Modelling the Filling of Methane in Heterogenous Pore Networks

In the field of heterogeneous catalysis, there is great interest in the transport properties of ordered mesoporous materials such as SBA-15, but inverting quasi-elastic neutron scattering data for materials with a distribution of pore sizes such as SBA-15is an ill-posed problem. This project aimed to generate an idealized model of methane adsorption in the pores of SBA-15so that in the future, molecular dynamics simulations can be used to study diffusion.By sampling over a canonical ensemble using the Metropolis Monte Carlo Method and using Widom’s insertion method alongside Vaitheeswaran and Rasaiah’s insertion/removal method to calculate the chemical potential, isotherms comparable to those generated by methane porosimetry measurements can be produced. Plots of chemical potential vs. number of molecules were used to show that the simulation data is reproducible to 2% relative standard deviation, as well as to build an understanding of the mechanism of pore filling and how it is affected by simulation conditions

Genetic Variation in OAS1 Is a Risk Factor for Initial Infection with West Nile Virus in Man

West Nile virus (WNV) is a re-emerging pathogen that can cause fatal encephalitis. In mice, susceptibility to WNV has been reported to result from a single point mutation in oas1b, which encodes 2′–5′ oligoadenylate synthetase 1b, a member of the type I interferon-regulated OAS gene family involved in viral RNA degradation. In man, the human ortholog of oas1b appears to be OAS1. The ‘A’ allele at SNP rs10774671 of OAS1 has previously been shown to alter splicing of OAS1 and to be associated with reduced OAS activity in PBMCs. Here we show that the frequency of this hypofunctional allele is increased in both symptomatic and asymptomatic WNV seroconverters (Caucasians from five US centers; total n = 501; OR = 1.6 [95% CI 1.2–2.0], P = 0.0002 in a recessive genetic model). We then directly tested the effect of this SNP on viral replication in a novel ex vivo model of WNV infection in primary human lymphoid tissue. Virus accumulation varied markedly among donors, and was highest for individuals homozygous for the ‘A’ allele (P<0.0001). Together, these data identify OAS1 SNP rs10774671 as a host genetic risk factor for initial infection with WNV in humans

Forward genetic dissection of innate response to infection in inbred mouse strains: selected success stories

Mouse genetics is a powerful tool for the dissection of genes, proteins, and pathways important in biological processes. Application of this approach to study the host response to infection has been a rich source of discoveries that have increased our understanding of the early innate pathways involved in responding to microbial infections. Here we review some of the key discoveries that have arisen from pinpointing the genetic defect in mouse strains with unusual or extreme response to infection and have led to insights into pathogen sensing pathways and downstream effector functions of the early innate immune response