| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
-
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
-
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
-
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. |
- Abbafati, Cristiana, et al.
(author)
-
- 2020
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 5. |
- Han, Mei, et al.
(author)
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Promoted Self-construction of β-NiOOH in Amorphous High Entropy Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
- 2022
-
In: Applied Catalysis B. - : Elsevier. - 0926-3373 .- 1873-3883. ; 301
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The exploration of an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is urgently required for sustainable renewable-energy conversion and storage. Due to the increased chemical complexity, multimetallic catalysts provide flexibility to alter their electronic and crystal structure to attain a superior intrinsic catalytic activity via synergistic effects, which is seldom accomplished using single metal catalysts. However, the high chemical complexity increases the difficulty to prepare elemental homogenous catalysts and reveal their synergistic effect during OER process, which further hinder the design of multimetallic catalysts. Here, high entropy concept is utilized to design an NiFeCoMnAl oxide with amorphous structure as OER catalyst. The direct evidence of active Ni sites is provided by the operando Raman measurements and Fe can modify oxygen intermediates binding energy on Ni sites. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) reveal that the incorporation of Mn can construct the electron-rich environment of active Ni center, and the relatively lower oxidation state of Ni facilitates the self-construction of β-NiOOH intermediates, which shows promoted OER activity as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Doping Co can enhance the conductivity and doping Al leads to the formation of nanoporous structure through dealloying process, thus each component is essential for improving OER performance. The optimized NiFeCoMnAl catalyst exhibits an overpotential of 190 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH solution, much superior to the ternary and quaternary counterparts. This work sheds light on understanding the origin of high entropy catalysts’ OER activity and thereby enables the rational design of multinary transition metallic catalysts.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Kristan, Matej, et al.
(author)
-
The Visual Object Tracking VOT2015 challenge results
- 2015
-
In: Proceedings 2015 IEEE International Conference on Computer Vision Workshops ICCVW 2015. - : IEEE. - 9780769557205 ; , s. 564-586
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Visual Object Tracking challenge 2015, VOT2015, aims at comparing short-term single-object visual trackers that do not apply pre-learned models of object appearance. Results of 62 trackers are presented. The number of tested trackers makes VOT 2015 the largest benchmark on short-term tracking to date. For each participating tracker, a short description is provided in the appendix. Features of the VOT2015 challenge that go beyond its VOT2014 predecessor are: (i) a new VOT2015 dataset twice as large as in VOT2014 with full annotation of targets by rotated bounding boxes and per-frame attribute, (ii) extensions of the VOT2014 evaluation methodology by introduction of a new performance measure. The dataset, the evaluation kit as well as the results are publicly available at the challenge website(1).
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| 8. |
- Wang, Ning, et al.
(author)
-
Boride-derived oxygen-evolution catalysts
- 2021
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metal borides/borates have been considered promising as oxygen evolution reaction catalysts; however, to date, there is a dearth of evidence of long-term stability at practical current densities. Here we report a phase composition modulation approach to fabricate effective borides/borates-based catalysts. We find that metal borides in-situ formed metal borates are responsible for their high activity. This knowledge prompts us to synthesize NiFe-Boride, and to use it as a templating precursor to form an active NiFe-Borate catalyst. This boride-derived oxide catalyzes oxygen evolution with an overpotential of 167 mV at 10 mA/cm2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte and requires a record-low overpotential of 460 mV to maintain water splitting performance for over 400 h at current density of 1 A/cm2. We couple the catalyst with CO reduction in an alkaline membrane electrode assembly electrolyser, reporting stable C2H4 electrosynthesis at current density 200 mA/cm2 for over 80 h.
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| 9. |
- Zhang, Xiao-Jie, et al.
(author)
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Auto-suppression of Tet dioxygenases protects the mouse oocyte genome from oxidative demethylation
- 2024
-
In: Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 1545-9993 .- 1545-9985. ; 31:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA cytosine methylation plays a vital role in repressing retrotransposons, and such derepression is linked with developmental failure, tumorigenesis and aging. DNA methylation patterns are formed by precisely regulated actions of DNA methylation writers (DNA methyltransferases) and erasers (TET, ten-eleven translocation dioxygenases). However, the mechanisms underlying target-specific oxidation of 5mC by TET dioxygenases remain largely unexplored. Here we show that a large low-complexity domain (LCD), located in the catalytic part of Tet enzymes, negatively regulates the dioxygenase activity. Recombinant Tet3 lacking LCD is shown to be hyperactive in converting 5mC into oxidized species in vitro. Endogenous expression of the hyperactive Tet3 mutant in mouse oocytes results in genome-wide 5mC oxidation. Notably, the occurrence of aberrant 5mC oxidation correlates with a consequent loss of the repressive histone mark H3K9me3 at ERVK retrotransposons. The erosion of both 5mC and H3K9me3 causes ERVK derepression along with upregulation of their neighboring genes, potentially leading to the impairment of oocyte development. These findings suggest that Tet dioxygenases use an intrinsic auto-regulatory mechanism to tightly regulate their enzymatic activity, thus achieving spatiotemporal specificity of methylome reprogramming, and highlight the importance of methylome integrity for development. Here the authors show that TET dioxygenases, the erasers of DNA methylation, use a self-limiting mechanism via their LCD domain to ensure adaptable methylome status and protect the genome from excessive oxidative methylation.
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| 10. |
- Aad, G, et al.
(author)
-
- 2015
-
swepub:Mat__t
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| 11. |
- Ade, Peter, et al.
(author)
-
The Simons Observatory : science goals and forecasts
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1475-7516. ; :2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Simons Observatory (SO) is a new cosmic microwave background experiment being built on Cerro Toco in Chile, due to begin observations in the early 2020s. We describe the scientific goals of the experiment, motivate the design, and forecast its performance. SO will measure the temperature and polarization anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background in six frequency bands centered at: 27, 39, 93, 145, 225 and 280 GHz. The initial con figuration of SO will have three small-aperture 0.5-m telescopes and one large-aperture 6-m telescope, with a total of 60,000 cryogenic bolometers. Our key science goals are to characterize the primordial perturbations, measure the number of relativistic species and the mass of neutrinos, test for deviations from a cosmological constant, improve our understanding of galaxy evolution, and constrain the duration of reionization. The small aperture telescopes will target the largest angular scales observable from Chile, mapping approximate to 10% of the sky to a white noise level of 2 mu K-arcmin in combined 93 and 145 GHz bands, to measure the primordial tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, at a target level of sigma(r) = 0.003. The large aperture telescope will map approximate to 40% of the sky at arcminute angular resolution to an expected white noise level of 6 mu K-arcmin in combined 93 and 145 GHz bands, overlapping with the majority of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope sky region and partially with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. With up to an order of magnitude lower polarization noise than maps from the Planck satellite, the high-resolution sky maps will constrain cosmological parameters derived from the damping tail, gravitational lensing of the microwave background, the primordial bispectrum, and the thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects, and will aid in delensing the large-angle polarization signal to measure the tensor-to-scalar ratio. The survey will also provide a legacy catalog of 16,000 galaxy clusters and more than 20,000 extragalactic sources.
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| 12. |
- Ardo, Shane, et al.
(author)
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Pathways to electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies
- 2018
-
In: Energy & Environmental Science. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1754-5692 .- 1754-5706. ; 11:10, s. 2768-2783
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solar-powered electrochemical production of hydrogen through water electrolysis is an active and important research endeavor. However, technologies and roadmaps for implementation of this process do not exist. In this perspective paper, we describe potential pathways for solar-hydrogen technologies into the marketplace in the form of photoelectrochemical or photovoltaic-driven electrolysis devices and systems. We detail technical approaches for device and system architectures, economic drivers, societal perceptions, political impacts, technological challenges, and research opportunities. Implementation scenarios are broken down into short-term and long-term markets, and a specific technology roadmap is defined. In the short term, the only plausible economical option will be photovoltaic-driven electrolysis systems for niche applications. In the long term, electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies could be deployed more broadly in energy markets but will require advances in the technology, significant cost reductions, and/ or policy changes. Ultimately, a transition to a society that significantly relies on solar-hydrogen technologies will benefit from continued creativity and influence from the scientific community.
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| 13. |
- Chen, Lin, et al.
(author)
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A super-efficient cobalt catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen production from neutral water with 80 mV overpotential
- 2014
-
In: Energy & Environmental Science. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1754-5692 .- 1754-5706. ; 7:1, s. 329-334
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Self-assembled molecular iron and cobalt catalysts (MP4N2, M = Fe, Co) bearing a multihydroxy-functionalized tetraphosphine ligand electrocatalyze H-2 generation from neutral water on a mercury electrode at -1.03 and -0.50 V vs. NHE, respectively. Complex CoP4N2 displays extremely low overpotential (E-onset = 80 mV) while maintaining high activity and good stability. Bulk electrolysis of CoP4N2 in a neutral phosphate buffer solution at -1.0 V vs. NHE produced 9.24 x 10(4) mol H-2 per mol cat. over 20 h, with a Faradaic efficiency close to 100% and without apparent deactivation.
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| 14. |
- Gao, Lingfeng, et al.
(author)
-
Hetero-MXenes : Theory, Synthesis, and Emerging Applications
- 2021
-
In: Advanced Materials. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0935-9648 .- 1521-4095. ; 33:10
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since their discovery in 2011, MXenes (abbreviation for transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides) have emerged as a rising star in the family of 2D materials owing to their unique properties. Although the primary research interest is still focused on pristine MXenes and their composites, much attention has in recent years been paid also to MXenes with diverse compositions. To this end, this work offers a comprehensive overview of the progress on compositional engineering of MXenes in terms of doping and substituting from theoretical predictions to experimental investigations. Synthesis and properties are briefly introduced for pristine MXenes and then reviewed for hetero-MXenes. Theoretical calculations regarding the doping/substituting at M, X, and T sites in MXenes and the role of vacancies are summarized. After discussing the synthesis of hetero-MXenes with metal/nonmetal (N, S, P) elements by in situ and ex situ strategies, the focus turns to their emerging applications in various fields such as energy storage, electrocatalysts, and sensors. Finally, challenges and prospects of hetero-MXenes are addressed. It is anticipated that this review will be beneficial to bridge the gap between predictions and experiments as well as to guide the future design of hetero-MXenes with high performance.
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| 15. |
- Gao, Lingfeng, et al.
(author)
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Ultra-Small 2D PbS Nanoplatelets : Liquid-Phase Exfoliation and Emerging Applications for Photo-Electrochemical Photodetectors
- 2021
-
In: Small. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1613-6810 .- 1613-6829. ; 17:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 2D PbS nanoplatelets (NPLs) form an emerging class of photoactive materials and have been proposed as robust materials for high-performance optoelectronic devices. However, the main drawback of PbS NPLs is the large lateral size, which inhibits their further investigations and practical applications. In this work, ultra-small 2D PbS NPLs with uniform lateral size (11.2 +/- 1.7 nm) and thickness (3.7 +/- 0.9 nm, approximate to 6 layers) have been successfully fabricated by a facile liquid-phase exfoliation approach. Their transient optical response and photo-response behavior are evaluated by femtosecond-resolved transient absorption and photo-electrochemical (PEC) measurements. It is shown that the NPLs-based photodetectors (PDs) exhibit excellent photo-response performance from UV to the visible range, showing extremely high photo-responsivity (27.81 mA W-1) and remarkable detectivity (3.96 x 10(10) Jones), which are figures of merit outperforming currently reported PEC-type PDs. The outstanding properties are further analyzed based on the results of first-principle calculations, including electronic band structure and free energies for the oxygen evolution reaction process. This work highlights promising applications of ultra-small 2D PbS NPLs with the potential for breakthrough developments also in other fields of optoelectronic devices.
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| 16. |
- Han, Kai, et al.
(author)
-
Photochemical hydrogen production from water catalyzed by CdTe quantum dots/molecular cobalt catalyst hybrid systems
- 2015
-
In: Chemical Communications. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1359-7345 .- 1364-548X. ; 51:32, s. 7008-7011
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A hybrid system with a coordinative interaction between a cobalt complex of a N2S2-tetradentate ligand and CdTe quantum dots displayed a high activity (initial TOF 850 h(-1)) and improved stability (TON 1.44 x 10(4) based on catalyst over 30 h) for the photochemical H-2 generation from water, with a quantum efficiency of 5.32% at 400 nm.
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| 17. |
- Hsu, Ya-Ching, et al.
(author)
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Methadone concentrations in blood, plasma, and oral fluid determined by isotope-dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- 2013
-
In: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. - : Springer Verlag (Germany). - 1618-2642 .- 1618-2650. ; 405:12, s. 3921-3928
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Methadone (MTD) is widely used for detoxification of heroin addicts and also in pain management programs. Information about the distribution of methadone between blood, plasma, and alternative specimens, such as oral fluid (OF), is needed in clinical, forensic, and traffic medicine when analytical results are interpreted. We determined MTD and its metabolite 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) in blood, plasma, blood cells, and OF by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after adding deuterium-labeled internal standards. The analytical limits of quantitation for MTD and EDDP by this method were 20 and 3 ng/mL, respectively. The amounts of MTD and EDDP were higher in plasma (80.4 % and 76.5 %) compared with blood cells (19.6 % and 23.5 %) and we found that repeated washing of blood cells with phosphate-buffered saline increased the amounts in plasma (93.6 % and 88.6 %). Mean plasma/blood concentration ratios of MTD and EDDP in spiked samples (N = 5) were 1.27 and 1.21, respectively. In clinical samples from patients (N = 46), the concentrations of MTD in plasma and whole blood were highly correlated (r = 0.92, p andlt; 0.001) and mean (median) plasma/blood distribution ratios were 1.43 (1.41). The correlations between MTD in OF and plasma (r = 0.46) and OF and blood (r = 0.52) were also statistically significant (p andlt; 0.001) and the mean OF/plasma and OF/blood distribution ratios were 0.55 and 0.77, respectively. The MTD concentration in OF decreased as salivary pH increased (more basic). These results will prove useful in clinical and forensic medicine when MTD concentrations in alternative specimens are compared and contrasted.
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| 18. |
- Kuria, Angelica, et al.
(author)
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Does dietary intake of selenium protect against cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based prospective studies
- 2020
-
In: Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1040-8398 .- 1549-7852. ; 60:4, s. 684-694
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Current evidence on selenium and its effects on cancer is conflicting. This study aimed at assessing the association between dietary intake of selenium and incidence of cancers by performing systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based prospective studies. We systematically searched for articles in Medline (Ovid), Embase, Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and VIP Chinese Scientific Journals. Analysis was performed in Stata version 14.2. Of the 2,564 articles obtained from the databases, 39 met our inclusion criteria, 37 were included in the final analysis. Selenium at recommended daily allowance levels of ≥55 μg/day decreased the risk of cancer [relative risk (RR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90-0.98]. A protective effect was found in men at levels ≥55 μg/day (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99). Extra selenium intake from supplements was protective at levels ≥55 μg/day (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.97). There was an inverse relationship (p value = 0.020) between selenium intake and overall cancer risk after adjusting for age, body mass index, and smoking but there was no evidence of nonlinear relationship (p value = 0.261). The findings in this study suggest that selenium is protective against cancer however the effects vary with different cancers.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Lund, Harald, et al.
(author)
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Competitive repopulation of an empty microglial niche yields functionally distinct subsets of microglia-like cells
- 2018
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Circulating monocytes can compete for virtually any tissue macrophage niche and become long-lived replacements that are phenotypically indistinguishable from their embryonic counterparts. As the factors regulating this process are incompletely understood, we studied niche competition in the brain by depleting microglia with >95% efficiency using Cx3cr1CreER/+R26DTA/+ mice and monitored long-term repopulation. Here we show that the microglial niche is repopulated within weeks by a combination of local proliferation of CX3CR1+F4/80lowClec12a– microglia and infiltration of CX3CR1+F4/80hiClec12a+ macrophages that arise directly from Ly6Chi monocytes. This colonization is independent of blood brain barrier breakdown, paralleled by vascular activation, and regulated by type I interferon. Ly6Chi monocytes upregulate microglia gene expression and adopt microglia DNA methylation signatures, but retain a distinct gene signature from proliferating microglia, displaying altered surface marker expression, phagocytic capacity and cytokine production. Our results demonstrate that monocytes are imprinted by the CNS microenvironment but remain transcriptionally, epigenetically and functionally distinct.
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| 21. |
- Morfini, Gerardo A, et al.
(author)
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Pathogenic huntingtin inhibits fast axonal transport by activating JNK3 and phosphorylating kinesin
- 2009
-
In: Nature Neuroscience. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1097-6256 .- 1546-1726. ; 12:7, s. 864-871
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Selected vulnerability of neurons in Huntington's disease suggests that alterations occur in a cellular process that is particularly critical for neuronal function. Supporting this idea, pathogenic Htt (polyQ-Htt) inhibits fast axonal transport (FAT) in various cellular and animal models of Huntington's disease (mouse and squid), but the molecular basis of this effect remains unknown. We found that polyQ-Htt inhibited FAT through a mechanism involving activation of axonal cJun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Accordingly, we observed increased activation of JNK in vivo in cellular and mouse models of Huntington's disease. Additional experiments indicated that the effects of polyQ-Htt on FAT were mediated by neuron-specific JNK3 and not by ubiquitously expressed JNK1, providing a molecular basis for neuron-specific pathology in Huntington's disease. Mass spectrometry identified a residue in the kinesin-1 motor domain that was phosphorylated by JNK3 and this modification reduced kinesin-1 binding to microtubules. These data identify JNK3 as a critical mediator of polyQ-Htt toxicity and provide a molecular basis for polyQ-Htt–induced inhibition of FAT.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Roberts, Jason D., et al.
(author)
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Ankyrin-B dysfunction predisposes to arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and is amenable to therapy
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : AMER SOC CLINICAL INVESTIGATION INC. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 129:8, s. 3171-3184
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited arrhythmia syndrome characterized by severe structural and electrical cardiac phenotypes, including myocardial fibrofatty replacement and sudden cardiac death. Clinical management of ACM is largely palliative, owing to an absence of therapies that target its underlying pathophysiology, which stems partially from our limited insight into the condition. Following identification of deceased ACM probands possessing ANK2 rare variants and evidence of ankyrin-B loss of function on cardiac tissue analysis, an ANK2 mouse model was found to develop dramatic structural abnormalities reflective of human ACM, including biventricular dilation, reduced ejection fraction, cardiac fibrosis, and premature death. Desmosomal structure and function appeared preserved in diseased human and murine specimens in the presence of markedly abnormal beta-catenin expression and patterning, leading to identification of a previously unknown interaction between ankyrin-B and beta-catenin. A pharmacological activator of the WNT/beta-catenin pathway, SB-216763, successfully prevented and partially reversed the murine ACM phenotypes. Our findings introduce what we believe to be a new pathway for ACM, a role of ankyrin-B in cardiac structure and signaling, a molecular link between ankyrin-B and beta-catenin, and evidence for targeted activation of the WNT/beta-catenin pathway as a potential treatment for this disease.
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| 25. |
- Schuettpelz, Eric, et al.
(author)
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A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Systematics and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 1674-4918 .- 1759-6831. ; 54:6, s. 563-603
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Phylogeny has long informed pteridophyte classification. As our ability to infer evolutionary trees has improved, classifications aimed at recognizing natural groups have become increasingly predictive and stable. Here, we provide a modern, comprehensive classification for lycophytes and ferns, down to the genus level, utilizing a community-based approach. We use monophyly as the primary criterion for the recognition of taxa, but also aim to preserve existing taxa and circumscriptions that are both widely accepted and consistent with our understanding of pteridophyte phylogeny. In total, this classification treats an estimated 11 916 species in 337 genera, 51 families, 14 orders, and two classes. This classification is not intended as the final word on lycophyte and fern taxonomy, but rather a summary statement of current hypotheses, derived from the best available data and shaped by those most familiar with the plants in question. We hope that it will serve as a resource for those wanting references to the recent literature on pteridophyte phylogeny and classification, a framework for guiding future investigations, and a stimulus to further discourse.
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| 26. |
- Shen, Yang-mei, et al.
(author)
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Novel gene hBiot2 is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients
- 2012
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In: Oncology Reports. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1021-335X .- 1791-2431. ; 27:2, s. 376-382
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present study investigated the expression of the novel gene hBiot2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its relationships with clinicopathological variables in CRC patients. The expression of hBiot2 in 163 primary CRCs together with the corresponding normal mucosa, 36 liver metastases and 5 colon cancer cell lines was examined using real-time PCR. In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed to evaluate the localization of hBiot2 expression in CRC and normal mucosa. hBiot2 expression at the RNA level was localized in the nucleus of tumor cells and normal epithelial cells. The mean expression of hBiot2 in the CRCs (243.571 +/- 564.569) was higher compared to the normal mucosa (107.252 +/- 413.635, Pandlt;0.0001) and liver metastasis samples (42.002 +/- 40.809, P=0.0002). hBiot2 expression was increased from stages I + II to III (P=0.047), and no difference in the expression was found in stages III and IV (P=0.452). A high value of hBiot2 was associated with a poorer prognosis compared with a low value independently of gender, age, tumor site, stage and differentiation (P=0.007, RR 7.519, 95% Cl 1.729-32.704). Liver metastasis, smaller tumors, non-local recurrence and primary liver surgery alone were associated with a higher value of hBiot2 compared to larger tumors, local recurrence and repeated liver surgery (P=0.003, 0.044 and 0.026, respectively). An inverse relationship was found between hBiot2 expression and the metastatic potential of the colon cancer cell lines. Thus, increased expression of hBiot2 may be an early and interim event in the development of CRC. A higher expression of hBiot2 in primary CRC patients independently indicates a poorer prognosis.
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| 27. |
- Sun, Hui-Min, et al.
(author)
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SERPINA4 is a novel independent prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target for colorectal cancer
- 2016
-
In: American Journal of Cancer Research. - Madison : E-CENTURY PUBLISHING CORP. - 2156-6976. ; 6:8, s. 1636-1649
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serpina family A member 4 (SERPINA4), also known as kallistatin, exerts important effects in inhibiting tumor growth and angiogenesis in many malignancies. However, the precise role of SERPINA4 in CRC has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of SERPINA4 and its clinical significance in CRC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analyses showed that the mRNA and protein expression of SERPINA4 in colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens was significantly decreased than that in adjacent normal mucosa. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted to characterize the expression pattern of SERPINA4 by using a tissue microarray (TMA) containing 327 archived paraffin-embedded CRC specimens. Statistical analyses revealed that decreased SERPINA4 expression was significantly associated with invasion depth, nodal involvement, distant metastasis, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and tumor differentiation. SERPINA4 was also an independent prognostic indicator of disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with CRC. Furthermore, the impact of altered SERPINA4 expression on CRC cells was analyzed with a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. The results demonstrated that SERPINA4 significantly inhibits malignant tumor progression and serves as a novel prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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| 28. |
- Sun, Jing, et al.
(author)
-
VLBI observations to the APOD satellite
- 2018
-
In: Advances in Space Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1948 .- 0273-1177. ; 61:3, s. 823-829
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The APOD (Atmospheric density detection and Precise Orbit Determination) is the first LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite in orbit co-located with a dual-frequency GNSS (GPS/BD) receiver, an SLR reflector, and a VLBI X/S dual band beacon. From the overlap statistics between consecutive solution arcs and the independent validation by SLR measurements, the orbit position deviation was below 10 cm before the on-board GNSS receiver got partially operational. In this paper, the focus is on the VLBI observations to the LEO satellite from multiple geodetic VLBI radio telescopes, since this is the first implementation of a dedicated VLBI transmitter in low Earth orbit. The practical problems of tracking a fast moving spacecraft with current VLBI ground infrastructure were solved and strong interferometric fringes were obtained by cross-correlation of APOD carrier and DOR (Differential One-way Ranging) signals. The precision in X-band time delay derived from 0.1 s integration time of the correlator output is on the level of 0.1 ns. The APOD observations demonstrate encouraging prospects of co-location of multiple space geodetic techniques in space, as a first prototype.
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| 29. |
- Tian, Yu-peng, et al.
(author)
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Synthesis, crystal structure and NLO properties of a novel ruthenium(II) complex with unusual coordination mode
- 2005
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In: Transition metal chemistry (Weinheim). - : Kluwer Academic Publishers. - 0340-4285 .- 1572-901X. ; 30:7, s. 778-785
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A new Schiff base 4-[N-hydroxyethyl-N-(methyl)amino]benzaldehyde S-methyl dithiocarbazate (HL, where H is a dissociable proton) and the ruthenium complex [Ru(bpy)2L]PF6 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) have been synthesized. The structural determinations of the ligand and its ruthenium complex, by X-ray crystallography, show that the ligand is coordinated as a monoanionic bidentate N, S-donor, forming a four-member chelate ring with a bite angle of 65.91°. The complex shows intense MLCT transitions in the visible region. Fluorescent and electrochemical properties have been also studied. The complex in DMF solution exhibited a strong two-photon absorption (t.p.a.) at 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. The t.p.a. coefficient β, t.p.a. cross-section σ and the third-order optical nonlinearity χ(3) of the complex and the ligand have been determined by the Z-scan technique.
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| 30. |
- Wang, Mei, et al.
(author)
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Integration of organometallic complexes with semiconductors and other nanomaterials for photocatalytic H-2 production
- 2015
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In: Coordination chemistry reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0010-8545 .- 1873-3840. ; 287, s. 1-14
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of energy-efficient, cost-effective and durable photocatalytic systems for water splitting is one of the scientific problems that must be solved before the successful transformation from a fossil fuel-based economy to a solar fuel-based economy can be realized. Conventional photocatalytic systems are generally divided into heterogeneous systems of semiconductors, usually modified by noble metals or inorganic cocatalysts, and homogeneous systems comprised of molecular catalysts and organic or organometallic chromophores. In recent years, some hybrid photocatalytic systems were reported to be highly active and robust for photoinduced H-2 production, indicating that the integration of semiconducting materials with proper molecular catalysts is an effective strategy for constructing efficient photocatalytic systems for water splitting. This review will focus on hybrid photocatalytic systems, developed in the past three years, in which proton reduction molecular catalysts incorporate either semiconducting materials or inorganic, metal-organic, and other polymeric nanomaterials for photochemical H-2 generation from water. In the last section of the review, problems existing in the current hybrid photocatalytic systems are discussed; future challenges and developments are envisaged.
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| 31. |
- Wei, Yi-Ming, et al.
(author)
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Self-preservation strategy for approaching global warming targets in the post-Paris Agreement era
- 2020
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In: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A strategy that informs on countries' potential losses due to lack of climate action may facilitate global climate governance. Here, we quantify a distribution of mitigation effort whereby each country is economically better off than under current climate pledges. This effort-sharing optimizing approach applied to a 1.5 degrees C and 2 degrees C global warming threshold suggests self-preservation emissions trajectories to inform NDCs enhancement and long-term strategies. Results show that following the current emissions reduction efforts, the whole world would experience a washout of benefit, amounting to almost 126.68-616.12 trillion dollars until 2100 compared to 1.5 degrees C or well below 2 degrees C commensurate action. If countries are even unable to implement their current NDCs, the whole world would lose more benefit, almost 149.78-791.98 trillion dollars until 2100. On the contrary, all countries will be able to have a significant positive cumulative net income before 2100 if they follow the self-preservation strategy. The emission allocation strategies of global scenarios do not specify the potential benefits from extra climate mitigation efforts. Here the authors show that compared to the current Nationally Distributed Contributions, the proposed self-preservation strategy might generate 126-616 trillion dollars of additional benefits by 2100.
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| 32. |
- Yang, Xianpeng, et al.
(author)
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Surface and Interface Engineering for Nanocellulosic Advanced Materials
- 2021
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In: Advanced Materials. - : Wiley. - 0935-9648 .- 1521-4095. ; 33:28
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- How do trees support their upright massive bodies? The support comes from the incredibly strong and stiff, and highly crystalline nanoscale fibrils of extended cellulose chains, called cellulose nanofibers. Cellulose nanofibers and their crystalline parts-cellulose nanocrystals, collectively nanocelluloses, are therefore the recent hot materials to incorporate in man-made sustainable, environmentally sound, and mechanically strong materials. Nanocelluloses are generally obtained through a top-down process, during or after which the original surface chemistry and interface interactions can be dramatically changed. Therefore, surface and interface engineering are extremely important when nanocellulosic materials with a bottom-up process are fabricated. Herein, the main focus is on promising chemical modification and nonmodification approaches, aiming to prospect this hot topic from novel aspects, including nanocellulose-, chemistry-, and process-oriented surface and interface engineering for advanced nanocellulosic materials. The reinforcement of nanocelluloses in some functional materials, such as structural materials, films, filaments, aerogels, and foams, is discussed, relating to tailored surface and/or interface engineering. Although some of the nanocellulosic products have already reached the industrial arena, it is hoped that more and more nanocellulose-based products will become available in everyday life in the next few years.
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| 33. |
- Yang, Yong, et al.
(author)
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Evident Enhancement of Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production by Electroless Deposition of M-B (M = Ni, Co) Catalysts on Silicon Nanowire Arrays
- 2016
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In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 8:44, s. 30143-30151
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Modification of p-type Si surface by active and stable earth-abundant electrocatalysts is an effective strategy to improve the sluggish kinetics for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at p-Si/electrolyte interface and to develop highly efficient and low-cost photocathodes for hydrogen production from water. To this end, Si nanowire (Si-NW) array has been loaded-with highly efficient electrocatalysts, M-B (M = Ni, Co), by facile and quick electroless plating to build M-B catalyst-modified Si nanowire-array-textured photocathodes for water reduction to H-2. Compared with the bare Si-NW array, composite Si-NWs/M-B arrays display evidently enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. The onset potential (V-phon) of cathodic photocurrent is positively shifted by 530-540 mV to 0.44-0.45 V vs RHE, and the short-circuit current density (J(sc)) is up to 19.5 mA cm(-2) in neutral buffer solution under simulated 1 sun illumination. Impressively, the half-cell photopower conversion efficiencies (eta(hc)) of the optimized Si-NWs/Co-B (2.53%) and Si-NWs/Ni-B (2.45%) are comparable to that of Si-NWs/Pt (2.46%). In terms of the large J(sc), V-phon, and eta(hc) values, as well as the high Faradaic efficiency, Si-NW-s/M-B electrodes are among the top performing Si photocathodes which are modified with HER electrocatalysts but have no buried solid/solid junction.
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| 34. |
- Yi-Ting, Lin, et al.
(author)
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Galantamine plasma concentration and cognitive response in Alzheimer's disease
- 2019
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundGalantamine has been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there are few studies which have reported the association between cognitive responses and galantamine plasma concentration. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between galantamine plasma concentration and the subsequent cognitive response following treatment in AD patients.MethodsADsufferers who continuously took 8 mg/d galantamine for at least 6 months without previous exposure to other kinds of AChEI such as donepezil, rivastigmine, or memantine were included in this cohort study. The assessments included the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) and the Cognitive Assessment Screening Instrument (CASI). Each subdomain of the CASI assessment was conducted at baseline and after 6 months of galantamine. The plasma concentrations of galantamine were measured by capillary electrophoresis after 6 months of the treatment. Logistic regression was performed to adjust for age, gender, apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype status, and baseline score to investigate the association between galantamine plasma concentrations and the cognitive response.ResultsThe total sample consisted of 33 clinically diagnosed AD patients taking galantamine 8 mg/d for 6 months. There was no linear correlation between galantamine concentration and cognitive response in patients. However, 22 patients were responsive to the treatment in the long-term memory domain. In CASI subset domain, concentration improved during the 6 months follow up.ConclusionsIn the limited samples study, galantamine mostly benefitted the cognitive domain of long-term memory. The benefits were not related to the galantamine plasma concentration. Objective intra-individual evaluation of therapeutic response should be encouraged.
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| 35. |
- Yi-Ting, Lin, et al.
(author)
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Protein-bound uremic toxins are associated with cognitive function among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis
- 2019
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In: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patients with chronic kidney disease have a greater risk of cognitive impairment. Cerebral uremic solute accumulation causes uremic encephalopathy; however, the association of protein-bound uremic toxins on cognitive function remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the association of two protein-bound uremic toxins, namely indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresyl sulfate (PCS), on cognitive function in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) for at least 90 days. Circulating free form IS and PCS were quantified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) were used to evaluate cognitive function. In total, 260 HD patients were recruited with a mean age of 58.1 +/- 11.3 years, of which, 53.8% were men, 40% had diabetes, and 75.4% had hypertension. The analysis revealed that both free IS and free PCS were negatively associated with the CASI score and MMSE. After controlling for confounders, circulating free IS levels persisted to be negatively associated with MMSE scores [beta = -0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.16 to -0.08] and CASI scores (beta = -1.97, 95% CI: -3.78 to -0.16), mainly in the CASI domains of long-term memory, mental manipulation, language ability, and spatial construction. However, there was no correlation between free PCS and total MMSE or total CASI scores after controlling for confounders. In conclusion, circulating free form IS, but not PCS is associated with lower cognitive function test scores in HD patients. Thus, a further study is needed to evaluate whether a decrease in free IS levels can slow down cognitive decline in HD patients.
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| 36. |
- Zhang, Peili, et al.
(author)
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Highly efficient molecular nickel catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production from neutral water
- 2014
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In: Chemical Communications. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1359-7345 .- 1364-548X. ; 50:91, s. 14153-14156
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A series of nickel complexes containing N-5-pentadentate ligands with different amine-to-pyridine ratios were studied for electrochemical H-2 production in neutral water and the one with a diamine-tripyridine ligand displays a TON of up to 308000 over 60 h electrolysis at -1.25 V vs. SHE, with a Faradaic efficiency of similar to 91%.
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| 37. |
- Zhao, Yawei, et al.
(author)
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Fine-tuning the coordination atoms of copper redox mediators : an effective strategy for boosting the photovoltage of dye-sensitized solar cells
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Materials Chemistry A. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2050-7488 .- 2050-7496. ; 7:20, s. 12808-12814
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Natural systems have marvelously utilized copper complexes featuring sulfur-coordinating ligands, known as blue copper proteins, as efficient electron-transfer mediators in biological processes. Copper complexes with sulfur-coordinating ligands have been attempted as redox mediators in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), the performance of which is not yet satisfactory and still remains less well explored. Herein, we report the application of new copper complexes bearing a tetradentate polythioether ligand, [(S-4)Cu](2+/+) (1(2+/+), S-4 = 1,4,8,11-tetrathiocyclotetradecane), as a redox mediator in DSCs in comparison with its N-4-tetradentate counterpart [(N-4)Cu](2+/+) (2(2+/+), N-4 = 1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane). Impressively, the changes of coordination atoms from N to S positively shift the formal redox potential of the copper complexes by 600 mV, leading to a remarkably high photovoltage approaching 1.0 V. This is one of the highest photovoltage values reported thus far for DSCs based on copper redox mediators.
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