ClC-6 und ClC-7 sind Chlorid/Proton Austauscher des späten endozytischen Wegs und lokalisieren entsprechend auf späten Endosomen und Lysosomen. Während die Relevanz von ClC-6 in der humanen Physiologie lange unerkannt war, hat ClC-7 seit lange eine etablierte Rolle als Gen, das, wenn mutiert, zu Neurodegeneration und verschiedenen Arten von Osteopetrose in Menschen führt, eine Pathologie, die von dicken und fragilen Knochen gekennzeichnet wird. Hier berichten wir über eine neue ClC-6Y553C de novo Mutation, die vor Kurzem in 3 unabhängigen Patienten entdeckt wurde, die unter einer früh-entstehenden neurodegenerativen Pathologie litten, die mit generellen Entwicklungsverzögerung, MRI Gehirn-Anomalien, Hypotonie und mangelhaftem Atem verbunden war. Mit-ClC-6Y553C-transfizierten Zellen zeigten ungewӧhnlich erhöhten Strömungen und Unempfindlichkeit an pH, was eine dramatische “gain-of-function” in dem nativen säuren Umfeld von späten Endosomen, wo ClC-6 exprimiert wird, darstellt. Zusätzlich erforschten wir die Relevanz von ClC-7 in der lysosomalen Funktion, um die molekulare Mechanismen besser zu verstehen, die hinter des lysosomalen Speicher und Osteopetrose steht, die in Menschen beobachtet werden, die von ClC-7 Mutationen betroffen sind. Zusammenfassend liefern wir Einblicke in den Konsequenzen von ClC-6 und ClC-7 Mutationen für Zelluläre Homöostase und unterstützen eine wichtige Rolle von ClC-6 und ClC-7 in endolysosomaler Funktion und, wenn mutiert, in humaner neurodegenerativen Pathologie. / ClC-6 and ClC-7 are chloride/proton exchangers of the late endocytic pathway and reside on late endosomes and lysosomes, respectively. While relevance in human physiology for ClC-6 has been long unknown, ClC-7 has an established role as a gene, that, if mutated, causes neurodegeneration and different types of osteopetrosis in humans, a sickness characterized by thick and fragile bones. Here we report a new ClC-6Y553C de novo mutation, recently reported in 3 unrelated patients, affected by an early-onset neurodegenerative disease leading to general developmental delay, MRI brain abnormalities, hypotonia and respiratory insufficiency. Transfected cells revealed abnormally enlarged currents and insensitivity to pH in the Y553C ClC-6 mutant, representing a dramatic gain of function in the native acidic environment of late endosomes, where ClC-6 is expressed. Additionally, we investigated the importance of ClC-7 in lysosomal function to better understand the molecular mechanisms behind the lysosomal storage and osteopetrosis observed in human patients affected by ClC-7 mutations. Collectively, we provide insight into the consequences of ClC-6 and ClC-7 mutations for cellular homeostasis and support a crucial role for both ClC-6 and ClC-7 in endolysosomal function and, if mutated, in human neurodegenerative disease.

Mutations in the chloride-proton antiporter, ClC-5, cause Dent’s disease, a kidney disease defined by excessive loss of proteins in the urine. ClC-5 resides on early endosomal membranes in proximal tubule epithelial cells, where it facilitates protein receptor-mediated endocytosis. Loss-of-function mutations in ClC-5 produce proximal tubule defects in protein reabsorption. This study characterized an epithelial cell phenotype for nonsense ClC-5 mutations, R648X and R704X. Both ClC-5 mutants displayed defective biosynthesis, mistrafficking and ER localization. This study showed that ClC-5 mutations, R718X and C221R, which are also misprocessed and ER retained, are targeted for proteasomal degradation as a means to be efficiently eliminated from the ER. In addition, we have shown that a missense mutation in ClC- 5, C221R, causes a global conformational change in the antiporter, which likely reflects protein misfolding, as evident by enhanced susceptibility to trypsin proteolysis. We have characterized ClC-5 disease-causing mutations in an epithelial cell model of the proximal tubule.

Mutations in the chloride-proton antiporter, ClC-5, cause Dent’s disease, a kidney disease defined by excessive loss of proteins in the urine. ClC-5 resides on early endosomal membranes in proximal tubule epithelial cells, where it facilitates protein receptor-mediated endocytosis. Loss-of-function mutations in ClC-5 produce proximal tubule defects in protein reabsorption. This study characterized an epithelial cell phenotype for nonsense ClC-5 mutations, R648X and R704X. Both ClC-5 mutants displayed defective biosynthesis, mistrafficking and ER localization. This study showed that ClC-5 mutations, R718X and C221R, which are also misprocessed and ER retained, are targeted for proteasomal degradation as a means to be efficiently eliminated from the ER. In addition, we have shown that a missense mutation in ClC- 5, C221R, causes a global conformational change in the antiporter, which likely reflects protein misfolding, as evident by enhanced susceptibility to trypsin proteolysis. We have characterized ClC-5 disease-causing mutations in an epithelial cell model of the proximal tubule.

No description available.

This thesis studies the reliability issues of encapsulated cholesteric LCD, and analyzes the defective pixel. Adjusting fabrication process parameters, we change the thickness of the buffer layer and absorption layer to explore the influence of different boundaries to CLC. It is found that the buffer layer can provide a good protection. When the buffer layer is getting thicker, the less the defective pixels appear, and the absorption layer cannot induce defect. The reflection band of the ITRI¡¦s encapsulated CLCs blue shifts to UV band and then become defective pixel. When CLCs exposed to the atmosphere with large area, the reflected color will be shifted. The shift of reflection band is due to CLC¡¦s inherent properties. Different kind of CLC has different properties, and we found the reflection band of ITRI¡¦s CLC is blue shift and the nematic E48 with chiral dopant R811 is red. Mixing different features of CLCs with appropriate proportion can reduce the color shift. In conclusion, mixing different characteristics CLCs with appropriate proportion and providing good protection to encapsulated CLC, we can reduce CLC¡¦s color shift and restrain the defective pixel.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:41:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VitorRMM_DISSERT.pdf: 2544703 bytes, checksum: 4453e8b3e10e994e669daf77efdaa72b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-04 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico / Perovskites oxides win importance by its properties and commercials applications, they have a high thermal stability, have conductive properties, electrical, catalytic, electro catalytic, optical and magnetic, and are thermally stable. Because of these properties, are being widely studied as carriers of oxygen in the process of power generation with CO2 capture. In this work, the base carrier system La1-xMexNiO3 (Me = Ca and Sr) were synthesized by the method via the combustion reaction assisted by microwave. were synthesized from the combustion reaction method by microwave process. This method control the synthesi`s conditions to obtain materials with specific characteristics. The carriers calcined at 800 ? C/2h were analyzed by thermal analysis (TG-DTA), to verify its thermal stability, X-ray diffraction (XRD) to verify the phase formation, with subsequent refinement by the Rietveld method, to quantify the percentage of phases formed, the surface area by BET method was determined, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was obtained to evaluate the material morphology and temperature programmed reduction (TPR) was done to observe the metallic phase of the nickel. After all proposed characterization and analysis of their results can be inferred to these oxides, key features so that they can be applied as carriers for combustion reactions in chemical cycles. The final products showed perovskite-type structures K2NiF4 (main) and ABO3. / ?xidos com estrutura tipo perovsquita destacam-se por suas diversas propriedades e aplica??es comerciais, pois possuem alta estabilidade t?rmica, apresentam propriedades condutoras, el?tricas, catal?ticas, eletrocatal?ticas, ?pticas e magn?ticas, al?m de serem termicamente est?veis. Devido a estas propriedades, est?o sendo amplamente estudados como carreadores de oxig?nio em processos de gera??o de energia com captura de CO2. Neste trabalho, carreadores a base do sistema La1-xMexNiO3 ( Me = Ca e Sr) foram sintetizados a partir do m?todo via rea??o de combust?o assistida por microondas. Este m?todo controla as condi??es de s?ntese para obten??o de materiais com caracter?sticas espec?ficas. Os carreadores calcinados a 800?C/2h foram analisados atrav?s de an?lise t?rmica (TG-DTA), para verifica??o de sua estabilidade t?rmica; difra??o de raios-X (DRX), para verifica??o das fases formadas, com posterior refinamento atrav?s do m?todo de Rietveld, para quantificar o percentual das fases formadas; ?rea superficial pelo m?todo BET; microscopia eletr?nica de varredura (MEV) e redu??o ? temperatura programada (TPR). Ap?s toda caracteriza??o proposta e an?lise dos seus resultados pode-se inferir a esses ?xidos, caracter?sticas fundamentais para que os mesmos possam ser aplicados como carreadores em rea??es de combust?o por ciclos qu?micos. Os carreadores de oxig?nio obtidos possuem estruturas perovsquitas do tipo K2NiF4 (principal) e ABO3.

Les cytokines de la famille de l’IL-6 possèdent comme caractéristique commune la capacité à recruter une chaine réceptrice membranaire nommée gp130. Au début de notre étude, cette famille comptait 8 membres : IL-6 et son homologue viral (vIL-6), IL-11, LIF, OSM, CNTF, CT-1 et CLC. Depuis, cette famille s’est enrichie de trois nouveaux membres, NP, IL-27 et IL-31. Ces cytokines sont essentielles au développement (LIF et CT-1) ou sont impliquées dans l’hématopoïèse, les réponses immunitaires et l’inflammation (IL-6, IL-11, IL-27, IL-31 et OSM) alors que d’autres agissent plus particulièrement au niveau du système nerveux, comme NP, CLC et CNTF. Le premier axe de recherche de ma thèse a porté sur l’identification d’un nouveau membre de cette famille,la neuropoïétine (NP), et plus précisément sur la caractérisation de son profil d’expression tissulaire et l’identification de son récepteur, des principales voies de signalisation intracellulaire induites ainsi que ses fonctions biologiques. Le deuxième axe de recherche a consisté à étudier la capacité de CLC à se comporter comme un ligand alternatif du récepteur tripartite au CNTF, impliqué dans le développement neuronal. Pour cela, nous avons mis en évidence la présence de la cytokine CLC et de ses partenaires de sécrétion, dans l’environnement des motoneurones lors du développement embryonnaire chez la souris. Enfin, le dernier axe de recherche s’est focalisé sur le rôle des états de glycosylation de CLC sur la sécrétion des cytokines composites CLC/CLF et CLC/solCNTFRα. / Members of the interleukin 6 (IL-6) cytokine family share a common characteristic, the capacity to signal via thegp130 subunit receptor. This family contains 8 members : IL-6 and its viral counterpart (vIL-6), IL-11, LIF, OSM, CNTF, CT-1 and CLC. This family has been more recently enriched with three new members, neuropoietin (NP), IL-27 and IL-31. These proteins are involved in development (LIF and CT-1), in hematopoiesis, immune responses and inflammation, such as IL-6, IL -11, IL-27, IL-31 and OSMor act in the nervous system (NP, CLC and CNTF). My first research work was focused on the identification of a new member of this family, neuropoietin. More specifically, this study allowed determining its tissue expression profile, its complex receptor and the signaling pathways induced, and its biological functions. A second research project was focused on determining whether CLC may constitute an alternative ligand for the CNTF receptor, involved in the neuronal development. We have evidenced the presence of CLC and its secretory partners, in the environment of motoneurons during embryonic development in mice. Finally, I have evaluated the role of the glycosylationstates of CLC on the secretion of the composite cytokines CLC/CLF and CLC/solCNTFR.

This work aims to develop fundamental insights about the underlying surface and bulk chemical processes instrumental to the efficiency of chemical looping combustion (CLC). CLC, which uses a solid-state oxygen carrier (e.g., metal oxides) to drive hydrocarbon combustion, is a promising combustion alternative that minimizes byproduct formation and facilities capture of CO2. In this work, we compare the performance of different transition metal oxides, namely iron, copper, cobalt, manganese, and nickel oxides, as oxygen carriers in CLC using CH4 as the reducing agent. Experiments used a continuous flow reactor across temperatures ranging from 500 to 800 oC and feed flowrates from 12.5 to 250 h-1. In addition to monitoring size-, temperature- and flow rate-dependent performance trends for CH4 conversion to CO2, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were used to investigate the solid-state mechanism of oxygen carrier reduction and the coupled surface chemical and bulk material processes influencing performance. Bulk (XRD) and surface (XPS) analysis reveal that oxygen carrier reduction can be generally represented by two models, the unreacted shrinking core model (USCM) and the nuclei growth model (NNGM). The reduction of some metal oxides can also proceed via a two-stage solid-state mechanism; for example, hematite reduction to magnetite follows USCM, while the subsequent reductions of magnetite to wustite and wustite to iron metal follow NNGM. Furthermore, our results reveal that minimizing the particle size promotes oxygen carrier performance, but only for metal oxides reduced according to the USCM, where metal oxide reduction initiates on the particle surface. In contrast, no benefit of decreasing particle size was observed for materials reduced according to the NNGM because the reaction initiates in the particle bulk, such that a more critical determinant of reactivity may be the available oxygen carrier volume rather than surface area. Beyond these fundamental insights, cycling experiments were also performed to provide more practical information about the effect of oxygen carrier particle size on their long-term performance in CLC applications.

This paper study the influence of surface properties of encapsulated CLC on response time and reflectance via polymerization induced phase separation. The cured polymer layer, which is composed of the mixture of EMA and TRI, adhere to the inside of the non-treated glass substrate and change the surface properties to vertical alignments. Different boundary conditions caused by various UV curing intensity and cell gap lead to different electro-optical properties for CLC display. With a proper boundary structure, the transition time from homeotropic to planar of CLC can be reduced obviously with slightly reduced reflectance.

[EN] Cryopreserved boar sperm is not used extensively for artificial insemination due to poor fertility rates of the sperm after freezing and thawing. The sperm membrane is damaged when cooled from body temperature to 5 ºC (cold shock), as well as during the freeze-thaw process. Increasing the cholesterol content of boar sperm membranes could increase their post-thaw survival, similarly to other species that are cold shock sensitive. Cholesterol can be easily added to sperm membranes using cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrins (CLC). Treating sperm from different species susceptible to cold-shock with CLC before cryopreservation improves sperm cryosurvival. Egg yolk and glycerol are common constituents of extenders used for boar sperm cryopreservation. However, conventional freezing extenders could not be the appropriate for CLC-treated sperm. The aim of this Thesis is to evaluate cryosurvival of CLC or cyclodextrin-treated boar sperm in three different conditions: using conventional freezing extenders, using extenders with alternative concentrations of glycerol and egg yolk and using amides as cryoprotectants. CLC or methyl- ß-cyclodextrin treatment (1 mg/120 x 106 sperm) prior to cryopreservation using a conventional freezing extenders provided either slight or no benefit, respectively, to post-thaw sperm plasma membrane integrity (+ 8%; P < 0.05) and motility (P > 0.05). In addition, sperm from both, good and poor freezers, responded similarly to CLC treatment (P > 0.05). Reduction in egg yolk concentration from 20 to 10% was detrimental for post-thaw sperm viability, even in semen treated with CLC (- 12%; P < 0.05). On the other hand, it was observed that traditional concentration of glycerol (3%) was not the appropriate to freeze CLC-treated sperm (- 13% viable sperm compared to control; P < 0.05). Thus, CLC-treated sperm showed a higher tolerance (+ 13 % sperm viability; P < 0.05) to high glycerol concentrations (5%) than non-treated sperm. Regarding the efficacy of amides as cryoprotectants, three of the amides (lactamide, acetamide and formamide) produced deleterious effects in fresh boar sperm (P < 0.05). The other amides (methylformamide, dimethylacetamide and dimethylformamide) efficiently improved post-thaw sperm viability (+ 5 to 15 %; P < 0.05) but negatively affected the sperm motility (- 11 to 16% total motile sperm; P < 0.05) and the sperm fertilizing ability in vitro (dimethylformamide: - 64 % penetration rate; P < 0.05), irrespective of the sperm treatment. On the other hand, CLC-treated samples showed better in vitro fertilizing ability than control samples when glycerol was used as cryoprotectant (+ 2 penetrated spermatozoa/oocyte; P < 0.05). The results obtained in this Thesis suggest that conventional freezing protocols should be optimized for CLC-treated boar sperm in order to obtain the benefit of CLC treatment observed in other species sensitive to cold shock. / [ES] Las inseminaciones artificiales en la especie porcina se realizan habitualmente con semen refrigerado, debido a las bajas tasas de fertilidad obtenidas con el semen congelado-descongelado. La membrana del espermatozoide sufre importantes daños cuando es sometida a la fase de enfriamiento desde la temperatura corporal hasta alcanzar los 5 ºC (choque térmico), así como durante el proceso de congelación y descongelación. El aumento del contenido de colesterol en las membranas de los espermatozoides de cerdo podría mejorar su supervivencia tras la descongelación, como sucede en otras especies sensibles al choque térmico. Este incremento en la cantidad de colesterol se puede realizar fácilmente utilizando ciclodextrinas saturadas de colesterol (CLC). El tratamiento con CLC de espermatozoides de varias especies susceptibles al choque térmico antes de la congelación ha conseguido mejorar su supervivencia tras la descongelación. En los protocolos convencionales de congelación de semen porcino se utilizan habitualmente diluyentes de congelación compuestos por yema de huevo y glicerol, sin embargo, puede que estos diluyentes de congelación convencionales no sean los más apropiados para congelar espermatozoides tratados con CLC. El objetivo de esta Tesis es evaluar la supervivencia a la congelación de los espermatozoides porcinos tratados con CLC o ciclodextrinas utilizando diluyentes de congelación convencionales, utilizando concentraciones alternativas tanto de yema de huevo como de glicerol o utilizando amidas en lugar de glicerol como crioprotectores Utilizando diluyentes convencionales, el tratamiento con 1mg de CLC o de metil-ß-ciclodextrina/120 millones de espermatozoides previamente a la congelación proporcionó una leve mejora de la integridad de la membrana plasmática espermática (+ 8%; P < 0,05) y ningún beneficio sobre la movilidad espermática (P > 0,05). Además, la respuesta al tratamiento con CLC fue similar independientemente de si los espermatozoides procedían de verracos buenos o malos congeladores (P > 0,05). Una reducción de la concentración de yema de huevo de un 20 a un 10% fue perjudicial para la supervivencia de los espermatozoides tras la descongelación, incluidos aquellos que habían sido tratados previamente con CLC (- 12% espermatozoides vivos; P < 0,05). Por otro lado, observamos que las concentraciones de glicerol utilizadas habitualmente (3%) no son las más apropiadas para congelar espermatozoides tratados con CLC (- 13 % viabilidad espermática comparando con las muestras control; P < 0,05), ya que éstos mostraron una mayor tolerancia (+ 13 % espermatozoides vivos; P < 0,05) que las muestras control a las concentraciones de glicerol más altas (5%). Con respecto a la eficacia de las amidas como crioprotectores para semen porcino, tres de las amidas (lactamida, acetamida y formamida) produjeron efectos perjudiciales durante su incubación con semen fresco (P < 0,05). El resto de amidas evaluadas (metilformamida, dimetilacetamida y dimetilformamida) mejoraron eficientemente la viabilidad espermática tras la congelación (+ 5 a 15 %; P < 0,05), sin embargo, afectaron negativamente tanto la movilidad espermática (- 11 a 16% móviles totales; P < 0,05) como la capacidad de fecundación in vitro (dimetilformamida: - 64 % en la tasa de penetración; P < 0,05), independientemente de si el semen fue tratado con CLC o no. Por otro lado, las muestras tratadas con CLC mostraron mejor capacidad de fecundación in vitro que las muestras control cuando se utilizó el glicerol como crioprotector (+ 2 espermatozoides penetrados/ovocito; P < 0,05). Los resultados obtenidos en esta Tesis sugieren que sería necesaria la adecuación de los protocolos de congelación convencionales para congelar semen porcino tratado con CLC con el propósito de alcanzar los claros beneficios obtenidos con dicho tratamiento cuando ha sido evaluado en otras especies sensibles al choque térmico. / [CAT] Les inseminacions artificials en l'espècie porcina es realitzen habitualment amb semen refrigerat, a causa de les baixes taxes de fertilitat obtingudes amb el semen congelat-descongelat. La membrana de l'espermatozoide pateix importants danys quan és sotmesa a la fase de refredament des de la temperatura corporal fins a arribar als 5 ºC (xoc tèrmic), així com durant el procés de congelació i descongelació. L'augment del contingut de colesterol a les membranes dels espermatozoides de porc podria millorar la seva supervivència després de la descongelació, com succeeix en altres espècies sensibles al xoc tèrmic. Aquest increment en la quantitat de colesterol es pot realitzar fàcilment utilitzant ciclodextrines saturades de colesterol (CLC). El tractament amb CLC d'espermatozoides de diverses espècies susceptibles al xoc tèrmic abans de la congelació ha aconseguit millorar la seva supervivència després de la descongelació. En els protocols convencionals de congelació de semen porcí s'utilitzen habitualment diluents de congelació compostos per rovell d'ou i glicerol, però, pot ser que aquests diluents de congelació convencionals no siguin els més apropiats per congelar espermatozoides tractats amb CLC. L'objectiu d'aquesta Tesi és avaluar la supervivència a la congelació dels espermatozoides porcins tractats amb CLC o ciclodextrines utilitzant diluents de congelació convencionals, utilitzant concentracions alternatives tant de rovell d'ou com de glicerol o utilitzant amides en lloc de glicerol com crioprotectors Utilitzant diluents convencionals, el tractament amb 1 mg de CLC o de metil-ß-ciclodextrina / 120 milions d'espermatozoides prèviament a la congelació va proporcionar una lleu millora de la integritat de la membrana plasmàtica espermàtica (+ 8%; P <0,05) i cap benefici sobre la mobilitat espermàtica (P> 0,05). A més, la resposta al tractament amb CLC va ser similar independentment de si els espermatozoides procedien de verros bons o dolents congeladors (P> 0,05). Una reducció de la concentració de rovell d'ou d'un 20 a un 10% va ser perjudicial per a la supervivència dels espermatozoides després de la descongelació, inclosos aquells que havien estat tractats prèviament amb CLC (- el 12% espermatozoides vius; P <0,05) . D'altra banda, observem que les concentracions de glicerol utilitzades habitualment (3%) no són les més apropiades per congelar espermatozoides tractats amb CLC (- 13% viabilitat espermàtica comparant amb les mostres control; P <0,05), ja que aquests van mostrar una major tolerància (+ 13% espermatozoides vius; P <0,05) que les mostres control a les concentracions de glicerol més altes (5%). Pel que fa a l'eficàcia de les amides com crioprotectors per semen porcí, tres de les amides (lactamida, acetamida i formamida) van produir efectes perjudicials durant la seva incubació amb semen fresc (P <0,05). La resta de amides avaluades (metilformamida, dimetilacetamida i dimetilformamida) van millorar eficientment la viabilitat espermàtica després de la congelació (+ 5 a 15%, P <0,05), però, van afectar negativament tant la mobilitat espermàtica (- 11 a 16% mòbils totals; P <0,05) com la capacitat de fecundació in vitro (dimetilformamida: - el 64% en la taxa de penetració; P <0,05), independentment de si el semen va ser tractat amb CLC o no. D'altra banda, les mostres tractades amb CLC van mostrar millor capacitat de fecundació in vitro que les mostres control quan es va utilitzar el glicerol com crioprotector (+ 2 espermatozous penetrats / oòcit; P <0,05). Els resultats obtinguts en aquesta Tesi suggereixen que seria necessària l'adequació dels protocols de congelació convencionals per congelar semen porcí tractat amb CLC amb el propòsit d'assolir els clars beneficis obtinguts amb el tractament quan ha estat avaluat en altres espècies sensibles al xoc tèrmic. / Blanch Torres, E. (2015). Treating boar sperm with cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrins or cyclodextrins prior to cryopreservation: effects on post-thaw in vitro sperm quality of sperm cryopreserved in different freezing extenders [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/58773 / TESIS