The use of standards for the measurement of photoluminescence quantum yields (QYs) in dilute solutions is reviewed. Only three standards can be considered well established. Another group of six ...standards has been investigated by several independent researchers. A large group of standards is frequently used in recent literature, but the validity of these is less certain. The needs for future development comprise: (i) confirmation of the validity of the QY values of many commonly used standard materials, preferably in the form of SI traceable standards; (ii) extension of the set of standard materials to the UV and near-IR spectral ranges; and (iii) good standards or robust protocols for the measurements of low QYs.
The emergence of the novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China has caused a worldwide epidemic of respiratory disease (COVID-19). Vaccines and targeted therapeutics for treatment of this ...disease are currently lacking. Here we report a human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 (and SARS-CoV) in cell culture. This cross-neutralizing antibody targets a communal epitope on these viruses and may offer potential for prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Hydrocephalus is a debilitating disorder, affecting all age groups. Evaluation of its global epidemiology is required for healthcare planning and resource allocation.
To define age-specific global ...prevalence and incidence of hydrocephalus.
Population-based studies reporting prevalence of hydrocephalus were identified (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar (1985-2017)). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Two authors reviewed abstracts, full text articles and abstracted data. Metanalysis and meta-regressions were used to assess associations between key variables. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. Main outcome of interest was hydrocephalus prevalence among pediatric (≤ 18 years), adults (19-64 years), and elderly (≥ 65) patients. Annual hydrocephalus incidence stratified by country income level and folate fortification requirements were obtained (2003-2014) from the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR).
Of 2,460 abstracts, 52 met review eligibility criteria (aggregate population 171,558,651). Mean hydrocephalus prevalence was 85/100,000 95% CI 62, 116. The prevalence was 88/100,000 95% CI 72, 107 in pediatrics; 11/100,000 95% CI 5, 25 in adults; and 175/100,000 95% CI 67, 458 in the elderly. The ICBDSR-based incidence of hydrocephalus diagnosed at birth remained stable over 11 years: 81/100,000 95% CI 69, 96. A significantly lower incidence was identified in high-income countries.
This systematic review established age-specific global hydrocephalus prevalence. While high-income countries had a lower hydrocephalus incidence according to the ICBDSR registry, folate fortification status was not associated with incidence. Our findings may inform future healthcare resource allocation and study.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) from cardiac arrest is a major international public health problem accounting for an estimated 15%–20% of all deaths. Although resuscitation rates are generally improving ...throughout the world, the majority of individuals who experience a sudden cardiac arrest will not survive. SCD most often develops in older adults with acquired structural heart disease, but it also rarely occurs in the young, where it is more commonly because of inherited disorders. Coronary heart disease is known to be the most common pathology underlying SCD, followed by cardiomyopathies, inherited arrhythmia syndromes, and valvular heart disease. During the past 3 decades, declines in SCD rates have not been as steep as for other causes of coronary heart disease deaths, and there is a growing fraction of SCDs not due to coronary heart disease and ventricular arrhythmias, particularly among certain subsets of the population. The growing heterogeneity of the pathologies and mechanisms underlying SCD present major challenges for SCD prevention, which are magnified further by a frequent lack of recognition of the underlying cardiac condition before death. Multifaceted preventative approaches, which address risk factors in seemingly low-risk and known high-risk populations, will be required to decrease the burden of SCD. In this Compendium, we review the wide-ranging spectrum of epidemiology underlying SCD within both the general population and in high-risk subsets with established cardiac disease placing an emphasis on recent global trends, remaining uncertainties, and potential targeted preventive strategies.
Metabolic pathways leading to the synthesis, uptake, and usage of the nonessential amino acid serine are frequently amplified in cancer. Serine encounters diverse fates in cancer cells, including ...being charged onto tRNAs for protein synthesis, providing head groups for sphingolipid and phospholipid synthesis, and serving as a precursor for cellular glycine and one-carbon units, which are necessary for nucleotide synthesis and methionine cycle reloading. This review will focus on the participation of serine and glycine in the mitochondrial one-carbon (SGOC) pathway during cancer progression, with an emphasis on the genetic and epigenetic determinants that drive SGOC gene expression. We will discuss recently elucidated roles for SGOC metabolism in nucleotide synthesis, redox balance, mitochondrial function, and epigenetic modifications. Finally, therapeutic considerations for targeting SGOC metabolism in the clinic will be discussed.
•Elevated mitochondrial serine, glycine, and one-carbon (SGOC) metabolism is a feature of many cancers•In addition to supporting biosyntheiss, mitochondrial SGOC metabolism maintains redox homeostasis and mitochondrial function•There exists considerable controversy in the link between SGOC metabolic control of epigenetics•Targeting mitochondrial SGOC is an attractive direction for cancer therapy
This research explores the grassroots brand community centered on the Apple Newton, a product that was abandoned by the marketer. Supernatural, religious, and magical motifs are common in the ...narratives of the Newton community, including the miraculous performance and survival of the brand, as well as the return of the brand creator. These motifs invest the brand with powerful meanings and perpetuate the brand and the community, its values, and its beliefs. These motifs also reflect and facilitate the many transformative and emancipatory aspects of consuming this brand. Our findings reveal important properties of brand communities and, at a deeper level, speak to the communal nature of religion and the enduring human need for religious affiliation.
On June 24, 2012, a 60-year-old man died of progressive respiratory infection in Saudi Arabia. A novel coronavirus was identified as a potential cause of this severe illness. Subsequently, a second ...patient was reported to have severe illness associated with this coronavirus.
Coronaviruses are enveloped, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses that are phenotypically and genotypically diverse.
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Coronaviruses are widespread in bats around the world but can be found in many other species as well, including birds, cats, dogs, pigs, mice, horses, whales, and humans.
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They may cause respiratory, enteric, hepatic, or neurologic diseases, with variable severity in various animal species. In humans, four respiratory coronaviruses — human coronaviruses (HCoV) 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1 — are known to be endemic. In addition, in 2003 a previously unknown coronavirus caused an outbreak of SARS in humans.
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The diversity of coronaviruses is facilitated by . . .
A wide range of viruses from different virus families in different geographical areas, may cause immediate or delayed neuropathological changes and neurological manifestations in humans and animals. ...Infection by neurotropic viruses as well as the resulting immune response can irreversibly disrupt the complex structural and functional architecture of the central nervous system, frequently leaving the patient or affected animal with a poor or fatal prognosis. Mechanisms that govern neuropathogenesis and immunopathogenesis of viral infections are highlighted, using examples of well-studied virus infections that are associated with these alterations in different populations throughout the world. A better understanding of the molecular, epidemiological and biological characteristics of these infections and in particular of mechanisms that underlie their clinical manifestations may be expected to provide tools for the development of more effective intervention strategies and treatment regimens.
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