Moving and Reflective Functioning Under Stress.

According to mentalization theory, reflective functioning is a core feature of healthy affect regulation which involves interactions among implicit and explicit processes across multiple systems of the individual in relation with others. Mother-infant interactions point to the role of whole body movement as a feature of developing affect regulation, promoting self-organization. Using behavioral imaging technology, we examined the legacy of whole body movement in adults undergoing an interpersonal stress task (Trier Social Stress Test; TSST).

Influenza virus RNA recovered from droplets and droplet nuclei emitted by adults in an acute care setting.

Transmission in hospital settings of seasonal influenza viruses and novel agents such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is well-described but poorly understood. The characterization of potentially infectious bio-aerosols in the healthcare setting remains an important yet ill-defined factor in the transmission of respiratory viruses. Empiric data describing the distribution of bio-aerosols enable discernment of potential exposure risk to respiratory viruses.

A Nonaggregating Heptamethine Cyanine for Building Brighter Labeled Biomolecules.

Heptamethine cyanines are broadly used for a range of near-infrared imaging applications. As with many fluorophores, these molecules are prone to forming nonemissive aggregates upon biomolecule conjugation. Prior work has focused on persulfonation strategies, which only partially address these issues.

High-affinity anti-glycan antibodies: challenges and strategies.

High-affinity binding of antibodies provides for increased specificity and usually higher effector functions in vivo. This goal, well documented in cancer immunotherapy, is very relevant to vaccines as well, and has particularly significant application toward glycan antigens. The inability to elicit high-affinity antibodies has limited potential applications of glycan-based immunogens, giving rise to insufficient population coverage due to low titers and short duration of protection.

Engineering the PP7 Virus Capsid as a Peptide Display Platform.

As self-assembling polyvalent nanoscale structures that can tolerate substantial genetic and chemical modification, virus-like particles are useful in a variety of fields. Here we describe the genetic modification and structural characterization of the Leviviridae PP7 capsid protein as a platform for the presentation of functional polypeptides. This particle was shown to tolerate the display of sequences from 1 kDa (a cell penetrating peptide) to 14 kDa (the Fc-binding double Z-domain) on its exterior surface as C-terminal genetic fusions to the coat protein.

Adverse events in patients with high platelet reactivity following successful chronic total occlusion PCI: The Assessment of Dual AntiPlatelet Therapy with Drug-Eluting Stents (ADAPT-DES) study.

Background: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) typically requires a greater number of stents and longer stent length than non-CTO PCI, placing these patients at greater risk for adverse ischemic events. We sought to determine whether the association between high platelet reactivity (HPR) and the risk of ischemic events is stronger after CTO than non-CTO PCI.

Methods: Patients undergoing successful PCI in the multicenter ADAPT-DES study were stratified according to whether they underwent PCI of a CTO.

Effects of flexibility and branching of side chains on the mechanical properties of low-bandgap conjugated polymers.

This paper describes effects of the flexibility, length, and branching of side chains on the mechanical properties of low-bandgap semiconducting polymers. The backbones of the polymer chains comprise a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) motif flanked by two furan rings and copolymerized by Stille polycondensation with thiophene (DPP2FT). The side chains of the DPP fall into three categories: linear alkyl (C8, C14, or C16), branched alkyl (ethylhexyl, EH, or hexyldecyl, HD), and linear oligo(ethylene oxide) (EO3, EO4, or EO5).

The sleep-wake cycle regulates brain interstitial fluid tau in mice and CSF tau in humans.

The sleep-wake cycle regulates interstitial fluid (ISF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of β-amyloid (Aβ) that accumulates in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation (SD) increases Aβ plaques. However, tau, not Aβ, accumulation appears to drive AD neurodegeneration.

Immunological Properties of Protein-Polymer Nanoparticles.

The covalent attachment of polymers to the surface of proteins and nanoparticles has been widely employed in the development of biomedical platforms capable of delaying or diminishing immune surveillance. The most widely employed polymer for these applications has been poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), yet recent evidence has suggested that other polymer architectures and compositions provide significantly better in vitro and in vivo properties of protein-polymer hybrid materials. Moreover, few direct comparisons of PEG to these polymers have been reported.

GRATITUDE WHILE DRINKING, GRATITUDE WHILE RECOVERING: A STUDY OF ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS.

Background: For decades researchers have debated whether those diagnosed with alcohol use disorders can return to non-problematic drinking. Now, recovery researchers are measuring aspects of wellbeing in addition to aspects of pathology, producing surprising findings that have added to the debate. Recent studies show that some with alcohol use disorders who continue to drink endorse high levels of positive psychosocial functioning.

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment, slow wave activity, and amyloid-β.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases risk of dementia, a relationship that may be mediated by amyloid-β (Aβ) and downstream Alzheimer disease pathology. We previously showed that OSA may impair Aβ clearance and affect the relationship between slow wave activity (SWA) and Aβ. In this study, SWA and CSF Aβ were measured in participants with OSA before and 1 to 4 months after treatment.

Intravascular ultrasound analysis of intraplaque versus subintimal tracking in percutaneous intervention for coronary chronic total occlusions: One year outcomes.

Objectives: We sought to determine the 1-year outcomes of patients receiving successful chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures comparing subintimal versus intraplaque wire tracking patterns.

Background: CTO PCI utilizes both intraluminal and subintimal wire tracking to achieve successful percutaneous revascularization. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can be used to precisely determine the path of wire tracking.

Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Prior Cardiac Surgery in the Randomized PARTNER 2A Trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to further evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with and without PCS.

Background: Prior cardiac surgery (PCS) is associated with increased surgical risk and post-operative complications following surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), but whether this risk is similar in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unclear.

Methods: In the PARTNER 2A (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve) trial, 2,032 patients with severe aortic stenosis at intermediate surgical risk were randomized to TAVR with the SAPIEN XT valve or SAVR.

Protective Epitope Discovery and Design of MUC1-based Vaccine for Effective Tumor Protections in Immunotolerant Mice.

Human mucin-1 (MUC1) is a highly attractive antigen for the development of anticancer vaccines. However, in human clinical trials of multiple MUC1 based vaccines, despite the generation of anti-MUC1 antibodies, the antibodies often failed to exhibit much binding to tumor presumably due to the challenges in inducing protective immune responses in the immunotolerant environment. To design effective MUC1 based vaccines functioning in immunotolerant hosts, vaccine constructs were first synthesized by covalently linking the powerful bacteriophage Qβ carrier with MUC1 glycopeptides containing 20-22 amino acid residues covering one full length of the tandem repeat region of MUC1.

Zero contrast retrograde chronic total occlusions percutaneous coronary intervention: a case series.

Introduction: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a high risk of contrast-induced nephropathy and resulting progression of CKD to need for renal replacement therapy. Chronic total occlusions (CTO) PCI is increasingly utilized in the treatment of refractory stable angina and ischaemic heart failure. Recent studies have described the feasibility of 'minimal' or 'zero' contrast PCI by employing intravascular imaging and intra-coronary physiology to guide successful stent implantation with resolution of ischaemia.

Design, display and immunogenicity of HIV1 gp120 fragment immunogens on virus-like particles.

The broadly neutralizing antibody against HIV-1, b12, binds to the CD4 binding site (CD4bs) on the outer domain (OD) of the gp120 subunit of HIV-1 Env. We have previously reported the design of an E. coli expressed fragment of HIV-1 gp120, b122a, containing about 70% of the b12 epitope with the idea of focusing the immune response to this structure.

Multifunctional Enzyme Packaging and Catalysis in the Qβ Protein Nanoparticle.

The simultaneous expression in Escherichia coli cells of the Qβ virus-like particle (VLP) capsid protein and protein "cargo" tagged with a positively charged Rev peptide sequence leads to the spontaneous self-assembly of VLPs with multiple copies of the cargo inside. We report the packaging of four new enzymes with potential applications in medicine and chemical manufacturing. The captured enzymes are active while inside the nanoparticle shell and are protected from environmental conditions that lead to free-enzyme destruction.

Role of fingerprint-inspired relief structures in elastomeric slabs for detecting frictional differences arising from surface monolayers.

The perception of fine texture of an object is influenced by its microscopic topography and surface chemistry-i.e., the topmost layer of atoms and molecules responsible for its surface energy, adhesion, and friction generated when probed by a fingertip.

Covalent Functionalization of Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride Tubing.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing is a vital part of many industries, including the medical and food sectors. The ability to chemically modify PVC has previously been reported mainly on powdered or rigid forms of the plastic. Here, we describe the chemical modification of flexible PVC tubing with azide (and the attempted modification with cyanide) facilitated by phase transfer catalysts and characterization of the resulting materials.

Transfer hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate from glycerol under aqueous conditions.

The transfer hydrogenation of CO2 from glycerol to afford formic and lactic acid is a highly attractive path to valorizing two waste streams and is a significantly more thermodynamically favorable process than direct CO2 hydrogenation. We report the first homogeneous catalyst for this transformation consisting of a water-soluble Ru N-heterocyclic carbene complex. The catalyst affords lactic and formic acid selectively in the presence of a base at temperatures between 150 and 225 °C.

Antitumor Humoral and T Cell Responses by Mucin-1 Conjugates of Bacteriophage Qβ in Wild-type Mice.

Mucin-1 (MUC1) is one of the top ranked tumor associated antigens. In order to generate effective anti-MUC1 immune responses as potential anticancer vaccines, MUC1 peptides and glycopeptides have been covalently conjugated to bacteriophage Qβ. Immunization of mice with these constructs led to highly potent antibody responses with IgG titers over one million, which are among the highest anti-MUC1 IgG titers reported to date.

Traceless Release of Alcohols Using Thiol-Sensitive Oxanorbornadiene Linkers.

A class of ester-amide oxanorbornadiene (EA-OND) molecules was developed to release alcohol cargos by succinimide formation upon addition of a thiol reagent. The resulting ring-closed adducts undergo further fragmentation by retro-Diels-Alder reaction to release a furan moiety in a manner similar to oxanorbornadiene diesters. The rates of each of these fragmentation pathways in the same medium were found to be sensitive to the steric nature of the amide substituent.

Targeting of nonlipidated, aggregated apoE with antibodies inhibits amyloid accumulation.

The apolipoprotein E E4 allele of the APOE gene is the strongest genetic factor for late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD). There is compelling evidence that apoE influences Alzheimer disease (AD) in large part by affecting amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation and clearance; however, the molecular mechanism underlying these findings remains largely unknown. Herein, we tested whether anti-human apoE antibodies can decrease Aβ pathology in mice producing both human Aβ and apoE4, and investigated the mechanism underlying these effects.