| 1. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
-
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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| 2. |
- Wang, Haidong, et al.
(author)
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Global, regional, and national levels of neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality during 1990-2013 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013
- 2014
-
In: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 384:9947, s. 957-979
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Remarkable financial and political efforts have been focused on the reduction of child mortality during the past few decades. Timely measurements of levels and trends in under-5 mortality are important to assess progress towards the Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) target of reduction of child mortality by two thirds from 1990 to 2015, and to identify models of success.METHODS: We generated updated estimates of child mortality in early neonatal (age 0-6 days), late neonatal (7-28 days), postneonatal (29-364 days), childhood (1-4 years), and under-5 (0-4 years) age groups for 188 countries from 1970 to 2013, with more than 29 000 survey, census, vital registration, and sample registration datapoints. We used Gaussian process regression with adjustments for bias and non-sampling error to synthesise the data for under-5 mortality for each country, and a separate model to estimate mortality for more detailed age groups. We used explanatory mixed effects regression models to assess the association between under-5 mortality and income per person, maternal education, HIV child death rates, secular shifts, and other factors. To quantify the contribution of these different factors and birth numbers to the change in numbers of deaths in under-5 age groups from 1990 to 2013, we used Shapley decomposition. We used estimated rates of change between 2000 and 2013 to construct under-5 mortality rate scenarios out to 2030.FINDINGS: We estimated that 6·3 million (95% UI 6·0-6·6) children under-5 died in 2013, a 64% reduction from 17·6 million (17·1-18·1) in 1970. In 2013, child mortality rates ranged from 152·5 per 1000 livebirths (130·6-177·4) in Guinea-Bissau to 2·3 (1·8-2·9) per 1000 in Singapore. The annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2013 ranged from -6·8% to 0·1%. 99 of 188 countries, including 43 of 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, had faster decreases in child mortality during 2000-13 than during 1990-2000. In 2013, neonatal deaths accounted for 41·6% of under-5 deaths compared with 37·4% in 1990. Compared with 1990, in 2013, rising numbers of births, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, led to 1·4 million more child deaths, and rising income per person and maternal education led to 0·9 million and 2·2 million fewer deaths, respectively. Changes in secular trends led to 4·2 million fewer deaths. Unexplained factors accounted for only -1% of the change in child deaths. In 30 developing countries, decreases since 2000 have been faster than predicted attributable to income, education, and secular shift alone.INTERPRETATION: Only 27 developing countries are expected to achieve MDG 4. Decreases since 2000 in under-5 mortality rates are accelerating in many developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The Millennium Declaration and increased development assistance for health might have been a factor in faster decreases in some developing countries. Without further accelerated progress, many countries in west and central Africa will still have high levels of under-5 mortality in 2030.
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| 3. |
- Abelev, Betty, et al.
(author)
-
Long-range angular correlations on the near and away side in p-Pb collisions at root S-NN=5.02 TeV
- 2013
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693. ; 719:1-3, s. 29-41
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Angular correlations between charged trigger and associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV for transverse momentum ranges within 0.5 < P-T,P-assoc < P-T,P-trig < 4 GeV/c. The correlations are measured over two units of pseudorapidity and full azimuthal angle in different intervals of event multiplicity, and expressed as associated yield per trigger particle. Two long-range ridge-like structures, one on the near side and one on the away side, are observed when the per-trigger yield obtained in low-multiplicity events is subtracted from the one in high-multiplicity events. The excess on the near-side is qualitatively similar to that recently reported by the CMS Collaboration, while the excess on the away-side is reported for the first time. The two-ridge structure projected onto azimuthal angle is quantified with the second and third Fourier coefficients as well as by near-side and away-side yields and widths. The yields on the near side and on the away side are equal within the uncertainties for all studied event multiplicity and p(T) bins, and the widths show no significant evolution with event multiplicity or p(T). These findings suggest that the near-side ridge is accompanied by an essentially identical away-side ridge. (c) 2013 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Abelev, Betty, et al.
(author)
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Measurement of prompt J/psi and beauty hadron production cross sections at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV
- 2012
-
In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - 1029-8479. ; :11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ALICE experiment at the LHC has studied J/psi production at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV through its electron pair decay on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity L-int = 5.6 nb(-1). The fraction of J/psi from the decay of long-lived beauty hadrons was determined for J/psi candidates with transverse momentum p(t) > 1,3 GeV/c and rapidity vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9. The cross section for prompt J/psi mesons, i.e. directly produced J/psi and prompt decays of heavier charmonium states such as the psi(2S) and chi(c) resonances, is sigma(prompt J/psi) (p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c, vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9) = 8.3 +/- 0.8(stat.) +/- 1.1 (syst.)(-1.4)(+1.5) (syst. pol.) mu b. The cross section for the production of b-hadrons decaying to J/psi with p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c and vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9 is a sigma(J/psi <- hB) (p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c, vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9) = 1.46 +/- 0.38 (stat.)(-0.32)(+0.26) (syst.) mu b. The results are compared to QCD model predictions. The shape of the p(t) and y distributions of b-quarks predicted by perturbative QCD model calculations are used to extrapolate the measured cross section to derive the b (b) over bar pair total cross section and d sigma/dy at mid-rapidity.
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| 5. |
- Abelev, Betty, et al.
(author)
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Underlying Event measurements in pp collisions at root s=0.9 and 7 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC
- 2012
-
In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - 1029-8479. ; :7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present measurements of Underlying Event observables in pp collisions at root s = 0 : 9 and 7 TeV. The analysis is performed as a function of the highest charged-particle transverse momentum p(T),L-T in the event. Different regions are defined with respect to the azimuthal direction of the leading (highest transverse momentum) track: Toward, Transverse and Away. The Toward and Away regions collect the fragmentation products of the hardest partonic interaction. The Transverse region is expected to be most sensitive to the Underlying Event activity. The study is performed with charged particles above three different p(T) thresholds: 0.15, 0.5 and 1.0 GeV/c. In the Transverse region we observe an increase in the multiplicity of a factor 2-3 between the lower and higher collision energies, depending on the track p(T) threshold considered. Data are compared to PYTHIA 6.4, PYTHIA 8.1 and PHOJET. On average, all models considered underestimate the multiplicity and summed p(T) in the Transverse region by about 10-30%.
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| 6. |
- Ludvigsson, Johnny, et al.
(author)
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GAD65 antigen therapy in recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus
- 2012
-
In: New England Journal of Medicine. - : Massachusetts Medical Society. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 366:5, s. 433-442
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The 65-kD isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) is a major autoantigen in type 1 diabetes. We hypothesized that alum-formulated GAD65 (GAD-alum) can preserve beta-cell function in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.METHODS: We studied 334 patients, 10 to 20 years of age, with type 1 diabetes, fasting C-peptide levels of more than 0.3 ng per milliliter (0.1 nmol per liter), and detectable serum GAD65 autoantibodies. Within 3 months after diagnosis, patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three study treatments: four doses of GAD-alum, two doses of GAD-alum followed by two doses of placebo, or four doses of placebo. The primary outcome was the change in the stimulated serum C-peptide level (after a mixed-meal tolerance test) between the baseline visit and the 15-month visit. Secondary outcomes included the glycated hemoglobin level, mean daily insulin dose, rate of hypoglycemia, and fasting and maximum stimulated C-peptide levels.RESULTS: The stimulated C-peptide level declined to a similar degree in all study groups, and the primary outcome at 15 months did not differ significantly between the combined active-drug groups and the placebo group (P=0.10). The use of GAD-alum as compared with placebo did not affect the insulin dose, glycated hemoglobin level, or hypoglycemia rate. Adverse events were infrequent and mild in the three groups, with no significant differences.CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with GAD-alum did not significantly reduce the loss of stimulated C peptide or improve clinical outcomes over a 15-month period.
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| 7. |
- Martinez-Tomas, Rebeca, et al.
(author)
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Daily intake of fruit and vegetable soups processed in different ways increases human serum beta-carotene and lycopene concentrations and reduces levels of several oxidative stress markers in healthy subjects
- 2012
-
In: Food Chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0308-8146 .- 1873-7072. ; 134:1, s. 127-133
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effect of daily intakes of two differently processed fruit and vegetable soups on beta-carotene and lycopene bioavailability, oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk biomarkers was investigated. An optimised soup produced using heat treatments and high pressure homogenisation for high nutrient retention, and a traditionally produced reference soup were tested. Serum beta-carotene concentration was significantly higher with the optimised than with the reference soup after the supplementation (0.41 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.24 +/- 0.03 mu M, respectively), whereas the serum lycopene concentration was higher in subjects consuming the reference (0.06 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.16 +/- 0.02 mu M). The change in serum homocysteine levels tended to be greater in the optimised group (-1.67 +/- 0.63 vs. 0.02 +/- 0.17 mu M, p = 0.06). Serum antioxidant enzyme activity decreased significantly with consumption of both soups, but to a greater extent with the optimised soup. The consumption of the fruit and vegetable soups increased serum beta-carotene and lycopene concentrations and reduced the levels of several oxidative stress makers, particularly in subjects consuming the optimised soup.
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| 8. |
- Schindler, Birgit Karin, et al.
(author)
-
The European COPHES/DEMOCOPHES project: Towards transnational comparability and reliability of human biomonitoring results.
- 2014
-
In: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-131X .- 1438-4639. ; 217:6, s. 653-661
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- COPHES/DEMOCOPHES has its origins in the European Environment and Health Action Plan of 2004 to "develop a coherent approach on human biomonitoring (HBM) in Europe". Within this twin-project it was targeted to collect specimens from 120 mother-child-pairs in each of the 17 participating European countries. These specimens were investigated for six biomarkers (mercury in hair; creatinine, cotinine, cadmium, phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A in urine). The results for mercury in hair are described in a separate paper. Each participating member state was requested to contract laboratories, for capacity building reasons ideally within its borders, carrying out the chemical analyses. To ensure comparability of analytical data a Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) was established which provided the participating laboratories with standard operating procedures (SOP) and with control material. This material was specially prepared from native, non-spiked, pooled urine samples and was tested for homogeneity and stability. Four external quality assessment exercises were carried out. Highly esteemed laboratories from all over the world served as reference laboratories. Web conferences after each external quality assessment exercise functioned as a new and effective tool to improve analytical performance, to build capacity and to educate less experienced laboratories. Of the 38 laboratories participating in the quality assurance exercises 14 laboratories qualified for cadmium, 14 for creatinine, 9 for cotinine, 7 for phthalate metabolites and 5 for bisphenol A in urine. In the last of the four external quality assessment exercises the laboratories that qualified for DEMOCOPHES performed the determinations in urine with relative standard deviations (low/high concentration) of 18.0/2.1% for cotinine, 14.8/5.1% for cadmium, 4.7/3.4% for creatinine. Relative standard deviations for the newly emerging biomarkers were higher, with values between 13.5 and 20.5% for bisphenol A and between 18.9 and 45.3% for the phthalate metabolites. Plausibility control of the HBM results of all participating countries disclosed analytical shortcomings in the determination of Cd when using certain ICP/MS methods. Results were corrected by reanalyzes. The COPHES/DEMOCOPHES project for the first time succeeded in performing a harmonized pan-European HBM project. All data raised have to be regarded as utmost reliable according to the highest international state of the art, since highly renowned laboratories functioned as reference laboratories. The procedure described here, that has shown its success, can be used as a blueprint for future transnational, multicentre HBM projects.
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| 9. |
- Acevedo Suárez, José A., et al.
(author)
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Modelo de Referencia de Redes de Valor para un desarrollo sostenible [Reference Model of the Value Networks for a sustainable development]
- 2010
-
In: Revista de Investigación Agraria y Ambiental. - : Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia. - 2145-6453 .- 2145-6097. ; 1:2, s. 29-49
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Case studies and modeling of logistics systems are the basis for the formulation of the content and structure of a reference model for the organization and management of Value Networks as a higher stage of integrated development of supply chains. The definition of a mathematical model for the balance of the Value Network can reveal the characteristics and principles of organization and management of Value Networks.The instrument obtained enables supply chains to assess their level of development and identify the characteristics that should be developed to reach the concept of Value Network, which is based on knowledge development and environmental integration as supports of the same and its competitive position in the global market.Proper integration into the model of environmental factors ensures that Value Networks are inserted into the objectives of promoting sustainable development. The current concept of logistics flow is extended to incorporate within it the exchange of energy, resources and impacts to the environment.The research methods used were based on a combination of study and experimentation of cases and the conceptual and mathematical modeling of systems.
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| 10. |
- Alajbeg, Ivan, et al.
(author)
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Intraoralelectrostimulator for xerostomia relief : along-term, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled, clinical trial
- 2012
-
In: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. - : Elsevier. - 2212-4403 .- 2212-4411. ; 113:6, s. 773-781
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: A previous sham-controlled multinational study demonstrated the short-term efficacy and safety for xerostomia treatment of an intraoral device that delivers electrostimulation to the lingual nerve. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that those beneficial effects would be sustained over an 11-month period. STUDY DESIGN: The device was tested on a mixed sample of 94 patients with xerostomia in an open-label, uncontrolled, prospective multicenter trial. Statutory outcome assessments were done at 5th, 8th, and 11th months and analyzed by multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Improvements achieved at month 5 from baseline were sustained throughout the follow-up period for the primary outcome, xerostomia severity, and the secondary outcomes resting whole salivary flow rate, xerostomia frequency, oral discomfort, and difficulties in speech, swallowing, and sleeping. No significant side effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effects of a removable intraoral electrostimulating device were sustained for an 11-month period.
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| 11. |
- Borromei, Ana Maria, et al.
(author)
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Multiproxy record of Holocene paleoenvironmental change, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- 2010
-
In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. - 0031-0182. ; 286:1-2, s. 1-6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We interpret Holocene environmental conditions in a subantarctic high Andean valley from palynological and diatom analysis, peat stratigraphy, and local geomorphology. The multiproxy data from Las Cotorras mire (54° 41′ 13″ S; 68° 02′ 51″ W; 420 m a.s.l.) indicate the development of a soligenous mire, as a result of a fine grained tephra layer deposition over the mineral soils sometime prior to 8000 cal yr BP. The paleoecological conditions in the mire after 8000 cal yr BP show a rapid succession from a limnic to a telmatic stage as the mire is colonized by sedges (Cyperaceae) and herbaceous communities. The upland vegetation changed from cushion and shrub heaths to an expansion of Nothofagus forest at high altitudes after 6500 cal yr BP. The peat is interbedded with clastic sediment that originates from mass wasting events or floods. These depositional changes affected the mire ecosystem water-table level and nutrient status (oligotrophic and/or eutrophic conditions). Maxima in total pollen influx at about 2800, 1100 and 700 cal yr BP coincide with heightened mineral flux, and these changes are related to precipitation and slope processes. The major vegetational change registered in the pollen record is the decline of Nothofagus pollen after 1000 cal yr BP, which reaches a minimum between ca. 680 and 300 cal yr BP. This minimum was likely caused by cool, wet conditions that coincided with the Little Ice Age (LIA) in the Southern Hemisphere. Our results indicate the sensitivity of subantarctic Nothofagus forest and mire ecosystems to changes during the Holocene.
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| 12. |
- Cuadra, Antonio, et al.
(author)
-
Ecosystem for customer experience assurance
- 2013
-
In: 2013 International Conference on Smart Communications in Network Technologies, SaCoNeT 2013. - 9781479906949
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nowadays service providers focus all their effort on customers' satisfaction although determining the Quality of Experience (QoE) is not a trivial task. In addition, the evolution from traditional networks towards Next Generation Networks (NGN) is enabling service providers to deploy a wide range of multimedia services such as Internet Television (IPTV), Video on Demand (VoD), and multiplayer games services, all on the same underlying IP network. However, managing the satisfaction level of customers to provide a good user experience is not being an easy task due to the complexity of orchestrating network and customer data sources. This document proposes an ecosystem that allows managing customer experience in order to guarantee the quality levels delivered to end users, which is being implemented into the Celtic IPNQSIS project. The QoE ecosystem lies on a customer experience architecture formed by Data acquisition level, Monitoring level and Control Level. The work proposed in this paper will settle the basis of next generation Customer Experience Management systems.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Da Silva Fariña, Antonio, et al.
(author)
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XML Schema Based Fault-Set Definition to Improve Fault Injection Tools Interoperability
- 2010
-
In: International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems. - : InderScience Publishers. - 1757-8779 .- 1757-8787. ; 1:1-3, s. 220-237
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Software implemented fault injection tools (SWIFI) use fault injectors to carry out the fault injection campaign defined in a GUI-based application. However, the communication between the fault injector and the application is defined in an ad-hoc manner. This paper describes an XML schema formalisation approach for the definition of fault sets which specify low level memory and/or register value corruptions in embedded microprocessor-based systems and resource usage faults in host based systems. Through this proposed XML schema definition, different injectors could be used to carry out the same fault set injection. To validate this approach an experimental tool called Exhaustif®, consisting of a GUI Java application for defining the fault sets and injection policies, one injector for Windows hosts systems and two injectors for Sparc and i386 architectures under RTEMS have been developed.
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| 15. |
- Escott-Price, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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Gene-Wide Analysis Detects Two New Susceptibility Genes for Alzheimer's Disease
- 2014
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:6, s. e94661-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Alzheimer's disease is a common debilitating dementia with known heritability, for which 20 late onset susceptibility loci have been identified, but more remain to be discovered. This study sought to identify new susceptibility genes, using an alternative gene-wide analytical approach which tests for patterns of association within genes, in the powerful genome-wide association dataset of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project Consortium, comprising over 7 m genotypes from 25,580 Alzheimer's cases and 48,466 controls. Principal Findings: In addition to earlier reported genes, we detected genome-wide significant loci on chromosomes 8 (TP53INP1, p = 1.4x10(-6)) and 14 (IGHV1-67 p = 7.9x10(-8)) which indexed novel susceptibility loci. Significance: The additional genes identified in this study, have an array of functions previously implicated in Alzheimer's disease, including aspects of energy metabolism, protein degradation and the immune system and add further weight to these pathways as potential therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's disease.
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| 16. |
- Feng, Yi, et al.
(author)
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Fabrication and performance evaluation of ultralow-cost inkjet-printed chipless RFID tags
- 2012
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper studies the performance of inkjet-printed chipless RFID tags based on planar inductor-capacitor resonant circuits. Besides using double-sided printing, a sandwiching process is introduced to fabricate the tags in order to eliminate the need of through-substrate via and match roll-to-roll processing. Due to lower conductivity (~1.25E+7 S/m) and smaller thickness (~1.7μm) of printed conductors with silver nanoparticle ink, the resonant peaks of inkjet-printed tags exhibit around as twice of half-power bandwidth and 60% of maximum reading distance as the etched tags from bulk copper. Nevertheless, the inkjet-printed tag performance is sufficient for many applications, and it can be adjusted and improved by printing and sintering processes.
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| 17. |
- Feng, Yi, et al.
(author)
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Flexible UHF resistive humidity sensors based on carbon nanotubes
- 2012
-
In: IEEE Sensors Journal. - 1530-437X .- 1558-1748. ; 12:9, s. 2844-2850
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the investigation of the resistive humidity-sensing properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs functionalized by acid treatment (f-MWCNTs) exhibit rather high sensitivity in resistance toward humidity, owing to the presence of carboxylic groups on the nanotube surface. By integrating the f-MWCNTs resistor into a wireless sensor platform, flexible humidity sensors for ultra-high frequency applications are investigated. The operating frequency range of the sensor is dramatically increased from 600 MHz to 2 GHz by adjusting the resistor-electrodes' configuration. This enhancement is predominately attributed to the variation in parasitic capacitance between the resistor-electrodes.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Halonen, E., et al.
(author)
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Oven sintering process optimization for inkjet-printed Ag Nanoparticle ink
- 2013
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In: IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology. - 2156-3950 .- 2156-3985. ; 3:2, s. 350-356
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper focuses on optimizing the oven sintering time and temperature for inkjet-printed silver nanoparticle ink on a polyimide substrate. Two basic aspects in fabricating conductor structures in printable electronics are conductivity and adhesion between the ink and the substrate material. Conductivity evolution during oven sintering is monitored with real-time resistance measurements at five different temperatures. Based on conductivity results, adhesion is evaluated at several time points at three temperatures. The higher the sintering temperature, the faster the structures reach their maximum conductivity values. The lowest conductor resistivity values are below 4 μΩcm. However, at each sintering temperature, it takes longer to reach the best adhesion values. In this paper, we aim to better understand oven sintering of silver nanoparticles and determine the best oven sintering conditions (temperature, time) for our particular ink-substrate combination. The results can be used to further define optimum sintering conditions for printed nanoparticle inks on polymer substrates.
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| 20. |
- Hernández-Torres, Gloria, et al.
(author)
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A reversible and selective inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase ameliorates multiple sclerosis
- 2014
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In: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 53:50, s. 13765-13770
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is the enzyme responsible for the inactivation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). MAGL inhibitors show analgesic and tissue-protecting effects in several disease models. However, the few efficient and selective MAGL inhibitors described to date block the enzyme irreversibly, and this can lead to pharmacological tolerance. Hence, additional classes of MAGL inhibitors are needed to validate this enzyme as a therapeutic target. Here we report a potent, selective, and reversible MAGL inhibitor (IC50=0.18M) which is active in vivo and ameliorates the clinical progression of a multiple sclerosis (MS) mouse model without inducing undesirable CB1-mediated side effects. These results support the interest in MAGL as a target for the treatment of MS.
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| 21. |
- Isern, Joan, et al.
(author)
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Self-Renewing Human Bone Marrow Mesenspheres Promote Hematopoietic Stem Cell Expansion
- 2013
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In: Cell Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-1247. ; 3:5, s. 1714-1724
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Strategies for expanding hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) include coculture with cells that recapitulate their natural microenvironment, such as bone marrow stromal stem/progenitor cells (BMSCs). Plastic-adherent BMSCs may be insufficient to preserve primitive HSCs. Here, we describe a method of isolating and culturing human BMSCs as nonadherent mesenchymal spheres. Human mesenspheres were derived from CD45(-) CD31(-) CD71(-) CD146(+) CD105(+) nestin(+) cells but could also be simply grown from fetal and adult BM CD45(-)-enriched cells. Human mesenspheres robustly differentiated into mesenchymal lineages. In culture conditions where they displayed a relatively undifferentiated phenotype, with decreased adherence to plastic and increased self-renewal, they promoted enhanced expansion of cord blood CD34(+) cells through secreted soluble factors. Expanded HSCs were serially transplantable in immunodeficient mice and significantly increased long-term human hematopoietic engraftment. These results pave the way for culture techniques that preserve the self-renewal of human BMSCs and their ability to support functional HSCs.
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| 22. |
- Lambert, Jean-Charles, et al.
(author)
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The CALHM1 P86L Polymorphism is a Genetic Modifier of Age at Onset in Alzheimer's Disease : a Meta-Analysis Study
- 2010
-
In: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 22:1, s. 247-255
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The only established genetic determinant of non-Mendelian forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the epsilon 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). Recently, it has been reported that the P86L polymorphism of the calcium homeostasis modulator 1 gene (CALHM1) is associated with the risk of developing AD. In order to independently assess this association, we performed a meta-analysis of 7,873 AD cases and 13,274 controls of Caucasian origin (from a total of 24 centers in Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the USA). Our results indicate that the CALHM1 P86L polymorphism is likely not a genetic determinant of AD but may modulate age of onset by interacting with the effect of the epsilon 4 allele of the APOE gene.
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| 23. |
- Li, Jiantong, et al.
(author)
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Ink-jet printed thin-film transistors with carbon nanotube channels shaped in long strips
- 2011
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In: Journal of Applied Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-8979 .- 1089-7550. ; 109:8, s. 084915-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present work reports on the development of a class of sophisticated thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on ink-jet printing of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for the channel formation. The transistors are manufactured on oxidized silicon wafers and flexible plastic substrates at ambient conditions. For this purpose, ink-jet printing techniques are developed with the aim of high-throughput production of SWCNT thin-film channels shaped in long strips. Stable SWCNT inks with proper fluidic characteristics are formulated by polymer addition. The present work unveils, through Monte Carlo simulations and in light of heterogeneous percolation, the underlying physics of the superiority of long-strip channels for SWCNT TFTs. It further predicts the compatibility of such a channel structure with ink-jet printing, taking into account the minimum dimensions achievable by commercially available printers. The printed devices exhibit improved electrical performance and scalability as compared to previously reported ink-jet printed SWCNT TFTs. The present work demonstrates that ink-jet printed SWCNT TFTs of long-strip channels are promising building blocks for flexible electronics.
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| 24. |
- Lissau, Jonas Sandby, et al.
(author)
-
Anchoring Energy Acceptors to Nanostructured ZrO2 Enhances Photon Upconversion by Sensitized Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Under Simulated Solar Flux
- 2013
-
In: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 117:28, s. 14493-14501
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Photon upconversion by sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (UC-STTA) is a promising strategy for boosting the theoretical maximum efficiency of single threshold solar cells, in particular, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Here, we report a substantial increase in the efficiency of UC-STTA on a nanostructured surface, using noncoherent excitation light with intensities as low as 0.5 mW cm(-2), easily achieved under sun illumination. The studied surface was a mesoporous ZrO2 film working as a proxy system for the study of photophysics relevant to DSSCs. A well-known UC-STTA "emitter" dye, 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA), was chemically modified to yield methyl 4-(10-p-tolylanthracen-9-yl)benzoate (MTAB), which was chemisorbed onto ZrO2. The "sensitizer" dye, platinum(II) octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP), was free in butyronitrile (BuN) solution surrounding the ZrO2 nanostructure. A rigorous oxygen removal minimized photodegradation of the dyes and enhanced triplet-triplet annihilation efficiency. The system already approaches the so-called "strong annihilation limit" at light intensities below 8 mW cm(-2). Highly efficient triplet-triplet annihilation is a requisite for the use of UC-STTA in DSSCs. Time-resolved data show that the limiting process in the UC-STTA mechanism of the present system is the dynamic triplet energy transfer step from PtOEP in solution to MTAB on the surface of ZrO2. This result can guide the way toward a better understanding and further efficiency improvement of UC-STTA on nanocrystalline metal oxides.
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
- Lopez-Alonso, Ana, et al.
(author)
-
Individual Platelet Adhesion Assay: Measuring Platelet Function and Antiplatelet Therapies in Whole Blood via Digital Quantification of Cell Adhesion
- 2013
-
In: Analytical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society. - 0003-2700 .- 1520-6882. ; 85:13, s. 6497-6504
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Widespread monitoring of platelet function and the effect of antiplatelet drugs will improve outcomes in cardiovascular patients, but platelet function testing is not routine in clinical practice. We report a rapid, accurate methodology to quantify platelet-protein interactions: a microarray of contact-printed 6-mu m fibrinogen dots on a transparent substrate binds platelets from whole blood, one platelet per dot. The fractional occupancy of an array of fibrinogen dots after a predefined incubation time quantitatively assays platelet adhesion to the protein matrix. We demonstrate this technique by measurement of platelet adhesion to fibrinogen as a means to quantify the effect of the P2Y(12) and alpha IIb beta 3 receptor inhibitors cangrelor and abciximab, respectively, both in vitro-by incubating the drug with a freshly drawn blood sample-and in blood from patients treated with antiplatelet agents. The effects of single- and dual-antiplatelet therapy are also assessed. Results from this platelet-binding assay are well correlated with standard techniques including flow cytometry and light transmission aggregometry. This assay technology, readily integrated with microfluidic platforms, is generally applicable to the assay of cell-protein interactions and promises more effective, rapid assay of drug effects in cardiovascular disease patients.
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| 27. |
- Lopez Cabezas, Ana, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Influence of Carbon Nanotubes on Thermal Stability of Water-Dispersible Nanofibrillar Polyaniline/Nanotube Composite
- 2012
-
In: Materials. - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI AG. - 1996-1944. ; 5:2, s. 327-335
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Significant influence on the thermal stability of polyaniline (PANI) in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is reported. By means of in-situ rapid mixing approach, water-dispersible nanofibrillar PANI and composites, consisting of MWCNTs uniformly coated with PANI in the state of emeraldine salt, with a well-defined core-shell heterogeneous structure, were prepared. The de-protonation process in PANI occurs at a lower temperature under the presence of MWCNTs on the polyaniline composite upon thermal treatment. However, it is found that the presence of MWCNTs significantly enhances the thermal stability of PANI's backbone upon exposure to laser irradiation, which can be ascribed to the core-shell heterogeneous structure of the composite of MWCNTs and PANI, and the high thermal conductivity of MWCNTs.
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| 28. |
- Lopez Cabezas, Ana, et al.
(author)
-
Morphological development of nanofibrillar composites of polyaniline and carbon nanotubes
- 2010
-
In: Synthetic metals. - : Elsevier BV. - 0379-6779 .- 1879-3290. ; 160:7-8, s. 664-668
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nanofibrillar composite of polyaniline (PANI)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) is readily synthesized by means of conventional in situ polymerization process. It is found that the MWNT loading during polymerization has a significant influence on both the micro- and macro-scale morphological properties of the composites. At low MWNT loadings, PANI/MWNTs are formed as individual nanofibers, similar to that of the neat PANI in the absence of MWNTs. With the increase in MWNT loading, the composite exhibits granular form and becomes a continuous porous matrix at higher MWNT loadings. A possible mechanism is proposed to account for the structural variation of the composites caused by MWNTs at the different loadings.
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| 29. |
- Lopez Cabezas, Ana, 1980-
(author)
-
Nanofibrillar Materials for Organic and Printable Electronics
- 2013
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In recent years, organic electronics have attracted great attention due to their multiple advantages such as light weight, flexibility, large area fabrication and cost-effective production processes. The recent progress in fabricating organic electronic devices has been achieved with the development of new materials which provide competing functionalities to the electronics devices. However, as it happens with all type of technologies, organic electronics is not free from challenges. In the latest OE-A Roadmap for organic and printed electronics (2011), the “red brick walls” were identified, and the following three main challenges were pointed out as the potential roadblocks from the material point of view: electrical performance, solution processability (especially formulations in non-toxic solvents) and environmental stability. Currently there is a significant increasing interest in optimizing or developing novel materials to meet those requirements. This thesis presents processing development and study of nanofibrillar materials and deals with the optimization for its applicability for organic electronics. The overall work presented in the thesis is based on three nanofibrillar materials: Polyaniline (PANI), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the CNT/PANI composite. First, the solution processability of carbon nanotubes and polyaniline is studied respectively, and through covalent and non-covalent methods, stable aqueous dispersions of these materials are successfully achieved. Second, a composite consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and PANI with a core-shell structure is developed and characterized. The investigation of the effects of the loading and type of nanotubes incorporated in the composite material, led to understanding on the fundamental theory underlying the composite morphology. Based on those findings and by carefully optimizing the synthesis procedure, water dispersible MWCNT/PANI nanofibrillar composite is successfully synthesized becoming compatible with solution processable techniques, such as spray coating and potentially with printing technology. With the incorporation of carbon nanotubes, the nanofibrillar composite reaches conductivities 20 times higher than that of the pure polymer. Moreover, the presence of the nanotubes in the composite material decelerates up to 60 times the thermal ageing of its conductivity, making the polymer more robust and suitable for possible manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the composite material still retains the advantageous properties of PANI: electrochromism, tunable conductivities, and sensing capabilities. Third, the stable dispersions of PANI, CNTs and MWCNT/PANI composite were effectively deposited by spray coating technique on several low-cost substrates (PET, PEN, polyimide and papers), and homogeneous, flexible, large-area films were fabricated. Additionally, by spraying the materials on pre-fabricated inkjet printed electrodes, a pH sensor based on the MWCNT/PANI composite and a humidity sensor based on functionalized MWCNTs capable of working at GHz range were demonstrated, which shows that the nanofibrillar materials studied in this thesis work are promising sensor materials for wireless application at ultra-high frequency (UHF) band. Finally, the humidity sensor was integrated into a sensor-box demonstrating a hybrid interconnection platform where printed electronics can be seamlessly integrated with silicon-based electronics. The integration closes the gap between the two technologies, anticipating the adaption of organic electronic technologies.
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| 30. |
- Lopez Cabezas, Ana, 1980-, et al.
(author)
-
Thermal ageing of electrical conductivity in carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite films
- 2013
-
In: Carbon. - : Elsevier BV. - 0008-6223 .- 1873-3891. ; 59, s. 270-277
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The influence of carbon nanotubes on the thermal ageing effect of the electrical conductivity of composite thin films is presented. The composite thin films comprise carbon nanotube/polyaniline nanofibers. When subject to thermal treatment, the presence of nanotubes retards the loss of dopants from the polyaniline and enhances the thermal stability in electrical conductivity of the composite thin films. Specifically, an increase in temperature for the conductivity degradation and a significant reduction in the rate of the conductivity degradation of the composite thin films are observed. Upon prolonged heating, the composite thin films exhibit relative large conductivity at high nanotube content, while the polyaniline thin films become insulating.
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| 31. |
- Lopez-Vilchez, Irene, et al.
(author)
-
Redistribution and Hemostatic Action of Recombinant Activated Factor VII Associated with Platelets
- 2011
-
In: American Journal of Pathology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-2191 .- 0002-9440. ; 178:6, s. 2938-2948
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Clinical evidence accumulated from hemophilic patients during prophylaxis with recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) suggests that the duration of the hemostatic action of rFVIIa exceeds its predicted plasma half-life. Mechanisms involved in this outcome have not been elucidated. We have investigated in vitro the redistribution of rFVIIa in platelets from healthy donors, patients with FVII deficiency, and one patient with Bernard-Soulier syndrome. Platelet-rich plasma was exposed to rFVIla (3 to 60 mu g/mL). Flow cytometry, inununocytochemistry, and coagulation tests were applied to detect and quantify rFVila. The hemostatic effect of rFV1Ia associated to platelets was evaluated using perfusion models. Our studies revealed a dose-dependent association of rFVIla to the platelet cytoplasm with redistribution into the open canalicular system, and a granules. Mechanisms implicated in the internalization are multiple, involve GPIb and GPIV, and require phospholipids and cytoskeletal assembly. After platelet activation with thrombin, platelets exposed rFVIla on their membrane. Perfusion studies revealed that the presence of 30% of platelets containing FVIIa improved platelet aggregate formation and enhanced fibrin generation (P < 0.01 versus control). Our results indicate that, at therapeutic concentrations, rFVIIa can be internalized into platelets, where it is protected from physiological clearance mechanisms and can still promote hemostatic activity. Redistribution of rFVIIa into platelets may explain the prolonged prophylactic effectiveness of rFYlla in hemophilia. (AmJ Pathol 2011, 178:2938-294% DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.02.026)
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| 32. |
- Loth, Daan W, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide association analysis identifies six new loci associated with forced vital capacity
- 2014
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 46, s. 669-677
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Forced vital capacity (FVC), a spirometric measure of pulmonary function, reflects lung volume and is used to diagnose and monitor lung diseases. We performed genome-wide association study meta-analysis of FVC in 52,253 individuals from 26 studies and followed up the top associations in 32,917 additional individuals of European ancestry. We found six new regions associated at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10(-8)) with FVC in or near EFEMP1, BMP6, MIR129-2-HSD17B12, PRDM11, WWOX and KCNJ2. Two loci previously associated with spirometric measures (GSTCD and PTCH1) were related to FVC. Newly implicated regions were followed up in samples from African-American, Korean, Chinese and Hispanic individuals. We detected transcripts for all six newly implicated genes in human lung tissue. The new loci may inform mechanisms involved in lung development and the pathogenesis of restrictive lung disease.
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| 33. |
- Martínez-Ortega, José-Fernán, et al.
(author)
-
Composition and deployment of e-Health services over Wireless Sensor Networks
- 2011
-
In: Mathematical and computer modelling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0895-7177 .- 1872-9479. ; 53:3-4, s. 485-503
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Providing necessary background for provisioning of a new generation of enriched services over Wireless Sensor Networks is the main effort that the scientific community is currently carrying out. These services have improved a great number of aspects related to pervasive systems such as saving resources, efficiency, reliability, scalability and low power consumption. In this paper, μSMS middleware, using an event-based service model, is presented. This novel approach makes up the design requirements previously mentioned by implementing a dynamic memory kernel and a variable payload multiplexing mechanism for the information events in order to provide advanced services. The results obtained over real-world deployments, especially those related with provision of e-Health services, reflect a significant improvement over other similar proposals, such as the RUNES approach: 50% lower memory overhead, 53% lower software components load time and 12% lower event's propagation time.
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| 34. |
- Martínez-Ortega, José-Fernán, et al.
(author)
-
Modelling QoS for Wireless Sensor Networks
- 2010
-
In: IFIP International Federation for Information Processing. - Boston, MA : Springer US. - 1571-5736. ; 248:1, s. 143-154
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A wireless sensor network (WSN) is a wireless network composed of spatially distributed and tiny autonomous nodes - smart dust sensors, motes - which cooperatively monitor physical or environmental conditions. Nowadays these kinds of networks support a wide range of applications, such as target tracking, security, environmental control, habitat monitoring, source detection, source localization, vehicular and traffic monitoring, health monitoring, building and industrial monitoring, etc. Generally, these applications have strong and strict requirements for end-to-end delaying and loosing during data transmissions. In this paper, we propose a realistic scenario for application of the WSN field in order to illustrate selection of an appropriate approach for guaranteeing performance in a WSN-deployed application. The methodology we have used includes four major phases: 1) Requirements analysis of the application scenario; 2) QoS modeling in different layers of the communications protocol stack and selection of more suitable QoS protocols and mechanisms; 3) Definition of a simulation model based on an application scenario, to which we applied the protocols and mechanisms selected in the phase 2; and 4) Validation of decisions by means of simulation and analysis of results. This work has been partially financed by the "Universidad Politécnica de Madrid" and the "Comunidad de Madrid" in the framework of the project CRISAL - M0700204174.
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| 35. |
- Martínez-Ortega, José-Fernán, et al.
(author)
-
Pervasive surveillance-agent system based on wireless sensor networks : design and deployment
- 2010
-
In: Measurement science and technology. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0957-0233 .- 1361-6501. ; 21:12, s. Article number 124005-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nowadays, proliferation of embedded systems is enhancing the possibilities of gathering information by using wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Flexibility and ease of installation make these kinds of pervasive networks suitable for security and surveillance environments. Moreover, the risk for humans to be exposed to these functions is minimized when using these networks. In this paper, a virtual perimeter surveillance agent, which has been designed to detect any person crossing an invisible barrier around a marked perimeter and send an alarm notification to the security staff, is presented. This agent works in a state of 'low power consumption' until there is a crossing on the perimeter. In our approach, the 'intelligence' of the agent has been distributed by using mobile nodes in order to discern the cause of the event of presence. This feature contributes to saving both processing resources and power consumption since the required code that detects presence is the only system installed. The research work described in this paper illustrates our experience in the development of a surveillance system using WNSs for a practical application as well as its evaluation in real-world deployments. This mechanism plays an important role in providing confidence in ensuring safety to our environment.
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| 36. |
- Martínez-Ortega, José-Fernán, et al.
(author)
-
Wireless sensor networks in knowledge management
- 2010
-
In: Procedia Computer Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-0509. ; 1:1, s. 2291-2300
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Research in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) necessarily touches on many research topics of Computer Science, Electronic Engineering and Telecommunication, basing on the existing work in related fields. However, the peculiarity of the WSN field is the interplay and integration of these foundation subjects, yielding a distinct topic worthy of further study in its own right. One of the main open issues in WSN research is to abstract the applications of complex low-level mechanisms, and one of the most powerful and flexible ways to achieve this is creating a Middleware layer that cover all this functionality, provide services to applications, allows the intercommunication among components, adapts dynamically to different operation modes and clearly differentiated from low-level components. Knowledgemanagement and ontologies are also helpful when WSN are used to monitoring and taking decisions. We deploy a WSN in a testing scenario in order to control environmental parameters according to user profile stored in the system.
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| 37. |
- Mäntysalo, Matti, et al.
(author)
-
System integration of smart packages using printed electronics
- 2012
-
In: Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC), 2012 IEEE 62nd. - : IEEE. - 9781467319669 ; , s. 997-1002
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The last decade has shown enormous interest in additive and printed electronics manufacturing technologies, especially in intelligent packaging. Scientists and engineers all over the world are developing printed organic circuits. Despite their effort, the performance and yield of all-printed devices cannot replace silicon-based devices in smart package applications. Therefore, we have developed a hybrid interconnection platform to seamlessly integrate printed electronics with silicon-based electronics, close the gap between the two technologies, and to anticipate adaption of printed electronic technologies. We studied the suitability of a printed interconnection platform by fabricating a printed sensor-box that contains printed nano-Ag-interconnections on low-temperature plastic, a printable humidity sensor based on functionalized MWCNTs, a printed battery, conventional SMDs, and a silicon-based MCU.
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| 38. |
- Porrúa, Odil, et al.
(author)
-
An A-tract at the AtzR binding site assists DNA binding, inducer-dependent repositioning and transcriptional activation of the PatzDEF promoter
- 2013
-
In: Molecular Microbiology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 90:1, s. 72-87
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The LysR-type regulator AtzR activates the Pseudomonas sp. ADP atzDEF operon in response to nitrogen limitation and cyanuric acid. Activation involves repositioning of the AtzR tetramer on the PatzDEF promoter and relaxation of an AtzR-induced DNA bend. Here we examine the in vivo and in vitro contribution of an A5 -tract present at the PatzDEF promoter region to AtzR binding and transcriptional activation. Substitution of the A-tract for the sequence ACTCA prevented PatzDEF activation and high-affinity AtzR binding, impaired AtzR contacts with the activator binding site and shifted the position of the AtzR-induced DNA bend. Analysis of a collection of mutants bearing different alterations in the A-tract sequence showed that the extent of AtzR-dependent activation does not correlate with the magnitude or orientation of the spontaneous DNA bend generated at this site. Our results support the notion that indirect readout of the A-tract-associated narrow minor groove is essential for the AtzR-DNA complex to achieve a conformation competent for activation of the PatzDEF promoter. Conservation of this motif in several binding sites of LysR-type regulators suggests that this mechanism may be shared by other proteins in this family.
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| 39. |
- Saa, Laura, et al.
(author)
-
Analytical applications of enzymatic growth of quantum dots
- 2010
-
In: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 0947-6539 .- 1521-3765. ; 16:21, s. 6187-6192
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have developed an analytical assay to detect the enzymatic activity of acetylcholine esterase and alkaline phosphatase based on the generation of quantum dots by enzymatic products. Acetylcholine esterase converts acetylthiocholine into thiocholine. The latter enhances the rate of decomposition of sodium thiosulfate into H(2)S, which in the presence of cadmium sulfate yields CdS quantum dots showing a time dependent exponential growth, typical of autocatalytic processes. This assay was also applied to detect acetylcholine esterase inhibitors. Alkaline phosphatase hydrolyzes thiophosphate and yields H(2)S, which instantly reacts with Cd(2+) to give CdS quantum dots. The formation of CdS quantum dots in both reactions was followed by fluorescence spectroscopy and showed dependence on the concentration of enzyme and substrate.
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Shaikhali, Jehad, et al.
(author)
-
The CRYPTOCHROME1-Dependent Response to Excess Light Is Mediated through the Transcriptional Activators ZINC FINGER PROTEIN EXPRESSED IN INFLORESCENCE MERISTEM LIKE1 and ZML2 in Arabidopsis
- 2012
-
In: The Plant Cell. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1040-4651 .- 1532-298X. ; 24:7, s. 3009-3025
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exposure of plants to light intensities that exceed the electron utilization capacity of the chloroplast has a dramatic impact on nuclear gene expression. The photoreceptor Cryptochrome 1 (cry1) is essential to the induction of genes encoding photoprotective components in Arabidopsis thaliana. Bioinformatic analysis of the cry1 regulon revealed the putative ciselement CryR1 (GnTCKAG), and here we demonstrate an interaction between CryR1 and the zinc finger GATA-type transcription factors ZINC FINGER PROTEIN EXPRESSED IN INFLORESCENCE MERISTEM LIKE1 (ZML1) and ZML2. The ZML proteins specifically bind to the CryR1 cis-element as demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, and TCTAG was shown to constitute the core sequence required for ZML2 binding. In addition, ZML2 activated transcription of the yellow fluorescent protein reporter gene driven by the CryR1 cis-element in Arabidopsis leaf protoplasts. T-DNA insertion lines for ZML2 and its homolog ZML1 demonstrated misregulation of several cry1-dependent genes in response to excess light. Furthermore, the zml1 and zml2 T-DNA insertion lines displayed a high irradiance-sensitive phenotype with significant photoinactivation of photosystem II (PSII), indicated by reduced maximum quantum efficiency of PSII, and severe photobleaching. Thus, we identified the ZML2 and ZML1 GATA transcription factors as two essential components of the cry1-mediated photoprotective response.
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| 42. |
- Strietzel, Frank P, et al.
(author)
-
Efficacy and safety of an intraoral electrostimulation device for xerostomia relief : A multicenter randomized trial
- 2011
-
In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 63:1, s. 180-190
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy in treating xerostomia and the safety of an intraoral electrostimulation device, containing stimulating electrodes, an electronic circuit and a power source. The device delivers electrostimulation through the oral mucosa to the lingual nerve, in order to enhance the salivary reflex. Methods: The device was tested on a sample of patients with xerostomia due to Sjögren’s syndrome and other sicca conditions in a prospective randomized multi-center trial consisting of two stages: (I) a double blind, cross-over designed stage to compare the effects of the electrically “active” device with the “sham” device, both used for one month, and (II) a 3- month open label stage to assess the long-term influence of the “active” device. Improvement of xerostomia severity from baseline was the primary outcome. Results: A total of 114 subjects were randomized. In Stage I, “active” device performed better than “sham” for patient-reported xerostomia severity (p<0.002), xerostomia frequency (p<0.05), quality of life impairment (p<0.01) and swallowing difficulty (p<0.02). At the end of Stage II, statistically significant improvements were verified for patient-reported xerostomia severity (p<0.0001), xerostomia frequency (p<0.0001), oral discomfort (p<0.001), speech difficulty (p<0.02) and sleeping difficulty (p<0.001), and for resting salivary flow-rate (p<0.01). Conclusion: Daily use of the device alleviated oral dryness, discomfort and some complications of xerostomia, such as speech and sleeping difficulties, and increased salivary output. The results show a cumulative positive effect of the device over the period of the study, from baseline to the trial’s end.
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| 43. |
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| 44. |
- Xie, Li, et al.
(author)
-
Electrical performance and reliability evaluation of inkjet-printed Ag interconnections on paper substrates
- 2012
-
In: Materials letters (General ed.). - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-577X .- 1873-4979. ; 88, s. 68-72
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Printing technology, especially inkjet printing, enables mass manufacturing of electronics on various substrate materials. Paper is one potential carrier for printed electronics to realize low-cost, flexible, recyclable smart packages. However, concerns exist regarding commonly used photo paper substrate, in terms of price and reliability against environmental variation. In this work, for the first time, ordinary low-cost and high-moisture-resistance package paper is investigated as an alternative to be the substrate of printed electronics. The surface morphology and electrical performance of inkjet printed interconnections on six different paper substrates from two categories (inkjet paper and package paper) are examined and compared. The printed interconnections on inkjet papers show smaller sheet resistance and better repeatability than those on package papers. However, low-cost package paper stands higher temperature and exhibits better reliability during 85°C/85 RH aging test. Package paper is suitable for smart package applications that have relaxed requirements of conductivity and high requests of moisture resistance.
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| 45. |
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