Publications by authors named "HOFFMANN H"

The fate of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is the largest cause of uncertainty in long-term sea-level projections. In the last interglacial (LIG) around 125,000 years ago, data suggest that sea level was several metres higher than today, and required a significant contribution from Antarctic ice loss, with WAIS usually implicated. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean were warmer than today, by amounts comparable to those expected by 2100 under moderate to high future warming scenarios.

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The brain-age gap, i.e. the difference between the brain age estimated from structural MRI data and the chronological age of an individual, has been proposed as a summary measure of brain integrity in neurodegenerative diseases.

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  • The study surveyed pathologists and thoracic surgeons from the IASLC to evaluate their views on the R classification for lung cancer, with a response rate of 72% from 447 professionals.
  • Findings revealed geographic differences in R classification usage, with Europe and Asia often reporting R status, while 70% of North American pathologists rarely do, and varied practices regarding who assigns R categories between regions.
  • The "uncertain resection" category (R(un)) is largely unused globally, highlighting the need for more evidence and standardization in reporting surgical margins and R categories in pathology.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The rapid development of highly effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has altered the trajectory of the pandemic, and antiviral therapeutics have further reduced the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Coronaviruses are enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that encode various structural and non-structural proteins, including those critical for viral RNA replication and evasion from innate immunity.

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Management of labor in women with diabetes is challenging due to the high risk of peri- and postpartum complications. To avoid cesarean section and assist with labor progression, Pitocin, a synthetic oxytocin, is frequently used to induce and augment labor. However, the efficacy of Pitocin is often compromised in diabetic pregnancies, leading to increased cesarian delivery.

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In many transdisciplinary research settings, a lack of attention to the values underpinning project aims can inhibit stakeholder engagement and ultimately slow or undermine project outcomes. As a research collective (The Careoperative), we have developed a set of four shared values through a facilitated visioning process, as central to the way we work together: care, reflexivity, inclusivity, and collectivity. In this paper, we explore the implications of a values-centered approach to collaboration in food system transformation research.

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Background: In this study, we isolated a cohort of patients who have refractory epilepsy who underwent surgery with frontobasal focus. This work aimed to develop prognostic factors associated with a better seizure outcome and identify risk factors determining postoperative morbidity.

Methods: We identified all patients with frontobasal epilepsy who underwent surgery due to refractory epilepsy at the University Hospital Bonn over 22 years.

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Background: Spontaneous labor and birth peak during the late evening and early morning hours, indicating an endogenous rhythm in labor onset and birth. We hypothesize that the time-of-day of labor induction will define labor duration and the risk of cesarian section.

Methods: In a retrospective study of pregnant women who were induced for labor (n =3,688), time-of- day of labor induction was studied across maternal phenotypes.

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  • The study investigates the virus clearance capability of the downstream process during the manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), highlighting that while the protein A chromatography step is not considered a major contributor to virus removal, it still plays a role.
  • By experimenting with different wash buffers and analyzing their effects on two model viruses, the Minute virus of mice (MVM) and Murine leukemia virus (xMuLV), researchers explored the interactions affecting virus retention.
  • Results showed that hydrophobic interactions significantly improved virus clearance for xMuLV, while MVM retention was influenced more by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions, leading to a potential for custom design wash buffers for enhanced virus removal in mAb production.
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  • Lung cancer poses a significant health challenge globally, with patient survival rates varying widely, and this study explores the genetic factors affecting these outcomes through an analysis of germline polymorphisms in 1,464 lung adenocarcinoma patients after surgery.!* -
  • Researchers employed a Cox proportional hazard model to evaluate over seven million polymorphisms against overall survival over a 60-month period, considering key variables like age, sex, and disease stage.!* -
  • Six significant germline variants were identified, linked to gene expression regulation, indicating that certain minor alleles correspond to poorer survival outcomes; further research is needed to fully understand these genetic mechanisms in lung cancer prognosis.!*
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Pathogen encounter can result in epigenetic remodeling that shapes disease caused by heterologous pathogens. Here, we examined innate immune memory in the context of commonly circulating respiratory viruses. Single-cell analyses of airway-resident immune cells in a disease-relevant murine model of SARS-CoV-2 recovery revealed epigenetic reprogramming in alveolar macrophages following infection.

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Activity in layer 2/3 of the mouse primary visual cortex has been shown to depend both on visual input and the mouse's locomotion. Moreover, this activity is altered by a mismatch between the observed visual flow and the predicted visual flow from locomotion. Here, I present a simple computational model that explains previously reported recordings from layer 2/3 neurons in mice.

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BACKGROUNDUntil recently, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) was treated with lengthy and toxic regimens. New three-drug anti-TB regimens raise the question of whether they are sufficiently active for MDR-TB in Central Asia, an MDR-TB hotspot region.METHODSIn a cohort of rifampicin-resistant (RR) and MDR-TB patients in the Kyrgyz Republic, we investigated the impact of the number of drugs that were tested susceptible by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST) and used for treatment on the treatment response, defined as 'matches'.

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  • Interferons (IFNs) are important for how our bodies respond to viruses, and this study used CRISPR to find human genes affecting SARS-CoV-2 infection with and without IFN.
  • The research identified 28 key genes linked to COVID-19, especially those involving the IFN pathway, including PLSCR1, which can limit virus entry without needing IFN.
  • PLSCR1’s ability to block SARS-CoV-2 was reduced by the overexpression of TMPRSS2, and some virus variants have evolved to bypass PLSCR1’s defense, suggesting ongoing challenges in controlling the virus.
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Pregnancy loss (PL) is a common, yet rarely examined public health issue associated with an increased risk of impaired mental health, particularly depression. Previous research shows childlessness to be a correlate of depression after PL. First studies also indicate associations of the type of loss, multiple losses, relationship quality, and coping strategies with depression after the loss of a pregnancy.

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is an important vector of many pathogens, including the causative agent of Lyme disease. The gene function studies in and other ticks are hampered by the lack of genetic tools, including an inducible promoter for temporal control over transgene-encoding protein or double-stranded RNA. We characterized an intergenic sequence upstream of a heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene that can drive luciferase and mCherry expression in the cell line ISE6 (IsHSP70).

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Background: Reports from case series suggest that operative outcomes are comparable amongst different age groups following surgery with curative intent for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to compare morbidity and mortality after NSCLC surgery in older patients (≥ 75 years) versus younger patients (< 75 years) and identify independent predictive risk factors.

Methods: We identified 2015 patients with postoperative stages IA to IIIA according to AJCC/UICC 7th edition who had undergone NSCLC surgery with curative intent at a single specialized lung cancer center from January 2010 to December 2015.

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Background: Immune-based therapy targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE), anti-IgE treatment, has emerged as an adjunct treatment for children with severe allergic asthma. After start of anti-IgE treatment, an effect of the treatment cannot be monitored by Total-IgE, because current methods measure both bound and free IgE molecules. Basophil activation test may be very useful for monitoring anti-IgE treatment efficacy.

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Blood vessels in tumors are often dysfunctional. This impairs the delivery of therapeutic agents to and distribution among the cancer cells. Subsequently, treatment efficacy is reduced, and dose escalation can increase adverse effects on non-malignant tissues.

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Brazil is the largest global producer of sugarcane and plays a significant role-supplier of sugar and bioethanol. However, diseases such as brown and orange rust cause substantial yield reductions and economic losses, due decrease photosynthesis and biomass in susceptible cultivars. Molecular markers associated with resistance genes, such as Bru1 (brown rust) and G1 (orange rust), could aid in predicting resistant genotypes.

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Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) utilizing MeV ion beams provides valuable insights into surface elemental composition across the entire periodic table. While ion beam measurements have advanced towards high throughput for mapping applications, data analysis has lagged behind due to the challenges posed by large volumes of data and multiple detectors providing diverse analytical information. Traditional physics-based fitting algorithms for these spectra can be time-consuming and prone to local minima traps, often taking days or weeks to complete.

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In the present study, we tested whether processing information in the context of an ancestral survival scenario enhances episodic memory performance in older adults and in stroke patients. In an online study (Experiment 1), healthy young and older adults rated words according to their relevance to an ancestral survival scenario, and subsequent free recall performance was compared to a pleasantness judgment task and a moving scenario task in a within-subject design. The typical survival processing effect was replicated: Recall rates were highest in the survival task, followed by the moving and the pleasantness judgment task.

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  • Flaviviruses like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever are transmitted by mosquitoes and cause diseases primarily in tropical regions, while Powassan virus (POWV) is tick-borne and found in temperate areas.
  • Research shows that people in Mexico and Brazil have neutralizing antibodies against POWV, suggesting possible exposure to the virus.
  • Monoclonal antibodies P002 and P003 target a shared epitope on POWV, hinting that POWV or a similar virus could infect humans in tropical locations.
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