Search

This communication reports on a versatile and substrate‐agnostic method to tune the surface chemistry of conducting polymers with the aim of bridging the chemical mismatch between bioelectronic devices and biological systems. As a proof of concept, the surface of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is grafted with a short‐chain oligoethylene glycol monolayer to favor the formation of cell‐derived supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). This method is tuned to optimize the affinity between the supported lipid bilayer and the conducting polymer, leading to significant improvements in bilayer quality and therefore electronic readouts. To validate the impact of surface functionalization on the system's ability to transduce biological phenomena into quantifiable electronic signals, the activity of a virus commonly used as a surrogate for SARS‐CoV‐2 (mouse hepatitis virus) is monitored with and without surface treatment. The functionalized devices exhibit significant improvements in electronic output, stemming from the improved SLB quality, therefore strengthening the case for the use of such an approach in membrane‐on‐a‐chip systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of proteins is of central importance to biomolecular analysis and diagnostics. Typical immunosensing assays rely on surface-capture of target molecules, but this constraint can limit specificity, sensitivity, and the ability to obtain information beyond simple concentration measurements. Here we present a surface-free, single-molecule microfluidic sensing platform for direct digital protein biomarker detection in solution, termed digital immunosensor assay (DigitISA). DigitISA is based on microchip electrophoretic separation combined with single-molecule detection and enables absolute number/concentration quantification of proteins in a single, solution-phase step. Applying DigitISA to a range of targets including amyloid aggregates, exosomes, and biomolecular condensates, we demonstrate that the assay provides information beyond stoichiometric interactions, and enables characterization of immunochemistry, binding affinity, and protein biomarker abundance. Taken together, our results suggest a experimental paradigm for the sensing of protein biomarkers, which enables analyses of targets that are challenging to address using conventional immunosensing approaches. There are limitations with current protein sensing methods. Here the authors report DigitISA, a digital immunosensor assay based on microchip electrophoretic separation and single-molecule detection that enables quantitation of protein biomarkers in a single, solution-phase step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Kardiologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gefaesschirurgie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Time-resolved photodissociation measurements of the sequential reaction Au[sup =, sub 8]CH[sub 3]OH→Au[sup +, sub 8] → Au[sup +, sub 7] and the direct reaction Au[sub +, sub 7] have been performed for several excitation energies. The production rates and yields of the final state Au[sup +, sub 7] in the sequential process are strongly influenced by the excitation energy deposited into the evaporated methanol molecule during the initial fragmentation step. Both the rate constants and yields can be fitted with a single parameter, the cluster-methanol binding energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the thermionic electron emission of small tungsten cluster anions on the milliseconds time scale. Storage of the anions in a Penning trap; Electronic excitation of the cluster ions by photoabsorption; Observation of delayed electron emission on the milliseconds time scale by variation of the storage duration between laser excitation and ion detection.

Application of radioactive elements or radionuclides for anthropogenic use is a widespread phenomenon nowadays. Radionuclides undergo radioactive decays releasing ionizing radiation like gamma ray(s) and/or alpha or beta particles that can displace electrons in the living matter (like in DNA) and disturb its function. Radionuclides are highly hazardous pollutants of considerable impact on the environment, food chain and human health. Cleaning up of the contaminated environment through plants is a promising technology where the rhizosphere may play an important role. Plants belonging to the families of Brassicaceae, Papilionaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Poaceae, and Asteraceae are most important in this respect and offer the largest potential for heavy metal phytoremediation. Plants like Lactuca sativa L., Silybum marianum Gaertn., Centaurea cyanus L., Carthamus tinctorius L., Helianthus annuus and H. tuberosus are also important plants for heavy metal phytoremediation. However, transfer factors (TF) of radionuclide from soil/water to plant ([Radionuclide]plant/[Radionuclide]soil) vary widely in different plants. Rhizosphere, rhizobacteria and varied metal transporters like NRAMP, ZIP families CDF, ATPases (HMAs) family like P1B-ATPases, are involved in the radio-phytoremediation processes. This review will discuss recent advancements and potential application of plants for radionuclide removal from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the trends and developments among journals in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology.Methods: Using the Journal Citation Reports from 2007 to 2013, we analyzed the impact factor (IF), Eigenfactor® Score (ES), and Article Influence® Score (AIS) of 43 journals in the field of obstetrics and gynecology published in this time period.Results: From 78 journals of the Journal Citation Report 2013, 43 were selected for this study. The mean IF grew from 1.68 ± 0.97 in 2007 to 2.12 ± 1.05 in 2013, the ES from 0.0113 ± 0.0169 to 0.0114 ± 0.0140, and the AIS from 0.513 ± 0.302 to 0.663 ± 0.359. Differences in the IF, ES, and AIS between journals from the United States versus Europe could be observed. In most cases, the IF, ES, and AIS increased between 2007 and 2013. Strong correlations could be found between IF, AIS, and ES.Conclusions: The overall mean IF for obstetrical and gynecological journals increased over the analyzed time period. The IF remains the standard measure to compare scientific journals. It correlates well with two major alternative measures of scientific impact, the ES and especially the AIS. Other measures are evolving and might show superior usage in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Exercise training in patients with chronic heart failure improves work capacity by enhancing endothelial function and skeletal muscle aerobic metabolism, but effects on central hemodynamic function are not well established.Objective: To evaluate the effects of exercise training on left ventricular (LV) function and hemodynamic response to exercise in patients with stable chronic heart failure.Design: Prospective randomized trial conducted in 1994-1999.Setting: University department of cardiology/outpatient clinic in Germany.Patients: Consecutive sample of 73 men aged 70 years or younger with chronic heart failure (with LV ejection fraction of approximately 0.27).Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to 2 weeks of in-hospital ergometer exercise for 10 minutes 4 to 6 times per day, followed by 6 months of home-based ergometer exercise training for 20 minutes per day at 70% of peak oxygen uptake (n=36) or to no intervention (control group; n=37).Main Outcome Measures: Ergospirometry with measurement of central hemodynamics by thermodilution at rest and during exercise; echocardiographic determination of LV diameters and volumes, at baseline and 6-month follow-up, for the exercise training vs control groups.Results: After 6 months, patients in the exercise training group had statistically significant improvements compared with controls in New York Heart Association functional class, maximal ventilation, exercise time, and exercise capacity as well as decreased resting heart rate and increased stroke volume at rest. In the exercise training group, an increase from baseline to 6-month follow-up was observed in mean (SD) resting LV ejection fraction (0.30 [0.08] vs 0.35 [0.09]; P=.003). Mean (SD) total peripheral resistance (TPR) during peak exercise was reduced by 157 (306) dyne/s/cm(-5) in the exercise training group vs an increase of 43 (148) dyne/s/cm(-5) in the control group (P=.003), with a concomitant increase in mean (SD) stroke volume of 14 (22) mL vs 1 (19) mL in the control group (P=.03). There was a small but significant reduction in mean (SD) LV end diastolic diameter of 4 (6) mm vs an increase of 1 (4) mm in the control group (P<.001). Changes from baseline in resting TPR for both groups were correlated with changes in stroke volume (r=-0.76; P<.001) and in LV end diastolic diameter (r=0.45; P<.001).Conclusions: In patients with stable chronic heart failure, exercise training is associated with reduction of peripheral resistance and results in small but significant improvements in stroke volume and reduction in cardiomegaly. JAMA. 2000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The increased thrombotic risk of oral contraceptives (OC) has been attributed to various alterations of the hemostatic system, including acquired resistance to activated protein C (APC). To evaluate to what extent OC-associated APC resistance induces a prothrombotic state we monitored plasma levels of thrombin and molecular markers specific for thrombin formation in women starting OC use. Elevated plasma levels of thrombin have been reported to characterize situations of high thrombotic risk such as trauma-induced hypercoagulability, but have not yet been studied during OC use. Patients and Methods: Blood samples were collected prospectively from healthy women (n = 21) before and during three menstruation cycles after start of OC. APC resistance was evaluated using a thrombin generation-based assay. Plasma levels of thrombin and APC were directly measured using highly sensitive oligonucleotide-based enzyme capture assay (OECA) technology. Thrombin generation markers and other hemostasis parameters were measured additionally. Results: All women developed APC resistance as indicated by an increased APC sensitivity ratio compared with baseline after start of OC (p = 0.0003). Simultaneously, plasma levels of thrombin, prothrombin fragment 1+2, and of thrombin-antithrombin complexes did not change, ruling out increased thrombin formation. APC plasma levels were also not influenced by OC use, giving further evidence that increased thrombin formation did not occur. Conclusions: In the majority of OC users no enhanced thrombin formation occurs despite the development of APC resistance. It cannot be ruled out, however, that thrombin formation might occur to a greater extent in the presence of additional risk factors. If this were the case, endogenous thrombin levels might be a potential biomarker candidate to identify women at high thrombotic risk during OC treatment. Large-scale studies are required to assess the value of plasma levels of thrombin as predictors of OC-associated thrombotic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of coastal flood risks in a particular region requires the estimation of typical damages caused by storm surges of certain characteristics and annualities. Although the damage depends on a multitude of factors, including flow velocity, duration of flood, precaution, etc., the relationship between flood events and the corresponding average damages is usually described by a stage-damage function, which considers the maximum water level as the only damage influencing factor. Starting with different (microscale) building damage functions we elaborate a macroscopic damage function for the entire case study area Kalundborg (Denmark) on the basis of multiple coarse-graining methods and assumptions of the hydrological connectivity. We find that for small events, the macroscopic damage function mostly depends on the properties of the elevation model, while for large events it strongly depends on the assumed building damage function. In general, the damage in the case study increases exponentially up to a certain level and then less steep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) can significantly reduce tumour burden in patients with primarily unresectable chemosensitive tumours, allowing a more complete cytoreduction during debulking surgery and facilitating evaluation of tumour chemosensitivity, identification of appropriate treatment options and improvement of intervention protocols. In this study, we investigate, using immunohistochemistry, the impact of platinum/taxane-based NAC (NAC) on tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and their relationship with clinical outcome. All patients had clinical response, as shown by ascites volume and CA125 levels compared to pre-treatment findings. NAC intervention significantly increased CD4+, CD8+ and granzyme B+ infiltration while Foxp3+ accumulation remained unaffected. TILs were prognostically neutral for both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) before NAC. In contrast, after NAC, elevated granzyme B+ infiltration displayed a tendency for improved PFS (log-rank 0.064). Further, low Foxp3+ cell density was associated with longer PFS, as compared with strong Foxp3+ infiltration (median 20.94 vs. 11.24 months; log-rank 0.0001) and with improved OS (median 30.75 vs. 16.04 months, respectively; log-rank 0.056), demonstrating clear prognostic significance for PFS. In addition, high granzyme B+/Foxp3+ ratio post-NAC strongly correlated with improved PFS compared to low granzyme B+/Foxp3+ cell ratio (median 17.88 vs. 11.24 months, respectively), and showed to be a favourable prognostic factor for PFS (log-rank 0.014). Our findings indicate that NAC elicited an immunologic profile in which low immunosuppressive Foxp3+ infiltration and elevated numbers of activated granzyme B+ cells were significantly associated with EOC-specific PFS, suggesting a contribution of immunologic effects to improved clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD) is a well established technique for measuring size and concentration of inorganic colloids in liquids. However, most applications of LIBD are restricted to the measurement of mean sizes, which is problematic in cases of wide colloid size distributions (PSD) as typically is the case in natural systems. Evaluation of PSDs from LIBD is possible but requires detailed control of the power density within the laser focus. In the present work we describe the mathematical treatment how to calculate this power density from the beam characteristics of the light source and the optical properties of the focusing optics. The results are compared to measured spatial distributions of breakdown events of three LIBD setups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissociation energy of V13+ has been determined by comparison of the rates of sequential fragmentation, V13+→V 12+→V 11+, and single-step fragmentation of the first fragment, V12+→V 11+. The dissociation-energy value obtained as D=4.35(13) eV has implications for the amount of radiative cooling of the cluster derived form the data presented earlier [C. Walther et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 3816 (1999)] and is used to analyze additional results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of 160 mg sabal fruit extract WS 1473 and 120 mg urtica root extract WS 1031 per capsule (PRO 160/120) was investigated in elderly, male patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia in a prospective multicenter trial. A total of 257 patients (129 and 128, respectively) were randomized to treatment with PRO 160/120 or placebo (127 and 126 were evaluable for efficacy). Following a single-blind placebo run-in phase of 2 weeks, the patients received 2×1 capsule/day of the study medication under double-blind conditions over a period of 24 weeks. Double-blind treatment was followed by an open control period of 24 weeks during which all patients were administered PRO 160/120. Outcome measures for treatment efficacy included the assessment of the patients’ LUTS by means of the I-PSS self-rating questionnaire and a quality of life index as well as uroflow and sonographic parameters. Using the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), patients treated with PRO 160/120 exhibited a substantially higher total score reduction after 24 weeks of double-blind treatment than patients of the placebo group (6 points vs 4 points; P=0.003, one tailed) with a tendency in the same direction after 16 weeks. This applied to obstructive as well as to irritative symptoms, and to patients with moderate or severe symptoms at baseline. Patients randomized to placebo showed a marked improvement in LUTS (as measured by the I-PSS) after being switched to PRO 160/120 during the control period ( P=0.01, one tailed, in comparison to those who had been treated with PRO 160/120 in the double-blind phase). The tolerability of PRO 160/120 was comparable to the placebo. In conclusion, PRO 160/120 was clearly superior to the placebo for the amelioration of LUTS as measured by the I-PSS. PRO 160/120 is advantageous in obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms and in patients with moderate and severe symptoms. The tolerability of the herbal extract was excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The examinations on the heat transfer in developing laminar oscillating pipe flow presented before [1] have been extended to include turbulence as well. A suitable low-Reynolds-number k-ɛ-turbulence model was incorporated in an existing 2D-simulation code for oscillating flow conditions and subsequent examinations focused on the heat transfer associated with turbulent oscillating flow. The calculations cover a wide range of the characteristic parameters and the results are summarised in form of new heat transfer correlations to suit with the operating conditions of regenerative thermal machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoabsorption cross sections of trapped V13 + clusters were measured for energies between 1.4 eV and 6.1 eV by use of a two-photon fragmentation technique. Using two laser pulses separated by a 100-ns delay period the cross sections of hot clusters (up to 1800 K) could be compared to the values at room temperature. Whereas sodium clusters are known to exhibit pronounced temperature dependence below 300 K, no continuation of these effects to higher temperatures was found for V13 +. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singly charged silver clusters Ag n + in the size range n=17 to n=78 have been captured and stored in a Penning trap, size selected and subjected to an electron beam which leads to further ionization as well as dissociation. The resulting abundance spectra of doubly and triply charged clusters show several features: (1) A critical size for the production of doubly charged clusters which can be understood in terms of the decay pathways as previously investigated by collision induced dissociation, (2) an odd-even alternation in the abundance of singly and doubly charged clusters which inverses sign with change of charge state, (3) prominent signals for particular doubly and triply charged species that indicate both electronic and geometric influences on the clusters’ stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Size-selected gold clusters, Au n - ( n≤21), and tungsten clusters, W n + and W n - ( n=4-8 and 12), stored in a Penning trap have been collisionally activated. Neutral monomer and dimer evaporation are observed in the case of gold. While no fragment products have been observed for tungsten clusters, there is evidence of electron emission from the anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When cluster ions are stored by electromagnetic forces they are available in the gas phase for extended preparations and investigations. Over the last decade a Penning trap (Ion Cyclotron Resonance) apparatus has been constructed and further developed with respect to metal cluster research at the Institute of Physics at Mainz. It allows to capture and accumulate ion bunches injected from an external cluster source and to manipulate the ions’ motion, i.e. select and center the clusters of interest. The interactions that have been investigated include those with inert and chemically reactive gases, photons and electrons. Multiple mass spectrometric steps such as fragment ion selection can be used to disentangle complex reactions or interfering reaction channels. A brief introduction into the principles of ion trapping and a short overview of the history and experimental setup at Mainz are given. The advantages of ion storage with respect to extended preparation of the trapped cluster ensemble and with respect to extended reaction periods are exemplified by measurements of the collision induced dissociation of Ag16 2+ and by time-resolved observation of the photodissociation of V12 +. References are given both to the investigations performed at the Mainz Cluster Trap as well as to other experimental arrangements and measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monomer evaporation energies and fission barriers of doubly charged silver cluster ions in the size range 9≤ n≤25 are measured by collision induced dissociation. They are compared to the dissociation energies of singly charged silver clusters. A macroscopic liquid drop model combined with empirical microscopic corrections successfully describes the measured fission barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collision induced dissociation is applied to study the fragmentation channels of multiply charged gold clusters, Au N2+, size N= 7 –35, and Au>N3+}, N = 19–35, stored in an ion cyclotron resonance (Penning) trap. The main dissociation pathways are neutral monomer evaporation, Au>NZ+to Au>N-1Z+} + Au, for the larger and fission into a charged trimer plus the remaining cluster, Au>NZ+to{}Au>N-3(Z-1)+} +{}Au>3+}, for the smaller clusters. In the intermediate cluster size region an odd–even alternation of the two competing decay pathways is observed. In addition, for some specific cluster sizes there are indications of neutral dimer evaporation, Au>NZ+to{}Au>N-2Z++Au>2}, and of extremely asymmetric fission of the form Au>NZ+to Au>N-1(Z-1)+} + Au+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single charged gold clusters Au-n, 12 < n < 28, are stored in a Penning trap, size selected and transformed into dianions, Au2-n by the application of an electron beam. At the onset of dianion production, that is that range of cluster sizes n where the smallest doubly charged clusters are observed, the measured intensity ratio of the dianions to their precursors is not a continuous function of cluster size. Instead, there is a strong odd-even effect and a comparatively intense signal of Au2-18. The observed structures are very reminiscent of similar phenomena in the abundance spectra of metal clusters as observed by Knight et al. (1984, Phys. Rev. Lett., 52, 2141), which gave rise to the electronic shell structure interpretation and the further development of the jellium model as applied to metal clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosorption of aluminum by sulfate-reducing bacteria isolated from uranium mine tailings was examined. A top agar method with Alizarin Red S was used for initial screening of the isolates for aluminum tolerance and biosorption. Five strains of aluminumion-fixing sulfate-reducing bacteria and a strain designated UFZ B 406 isolated from another source were used in the experiments. The mechanism of aluminum biosorption was found to be a passive one. Freezing and thawing of the cells resulted in higher sorption of aluminum, whereas heat treatment or the uncoupler carbonyl-cyanide-m- chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) had no effect. The pH value had significant influence on the aluminum ion adsorption, the most absorbance being at pH 3 and 5, and the lowest at pH 7. Addition of magnesium and the presence of iron sulfide precipitates decreased aluminum sorption. The relationship between biomass and Al3+ ions accumulated was linear. Polyphosphate granules as possible site of aluminum accumulation were not found to be present. Fluorescence microscopy showed deposition of aluminum ions exclusively on the surface of the cell. Use of the isolates in bioremediation processes for removing aluminum from water is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]