Sarcopenia in Older Adults with Hematologic Malignancies: A Comprehensive Review of Epidemiology, Prognosis, and Interventions

Hematologic malignancies, including leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma, are diseases of older adults (age ≥ 60 years). Treatment decisions in older adults with cancer are heavily influenced by patient fitness: the ability of an individual patient to tolerate the off-target effects of anti-cancer therapy. Sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass and strength, is increasingly recognized as an important marker of fitness. Furthermore, sarcopenia is known to be modifiable with nutrition and exercise interventions in older adults without cancer, but such evidence is limited for patients with cancer. Much of the literature on sarcopenia in older adults with cancer has focused on patients with solid tumors. However, there is an increasing body of literature on the impact of sarcopenia in older adults with hematologic malignancies. In this comprehensive review, we attempt to (i) describe the most up-to-date diagnostic criteria and diagnostic approach to sarcopenia, (ii) summarize the prognostic impact of sarcopenia among older adults with hematologic malignancies, (iii) discuss the proposed mechanisms of sarcopenia and its pathogenesis, (iv) review the evidence for interventions targeting sarcopenia, and (v) provide future directions for the advancement of sarcopenia management among older adults with hematologic malignancies

Site Defects and Structural Alignment Enhance Interfacial Charge Mobility in Heterostructured Carbon Nitride Catalysts

Engineering interfaces between organic semiconductors is an effective way to tailor organic electronic device performance, as charge transport and light interaction efficiency are strongly influenced by electronic coupling at molecular interfaces. Scanning transmission electron microscopy is routinely used to analyze interfaces at the atomic scale; however, its use for organic materials is limited due to the electron beam sensitivity of organic molecules, buried interfaces, and the semicrystalline nature of organics. In this work, we developed a workflow to correlate charge behavior at organic interfaces with their chemistry and structure, even when interface components are chemically and structurally similar and mixed at the nanoscale. We used this workflow to reveal the nanoscale mechanism behind enhanced charge transfer at the heterojunction between two-dimensional carbon nitride catalysts (poly heptazine imide (PHI) and poly-triazine imide (PTI)) during the oxygen reduction reaction. We found that PHI crystallites grow on PTI layers formed at the gas−liquid interface in the salt melt, following the [001]PTI/[001]K‑PHI orientation. This crystallographic alignment promotes the charge transfer from PTI to PHI and creates an electron-rich interface. Electron energy loss spectroscopy showed quaternary N atoms in the heterojunction, which aid O2 adsorption and 2e− reduction to H2O2, as well as a higher proportion of terminal and bridging N atoms, promoting charge separation during the reaction

Using Human Assessment and GC-MS to Identify Potential Use Cases for Evaluating Food Condition with Gas Sensor Systems

Technological solutions might be of great importance for reducing food waste. In the scope of this article, gas sensor systems for assessing the edibility of food have been studied, which can help to avoid food losses by suggesting consumption before spoilage or by separating infected fruits from fresh ones. Several series of measurements with various foodstuffs were conducted to develop methods that enable the identification of possible use cases in which gas sensors could be used to assess food condition as well as methods to calibrate such sensor systems. This paper presents results for oranges as an important target for grocery stores. The fruit headspace was measured by gas sensors, reference data were acquired using human assessment (appearance, odor, edibility) and gas chromatography–massspectrometry(GC-MS)analysis. Dataevaluationshowscorrelations between the performance of individual sensors for a technical assessment of fruit condition with marker substances identified by GC-MS, e.g., limonene for damaged oranges. Models were derived that are, in general, able to quantify the edibility or to classify defects/mold, but limitations in the applicability/transferability, e.g., between orange varieties, were also identified. With the knowledge gained, important steps could be taken towards an application-oriented setup, and recommendations regarding the sensors used, food trained, and calibration methods applied are derived

SUMOyliertes Bystin und acetyliertes HSP40 als spezifische BZR-Antigene des sporadischen, EBV-negativen Burkitt-Lymphoms

Reaktivität von Burkitt-Lymphom B-Zell-Rezeptoren gegen sekundär-modifizierte Auotoantigene und daraus resultierende Wachstumsdynamiken: Die Grundlage dieser Arbeit bildet die Untersuchung von Burkitt-Lymphom B-Zell-Rezeptoren auf die Erkennung veränderter körpereigener Antigene, die möglicherweise über eine konstitutive BZell- Rezeptor-Signalgebung maßgeblich zur malignen Transformation von B-Zellen beitragen können. Um mögliche Zielantigene zu identifizieren, wurden im Voraus Zelllinien mittels eines inhouse modifizierten Macroarryas auf Bindung an körpereigene Antigene mit bestimmten posttranslationalen Modifikationen gescreent. Hier zeigte sich eine Bindung des BZR der Zelllinie CA46 gegen SUMOyliertes Bystin und der Zelllinie BL41 gegen acetyliertes HSP40. Zur Identifikation weiterer potenzieller Ziel-Antigene wurden ergänzend Dot Blots gegen inaktivierte Plasmodien-Lysate sowie Proteinarrayscreenings gegen verschiedene virale und bakterielle Antigene durchgeführt. Gegen diese ließ sich keine Reaktivität der untersuchten BZR nachweisen. Diese Arbeit widmete sich im Weiteren der Untersuchung von Burkitt-Lymphom Zelllinien und Patientenproben auf Bindung an die sekundärmodifizierten Antigene acetyliertes HSP40 und SUMO1-Bystin. Des Weiteren lag der Fokus auf der Analyse der Wachstumsdynamik der Burkitt- Lymphom Zellen CA46 und BL41 nach Zugabe ihres korrespondierenden Antigens und der Induktion einer möglichen Zytotoxizität durch Kopplung der Antigene an Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin- A (ETA). Die B-Zell-Rezeptoren (BZR) mehrerer Burkitt-Lymphom Zelllinien wurden kloniert und die Bindung der BZR von BL41 und CA46 an acetyliertes HSP40 bzw. SUMOyliertes Bystin im ELISA und Western Blot bestätigt. Weiterhin wurden Blutproben von Patienten mit diagnostiziertem Burkitt- Lymphom auf Antikörper untersucht. Hier ließ sich für einen von acht Patienten eine Reaktivität an SUMO1-BYS sowie für einen weiteren Patienten eine Reaktivität gegen acetyliertes HSP40 im ELISA nachweisen. Im Proliferationsassay konnte nach Zugabe der modifizierten Antigene zu den Zelllinien BL41 und CA46 ein deutlich zunehmendes Zellwachstum im Vergleich zur Anwesenheit der nicht-posttranslational-modifizierten Antigen-Isoform gezeigt werden. Nach Intein-vermittelter Kopplung der posttranslational modifizierten Antigene an das ETA-Toxin von Pseudomonas konnte im Proliferationsassay eine relevante Zytotoxizität beobachtet werden.Reactivity of Burkitt's lymphoma B-cell receptors against secondary-modified auotoantigens and resulting growth dynamics: This work is based on the investigation of Burkitt lymphoma B-cell receptors for the recognition of altered endogenous antigens, which may contribute significantly to the malignant transformation of B cells via constitutive B-cell receptor signaling. To identify possible target antigens, cell lines were screened in advance using an in-house modified macroarray for binding to endogenous antigens with specific post-translational modifications. This revealed binding of the BCR of the CA46 cell line to SUMOylated bystine and of the BL41 cell line to acetylated HSP40. To identify further potential target antigens, dot blots against inactivated Plasmodium lysates and protein array screenings against various viral and bacterial antigens were also performed. No reactivity of the investigated BCRs was detected against these. This work also focused on the investigation of Burkitt lymphoma cell lines and patient samples for binding to the secondary modified antigens acetylated HSP40 and SUMO1-bystin. Furthermore, the focus was on analysing the growth dynamics of the Burkitt lymphoma cells CA46 and BL41 after addition of their corresponding antigen and the induction of possible cytotoxicity by coupling the antigens to Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA). The B-cell receptors (BCR) of several Burkitt lymphoma cell lines were cloned, and the binding of the BCR of BL41 and CA46 to acetylated HSP40 and SUMOylated bystine, respectively, was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot. Furthermore, blood samples from patients diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma were tested for antibodies. Here, reactivity to SUMO1-BYS was detected in one of eight patients and reactivity to acetylated HSP40 was detected in another patient in ELISA. In the proliferation assay, the addition of the modified antigens to the BL41 and CA46 cell lines showed a significant increase in cell growth compared to the presence of the non-post-translationally modified antigen isoform. After inteinmediated coupling of the post-translationally modified antigens to the ETA toxin from Pseudomonas, relevant cytotoxicity was observed in the proliferation assay

Pleural effusion revealing pulmonary pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in a 2-year-old child: a rare case report

Pleural effusion in young children is most commonly associated with infectious or inflammatory conditions. However, rare malignant causes should also be considered, particularly when symptoms persist despite standard interventions. A 2-year-old boy presented with cough, fever, and dyspnea unresponsive to initial pleural drainage. Imaging revealed a large, complex left pleural effusion with mediastinal shift. Surgical exploration uncovered a cystic lesion in the upper lobe of the left lung. Histopathological analysis confirmed pulmonary pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare and aggressive pediatric malignancy. The lesion was resected, and the patient’s condition improved postoperatively. A regional lymph node was tumor-free. The child was referred for further oncologic care. Although extremely rare, pulmonary pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of persistent pleural effusion in children. Early surgical intervention and histological confirmation are essential for timely diagnosis and initiation of appropriate therapy

Visualizing the 3D Evolution and Morphology of Hydrogen-Assisted Ductile Crack Growth in Hydrogen-Precharged P355NH Steel Using X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography

Hydrogen embrittlement is known to adversely affect the mechanical properties of low-carbon steels used for pipelines and pressure vessels, leading to accelerated crack growth and lowered fracture toughness. To overcome the limitations of surface-based analysis, this study employs X-ray micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) to provide a comprehensive 3D evaluation of the crack evolution. This approach is used to assess hydrogen-assisted crack growth in P355NH compact tension samples from previous fracture mechanical tests and enables a precise quantification of the internal crack path and the crack tip opening angle (CTOA) across the entire specimen thickness as well as the local damage morphology. By integrating these spatial parameters, a deeper understanding of the impact of hydrogen on local fracture mechanisms is achieved, revealing insights that have remained hidden in previous two-dimensional microscopy observations. For instance, µ-CT results clearly demonstrate that the hydrogen-assisted crack propagation is associated with increased void formation and secondary cracking in vicinity of the crack tip. However, it is proposed that the results are superimposed with continuous hydrogen desorption, which implies a need for in situ charging during mechanical loading and an analysis of the hydrogen concentration profile. Both will be the scope of further studies

The impact of dietary interventions on liver health biomarkers in individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its subtype, metabolic dysfunction-associ ated alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD), represent the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, closely linked to unhealthy dietary patterns. Lifestyle modification is considered first-line treatment, yet the comparative effectiveness of dif ferent dietary approaches remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary interventions on liver health biomarkers in individuals with MASLD and MetALD. Methods A systematic database search was conducted for randomised controlled trials (RCTs, 2018–2024). Eligible tri als assessed dietary interventions in MASLD or MetALD and reported changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), liver stiffness, MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF), and controlled attenuation parameter. Data were synthesized using weighted mean differences with fixed or random effects models. Results Sixty-eight full-text articles were included in the systematic review, of which 24 met the criteria for the meta analysis. Since no eligible studies were identified in individuals with MetALD, the findings apply solely to people with MASLD. In studies on fasting interventions ALT (MD = − 12.47 IU/L; 95% CI − 22.03,− 2.92; p = 0.01; n = 6) and liver stiff ness (MD = − 0.24 kPa; 95% CI − 0.46, − 0.03; p = 0.03; n = 4) were reduced compared to controls. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) resulted in significant differences in ALT (MD = − 2.93 IU/L; 95% CI − 5.68, − 0.19; p = 0.04; n = 9), liver stiffness (MD = − 0.35 kPa; 95% CI − 0.54, − 0.16; p = 0.00; n = 4), and MRI-PDFF (MD = − 1.37%; 95% CI − 2.33, − 0.40; p = 0.01; n = 5). LCHF/ketogenic diets (n = 6) and Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation (n = 4) did not significantly alter ALT. Conclusion Fasting and MedDiet showed positive effects on surrogate biomarkers in MASLD. Larger, long-term isocaloric RCTs with standardized outcome reporting are warranted to confirm these findings

Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy for Intraoperative Glioblastoma Diagnosis—A Complementary Tool to Frozen Section?

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most aggressive primary brain tumor, and intraoperative frozen section analysis is the current standard for rapid histopathological assessment. However, this approach is time-consuming and resource-intensive. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) imaging has emerged as a label-free technique enabling near real-time microscopic evaluation of fresh tissue. This study compares the visualization of selected histopathological features in a newly developed intraoperative SRS system with conventional hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining in confirmed GBM. Methods: Tumor samples from 30 patients with neuropathologically confirmed GBM were analyzed. For each case, both HE-stained frozen sections and SRS-generated virtual HE-like images were prepared from separate portions of the specimen. Twelve neuropathologists with varying levels of experience assessed 60 images according to seven predefined GBM criteria, resulting in 720 image evaluations. Feature detection was analyzed using cluster-adjusted generalized estimating equation models, and interobserver agreement was assessed using Fleiss’ κ. Results: Descriptively, hypercellularity and hypervascularization were identified at similar frequencies in both modalities, whereas pleomorphism, endothelial proliferation, mitotic activity, and necrosis were more often recognized in HE images. In cluster-adjusted analyses, SRS showed significantly lower detection rates for hypercellularity, pleomorphism, endothelial proliferation, and mitotic activity, while no significant difference was observed for hypervascularization, necrosis, or pseudopalisading after false discovery rate correction. Interobserver agreement was feature-dependent and generally higher for HE than SRS, particularly for hypercellularity. Conclusions: In this feature-level analysis of neuropathologically confirmed GBM, SRS imaging provided rapid, label-free morphological information and showed comparable visualization of selected histopathological features, particularly hypervascularization. While conventional HE-stained frozen sections remained superior for certain WHO-defining features, SRS represents a promising intraoperative adjunct that may complement established neuropathological workflows. Further studies including non-tumor tissue and a broader range of glioma grades are needed to determine the full diagnostic accuracy and clinical applicability of this technique

The surprise account of modal knowledge acquisition

This paper argues that we use emotions to acquire our intuitive modal knowledge. In particular, it explores the role of surprise in knowledge of epistemic and circum stantial modal statements. It begins with a discussion of standard modal semantics which elucidates the sorts of epistemic problems that creatures like us face in their attempt to know modal statements. It then distinguishes various sorts of surprise and elucidates their fittingness conditions. After that, it formulates some surprise tests and exemplifies their scope and limits in modal knowledge acquisition. To initiate a surprise test, one supposes or imagines some proposition. Roughly, if that proposition gives rise to a surprise response, one judges it impossible; otherwise, one judges it possible

Strukturen und Mechanismen der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit im Hochwasserschutz in der Großregion

Die vorliegende Publikation setzt sich mit der Frage auseinander, welche Strukturen und Mechanismen die grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit im Hochwasserschutz der Grenzregion der ‚Großregion‘ prägen und wie deren Wirksamkeit aus einer saarländischen Perspektive bewertet werden kann. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Zusammenarbeit zwischen Frankreich und Deutschland. Die dargestellten Ergebnisse basieren auf einer Literatur- und Dokumentenanalyse, die durch Interviews mit Expertinnen und Experten und teilnehmende Beobachtungen ergänzt wurden, um einen Einblick in die Praxis der Zusammenarbeit im Hochwasserschutz zu erhalten. Die empirische Analyse zeigt, dass bereits strukturierte Netzwerke im grenzüberschreitenden Hochwasserschutz existieren und die vorhandenen Institutionen eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Trotz dieser etablierten Strukturen offenbaren sich Hürden, insbesondere durch unterschiedliche rechtliche Voraussetzungen und Sprachbarrieren. Es wird deutlich, dass die Kooperation in besonderer Weise von der Eigeninitiative von Akteuren und dem Aufbau informeller Netzwerke geprägt ist. Die Strukturen und Mechanismen in der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit im Hochwasserschutz können aus einer saarländischen Perspektive heraus als wirksam und funktionierend beschrieben werden. Jedoch bestehen gleichzeitig Herausforderungen, die nur durch weitere gemeinsame Herangehensweisen überbrückt werden können