Atomic Transport in Au-Ge Droplets: Brownian and Electromigration Dynamics

The deposition of Au on Ge(111)-sqrt[3]×sqrt[3]-Au above the eutectic temperature results in the formation of AuGe liquid droplets that reach the liquidus composition by digging a hole in the Ge substrate. The combination of low-energy electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements shows that AuGe droplets randomly migrate or electromigrate under an applied electric current dragging their underneath hole. The droplet motion is due to a mass transport phenomenon based on Ge dissolution at the droplet front and Ge crystallization at its rear. At high temperature the mass transport is limited by attachment or detachment at the solid-liquid interface and the activation energy is 1.05±0.3  eV. At low temperature the effective activation energy increases as a function of the droplet radius. This behavior is attributed to the nucleation of 2D layers at the faceted liquid-solid interface.

Do bednets including piperonyl butoxide offer additional protection against populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l. that are highly resistant to pyrethroids? An experimental hut evaluation in Burkina Fasov

Malaria control is dependent on the use of longlasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) containing pyrethroids. A new generation of LLINs containing both pyrethroids and the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) has been developed in response to increasing pyrethroid resistance in African malaria vectors, but questions remain about the performance of these nets in areas where levels of pyrethroid resistance are very high. This study was conducted in two settings in southwest Burkina Faso, Vallée du Kou 5 and Tengrela, where Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae) mortality rates in World Health Organization (WHO) discriminating dose assays were < 14% for permethrin and < 33% for deltamethrin. When mosquitoes were pre-exposed to PBO in WHO tube assays, mortality rates increased substantially but full susceptibility was not restored. Molecular characterization revealed high levels of kdr alleles and elevated levels of P450s previously implicated in pyrethroid resistance. In cone bioassays and experimental huts, PBO LLINs outperformed the pyrethroid-only equivalents from the same manufacturers. Blood feeding rates were 1.6-2.2-fold lower and mortality rates were 1.69-1.78-fold greater in huts with PBO LLINs vs. non-PBO LLINs. This study indicates that PBO LLINs provide greater personal and community-level protection than standard LLINs against highly pyrethroid-resistant mosquito populations.

Standardized microgel beads as elastic cell mechanical probes

Cell mechanical measurements are gaining increasing interest in biological and biomedical studies. However, there are no standardized calibration particles available that permit the cross-comparison of different measurement techniques operating at different stresses and time-scales. Here we present the rational design, production, and comprehensive characterization of poly-acrylamide (PAAm) microgel beads mimicking size and overall mechanics of biological cells. We produced mono-disperse beads at rates of 20-60 kHz by means of a microfluidic droplet generator, where the pre-gel composition was adjusted to tune the beads' elasticity in the range of cell and tissue relevant mechanical properties. We verified bead homogeneity by optical diffraction tomography and Brillouin microscopy. Consistent elastic behavior of microgel beads at different shear rates was confirmed by AFM-enabled nanoindentation and real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC). The remaining inherent variability in elastic modulus was rationalized using polymer theory and effectively reduced by sorting based on forward-scattering using conventional flow cytometry. Our results show that PAAm microgel beads can be standardized as mechanical probes, to serve not only for validation and calibration of cell mechanical measurements, but also as cell-scale stress sensors.

Statistics for real-time deformability cytometry: Clustering, dimensionality reduction, and significance testing

Real-time deformability (RT-DC) is a method for high-throughput mechanical and morphological phenotyping of cells in suspension. While analysis rates exceeding 1000 cells per second allow for a label-free characterization of complex biological samples, e.g., whole blood, data evaluation has so far been limited to a few geometrical and material parameters such as cell size, deformation, and elastic Young's modulus. But as a microscopy-based technology, RT-DC actually generates and yields multidimensional datasets that require automated and unbiased tools to obtain morphological and rheological cell information. Here, we present a statistical framework to shed light on this complex parameter space and to extract quantitative results under various experimental conditions. As model systems, we apply cell lines as well as primary cells and highlight more than 11 parameters that can be obtained from RT-DC data. These parameters are used to identify sub-populations in heterogeneous samples using Gaussian mixture models, to perform a dimensionality reduction using principal component analysis, and to quantify the statistical significance applying linear mixed models to datasets of multiple replicates.

Design of nanostructured hybrid materials: twin polymerization of urethane-based twin prepolymers

Organic–inorganic hybrid materials with urethane functionalities were obtained by simultaneous twin polymerization of twin prepolymers in combination with the ideal twin monomer 2,2′-spirobi[4H-1,3,2-benzodioxasiline]. The twin prepolymers consist of a urethane-based prepolymer with reactive terminal groups which can react during the twin polymerization process. Nanostructured hybrid materials with integrated dialkylsiloxane crosslinked urethane structures, phenolic resin and SiO₂ are obtained in a one pot process. The effects of the polymerization temperature as well as those of various catalysts and reagent ratios on the polymerization behavior were investigated. The molecular structures of the obtained materials were determined by ¹³C- and ²⁹Si-{¹H}-CP-MAS NMR spectroscopies. HAADF-STEM-measurements were performed to prove the distribution of silicon in the hybrid material.

Organic–inorganic hybrid materials with urethane functionalities were obtained by simultaneous twin polymerization of twin prepolymers in combination with the twin monomer 2,2′-spirobi[4H-1,3,2-benzodioxasiline].

Whole genome microarray expression analysis in blood identifies pathways linked to signs and symptoms of a patient with hypercalprotectinaemia and hyperzincaemia

A child, 2 years with the 'hypercalprotectinaemia with hyperzincaemia' clinical syndrome, presented with atypical symptoms and signs, notably persistent fever of approximately 38°C, thrombocythaemia of > 700 × 10⁹ /l and a predominance of persistent intestinal symptoms. In an effort to find a cure by identifying the dysregulated pathways we analysed whole-genome mRNA expression by the Affymetrix HG U133 Plus 2·0 array in blood on three occasions 3-5 months apart. Major up-regulation was demonstrated for the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway including, in particular, CD177, S100A8, S100A9 and S100A12, accounting for the thrombocytosis; a large number of interleukins, their receptors and activators, accounting for the febrile apathic state; and the high mobility group box 1 (HMBG1) gene, possibly accounting for part of the intestinal symptoms. These results show that gene expression array technology may assist the clinician in the diagnostic work-up of individual patients with suspected syndromal states of unknown origin, and the expression data can guide the selection of optimal treatment directed at the identified target pathways.

Spatial inhomogeneity and temporal dynamics of a 2D electron gas in interaction with a 2D adatom gas

Fundamental interest for 2D electron gas (2DEG) systems has been recently renewed with the advent of 2D materials and their potential high-impact applications in optoelectronics. Here, we investigate a 2DEG created by the electron transfer from a Ag adatom gas deposited on a Si(111) \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\sqrt{{\bf{3}}}{\boldsymbol{\times }}\sqrt{{\bf{3}}}$$\end{document}3×3-Ag surface to an electronic surface state. Using low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM), we measure the Ag adatom gas concentration and the 2DEG-induced charge transfer. We demonstrate a linear dependence of the surface work function change on the Ag adatom gas concentration. A breakdown of the linear relationship is induced by the occurrence of the Ag adatom gas superstructure identified as Si(111) \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\sqrt{{\bf{21}}}{\boldsymbol{\times }}\sqrt{{\bf{21}}}$$\end{document}21×21-Ag only observed below room temperature. We evidence below room temperature a confinement of the 2DEG on atomic terraces characterised by spatial inhomogeneities of the 2DEG-induced charge transfer along with temporal fluctuations. These variations mirror the Ag adatom gas concentration changes induced by the growth of 3D Ag islands and the occurrence of an Ehrlich-Schwoebel diffusion barrier of 155 ± 10 meV.

Mechanical properties of non-centrosymmetric CePt3Si and CePt3B

Elastic moduli, hardness (both at room temperature) and thermal expansion (4.2-670 K) have been experimentally determined for polycrystalline CePt₃Si and its prototype compound CePt₃B as well as for single-crystalline CePt₃Si. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to determine elastic properties (Young's modulus E and Poisson's ratio ν) via the eigenfrequencies of the sample and the knowledge of sample mass and dimensions. Bulk and shear moduli were calculated from E and ν, and the respective Debye temperatures were derived. In addition, ab initio DFT calculations were carried out for both compounds. A comparison of parameters evaluated from DFT with those of experiments revealed, in general, satisfactory agreement. Positive and negative thermal expansion values obtained from CePt₃Si single crystal data are fairly well explained in terms of the crystalline electric field model, using CEF parameters derived recently from inelastic neutron scattering. DFT calculations, in addition, demonstrate that the atomic vibrations keep almost unaffected by the antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling present in systems with crystal structures having no inversion symmetry. This is opposite to electronic properties, where the antisymmetric spin-orbit interaction has shown to distinctly influence features like the superconducting condensate of CePt₃Si.

Adaptive Optiken – Möglichkeiten für die Diagnostik hereditärer Netzhauterkrankungen

Adaptive Optiken (AO) stellen eine technologische Schlüsselinnovation für die Bildgebung in der Ophthalmologie dar. Mit AO ausgestattete Ophthalmoskope erlauben es, die mikroskopische Netzhautstruktur nicht invasiv und auf zellulärer Ebene darzustellen. So kann die strukturelle Integrität der retinalen Nervenfaserschicht, des perifovealen Kapillarnetzwerks, einzelner Stäbchen- und Zapfenphotorezeptoren und des zellulären Mosaiks des retinalen Pigmentepithels in vivo beobachtet werden. Für die Beurteilung des Verlaufs von Netzhauterkrankungen, einer möglichen pharmakologischen Intervention und die Entschlüsselung der zugrunde liegenden physiologischen Mechanismen bedeutet dies eine völlig neue Untersuchungsebene. Insbesondere monogenetische Erkrankungen liegen im Fokus der aktuellen Forschung. Zum einen können Rückschlüsse auf einzelne Pathologien anderer multifaktorieller Netzhauterkrankungen gezogen und so die zugrundeliegenden physiologischen Mechanismen bzw. Verläufe genauer untersucht werden (Modellerkrankung). Zum anderen werden auch im Hinblick auf aktuelle und kommende Interventionen (u. a. Gentherapie) neuartige und zuverlässige Endpunkte zur Interpretation des Therapieerfolgs notwendig. Erste kommerzielle AO-Ophthalmoskope sind für den klinischen Einsatz erhältlich, und die Zahl mit AO untersuchter Netzhautpathologien wächst zunehmend. Für eine zellgenaue Struktur-Funktions-Korrelation kann jüngstens eine AO-basierte Mikrostimulationstechnologie eingesetzt werden.

Recombinant expression of porcine spermadhesin AWN and its phospholipid interaction: Indication for a novel lipid binding property

AWN is a porcine (Sus scrofa domestica) seminal plasma protein and has been linked to a variety of processes related to fertilization. To acquire the protein in sufficient amount and purity for functional studies, we established its recombinant expression in E. coli and a three-step purification protocol based on different chromatographies. The test for AWN-phospholipid interaction revealed phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin as potential binding partners. As phosphatidic acid is surmised to play a role in cation-induced membrane destabilization and fusion events, we propose a membrane protective function of the presented binding affinity. Further studies with recombinant AWN will allow new insights into the mechanism of sperm-spermadhesin interaction and might provide new approaches for artificial reproduction techniques.

[Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential of Membrane HSP90]

BACKGROUND

Heat shock protein (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone involved in maintaining protein homeostasis by modulating stability of de novo synthesized proteins. Neoplastic cells with high metabolic rate have higher expression of HSP90 and develop so called "chaperone addiction". Specific inhibition of HSP90 has been therefore discussed as a viable therapeutic strategy and several inhibitors of HSP90 have already entered clinical trials. Recently, a novel role for HSP90 was found on plasma membrane of cancer cells. Since then, extracellular HSP90 has been implicated in increased tumor invasiveness and metastasis, but better understanding of its regulation is needed to fully explore its potential in early detection of malignity and import of specific HSP90 inhibitors. We have therefore analyzed correlation of extracellular HSP90 level with import of fluorescently-labeled inhibitor of HSP90 and total expression of HSP90.

METHODS

Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell uptake of FITC-Geldanamycin as well as level of extracellular HSP90, while total expression of HSP90 was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and subsequently Western blotting. Data was then subjected to statistical analysis to analyze possible correlation.

RESULTS

We have analyzed import of fluorescently labeled HSP90 inhibitor together with total and membrane level of HSP90 on a panel of selected breast carcinoma cell lines (BT-474, BT-549, BT-20, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, SK-BR-3 a T-47D). Acquired data were subjected to statistical analysis that revealed a correlation between total and membrane level of HSP90 as well as correlation of ectopic HSP90 with uptake of HSP90 inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis has shown that import of HSP90 inhibitors is likely dependent on membrane level of HSP90 as well as its total expression, and therefore can potentially reflect HSP90 addiction of cancer cells.Key words: breast neoplasms - HSP90 - heat shock proteins - geldanamycin This work was supported by MEYS - NPS I - LO1413. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 13. 3. 2017Accepted: 26. 3. 2017.

Charge Radii of Neutron Deficient ^{52,53}Fe Produced by Projectile Fragmentation

Bunched-beam collinear laser spectroscopy is performed on neutron deficient ^{52,53}Fe prepared through in-flight separation followed by a gas stopping. This novel scheme is a major step to reach nuclides far from the stability line in laser spectroscopy. Differential mean-square charge radii δ⟨r^{2}⟩ of ^{52,53}Fe are determined relative to stable ^{56}Fe as δ⟨r^{2}⟩^{56,52}=-0.034(13)  fm^{2} and δ⟨r^{2}⟩^{56,53}=-0.218(13)  fm^{2}, respectively, from the isotope shift of atomic hyperfine structures. The multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock method is used to calculate atomic factors to deduce δ⟨r^{2}⟩. The values of δ⟨r^{2}⟩ exhibit a minimum at the N=28 neutron shell closure. The nuclear density functional theory with Fayans and Skyrme energy density functionals is used to interpret the data. The trend of δ⟨r^{2}⟩ along the Fe isotopic chain results from an interplay between single-particle shell structure, pairing, and polarization effects and provides important data for understanding the intricate trend in the δ⟨r^{2}⟩ of closed-shell Ca isotopes.

Verification of redox-processes as switching and retention failure mechanisms in Nb:SrTiO3/metal devices

Nanoscale redox reactions in transition metal oxides are believed to be the physical foundation of memristive devices, which present a highly scalable, low-power alternative for future non-volatile memory devices. The interface between noble metal top electrodes and Nb-doped SrTiO3 single crystals may serve as a prominent but not yet well-understood example of such memristive devices. In this report, we will present experimental evidence that nanoscale redox reactions and the associated valence change mechanism are indeed responsible for the resistance change in noble metal/Nb-doped SrTiO3 junctions with dimensions ranging from the micrometer scale down to the nanometer regime. Direct verification of the valence change mechanism is given by spectromicroscopic characterization of switching filaments. Furthermore, it is found that the resistance change over time is driven by the reoxidation of a previously oxygen-deficient region. The retention times of the low resistance states, accordingly, can be dramatically improved under vacuum conditions as well as through the insertion of a thin Al2O3 layer which prevents this reoxidation. These insights finally confirm the resistive switching mechanism at these interfaces and are therefore of significant importance for the study and application of memristive devices based on Nb-doped SrTiO3 as well as systems with similar switching mechanisms.