Macromolecular crowding effect is critical for maintaining SIRT1's nuclear localization in cancer cells

<p>SIRT1 is a principle class III histone deacetylase which exhibits versatile functions in stress response, development, and pathological processes including cancer. Although SIRT1 deacetylates a wide range of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, its subcellular localization in cancer cells has been controversial. In this study, we uncovered the inconsistent reports about SIRT1 subcellular localization is partially due to different analysis approaches. While immunofluorescence and live cell imaging reveal a predominant nuclear localization of SIRT1, conventional cell fractionation often results in a severe leaking of SIRT1 into the cytoplasm. Such a leakage is mainly caused by loss of cytoplasmic macromolecular crowding effect as well as hypotonic dwelling during the isolation of the nuclei. We also developed an improved cell fractionation procedure which maintains SIRT1 in its original subcellular localization. Analyzing a variety of human cancer cell lines using this approach and other methods demonstrate that SIRT1 predominantly localizes to the nucleus in cancer cells.</p

Optical/Electrical Integrated Design of Core–Shell Aluminum-Based Plasmonic Nanostructures for Record-Breaking Efficiency Enhancements in Photovoltaic Devices

Recently plasmonics has gained tremendous interest in solar cell research because it is capable of improving sunlight-conversion efficiencies. However, plasmonic photovoltaic nanostructures with both excellent optical properties and high electrical conductivities have not been developed, thus limiting the efficiency breakthrough. In this paper, we present an optical/electrical integrated design for plasmonic photovoltaic nanostructures by synthesizing core–shell nanomaterials: aluminum-coated copper nanoparticles. A copper nanocore was synthesized by chemical methods, and then an aluminum nanoshell was physically deposited on the nanocore surface. Strong light-scattering properties have been demonstrated due to the controllable morphology of the nanoparticles and the UV plasmon response of the aluminum nanoshells. Ultrahigh electrical conductivities have been achieved by the pure metallic nanoshells. Once the aluminum-based core–shell particles were integrated into high-efficiency amorphous silicon solar cells, we demonstrated a tremendous efficiency enhancement of 15.4%, which is 51% higher than that from the state-of-the-art plasmonic technique using silver nanostructures

Neurophysiological Differences between Flail Arm Syndrome and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

<div><p>There are many clinical features of flail arm syndrome (FAS) that are different from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting they are probably different entities. Studies on electrophysiological differences between them are limited at present, and still inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to find clinical and neurophysiological differences between FAS and ALS. Eighteen healthy control subjects, six FAS patients and forty-one ALS patients were recruited. The upper motor neuron signs (UMNS), split-hand index (SI), resting motor threshold (RMT), central motor conduction time (CMCT) were evaluated and compared. There was no obvious upper motor neuron signs in FAS. The SI and RMT level in FAS was similar to control subjects, but significantly lower than that of in ALS. Compared with control group, the RMT and SI in ALS group were both significantly increased to higher level. However, no significant difference of CMCT was found between any two of these three groups. The differences in clinical and neurophysiological findings between FAS and ALS, argue against they are the same disease entity. Since there was no obvious UMNS, no split-hand phenomenon, and no obvious changes of RMT and CMCT in FAS patients, the development of FAS might be probably not originated from motor cortex.</p></div

Comparison of CMCT among three groups.

<p>The CMCT of FAS and ALS patients was not significantly changed, compared with control.</p

Difference of the amplitude of CMAPs of ADMs between three groups.

<p>Fig 2 showed the CMAPs amplitude of ADMs in ALS and FAS groups were significantly decreased, compared with control group (*<i>p</i><0.05).</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and controls.

<p>ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ALSFRS-R, revised ALS functional rating scale; ALSSS, ALS severity scale; HC, healthy controls; PMA, progressive muscular atrophy; the disease progression rate was calculated according to the formula of (48-ALSFRS-R score)/disease duration (month).</p><p>Data were means±SD.</p><p>Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and controls.</p

Image1.PDF

<p>Transgenic glyphosate-tolerant plants overproducing EPSPS (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) may exhibit enhanced fitness in glyphosate-free environments. If so, introgression of transgenes overexpressing EPSPS into wild relative species may lead to increased competitiveness of crop-wild hybrids, resulting in unpredicted environmental impact. Assessing fitness effects of transgenes overexpressing EPSPS in a model plant species can help address this question, while elucidating how overproducing EPSPS affects the fitness-related traits of plants. We produced segregating T₂ and T₃Arabidopsis thaliana lineages with or without a transgene overexpressing EPSPS isolated from rice or Agrobacterium (CP4). For each of the three transgenes, we compared glyphosate tolerance, some fitness-related traits, and auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) content in transgene-present, transgene-absent, empty vector (EV), and parental lineages in a common-garden experiment. We detected substantially increased glyphosate tolerance in T₂ plants of transgene-present lineages that overproduced EPSPS. We also documented significant increases in fecundity, which was associated with increased auxin content in T₃ transgene-present lineages containing rice EPSPS genes, compared with their segregating transgene-absent lineages, EV, and parental controls. Our results from Arabidopsis with nine transgenic events provide a strong support to the hypothesis that transgenic plants overproducing EPSPS can benefit from a fecundity advantage in glyphosate-free environments. Stimulated biosynthesis of auxin, an important plant growth hormone, by overproducing EPSPS may play a role in enhanced fecundity of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. The obtained knowledge is useful for assessing environmental impact caused by introgression of transgenes overproducing EPSPS from any GE crop into populations of its wild relatives.</p

Comparison of neuropsychological performances among patients with PMA, ALS and HC.

<p>3 PMA patients did not complete Stroop Color-Word Task; 2 PMA in copy tests and 1 PMA in digit span and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. ABC, Aphasia Battery Chinese; ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; CDT, clock drawing test; CMT, Clinical Memory Test; HC, healthy controls; PMA, progressive muscular atrophy; SIE, Stroop interference effect; time for SIE was calculated according to the formula of (Stroop C time-Stroop B time) and correct number for SIE was calculated according to the formula of (Stroop B correct number- Stroop C correct number); WAIS, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; WMS, Wechsler Memory Scale.</p><p>Data were means±SD.</p><p>*p value remained to be significant after Bonferroni correction (α = 0.05/3 = 0.017).</p><p>Comparison of neuropsychological performances among patients with PMA, ALS and HC.</p

Spectrum of MND registered in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (n = 143).

<p>ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; MND, motor neuron disease; PBP, progressive bulbar palsy; PLS, progressive lateral sclerosis; PMA, progressive muscular atrophy.</p

Behavioral impairment and mood differences between PMA and ALS.

<p>ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; FBI, frontal behavioral inventory; HAMA, Hamilton Anxiety Scale; HAMD, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; PMA, progressive muscular atrophy.</p><p>Data were means±SD.</p><p>Behavioral impairment and mood differences between PMA and ALS.</p