Lithography-free directional control of thermal emission.

Blackbody radiation is incoherent and omnidirectional, whereas various novel applications in renewable energy require a degree of directional control of a thermally emitted beam. So far, such directional control has required nano-structuring the surface of a thermally emitting material, typically by forming diffraction gratings. This, however, necessitates lithography and usually results in polarization-dependent properties.

Anthropometric weight estimation is less accurate than visual weight estimation in forensic postmortem cases in a Swiss population.

When the time since death must be calculated forensic pathologists often consider a calculation based on the Henssge nomogram. This calculation requires an estimated body weight. Previous research has indicated that healthcare workers generally inaccurately guessed patients' body weights.

The inactivated herpes zoster vaccine HZ/su induces a varicella zoster virus specific cellular and humoral immune response in patients on dialysis.

Background: To evaluate the immunogenicity of the inactivated herpes-zoster vaccine HZ/su in patients at increased risk for VZV-reactivation, we analysed the quantity and quality of the vaccine-induced cellular and humoral immunity in patients on dialysis with uremic immunodeficiency.

Methods: In this observational study, 29 patients and 39 immunocompetent controls underwent standard dual-dose vaccination. Blood samples were analysed before and two weeks after each vaccination, and after one year.

Clinical Utility of Recently Food and Drug Administration-Approved IntelliSep Test (Sepsis Biomarker) for Early Diagnosis of Sepsis: Comparison with Other Biomarkers.

IntelliSep by Cytovale has received United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as a sepsis biomarker test.

Prenatal parvovirus B19 infection.

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) causes erythema infectiosum, a.k.a.

Performance of eight commercial immunoassays for the detection of cytomegalovirus-specific IgM antibodies in pregnancy - no test fits all needs.

Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies as first-line serologic diagnosis plays an important role in identifying CMV primary infection during pregnancy. The performance characteristics of eight commercially available CMV IgM assays were compared. Sensitivity and IgM antibody kinetics were assessed using 100 acute phase and follow-up sera from 39 pregnant women with a well-defined onset of CMV primary infection.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pregnancy - Recommendations of the Working Group on Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine (AGG - Section on Maternal Disorders).

The AGG (Working Group for Obstetrics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Section Maternal Diseases) has issued these recommendations to improve the detection and management of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy. Members of the Task Force developed the recommendations and statements presented here using recently published literature. The recommendations were adopted after a consensus process by members of the working group.

Chlorinated polyhedral selenaboranes revisited by joint experimental/computational efforts: the formation of -1-SeBCl and the crystal structure of -SeBCl.

The recent success in the formation of chlorinated telluraboranes and the reactivities of pnictogenaboranes prompted us to re-examine the vacuum co-pyrolysis of BCl with SeCl at various molar ratios and temperatures in order to search for the generation of other polyhedral selenaboranes than -SeBCl (1a) and -SeBCl (1b), the latter being observed earlier. Interestingly, a new compound with the elemental composition SeBCl (2) was detected, this time by high- and low-resolution mass spectrometry. Further characterization by 1- and 2-D B-NMR spectroscopy suggests that 2 should adopt a closed bicapped square-antiprismatic geometry with selenium at the apical position.

Dioxygen Activation and Reduction by a Soluble Iron Phthalocyanine.

Iron ions in a square-planar coordination can bind molecules at the vacant axial positions and are able to transform them in stoichiometric and catalytic reactions. Nature takes advantage of these properties by incorporating iron into porphyrin systems, which play a key role not only in the binding and transport of oxygen, but also in catalytic oxidation and reduction reactions involving cytochrome P450. Although these systems have been studied extensively, there are still unresolved questions regarding the interplay between the iron ions and the surrounding ligands.

Intramolecular Through-Space Double-Electron Transfer Between A Pair of Redox-Active Guanidine Units Aligned by Dithiolate Bridges.

Using unconventional synthesis protocols, two redox-active triguanidine units are connected by a dithiolate bridge, aligning the two redox-active units in close proximity. The reduced, neutral and the tetracationic redox states with two dicationic triguanidine units are isolated and fully characterized. Then, the dicationic redox states are prepared by mixing the neutral and tetracationic molecules.

Crystal structure of Prp16 in complex with ADP.

DEAH-box helicases play a crucial role in pre-mRNA splicing as they are responsible for major rearrangements of the spliceosome and are involved in various quality-ensuring steps. Prp16 is the driving force during spliceosomal catalysis, remodeling the C state into the C* state. Here, the first crystal structure of Prp16 from Chaetomium thermophilum in complex with ADP is reported at 1.

Surface Modification of ITO with N-Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors Results in Electron Selective Contacts in Organic Photovoltaic Devices.

Surface modification of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes with organic molecules is known to tune their work function which results in higher charge carrier selectivity in corresponding organic electronic devices and hence influences the performance of organic solar cells. In recent years, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have also been proven to be capable to modify the work function of metals and semimetals compared to the unfunctionalized surface via the formation of strong covalent bonds. In this report, we have designed and performed the modification of the ITO surface with NHC by using the zwitterionic bench stable IPr-CO as the NHC precursor, applied via spin coating.

Dual-radical-based molecular anisotropy and synergy effect of semi-conductivity and valence tautomerization in a photoswitchable coordination polymer.

Organic radicals are widely used as linkers or ligands to synthesize molecular magnetic materials. However, studies regarding the molecular anisotropies of radical-based magnetic materials and their multifunctionalities are rare. Herein, a photoisomerizable diarylethene ligand was used to form {[Co(3,5-DTSQ)(3,5-DTCat)](6F-DAE-py)}·3CHCN·HO (·3CHCN·HO, 6F-DAE-py = 1,2-bis(2-methyl-5-(4-pyridyl)-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene), a valence-tautomeric (VT) coordination polymer.

Structure and function of spliceosomal DEAH-box ATPases.

Splicing of precursor mRNAs is a hallmark of eukaryotic cells, performed by a huge macromolecular machine, the spliceosome. Four DEAH-box ATPases are essential components of the spliceosome, which play an important role in the spliceosome activation, the splicing reaction, the release of the spliced mRNA and intron lariat, and the disassembly of the spliceosome. An integrative approach comprising X-ray crystallography, single particle cryo electron microscopy, single molecule FRET, and molecular dynamics simulations provided deep insights into the structure, dynamics and function of the spliceosomal DEAH-box ATPases.

Isolated left ventricular cardiac tamponade diagnosed on point-of-care ultrasound in the emergency department: A case report and brief literature review.

In this case report, we describe isolated left ventricular cardiac tamponade, a rare complication of cardiac surgery, diagnosed on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the emergency department (ED). To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a diagnosis made on ED bedside ultrasound. Our patient was a young adult female with a history of recent mitral valve replacement who presented to the ED with dyspnea and was found to have a large loculated pericardial effusion causing left ventricular diastolic collapse.

Conformational dynamics of the RNA binding channel regulates loading and translocation of the DEAH-box helicase Prp43.

The DEAH-box helicase Prp43 has essential functions in pre-mRNA splicing and ribosome biogenesis, remodeling structured RNAs. To initiate unwinding, Prp43 must first accommodate a single-stranded RNA segment into its RNA binding channel. This allows translocation of the helicase on the RNA.

Polio type 2 and 3 eradication: Relevance to the immunity status of individuals living in Germany, 2005-2020.

Since October 2019, poliovirus type 3 (PV3) has been certified as globally eradicated, and further laboratory use of PV3 will be restricted according to the WHO Polio Eradication Initiative and containment measures. To examine a possible gap in PV3 immunity and a lack of immunity against poliovirus type 2 (PV2), which was already declared as eradicated in 2015, neutralising antibodies against polioviruses (PV) of individuals living in Germany (n = 91,530 samples; mainly outpatients (≈90%) who received immune status testing) were investigated from 2005 to 2020 (age distribution: <18 years 15.8%, 18-64 years 71.

Impact of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Antagonist Nimodipine on the Development of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). While most of the current treatment strategies focus on immune cell regulation, except for the drug siponimod, there is no therapeutic intervention that primarily aims at neuroprotection and remyelination. Recently, nimodipine showed a beneficial and remyelinating effect in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS.

Impact of Siponimod on Enteric and Central Nervous System Pathology in Late-Stage Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Although immune modulation and suppression are effective during relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS (SPMS) requires neuroregenerative therapeutic options that act on the CNS. The sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator siponimod is the only approved drug for SPMS.

Regulation of the DEAH/RHA helicase Prp43 by the G-patch factor Pfa1.

The DEAH/RHA helicase Prp43 remodels protein-RNA complexes during pre-messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing and ribosome biogenesis. The helicase activity and ATP turnover are intrinsically low and become activated by G-patch (gp) factors in the specific cellular context. The gp motif connects the helicase core to the flexible C-terminal domains, but it is unclear how this affects RecA domain movement during catalysis and the unwinding of RNA substrates.

Hsp90 contains a natural immunogenic I-A-restricted antigen common to rodent and human species.

Thorough understanding of the role of CD4 T cells in immunity can be greatly assisted by the study of responses to defined specificities. This requires knowledge of -derived immunogenic epitopes, of which only a few have been identified, especially for the mouse C57BL/6 background. We recently developed a TCR transgenic mouse line, termed PbT-II, that produces CD4 T cells specific for an MHC class II (I-A)-restricted epitope and is responsive to both sporozoites and blood-stage .

Nimodipine Exerts Beneficial Effects on the Rat Oligodendrocyte Cell Line OLN-93.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Therapy is currently limited to drugs that interfere with the immune system; treatment options that primarily mediate neuroprotection and prevent neurodegeneration are not available. Here, we studied the effects of nimodipine on the rat cell line OLN-93, which resembles young mature oligodendrocytes.

Antibody cross-reactivity between casein and myelin-associated glycoprotein results in central nervous system demyelination.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with a high socioeconomic relevance. The pathophysiology of MS, which is both complex and incompletely understood, is believed to be influenced by various environmental determinants, including diet. Since the 1990s, a correlation between the consumption of bovine milk products and MS prevalence has been debated.

Accuracy and real life performance of a novel interferon-γ release assay for the detection of SARS-CoV2 specific T cell response.

Background: The reliable detection of T cell response to COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination is important for individual patient care and for monitoring the immune response e.g. in COVID-19 vaccine trials in a standardized fashion.

Serial Monitoring and Hyperimmunoglobulin versus Standard of Care to Prevent Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: A Phase III Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Nonrandomized studies support the potential of cytomegalovirus hyperimmunoglobulin (CMV-HyperIg) in preventing maternofetal CMV transmission, but prospective interventional studies show equivocal results. We pre-sent a prospective phase-III international randomized open-label trial on the potential effect of CMV-HyperIg following serial monitoring of CMV serostatus.

Methods: CMV-seronegative pregnant women (gestational age [GA] <14 weeks) were 1:1 randomized to monthly CMV-serostatus monitoring and CMV-HyperIg upon seroconversion (treatment), or routine prenatal care with CMV-serostatus testing at end of pregnancy (control).