Femtosecond X-ray-induced fragmentation of fullerenes

A new class of femtosecond, intense, short – wavelength lasers – the free-electron laser – has opened up new opportunities to investigate the structure and dynamics in many scientific areas. These new lasers, whose performance keeps increasing, enable the understanding of physical and chemical changes at an atomic spatial scale and on the time scale of atomic motion which is essential for a broad range of scientific fields. We describe here the interaction of fullerenes in the multiphoton regime with the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser at SLAC National Laboratory. In particular, we report on new data regarding the ionization of Ho3N@C80 molecules and compare the results with our prior C60 investigation of radiation damage induced by the LCLS pulses. We also discuss briefly the potential impact of newly available instrumentation to physical and chemical sciences when they are coupled with FELs as well as theoretical calculations and modeling

Two mirror X-ray pulse split and delay instrument for femtosecond time resolved investigations at the LCLS free electron laser facility

We built a two-mirror based X-ray split and delay (XRSD) device for soft X-rays at the Linac Coherent Light Source free electron laser facility. The instrument is based on an edge-polished mirror design covering an energy range of 250 eV-1800 eV and producing a delay between the two split pulses variable up to 400 femtoseconds with a sub-100 attosecond resolution. We present experimental and simulation results regarding molecular dissociation dynamics in CH3I and CO probed by the XRSD device. We observed ion kinetic energy and branching ratio dependence on the delay times which were reliably produced by the XRSD instrument. (C)2016 Optical Society of Americ

A Computational Method for Prediction of Excretory Proteins and Application to Identification of Gastric Cancer Markers in Urine

A novel computational method for prediction of proteins excreted into urine is presented. The method is based on the identification of a list of distinguishing features between proteins found in the urine of healthy people and proteins deemed not to be urine excretory. These features are used to train a classifier to distinguish the two classes of proteins. When used in conjunction with information of which proteins are differentially expressed in diseased tissues of a specific type versus control tissues, this method can be used to predict potential urine markers for the disease. Here we report the detailed algorithm of this method and an application to identification of urine markers for gastric cancer. The performance of the trained classifier on 163 proteins was experimentally validated using antibody arrays, achieving >80% true positive rate. By applying the classifier on differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer vs normal gastric tissues, it was found that endothelial lipase (EL) was substantially suppressed in the urine samples of 21 gastric cancer patients versus 21 healthy individuals. Overall, we have demonstrated that our predictor for urine excretory proteins is highly effective and could potentially serve as a powerful tool in searches for disease biomarkers in urine in general

Effects of a Caffeine-Containing Energy Drink on Simulated Soccer Performance

[Background] To investigate the effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on soccer performance during a simulated game. A second purpose was to assess the post-exercise urine caffeine concentration derived from the energy drink intake. [Methodology/Principal Findings] Nineteen semiprofessional soccer players ingested 630±52 mL of a commercially available energy drink (sugar-free Red Bull®) to provide 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass, or a decaffeinated control drink (0 mg/kg). After sixty minutes they performed a 15-s maximal jump test, a repeated sprint test (7×30 m; 30 s of active recovery) and played a simulated soccer game. Individual running distance and speed during the game were measured using global positioning satellite (GPS) devices. In comparison to the control drink, the ingestion of the energy drink increased mean jump height in the jump test (34.7±4.7 v 35.8±5.5 cm; P<0.05), mean running speed during the sprint test (25.6±2.1 v 26.3±1.8 km · h−1; P<0.05) and total distance covered at a speed higher than 13 km · h−1 during the game (1205±289 v 1436±326 m; P<0.05). In addition, the energy drink increased the number of sprints during the whole game (30±10 v 24±8; P<0.05). Post-exercise urine caffeine concentration was higher after the energy drink than after the control drink (4.1±1.0 v 0.1±0.1 µg · mL−1; P<0.05). [Conclusions/significance] A caffeine-containing energy drink in a dose equivalent to 3 mg/kg increased the ability to repeatedly sprint and the distance covered at high intensity during a simulated soccer game. In addition, the caffeinated energy drink increased jump height which may represent a meaningful improvement for headers or when players are competing for a ball

The football is medicine plaform-scientific evidence, large-scale implementation of evidence-based concepts and future perspectives

The idea that football can be used as therapy and as a high-intensity and literally breath-taking training regime goes back centuries. To take one prominent example, the French philosopher Voltaire describes in the Book of Fate (1747), how a patient is cured by playing with a sacred football: “… full-blown and carefully covered with the softest Leather. You must kick this Bladder, Sir, once a Day about your Hall for a whole Hour together, with all the Vigour and Activity you possibly can”, “Ogul, upon making the first Experiment, was ready to expire for want of Breath”, “In short, our Doctor in about 8 days Time, performed an absolute Cure. His Patient was as brisk, active and gay, as One in the Bloom of his Youth.”1 Today, Voltaire and his main character, philosopher Zadig, have been proved right: Football is indeed a breath-taking activity and it can be used as therapy. Albeit today's recommendations suggest a lower training frequency, longer training periods and encourage group-based training, and say that any football can be applied

DE-PASS Best Evidence Statement (BESt): modifiable determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents aged 5-19 years-a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Physical activity among children and adolescents remains insufficient, despite the substantial efforts made by researchers and policymakers. Identifying and furthering our understanding of potential modifiable determinants of physical activity behaviour (PAB) and sedentary behaviour (SB) is crucial for the development of interventions that promote a shift from SB to PAB. The current protocol details the process through which a series of systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses (MAs) will be conducted to produce a best-evidence statement (BESt) and inform policymakers. The overall aim is to identify modifiable determinants that are associated with changes in PAB and SB in children and adolescents (aged 5-19 years) and to quantify their effect on, or association with, PAB/SB. Methods and analysis A search will be performed in MEDLINE, SportDiscus, Web of Science, PsychINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled trials (CTs) that investigate the effect of interventions on PAB/SB and longitudinal studies that investigate the associations between modifiable determinants and PAB/SB at multiple time points will be sought. Risk of bias assessments will be performed using adapted versions of Cochrane's RoB V.2.0 and ROBINS-I tools for RCTs and CTs, respectively, and an adapted version of the National Institute of Health's tool for longitudinal studies. Data will be synthesised narratively and, where possible, MAs will be performed using frequentist and Bayesian statistics. Modifiable determinants will be discussed considering the settings in which they were investigated and the PAB/SB measurement methods used. Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is needed as no primary data will be collected. The findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and academic conferences where possible. The BESt will also be shared with policy makers within the DE-PASS consortium in the first instance. Systematic review registration CRD42021282874

Protein kinase C activation disrupts epithelial apical junctions via ROCK-II dependent stimulation of actomyosin contractility

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Disruption of epithelial cell-cell adhesions represents an early and important stage in tumor metastasis. This process can be modeled <it>in vitro </it>by exposing cells to chemical tumor promoters, phorbol esters and octylindolactam-V (OI-V), known to activate protein kinase C (PKC). However, molecular events mediating PKC-dependent disruption of epithelial cell-cell contact remain poorly understood. In the present study we investigate mechanisms by which PKC activation induces disassembly of tight junctions (TJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) in a model pancreatic epithelium.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Exposure of HPAF-II human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell monolayers to either OI-V or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate caused rapid disruption and internalization of AJs and TJs. Activity of classical PKC isoenzymes was responsible for the loss of cell-cell contacts which was accompanied by cell rounding, phosphorylation and relocalization of the F-actin motor nonmuscle myosin (NM) II. The OI-V-induced disruption of AJs and TJs was prevented by either pharmacological inhibition of NM II with blebbistatin or by siRNA-mediated downregulation of NM IIA. Furthermore, AJ/TJ disassembly was attenuated by inhibition of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) II, but was insensitive to blockage of MLCK, calmodulin, ERK1/2, caspases and RhoA GTPase.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data suggest that stimulation of PKC disrupts epithelial apical junctions via ROCK-II dependent activation of NM II, which increases contractility of perijunctional actin filaments. This mechanism is likely to be important for cancer cell dissociation and tumor metastasis.</p