Reply to Witthöft et al. Comment on “Wardzinski et al. Mobile Phone Radiation Deflects Brain Energy Homeostasis and Prompts Human Food Ingestion. Nutrients 2022, 14, 339”

We are somewhat surprised about the extent of the feedback that we received upon our publication [1], in terms of the not entirely new connection between mobile phone radiation, brain activity, and food intake, being previously explored by EEG, association studies, and animal experiments (as outlined in the introduction of our paper). Ten years ago, scientists found “alarming” evidence of a long-term association between mobile phone radiation and obesity in humans [2]. Specifically, we are perplexed by the partly emotional character of the discussion among our readers. However, back to the facts: We thank our scientific colleagues for their detailed analyses and considerations [3] regarding our study and are pleased to explain the open points for more clarity

Photometric Response Functions of the SDSS Imager

The monochromatic illumination system is constructed to carry out in situ measurements of the response function of the mosaicked CCD imager used in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The system is outlined and the results of the measurements, mostly during the first 6 years of the SDSS, are described. We present the reference response functions for the five colour passbands derived from these measurements, and discuss column to column variations and variations in time, and also their effects on photometry. We also discuss the effect arising from various, slightly different response functions of the associated detector systems that were used to give SDSS photometry. We show that the calibration procedures of SDSS remove these variations reasonably well with the resulting final errors from variant response functions being unlikely to be larger than 0.01 mag for g, r, i, and z bands over the entire duration of the survey. The considerable aging effect is uncovered in the u band, the response function showing a 30% decrease in the throughput in the short wavelength side during the survey years, which potentially causes a systematic error in photometry. The aging effect is consistent with variation of the instrumental sensitivity in u-band, which is calibrated out. The expected colour variation is consistent with measured colour variation in the catalog of repeated photometry. The colour variation is delta (u-g) ~ 0.01 for most stars, and at most delta (u-g) ~ 0.02 mag for those with extreme colours. We verified in the final catalogue that no systematic variations in excess of 0.01 mag are detected in the photometry which can be ascribed to aging and/or seasonal effects except for the secular u-g colour variation for stars with extreme colours.Comment: 54 pages, 18 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in A

Lessen in vertrouwen : bewoners participeren in planvorming voor het Botteskerkpark, Amsterdam-Osdorp

Openbaar groen kan mensen samenbrengen. Zoals dit overzicht laat zien, ontstaan contacten bij het praten over groen. Wil dit uiteindelijk resulteren in een grotere betrokkenheid bij het groen, zal de bewonersparticipatie een goede plek in de planvorming moeten krijge

Automatic Recognition of Muscle-invasive T-lymphocytes Expressing Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26) and Analysis of the Associated Cell Surface Phenotypes

A neural cell detection system (NCDS) for the automatic quantitation of fluorescent lymphocytes in tissue sections was used to analyze CD26 expression in muscle-invasive T-cells. CD26 is a cell surface dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP IV) involved in co-stimulatory activation of T-cells and also in adhesive events. The NCDS system acquires visual knowledge from a set of training cell image patches selected by a user. The trained system evaluates an image in 2 min calculating (i) the number, (ii) the positions and (iii) the phenotypes of the fluorescent cells. In the present study we have used the NCDS to identity DPP IV (CD26) expressing invasive lymphocytes in sarcoid myopathy and to analyze the associated cell surface phenotypes. We find highly unusual phenotypes characterized by differential combination of seven cell surface receptors usually involved in co-stimulatory events in T-lymphocytes. The data support a differential adhesive rather than a co-stimulatory role of CD26 in muscle-invasive cells. The adaptability of the NCDS algorithm to diverse types of cells should enable us to approach any invasion process, including invasion of malignant cells

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Sublineages and Spike Protein Mutations Conferring Resistance against Monoclonal Antibodies in a Swedish Cohort during 2022–2023

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are an important treatment option for COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, especially in immunosuppressed patients. However, this treatment option can become ineffective due to mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, mainly in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein. In the present study, 7950 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples from the Uppsala and Örebro regions of central Sweden, collected between March 2022 and May 2023, were whole-genome sequenced using amplicon-based sequencing methods on Oxford Nanopore GridION, Illumina MiSeq, Illumina HiSeq, or MGI DNBSEQ-G400 instruments. Pango lineages were determined and all single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations that occurred in these samples were identified. We found that the dominant sublineages changed over time, and mutations conferring resistance to currently available mAbs became common. Notable ones are R346T and K444T mutations in the RBD that confer significant resistance against tixagevimab and cilgavimab mAbs. Further, mutations conferring a high-fold resistance to bebtelovimab, such as the K444T and V445P mutations, were also observed in the samples. This study highlights that resistance mutations have over time rendered currently available mAbs ineffective against SARS-CoV-2 in most patients. Therefore, there is a need for continued surveillance of resistance mutations and the development of new mAbs that target more conserved regions of the RBD.Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the personnel at Clinical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Uppsala University Hospital for their help with handling samples, RNA extraction, PCR, and whole-genome sequencing.Funder: Regional Research Council Mid Sweden; Grant(s): RFR-98011

Mammographic density does not correlate with Ki-67 expression or cytomorphology in benign breast cells obtained by random periareolar fine needle aspiration from women at high risk for breast cancer

BACKGROUND:Ki-67 expression is a possible risk biomarker and is currently being used as a response biomarker in chemoprevention trials. Mammographic breast density is a risk biomarker and is also being used as a response biomarker. We previously showed that Ki-67 expression is higher in specimens of benign breast cells exhibiting cytologic atypia that are obtained by random periareolar fine needle aspiration (RPFNA). It is not known whether there is a correlation between mammographic density and Ki-67 expression in benign breast ductal cells obtained by RPFNA.METHODS:Included in the study were 344 women at high risk for developing breast cancer (based on personal or family history), seen at The University of Kansas Medical Center high-risk breast clinic, who underwent RPFNA with cytomorphology and Ki-67 assessment plus a mammogram. Mammographic breast density was assessed using the Cumulus program. Categorical variables were analyzed by ?2 test, and continuous variables were analyzed by nonparametric test and linear regression.RESULTS:Forty-seven per cent of women were premenopausal and 53% were postmenopausal. The median age was 48 years, median 5-year Gail Risk was 2.2%, and median Ki-67 was 1.9%. The median mammographic breast density was 37%. Ki-67 expression increased with cytologic abnormality (atypia versus no atypia; P = 0.001) and younger age (=50 years versus >50 years; P = 0.001). Mammographic density was higher in premenopausal women (P = 0.001), those with lower body mass index (P < 0.001), and those with lower 5-year Gail risk (P = 0.001). Mammographic density exhibited no correlation with Ki-67 expression or cytomorphology.CONCLUSION:Given the lack of correlation of mammographic breast density with either cytomorphology or Ki-67 expression in RPFNA specimens, mammographic density and Ki-67 expression should be considered as potentially complementary response biomarkers in breast cancer chemoprevention trials

Mammographic density and markers of socioeconomic status: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) is known to be positively associated with breast cancer risk but its relationship with mammographic density, a marker of susceptibility to breast cancer, is unclear. This study aims to investigate whether mammographic density varies by SES and to identify the underlying anthropometric, lifestyle and reproductive factors leading to such variation. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of mammographic density in 487 pre-menopausal women, SES was assessed from questionnaire data using highest achieved level of formal education, quintiles of Census-derived Townsend scores and urban/rural classification of place of residence. Mammographic density was measured on digitised films using a computer-assisted method. Linear regression models were fitted to assess the association between SES variables and mammographic density, adjusting for correlated variables. RESULTS: In unadjusted models, percent density was positively associated with SES, with an absolute difference in percent density of 6.3% (95% CI 1.6%, 10.5%) between highest and lowest educational categories, and of 6.6% (95% CI -0.7%, 12.9%) between highest and lowest Townsend quintiles. These associations were mainly driven by strong negative associations between these SES variables and lucent area and were attenuated upon adjustment for body mass index (BMI). There was little evidence that reproductive factors explained this association. SES was not associated with the amount of dense tissue in the breast before or after BMI adjustment. The effect of education on percent density persisted after adjustment for Townsend score. Mammographic measures did not vary according to urban/rural place of residence. CONCLUSIONS: The observed SES gradients in percent density paralleled known SES gradients in breast cancer risk. Although consistent with the hypothesis that percent density may be a mediator of the SES differentials in breast cancer risk, the SES gradients in percent density were mainly driven by the negative association between SES and BMI. Nevertheless, as density affects the sensitivity of screen-film mammography, the higher percent density found among high SES women would imply that these women have a higher risk of developing cancer but a lower likelihood of having it detected earlier