Design Guidelines for Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Alloys

Two-dimensional (2D) materials and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) in particular are at the forefront of nanotechnology. To tailor their properties for engineering applications, alloying strategiesused successfully for bulk metals in the last centuryneed to be extended to this novel class of materials. Here we present a systematic analysis of the phase behavior of substitutional 2D alloys in the TMD family on both the metal and the chalcogenide site. The phase behavior is quantified in terms of a metastability metric and benchmarked against systematic computational screening of configurational energy landscapes from First-Principles. The resulting Pettifor maps can be used to identify broad trends across chemical spaces and as starting point for setting up rational search strategies in phase space, thus allowing for targeted computational analysis of properties on likely thermodynamically stable compounds. The results presented here also constitute a useful guideline for synthesis of binary metal 2D TMDs alloys via a range of synthesis techniques

Design Guidelines for Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Alloys

Two-dimensional (2D) materials and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) in particular are at the forefront of nanotechnology. To tailor their properties for engineering applications, alloying strategiesused successfully for bulk metals in the last centuryneed to be extended to this novel class of materials. Here we present a systematic analysis of the phase behavior of substitutional 2D alloys in the TMD family on both the metal and the chalcogenide site. The phase behavior is quantified in terms of a metastability metric and benchmarked against systematic computational screening of configurational energy landscapes from First-Principles. The resulting Pettifor maps can be used to identify broad trends across chemical spaces and as starting point for setting up rational search strategies in phase space, thus allowing for targeted computational analysis of properties on likely thermodynamically stable compounds. The results presented here also constitute a useful guideline for synthesis of binary metal 2D TMDs alloys via a range of synthesis techniques

Additional File 6: Figure S6.

rTNF amplifies the pro-inflammatory profile of human astrocytes exposed to Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Human astrocytes were submitted to treatment with rTNF and left non-infected (NI) or infected by T. cruzi (MOI 1:1). At 4 h of infection, supernatants were collected and submitted to detection of cytokines by CBA. Data are presented as means ± SEM of triplicates. *, p < 0.05, untreated (NT) vs. rTNF-treated astrocytes. (TIFF 1375 kb

Additional File 5: Figure S5.

Pre-exposing astrocyte cultures to rTNF enhances parasite load in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected astrocytes. C57BL/6 primary astrocyte cultures were seeded, exposed to rTNF and infected as described in Fig. 5a. At 24 and 48 h of infection, the frequencies of infected astrocytes were stratified by classes according to the number of amastigote-like forms harbored in the cytoplasm. Data are presented as means ± SEM of triplicates. *, p < 0.05, **, p < 0.01 untreated (NT) vs. rTNF-treated astrocytes. (TIFF 1045 kb

Additional File 4: Figure S4.

Pre-treatment of fibroblast with rTNF does not affect infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. (a) Experimental scheme showing that L-929 fibroblasts were pre-treated with TNF (1 ng/mL) and subsequently infected with trypomastigote forms of the Colombian T. cruzi strain. (b-c) The percentage of infected cells and the number of parasites per cells were analyzed at 4 h (b) and 24 h (c) of infection, at a MOI of 1:1 or 10:1. Data are presented as mean ± SEM of duplicates. (TIFF 1430 kb

Additional File 7: Figure S7.

rTNF effects on Trypanosoma cruzi/astrocyte interaction are conserved in primary astrocyte cultures of C3H/He mice. (a) Monotypic primary astrocyte cell cultures of C3H/He mice were seeded, left untreated or treated with rTNF and infected with trypomastigote forms of the Colombian T. cruzi strain at a MOI of 1:1 or 10:1. (b) After 4 h of interaction, the frequencies of infected cells and the number in untreated (NT), rTNF-treated astrocytes are shown. (c) Data show the frequencies of infected astrocytes stratified by classes according to the number of amastigote-like forms harbored in the cytoplasm. Data are presented as means ± SEM of triplicates. *, p < 0.05, ***, p < 0.001 untreated (NT) vs. rTNF-treated astrocytes. #, p < 0.05, ##, p < 0.01, ###, p < 0.001 MOI 1:1 vs. MOI 10:1. (TIFF 1337 kb

Additional File 2: Figure S2.

Astrocytes from neonatal C57BL/6 mice are susceptible to in vitro infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. (a) Monotypic astrocyte cell cultures were allowed to interact during 4 or 24 h with Vero cells-born trypomastigote forms of the Colombian T. cruzi strain, at a MOI of 1:1 or 10:1. (b-e) Astrocyte infected with T. cruzi at a MOI of 1:1 and analyzed after 4 h (b, c, d) or 24 h (e) of interaction. (f) Parasites per 100 cells and frequency of T. cruzi-infected astrocytes after 4 and 24 h of T. cruzi/astrocyte interaction at a MOI of 1:1 or 10:1 Data are presented as means ± SEM of triplicates. *, p < 0.05 and **, p < 0.01 MOI 1:1 vs. MOI 10:1 in each analyzed interval; #, p < 0.05 and ##, p < 0.01 4 h vs. 24 h of infection in each analyzed MOI. (TIFF 1349 kb

Additional File 1: Figure S1.

Primary cell cultures of C57BL/6 cerebral cortex are enriched in astrocytes. CNS cells of seven to ten days of primary culture were seeded at a density of 105 cells per 13-mm-diameter coverslip and analyzed 24 h later. (a, b, c) Giemsa staining reveals cells resembling astrocytes with thin extensions, delicate branches, recognizable nucleoli and cytoplasm lightly stained. (d, e, f) Simultaneous immunohistochemical staining for GFAP and CD11b was used to determine the cell composition of primary astrocyte cultures. (e) Insert showing RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage lineage used as positive control for CD11b staining. (TIFF 1266 kb

Spt4 phosphorylation sites are required for osmostress gene expression.

<p><b>(A)</b> The indicated strains were subjected to osmostress (0.4 M NaCl) for the indicated times. Total RNA was analyzed by Northern blotting with radiolabeled probes specific for <i>CTT1</i>, <i>STL1</i>, <i>ALD3</i>, <i>GRE2</i> (osmostress genes) and <i>ENO1</i> (as a loading control) mRNA. Expression was measured relative to the loading control of each mRNA. <b>(B)</b> Quantification of relative expression levels of <i>CTT1</i>, <i>STL1</i>, <i>ALD3</i> and <i>GRE2</i>. Results are expressed as the percentage of the ratio with <i>ENO1</i> expression, normalized to the maximum level of expression in the wild type which is shown as 100%. Data of three biological replicates were used and means ± SD were calculated. t-test was calculated between each time point of the mutants and the wild type strains. Only significant differences are indicated; *, p<0.1; **, p<0.05. <b>(C)</b> The phosphorylation sites of Spt4 are not required for expression of the <i>GAL1</i> gene. Wild type and the indicated mutant strains were shifted to 2% galactose medium for the indicated times. Total RNA was analyzed by Northern blotting with radiolabeled probes specific for <i>GAL1</i> and <i>ENO1</i> (as a loading control). <b>(D)</b> Quantification of relative expression levels of <i>GAL1</i>. Results are expressed as in (B). Data of two biological replicates were used and means ± SD were calculated. t-test was calculated between each time point of the mutants and the wild type strains. Only significant differences are indicated; *, p<0.1. <b>(E)</b> The Spt4^T42AS43A mutant does not display a general elongation defect. Wild type (wt) and the indicated <i>spt4</i> mutant strains were grown to mid-log exponential phase and 10-fold serial dilutions were spotted on YPD and synthetic complete media containing 0.1 mg/ml 6-azauracil (6-AU). Growth at 30°C was scored after 4 days.</p

Las laminarias de España y su distribución

3 pages, 1 figureEn la Estadística de Pesca de 1963, publicada en agosto de 1964, y última de que disponemos en este momento, podemos ver en la página 542 que aquel año se ha recogido la cantidad de 457 toneladas de laminaria como cosecha total de la costa española. La verdad es que no sabemos a ciencia cierta cuáles son nuestros recursos en esta parcela de la economía, y para saberlo con relativa exactitud tendríamos que haber verificado un concienzudo trabajo de análisis y cálculo sobre la costa, que, dicho sea de paso, esperamos hacer algún día no lejano, que nos suministrará los preciosos datos. […] Laminaria Rodriguezii Bornet, Laminaria saccharina Lamour, Laminaria hyperborea Foslie (L. Cloustonii Edmons), Laminaria digitada Lamour (L. flexicaulis Le Jolis), Laminaria ochroleuca La Pylaie (L. pallida Bornet), Saccorhiza polyschides Batt (S. bulbosa Pylaie) [...]Peer reviewe