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Identifying species with lower-than-expected cancer prevalence can help establish new models for understanding cancer resistance. Most studies of cancer prevalence have focused on mammals. Yet, other vertebrate groups vary tremendously in genetics, physiology, and ecology, which can all influence mechanisms of cancer resistance and may hold new keys to understanding cancer biology. Here, we present data on cancer prevalence in tetrapods, which includes all major vertebrate groups except fish, using necropsies from over a thousand different species. We investigated cancer prevalence within and among amphibians, birds, crocodilians, mammals, squamates, and turtles in relationship to body mass and lifespan. We are the first to (1) analyze non-avian reptile groups separately, (2) conduct statistical analyses appropriate for this type of discontinuous data, (3) more accurately use raw cancer occurrence data instead of species averages, and (4) look at how data resampling influences the robustness of results. We found remarkably low cancer prevalence in turtles and high prevalence in squamates and mammals. In contrast to previous studies, lifespan in mammals was negatively associated with neoplasia but positively associated with malignancy. We recovered the same results by reanalyzing data from these previous studies with our statistical approach. We also found that neoplasia prevalence was positively associated with body mass in amphibians and squamates. Overall, our results demonstrate a clear relationship between life history and neoplasia in most tetrapod groups. Our findings also indicate that choice of analytical methods is critical when examining cancer prevalence data. Finally, the exceptionally low cancer prevalence in turtles and extensive variation in cancer prevalence among tetrapod families hold particular promise for identifying species with novel mechanisms of cancer resistance.

Due to trends such as automation and new drives in commercial vehicle engineering, research is being carried out on drive concepts with individual wheel drives. In the off-road sector, these concep...

Peroxy radical hydrogen-shifts are pivotal elementary reaction steps in the oxidation of small hydrocarbons in autoignition and the lower atmosphere. Although these reactions are typically associated with a substantial barrier, we demonstrate that the [1,5]H-shift in the peroxy species derived from the 2-hydroxyphenyl radical 1 is so facile that it even proceeds rapidly in an argon matrix at 35 K through a proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. Hydrogen-bound complexes of o-benzoquinone are identified as the main reaction products by infrared spectroscopy although their formation through O-O bond scission is hampered by a barrier of 11.9 kcal mol-1 at the ROCCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ/UB3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory.

Matrix isolation studies in solid argon and neon at 4.2 K reveal that iodoacetic acid initially only exists as its ground state (c,x) conformer with an almost perpendicular I-C-C═O dihedral angle, but UV irradiation in the 240-255 nm range leads to population of the 0.8 kcal mol-1 less stable (c,c) isomer. The latter structure exhibits a close 3.23 A contact of the iodine and carbonyl oxygen atoms decidedly below the sum of their van der Waals radii (3.50 A). Increasing the matrix temperature by only a few Kelvin triggers the thermal back reaction of (c,c) to (c,x) and leads to an estimated upper limit of 0.38 kcal mol-1 for the associated torsional barrier. While wave function methods including completely uncorrelated Hartree-Fock theory have no problem to identify (c,c) as a proper minimum, many popular density functionals fail to describe the C-C torsional potential in cis-iodoacetic acid qualitatively correct. We assessed the performance of 12 density functionals of different levels of sophistication, namely, the BLYP, PBE, TPSS, B3LYP, BHandHLYP, PBE0, M06-2X, CAM-B3LYP, ωB97X-D3, B2-PLYP, B2GP-PLYP, and DSD-PBEP86 methods, against accurate extrapolated CCSD(T)/CBS(T-Q)//MP2/def2-TZVPP energies and found that almost all of them yield acceptable relative energies. Still, even some of the best performers fail to find a reasonably deep minimum in the region of the (c,c) conformer, and addition of the empirical D3-dispersion correction does not remedy the qualitative shortcoming. Instead, inclusion of a sufficient amount of (long-range) exact exchange and likely a proper treatment of medium-range correlation effects all along the torsional coordinate play an important role in the proper description of the sub-van der Waals iodine-oxygen contact. More modern, recommended functionals do not suffer from the described shortcoming.

The spectra for H5+ and D5+ are extended to cover the region between 4830 and 7300 cm-1. These spectra are obtained using mass-selected photodissociation spectroscopy. To understand the nature of the states that are accessed by the transitions in this and prior studies, we develop a four-dimensional model Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian is expressed in terms of the two outer H2 stretches, the displacement of the shared proton from the center of mass of these two H2 groups, and the distance between the H2 groups. This choice is motivated by the large oscillator strength associated with the shared proton stretch and the fact that the spectral regions that have been probed correspond to zero, one, and two quanta of excitation in the H2 stretches. This model is analyzed using an adiabatic separation of the H2 stretches from the other two vibrations and includes the non-adiabatic couplings between H2 stretch states with the same total number of quanta of excitation in the H2 stretches. Based on the analysis of the energies and wave functions obtained from this model, we find that when there are one or more quanta of excitation in the H2 stretches the states come in pairs that reflect tunneling doublets. The states accessed by the transitions in the spectrum with the largest intensity are assigned to the members of the doublets with requisite symmetry that are localized on the lowest-energy adiabat for a given level of H2 excitation.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of single and repeat sonographic cervical-length (CL) measurement in predicting preterm delivery in symptomatic women with a twin pregnancy. METHODS This was a retrospective study of women with a twin gestation who presented with painful and regular uterine contractions at 24 + 0 to 33 + 6 weeks' gestation at the perinatal unit of the University Hospital of Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany between 2012 and 2018. CL was measured on transvaginal ultrasound at the time of admission and a few days later after cessation of contractions. Treatment included administration of tocolytics (usually oral nifedipine), for no more than 48 h, and administration of steroids if CL was ≤ 25 mm. Patients were clustered into five groups according to the CL measurement obtained at first assessment

Objective To determine whether the frontomaxillary facial (FMF) angle and the prefrontal space ratio (PFSR) are helpful in screening for open spinal defects by ultrasound in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods The FMF angle and the PFSR were measured in fetuses with spina bifida according to standardized protocols. The normal range of the PFSR was previously published by our group. To determine the normal values for the FMF angle in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, we used the same stored images from the above-mentioned study. Results 71 affected and 279 normal fetuses were included in this study. Median gestational ages in the two groups were 21.1 weeks and 21.6 weeks, respectively. In fetuses with spina bifida, the FMF angle was significantly smaller than in the normal population (72.9° versus 79.6°). However, the measurement was below the fifth centile in only 22.5% of the affected fetuses. The PFSR was similar in both groups. Conclusions The FMF angle is smaller in second and third trimester fetuses with open spina bifida. However, the difference is not large enough to implement this marker in current screening programs.

Situated at the junction of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean is an ideal region to study the effects of palaeogeography, ecology and long human presence on animal evolution. Laudakia stellio (Squamata: Agamidae) is found across this region and offers an excellent opportunity for such studies. The high morphological variation across their range suggests that these lizards might represent a species complex. This is the first study exploring their evolutionary history, using molecular markers and individuals from all described subspecies. We employed the latest phylogenetic and species-delimitation methods to identify all distinct evolutionary lineages, their genetic variation and divergence times. The phenotypical diversity of L. stellio matches its genetic differentiation: almost all subspecies correspond to well-supported retrieved subclades and additional distinct lineages representing intermediate morphs have been retrieved. ‘Laudakia stellio’ represents three distinct evolutionary entities that diverged during the Plio-Pleistocene transition, which we propose as distinct species. One includes Greek and Turkish populations, as well as cryptic Anatolian lineages. The second comprises all other Near East populations and the third is endemic to Cyprus. Our results indicate a role of humans in shaping present distribution patterns, and highlight the importance of the Aegean, Anatolia and the Levant as glacial refugia and diversity hotspots.

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells allow to overcome the power conversion efficiency limit of market-dominating silicon solar cells. So far, various textured tandem devices were presented aiming at improved optical performance, but highest efficiencies were still realized on polished silicon wafer cells enabling superior perovskite layer properties. Here we present perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with gentle periodic nanotextures which feature various advantages without compromising the material quality of solution-processed perovskite layers. Reflection losses are reduced in comparison to planar tandems and the devices are less sensitive upon deviations from optimum layer thicknesses. The nanotextures also enable excellent perovskite film formation and a greatly increased fabrication yield. The open-circuit voltage improved by about 15 mV due to enhanced electronic properties of the perovskite top cell. In addition, an optically advanced rear reflector with a dielectric buffer layer reduced parasitic absorption at near-infrared wavelengths. Altogether, the improvements enabled a certified power conversion efficiency of 29.80%.

Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells offer the possibility of overcoming the power conversion efficiency limit of conventional silicon solar cells. Various textured tandem devices have been presented aiming at improved optical performance, but optimizing film growth on surface-textured wafers remains challenging. Here we present perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with periodic nanotextures that offer various advantages without compromising the material quality of solution-processed perovskite layers. We show a reduction in reflection losses in comparison to planar tandems, with the new devices being less sensitive to deviations from optimum layer thicknesses. The nanotextures also enable a greatly increased fabrication yield from 50% to 95%. Moreover, the open-circuit voltage is improved by 15 mV due to the enhanced optoelectronic properties of the perovskite top cell. Our optically advanced rear reflector with a dielectric buffer layer results in reduced parasitic absorption at near-infrared wavelengths. As a result, we demonstrate a certified power conversion efficiency of 29.80%.

Recent integrative taxonomic studies of the agamid genus Acanthocercus Fitzinger, 1843 have shown that Angola harbors three different taxa, all within the Acanthocercus atricollis (Smith, 1849) species complex—A. cyanocephalus (Falk, 1925) in the northeastern parts of the country, A. margaritae Wagner et al. 2021 in the southern regions, and an unnamed species in the central and northwestern parts of Angola. Using the previously published molecular data as evidence of phylogenetic support and newly collected morphological, meristic and coloration data, we here describe this unnamed lineage as a new species. The new species is morphologically very similar to A. cyanocephalus, but it can easily be differentiated from the latter by the coloration pattern of displaying males, with a blue coloration restricted to the head region, and by its inferior scale counts compared to other species of the A. atricollis complex group. As reported in other studies in this group, male breeding coloration is an effective trait for diagnosing these morphologically conserved species. This description raises the number of Acanthocercus species recognized to 15 and is another contribution revealing the rich but still incompletely described herpetological diversity of Angola.

Perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells offer the possibility of overcoming the power conversion efficiency limit of conventional silicon solar cells. Various textured tandem devices have been presented aiming at improved optical performance, but optimizing film growth on surface-textured wafers remains challenging. Here we present perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells with periodic nanotextures that offer various advantages without compromising the material quality of solution-processed perovskite layers. We show a reduction in reflection losses in comparison to planar tandems, with the new devices being less sensitive to deviations from optimum layer thicknesses. The nanotextures also enable a greatly increased fabrication yield from 50% to 95%. Moreover, the open-circuit voltage is improved by 15 mV due to the enhanced optoelectronic properties of the perovskite top cell. Our optically advanced rear reflector with a dielectric buffer layer results in reduced parasitic absorption at near-infrared wavelengths. As a result, we demonstrate a certified power conversion efficiency of 29.80%.

We examined the taxonomy of the minute desert geckos of the Tropiocolotes nat-tererispecies complex using the largest morphological sampling, and the first mo-lecular assessment of intraspecific diversity within this complex. We examined variation in mitochondrial and nuclear markers (12S, ND2, c- mosand MC1R) of 30 samples and analyzed the external morphology of 202 specimens, from across the entire distribution range of the complex from Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. We recognize two species under the name T. nattereri. We thus hereby describe a new species, T. yomtovisp. n., and we redefine and redescribe T. nattereri, for which we designate a neotype. The species diversity in the genus Tropiocolotes increases to 15., This work was supported by the Gans Collections and Charitable Fund Inc. [M.A.R- J. grant], SYNTHESYS+, Synthesis of Systematic Resources funded by the European Commission [M.A.R- J. grants: ES- TAF- 1276; GB- TAF- 2393; CZ- TAF- 1260; DE- TAF- 2418], the Rector scholarship, Tel Aviv University [M.A.R- J. postdoctoral fellowship] and the Alexander and Eva Lester Fund scholarship, I. Meier Segals Garden for Zoological Research [M.A.R- J. postdoctoral fellowship].

Comprehensive assessments of species’ extinction risks have documented the extinction crisis1 and underpinned strategies for reducing those risks2. Global assessments reveal that, among tetrapods, 40.7% of amphibians, 25.4% of mammals and 13.6% of birds are threatened with extinction3. Because global assessments have been lacking, reptiles have been omitted from conservation-prioritization analyses that encompass other tetrapods4–7. Reptiles are unusually diverse in arid regions, suggesting that they may have different conservation needs6. Here we provide a comprehensive extinction-risk assessment of reptiles and show that at least 1,829 out of 10,196 species (21.1%) are threatened—confirming a previous extrapolation8 and representing 15.6 billion years of phylogenetic diversity. Reptiles are threatened by the same major factors that threaten other tetrapods—agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species—although the threat posed by climate change remains uncertain. Reptiles inhabiting forests, where these threats are strongest, are more threatened than those in arid habitats, contrary to our prediction. Birds, mammals and amphibians are unexpectedly good surrogates for the conservation of reptiles, although threatened reptiles with the smallest ranges tend to be isolated from other threatened tetrapods. Although some reptiles—including most species of crocodiles and turtles—require urgent, targeted action to prevent extinctions, efforts to protect other tetrapods, such as habitat preservation and control of trade and invasive species, will probably also benefit many reptiles.

We present results on perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with almost 30% power conversion efficiency. They comprise sinusoidal nanotextures between top and bottom cells and optically advanced rear reflectors with a dielectric buffer layer.

AimViviparity has evolved more times in squamates than in any other vertebrate group; therefore, squamates offer an excellent model system in which to study the patterns, drivers and implications of reproductive mode evolution. Based on current species distributions, we examined three selective forces hypothesized to drive the evolution of squamate viviparity (cold climate, variable climate and hypoxic conditions) and tested whether viviparity is associated with larger body size.LocationGlobal.Time periodPresent day.TaxonSquamata.MethodsWe compiled a dataset of 9061 squamate species, including their distributions, elevation, climate, body mass and reproductive modes. We applied species-level and assemblage-level approaches for predicting reproductive mode, both globally and within biogeographical realms. We tested the relationships of temperature, interannual and intra-annual climatic variation, elevation (as a proxy for hypoxic conditions) and body mass with reproductive mode, using path analyses to account for correlations among the environmental predictors.ResultsViviparity was strongly associated with cold climates at both species and assemblage levels, despite the prevalence of viviparity in some warm climates. Viviparity was not clearly correlated with climatic variability or elevation. The probability of being viviparous exhibited a weak positive correlation with body size.ConclusionsAlthough phylogenetic history is important, potentially explaining the occurrence of viviparous species in regions that are warm at present, current global squamate distribution is characterized by a higher relative abundance of viviparity in cold environments, supporting the prediction of the “cold-climate” hypothesis. The roles of climatic variation and hypoxia are less important and not straightforward. Elevation probably exerts various selective pressures and influences the prevalence of viviparity primarily through its effect on temperature rather than on oxygen concentration.

Silicon Heterojunction has become a promising technology to substitute passivated emitter and rear contact PERC solar cells in pursuance of lower levelized cost of electricity through high efficiency devices. While high open circuit voltages and fill factors are reached, current loss related to the front and rear contacts, such as the transparent conductive oxide TCO layers is still a limiting factor to come closer to the efficiency limit of silicon based solar cells. Furthermore, reducing indium consumption for the TCO has become mandatory to push silicon heterojunction technology towards a terawatt scale production due to material scarcity and costs. To address these issues dielectric layers, such as silicon dioxide or nitride cappings are implemented to reduce TCO thicknesses both diminishing parasitic absorption and material consumption. However, reducing the TCO thickness comes in cost of resistive losses. Furthermore, the TCO properties do vary with thickness and neighboring layer configuration altering the optimization frame of the device. In this paper we present a detailed analysis to quantify the optoelectrical losses trade off associated to the TCO thickness reduction in such layer stacks. Through the analysis we show and explain why experimental bifacial cells with 20 nm front and rear TCO perform at a similar level to reference cells with 75 nm under front and rear illumination reaching efficiency close to 24 at 92 bifaciality. We present as well a simple interconnection method via screen printing metallization to implement a thin TCO silicon dioxide silver reflector enhancing current density from 39.6 to 40.4 mA cm2 without compromising resistive losses resulting in a 0.2 absolute solar cell efficiency increase from a bifacial design 23.5 23.7 . Finally, following this approach we present a certified champion cell with an efficiency of 24.6

The need for tools that facilitate rapid detection and continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) is greater than ever, as these variants are more transmissible and therefore increase the pressure of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. To address this demand, we aimed at developing and evaluating a robust and fast diagnostic approach for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 VOC-associated spike gene mutations. Our diagnostic assays detect the E484K and N501Y single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as a spike gene deletion (HV69/70) and can be run on standard laboratory equipment or on the portable rapid diagnostic technology platform peakPCR. The assays achieved excellent diagnostic performance when tested with RNA extracted from culture-derived SARS-CoV-2 VOC lineages and clinical samples collected in Equatorial Guinea, Central-West Africa. Simplicity of usage and the relatively low cost are advantages that make our approach well suitable for decentralized and rapid testing, especially in resource-limited settings., Analytical Chemistry, 93 (49), ISSN:1520-6882, ISSN:0003-2700

The need for tools that facilitate rapid detection and continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) is greater than ever, as these variants are more transmissible and therefore increase the pressure of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. To address this demand, we aimed at developing and evaluating a robust and fast diagnostic approach for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 VOC-associated spike gene mutations. Our diagnostic assays detect the E484K and N501Y single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as a spike gene deletion (HV69/70) and can be run on standard laboratory equipment or on the portable rapid diagnostic technology platform peakPCR. The assays achieved excellent diagnostic performance when tested with RNA extracted from culture-derived SARS-CoV-2 VOC lineages and clinical samples collected in Equatorial Guinea, Central-West Africa. Simplicity of usage and the relatively low cost are advantages that make our approach well suitable for decentralized and rapid testing, especially in resource-limited settings.

We report a mild, fast and convenient catalytic system for the coupling of aryl chlorides with primary, secondary, as well as previously challenging tertiary alkyl thiols using an air-stable nickel(II) precatayst in combination with the low-cost base potassium acetate at room temperature. This new catalytic system tolerates a variety of functional groups and enables the generation of thioethers for a wide range of substrates, including pharmaceutical compounds in excellent yields. Chemoselec-tive functionalization of disubstituted substrates was demonstrated. Kinetic and NMR-studies, as well as DFT computations support a Ni(0)/Ni(II) catalytic cycle and identify the oxidative addition product as the resting state. Acetate coordination and subsequent acetate facilitated formation of a thiolate complex via internal deprotonation play a key role in the catalytic cycle.

Ground state singlet carbenes commonly feature σ

The protonated HCl dimer and trimer complexes were prepared by pulsed discharges in supersonic expansions of helium or argon doped with HCl and hydrogen. The ions were mass selected in a reflectron time-of-flight spectrometer and investigated with photodissociation spectroscopy in the IR and near-IR regions. Anharmonic vibrational frequencies were computed with VPT2 at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The Cl-H stretching fundamentals and overtones were measured in addition to stretch-torsion combinations. VPT2 theory at this level confirms the proton-bound structure of the dimer complex and provides a reasonably good description of the anharmonic vibrations in this system. The trimer has a HCl-HClH+-ClH structure in which a central chloronium ion is solvated by two HCl molecules via hydrogen bonding. VPT2 reproduces anharmonic frequencies for this system, including several combinations involving core ion Cl-H stretches, but fails to describe the relative band intensities.

Der Fokus der Ultraschalldiagnostik liegt in der Beurteilung der fetalen und plazentaren Sonomorphologie mittels B‑Bild-Darstellung. Die ermittelten Schnittbilder werden mit den normalen Schnittebenen verglichen, um so die intrauterine Entwicklung des Feten und der Plazenta beurteilen zu konnen. Fur manche Organsysteme, etwa fur das Urogenitalsystem, lasst sich aus der B‑Bild-Darstellung eine Funktionsbeurteilung ableiten. Eine weitere Moglichkeit der pranatalen Funktionsbeurteilung ist die Dopplersonographie. Mit ihr lassen sich Flussigkeitsbewegungen – in aller Regel Blutstrome – hinsichtlich ihrer Richtung und Geschwindigkeit untersuchen und so Ruckschlusse auf die fetale Herzleistung, auf Compliance und Stromungswiderstande in einem fetalen bzw. plazentaren Gefasabschnitt oder auch auf die fetale Erythrozytenkonzentration ziehen. Obwohl das Verfahren schon einige Jahrzehnte alt ist, finden sich auch heute noch Innovationen in der dopplersonographischen Beurteilung der Schwangerschaft, so etwa Neuerungen im Bereich der „twin anemia polycythemia sequence“ (TAPS) bei monochorialen Gemini, in der Beurteilung der Ductus-venosus-Blutstromung zur Detektion von Herzfehlern im ersten Trimenon, in der Bewertung der Dopplerbefunde bei spater Wachstumsretardierung sowie bei der Beurteilung von maternaler Gefascompliance und Stromungswiderstande bei einer Praeklampsie.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to assess the false-positive and uninformative test rate with first trimester cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening for common trisomies and microdeletion 22q11.2 (22q11.2DS) and to examine women’s attitudes toward such an approach. Methods: This is a prospective study at the Prenatal Medicine Department of the University of Tübingen, Germany, at 11–13 weeks. In all pregnancies, a detailed ultrasound examination was carried out, followed by a cfDNA analysis for common trisomies and 22q11.2DS. In cases where the cfDNA analysis indicated 22q11.2DS, invasive prenatal diagnostic testing and parental testing were performed. After delivery, a detailed neonatal clinical examination was carried out including further genetic testing. Prior to counselling about the study, we asked the pregnant women who were potentially eligible for the study to anonymously report on their knowledge about 22q11.2DS. Results: A total of 1,127 pregnancies were included in the final analysis of the study. The first cfDNA test was uninformative in 15 (1.33%) pregnancies. In 10 (0.89%) cases, the test remained uninformative, even after the second blood sample. There were 3 (0.27%) cases with a positive cfDNA test for 22q11.2DS. In all, 983 women returned the anonymous questionnaire prior to study participation. Only 80 (8.1%) women responded that they felt familiar or very familiar with 22q11.2DS. Conclusion: The addition of 22q11.2DS in first trimester cfDNA screening for common trisomies is feasible. The uninformative test rate for common trisomies and 22q11.2DS is 0.9%, and the false-positive rate for 22q11.2DS is 0.3%. Awareness and education around 22q11.2DS should be improved.

The methaniminium ion (H2C NH2+) was produced in a pulsed electrical discharge supersonic expansion of argon saturated with ethylenediamine vapor. It was identified and mass selected in a time-of-flight spectrometer. Its infrared spectrum was measured in the region of 2100–4100 cm−1 by photodissociation of the argon-tagged complex with a tunable infrared OPO/OPA laser system. The observed infrared spectrum was not described well by scaled harmonic theory, but could be assigned by comparison to second order vibrational perturbation theory computations at the B2PLYP/def2-QZVPP level.

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (PSTSCs) is expected to increase with optimized light management. In this work, we report on PSTSCs containing nanostructures enabling PCEs exceeding 26%. A hexagonal sinusoidal nanostructure with 750nm period was used. The structure was transferred into silicon by nanoimprint lithography and reactive ion etching. Perovskite top cells were deposited by spin-coating resulting in a full coverage of the nanostructure. PSTSC comprising these nanostructures yielded a steady-state PCE of 26.1% and a short-circuit current density of 19.5mA·cm−2.

The need for tools which allow rapid detection and continuous monitoring of Sars-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) is greater than ever, as these variants are more transmissible and therefore increase the pressure of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. To address this demand, we aimed to develop and evaluate a robust and fast diagnostic approach for identification of Sars-CoV-2 VOC-associated spike gene mutations. Our diagnostic assays detect the E484K and N501Y SNPs as well as a spike gene deletion (HV69/70) and can be run on standard laboratory equipment or on the portable rapid diagnostic technology platform peakPCR. The assays achieved excellent diagnostic performance when tested with RNA extracted from culture-derived Sars-CoV-2 VOC lineages. Simplicity of usage and the relatively low costs are advantages which make our approach well-suited for decentralized and rapid testing, especially in resource limited settings.

Our knowledge of the conservation status of reptiles, the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates, has improved dramatically over the past decade, but still lags behind that of the other tetrapod groups. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive evaluation (~92% of the world’s ~1,714 described species) of the conservation status of skinks (Scincidae), a speciose reptile family with a worldwide distribution. Using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, we report that ~20% of species are threatened with extinction, and nine species are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. The highest levels of threat are evident in Madagascar and the Neotropics, and in the subfamilies Mabuyinae, Eugongylinae and Scincinae. The vast majority of threatened skink species were listed based primarily on their small geographic ranges (Criterion B, 83%; Criterion D2, 13%). Although the population trend of 42% of species was stable, 14% have declining populations. The key threats to skinks are habitat loss due to agriculture, invasive species, and biological resource use (e.g., hunting, timber harvesting). The distributions of 61% of species do not overlap with protected areas. Despite our improved knowledge of the conservation status of the world’s skinks, 8% of species remain to be assessed, and 14% are listed as Data Deficient. The conservation status of almost a quarter of the world’s skink species thus remains unknown. We use our updated knowledge of the conservation status of the group to develop and outline the priorities for the conservation assessment and management of the world’s skink species.

Background The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) complex controls adaptive immunity by presenting defined fractions of the intracellular and extracellular protein content to immune cells. Understanding the benign HLA ligand repertoire is a prerequisite to define safe T-cell-based immunotherapies against cancer. Due to the poor availability of benign tissues, if available, normal tissue adjacent to the tumor has been used as a benign surrogate when defining tumor-associated antigens. However, this comparison has proven to be insufficient and even resulted in lethal outcomes. In order to match the tumor immunopeptidome with an equivalent counterpart, we created the HLA Ligand Atlas, the first extensive collection of paired HLA-I and HLA-II immunopeptidomes from 227 benign human tissue samples. This dataset facilitates a balanced comparison between tumor and benign tissues on HLA ligand level. Methods Human tissue samples were obtained from 16 subjects at autopsy, five thymus samples and two ovary samples originating from living donors. HLA ligands were isolated via immunoaffinity purification and analyzed in over 1200 liquid chromatography mass spectrometry runs. Experimentally and computationally reproducible protocols were employed for data acquisition and processing. Results The initial release covers 51 HLA-I and 86 HLA-II allotypes presenting 90,428 HLA-I- and 142,625 HLA-II ligands. The HLA allotypes are representative for the world population. We observe that immunopeptidomes differ considerably between tissues and individuals on source protein and HLA-ligand level. Moreover, we discover 1407 HLA-I ligands from non-canonical genomic regions. Such peptides were previously described in tumors, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), healthy lung tissues and cell lines. In a case study in glioblastoma, we show that potential on-target off-tumor adverse events in immunotherapy can be avoided by comparing tumor immunopeptidomes to the provided multi-tissue reference. Conclusion Given that T-cell-based immunotherapies, such as CAR-T cells, affinity-enhanced T cell transfer, cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibition, have significant side effects, the HLA Ligand Atlas is the first step toward defining tumor-associated targets with an improved safety profile. The resource provides insights into basic and applied immune-associated questions in the context of cancer immunotherapy, infection, transplantation, allergy and autoimmunity. It is publicly available and can be browsed in an easy-to-use web interface at https://hla-ligand-atlas.org ., Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 9 (4), ISSN:2051-1426

The integrated results of maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) analyses, principal component analyses (PCA), and a multiple factor analysis (MFA) recover a new, widely allopatric species of the Cyrtodactylus intermedius species group. Cyrtodactylus kulenensis sp. nov is endemic to the Phnom Kulen sandstone massif of the Phnom Kulen National Park, Siem Reap Province, in the lowlands of northwestern Cambodia. A phylogenetic analysis from a short read (275 base pairs) of the mitochondrial gene NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) from C. kulenensis sp. nov. was aligned with 1449 base pairs from all other species in the intermedius group. The analysis recovered C. kulenensis sp. nov. as the sister species to a lineage composed of populations from the widely separated hilly regions of Sa Keao and Sakaerat in eastern Thailand. Multivariate (PCA, DAPC, and MFA) and univariate analyses (ANOVA) using combinations of meristic (scale counts), mensural (morphometric), and categorical (color pattern and morphology) characters from 52 specimens encompassing all species of the intermedius group clearly demonstrate C. kulenensis sp. nov. is significantly different and discretely diagnosable from all other species in the intermedius group. This new discovery further highlights the herpetological diversity and high levels of range-restricted endemism in basin-habitat-island landscapes throughout Indochina and the continued need for field work in the landscapes that remain unsurveyed.

Cancer patients, in particular patients with hematological malignancies, are at increased risk for critical illness upon COVID-19. We here assessed antibody as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in unexposed and SARS-CoV-2-infected cancer patients to characterize SARS-CoV‑2 immunity and to identify immunological parameters contributing to COVID-19 outcome. Unexposed patients with hematological malignancies presented with reduced prevalence of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive CD4+ T cell responses and signs of T cell exhaustion when compared to solid tumor patients and healthy volunteers. Whereas SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses did not differ between COVID-19 cancer patients and healthy volunteers, intensity, expandability, and diversity of SARS-CoV-2 T cell responses were profoundly reduced in cancer patients, and the latter associated with a severe course of COVID-19. This identifies impaired SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity as determinant for dismal outcome of COVID-19 in cancer patients.

Products of Criegee intermediate (CI) chemistry were recently detected in radical chain autoxidation reactions involving β-hydroxyperoxy radicals. Here, we demonstrate by means of accurate G4 computations that direct scission of the latter to CIs and radical byproducts is thermodynamically highly unfavorable. Instead, the reaction becomes possible through a hydrogen abstraction reaction that could proceed by reversible formation of a dimeric tetroxide and a subsequent [1,6] hydrogen shift of the hydroxy hydrogen.

Formamidinium iodide FAI based perovskite absorbers have been shown to be ideal candidates for highly efficient and operationally stable perovskite solar cells PSC . A major challenge for formamidinium lead iodide FAPbI3 is to suppress the phase transition from the photoactive black phase into yellow nonperovskite amp; 948; phase. Several approaches to stabilize the black phase have been developed for solution based perovskites, whereas so far, vacuum deposited FAPbI3 has rarely been reported. This study demonstrates the preparation of FAPbI3 by co evaporation and discusses the influence of the subjacent hole transporting layer HTL on its phase stability. By using FAI excess in the evaporation process in combination with phosphonic acids groups from the HTL, the black perovskite phase is stabilized at room temperature. Further addition of 32 59 methylammonium iodide MAI during the co evaporation process leads to good absorption properties and high PSC efficiencies of 20.4 . In addition, excellent stability is achieved for optimized MAI to FAI ratios, maintaining 100 of the initial PSC performance after 1000 h under constant operation. This highly stable perovskite composition enables the first monolithic fully textured perovskite silicon tandem solar cells with co evaporated perovskite absorbers. Due to the conformally covered pyramid texture, these tandem cells show minimal reflection losses and reach an efficiency of 24.6

We present enhanced optical performance in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with smooth periodic nanotextures. Reflection losses in experimental devices are reduced by 1 mA/cm², enabling a power conversion efficiency >26%.

The Asian box turtle genus Cuora currently comprises 13 species with a wide distribution in Southeast Asia, including China and the islands of Indonesia and Philippines. The populations of these species are rapidly declining due to human pressure, including pollution, habitat loss, and harvesting for food consumption. Notably, the IUCN Red List identifies almost all species of the genus Cuora as Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR). In this study, we explore the karyotypes of 10 Cuora species with conventional (Giemsa staining, C-banding, karyogram reconstruction) and molecular cytogenetic methods (in situ hybridization with probes for rDNA loci and telomeric repeats). Our study reveals a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 52 chromosomes in all studied species, with karyotypes of similar chromosomal morphology. In all examined species, rDNA loci are detected at a single medium-sized chromosome pair and the telomeric repeats are restricted to the expected terminal position across all chromosomes. In contrast to a previous report, sex chromosomes are neither detected in Cuora galbinifrons nor in any other species. Therefore, we assume that these turtles have either environmental sex determination or genotypic sex determination with poorly differentiated sex chromosomes. The conservation of genome organization could explain the numerous observed cases of interspecific hybridization both within the genus Cuora and across geoemydid turtles.

We present a comprehensive experimental study of a di-t-butyl-substituted cyclooctatetraene-based molecular balance to measure the effect of 16 different solvents on the equilibrium of folded versus unfolded isomers. In the folded 1,6-isomer, the two t-butyl groups are in close proximity (H···H distance ≈ 2.5 A), but they are far apart in the unfolded 1,4-isomer (H···H distance ≈ 7 A). We determined the relative strengths of these noncovalent intramolecular σ-σ interactions via temperature-dependent nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. The origins of the interactions were elucidated with energy decomposition analysis at the density functional and ab initio levels of theory, pinpointing the predominance of London dispersion interactions enthalpically favoring the folded state in any solvent measured.