Lignin Impact on Fibre Degradation: 1—Quinone Methide Intermediates Formedfrom Lignin DuringIn VitroFermentation ofCorn Stover*

Experiments were conducted to determine whether formation of quinone methide intermediates from lignin occurs during ruminal fermentation of corn stover, as indicated by nucleophilic addition reaction with sulphur-containing reducing agents. Corn stover leaf and stem fractions harvested at full maturity were incubated in buffered ruminal fluid without reducing agents or with (NH₄)₂SO₄ (S-control), Na₂S.9H₂O, cysteine-HCl (cysHCl), or cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O; and in only buffer with or without cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O. Mixed reducing agents (cysHCl plus Na₂S.9H₂O) enhanced ( P< 0.001) in vitro fibre degradation after 48 h, tended to increase solubilisation of fibre ( P =0.07) and dry matter ( P =0.06) in buffer alone, and elevated ( P< 0.001) S-content of residual fibre. In vitro incorporation of S into the undegraded fibre was determined for corn stover fractions of varying lignin compositions that were harvested at two maturities (early dent and full maturity) in 2 years. Extent of fibre degradation was correlated with extent of S-incorporation ( r =-0.54, P< 0.001), and with lignin methoxyl content ( r =-0.84, P< 0.001). The negative association of lignin methoxyl content with digestibility is explained by the relative likelihood of quinone methide intermediate formation from guaiacyl and syringyl units in lignin.     

Influence of a metallic filler on polyurethane formation

The addition of metallic fillers is recognized to impart improvement of acoustic properties to polyurethane-based materials used for marine applications. The system under consideration was obtained by the reaction of a triisocyanateterminated prepolymer with 1,4-butanediol, in the presence of various concentrations of lead powder. With increasing lead content, gelation time is reduced and an Einstein-type law does not apply. The kinetics of the reaction were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Deviation from the classic second order is observed for the filled systems, and the higher the lead content, the more important the deviation is, showing undoubtedly the catalytic effect of the metallic powder.     

Application of real/mixed μ computational techniques to an H∞ missile autopilot

A multivariable missile autopilot is synthesized using an H_∞ approach. A tradeoff is achieved between performance, actuators solicitation and uncertainties in the actuators and bending modes dynamics. Robust stability and performance of the control law are then studied in the face of large real parametric aerodynamic uncertainties: computational techniques for real and mixed μ analysis (namely De Gaston and Safonov's, Dailey's, Jones’, Young and Doyle's, Fan, Tits and Doyle's and Safonov and Lee's methods) are briefly reviewed before being used to compute either the exact value, or an interval of the structured singular value (SSV). For small amounts of parameters, the upper and lower bounds provided by these methods are compared to the exact value, computed by De Gaston and Safonov's method. For larger amounts of parameters, NP hardness of the problem prohibits the use of algorithms which compute the exact value: these algorithms are indeed necessarily exponential-time. As an alternative in this case, the use of polynomial-time methods for computing upper and lower bounds leads in our examples to accurate approximates of the real and mixed structured singular values.     

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and Early Embryogenesis: Review

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has four major isoforms: classical hCG, hyperglycosylated hCG, free β subunit, and sulphated hCG. Classical hCG is the first molecule synthesized by the embryo. Its RNA is transcribed as early as the eight-cell stage and the blastocyst produces the protein before its implantation. This review synthetizes everything currently known on this multi-effect hormone: hCG levels, angiogenetic activity, immunological actions, and effects on miscarriages and thyroid function.     

Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: What Do We Currently Know in 2020?

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common skin cancer that predominantly arises in chronically sun-damaged skin. Immunosuppression, genetic disorders such as xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), exposure to certain drugs and environmental noxae have been identified as major risk factors. Surgical removal of cSCC is the therapy of choice and mostly curative in early stages. However, a minority of patients develop locally advanced tumors or distant metastases that are still challenging to treat. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting CTLA-4, PD-L1 and PD-1 has tremendously changed the field of oncological therapy and especially the treatment of skin cancers as tumors with a high mutational burden. In this review, we focus on the differences between cSCC and cutaneous melanoma (CM) and their implications on therapy, summarize the current evidence on ICB for the treatment of advanced cSCC and discuss the chances and pitfalls of this therapy option for this cancer entity. Furthermore, we focus on special subgroups of interest such as organ transplant recipients, patients with hematologic malignancies, XP and field cancerization.     

Mining the Wheat Grain Proteome

Bread wheat is the most widely cultivated crop worldwide, used in the production of food products and a feed source for animals. Selection tools that can be applied early in the breeding cycle are needed to accelerate genetic gain for increased wheat production while maintaining or improving grain quality if demand from human population growth is to be fulfilled. Proteomics screening assays of wheat flour can assist breeders to select the best performing breeding lines and discard the worst lines. In this study, we optimised a robust LC–MS shotgun quantitative proteomics method to screen thousands of wheat genotypes. Using 6 cultivars and 4 replicates, we tested 3 resuspension ratios (50, 25, and 17 µL/mg), 2 extraction buffers (with urea or guanidine-hydrochloride), 3 sets of proteases (chymotrypsin, Glu-C, and trypsin/Lys-C), and multiple LC settings. Protein identifications by LC–MS/MS were used to select the best parameters. A total 8738 wheat proteins were identified. The best method was validated on an independent set of 96 cultivars and peptides quantities were normalised using sample weights, an internal standard, and quality controls. Data mining tools found particularly useful to explore the flour proteome are presented (UniProt Retrieve/ID mapping tool, KEGG, AgriGO, REVIGO, and Pathway Tools).     

Analysis of Integrin αIIb Subunit Dynamics Reveals Long-Range Effects of Missense Mutations on Calf Domains

Integrin α_IIbβ₃, a glycoprotein complex expressed at the platelet surface, is involved in platelet aggregation and contributes to primary haemostasis. Several integrin α_IIbβ₃ polymorphisms prevent the aggregation that causes haemorrhagic syndromes, such as Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT). Access to 3D structure allows understanding the structural effects of polymorphisms related to GT. In a previous analysis using Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of α_IIb Calf-1 domain structure, it was observed that GT associated with single amino acid variation affects distant loops, but not the mutated position. In this study, experiments are extended to Calf-1, Thigh, and Calf-2 domains. Two loops in Calf-2 are unstructured and therefore are modelled expertly using biophysical restraints. Surprisingly, MD revealed the presence of rigid zones in these loops. Detailed analysis with structural alphabet, the Proteins Blocks (PBs), allowed observing local changes in highly flexible regions. The variant P741R located at C-terminal of Calf-1 revealed that the Calf-2 presence did not affect the results obtained with isolated Calf-1 domain. Simulations for Calf-1 + Calf-2, and Thigh + Calf-1 variant systems are designed to comprehend the impact of five single amino acid variations in these domains. Distant conformational changes are observed, thus highlighting the potential role of allostery in the structural basis of GT.     

Cell-Based Chemical Safety Assessment and Therapeutic Discovery Using Array-Based Sensors

Synthetic chemicals are widely used in food, agriculture, and medicine, making chemical safety assessments necessary for environmental exposure. In addition, the rapid determination of chemical drug efficacy and safety is a key step in therapeutic discoveries. Cell-based screening methods are non-invasive as compared with animal studies. Cellular phenotypic changes can also provide more sensitive indicators of chemical effects than conventional cell viability. Array-based cell sensors can be engineered to maximize sensitivity to changes in cell phenotypes, lowering the threshold for detecting cellular responses under external stimuli. Overall, array-based sensing can provide a robust strategy for both cell-based chemical risk assessments and therapeutics discovery.     

Al2O3-ZrO2 Finely Structured Multilayer Architectures from Suspension Plasma Spraying

Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) is an alternative to conventional atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) aiming at manufacturing thinner layers (i.e., 10-100 μm) due to the specific size of the feedstock particles, from a few tens of nanometers to a few micrometers. The staking of lamellae and particles, which present a diameter ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 μm and an average thickness from 20 to 300 nm, permits to manufacture finely structured layers. Moreover, it appears as a versatile process able to manufacture different coating architectures according to the operating parameters (suspension properties, injection configuration, plasma properties, spray distance, torch scan velocity, scanning step, etc.). However, the different parameters controlling the properties of the coating, and their interdependences, are not yet fully identified. Thus, the aim of this paper is, on the one hand, to better understand the influence of operating parameters on the coating manufacturing mechanisms (in particular, the plasma gas mixture effect) and, on the other hand, to produce Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ finely structured layers with large varieties of architectures. For this purpose, a simple theoretical model was used to describe the plasma torch operating conditions at the nozzle exit, based on experimental data (mass enthalpy, arc current intensity, thermophysical properties of plasma forming gases, etc.) and the influences of the spray parameters were determined by mean of the study of sizes and shapes of spray beads. The results enabled then to reach a better understanding of involved phenomena and their interactions on the final coating architectures permitting to manufacture several types of microstructures.