GTM-3, an extra-large pore enantioselective chiral zeolitic catalyst

The development of chiral zeolitic catalysts possessing extra-large pores and endowed with the capability of enantioselectively processing bulky products represents one of the greatest challenges in chemistry. Here, we report the discovery of GTM-3, an enantio-enriched extra-large pore chiral zeolite material with -ITV framework structure, obtained using a simple enantiopure organic cation derived from the chiral pool, N,N-ethyl-methyl-pseudoephedrinium, as the chiral-inductor agent. We demonstrate the enantio-enrichment of GTM-3 in one of the two enantiomorphic polymorphs using the two enantiomers of the organic cation. Interestingly, we prove the ability of this zeolitic material to perform enantioselective catalytic operations with very large substrates, here exemplified by the catalytic epoxide aperture of the bulky trans-stilbene oxide with alcohols, yielding unprecedented product enantiomeric excesses up to 30%. Our discovery opens the way for the use of accessible chiral zeolitic materials for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral pharmaceutical compounds

MANEJO DEL RIEGO Y ABONADO EN EL CULTIVO DE LA PATATA EN LA COSTA NOROESTE DE CÁDIZ

[ES] Desde el Sistema de Asistencia al Regante del Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera de Andalucía (IFAPA) en el Centro de Chipiona (Cádiz), se está desarrollando una labor de experimentación de cultivos hortícolas al aire libre. En esta línea se están ensayando cultivos para evaluar la eficiencia del riego y abonado nitrogenado. El objetivo final de estos ensayos es generar unas recomendaciones de riego y fertirrigación útiles para el sector. El cultivo de la patata es un cultivo muy extendido en la zona de Costa Noroeste de Andalucía, por su precocidad en la comarca. El objetivo general del ensayo es determinar de todos los posibles manejos de riego y abonado, cual es la opción más eficiente y más productiva. Para ello se ha utilizado tres dosis de riego, una sobre las necesidades potenciales de agua, otra por encima y otra por debajo, la primera de ellas con manejo dos métodos de riego: aspersión y goteo. Además cada una de estas estrategias con dos dosis distintas de abonado. Y todo ello replicado en dos parcelas de distintos suelos. El resultado general de todo el abanico de posibilidades ha sido que está muy influenciado del tipo de suelo. Para un suelo más equilibrado el abonado determina mucho más los buenos resultados y con dosis de riego más justas el del abonado es muy determinante. Sin embargo en parcelas de suelo arenoso la dosis de riego en el rendimiento es determinante, pero la variable abonado influye en menor medida en el rendimiento y menos cuando la dosis de riego es más alta, induciéndose a regar con riegos con una mayor frecuencia a la diaria.Salvatierra Bellido, B.; Márquez Ruiz, A.; Luque Sánchez, S.; Nieto Martínez, A.; Acosta Galán, J. (2015). MANEJO DEL RIEGO Y ABONADO EN EL CULTIVO DE LA PATATA EN LA COSTA NOROESTE DE CÁDIZ. En XXXIII CONGRESO NACIONAL DE RIEGOS. Valencia 16-18 junio de 2015. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/CNRiegos.2015.1506OC

The supersymmetric modified Poschl-Teller and delta-well potentials

New supersymmetric partners of the modified Poschl-Teller and the Dirac's delta well potentials are constructed in closed form. The resulting one-parametric potentials are shown to be interrelated by a limiting process. The range of values of the parameters for which these potentials are free of singularities is exactly determined. The construction of higher order supersymmetric partner potentials is also investigated.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX file, 4 eps figure

Zinc-Assisted Microscale Granules Made of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Trigger Neutralizing, Antivirus Antibody Responses

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABThe development of new and more efficient vaccination approaches is a constant need, due to the pressure of historical and emerging infectious diseases and the limited efficacy and universality of the current vaccination technologies. Peptides and recombinant proteins have been explored for decades as subunit vaccines for bacterial and viral infections, presented either as soluble protein species or as virus-like assemblies. Recently, synthetic secretory protein-only microscale granules have been developed as dynamic depots for sustained protein release. They are based on the reversible coordination between ionic Zn and histidine residues, which promotes a fast formation of granular particles in vitro out of soluble protein and a slow release of such building block protein in vivo through the physiological chelation of the metal. Such an endocrine-like platform represents a new drug delivery system fully validated in oncology by which soluble and functional protein drugs are progressively released from the granules and made available for antitumor activities upon subcutaneous administration. By exploring such an approach for immunization here, microparticles made of a recombinant form of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 were tested as an antigen delivery system for induction of antibody responses against the virus upon administration of the material in the absence of added adjuvants. Also, the comparison between protein materials produced in bacterial, mammalian, or insect cell factories has demonstrated a moderate impact of protein glycosylation on the final immunological performance of the system. Therefore, we propose the consideration of synthetic protein secretory granules as a new sustainable immunization platform based on fully manageable, self-organized, and self-formulated immunogens, aimed at reducing the dosage, costs, and complexity of vaccination regimens

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection induces an exacerbated inflammation driven by innate immunity components. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the defense against viral infections, for instance plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), have the capacity to produce vast amounts of interferon-alpha (IFN-α). In COVID-19 there is a deficit in DC numbers and IFN-α production, which has been associated with disease severity. In this work, we described that in addition to the DC deficiency, several DC activation and homing markers were altered in acute COVID-19 patients, which were associated with multiple inflammatory markers. Remarkably, previously hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients remained with decreased numbers of CD1c+ myeloid DCs and pDCs seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the expression of DC markers such as CD86 and CD4 were only restored in previously nonhospitalized patients, while no restoration of integrin β7 and indoleamine 2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO) levels were observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the immunological sequelae of COVID-19

Biology of moderately halophilic aerobic bacteria

The moderately halophilic heterotrophic aerobic bacteria form a diverse group of microorganisms. The property of halophilism is widespread within the bacterial domain. Bacterial halophiles are abundant in environments such as salt lakes, saline soils, and salted food products. Most species keep their intracellular ionic concentrations at low levels while synthesizing or accumulating organic solutes to provide osmotic equilibrium of the cytoplasm with the surrounding medium. Complex mechanisms of adjustment of the intracellular environments and the properties of the cytoplasmic membrane enable rapid adaptation to changes in the salt concentration of the environment. Approaches to the study of genetic processes have recently been developed for several moderate halophiles, opening the way toward an understanding of haloadaptation at the molecular level. The new information obtained is also expected to contribute to the development of novel biotechnological uses for these organisms

A POGLUT1 mutation causes a muscular dystrophy with reduced Notch signaling and satellite cell loss

Skeletal muscle regeneration by muscle satellite cells is a physiological mechanism activated upon muscle damage and regulated by Notch signaling. In a family with autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, we identified a missense mutation in 1 (protein O -glucosyltransferase 1), an enzyme involved in Notch posttranslational modification and function. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the mutation reduces O -glucosyltransferase activity on Notch and impairs muscle development. Muscles from patients revealed decreased Notch signaling, dramatic reduction in satellite cell pool and a muscle-specific α-dystroglycan hypoglycosylation not present in patients' fibroblasts. Primary myoblasts from patients showed slow proliferation, facilitated differentiation, and a decreased pool of quiescent 7 + cells. A robust rescue of the myogenesis was demonstrated by increasing Notch signaling. None of these alterations were found in muscles from secondary dystroglycanopathy patients. These data suggest that a key pathomechanism for this novel form of muscular dystrophy is Notch-dependent loss of satellite cells

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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