Understanding how nano-dimensionality impacts iron oxide based catalysis is central to a wide range of applications. Here, we focus on hematite nanosheets, nanowires and nanoparticles as applied to ...catalyze the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) probe reaction. We introduce a novel approach to synthesize ultrathin (4-7 nm) hematite nanosheets using copper oxide nanosheets as a hard template and propose a reaction mechanism based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Hematite nanowires and nanoparticles were also synthesized and characterized. H
2
temperature programmed reduction (H
2
-TPR) and RWGS reactions were performed to glean insights into the mechanism of CO
2
conversion to CO over the iron oxide nanomaterials and were compared to H
2
binding energy calculations based on density functional theory. While the nanosheets did exhibit high CO
2
conversion, 28% at 510 °C, we found that the iron oxide nanowires had the highest CO
2
conversion, reaching 50% at 750 °C under atmospheric pressure. No products besides CO and H
2
O were detected.
Copper oxide nanosheets as a hard template for ultrathin iron hydroxide/oxide nanosheets.
Universities are now seeing the post-Millennial generation enrolling in freshman engineering courses. These outcome-oriented students engage with the course topics if they can see how the skills ...being developed can be used outside the classroom. To this end, the authors substituted a contemporary game controller, a PlayStation4 DualShock4 (DS4), for a microcontroller with sensors (Arduino Esplora) that was used in the freshman laboratory exercises to enhance the connection to the "real world" and increase engagement with the course concepts. Using laboratory scores from two consecutive fall semesters at a large, Midwestern university, the authors found the substitution of the DS4 for the Esplora had a significant positive effect on the total scores for the entire semester, as well as positive significant effect on the formalized lab reports.
To develop and evaluate a multifactorial model based on landing performance to estimate injury risk for surfing athletes.
Five measures were collected from 78 competitive surfing athletes and used to ...create a model to serve as a screening tool for landing tasks and potential injury risk. In the second part of the study, the model was evaluated using junior surfing athletes (n = 32) with a longitudinal follow-up of their injuries over 26 wk. Two models were compared based on the collected data, and magnitude-based inferences were applied to determine the likelihood of differences between injured and noninjured groups.
The study resulted in a model based on 5 measures--ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion, isometric midthigh-pull lower-body strength, time to stabilization during a drop-and-stick (DS) landing, relative peak force during a DS landing, and frontal-plane DS-landing video analysis--for male and female professional surfers and male and female junior surfers. Evaluation of the model showed that a scaled probability score was more likely to detect injuries in junior surfing athletes and reported a correlation of r = .66, P = .001, with a model of equal variable importance. The injured (n = 7) surfers had a lower probability score (0.18 ± 0.16) than the noninjured group (n = 25, 0.36 ± 0.15), with 98% likelihood, Cohen d = 1.04.
The proposed model seems sensitive and easy to implement and interpret. Further research is recommended to show full validity for potential adaptations for other sports.
5,6-Dihydro-1H-pyridin-2-one analogs were discovered as a novel class of inhibitors of genotype 1 HCV NS5B polymerase. Among these, compound 4ad displayed potent inhibitory activities in biochemical ...and replicon assays (IC(50) (1b)<10nM; IC(50) (1a)<25nM, EC(50) (1b)=16nM), good in vitro DMPK properties, as well as moderate oral bioavailability in monkeys (F=24%).
1 Unité de Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires, INRA, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
2 Medical Research Council Virology Unit, Church Street, Glasgow G11 5JR, UK
3 Laboratoire de Virologie Moléculaire ...et Structurale, UMR 2472-1157 CNRS-INRA and IFR 115, 1 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
4 Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
5 Unité de Biochimie et Structure des Protéines, INRA, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
Correspondence Jean-François Eléouët jean-francois.eleouet{at}jouy.inra.fr
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) phosphoprotein (P) is a major polymerase co-factor that interacts with both the large polymerase fragment (L) and the nucleoprotein (N). The N-binding domain of RSV P has been investigated by co-expression of RSV P and N proteins in Escherichia coli . Pull-down assays performed with a series of truncated forms of P fused to glutathione S -transferase (GST) revealed that the region comprising the last nine C-terminal amino acid residues of P (233-DNDLSLEDF-241) is sufficient for efficient binding to N. Site-directed mutagenesis shows that the last four residues of this peptide are crucial for binding and must be present at the end of a flexible C-terminal tail. The presence of the P oligomerization domain (residues 100160) was an important stabilizing factor for the interaction. The tetrameric full-length P fused to GST was able to pull down both helical and ring structures, whereas a monomeric C-terminal fragment of P (residues 161241) fused to GST pulled down exclusively RNAN rings. Electron-microscopy analysis of the purified rings showed the presence of two types of complex: undecamers (11N) and decamers (10N). Mass-spectrometry analysis of the RNA extracted from rings after RNase A treatment showed two peaks of 22 900 and 24 820 Da, corresponding to a mean RNA length of 67 and 73 bases, respectively. These results suggest strongly that each N subunit contacts 6 nt, with an extra three or four bases further protected from nuclease digestion by the ring structure at both the 5' and 3' ends.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Present address: Laboratoire de Biologie, Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
Present address: Unité de Virologie Structurale, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
Pulp engineering with dental mesenchymal stem cells is a promising therapy for injured teeth. An important point is to determine the fate of implanted cells in the pulp over time and particularly ...during the early phase following implantation. Indeed, the potential engraftment of the implanted cells in other organs has to be assessed, in particular, to evaluate the risk of inducing ectopic mineralization. In this study, our aim was to follow by nuclear imaging the radiolabeled pulp cells after implantation in the rat emptied pulp chamber. For that purpose, indium-111-oxine (¹¹¹In-oxine)-labeled rat pulp cells were added to polymerizing type I collagen hydrogel to obtain a pulp equivalent. This scaffold was implanted in the emptied pulp chamber space in the upper first rat molar. Labeled cells were then tracked during 3 weeks by helical single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography performed on a dual modality dedicated small animal camera. Negative controls were performed using lysed radiolabeled cells obtained in a hypotonic solution. In vitro data indicated that ¹¹¹In-oxine labeling did not affect cell viability and proliferation. In vivo experiments allowed a noninvasive longitudinal follow-up of implanted living cells for at least 3 weeks and indicated that SPECT signal intensity was related to implanted cell integrity. Notably, there was no detectable systemic release of implanted cells from the tooth. In addition, histological analysis of the samples showed mitotically active fibroblastic cells as well as neoangiogenesis and nervous fibers in pulp equivalents seeded with entire cells, whereas pulp equivalents prepared from lysed cells were devoid of cell colonization. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that efficient labeling of pulp cells can be achieved and, for the first time, that these cells can be followed up after implantation in the tooth by nuclear imaging. Furthermore, it appears that grafted cells retained the label and are viable to follow the repair process. This technique is expected to be of major interest for monitoring implanted cells in innovative therapies for injured teeth.
History A 55-year-old woman presented to our breast clinic with 1-year history of lancinating pain in the right breast that was exacerbated by blunt pressure and cold temperature. She denied any ...family history of breast cancer or any personal history of trauma, infection, or surgery of the breast. On clinical examination, exquisite pain was generated by simple light pressure over the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. Mammography and ultrasounography (US) with Doppler analysis of the right breast were painful but were performed with the least pressure possible.
Bronchiolitis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants less than two years old is a growing public health concern worldwide, and there is currently no safe and effective vaccine. A ...major component of RSV nucleocapsid, the nucleoprotein (N), has been so far poorly explored as a potential vaccine antigen, even though it is a target of protective anti-viral T cell responses and is remarkably conserved between human RSV A and B serotypes. We recently reported a method to produce recombinant N assembling in homogenous rings composed of 10-11 N subunits enclosing a bacterial RNA. These nanoparticles were named sub-nucleocapsid ring structure (N SRS).
The vaccine potential of N SRS was evaluated in a well-characterized and widely acknowledged mouse model of RSV infection. BALB/c adult mice were immunized intranasally with N SRS adjuvanted with the detoxified E. coli enterotoxin LT(R192G). Upon RSV challenge, vaccinated mice were largely protected against virus replication in the lungs, with a mild inflammatory lymphocytic and neutrophilic reaction in their airways. Mucosal immunization with N SRS elicited strong local and systemic immunity characterized by high titers of IgG1, IgG2a and IgA anti-N antibodies, antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells and IFN-gamma-producing CD4(+) T cells.
This is the first report of using nanoparticles formed by the recombinant nucleocapsid protein as an efficient and safe intra-nasal vaccine against RSV.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract only
6006
Background: The incidence of OPSCC has risen rapidly, due to an epidemic of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Radiation therapy (RT) has historically been the standard ...treatment, but transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has surpassed RT in the US as the most common approach, based on assumptions of reduced toxicity or improved quality of life (QOL). No randomized trials have previously compared these treatments. Methods: The ORATOR trial (NCT01590355) enrolled patients with T1-T2 N0-2(≤4 cm) OPSCC amenable to TORS. We randomly assigned patients, stratified by p16 status, to RT (70 Gy/35 fractions, with chemotherapy if N1-2) vs. TORS (± adjuvant chemoRT based on pathology). The primary endpoint was a definitive comparison of swallowing QOL at 1-year using the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI), powered to detect a 10-point improvement (a clinically-meaningful change CMC) in the TORS arm. Secondary endpoints included adverse events (AEs), other QOL outcomes including EORTC scales, the Voice Handicap Index-10, Neck Dissection Impairment Index, and Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire, overall- and progression-free survival (OS, PFS). All analyses were pre-specified and intention-to-treat. Results: Between 2012 and 2017, 68 patients were randomized (n = 34 in each arm), in Canada and Australia. Median age was 59 years; 87% were male. Primary tumor sites were palatine tonsil (74%) or base of tongue (26%). Arms were well-balanced for baseline factors, including p16 status (88% in each arm). Median follow-up was 27 months. MDADI scores at 1-year were statistically superior in the RT arm (mean ± SD: 86.9 ± 11.4 vs. 80.1 ± 13.0 in the TORS arm; p = 0.042), but not meeting the definition of a CMC. For the other QOL metrics, outcomes were similar at 1-year. Feeding tube rates at 1-year were 3% (n = 1) vs. 0% respectively. Rates of treatment-related grade ≥2 AEs were similar (91% vs. 100%, p = 0.24), with more neutropenia, constipation and tinnitus in the RT arm and more trismus in the TORS arm (all p < 0.05). There was one TORS bleeding-related death. OS and PFS were similar. Conclusions: RT had superior swallowing QOL scores at 1 year compared to TORS, but the difference was not a CMC. Toxicities differed between the arms. This study provides the first level 1 evidence to inform patients of the QOL impact of both approaches. Clinical trial information: NCT01590355.
PDF
