Severe COVID-19 pneumonia: Perfusion analysis in correlation with pulmonary embolism and vessel enlargement using dual-energy CT data.

Background: Gas exchange in COVID-19 pneumonia is impaired and vessel obstruction has been suspected to cause ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Dual-energy CT (DECT) can depict pulmonary perfusion by regional assessment of iodine uptake.

Objective: The purpose of this study was the analysis of pulmonary perfusion using dual-energy CT in a cohort of 27 consecutive patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Lymphotoxin-β-receptor (LTβR) signaling on hepatocytes is required for liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.

Lymphotoxin-β-receptor deficient (LTβR) and Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor p55 deficient (TNFRp55) mice show defects in liver regeneration (LR) after partial hepatectomy (PHx) with significantly increased mortality. LTβR and TNFRp55 belong to the core members of the TNF/TNFR superfamily. Interestingly, combined failure of LTβR and TNFRp55 signaling after PHx leads to a complete defect in LR.

Pinless Navigation in Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty.

Purpose: In contrast to total knee arthroplasty (TKA), unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a true resurfacing procedure, as none of the ligaments are replaced or released, and the pre-arthritic leg alignment is the major goal. As such, the alignment of the tibial component plays a crucial role in postoperative knee function and long-term survival. Pinless navigation has shown reliable results in total knee arthroplasty.

Liver Lipids of Patients with Hepatitis B and C and Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still remains a difficult to cure malignancy. In recent years, the focus has shifted to lipid metabolism for the treatment of HCC. Very little is known about hepatitis B virus (HBV) and C virus (HCV)-related hepatic lipid disturbances in non-malignant and cancer tissues.

Kinematic pelvic tilt during gait alters functional cup position in total hip arthroplasty.

Static pelvic tilt impacts functional cup position in total hip arthroplasty (THA). In the current study we investigated the effect of kinematic pelvic changes on cup position. In the course of a prospective controlled trial postoperative 3D-computed tomography (CT) and gait analysis before and 6 and 12 months after THA were obtained in 60 patients.

Differences in femoral component subsidence rate after THA using an uncemented collarless femoral stem: full weight-bearing with an enhanced recovery rehabilitation versus partial weight-bearing.

Background: Femoral component subsidence is a known risk factor for early failure of total hip arthroplasty (THA) using cementless stems. The aim of the study was to compare an enhanced recovery concept with early full weight-bearing rehabilitation and partial weight-bearing on stem subsidence. In addition, the influence of patient-related and anatomical risk factors on subsidence shall be assessed.

Pelvic tilt impacts cup orientation on CT: how accurate is the gold standard?

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard for the accurate measurement of cup inclination and anteversion in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, functional cup position strongly depends on the tilt of the pelvis and thus pelvic tilt in the supine position on the CT table harbors the risk of misinterpretation.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of pelvic tilt on cup measurements in postoperative CT scans.

The Influence of Surface Preparation, Chewing Simulation, and Thermal Cycling on the Phase Composition of Dental Zirconia.

The effect of dental technical tools on the phase composition and roughness of 3/4/5 yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (3y-/4y-/5y-TZP) for application in prosthetic dentistry was investigated. Additionally, the X-ray diffraction methods of Garvie-Nicholson and Rietveld were compared in a dental restoration context. Seven plates from two manufacturers, each fabricated from commercially available zirconia (3/4/5 mol%) for application as dental restorative material, were stressed by different dental technical tools used for grinding and polishing, as well as by chewing simulation and thermocycling.

Characterisation of the Filler Fraction in CAD/CAM Resin-Based Composites.

The performance of dental resin-based composites (RBCs) heavily depends on the characteristic properties of the individual filler fraction. As specific information regarding the properties of the filler fraction is often missing, the current study aims to characterize the filler fractions of several contemporary computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) RBCs from a material science point of view. The filler fractions of seven commercially available CAD/CAM RBCs featuring different translucency variants were analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Micro-X-ray Computed Tomography (µXCT), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG) and X-ray Diffractometry (XRD).

Lactonization of the Oncometabolite D-2-Hydroxyglutarate Produces a Novel Endogenous Metabolite.

In recent years, onco-metabolites like D-2-hydroxyglutarate, which is produced in isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutated tumors, have gained increasing interest. Here, we report a metabolite in human specimens that is closely related to 2-hydroxyglutarate: the intramolecular ester of 2-hydroxyglutarate, 2-hydroxyglutarate-γ-lactone. Using C-L-glutamine tracer analysis, we showed that 2-hydroxyglutarate is the endogenous precursor of 2-hydroxyglutarate-lactone and that there is a high exchange between these two metabolites.

Medulloblastoma in Adults: Cytogenetic Phenotypes Identify Prognostic Subgroups.

Adult medulloblastomas (MB) are rare. We investigated the genetic landscape and prognostic impact of genetic aberrations in a cohort of 117 adult medulloblastomas. Histological features and pathway activation were evaluated at the protein level; 14.

Hospital Frailty Risk Score predicts adverse events in revision total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Introduction: The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a validated risk stratification model referring to the cumulative deficits model of frailty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HFRS as a predictor of 90-day readmission and complications after revision total hip (rTHA) and knee (rTKA) arthroplasty.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis of 565 patients who had undergone rTHA or rTKA between 2011 and 2019, the HFRS was calculated for each patient.

Human alpha-synuclein overexpressing MBP29 mice mimic functional and structural hallmarks of the cerebellar subtype of multiple system atrophy.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare, but fatal atypical parkinsonian disorder. The prototypical pathological hallmark are oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) containing alpha-synuclein (α-syn). Currently, two MSA phenotypes are classified: the parkinsonian (MSA-P) and the cerebellar subtype (MSA-C), clinically characterized by predominant parkinsonism or cerebellar ataxia, respectively.

Reasons for Discontinuing Active Participation on the Internet Forum Tinnitus Talk: Mixed Methods Citizen Science Study.

Background: Tinnitus Talk is a nonprofit online self-help forum. Asking inactive users about their reasons for discontinued usage of health-related online platforms such as Tinnitus Talk is important for quality assurance.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore reasons for discontinued use of Tinnitus Talk, and their associations to the perceptions of Tinnitus Talk and the age of users who ceased logging on to the platform.

Kinetics of Renal Function during Induction in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Results of Two Prospective Studies by the German Myeloma Study Group DSMM.

Background: Preservation of kidney function in newly diagnosed (ND) multiple myeloma (MM) helps to prevent excess toxicity. Patients (pts) from two prospective trials were analyzed, provided postinduction (PInd) restaging was performed. Pts received three cycles with bortezomib (btz), cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (dex; VCD) or btz, lenalidomide (len), and dex (VRd) or len, adriamycin, and dex (RAD).

Cancer-associated cells release citrate to support tumour metastatic progression.

Citrate is important for lipid synthesis and epigenetic regulation in addition to ATP production. We have previously reported that cancer cells import extracellular citrate via the pmCiC transporter to support their metabolism. Here, we show for the first time that citrate is supplied to cancer by cancer-associated stroma (CAS) and also that citrate synthesis and release is one of the latter's major metabolic tasks.

A consensus-based elastic matching algorithm for mapping recall fixations onto encoding fixations in the looking-at-nothing paradigm.

We present an algorithmic method for aligning recall fixations with encoding fixations, to be used in looking-at-nothing paradigms that either record recall eye movements during silence or want to speed up data analysis with recordings of recall data during speech. The algorithm utilizes a novel consensus-based elastic matching algorithm to estimate which encoding fixations correspond to later recall fixations. This is not a scanpath comparison method, as fixation sequence order is ignored and only position configurations are used.

Potential Involvement of Extracellular Citrate in Brain Tumor Progression.

Brain tissue is known to have elevated citrate levels, necessary to regulate ion chelation, neuron excitability, and are also necessary for the supply of necessary energy substrates to neurons. Importantly, citrate also acts as a central substrate in cancer metabolism. Recent studies have shown that extracellular citrate levels in the brain undergo significant changes during tumor development and may play a dual role in tumor progression, as well as cancer cell aggressiveness.

Pros and cons of navigated versus conventional total knee arthroplasty-a retrospective analysis of over 2400 patients.

Introduction: Because of the ongoing discussion of imageless navigation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), its advantages and disadvantages were evaluated in a large patient cohort.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 2464 patients who had undergone TKA at a high-volume university arthroplasty center between 2012 and 2017. Navigated and conventional TKA were compared regarding postoperative mechanical axis, surgery duration, complication rates, one-year postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) (WOMAC and EQ-5D indices), and responder rates as defined by the criteria of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology and Osteoarthritis Research Society International consensus (OMERACT-OARSI).

Evaluation of joint awareness after acetabular fracture: Validation of the Forgotten Joint Score according to the COSMIN checklist protocol.

Background: A fracture of the acetabulum is an uncommon, but serious injury. Established outcome tools do not reflect the patient's perspective after fracture of the hip joint. Originally designed for post-arthroplasty patients, the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) is a patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) tool evaluating the disease-specific health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

Accurate quantification of lipid species affected by isobaric overlap in Fourier-transform mass spectrometry.

Lipidomics data require consideration of ions with near-identical masses, which comprises among others the Type-II isotopic overlap. This overlap occurs in series of lipid species differing only by number of double bonds (DBs) mainly because of the natural abundance of C-atoms. High-resolution mass spectrometry, such as Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), is capable of resolving Type-II overlap depending on mass resolving power.

A Novel Language Paradigm for Intraoperative Language Mapping: Feasibility and Evaluation.

(1) Background-Mapping language using direct cortical stimulation (DCS) during an awake craniotomy is difficult without using more than one language paradigm that particularly follows the demand of DCS by not exceeding the assessment time of 4 s to prevent intraoperative complications. We designed an intraoperative language paradigm by combining classical picture naming and verb generation, which safely engaged highly relevant language functions. (2) Methods-An evaluation study investigated whether a single trial of the language task could be performed in less than 4 s in 30 healthy subjects and whether the suggested language paradigm sufficiently pictured the cortical language network using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 12 healthy subjects.

Impact of malnutrition and vitamin deficiency in geriatric patients undergoing orthopedic surgery.

Background and purpose - There is growing evidence that hypoproteinemia is an important risk factor for adverse events after surgery. Less is known about the impact of vitamin deficiency on postoperative outcome. Therefore we evaluated the prevalence and impact of malnutrition and vitamin deficiency in geriatric patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.

Lipid molecular timeline profiling reveals diurnal crosstalk between the liver and circulation.

Diurnal regulation of whole-body lipid metabolism plays a vital role in metabolic health. Although changes in lipid levels across the diurnal cycle have been investigated, the system-wide molecular responses to both short-acting fasting-feeding transitions and longer-timescale circadian rhythms have not been explored in parallel. Here, we perform time-series multi-omics analyses of liver and plasma revealing that the majority of molecular oscillations are entrained by adaptations to fasting, food intake, and the postprandial state.

Exploring how Syrian women manage their health after migration to Germany: results of a qualitative study.

Background: In the recent years, the number of Syrians living in Germany increased drastically due to the massive displacement caused by the Syrian conflict. Syrian migrant women in Germany are challenged by both the migration process and the changing of social roles. Seeking out healthcare may be hampered by linguistic and cultural barriers, but the new context may offer opportunities for health and well-being (free access to health care, civil/human rights).