Potentialities of proteinoids for nutritional investigation

Simultaneous synthesis of amino acids and proteinoid production for nutritional investigatio

Evaluation of antigens for the serodiagnosis of kala-azar and oriental sores by means of the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT)

Antigens and corresponding sera were collected from travellers with leishmaniasis returning to Germany from different endemic areas of the old world. The antigenicity of these Leishmania strains, which were maintained in Syrian hamsters, was compared by indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT). Antigenicity was demonstrated by antibody titres in 18 sera from 11 patients. The amastigotic stages of nine strains of Leishmania donovani and four strains of Leishmania tropica were compared with each other and with the culture forms of insect flagellates (Strigomonas oncopelti and Leptomonas ctenocephali). Eighteen sera from 11 patients were available for antibody determination with these antigens. The maximal antibody titres in a single serum varied considerably depending on which antigen was used for the test. High antibody levels could only be maintained when Leishmania donovani was employed as the antigen, but considerable differences also occurred between the different strains of this species. The other antigens were weaker. No differences in antigenicity between amastigotes and promastigotes of the same strain were observed. It is important to select suitable antigens. Low titres may be of doubtful specificity and are a poor baseline for the fall in titre which is an essential index of effective treatment.Wir sammelten Parasiten und Seren von Reisenden, die aus verschiedenen endemischen Gebieten der Alten Welt mit einer Leishmaniasis nach Deutschland zurückkehrten. Die Antigenaktivitäten der isolierten und fortlaufend in Goldhamstern gehaltenenLeishmania-Stämme wurden im indirekten Immunofluoreszenztest (IFAT) verglichen. Die Antigenität wurde an Hand von Antikörpertitern in 18 Serumproben von 11 Patienten bewiesen. Neun Stämme desLeishmania donovani-Komplexes und vierLeishmania tropica-Isolate wurden in ihrem amastigoten Stadium miteinander verglichen. Hinzu kamen zwei Insekten-Flagellaten als Kulturformen:Strigomonas oncopelti undLeptomonas ctenocephali. 18 Serumproben von 11 Patienten standen für die Antikörperbestimmung mit diesen Antigenen zur Verfügung. Die maximalen Titerhöhen variierten in ein- und derselben antiserumprobe zum Teil erheblich, je nachdem, welches Antigen für den Test benutzt wurde. Hohe Antikörpertiter konnten nur erhalten werden, wennLeishmania donovani als Antigen vorlag, es ergaben sich aber auch zwischen den einzelnen Stämmen dieser Leishmaniaart erhebliche Unterschiede in der Antigenaktivität. Antigene anderer Art erwiesen sich als wenig wirksam. Zwischen amastigoten und promastigoten Entwicklungsformen einesLeishmania donovani-Stammes konnten keine Unterschiede in der Antigenaktivität erkannt werden. Für den Nachweis möglichst hoher Antikörpertiter im IFAT ist die Auswahl geeigneter Antigene von ausschlaggebender Bedeutung. Niedrige Titer erschweren deren Beurteilung als spezifisch und sind eine schlechte Ausgangsposition für die Beobachtung des obligatorischen Titerabfalles nach erfolgreicher Therapie

Bartonella spp. Transmission by Ticks Not Established

A review found no well-documented case of transmission by deer ticks

Expanding the Whipple Accelerated Recovery Pathway (WARP) To All Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD)

Introduction: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex abdominal procedure with high rates of perioperative morbidity. The Whipple Accelerated Recovery Pathway (WARP) was developed for highly selected patients undergoing PD to reduce hospital length of stay (LOS) and time to adjuvant therapy (TTAT), without increasing post-operative complications (POC) or readmission rates (RR). The purpose of this study was to determine if WARP could be implemented for all-risk patients undergoing PD. Methods: A single-institution, retrospective analysis of 281 patients implemented on the WARP between 2017-2020 was performed. 119 patients were categorized as WARP-eligible (WEPs) according to original inclusion criteria, and 162 were deemed WARP-ineligible (WIPs). Primary endpoints include LOS, TTAT, RR, and POC. Data was collected from Epic and a multivariate analysis with logistic regression was performed. Results: 28 POC were found in WEPs (23.5%) compared to 73 POC in WIPs (45.1%) (p\u3c0.05). Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) and post-operative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) were higher in WIPs: DGE was found in 10.2% of WEPs vs. 26.2% of WIPs (p\u3c0.05), while POPF was found in 5.1% of WEPs vs. 21% of WIPs (p\u3c0.05). Mean LOS was 5 days for WEPs vs. 6 days for WIPs (p\u3c0.05). TTAT was 55 days for WEPs, compared to 63 days in WIPs (p\u3c0.05). RR was 12.6% for WEPs and 23.5% for WIPs (p\u3c0.05). Discussion: WARP results in lowered POC, TTAT, LOS, and RR, cutting costs to patients. WARP may be expanded to all PD patients; however, WIPs may benefit from additional modifications that are specific for patient risk factor

Towards a new image processing system at Wendelstein 7-X: From spatial calibration to characterization of thermal events

Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is the most advanced fusion experiment in the stellarator line and is aimed at proving that the stellarator concept is suitable for a fusion reactor. One of the most important issues for fusion reactors is the monitoring of plasma facing components when exposed to very high heat loads, through the use of visible and infrared (IR) cameras. In this paper, a new image processing system for the analysis of the strike lines on the inboard limiters from the first W7-X experimental campaign is presented. This system builds a model of the IR cameras through the use of spatial calibration techniques, helping to characterize the strike lines by using the information given by real spatial coordinates of each pixel. The characterization of the strike lines is made in terms of position, size, and shape, after projecting the camera image in a 2D grid which tries to preserve the curvilinear surface distances between points. The description of the strike-line shape is made by means of the Fourier Descriptors