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- Kennedy, K. M., et al.
(author)
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Questioning the fetal microbiome illustrates pitfalls of low-biomass microbial studies
- 2023
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 613:7945, s. 639-649
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Whether the human fetus and the prenatal intrauterine environment (amniotic fluid and placenta) are stably colonized by microbial communities in a healthy pregnancy remains a subject of debate. Here we evaluate recent studies that characterized microbial populations in human fetuses from the perspectives of reproductive biology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, immunology, clinical microbiology and gnotobiology, and assess possible mechanisms by which the fetus might interact with microorganisms. Our analysis indicates that the detected microbial signals are likely the result of contamination during the clinical procedures to obtain fetal samples or during DNA extraction and DNA sequencing. Furthermore, the existence of live and replicating microbial populations in healthy fetal tissues is not compatible with fundamental concepts of immunology, clinical microbiology and the derivation of germ-free mammals. These conclusions are important to our understanding of human immune development and illustrate common pitfalls in the microbial analyses of many other low-biomass environments. The pursuit of a fetal microbiome serves as a cautionary example of the challenges of sequence-based microbiome studies when biomass is low or absent, and emphasizes the need for a trans-disciplinary approach that goes beyond contamination controls by also incorporating biological, ecological and mechanistic concepts.
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10. |
- Bradnam, K. R., et al.
(author)
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Assemblathon 2 : Evaluating de novo methods of genome assembly in three vertebrate species
- 2013
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In: GigaScience. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 2047-217X. ; 2:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The process of generating raw genome sequence data continues to become cheaper, faster, and more accurate. However, assembly of such data into high-quality, finished genome sequences remains challenging. Many genome assembly tools are available, but they differ greatly in terms of their performance (speed, scalability, hardware requirements, acceptance of newer read technologies) and in their final output (composition of assembled sequence). More importantly, it remains largely unclear how to best assess the quality of assembled genome sequences. The Assemblathon competitions are intended to assess current state-of-the-art methods in genome assembly. Results: In Assemblathon 2, we provided a variety of sequence data to be assembled for three vertebrate species (a bird, a fish, and snake). This resulted in a total of 43 submitted assemblies from 21 participating teams. We evaluated these assemblies using a combination of optical map data, Fosmid sequences, and several statistical methods. From over 100 different metrics, we chose ten key measures by which to assess the overall quality of the assemblies. Conclusions: Many current genome assemblers produced useful assemblies, containing a significant representation of their genes and overall genome structure. However, the high degree of variability between the entries suggests that there is still much room for improvement in the field of genome assembly and that approaches which work well in assembling the genome of one species may not necessarily work well for another.
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11. |
- Laj, P., et al.
(author)
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Measuring Atmospheric Composition Change
- 2009
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2844 .- 1352-2310. ; 43:33, s. 5351-5414
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scientific findings from the last decades have clearly highlighted the need for a more comprehensive approach to atmospheric change processes. In fact, observation of atmospheric composition variables has been an important activity of atmospheric research that has developed instrumental tools (advanced analytical techniques) and platforms (instrumented passenger aircrafts, ground-based in-situ and remote sensing stations, earth observation satellite instruments) providing essential information on the composition of the atmosphere. The variability of the atmospheric system and the extreme complexity of the atmospheric cycles for short-lived gaseous and aerosol species have led to the development of complex models to interpret observations, test our theoretical understanding of atmospheric chemistry and predict future atmospheric composition. The validation of numerical models requires accurate information concerning the variability of atmospheric composition for targeted species via comparison with observations and measurements. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent advances in instrumentation and methodologies for measuring atmospheric composition changes from space, aircraft and the surface as well as recent improvements in laboratory techniques that permitted scientific advance in the field of atmospheric chemistry. Emphasis is given to the most promising and innovative technologies that will become operational in the near future to improve knowledge of atmospheric composition. Our current observation capacity, however, is not satisfactory to understand and predict future atmospheric composition changes, in relation to predicted climate warming. Based on the limitation of the current European observing system, we address the major gaps in a second part of the paper to explain why further developments in current observation strategies are still needed to strengthen and optimise an observing system not only capable of responding to the requirements of atmospheric services but also to newly open scientific questions.
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12. |
- Fuzzi, S., et al.
(author)
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Particulate matter, air quality and climate : lessons learned and future needs
- 2015
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In: Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 15:14, s. 8217-8299
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The literature on atmospheric particulate matter (PM), or atmospheric aerosol, has increased enormously over the last 2 decades and amounts now to some 1500-2000 papers per year in the refereed literature. This is in part due to the enormous advances in measurement technologies, which have allowed for an increasingly accurate understanding of the chemical composition and of the physical properties of atmospheric particles and of their processes in the atmosphere. The growing scientific interest in atmospheric aerosol particles is due to their high importance for environmental policy. In fact, particulate matter constitutes one of the most challenging problems both for air quality and for climate change policies. In this context, this paper reviews the most recent results within the atmospheric aerosol sciences and the policy needs, which have driven much of the increase in monitoring and mechanistic research over the last 2 decades. The synthesis reveals many new processes and developments in the science underpinning climate-aerosol interactions and effects of PM on human health and the environment. However, while airborne particulate matter is responsible for globally important influences on premature human mortality, we still do not know the relative importance of the different chemical components of PM for these effects. Likewise, the magnitude of the overall effects of PM on climate remains highly uncertain. Despite the uncertainty there are many things that could be done to mitigate local and global problems of atmospheric PM. Recent analyses have shown that reducing black carbon (BC) emissions, using known control measures, would reduce global warming and delay the time when anthropogenic effects on global temperature would exceed 2 degrees C. Likewise, cost-effective control measures on ammonia, an important agricultural precursor gas for secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA), would reduce regional eutrophication and PM concentrations in large areas of Europe, China and the USA. Thus, there is much that could be done to reduce the effects of atmospheric PM on the climate and the health of the environment and the human population. A prioritized list of actions to mitigate the full range of effects of PM is currently undeliverable due to shortcomings in the knowledge of aerosol science; among the shortcomings, the roles of PM in global climate and the relative roles of different PM precursor sources and their response to climate and land use change over the remaining decades of this century are prominent. In any case, the evidence from this paper strongly advocates for an integrated approach to air quality and climate policies.
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- Bella, J. N., et al.
(author)
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Sex-related difference in regression of left ventricular hypertrophy with antihypertensive treatment: the LIFE study
- 2004
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In: J Hum Hypertens. - 0950-9240. ; 18:6, s. 411-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While left ventricular (LV) structure and function differ between hypertensive women and men, it remains unclear whether sex affects regression of LV hypertrophy with antihypertensive treatment. We analysed paired echocardiograms in 500 men and 347 women enrolled in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study at baseline and after 12 months of antihypertensive treatment with either losartan or atenolol. At enrollment, 177 women and 242 men were randomized to losartan-based treatment and 161 women and 247 men were randomized to atenolol-based treatment (sex difference=NS). After 12 months of antihypertensive treatment, blood pressure was lowered similarly in women (152/83 from 174/97 mmHg) and men (149/85 from 173/99 mmHg; both P<0.001, sex difference=NS), without significant change in body weight in either sex. Cardiac output and pulse pressure/stroke volume were equivalently reduced in both sexes (-0.2 vs -0.1 l/min and both -0.20 mmHg/ml/m(2), respectively; both P=NS). Absolute LV mass change after 12 months of antihypertensive treatment was greater in men than in women (-30 vs -24 g, P=0.01). However, after adjusting for baseline LV mass and randomized study treatment, LV mass reduction was greater in women than in men (-33 vs -23 g, P=0.001). LV mass regression was greater in women, by 8.0+/-2.8 g, after adjusting for baseline LV mass and randomized study treatment. After consideration of baseline LV mass and randomized study treatment, antihypertensive treatment regressed LV hypertrophy more in women. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms and prognostic implications of this sex-related difference.
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15. |
- Timmis, Kenneth, et al.
(author)
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A concept for international societally relevant microbiology education and microbiology knowledge promulgation in society
- 2024
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In: Microbial Biotechnology. - 1751-7907. ; 17:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Microbes are all pervasive in their distribution and influence on the functioning and well-being of humans, life in general and the planet. Microbially-based technologies contribute hugely to the supply of important goods and services we depend upon, such as the provision of food, medicines and clean water. They also offer mechanisms and strategies to mitigate and solve a wide range of problems and crises facing humanity at all levels, including those encapsulated in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations. For example, microbial technologies can contribute in multiple ways to decarbonisation and hence confronting global warming, provide sanitation and clean water to the billions of people lacking them, improve soil fertility and hence food production and develop vaccines and other medicines to reduce and in some cases eliminate deadly infections. They are the foundation of biotechnology, an increasingly important and growing business sector and source of employment, and the centre of the bioeconomy, Green Deal, etc. But, because microbes are largely invisible, they are not familiar to most people, so opportunities they offer to effectively prevent and solve problems are often missed by decision-makers, with the negative consequences this entrains. To correct this lack of vital knowledge, the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative-the IMiLI-is recruiting from the global microbiology community and making freely available, teaching resources for a curriculum in societally relevant microbiology that can be used at all levels of learning. Its goal is the development of a society that is literate in relevant microbiology and, as a consequence, able to take full advantage of the potential of microbes and minimise the consequences of their negative activities. In addition to teaching about microbes, almost every lesson discusses the influence they have on sustainability and the SDGs and their ability to solve pressing problems of societal inequalities. The curriculum thus teaches about sustainability, societal needs and global citizenship. The lessons also reveal the impacts microbes and their activities have on our daily lives at the personal, family, community, national and global levels and their relevance for decisions at all levels. And, because effective, evidence-based decisions require not only relevant information but also critical and systems thinking, the resources also teach about these key generic aspects of deliberation. The IMiLI teaching resources are learner-centric, not academic microbiology-centric and deal with the microbiology of everyday issues. These span topics as diverse as owning and caring for a companion animal, the vast range of everyday foods that are produced via microbial processes, impressive geological formations created by microbes, childhood illnesses and how they are managed and how to reduce waste and pollution. They also leverage the exceptional excitement of exploration and discovery that typifies much progress in microbiology to capture the interest, inspire and motivate educators and learners alike. The IMiLI is establishing Regional Centres to translate the teaching resources into regional languages and adapt them to regional cultures, and to promote their use and assist educators employing them. Two of these are now operational. The Regional Centres constitute the interface between resource creators and educators-learners. As such, they will collect and analyse feedback from the end-users and transmit this to the resource creators so that teaching materials can be improved and refined, and new resources added in response to demand: educators and learners will thereby be directly involved in evolution of the teaching resources. The interactions between educators-learners and resource creators mediated by the Regional Centres will establish dynamic and synergistic relationships-a global societally relevant microbiology education ecosystem-in which creators also become learners, teaching resources are optimised and all players/stakeholders are empowered and their motivation increased. The IMiLI concept thus embraces the principle of teaching societally relevant microbiology embedded in the wider context of societal, biosphere and planetary needs, inequalities, the range of crises that confront us and the need for improved decisioning, which should ultimately lead to better citizenship and a humanity that is more sustainable and resilient.ABSTRACT: The biosphere of planet Earth is a microbial world: a vast reactor of countless microbially driven chemical transformations and energy transfers that push and pull many planetary geochemical processes, including the cycling of the elements of life, mitigate or amplify climate change (e.g., Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019, 17, 569) and impact the well-being and activities of all organisms, including humans. Microbes are both our ancestors and creators of the planetary chemistry that allowed us to evolve (e.g., Life's engines: How microbes made earth habitable, 2023). To understand how the biosphere functions, how humans can influence its development and live more sustainably with the other organisms sharing it, we need to understand the microbes. In a recent editorial (Environmental Microbiology, 2019, 21, 1513), we advocated for improved microbiology literacy in society. Our concept of microbiology literacy is not based on knowledge of the academic subject of microbiology, with its multitude of component topics, plus the growing number of additional topics from other disciplines that become vitally important elements of current microbiology. Rather it is focused on microbial activities that impact us-individuals/communities/nations/the human world-and the biosphere and that are key to reaching informed decisions on a multitude of issues that regularly confront us, ranging from personal issues to crises of global importance. In other words, it is knowledge and understanding essential for adulthood and the transition to it, knowledge and understanding that must be acquired early in life in school. The 2019 Editorial marked the launch of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative, the IMiLI. HERE, WE PRESENT: our concept of how microbiology literacy may be achieved and the rationale underpinning it; the type of teaching resources being created to realise the concept and the framing of microbial activities treated in these resources in the context of sustainability, societal needs and responsibilities and decision-making; and the key role of Regional Centres that will translate the teaching resources into local languages, adapt them according to local cultural needs, interface with regional educators and develop and serve as hubs of microbiology literacy education networks. The topics featuring in teaching resources are learner-centric and have been selected for their inherent relevance, interest and ability to excite and engage. Importantly, the resources coherently integrate and emphasise the overarching issues of sustainability, stewardship and critical thinking and the pervasive interdependencies of processes. More broadly, the concept emphasises how the multifarious applications of microbial activities can be leveraged to promote human/animal, plant, environmental and planetary health, improve social equity, alleviate humanitarian deficits and causes of conflicts among peoples and increase understanding between peoples (Microbial Biotechnology, 2023, 16(6), 1091-1111). Importantly, although the primary target of the freely available (CC BY-NC 4.0) IMiLI teaching resources is schoolchildren and their educators, they and the teaching philosophy are intended for all ages, abilities and cultural spectra of learners worldwide: in university education, lifelong learning, curiosity-driven, web-based knowledge acquisition and public outreach. The IMiLI teaching resources aim to promote development of a global microbiology education ecosystem that democratises microbiology knowledge.
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16. |
- Van Tiggelen, H., et al.
(author)
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Standardising the classification of skin tears : validity and reliability testing of the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) Classification System in 44 countries
- 2020
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In: British Journal of Dermatology. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0007-0963 .- 1365-2133. ; 183:1, s. 146-154
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Skin tears are acute wounds that are frequently misdiagnosed and underreported. A standardised and globally adopted skin tear classification system with supporting evidence for diagnostic validity and reliability is required to allow assessment and reporting in a consistent way.OBJECTIVES: To measure the validity and reliability of the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) Classification System internationally.METHODS: A multi-country study was set up to validate the content of the ISTAP Classification System through expert consultation in a two-round Delphi procedure involving 17 experts from 11 countries. An online survey including 24 skin tear photographs was conducted in a convenience sample of 1601 healthcare professionals from 44 countries to measure diagnostic accuracy, agreement, inter-rater reliability, and intra-rater reliability of the instrument.RESULTS: A definition for the concept of a "skin flap" in the area of skin tears was developed and added to the initial ISTAP Classification System consisting of three skin tear types. The overall agreement with the reference standard was 0.79 (95% CI 0.79-0.80) and sensitivity ranged from 0.74 (95% CI 0.73-0.75) to 0.88 (95% CI 0.87-0.88). The inter-rater reliability was 0.57 (95% CI 0.57-0.57). The Cohen's Kappa measuring intra-rater reliability was 0.74 (95% CI 0.73-0.75).CONCLUSIONS: The ISTAP Classification System is supported by evidence for validity and reliability. The ISTAP Classification System should be used for a systematic assessment and reporting of skin tears in clinical practice and research globally.
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17. |
- Ahmerkamp, Soeren, et al.
(author)
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Simultaneous visualization of flow fields and oxygen concentrations to unravel transport and metabolic processes in biological systems
- 2022
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In: CELL REPORTS METHODS. - : Elsevier. - 2667-2375. ; 2:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From individual cells to whole organisms, O-2 transport unfolds across micrometer- tomillimeter-length scales and can change within milliseconds in response to fluid flows and organismal behavior. The spatiotemporal complexity of these processes makes the accurate assessment of O-2 dynamics via currently availablemethods difficult or unreliable. Here, we present "sensPIV,'' a method to simultaneously measure O-2 concentrations and flow fields. By tracking O-2-sensitive microparticles in flow using imaging technologies that allow for instantaneous referencing, wemeasuredO(2) transportwithin (1) microfluidic devices, (2) sinkingmodel aggregates, and (3) complex colony-forming corals. Through the use of sensPIV, we find that corals use ciliarymovement to link zones of photosynthetic O-2 production to zones of O-2 consumption. SensPIV can potentially be extendable to study flow-organism interactions across many life-science and engineering applications.
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18. |
- Arheimer, Berit, et al.
(author)
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The IAHS Science for Solutions decade, with Hydrology Engaging Local People IN a Global world (HELPING)
- 2024
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In: Hydrological Sciences Journal. - 0262-6667 .- 2150-3435.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The new scientific decade (2023-2032) of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) aims at searching for sustainable solutions to undesired water conditions - may it be too little, too much or too polluted. Many of the current issues originate from global change, while solutions to problems must embrace local understanding and context. The decade will explore the current water crises by searching for actionable knowledge within three themes: global and local interactions, sustainable solutions and innovative cross-cutting methods. We capitalise on previous IAHS Scientific Decades shaping a trilogy; from Hydrological Predictions (PUB) to Change and Interdisciplinarity (Panta Rhei) to Solutions (HELPING). The vision is to solve fundamental water-related environmental and societal problems by engaging with other disciplines and local stakeholders. The decade endorses mutual learning and co-creation to progress towards UN sustainable development goals. Hence, HELPING is a vehicle for putting science in action, driven by scientists working on local hydrology in coordination with local, regional, and global processes.
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21. |
- Van Der Woude, Auke M., et al.
(author)
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Near-real-time CO2 fluxes from CarbonTracker Europe for high-resolution atmospheric modeling
- 2023
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In: Earth System Science Data. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1866-3508 .- 1866-3516. ; 15:2, s. 579-605
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the CarbonTracker Europe High-Resolution (CTE-HR) system that estimates carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange over Europe at high resolution (0.1 × 0.2° ) and in near real time (about 2 months' latency). It includes a dynamic anthropogenic emission model, which uses easily available statistics on economic activity, energy use, and weather to generate anthropogenic emissions with dynamic time profiles at high spatial and temporal resolution (0.1×0.2° hourly). Hourly net ecosystem productivity (NEP) calculated by the Simple Biosphere model Version 4 (SiB4) is driven by meteorology from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis 5th Generation (ERA5) dataset. This NEP is downscaled to 0.1×0.2° using the high-resolution Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) land-cover map and combined with the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) fire emissions to create terrestrial carbon fluxes. Ocean CO2 fluxes are included in our product, based on Jena CarboScope ocean CO2 fluxes, which are downscaled using wind speed and temperature. Jointly, these flux estimates enable modeling of atmospheric CO2 mole fractions over Europe. We assess the skill of the CTE-HR CO2 fluxes (a) to reproduce observed anomalies in biospheric fluxes and atmospheric CO2 mole fractions during the 2018 European drought, (b) to capture the reduction of anthropogenic emissions due to COVID-19 lockdowns, (c) to match mole fraction observations at Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) sites across Europe after atmospheric transport with the Transport Model, version 5 (TM5) and the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT), driven by ECMWF-IFS, and (d) to capture the magnitude and variability of measured CO2 fluxes in the city center of Amsterdam (the Netherlands). We show that CTE-HR fluxes reproduce large-scale flux anomalies reported in previous studies for both biospheric fluxes (drought of 2018) and anthropogenic emissions (COVID-19 pandemic in 2020). After applying transport of emitted CO2, the CTE-HR fluxes have lower median root mean square errors (RMSEs) relative to mole fraction observations than fluxes from a non-informed flux estimate, in which biosphere fluxes are scaled to match the global growth rate of CO2 (poor person's inversion). RMSEs are close to those of the reanalysis with the CTE data assimilation system. This is encouraging given that CTE-HR fluxes did not profit from the weekly assimilation of CO2 observations as in CTE. We furthermore compare CO2 concentration observations at the Dutch Lutjewad coastal tower with high-resolution STILT transport to show that the high-resolution fluxes manifest variability due to different emission sectors in summer and winter. Interestingly, in periods where synoptic-scale transport variability dominates CO2 concentration variations, the CTE-HR fluxes perform similarly to low-resolution fluxes (5-10× coarsened). The remaining 10 % of the simulated CO2 mole fraction differs by >2 ppm between the low-resolution and high-resolution flux representation and is clearly associated with coherent structures ("plumes") originating from emission hotspots such as power plants. We therefore note that the added resolution of our product will matter most for very specific locations and times when used for atmospheric CO2 modeling. Finally, in a densely populated region like the Amsterdam city center, our modeled fluxes underestimate the magnitude of measured eddy covariance fluxes but capture their substantial diurnal variations in summertime and wintertime well. We conclude that our product is a promising tool for modeling the European carbon budget at a high resolution in near real time. The fluxes are freely available from the ICOS Carbon Portal (CC-BY-4.0) to be used for near-real-time monitoring and modeling, for example, as an a priori flux product in a CO2 data assimilation system. The data are available at 10.18160/20Z1-AYJ2 .
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- Alcorn, Sara R., et al.
(author)
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Low-Dose Image-Guided Pediatric CNS Radiation Therapy : Final Analysis From a Prospective Low-Dose Cone-Beam CT Protocol From a Multinational Pediatrics Consortium
- 2020
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In: Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment. - : SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. - 1533-0346 .- 1533-0338. ; 19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Lower-dose cone-beam computed tomography protocols for image-guided radiotherapy may permit target localization while minimizing radiation exposure. We prospectively evaluated a lower-dose cone-beam protocol for central nervous system image-guided radiotherapy across a multinational pediatrics consortium.Methods: Seven institutions prospectively employed a lower-dose cone-beam computed tomography central nervous system protocol (weighted average dose 0.7 mGy) for patients <= 21 years. Treatment table shifts between setup with surface lasers versus cone-beam computed tomography were used to approximate setup accuracy, and vector magnitudes for these shifts were calculated. Setup group mean, interpatient, interinstitution, and random error were estimated, and clinical factors were compared by mixed linear modeling.Results: Among 96 patients, with 2179 pretreatment cone-beam computed tomography acquisitions, median age was 9 years (1-20). Setup parameters were 3.13, 3.02, 1.64, and 1.48 mm for vector magnitude group mean, interpatient, interinstitution, and random error, respectively. On multivariable analysis, there were no significant differences in mean vector magnitude by age, gender, performance status, target location, extent of resection, chemotherapy, or steroid or anesthesia use. Providers rated >99% of images as adequate or better for target localization.Conclusions: A lower-dose cone-beam computed tomography protocol demonstrated table shift vector magnitude that approximate clinical target volume/planning target volume expansions used in central nervous system radiotherapy. There were no significant clinical predictors of setup accuracy identified, supporting use of this lower-dose cone-beam computed tomography protocol across a diverse pediatric population with brain tumors.
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24. |
- Carvalho, F. A., et al.
(author)
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Transient Inability to Manage Proteobacteria Promotes Chronic Gut Inflammation in TLR5-Deficient Mice
- 2012
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In: Cell Host & Microbe. - : Elsevier BV. - 1931-3128. ; 12:2, s. 139-152
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Colitis results from breakdown of homeostasis between intestinal microbiota and the mucosal immune system, with both environmental and genetic influencing factors. Flagellin receptor TLR5-deficient mice (T5KO) display elevated intestinal proinflammatory gene expression and colitis with incomplete penetrance, providing a genetically sensitized system to study the contribution of microbiota to driving colitis. Both colitic and noncolitic T5KO exhibited transiently unstable microbiotas, with lasting differences in colitic T5KO, while their noncolitic siblings stabilized their microbiotas to resemble wild-type mice. Transient high levels of proteobacteria, especially enterobacteria species including E. coli, observed in close proximity to the gut epithelium were a striking feature of colitic microbiota. A Crohn's disease-associated E. coli strain induced chronic colitis in T5KO, which persisted well after the exogenously introduced bacterial species had been eliminated. Thus, an innate immune deficiency can result in unstable gut microbiota associated with low-grade inflammation, and harboring proteobacteria can drive and/or instigate chronic colitis.
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25. |
- Castiglione, Alessandro, et al.
(author)
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Docosahexaenoic acid normalizes QT interval in long QT type 2 transgenic rabbit models in a genotype-specific fashion
- 2022
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In: Europace. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 24:3, s. 511-522
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac channelopathy predisposing to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Since current therapies often fail to prevent arrhythmic events in certain LQTS subtypes, new therapeutic strategies are needed. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid, which enhances the repolarizing I-Ks current. Methods and results We investigated the effects of DHA in wild type (WT) and transgenic long QT Type 1 (LQT1; loss of I-Ks), LQT2 (loss of I-Kr), LQT5 (reduction of I-Ks), and LQT2-5 (loss of I-Kr and reduction of I-Ks) rabbits. In vivo ECGs were recorded at baseline and after 10 mu M/kg DHA to assess changes in heart-rate corrected QT (QTc) and short-term variability of QT (STVQT). Ex vivo monophasic action potentials were recorded in Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts, and action potential duration (APD(75)) and triangulation were assessed. Docosahexaenoic acid significantly shortened QTc in vivo only in WT and LQT2 rabbits, in which both alpha- and beta-subunits of I-K(s)-conducting channels are functionally intact. In LQT2, this led to a normalization of QTc and of its short-term variability. Docosahexaenoic acid had no effect on QTc in LQT1, LQT5, and LQT2-5. Similarly, ex vivo, DHA shortened APD(75) in WT and normalized it in LQT2, and additionally decreased AP triangulation in LQT2. Conclusions Docosahexaenoic acid exerts a genotype-specific beneficial shortening/normalizing effect on QTc and APD(75) and reduces pro-arrhythmia markers STVQT and AP triangulation through activation of I-Ks in LQT2 rabbits but has no effects if either alpha- or beta-subunits to I-Ks are functionally impaired. Docosahexaenoic acid could represent a new genotype-specific therapy in LQT2.
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27. |
- Koren, Lee, et al.
(author)
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Testosterone in ancient hair from an extinct species
- 2018
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In: Palaeontology. - : Wiley. - 0031-0239 .- 1475-4983. ; 61:6, s. 797-802
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Testosterone is a key regulator in vertebrate development, physiology and behaviour. Whereas technology allows extraction of a wealth of genetic information from extant as well as extinct species, complementary information on steroid hormone levels may add a social, sexual and environmental context. Hair shafts have been previously used to sequence DNA from >50000 C-14 years old Siberian woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius). Hair-testing has also been used to measure endogenous steroids in multiple extant species. Here we use small quantities of woolly mammoth hair samples to measure testosterone, and a genomics-based approach to determine sex, in permafrost-preserved mammoths dated to c. 10000-60000 C-14 years. Our validated method opens up exciting opportunities to measure multiple steroids in keratinized tissues from extinct populations of mammals. This may be specifically applied to investigating life histories, including the extinct Quaternary megafauna populations whose remains are preserved in the permafrost throughout the northern hemisphere.
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29. |
- Nieuwenhuijse, David F., et al.
(author)
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Setting a baseline for global urban virome surveillance in sewage
- 2020
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2020, The Author(s). The rapid development of megacities, and their growing connectedness across the world is becoming a distinct driver for emerging disease outbreaks. Early detection of unusual disease emergence and spread should therefore include such cities as part of risk-based surveillance. A catch-all metagenomic sequencing approach of urban sewage could potentially provide an unbiased insight into the dynamics of viral pathogens circulating in a community irrespective of access to care, a potential which already has been proven for the surveillance of poliovirus. Here, we present a detailed characterization of sewage viromes from a snapshot of 81 high density urban areas across the globe, including in-depth assessment of potential biases, as a proof of concept for catch-all viral pathogen surveillance. We show the ability to detect a wide range of viruses and geographical and seasonal differences for specific viral groups. Our findings offer a cross-sectional baseline for further research in viral surveillance from urban sewage samples and place previous studies in a global perspective.
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