Hourly global horizontal irradiance over West Africa: A case study of one-year satellite- and reanalysis-derived estimates vs. in situ measurements

Estimates of global horizontal irradiance (GHI) from reanalysis and satellite-based data are the most important information for the design and monitoring of PV systems in Africa, but their quality is unknown due to the lack of in situ measurements. In this study, we evaluate the performance of hourly GHI from state-of-the-art reanalysis and satellite-based products (ERA5, MERRA-2, CAMS, and SARAH-2) with 37 quality-controlled in situ measurements from novel meteorological networks established in Burkina Faso and Ghana under different weather conditions for the year 2020. The effects of clouds and aerosols are also considered in the analysis by using common performance measures for the main quality attributes and a new overall performance value for the joint assessment. The results show that satellite data performs better than reanalysis data under different atmospheric conditions. Nevertheless, both data sources exhibit significant bias of more than 150 W/m2 in terms of RMSE under cloudy skies compared to clear skies. The new measure of overall performance clearly shows that the hourly GHI derived from CAMS and SARAH-2 could serve as viable alternative data for assessing solar energy in the different climatic zones of West Africa

Multicenter evaluation of a lateral-flow device test for diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in ICU patients

Introduction: The incidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is increasing, and early diagnosis of the disease and treatment with antifungal drugs is critical for patient survival. Serum biomarker tests for IPA typically give false-negative results in non-neutropenic patients, and galactomannan (GM) detection, the preferred diagnostic test for IPA using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), is often not readily available. Novel approaches to IPA detection in ICU patients are needed. In this multicenter study, we evaluated the performance of an Aspergillus lateral-flow device (LFD) test for BAL IPA detection in critically ill patients. Methods: A total of 149 BAL samples from 133 ICU patients were included in this semiprospective study. Participating centers were the medical university hospitals of Graz, Vienna and Innsbruck in Austria and the University Hospital of Mannheim, Germany. Fungal infections were classified according to modified European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group criteria. Results: Two patients (four BALs) had proven IPA, fourteen patients (sixteen BALs) had probable IPA, twenty patients (twenty-one BALs) had possible IPA and ninety-seven patients (one hundred eight BALs) did not fulfill IPA criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and diagnostic odds ratios for diagnosing proven and probable IPA using LFD tests of BAL were 80%, 81%, 96%, 44% and 17.6, respectively. Fungal BAL culture exhibited a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 85%. Conclusion: LFD tests of BAL showed promising results for IPA diagnosis in ICU patients. Furthermore, the LFD test can be performed easily and provides rapid results. Therefore, it may be a reliable alternative for IPA diagnosis in ICU patients if GM results are not rapidly available. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02058316. Registered 20 January 2014

Abhängigkeit der renalen Oxalatexkretion vom Säure-Basen-Gleichgewicht - eine Grundlagenstudie am Rattenmodell -

Oxalat ist einer der wichtigsten Risikofaktoren für die Entstehung von Kristallkonkrementen in den ableitenden Harnwegen. Die Inzidenz des Harnsteinleidens beträgt für Deutschland 1,5 %, die Prävalenz für Europa und Nordamerika bis zu 15 %. Rezidive sind häufig, nach dem Erstereignis besteht ein 50 - 100 %iges Risiko eine erneute Steinepisode zu erleiden. Die Kosten durch Interventionen und Ausfälle in gesamtwirtschaftlicher Sicht sind immens. Für einen Großteil der Erkrankungen kann die idiopathische Calciumoxalaturolithiasis verantwortlich gemacht werden. Zum Transportmechanismus des Oxalats im proximalen Tubulus wurden verschiedene Modelle entwickelt, favorisiert wird heute das Ulmer Modell, welches in "in-vivo"-Versuchen an Ratten die enge Koppelung der Oxalatexkretion an den Säureaustausch im proximalen Tubulus belegen konnte. Im vorliegenden Versuch wurde narkotisierten Ratten unter Tierversuchs- Operationsbedingungen eine Primingdose mit radioaktiv markiertem Oxalat injiziert, später wurden sie mit einer Kontrolllösung, einer Säurelösung sowie mit einer Alkalilösung perfundiert. Daraufhin wurden die Ausscheidungsparameter Urin-pH sowie Oxalatexkretion gemessen, Oxalatclearance sowie fraktionelle Oxalatclearance berechnet. Es zeigte sich, dass sich das Gedankenmodell tatsächlich reproduzierbar auf das Gesamttier übertragen ließ. Es konnte bestätigt werden, dass sich die Oxalatexkretion signifikant durch Säureload von 72,9 auf 123,7 steigern sowie im Gegenzug signifikant durch Basenload des Gesamttierorganismus von 97,4 auf 76,8 hemmen ließ. Ebenso konnte eine Veränderung des Urin-pH-Wertes durch Azidifizierung auf pH 5,6 bzw. durch Alkalisierung auf pH 7,7 erreicht werden. Dieser spielt eine nicht unerhebliche Rolle für das Aktivitätsprodukt und damit auch für den Kristallisationsgrad der Harnsteine. Im Vergleich zur renalen Oxalatclearance des Menschen, die sogar höher liegt als die der Ratte, sind unter Umständen noch eindrucksvollere Werte zu erwarten

MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions

International audiencePath integration is a process in which self-motion is integrated over time to obtain an estimate of one's current position relative to a starting point 1. Humans can do path integration based exclusively on visual 2-3 , auditory 4 , or inertial cues 5. However, with multiple cues present, inertial cues-particularly kinaesthetic-seem to dominate 6-7. In the absence of vision, humans tend to overestimate short distances (<5 m) and turning angles (<30°), but underestimate longer ones 5. Movement through physical space therefore does not seem to be accurately represented by the brain. Extensive work has been done on evaluating path integration in the horizontal plane, but little is known about vertical movement (see 3 for virtual movement from vision alone). One reason for this is that traditional motion simulators have a small range of motion restricted mainly to the horizontal plane. Here we take advantage of a motion simulator 8-9 with a large range of motion to assess whether path integration is similar between horizontal and vertical planes. The relative contributions of inertial and visual cues for path navigation were also assessed. 16 observers sat upright in a seat mounted to the flange of a modified KUKA anthropomorphic robot arm. Sensory information was manipulated by providing visual (optic flow, limited lifetime star field), vestibular-kinaesthetic (passive self motion with eyes closed), or visual and vestibular-kinaesthetic motion cues. Movement trajectories in the horizontal, sagittal and frontal planes consisted of two segment lengths (1st: 0.4 m, 2nd: 1 m; ±0.24 m/s 2 peak acceleration). The angle of the two segments was either 45° or 90°. Observers pointed back to their origin by moving an arrow that was superimposed on an avatar presented on the screen. Observers were more likely to underestimate angle size for movement in the horizontal plane compared to the vertical planes. In the frontal plane observers were more likely to overestimate angle size while there was no such bias in the sagittal plane. Finally, observers responded slower when answering based on vestibular-kinaesthetic information alone. Human path integration based on vestibular-kinaesthetic information alone thus takes longer than when visual information is present. That pointing is consistent with underestimating and overestimating the angle one has moved through in the horizontal and vertical planes respectively, suggests that the neural representation of self-motion through space is non-symmetrical which may relate to the fact that humans experience movement mostly within the horizontal plane

Optimized haemostasis in nephron-sparing surgery using small-intestine submucosa

Abstract Background The indications for nephron-sparing surgery are expanding constantly. One major contributing fact for this development is the improvement of haemostatic techniques following excision of the tumor. Nevertheless, postoperative bleeding complications still occur. To prevent this, we prospectively studied the effect of application of small-intestine submucosa (SIS) over the renal defect. Methods We performed 55 nephron-sparing surgeries applying SIS between 08/03 and 10/06 in 53 pts. (mean age: 59 yrs., range 29 – 79 yrs.). After resection of the renal tumor and application of a haemostyptic agent, we used SIS to secure and apply compression on the defect. Results The final pathology revealed clear-cell and papillary carcinoma, papillary adenoma, oncocytoma, and angiomyolipoma in 39 (70.9%), 6 (10.9), 1 (1.8%), 2 (3.6%) and 7 (12.7%) patients, respectively. The 45 malignant lesions (81.8%) were classified as pT1a and pT1b in 35 (77.8%) and 10 (22.2%) patients, respectively. The median tumor size was 4.5 cm (range: 1.3 – 13 cm). The median operating time was 186 min (range: 90 – 260 min). 18 (32.7%) procedures were performed without ischemia. 23 (41.8%) and 14 (25.5%) cases were operated in in-situ cold and warm ischemia, respectively. The median intraoperative blood loss was 730 cc (range: 100 – 2500 cc). No open operative revision was indicated due to postoperative bleeding complications. Furthermore, there was no necessity to substitute persistent blood loss from the drains postoperatively. No urinoma occurred. Conclusion SIS is a highly effective and easy-to-use instrument for preventing postoperative bleeding and urinary fistula complications in nephron-sparing surgery.</p

Scientific Reports / Prevalence and Associations of Illicit Drug and Polydrug Use in People Living with HIV in Vienna

We aimed to determine the prevalence of drug and polydrug use in people living with HIV in Austria for the first time for which a two center cross-sectional study was performed. Participants were recruited from consecutive patients during their regularly scheduled visits. In total 438 participants were included in the analysis. For this study we used paper-pencil and online-based questionnaires. The prevalence of illicit drug use was 60.5%; with cannabis use at 31.5%, nitrates at 31.5%, sildenafil/tadalafil at 24% and cocaine at 14%, being the most used substances. Use of more than one substance (polydrug) in drug users was 69.4% or 42.0% in the total study population. Younger age, male gender, and living in an urban area were associated with drug use. Moreover, drug use during clubbing and sex, HIV therapy non-adherence and younger age were associated with polydrug use. Drug users reported condomless sex in 42.4% and performing sexual acts they would not do sober in 44.1%. Results indicate a high prevalence of illicit drug use in PLWHIV in Austria. New research focusing on illicit drug use in PLWHIV should focus on the use of substances during sex and surrounding practices.(VLID)464156