A Heat Emergency: Urban Heat Exposure and Access to Refuge in Richmond, VA.

The urban heat island effect exacerbates independent climate change-induced shifts toward longer, stronger, and more frequent heat extremes. Environmental inequity, driven by a history of racially motivated urban planning policies, has led particular demographics to bear the worst impacts of urban heat exposure and thus also climate change. These impacts cause adverse health outcomes in the form of heat emergencies.

Cell-free biosynthesis combined with deep learning accelerates de novo-development of antimicrobial peptides.

Bioactive peptides are key molecules in health and medicine. Deep learning holds a big promise for the discovery and design of bioactive peptides. Yet, suitable experimental approaches are required to validate candidates in high throughput and at low cost.

Recombinant Reporter Phage rTUN1:: Enables Rapid Detection and Real-Time Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of K64 Strains.

The emergence of multi-drug-resistant () strains constitutes an enormous threat to global health as multi-drug resistance-associated treatment failure causes high mortality rates in nosocomial infections. Rapid pathogen detection and antibiotic resistance screening are therefore crucial for successful therapy and thus patient survival. Reporter phage-based diagnostics offer a way to speed up pathogen identification and resistance testing as integration of reporter genes into highly specific phages allows real-time detection of phage replication and thus living host cells.

Evidence that oral immunoglobulins (KMP01) suppress pro-tumor inflammation in rectal carcinoma: Case report and treatment concept.

Background: A female patient aged 49 years with a rectal adenocarcinoma underwent tumor resection and multiple follow-up surgical operations whilst receiving compassionate therapy with polyvalent immunoglobulins derived from bovine colostrum (KMP01), a potential modulator of the pro-tumor inflammatory response.

Aims: Assessment of safety of the treatment, effect on tumor recurrence, and effect on parameters associated with the pro-tumor inflammatory response.

Materials And Methods: The dose of KMP01 varied from 72 g daily in the perioperative period to 12 - 24 g daily thereafter.

Cell-free production of personalized therapeutic phages targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Bacteriophages are potent therapeutics against biohazardous bacteria, which rapidly develop multidrug resistance. However, routine administration of phage therapy is hampered by a lack of rapid production, safe bioengineering, and detailed characterization of phages. Thus, we demonstrate a comprehensive cell-free platform for personalized production, transient engineering, and proteomic characterization of a broad spectrum of phages.

Effect of lockdown and vaccination on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

Background: , derived from observational data published by the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany, is a commonly used parameter to illustrate the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The parameter , equivalent to the doubling-time of the virus described by our research group, has also been useful in this regard.

Aims: To identify and compare parameters suitable for monitoring the course of the pandemic and to evaluate the extent to which these reflect qualitatively and quantitatively the effects of interventional measures introduced to control the pandemic.

In-Depth Analysis of Bacillus anthracis 16S rRNA Genes and Transcripts Reveals Intra- and Intergenomic Diversity and Facilitates Anthrax Detection.

Analysis of 16S rRNA (rRNA) genes provides a central means of taxonomic classification of bacterial species. Based on presumed sequence identity among species of the Bacillus cereus sensu lato group, the 16S rRNA genes of B. anthracis have been considered unsuitable for diagnosis of the anthrax pathogen.

COVID 19: Pandemic assessment and management using Incidence(t+14) and herd immunity - Habere nos alia modum?

The course of the COVID-19 pandemic is commonly evaluated using the 7-day Incidence. We propose using 1) Incidence(t+14), an index for the theoretical course of the pandemic in the absence of lockdown, as a basis for making real-time interventions. 2) The derived parameters t(t) and t(S), obtained with the SIZ algorithm and the Bateman function, for estimating of the required degree of herd immunity to stop the pandemic.

Ultrasensitive Detection of by Real-Time PCR Targeting a Polymorphism in Multi-Copy 16S rRNA Genes and Their Transcripts.

The anthrax pathogen poses a significant threat to human health. Identification of is challenging because of the bacterium's close genetic relationship to other group species. Thus, molecular detection is founded on species-specific PCR targeting single-copy genes.

Enzyme-Linked Phage Receptor Binding Protein Assays (ELPRA) Enable Identification of Colonies.

Bacteriophage receptor binding proteins (RBPs) are employed by viruses to recognize specific surface structures on bacterial host cells. Recombinant RBPs have been utilized for detection of several pathogens, typically as fusions with reporter enzymes or fluorescent proteins. Identification of , the etiological agent of anthrax, can be difficult because of the bacterium's close relationship with other species of the group.

Catching SARS-CoV-2 by Sequence Hybridization: a Comparative Analysis.

Controlling and monitoring the still ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic regarding geographical distribution, evolution, and emergence of new mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is only possible due to continuous next-generation sequencing (NGS) and sharing sequence data worldwide. Efficient sequencing strategies enable the retrieval of increasing numbers of high-quality, full-length genomes and are, hence, indispensable. Two opposed enrichment methods, tiling multiplex PCR and sequence hybridization by bait capture, have been established for SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and are both frequently used, depending on the quality of the patient sample and the question at hand.

COVID-19: Effect-modelling of vaccination in Germany with regard to the mutant strain B.1.1.7 and occupancy of ICU facilities.

Background: The characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe have changed since the initial outbreak in 2019 due to the emergence of more contagious mutant strains, notably the B.1.1.

COVID-19: Predictions for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on the course of the pandemic and critical occupancy of intensive-care facilities in Germany.

Aims Of The Study: To obtain predictions using the Modified Bateman SIZ Model for the effects of vaccination on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

Materials And Methods: Start parameters for the model were obtained from observational data after data-smoothing to reduce between-day variation. Three scenarios, 1) no vaccination, 2) vaccination of 60% of the population over 12 months, 3) vaccination of 60% of the population over 7 months were examined.

Modelling Soluble Solids Content Accumulation in 'Braeburn' Apples.

Optical sensor data can be used to determine changes in anthocyanins, chlorophyll and soluble solids content (SSC) in apple production. In this study, visible and near-infrared spectra (729 to 975 nm) were transformed to SSC values by advanced multivariate calibration models i.e.

COVID-19: Cytokine storm modulation/blockade with oral polyvalent immunoglobulins (PVIG, KMP01D): A potential and safe therapeutic agent ().

Although medication treatment in COVID-19 patients would have no direct effect on the spread of the disease, a shortening of the period of hospitalization by only a few days would release 25 - 30% of critical-care resources. However, there appears to be no well-established medication treatment available that can do this reliably at the present time. Anti-malarials currently being evaluated, i.

Predictions for the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany using the modified Bateman SIZ model.

Aims Of The Study: To obtain predictions for the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany using the modified Bateman SIZ model and input variables based on the status quo in July 2020. To predict the effect of a change in t on the course of the pandemic. To evaluate the robustness and sensitivity of the model in response to a change in the input parameters.

Specific Detection of Based on Receptor Binding Proteins of Phages.

The highly pathogenic bacterium is the causative agent of plague, a notorious infectious zoonotic disease. When transmitted from person to person as pneumonic plague via droplets, is highly contagious and in most cases is fatal if left untreated. Thus, when plague is suspected, rapid diagnosis is crucial, as a serious course of the infection is only averted by early antibiotic therapy.

COVID-19 pandemic predictions using the modified Bateman SIZ model and observational data for Heidelberg, Germany: Effect of vaccination with a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, coronavirus testing and application of the Corona-Warn-App.

Aims Of The Study: Published data show that the current progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in Heidelberg, Germany, despite the current lockdown, could continue into 2021 and become more severe. We have used the modified Bateman SIZ algorithm to predict the effects of interventional measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials And Methods: Model parameters, e.

Rapid Microscopic Detection of by Fluorescent Receptor Binding Proteins of Bacteriophages.

, the etiological agent of anthrax disease, is typically diagnosed by immunological and molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Alternatively, mass spectrometry techniques may aid in confirming the presence of the pathogen or its toxins. However, because of the close genetic relationship between and other members of the group (such or ) mis- or questionable identification occurs frequently.

Evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic using an algorithm based on the Bateman function: Prediction of disease progression using observational data for the city of Heidelberg, Germany .

The COVID-19 pandemic has been evaluated using an algorithm based on the Bateman function in a modified SIR/SIZ-Model. Prediction of the number of persons carrying the live COVID-19 coronavirus (I) in a susceptible population (S) was achieved using two rate constants describing the rate of increase and decrease in the number of infectious persons on a daily basis. The model was verified using observational data for the city of Heidelberg, Germany.

Evaluation of a Highly Efficient DNA Extraction Method for Endospores.

A variety of methods have been established in order to optimize the accessibility of DNA originating from cells and endospores to facilitate highly sensitive molecular diagnostics. However, most endospore lysis techniques have not been evaluated in respect to their quantitative proficiencies. Here, we started by systematically assessing the efficiencies of 20 DNA extraction kits for vegetative cells.