Reconstitution of Monocyte Subsets and PD-L1 Expression but Not T Cell PD-1 Expression in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients upon PAP Therapy

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by nocturnal breathing intermissions resulting in oxidative stress and eventually, a low-grade systemic inflammation. The study aimed to investigate the impact of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on the inflammatory milieu as measured by monocyte and T cell phenotypic alterations. Participants were assessed for their OSA severity before PAP therapy and about six months later, including patient-reported outcome and therapy usage by telemetry readout. The distributions of the CD14/CD16-characterized monocyte subsets as well as the CD4/CD8-characterized effector T cell subsets with regard to their PD-1 and PD-L1 expression were analyzed by flow cytometry from blood samples. Data of 25 patients revealed a significant reconstitution of the monocyte subset distribution and a decrease in PD-L1 expression on pan-monocytes and CD8⁺ T cells without an association to initial AHI and overweight. The PD-1 expression was still increased on T cell subsets, especially on CD4⁺ TH17/22 cells. We conclude that PAP therapy might have a rapid effect on the monocyte phenotype and overall PD-L1 expression levels. However, T cell immune alterations especially on TH17/22 cells persist longer, indicating an ongoing disturbance of the adaptive immune system.     

Limnological features of Funil Reservoir (R.J., Brazil) and indicator properties of rotifers and cladocerans of the zooplankton community

Funil Reservoir receives inflow from a highly industrialized region and acts as a natural sink to pollutants. Among the consequences of the uncontrolled nutrient loading is the constant presence and periodic heavy blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa . This study verified limnological features and zooplankton assemblage of the Funil Reservoir focusing on the environmental-indicator properties of rotifers and cladocerans. The summer bloom of M. aeruginosa caused reductions in water transparency, nitrate and orthophosphate concentrations and raises in chlorophyll a , pH, dissolved oxygen and chemical oxygen demand values. All zooplankton species presented spatial and temporal variations with the exception of the copepods, which were present in all samples. According to canonical correspondence analysis, ammonium was the variable most related to zooplankton variability and different Rotifera and Cladocera assemblages indicated distinct environment conditions. Rotifer taxa associated with increases of water temperature and chlorophyll a concentration were found with high densities during M. aeruginosa blooms. Species of rotifer and cladocerans are suggested as indicators that can be used to identify different physical and chemical gradients or eutrophic increases in Funil Reservoir.     

Anionic Clays as Potential Slow-Release Fertilizers: Nitrate Ion Exchange

Several nitrate containing anionic clays were synthesized at different temperatures and the kinetics of NO₃ ^– release were determined to test their suitability as slow-release N fertilizers. A sample (Mg:Al = 2:1) synthesized at 60°C with smaller particle size released 75, 86 and 100% of its NO₃ ^– in 1, 3 and 7 days, respectively when equilibrated with a simulated soil solution. On the other hand, the 175°C/2 hrs sample with larger particle size released 65, 77 and 84% of its nitrate in 1, 3 and 7 days, respectively. Another anionic clay (synthesized at 175°C/24 hrs) of higher charge density (Mg:Al = 2:1) containing NO₃ ^– was equilibrated with a 0.012 N NaCl or Na₂CO₃ to test the role of different anions in releasing the NO₃ ^– anion from the interlayers. The results showed that Cl^– released more NO₃ ^– than did CO₃ ^2– from this anionic clay after all the treatment times probably as a result of the CO₃ ^2– anion blocking the release of NO₃ ^– from the interior of the crystals. When a lower charge density (Mg:Al = 3:1) sample (synthesized at 175°C/48 hrs) was equilibrated with 0.02N solution of anions the release of nitrate was as follows: Cl^– < F^– < SO₄ ⁼ CO₃ ^2–. These results suggest that the divalent SO₄ ⁼ and CO₃ ^2– anions are more effective in the release of NO₃ ^– from this lower charge density anionic clay. Time-resolved structural analysis of NO₃ ^– exchange with CO₃ ^2– in the above anionic clay using synchrotron x-ray diffraction showed that ion exchange is rapid because of small crystal size and lower charge density. Thus the release of NO₃ ^– from anionic clays is an interplay among the type of anions present in soil solution, their concentration, pH of soil solution, the charge density and crystal size of anionic clay etc.     

A perspective on the recent progress in solution-processed methods for highly efficient perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) were developed in 2009 and have led to a number of significant improvements in clean energy technology. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs has increased exponentially and currently stands at 22%. PSCs are transforming photovoltaic (PV) technology, outpacing many established PV technologies through their versatility and roll-to-roll manufacturing compatibility. The viability of low-temperature and solution-processed manufacturing has further improved their viability. This article provides a brief overview of the stoichiometry of perovskite materials, the engineering behind various modes of manufacturing by solution processing methods, and recommendations for future research to achieve large-scale manufacturing of high efficiency PSCs.     

Working memory plasticity in old age: Practice gain, transfer, and maintenance.

Adult age differences in cognitive plasticity have been studied less often in working memory than in episodic memory. The authors investigated the effects of extensive working memory practice on performance improvement, transfer, and short-term maintenance of practice gains and transfer effects. Adults age 20-30 years and 70-80 years practiced a spatial working memory task with 2 levels of processing demands across 45 days for about 15 min per day. In both age groups and relative to age-matched, no-contact control groups, we found (a) substantial performance gains on the practiced task, (b) near transfer to a more demanding spatial n-back task and to numerical n-back tasks, and (c) 3-month maintenance of practice gains and near transfer effects, with decrements relative to postpractice performance among older but not younger adults. No evidence was found for far transfer to complex span tasks. The authors discuss neuronal mechanisms underlying adult age differences and similarities in patterns of plasticity and conclude that the potential of deliberate working memory practice as a tool for improving cognition in old age merits further exploration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mutation of herpesvirus thymidine kinase to generate ganciclovir-specific kinases for use in cancer gene therapies

Understanding the functional and mechanistic properties of themulti-substrate herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase(HSV-1 TK) remains critical to defining its role as a majorpharmacological target in herpesvirus and gene therapies forcancer. An inherent limitation of the activity of HSV-TK isthe >70-fold difference in the K_ms for phosphorylation ofthymidine over the pro-drug ganciclovir (GCV). To engineer anHSV-1 TK isoform that is specific for GCV as the preferred substrate,16 site-specific mutants were generated. The mutations wereconcentrated at conserved residues involved in nucleoside basebinding, Gln125 and near sites 3 and 4 involved in catalysisand substrate binding. The substrate preferences of each mutantenzyme were compared with wild-type HSV-1 TK. One mutant, termedQ7530 TK, had a lower K_m for GCV than thymidine. Expressionof the Q7530 TK in tumor cells indicated comparable metabolismto and improved sensitivity to GCV over wild-type HSV-1 TK,with minimal thymidine phosphorylation activity. A molecularmodeling simulation of the different HSV-1 TK active-sites wasdone for GCV and thymidine binding. It was concluded that mutationsat Gln125 and near site 4, especially at Ala168, were responsiblefor loss of deoxypyrimidine substrate binding.     

Locomotor activity rhythms in dogs vary with age and cognitive status.

Beagle dogs exhibited diurnal patterns of locomotor activity that varied as a function of age, cognitive status, and housing environment. Aged dogs housed in an indoor facility showed a delayed onset of activity following lights on and displayed shorter bouts of activity, with more rest periods during the day, compared with young dogs. Cognitively impaired aged dogs were more active and showed a delayed peak of activity compared with unimpaired aged dogs. Housing in continuous light did not disrupt activity rhythms. The effect of age was less prominent in dogs housed in an indoor/outdoor facility. This suggests that bright sunlight and natural light-dark transitions are better able to consolidate and synchronize the activity rhythms of the dogs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transient response of premixed methane flames

The response of premixed methane-air flames to transient strain and local variations in equivalence ratio is studied during isolated interactions between a line-vortex pair and a V-flame. The temporal evolution of OH and CH is measured with planar laser-induced fluorescence for N₂-diluted flames with equivalence ratios ranging from 0.8 to 1.2. One-dimensional laminar flame calculations are used to simulate the flame response to unsteady strain and variations in reactant composition. When the reactant composition of the vortex pair and the V-flame are identical, the measurements and predictions show that the peak mole fractions of OH and CH decay monotonically in lean, stoichiometric, and rich flames. We also investigate the effects of a vortex pair with a leaner composition than the V-flame. In a stoichiometric flame, the leaner vortex enhances the decay of both OH and CH. In a rich flame, we observe an abrupt increase in OH-LIF signal and a disappearance of CH-LIF signal that are consistent with a previous experimental investigation. Our results indicate that the previously observed OH burst and CH breakage were caused by a difference in the equivalence ratios of the vortex pair and the main reactant flow. A numerical study shows that N₂ dilution enhances the response of premixed flames to unsteady strain and variations in stoichiometry. Reaction-path and sensitivity analyses indicate that the peak OH and CH mole fractions exhibit significant sensitivity to the main branching reaction, H + O₂ ↔ OH + O. The sensitivity of OH and CH to this and other reactions is enhanced by N₂ dilution. As a result, N₂-diluted flames provide a good test case for studying the reliability of chemical kinetic and transport models.     

创新的ADC结构在速度和功耗上取得进展

Xignal Technologies（混合信号IC开发商）（Munich，德国）在连续时间△∑式A／D转换技术上取得突破，可为在高采样速率条件下需要高动态范围的空间有限的应用，比如下一代便携式超声波仪器，提供高速、低功耗的A／D转换。