Epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent DNA repair promotes murine and human hematopoietic regeneration.

Chemotherapy and irradiation cause DNA damage to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), leading to HSC depletion and dysfunction and the risk of malignant transformation over time. Extrinsic regulation of HSC DNA repair is not well understood, and therapies to augment HSC DNA repair following myelosuppression remain undeveloped. We report that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) regulates DNA repair in HSCs following irradiation via activation of the DNA-dependent protein kinase-catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ).

Relationship between Mobility and Lattice Strain in Electrochemically Doped Poly(3-hexylthiophene).

Conjugated semiconducting polymers, such as poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), are poised to play an integral role in the development of organic electronic devices; however, their performance is governed by factors that are intrinsically coupled: dopant concentration, carrier mobility, crystal structure, and mesoscale morphology. We utilize synchrotron X-ray scattering and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to probe the crystal structure and electronic properties of P3HT during electrochemical doping. We show that doping strains the crystalline domains, coincident with an exponential increase in hole mobility.

BMP signaling is required for cell cleavage in preimplantation-mouse embryos.

The mechanisms regulating cell division during development of the mouse pre-implantation embryo are poorly understood. We have investigated whether bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is involved in controlling cell cycle during mouse pre-implantation development. We mapped and quantitated the dynamic activities of BMP signaling through high-resolution immunofluorescence imaging combined with a 3D segmentation method.

Electrochemically oxidized electronic and ionic conducting nanostructured block copolymers for lithium battery electrodes.

Block copolymers that can simultaneously conduct electronic and ionic charges on the nanometer length scale can serve as innovative conductive binder material for solid-state battery electrodes. The purpose of this work is to study the electronic charge transport of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P3HT-PEO) copolymers electrochemically oxidized with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) salt in the context of a lithium battery charge/discharge cycle. We use a solid-state three-terminal electrochemical cell that enables simultaneous conductivity measurements and control over electrochemical doping of P3HT.

A Bmp reporter with ultrasensitive characteristics reveals that high Bmp signaling is not required for cortical hem fate.

Insights into Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) functions during forebrain development have been limited by a lack of Bmp signaling readouts. Here we used a novel Bmp signaling reporter ("BRE-gal" mice) to study Bmp signaling in the dorsal telencephalon. At early stages, BRE-gal expression was restricted to the dorsal telencephalic midline.

Bmp indicator mice reveal dynamic regulation of transcriptional response.

Cellular responses to Bmp ligands are regulated at multiple levels, both extracellularly and intracellularly. Therefore, the presence of these growth factors is not an accurate indicator of Bmp signaling activity. While a common approach to detect Bmp signaling activity is to determine the presence of phosphorylated forms of Smad1, 5 and 8 by immunostaining, this approach is time consuming and not quantitative.

Morphology and thermodynamic properties of a copolymer with an electronically conducting block: poly(3-ethylhexylthiophene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide).

We report on the synthesis and morphology of a block copolymer, poly(3-(2'-ethylhexyl)thiophene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P3EHT-b-PEO), that conducts both electrons and ions. We show that in the melt state the P3EHT-b-PEO chains self-assemble to produce traditional nanoscale morphologies such as lamellae and gyroid. This is in contrast to a majority of previous studies on copolymers with electronically conducting blocks wherein a nanofibrillar morphology is obtained.

Simultaneous conduction of electronic charge and lithium ions in block copolymers.

The main objective of this work is to study charge transport in mixtures of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P3HT-PEO) block copolymers and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide salt (LiTFSI). The P3HT-rich microphase conducts electronic charge, while the PEO-rich microphase conducts ionic charge. The nearly symmetric P3HT-PEO copolymer used in this study self-assembles into a lamellar phase.

Simultaneous electronic and ionic conduction in a block copolymer: application in lithium battery electrodes.

Charging ahead: separate values for the simultaneous electronic and ionic conductivity of a conjugated polymer containing poly(3-hexylthiophene) and poly(ethylene oxide) (P3HT-PEO) were determined by using ac impedance and dc techniques. P3HT-PEO was used as binder, and transporter of electronic charge and Li(+) ions in a LiFePO(4) cathode, which was incorporated into solid-state lithium batteries.

Drosophila variable nurse cells encodes arrest defective 1 (ARD1), the catalytic subunit of the major N-terminal acetyltransferase complex.

Mutations in the Drosophila variable nurse cells (vnc) gene result in female sterility and oogenesis defects, including egg chambers with too many or too few nurse cells. We show that vnc corresponds to Arrest Defective1 (Ard1) and encodes the catalytic subunit of NatA, the major N-terminal acetyl-transferase complex. While N-terminal acetylation is one of the most prevalent covalent protein modifications in eukaryotes, analysis of its role in development has been challenging since mutants that compromise NatA activity have not been described in any multicellular animal.

Tfap2 transcription factors in zebrafish neural crest development and ectodermal evolution.

Transcription factor AP2 (Tfap2) genes play essential roles in development of the epidermis and migratory cells of the neural crest (NC) in vertebrate embryos. These transcriptional activators are among the earliest genes expressed in the ectoderm and specify fates within the epidermis/crest through both direct and indirect mechanisms. The Tfap2 family arose from a single ancestral gene in a chordate ancestor that underwent gene duplication to give up to five family members in living vertebrates.