Single-step bifunctional coating for selectively conjugable nanoparticles

A single-step method to coat and bifunctionalize water-reduced gold nanoparticles (NPs) with two distinct reactive groups is reported. The coating is based on a peptide that bonds to the NPs surface by its N-cysteine amino acid, terminates with a C-terminal lysine, and stabilizes the colloids, thanks to the surface organization provided by the rest of the non-polar chain. The process yields stable, non-cytotoxic NPs presenting reactive amine and carboxylic groups on the surface; these allow rapid, selective and modular conjugation of virtually any chosen biomolecule or fluorophore. Functionalized and conjugated nanostructures are analyzed by electrophoresis, SEM, SERS; their biocompatibility and delivery capability are tested by cellular-uptake experiments.     

In vitro fermentation characteristics of diets with different forage/concentrate ratios: comparison of rumen and faecal inocula

BACKGROUND: The aim of this trial was to evaluate the replacement of rumen fluid with faeces as inoculum in studying the in vitro fermentation characteristics of diets for ruminants using the in vitro gas production technique. Six iso‐protein diets with different forage/concentrate ratios were incubated with rumen fluid (RI) or faeces (FI) collected from sheep. RESULTS: Most of the fermentation parameters were influenced by diet and inoculum (P < 0.01). With both inocula, organic matter degradability (dOM), cumulative gas production (OMCV) and maximum fermentation rate (R_max) increased as the amount of concentrate in the diet increased. R_max was lower with FI vs RI (P < 0.01); dOM was higher with FI vs RI and the diet × inoculum interaction was significant. As expected, with both inocula, R_max increased as the neutral detergent fibre content of the diet decreased. Significant correlations were obtained using both inocula between OMCV/dOM and gas/volatile fatty acid (VFA), while the correlation VFA/dOM was significant only with FI. The microbial biomass yield calculated by stoichiometric analysis for all diets was higher with FI vs RI. With FI the organic matter used for microbial growth showed an overall decreasing trend as the amount of concentrate in the diet increased. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that both faeces and rumen fluid from sheep have the potential to be used as inoculum for the in vitro gas production technique. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Skewness and kurtosis of 1/f noise in semiconductor devices

The degree of the Gaussian nature of the white noise present in microwave low-noise devices is experimentally investigated. The chosen experimental technique consists of simultaneously digitizing four versions of the noise which are amplified by four parallel independent amplifiers. The four independent signals are then used to compute the second, and, to a good approximation, the fourth moment of the noise. The ratio of the fourth moment to the square of the second moment is the kurtosis of the noise. Gaussian processes are characterized by a kurtosis equal to 3. A deviation from this value gives an indication about the degree of non-Gaussian nature of the noise. By using this technique, the effect of the additive noise introduced by the amplifiers is strongly reduced. In our experiments, the degree of the Gaussian nature of the white noise of some microwave devices is measured in the frequency range from 100 to 500 MHz. In all the investigated devices, the kurtosis is found to be very close to 3.     

Steam hydration-reactivation of FBC ashes for enhanced in situ desulphurization

Bed and fly ashes originating from industrial-scale fluidized bed combustors (FBCs) were steam hydrated to produce sorbents suitable for further in situ desulphurization. Samples of the hydrated ash were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and porosimetry. Bed ashes were hydrated in a pressure bomb for 30 and 60 min at 200 °C and 250 °C. Fly ash was hydrated in an electrically heated tubular reactor for 10 and 60 min at 200 °C and 300 °C. The results were interpreted by considering the hydration process and the related development of accessible porosity suitable for resulphation. The performance of the reactivated bed ash as sulphur sorbent improved with a decrease of both the hydration temperature and time. For reactivated fly ash, more favourable porosimetric features were observed at longer treatment times and lower hydration temperatures. Finally, it was shown that an ashing treatment (at 850 °C for 20 min) promoted a speeding up of the hydration process and an increase in the accessible porosity.     

Molecular Pathogenesis of NASH

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the main cause of chronic liver disease in the Western world and a major health problem, owing to its close association with obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. NASH progression results from numerous events originating within the liver, as well as from signals derived from the adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract. In a fraction of NASH patients, disease may progress, eventually leading to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the mechanisms leading to NASH and its evolution to cirrhosis is critical to identifying effective approaches for the treatment of this condition. In this review, we focus on some of the most recent data reported on the pathogenesis of NASH and its fibrogenic progression, highlighting potential targets for treatment or identification of biomarkers of disease progression.     

Impact of Ge-Sb-Te compound engineering on the set operation performance in phase-change memories

The phase-change memory (PCM) technology is considered as one of the most attractive non-volatile memory concepts for next generation data storage. It relies on the ability of a chalcogenide material belonging to the Ge-Sb-Te compound system to reversibly change its phase between two stable states, namely the poly-crystalline low-resistive state and the amorphous high-resistive state, allowing the storage of the logical bit. A careful study of the phase-change material properties in terms of the set operation performance, the program window and the electrical switching parameters as a function of composition is very attractive in order to enlarge the possible PCM application spectrum. Concerning the set performance, a crystallization kinetics based interpretation of the observed behavior measured on different Ge-Sb-Te compounds is provided, allowing a physics-based comprehension of the reset-to-set transition.     

New Evidence for Cross Talk between Melatonin and Mitochondria Mediated by a Circadian-Compatible Interaction with Nitric Oxide

Extending our previous observations, we have shown on HaCat cells that melatonin, at ~10⁻⁹ M concentration, transiently raises not only the expression of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA, but also the nNOS protein synthesis and the nitric oxide oxidation products, nitrite and nitrate. Interestingly, from the cell bioenergetic point of view, the activated NO-related chemistry induces a mild decrease of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) efficiency, paralleled by a depression of the mitochondrial membrane potential. The OXPHOS depression is apparently balanced by glycolysis. The mitochondrial effects described have been detected only at nanomolar concentration of melatonin and within a time window of a few hours’ incubation; both findings compatible with the melatonin circadian cycle.     

从结构主义到想象艺术

正家具最早出现在人类生活中时,是作为提高生活效率的"器具"使用的,它具备基础的功能性,外型和整体架构都十分简单。随着人类社会的不断演变,家具的存在早已被附上一层又一层的定义,设计师们的想象力通过家具的外型得以展现;而它的内部结构,成为展示制造工艺的最好平台;它的质感与视觉效果,通过材料的异同展现出不一样的姿态。荷兰设计师Oato所设计的Stuck Chair映射了工