This paper presents a low-cost protocol to recondition neural microelectrodes with material failure, demonstrating its effectiveness through experimental results on tungsten electrodes.

bioRxiv · Jan 17, 2024Bioengineering

DEC1 is an adult clock regulator that links circadian rhythms to functional β-cell maturation

Z. Gao, M. Liu, A. P. Montalvo, Z. L. Gruskin, A. Leduc, Y. Xie, S. Preza, J. Du, X. Liu, V. Huhn, Z. Cheng, C. Krapp, M. Haemmerle, A. V. Rozo, X. Wen, , J. R. Alvarez-Dominguez

This study shows DEC1 regulates circadian rhythms in β-cells, linking them to metabolic maturation and glucose responsiveness.

bioRxiv · Aug 11, 2023 · PreprintCell Biology

Human Vascularized Bile Duct-on-a Chip: A multi-cellular micro-physiological system for studying Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Y. Du, K. Gupta, O. Waisbourd-Zinman, A. Har-Zahav, C. J. Soroka, J. L. Boyer, J. Llewellyn, C. Liu, A. Naji, W. J. Polacheck, R. G. Wells

This paper develops a vascularized bile duct-on-a-chip model to study PSC, showing PSC cholangiocytes exhibit increased inflammation under IL-17A stimulation.

bioRxiv · Mar 2, 2023 · PreprintBioengineering

Kiwa is a bacterial membrane-embedded defence supercomplex activated by phage-induced membrane changes

Z. Zhang, T. C. Todeschini, Y. Wu, R. Kogay, A. Naji, J. Cardenas Rodriguez, R. M. Anandhakrishna, D. Kaganovich, D. W. Taylor, J. P. K. Bravo, M. Teplova, T. Amen, E. V. Koonin, D. J. Patel, F. L. Nobrega

The paper characterizes the Kiwa defence system as a bacterial membrane supercomplex that detects phage-induced membrane changes and inhibits phage replication.

bioRxiv · Feb 26, 2023 · PreprintMicrobiology

Injury and a program of fetal wound healing in the fetal and neonatal extrahepatic bile duct

I. E. M. de Jong, M. L. Hunt, D. Chen, Y. Du, J. Llewellyn, K. Gupta, D. A. Erxleben, F. Rivas, A. R. Hall, E. E. Furth, A. Naji, C. Liu, A. Dhand, J. A. Burdick, M. G. Davey, , R. G. Wells

This study investigates the fetal response to injury in extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBDs) and identifies a fetal wound healing program characterized by high molecular weight HA, which may lead to obstruction in biliary atresia.

bioRxiv · Dec 15, 2022 · PreprintPhysiology

mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines have reduced neutralizing activity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

V.-V. Edara, K. E. Manning, M. Ellis, L. Lai, K. M. Moore, S. L. Foster, K. Floyd, M. E. Davis-Gardner, G. Mantus, L. E. Nyhoff, S. Bechnack, G. Alaaeddine, A. Naji, H. Samaha, M. Lee, , M. S. Suthar

This study evaluates the neutralizing activity of mRNA vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, showing reduced efficacy after the second dose but improved responses following a third dose.

bioRxiv · Dec 20, 2021Immunology

Efemp1 modulates elastic fiber formation and mechanics of the extrahepatic bile duct

J. Llewellyn, E. Roberts, C. Liu, A. Naji, R. K. Assoian, R. G. Wells

This study shows EFEMP1 is crucial for elastic fiber formation and mechanical properties of the extrahepatic bile duct, with reduced EFEMP1 leading to increased compliance and potential role in biliary atresia.

bioRxiv · Dec 5, 2021 · PreprintPhysiology

Alpha cell dysfunction in early type 1 diabetes

N. Doliba, A. Rozo, J. Roman, W. Qin, D. Traum, L. Gao, J. Liu, E. Manduchi, C. Liu, M. Golson, G. Vahedi, A. Naji, F. Matschinsky, M. Atkinson, A. Powers, , D. Stoffers

The paper identifies early alpha cell dysfunction in individuals with GADA+ status, preceding beta cell loss in T1D, and links it to metabolic pathway abnormalities.

bioRxiv · Oct 15, 2021 · PreprintPhysiology

The identity of human tissue-emigrant CD8+ T cells

M. Buggert, L. A. Vella, S. Nguyen, V. Wu, T. Sekine, A. Perez-Potti, C. R. Maldini, S. Manne, S. Darko, A. Ransier, L. Kuri-Cervantes, A. Sada Japp, I. Bukh Brody, M. A. Ivarsson, L. Hertwig, , M. R. Betts

The paper characterizes tissue-emigrant CD8+ T cells in humans and non-human primates, revealing distinct migratory behaviors and clonal dynamics.

bioRxiv · Aug 11, 2020Immunology

Mapping the lineage relationship between CXCR5+ and CXCR5- CD4+ T cells in HIV infected human lymph nodes

D. del Alcazar, Y. Wang, C. He, B. S. Wendel, P. M. Del Rio-Estrada, J. Lin, Y. Ablanedo-Terrazas, M. J. Malone, S. M. Hernande, I. Frank, A. Naji, G. Reyes-Teran, N. Jiang, L. F. Su

The paper identifies a CXCR5-negative CD4+ T cell subset in HIV-infected lymph nodes that shares lineage and functional traits with CXCR5+ T follicular helper cells.

bioRxiv · Jan 31, 2019Immunology

Discovery of allosteric non-covalent KRAS inhibitors that bind with sub-micromolar affinity and disrupt effector binding

M. J. McCarthy, C. V. Pagba, P. Prakash, A. Naji, D. van der Hoeven, H. Liang, A. K. Gupta, Y. Zhou, K.-J. Cho, J. F. Hancock, A. A. Gorfe

This study identifies a pyrazolopyrimidine-based allosteric KRAS inhibitor with sub-micromolar affinity that disrupts effector binding and inhibits cancer cell growth.

bioRxiv · Oct 11, 2018Biochemistry