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After his stay in Paris in the summer of 1572, Philip Sidney (1554–86) spent nearly three years abroad, partly at the University of Padua and partly traveling through the Holy Roman Empire. His mentor Hubert Languet (1518–80) made him free of his large international network of friends and acquaintances, so that when the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre forced him to leave France, the seventeen year old could count on a benevolent reception in many places. This essay shows the various politico-religious cultures and structures Sidney learned on his travels through the empire, and incidentally confirms the historical identity of his equestrian mentor Pietro Pugliano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy democracy requires trust that people can be impartial in important truth-seeking institutions including journalism, justice, and science. Recently some U.S. elites have adopted alarmingly extreme rhetoric against truth-seekers, denouncing mainstream journalism as fake news, criminal investigations as partisan witch-hunts, climate science as a hoax, and career civil servants as a deep state conspiracy. In response, some news organizations have taken the unusual step of publishing op/eds defending these institutions. Two experiments tested effects of such op/eds. In study 1, participants spent twelve days using a purpose-built news portal containing real, timely news with random assignment to the availability of real, timely op/eds defending impartiality of truth-seekers. These op/eds increased trust in truth-seeking institutions and increased the belief that people can serve as impartial professionals. Study 2 replicated this with a laboratory experiment assigning video op/ed exposure instead of text op/ed availability while adding several outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handling of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can be challenging for patients and requires appropriate training. The devices' usability impacts patients' safety and quality of life. In this study, an eye tracking supported human factors testing was performed to reveal problems during use and test the trainings' effectiveness. In total 32 HeartWare HVAD patients (including 6 pre-VAD patients) and 3 technical experts as control group performed a battery change (BC) and a controller change (CC) as an everyday and emergency scenario on a training device. By tracking the patients' gaze point, task duration and pump-off time were evaluated. Patients with LVAD support ≥1 year showed significantly shorter BC task duration than patients with LVAD support <1 year (p = 0.008). In contrast their CC task duration (p = 0.002) and pump-off times (median = 12.35 s) were higher than for LVAD support patients <1 year (median = 5.3 s) with p = 0.001. The shorter BC task duration for patients with LVAD support ≥1 year indicate that with time patients establish routines and gain confidence using their device. The opposite effect was found for CC task duration and pump-off times. This implies the need for intermittent re-training of less frequent tasks to increase patients' safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine how the medial structures and ACL contribute to restraining anteromedial instability of the knee.Methods: Twenty-eight paired, fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees were tested in a six-degree of freedom robotic setup. After sequentially cutting the dMCL, sMCL, POL and ACL in four different cutting orders, the following simulated clinical laxity tests were applied at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° of knee flexion: 4 Nm external tibial rotation (ER), 4 Nm internal tibial rotation (IR), 8 Nm valgus rotation (VR) and anteromedial rotation (AMR)-combined 89 N anterior tibial translation and 4 Nm ER. Knee kinematics were recorded in the intact state and after each cut using an optical tracking system. Differences in medial compartment translation (AMT) and tibial rotation (AMR, ER, IR, VR) from the intact state were then analyzed.Results: The sMCL was the most important restraint to AMR, ER and VR at all flexion angles. Release of the proximal tibial attachment of the sMCL caused no significant increase in laxity if the distal sMCL attachment remained intact. The dMCL was a minor restraint to AMT and ER. The POL controlled IR and was a minor restraint to AMT and ER near extension. The ACL contributed with the sMCL in restraining AMT and was a secondary restraint to ER and VR in the MCL deficient knee.Conclusion: The sMCL appears to be the most important restraint to anteromedial instability; the dMCL and POL play more minor roles. Based on the present data a new classification of anteromedial instability is proposed, which may support clinical examination and treatment decision. In higher grades of anteromedial instability an injury to the sMCL should be suspected and addressed if treated surgically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the "Seladon and Astraea" artwork by the Dutch painter Gerrit van Honthorst. It further discusses featuring Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia and former Electress, with her husband, Frederick V (1596-1632), and their 11 children in a garden of love; correspondence evidences their more modern marriage as one between best friends; and the intersection between two idiosyncratic friendships: between Elizabeth and her husband, and between Elizabeth and her brother.

Background: Cardiac cachexia and frailty are major complications of advanced heart failure (AHF). Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) may provide valuable information regarding fluid balance, muscle mass and prognosis. The main concerns regarding the use of BIA in AHF patients remain arrhythmias and electromagnetic interferences with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Reliable data regarding patients on continuous‐flow ventricular assist device (cf‐VAD) remain scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of BIA in AHF patients on pro‐arrhythmogenic therapy with an implanted CIED and/or with a cf‐VAD. Methods: We prospectively performed 217 BIA measurements in 143 AHF patients at risk of severe arrhythmias due to inotropic support/a history of ventricular arrhythmias and/or treated with CIED, including 104 patients with an ICD, CRT or pacemaker and 95 patients with a cf‐VAD. All patients were under continuous Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring and clinical surveillance for 24 hours. Results: No adverse events were observed during the 217 BIA measurements: No rhythm disturbances were documented in the telemetric monitoring during or within 30 minutes after the measurement. CIEDs showed no malfunction, regardless of the location measured or the device manufacturer. In particular, no inappropriate shocks were observed. No alarms, flow disturbances, or malfunctions of the cf‐VAD occurred during or after the measurements. Conclusion: We consider BIA a safe measurement with major clinical relevance in our cohort of AHF patients, despite an increased arrhythmic potential on inotropic support or the presence of implanted electronic devices (ICD, CRT, pacemaker and cf‐VAD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Various trials have assessed the outcome and reliability of the HeartWare HVAD (HW) and HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist devices. A direct comparison of clinical outcomes and of the complication profile of these 2 left ventricular assist devices is lacking. We present a retrospective analysis of patients supported with HM3 and HW as a left ventricular assist device. METHODS Preoperative data, complications and outcomes including a 1-year follow-up of patients supported with the HM3 and HW in a single centre were retrospectively analysed. Both pumps were implanted on- or off-pump, employing standard and minimally invasive techniques. For logistic reasons, the 2 device types were implanted in an alternating manner, thereby reducing the systematic bias for pump selection. We considered this to be an appropriate approach, as no differences in respect of survival or the complication profile of the two device types have been demonstrated. Anticoagulation was similar in patients with both pumps according to our anticoagulation protocol, with a target international normalized ratio of 2.5–3.0, a home monitoring system and blood pressure management with a mean arterial target pressure of 70–80 mmHg. RESULTS Between October 2015 and April 2017, 100 patients underwent implantation of the HW and 100 patients underwent implantation of the HM3. The median time on the device was 0.98 years (range 0–2.23 years). The median age was 58.5 (51–65) versus 57 (49–64) years (P  = 0.456); the number of male patients was 87 versus 88 (P  = 0.831). Of the HW patients, 73% were rated as having an INTERMACS level I or II, compared to 57% of the HM3 patients (P  = 0.018). There were no further differences in preoperative data. A total of 14 patients had pre-, intra- or post-pump blood flow obstruction in the HW group versus 4 in the HM3 group [hazard ratio (HR) 2.5 (0.7–8.8), P  = 0.103]. There were no differences regarding gastrointestinal bleeding [HR 1.25 (0.56–2.64), P  = 0.624] or driveline infection (0.68 vs 0.8 events per patient-year, P  = 0.0789). The incidence of ischaemic stroke was similar in both groups [HR 0.72 (0.25–2.09), P  = 0.550]. Cerebral bleeding was more frequent in patients supported with HW [HR 6.79 (1.43–32.20), P  = 0.016]. The incidence of cerebrovascular accidents, on the other hand, was similar in both groups [HR 1.85 (0.83–4.19), P  = 0.13]. The incidence of haemocompatibility-related adverse events, however, was significantly higher in the HW group (113 points corresponding to 1.28 events per patient-year versus 69 points corresponding to 0.7 events per patient-year, P  < 0.001). The 1-year survival was similar in both groups [62.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.53–0.73) vs 66.7%, 95% CI (0.58–767), P  = 0.372]. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that the complication profile differs between the 2 pumps, but that early survival is comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting the immune system and thereby modulating the inflammatory response in ischemic stroke has shown promising therapeutic potential in various preclinical trials. Among those, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) have moved into the focus of attention. In a murine model of experimental stroke, we explored the therapeutic potential of IVIg on the neurological outcome and the inflammatory response. Further, we used an in vitro system to assess effects of IVIg-stimulated microglia on neuronal survival. Treatment with IVIg resulted in decreased lesion sizes, without significant effects on the infiltration and activation pattern of peripheral immune cells. However, in microglia IVIg induced a switch towards an upregulation of protective polarization markers, and the ablation of microglia led to the loss of neuroprotective IVIg effects. Functionally, IVIg stimulated microglia ameliorated neuronal cell death elicited by oxygen and glucose deprivation in vitro. Notably, application of IVIg in vivo led to a comparable decrease of apoptotic neurons in the penumbra area. Although neuroprotective effects of IVIg in vivo and in vitro have been established in previous studies, we were able to show for the first time, that IVIg modulates the polarization of microglia during the pathogenesis of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mode coupling theory for the ideal glass transition temperature, or crossover temperature to highly activated dynamics in the deeply supercooled regime, Tc, has been developed for anisotropic polymer liquids. A generalization of a simplified mode coupling approach at the coarse-grained segment level is employed which utilizes structural and thermodynamic information from the anisotropic polymer reference interaction site model theory. Conformational alignment or/and coil deformation modifies equilibrium properties and constraining interchain forces thereby inducing anisotropic segmental dynamics. For liquid-crystalline polymers a small suppression of Tc with increasing nematic or discotic orientational order is predicted. The underlying mechanism is reduction of the degree of coil interpenetration and intermolecular repulsive contacts due to segmental alignment. For rubber networks chain deformation results in an enhanced bulk modulus and a modest elevation of Tc is predicted. The theory can also be qualitatively applied to systems that undergo nonuniversal local deformation and alignment, such as polymer thin films and grafted brush layers, and large elevations or depressions of Tc are possible. Extension to treat directionally dependent collective barrier formation and activated hopping is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

View large Download slide View large Download slide OBJECTIVES Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can be applied as a bridge to diagnosis and decision-making for further treatment with long-term left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). METHODS From January 2012 to January 2018, 714 adult patients were treated with ECLS in our institution. During the same period, 618 patients received an LVAD for long-term support. Of them, 100 patients were further supported with a long-term LVAD. We retrospectively analysed the datasets of these 100 consecutive patients with the goal of developing an algorithm to predict outcomes for a rational use of long-term ventricular assist device therapy in this setting. RESULTS The mean age of the 100 patients was 54.1 ± 11.6 years, and 72 were men. Twenty-nine patients had a BMI of >30 kg/m2. In 33 patients, a temporary right ventricular assist device was necessary postoperatively. The 30-day, 1-year and 2-year survival after ventricular assist device implantation was 62.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 53.2–72.3], 43.0% (95% CI 34.3–53.9) and 37.1% (95% CI 28.2–48.7%), respectively. Penalized multivariable logistic regression analysis showed following predictors for 1-year mortality: bilirubin increase per mg/dl [odds ratio (OR) 1.41, 95% CI 1.12–1.77], C-reactive protein increase per mg/dl (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05–1.19), ECLS duration >7 days (OR 4.90, 95% CI 1.66–14.41), BMI >30 kg/m2 (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05–8.52) and female gender (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.02–9.23). On the basis of these data, a nomogram to estimate 1-year mortality after LVAD implantation was created. CONCLUSIONS After stabilization of patients experiencing cardiogenic shock using ECLS, LVAD implantation can be performed with elevated mortality in an otherwise futile situation. Liver dysfunction, inflammatory status and obesity increase the risk for mid-term mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Clément Perret's textbook "Exercitatio alphabetica" published in 1569 in the Netherlands which instructs the art of calligraphy through word and image. Topics include the popularity of calligraphy as an art form in the European Middle Ages; the demands of calligraphic textbooks in that period; and an analysis of combination of script and ornamentation, the selection and order of the texts, and the use of excerpts from the Wisdom of Solomon from the Bible in the texts.

This essay is the first study of a ninety-foot-long pedigree roll made for Elizabeth I in 1558-60 and now preserved at Hatfield House. Conceived and supervised by Edmund Brudenell of Deene Park--a Catholic gentleman and an amateur antiquary and genealogist--the pedigree traces Elizabeth's descent from the Creation, via Adam and Eve, to the mythical and historical British, Saxon, and Norman kings. It also features the genealogies of European royal houses, the descent of the most important English aristocratic families, numerous textual extracts containing historical information, and lavish heraldic decorations. In the present essay, Sara Trevisan explores the sources and content of the pedigree roll--an intersection between medieval and early modern traditions of royal genealogical discourse-and discusses its making, its social and political function, and the strategies it employed to construct a celebration of the queen's right to rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Princess Elizabeth Tudor's holograph letters have long been prized, but often reveal more about her education than about her life before she became queen in 1558. Her scribal letters, by comparison, can offer more matter-of-fact insights into these years, showing how Elizabeth negotiated with the governments of her brother Edward VI and sister Mary I, how she managed her household and estate, and how she sued for property for herself and patronage for her servants. The article presents diplomatic transcriptions of seven scribal letters, written between 1547 and 1556, adding significantly to our understanding of her life during these years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis (HSE) is the most common fatal sporadic encephalitis in developed countries. There is evidence from HSE animal models that not only direct virus-mediated damage caused but also the host's immune response contributes to the high mortality of the disease. Chemokines modulate and orchestrate this immune response. Previous experimental studies in HSE models identified the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligands as molecules with a high impact on the course of HSE in mouse models. In this study, the role of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 was evaluated after intranasal infection with the encephalitogenic HSV-1 strain 17 syn using CXCR3-deficient mice (CXCR3) and wild-type controls. We demonstrated a neurotropic viral spread into the CNS of after intranasal infection. Although viral load and histological distribution of infected neurons were independent from CXCR3 signaling early after infection, CXCR3-deficient mice cleared HSV-1 more efficiently 14 days after infection. Furthermore, CXCR3 deficiency led to a decreased weight loss in mice after HSV-1 infection. T cell infiltration and microglial activation was prominently reduced by inhibition of CXCR3 signaling. Quantitative PCR of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines confirmed the reduced neuroinflammatory response in CXCR3-deficient mice during HSE. Our results demonstrate that the recruitment of peripheral immune cells into the CNS, induction of neuroinflammation, and consecutive weight loss during herpes encephalitis is modulated by CXCR3 signaling. Interruption of the CXCR3 pathway ameliorates the detrimental host immune response and in turn, leads paradoxically to an enhanced viral clearance after intranasal infection. Our data gives further insight into the role of CXCR3 during HSE after intranasal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Aussen- und Sicherheitspolitik 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.)

Background: High-intensity noise exposure from impulse and blast noise events often leads to acute hearing loss and may cause irreversible permanent hearing loss as a long-term consequence. Here, a treatment regime was developed to limit permanent damage based on a preclinical animal model of acute noise trauma. Aim: To develop clinical trials for the treatment of acute noise traumas using approved drugs. The otoprotective potential of glucocorticoids applied locally to the inner ear was examined. Materials and methods: A series of experiments with different impulse noise exposures were performed. Permanent hearing loss and hair cell density were assessed 14 days after exposure. Hearing and hair cell preservation were investigated as a function of the glucocorticoid dose. Results: After impulse noise exposure, local application to the round window of the cochlea of high-dose prednisolone (25 mg/ml) or methylprednisolone (12.5 mg/ml) resulted in a statistically significant reduction in hearing loss compared with the control group. Conclusion: The local application of high doses of the drugs to the round window of the cochlea appears to be an effective treatment for acute noise trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of HNO 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.)

The mature mammalian organ of Corti does not regenerate spontaneously after injury, mainly due to the absence of cell proliferation and the depletion of otic progenitors with age. The polycomb gene B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Bmi1) promotes proliferation and cell cycle progression in several stem cell populations. The cell cycle inhibitor p16ink4a has been previously identified as a downstream target of Bmi1. In this study, we show that Bmi1 is expressed in the developing inner ear. In the organ of Corti, Bmi1 expression is temporally regulated during embryonic and postnatal development. In contrast, p16ink4a expression is not detectable during the same period. Bmi1-deficient mice were used to investigate the role of Bmi1 in cochlear development and otosphere generation. In the absence of Bmi1, the postnatal organ of Corti displayed normal morphology at least until the end of the first postnatal week, suggesting that Bmi1 is not required for the embryonic or early postnatal development of the organ of Corti. However, Bmi1 loss resulted in the reduced sphere-forming capacity of the organ of Corti, accompanied by the decreased cell proliferation of otic progenitors in otosphere cultures. This reduced proliferative capacity was associated with the upregulation of p16ink4a in vitro. Viral vector-mediated overexpression of p16ink4a in wildtype otosphere cultures significantly reduced the number of generated otospheres in vitro. The findings strongly suggest a role for Bmi1 as a promoter of cell proliferation in otic progenitor cells, potentially through the repression of p16ink4a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of single-photon-counting detectors, such as the PILATUS, has been a major recent breakthrough in macromolecular crystallography, enabling noise-free detection and novel data-acquisition modes. The new EIGER detector features a pixel size of 75 × 75 µm, frame rates of up to 3000 Hz and a dead time as low as 3.8 µs. An EIGER 1M and EIGER 16M were tested on Swiss Light Source beamlines X10SA and X06SA for their application in macromolecular crystallography. The combination of fast frame rates and a very short dead time allows high-quality data acquisition in a shorter time. The ultrafine ϕ-slicing data-collection method is introduced and validated and its application in finding the optimal rotation angle, a suitable rotation speed and a sufficient X-ray dose are presented. An improvement of the data quality up to slicing at one tenth of the mosaicity has been observed, which is much finer than expected based on previous findings. The influence of key data-collection parameters on data quality is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) are promising candidates to improve the competitiveness of membrane technology against energy-intensive conventional technologies. In this work, MMM composed of poly(octylmethylsiloxane) (POMS) and activated carbon (AC) were investigated with respect to separation of higher hydrocarbons (C3+) from permanent gas streams. Membranes were prepared as thin film composite membranes on a technical scale and characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and permeation measurements with binary mixtures of n-C4H10/CH4 under varying operating conditions (feed and permeate pressure, temperature, feed gas composition) to study the influence on separation performance. SEM showed good contact and absence of defects. Lower permeances but higher selectivities were found for MMM compared to pure POMS membrane. Best results were obtained at high average fugacity and activity of n-C4H10 with the highest selectivity estimated to be 36.4 at n-C4H10 permeance of 12 mN ³/(m2·h·bar). Results were complemented by permeation of a multi-component mixture resembling a natural gas application, demonstrating the superior performance of MMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses book "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare and mentions character Isabella in the book. Topics discussed include gender ideologies, female silence and feminist discourses. Other topics such as Queen of England Elizabeth I, noblewomen and gender discourses are also discussed.

In this study, promising electrolytes for use in Li-ion batteries are studied in terms of interacting and wetting polyethylene (PE) and particle-coated PE separators. The electrolytes are characterized according to their physicochemical properties, where the flow characteristics and the surface tension are of particular interest for electrolyte'separator interactions. The viscosity of the electrolytes is determined to be in a range of η = 4-400 mPa.s and surface tension is finely graduated in a range of γL = 23.3'38.1 mN.m-1. It is verified that the technique of drop shape analysis can only be used in a limited matter to prove the interaction, uptake and penetration of electrolytes by separators. Cell testing of Li/NMC half cells reveals that those cell results cannot be inevitably deduced from physicochemical electrolyte properties as well as contact angle analysis. On the other hand, techniques are more suitable which detect liquid penetration into the interior of the separator. It is expected that the results can help fundamental researchers as well as users of novel electrolytes in current-day Li-ion battery technologies for developing and using novel material combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the 2015 Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting exhibition in San Francisco, California held April 6-10, 2015. Topics include the Meeting Chairs like Artur Braun, Ken Haenen, and Lia Stanciu, symposiums on subjects like nanomaterials, materials for electronics and photonics, and materials for energy, and poster awards for researchers like Shishir Pandya, Jan Mock, and David A. Scrymgeour.