Tailoring Interfaces for Enhanced Methanol Production from Photoelectrochemical CO Reduction.

Efficient and stable photoelectrochemical reduction of CO into highly reduced liquid fuels remains a formidable challenge, which requires an innovative semiconductor/catalyst interface to tackle. In this study, we introduce a strategy involving the fabrication of a silicon micropillar array structure coated with a superhydrophobic fluorinated carbon layer for the photoelectrochemical conversion of CO into methanol. The pillars increase the electrode surface area, improve catalyst loading and adhesion without compromising light absorption, and help confine gaseous intermediates near the catalyst surface.

Aqueous Photoelectrochemical CO Reduction to CO and Methanol over a Silicon Photocathode Functionalized with a Cobalt Phthalocyanine Molecular Catalyst.

We report a precious-metal-free molecular catalyst-based photocathode that is active for aqueous CO reduction to CO and methanol. The photoelectrode is composed of cobalt phthalocyanine molecules anchored on graphene oxide which is integrated via a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane linker to p-type silicon protected by a thin film of titanium dioxide. The photocathode reduces CO to CO with high selectivity at potentials as mild as 0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (vs RHE).

A New Monoclonal Antibody Enables BAR Analysis of Subcellular Importin β1 Interactomes.

Importin β1 (KPNB1) is a nucleocytoplasmic transport factor with critical roles in both cytoplasmic and nucleocytoplasmic transport, hence there is keen interest in the characterization of its subcellular interactomes. We found limited efficiency of BioID in the detection of importin complex cargos and therefore generated a highly specific and sensitive anti-KPNB1 monoclonal antibody to enable biotinylation by antibody recognition analysis of importin β1 interactomes. The monoclonal antibody recognizes an epitope comprising residues 301-320 of human KPBN1 and strikingly is highly specific for cytoplasmic KPNB1 in diverse applications, with little reaction with KPNB1 in the nucleus.

Following NCCN guidelines within one hospital system in the United States: Comparison between cancer centers and genetic counselor utilization.

Genetic testing is an instrumental tool used to determine whether an individual has a predisposition to certain cancers. Knowing of a hereditary cancer predisposition may allow a patient and their family to consider high-risk screening or risk-reducing options. Genetic counselors work with physicians to identify patients at increased risk for genetic testing using available guidelines such as those provided by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

Targeting autocrine amphiregulin robustly and reproducibly inhibits ovarian cancer in a syngeneic model: roles for wildtype p53.

Ovarian cancer (OvCA) remains one of the most devastating malignancies, but treatment options are still limited. We report that amphiregulin (AREG) can serve as an effective and safe pharmacological target in a syngeneic murine model. AREG is highly abundant in abdominal fluids of patients with advanced OvCa.

Integration of clinical parameters, genotype and epistaxis severity score to guide treatment for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia associated bleeding.

Background: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by development of mucocutaneous telangiectases and visceral organ arteriovenous malformations, which can lead to recurrent, spontaneous bleeding and development of iron deficiency anemia. The primary objective of this study was to ascertain the relationship between epistaxis severity scores (ESS), laboratory values, genotype, and phenotype in HHT. Our secondary objective was to assess efficacy of systemic antifibrinolytic therapy in reducing ESS in HHT.

Differential Antibody-Based Immune Response against Isolated GP1 Receptor-Binding Domains from Lassa and Junín Viruses.

There are two predominant subgroups in the family of viruses, the Old World and the New World viruses, that use distinct cellular receptors for entry. While New World viruses typically elicit good neutralizing antibody responses, the Old World viruses generally evade such responses. Antibody-based immune responses are directed against the glycoprotein spike complexes that decorate the viruses.

Video Education on Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) for Physicians: an Interventional Study.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines are the gold standard in hereditary cancer risk assessment, screening, and treatment. A minority of physicians follow NCCN guidelines for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. This study assesses the impact of an interventional educational program on HBOC in terms of knowledge.

Multi-gene panel testing for hereditary cancer predisposition in unsolved high-risk breast and ovarian cancer patients.

Purpose: Many women with an elevated risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer have previously tested negative for pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. Among them, a subset has hereditary susceptibility to cancer and requires further testing. We sought to identify specific groups who remain at high risk and evaluate whether they should be offered multi-gene panel testing.

Examination of HER3 targeting in cancer using monoclonal antibodies.

The human EGF receptor (HER/EGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases serves as a key target for cancer therapy. Specifically, EGFR and HER2 have been repeatedly targeted because of their genetic aberrations in tumors. The therapeutic potential of targeting HER3 has long been underestimated, due to relatively low expression in tumors and impaired kinase activity.

Tailored cancer immunotherapy using combinations of chemotherapy and a mixture of antibodies against EGF-receptor ligands.

Growth factors are implicated in several processes essential for cancer progression. Specifically, growth factors that bind to ErbB family receptors have been implicated in cell proliferation and in resistance of solid tumors to chemotherapy. We quantified ligand secretion by several human cancer cell lines, and generated mAbs against two ligands, namely TGF-alpha and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor.

Cancer surveillance behaviors in women presenting for clinical BRCA genetic susceptibility testing.

Purpose/objectives: To investigate cancer surveillance behaviors of women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) who presented for clinical BRCA cancer susceptibility testing, specifically to describe cancer surveillance behaviors and reasons for not engaging in behaviors, compare surveillance behaviors with existing surveillance guidelines, and evaluate associations of cancer surveillance behaviors with BRCA results.

Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive.

Setting: Genetic risk-assessment programs in a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a community cancer center, both in the southwestern region of the United States.

MUC1/X protein immunization enhances cDNA immunization in generating anti-MUC1 alpha/beta junction antibodies that target malignant cells.

MUC1 has generated considerable interest as a tumor marker and potential target for tumor killing. To date, most antibodies against MUC1 recognize epitopes within the highly immunogenic alpha chain tandem repeat array. A major shortcoming of such antibodies is that the MUC1 alpha chain is shed into the peripheral circulation, sequesters circulating antitandem repeat array antibodies, and limits their ability to even reach targeted MUC1-expressing cells.

Specific Th2 cells accumulate in the central nervous system of mice protected against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by copolymer 1.

This study addresses the issue of the effect of immunomodulating therapies in the target organ-the central nervous system (CNS)-in the case of multiple sclerosis. Copolymer 1 (Cop 1, Copaxone, glatiramer acetate), an approved drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, is a potent inducer of Th2 regulatory cells in both mice and humans. Highly reactive Cop 1-specific T cell lines that secrete IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta in response to Cop 1 and crossreact with myelin basic protein (MBP) at the level of Th2 cytokine secretion were established from both brains and spinal cords of Cop 1-treated mice.

An immunological approach reveals biological differences between the two NDF/heregulin receptors, ErbB-3 and ErbB-4.

The group of subtype I transmembrane tyrosine kinases includes the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (ErbB-1), an orphan receptor (ErbB-2), and two receptors for the Neu differentiation factor (NDF/heregulin), namely: ErbB-3 and ErbB-4. Here we addressed the distinct functions of the two NDF receptors by using an immunological approach. Two sets of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to ErbB-3 and ErbB-4 were generated through immunization with recombinant ectodomains of the corresponding receptors that were fused to immunoglobulin.

Soluble c-kit proteins and antireceptor monoclonal antibodies confine the binding site of the stem cell factor.

The binding of the stem cell factor (SCF) to the c-kit-encoded receptor tyrosine kinase stimulates a variety of biochemical responses that culminate in cellular proliferation, migration, or survival. The extracellular domain of p145kit consists of five immunoglobulin-like domains. To confine the ligand binding site to this portion of the receptor we generated a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the Kit protein and identified two mAbs that efficiently displaced receptor-bound SCF and also inhibited proliferation of SCF-dependent human megakaryocytes.

A novel approach for evaluating tyrosine kinase activity based on the radioimmunological determination of phosphotyrosine.

A novel technique was designed to conveniently determine substrate phosphorylation by tyrosine kinase. The technique is based on quantitation of phosphotyrosine content of the phosphoproteins, generated during the enzyme reaction, by radioimmunoassay. Here, we utilized high-titer monoclonal antibodies to phosphotyrosine, and radioiodinated bovine serum albumin-phosphotyrosine conjugate.

Mechanistic aspects of the opposing effects of monoclonal antibodies to the ERBB2 receptor on tumor growth.

The ERBB2 (also called HER2, neu, and c-erbB-2) gene product, which encodes a growth factor receptor, was implicated in the malignancy of human adenocarcinomas. An antibody directed to the rat oncogenic receptor has been previously shown to have an antitumor effect in model systems. In an attempt to extend this observation to the protooncogenic human receptor and also to understand the underlying mechanism, we generated a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific to the extracellular portion of the ERBB2 protein.

Monoclonal antibodies to the soluble human IL-6 receptor: affinity purification, ELISA, and inhibition of ligand binding.

Soluble IL-6 receptor (IL-6-R) purified to homogeneity from normal human urine was used for immunization of mice and rabbits. Spleen cells derived from a mouse showing a high binding titer to IL-6-R in an inverted solid phase radioimmunoassay (IsRIA) and in a Western blotting analysis were fused to mouse myeloma cells. The hybridomas were screened by the IsRIA, and 30 positive clones were isolated and characterized.

Immunocytochemical characterization of lung tumors in fine-needle aspiration. The use of cytokeratin monoclonal antibodies for the differential diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.

In the current study, immunocytochemical typing of intermediate filaments was used for a differential diagnosis of human lung tumors from transthoracic fine-needle aspiration biopsies (TFNAB). The authors have compared the cytologic diagnosis of 53 lung cancer cases with the immunofluorescence patterns obtained using a panel of monoclonal antibodies, five of which (KG 8.13, KM 4.

Antibodies to a soluble form of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor have TNF-like activity.

Immunological cross-reactivity between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) binding proteins which are present in human urine (designated TBPI and TBPII) and two molecular species of the cell surface receptors for TNF is demonstrated. The two TNF receptors are shown to be immunologically distinct, to differ in molecular weight (58,000 and 73,000), and to be expressed differentially in different cells. It is further shown that polyclonal antibodies against one of the TNF binding proteins (TBPI) display, by virtue of their ability to bind the TNF receptor, activities which are very similar to those of TNF.

Purification of soluble cytokine receptors from normal human urine by ligand-affinity and immunoaffinity chromatography.

Affinity chromatography of crude human urinary proteins on either human recombinant interleukin-6 (rIL-6) or human recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) or anti IFN-gamma receptor (IFN-gamma-R) monoclonal antibodies (McAb) yielded the two respective soluble receptors in significant amounts. A single sequence of 30 amino acid residues was obtained by N-terminal microsequencing of the protein peak purified in tandem by affinity chromatography on an IL-6 column and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. This sequence was identical with the predicted N-terminal sequence of IL-6-R as previously reported.

Selective expression of cytokeratin polypeptides in various epithelia of human Brenner tumor.

A human ovarian Brenner tumor presenting a wide spectrum of benign and malignant histologic features was studied for its patterns of intermediate filament expression. All epithelial elements of the tumor, regardless of their morphologic type, contained cytokeratins as their only intermediate filament component. Differences were detected, however, between tumor nests that displayed transitional epithelium and those with squamoid features.

Cytokeratin polypeptides in normal and metaplastic human salivary gland epithelia.

Immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase labelling of normal and metaplastic human submandibular salivary glands with a battery of cytokeratin-specific monoclonal antibodies was carried out. Labelling with a broad spectrum cytokeratin antibody (KG 8.13), as well as with antibody to cytokeratin polypeptide No.

Cytokeratin polypeptide expression during the histogenesis of guinea pig submandibular salivary gland.

The present study was directed towards the characterization of cell-specific histogenetic markers for the various epithelial elements of the adult and the developing guinea pig submandibular salivary gland. We have employed immunofluorescent labelling using three cytokeratin monoclonal antibodies, for which the polypeptide specificities towards guinea pig cytokeratins were determined. All the epithelial elements of the adult gland were positively labelled with two monoclonal antibodies, namely KG 8.