Aufgabenbezogene myoelektrische Aktivitätsmuster der mimischen Muskulatur bei jungen Frauen im Vergleich zu jungen Männern

Eine bereits durchgeführte Studie an einem jungen männlichen Probandenkollektiv zeigte, dass durch ein neu entwickeltes Multikanal-Oberflächen-EMG-Verfahren die Registrierung der EMG-Aktivitätsmuster der nahezu gesamten mimischen Muskulatur möglich ist (Schumann et al. 2010). Studien die EMG-Aktivität der mimischen Muskulatur in ihrer Gesamtheit auf mögliche Geschlechterunterschiede untersucht haben, fehlen bisher. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es zu untersuchen, ob sich die EMG-Aktivitätsmuster der mimischen Muskulatur zwischen Frauen und Männer unterscheiden. In der Studie wurden 25 junge Probandinnen (Altersdurchschnitt 23.3 Jahre, SD +/- 2.3) mittels 44-Kanal-Oberflächen-EMG-Technik untersucht (Schumann et al. 2010), während sie mit der mimischen Muskulatur 29 vorgegebene motorische Bewegungsaufgaben ausführten. DIe EMG-Aktivitätsprofile der weiblichen Probanden wurden anschließend mit denen der zuvor untersuchten männlichen Probandengruppe (MW 26 Jahre, SD±3,4) verglichen. Die Ergebnisse der statistischen Auswertung zeigten, dass die myoelektrischen Aktivitätsmuster der vom N. facialis innervierten Muskulatur zwischen Frauen und Männern ähnlich sind. Hinsichtlich der mittleren EMG-Amplitude wurden jedoch bei 10 von 29 Aufgaben für einzelne Muskelgruppen Unterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen festgestellt (Mann-Whitney-U-Test). Darüber hinaus wurde mittels multivariater Varianzanalyse (Zwischensubjektfaktor) ein Einfluss des Geschlechtes auf das EMG-Aktivitätsprofil des M. frontalis nachgewiesen. Systematische Seitenunterschiede zwischen der weiblichen und männlichen Probandengruppe wurden nicht festgestellt. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass geschlechterspezifische Unterschiede der EMG-Aktivität der mimischen Muskulatur existieren. Jedoch gibt es für jede anatomische Gesichtsregion auch mimische Bewegungen für die keine Unterschiede nachgewiesen werden konnten, so dass nicht immer eine Unterscheidung der Referenzwertgruppen nach Geschlecht notwendig wird

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN METAPNEUMOVIRUS INFECTIONS IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN IN TWO CONSECUTIVE POSTPANDEMIC YEARS.

We assessed human metapneumovirus infections in children hospitalized between 2011 and 2023 and compared the strongest pre- and postpandemic seasons. After the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed offseason cases and loss of the alternating pattern of the human metapneumovirus season magnitude. Incidence rate ratio of 0- to 11-month-old versus 12- to 23-month-old children was 2.1 (95% CI: 1.0-4.8) before and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.6-2.9) after the pandemic

Bridging data gaps in the food industry – sensor-equipped metal food containers as an enabler for sustainability

In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) applications for manufacturing have reached a high degree of maturity and can be considered as a suitable tool for improving production performance. In addition, ML applications can be used in many other production areas to enhance sustainability within the manufacturing process. One area is storing and transporting bulk materials with metal Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC). These IBCs are currently used solely for their primary purpose of storage and transportation of raw and finished goods. Hence, while in use , IBCs are often a black box that does not provide additional value to manufacturers. Equipping IBCs with sensor technology can provide such value: new data can be generated along the entire supply chain and production processes, taking the sustainability of production to a new level. Within the research project smart.CONSERVE, we use this additional data, for example, to monitor the stored food's critical characteristics or to establish predictive maintenance for IBCs. Thus, storing produced goods in defective IBCs can be avoided and wasting resources can be prevented. This publication describes how smart IBCs in the food industry can increase supply chain visibility and reduce food waste. To illustrate this, we present possible use cases enabled by new data availabilities. Additionally, we provide insights into how these use cases can be transferred to other industries. Besides, we exemplify the many opportunities for manufacturers to develop new smart services and ML applications based on the collected data - and how this can support manufacturers in achieving higher levels of sustainability

Informed interpretation of metagenomic data by StrainPhlAn enables strain retention analyses of the upper airway microbiome.

Shotgun metagenomic sequencing has the potential to provide bacterial strain-level resolution which is of key importance to tackle a host of clinical questions. While bioinformatic tools that achieve strain-level resolution are available, thorough benchmarking is needed to validate their use for less investigated and low biomass microbiomes like those from the upper respiratory tract. We analyzed a previously published data set of longitudinally collected nasopharyngeal samples from Bangladeshi infants (Microbiota and Health study) and a novel data set of oropharyngeal samples from Swiss children with cystic fibrosis. Data from bacterial cultures were used for benchmarking the parameters of StrainPhlAn 3, a bioinformatic tool designed for strain-level resolution. In addition, StrainPhlAn 3 results were compared with metagenomic assemblies derived from StrainGE and newly derived whole-genome sequencing data. After optimizing the analytical parameters, we compared StrainPhlAn 3 results to culture gold standard methods and achieved sensitivity values of 87% (Streptococcus pneumoniae), 80% (Moraxella catarrhalis), 75% (Haemophilus influenzae), and 57% (Staphylococcus aureus) for 420 nasopharyngeal and 75% (H. influenzae) and 46% (S. aureus) for 260 oropharyngeal samples. Comparing the phylogenetic tree of the core genome of 50 S. aureus isolates with a corresponding marker gene tree generated by StrainPhlAn 3 revealed a striking similarity in tree topology for all but three samples indicating adequate strain resolution. In conclusion, a comparison of StrainPhlAn 3 results to data from bacterial cultures revealed that strain-level tracking of the respiratory microbiome is feasible despite the high content of host DNA when parameters are carefully optimized to fit low biomass microbiomes.IMPORTANCEThe usage of 16S rRNA gene sequencing has become the state-of-the-art method for the characterization of the microbiota in health and respiratory disease. The method is reliable for low biomass samples due to prior amplification of the 16S rRNA gene but has limitations as species and certainly strain identification is not possible. However, the usage of metagenomic tools for the analyses of microbiome data from low biomass samples is not straight forward, and careful optimization is needed. In this work, we show that by validating StrainPhlAn 3 results with the data from bacterial cultures, the strain-level tracking of the respiratory microbiome is feasible despite the high content of host DNA being present when parameters are carefully optimized to fit low biomass microbiomes. This work further proposes that strain retention analyses are feasible, at least for more abundant species. This will help to better understand the longitudinal dynamics of the upper respiratory microbiome during health and disease

Microstructure Refinement of EB-PVD Gadolinium Zirconate Thermal Barrier Coatings to Improve Their CMAS Resistance

Rare-earth zirconates are proven to be very effective in restricting the CMAS attack against thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) by forming quick crystalline reaction products that seal the porosity against infiltration. The microstructural effects on the efficacy of Electron Beam-Physical Vapor Deposition gadolinium zirconate (EB-PVD GZO) against CMAS attack are explored in this study. Four distinct GZO microstructures were manufactured and the response of two selected GZO variants to different CMAS and volcanic ash melts was studied for annealing times between 10 min and 50 h at 1250°C. A significant variation in the microstructural characteristics was achieved by altering substrate temperature and rotation speed. A refined microstructure with smaller intercolumnar gaps and long feather arms lowered the CMAS infiltration by 56%-72%. Garnet phase, which formed as a continuous layer on top of apatite and fluorite, is identified as a beneficial reaction product that improves the CMAS resistance

Deep Phenotyping of CD11c+ B Cells in Systemic Autoimmunity and Controls

Circulating CD11c+ B cells are a key phenomenon in certain types of autoimmunity but have also been described in the context of regular immune responses (i.e., infections, vaccination). Using mass cytometry to profile 46 different markers on individual immune cells, we systematically initially confirmed the presence of increased CD11c+ B cells in the blood of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Notably, significant differences in the expression of CD21, CD27, and CD38 became apparent between CD11c- and CD11c+ B cells. We observed direct correlation of the frequency of CD21-CD27- B cells and CD21-CD38- B cells with CD11c+ B cells, which were most pronounced in SLE compared to primary Sjögren's syndrome patients (pSS) and healthy donors (HD). Thus, CD11c+ B cells resided mainly within memory subsets and were enriched in CD27-IgD-, CD21-CD27-, and CD21-CD38- B cell phenotypes. CD11c+ B cells from all donor groups (SLE, pSS, and HD) showed enhanced CD69, Ki-67, CD45RO, CD45RA, and CD19 expression, whereas the membrane expression of CXCR5 and CD21 were diminished. Notably, SLE CD11c+ B cells showed enhanced expression of the checkpoint molecules CD86, PD1, PDL1, CD137, VISTA, and CTLA-4 compared to HD. The substantial increase of CD11c+ B cells with a CD21- phenotype co-expressing distinct activation and checkpoint markers, points to a quantitative increased alternate (extrafollicular) B cell activation route possibly related to abnormal immune regulation as seen under the striking inflammatory conditions of SLE which shows a characteristic PD-1/PD-L1 upregulation

Optimized algorithm for speed-of-sound-based infant sulfur hexafluoride multiple-breath washout measurements.

INTRODUCTION Major methodological issues with the existing algorithm (WBreath) used for the analysis of speed-of-sound-based infant sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) multiple-breath washout (MBW) measurements lead to implausible results and complicate the comparison between different age groups and centers. METHODS We developed OASIS-a novel algorithm to analyze speed-of-sound-based infant SF6 MBW measurements. This algorithm uses known context of the measurements to replace the dependence of WBreath on model input parameters. We validated the functional residual capacity (FRC) measurement accuracy of this new algorithm in vitro, and investigated its use in existing infant MBW data sets from different infant cohorts from Switzerland and South Africa. RESULTS In vitro, OASIS managed to outperform WBreath at FRC measurement accuracy, lowering mean (SD) absolute error from 5.1 (3.2) % to 2.1 (1.6) % across volumes relevant for the infant age range, in variable temperature, respiratory rate, tidal volume and ventilation inhomogeneity conditions. We showed that changes in the input parameters to WBreath had a major impact on MBW results, a methodological drawback which does not exist in the new algorithm. OASIS produced more plausible results than WBreath in longitudinal tracking of lung clearance index (LCI), provided improved measurement stability in LCI over time, and improved comparability between centers. DISCUSSION This new algorithm represents a meaningful advance in obtaining results from a legacy system of lung function measurement by allowing a single method to analyze measurements from different age groups and centers

Differences in autophagy marker levels at birth in preterm vs. term infants.

BACKGROUND Preterm infants are susceptible to oxidative stress and prone to respiratory diseases. Autophagy is an important defense mechanism against oxidative-stress-induced cell damage and involved in lung development and respiratory morbidity. We hypothesized that autophagy marker levels differ between preterm and term infants. METHODS In the prospective Basel-Bern Infant Lung Development (BILD) birth cohort we compared cord blood levels of macroautophagy (Beclin-1, LC3B), selective autophagy (p62) and regulation of autophagy (SIRT1) in 64 preterm and 453 term infants. RESULTS Beclin-1 and LC3B did not differ between preterm and term infants. However, p62 was higher (0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05;0.69 in log2-transformed level, p = 0.025, padj = 0.050) and SIRT1 lower in preterm infants (-0.55, 95% CI -0.78;-0.31 in log2-transformed level, padj < 0.001). Furthermore, p62 decreased (padj-value for smoothing function was 0.018) and SIRT1 increased (0.10, 95% CI 0.07;0.13 in log2-transformed level, padj < 0.001) with increasing gestational age. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest differential levels of key autophagy markers between preterm and term infants. This adds to the knowledge of the sparsely studied field of autophagy mechanisms in preterm infants and might be linked to impaired oxidative stress response, preterm birth, impaired lung development and higher susceptibility to respiratory morbidity in preterm infants. IMPACT To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate autophagy marker levels between human preterm and term infants in a large population-based sample in cord blood plasma This study demonstrates differential levels of key autophagy markers in preterm compared to term infants and an association with gestational age This may be linked to impaired oxidative stress response or developmental aspects and provide bases for future studies investigating the association with respiratory morbidity

Integrating new approaches to atrial fibrillation management: the 6th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference.

There are major challenges ahead for clinicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The population with AF is expected to expand considerably and yet, apart from anticoagulation, therapies used in AF have not been shown to consistently impact on mortality or reduce adverse cardiovascular events. New approaches to AF management, including the use of novel technologies and structured, integrated care, have the potential to enhance clinical phenotyping or result in better treatment selection and stratified therapy. Here, we report the outcomes of the 6th Consensus Conference of the Atrial Fibrillation Network (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), held at the European Society of Cardiology Heart House in Sophia Antipolis, France, 17-19 January 2017. Sixty-two global specialists in AF and 13 industry partners met to develop innovative solutions based on new approaches to screening and diagnosis, enhancing integration of AF care, developing clinical pathways for treating complex patients, improving stroke prevention strategies, and better patient selection for heart rate and rhythm control. Ultimately, these approaches can lead to better outcomes for patients with AF