Advances in ab-initio theory of Multiferroics. Materials and mechanisms: modelling and understanding

Within the broad class of multiferroics (compounds showing a coexistence of magnetism and ferroelectricity), we focus on the subclass of "improper electronic ferroelectrics", i.e. correlated materials where electronic degrees of freedom (such as spin, charge or orbital) drive ferroelectricity. In particular, in spin-induced ferroelectrics, there is not only a {\em coexistence} of the two intriguing magnetic and dipolar orders; rather, there is such an intimate link that one drives the other, suggesting a giant magnetoelectric coupling. Via first-principles approaches based on density functional theory, we review the microscopic mechanisms at the basis of multiferroicity in several compounds, ranging from transition metal oxides to organic multiferroics (MFs) to organic-inorganic hybrids (i.e. metal-organic frameworks, MOFs)Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure

Langerhans Cells Histiocytosis: Features of Clinical and Laboratory Manifestations and Course of the Disease

The aim of the research. To specify the features of clinical symptoms, course of the disease and the efficacy of treatment for Langerhans cells histiocytosis (LCH) in children. Methods of the Study. Clinacal, haemotological, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical, radiological ones. Results of the Study. An analysis of 25 cases of LCH in children was presented. Monosystem LCH most often affects the skeletal system. Multisystem LCH is characterized by diversity of clinical manifestations, more severe course and high risk of death. One third of patients with multisystem LCH are infants. In children with monosystem LCH we observed complete clinical response to first-line therapy. At the same time, complete response to polychemotherapy is observed only in 30 % of children with multisystem LCH. Prognosis of the disease depends on the initial affection of risk organs (bone marrow, liver, lungs, spleen), their dysfunction and the child’s age at the time of diagnosis. Process reactivation in children with multisystem LCH occurs in the first 12 months from the onset of the disease

The Clinical and Genetic Spectrum of 82 Patients WithRAGDeficiency Including a c.256_257delAA Founder Variant in Slavic Countries

Background:Variants in recombination-activating genes (RAG) are common genetic causes of autosomal recessive forms of combined immunodeficiencies (CID) ranging from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), Omenn syndrome (OS), leaky SCID, and CID with granulomas and/or autoimmunity (CID-G/AI), and even milder presentation with antibody deficiency. Objective:We aim to estimate the incidence, clinical presentation, genetic variability, and treatment outcome with geographic distribution of patients with theRAGdefects in populations inhabiting South, West, and East Slavic countries. Methods:Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected fromRAG-deficient patients of Slavic origin via chart review, retrospectively. Recombinase activity was determinedin vitroby flow cytometry-based assay. Results:Based on the clinical and immunologic phenotype, our cohort of 82 patients from 68 families represented a wide spectrum ofRAGdeficiencies, including SCID (n= 20), OS (n= 37), and LS/CID (n= 25) phenotypes. Sixty-seven (81.7%) patients carriedRAG1and 15 patients (18.3%) carriedRAG2biallelic variants. We estimate that the minimal annual incidence ofRAGdeficiency in Slavic countries varies between 1 in 180,000 and 1 in 300,000 live births, and it may vary secondary to health care disparities in these regions. In our cohort, 70% (n= 47) of patients withRAG1variants carried p.K86Vfs*33 (c.256_257delAA) allele, either in homozygous (n= 18, 27%) or in compound heterozygous (n= 29, 43%) form. The majority (77%) of patients with homozygousRAG1p.K86Vfs*33 variant originated from Vistula watershed area in Central and Eastern Poland, and compound heterozygote cases were distributed among all Slavic countries except Bulgaria. Clinical and immunological presentation of homozygousRAG1p.K86Vfs*33 cases was highly diverse (SCID, OS, and AS/CID) suggestive of strong influence of additional genetic and/or epigenetic factors in shaping the final phenotype. Conclusion:We propose thatRAG1p.K86Vfs*33 is a founder variant originating from the Vistula watershed region in Poland, which may explain a high proportion of homozygous cases from Central and Eastern Poland and the presence of the variant in all Slavs. Our studies in this cohort ofRAG1founder variants confirm that clinical and immunological phenotypes only partially depend on the underlying genetic defect. As access to HSCT is improving among RAG-deficient patients in Eastern Europe, we anticipate improvements in survival.Transplantation and immunomodulatio

The Clinical and Genetic Spectrum of 82 Patients With RAG Deficiency Including a c.256_257delAA Founder Variant in Slavic Countries

Background: Variants in recombination-activating genes (RAG) are common genetic causes of autosomal recessive forms of combined immunodeficiencies (CID) ranging from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), Omenn syndrome (OS), leaky SCID, and CID with granulomas and/or autoimmunity (CID-G/AI), and even milder presentation with antibody deficiency. Objective: We aim to estimate the incidence, clinical presentation, genetic variability, and treatment outcome with geographic distribution of patients with the RAG defects in populations inhabiting South, West, and East Slavic countries. Methods: Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from RAG-deficient patients of Slavic origin via chart review, retrospectively. Recombinase activity was determined in vitro by flow cytometry-based assay. Results: Based on the clinical and immunologic phenotype, our cohort of 82 patients from 68 families represented a wide spectrum of RAG deficiencies, including SCID (n = 20), OS (n = 37), and LS/CID (n = 25) phenotypes. Sixty-seven (81.7%) patients carried RAG1 and 15 patients (18.3%) carried RAG2 biallelic variants. We estimate that the minimal annual incidence of RAG deficiency in Slavic countries varies between 1 in 180,000 and 1 in 300,000 live births, and it may vary secondary to health care disparities in these regions. In our cohort, 70% (n = 47) of patients with RAG1 variants carried p.K86Vfs*33 (c.256_257delAA) allele, either in homozygous (n = 18, 27%) or in compound heterozygous (n = 29, 43%) form. The majority (77%) of patients with homozygous RAG1 p.K86Vfs*33 variant originated from Vistula watershed area in Central and Eastern Poland, and compound heterozygote cases were distributed among all Slavic countries except Bulgaria. Clinical and immunological presentation of homozygous RAG1 p.K86Vfs*33 cases was highly diverse (SCID, OS, and AS/CID) suggestive of strong influence of additional genetic and/or epigenetic factors in shaping the final phenotype. Conclusion: We propose that RAG1 p.K86Vfs*33 is a founder variant originating from the Vistula watershed region in Poland, which may explain a high proportion of homozygous cases from Central and Eastern Poland and the presence of the variant in all Slavs. Our studies in this cohort of RAG1 founder variants confirm that clinical and immunological phenotypes only partially depend on the underlying genetic defect. As access to HSCT is improving among RAG-deficient patients in Eastern Europe, we anticipate improvements in survival