Non-Equilibrium Fluidization of Dense Active Suspension

We investigate dense suspensions of swimming bacteria prepared in a nutrient-exchange chamber. Near the pellet concentration, nonthermal fluctuations showed notable agreement between self and collective behaviors, a phenomenon not previously observed at equilibrium. The viscosity of active suspensions dramatically decreased compared to their inactive counterparts, where glassy features, such as non-Newtonian viscosity and dynamic heterogeneity, disappeared. Instead, the complex shear modulus showed a power-law rheology,$G^*(\omega)\propto\left(-i\omega\right)^\frac{1}{2}$, indicating the role of bacterial activity in driving the system towards a critical jamming state

Optimization of Optical Trapping and Laser Interferometry in Biological Cells

Optical trapping and laser interferometry enable the non-invasive manipulation of colloids, which can be used to investigate the microscopic mechanics of surrounding media or bound macromolecules. For efficient trapping and precise tracking, the sample media must ideally be homogeneous and quiescent whereas such conditions are usually not satisfied in vivo in living cells. In order to investigate mechanics of the living-cell interior, we introduced (1) the in-situ calibration of optical trapping and laser interferometry, and (2) 3-D feedback control of a sample stage to stably track a colloidal particle. Investigating systematic errors that appear owing to sample heterogeneity and focal offsets of a trapping laser relative to the colloidal probe, we provide several important caveats for conducting precise optical micromanipulation in living cells. On the basis of this study, we further improved the performance of the techniques to be used in cells, by optimizing the position sensitivity of laser interferometry and the stability of the feedback simultaneously

Clinical Significance of BIM Deletion Polymorphism in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation

Background:Germline alterations in the proapoptotic protein Bcl-2–like 11 (BIM) can have a crucial role in tumor response to treatment. To determine the clinical utility of detecting BIM deletion polymorphism in non–small-cell lung cancer positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, we examined outcomes of patients with and without BIM alterations.Methods:We studied 70 patients with EGFR mutation-positive non–small-cell lung cancer who were treated with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor between January 2008 and January 2013. BIM deletion was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction in 58 samples of peripheral blood and 24 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded slides of surgical specimens (20 of lung tissue and four of brain tissue); both blood and tissue specimens were available for 12 patients. We retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics, response rate, toxicity, and outcomes among patients with and without BIM deletion.Results:BIM deletion was present in 13 of 70 patients (18.6%). There were no significant differences between patients with and without BIM deletion in clinical characteristics, rate of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or incidence of adverse events. Patients with BIM deletion had significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) than those without BIM deletion (median, 227 versus 533 days; p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that BIM deletion was an independent indicator of shorter PFS (hazard ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.864–8.547; p < 0.001).Conclusions:Polymerase chain reaction successfully detected BIM deletion in samples of peripheral blood and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded slides of surgical specimens. BIM deletion was the most important independent prognostic factor in shorter PFS

Alirocumab and cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome

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