Immune checkpoint inhibitors and renal toxicity.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the management of a broad spectrum of cancers as metastatic melanoma, non-small lung cancer or renal cell carcinoma. These humanized monoclonal antibodies target immune-regulatory receptors expressed on T lymphocytes, antigen presenting cells and tumor cells and induce an immunological anti-tumor response. If on the one hand these molecules have led to considerable improvement in survival outcomes, on the other hand these therapies can be associated with immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). While these side effects have become well known, the best diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are still under investigation. The authors discuss pathophysiology, clinical presentation and histological features of ICIs renal toxicity. Furthermore, we focus on kidney transplant (KT) recipients, including the therapeutic adaptation approach to immunosuppression and the risk of rejection

Pressure induced softening of YB_6: pressure effect on the Ginzburg-Landau parameter \kappa=\lambda/\xi

Measurements of the transition temperature T_c, the second critical filed H_{c2} and the magnetic penetration depth \lambda under hydrostatic pressure (up to 9.2 kbar) in the YB_6 superconductor were carried out. A pronounced and {\it negative} pressure effects (PE) on T_c and H_{c2} with dT_c/dp=-0.0547(4) K/kbar and \mu_0dH_{c2}(0)/dp =-4.84(20) mT/kbar, and zero PE on \lambda(0) were observed. The PE on the coherence length d\xi(0)/dp=0.28(2) nm/kbar was calculated from the measured pressure dependence of H_{c2}(0). Together with the zero PE on the magnetic penetration depth \lambda(0), our results imply that the Ginzburg-Landau parameter \kappa(0)=\xi(0)/\lambda(0) depends on pressure and that pressure "softens" YB_6, e.g. moves it to the type-I direction.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Insights Into Today’s Real Estate Market - A Focus on Switzerland

Real estate is at the confluence of several major transformations: higher inflation, higher interest rates, and increasing ESG risks. In this Roundup, experts from academia, industry, and regulation discuss how investors and households navigate new difficult tradeoffs in the Swiss context. Will macroeconomic uncertainties affect prices and impact the financial sector? What is the proper place of real estate in an investor's portfolio? Should homeowners rethink their financing options? And will increasingly strict energy regulations impact the market

A De Novo Mutation in COL1A1 in a Holstein Calf with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type II

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type II is a genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by bone fragility, severe skeletal deformities and shortened limbs. OI usually causes perinatal death of affected individuals. OI type II diagnosis in humans is established by the identification of heterozygous mutations in genes coding for collagens. The purpose of this study was to characterize the pathological phenotype of an OI type II-affected neonatal Holstein calf and to identify the causative genetic variant by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The calf had acute as well as intrauterine fractures, abnormally shaped long bones and localized arthrogryposis. Genetic analysis revealed a private heterozygous missense variant in COL1A1 (c.3917T>A) located in the fibrillar collagen NC1 domain (p.Val1306Glu) that most likely occurred de novo. This confirmed the diagnosis of OI type II and represents the first report of a pathogenic variant in the fibrillar collagen NC domain of COL1A1 associated to OI type II in domestic animals. Furthermore, this study highlights the utility of WGS-based precise diagnostics for understanding congenital disorders in cattle and the need for continued surveillance for rare lethal genetic disorders in cattle

Spin fluctuations, magnetic long-range order and Fermi surface gapping in NaxCoO2

In this study an extended low energy phase diagram for NaxCoO2 is experimentally established with emphasis on the high x range. It is based on systematic heat capacity studies on both polycrystalline and single crystalline samples and on uSR measurements. Main features are the existence of mass enhancement, spin fluctuations without long-range order, and magnetic order with associated Fermi surface gapping. The latter is seen in the electronic density of states (DOS) and suppression of nuclear specific heat. While there is agreement between the band structure and the low energy DOS in the low x range, in the high x range (x > 0.6) the thermodynamically determined DOS is approximately three times that deduced from the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)-measured band dispersion or local-density approximation (LDA) calculations.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

When misconceptions impede best practices: evidence supports biological control of invasive Phragmites

Development of a biological control program for invasive Phagmites australis australis in North America required 20 years of careful research, and consideration of management alternatives. A recent paper by Kiviat et al. (Biol Invasions 21:2529–2541, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02014-9) articulates opposition to this biocontrol program and questions the ethics and thoroughness of the researchers. Here we address inaccuracies and misleading statements presented in Kiviat et al. (2019), followed by a brief overview of why biological control targeting Phragmites in North America can be implemented safely with little risk to native species. Similar to our colleagues, we are very concerned about the risks invasive Phragmites represent to North American habitats. But to protect those habitats and the species, including P. australis americanus, we come to a different decision regarding biological control. Current management techniques have not been able to reverse the invasiveness of P. australis australis, threats to native rare and endangered species continue, and large-scale herbicide campaigns are not only costly, but also represent threats to non-target species. We see implementation of biocontrol as the best hope for managing one of the most problematic invasive plants in North America. After extensive review, our petition to release two host specific stem miners was approved by The Technical Advisory Group for the Release of Biological Control Agents in the US and Canadian federal authorities

AER Building Blocks for Multi-Layer Multi-Chip Neuromorphic Vision Systems

A 5-layer neuromorphic vision processor whose components communicate spike events asychronously using the address-eventrepresentation (AER) is demonstrated. The system includes a retina chip, two convolution chips, a 2D winner-take-all chip, a delay line chip, a learning classifier chip, and a set of PCBs for computer interfacing and address space remappings. The components use a mixture of analog and digital computation and will learn to classify trajectories of a moving object. A complete experimental setup and measurements results are shown.Unión Europea IST-2001-34124 (CAVIAR)Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2003-08164-C0

The barocaloric effect: A Spin-off of the Discovery of High-Temperature Superconductivity

Some key results obtained in joint research projects with Alex M\"uller are summarized, concentrating on the invention of the barocaloric effect and its application for cooling as well as on important findings in the field of high-temperature superconductivity resulting from neutron scattering experiments.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figure