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Ribosome biogenesis is a complex and energy-demanding process requiring tight coordination of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal protein (RP) production. Given the extremely high level of RP synthesis in rapidly growing cells, alteration of any step in the ribosome assembly process may impact growth by leading to proteotoxic stress. Although the transcription factor Hsf1 has emerged as a central regulator of proteostasis, how its activity is coordinated with ribosome biogenesis is unknown. Here, we show that arrest of ribosome biogenesis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae triggers rapid activation of a highly specific stress pathway that coordinately upregulates Hsf1 target genes and downregulates RP genes. Activation of Hsf1 target genes requires neo-synthesis of RPs, which accumulate in an insoluble fraction and presumably titrate a negative regulator of Hsf1, the Hsp70 chaperone. RP aggregation is also coincident with that of the RP gene activator Ifh1, a transcription factor that is rapidly released from RP gene promoters. Our data support a model in which the levels of newly synthetized RPs, imported into the nucleus but not yet assembled into ribosomes, work to continuously balance Hsf1 and Ifh1 activity, thus guarding against proteotoxic stress during ribosome assembly.

Nature Communications 6: Article number: 6158 (2015); Published: 30 January 2015; Updated: 11 May 2016 This Article contains an error in the numbering of the C. elegans 25S rRNA site methylated by nsun-5, which was incorrectly given as C3381. The correct methylation site is C2381. The correct version of Fig.

Abstract Consensus holds that pottery technology came to Central Europe from the Northern Balkans with independent pottery traditions existing concurrently in Eastern Europe. An unusual grass-tempered pottery dating back to around 5800 cal BC found in lake sediments at Santovka, Slovakia, predated the earliest known Neolithic pottery in the region (~ 5500 cal BC), suggesting unexplored narratives of pottery introduction. Analyses of the pottery’s technology, origin, and grass temper shedding light on ceramic traditions' spread can unveil mobility patterns and community lifestyles. Our findings indicate a non-local provenance, low temperature firing, Festuca sp. grass temper and unique rectangular or cylindrical vessel shapes which align with Eastern European hunter-gatherer practices. Moreover, the pottery style and technology have no analogies in the contemporary Danubian pottery traditions and have more similarities to those of the Eastern traditions. The pottery's raw materials likely originated from distant areas, indicating extensive territorial access for its creators. Our findings imply late Mesolithic hunter-gatherers as the probable artisans and with implications for the site's significance in the late Mesolithic landscape.

Abstract Background Although mitral valve repair is the preferred surgical strategy in children with mitral valve disease, there are cases of irreparable severe dysplastic valves that require mitral valve replacement. The aim of this study is to analyze long-term outcomes following mitral valve replacement in children in a tertiary referral center. Methods A total of 41 consecutive patients underwent mitral valve replacement between February 2001 and February 2021. The study data was prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, long-term survival, and long-term freedom from reoperation. Results Median age at operation was 23 months (IQR 5–93), median weight was 11.3 kg (IQR 4.8–19.4 kg). One (2.4%) patient died within the first 30 postoperative days. In-hospital mortality was 4.9%. Four (9.8%) patients required re-exploration for bleeding, and 2 (4.9%) patients needed extracorporeal life support. Median follow-up was 11 years (IQR 11 months − 16 years). Long-term freedom from re-operation after 1, 5, 10 and 15 years was 97.1%, 93.7%, 61.8% and 42.5%, respectively. Long-term survival after 1, 5, 10 and 15 years was 89.9%, 87%, 87% and 80.8%, respectively. Conclusion If MV repair is not feasible, MV replacement offers a good surgical alternative for pediatric patients with MV disease. It provides good early- and long-term outcomes.

Abstract Background Functional somatic symptoms (FSS), which commonly cannot be attributed to well-defined organic pathology, often co-occur with internalizing psychopathology and fluctuate throughout different life stages. We examined FSS courses throughout adolescence, and the association between preadolescent FSS, FSS severity and internalizing psychopathology at late adolescence. Methods Data from the Copenhagen Child Cohort (CCC2000) were utilized from assessments at ages 11–12 years (preadolescence; T0) and 16–17 years (late adolescence; T1). Self-report questionnaire and interview data on FSS, internalizing psychopathology, chronic medical conditions, and sociodemographic data from Danish national registers were available for 1285 youths. FSS courses were categorized into persistent (high FSS at T0 & T1), remission (high FSS only at T0), incident (high FSS only at T1) or no FSS (no FSS at T0 & T1). Multiple linear and multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to investigate the FSS/psychopathology association. Results 1.8% of adolescents fell into the persistent FSS course group throughout adolescence. Higher preadolescent FSS predicted FSS (b = 0.07, p

ObjectiveMyocardial protection is important for a successful procedure cardiac surgery, and the key element of myocardial protection is cardioplegia. We compared Del Nido cardioplegia (DN) and Bretschneider histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate cardioplegia (HTK) regarding cardioprotective effects in a porcine model of prolonged ischaemia.MethodsLandrace pigs weighing 50–60 kg were randomized to receive either DN (n = 9) or HTK (n = 9). All pigs underwent cardiac arrest for 90 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion/convalescence. A detailed set of laboratory, histological and functional parameters was acquired at baseline, during cardiac arrest and following reperfusion/convalescence.ResultsPressure-volume measurements revealed better systolic and diastolic left ventricular performance in DN as compared to HTK (both p 0.05).ConclusionsIn this porcine model with prolonged ischaemia, DN was superior to HTK in terms of haemoglobin levels, blood electrolytes, spontaneous return of sinus rhythm, left ventricular function, and endothelial injury. Histomorphological parameters indicative of ischaemia/reperfusion injury, oxidative stress and mitochondrial function as well as apoptosis-inducing factors did not differ.

Abstract Two stratigraphically well constrained (by ammonites and conodonts) coleoid remains have been recorded from the Triassic (Anisian) dark-grey organodetritic limestones (Ráztoka Limestone) of Western Carpathians (Hronic Nappe). The limestones deposited at the periphery of a former carbonate platform. It yields a highly diverse cephalopod fauna including nautiloids (2 taxa), ammonoids (7 taxa) and indetermined aulacoceratids. Two unusual coleoid specimens are referred to genus Mojsisovicsteuthis (M. boeckhi) and probably to a new taxon (described as Breviconoteuthis aff. breviconus herein) possessing similar morphological features of genus Breviconoteuthis (Phragmoteuthida) and/or Zugmontites. Based on index ammonites and conodonts, both records are of the uppermost Trinodosus through the lowermost Reitzi zones (Anisian—lower Illyrian). While the genus Mojsisovicsteuthis has been widely dispersed (however its records are rare), the occurrence of Breviconoteuthis and Zugmontites is strictly limited to the Alpine-Carpathian region. Comparing with the holotype and additional specimens stored in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, the overal shell of Mojsisovicsteuthis and its size has been reconstructed. Its relationship to aulacoceratids and phragmoteuthids is briefly discussed. Geochemical record (n-alkanes from the bulk rock) provided a relevant signal of the existence of algal meadows.

Abstract Epithelial ovarian cancer is mostly discovered at the stage of peritoneal carcinosis. Complete cytoreductive surgery improves overall survival. The Fagotti score is a predictive score of resectability based on peritoneal laparoscopic exploratory. Our aim was to study the inter-observer concordance in an external validation of the Fagotti score. An observational, prospective, multicenter study was conducted using the Francogyn research network. The primary outcome was inter-observer concordance of the Fagotti score. 15 patients in which an ovarian mass was discovered were included. For each patient, the first exploratory laparoscopy before any treatment/chemotherapy was recorded. This bank of 15 videos was subject to blind review accompanied by a Fagotti score rating by 11 gynecological surgeons specializing in oncology. A total of 165 blind reviews were performed. Inter-observer concordance was very good for the Fagotti score with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.83 [95% CI 0.71; 0.93]. Inter-observer concordance for the adjusted Fagotti score, which accounts for unexplorable areas with extensive carcinomatosis, resulted in an ICC of 0.64 [95% CI 0.46; 0.82]. According to the reviewers, the three least explorable parameters were mesentery involvement, stomach infiltration and liver damage. The ICC of the explorable Fagotti score, i.e. score with deletion of the parameters most often unexplored by laparoscopy, was 0.86 [0.75–0.94]. This study confirms the reproducibility of the Fagotti score during first assessment laparoscopies in cases of advanced ovarian cancer. The explorable Fagotti score has an equivalent or better inter-observer concordance than the Fagotti score.

Abstract Background Long-term stress causing altered hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dynamics with cortisol dysfunction may be involved in the pathophysiology of functional somatic disorders (FSD), but studies on adolescents with multi-system FSD are lacking. Therefore, we investigated: 1) whether hair cortisol concentration (HCC) differentiates adolescents with multi-system FSD from a) a population-based sample and b) a subgroup derived from the sample reporting a high physical symptom load, and 2) whether FSD population HCC is associated with primary symptom presentations and self-perceived stress. Methods We used data from a clinical sample with multi-system FSD (N = 91, age 15–19 years) and a population-based sample (N = 1,450, age 16–17 years) including a subgroup with top 10% total scores on physical symptoms (N = 147). Density plots and multiple linear regression were applied to compare HCC between groups. In the clinical sample, multiple linear regression was employed to assess the association between HCC and primary symptom clusters and self-perceived stress. Results Median HCC was lower in the clinical sample than in the population-based sample (β = 0.80 (95%CI: 0.66, 0.97)), but not significantly different from median HCC in the derived subgroup (β = 0.84 (95%CI: 0.66, 1.07)). In the clinical sample, HCC was not significantly associated with primary symptom clusters (F(2, 82) = 0.13, p = 0.88) or self-perceived stress (F(4, 83) = 1.18, p = 0.33). Conclusion Our findings indicate that HCC is lowered in adolescents with multi-system FSD but not significantly associated with primary symptom presentations or self-perceived stress. Future studies including multiple measures of HPA axis dynamics alongside psychological measures may further elucidate the role of long-term stress in FSD. Trial registration The AHEAD study was pre-registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02346071), 26/01/2015

This study investigates a medieval pottery kiln and its fill excavated at a 13th-century settlement site near the Žďár Cistercian monastery. The short 30–40 year lifespan of the settlement provides valuable insight into how pottery was made and appeared in a chronologically specified timeframe of the mid-13th century. The kiln was a single-chamber type, either with an open-topped or domed superstructure with a very narrow stoking channel in terms of height. Technological analysis of the pottery inside the kiln points to consistent production techniques utilising a combination of coiling and early rotational devices with rapid firing practices. The interpretation of the forming technique is backed by 3D scanning, which quantifies the wall thickness variability over various vessel body parts. Cross-analysis with settlement finds shows a uniform ceramic morphology and technological nuances, with petrographic data suggesting both local and external material influences. The study enhances the understanding of the socio-economic dynamics during medieval colonisation based on the case of the Žďár region and provides a benchmark for regional ceramic research.

Abstract Background Atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD) represent 4–7% of congenital cardiac malformations. Definitive early repair is favored over prior pulmonary artery banding and delayed definitive repair in many centers. The aim of this study was to analyze long-term outcomes following AVSD repair over a 21-year period. Methods A total of 202 consecutive patients underwent surgical AVSD correction between June 1999 and December 2020. Surgery was performed using the double-patch technique. The study data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcomes were In-hospital mortality and overall long-term freedom from reoperation. Results Median age at operation was 120 days (IQR 94–150), median weight was 5.0 kg (4.2–5.3). None of the patients died within the first 30 postoperative days. In-hospital mortality was 0.5% (1/202 patients). Median follow-up was 57 months (11–121). Overall freedom from reoperation at 5, 10 and 15 years was 91.8%, 86.9% and 86.9%, respectively. Conclusion AVSD repair with the double-patch technique is a safe and effective procedure with good early postoperative outcomes and low long-term reoperation rates.

Abstract Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and its numerical expression via apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values are commonly utilized in non-invasive assessment of various brain pathologies. Although numerous studies have confirmed that ADC values could be pathognomic for various ring-enhancing lesions (RELs), their true potential is yet to be exploited in full. The article was designed to introduce an image analysis method allowing REL recognition independently of either absolute ADC values or specifically defined regions of interest within the evaluated image. For this purpose, the line of interest (LOI) was marked on each ADC map to cross all of the RELs’ compartments. Using a machine learning approach, we analyzed the LOI between two representatives of the RELs, namely, brain abscess and glioblastoma (GBM). The diagnostic ability of the selected parameters as predictors for the machine learning algorithms was assessed using two models, the k-NN model and the SVM model with a Gaussian kernel. With the k-NN machine learning method, 80% of the abscesses and 100% of the GBM were classified correctly at high accuracy. Similar results were obtained via the SVM method. The proposed assessment of the LOI offers a new approach for evaluating ADC maps obtained from different RELs and contributing to the standardization of the ADC map assessment.

Air pollution constitutes a significant worldwide environmental challenge, presenting threats to both our well-being and the purity of our food supply. This study suggests employing Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) models featuring Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) units for forecasting PM10 particle levels in multiple locations in Skopje simultaneously over a time span of 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Historical air quality measurement data were gathered from various local sensors positioned at different sites in Skopje, along with data on meteorological conditions from publicly available APIs. Various implementations and hyperparameters of several deep learning models were compared. Additionally, an analysis was conducted to assess the influence of urban traffic on air and noise pollution, leveraging the COVID-19 lockdown periods when traffic was virtually non-existent. The outcomes suggest that the proposed models can effectively predict air pollution. From the urban traffic perspective, the findings indicate that car traffic is not the major contributing factor to air pollution.

ABSTRACT Ambrosia gall midges (AGMs) are mostly host plant-specific. In their galls, they harbor fungal symbionts on which they feed. Therefore, they represent unique steps in the evolution of the gall-forming Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). Gall-associated fungi have been studied predominantly by cultivations, and potential larval endosymbionts have been completely neglected. Using ITS2 rRNA metabarcoding, we characterized the mycobiomes of individual gall compartments (gall surface, gall interior, and larva) of six species from two phylogenetically separated tribes (Asphondyliini and Lasiopterini). Compared to the gall surface and interior, the larvae harbored significantly higher fungal richness and taxonomic diversity, and a larger pool of indicator taxa. Larval mycobiome composition was more species-specific; however, the fungal genera Fusarium, Filobasidium, Tilletiopsis, Alternaria, and Aureobasidium were indicator taxa shared among species. Overall, the larvae harbored 29% of unique taxa that can play a functional role in the host (e.g., initiation of gall development or selection of the mycelia composition). The mycobiome of the gall interior was assembled least stochastically, and its composition was the least species-specific, being dominated by Botryosphaeria dothidea (except for Lasioptera arundinis). Therefore, the interior of ambrosia galls offers a unique environment that supports the growth of similar fungi, regardless of the host plant species and the phylogenetic distance between the AGM tribes. Our study illustrates a range of fungal microorganisms indicative of individual gall compartments, but their potential function, especially in larvae, remains to be solved. IMPORTANCE Ambrosia gall midges are endophagous insect herbivores whose larvae live enclosed within a single gall for their entire development period. They may exhibit phytomycetophagy, a remarkable feeding mode that involves the consumption of plant biomass and mycelia of their cultivated gall symbionts. Thus, AGMs are ideal model organisms for studying the role of microorganisms in the evolution of host specificity in insects. However, compared to other fungus-farming insects, insect–fungus mutualism in AGMs has been neglected. Our study is the first to use DNA metabarcoding to characterize the complete mycobiome of the entire system of the gall-forming insects as we profiled gall surfaces, nutritive mycelia, and larvae. Interestingly, larval mycobiomes were significantly different from their nutritive mycelia, although Botryosphaeria dothidea dominated the nutritive mycelia, regardless of the evolutionary separation of the tribes studied. Therefore, we confirmed a long-time hypothesized paradigm for the important evolutionary association of this fungus with AGMs.

ABSTRACT Plant–herbivore interactions have been modulated by plant secondary metabolites (PSM), which exert a strong pressure on herbivore microbiome. This study examined the effects of different PSM types and concentrations on caterpillar fitness, composition of gut bacterial and fungal assemblages, and microbiome network stability and symbiotic bonds in relation to the caterpillar diet breadth. Polyphagous and monophagous caterpillars sampled from oak were reared on an artificial diet (AD) containing PSM native (tannic acid) and non-native (tannivin and salicylic acid) to oak at varying concentrations, along with control treatments (starving and fed by oak leaves or AD without PSM). Their gut microbiome was profiled using 16S and ITS2 rRNA gene metabarcoding. Contrary to expectations, the diet breadth combined with the PSM type had no effect on weight gain. The bacterial composition was shaped by PSM concentration, while caterpillar species and diet breadth had no effect. Compared with bacteria, concentration had no effect on the fungal composition, which was more influenced by diet breadth than by caterpillar species. Leaf-fed caterpillars harbored the highest microbial richness. In AD-fed caterpillars, bacteria formed more complex networks than fungi, and the complexity was simplified with higher PSM concentrations. We identified taxa significantly associated with caterpillar guts. Notably, the association Lactobacillus–Lactococcus–Streptococcus was universally present across all caterpillar species, regardless of diet breadth. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering PSM concentration and composition in understanding caterpillar–gut microbiome interactions. Further research will validate the functional roles of identified microbial taxa and their significance for caterpillar hosts. IMPORTANCE The caterpillar gut is an excellent model system for studying host–microbiome interactions, as it represents an extreme environment for microbial life that usually has low diversity and considerable variability in community composition. Our study design combines feeding caterpillars on a natural and artificial diet with controlled levels of plant secondary metabolites and uses metabarcoding and quantitative PCR to simultaneously profile bacterial and fungal assemblages, which has never been performed. Moreover, we focus on multiple caterpillar species and consider diet breadth. Contrary to many previous studies, our study suggested the functional importance of certain microbial taxa, especially bacteria, and confirmed the previously proposed lower importance of fungi for caterpillar holobiont. Our study revealed the lack of differences between monophagous and polyphagous species in the responses of microbial assemblages to plant secondary metabolites, suggesting the limited role of the microbiome in the plasticity of the herbivore diet.

Abstract Background Ips typographus (European spruce bark beetle) is the most destructive pest of spruce forests in Europe. As for other animals, it has been proposed that the microbiome plays important roles in the biology of bark beetles. About the bacteriome, there still are many uncertainties regarding the taxonomical composition, insect-bacteriome interactions, and their potential roles in the beetle ecology. Here, we aim to deep into the ecological functions and taxonomical composition of I. typographus associated bacteria. Results We assessed the metabolic potential of a collection of isolates obtained from different life stages of I. typographus beetles. All strains showed the capacity to hydrolyse one or more complex polysaccharides into simpler molecules, which may provide an additional carbon source to its host. Also, 83.9% of the strains isolated showed antagonistic effect against one or more entomopathogenic fungi, which could assist the beetle in its fight against this pathogenic threat. Using culture-dependent and -independent techniques, we present a taxonomical analysis of the bacteriome associated with the I. typographus beetle during its different life stages. We have observed an evolution of its bacteriome, which is diverse at the larval phase, substantially diminished in pupae, greater in the teneral adult phase, and similar to that of the larval stage in mature adults. Our results suggest that taxa belonging to the Erwiniaceae family, and the Pseudoxanthomonas and Pseudomonas genera, as well as an undescribed genus within the Enterobactereaceae family, are part of the core microbiome and may perform vital roles in maintaining beetle fitness. Conclusion Our results indicate that isolates within the bacteriome of I. typographus beetle have the metabolic potential to increase beetle fitness by proving additional and assimilable carbon sources for the beetle, and by antagonizing fungi entomopathogens. Furthermore, we observed that isolates from adult beetles are more likely to have these capacities but those obtained from larvae showed strongest antifungal activity. Our taxonomical analysis showed that Erwinia typographi, Pseudomonas bohemica, and Pseudomonas typographi species along with Pseudoxanthomonas genus, and putative new taxa belonging to the Erwiniaceae and Enterobacterales group are repeatedly present within the bacteriome of I. typographus beetles, indicating that these species might be part of the core microbiome. In addition to Pseudomonas and Erwinia group, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Curtobacterium, Streptomyces, and Bacillus genera seem to also have interesting metabolic capacities but are present in a lower frequency. Future studies involving bacterial-insect interactions or analysing other potential roles would provide more insights into the bacteriome capacity to be beneficial to the beetle.

IntroductionHemodialysis (HD) patients are a COVID-19 high risk population due to comorbidities and impaired immune response. Vaccines, advent of effective treatment and the emergence of novel variants have fundamentally changed the pandemic. We aimed to assess temporal changes of COVID-19 in HD patients of our catchment area, and risk factors for severe and fatal course.Methods and materialsWe retrospectively collected data from 274 patients admitted to the Medical University Graz, Austria for HD between 1st of May 2020 and 31st of August 2022. We analyzed clinical and demographic data between different COVID-19 waves and assessed factors associated with hospitalization, ICU admission and mortality by logistic regression. To further evaluate the dialysis at-risk population, we collected demographic and vaccination data between August 2021 and August 2022.ResultsTime of infection and SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data allowed for distinction of five separate waves of infection with different impact on the dialysis population: While in the initial four waves frequencies of hospitalization, necessity of critical care and mortality were around 60%, 10% and 20%, respectively. These events became rare during the large fifth wave, when Omicron had become the dominant variant. Although only 16.9% had to be hospitalized, this resulted in 29 hospital admissions, due to the high prevalence of COVID-19 during the Omicron era. Furthermore, we observed similar clinical outcomes with BA.4/5 as with BA.1/BA.2 Omicron sublineages. The proportion of previously infected increased simultaneously with the number of vaccination doses in our dialysis population. Vaccination at time of positivity and infection with an Omicron variant conferred protection against hospitalization and mortality in univariate analysis, but only infection with an Omicron variant remained a robust predictor for these outcomes in multivariable analysis.DiscussionWhile a fourth of our at-risk population became infected during the Omicron wave, mortality was almost non-existent. Several concomitant factors have contributed to the decrease of COVID-19 severity in HD patients. This trend appears to be continued with BA.4/5, which was equally mild as BA.1 and BA.2 in our well vaccinated dialysis population.

Abstract Despite an increasing number of studies on caterpillar (Insecta: Lepidoptera) gut microbiota, bacteria have been emphasized more than fungi. Therefore, we lack data on whether fungal microbiota is resident or transient and shaped by factors similar to those of bacteria. We sampled nine polyphagous caterpillar species from several tree species at multiple sites to determine the factors shaping leaf and gut bacterial and fungal microbiota as well as the extent to which caterpillars acquire microbiota from their diet. We performed 16S and ITS2 DNA metabarcoding of the leaves and guts to determine the composition and richness of the respective microbiota. While spatial variables shaped the bacterial and fungal microbiota of the leaves, they only affected fungi in the guts, whereas the bacteria were shaped primarily by caterpillar species, with some species harboring more specific bacterial consortia. Leaf and gut microbiota significantly differed; in bacteria, this difference was more pronounced. The quantitative similarity between leaves and guts significantly differed among caterpillar species in bacteria but not fungi, suggesting that some species have more transient bacterial microbiota. Our results suggest the complexity of the factors shaping the gut microbiota, while highlighting interspecific differences in microbiota residency within the same insect functional group.

Abstract Graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4) was synthesised from melamine at 550 °C for 4 h in the argon atmosphere and then was reheated for 1–3 h at 500 °C in argon. Two band gaps of 2.04 eV and 2.47 eV were observed in all the synthetized materials. Based on the results of elemental and photoluminescence analyses, the lower band gap was found to be caused by the formation of vacancies. Specific surface areas of the synthetized materials were 15–18 m2g−1 indicating that no thermal exfoliation occurred. The photocatalytic activity of these materials was tested for hydrogen generation. The best photocatalyst showed 3 times higher performance (1547 μmol/g) than bulk C3N4 synthetized in the air (547 μmol/g). This higher activity was explained by the presence of carbon (VC) and nitrogen (VN) vacancies grouped in their big complexes 2VC + 2VN (observed by positron annihilation spectroscopy). The effect of an inert gas on the synthesis of C3N4 was demonstrated using Graham´s law of ammonia diffusion. This study showed that the synthesis of C3N4 from nitrogen-rich precursors in the argon atmosphere led to the formation of vacancy complexes beneficial for hydrogen generation, which was not referred so far.

IntroductionCardiotocography, which consists in monitoring the fetal heart rate as well as uterine activity, is widely used in clinical practice to assess fetal wellbeing during labor and delivery in order to detect fetal hypoxia and intervene before permanent damage to the fetus. We present DeepCTG® 1.0, a model able to predict fetal acidosis from the cardiotocography signals.Materials and methodsDeepCTG® 1.0 is based on a logistic regression model fed with four features extracted from the last available 30 min segment of cardiotocography signals: the minimum and maximum values of the fetal heart rate baseline, and the area covered by accelerations and decelerations. Those four features have been selected among a larger set of 25 features. The model has been trained and evaluated on three datasets: the open CTU-UHB dataset, the SPaM dataset and a dataset built in hospital Beaujon (Clichy, France). Its performance has been compared with other published models and with nine obstetricians who have annotated the CTU-UHB cases. We have also evaluated the impact of two key factors on the performance of the model: the inclusion of cesareans in the datasets and the length of the cardiotocography segment used to compute the features fed to the model.ResultsThe AUC of the model is 0.74 on the CTU-UHB and Beaujon datasets, and between 0.77 and 0.87 on the SPaM dataset. It achieves a much lower false positive rate (12% vs. 25%) than the most frequent annotation among the nine obstetricians for the same sensitivity (45%). The performance of the model is slightly lower on the cesarean cases only (AUC = 0.74 vs. 0.76) and feeding the model with shorter CTG segments leads to a significant decrease in its performance (AUC = 0.68 with 10 min segments).DiscussionAlthough being relatively simple, DeepCTG® 1.0 reaches a good performance: it compares very favorably to clinical practice and performs slightly better than other published models based on similar approaches. It has the important characteristic of being interpretable, as the four features it is based on are known and understood by practitioners. The model could be improved further by integrating maternofetal clinical factors, using more advanced machine learning or deep learning approaches and having a more robust evaluation of the model based on a larger dataset with more pathological cases and covering more maternity centers.

False aneurysm of the brachiocephalic trunk is a very rare but highly lethal, life-threatening, and difficult-to-treat condition. In this report, we present a case of a patient who suffered from rapidly worsening dyspnea caused by infected false aneurysm of the brachiocephalic trunk compressing the trachea that was successfully treated by stent graft implantation. The main purpose of this article is to consider other, less common causes of dyspnea and to explain the pathogenesis of infected true/false aneurysm and its management. Due to the rarity, history-taking and physical examination should be thorough, and symptoms and signs should be analyzed deeply. Simplification should be avoided during diagnosis. In addition, we would like to highlight the option of stent grafts as an alternative to surgery in the management of patients suffering from infected aneurysm who are at high surgical risk.

AimsOvarian hormone deficiency is one of the main risk factors for osteoporosis and bone fractures in women, and these risks can be mitigated by menopausal hormone therapy. Recent evidence suggests that gut microbiota may link changes in estrogen levels and bone metabolism. This study was conducted to investigate the potential relationship between hormonal and bone changes induced by oophorectomy and subsequent hormonal therapy and shifts in gut microbiota composition.MethodsWe collected 159 stool and blood samples in several intervals from 58 women, who underwent bilateral oophorectomy. Changes in fecal microbiota were assessed in paired samples collected from each woman before and after oophorectomy or the start of hormone therapy. Bacterial composition was determined by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene on Illumina MiSeq. Blood levels of estradiol, FSH, biomarkers of bone metabolism, and indices of low-grade inflammation were measured using laboratory analytical systems and commercial ELISA. Areal bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine, proximal femur, and femur neck was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.ResultsWe found no significant changes in gut microbiota composition 6 months after oophorectomy, despite major changes in hormone levels, BMD, and bone metabolism. A small decrease in bacterial diversity was apparent 18 months after surgery in taxonomy-aware metrics. Hormonal therapy after oophorectomy prevented bone loss but only marginally affected gut microbiota. There were no significant differences in β-diversity related to hormonal status, although several microbes (e.g., Lactococcus lactis) followed estrogen levels. Body mass index (BMI) was the most significantly associated with microbiota variance. Microbiota was not a suitable predictive factor for the state of bone metabolism.ConclusionsWe conclude that neither the loss of estrogens due to oophorectomy nor their gain due to subsequent hormonal therapy is associated with a specific gut microbiota signature. Sources of variability in microbiota composition are more related to interindividual differences than hormonal status.