| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 3. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 4. |
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- 2019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 5. |
- Chiu, Chun Chien, et al.
(author)
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Presence of Delocalized Ti 3d Electrons in Ultrathin Single-Crystal SrTiO3
- 2022
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In: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6984 .- 1530-6992. ; 22:4, s. 1580-1586
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Strontium titanate (STO), with a wide spectrum of emergent properties such as ferroelectricity and superconductivity, has received significant attention in the community of strongly correlated materials. In the strain-free STO film grown on the SrRuO3 buffer layer, the existing polar nanoregions can facilitate room-temperature ferroelectricity when the STO film thickness approaches 10 nm. Here we show that around this thickness scale, the freestanding STO films without the influence of a substrate show the tetragonal structure at room temperature, contrasting with the cubic structure seen in bulk form. The spectroscopic measurements reveal the modified Ti-O orbital hybridization that causes the Ti ion to deviate from its nominal 4+ valency (3d0 configuration) with excess delocalized 3d electrons. Additionally, the Ti ion in TiO6 octahedron exhibits an off-center displacement. The inherent symmetry lowering in ultrathin freestanding films offers an alternative way to achieve tunable electronic structures that are of paramount importance for future technological applications.
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| 6. |
- Desjardins, Kewin, et al.
(author)
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Characterization of a back-illuminated CMOS camera for soft x-ray coherent scattering
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation, SRI 2018. - : Author(s). - 9780735417823 ; 2054
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A commercial scientific camera has been adapted and characterized at the SOLEIL Synchrotron with the aim to improve the acquisition capabilities on the soft X-ray coherent scattering experimental station at SEXTANTS beamline. This device is equipped by the last generation of back side illuminated scientific CMOS (BSI-sCMOS) of 2048 by 2048 pixels of 11 μm2 able to acquire low noise images with a frame rate up to 48 Hz. The camera's performance measurements have been done and shows a good level of readout noise, a large full-well capacity, a medium dark current and a good homogeneity, respectively, 1.6 e- rms (in High Gain mode), 80 000 e- (in Low Gain mode),<5 e-/pixel/s and ∼ 1%. The quantum efficiency (QE) measurement has been performed at the soft x-ray branch of the METROLOGIE beamline and gives a relatively good agreement with the expected theoretical values. Finally, the demonstration of the camera's efficiency and of the gain in useful time measurement related to the high frame rate have been performed with a series of Airy patterns images compared with an image recorded using the standard BSI-CDD already in operation at the SEXTANTS beamline.
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| 7. |
- Griesmayer, E., et al.
(author)
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Applications of single-crystal CVD diamond XBPM detectors with nanometre x-ray beams
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation, SRI 2018. - : Author(s). - 9780735417823 ; 2054
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Measurements with a Diamond XBPM were carried out at the MAX IV Laboratory, Lund, Sweden, at the NanoMAX beam line. This was the first investigation of a Diamond XBPM detector with nanometre beams. The effect of diffusion, as well as the position resolution at the smallest available beam sizes were studied.
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| 8. |
- Marcouille, O., et al.
(author)
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Production of high energy photons with in vacuum wigglers : From SOLEIL wiggler to MAXIV wiggler
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation, SRI 2018. - : Author(s). - 9780735417823 ; 2054
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Small gap wigglers become more and more attractive to produce high photon fluxes in the hard X-ray photon range. They use magnet blocks of high magnetization which resists much better to heating (baking, synchrotron radiation) than in the past, produce high magnetic field with numerous periods and are very compact. They also are a very good alternative to superconducting technology which requires special infrastructure, heavy maintenance and is not running cost free. SOLEIL, operating presently at 2.75 GeV has designed and built an in-vacuum wiggler of 38 periods of 50 mm producing 2.1 T at a minimum gap of 5.5 mm to delivered photon beam between 20 keV and 50 keV. Already in operation, further improvements are presently in progress to push photons towards higher energy, in particular thanks to the operation at lower gap (4.5 mm). MAX IV and SOLEIL, in the frame of collaboration, ave built an upgraded version of the existing SOLEIL wiggler with the target to extend the spectral range at high energy (above 50 keV) but also at low energy (4 keV) with the same insertion device. The design of the existing magnetic system has been modified to reach 2.4 T at a minimum gap of 4.2 mm and includes taper operation to avoid undulator structure in the radiated spectrum at low energy.
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| 9. |
- Plivelic, Tomás S., et al.
(author)
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X-ray tracing, design and construction of an optimized optics scheme for CoSAXS, the small angle x-ray scattering beamline at MAX IV laboratory
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation, SRI 2018. - : Author(s). - 9780735417823 ; 2054
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A novel optical design for a flexible SAXS beamline at a modern synchrotron has been implemented for the CoSAXS beamline at the 3GeV ring at the MAX TV Laboratory. The performance of the beamline has been simulated through combined ray tracing and wave propagation with the code xrt taking into account the low emittance and highly coherent beam of MAX TV and the short inter-optics distances of the beamline. The total photon flux is estimated to be 1012-1013 ph/s with the coherent flux portion up to 10 % at 7.1 keV. The inhomogeneities in the X-ray beam arising from use of real (non-idealised) mirror surfaces are also modelled using the measured slope profiles of the mirrors. Strategies to mitigate these inhomogeneities are discussed. The optical components for CoSAXS have been constructed and beamline commissioning will start in 2019.
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| 10. |
- Lin, Yi-Ting, et al.
(author)
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Differences in the Microbial Composition of Hemodialysis Patients Treated with and without β-Blockers
- 2021
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In: Journal of Personalized Medicine. - : MDPI. - 2075-4426. ; 11:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- β-blockers are commonly prescribed to treat cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Beyond the pharmacological effects, β-blockers have potential impacts on gut microbiota, but no study has investigated the effect in hemodialysis patients. Hence, we aim to investigate the gut microbiota composition difference between β-blocker users and nonusers in hemodialysis patients. Fecal samples collected from hemodialysis patients (83 β-blocker users and 110 nonusers) were determined by 16S ribosomal RNA amplification sequencing. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed to control confounders. The microbial composition differences were analyzed by the linear discriminant analysis effect size, random forest, and zero-inflated Gaussian fit model. The α-diversity (Simpson index) was greater in β-blocker users with a distinct β-diversity (Bray–Curtis Index) compared to nonusers in both full and PS-matched cohorts. There was a significant enrichment in the genus Flavonifractor in β-blocker users compared to nonusers in full and PS-matched cohorts. A similar finding was demonstrated in random forest analysis. In conclusion, hemodialysis patients using β-blockers had a different gut microbiota composition compared to nonusers. In particular, the Flavonifractor genus was increased with β-blocker treatment. Our findings highlight the impact of β-blockers on the gut microbiota in hemodialysis patients.
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| 11. |
- Chiu, Chun-Chien, et al.
(author)
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Spectroscopic characterization of electronic structures of ultra-thin single crystal La0.7Sr0.3MnO3
- 2021
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have successfully fabricated high quality single crystalline La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) film in the freestanding form that can be transferred onto silicon wafer and copper mesh support. Using soft x-ray absorption (XAS) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectroscopy in transmission and reflection geometries, we demonstrate that the x-ray emission from Mn 3s-2p core-to-core transition (3sPFY) seen in the RIXS maps can represent the bulk-like absorption signal with minimal self-absorption effect around the Mn L3-edge. Similar measurements were also performed on a reference LSMO film grown on the SrTiO3 substrate and the agreement between measurements substantiates the claim that the bulk electronic structures can be preserved even after the freestanding treatment process. The 3sPFY spectrum obtained from analyzing the RIXS maps offers a powerful way to probe the bulk electronic structures in thin films and heterostructures when recording the XAS spectra in the transmission mode is not available.
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| 12. |
- Tu, Chien Ming, et al.
(author)
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Helicity-dependent terahertz emission spectroscopy of topological insulator S b2 T e3 thin films
- 2017
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In: Physical Review B. - 2469-9950. ; 96:19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on helicity-dependent terahertz emissions that originate from the helicity-dependent photocurrents in topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin films due to ultrafast optical excitation. The polarity of the emitted terahertz radiation is controlled by both the incident angle and the helicity of optical pulses. Using an unprecedented decomposition-recombination procedure in the time domain, the signals of the Dirac fermions are fully separated from bulk contributions. These results provide insights into the optical coupling of topological surface states and open up opportunities for applying helicity-dependent terahertz emission spectroscopy in spintronics.
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| 13. |
- Tu, Chien Ming, et al.
(author)
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Helicity-dependent terahertz radiation from topological insulator Sb2Te3 thin film by femtosecond optical excitation
- 2016
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In: 41st International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz 2016. - 9781467384858
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on terahertz radiation from topological insulator (TI) Sb2Te3 thin film under ultrafast optical excitation with different helicity. Polarity-reversals of the emitted THz radiation were observed as the helicity of optical pulses reversed. The observed phenomena are coincident with the characteristics of the helicity-dependent photocurrent on TIs. Our work demonstrates the potential applications of surface photocurrents on TIs for opto-spintronics devices.
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| 14. |
- Razavi, Homie A., et al.
(author)
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Hepatitis D double reflex testing of all hepatitis B carriers in low-HBV- and high-HBV/HDV-prevalence countries
- 2023
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In: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - : Elsevier. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 79:2, s. 576-580
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection occurs as a coinfection with hepatitis B and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensated cirrhosis, and mortality compared to hepatitis B virus (HBV) monoinfection. Reliable estimates of the prevalence of HDV infection and disease burden are essential to formulate strategies to find coinfected individuals more effectively and efficiently. The global prevalence of HBV infections was estimated to be 262,240,000 in 2021. Only 1,994,000 of the HBV in-fections were newly diagnosed in 2021, with more than half of the new diagnoses made in China. Our initial estimates indicated a much lower prevalence of HDV antibody (anti-HDV) and HDV RNA positivity than previously reported in published studies. Ac-curate estimates of HDV prevalence are needed. The most effective method to generate estimates of the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA positivity and to find undiagnosed individuals at the national level is to implement double reflex testing. This re-quires anti-HDV testing of all hepatitis B surface antigen-positive individuals and HDV RNA testing of all anti-HDV-positive in-dividuals. This strategy is manageable for healthcare systems since the number of newly diagnosed HBV cases is low. At the global level, a comprehensive HDV screening strategy would require only 1,994,000 HDV antibody tests and less than 89,000 HDV PCR tests. Double reflex testing is the preferred strategy in countries with a low prevalence of HBV and those with a high prevalence of both HBV and HDV. For example, in the European Union and North America only 35,000 and 22,000 cases, respectively, will require anti-HDV testing annually.
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| 15. |
- Razavi-Shearer, Devin M., et al.
(author)
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Adjusted estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis delta virus in 25 countries and territories
- 2024
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In: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 80:2, s. 232-242
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background & Aims: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite RNA virus that requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for assembly and propagation. Individuals infected with HDV progress to advanced liver disease faster than HBV-monoinfected individuals. Recent studies have estimated the global prevalence of anti-HDV antibodies among the HBV-infected population to be 5-15%. This study aimed to better understand HDV prevalence at the population level in 25 countries/territories. Methods: We conducted a literature review to determine the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals in 25 countries/territories. Virtual meetings were held with experts from each setting to discuss the findings and collect unpublished data. Data were weighted for patient segments and regional heterogeneity to estimate the prevalence in the HBV-infected population. The findings were then combined with The Polaris Observatory HBV data to estimate the anti-HDV and HDV RNA prevalence in each country/territory at the population level. Results: After adjusting for geographical distribution, disease stage and special populations, the anti-HDV prevalence among the HBsAg+ population changed from the literature estimate in 19 countries. The highest anti-HDV prevalence was 60.1% in Mongolia. Once adjusted for the size of the HBsAg+ population and HDV RNA positivity rate, China had the highest absolute number of HDV RNA+ cases. Conclusions: We found substantially lower HDV prevalence than previously reported, as prior meta-analyses primarily focused on studies conducted in groups/regions that have a higher probability of HBV infection: tertiary care centers, specific risk groups or geographical regions. There is large uncertainty in HDV prevalence estimates. The implementation of reflex testing would improve estimates, while also allowing earlier linkage to care for HDV RNA+ individuals. The logistical and economic burden of reflex testing on the health system would be limited, as only HBsAg+ cases would be screened.
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