Itaconic Acid as a Comonomer in Betulin-Based Thermosets via Sequential and Bulk Preparation.

The inherent chemical functionalities of biobased monomers enable the production of renewably sourced polymers that further advance sustainable manufacturing. Itaconic acid (IA) is a nontoxic, commercially produced biobased monomer that can undergo both UV and thermal curing. Betulin is a biocompatible, structurally complex diol derived from birch tree bark that has been recently studied for materials with diverse applications.

Investigation of Inkjet-Printed Masks for Fast and Easy Photolithographic NIL Masters Manufacturing.

Modern optical systems often require small, optically effective structures that have to be manufactured both precisely and cost-effectively. One option to do this is using nanoimprint lithography (NIL), in which the optical structures are replicated as masters using a stamping process. It would also be advantageous to manufacture the master structures quickly and easily.

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube Cups for Cancer Therapy.

Carbon nanomaterials have attracted significant attention for a variety of biomedical applications including sensing and detection, photothermal therapy, and delivery of therapeutic cargo. The ease of chemical functionalization, tunable length scales and morphologies, and ability to undergo complete enzymatic degradation make carbon nanomaterials an ideal drug delivery system. Much work has been done to synthesize carbon nanomaterials ranging from carbon dots, graphene, and carbon nanotubes to carbon nanocapsules, specifically carbon nanohorns or nitrogen-doped carbon nanocups.

Experienced stigma and applied coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a mixed-methods study.

Objective: Health-related stigma is considered a social determinant of health equity and a hidden burden of disease. This study aimed to assess the level and dimensions of stigma and respective coping mechanisms in COVID-19 survivors.

Methods: A mixed-methods study with sequential explanatory design was conducted at the University Hospital of Ulm, Germany.

Initial Risk Assessment in Patients with Alveolar Echinococcosis-Results from a Retrospective Cohort Study.

: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a potentially lethal parasitosis with a broad spectrum of disease dynamics in affected patients. To guide clinical management, we assessed initial prognostic factors for both progressive and controlled AE based on initial staging. : A retrospective cohort study was conducted, examining 279 patients assigned to different clinical groups: cured, stable with and without the need for benzimidazole treatment, and progressive disease.

The Combined Effect of IgG and Fe Supply and Feeding Management on Growth Rates of Calves on Eight Commercial Dairy Farms in Germany.

During the first days of a calf’s life, the foundations are laid for successful growth and thus also for the later performance of the cows. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact on the weight gain of newborn calves due to important management factors related to colostrum supply, iron supply, feeding regime and microbial load at first feeding. In spring 2017, information of 123 Holstein calves were analyzed with regard to the colostrum supply and management factors on eight commercial dairy farms located in Germany.

Salvage Therapy for Alveolar Echinococcosis-A Case Series.

Benzimidazoles are the only approved drugs for the treatment of inoperable human alveolar echinococcosis but may be limited due to intolerance or, rarely, ineffectiveness. A medical second-line or salvage therapy is not available, though it is urgently needed. We report long-term follow-up data from 14 patients who underwent salvage therapy with repurposed drugs with cumulatively 53.

Echinococcus multilocularis specific antibody, systemic cytokine, and chemokine levels, as well as antigen-specific cellular responses in patients with progressive, stable, and cured alveolar echinococcosis: A 10-year follow-up.

Background: The infestation with Echinococcus multilocularis larvae may persist in humans for up to decades without evident clinical symptoms. Longitudinal investigations are needed to understand the dynamic immunological processes in alveolar echinococcosis (AE) patients associated with an active and progressive, a stable or a regressive course of disease.

Methodology/principal Findings: This study evaluated the E.

DiGA - A Chance for the German Healthcare System.

A DiGA is a safe and data-protected interoperable medical device (officially called a "digital health application") of a low-risk class, which has the potential to improve the healthcare system in Germany for patients - with or without the involvement of a physician. It therefore already represents the first component of the envisaged future digitalised healthcare. In order not to promote the emergence of parallel healthcare markets (3 Healthcare Market), a rapid rethinking is necessary, above all among physicians requiring more expertise and competence regarding digitalisation.

Breath Acetone Sensing Based on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Titanium Dioxide Hybrids Enabled by a Custom-Built Dehumidifier.

Acetone is a metabolic byproduct found in the exhaled breath and can be measured to monitor the metabolic degree of ketosis. In this state, the body uses free fatty acids as its main source of fuel because there is limited access to glucose. Monitoring ketosis is important for type I diabetes patients to prevent ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal condition, and individuals adjusting to a low-carbohydrate diet.

Parasites of the liver - epidemiology, diagnosis and clinical management in the European context.

Parasites in the liver cause significant global morbidity and mortality, as they can lead to recurrent cholangitis, cirrhosis, liver failure and cancer. Due to climate change and globalisation, their incidence is increasing, especially in Europe. The correct diagnosis of a hepatic parasite is often delayed because clinicians are unfamiliar with respective entities.

Interaction of TLR4 and TLR8 in the Innate Immune Response against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

The interaction and crosstalk of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is an established pathway in which the innate immune system recognises and fights pathogens. In a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) analysis of an Indian cohort, we found evidence for both TLR4-399T and TRL8-1A conveying increased susceptibility towards tuberculosis (TB) in an interdependent manner, even though there is no established TLR4 ligand present in (Mtb), which is the causative pathogen of TB. Docking studies revealed that TLR4 and TLR8 can build a heterodimer, allowing interaction with TLR8 ligands.

Synthesis of Holey Graphene Nanoparticle Compounds.

Bulk-scale syntheses of sp nanocarbon have typically been generated by extensive chemical oxidation to yield graphite oxide from graphite, followed by a reductive step. Materials generated via harsh random processes lose desirable physical characteristics. Loss of sp conjugation inhibits long-range electronic transport and the potential for electronic band manipulation.

RNA Sensing of and Its Impact on TB Vaccination Strategies.

Tuberculosis (TB) is still an important global threat and although the causing organism has been discovered long ago, effective prevention strategies are lacking. (MTB) is a unique pathogen with a complex host interaction. Understanding the immune responses upon infection with MTB is crucial for the development of new vaccination strategies and therapeutic targets for TB.

Modification of Carbon Nitride/Reduced Graphene Oxide van der Waals Heterostructure with Copper Nanoparticles To Improve CO Sensitivity.

Carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) van der Waals heterostructures (vdWH) have previously shown exceptional oxygen sensitivity via a photoredox mechanism, making it a potential material candidate for various applications such as oxygen reduction reaction catalysis and oxygen sensing. In this work, the electronic structure of a carbon nitride/rGO composite is modified through the introduction of copper nanoparticles (NPs). When incorporated into a chemiresistor device, this vdWH displayed a newfound CO sensitivity.

Tetrahydrocannabinol Detection Using Semiconductor-Enriched Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Chemiresistors.

Semiconductor-enriched single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) have potential for application as a chemiresistor for the detection of breath compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound found in the marijuana plant. Herein we show that chemiresistor devices fabricated from s-SWCNT ink using dielectrophoresis can be incorporated into a hand-held breathalyzer with sensitivity toward THC generated from a bubbler containing analytical standard in ethanol and a heated sample evaporator that releases compounds from steel wool. The steel wool was used to capture THC from exhaled marijuana smoke.

Probing Ca-induced conformational change of calmodulin with gold nanoparticle-decorated single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistors.

Nanomaterials are ideal for electrochemical biosensors, with their nanoscale dimensions enabling the sensitive probing of biomolecular interactions. In this study, we compare field-effect transistors (FET) comprised of unsorted (un-) and semiconducting-enriched (sc-) single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). un-SWCNTs have both metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs in the ensemble, while sc-SWCNTs have a >99.

Characterizing the Cellular Response to Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanocups.

Carbon nanomaterials, specifically, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have many potential applications in biology and medicine. Currently, this material has not reached its full potential for application due to the potential toxicity to mammalian cells, and the incomplete understanding of how CNTs interface with cells. The chemical composition and structural features of CNTs have been shown to directly affect their biological compatibility.

A SNP upstream of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) gene protects from relapse and extra-pulmonary TB and relates to BCG vaccination status in an Indian cohort.

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is a major health care threat worldwide causing over a million deaths annually. Host-pathogen interaction is complex, and a strong genetic contribution to disease susceptibility has been proposed.

Holey Graphene Metal Nanoparticle Composites via Crystalline Polymer Templated Etching.

While graphene has sparked enormous research interest since its isolation in 2004, there has also been an interest in developing graphene composite materials that leverage graphene's extraordinary physical properties toward new technologies. Oxidative analogues such as graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide retain many of the same properties of graphene. While these materials contain many functional moieties, defect formation through current oxidation methods is random which, despite reductive treatments, can never fully recover the properties of the starting material.

Growth of ZIF-8 on molecularly ordered 2-methylimidazole/single-walled carbon nanotubes to form highly porous, electrically conductive composites.

The combination of porosity and electrical conductivity in a single nanomaterial is important for a variety of applications. In this work, we demonstrate the growth of ZIF-8 on the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The growth mechanism was investigated and a molecularly ordered imidazole solvation layer was found to disperse SWCNTs and promote crystal growth on the sidewalls.

The importance of sexuality, changes in erectile functioning and its association with self-esteem in men with localized prostate cancer: data from an observational study.

Background: Treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa) can cause long-term changes in erectile functioning. However, data on the importance of sexuality and possible consequences of altered erectile functioning on self-esteem in men with localized PCa are lacking.

Methods: Self-report questionnaires were completed by 292 men with PCa, initially managed with active surveillance (AS) or radical prostatectomy (RP).

Machine-Learning Identification of the Sensing Descriptors Relevant in Molecular Interactions with Metal Nanoparticle-Decorated Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors.

Carbon nanotube-based field-effect transistors (NTFETs) are ideal sensor devices as they provide rich information regarding carbon nanotube interactions with target analytes and have potential for miniaturization in diverse applications in medical, safety, environmental, and energy sectors. Herein, we investigate chemical detection with cross-sensitive NTFETs sensor arrays comprised of metal nanoparticle-decorated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). By combining analysis of NTFET device characteristics with supervised machine-learning algorithms, we have successfully discriminated among five selected purine compounds, adenine, guanine, xanthine, uric acid, and caffeine.

Targeting myeloid regulators by paclitaxel-loaded enzymatically degradable nanocups.

Tumor microenvironment is characterized by immunosuppressive mechanisms associated with the accumulation of immune regulatory cells - myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Therapeutic depletion of MDSC has been associated with inhibition of tumor growth and therefore represents an attractive approach to cancer immunotherapy. MDSC in cancer are characterized by enhanced enzymatic capacity to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) which have been shown to effectively degrade carbonaceous materials.

Recognition of microbial viability via TLR8 drives T cell differentiation and vaccine responses.

Live attenuated vaccines are generally highly efficacious and often superior to inactivated vaccines, yet the underlying mechanisms of this remain largely unclear. Here we identify recognition of microbial viability as a potent stimulus for follicular helper T cell (T cell) differentiation and vaccine responses. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) distinguished viable bacteria from dead bacteria through Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8)-dependent detection of bacterial RNA.