Autoantibody clusters in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: Insights from a multicenter study with 912 patients.

To identify clusters of autoantibodies in a large cSLE population and to verify possible associations between different autoantibody clusters and the following variables: demographic data, cumulative clinical and laboratory manifestations, disease activity, cumulative damage and mortality. A cross-sectional study was performed in 27 Pediatric Rheumatology University centers, including 912 cSLE patients. The frequencies of seven selected autoantibodies (anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro/SSA, anti-La/SSB, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, aCL IgM and/or IgG and LA) were used for cluster analysis using the K-means method.

Decision Trees for the Recognition of Metal-Centered Chirality in Coordination Complexes.

While established guidelines exist for chirality in tetrahedral molecules, there is a notable absence of clear rules for recognizing metal-centered chirality in higher-coordination complexes. We develop decision trees to assess the likelihood of chirality-at-metal in coordination complexes with coordination numbers 4-9 with mono and bidentate ligands. Using binary decision rules based on shape, ligand type, and quantity, the trees classify complexes as chiral or achiral.

Reagent efficiency and analytical sensitivity optimization for a reliable SARS-CoV-2 pool-based testing strategy.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused millions of infections worldwide. Among the strategies for effective containment, frequent and massive testing was fundamental. Although sample pooling allows multiplying the installed analysis capacity, the definition of the number of samples to include in a pool is commonly guided more by economic parameters than analytical quality.

Comparison between the fluid-structure interaction approach and the finite element method approach to analyze the leaflet flutter in bioprosthetic aortic valve.

The low durability of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV), between 10-15 years, is associated with the development of leaflets flutter. Despite increasing calcification and structural damage of the BHV, leaflets flutter is an understudied condition. Therefore, the objective of this study is compare the oscillation characteristics of BHV leaflets obtained by the finite element method (FEM) technique and by the fluid-structural interaction (FSI) technique.