More than 30 Years of POSSUM: Are Scoring Systems Still Relevant Today for Colorectal Surgery?

Background: The Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) weights the patient's individual health status and the extent of the surgical procedure to estimate the probability of postoperative complications and death of general surgery patients. The variations Portsmouth-POSSUM (P-POSSUM) and colorectal POSSUM (CR-POSSUM) were developed for estimating mortality in patients with low perioperative risk and for patients with colorectal carcinoma, respectively. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the significance of POSSUM, P-POSSUM, and CR-POSSUM in two independent colorectal cancer cohorts undergoing surgery, with an emphasis on laparoscopic procedures.

Sulforaphane rewires central metabolism to support antioxidant response and achieve glucose homeostasis.

Cruciferous-rich diets, particularly broccoli, have been associated with reduced risk of developing cancers of various sites, cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. Sulforaphane (SF), a sulfur-containing broccoli-derived metabolite, has been identified as the major bioactive compound mediating these health benefits. Sulforaphane is a potent dietary activator of the transcription factor Nuclear factor erythroid-like 2 (NRF2), the master regulator of antioxidant cell capacity responsible for inducing cytoprotective genes, but its role in glucose homeostasis remains unclear.

A Chemical Chaperone Restores Connexin 26 Mutant Activity.

Mutations in connexin 26 (Cx26) cause hearing disorders of a varying degree. Herein, to identify compounds capable of restoring the function of mutated Cx26, a novel miniaturized microarray-based screening system was developed to perform an optical assay of Cx26 functionality. These molecules were identified through a viability assay using HeLa cells expressing wild-type (WT) Cx26, which exhibited sensitivity toward the HSP90 inhibitor radicicol in the submicromolar concentration range.

PGM3 inhibition shows cooperative effects with erastin inducing pancreatic cancer cell death activation of the unfolded protein response.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer with a poor patient prognosis. Remarkably, PDAC is one of the most aggressive and deadly tumor types and is notorious for its resistance to all types of treatment. PDAC resistance is frequently associated with a wide metabolic rewiring and in particular of the glycolytic branch named Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway (HBP).

Heavy Youngsters-Habitat and Climate Factors Lead to a Significant Increase in Body Weight of Wild Boar Females.

As one of the most abundant game species in Europe, European wild boar () populations prove highly adaptable to cultivated landscapes. The ongoing process of climate change and the high agricultural yields seem to further optimize the living conditions for this species. In long-term reproduction monitoring, we collected data on the body weight of wild boar females.

Habitat selection of black grouse in an isolated population in northern Germany-the importance of mixing dry and wet habitats.

Wildlife habitats in general must provide foraging, hiding and resting places as well as sites for reproduction. Little is known about habitat selection of black grouse in the lowlands of Central Europe. We investigated habitat selection of seven radio tagged birds in an open heath and grassland area surrounded by dense pine forests in the northern German Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve.

ISG15 deficiency features a complex cellular phenotype that responds to treatment with itaconate and derivatives.

Background: Congenital ISG15 deficiency is a rare autoinflammatory disorder that is driven by chronically elevated systemic interferon levels and predominantly affects central nervous system and skin.

Methods And Results: We have developed induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages and endothelial cells as a model to study the cellular phenotype of ISG15 deficiency and identify novel treatments. ISG15 macrophages exhibited the expected hyperinflammatory responses, but normal phagocytic function.

Construction and Characterization of T7 Bacteriophages Harboring Apidaecin-Derived Sequences.

The global spread of multi- and pan-resistant bacteria has triggered research to identify novel strategies to fight these pathogens, such as antimicrobial peptides and, more recently, bacteriophages. In a proof-of-concept study, we have genetically modified lytic T7Select phages targeting Rosetta by integrating DNA sequences derived from the proline-rich antimicrobial peptide, apidaecin. This allowed testing of our hypothesis that apidaecins and bacteriophages can synergistically act on phage-sensitive and phage-resistant cells and overcome the excessive cost of peptide drugs by using infected cells to express apidaecins before cell lysis.

Antimicrobial Activity and 70S Ribosome Binding of Apidaecin-Derived Api805 with Increased Bacterial Uptake Rate.

In view of the global spread of multiresistant bacteria and the occurrence of panresistant bacteria, there is an urgent need for antimicrobials with novel modes of action. A promising class is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including them proline-rich AMPs (PrAMPs), which target the 70S ribosome to inhibit protein translation. Here, we present a new designer peptide, Api805, combining the N- and C-terminal sequences of PrAMPs Api137 and drosocin, respectively.

Sensitive and specific serological ELISA for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Serological assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infections are important to understand the immune response in patients and to obtain epidemiological data about the number of infected people, especially to identify asymptomatic persons not aware of a past infection.

Methods: We recombinantly produced SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N)-protein in Escherichia coli.

Metabolic Regulation of Macrophages by SIRT1 Determines Activation During Cholestatic Liver Disease in Mice.

Background & Aims: Inflammation is the hallmark of chronic liver disease. Metabolism is a key determinant to regulate the activation of immune cells. Here, we define the role of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a main metabolic regulator, in controlling the activation of macrophages during cholestatic liver disease and in response to endotoxin.

[The Importance of Anatomy in the Training of the Vascular Surgeon].

Vascular surgery has developed very dynamically in recent years, especially with the introduction of endovascular techniques. However, this has also changed surgeons' requirements. Classical surgical procedures have been almost completely displaced by endovascular techniques; new hybrid interventions have emerged while complex operations are concentrated in few centres.

Seroprevalences of specific antibodies against avian pathogens in free-ranging ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) in Northwestern Germany.

Infectious diseases in captive pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) are well known, but there is a lack of knowledge about occurrence and distribution of pathogens in free-ranging pheasants in Germany. We investigated 604 sera from hunted pheasants and 152 sera from wild caught pheasants between 2011 to 2015, with the aim to determine the prevalence of specific antibodies against different viruses: Avian influenza virus (AIV) of subtypes H5, H7, H9, paramyxovirus type 1 (PMV-1), avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV), infectious bursitis disease virus (IBDV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) and Salmonella sp., Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG).

Towards the characterization of the hidden world of small proteins in Staphylococcus aureus, a proteogenomics approach.

Small proteins play essential roles in bacterial physiology and virulence, however, automated algorithms for genome annotation are often not yet able to accurately predict the corresponding genes. The accuracy and reliability of genome annotations, particularly for small open reading frames (sORFs), can be significantly improved by integrating protein evidence from experimental approaches. Here we present a highly optimized and flexible bioinformatics workflow for bacterial proteogenomics covering all steps from (i) generation of protein databases, (ii) database searches and (iii) peptide-to-genome mapping to (iv) visualization of results.

Appendicitis during the COVID-19 lockdown: results of a multicenter analysis in Germany.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed medical care worldwide. General surgery has been affected in elective procedures, yet the implications for emergency surgery are unclear. The current study analyzes the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 on appendicitis treatment in Germany.

Independent components of human brain morphology.

Quantification of brain morphology has become an important cornerstone in understanding brain structure. Measures of cortical morphology such as thickness and surface area are frequently used to compare groups of subjects or characterise longitudinal changes. However, such measures are often treated as independent from each other.

The yeast form of the fungus Candida albicans promotes persistence in the gut of gnotobiotic mice.

Many microorganisms that cause systemic, life-threatening infections in humans reside as harmless commensals in our digestive tract. Yet little is known about the biology of these microbes in the gut. Here, we visualize the interface between the human commensal and pathogenic fungus Candida albicans and the intestine of mice, a surrogate host.

Predicting potential distribution of poorly known species with small database: the case of four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis on the Indian subcontinent.

Information gaps on the distribution of data deficient and rare species such as four-horned antelope (FHA) in Nepal may impair their conservation. We aimed to empirically predict the distribution of FHA in Nepal with the help of data from the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, we wanted to identify core areas and gaps within the reported range limits and to assess the degree of isolation of known Nepalese populations from the main distribution areas in India.

Spatial niche partitioning in sub-tropical solitary ungulates: four-horned antelope and barking deer in Nepal.

Differential resource use allows a diversity of species to co-exist in a particular area by specializing in individual ecological niches. Four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has a restricted distribution in Nepal and India; however, the barking deer Muntiacus vaginalis is relatively common throughout its wide distribution range. We wanted a better understanding of their habitats and how these two similarly sized solitary ungulates manage to coexist in lowland Nepal.

Metabolic and immunomodulatory effects of n-3 fatty acids are different in mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissue of diet-induced obese mice.

In studies emphasizing antiobesogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-n-3 PUFA), diets with very high fat content, not well-defined fat quality, and extreme n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios have been applied frequently. Additionally, comparative analyses of visceral adipose tissues (VAT) were neglected. Considering the link of visceral obesity to insulin resistance or inflammatory bowel diseases, we hypothesized that VAT, especially mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT), may exhibit differential responsiveness to diets through modulation of metabolic and inflammatory processes.

Diet-induced obesity in ad libitum-fed mice: food texture overrides the effect of macronutrient composition.

Diet-induced obesity in mice can be achieved through the use of diets with different macronutrient compositions and textures. We aimed at determining the contribution of macronutrient composition to obesity development and associated pathophysiological changes in mice. C57BL/6N mice were offered a control, a high-fat or a Western-style diet, either as pellet (H for hard) or with identical composition in powder form (S for soft), resulting in C-S, C-H, HF-H, HF-S, W-H and W-S groups, respectively.