• Energy Research
• Closed Access close
• Embargo close
• 3. Good health close
• FR close

We have characterized the general properties of the heat shock response of the Gram-positive hardy bacterium Enterococcus faecalis. The heat resistance (60 degrees C or 62.5 degrees C, 30 min) of log phase cells of E. faecalis grown at 37 degrees C was enhanced by exposing cells to a prior heat shock at 45 degrees C or 50 degrees C for 30 min. These conditioning temperatures also induced ethanol (22%, v/v) tolerance. The onset of thermotolerance was accompanied by the synthesis of a number of heat shock proteins. The most prominent bands had molecular weights in the range of 48 to 94kDa. By Western blot analysis two of them were found to be immunologically related to the well known DnaK (72kDa) and GroEL (63kDa) heat shock proteins of Escherichia coli. Four other proteins showing little or no variations after exposure to heat are related to DnaJ, GrpE and Lon (La) E. coli proteins and to the Bacillus subtilis sigma 43 factor. Ethanol (2% or 4%, v/v) treatments elicited a similar response although there was a weaker induction of heat shock proteins than with heat shock.

Abstract Novel proton-conducting electrolytes were prepared from the sol–gel precursor 1-[3-(trimethoxy-λ4-silyl)propyl]imidazole with the addition of either trifluoroacetic or acetic acid. The presence of trimethoxysilyl groups enabled the solvolysis and condensation reactions of silsesquioxane species. IR spectroscopy revealed that more cube-like species formed in the electrolyte prepared from trifluoroacetic acid, while cube- and ladder-like silsesquioxanes were present in the electrolyte with acetic acid. This assignation was independently confirmed by 29Si NMR analyses revealing the T3 signals of trisiloxane bonding. IR spectroscopy also pointed to the formation of hydrogen bonding in the latter electrolyte, since the frequencies of the observed bands at 1710, 1409, and 1272 cm−1 approached those of acetic acid. In contrast, the IR bands at 1662, 1204, and 1130 cm−1 confirmed the existence of trifluoroacetate anions in the case when the electrolyte was prepared from trifluoroacetic acid. The presence of free trifluoroacetate anions contributed to the moderately higher specific conductivity of this electrolyte (4.6×10−5 S/cm) compared to that of acetic acid (1.6×10−5 S/cm). The specific conductivity of the electrolytes could be further increased by the addition of a lithium salt. All electrolytes were employed in electrochromic devices with optically active WO3 and various inorganic counter-electrodes (CeVO4, V2O5, Ti/V-oxide). Photopic transmittance changes from 30% to 40% were achieved.

Chronic alcohol consumption in adults can induce cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, and heart failure. In newborns, prenatal alcohol exposure can increase the risk of congenital heart diseases. Understanding biological mechanisms involved in the long-term alcohol exposure-induced cardiotoxicity is pivotal to the discovery of therapeutic strategies. In this study, cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) were treated with clinically relevant doses of ethanol for various durations up to 5 weeks. The treated cells were characterized for their cellular properties and functions, and global proteomic profiling was conducted to understand the molecular changes associated with long-term ethanol exposure. Increased cell death, oxidative stress, deranged Ca2+ handling, abnormal action potential, altered contractility, and suppressed structure development were observed in ethanol-treated cells. Many dysregulated proteins identified by global proteomic profiling were involved in apoptosis, heart contraction, and extracellular collagen matrix. In addition, several signaling pathways including the Wnt and TGFβ signaling pathways were affected due to long-term ethanol treatment. Therefore, chronic ethanol treatment of hiPSC-CMs induces cardiotoxicity, impairs cardiac functions, and alters protein expression and signaling pathways. This study demonstrates the utility of hiPSC-CMs as a novel model for chronic alcohol exposure study and provides the molecular mechanisms associated with long-term alcohol exposure in human cardiomyocytes.

Abstract A potentiometric gas sensor capable of monitoring gaseous sulfur and/or hydrogen sulfide was designed and tested in oxygen-free atmospheres at temperatures between 908 and 1043 K. The sensor consists of a silver β-alumina solid electrolyte membrane, a silver metal reference electrode and a catalyst (MoSx) activated working (gas) electrode. The sensor is represented by the following cell: Ag | Ag β — alumina | Ag2S, MoSx, S2, N2, Au.

Abstract The admittance of a cobalt-doped ZnO crystal/NaOH electrolyte interface has been studied as a function of frequency for various electrode potentials. Analysis of the admittance data gives evidence of a continuum of surface states, the density of which reaches a maximum for an energy 0.30 eV lower than the energy of the conduction-band edge. However, appropriate surface states are involved in the charge transfer processes of carriers photogenerated in the visible, between the Co2+ states and the O 2 OH − level, and can stabilize as a consequence the electrode against photocorrosion.

The Palaeolithic diet (PD) has gained popularity globally. There is emerging evidence of its putative health benefits as short-term effects on chronic diseases have been reported. We evaluated the association between long-term adherence to the PD and breast cancer (BC) risk among postmenopausal women.65,574 women from the Etude Epidémiologique auprès de femmes de la Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale (E3N) cohort were followed from 1993 to 2014. Incident BC cases were identified and validated. The PD score was calculated using dietary intake self-reported at baseline (1993) and follow-up (2005) or baseline only if censored before follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate BC hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Over a mean follow-up of 20 years, 3968 incident BC cases occurred. An increase of 1 standard deviation in the PD score was associated with an 8% lower BC risk, fully-adjusted model: HR1-SD 0.92, 95% CI; 0.89, 0.95. Compared to women with low adherence to the PD, women with high adherence had a 17% lower BC risk, HRQ5 vs Q1 0.83, 95% CI; 0.75, 0.92, Ptrend  0.10 for all).High adherence to a PD characterised by fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish, and lean meat and limited in dairy, grains, legumes, refined sugar, and alcohol was associated with a lower BC risk. The lack of heterogeneity according to BC subtypes could indicate the involvement of non-hormonal mechanisms. The protocol is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03285230.The protocol is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03285230.

Mishell-Dutton culture, known as an in vitro model for the evaluation of the humoral immune response of mice spleen cells to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), was used to study the immunosuppressive effect of iron-containing compounds. This response was indicated by the number of antibody forming cell (AFC) per million nucleated cells. Ferrous sulfate and ferric citrate (0.1 mM), when continuously present in Mishell-Dutton culture, significantly decreased the SRBC AFC response by approximately 63% and 86% of the control values, respectively. Ferric citrate, preincubated (24 h) with spleen cells and followed by lavage, significantly decreased the SRBC AFC response by approximately 54% of the control values. Primary and iron-treated coal, in concentrations ranging from 40 micrograms.ml-1 to 120 micrograms.ml-1, significantly decreased the SRBC AFC response when continuously present in Mishell-Dutton culture. Iron-treated coal, suppressed this response, in dose-dependent amounts, to a greater extent than did the primary coal:73% versus 54% at 120 micrograms.ml-1. We concluded that Mishell-Dutton culture is suitable for studying the immunotoxicity of iron and these results may contribute to explain a decrease of host resistance against parasitic and bacterial infection in workers exposed to iron.

Abstract Different anhydrous potassium ion conducting polymer electrolytes have been studied: (POE)nKTFSI (trifluorosulfonimide), plasticized (POE)nKTFSI, (PEM)nKTFSI and (POE-ACETAL)nKTFSI. DSC and conductivity measurements have been used to characterize these electrolytes. Several solutions to avoid crystallization have been examined. The best conductivity has been obtained with (POE-acetal)nKTFSI. This electroylte exhibits good transmission in the VIS-IR region. The time response of cells using these electrolytes and Prussian blue and KxWO3 as electrodes has been measured and compared. The influence of H2O on cycling is also presented and discussed.

Ionic liquids present unique properties that make them interesting as a safer electrolyte for lithium ion batteries. In this work, we reported the electrochemical study, cyclic performance of neat 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazoliumbis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [C1C6Im][NTf2] and the binary mixture [Li][C1C6Im][NTf2] at 303 K in different concentrations of LiNTf2 ranging from 0 to 1.6 mol.L-1(M).