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This paper describes the use of patterned flows of multiple laminar streams of etching solutions in capillaries to create various topographical features with sizes of 10-200 /spl mu/m in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). A variety of topographical features were created by using channels with obstacles, by adjusting the flow rates of etchant, or by controlling the duration of etching. Bovine capillary endothelial cells aligned parallel to features when grown inside these topographically patterned capillaries with 10 /spl mu/m ridges. The capillaries with topographical features could also be further patterned with surface-attached red blood cells and surface-adsorbed proteins, using laminar flows. This two-stage patterning produces patterns of proteins and cells on the topography with alignment between the different features and patterns. The technique allows simultaneous micropatterning of multiple cell culture environments using the same capillary system.

<p>Supplementary Tables 1 and 2</p>

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 100 loci that are associated with TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C or lipoprotein subclasses, and further fine-mapping studies have shown that many o...

Chemical force microscopy (CFM) was used to probe interactions between ionizable and neutral functional groups in aqueous solutions. Force microscope probe tips and sample substrates have been covalently modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) terminating in distinct functional groups. SAMs were prepared by treating Au-coated or uncoated tips and substrates with functionalized thiols or silanes, respectively. A force microscope has been used to characterize adhesive and frictional interactions between probe tips and substrates modified with SAMs that terminate in −NH2, −COOH, −OH, and −CH3 functional groups as a function of solution pH and ionic strength. In general, adhesion and friction forces were observed to depend on the chemical identity of the tip and sample surface and also were found to be highly sensitive to the changes in the ionization state of the terminal functionalities induced by varying the solution pH. Adhesion measurements made as a function of pH (force titrations) on amine-terminated surfaces exhibit a sharp decrease in the adhesion force at pH values below 4.5. The pKa estimated from this drop in adhesion, which is due to the protonation of amine groups on the sample and tip, 3.9, is similar to the value determined by conventional contact angle wetting studies of these same surfaces. The large decrease in the pK of the amine group relative to homogeneous solution was attributed to the relatively hydrophobic environment of the amine group in these SAMs. Adhesion measurements made as a function of pH on −COOH-terminated surfaces exhibited a large drop in adhesion force for pH values greater than 5. The pKa estimated from these data, 5.5, is similar to the free aqueous solution value. In addition, the adhesion force between nonionizable −OH and −CH3 groups was found to be independent of solution pH. The measured adhesive forces were interpreted using a contact mechanics model that incorporated the effects of the double layer free energy. Analyses of repulsive electrostatic forces and adhesion data recorded as a function of ionic strength were used to determine properties of the double layer. The pH dependence of the friction force between tips and samples modified with SAMs terminating in −COOH, −OH, and −CH3 groups was measured as a function of applied load. For a given pH, these data exhibit a linear dependence on load with the slope corresponding to the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction for −OH and −CH3 groups was independent of pH, while the friction coefficient for −COOH-terminated surfaces drops significantly at a pH corresponding to the pKa determined by adhesion measurements. The pH-dependent changes in friction forces for ionizable groups were exploited to map spatially changes in ionization state on surfaces terminating in −COOH and −OH functional groups.

Background The Nuclear Receptor 2F2 (NR2F2/COUP-TFII) heterozygous knockout mice display low basal insulinemia and enhanced insulin sensitivity. We previously established that insulin represses NR2F2 gene expression in pancreatic β-cells. The cis-regulatory region of the NR2F2 promoter is unknown and its influence on metabolism in humans is poorly understood. The present study aimed to identify the regulatory regions that control NR2F2 gene transcription and to evaluate the effect of NR2F2 promoter variation on glucose homeostasis in humans. Methodology/Principal Findings Regulation of the NR2F2 promoter was assessed using gene reporter assays, ChIP and gel shift experiments. The effects of variation at SNP rs3743462 in NR2F2 on quantitative metabolic traits were studied in two European prospective cohorts. We identified a minimal promoter region that down-regulates NR2F2 expression by attenuating HNF4α activation in response to high glucose concentrations. Subjects of the French DESIR population, who carried the rs3743462 T-to-C polymorphism, located in the distal glucose-responsive promoter, displayed lower basal insulin levels and lower HOMA-IR index. The C-allele at rs3743462 was associated with increased NR2F2 binding and decreased NR2F2 gene expression. Conclusions/Significance The rs3743462 polymorphism affects glucose-responsive NR2F2 promoter regulation and thereby may influence whole-body insulin sensitivity, suggesting a role of NR2F2 in the control of glucose homeostasis in humans.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTTin- and indium-mediated allylation in aqueous media: application to unprotected carbohydratesEnoch Kim, Dana M. Gordon, Walther Schmid, and George M. WhitesidesCite this: J. Org. Chem. 1993, 58, 20, 5500–5507Publication Date (Print):September 1, 1993Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 September 1993https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jo00072a038https://doi.org/10.1021/jo00072a038research-articleACS PublicationsRequest reuse permissionsArticle Views1325Altmetric-Citations168LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail Other access optionsGet e-AlertscloseSupporting Info (1)»Supporting Information Supporting Information Get e-Alerts

Metal plating

The present report summarises the symposium ‘Nutrition Transition and the Global Burden of Type 2 Diabetes’ and a workshop on strategies for dietary interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes held by the Global Nutrition and Epidemiologic Transition Initiative, Boston, MA, USA in November 2011. The objectives of this event were to bring attention to the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes in light of the ongoing nutrition transition worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and to highlight the present evidence on key dietary risk factors contributing to the global diabetes burden. The meeting put forward ideas for further research on this topic and discussed practical recommendations to design and implement culturally appropriate dietary interventions with a focus on improving carbohydrate quality to help alleviate this growing health problem.

BACKGROUND: Global dietary recommendations for and cardiovascular effects of linoleic acid, the major dietary omega-6 fatty acid, and its major metabolite, arachidonic acid, remain controversial. To address this uncertainty and inform international recommendations, we evaluated how in vivo circulating and tissue levels of linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) relate to incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) across multiple international studies. METHODS: We performed harmonized, de novo, individual-level analyses in a global consortium of 30 prospective observational studies from 13 countries. Multivariable-adjusted associations of circulating and adipose tissue LA and AA biomarkers with incident total CVD and subtypes (coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, cardiovascular mortality) were investigated according to a prespecified analytic plan. Levels of LA and AA, measured as the percentage of total fatty acids, were evaluated linearly according to their interquintile range (ie, the range between the midpoint of the first and fifth quintiles), and categorically by quintiles. Study-specific results were pooled using inverse-variance-weighted meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was explored by age, sex, race, diabetes mellitus, statin use, aspirin use, omega-3 levels, and fatty acid desaturase 1 genotype (when available). RESULTS: In 30 prospective studies with medians of follow-up ranging 2.5 to 31.9 years, 15 198 incident cardiovascular events occurred among 68 659 participants. Higher levels of LA were significantly associated with lower risks of total CVD, cardiovascular mortality, and ischemic stroke, with hazard ratios per interquintile range of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.88-0.99), 0.78 (0.70-0.85), and 0.88 (0.79-0.98), respectively, and nonsignificantly with lower coronary heart disease risk (0.94; 0.88-1.00). Relationships were similar for LA evaluated across quintiles. AA levels were not associated with higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes; in a comparison of extreme quintiles, higher levels were associated with lower risk of total CVD (0.92; 0.86-0.99). No consistent heterogeneity by population subgroups was identified in the observed relationships. CONCLUSIONS: In pooled global analyses, higher in vivo circulating and tissue levels of LA and possibly AA were associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular events. These results support a favorable role for LA in CVD prevention.

Background— The association between secondhand smoke (SHS) and risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and stroke remains uncertain. Methods and Results— We examined the relationship between SHS and cardiovascular diseases, particularly PAD and stroke, in Chinese women who never smoked from a population-based cross-sectional study in Beijing, China. SHS exposure was defined as exposure to another person’s tobacco smoke at home or in the workplace. Cardiovascular disease events included coronary heart disease, stroke, and PAD. PAD was defined by signs of intermittent claudication as measured by the World Health Organization Rose questionnaire and an ankle-brachial index of <0.90. Among 1209 women who never smoked, 39.5% were exposed to SHS at home or in workplaces. Those individuals who were exposed to SHS had a significantly higher risk of coronary heart disease (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% CI, 1.31 to 2.18) and ischemic stroke (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.35) than those never exposed to SHS after adjustment for 13 potential risk factors. The adjusted ORs of PAD defined by intermittent claudication, by ankle-brachial index <0.90, and by either intermittent claudication or ankle-brachial index <0.90 were 1.87 (95% CI, 1.30 to 2.68), 1.47 (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.03), and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.23 to 2.16), respectively. Dose-response relationships were found between SHS exposure amount (cigarettes per day) and duration (minutes per day) and increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and PAD. Conclusions— In China, SHS exposure in women is highly prevalent. In addition to being a risk factor for coronary heart disease, SHS should be considered an important risk factor for ischemic stroke and PAD in nonsmoking women.