Multicentre investigation on the effect of decompressive surgery on Balance and physical ActiviTy Levels amongst patients with lumbar Spinal stenosis (B-ATLAS): protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis may have poor balance, decreased physical function and problems maintaining physical activity levels due to radiculopathy. Decompressive surgery is often indicated if conservative management fails to achieve a satisfactory clinical outcome. While surgical management has proven effective at treating radiculopathy, and patients report increased physical function postoperatively, objective measures of postural control and physical activity remain sparse.

Niche differentiation within bacterial key-taxa in stratified surface waters of the Southern Pacific Gyre.

One of the most hostile marine habitats on Earth is the surface of the South Pacific Gyre (SPG), characterized by high solar radiation, extreme nutrient depletion, and low productivity. During the SO-245 "UltraPac" cruise through the center of the ultra-oligotrophic SPG, the marine alphaproteobacterial group AEGEAN169 was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization at relative abundances up to 6% of the total microbial community in the uppermost water layer, with two distinct populations (Candidatus Nemonibacter and Ca. Indicimonas).

Persistent equatorial Pacific iron limitation under ENSO forcing.

Projected responses of ocean net primary productivity to climate change are highly uncertain. Models suggest that the climate sensitivity of phytoplankton nutrient limitation in the low-latitude Pacific Ocean plays a crucial role, but this is poorly constrained by observations. Here we show that changes in physical forcing drove coherent fluctuations in the strength of equatorial Pacific iron limitation through multiple El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles, but that this was overestimated twofold by a state-of-the-art climate model.

Towards Digital Twins of the Oceans: The Potential of Machine Learning for Monitoring the Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms on Marine Environments.

With an increasing number of offshore wind farms, monitoring and evaluating the effects of the wind turbines on the marine environment have become important tasks. Here we conducted a feasibility study with the focus on monitoring these effects by utilizing different machine learning methods. A multi-source dataset for a study site in the North Sea is created by combining satellite data, local in situ data and a hydrodynamic model.

Niche partitioning by photosynthetic plankton as a driver of CO-fixation across the oligotrophic South Pacific Subtropical Ocean.

Oligotrophic ocean gyre ecosystems may be expanding due to rising global temperatures [1-5]. Models predicting carbon flow through these changing ecosystems require accurate descriptions of phytoplankton communities and their metabolic activities [6]. We therefore measured distributions and activities of cyanobacteria and small photosynthetic eukaryotes throughout the euphotic zone on a zonal transect through the South Pacific Ocean, focusing on the ultraoligotrophic waters of the South Pacific Gyre (SPG).

[Spinefractures - diagnosis and treatment].

Acute onset back pain is a common reason for referral to primary health care or emergency departments. In this review, the different spine fracture types are highlighted, and a treatment algorithm is proposed. CT is the modality of choice when a spine fracture is suspected.

A Comparison of Mortality and Morbidity Between Complex and Degenerative Spine Surgery in Prospectively Collected Data From 2,280 Procedures.

Objective: The reported incidence of complications and/or adverse events (AEs) following spine surgery varies greatly. A validated, systematic, reproducible reporting system to quantify AEs was used in 2 prospective cohorts, from 2 spine surgery centers, conducting either complex or purely degenerative spine surgery; in a comparative fashion. The aim was to highlight the differences between 2 distinctly different prospective cohorts with patients from the same background population.

Morbidity and mortality following degenerative spine surgery in a prospective cohort of 1687 consecutive surgical procedures.

Study Design: Prospective, observational cohort study.

Objective: To determine the true incidence of adverse events (AEs) in European adults undergoing surgery for degenerative spine diseases. The majority of surgeries performed for degenerative spinal diseases are elective, and the need for adequate estimation of risk-benefit of the intended surgery is imperative.

Citclops: A next-generation sensor system for the monitoring of natural waters and a citizens' observatory for the assessment of ecosystems' status.

The European-Commission-funded project 'Citclops' (Citizens' observatory for coast and ocean optical monitoring) developed methods, tools and sensors, which can be used by citizens to monitor natural waters, with a strong focus on long-term data series related to environmental sciences. The new sensors, based on optical technologies, respond to a number of scientific, technical and societal objectives, ranging from more precise monitoring of key environmental descriptors of the aquatic environment (water colour, transparency and fluorescence) to an improved management of data collected with citizen participation. The sensors were tested, calibrated, integrated on several platforms, scientifically validated and demonstrated in the field.

On-Site Analysis of Bacterial Communities of the Ultraoligotrophic South Pacific Gyre.

The South Pacific Gyre (SPG) covers 10% of the ocean's surface and is often regarded as a marine biological desert. To gain an on-site overview of the remote, ultraoligotrophic microbial community of the SPG, we developed a novel onboard analysis pipeline, which combines next-generation sequencing with fluorescence hybridization and automated cell enumeration. We tested the pipeline during the SO-245 "UltraPac" cruise from Chile to New Zealand and found that the overall microbial community of the SPG was highly similar to those of other oceanic gyres.

Sensing Ocean Plastics with an Airborne Hyperspectral Shortwave Infrared Imager.

Here, we present a proof-of-concept on remote sensing of ocean plastics using airborne shortwave infrared (SWIR) imagery. We captured red, green, and blue (RGB) and hyperspectral SWIR imagery with equipment mounted on a C-130 aircraft surveying the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" at a height of 400 m and a speed of 140 knots. We recorded the position, size, color, and type (container, float, ghost net, rope, and unknown) of every plastic piece identified in the RGB mosaics.

SmartFluo: A Method and Affordable Adapter to Measure Chlorophyll a Fluorescence with Smartphones.

In order to increase the monitoring capabilities of inland and coastal waters, there is a need for new, affordable, sensitive and mobile instruments that could be operated semi-automatically in the field. This paper presents a prototype device to measure chlorophyll fluorescence: the SmartFluo. The device is a combination of a smartphone offering an intuitive operation interface and an adapter implying a cuvette holder, as well as a suitable illumination source.

Distribution of (Dinophyceae) cysts in Greenland and Iceland, with an emphasis on viability and growth in the Arctic.

The bloom-forming dinoflagellate has been extensively studied due its toxin-producing capabilities and consequent impacts to human health and economies. This study investigated the prevalence of resting cysts of in western Greenland and Iceland to assess the historical presence and magnitude of bloom populations in the region, and to characterize environmental conditions during summer, when bloom development may occur. Analysis of sediments collected from these locations showed that cysts were present at low to moderate densities in most areas surveyed, with highest densities observed in western Iceland.

Classifying Natural Waters with the Forel-Ule Colour Index System: Results, Applications, Correlations and Crowdsourcing.

Societal awareness of changes in the environment and climate has grown rapidly, and there is a need to engage citizens in gathering relevant scientific information to monitor environmental changes due to recognition that citizens are a potential source of critical information. The apparent colour of natural waters is one aspect of our aquatic environment that is easy to detect and an essential complementary optical water quality indicator. Here we present the results and explore the utility of the Forel-Ule colour index (FUI) scale as a proxy for different properties of natural waters.

Comparison of remote sensing reflectance from above-water and in-water measurements west of Greenland, Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and west of Iceland.

The need to obtain ocean color essential climate variables (OC-ECVs) using hyperspectral technology has gained increased interest in recent years. Assessing ocean color on a large scale in high latitude environments using satellite remote sensing is constrained by polar environmental conditions. Nevertheless, on a small scale we can assess ocean color using above-water and in-water remote sensing.