Magnetocaloric effect in nano- and polycrystalline manganite La0.7Ca0.3MnO3La_{0.7}Ca_{0.3}MnO_3

$La_{0.7}Ca_{0.3}MnO_3$ samples were prepared in nano- and polycrystalline forms by sol-gel and solid state reaction methods, respectively, and structurally characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties determined by ac susceptibility and dc magnetization measurements are discussed. The magnetocaloric effect in this nanocrystalline manganite is spread over a broader temperature interval than in the polycrystalline case. The relative cooling power of the poly- and nanocrystalline manganites is used to evaluate a possible application for magnetic cooling below room temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 5 (double) figures, 1 table, 16 references; submitted to Appl. Phys.

Comparative structural and functional analysis of Bunyavirus and Arenavirus cap-snatching Endonucleases

Segmented negative strand RNA viruses of the arena-, bunya- and orthomyxovirus families uniquely carry out viral mRNA transcription by the cap-snatching mechanism. This involves cleavage of host mRNAs close to their capped 5′ end by an endonuclease (EN) domain located in the N-terminal region of the viral polymerase. We present the structure of the cap-snatching EN of Hantaan virus, a bunyavirus belonging to hantavirus genus. Hantaan EN has an active site configuration, including a metal co-ordinating histidine, and nuclease activity similar to the previously reported La Crosse virus and Influenza virus ENs (orthobunyavirus and orthomyxovirus respectively), but is more active in cleaving a double stranded RNA substrate. In contrast, Lassa arenavirus EN has only acidic metal co-ordinating residues. We present three high resolution structures of Lassa virus EN with different bound ion configurations and show in comparative biophysical and biochemical experiments with Hantaan, La Crosse and influenza ENs that the isolated Lassa EN is essentially inactive. The results are discussed in the light of EN activation mechanisms revealed by recent structures of full-length influenza virus polymerase

Staphylococcus aureus Keratinocyte Invasion Is Dependent upon Multiple High-Affinity Fibronectin-Binding Repeats within FnBPA

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal organism and a frequent cause of skin and soft tissue infections, which can progress to serious invasive disease. This bacterium uses its fibronectin binding proteins (FnBPs) to invade host cells and it has been hypothesised that this provides a protected niche from host antimicrobial defences, allows access to deeper tissues and provides a reservoir for persistent or recurring infections. FnBPs contain multiple tandem fibronectin-binding repeats (FnBRs) which bind fibronectin with varying affinity but it is unclear what selects for this configuration. Since both colonisation and skin infection are dependent upon the interaction of S. aureus with keratinocytes we hypothesised that this might select for FnBP function and thus composition of the FnBR region. Initial experiments revealed that S. aureus attachment to keratinocytes is rapid but does not require FnBRs. By contrast, invasion of keratinocytes was dependent upon the FnBR region and occurred via similar cellular processes to those described for endothelial cells. Despite this, keratinocyte invasion was relatively inefficient and appeared to include a lag phase, most likely due to very weak expression of α5β1 integrins. Molecular dissection of the role of the FnBR region revealed that efficient invasion of keratinocytes was dependent on the presence of at least three high-affinity (but not low-affinity) FnBRs. Over-expression of a single high-affinity or three low-affinity repeats promoted invasion but not to the same levels as S. aureus expressing an FnBPA variant containing three high-affinity repeats. In summary, invasion of keratinocytes by S. aureus requires multiple high-affinity FnBRs within FnBPA, and given the importance of the interaction between these cell types and S. aureus for both colonisation and infection, may have provided the selective pressure for the multiple binding repeats within FnBPA

The search campaign to identify and Image the Philae Lander on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

On the 12th of November 2014, the Rosetta Philae Lander descended to make the first soft touchdown on the surface of a comet – comet 67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko. That soft touchdown did occur but due to the failure in the firing of its two harpoons, Philae bounced and travelled across the comet making contact with the surface twice more before finally landing in a shaded rocky location somewhere on the southern hemisphere of the comet. The search campaign, led by ESA, involved multiple teams across Europe with a wide range of techniques used in support of it. This search campaign would continue through 2015 where a prime candidate on the surface was identified and on into 2016 to end on the 2nd of September 2016 when a definitive and conclusive image was taken of the lander on the surface of the comet, confirming the prime candidate to indeed be Philae

Role of the essential yeast protein PSU1 in p6anscriptional enhancement by the ligand-dependent activation function AF-2 of nuclear receptors.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) can function as ligandinducible transregulators in both mammalian and yeast cells, indicating that important features of transcriptional control have been conserved throughout evolution. We report here the isolation and characterization of an essential yeast protein of unknown function, PSU1, which exhibits properties expected for a co-activator/mediator of the ligand-dependent activation function AF-2 present in the ligand-binding domain (LBD, region E) of NRs. PSU1 interacts in a ligand-dependent manner with the LBD of several NRs, including retinoic acid (RARalpha), retinoid X (RXRalpha), thyroid hormone (TRalpha), vitamin D3 (VDR) and oestrogen (ERalpha) receptors. Importantly, both in yeast and in vitro, these interactions require the integrity of the AF-2 activating domain. When tethered to a heterologous DNA-binding domain, PSU1 can activate transcription on its own. By using yeast reporter cells that express PSU1 conditionally, we show that PSU1 is required for transactivation by the AF-2 of ERalpha. Taken together these data suggest that in yeast, PSU1 is involved in ligand-dependent transactivation by NRs. Sequence analysis revealed that in addition to a highly conserved motif found in a family of MutT-related proteins, PSU1 contains several alpha-helical leucine-rich motifs sharing the consensus sequence LLxPhiL (x, any amino acid; Phi, hydrophobic amino acid) in regions that elicit either transactivation or NR-binding activity

Évolution d’une silice de type opale en milieu basique

Nous avons étudié l'évolution au cours du temps d'une silice amorphe, la diatomite utilisée comme charge dans les ciments, dans un milieu basique, chaux et / ou potasse, à différentes températures. La composition chimique de la solution a été controlée avec bilan de masse et les phases solides initiales et de néoformation ont été caractérisées par microscopie électronique à balayage, diffraction des rayons X et par spectroscopie R.M.N. du 29Si. A 40°C la diatomite évolue très rapidement dès les premières heures de l'attaque pour former des silicates de calcium hydratés avec une structure en chaîne présentant deux entités Q2