Controlled assembly of filamentous viruses into hierarchical nano- to microstructures at liquid/liquid interfaces

Recently, viruses have been regarded as useful molecular assemblies for materials applications rather than as disease-causing agents. The orderly assembled structures of the viruses are highly related to the resultant properties and functions of the assemblies; however, methods to control the assembly are still limited. Here, we demonstrated the assembly of filamentous viruses into hierarchical nano- to microstructures at liquid/liquid interfaces through emulsification in a controlled manner. The viruses form fibrous nanostructures of several micrometers length, which are much longer than the original virus. Subsequently, the fibers self-assemble into well-packed ordered microstructures. Furthermore, the resultant hierarchically assembled structures showed long-term stability and potential applicability through the desired functionalization.

Assembly of filamentous viruses into hierarchical nano- to microstructures in a controlled manner was demonstrated using the liquid/liquid interface.     

Is a Type A behavior pattern associated with falling among the community-dwelling elderly?

The aim of this report is to investigate the relationship between Type A behavior patterns and the likelihood of falling among community-dwelling elderly, and to compare differences in the prevalence, reasons, locations, injuries and frequency of falls between Type A and non-Type A personalities. Persons aged 60 or older living in 3 communities of Nanjing, China participated in a baseline survey conducted in 2000 (n=879), and falling incidents were followed for 1 year. The survey employed a self-administered questionnaire designed to elicit demographic data, current health problems and medications taken, intake of alcohol, exercise habits, physical function, environmental hazards and Type A behavior patterns. Several factors associated with falling such as health condition, physical function and environmental factors did not differ between the Type A and non-Type A groups except in the male tendency toward heart disease and their inability to walk fast. The results of logistic regression analyses showed that a Type A behavior pattern was independently associated with falling in males but not in females. Findings in the present study suggest that a Type A behavior pattern might play an important role in the rate of falling incidents in elderly males, since some characteristics of this personality pattern might lead to risk-taking behavior. More studies are needed to evaluate the association of certain behavior patterns with falling incidents.