Evaluation of convective parameters derived from pressure level and native ERA5 data and different resolution WRF climate simulations over Central Europe

The mean climatological distribution of convective environmental parameters from the ERA5 reanalysis and WRF regional climate simulations is evaluated using radiosonde observations. The investigation area covers parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Severe weather proxies are calculated from daily 1200 UTC sounding measurements and collocated ERA5 and WRF pseudo-profiles in the 1985-2010 period. The pressure level and the native ERA5 reanalysis, and two WRF runs with grid spacings of 50 and 10 km are verified. ERA5 represents convective parameters remarkably well with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9 for multiple variables and mean errors close to zero for precipitable water and mid-tropospheric lapse rate. Monthly mean mixed-layer CAPE biases are reduced in the full hybrid-sigma ERA5 dataset by 20-30 J/kg compared to its pressure level version. The WRF model can reproduce the annual cycle of thunderstorm predictors but with considerably lower correlations and higher errors than ERA5. Surface elevation differences between the stations and the corresponding grid points in the 50-km WRF run lead to biases and false error compensations in the convective indices. The 10-km grid spacing is sufficient to avoid such discrepancies. The evaluation of convection-related parameters contributes to a better understanding of regional climate model behavior. For example, a strong suppression of convective activity might explain precipitation underestimation in summer. A decreasing correlation of WRF-derived wind shear away from the western domain boundaries indicates a deterioration of the large-scale circulation as the constraining effect of the driving reanalysis weakens

Try Not to Be Late! - the Importance of Delivery Service in Online Shopping

This study focuses on the role of delivery services in online purchases and their impact on customer satisfaction. Delivery service is one of the most important tasks of online purchase related to logistics, its performance directly influences the level of satisfaction. We aim to research what the online webshops and e-commerce businesses can or should do to have a positive impact on the customer satisfaction level. The research showed that delivery process in online purchases plays a significant role in customer satisfaction and in the decision making of whether or not one should purchase goods from a webshop. We contribute to the existing literature by widening it towards Eastern Europe and Turkey with our own conducted quantitative research. We released our questionnaire to an Eastern European and Turkish community as we were aiming to gather information on the emerging markets of Europe. We have utilized the following methods: frequency distribution, reliability testing, correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, normality test and one-way ANOVA to test our hypotheses. We found that delivery services and privacy policies play the most important part in ordering online in these communities, however, the income level of a person shows no significant relation towards customer satisfaction. We agree that any difficulties with the delivery process can have a negative effect on the purchase and the consumers, and that it influences how one can satisfy his or her needs.&nbsp

Cell cycle dependent expression of the CCK2 receptor by gastrointestinal myofibroblasts: putative role in determining cell migration.

The well-known action of the gastric hormone gastrin in stimulating gastric acid secretion is mediated by activation of cholecystokinin-2 receptors (CCK2R). The latter are expressed by a variety of cell types suggesting that gastrin is implicated in multiple functions. During wound healing in the stomach CCK2R may be expressed by myofibroblasts. We have now characterized CCK2R expression in cultured myofibroblasts. Immunocytochemistry showed that a relatively small proportion (1-6%) of myofibroblasts expressed the receptor regardless of the region of the gut from which they were derived, or whether from cancer or control tissue. Activation of CCK2R by human heptadecapeptide gastrin (hG17) increased intracellular calcium concentrations in a small subset of myofibroblasts indicating the presence of a functional receptor. Unexpectedly, we found over 80% of cells expressing CCK2R were also labeled with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) which is incorporated into DNA during S-phase of the cell cycle. hG17 did not stimulate EdU incorporation but increased migration of both EdU-labeled and unlabelled myofibroblasts; the migratory response was inhibited by a CCK2R antagonist and by an inhibitor of IGF receptor tyrosine kinase; hG17 also increased IGF-2 transcript abundance. The data suggest myofibroblasts express CCK2R in a restricted period of the cell cycle during S-phase, and that gastrin accelerates migration of these cells; it also stimulates migration of adjacent cells probably through paracrine release of IGF. Together with previous findings, the results raise the prospect that gastrin controls the position of dividing myofibroblasts which may be relevant in wound healing and cancer progression in the gastrointestinal tract

Cardiac MRI-based right-to-left ventricular blood pool T2 relaxation times ratio correlates with exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure

Background MRI T2 mapping has been proven to be sensitive to the level of blood oxygenation. We hypothesized that impaired exercise capacity in chronic heart failure is associated with a greater difference between right (RV) to left ventricular (LV) blood pool T2 relaxation times due to a higher level of peripheral blood desaturation, compared to patients with preserved exercise capacity and to healthy controls. Methods Patients with chronic heart failure (n = 70) who had undergone both cardiac MRI (CMR) and a 6-min walk test (6MWT) were retrospectively identified. Propensity score matched healthy individuals (n = 35) served as control group. CMR analyses included cine acquisitions and T2 mapping to obtain blood pool T2 relaxation times of the RV and LV. Following common practice, age- and gender-adjusted nominal distances and respective percentiles were calculated for the 6MWT. The relationship between the RV/LV T2 blood pool ratio and the results from 6MWT were evaluated by Spearman’s correlation coefficients and regression analyses. Inter-group differences were assessed by independent t-tests and univariate analysis of variance. Results The RV/LV T2 ratio moderately correlated with the percentiles of nominal distances in the 6MWT (r = 0.66) while ejection fraction, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes showed no correlation (r = 0.09, 0.07 and − 0.01, respectively). In addition, there were significant differences in the RV/LV T2 ratio between patients with and without significant post-exercise dyspnea (p = 0.001). Regression analyses showed that RV/LV T2 ratio was an independent predictor of the distance walked and the presence of post-exercise dyspnea (p < 0.001). Conclusion The proposed RV/LV T2 ratio, obtained by two simple measurements on a routinely acquired four-chamber T2 map, was superior to established parameters of cardiac function to predict exercise capacity and the presence of post-exercise dyspnea in patients with chronic heart failure

Non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) in the evaluation of acute chest pain ? Concepts and first experiences

Objective: To evaluate 30 day rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) utilizing cCTA and FFRCT for evaluation of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute chest pain. Materials and methods: Patients between the ages of 18?95 years who underwent clinically indicated cCTA and FFRCT in the evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department were retrospectively evaluated for 30 day MACE, repeat presentation/admission for chest pain, revascularization, and additional testing. Results: A total of 59 patients underwent CCTA and subsequent FFRCT for the evaluation of acute chest pain in the ED over the enrollment period. 32 out of 59 patients (54 %) had negative FFRCT (>0.80) out of whom 18 patients (55 %) were discharged from the ED. Out of the 32 patients without functionally significant CAD by FFRCT, 32 patients (100 %) underwent no revascularization and 32 patients (100 %) had no MACE at the 30-day follow-up period. Conclusion: In this limited retrospective study, patients presenting to the ED with acute chest pain and with CCTA with subsequent FFRCT of >0.8 had no MACE at 30 days; however, for many of these patients results were not available at time of clinical decision making by the ED physician

A New Concept to Secure Food Safety Standards against Fusarium Species and Aspergillus Flavus and Their Toxins in Maize

Commercial maize hybrids are exposed to different degrees of ear infection by toxigenic fungal species and toxin contamination. Their resistance to different fungi and toxin relationships are largely unknown. Without this knowledge, screening and breeding are not possible for these pathogens. Seven- to tenfold differences were found in resistance to Fusarium spp., and there was a five-fold difference in ear coverage (%) in response to A. flavus. Three hybrids of the twenty entries had lower infection severity compared with the general means for toxigenic species. Three were highly susceptible to each, and 14 hybrids reacted differently to the different fungi. Differences were also observed in the toxin content. Again, three hybrids had lower toxin content in response to all toxigenic species, one had higher values for all, and 16 had variable resistance levels. Correlations between infection severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) content were 0.95 and 0.82 (p = 0.001) for F. graminearum and F. culmorum, respectively. For fumonisin and F. verticillioides ear rot, the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was 0.45 (p = 0.05). Two independent isolates with different aggressiveness were used, and their mean X values better described the resistance levels. This increased the reliability of the data. With the introduction of this methodological concept (testing the resistance levels separately for different fungi and with two isolates independently), highly significant resistance differences were found. The resistance to different fungal species correlated only in certain cases; thus, each should be tested separately. This is very useful in registration tests and post-registration screening and breeding. This would allow a rapid increase in food and feed safety

Differentiation of acute and four-week old myocardial infarct with Gd(ABE-DTTA)-enhanced CMR

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Standard extracellular cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) contrast agents (CA) do not provide differentiation between acute and older myocardial infarcts (MI). The purpose of this study was to develop a method for differentiation between acute and older myocardial infarct using myocardial late-enhancement (LE) CMR by a new, low molecular weight contrast agent.</p> <p>Dogs (n = 6) were studied in a closed-chest, reperfused, double myocardial infarct model. Myocardial infarcts were generated by occluding the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) coronary artery with an angioplasty balloon for 180 min, and four weeks later occluding the Left Circumflex (LCx) coronary artery for 180 min. LE images were obtained on day 3 and day 4 after second myocardial infarct, using Gd(DTPA) (standard extracellular contrast agent) and Gd(ABE-DTTA) (new, low molecular weight contrast agent), respectively. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) histomorphometry validated existence and location of infarcts. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining provided histologic evaluation of infarcts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Gd(ABE-DTTA) or Gd(DTPA) highlighted the acute infarct, whereas the four-week old infarct was visualized by Gd(DTPA), but not by Gd(ABE-DTTA). With Gd(ABE-DTTA), the mean ± SD signal intensity enhancement (SIE) was 366 ± 166% and 24 ± 59% in the acute infarct and the four-week old infarct, respectively (P < 0.05). The latter did not differ significantly from signal intensity in healthy myocardium (P = NS). Gd(DTPA) produced signal intensity enhancements which were similar in acute (431 ± 124%) and four-week old infarcts (400 ± 124%, P = NS), and not statistically different from the Gd(ABE-DTTA)-induced SIE in acute infarct. The existence and localization of both infarcts were confirmed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). Histologic evaluation demonstrated coagulation necrosis, inflammation, and multiple foci of calcification in the four day old infarct, while the late subacute infarct showed granulation tissue and early collagen deposition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Late enhancement CMR with separate administrations of standard extracellular contrast agent, Gd(DTPA), and the new low molecular weight contrast agent, Gd(ABE-DTTA), differentiates between acute and late subacute infarct in a reperfused, double infarct, canine model.</p

Impact of reconstruction parameters on the accuracy of myocardial extracellular volume quantification on a first-generation, photon-counting detector CT

Background: The potential role of cardiac computed tomography (CT) has increasingly been demonstrated for the assessment of diffuse myocardial fibrosis through the quantification of extracellular volume (ECV). Photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT technology may deliver more accurate ECV quantification compared to energy-integrating detector CT. We evaluated the impact of reconstruction settings on the accuracy of ECV quantification using PCD-CT, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based ECV as reference. Methods: In this post hoc analysis, 27 patients (aged 53.1 ± 17.2 years (mean ± standard deviation); 14 women) underwent same-day cardiac PCD-CT and MRI. Late iodine CT scans were reconstructed with different quantum iterative reconstruction levels (QIR 1−4), slice thicknesses (0.4−8 mm), and virtual monoenergetic imaging levels (VMI, 40−90 keV); ECV was quantified for each reconstruction setting. Repeated measures ANOVA and t-test for pairwise comparisons, Bland–Altman plots, and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were used. Results: ECV values did not differ significantly among QIR levels (p = 1.000). A significant difference was observed throughout different slice thicknesses, with 0.4 mm yielding the highest agreement with MRI-based ECV (CCC = 0.944); 45-keV VMI reconstructions showed the lowest mean bias (0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.1–1.4) compared to MRI. Using the most optimal reconstruction settings (QIR4. slice thickness 0.4 mm, VMI 45 keV), a 63% reduction in mean bias and a 6% increase in concordance with MRI-based ECV were achieved compared to standard settings (QIR3, slice thickness 1.5 mm; VMI 65 keV). Conclusions: The selection of appropriate reconstruction parameters improved the agreement between PCD-CT and MRI-based ECV. Relevance statement: Tailoring PCD-CT reconstruction parameters optimizes ECV quantification compared to MRI, potentially improving its clinical utility

Spatial Distribution of the Cannabinoid Type 1 and Capsaicin Receptors May Contribute to the Complexity of Their Crosstalk

Angelika Varga has been supported by a European Union Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (254661), a Hungarian Social Renewal Operation Program (TÁMOP 4.1.2.E-13/1/KONV-2013-0010) and the Hungarian Brain Research program (KTIA_NAP_13-2-2014-0005) of the Hungarian Government. Agnes Jenes has been supported by a BJA/RCoA Project Grant. This work has also been supported, in part, by the BIOSS-2 Grant, Project A6.

Automatic coronary calcium scoring in chest CT using a deep neural network in direct comparison with non-contrast cardiac CT:A validation study

Purpose: To evaluate deep-learning based calcium quantification on Chest CT scans compared with manual evaluation, and to enable interpretation in terms of the traditional Agatston score on dedicated Cardiac CT. Methods: Automated calcium quantification was performed using a combination of deep-learning convolution neural networks with a ResNet-architecture for image features and a fully connected neural network for spatial coordinate features. Calcifications were identified automatically, after which the algorithm automatically excluded all non-coronary calcifications using coronary probability maps and aortic segmentation. The algorithm was first trained on cardiac-CTs and refined on non-triggered chest-CTs. This study used on 95 patients (cohort 1), who underwent both dedicated calcium scoring and chest-CT acquisitions using the Agatston score as reference standard and 168 patients (cohort 2) who underwent chest-CT only using qualitative expert assessment for external validation. Results from the deep-learning model were compared to Agatston-scores(cardiac-CTs) and manually determined calcium volumes(chest-CTs) and risk classifications. Results: In cohort 1, the Agatston score and AI determined calcium volume shows high correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.921(p < 0.001) and R-2 of 0.91. According to the Agatston categories, a total of 67(70 %) were correctly classified with a sensitivity of 91 % and specificity of 92 % in detecting presence of coronary calcifications. Manual determined calcium volume on chest-CT showed excellent correlation with the AI volumes with a correlation coefficient of 0.923(p < 0.001) and R-2 of 0.96, no significant difference was found (p = 0.247). According to qualitative risk classifications in cohort 2, 138(82 %) cases were correctly classified with a k-coefficient of 0.74, representing good agreement. All wrongly classified scans (30(18 %)) were attributed to an adjacent category. Conclusion: Artificial intelligence based calcium quantification on chest-CTs shows good correlation compared to reference standards. Fully automating this process may reduce evaluation time and potentially optimize clinical calcium scoring without additional acquisitions