On the pion electroproduction amplitude

We analyze amplitudes for the pion electroproduction on proton derived from Lagrangians based on the local chiral SU(2) x SU(2) symmetries. We show that such amplitudes do contain information on the nucleon axial form factor F_A in both soft and hard pion regimes. This result invalidates recent Haberzettl's claim that the pion electroproduction at threshold cannot be used to extract any information regarding F_A.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Alpha-B-Crystallin overexpression is sufficient to promote tumorigenesis and metastasis in mice

Background: αB-Crystallin is a heat shock chaperone protein which binds to misfolded proteins to prevent their aggregation. It is overexpressed in a wide-variety of cancers. Previous studies using human cancer cell lines and human xenograft models have suggested potential tumor promoter (oncogene) roles for αB-Crystallin in a widespectrum of cancers. Methods: To determine the causal relationship between CRYAB overexpression and cancer, we generated a Cryab overexpression knock-in mouse model and monitor them for development of spontaneous and carcinogen (DMBA)- induced tumorigenesis. In order to investigate the mechanism of malignancies observed in this model multiple techniques were used such as immunohistochemical characterizations of tumors, bioinformatics analysis of publically available human tumor datasets, and generation of mouse embryonic fbroblasts (MEFs) for in vitro assays (clonogenic survival and migration assays and proteome analysis by mass-spectrometry). Results: This model revealed that constitutive overexpression of Cryab results in the formation of a variety of lethal spontaneous primary and metastatic tumors in mice. In vivo, the overexpression of Cryab correlated with the upregulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) markers, angiogenesis and some oncogenic proteins including Basigin. In vitro, using E1A/Ras transformed MEFs, we observed that the overexpression of Cryab led to the promotion of cell survival via upregulation of Akt signaling and downregulation of pro-apoptotic pathway mediator JNK, with subsequent attenuation of apoptosis as assessed by cleaved caspase-3 and Annexin V staining. Conclusions: Overall, through the generation and characterization of Cryab overexpression model, we provide evidence supporting the role of αB-Crystallin as an oncogene, where its upregulation is suffcient to induce tumors, promote cell survival and inhibit apoptosis.Behnam Rashidieh, Amanda Louise Bain, Simon Manuel Tria, Sowmya Sharma, Cameron Allan Stewart, Jacinta Ley Simmons, Pirjo M. Apaja, Pascal H. G. Duijf, John Finnie, and Kum Kum Khann

A ventral rotational skin flap to improve cosmesis and avoid chordee recurrence in epispadias repair.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a technical modification that facilitates dorsal skin closure, improves cosmesis and eliminates chordee recurrence secondary to contracture of the dorsal penile skin in the repair of epispadias. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with penopubic epispadias (mean age 1.8 years) had the epispadias repaired using a modified ventral penile skin flap. Four patients had isolated epispadias and seven had had a previous primary closure of bladder exstrophy. Nine patients underwent the Cantwell-Ransley technique, leaving the meatus in a glanular position. Two patients were repaired using the penile disassembly technique of Mitchell and Bägli, because they had a short urethral plate. A ventral island skin flap was fashioned, starting at the base of the penis. Dissection was carried ventrally into the scrotum to allow for adequate dorsal flap transposition. The flap was rotated laterally to shift the suture line from the midline and to cover the dorsal aspect of the penis with untouched penile shaft skin. Redundant ventral foreskin was discarded. RESULTS: All patients had an uneventful course after surgery. Dorsal penile skin was viable in every case and no patient developed recurrence of chordee or a urethrocutaneous fistula. The cosmetic result was excellent in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Dorsal skin closure using lateral rotation of ventral penile skin flap improves cosmesis after epispadias repair and eliminates the recurrence of chordee secondary to midline dorsal scarring

CyanoFactory, a European consortium to develop technologies needed to advance cyanobacteria as chassis for production of chemicals and fuels

CyanoFactory, Design, construction and demonstration of solar biofuel production using novel (photo)synthetic cell factories, was an R&D project developed in response to the European Commission FP7-ENERGY-2012-1 call “Future Emerging Technologies” and the need for significant advances in both new science and technologies to convert solar energy into a fuel. CyanoFactory was an example of “purpose driven” research and development with identified scientific goals and creation of new technologies. The present overview highlights significant outcomes of the project, three years after its successful completion. The scientific progress of CyanoFactory involved: (i) development of a ToolBox for cyanobacterial synthetic biology; (ii) construction of DataWarehouse/Bioinformatics web-based capacities and functions; (iii) improvement of chassis growth, functionality and robustness; (iv) introduction of custom designed genetic constructs into cyanobacteria, (v) improvement of photosynthetic efficiency towards hydrogen production; (vi) biosafety mechanisms; (vii) analyses of the designed cyanobacterial cells to identify bottlenecks with suggestions on further improvements; (viii) metabolic modelling of engineered cells; (ix) development of an efficient laboratory scale photobioreactor unit; and (x) the assembly and experimental performance assessment of a larger (1350 L) outdoor flat panel photobioreactor system during two seasons. CyanoFactory - Custom design and purpose construction of microbial cells for the production of desired products using synthetic biology – aimed to go beyond conventional paths to pursue innovative and high impact goals. CyanoFactory brought together ten leading European partners (universities, research organizations and enterprises) with a common goal – to develop the future technologies in Synthetic biology and Advanced photobioreactors

Functional mechanisms underlying pleiotropic risk alleles at the 19p13.1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility locus

A locus at 19p13 is associated with breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) risk. Here we analyse 438 SNPs in this region in 46,451 BC and 15,438 OC cases, 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 73,444 controls and identify 13 candidate causal SNPs associated with serous OC (P=9.2 × 10-20), ER-negative BC (P=1.1 × 10-13), BRCA1-associated BC (P=7.7 × 10-16) and triple negative BC (P-diff=2 × 10-5). Genotype-gene expression associations are identified for candidate target genes ANKLE1 (P=2 × 10-3) and ABHD8 (P<2 × 10-3). Chromosome conformation capture identifies interactions between four candidate SNPs and ABHD8, and luciferase assays indicate six risk alleles increased transactivation of the ADHD8 promoter. Targeted deletion of a region containing risk SNP rs56069439 in a putative enhancer induces ANKLE1 downregulation; and mRNA stability assays indicate functional effects for an ANKLE1 3′-UTR SNP. Altogether, these data suggest that multiple SNPs at 19p13 regulate ABHD8 and perhaps ANKLE1 expression, and indicate common mechanisms underlying breast and ovarian cancer risk

Gaia early data release 3: summary of the contents and survey properties (Corrigendum)

ERRATUMThis article is an erratum for:[https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202039657]​​​​​​​Instrumentatio

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo