Catalyst-Free Hydrogen Synthesis from Liquid Ethanol: An ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from American Chemical Society via the DOI in this record.The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b01037.Hydrogen is the simplest, oldest, and most widespread molecule in nature. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the hydrogen industrial production stems from steam reforming of methane performed at high temperatures or pressures. Albeit other chemical routes to the hydrogen synthesis, involving, for example, water electrolysis and novel photocatalysts, have recently been explored, no catalyst-free reaction pathways have been identified, seriously limiting the large-scale deployment of hydrogen. On the basis of state-of-the-art ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, here, we present a study revealing a novel synthesis route to hydrogen from neat liquid ethanol, which has been achieved at room temperature and in the absence of any catalyst, upon electric field exposure. This result paves the way to the unprecedented catalyst-free experimental synthesis of hydrogen from liquid ethanol by exploiting a commonly employed field emitter tip apparatus

Personalized Medicine and Machine Learning: A Roadmap for the Future

: In the last ten years, many advances have been made in the treatment and diagnosis of immune-mediated diseases [...]

Diagnosis, Clinical Features and Management of Interstitial Lung Diseases in Rheumatic Disorders: Still a Long Journey

: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most frequent pulmonary complications of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), and it is mainly associated with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [...]

A novel neuron-enriched protein SDIM1 is down regulated in Alzheimer's brains and attenuates cell death induced by DNAJB4 over-expression in neuro-progenitor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Molecular changes in multiple biological processes contribute to the development of chronic neurodegeneration such as late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). To discover how these changes are reflected at the level of gene expression, we used a subtractive transcription-based amplification of mRNA procedure to identify novel genes that have altered expression levels in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Among the genes altered in expression level in AD brains was a transcript encoding a novel protein, SDIM1, that contains 146 amino acids, including a typical signal peptide and two transmembrane domains. Here we examined its biochemical properties and putative roles in neuroprotection/neurodegeneration.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>QRT-PCR analysis of additional AD and control post-mortem human brains showed that the SDIM1 transcript was indeed significantly down regulated in all AD brains. SDIM1 is more abundant in NT2 neurons than astrocytes and present throughout the cytoplasm and neural processes, but not in the nuclei. In NT2 neurons, it is highly responsive to stress conditions mimicking insults that may cause neurodegeneration in AD brains. For example, SDIM1 was significantly down regulated 2 h after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), though had recovered 16 h later, and also appeared significantly up regulated compared to untreated NT2 neurons. Overexpression of SDIM1 in neuro-progenitor cells improved cells' ability to survive after injurious insults and its downregulation accelerated cell death induced by OGD. Yeast two-hybrid screening and co-immunoprecipitation approaches revealed, both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>, an interaction between SDIM1 and DNAJB4, a heat shock protein hsp40 homolog, recently known as an enhancer of apoptosis that also interacts with the mu opioid receptor in human brain. Overexpression of DNAJB4 alone significantly reduced cell viability and SDIM1 co-overexpression was capable of attenuating the cell death caused DNAJB4, suggesting that the binding of SDIM1 to DNAJB4 might sequester DNAJB4, thus increasing cell viability.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, we have identified a small membrane protein, which is down regulated in AD brains and neuronal cells exposed to injurious insults. Its ability to promote survival and its interaction with DNAJB4 suggest that it may play a very specific role in brain cell survival and/or receptor trafficking.</p

Pirfenidone for the treatment of interstitial lung disease associated to rheumatoid arthritis: a new scenario is coming?

Introduction: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent extra-articular manifestation of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but nowadays there are no randomized controlled clinical trials to support therapeutic guidelines. RA-ILD, especially with UIP pattern, shares some similarities with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting a possible role of antifibrotic therapy in these patients. To date, there are no published data supporting the use of pifenidone in RA-ILD. We describe for the first time two patients with a diagnosis of RA-ILD successfully treated with hydroxychloroquine and pirfenidone, without adverse events. Case presentation: Patient 1 and patient 2 were first diagnosed with IPF (UIP pattern at high-resolution computed tomography, no other signs or symptoms suggesting other forms of ILD, routine laboratory examinations and immunological texts negative). Patients started pirfenidone 2403 mg daily. Few months later, they referred to our multidisciplinary outpatient for arthritis. ACPA and RF were positive. A diagnosis of RA was performed and treatment with corticosteroids and hydroxychloroquine was started, in association with pirfenidone. In both cases we assessed the stabilization of articular and lung manifestations, without adverse events. Discussion: In absence of randomized controlled trials, the optimal treatment of RA-ILD has not been determined and remains challenging. When considering therapeutic options for RA-ILD, both pulmonary and extra-thoracic disease manifestations and degrees of activity should be assessed and taken into consideration. Future prospective research might change RA-ILD management, moving to a more personalized approach based on the identification of different phenotypes of the disease or to a combination of immunosuppressive and antifibrotic treatment

Efficacy and safety of rituximab with and without methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients: Results from the GISEA register.

Rituximab (RTX) is a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in association with methotrexate (MTX)

Time\u27s Arrow Flies Like a Bird: Two Paradoxes for Avian Circadian Biology

Biological timekeeping in birds is a fundamental feature of avian physiology, behavior and ecology. The physiological basis for avian circadian rhythmicity has pointed to a multi-oscillator system of mutually coupled pacemakers in the pineal gland, eyes and hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). In passerines, the role of the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin is particularly important. More recent molecular biological studies have pointed to a highly conserved mechanism involving rhythmic transcription and translation of clock genes . However, studies attempting to reconcile the physiological role of pineal melatonin with molecular studies have largely failed. Recent work in our laboratory has suggested that melatonin-sensitive physiological processes are only loosely coupled to transcriptional oscillations. Similarly, although the pineal gland has been shown to be critical for overt circadian behaviors, its role in annual cycles of reproductive function appears to be minimal. Recent work on the seasonal control of birdsong, however, suggests that, although the pineal gland does not directly affect gonadal cycles, it is important for seasonal changes in song. Experimental analyses that address these paradoxes will shed light on the roles the biological clock play in birds and in vertebrates in general

Multiparametric determination of genes and their point mutations for identification of beta-lactamases

More than half of all currently used antibiotics belong to the beta-lactam group, but their clinical effectiveness is severely limited by antibiotic resistance of microorganisms that are the causative agents of infectious diseases. Several mechanisms for the resistance of Enterobacteriaceae have been established, but the main one is the enzymatic hydrolysis of the antibiotic by specific enzymes called beta-lactamases. Beta-lactamases represent a large group of genetically and functionally different enzymes of which extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) pose the greatest threat. Due to the plasmid localization of the encoded genes, the distribution of these enzymes among the pathogens increases every year. Among ESBLs the most widespread and clinically relevant are class A ESBLs of TEM, SHV, and CTX-M types. TEM and SHV type ESBLs are derived from penicillinases TEM-1, TEM-2, and SHV-1 and are characterized by several single amino acid substitutions. The extended spectrum of substrate specificity for CTX-M beta-lactamases is also associated with the emergence of single mutations in the coding genes. The present review describes various molecular-biological methods used to identify determinants of antibiotic resistance. Particular attention is given to the method of hybridization analysis on microarrays, which allows simultaneous multiparametric determination of many genes and point mutations in them. A separate chapter deals with the use of hybridization analysis on microarrays for genotyping of the major clinically significant ESBLs. Specificity of mutation detection by means of hybridization analysis with different detection techniques is compared

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy in antisynthetase syndrome

A 57-year-old woman with a diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) underwent a nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) showing a scleroderma pattern. Alterations in capillary morphology have been reported in adults with inflammatory myositis (IM) but only recently have the differences in NVC findings between these two diseases been established. ASSD is currently classified as a subset of IM, for which reason only a few studies in literature evaluate its specific hallmarks, showing nonspecific features of NVC in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (DM) and antisynthetase antibodies. To our knowledge, this is the first description of ASSD capillaroscopy features, and the first report of NVC in ASSD with evidence of scleroderma pattern. Further studies are needed to define clearly frequency, typical features, and possible correlation with clinical and serological data of NVC changes in ASSD, differences between microangiopathy in ASSD and systemic sclerosis or DM

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy in antisynthetase syndrome

A 57-year-old woman with a diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) underwent a nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) showing a scleroderma pattern. Alterations in capillary morphology have been reported in adults with inflammatory myositis (IM) but only recently have the differences in NVC findings between these two diseases been established. ASSD is currently classified as a subset of IM, for which reason only a few studies in literature evaluate its specific hallmarks, showing nonspecific features of NVC in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (DM) and antisynthetase antibodies. To our knowledge, this is the first description of ASSD capillaroscopy features, and the first report of NVC in ASSD with evidence of scleroderma pattern. Further studies are needed to define clearly frequency, typical features, and possible correlation with clinical and serological data of NVC changes in ASSD, differences between microangiopathy in ASSD and systemic sclerosis or DM