Wide-field dynamic astronomy in the near-infrared with Palomar Gattini-IR and DREAMS

There have been a dramatic increase in the number of optical and radio transient surveys due to astronomical transients such as gravitational waves and gamma ray bursts, however, there have been a limited number of wide-field infrared surveys due to narrow field-of-view and high cost of infrared cameras, we present two new wide-field near-infrared fully automated surveyors; Palomar Gattini-IR and the Dynamic REd All-sky Monitoring Survey (DREAMS). Palomar Gattini-IR, a 25 square degree J-band imager that begun science operations at Palomar Observatory, USA in October 2018; we report on survey strategy as well as telescope and observatory operations and will also providing initial science results. DREAMS is a 3.75 square degree wide-field imager that is planned for Siding Spring Observatory, Australia; we report on the current optical and mechanical design and plans to achieve on-sky results in 2020. DREAMS is on-track to be one of the first astronomical telescopes to use an Indium Galium Arsenide (InGaAs) detector and we report initial on-sky testing results for the selected detector package. DREAMS is also well placed to take advantage and provide near-infrared follow-up of the LSST

Wide-field dynamic astronomy in the near-infrared with Palomar Gattini-IR and DREAMS

There have been a dramatic increase in the number of optical and radio transient surveys due to astronomical transients such as gravitational waves and gamma ray bursts, however, there have been a limited number of wide-field infrared surveys due to narrow field-of-view and high cost of infrared cameras, we present two new wide-field near-infrared fully automated surveyors; Palomar Gattini-IR and the Dynamic REd All-sky Monitoring Survey (DREAMS). Palomar Gattini-IR, a 25 square degree J-band imager that begun science operations at Palomar Observatory, USA in October 2018; we report on survey strategy as well as telescope and observatory operations and will also providing initial science results. DREAMS is a 3.75 square degree wide-field imager that is planned for Siding Spring Observatory, Australia; we report on the current optical and mechanical design and plans to achieve on-sky results in 2020. DREAMS is on-track to be one of the first astronomical telescopes to use an Indium Galium Arsenide (InGaAs) detector and we report initial on-sky testing results for the selected detector package. DREAMS is also well placed to take advantage and provide near-infrared follow-up of the LSST

Clinical Use and Therapeutic Potential of IVIG/SCIG, Plasma-Derived IgA or IgM, and Other Alternative Immunoglobulin Preparations

Intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin preparations, consisting of IgG class antibodies, are increasingly used to treat a broad range of pathological conditions, including humoral immune deficiencies, as well as acute and chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders. A plethora of Fab- or Fc-mediated immune regulatory mechanisms has been described that might act separately or in concert, depending on pathogenesis or stage of clinical condition. Attempts have been undertaken to improve the efficacy of polyclonal IgG preparations, including the identification of relevant subfractions, mild chemical modification of molecules, or modification of carbohydrate side chains. Furthermore, plasma-derived IgA or IgM preparations may exhibit characteristics that might be exploited therapeutically. The need for improved treatment strategies without increase in plasma demand is a goal and might be achieved by more optimal use of plasma-derived proteins, including the IgA and the IgM fractions. This article provides an overview on the current knowledge and future strategies to improve the efficacy of regular IgG preparations and discusses the potential of human plasma-derived IgA, IgM, and preparations composed of mixtures of IgG, IgA, and IgM

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Studying the interactions between Staphylococcus aureus and atopic dermatitis skin cells using atomic force microscopy

With the constant increase in the resistance of Staphylococcus au- reus to antibiotics, it has become a priority to better understand how this pathogen interacts with host tissues, and to develop alternative strategies to fight staphylococcal infections. S. aureus plays an im- portant role in atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic disorder that mostly affects children. Colonization of the skin of AD patients by S. aureus exacerbates the disease, and reduced levels of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the stratum corneum have been shown to be associa- ted with more severe AD symptoms. Today, two unsolved questions are : i) what are the bacterial adhesins involved in S. aureus - skin adhesion, and ii) is the skin protein corneodesmosin (CDSN) a major ligand for S. aureus adhesion ? The aim of this master thesis, perfor- med in collaboration with Dr. J. Geoghegan (Trinity College, Dublin), was to use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the interaction of S. aureus with AD skins, with a particular focus on the above open questions. We first used single-cell force spectroscopy (SCFS) to measure the adhesion forces between different strains of S. aureus and AD skin samples with a low NMF level. Using mutant strains of S. aureus with deleted adhesins, we have identified the involve- ment of three major adhesins in the interaction with AD skins : ClfB, FnBPA and FnBPB. In agreement with previous studies, we found that ClfB is responsible for high adhesion forces, ∼ 1600pN, whereas FnBPs are associated with lower forces ∼ 500pN. Next we used single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) with tips functionalized with an anti-CDSN antibody to detect and map the distribution of CDSN on the surface of AD skins, demonstrating that this protein is more abun- dant on low NMF skins compared to high NMF skins. Using SCFS, we were also able to partially block the interaction of S. aureus with low NMF skin by injecting Fab fragments of the anti-CDSN antibody at increasing concentrations. Both low and high forces were inhibited, suggesting that CDSN might be a ligand for both FnBPs and ClfB on low NMF skins. All together, these results shed new light onto the mo- lecular determinants of S. aureus-AD skin interactions : i) ClfB and FnBPs are the main adhesins involved; ii) the binding strengths of ClfB and FnBPs are high and moderate, respectively, suggesting that two different binding mechanisms are involved; iii) CDSN seems to be an important ligand for FnBPs, but also for ClfB. Our study opens up new possibilities for the development of anti-adhesive therapies to prevent S. aureus from attaching to human skins.Master [120] : bioingénieur en chimie et bioindustries, Université catholique de Louvain, 201

Synthesis of boron-rich nanomaterials

Cette thèse explore une nouvelle voie de synthèse de nanomatériaux riches en éléments légers et particulièrement en bore. La nanostructuration de tels matériaux pourrait apporter des améliorations significatives de leurs propriétés, notamment de la dureté. Malheureusement, de tels nanomatériaux sont compliqués à obtenir car la synthèse et la cristallisation de tels composés nécessitent d’organiser un réseau, souvent complexe, de liaisons covalentes. Pour ce faire, des hautes températures sont nécessaires, entrainant une croissance des particules composant le matériau. Afin de mener à bien ce challenge synthétique, le couplage entre deux mondes habituellement distincts est réalisé : la chimie de synthèse colloïdale à hautes températures et la physique des conditions extrêmes, via les hautes pressions. La synthèse colloïdale de nanoparticules est réalisée en sels fondus inorganiques (halogénures d’alcalins) pour obtenir différents matériaux : borure de lithium, borocarbures alcalins, bore amorphe et carbure de bore amorphe de composition variées. L’étude des transitions structurales de ces composés sous hautes pressions est réalisée lors du chauffage à haute température sous haute pression dans une presse Paris Edimbourg ou dans une presse multi enclumes. Les précurseurs étant nanostructurés, l’énergie de surface est prépondérante lors de la cristallisation et pourrait mener à l’obtention de nouvelles phases métastables. La croissance des particules initiales est limitée grâce à la pression qui permet aussi d’explorer un vaste espace dans les diagrammes de phases des différents matériaux étudiés.During this PhD we have developed a new synthetic pathway towards nanoparticles containing light elements especially boron. The nanostructuration of such materials could lead to increase their properties like hardness. Unfortunately, the synthesis of such nanomaterials is very complicated. Indeed, a complex network of covalent bond existing in these materials should be organized during the synthesis and the crystallization at high temperature which lead to the growth of the particles. To answer this synthetic challenge, we have coupled two classically separated worlds: high temperature colloidal chemistry synthesis. and high pressure physics. Nanoparticles are synthesized in inorganic molten salts (alkali halides) to obtain various materials such lithium boride, alkaline borocarbides, amorphous boron and boron carbides of different ratio. The study of structural transitions of this compounds is realized at high temperature under high pressure in a Paris Edinburgh or a multi anvil press. Thanks to the nanostructuration of the precursors, surface energy plays an important role during the crystallization and could lead to the formation of new metastable phases. The pressure limit the growth of the initial particles and allow us to visit a large space in the phase diagrams of this different compounds studied in this PhD

Synthèse de nanomatériaux riches en bore

During this PhD we have developed a new synthetic pathway towards nanoparticles containing light elements especially boron. The nanostructuration of such materials could lead to increase their properties like hardness. Unfortunately, the synthesis of such nanomaterials is very complicated. Indeed, a complex network of covalent bond existing in these materials should be organized during the synthesis and the crystallization at high temperature which lead to the growth of the particles. To answer this synthetic challenge, we have coupled two classically separated worlds: high temperature colloidal chemistry synthesis. and high pressure physics. Nanoparticles are synthesized in inorganic molten salts (alkali halides) to obtain various materials such lithium boride, alkaline borocarbides, amorphous boron and boron carbides of different ratio. The study of structural transitions of this compounds is realized at high temperature under high pressure in a Paris Edinburgh or a multi anvil press. Thanks to the nanostructuration of the precursors, surface energy plays an important role during the crystallization and could lead to the formation of new metastable phases. The pressure limit the growth of the initial particles and allow us to visit a large space in the phase diagrams of this different compounds studied in this PhD.Cette thèse explore une nouvelle voie de synthèse de nanomatériaux riches en éléments légers et particulièrement en bore. La nanostructuration de tels matériaux pourrait apporter des améliorations significatives de leurs propriétés, notamment de la dureté. Malheureusement, de tels nanomatériaux sont compliqués à obtenir car la synthèse et la cristallisation de tels composés nécessitent d’organiser un réseau, souvent complexe, de liaisons covalentes. Pour ce faire, des hautes températures sont nécessaires, entrainant une croissance des particules composant le matériau. Afin de mener à bien ce challenge synthétique, le couplage entre deux mondes habituellement distincts est réalisé : la chimie de synthèse colloïdale à hautes températures et la physique des conditions extrêmes, via les hautes pressions. La synthèse colloïdale de nanoparticules est réalisée en sels fondus inorganiques (halogénures d’alcalins) pour obtenir différents matériaux : borure de lithium, borocarbures alcalins, bore amorphe et carbure de bore amorphe de composition variées. L’étude des transitions structurales de ces composés sous hautes pressions est réalisée lors du chauffage à haute température sous haute pression dans une presse Paris Edimbourg ou dans une presse multi enclumes. Les précurseurs étant nanostructurés, l’énergie de surface est prépondérante lors de la cristallisation et pourrait mener à l’obtention de nouvelles phases métastables. La croissance des particules initiales est limitée grâce à la pression qui permet aussi d’explorer un vaste espace dans les diagrammes de phases des différents matériaux étudiés

Radical‐Initiated Dismutation of Hydrosiloxanes by Catalytic Potassium‐Graphite

International audienceFormation of higher‐value products from cheaper silicone precursors such as polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) is a challenge for silicon chemistry. Here, we show that catalytic amount (<0.5 mol %) of potassium graphite (KC8) can be used as an efficient radical initiator for the cleavage of Si−O bonds of hydrosiloxanes. Methylsilane and dimethylsilane are quantitatively obtained from PMHS and TMDS (1,1,3,3‐tetramethyldisiloxane), respectively. Taking advantage of the high reactivity of the newly formed silane, the reduction of carbonyl functionalities with KC8 in catalytic amount was further performed. Mechanistic investigations suggest that both the dismutation of the initial hydrosiloxane and the reduction of carbonyl derivatives by hydrosilylation are initiated with a radical pathway