Impedance spectroscopic investigation of a Rh/YSZ catalyst under polarization

Electrochemical impedance spectra at 450-600 °C and $${P_{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}} } = 0.5}$$ kPa of a rhodium catalyst interfaced with yttria-stabilized-zirconia (Rh/YSZ) were compared with a model based on the mechanism of electrochemical promotion. In the proposed equivalent electric circuit, existence of an "effective” double layer at the gas-exposed catalyst surface and its potential-controlled modification via diffusion of oxygen ions between the O2− conducting solid electrolyte support (YSZ) and the catalyst are represented by two additional elements: adsorption capacitance and Warburg impedance. Under positive polarization, the adsorption capacitance increases dramatically indicating reinforcement of the "effective” double layer at the catalyst/gas interface, in agreement with the observation known from electrochemical promotion practice that positive polarization of a rhodium electrode leads to rhodium oxide reduction, hence, to dramatic increase in catalytic reaction rat

Systemic mastocytosis with associated myeloproliferative disease and precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia with t(13;13)(q12;q22) involving FLT3.

Systemic mastocytoses represent neoplastic proliferations of mast cells. In about 20% of cases systemic mastocytoses are accompanied by clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders, most commonly myeloid neoplasms. A case of systemic mastocytosis carrying the characteristic mutation at codon 816 (D816V) in the KIT gene of mast cells, with two concurrent accompanying clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders, chronic myeloproliferative disease, unclassifiable and precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia is documented. Both accompanying clonal haematopoietic non-mast cell-lineage disorders carried the wild-type KIT gene, but had a novel t(13;13)(q12;q22) involving the FLT3 locus at 13q12. The chronic myeloproliferative disease, unclassifiable and the precursor B lymphoblastic leukaemia were cured by syngenous stem cell transplantation, but the systemic mastocytosis persisted for more than 10 years. The additional impact of molecular techniques on the correct diagnosis in haematological malignancies is highlighted, and evidence is provided that, apart from internal tandem duplications and mutations, FLT3 can be activated by translocations

Proactive Ethical Design for Neuroengineering, Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies: the Cybathlon Lesson.

Rapid advancements in rehabilitation science and the widespread application of engineering techniques are opening the prospect of a new phase of clinical and commercial maturity for Neuroengineering, Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies (NARTs). As the field enters this new phase, there is an urgent need to address and anticipate the ethical implications associated with novel technological opportunities, clinical solutions, and social applications. In this paper we review possible approaches to the ethics of NART, and propose a framework for ethical design and development, which we call the Proactive Ethical Design (PED) framework. A viable ethical framework for neuroengineering, assistive and rehabilitation technology should be characterized by the convergence of user-centered and value-sensitive approaches to product design through a proactive mode of ethical evaluation. We propose four basic normative requirements for the realization of this framework: minimization of power imbalances, compliance with biomedical ethics, translationality and social awareness. The aims and values of the CYBATHLON competition provide an operative model of this ethical framework and could drive an ethical shift in neuroengineering and rehabilitation

Analyse des critères nutritionnels de l'industrie alimentaire destinés à la régulation de la publicité chez l'enfant: travail de Bachelor

Introduction : En Suisse, 19 % des jeunes âgés de 0 à 18 ans sont en surpoids et 4 % souffrent d’obésité. La problématique de l’excès pondéral chez les enfants est importante, car elle a un impact direct sur la santé à l’âge adulte. L’une de ces causes est l’exposition à la publicité alimentaire. Suite à cette observation, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) et les industries alimentaires suisses (Swiss Pledge) ont développé des grilles de critères nutritionnels pour réguler le marketing alimentaire auprès des enfants âgés de moins de 12 ans. But : Le but principal de ce travail de Bachelor est d’évaluer si les critères nutritionnels proposés par la Swiss Pledge et par l’OMS peuvent être appliqués au marché suisse. Le but secondaire est d’évaluer si les critères nutritionnels des industries alimentaires correspondent aux apports nutritionnels recommandés des enfants appartenant à des tranches d’âges différentes (de 1 à 12 ans). Méthode : Deux cent septante produits alimentaires ont été sélectionnés pour former un échantillon. Les critères nutritionnels de l’OMS et de la Swiss Pledge ont été analysés à l’aide de cet échantillon afin d’évaluer l’autorisation et l’interdiction de publicité des produits. Les valeurs nutritionnelles de référence de diverses sociétés savantes pour les enfants âgés de 1 à 12 ans ont été recensées. Ensuite, elles ont été comparées aux critères nutritionnels définis par les industries alimentaires. Résultats : L’analyse des deux grilles nutritionnelles à travers l’échantillon a montré que 20 % des produits alimentaires sont interdits de publicité selon la grille de l’OMS, tandis que 38 % sont interdits selon la grille de la Swiss Pledge. Les critères de l’OMS permettent de diminuer sensiblement la promotion des produits à faible valeur nutritionnelle. La comparaison des critères des industries alimentaires avec les valeurs nutritionnelles de référence des enfants montre que la moitié des catégories alimentaires a un ou plusieurs critères nutritionnels qui dépassent les apports journaliers recommandés des enfants dans toutes les tranches d’âge (de 1 à 12 ans). Conclusion : Les critères nutritionnels de la Swiss Pledge permettent d’autoriser de publicité davantage d’aliments à faible valeur nutritionnelle. Ils présentent donc plus de lacunes comparés aux critères de l’OMS. Par conséquent, la grille nutritionnelle de l’OMS est plus adaptée pour la régulation de la publicité des denrées alimentaires suisses. L’instauration d’un marketing alimentaire responsable, strict et contrôlé est nécessaire afin de protéger un maximum les enfants. Ainsi, des stratégies futures doivent être mises en place afin de trouver des compromis entre les industriels et les instances politiques. Finalement, une approche impliquant de multiples stratégie

Derivatives of 8-Hydroxy-2-methylquinoline Are Powerful Prototypes for Zinc Sensors in Biological Systems

The recent emphasis on understanding the myriad roles of zinc in both normal and diseased cells and tissues has placed an ever increasing demand on methods for sensitive and selective methods for real-time monitoring of free Zn^(2+) in complex biological samples. Chelation-enhanced fluorescent sensors for zinc, based on fluorophores such as quinoline, dansyl, fluorescein, and anthracene, have been reported. While each of these agents has unique advantages, there remain issues with sensitivity, selectivity, and specificity that may be addressable with an alternate chromophore that is readily amenable to synthetic manipulation. Herein we report the systematic chemical modification of the 8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline (Oxn) unit as a building block for the development of new sensors employing chelation-enhanced fluorescence. In particular, improvements in quantum yield from 0.004 to 0.70 and stepwise blue shifts in fluorescence emission wavelengths (to a total of over 70 nm) are reported

Chromosomal in situ suppression hybridization of immunologically classified mitotic cells in hematologic malignancies

Chromosomal in situ suppression (CISS) hybridization was performed with library DNA from sorted human chromosomes 8, 9, 15, 17, 21, and 22 on immunologically stained bone marrow cells of four patients with a hematologic neoplasm, including two patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and trisomy 8, one patient with promyelocytic leukemia bearing the translocation t(15;17)(q22;q11-12), and one patient with chronic myeloid leukemia and the translocation t(9;22)(q34;q11). In all patients, the results of conventional karyotype analysis could be confirmed by one- or two-color CISS hybridization using the appropriate chromosome-specific libraries. Our results show that CISS hybridization can detect both numerical and structural chromosome changes in immunologically classified cells with high specificity and reliability. The fact that chromosome spreads of very poor quality can now be included in such analyses is a decisive advantage of this approach. In addition, the suitability of this approach for interphase cytogenetics is discussed

Expression of pSTAT5 predicts FLT3 internal tandem duplications in acute myeloid leukemia

Mutations of the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) can be detected in a significant number of acute myeloid leukemias (AML). Seventy-five cases of acute myeloid leukemia were evaluated for FLT3-internal tandem duplications (ITD) by polymerase chain reaction. Paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed trephine biopsies of these cases were evaluated for expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (pSTAT1), pSTAT3, and pSTAT5. Specific expression of pSTAT5 was proven in leukemic blasts in situ by double staining with a blast-specific marker. Expression of pSTAT5 in ≥1% of blasts was highly predictive of FLT3-ITD. Neither expression of pSTAT1 nor pSTAT3 were associated with FLT3 mutations. Altogether we conclude that pSTAT5 expression can precisely be assessed by immunohistochemistry in routinely processed bone marrow trephines, STAT5 is highly likely the preferred second messenger of FLT3-mediated signaling in AML, and expression of pSTAT5 is predictive of FLT3-IT

Electrochemical modification of the catalytic activity of TiO2/YSZ supported rhodium films

The electrochemical activation of ethylene oxidation was studied over rhodium catalysts of different thickness (40, 100 and 160 nm) sputtered on top of a thin layer of TiO2 deposited on YSZ. The strong relationship between catalytic activity and oxidation state of rhodium was confirmed. Under open-circuit operation the catalyst potential appears as a suitable indicator of the surface oxidation state of rhodium allowing a prediction of the catalytic behavior from solid electrolyte potentiometric measurements. Under closed-circuit conditions the catalyst potential was used as a tool to tune the catalytic activity of rhodium which showed increasing promotional efficiency with decreasing catalyst film thicknes