F overexpression prevented the high-glucose stimulation of Agt and TGF-β1 mRNA expression and cellular hypertrophy in RPTCs. These data suggest that hnRNP F plays a modulatory role and can ameliorate hypertension, renal hypertrophy, and interstitial fibrosis in diabetes. The underlying mechanism is mediated, at least in part, via the suppression of intrarenal Agt gene expression in vivo. hnRNP F may be a potential target in the treatment of hypertension and kidney injury in diabetes. Diabetes 61:2597-2608, 2012, In addition to the systemic renin-angiotensin system (RAS), the existence of a local intrarenal RAS is well-established (1). We previously demonstrated that high glucose (25 mmol/L D-glucose) stimulates rat anglotensinogen [...]