Method for Investigating the Spectral Characteristics of Corroded Metal

The extent of corrosion on the world’s bridges, buildings, power line towers, and various other outdoor steel structures is a significant problem faced by today’s infrastructure. For example, in the United States there are approximately 576,000 bridges, 41% of which are deemed potentially unsafe due to their substandard condition [1]. Corrosion is the major cause of these structures being evaluated as inadequate

Expression of soluble, active, fluorescently tagged hephaestin in COS and CHO cell lines

Hephaestin (Hp) is a trans-membrane protein, which plays a critical role in intestinal iron absorption. Hp was originally identified as the gene responsible for the phenotype of sex-linked anaemia in the sla mouse. The mutation in the sla protein causes ac-cumulation of dietary iron in duodenal cells, causing severe microcytic hypochromic anaemia. Although mucosal uptake of dietary iron is normal, export from the duodenum is inhibited. Hp is homologous to ceruloplasmin (Cp), a member of the family of multi copper fer-roxidases (MCFs) and possesses ferroxidase activity that facilitates iron release from the duodenum and load onto the serum iron trans-port protein transferrin. In the present study, attempts were made to produce biologically active recombinant mouse hephaestin as a secretory form tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP), Hpsec-GFP. Plasmid expressing Hpsec-GFP was constructed and transfected into COS and CHO cells. The GFP aided the monitoring expression in real time to select the best conditions to maximise expression and provided a tag for purifying and analysing Hpsec-GFP. The protein had detectable oxidase activity as shown by in-gel and solution-based assays. The methods described here can provide the basis for further work to probe the interaction of hephaestin with other proteins using complementary fluorescent tags on target proteins that would facilitate the fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements, for example with transferrin or colocalisation studies, and help to discover more about hephaestin works at the molecular level.</jats:p

Variant proteins stimulate more IgM+ GC B-cells revealing a mechanism of cross-reactive recognition by antibody memory

This is the final version. Available from eLife Sciences Publications via the DOI in this recordVaccines induce memory B-cells that provide high affinity secondary antibody responses to identical antigens. Memory B-cells can also re-instigate affinity maturation, but how this happens against antigenic variants is poorly understood despite its potential impact on driving broadly protective immunity against pathogens such as Influenza and Dengue. We immunised mice sequentially with identical or variant Dengue-virus envelope proteins and analysed antibody and germinal-centre (GC) responses. Variant protein boosts induced GCs with a higher proportion of IgM+ B cells. The most variant protein re-stimulated GCs with the highest proportion of IgM+ cells with the most diverse, least mutated V-genes and with a slower but efficient serum antibody response. Recombinant antibodies from GC B-cells showed a higher affinity for the variant antigen than antibodies from a primary response, confirming a memory origin. This reveals a new process of antibody memory, that IgM memory cells with fewer mutations participate in secondary responses to variant antigens, demonstrating how the hierarchical structure of B-cell memory is used and indicating the potential and limits of cross-reactive antibody based immunity.Funder: Wellcome Trust; Grant reference number 100115/Z/12/

Mathematical modeling of the dynamics of the bladder cancer and the immune response applied to a patient: Evolution and short-term prediction

[EN] Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in the urinary system and a highly aggressive neoplasm. The prognosis is not favorable usually, and its evolution for particular patients is very difficult to find out. In this paper, we propose a dynamic mathematical model that describes the bladder tumor growth and the immune response evolution. This model is customized for a single patient, determining appropriate model parameter values via model calibration. Due to the uncertainty of the tumor evolution, using the calibrated model parameters, we predict the tumor size and the immune response evolution over the next few months assuming three different scenarios: favorable, neutral, and unfavorable. In the former, it is not expected any trace of the cancer in the middle of September 2018 (after 16 mo). In the neutral scenario, at the same date, a 7- to 8-mm tumor is expected. In the worst case, a 40-mm tumor is expected. The patient was cited on 10 September 2018 to check the tumor size, and according to the doctors, there was no sign of recurrence. It seems that we are in the favorable scenario. The patient will be called again for follow-up in mid-2019.This work has been supported by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad grant MTM2017-89664-P.Burgos-Simon, C.; García-Medina, N.; Martínez-Rodríguez, D.; Villanueva Micó, RJ. (2019). Mathematical modeling of the dynamics of the bladder cancer and the immune response applied to a patient: Evolution and short-term prediction. Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences. 42(17):5746-5757. https://doi.org/10.1002/mma.5536S574657574217Official Site for Spanish Medic Oncology Society.https://www.seom.org. Accessed: 25/09/2018.Greenlee, R. T., Hill-Harmon, M. B., Murray, T., & Thun, M. (2001). Cancer Statistics, 2001. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 51(1), 15-36. doi:10.3322/canjclin.51.1.15Holmang, S., Hedelin, H., Anderstrom, C., & Johansson, S. L. (1995). The Relationship Among Multiple Recurrences, Progression and Prognosis of Patients with Stages TA and T1 Transitional Cell Cancer of the Bladder Followed for at least 20 years. Journal of Urology, 153(6), 1823-1827. doi:10.1016/s0022-5347(01)67321-xRedelman-Sidi, G., Glickman, M. S., & Bochner, B. H. (2014). The mechanism of action of BCG therapy for bladder cancer—a current perspective. Nature Reviews Urology, 11(3), 153-162. doi:10.1038/nrurol.2014.15Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ)‐Health Professional Version.https://www.cancer.gov/types/bladder/hp/bladder-treatment-pdq. Accessed: 25/09/2018.Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ)‐Patient Version.https://www.cancer.gov/types/bladder/patient/bladder-treatment-pdq. Accessed: 25/09/2018.Official Site for Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe Valencia Spain.http://www.hospital-lafe.com. Accessed: 25/09/2018.Hanahan, D., & Weinberg, R. A. (2011). Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation. Cell, 144(5), 646-674. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2011.02.013Dong, H., Strome, S. E., Salomao, D. R., Tamura, H., Hirano, F., Flies, D. B., … Chen, L. (2002). Tumor-associated B7-H1 promotes T-cell apoptosis: A potential mechanism of immune evasion. Nature Medicine, 8(8), 793-800. doi:10.1038/nm730Fernandez, N. C., Lozier, A., Flament, C., Ricciardi-Castagnoli, P., Bellet, D., Suter, M., … Zitvogel, L. (1999). Dendritic cells directly trigger NK cell functions: Cross-talk relevant in innate anti-tumor immune responses in vivo. Nature Medicine, 5(4), 405-411. doi:10.1038/7403Factsheet of OncoTICE 2 − 8 × 108UFC powder for suspension intravesical (in Spanish).https://www.aemps.gob.es/cima/pdfs/es/ft/61377/61377_ft.pdf. Accessed: 25/09/2018

Europeana: What Users Search For and Why

People use digital cultural heritage sites in different ways and for various purposes. In this paper we explore what information people search for and why when using Europeana, one of the world’s largest aggregators of cultural heritage. We gathered a probability sample of 240 search requests from users via an online survey and used qualitative content analysis complemented with Shatford-Panofsky’s mode/facet analysis for analysing requests to visual archives to investigate the following: (i) the broad type of search task; (ii) the subject content of searches; and (iii) motives for searching and uses of the information found. Results highlight the rich diversity of searches conducted using Europeana. Contributions include: collection and analysis of a comprehensive sample of Europeana search requests, a scheme for categorising information use, and deeper insights into the users and uses of Europeana

Scalable microaccordion mesh for deformable and stretchable metallic films

Elastically deformable materials can be created from rigids sheets through patterning appropriate meshes which can locally bend and flex. We demonstrate how micro-accordion patterns can be fabricated across large areas using three-beam interference lithography. Our resulting mesh induces a large and robust elasticity within any rigid material film. Gold coating the micro-accordion produces stretchable conducting films. Conductivity changes are negligible when the sample is stretched reversibly up to 30% and no major defects are introduced, in comparison to continuous sheets which quickly tear. Scaling analysis shows that our method is suited to further miniaturisation and large- scale fabrication of stretchable functional films. It thus opens routes to stretchable interconnects in electronic, photonic and sensing applications, as well as a wide variety of other deformable structures.We are grateful for funding from the Cambridge NanoDTC, ERC LINASS 320503 and UK EPSRC grants EP/G060649/1, EP/G037221/1, EP/L027151/1 and EP/L015978/1, as well as Nokia Research. RWB thanks Queens’ College Cambridge for financial support.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from APS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.4.04400

Low Soluble Syndecan-1 Precedes Preeclampsia

Introduction Syndecan-1 (Sdc1; CD138) is a major transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan expressed on the extracellular, luminal surface of epithelial cells and syncytiotrophoblast, thus comprising a major component of the glycocalyx of these cells. The "soluble" (shed) form of Sdc1 has paracrine and autocrine functions and is normally produced in a regulated fashion. We compared plasma soluble Sdc1 concentrations, in relation to placental Sdc1 expression, in uncomplicated (control) and preeclamptic pregnancies. Methods We evaluated soluble Sdc1 across uncomplicated pregnancy, and between preeclamptic, gestational hypertensive and control patients at mid-pregnancy (20 weeks) and 3rd trimester by ELISA. Placental expression level of Sdc1 was compared between groups in relation to pre-delivery plasma soluble Sdc1. Participants were recruited from Magee-Womens Hospital. Results In uncomplicated pregnancy, plasma soluble Sdc1 rose significantly in the 1st trimester, and reached an approximate 50-fold increase at term compared to post pregnancy levels. Soluble Sdc1 was lower at mid-pregnancy in women who later developed preeclampsia (P<0.05), but not gestational hypertension, compared to controls, and remained lower at late pregnancy in preeclampsia (P<0.01) compared to controls. Sdc1 was prominently expressed on syncytiotrophoblast of microvilli. Syncytiotrophoblast Sdc1 immunostaining intensities, and mRNA content in villous homogenates, were lower in preeclampsia vs. controls (P<0.05). Soluble Sdc1 and Sdc1 immunostaining scores were inversely associated with systolic blood pressures, and positively correlated with infant birth weight percentile

Evaluating regional emission estimates using the TRACE-P observations

Measurements obtained during the NASA Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment are used in conjunction with regional modeling analysis to evaluate emission estimates for Asia. A comparison between the modeled values and the observations is one method to evaluate emissions. Based on such analysis it is concluded that the inventory performs well for the light alkanes, CO, ethyne, SO2, and NOₓ. Furthermore, based on model skill in predicting important photochemical species such as O₃, HCHO, OH, HO₂, and HNO₃, it is found that the emissions inventories are of sufficient quality to support preliminary studies of ozone production. These are important finding in light of the fact that emission estimates for many species (such as speciated NMHCs and BC) for this region have only recently been estimated and are highly uncertain. Using a classification of the measurements built upon trajectory analysis, we compare observed species distributions and ratios of species to those modeled and to ratios estimated from the emissions inventory. It is shown that this technique can reconstruct a spatial distribution of propane/benzene that looks remarkably similar to that calculated from the emissions inventory. A major discrepancy between modeled and observed behavior is found in the Yellow Sea, where modeled values are systematically underpredicted. The integrated analysis suggests that this may be related to an underestimation of emissions from the domestic sector. The emission is further tested by comparing observed and measured species ratios in identified megacity plumes. Many of the model derived ratios (e.g., BC/CO, SOₓ/C₂H₂) fall within ∼25% of those observed and all fall outside of a factor of 2.5. (See Article file for details of the abstract.)Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringAuthor name used in this publication: Wang, T