Rapid climate action is needed: comparing heat vs. COVID-19-related mortality.

The impacts of climate change on human health are often underestimated or perceived to be in a distant future. Here, we present the projected impacts of climate change in the context of COVID-19, a recent human health catastrophe. We compared projected heat mortality with COVID-19 deaths in 38 cities worldwide and found that in half of these cities, heat-related deaths could exceed annual COVID-19 deaths in less than ten years (at + 3.

Disentangling Sources of Momentum Fluctuations in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.

Simulated low-dose dark-field radiography for detection of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Background: Dark-field radiography has been proven to be a promising tool for the assessment of various lung diseases.

Purpose: To evaluate the potential of dose reduction in dark-field chest radiography for the detection of the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

Materials And Methods: Patients aged at least 18 years with a medically indicated chest computed tomography scan (CT scan) were screened for participation in a prospective study between October 2018 and December 2020.

Antibacterial Coatings of Poly(ethylenimine)/Poly(l-lactide)-Grafted Hyaluronic Acid Multilayers Surface-Functionalized with Bacteriophages.

The infestation of tissue after implantation is a major problem as a bacterial biofilm can form on the surface of the implants, leading to implant-associated infections (IAIs). One approach to prevent such IAI is to apply antibacterial coatings consisting of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) and bacteriophages (PHAGs). PEM were constructed by alternately adsorbing oppositely charged polyelectrolytes on a substrate according to the layer-by-layer concept.

RNA-binding proteins hnRNPM and ELAVL1 promote type-I interferon induction downstream of the nucleic acid sensors cGAS and RIG-I.

The cytosolic nucleic acid sensors RIG-I and cGAS induce type-I interferon (IFN)-mediated immune responses to RNA and DNA viruses, respectively. So far no connection between the two cytosolic pathways upstream of IKK-like kinase activation has been investigated. Here, we identify heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein M (hnRNPM) as a positive regulator of IRF3 phosphorylation and type-I IFN induction downstream of both cGAS and RIG-I.

Optimizing convolutional neural networks for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease detection in clinical computed tomography imaging.

We aim to optimize the binary detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) based on emphysema presence in the lung with convolutional neural networks (CNN) by exploring manually adjusted versus automated window-setting optimization (WSO) on computed tomography (CT) images. 7194 contrast-enhanced CT images (3597 with COPD; 3597 healthy controls) from 78 subjects were selected retrospectively (01.2018-12.

Preparation of a Substrate for Studying Nucleosomes on Single Molecules of DNA.

DNA tightropes are a powerful single-molecule microscopy platform for the study of protein interactions with DNA on a single-molecule level. DNA molecules are suspended between two beads, granting full 3D access for a protein to bind and its interactions to be studied. Furthermore, tightropes can be custom-designed, permitting the study of protein interactions that are sequence- or substrate-dependent such as base mismatches or lesions.

Innovations in Genicular Outcomes Registry (IGOR): protocol for a real-world registry study of treatments for knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability among US adults and most commonly affects the knee. Guidelines for knee OA treatment include behavioral, nonpharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical interventions. While emerging knee OA treatments show promise for pain control, data gaps remain regarding the efficacy, safety, comparative effectiveness, and real-world value of treatments.

Early prediction of preeclampsia using the first trimester vaginal microbiome.

Preeclampsia is a severe obstetrical syndrome which contributes to 10-15% of all maternal deaths. Although the mechanisms underlying systemic damage in preeclampsia-such as impaired placentation, endothelial dysfunction, and immune dysregulation-are well studied, the initial triggers of the condition remain largely unknown. Furthermore, although the pathogenesis of preeclampsia begins early in pregnancy, there are no early diagnostics for this life-threatening syndrome, which is typically diagnosed much later, after systemic damage has already manifested.

Effect of bariatric endoscopy on liver fibrosis and steatosis and the course of NAFLD - a prospective interventional study.

Introduction And Objectives: With increases in obesity and metabolic syndrome because of lifestyle-related factors, the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) also is increasing worldwide. In a subset of patients with NAFLD, an inflammatory process arises in the steatotic liver, known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, that leads to liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. In selected patients with obesity, bariatric surgery, and bariatric endoscopy are important therapeutic options.

Triterpenoid phthalimides as selective anti-cancer agents targeting mitochondrial apoptosis.

Starting from benzyl 30-oxobetulinate and 30-oxobetulin diacetate, substituted dienes were synthesized and subjected to Diels-Alder reaction, yielding a variety of triterpenoid phthalates, phthalimides, and related derivatives. A total of 55 new compounds were prepared and tested for in vitro cytotoxic activity against eight cancer cell lines and two non-cancerous cell lines. Four compounds with IC values of 5 μM or lower were selected for further investigation.

Canonical terpene synthases in arthropods: Intraphylum gene transfer.

Insects employ terpenoids for communication both within and between species. While terpene synthases derived from isoprenyl diphosphate synthase have been shown to catalyze terpenoid biosynthesis in some insects, canonical terpene synthases (TPS) commonly found in plants, fungi, and bacteria were previously unidentified in insects. This study reveals the presence of genes in insects, likely originating via horizontal gene transfer from noninsect arthropods.

Development of a collaborative learning health system data mart in pediatric liver transplantation.

Pediatric liver transplant is a lifesaving intervention for children with disparate pathology ranging from single-gene defects to global liver dysfunction and complications from progressive cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The Starzl Network for Excellence in Pediatric Transplantation (SNEPT), a novel learning health system dedicated to pediatric liver transplant, has previously identified practice variability, waitlist mortality, perioperative complications, and inadequate quality initiative implementation as critical barriers that deserve prioritization in the field. This project was a novel partnership between SNEPT and the United Network for Organ Sharing to co-design a pediatric transplant-specific data mart and web portal to systematically map an approach to understanding these barriers and deliver strategies to combat them.

The impact of relaxation music (Weightless by Marconi Union) on production performance, welfare, and hematological and biochemical blood parameters in broiler chickens.

The study evaluated the impact of relaxation music on the production performance, welfare, and blood parameters of broiler chickens. Literature indicates that specific music genres, as environmental enrichment, can improve animal welfare and production outcomes. The research involved 1,200 Ross 308 chickens divided into control (C) and experimental (M) groups.

Development and Validation of Prognostic Model for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With First-Line Abiraterone or Enzalutamide.

Introduction: Over the years, several prognostic models were developed in patients receiving chemotherapy for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), while data on androgen-receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI) in a real-world setting are limited.

Patients And Methods: We compared a consecutive series of 565 mCRPC patients receiving first-line ARSI at 4 high-volume Italian Centers (development set) to an external series of 180 patients receiving the same treatment at another Italian high-volume Center (training set), between 2011 and 2022. Sixteen clinical and baseline laboratory variables were selected to develop a prognostic model.

The Impact of Membrane Stabilization for Alveolar Ridge Preservation in Periodontally Compromised Extraction Sockets: A Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the non-inferiority of alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) with membrane stabilization compared with non-stabilization, focusing on changes of soft-tissue contour in periodontally compromised extraction sockets. Secondary outcomes included changes in hard-tissue contour, patient-reported outcomes and new bone formation.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four patients with periodontally compromised teeth were randomly assigned to ARP with (test group) or without (control group) membrane stabilization.

Complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the benefit of subsequent surgery in oligometastatic pancreatic cancer patient.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive tumors diagnosed in local-ly advanced or metastatic stage in more than half of the cases. The standard of care is a systemic chemotherapy but the prognosis of metastatic patients remains extremely poor with a median overall survival less than one year.  However, there is increasing evidence of surgery treatment benefit in a carefully selected oligometastatic cases.

Hederagenin is a Highly Selective Antagonist of the Neuropeptide FF Receptor 1 that Reveals Mechanisms for Subtype Selectivity.

RF-amide peptide receptors including the neuropeptide FF receptor 1 (NPFFR1) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that modulate diverse physiological functions. High conservation of endogenous ligands and receptors makes the identification of selective ligands challenging. Previously identified antagonists mimic the C-terminus of peptide ligands and lack selectivity towards the closely related neuropeptide FF receptor 2 (NPFFR2) or the neuropeptide Y receptor (YR).

Expensive today but cheaper tomorrow: lifetime costs of an active middle ear implant compared to alternative treatment options.

Background: When choosing between different treatment options, implants often appear too costly. However, this perspective does not take future costs into account. This article evaluates lifetime costs for different surgical interventions to treat hearing loss.

Dynamic [Tc]Tc-mebrofenin SPECT/CT in preoperative planning of liver resection: a prospective study.

Background: At least 20% of the future liver remnant must function properly after liver tumor resection to avoid post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). [Tc]Tc-mebrofenin scintigraphy and SPECT are unique noninvasive, quantitative methods for evaluating liver function via hepatocellular bilirubin clearance.

Aim: To evaluate the value of dynamic [Tc]Tc-mebrofenin SPECT/CT parameters for predicting clinically relevant PHLF according to the ISGLS criteria.

Climate change extinctions.

Climate change is expected to cause irreversible changes to biodiversity, but predicting those risks remains uncertain. I synthesized 485 studies and more than 5 million projections to produce a quantitative global assessment of climate change extinctions. With increased certainty, this meta-analysis suggests that extinctions will accelerate rapidly if global temperatures exceed 1.