Scanning Nitrogen-Vacancy Magnetometry of Focused-Electron-Beam-Deposited Cobalt Nanomagnets

Focused-electron-beam-induced deposition is a promising technique for patterning nanomagnets in a single step. We fabricate cobalt nanomagnets in such a process and characterize their content, saturation magnetization, and stray magnetic field profiles by using a combination of transmission electron microscopy and scanning nitrogen-vacancy (NV) magnetometry. We find agreement between the measured stray field profiles and saturation magnetization with micromagnetic simulations. We further characterize magnetic domains and grainy stray magnetic fields in the nanomagnets and their halo side-deposits. This work may aid in the evaluation of Co nanomagnets produced through focused electron-beam-induced deposition for applications in spin qubits, magnetic field sensing, and magnetic logic.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Luxembourg

Objective

Estimate the incidence of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in children (0-15 years), the role of SARS-CoV-2 variants during the first two years of COVID-19 pandemic in Luxembourg; and describe the demographic, biological and clinical characteristics of the patients.

Method

Observational retrospective cohort study. Cases between March 2020 and February 2022 were ascertained from the national registry of MIS-C cases by a retrospective review of medical records. Reported SARS-CoV-2 infections were obtained from the national COVID-19 surveillance system. We calculated monthly MIS-C incidence, the ratio between MIS-C and SARS-CoV-2 infections and associated rate ratios by the periods corresponding to the circulation of different variants.

Results

18 children were diagnosed with MIS-C among 35,200 reported infections. The incidence rate of MIS-C was 7.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.5-11.4] per 1,000,000 person-months. A higher incidence of MIS-C was observed between September and December 2021, corresponding to the circulation of the Delta variant than during the first year of the pandemic (RR 3.6, 95% CI, 1.1-12.3). The lowest rate of MIS-C per infection was observed during the Omicron (RR 0.17, 95% CI, 0.03-0.82). Median age at diagnosis was 6.5 years. Previously healthy children made up 88% of MIS-C cases, none were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. 33% required intensive care. All patients recovered fully.

Conclusions

MIS-C incidence and MIS-C risk per infection changed significantly over time during the first two years of COVID-19 pandemic. Monitoring of MIS-C incidence in future SARS-CoV-2 waves will be essential to guide public health interventions and vaccination policies for children.

Flexomagnetism and vertically graded Néel temperature of antiferromagnetic Cr2O3 thin films

Antiferromagnetic insulators are a prospective materials platform for magnonics, spin superfluidity, THz spintronics, and non-volatile data storage. A magnetomechanical coupling in antiferromagnets offers vast advantages in the control and manipulation of the primary order parameter yet remains largely unexplored. Here, we discover a new member in the family of flexoeffects in thin films of Cr2O3. We demonstrate that a gradient of mechanical strain can impact the magnetic phase transition resulting in the distribution of the Néel temperature along the thickness of a 50-nm-thick film. The inhomogeneous reduction of the antiferromagnetic order parameter induces a flexomagnetic coefficient of about 15 μB nm−2. The antiferromagnetic ordering in the inhomogeneously strained films can persist up to 100 °C, rendering Cr2O3 relevant for industrial electronics applications. Strain gradient in Cr2O3 thin films enables fundamental research on magnetomechanics and thermodynamics of antiferromagnetic solitons, spin waves and artificial spin ice systems in magnetic materials with continuously graded parameters.

Defect Nanostructure and its Impact on Magnetism of α-Cr2 O3 Thin Films

Thin films of the magnetoelectric insulator α-Cr₂ O₃ are technologically relevant for energy-efficient magnetic memory devices controlled by electric fields. In contrast to single crystals, the quality of thin Cr₂ O₃ films is usually compromised by the presence of point defects and their agglomerations at grain boundaries, putting into question their application potential. Here, the impact of the defect nanostructure, including sparse small-volume defects and their complexes is studied on the magnetic properties of Cr₂ O₃ thin films. By tuning the deposition temperature, the type, size, and relative concentration of defects is tailored, which is analyzed using the positron annihilation spectroscopy complemented with electron microscopy studies. The structural characterization is correlated with magnetotransport measurements and nitrogen-vacancy microscopy of antiferromagnetic domain patterns. Defects pin antiferromagnetic domain walls and stabilize complex multidomain states with a domain size in the sub-micrometer range. Despite their influence on the domain configuration, neither small open-volume defects nor grain boundaries in Cr₂ O₃ thin films affect the Néel temperature in a broad range of deposition parameters. The results pave the way toward the realization of spin-orbitronic devices where magnetic domain patterns can be tailored based on defect nanostructures without affecting their operation temperature.

479 Penetrating Chest Trauma Causing A Superior Mesenteric Artery-Inferior Vena Cava Fistula and Pancreatic Injury: A Case Report

Penetrating traumatic injuries can present a challenging scenario due to the potential for multisystem involvement requiring swift collaboration between surgical specialities. We present the case of a 66-year-old female who was stabbed in the right posterior chest. CT revealed a diaphragmatic injury, liver laceration involving segments 6/7 with active bleeding, and a posterior superior mesenteric artery (SMA) to anterior inferior vena cava (IVC) fistula. Due to the proximity of the SMA injury to a replaced right hepatic artery origin, the fistulous connection with the suprarenal IVC, and suspected pancreatic and duodenal injuries, a hybrid rather than a purely endovascular approach was taken. A large compliant occlusion balloon was placed percutaneously in the hepatic IVC. Subsequent trauma laparotomy and right medial visceral rotation identified SMA and SMV injuries, which were repaired with temporary supracoeliac aortic clamping. Further kocherisation of the duodenum revealed a 10 cm longitudinal IVC laceration causing sudden large volume venous haemorrhage. This was repaired after control was gained with supracoeliac aortic clamping, infrarenal IVC vessel loop and balloon inflation. An abdominal VAC dressing was applied. Before transfer to ICU, however, 1L of blood was noted in the VAC cannister and a relook laparotomy demonstrated more than 1L of intrabdominal fresh blood. Bleeding vessels around the uncinate process were ligated. After 48 hours, a relook laparotomy revealed no significant bleeding, and the abdomen was closed. A post-operative MRCP demonstrated pancreatic divisum and likely laceration of the aberrant ventral duct. A subsequent peripancreatic collection was managed conservatively.

The effects of farming systems (organic vs. conventional) on dairy cow welfare, based on the Welfare Quality® protocol

Animal welfare in livestock production is of great interest to consumers. The organic farming approach strives to ensure animal welfare based on preventive measures, but there are very few scientific studies that compare the actual differences in animal welfare between organic and conventional farms. Those studies that have been carried out frequently focus on specific aspects of animal welfare, mostly health issues. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to investigate the effects of the farming system on the welfare of dairy cows in a more holistic way. Although this study was carried out in just two federal states of Germany, the results could serve as a suitable model for the whole country. We used the Welfare Quality assessment protocol to measure welfare for dairy cattle (Welfare Quality®, 2009) and the results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between organic and conventional farms, but there was also considerable variance between individual farms of the same farming system. Organic farms scored higher in all four Welfare Quality® principles: "Good Feeding", "Good Housing", "Good Health" and "Appropriate Behavior" compared to conventional farms. In particular, organic farms obtained higher scores with respect to Welfare Quality® measures of resting comfort, which contributes to a lower percentage of lameness; organic farms also implemented less painful methods for disbudding, or indeed carried out no disbudding, and provided access to pasture and outdoor exercise. However, organic farms still have room for improvement, especially with respect to animal health. Therefore, outcome-based specifications should be included in the current (purely action-oriented) European regulation of organic production (EC, 2008; EU, 2018) to safeguard the health-related aspects of animal welfare.

Time Refraction of Spin Waves

We present an experimental study of time refraction of spin waves (SWs) propagating in microscopic waveguides under the influence of time-varying magnetic fields. Using space- and time-resolved Brillouin light scattering microscopy, we demonstrate that the broken translational symmetry along the time coordinate results in a loss of energy conservation for SWs and thus allows for a broadband and controllable shift of the SW frequency. With an integrated design of SW waveguide and microscopic current line for the generation of strong, nanosecond-long, magnetic field pulses, a conversion efficiency up to 39% of the carrier SW frequency is achieved, significantly larger compared to photonic systems. Given the strength of the magnetic field pulses and its strong impact on the SW dispersion relation, the effect of time refraction can be quantified on a length scale comparable to the SW wavelength. Furthermore, we utilize time refraction to excite SW bursts with pulse durations in the nanosecond range and a frequency shift depending on the pulse polarity.

Melanoma cells can be eliminated by sialylated CD43 × CD3 bispecific T cell engager formats in vitro and in vivo

Targeted cancer therapy with monoclonal antibodies has proven successful for different cancer types but is limited by the availability of suitable antibody targets. CD43s, a unique sialylated form of CD43 expressed by hematologic malignancies, is a recently identified target and antibodies interacting with CD43s may have therapeutic potential against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. CD43s is recognized by the human antibody AT1413, that was derived from a high-risk AML patient who successfully cleared leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Here we observed that AT1413 binds also to certain non-hematopoietic tumor cells, particularly melanoma and breast cancer. AT1413 immune precipitated CD43s from melanoma cells confirming that it recognizes the same target on melanoma as on AML. AT1413 induced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against short-term cultured patient-derived melanoma samples. However, AT1413 was unable to affect the growth of melanoma cells in vivo. To increase the efficacy of AT1413 as a therapeutic antibody, we generated two different formats of bispecific T-cell engaging antibodies (TCEs): one binding bivalently (bTCE) and the other monovalently (knob-in-hole; KiH) to both CD43s and CD3ε. In vitro, these TCEs redirected T-cell cytotoxicity against melanoma cells with differences in potencies. To investigate their effects in vivo, we grafted mice that harbor a human immune system with the melanoma cell line A375. Treatment with both AT1413 bTCE and AT1413 KiH significantly reduced tumor outgrowth in these mice. These data indicate a broad therapeutic potential of AT1413 that includes AML and CD43s-expressing solid tumors that originate from CD43-negative tissues.

Flashbulb memory recall in healthy adults - a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

The present study investigated neural activations related to flashbulb memory (FM) recall and examined whether the amygdala and hippocampus are involved in FM recall. 20 healthy adults completed a block design with an FM-condition, where the reception events for a number of potential FM events had to be recalled, and a control condition (FMC) comprising reception events lacking FM characteristics. A definition naming task was used as an implicit baseline. The individual emotional reaction to the FM events (EMO) and self-rated retrieval success were included in the SPM model as modulating parameters. The main contrast of interest were FM > FMC and activations associated with EMO. ROI-analyses on mesiotemporal regions were performed. FM > FMC yielded activations in line with the autobiographical memory network, with mostly left sided-activations. EMO was associated with a more bilateral activation pattern. ROI-analysis revealed activations for EMO in the right amygdala and HATA. FM > FMC was associated with right hippocampal activations. The present findings are compatible with previous research into autobiographical memory, but also show activations for FM recall different from ordinary, not highly emotional autobiographical memories, as EMO is associated with a more bilateral network. Moreover, the amygdala seems to be involved in FM recall.

Productivity, Machinery and Skills in a Sample of British and German Manufacturing Plants

On the basis of interviews with management and factory floor employees at 45 matched firms in Britain and West Germany, this article examines the roles of machinery and workforce skills in explaining comparative produc tivity performance. The average age of British machinery was not very different from that found in German plants, but it was less technically advanced, was subject to more frequent breakdowns and breakdowns took longer to correct. Productivity was higher in Germany in each of our matched product groups and the importance of skills at all levels was apparent.

Temperature dependence of germination and growth in Anthurium (Araceae)

By the year 2100, temperatures are predicted to increase by about 6 °C at higher latitudes and about 3 °C in the tropics. In spite of the smaller increase in the tropics, consequences may be more severe because the climatic niches of tropical species are generally assumed to be rather narrow due to a high degree of climate stability and higher niche specialisation. However, rigorous data to back up this notion are rare. We chose the megadiverse genus Anthurium (Araceae) for study. Considering that the regeneration niche of a species is crucial for overall niche breadth, we focused on the response of germination and early growth through a temperature range of 24 °C of 15 Anthurium species, and compared the thermal niche breadth (TNB) with the temperature conditions in their current range, modelled from occurrence records. Surprisingly, an increase of 3 °C would lead to a larger overlap of TNB of germination and modelled in situ temperature conditions, while the overlap of TNB of growth with in situ conditions under current and future conditions is statistically indistinguishable. We conclude that future temperatures tend to be closer to the thermal optima of most species. Whether this really leads to an increase in performance depends on other abiotic and biotic factors, most prominently potentially changing precipitation patterns.

Magnetization Dynamics of an Individual Single-Crystalline Fe-Filled Carbon Nanotube

The magnetization dynamics of individual Fe-filled multiwall carbon-nanotubes (FeCNT), grown by chemical vapor deposition, are investigated by microresonator ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and Brillouin light scattering (BLS) microscopy and corroborated by micromagnetic simulations. Currently, only static magnetometry measurements are available. They suggest that the FeCNTs consist of a single-crystalline Fe nanowire throughout the length. The number and structure of the FMR lines and the abrupt decay of the spin-wave transport seen in BLS indicate, however, that the Fe filling is not a single straight piece along the length. Therefore, a stepwise cutting procedure is applied in order to investigate the evolution of the ferromagnetic resonance lines as a function of the nanowire length. The results show that the FeCNT is indeed not homogeneous along the full length but is built from 300 to 400 nm long single-crystalline segments. These segments consist of magnetically high quality Fe nanowires with almost the bulk values of Fe and with a similar small damping in relation to thin films, promoting FeCNTs as appealing candidates for spin-wave transport in magnonic applications.

Liquid Chromatographic Method to Determine Narasin in Feedingstuffs and Premixtures: Development, Validation, and Interlaboratory Study

A reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) method for narasin in feedingstuffs and premixtures was developed, validated, and interlaboratory studied. The extraction solvent was methanol–K2HPO4 solution (9 + 1, v/v). Narasin was detected at 600 nm after post-column derivatization with dimethylamino-benzaldehyde. Recovery was &gt;90%. The repeatability (RSDr) in feed (20–140 mg/kg) ranged between 1.2 and 10.5%; the within-laboratory reproducibility (RSDR) ranged between 2.2 and 4.9%. The limit of determination was &lt;20 mg/kg. Other feed additives did not interfere in the assay. The method showed ruggedness against changes in the composition of extraction solvent, eluent, and conditions for post-column reactions. In an interlaboratory study, 5 broiler feeds (4 positive, 1 blank) and 1 premixture were analyzed by 13 laboratories. The RSDr of the feedingstuffs (20–120 mg/kg) varied between 2.17 and 7.57%. The HORRAT ranged between 0.77 and 0.88, with recoveries between 82 and 104%. One laboratory detected small signals in the blank sample, calculated as 0.6 and 2.8 mg/kg. For the premixture, acceptable results for reproducibility could only be obtained after modification of the method: the RSDr was 4.42% and the HORRAT was 1.56 (12 laboratories).

Polyacrylamide Bead Sensors for in vivo Quantification of Cell-Scale Stress in Zebrafish Development

Mechanical stress exerted and experienced by cells during tissue morphogenesis and organ formation plays an important role in embryonic development. While techniques to quantify mechanical stresses in vitro are available, few methods exist for studying stresses in living organisms. Here, we describe and characterize cell-like polyacrylamide (PAAm) bead sensors with well-defined elastic properties and size for in vivo quantification of cell-scale stresses. The beads were injected into developing zebrafish embryos and their deformations were computationally analyzed to delineate spatio-temporal local acting stresses. With this computational analysis-based cell-scale stress sensing (COMPAX) we are able to detect pulsatile pressure propagation in the developing neural rod potentially originating from polarized midline cell divisions and continuous tissue flow. COMPAX is expected to provide novel spatio-temporal insight into developmental processes at the local tissue level and to facilitate quantitative investigation and a better understanding of morphogenetic processes.

Billed and Paid Amounts for Preventive Procedures in Dental Medicaid

OBJECTIVE

To examine trends and variations in billed and paid amounts for preventive dental procedures by race/ethnicity, age, and sex in Wisconsin dental Medicaid.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the 2001 to 2013 Wisconsin Medicaid claims database for preventive dental procedures for children and adults. Billed and paid amounts for preventive dental procedures were aggregated over a visit and adjusted for inflation based on the Medical Care Consumer Price Index produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2013. Quantile regression was used to examine the trends over time and the effect of patient demographics.

RESULT

At the 50th and 75th percentiles, the overall billed amounts for preventive dental procedures were $84.97 and $105.53, and the paid amounts were $35.80 and $41.66, respectively. At the 75th percentile, there was a $2.24 increase per year in the billed amount and a $26.88 overall increase from 2001 to 2013. In the paid amount, there was a $1.34 decrease per year for an overall $16.07 decrease from 2001 to 2013. Billed and paid claims for racial/ethnic minority enrollees were $1 to $3 higher per visit at the 75th percentile when compared with those of Whites. Regarding the billed:paid ratio, White, African American, and Hispanic enrollees had values of 50% to 52%, whereas American Indians had the lowest value at 47.7%. At the 75th percentile, children aged 10 to 19 y had significantly higher billed ($26.73) and paid ($9.92) amounts than did adults aged 20 to 69 y.

CONCLUSION

The billed amount increased over time, and the paid amount decreased after adjustment for inflation. In addition, there was a wide gap between billed and paid amounts over time.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This study highlights clear differences between paid and billed amounts in Wisconsin dental Medicaid. The financial health of dental practices is dependent on appropriate reimbursement for dental services provided; thus, information of this nature could serve as a proxy performance measure for access to preventive dental care. Findings from this study could be used by policy makers and dental Medicaid program managers to develop outcome metrics to improve access to preventive dental services.

A giant exoplanet orbiting a very-low-mass star challenges planet formation models

Surveys have shown that super-Earth and Neptune-mass exoplanets are more frequent than gas giants around low-mass stars, as predicted by the core accretion theory of planet formation. We report the discovery of a giant planet around the very-low-mass star GJ 3512, as determined by optical and near-infrared radial-velocity observations. The planet has a minimum mass of 0.46 Jupiter masses, very high for such a small host star, and an eccentric 204-day orbit. Dynamical models show that the high eccentricity is most likely due to planet-planet interactions. We use simulations to demonstrate that the GJ 3512 planetary system challenges generally accepted formation theories, and that it puts constraints on the planet accretion and migration rates. Disk instabilities may be more efficient in forming planets than previously thought.

Excitation of Whispering Gallery Magnons in a Magnetic Vortex

We present the generation of whispering gallery magnons with unprecedented high wave vectors via nonlinear 3-magnon scattering in a μm-sized magnetic Ni_{81}Fe_{19} disc which is in the vortex state. These modes exhibit a strong localization at the perimeter of the disc and practically zero amplitude in an extended area around the vortex core. They originate from the splitting of the fundamental radial magnon modes, which can be resonantly excited in a vortex texture by an out-of-plane microwave field. We shed light on the basics of this nonlinear scattering mechanism from an experimental and theoretical point of view. Using Brillouin light scattering microscopy, we investigated the frequency and power dependence of the 3-magnon splitting. The spatially resolved mode profiles give evidence for the localization at the boundaries of the disc and allow for a direct determination of the modes wave number.

Abstract PD5-05: Pre-therapeutic PD-L1 expression and dynamics of Ki-67 and gene expression during neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint blockade and chemotherapy to predict response within the GeparNuevo trial

Background

In the GeparNuevo trial, the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab increased the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR; ypT0 ypN0) in triple-negative breast cancer if treatment started in a two-week window before neoadjuvant taxane/anthracycline chemotherapy (61 % pCR vs. 41%; p = 0.048; Loibl et al. ASCO 2018). Overall, pCR rates increased only numerically from 53 % to 44 % (p = 0.281). Herein, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry in pre-therapeutic core biopsies. In addition, we identified dynamics in gene expression using repeated biopsies.

Patients and Methods

174 patients were randomized to receive durvalumab or placebo with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the window part, 117 patients received a single dose of durvalumab (or placebo) before chemotherapy. Core biopsies were taken at three times: pre-treatment (“A”; N=174), after the window part (“B”; N=88) and after 12 weeks of nab-Paclitaxel (“C”; N=33). PD-L1 immunohistochemistry in A-biopsies (Ventana SP263 Assay) was recorded as percentage of cells with membranous staining in tumor cells and lymphocytes (TILs). We defined a tumor as PD-L1 high if ≥ 25 % of either compartment was stained. Ki-67 was stained on all available A, B and C biopsies (MIB-1, Dako, 1:100) and recorded as the percentage of tumor cells with nuclear staining. We profiled all available biopsies with targeted RNASeq using the HTG EdgeSeq platform (Oncology Biomarker panel, 2560 genes). Sequencing (IonTorrent S5) was successful in 162 A-, 79 B- and 31 C-biopsies.

Results

PD-L1 expression was high in 24 % of A-biopsies and was predictive for pCR in the complete cohort (OR 2.561; 1.183-5.554; p = 0.017). PD-L1 status of the TILs, but not of the tumor cells, was predictive (OR 1.313; 1.040-1.656; P= 0.022). The effect was not specific for durvalumab treatment. Higher levels of Ki-67 were predictive for pCR in B- biopsies in all patients (OR 1.399; 1.053-1.858; P =0.021) and in the placebo arm, but not in the durvalumab arm. Ki-67 levels in C-biopsies were not predictive; neither was the change in Ki-67 between pre-treatment and later time points (B vs. A or C vs. A).

In a differential mRNA expression analysis (A vs. B), we found seven differentially expressed genes after one dose of durvalumab. We observed strong effects on gene expression after taxane treatment (A vs. C), but no significant difference according to treatment. These genes were associated with biological processes involved in therapy response. The pre-treatment levels of 12 of 69 markedly differentially expressed genes were associated with worse response to chemotherapy.

Conclusion

In A-biopsies, PD-L1 in TILs was predictive for response, and in B-biopsies, Ki-67 was predictive, but neither marker could specifically predict response to durvalumab. We observed limited effects of a single half-dose of durvalumab on global gene expression, but could identify substantial differential expression after taxane treatment. The evaluation of gene expression dynamic offers a promising approach for the identification of resistance-associated markers.

The study was financially supported by AstraZeneca and Celgene

Citation Format: Sinn BV, Loibl S, Karn T, Untch M, Kunze CA, Weber KE, Treue D, Wagner K, Hanusch CA, Klauschen F, Fasching PA, Huober J, Zahm D-M, Jackisch C, Thomalla J, Blohmer J-U, van Mackelenbergh M, Rhiem K, Felder B, von Minckwitz G, Burchardi N, Schneeweiss A, Denkert C. Pre-therapeutic PD-L1 expression and dynamics of Ki-67 and gene expression during neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint blockade and chemotherapy to predict response within the GeparNuevo trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD5-05.

Injection locking of multiple auto-oscillation modes in a tapered nanowire spin Hall oscillator

Spin Hall oscillators (SHO) are promising candidates for the generation, detection and amplification of high frequency signals, that are tunable through a wide range of operating frequencies. They offer to be read out electrically, magnetically and optically in combination with a simple bilayer design. Here, we experimentally study the spatial dependence and spectral properties of auto-oscillations in SHO devices based on Pt(7 nm)/Ni₈₀Fe₂₀(5 nm) tapered nanowires. Using Brillouin light scattering microscopy, we observe two individual self-localized spin-wave bullets that oscillate at two distinct frequencies (5.2 GHz and 5.45 GHz) and are localized at different positions separated by about 750 nm within the SHO. This state of a tapered SHO has been predicted by a Ginzburg-Landau auto-oscillator model, but not yet been directly confirmed experimentally. We demonstrate that the observed bullets can be individually synchronized to external microwave signals, leading to a frequency entrainment, linewidth reduction and increase in oscillation amplitude for the bullet that is selected by the microwave frequency. At the same time, the amplitude of other parasitic modes decreases, which promotes the single-mode operation of the SHO. Finally, the synchronization of the spin-wave bullets is studied as a function of the microwave power. We believe that our findings promote the realization of extended spin Hall oscillators accomodating several distinct spin-wave bullets, that jointly cover an extended range of tunability.

Evaluation of Lightmix Mycoplasma macrolide assay for detection of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae in pneumonia patients

OBJECTIVES

Rapid detection of macrolide resistance-associated mutations in Mycoplasma pneumoniae is crucial for effective antimicrobial treatment. We evaluated the Lightmix Mycoplasma macrolide assay for the detection of point mutations at nucleotide positions 2063 and 2064 in the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of M. pneumoniae that confer macrolide resistance.

METHODS

Samples from 3438 patients with a respiratory tract infection were analysed by M. pneumoniae real-time PCR, and 208 (6%) of them were tested positive. In this retrospective study, 163 M. pneumoniae real-time PCR-positive samples were analysed by the Lightmix assay, and results were compared to targeted 23S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae were found in 15 (9%) of 163 retrospectively analysed samples. The Lightmix assay showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 78.2-100) and a specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 97.5-100) as the detected M. pneumoniae genotype (148 wild type and 15 non-wild type) was confirmed by 23S rRNA sequencing in all samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The Lightmix assay is an easy-to-use and accurate molecular test that allows rapid determination of macrolide resistance in M. pneumoniae.

Standardized microgel beads as elastic cell mechanical probes

Cell mechanical measurements are gaining increasing interest in biological and biomedical studies. However, there are no standardized calibration particles available that permit the cross-comparison of different measurement techniques operating at different stresses and time-scales. Here we present the rational design, production, and comprehensive characterization of poly-acrylamide (PAAm) microgel beads mimicking size and overall mechanics of biological cells. We produced mono-disperse beads at rates of 20-60 kHz by means of a microfluidic droplet generator, where the pre-gel composition was adjusted to tune the beads' elasticity in the range of cell and tissue relevant mechanical properties. We verified bead homogeneity by optical diffraction tomography and Brillouin microscopy. Consistent elastic behavior of microgel beads at different shear rates was confirmed by AFM-enabled nanoindentation and real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC). The remaining inherent variability in elastic modulus was rationalized using polymer theory and effectively reduced by sorting based on forward-scattering using conventional flow cytometry. Our results show that PAAm microgel beads can be standardized as mechanical probes, to serve not only for validation and calibration of cell mechanical measurements, but also as cell-scale stress sensors.

Molecular detection of fungal pathogens in clinical specimens by 18S rDNA high-throughput screening in comparison to ITS PCR and culture

The rising incidence of invasive fungal infections and the expanding spectrum of fungal pathogens makes early and accurate identification of the causative pathogen a daunting task. Diagnostics using molecular markers enable rapid identification of fungi, offer new insights into infectious disease dynamics, and open new possibilities for infectious disease control and prevention. We performed a retrospective study using clinical specimens (N = 233) from patients with suspected fungal infection previously subjected to culture and/or internal transcribed spacer (ITS) PCR. We used these specimens to evaluate a high-throughput screening method for fungal detection using automated DNA extraction (QIASymphony), fungal ribosomal small subunit (18S) rDNA RT-PCR and amplicon sequencing. Fungal sequences were compared with sequences from the curated, commercially available SmartGene IDNS database for pathogen identification. Concordance between 18S rDNA RT-PCR and culture results was 91%, and congruence between 18S rDNA RT-PCR and ITS PCR results was 94%. In addition, 18S rDNA RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing detected fungal pathogens in culture negative (N = 13) and ITS PCR negative specimens (N = 12) from patients with a clinically confirmed fungal infection. Our results support the use of the 18S rDNA RT-PCR diagnostic workflow for rapid and accurate identification of fungal pathogens in clinical specimens.

Epiphytic bromeliads in a changing world: the effect of elevated CO2 and varying water supply on growth and nutrient relations

Global climate change is likely to impact all plant life. Vascular epiphytes represent a life form that may be affected more than any other by possible changes in precipitation leading to water shortage, but negative effects of drought may be mitigated through increasing levels of atmospheric CO₂ . We studied the response of three epiphytic Aechmea species to different CO₂ and watering levels in a full-factorial climate chamber study over 100 days. All species use crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Response variables were relative growth rate (RGR), nocturnal acidification and foliar nutrient levels (N, P, K, Mg). Both elevated CO₂ and increased water supply stimulated RGR, but the interaction of the two factors was not significant. Nocturnal acidification was not affected by these factors, indicating that the increase in growth in these CAM species was due to higher assimilation in the light. Mass-based foliar nutrient contents were consistently lower under elevated CO₂ , but most differences disappeared when expressed on an area basis. Compared to previous studies with epiphytes, in which doubling of CO₂ increased RGR, on average, by only 14%, these Aechmea species showed a relatively strong growth stimulation of up to +61%. Consistent with earlier findings with other bromeliads, elevated CO₂ did not mitigate the effect of water shortage.

Effect of Dialyzer Membranes on in Vitro Generation of Eicosanoids

Eicosanoids are potent substances released from blood cells after contact with foreign materials. Eicosanoid generation, in addition to complement fragment formation, may be a valuable indicator of the biocompatibility of dialyzer membranes. In the present in vitro study, eicosanoid generation induced by several different flat dialyzer membranes [polyacrylonitrile (PAN), cuprammonium cellulose (CC), and polycarbonate (PC)] was evaluated and compared using blood from non-uremic healthy volunteers.

Generation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) was greatest with PC followed by PAN and CC. The formation of C3a des arg with PAN was less than with either CC or PC.

Our results suggest that dialyzer membranes affect complement activation and eicosanoid generation differently; biocompatibility as expressed by a low level of complement fragment formation does not necessarily translate into biocompatibility when considering eicosanoid generation.

Förderung wissenschaftlichen Denkens im Lehramtsstudium: Lernen aus eigenen und fremden Fehlern in multiplen und uniformen Kontexten

Zusammenfassung. Kompetenzen im Bereich wissenschaftlichen Denkens sind ein wichtiges Lernziel im Lehramtsstudium. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht, wie diese systematisch gefördert werden können. Im Rahmen einer experimentellen Interventionsstudie wurde eine integrierte Lerneinheit konzipiert, die problem- und instruktionsorientiertes Lernen systematisch kombiniert. Ausgearbeitete Lösungsbeispiele wurden in ein narratives Format eingebettet. Im Zentrum stehen authentische schulische Problemstellungen, anhand derer wissenschaftliches Erklären eingeübt wird. Instruktionale Basistheorie ist das Lernen aus Fehlern. In einem 2 × 2-faktoriellen experimentellen Design wurden die Art der Fehler (eigene vs. fremde / beispielhaft präsentierte Fehler) und der inhaltliche Kontext (multiple vs. uniforme Kontexte) variiert. 179 Studierenden wurden vier Experimentalbedingungen zufällig zugewiesen. Die Lerneinheit wurde schriftlich im Rahmen bildungswissenschaftlicher Seminare an vier Seminarterminen bearbeitet. Erhoben wurden Analyse- und Generierungswissen bezüglich wissenschaftlicher Erklärungen sowie konzeptuelles Erklärungswissen. Hinsichtlich der Förderung konzeptuellen Erklärungswissens sowie des Analysewissens waren fremde Fehler lernwirksamer. Bezüglich des Generierungswissens war die Auseinandersetzung mit eigenen Fehlern effektiver. Generell waren uniforme Kontexte lernwirksamer als multiple Kontexte.