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The polar night jet develops at high latitudes in the altitude range 30 to 70 km in winter time. The polar night jet (PNJ) shows the highest mean wind speeds observed in the atmosphere and likely plays an important role in multi-step vertical coupling not only from the ground, but also from the upper atmosphere downwards.PNJ not only controls the propagation and dissipation of gravity waves (GWs), it can also be a source of GWs due to spontaneous emission. However, the observations of interaction of GWs with PNJ are extremely difficult. We operate lidar instruments capable of measuring temperatures and winds above northern Norway (ALOMAR, 69°N) and northern Germany (Kühlungsborn, 54°N). The instruments observed the atmosphere inside and outside the Polar Vortex for more than 10 years. Using lidar measurements of temperatures and winds allows for studying up- and downward-propagating GWs in complicated dynamical situations that are often found at the polar vortex edge. Observing simultaneously up- and downward propagating waves may indicate gravity wave breakdown and secondary wave generation. We discuss the relationship between waves characteristics as observed by our lidar instruments and the polar vortex based on ECMWF data., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

The family of RNA-binding proteins (RBP) functions as a crucial regulator of multiple biological processes and diseases. However, RBP function in the clinical setting of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is still unknown. We developed a practical in silico screening approach for the characterization of RBPs using multi-sources data information and comparative molecular network bioinformatics followed by wet-lab validation studies. Data mining of bulk RNA-Sequencing data of tissues of patients with IPF identified Quaking (QKI) as a significant downregulated RBP. Cell-type specific expression was confirmed by single-cell RNA-Sequencing analysis of IPF patient data. We systematically analyzed the molecular interaction network around QKI and its functional interplay with microRNAs (miRs) in human lung fibroblasts and discovered a novel regulatory miR-506-QKI axis contributing to the pathogenesis of IPF. The in silico results were validated by in-house experiments applying model systems of miR and lung biology. This study supports an understanding of the intrinsic molecular mechanisms of IPF regulated by the miR-506-QKI axis. Initially applied to human lung disease, the herein presented integrative in silico data mining approach can be adapted to other disease entities, underlining its practical relevance in RBP research.

OBJECTIVEClinical evidence on giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), intracranial aneurysms with a diameter of at least 25 mm, is limited. The authors aimed to investigate the natural history, case fatality, and treatment outcomes of ruptured and unruptured GIAs.METHODSIn this international observational registry study, patients with a ruptured or unruptured GIA received conservative management (CM), surgical management (SM), or endovascular management (EM). The authors investigated rupture rates and case fatality.RESULTSThe retrospective cohort comprised 219 patients with GIAs (21.9% ruptured GIAs and 78.1% unruptured GIAs) whose index hospitalization occurred between January 2006 and November 2016. The index hospitalization in the prospective cohort (362 patients with GIAs [17.1% ruptured and 82.9% unruptured]) occurred between December 2008 and February 2017. In the retrospective cohort, the risk ratio for death at a mean follow-up of 4.8 years (SD 2.2 years) after CM, compared with EM and SM, was 1.63 (95% CI 1.23–2.16) in ruptured GIAs and 3.96 (95% CI 2.57–6.11) in unruptured GIAs. In the prospective cohort, the 1-year case fatality in ruptured GIAs/unruptured GIAs was 100%/22.0% during CM, 36.0%/3.0% after SM, and 39.0%/12.0% after EM. Corresponding 1-year rupture rates in unruptured GIAs were 25.0% during CM, 1.2% after SM, and 2.5% after EM. In unruptured GIAs, the HR for death within the 1st year in patients with posterior circulation GIAs was 6.7 (95% CI 1.5–30.4, p < 0.01), with patients with a GIA at the supraclinoid internal carotid artery as reference. Different sizes of unruptured GIAs were not associated with 1-year case fatality.CONCLUSIONSRupture rates for unruptured GIAs were high, and the natural history and treatment outcomes for ruptured GIAs were poor. Patients undergoing SM or EM showed lower case fatality and rupture rates than those undergoing CM. This difference in outcome may in part be influenced by patients in the CM group having been found poor candidates for SM or EM.Clinical trial registration no.: NCT02066493 (clinicaltrials.gov)

Hintergrund. Gerade in der Frühphase einer Pandemie ist es schwierig, verlässliche Zahlen über deren Ausbreitung zu erhalten. Die derzeitige COVID-19-Pandemie und das damit verbundene umfassende, aber nicht vollständige Datenmonitoring bieten die Möglichkeit, die Dunkelziffer der nicht erfassten Fälle zu schätzen. Ziel. Vorstellung eines einfachen mathematischen Modells, welches eine frühzeitige Abschätzung der Zahl nichtregistrierter Fälle (Dunkelziffer) ermöglicht. Material und Methoden. Es werden die Prävalenzen der gemeldeten Infektionen in verschiedenen Altersgruppen mit Kennzahlen der altersabhängigen Kontaktzahlen kombiniert. Daraus wird für jede Altersgruppe eine korrigierte Prävalenz abgeleitet, mit der dann die Dunkelziffer geschätzt werden kann. Ergebnisse. Unser Modell berechnet für Mitte April 2020 in Deutschland insgesamt 2,8-mal so viele Infektionen wie die Zahl der registrierten Infektionen (Fälle). Für Italien ergibt sich Mitte April 2020 ein Faktor von 8,3. Die daraus abgeleiteten Fallsterblichkeiten betragen 0,98 % für Deutschland und 1,51 % für Italien, welche deutlich näher zusammenliegen als die rein aus den zu dem Zeitpunkt vorhandenen Meldezahlen abgeleiteten Fallsterblichkeiten von 2,7 % und 12,6 %. Diskussion. Die aus dem Modell abgeleitete Dunkelziffer kann die unterschiedlichen Beobachtungen in den Fallsterblichkeiten und der Zustände in der Frühphase der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland und Italien zu einem großen Teil erklären. Das Modell ist einfach, schnell und robust implementierbar und kann gut darauf reagieren, wenn die Meldezahlen hinsichtlich der Altersstruktur nicht repräsentativ für die Bevölkerung sind. Wir empfehlen, dieses Modell für eine effiziente und frühzeitige Schätzung nichtgemeldeter Fallzahlen bei zukünftigen Epidemien und Pandemien in Betracht zu ziehen.

Background: Uncemented implants are still associated with several major challenges, especially with regard to their manufacturing and their osseointegration. In this study, a novel manufacturing technique&mdash, an optimized form of precision casting&mdash, and a novel surface modification to promote osseointegration&mdash, calcium and phosphorus ion implantation into the implant surface&mdash, were tested in vivo. Methods: Cylindrical Ti6Al4V implants were inserted bilaterally into the tibia of 110 rats. We compared two generations of cast Ti6Al4V implants (CAST 1st GEN, n = 22, and CAST 2nd GEN, n = 22) as well as cast 2nd GEN Ti6Al4V implants with calcium (CAST + CA, n = 22) and phosphorus (CAST + P, n = 22) ion implantation to standard machined Ti6Al4V implants (control, n = 22). After 4 and 12 weeks, maximal pull-out force and bone-to-implant contact rate (BIC) were measured and compared between all five groups. Results: There was no significant difference between all five groups after 4 weeks or 12 weeks with regard to pull-out force (p &gt, 0.05, Kruskal Wallis test). Histomorphometric analysis showed no significant difference of BIC after 4 weeks (p &gt, 0.05, Kruskal&ndash, Wallis test), whereas there was a trend towards a higher BIC in the CAST + P group (54.8% &plusmn, 15.2%), especially compared to the control group (38.6% &plusmn, 12.8%) after 12 weeks (p = 0.053, Kruskal&ndash, Wallis test). Conclusion: In this study, we found no indication of inferiority of Ti6Al4V implants cast with the optimized centrifugal precision casting technique of the second generation compared to standard Ti6Al4V implants. As the employed manufacturing process holds considerable economic potential, mainly due to a significantly decreased material demand per implant by casting near net-shape instead of milling away most of the starting ingot, its application in manufacturing uncemented implants seems promising. However, no significant advantages of calcium or phosphorus ion implantation could be observed in this study. Due to the promising results of ion implantation in previous in vitro and in vivo studies, further in vivo studies with different ion implantation conditions should be considered.