Quality-assured treatment in certified cancer center networks in upper Franconia, Germany: a population-centered retrospective cohort analysis based on data of the Bavarian cancer registry.

Background: Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Germany, and treatment in certified cancer networks is recommended to ensure high-quality care. This study sought to (1) determine the percentage of all primary tumors that might potentially have been treated in certified cancer networks and (2) assess the development and current state of quality-assured cancer care for all cancer patients from a locally defined region in Upper Franconia, Germany.

Methods: This study was a population-centered retrospective cohort analysis based on data from the Bavarian Cancer Registry (2017-2023).

Cell-state-dependent regulation of PPARγ signaling by the transcription factor ZBTB9 in adipocytes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear hormone receptor that is a master regulator of adipocyte differentiation and function. ZBTB9 is a widely expressed but poorly studied transcription factor that was predicted to interact with PPARγ based on large-scale protein-protein interaction experiments. In addition, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed associations between ZBTB9 and BMI, T2D risk, and HbA1c levels.

Upscaling biodiversity monitoring: Metabarcoding estimates 31,846 insect species from Malaise traps across Germany.

Mitigating ongoing losses of insects and their key functions (e.g. pollination) requires tracking large-scale and long-term community changes.

Functional and compositional responses of stream microphytobenthic communities to multiple stressors increase and release in a mesocosm experiment.

Field observations form the basis of the majority of studies on microphytobenthic algal communities in freshwater ecosystems. Controlled mesocosm experiments data are comparatively uncommon. The few experimental mesocosm studies that have been conducted provide valuable insights into how multiple stressors affect the community structures and photosynthesis-related traits of benthic microalgae.

Molecular regulation of PPARγ/RXRα signaling by the novel cofactor ZFP407.

Cofactors interacting with PPARγ can regulate adipogenesis and adipocyte metabolism by modulating the transcriptional activity and selectivity of PPARγ signaling. ZFP407 was previously demonstrated to regulate PPARγ target genes such as GLUT4, and its overexpression improved glucose homeostasis in mice. Here, using a series of molecular assays, including protein-interaction studies, mutagenesis, and ChIP-seq, ZFP407 was found to interact with the PPARγ/RXRα protein complex in the nucleus of adipocytes.

Assessing the response of an urban stream ecosystem to salinization under different flow regimes.

Urban streams are exposed to a variety of anthropogenic stressors. Freshwater salinization is a key stressor in these ecosystems that is predicted to be further exacerbated by climate change, which causes simultaneous changes in flow parameters, potentially resulting in non-additive effects on aquatic ecosystems. However, the effects of salinization and flow velocity on urban streams are still poorly understood as multiple-stressor experiments are often conducted at pristine rather than urban sites.

Cell-state dependent regulation of PPAR signaling by ZBTB9 in adipocytes.

Adipocytes play a critical role in metabolic homeostasis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- (PPAR ) is a nuclear hormone receptor that is a master regulator of adipocyte differentiation and function. ZBTB9 was predicted to interact with PPAR based on large-scale protein interaction experiments.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction as a novel enrichment approach for compound-specific carbon isotope analysis of chlorinated phenols.

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) is a potent tool to elucidate the fate of (semi-)volatile organic contaminants in technical and environmental systems. Yet, due to the comparatively low sensitivity of IRMS, an enrichment step prior to analysis often is inevitable. A promising approach for fast as well as economic analyte extraction and preconcentration prior to CSIA is dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) - a well-established technique in concentration analysis of contaminants from aqueous samples.

Predicting environmental stressor levels with machine learning: a comparison between amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and total RNA sequencing based on taxonomically assigned data.

Introduction: Microbes are increasingly (re)considered for environmental assessments because they are powerful indicators for the health of ecosystems. The complexity of microbial communities necessitates powerful novel tools to derive conclusions for environmental decision-makers, and machine learning is a promising option in that context. While amplicon sequencing is typically applied to assess microbial communities, metagenomics and total RNA sequencing (herein summarized as omics-based methods) can provide a more holistic picture of microbial biodiversity at sufficient sequencing depths.

[Surgical treatment of pseudomyxoma peritonei-Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy].

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei syndrome (PMP) is an orphan disease. Surgery is the fundament of treatment.

Method: Short review summarizing the state of the art treatment.

A pile of pipelines: An overview of the bioinformatics software for metabarcoding data analyses.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has gained growing attention as a strategy for monitoring biodiversity in ecology. However, taxa identifications produced through metabarcoding require sophisticated processing of high-throughput sequencing data from taxonomically informative DNA barcodes. Various sets of universal and taxon-specific primers have been developed, extending the usability of metabarcoding across archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes.

Transformation of Iminodi(methylene phosphonate) on Manganese Dioxides - Passivation of the Mineral Surface by (Formed) Mn.

Aminopolyphosphonates (APPs) are strong chelating agents with growing use in industrial and household applications. In this study, we investigated the oxidation of the bisphosphonate iminodi(methylene phosphonate) (IDMP) - a major transformation product (TP) of numerous commercially used APPs and a potential precursor for aminomethylphosphonate (AMPA) - on manganese dioxide (MnO). Transformation batch experiments at pH 6 revealed AMPA and phosphate as main TPs, with a phosphorus mass balance of 80 to 92% throughout all experiments.

Benefit-risk analysis of maintaining essential Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) services against risk of COVID-19 infection.

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the world, its disruptive effect on the provision and utilization of non- COVID related health services have become well-documented. As countries developed mitigation strategies to help continue the delivery of essential health services through the pandemic, they needed to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of pursuing these strategies. In an attempt to assist countries in their mitigation efforts, a Benefit-Risk model was designed to provide guidance on how to compare the health benefits of sustained essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child (RMNCH) services against the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections incurred by the countries' populations when accessing these services.

The Asymmetric Response Concept explains ecological consequences of multiple stressor exposure and release.

Our capacity to predict trajectories of ecosystem degradation and recovery is limited, especially when impairments are caused by multiple stressors. Recovery may be fast or slow and either complete or partial, sometimes result in novel ecosystem states or even fail completely. Here, we introduce the Asymmetric Response Concept (ARC) that provides a basis for exploring and predicting the pace and magnitude of ecological responses to, and release from, multiple stressors.

Introduction of laparoscopic nephrectomy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease as the standard procedure.

Purpose: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common hereditary disorder and accounts for 5-10% of all cases of kidney failure. 50% of ADPKD patients reach kidney failure by the age of 58 years requiring dialysis or transplantation. Nephrectomy is performed in up to 20% of patients due to compressive symptoms, renal-related complications or in preparation for kidney transplantation.

Standardized high-throughput biomonitoring using DNA metabarcoding: Strategies for the adoption of automated liquid handlers.

Reliable and comprehensive monitoring data are required to trace and counteract biodiversity loss. High-throughput metabarcoding using DNA extracted from community samples (bulk) or from water or sediment (environmental DNA) has revolutionized biomonitoring, given the capability to assess biodiversity across the tree of life rapidly with feasible effort and at a modest price. DNA metabarcoding can be upscaled to process hundreds of samples in parallel.

APSCALE: advanced pipeline for simple yet comprehensive analyses of DNA metabarcoding data.

Summary: DNA metabarcoding is an emerging approach to assess and monitor biodiversity worldwide and consequently the number and size of data sets increases exponentially. To date, no published DNA metabarcoding data processing pipeline exists that is (i) platform independent, (ii) easy to use [incl. graphical user interface (GUI)], (iii) fast (does scale well with dataset size) and (iv) complies with data protection regulations of e.

Expanding the calibration range of compound-specific chlorine isotope analysis by the preparation of a Cl-enriched tetrachloroethylene.

Rationale: The recent development of reliable GC/qMS methods for δ Cl compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) paves the way for dual carbon-chlorine isotope analysis of chlorinated ethenes and thus allows deeper insights into underlying transformation processes/mechanisms. A two-point calibration is indispensable for the precise and correct conversion of raw data to the international δ Cl scale. The currently available calibration standards for tetrachloroethylene (PCE) span only a very narrow range from -2.

Low-Dose Anti-HIV Drug Efavirenz Mitigates Retinal Vascular Lesions in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

A small dose of the anti-HIV drug efavirenz (EFV) was previously discovered to activate CYP46A1, a cholesterol-eliminating enzyme in the brain, and mitigate some of the manifestation of Alzheimer's disease in 5XFAD mice. Herein, we investigated the retina of these animals, which were found to have genetically determined retinal vascular lesions associated with deposits within the retinal pigment epithelium and subretinal space. We established that EFV treatment activated CYP46A1 in the retina, enhanced retinal cholesterol turnover, and diminished the lesion frequency >5-fold.

Latin Dance and Working Memory: The Mediating Effects of Physical Activity Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinos.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a promising method to improve cognition among middle-aged and older adults. Latinos are at high risk for cognitive decline and engaging in low levels of PA. Culturally relevant PA interventions for middle-aged and older Latinos are critically needed to reduce risk of cognitive decline.

BAILA: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Latin Dancing to Increase Physical Activity in Spanish-Speaking Older Latinos.

Background: Latinos are the fastest growing minority group of the older adult population. Although physical activity (PA) has documented health benefits, older Latinos are less likely to engage in leisure time PA than older non-Latino whites. Dance, popular among Latinos, holds promise as a culturally relevant form of PA.

Two Pathways Compete in the Mn(II)-Catalyzed Oxidation of Aminotrismethylene Phosphonate (ATMP).

Mn(II)-catalyzed oxidation by molecular oxygen is considered a relevant process for the environmental fate of aminopolyphosphonate chelating agents such as aminotrismethylene phosphonate (ATMP). However, the potential roles of Mn(III)ATMP-species in the underlying transformation mechanisms are not fully understood. We combined kinetic studies, compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis, and equilibrium speciation modeling to shed light on the significance of such Mn-ATMP species for the overall ATMP oxidation by molecular oxygen.

PI(3,4)P2-mediated cytokinetic abscission prevents early senescence and cataract formation.

Cytokinetic membrane abscission is a spatially and temporally regulated process that requires ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport)–dependent control of membrane remodeling at the midbody, a subcellular organelle that defines the cleavage site. Alteration of ESCRT function can lead to cataract, but the underlying mechanism and its relation to cytokinesis are unclear. We found a lens-specific cytokinetic process that required PI3K-C2α (phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 2α), its lipid product PI(3,4)P (phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate), and the PI(3,4)P–binding ESCRT-II subunit VPS36 (vacuolar protein-sorting-associated protein 36).

eIF2A-knockout mice reveal decreased life span and metabolic syndrome.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2A (eIF2A) is a 65 kDa protein that functions in minor initiation pathways, which affect the translation of only a subset of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNAs), such as internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-containing mRNAs and/or mRNAs harboring upstream near cognate/non-AUG start codons. These non-canonical initiation events are important for regulation of protein synthesis during cellular development and/or the integrated stress response. Selective eIF2A knockdown in cellular systems significantly inhibits translation of such mRNAs, which rely on alternative initiation mechanisms for their translation.