Reduction of Fmr1 mRNA Levels Rescues Pathological Features in Cortical Neurons in a Model of FXTAS

Fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a rare disorder associated to the presence of the fragile X premutation, a 55–200 CGG repeat expansion in the 5′ UTR of the FMR1 gene. Two main neurological phenotypes have been described in carriers of the CGG premutation: (1) neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social deficits, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD); and (2) after 50 years old, the FXTAS phenotype. This neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by ataxia and a form of parkinsonism. The molecular pathology of this disorder is characterized by the presence of elevated levels of Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (FMR1) mRNA, presence of a repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translated peptide, and FMR1 mRNA-containing nuclear inclusions. Whereas in the past FXTAS was mainly considered as a late-onset disorder, some phenotypes of patients and altered learning and memory behavior of a mouse model of FXTAS suggested that this disorder involves neurodevelopment. To better understand the physiopathological role of the increased levels of Fmr1 mRNA during neuronal differentiation, we used a small interfering RNA (siRNA) ap

On the early history of atomic layer deposition: most significant works and applications

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a technique that has been instrumental in enabling the semiconductor industry to maintain its adherence to Moore’s Law, and is becoming a gamechanger in several other fields. A worldwide voluntary effort called “Virtual Project on the History of ALD” (VPHA), open for everyone with an ALD background to participate, was launched in summer 2013 to explore how the ALD concept was developed; which were the first ALD experiments; when, where, why and by whom they were made. Earlier VPHA outcomes were published at ALD 2014 (accessed through VPHA’s website http://vphald.com); VPHA has made steady progress since then. Here we will present a conclusive recommended reading list of the most significant early ALD publications and briefly review the most important individual works and applications. Acknowledgements: We are grateful for Dr. Tuomo Suntola’s general support during the VPHA and for Dr. Aziz Abdulagatov’s and Annina Titoff’s assistance in initiating it. The VPHA would not have been possible without the recent advances in professional social networking and cloud computing. RLP acknowledges partial funding from the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Atomic Layer Deposition. The author list is intentionally in alphabetical order