Influenza virus NS1 protein binds cellular DNA to block transcription of antiviral genes

Influenza NS1 protein is an important virulence factor that is capable of binding double-stranded (ds) RNA and inhibiting dsRNA-mediated host innate immune responses. Here we show that NS1 can also bind cellular dsDNA. This interaction prevents loading of transcriptional machinery to the DNA, thereby attenuating IAV-mediated expression of antiviral genes. Thus, we identified a previously undescribed strategy, by which RNA virus inhibits cellular transcription to escape antiviral response and secure its replication. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Advanced Silicon-on-Insulator: Crystalline Silicon on Atomic Layer Deposited Beryllium Oxide

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology improves the performance of devices by reducing parasitic capacitance. Devices based on SOI or silicon-on-sapphire technology are primarily used in high-performance radio frequency (RF) and radiation sensitive applications as well as for reducing the short channel effects in microelectronic devices. Despite their advantages, the high substrate cost and overheating problems associated with complexities in substrate fabrication as well as the low thermal conductivity of silicon oxide prevent broad applications of this technology. To overcome these challenges, we describe a new approach of using beryllium oxide (BeO). The use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for producing this material results in lowering the SOI wafer production cost. Furthermore, the use of BeO exhibiting a high thermal conductivity might minimize the self-heating issues. We show that crystalline Si can be grown on ALD BeO and the resultant devices exhibit potential for use in advanced SOI technology applications

Anticancer compound ABT-263 accelerates apoptosis in virus-infected cells and imbalances cytokine production and lowers survival rates of infected mice

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Robust T cell immunity in convalescent individuals with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells will likely prove critical for long-term immune protection against COVID-19. Here, we systematically mapped the functional and phenotypic landscape of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in unexposed individuals, exposed family members, and individuals with acute or convalescent COVID-19. Acute-phase SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells displayed a highly activated cytotoxic phenotype that correlated with various clinical markers of disease severity, whereas convalescent-phase SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were polyfunctional and displayed a stem-like memory phenotype. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were detectable in antibody-seronegative exposed family members and convalescent individuals with a history of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19. Our collective dataset shows that SARS-CoV-2 elicits broadly directed and functionally replete memory T cell responses, suggesting that natural exposure or infection may prevent recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19

Atomic-level structural and electronic properties of hybrid inorganic-organic ZnO:hydroquinone superlattices fabricated by ALD/MLD

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Layer-by-layer design of nanostructured thermoelectrics

Crystalline atomic/molecular layer deposited ZnO:organic superlattices form a fundamentally new exciting family of coherent multilayered thermoelectric materials. They retain the n-type electrical transport properties derived from the parent ZnO lattice, while the organic molecular layers reduce the thermal conductivity. The controlled nanostructuring opens up the possibility of improving the thermoelectric characteristics of the parent oxide. Here we employ quantum chemical methods to rationalize our experimental results on the ZnO:organic superlattices and determine the thermoelectric structure-property relationships arising from the nanoscale layer-by-layer engineering of ZnO. Our results reveal the importance of systematic tailoring of the organic superlattice component and provide us with atomic-level guidelines for the rational design of novel hybrid inorganic-organic thermoelectrics.Peer reviewe

Efficiently suppressed thermal conductivity in ZnO thin films via periodic introduction of organic layers

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