An In Vivo Biostability Evaluation of ALD and Parylene-ALD Multilayers as Micro-Packaging Solutions for Small Single-Chip Implants.

Miniaturization of next-generation active neural implants requires novel micro-packaging solutions that can maintain their long-term coating performance in the body. This work presents two thin-film coatings and evaluates their biostability and in vivo performance over a 7-month animal study. To evaluate the coatings on representative surfaces, two silicon microchips with different surface microtopography are used.

Thin Film Encapsulation for LCP-Based Flexible Bioelectronic Implants: Comparison of Different Coating Materials Using Test Methodologies for Life-Time Estimation.

Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) has gained wide interest in the electronics industry largely due to its flexibility, stable insulation and dielectric properties and chip integration capabilities. Recently, LCP has also been investigated as a biocompatible substrate for the fabrication of multielectrode arrays. Realizing a fully implantable LCP-based bioelectronic device, however, still necessitates a low form factor packaging solution to protect the electronics in the body.

Extended Barrier Lifetime of Partially Cracked Organic/Inorganic Multilayers for Compliant Implantable Electronics.

Flexible and soft bioelectronics display conflicting demands on miniaturization, compliance, and reliability. Here, the authors investigate the design and performance of thin encapsulation multilayers against hermeticity and mechanical integrity. Partially cracked organic/inorganic multilayer coatings are demonstrated to display surprisingly year-long hermetic lifetime under demanding mechanical and environmental loading.

Transport of dissolved organic matter in Boom Clay: Size effects.

A coupled experimental-modelling approach was developed to evaluate the effects of molecular weight (MW) of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on its transport through intact Boom Clay (BC) samples. Natural DOM was sampled in-situ in the BC layer. Transport was investigated with percolation experiments on 1.

Dyslexie font does not benefit reading in children with or without dyslexia.

In two experiments, the claim was tested that the font "Dyslexie", specifically designed for people with dyslexia, eases reading performance of children with (and without) dyslexia. Three questions were investigated. (1) Does the Dyslexie font lead to faster and/or more accurate reading? (2) Do children have a preference for the Dyslexie font? And, (3) is font preference related to reading performance? In Experiment 1, children with dyslexia (n = 170) did not read text written in Dyslexie font faster or more accurately than in Arial font.

Four simple recommendations to encourage best practices in research software.

Scientific research relies on computer software, yet software is not always developed following practices that ensure its quality and sustainability. This manuscript does not aim to propose new software development best practices, but rather to provide simple recommendations that encourage the adoption of existing best practices. Software development best practices promote better quality software, and better quality software improves the reproducibility and reusability of research.

Olmesartan-associated enteropathy: results of a national survey.

Background: Recently, a new enteropathy has been described: olmesartan-associated enteropathy. However, the association has been questioned: a phase 3 trial and a cohort study found no association between gastrointestinal events and olmesartan.

Aim: To collect French cases of sartan-associated enteropathy to describe further this entity, confirm or refute causality, and determine if the association exists with other sartans.

Absence of beta-amyloid deposits after immunization in Alzheimer disease with Lewy body dementia.

Objective: To describe the neuropathological and biochemical findings of the brain examination of a patient enrolled in the AN-1792(QS-21) trial with an initial clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD), in whom Lewy body variant was thereafter clinically diagnosed.

Design: A case report.

Setting: University memory clinic.

Phosphorylation of amyloid precursor carboxy-terminal fragments enhances their processing by a gamma-secretase-dependent mechanism.

In Alzheimer's disease, the complex catabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP) leads to the production of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide, the major component of amyloid deposits. APP is cleaved by beta- and alpha-secretases to generate APP carboxy-terminal fragments (CTFs). Abeta peptide and amyloid intracellular domain are resulting from the cleavage of APP-CTFs by the gamma-secretase.

Expression and activity of cyclin-dependent kinases and glycogen synthase kinase-3 during NT2 neuronal differentiation.

In the presence of retinoic acid undifferentiated NT2 cells turn into terminally differentiated hNT (or NT2N) neurons within 5 weeks. We have used this in vitro cellular model to investigate the changes in expression and activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) during this neuronal differentiation process. We here show that CDK1/2 protein level and kinase activity sharply decrease during the NT2-->hNT transition.

Meridianins, a new family of protein kinase inhibitors isolated from the ascidian Aplidium meridianum.

Meridianins are brominated 3-(2-aminopyrimidine)-indoles which are purified from Aplidium meridianum, an Ascidian from the South Atlantic (South Georgia Islands). We here show that meridianins inhibit various protein kinases such as cyclin-dependent kinases, glycogen synthase kinase-3, cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases and casein kinase 1. Meridianins prevent cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, a demonstration of their ability to enter cells and to interfere with the activity of kinases important for cell division and cell death.

Aloisines, a new family of CDK/GSK-3 inhibitors. SAR study, crystal structure in complex with CDK2, enzyme selectivity, and cellular effects.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate the cell cycle, apoptosis, neuronal functions, transcription, and exocytosis. The observation of CDK deregulations in various pathological situations suggests that CDK inhibitors may have a therapeutic value. In this article, we report on the identification of 6-phenyl[5H]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazines (aloisines) as a novel potent CDK inhibitory scaffold.

Purification of GSK-3 by affinity chromatography on immobilized axin.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), an element of the Wnt signalling pathway, plays a key role in numerous cellular processes including cell proliferation, embryonic development, and neuronal functions. It is directly involved in diseases such as cancer (by controlling apoptosis and the levels of beta-catenin and cyclin D1), Alzheimer's disease (tau hyperphosphorylation), and diabetes (as a downstream element of insulin action, GSK-3 regulates glycogen and lipid synthesis). We describe here a rapid and efficient method for the purification of GSK-3 by affinity chromatography on an immobilized fragment of axin.

Involvement of crustacean hyperglycemic hormone in the control of gill ion transport in the crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus.

Total extracts of sinus glands (SG) of the euryhaline grapsid crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus contain peptidic factor(s) that stimulate osmoregulatory processes in isolated and perfused posterior gills from crabs acclimated to dilute seawater. This study investigated the nature of the active factor(s). Separation of P.