Search

Abstract This study aimed to improve the flame retardancy and mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) by introducing cereal proteins, namely zein and gluten. The production conditions were determined by observing residual masses of samples at 1000 ℃ using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). According to the TGA results, the optimized production conditions for the BCs with zein and gluten were combined solvent exchange and entrapment of 20 weight% (wt.%) of zein, and entrapment of 40 wt.% of gluten, respectively. Surface characterization of BC prepared with zein and gluten under the optimal conditions confirmed that the cereal proteins were incorporated into the BC nanostructures via solvent exchange and/or entrapment and the original chemical and crystal structures of BC were not significantly changed. Limiting oxygen index (LOI) analysis confirmed that cereal proteins improved the flame retardancy of BC. In particular, the LOI of BC entrapped with gluten was 50%, which was better than that of cowhide leather. Char morphology analysis confirmed that the as-produced BCs with cereal proteins exhibited condensed-phase flame-retardant mechanism by forming intumescent chars. Analysis of the mechanical properties confirmed that compared with cowhide leather, as-produced BCs with cereal proteins possessed high tensile strength and dimensional stability, making them suitable leather substitutes.

This study aims to fabricate bacterial cellulose with improved flame retardancy by applying anchovy, mussel, and shrimp powders. The elemental analysis confirmed that raw marine powders contained nitrogen and sulfur elements which could play important roles in enhancing the flame retardancy of bacterial cellulose. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed the improved thermal stability of bacterial cellulose following entrapping and crosslinking of the marine powders. The fabricated bacterial celluloses with marine powders had similar levels of flame retardancy as that of bacterial cellulose treated with a commercial flame-retardant, sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, which was confirmed by the vertical flammability test and limiting oxygen index. The char morphology analysis revealed intumescent char on the surface of the samples, confirming the effect of marine powders on the flame retardancy of bacterial cellulose. Moreover, the marine powders were entrapped and crosslinked with bacterial cellulose nanostructures, and the chemical and crystalline structures of bacterial cellulose were retained. This study proposes an efficient method to improve the flame retardancy of bacterial cellulose by introducing marine powders via the combined entrapment and crosslinking method.

Abstract In order to ensure prolonged pharmacokinetic profile along with local tolerability at the injection site, tricaprylin‐based drug crystalline suspension (TS) was designed and its local distribution, pharmacokinetics, and inflammatory response, were evaluated with conventional aqueous suspension (AS). As model drug particles, entecavir 3‐palmitate (EV‐P), an ester lipidic prodrug for entecavir (EV), was employed. The EV‐P‐loaded TS was prepared by ultra‐sonication method. Prepared TS and conventional AS exhibited comparable morphology (rod or rectangular), median diameter (2.7 and 2.6 μm), crystallinity (melting point of 160–165°C), and in vitro dissolution profile. However, in vivo performances of drug microparticles were markedly different, depending on delivery vehicle. At AS‐injected site, drug aggregates of up to 500 μm were formed upon intramuscular injection, and were surrounded with inflammatory cells and fibroblastic bands. In contrast, no distinct particle aggregation and adjacent granulation was observed at TS‐injected site, with >4 weeks remaining of the oily vehicle in micro‐computed tomographic observation. Surprisingly, TS exhibited markedly alleviated local inflammation compared to AS, endowing markedly lessened necrosis, fibrosis thickness, inflammatory area, and macrophage infiltration. The higher initial systemic exposure was observed with TS compared to AS, but TS provided prolonged delivery of EV for 3 weeks. Therefore, we suggest that the novel TS system can be a promising tool in designing parenteral long‐acting delivery, with improved local tolerability.

To capture as much carbon dioxide as possible while minimizing the performance degradation, this study proposes two solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)/polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) hybrid systems. One is a hybrid system in which the PEMFC not only generates power, but also performs the role of CC (hybrid system 1). The other is a hybrid system in which pressure swing adaption (PSA) is incorporated to capture carbon dioxide, and consumption of hydrogen in the PEMFC is maximized (hybrid system 2). In addition, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) was added to further improve the performance of the hybrid systems by utilizing the waste heat of exhaust gas. The cascade effects between SOFC and PEMFC contribute to achieving nearly complete CC and high efficiency. Especially, hybrid system 2 achieved 10% and 5%p improvements over the stand-alone SOFC system in net power and efficiency. It is promising in that the proposed systems utilizing cascade effects can achieve nearly zero carbon emission and high efficiency despite the use of natural gas without hydrogen supply. In other words, the proposed systems are expected to contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality without waiting for the technological maturation associated with hydrogen.

Purpose: We investigated whether the use of a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5i) after robot assited radical prostatectomy has a survival benefit over non-use patients because there are controversial results on the association between PDE5i use and survival outcomes for prostate cancer patients in literature. Materials and Methods: We designed a retrospective, matched, large-sample cohort study of 5,545 patients who underwent robot assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) during 2013–2021 in a single institute. The exclusion criteria was patients who were aged >70 years at surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification grade 4 or 5, history of other malignancies, patients who started PDE5i 6 months after survery and patients with follow up period less than 24 months after surgery. Among the 1,843 included patients, 1,298 were PDE5i users, and 545 were PDE5i non-users. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) of PDE5i users (n=529) with non-users (n=529) by adjusting for the variables of age, Gleason grade group, pathological T stage, preoperative ASA physical status grade, and International Index of Erectile Function score. Results: There were no significant difference in patient characteristics according to PSM. Kaplan–Meier curve revealed the difference of overall survival for PDE5i users and non-users (clustered log-rank test p

Metallothermic, especially magnesiothermic, solid-state reactions have been widely applied to synthesize various materials. However, further investigations regarding the use of this method for composite syntheses are needed because of the high reactivity of magnesium. Herein, we report an in situ magnesiothermic reduction to synthesize a composite of Ge@C as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The obtained electrode delivered a specific capacity of 454.2 mAh·g−1 after 200 cycles at a specific current of 1000 mA·g−1. The stable electrochemical performance and good rate performance of the electrode (432.3 mAh·g−1 at a specific current of 5000 mA·g−1) are attributed to the enhancement in distribution and chemical contact between Ge nanoparticles and the biomass-based carbon matrix. A comparison with other synthesis routes has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of contact formation during in situ synthesis.

Abstract Background Despite medical advances, septic shock remains one of the main causes of high mortality in critically ill patients. Although sarcopenia is considered a predictor of mortality in septic shock patients, most studies have only investigated short‐term mortality, and those on long‐term prognosis are limited. We investigated the impact of sarcopenia on long‐term mortality in a large patient population with septic shock. Methods A retrospective cohort study comprising 905 patients with septic shock was conducted from 2008 to 2019. Sarcopenia was defined based on the measurement of the total abdominal muscle area, assessed using abdominal computed tomography scans. Thereafter, we stratified the patients into two groups—sarcopenia and non‐sarcopenia groups—and compared the impact of sarcopenia on short‐term (28 days) and long‐term (1 year and overall) mortality using multivariable Cox proportional analysis. Results A total of 905 patients were included, and the mean age was 65.7 ± 15.1 years. Among them, 430 (47.5%) patients were male and 407 (45.0%) had sarcopenia. We found that the 28 day, 1 year, and overall mortality rates in the sarcopenia group were significantly higher than those in the non‐sarcopenia group (13.8% vs. 6.4%, P

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the compatibility of robotic single-site (RSS) myomectomy in comparison with the conventional robotic multi-port (RMP) myomectomy to achieve successful surgical outcomes with reliability and reproducibility. Methods This retrospective case–control study was performed on 236 robotic myomectomies at a university medical center. After 1:1 propensity score matching for the total myoma number, total myoma diameter, and patient age, 90 patients in each group (RSS: n = 90; RMP: n = 90) were evaluated. Patient demographics, preoperative parameters, intraoperative characteristics, and postoperative outcome measures were analyzed. Results The body mass index, parity, preoperative hemoglobin levels, mean maximal myoma diameter, and anatomical type of myoma showed no mean differences between RSS and RMP myomectomies. The RSS group was younger, had lesser number of myomas removed, and had a smaller sum of the maximal diameter of total myomas removed than the RMP group. After propensity score matching, the total operative time (RSS: 150.9 ± 57.1 min vs. RMP: 170 ± 74.5 min, p = 0.0296) was significantly shorter in the RSS group. The RSS group tended to have a longer docking time (RSS: 9.8 ± 6.5 min vs. RMP: 8 ± 6.2 min, p = 0.0527), shorter console time (RSS: 111.1 ± 52.3 min vs. RMP: 125.8 ± 65.1 min, p = 0.0665), and shorter time required for in-bag morcellation (RSS: 30.1 ± 17.2 min vs. RMP: 36.2 ± 25.7 min, p = 0.0684). The visual analog scale pain score 1 day postoperatively was significantly lower in the RSS group (RSS: 2.4 ± 0.8 days vs. RMP: 2.7 ± 0.8 days, p = 0.0149), with similar consumption of analgesic drugs. The rate of transfusion, estimated blood loss during the operation, and length of hospital stay were not different between the two modalities. No other noticeable complications were observed in either group. Conclusions Da Vinci RSS myomectomy is a compatible option with regard to reproducibility and safety, without significantly compromising the number and sum of the maximal diameter of myomas removed. The advantage of shorter total operative time and less pain with the same amount of analgesic drugs in RSS myomectomy will contribute to improving patient satisfaction.

DNA methylation (DNAm) has a well-established association with age in many tissues, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Compared to DNAm, the closely related epigenetic modification known as DNA hydroxymethylation (DNAhm) was much more recently discovered in mammals. Preliminary investigations have observed a positive correlation between gene body DNAhm and cis-gene expression. While some of these studies have observed an association between age and global DNAhm, none have investigated region-specific age-related DNAhm in human blood samples. In this study, we investigated DNAhm and gene expression in PBMCs of 10 young and 10 old, healthy female volunteers. Thousands of regions were differentially hydroxymethylated in the old vs. young individuals in gene bodies, exonic regions, enhancers, and promoters. Consistent with previous work, we observed directional consistency between age-related differences in DNAhm and gene expression. Further, age-related DNAhm and genes with high levels of DNAhm were enriched for immune system processes which may support a role of age-related DNAhm in immunosenescence.

Owing to its sustainability and environmentally friendliness, bacterial cellulose (BC) has received attention as a zero-waste textile material. Since the color of original BC was mostly yellowish white, a dyeing process is necessary to suggest BC as a textile. Thus, this study aimed to suggest a natural dyeing method using coffee to produce an eco-friendly coffee-dyed bacterial cellulose (BC-COF) bio-leather and to propose a reusing method as a dye adsorbent. To determine the dyeing and mordanting conditions with the highest color strength value, parameters such as dyeing temperature, time, mordanting methods were evaluated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that BC-COF was successfully colorized with coffee without changing its chemical and crystalline structures. In addition, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis confirmed that coffee molecules were successfully incorporated into fiber structures of BC. The effects of pH, concentration, temperature, and time on the adsorption of methylene blue dye using BC-COF bio-leather were also evaluated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and zeta potential measurement. The results showed that BC-COF was found to be most effective when pH 6 of methylene blue solution with a concentration of 50 mg/L was adsorbed for 30 minutes at 25°C. Moreover, BC-COF could be reused for multiple times and had better dye adsorption rate compared to the original BC. From the results, it was confirmed that BC-COF could be employed as a dye adsorbent.

Overconsumption of highly refined carbohydrates contributes significantly to the current obesity pandemics. Probiotic administration protects against weight gain in animals fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Nonetheless, the anti-obesity effects of probiotics in a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD)-induced obesity models are not well elucidated. Herein, C57BL/6N male mice were fed an HCD (70% kcal carbohydrate) for 12 weeks and were orally treated with multi-strain probiotics (MSPs) at 1010 CFU or saline every day for 6 weeks. MSPs contained Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 24936, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 24937, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 25175. MSPs treatment not only ameliorated weight gain but also modulated the body fat composition altered by HCD. The MSPs also attenuated the expression of adipogenesis- and lipogenesis-related genes in HCD-fed mice. In addition, MSPs promoted the expression of lipolysis- and fatty acid oxidation-promoting factors in HCD-fed mice. Furthermore, MSPs modulated the expression of thermogenesis-related genes and the serum levels of obesity-related hormones altered by HCD. Treatment with MSPs positively reversed the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, which is associated with a risk of obesity. Hence, this study explores the multifaceted anti-obesity mechanisms of MSPs and highlights their potential to be used as effective weight-management products.

ABSTRACT Noroviruses are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups and constitute a major health and economic burden worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of immunochromatographic tests (ICTs) for the detection of norovirus in stool specimens, which has not been performed previously. In this systematic review and meta-analysis (registered on PROSPERO, CRD42020186911), we searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for all studies published up to 16 May 2020. The values for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR−), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of ICTs with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled using a bivariate random-effects model. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were used to summarize overall test accuracy. We included 43 studies describing 7,428 samples. The overall estimates of sensitivity, specificity, LR+, LR−, DOR, and accuracy of ICT for diagnosing norovirus were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.67), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95 to 0.98), 17.08 (95% CI, 11.15 to 26.18), 0.40 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.46), 53.9 (95% CI, 31.32 to 92.78), and 0.928, respectively. Significant differences in pooled sensitivities were noted between age groups and in pooled DOR and LR+ between genogroups of included samples. ICT provides low sensitivity but high specificity and accuracy for detecting norovirus. Thus, an ICT for norovirus can be a rapid and convenient way for identifying patients early; however, a negative result cannot rule out norovirus infection and should be confirmed by a reference test.

Polyaniline (PANi) is a conducting polymer which has been subject of intensive research on the exploitation of new products and applications. The main aim of the work is the development of a conductive bacterial cellulose (BC)-based material by enzymatic-assisted polymerization of aniline. For this, we study the role of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a template for the in situ polymerization of aniline. Bacterial cellulose was used as the supporting material for the entrapment of CMC and for the in situ oxidation reactions. The amount of CMC entrapped inside BC was optimized as well as the conditions for laccase-assisted oxidation of aniline. The new oligomers were evaluated by spectrometric techniques, namely 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF, and the functionalized BC surfaces were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and reflectance spectrophotometry. The conductivity of the developed materials was evaluated using the four-probe methodology. The oligomers obtained after reaction in the presence of CMC as template display a similar structure as when the reaction is conducted only in BC. Though, after oxidation in the presence of this template, the amount of oligomers entrapped inside BC/CMC is considerably higher conferring to the material greater electrical conductivity and coloration. The use of CMC as a template for aniline oxidation on BC seems to be a promising and cheap strategy to improve the yield of functionalization and increment the properties of the materials, namely electrical conductivity and coloration.

This study aimed to produce cellulose-based conductive fabrics with electrical conductivity and flexibility. Bacterial cellulose (BC) and three chemical cellulose (CC), namely methyl cellulose (MC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPMC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were in situ polymerized with aniline and the four conductive cellulose fabrics were compared and evaluated. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy analysis confirmed that three CC-PANI composites displayed longer and more stable polymerization pattern than BC-PANI because of the different polymerization method: bulk polymerization for BC-PANI and emulsion polymerization for CC-PANI, respectively. The electrical conductivity of BC-PANI and CC-PANI were ranging from 0.962 × 10-2 S/cm to 2.840 × 10-2 S/cm. MC-PANI showed the highest electrical conductivity among the four conductive cellulose fabrics. The flexibility and crease recovery results showed that MC-PANI had the highest flexibility compared to BC-PANI, HPMC-PANI, and CMC-PANI. These results have confirmed that the electrical conductivity and flexibility were influenced by the type of cellulose, and MC-PANI was found to have the best performance in the electrical conductivity and flexibility.

Abstract In this work a process for the bio-coloration of bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes was developed. Laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila was immobilized onto BC membranes and retained up to 88% of residual activity after immobilization. Four compounds belonging to the flavonoids family were chosen to test the in situ polymerase activity of immobilized laccase. All the flavonoids were successfully polymerized by laccase giving rise to yellow, orange and dark brown oligomers which conferred color to the BC support. The optimal bio-coloration conditions were studied for two of the tested flavonoids, catechol and catechin, by varying the concentration and time of incubation. High color depth and resistance to washing were obtained for both compounds. The highly porous bacterial cellulose material demonstrated great performance as a bio-coloration support, in contrast to other materials cited in literature, like cotton or wool. The process developed is presented as an environmentally friendly alternative for bacterial cellulose bio-coloration and will contribute deeply for the development of new fashionable products within this material.

Solvent extraction (SX) is one of the most widely applied hydrometallurgical processes in copper production from oxide ore. As the high-grade ore deposits have been developed and depleted, now only low-grade ore deposits are being developed and are therefore facing obstacles of extreme processing conditions. This results in leaching gangue minerals and requires a more complicated solvent extraction system. Recently, synergistic solvent extraction has been introduced to separate copper from the leached solution with high impurities. However, operational obstacles arise due to the complicated solvent extraction process, including multi-stages of extraction, and using more than one extractant in a single solvent extraction system. The phase separation in solvent extraction is one of the major issues in field operation. A poor phase separation could affect the entire process and eventually cause production loss. Therefore, in this study, the phase separation behaviours were studied in consideration of the field operation. Major parameters considered in the study were the type of diluent, temperature, mixing speed, solution pH and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP), and addition of impurities (flocculant and colloidal silica). The phase separation behaviours in the continuous counter-current SX system using a pilot-scale mixer-settler in the above conditions was investigated.

The present study aims to improve the hydrophobicity and durability of bacterial cellulose (BC) nonwoven by functionalization with poly(fluorophenol). To this end, laccase was first entrapped onto BC and then used to polymerize the fluorophenol {4-[4-(trifluoromethyl) phenoxy] phenol} in-situ. The polymerization of fluorophenol by laccase was confirmed through 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF analyses. The effect of poly(fluorophenol) on BC nonwoven was determined by evaluation of the surface hydrophobicity and olephobicity properties such as water contact angle (WCA), oil contact angle (OCA), surface energy and water/oil absorption time. After BC functionalization with poly(fluorophenol) (20 mM), the WCA increased from 54.5 ± 1.2° to 120 ± 1.5° while the surface energy decreased (11.58 ± 1.4 mN/m). The OCA was also increased from 46.5 ± 2.5° to 87 ± 2° along to the decrease of surface energy (8.7 ± 1.5°). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed an increase in the fluorine content in BC from 5.27 to 17.57%. The findings confirmed the polymerization of fluorophenol by laccase and its entrapment onto a BC nanofiber structure. The durability of the functionalization with poly(fluorophenol) was confirmed by evaluating the washing fastness, tensile strength after washing and dimensional stability. The results indicate that the functionalized BC nonwoven had higher tensile strength (×10 times) and better dimensional stability (30%) than the non-functionalized BC nonwoven material.

Laccase-mediated systems are a green route to accelerate the oxidation of aniline and obtain polyaniline with conductive properties. The synthesis of green polyaniline (emeraldine salt) was herein improved by the inclusion of additives like sodium bis (2–ethyl hexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) and potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) (KHCF) in the medium. The aniline polymerization was confirmed by the detection of the absorption band typical of emeraldine salt at 420 nm, typical of the semiquinoid radical cation, and of the polaron absorption band at 700–800 nm, corresponding to the distinctive signal of doped or partial doped aniline. The oligomers and/or polymers obtained were characterized by spectrometry techniques, namely 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF, and the bacterial cellulose (BC) conductivity was assessed by means of a four-point probe electrical conductivity technique. The best polymerization results were obtained with 5 mM AOT, 10 mM KHCF, and 25 U/mL of laccase. The synergistic effect between both additives in the presence of a catalyst leads to obtaining BC samples coated with green polyaniline with promising electric conductive properties.

Conductive and colored bacterial cellulose (BC) was developed by entrapment of polyaniline (PANi) onto dry BC membranes. The polyaniline was produced by in situ green polymerization of aniline by Myceliophthora thermophila laccase at pH = 4, 25°C, in the presence of a mediator, 1-hydroxybenzotriazol (HBT), using two different reactors, a water bath (WB) and an ultrasonic bath (US). MALDI-TOF and 1H NMR characterization of the experiment solutions confirmed the efficient polymerization of aniline by laccase. The dried BC membranes with entrapped polyaniline showed electrical conductive behavior and strong coloration, opening novel routes for the exploitation of functionalized bacterial cellulose as a green material for technical textiles, wearables, and other applications.

In modern aircraft engines, the low-pressure compressor (LPC) is subjected to a flow characterized by strong wakes and secondary flows from the upstream fan. This concerns ultra-high bypass ratio (UHBR) turbofan engines, in particular. This paper presents the aerodynamic and aeroelastic sensitivities of parametric variations on the LPC, driven by the design considerations in the upstream fan. The goal of this investigation was to determine the influence of design-based geometry parameter variations on the LPC performance under realistic inlet flow distributions and the presence of an s-duct. Aerodynamic simulations are conducted at the design and off-design operating points with the fan outflow as the inlet boundary conditions. Based on the aerodynamic results, time-linearized unsteady simulations are conducted to evaluate the vibration amplitude at the resonance operating points. First, the bypass ratio is varied by reducing the channel height of the LPC. The LPC efficiency decreases by up to 1.7% due to the increase in blockage of the core flow. The forced response amplitude of the rotor decreases with increasing bypass ratio due to increased aerodynamic damping. Secondly, the fan cavity leakage flow is considered as it directly affects the near hub fan flow and thus the inflow of the LPC. This results in an increased total-pressure loss for the s-duct due to mixing losses. The additional mixing redistributes the flow at the s-duct exit leading to a total-pressure loss reduction of 4.3% in the first rotor at design point. This effect is altered at off-design conditions. The vibration amplitude at low speed resonance points is increased by 19% for the first torsion and 26% for second bending. Thirdly, sweep and lean are applied to the inlet guide vane (IGV) upstream of the LPC. Despite the s-duct and the variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) affecting the flow, the three-dimensional blade design achieves aerodynamic and aeroelastic improvements of rotor 1 at off-design. The total-pressure loss reduces by up to 18% and the resonance amplitude more than 10%. Only negligible improvements for rotor 1 are present at the design point. In a fourth step, the influence of axial gap size between the stator and the rotor rows in the LPC is examined in the range of small variations which shows no distinct aerodynamic and aeroelastic sensitivities. This finding not only supports previous studies, but it also suggests a correlation between mode shapes and locally increased excitaion with increasing axial gap size. As a result, potential design improvements in future fan-compressor design are suggested.

Pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia (PHP Ia) is a disorder characterized by multiform hormonal resistance including parathyroid hormone (PTH) resistance and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). It is caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations within the Gs alpha-encoding GNAS exons. A 9-year-old boy presented with clinical and laboratory abnormalities including hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, PTH resistance, multihormone resistance and AHO (round face, short stature, obesity, brachydactyly and osteoma cutis) which were typical of PHP Ia. He had a history of repeated convulsive episodes that started from the age of 2 months. A cranial computed tomography scan showed bilateral calcifications in the basal ganglia and his intelligence quotient testing indicated mild mental retardation. Family history revealed that the patient's maternal relatives, including his grandmother and 2 of his mother's siblings, had features suggestive of AHO. Sequencing of the GNAS gene of the patient identified a heterozygous nonsense mutation within exon 11 (c.637 C>T). The C>T transversion results in an amino acid substitution from Gln to stop codon at codon 213 (p.Gln213*). To our knowledge, this is a novel mutation in GNAS.

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction is emerging as an affordable route for abating its ever increasing concentration. For commercial scale applications, many constraints are still required to be addressed. A variety of research areas are explored, such as development of photocatalysts and photoreactors, reaction parameters and conditions, to resolve these bottlenecks. In general, the photocatalyst performance is mostly adjudged in terms of its ability to only produce hydrocarbon products, and other vital parameters such as light source, reaction parameters, and type of photoreactors used are not normally given appropriate attention. This makes a comprehensive comparison of photocatalytic performance quite unrealistic. Hence, probing the photocatalytic performance in terms of apparent quantum yield (AQY) with the consideration of certain process and experimental parameters is a more reasonable and prudent approach. The present brief review portrays the importance and impact of aforementioned parameters in the field of gas phase photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

BackgroundImplantation of xenogenic chromaffin cells into the spinal subarachnoid space can produce analgesia in neuropathic pain models. However, transplantation of xenogeneic chromaffin cell has a potential risk of viral or bacterial infections from animals to humans including encephalopathy due to prion transmission. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of developing a homogeneic source of therapeutic chromaffin cells.MethodsAnti-allodynic effects of human chromaffin cells (HCCs) were evaluated in a neuropathic pain model in rats induced by chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve. HCCs encapsulated with alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate were intrathecally implanted into rats (n = 10), while empty capsules were intrathecally implanted as a control (n = 8). Levels of norepinephrine from encapsulated HCCs before and after nicotinic stimulation were measured. We then perfomed a behavior test (cold allodynia) with acetone. In addition, to assess the potential contribution to pain reduction of opioid peptides released from the HCCs, all animals were injected with naloxone.ResultsThe concentration of norepinephrine after nicotine stimulation was significantly increased compared to basal levels. Intrathecal implantation of encapsulated HCCs, significantly reduced cold allodynia as compared to rats receiving empty capsules (P < 0.05). Fifteen minutes after the injection of naloxone, cold allodynia significantly decreased in rats with HCCs (P < 0.05), while the degree of cold allodynia in control animals was unaltered.ConclusionsFrom these results, it appears that HCCs have a possibility as an analgesic source for transplants delivering pain-reducing neuroactive substances.

Conductive cotton fabrics were obtained via in situ aniline polymerization by laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila under mild reaction conditions without the addition of strong proton acids. The reactions were conducted using two types of reactors, namely a water bath (WB) and an ultrasonic bath (US), and the role of a mediator, 1-hydroxybenzotriazol (HBT), on the laccase-assisted polymerization of aniline was investigated. A similar polymerization degree was obtained when using both reactors—however, the ultrasonic bath allowed the experiments to be conducted in shorter periods of time (24 h for WB vs. 2 h for US). The data obtained also revealed that the mediator (1-hydroxybenzotriazol-HBT) played a crucial role in aniline oxidation. A higher conversion yield and polymerization degree were obtained when the reaction was conducted in the presence of this compound, as confirmed by MALDI-TOF analysis. The cotton fabrics coated with polyaniline presented deep coloration and conductivity, especially when the mediator was included on the reactional system. The results obtained are a step forward in the enzymatic polymerization of aniline with the purpose of obtaining coloured conductive textile surfaces, with potential applications in wearable electronics.

Ultraviolet B (UVB; 290~320nm) irradiation-induced lipid peroxidation induces inflammatory responses that lead to skin wrinkle formation and epidermal thickening. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α/γ dual agonists have the potential to be used as anti-wrinkle agents because they inhibit inflammatory response and lipid peroxidation. In this study, we evaluated the function of 2-bromo-4-(5-chloro-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl) phenol (MHY 966), a novel synthetic PPAR α/γ dual agonist, and investigated its anti-inflammatory and anti-lipid peroxidation effects. The action of MHY 966 as a PPAR α/γ dual agonist was also determined in vitro by reporter gene assay. Additionally, 8-week-old melanin-possessing hairless mice 2 (HRM2) were exposed to 150 mJ/cm(2) UVB every other day for 17 days and MHY 966 was simultaneously pre-treated every day for 17 days to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. MHY 966 was found to stimulate the transcriptional activities of both PPAR α and γ. In HRM2 mice, we found that the skins of mice exposed to UVB showed significantly increased pro-inflammatory mediator levels (NF-κB, iNOS, and COX-2) and increased lipid peroxidation, whereas MHY 966 co-treatment down-regulated these effects of UVB by activating PPAR α and γ. Thus, the present study shows that MHY 966 exhibits beneficial effects on inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation by simultaneously activating PPAR α and γ. The major finding of this study is that MHY 966 demonstrates potential as an agent against wrinkle formation associated with chronic UVB exposure.

Although ARS-interacting multifunctional protein 2 (AIMP2, also named as MSC p38) was first found as a component for a macromolecular tRNA synthetase complex, it was recently discovered to dissociate from the complex and work as a potent tumor suppressor. Upon DNA damage, AIMP2 promotes apoptosis through the protective interaction with p53. However, it was not demonstrated whether AIMP2 was indeed pathologically linked to human cancer. In this work, we found that a splicing variant of AIMP2 lacking exon 2 (AIMP2-DX2) is highly expressed by alternative splicing in human lung cancer cells and patient's tissues. AIMP2-DX2 compromised pro-apoptotic activity of normal AIMP2 through the competitive binding to p53. The cells with higher level of AIMP2-DX2 showed higher propensity to form anchorage-independent colonies and increased resistance to cell death. Mice constitutively expressing this variant showed increased susceptibility to carcinogen-induced lung tumorigenesis. The expression ratio of AIMP2-DX2 to normal AIMP2 was increased according to lung cancer stage and showed a positive correlation with the survival of patients. Thus, this work identified an oncogenic splicing variant of a tumor suppressor, AIMP2/p38, and suggests its potential for anti-cancer target.

If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel in high-temperature fuel cells, waste heat must be removed by air cooling, which requires increased power consumption for supplying excess air. This study presents a hydrogen-fed solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that uses water instead of air for stack cooling and improved system performance. A novel SOFC system with energy cascade utilization is also proposed using cooling water as the working fluid for a steam turbine. Water cooling for the SOFC stack cooling reduced the stack power and efficiency but significantly reduced the power consumption for supplying excess air by more than 60%. Under ambient SOFC operating pressure, the net power and efficiency of the proposed system were increased by 25.6% and 12.2%p compared to the air-cooled system, respectively. At an SOFC operating pressure of 1000 kPa, the proposed hybrid system with energy cascade utilization achieved improvements of 10.2% in net power and 7.5%p in net efficiency, leading to efficiency higher than 73%. This study is significant in that it proposes a novel high-efficiency SOFC system with energy cascade utilization by using two-phase water as a cooling medium and working fluid of steam turbine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]