431 research outputs found
Epidemiology and transmission characteristics of early COVID-19 cases, 20 January–19 March 2020, in Bavaria, Germany
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to a significant disease burden and disruptions in health systems. We describe the epidemiology and transmission characteristics of early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Bavaria, Germany. Cases were reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, reported from 20 January−19 March 2020. The incubation period was estimated using travel history and date of symptom onset. To estimate the serial interval, we identified pairs of index and secondary cases. By 19 March, 3546 cases were reported. A large proportion was exposed abroad (38%), causing further local transmission. Median incubation period of 256 cases with exposure abroad was 3.8 days (95%CI: 3.5–4.2). For 95% of infected individuals, symptom onset occurred within 10.3 days (95%CI: 9.1–11.8) after exposure. The median serial interval, using 53 pairs, was 3.5 days (95%CI: 3.0–4.2; mean: 3.9, s.d.: 2.2). Travellers returning to Germany had an important influence on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Bavaria in early 2020. Especially in times of low incidence, public health agencies should identify holiday destinations, and areas with ongoing local transmission, to monitor potential importation of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Travellers returning from areas with ongoing community transmission should be advised to quarantine to prevent re-introductions of COVID-19.Peer Reviewe
Additional Evidence on Serological Correlates of Protection against Measles: An Observational Cohort Study among Once Vaccinated Children Exposed to Measles
Dynamics of interferon-gamma release assay and cytokine profiles in blood and respiratory tract specimens from mice with tuberculosis and the effect of therapy
There are limitations on diagnostic methods to differentiate between active and latent tuberculosis (TB), and the prediction of latent progression to TB disease is yet complex. Traditionally, tuberculosis-specific host immune response was visualized using the tuberculin skin test. Nowadays, IFN-γ release assays (IGRA) provide a more specific and sensitive tool, by which exposure to Mtb could be determined. However, the merit of IGRA aids in diagnosing active TB is yet unclear. We adapted IGRA for use in mice, and quantifying bead-based flow cytometry techniques were used to assess cytokine profiles during the course of untreated infection and to investigate the value of IGRA and cytokines as biomarkers for therapy response. High variability of IGRA results during progression of active TB infection related to various phases of infection was obtained. However, a significant decrease in IGRA results and in levels of IFN-γ, IL-17, IP-10 or MIG was observed and appeared to be associated with successful therapy. This outcome does not support the value of IGRA to accurately diagnose active TB or to monitor infection progression. However, IGRA proved to be a useful biomarker to monitor therapy success. In addition, different cytokines might serve as biomarkers
Improved efficacy of ciprofloxacin administered in polyethylene glycol-coated liposomes for treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in rats.
Animal and clinical data show that high ratios of the area under the
concentration-time curve and the peak concentration in blood to the MIC of
fluoroquinolones for a given pathogen are associated with a favorable
outcome. The present study investigated whether improvement of the
therapeutic potential of ciprofloxacin could be achieved by encapsulation
in polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated long-circulating sustained-release
liposomes. In a rat model of unilateral Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia
(MIC = 0.1 microg/ml), antibiotic was administered at 12- or 24-h
intervals at twofold-increasing doses. A treatment period of 3 days was
started 24 h after inoculation of the left lung, when the bacterial count
had increased 1,000-fold and some rats had positive blood cultures. The
infection was fatal within 5 days in untreated rats. Administration of
ciprofloxacin in the liposomal form resulted in delayed ciprofloxacin
clearance and increased and prolonged ciprofloxacin concentrations in
blood and tissues. The ED(50) (dosage that results in 50% survival) of
liposomal ciprofloxacin was 3.3 mg/kg of body weight/day given once daily,
and that of free ciprofloxacin was 18.9 mg/kg/day once daily or 5.1
mg/kg/day twice daily. The ED(90) of liposomal ciprofloxacin was 15.0
mg/kg/day once daily compared with 36.0 mg/kg/day twice daily for free
ciprofloxacin; 90% survival could not be achieved with free ciprofloxacin
given once daily. In summary, the therapeutic efficacy of liposomal
ciprofloxacin was superior to that of ciprofloxacin in the free form.
PEG-coated liposomal ciprofloxacin was well tolerated in relatively high
doses, permitting once daily administration with relatively low
ciprofloxacin clearance and without compromising therapeutic efficacy
Measurement of the diffractive structure function in deep inelastic scattering at HERA
This paper presents an analysis of the inclusive properties of diffractive
deep inelastic scattering events produced in interactions at HERA. The
events are characterised by a rapidity gap between the outgoing proton system
and the remaining hadronic system. Inclusive distributions are presented and
compared with Monte Carlo models for diffractive processes. The data are
consistent with models where the pomeron structure function has a hard and a
soft contribution. The diffractive structure function is measured as a function
of \xpom, the momentum fraction lost by the proton, of , the momentum
fraction of the struck quark with respect to \xpom, and of . The \xpom
dependence is consistent with the form \xpoma where
in all bins of and
. In the measured range, the diffractive structure function
approximately scales with at fixed . In an Ingelman-Schlein type
model, where commonly used pomeron flux factor normalisations are assumed, it
is found that the quarks within the pomeron do not saturate the momentum sum
rule.Comment: 36 pages, latex, 11 figures appended as uuencoded fil
Inhibition of microRNA-494-3p activates Wnt signaling and reduces proinflammatory macrophage polarization in atherosclerosis
We have previously shown that treatment with third-generation antisense oligonucleotides against miR-494-3p (3GA-494) reduces atherosclerotic plaque progression and stabilizes lesions, both in early and established plaques, with reduced macro-phage content in established plaques. Within the plaque, different subtypes of macrophages are present. Here, we aimed to investigate whether miR-494-3p directly influences macrophage polarization and activation. Human macrophages were polarized into either proinflammatory M1 or anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages and simultaneously treated with 3GA-494 or a control antisense (3GA-ctrl). We show that 3GA-494 treatment inhibited miR-494-3p in M1 macrophages and dampened Ml polarization, while in M2 macrophages miR-494-3p expression was induced and M2 polarization enhanced. The proinflammatory marker CCR2 was reduced in 3GA-494-treated atherosclerosis-prone mice. Pathway enrichment analysis predicted an overlap between miR-494-3p target genes in macrophage polarization and Wnt signaling. We demonstrate that miR-494-3p regulates expression levels of multiple Wnt signaling components, such as LRP6 and TBL1X. Wnt signaling appears activated upon treatment with 3GA-494, both in cultured M1 macrophages and in plaques of hypercholesterolemic mice. Taken together, 3GA-494 treatment dampened M1 polarization, at least in part via activated Wnt signaling, while M2 polarization was enhanced, which is both favorable in reducing atherosclerotic plaque formation and increasing plaque stability.Vascular Surger
Aanbevelingen met betrekking tot de strafbaarstelling van belediging van gezagsdragers, met name politieagenten, openbare instellingen en staatshoofden
Aanbevelingen met betrekking tot de strafbaarstelling van belediging van gezagdragers, met name politieagenten, openbare instellingen en staatshoofden (plus bijlagen)
Observation of hard scattering in photoproduction events with a large rapidity gap at HERA
Events with a large rapidity gap and total transverse energy greater than 5
GeV have been observed in quasi-real photoproduction at HERA with the ZEUS
detector. The distribution of these events as a function of the
centre of mass energy is consistent with diffractive scattering. For total
transverse energies above 12 GeV, the hadronic final states show predominantly
a two-jet structure with each jet having a transverse energy greater than 4
GeV. For the two-jet events, little energy flow is found outside the jets. This
observation is consistent with the hard scattering of a quasi-real photon with
a colourless object in the proton.Comment: 19 pages, latex, 4 figures appended as uuencoded fil
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