Tunable Surface and Matrix Chemistries in Optically Printed (0-3) Piezoelectric Nanocomposites.

In this work, the impacts of varying surface modification, matrix parameters, and fabrication conditions on the performance of optically printed (0-3) piezoelectric polymer nanocomposites are examined. For example, we find that a 75% reduction in nanoparticle edge-length boosted the piezoelectric coefficient (d) by over 100%. By optimizing the composition and fabrication conditions, 10% by mass loading barium titanate nanocomposites are able to yield d values of ∼80 pC/N compared to <5 pC/N when parameters are not optimized.

Production of vaccines against leading biowarfare toxins can utilize DNA scientific technology.

There are a significant number of different natural toxins that are potential biological warfare agents against which a vaccine is needed. DNA science has been a key to the development of potential vaccines against the top threat toxin and should contribute such effects for other toxin's vaccines. Several different DNA technological scientific techniques have been used to accomplish the general goals of (1) cloning of the toxin or large toxin fragments, (2) altering the specific gene sequence to obtain high level expression of vaccine candidate production in alternate species (3) placement of the vaccine gene in very different presentation types of species.

Vaccination of mice with DNA encoding a large fragment of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A.

The potential utility of using DNA vaccination to protect mice from the microbial neurotoxin, botulinum toxin type A, was evaluated. A synthetically derived gene encoding a carboxyl-terminal 50 kDa fragment of the toxin was placed in two sites in the DNA inoculation vehicle pCMVint-BL (Vical), one predicted to lead to MHC I processing (pJT-1 construct) and the other to direct MHC II processing (pJT-2 construct). Mice were then inoculated at 3 week intervals with these two constructs and with the vehicle alone and evaluated for protection from botulinum toxin by i.

Antibodies and T cells against synthetic peptides of the C-terminal domain (Hc) of botulinum neurotoxin type A and their cross-reaction with Hc.

Seventeen peptides containing T cell and/or antibody (Ab) epitopes previously localized on Hc of botulinum neurotoxin type A were used in SJL and BALB/c mice as immunogens either individually or as an equimolar mixture of groups that contained epitopes of T cells, Abs or both, to determine their abilities to generate T cells and/or Abs that recognize intact Hc. In SJL, peptide 897-915 which included both T cell and Ab epitopes, elicited Abs that cross-reacted very strongly with Hc. In BALB/c, peptides 869-887, 883-901, 981-999 and 1275-1296 which contained Ab epitopes generated Abs that cross-reacted strongly with Hc.

Immune recognition of botulinum neurotoxin type A: regions recognized by T cells and antibodies against the protective H(C) fragment (residues 855-1296) of the toxin.

Botulism toxicity is caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), a group of protein neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. Recent studies have shown that immunization with a C-terminal fragment [H(C), residues 855-1296] of BoNT type A (BoNT/A) affords excellent protection against BoNT/A toxicity. The present work was carried out in order to map the molecular and cellular immunological recognition of H(C).