Spin-dependent electron reflection at W(110)

Spin-dependent reflection of low-energy electrons at the W(110) surface caused by spin-orbit interaction was studied experimentally and theoretically. Comprehensive information for a wide range of electron incidence angles and energies was collected via maps for the reflectivity, the spin-dependent reflection asymmetry, and the figure of merit of the spin separation. The experimental results are compared with calculations of the scattering process using a realistic surface potential barrier. The results are discussed in view of possible applications of W(110) as a scattering target in spin-polarization detectors. Possible working points for use in single- as well as multi-channel spin-polarization-detection devices are identified and discussed.

[Evaluation of the trabecular bone score (TBS) in routine clinical care of patients with inflammatory rheumatic and non-inflammatory diseases : Correlation with conventional bone mineral density measurement and prevalence of vertebral fractures]

Hintergrund

Osteoporosebedingte Frakturen sind bei Patienten mit rheumatoider Arthritis (RA) häufig. Die Messung der Knochenmineraldichte (KDM) mit der Dual-Energie-Röntgenabsorptionsmessung (DXA) allein sagt das Frakturrisiko nur begrenzt voraus. Der Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) ist ein Surrogatmarker für die trabekuläre Mikroarchitektur des Knochens, der das Frakturrisiko unabhängig von der KDM vorhersagen kann.

Ziel

Ermittlung der Prävalenz von KDM, TBS und osteoporotisch bedingten Wirbelkörperbrüchen („vertebral fractures“ [VF]) bei Patienten mit RA im Vergleich zu Kontrollen mit nichtentzündlichen Muskel-Skelett-Erkrankungen (MSK).

Methoden

Die Daten von Patienten mit von Rheumatologen diagnostizierter RA und verfügbaren TBS- und DXA-Messungen, die in unserem Krankenhaus von 2006 bis 2014 erhoben wurden, wurden retrospektiv analysiert. Den RA-Patienten wurden Kontrollen mit nichtentzündlichen MSK zugeordnet. Eine „reduzierte Knochengesundheit“ wurde definiert als ein T‑Score <−1,0 und/oder ein TBS-Wert <−1,31. Statistische Vergleiche wurden mit dem Mann-Whitney- und dem Wilcoxon-Test durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse

Es wurden 143 Patienten mit RA (Alter 72,1 ± 11,1 Jahre, 72 % weiblich) und 106 Kontrollen (Alter 69,6 ± 12,6 Jahre, 75 % weiblich) eingeschlossen. RA-Patienten hatten häufiger eine erniedrigte KDM (n = 102; 71,3 %) und einen erniedrigen TBS-Wert (n = 125; 87,4 %) als die Kontrollen (n = 63; 59,4 % und n = 79; 74,5 %, p = 0,049 und p = 0,009). RA-Patienten hatten mehr VF (n = 52, 36,4 %) als Kontrollen (n = 24, 22,6 %, p = 0,02). Insgesamt hatten 20 Patienten mit VF (26,3 %) eine normale Wirbelsäulen-KDM und 9 (11,8 %) auch eine normale Hüft-KDM. Bei Patienten mit VF war die Kombination eines niedrigen TBS bei normaler WS-KDM häufiger als ein normaler TBS bei niedriger WS-KDM (p = 0,008 für RA, p = 0,025 für Kontrollen).

Diskussion

VF treten bei Patienten mit normaler KDM auf. Bei Patienten mit VF wurde eine niedrige TBS bei normaler Wirbelsäulen-KDM häufiger gefunden als eine normale TBS bei niedriger Wirbelsäulen-KDM. Die Messung des TBS scheint für die Erkennung eines erhöhten Frakturrisikos bei RA-Patienten mit normaler WS-KDM nützlich zu sein.

[Flexible programs and advanced training for rheumatological patient education]

In two research projects, rheumatological patient education programmes were updated. The first step was to develop an expert consented framework for all rheumatological patient education programmes. From this, curricula and working materials for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (AS) were derived and two exemplary patient education manuals developed. A randomized controlled trail was designed for the five-hour RA basic education program. Finally, existing train-the-trainer training courses were adapted for these patient education programmes.

[Current treatment of axial spondylarthritis : Clinical efficacy]

Drug treatment in patients with axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) aims to modify symptoms and complaints and currently includes the substance groups of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and biologicals (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, bDMARDS). Treatment with NSAIDs is the first line treatment according to international and national recommendations. Patients with persisting high disease activity despite continuous standard treatment with NSAIDs, should be treated with biologicals. In Germany treatment with tumor necosis factor (TNF) inhibitors or interleukin 17 inhibitor (secukinumab) are currently approved for treating patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Treatment of patients with non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) is restricted to TNF inhibitors (except infliximab) in Germany. The efficacy and safety are documented for both substance groups; however, due to the longer time since approval longitudinal data for TNF inhibitors are more robust and the data contain information about switching within a substance group. Although overall retention rates of TNF inhibitors are similar despite the difference in formation of antidrug antibodies, data from cohorts provide information about long-term loss of efficacy, switching and also discontinuation strategies. In the meantime, various biosimilars have been approved for infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab. Conventional basic treatment (csDMARDs) and in particular intra-articular administration of glucocorticoids can only be prescribed for axSpA patients with peripheral arthritis.

Time-Integrated Neutrino Source Searches with 10 Years of IceCube Data

This Letter presents the results from pointlike neutrino source searches using ten years of IceCube data collected between April 6, 2008 and July 10, 2018. We evaluate the significance of an astrophysical signal from a pointlike source looking for an excess of clustered neutrino events with energies typically above ∼1  TeV among the background of atmospheric muons and neutrinos. We perform a full-sky scan, a search within a selected source catalog, a catalog population study, and three stacked Galactic catalog searches. The most significant point in the northern hemisphere from scanning the sky is coincident with the Seyfert II galaxy NGC 1068, which was included in the source catalog search. The excess at the coordinates of NGC 1068 is inconsistent with background expectations at the level of 2.9σ after accounting for statistical trials from the entire catalog. The combination of this result along with excesses observed at the coordinates of three other sources, including TXS 0506+056, suggests that, collectively, correlations with sources in the northern catalog are inconsistent with background at 3.3σ significance. The southern catalog is consistent with background. These results, all based on searches for a cumulative neutrino signal integrated over the 10 years of available data, motivate further study of these and similar sources, including time-dependent analyses, multimessenger correlations, and the possibility of stronger evidence with coming upgrades to the detector.

[Clinical significance of determination of DFS70 antibodies to rule out connective tissue diseases]

BACKGROUND

Connective tissue diseases (CTD) are autoimmune diseases highly associated with the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Since ANA and musculoskeletal symptoms are not uncommon in the general population, differential diagnostic challenges frequently occur for the treating physician. Dense fine speckled antibodies (DFS70) were recently discovered but their presence appeared to be rare in CTD.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study a total of 270 patients treated in the Rheumatism Center of the Ruhr Area (Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet) were preferentially included, when they were ANA+ (≥1:80). Other autoantibodies and DFS70 antibodies were also investigated. The diagnosis of CTD was confirmed by rheumatologists. The sensitivity, specificity and the positive predictive value of DFS70 antibodies were differentially evaluated for various ANA titers.

RESULTS

In 91 (33.7%) of the ANA+ patients (33.7%) the diagnosis of CTD was confirmed and in 84 (92.3%) the ANA titer was ≥1:160. The DFS70 antibodies were detected in 17 out of 130 ANA+ patients without CTD (13.1%) versus 2 ANA+ patients (2.2%) with CTD (p = 0.027). None of the patients with ANA 1:80 had DFS70 antibodies. The specificity of DFS70 antibodies to detect the absence of CTD was 97.6%, the sensitivity was 13.1% and the positive predictive value was 89.5%. There was almost no effect of the strength of the different ANA titers.

CONCLUSION

It was found that DFS70 antibodies are rarely present in ANA+ patients with CTD but the diagnosis of CTD cannot be reliably ruled out solely by the presence of DFS70 antibodies; however, the high specificity of DFS70 antibodies can be of clinical importance in unclear situations and in cases of anxious patients.

[Imaging in patients with axial spondylarthritis with focus on new bone formation]

To summarize, the currently available imaging procedures have various possibilities to visualize or sometimes to predict the osteogenesis pathognomonic for axial spondylarthritis (axSpA). The individual imaging techniques of X‑rays, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) all have strengths and weaknesses in the diagnostics of axSpA. The generally easily available X‑ray imaging rapidly provides information on the condition of large sections of the skeleton. In particular, it can depict the chronic stages with various structural alterations of the sacroiliac joint and syndesmophytes and ankylosis of the spine. The CT technique, which principally has the same contrast as X‑rays, also shows pathological ossifications but without superimpositions, with better resolution of details and a higher dimensionality. The MRI technique has a superior soft tissue contrast so that acute inflammatory stages, such as bone marrow edema and erosion of the edges of vertebrae of the spine (shiny corners, Romanus lesions) or erosions and bone marrow edema of the sacroiliac joint are easily visible. Bony reconstruction processes can be visualized better in X‑ray imaging and particularly in CT, which increases the evidential value of X‑ray, CT and MRI techniques. The positions of conventional radiography and MRI are well-established in the diagnostic algorithm; however, low-dose CT of the spine is still in the experimental stage but the initial results look promising.

[Early recognition and screening consultation: a necessary way to improve early detection and treatment in rheumatology? : Overview of the early recognition and screening consultation models for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases in Germany]

In order to reduce the prognostically relevant time interval between the initial manifestation of a rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease and diagnosis as well as the consecutive initiation of an appropriate treatment, several rheumatological centers in Germany have improved the access to initial rheumatologic evaluation by establishing early recognition/screening clinics at their respective sites. Corresponding models located at Altoetting·Burghausen, Bad Pyrmont, Berlin Buch, Duesseldorf, Heidelberg, Herne, Mannheim as well as supraregional/multicenter initiatives Rheuma Rapid, RhePort and Rheuma-VOR are presented in this overview along with the respective characteristics, potential advantages and disadvantages, but also first evaluation results of several models. The aim of this publication is to promote early detection of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases as one of the most important challenges in current rheumatology by encouraging further rheumatologic centers and practices to launch their own early recognition/screening consultation model on the basis of aspects presented herein.

[Epionics SPINE-use of an objective method to examine spinal mobility in patients with axial spondyloarthritis]

Axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine that can be associated with loss of physical function, mobility and upright postural impairment. Established tools for the assessment of function that are largely based on subjective perception are semiquantitatively recorded by standardized questionnaires (Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index, BASFI), while measurement of spinal mobility of patients with axSpA is based on physical examination of various movement regions particularly the axial skeleton (Bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index, BASMI). Recently, a performance test has been added to assess the range of motion and speed of certain tasks (AS performance-based improved test, ASPI); however, since these tests have limited reliability and reproducibility, more objective tests would be desirable. In this study the spinal mobility of patients with axSpA was quantified using the Epionics SPINE device (ES) and data were evaluated using the outcome measures in rheumatology (OMERACT) criteria. The ES automatically measures various patterns of spinal movements using electronic sensors, which also assess the range and speed of carrying out movements. Patients with back pain from other causes and persons without back pain served as controls. The measurement results obtained with ES differed between the groups and correlated with BASMI values (r = 0.53-0.82, all p = <0.03). Patients with radiographically detectable axSpA had more limited and slower mobility than those with non-radiographically detectable axSpA. Overall, the results presented here suggest that ES measurements represent a valid and objective measurement procedure of spinal mobility for axSpA patients.

Spinal radiographic progression over 2 years in ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with secukinumab: a historical cohort comparison

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated for up to 2 years with secukinumab (MEASURE 1) with a historical cohort of biologic-naïve patients treated with NSAIDs (ENRADAS).

METHODS

Baseline and 2-year lateral cervical and lumbar spine radiographs were independently evaluated using mSASSS by two readers, who were blinded to the chronology and cohort of the radiographs. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with no radiographic progression (mSASSS change ≤ 0 from baseline to year 2). The Primary Analysis Set included patients with baseline (≤ day 30) and post-baseline day 31-743 radiographs. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the comparison between the two cohorts, as follows: Sensitivity Analysis Set 1 included all patients with baseline (≤ day 30) and year 2 (days 640-819) radiographs; Sensitivity Analysis Set 2 included all patients with baseline and post-baseline (> day 30) radiographs.

RESULTS

A total of 168 patients (84%) from the MEASURE 1 cohort and 69 (57%) from the ENRADAS cohort qualified for the Primary Analysis Set. Over 2 years, the LS (SE) mean change from baseline in mSASSS for the primary analysis was 0.55 (0.139) for MEASURE 1 vs 0.89 (0.216) for ENRADAS (p = 0.1852). Mean changes from baseline in mSASSS were lower in MEASURE 1 vs ENRADAS for the primary and sensitivity analyses. The proportion of patients with no radiographic progression was consistently higher in the MEASURE 1 vs ENRADAS cohort across all cutoffs for no radiographic progression (change in mSASSS from baseline to year 2 of ≤ 0, ≤ 0.5, ≤ 1, and ≤ 2), but the differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Secukinumab-treated patients demonstrated a numerical, but statistically non-significant, higher proportion of non-progressors and lower change in mSASSS over 2 years versus a cohort of biologic-naïve patients treated with NSAIDs.

Constraints on Minute-Scale Transient Astrophysical Neutrino Sources

High-energy neutrino emission has been predicted for several short-lived astrophysical transients including gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), core-collapse supernovae with choked jets, and neutron star mergers. IceCube's optical and x-ray follow-up program searches for such transient sources by looking for two or more muon neutrino candidates in directional coincidence and arriving within 100 s. The measured rate of neutrino alerts is consistent with the expected rate of chance coincidences of atmospheric background events and no likely electromagnetic counterparts have been identified in Swift follow-up observations. Here, we calculate generic bounds on the neutrino flux of short-lived transient sources. Assuming an E^{-2.5} neutrino spectrum, we find that the neutrino flux of rare sources, like long gamma-ray bursts, is constrained to <5% of the detected astrophysical flux and the energy released in neutrinos (100 GeV to 10 PeV) by a median bright GRB-like source is <10^{52.5}  erg. For a harder E^{-2.13} neutrino spectrum up to 30% of the flux could be produced by GRBs and the allowed median source energy is <10^{52}  erg. A hypothetical population of transient sources has to be more common than 10^{-5}  Mpc^{-3}  yr^{-1} (5×10^{-8}  Mpc^{-3}  yr^{-1} for the E^{-2.13} spectrum) to account for the complete astrophysical neutrino flux.

Large-scale identification of functional microRNA targeting reveals cooperative regulation of the hemostatic system

Essentials MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the molecular networks controlling biological functions such as hemostasis. We utilized novel methods to analyze miRNA-mediated regulation of the hemostatic system. 52 specific miRNA interactions with 11 key hemostatic associated genes were identified. Functionality and drugability of miRNA-19b-3p against antithrombin were demonstrated in vivo. SUMMARY: Background microRNAs (miRNAs) confer robustness to complex molecular networks regulating biological functions. However, despite the involvement of miRNAs in almost all biological processes, and the importance of the hemostatic system for a multitude of actions in and beyond blood coagulation, the role of miRNAs in hemostasis is poorly defined. Objectives Here we comprehensively illuminate miRNA-mediated regulation of the hemostatic system in an unbiased manner. Methods In contrast to widely applied association studies, we used an integrative screening approach that combines functional aspects of miRNA silencing with biophysical miRNA interaction based on RNA pull-downs (miTRAP) coupled to next-generation sequencing. Results Examination of a panel of 27 hemostasis-associated gene 3'UTRs revealed the majority to possess substantial Dicer-dependent silencing capability, suggesting functional miRNA targeting. miTRAP revealed 150 specific miRNA interactions with 14 3'UTRs, of which 52, involving 40 miRNAs, were functionally confirmed. This includes cooperative miRNA regulation of key hemostatic genes comprising procoagulant (F7, F8, F11, FGA, FGG and KLKB1) and anticoagulant (SERPINA10, PROZ, SERPIND1 and SERPINC1) as well as fibrinolytic (PLG) components. Bioinformatic analysis of miRNA functionality reveals established and potential novel links between the hemostatic system and other pathologies, such as cancer, bone metabolism and renal function. Conclusions Our findings provide, along with an in-vivo proof of concept, deep insights into the network of miRNAs regulating the hemostatic system and present a foundation for biomarker discovery and novel targeted therapeutics for correction of de-regulated hemostasis and associated processes in the future. A repository of the miRNA targetome covering 14 hemostatic components is provided.

Reduction and Increase in Thermal Conductivity of Si Irradiated with Ga+ via Focused Ion Beam

Focused ion beam (FIB) technology has become a valuable tool for the microelectronics industry and for the fabrication and preparation of samples at the micro/nanoscale. Its effects on the thermal transport properties of Si, however, are not well understood nor do experimental data exist. This paper presents a carefully designed set of experiments for the determination of the thermal conductivity of Si samples irradiated by Ga⁺ FIB. Generally, the thermal conductivity decreases with increasing ion dose. For doses of >10¹⁶ (Ga⁺/cm²), a reversal of the trend was observed due to recrystallization of Si. This report provides insight on the thermal transport considerations relevant to engineering of Si nanostructures and interfaces fabricated or prepared by FIB.

Search for neutrinos from decaying dark matter with IceCube: IceCube Collaboration

With the observation of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, interest has risen in models of PeV-mass decaying dark matter particles to explain the observed flux. We present two dedicated experimental analyses to test this hypothesis. One analysis uses 6 years of IceCube data focusing on muon neutrino 'track' events from the Northern Hemisphere, while the second analysis uses 2 years of 'cascade' events from the full sky. Known background components and the hypothetical flux from unstable dark matter are fitted to the experimental data. Since no significant excess is observed in either analysis, lower limits on the lifetime of dark matter particles are derived: we obtain the strongest constraint to date, excluding lifetimes shorter than10 28 s at 90% CL for dark matter masses above 10 TeV .