Ultrafast electronic processes in an insulator The Be and O sites in BeO

The short time dynamics of amorphous beryllium oxide a BeO has been investigated for electronic excitation ionization by fast incident electrons, as well as by Ar7 , Ar15 , Xe15 , and Xe31 ions at velocities of 6 10 the speed of light. Site specific Auger electron spectra induced by fast heavy ions are the central point of this investigation. Electron induced Auger spectra serve as a reference and electron energy loss EELS spectroscopy as well as resonant inelastic X ray scattering RIXS are invoked for quantitative understanding. For the heavy ion case, we observe strong variations in the corresponding spectral distributions of Be K and O K Auger lines. These are related to local changes of the electron density, of the electron temperature and even of the electronic band structure of BeO on a femtosecond time scale after the passage of highly charged heavy ions

Interleukin-6 receptor blockade in treatment-refractory MOG-IgG-associated disease and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), a humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG-associated disease (MOGAD) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). METHODS: Annualized relapse rate (ARR), Expanded Disability Status Scale score, MRI, autoantibody titers, pain, and adverse events were retrospectively evaluated in 57 patients with MOGAD (n = 14), aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-IgG seropositive (n = 36), and seronegative NMOSD (n = 7; 12%), switched to TCZ from previous immunotherapies, particularly rituximab. RESULTS: Patients received TCZ for 23.8 months (median; interquartile range 13.0-51.1 months), with an IV dose of 8.0 mg/kg (median; range 6-12 mg/kg) every 31.6 days (mean; range 26-44 days). For MOGAD, the median ARR decreased from 1.75 (range 0.5-5) to 0 (range 0-0.9; p = 0.0011) under TCZ. A similar effect was seen for AQP4-IgG+ (ARR reduction from 1.5 [range 0-5] to 0 [range 0-4.2]; p < 0.001) and for seronegative NMOSD (from 3.0 [range 1.0-3.0] to 0.2 [range 0-2.0]; p = 0.031). During TCZ, 60% of all patients were relapse free (79% for MOGAD, 56% for AQP4-IgG+, and 43% for seronegative NMOSD). Disability follow-up indicated stabilization. MRI inflammatory activity decreased in MOGAD (p = 0.04; for the brain) and in AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD (p < 0.001; for the spinal cord). Chronic pain was unchanged. Regarding only patients treated with TCZ for at least 12 months (n = 44), ARR reductions were confirmed, including the subgroups of MOGAD (n = 11) and AQP4-IgG+ patients (n = 28). Similarly, in the group of patients treated with TCZ for at least 12 months, 59% of them were relapse free, with 73% for MOGAD, 57% for AQP4-IgG+, and 40% for patients with seronegative NMOSD. No severe or unexpected safety signals were observed. Add-on therapy showed no advantage compared with TCZ monotherapy. DISCUSSION: This study provides Class III evidence that long-term TCZ therapy is safe and reduces relapse probability in MOGAD and AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD

Thermal evolution of the band edges of 6H SiC X ray methods compared to the optical band gap

The band gap of semiconductors like silicon and silicon carbide SiC is the key for their device properties.In this research, the band gap of 6H SiC and its temperature dependence were analyzed with silicon 2pX ray absorption spectroscopy XAS , X ray emission spectroscopy XES and resonant inelastic X rayscattering RIXS allowing for a separate analysis of the conduction band minimum CBM and valence band maximum VBM components of the band gap. The temperature dependent asymmetric band gapshrinking of 6H SiC was determined with a valence band slope of 2.45 10 amp; 8722;4eV K and a conduction band slope of amp; 8722;1.334 10 amp; 8722;4eV K. The apparent asymmetry, e.g., that two thirds of the band gap shrinkingwith increasing temperature is due to the VBM evolution in 6H SiC, is similar to the asymmetry obtainedfor pure silicon before. The overall band gap temperature dependence determined with XAS and non resonant XES is compared to temperature dependent optical studies. The core excitonic binding energyappearing in the Si 2p XAS is extracted as the main difference. In addition, the energy loss of the onset ofthe first band in RIXS yields to values similar to the optical band gap over the tested temperature rang

Verminderte Selektin E Expression in Polyposis nasi

Einleitung: Chronische Rhinosinusitis mit nasalen Polypen (Polyposis nasi) ist eine mit chronischer Entzündung und Polypenwachstum einhergehende Erkrankung der nasalen und paranasalen Schleimhäute. Histologisch betrachtet sind nasale Polypen durch das ödematöse fibrozytäre Stroma und die Einwanderung von Entzündungszellen charakterisiert. Bei einer Entzündung wird eine Immunreaktion ausgelöst, indem es zur Migration von phagozytosefähigen Leukozyten in das betroffene Gewebe kommt. Voraussetzung dafür ist die Wechselwirkung dieser Abwehrzellen mit dem vaskulären Endothel, wobei der initiale Kontakt und das anschließende Zellrollen durch die Proteine der Selektin-Familie vermittelt wird.Methoden: Im Verlauf einer Nasennebenhöhlensanierung wurden nasale Polypen und die dazugehörige untere Nasenmuschel chirurgisch entfernt. Um Unterschiede in der Selektin E Expression festzustellen, wurden molekularbiologische (PCR, Microarray, qPCR), biochemische (Western blot) und immunhistologische (LSAB, IF) Methoden verwendet. Ergebnisse: Die Expressionsanalyse ergab, dass das Adhäsionsmolekül Selektin E (CD62E) im vaskulären Endothel von nasalen Polypen, im Vergleich zu der unteren Nasenmuschel desselben Patienten, deutlich herunter reguliert ist. Schlussfolgerung: Selektine sind für den initialen Kontakt von Leukozyten mit dem vaskulären Endothel verantwortlich. Eine Herunterregulation von Selektin E könnte bedeuten, dass die Migration von Leukozyten reduziert und daher die Immunantwort abgeschwächt ist. Dennoch zeigen verschiedene Studien, dass eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Immunzellen das Polyposis-Gewebe infiltrieren. Die molekularbiologische Bedeutung einer verminderten Selektin E Expression steht im Fokus unserer Untersuchungen