Reflectance-Based Imaging Spectrometer Error Budget Field Practicum at the Railroad Valley Test Site, Nevada

Calibration and validation determine the quality and integrity of the data provided by sensors and have enormous downstream impacts on the accuracy and reliabilityof the products generated by these sensors. With the imminent launch of the next generation of space borne imaging spectroscopy sensors, the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society's (GRSS's) Geoscience Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Technical Committee (GSIS TC) initiated a calibration and validation initiative.This article reports on a recent reflectance-based imaging spectrometer error budget field practicum focused on radiometric calibration of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy sensors. The field exercise, conducted at Railroad Valley in Nevada, provided valuable training for personnel in a variety of Earth observation (EO) areas, from engineers developing future sensors to calibration scientists actively working in the field. Future work in this area will focus on analyzing the data acquired as part of the training to answer numerous scientific questions, e.g., understanding the spatial and spectral homogeneity of the site being measured, identifying the optimal sampling to characterize the site, and optimizating the sampling techniques, including looking into the automation of some measurement protocol aspects. The training exercise was recorded to ensure that the knowledge can be disseminated across the GRSS and wider imaging spectroscopy community

Task sharing in an interprofessional medication management program – a survey of general practitioners and community pharmacists

Background Pharmacist-led medication review and medication management programs (MMP) are well-known strategies to improve medication safety and effectiveness. If performed interprofessionally, outcomes might even improve. However, little is known about task sharing in interprofessional MMP, in which general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists (CPs) collaboratively perform medication reviews and continuously follow-up on patients with designated medical and pharmaceutical tasks, respectively. In 2016, ARMIN (Arzneimittelinitiative Sachsen-Thüringen) an interprofessional MMP was launched in two German federal states, Saxony and Thuringia. The aim of this study was to understand how GPs and CPs share tasks in MMP when reviewing the patients’ medication. Methods This was a cross-sectional postal survey among GPs and CPs who participated in the MMP. Participants were asked who completed which MMP tasks, e.g., checking drug-drug interactions, dosing, and side effects. In total, 15 MMP tasks were surveyed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from “I complete this task alone” to “GP/CP completes this task alone”. The study was conducted between 11/2020 and 04/2021. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results In total, 114/165 (69.1%) GPs and 166/243 (68.3%) CPs returned a questionnaire. The majority of GPs and CPs reported (i) checking clinical parameters and medication overuse and underuse to be completed by GPs, (ii) checking storage conditions of drugs and initial compilation of the patient’s medication including brown bag review being mostly performed by CPs, and (iii) checking side-effects, non-adherence, and continuous updating of the medication list were carried out jointly. The responses differed most for problems with self-medication and adding and removing over-the-counter medicines from the medication list. In addition, the responses revealed that some MMP tasks were not sufficiently performed by either GPs or CPs. Conclusions Both GPs’ and CPs’ expertise are needed to perform MMP as comprehensively as possible. Future studies should explore how GPs and CPs can complement each other in MMP most efficiently

DESIS Calibration: Status and Results after 4 Years of Operation

The DESIS Hyperspectral instrument is approaching four years in operation at the MUSES platform on the International Space Station. DESIS operates in the VNIR range (400-1000 nm) and has some unique properties among spaceborne hyperspectral instruments like a narrow spectral sampling distance (2.55 nm), the use of a pointing unit and a LED equipped calibration unit. During this time, the instrument has been calibrated using a combination of vicarious calibration and calibration unit data. The calibration unit is used for the spectral calibration of the sensor. The analysis of the LED data has shown two different operation modes depending on the temperature gradient inside the instrument. Moreover, the data shows that the spectral calibration is stable within 0.1 nm (RMS) for each temperature gradient mode, with a separation between them of around 0.5 nm. The vicarious calibration is used for the radiometric calibration and uses as input Earth images over homogeneous areas and reference data from RadCalNet stations. Data from the homogeneous areas are used to update individual pixel coefficients in order to provide a uniform spatial and spectral sensor response. Later, RadCalNet data are used for an adjustment of the absolute calibration scale. With this approach the DESIS instrument can be calibrated within 4% (RMS) and absolute mean bias within 2% at wavelengths above 500 nm. The long-term analysis of the DESIS calibration data also shows that the sensor experiences a mean degradation of around 3.4%/year above 500 nm. Below 500 nm the instrument shows a stronger degradation (up to 20%/year at the shortest wavelengths) between the start of operations and July 2021, being stable after this date. Finally, the orthorectification process achieves a RMSE of 20 m in North and East directions with the automatic extraction of ground control points and comparison with reference images

Selective inhibition of HDAC8 decreases neuroblastoma growth in vitro and in vivo and enhances retinoic acid-mediated differentiation

For differentiation-defective malignancies, compounds that modulate transcription, such as retinoic acid and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, are of particular interest. HDAC inhibitors are currently under investigation for the treatment of a broad spectrum of cancer diseases. However, one clinical drawback is class-specific toxicity of unselective inhibitors, limiting their full anticancer potential. Selective targeting of individual HDAC isozymes in defined tumor entities may therefore be an attractive alternative treatment approach. We have previously identified HDAC family member 8 (HDAC8) as a novel target in childhood neuroblastoma. Using small-molecule inhibitors, we now demonstrate that selective inhibition of HDAC8 exhibits antineuroblastoma activity without toxicity in two xenograft mouse models of MYCN oncogene-amplified neuroblastoma. In contrast, the unselective HDAC inhibitor vorinostat was more toxic in the same models. HDAC8-selective inhibition induced cell cycle arrest and differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Upon combination with retinoic acid, differentiation was significantly enhanced, as demonstrated by elongated neurofilament-positive neurites and upregulation of NTRK1. Additionally, MYCN oncogene expression was downregulated in vitro and tumor cell growth was markedly reduced in vivo. Mechanistic studies suggest that cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) links HDAC8- and retinoic acid-mediated gene transcription. In conclusion, HDAC-selective targeting can be effective in tumors exhibiting HDAC isozyme-dependent tumor growth in vivo and can be combined with differentiation-inducing agents

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral budesonide for prophylaxis of acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (PROGAST)

Background Gastrointestinal graft–versus-host disease (GvHD) is a potentially life-threatening complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Since therapeutic options are still limited, a prophylactic approach seems to be warranted. Methods In this randomised, double-blind-phase III trial, we evaluated the efficacy of budesonide in the prophylaxis of acute intestinal GvHD after SCT. The trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov webcite, number NCT00180089. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 3 mg capsule three times daily oral budesonide or placebo. Budesonide was applied as a capsule with pH-modified release in the terminal ileum. Study medication was administered through day 56, follow-up continued until 12 months after transplantation. If any clinical signs of acute intestinal GvHD appeared, an ileocolonoscopy with biopsy specimens was performed. Results The crude incidence of histological or clinical stage 3–4 acute intestinal GvHD until day 100 observed in 91 (n =48 budesonide, n =43 placebo) evaluable patients was 12.5% (95% CI 3-22%) under treatment with budesonide and 14% (95% CI 4-25%) under placebo (p = 0.888). Histologic and clinical stage 3–4 intestinal GvHD after 12 months occurred in 17% (95% CI 6-28%) of patients in the budesonide group and 19% (CI 7-32%) in the placebo group (p = 0.853). Although budesonide was tolerated well, we observed a trend towards a higher rate of infectious complications in the study group (47.9% versus 30.2%, p = 0.085). The cumulative incidences at 12 months of intestinal GvHD stage >2 with death as a competing event (budesonide 20.8% vs. placebo 32.6%, p = 0.250) and the cumulative incidence of relapse (budesonide 20.8% vs. placebo 16.3%, p = 0.547) and non-relapse mortality (budesonide 28% (95% CI 15-41%) vs. placebo 30% (95% CI 15-44%), showed no significant difference within the two groups (p = 0.911). The trial closed after 94 patients were enrolled because of slow accrual. Within the limits of the final sample size, we were unable to show any benefit for the addition of budesonide to standard GvHD prophylaxis. Conclusions Budesonide did not decrease the occurrence of intestinal GvHD in this trial. These results imply most likely that prophylactic administration of budenoside with pH-modified release in the terminal ileum is not effective

Intercomparison of Field Methods for Acquiring Ground Reflectance at Railroad Valley Playa for Spectral Calibration of Satellite Data

Ground reflectance was acquired at the Railroad Valley Playa calibration site in Nevada USA using different methods of collection. The data was collected near the time and date of Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel-2 satellite overpasses so an inter-comparison could be made with the reflectance products to determine which method was more suitable for vicarious calibration. The field spectrometers and reference panels were characterized before the field campaign. A continuous acquisition method was compared to stop and measure collections. Both acquisition methods were collected along an 80 m east-west transect as well as for a series of north-south transects over an 80 x 320 m area, with the stop and measure method being performed at random sampling locations. The measurements were performed using two field spectrometers by three teams of two people to compare the repeatability. The aim of the field campaign was to determine the variability due to the operator and the method of collection

One-year follow-up of young people with ME/CFS following infectious mononucleosis by Epstein-Barr virus

BackgroundInfectious mononucleosis after primary infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-IM) has been linked to the development of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue-syndrome (ME/CFS) in children, adolescents, and young adults. Here, we present clinical phenotypes and follow-up data from a first German cohort of young people with ME/CFS following EBV-IM.Methods12 adolescents and 13 young adults were diagnosed with IM-triggered ME/CFS at our specialized tertiary outpatient service by clinical criteria requiring post-exertional malaise (PEM) and a history of confirmed EBV primary infection as triggering event. Demographic information, laboratory findings, frequency and severity of symptoms, physical functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed and re-evaluated 6 and 12 months later.ResultsYoung adults displayed more severe symptoms as well as worsening of fatigue, physical and mental functioning, and HRQoL throughout the study, compared to adolescents. After one year, 6/12 (54%) adolescents no longer met the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS while all young adults continued to fulfill the Canadian consensus criteria. Improvement in adolescents was evident in physical functioning, symptom frequency and severity, and HRQoL, while young adults showed little improvement. EBV serology and EBV DNA load did not correlate with distinct clinical features of ME/CFS, and clinical chemistry showed no evidence of inflammation. Remarkably, the median time from symptom onset to ME/CFS diagnosis was 13.8 (IQR: 9.1–34.9) months.ConclusionsME/CFS following EBV-IM is a severely debilitating disease often diagnosed late and with limited responses to conventional medical care, especially in adults. Although adolescents may have a better prognosis, their condition can fluctuate and significantly impact their HRQoL. Our data emphasize that biomarkers and effective therapeutic options are also urgently needed to improve medical care and pave the way to recovery

WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature: Providing a common language

A systematic nomenclature for allergens originated in the early 1980s, when few protein allergens had been described. A group of scientists led by Dr. David G. Marsh developed a nomenclature based on the Linnaean taxonomy, and further established the World Health Organization/International Union of Immunological Societies (WHO/IUIS) Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee in 1986. Its stated aim was to standardize the names given to the antigens (allergens) that caused IgE-mediated allergies in humans. The Sub-Committee first published a revised list of allergen names in 1986, which continued to grow with rare publications until 1994. Between 1994 and 2007 the database was a text table online, then converted to a more readily updated website. The allergen list became the Allergen Nomenclature database (www.allergen.org), which currently includes approximately 880 proteins from a wide variety of sources. The Sub-Committee includes experts on clinical and molecular allergology. They review submissions of allergen candidates, using evidence-based criteria developed by the Sub-Committee. The review process assesses the biochemical analysis and the proof of allergenicity submitted, and aims to assign allergen names prior to publication. The Sub-Committee maintains and revises the database, and addresses continuous challenges as new “omics” technologies provide increasing data about potential new allergens. Most journals publishing information on new allergens require an official allergen name, which involves submission of confidential data to the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee, sufficient to demonstrate binding of IgE from allergic subjects to the purified protein

The chemokine receptor CXCR5 is pivotal for ectopic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue neogenesis in chronic Helicobacter pylori-induced inflammation

Ectopic lymphoid follicles are a key feature of chronic inflammatory autoimmune and infectious diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis. Homeostatic chemokines are considered to be involved in the formation of such tertiary lymphoid tissue. High expression of CXCL13 and its receptor, CXCR5, has been associated with the formation of ectopic lymphoid follicles in chronic infectious diseases. Here, we defined the role of CXCR5 in the development of mucosal tertiary lymphoid tissue and gastric inflammation in a mouse model of chronic H. pylori infection. CXCR5-deficient mice failed to develop organized gastric lymphoid follicles despite similar bacterial colonization density as infected wild-type mice. CXCR5 deficiency altered Th17 responses but not Th1-type cellular immune responses to H. pylori infection. Furthermore, CXCR5-deficient mice exhibited lower H. pylori-specific serum IgG and IgA levels and an overall decrease in chronic gastric immune responses. In conclusion, the development of mucosal tertiary ectopic follicles during chronic H. pylori infection is strongly dependent on the CXCL13/CXCR5 signaling axis, and lack of de novo lymphoid tissue formation attenuates chronic immune responses

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements