15 research outputs found
Controlled interfacial assembly of 2D curved colloidal crystals and jammed shells
Assembly of colloidal particles on fluid interfaces is a promising technique
for synthesizing two-dimensional micro-crystalline materials useful in fields
as diverse as biomedicine1, materials science2, mineral flotation3 and food
processing4. Current approaches rely on bulk emulsification methods, require
further chemical and thermal treatments, and are restrictive with respect to
the materials employed5-9. The development of methods that exploit the great
potential of interfacial assembly for producing tailored materials have been
hampered by the lack of understanding of the assembly process. Here we report a
microfluidic method that allows direct visualization and understanding of the
dynamics of colloidal crystal growth on curved interfaces. The crystals are
periodically ejected to form stable jammed shells, which we refer to as
colloidal armour. We propose that the energetic barriers to interfacial crystal
growth and organization can be overcome by targeted delivery of colloidal
particles through hydrodynamic flows. Our method allows an unprecedented degree
of control over armour composition, size and stability.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure
Long non-coding RNAs and cancer: a new frontier of translational research?
Author manuscriptTiling array and novel sequencing technologies have made available the transcription profile of the entire human genome. However, the extent of transcription and the function of genetic elements that occur outside of protein-coding genes, particularly those involved in disease, are still a matter of debate. In this review, we focus on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are involved in cancer. We define lncRNAs and present a cancer-oriented list of lncRNAs, list some tools (for example, public databases) that classify lncRNAs or that scan genome spans of interest to find whether known lncRNAs reside there, and describe some of the functions of lncRNAs and the possible genetic mechanisms that underlie lncRNA expression changes in cancer, as well as current and potential future applications of lncRNA research in the treatment of cancer.RS is supported as a fellow of the TALENTS Programme (7th R&D Framework Programme, Specific Programme: PEOPLE—Marie Curie Actions—COFUND). MIA is supported as a PhD fellow of the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia), Portugal. GAC is supported as a fellow by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Research Trust, as a research scholar by The University of Texas System Regents, and by the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Global Research Foundation. Work in GAC’s laboratory is supported in part by the NIH/ NCI (CA135444); a Department of Defense Breast Cancer Idea Award; Developmental Research Awards from the Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Brain Cancer, Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants from the National Institutes of Health; a 2009 Seena Magowitz–Pancreatic Cancer Action Network AACR Pilot Grant; the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and the RGK Foundation