It is previously shown that cardiovascular conditions have a negative effect on the ability to work. However, it is unknown if incident atrial fibrillation (AF) influences the ability to work. We ...examined the association between AF and the risk of work disability and the influence of socioeconomic factors. All Danish residents with a hospital diagnosis of AF and aged ≥30 and ≤63 years in the period January 1, 2000, to September 31, 2014, were included and matched 1:10 with an AF-free gender and age-matched random person from the general population. Permanent social security benefit was used as a marker of work disability. Risk difference (RD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of work disability were calculated over 15 months. The analyses were furthermore stratified in low, medium, and high levels of socioeconomic factors. In total, 28,059 patients with AF and 312,667 matched reference persons were included. The risk of receiving permanent social security benefits within 15 months was 4.5% (4.3% to 4.8%) for the AF cohort and 1.3% (95% CI 1.3% to 1.4%) for the matched reference cohort. Adjusted RD (95% CI) was 2.3% (2.0% to 2.5%). Stratified on income, RDs were higher in low-income groups (adjusted RD 3.7% 95% CI 3.1% to 4.3%) versus high-income groups (RD 1.3% 1.0% to 1.5%). In conclusion, the risk of work disability within 15 months after incident AF was more than 3 times as high in patients with AF compared with the general population, especially when comparing individuals in lower socioeconomic strata.
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1), also known as colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF1), and its receptor CSF1R have been correlated with poor prognosis in many cancer types including breast ...cancer. Herein, we investigated the prognostic impact of CSF1 and CSF1R expression in tumor epithelial and stromal compartments in primary breast cancer and axillary lymph node metastases. In addition, the density of CD68+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and CD3+ T-lymphocytes was examined.
Tumor tissue was obtained at the time of primary surgery from 68 prior treatment breast cancer patients, 38 with axillary lymph node metastases and 30 patients without metastases. Digital video analysis was performed on immunohistochemically stained slides.
The expression of CSF1, CSF1R and the density of TAMs and CD3+ T-lymphocytes were then correlated to metastases and disease-specific mortality. Metastasized primary cancers had higher tumor epithelial and stromal expressions of CSF1 (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively) and CSF1R (both p=0.03) compared to non-metastatic cancers. Similar findings were made for the density of CD68+ (p=0.003) and CD3+ cells in the tumor epithelium (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, a high tumor epithelial expression of CSF1 in primary breast cancer predicted mortality (hazard ratio (HR)=8.6, p=0.039).
High expression of CSF1 and CSF1R and high density of TAMs and CD3+ T-lymphocytes were related to breast cancer progression. CSF1 expression in tumor epithelium predicted breast cancer mortality.
The oil industry's expansion and increased operational activity at older installations, along with their demolition, contribute to rising cumulative pollution and a heightened risk of accidental oil ...spills. The lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is a keystone prey species in the North Sea and coastal systems. Their eggs adhere to the seabed substrate making them particularly vulnerable to oil exposure during embryonic development. We evaluated the sensitivity of sandeel embryos to crude oil in a laboratory by exposing them to dispersed oil at concentrations of 0, 15, 50, and 150 µg/L oil between 2 and 16 days post-fertilization. We assessed water and tissue concentrations of THC and tPAH, cyp1a expression, lipid distribution in the eyes, head and trunk, and morphological and functional deformities. Oil droplets accumulated on the eggshell in all oil treatment groups, to which the embryo responded by a dose-dependent rise in cyp1a expression. The oil exposure led to only minor sublethal deformities in the upper jaw and otic vesicle. The findings suggest that lesser sandeel embryos are resilient to crude oil exposure. The lowest observed effect level documented in this study was 36 µg THC/L and 3 µg tPAH/L. The inclusion of these species-specific data in risk assessment models will enhance the precision of risk evaluations for the North Atlantic ecosystems.
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•Oil droplets adhere to the sticky egg surface of lesser sandeel embryos.•Sandeel embryos exhibit low sensitivity to crude oil exposure.•Oil exposure induces dose dependent cyp1a expression and sublethal deformities.•Early embryonic sandeel stages appear to be resilient to oil and chemical exposure.•The distribution of fatty acids in tissues of lesser sandeel larvae is documented.
We aimed to develop deep learning (DL) models to detect protein expression in immunohistochemically (IHC) stained tissue-sections, and to compare their accuracy and performance with manually scored ...clinically relevant proteins in common cancer types.
Five cancer patient cohorts (colon, two prostate, breast, and endometrial) were included. We developed separate DL models for scoring IHC-stained tissue-sections with nuclear, cytoplasmic, and membranous staining patterns. For training, we used images with annotations of cells with positive and negative staining from the colon cohort stained for Ki-67 and PMS2 (nuclear model), the prostate cohort 1 stained for PTEN (cytoplasmic model) and β-catenin (membranous model). The nuclear DL model was validated for MSH6 in the colon, MSH6 and PMS2 in the endometrium, Ki-67 and CyclinB1 in prostate, and oestrogen and progesterone receptors in the breast cancer cohorts. The cytoplasmic DL model was validated for PTEN and Mapre2, and the membranous DL model for CD44 and Flotillin1, all in prostate cohorts. When comparing the results of manual and DL scores in the validation sets, using manual scores as the ground truth, we observed an average correct classification rate of 91.5 % (76.9–98.5 %) for the nuclear model, 85.6 % (73.3–96.6 %) for the cytoplasmic model, and 78.4 % (75.5–84.3 %) for the membranous model. In survival analyses, manual and DL scores showed similar prognostic impact, with similar hazard ratios and p-values for all DL models. Our findings demonstrate that DL models offer a promising alternative to manual IHC scoring, providing efficiency and reproducibility across various data sources and markers.
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•General deep learning models for the quantification of protein expression in images of immunohistochemically stained tissue sections.•Separate deep learning models for nuclear, cytoplasmic and membranous protein expression.•Comparable performance of manual and deep learning-based results in correlations and prognostic analyses.•The automatic scores were validated in several clinically relevant proteins and multiple cancer types.
This article presents a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of an innovative slaughter concept, i.e., a semi-automated version of the Meat Factory Cell (MFC). The system is characterised by division ...of labour with close human-robot interaction, as compared to a Conventional Slaughter and Cutting Process (CSCP). A case study is built which considers the conditions at a Norwegian slaughter facility. Several assumptions are made for the MFC as the concept is still in the development phase. A sensitivity analysis has been employed to highlight the key factors leading to changes in the environmental, economic and social aspects of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment framework.
The results show that MFC is a viable alternative to CSCP within a life cycle sustainability assessment, even though there is a trade-off between the three dimensions of sustainability and variability among the considered impact categories. At the slaughterhouse, the climate change performance for the CSCP is 387 kg CO2eq/ton carcass. For the MFC concept, results showed no substantial changes in the environmental performance. For the Life Cycle Costing, the difference between the two concepts arises primarily from lower energy costs due to a 50% reduction in the cost of chilling. From a cost perspective, the innovative concept is relatively more profitable for small and medium-size abattoirs than for very large slaughterhouses. The social LCA indicates that a more efficient abattoir system using MFC might lead to the loss of low-skilled jobs but creates opportunities for more qualified personnel.
•The Meat Factory Cell (MFC) is a revolutionary modular robotics-based concept for slaughtering, cutting and deboning meat;.•The MFC does not notably change the environmental profile of a pig abattoir.•The MFC concept is an economically and socially viable alternative.•The Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment shows that there is a trade-off between the three dimensions of sustainability.
The aim of the study was to perform comprehensive characterization of two commonly used bulk fill composite materials (SDR Flow (SDR) and Filtek™ Bulk Fill Flowable Restorative (FBF) and one ...conventional composite material (Tetric EvoCeram; TEC). Eleven parameters were examined: flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (FM), degree of conversion, depth of cure, polymerisation shrinkage (PS), filler particle morphology, filler mass fraction, Vickers hardness, surface roughness following simulated toothbrush abrasion, monomer elution, and cytotoxic reaction of human gingival fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and cancer cells. The degree of conversion and depth of cure were the highest for SDR, followed by FBF and TEC, but there was no difference in PS between them. FS was higher for bulk fill materials, while their FM and hardness were lower than those of TEC. Surface roughness decreased in the order TEC→SDR→FBF. Bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate (BisGMA) and urethane dimethacrylate were found in TEC and FBF eluates, while SDR released BisGMA and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Conditioned media accumulated for 24h from FBF and TEC were cytotoxic to primary human osteoblasts. Compared to the conventional composite, the tested bulk fill materials performed equally or better in most of the tests, except for their hardness, elastic modulus, and biocompatibility with osteoblasts.
In the North Sea, the number and size of offshore wind (OW) turbines, together with the associated network of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cables, will increase rapidly over the coming ...years. HVDC cables produce magnetic fields (MFs) that might have an impact on marine animals that encounter them. One of the fish species that is at risk of exposure to MF associated with OW is the lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus), a keystone species of the North Sea basin. Lesser sandeel could be exposed to MF as larvae, when they drift in proximity of OW turbines. Whether MFs impact the behavior of lesser sandeel larvae, with possible downstream effects on their dispersal and survival, is unknown. We tested the behavior of 56 lesser sandeel larvae, using a setup designed to simulate the scenario of larvae drifting past a DC cable. We exposed the larvae to a MF intensity gradient (150-50 μT) that is within the range of MFs produced by HVDC subsea cables. Exposure to the MF gradient did not affect the spatial distribution of lesser sandeel larvae in a raceway tank 50 cm long, 7 cm wide and 3.5 cm deep. Nor did the MF alter their swimming speed, acceleration or distance moved. These results show that static MF from DC cables would not impact behavior of lesser sandeel larvae during the larval period of their life although it does not exclude the possibility that later life stages could be affected.
•Subsea cables connecting wind farms produce static magnetic fields (MFs) that could affect fish larvae•The lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is a keystone species of the North Sea and is at risk of exposure to MFs•Using electric coils, sandeel larvae were exposed to MFs that they would experience in proximity of DC subsea cables•MFs did not affect the spatial distribution or the swimming behavior of lesser sandeel larvae•Static MF from DC cables would not impact behavior of lesser sandeel larvae
Lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is widely distributed in North Sea ecosystems. Sandeel acts as a critical trophic link between zooplankton and top predators (fish, mammals, sea birds). Because ...they live buried in the sand, sandeel may be directly affected by the rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities linked to their habitat on the sea bottom (e.g., hydrocarbon extraction, offshore renewable energy, and subsea mining). It is, therefore, important to understand the impact of cumulative environmental and anthropogenic stressors on this species. A detailed description of the ontogenetic timeline and developmental staging for this species is lacking limiting the possibilities for comparative developmental studies assessing, e.g., the impact of various environmental stressors.
A detailed description of the morphological development of lesser sandeel and their developmental trajectory, obtained through visual observations and microscopic techniques, is presented. Methods for gamete stripping and intensive culture of the early life stages are also provided.
This work provides a basis for future research to understand the effect of cumulative environmental and anthropogenic stressors on development in the early life stages of lesser sandeel.
•The CAD/CAM resin blocks outperformed conventional composite regarding hardness and monomer elution.•The CAD/CAM resin blocks worrisome results regarding cytotoxicity when compared to conventional ...composites.•CAD/CAM resin blocks cannot be considered as substitute for conventional resins in a cost-benefit prespective.
Dentists are facing a myriad of new CAD/CAM product for dental filling therapies. Are the new materials any worthwhile using? Are they succeeding the standard filling materials? Here we compare for the first time the new resin-composite blocks (RCBs) with conventional materials (Filtek Z250 and Tetric EvoCeram).
The material were tested for residual monomer elution by HPLC, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) was used to determine the percentage of fillers by weight, hardness was evaluated by Vickers method, morphology of fillers and distribution in the matrix were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis for elemental determination of the filler particles was performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) cytotoxicity using human gingival fibroblasts and an epithelial cell line.
The RBC outperformed conventional composite regarding mechanical characteristics (hardness) and monomer eluation, but showed some worrisome results regarding cytotoxicity.
The cost benefit is not in favour of RBCs in comparison to conventional composites, as the cytotoxicity was found higher for RBCs.
In the preceding decades, molecular characterization has revolutionized breast cancer (BC) research and therapeutic approaches. Presented herein, an unbiased analysis of breast tumor proteomes, ...inclusive of 9995 proteins quantified across all tumors, for the first time recapitulates BC subtypes. Additionally, poor-prognosis basal-like and luminal B tumors are further subdivided by immune component infiltration, suggesting the current classification is incomplete. Proteome-based networks distinguish functional protein modules for breast tumor groups, with co-expression of EGFR and MET marking ductal carcinoma in situ regions of normal-like tumors and lending to a more accurate classification of this poorly defined subtype. Genes included within prognostic mRNA panels have significantly higher than average mRNA-protein correlations, and gene copy number alterations are dampened at the protein-level; underscoring the value of proteome quantification for prognostication and phenotypic classification. Furthermore, protein products mapping to non-coding genomic regions are identified; highlighting a potential new class of tumor-specific immunotherapeutic targets.
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