Contents
April 2020
Vol 6, Issue 15
Vol 6, Issue 15
Research Articles
- Improving the efficiency of precise genome editing with site-specific Cas9-oligonucleotide conjugates
A chemical protein-DNA conjugation approach enhances precise genome editing in human cells and mouse zygotes.
- Soft extracellular matrix enhances inflammatory activation of mesenchymal stromal cells to induce monocyte production and trafficking
Soft extracellular matrix boosts the activation of MSCs by TNFα to generate and recruit monocytes in a paracrine manner.
- The pharyngeal nervous system orchestrates feeding behavior in planarians
Specialization of modular functions in the peripheral nervous system orchestrates feeding behavior in planarians.
- Cooperativity of Kv7.4 channels confers ultrafast electromechanical sensitivity and emergent properties in cochlear outer hair cells
Acquired mechanical sensitivity of clustered Kv7.4 in outer hair cell sculpts fast cycle-by-cycle sound amplification and tuning.
- Regeneration of pulpo-dentinal–like complex by a group of unique multipotent CD24a+ stem cells
A previously unidentified group of Sp7-dependent CD24a+ stem cells, called MDPSCs, were found to promote dental pulp regeneration.
- Targeting the scaffolding role of LSD1 (KDM1A) poises acute myeloid leukemia cells for retinoic acid–induced differentiation
The study addresses the mechanism through which inhibition of LSD1 sensitizes AML cells to retinoic acid–induced differentiation.
- The Mgs1/WRNIP1 ATPase is required to prevent a recombination salvage pathway at damaged replication forks
Mgs1 contributes to genome stability by helping to avoid unwanted recombination at sites of perturbed DNA replication.
- The cohesin release factor Wapl interacts with Bub3 to govern SAC activity in female meiosis I
Cohesin release factor functions as a spindle assembly checkpoint regulator to prevent aneuploidy in oocyte meiosis I.
- Locus coeruleus norepinephrine activity mediates sensory-evoked awakenings from sleep
Do noises wake you up at night? Blame your locus coeruleus.
- Force production of human cytoplasmic dynein is limited by its processivity
We present a novel experimental framework allowing for determination of the maximal force generation of weakly processive motors.
- Picoscale structural insight into superconductivity of monolayer FeSe/SrTiO3
Experiments reveal interfacial atomic-scale structure that may be critical for the interface enhanced high Tc in FeSe/SrTiO3.
- Online education platforms scale college STEM instruction with equivalent learning outcomes at lower cost
Online platforms are an affordable and effective solution to expand STEM education.
- Metabolic maturation in the first 2 years of life in resource-constrained settings and its association with postnatal growths
Undernourished children are metabolically immature relative to those growing normally across 3 diverse epidemiologic contexts.
- Complete aggregation pathway of amyloid β (1-40) and (1-42) resolved on an atomically clean interface
High-resolution atomic force microscopy provides clean imaging of amyloid aggregates at graphene-water interface.
- Eradication of tumor growth by delivering novel photothermal selenium-coated tellurium nanoheterojunctions
We made a big breakthrough in nanomaterial-based cancer therapy by developing nanomaterials consisting of tellurium and selenium.
- Exosome-based delivery of super-repressor IκBα relieves sepsis-associated organ damage and mortality
Next generation exosome-based therapy can protect against systemic inflammation and sepsis-induced death.
- Procedural fairness and nepotism among local traditional and democratic leaders in rural Namibia
Democratic leaders perform similarly to traditional leaders in procedural fairness and nepotism.
- Synaptic silencing of fast muscle is compensated by rewired innervation of slow muscle
Long-term silencing of synapses in fast muscles induced fast muscle–specific motor neurons to reroute to slow muscles.
- Mechanism of actin N-terminal acetylation
NAA80 Nt-acetylates the six actin isoforms by specifically targeting the complex of actin-profilin among all cellular proteins.
- Climate models miss most of the coarse dust in the atmosphere
Atmosphere has four times more coarse dust than in climate models, resulting in more radiative warming than previously estimated.
- Reevaluating the evidence for a Hadean-Eoarchean dynamo
We show that the existence and evolution of the geodynamo before 3.5 Ga ago remains unknown.
About The Cover
ONLINE COVER When we sleep, we lose our ability to respond to the environment. When a stimulus occurs that would normally attract our attention, like quiet music playing or birds chirping outside the window, we don't notice or react. However, scientists have not fully understood how sleep is maintained despite ongoing external sensory events, nor how processes in the brain determine whether we will awake from a sensory cue in our surroundings. To test whether reduced locus-coeruleus norepinephrine (LC-NE) activity mediates unresponsiveness during sleep—and whether heightened LC-NE activity leads to sensory-evoked awakenings—Hanna Hayat et al. monitored the brain activity of slumbering rats provided with sensory cues. They gained insights using a combination of LC single-neuron electrophysiology, behavioral, pharmacological, and optogenetic techniques. The researchers provide evidence that the level of LC-NE activity during sleep does, in fact, determine how likely a sleeper is to awake due to sensory stimulation. The findings could help scientists better understand both sleep and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as the effects of anesthesia. [CREDIT: ANA YAEL]
