Exfoliation and Delamination of TiCT MXene Prepared Molten Salt Etching Route.

MXenes are two-dimensional metal carbides or nitrides that are currently proposed in many applications thanks to their unique attributes including high conductivity and accessible surface. Recently, a synthetic route was proposed to prepare MXenes from the molten salt etching of precursors allowing for the preparation of MXene (denoted as MS-MXenes, for molten salt MXene) with tuned surface termination groups, resulting in improved electrochemical properties. However, further delamination of as-prepared multilayer MS-MXenes still remains a major challenge.

CNS Involvement in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy: Subtle Retinal Changes in Optical Coherence Tomography.

Background And Objectives: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the peripheral nervous system. However, several noncontrolled studies have suggested concomitant inflammatory CNS demyelination similar to multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate an involvement of the visual pathway in patients with CIDP.

Influence of Nanoscale Intimacy and Zeolite Micropore Size on the Performance of Bifunctional Catalysts for -Heptane Hydroisomerization.

In this study, Pt nanoparticles on zeolite/γ-AlO composites (50/50 wt) were located either the zeolite or the γ-AlO binder, hereby varying the average distance (intimacy) between zeolite acid sites and metal sites from "closest" to "nanoscale". The catalytic performance of these catalysts was compared to physical mixtures of zeolite and Pt/γ-AlO powders, which provide a "microscale" distance between sites. Several beneficial effects on catalytic activity and selectivity for -heptane hydroisomerization were observed when Pt nanoparticles are located on the γ-AlO binder in nanoscale proximity with zeolite acid sites, as opposed to Pt nanoparticles located inside zeolite crystals.

Retinal Changes After Posterior Cerebral Artery Infarctions Display Different Patterns of the Nasal und Temporal Sector in a Case Series.

Visual field defects are a common and disabling consequence of stroke and a negative prognostic factor of patient's quality of life. They result from lesions in different parts of the visual system, most commonly the visual cortex and optic radiation. An important pathophysiological mechanism is transsynaptic retrograde degeneration (TRD).

Impact of the Spatial Organization of Bifunctional Metal-Zeolite Catalysts on the Hydroisomerization of Light Alkanes.

Improving product selectivity by controlling the spatial organization of functional sites at the nanoscale is a critical challenge in bifunctional catalysis. We present a series of composite bifunctional catalysts consisting of one-dimensional zeolites (ZSM-22 and mordenite) and a γ-alumina binder, with platinum particles controllably deposited either on the alumina binder or inside the zeolite crystals. The hydroisomerization of n-heptane demonstrates that the catalysts with platinum particles on the binder, which separates platinum and acid sites at the nanoscale, leads to a higher yield of desired isomers than catalysts with platinum particles inside the zeolite crystals.

Longitudinal optic neuritis-unrelated visual evoked potential changes in NMO spectrum disorders.

Objective: To investigate if patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) develop subclinical visual pathway impairment independent of acute attacks.

Methods: A total of 548 longitudinally assessed full-field visual evoked potentials (VEP) of 167 patients with NMOSD from 16 centers were retrospectively evaluated for changes of P100 latencies and P100-N140 amplitudes. Rates of change in latencies (RCL) and amplitudes (RCA) over time were analyzed for each individual eye using linear regression and compared using generalized estimating equation models.

Multifocal visual evoked potentials in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Objective: Studies using conventional full-field visual evoked potentials (ffVEP) have reported subtle abnormalities in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). We hypothesize that these abnormalities can be detected in the majority of CIDP patients using enhanced methods.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional noninterventional study comparing 18 CIDP patients and 18 matched healthy controls using multifocal VEP (mfVEP) as a technique with enhanced sensitivity to detect conduction abnormalities across the spectrum of optic nerve fibers.

hcp-Co Nanowires Grown on Metallic Foams as Catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.

The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is a structure-sensitive exothermic reaction that enables catalytic transformation of syngas to high quality liquid fuels. Now, monolithic cobalt-based heterogeneous catalysts were elaborated through a wet chemistry approach that allows control over nanocrystal shape and crystallographic phase, while at the same time enables heat management. Copper and nickel foams have been employed as supports for the epitaxial growth of hcp-Co nanowires directly from a solution containing a coordination compound of cobalt and stabilizing ligands.

Reactivity and structural evolution of urchin-like Co nanostructures under controlled environments.

In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of samples in a controlled gas environment allows for the real time study of the dynamical changes in nanomaterials at high temperatures and pressures up to the ambient pressure (10 Pa) with a spatial resolution close to the atomic scale. In the field of catalysis, the implementation and quantitative use of in situ procedures are fundamental for a better understanding of the behaviour of catalysts in their environments and operating conditions. By using a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based atmospheric gas cell, we have studied the thermal stability and the reactivity of crystalline cobalt nanostructures with initial 'urchin-like' morphologies sustained by native surface ligands that result from their synthesis reaction.

Acetazolamide therapy in a case of fingolimod-associated macular edema: early benefits and long-term limitations.

Unlabelled: Fingolimod is a potent drug in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Visual impairment due to fingolimod-associated macular edema (FAME) usually leads to discontinuation of fingolimod therapy.

Methods: We report on a 24-year old woman with bilateral FAME.

Oriented Metallic Nano-Objects on Crystalline Surfaces by Solution Epitaxial Growth.

Chemical methods offer the possibility to synthesize a large panel of nanostructures of various materials with promising properties. One of the main limitations to a mass market development of nanostructure based devices is the integration at a moderate cost of nano-objects into smart architectures. Here we develop a general approach by adapting the seed-mediated solution phase synthesis of nanocrystals in order to directly grow them on crystalline thin films.

Room-Temperature, Strain-Tunable Orientation of Magnetization in a Hybrid Ferromagnetic Co Nanorod-Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Nanocomposite.

Hybrid nanocomposites based on magnetic nanoparticles dispersed in liquid crystalline elastomers are fascinating emerging materials. Their expected strong magneto-elastic coupling may open new applications as actuators, magnetic switches, and for reversible storage of magnetic information. We report here the synthesis of a novel hybrid ferromagnetic liquid crystalline elastomer.

Retinal pathology in Susac syndrome detected by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Objective: The aim of this non-interventional study was to characterize retinal layer pathology in Susac syndrome (SuS), a disease with presumably autoimmune-mediated microvessel occlusions in the retina, brain, and inner ear, in comparison to the most important differential diagnosis multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: Seventeen patients with SuS and 17 age- and sex-matched patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and healthy controls (HC) were prospectively investigated by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) including intraretinal layer segmentation in a multicenter study. Patients with SuS additionally received retinal fluorescein angiography (FA) and automated perimetry.

Retinal pathology in idiopathic moyamoya angiopathy detected by optical coherence tomography.

Objective: To investigate whether patients with moyamoya angiopathy without obvious retinal pathologies such as retinal infarctions or the congenital morning glory anomaly may have subtle subclinical retinal changes.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, spectral domain optical coherence tomography was used to analyze the retinal morphology of 25 patients with idiopathic moyamoya angiopathy and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We analyzed the retinal vasculature with blue laser autofluorescence, lipofuscin deposits with MultiColor confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, and the optic nerve head (ONH) volume with a custom postprocessing algorithm.

Long-term Therapy With Interleukin 6 Receptor Blockade in Highly Active Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Importance: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is characterized by disabling relapses of optic neuritis and myelitis and the presence of aquaporin 4 antibodies (AQP4-abs). Interleukin 6, which is significantly elevated in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with NMO, induces AQP4-ab production by plasmablasts and represents a novel therapeutic target.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of tocilizumab, a humanized antibody targeting the interleukin 6 receptor, in NMO and NMO spectrum disorder.

Subtle retinal pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by neuro-ophthalmological abnormalities beyond disturbed oculomotor control such as decreased visual acuity and disturbed visual evoked potentials. Here we report retinal alterations in a cohort of 24 patients with clinically definite (n = 20) or probable (n = 4) ALS as compared to matched controls. High-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography with retinal segmentation revealed a subtle reduction in the macular thickness and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) as well as a marked thinning of the inner nuclear layer (INL).

Interferon-β-related tumefactive brain lesion in a Caucasian patient with neuromyelitis optica and clinical stabilization with tocilizumab.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severely disabling inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system and is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS). There is increasing evidence that treatment options shown to be beneficial in MS, including interferon-β (IFN-β), are detrimental in NMO.

Case Presentation: We here report the first Caucasian patient with aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody (NMO-IgG)-seropositive NMO presenting with a tumefactive brain lesion on treatment with IFN-β.

[Contribution of spinal cord biopsy to the differential diagnosis of longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis].

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are characterized by recurrent optic neuritis (ON) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) as well as the serological detection of antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4-ab). However, longitudinal extensive spinal cord lesions are not pathognomonic for NMOSD as they can also occur in systemic autoimmune diseases or mimic spinal cord tumors.

Objectives/methods: We report a female patient who initially presented with a subacute spinal syndrome and a longitudinal spinal cord lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Neuromyelitis optica and pregnancy during therapeutic B cell depletion: infant exposure to anti-AQP4 antibody and prevention of rebound relapses with low-dose rituximab postpartum.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) predominantly affects women, some in childbearing age, and requires early therapeutic intervention to prevent disabling relapses. We report an anti-AQP4 antibody-seropositive patient who became pregnant seven months after low-dose (100 mg) rituximab application. Pregnancy showed no complications, and low-dose rituximab restarted two days after delivery resulted in neurological stability for 24 months.

Retinal ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer thinning in clinically isolated syndrome.

Background: Axonal and neuronal damage are widely accepted as key events in the disease course of multiple sclerosis. However, it has been unclear to date at which stage in disease evolution neurodegeneration begins and whether neuronal damage can occur even in the absence of acute inflammatory attacks.

Objective: To characterize inner retinal layer changes in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS).

The leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein (LRPPRC) does not activate transcription in mammalian mitochondria.

Regulation of mtDNA expression is critical for controlling oxidative phosphorylation capacity and has been reported to occur at several different levels in mammalian mitochondria. LRPPRC (leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein) has a key role in this regulation and acts at the post-transcriptional level to stabilize mitochondrial mRNAs, to promote mitochondrial mRNA polyadenylation, and to coordinate mitochondrial translation. However, recent studies have suggested that LRPPRC may have an additional intramitochondrial role by directly interacting with the mitochondrial RNA polymerase POLRMT to stimulate mtDNA transcription.

MTERF1 binds mtDNA to prevent transcriptional interference at the light-strand promoter but is dispensable for rRNA gene transcription regulation.

Mitochondrial transcription termination factor 1, MTERF1, has been reported to couple rRNA gene transcription initiation with termination and is therefore thought to be a key regulator of mammalian mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis. The prevailing model is based on a series of observations published over the last two decades, but no in vivo evidence exists to show that MTERF1 regulates transcription of the heavy-strand region of mtDNA containing the rRNA genes. Here, we demonstrate that knockout of Mterf1 in mice has no effect on mitochondrial rRNA levels or mitochondrial translation.