Voltage-controlled current loops with nanofluidic diodes electrically coupled to solid state capacitors

[EN] We describe experimentally and theoretically voltage-controlled current loops obtained with nanofluidic diodes immersed in aqueous salt solutions. The coupling of these soft matter diodes with conventional electronic elements such as capacitors permits simple equivalent circuits which show electrical properties reminiscent of a resistor with memory. Different conductance levels can be reproducibly achieved under a wide range of experimental conditions (input voltage amplitudes and frequencies, load capacitances, electrolyte concentrations, and single pore and multipore membranes) by electrically coupling two types of passive components: the nanopores (ionics) and the capacitors (electronics). Remarkably, these electrical characteristics do not result from slow ionic redistributions within the nanopores, which should be difficult to control and would give only small conductance changes, but arise from the robust collective response of equivalent circuits. Coupling nanoscale diodes with conventional electronic elements allows interconverting ionic and electronic currents, which should be useful for electrochemical signal processing and energy conversion based on charge transport.Support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Competitiveness and FEDER (project MAT2015-65011-P), the Generalitat Valenciana (project Prometeo/GV/0069 for Groups of Excellence). M. A, S. N. and W. E acknowledge the funding from the Hessen State Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts, Germany, in the frame of LOEWE project iNAPO. Z. S. acknowledges the funding from the National Science Foundation (CHE 1306058).Ramirez Hoyos, P.; Gómez Lozano, V.; Cervera, J.; Nasir, S.; Ali, M.; Ensinger, W.; Siwy, Z.... (2016). Voltage-controlled current loops with nanofluidic diodes electrically coupled to solid state capacitors. RSC Advances. 6(60):54742-54746. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6ra08277gS5474254746660Fologea, D., Krueger, E., Mazur, Y. 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La metodología de la investigación en Traductología

Empirical research methods in Translation Studies have been used in Spain for a decade. A glimpse of the most recent studies carried out in our country is given, as well as the actual trends in research. A research methodology based on the scientific method is proposed, and a research design to study the acquisition of translation competence in trainees is presented, including three original measuring instruments created for the study: the first instrument measures the translation notions of the students; the second one measures students' performance when faced with translation problems; and the third one measures performance regarding translation errors

About the first experiment at JINR nuclotron deuteron beam with energy 2.52 gev on investigation of transmutation of I-129, NP-237, PU-238 and PU-239 in the field of neutrons generated in pbtarget with U-blanket

The experiment described in this communication is a part of the scientific program „Investigations of physical aspects of electronuclear method of energy production and transmutation of radioactive waste of atomic energetic using relativistic beams from the JINR Synchrophasotron/Nuclotron“ - the project „Energy plus Transmutation“. The performing of the first experiment at deuteron beam with energy 2.52 GeV at the electronuclear setup which consists of Pb-target with U-blanket (206.4 kg of natural uranium) and transmutation samples and its preliminary results are described. The hermetic samples of isotopes of I-129, Np-237, Pu-238 and Pu-239 which are produced in atomic reactors and industry setups which use nuclear materials and nuclear technologies were irradiated in the field of electronuclear neutrons produced in the Pbtarget surrounded with the U-blanket setup “Energy plus transmutation”. The estimations of its transmutations (radioecological aspect) were obtained in result of measurements of gamma activities of these samples. The information about space-energy distribution of neutrons in the volume of the Pb-target and the U-blanket was obtained with help of sets of activation threshold detectors (Al, V, Cu, Co, Y, In, I, Ta, Au, W, Bi and other), solid state nuclear track detectors, He-3 neutron detectors and nuclear emulsions

Immunohistochemical discrimination of wild-type EGFR from EGFRvIII in fixed tumour specimens using anti-EGFR mAbs ICR9 and ICR10

Background:The human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important therapeutic target in oncology, and three different types of EGFR inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of cancer patients. However, there has been no clear association between the expression levels of EGFR protein in the tumours determined by the FDA-approved EGFR PharmDx kit (Dako) or other standard anti-EGFR antibodies and the response to the EGFR inhibitors.Method:In this study, we investigated the potential of our anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs; ICR9, ICR10, ICR16) for immunohistochemical diagnosis of wild-type EGFR and/or the type-III deletion mutant form of EGFR (EGFRvIII) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tumour specimens.Results:We found that the anti-EGFR mAb in the EGFR PharmDx kit stained both wild-type and EGFRvIII-expressing cells in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. This pattern of EGFR immunostaining was also found with our anti-EGFR mAb ICR16. In contrast, mAbs ICR10 and ICR9 were specific for the wild-type EGFR.Conclusion:We conclude that mAbs ICR9 and ICR10 are ideal tools for investigating the expression patterns of wild-type EGFR protein in tumour specimens using immunohistochemistry, and to determine their prognostic significance, as well as predictive value for response to therapy with EGFR antibodies.British Journal of Cancer advance online publication, 7 February 2012; doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.27 www.bjcancer.com

Targeted therapies in colorectal cancer: an integrative view by PPPM

In developed countries, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy, but it is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death. Clinicians are still faced with numerous challenges in the treatment of this disease, and future approaches which target the molecular features of the disorder will be critical for success in this disease setting. Genetic analyses of many solid tumours have shown that up to 100 protein-encoding genes are mutated. Within CRC, numerous genetic alterations have been identified in a number of pathways. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathology of CRC may present information on potential routes for treatment and may also provide valuable prognostic information. This will be particularly pertinent for molecularly targeted treatments, such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody therapy. KRAS and BRAF mutations have been shown to predict response to anti-EGFR therapy. As EGFR can also signal via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) kinase pathway, there is considerable interest in the potential roles of members of this pathway (such as PI3K and PTEN) in predicting treatment response. Therefore, a combined approach of new techniques that allow identification of these biomarkers alongside interdisciplinary approaches to the treatment of advanced CRC will aid in the treatment decision-making process and may also serve to guide future therapeutic approaches