Subcutaneous Interferon Beta-1a inPediatric Multiple Sclerosis: A Retrospective Study

To expand current knowledge, we examined the safety and tolerability of subcutaneous interferon b-1a in patients with pediatriconset multiple sclerosis. Records from 307 patients who had received at least 1 injection of subcutaneous interferon b-1a for demyelinating events when aged younger than 18 years were reviewed. Overall, 168 (54.7%) patients had at least 1 prespecified medical event related to or under close monitoring with subcutaneous interferon b-1a or specific to pediatric patients, 184 (59.9%) had nonserious medical events related to treatment or of unknown causality, and 12 (3.9%) had serious medical events irrespective of causality. The most common laboratory abnormalities were increased alanine (74/195; 37.9%) and aspartate aminotransferase levels (59/194; 30.4%). Annualized relapse rates were 1.79 before treatment and 0.47 during treatment. In conclusion, adult doses of subcutaneous interferon b-1a (44 and 22 mg, 3 times weekly) were well tolerated in pediatric patients and were associated with reduced relapse rates

The selective phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor roflumilast and phosphodiesterase 3/4 inhibitor pumafentrine reduce clinical score and TNF expression in experimental colitis in mice.

The specific inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE)4 and dual inhibition of PDE3 and PDE4 has been shown to decrease inflammation by suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis. We examined the effect of roflumilast, a selective PDE4 inhibitor marketed for severe COPD, and the investigational compound pumafentrine, a dual PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor, in the preventive dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model. The clinical score, colon length, histologic score and colon cytokine production from mice with DSS-induced colitis (3.5% DSS in drinking water for 11 days) receiving either roflumilast (1 or 5 mg/kg body weight/d p.o.) or pumafentrine (1.5 or 5 mg/kg/d p.o.) were determined and compared to vehicle treated control mice. In the pumafentrine-treated animals, splenocytes were analyzed for interferon-γ (IFNγ) production and CD69 expression. Roflumilast treatment resulted in dose-dependent improvements of clinical score (weight loss, stool consistency and bleeding), colon length, and local tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) production in the colonic tissue. These findings, however, were not associated with an improvement of the histologic score. Administration of pumafentrine at 5 mg/kg/d alleviated the clinical score, the colon length shortening, and local TNFα production. In vitro stimulated splenocytes after in vivo treatment with pumafentrine showed a significantly lower state of activation and production of IFNγ compared to no treatment in vivo. These series of experiments document the ameliorating effect of roflumilast and pumafentrine on the clinical score and TNF expression of experimental colitis in mice

A single-source precursor route to anisotropic halogen-doped zinc oxide particles as a promising candidate for new transparent conducting oxide materials

Correccions a aquest document es poden consultar a a https://ddd.uab.cat/record/185756The license is subject to the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology terms and conditions: http://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjnanoNumerous applications in optoelectronics require electrically conducting materials with high optical transparency over the entire visible light range. A solid solution of indium oxide and substantial amounts of tin oxide for electronic doping (ITO) is currently the most prominent example for the class of so-called TCOs (transparent conducting oxides). Due to the limited, natural occurrence of indium and its steadily increasing price, it is highly desired to identify materials alternatives containing highly abundant chemical elements. The doping of other metal oxides (e.g., zinc oxide, ZnO) is a promising approach, but two problems can be identified. Phase separation might occur at the required high concentration of the doping element, and for successful electronic modification it is mandatory that the introduced heteroelement occupies a defined position in the lattice of the host material. In the case of ZnO, most attention has been attributed so far to n-doping via substitution of Zn²+ by other metals (e.g., Al³+). Here, we present first steps towards n-doped ZnO-based TCO materials via substitution in the anion lattice (O²− versus halogenides). A special approach is presented, using novel single-source precursors containing a potential excerpt of the target lattice 'HalZn·Zn₃O₃' preorganized on the molecular scale (Hal = I, Br, Cl). We report about the synthesis of the precursors, their transformation into halogene-containing ZnO materials, and finally structural, optical and electronic properties are investigated using a combination of techniques including FT-Raman, low- T photoluminescence, impedance and THz spectroscopies

How Reliable Is Ki-67 Immunohistochemistry in Grade 2 Breast Carcinomas? A QA Study of the Swiss Working Group of Breast- and Gynecopathologists

Adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in breast cancer are increasingly based on the pathologist's assessment of tumor proliferation. The Swiss Working Group of Gyneco- and Breast Pathologists has surveyed inter- and intraobserver consistency of Ki-67-based proliferative fraction in breast carcinomas. Methods Five pathologists evaluated MIB-1-labeling index (LI) in ten breast carcinomas (G1, G2, G3) by counting and eyeballing. In the same way, 15 pathologists all over Switzerland then assessed MIB-1-LI on three G2 carcinomas, in self-selected or pre-defined areas of the tumors, comparing centrally immunostained slides with slides immunostained in the different laboratoires. To study intra-observer variability, the same tumors were re-examined 4 months later. Results The Kappa values for the first series of ten carcinomas of various degrees of differentiation showed good to very good agreement for MIB-1-LI (Kappa 0.56–0.72). However, we found very high inter-observer variabilities (Kappa 0.04–0.14) in the read-outs of the G2 carcinomas. It was not possible to explain the inconsistencies exclusively by any of the following factors: (i) pathologists' divergent definitions of what counts as a positive nucleus (ii) the mode of assessment (counting vs. eyeballing), (iii) immunostaining technique, and (iv) the selection of the tumor area in which to count. Despite intensive confrontation of all participating pathologists with the problem, inter-observer agreement did not improve when the same slides were re-examined 4 months later (Kappa 0.01–0.04) and intra-observer agreement was likewise poor (Kappa 0.00–0.35). Conclusion Assessment of mid-range Ki-67-LI suffers from high inter- and intra-observer variability. Oncologists should be aware of this caveat when using Ki-67-LI as a basis for treatment decisions in moderately differentiated breast carcinomas

"Dirty nanostructures" : aerosol-assisted synthesis of temperature stable mesoporous metal oxide semiconductor spheres comprising hierarchically assembled zinc oxide nanocrystals controlled via impurities

Structural disintegration or the loss of accessible surfaces of functional nanostructures due to processes involving mass transport (e.g. sintering) is a serious problem for any application of these materials at elevated temperatures, like in heterogeneous catalysis or chemical sensing. Phases with low sintering temperatures, e.g. some metals or metal oxides like zinc oxide (ZnO), are very sensitive in this respect. Therefore, it is not only relevant to prepare important materials with refined morphologies, but the desired features need to be stable under real conditions. In this study, we describe the preparation of mesoporous ZnO nano-/microspheres by means of a template-assisted aerosol technique. Furthermore, by intentional introduction of impurity elements as dopants, specific surface areas and porosities of the prepared materials can be increased significantly. The impurities also strongly improve the thermal stability of the described ZnO nanostructures against thermal sintering. Although the pure ZnO material suffers from a complete loss of porosity, the structures of the impure (”dirty”) materials change only negligibly. Even at 500 °C morphology and porosity are preserved. The latter advantageous property was used for testing the novel nanocatalysts in heterogeneous catalysis

Übersetzungsapps für Pflegende aus dem Ausland : Bedarf – Potenzial – Risiken

Agenturen, die aufgrund des Personalmangels Pflegende aus dem Ausland für die Deutschschweiz rekrutieren, sorgen in der Regel dafür, dass diese einen Kurs in Standarddeutsch besuchen. In der Praxis sind jedoch viele bei ihrem Arbeitsantritt nicht sprachsicher. Hinzu kommt, dass ältere Menschen oft alters- oder krankheitsbedingt Hör- und Sprechverluste haben und es gewohnt sind, auf Schweizerdeutsch zu kommunizieren. Dieses Projekt soll das Potenzial künstlicher Intelligenz für solche Situationen eruieren sowie den Bedarf an einer branchenspezifischen Lösung, die mithilfe von automatischer Spracherkennung, maschineller Übersetzung und Sprachsynthese Phrasen und Sätze in Echtzeit von einer Sprache in eine andere überträgt und wiedergibt

A single-source precursor route to anisotropic halogen-doped zinc oxide particles as a promising candidate for new transparent conducting oxide materials

Correccions a aquest document es poden consultar a a https://ddd.uab.cat/record/185756The license is subject to the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology terms and conditions: http://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjnanoNumerous applications in optoelectronics require electrically conducting materials with high optical transparency over the entire visible light range. A solid solution of indium oxide and substantial amounts of tin oxide for electronic doping (ITO) is currently the most prominent example for the class of so-called TCOs (transparent conducting oxides). Due to the limited, natural occurrence of indium and its steadily increasing price, it is highly desired to identify materials alternatives containing highly abundant chemical elements. The doping of other metal oxides (e.g., zinc oxide, ZnO) is a promising approach, but two problems can be identified. Phase separation might occur at the required high concentration of the doping element, and for successful electronic modification it is mandatory that the introduced heteroelement occupies a defined position in the lattice of the host material. In the case of ZnO, most attention has been attributed so far to n-doping via substitution of Zn²+ by other metals (e.g., Al³+). Here, we present first steps towards n-doped ZnO-based TCO materials via substitution in the anion lattice (O²− versus halogenides). A special approach is presented, using novel single-source precursors containing a potential excerpt of the target lattice 'HalZn·Zn₃O₃' preorganized on the molecular scale (Hal = I, Br, Cl). We report about the synthesis of the precursors, their transformation into halogene-containing ZnO materials, and finally structural, optical and electronic properties are investigated using a combination of techniques including FT-Raman, low- T photoluminescence, impedance and THz spectroscopies

Band-Gap Engineering of Zinc Oxide Colloids via Lattice Substitution with Sulfur Leading to Materials with Advanced Properties for Optical Applications Like Full Inorganic UV Protection

The advanced application of wide-band gap semiconductors in areas like photovoltaics, optoelectronics, or photocatalysis requires a precise control over electronic properties. Zinc oxide is favorable for large-scale technological applications now and in the future because of the large, natural abundance of the involved, chemical elements. Often it is important that the band gap can be controlled precisely. While a blue-shift of the band gap can be reached quite easily using the quantum-size effect, it is still very difficult to achieve a red-shift. We present a powerful method for the band gap engineering of ZnO via the incorporation of sulfur as a solid solutions. The reduction of the energy gap is controlled by ZnO_1–<i>x</i>S_<i>x</i> composition, whereas the latter is adjusted via special organometallic precursor molecules. The material can be supplied in a continuous fashion and in a more refined morphology, for instance spherical ZnO_1–<i>x</i>S_<i>x</i> colloids with sizes below λ_vis/2 (≈ 200 nm). As a concrete application of contemporary importance first steps toward the full inorganic UV protection are made

Effect of pumafentrine on clinical score, colon length and histologic score. A. Efficacy of pumafentrine in DSS-induced colitis.

<p>Mice were exposed to 3.5% DSS in drinking water for eleven days. Either 1.5 mg/kg/d pumafentrine (n = 8), 5 mg/kg/d pumafentrine (n = 16) or 4% methocel (n = 16) were administered orally once daily for eleven days. Non-DSS mice received either 20 mg/kg/d pumafentrine or 4% methocel (n = 8). The degree of colitis was quantified by the clinical score assessing weight loss, stool consistency and rectal bleeding (range from 0 =  healthy to 4 =  maximal disease activity). The scores are depicted as mean ± SEM; *p<0.05, **p<0.01 versus DSS+methocel. <b>B. Reduction of colon length shortening in DSS-induced colitis by pumafentrine.</b> Mice were exposed to 3.5% DSS in drinking water for an eleven day period. Pumafentrine treatment (either 1.5 mg/kg/d (n = 8) or 5 mg/kg/d (n = 16) orally, once daily for 11 days) or 4% methocel (n = 12) were started the same day as DSS administration. Non-DSS mice received 20 mg/kg/d pumafentrine or 4% methocel (n = 8), respectively. Values are depicted as mean ± SEM. **p<0.01 versus DSS+methocel. <b>C. Effect on histologic signs of colonic inflammation by pumafentrine.</b> Mice were exposed to 3.5% DSS in drinking water for eleven days and were treated with pumafentrine (either 1.5 mg/kg/d (n = 8) or 5 mg/kg/d (n = 16) orally once daily for 11 days) or 4% methocel (n = 12). Non-DSS mice received 20 mg/kg/d pumafentrine or 4% methocel (n = 8). At day 11 mice were euthanized, colon rings were stained and the histologic score (degree of inflammation: 0 =  no changes to 6 =  extensive cell infiltration and tissue damage) was determined in a blinded fashion as described in detail in the <i>Material and Methods</i>. Scores are depicted as means ± SEM.</p