Fibroblast activation protein drives tumor metastasis via a protease-independent role in invadopodia stabilization.

During metastasis, tumor cells invade through the basement membrane and intravasate into blood vessels and then extravasate into distant organs to establish metastases. Here, we report a critical role of a transmembrane serine protease fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in tumor metastasis. Expression of FAP and TWIST1, a metastasis driver, is significantly correlated in several types of human carcinomas, and FAP is required for TWIST1-induced breast cancer metastasis to the lung.

Saccular intracranial neonatal aneurysm.

Introduction: Neonatal cerebral aneurysms are very rare condition and distinct from those of the adults.

Case Report: We reported a 14-day-old male neonate who presented subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured anterior cerebral artery saccular aneurysm. In addition, we present a review of the relevant literature.

Terminal myelocystocele: Surgical management.

Background: The authors describe clinical and imaging findings, surgical technique, and outcomes in myelocystocele.

Methods: We describe a surgical procedure performed in six patients, four males and two females, with myelocystocele treated at our hospital. We review the images obtained at the time of diagnosis and after surgery.

Comparative Analysis of Reconfigurable Platforms for Memristor Emulation.

The memristor is the fourth fundamental element in the electronic circuit field, whose memory and resistance properties make it unique. Although there are no electronic solutions based on the memristor, interest in application development has increased significantly. Nevertheless, there are only numerical Matlab or Spice models that can be used for simulating memristor systems, and designing is limited to using memristor emulators only.

The condensed tannins of Okoume (Aucoumea klaineana Pierre): A molecular structure and thermal stability study.

In order to promote convenient strategies for the valorization of Aucoumea klaineana Pierre (Okoume) plywood and sawmill wastes industry in the fields of adhesives and composites, the total phenolic content of Okoume bark, sapwood and heartwood was measured. The molecular structure of tannins extracted from the bark was determined by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight (Maldi-ToF) mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The total phenolic content displayed significant difference (p = 0.

Correction: Limestone calcination under calcium-looping conditions for CO capture and thermochemical energy storage in the presence of HO: an in situ XRD analysis.

Correction for 'Limestone calcination under calcium-looping conditions for CO capture and thermochemical energy storage in the presence of HO: an in situ XRD analysis' by Jose Manuel Valverde et al., Phys. Chem.

Translation affects mRNA stability in a codon-dependent manner in human cells.

mRNA translation decodes nucleotide into amino acid sequences. However, translation has also been shown to affect mRNA stability depending on codon composition in model organisms, although universality of this mechanism remains unclear. Here, using three independent approaches to measure exogenous and endogenous mRNA decay, we define which codons are associated with stable or unstable mRNAs in human cells.

Presurgical hyperconnectivity of the ablation volume is associated with seizure-freedom after magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy.

Purpose: Magnetic Resonance-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRgLITT) is an emerging minimally-invasive alternative to resective surgery for medically-intractable epilepsy. The precise lesioning effect produced by MRgLITT supplies opportunities to glean insights into epileptogenic regions and their interactions with functional brain networks. In this exploratory analysis, we sought to characterize associations between MRgLITT ablation zones and large-scale brain networks that portended seizure outcome using resting-state fMRI.

T- and T-weighted Magnetic Resonance Dual Contrast by Single Core Truncated Cubic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Abrupt Cellular Internalization and Immune Evasion.

Conventional T- or T-weighted single mode contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may produce false results. Thereby, there is a need to develop dual contrast agents, T- and T-weighted, for more accurate MRI imaging. The dual contrast agents should possess high magnetic resonance (MR) relaxivities, targeted tumor linking, and minimum recognition by the immune system.

Presurgical thalamocortical connectivity is associated with response to vagus nerve stimulation in children with intractable epilepsy.

Although chronic vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an established treatment for medically-intractable childhood epilepsy, there is considerable heterogeneity in seizure response and little data are available to pre-operatively identify patients who may benefit from treatment. Since the therapeutic effect of VNS may be mediated by afferent projections to the thalamus, we tested the hypothesis that intrinsic thalamocortical connectivity is associated with seizure response following chronic VNS in children with epilepsy. Twenty-one children (ages 5-21 years) with medically-intractable epilepsy underwent resting-state fMRI prior to implantation of VNS.

ADAM12 induction by Twist1 promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via regulation of invadopodia and focal adhesions.

The Twist1 transcription factor promotes tumor invasion and metastasis by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invadopodia-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. The critical transcription targets of Twist1 for mediating these events remain to be uncovered. Here, we report that Twist1 strongly induces expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12 (ADAM12).

Limestone calcination under calcium-looping conditions for CO capture and thermochemical energy storage in the presence of HO: an in situ XRD analysis.

This work reports an in situ XRD analysis of whether the calcination/carbonation behavior of natural limestone (CaCO) is affected by the addition of HO to the calciner at a very low concentration under relevant Calcium-Looping (CaL) conditions for CO capture in coal fired power plants (CFPP) and Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES) in Concentrated Solar Power plants (CSP). Previous studies have demonstrated that the presence of steam in the calciner at a high concentration yields a significant increase in the reaction rate. However, a further undesired consequence is the serious deterioration of the CaO mechanical strength, which would lead to particle attrition and mass loss in any CaL process based on the use of circulating fluidized beds.

Polycondensation Resins by Flavonoid Tannins Reaction with Amines.

Reaction of a condensed flavonoid tannin, namely mimosa tannin extract with a hexamethylene diamine, has been investigated. For that purpose, catechin was also used as a flavonoid model compound and treated in similar conditions. Solid-state cross-polarisation/magic-angle spinning (CP-MAS) carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance (C NMR) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectroscopy studies revealed that polycondensation compounds leading to resins were obtained by the reaction of the amines with the phenolic hydroxy groups of the tannin.

MENA Promotes Tumor-Intrinsic Metastasis through ECM Remodeling and Haptotaxis.

Oudin and colleagues report a novel and specific function of MENA in mediating directional migration of breast cancer cells toward a fibronectin gradient of increasing concentration. This MENA-mediated haptotactic response depends on the binding of MENA to the α5β1 integrin receptor, adhesion protein signaling, and fibronectin fibrillogenesis. Cancer Discov; 6(5); 474-6.

Titanium Oxide: A Bioactive Factor in Osteoblast Differentiation.

Titanium and titanium alloys are currently accepted as the gold standard in dental applications. Their excellent biocompatibility has been attributed to the inert titanium surface through the formation of a thin native oxide which has been correlated to the excellent corrosion resistance of this material in body fluids. Whether this titanium oxide layer is essential to the outstanding biocompatibility of titanium surfaces in orthopedic biomaterial applications is still a moot point.

Thermal decomposition of dolomite under CO2: insights from TGA and in situ XRD analysis.

Thermal decomposition of dolomite in the presence of CO2 in a calcination environment is investigated by means of in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The in situ XRD results suggest that dolomite decomposes directly at a temperature around 700 °C into MgO and CaO. Immediate carbonation of nascent CaO crystals leads to the formation of calcite as an intermediate product of decomposition.

Crystallographic transformation of limestone during calcination under CO2.

The calcination reaction of limestone (CaCO3) to yield lime (CaO) is at the heart of many industrial applications as well as natural processes. In the recently emerged calcium-looping technology, CO2 capture is accomplished by the carbonation of CaO in a gas-solid reactor (carbonator). CaO is derived by the calcination of limestone in a calciner reactor under necessarily high CO2 partial pressure and high temperature.

Regulation of ECM degradation and axon guidance by growth cone invadosomes.

Invadopodia and podosomes, collectively referred to as invadosomes, are F-actin-rich basal protrusions of cells that provide sites of attachment to and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Invadosomes promote the invasion of cells, ranging from metastatic cancer cells to immune cells, into tissue. Here, we show that neuronal growth cones form protrusions that share molecular, structural and functional characteristics of invadosomes.

The effects of micro arc oxidation of gamma titanium aluminide surfaces on osteoblast adhesion and differentiation.

The adhesion and proliferation of human fetal osteoblasts, hFOB 1.19, on micro arc oxidized (MAO) gamma titanium aluminide (γTiAl) surfaces were examined in vitro. Cells were seeded on MAO treated γTiAl disks and incubated for 3 days at 33.

Diagnostic evaluation in patients with intractable epilepsy and normal findings on MRI: a decision analysis and cost-effectiveness study.

Background And Purpose: Patients with focal intractable epilepsy and normal MR imaging findings frequently undergo further diagnostic tests to localize the epileptogenic zone. The aim of this study was to determine the cost-effective diagnostic strategy that will identify the epileptogenic zone in patients with suspected focal intractable epilepsy and normal MR imaging findings by using decision analysis.

Materials And Methods: A Markov decision model was constructed by using sensitivities and specificities of test strategies, seizure outcomes following surgical and medical treatment, cost, utilities, probabilities, and standardized mortality ratios.

PAK-PIX interactions regulate adhesion dynamics and membrane protrusion to control neurite outgrowth.

The roles of P21-activated kinase (PAK) in the regulation of axon outgrowth downstream of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are poorly understood. Here we show that PAK1-3 and PIX are expressed in the developing spinal cord and differentially localize to point contacts and filopodial tips within motile growth cones. Using a specific interfering peptide called PAK18, we found that axon outgrowth is robustly stimulated on laminin by partial inhibition of PAK-PIX interactions and PAK function, whereas complete inhibition of PAK function stalls axon outgrowth.

Application of the solid state NMR to the study of the alcohol/alkane mixtures adsorption onto graphite.

The mixing of molecules adsorbed from solution to different interfaces has both industrial and academic relevance and the mixing behaviour at the interface is a key to understanding for example, that the surface tension of a mixture of two surfactants is lower than either of the two pure materials and many other effects. In this paper, we report, for the first time, the application of Solid State NMR to the study of alkane/alcohol mixtures, in a range of relative size ratio between 0 and 0.35, adsorbed onto graphite at high, multilayer coverage.

Regulation of axonal outgrowth and pathfinding by integrin-ECM interactions.

Developing neurons use a combination of guidance cues to assemble a functional neural network. A variety of proteins immobilized within the extracellular matrix (ECM) provide specific binding sites for integrin receptors on neurons. Integrin receptors on growth cones associate with a number of cytosolic adaptor and signaling proteins that regulate cytoskeletal dynamics and cell adhesion.

Imaging adhesion and signaling dynamics in Xenopus laevis growth cones.

Xenopus laevis provides a robust model system to study cellular signaling and downstream processes during development both in vitro and in vivo. Intracellular signals must function within highly restricted spatial and temporal domains to activate specific downstream targets and cellular processes. Combining the versatility of developing Xenopus neurons with advances in fluorescent protein biosensors and imaging technologies has allowed many dynamic cellular processes to be visualized.

Bulk and adsorbed monolayer phase behavior of binary mixtures of undecanoic acid and undecylamine: catanionic monolayers.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) have been used to determine the phase behavior of the binary mixtures of undecanoic acid (A) and undecylamine (B) in the bulk. In addition, we report DSC data that indicates very similar behavior for the solid monolayers of these materials adsorbed on the surface of graphite. The two species are found to form a series of stoichiometric complexes of the type AB, A(2)B, and A(3)B on the acid rich side of the phase diagram.