Nanoengineering Spikey Surfaces: Investigation of Reversible Organizational Control of Surface-Tethered Polypeptide Brushes.

Nature serves as an important source of inspiration for the innovation and development of micro- and nanostructures for advanced functional surfaces and substrates. One example used in nature is a spikey surface ranging from micrometer-sized spikes on pollen grains down to the nanometer-scale protein spikes found on viruses. This study explored the realization of such highly textured surfaces via the nanoengineering of self-assembled poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) "nanospikes", exploiting solvent-induced chain organization, controlled surface chemical functionality, and enhanced stability in the form of polymer brushes.

Accurate Preoperative Localization of Thoracolumbar Disc Extrusion in Dogs: A Prospective Controlled Study.

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a very common cause of spinal cord compression in dogs. The errors of human surgeons operating on the wrong level or wrong side is a recognized problem and has been largely analyzed. To date, little information is available regarding these errors in dogs.

Rhinovirus infection of airway epithelial cells uncovers the non-ciliated subset as a likely driver of genetic risk to childhood-onset asthma.

Asthma is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. Studies show that wheezing during rhinovirus infection correlates with childhood asthma development. Over 150 non-coding risk variants for asthma have been identified, many affecting gene regulation in T cells, but the effects of most risk variants remain unknown.

Direct Functionalization of Polyethylene Surfaces with High-Density Polymer Brushes.

Introducing functionality onto PE surfaces is a longstanding challenge in polymer science, driven by the need for polymer materials with improved adhesion and antifouling properties. Herein, we report surface-initiated hydrogen atom transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI HAT-RAFT) as a robust method to grow high-density brush polymers from PE surfaces. We demonstrate that, under mild conditions, direct initiation from the C-H bonds of PE surfaces allows for the graft polymerization of a variety of (meth)acrylate monomers.

Interrupting marine fouling with active buffered coatings.

Biofouling on marine surfaces causes immense material and financial harm for maritime vessels and related marine industries. Previous reports have shown the effectiveness of amphiphilic coating systems based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) against such marine foulers. Recent studies on biofouling mechanisms have also demonstrated acidic microenvironments in biofilms and stronger adhesion at low-pH conditions.

Controlling Anti-Penetration Performance by Post-Grafting of Fluorinated Alkyl Chains onto Polystyrene--poly(vinyl methyl siloxane).

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been widely used as a surface coating material, which has been reported to possess dynamic omniphobicity to a wide range of both polar and nonpolar solvents due to its high segmental flexibility and mobility. However, such high flexibility and mobility also enable penetration of small molecules into PDMS coatings, which alter the chemical and physical properties of the coating layers. To improve the anti-penetration properties of PDMS, a series of fluorinated alkyl segments are grafted to a diblock copolymer of polystyrene--poly(vinyl methyl siloxane) (PS--PVMS) using thiol-ene click reactions.

Screening asthmatics for atopic status using the ALergy EXplorer (ALEX) macroarray.

Background: Screening asthma patients for atopy facilitates management. Since 2010, the core biomarker for screening asthma subjects for atopic status has been the qualitative Phadiatop. multi-aeroallergen screen.

Rhinovirus infection of airway epithelial cells uncovers the non-ciliated subset as a likely driver of genetic susceptibility to childhood-onset asthma.

Asthma is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. Epidemiological studies have shown that in children, wheezing during rhinovirus infection (a cause of the common cold) is associated with asthma development during childhood. This has led scientists to hypothesize there could be a causal relationship between rhinovirus infection and asthma or that RV-induced wheezing identifies individuals at increased risk for asthma development.

Advancing Glucose Sensing Through Auto-Fluorescent Polymer Brushes: From Surface Design to Nano-Arrays.

Designing smart (bio)interfaces with the capability to sense and react to changes in local environments offers intriguing possibilities for new surface-based sensing devices and technologies. Polymer brushes make ideal materials to design such adaptive and responsive interfaces given their large variety of functional and structural possibilities as well as their outstanding abilities to respond to physical, chemical, and biological stimuli. Herein, a practical sensory interface for glucose detection based on auto-fluorescent polymer brushes decorated with phenylboronic acid (PBA) receptors is presented.

Diffusely Charged Polymeric Zwitterions as Loosely Hydrated Marine Antifouling Coatings.

Polymeric zwitterions exhibit exceptional fouling resistance through the formation of a strongly hydrated surface of immobilized water molecules. While being extensively tested for their performance in biomedical, membrane, and, to a lesser extent, marine environments, few studies have investigated how the molecular design of the zwitterion may enhance its performance. Furthermore, while theories of zwitterion antifouling mechanisms exist for molecular-scale foulant species (e.

Glioblastoma Multiforme in a Patient With Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) is a common genetic disease caused by a mutation in the SERPINA1 gene, predisposing patients to severe premature lung and liver disease. Higher expression of SERPINA1 has been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with high-grade glioblastoma. We present a woman in her 70s with a history of A1AT deficiency treated with weekly plasma-purified A1AT infusions, who presented with metabolic encephalopathy.

Implementation of the Eat, Sleep, and Console Model of Care: A Quality Improvement Project.

A Southeastern, 741-bed acute care, Magnet designated teaching hospital and level III B NICU identified assessment and treatment concerns for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). In March 2020, a quality improvement project led to a multidisciplinary team formation to determine the effectiveness of the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) model of care in reducing the length of treatment (LOT) and length of stay (LOS) for neonates experiencing NOWS rather than use of the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Scoring tool. The results concluded a decrease in the average LOT from 19.

Prevalence estimate of sphingosine phosphate lyase insufficiency syndrome in worldwide and select populations.

Purpose: Sphingosine phosphate lyase insufficiency syndrome (SPLIS) is a rare, often fatal, metabolic disorder and monogenic form of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Other manifestations include primary adrenal insufficiency, ichthyosis, and neurological defects. SPLIS is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in , encoding sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase, a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the final step of sphingolipid metabolism.

Case report: Total hip replacement using Innoplant system in a dog with chronic hip luxation and contralateral pelvic limb amputation.

A 6-year-old female neutered Border Collie presented with an inability to walk. The patient had undergone pelvic limb amputation over a year prior. Orthopedic examination revealed discomfort during hip manipulation, and radiographic examination revealed chronic hip luxation.

Atopic and non-atopic effects of fish oil supplementation during pregnancy.

Background: We recently conducted a double-blinded randomised controlled trial showing that fish-oil supplementation during pregnancy reduced the risk of persistent wheeze or asthma in the child by 30%. Here, we explore the mechanisms of the intervention.

Methods: 736 pregnant women were given either placebo or n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in the third trimester in a randomised controlled trial.

A conversation on allergy: recognizing the past and looking to the future.

Allergy is an ever-evolving group of disorders, which includes asthma, atopic dermatitis, rhinitis and food allergies and that currently affects over 1 billion people worldwide. This group of disorders has exploded in incidence since around the start of the 20th century, implying that genetics is not solely responsible for its development but that environmental factors have an important role. Here, Fabio Luciani and Jonathan Coquet, in their role as editors at Immunology & Cell Biology, asked nine prominent researchers in the field of allergy to define the term 'allergy', discuss the role of genetics and the environment, nominate the most important discoveries of the past decade and describe the best strategies to combat allergy at the population level going forward.

Clinical Evaluation of Medical Ozone Use in Domestic Feline Cutaneous Wounds-A Short Case Series.

Support and management of second-intention wound healing involves frequent dressing changes having different properties. Dressings can range from simple ones, such as nonadherent dressings, to more complex options, such as foam, hydrocolloid, alginate or negative pressure dressings. Seven cats were enrolled in the study with a total of nine wounds of various sizes with different etiology sizes and localizations.