In this prospective cohort of non-HCV liver recipients receiving grafts from HCV antibody-positive/NAT-negative donors, the incidence of HCV transmission was 16%, with the highest risk conferred by donors who died of drug overdose; given the availability of safe and highly effective antiviral therapies, use of such organs could be considered to expand the donor pool. (Hepatology 2018;67:1673-1682).

Lipid bilayers were deposited inside the 0.2 microm pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) filters by extrusion of multilamellar liposomes and their properties studied by 2H, 31P, and 1H solid-state NMR. Only the first bilayer adhered strongly to the inner surface of the pores. Additional layers were washed out easily by a flow of water as demonstrated by 1H magic angle spinning NMR experiments with addition of Pr3+ ions to shift accessible lipid headgroup resonances. A 13 mm diameter Anopore filter of 60 microm thickness oriented approximately 2.5 x 10(-7) mol of lipid as a single bilayer, corresponding to a total membrane area of about 500 cm2. The 2H NMR spectra of chain deuterated POPC are consistent with adsorption of wavy, tubular bilayers to the inner pore surface. By NMR diffusion experiments, we determined the average length of those lipid tubules to be approximately 0.4 microm. There is evidence for a thick water layer between lipid tubules and the pore surface. The ends of tubules are well sealed against the pore such that Pr3+ ions cannot penetrate into the water underneath the bilayers. We successfully trapped poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with a molecular weight of 8000 in this water layer. From the quantity of trapped PEG, we calculated an average water layer thickness of 3 nm. Lipid order parameters and motional properties are unperturbed by the solid support, in agreement with existence of a water layer. Such unperturbed, solid supported membranes are ideal for incorporation of membrane-spanning proteins with large intra- and extracellular domains. The experiments suggest the promise of such porous filters as membrane support in biosensors.

The absorption spectra of I2 and Br2 dissolved in n-heptane and CCl4 are recorded with high precision in the visible-near-IR spectral range, at temperatures between 15° and 50 °C. The spectra are decomposed into the three contributing transitions (1Πu ← X, B0+ u 3Π ← X, and A 1u 3Π ← X) through simultaneous least-squares fitting of the T-dependent data. The main results of the analysis are as follows. (1) In I2 the weakest A ← X band is virtually identical in shape and intensity in these solvents and in the gas phase, but with small blue shifts in solution. (2) The ∼20% increased absorption of I2 in solution appears to be largely attributable to a doubling in the intensity of the weaker of the two main transitions, 1Πu ← X, which is red-shifted in solution. (3) All three transitions in I2 shift to the red with increasing T, with the strongest effect observed for 1Πu ← X. These differences are not explained by the refraction-index-based relations commonly used to relate gas- and condensed-phase spectra. In the course of this work the method of decomposition analysis by fitting to assumed band shapes has been tested extensively, with the following observations. (1) The much-used 3-parameter Gaussian and log-normal functions do not have enough flexibility to fit single “pure” bands within the experimental precision obtainable from commercial spectrophotometers. (2) The results of such analyses can vary widely with choice of band function. (3) When comparing two such analyses, lower variance is no guarantee of a “truer” resolution. Concerning the labeling of the halogen electronic states involved in the absorption, it is recommended that for consistency the 1Πu state be designated as the C state in all the halogens.

Background. Histoplasmosis causes severe disease in patients with defects of cell-mediated immunity. It is not known whether outcomes vary related to the type of immunodeficiency or class of antifungal treatment.Methods. We reviewed cases of active histoplasmosis that occurred at Vanderbilt University Medical Center from July 1999 to June 2012 in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, a history of transplantation, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitor use. These groups were compared for differences in clinical presentation and outcomes. In addition, outcomes were related to the initial choice of treatment.Results. Ninety cases were identified (56 HIV, 23 transplant, 11 TNF-α inhibitor). Tumor necrosis factor-α patients had milder disease, shorter courses of therapy, and fewer relapses than HIV patients. Histoplasma antigenuria was highly prevalent in all groups (HIV 88%, transplant 95%, TNF-α 91%). Organ transplant recipients received amphotericin B formulation as initial therapy less often than other groups (22% vs 57% HIV vs 55% TNF-α; P = .006). Treatment failures only occurred in patients with severe disease. The failure rate was similar whether patients received initial amphotericin or triazole therapy. Ninety-day histoplasmosis-related mortality was 9% for all groups and did not vary significantly with choice of initial treatment.Conclusions. Histoplasmosis caused milder disease in patients receiving TNF-α inhibitors than patients with HIV or solid organ transplantation. Treatment failures and mortality only occurred in patients with severe disease and did not vary based on type of immunosuppression or choice of initial therapy.