Platelet protein S limits venous but not arterial thrombosis propensity by controlling coagulation in the thrombus.

Anticoagulant protein S (PS) in platelets (PSplt) resembles plasma PS and is released on platelet activation, but its role in thrombosis has not been elucidated. Here we report that inactivation of PSplt expression using the Platelet factor 4 (Pf4)-Cre transgene (Pros1lox/loxPf4-Cre+) in mice promotes thrombus propensity in the vena cava, where shear rates are low, but not in the carotid artery, where shear rates are high. At a low shear rate, PSplt functions as a cofactor for both activated protein C and tissue factor pathway inhibitor, thereby limiting factor X activation and thrombin generation within the growing thrombus and ensuring that highly activated platelets and fibrin remain localized at the injury site.

Detection of Single Quantum Dots in Model Systems with Sheet Illumination Microscopy.

Single molecule detection and tracking provides at times the only possible method to observe the interactions of low numbers of biomolecules, inlcuding DNA, receptors and signal mediating proteins in living systems. However, most existing imaging methods do not enable both high sensitivity and non-invasive imaging of large specimens. In this study we report a new setup for selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), which enables fast imaging and single molecule tracking with the resolution of confocal microscopy and the optical penetration beyond 300 μm.

[Polymorphisms in Sleep and Cognitive Function Related Genes are Associated with Vehicle Crash History in Shift Working Bus Drivers].

Bus driving is a highly responsible profession. It requires constant engagement of attention and cog- nitive resources as well as vigilance and resistance to disruption of sleep- rhythms. There is ongoing research of genetic correlates of these individual characteristics.

Simultaneous visualization of tumour oxygenation, neovascularization and contrast agent perfusion by real-time three-dimensional optoacoustic tomography.

Objectives: Intravital imaging within heterogenic solid tumours is important for understanding blood perfusion profiles responsible for establishment of multiple parameters within the tumour mass, such as hypoxic and nutrition gradients, cell viability, proliferation and drug response potentials.

Methods: Herein, we developed a method based on a volumetric multispectral optoacoustic tomography (vMSOT) for cancer imaging in preclinical models and explored its capacity for three-dimensional imaging of anatomic, vascular and functional tumour profiles in real time.

Results: In contrast to methods based on cross-sectional (2D) image acquisition as a basis for 3D rendering, vMSOT has attained concurrent observations from the entire tumour volume at 10 volumetric frames per second.

Cell type-specific delivery of short interfering RNAs by dye-functionalised theranostic nanoparticles.

Efficient delivery of short interfering RNAs reflects a prerequisite for the development of RNA interference therapeutics. Here, we describe highly specific nanoparticles, based on near infrared fluorescent polymethine dye-derived targeting moieties coupled to biodegradable polymers. The fluorescent dye, even when coupled to a nanoparticle, mimics a ligand for hepatic parenchymal uptake transporters resulting in hepatobiliary clearance of approximately 95% of the dye within 45 min.