The legal and ethical framework governing body donation in Europe - 2nd update on current practice.

BACKGROUND: In 2008, members of the TEPARG provided first insights into the legal and ethical framework governing body donation in Europe. In 2012, a first update followed. This paper is now the second update on this topic and tries to extend the available information to many more European countries. METHODS: For this second update, we have asked authors from all European countries to contribute their national perspectives. By this enquiry, we got many contributions compiled in this paper. When we did not get a personal contribution, one of us (EB) searched the internet for relevant information. RESULTS: Perspectives on the legal and ethical framework governing body donation in Europe. CONCLUSIONS: We still see that a clear and rigorous legal framework is still unavailable in several countries. We found national regulations in 18 out of 39 countries; two others have at least federal laws. Several countries accept not only donated bodies but also utilise unclaimed bodies. These findings can guide policymakers in reviewing and updating existing laws and regulations related to body donation and anatomical studies.

Endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery does not impact postoperative nasal quality of life.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective longitudinal study was to assess both subjective quality of life using questionnaires and objective examination of nasal function with regard to olfaction, nasal air flow and mucociliary clearance in patients after minimally invasive, turbinate-preserving endoscopic transnasal trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery. METHODS: Patients undergoing endoscopic transnasal pituitary surgery were recruited prospectively and examined during three study visits, preoperatively and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. We examined nasal function using sniffin' sticks test, rhinomanometry, saccharin transit time test, and endoscopic and radiological scores. In addition, the influence on subjective quality of life and mental health was recorded using the Sinonasal-Outcome-Test-20 (SNOT-20) and the Hospital-Anxiety-and-Depression-Scale (HADS). RESULTS: 20 patients undergoing endoscopic pituitary tumor resections were included. No significant changes in olfaction or mucociliary clearance were noted. Nasal air flow showed a tendency to increase in the postoperative course lacking significance. Both the endoscopy and the radiological scores showed a significant deterioration, especially after 3 months, with a trend towards improvement over time. However, neither the SNOT-20 nor the HADS showed significant changes compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our concept of minimally invasive endoscopic tumor resections on the pituitary gland with preservation of nasal turbinates shows low morbidity for the patient. Despite objectifiable surgery-associated changes in the nose, nasal physiology in terms of smell, airflow and mucociliary clearance can be preserved and the subjective quality of life of our patients remains stable.

Euro VI-d Compliant Diesel Engine's Sub-23 nm Particle Emission.

Passenger and commercial transportation significantly contribute to hazardous air pollution. Exhaust gas after-treatment technology advances closely to the emission regulations throughout the world. The upcoming legislation will be EURO VII in European Union, which requirements are not set yet, but the Solid Particle Number (SPN) diameter range is expected to be more severe compared to EURO VI. This paper will revisit the measurement principle differences between over 10 nm and over 23 nm diameter particles in theory and practical engine bench measurement. Two different types of particle counters have performed the soot particle counting measurement; therefore, the applied sensors are different in terms of applied counting principles. The measurement principles of both devices will be introduced, and the experiment's result will reflect on the sensor differences. From this, a conclusion can be derived in order to determine the severity of the upcoming EURO VII legislation in terms of SPN, and the experiment will also reflect on the measurement sensor differences. The overall results suggested that extending the lower range of the measurement increases the tailpipe particle emission by 20%, although the DPF filtration efficiency is still over 99%.

Trichoblastic carcinosarcoma of the neck: Case report and molecular analysis of a seldom, relapsing entity and a review of the literature.

Trichoblastic carcinosarcoma is a seldom biphasic adnexal tumor with malignant epithelial and mesenchymal components. The authors report the first tumor on the neck developed from preexistent trichoblastoma showing aggressive, recurrent behavior. An 82-year-old man presented with a solitary 3-cm exophytic lesion. Histology verified the diagnosis of trichoblastic carcinosarcoma. Four years earlier, a trichoblastic carcinoma arising in a preexisting trichoblastoma was excised at the same location. Despite successful surgical treatments, three local recurrences within 4 years were diagnosed. After the second relapse, the patient agreed on adjuvant radiation. Twelve months later, another relapse was excised in toto. In the last surgical specimen, only the mesenchymal component was found. Copy number variation analysis of the preexisting tumor and two recurrences revealed the same entity and additional chromosomal aberrations in the recurrences. Adnexal carcinosarcomas are seldom, yet presumably underdiagnosed biphasic tumors with aggressive growth potential. They should have adequate preoperative clarification with wide tumor excision, as radiosensitivity seems to be of limited effect.

Distribution and postnatal development of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in the perineuronal nets of cholinergic motoneurons innervating extraocular muscles.

Fine control of extraocular muscle fibers derives from two subpopulations of cholinergic motoneurons in the oculomotor-, trochlear- and abducens nuclei. Singly- (SIF) and multiply innervated muscle fibers (MIF) are supplied by the SIF- and MIF motoneurons, respectively, representing different physiological properties and afferentation. SIF motoneurons, as seen in earlier studies, are coated with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan rich perineuronal nets (PNN), whereas MIF motoneurons lack those. Fine distribution of individual lecticans in the composition of PNNs and adjacent neuropil, as well as the pace of their postnatal accumulation is, however, still unknown. Therefore, the present study aims, by using double immunofluorescent identification and subsequent morphometry, to describe local deposition of lecticans in the perineuronal nets and neuropil of the three eye movement nuclei. In each nucleus PNNs were consequently positive only with WFA and aggrecan reactions, suggesting the dominating role of aggrecan is PNN establishment. Brevican, neurocan and versican however, did not accumulate at all in PNNs but were evenly and moderately present throughout the neuropils. The proportion of PNN bearing motoneurons appeared 76% in oculomotor-, 72.2% in trochlear- and 78.3% in the abducens nucleus. We also identified two morphological subsets of PNNs, the focal and diffuse nets of SIF motoneurons. The process of CSPG accumulation begins just after birth, although considerable PNNs occur at week 1 age around less than half of the motoneurons, which ratio doubles until 2-month age. These findings may be related to the postnatal establishment of the oculokinetic network, performing different repertoires of voluntary eye movements in functionally afoveolate and foveolate animals.

The provenance of the raw material and the manufacturing technology of copper artefacts from the Copper Age hoard from Magyaregres, Hungary.

In 2016, a Stollhof-type copper hoard was found during an excavation in Magyaregres, Hungary. It was placed in a cooking pot, and deposited upside down within the boundaries of an Early Copper Age settlement. Similar hoards dating to the end of the 5th millennium BCE are well-known from Central Europe, however, this hoard represents the only one so far with thoroughly documented finding circumstances. The hoard contained 681 pieces of copper, 264 pieces of stone and a single Spondylus bead, along with 19 pieces of small tubular spiral copper coils, three spiral copper bracelets, and two large, spectacle spiral copper pendants. Until now, information on the provenance of raw materials and how such copper artefacts were manufactured has not been available. The artefacts were studied under optical microscopes to reveal the manufacturing process. Trace elemental composition (HR-ICP-MS) and lead isotope ratios (MC-ICP-MS) were measured to explore the provenance of raw materials. The ornaments were rolled or folded and coiled from thin sheets of copper using fahlore copper probably originating from the Northwestern Carpathians. A complex archaeological approach was employed to reveal the provenance, distribution and the social roles the ornaments could have played in the life of a Copper Age community. Evidence for local metallurgy was lacking in contemporaneous Transdanubian sites, therefore it is likely that the items of the hoard were manufactured closer to the raw material source, prior to being transported to Transdanubia as finished products. The method of deposition implies that such items were associated with special social contexts, represented exceptional values, and the context of deposition was also highly prescribed. The Magyaregres hoard serves as the first firm piece of evidence for the existence of a typologically independent Central European metallurgical circle which exploited the raw material sources located within its distribution.

Deep learning-based atherosclerotic coronary plaque segmentation on coronary CT angiography.

OBJECTIVES: Volumetric evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) allows better prediction of cardiac events. However, CAD segmentation is labor intensive. Our objective was to create an open-source deep learning (DL) model to segment coronary plaques on coronary CT angiography (CCTA). METHODS: Three hundred eight individuals' 894 CCTA scans with 3035 manually segmented plaques by an expert reader (considered as ground truth) were used to train (186/308, 60%), validate (tune, 61/308, 20%), and test (61/308, 20%) a 3D U-net model. We also evaluated the model on an external test set of 50 individuals with vulnerable plaques acquired at a different site. Furthermore, we applied transfer learning on 77 individuals' data and re-evaluated the model's performance using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: On the test set, DL outperformed the currently used minimum cost approach method to quantify total: ICC: 0.88 [CI: 0.85-0.91] vs. 0.63 [CI: 0.42-0.76], noncalcified: 0.84 [CI: 0.80-0.88] vs. 0.45 [CI: 0.26-0.59], calcified: 0.99 [CI: 0.98-0.99] vs. 0.96 [CI: 0.94-0.97], and low attenuation noncalcified: 0.25 [CI: 0.13-0.37] vs. -0.01 [CI: -0.13 to 0.11] plaque volumes. On the external dataset, substantial improvement was observed in DL model performance after transfer learning, total: 0.62 [CI: 0.01-0.84] vs. 0.94 [CI: 0.87-0.97], noncalcified: 0.54 [CI: -0.04 to 0.80] vs. 0.93 [CI: 0.86-0.96], calcified: 0.91 [CI:0.85-0.95] vs. 0.95 [CI: 0.91-0.97], and low attenuation noncalcified 0.48 [CI: 0.18-0.69] vs. 0.86 [CI: 0.76-0.92]. CONCLUSIONS: Our open-source DL algorithm achieved excellent agreement with expert CAD segmentations. However, transfer learning may be required to achieve accurate segmentations in the case of different plaque characteristics or machinery. KEY POINTS: • Deep learning 3D U-net model for coronary segmentation achieves comparable results with expert readers' volumetric plaque quantification. • Transfer learning may be needed to achieve similar results for other scanner and plaque characteristics. • The developed deep learning algorithm is open-source and may be implemented in any CT analysis software.

Lesion-induced changes of brevican expression in the perineuronal net of the superior vestibular nucleus.

Damage to the vestibular sense organs evokes static and dynamic deficits in the eye movements, posture and vegetative functions. After a shorter or longer period of time, the vestibular function is partially or completely restored via a series of processes such as modification in the efficacy of synaptic inputs. As the plasticity of adult central nervous system is associated with the alteration of extracellular matrix, including its condensed form, the perineuronal net, we studied the changes of brevican expression in the perineuronal nets of the superior vestibular nucleus after unilateral labyrinth lesion. Our results demonstrated that the unilateral labyrinth lesion and subsequent compensation are accompanied by the changing of brevican staining pattern in the perineuronal nets of superior vestibular nucleus of the rat. The reduction of brevican in the perineuronal nets of superior vestibular nucleus may contribute to the vestibular plasticity by suspending the non-permissive role of brevican in the restoration of perineuronal net assembly. After a transitory decrease, the brevican expression restored to the control level parallel to the partial restoration of impaired vestibular function. The bilateral changing in the brevican expression supports the involvement of commissural vestibular fibers in the vestibular compensation. All experimental procedures were approved by the 'University of Debrecen - Committee of Animal Welfare' (approval No. 6/2017/DEMAB) and the 'Scientific Ethics Committee of Animal Experimentation' (approval No. HB/06/ÉLB/2270-10/2017; approved on June 6, 2017).

Optic nerve injury in preoperative imaging is associated with visual improvement outcome in endoscopic optic nerve decompression.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate potential clinical parameters having an impact on visual outcome after endoscopic optic nerve decompression in acute optic neuropathy patients. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients with acute optic neuropathy, who underwent endoscopic optic nerve decompression between June 2001 and November 2018 at an academic center was performed. Patients were divided into groups according to visual improvement after surgical treatment (yes/no). Following clinical parameters were compared between groups: perioperative steroid use, evidence of optic nerve affection in preoperative neuroimaging, additional optic nerve sheath incision, surgery delay and preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Further subgroups analyses were conducted based on etiology (trauma/tumor). RESULTS: Among 32 included cases, 16 patients (50%) reported visual improvement after endoscopic optic nerve decompression. There was no significant difference in visual improvement between etiology subgroups (trauma: n = 9/20 (45%) vs. tumor: n = 7/12 (58.3%), p = 0.465). Tumor subgroup patients with visual improvement had a significantly higher prevalence of optic nerve affection in preoperative neuroimaging than those without visual improvement (p = 0.018, φ = 0.683). Perioperative steroid administration was negatively associated with visual outcome (p = 0.034, φ = 0.375). Nerve sheath incision, surgery delay and preoperative CRP levels did not have a significant impact on visual outcome (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Radiological findings can help as an indicator for surgical treatment since an affected optic nerve in preoperative neuroimaging resulted in better visual outcome after surgery. The use of steroids should be considered more carefully since it did not show any beneficial effect.

Preservation of nasal turbinates in endoscopic, anterior skull base surgery-yes, we can!

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency, type and indications of nasal turbinate (NT) resection during endoscopic, anterior skull base surgery and to analyze factors that may have an impact on the need of NT removal. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 306 subjects (150 males and 156 females, mean age 55.4 ± 15.3 years) who underwent multidisciplinary, transnasal, endoscopic tumor surgery of the anterior skull base using 4-handed techniques between 2011 and 2019 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Graz, were included. RESULTS: In the majority of interventions (n = 281/306; 91.8%), all NT were preserved. Significant factors influencing the need of NT resections turned out to be type of endoscopic approach (p < 0.001; V = 0.304), sagittal (p = 0.003; d = 0.481) and transversal (p = 0.017; d = 0.533) tumor diameter, tumor type (p < 0.001; V = 0.355) and tumor location (p < 0.001; V = 0.324). CONCLUSIONS: NT can be preserved in the majority of patients undergoing tumor resection in anterior, transnasal, skullbase surgery and routine resection of NT should be avoided. Variables that have an impact on the need of NT resections are types of endoscopic approaches, sagittal and transversal tumor extension and tumor type. These factors should be considered in planning of surgery and preoperative information of patients.

Comparison of two different intratympanic corticosteroid injection protocols as salvage treatments for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the effect of interval length and total count of intratympanic steroid (ITS) injections in salvage treatment of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). METHODS: This retrospective case-control study included 64 patients with ISSNHL, who were treated with ITS injections as salvage therapy at a tertiary referral centre. From September 2019 to December 2020, 32 patients received up to four injections every 2-4 days (revised-protocol group). These patients were 1:1 matched to patients, who received up to three injections at 1-week intervals between January 2014 and August 2019 (initial-protocol group). Hearing outcomes of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Both ITS salvage treatment protocols resulted in a statistically significant hearing improvement (p < 0.05). The initial-protocol declined hearing thresholds by 12 ± 11.7 dB (p < 0.001, d = 1, P = 99%). Mean hearing function was improved by 13.4 ± 19.1 dB in the revised-protocol group [p < 0.001, d = 0.7, P = 98%]. A clinically significant hearing improvement (> 10 dB) was seen in 18 patients (58.1%) in the initial-protocol group and in 14 patients (41.9%) in the revised-protocol group. A comparison of the hearing outcomes between protocol groups revealed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that a shorter injection interval does not lead to better hearing outcomes in ITS salvage treatment for ISSNHL. Moreover, fewer ITS injections may reduce costs, physical/mental stress of the patients and lower the risk of persistent tympanic perforations.

Scala vestibuli cochlear implant supported by 3D modeling of the inner ear.

Patients with scala tympani (ST) ossification present a distinct surgical challenge. Three-dimensional (3D) segmentation of the inner ear offers accurate identification of ossification and surgical planning of the cochleostomy to access the scala vestibuli. The scala vestibuli placement of cochlear implantation electrode is an alternate solution in these patients and is well supported by the literature.The present report describes a case of cochlear implantation in the scala vestibuli assisted by 3D segmentation of the cochlea for a patient with ossification in the ST and reviews the relevant literature. Clinical presentation of a 45-year-old Austrian female who was referred with a history of sudden sensorineural hearing loss 2 years ago in the right ear, confirmed by pure tone audiometry (PTA) and acoustically evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR). 3D segmentation of the inner ear identified the extent of ossification in the ST and assisted in the surgical planning of cochleostomy drilling anterior-superior to the round window to access the scala vestibuli for the electrode placement. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) to confirm the electrode placement in the scala vestibuli and PTA was performed to assess the hearing threshold following the cochlear implantation. Postoperative CT confirmed the full insertion of a flexible electrode. The hearing threshold measured by PTA was ≤ 40 dB across all frequencies tested. Review of the literature identified a total of 13 published reports on cochlear implantation electrode placement in scala vestibuli in cases with ossification in the ST.

Protective Effects of PACAP in a Rat Model of Diabetic Neuropathy.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide with a widespread occurrence and diverse effects. PACAP has well-documented neuro- and cytoprotective effects, proven in numerous studies. Among others, PACAP is protective in models of diabetes-associated diseases, such as diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. As the neuropeptide has strong neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions, we aimed at investigating the effects of PACAP in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy, another common complication of diabetes. Rats were treated with PACAP1-38 every second day for 8 weeks starting simultaneously with the streptozotocin injection. Nerve fiber morphology was examined with electron microscopy, chronic neuronal activation in pain processing centers was studied with FosB immunohistochemistry, and functionality was assessed by determining the mechanical nociceptive threshold. PACAP treatment did not alter body weight or blood glucose levels during the 8-week observation period. However, PACAP attenuated the mechanical hyperalgesia, compared to vehicle-treated diabetic animals, and it markedly reduced the morphological signs characteristic for neuropathy: axon-myelin separation, mitochondrial fission, unmyelinated fiber atrophy, and basement membrane thickening of endoneurial vessels. Furthermore, PACAP attenuated the increase in FosB immunoreactivity in the dorsal spinal horn and periaqueductal grey matter. Our results show that PACAP is a promising therapeutic agent in diabetes-associated complications, including diabetic neuropathy.

Wood ants as biological control of the forest pest beetles Ips spp.

Climate change is one of the major threats to biodiversity, but its impact varies among the species. Bark beetles (Ips spp.), as well as other wood-boring pests of European forests, show escalating numbers in response to the changes driven by climate change and seriously affect the survival of the forests through the massive killing of trees. Many methods were developed to control these wood-boring beetles, however, their implementation can be detrimental for other forest specialists. Ants are widely used for biological pest-control, so in our study, we aimed to test the effect of Formica polyctena on the control of the wood-boring beetles. The results show that the proportion of infested trees is significantly reduced by the increase of the number of F. polyctena nests, with a strong effect on those infested by Ips species. We also show that the boring beetle community is shaped by different biotic and abiotic factors, including the presence of F. polyctena nests. However, the boring beetle infestation was not related to the latitude, altitude and age of the forests. Based on our results, we assert the effectiveness of the red wood ants as biological pest control and the importance of their conservation to keep the health of the forests.

Sinonasal mucosal melanoma: treatment strategies and survival rates for a rare disease entity : A single center experience and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) is a rare disease entity comprising 0.4-1.3% of all melanomas. Surgery with free margins has been the primary treatment over decades. Neither the addition of radiotherapy nor chemotherapy could significantly improve outcome rates of this devastating malignancy. This study presents our clinical experience with SNMM over a 19-year period and summarizes the current body of literature on SNMM. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 12 patients with SNMM treated from 2001 to 2019 at an academic center. Additionally, a literature review of the last 29 years on treatment and survival data of SNMM was conducted. RESULTS: Main initial symptoms were epistaxis and nasal obstruction. Of the patients 9 underwent endoscopic surgery, 6 received adjuvant therapy. 3 patients who did not undergo surgery, received chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, and chemotherapy alone, respectively. At the time of diagnosis 2 patients had distant metastases and 4 patients developed distant metastases during the course of the disease. Mean overall survival (OS) was 30.6 months, 3­year and 5­year OS were 25%, and 18.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Unspecific symptoms and hidden anatomic locations lead to delayed diagnosis and increased rates of metastatic dissemination. Distant metastasis is the main treatment failure in SNMM. Surgery with free margins remains the primary treatment for SNMM. Adjuvant radiotherapy might improve local control in individual cases but efficient systemic therapy is needed to improve outcome rates. To evaluate and define more effective targeted treatment options and improve outcome rates, homogeneous data and prospective multicentric analysis are needed.

Intratympanic Triamcinolone Acetonide as a Salvage Treatment for Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

INTRODUCTION: Intratympanic steroid (ITS) injections represent an increasingly used salvage treatment option for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss -(ISSHL) after systemic treatment. The most effective corticosteroid for this treatment modality still remains unclear. Triamcinolone acetonide has been used for ITS treatment in various clinical settings. However, there are limited clinical data of its usage in the therapeutic management of ISSHL. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of intratympanic triamcinolone acetonide injections as a salvage treatment for ISSHL. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review on patients affected by ISSHL with insufficient hearing recovery after primary systemic corticosteroid therapy and who were treated with intratympanic triamcinolone acetonide as a salvage therapy between January 2014 and August 2019. The patients were divided into groups according to their degree of hearing recovery, and we evaluated potential predictors of hearing recovery. Audiometric results were then compared to historic studies using dexamethasone or methylprednisolone. RESULTS: One-hundred and fifty-two patients received up to 3 intratympanic injections with triamcinolone acetonide at 1-week intervals. The mean hearing improvement due to ITS salvage treatment was 15.9 ± 18.9 dB. Complete hearing recovery was noted in 15 patients (9.9%), while 73 patients (48%) obtained partial recovery, and 64 patients (42.1%) had no recovery. Primary systemic treatment delay, hearing improvement by primary systemic treatment, and severity of initial hearing loss were identified as significant predictors of hearing improvement. The first of the 3 injections resulted in the greatest hearing improvement. CONCLUSION: The use of triamcinolone acetonide in ITS salvage treatment resulted in similar hearing improvements as the use of the commonly used corticosteroids, namely, dexamethasone and methylprednisolone. Longer treatment delays, lower hearing improvement by primary systemic treatment, and higher initial hearing loss are associated with poorer prognoses of hearing recovery.

Volumetric Investigation of Sphenoid Sinus in an Elderly Population.

The aims of this study were to determine the sphenoid sinus volume in an Austrian population, evaluate the relationship between volume and different types of pneumatization and investigate possible age-related sphenoid sinus volume degeneration in the elderly. A total of 50 human cadaver including 25 male and 25 female samples (=100 sphenoid sinuses, age range 65-100, mean age 84.52 ±â€Š9.50) were selected to obtain volume and anatomical variants of pneumatization by using sphenoid sinus casts, made of quadrofunctional hydrophilic addition reaction silicone. The mean sphenoid sinus volume was 4.79 ±â€Š2.39 cm. Males showed statistically significant larger sinus volumes than females (P = 0.048). The volume differed statistically significant for the different types of pneumatization (P < 0.001). The combined type of sphenoid sinus pneumatization presented the largest volume with 7.20 cm, followed by lateral, clival, sphenoid body, presellar, and conchal sinus type with 5.72, 5.63, 4.25, 2.08, and 0.5 cm, respectively. No significant correlation between age and sphenoid sinus volume was found (P = 0.707). This study highlights the close relationship between volume and morphology of sphenoid sinus and confirms ethnic variability. Moreover, our data shows no age-related volume degeneration.

Consequences of Climate Change-Induced Habitat Conversions on Red Wood Ants in a Central European Mountain: A Case Study.

The consequences of anthropogenic climate change are one of the major concerns of conservation biology. A cascade of negative effects is expected to affect various ecosystems, one of which is Central European coniferous forests and their unique biota. These coniferous forests are the primary habitat of many forest specialist species such as red wood ants. Climate change-induced rising of temperature allows trees to skip winter hibernation, making them more vulnerable to storms that cause wind felling, and in turn, promotes bark beetle infestations that results in unscheduled clear-cuttings. Red wood ants can also be exposed to such habitat changes. We investigated the effects of bark beetle-induced clear-cutting and the absence of coniferous trees on colonies of Formica polyctena, including a mixed-coniferous forest as a reference. Our aim was to investigate how these habitat features affect the nest characteristics and nesting habits of F. polyctena. Our results indicate that, in the absence of conifers, F. polyctena tend to use different alternatives for nest material, colony structure, and food sources. However, the vitality of F. polyctena colonies significantly decreased (smaller nest mound volumes). Our study highlights the ecological flexibility of this forest specialist and its potential to survive under extreme conditions.

Large- and Small-Scale Environmental Factors Drive Distributions of Ant Mound Size Across a Latitudinal Gradient.

Red wood ants are keystone species of forest ecosystems in Europe. Environmental factors and habitat characteristics affect the size of their nest mounds, an important trait being in concordance with a colony's well-being and impact on its surroundings. In this study, we investigated the effect of large-scale (latitude and altitude) and small-scale environmental factors (e.g., characteristics of the forest) on the size of nest mounds of Formica polyctena in Central Europe. We predicted that the change in nest size is in accordance with Bergmann's rule that states that the body size of endotherm animals increases with the higher latitude and/or altitude. We found that the size of nests increased along the latitudinal gradient in accordance with Bergmann's rule. The irradiation was the most important factor responsible for the changes in nest size, but temperature and local factors, like the perimeter of the trees and their distance from the nest, were also involved. Considering our results, we can better understand the long-term effects and consequences of the fast-changing environmental factors on this ecologically important group. This knowledge can contribute to the planning of forest management tactics in concordance with the assurance of the long-term survival of red wood ants.

DRH1 - a novel blood-based HPV tumour marker.

BACKGROUND: To date, no studies have successfully shown that a highly specific, blood-based tumour marker to detect clinically relevant HPV-induced disease could be used for screening, monitoring therapy response or early detection of recurrence. This study aims to assess the clinical performance of a newly developed HPV16-L1 DRH1 epitope-specific serological assay. METHODS: In a multi-centre study sera of 1486 patients (301 Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, 12 HIV+ anal cancer patients, 80 HIV-positive patients, 29 Gardasil-9-vaccinees, 1064 healthy controls) were tested for human HPV16-L1 DRH1 antibodies. Analytical specificity was determined using WHO reference-sera for HPV16/18 and 29 pre- and post-immune sera of Gardasil-9-vaccinees. Tumour-tissue was immunochemically stained for HPV-L1-capsidprotein-expression. FINDINGS: The DRH1-competitive-serological-assay showed a sensitivity of 95% (95% CI, 77.2-99.9%) for HPV16-driven HNSCC, and 90% (95% CI, 55.5-99.7%) for HPV16-induced anal cancer in HIV-positives. Overall diagnostic specificity was 99.46% for men and 99.29% for women ≥ 30 years. After vaccination, antibody level increased from average 364 ng/ml to 37,500 ng/ml. During post-therapy-monitoring, HNSCC patients showing an antibody decrease in the range of 30-100% lived disease free over a period of up to 26 months. The increase of antibodies from 2750 to 12,000 ng/ml mirrored recurrent disease. We can also show that the L1-capsidprotein is expressed in HPV16-DNA positive tumour-tissue. INTERPRETATION: HPV16-L1 DRH1 epitope-specific antibodies are linked to HPV16-induced malignant disease. As post-treatment biomarker, the assay allows independent post-therapy monitoring as well as early diagnosis of tumour recurrence. An AUC of 0.96 indicates high sensitivity and specificity for early detection of HPV16-induced disease. FUNDING: The manufacturer provided assays free of charge.