Ikerbasque

About: Ikerbasque is a other organization based out in Bilbao, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Graphene & Quantum. The organization has 713 authors who have published 7967 publications receiving 231990 citations. The organization is also known as: Basque Foundation for Science.

NK Cell Metabolism and Tumor Microenvironment.

Abstract: Natural Killer (NK) cells are characterized by their potential to kill tumor cells by different means without previous sensitization and have, therefore, become a valuable tool in cancer immunotherapy. However, their efficacy against solid tumors is still poor and further studies are required to improve it. One of the major restrictions for NK cell activity is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). There, tumor and other immune cells create the appropriate conditions for tumor proliferation while, among others, preventing NK cell activation. Furthermore, NK cell metabolism is impaired in the TME, presumably due to nutrient and oxygen deprivation, and the higher concentration of tumor-derived metabolic end products, such as lactate. This metabolic restriction of NK cells limits their effector functions, and it could represent a potential target to focus on to improve the efficacy of NK cell-based therapies against solid tumors. In this review, we discuss the potential effect of TME into NK cell metabolism and its influence in NK cell effector functions.

Digital Quantum Simulation of Spin Models with Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics

Abstract: The authors would like to thank Abdufarrukh Abdumalikov and Marek Pechal for helpful discussions. Furthermore, we owe gratitude to Lars Steffen, Arkady Fedorov, Christopher Eichler, Mathias Baur, and Jonas Mlynek who contributed to our experimental setup. We would also like to thank Tim Menke and Andreas Landig for contributions to the calibration software used in the present experiment. We acknowledge financial support from Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich (ETH Zurich), the Swiss National Science Foundation National Centre of Competence in Research "Quantum Science & Technology," the Basque Government IT472-10, Spanish MINECO FIS2012-36673-C03-02, Ramon y Cajal Grant No. RYC-2012-11391, UPV/EHU Project No. EHUA14/04, UPV/EHU UFI 11/55, and a UPV/EHU PhD grant, and PROMISCE and SCALEQIT European projects.

Anthropogenic ecosystem disturbance and the recovery debt.

Abstract: Ecosystem recovery from anthropogenic disturbances, either without human intervention or assisted by ecological restoration, is increasingly occurring worldwide. As ecosystems progress through recovery, it is important to estimate any resulting deficit in biodiversity and functions. Here we use data from 3,035 sampling plots worldwide, to quantify the interim reduction of biodiversity and functions occurring during the recovery process (that is, the 'recovery debt'). Compared with reference levels, recovering ecosystems run annual deficits of 46-51% for organism abundance, 27-33% for species diversity, 32-42% for carbon cycling and 31-41% for nitrogen cycling. Our results are consistent across biomes but not across degrading factors. Our results suggest that recovering and restored ecosystems have less abundance, diversity and cycling of carbon and nitrogen than 'undisturbed' ecosystems, and that even if complete recovery is reached, an interim recovery debt will accumulate. Under such circumstances, increasing the quantity of less-functional ecosystems through ecological restoration and offsetting are inadequate alternatives to ecosystem protection.

Prion Strain Mutation Determined by Prion Protein Conformational Compatibility and Primary Structure

Abstract: Prions are infectious proteins composed of the abnormal disease-causing isoform PrPSc, which induces conformational conversion of the host-encoded normal cellular prion protein PrPC to additional PrPSc. The mechanism underlying prion strain mutation in the absence of nucleic acids remains unresolved. Additionally, the frequency of strains causing chronic wasting disease (CWD), a burgeoning prion epidemic of cervids, is unknown. Using susceptible transgenic mice, we identified two prevalent CWD strains with divergent biological properties but composed of PrPSc with indistinguishable biochemical characteristics. Although CWD transmissions indicated stable, independent strain propagation by elk PrPC, strain coexistence in the brains of deer and transgenic mice demonstrated unstable strain propagation by deer PrPC. The primary structures of deer and elk prion proteins differ at residue 226, which, in concert with PrPSc conformational compatibility, determines prion strain mutation in these cervids.