1. |
- Ghai, Viney, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Achieving Long-Range Arbitrary Uniform Alignment of Nanostructures in Magnetic Fields
- 2024
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Ingår i: Advanced Functional Materials. - 1616-3028 .- 1616-301X. ; In Press
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For magnetic field orientation of nonstructures to become a viable method to create high performance multifunctional nanocomposites, it is of paramount importance to develop a method that is easy to implement and that can induce long-range uniform nanostructural alignment. To overcome this challenge, inspired by low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology, a highly uniform, high field strength, and compact magnetic-field nanostructure orientation methodology is presented for polymeric nanocomposites using a Halbach array, for the first time. Potential new advances are showcased for applications of graphene polymer composites by considering their electro-thermal and antibacterial properties in highly oriented orthogonal morphologies. The high level of anisotropy induced in the graphene nanocomposites studied stands out through: 1) up to four decades higher electrical conductivities recorded in comparison to their randomly oriented counterparts, at concentrations where the latter show minimal improvements compared to the unfilled polymer; 2) over 1200% improvement in thermal conductivity, 3) antibacterial surfaces at field benchmark levels with lower filler content and with the added versatility of arbitrary orientation of the nanofillers. Overall, the new method and variations thereof can open up new horizons for tailoring nanostructure and performance for virtually all major nanocomposite applications based on graphene and other types of fillers.
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2. |
- Forteza, Maria J., et al.
(författare)
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Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase regulates vascular inflammation in atherosclerosis and increases cardiovascular risk
- 2023
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Ingår i: Cardiovascular Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0008-6363 .- 1755-3245. ; 119:7, s. 1524-1536
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies have revealed a close connection between cellular metabolism and the chronic inflammatory process of atherosclerosis. While the link between systemic metabolism and atherosclerosis is well established, the implications of altered metabolism in the artery wall are less understood. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK)-dependent inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) has been identified as a major metabolic step regulating inflammation. Whether the PDK/PDH axis plays a role in vascular inflammation and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains unclear. Methods and results Gene profiling of human atherosclerotic plaques revealed a strong correlation between PDK1 and PDK4 transcript levels and the expression of pro-inflammatory and destabilizing genes. Remarkably, the PDK1 and PDK4 expression correlated with a more vulnerable plaque phenotype, and PDK1 expression was found to predict future major adverse cardiovascular events. Using the small-molecule PDK inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA) that restores arterial PDH activity, we demonstrated that the PDK/PDH axis is a major immunometabolic pathway, regulating immune cell polarization, plaque development, and fibrous cap formation in Apoe−/− mice. Surprisingly, we discovered that DCA regulates succinate release and mitigates its GPR91-dependent signals promoting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion by macrophages in the plaque. Conclusions We have demonstrated for the first time that the PDK/PDH axis is associated with vascular inflammation in humans and particularly that the PDK1 isozyme is associated with more severe disease and could predict secondary cardiovascular events. Moreover, we demonstrate that targeting the PDK/PDH axis with DCA skews the immune system, inhibits vascular inflammation and atherogenesis, and promotes plaque stability features in Apoe−/− mice. These results point toward a promising treatment to combat atherosclerosis.
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3. |
- Lüscher, Bernhard, et al.
(författare)
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ADP-ribosyltransferases, an update on function and nomenclature
- 2022
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Ingår i: The FEBS Journal. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1742-464X .- 1742-4658. ; 289:23, s. 7399-7410
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ADP-ribosylation, a modification of proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites, confers broad functions, including roles in stress responses elicited, for example, by DNA damage and viral infection and is involved in intra- and extracellular signaling, chromatin and transcriptional regulation, protein biosynthesis, and cell death. ADP-ribosylation is catalyzed by ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs), which transfer ADP-ribose from NAD+ onto substrates. The modification, which occurs as mono- or poly-ADP-ribosylation, is reversible due to the action of different ADP-ribosylhydrolases. Importantly, inhibitors of ARTs are approved or are being developed for clinical use. Moreover, ADP-ribosylhydrolases are being assessed as therapeutic targets, foremost as antiviral drugs and for oncological indications. Due to the development of novel reagents and major technological advances that allow the study of ADP-ribosylation in unprecedented detail, an increasing number of cellular processes and pathways are being identified that are regulated by ADP-ribosylation. In addition, characterization of biochemical and structural aspects of the ARTs and their catalytic activities have expanded our understanding of this protein family. This increased knowledge requires that a common nomenclature be used to describe the relevant enzymes. Therefore, in this viewpoint, we propose an updated and broadly supported nomenclature for mammalian ARTs that will facilitate future discussions when addressing the biochemistry and biology of ADP-ribosylation. This is combined with a brief description of the main functions of mammalian ARTs to illustrate the increasing diversity of mono- and poly-ADP-ribose mediated cellular processes.
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4. |
- Koskiniemi, Sanna, 1980-
(författare)
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Dynamics of the Bacterial Genome : Rates and Mechanisms of Mutation
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bacterial chromosomes are highly dynamic, continuously changing with respect to gene content and size via a number of processes, including deletions that result in gene loss. How deletions form and at what rates has been the focus of this thesis. In paper II we investigated how chromosomal location affects chromosomal deletion rates in S. typhimurium. Deletion rates varied more than 100-fold between different chromosomal locations and some large deletions significantly increased the exponential growth rate of the cells. Our results suggest that the chromosome is heterogeneous with respect to deletion rates and that deletions may be genetically fixed as a consequence of natural selection rather than by drift or mutational biases. In paper I we examined in a laboratory setting how rapidly reductive evolution, i.e. gene loss, could occur. Using a serial passage approach, we showed that extensive genome reduction potentially could occur on a very short evolutionary time scale. For most deletions we observed little or no homology at the deletion endpoints, indicating that spontaneous deletions often form through a RecA independent process. In paper III we examined further how large spontaneous deletions form and, unexpectedly, showed that 90% of all spontaneous chromosomal deletions required error-prone translesion DNA polymerases for their formation. We propose that the translesion polymerases stimulate deletion formation by allowing extension of misaligned single-strand DNA ends. In paper IV we investigated how the translesion DNA polymerase Pol IV, RpoS and different types of stresses affect mutation rates in bacteria. Derepression of the LexA regulon caused a small to moderate increase in mutation rates that was fully dependent on functional endonucleases but only partly dependent on translesion DNA polymerases. RpoS levels and growth stresses had only minor effects on mutation rates. Thus, mutation rates appear very robust and are only weakly affected by growth conditions and induction of translesion polymerases and RpoS.
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5. |
- Lundberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Defining the transcriptome and proteome in three functionally different human cell lines
- 2010
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Ingår i: Molecular Systems Biology. - : EMBO. - 1744-4292 .- 1744-4292. ; 6, s. 450-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An essential question in human biology is how cells and tissues differ in gene and protein expression and how these differences delineate specific biological function. Here, we have performed a global analysis of both mRNA and protein levels based on sequence-based transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq), SILAC-based mass spectrometry analysis and antibody-based confocal microscopy. The study was performed in three functionally different human cell lines and based on the global analysis, we estimated the fractions of mRNA and protein that are cell specific or expressed at similar/different levels in the cell lines. A highly ubiquitous RNA expression was found with > 60% of the gene products detected in all cells. The changes of mRNA and protein levels in the cell lines using SILAC and RNA ratios show high correlations, even though the genome-wide dynamic range is substantially higher for the proteins as compared with the transcripts. Large general differences in abundance for proteins from various functional classes are observed and, in general, the cell-type specific proteins are low abundant and highly enriched for cell-surface proteins. Thus, this study shows a path to characterize the transcriptome and proteome in human cells from different origins.
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6. |
- Denamur, Erick, et al.
(författare)
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High frequency of mutator strains among human uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Bacteriology. - 0021-9193 .- 1098-5530. ; 184:2, s. 605-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- By using a panel of 603 commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli and Shigella isolates, we showed that mutation rates of strains vary considerably among different ecotypes. Uropathogenic strains had the highest frequency of mutators, while strains from patients with bacteremia had the lowest mutation rates. No correlation between the mutation rates and antibiotic resistance was observed among the studied strains.
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7. |
- Giraud, Antoine, et al.
(författare)
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Mutator bacteria as a risk factor in treatment of infectious diseases.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - 0066-4804 .- 1098-6596. ; 46:3, s. 863-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We show in a gnotobiotic mouse model that, in addition to direct selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, some antibiotic treatments also select for mutator alleles. Because of these mutator alleles' high mutation rates, the initial treatment failure increases the probability of failures in subsequent treatments with other drugs.
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