Showing papers by "Danube University Krems published in 2019"

World Stroke Organization (WSO): Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2019.

Abstract: Stroke is the second major cause of death and disability worldwide with over 13 million new cases annually. Globally, the overall incidence rates of stroke decreased from 1990 to 2016, largely due to prevention and better control of risk factors such as tobacco use and blood pressure control. Among this decline, the one group that did see an increase is the younger age groups (younger than 50 years) and prevalence rates also increased exponentially since 2005 for this group. However, the absolute number of people who had a stroke, died or remained disabled from stroke has increased from 1990 to 2016 by almost two-fold. The World Stroke Organization (WSO) lead many advocacy efforts through their membership, targeted efforts in lowand middle-income countries, and through the strong voice of Stroke Support Organizations (SSOs). Governments, system leaders, healthcare providers, and the general population need to increase efforts for raising awareness, educating individuals and populations of their risk factors, implementing effective and widely available stroke risk prevention strategies (for example, free Stroke Riskometer app supported by the WSO and already translated into 12 languages) and ensuring timely acute treatments to reduce the long-term burden of stroke. Advocacy efforts require reliable and consistent stroke data to build awareness of the scale of the disease and support for calls for urgent action at global, regional, and national levels. This WSO Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2019 provides information that can be used to inform communication with all internal and external stakeholders; all statistics have been reviewed and approved for use by the WSO Executive Committee as well as leaders from the Global Burden of Disease research group. The facts endorsed by the WSO will be updated every one to two years as new data emerges.

Prevalence of mental disorders in young refugees and asylum seekers in European Countries: a systematic review.

Abstract: The European Union member states received about 385,000 asylum applications from children and adolescents below 18 years in 2015, and 398,000 in 2016. The latest political crises and war have led to an upsurge in refugee movements into European countries, giving rise to a re-evaluation of the epidemiology of psychiatric disorders and mental health problems among young refugees and asylum seekers. We systematically searched five electronic databases and reference lists of pertinent review articles. We then screened the results of forward citation tracking of key articles for relevant studies in the field for the period from January 1990 to October 2017. We dually reviewed citations and assessed risk of bias. We reported the results narratively, as meta-analyses were impeded due to high heterogeneity. We included 47 studies covered in 53 articles. Overall, the point prevalence of the investigated psychiatric disorders and mental health problems varied widely among studies (presenting interquartile ranges): for posttraumatic stress disorder between 19.0 and 52.7%, for depression between 10.3 and 32.8%, for anxiety disorders between 8.7 and 31.6%, and for emotional and behavioural problems between 19.8 and 35.0%. The highly heterogeneous evidence base could be improved by international, methodologically comparable studies with sufficiently large sample sizes drawn randomly among specific refugee populations. The prevalence estimates suggest, nevertheless, that specialized mental health care services for the most vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking populations are needed. The systematic review protocol was registered in PROSPERO on October 19th, 2017 with the number: CRD42017080039 and is available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=80039

Editorial: Towards an Understanding of Tinnitus Heterogeneity.

Abstract: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy, Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, Nottingham, United Kingdom, Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany, Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza, Economia, Politica e Lingue Moderne, Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta, Rome, Italy, Neuroplasticity

Visualization of Cultural Heritage Collection Data: State of the Art and Future Challenges

Abstract: After decades of digitization, large cultural heritage collections have emerged on the web, which contain massive stocks of content from galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. This increase in digital cultural heritage data promises new modes of analysis and increased levels of access for academic scholars and casual users alike. Going beyond the standard representations of search-centric and grid-based interfaces, a multitude of approaches has recently started to enable visual access to cultural collections, and to explore them as complex and comprehensive information spaces by the means of interactive visualizations. In contrast to conventional web interfaces, we witness a widening spectrum of innovative visualization types specially designed for rich collections from the cultural heritage sector. This new class of information visualizations gives rise to a notable diversity of interaction and representation techniques while lending currency and urgency to a discussion about principles such as serendipity, generosity, and criticality in connection with visualization design. With this survey, we review information visualization approaches to digital cultural heritage collections and reflect on the state of the art in techniques and design choices. We contextualize our survey with humanist perspectives on the field and point out opportunities for future research.

Priorities to reduce the burden of stroke in Latin American countries

Abstract: Summary The large and increasing burden of stroke in Latin American countries, and the need to meet the UN and WHO requirements for reducing the burden from non-communicable disorders (including stroke), brought together stroke experts and representatives of the Ministries of Health of 13 Latin American countries for the 1st Latin American Stroke Ministerial meeting in Gramado, Brazil, to discuss the problem and identify ways of cooperating to reduce the burden of stroke in the region. Discussions were focused on the regional and country-specific activities associated with stroke prevention and treatment, including public stroke awareness, prevention strategies, delivery and organisation of care, clinical practice gaps, and unmet needs. The meeting culminated with the adoption of the special Gramado Declaration, signed by all Ministerial officials who attended the meeting. With agreed priorities for stroke prevention, treatment, and research, an opportunity now exists to translate this Declaration into an action plan to reduce the burden of stroke.

Hypoxia Conditioned Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Induce Increased Vascular Tube Formation in vitro.

Abstract: Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) display a variety of therapeutically relevant effects, such as the induction of angiogenesis, particularly under hypoxic conditions. It is generally recognized that MSCs exert their effects by secretion of paracrine factors and by stimulation of host cells. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that some therapeutically relevant effects of MSCs are mediated by MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Since our current knowledge on MSC-derived EVs released under hypoxic conditions is very limited, we aimed to characterize MSC-derived EVs from normoxic vs. hypoxic conditions (5% O2). Adipose-derived MSCs were grown under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and EVs were analyzed by flow cytometry using lactadherin as a marker for EVs exposing phosphatidylserine, CD63 and CD81 as EV markers, as well as CD73 and CD90 as MSC surface markers. Particle concentration and size distribution were measured by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and the EV surface antigen signature was characterized using bead-based multiplex flow cytometry. Furthermore, we evaluated the potential of MSC-derived EVs obtained under hypoxic conditions to support angiogenesis using an in vitro assay with an hTERT-immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) line. Proliferation and viability of MSCs were increased under hypoxic conditions. EV concentration, size, and surface signature did not differ significantly between normoxic and hypoxic conditions, with the exception of CD44, which was significantly upregulated on normoxic EVs. EVs from hypoxic conditions exhibited increased tube formation as compared to normoxic EVs or to the corresponding supernatants from both groups, indicating that tube formation is facilitated by EVs rather than by soluble factors. In conclusion, hypoxia conditioned MSC-derived EVs appear to be functionally more potent than normoxic MSC-derived EVs regarding the induction of angiogenesis.

Predicting Early Mortality of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract: Background and Purpose— Several risk factors are known to increase mid- and long-term mortality of ischemic stroke patients. Information on predictors of early stroke mortality is scarce but often ...

Tracing the fate of microplastic carbon in the aquatic food web by compound-specific isotope analysis.

Abstract: Increasing abundance of microplastics (MP) in marine and freshwaters is currently one of the greatest environmental concerns. Since plastics are fairly resistant to chemical decomposition, breakdown and reutilization of MP carbon complexes requires microbial activity. Currently, only a few microbial isolates have been shown to degrade MPs, and direct measurements of the fate of the MP carbon are still lacking. We used compound-specific isotope analysis to track the fate of fully labelled 13C-polyethylene (PE) MP carbon across the aquatic microbial-animal interface. Isotopic values of respired CO2 and membrane lipids showed that MP carbon was partly mineralized and partly used for cell growth. Microbial mineralization and assimilation of PE-MP carbon was most active when inoculated microbes were obtained from highly humic waters, which contain recalcitrant substrate sources. Mixotrophic algae (Cryptomonas sp.) and herbivorous zooplankton (Daphnia magna) used microbial mediated PE-MP carbon in their cell membrane fatty acids. Moreover, heteronanoflagellates and mixotrophic algae sequestered MP carbon for synthesizing essential ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thus, this study demonstrates that aquatic micro-organisms can produce, biochemically upgrade, and trophically transfer nutritionally important biomolecules from PE-MP.

Prospective crowdsensing versus retrospective ratings of tinnitus variability and tinnitus–stress associations based on the TrackYourTinnitus mobile platform

Abstract: Many symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as tinnitus, are subjective and vary over time. Usually, in interviews or self-report questionnaires, patients are asked to retrospectively report symptoms as well as their severity, duration and influencing factors. However, only little is known to what degree such retrospective reports reflect the actual experiences made in daily life. Mobile technologies can remedy this deficiency. In particular, mobile self-help services allow patients to prospectively record symptoms and their severity at the time (or shortly after) they occur in daily life. In this study, we present results we obtained with the mobile crowdsensing platform TrackYourTinnitus. In particular, we show that there is a discrepancy between prospective and retrospective assessments. To be more precise, we show that the prospective variation of tinnitus loudness does not differ between the users who retrospectively rate tinnitus loudness as “varying” and the ones who retrospectively rate it as “non-varying.” As another result, the subjectively reported stress-level was positively correlated with tinnitus (loudness and distress) in the prospective assessments, even for users who retrospectively rated that stress reduces their tinnitus or has no effect on it. The results indicate that mobile technologies, like the TrackYourTinnitus crowdsensing platform, go beyond the role of an assistive service for patients by contributing to more detailed information about symptom variability over time and, hence, to more elaborated diagnostics and treatments.

São Paulo call to action for the prevention and control of high blood pressure: 2020.

Abstract: Norm R. C. Campbell MD1 | Aletta E. Schutte PhD2 | Cherian V. Varghese MD, PhD3 | Pedro Ordunez MD, PhD4 | Xin-Hua Zhang MD, PhD5 | Taskeen Khan MD, MMed, FCPHM3 | James E. Sharman PhD6 | Paul K. Whelton MB, MD, MSc7 | Gianfranco Parati MD8,9 | Michael A. Weber MD10 | Marcelo Orías MD, PhD11,12 | Marc G. Jaffe MD13,14 | Andrew E. Moran MD, MPH15 | Frida Liane Plavnik MD, PhD16,17,18 | Venkata S. Ram MD, FACC, MACP19,20,21,22 | Michael Brainin MD, PhD, Dr, (hons), FESO, FAHA, FEAN23 | Mayowa O. Owolabi MBBS, MSc, (distinction), DrM, (Berlin), Cert, Epid, Glob, Health, (Dundee), FMCP, FAAN, FANA, FRCP, FAS24 | Augstin J. Ramirez MD, PhD25 | Eduardo Barbosa MD, MSc26 | Luiz Aparecido Bortolotto MD, PhD27,28 | Daniel T. Lackland DrPH29

IgG4 drives M2a macrophages to a regulatory M2b-like phenotype: potential implication in immune tolerance.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Macrophages can be converted in vitro into immunoregulatory M2b macrophages in the presence of immune complexes (ICs), but the role of the specific subclasses IgG1 or IgG4 in this phenotypic and functional change is not known. OBJECTIVE We aimed to refine the original method by applying precisely defined ICs of the subclasses IgG4 or IgG1 constructed by two independent methods. METHODS Monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) were treated with M-CSF, followed by IL-4/IL-13 to induce the M2a allergic phenotype. To mimic unspecific or allergen-specific ICs, plates were coated with myeloma IgG1 or IgG4, or with grass pollen allergen Phl p 5 followed by recombinant human Phl p 5-specific IgG1 or IgG4. M2a polarized macrophages were then added, cultured, and examined for cellular markers and cytokines by flow cytometry, ELISA, and rtPCR. Alternatively, immune complexes with IgG1 or IgG4 were formed using protein L. RESULTS IgG4 ICs down regulated CD163 and CD206 on M2a cells, and significantly increased IL-10, IL-6, TNFα, and CCL1 secretion, indicating a shift to an M2b-like phenotype. Treatment with IgG4 ICs resulted in expression of FcγRII and down modulation of FcγRII compared with IgG1 treated cells (P = 0.0335) or untreated cells (P < 0.00001). CONCLUSION Immune complexes with subclasses IgG1 and IgG4 can in vitro be generated by plate absorption, and in fluid form by protein L. Cross-linking of FcγRIIb by the IgG4 subclass redirects pro-allergic M2a macrophages to an M2b-like immunosuppressive phenotype. This suggests an interplay of macrophages with IgG4 in immune tolerance, likely relevant in allergen immunotherapy.

Although there is no Physical Short‐Term Scarcity of Phosphorus, its Resource Efficiency Should be Improved

Abstract: The German government has adopted a law that requires sewage plants to go beyond the recovery of phosphorus from wastewater and to promote recycling. We argue that there is no physical global short‐ or mid‐term phosphorus scarcity. However, we also argue that there are legitimate reasons for policies such as those of Germany, including: precaution as a way to ensure future generations’ long‐term supply security, promotion of technologies for closed‐loop economics in a promising stage of technology development, and decrease in the current supply risk with a new resource pool.

mHealth Applications: Potentials, Limitations, Current Quality and Future Directions

Abstract: Due to the constant use of smartphones in daily life, mHealth apps might bear great potential for the use in health care support. In this chapter the potentials, limitations, current quality and future directions of mHealth apps will be discussed. First, we describe potential benefits like quicker facilitation of information, patient empowerment and inclusion of undersupplied population groups. Furthermore, the use of mHealth apps for diverse somatic and mental health conditions will be discussed. Beyond, the chapter provides the reader with a short overview on the efficacy of mHealth apps for different indications: Exemplary, we provide evidence for the efficacy of mHealth apps in the realm of asthmatic disease, depression and anxiety disorder. Despite the availability of mHealth solutions, the acceptance of among health care providers is still moderate to low. This represents a substantial problem, as health care providers are important gate keepers for intervention uptake. In this context we describe methods to foster acceptance. Furthermore, we address potential risks of mHealth app use including low responsiveness towards critical situations (e.g. self-harm) or the difficulty for users to assess the quality of the app’s content. Here we refer to standardized instruments to assess app quality. With respect to the massive amount of sensitive data already being collected through such mHealth apps, we also reflect on the latest current legal situation in Europe and the United States.

Gold Nanowires/Fibrin Nanostructure as Microfluidics Platforms for Enhancing Stem Cell Differentiation: Bio-AFM Study.

Abstract: Organ-on-a-chip technology has gained great interest in recent years given its ability to control the spatio-temporal microenvironments of cells and tissues precisely. While physical parameters of the respective niche such as microchannel network sizes, geometric features, flow rates, and shear forces, as well as oxygen tension and concentration gradients, have been optimized for stem cell cultures, little has been done to improve cell-matrix interactions in microphysiological systems. Specifically, detailed research on the effect of matrix elasticity and extracellular matrix (ECM) nanotopography on stem cell differentiation are still in its infancy, an aspect that is known to alter a stem cell's fate. Although a wide range of hydrogels such as gelatin, collagen, fibrin, and others are available for stem cell chip cultivations, only a limited number of elasticities are generally employed. Matrix elasticity and the corresponding nanotopography are key factors that guide stem cell differentiation. Given this, we investigated the addition of gold nanowires into hydrogels to create a tunable biointerface that could be readily integrated into any organ-on-a-chip and cell chip system. In the presented work, we investigated the matrix elasticity (Young's modulus, stiffness, adhesive force, and roughness) and nanotopography of gold nanowire loaded onto fibrin hydrogels using the bio-AFM (atomic force microscopy) method. Additionally, we investigated the capacity of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) to differentiate into osteo- and chondrogenic lineages. Our results demonstrated that nanogold structured-hydrogels promoted differentiation of hAMSCs as shown by a significant increase in Collagen I and II production. Additionally, there was enhanced calcium mineralization activity and proteoglycans formation after a cultivation period of two weeks within microfluidic devices.

Digital Art through the Looking Glass: New strategies for archiving, collecting and preserving in digital humanities

Abstract: This paper traces the author’s early digital media projects from the mid-1980s to the present that are based on computer processing and the integration of noise as an aesthetic element in the author’s evolving digital photographic projects. Building on his background in photography, the projects explore the relationship of noise-to-signal and the influence of Claude Shannon’s Information theory in the author’s work.

Tuning the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Fe 3 Sn by alloying

Abstract: The electronic structure, magnetic properties, and phase formation of hexagonal ferromagnetic Fe3Sn-based alloys have been studied from first principles and by experiment. The pristine Fe3Sn compou ...

Automated Knee Osteoarthritis Assessment Increases Physicians' Agreement Rate and Accuracy: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Abstract: Objective. To assess the impact of a computerized system on physicians' accuracy and agreement rate, as compared with unaided diagnosis. Methods. A set of 124 unilateral knee radiographs from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) study were analyzed by a computerized method with regard to Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade, as well as joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and sclerosis Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) grades. Physicians scored all images, with regard to osteophytes, sclerosis, joint space narrowing OARSI grades and KL grade, in 2 modalities: through a plain radiograph (unaided) and a radiograph presented together with the report from the computer assisted detection system (aided). Intraclass correlation between the physicians was calculated for both modalities. Furthermore, physicians' performance was compared with the grading of the OAI study, and accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated in both modalities for each of the scored features. Results. Agreement rates for KL grade, sclerosis, and osteophyte OARSI grades, were statistically increased in the aided versus the unaided modality. Readings for joint space narrowing OARSI grade did not show a statistically difference between the 2 modalities. Readers' accuracy and specificity for KL grade >0, KL >1, sclerosis OARSI grade >0, and osteophyte OARSI grade >0 was significantly increased in the aided modality. Reader sensitivity was high in both modalities. Conclusions. These results show that the use of an automated knee OA software increases consistency between physicians when grading radiographic features of OA. The use of the software also increased accuracy measures as compared with the OAI study, mostly through increases in specificity.

Regularization of Irregular Migrants and Social Policies: Comparative Perspectives

Abstract: This paper examines the social policy implications of the regularization of irregular immigrants. As an act of legal integration regularization arguably is about irregular migrants’ inclusion into ...