Frontotemporal dementia causative CHMP2B impairs neuronal endolysosomal traffic-rescue by TMEM106B knockdown.

Mutations in the endosome-associated protein CHMP2B cause frontotemporal dementia and lead to lysosomal storage pathology in neurons. We here report that physiological levels of mutant CHMP2B causes reduced numbers and significantly impaired trafficking of endolysosomes within neuronal dendrites, accompanied by increased dendritic branching. Mechanistically, this is due to the stable incorporation of mutant CHMP2B onto neuronal endolysosomes, which we show renders them unable to traffic within dendrites. This defect is due to the inability of mutant CHMP2B to recruit the ATPase VPS4, which is required for release of CHMP2B from endosomal membranes. Strikingly, both impaired trafficking and the increased dendritic branching were rescued by treatment with antisense oligonucleotides targeting the well validated frontotemporal dementia risk factor TMEM106B, which encodes an endolysosomal protein. This indicates that reducing TMEM106B levels can restore endosomal health in frontotemporal dementia. As TMEM106B is a risk factor for frontotemporal dementia caused by both C9orf72 and progranulin mutations, and antisense oligonucleotides are showing promise as therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, our data suggests a potential new strategy for treating the wide range of frontotemporal dementias associated with endolysosomal dysfunction

Halloysite nanotubes: Controlled access and release by smart gates

© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Hollow halloysite nanotubes have been used as nanocontainers for loading and for the triggered release of calcium hydroxide for paper preservation. A strategy for placing end-stoppers into the tubular nanocontainer is proposed and the sustained release from the cavity is reported. The incorporation of Ca(OH) 2 into the nanotube lumen, as demonstrated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, retards the carbonatation, delaying the reaction with CO 2 gas. This effect can be further controlled by placing the end-stoppers. The obtained material is tested for paper deacidification. We prove that adding halloysite filled with Ca(OH) 2 to paper can reduce the impact of acid exposure on both the mechanical performance and pH alteration. The end-stoppers have a double effect: they preserve the calcium hydroxide from carbonation, and they prevent from the formation of highly basic pH and trigger the response to acid exposure minimizing the pH drop-down. These features are promising for a composite nanoadditive in the smart protection of cellulose-based materials

Topical corticosteroid phobia in parents of pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis: a multicentre survey

BACKGROUND: Families of children affected with atopic dermatitis (AD) often report fear and anxiety regarding treatment with topical corticosteroids (TCS), which may lead to reduced compliance. The objective of our study was to measure, through a standardized questionnaire, fear of TCS in families of pediatric patients with AD and to identify items associated with fear. METHODS: Families of pediatric patients with AD were enrolled in 9 Italian centers of pediatric dermatology. Enrolled parents were invited to fill in a questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and 3 sets of questions on corticosteroid phobia (general fear, specific fears, behaviours regarding TCS). Determinants of the level of general fear were investigated through multivariable analysis. RESULTS: A total of 300 outpatients with AD were enrolled. Most parents (80%) had a high instruction level. Eighty-one percent reported to have a certain amount of fear of TCS. At the multivariable analysis, fear of TCS was associated with the following items: believing that TCS treatment advantages do not overweight disadvantages (P = 0.011); believing that TCS may be dangerous independently from the specific side effect (P < 0.001). Moreover, TCS fear was associated with fear of applying too much cream (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: TCS phobia is widespread among Italian families of children with AD. Fear of TCS is associated with fear of applying too much cream, thus increasing the risk of poor compliance and treatment failure. Therapeutic education of families on the use of TCS should be implemented. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13052-017-0330-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Building an Aerial-Ground Robotics System for Precision Farming: An Adaptable Solution

[No abstract available

Quantitative description of temperature induced self-aggregation thermograms determined by differential scanning calorimetry

A novel thermodynamic approach for the description of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments on self-aggregating systems is derived and presented. The method is based on a mass action model where temperature dependence of aggregation numbers is considered. The validity of the model was confirmed by describing the aggregation behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) block copolymers, which are well-known to exhibit a strong temperature dependence. The quantitative description of the thermograms could be performed without any discrepancy between calorimetric and van 't Hoff enthalpies, and moreover, the aggregation numbers obtained from the best fit of the DSC experiments are in good agreement with those obtained by light scattering experiments corroborating the assumptions done in the derivation of the new model

Heat capacities, volumes and solubilities of pentanol in aqueous surfactant solution

Apparent molar heat capacities and vols. of pentanol 0.05 m in dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), dodecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) and dodecylamine hydrochloride (DAC) micellar solns. were measured at 25°. The distribution const. between the aq. and the micellar phase and heat capacity and vol. of pentanol in both phases were derived. The presence of Me groups on the surfactant head group does not appreciably influence the apparent molar volume and heat capacity of pentanol in micellar phase and the free energy of transfer of pentanol from the aq. to the micellar phase. The apparent molar heat capacities of pentanol in micellar solns. as a function of surfactant concn. show evidence of two max. for DAC and of one max. for DTAC whereas no max. were detected for DDAC. These max. can be ascribed to the presence of structural post-micellar transitions. By comparing data for DTAC with those for the corresponding bromide, the role of the counterion nature in the thermodn. of solubilization of pentanol in micellar solns. is derived

Thermodynamic properties and conductivities of some dodecylsurfactants in water

Densities, heat capacities, enthalpies of diln., osmotic coeffs. and conductivities are reported for dodecylamine hydrochloride, dodecyldimethylammonium and dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride in water over a wide range of concn. The last two properties were also measured for dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. From the thermodn. data, partial molar volumes, heat capacities and relative enthalpies and nonideal free energies and entropies were derived as functions of the surfactant concn. The cmc's and degree of counterion dissocn. were also calcd. from the transport properties. The trends of vols., enthalpies, free energies and entropies are quite regular whereas heat capacities present max. and min. at concns. which depend on the nature of surfactants. Corresponding changes were obsd. in the osmotic coeffs. and specific conductivities. The thermodn. functions of micellization were evaluated on the basis of the pseudo-phase transition model. Finally, the effects of the introduction of Me groups in the hydrophilic moiety of the surfactant and of the nature of the counterion on the thermodn. properties of monomers and micelles are examd