HTE 3.0: Knowledge-based systems in cascade for familial hypercholesterolemia detection and dyslipidemia treatment

HTE 3.0 aims to support clinicians in the detection of patients with dyslipidemia, especially patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), and in the recommendation of personalized lipid-lowering treatments. The core of HTE 3.0 is a clinical decision support system in which several knowledge-based systems are serialized: patient detection, therapeutic target setting, personalized treatment assessment, and treatment combination and prioritization, according to different criteria. The experimental evaluation of HTE 3.0 shows that the use of HTE 3.0 would mean increasing the capacity to detect FH by 5.7 times compared with usual clinical practice. Regarding the lipid-lowering treatment, a comparison of 18 cases among seven lipidologists shows that the differences between treatments provided by HTE 3.0 and human lipidologists are smaller than the differences between human experts.     

Low temperature synthesis of bulk Boron Nitride Nanoplatelets with and without metallic binder

Boron Nitride Nanoplatelets (BNNP) are consolidated into a bulk form using a low energy processing route that consisted of cryogenic milling, cold isostatic pressing, and a short, mild heat treatment. X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to confirm the presence of the secondary metallic constituent and the different phases of Boron Nitride (BN). Unique features of BNNP such as platelet stacking and kinking are retained. A secondary metallic constituent is also included to improve processability and to enhance structural support in the bulk structure. Mechanical properties were evaluated using microhardness testing and nanoindentation. Relative density, elastic modulus, and hardness increased with the incorporation of Al binder contents of as low as 10 vol %. A high degree of load transfer efficiency is demonstrated in higher metallic binder content composites (50 vol % Al) by comparing theoretical and experimentally measured microhardness values. This study presents a novel template for manufacturing bulk 2D nanomaterials using simple and low energy processing.     

Machine Learning Enables Selection of Epistatic Enzyme Mutants for Stability Against Unfolding and Detrimental Aggregation

Machine learning (ML) has pervaded most areas of protein engineering, including stability and stereoselectivity. Using limonene epoxide hydrolase as the model enzyme and innov'SAR as the ML platform, comprising a digital signal process, we achieved high protein robustness that can resist unfolding with concomitant detrimental aggregation. Fourier transform (FT) allows us to take into account the order of the protein sequence and the nonlinear interactions between positions, and thus to grasp epistatic phenomena. The innov'SAR approach is interpolative, extrapolative and makes outside-the-box, predictions not found in other state-of-the-art ML or deep learning approaches. Equally significant is the finding that our approach to ML in the present context, flanked by advanced molecular dynamics simulations, uncovers the connection between epistatic mutational interactions and protein robustness.     

Aqueous Gel-Forming of Silicon Nitride Using Carrageenans

Much effort has been devoted recently to the development of near-net-shaping processes in water. Agarose has been demonstrated to be a suitable gelling agent for aqueous forming. However, its high cost and the difficulties in controlling the rheological properties have restricted large-scale applications. In this work a novel gelling binder, namely carrageenan, is proposed as a low-cost and high-gel-strength additive for gel-forming ceramic powders. The capability to obtain silicon nitride parts by carrageenan gelation is described. Aqueous silicon nitride slips are prepared at pH >11 to a solids content of 70 wt% using tetramethylammonium hydroxide as a dispersant. Dissolution and gelation of carrageenan are studied by continuous measurements of viscosity with temperature for solutions prepared at different pH values. The final injection slips prepared by mixing at <60°C the previously heated suspension and the carrageenan solution are rheologically characterized also. After the blend is injected into cooled nonporous molds, gelling occurs in a few seconds and samples can be dried in air for 24–48 h. Green densities of 52% of theoretical are obtained.     

The role of molybdenum in Mo-doped V–Mg–O catalysts during the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane

A detailed study on the influence of the addition of molybdenum ions on the catalytic behaviour of a selective vanadium–magnesium mixed oxide catalyst in the oxidation of n-butane has been performed. The catalysts have been prepared by impregnation of a calcined V–Mg–O mixed oxides (23.8 wt% of V₂O₅) with an aqueous solution of ammonium heptamolybdate, and then calcined, and further characterised by several physico-chemical techniques, i.e. S_BET, XRD, FTIR, FT-Raman, XPS, H₂-TPR. MgMoO₄, in addition to Mg₃V₂O₈ and MgO, have been detected in all the Mo-doped samples. The incorporation of molybdenum modifies not only the number of V⁵⁺-species on the catalyst surface and the reducibility of selective sites but also the catalytic performance of V–Mg–O catalysts. The incorporation of MoO₃ favours a selectivity and a yield to oxydehydrogenation products (especially butadiene) higher than undoped sample. In this way, the best catalyst was obtained with a Mo-loading of 17.3 wt% of MoO₃ and a bulk Mo/V atomic ratio of 0.6. From the comparison between the catalytic properties and the catalyst characterisation of undoped and Mo-doped V–Mg–O catalysts, the nature of selective sites in the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane is also discussed.     

Processing and microstructure of porous and dense PZT thick films on Al2O3

The processing of porous PZT thick-film ceramics on Al₂O₃ has been studied. The films were screen-printed from a thixotropic ink of PZT with a 58% solids content. The thick films were sintered between 1000 and 1150°C for 2 h. The sintered films show a 10 m thickness and an average pore diameter ranging from 1–2 m. The PZT forms a continuous skeleton that can be filled with the desired polymer. Dense and continuous PZT films were fabricated by screen-printing PZT ink on previously electroded Al₂O₃ substrates with Ag/Pd 70/30 paste. Densification of the PZT was obtained by sintering near the liquidus temperature of the Ag-Pd system.     

1,2-Mannobioside mimic: synthesis, DC-SIGN interaction by NMR and docking, and antiviral activity

The design and preparation of carbohydrate ligands for DC-SIGN is a topic of high interest because of the role played by this C-type lectin in immunity and infection processes. The low chemical stability of carbohydrates against enzymatic hydrolysis by glycosylases has stimulated the search for new alternatives more stable in vivo. Herein, we present a good alternative for a DC-SIGN ligand based on a mannobioside mimic with a higher enzymatic stability than the corresponding disaccharide. NMR and docking studies have been performed to study the interaction of this mimic with DC-SIGN in solution demonstrating that this pseudomannobioside is a good ligand for this lectin. In vitro studies using an infection model with Ebola pseudotyped virus demonstrates that this compound presents an antiviral activity even better than the corresponding disaccharide and could be an interesting ligand to prepare multivalent systems with higher affinities for DC-SIGN with potential biomedical applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of Nd doped LiMn2O4 cathode for Li-ion rechargeable batteries

Spinel powders of LiMn_1.99Nd_0.01O₄ have been synthesized by chemical synthesis route to prepare cathodes for Li-ion coin cells. The structural and electrochemical properties of these cathodes were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and charge-discharge studies. The cyclic voltammetry of the cathodes revealed the reversible nature of Li-ion intercalation and deintercalation in the electrochemical cell. The charge-discharge characteristics for LiMn_1.99Nd_0.01O₄ cathode materials were obtained in 3.4–4.3 V voltage range and the initial discharge capacity of this material were found to be about 149 mAh g⁻¹. The coin cells were tested for up to 25 charge-discharge cycles. The results show that by doping with small concentration of rare-earth element Nd, the capacity fading is considerably reduced as compared to the pure LiMn₂O₄ cathodes, making it suitable for Li-ion battery applications.     

Growth and nutrient digestion by dairy heifers fed semipurified diets

Holstein heifers, which weighed an average of 154 kg, were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments in a split plot in time design. Differences in diets were fiber source: solka floc, corn cobs, and corn silage. The major source of added protein was corn gluten meal. Total collection metabolism periods were the final 7 d of each of two 30-d periods. Several heifers had simple digestive disturbances, which appeared to be related to low ruminal pH, while consuming the solka floc diet. Average daily gains were .78, .83, and 1.02 kg/d for treatments solka floc, corn cobs, and corn silage, respectively. Gains were within the range of acceptable growth standards and were higher than reports in the literature for semipurified and purified diets. Protein in corn gluten meal appeared to be utilized efficiently by the heifers for growth. The solka floc and corn cob diets are acceptable for growing dairy heifers where a low mineral content is desired but normal growth rates need to be maintained. The solka floc diet might be improved by including a buffer to help stabilize rumen pH.     

通过有限元方法和试验验证对‘心’型管节点进行非线性分析

对空间框架的基本单元——空心圆管状节点的行为进行了分析。为了获得最好的设计,从试验和理论上,对构成节点体系的不同元素进行了研究,以精确确定在外部荷载作用下的响应。借助原型试验,采用有限元方法,对不同变量理论分析的结果进行了验证。在三维空间中,对结构以及局部进行了数值分析:对于局部,研究分割开的单元;对于整体,研究"心"型节点的工作性能。由于构成节点的不同单元的接触和非线性行为,使得模拟的最大困难在螺栓节点上。最后,对类似结构计算的简化程序给出了建议,得到了结论。