Results from the Solar Hidden Photon Search (SHIPS)

We present the results of a search for transversely polarised hidden photons (HPs) with $\sim 3$ eV energies emitted from the Sun. These hypothetical particles, known also as paraphotons or dark sector photons, are theoretically well motivated for example by string theory inspired extensions of the Standard Model. Solar HPs of sub-eV mass can convert into photons of the same energy (photon$\leftrightarrow$HP oscillations are similar to neutrino flavour oscillations). At SHIPS this would take place inside a long light-tight high-vacuum tube, which tracks the Sun. The generated photons would then be focused into a low-noise photomultiplier at the far end of the tube. Our analysis of 330 h of data (and {330 h} of background characterisation) reveals no signal of photons from solar hidden photon conversion. We estimate the rate of newly generated photons due to this conversion to be smaller than 25 mHz/m$^2$ at the 95$$ C.L. Using this and a recent model of solar HP emission, we set stringent constraints on $\chi$, the coupling constant between HPs and photons, as a function of the HP mass

The Munich Shoulder Questionnaire (MSQ): development and validation of an effective patient-reported tool for outcome measurement and patient safety in shoulder surgery

Background Outcome measurement in shoulder surgery is essential to evaluate the patient safety and treatment efficiency. Currently this is jeopardized by the fact that most patient-reported self-assessment instruments are not comparable. Hence, the aim was to develop a reliable self-assessment questionnaire which allows an easy follow-up of patients. The questionnaire also allows the calculation of 3 well established scoring systems, i.e. the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), the Constant-Murley Score (CMS), and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Score. The subjective and objective items of these three systems were condensed into a single 30-questions form and validated against the original questionnaires. Methods A representative collective of patients of our shoulder clinic was asked to fill in the newly designed self-assessment Munich Shoulder Questionnaire (MSQ). At the same time, the established questionnaires for self-assessment of CONSTANT, SPADI and DASH scores were handed out. The obtained results were compared by linear regression analysis. Results Fifty one patients completed all questionnaires. The correlation coefficients of the results were r = 0.91 for the SPADI, r = -0.93 for the DASH and r = 0.94 for the CMS scoring system, respectively. Conclusions We developed an instrument which allows a quantitative self-assessment of shoulder function. It provides compatible data sets for the three most popular shoulder function scoring systems by one single, short 30-item. This instrument can be used by shoulder surgeons to effectively monitor the outcome, safety and quality of their treatment and also compare the results to published data in the literature

Sidus Stem-Free Shoulder System for primary osteoarthritis: short-term results of a multicenter study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to evaluate clinical and radiologic results of a new metaphyseal anchored system. This system features a different anchor geometry that potentially leads to better bony integration and less loosening. METHODS: From November 2012 until December 2015, 148 patients (151 shoulders) were treated with the Sidus Stem-Free Shoulder System at 9 centers in Europe. The main indication was primary osteoarthritis (80.1%). This analysis only includes patients diagnosed with primary osteoarthritis (n = 121). A clinical evaluation was performed using the Constant-Murley score, Subjective Shoulder Value, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, and range of motion. Radiologic assessment was based on the occurrence of radiolucent lines and signs of implant migration, osteolysis, loosening, and heterotopic ossification. RESULTS: We evaluated 105 patients after a follow-up period of 2 years. There were 53 women and 52 men. The average age was 64 years. Total shoulder arthroplasty was performed in 73 cases and hemiarthroplasty in 32. The Constant-Murley score improved from 26 points preoperatively to 70 points at 2 years' follow-up (P < .001). The Subjective Shoulder Value increased from 34% to 84% (P < .001), and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form increased from 34 points to 86 points (P < .001). Radiologically, neither migration nor loosening was found. However, radiolucent lines of 2 mm or greater could be detected around the glenoid in 2 cases, but none of them have had clinical relevance yet. The overall complication rate was 6.7%, and the revision rate was 0%. CONCLUSION: Patients with the Sidus Stem-Free Shoulder System achieve good clinical and radiologic short-term results that are comparable with the results of other stem-free shoulder implants

Invasin-functionalized liposome nanocarriers improve the intracellular delivery of anti-infective drugs

Intracellular infections caused by invasive pathogens continue to prove difficult to combat, due in part to the commonly poor membrane permeability of anti-infective drugs. The aim of this study was to improve the intracellular delivery of one such poorly permeable (but broad-spectrum) anti-infective, gentamicin. Gentamicin was encapsulated into liposomal nanocarriers which were then surface functionalized with InvA497, a bacteria-derived invasion protein. Treatment of HEp-2 cells infected with the enteroinvasive bacteria Yersinia pseudotuberculosis or Salmonella enterica with gentamicincontaining, InvA497-functionalized liposomes resulted in a significantly greater reduction in infection load than treatment with non-functionalized liposomes, indicating that such a bacteriomimetic nanocarrier was not only able to promote successful cellular uptake of gentamicin but was also able to mediate anti-infective drug delivery to both cell cytoplasm and intracellular compartments. The developed InvA497-functionalized liposomal nanocarrier therefore holds great promise as a strategy for improving the therapy of intracellular infections

The signature of orbital motion from the dayside of the planet tau Bootis b

The giant planet orbiting tau Bootis was among the first extrasolar planets to be discovered through the reflex motion of its host star. It is one of the brightest known and most nearby planets with an orbital period of just a few days. Over the course of more than a decade, measurements of its orbital inclination have been announced and refuted, and have subsequently remained elusive until now. Here we report on the detection of carbon monoxide absorption in the thermal day-side spectrum of tau Bootis b. At a spectral resolution of R~100,000, we trace the change in the radial velocity of the planet over a large range in phase, determining an orbital inclination of i=44.5+-1.5 degrees and a true planet mass of 5.95+-0.28 MJup. This result extends atmospheric characterisation to non-transiting planets. The strong absorption signal points to an atmosphere with a temperature that is decreasing towards higher altitudes. This is a stark contrast to the temperature inversion invoked for other highly irradiated planets, and supports models in which the absorbing compounds believed to cause such atmospheric inversions are destroyed by the ultraviolet emission from the active host star.Comment: To appear in the June 28 issue of Nature: main article + supplementary informatio

MUSI: an integrated system for identifying multiple specificity from very large peptide or nucleic acid data sets

Peptide recognition domains and transcription factors play crucial roles in cellular signaling. They bind linear stretches of amino acids or nucleotides, respectively, with high specificity. Experimental techniques that assess the binding specificity of these domains, such as microarrays or phage display, can retrieve thousands of distinct ligands, providing detailed insight into binding specificity. In particular, the advent of next-generation sequencing has recently increased the throughput of such methods by several orders of magnitude. These advances have helped reveal the presence of distinct binding specificity classes that co-exist within a set of ligands interacting with the same target. Here, we introduce a software system called MUSI that can rapidly analyze very large data sets of binding sequences to determine the relevant binding specificity patterns. Our pipeline provides two major advances. First, it can detect previously unrecognized multiple specificity patterns in any data set. Second, it offers integrated processing of very large data sets from next-generation sequencing machines. The results are visualized as multiple sequence logos describing the different binding preferences of the protein under investigation. We demonstrate the performance of MUSI by analyzing recent phage display data for human SH3 domains as well as microarray data for mouse transcription factors