Engineered Passive Glucose Uptake in Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120 Increases Resource Efficiency for Bioproduction.

Glucose is the most abundant monosaccharide and a principal substrate in biotechnological production processes. In Pseudomonas, this sugar is either imported directly into the cytosol or first oxidised to gluconate in the periplasm. While gluconate is taken up via a proton-driven symporter, the import of glucose is mediated by an ABC-type transporter, and hence both require energy.

Validity of one-time phantomless patient-specific quality assurance in proton therapy with regard to the reproducibility of beam delivery.

Background: Patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) is a crucial yet resource-intensive task in proton therapy, requiring special equipment, expertise and additional beam time. Machine delivery log files contain information about energy, position and monitor units (MU) of all delivered spots, allowing a reconstruction of the applied dose. This raises the prospect of phantomless, log file-based QA (LFQA) as an automated replacement of current phantom-based solutions, provided that such an approach guarantees a comparable level of safety.

Where does the tether break in vertebral body tethering cases? Clinical insights from revision cases after tether breakage.

Purpose: To evaluate the sites where the tether breaks in vertebral body tethering (VBT) cases.

Methods: Intraoperative evaluation of broken tethers in patients who had anterior revision.

Inclusion Criteria: anterior revision of VBT cases with explantation of the full implant and photo documentation.

Diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older patients : Consensus statement of the Working Group on Pneumology in Older Patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a frequent disease from which approximately 8% of individuals aged 40 years and above suffer. The prevalence increases up to fivefold as age advances. Following an introduction including the etiology, measurement, characteristic features and classification of COPD, this article presents the consensus recommendations of the German Working Group on Pneumology in Older Patients.

Impact of adherence to quality indicators and effects of targeted treatment with cefazolin or flucloxacillin on in-hospital mortality in patients with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections: a retrospective observational study.

Purpose: To analyze the associations between adherence to quality indicators (QIs) in the treatment of bloodstream infections caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus (S.) aureus (MSSA) and in-hospital mortality.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients admitted between 2019 and 2023 to Hospital St.

Prognostic factors for overall survival in castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer treated with docetaxel (MeProCSS): results from a German real-world cohort.

Purpose: To identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and develop a prognostic score in patients receiving docetaxel in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on mCRPC patients treated with docetaxel at a German tertiary center between March 2010 and November 2023. Prognostic clinical and laboratory factors were analyzed using uni- and multivariable logistic regression.

Determination of adequate bony resection margins in inflammatory jaw pathologies using SPECT-CT in primary mandibular reconstruction with virtually planned vascularized bone flaps.

Objectives: In advanced stages of osteoradionecrosis, medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, and osteomyelitis, a resection of sections of the mandible may be unavoidable. The determination of adequate bony resection margins is a fundamental problem because bony resection margins cannot be secured intraoperatively. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT) is more accurate than conventional imaging techniques in detecting inflammatory jaw pathologies.

Alcohol drinking leads to sex-dependent differentiation of T cells.

Objective: Global per capita alcohol consumption is increasing, posing significant socioeconomic and medical challenges also due to alcohol-related traumatic injuries but also its biological effects. Trauma as a leading cause of death in young adults, is often associated with an increased risk of complications, such as sepsis and multiple organ failure, due to immunological imbalances. Regulatory T cells play a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis by regulating the inflammatory response.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in trauma: a single-center retrospective observational study.

Purpose: Globally, trauma is a leading cause of death in young adults. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the trauma population remains controversial due to the limited published research. This study aimed to analyze 30-day survival of all the trauma ECMO patients at our center, with respect to injury severity score (ISS) and new injury severity score (NISS).

A systematic review and meta-analyses of the temporal stability and convergent validity of risk preference measures.

Understanding whether risk preference represents a stable, coherent trait is central to efforts aimed at explaining, predicting and preventing risk-related behaviours. We help characterize the nature of the construct by adopting a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analytic approach to summarize the temporal stability of 358 risk preference measures (33 panels, 57 samples, 579,114 respondents). Our findings reveal noteworthy heterogeneity across and within measure categories (propensity, frequency and behaviour), domains (for example, investment, occupational and alcohol consumption) and sample characteristics (for example, age).

Beyond genomics: using RNA-seq from dried blood spots to unlock the clinical relevance of splicing variation in a diagnostic setting.

We aimed to assess the impact of splicing variants reported in our laboratory to gain insight into their clinical relevance. A total of 108 consecutive individuals, for whom 113 splicing variants had been reported, were selected for RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), considering the gene expression in blood. A protocol was developed to perform RNA extraction and sequencing using the same sample (dried blood spots, DBS) provided for the DNA analysis, including library preparation and bioinformatic pipeline analysis.

Estimating future heat-related and cold-related mortality under climate change, demographic and adaptation scenarios in 854 European cities.

Previous health impact assessments of temperature-related mortality in Europe indicated that the mortality burden attributable to cold is much larger than for heat. Questions remain as to whether climate change can result in a net decrease in temperature-related mortality. In this study, we estimated how climate change could affect future heat-related and cold-related mortality in 854 European urban areas, under several climate, demographic and adaptation scenarios.

A scoping review of privacy and utility metrics in medical synthetic data.

The use of synthetic data is a promising solution to facilitate the sharing and reuse of health-related data beyond its initial collection while addressing privacy concerns. However, there is still no consensus on a standardized approach for systematically evaluating the privacy and utility of synthetic data, impeding its broader adoption. In this work, we present a comprehensive review and systematization of current methods for evaluating synthetic health-related data, focusing on both privacy and utility aspects.

International myeloma working group immunotherapy committee recommendation on sequencing immunotherapy for treatment of multiple myeloma.

T-cell redirecting therapy (TCRT), specifically chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T-cells) and bispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) represent a remarkable advance in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). There are several products available around the world and several more in development targeting primarily B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member D (GRPC5D). The relatively rapid availability of multiple immunotherapies brings the necessity to understand how a certain agent may affect the safety and efficacy of a subsequent immunotherapy so MM physicians and patients can aim at optimal sequential use of these therapies.

Squared diffusion-weighted imaging for improving the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.

Aim of this study was to proof the concept of optimizing the contrast between prostate cancer (PC) and healthy tissue by DWI post-processing using a quadrature method. DWI post-processing was performed on 30 patients (median age 67 years, prostate specific antigen 8.0 ng/ml) with PC and clear MRI findings (PI-RADS 4 and 5).

A compendium of Amplification-Related Gain Of Sensitivity genes in human cancer.

While the effect of amplification-induced oncogene expression in cancer is known, the impact of copy-number gains on "bystander" genes is less understood. We create a comprehensive map of dosage compensation in cancer by integrating expression and copy number profiles from over 8000 tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas and cell lines from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Additionally, we analyze 17 cancer open reading frame screens to identify genes toxic to cancer cells when overexpressed.

PCMMD: A Novel Dataset of Plasma Cells to Support the Diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a cytogenetically heterogeneous clonal plasma cell proliferative disease whose diagnosis is supported by analyses on histological slides of bone marrow aspirate. In summary, experts use a labor-intensive methodology to compute the ratio between plasma cells and non-plasma cells. Therefore, the key aspect of the methodology is identifying these cells, which relies on the experts' attention and experience.

Genetic coupling of enhancer activity and connectivity in gene expression control.

Gene enhancers often form long-range contacts with promoters, but it remains unclear if the activity of enhancers and their chromosomal contacts are mediated by the same DNA sequences and recruited factors. Here, we study the effects of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) on enhancer activity and promoter contacts in primary monocytes isolated from 34 male individuals. Using eQTL-Capture Hi-C and a Bayesian approach considering both intra- and inter-individual variation, we initially detect 19 eQTLs associated with enhancer-eGene promoter contacts, most of which also associate with enhancer accessibility and activity.

Intensive care unit acquired weakness and physical rehabilitation in the ICU.

Approximately half of critically ill adults experience intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICUAW). Patients who develop ICUAW may have negative outcomes, including longer duration of mechanical ventilation, greater length of stay, and worse mobility, physical functioning, quality of life, and mortality. Early physical rehabilitation interventions have potential for improving ICUAW; however, randomized trials show inconsistent findings on the efficacy of these interventions.

microbiota model recapitulates and predicts individualised sensitivity to dietary emulsifier.

Background: Non-absorbed dietary emulsifiers, including carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), directly disturb intestinal microbiota, thereby promoting chronic intestinal inflammation in mice. A randomised controlled-feeding study (Functional Research on Emulsifiers in Humans, FRESH) found that CMC also detrimentally impacts intestinal microbiota in some, but not all, healthy individuals.

Objectives: This study aimed to establish an approach for predicting an individual's sensitivity to dietary emulsifiers via their baseline microbiota.

Cost Minimized Immunoaffinity Purification of EPO and Its Analogs in Doping Control-A Step-by-Step Protocol for Human Urine and Blood.

A cost minimized immunoaffinity protocol was developed, which allows the direct purification of ERAs (urinary and recombinant human EPO, Darbepoetin, EPO-Fc, CERA) from human urine. The method applies magnetic beads and needs no covalent immobilization of the capture antibody. It requires only 10 mL of urine, 1 μg of anti-EPO antibody, and 25 μL of bead slurry.

Impact of stabilizers on particle size and dispersion behavior in biorelevant media in solid nanocrystal formulations.

Nanocrystalline formulations typically contain stabilizing additives to minimize the risk of particle growth or agglomeration. This risk is particularly relevant when the nanosuspension is converted into a solid drug product as the original state of the nanosuspension should be restored upon redispersion of the drug product in vivo. In this work, the behavior of different nonionic and anionic surfactants in solid nanocrystalline formulations and their effects on redispersibility under biorelevant conditions were investigated.

Visual cues of respiratory contagion: Their impact on neuroimmune activation and mucosal immune responses in humans.

This study investigated the neural correlates of perceiving visual contagion cues characteristic of respiratory infections through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Sixty-two participants (32f/ 30 m; ∼25 years on average) watched short videos depicting either contagious or non-contagious everyday situations, while their brain activation was continuously measured. We further measured the release of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in saliva to examine the first-line defensive response of the mucosal immune system.

Impact of Second Internal Thoracic Artery on Long-term Survival After Coronary Bypass Surgery.

Background: The survival advantages of bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafts in coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to systematically evaluate the time-dependent influence of BITA on long-term survival in elective CABG patients presenting with stable multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

Methods: Data from 3,693 patients undergoing isolated CABG with single internal thoracic artery (SITA) or BITA, with or without additional vein grafts, between 2002 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.

From Mapping to Elimination: A Comprehensive Overview of Rwanda's Schistosomiasis Program.

Objectives: Schistosomiasis (SCH) remains a public health challenge in Rwanda despite ongoing interventions. This paper provides an overview of Rwanda's SCH journey, highlighting progress made through mass drug administration (MDA), diagnostic advancements, and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders.

Methods: Since 2014, the point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) test has been introduced alongside Kato-Katz (KK), improving mapping accuracy and detecting low-intensity infections.