Pectic Galactan Polysaccharide-Based Gene Delivery System for Targeting Neuroinflammation

Treating neuroinflammation-related injuries and disorders through manipulation of neuroinflammation functions is being heralded as a new therapeutic strategy. In this study, a novel pectic galactan (PG) polysaccharide based gene therapy approach is developed for targeting reactive gliosis in neuroinflammation. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a cell protein with a high affinity to β-galactoside sugars and is highly expressed in reactive gliosis. Since PG carries galactans, it can target reactive gliosis via specific carbohydrate interaction between galactan and Gal-3 on the cell membrane, and therefore can be utilized as a carrier for delivering genes to these cells. The carrier is synthesized by modifying quaternary ammonium groups on the PG. The resulting quaternized PG (QPG) is found to form complexes with plasmid DNA with a mean diameter of 100 nm and have the characteristics required for targeted gene therapy. The complexes efficiently condense large amounts of plasmid per particle and successfully bind to Gal-3. The in vivo study shows that the complexes are biocompatible and safe for administration and can selectively transfect reactive glial cells of an induced cortical lesion. The results confirm that this PG-based delivery system is a promising platform for targeting Gal-3 overexpressing neuroinflammation cells for treating neuroinflammation-related injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.     

Quantifying the limits of CAR T-cell delivery in mice and men

CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) T cells have demonstrated clinical success for the treatment of multiple lymphomas and leukaemias, but not for various solid tumours, despite promising data from murine models. Lower effective CAR T-cell delivery rates to human solid tumours compared to haematological malignancies in humans and solid tumours in mice might partially explain these divergent outcomes. We used anatomical and physiological data for human and rodent circulatory systems to calculate the typical perfusion of healthy and tumour tissues, and estimated the upper limits of immune cell delivery rates across different organs, tumour types and species. Estimated maximum delivery rates were up to 10 000-fold greater in mice than humans yet reported CAR T-cell doses are typically only 10–100-fold lower in mice, suggesting that the effective delivery rates of CAR T cells into tumours in clinical trials are far lower than in corresponding mouse models. Estimated delivery rates were found to be consistent with published positron emission tomography data. Results suggest that higher effective human doses may be needed to drive efficacy comparable to mouse solid tumour models, and that lower doses should be tested in mice. We posit that quantitation of species and organ-specific delivery and homing of engineered T cells will be key to unlocking their potential for solid tumours.     

Optimization of Selective Epitaxial Growth of Silicon in LPCVD

Selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of silicon has attracted considerable attention for its good electrical properties and advantages in building microstructures in high‐density devices. However, SEG problems, such as an unclear process window, selectivity loss, and nonuniformity have often made application difficult. In our study, we derived processing diagrams for SEG from thermodynamics on gas‐phase reactions so that we could predict the SEG process zone for low pressure chemical vapor deposition. In addition, with the help of both the concept of the effective supersaturation ratio and three kinds of E‐beam patterns, we evaluated and controlled selectivity loss and nonuniformity in SEG, which is affected by the loading effect. To optimize the SEG process, we propose two practical methods: One deals with cleaning the wafer, and the other involves inserting dummy active patterns into the wide insulator to prevent the silicon from nucleating.     

Reduction of sodium-accelerated oxidation of silicon nitride ceramics by aluminium implantation

Norton NBD 200 silicon nitride ceramics were implanted with sodium to a dose of 7.0×10¹⁵cm^-2 at 72 keV (1 at% peak sodium content at 100 nm). The sodium-implanted samples were further implanted with aluminium to 7.3×10¹⁵cm^-2 at 87 keV (1 at% peak aluminium content at 100 nm). The implanted and unimplanted samples were oxidized in 1 atm dry oxygen at 1100 and 1300°C for 2–6 h. Profilometry and scanning electron microscopy measurements indicated that sodium implantation led to up to a two-fold increase in the oxidation rate of silicon nitride. The sodium effect was effectively neutralized when aluminium was co-implanted. The opposite effects of sodium and aluminium on the oxidation resistance of silicon nitride can be attributed to their different roles in modifying the structure and properties of the oxide formed. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of volatiles evolved during high-temperature treatment of thermally stable polymers. I. Nitrogen-containing acetylene-terminated resin

Cured samples of a nitrogen-containing acetylene-terminated resin, N,N′-(1,3-phenylene-dimethylidene)bis(3-ethynylaniline), have been heated at 10°C/min up to 900°C in a pyroprobe attached to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Analysis of the volatiles evolved during heating identified both gases and higher boiling compounds. The major higher boiling compounds are benzene, toluene, xylene, aniline, benzonitrile, m-methylaniline, and m-methylbenzonitrile; the gases include ammonia, methane, and traces of carbon dioxide. Correlations between sample temperature and the evolution of each of these compounds have been made. The onset of all volatile formation occurs between 450 and 500°C. The higher boiling volatiles peak, then end by approximately 700°C, while the gases peak then fall off but are still being evolved at 900°C. Average weight loss measurements of 13.6% at 700°C and 15.7% at 900°C agree with previously published thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

隧道挖掘中采用补偿灌浆的实例

在英国伦敦多克兰斯轻便铁路刘易舍姆延长线（DLR－LWE）双隧道掘进工程中，在敏感建筑物下进行了补偿灌浆，以防止隧道开挖引起的过度沉降。但是，过度灌浆也会对隧道下部施加超越。介绍了由隧道掘进承包商所编辑的关于地面和建筑物沉降以及由补偿灌浆引起的隧道衬砌变形的详细现场监测数据。     

Should industrial/organizational psychologists be licensed?

A historical review of licensing among industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists demonstrates that the American Psychological Association (APA) policy on such licensing is inconsistent. Arguments for and against licensure for this group are presented. Job analysis and APA data are drawn upon to show that few I/O activities may pose the personal risk that would seem to require the protection of a license. Alternatives are discussed for changes in present APA policy and state licensing requirements. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)