Otogenic skull base osteomyelitis (OSBO) is rare and potentially fatal sequelae of otitis externa. Accurate and timely diagnosis is important due to rising incidence, morbidity and costs associated ...with treatment. Consensus on the diagnostic approach for OSBO has yet to be reached, in particular the utility of imaging modalities.
This study reviews a single institution's high-volume experience of OSBO, with the aim of analysing clinicopathologic features and imaging studies to develop a diagnostic algorithm.
A retrospective review of patients admitted with OSBO from 2009 to 2019, was performed. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 103 patients with 106 unique episodes of suspected OSBO were selected. De-identified information including patient demographics, clinicopathologic features and imaging outcomes was recorded and analysed.
HbA1c ≥ 7% significantly predicted for OSBO in univariate (OR 7.83, 95% CI 1.85-33.16, p = 0.01) and multivariate analyses (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.05-25.81, p = 0.04). The CT/technetium-99m/gallium-67 combination produced better diagnostic accuracy for OSBO (AUROC 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-1), when compared to a CT/MRI combination (AUROC 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.93).
Once there is a clinical suspicion for OSBO, diagnosis is established by synthesising results from clinical assessment, pathologic investigations and imaging modalities. The imaging utilised to diagnose OSBO should vary according to the clinical situation and limitations of each modality.
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DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
A 46-year-old man presented to the Otolaryngology Department with a 10-year history of right-sided hearing loss. He denied any prior ear problems or family history of hearing loss. An audiogram ...demonstrated a right maximal conductive loss and a Carhart notch. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a 2-mm lucency on the oval window (figure 1).
Here we present a description of the UKCA StratTrop chemical mechanism, which is used in the UKESM1 Earth system model for CMIP6. The StratTrop chemical mechanism is a merger of previously ...well-evaluated tropospheric and stratospheric mechanisms, and we provide results from a series of bespoke integrations to assess the overall performance of the model.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aerosols have a potentially large effect on climate, particularly through their interactions with clouds, but the magnitude of this effect is highly uncertain. Large volcanic eruptions produce sulfur ...dioxide, which in turn produces aerosols; these eruptions thus represent a natural experiment through which to quantify aerosol-cloud interactions. Here we show that the massive 2014-2015 fissure eruption in Holuhraun, Iceland, reduced the size of liquid cloud droplets - consistent with expectations - but had no discernible effect on other cloud properties. The reduction in droplet size led to cloud brightening and global-mean radiative forcing of around minus 0.2 watts per square metre for September to October 2014. Changes in cloud amount or cloud liquid water path, however, were undetectable, indicating that these indirect effects, and cloud systems in general, are well buffered against aerosol changes. This result will reduce uncertainties in future climate projections, because we are now able to reject results from climate models with an excessive liquid-water-path response.
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IJS, KISLJ, NUK, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Detection of bioaerosols, or primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs), has become increasingly important for a wide variety of research communities and scientific questions. In particular, ...real-time (RT) techniques for autonomous, online detection and characterization of PBAP properties in both outdoor and indoor environments are becoming more commonplace and have opened avenues of research. With advances in technology, however, come challenges to standardize practices so that results are both reliable and comparable across technologies and users. Here, we present a critical review of major RT instrument classes that have been applied to PBAP research, especially with respect to environmental science, allergy monitoring, agriculture, public health, and national security. Eight major classes of RT techniques are covered, including the following: (i) fluorescence spectroscopy, (ii) elastic scattering, microscopy, and holography, (iii) Raman spectroscopy, (iv) mass spectrometry, (v) breakdown spectroscopy, (vi) remote sensing, (vii) microfluidic techniques, and (viii) paired aqueous techniques. For each class of technology we present technical limitations, misconceptions, and pitfalls, and also summarize best practices for operation, analysis, and reporting. The final section of the article presents pressing scientific questions and grand challenges for RT sensing of PBAP as well as recommendations for future work to encourage high-quality results and increased cross-community collaboration.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Inflammation is critical for controlling pathogens, but also responsible for symptoms of infectious diseases. IL-27 is an important regulator of inflammation and can limit development of ...IFNγ-producing Tbet+ CD4+ T (Th1) cells. IL-27 is thought to do this by stimulating IL-10 production by CD4+ T cells, but the underlying mechanisms of these immunoregulatory pathways are not clear. Here we studied the role of IL-27 signalling in experimental visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by infection of C57BL/6 mice with the human pathogen Leishmania donovani. We found IL-27 signalling was critical for the development of IL-10-producing Th1 (Tr1) cells during infection. Furthermore, in the absence of IL-27 signalling, there was improved control of parasite growth, but accelerated splenic pathology characterised by the loss of marginal zone macrophages. Critically, we discovered that IL-27 signalling limited glycolysis in Th1 cells during infection that in turn attenuated inflammation. Furthermore, the modulation of glycolysis in the absence of IL-27 signalling restricted tissue pathology without compromising anti-parasitic immunity. Together, these findings identify a novel mechanism by which IL-27 mediates immune regulation during disease by regulating cellular metabolism.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In the present study we identify inosine‐5′ monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a key enzyme in de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis, as a novel lipid body‐associated protein. To identify new ...targets of insulin we performed a comprehensive 2‐DE analysis of 32P‐labelled proteins isolated from 3T3‐L1 adipocytes (Hill et al. J Biol Chem 2000; 275: 24313–24320). IMPDH was identified by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry as a protein which was phosphorylated in a phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3‐kinase‐dependent manner upon insulin treatment. Although insulin had no significant effect on IMPDH activity, we observed translocation of IMPDH to lipid bodies following insulin treatment. Induction of lipid body formation with oleic acid promoted dramatic redistribution of IMPDH to lipid bodies, which appeared to be in contact with the endoplasmic reticulum, the site of lipid body synthesis and recycling. Inhibition of PI 3‐kinase blocked insulin‐ and oleate‐induced translocation of IMPDH and reduced oleate‐induced lipid accumulation. However, we found no evidence of oleate‐induced IMPDH phosphorylation, suggesting phosphorylation and translocation may not be coupled events. These data support a role for IMPDH in the dynamic regulation of lipid bodies and fatty acid metabolism and regulation of its activity by subcellular redistribution in response to extracellular factors that modify lipid metabolism.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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