WAO guideline for the management of hereditary angioedema

Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease and for this reason proper diagnosis and appropriate therapy are often unknown or not available for physicians and other health care providers. For this reason we convened a group of specialists that focus upon HAE from around the world to develop not only a consensus on diagnosis and management of HAE, but to also provide evidence based grades, strength of evidence and classification for the consensus. Since both consensus and evidence grading were adhered to the document meets criteria as a guideline. The outcome of the guideline is to improve diagnosis and management of patients with HAE throughout the world and to help initiate uniform care and availability of therapies to all with the diagnosis no matter where the residence of the individual with HAE exists

The trajectory of anti-recEm18 antibody levels determines follow-up after curative resection of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.

INTRODUCTION Recurrence after curative resection of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis remains a clinical challenge. The current study tested if assessment of anti-recEm18 allows for postsurgical patient surveillance. METHODS A retrospective study with patients undergoing liver resection for alveolar echinococcosis (n = 88) at the University Hospital Bern from 2002 to 2020 and at the University Hospital and Medical Center Ulm from 2011 to 2017 was performed. Analysis was directed to determine a potential association of pre- and postoperative values of anti-recEm18 with clinical outcomes. RESULTS Anti-recEm18 had a linear correlation to the maximum lesion diameter (R2 = 0.558). Three trajectories of anti-recEm18 were identified based on a threshold of 10 AU/ml: "Em18-low" (n = 31), "responders" (n = 53) and "residual disease" (n = 4). The decline of anti-recEm18 in "responders" reached a plateau after 10.9 months at which levels decreased by 90%. The only patient with recurrence in the entire population was also the only patient with a secondary increase of anti-recEm18. CONCLUSION In patients with preoperative elevated values, anti-recEm18 confirms curative surgery at 12 months follow-up and allows for long-term surveillance

Far-Field Optical Imaging and Manipulation of Individual Spins with Nanoscale Resolution

A fundamental limit to existing optical techniques for measurementand manipulation of spin degrees of freedom is set by diffraction, which does not allow spins separated by less than about a quarter of a micrometre to be resolved using conventional far-field optics. Here, we report an efficient far-field optical technique that overcomes the limiting role of diffraction, allowing individual electronic spins to be detected, imaged and manipulated coherently with nanoscale resolution. The technique involves selective flipping of the orientation of individual spins, associated with nitrogen-vacancy centres in room-temperature diamond, using a focused beam of light with intensity vanishing at a controllable location, which enables simultaneous single-spin imaging and magnetometry at the nanoscale with considerably less power than conventional techniques. Furthermore, by inhibiting spin transitions away from the laser intensity null, selective coherent rotation of individual spins is realized. This technique can be extended to subnanometre dimensions, thus enabling applications in diverse areas ranging from quantum information science to bioimaging.Physic

Phase I clinical study of the recombinant antibody toxin scFv(FRP5)-ETA specific for the ErbB2/HER2 receptor in patients with advanced solid malignomas

INTRODUCTION: ScFv(FRP5)-ETA is a recombinant antibody toxin with binding specificity for ErbB2 (HER2). It consists of an N-terminal single-chain antibody fragment (scFv), genetically linked to truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin A (ETA). Potent antitumoral activity of scFv(FRP5)-ETA against ErbB2-overexpressing tumor cells was previously demonstrated in vitro and in animal models. Here we report the first systemic application of scFv(FRP5)-ETA in human cancer patients. METHODS: We have performed a phase I dose-finding study, with the objective to assess the maximum tolerated dose and the dose-limiting toxicity of intravenously injected scFv(FRP5)-ETA. Eighteen patients suffering from ErbB2-expressing metastatic breast cancers, prostate cancers, head and neck cancer, non small cell lung cancer, or transitional cell carcinoma were treated. Dose levels of 2, 4, 10, 12.5, and 20 μg/kg scFv(FRP5)-ETA were administered as five daily infusions each for two consecutive weeks. RESULTS: No hematologic, renal, and/or cardiovascular toxicities were noted in any of the patients treated. However, transient elevation of liver enzymes was observed, and considered dose limiting, in one of six patients at the maximum tolerated dose of 12.5 μg/kg, and in two of three patients at 20 μg/kg. Fifteen minutes after injection, peak concentrations of more than 100 ng/ml scFv(FRP5)-ETA were obtained at a dose of 10 μg/kg, indicating that predicted therapeutic levels of the recombinant protein can be applied without inducing toxic side effects. Induction of antibodies against scFv(FRP5)-ETA was observed 8 days after initiation of therapy in 13 patients investigated, but only in five of these patients could neutralizing activity be detected. Two patients showed stable disease and in three patients clinical signs of activity in terms of signs and symptoms were observed (all treated at doses ≥ 10 μg/kg). Disease progression occurred in 11 of the patients. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that systemic therapy with scFv(FRP5)-ETA can be safely administered up to a maximum tolerated dose of 12.5 μg/kg in patients with ErbB2-expressing tumors, justifying further clinical development

Precision surgery:the role of intra-operative real-time image guidance - outcomes from a multidisciplinary European consensus conference

Developments within the field of image-guided surgery are ever expanding, driven by collective involvement of clinicians, researchers, and industry. While the general conception of the potential of image-guided surgery is to improve surgical outcome, the specific motives and goals that drive can differ between the different expert groups. To establish the current and future role of intra-operative image guidance within the field of image-guided surgery a Delphi consensus survey was conducted during the 2(nd) European Congress on Image-guided surgery. This multidisciplinary survey included questions on the conceptual potential and clinical value of image-guided surgery and was aimed at defining specific areas of research and development in the field in order to stimulate further advances towards precision surgery. Obtained results based on questionnaires filled in by 56 panel experts (clinicians: N=30, researchers: N=20 and industry: N=6) were discussed during a dedicated expert discussion session during the conference. The outcome of this Delphi consensus is indicative of the potential improvements offered by image-guided surgery and of the need for further research in this emerging field, that can be enriched by the identification of reliable molecular targets

Quantum Communication

Quantum communication, and indeed quantum information in general, has changed the way we think about quantum physics. In 1984 and 1991, the first protocol for quantum cryptography and the first application of quantum non-locality, respectively, attracted a diverse field of researchers in theoretical and experimental physics, mathematics and computer science. Since then we have seen a fundamental shift in how we understand information when it is encoded in quantum systems. We review the current state of research and future directions in this new field of science with special emphasis on quantum key distribution and quantum networks.Comment: Submitted version, 8 pg (2 cols) 5 fig