Cytokine Hemoadsorption versus Standard Care in Cardiac Surgery Using the Oxiris® Membrane: the OXICARD single center randomized trial.

Background: Cardiac surgery can lead to dysregulation with a pro-inflammatory state, resulting in adverse outcomes. Hemadsorption using the AN69 membrane (Oxiris membrane) has the properties to chelate inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that in patients at high risk of inflammation, the use of the Oxiris membrane could decrease inflammation, preserve endothelial function, and improve postoperative outcomes.

Excited state relaxation mechanisms of paracetamol and acetanilide.

The photochemical pathways of acetanilide and paracetamol were investigated using the XMS-CASPT2 quantum chemical method and the cc-pVDZ (correlation consistent polarized valence double- ) basis set. In both compounds, the bright state is the second excited state, designated as a L) state. Through a detailed exploration of the potential energy profile and the conical intersection structure between the L) and ground states, we gained a better understanding of how cleavage might occur in both molecules upon photoexcitation.

Anti-inflammatory mechanisms in cancer research: Characterization of a distinct M2-like macrophage model derived from the THP-1 cell line.

Aims: Macrophages play an essential role in cancer development. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have predominantly M2-like attributes that are associated with tumor progression and poor patient survival. Numerous methods have been reported for differentiating and polarizing macrophages in vitro, but there is no standardized and validated model for creating TAMs.

Photophysics of Adenine and Guanine fluorescent nucleobases embedded into DNA and RNA.

UV-VIS photoinduced events of A and G embedded into DNA and RNA are described by combining the Extended Multi-State Second-Order Perturbation Theory (XMS-CASPT2) and electrostatic embedding molecular mechanics methods (QM/MM). Our results point out that the S (ππ* L ) state is the bright state in both environments. After the photoexcitation to the S (ππ* L ) state, the electronic population evolves barrierless towards its minimum, from where the excess of energy can be dissipated by fluorescence.

A Nrf2-OSGIN1&2-HSP70 axis mediates cigarette smoke-induced endothelial detachment: implications for plaque erosion.

Aims: Endothelial erosion of plaques is responsible for ∼30% of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Smoking is a risk factor for plaque erosion, which most frequently occurs on the upstream surface of plaques where the endothelium experiences elevated shear stress. We sought to recreate these conditions in vitro to identify potential pathological mechanisms that might be of relevance to plaque erosion.

ARHGEF18/p114RhoGEF Coordinates PKA/CREB Signaling and Actomyosin Remodeling to Promote Trophoblast Cell-Cell Fusion During Placenta Morphogenesis.

Coordination of cell-cell adhesion, actomyosin dynamics and gene expression is crucial for morphogenetic processes underlying tissue and organ development. Rho GTPases are main regulators of the cytoskeleton and adhesion. They are activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors in a spatially and temporally controlled manner.

Finite element reconstruction of a vehicle-to-pedestrian impact.

Objective: This study aims to reconstruct a real-world Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network vehicle-to-pedestrian impact to supplement the determination of pedestrian kinematics and injury causation.

Methods: A case involving a 46-year-old male pedestrian with a height of 163 cm and mass of 100 kg that was impacted by a 2019 Dodge Charger Pursuit police cruiser at an approximate velocity of 20.1 m/s was reconstructed.

Proton transfer in fluorescent secondary amines: synthesis, photophysics, theoretical calculation and preparation of photoactive phosphatidylcholine-based liposomes.

In this article, new fluorescent lipophilic based benzazoles were synthesized from the reaction between photoactive formyl derivatives and aliphatic amines followed by NaBH4 reduction with good yields. The photophysics of the benzazoles was investigated experimentally and theoretically. These compounds present absorption maxima in the UV region (∼339 nm) and fluorescence emission maxima in the cyan to green region with a large Stokes shift (∼175 nm) due to a proton transfer process in the excited state.

A new algorithm for "the LCS problem" with application in compressing genome resequencing data.

Background: The longest common subsequence (LCS) problem is a classical problem in computer science, and forms the basis of the current best-performing reference-based compression schemes for genome resequencing data.

Methods: First, we present a new algorithm for the LCS problem. Using the generalized suffix tree, we identify the common substrings shared between the two input sequences.

Cesium Lead Halide Perovskites with Improved Stability for Tandem Solar Cells.

A semiconductor that can be processed on a large scale with a bandgap around 1.8 eV could enable the manufacture of highly efficient low cost double-junction solar cells on crystalline Si. Solution-processable organic-inorganic halide perovskites have recently generated considerable excitement as absorbers in single-junction solar cells, and though it is possible to tune the bandgap of (CH3NH3)Pb(BrxI1-x)3 between 2.

Excimer laser induced quantum well intermixing: a reproducibility study of the process for fabrication of photonic integrated devices.

Excimer (ultraviolet) laser-induced quantum well intermixing (UV-Laser-QWI) is an attractive technique for wafer level post-growth processing and fabrication of a variety of monolithically integrated photonic devices. The results of UV-Laser-QWI employed for the fabrication of multibandgap III-V semiconductor wafers have demonstrated the attractive character of this approach although the process accuracy and reproducibility have remained relatively weakly covered in related literature. We report on a systematic investigation of the reproducibility of this process induced with a KrF excimer laser.

Clonal structure of rapid-onset MDV-driven CD4+ lymphomas and responding CD8+ T cells.

Lymphoid oncogenesis is a life threatening complication associated with a number of persistent viral infections (e.g. EBV and HTLV-1 in humans).

Tracking deaths related to Hurricane Ike, Texas, 2008.

Background: On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike, a category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, made landfall near Galveston, Texas. Ike produced a damaging, destructive, and deadly storm surge across the upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts. Thirty-four Texas counties were declared disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; 15 counties were under mandatory evacuation orders.

Colloidal synthesis of lead oxide nanocrystals for photovoltaics.

Lead oxide nanocrystals are synthesised by injecting oxygen gas into an air and moisture free complex of Pb oleylamine and oleic acid in octadecene. Using various characterization methods including fabrication and testing of photovoltaic devices we explore the material properties and photovoltaic application of lead oxide nanocrystal films.

Regional and global changes in TCRalphabeta T cell repertoires in the gut are dependent upon the complexity of the enteric microflora.

The repertoire of gut associated T cells is shaped by exposure to microbes, including the natural enteric microflora. Previous studies compared the repertoire of gut associated T cell populations in germ free (GF) and conventional mammals often focussing on intra-epithelial lymphocyte compartments. Using GF, conventional and monocolonised (gnotobiotic) chickens and chicken TCRbeta-repertoire analysis techniques, we determined the influence of microbial status on global and regional enteric TCRbeta repertoires.

Self-assembly of SbCl3 and 1,4-dioxane: cubic structure connected by very weak bonds.

The self-assembly of SbCl(3) and 1,4-dioxane in a 2:3 ratio leads to an interpenetrating extended cubic structure from X-ray crystallography. The structure is held together by very weak Sb-O bonds ( approximately 7 kcal/mol each), which still maintain strong directionality. Parameterization and subsequent simulation of the system using a reactive force field (ReaxFF) gives us insight into the key interactions necessary for self-assembly from a completely random configuration of molecules into the experimentally observed cubic structure.

The effect of L-arginine and creatine on vascular function and homocysteine metabolism.

Studies with L-arginine supplementation have shown inconsistent effects on endothelial function. The generation of guanidinoacetate (GAA) from L-arginine with subsequent formation of creatine and homocysteine and consumption of methionine may reduce the pool of L-arginine available for nitric oxide generation. Experimental studies suggest that creatine supplementation might block this pathway.

Relation of cumulative weight burden to vascular endothelial dysfunction in obesity.

Although excess fat mass is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, the relation between vascular phenotype and degree of obesity in high weight categories is unknown. We examined brachial artery vasomotor responses using ultrasound in 203 consecutive patients with severe obesity (mean age 44 +/- 11 years; body mass index [BMI] 46 +/- 9 kg/m(2), range 30 to 72; and body weight 128 +/- 29 kg, range 69 to 207). We studied a unique population in which 71% of subjects were characterized as morbidly obese (BMI > or =40 kg/m(2)), which included a 31% group of super-obese subjects (BMI > or =50 kg/m(2)).

Vibrational behavior of the -NO2 group in energetic compounds.

The vibrational modes of the -NO2 group in more than fifty energetic compounds containing the C-nitro and N-nitro functionalities were observed and then calculated in optimized structures using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31+G*). The trends in the symmetric and asymmetric stretches and scissor and out-of-plane deformations were explained by these calculations. A previously unreported correlation was found between the nitro group internal bonding angle and its asymmetric stretching frequency.

Antibody response to Salmonella: its induction and role in protection against avian enteric salmonellosis.

Human enteritis resulting from the consumption of poultry products contaminated with serovars of Salmonella enterica remains a major public-health concern. Reducing food contamination by preventing or controlling infection in the chicken during rearing is an attractive solution. An accurate understanding of the mechanisms of immunity to Salmonella infection in the chicken will help to focus the development of vaccines for birds and prevent contaminated products from entering the human food chain.

Cross-reactive cellular and humoral immune responses to Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis are associated with protection to heterologous re-challenge.

Chickens infected with Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium (ST) and Enteritidis (SE) still represent a major source of human food poisoning via consumption of contaminated meat and eggs. Vaccination represents a sustainable approach to control Salmonella in the chicken and the serovar specificity of immunity has the potential to impact on the need for multivalent vaccines. The issue of cross-reactive immune responses and cross-serovar protection was examined in these experiments.