Optimisation of the preservation conditions for molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles specific for trypsin.

The influence of lyophilisation, autoclaving and sonication on the stability and performance of trypsin-specific molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP NPs) has been studied in order to improve their long-term physical stability. Glucose, glycine, sorbitol and trehalose were tested as cryoprotectant agents during the lyophilisation treatment. The effect of lyophilisation and sterilisation on affinity of trypsin-specific NPs was assessed using Biacore 3000 instrument. The results have demonstrated that MIP NPs successfully withstood the lyophilisation and autoclaving conditions without a reduction of their recognition properties and affinity. It is possible to conclude that both tested lyophilisation and sterilisation treatments were suitable for a long-term storage of the prepared MIP NPs and could be used to store MIP NPs in dry state and hence reduce the chance of the bacterial contamination. An effective preservation of the MIP NPs is a crucial requirement for their future applications in the clinical diagnostics and bioimaging.

Formalizing Visualization Design Knowledge as Constraints: Actionable and Extensible Models in Draco.

There exists a gap between visualization design guidelines and their application in visualization tools. While empirical studies can provide design guidance, we lack a formal framework for representing design knowledge, integrating results across studies, and applying this knowledge in automated design tools that promote effective encodings and facilitate visual exploration. We propose modeling visualization design knowledge as a collection of constraints, in conjunction with a method to learn weights for soft constraints from experimental data. Using constraints, we can take theoretical design knowledge and express it in a concrete, extensible, and testable form: the resulting models can recommend visualization designs and can easily be augmented with additional constraints or updated weights. We implement our approach in Draco, a constraint-based system based on Answer Set Programming (ASP). We demonstrate how to construct increasingly sophisticated automated visualization design systems, including systems based on weights learned directly from the results of graphical perception experiments.

Ulnar neuropathy and medial elbow pain in women's fastpitch softball pitchers: a report of 6 cases.

BACKGROUND: Elite-level women's fastpitch softball players place substantial biomechanical strains on the elbow that can result in medial elbow pain and ulnar neuropathic symptoms. There is scant literature reporting the expected outcomes of the treatment of these injuries. This study examined the results of treatment in a series of these patients. METHODS: We identified 6 female softball pitchers (4 high school and 2 collegiate) with medial elbow pain and ulnar neuropathic symptoms. Trials of conservative care failed in all 6, and they underwent surgical treatment with subcutaneous ulnar nerve transposition. These patients were subsequently monitored postoperatively to determine outcome. RESULTS: All 6 female pitchers had early resolution of elbow pain and neuropathic symptoms after surgical treatment. Long-term follow-up demonstrated that 1 patient quit playing softball because of other injuries but no longer reported elbow pain or paresthesias. One player was able to return to pitching at the high school level but had recurrent forearm pain and neuritis 1 year later while playing a different sport and subsequently stopped playing competitive sports. Four patients continued to play at the collegiate level without further symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Medial elbow pain in women's softball pitchers caused by ulnar neuropathy can be treated effectively with subcutaneous ulnar nerve transposition if nonsurgical options fail. Further study is necessary to examine the role of overuse, proper training techniques, and whether pitching limits may be necessary to avoid these injuries.

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a meta-analysis accounting for exposure levels.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is one of the most commonly used selective herbicides in the world. A number of epidemiology studies have found an association between 2,4-D exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) but these results are inconsistent and controversial. A previous meta-analysis found no clear association overall but did not specifically examine high-exposure groups. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies of the associations between 2,4-D and NHL, with a particular focus on high-exposure groups, and evaluations of heterogeneity, dose-response, and bias. A total of 12 observational studies, 11 case-control studies, and one cohort study, were included. The summary relative risk for NHL using study results comparing subjects who were ever versus never exposed to 2,4-D was 1.38 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07-1.77). However, in analyses focusing on results from highly exposed groups, the summary relative risk for NHL was 1.73 (95% CI, 1.10-2.72). No clear bias based on study design, exposure assessment methodology, or outcome misclassification was seen. Overall, these findings provide new evidence for an association between NHL and exposure to the herbicide 2,4-D.

Cobalt-iron (oxy)hydroxide oxygen evolution electrocatalysts: the role of structure and composition on activity, stability, and mechanism.

Cobalt oxides and (oxy)hydroxides have been widely studied as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). For related Ni-based materials, the addition of Fe dramatically enhances OER activity. The role of Fe in Co-based materials is not well-documented. We show that the intrinsic OER activity of Co(1-x)Fe(x)(OOH) is ∼100-fold higher for x ≈ 0.6-0.7 than for x = 0 on a per-metal turnover frequency basis. Fe-free CoOOH absorbs Fe from electrolyte impurities if the electrolyte is not rigorously purified. Fe incorporation and increased activity correlate with an anodic shift in the nominally Co(2+/3+) redox wave, indicating strong electronic interactions between the two elements and likely substitutional doping of Fe for Co. In situ electrical measurements show that Co(1-x)Fe(x)(OOH) is conductive under OER conditions (∼0.7-4 mS cm(-1) at ∼300 mV overpotential), but that FeOOH is an insulator with measurable conductivity (2.2 × 10(-2) mS cm(-1)) only at high overpotentials >400 mV. The apparent OER activity of FeOOH is thus limited by low conductivity. Microbalance measurements show that films with x ≥ 0.54 (i.e., Fe-rich) dissolve in 1 M KOH electrolyte under OER conditions. For x < 0.54, the films appear chemically stable, but the OER activity decreases by 16-62% over 2 h, likely due to conversion into denser, oxide-like phases. We thus hypothesize that Fe is the most-active site in the catalyst, while CoOOH primarily provides a conductive, high-surface area, chemically stabilizing host. These results are important as Fe-containing Co- and Ni-(oxy)hydroxides are the fastest OER catalysts known.

Contributions to activity enhancement via Fe incorporation in Ni-(oxy)hydroxide/borate catalysts for near-neutral pH oxygen evolution.

Ni-borate materials are oxygen evolution catalysts that operate at near-neutral pH and have been found previously to improve due to structural changes induced via anodic conditioning. We find that this increased activity after conditioning at 0.856 V vs. SCE, as measured on a turn-over frequency basis (TOF) at 400 mV overpotential (TOF = 0.38 s(-1)), accompanies significant Fe incorporation (14%). Films conditioned in Fe-free electrolyte exhibit ∼10 times lower activity (TOF = 0.03 s(-1)). By co-depositing Fe-Ni we demonstrate high activity without conditioning (TOF = 0.24 s(-1)) which improves further with shortened (∼30 min) conditioning (TOF = 1.4 s(-1)).

RuleBender: integrated modeling, simulation and visualization for rule-based intracellular biochemistry.

BACKGROUND: Rule-based modeling (RBM) is a powerful and increasingly popular approach to modeling cell signaling networks. However, novel visual tools are needed in order to make RBM accessible to a broad range of users, to make specification of models less error prone, and to improve workflows. RESULTS: We introduce RuleBender, a novel visualization system for the integrated visualization, modeling and simulation of rule-based intracellular biochemistry. We present the user requirements, visual paradigms, algorithms and design decisions behind RuleBender, with emphasis on visual global/local model exploration and integrated execution of simulations. The support of RBM creation, debugging, and interactive visualization expedites the RBM learning process and reduces model construction time; while built-in model simulation and results with multiple linked views streamline the execution and analysis of newly created models and generated networks. CONCLUSION: RuleBender has been adopted as both an educational and a research tool and is available as a free open source tool at http://www.rulebender.org. A development cycle that includes close interaction with expert users allows RuleBender to better serve the needs of the systems biology community.

[4-(Bromo-methyl)-benz-yl]triphenyl-phospho-nium bromide acetonitrile monosolvate.

In the title compound, C(26)H(23)BrP(+)·Br(-)·C(2)H(3)N, the dihedral angles between the plane of the benzylic phenyl ring attached to the P atom and the planes of the three directly attached phenyl rings are 34.04 (12), 45.48 (13) and 87.18 (9)°. In the crystal, centrosymmetric pairs of cations and anions are linked into dimeric aggregates via C-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds. There is also a C-H⋯N hydrogen bond to the acetonitrile solvent mol-ecule.

RuleBender: a visual interface for rule-based modeling.

SUMMARY: Rule-based modeling (RBM) is a powerful and increasingly popular approach to modeling intracellular biochemistry. Current interfaces for RBM are predominantly text-based and command-line driven. Better visual tools are needed to make RBM accessible to a broad range of users, to make specification of models less error prone and to improve workflows. We present RULEBENDER, an open-source visual interface that facilitates interactive debugging, simulation and analysis of RBMs. AVAILABILITY: RULEBENDER is freely available for Mac, Windows and Linux at http://rulebender.org.

Low profile fixation of radial head and neck fractures: surgical technique and clinical experience.

Radial head preservation with internal fixation is the preferred treatment for displaced radial head and neck fractures. Although plate fixation has been used successfully, concerns remain about loss of forearm rotation. A technique of low-profile fixation using obliquely oriented screws from the radial head into the shaft has been developed to avoid distal dissection of the soft tissues and placement of hardware in an already-constrained area adjacent to the annular ligament and lateral ligamentous structures. This technique is most useful in axially stable fractures that have no or minimal shaft comminution and is our preferred method of treatment to avoid distal dissection and placement of hardware along the radial neck.