Ceria-Catalysed Production of Dimethyl Carbonate from Methanol and CO: Effect of Using a Dehydrating Agent Combined with a Solid Cocatalyst.

The direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO and methanol over ceria-based catalysts, in the presence of a dehydrating agent shifting the thermodynamical equilibrium of the reaction, has received significant interest recently. In this work, several dehydrating agents, such as molecular sieves, 2,2-dimethoxypropane (DMP), dimethoxymethane (DMM) and 1,1,1-trimethoxymethane (TMM), are combined with commercial ceria to compare their influence on the DMC yield obtained under the same set of operating conditions. TMM is found to be the most efficient; however, its conversion is not complete even after 48 h of reaction.

Reliability of the International Spinal Cord Injury Physical Therapy-Occupational Therapy Basic Data Set.

In interventional clinical trials for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), the influence of experimental biological, pharmacological, or device-related interventions must be differentiated from that of physical and occupational therapy interventions, as rehabilitation influences motor-related outcomes. The International Spinal Cord Injury (ISCI) Physical TherapyOccupational Therapy Basic Data Set (PT-OT BDS) was developed with the intent to track the content and time of rehabilitation interventions that are delivered concurrently with experimental interventions. We assessed the reliability of the PT-OT BDS based on agreement between users.

Construction of Au quantum dots/nitrogen-defect-enriched graphite carbon nitride heterostructure via photo-deposition towards enhanced nitric oxide photooxidation.

The challenge of mitigating pollution stemming from industrial exhaust emissions is a pressing issue in both academia and industry. This study presents the successful synthesis of nitrogen-defect-enriched graphite carbon nitride (g-CN) using a two-step calcination technique. Furthermore, a g-CN-Au heterostructure was fabricated through the photo-deposited Au quantum dots (QDs).

Methods comparison of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for host cell protein characterization.

Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) is a gel-based protein separation method based on size and charge which is commonly used for the characterization of host cell proteins (HCPs) during drug development in biotech and pharmaceutical companies. HCPs are a heterogenous mixture of proteins produced by host cells during a biologics drug manufacturing process. Different gel electrophoresis methods including traditional 2D SDS-PAGE with silver and SYPRO Ruby fluorescent dye staining as well as two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) were compared for their relative abilities to characterize HCPs.

New Eco-Friendly and Low-Energy Synthesis to Produce ZnO Nanoparticles for Real-World Scale Applications.

This paper presents an original and sustainable method for producing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in response to global challenges (low energy requirements, low environmental impact, short production times, and high production yield). The method is based on an ion exchange process between an anionic resin and an aqueous ZnCl solution; it operates in one step at room temperature/ambient pressure without the need for complex apparatus or purification steps. From the kinetics, we observed the formation of pure simonkolleite, a zinc-layered hydroxide salt (Zn(OH)Cl·HO), after only 5 min of reaction.

Disability-Specific Education in US Internal Medicine Primary Care Residency Programs: A Survey of Program Directors.

The dearth of disability-specific education in United States medical schools and residency programs has perpetuated health care inequities experienced by people with disabilities. In this study, we surveyed internal medicine primary care residency program directors about the disability-specific education they offer their learners, their attitudes toward physicians' preparedness to care for people with disabilities, and their perceived challenges to offering more robust disability-specific education. We developed an on-line survey and forwarded it in 3 weekly emails during October of 2022 to 104 primary care residency program directors.

Reactive Distillation of Glycolic Acid Using Heterogeneous Catalysts: Experimental Studies and Process Simulation.

The glycerol oxidation reaction was developed leading to selective catalysts and optimum conditions for the production of carboxylic acids such as glycolic acid. However, carboxylic acids are produced in highly diluted mixtures, challenging the recovery and purification, and resulting in high production costs, polymerization, and thermal degradation of some of the products. The protection of the acid function by esterification reaction is one of the most promising alternatives through reactive distillation (RD); this technique allows simultaneously the recovery of carboxylic acids and the elimination of most part of the water.

Strengthening the Connection between Science, Society and Environment to Develop Future French and European Bioeconomies: Cutting-Edge Research of VAALBIO Team at UCCS.

The development of the future French and European bioeconomies will involve developing new green chemical processes in which catalytic transformations are key. The VAALBIO team (valorization of alkanes and biomass) of the UCCS laboratory (Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide) are working on various catalytic processes, either developing new catalysts and/or designing the whole catalytic processes. Our research is focused on both the fundamental and applied aspects of the processes.

SINAPs: A Software Tool for Analysis and Visualization of Interaction Networks of Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

As long as the structural study of molecular mechanisms requires multiple molecular dynamics reflecting contrasted bioactive states, the subsequent analysis of molecular interaction networks remains a bottleneck to be fairly treated and requires a user-friendly 3D view of key interactions. Structural Interaction Network Analysis Protocols (SINAPs) is a proprietary python tool developed to (i) quickly solve key interactions able to distinguish two protein states, either from two sets of molecular dynamics simulations or from two crystallographic structures, and (ii) render a user-friendly 3D view of these key interactions through a plugin of UCSF Chimera, one of the most popular open-source viewing software for biomolecular systems. Through two case studies, glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) and A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR), SINAPs easily pinpointed key interactions observed experimentally and relevant for their bioactivities.

A biological nanofoam: The wall of coniferous bisaccate pollen.

The outer layer of the pollen grain, the exine, plays a key role in the survival of terrestrial plant life. However, the exine structure in different groups of plants remains enigmatic. Here, modern and fossil coniferous bisaccate pollen were examined to investigate the detailed three-dimensional structure and properties of the pollen wall.

An Assessment of Which Sociodemographic and Spinal Cord Injury-Specific Characteristics Influence Engagement With Experimental Therapies and Participation in Clinical Trials.

Although a number of experimental therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) have recently emerged, few authors have examined the goals of individuals with SCI considering experimental therapies, and none have determined whether sociodemographic and injury-specific characteristics influence that engagement. To determine (a) the goals of individuals with SCI who are considering experimental therapies; (b) whether sociodemographic factors, injury-specific characteristics, and concerns over adverse events influence those goals and/or participation in experimental therapies and clinical trials; and (c) whether people with SCI feel they have adequate information about experimental therapies and clinical trials. An online survey that yielded 364 responses.

New Sustainable, Scalable and One-Step Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles by Ion Exchange Process.

This work introduces an innovative, sustainable, and scalable synthesis of iron oxides nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous suspension. The method, based on ion exchange process, consists of a one-step procedure, time and energy saving, operating in water and at room temperature, by cheap and renewable reagents. The influence of both oxidation state of the initial reagent and reaction atmosphere is considered.

Biobased Carbon Dots: From Fish Scales to Photocatalysis.

The synthesis, characterization and photoreduction ability of a new class of carbon dots made from fish scales is here described. Fish scales are a waste material that contains mainly chitin, one of the most abundant natural biopolymers, and collagen. These components make the scales rich, not only in carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but also in nitrogen.

COVID-19 and spinal cord injury and disease: results of an international survey as the pandemic progresses.

Study Design: An online survey.

Objectives: To follow-up with and re-query the international spinal cord community's response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by revisiting questions posed in a previous survey and investigating new lines of inquiry.

Setting: An international collaboration of authors and participants.

A new instrument for kinetics and branching ratio studies of gas phase collisional processes at very low temperatures.

A new instrument dedicated to the kinetic study of low-temperature gas phase neutral-neutral reactions, including clustering processes, is presented. It combines a supersonic flow reactor with vacuum ultra-violet synchrotron photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A photoion-photoelectron coincidence detection scheme has been adopted to optimize the particle counting efficiency.

How individuals with spinal cord injury in the United States access and assess information about experimental therapies and clinical trials: results of a clinical survey.

Study Design: An internet-based survey.

Objectives: To determine how individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) access information about experimental therapies and clinical trials. To understand which factors influence receipt of and perceived trustworthiness of that information.

A survey of internal and family medicine residents: Assessment of disability-specific education and knowledge.

Background: The literature suggests that primary care physicians are inadequately educated in the care of people with disabilities. No study to date has evaluated whether internal medicine (IM) and family medicine (FM) residents have received disability-specific education or their level of comfort in caring for people with physical disabilities.

Objectives: To assess IM and FM residents' receipt of disability-specific education during medical school and residency; to evaluate their self-reported comfort in managing secondary conditions associated with physical disabilities and in coordinating therapies and services for individuals with disabilities; to gauge their interest in receiving disability-specific education.

Sustainable Nanotechnologies for Curative and Preventive Wood Deacidification Treatments: An Eco-Friendly and Innovative Approach.

Waterlogged wooden artifacts represent an important historical legacy of our past. They are very fragile, especially due to the severe phenomenon of acidification that may occur in the presence of acid precursors. To date, a satisfactory solution for the deacidification of ancient wood on a large scale has still not been found.

How do healthcare providers manage depression in people with spinal cord injury?

Study Design: An online survey.

Objectives: To describe how healthcare providers manage depression after spinal cord damage (SCD) and to identify factors that predict use of recommended depression management practices.

Setting: An international cohort of respondents who provide clinical care to individuals with SCD.

Polypeptide formation in clusters of β-alanine amino acids by single ion impact.

The formation of peptide bonds by energetic processing of amino acids is an important step towards the formation of biologically relevant molecules. As amino acids are present in space, scenarios have been developed to identify the roots of life on Earth, either by processes occurring in outer space or on Earth itself. We study the formation of peptide bonds in single collisions of low-energy He ions (α-particles) with loosely bound clusters of β-alanine molecules at impact energies typical for solar wind.

AllergoOncology: ultra-low IgE, a potential novel biomarker in cancer-a Position Paper of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI).

Elevated serum IgE levels are associated with allergic disorders, parasitosis and specific immunologic abnormalities. In addition, epidemiological and mechanistic evidence indicates an association between IgE-mediated immune surveillance and protection from tumour growth. Intriguingly, recent studies reveal a correlation between IgE deficiency and increased malignancy risk.

COVID-19 and spinal cord injury and disease: results of an international survey.

Study Design: An online survey.

Objectives: To query the international spinal cord medicine community's engagement with and response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to assess pandemic-specific information needs and patient concerns.

Setting: An international collaboration of authors and participants.

Safety of P28GST, a Protein Derived from a Schistosome Helminth Parasite, in Patients with Crohn's Disease: A Pilot Study (ACROHNEM).

Despite the development of novel therapies, inflammatory bowel diseases remain an innovative treatment challenge. Helminth therapy is a new promising approach, and a key issue is the identification of helminth-derived anti-inflammatory mediators. P28 glutathione-S-transferase (P28GST), a protein derived from schistosomes, a trematode parasitic helminth, was shown to reduce intestinal inflammation in experimental colitis by down-regulating the Th1/Th17 response.

Utilization of medicinal cannabis for pain by individuals with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: A cross-sectional multi-center study using an on-line survey addressing utilization, knowledge, and perceptions of medicinal cannabis (MC) by people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective: To characterize differences between current (CU), past (PU), and never users (NU) of MC with SCI; to determine why people with SCI use MC; to examine reports of MCs' efficacy and tolerability by individuals with SCI.

Setting: Three academic medical centers in the United States.