Making sense of big data in health research: Towards an EU action plan.

Medicine and healthcare are undergoing profound changes. Whole-genome sequencing and high-resolution imaging technologies are key drivers of this rapid and crucial transformation. Technological innovation combined with automation and miniaturization has triggered an explosion in data production that will soon reach exabyte proportions. How are we going to deal with this exponential increase in data production? The potential of "big data" for improving health is enormous but, at the same time, we face a wide range of challenges to overcome urgently. Europe is very proud of its cultural diversity; however, exploitation of the data made available through advances in genomic medicine, imaging, and a wide range of mobile health applications or connected devices is hampered by numerous historical, technical, legal, and political barriers. European health systems and databases are diverse and fragmented. There is a lack of harmonization of data formats, processing, analysis, and data transfer, which leads to incompatibilities and lost opportunities. Legal frameworks for data sharing are evolving. Clinicians, researchers, and citizens need improved methods, tools, and training to generate, analyze, and query data effectively. Addressing these barriers will contribute to creating the European Single Market for health, which will improve health and healthcare for all Europeans

Plasma extracellular vesicle tau and TDP-43 as diagnostic biomarkers in FTD and ALS

Minimally invasive biomarkers are urgently needed to detect molecular pathology in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we show that plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain quantifiable amounts of TDP-43 and full-length tau, which allow the quantification of 3-repeat (3R) and 4-repeat (4R) tau isoforms. Plasma EV TDP-43 levels and EV 3R/4R tau ratios were determined in a cohort of 704 patients, including 37 genetically and 31 neuropathologically proven cases. Diagnostic groups comprised patients with TDP-43 proteinopathy ALS, 4R tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy, behavior variant FTD (bvFTD) as a group with either tau or TDP-43 pathology, and healthy controls. EV tau ratios were low in progressive supranuclear palsy and high in bvFTD with tau pathology. EV TDP-43 levels were high in ALS and in bvFTD with TDP-43 pathology. Both markers discriminated between the diagnostic groups with area under the curve values &gt;0.9, and between TDP-43 and tau pathology in bvFTD. Both markers strongly correlated with neurodegeneration, and clinical and neuropsychological markers of disease severity. Findings were replicated in an independent validation cohort of 292 patients including 34 genetically confirmed cases. Taken together, the combination of EV TDP-43 levels and EV 3R/4R tau ratios may aid the molecular diagnosis of FTD, FTD spectrum disorders and ALS, providing a potential biomarker to monitor disease progression and target engagement in clinical trials.</p

Measuring and Modelling of the Traffic Flow at Microscopic Level

The traffic flow theory is dealing with the better understandingof the traffic flow and its improvement. Most often, the researchedsubject was been the road traffic. It is namely thatheavy traffic and traffic jams are the frequent phenomena onthe roads.The traffic flow theory incorporates the different areas ofknowledge necessary to establish a successful traffic-flow simulationmodel. Good correlation between the simulation modelresults and data collected in the open road conditions are notthe only conditions which are necessary to approve the simulationmodel as accurate. The obtained simulation results may beused for the improvement of traffic conditions, only if themodel obeys the classical laws of physics.This paper is dealing with the simple microscopic model fortwo-vehicle-platoon behaviour in the traffic flow. The model isbased on solving of the delay differential equations. The simulationmodel results have been compared with the measurementresults. The comparison has enabled assessment of the selectedsimulation model to check whether it would be goodchoice for further traffic-flow researches at the microscopiclevel

On the extremely rich butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) of the south-eastern foothills of Stara Planina Mts in Serbia

Volume: 41Start Page: 74End Page: 8

The Effect of Propofol and Fentanyl as Compared with Sevoflurane on Postoperative Vomiting in Children after Adenotonsillectomy

A B S T R A C T Postoperative vomiting (PV) after adenotonsillectomy in children is a common problem with an incidence as high a

Contribution to the knowledge of the butterfly fauna of Albania

Albanian insect fauna is one of the least studied in Europe. In 2012 and 2013 surveys were undertaken with the aim of improving the knowledge of the distribution of butterflies, particularly in the southern part of the country. This research has resulted in the publication of three new species records for Albania. Here we add two new species to the list of native butterflies of Albania, Melitaea ornata Christoph, 1893 and Cupido alcetas (Hoffmannsegg, 1804). We recorded a total of 143 species including several confirmations of historical published records. The total number of species has consequently increased to 198, which is comparable with butterfly diversity in neighbouring countries. Unlike its neighbours, Albania has preserved many of its traditional agricultural practices and consequently its rich fauna has been well protected during the last decades. However, with the opening up of the country to outside influences this will undoubtedly change as the process of intensification has already started in more populated coastal areas. It is therefore imperative to identify important butterfly areas in need of conservation and to take decisive measures to preserve traditional agricultural practices

6-[F-18]Fluoro-L-Dihydroxyphenylalanine Positron Emission Tomography Is Superior to Conventional Imaging with I-123-Metaiodobenzylguanidine Scintigraphy, Computer Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Localizing Tumors Causing Catecholamine Excess

Context: Catecholamine excess is rare, but symptoms may be life threatening. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the sensitivity of 6-[F-18]fluoro-L-dihydroxyphenylalanine positron emission tomography (F-18-DOPAPET), compared with I-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-123-MIBG) scintigraphy and computer tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for tumor localization in patients with catecholamine excess. Design and Setting: All consecutive patients with catecholamine excess visiting the University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, between March 2003 and January 2008 were eligible. Patients: Forty-eight patients were included. The final diagnosis was pheochromocytoma in 40, adrenal hyperplasia in two, paraganglioma in two, ganglioneuroma in one, and unknown in three. Main Outcome Measures: Sensitivities and discordancy between F-18-DOPA PET, I-123-MIBG, and CT or MRI were analyzed for individual patients and lesions. Metanephrines and 3-methoxytyramine in plasma and urine and uptake of F-18-DOPA with PET were measured to determine the whole-body metabolic burden and correlated with biochemical tumor activity. The gold standard was a composite reference standard. Results: F-18-DOPA PET showed lesions in 43 patients, I-123-MIBG in 31, and CT/MRI in 32. Patient-based sensitivity for F-18-DOPA PET, I-123-MIBG, and CT/MRI was 90, 65, and 67% (P <0.01 for F-18-DOPA PET vs. both I-123-MIBG and CT/MRI, P = 1.0 I-123-MIBG vs. CT/MRI). Lesion-based sensitivities were 73, 48, and 44% (P <0.001 for F-18-DOPA PET vs. both I-123-MIBG and CT/MRI, P = 0.51 I-123-MIBG vs. CT/MRI). The combination of F-18-DOPA PET with CT/MRI was superior to I-123-MIBG with CT/MRI (93 vs. 76%, P <0.001). Whole-body metabolic burden measured with F-18-DOPA PET correlated with plasma normetanephrine (r = 0.82), urinary normetanephrine (r = 0.84), and metanephrine (r = 0.57). Conclusion: To localize tumors causing catecholamine excess, F-18-DOPA PET is superior to I-123-MIBG scintigraphy and CT/MRI. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 94: 3922-3930, 2009