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Luž/Lausche is a prominent volcanic feature of the Lusatian Volcanic Field in the Czech/German border region. Ongoing research has brought additional data and interpretations complementary to the eruptive history presented by Wenger et al. (2017). Electric resistivity tomography has revealed the northern limit of the diatreme, which is obscured by anthropogenic influence on landscape. Compared to the expected extent, the diatreme seems to be of slightly smaller diameter. Various techniques were applied to test, whether Hickelstein and proper Luž/Lausche represent two stages of lava dome growth. Whereas gamma-ray spectrometry shows a systematic difference between Hickelstein and Luž/Lausche, negligible variations were observed in bulk-rock chemistry. Both phonolite samples are characterised by negative Ba and Sr-P anomalies in chondrite-normalised spidergram. On the other hand, a significant Zr-Hf anomaly seems to be associated with abundant presence of hiortdahlite in both rocks: This rather exotic mineral known from alkaline complexes worldwide, was for the first time described in rock-forming amounts from Cenozoic alkaline rocks of the Central Europe. The complemented eruptive history was transformed into a popularising animation available on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIrU2_mxgDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published associations between dietary folate and bladder cancer risk are inconsistent. Biomarkers may provide more accurate measures of nutrient status. This nested case–control analysis within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) investigated associations between pre‐diagnostic serum folate, homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12 and the risk of urothelial cell carcinomas of the bladder (UCC). A total of 824 patients with newly diagnosed UCC were matched with 824 cohort members. Serum folate, homocysteine, and vitamins B6 and B12 were measured. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for total, aggressive, and non‐aggressive UCC were estimated using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for smoking status, smoking duration and intensity, and other potential confounders. Additionally, statistical interaction with smoking status was assessed. A halving in serum folate concentrations was moderately associated with risk of UCC (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.98–1.43), in particular aggressive UCC (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.02–1.75; p‐heterogeneity = 0.19). Compared to never smokers in the highest quartile of folate concentrations, this association seemed only apparent among current smokers in the lowest quartile of folate concentrations (OR: 6.26; 95% CI: 3.62–10.81, p‐interaction = 0.07). Dietary folate was not associated with aggressive UCC (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.81–1.95; p‐heterogeneity = 0.14). No association was observed between serum homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12 and risk of UCC. This study suggests that lower serum folate concentrations are associated with increased UCC risk, in particular aggressive UCC. Residual confounding by smoking cannot be ruled out and these findings require confirmation in future studies with multiple measurements. What's new? Results of studies on dietary folate and bladder cancer risk are inconsistent. This nested case‐control analysis within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition is one of the first prospective study investigating associations between pre‐diagnostic serum folate, homocysteine, vitamins B6 and B12 and the risk of urothelial cell carcinomas of the bladder (UCC). This study suggests that lower serum folate concentrations are associated with increased risk of UCC, in particular aggressive UCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes high fever and severe joint pain in humans. It is expected to spread in the future to Europe and has recently reached the USA due to globalization, climate change and vector switch. Despite this, little is known about the virus life cycle and, so far, there is no specific treatment or vaccination against Chikungunya infections. We aimed here to identify small antigenic determinants of the CHIKV E2 protein able to induce neutralizing immune responses. Methodology/Principal Findings: E2 enables attachment of the virus to target cells and a humoral immune response against E2 should protect from CHIKV infections. Seven recombinant proteins derived from E2 and consisting of linear and/or structural antigens were created, and were expressed in and purified from E. coli. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with these recombinant proteins and the mouse sera were screened for neutralizing antibodies. Whereas a linear N-terminally exposed peptide (L) and surface-exposed parts of the E2 domain A (sA) alone did not induce neutralizing antibodies, a construct containing domain B and a part of the β-ribbon (called B+) was sufficient to induce neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, domain sA fused to B+ (sAB+) induced the highest amount of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, the construct sAB+ was used to generate a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), MVA-CHIKV-sAB+. Mice were vaccinated with MVA-CHIKV-sAB+ and/or the recombinant protein sAB+ and were subsequently challenged with wild-type CHIKV. Whereas four vaccinations with MVA-CHIKV-sAB+ were not sufficient to protect mice from a CHIKV infection, protein vaccination with sAB+ markedly reduced the viral titers of vaccinated mice. Conclusions/Significance: The recombinant protein sAB+ contains important structural antigens for a neutralizing antibody response in mice and its formulation with appropriate adjuvants might lead to a future CHIKV vaccine. Author Summary: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted by mosquitos and causes high fever and severe joint pain in humans. It is expected to spread in the future to Europe and has recently reached the USA due to vector switch and climate change. There is no specific treatment or vaccination against CHIKV infections. However, vaccination should be an efficient way to control its spread. The CHIKV envelope glycoprotein E2 enables attachment of the virus to target cells and a humoral immune response against E2 should protect from CHIKV infections. We aimed to identify small antigens of the CHIKV E2 protein that are able to induce neutralizing antibodies. These antigens should enable the production of cost effective, safe and efficient vaccines. The surface-exposed parts of the E2 domain A (sA) fused to domain B and a part of the β-ribbon that joins domain A with B (sAB+) induced most effectively neutralizing antibodies and mice vaccinated with this protein were partially protected from a CHIKV challenge infection. The protein sAB+ was identified as a useful antigen for developing a vaccine when formulated with an appropriate adjuvant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Published associations between dietary carotenoids and vitamin C and bladder cancer risk are inconsistent. Biomarkers may provide more accurate measures of nutrient status. Objective: We investigated the association between plasma carotenoids and vitamin C and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Design: A total of 856 patients with newly diagnosed UCC were matched with 856 cohort members by sex, age at baseline, study center, date and time of blood collection, and fasting status. Plasma carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeax- anthin) were measured by using reverse-phase HPLC, and plasma vitamin C was measured by using a colorimetric assay. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated by using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for smoking status, duration, and intensity. Results: UCC risk decreased with higher concentrations of the sum of plasma carotenoids (IRR for the highest compared with the lowest quartile: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.93; P-trend = 0.04). Plasma β-carotene was inversely associated with aggressive UCC (IRR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.88; P-trend = 0.02). Plasma lutein was inversely associated with risk of nonaggressive UCC (IRR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.98; P-trend = 0.05). No association was observed between plasma vitamin C and risk of UCC. Conclusions: Although residual confounding by smoking or other factors cannot be excluded, higher concentrations of plasma carotenoids may reduce risk of UCC, in particular aggressive UCC. Plasma lutein may reduce risk of nonaggressive UCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the competing demands faced by Deutsche Telekom for global consistency and local responsiveness as it attempted to coordinate its human resource management strategies across its Eastern European subsidiaries. It considers the degree to which the former economic and political histories of Eastern Europe continue to influence and/or constrain multinational corporation strategies and practices in the post-2000 era. Institutional path dependency, strategic international human resource management, and international industrial relations theories are used to assist in analyzing the data. The study concludes that managerial constraints associated with the historical and economic legacies of these former socialist countries are rapidly declining, thereby allowing multinational firms to implement “Western-style” human resource management strategies. It further suggests that industrial relations institutions at the European Union level, rather than individual country level, have the greatest potential to impact on international human resource management strategies in the region. Multinational corporations should therefore engage in more-integrated strategic international human resource management and international industrial relations approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the molecular identification of Apodemus agrarius (striped field mouse) as reservoir host of the Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) lineage DOBV-Aa in 3 federal states of Germany. Phylogenetic analyses provided evidence for multiple spillover of DOBV-Aa to A. flavicollis, a crucial prerequisite for host switch and genetic reassortment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Studies in many countries have reported higher lung cancer incidence and mortality in individuals with lower socioeconomic status. Methods To investigate the role of smoking in these inequalities, we used data from 391 251 participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study, a cohort of individuals in 10 European countries. We collected information on smoking (history and quantity), fruit and vegetable consumption, and education through questionnaires at study entry and gathered data on lung cancer incidence for a mean of 8.4 years. Socioeconomic status was defined as the highest attained level of education, and participants were grouped by sex and region of residence (Northern Europe, Germany, or Southern Europe). Relative indices of inequality (RIls) of lung cancer risk unadjusted and adjusted for smoking were estimated using Cox regression models. Additional analyses were performed by histological type. Results During the study period, 939 men and 692 women developed lung cancer. Inequalities in lung cancer risk (Rllmen = 3.62, 95% confidence interval [Cl] = 2.77 to 4.73, 117 vs 52 per 100000 person-years for lowest vs highest education level; RlIwomen = 2.39, 95% Cl = 1.77 to 3.21, 46 vs 25 per 100000 person-years) decreased after adjustment for smoking but remained statistically significant (Rllmen = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.75 to 3.01; Rllwomen = 1.59, 95% Cl = 1.18 to 2.13). Large RIIs were observed among men and women in Northern European countries and among men in Germany, but inequalities in lung cancer risk were reverse (RIls < 1) among women in Southern European countries. Inequalities differed by histological type. Adjustment for smoking reduced inequalities similarly for all histological types and among men and women in all regions. In all analysis, further adjustment for fruit and vegetable consumption did not change the estimates. Conclusion Self-reported smoking consistently explains approximately 50% of the inequalities in lung cancer risk due to differences in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, severe green mould infections could be attributed mainly to Trichoderma aggressivum Samuels & W. Gams, as well as T. pleuroti S.H. Yu & M.S. Park and T. pleuroticola S.H. Yu & M.S. Park in the case of Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach (button mushroom) and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. (oyster mushroom), respectively. The purpose of our study was the examination of green mould agents deriving from the growing facilities of button mushroom, oyster mushroom and shiitake (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler) located in various countries of Europe, and initially classified into the Trichoderma harzianum Rifai species complex (THSC). Species identification was carried out using the multilocus sequence typing analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions, as well as translation elongation factor 1-alpha, calmodulin and RNA polymerase B subunit II gene sequences. In vitro confrontation assays were applied to test the aggressiveness of the isolates towards mushrooms, while the effect of commercial fungicides on the growth of the strains was examined by the macrodilution method. Six Trichoderma species, namely T. afroharzianum P. Chaverri, F.B. Rocha, Degenkolb & Druzhin., T. atrobrunneum F.B. Rocha, P. Chaverri & Jaklitsch, T. guizhouense Q.R. Li, McKenzie & Yong Wang, T. harzianum sensu stricto, T. pollinicola F. Liu & L. Cai and T. simmonsii P. Chaverri, F.B. Rocha, Samuels, Degenkolb & Jaklitsch were detected in the different samples, with T. harzianum, T. pollinicola and T. simmonsii being the most aggressive. Prochloraz was found to have strong in vitro inhibitory effect on mycelial growth on most strains, however, T. simmonsii isolates showed remarkable tolerance to it. Our data suggest that T. harzianum and T. simmonsii may also be considered as potential causal agents of mushroom green mould. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]