Graphene on metals: a Van der Waals density functional study

We use density functional theory (DFT) with a recently developed van der Waals density functional (vdW-DF) to study the adsorption of graphene on Al, Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Co and Ni(111) surfaces. In constrast to the local density approximation (LDA) which predicts relatively strong binding for Ni,Co and Pd, the vdW-DF predicts weak binding for all metals and metal-graphene distances in the range 3.40-3.72 \AA. At these distances the graphene bandstructure as calculated with DFT and the many-body G$_0$W$_0$ method is basically unaffected by the substrate, in particular there is no opening of a band gap at the $K$-point.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Preferências alimentares de insetos por espécies de Piperaceae, observadas na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.As espécies de Piperaceae têm sido posicionadas entre as angiospermas basais e são frequentemente encontradas em habitats diversificados que incluem matas ciliares, vegetação secundária e campos rupestres. As espécies de Piper possuem hábitos de plantas herbáceas, arboretos e trepadeiras enquanto que, no caso de Peperomia, é freqüente o hábito de epífitas e suculentas. As classes de metabólitos secundários que caracterizam espécies de Piperaceae são amidas, fenilpropanóides/lignóides e cromenos, além de diversos outros de origem biossintética mista de menor representatividade. Apesar de muitos desses possuírem atividades inseticidas, diversos insetos fitófagos, alguns considerados pragas de importância econômica, foram observados alimentando-se de espécies de Piperaceae. Neste trabalho são relatadas as preferências alimentares de quatorze espécies fitófagas de Coleoptera, Lepidoptera e Hemiptera sobre aproximadamente cinqüenta espécies de Piperaceae observadas em São Paulo, SP, Brasil, durante um período de quatro anos

Sustained high-level expression of human factor IX (hFIX) after liver-targeted delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding the hFIX gene in rhesus macaques

The feasibility, safety, and efficacy of liver-directed gene transfer was evaluated in 5 male macaques (aged 2.5 to 6.5 years) by using a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector (rAAV-2 CAGG-hFIX) that had previously mediated persistent therapeutic expression of human factor IX (hFIX; 6%-10% of physiologic levels) in murine models. A dose of 4 × 1012 vector genomes (vgs)/kg of body weight was administered through the hepatic artery or portal vein. Persistence of the rAAV vgs as circular monomers and dimers and high-molecular-weight concatamers was documented in liver tissue by Southern blot analysis for periods of up to 1 year. Vector particles were present in plasma, urine, or saliva for several days after infusion (as shown by polymerase chain reaction analysis), and the vgs were detected in spleen tissue at low copy numbers. An enzyme-linked immunosorption assay capable of detecting between 1% and 25% of normal levels of hFIX in rhesus plasma was developed by using hyperimmune serum from a rhesus monkey that had received an adenoviral vector encoding hFIX. Two macaques having 3 and 40 rAAV genome equivalents/cell, respectively, in liver tissue had 4% and 8% of normal physiologic plasma levels of hFIX, respectively. A level of hFIX that was 3% of normal levels was transiently detected in one other macaque, which had a genome copy number of 25 before abrogation by a neutralizing antibody (inhibitor) to hFIX. This nonhuman-primate model will be useful in further evaluation and development of rAAV vectors for gene therapy of hemophilia B. © 2002 by The American Society of Hematology

γδβ-thalassaemias 1 and 2 are the result of a 100 kpb deletion in the human β-globin cluster.

The DNA spanning two large deletions in the human beta-globin gene cluster (gamma beta-thalassaemia 1 and 2) has been cloned by cosmid cloning and chromosomal walking. The entire region was mapped and analyzed for the presence of repetitive sequences. The results show that the affected loci have lost almost 100 kb of DNA in a deletion event not involving homologous or repetitive sequences

The transcriptional repressor protein NsrR senses nitric oxide directly via a [2Fe-2S] cluster

The regulatory protein NsrR, a member of the Rrf2 family of transcription repressors, is specifically dedicated to sensing nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. It has been proposed that NO directly modulates NsrR activity by interacting with a predicted [Fe-S] cluster in the NsrR protein, but no experimental evidence has been published to support this hypothesis. Here we report the purification of NsrR from the obligate aerobe Streptomyces coelicolor. We demonstrate using UV-visible, near UV CD and EPR spectroscopy that the protein contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster when purified from E. coli. Upon exposure of NsrR to NO, the cluster is nitrosylated, which results in the loss of DNA binding activity as detected by bandshift assays. Removal of the [2Fe-2S] cluster to generate apo-NsrR also resulted in loss of DNA binding activity. This is the first demonstration that NsrR contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster that is required for DNA binding activity

Human rhinovirus infection causes different DNA methylation changes in nasal epithelial cells from healthy and asthmatic subjects

BACKGROUND: Mechanisms underlying the development of virus-induced asthma exacerbations remain unclear. To investigate if epigenetic mechanisms could be involved in virus-induced asthma exacerbations, we undertook DNA methylation profiling in asthmatic and healthy nasal epithelial cells (NECs) during Human Rhinovirus (HRV) infection in vitro. METHODS: Global and loci-specific methylation profiles were determined via Alu element and Infinium Human Methylation 450 K microarray, respectively. Principal components analysis identified the genomic loci influenced the most by disease-status and infection. Real-time PCR and pyrosequencing were used to confirm gene expression and DNA methylation, respectively. RESULTS: HRV infection significantly increased global DNA methylation in cells from asthmatic subjects only (43.6% to 44.1%, p = 0.04). Microarray analysis revealed 389 differentially methylated loci either based on disease status, or caused by virus infection. There were disease-associated DNA methylation patterns that were not affected by HRV infection as well as HRV-induced DNA methylation changes that were unique to each group. A common methylation locus stood out in response to HRV infection in both groups, where the small nucleolar RNA, H/ACA box 12 (SNORA12) is located. Further analysis indicated that a relationship existed between SNORA12 DNA methylation and gene expression in response to HRV infection. CONCLUSIONS: We describe for the first time that Human rhinovirus infection causes DNA methylation changes in airway epithelial cells that differ between asthmatic and healthy subjects. These epigenetic differences may possibly explain the mechanism by which respiratory viruses cause asthma exacerbations