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18 pages, 4350 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innate Immune Response Against Batai Virus, Bunyamwera Virus, and Their Reassortants

by David D. J. A. Zöller, Josefin Säurich, Julia Metzger, Klaus Jung, Bernd Lepenies and Stefanie C. Becker

Viruses 2024, 16(12), 1833; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16121833 - 26 Nov 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1221

Abstract

Orthobunyaviruses (OBVs) represent a diverse group of RNA viruses, encompassing a progressively increasing number of arboviruses that cause disease in both humans and livestock. Yet, studies investigating these viruses remain scarce despite the critical importance of such knowledge for assessing their zoonotic potential. In this study, we conducted an evaluation of the early immune response against the understudied Batai virus (BATV), as well as the influence of reassortment with the Bunyamwera virus (BUNV) on this response. Using RNA sequencing of infected murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells, complemented by qPCR assays, we assessed the innate immune response at the transcriptome level. Additionally, we extended the qPCR analysis by including human THP-1-derived dendritic cells and ovine SFT-R cells to identify differences across species. Our results provide the first evidence that BATV elicits a strong innate immune response compared to BUNV, which largely evades early detection. Reassortants exhibited intermediate phenotypes, although unique changes in the early immune response were found as well. These findings provide a starting point for a better understanding of the immune response to BATV. Furthermore, they raise the question of whether reassortment induces changes in the innate immune response that might contribute to the differences in pathogenicity between reassortant OBVs and their parental generations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals)

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15 pages, 6920 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Particulate Matter Exposures under Five Different Transportation Modes during Spring Festival Travel Rush in China

by Yao Zhang, Nu Yu, Mengya Zhang and Quan Ye

Processes 2021, 9(7), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9071133 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2625

Abstract

Serious traffic-related pollution and high population density during the spring festival (Chinese new year) travel rush (SFTR) increases the travelers’ exposure risk to pollutants and biohazards. This study investigates personal exposure to particulate matter (PM) mass concentration when commuting in five transportation modes during and after the 2020 SFTR: China railway high-speed train (CRH train), subway, bus, car, and walking. The routes are selected between Nanjing and Xuzhou, two major transportation hubs in the Yangtze Delta. The results indicate that personal exposure levels to PM on the CRH train are the lowest and relatively stable, and so it is recommended to take the CRH train back home during the SFTR to reduce the personal PM exposure. The exposure level to PM_2.5 during SFTR is twice as high as the average level of Asia, and it is higher than the WHO air quality guideline (AQG). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality Monitoring for Smart Cities and Industrial Applications)

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11 pages, 3550 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Sintering of ZnO Nanopowders

by Anne Aimable, Hervé Goure Doubi, Michael Stuer, Zhe Zhao and Paul Bowen

Technologies 2017, 5(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies5020028 - 30 May 2017

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 7374

Abstract

Nanopowders are continuously under investigation as they open new perspectives in numerous fields. There are two main challenges to stimulating their development: sufficient low-cost, high throughput synthesis methods which lead to a production with well-defined and reproducible properties; and for ceramics specifically, the conservation of the powders’ nanostructure after sintering. In this context, this paper presents the synthesis of a pure nanosized powder of ZnO (dv₅₀~60 nm, easily redispersable) by using a continuous Segmented Flow Tubular Reactor (SFTR), which has previously shown its versatility and its robustness, ensuring a high powder quality and reproducibility over time. A higher scale of production can be achieved based on a “scale-out” concept by replicating the tubular reactors. The sinterability of ZnO nanopowders synthesized by the SFTR was studied, by natural sintering at 900 °C and 1100 °C, and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) at 900 °C. The performance of the synthesized nanopowder was compared to a commercial ZnO nanopowder of high quality. The samples obtained from the synthesized nanopowder could not be densified at low temperature by traditional sintering, whereas SPS led to a fully dense material after only 5 min at 900 °C, while also limiting the grain growth, thus leading to a nanostructured material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ceramic Technologies and Applications)

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16 pages, 4824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Continuous Polyol Synthesis of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using a Segmented Flow Tubular Reactor (SFTR)

by Andrea Testino, Frank Pilger, Mattia Alberto Lucchini, Jose Enrico Q. Quinsaat, Christoph Stähli and Paul Bowen

Molecules 2015, 20(6), 10566-10581; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules200610566 - 8 Jun 2015

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8954

Abstract

Over the last years a new type of tubular plug flow reactor, the segmented flow tubular reactor (SFTR), has proven its versatility and robustness through the water-based synthesis of precipitates as varied as CaCO₃, BaTiO₃, Mn_(1−x)Ni_xC₂O₄·2H₂O, YBa oxalates, copper oxalate, ZnS, ZnO, iron oxides, and TiO₂ produced with a high powder quality (phase composition, particle size, and shape) and high reproducibility. The SFTR has been developed to overcome the classical problems of powder production scale-up from batch processes, which are mainly linked with mass and heat transfer. Recently, the SFTR concept has been further developed and applied for the synthesis of metals, metal oxides, and salts in form of nano- or micro-particles in organic solvents. This has been done by increasing the working temperature and modifying the particle carrying solvent. In this paper we summarize the experimental results for four materials prepared according to the polyol synthesis route combined with the SFTR. CeO₂, Ni, Ag, and Ca₃(PO₄)₂ nanoparticles (NPs) can be obtained with a production rate of about 1–10 g per h. The production was carried out for several hours with constant product quality. These findings further corroborate the reliability and versatility of the SFTR for high throughput powder production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Flow Chemistry)

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