Search results for "Note"

Immunomodulatory Therapy of Inflammatory Liver Disease Using Selectin-Binding Glycopolymers

2017

Immunotherapies have the potential to significantly advance treatment of inflammatory disease and cancer, which are in large part driven by immune cells. Selectins control the first step in immune cell adhesion and extravasation, thereby guiding leukocyte trafficking to tissue lesions. We analyzed four different highly specific selectin-binding glycopolymers, based on linear poly(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylamide (PHPMA) polymers. These glycopolymers contain either the tetrasaccharide sialyl-LewisX (SLeX) or the individual carbohydrates fucose, galactose, and sialic acids mimicking the complex SLeX binding motive. The glycopolymers strongly bind to primary human macrophages, without activatin…

Recent advances in the use of nanoparticles for allergen-specific immunotherapy

2017

The number of patients suffering from allergic asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis has increased dramatically within the last decades. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only available cause-oriented therapy so far. AIT reduces symptoms, but has also a disease-modifying effect. Disadvantages are a long-lasting procedure, and in a few cases potential systemic adverse reactions. Encapsulation of allergens or DNA vaccines into nanostructures may provide advantages compared to the conventional AIT with noncapsulated allergen extracts: The protein/DNA molecule can be protected from degradation, higher local concentrations and targeted delivery to the site of action appear possible, and most…

2017

We have engineered polymer-based microenvironments that promote vasculogenesis both in vitro and in vivo through synergistic integrin-growth factor receptor signalling. Poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) triggers spontaneous organization of fibronectin (FN) into nanonetworks which provide availability of critical binding domains. Importantly, the growth factor binding (FNIII12-14) and integrin binding (FNIII9-10) regions are simultaneously available on FN fibrils assembled on PEA. This material platform promotes synergistic integrin/VEGF signalling which is highly effective for vascularization events in vitro with low concentrations of VEGF. VEGF specifically binds to FN fibrils on PEA compared to …

Multivariate statistical analysis of a large odorants database aimed at revealing similarities and links between odorants and odors

2017

International audience; The perception of odor is an important component of smell; the first step of odor detection, and the discrimination of structurally diverse odorants depends on their interactions with olfactory receptors (ORs). Indeed, the perception of an odor's quality results from a combinatorial coding, in which the deciphering remains a major challenge. Several studies have successfully established links between odors and odorants by categorizing and classifying data. Hence, the categorization of odors appears to be a promising way to manage odors. In the proposed study, we performed a computational analysis using odor descriptions of the odorants present in Flavor-Base 9th Edit…

Raman spectroscopy as a tool for ecology and evolution.

2017

7 pages; International audience; Scientists are always on the lookout for new modalities of information which could reveal new biological features that are useful for deciphering the complexity of biological systems. Here, we introduce Raman spectroscopy as a prime candidate for ecology and evolution. To encourage the integration of this microscopy technique in the field of ecology and evolution, it is crucial to discuss first how Raman spectroscopy fits within the conceptual, technical and pragmatic considerations of ecology and evolution. In this paper, we show that the spectral information holds reliable indicators of intra- and interspecies variations, which can be related to the enviro…

The Importance of Developing Electrochemical Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for a Rapid Detection of Antioxidants

2021

International audience; This review aims to pin out the importance of developing a technique for rapid detection of antioxidants, based on molecular imprinting techniques. It covers three major areas that have made great progress over the years in the field of research, namely: antioxidants characterization, molecular imprinting and electrochemistry, alone or combined. It also reveals the importance of bringing these three areas together for a good evaluation of antioxidants in a simple or complex medium, based on selectivity and specificity. Although numerous studies have associated antioxidants with molecular imprinting, or antioxidants with electrochemistry, but even electrochemistry wit…

Bacteriophage imaging : past, present and future

2018

The visualization of viral particles only became possible after the advent of the electron microscope. The first bacteriophage images were published in 1940 and were soon followed by many other publications that helped to elucidate the structure of the particles and their interaction with the bacterial hosts. As sample preparation improved and new technologies were developed, phage imaging became important approach to morphologically classify these viruses and helped to understand its importance in the biosphere. In this review we discuss the main milestones in phage imaging, how it affected our knowledge on these viruses and recent developments in the field. peerReviewed

Interdisciplinary Nature of Nanoscience: Implications for Education

2016

A lot of expectations rest on the interdisciplinarity of nanoscience, and it has even been proposed as the deciding factor in the progress of the field [1]. What opportunities and challenges does the interdisciplinary nature of nanoscience bring to science education at different levels? This chapter first analyzes the much‐discussed interdisciplinarity of nanoscience today, and then discusses how and why those features should be addressed in education. peerReviewed

Investigation on the Possibility of Designing an Educational Dynamic Light Scattering Device for Sizing Particles Suspended in Air

2019

Abstract If a light beam meets a fluid that contains scattering centers randomly distributed in suspension, light is scattered by each of them. If the light source is coherent, the scattered waves will be also coherent, therefore they will interfere. The fluctuations of the far-field interference signal, once recorded and digitized, become a time series that can be later on analyzed to produce the average size of the suspended particles or the size distribution. The technique wears the name of Dynamic Light Scattering. We present the results of our investigation on the possibility of using an educational model, made of low-cost, conventional electronics, for recording the time signal of lig…

Cutting-edge progress and challenges in stimuli responsive hydrogel microenvironment for success in tissue engineering today.

2020

The field of tissue engineering has numerous potential for modified therapeutic results and has been inspired by enhancements in bioengineering at the recent decades. The techniques of regenerating tissues and assembling functional paradigms that are responsible for repairing, maintaining, and revitalizing lost organs and tissues have affected the entire spectrum of health care studies. Strategies to combine bioactive molecules, biocompatible materials and cells are important for progressing the renewal of damaged tissues. Hydrogels have been utilized as one of the most popular cell substrate/carrier in tissue engineering since previous decades, respect to their potential to retain a 3D str…