University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

About: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is a education organization based out in Erlangen, Bayern, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Immune system. The organization has 42405 authors who have published 85600 publications receiving 2663922 citations.

Progression of aortic valve calcification: association with coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors.

Abstract: Background Recent studies demonstrated an influence of atherosclerotic risk factors on the progression of aortic valve stenosis. The extent of aortic valve calcification (AVC) was also found to be ...

Active‐Filler‐Controlled Pyrolysis of Preceramic Polymers

Abstract: Manufacturing of bulk ceramic components from materials in the system Si-Me-C-N-O (Me = Ti, Cr, V, Mo, Si, B, CrSi2, MoSi2, etc.) from preceramic organosilicon polymers - such as poly(carbosilanes), poly(silazanes), or poly(siloxanes) - has become possible by incorporating reactive filler particles into the liquid or solid polymer pre-cursor. During pyrolytic decomposition of the polymer matrix, the filler particles react with carbon from the polymer precursor or nitrogen from the reaction gas atmosphere to form new (oxy)carbide or (oxy)nitride phases embedded in a nanocrystalline Si-O-C(-N) matrix. The selective expansion encountered in the filler phase reaction can be used to compensate for the polymer shrinkage upon pyrolytic conversion. The formation of a transient pore net-work between 400° and 1000°C is governed by the polymer decomposition as well as the filler particle reaction kinetics. Thus, the properties of the oxycarbonitride composite materials can be tailored by controlling the microstructures of the polymer-derived matrix phase, the filler network, and the residual porosity. Near-net-shape forming of bulk ceramic components, even with complex geometry, is possible, making novel applications of polymer-derived bulk materials in biomedical, electrical, and mechanical fields highly interesting.

The Price of Tumor Control: An Analysis of Rare Side Effects of Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy in Metastatic Melanoma from the Ipilimumab Network

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ipilimumab, a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) blocking antibody, has been approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and induces adverse events (AE) in up to 64% of patients. Treatment algorithms for the management of common ipilimumab-induced AEs have lead to a reduction of morbidity, e.g. due to bowel perforations. However, the spectrum of less common AEs is expanding as ipilimumab is increasingly applied. Stringent recognition and management of AEs will reduce drug-induced morbidity and costs, and thus, positively impact the cost-benefit ratio of the drug. To facilitate timely identification and adequate management data on rare AEs were analyzed at 19 skin cancer centers. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Patient files (n = 752) were screened for rare ipilimumab-associated AEs. A total of 120 AEs, some of which were life-threatening or even fatal, were reported and summarized by organ system describing the most instructive cases in detail. Previously unreported AEs like drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), granulomatous inflammation of the central nervous system, and aseptic meningitis, were documented. Obstacles included patientś delay in reporting symptoms and the differentiation of steroid-induced from ipilimumab-induced AEs under steroid treatment. Importantly, response rate was high in this patient population with tumor regression in 30.9% and a tumor control rate of 61.8% in stage IV melanoma patients despite the fact that some patients received only two of four recommended ipilimumab infusions. This suggests that ipilimumab-induced antitumor responses can have an early onset and that severe autoimmune reactions may reflect overtreatment. CONCLUSION: The wide spectrum of ipilimumab-induced AEs demands doctor and patient awareness to reduce morbidity and treatment costs and true ipilimumab success is dictated by both objective tumor responses and controlling severe side effects.

Understanding band gaps of solids in generalized Kohn–Sham theory

Abstract: The fundamental energy gap of a periodic solid distinguishes insulators from metals and characterizes low-energy single-electron excitations. However, the gap in the band structure of the exact multiplicative Kohn–Sham (KS) potential substantially underestimates the fundamental gap, a major limitation of KS density-functional theory. Here, we give a simple proof of a theorem: In generalized KS theory (GKS), the band gap of an extended system equals the fundamental gap for the approximate functional if the GKS potential operator is continuous and the density change is delocalized when an electron or hole is added. Our theorem explains how GKS band gaps from metageneralized gradient approximations (meta-GGAs) and hybrid functionals can be more realistic than those from GGAs or even from the exact KS potential. The theorem also follows from earlier work. The band edges in the GKS one-electron spectrum are also related to measurable energies. A linear chain of hydrogen molecules, solid aluminum arsenide, and solid argon provide numerical illustrations.