1. |
- Cossarizza, A., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use of flow cytometry and cell sorting in immunological studies (second edition)
- 2019
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In: European Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0014-2980 .- 1521-4141. ; 49:10, s. 1457-1973
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- These guidelines are a consensus work of a considerable number of members of the immunology and flow cytometry community. They provide the theory and key practical aspects of flow cytometry enabling immunologists to avoid the common errors that often undermine immunological data. Notably, there are comprehensive sections of all major immune cell types with helpful Tables detailing phenotypes in murine and human cells. The latest flow cytometry techniques and applications are also described, featuring examples of the data that can be generated and, importantly, how the data can be analysed. Furthermore, there are sections detailing tips, tricks and pitfalls to avoid, all written and peer-reviewed by leading experts in the field, making this an essential research companion.
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2. |
- Abbafati, Cristiana, et al.
(author)
-
- 2020
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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3. |
- Ding, Li, et al.
(author)
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Somatic mutations affect key pathways in lung adenocarcinoma
- 2008
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 455:7216, s. 1069-1075
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Determining the genetic basis of cancer requires comprehensive analyses of large collections of histopathologically well-classified primary tumours. Here we report the results of a collaborative study to discover somatic mutations in 188 human lung adenocarcinomas. DNA sequencing of 623 genes with known or potential relationships to cancer revealed more than 1,000 somatic mutations across the samples. Our analysis identified 26 genes that are mutated at significantly high frequencies and thus are probably involved in carcinogenesis. The frequently mutated genes include tyrosine kinases, among them the EGFR homologue ERBB4; multiple ephrin receptor genes, notably EPHA3; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor KDR; and NTRK genes. These data provide evidence of somatic mutations in primary lung adenocarcinoma for several tumour suppressor genes involved in other cancers--including NF1, APC, RB1 and ATM--and for sequence changes in PTPRD as well as the frequently deleted gene LRP1B. The observed mutational profiles correlate with clinical features, smoking status and DNA repair defects. These results are reinforced by data integration including single nucleotide polymorphism array and gene expression array. Our findings shed further light on several important signalling pathways involved in lung adenocarcinoma, and suggest new molecular targets for treatment.
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4. |
- Abazajian, Kevork, et al.
(author)
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CMB-S4 : Forecasting Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves
- 2022
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 926:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CMB-S4—the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment—is set to significantly advance the sensitivity of CMB measurements and enhance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe. Among the science cases pursued with CMB-S4, the quest for detecting primordial gravitational waves is a central driver of the experimental design. This work details the development of a forecasting framework that includes a power-spectrum-based semianalytic projection tool, targeted explicitly toward optimizing constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, in the presence of Galactic foregrounds and gravitational lensing of the CMB. This framework is unique in its direct use of information from the achieved performance of current Stage 2–3 CMB experiments to robustly forecast the science reach of upcoming CMB-polarization endeavors. The methodology allows for rapid iteration over experimental configurations and offers a flexible way to optimize the design of future experiments, given a desired scientific goal. To form a closed-loop process, we couple this semianalytic tool with map-based validation studies, which allow for the injection of additional complexity and verification of our forecasts with several independent analysis methods. We document multiple rounds of forecasts for CMB-S4 using this process and the resulting establishment of the current reference design of the primordial gravitational-wave component of the Stage-4 experiment, optimized to achieve our science goals of detecting primordial gravitational waves for r > 0.003 at greater than 5σ, or in the absence of a detection, of reaching an upper limit of r < 0.001 at 95% CL.
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5. |
- 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
-
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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6. |
- Stefanucci, Luca, et al.
(author)
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SMIM1 absence is associated with reduced energy expenditure and excess weight
-
In: Med (New York, N.Y.). - 2666-6340.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Obesity rates have nearly tripled in the past 50 years, and by 2030 more than 1 billion individuals worldwide are projected to be obese. This creates a significant economic strain due to the associated non-communicable diseases. The root cause is an energy expenditure imbalance, owing to an interplay of lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors. Obesity has a polygenic genetic architecture; however, single genetic variants with large effect size are etiological in a minority of cases. These variants allowed the discovery of novel genes and biology relevant to weight regulation and ultimately led to the development of novel specific treatments.METHODS: We used a case-control approach to determine metabolic differences between individuals homozygous for a loss-of-function genetic variant in the small integral membrane protein 1 (SMIM1) and the general population, leveraging data from five cohorts. Metabolic characterization of SMIM1 -/- individuals was performed using plasma biochemistry, calorimetric chamber, and DXA scan. FINDINGS: We found that individuals homozygous for a loss-of-function genetic variant in SMIM1 gene, underlying the blood group Vel, display excess body weight, dyslipidemia, altered leptin to adiponectin ratio, increased liver enzymes, and lower thyroid hormone levels. This was accompanied by a reduction in resting energy expenditure.CONCLUSION: This research identified a novel genetic predisposition to being overweight or obese. It highlights the need to investigate the genetic causes of obesity to select the most appropriate treatment given the large cost disparity between them.FUNDING: This work was funded by the National Institute of Health Research, British Heart Foundation, and NHS Blood and Transplant.
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7. |
- Cheung, William W. L., et al.
(author)
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Building confidence in projections of the responses of living marine resources to climate change
- 2016
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In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1054-3139 .- 1095-9289. ; 73:5, s. 1283-1296
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlights that climate change and ocean acidification are challenging the sustainable management of living marine resources (LMRs). Formal and systematic treatment of uncertainty in existing LMR projections, however, is lacking. We synthesize knowledge of how to address different sources of uncertainty by drawing from climate model intercomparison efforts. We suggest an ensemble of available models and projections, informed by observations, as a starting point to quantify uncertainties. Such an ensemble must be paired with analysis of the dominant uncertainties over different spatial scales, time horizons, and metrics. We use two examples: (i) global and regional projections of Sea Surface Temperature and (ii) projection of changes in potential catch of sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) in the 21st century, to illustrate this ensemble model approach to explore different types of uncertainties. Further effort should prioritize understanding dominant, undersampled dimensions of uncertainty, as well as the strategic collection of observations to quantify, and ultimately reduce, uncertainties. Our proposed framework will improve our understanding of future changes in LMR and the resulting risk of impacts to ecosystems and the societies under changing ocean conditions.
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8. |
- Eddy, Tyler D., et al.
(author)
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Energy Flow Through Marine Ecosystems : Confronting Transfer Efficiency
- 2021
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In: Trends in Ecology & Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-5347 .- 1872-8383. ; 36:1, s. 76-86
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transfer efficiency is the proportion of energy passed between nodes in food webs. It is an emergent, unitless property that is difficult to measure, and responds dynamically to environmental and ecosystem changes. Because the consequences of changes in transfer efficiency compound through ecosystems, slight variations can have large effects on food availability for top predators. Here, we review the processes controlling transfer efficiency, approaches to estimate it, and known variations across ocean biomes. Both process-level analysis and observed macro-scale variations suggest that ecosystem-scale transfer efficiency is highly variable, impacted by fishing, and will decline with climate change. It is important that we more fully resolve the processes controlling transfer efficiency in models to effectively anticipate changes in marine ecosystems and fisheries resources.
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9. |
- Hampton, Stephanie E., et al.
(author)
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Ecology under lake ice
- 2017
-
In: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 20:1, s. 98-111
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Winter conditions are rapidly changing in temperate ecosystems, particularly for those that experience periods of snow and ice cover. Relatively little is known of winter ecology in these systems, due to a historical research focus on summer ‘growing seasons’. We executed the first global quantitative synthesis on under-ice lake ecology, including 36 abiotic and biotic variables from 42 research groups and 101 lakes, examining seasonal differences and connections as well as how seasonal differences vary with geophysical factors. Plankton were more abundant under ice than expected; mean winter values were 43.2% of summer values for chlorophyll a, 15.8% of summer phytoplankton biovolume and 25.3% of summer zooplankton density. Dissolved nitrogen concentrations were typically higher during winter, and these differences were exaggerated in smaller lakes. Lake size also influenced winter-summer patterns for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), with higher winter DOC in smaller lakes. At coarse levels of taxonomic aggregation, phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition showed few systematic differences between seasons, although literature suggests that seasonal differences are frequently lake-specific, species-specific, or occur at the level of functional group. Within the subset of lakes that had longer time series, winter influenced the subsequent summer for some nutrient variables and zooplankton biomass.
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10. |
- Krzyzanowska, Agnieszka, et al.
(author)
-
Development, Validation, and Clinical Utility of a Six-gene Signature to Predict Aggressive Prostate Cancer
- 2023
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In: European Urology Focus. - 2405-4569. ; 9:6, s. 983-991
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Molecular signatures in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue can provide useful prognostic information to improve the understanding of a patient's risk of harbouring aggressive disease. Objective: To develop and validate a gene signature that adds independent prognostic information to clinical parameters for better treatment decisions and patient management. Design, setting, and participants: Expression of 14 genes was evaluated in radical prostatectomy (RP) tissue from an Irish cohort of PCa patients (n = 426). A six-gene molecular risk score (MRS) was identified with strong prognostic performance to predict adverse pathology (AP) at RP or biochemical recurrence (BCR). The MRS was combined with the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score, to create a molecular and clinical risk score (MCRS), and validated in a Swedish cohort (n = 203). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The primary AP outcome was assessed by the likelihood ratio statistics and area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC) from logistic regression models. The secondary time to BCR outcome was assessed by likelihood ratio statistics and C-indexes from Cox proportional hazard regression models. Results and limitations: The six-gene signature was significantly (p < 0.0001) prognostic and added significant prognostic value to clinicopathological features for AP and BCR outcomes. For both outcomes, both the MRS and the MCRS increased the AUC/C-index when added to European Association of Urology (EAU) and CAPRA scores. Limitations include the retrospective nature of this study. Conclusions: The six-gene signature has strong performance for the prediction of AP and BCR in an independent clinical validation study. MCRS improves prognostic evaluation and can optimise patient management after RP. Patient summary: We found that the expression panel of six genes can help predict whether a patient is likely to have a disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy surgery.
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11. |
- Perley, Daniel A., et al.
(author)
-
The fast, luminous ultraviolet transient AT2018cow : extreme supernova, or disruption of a star by an intermediate-mass black hole?
- 2019
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 484:1, s. 1031-1049
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wide-field optical surveys have begun to uncover large samples of fast (t(rise) less than or similar to 5 d), luminous (M-peak < 18), blue transients. While commonly attributed to the breakout of a supernova shock into a dense wind, the great distances to the transients of this class found so far have hampered detailed investigation of their properties. We present photometry and spectroscopy from a comprehensive worldwide campaign to observe AT 2018cow (ATLAS 18qqn), the first fast-luminous optical transient to be found in real time at low redshift. Our first spectra (<2 days after discovery) are entirely featureless. A very broad absorption feature suggestive of near-relativistic velocities develops between 3 and 8 days, then disappears. Broad emission features of H and He develop after >10 days. The spectrum remains extremely hot throughout its evolution, and the photospheric radius contracts with time (receding below R < 10 (14) cm after 1 month). This behaviour does not match that of any known supernova, although a relativistic jet within a fallback supernova could explain some of the observed features. Alternatively, the transient could originate from the disruption of a star by an intermediate-mass black hole, although this would require long-lasting emission of highly super-Eddington thermal radiation. In either case, AT 2018cow suggests that the population of fast luminous transients represents a new class of astrophysical event. Intensive follow-up of this event in its late phases, and of any future events found at comparable distance, will be essential to better constrain their origins.
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12. |
- Prencipe, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Relationship Between Serum Response Factor and Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer
- 2015
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In: The Prostate. - : Wiley. - 0270-4137. ; 75:15, s. 1704-1717
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND. Serum response factor (SRF) is an important transcription factor in castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Since CRPC is associated with androgen receptor (AR) hypersensitivity, we investigated the relationship between SRF and AR. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Transcriptional activity was assessed by luciferase assay. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT and flow cytometry. Protein expression in patients was assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS. To investigate AR involvement in SRF response to androgen, AR expression was down-regulated using siRNA. This resulted in the abrogation of SRF induction post-DHT. Moreover, DHT stimulation failed to induce SRF transcriptional activity in AR-negative PC346 DCC cells, which was only restored following AR over-expression. Next, SRF expression was down-regulated by siRNA, resulting in AR increased transcriptional activity in castrate-resistant LNCaP Abl cells but not in the parental LNCaP. This negative feedback loop in the resistant cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry which showed a negative correlation between AR and SRF expression in CRPC bone metastases and a positive correlation in androgen-naive prostatectomies. Cell proliferation was next assessed following SRF inhibition, demonstrating that SRF inhibition is more effective than AR inhibition in castrate-resistant cells. CONCLUSION. Our data support SRF as a promising therapeutic target in combination with current treatments. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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13. |
- Prencipe, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Role of serum response factor expression in prostate cancer biochemical recurrence
- 2018
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In: The Prostate. - : Wiley. - 0270-4137. ; 78:10, s. 724-730
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Up to a third of prostate cancer patients fail curative treatment strategies such as surgery and radiation therapy in the form of biochemical recurrence (BCR) which can be predictive of poor outcome. Recent clinical trials have shown that men experiencing BCR might benefit from earlier intervention post-radical prostatectomy (RP). Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify earlier prognostic biomarkers which will guide clinicians in making accurate diagnosis and timely decisions on the next appropriate treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate Serum Response Factor (SRF) protein expression following RP and to investigate its association with BCR.MATERIALS AND METHODS: SRF nuclear expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in TMAs across three international radical prostatectomy cohorts for a total of 615 patients. Log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used for BCR comparisons. Stepwise backwards elimination proportional hazard regression analysis was used to explore the significance of SRF in predicting BCR in the context of other clinical pathological variables. Area under the curve (AUC) values were generated by simulating repeated random sub-samples.RESULTS: Analysis of the immunohistochemical staining of benign versus cancer cores showed higher expression of nuclear SRF protein expression in cancer cores compared with benign for all the three TMAs analysed (P < 0.001, n = 615). Kaplan-Meier curves of the three TMAs combined showed that patients with higher SRF nuclear expression had a shorter time to BCR compared with patients with lower SRF expression (P < 0.001, n = 215). Together with pathological T stage T3, SRF was identified as a predictor of BCR using stepwise backwards elimination proportional hazard regression analysis (P = 0.0521). Moreover ROC curves and AUC values showed that SRF was better than T stage in predicting BCR at year 3 and 5 following radical prostatectomy, the combination of SRF and T stage had a higher AUC value than the two taken separately.CONCLUSIONS: SRF assessment by IHC following RP could be useful in guiding clinicians to better identify patients for appropriate follow-up and timely treatment.
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14. |
- Warren, Wesley C, et al.
(author)
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The genome of a songbird
- 2010
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 464:7289, s. 757-762
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields with unique relevance to human neuroscience. Like other songbirds, the zebra finch communicates through learned vocalizations, an ability otherwise documented only in humans and a few other animals and lacking in the chicken-the only bird with a sequenced genome until now. Here we present a structural, functional and comparative analysis of the genome sequence of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), which is a songbird belonging to the large avian order Passeriformes. We find that the overall structures of the genomes are similar in zebra finch and chicken, but they differ in many intrachromosomal rearrangements, lineage-specific gene family expansions, the number of long-terminal-repeat-based retrotransposons, and mechanisms of sex chromosome dosage compensation. We show that song behaviour engages gene regulatory networks in the zebra finch brain, altering the expression of long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, transcription factors and their targets. We also show evidence for rapid molecular evolution in the songbird lineage of genes that are regulated during song experience. These results indicate an active involvement of the genome in neural processes underlying vocal communication and identify potential genetic substrates for the evolution and regulation of this behaviour.
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15. |
- Baldwin, Scott A., et al.
(author)
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Intraclass correlation associated with therapists : estimates and applications in planning psychotherapy research
- 2011
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In: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. - : Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. - 1650-6073 .- 1651-2316. ; 40:1, s. 15-33
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It is essential that outcome research permit clear conclusions to be drawn about the efficacy of interventions. The common practice of nesting therapists within conditions can pose important methodological challenges that affect interpretation, particularly if the study is not powered to account for the nested design. An obstacle to the optimal design of these studies is the lack of data about the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), which measures the statistical dependencies introduced by nesting. To begin the development of a public database of ICC estimates, the authors investigated ICCs for a variety outcomes reported in 20 psychotherapy outcome studies. The magnitude of the 495 ICC estimates varied widely across measures and studies. The authors provide recommendations regarding how to select and aggregate ICC estimates for power calculations and show how researchers can use ICC estimates to choose the number of patients and therapists that will optimize power. Attention to these recommendations will strengthen the validity of inferences drawn from psychotherapy studies that nest therapists within conditions.
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16. |
- Brady, Lauren, et al.
(author)
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Correlation of integrated ERG/PTEN assessment with biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer
- 2021
-
In: Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. - : Elsevier. - 2468-2942. ; 29
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, with a complex molecular landscape that evolves throughout disease progression. Common alterations in genes such as ERG and PTEN have been attributed to worse prognosis. This study aimed to further examine the clinical relevance of PTEN and ERG expression in a cohort of patients with prostate cancer post radical prostatectomy.METHODS: Tissue microarrays were constructed from 132 patients with prostate cancer from the Irish Prostate Cancer Research Consortium and University Hospital of Orebro, Sweden. Patients were divided into three groups - Group 1: biochemical recurrence, Group 2: no biochemical recurrence and Group 3: immediate progression after surgery. PTEN and ERG immunohistochemical analysis was performed and the association between expression levels and clinical parameters were compared.RESULTS: Pathological stage pT3 tumours were more common at borderline significantly higher levels amongst patients who biochemically recurred when compared to patients who did not recur after radical prostatectomy (p = 0.05). ERG and PTEN expression levels were compared separately and concurrently across all three patient groups. Lack of ERG expression was strongly associated with immediate progression after surgery (p = 0.029). Loss of/low PTEN trended towards an association with immediate progression, however this was not statistically significant (p = 0.066).CONCLUSION: In this study, negative ERG expression was strongly associated with immediate biochemical progression after radical prostatectomy. Moreover, a trend towards a relationship between aberrant PTEN expression and progression was observed. Additional studies with long-term follow up data may provide further clinical insight into the genomic heterogeneity in this population.
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17. |
- Dans, Madeline G., et al.
(author)
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Aryl amino acetamides prevent Plasmodium falciparum ring development via targeting the lipid-transfer protein PfSTART1
- 2024
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 15:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With resistance to most antimalarials increasing, it is imperative that new drugs are developed. We previously identified an aryl acetamide compound, MMV006833 (M-833), that inhibited the ring-stage development of newly invaded merozoites. Here, we select parasites resistant to M-833 and identify mutations in the START lipid transfer protein (PF3D7_0104200, PfSTART1). Introducing PfSTART1 mutations into wildtype parasites reproduces resistance to M-833 as well as to more potent analogues. PfSTART1 binding to the analogues is validated using organic solvent-based Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration (Solvent PISA) assays. Imaging of invading merozoites shows the inhibitors prevent the development of ring-stage parasites potentially by inhibiting the expansion of the encasing parasitophorous vacuole membrane. The PfSTART1-targeting compounds also block transmission to mosquitoes and with multiple stages of the parasite’s lifecycle being affected, PfSTART1 represents a drug target with a new mechanism of action.
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18. |
- Friedlein, Rainer, et al.
(author)
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Electronic structure of highly ordered films of self-assembled graphitic nanocolumns
- 2003
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In: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 68:19, s. 195414-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Highly ordered, several nanometers thick films of alkylated large planar, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules have been grown on semi-metallic molybdenum disulfide substrates. The films are characterized by a two-dimensional lateral arrangement of columns standing at the surface on a macroscopic scale. The self-assembly of such insulated columns of face-to-face disks with surface-induced vertical alignment has been achieved directly from solution processing. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectra revealed a highly anisotropic quasi-one-dimensional electronic structure with an extended π-electronic wave function. An intermolecular dispersion of the highest occupied band of at least 0.15 eV along the stacking direction has been measured. A partial breakdown of the concept of quasimomentum due to the finite size of the nano-objects perpendicular to the stacks is observed.
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19. |
- Friedlein, Rainer, et al.
(author)
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Surface-induced vertical alignment of self-assembled supramolecular columns of large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and porphyrins
- 2004
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In: Synthetic metals. - : Elsevier BV. - 0379-6779 .- 1879-3290. ; 147:01-Mar, s. 79-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ordered films of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and porphyrins with functional (e.g. thiophene) side-groups are good candidates for (opto-)electronic applications where fast charge separation and transport are required. Such highly ordered thin films of PAHs, including discotic hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) and C-132-C-16,C-4, as well as brominated functionalized porphyrin molecules have been grown from solutions on semi-metallic molybdenum disulfide substrates and characterized by angle-resolved valence band photoelectron spectroscopy. A vertical growth of self-assembled supramolecular columns perpendicular to the basal plane of the substrate along with their lateral ordering on the surface has been achieved. Annealing made it possible to increase the structural order in the HBC columns, with molecules positioned at a regular offset from the columnar axis. This permitted the formation of extended pi-electronic states with a bandwidth of at least 0.1-0.2 eV at room temperature. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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20. |
- Keil, M., et al.
(author)
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High levels of alkali-metal storage in thin films of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene
- 2002
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In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 116:24, s. 10854-10860
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The results of the doping of molecular solid films of the medium-sized aromatic hydrocarbon hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC), using lithium or sodium atoms were presented. The evolution of the valence band electronic structure was monitored by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and studied by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Results indicated that n-doping depended on the type of alkali-metal atom employed and on the molecular order of the film. The smaller Li ion was found to have a stronger influence on the electronic structure than Na ions. These results revealed the potential use of the graphene materials in lithium-ion batteries with a high charge-storage capacity.
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21. |
- Krzyzanowska, Agnieszka, et al.
(author)
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Expression of tSTAT3, pSTAT3 727 , and pSTAT3 705 in the epithelial cells of hormone-naïve prostate cancer
- 2019
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In: Prostate. - : Wiley. - 0270-4137. ; 79:7, s. 784-797
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway is observed to be constitutively activated in several malignancies including prostate cancer (PCa). In the present study, we investigated the expression of total STAT3 (tSTAT3) and two forms of activated phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3 727 and pSTAT3 705 ) in tissue microarrays (TMA) of two cohorts of localized hormone-naïve PCa patients and analyzed associations between the expression and disease outcome. Methods: The expression of tSTAT3, pSTAT3 727 , and pSTAT3 705 was scored in the nuclei and cytoplasm of prostatic gland epithelial cells in two TMAs of paraffin-embedded prostatic tissue. The TMAs consisted of tissue originated from hormone-naïve radical prostatectomy patients from two different sites: Malmö, Sweden (n = 300) and Dublin, Ireland (n = 99). Results: The nuclear expression levels of tSTAT3, pSTAT3 727 , and pSTAT3 705 in the epithelial cells of benign glands were significantly higher than in the cancerous glands. Cytoplasmic tSTAT3 levels were also higher in benign glands. Patients with low pSTAT3 727 and pSTAT3 705 levels in the cancerous glands showed reduced times to biochemical recurrence, compared with those with higher levels. No significant trends in nuclear nor in cytoplasmic tSTAT3 were observed in relation to biochemical recurrence in the Malmö cohort. Higher cytoplasmic tSTAT3 was associated with reduced time to biochemical recurrence in the Dublin cohort. Adding the tSTAT3 and pSTAT3 expression data to Gleason score or pathological T stage did not improve their prognostic values. Conclusions: Low pSTAT3 727 and pSTAT3 705 expression in epithelial cells of cancerous prostatic glands in hormone-naïve PCa was associated with faster disease progression. However, pSTAT3 and tSTAT3 expression did not improve the prognostic value of Gleason score or pathological T stage and may not be a good biomarker in the early hormone naïve stages of PCa.
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22. |
- Mehrtens, Nicola, et al.
(author)
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The XMM Cluster Survey : optical analysis methodology and the first data release
- 2012
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 423:2, s. 1024-1052
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The XMM Cluster Survey (XCS) is a serendipitous search for galaxy clusters using all publicly available data in the XMMNewton Science Archive. Its main aims are to measure cosmological parameters and trace the evolution of X-ray scaling relations. In this paper we present the first data release from the XMM Cluster Survey (XCS-DR1). This consists of 503 optically confirmed, serendipitously detected, X-ray clusters. Of these clusters, 256 are new to the literature and 357 are new X-ray discoveries. We present 463 clusters with a redshift estimate (0.06 < z < 1.46), including 261 clusters with spectroscopic redshifts. The remainder have photometric redshifts. In addition, we have measured X-ray temperatures (TX) for 401 clusters (0.4 < TX < 14.7 keV). We highlight seven interesting subsamples of XCS-DR1 clusters: (i) 10 clusters at high redshift (z > 1.0, including a new spectroscopically confirmed cluster at z= 1.01); (ii) 66 clusters with high TX (>5 keV); (iii) 130 clusters/groups with low TX (<2 keV); (iv) 27 clusters with measured TX values in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 co-add region; (v) 77 clusters with measured TX values in the Dark Energy Survey region; (vi) 40 clusters detected with sufficient counts to permit mass measurements (under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium); (vii) 104 clusters that can be used for applications such as the derivation of cosmological parameters and the measurement of cluster scaling relations. The X-ray analysis methodology used to construct and analyse the XCS-DR1 cluster sample has been presented in a companion paper, Lloyd-Davies et al.
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23. |
- Mulvaney, Eamon P., et al.
(author)
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Expression of the TPa and TPβ isoforms of the thromboxane prostanoid receptor (TP) in prostate cancer : Clinical significance and diagnostic potential
- 2016
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In: Oncotarget. - : Impact Journals, LLC. - 1949-2553. ; 7:45, s. 73171-73187
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The prostanoid thromboxane (TX)A2 plays a central role in haemostasis and is increasingly implicated in cancer progression. TXA2 signals through two T Prostanoid receptor (TP) isoforms termed TPa and TPβ, with both encoded by the TBXA2R gene. Despite exhibiting several functional and regulatory differences, the role of the individual TP isoforms in neoplastic diseases is largely unknown. This study evaluated expression of the TPa and TPβ isoforms in tumour microarrays of the benign prostate and different pathological (Gleason) grades of prostate cancer (PCa). Expression of TPβ was significantly increased in PCa relative to benign tissue and strongly correlated with increasing Gleason grade. Furthermore, higher TPβ expression was associated with increased risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) and significantly shorter disease-free survival time in patients post-surgery. While TPa was more variably expressed than TPβ in PCa, increased/high TPa expression within the tumour also trended toward increased BCR and shorter diseasefree survival time. Comparative genomic CpG DNA methylation analysis revealed substantial differences in the extent of methylation of the promoter regions of the TBXA2R that specifically regulate expression of TPa and TPβ, respectively, both in benign prostate and in clinically-derived tissue representative of precursor lesions and progressive stages of PCa. Collectively, TPa and TPβ expression is differentially regulated both in the benign and tumourigenic prostate, and coincides with clinical pathology and altered CpG methylation of the TBXA2R gene. Analysis of TPβ, or a combination of TPa/TPβ, expression levels may have significant clinical potential as a diagnostic biomarker and predictor of PCa disease recurrence.
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24. |
- Samori, P., et al.
(author)
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Growth of ordered hexakis-dodecyl-hexabenzocoronene layers from solution : A SFM and ARUPS study
- 2001
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry B. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1089-5647 .- 1520-6106 .- 1520-5207. ; 105:45, s. 11114-11119
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The layer growth of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon moiety, hexakis-dodecyl-hexabenzocoronene (HBC-C12), from solution onto a conductive flat solid substrate has been studied. Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM), together with the analysis of the intensities of p-structures in spectra of Angle-Resolved Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARUPS) measurements, revealed that the HBC-C12 molecules can self-assemble as dry layers with the conjugated disklike molecules lying flat on the (0001) plane of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG). By varying the rate of the molecular physisorption it was possible to orient these molecular architectures along preferential directions according to the symmetry of the substrate. Additionally, the film morphology is affected by the concentration of the solution. This indicates that the growth of these organic layers on HOPG is a kinetically governed process which, if carried out sufficiently slowly, leads to the growth of hetero-epitaxial crystallites.
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25. |
- Smith, Bradley P., et al.
(author)
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Taxonomic status of the Australian dingo : the case for Canis dingo Meyer, 1793
- 2019
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In: Zootaxa. - : MAGNOLIA PRESS. - 1175-5326 .- 1175-5334. ; 4564:1, s. 173-197
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The taxonomic status and systematic nomenclature of the Australian dingo remain contentious, resulting in decades of inconsistent applications in the scientific literature and in policy. Prompted by a recent publication calling for dingoes to be considered taxonomically as domestic dogs (Jackson et al. 2017, Zootaxa 4317, 201-224), we review the issues of the taxonomy applied to canids, and summarise the main differences between dingoes and other canids. We conclude that (1) the Australian dingo is a geographically isolated (allopatric) species from all other Canis, and is genetically, phenotypically, ecologically, and behaviourally distinct; and (2) the dingo appears largely devoid of many of the signs of domestication, including surviving largely as a wild animal in Australia for millennia. The case of defining dingo taxonomy provides a quintessential example of the disagreements between species concepts (e.g., biological, phylogenetic, ecological, morphological). Applying the biological species concept sensu stricto to the dingo as suggested by Jackson et al. (2017) and consistently across the Canidae would lead to an aggregation of all Canis populations, implying for example that dogs and wolves are the same species. Such an aggregation would have substantial implications for taxonomic clarity, biological research, and wildlife conservation. Any changes to the current nomen of the dingo (currently Canis dingo Meyer, 1793), must therefore offer a strong, evidence-based argument in favour of it being recognised as a subspecies of Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758, or as Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758, and a successful application to the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature - neither of which can be adequately supported. Although there are many species concepts, the sum of the evidence presented in this paper affirms the classification of the dingo as a distinct taxon, namely Canis dingo.
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26. |
- Stark, Daniel P., et al.
(author)
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Ultraviolet emission lines in young low-mass galaxies at z similar or equal to 2 : physical properties and implications for studies at z > 7
- 2014
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 445:3, s. 3200-3220
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present deep spectroscopy of 17 very low mass (M* similar or equal to 2.0 x 10(6)-1.4 x 10(9) M-circle dot) and low luminosity (M-UV similar or equal to -13.7 to -19.9) gravitationally lensed galaxies in the redshift range z similar or equal to 1.5-3.0. Deep rest-frame ultraviolet spectra reveal large equivalent width emission from numerous emission lines (N IV], O III], C IV, Si III], C III]) which are rarely seen in individual spectra of more massive star-forming galaxies. C III] is detected in 16 of 17 low-mass star-forming systems with rest-frame equivalent widths as large as 13.5 angstrom. Nebular C (IV) emission is present in the most extreme C III] emitters, requiring an ionizing source capable of producing a substantial component of photons with energies in excess of 47.9 eV. Photoionization models support a picture whereby the large equivalent widths are driven by the increased electron temperature and enhanced ionizing output arising from metal-poor gas and stars (0.04-0.13 Z(circle dot)), young stellar populations (6-50 Myr), and large ionization parameters (log U = -2.16 to -1.84). The young ages implied by the emission lines and continuum spectral energy distributions (SEDs) indicate that the extreme line emitters in our sample are in the midst of a significant upturn in their star formation activity. The low stellar masses, blue UV colours, and large specific star formation rates of our sample are similar to those of typical z greater than or similar to 6 galaxies. Given the strong attenuation of Ly alpha in z greater than or similar to 6 galaxies, we suggest that C III] is likely to provide our best probe of early star-forming galaxies with ground-based spectrographs and one off the most efficient means of confirming z greater than or similar to 10 galaxies with the James Webb Space Telescope.
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27. |
- Tittensor, Derek P., et al.
(author)
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A protocol for the intercomparison of marine fishery and ecosystem models : Fish-MIP v1.0
- 2018
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In: Geoscientific Model Development. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1991-959X .- 1991-9603. ; 11:4, s. 1421-1442
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Model intercomparison studies in the climate and Earth sciences communities have been crucial to building credibility and coherence for future projections. They have quantified variability among models, spurred model development, contrasted within- and among-model uncertainty, assessed model fits to historical data, and provided ensemble projections of future change under specified scenarios. Given the speed and magnitude of anthropogenic change in the marine environment and the consequent effects on food security, biodiversity, marine industries, and society, the time is ripe for similar comparisons among models of fisheries and marine ecosystems. Here, we describe the Fisheries and Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project protocol version 1.0 (Fish-MIP v1.0), part of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP), which is a cross-sectoral network of climate impact modellers. Given the complexity of the marine ecosystem, this class of models has substantial heterogeneity of purpose, scope, theoretical underpinning, processes considered, parameterizations, resolution (grain size), and spatial extent. This heterogeneity reflects the lack of a unified understanding of the marine ecosystem and implies that the assemblage of all models is more likely to include a greater number of relevant processes than any single model. The current Fish-MIP protocol is designed to allow these heterogeneous models to be forced with common Earth System Model (ESM) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) outputs under prescribed scenarios for historic (from the 1950s) and future (to 2100) time periods; it will be adapted to CMIP phase 6 (CMIP6) in future iterations. It also describes a standardized set of outputs for each participating Fish-MIP model to produce. This enables the broad characterization of differences between and uncertainties within models and projections when assessing climate and fisheries impacts on marine ecosystems and the services they provide. The systematic generation, collation, and comparison of results from Fish-MIP will inform an understanding of the range of plausible changes in marine ecosystems and improve our capacity to define and convey the strengths and weaknesses of model-based advice on future states of marine ecosystems and fisheries. Ultimately, Fish-MIP represents a step towards bringing together the marine ecosystem modelling community to produce consistent ensemble medium- and long-term projections of marine ecosystems.
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28. |
- Tobin, John J., et al.
(author)
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The VLA/ALMA Nascent Disk and Multiplicity (VANDAM) Survey of Orion Protostars. I. Identifying and Characterizing the Protostellar Content of the OMC-2 FIR4 and OMC-2 FIR3 Regions
- 2019
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-4357 .- 0004-637X. ; 886:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (0.87 mm) and Very Large Array (9 mm) observations toward OMC-2 FIR4 and OMC-2 FIR3 within the Orion integral-shaped filament, thought to be two of the nearest regions of intermediate-mass star formation. We characterize the continuum sources within these regions on ?40 au (01) scales and associated molecular line emission at a factor of ?30 better resolution than previous observations at similar wavelengths. We identify six compact continuum sources within OMC-2 FIR4, four in OMC-2 FIR3, and one additional source just outside OMC-2 FIR4. This continuum emission is tracing the inner envelope and/or disk emission on less than 100 au scales. HOPS-108 is the only protostar in OMC-2 FIR4 that exhibits emission from high-excitation transitions of complex organic molecules (e.g., methanol and other lines) coincident with the continuum emission. HOPS-370 in OMC-2 FIR3, with L;?;360 L, also exhibits emission from high-excitation methanol and other lines. The methanol emission toward these two protostars is indicative of temperatures high enough to thermally evaporate it from icy dust grains; overall, these protostars have characteristics similar to hot corinos. We do not identify a clear outflow from HOPS-108 in (CO)-C-12, but we find evidence of interaction between the outflow/jet from HOPS-370 and the OMC-2 FIR4 region. A multitude of observational constraints indicate that HOPS-108 is likely a low- to intermediate-mass protostar in its main mass accretion phase and is the most luminous protostar in OMC-2 FIR4. The high-resolution data presented here are essential for disentangling the embedded protostars from their surrounding dusty environments and characterizing them.
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29. |
- Tobin, John J., et al.
(author)
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The VLA/ALMA Nascent Disk and Multiplicity (VANDAM) Survey of Orion Protostars. II. A Statistical Characterization of Class 0 and Class i Protostellar Disks
- 2020
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-4357 .- 0004-637X. ; 890:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have conducted a survey of 328 protostars in the Orion molecular clouds with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at 0.87 mm at a resolution of ∼0.″1 (40 au), including observations with the Very Large Array at 9 mm toward 148 protostars at a resolution of ∼0.″08 (32 au). This is the largest multiwavelength survey of protostars at this resolution by an order of magnitude. We use the dust continuum emission at 0.87 and 9 mm to measure the dust disk radii and masses toward the Class 0, Class I, and flat-spectrum protostars, characterizing the evolution of these disk properties in the protostellar phase. The mean dust disk radii for the Class 0, Class I, and flat-spectrum protostars are 44.9-3.4+5.8, 37.0-3.0+4.9, and 28.5-2.3+3.7 au, respectively, and the mean protostellar dust disk masses are 25.9-4.0+7.7, 14.9-2.2+3.8, 11.6-1.9+3.5 M⊙, respectively. The decrease in dust disk masses is expected from disk evolution and accretion, but the decrease in disk radii may point to the initial conditions of star formation not leading to the systematic growth of disk radii or that radial drift is keeping the dust disk sizes small. At least 146 protostellar disks (35% of 379 detected 0.87 mm continuum sources plus 42 nondetections) have disk radii greater than 50 au in our sample. These properties are not found to vary significantly between different regions within Orion. The protostellar dust disk mass distributions are systematically larger than those of Class II disks by a factor of >4, providing evidence that the cores of giant planets may need to at least begin their formation during the protostellar phase.
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30. |
- Tyekucheva, Svitlana, et al.
(author)
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Stromal and epithelial transcriptional map of initiation progression and metastatic potential of human prostate cancer
- 2017
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In: Nature Communications. - London, United Kingdom : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While progression from normal prostatic epithelium to invasive cancer is driven by molecular alterations, tumor cells and cells in the cancer microenvironment are co-dependent and co-evolve. Few human studies to date have focused on stroma. Here, we performed gene expression profiling of laser capture microdissected normal non-neoplastic prostate epithelial tissue and compared it to non-transformed and neoplastic low-grade and high-grade prostate epithelial tissue from radical prostatectomies, each with its immediately surrounding stroma. Whereas benign epithelium in prostates with and without tumor were similar in gene expression space, stroma away from tumor was significantly different from that in prostates without cancer. A stromal gene signature reflecting bone remodeling and immune-related pathways was upregulated in high compared to low-Gleason grade cases. In validation data, the signature discriminated cases that developed metastasis from those that did not. These data suggest that the microenvironment may influence prostate cancer initiation, maintenance, and metastatic progression.Stromal cells contribute to tumor development but the mechanisms regulating this process are still unclear. Here the authors analyze gene expression profiles in the prostate and show that stromal gene signature changes ahead of the epithelial gene signature as prostate cancer initiates and progresses.
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31. |
- Walker, Steven M, et al.
(author)
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Molecular Subgroup of Primary Prostate Cancer Presenting with Metastatic Biology
- 2017
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In: European Urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 72:4, s. 509-518
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Approximately 4-25% of patients with early prostate cancer develop disease recurrence following radical prostatectomy.OBJECTIVE: To identify a molecular subgroup of prostate cancers with metastatic potential at presentation resulting in a high risk of recurrence following radical prostatectomy.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed using gene expression data from 70 primary resections, 31 metastatic lymph nodes, and 25 normal prostate samples. Independent assay validation was performed using 322 radical prostatectomy samples from four sites with a mean follow-up of 50.3 months.OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Molecular subgroups were identified using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. A partial least squares approach was used to generate a gene expression assay. Relationships with outcome (time to biochemical and metastatic recurrence) were analysed using multivariable Cox regression and log-rank analysis.RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A molecular subgroup of primary prostate cancer with biology similar to metastatic disease was identified. A 70-transcript signature (metastatic assay) was developed and independently validated in the radical prostatectomy samples. Metastatic assay positive patients had increased risk of biochemical recurrence (multivariable hazard ratio [HR] 1.62 [1.13-2.33]; p=0.0092) and metastatic recurrence (multivariable HR=3.20 [1.76-5.80]; p=0.0001). A combined model with Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment post surgical (CAPRA-S) identified patients at an increased risk of biochemical and metastatic recurrence superior to either model alone (HR=2.67 [1.90-3.75]; p<0.0001 and HR=7.53 [4.13-13.73]; p<0.0001, respectively). The retrospective nature of the study is acknowledged as a potential limitation.CONCLUSIONS: The metastatic assay may identify a molecular subgroup of primary prostate cancers with metastatic potential.PATIENT SUMMARY: The metastatic assay may improve the ability to detect patients at risk of metastatic recurrence following radical prostatectomy. The impact of adjuvant therapies should be assessed in this higher-risk population.
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