STRUCTURAL AND ELECTROOPTIC PROPERTIES OF LASER ABLATED BI4TI3O12 THIN-FILMS ON SRTIO3(100) AND SRTIO3(110)

Bi4Ti3O12 thin films have been grown by laser ablation on SrTiO3(100) and SrTiO3(110) substrates. Substrate surface orientation is found to be an important growth parameter which determines crystal axis orientation, grain growth behavior, and electro-optic properties of the Bi4Ti3O12 thin films. The films grown on SrTiO3(110) shows a ferroelectric phase transition near 720-degrees-C and a large quadratic electro-optic effect with the effective coefficient 1.1 X 10(-16) m2/v 2.open1135sciescopu

Effect of surfactant concentration variation on the thermoelectric properties of mesoporous ZnO

The electrical and thermal conductivities and the Seebeck coefficient of mesoporous ZnO thin films were investigated to determine the change of their thermoelectric properties by controlling surfactant concentration in the mesoporous ZnO films, because the thermoelectric properties of mesoporous ZnO films can be influenced by the porosity of the mesoporous structures, which is primarily determined by surfactant concentration in the films. Mesoporous ZnO thin films were successfully synthesized by using sol-gel and evaporation-induced self-assembly processes. Zinc acetate dihydrate and Brij-76 were used as the starting material and pore structure-forming template, respectively. The porosity of mesoporous ZnO thin films increased from 29% to 40% with increasing surfactant molar ratio. Porosity can be easily altered by controlling the molar ratio of surfactant/precursor. The electrical and thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficients showed a close correlation with the porosity of the films, indicating that the thermoelectric properties of thin films can be changed by altering their porosity. Mesoporous ZnO thin films with the highest porosity had the best thermoelectric properties (the lowest thermal conductivity and the highest Seebeck coefficient) of the films examined. © 2013 Min-Hee Hong et al

Nanoscale strain mapping in battery nanostructures

Coherent x-ray diffraction imaging is used to map the local three dimensional strain inhomogeneity and electron density distribution of two individual LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ cathode nanoparticles in both ex-situ and in-situ environments. Our reconstructed images revealed a maximum strain of 0.4%. We observed different variations in strain inhomogeneity due to multiple competing effects. The compressive/tensile component of the strain is connected to the local lithium content and, on the surface, interpreted in terms of a local Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn 3+. Finally, the measured strain distributions are discussed in terms of their impact on competing theoretical models of the lithiation process. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of SEDL

SEDL (known also as sedlin) is a 140 amino-acid protein with a putative role in endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport. Several missense mutations and deletion mutations in the SEDL gene, which result in protein truncation by frame shift, are responsible for spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda, a progressive skeletal disorder. The protein is identical to MIP-2A, which was shown to interact physically with c-myc promotor-binding protein 1 (MBP-1) and relieve the regulatory role of MBP-1 as a general transcription repressor. In order to gain insights into the function of SEDL by structural analysis, the protein was overexpressed and crystallized as a first step. SEDL was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 298 K. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group C2221, with unit-cell parameters a = 46.69, b = 101.30, c = 66.15 A. The unit cell is likely to contain one molecule of SEDL, with a crystal volume per protein mass (VM) of 2.36 A3 Da-1 and a solvent content of about 47.9% by volume. A native data set to 2.8 A resolution was obtained from a flash-cooled crystal using synchrotron radiation.open1

High-yield isolation of extracellular vesicles using aqueous two-phase system

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes and microvesicles released from cells are potential biomarkers for blood-based diagnostic applications. To exploit EVs as diagnostic biomarkers, an effective pre-analytical process is necessary. However, recent studies performed with blood-borne EVs have been hindered by the lack of effective purification strategies. In this study, an efficient EV isolation method was developed by using polyethylene glycol/dextran aqueous two phase system (ATPS). This method provides high EV recovery efficiency (similar to 70%) in a short time (similar to 15 min). Consequently, it can significantly increase the diagnostic applicability of EVs.113219Ysciescopu

The incidence of liver injury in Uyghur patients treated for TB in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, and its association with hepatic enzyme polymorphisms nat2, cyp2e1, gstm1 and gstt1.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Of three first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs, isoniazid is most commonly associated with hepatotoxicity. Differences in INH-induced toxicity have been attributed to genetic variability at several loci, NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1and GSTT1, that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study evaluated whether the polymorphisms in these enzymes were associated with an increased risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis in patients and could potentially be used to identify patients at risk of liver injury. METHODS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 2244 tuberculosis patients were assessed two months after the start of treatment. Anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (ATLI) was defined as an ALT, AST or bilirubin value more than twice the upper limit of normal. NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using the PCR/ligase detection reaction assays. RESULTS: 2244 patients were evaluated, there were 89 cases of ATLI, a prevalence of 4% 9 patients (0.4%) had ALT levels more than 5 times the upper limit of normal. The prevalence of ATLI was greater among men than women, and there was a weak association with NAT2*5 genotypes, with ATLI more common among patients with the NAT2*5*CT genotype. The sensitivity of the CT genotype for identifying patients with ATLI was 42% and the positive predictive value 5.9%. CT ATLI was more common among slow acetylators (prevalence ratio 2.0 (95% CI 0.95,4.20) )compared to rapid acetylators. There was no evidence that ATLI was associated with CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c1genotype, CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c2 or c2/c2 genotypes, or GSTM1/GSTT1 null genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In Xinjiang Uyghur TB patients, liver injury was associated with the genetic variant NAT2*5, however the genetic markers studied are unlikely to be useful for screening patients due to the low sensitivity and low positive predictive values for identifying persons at risk of liver injury

Fibronectin-Containing Extracellular Vesicles Protect Melanocytes against Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cytotoxicity.

Skin melanocytes are activated by exposure to UV radiation to secrete melanin-containing melanosomes to protect the skin from UV-induced damage. Despite the continuous renewal of the epidermis, the turnover rate of melanocytes is very slow, and they survive for long periods. However, the mechanisms underlying the survival of melanocytes exposed to UV radiation are not known. Here, we investigated the role of melanocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in melanocyte survival. Network analysis of the melanocyte extracellular vesicle proteome identified the extracellular matrix component fibronectin at a central node, and the release of fibronectin-containing extracellular vesicles was increased after exposure of melanocytes to UVB radiation. Using an anti-fibronectin neutralizing antibody and specific inhibitors of extracellular vesicle secretion, we demonstrated that extracellular vesicles enriched in fibronectin were involved in melanocyte survival after UVB radiation. Furthermore, we observed that in the hyperpigmented lesions of patients with melasma, the extracellular space around melanocytes contained more fibronectin compared with normal skin, suggesting that fibronectin is involved in maintaining melanocytes in pathological conditions. Collectively, our findings suggest that melanocytes secrete fibronectin-containing extracellular vesicles to increase their survival after UVB radiation. These data provide important insight into how constantly stimulated melanocytes can be maintained in pathological conditions such as melasma.1166Ysciescopu

Spread of Mutant Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus with Reduced Affinity to Human CD26 during the South Korean Outbreak

The newly emerging Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a severe respiratory infection with a high mortality rate (similar to 35%). MERS-CoV has been a global threat due to continuous outbreaks in the Arabian peninsula and international spread by infected travelers since 2012. From May to July 2015, a large outbreak initiated by an infected traveler from the Arabian peninsula swept South Korea and resulted in 186 confirmed cases with 38 deaths (case fatality rate, 20.4%). Here, we show the rapid emergence and spread of a mutant MERS-CoV with reduced affinity to the human CD26 receptor during the South Korean outbreak. We isolated 13 new viral genomes from 14 infected patients treated at a hospital and found that 12 of these genomes possess a point mutation in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of viral spike (S) protein. Specifically, 11 of these genomes have an I529T mutation in RBD, and 1 has a D510G mutation. Strikingly, both mutations result in reduced affinity of RBD to human CD26 compared to wild-type RBD, as measured by surface plasmon resonance analysis and cellular binding assay. Additionally, pseudotyped virus bearing an I529T mutation in S protein showed reduced entry into host cells compared to virus with wild-type S protein. These unexpected findings suggest that MERS-CoV adaptation during human-to-human spread may be driven by host immunological pressure such as neutralizing antibodies, resulting in reduced affinity to host receptor, and thereby impairs viral fitness and virulence, rather than positive selection for a better affinity to CD26. IMPORTANCE Recently, a large outbreak initiated by an MERS-CoV-infected traveler from the Middle East swept South Korea and resulted in 186 confirmed cases with 38 deaths. This is the largest outbreak outside the Middle East, and it raised strong concerns about the possible emergence of MERS-CoV mutations. Here, we isolated 13 new viral genomes and found that 12 of them possess a point mutation in the receptor-binding domain of viral spike protein, resulting in reduced affinity to the human cognate receptor, CD26, compared to the wild-type virus. These unexpected findings suggest that MERS-CoV adaptation in humans may be driven by host immunological pressure.111819Ysciescopu

The effect of umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension rats

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) causes right ventricular failure due to a gradual increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. The purposes of this study were to confirm the engraftment of human umbilical cord blood-mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) placed in the correct place in the lung and research on changes of hemodynamics, pulmonary pathology, immunomodulation and several gene expressions in monocrotaline (MCT)induced PAH rat models after hUCB-MSCs transfusion. The rats were grouped as follows: the control (C) group; the M group (MCT 60 mg/kg); the U group (hUCB-MSCs transfusion). They received transfusions via the external jugular vein a week after MCT injection. The mean right ventricular pressure (RVP) was significantly reduced in the U group after the 2 week. The indicators of RV hypertrophy were significantly reduced in the U group at week 4. Reduced medial wall thickness in the pulmonary arteriole was noted in the U group at week 4. Reduced number of intra-acinar muscular pulmonary arteries was observed in the U group after 2 week. Protein expressions such as endothelin (ET)-1, endothelin receptor A (ERA), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 significantly decreased at week 4. The decreased levels of ERA, eNOS and MMP-2 immunoreactivity were noted by immnohistochemical staining. After hUCB-MSCs were administered, there were the improvement of RVH and mean RVP. Reductions in several protein expressions and immunomodulation were also detected. It is suggested that hUCB-MSCs may be a promising therapeutic option for PAH.1174Ysciescopu

Ordinary Percolation with Discontinuous Transitions

Percolation on a one-dimensional lattice and fractals such as the Sierpinski gasket is typically considered to be trivial because they percolate only at full bond density. By dressing up such lattices with small-world bonds, a novel percolation transition with explosive cluster growth can emerge at a nontrivial critical point. There, the usual order parameter, describing the probability of any node to be part of the largest cluster, jumps instantly to a finite value. Here, we provide a simple example of this transition in form of a small-world network consisting of a one-dimensional lattice combined with a hierarchy of long-range bonds that reveals many features of the transition in a mathematically rigorous manner.Comment: RevTex, 5 pages, 4 eps-figs, and Mathematica Notebook as Supplement included. Final version, with several corrections and improvements. For related work, see http://www.physics.emory.edu/faculty/boettcher