Presence of RD149 Deletions in M. tuberculosis Central Asian Strain1 Isolates Affect Growth and TNFα Induction in THP-1 Monocytes

Central Asian Strain 1 (CAS1) is the prevalent Mycobacterium tuberculosis genogroup in South Asia. CAS1 strains carry deletions in RD149 and RD152 regions. Significance of these deletions is as yet unknown. We compared CAS1 strains with RD149 and concurrent RD149-RD152 deletions with CAS1 strains without deletions and with the laboratory reference strain, M. tuberculosis H37Rv for growth and for induction of TNFα, IL6, CCL2 and IL10 in THP-1 cells. Growth of CAS1 strains with deletions was slower in broth (RD149; p = 0.024 and RD149-RD152; p = 0.025) than that of strains without deletions. CAS1 strains with RD149 deletion strains further showed reduced intracellular growth (p = 0.013) in THP-1 cells as compared with strains without deletions, and also as compared with H37Rv (p = 0.007) and with CAS1 RD149-RD152 deletion strains (p = 0.029). All CAS1 strains induced higher levels of TNFα and IL10 secretion in THP-1 cells than H37Rv. Additionally, CAS1 strains with RD149 deletions induced more TNFα secretion than those without deletions (p = 0.013). CAS1 RD149 deletion strains from extrapulmonary sources showed more rapid growth and induced lower levels of TNFα and IL6 secretion in THP-1 cells than isolates from pulmonary sources. This data suggests that presence of RD149 reduces growth and increases the induction of TNFα in host cells by CAS1 strains. Differences observed for extrapulmonary strains may indicate an adaptation which increases potential for dissemination and tropism outside the lung. Overall, we hypothesise that RD149 deletions generate genetic diversity within strains and impact interactions of CAS1 strains with host cells with important clinical consequences

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses of a colorectal cancer screening programme in a high adenoma prevalence scenario using MISCAN-Colon microsimulation model

This economic evaluation showed a screening intervention with a major health gain that also produced net savings when a long follow-up was used to capture the late economic benefit. The number of colonoscopies required was high but remain within the capacity of the Basque Health Service. So far in Europe, no other population Colorectal Cancer screening programme has been evaluated by budget impact analysis

Graphite-protected CsPbBr3 perovskite photoanodes functionalised with water oxidation catalyst for oxygen evolution in water

Metal-halide perovskites have been widely investigated in the photovoltaic sector due to their promising optoelectronic properties and inexpensive fabrication techniques based on solution processing. Here we report the development of inorganic CsPbBr3-based photoanodes for direct photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution from aqueous electrolytes. We use a commercial thermal graphite sheet and a mesoporous carbon scaffold to encapsulate CsPbBr3 as an inexpensive and efficient protection strategy. We achieve a record stability of 30 h in aqueous electrolyte under constant simulated solar illumination, with currents above 2 mA cm−2 at 1.23 VRHE. We further demonstrate the versatility of our approach by grafting a molecular Ir-based water oxidation catalyst on the electrolyte-facing surface of the sealing graphite sheet, which cathodically shifts the onset potential of the composite photoanode due to accelerated charge transfer. These results suggest an efficient route to develop stable halide perovskite based electrodes for photoelectrochemical solar fuel generation

Kerr microscopy study of magnetization reversal in uniaxial Co-films

We have studied the magnetization reversal of uniaxial Co(1 0 1 0) films as a function of the applied field orientation by means of magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy. Hereby, we find that while stable intermediate domain states exist for most field directions, their occurrence is suppressed for field orientations along the easy axis of magnetization. To facilitate this study, we have developed a data extraction methodology that allows for the quantitative analysis and compact display of entire magnetization distribution field-sequences in a single picture. It furthermore allows for the automated data analysis to unambiguously distinguish magnetization rotation processes from field-induced domain formation

Field orientation dependent decorrelation of magnetization reversal in uniaxial Co-films

Magnetization reversal correlation is studied as a function of the applied field angle for thin Co-films showing in-plane uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. We find that the field orientation angle has a profound effect onto the magnetization reversal process leading to a suppression of long-range correlation at sufficiently large field angles in the presence of grain alignment disorder. Correspondingly, this behavior allows for a tuning and the local confinement of magnetization reversal even in strongly exchange-coupled films and therefore presents a most desirable scenario for ultrahigh density magnetic recording

Collapse of hard-axis behavior in uniaxial Co films

We study the magnetic properties of weakly disordered Co films with in-plane uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The growth sequence used allowed the controlled introduction of grain orientation disorder. Above a threshold disorder level, we observe an anomalous magnetic reversal near the nominal hard axis; while the behavior in all other field orientations is barely affected.Atwo-grain model explains the anomaly as the occurrence of nonuniform magnetization states near the hard axis, a fact that is experimentally confirmed by Kerr microscopy

Field angle dependent change of the magnetization reversal mode in epitaxial Co (0001) films

The magnetic field dependent reorientation phase transition of epitaxial Co (0001) films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is studied as a function of the applied field angle. The experimental data reveal an abrupt qualitative change of the magnetization reversal path at a critical angle between in-plane and out-of-plane field orientation, which is caused by a change in the domain formation process occurring concurrently with the phase transition. By means of our experiments and model calculations, we demonstrate that the observations are due to a transition from instability driven magnetization reversal occurring near in-plane field orientation to domain nucleation processes, which occur near out-of-plane orientation of the magnetic field.</p