78 research outputs found
Characterization of Anti-ECA Antibodies in Rabbit Antiserum Against Rough Yersinia enterocolitica O:3
Peer reviewe
Structural study on hole-doped superconductors Pr1-xSrxFeAsO
The structural details in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO (1111) superconducting system are
analyzed using data obtained from synchrotron X-ray diffraction and the
structural parameters are carefully studied as the system is moving from
non-superconducting to hole-doped superconducting with the Sr concentration.
Superconductivity emerges when the Sr doping amount reaches 0.221. The linear
increase of the lattice constants proves that Sr is successfully introduced
into the system and its concentration can accurately be determined by the
electron density analyses. The evolution of structural parameters with Sr
concentration in Pr1-xSrxFeAsO and their comparison to other similar structural
parameters of the related Fe-based superconductors suggest that the interlayer
space between the conducting As-Fe-As layer and the insulating Pr-O-Pr layer is
important for improving Tc in the hole-doped (1111) superconductors, which
seems to be different from electron-doped systems.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl
Synthesis, structural and transport properties of the hole-doped Superconductor Pr_{1-x}Sr_xFeAsO
Superconductivity was achieved in PrFeAsO by partially substituting Pr^{3+}
with Sr^{2+}. The electrical transport properties and structure of this new
superconductor Pr_{1-x}Sr_xFeAsO at different doping levels (x = 0.05
0.25) were investigated systematically. It was found that the lattice constants
(a-axis and c-axis) increase monotonously with Sr or hole concentration. The
superconducting transition temperature at about 16.3 K (95% ) was
observed around the doping level of 0.20 0.25. A detailed investigation
was carried out in the sample with doping level of x = 0.25. The domination of
hole-like charge carriers in this material was confirmed by Hall effect
measurements. The magnetoresistance (MR) behavior can be well described by a
simple two-band model. The upper critical field of the sample with T_c = 16.3 K
(x = 0.25) was estimated to be beyond 45 Tesla. Our results suggest that the
hole-doped samples may have higher upper critical fields comparing to the
electron-doped ones, due to the higher quasi-particle density of states at the
Fermi level.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, 2 new figures and some contents adde
High-Resolution Confocal Fluorescence Imaging of Serine Hydrolase Activity in Cryosections - Application to Glioma Brain Unveils Activity Hotspots Originating from Tumor-Associated Neutrophils
Background Serine hydrolases (SHs) are a functionally diverse family of enzymes playing pivotal roles in health and disease and have emerged as important therapeutic targets in many clinical conditions. Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) using fluorophosphonate (FP) probes has been a powerful chemoproteomic approach in studies unveiling roles of SHs in various biological systems. ABPP utilizes cell/tissue proteomes and features the FP-warhead, linked to a fluorescent reporter for in-gel fluorescence imaging or a biotin tag for streptavidin enrichment and LC-MS/MS-based target identification. Existing ABPP approaches characterize global SH activity based on mobility in gel or MS-based target identification and cannot reveal the identity of the cell-type responsible for an individual SH activity originating from complex proteomes. Results Here, by using an activity probe with broad reactivity towards the SH family, we advance the ABPP methodology to glioma brain cryosections, enabling for the first time high-resolution confocal fluorescence imaging of global SH activity in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated cell types were identified by extensive immunohistochemistry on activity probe-labeled sections. Tissue-ABPP indicated heightened SH activity in glioma vs. normal brain and unveiled activity hotspots originating from tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), rather than tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Thorough optimization and validation was provided by parallel gel-based ABPP combined with LC-MS/MS-based target verification. Conclusions Our study advances the ABPP methodology to tissue sections, enabling high-resolution confocal fluorescence imaging of global SH activity in anatomically preserved complex native cellular environment. To achieve global portrait of SH activity throughout the section, a probe with broad reactivity towards the SH family members was employed. As ABPP requires no a priori knowledge of the identity of the target, we envisage no imaginable reason why the presently described approach would not work for sections regardless of species and tissue source.Peer reviewe
High-Resolution Confocal Fluorescence Imaging of Serine Hydrolase Activity in Cryosections - Application to Glioma Brain Unveils Activity Hotspots Originating from Tumor-Associated Neutrophils
Background Serine hydrolases (SHs) are a functionally diverse family of enzymes playing pivotal roles in health and disease and have emerged as important therapeutic targets in many clinical conditions. Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) using fluorophosphonate (FP) probes has been a powerful chemoproteomic approach in studies unveiling roles of SHs in various biological systems. ABPP utilizes cell/tissue proteomes and features the FP-warhead, linked to a fluorescent reporter for in-gel fluorescence imaging or a biotin tag for streptavidin enrichment and LC-MS/MS-based target identification. Existing ABPP approaches characterize global SH activity based on mobility in gel or MS-based target identification and cannot reveal the identity of the cell-type responsible for an individual SH activity originating from complex proteomes. Results Here, by using an activity probe with broad reactivity towards the SH family, we advance the ABPP methodology to glioma brain cryosections, enabling for the first time high-resolution confocal fluorescence imaging of global SH activity in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated cell types were identified by extensive immunohistochemistry on activity probe-labeled sections. Tissue-ABPP indicated heightened SH activity in glioma vs. normal brain and unveiled activity hotspots originating from tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), rather than tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Thorough optimization and validation was provided by parallel gel-based ABPP combined with LC-MS/MS-based target verification. Conclusions Our study advances the ABPP methodology to tissue sections, enabling high-resolution confocal fluorescence imaging of global SH activity in anatomically preserved complex native cellular environment. To achieve global portrait of SH activity throughout the section, a probe with broad reactivity towards the SH family members was employed. As ABPP requires no a priori knowledge of the identity of the target, we envisage no imaginable reason why the presently described approach would not work for sections regardless of species and tissue source.Peer reviewe
Effect of the tetrahedral distortion on the electronic properties of iron-pnictides
We study the dependence of the electronic structure of iron pnictides on the
angle formed by the arsenic-iron bonds. Within a Slater-Koster tight binding
model which captures the correct symmetry properties of the bands, we show that
the density of states and the band structure are sensitive to the distortion of
the tetrahedral environment of the iron atoms. This sensitivity is extremely
strong in a two-orbital (d_xz, d_yz) model due to the formation of a flat band
around the Fermi level. Inclusion of the d_xy orbital destroys the flat band
while keeping a considerable angle dependence in the band structure.Comment: 5 pages, including 5 figures. Fig. 5 replaced. Minor changes in the
tex
Crystal growth and superconductivity of FeSe_x
Single crystals FeSe_x have been grown in evacuated sealed quartz tube using
a NaCl/KCl flux. The products include two crystal structures of tetragon and
hexagon. The electronic transport and magnetic properties measurements of
FeSe_x single crystal exhibits a superconducting transition at about 10K.Comment: 9 pages, 4 Figure
Super-silent FRET Sensor Enables Live Cell Imaging and Flow Cytometric Stratification of Intracellular Serine Protease Activity in Neutrophils
Abstract Serine proteases are released by neutrophils to act primarily as antimicrobial proteins but excessive and unbalanced serine protease activity results in serious host tissue damage. Here the synthesis of a novel chemical sensor based on a multi-branched fluorescence quencher is reported. It is super-silent, exhibiting no fluorescence until de-quenched by the exemplar serine protease human neutrophil elastase, rapidly enters human neutrophils, and is inhibited by serine protease inhibitors. This sensor allows live imaging of intracellular serine protease activity within human neutrophils and demonstrates that the unique combination of a multivalent scaffold combined with a FRET peptide represents a novel and efficient strategy to generate super-silent sensors that permit the visualisation of intracellular proteases and may enable point of care whole blood profiling of neutrophils
Oral manifestations of systemic disease
While the majority of disorders of the mouth are centred upon the direct action of plaque, the oral tissues can be subject to change or damage as a consequence of disease that predominantly affects other body systems. Such oral manifestations of systemic disease can be highly variable in both frequency and presentation. As lifespan increases and medical care becomes ever more complex and effective it is likely that the numbers of individuals with oral manifestations of systemic disease will continue to rise. The present article provides a succinct review of oral manifestations of systemic disease. In view of this article being part of a wider BDJ themed issue on the subject of oral medicine, this review focuses upon oral mucosal and salivary gland disorders that may arise as a consequence of systemic disease
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