Shared genetic origin of asthma, hay fever and eczema elucidates allergic disease biology.

Asthma, hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) and eczema (or atopic dermatitis) often coexist in the same individuals, partly because of a shared genetic origin. To identify shared risk variants, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS; n = 360,838) of a broad allergic disease phenotype that considers the presence of any one of these three diseases. We identified 136 independent risk variants (P < 3 × 10), including 73 not previously reported, which implicate 132 nearby genes in allergic disease pathophysiology.

Genome-wide association study identifies the SERPINB gene cluster as a susceptibility locus for food allergy.

Genetic factors and mechanisms underlying food allergy are largely unknown. Due to heterogeneity of symptoms a reliable diagnosis is often difficult to make. Here, we report a genome-wide association study on food allergy diagnosed by oral food challenge in 497 cases and 2387 controls.

In vivo characterization of the downfield part of H MR spectra of human brain at 9.4 T: Magnetization exchange with water and relation to conventionally determined metabolite content.

Purpose: To perform exchange-rate measurements on the in vivo human brain downfield spectrum (5-10 ppm) at 9.4 T and to compare the variation in concentrations of the downfield resonances and of known upfield metabolites to determine potential peak labels.

Methods: Non-water-suppressed metabolite cycling was used in combination with an inversion transfer technique in two brain locations in healthy volunteers to measure the exchange rates and T values of exchanging peaks.

Nonconventional C-H···F Hydrogen Bonds Support a Tetrad Flip in Modified G-Quadruplexes.

A G-quadruplex adopting a (3 + 1)-hybrid structure was substituted at its 5'-tetrad by 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-arabinoguanosine (araG) analogs. Incorporation of anti-favoring araG at syn-positions of the 5'-outer tetrad induced a reversal of the tetrad polarity without noticeably compromising the quadruplex stability. This conformational change is shown to be promoted by nonconventional C-H···F hydrogen bonds acting within the anti-araG residues.

Studies of life history of Gagea graeca (Liliaceae) based on morphological and molecular methods.

Background: We studied the life history of Gagea graeca (L.) A. Terracc.

Global quantification of phosphoproteins combining metabolic labeling and gel-based proteomics in B. pumilus.

Differential proteomics targeting the protein abundance is commonly used to follow changes in biological systems. Differences in localization and degree of post-translational modifications of proteins including phosphorylations are of tremendous interest due to the anticipated role in molecular regulatory processes. Because of their particular low abundance in prokaryotes, identification and quantification of protein phosphorylation is traditionally performed by either comparison of spot intensities on two-dimensional gels after differential phosphoprotein staining or gel-free by stable isotope labeling, sequential phosphopeptide enrichment and following LC-MS analysis.

Species richness effects on grassland recovery from drought depend on community productivity in a multisite experiment.

Biodiversity can buffer ecosystem functioning against extreme climatic events, but few experiments have explicitly tested this. Here, we present the first multisite biodiversity × drought manipulation experiment to examine drought resistance and recovery at five temperate and Mediterranean grassland sites. Aboveground biomass production declined by 30% due to experimental drought (standardised local extremity by rainfall exclusion for 72-98 consecutive days).

Abdominal fat deposits determined by magnetic resonance imaging in relation to leptin and vaspin levels as well as insulin resistance in the general adult population.

Background: Various fat depots including visceral (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) or liver fat content (LFC) were supposed to have different influences on various entities including adipokine levels as well as insulin resistance/sensitivity. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the associations of SAT, VAT and LFC with the levels of leptin and vaspin as well as insulin resistance in a general non-diabetic population.

Methods: In total, 1825 participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania were characterized according to body fat compartments and LFC determined by magnetic resonance imaging.

Development and Validation of a Chronic Pancreatitis Prognosis Score in 2 Independent Cohorts.

Background & Aims: The clinical course of chronic pancreatitis is unpredictable. There is no model to assess disease severity or progression or predict patient outcomes.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of 91 patients with chronic pancreatitis; data were collected from patients seen at academic centers in Europe from January 2011 through April 2014.

Newcastle disease virus mediates pancreatic tumor rejection via NK cell activation and prevents cancer relapse by prompting adaptive immunity.

Pancreatic cancer is the 8th most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and the tumor with the poorest prognosis of all solid malignancies. In 1957, it was discovered that Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has oncolytic properties on tumor cells. To study the oncolytic properties of NDV in pancreatic cancer a single dose was administered intravenously in a syngeneic orthotopic tumor model using two different murine pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines (DT6606PDA, Panc02).

Light-sound interconversion in optomechanical Dirac materials.

Analyzing the scattering and conversion process between photons and phonons coupled via radiation pressure in a circular quantum dot on a honeycomb array of optomechanical cells, we demonstrate the emergence of optomechanical Dirac physics. Specifically we prove the formation of polaritonic quasi-bound states inside the dot, and angle-dependent Klein tunneling of light and emission of sound, depending on the energy of the incident photon, the photon-phonon interaction strength, and the radius of the dot. We furthermore demonstrate that forward scattering of light or sound can almost switched off by an optically tuned Fano resonance; thereby the system may act as an optomechanical translator in a future photon-phonon based circuitry.

Assessment of swallowability and palatability of oral dosage forms in children: Report from an M-CERSI pediatric formulation workshop.

The acceptability of pediatric pharmaceutical products to patients and their caregivers can have a profound impact on the resulting therapeutic outcome. However, existing methodology and approaches used for acceptability assessments for pediatric products is fragmented, making robust and consistent product evaluations difficult. A pediatric formulation development workshop took place in Washington, DC in June 2016 through the University of Maryland's Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (M-CERSI).

Genome-wide association and targeted analysis of copy number variants with psoriatic arthritis in German patients.

Background: Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints. PsA is etiologically complex, and 11 susceptibility loci have been identified so far. Most of these overlap with loci associated with psoriasis vulgaris (PsV), the most common psoriatic skin manifestation which is also frequently seen in PsA patients.

Cost of diagnosing dementia in a German memory clinic.

Background: Little is known about diagnostic work-ups or the costs of diagnosing dementia in specialized care. Here, we analyzed the costs of diagnosing dementia according to specific dementia disorders.

Methods: A prospective descriptive design was used to analyze the cost of diagnosing dementia for 120 patients with suspected dementia at a German memory clinic.

Dolichoectasia and Small Vessel Disease in Young Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke.

Background And Purpose: We evaluated whether basilar dolichoectasia is associated with markers of cerebral small vessel disease in younger transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke patients.

Methods: We used data from the SIFAP1 study (Stroke in Young Fabry Patients), a large prospective, hospital-based, screening study for Fabry disease in young (<55 years) transient ischemic attack/stroke patients in whom detailed clinical data and brain MRI were obtained, and stroke subtyping with TOAST classification (Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) was performed.

Results: Dolichoectasia was found in 508 of 3850 (13.

Psychological, situational and application-related determinants of the intention to self-test: a factorial survey among students.

Background: The Internet enables an unprecedented opportunity to access a broad range of self-tests (e.g. testing for HIV, cancer, hepatitis B/C), which can be conducted by lay consumers without the help of a health professional.

Estimating the causal effect of body mass index on hay fever, asthma and lung function using Mendelian randomization.

Background: Observational studies have shown that body mass index (BMI) is positively associated with asthma. However, observational data are prone to confounding and reverse causation. In Mendelian randomization, genetic variants are used as unconfounded markers of exposures to examine causal effects.

A stability study of amphotericin B, colistin and tobramycin in a hydrophilic suspension commonly used for selective decontamination of the digestive tract by HPLC and in vitro potency measurements.

Objectives: A suspension for oral use which consists of three non-absorbable antibiotics (amphotericin B, colistin and tobramycin) is often used in clinical practice for the selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) of patients in intensive care. Such a therapy is a preventive tool to minimise the risk of pneumonia and bacteraemia in intubated patients. The administration and the treatment results are controversially discussed.

Analytical modeling provides new insight into complex mutual coupling between surface loops at ultrahigh fields.

Ultrahigh-field (UHF) (≥7 T) transmit (Tx) human head surface loop phased arrays improve both the Tx efficiency (B /√P) and homogeneity in comparison with single-channel quadrature Tx volume coils. For multi-channel arrays, decoupling becomes one of the major problems during the design process. Further insight into the coupling between array elements and its dependence on various factors can facilitate array development.