Humoral response to Epstein-Barr virus in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with B cell depletion therapy.

Background: B cell depletion therapy is highly effective in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, the precise underlying mechanisms of action for its biological effects in MS have still not been clarified. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a known risk factor for MS and seems to be a prerequisite for disease development.

The diagnostic utility of microscopic quality assessment of sputum samples in the era of rapid syndromic PCR testing.

This prospective study assessed the value of initial microscopy evaluation of sputum samples submitted for rapid syndromic PCR-based testing. Bacterial detections by the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel in 126 high- and 108 low-quality sputum samples, based on initial microscopy evaluation in samples from patients with lower respiratory tract infections were compared. We found that high-quality samples had a higher proportion of bacterial detections compared to low-quality samples ( = 0.

Changes in primary care management of atrial fibrillation patients following the shift from warfarin to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants: a Norwegian population based study.

Background: To assess baseline characteristics, drug utilisation and healthcare use for oral anticoagulants (OACs) following the introduction of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants among patients with atrial fibrillation in primary care in Norway.

Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal cohort study, 92,936 patients with atrial fibrillation were identified from the Norwegian Primary Care Registry between 2010 and 2018. Linking to the Norwegian Prescription Database, we identified 64,112 patients (69.

Impact of rapid molecular testing on diagnosis, treatment and management of community-acquired pneumonia in Norway: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (CAPNOR).

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) causes a large burden of disease. Due to difficulties in obtaining representative respiratory samples and insensitive standard microbiological methods, the microbiological aetiology of CAP is difficult to ascertain. With a few exceptions, standard-of-care diagnostics are too slow to influence initial decisions on antimicrobial therapy.

Rapid syndromic PCR testing in patients with respiratory tract infections reduces time to results and improves microbial yield.

Lack of rapid and comprehensive microbiological diagnosis in patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) hampers appropriate antimicrobial therapy. This study evaluates the real-world performance of the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia panel plus (FAP plus) and explores the feasibility of evaluation in a randomised controlled trial. Patients presenting to hospital with suspected CAP were recruited in a prospective feasibility study.

Comparison of rapid molecular testing methods for detecting respiratory viruses in emergency care: a prospective study.

Background: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) caused by contagious viruses are common among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). Early detection of these viruses can help prevent nosocomial transmission.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of three rapid molecular methods, namely FilmArray Pneumonia Panel plus (FAP plus), ID NOW Influenza A and B 2 (ID NOW2) point-of-care test, and an in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, to identify patients with viral RTIs requiring isolation in an emergency setting.

In Situ Strain Evolution on Pt Nanoparticles during Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition.

Fundamental understanding of structural changes during catalytic reactions is crucial to understanding the underlying mechanisms and optimizing efficiencies. Surface energy and related catalytic mechanisms are widely studied. However, the catalyst lattice deformation induced by catalytic processes is not well understood.

Gas-Induced Segregation in Pt-Rh Alloy Nanoparticles Observed by In Situ Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging.

Bimetallic catalysts can undergo segregation or redistribution of the metals driven by oxidizing and reducing environments. Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) was used to relate displacement fields to compositional distributions in crystalline Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles. Three-dimensional images of internal composition showed that the radial distribution of compositions reverses partially between the surface shell and the core when gas flow changes between O_{2} and H_{2}.

Shift Work Including Night Work and Long Working Hours in Industrial Plants Increases the Risk of Atherosclerosis.

There is an abundance of literature reporting an association between shift work and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Few studies have examined early manifestation of CVD using advanced modern methodology. We established a group of 65 shift workers and 29 day workers (controls) in two industrial plants.

Oxidation induced strain and defects in magnetite crystals.

Oxidation of magnetite (FeO) has broad implications in geochemistry, environmental science and materials science. Spatially resolving strain fields and defect evolution during oxidation of magnetite provides further insight into its reaction mechanisms. Here we show that the morphology and internal strain distributions within individual nano-sized (~400 nm) magnetite crystals can be visualized using Bragg coherent diffractive imaging (BCDI).

Substoichiometric Silicon Nitride - An Anode Material for Li-ion Batteries Promising High Stability and High Capacity.

Silicon is often regarded as a likely candidate to replace graphite as the main active anode material in next-generation lithium ion batteries; however, a number of problems impacting its cycle stability have limited its commercial relevance. One approach to solving these issues involves the use of convertible silicon sub-oxides. In this work we have investigated amorphous silicon sub-nitride as an alternative convertible silicon compound by comparing the electrochemical performance of a-SiN thin films with compositions ranging from pure Si to SiN.

The Effect of a Leisure Time Physical Activity Intervention Delivered via a Workplace: 15-Month Follow-Up Study.

In line with recommendations from both the World Health Organization and the European Union some employers encourage workplace health promotion through physical activity (PA) facilities and leisure time PA-initiatives. The current study describes a 15-month follow-up after an 8-week workplace delivered PA-initiative, investigates if improvements in cardiovascular risk status are sustainable, and elucidates differences according to educational level. One hundred and twenty one employees (43 women) were examined before and after the 8-week PA-initiative and 94 at the 15-month follow-up.

Measuring Three-Dimensional Strain and Structural Defects in a Single InGaAs Nanowire Using Coherent X-ray Multiangle Bragg Projection Ptychography.

III-As nanowires are candidates for near-infrared light emitters and detectors that can be directly integrated onto silicon. However, nanoscale to microscale variations in structure, composition, and strain within a given nanowire, as well as variations between nanowires, pose challenges to correlating microstructure with device performance. In this work, we utilize coherent nanofocused X-rays to characterize stacking defects and strain in a single InGaAs nanowire supported on Si.

The self-healing of defects induced by the hydriding phase transformation in palladium nanoparticles.

Nanosizing can dramatically alter material properties by enhancing surface thermodynamic contributions, shortening diffusion lengths, and increasing the number of catalytically active sites per unit volume. These mechanisms have been used to explain the improved properties of catalysts, battery materials, plasmonic materials, etc. Here we show that Pd nanoparticles also have the ability to self-heal defects in their crystal structures.

Long-term Cyclability of Substoichiometric Silicon Nitride Thin Film Anodes for Li-ion Batteries.

Silicon has been the subject of an extensive research effort aimed at developing new anode materials for lithium ion batteries due to its large specific and volumetric capacity. However, commercial use is limited by a number of degradation problems, many of which are related to the large volume change the material undergoes during cycling in combination with limited lithium-diffusivity. Silicon rich silicon oxides (SiO), which converts into active silicon and inactive lithium oxide during the initial lithiation, have attracted some attention as a possible solution to these issues.

Imaging the Hydrogen Absorption Dynamics of Individual Grains in Polycrystalline Palladium Thin Films in 3D.

Defects such as dislocations and grain boundaries often control the properties of polycrystalline materials. In nanocrystalline materials, investigating this structure-function relationship while preserving the sample remains challenging because of the short length scales and buried interfaces involved. Here we use Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to investigate the role of structural inhomogeneity on the hydriding phase transformation dynamics of individual Pd grains in polycrystalline films in three-dimensional detail.

Identifying Defects with Guided Algorithms in Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging.

Crystallographic defects such as dislocations can significantly alter material properties and functionality. However, imaging these imperfections during operation remains challenging due to the short length scales involved and the reactive environments of interest. Bragg coherent diffractive imaging (BCDI) has emerged as a powerful tool capable of identifying dislocations, twin domains, and other defects in 3D detail with nanometer spatial resolution within nanocrystals and grains in reactive environments.

Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging of Zinc Oxide Acoustic Phonons at Picosecond Timescales.

Mesoscale thermal transport is of fundamental interest and practical importance in materials such as thermoelectrics. Coherent lattice vibrations (acoustic phonons) govern thermal transport in crystalline solids and are affected by the shape, size, and defect density in nanoscale materials. The advent of hard x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) capable of producing ultrafast x-ray pulses has significantly impacted the understanding of acoustic phonons by enabling their direct study with x-rays.

Bragg coherent diffractive imaging of single-grain defect dynamics in polycrystalline films.

Polycrystalline material properties depend on the distribution and interactions of their crystalline grains. In particular, grain boundaries and defects are crucial in determining their response to external stimuli. A long-standing challenge is thus to observe individual grains, defects, and strain dynamics inside functional materials.

Stability Limits and Defect Dynamics in Ag Nanoparticles Probed by Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging.

Dissolution is critical to nanomaterial stability, especially for partially dealloyed nanoparticle catalysts. Unfortunately, highly active catalysts are often not stable in their reactive environments, preventing widespread application. Thus, focusing on the structure-stability relationship at the nanoscale is crucial and will likely play an important role in meeting grand challenges.

Three-dimensional imaging of dislocation dynamics during the hydriding phase transformation.

Crystallographic imperfections significantly alter material properties and their response to external stimuli, including solute-induced phase transformations. Despite recent progress in imaging defects using electron and X-ray techniques, in situ three-dimensional imaging of defect dynamics remains challenging. Here, we use Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to image defects during the hydriding phase transformation of palladium nanocrystals.

Avalanching strain dynamics during the hydriding phase transformation in individual palladium nanoparticles.

Phase transitions in reactive environments are crucially important in energy and information storage, catalysis and sensors. Nanostructuring active particles can yield faster charging/discharging kinetics, increased lifespan and record catalytic activities. However, establishing the causal link between structure and function is challenging for nanoparticles, as ensemble measurements convolve intrinsic single-particle properties with sample diversity.