Capturing Enzyme-Loaded Diblock Copolymer Vesicles Using an Aldehyde-Functionalized Hydrophilic Polymer Brush.

Compared to lipids, block copolymer vesicles are potentially robust nanocontainers for enzymes owing to their enhanced chemical stability, particularly in challenging environments. Herein we report that -diol-functional diblock copolymer vesicles can be chemically adsorbed onto a hydrophilic aldehyde-functional polymer brush via acetal bond formation under mild conditions (pH 5.5, 20 °C).

Structural Flexibility and Disassembly Kinetics of Single Ferritin Molecules Using Optical Nanotweezers.

Ferritin, a spherical protein shell assembled from 24 subunits, functions as an efficient iron storage and release system through its channels. Understanding how various chemicals affect the structural behavior of ferritin is crucial for unravelling the origins of iron-related diseases in living organisms including humans. In particular, the influence of chemicals on ferritin's dynamics and iron release is barely explored at the single-protein level.

Arginine-Functional Methacrylic Block Copolymer Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption onto a Model Planar Substrate.

Recently, we reported the synthesis of a hydrophilic aldehyde-functional methacrylic polymer (, , , 12032-12037). Herein we demonstrate that such polymers can be reacted with arginine in aqueous solution to produce arginine-functional methacrylic polymers without recourse to protecting group chemistry. Careful control of the solution pH is essential to ensure regioselective imine bond formation; subsequent reductive amination leads to a hydrolytically stable amide linkage.

Controlling Adsorption of Diblock Copolymer Nanoparticles onto an Aldehyde-Functionalized Hydrophilic Polymer Brush via pH Modulation.

Sterically stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles with a well-defined spherical morphology and tunable diameter were prepared by RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization of benzyl methacrylate at 70 °C. The steric stabilizer precursor used for these syntheses contained pendent -diol groups, which means that such nanoparticles can react with a suitable aldehyde-functional surface via acetal bond formation. This principle is examined herein by growing an aldehyde-functionalized polymer brush from a planar silicon wafer and studying the extent of nanoparticle adsorption onto this model substrate from aqueous solution at 25 °C using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM).

Optical Monitoring of Iron Loading into Single, Native Ferritin Proteins.

Ferritin is a protein that stores and releases iron to prevent diseases associated with iron dysregulation in plants, animals, and bacteria. The conversion between iron-loaded holo-ferritin and empty apo-ferritin is an important process for iron regulation. To date, studies of ferritin have used either ensemble measurements to quantify the characteristics of a large number of proteins or single-molecule approaches to interrogate labeled or modified proteins.

Machine Learning Augmented Interpretation of Chest X-rays: A Systematic Review.

Limitations of the chest X-ray (CXR) have resulted in attempts to create machine learning systems to assist clinicians and improve interpretation accuracy. An understanding of the capabilities and limitations of modern machine learning systems is necessary for clinicians as these tools begin to permeate practice. This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of machine learning applications designed to facilitate CXR interpretation.

Synovial chondromatosis of the flexor hallucis longus tendon sheath.

This case report discusses a rare case of secondary tenosynovial chondromatosis of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL). Synovial chrondomatosis is a rare, benign proliferative cartilaginous lesion arising from the synovial tissue or bursal lining of or near joints. When it is extra-articular, it is considered tenosynovial chondromatosis.

Tourmaline: A containerized workflow for rapid and iterable amplicon sequence analysis using QIIME 2 and Snakemake.

Background: Amplicon sequencing (metabarcoding) is a common method to survey diversity of environmental communities whereby a single genetic locus is amplified and sequenced from the DNA of whole or partial organisms, organismal traces (e.g., skin, mucus, feces), or microbes in an environmental sample.

Bony Edema and Clinical Examination Findings Predict the Need for Distal Clavicle Excision at the Time of Shoulder Arthroscopy.

: Deciding to perform a distal clavicle excision for acromioclavicular joint arthritis, especially in conjunction with other arthroscopic shoulder procedures, is challenging for surgeons. Studies have reported mixed results on the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in decision making. : We sought to correlate MRI findings with clinical symptoms and the surgeon's decision to perform a distal clavicle excision.

A Novel Surgical Technique for Glenoid Reconstruction in the Trauma Setting With a Distal Tibia Allograft: A Case Report.

Case: A 21-year-old woman presented with a chronic fracture dislocation of her left shoulder after striking a submerged tree during a watersport activity. She was initially treated at an outside hospital, where she underwent open reduction and internal fixation of her posterior scapula. She presented 8 weeks after index procedure with pain and severely decreased range of motion.

Insights for mfVEPs from perimetry using large spatial frequency-doubling and near frequency-doubling stimuli in glaucoma.

Purpose: To compare two forms of perimetry that use large contrast-modulated grating stimuli in terms of: their relative diagnostic power, their independent diagnostic information about glaucoma and their utility for mfVEPs. We evaluated a contrast-threshold mfVEP in normal controls using the same stimuli as one of the tests.

Methods: We measured psychophysical contrast thresholds in one eye of 16 control subjects and 19 patients aged 67.

Machine learning enables detection of early-stage colorectal cancer by whole-genome sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA.

Background: Blood-based methods using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are under development as an alternative to existing screening tests. However, early-stage detection of cancer using tumor-derived cfDNA has proven challenging because of the small proportion of cfDNA derived from tumor tissue in early-stage disease. A machine learning approach to discover signatures in cfDNA, potentially reflective of both tumor and non-tumor contributions, may represent a promising direction for the early detection of cancer.

Construct-A-Vis: Exploring the Free-Form Visualization Processes of Children.

Building data analysis skills is part of modern elementary school curricula. Recent research has explored how to facilitate children's understanding of visual data representations through completion exercises which highlight links between concrete and abstract mappings. This approach scaffolds visualization activities by presenting a target visualization to children.

Cost-Effectiveness of Pediatric Cochlear Implantation in Rural China.

Objectives: To evaluate the cost utility of cochlear implantation (CI) for severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) among children from rural settings in P.R. China (China).

High rate of incidental glaucoma detection in New Zealand.

Aim: To investigate how glaucoma is initially detected in New Zealanders and what factors aroused disease suspicion.

Methods: A postal survey of 500 randomly selected members of the Glaucoma New Zealand database was undertaken in 2012 to analyse factors relating to their initial presentation and diagnosis of glaucoma. Online surveys and telephone interviews were used to increase the response rate.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Cochlear Implantation in Australian Adults.

Objectives: Sequential and simultaneous bilateral cochlear implants are emerging as appropriate treatment options for Australian adults with sensory deficits in both cochleae. Current funding of Australian public hospitals does not provide for simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation (CI) as a separate surgical procedure. Previous cost-effectiveness studies of sequential and simultaneous bilateral CI assumed 100% of unilaterally treated patients' transition to a sequential bilateral CI.

Economic Evaluation of Treatments for Pediatric Bilateral Severe to Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss: An Australian Perspective.

Objectives: In Australia, surgical treatment options for children with bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss exist in a continuum ranging from unilateral cochlear implantation (CI), sequential bilateral CI through to simultaneous bilateral CI, depending on the condition. When treatment options are mutually exclusive, the mean costs and benefits of each treatment group are summed together to obtain the total mean costs and benefits. This enables an incremental analysis of treatment options in the context of the treated populations.

Genome Modeling System: A Knowledge Management Platform for Genomics.

In this work, we present the Genome Modeling System (GMS), an analysis information management system capable of executing automated genome analysis pipelines at a massive scale. The GMS framework provides detailed tracking of samples and data coupled with reliable and repeatable analysis pipelines. The GMS also serves as a platform for bioinformatics development, allowing a large team to collaborate on data analysis, or an individual researcher to leverage the work of others effectively within its data management system.

Hydrothermal synthesis of Group 13 metal trifluoride complexes with neutral N-donor ligands.

The reactions of the hydrated Group 13 fluorides, MF3·3H2O (M = Al, Ga or In) with 2,2':6',2''-terpyridyl, 2,2'-bipyridyl or 1,10-phenanthroline under hydrothermal conditions (180 °C/15 h) produced high yields of the complexes [MF3(terpy)]·3H2O, [MF3(bipy)(OH2)]·2H2O and [MF3(phen)(OH2)]. X-Ray crystal structures of [M'F3(terpy)]·3H2O (M' = Al or Ga), [M'F3(bipy)(OH2)]·2H2O and [GaF3(phen)(OH2)] show that all of them contain distorted octahedral geometries at the metal with mer-trifluoride coordination. Extensive H-bonding (FH-OH) links the molecules.

Radiofluorination of a pre-formed gallium(III) aza-macrocyclic complex: towards next-generation positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents.

As part of a study to investigate the factors influencing the development of new, more effective metal-complex-based positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents, the distorted octahedral complex, [GaCl(L)]⋅2 H2O has been prepared by reaction of 1-benzyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-4,7-dicarboxylic acid hydrochloride (H2L⋅HCl) with Ga(NO3)3⋅9 H2O, which is a convenient source of Ga(III) for reactions in water. Spectroscopic and crystallographic data for [GaCl(L)]⋅2 H2O are described, together with the crystal structure of [GaCl(L)]⋅MeCN. Fluorination of this complex by Cl(-)/F(-) exchange was achieved in high yield by treatment with KF in water at room temperature over 90 minutes, although the reaction was complete in approximately 30 minutes if heated to 80 °C, giving [GaF(L)]⋅2 H2O in good yield.