Effects of autoclaved cells and antibacterial treatment in silkworms infected with <i>M</i>. <i>abscessus</i> subsp. <i>abscessus</i>.

(A) Silkworms were injected with either saline (50 μl), M. abscessus subsp. abscessus ATCC19977 cell suspension (1.1 x 107 cells per 50 μl), or autoclaved M. abscessus subsp. abscessus ATCC19977 cell suspension and incubated at 37˚C. Ten silkworms were used per group. (B) Silkworms were injected with either saline (50 μl) or M. abscessus subsp. abscessus ATCC19977 cell suspension (6.3 x 107 cells per 50 μl) followed by clarithromycin (25 μg g-1 larva). The number of surviving silkworms following incubation at 37˚C was measured for 66 h. Statistically significant differences between groups were evaluated using a log-rank test based on the curves by the Kaplan-Meier method. Ten silkworms were used per group.</p

Effects of temperature on the virulence of <i>M</i>. <i>abscessus</i> subsp. <i>abscessus</i> ATCC19977 in silkworms.

Silkworms were injected with saline (50 μl) or M. abscessus subsp. abscessus ATCC19977 cell suspension (1.4 x 107 cells per 50 μl) and incubated at (A) 27˚C and (B) 37˚C. The curves were drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method. Seven silkworms were used per group. (C) Silkworms were injected with M. abscessus subsp. abscessus ATCC19977 cell suspension (2.9 x 108 cells per 50 μl) and incubated at 27˚C and 37˚C. Silkworm hemolymph was harvested at 18 h post-infection. Statistically significant differences between groups were evaluated using the Student t-test. Three silkworms were used per group.</p

Datasets included in this study.

(XLSX)</p

Attached-cell counts of human THP-1 macrophages after infection with <i>M</i>. <i>abscessus subsp</i>. <i>abscessus</i> Mb-10 and Mb-17 isolates.

Attached-cell counts of human THP-1 macrophages at 48 h after infection with M. abscessus subsp. abscessus Mb-10 or Mb-17 cells at a multiplicity of infection of 50. The number of nuclei of macrophages attached to the well was calculated using High-Content Imaging System Operetta CLS with Harmony software. Three independent samples were used per group. Statistically significant differences between groups were evaluated using the Turkey test with one-way ANOVA.</p

Viable cell counts of <i>M</i>. <i>abscessus</i> subsp. <i>abscessus</i> Mb-10 and Mb-17 isolates in silkworms.

Silkworms were injected with saline (50 μl) or M. abscessus subsp. abscessus Mb-10 cell suspension (3.6 x 108 cells per 50 μl) or Mb-17 cell suspension (3.8 x 108 cells per 50 μl) and incubated at 37˚C. Silkworm hemolymph was harvested at 18 h post-infection. Five silkworms were used per group. Statistically significant differences between groups were evaluated using the Student t-test.</p

Polymerization of Hydroxy-Containing Diazoacetates: Synthesis of Hydroxy-Containing “Poly(substituted methylene)s” by Palladium-Mediated Polymerization and Poly(ester–ether)s by Polycondensation through O–H Insertion Reaction

Two types of polymerization of hydroxy-containing diazoacetates are described. The polymerization of hydroxy-containing diazoacetates using palladium complexes proceeded successfully under chain-growth mechanism even without a protecting group to give C–C main chain polymers bearing a hydroxy-containing ester substituent on each carbon of the backbone. The resulting polymers had a slightly branched structure due to chain transfer reaction with the hydroxy groups, while the polymers obtained by polymerization of silyl-protected diazoacetates and subsequent deprotection had a completely linear structure. The hydroxy-containing polymers with an appropriate hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance showed a lower critical solution temperature-type phase separation in an aqueous medium. On the other hand, the polymerization of hydroxy-containing diazoacetates using InCl₃ as a catalyst proceeded under step-growth mechanism to give oligomers having a distinct repeating unit (ester–ether), where a new ether bond was generated through O–H insertion reaction of diazocarbonyl groups into hydroxy groups

Proton Conductivity under Dry Conditions for Mesoporous Silica with Highly Dense Sulfonic Acid Groups

Highly dense sulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous electrolytes with high proton conductivity under dry conditions were prepared using tetramethoxysilane and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane in the presence of surfactants. Impedance spectroscopy and quasielastic neutron scattering measurements showed that the proton conductive properties of the mesoporous electrolytes depended significantly on the sulfonic acid densities on the surface of the mesoporous walls. This finding was also supported by molecular dynamics simulations. The proton conductivity of the mesoporous electrolyte with the highest acid density of 3.1 SO₃H molecules/nm² showed a value of 0.3 mS/cm at 433 K even under dry conditions. This value was higher than that for Nafion by about 2 orders of magnitude. Such high proton conductivity is thought to be induced by proton hopping in the hydrogen-bonded networks that were predominantly formed by neighboring sulfonic acid groups

Dispersion of Rod-like Particles of Nafion in Salt-Free Water/1-Propanol and Water/Ethanol Solutions

The dispersion of perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers in catalyst inks is an important factor controlling the performance of catalyst layers in membrane electrode assemblies of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The effect of water/alcohol composition on the dispersion of H-Nafion in water/1-propanol and water/ethanol solutions was studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance (¹⁹F NMR) spectroscopy. Hydrodynamic radii calculated from DLS decay profiles and the radii and interparticle distance of rod-like particles derived from SAXS profiles showed almost the same dependence on alcohol concentration. 1-Propanol was more effective than ethanol to induce changes in the characteristic lengths of the rod-like particles. The motional narrowing in the ¹⁹F NMR spectra by addition of 1-propanol indicates selective solvation of the rod-like particles. We suppose this might have decreased their radii and induced their elongation, which eventually led to extension of the ordered regions as observed in the hydrodynamic radii. Our study helps to clarify the dispersion of Nafion in aqueous alcohol solutions, which has implications for the performance of PEMFCs

Effect of the Side-Chain Structure of Perfluoro-Sulfonic Acid Ionomers on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on the Surface of Pt

The effect of side-chain structures in perfluoro-sulfonic acid ionomers on the adsorption of the terminal sulfonate moiety on the surface of Pt is investigated with voltammetry and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS). Analyses with low-molecular-weight model anions with and without an ether group in the perfluoro-alkyl chain indicate that the anions are adsorbed on Pt through one or two oxygen atom(s) of the terminal sulfonate group and that the oxygen atom of the ether group also interacts with the Pt surface, leading to stronger adsorption of the anions with an ether group. On the basis of the results obtained with the model anions, the adsorption of the terminal sulfonate moieties in perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers and its effect on oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is discussed. It is shown that the ionomers having longer side chains more strongly block ORR due to the flexibility of the side chains

Additional file 1: of Association between six-minute walk test parameters and the health-related quality of life in patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease

Supplemental analyses. Table S1. Clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in the never smoker group (n = 92). Table S2. Results of the six-minute walk test for patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in the never smoker group (n = 92). Table S3. Spearman’s correlations among six-minute walk test parameters and clinical parameters for patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in the never smoker group (n = 92). Table S4. Spearman’s correlations among six-minute walk test parameters and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores for patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in the never smoker group (n = 92). Table S5. Multivariate analysis for predictors of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores for patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in the never smoker group (n = 92). Table S6. Comparisons of six-minute walk test parameters and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores with or without cavitary lesions (n = 103). Table S7. Comparisons of clinical characteristics in pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease patients between male and female (n = 103). Table S8. Multivariate analysis for predictors of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores for patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease in female alone (n = 80). Table S9. Comparisons of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores with or without several clinical parameters (n = 103). (DOCX 55 kb