Laser-induced vapor nanobubbles for B16-F10 melanoma cell killing and intracellular delivery of chemotherapeutics.

The most lethal form of skin cancer is cutaneous melanoma, a tumor that develops in the melanocytes, which are found in the epidermis. The treatment strategy of melanoma is dependent on the stage of the disease and often requires combined local and systemic treatment. Over the years, systemic treatment of melanoma has been revolutionized and shifted toward immunotherapeutic approaches.

Towards practical privacy-preserving genome-wide association study.

Background: The deployment of Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) requires genomic information of a large population to produce reliable results. This raises significant privacy concerns, making people hesitate to contribute their genetic information to such studies.

Results: We propose two provably secure solutions to address this challenge: (1) a somewhat homomorphic encryption (HE) approach, and (2) a secure multiparty computation (MPC) approach.

Privacy-preserving logistic regression training.

Background: Logistic regression is a popular technique used in machine learning to construct classification models. Since the construction of such models is based on computing with large datasets, it is an appealing idea to outsource this computation to a cloud service. The privacy-sensitive nature of the input data requires appropriate privacy preserving measures before outsourcing it.

CRISPR-FRT targets shared sites in a knock-out collection for off-the-shelf genome editing.

CRISPR advances genome engineering by directing endonuclease sequence specificity with a guide RNA molecule (gRNA). For precisely targeting a gene for modification, each genetic construct requires a unique gRNA. By generating a gRNA against the flippase recognition target (FRT) site, a common genetic element shared by multiple genetic collections, CRISPR-FRT circumvents this design constraint to provide a broad platform for fast, scarless, off-the-shelf genome engineering.

Network-Based Identification of Adaptive Pathways in Evolved Ethanol-Tolerant Bacterial Populations.

Efficient production of ethanol for use as a renewable fuel requires organisms with a high level of ethanol tolerance. However, this trait is complex and increased tolerance therefore requires mutations in multiple genes and pathways. Here, we use experimental evolution for a system-level analysis of adaptation of Escherichia coli to high ethanol stress.

Terrestrial capture of prey by the reedfish, a model species for stem tetrapods.

Due to morphological resemblance, polypterid fishes are used as extant analogues of Late Devonian lobe-finned sarcopterygians to identify the features that allowed the evolution of a terrestrial lifestyle in early tetrapods. Previous studies using polypterids showed how terrestrial locomotion capacity can develop, and how air ventilation for breathing was possible in extinct tetrapodomorphs. Interestingly, one polypterid species, the reedfish , has been noted being capable of capturing prey on land.

Broadband, high dynamics and high resolution charge coupled device-based spectrometer in dynamic mode for multi-keV repetitive x-ray sources.

We present a new operating mode, using a charged coupled device as dispersionless spectrometer dedicated to repetitive x-ray sources in the multi-keV domain. This enables to get spectra with high statistics in a short acquisition time and a way compatible with the operation of other diagnostics requiring accumulation. Several reconstruction algorithms for the spreading events are discussed, and a near Fano-limited resolution is demonstrated by using single pixel events.

Observation of subpicosecond x-ray emission from laser-cluster interaction.

We present the first experimental evidence of the subpicosecond duration of x-ray pulses emitted from laser-irradiated clusters, demonstrating the suitability of such a debris free target for ultrafast x-ray science applications. The K-shell emission (approximately 3 keV) from large Ar clusters (6 x 10(5) to 4 x 10(6) atoms) is time resolved, when irradiated by ultrashort (40 fs to 5 ps) and intense laser pulses (10(15-17) W/cm2). The observations are supported by hydrodynamical and collisional-radiative calculations, that reproduce the extremely short x-ray pulse duration.

High dynamic range streak camera for subpicosecond time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy.

The full characterization of a time resolved x-ray spectrometer is presented. It is based on the coupling of a conical crystal with a subpicosecond x-ray streak camera. The detector is designed to operate in accumulation mode at high repetition rate (up to 1 kHz) allowing signal to noise ratio as high as 10(4):1.

Investigation of laser-irradiated Ar cluster dynamics from K-shell x-ray emission measurements.

Intense (up to a few 10(17) W/ cm2) femtosecond (down to 40 fs) laser pulses are focused onto a partially clusterized argon gas jet. The target was previously characterized and optimized in order to get a homogeneous and dense jet of clusters with a well controlled size. The interaction leads to x-ray emission that is absolutely calibrated and spectrally resolved using a high resolution time-integrated spectrometer in the K-shell range (from 2.

Synthetic routes for a new family of chiral tetradentate ligands containing pyridine rings.

A series of new tetradentate ligands containing two bipyridine groups or two pyridine moieties carrying amine substituents has been synthesised either from 5'- and 6'-substituted chiral bipyridines, or from chiral pyridine derivatives. These precursors have been prepared from (-)-alpha-pinene or (-)-myrtenal, respectively. The structures of three tetradentate-, and of five chiral bipyridine ligands have been determined by X-ray diffraction.

Macular pattern dystrophy in patients with deafness and diabetes.

Purpose: To report the characteristic findings of a macular pattern dystrophy in patients with diabetes and deafness resulting from the mitochondrial point mutation at position 3243 and to expand the clinical spectrum of this condition by describing functional testing results.

Methods: Four diabetic patients who were referred to the eye department for diabetic fundus examination were found to harbor a macular pattern dystrophy. Further examination of visual fields; color contrast sensitivity; and the ear, nose, and throat; and molecular analysis of the mitochondrial genome were performed.

Fundus changes in patients with the mitochondrial DNA point mutation at position 3243.

The A3243G transition in the mitochondrial DNA is commonly associated with the syndrome of mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). Previously, atypical pigmentary retinopathy has been described in patients with this syndrome and in patients with other phenotypes of the same mitochondrial defect. Maternally inherited diabetes mellitus and deafness has been recognized as a distinct clinical presentation of the mitochondrial point mutation at position 3243, and recently a pattern dystrophy has been identified as a characteristic ocular abnormality in these patients.

Conceptualizing community interventions in social service needs of pregnant adolescents.

Traditional approaches to adolescent pregnancy have utilized the paradigm of single cause-single solution and have tended to define it as a pregnancy problem rather than as a parenting problem. The conceptual model presented emphasizes the importance of primary prevention efforts if approaches are to work. This model defines adolescent pregnancy as a parenting problem that is multicausal and thus requires multiple solutions.

[Acute spinal amyotrophy in toxoplasmosis].

A 19 year-old man developed an acute syndrome of the anterior horn of cervical spinal cord during a primo-infection with toxoplasma. The neurological syndrome was completely regressive after treatment with 1 600 mg/day of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for three months.

[Fronto-nasal dysplasia (apropos of 4 cases)].

Four cases of frontonasal dysplasia are reported in two boys and two girls. Clinical diagnosis was made at 16 months in one case and sooner in 3 cases (1 month-3 1/2 months) in presence of following features: severe hypertelorism (4/4), paramedian lip and palate cleft (3/4), nose root broadering (4/4), bifid or cleft nose tip (3/4), window's peak (3/4) mediofrontal swelling (4/4), cranium bifidum occultum (2/4). Many abnormalities were associated: conduction deafness (1/4), goldenhar syndrome (1/4), GH deficiency (1/4), etc.

A field study of the validity of static paper sampling in fluoride pollution surveys.

A field study of fluoride pollution and of its consequences was made over a period of five years in the vicinity of an alumina reduction plant. This study, based upon the use of a static soda impregnated paper sampler, shows that the results obtained are in good agreement with the atmospheric fluoride concentrations obtained with dynamic samplers, especially when fluoride is present in gaseous form (HF). The results suggest that vertically mounted paper samplers are less sensitive to the collection of particulate fluorides.

[Colonic stenosis following necrotizing enterocolitis in newborn infants. Apropos of 3 cases].

Three cases of double left colic stenosis revealed at one month of age by subobstruction are reported. Recovery was obtained by surgery. The evolution of radiological data in one case, and of histological changes observed on the resected sigmoid colon in the two other cases favor the assumption that cicatricial stenosis occurred likewise.